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November 15th, 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: Church bells across Britain, silent since June 1940, pealed out this Sunday morning to celebrate victory at El Alamein. The bells of Westminster Abbey were broadcast by the BBC to occupied Europe and Germany. The bells of Coventry Cathedral’s only surviving bell-tower were heard with the 9am news on the second anniversary of the city’s great Luftwaffe raid. Many bellringers had to be “lent” from the services.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-259 sunk in the Mediterranean north of Algiers, in position 37.20N, 03.05E, by depth charges from British Hudson aircraft (Sqn 500/S). 48 dead (all hands lost). The aircraft’s depth charges exploded on contact crippling the aircraft forcing the crew to bail out.

Minesweeper HMS Algerine torpedoed and sunk off Bougie, Algeria by the Italian submarine Ascianghi. (Dave Shirlaw)
NORTH AFRICA: Tabarka, on the coast road to Bizerta, Tunisia falls to the British 36th Brigade, as they cross the Tunisian border. US paratroops of the 509th PIB take the airfield at Youks les Bains near Tebessa. (Mike Yared)

The Germans have rapidly built up their forces in Tunisia and now count over 10000 troops and over 100 combat aircraft based on French fields.

The Allied aircraft are flying from temporary fields which are not as close to the front.

Admiral Darlan proclaimed protectorate over all French North Africa, and named General Giraud as commander in chief of the armed forces. Admiral Darlan assumed position of protector of French interests in North Africa, appointing General Giraud as commander in chief of French armed forces in North Africa. (Dave Shirlaw)

NEW GUINEA: The Australians complete bridges of the Kumusi River in New Guinea. They continue their advance to Wairopi and Ilimow.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Admiral Tanaka heads his destroyers north from Guadalcanal, at 0430 after beaching the four remaining transports from his convoy. Between 0600 and 0845 the Cactus AF and aircraft from Enterprise attack these ships and the supplies unloaded on shore. They are joined by 155mm Arty from the 244th Coast Artillery and 2 of the 5” coast defence cannon of the Marines.

Destroyer USS Meade, which escorted the cargo ship Okpara to Guadalcanal, joins in. She ignites blazes on the 3 transports not already on fire from the aircraft strikes. Later in the day the Cactus AF strikes at some of the transports abandoned previously in the slot.

The air and sea battle which has raged around Guadalcanal has been fought to enable each side to resupply their forces on the island. The Japanese have landed 2000 troops with few supplies and losing all transports committed. The US lands 5500+ men (2 Btns of the 182nd Infantry) and full supplies, losing no transports.

Destroyer USS Benham is sunk by Japanese warships off Guadalcanal. (Dave Shirlaw)

NEW BRITAIN: General Hitoshi Imamura sets up his HQ at Rabaul.

CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Kentville arrived Halifax from builder Port Arthur, Ontario. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: The 100th Infantry Division is activated at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, under the command of Major General Withers A. Burress (VMI, Class of 1914). (William L. Howard)
Destroyer USS John D Henley launched.

Destroyers USS Thorn, Turner and Van Valkenburgh laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN:
HMCS Saguenay, a River-class destroyer, was damaged when she was rammed by the Panamanian freighter SS AZRA, south of Cape Race Newfoundland. She was damaged further when her own depth charges exploded and destroyed her stern. Saguenay was declared a constructive total loss and was assigned to harbour training duties for the remainder of the war at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia. She was paid off on 30 Jul 45 and broken up for scrap in 1946 at Hamilton, Ontario.

U-98 sunk in North Atlantic west of Gibraltar in position 36.09N, 07.42W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Wrestler. 46 dead (all hands lost).

The commander of U-603 fell ill, forcing the boat to return to base.

At 0305, British Long Island-class escort carrier HMS Avenger was torpedoed by U-155 (KptLt Adolf Piening, Knight’s Cross, CO). Avenger was hit on the port side amidships, which in turn ignited her bomb room, blowing out the centre section of the ship. Her bow and stern sections rose in the air and sunk within 2 minutes, leaving only 12 survivors.
U-155 sank SS Ettrick and damaged USS Almaack and Electra in Convoy MKF-1Y.

U-178 damaged SS Adviser.

U-67 sank SS King Arthur.

(Dave Shirlaw)