Diary April 17, 1942

04-1942, Diary WW2, War Diary, Year 1942 / 1 minute of reading

Yenangyuang oil field on fire — Equipment is on fire in the Yenangyaung oil field north of Rangoon (Burma), while the British are preparing their retreat.

WW2 War Diary for Friday, April 17, 1942:

Southeast Asia

Burma: Retreating British set fire to Yenangyaung oilfields.

Occupied Territories

France: General Henri Giraud, ex-CO French 9th Army, escapes from Konigstein Castle, near Dresden, by climbing down 46-m-long ‘home-made’ rope. He disguises himself as a commercial traveller and reaches Switzerland by circuitous train journeys (assisted by Free French agents), April 21. Hitler offers reward of 100,000 marks for his recapture. This is 63-year-old Giraud’s second escape from captivity in Germany – during WW I he had reached England disguised as tram-conductor.

Air War

Germany – The Augsburg Raid: 12 RAF Lancaster bombers (7 lost, 5 damaged) despatched to diesel engine factory in Bavaria; 8 reach target at roof-top height and drop 17 bombs.
Britain – first ATS fatal casualty: Pte. Nora Caveney (aged 18) killed at AA battery during night raid on Southampton.

Politics

Vichy France: Admiral Leahy, US Ambassador to Vichy, recalled for ‘consultations’.

About The Author

Kretaner

My name is Norman 'Kretaner' and since my childhood I am interested in history and strategy games. Later, I have learned programming and the development of computer games, and finally with the Internet, also web design. I'm in the fortunate position to combine all my interests with my work and to live on a place of my choice, on Crete. All information, figures, specifications and statistics used here had been compiled from a variety of sources and the large, over decades collected, library of the author about military history, WW2 and weapons.