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February 11th, 1943 (THURSDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Prime Minister Churchill announced in Commons that when the British, Eighth Army passed into the American sphere it would be subject to General Eisenhower, that General Alexander would be Deputy Commander in Chief. Air Chief Marshall Tedder was to command Mediterranean air operations as well as the air forces in the Middle East, responsible to General Eisenhower. Admiral Cunningham’s command was extended to comprise all cognate operations in the Mediterranean and the Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean would become Commander in Chief of the Levant and the Red Sea. Gen. Sir Henry Maitland Wilson would succeed General Alexander in the Middle East.

Boom defence vessel HMS Barberry launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: RAF bombers start on a campaign of heavy night raids on Wilhelmshaven naval base tonight.

U-969, U-970 launched.

U-962 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Between 1125 and 1145, U-81 shelled and sank three sailing vessels in a convoy, the Husni, Dolphin and Al Kasbanah, 40 miles west of Tripoli. At 1505 the same day, the U-boat sank the Sabah el Kheir with gunfire off Jaffa. (Dave Shirlaw)

INDIAN OCEAN: At 0652, the unescorted Helmspey was torpedoed by U-516 and sunk at 0712 by coup de grâce 11 miles south of Cape St Francis, Cape Colony. Three crewmembers and one gunner were lost. The master, 32 crewmembers, seven gunners and two passengers (naval ratings) were picked up by the SAAF crash launch R-4 and landed at Port Elizabeth. (Dave Shirlaw)

AUSTRALIA: Submarine USS Grampus departs Brisbane for her 6th war patrol. (Dave Shirlaw)

CANADA: Corvette HMS Rosebay (ex-USS Splendor) launched Kingston, Ontario.

U.S.A.: Escort carrier USS White Plains laid down.
USS PC-607 launched.

USS SC-1325 launched.

USS SC-1296 laid down.

Destroyer escort USS Bangust laid down.

Corvette HMCS Hepatica arrived New York for refit. (Dave Shirlaw)