Allied Preparations

The movement of the reconstituted Polish army to Iran and Iraq is approved by Stalin. These troops will be grouped with British forces in that area. Stalin would rather see them fight elsewhere even though he could use all the help he could get.

Atlantic

The US merchantman Sagadahoc is torpedoed by U-124 and sinks in the South Atlantic.

Balkans

Yugoslav partisans begin attacking German units in what becomes the first instance of organized resistance in Axis-held territory.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The British steamer Maclaren (2330t) sinks on a mine southwest of Cardiff in the Bristol Channel with the loss of 3 crewmen.
• U-124 sinks the American steamer Sagadahoc (6275t) in the South Atlantic with the loss of 1 crewman. 34 survivors are rescued after several days in lifeboats by other steamers.

Eastern Front

Bitter fighting rages at Dimitrov as the 1st Shock Army strikes the 3rd Panzer Group. To the south, the 4th Army has the tables turned on it, being brought under heavy attack at Akulovo and Golizno. Kluge extricates his battered 258th and 3rd Motorized Divisions and abandons the recently won territory. Akulovo is retaken as the Germans are forced back to the Nara.

Gulf of Finland

The transport J. Stalin (7,500t) evacuating Russian troops besieged at Hangö since June is badly damaged by 4 mines. About 2,000 soldiers lose their lives. The wreck will be captured later by the Germans.

North Africa

Rommel's motorized infantry columns heading to relieve his frontier garrisons are attacked by the Desert Air Force, then ambushed by the 5th New Zealand Bde and later by the 4th Indian Div. Both columns retire with heavy losses.

Stuart 'Honey' Tanks Arrive in the Desert

There had been high hopes for the new Stuart 'Honey' tanks when they arrived in the desert in August 1941. The fighting to relieve Tobruk continued in the desert. Although the British had built up their forces for Operation Crusader, they yet again learnt that the quality of their armour was still not a match for the Germans. The new ‘Honey’ tanks did not have the range to take on the Panzers, they had to rely on their speed to advance rapidly to get in close enough to let their inferior guns have some chance.