Battle of the Atlantic

The British cable ship Faraday (5533t) is badly damaged in a German air attack 3 miles from St Anne's Head with the loss of 8 of her crew. The ship sinks on the 27th in West Dale Bay, but all her cargo is saved.

Also damaged in a German air attack is the British steamer Somali (6809t) off Blyth with the loss of 1 of her crew. The ship sinks on the 27th 1 mile east of Snoop Head, Sutherland. German bombing damages the British steamer Empire Mermaid (6381t) northwest of Scotland with the loss of 22 on board. The British destroyer Achates rescues 19 survivors. She sinks on the 28th.

Britain, Home Front

Meat ration is reduced to 6 oz (170g) per person per week.

Italian East Africa

The British forces occupy Harar, Abyssinia.

Beginning this day a lasting for several day Italian forces and their new local allies attack Wingate's Gideon Force around Burye. They are repulsed despite their superior strength.

Mediterranean

• Reconnaissance aircraft of the 10th Fliegerkorps based in Sicily warn the Italian naval command that the battleships Barham and Warspite and the aircraft carrier Formidable are back in the naval base at Alexandria.
• The Battle of Cape Matapan, prelude. Following claims by German aircraft to have sunk 2 of the British Mediterranean Fleet's battleships and with the promise of German air support and reconnaissance, Adm Iachino leads the Italian Fleet in a sortie into the Aegean to disrupt the British convoys to Greece. He has 1 battleship, 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers and 13 destroyers. They sail on this day.
• A night attack by explosive boats (barchini esplosivi) of a special Italian unit penetrates Suda Bay in Crete and sinks 1 tanker and cripples the British cruiser York.
• The Italian tanker Verde (2423t) and the Italian steamer Helena (479t) sink on mines off Palermo. These mines were laid by the British submarine Rorqual on the 25th.

On this day, Italy attacks the British fleet at Suda Bay, Crete, using detachable warheads to sink a British cruiser. This was the first time manned torpedoes had been employed in naval warfare, adding a new weapon to the world's navies' arsenals.

Italy Attacks British Fleet at Crete

Yugoslavia

Demonstrations against the signing of the Tripartite Pact break out all over the country. Protests come from trade unions, peasants, the church and the army. Mr C. S. Amery, Secretary for India and Burma, broadcasts to Yugoslavia: 'Will Yugoslavia sell her honor and liberty for a German Promise?'