http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/dec40/f22dec40.htm
Germans bomb Manchester
Sunday, December 22, 1940 www.onwar.com
Over Britain... German aircraft raid Manchester during the night.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/22.htm
December 22nd, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM:
Westminster: Churchill’s business today includes meeting with the Ministry of Supply. They discuss the state of Britain’s stock piles of drop-forgings (vital for armaments production). Britain needs 441,000 tons annually and is only producing 208,000 tons with 7,000 tons imported from the USA. Britain must expand its own production and obtain more from the US.
He also addresses the serious shortage of accommodation for those bombed out of their homes and suggests that it may be necessary for the government to commandeer suitable property.
Churchill meets with the Home Secretary to discuss the continuing internment of various individuals without trial by jury or habeas corpus. These individuals include Oswald Mosley and his wife, and Pandit Nehru. He asks that in the case of Nehru the rigorous character of his imprisonment be removed.
GERMANY: U-557 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA:
While escorting HMS Malaya destroyer HMS Hyperion is torpedoed by Italian submarine Serpent 24 east miles of near Cape Bon at 37 40N, 11 31E. She is taken in tow by HMS JANUS but later has to be scuttled. (Alex Gordon)(108) Malaya carries on and is met by Force H.
The press report that the British Mediterranean Fleet bombarded Valona and poured a hundred tons of high explosives on the port. During this action, not an Italian vessel or plane was seen.
15 aircraft from HMS Illustrious bomb Tripoli, Libya.