Australia’s War Diary
50 Years Ago…
July 3- New Guinea. After heavy fighting around Mubo, Australian troops advancing from Wau join up with Americans from the Nassau Bay landing force in the Bitoi River region. July 3/4 Britain. Target Cologne. Out of 653 aircraft, 9 Halifaxes, 8 Lancasters, 8 Wellingtons, and 5 Stirlings are lost. Twenty industrial premises and 2200 houses are destroyed. 588 people are killed, approximately 1000 injured and 72,000 bombed out. A new German unit, Jagdgeschwader 300, equipped with single engined fighters using Wilde Sau (Wild Boar) tactics, claims 12 bombers over the target. 460 Squadron loses one Lancaster, F/Sgt C Edwards and crew on their first operation. F/Sgt J Goulevitch’s Lancaster, the crew also on their first mission, is badly hit by flak and has to force land at Hawkinge.
July 5-Bay of Biscay. In spite of four attending Ju 88s, F/O R Gray of 10 Squadron attacks a group of three U-boats but they escape by diving quickly.
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