Pages of History (July): New Zealand Ace

In Pages of History this month, you will find yourself at the center of events that took place in various theaters of war. From France and the USSR to Sicily and Guam: participate in battles while using vehicles linked to these historic battles and get some prizes!

From July 1st until July 31st, you will be able to participate in 8 tasks consecutively. Completing each task will grant you a trophy with a reward, completing all of the tasks will earn you a unique profile background!

Colin Falkland Gray

Colin Gray is the highest-scoring New Zealand ace in history, credited with at least 27 aerial victories. He flew with the Royal Air Force and took part in the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain, the North African campaign, and the invasion of Sicily. Gray was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, as well as the Distinguished Flying Cross with two bars.

You can purchase this player icon for Golden Eagles until August 3rd (11:30 GMT) without completing tasks. To find it, go to your Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History.

Trophy reward for each task

Completing each individual task will give you a trophy with one of the following rewards:

• 20-50% RP booster for 3-10 battles

• 20-50% SL booster for 3-10 battles

• 3-5 universal backups

• Premium account for 1 day

• A random ground vehicle camouflage (out of those that can currently be unlocked or purchased with Golden Eagles)

Other terms

• Tasks are available from 11:00 GMT until 11:30 GMT on the final day of each task.

• Tasks can be completed in random battles except for “Assault” mode.

You can read a detailed description of which task is for which day and check your overall progress by going to your Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History.

July 1st — July 5th

Operation Seydlitz

In July 1942, near Rzhev, German forces conducted an operation to eliminate a salient that had formed during the Soviet offensive the previous winter. Significant elements of the 39th Army and the 11th Cavalry Corps were encircled; while a few thousand troops managed to break out of the pocket with great difficulty, more than 50,000 were killed or went missing. German losses were an order of magnitude lower.

July 5th — July 9th

Operation Citadel

The Wehrmacht planned a massive offensive near Kursk; however, thanks to its own intelligence and that of the British, the USSR learned of these plans and organized a strong defense. The Germans waited a long time for the delivery of large numbers of Tiger tanks and the new Panther model, which gave the Red Army even more time to prepare. The operation began on July 5th, 1943, but quickly stalled, failing to achieve a single operational objective.

July 9th — July 12th

Allied Invasion of Sicily

On the night of July 9th - 10th 1943, the Allies landed in Sicily. Prior to this, as part of a disinformation campaign, the British indirectly planted the body of a man — purportedly a Royal Marines officer — with documents claiming that the main thrusts of Operation Husky would be directed at Greece and Sardinia. Germany deployed a significant portion of its forces to Greece, enabling the Allies to capture Sicily with relative ease by mid-August.

July 12th — July 16th

Battle of Soltsy

Following the invasion of the USSR on June 22nd 1941, German troops advanced rapidly into the country, crushing all attempts to resist them. One of the first successful counterattacks took place on July 14th near Soltsy, 200 km from Leningrad. This well-planned strike delayed the Wehrmacht’s advance on Leningrad, allowing more time to prepare the city for defense.

July 16th — July 20th

Beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad

On July 9th 1942, Wehrmacht Army Group South split up: one part headed for the Caucasus, while the other moved east toward the Volga. Initially, the capture of Stalingrad was not part of the operational plan, but Hitler demanded the seizure of the city, whose name held great symbolic significance. Axis forces began the battle for Stalingrad on July 17th; by late November, they were encircled, and on February 2nd, 1943, they surrendered.

July 20th — July 24th

Battle of Guam (1944)

On July 21st 1944, American forces launched an operation to capture the island of Guam in the Pacific. The Japanese garrison put up fierce resistance; as their equipment and food supplies ran low, they abandoned their bases and withdrew into the mountains, where they continued to fight. The Japanese forces refused to surrender and were almost completely annihilated.

July 24th — July 28th

Battle of Radzymin (1944)

In July 1944, the Red Army was advancing westward at a rapid pace, covering approximately 500 kilometers in a single month. Germany, however, had established a defensive line near Warsaw and, at the end of the month, engaged in battle at Radzymin. This was one of the largest tank battles fought on Polish soil; it resulted in a tactical victory for Germany, which succeeded in inflicting heavy losses on Soviet forces and halting their advance.

July 28th — July 31st

Operation Bluecoat

During the fighting in Normandy in late July 1944, British forces launched an offensive in support of American troops conducting Operation Cobra nearby, in the Saint-Lô area. The success of the British operation pinned down German forces in the region, subsequently enabling their encirclement in the Falaise Pocket.