Replies

U.S., Soviet Exempt (Daniell) – 2
Foe Fights Harder – 2-3
5,000 New Planes Lost by Germans (Middleton) – 4
U.S. Troops Stab Again at Anzio Foe – 4
Red Army Assault on Galati Gap Imminent; End of Crimean Drive will free Two Armies (Parker) – 5
War News Summarized – 5
Allies Cut Block Isolating Kohima – 5-6
Fierce New Attack Rocks Hollandia – 6
German Invasion Alarm Growing; Jutland Coast is Reported Mined – 7
Giant Transport Plane after Completing Record Flight Yesterday (photo) – 9
The Coast Guard Puts the Helicopter to a New Use (photos) – 9-10
Latest Casualties of Army and Navy – 11
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on the Fighting in Various War Zones – 12-13
War’s ‘Forgotten Men’ May Complicate Problem of Rehabilitation of Europeans – 13

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1944/apr44/18apr44.htm#

Last air raid on London
Tuesday, April 18, 1944 www.onwar.com

Over Britain... The last of the “Little Blitz” air raids on London is conducted by 125 aircraft (14 are lost on the mission). A total of 53 tons of bombs are dropped and a hospital is among the buildings hit.

Over Germany... American B-17 and B-24 bombers attack the Heinkel works at Oranienburg and other targets near Berlin. British Mosquito bombers strike Berlin.

Over Occupied France... RAF Bomber Command drops a record 4000 tons of bombs on marshalling yards and railway workshops at Juvisy, Noisy-le-Sec, Rouen and Tergnier.

In Burma... Elements of the British 5th Brigade link up with the Kohima garrison, breaking the Japanese encirclement.

On the Eastern Front... German and Hungarian forces begin counterattacks around Buchach, between the Dnestr and Pruth rivers, in an effort to free units trapped further east. In the Crimea, Soviet forces of the 4th Ukrainian Front capture Balaklava and reach the outskirts of Sevastopol.

In London... The British government bans all coded radio and telegraph transmissions from London and elsewhere on the British Isles. Diplomatic bags are to be subject to censorship and diplomats are forbidden to leave the country. The only exemptions are for the USA, USSR and the Polish government in exile, in London. These measures are intended to maintain the secrecy of the preparations for D-Day. In addition, incitement to strike is made a punishable offense.

headline: "Giant Transport Plane after Completing Record Flight Yesterday (photo) – 9"

Two thoughts on this:

My first transatlantic flight as a boy was on one of these.
As I remember, we stopped in Newfoundland, Iceland and Ireland (slept through that one) before landing in Frankfurt.
Who today can arrive at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California and expect to land in Reagan National Airport, DC, just seven hours later?
So how much better are we today?

headline: "The Coast Guard Puts the Helicopter to a New Use (photos) – 9-10"

I don't know about these new-fangled helicopters (Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly), I mean, how practical can they ever really be?
They carry so little (500 lbs), fly so low & slow (75 mph max), and they make that funny "chop-chop" noise -- sure they might rescue somebody wounded, but what if there's actual fighting going on?

I’m really impressed by the masterful defense being orchestrated by Field Marshal Kleist. He’s been doing a great job ever since he got sacked at the end of March.

The news still hasn’t been released by the Germans. If the Soviets know, and I suspect they do, they are being tight-lipped about it. I’m guessing the Allies know from Enigma decrypts but are also not telling anyone to maintain the Ultra Secret.