Leaflets and reconnaissance - North-West Germany. 51 Sqn. Four aircraft opposition light.

The first 7,500 Canadian troops of the 1st division arrive in Britain: (Patrick Holscher)

U-31 sank HMS Glenabyn and SS Promotive.

ÉIRE Dublin: Troops and police cordoned off the Irish capital tonight in a search for a huge IRA arms haul. The theft of more than a million rounds of rifle, revolver and machine-gun ammunition stolen from the magazine fort in Phoenix Park has led to the biggest round-up of IRA suspects since the Irish civil war of June 1922 - April 1923. Sixteen men have been arrested. All have refused to make statements or apply for bail. Three have been charged with possession of firearms.

Roadblocks have been set up on major roads throughout the Republic and troops have searched hundreds of cars, lorries and buses. Pedestrians are being stopped for random checks and women are being compelled to open their shopping bags and allow prams to be searched. Two large hauls of bullets - weighing half a ton - have been recovered in County Kildare.

Maximum security has been imposed on the Ulster border. The IRA continues to regard itself as being "in a state of war" with Great Britain, and many Irish politicians fear a diplomatic backlash from an angry British government.

Corvette HMS Jasmine laid down.

GERMANY: U-159, U-160, U-171, U-172, U-173, U-174, U-175, U-176, U-256, U-257, U-258, U-259, U-260, U-261 ordered.

GIBRALTAR: U.S. freighters SS Explorer (detained at Gibraltar since 9 December) and SS Oakwood (detained there since 20 December) are released by British authorities.

FINLAND: The Russian 163rd and 44th Divisions are enduring heavy losses fighting in temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees fahrenheit.

The Finns entrenched near Taipale, at the eastern end of the Mannerheim Line, have cut down whole Russian battalions attempting to storm their positions.

Since early December the Finnish Karelian Army has successfully held the Main Defence Line (which from around this time on is known as the Mannerheim Line) in the Karelian Isthmus. Today the Finnish forces of Lt. Gen. Harald Öhquist's II Corps attempt for the first time a large-scale counter-attack. Öhquist's immediate superior, commander of the Army of the Isthmus (Kannaksen Armeija) Lt. Gen. Hugo Österman is very sceptical of the chances of success, and is surprised that Marshal Mannerheim finally gives his permission. Mannerheim's motivation in accepting Öhquist's plan is probably the hope of postponing the inevitable major Russian offensive.

Col. Paavo Paalu's 6. ID and Col. Taavetti Laatikainen's 1. ID are to attack and encircle the Soviet forces between them, while the three Finnish divisions between the attacking divisions (Col. Auno Kaila's 4. ID, Col. Selim Isakson's 5. ID and Col. Eino Koskimies's 11. ID) are to hold the Soviet forces before them. The plan is very daring, especially when the attackers are unexperienced in offensive warfare. And everything goes wrong from the start.

The preparations are hurried, and Laatikanen's division starts two hours late, having to advance in bright daylight. There's no good idea of the strength and positions of the defenders, and the attackers are given insufficient fire support. There's fierce fighting, but by the end of the day it's clear that the counter-attack is a miserable failure. The attacking troops, where they have advanced, retreat back to their starting positions. Even if the attack failed, it contributes to the Soviet decision to re-evaluate the war a week later. The counter-attack is clear signal that the Finnish Army is not about to collapse.