Air Operations, CBI

2nd AVG Fighter Squadron P-40 fighters down 3 Japanese Navy fighters over Rahaeng/Tak Airdrome in Thailand.

Air Operations, Europe

During the evening 14 Stirlings and 4 Wellingtons are sent to bomb Brest. 10 Hampdens are involved in mine lay in the Frisians. 1 Wellington and 1 Hampden are lost in these operations.

Allied Command

By the authority of the Arcadia Conference Chiang Kai-shek is named Commander-in-Chief of Allied forces in China. Gen Wavell is appointed to the newly established ABDA (American-British-Dutch-Australia) Command. His task is to hold the 'Malay Barrier' (the line from Malaya through the Dutch East Indies to Borneo). His deputy commander is Maj-Gen George H. Brett of the US. This attempt at a joint command stucture will prove to be difficult n practice, with international and interservice rivalries reducing efficiency.

Battle of the Atlantic

The British steamer Corfen (1848t) is badly damaged on a mine 2 miles from Barrow Deep with the loss of 1 crewman. The ship sinks later in the day while being towed. The rest of the crew are rescued. The British steamer Robert (1272t) is also badly damaged on a mine off Lowestoft. The entire crew are rescued. The ship sinks the next day while under tow.

Borneo

The Japanese land unopposed on the island of Labuan in the Gulf of Brunei. From there a detachment moves on to the mainland at Mempakul.

A British Matilda tank in the Western Desert, recaptured from the Germans who had used it against the British in Bardia, 3 January 1942.

A British Matilda Tank

Britain, Planning

The British chiefs of staff direct the Home Forces to begin planning operations for a second front in western Europe. This planning will eventually lead the Normandy invasion some 20 months later.

Eastern Front

Elements of the 10th Army encircle 4,000 men of the 216th Infantry Division in Sukhinichi. The beleaguered force, only recently arrived from the west, is attacked by tank and infantry forces and brought under sustained artillery fire. Despite its inexperience the division holds, compelling the Soviets to divert forces from their westward drive.

The Southwest Front attacks the 6th Army around Kharkov but with little success. Timoshenko orders the 21st and 38th Armies to take Belgorod by January 5. In the Crimea, the 44th and 51st "Armies attack at Feodosia and Kerch.

Zhukov's concentrated and directed assault against Army Group Center had successfully, over the course of a month, forced the Germans to relinquish territory at great cost. However, with the road to victory partially traversed, Stalin undertook to reconquer all. Despite the protests of Zhukov, the Stalin offensives were about to begin and the gains of the past month would be squandered in localized attacks from the frozen north to the Don in the south.

Indian Ocean

In only 3 months, 'Port T', a secret British naval base, hacked out of virgin jungle and swamp on Addu Atoll in the Maldive Islands, becomes operational despite appalling problems of climate and terrain. The first convoy of troopships, escorted by the cruiser Emerald, arrives.

Malaya

On the west coast the British continue their withdrawal across the Slim River. On the east coast the Kuantan defenders begin to retire southward to avoid being cut off. The desire of the British headquarters would have been to hold on to the airport in Kuantan for at least another week.

Royal Engineers prepare to blow up a bridge in Malaya during the British retreat to Singapore. In the background Chinese rickshaws loaded with rice from abandoned government stocks are crossing the bridge.

Royal Engineers Prepare to Blow up a Bridge

51 Hurricanes arrive in Singapore to reinforce the thin defenses there. Unfortunately only 21 pilots have come. They have come from Britain or the Libyan front and have no experience of the conditions in which they will have to operate.

Malta

Military objectives on the island are again attacked by Italian and German aircraft.

People lining up for their hot meal on Malta. The first Victory Kitchen was opened on 3 January 1942.

People Lining Up for Their Hot Meal on Malta

Pacific

• The Japanese submarine I-58 sinks the Dutch steamer Langkoeas (7395t) north of Bawean Island in the Java Sea. The entire crew successfully abandon ship, but lifeboats are rammed and machine gunned. Only 3 survivors are later picked up from Bawean Island by the American destroyer Paul Jones.
• The Japanese coastal tanker Moji Maru (380t) hits a British mine and sinks soutwest of Hong Kong.
• The Japanese merchant cargo ship Meiko Maru (1200t) sinks after an accidental gasoline explosion off Hainan Island.

Philippines

On Luzon, American Gen Jonathan M. Wainwright takes over command of the American and Filipino troops cut off in the Bataan peninsula and the fortified island of Corregidor. Filipino troops succeed in containing strong Japanese attacks in the Guagua-Porac area.