Air Operations, North Africa

He-111s drop mines in the Suez Canal during the night. This operation is repeated the nights of February 18 and February 22.

Allied Planning

Beginning this day and continuing for the next three months, there are secret staff talks in Washington between British and American representatives to agree on a common strategy in the event the U.S. enters the war. They produce conclusions code named 'ABC1' which state that Allied policy in the event of war with Germany and Japan should be to put the defeat of Germany first. In March an American mission visits Britain to select sites for bases for naval and air forces in case of war with Germany. Preliminary work to equip these bases will begin later in the year. The talks mark an important stage in the development of cooperation between the US and Britain. As well as their important decisions they accustom the staffs to working with each other.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-93 sinks the British steamer King Robert (5886t), the British tanker W. B. Walker (10,468t) and the Greek steamer Aikaterini (4929t) from Convoy SC-19 south of Rockall. The entire crew of 42 from the King Robert are picked up by the British destroyer Anthony and the British anti-submarine trawler Lady Madelaine. 4 crewmen are lost on the W. B. Walker; 43 survivors are picked up by the Anthony and the British destroyer Antelope. 1 of the crew is lost from the Greek ship with 30 survivors also being picked up by the Anthony.
• U-94 sinks the British steamer West Wales (4354t), a straggler from Convoy SC-19, south-southwest of Rockall with the loss of 16 of her crew. 21 survivors are picked up by the British destroyers Antelope and Anthony
• U-106 sinks the Egyptian steamer Sesostris (2962t), also straggling from Convoy SC-19, south-southwest of Rockall.

The Blitz

London is hit by 37 bombers. The Port of London is the main target but most of the damage occurs in several boroughs in the southeast section of the city. Little damage is done and casualties are light.

China

Nationalist soldiers and Kuomintang guerillas retake Zhenyang from the Japanese.

German Raiders

The German raider Kormoran sinks the British steamer Eurylochus (5723t) about 400 miles west of St Vincent with the loss of 15 of her crew. 38 are take prisoner. 28 survivors are picked up by the Spanish steamer Monte Teide. The Kormoran next sinks the British steamer Africa Star (11,900t) making the entire crew prisoners of war.

Italian East Africa

Allied forces cross the border from Kenya into Italian Somaliland. Gen Cunningham is in command and his forces are 11th and 12th East African Divs and 1st South African Div. The main attack will not begin until February 10.

Greece, Politics

After a brief illness, Prime Minister Metaxas dies at the age of 70. His successor is Alexander Korizis. Korizis (Koryzis?) is less decisive than Metaxas and does not have as good a relationship with the Greek Commander-in-Chief, Gen Papagos. Although he is, if anything, more ready to accept British help, this change does not contribute to the smooth running of the discussions with the British.

North Africa

The Italians, in order to escape encirclement by the British 7th Arm Div, pull out of Derna and prepare to retire from Cyrenaica and form a new more solid defense line at El-Agheila on the border with Tripolitania.