http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/jan41/f19jan41.htm
British attack Italian Eritrea
Sunday, January 19, 1941 www.onwar.com
In East Africa... The British forces in the Sudan begin their offensive against the Italians in Eritrea. The British force is led by General Platt and includes 4th and 5th Indian Divisions and units of the Sudan Defense Force. The Italian troops in the various border positions amount to 17,000 men and are led by General Frusci. There is the equivalent of four more divisions in the interior of the country. Kassala is taken immediately.
In Germany... Hitler and Mussolini meet at the Berghof (January 19-20). Mussolini is unwilling to accept German help in Albania but is prepared to accept some aid in Africa. Hiter says that he will attack Greece if it seems that Britain is going to come in.
In the Mediterranean... In further aerial attacks, slight damage is done to Illustrious.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/19.htm
January 19th, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM: Fair Isle, Orkney: The Lerwick lifeboat arrives to collect the German airmen who crashed here two days ago and take them to Shetland. Karl Heinz Thurz, the pilot of the Heinkel He-111, turns 21 today.
GERMANY: Berchtesgaden: A chastened Mussolini arrived here today to plead with Hitler for military aid. The location is significant - until now, the two dictators have met on “equal terms” on their borders. Count Ciano found the Duce “frowning and nervous” on his special train - clearly worried that Hitler would be insultingly condescending to him after Italy’s string of defeats in North Africa, Greece and Albania. Much to his surprise - and obvious relief - Mussolini found Hitler cordial and welcoming. The Fuhrer has already agreed to bolster the Italian army in Libya with anti-tank formations and squadrons of the Luftwaffe, and to send an army corps of two and a half divisions to Albania. The price to the Duce is total subordination to Hitler in all military matters.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The destroyer HMS Greyhound, escorting a convoy to Greece sinks Italian submarine ‘Neghelli’ off Phalconera in the Aegean.
MALTA: In further aerial attacks, slight damage is done to the damaged aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. (Jack McKillop)
ERITREA: British forces of the 4th and 5th Indian Divisions in East Africa under Major-General William Platt, acting on information obtained by breaking the Italians’ coded messages, invade Italian-occupied Eritrea. British Intelligence had been privy to secret Italian communiques from Africa for the past five months; every instruction sent from one Italian military unit to another was analyzed by the Brits. The Italian viceroy in Ethiopia was unwittingly receiving and transmitting every Italian military secret-and weakness. Consequently, British forces were able to organize a strategy to advance on Italian-occupied territory, with Italian troop movements in mind. (Jack McKillop)
U.S.A.: Secretary of State Cordell Hull responds to German Chargé d’Affaires Hans Thomsen’s protest over the incident concerning the tearing down of the Reich flag over the consulate in San Francisco yesterday, promising a full investigation. (Jack McKillop)