February 7th, 1940 (WEDNESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Birmingham, Winson Green Prison: Peter Barnes of Banagher and James MacCormack of Mullingar, both in the Republic of Ireland, are the IRA men hanged for the Coventry bomb murders of 25 August 1939.GERMANY: U-562 laid down.
FINLAND: In Soviet air raids 4 died at Kajaani.
U.S.S.R.: Soviet submarine SC-311 received the Red Banner Award (Orden Krasnogo Znameni).
CANADA: Flower-class corvettes HMCS Napanee, Sudbury and Prescott ordered.
U.S.A.: The motion picture "Pinocchio" premiers at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. This Walt Disney animated feature contains the song "When You Wish Upon A Star."
ATLANTIC OCEAN: About 0600, SS Munster struck a mine laid on 6 January by U-30 in the Queens Channel and sank. The master, 44 crewmembers and 190 passengers were picked up by the British coaster Ringwall and landed at Liverpool.