The Army General Staff presents detailed plans to Hitler for Operation BARBAROSSA. Halder estimates that the Russians have about 155 Divisions; German strength is about the same but ‘far superior in quality’. Field Marshal von Brauchitsch brings OKH Chief of the General Staff General Franz Halder up from Zossen to the Chancellery in Berlin. They are there to show the army’s plans for Operation BARBAROSSA, the invasion of the Soviet Union, to Adolf Hitler. The intelligence service estimates that the Wehrmacht would be outnumbered both in divisions — the Soviets having 155, slightly more than the Germans — and armor — the Soviet tanks outnumbering German ones 10,000 to 3500. Halder further cautions that, while the Soviet armor is inferior, “Even so, surprises cannot be ruled out altogether.” The plan assumes that numerical inferiority will not prevent victory because of quality and surprise. Halder also warns that transferring the army to the East will make any operations in the West, such as Operation Attila (the occupation of Vichy France), essentially impossible. Hitler is convinced of Halder’s plan and exclaims: “When BARBAROSSA commences, the world will hold its breath and make no comment!” Hitler outlines his main aim to be “to gain possession of the Baltic States and Leningrad”, with the Ukraine in second place.
While he approves the plan, which envisages three essentially equal thrusts in the north, center, and south, Hitler clings to the belief that the main effort should be in the north, toward Leningrad, with the advance in the South toward Kyiv taking secondary priority. He likes the idea of working together with the Finns, who he calls “a plucky people,” and thus wants to join with them quickly. The general consensus in the army, however, is that the main effort should be in the center, toward Moscow. These conflicting viewpoints will not be resolved until the campaign actually starts and, some have argued, go a long way toward dooming the entire invasion.
Separately, Field Marshal Fedor von Bock returns from medical leave. He re-assumes command of Army Group Center (technically, he commands Army Group B) in Poland. Von Bock is pessimistic about the prospects for forcing the Soviet Union to make peace and is one of the few willing to question Hitler about it. However, Hitler has told von Bock that Germany has plenty of resources with which to handle the Soviets.
The complete elimination of Jews from the European economy during 1941 was predicted today by Reichsführer Hitler’s Voelkischer Beobachter. The elimination of Jews from the economic field, the newspaper states, will lead to a similar process in the cultural and political fields. “National liberation,” it declares, can be achieved only by eliminating all Jews. With all European economies linked with those of Germany and Italy, the newspaper argues, “the result is obvious.” “What German merchant or business man,” it asks, “can be expected to do business with Jews?” “Beyond this a revolutionary revision of economic thought is in the process of development in all continental nations,” it adds. “Everywhere the German ideas are gaining ground. These ideas lead automatically to the elimination of Jewry.”
Admiral Günther Lütjens takes the battleships SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau through the Denmark Strait into the Atlantic on the beginning of a commerce-raiding mission.
General Erwin Rommel was appointed as the head of an unit temporarily named “German Army Troops in Africa”; it would later become the Afrika Korps.
SS-Hauptsturmführer Theodor Dannecker, the Judenreferent in Paris, organized a meeting with several representatives of the German occupation administration to discuss plans to prohibit Jews from all banking activities.
Lieutenant John Combe of the 11th Hussars Regiment sets out at 07:00 to the south of Green Mountain (the Jebel Akhdar) with about 2000 men in wheeled vehicles. This is “Combe Force.” The British 7th Armoured Division follows later in the day. The objective is to bypass Benghazi to the south via Msus and Antelat and close the Benghazi-Tripoli road. The Italians already are evacuating Benghazi, but Italian troops are still east of the city, being pursued by the Australian 6th Infantry Division. While Combe’s troops face little opposition, the terrain is rougher than on the well-built coastal road.
The left wing of the Greek army in Albania has smashed the last Italian fortified position before Valona Bay and is now within 10 miles of the town of Valona, vital Fascist disembarkation base, according to frontier reports today. Greek forces, pursuing the retreating Italians, were said to have reached Dukati Bay, the southern arm of Valona Bay, this morning. The last Fascist fortified position barring the way to Valona Bay was reported to have fallen after fierce hand-to-hand fighting Sunday afternoon. The Italians put up strong resistance before Dukati Bay, according to frontier dispatches from the town of Struga, but after hours of heavy fighting were forced to retreat. The Greek forces consolidate their hold on the Trebeshinë massif on 3 February 1941. This area is considered the gateway to the key Italian port of Valona. The weather and continued Italian resistance, however, precludes further advances for the time being.
Mussolini sent Fascist Party leaders to the Albanian front to bolster morale.
Italian troops in Eritrea, Italian East Africa withdrew into towns in the mountains. The battle of Keren begins, a protracted and bloody siege. The Italians are well dug in at Keren, the key to the conquest of Eritrea for the British. They occupy the heights surrounding the town, including a spur rising 1800 meters (6000 feet) to the right of the road. Having occupied the area for years, the Italians have had plenty of time to select the most defensible positions. It is obvious from the local geography that Keren is the best point remaining to close the door on the British before they reach Asmara and the Eritrean highlands.
The British troops begin arriving today at Keren. The 11th Indian Infantry Brigade of the 4th Indian Division, fresh off the victory at Mount Cochen, approaches the town’s outskirts and prepares to reconnoiter the region. The Italians bide their time, knowing that, while the British might have the upper hand in a fluid battle, their fixed defenses will make them extremely difficult to dislodge.
The People’s Commissariat for State Security was created in the Soviet Union. Vsevolod Merkulov was named the People’s Commissar of State Security of the Soviet NKGB with responsibilities to oversee espionage and intelligence activities. The new ministry NKGB would last only until the German invasion when it would be merged back into the NKVD.
Kliment Voroshilov receives his third Order of Lenin. He has been a member of the Central Committee since 1921, People’s Commissar for Military and Navy Affairs since 1925, a member of the Politburo since 1926, People’s Commissar for Defense since 1934, and a Marshal of the Soviet Union since 1935.
The refrigerated cargo liner Empire Citizen was torpedoed and sunk in the North Atlantic by the German submarine U-107.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 11 planes to lay mines during the night. Otherwise, everything is quiet on both sides except for some scattered raids in Eastern England, including a few bombs dropped on London.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 1 Blenheim during daylight; it turned back.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 7 Wellingtons overnight to Brest and 11 Hampdens minelaying off Brest and Lorient. No losses.
U-107, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günter Hessler, sank British steamer Empire Citizen (4683grt), from convoy OB.279, in 58-12N, 23-22W. At 0145 hours the Empire Citizen (Master Edward Charles Hughes), a straggler from convoy OB-279, was hit underneath the bridge by one torpedo from U-107 southwest of Iceland. The ship had been spotted on a zigzag course six hours before and missed with a first torpedo at 0019 hours. The U-boat observed how she sank slowly on even keel and the crew abandoned ship, then fired a stern torpedo at 0223 hours that hit aft and caused her to sink by the stern quickly. The master, 64 crew members, one gunner and 12 passengers were lost. Four crew members and one gunner were picked up by HMS Clarkia (K 88) (LtCdr F.J.G. Jones, RNR) and landed at Londonderry. The 4,683-ton Empire Citizen was carrying general cargo and was bound for Rangoon, Burma.
U-107 also badly damaged ocean boarding vessel HMS Crispin (5051grt, A/Commander B. Moloney DSO RNR), after being detached from convoy OB.280, in 56-54N, 20-22W. At 2333 hours on 3 Feb 1941, HMS Crispin (A/Cdr B. Moloney, DSO, DSC, RNR) was hit in the engine room by one torpedo from U-107 north-northwest of Rockall. The ship was just detached from the dispersed convoy OB-280 together with HMS Arbutus (K 86) (LtCdr H. Lloyd-Williams, RNVR), the British armed yacht HMS Philante and the British rescue ship Copeland (Master J. McKellar, OBE) to join the convoy SC-20 on 4 February. HMS Crispin was abandoned and foundered the following day in 56°52N/20°22W. The commander, five officers and 14 ratings were lost. Eight survivors were picked up by the rescue ship and the remaining survivors by HMS Harvester (H 19) (LtCdr M. Thornton, DSC, RN) and landed at Liverpool. Moloney, T/Lt B. W. Freeman RNVR, Midshipman R. H. Holmes RNR, T/A/Sub Lt (E) W. Mulcahy RNVR, T/Lt (E) N. B. Smith-Cross, Lt Cdr S. T. Whiteside RNR, thirteen ratings were missing and one rating was killed. Lt G. L. Fraser RNR, RAF flight officers G. Henderson and R. W. G. Holdsworth were wounded on the vessel. The 5,051-ton HMS Crispin was bound for Liverpool, England.
Having evaded the Royal Navy patrols and topped off their fuel tanks, German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau proceed through the Denmark Strait. Once through, they will menace the shipping lanes to the south. The Royal Navy has no idea where they are, and earlier reports by a British cruiser south of Iceland that it had sighted the German ships (which it did) have been dismissed as “illusions.”
Minesweeping trawler HMS Arctic Trapper (352grt, T/Skipper L. M. Harvey RNR) was sunk by German bombing off Ramsgate. Harvey, T/A/Lt R. S. Meirick RNVR, fifteen ratings were lost on the trawler.
Motor anti-submarine boat MA/SB.12 was mined off Milford Haven. The boat sank in tow on the 6th.
Naval drifter HMS Midas (89grt, Skipper H. Holden RNR) was sunk in a collision off Dungeness.
Destroyer HMS Wild Swan, corvette HMS Anemone, and minesweeper HMS Fitzroy departed Loch Ewe for Londonderry for refueling. Destroyer Wild Swan and corvette Anemone joined destroyers HMS Witch and HMS Montgomery and corvettes HMS Campanula, HMS Periwinkle, and HMS Pimpernel to escort convoy HX.105. The destroyers were detached en route to escort convoy OB.281.
British steamer Dione II (2660grt) in convoy SC.20 was damaged by German bombing by a German Fw200 Condor aircraft of I./KG 40 in 55-40N, 14-23W. The steamer was sunk the next day in a submarine attack by U-93.
British steamer Calyx (212grt) was damaged on a mine eight miles northeast of Bar Light Vessel. The steamer arrived at Liverpool on the 3rd with engine damage.
During the night of 3/4 February, minefield RUGEN was laid by German minelayers Tannenberg and Brummer, escorted by the 1st and 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla and torpedo boat Falke off the Norwegian coast. Same force composition as minefield began on 26 January.
On the 1st, Italian steamers Multedo (1130grt), Giovinezza (2362grt), and Utilitas (5342grt) departed Benghazi for Tripoli escorted by torpedo boats Cigno and Centauro. Italian steamer Multedo was lost in the Gulf of Sirte in probably a marine accident. Attacks by submarine HMS Truant did not account for the loss. Three torpedoes fired by submarine Truant missed steamers Giovenezza and Utilitas.
A Swordfish of 815 Squadron from Maleme forced landed on Antikythera Island. Lt A. W. B. Drayson and Lt J. A. Caldecott-Smith were uninjured.
British steamer Derwenthall (4934grt) was damaged by a mine in the Suez Canal. The steamer sustained no casualties. The rudder was blown off. The steamer arrived at Suez on 28 March in tow. Steamer Derwenthall was towed to Calcutta for repairs.
Heavy cruisers HMS Norfolk and HMS Dorsetshire departed Freetown to search for German armed merchant cruiser Kormoran.
Convoy OB.282 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyers HMS Achates, HMS Antelope, HMS Anthony, and HMS Georgetown, sloop HMS Fleetwood, corvette HMS Heather, and anti-submarine trawlers HMS Ayrshire and HMS Lady Madeleine. On the 5th, trawler Lady Madeleine was detached. Corvette HMS Picotee joined on the 6th. Destroyers Achates, Antelope, and Anthony, sloop Fleetwood, and trawler Ayrshire were detached on the 7th. On the 8th destroyer Georgetown and corvette Heather were detached when the convoy dispersed.
Convoy FS.403 departed Methil, and arrived at Southend on the 5th.
Convoy AS.14 of six ships, two of which were British, departed Piraeus escorted by anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Coventry and corvettes HMS Salvia and HMS Hyacinth. Destroyers HMAS Vampire and HMAS Vendetta relieved the corvettes on the 4th, and arrived at Alexandria with cruiser Coventry and destroyer Vampire on the 6th. The Port Said section was escorted by destroyer Vendetta which arrived at Alexandria on the 7th. Destroyer Vendetta, en route from Port Said to Alexandria, developed a mechanical defect requiring ten days to repair.
Convoy ASF.14 of British steamers Lanarkshire, Ethiopia, and Port Halifax departed Piraeus escorted by anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta and destroyers HMS Hasty and HMS Dainty, and arrived at Alexandria on the 6th.
Convoy HX.107 departed Halifax, escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Laconia and corvettes HMS Mayflower and HMS Snowberry. The corvettes were detached the next day and the armed merchant cruiser on the 16th. On the 17th, corvette HMS Hollyhock joined the convoy. On the 18th, destroyer HMS Sabre joined the escort and on the 20th, destroyers HMS Arrow and HMS Wanderer and corvette HMS Nasturtium joined. Destroyers Arrow, Sabre, and Wanderer and corvettes Hollyhock and Nasturtium were detached on the 20th, and arrived at Liverpool on the 20th.
Today in Washington, President Roosevelt conferred separately with Senator Harry Truman, Governor Adkins of Arkansas, James H. R. Cromwell and Bernard Baruch.
The Senate approved the inter-American Coffee Agreement, passed and sent to the House for concurrence in amendments the bill for the construction of 200 cargo ships, and adjourned at 1:40 PM until noon on Thursday. The Foreign Relations Committee heard Philip La Follette and Norman Thomas oppose the Lease-Lend Bill.
The House approved a rule and began debate on the Lease-Lend Bill and adjourned at 6:05 PM until noon tomorrow. The Military Affairs Committee heard Under-Secretary of War Patterson on War Department labor policies, the Ways and Means Committee reported favorably the bill to increase the debt limit to $65,000,000,000 and the Naval Appropriations Committee heard Secretary Knox and Admiral Stark on the naval building program.
The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Wages and Hours Law and ruled in the case involving indictment of officials of the Carpenters Union that disputes between unions do not come under the anti-trust laws.
With U.S. administration leaders predicting approval by a margin of at least 100 votes, the Lend-Lease bill was brought to the House floor today to be heatedly denounced as a step toward war and dictatorship and warmly defended as a measure to keep the horrors of conflict away from American shores. As the house proceeded through the first hours of three days of general debate on the measure, Representative Fish, New York Republican, took the leadership of the opposition. He asserted that enactment of the bill would plunge the United States into war in Europe and Asia within six months and bring a dictatorship at home. It was apparent, however, that party lines would be split on the final vote. After Chairman Bloom, New York Democrat, of the foreign affairs committee, in reply to Fish, declared the legislation would keep war away from the United States, Representative Coffee, Nebraska Democrat, asserted that it was “a war measure not a defense measure.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Morgenthau has testified to the House that “the British ceased buying aircraft, arms and other munitions a month ago because of lack of dollars.”
The administration’s bill to increase the national debt limit from $45,000,000,000 to $65,000,000,000 a step regarded as necessary to help finance rearmament won approval of the House Ways and Means Committee today. It may come up for floor consideration next week. The vote reportedly was 15 to 10 with Republican members solidly opposed. Representative Doughton of North Carolina, Ways and Means Committee chairman, immediately obtained unanimous consent of the House to bring up the measure at any time under an agreement for three hours of general debate. Mr. Doughton said later that he expected to call up the bill after the House completes consideration of the pending Lease-Lend Bill, which probably means that it will not be taken up before next week.
The U.S. Supreme Court decided United States v. Darby Lumber Co. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Wages and Hours Act (later known as the Fair Labor Standards Act). It outlawed many forms of child labor and set the 40-hour work week. A sweeping decision of the U.S. Supreme Court today upheld the constitutionality of the wage-hour law in all its phases and went on to overrule a 1918 decision which had denied congress the right to outlaw child labor. The action raised speculation as to whether a controversial constitutional amendment, submitted in 1924 but ratified so far by only 28 of the required 33 states, would become a dead issue. This amendment would empower congress “to limit, regulate, and prohibit the labor of persons under 18 years of age.” The decision, by Justice Stone, was unanimous. The court became an eight-man tribunal temporarily upon the retirement Saturday of Justice McReynolds, who celebrated his sixty-seventh birthday today. In another far-reaching decision today, by a vote of 5 to 2, the court held that unionists could not be prosecuted for conspiracy to restrain interstate commerce under the Sherman anti-trust law lor picketing and boycotting activities resulting from a jurisdictional dispute between two A.F.L. unions at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis.
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt today broke with the American Youth Congress, which she defended vigorously last year against the Dies committee charges that it was a “Communist- front” organization. She revealed at a press conference that she had rejected an invitation to take part in the organization’s meeting here next week because she feels that its opposition to conscription and short-of-war aid to Britain is contrary to the best interests of democracy. Likewise, Mrs. Roosevelt said that while she has not been convinced that the congress is dominated by Communists, she recognized that “certain” of its members are Communists and that some are influenced by this group. “I am in agreement with them on many of the things they wish to see accomplished in this country,” Mrs. Roosevelt said. “I am not in agreement with the attitude they take on foreign policy, and I consider that very important and more or less fundamental in order to achieve later the things we want for this country.” ‘ The Youth Congress issued a statement asserting that it had “divorced” the first lady, because “she no longer believes with us that the first line of defense of our country is a free, unregimented and happy youth, guaranteed the right of education, vocational training and jobs.” “That is an opinion,” Mrs. Roosevelt retorted.
Two lumberjacks came out of the forests of this Southwestern Washington region today with word that they had discovered the wreckage of a twin-motored Army bomber, missing over two weeks, smashed and scattered against a rugged and inaccessible hillside. All seven crewmen perished in the crash.
Henry Arnold was promoted to the permanent rank of major general.
Navy Department General Order No. 143 formally creates three independent fleets, each commanded by an admiral. Admiral Husband E. Kimmel becomes Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet (and also Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet in the event that two or more fleets operate together); Patrol Force U.S. Fleet becomes U.S. Atlantic Fleet under command of Admiral Ernest J. King; Admiral Thomas C. Hart continues as Commander in Chief U.S. Asiatic Fleet.
During routine exercises in Hawaiian Operating Area off Oahu, destroyers USS Dale (DD-353) and USS Hull (DD-350) contact what they believe is a submarine. With all U.S. boats accounted for, Commander Destroyers Battle Force orders USS Lamson (DD-367) to join Dale and Hull. The ships are to maintain contact and to take offensive action only if attacked. USS Mahan (DD-364) joins in search as well. With speculation that the only possible reason a submarine would be in those waters would be to obtain supplies or land agents, Lamson accordingly searches the shoreline east of Diamond Head (see 4 February).
Deputy Chief of Staff General Moore urges a formal codification of US defense objectives and army strength. At this point, the US Army is still nebulous, with only vague projections of millions of men being drafted. There is no planning at all being done as to how many divisions these men would form, or what kind of divisions (infantry, armored, cavalry, etc.) they would be. Essentially, the army is “playing it by ear” at this point, with no concrete plans for how a mobilization would proceed.
The 29th Infantry Division is mobilized into Federal service and moved to Fort Meade.
Battleship USS Arizona (BB-39) arrived at Pearl Harbor, U.S. Territory of Hawaii. Captain Franklin Van Valkenburgh relieved Captain Harold C. Train as her commander. Van Valkenburgh along with Rear Admiral Isaac C. Kidd (Cmdr., BATDIVONE) would perish in the destruction of the Arizona in December.
The U.S. Marine Corps established an airfield near the Ewa villages at Kapolei, Honolulu County, U.S. Territory of Hawaii with the aircraft of Marine Aircraft Group 2 originally based at Naval Air Station Ford Island, also on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Ewa was commissioned in U.S. Territory of Hawaii after five months of conversion work; it had previously been a U.S. Navy airship base.
Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded the classic, “Amapola,” on Decca Records. Helen O’Connell and Bob Eberly joined in a vocal duet on this very famous and popular song of the Big Band era.
The CCanadian Government tonight announced the revision of its military training plan. It has now lengthened compulsory military training in Canada from thirty days to four months. The same restriction still holds — no person can be compelled to serve outside Canada.
Cuban President Fulgencio Batista suspended civil liberties and took over personal command of the country’s armed forces. Cuban President Fulgencio Batista assumed personal command of the Cuban Army, and charged three high ranking officers with sedition. At this point, Batista has the support of the local communists and implements progressive policies.
A Uruguayan proposal that the River Plate regional economic conference study the creation of a five-power customs union was adopted tonight by the conference’s finance and economic committee. The Uruguayan proposal, similar in substance to a draft convention submitted by the Argentines, will be acted upon at the plenary session of the conference on Wednesday or Thursday. It carried the recommendations that Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, the five River Plate powers, promote their respective welfare through reciprocal purchases of the exportable balances of their own raw materials, agricultural products, fuels and manufactured goods. This is to be achieved by means of bilateral agreements between the five powers.
Prime Minister Robert Menzies is spending the day in Jerusalem on his way from Melbourne to London. He has time to ponder some eternal questions in his diary:
“Further impression. Can these mandates [i.e., Israel] really work. There is here a problem of reconciling Jew and Arab, which will become active again after the war. We, the mandators, have all the odium of attempting settlement & direction without the real power of government…. [H]aving regard to the strategical position of Palestine we should have cut out sentimentality long ago and taken it over.”
In the continuing Battle of Southern Honan, the Japanese 11th Army takes possession of Tamshin, to the east of Canton. The Chinese 5th War Area, meanwhile, re-occupies Paoanchai and Wuyang. The Japanese have very efficient troops, but they do not have enough manpower to occupy the large swathes of China that it is capable of taking. This will forever curtail its successes in China.
Japan will not abandon her program for economic penetration of the Netherlands Indies as a result of British and American pressure, but wishes it to be understood that her ambitions there are economic and not political, Naoki Hoshino, Minister without portfolio and president of the government’s Planning Board, told the Budget Committee of the lower house of Parliament yesterday.
The reporting of a run on a bank or a rice riot will be a criminal offense under Japan’s proposed new national-defense and security law, but correspondents may lawfully report that “rice distribution is not functioning properly.”
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 122.67 (-0.61)
Born:
Carol Mann, American golfer (1964 Western Open, 1965 US Open), in Buffalo, New York (d. 2018).
Anton Peters, AFL defensive tackle (Denver Broncos), in Fort Myers, Florida (d. 2015).
Dory Funk, Jr., professional wrestler, in Hammond, Indiana.
Chuck Tharp, American rock vocalist (The Fireballs — “Sugar Shack”), in Ysleta, Texas (d. 2006).
Angelo D’Aleo, American pop tenor (Dion & Belmonts — “Teenager In Love”), in The Bronx, New York, New York.
Neil Bogart [Bogatz], American music producer and founder of Casablanca Records (Kiss; Donna Summer), in Brooklyn, New York, New York (d. 1982).
Bridget Hanley, American actress (“Here Come the Brides”), in Minneapolis, Minnesota (d. 2021).
Howard Phillips, politician, in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 2013).
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Isles-class minesweeping trawler HMS Flotta (T 171) is launched by Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd. (Selby, U.K.); completed by Amos & Smith.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-432 is launched by F Schichau GmbH, Danzig (werk 1473).
The U.S. Navy “O”-class submarine USS O-3 (SS-64) is recommissioned as a training boat.
The U.S. Navy transport USS William P. Biddle (AP-15; later APA-8) is placed in commissioned, full. Her first commanding officer is Captain Campbell Dallas Edgar, USN.
The Royal Navy Bangor-class (Diesel-engined) minesweeper HMS Blackpool (J 27) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander George Mowatt, RNR.
The U.S. Navy 81-foot Higgins patrol motor torpedo boat USS PT-6, lead boat of her class of 2, is commissioned.
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Violet (K 35) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander Kenneth Montgomery Nicholson, RNR.
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Abelia (K 184) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is T/Lieutenant Frank Ardern, RNR.
History Diaries 