17 December 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: London: In the House of Commons today Anthony Eden, the British foreign secretary, read a lengthy declaration by the Allied governments condemning the Nazis' systematic extermination of the Europe's Jews and giving warning that those responsible for the atrocities will face retribution after the war. The declaration is being broadcast simultaneously from London, Washington and Moscow, personally approved by Roosevelt and Churchill. It is carried on the BBC and other Allied radio stations.

The declaration speaks of "the appalling horror and brutality" of the Nazis' actions. Poland , it says, "has been made the principal Nazi slaughterhouse", where "the able bodied are slowly worked to death, the infirm are left to die of exposure and starvation or are deliberately massacred". Sidney Silverman, the Jewish Labour MP for Nelson and Colne, asked whether the Allied governments would consider what measures of immediate relief could be given to Europe's Jews. "We shall do what we can," Eden said, "though I fear that what we can do may inevitably be slight."

In the House of Lords, where Viscount Samuel, speaking as a Jew, expressed the gratitude of British Jews for the action they were taking. He hoped that something could be done, to save at least the children. Other speakers suggested that neutral nations should be offered Allied help for the maintenance of Jews to whom they gave sanctuary." It also described "the systematic mass murder of millions of Jews", which it called "this bestial policy of cold-blooded extermination". Churchill is also vigilant in trying to help Jewish refugees from Nazidom. When he learns of the rescue of 4,500 Jewish children from the Balkans, via a plan he had himself approved, Mr Churchill says simply, "Bravo." (Sidney Allinson)

In the North Sea during the night of 17/18 December, RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines in two locations: four aircraft lay mines in the Heligoland Bight, the arm of the North Sea extending south and east of the island of Helgoland, Germany; and three lay mines in the Kattegat, the broad arm of the North Sea between Sweden and Denmark.

Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, in a written reply in the House of Commons, states that the British Government wishes to see Albania freed from the Italian yoke and restored to her independence.

BELGIUM: During the day, RAF Bomber Command aircraft hit two marshalling yards (M/Ys): two hit a M/y at Ghent and one bombs a M/Y at Courtrai.

NETHERLANDS: During the day, five RAF Bomber Command aircraft attack the marshalling yard at Roosendaal and one hits a target of opportunity at Vlieland. During the night of 17/18 December, five RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines in the Frisian Islands.

FRANCE: During the night of 17/18 December, five RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines off Bayonne and three others lay mines off St. Jean de Luz. In a separate mission, five aircraft drop leaflets over the country.

GERMANY: During the night of 17/18 December, small numbers of RAF Bomber Command aircraft fly minor missions. Sixteen Stirlings and six Wellingtons are sent to bomb the Opel factory at Fallersleben but only 13 bomb the target at eight are lost. Twenty seven Lancasters are sent on raids to eight small German towns with the loss of six aircraft.

U-774 laid down.

U-237, U-363, U-961, U-962 launched.

U-953 commissioned

BALTIC SEA: During the night of 17/18 December, three RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines in the Cadet Channel, the strait between Storstrom Island, Denmark, and Germany.

U.S.S.R.: The logistics for the Soviet supply forces in the Stalingrad battle becomes much easier as the Volga freezes. The German relieve column continues to advance.

Black Sea Fleet and Azov Flotilla: Submarine "M-31" - by surface ASW ships and Uj80, at Jerbiyanskaya Harbor, close to Sulina. (Sergey Anisimov)(69)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The British submarine HMS/M SPLENDID (P 228) torpedoes and sinks the Italian destroyer R.N. GENIERE AVIERE about 45 nautical miles north-northeast off Bizerta, Tunisia, in position 38.00N, 10.05E. Geniere Aviere and her sister ship Camica Nera are escorting the German transport SS Ankara.

LIBYA: Rommel leaves a rearguard to cover his retreat to Buerat. Tunis and Gabes in Tunisia are targets of US air strikes.

ALGERIA: Algiers: Admiral Darlan orders French ships in North African ports to join the Allies, saying: "French Africa ... must make the maximum military effort for the defeat of Germany and Italy."

TUNISIA: A lull continues on the British First Army front. The 2d Battalion, U.S. 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and 3d Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 26, U.S. 1st Infantry Division, raid Maknassy, 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Tébessa.

Twelve USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses hit the harbor and docks at Tunis and six others bomb the port area at La Goulette, claiming damage to both targets and the destruction of one vessel and three aircraft at Tunis. DB-7 Bostons and A-20 Havocs hit military installations north and west of Gabes Airfield and the landing ground near Sidi Tabet; B-25 Mitchells and B-26 Marauders sent on a shipping raid in the Gulf of Tunis fail to find the target; and P-38 Lightnings and USAAF Spitfires escort all bombing missions. Other P-38s on a sea mission off the northern Tunisia coast engage German aircraft in combat, claiming one destroyed; other P-38s and F-4 Lightnings fly reconnaissance missions.

BURMA: Continuing drive toward Akyab, the Indian 14th Division seizes Buthidaung without opposition.

PACIFIC OCEAN: USN submarine USS Drum (SS-228) mines the Bungo Strait in the Japanese home islands. The Bungo Strait separates Kyushu and Shikoku Islands.

NEW GUINEA: On the Urbana front in Papua New Guinea, Companies G and E of the U.S. 128th Infantry Regiment make a fruitless and costly attack on the Triangle, which they dub "Bloody Triangle." In this action, Company G loses ten of its 27 effectives. Orders are issued for the capture of Musita Island., between Buna Village and Mission, tomorrow and the Triangle on 19 December to pave the way for an assault on the main objective, Buna Mission. Australian Brigadier George Wootten takes command of the Warren Force and prepares for an attack tomorrow. U.S. M3 "Stuart" tanks of "X" Squadron, Australian 2/6th Armored Regiment, start toward the line of departure at 1800 hours local, the noise of their engines covered by mortar fire.

In Papua New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force B-26 Marauders bomb Buna Mission while U.S. ground forces make fruitless attacks on the Triangle now dubbed "Bloody Triangle."

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Guadalcanal: The 1st and 3rd Battalions of the US 132nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division, begin their advance from the Lunga perimeter toward Mt Austen and the Japanese position that will become known as the Gifu.

The Mount Austen area overlooks Henderson Field and the Japanese offer bitter resistance. Advance elements of 25th Infantry Division (Regimental Combat Team 35) arrive on the island. USAAF aircraft, especially P-39 Airacobras, and USMC SBD Dauntlesses, provide support and continue to do so as the offensive progresses from coastal supply points, hitting reinforcements moving through the jungle, and destroying ammunition dumps.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: A reconnaissance team lands on Amchitka Island and discovers test holes dug by the Japanese for a possible airfield.

The USAAF Eleventh Air Force flies a reconnaissance sortie over Attu, Agattu, Kiska, Amchitka and the Semichis Islands. Two attacks by five B-24 Liberators, two B-25 Mitchells and four B-26 Marauders, the second attack escorted by eight P-38 Lightnings, take off for Kiska Island. On the first mission, four B-24s, get through and hit the submarine base area, marine railway, buildings, and communication facilities. The second mission aborts due to weather. P-38s and B-24s also fly offshore patrol between Vega Point on the southern tip of Kiska and Little Kiska Island.

U.S.A.: The motion picture "Random Harvest" premieres at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City; it plays for a record 11 weeks breaking the record set by "Mrs Miniver." Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, this romantic drama based on a James Hilton novel stars Ronald Colman, Greer Garson, Susan Peters and Reginald Owen.

Submarine USS Bluegill laid down.

Escort carrier USS Corregidor laid down.

USCGC Natsek disappears in Belle Isle Strait. There were no survivors. It was thought that she capsized due to sever icing.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Whilst escorting 43-ship convoy ON.153 (U.K. to Canada), destroyer HMS Firedrake (H 79) is torpedoed and sunk by U-211 (Kapitanleutnant Karl Hause) 631 nautical miles west of Galway, County Galway, Eire, south of Iceland at 50 50N 25 15W. The bow section, including the bridge, sinks immediately leaving 35 crew members clinging to the stern section and fire star shells to attract the attention of HMS Sunflower. She ploughs through 60 foot (18 metre) waves to rescue 27 survivors. One died later. In all, 168 of the Firedrake's crew are lost, plus three survivors who had been picked up earlier from another ship sunk that same night. (Alex Gordon & Jack McKillop)(108)

The U.S. Coast Guard district patrol vessel USCGC Natsek (WYP-170), part of the Greenland Patrol, disappears in Belle Isle Strait, the 90 mile (145 kilometer) long, 10 to 17 miles (16 to 27 kilometers) wide, strait lying between Newfoundland on the east and Labrador on the west. All 24 crewmen are lost without a trace. The most probable cause is that she capsized due to severe icing.