1/7/1944. R. Wessel. 1.= pm
On the Western front we have beaten off more German
counterattacks and strengthened our position on
both banks of the Odon. We have also gone on consolidating
our positions and mopping up. The enemy re-acted
sharply against the American efforts to straighten
the line to St. Lô. There are however no big changes.
Before dusk last night some 250 Halifaxes and
Lancasters attacked German tanks in readiness
in a wood near Villers-Bocage on a surface as
big as the Arsenal football field some 1000
tons of bombs were dropped. Also 6 airfields
in Belgium and France were attacked. During the
day we lost 16 of our bombers and shot down 20
enemy machines. Our Mosquitoes last night
paid another visit to the Rhineland where they
attacked an oil plant. Mines were also laid and
one plane is missing. More flying bombs came
over last night. Today there are low clouds and
mists in the Straits of Dover. In Italy the enemy
withdrew all along the front. We are now 30 miles
south of Pisa and on the outskirts of Cecina
also 6 miles from Siena. The 8th Army made
substantial gains. East and west of Lake
Trasimeno. Our bombers attacked targets in
Hungary and Yugoslavia and also road and
rail transport in Italy were attacked and shipping
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