Hello and welcome to this edition of Between the Lines, the podcast that desiphers the

handwriting, unfolds faded pages and dips into the details of Diaries, log books and letters

written during this same week, there or thereabouts, in 1943, some 80 years ago.

Let's start with a quick recap of the situation.

The Allies are focused intently on preparing for Operation Husky to Sicilian campaign.

This also means committing resources to plans that divert attention elsewhere.

For example, to convince the Axis powers that, hopefully Greece would be the target for forthcoming amphibious landing.

This week a group of British SOE agents destroys a railway bridge over the Asopos River.

Elsewhere in the Far East, American troops are landing in the Trobriand Islands, close to New Guinea and part of Operation Chronicle.

Once in place there was no Japanese resistance, the US Army's engineers then supervise the construction of Kiriwiner Airfield,

which includes a 2,000-meter coral-surface runway, all of the time finding new ways to secure stepping stones for the Allies' supply lines.

Meanwhile, back in Europe Hitler also has an impending campaign launch on his mind, the Battle of Kursk,

but he's starting to see some fallout too from demoralized forces on several fronts.

The Allies have had some success destroying yet more German submarines,

and there's a considerable murmur of discontent as more than 200 German Navy crewmen stage a mutiny in Nazi occupied Norway,

simply refusing to sail.

As you can imagine, the protest didn't go unpunished.

We'll start this week with news from a man who is happy to be at sea, that's Captain Bertie Packer.

HMS Warspite has just had a refit and is sailing southwards. She's off to the Mediterranean.

Monday, the 21st of June and Tuesday, 22nd of June.

At sea, Scapper to Jib.

The sun came through and we made a fine showing.

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