http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/dec41/f15dec41.htm
Red Army advancing before Moscow
Monday, December 15, 1941 www.onwar.com
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces attacking northwest of Moscow reach Klin and Kalinin and retake both towns.
In the Mediterranean... U-557 sinks a cruiser off Alexandria. The British launch a convoy to bring supplies from Egypt to relieve Malta. Six cruisers and 16 destroyers set out from Malta (Force K) to meet the convoy from Alexandria under the command of Admiral Vian (Force B).
In North Africa... British attacks continue around Gazala as Rommel prepares to withdraw to El Agheila.
In Malaya... British forces retreat to Gurun and suffer heavy losses defending against the Japanese attack. Gurun however, holds.
In Hong Kong... Japanese attempt to land a small force from Kowloon on Hong Kong island, they are repelled.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/15.htm
December 15th, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM: The production Short Sunderland Mk III flying boat (W 3999) makes its first flight. It mounts a power-operated dorsal gun turret and has a new type of planing bottom to the hull, the forward step being made shallower. (22)
Escort carrier HMS Striker laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY:
U-922 laid down.
U-176, U-216 commissioned.
U-412 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
ITALY: Count Ciano notes in his diary: after meeting with Pavelich in Venice) “The monarchical question has for the moment been laid aside. That does not displease me, especially because I still think that it is possible to have a real union under out King (my note: that is, offer the Croatian crown to King Vittorio Emanuele himself, as was done with Albania). Naturally, this is all premature, and we should always have to give the most ample guarantees with reference to local independence.” (Mike Yaklich)
U.S.S.R.: Northwest of Moscow the Soviets retake Klin and Kalinin.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: A British cruiser HMS GALATEA is sunk by the U-557 off Alexandria. 469 of her crew were lost.
A British supply convoy bound for Malta leaves Alexandria.
THAILAND, Bangkok: Burma has become the latest target of the Japanese onslaught in South-east Asia. The invasion began this morning with troops of the Japanese 15th Army advancing from Thailand west across the Kra isthmus and capturing the three key southern airfields, Victoria Point, Tavoy and Tennasserim.
Tokyo decided to give permission to the 15th Army’s commander, General Shojiro Iida, to launch the attack, satisfied that the attack on Malaya was going according to plan and that General Yamashita’s 25th Army no longer requires the 15th Army to secure its rear.
Iida’s first objective is to take Rangoon and cut the main Allied supply line to Chiang Kai-shek’s Chinese Nationalists. Logistics favour Iida. At his disposal he has 35,000 men, in two divisions, and 100 planes. He also has in place a “Fifth Column” of Japanese army-trained Burmese nationalists ready to help defeat the British, who are as yet ill-organized, with only a few thousand men.
MALAYA: The British lose heavily in their withdrawal towards Gurun. They succeed for the moment in keeping the Japanese out of Gurun.
HONG KONG: A Japanese attempt to move from Kowloon to Hong Kong is defeated.
CANADA: Minesweepers HMCS Kentville and Mulgrave laid down Port Arthur, Ontario.
NEWFOUNDLAND: Submarine HMS L-27 arrived Harbour Grace for ASW training. (Dave Shirlaw)
ST. PIERRE and MIQUELON: Submarine FS Surcouf arrives at St Pierre to operate with Free French forces. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: Submarine USS Silversides commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Santo Domingo breaks off diplomatic relations with Berlin. (Mike Yared)
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
U-127 sunk west of Gibraltar in position 36.28N, 09.12W, by depth charges from destroyer HMAS Nestor. 51 dead (all hands lost)
U-77 sank SS Empire Barracuda. (Dave Shirlaw)