October 7, 1944: Canadian forces (elements of British 21st Army Group) establish two bridgeheads over the Leopold canal but German forces successfully stop the advance and counterattack.

October 7, 1944: Canadian forces (elements of British 21st Army Group) establish two bridgeheads over the Leopold canal but German forces successfully stop the advance and counterattack.

 The US 1st Army penetrates the German held Siegfried Line to the north of Aachen, attacking Alsdorf, Baesweiler, Kerkrade, and Schmidt. Meanwhile, to the south, forces of US 3rd Army (part of US 12th Army Group) gain some ground in Luxembourg and near Metz, attacking around Echternach, Wormeldange, and Fort Driant. Ferocious German counterattacks prevent significant progress. US 7th Army captures Vagney.

Over the western front, US 8th Air Force attacks Politz with 142 bombers, Ruhland with 59 bombers, Merseburg with 129 bombers, Lutzkendorf with 88 bombers, Bohlen with 86 bombers, Kassel with 310 bombers, Magdeburg with 87 bombers, and targets of opportunity with 510 bombers. US 15th Air Force attacks Vienna with 350 bombers. RAF Bomber Command sends 351 aircraft to attack Kleve, 340 aircraft to attack Emmerich, and 13 aircraft to attack Kembs dam locks on the Rhine.

1st Lieutenant Elmer Taylor and 1st Lieutenant Willard Erfkamp of USAAF 364th Fighter Group, flying P-51 fighters, together shoot down the German Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet rocket fighter piloted by F. Husser; Husser survives the subsequent crash landing. 1st Lieutenant Urban Drew (flying a P-51 fighter)also  shoots down two Messerschmitt Me-262 Schwalbe fighters (flown by Oberfeldwebel Heinz Arnold and Leutnant Gerhard Kobert) as they are taking off from Achmer Airfield. 

The only witness to the two victories, his wingman 2nd Lieutenant Robert McCandliss, is shot down by anti-aircraft fire and captured before the end of the mission, so Drew does not receive credit for these two downings until after the war when McCandliss is released from captivity. This was the first and only time in the war a pilot scored two jet victories in one mission.

The Soviets launch the Petsamo - Kirkenes offensive as the 14th Army of Soviet Karelian Front attacks German XIX Mountain Korps in northern Finland and pushes toward Petsamo. The German 16th Army and 18th Army are withdrawing through Riga. Soviet 1st Baltic Front pushes into eastern suburbs of Memel. Soviet 4th Ukrainian Front attacks the German 1st Panzer Army and 1st Hungarian Army in eastern Hungary while Soviet 2nd Ukrainian Front attacks German 6th Army, German 8th Army, and Hungarian 3rd Army in southern Hungary.

In Poland, Jewish prisoners of the Sonderkommando of Auschwitz II-Birkenau Concentration Camp, learning that the SS was going to liquidate much of the squad, plan a revolt and escape. Crematorium IV is set on fire while SS guards come under attack. During the chaos, some of the prisoners are successful in cutting through the perimeter fencing and get outside, but the SS guards respond and successfully round up all escapees - killing them all. 

After the revolt is put down in the camp about 250 prisoners, including leader Zalmen Gradowski and Józef Deresinski, are dead. Three SS men are also killed; ten are wounded. Four Jewish women who stole the explosives from their workplace at the Union-Werke armaments factory (which were used during this revolt) are later hanged.

In Italy, British 8th Army forces increase the intensity of attacks across Fiumicino River and US 5th Army attacks Monte Stanco, Monte Caula, Monterumici, Monte Castellari, Castelnuovo di Bisano, Monte Ceco, and Monte Cavallara. Overhead, US 12th Air Force aircraft attack targets along the front line and in northern Italy.

In the United Kingdom, the Cabinet decide to continue the censorship of reports of rocket attacks.

Pictured: American troops of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regiment, US 34th Infantry Division resting in bivouac, France, October 7, 1944.; Destruction in the outer parts of Aachen, October 7, 1944.; The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was a German rocket-powered fighter - the only rocket-powered fighter ever to have been operational.; PFC. Leonard Starfield, Warren, Ar. [Arkansas], of the 363rd Infantry (US 5th Army) takes off his old boots and tries on the new type, half leather, half rubber and with felt padding inside. Italy, October 7, 1944.