Air Operations, Europe

The entire Ruhr industrial region is photographed by an RAF Spitfire in 1 sortie.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The British India liner Domala is bombed off the Isle of Wight (100 killed), the first such action in the English Channel. The British destroy Viscount takes off 120 survivors and the Dutch steamer Jonge Willem picks up 51 more.
• The German steamer Wolfsburg (6201t) scuttles herself north of Iceland when intercepted by the British cruiser Berwick. The Berwick picks up the crew of 11 officers and 43 men before sinking the Wolfsburg with gunfire.
• U-17 sinks the Dutch steamer Rijnstroom off the Dutch coast with the loss of the crew of 12.
• U-32 sinks the Swedish steamer Lagaholm (2818t) 80 miles west of Kirkwall with the loss of 1 crewman. 27 survivors are rescued by the Norwegians steamer Belpamela.
• The British steamer Albano (1176t) sinks on a mine about 8 miles from Croquet Light midway between Blyth and North Sunderland with the loss of 9 crewmen. The survivors are picked up by the British escort vessel Wallace and the British armed patrol trawler Stella Carino.
• The Dutch steamer Elziena (176t) is sunk by He-111 bombs from KG-26 5 miles east of Coquet Island with the loss of 2 crewmen.

Finland - Winter War

Day 94

3 Soviet divisions launch a massive general offensive. The Soviet forces begin major attacks on the new Finnish defense line. Pressure is exerted against all points but is strongest at the north and south ends. Vuosalmi in the north is attacked by 13th Army forces while the reserve corps of 7th Army is advancing over the sea ice toward the west side of Viipuri Gulf. The Russians reach the southern suburbs of Viipuri. The fiercest fighting is on the Karelian Isthmus, at Käremäenlahti to the south of Viipuri and in the Lyykylä sector east of the city. The Finns are forced to withdraw from the frontline strongholds.

Tampere is bombed by over a hundred enemy aircraft, including some fighters. Photo: SA-KUVA Tampere Heavily Bombed

The Soviets also strike towards the islands of Tuppuransaari and Teikarsaari. The attacks are supported by a massive artillery bombardment. The Finns counterattack around midday but it is unsuccessful due to lack of ammunition. Both islands are lost to the Soviets. The Soviets also manage to reach land on the western shore of Viipurinlahti Bay. In the Ladoga Karelia, Soviet artillery in Kollaa begins an intensive bombardment at 6:30a.m. followed by an assault by 2 divisions across the entire breadth of the Finnish positions. Despite the Soviet numerical superiority, the fighting becomes bogged down in trench warfare with heavy casualties on both sides. The Russians also attack with artillery and tank support on the Aittojoki River. These assaults are repulsed. In the north, the Finns defending the Kuusijoki line in Kuhmo are unable to withstand the Russian assault.

Finnish fighters break up a bombing raid headed for Helsinki. Tampere is bombed by over a hundred Soviet aircraft. 70 buildings in Lahti are destroyed by Soviet bombers.

A Russian pilot in front of his Tupolev SB-2 bomber. Tupolev SB-2 Bomber