Here’s what’s going on in the world this week in 1943
- The British de Havilland Vampire jet fighter airplane made its first flight, taking off from and landing at an airfield at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, with designer Geoffrey de Havilland piloting.
- The mass German deportation purging of Belgium’s Jewish population began, as a transport train departed for the Auschwitz concentration camp with about 1,000 prisoners. Five more such operations would take place in 1943, and four in 1944.
- With Rome under control of German occupation forces, a representative of Germany’s Reichsbank arrived at the headquarters of the Banca d’Italia, Italy’s central bank, and ordered that 119 tons, nearly all of Italy’s gold reserves, be placed in German custody in Milan.
- American singer Kate Smith appeared for 18 hours on the CBS Radio Network, starting at 8:00 a.m. in New York and continuing until 2:00 a.m. the next morning, appealing to her listeners to invest in U.S. war bonds. Her performance, which reached an estimated 85 million listeners, raised $39,000,000.
- Repairs were finished on the Möhne river dam, which had been heavily damaged in a British bombing raid on May 16; the Edersee Dam, which had been bombed in the same raid, was restored to full operation six days later.
- Wilhelm Kube, the Nazi Governor of German-occupied Belarus, was assassinated at his office in Minsk, by his maid, a woman who had secretly been a member of the Russian partisans. The maid, Elena Mazanik, had planted a time bomb in Kube’s bedroom.
And here’s what was keeping Peggy busy in the ATS:
Sunday 19th September July 1943
Played hockey as ?? BHO & won 6 – nil. In bed as I was Diesel Swinging (we’ve no idea what “diesel swinging” is. Anybody?). Got a cold. & my leg is pretty painful. hurt it playing hockey I think. In bed early feeling rotten. Sgt. Dene? here.
Monday 20th September 1943
Still feeling pretty sick. Stayed in bed all day. Letter from George. He and Dan going on leave on Monday. Wrote to Reg after much thought.
Tuesday 21st September 1943
Feeling better. Got up after breakfast & got to work. Getting excited about my leave!! Nothing much doing! Bulls Eye.
Wednesday 22nd September 1943
Did a lot of maintenance. Dene still here! Not bad though. Calibrating and generally cleaning up site. Senior Commander & Major came over.
Thursday 23rd September August 1943
Working all morning. Went to S’hampton – met Les. Saw Bing in “Sing You Sinner” & “Undercover” V.G. Went eating, had a drink & caught 2133 Very ?nice.
Friday 24th September 1943
Got up about 0800hrs!! Went shopping to S’hampton. Lovely time. Did loads of shopping spent bags of money. Very nice dance at night! Was with Jack (H.G.)
Saturday 25th September 1943
In bed as I was Diesel Swinging. Didn’t sleep at all. Washed and had my hair set. Exercise Eric. ? Community at night. Good.
The diaries of Peggy Ward 