February 11th, 1941 (TUESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: The Stirling bomber made its operational debut last night when three of No. 7 Squadron's Stirlings, led by Sqn. Ldr. Griffith-Jones, DFC, dropped 56 500lb bombs on oil-storage tanks in Rotterdam.Prime Minister to Minister of Shipping:
Is it true that the steamship 'New Toronto', which arrived at Liverpool, was ordered to proceed north-about to London, and is it true that this order was only cancelled as a result of the protest of the captain, who pointed out the enormous value of his cargo, which contained, inter alia, 19,677 sub-machine guns and 2,456,000 cartridges? The arrival of these ships with large consignments of invaluable munitions ought to receive your personal attention in every case.
Light cruiser Jacob Van Heemskerck commissioned.
FRANCE: Admiral Darlan becomes Marshall Petain's successor and Deputy in the Vichy government. Darlan is also named Foreign Minister, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Information, and Commander in Chief of the French Navy.
THE NETHERLANDS: The government breaks diplomatic relations with Romania.
GERMANY:
LIBYA: Tripoli: The first troops of German 5th Light Infantry Division land.
ITALIAN SOMALILAND: South African and Gold Coast troops occupy the military centre of Afmadu.
U.S.A.: Destroyers USS Aaron Ward and Buchanan laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Submarine
HMS Snapper is sunk in the Atlantic Southwest of Ushant. All 39 crew are
lost. It is believed that she was attacked by German minesweepers M2, M13
and M25 which were conducting an A/S sweep in the area and dropped over 50
depth charges when Snapper broke surface after firing a torpedo.
Destroyer ORP Blyskawica escorted a convoy to Iceland. But on the 14th she was again damaged in a storm and returned to Greenock.