UNITED KINGDOM: Destroyer HMS Lamerton commissioned.

GERMANY: An appeal to housewives to donate unwanted rags and cloth for recycling is to end next week. They have been asked to bring their "textile scrap" to collection points so that it can be used to make reprocessed wool and cotton wool - both of which are used in the production of synthetic fibre and artificial silk.

Nazi propaganda explains that the money saved by recycling will be used for the armaments industry. But the people have been unenthusiastic, many fearing that a bottleneck in textile supplies will result in more rationing.

U-135 commissioned.
U-667 laid down.
U-88 and U-407 launched.

ROMANIA: While defending the Ploesti oilfields from Soviet air attack a Royal Romanian Air Force Heinkel He 112 succeeds in shooting down a Red Air Force bomber. (Greg Kelley)

U.S.S.R.: The German I ArmeeKorps (von Both) of 16 Armee (Busch) takes Novgorod on the road to Leningrad. German and Rumanian forces of Heeresgruppe Süd (von Rundstedt) capture Nikolaev, an important Soviet naval base on the Black Sea.  LVI. Panzerkorps is attacking near Dno, 75 miles SW of Novgorod. (Jack McKillop & Jeff Chrisman)

Moscow: An Anglo-Soviet trade pact signed here today was hailed as a landmark in financial relations between the two countries. Britain is granting Russia a £10 million credit at 3% interest. Whitehall stressed that this low rate shows that Russia is seen as a dependable customer. Considerable two-way trade is promised. The credit covers only the balance by which British exports to Russia exceed Soviet ones to Britain, and there will be similar credits when these are needed. Russia expects to pay cash for some imports.

The many thousands of Russian prisoners of war swept up in the great German encircling movements are being abominably treated. To some this is because the Panzer forces simply do not have the resources to cope with large numbers of prisoners.

They are often left to their own devices, without food, water or shelter. Many of them, having been forced to surrender, disappear into the woods and join the partisans.

Like the Jews, however, the Russians are regarded as Untermenschen [sub-humans] by the Germans and are treated as such. As far as the Germans are concerned, the Geneva Convention's rules on the treatment of PoWs does not apply to the Russians.

Reports from the occupied territories speak of them being brutally beaten and shot if they show any signs of resisting their tormentors. Anyone thought of being a member of the Communist Party is shot out of hand. Partisans are hanged without trial whether they are in uniform or not. The ordinary German soldier has been given a dispensation from normal military law to deal with prisoners as he wishes. Disciplinary action for ill-treating or killing prisoners is only taken by unit commanders "for the preservation of discipline". This reign of terror is not, however, having its intended effect. Even some Russians who greeted the Germans as liberators have turned against them. 

Soviet submarines S-36 and S-37 are blown up at Nikolayev. (Mike Yared)(146 and 147)

AUSTRALIA: Minesweeper HMAS Geraldton is launched. Boom defence vessel HMAS Karangi is launched.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The US heavy cruisers USS Northampton (CA-26) and USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) arrive at Rabaul on New Britain Island for a good-will visit.

U.S.A.: The presidential yacht USS Potomac (AG-25) with US President Franklin D Roosevelt aboard, arrives at Rockland, Maine. Roosevelt and his party disembark and board a train for Washington. Thus ends Roosevelt's trip to Newfoundland to meet with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.