CAMPAIGN SUMMARIES OF WORLD WAR 2

GERMAN U-BOATS AT WAR, Part 2 of 6

1940-41

1940

JULY 1940

Atlantic

1st - Corvette Gladiolus claimed the first success for the 'Flower' class when with the support of an RAF Sunderland, she sank “U-26” southwest of Ireland.

5th - Detached from a UK outward-bound OB convoy to search for a reported U-boat, destroyer “WHIRLWIND” was torpedoed by “U-34” and lost to the west of Land's End.

Battle of the Atlantic - Convoys were now being re-routed through the North Western Approaches to the British Isles instead of the south of Ireland and through the Irish Sea. North Channel and the sea lanes leading to it became a focal point for all shipping leaving or arriving in British waters. The following convoys continued: Liverpool out - OB, UK/Gibraltar- OG, Fast Halifax/UK - HX, Gibraltar/UK - HG, Sierra Leone/UK - SL. Thames-out OA convoys were now joining FN East Coast coastal convoys and passing around the north of Scotland before going out through the North Western Approaches. They stopped altogether in October 1940. Slow Sydney, Cape Breton, Canada to UK convoys started in August 1940 with SC1. The limits of the few escorts available were only now pushed out from 15'W to 17'W where they stayed until October 1940. U-boats were patrolling well beyond this range and so many sinkings took place in unescorted convoys or when the ships had dispersed.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 34 British, Allied and neutral ships of 173,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes; 1 destroyer
- 1 German U-boat.

Europe

Merchant Shipping War - With the Germans now so close to British shores, new coastal convoy routes had to be established and integrated with overseas convoys. The Thames/Forth FN/FS convoys between south east England and Scotland continued along the East Coast. Two additional routes were instituted: Forth/Clyde, EN/WN, around the north of Scotland between the east and west coasts. Thames/English Channel, CW/CE, through the Strait of Dover to south and south west England. Channel losses were so heavy that CW/CE convoys were stopped for a while. On the 25th/26th, CW8 lost eight of its 21 ships to attacks by Stukas and E-boats. Four more merchantmen and two destroyers were damaged. Thereafter, U-boats would not appear in British coastal waters until early 1944.

Monthly Loss Summary
67 British, Allied and neutral ships of 192,000 tons in UK waters.

STRATEGIC & MARITIME SITUATION - ATLANTIC AND EUROPE

Britain's circumstances were transformed. From North Cape in Norway to the Pyrenees at the Spanish border, the coast of Europe was in German hands. Norwegian bases threatened northern Britain. By occupying the Low Countries of Holland and Belgium, and northern France, the south and east coasts of England were now in the front line. From their new French Biscay ports German U-boats and maritime forces dominate the South Western Approaches to the British Isles. The British occupation of Iceland took on a new and vital importance. The lack of bases in Eire became more evident. In addition, the majority of French possessions on the Atlantic seaboards of Africa and the Americas were under the control of Vichy France, and thus denied to British forces. Worse still was the danger of their occupation by the Axis powers. The naval situation was similarly transformed. Not only was the French fleet denied to the Allies, but the great fear was it would be seized by the German and Italian navies and totally alter the naval balance of power. The French Navy refused to make for British ports and most of the modern ships sailed for French North and West Africa. The uncompleted battleships “Jean Bart” and “Richelieu” reached the Atlantic ports of Casablanca in Morocco and Dakar in Senegal respectively.

AUGUST 1940

 Atlantic

Radar - A British scientific mission carried to the United States details of many important developments. Amongst these was the recently invented cavity magnetron, vital for short wavelength radar and the eventual defeat of conventional U-boats.

10th - Two more ex-liners recommissioned as armed merchant cruisers of the Northern Patrol were lost to U-boat attacks to the north of Ireland. "TRANSYLVANIA" was torpedoed and sunk by "U-56" on the 10th. The second was lost at the end of the month.

20th - Submarine "Cachalot "on Bay of Biscay patrol sank the returning "U-51" off Lorient, western France

24th - An attack by "U-37" on the first Slow Cape Breton/UK convoy SC1 to the southeast of Greenland led to the loss of a merchantman and sloop "PENZANCE".

27th/28th - The second AMC of the Northern Patrol lost to the north of Ireland was "DUNVEGAN CASTLE" to "U-46" on the night of the 27th/28th.

Battle of the Atlantic - Long range Focke Wulf Kondor bombers started patrols off the coast of Ireland from a base near Bordeaux. As well as spotting for U-boats they attacked and sank many ships, and continued to be a major threat until the introduction of ship-borne aircraft in late 1941 started to counteract them.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 39 British, Allied and neutral ships of 190,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes; 2 armed merchant cruisers, 1 sloop
- 1 German U-boat.

Europe

1st - Submarine "SPEARFISH" on patrol in the North Sea was torpedoed and sunk by "U-34".

3rd - Mines laid off the German North Sea coast by RN destroyers continued to claim victims. "U-25" was lost as she headed out for Atlantic patrol.

RAF-Luftwaffe Battle of Britain was in progress

Royal Navy Codes - These were changed and for the first time operational signals were secure from German interception and decoding. it would be another three years before the convoy codes were made safe from the German B-Service.

SEPTEMBER 1940

Atlantic

United States - After months of negotiations, an agreement was announced on the 5th for the transfer of 50 valuable US destroyers to the Royal Navy in exchange for British bases in Newfoundland, Bermuda, the West lndies and British Guiana. The first of the "flushdeckers" arrived in Britain towards the end of the month for commissioning as convoy escorts. They sank their share of U-boats and suffered losses accordingly.

1st - Cruiser "Fiji" was torpedoed by "U-32" out in the North Atlantic off Rockall as she escorted troop transports for the Dakar expedition aimed at occupying Vichy French West Africa.

15th - "U-48" attacked convoy SC3 northwest of Ireland and sank sloop "DUNDEE" (below - CyberHeritage). Both "Dundee" and "Penzance", lost the previous month were long endurance ships used as anti-submarine (A/S) ocean escorts for the slow and vulnerable SC convoys.

Battle of the Atlantic - Early in the month the first wolf-pack attacks were directed by Adm Doenitz against convoy SC2. Five of the 53 ships were sunk. A similar operation was mounted two weeks later against the 40 ships of HX72. The U-boats present include those commanded by the aces Kretschmer, Preen and Schepke. Eleven ships were lost, seven to Schepke's "U-100" in one night. The German B-Service was instrumental in directing U-boats to the convoys, where they held the advantage as they manoeuvred on the surface between the merchantmen and escorts. Radar was urgently needed so the escorts could detect the U-boats, force them to dive and lose their speed advantage, then start hunting them with ASDIC.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 53 British, Allied and neutral ships of 272,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes; 2 escorts
- no German losses

OCTOBER 1940

Atlantic

30th - Destroyers "Harvester" and "Highlander" sank "U-32" northwest of Ireland during a convoy attack. Two days earlier, the U-boat had finished off the damaged 42,000-ton liner "Empress of Britain" (below).

Battle of the Atlantic - Focke-Wulf Kondor bombers continued to range the waters off Ireland and on the 26th, bombed and damaged the "Empress of Britain", later sunk by "U-32" (above). The Luftwaffe's long-range aircraft were now flying from bases in Norway as well as France. Inter-service rivalry between the Luftwaffe and Navy meant the Kondor would never be fully integrated into the Gerrnan effort in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Escort limits were only now pushed out to 19W. In a series of wolf-pack attacks on lightly-defended Canada/UK convoys, U-boats sank more than 30 ships from SC7 and HX79 between the 17th and 20th, a rate of loss that would soon have brought Britain to her knees. Fortunately, a number of measures were being taken to ease the dire situation and provide some of the foundations from which Britain and her Allies would go on to hold the U-boat threat in check: (1) The old US destroyers were coming into service and the British building programme was starting to deliver the escorts needed. (2) The need for permanent escort groups to develop and maintain expertise was being accepted, and greater emphasis given to A/S training. (3) Co-operation between RAF Coastal Command and Western Approaches Command was steadily improving. But there was still a long way to go, and vast areas of the Atlantic were without air or sea anti-U-boat cover.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 56 British, Allied and neutral ships of 287,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes; 1 destroyer
- 1 German U-boat.

NOVEMBER 1940

Atlantic

2nd - Attacking a convoy northwest of Ireland, "U-31" was sunk for the second and final time, on this occasion by destroyer "Antelope" in co-operation with shore-based aircraft of RAF Coastal Command. RAF Bomber Command first sank her in March 1940.

3rd - Two armed merchant cruisers returning from patrol were sunk west of Ireland by Kretschmer's "U-99". The first was "LAURENTIC" on the 3rd.

4th - Next day, "PATROCLUS" was lost west of Ireland to an attack by "U-99".

Battle of the Atlantic - Outward-bound OB244 and UK-bound SC11 were attacked by two groups of U-boats west of North Channel. Fifteen merchant ships were sunk, including seven from SC11 by Schepke's "U-100"on the night of the 22nd/23rd. In separate North Atlantic operations, German submarine "U-104" and the Italian "FAA DI BRUNO" were lost. In both cases the circumstances were uncertain, but "U-104" was claimed by corvette "Rhododendron" and the Italian by destroyer "Havelock". "U-104" was the last German U-boat lost until March although the Italians contineud to suffer casualties. By the end of the month they had 26 submarines operating out of Bordeaux, but were never as successful as their ally. Important steps were taken in the air war when an RAF Sunderland equipped with 1.5m wavelength anti-surface vessel (ASV) radar located a U-boat. This was the first success of its kind with a system that was mainly effective by day; contact was lost within two miles of the target. It was the addition of the Leigh light that would turn it into a powerful night-time weapon as well. Now Coastal Command was using depth charges instead of ineffective A/S bombs.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 38 British, Allied and neutral ships of 201,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes; 3 armed merchant cruisers
- 2 German and 1 Italian U-boats.

DECEMBER 1940

Atlantic

2nd - Cdr Kretschmer and "U-99" claimed a third armed merchant cruiser when "FORFAR" was sent to the bottom west of Ireland; the others were "Laurentic" and "Patroclus" a month earlier. At the same time nearby convoy HX90 was attacked just before the Western Approaches escorts arrived. Eleven ships were lost to the U-boats.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 42 British, Allied and neutral ships of 239,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes; 1 armed merchant cruiser
- 1 Italian U-boat

Mediterranean

Mediterranean Theatre after Seven Months - Mussolini's claimed domination of the Mediterranean had not materialised. In spite of the loss of French naval power, British Force H based at Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria had more than held the Italian Navy in check. Malta had been supplied and reinforced, and the British offensive in North Africa was underway. Elsewhere, the Greeks were driving the Italians back into Albania and away to the south the Italian East African Empire was about to be wound up. However, it was now only a matter of months and even weeks before the Luftwaffe appeared in Sicily, Gen Rommel in North Africa and the German Army in Greece, followed by German paratroops in Crete. U-boats reach the Mediterranean by November 1941

 DEFENCE OF TRADE - April to December 1940

U-boats and now long-range aircraft had taken a heavy toll of British, Allied and neutral shipping in the Atlantic, mainly in the North Western Approaches to the British Isles. Further afield surface raiders had sunk, captured and disrupted shipping as far away as the Pacific. U-boats also operated with success off West Africa. In UK waters, attacks by aircraft and E-boats had added to the continuous threat from mines. Over half the ships and 40 percent of tonnage had been lost close to home. Vital as the Battle of the Atlantic was, there could be no let up in the equally important battle for the coastal convoy routes once the ships reached UK waters. Only heavily escorted transports used the Mediterranean until 1943. The 1940 patterns of assault against the trade routes continued throughout 1941, although the U-boats would move further out into the Atlantic. By year's end they would reach the coasts of America.

 Total Losses = 878 British, Allied and neutral ships of 3,441,000 tons (382,000 tons per month)

By Location

Location	Number of British, Allied, neutral ships	Total Gross Registered Tonnage
North Atlantic	321	1,683,000 tons
South Atlantic	8	55,000 tons
UK waters	497	1,367,000 tons
Mediterranean	13	64,000 tons
Indian Ocean	24	173,000 tons
Pacific Ocean	15	99,000 tons

By Cause

Causes* in order of tonnage sunk (1. 4. ... - Order when weapon first introduced)	Number of British, Allied, neutral ships	Total Gross Registered Tonnage
1. Submarines	363	1,842,000 tons
4. Aircraft 6. Raiders (new cause) 2. Mines 5. Other causes 3. Warships 7. Coastal forces (new cause)	172 54 151 99 16 23	546,000 tons 367,000 tons 342,000 tons 201,000 tons 95,000 tons 48,000 tons

 

1941

JANUARY 1941

Atlantic

Battle of the Atlantic - For the next few months the U-boat's 'Happy Time' continued in the Western Approaches against the poorly defended convoys. Bad weather in January and February fortunately kept the level of sinkings down. Approximately 22 U-boats were operational out of the 90 in commission, and long-range aircraft including the Focke Wulf Kondors still roamed the waters off Ireland spotting for U-boats and sinking ships.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 59 British, Allied and neutral ships of 273,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes
- 1 Italian U-boat.  

FEBRUARY 1941

  Atlantic

Battle of the Atlantic - Adm Sir Percy Noble took over as Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches, just as the command moved from Plymouth to Liverpool.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 69 British, Allied and neutral ships of 317,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes
- 1 Italian U-boat.

MARCH 1941

Atlantic

United States - The Lend-Lease Bill was passed into law. Britain and her Allies were able to receive American arms and supplies without immediate payment.

7th/8th - With better weather the spring U-boat offensive started and 41 ships of 243,000 tons sunk. However, in the space of a few days they suffered their first major defeat at the hands of the escorts and lost five submarines (1-5) in the month including three aces. From then on, escort versus wolf-pack battles predominated in the North Atlantic. Attacking Liverpool-out convoy OB293, the first sinking was "U-70" (1) by corvettes "Arbutus" and "Camellia" on the 7th. Continuing the hunt, next to go was "U-47" (2) (Cdr Prien who sank battleship "Royal Oak" in Scapa Flow) to destroyer "Wolverine" on the 8th.

17th - Germany lost two more U-boat aces during operations against Halifax/UK convoy HX112. "U-99" (3) (Lt-Cdr Kretschmer) and "U-100" (4) (Lt-Cdr Schepke) were sunk by the 5th Escort Group commanded by Cdr Macintyre. Destroyers "Vanoc" and "Walker" were mainly responsible.

20th - Following her earlier sighting of German battlecruisers "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau", "Malaya" was now sailing with convoy SL68 off the west coast of Africa. Torpedoed and damaged by "U-106", she became the first British ship repaired in the United States under Lend-Lease arrangements. The convoy lost seven merchantmen to the U-boats.

23rd - The fifth U-boat loss of the month was "U-551" (5) to armed trawler "Visenda". All five U-boat sinkings took place to the south of Iceland, the first German casualties since November 1940 - four months earlier.

Battle of the Atlantic - On 6th March 1941, faced with the mortal threat of the German U-boat and aircraft offensive in the Atlantic, Winston Churchill issued his famous Battle of the Atlantic directive. Catapult armed merchantmen (CAM) were to be fitted out, merchant ships equipped with AA weapons as a first priority, and more Coastal Command squadrons formed and fitted with radar. Port and dockyard congestion was to be dealt with and the defence of ports greatly improved. These and numerous other matters were to be dealt with as a matter of the very highest priority. The survival of Britain depended on them. Overall direction was to be exercised by a Battle of the Atlantic Committee chaired by the Prime Minister himself.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 63 British, Allied and neutral ships of 365,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes
- 5 German U-boats-including three of the most experienced commanders.

APRIL 1941

Atlantic

5th - Slow Halifax/UK convoy SC26 was attacked by U-boats for two days and lost 10 merchantmen. On the 5th, "U-76" was sunk by escorting destroyer "Wolverine and sloop "Scarborough" south of Iceland.

13th - Armed merchant cruiser "RAJPUTANA" of the Northern Patrol was lost in an attack by "U-108" in the Denmark Strait separating Greenland and Iceland.

28th - Fast Halifax/UK convoy HX121 lost four ships but "U-65" was sunk in return by corvette "Gladiolus", like "U-76", south of Iceland.

Battle of the Atlantic - Over the next few months a number of long awaited ship types and weapons started to be introduced. These contribute significantly to the eventual defeat of the U-boat. (1) The first Auxiliary Fighter Catapult Ships flying the White Ensign and equipped with a single 'one-way' Hurricane were ready in April 1941. They shot down their first Kondor in August. In May a Hurricane was successfully launched from a Red Ensign Catapult Armed Merchantman (CAM), but they did not claim their first victim until November. CAM-ships were eventually superseded in 1943 by Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MACs) - merchantmen with full flightdecks, but sailing under the Red Ensign and also carrying oil or grain. (2) The final step in the introduction of ship-borne aircraft into the Battle of the Atlantic came in June when the first escort carrier was ready for service. HMS Audacity, converted from a German prize, had a short life, but proved the great value of these vessels. (3) New scientific developments also started to play their part. In May the first high definition, 10cm radar (Type 271) was installed in a corvette. Later still, high frequency, direction finding (HF/DF or 'Huff-Duff') was introduced to supplement the work of the shore stations. It was many months before either system was widely in service, and not until 1942 did they claim their first U-boats. (4) Inter-service co-ordination was further improved when RAF Coastal Command was placed under operational control of the Admiralty.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 48 British, Allied and neutral ships of 282,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes; 3 armed merchant cruisers
- 2 German U-boats

MAY 1941

Atlantic

Capture of "U.110" and the German Enigma - South of Iceland, "U.110" (Lt-Cdr Lemp of the "Athenia" sinking) attacked Liverpool out convoy OB318 protected by ships of Capt A. J. Baker-Creswell's escort group. Blown to the surface by depth charges from corvette "Aubretia" on the 9th, "U-110's" crew abandoned ship, but she failed to go down. A boarding party from destroyer "Bulldog", led by Sub-Lt Balme, managed to get aboard. In a matter of hours they transferred to safety "U-110's" entire Enigma package - coding machine, code books, rotor settings and charts. The destroyer "Broadway" stood by during this hazardous operation. Two days later "U-110" sank on tow to Iceland, knowledge of her capture having been withheld from the crew and Lt-Cdr Lemp dying at the time of the boarding. The priceless Enigma material represented one of the greatest intelligence coup ever and was a major naval victory in its own right. "U-110's" capture was far and away the most successful of the attempts to capture Enigma codes. In the March 1941 raid on the Norwegian Lofoten Islands, spare coding rotors were found. Then two days before the "U-110" triumph, a cruiser force had tried to capture the weather trawler "Munchen" off Iceland. At the end of the coming June a similar operation was mounted against the "Lauenberg". In both cases useful papers were taken but the real breakthrough only came with "U-110". Included with the material captured were all rotor settings until the end of June 1941. A number of codes were used with Enigma. The U-boat one was 'Hydra', also used by all ships in European waters. From the end of June, Bletchley Park was able to decipher 'Hydra' right through until the end of the war. Unfortunately the U-boats moved off this version to the new 'Triton' in February 1942. The big ship 'Neptun' and Mediterranean 'Sud' and 'Medusa' codes were also soon broken.

13th - Armed merchant cruiser "SALOPIAN" on passage to Halifax after escorting convoy SC30 was torpedoed a total of six times by "U-98". Eventually she went down southeast of Cape Farewell, the sad but appropriately-named southern tip of Greenland.

18th-28th - Hunt for the "Bismarck"

Battle of the Atlantic - Total U-boat strength was now over 100 with 30 operational and the rest undergoing training or trials. Most were active in the North Atlantic, but a small number were concentrated against the weakly-defended shipping off Freetown, Sierra Leone and between there and the Canary Islands to the north. In this area "U-107" (Lt-Cdr Hessler) sank 14 ships of 87,000 tons on one patrol. Other U-boats did almost as well. Royal Navy escort groups could provide cover from UK bases out to 18'W, and those from Iceland the mid-Atlantic gap to 35'W. With the opening of an Escort Force base at St John's, Newfoundland by the Royal Canadian Navy, the rest of the North Atlantic convoy routes could now receive protection. However, continuous escort across the Atlantic was not yet available. Then, around the 20th, unescorted convoy HX126 from Halifax, Nova Scotia was attacked at 40'W and lost heavily. Steps were immediately taken to extend protection and HX129 sailing at the end of the month was the first of the UK-bound convoys to receive regular and continuous cover.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 60 British, Allied and neutral ships of 336,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes; 1 battlecruiser, 1 destroyer, 1 armed merchant cruiser
- German battleship "Bismarck" and "U-110"

German Airborne Invasion of Crete

JUNE 1941

Atlantic

2nd - Destroyer "Wanderer" and corvette "Periwinkle" sank "U-147" northwest of Ireland during a convoy attack.

18th - As Force H headed into the Atlantic to help search for German supply vessels already in position to support "Bismarck's" breakout, they came across a U-boat located through the recently captured "Enigma" codes off the Strait of Gibraltar. Screening destroyers "Faulknor", "Fearless", "Forester", "Foresight" and "Foxhound" shared in the destruction of "U-138".

Attacks on Halifax/UK convoy HX133 - A total of 10 U-boats attacked Halifax/UK convoy HX133 south of Iceland. Five ships were lost but the convoy escort sank two U-boats. Corvettes "Celandine", "Gladiolus" and "Nasturtium" accounted for "U-556" on the 27th, and destroyers "Scimitar" and "Malcolm", corvettes "Arabis" and "Violet" and minesweeper "Speedwell" sank "U-651" on the 29th. The escort had been reinforced to a total of 13 ships as a result of 'Ultra' intercepts of Enigma codes. This, the first of the big convoy battles, led to the development of additional convoy support groups.

22nd - Germany invaded Russia

Russian Convoys - The invasion of Russia soon led to the introduction of the Russian or Arctic convoys with their dreadful conditions and after some months had elapsed, high losses in men and ships. However, the Royal Navy's presence in the Arctic was first made known in August when submarines started operating, with some success against German shipping supporting the Axis attacks from Norway towards Murmansk. The port was never captured. Conditions with these convoys were at the very least difficult. Both summer and winter routes were close to good German bases in Norway from which U-boats, aircraft and surface ships could operate. In the long winter months there was terrible weather and intense cold, and in summer, continual daylight. Many considered that no ships would get through. The first convoy sailed in August and, by the end of the year, over 100 merchantmen had set out in both directions. Only one was lost to a U-boat. In 1942 the picture changed considerably.

Battle of the Atlantic - Following the capture of the “U-100” Enigma material, the Royal Navy tracked down the supply ships already in position to support the "Bismarck" as well as other raiders and U-boats. In 20 days, six tankers and three other ships were sunk or captured in the North and South Atlantic. From now, distant water U-boats had to be supplied by U-boat 'Milchcows' although the first purpose-built ones would not be ready until 1942.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 70 British, Allied and neutral ships of 329,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes
- 4 German and 1 Italian U-boats

JULY 1941

Atlantic

Iceland - US forces landed in Iceland to take over the defence of the island and surrounding seas from Britain.

Battle of the Atlantic - Continuous escort was now being provided for convoys to North America and from West Africa. Three new convoys were introduced: UK/North America Fast, ONF; UK/North America Slow, ONS - the two replacing the Outward Bound, OB's; UK/Sierra Leone, OS.

Air cover from Ireland, Iceland and Newfoundland was improving, but RAF Coastal Command lacked the aircraft to cover the mid-Atlantic gap. It was in this area, some 800 miles wide the U-boats were now concentrating. Between January and June 1941, North Atlantic merchant shipping losses had averaged 300,000 tons per month. From July to December 1941 they were considerably down at an average level of 104,000 tons. The reasons were varied - evasive convoy routing and more effective aircraft deployment from the 'Ultra’ work, introduction of radars and high frequency direction finding (HF/DF), the availability of more escorts, and continuous escort. Losses due to German aircraft were also well down as many were transferred to the Russian front. 

Monthly Loss Summary
23 British, Allied and neutral ships of 98,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes

AUGUST 1941

Atlantic

United States - Winston Churchill crossed the Atlantic in battleship "Prince of Wales" to meet President Roosevelt off Argentia, Newfoundland between the 9th and 12th. Together they drafted the Atlantic Charter setting out their aims for war and peace. Discussion also took place on US Navy involvement in the Battle of the Atlantic against the U-boats, which would initially revolve around the supply of US forces in Iceland.

3rd - Southwest of Ireland, ships of the 7th Escort Group escorting Sierra Leone/UK convoy SL81 - destroyers "Wanderer" and Norwegian "St Albans” and corvette "Hydrangea" sank "U-401".

7th - Submarine "Severn" on patrol for U-boats attacking HG convoys west of Gibraltar, torpedoed and sank Italian submarine "BIANCHI".

12th - Corvette "PICOTEE" with the 4th Escort Group accompanying convoy ONS4 was detached to search for a reported U-boat south of Iceland. She was sunk without trace by "U-568".

Attacks on UK/Gibraltar convoy OG71 - A total of nine merchantmen were lost. Of the ships with the 5th Escort Group Norwegian destroyer "BATH" was sunk on the 19th by "U-204" or "U-201", and corvette "ZINNIA" by "U-564" to the west of Portugal on the 23rd.

25th - South of Iceland, armed trawler "Vascama" and a RAF Catalina of No 209 Squadron sank "U-452".

27th - Capture of German "U-570" - "U-570" on patrol south of Iceland surfaced and was damaged by depth charges from an RAF Hudson of No 269 Squadron, piloted by Sqn Ldr Thompson. She soon surrendered and was towed into Iceland. After refitting, "U-570" was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Graph.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 25 British, Allied and neutral ships of 84,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, 3 escorts
- 3 German and 1 Italian U-boats

SEPTEMBER 1941

Atlantic

Attacks on Halifax/UK Convoys - attacks on these convoys southwest of Iceland led to the first success and loss by Royal Canadian Navy forces in the Battle of the Atlantic. Against SC42, "U-501" was sunk by Canadian corvettes "Chambly" and "Moosejaw" on the 10th. Next day RN destroyers "Leamington" and "Veteran" of 2nd EG sank "U-207". But in exchange, SC42 lost 16 of its 64 merchantmen. A few days later, on the 19th, Canadian corvette "LEVIS" with SC44 was lost to "U-74" southeast of Cape Farewell.

Battle of the Atlantic - Escort carrier "Audacity" sailed with UK/Gibraltar convoy OG74. Her American-built Martlet fighters shot down the first Kondor to fall victim to an escort carrier, but U-boats still managed to sink five merchantmen. The US Navy started to escort HX and ON convoys between Newfoundland and Mid Ocean Meeting Point (MOMP), south of Iceland, where the Royal Navy took over. Five US destroyers begin on the 17th with HX150 (50 ships). Earlier on the 4th, the first incident occurred when US destroyer "Greer" on passage to Iceland was in action with "U-652". There was no damage or loss to either ship. The increased number of U-boats available to Adm Doenitz (approaching 200 with 30 operational) allowed him to establish patrol lines in the Atlantic. It was into these that the two SC convoys 42 and 44 (above), had stumbled with such heavy losses. Convoys SL87 and HG73 also lost badly and the four convoys between them saw a total of 36 merchant ships go down.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 53 British, Allied and neutral ships of 200,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, and 1 escort
- 2 German and 2 Italian U-boats

OCTOBER 1941

Atlantic

4th - Supply U-boat "U-111" returning from the Cape Verde area was sunk off the Canaries by armed trawler "Lady Shirley".

Attacks on Gibraltar/UK Convoy Routes - Two escorts and two U-boats were lost in attacks on the UK/Gibraltar convoy routes. In operations against Gibraltar-bound OG75, "U-206" sank corvette "FLEUR DE LYS" off the Strait of Gibraltar on the 14th. In the same area on the 19th, "U-204" was lost to patrolling corvette "Mallow" and sloop "Rochester". Six days later on the 25th, Italian submarine "FERRARIS" was damaged by a RAF Catalina of No 202 Squadron and sent to the bottom by the gunfire of escort destroyer "Lamerton". UK-bound HG75 lost five ships, and on the 23rd the famous destroyer "COSSACK" was torpedoed by "U-563". Struggling in tow for four days she foundered to the west of Gibraltar.

First US Navy Casualties - In mid-Atlantic, convoy SC48 of 39 ships and 11 stragglers was reinforced by four US destroyers. On the 16th corvette "GLADIOLUS" was torpedoed by "U-553" or "U-568" and went down. There were no survivors. Next day - the 17th, the US "Kearny" was damaged by a torpedo from "U-568", and on the 18th British destroyer "BROADWATER" was lost to "U-101". Nine merchantmen were sunk. Convoy HX156 was escorted by another US group, and on the 31st the destroyer "REUBEN JAMES" was sunk by "U-552". This first US loss in the Battle of the Atlantic came only two weeks after the torpedoing of "Kearny". The United States was virtually at war with Germany.

Battle of the Atlantic - By now the pattern of escort in the North Atlantic with the rapidly growing Royal Canadian Navy and involvement of the US Navy was becoming established. With UK-bound convoys, for example, the RCN provided escort from Halifax to the Western Ocean Meeting Point (WOMP) south of Newfoundland. From there, as far as the Mid Ocean Meeting Point (MOMP) at 22'W, the USN escorted HX, and joint RN/RCN groups the slower SC convoys. RN ships based in Iceland then took over until the convoys were met by Western Approaches escorts operating out of Londonderry, Northern Ireland and the Clyde, Scotland. US Navy and Army Air Force aircraft were now adding to the efforts of the RAF and RCAF by flying escort and patrols from Newfoundland and Iceland. The mid-Atlantic air-gap was narrowing.  

Monthly Loss Summary
- 33 British, Allied and neutral ships of 160,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, and 5 escorts including USS Reuben James.
- 2 German and 1 Italian U-boats

NOVEMBER 1941

Atlantic

22nd - While replenishing "U-126" north of Ascension Island, raider "ATLANTIS" was surprised and sunk by heavy cruiser "Devonshire".

24th - On her way to rescue "Atlantis'" survivors, "U-124" sighted cruiser "DUNEDIN" on patrol off the St Paul's Rocks, half way between Africa and South America. The cruiser was sunk with heavy loss of life.

30th -  RAF aircraft of Coastal Command were now flying regular patrols in the Bay of Biscay equipped with effective airborne depth charges and the long wavelength ASV radar. The first success was by a Whitley of No 502 Squadron. "U-206" on passage to the Mediterranean was detected and sunk

Battle of the Atlantic - There was a considerable drop in U-boat sinkings in the North Atlantic in the last two months of the year; again the reasons were varied - the increasing number of escorts, the help given by the US Navy, and the increasing effectiveness of land-based aircraft. Escort carrier "Audacity" was also proving her worth. The Allies were also helped by Hitler's orders to Adm Doenitz to transfer large numbers of U-boats to the Mediterranean. These were needed to shore up the Italians and help secure the supply lines to the Axis armies in North Africa. This movement led to a concentration of U-boats off Gibraltar, and to the need to strengthen the HG/SL convoy escorts. After the attack on HG75 in October, the next HG did not sail until December when "Audacity" was available to close the Britain/Gibraltar air gap.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 11 British, Allied and neutral ships of 55,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, 1 cruiser
- 1 German raider, 1 German U-boat and 1 Italian (cause unknown) 

Mediterranean

13th - As Gibraltar-based Force H returned to Gibraltar after flying off more Hurricanes from "Ark Royal" and "Argus" for Malta, the famous and much 'sunk' "ARK ROYAL" was hit by one torpedo from "U-81". Next day she foundered in tow only a few miles from home. One man was killed. "U-81" was one of four U-boats that had just passed into the Mediterranean.

16th - A second U-boat, "U-433" was sunk in the same area as "Ark Royal" by corvette "Marigold". Towards the end of the month, Dutch submarine "O-21" sank "U-95". Between late September and December, 26 U-boats broke through into the Mediterranean and for many months took a heavy toll of Royal Navy ships.

North Africa -  A major British offensive started from the Sollum area and by January had reached El Agheila. Axis forces around Sollum and Bardia were by-passed in the drive on Tobruk. The first link-up with the besieged garrison was made by New Zealand troops on the 27th. 27th - Australian sloop "PARRAMATTA" escorting an ammunition ship on the Tobruk Run was sunk by "U-559" off the port. Since the siege started, destroyers and other warships had been carrying in men and supplies almost nightly.

25th - Force K hunted for Italian convoys to North Africa supported by the Mediterranean Fleet with battleships "Barham", "Queen Elizabeth" and "Valiant". In the afternoon north of Sidi Barrani, "BARHAM" (below - CyberHeritage) was hit by three torpedoed from "U-331" and as she slowly turned over and capsized, split apart in an almighty explosion, captured on film and frequently shown. Although over 800 men were lost with her, a remarkable number were saved.

DECEMBER 1941

Atlantic

Battle for Convoy HG76: Closing of the Gibraltar/UK Air-Gap - Gibraltar/UK convoy HG76 (32 ships) was escorted by the 36th Escort Group (Cdr F. J. Walker) with a support group including escort carrier “Audacity”. In advance of the convoy leaving Gibraltar, destroyers of Force H including the Australian “Nestor” located and destroyed “U-127” on the 15th. In the four days from the 17th, four more U-boats were sunk for the loss of two of the escorts and two merchantmen. The battle took place to the far west of Portugal, north of Madeira and the Azores. 17th - “U-131” was sunk by destroyers “Blankney”, “Exmoor” and “Stanley”, corvette “Pentstemon” and sloop “Stork” together with Grumman Martlets flying from “Audacity”. 18th - “U-434” was accounted for by “Blankney” and “Stanley”. 19th - Destroyer “STANLEY” was torpedoed and sunk by “U-574”, which was then sent to the bottom, rammed by sloop “Stork”. 21st - The sole escort carrier “AUDACITY” was torpedoed by “U-751” and lost, but in the general counter-attack “U-567” was sunk by corvette “Samphire” and sloop “Deptford”. The sinking of five U-boats in exchange for two merchant ships was a significant victory for the escorts, and proved beyond any doubt the value of escort carrier aircraft against the submarine - as well as the patrolling Focke Wulf Kondors, two of which were shot down.

Russian Convoys - Three outward-bound convoys, PQ6, PQ7 and PQ7B and one return, QP4 set out in December with a total of 31 ships. All but PQ6 arrived at their destinations in January, with two ships returning and one lost to U-boats.

Monthly Loss Summary
- 11 British, Allied and neutral ships of 57,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, 1 escort carrier and 2 escorts
- 5 German U-boats plus two transferring to the Mediterranean

Mediterranean

North Africa - As fighting continued around Tobruk, Gen Rommel decided to pull back to Gazala. Besieged Tobruk was completely relieved on the 10th December. Under pressure, the German Afrika Korps withdrew to El Agheila and on the 25th, British forces entered Benghazi.

11th - As more German U-boats transferred to the Mediterranean, two were lost. The first was on the 11th when corvette “Bluebell” sank “U-208” as she left her Atlantic patrol area to the west of Gibraltar. The second sinking came ten days later.

14th - An Axis convoy bound for Benghazi set out on the 13th, covered by an Italian battlefleet. On receiving the news, Rear-Adm Vian left Alexandria with a cruiser force to join up with Force K from Malta. On the evening of the 14th, submarine “Urge” torpedoed and damaged battleship “Vittorio Veneto” off the Sicilian Strait of Messina and the Italians cancelled that operation. The cruiser forces returned to their bases but as they did, Adm Vian's “GALATEA” was hit by three torpedoed from “U-557” and went down off Alexandria that night.

21st - The second U-boat sinking of the month in the Strait of Gibraltar was by Swordfish of 812 Squadron flying from Gibraltar which accounted for “U-457”. The Swordfish managed to get away from the sinking ”Ark Royal” a month earlier and now played an important part patrolling for U-boats in the waters in which the carrier went down.

23rd - A sizeable number of German U-boats were now operating off the coasts of Egypt and Libya and attacking convoys with losses to both sides. On the 23rd, escorting destroyers “Hasty” and “Hotspur” sank “U-79” off Tobruk on the Libyan coast.  

24th - The day after the sinking of “U-79” but further east off the Egyptian port of Mersa Matruh, corvette “SALVIA” was lost to “U-568”.

28th - Four days later, destroyer “Kipling” sank “U-75” in the same area

Japan declared War on Britain and the United States

 

DEFENCE OF TRADE - January to December 1941

Total Losses = 1,299 British, Allied and neutral ships of 4,329,000 tons ( 361,000 tons per month)

By Location

Location	Number of British, Allied, neutral ships	Total Gross Registered Tonnage
North Atlantic	496	2,423,000 tons
South Atlantic	29	134,000 tons
UK waters	350	740,000 tons
Mediterranean	158	501,000 tons
Indian Ocean	20	73,000 tons
Pacific Ocean	246	458,000 tons

By Cause

Causes* in order of tonnage sunk (1., 4. ... - Order when weapon first introduced)	Number of British, Allied, neutral ships	Total Gross Registered Tonnage
1. Submarines	432	2,172,000 tons
4. Aircraft 5. Other causes 2. Mines 6. Raiders 3. Warships 7. Coastal forces	371 272 111 44 40 29	1,017,000 tons 421,000 tons 231,000 tons 227,000 tons 202,000 tons 59,000 tons