Battle of the Atlantic

• The British steamer Fort Medine (5261t) sinks on a mine near Swansea with the loss of 1 crewman.
• The British steamer Rigmor is sunk by German bombing southeast of Falmouth. The entire crew is rescued.

U-47 leaves Lorient for a new cruising on February 20, 1941. It is its last mission, none of its men will survive its sinking which will be sunk by the British destroyer Wolverine. (Bundesarchiv)

U-47 Leaving Lorient

German Raiders

The German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer captures the British tanker British Advocate (6994t) and the Greek steamer Grigorios C II (2546t) west of the Seychelles. The Greek ship is sunk and her 27-man crew is taken prisoner.

Italian East Africa

The British cross the Juba River.

South African troops crossing the river Juba in Italian Somaliland.

South African Troops Crossing the Juba

North Africa

The British and German patrols make contact for the first time in the desert, near El Agheila. The first brief action is on the 24th.

A convoy carrying supplies and an anti-aircraft unit docks at Tripoli to support the German forces there. The next day German vehicles are seen operating in North Africa for the first time.