Australia, Home Front

Prime Minister Curtin declares that the fall of Singapore is 'Australia's Dunkirk' and the prelude to the 'Battle of Australia'.

Battle of the Atlantic

• In Operation 'Neuland' German U-boats shell important oil installations at Aruba and Curaçao. Seven tankers are torpedoed, 3 sink. U-156 sinks the British tanker Oranjestad (2396t) and damages the British tanker Pedernales (4317t) and the American tanker Arkansas (6452t) off San Nicholas, Aruba. 15 of a crew of 25 are lost on the Oranjestad. U-502 sinks 2 British tankers 25 miles southwest of Point Macolla, the Tiajuana (2395t) and the San Nicolas (2391t). 17 are lost on the Tiajuana with 9 survivors. 7 are lost on the San Nicolas with 19 survivors. U-502 also sinks the Venezuelan tanker Monagas (2650t) in the Gulf of Venezuela with the loss of 5 crewmen. There are 26 survivors. U-67 damages the Dutch tanker Rafaela (3177t) 1 miles off Curaçao.
  

  Unexploded Torpedo from U-67 on Reef at Curaçao (AP Photo)

  Torpedo from U-156 on Eagle Beach Aruba (Life Magazine)

• U-108 sinks the Panamanian steamer Ramapo (2968t) west of Bermuda with the loss of the entire crew of 38.

Burma

Fighting continues for the next few days along the Bilin River as the Japanese try to advance.

Dutch East Indies

British aircraft and air crews leave Sumatra and cross to Java. The Allied convoy making for Timor has to change course on account of heavy Japanese air attacks.

Eastern Front

The LIX Corps repulses Soviet attacks toward Surazh, but at Demidov the 4th Shock Army penetrates into the town.

Germany, Politics

Hitler names Martin Bormann to replace Hess as second in line, behind Göring, in the Nazi line of succession.

Japan, Politics

Gen Tojo outlines Japanese war aims to the Diet. He speaks of 'a new order of co-existence and co-prosperity on ethical principles in Greater East Asia'.

Pacific

The British auxiliary patrol vessel Elizabeth is sunk by Japanese gunfire in the Banka Strait with the loss of 24 or a 26-man crew.