Thursday, 5 November 1942

US NAVY

MEDITERRANEAN—British submarine HMS Seraph, under the temporary command of U.S. Navy Captain Jerauld Wright, embarks General Giraud and a party of French officers in the Gulf of Lyons. The general will transfer to a Catalina on the 7th for further transportation to Gibraltar.

ATLANTIC—PBY (VP 84) sinks German submarine U‑408 off Iceland, 67°40'N, 18°32'W.

            U.S. tanker Meton, enroute to Cienfuegos, Cuba, in convoy TAG 18, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑129 at 12°25'N, 69°20'W; one merchant seaman dies in the attack. Dutch motor torpedo boat MTB 23 rescues the survivors (37 merchant seamen and the 12 man Armed Guard).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—General Montgomery announces victory of British Eighth Army in Egypt. 10 Corps, pushing rapidly W, overcomes rearguard action near Fuka. As Field Marshal Rommel retreats W from El Alamein, P‑40’s bomb targets on Fuka road and patrol Sidi Hanaish area. B‑25’s also bomb motor transports.

TENTH AF—IATF heavy bombers carry out raid on Rangoon.

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s unsuccessfully attack schooner near Arawe.

ELEVENTH AF—Weather reconnaissance is flown over Kiska and Little Kiska.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL— 164th Infantry (- 1st Battalion) crosses flooded Nalimbiu about 3,500 yards S of Koli Pt and drives N along E bank in effort to outflank enemy facing 7th Marines.

NEW GUINEA—Australian 16th Brigade continues attack on Oivi against determined resistance. Australian 25th Brigade moves against Gorari from Kokoda.

INDIA—Reconnaissance of Ledo area, terminus of Ledo Road to Myitkyina, Burma, and base from which operations in N Burma, RAVENOUS, are to start, is begun.

MADAGASCAR—Hostilities cease at 1400.

EGYPT—British Eighth Army regroups and continues pursuit of enemy. 10 Corps, now consisting of 1st and 7th Armored and New Zealand  2d Divisions, pushes rapidly W, overcoming rear guard resistance near Fuka. 30 Corps takes up positions between El ‘Alamein and Matruh. 13 Corps is given task of mopping up battle zone.

NW AFRICA—As convoys from U.S. and U.K., with assault forces for TORCH, continue toward NW Africa, General Eisenhower flies to Gibraltar and establishes AFHQ CP. U.S.-British staff consists of: Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, naval CinC; Brigadier General James H. Doolittle, U.S. air forces; Air Marshal Sir William L. Welsh, British air forces (Eastern Air Command); Lt General K. A. N. Anderson, British ground forces.

US MARINE CORPS

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