Baltic Sea

U-583 sinks in a collision with U-153 during a night training exercise off Danzig with the loss of her entire crew of 45.

Barents Sea

U-752 sinks the Soviet minesweeping trawler T-34 near Murmansk.

Battle of the Atlantic

The British steamer Corhampton (2495t) is badly damaged in a German bombing attack 26 miles northeast of Spurn Point. The steamer sinks in tow on the 16th in the area of the Humber. The entire crew are rescued.

Eastern Front

The German Moscow offensive is renewed under the direction of von Bock. The main effort is to be made by the tank forces which are to drive converging attacks toward the capital from just to the north and to the south. Guderian's 2nd Pzr Group attacks from around Tula to the south of the capital, while just north of the city both 3rd and 4th Pzr Groups are involved in the advance toward the Moscow-Volga Canal. The infantry armies on the flanks, and particularly 4th Army occupying the front between the armored thrusts, are to make supporting holding attacks.

The Soviet strategy for this winter period is to try to build up reserves for a counterattack from the forces that are being brought from Siberia, while doing just enough to hold the German advances. To some extent, therefore, the inward movement of the German tank attacks will be permitted during the next few days while the Soviet reserves are built up on the outer flanks.

Members of the 'French Legion' are reviewed by Field Marshal von Kluge after their arrival on the Eastern front.

'French Legion' Under Review

Weather Getting Colder as French Volunteers Arrive

All the German units are very seriously under strength both from the losses in the fighting since June and from the more recent ravages of the weather. This winter will turn out to be the most severe in the Soviet Union throughout the period for which records have been kept and the German troops and their equipment are badly prepared for it.

Losses of manpower through frostbite and of equipment through other effects of the cold - lubricating oil freezing solid and metal parts like rifle bolts becoming brittle and breaking have already helped reduce Pzr divs to tank strengths appropriate for battalions. The losses will continue.

South of Orel, an armed column takes Maloarchangelsk. In the northen sector the Russians are forced to withdraw from Volkhov, on the Leningrad front.

The Soviets withdraw from Volkhov. Following the fall of Tikhvin, the XXXIX Panzer Corps begins to move away from the Volkhov sector, going south to support the 16th Army.

In frosty but clear weather, the Germans resume the attack against the West Front, heralding the final phase of Operation TYPHOON. Soviet estimates put the German attack force at 233,000 men while the defending West Front has 240,000 men, 1,254 artillery pieces and 502 tanks.

Fighting erupts as the 3rd and 4th Panzer Groups attack. The 3rd Panzer, with elements of the 9th Army in support, crash into the 30th Army around Kalinin and push toward Klin. Despite fierce resistance, the 30th Army is forced to yield ground. German infantry and armor head for the Volga as they seek to smash open the entire northern wing of the Soviet front. The 4th Panzer Group pounds the Russians as it crashes into the 16th Army before Istra.

The 49th and 50th Armies halt attacks by the 2nd Panzer Army north of Tula.

In the Crimea the 11th Army conquers the greater part of the peninsula, only the defenders of Sevastopol and the remnants of the 51st Army in flight to Kerch remaining in the field.

Far East

A Canadian force of about 1,000 men arrives in Hong Kong in order to increase the defense garrison of the British colony.
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Mediterranean

The British steamer Empire Defender (5649t), en route to Malta, is sunk by Italian bombing 18 miles south of Galita Island with the loss of 4 of her crew. The remainder of the crew are made prisoners of war.

White Sea

2 Russian ships are torpedoed by U-752.