Air Operations, Europe

24 aircraft are sent to bomb Wilhelmshaven. Good bombing results are claimed, but German records classify it as a minor raid with light damage. 6 people are injured. 3 Welligtons and 2 Hampdens are lost.

In minor operations, 29 aircraft raid Emden, the first of 7 raids on Emden during January. Also, 2 Wellingtons raid Boulogne, 5 Hampdens lay mines off Wilhelmshaven, 6 Blenheim Intruders raid Holland and 1 Hampden makes a leaflet flight over France. 1 Blenheim Intruder is lost.

Barents Sea

The Russian submarine M-175 is sunk north of the Rybachiy Peninsula by U-584 with the loss of her entire crew of 21.

Dutch East Indies

The Japanese make landings on the small islands of Tarakan and Minahassa, Borneo. The Japanese plans for the invasion of the East Indies envisages a three-pronged attack. The landings at Tarakan are from the Central Force which is to take Borneo. The Western Force will advance from Sarawak and make landings on Sumatra and Java. The Eastern Force is to begin with landings on the Celebes and at Amboina, before attacking Bali, Timor and the eastern part of Java.

The Japanese 3rd Fleet, given the responsibility for the Borneo operations under the command of Vice-Adm Ibo Takahashi, consists of 2 heavy cruisers, 8 destroyers and 41 transports. They are being covered by another group consisting of 2 heavy cruisers and 7 destroyers commanded by Rear-Adm Takeo Takagi. The land forces are commanded by Gen Tomoyuki Yamashita. Dutch Martin bombers make repeated attacks on the invasion fleet.

Ford Motor Company signs on to make military Jeeps, which are in high demand during the war. American Bantam created the first Jeep prototype.

Ford Motor Company Begins Making Jeeps

Eastern Front

The attacks by the Soviet 2nd Shock and 59th Armies along the Volkhov have failed. The Red Army will thus try a new tactic: a combined offensive by the Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts. To the south the offensive by the Northwestern front is also faltering, with the 3rd and 4th Shock Armies making slow progress north of Lake Seligar.

Although the Soviet 39th Army has advanced past Rzhev, the 29th Army is still held up in front of the town.

The German 6th Army counterattacks around Kharkov, hitting the junction of the Soviet 21st and 40th Armies.[MORE]

Germany, Home Front

Berlin radio reports that German troops are defending their positions in Russia in a 'wall of blood'.

Rommel's armoured forces had ranged far and wide since November, first making a strong probing attack, then retreating in good order.

German Soldiers in a Schützenpanzer, North Africa, January 1942

Malaya

The British abandon Port Swettenham and Kuala Lumpur, which are immediately occupied by the Japanese. After confining their attacks on Singapore's airfields to after dark, Japanese aircraft begin to attack them by daylight.

Mediterranean

• The British destroyer Legion and the Dutch destroyer Isaac Sweers damage U-374 leaving her unable to submerge.
• The British submarine Thrasher sinks the Italian steamer Fedora (5016t) 35 miles southeast of Cape Dukato, Greece.

Pacific

• The Panamanian steamer Daylite (1976t) sinks on a mine in Manila Bay laid by I-124 8 December.
• The US submarine Pickerel (SS-177) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese gunboat Kanko Maru (2929t) at the mouth of Davao Gulf, off Cape San Augustin, Philippines.
• The Japanese cargo ship Harbin Maru (5169t) is torpedoed by US submarine Stingray (SS-186) and sinks in the South China Sea off the south coast of Hainan Island.
• The Dutch submarine O-19 torpedoes and sinks the Japanese army cargo ship Akita Maru (3792t) at the mouth of the Gulf of Siam.

Philippines

The defenses of the Bataan peninsula are inspected by Gen MacArthur. The Japanese drop leaflets from the air inviting the defenders to surrender. On the ground, their columns keep up powerful pressure, though they are held up by thick jungle and stubborn resistance. They reach the Calaguiman River below the village of Samal, and in the western sector the village of Olongapo.

Rommel in conversation with Major General Boettcher, North Africa, January 1942

In the Libyan desert the British were apparently making good progress since the launch of Operation CRUSADER. They had relieved Tobruk and had pushed on further west to re-occupy Benghazi, one of the major ports which allowed the supply of frontline forces without extended road journeys. They looked set to make even more territorial gains soon. Erwin Rommel, commanding the Afrika Korps, did not see it like that at all. He was dismissive of his critics in Germany who were commenting on his retreat. Territory was less important to him than keeping his forces intact. He knew that, with the Royal Navy seriously weakened in the Mediterranean, he was now getting re-supplied with whole convoy loads of new tanks and munitions.