The German Africa Korps made contact with British patrols for the first time in North Africa, near El Agheila between Benghazi and Tripoli in Libya. In the sea, British submarine HMS Regent attacked German ships Arta, Heraklea, Menes, and Martiza carrying German Afrika Korps troops from Naples, Italy to Tripoli escorted by Italian destroyers Freccia, Saetta, and Turbine; Menes was damaged by a torpedo hit but was able to be towed to Tripoli; Saetta counterattacked HMS Regent, causing damage.
The Free French under Colonel Leclerc continues to invest the El Tag fortress at Kufra. The French are pounding the well-garrisoned Italian base with a 75mm field gun and several mortars. So far, the Italian troops have held firm, but their commander is very unsure of himself and looking for a way out.
The situation remains stable in Greece on 20 February 1941, with neither side making much progress. However, the British military mission in Athens chooses to see the glass as half full. The British Military Mission reports to the War Office: “…All Italian counter-attacks have been repulsed. Today concentric Greek attacks are to take place southwards and westwards with a view to clearing up Southern portion of Shennell ridge north-east of Tepeleni. If these succeed Tepeleni should fall and second-phase operation will include operations towards Berat and also between Tepeleni and the sea.”
The report does note that the 5th Cretan Division has incurred “about 3000 casualties… many with frostbite.” In fact, the division has suffered horribly, over 5000 casualties, both from the weather and fierce Italian resistance near Tepelene. When one reads reports such as this, a natural conclusion is that the military observers know that Prime Minister Churchill is bent on sending troops to Greece, so they are painting a rosy picture to support or buttress that decision that may not exactly comport with the actual fighting. Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, we’ll see the same tendency within the Wehrmacht in 1945. It is the same as regurgitating to a teacher answers that you know may not quite be accurate — but you want to secure that “A” by hook or by crook.
British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden and the chief of the British imperial general staff Sir John Dill arrived in Egypt today.
Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) Sir John Dill, who is in Cairo with Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, pays a surprise (and surreptitious) visit to Malta with Eden. The two discuss the situation with Governor Dobbie, tour the island’s defenses, then return to Cairo on a Sunderland flying boat.
Greece rejected a German offer to mediate in the Greco-Italian War.
The Greek air force, strengthened by arrival of eight-gun British Hurricane fighters, is stepping up the tempo of its attacks in support of a steadily advancing Greek offensive on the Albania battlefronts, an official communique reported early today. The capture of “strong enemy positions” and more than 200 additional Italian prisoners, including officers, as well as large quantities of war materials was reported. Greek planes successfully bombed Italian military targets and shot down five Fascist planes, the high command said, while “one of the Greek planes made a forced landing on Greek territory. Its crew escaped unhurt.
German troops today were reported to have thrown a pontoon bridge across the Danube and entered Bulgaria at a point near Ruschuk, an important communications center, in what may have been a “practice maneuver” for an impending large-scale Nazi occupation. (The Rumanian censorship held back Bucharest accounts of the crossing of the German troops from Rumanian to Bulgarian soil, according to private reports received in New York.) A dispatch relayed from Budapest tonight said that all Danube shipping below the famous “iron gate” between Orsova and Gladova had been halted since Wednesday, presumably because of the German army’s pontoon operations. The Nazi preparations to put great numbers of troops and supplies across the Danube into Bulgaria were looked upon gravely in Budapest although some quarters called them an armed threat preceding a German “final offer” to Greece to make peace with Italy.
British forces intent on resisting any German attack through Bulgaria on Greece’s Aegean seaport of Salonika or the vital Dardanelles were reported tonight to have occupied and to be hastily fortifying the strategic Greek island of Lemnos in the upper Aegean. The British were said to be moving swiftly to establish themselves in strongholds around Greece, including Lemnos as a strong naval and air base, before the Germans can strike upon Greece.
Operation MC 8, a typically convoluted supply operation to Malta, continues. Several ships depart from Malta for Alexandria. The Luftwaffe quickly attacks them but fails to make any significant hits.
The South African assault across the Juba River near Jumbo continues today. At 06:30, the Natal Carbineers head across the pontoon bridge under fire. Some troops head north to cut the road north of Jumbo that the Italians could use to escape, while the Transvaal Scottish heads directly toward the town.
The Italians, as so often during the campaign, are abandoning their positions. By 10:30, the remaining troops in Jumbo — not many — surrender. Lieutenant-Colonel G.T. Senescall accepts the capitulation, and the British take 30 officers, 100 other Italian troops and an unknown number of native troops. The South Africans then quickly head for Yonte, making 14 miles in armored cars before coming under fire. They plan an attack on the Italians in the morning.
A separate advance across the Juba River also takes place. The 11th African Division and 22nd East African Brigade, supported by armored cars and South African light tanks, force a crossing at 04:00 near Bardera. This puts them within striking distance of Mogadishu.
The Italians in Massawa, Eritrea see the writing on the wall regarding the advancing British, just as other ships did at Kismayu earlier in the month. Four ships attempt to break out into the Indian Ocean. Italian armed merchant cruisers Ramb I and Ramb II set a course for the Pacific and elude all British patrols, while Italian sloop Eritrea and German supply ship Coburg also make good their escape.
The Nazis began deporting the first of the 30, 000 Jews from Plotzk, Poland.
Nazi Germany orders Polish Jews barred from using public transportation
Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies arrived in Britain for talks with Winston Churchill.
Political quarters reported last night that some important United States or Canadian figure may be asked to seek a mediated settlement of the Anglo-Irish dispute, particularly in regard to Britain’s desire for Irish naval and air bases. The possibility of such a mediation attempt was foreseen after a memorandum stressing the “urgent need” of an immediate accord was submitted to Prime Minister Eamon de Valera of Eire and Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Britain. The memorandum, represented as reflecting the feelings of Irishmen throughout the world, was submitted by a group headed by Gen. Sir Hubert Gough, veteran British military leader who now is leader of local defense volunteers for the London zone.
At the War Cabinet meeting, Churchill reveals that he had received a personal telegram from Ambassador to the U.S. Lord Halifax. The ambassador recommended that Great Britain simply hand over its remaining assets to the United States and trust that the Lend-Lease Bill would pass and the U.S. would underwrite the British war effort. The only issue left — as noted by Chancellor of the Exchequer Kingsley Wood — is to provide an orderly liquidation of whatever money the country has left.
Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies finally arrives in England, completing the last part of the journey from Lisbon in one hop. This is the most hazardous part of the journey, as the Luftwaffe often strays out into the Atlantic from its French bases. Menzies notes that there is a lot of snow in the fields and “unaccustomed cold.” Along the route to his accommodations, Menzies writes, “you see troops in ones or twos.” As he goes to bed, he hears “the reasonably distant concussion of guns.”
Mobilization of all males from 16 to 56 was decreed today on the island of Malta for combatant and non-combatant services. Those between the ages of 20 to 25 will be called up for military service immediately, All males from 18 to 41 are liable for combatant services.
Rumania breaks relations with Netherlands.
The German cruiser Admiral Scheer sank the Greek steamer Grigorios C II and captured the British tanker British Advocate west of the Seychelles.
German Luftwaffe bombed Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom for the second consecutive night. The Luftwaffe’s Three Nights Blitz continues in Swansea. The attacks are focusing on the heart of the city — there is no subtlety to these attacks. Most of the damage is done by high explosives, as the British are getting better at putting out incendiaries. During the day, there are the usual random bombs dropped in East Anglia.
The first Spitfire Mk. V flies. This is an adaptation of the Mk. I airframe with a Merlin 45 engine.
The first Beaufighter IF fighter (X7540) built at Bristol’s new factory at Weston-super-Mare, England, United Kingdom was completed. The Bristol Beaufighter holds high promise, and the Air Ministry has dispersed its production to several different companies. The first Beaufighter Mk I built by Fairey flew on 7 February 1941, and today the first Weston-built Beaufighter Mk IF (F meaning it is destined for Fighter Command) flies at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. These Beaufighters all use the Hercules engine, but shortages of this engine are anticipated, so Merlin engines will be adopted in future versions.
JG 51 Kommodore Mölders, after a long interval, gets two more victories, giving him 58 total to lead the war. This keeps him ahead of Adolf Galland.
Hans-Joachim Marseille of JG 27 returns to his unit at Berck-sur-Mer from leave. The unit soon will be heading to the East to support Operation MARITA.
Luftwaffe ace Heinz Pohland of Stab LG 2 perishes in a flying accident.
The Luftwaffe is very active against shipping today. It causes havoc in the Northwest Approaches and elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Admiralty is worried about German surface raiders and is implementing — or re-implementing — a policy of including submarines as escorts. Today, the first convoy, HG 54, includes a submarine escort, HMS Tuna.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 1 Blenheim during daylight to the oil depot on Kiel Canal but it bombed an alternative target, the docks at Ijmuiden.
Battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth departed Rosyth at 1500, escorted by light cruiser HMS Dido and destroyers HMS Somali, HMS Bedouin, and HMAS Napier. The battleship arrived at Scapa Flow at 0828 on the 21st to work up.
Convoy OB.289 departed Liverpool. Escorted by destroyers HMS Burnham, HMS Douglas, and HMS Malcolm, corvettes HMS Mallow and HMS Petunia, and anti-submarine trawler HMS Northern Spray. The trawler was detached the next day. The remainder of the convoy escort, less corvette Mallow, was detached on the 24th. Corvette Mallow was detached on the 25th when the convoy dispersed.
Destroyer HMS Echo departed Scapa Flow at 1600 to meet troopship Amsterdam (4220grt) off Aberdeen and escort her to Lerwick. Both ships arrived at Lerwick on the 21st. At 2145, both ships departed Lerwick for Aberdeen. Following this duty, destroyer Echo arrived back at Scapa Flow at 1545/22nd.
Destroyers HMS Intrepid, HMS Impulsive, and HMS Icarus, escorted by destroyers HMS Kelly, HMS Kashmir, HMS Kipling, and HMS Jackal, laid minefield GS in the English Channel.
P/T/A/Sub Lt (A) J W Ridler RNVR and Naval Airman E W E Burton were killed when their Shark aircraft of 755 Squadron crashed near Bristol.
A/Sub Lt (A) T.V. Worrall of 809 Squadron was killed when his Fulmar crashed on a practice flight northeast of Lee.
British steamer Fort Medine (5261grt) was sunk on a mine in 51-35N, 3-56W. One crewman was lost.
British steamer Rigmor (1278grt) was sunk by German bombing in 49-54N, 4-51W. The entire crew was rescued.
Minesweeper HMS Bramble was bombed off Harwich. She was repaired in the Thames in four days in February.
Minesweeping trawler HMS Marjory M Hastie (244grt, T/Lt R T. Gilling RNR) was mined off the Tyne and went ashore at Whitburn. The trawler was refloated on 14 March and was brought into the Tyne.
British tanker D. L. Harper (12,223grt) was damaged by German bombing in 58-50N, 12-12W. The tanker was able to continue her voyage and arrived at Halifax on 3 March.
British trawler Scarborough (162grt) was damaged by German bombing in 52-15N, 11-45W. The trawler was towed back to port with engines disabled.
British tanker British Splendor (7138grt) was damaged by German bombing one and a quarter miles south of Black Head, near Lizard.
British steamer St Rosario (4312grt) was damaged by German bombing in 58-50N, 11-40W. The steamer was bombed again on the 22nd in 59-40N, 12-40W. The steamer returned to Rothesay Bay.
British steamer Rosenborg (1997grt) was damaged by German bombing in 58-49N, 11-40W. The steamer returned to the Clyde making water.
Convoy HG.54 departed Gibraltar escorted by destroyer HMS Fearless, sloop HMS Leith, and corvettes HMS Geranium and HMS Jonquil. Submarine HMS Tuna departed Gibraltar escorting convoy HG.54. Destroyer Fearless was detached on the 23rd for refueling and rejoined on the 25th with destroyer HMS Fury. Both destroyers and the corvettes were detached that night. Six steamers from convoy SLS.64 departed Funchal and joined the convoy. On 6 March, destroyers HMS Broke, HMS Vanity, HMS Wolsey, and HMS Saladin and corvette HMS Abelia joined the convoy. The submarine arrived at Holy Loch on 9 March, and arrived at Liverpool on 12 March with the four destroyers, sloop Leith, corvette Abelia.
Submarine HMS Regent attacked a convoy composed of German transports Arta, (2452grt) Heraklea (1927grt), Menes (5609grt), and Martiza (2910grt), which departed Naples on the 21st for Tripoli escorted by Italian destroyers Freccia, Saetta, Turbine. Submarine Regent torpedoed transport Menes. Submarine Regent was damaged in the counterattack by destroyer Saetta and arrived at Malta on 1 March. The transport was taken in tow by destroyer Saetta, arriving at Tripoli with the convoy on the 20th.
Naval trawler HMS Ouse (462grt, Sub Lt W.V. Fitzmaurice RNR) was sunk by a mine at Tobruk. Fitzmaurice and eight ratings were wounded. These nine were all that survived. A/Sub Lt E. P. Ede RNR, Gunner J. Edwards, and ten ratings were lost.
Convoy AS.15 of six British, twelve Greek, and three other ships departed Piraeus escorted by anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta and destroyers HMS Greyhound and HMAS Waterhen. Cruiser Calcutta was detached from the convoy and arrived at Alexandria on the 23rd, and arrived at Alexandria with destroyer HMS Wryneck and Port Said with destroyer Greyhound on the 24th. Destroyer Greyhound remained at Port Said for the next northbound convoy.
New Zealand Division light cruiser HMS Leander took over convoy US 9 composed of steamers Aquitania (44,786grt), Mauretania (35,739grt), and Nieuw Amsterdam (36,287grt) from Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Canberra 150 miles west of Ceylon, and arrived at Bombay on the 22nd. The light cruiser departed Bombay on the 22nd to search off the Maldives for German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer.
German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer captured British tanker British Advocate (6994grt) and Greek steamer Grigorios C II (2546grt) west of Seychilles. The Greek steamer was sunk and her twenty seven man crew was taken prisoner.
Italian armed merchant cruiser Ramb I departed Massawa for Japan.
British steamer Duquesa, captured by German heavy cruiser Scheer on 18 December 1940, was scuttled on the 20th at Mogadishu.
Convoy BS.16 departed Suez. The convoy was joined on the 21st by destroyer HMS Kingston and sloops HMS Flamingo and HMIS Hindustan. Sloop Flamingo was detached on the 23rd. The convoy was dispersed on the 25th.
Today in Washington, President Roosevelt signed the bill establishing a Coast Guard Reserve and conferred with various legislative and executive officials.
The Senate passed and returned to the House a $395,357,775 Deficiency Appropriation Bill, heard Senator Reynolds oppose the Lend-Lease bill, confirmed the nominations of G. Howland Shaw to be Assistant Secretary of State, and Ralph Bard to be Assistant Secretary of the Navy and recessed at 4:09 PM until noon tomorrow. The Military Affairs Committee in executive session, heard General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, on the war situation.
The House heard Representative Magnusson read Washington’s Farewell Address and adjourned at 1:27 PM until noon on Monday.
The Lend-Lease bill encountered unexpected opposition in the senate today from Senator Reynolds, North Carolina Democrat, who asserted that it might lead to war and denounced it as a bill “for the preservation of the British empire, without any consideration for the preservation of the United States.” A little earlier, the Senate Military Committee, in secret session, heard General George C. Marshall, the army chief of staff, express his views on the measure. He was reported to have said that it would expedite assistance to Great Britain and increase the capacity of American industry to produce war materials, In addition, informed sources quoted Marshall as saying that the situation in the Far East was “serious,” and that the Pacific fleet would be reinforced immediately with an unspecified number of up-to-date fighting planes. Senator Nye, North Dakota Republican, carried on his fight against the Lend-Lease measure by telling reporters that if it is passed “the president will create incidents which will lead us into war within 30 days after the legislation is signed.”
United States Senators Burton K. Wheeler and Gerald P. Nye told a capacity rally of 3,500 persons at Mecca Temple in New York tonight that the Lend-Lease bill could still be defeated if the people in America who “did not want war” would rally behind them and the other Senators who were opposing the measure’s passage. Both declared that passage of the
bill would give President Roosevelt the power to wage war without declaring it and probably would be construed as a mandate to Americanize the world on the four lines that Mr. Roosevelt laid down in his state-of-the-Union message to Congress. The rally was called by the New York chapter of the America First Committee, of which General Robert E. Wood of Chicago is national chairman, and the Keep America Out of War Congress. Other speakers were Norman Thomas, Socialist leader, and John T. Flynn, and Mrs. Dorothy Dunbar Bromley, who are members of the New York chapter.
A telegram from Roosevelt to Churchill: “…Matsuoka (Japanese foreign minister) is visiting Berlin, Rome and Moscow in the near future. This may well be a diplomatic sop to cover absence of action against Great Britain. If Japanese attack …is now postponed, this is largely due to fear of United States. … Appreciation given of naval consequences following Japanese aggression against Great Britain holds good in all circumstances.”
Churchill is painting quite a melodramatic picture. There is no indication that the Japanese are planning an attack in early 1941 aside from idle speculation. He is achieving his purpose, though, of keeping Roosevelt focused on potential war danger to the United States and thereby putting England and the US “in the same boat” — if only in Churchill’s (and Roosevelt’s) mind. The lingering danger for the United States, of course, is quite real — but not quite yet.
A proposal was presented by Nishiyama Tsutomo, the financial attaché of the Japanese embassy in Washington D.C., for a “commercial understanding” with the United States, providing for Japanese dominance of the Dutch East Indies. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt flatly rejected the proposal. Roosevelt, of course, is using oil as an economic weapon against Japan and refuses. Roosevelt asks Secretary of State Cordell Hull to warn the Japanese discretely that if they so much as look at the Dutch East Indies, there will be war. In fact, any Japanese move south of China — which includes Taiwan and Indochina — would be a big no-no. Basically, Roosevelt draws a line in the South China Sea and warns the Japanese not to cross it. Roosevelt also informed Nomura that the U.S. had guaranteed the freedom of the Dutch East Indies. The Dutch East Indies supplied 97% of the raw rubber used in the United States.
Early economic collaboration between the United States and Great Britain to deprive the Japanese war machine of vital supplies is a distinct possibility, unofficial administration sources said tonight. Appointment Thursday of Harry L. Hopkins, President Roosevelt’s personal emissary who recently returned from London, to a key post in the defense administration was seen as particularly significant. London dispatches reported that Hopkins brought back with him British proposals for joint U.S.-British action to prevent Japan from building up further reserves of strategic essentials which might someday be used in war against the democracies.
Legislation to throw additional light on foreign propaganda coming into this country was recommended tonight by Postmaster General Frank C. Walker, who said that 15 tons of this propaganda has been ruled undeliverable since December 23, 1940. He said, “it appears to have been the policy of congress to require the exposure of foreign activities in this country rather than to attempt their suppression,” and added that this policy was sound. “However, it seems that the power of congress to force disclosure may be more fully utilized. In general, it seems to be the feeling of those who have been dealing with the matter that existing legislation might be changed in the direction of requiring that all propaganda material be properly labeled, copies to be filed with the government for inspection by appropriate officials and by the public, and that certain information as to the source of the material be published in the printed matter itself along the lines of existing regulations with respect to second-class mail.”
The freighter SS Chirikof arrives at Seward, Alaska, with 20 crated P-36 Hawks in its hold. These are the first fighter aircraft to be based in the territory
A series of rainstorms, the last beginning yesterday, has drenched Southern California, turning some streets in to rivers and flooding homes in Topanga canyon and the San Fernando Valley. Three deaths were caused by automobiles skidding on slippery streets.
One million children in 3,000 public and private high schools of this country are being taught to develop critical, questioning attitudes of what they read in the newspapers, hear on the radio or see in the motion pictures through monthly bulletins, teaching guides and other materials prepared for classroom use by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis.
President Roosevelt signed legislation establishing a new Coast Guard Reserve patterned after the Navy Reserve.
The Admiralty is right to be concerned about the German warships, a point proven by heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer. While it has been fairly quiet, Admiral Scheer has been on an extended cruise in the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, defying Admiralty attempts to locate it. Today, operating west of Seychelles, it uses its Arado 196 floatplanes to locate and capture two ships: 6994-ton British tanker British Advocate and 2546 ton Greek freighter Grigorios C II. Admiral Scheer keeps the tanker, but sinks the freighter and takes its 27 men prisoner. A third freighter, 7178 freighter Canadian Cruiser, is also in the vicinity and spots Admiral Scheer, sending a distress call to the Admiralty.
Convoy BA.1 departed Bombay, escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Antenor, and arrived at Aden. The ships of the convoy joined convoy WS.5B and proceeded to Suez.
Developments in French Indo-China that would require an active protest from Japan are being reported with increasing frequency by Japanese correspondents from Hanoi. Thus while the Thai-Indo-Chinese peace conference in Tokyo is proceeding in secret, the newspapers are printing numerous messages from Japanese sources purporting to reveal unfriendly acts on the part of the French authorities.
Japanese troop transports were reported steaming southward today from Formosa and Japan herself, headed presumably for Hainan Island, a likely way station in any drive that might be made upon Singapore or for northern French Indo-China. The story was heard here without confirmation but, coming as it did so soon after the arrival of heavy Australian reinforcements in Singapore, it was accepted in some quarters as indicating a Japanese answer to the British action in strengthening that vital Pacific base. Small contingents of Japanese troops in recent weeks have been steadily entering Indo-China, which lies next to Thailand (Siam), a country which in turn dominates the land approach to the Malaya peninsula and to Singapore itself.
Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka has warned British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden that a continuation of British military moves in Southeast Asia may compel his country to take “countermeasures,” the newspaper Asahi said today. Bangkok, Thailand, reported that 15 units of the Japanese fleet were known to be operating in the Siamese gulf. The Japanese themselves declared that pro-British sentiment was rising within Indo-China, with some Indo-Chinese trying to start a boycott of Japanese commercial interests intended to frustrate a possible Japanese economic thrust.
Reliable sources reported tonight that a serious dispute had arisen between the Japanese and French authorities over Japanese demands for $10,000,000 worth of American and Chinese-owned goods stored in Haiphong warehouses. These sources said Japanese military authorities demanded that the French requisition the goods and then hand them over to the Japanese, but that the French flatly refused.
Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka called a special press conference late last night to deny that he had made a reputed special offer to Britain to mediate the war in Europe. “As foreign minister, I never have offered mediation to any nation in the world for restoration of world peace,” Matsuoka said. News in London was that Japan had made such a mediation offer, but it was reported here that confusion had arisen from the Japanese press use of the word “message.”
The Australian War Cabinet today extended the current militia training period in camps throughout Australia from seventy to ninety days and ordered that at least half of the strength of the Australian military forces be kept in training continuously.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 119.99 (+2.05)
Born:
Buffy Sainte-Marie [as Beverley Jean Santamaria], American folk singer (“Now That the Buffalo Are Gone”), songwriter (“Up Where We Belong”), and activist, in Stoneham, Massachusetts.
Gayle Caldwell, American songwriter (“Cycles”), and folk singer (New Christy Minstrels; Jackie & Gayle), in Eugene, Oregon (d. 2009).
Amos C. Brown, American Pastor and civil rights activist, former Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in Jackson, Mississippi.
Clyde Wright, MLB pitcher (MLB All Star, 1970; no-hitter v Oakland, 1970; California Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers), in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
Dave Manders, NFL center (NFL Champions, Super Bowl VI-Cowboys, 1971; Pro Bowl, 1966; Dallas Cowboys), in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Naval Construction:
The U.S. Navy survey vessel USS Pathfinder (AGS-1) is laid down by the Lake Washington Shipyard (Houghton, Washington, U.S.A.).
The U.S. Navy 77-foot Elco patrol motor torpedo boat USS PT-28 is laid down by the Electric Launch Company Ltd. (Elco), (Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.A.).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXC U-boat U-128 is launched by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 991).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boats U-565 and U-566 are launched by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 541 and 542).
The Royal Navy Fairmile B-class motor launch HMS ML 149 is commissioned.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-558 is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Oberleutnant zur See Günther Krech.
History Diaries 