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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]

• 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]

• 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