Day 855 January 2, 1942

At 6.48 AM in the Barents Sea 300 miles North of Norway, U-134 sinks British steamer Waziristan carrying 3700 tons of lend-lease supplies, including 410 Ford trucks, from USA to Murmansk, USSR. 37 crew & 10 gunners abandon ship but are not found. Waziristan is the first ship sunk in the Arctic convoys to Arkhangelsk and Murmansk, USSR.

Libya. 7,000 German & Italian troops surrender at Bardia, near the Egyptian border, to 2nd South African Division. The Bardia garrison has been isolated since November 23, 1941.

Malaya. Overnight, Japanese troops (4th Imperial Guard Regiment) sail down the Perak River to Telok Anson to join 11th Regiment which landed yesterday in the Bernam River. To counter this, Indian 12th Infantry Brigade arrives at Telok Anson but cannot hold the Japanese advance. Further North on the ridges of Kampar Hill, there is more hand-to-hand combat between Japanese and British/Indian troops, including a bayonet charge by 60 Sikhs and Gujars. British General Archibald Paris, in command of 11th Indian Infantry Division, fears encirclement from Telok Anson and decides to abandon the excellent Kampar defenses which have held out well. Casualties in 4 days of fighting at Kampar are 150 British & Indian and 500 Japanese killed.

Luzon, Philippines. At 9 AM, Japanese march triumphantly into Manila and occupy the ruined US Cavite Navy Yard. Further North, the West end of D5 line collapses at Bamban; Japanese Lingayen Force pushes on to Angeles and San Fernando, 20 miles from Bataan, capturing the US Clark Airfield relatively intact which they will use to bomb to Bataan and Corregidor Island. Only a narrow corridor above the Pampanga River delta remains open for US and Filipino forces withdrawing to Bataan.

Singapore is bombed from Malaya in the North and Borneo to the East.