Destroyer HMS Cowdray launched.

GERMANY: Berlin: The German News Bureau (DNB) reported:

On Sunday night through to Monday morning the German Luftwaffe launched its first grand assault on the Soviet capital. A responsible authority in Berlin confirms that large numbers of bombers wings mounted an extremely vigorous attack. The raids continued for several hours without let-up, we believe from sunset until dawn. the German aerial attack on Moscow appears to confirm that the German Luftwaffe has now been successful in setting up takeoff bases inside the conquered Russian territories. These bases are well situated for its bomber missions so that the bombers are now only a few hundred miles from Moscow and can make intensified attacks on the Soviet capital.

The Wehrmacht High Command announced:

The breakthrough operations of the German Wehrmacht and its allies have broken the Soviet defensive front into disconnected groups. Despite tenacious local resistance and dogged counter-attacks, any unified conduct by the enemy is no longer discernible. Operations to smash and annihilate the individual Soviet armed forces groups, are continuing without let-up along the entire Eastern Front. Last night the Luftwaffe attacked Moscow for the first time in retaliation for the Bolshevik air raids on the open capital cities of our allies, Bucharest and Helsinki. Strong German bomber formations with good ground visibility made relay bombing raids on military installations in the Soviet Russian communications and munitions centre in Moscow. Direct bomb hits started countless conflagrations and wide-spreading fires in the Kremlin district and around the Moskva river bend. High ranking Soviet headquarters buildings and government offices have been destroyed or badly hit, as have supply factories.

U-450 laid down.

U-117, U-171 launched.

U.S.S.R.: The Axis armies pause in their advance, having conquered 700,000 square miles of Russian territory.

Moscow: The Soviet Information Bureau reported:

Yesterday evening Moscow experienced its first air attack of the war. The sirens sounded at 10:00 P.M. after lookout men had reported more than 200 German bombers flying toward Moscow. Soviet night interceptor planes and antiaircraft batteries went into action and succeeded in forcing the bulk of the attackers to turn back before reaching the capital. Only isolated German-Fascist aircraft succeeded in breaking through and released a number of bombs that destroyed dwellings or set them on fire, but no military targets were hit. There were several dead and injured. Night interceptors and anti-aircraft guns destroyed 17 German aircraft.

FINLAND: While the Finnish attack in Karelia is in progress (often against heavy Soviet resistance), Colonel Ruben Lagus, the commander of the 5th Div., is nominated the first recipient of a new decoration, the Mannerheim Cross (2nd class).

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Italian planes locate part of the Convoy of Operation Substance which left Gibraltar yesterday. The Italian Fleet stays in port, expecting a ferry flight of aircraft to Malta.
The Italian sub Alagi heard the convoy of Operation Substance but could not attack while the sub Diaspro fired 4 torpedoes to the Ark Royal and HMAS Nestor but missed. 8 SM79s torpedo bombers and 15 bombers (SM79 and Cant Z1007) take off from Sardinia to attack the convoy but failed to find it. (Andrea Galliano)