Battle of the Atlantic

• The British armed merchant cruiser Asturias captures the Vichy French steamer Mendoza (8199t) 60 miles east of Montevideo. The steamer is taken to Freetown arriving 1 February.
• The Norwegian tanker Sandefjord (8038t) is captured by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer in the South Atlantic.
• The German steamer Godfried Bueren (4664t) sinks on a mine in the Kattegat.

German Raiders

The German raider Kormoran sinks the British tanker British Union (6987t) off the African coast with the loss of 1 of her crew. 36 of the crew are made prisoners of war. 8 crewmen are rescued.

Greece

The Greeks accept such help as is offered by the British, but are unwilling to accept it at once for fear of giving Hitler and excuse for speeding up his intervention.

Mediterranean

• German aircraft hit Malta again, but the island's airfields at Luqa and Hal Far are the principal targets. 6 aircraft are destroyed on the ground and many others damaged.
• The Italian steamer Lelio (1384t) sinks on a mine at La Spezia.

Vichy France

Pétain receives Laval and their 'misunderstandings' are 'smoothed out'.