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December 29th, 1940

UNITED KINGDOM:
London: Between 6pm and 9.30pm 136 raiders from Luftlotte 2 and 3, flying over the heart of the City of London, rained 22068 incendiaries and 127 tons of HE on its historic buildings in a deliberate attempt to surpass the effects of the Great Fire of 1666. St. Paul's, close-ringed by flame, remained as if by a miracle, practically unharmed; but many of Wren's famous churches, the 500 year old Guildhall, banks, offices and shops by the hundred, were reduced to ashes. In spite of the ferocity of the assault, and although three hospitals were hit, human casualties were surprisingly few. It was made known a few days later that the attack would have been prolonged and developed still more fiercely had not the sudden development of bad weather over northern France foiled the plans of the Luftwaffe.
Realising that much of the damage by incendiary bombs might have been avoided if they had been dealt with immediately they fell, the Government decided to make "fire-watching" compulsory and took powers to conscript all employers and employees to share, if necessary, in the protection of their place of work from fire bombs.
 
Destroyer HMS Cottesmore commissioned.

Destroyer HMS Derwent laid down.

ÉIRE: Two Gloster Gladiators of the Irish Air Force fail to intercept a Luftwaffe Ju-88 that penetrates Irish airspace from Waterford over to Dublin. AA fire also fails to hit the intruder.

U.S.S.R.: Soviet submarine K-56 launched.
 

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: In the Adriatic Sea, the Greek submarine RHS Proteus (Y 3) torpedoes and sinks the 11,452 ton Italian troop transport SS Sardegna about 51 nautical miles (95 kilometres) east of Brindisi, Italy, in position 40.31N, 19.02E. RHS Proteus is rammed and sunk immediately after this attack by the Italian torpedo boat R.N. Antares.


U.S.A.:
Washington: An AP dispatch from states:
President Roosevelt was reported authoritatively today to have drafted a $17 billion budget for the fiscal year 1942, including $10 billion for the armament program.

In a "fireside chat" on radio, Roosevelt called for the US to become "the arsenal of democracy." The President made "the direct statement to the American people that there is far less chance of the US getting into war if we do all we can now to support the nations defending themselves against attack by the Axis than if we acquiesce in their defeat."

Stimson urges that US Navy be used to escort convoys to the UK. (Marc Small)

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