Sea War, Operation Neuland: 2 U-boats make simultaneous attacks on oil installations and tankers at Curacao and Aruba. 7 tankers torpedoed (3 sunk).

Home Front Australia: Prime Minister Curtin declares that fall of Singapore is 'Australia's Dunkirk' and the prelude to 'Battle of Australia' (he orders 'total mobilization' February 17).

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1942

Home Front Britain: Commons debate on escape of German battlecruisers from Brest. Churchill announces setting up of commission of inquiry under Mr Justice Bucknill.

Occupied Singapore: Japanese rename Singapore, Skonun ('Light of the South').

Sea War Pacific: Japanese submarine I-25 launches diminutive Yokosuka seaplane for recce flight over Sydney (similar flights over Melbourne, Hobart and Wellington, February 26 - March 8).

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1942

Air War Pacific: RAF and RAAF units withdrawn from Sumatra to Java.

Sea War: Free French submarine Surcouf (world's largest) sunk in collision with US merchantman.

Picture: the French submarine cruiser Surcouf was armed with two 20.3-cm guns. In 1939 she was the largest submarine of the world.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1942

Sea War Pacific: (MAIN EVENT) THE DARWIN RAID. Japanese Carrier Force and land-based bombers make devastating strikes on Port Darwin, sinking or damaging 16 ships and panicking civilian population (172 killed, 349 injured aboard ships); heavy civilian casualties.

Sea War: Japanese land on Bali. Battle of Lombok Strait (night February 19-20): 2 Dutch-American squadrons have several fierce engagements with Japanese naval units east of Bali. Dutch cruiser Tromp damaged and a destroyer sunk; 1 Japanese destroyer badly damaged.
U-161 attacks shipping in Port of Spain (Trinidad). British troopships are temporarily diverted elsewhere for refuelling.

Home Front Britain: Government reshuffle: Attlee, Deputy Prime Minister and Dominions Secretary; Cripps, Lord Privy Seal; Beaverbrook leaves government.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1942

Russian Front: German frostbite casualties now total 112,627, including 14,357 requiring amputation.

East Indies: Japanese land on Timor Island (Dutch and Portugese), north of Australia (occupation completed February 24).

Air War Europe: Demiansk Airlift: force of Ju 52s (increasing from 40 in February to 300 in May) maintains trapped German 16th Army in Demiansk 'Cauldron', north of Smolensk, losing 262 aircraft.

Picture: Recovery of a supply bomb in Demiansk 'Cauldron'.

Air War Pacific: Wildcat fighter flown by Lt. 'Butch' O'Hare, of USS Lexington, shoots down 5 Mitsubishi G4M bombers in ten minutes near Gilbert Islands.

Vichy France: THE RIOM WAR GUILT TRIAL. Vichy French Supreme Court, sitting at Riom, near Clermont-Ferrand, examines ex-Prime Ministers Daladier and Blum, General Gamelin and others on charges of being 'responsible for the defeat of France'. Accused later deported to Germany and Court dissolved, June 13, 1942.

Sea War: Italian submarine group Da Vinci (4 boats) sinks 14 merchantmen (February 20-March 24) in the Caribbean.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1942

Diplomacy: Salazar makes 'energetic protest' against Japanese occupation of Portuguese Timor.

Neutrals, Uruguay: President Baldomir foils attempted coup.

Burma: British begin withdrawal over river Sittang (night February 21-22).

Home Front USA: Pacific coast declared 'strategic defense area'.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1942

Air War Europe: Air Marshal Harris becomes AOCinC RAF Bomber Command.

Picture: Air Marshal Sir Arthur Travers Harris, called 'Bomber Harris' or the 'Butcher'. Failed with his basic contention, that Germany could be defeated by air power alone, despite great damage and massive civilian deathtoll. Constantly repeated night raids involved heavy British losses, totalling 8,000 planes and 47,293 officers and men.

Home Front Britain: Col. Llewellin appointed Minister of Aircraft Production; Grigg becomes Secretary for War. Dr William Temple nominated Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all England.

Sea War: Japanese submarines sink 11 ships south of Java (February 22-March 1).