February 10th, 1944 (THURSDAY)
GERMANY:
BURMA: Japanese troops take the Ngakyedauk Pass, cutting off the 7th Indian Division at Sinzweya.
The 1/7th Gurkhas fighting for "Bare Patch" move around the Japanese flank and by 2.20pm the Japanese, now denied water and almost completely surrounded, begin pulling out. Just over an hour later, the position is clear of Japanese. (Daily Telegraph, 21.10.2003, p.27)
NEW GUINEA: Australians from Sio link up with the Americans near Saidor.
CAROLINE ISLANDS: Japanese naval forces abandon Truk.
PACIFIC OCEAN:
Submarine USS Pogy torpedoes and sinks destroyer Minekaze and Malta Maru some 85 miles NNE of Formosa in position 23.12N, 121.30E.
CANADA: Frigate HMCS Antigonish launched Esquimalt, British Columbia.
U.S.A.: USS YMS-428 laid down.
Minesweeper USS Caution commissioned.
USS PC-1180 commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-545
Kl.
IXC/40
is
Scuttled west of the Hebrides, in
position 58.17N, 13.22W, after crippling damage from 4 depth charges dropped by
a British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 612/O). 1 dead and 56 survivors.
U-666 Kl.VIIC Listed as missing in the North Atlantic. There is no explanation for its loss. 51 dead (all hands lost).
[U-545
was in fact attacked by two aircraft. The other one, a
Canadian Wellington (Sqdn 407), was shot
down during the attack.
(Alex Gordon)