Today in the Second World War

Greetings, History Enthusiasts! As we step into another day in the vast panorama of World War II, we welcome you to this July 2nd edition of the Hidden History Newsletter. Today, we'll unearth the stories of strategic decisions, battlefield courage, world-altering technologies, and the extraordinary human spirit that marked this day in the tumultuous timeline of the Second World War. Let's journey together through these moments of our shared past, gaining a deeper understanding of the forces that have shaped our present world.

"I say that the bombing of the Abbey...was a mistake...It only made our job more difficult, more costly in terms of men, machines and time" - Lieutenant General Mark Clark

Daring Escape

French Lieutenant Pierre Mairesse Lebrun, a prisoner of war at Oflag IV-C at Colditz Castle, Germany, escaped the camp by leaping the wire fence and scaling outer brick wall. He would eventually successfully make it to Switzerland.

Confidence Remains

Churchill easily passed a "no confidence" vote in the House of Commons; there were 475 votes in his favor compared to 25 against.

Zeroing In

Acting on intelligence intercepts, escort carrier USS Wake Island attempted to intercept a German submarine making her way home from an unsuccessful patrol in the Gulf of Guinea. At 2145 hours local time, the TBM-1C Avenger aircraft flown by Ensign Frederick Moore sighted the surfaced U-543 off the coast of Africa between the Canary and the Cape Verde Islands. U-543 fired on the airplane and landed three hits from her 20mm guns. Ensign Moore attacked with two depth charges and one Mark 24 FIDO acoustic homing torpedo, sinking the submarine with all 58 hands.

Terror in the Skies

The V-1 flying bomb assault on London, England and the south-eastern counties of the United Kingdom continued during the early hours with 30 deaths and much damaged property. The bombs continued to arrive throughout the morning, one bomb hitting a US Army camp. Sergeant Ed Bearefoot was trapped for over 3 days beneath the rubble, his two friends who had been in the room with him died shortly after the blast. Allied fighter aircraft were now getting to know how to dive onto the V-1 flying bombs in order to shoot them down. The speed of the bomb was faster than all but the latest Spitfire and Tempest fighters and the pilots had to dive from height in order to gain speed and get their shots in. New aircraft were being brought to the area and many anti-aircraft guns were taken to the coastal areas where the bombs passed overhead.

Photo of the Day

B5N torpedo bomber descending into the sea after being damaged in combat off Truk, Caroline Islands, 2 July 1944; note rear gunner standing up from open canopy.

As we close today's edition of the Hidden History Newsletter for July 2nd, we want to thank you for your engagement and curiosity. Our journey through history is marked by the richness of our shared narratives, stories that deserve to be remembered and understood. We hope that today's dispatch has left you with new insights and a deeper understanding of this pivotal time in our world's past. Until tomorrow, keep the fires of exploration burning bright and remember, every day holds a new piece of history waiting to be discovered.

If you ever have any recommendations feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]

Have a great weekend :)

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