February 11th, 1944 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Anthony Eden, the foreign secretary, speaking as leader of the House of Commons, today denied allegations made yesterday by Aneurin Bevan, the fiery Welsh Labour MP, that the government is guilty of corruption in putting many MPs on the state payroll with jobs outside parliament. As a wartime measure the prime minister can exempt MPs from having to give up their Commons seats if they accept "offices of profit under the crown". Mr Bevan accused Mr Churchill of issuing such exemptions "like confetti" and thus buying parliamentary support. Many MPs have taken emergency jobs ranging from ambassadorships to posts on obscure public bodies. The government denied impropriety, but promised to review the system.
Destroyer HMCS Huron arrived Loch Ewe with convoy RA.56.
Minesweeper HMS Rifleman commissioned.
Rescue tug HMS Envoy launched.
GERMANY:
ITALY: The Allied offensive south of Rome is stopped at Cassino.
ALBANIA: Brig. Arthur Frederick Crane Nicholls (b.1911), Coldstream Guards, died of injuries after enduring terrible pain - he ordered a man to cut off his frost-bitten legs - to deliver vital intelligence. (George Cross)
PACIFIC OCEAN: Submarine USS Gudgeon torpedoes and sinks Satsuma Maru (3091 BRT) off Wenchow, China, in position 27.38N, 121.15E.
TERRITORY OF HAWAII: Submarine USS Finback ends her 7th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.
U.S.A.: Destroyer escort FS Tunesian (ex-USS Crosley) commissioned.
USS PC-814 laid down.
Destroyer USS Stockham commissioned.
Destroyer escort USS Lloyd commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-283
(ObLtzS Günther Ney, CO)
VIIC
is
sunk south-west of the
Faeroes, in position 60.45N, 12.50W, by depth charges from a Canadian Wellington
aircraft (RCAF Sqdn. 407/D). 49 dead (all hands lost).