Day 172 February 19, 1940

Kapitänleutnant Otto Kretschmer’s rampage in U-23 continues, after sinking HMS Daring yesterday. At 4.05 AM, British steamer SS Tiberton, carrying iron ore from Norway, is hit with 1 torpedo east of the Orkney Islands, Scotland. She sinks in 30 seconds with all 33 crew. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/271.html

Finland. In a repeat of the battles of late Dec 1939, a Soviet division attacks across the ice of frozen Lake Suvanto (in the Taipale sector, near Lake Lagoda on the Eastern end of the Karelian Isthmus). Again, Finnish defenders punish the Soviets with concentrated artillery fire, leaving 700-1,000 dead on the ice.

Alarmed by the Altmark incident on Feb 16, Hitler increases the pace of planning for the invasion of Norway and Denmark.