http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/dec42/f27dec42.htm
Russian nationalist has Nazi support
Sunday, December 27, 1942 www.onwar.com
In the Occupied Soviet Union... Captured Soviet general, Vlasov, forms the Smolensk committee to organize opponents of Stalin under German auspices. This group will later be known as the Russian Liberation Army.
In the Solomon Island... On Guadalcanal, US attacks on Mount Austen renew. Attacking troops from the 132nd Infantry regiment, suffer heavy loses and make no real gains despite a heavy artillery barrage prior to the attack.
On the Eastern Front... The Soviet continue to advance on the Stalingrad fronts. They are also on the offensive in the Caucasus. In the area around Nalchik, six armies under the command of Maslennikov and Tyulenev are attacking. German General von Kleist is beginning to withdraw fearful of encirclement if the armies of the Stalingrad Front reach Rostov to the north.
In Burma... Part of the 123rd Indian Brigade tries to occupy Rathedaung but is thrown back.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm
December 27th, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM: Escort carrier HMS Khedive launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.S.R.: In addition to action in the Stalingrad sector, the Soviets begin attacks in the Caucasus. Six armies near Nalchik, under command of Maslennikov and Tyulenev begin an attack. Von Kleist begins to withdraw as the advance of the Soviet armies in the Stalingrad sector reaches Rostov to his north.
Lieutenant-General Andrei Vlasov forms the Smolensk Committee to organize Russian opposition to Stalin. Vlasov, while enjoying some German support, does not have real support as they fail to understand the difference between a patriotic Russian and his opposition to Stalin.
BURMA: Indian troops reach the tip of the Mayu peninsula, meeting no resistance in their drive towards Akyab, but units of the 123rd Indian Brigade are stopped by the Japanese from occupying Rathedaung.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: The “Gifu” holds out, in spite of artillery support, against probing attacks from the 1st and 3rd Btns of the 132nd Infantry near Mount Austen on Guadalcanal.
NEW GUINEA: Japanese units at Napopo are ordered to withdraw to Giruwa.
CANADA: Patrol vessel HMCS Beaver arrived Halifax, Nova Scotia for refit. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.:
Submarine USS Batfish laid down.
Minesweepers USS Delegate and Deft laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-356 is sunk by the escort of convoy ONS-15.
U-73 shot down RAF 500 Sqn Hudson.
The unescorted Oakbank was torpedoed and sunk by U-507 about 200 miles north-NE of Fortaleza, Brazil. The master, 24 crewmembers and two gunners were lost. 29 crewmembers and three gunners were picked up by the Brazilian merchant Commandate Ripper and landed at Recife on 3 January. The Argentinean tanker Juvenal rescued one crewmember and landed at Curaçao on 8 January, while two crewmembers on a raft reached the coast near Para on 15 January. Two crewmembers were taken prisoner and were lost when the U-boat was sunk on 13 Jan, 1943.
Destroyer HMCS St Laurent and corvettes HMCS Battleford, Napanee and Chilliwack sank U-356 north of Azores, 45-30N 25-40W. No survivors a crew of 45. U-356 with a record of sinking 6 ships, was also involved with a number of Wolfpacks, Group “Lotts” (15 Aug-27 Sep) which had sunk 4 ships of a convoy. Group “Pfeil” (13-25 Sep) which had sunk 6 ships of convoy ONS-122; Group “Raubold” which attacked Convoy ON-153. The convoy, of forty-five ships, (ONS-154) escorted by Canadian escort group C1, had been diverted to the south and was out of range of air cover from Iceland when it was sighted on 26 Dec 42 by U-664 one of ten U-boats of the “Spitz” line, which had been lying in wait for ONS-154 since the 24 Dec 42. U-225 damaged SS Scottish Heather, U-356 sank SS Empire Union, King Edward, Melrose Abbey and damaged SS Soekaboemi, U-441 sank SS Soekaboemi. A three-day battle began that night in which the escorts sank U-356, but the “Spitz” U-boats attacked again and again and were joined by another 9 U-boats from the “Ungestum” group, waiting some distance to the west. In one of the worst convoy maulings of the war, 14 ships of more than 73,000 tons were sunk. The convoy Commodore’s ship Empire Shackleton was sunk, and a tanker was torpedoed. Also lost, with all hands, was the special service ship HMS Fidelity. On 30 Dec 42 32 Ships of the original Convoy ONS-154, arrive safely in the UK. (Dave Shirlaw)