Axis Diplomacy

Germany informs Franco that Gibraltar will be attacked on January 10. Spain is asked to join the operation. Franco refuses saying Britain would promptly occupy the Spanish and Portuguese islands in the east Atlantic. Without Spain's participation, Hitler abandons the Gibraltar operation.

Balkans, Politics

A treaty of friendship, the 'Friendship Pact', is signed in Belgrade by Yugoslavian and Hungarian representatives. By this token of good relations with a German client the Yugoslavs hope to improve their own relations with Germany.

Battle of the Atlantic

In more attacks on Convoy HX-92 U-96 sinks the Swedish steamer Stureholm (4575t) and the Belgian steamer Macedonier (5227t) 10 miles south of St Kilda, Hebrides. 4 crewmen are lost from the Macedonier, 37 survivors are picked up by the Icelandic ship Sulan. All 32 of the crew of the Stureholm are lost.

The Blitz

There is a heavy German night bombing raid on Sheffield. In Operation Crucible 336 bombers from Luftflotte III are involved. He-111s of II/KG55 drop a combination of flares and large high explosive bombs as a prelude to the 9 hours of bombing that follows. More that 350 tons of high explosives and incendiaries are dropped starting numerous fires. It is a devastating raid but factory buildings and machinery are undamaged. The city center is badly affected. The greatest number of casualties occurs at Marples Hotel at Fitzalan Square and High Street which collapses on its basement. 75 people were using it as a shelter. After 12 days of search and rescue, only 7 are pulled out alive. Many streets are blocked by debris and wrecked tramcars. There is also heavy damage in King Street and the Moor. One of the reasons that damage to commercial property was so great is lack of fire-watchers.

Bombing of Sheffield

During the night of December 12, 1940 German planes flew over Sheffield in South Yorkshire city and began dropping bombs. For hours, the city was under enemy fire. In terms of actual attacks in Sheffield, there had been very few and far between and the residents of Sheffield had become quite blase when the air sirens went off, people didn't really bat an eyelid because it had happened so many times and there hadn't been any serious bombings. Sadly that all changed. Around seven o'clock the air raids sirens went and it was followed by something that had rarely been heard which was the sound of their own anti-aircraft fire. This attack destroyed a great deal of the city and surrounding suburbs.

Hundreds of people, many of whom have lost their homes through bombing, now use the caves in Hastings, a south-east English town as their nightly refuge. Special sections are reserved for games and recreation, and several people have "set up house", bringing their own furniture and sleeping on their own beds. Photo taken on December 12, 1940.

Caves in Hastings

North Africa

The only Italian troops left on Egyptian soil, apart of course from the prisoners, are those holding up the British advance on Sollum and the forces in the neighborhood of Sidi Omar. Wavell is not able to follow up his success as vigorously as he would have wished because 4th Indian Division is about to be withdrawn for service in the Sudan.