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• In a secret session of the British House of Commons, Churchill delivered a speech declaring that the liberation of Europe was "the main war plan" of Britain and the United States. ww2dbase [Winston Churchill | CPC]
• The Kenedy Alien Detention Camp in Texas, United States began receiving Axis prisoners of war. ww2dbase [CPC]
• South Africa broke diplomatic relations with Vichy France. ww2dbase [CPC]
• The German government ordered that all boys between the age of 14 and 16 and girls between the age of 16 and 17 to perform mandatory agricultural service. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Captain Shinshiro Soma was named the commanding officer of submarine tender Taigei. ww2dbase [Ryuho | CPC]
• Repair ship Akashi departed Ambon, Dutch East Indies. ww2dbase [Akashi | CPC]
• German submarine U-565 sank British ship Kirkland 35 miles northeast of Sidi Barrani, Egypt at 0255 hours; 1 was killed, 22 survived. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Before dawn, German armed merchant cruiser Michel launched torpedo boat LS-4 Esau to attack US tanker Connecticut in the middle of the South Atlantic, which successfully sank the tanker with two torpedoes; 36 were killed, 18 survived. At 2053 hours, German submarine U-125 sank US ship Lammot Du Pont 500 miles southeast of Bermuda; 6 were killed, 48 survived. ww2dbase [Second Happy Time | Michel | CPC]
• Soviet submarine ShCh-401 attacked a German supply convoy just off Gamvik in northern Norway, sinking Norwegian merchant ship Stensaas (all aboard survived). Later on the same day, ShCh-401 attacked German submarine chaser UJ 1110, but was driven off by UJ 1110's depth charges. ShCh-401 reported in her position in the evening, but it would be the last time she was heard from; she likely ran into a minefield shortly after the report. ww2dbase [ShCh-401 | CPC]
• Dudley Morton stepped down as the commanding officer of USS R-5. ww2dbase [Dudley Morton | R-5 | CPC]

• Chinese mercenary troops under Allied command attacked Taunggyi, Burma while Japanese 56th Division captured Loilem. ww2dbase [Invasion of Burma | CPC]

• No. 1 Squadron of Soviet 95th Fighter Aviation Regiment attacked the German airfield at Luostari, Finland, destroying 17 aircraft (16 of which on the ground). ww2dbase [Luostari | CPC]

• Comandante Cappellini departed La Pallice, La Rochelle, France at 1434 hours for trials, returning at 1747 hours. ww2dbase [Comandante Cappellini | La Rochelle, Poitou-Charentes | CPC]

• 161 RAF aircraft (93 Wellington, 31 Stirling, 19 Whitley, 11 Hampden, 6 Manchester, and 1 Lancaster bombers) conducted a raid on Rostock, Germany; 143 of them attacked the town while 18 attacked the nearby Heinkel aircraft factory, both with extremely poor results. Four bombers were lost during this attack. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Rostock, Mecklenburg | TH, CPC]

• USS S-35 was spotted by a Japanese submarine in the Kurile Islands and was subjected to a depth charge attack. ww2dbase [S-35 | Hokkaido | CPC]

• While at sea, the convoy escorted by USS St. Louis from San Francisco met with the convoy escorted by USS Honolulu from San Diego and they continued on together bound for Bora Bora. ww2dbase [Honolulu | St. Louis | DS]

• Luftwaffe began attacking "cathedral cities" in Britain, starting with Exeter, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | Exeter, England | TH, CPC]

• USAT Ancon departed San Franciso, California, United States with US military personnel for Adelaide and Sydney in Australia. ww2dbase [Ancon | San Francisco, California | CPC]
• Clifton Cates stepped down as the director of Marine Officers Basic School, at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Pennsylvania, United States. ww2dbase [Clifton Cates | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | CPC]

23 Apr 1942 Interactive Map