Air Operations, Europe

Flying from bases in France, RAF aircraft drop Polish language leaflets over western Poland and return via Leipzig and the Ruhr where they release leaflets in German.

Atlantic

British warships detain 13 Italian colliers with cargoes of German coal.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-14 sinks the Dutch steamer Vecht (1965t) off the Dutch coast with the loss of her entire crew of 22.

Finland - Winter War

Day 99

After a preliminary artillery bombardment the Soviets on the Isthmus launch an assault and break through the Finnish lines in Tali moving towards Tali village.

In Ladoga Karelia, Detachment Alfthan cuts the supply lines of the Soviet troops in Lavajärvi village. Photo: SA-KUVA Soviet Supply Line Cut By Finns

A new group, the Hamina Group, is formed to give added strength to the defense of Viipurinlahti Bay. Command of this group is given to Maj-Gen E. Hamell who will answer directly to Commander-in-Chief Mannerheim. The attacking Russian force in the Sintolanniemi sector is completely destroyed. In the Ladoga Karelia, Detachment Alfhan cuts the supply lines of the Soviet troops in Lavajärvi village. The Russians launch another attack in the Kollaa sector, but the 69th Inf Div again holds its ground. In the far north, a Soviet army regiment overruns the Finnish defensive positions at Nautsi in Petsamo.

The Finnish delegation led by Paasikivi arrives in Moscow. Gen Mannerheim, seeing it is useless to continue the one-sided struggle, has accepted the fact that there must be talks with the Soviet Union. The West still continues to offer aid, but at this point have sent only a small quantity of outdated arms.