On This Day ... in 1941 & Others
The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, announced the call-up of unmarried women aged 20-30 to serve in the women's branches of the Armed Forces, or the police and fire services. Exemptions were made for single mothers, full-time carers, and conscientious objectors.
1942: Wing Commander Hugh Malcolm led the Bristol Bisley aircraft of 18 Squadron RAF in a low-level bombing raid on a fighter base at Chougui, Tunisia. Having been detailed to give close support to the First Army, he received an urgent request to attack an enemy fighter airfield near Chouigui.
Malcolm knew that to attack such an objective without a fighter escort - which could not be arranged in the time available - would be to court almost certain disaster; but believing the attack to be necessary for the success of the Army’s operations, his job was clear.
He took off with his squadron and reached the target unmolested, but when he had successfully attacked it, his squadron was intercepted by an overwhelming force of enemy fighters. Wing Commander Malcolm fought back, controlling his hard-pressed squadron and attempting to maintain formation. One by one his aircraft were shot down until only his own aircraft remained. In the end he, too, was shot down in flames and killed
He was awarded the Victoria Cross
1944: Canadian forces captured the city of Ravenna in north-east Italy.