Battle of the Atlantic

• U-20 sinks the Danish steamer Magnus (1339t) in the North Sea. Her sole survivor is picked up 4 days later by the British trawler Philippe.
• U-48 torpedoes the British tanker San Alberto (7397t) from convoy OB-48 west of the English Channel with the loss of 1 crewmen. The survivors abandon the ship and are picked up by the Belgian tanker Alexandre Andre. Attempts are made to salvage the ship, but she is eventually scuttled on the 11th by the British destroyer Mackay.
• The British heavy cruiser Shropshire encounters the German steamer Adolf Leonhardt (2990t) northwest of Mossamedes. Rather than be captures, she scuttles herself off South Africa. 25 survivors are picked up by the Shropshire.

Finland - Winter War

Day 10

On the Karelian Isthmus the covering force is reorganized to form the 1st Div under Maj-Gen Taavetti Laatikainen. They will be responsible for the eastern section of the front while the 5th Div will be responsible for the rest. The 13th Div is deployed defensively between Lake Ladoga and Varpajärvi. Near Suomussalmi the Finns mount a successful attack. A brilliant night attack is also mounted on 8th Army units near Kollaa.

In New York about 100 Finnish American volunteers, mostly pilots and mechanics, board ship bound for Finland.

Ladoga Karelia: the 13th Division takes up defensive positions between Lake Ladoga and Varpajärvi. Photo: SA-KUVA Ladoga Karelia

Western Front

A corporal from the King's Shropshire Light Infantry becomes the first British fatality on the Western Front.

Britain's King George VI visits the Maginot Line at Ouvrage Hackenberg. It will be one of the last garrisons to surrender in June 1940. King George at the Maginot Line