Battle of the Atlantic

• U-37 sinks the Greek steamer Ellin (4917t) 25 miles northwest of Cape Finisterre. The crew is picked up by the Spanish fishing vessel Manin. Also sunk by U-37 is the French steamer PLM 15 (3754t) from convoy 10-RS with the loss of her entire crew.
• U-53 sinks the Spanish steamer Banderas (2140t) 8 miles northwest of Cape Velano with the loss of 22 crewmen. 6 survivors are picked up by the Spanish fishing vessel Tritonia.
• U-10 sinks the Dutch steamer Ameland (4537t) near the Maasbank Buoy. Her entire crew of 48 is rescued by the Dutch steamer Montferland.
• U-61 sinks the Panamanian steamer El Sonador (1406t) east of the Shetlands and the Norwegian steamer Sangstad (4297t) east of Kirkwall. The entire crew of 17 from the El Sonador is lost. 1 is lost from the Sangstad and 22 survivors are picked up by the British destroyer Brazen.

China

In the Battle of Nanning the Japanese are forced to withdraw from the city after heavy fighting.

Finland - Winter War

Day 81

There is growing pressure from Soviet troops around Viipurinlahti Bay. The Finns are forced to evacuate the mainland for the islands on the eastern side of the bay. On the eastern Isthmus the Soviets launch a massive assault on the Finnish defenses at Taipale. In Kirvesmäki the infantry assault is preceded by a brief bombardment from the Russian artillery. The Finnish front line is reinforced by troops from the 21st Div. The Finnish commanding officers of the strongholds are killed in the artillery bombardment and Soviet bombers knock out most of the machine guns. The Finns retreat and the Soviets are in control of the front line. On the Ladoga Karelia Finnish troops take the 'regimental motti' formed to the north of Lake Ladoga on Feb 9. Here the Finns capture 20 assault tanks, 35 artillery pieces, 25 trucks, 17 tractors, 200 miscellaneaous vehicles and 32 field kitchens. Soviet dead number around 1000. The Finns lose 166 men. On the Karelian Isthmus the Soviets push tanks throught the intermediate positions in 2 places. In northern Finland about 1000 Russians attack the Kuusijoki line supported by artillery and assault tanks.

Bombing is especially fierce at Viipuri. During the course of the day over 200 Soviet planes bomb the city.

The old town suffers the worst damage, including the 500-year-old garrison church and the old cathedral containing the grave of the Finnish Lutheran reformer Mikael Agricola. Photo: SA-KUVA Heavy Damage in Viipuri

German Raiders

Operation Nordmark: battlecruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst and cruiser Admiral Hipper make an unsuccessful sortie against the 'HN' (Britain-Scandinavia) convoy route. Escorting U-boats sink 12 merchant ships and the British destroyer Daring. There are only 5 survivors from the Daring. 157 of the crew are lost.

Western Front

A German infantry detachment, with heavy mortar support, make an unsuccessful raid on a French outpost near the Moselle River.