Air Operations - Europe

• 96 aircraft are sent on a raid to Hamburg. 52 planes claim to have bombed in difficult visibility. 36 fires, including 3 large, are reported in Hamburg. 3 people are killed and 25 are injured. 3 Wellingtons and 1 Hampden are lost on the raid and 8 other aircraft crash in England.
• 50 aircraft are sent to Emden where they claim to have started many fires. 1 Wellington and 1 Whitley are lost.
• In minor operations, 5 Blenheims and 4 Wellingtons bomb Dutch airfields while 3 Hampdens lay mines in the Frisians. There are no losses.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The British steamer Empire Bay (2824t) is sunk by German bombing off Hartlepool. The entire crew are rescued.
• U-552 sinks the British steamer Dayrose (4113t) southwest of Cape Race with the loss of 38 of her crew. 4 survivors are picked up by the American destroyers Ericsson and Stack.
• U-123 sinks the British tanker Coimbra (6768t) 27 miles off Long Island with the loss of 36 of her crew. 10 survivors are picked up by the American destroyer Rowan.

Black Sea

The battleship Parizhskaya Kommuna again bombards German positions on the Crimean coast.

Britain, Home Front

The death of of Field-Marshal the Duke of Connaught, the third son of Queen Victoria and former Governor-General of Canada 1911-1916, is reported. He was 91.

Burma

The Japanese 15th Army advances northward from the Kra isthmus and mainland Thailand into Burma. Units of the Japanese 55th Div move into Burma north of Mergui.

Diplomatic Relations

The Pan-American Conference begins in Rio de Janeiro; it will end January 23. 21 American republics meet to decide measures for defending themselves against aggression. Argentina objects to an American proposal that all relations with the Axis Powers be ended. The border dispute between Peru and Ecuador is settled amicably.

Eastern Front

The Russians recapture Selijarovo, northwest of Rzhev. In the southern sector the Russians launch a violent attack in the area held by the Italians. Von Küchler replaces von Leeb in command of Army Group North in part of the shake-up ordered by Hitler. The Führer has been upset that his generals are giving orders to retire without consulting him, or more infuriating, withdrawing contrary to orders.[MORE]

India, Politics

Jawaharlal Nehru succeeds Mohandas K. Gandhi as leader of the Congress party.

Indian Ocean

I-66 sinks the Indian steamer Jalarajan (5102t) off North Sumatra with the loss of 7 of her crew. There are 68 survivors.

Malaya

Japanese forces have now penetrated south of Malacca. The Japanese 5th Div is heavily engaged with Australian troops at Batu Anam on the Muar River. The Japanese suffer heavy losses, but the Aussies withdraw to their assigned positions in the defense line. The Japanese then land small detachments between Muar and Batu Pahat, causing some confusion to the British communications in the western sector of the front. Troops from the Japanese Imperial Guards Div break into the coastal section of the Allied position where 45th Indian Bde is stationed.

Thousands of Australian troops had arrived in Singapore during the second half of 1941, more would arrive during January 1942.

Australian Troops Arrive in Singapore

Philippines

On Luzon the Japanese establish a bridgehead south of the Balantay River in the Bataan peninsula. Counterattacks by the defenders fail to retake the position. The Japanese troops advancing slowly in the central sector pausing temporarily to re-group. In the western sector the two Japanese columns converging on Moron are near their objective.