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Post by emron on Sept 8, 2021 11:47:28 GMT 12
8 September 1941
Soviet Union: Siege of Leningrad; German and Finnish forces completed the encirclement and severed the last road to the city today. Thus began the 872 day siege which caused extreme famine in the Leningrad region through disruption of utilities, water, energy and food supplies. It resulted in the deaths of up to 1.5 million soldiers and civilians and the evacuation of 1,400,000 more (mainly women and children), many of whom died during their escape due to starvation and bombardment. One of longest and deadliest sieges in history lasted until Soviet forces were able to finally relieve the city on 27 January 1944.
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Post by emron on Nov 26, 2021 14:13:48 GMT 12
26 November 1941
The Carrier Group of the Pearl Harbour Strike Force (Vice Admiral Chuichi Naguma), consisting of six aircraft carriers (HIJMS Akagi, Hirju, Kaga, Shokaku, Sorju and Zuikaku), two battleships (HIJMS Hiei and Kirishima), two heavy cruisers (HIJMS Cikuma and Tone), one light cruiser (HIJMS Abukuma), ten destroyers, three submarines and seven oilers, sailed from remote Hitokappu (now Kasatka) Bay, Etorofu-to Island (now Ituruk), Kuril Islands, its departure shrouded in secrecy. Its mission, should talks between the U.S. and Japan fail to resolve the diplomatic impasse over Far Eastern and Pacific questions, was to attack the U.S. Pacific Fleet wherever it was found in Hawaiian waters.
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Post by emron on Dec 3, 2021 21:17:29 GMT 12
2 December 1941
Singapore: Battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse accompanied by destroyers HMS Electra, Encounter, Express and Jupiter docked at Singapore. They comprised Royal Navy Force G under Admiral Sir Tom Phillips, dispatched to strengthen British presence in the Far East. Aircraft Carrier HMS Indomitable had been assigned to join them but had run aground in the Caribbean causing damage that required dry dock repairs at Norfolk, Virginia and was delayed.
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Post by emron on Dec 8, 2021 9:58:32 GMT 12
8 December 1941
New Zealand: After receiving news of the invasion of British Malaya and bombing of Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as the attack on US territory at Pearl Harbour, New Zealand, at 11.00 a.m. joined with the United Kingdom, Australia and other Commonwealth countries in declaring war with Japan.
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Post by emron on Dec 11, 2021 11:48:52 GMT 12
10 December 1941
Pacific: While returning to Singapore from an unsuccessful search for a Japanese invasion convoy, the Royal Navy Z Force (Admiral Sir Tom Phillips) was attacked in the South China Sea, 70 miles east of Kuantan, Malaya.
Z Force, by then, comprising battleship HMS Prince of Wales, battlecruiser HMS Repulse and destroyers HMS Electra, Express, and HMAS Vampire lacked any air cover. Aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable (1 squadron Fairey Fulmars and 1 squadron Sea Hurricanes) was intended to be part of the force but had sustained damage in transit and was delayed and still in the Atlantic. Admiral Phillips had rejected offers of air support from shore based RAF squadrons No. 453 (RAAF) and 488 (RNZAF).
Prince of Wales and Repulse came under attack by Japanese Nell and Betty bombers, flying from land bases in Indochina, commencing at 11.40 a.m. They were each struck by at least 4 torpedoes. The rumblings from the attacks were heard in Singapore. After the final attack Repulse began to list heavily to port and not before long rolled over, settled by the head and sank at 12.33 p.m. Prince of Wales sustained further damage from a high-level bomb attack at 12.41 p.m. Soon she too started to capsize to port and HMS Express came alongside to take off the wounded and non-fighting crew. Soon after the abandon ship order, Prince of Wales also rolled over, settled at the head and sank at 13.18 p.m.
About this time 10 Brewster Buffaloes from 453 Squadron arrived overhead. The only request for their assistance being made an hour after the attack began. By then the enemy bombers had departed.
There were 513 lives lost on Repulse, Captain William Tennent was amongst the 796 survivors rescued by destroyers Electra and Vampire. Admiral Phillips and Captain John Leach were among the 327 fatalities aboard Prince of Wales. HMS Express was able to rescue 1285 of her survivors. In a period of three days the Japanese had destroyed or disabled all of the allies battleships in the Pacific, leaving only three capital ships, carriers USS Enterprise, Lexington and Saratoga.
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Post by emron on Feb 15, 2022 20:12:39 GMT 12
15 February 1942
Fall of Singapore: At 17:15 British Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival, commanding the Commonwealth garrison defending the city, formally surrendered to Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita at the Ford Motor Factory. Hostilities were to cease at 20:30. About 80,000 British, Indian, Australian and local troops became prisoners of war, joining the 50,000 captured during the prior 70-day Malayan campaign. It was the largest British surrender in history.
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Post by emron on Dec 17, 2023 17:18:25 GMT 12
Described by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale as “the first sustained and controlled heavier than air, powered flight,” took place at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903.
At 10:35 am, Orville Wright was at the controls of the “Wright Flyer” for the brothers’ first attempt when it was airborne for 12 seconds and flew 120ft. Wilbur Wright was at the controls for the fourth and final flight of the day which lasted for 59 seconds and covered a distance of 852 feet.
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