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December 26th, 1940(THURSDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:
Westminster: Prime Minister to Minister of Supply:
The discrepancy between weapons and ammunition is terrible in the case of the anti-tank
rifles, 2-inch and 3-inch mortars. We have A.T. rifles to equip 23.5 divisions, but only
enough ammunition at 32,000 rounds per month to equip 5.5 . We have enough 2-inch mortars
at 108 per division to equip 33 divisions, but ammunition at 32,400 rounds per month
suffices only for 4.5 divisions. The worst of all is the 3-inch mortar, where, oddly
enough, we have at 18 per division enough to equip nearly 40 divisions, but at 14,000
rounds per month only enough ammunition for 1.5 divisions.
Prime Minister to First Sea Lord:
...greater effort should be made to interrupt the ore traffic through the Leads ...Now
that we have not to give notice, and can lay secretly anywhere, conditions are more
favourable for mining the Norwegian coast than last year.
The Prime Minister also discusses the pros and cons of warning the Germans that in the
case that they use gas, Britain shall retaliate with 'many thousands of tons of various
types of deadly gas ... that we have in store..'
ALBANIA: Greek troops launch a fresh offensive north of Pogradets, but start to find that Italian
resistance is stronger.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES:
Gerow
recommends that Philippine garrison be increased, that the Philippine Scouts be
doubled in size to 12,000 men, that 600 soldiers be added to the 31st
Infantry Regiment, the only US combat unit in the islands, that additional
artillery, both field and anti-aircraft, be sent, and that $1.25 million be
committed to construction. (Marc Small)
CANADA:
Patrol vessel
HMCS Reindeer arrived Halifax from Sydney Force.
U.S.A.:
The motion picture "The Philadelphia
Story" opens at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Directed by
George Cukor, this romantic comedy based on a Philip Barry play stars Cary
Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey.
Light cruiser USS Denver laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: SS Waiotira
damaged by U-95.
German armored ship Admiral Scheer meets with auxiliary cruisers H.K. Thor
and Pinguin, resupply ship SS Nordmark, tanker SS Eurofeld and the captured
freighter SS Duquesa at point "Andalusien" located about 713 nautical miles (1
320 kilometers) west of the British island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic
in position 15S, 18W.
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