World War II As It Happened
A MaritimeQuest Daily Event Special Presentation
Tuesday June 30, 1942
Day 1,034

June 30, 1942: Front page of the News and Chronicle, London, England.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Daily Mail, Hull, England.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury, Leeds, England.
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Note the report in columns 4-5: "Gneisenau Out Of War For A Long Time - Gun Turrets, Hit by R.A.F., are Being Dismantled"
(This was true. Gneisenau was damaged by a mine during the Channel Dash and put in for repairs. While under repair, Gneisenau was subjected to several air raids including one that took place on Feb. 27. Gneisenau was hit, according to the ships war diary, at 2235 hours. The bomb penetrated the forecastle and exploded, causing a larger explosion of ammunition and powder. The damage was extensive, and 127 men were killed. The ships bows were replaced and in April Gneisenau was moved to Gotenhafen. Heavier guns were to be fitted, but further German navy failures soured Hitler on the idea of spending so much money, time, and manpower resources on a ship like Gneisenau. The project was abandoned and Gneisenau never sailed again. The heavy gun turrets were removed and used as shore batteries, and the ship was more or less abandoned. When the Soviets neared the city, Gneisenau was towed out and sunk as a blockship. The ship was later raised and scrapped by the Poles.)


June 30, 1942: Front page of the Western Mail and South Wales News, Cardiff, Wales.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of the Press and Journal, Aberdeen, Scotland.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Examiner, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
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Note the report in columns 2-3: "Aust. Destroyer Nestor Lost In Recent Action"
(HMAS Nestor was sunk by German aircraft on June 16 while acting as an escort for convoy Vigorous, which was the Alexandria to Malta convoy. Four men were lost with the ship.)


June 30, 1942: Front page of The Sydney Sun, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Telegraph, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Lethbridge Herald, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of the Biddeford Daily Journal, Biddeford, Maine.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Evening Star, Washington, D.C.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Evening Gazette, Xenia, Ohio.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of The Port Arthur News, Port Arthur, Texas.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of the Tucson Daily Citizen, Tucson, Arizona.
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Note the report in column 2: "Six Survivors Of Torpedoing Against Rescue"
(The unidentified ship was the 5,447-ton freighter Illinois, which was sunk by U-159. Thirty-one men went down with the ship.)


June 30, 1942: Front page of The Bakersfield Californian, Bakersfield, California.
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June 30, 1942: Front page of the Teltower Kreisblatt, Kreis Teltow, Brandenburg, Germany.
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1. So fiel die Festung Marsa Matruk.
(Thus the fortress of Mersa Matruh fell.)


June 30, 1942: Front page of the Völkischer Beobachter, the official newspaper of the NSDAP.
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1. Neuer schwerer Schlag für Churchill - Festung Marsa Matruk erstürmt - Über 6000 Gefangene, 36 Panzer und zahlreiche Batterien vernichtet.
(Another heavy blow for Churchill - Marsa Matruh fortress stormed - Over 6000 prisoners, 36 tanks and numerous batteries destroyed.)



   
Page published June 30, 2023