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ADM199/647
Rear Admiral F.H. Pegram, DSO (Flag Officer in
Charge, West Africa)
Enclosure No. 1
FLAG OFFICER IN CHARGE, WEST AFRICA
WAR DIARY – MARCH 1942
Part
1 – OPERATIONS
Wednesday, 11th March
(n.b. see second entry below).
H.M.S. CANTON – H.M.S.
PRETORIA CASTLE patrolling H.34 with the
object of intercepting S.S. MONTE GORBEA and sending her in under armed guard
for examination.
I hoisted my flag in H.M.S.
EDINBURGH CASTLE with the
designation of Flag Officer in Charge, West Africa allocated by Admiralty
message timed 2114A/13th March 1942.
Thursday, 12th March
Convoy O.S. 30
(corrected in ink, as O.S. 20, verified
through Hague Convoy Database)(12 ships) arrived at Freetown escorted by
H.M.S. BOREAS, H.M.S. SNOWDROP, and H.M.S. AUBRETIA.
PRETORIA CASTLE intercepted and
boarded S.S. MONTE GORBEA in position 08-52N, 26-00W, as a result of a sighted
from CANTON's aircraft, and proceeded to escort her to Bathurst. CANTON parted
company to patrol in H.34 (d) for the protection of shipping.
Friday, 13th March
H.M.S. DESPATCH arrived at
Freetown.
Saturday, 14th March
Convoy S.L. 103 (36 ships),
escorted by H.M.S. WIVERN, H.M.S. WALLFLOWER, H.M.S. TAMARISK, H.M.S. BURDOCK,
and H.M.S. AUBRETIA sailed from Freetown.
Sunday, 15th March
PRETORIA CASTLE escorting S.S.
MONTE GORBEA, arrived at Bathurst.
Monday, 16th March
H.M.S. ASTURIAS, wearing the flag
of Commander in Chief, South Atlantic,
sailed for Simonstown escorted by BOREAS; upon which I transferred my flag
ashore. BOREAS subsequently parted company and proceeded to Gibraltar.
Tuesday, 17th March
PRETORIA CASTLE sailed from
Bathurst to patrol in area H. 34 (d).
S.S. SCOTTISH PRINCE was
torpedoed and sunk within sight of Cape Palmas (Liberia).
Wednesday, 18th March
CANTON returned to Freetown from
Patrol.
S.S. BARON NEWLANDS was torpedoed
6 miles south of Grand Cess
(Liberia), and ISLE DE BATZ off Cape Palmas; both ships being sunk.
Thursday, 19th March
H.M.S. BRILLIANT, escorting SOBO
sailed from Freetown for Bathurst, arriving 21st.
Friday, 20th March
S.S. ALLENDE torpedoed and sunk
approximately 19 miles south of Cape
Palmas.
Convoy S.T. 17 (8 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by H.M.S. ROMNEY and H.M.S. CROMARTY bound for the
Cape.
BOREAS arrived at Freetown
escorting S.S. DUCHESS OF BEDFORD.
In connection with Operation RATION ordered in Admiralty
Message time 0135A/20, daily air reconnaissance of Ivory Coast ports were begun
by Hudsons and Hurricanes, three ships of the convoy concerned being located at
Port Bovet. My 0753Z/23 and 1139Z/30 refer.
Saturday, 21st March
A conference was held between the
General Officer Commanding in Chief, West Africa (General Sir George J.
Giffard, K.C.B., D.S.O.), the Air Officer Commanding, West Africa (Air
Commodore E.A.B. Rice, C.B.E., M.C.) and myself to discuss matters relating to
the war situation as effecting West Africa.
H.M.S. DAUNTLESS arrived at
Freetown, sailing 22nd for Pointe Noire.
Sunday, 22nd March
(n.b.
top of page chopped)...activity in the vicinity.
Monday, 23rd March
Convoy S.L. 104 (27 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by H.M.S. WILD SWAN, H.M.S. VIOLET, H.M.S. SNOWDROP,
H.M.S. BERGAMOT, and F.N.F.L. COMMANDANT DETROYAT.
CANTON sailed to patrol H.34 (d),
relieving PRETORIA CASTLE.
Tuesday, 24th March
Convoy O.S. 21 (9 ships) escorted
by WIVERN, TAMARISK, THYME, and BOSTON, arrived at Freetown.
M.L. 244 carried out three
attacks on an A/S contact 180 miles west of Monrovia, subsequently reported she
had heard tanks being blown. It is believed these attacks damaged a U boat. My
signal times 0631Z/27 refers.
Wednesday, 25th March
F.N.F.L. SAVORGNAN DE BRAZZA
sailed for United Kingdom, escorting troopship NEW NORTHLAND as far as
Bathurst.
PRETORIA CASTLE returned to
Freetown from patrol.
Thursday, 26th March
WIVERN proceeded from Freetown to
Cape Palmas to embark survivors from ships recently torpedoed in the vicinity
and bring them to Freetown, arriving and sailing on 28th.
General Officer Commander in
Chief, West Africa called a conference to discuss matters raised at the
previous meeting on 21st March.
Saturday, 28th March
(n.b. no entry for Friday,
27th March)
Convoy S.T. 18 (8 ships) escorted
by CROMER, POOLE, GENISTA, and COMMANDANT DROGOU, sailed from Freetown.
A U boat was sighted on the
surface by H.M.T. SARABANDE and a Hudson aircraft in position 04-20N, 14-00W,
the aircraft attacked with depth charges, and a further attack was
carried out by H.M.T. RUMBA. There were indications that a U Boat had been
damaged. My signal timed 2013Z/28 refers.
H.M.S. DURBAN, on passage from
the Cape to Brooklyn (N.Y.) to refit, sailed from Freetown via the Azores for
fuel.
Sunday, 29th March
WIVERN arrived at Freetown with 144 survivors and sailed for Bathurst.
H.M.S. BELLWORT left Takoradi for Freetown, escorting a small
convoy.
Monday, 30th March
GENISTA, WHITEHAVEN, SEAHAM, and
BOSTON left Freetown to join convoy O.S. 22.
BELLWORT was damaged by the
premature detonation of a depth charge
dropped on a doubtful A/S contact, and had subsequently to be towed to
Takoradi. One fatal casualty resulted from the accident.
S.S. MUNCASTER CASTLE was
torpedoed in position 02-00N, 12-02W.
PRETORIA CASTLE sailed to patrol
area I.34 (b).
The pilot and navigator of the
B.O.A.C. Flying Boat CLARE on passage from Lisbon to Bathurst reported having
sighted a battleship or battlecruiser southbound off the coast of Rio De Oro at
0148Z/30. My signal timed 1605/30, 2325/30, and 0903/31 refer.
Tuesday, 31st March
H.M.S. GERANIUM reported engaging
an unidentified cruiser in position 30-00N, 20-10W, at 1500A/31. This signal
was passed by Flag Officer Commanding, North Atlantic (his 2328A/31, not to Admiralty). It is considered the
unknown ship may have been F.N.F.L. SAVORGNAN DE BRAZZA and Flag Officer
Commanding, North Atlantic was
informed of this in my signal timed 1028Z/1st April.
Enclosure No. 1
FLAG OFFICER IN CHARGE, WEST AFRICA
WAR DIARY – APRIL 1942
PART
1 - OPERATIONS
Wednesday, 1st April
H.M.S. PRETORIA CASTLE arrived in
area I 34 to patrol (a) and (b) east of 26 degrees west.
H.M.S. CANTON on passage from H
34 to Freetown.
Convoy O.S. 22 (12 ships) arrived
at Freetown, escorted by H.M.S. WESTON, H.M.S. TOTLAND, H.M.S. SENNEN, H.M.S.
GORLESTON, H.M.S. CYCLAMEN, H.M.S. VIOLET, and H.M.S. SNOWDROP. H.M.S. AUBRETIA
left the southbound port of the convoy to search for survivors from S.S.
MUNCASTER CASTLE, locating them on 2nd and bringing them to Freetown.
H.M.S. BELLWORT, damaged by
prematurely fired depth charge,
arrived at Takoradi (my previous war diary refers.)
Thursday, 2nd April
CANTON arrived at Freetown from
patrol.
In view of recent U boat activity
it was decided that ships of under 15 knots should for the present not be
sailed independently between West African ports, and that all such ships bound
for these ports should be sent to Freetown to await escort. Ships of 15 knows
and over should for the same reason be routed to pass at least 150 miles clear
of Cape Palmas.
Friday, 3rd April
Convoy S.L. 105 (27 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by H.M.S. PELICAN, H.M.S. DEPTFORD, H.M.S. CLARE,
H.M.S. BERGAMOT, and COMMANDANT DROGOU.
Convoy A.S. 2, escorted by
DEVONSHIRE and ARCHER arrived at Freetown. Also, Captain (D) 12th Destroyer Flotilla in PAKENHAM with INCONSTANT and JAVELIN.
S.S. WEST IRMO was torpedoed and
sunk 170 miles south east of Cape
Palmas, survivors being picked up by COPINSAY.
Saturday, 4th April
S.S. ALPHACCA was torpedoed 150
miles south of Cape Palmas. 15 were
killed and the remainder of the crew and passengers landed at Cape Palmas.
ILLUSTRIOUS arrived at Freetown
and embarked Martlet aircraft from ARCHER and Swordfish from the R.N. Air
Station, Hastings.
CANTON sailed for Simonstown to
dock, after embarking survivors from MUNCASTER CASTLE brought to Freetown by
S.S. ANNA STATHATOS.
AJAX arrived at Freetown from the
Cape, sailing for the United Kingdom, via Bathurst on 5th.
DEVONSHIRE sailed from Freetown,
returning the same day after complying with
Admiralty message timed 0130A of 4th.
Sunday, 5th April
AUBRETIA arrived at Freetown with further survivors from MUNCASTER
CASTLE.
Monday, 6th April
Convoy W.S. 17 (29 ships),
including ADAMANT, arrived at Freetown escorted by SHROPSHIRE, ALCANTARA,
GROVE, WILD SWAN, ALDENHAM, LOOKOUT, KEREN, KARANJA, HYDRANGEA, and COMMANDANT
DETROYAT. Also, MALAYA and HERMIONE, escorted by Captain (D) 19th Destroyer Flotilla in LAFOREY, DUNCAN,
LIGHTNING, ACTIVE, and ANTHONY.
Tuesday, 7th April
Convoy A.S. 2 sailed for
Capetown, escorted by DEVONSHIRE, ALDENHAM, and GROVE.
EXMOOR and CROOME arrived at
Freetown from Gibraltar.
PRETORIA CASTLE shifted her
patrol area to H.34 (c) and (d), keeping east of 26 degrees west.
Wednesday, 8th April
Convoy S.T. 19 (15 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by SNOWDROP, ARRAN, HILDASAY, SHINA, PLADDA, and
SHAPINSAY.
Thursday, 9th April
Convoy W.S. 17 A sailed for
Capetown, escorted by MALAYA, HERMIONE, Captain (D) 12th Destroyer Flotilla in PAKENHAM, Captain (D) 19th Destroyer Flotilla LAFOREY, LOOKOUT,
LIGHTNING, DUNCAN, ACTIVE, ANTHONY, JAVELIN, and INCONSTANT.
Convoy S.L. 106 (20 ships) also
sailed, escorted by WESTON, GORLESTON, SENNEN, and TOTLAND.
(n.b. no entry for 10th April)
Saturday, 11th April
Convoy W.S. 17 B (18 ships),
including ADAMANT sailed, escorted by SHROPSHIRE, WILD SWAN, CROOME, HYDRANGEA,
EXMOOR, COMMANDANT DROGOU and COMMANDANT DETROYANT.
ALCANTARA sailed to join PRETORIA
CASTLE on patrol in area H. 34.
(n.b. no entry for 12th April)
Monday, 13th April
FARNDALE arrived at Freetown.
Tuesday, 14th April
WILD SWAN was detached from
convoy W.S. 18 B to return to Freetown, and HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT DROGOU to
pick up 68 survivors from Cape Palmas and bring them to Freetown.
BELLWORT, in tow of COPINSAY,
left Takoradi for Lagos to undergo repairs.
Wednesday, 15th April
FARNDALE sailed for Bathurst.
WILD SWAN arrived at Freetown.
VIOLENT, escorting troopship S.S.
NEW NORTHLAND, left Freetown for Takoradi and Lagos.
Thursday, 16th April
Convoy S.L. 107 (29 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by ROCHESTER, SANDWICH, SCARBOROUGH, and BRADFORD.
(n.b. no entry to 17th April)
Saturday, 18th April
A Sunderland aircraft on patrol
attacked with depth charges, a surfaced U boat in position
10-15N, 18-48W. Two hours later a second attack was carried out, and the U boat
probably damaged.
Convoy L.S. 2, escorted by
AUBRETIA and SNOWDROP arrived at Freetown.
Sunday, 19th April
Convoy S.T. 20 (15 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by WILD SWAN, ROCKROSE, TURCOMAN, and PICT.
AUBRETIA and SNOWDROP sailed
escorting tankers to join convoy O.S. 24 and subsequently returned to Freetown.
Information was received from
Accra to the effect that a Pan Air aircraft on trans Atlantic flight had
sighted a supply ship with 3
submarines, in position 01-35N, 20-40W, at 0225 on 19th April. ALCANTARA, on patrol in H.34 (d), was therefore ordered to
search the northern half of I.34 (b).
PRETORIA CASTLE arrived at
Freetown from patrol, fuelled and on 20th
sailed to search the southern half of H.34 (d).
Monday, 20th April
GLASGOW, on passage from Cape to
Freetown, was diverted to search area I.35 (a) for the reported supply ship. Sunderland
aircraft also took part, search H. 35 (c).
ALBATROSS arrived at Freetown
after refitting in the U.S.A. and embarked 710 Squadron (Walrus) from Hastings.
BOREAS arrived at Bathurst after
dispersal of from Gibraltar.
Tuesday, 21st April
WILD SWAN returned to Freetown
after dispersal of convoy S.T. 20.
Wednesday, 22nd April
Convoy O.S. 24 (13 ships)
escorted by EGRET, FISHGUARD, FLEETWOOD, and PHILANTE arrived at Freetown.
Thursday, 23rd April
Information was received from
Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, that a Clipper on transatlantic flight had
sighted a large supply ship, which acted suspiciously in position 02-47N,
18-37W, at 2205Z/22. It was considered possible that this might have been the
supply ship reported on 19th April. GLASGOW
was ordered to investigate, and ALCANTARA and PRETORIA CASTLE were informed.
WILD SWAN sailed for Bathurst.
BRIDGEWATER arrived at Takoradi;
sailed on 24th to overtake convoy
L.S. 3.
Friday, 24th April
WILD SWAN and BOREAS left
Bathurst to rendezvous with convoy
W.S. 18.
Sunday, 26th April
S.L. 108 (42 ships) escorted by
EGRET, FISHGUARD, FLEETWOOD, PHILANTE, HYDRANGEA, and COMMANDANT DROGOU left
Freetown.
PRETORIA CASTLE reported a ship
purporting to be S.S. ANGLO CANADIAN in position 01-17N, 24-34W, 1000Z/26th which she did not have on her shipping
plot, ANGLO CANADIAN was known to be elsewhere and PRETORIA CASTLE was informed
to this effect, but her report was baseD on a sighting by her aircraft which
crashed on landing near the ship and contact was not maintained, my 2245Z/4/5
refers.
Monday, 27th April
MANXMAN arrived at Freetown and
sailed for Simonstown, calling at Takoradi.
BRIDGEWATER arrived at Takoradi
after leaving convoy L.S. 3 and sailed for Freetown escorting S.S. CUBA.
HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT DROGOU
left convoy S.L. 108 to join O.S. 25, subsequently escorting ships bound for
the Cape.
Convoy S.T. 21 (10 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by SNOWDROP and TAMARISK.
(n.b. no entry for 28th April)
Wednesday, 29th April
Convoy W.S. 18 (20 ships)
escorted by GAMBIA, FROBISHER, WILD SWAN, BOREAS, TETCOTT, VAN GALEN, and
PETUNIA arrived at Freetown; WILD SWAN and BOREAS subsequently sailing to make
rendezvous with MALAYA.
Convoy O.S. 25 (10 ships) also
arrived Freetown, escorted by BIDEFORD, HASTINGS, LANDGUARD, and LULWORTH.
Thursday, 30th April
PRETORIA CASTLE returned to
Freetown from patrol.
Convoy L.S. 3, escorted by
ROCKROSE and VIOLET arrived at Freetown.
WIVERN arrived at Bathurst, and
sailed for Freetown.
Flag Officer in Charge, West
Africa
No. 605/0129 dated 22 July 1942
Enclosure No. 1
FLAG OFFICER IN CHARGE, WEST AFRICA
WAR DIARY – MAY 1942
PART
1 – OPERATIONAL
Friday, 1st May
ALCANTARA patrolling I 34 (a) and
(b), east of 26 degrees West.
"RRR" received from PATRICIA
SKAKEL at 0657 at 0630N, 19-28W. GAMBIA, FROBISHER, ALBATROSS, VAN GALEN, and
TETCOTT (all at Freetown) ordered to immediate notice for steam, and a
Sunderland aircraft sent out to search. At 0850 PATRICIA SKAKEL amplified her
report by saying the ship referred to was of the Scandinavian tanker type. This
ship was believed to be FAGERSFEL. PATRICIA SKAKEL subsequently cancelled her "RRR" message. My 1550Z/ 1 refers.
HYDRANGEA and SNOWDROP returned
to Freetown after dispersal of convoy O.S. 25.
BRIDGEWATER and WIVERN also
arrived.
COMMANDANT DETROYANT sailed,
escorting tanker CLAVELLA.
Portuguese S.S. ANGOLA arrived at
Freetown, was granted Navicert and sailed for Funchal.
Saturday, 2nd May
COWSLIP arrived Freetown.
Sunday, 3rd May
MALAYA arrived at Freetown from
the Cape, escorted by WILD SWAN and BOREAS.
Convoy W.S. 18 (19 ships) sailed,
escorted by GAMBIA, FROBISHER, ALBATROSS, WIVERN, VAN GALEN, TETCOTT, and
BOREAS.
HYDRANGEA, SNOWDROP, and
COMMANDANT DETROYAT arrived Freetown. Also, ALCANTARA from patrol.
Monday, 4th May
S.L. 109 (36 ships) sailed,
escorted by LANDGUARD, LULWORTH, HASTINGS, BIDEFORD, ROCKROSE, and VIOLET.
Tuesday, 5th May
Fortress Commander, Freetown,
assumed temporarily a degree of readiness appropriate for meeting possible
retaliatory action from French territory resulting from Allied Operations
against Madagascar.
ALCANTARA sailed to patrol I.34
(a) and (b), east of 26 degrees west.
WIVERN and BOREAS arrived at
Freetown.
Wednesday, 6th May
Portuguese S.S. LOURENCO MARQUES
arrived at Freetown, was examined and sailed with Navicert on 7th for
Lisbon.
Thursday, 7th May
BRITTANY, BARFOUNT, BARFOSS, and
BARKING arrived at Freetown, on passage from United Kingdom to Mauritius or
West African ports, the three former sailing 10th May.
PRETORIA CASTLE sailed from
Freetown to join ALCANTARA on patrol in H.34 (d).
Friday, 8th May
DUNNOTTAR CASTLE arrived at
Freetown, escorted by HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT DETROYAT.
Convoy L.S. 4 arrived at
Freetown, escorted by TAMARISK and COMMANDANT DROGOU. Also, WIVERN, after
proceeding to assistance of EMPIRE ARUN off the port.
VELOX left Ponta Delgada for
Bathurst.
MILFORD sailed from Simonstown
for Freetown.
Saturday, 9th May
O.S. 26 (8 ships) arrived,
escorted by IBIS, ABERDEEN, HARTLAND, and AMARANTHUS.
MALAYA escorted by WILD SWAN and
BOREAS, sailed to northward. My 1611Z/9, FOCNA's 1924B/9, and Admiralty's
2351B/9 refer.
ARCHER and WIVERN sailed,
returning 10th.
Sunday, 10th May
VINDICTIVE escorted by SNOWDROP
and COMMANDANT DETROYAT sailed for Simonstown via Pointe Noire for fuel, to
refit.
U.S.A. Task Force 36 (RANGER
escorted by a cruiser and five destroyers) arrived off Accra with air reinforcements, subsequently
proceeding to Trinidad.
Monday, 11th May
TAMARISK sailed from Freetown with a small convoy for Bathurst, and
WIVERN escorting one ship to Takoradi.
COWSLIP arrived Freetown.
(n.b. no entry for 12th May)
Wednesday, 13th May
S.L. 110 (38 ships) sailed,
escorted by DUNNOTTAR CASTLE, IBIS, ABERDEEN, HARTLAND, and PETUNIA. Eight
tankers from the West Indies joined this convoy at sea.
WILD SWAN and BOREAS parted company
with MALAYA to fuel at Bathurst.
ARCHER escorted by BRIDGEWATER
sailed from Freetown to refit at the Cape.
Thursday, 14th May
ARETHUSA, on passage to Suez via
the Cape, arrived at Freetown from Ponte Delgada, sailing again on 15th.
VELOX arrived at Freetown and
VIOLET at Takoradi.
Friday, 15th May
WIVERN arrived at Takoradi,
fuelled, and sailed to join convoy L.S. 5.
TAMARISK arrived Freetown, and
VELOX sailed escorting DUCHESS OF RICHMOND.
(n.b. no entry for 16th May)
Sunday, 17th May
COMMANDANT DETROYAT arrived Lagos
for docking.
Monday, 18th May
S.T. 23 (10 ships) sailed,
escorted by HYDRANGEA and TAMARISK.
MILFORD arrived from the Cape,
sailing on 20th to escort tanker to
Bathurst.
Tuesday, 19th May
O.S. 27 (8 ships) arrived, escorted
by CORINTHIAN, LARGS, PELICAN, and CLARE.
WIVERN arrived Freetown and
ROCKROSE sailed.
WILD SWAN and BOREAS left
Bathurst to join convoy W.S. 19.
Wednesday, 20th May
L.S. 5 arrived Freetown, escorted
by BRIDGEWATER, AUBRETIA, and VIOLET. Also, LOWESTOFT and DEPTFORD.
Thursday, 21st May
PRETORIA CASTLE returned to
Freetown from patrol. COLOMBO, escorting EMPRESS OF RUSSIA, arrived Freetown
from the Cape. ROCKROSE arrived Freetown.
ALCANTARA ordered to investigate
suspect vessel reported in position 05-15N, 19-09W, at 1145.
Friday, 22nd May
W.S. 19 (16 ships) arrived,
escorted by MAURITIUS, CARNARVON CASTLE, WILD SWAN, BOREAS, VELOX, BELVOIR and
HURSLEY. WIVERN and COMMANDANT DROGOU sailed for Bathurst and AMARANTHUS for
St. Vincent. ACASTA (Norwegian S.S.) and
MILFORD arrived at Bathurst.
Saturday, 23rd May
ALCANTARA returned to Freetown
from patrol.
BRIDGEWATER sailed.
Sunday, 24th May
S.L. 111 (41 ships) sailed,
escorted by PELICAN, CLARE, DEPTFORD, and LOWESTOFT.
WIVERN and COMMANDANT DROGOU
arrived and sailed from Bathurst.
PRETORIA CASTLE left Freetown to
patrol in G. 34 (d) and H. 34 (b) to cover passage of W.S. 19, S.S. AQUITANIA,
S.S. QUEEN MARY, and S.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH.
MILFORD arrived from Freetown.
(n.b. no entry for 25th May)
Tuesday, 26th May
W.S. 19 sailed, escorted by
MAURITIUS, ALCANTARA, MILFORD, VELOX, BOREAS, BELVOIR, and HURSLEY; ALCANTARA
subsequently parting company to patrol I.36 (c) and J.36 (a) to cover the
passage of S.S. QUEEN MARY, AQUITANIA, and QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Portuguese S.S. MOUZINHO arrived
at Freetown for bunkers and water, sailing 28th with navicert for
Bissau.
WILD SWAN and LARGS sailed from
Freetown escorting EMPRESS OF RUSSIA.
Wednesday, 27th May
CARNARVON CASTLE left Freetown to
patrol H.34 (d).
ROCKROSE and ......(n.b. page chopped).
Thursday, 28th May
CARNARVON CASTLE at 0700 in
position 6-40N, 16-50W met Vichy French convoy of 4 ships escorted by sloop
ANNAMITE, steering 300 degrees.
S.T. 25 (8 ships) sailed,
escorted by AUBRETIA, COWSLIP, and M.L.s 261 and 274.
A U.S.A. "D.C." bomber, on
passage from Bathurst to Freetown, forced landed in French territory in
position 9-25N, 13-30W. A Hudson aircraft dropped rubber dinghies for the crew,
who were embarked in M.L. 277, which was sent for the purpose from Freetown. Aircraft
was destroyed by the crew before leaving.
Friday, 29th May
WILD SWAN arrived Bathurst,
fuelled and sailed again for Ponta Delgada.
BRIDGEWATER left Freetown to
escort cable ship LADY DENISON PENDER.
COMMANDANT DETROYANT sailed from
Lagos for Freetown.
Saturday, 30th May
O.S. 28 (10 ships) arrived in two
sections on 30th and 31st May,
escorted by WESTON, WELLINGTON, GORLESTON, TOTLAND, and WOODRUFF (fast
portion); and WIVERN, AMARANTHUS and COMMANDANT DROGOU (slow portion).
VELOX also arrived Freetown.
Sunday, 31st May
PRETORIA CASTLE boarded
Panamanian schooner REINE MARIE STEWART in position 07-30N, 21-11W bound from
New York to Lourenco Marques. Ship had been becalmed three weeks and was short
of fuel and water. Medical aid was rendered to Master.
(n.b. June 1942 of this Diary is not held).
Flag Officer in Charge, West Africa
No. 854/0129 dated 18th September 1942
Enclosure No. 1
FLAG OFFICER IN CHARGE, WEST AFRICA
WAR DIARY – JULY 1942
(Incorporating
all War Diaries rendered for July 1942 by subordinate authorities)
PART
1 – OPERATIONAL
Wednesday, 1st July
VELOX picked up 9 survivors from
a Sunderland aircraft missing since 28th
June.
NELSON and RODNEY, escorted by
PENN, QUENTIN, PATHFINDER, and DERWENT arrived at Freetown.
MILFORD sailed from Freetown to
Rio de Janiero to refit.
COMMANDANT DROGOU and SNOWDROP
arrived at Takoradi.
Portuguese S.S. QUANEA arrived at
Freetown for examination, sailing 3rd July.
Thursday, 2nd July
Convoy W.S. 20 (21 ships)
arrived, escorted by WIVERN, BRILLIANT, VIMY, BOREAS, VELOX, and BLACKMORE.
Friday, 3rd July
CARNARVON CASTLE arrived at
Freetown. BOREAS sailed for Takoradi escorting one merchant vessel.
CORINTHIAN, escorting cable ship
JOHN MACKAY, arrived Freetown.
Saturday, 4th July
Convoy S.T. 28 (7 ships),
escorted by WOODRUFF, MOONSHINE, and 2 M.L.s sailed.
Sunday, 5th July
Convoy S.L. 115 (31 ships)
sailed, escorted by LONDONDERRY, LULWORTH, HASTINGS, DERWENT, and BIDEFORD. DERWENT
sailed from Freetown to rendezvous with
,
and escort, DIOMEDE.
BURDOCK fuelled at St Vincent.
Monday, 6th July
Convoy W.S. 20 (20 ships) sailed,
escorted by MALAYA, BLACKMORE, WIVERN, VELOX, and BRILLIANT.
Tuesday, 7th July
DIOMEDE (escorted by DERWENT)
arrived at Freetown, sailing 8th for
Rosyth, via Gibraltar.
Portuguese S.S. JOAO BELO
examined at Freetown, granted Navicert, sailing the same day.
CARADOC arrived at Freetown, and
sailed 8 July for Pointe Noire and Simonstown.
DANAE arrived Pointe Noire,
fuelled, and sailed for Freetown.
Convoy L.S. 10, escorted by
AUBRETIA and SNOWDROP arrived, also COMMANDANT DROGOU.
ARMERIA left Marshall for
Takoradi, escorting one merchant vessel.
COMMANDANT DETROYAT sailed from
Freetown for Pointe Noire and the Cape.
Wednesday, 8th July
EMERALD arrived at Pointe Noire,
fuelled, and sailed for Freetown.
Convoy O.S. 32 (17 ships)
arrived, escorted by IBIS, ENCHANTRESS, WALNEY, ABERDEEN, and BURDOCK.
TAMARISK and CROCUS sailed from
Freetown.
BOREAS left Takoradi to join W.S.
20.
LARGS and ASTURIAS arrived at
Freetown.
Thursday, 9th July
HYDRANGEA and COWSLIP arrived at
Freetown.
AMARANTHUS sailed from Takoradi
for Pointe Noire and the Cape.
Friday, 10th July
CANTON arrived at Freetown from
the Cape, via Takoradi, sailing 11th July
for United Kingdom to refit.
CILICIA, having left Simonstown
and proceeded to St Helena to embark H.E. The Governor, sailed with him to Ascension. Fresh provisions
were landed for the Ascension garrison, and 250 gallons of lubricating oil for
the civil authorities. CILICIA subsequently patrolled northern part of J.34 and
J.35 before proceeding to Freetown.
COMMANDANT DROGOU sailed from
Freetown, escorting Cable Ship JOHN MACKAY.
Saturday, 11th July
BRILLIANT arrived at Pointe Noire
for fuel, sailing 12th July to
rejoin Convoy W.S. 20.
VELOX sailed from Takoradi for
Lagos, escorting transport BATORY.
SNOWDROP sailed from Freetown to
screen ships unloading off Marshall.
Sunday, 12th July
ASTURIAS sailed from Freetown in
company with LARGS to patrol the
southern patrol of H.34, and subsequently to St Thomas (W.I.).
PENN and QUENTIN sailed from
Freetown to reinforce escort of Convoy O.S. 33, subsequent to a U boat attack
on the convoy in which three ships were torpedoed.
WIVERN arrived Pointe Noire,
fuelled, and sailed for Walvis Bay, subsequently to rejoin W.S. 20.
AMARANTHUS arrived Point Noire,
sailing 14th for Simonstown.
TAMARISK, CROCUS, and ASTURIAS
carried out trials of oiling at sea from ASTURIAS. CROCUS was fuelled abreast
of ASTURIAS, while proceeding at 10 knots under favourable weather conditions. TAMARISK
and CROCUS returned to Freetown.
Monday, 13th July
DANAE and EMERALD arrived at
Freetown from Pointe Noire, sailing 14th
July for Gibraltar. Both ships
carried bullion.
BOREAS arrived at Pointe Noire
and commenced boiler cleaning.
COMMANDANT DETROYAT also arrived
Pointe Noire.
CROCUS sailed from Freetown for
Trinidad, and CORINTHIAN to relieve COMMANDANT DROGOU escorting JOHN MACKAY.
COMMANDANT DROGOU returned to
Freetown.
Tuesday, 14th July
Convoy L.S. 11 arrived Freetown,
escorted by WOODRUFF and ARMERIA.
VELOX, escorting BATORY, sailed
from Lagos for Takoradi.
COWSLIP left Bathurst to
rendezvous with CROCUS and proceed to
Trinidad.
Wednesday, 15th July
Convoy S.L. 116 (29 ships)
sailed, escorted by IBIS, ABERDEEN, ENCHANTRESS, and WALNEY.
VIMY arrived at Bathurst, sailing
16th for Freetown.
Thursday, 16th July
United States' WILLIAM F.
HUMPHREY sunk by surface raider in position 05-37N, 00-35E at 2142. Two E boats
took part. (My 1235/28th July
refers)
VELOX, escorting BATORY, sailed
from Takoradi for Freetown.
Friday, 17th July
One Vichy French aircraft (Potez
63) carried out a reconnaissance over the vicinity of Bathurst and was engaged
by ground defences.
Senior Officer, Force F in
NELSON, with RODNEY, PATHFINDER,
DERWENT, and VIMY sailed from Freetown in compliance with Admiralty message 1915B/7.
ARMERIA sailed from Freetown,
escorting to the westward; and AUBRETIA to Bathurst.
WIVERN and BRILLIANT arrived at
Simonstown, sailing 18th July to
rejoin W.S. 20 when VIMY was detached and returned to Bathurst.
Saturday, 18th July
PENN and QUENTIN joined Force F.
BURDOCK and 3 M.L.s sailed from
Freetown to join O.S. 33.
Sunday, 19th July
Submerged submarine reported by
NELSON in position 15-34N, 20-14W, at 0131Z/19.
SNOWDROP returned at Freetown
from Marshall.
VELOX sailed from Freetown to
rendezvous with transport ORIBI and
escort her in, arriving 21st.
Monday, 20th July
O.S. 33 (9 ships) arrived,
escorted by PELICAN, ROTHER, SPEY, COMMANDANT DUBOC, and ARMERIA.
BOREAS left Pointe Noire and
arrived at Banana (Congo), sailing 22nd July escorting the Belgian Brigade in
THYSVILLE and LAFONIA to Lagos.
TAMARISK sailed from Freetown to
relieve CORINTHIAN escorting JOHN MACKAY, CORINTHIAN returning to Freetown.
Tuesday, 21st July
TAMARISK returned to Freetown with JOHN MACKAY, who later sailed escorted
by CORINTHIAN to work on cables off Takoradi.
CHESHIRE ordered by Commander in
Chief, South Atlantic
(n.b. page chopped).
Wednesday, 22nd July
United States' HONOLULAN
torpedoed and sunk in position 08-41N, 22-04W, at 1800. WOODRUFF sent to pick
up survivors.
COMMANDANT DROGOU sailed from
Freetown, escorting to westward.
AUBRETIA left Bathurst for St
Vincent.
Thursday, 23rd July
CILICIA arrived Freetown from
patrol.
A Hudson aircraft was reported as
having force landed in approximately 05-03N, 10-00W. RUMBA was ordered to
search, and located the aircraft on the beach two miles west of Marshall. Crew
were looked after by U.S. Army units.
A Sunderland aircraft dropped
rations and comforts for three boatloads of survivors from HONOLULAN. Survivors
(25) were picked up WOODRUFF soon after.
HOLLY sailed from Freetown to
dock at Lagos; and SPINDRIFT, EARL KITCHENER, and POSTBOY also sailed for
Lagos.
VIMY sailed from Bathurst to join
Convoy W.S. 21 P.
GARMULA torpedoed and sunk in
position 05-00N, 14-30W (approximately) at 1730. No distress signal was
received, but survivors were sighted and recovered by PICT on patrol at 0400/24th July.
A small number of German and
Italian prisoners of war escaped from S.S. CAMERONIA in Freetown harbour. 1 was
shot escaping, 1 was picked up from the water, and some if not all of the
remainder are believed to have drowned.
PHOEBE sailed from Freetown to
rendezvous for exercises with INDOMITABLE
in 01-15S, 07-55W at 0700Z/26th July.
LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, and LOOKOUT
arrived at Pointe Noire, fuelled, and sailed.
Friday, 24th July
COWSLIP and CROCUS arrived at
Trinidad.
COMMANDANT DETROYAT arrived at
Simonstown.
HYDRANGEA arrived Freetown.
COMMANDANT DUBOC sailed from
Freetown escorting to westward.
Saturday, 25th July
Convoy S.L. 117 (36 ships)
sailed, escorted by PELICAN, ROTHER, SPEY, ARMERIA, and TAMARISK.
BURDOCK arrived at Freetown, and
sailed to join the convoy at sea.
CILICIA sailed from Freetown for
patrol.
AUBRETIA left St Vincent to join
Convoy O.S. 34.
A Hudson aircraft attacked a U
boat on the surface in position 04-07N, 14-10W (My 1649Z, 23 refers). M.L.s 285
and 209 sent to assist in hunting.
S.S. TANK EXPRESS torpedoed in
position 10-05N, 21-31W.
LAERTES torpedoed and sunk by U
Boat in approximately 06-00N, 14-17W (My 1231Z/28 refers). 11 survivors picked
up by M.L. 302.
Sunday, 26th July
WOODRUFF ordered to resume search
for survivors from HONOLULAN in area 08-10N, 20-21W with aircraft cooperating.
FANDANGO relieved BOREAS as
escort to THYSVILLE and LAFONIA (Belgian Brigade), BOREAS proceeding to Lagos.
Portuguese S.S. CABO VERDE
arrived at Freetown, was examined and allowed to proceed the same day with Navicert for Lisbon.
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived
Bathurst, sailing 27th to join O.S.
34.
Monday, 27th July
Convoy W.S. 21P (5 ships) arrived
at Freetown, escorted by ORION, NEPAL, VIMY, and TJERK HIDDES.
COWSLIP and CROCUS left Trinidad
for St Thomas, arriving 28th July.
ASTURIAS and LARGS arrived St
Thomas.
BOREAS left Lagos for Freetown.
SNOWDROP left Freetown, escorting
RAPIDOL; BURDOCK and ARMERIA detached from S.L. 117 to escort ABBEYDALE.
United States' STELLA LYKES
torpedoed in position 06-40N, 25-05W.
Tuesday, 28th July
INDOMITABLE arrived Freetown,
escorted by Captain (D) 19 in LAFOREY, LOOKOUT, and LIGHTNING.
Wednesday, 29th July
WOODRUFF, after fuelling from
tanker with O.S. 34, proceeded to
rendezvous with eastbound tanker and
escorted her to Freetown.
Thursday, 30th July
Convoy O.S. 34 (9 ships) arrived,
escorted by FOLKESTONE, GORLESTON, ORISSA, and COMMANDANT DUBOC.
F.N.F.L. LEOPARD arrived Freetown
and sailed escorting HIGHLAND MONARCH to Bathurst.
S.S. DANMARK attacked by U Boat,
using torpedo and gunfire, and sunk in position 07-00N, 24-19W. All crew picked
up (My 1846Z/3 refers).
(n.b. no entry for 31st July).
Flag Officer in Charge, West
Africa
No. 1154/0129 dated 19th November 1942
Enclosure No. 1
FLAG OFFICER IN CHARGE, WEST AFRICA
WAR DIARY – AUGUST 1942
(Incorporating
all War Diaries rendered for August 1942 by subordinate authorities)
PART
1 – OPERATIONAL
Saturday, 1st August
INDOMITABLE, escorted by Captain
(D) 19 in LAFOREY, LOOKOUT, and LIGHTNING sailed.
HYDRANGEA escorting tankers for
the west sailed.
Convoy W.S. 19 P (n.b. pen correction to W.S. 21 P) (5
ships) escorted by ORION, BOREAS, NEPAL, TJERK HIDDES, and COMMANDANT DUBOC
sailed.
Cape ships from convoy O.S. 34
dispersed. TAMARISK and COMMANDANT DROGOU continued with Takoradi ships. VIMY returning to Freetown.
TEWERA sailed for Lagos.
Free French destroyer LEOPARD
sailed from Bathurst for Freetown.
Wellington aircraft made a forced
landing alongside M.L. 1044 at Bathurst; the crew was rescued.
Portuguese S.S. COLONIAL sailed
for Lisbon. Navicert granted.
Sunday, 2nd August
RAJPUTANA and H.M.I.S. KONKAN
arrived from Gibraltar.
VELOX escorted S.S. COLUMBIA to
join O.S.S. 34 and then proceeded to rendezvous with CHESHIRE to escort her to Freetown.
ASTURIAS with LARGS, COWSLIP, and CROCUS left St Thomas escorting floating dock
A.F.D. XXV in tow of two tugs.
VIMY carried out an attack on an
A/S contact 7-01N, 13-23W. No result, whales seen in vicinity next day.
S.S. RHESUS sighted a U boat
5-23N, 4-09E.
VELOX attacked U boat contact
6-57N, 14-07W.
Vichy convoy of 3 ships escorted
by A74 or A75 sighted 3-30N, 10-52W.
Monday, 3rd August
ALCANTARA relieved CORINTHIAN as
escort to cable ship JOHN MACKAY. CORINTHIAN proceeding to Takoradi.
VIMY and Free French destroyer
LEOPARD arrived.
POSTBOY, SPINDRIFT, EARL
KITCHENER, Yacht FOINHAVEN, tugs EMPIRE FAIRY, EMPIRE GOBLIN sailed from Lagos
for Walvis Bay.
S.S. HARRY LUCKENBACK sighted U
boat 00-14S, 07-09W.
Tuesday, 4th August
CHESHIRE escorted by VELOX
arrived.
Convoy S.L. 118 (36 ships)
escorted by FOLKESTONE, WELLINGTON, GORLESTON, and LEITH sailed.
VIMY sailed escorting S.T. 30A (3
ships) to the south.
WOODRUFF sailed to join O.S. 35.
Convoy O.S.S. 34 arrived Takoradi
escorted by TAMARISK and COMMANDANT DROGOU. TAMARISK left for Victoria. Extra
M/S sweep of approach channel, Freetown.
Wednesday, 5th August
Convoy S.T. 30 (6 ships) escorted
by RAJPUTANA, Free French destroyer LEOPARD, and ORISSA sailed.
COMMANDANT DUBOC joined S.W. 21P.
KONKAN sailed to the westward on
escort duty, thence to the Cape via Takoradi.
CHESHIRE sailed for U.K.
U boat sighted on surface by
Hudson aircraft in 4-45N, 4-31W. (my 1417Z/5 refers).
Nine prisoners of war escaped
from S.S. AQUITANIA. 6 recovered, 3 possibly drowned.
Meeting of Port Security
Committee to regulate canoe traffic in harbour and around ships and wharves at
Lagos.
ALCANTARA handed over escort of
cable ship JOHN MACKAY to CARADOC and proceeded northward.
Aircraft sighted three Vichy
merchant vessels 10-13N, 15-52W.
Thursday, 6th August
BOREAS left W.S. 21P to proceed
to St Helena.
ORISSA sailed for Marshall.
HYDRANGEA dispersed tankers and
proceeded to Freetown escorting S.S. SAN MELITO.
SNOWDROP escorting R.F.A. RAPIDOL
joined by NEPAL and TJERK HIDDES.
ARMERIA escorting R.F.A.
ABBEYDALE met Fleet Units. ABBEYDALE commenced oiling escorts.
Friday, 7th August
TAMARISK arrived Victoria and
left escorting for Lagos.
BOREAS arrived St Helena.
WOODRUFF joined O.S. 35.
One boat of survivors from S.S.
ELMWOOD torpedoed on 27th July in
position 5-13N, 23-27W arrived Freetown.
Saturday, 8th August
SNOWDROP, NEPAL, TJERK HIDDES and
R.F.A. RAPIDOL arrived St Helena. Escorts and BOREAS fuelled from RAPIDOL. NEPAL
and TJERK HIDDES sailed on completion. SNOWDROP and R.F.A. RAPIDOL sailed for
Freetown and BOREAS to join MALAYA and QUEEN ELIZABETH. BOREAS towed target for
Military at St Helena.
VIMY arrived Freetown.
TEWERA arrived Lagos.
VELOX sailed from Freetown
escorting to the west.
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES
detached from O.S. 35 to proceed to Freetown.
Portuguese S.S. ANGOLA arrived
Freetown for examination.
Sunday, 9th August
CORINTHIAN attacked A/S contact
in 5-58N, 1-26W, available craft sent from Takoradi to search area. No result.
TAMARISK arrived Lagos and sailed
for Takoradi escorting.
BOREAS joined and VIMY sailed
from Freetown to join MALAYA and QUEEN ELIZABETH,
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES and
HYDRANGEA arrived.
O.S. 35 split, WOODRUFF, ERNE,
and SANDWICH escorting Southern Portion.
M.L. 305 returned from escort in
tow – water in petrol.
Portuguese S.S. ANGOLA granted
Navicert sailed for Funchal and Lisbon.
S.S. DALHOUSIE sent out RRRR and
reported being attacked in 20-21S, 24-44W.
S.S. MALMANGER torpedoed 7-13N,
26-00W.
S.S. MENDENAU torpedoed 4-45N,
18-00W, rafts with survivors landed
at Robertsport.
M.L. 301 blew up whilst on escort
duty, 15 survivors brought into Freetown, 3 missing.
Monday, 10th August
O.S. 35 (18 ships) escorted by
ROCHESTER, LEITH, SANDWICH, ERNE, and CHALLENGER. W.S. 21 (12 ships) escorted
by HAWKINS, RANPURA, PETARD, CATTERICK, and VELOX arrived Freetown.
Dutch submarine O.24 arrived.
CORINTHIAN arrived Takoradi.
ALCANTARA arrived St Helena to
make good engine defect and sailed for Ascension.
PAN aircraft sighted submarine
three miles from shore between Lome and Anecho, and another 20 degrees off
Accra.
Tuesday, 11th August
S.S.
MIRLO torpedoed 06-04N, 26-50W.
TAMARISK arrived Takoradi and
sailed for Lagos.
BURDOCK and ARMERIA escorting
ABBEYDALE arrived Gibraltar.
CHALLENGER sailed for the Cape.
Forty survivors from S.S. STELLA
LYKES arrived Bathurst in Portuguese S.S. MARIA AMELIA.
Wednesday, 12th August
...tankers....arrived Freetown to
replenish...(n.b. page chopped)
T.S. 14 escorted by CORINTHIAN
and COMMANDANT DROGOU sailed from Takoradi.
Cape ships of O.S.S. 35
dispersed. WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES returned to Freetown.
RANPURA, HYDRANGEA, and VELOX
sailed.
I left Freetown by air for
Takoradi, Accra, and Lagos to visit the Naval establishments at Takoradi and
Lagos, and to attend the second meeting of the West Africa War Council at
Accra.
Thursday, 13th August
MALAYA, QUEEN ELIZABETH, BOREAS,
and VIMY arrived.
COMMANDANT DROGOU detached from
T.S. 14 to join VELOX and RANPURA.
TAMARISK arrived Lagos for
docking.
Life boat marked S.S. HONOLULAN
towed into Bathurst.
S.S. CRIPPLE CREEK torpedoed in
position 4-55N, 18-30W, survivors picked up by ST WISTAN.
Friday, 14th August
S.L. 119 (28 ships) sailed,
escorted by ROCHESTER, LEITH, ERNE, and SANDWICH.
COMMANDANT DROGOU relieved VELOX
as escort to RANPURA to Takoradi. VELOX joined T.S. 14.
KONKAN arrived Freetown.
HYDRANGEA arrived Bathurst.
S.S. SYLVIA DE LARRINAGA
torpedoed in position 10-49N, 33-35W.
ALCANTARA arrived Ascension. During
stay, she stood off at night, returning by day.
Saturday, 15th August
W.S. 21 (12 ships) sailed,
escorted by HAWKINS, PETARD, and CATTERICK.
SNOWDROP and R.F.A. RAPIDOL
joined T.S. 14.
WIVERN parted company with RAMILLIES to oil at St Helena.
HYDRANGEA left Bathurst to join
O.S. 36.
RANPURA and COMMANDANT DROGOU
arrived Takoradi.
Floating Dock A.F.D. XXV having
broke its back, was abandoned and set on fire, escort proceeding to Freetown.
Sunday, 16th August
B.O.A.C. pilot sighted U boat
approximately 50 miles north of Port
Gentil.
WIVERN refuelled at St Helena and
rejoined RAMILLIES, when BRILLIANT went to refuel at St Helena and rejoined
same day.
CROCUS, part of escort to A.F.D.
XXV, left ASTURIAS to rendezvous with tanker
MARZA and escort to Freetown.
VELOX detached from T.S. 14 to
search for survivors.
Monday, 17th August
ST WISTAN arrived Freetown with fifty one survivors from S.S. CRIPPLE
CREEK.
Sunderland reported to Bathurst
as having forced landed between Gambia Float and 200 miles west.
Tuesday, 18th August
S.T. 31 (13 ships) sailed from
Freetown, escorted by ST WISTAN, MORRIS DANCE, and 3 M.L.s.
PHILANTE detached from O.S. 36 to
search for survivors from Sunderland.
O.S. 36 split. WOODRUFF sailed
from Freetown to escort southern portion with HYDRANGEA.
BOREAS picked up fifteen
survivors from ST MIRLO.
VELOX abandoned search for
survivors and escorted S.S. CORACERO to Freetown.
FISHGUARD arrived Freetown.
O.S. 36 (5 ships) arrived,
escorted by EGRET and BANFF.
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived Lagos
and left for Takoradi.
Wednesday, 19th August
Vichy convoy of two merchant
vessels escorted by A 7 sighted in position 12-43N, 16-59W.
T.S. 14 (8 ships) escorted by
CORINTHIAN and SNOWDROP arrived Freetown.
VELOX and PHILANTE arrived
Freetown
BOREAS abandoned search for
survivors and proceeded to rendezvous with
VICEROY OF INDIA.
ALCANTARA left Ascension.
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES
sailed Freetown, escorting to the west.
Thursday, 20th August
Aircraft reported U Boat in
position 4-45N, 3-15W.
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived
Takoradi and sailed for Lagos.
BURDOCK and ARMERIA escorting
R.F.A. ABBEYDALE sailed from Gibraltar to rendezvous with QUEEN ELIZABETH.
CANNA carried out three attacks
on submarine with which she had
collided, in position 7-41N, 14-03W.
Friday, 21st August
VELOX reported submarine in
position 7-29N, 14-52W. S.S. CITY OF WELLINGTON torpedoed in this position,
VELOX picked up survivors.
VANSITTART arrived Bathurst from
Gibraltar.
RAMILLIES, WIVERN, and BRILLIANT
arrived Freetown.
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived Lagos
with defects.
Saturday, 22nd August
Portuguese S.S. CONGO arrived for
examination and navicert, sailing for Funchal and Lisbon.
ASTURIAS, LARGS, PATHFINDER,
QUENTIN, COWSLIP and VELOX and QUEEN ELIZABETH arrived.
CANNA arrived with survivors from Swedish ship.
I arrived at Freetown by air
after completion of visits in Gold Coast and Nigeria.
Sunday, 23rd August
BOREAS and HYDRANGEA arrived
Freetown.
MALAYA and RAMILLIES sailed
escorted by WIVERN, BRILLIANT, BOREAS, and VELOX.
WOODRUFF parted company with O.S.S. 36 and joined T.S. 15.
ALCANTARA investigating report of
enemy supply ships and U boats, LEOPARD did not make rendezvous as instructed,
and ALCANTARA left the area to rendezvous with ORESTES and proceed to Freetown.
Monday, 24th August
S.L. 120 (20 ships) sailed
escorted by EGRET, PHILANTE, FISHGUARD, and BANFF.
VELOX, VIMY, CROCUS arrived
Freetown.
LARGS sailed for Bathurst.
VANSITTART sailed from Bathurst
to rendezvous with MALAYA and
RAMILLIES.
S.S. GUINEA arrived Bathurst from
Bissao with nineteen survivors from S.S.
ELMWOOD and one from S.S. STELLA LYKES.
Tuesday, 25th August
S.S. VIKING STAR torpedoed in
position 6-00N, 14-00W.
QUEEN ELIZABETH sailed escorted by PATHFINDER,
QUENTIN, and VIMY.
BOREAS left MALAYA and arrived
Bathurst, left same day to join O.S. 37.
Wednesday, 26th August
Portuguese S.S. MOUZINHO arrived
Freetown for examination and coal.
S.S. BEECHWOOD torpedoed in
position 5-30N, 14-04W. Master taken prisoner, survivors picked up by R.F.A.
FORTOL and brought to Freetown.
ASTURIAS sailed from Freetown for
patrol.
SNOWDROP sailed from Freetown
escorting to Trinidad.
Having been relieves as escort to
MALAYA and RAMILLIES, WIVERN and BRILLIANT proceeded to Bathurst and VANSITTART
to Freetown.
Thursday, 27th August
BRILLIANT and LARGS arrived
Bathurst.
Friday, 28th August
Portuguese S.S. MOUZINHO,
examination completed, sailed Freetown for Funchal, Casablanca, and Lisbon.
T.S. 15 (9 ships) escorted by
WOODRUFF and four M.L.s arrived Freetown.
U.S. Aircraft sighted a U boat in
position 2-47S, 8-53W.
Departures Bathurst, LARGS to
join S.L. 120, BRILLIANT for Freetown.
BOREAS arrived Freetown from O.S.
37.
COMMANDANT DROGOU left Lagos for
Douala.
Saturday, 29th August
S.T. 32 (9 ships) escorted by
BOREAS, VELOX, and four M.L.s sailed from Freetown.
O.S. 37 (11 ships) escorted by
LONDONDERRY, SWALE, BIDEFORD, HASTINGS, and LANDGUARD arrived Freetown.
Sunday, 30th August
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES and
BRILLIANT arrived Freetown.
ANTELOPE arrived Bathurst from
Gibraltar to join Station.
Monday, 31st August
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived Douala.
WIVERN arrived Freetown.
COWSLIP sailed from Freetown.
Flag Officer in Charge, West
Africa
No. 1155/0129 dated 19th November 1942
Enclosure No. 1
FLAG OFFICER IN CHARGE, WEST AFRICA
WAR DIARY – SEPTEMBER 1942
(Incorporating
all War Diaries rendered for September 1942 by subordinate authorities)
PART
1 – OPERATIONAL
Tuesday, 1st September
S.S. ILORIN torpedoed off
Winneba. Five African survivors landed Legu.
M.L. 261 left Freetown for
Sherbro River to collect survivors.
BRILLIANT and CROCUS sailed from
Freetown, escorting.
Greek destroyer PINDOS arrived
Freetown from Bathurst.
AVON VALE and DERWENT arrived
Bathurst for fuel, AVON VALE sailed same day.
ST WISTAN arrived Takoradi.
Air raid practice carried out at
Lagos.
ASTURIAS joined CARNARVON CASTLE
who proceeded to patrol in company in Areas I35 (A) and (B)
Wednesday, 2nd September
S.S. OCEAN MIST torpedoed in
position 00-57N, 04-11W.
I left Freetown with three staff officers by air for Natal,
travelling by R.A.F. Sunderland to Fisherman's Lake, Liberia, and thence by
P.A.A. Clipper. The object of this visit was to confer with Rear Admiral Jonas H. Ingram, United States' Navy, then commanding
Task Force 23, United States' Fleet, employed in the South Atlantic. A full report of the meeting was rendered in my
submission 839/016 of 17th September
1942.
M.L. 261 returned to Freetown
from Sherbro River with survivors.
M.L. 1066 left Bathurst for
Bissao, Portuguese Guinea, to collect five survivors from Sunderland aircraft.
DERWENT sailed from Bathurst.
RUMBA arrived Takoradi and ST
WISTAN sailed.
ARRAN sailed from Lagos escorting
two tankers.
Thursday, 3rd September
S.L. 121 (28 ships) escorted by
LONDONDERRY, LANDGUARD, HASTINGS, BIDEFORD, COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES, and
SWALE left Freetown.
CROCUS parted company with MORETON BAY and returned to Freetown.
Greek destroyer PINDOS sailed
from Freetown to rendezvous with T.S.
16 and proceed with LAFONIA to
Bathurst.
DERWENT and AVON VALE arrived
Freetown from Gibraltar and Bathurst.
COMMANDANT DROGOU left Douala for
Lagos.
VELOX arrived Takoradi with S.T. 32 and sailed for Congo River.
BOREAS met S.S. JAMES PARKER and
escorted her to Freetown.
ST WISTAN arrived Takoradi, and
RUMBA sailed.
Friday, 4th September
M.L.s 1209 and 1089 joined from
U.K. by freight.
WOODRUFF sailed from Freetown,
escorting.
BOREAS arrived.
Complete blackout enforced in
Takoradi harbour area as a result of reports of submarines in the vicinity.
Saturday, 5th September
S.S. MYRMIDON torpedoed in
position 00-27N, 06-10W. One hundred and sixteen crew and one hundred and
twenty nine passengers taken on board BRILLIANT.
R.A.F. reported submarine in
position 13-30N, 17-10W. ANTELOPE left Bathurst to investigate and join W.S.
22.
Greek destroyer PINDOS arrived
Bathurst.
SOUTHERN PRIDE escorting Cable
ship LADY DENISON PENDER left Capetown for Takoradi via St Helena.
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived Lagos.
WIVERN and VANSITTART sailed from
Freetown to rendezvous with FORMIDABLE.
M.L. 1066 returned to Bathurst
from Bissao with five survivors from
Sunderland aircraft.
RUMBA and HOLLY arrived Takoradi.
ST WISTAN sailed.
Independent sailings eastwards
from Takoradi suspended by F.O.I.C. West Africa.
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived Lagos
and POLAR V sailed for Takoradi.
Sunday, 6th September
S.S. TUSCAN STAR torpedoed in
position 1-39N, 11-34W. One boatload of survivors picked up on 9th September, two boats unaccounted for.
VANSITTART attacked possible
submarine contact in position 7-12N, 14-01W.
CROCUS arrived Freetown.
WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT
D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Bathurst.
AVON VALE sailed from Freetown
escorting to the south.
COWSLIP arrived Freetown having
failed to meet tanker DAPHNELLA.
PINDOS left Bathurst to join W.S.
22.
Monday, 7th September
Wellington aircraft Marshall to
Takoradi reported two submarines in position 04-40N, 02-45W an 04-40N, 02-35W,
steering west.
Vichy convoy sighted by aircraft
in position 3-38N, 11-29W, course 094 degrees, 10 knots, consisting of 4 ships
escorted by A72.
O.S.38 (12 ships) escorted by
ENCHANTRESS, WALNEY, HARTLAND, and ABERDEEN arrived Freetown.
S.T. 33 (6 ships) escorted by
CROCUS, tug FAVOURITE, and 4 M.L.s sailed from Freetown.
WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT
D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES left Bathurst, escorting to Freetown.
COWSLIP arrived Freetown and
sailed to overtake S.T. 33.
BURDOCK and SNOWDROP arrived
Trinidad.
RUMBA and HOLLY left Takoradi;
POLAR V arrived.
Tuesday, 8th September
Aircraft reported submarine in
position 14-19N, 18-10W.
FORMIDABLE, escorted by WIVERN
and VANSITTART arrived Freetown.
M.L.s 1147 and 1160 joined from
U.K. by freight.
CLARE arrived Freetown from
escorting S.T. 33.
VELOX arrived Banana and proceeded
to Ango Ango to fuel.
BRILLIANT arrived Pointe Noire.
AVON VALE dispersed convoy at
dusk and proceeded to rendezvous with S.T.
33.
PICT arrived Takoradi, and POLAR
V sailed.
Wednesday, 9th September
W.S. 22 (20 ships), escorted by
AURORA, CARTHAGE, PARTRIDGE, QUIBERON, ANTELOPE, and PINDOS arrived Freetown.
FORMIDABLE, escorted by WIVERN
and VANSITTART sailed from Freetown.
BRILLIANT left Pointe Noire for
Banana, and sailed for Lagos.
PATHFINDER, QUENTIN, and SNOWDROP
left Trinidad for Freetown.
WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT
D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Freetown from Bathurst
COMMANDANT DROGOU left Lagos for
Freetown via Takoradi.
ASTURIAS parted company with CARNARVON CASTLE and proceeded to
Freetown.
CARNARVON CASTLE patrolling in
area H.34 (c) and (d).
Thursday, 10th September
S.T. 34 (5 ships) escorted by
WOODRUFF and COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Freetown.
ARMERIA arrived Freetown.
Friday, 11th September
S.T. 35 (4 ships) escorted by
CORINTHIAN and HYDRANGEA sailed from Freetown.
AVON VALE and CROCUS left O.S.S.
38 to return to Freetown.
WIVERN and VANSITTART left
FORMIDABLE and proceeded to Bathurst.
PETUNIA left Gibraltar for
Freetown.
(n.b.
page chopped. Last line unreadable)
Saturday, 12th September
S.S. LACONIA torpedoed in
position 05-05S, 11-35W.
S.S. LURIA torpedoed 02-35N,
11-22W. ANTELOPE picked up thirty survivors on 15th September.
S.S. TREVILLY torpedoed in
position 04-54S, 07-40W. Sunk by gunfire.
Pan American aircraft sighted
submarine 04-35N, 06-30W.
HOLLY arrived Freetown from
docking at Lagos.
TAMARISK left Lagos for Takoradi.
VANSITTART and WIVERN arrived
Bathurst.
PICT sailed from Takoradi.
Sunday, 13th September
W.S. 22 (21 ships) escorted by
AURORA, ALCANTARA, PARTRIDGE, QUIBERON, PINDOS, DERWENT, ANTELOPE, and BOREAS
sailed from Freetown.
COWSLIP arrived Takoradi with S.T. 33.
BRILLIANT and VELOX arrived Lagos
with transports.
SOUTHERN PRIDE escorting LADY
DENISON PENDER arrived St Helena.
TAMARISK arrived Takoradi.
AVON VALE arrived Freetown.
Monday, 14th September
S.S. BREEDIJK torpedoed in
position 04-08S, 08-36W. CORINTHIAN picked up thirteen survivors on 18th September; three more boats with thirty seven men missing.
B.O.A.C. flying boat CLARE caught
fire in the air, in position 14-20N, 17-34W. H.M. ships and aircraft sent to
search, also authorities at Dakar asked to search an area within twenty five
miles of Dakar. An M.L. recovered six bodies in deflated dinghy and two bags of
diplomatic mail on 17th September.
S.L. 122 (33 ships) escorted by
ENCHANTRESS, WALNEY, ABERDEEN, and CLARE sailed from Freetown.
CROCUS arrived Freetown.
VANSITTART left Bathurst for
Gibraltar and WIVERN to search for survivors of B.O.A.C. CLARE.
FANDANGO sailed from Lagos with L.T. 12 and PICT arrived.
Tuesday, 15th September
Hudson aircraft sighted periscope
293 degrees Cape Sierra Leone 65 miles.
Aircraft landed Accra sighted U
boat in position 00-40N, 5-15S.
Aircraft sighted large submarine
14-08N, 17-38W.
American aircraft sighted two U
boats 04-40S, 11-00W.
Aircraft sighted three Vichy
merchant vessels and one destroyer in position 11-00N, 17-47W.
HARTLAND sailed from Freetown to
overtake S.L. 122.
SOUTHERN PRIDE escorting LADY
DENISON PENDER sailed from St Helena for Takoradi.
TAMARISK left Takoradi for
Banana.
ANTELOPE left W.S. 22 for
Freetown and BOREAS for Takoradi.
WIVERN abandoned search for
B.O.A.C. CLARE and joined O.S. 39.
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES
arrived Freetown.
Wednesday, 16th September
U.S. Aircraft reported U boat in position
4-00S, 11-40W with fifty persons on
deck, and surrounded by four life boats with sixty people in each. Plane wirelessed U.S. Authorities who
instructed plane to sink U boat; plane returned, U boat alone, dropped four depth charges and saw U boat belly upwards.
Portuguese S.S. LOURENCO MARQUES
arrived Freetown for examination and navicerting.
I returned to Freetown with my S.O. (I) and S.O. M./M.S. from
Natal, South America.
HYDRANGEA detached from S.T. 35
to proceed to Forcados.
CORINTHIAN arrived Takoradi with S.T. 35 and then proceeded to search
for survivors of S.S. LACONIA torpedoed off Ascension on 12th September.
CROCUS sailed Freetown escorting.
BOREAS and FANDANGO arrived
Takoradi; COWSLIP sailed.
BRILLIANT and VELOX left Lagos
escorting transports to Takoradi.
Dutch submarine O.21 arrived
Freetown for Gibraltar.
Thursday, 17th September
Aircraft sighted periscope in
position 13-28N, 17-38W.
American aircraft sighted U boat
in position 04-50S, 12-22W. Aircraft released two bombs and two 350 lb. Depth charges from 1500 feet. Two bombs
struck stem and two directly on top. Aircraft circled position for forty
minutes; oil, but no further results notes. U boat believed to have been sunk
or badly damaged.
Aircraft sighted Vichy convoy of
seven merchant vessels in position 13-48N, 18-15W.
Portuguese S.S. LOURENCO MARQUES
granted Navicert, sailed for Funchal and Lisbon.
SOUTHERN GEM escorting Dutch
submarine sailed from Capetown for Freetown.
CROCUS, COMMANDANT DROGOU, and
WOODRUFF arrived Freetown.
BRILLIANT and VELOX arrived
Takoradi.
BOREAS and FANDANGO left Takoradi
for Lagos escorting.
Friday, 18th September
U.S. Aircraft sighted Vichy
cruiser and destroyer in position 2-00S, 13-00W, which may have been picking up
survivors (Italian prisoners) from LACONIA.
O.S. 39 (6 ships) escorted by
PELICAN, WIVERN, SENNEN, FOLKESTONE arrived Freetown.
BRILLIANT left Takoradi to
investigate D/F bearing and returned same day, sailing again with VELOX for Freetown escorting
transports.
WELLINGTON arrived Bathurst
escorting R.F.A. DEVON CITY.
CORINTHIAN picked up survivors
from S.S. BREEDIJK.
ANTELOPE arrived Freetown.
HYDRANGEA arrived Lagos.
S.T. 36 (7 ships) escorted by
WOODRUFF, ARMERIA, and CROCUS sailed from Freetown.
S.S. TALISMAN landed eighteen
survivors from U.S.S. CALIFORNIA at Takoradi who were picked up in position
7-45N, 26-35W.
CARTHAGE joined CARNARVON CASTLE
on patrol.
Saturday, 19th September
S.S. QUEBEC CITY torpedoed in
position 2-12S, 17-26W.
RUMBA arrived Freetown from
Monrovia with survivors.
CORINTHIAN commenced search for
survivors of LACONIA.
PETUNIA arrived Freetown from
Gibraltar.
BOREAS and FANDANGO arrived
Lagos, harbour congested.
Sunday, 20th September
U.S. aircraft sighted submarine
in position 00-04N, 06-12W.
HYDRANGEA left Lagos escorting
L.T. 15 to Takoradi.
AURORA, QUIBERON, and PARTRIDGE
having left W.S. 22 arrived Pointe Noire for fuel and thence to Freetown.
SOUTHERN PRIDE escorting cable
ship LADY DENISON PENDER arrived Takoradi. LADY DENISON PENDER had survivors
from S.S. VIMEIRA, sunk on 11th August
in position 9-20N, 28-30W, and S.S. SYLVIA DE LARRINAGA, sunk on 14th August. VIMEIRA's survivors were
picked up by SYLVIA LARRINAGA on 12th August,
who were in turn picked up by S.S. SIRANGER on 11th September and transferred to LADY DENISON PENDER on 19th September. SOUTHERN PRIDE picked up
two lifeboats (no survivors) from S.S. MYRMIDON in position 3-35N, 1-31W.
ST WISTAN arrived Takoradi.
FANDANGO sailed from Lagos for
Accra and Takoradi.
Monday, 21st September
U.S. Aircraft sighted U boat 8
miles south of Grand Popo.
L.S. 7 (6 ships) escorted by
COWSLIP and one M.L. arrived Freetown.
M.L. 244 broke down at sea, water
in petrol, and was towed into Freetown by a tug.
BOREAS left Lagos for Pointe
Noire. H.M. Netherlands Ship SUMATRA, DECOY and GRIFFIN arrived and sailed same
day for Freetown.
TAMARISK arrived Banana.
COWSLIP arrived Freetown.
CORINTHIAN arrived Ascension and
sailed with a small convoy for
Freetown.
Tuesday, 22nd September
SOUTHERN PRIDE escorting LADY
DENISON PENDER left Takoradi to mend Accra cable and proceed Freetown.
HYDRANGEA arrived Takoradi.
ANTELOPE sailed Freetown
escorting to the West.
I arrived back in Freetown by air
from Ascension via Accra after my visit with Rear Admiral Jonas H. Ingram, United States' Navy.
Wednesday, 23rd September
S.S. BRUYERE torpedoed in
position 4-55N, 17-16W.
T.S. 19 (3 ships) escorted by
VELOX and BRILLIANT and 7 tankers escorted by PATHFINDER, QUENTIN, and SNOWDROP
arrived Freetown.
S.L. 123 (28 ships) escorted by
PELICAN, AVON VALE, FOLKESTONE, SENNEN, and COWSLIP sailed from Freetown.
WOODRUFF and ARMERIA from O.S.S.
39 joined CORINTHIAN.
BOREAS arrived Pointe Noire.
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES
sailed Freetown escorting Dutch submarine O.21 to Pointe Noire.
HYDRANGEA left Takoradi for
Lagos; ARRAN and FANDANGO arrived.
TAMARISK left Banana for Pointe
Noire.
Thursday, 24th September
BOREAS left Pointe Noire for
Matadi and TAMARISK arrived.
PATHFINDER and QUENTIN sailed
Freetown for Gibraltar.
COWSLIP left S.L. 123 to tow
Sunderland to Freetown.
FANDANGO and ARRAN left Takoradi.
R.A.F. Takoradi sighted Vichy
sloop A.72 anchored off Port Bouet, who fired upon aircraft.
HYDRANGEA arrived Lagos.
Friday, 25th September
ANTELOPE rendezvoused with O.S. 40 and escorted S.S. ROSEWOOD to
Bathurst.
WIVERN sailed from Freetown to
rendezvous with CORFU and C.F. 5
Tug AIMWELL took over tow of
Sunderland from COWSLIP who proceeded to join O.S. 40.
CROCUS arrived Recife.
Dutch cruiser SUMATRA, DECOY, and
GRIFFIN arrived Freetown.
AVON VALE left S.L. 123 to join
O.S. 40.
HYDRANGEA and SKUDD VI left Lagos
for Takoradi with L.T. 16.
BOREAS arrived Matadi.
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived
Marshall.
ST WISTAN sailed from Lagos.
Saturday, 26th September
PARTRIDGE and ARMERIA arrived
Freetown.
ARRAN and FANDANGO arrived Lagos.
Sunday, 27th September
SOUTHERN PRIDE escorting LADY
DENISON PENDER, joined T.S. 20.
AMARANTHUS left Capetown for
Freetown via Pointe Noire escorting ROBERTS.
WIVERN joined C.F.5 escorted by
CORFU.
CROCUS left Recife for Freetown.
HYDRANGEA and SKUDD VI arrived
Takoradi; former sailed for Lagos.
QUIBERON arrived Freetown, also
CORINTHIAN and WOODRUFF with Ascension
convoy.
O.S. 40 (9 ships) escorted by
WESTON, TOTLAND, HYDERABAD, and HONEYSUCKLE arrived Freetown.
PARTRIDGE and ARMERIA sailed from
Freetown escorting to the north.
Monday, 28th September
Vichy Aircraft, considered Glenn
Martin, made reconnaissance of Jeswang, Bathurst; A/A engaged, no result.
Hudson aircraft sighted periscope
wake in position 11-18N, 17-46W.
Wellington aircraft sighted U
boat on surface at 14-30N, 17-53W.
Hurricane aircraft sighted two U
boats in position 14-02N, 17-05W.
PETUNIA sailed from Freetown for
Marshall.
TAMARISK arrived Lagos.
MILFORD left Rio de Janeiro for
Freetown.
AVON VALE and COWSLIP arrived
Freetown.
SUMATRA and QUIBERON sailed from
Freetown for Bathurst.
Tuesday, 29th September
S.S. EMPIRE AVOCET torpedoed in
position 05-11N, 12-43W.
Aircraft sighted Vichy A72,
Bougainville class, in position 05-59N, 01-46E, course 060 degrees, 13 knots.
S.T. 37 (14 ships) escorted by
WOODRUFF sailed from Freetown.
CARTHAGE escorted by WIVERN
detached from C.F.5 arrived Freetown.
BOREAS left Matadi for Lagos.
PETUNIA picked up survivors from
S.S. BRUYERE and returned to Freetown.
ANTELOPE sailed from Bathurst to
join PARTRIDGE and ARMERIA.
GRIFFIN and DECOY sailed from
Freetown for Bathurst.
HYDRANGEA arrived Lagos to dock.
Wednesday, 30th September
S.S. SIAM II torpedoed in
position 3-05N, 15-46W.
T.S. 20 (9 ships) escorted by
SOUTHERN PRIDE and 4 M.L.s arrived Freetown.
PARTRIDGE and ANTELOPE arrived
Bathurst.
DECOY parted company with GRIFFIN and proceeded south to reported position of submarine,
transferred survivors of S.S. QUEBEC CITY from Aldecoa, recovered survivors
from S.S. BRUYERE and returned to Freetown.
PETUNIA with defects and AVON VALE arrived Freetown.
SUMATRA and QUIBERON arrived
Bathurst, and left with PARTRIDGE
for Gibraltar.
SNOWDROP sailed from Freetown for
Marshall.
WIVERN and VELOX escorting C.F. 5
sailed from Freetown.
DRAGON left Marshall for
Takoradi.
TAMARISK left Lagos for Takoradi
with L.T. 17.
Independent sailings between
Takoradi and Lagos resumed on instructions of R.A.W.A.
ARRAN arrived Lagos; FANDANGO
sailed for escort duty.
Enclosure No. 1
FLAG OFFICER IN CHARGE, WEST AFRICA
WAR DIARY – OCTOBER 1942
(Incorporating
all War Diaries rendered for October 1942 by subordinate authorities)
PART
1 – OPERATIONAL
Thursday, 1st October
H.M.S. AVON VALE sailed from
Freetown for Pointe Noire and H.M.S. DECOY arrived from Bathurst.
Dutch Cruiser SUMATRA with H.M.S. QUIBERON and H.M.S. PARTRIDGE
joined H.M.S. GRIFFIN and H.M.S. ANTELOPE who were escorting EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA and ORION. GRIFFIN and ANTELOPE subsequently parted company to join
convoy C.F. 5.
A Hudson aircraft attacked a
"U
boat" with depth charges in position 3-35N, 07-30W.
S.S. BARON OGILVY (3391 G.T.)
torpedoed in position 2-30N, 14-30W.
One U boat sighted in position
01-06N, 04-53W and two more in position 00-45N, 03-53W.
H.M.S. SNAKEFLY sailed from Lagos
for Freetown on completion of repairs.
Friday, 2nd October
H.M.S. SNOWDROP arrived Marshall
to screen ships unloading.
GRIFFIN and ANTELOPE joined
Convoy C.F. 5, but latter was subsequently detached to escort HAI LEE to
Bathurst.
H.M.S. TAMARISK arrived Takoradi
from Lagos.
F.S. COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE
D'ORVES arrived Pointe Noire.
H.M.S. CORINTHIAN and H.M.S.
COWSLIP sailed Freetown for Ascension Island on escorting duties and were
joined by SNOWDROP from Marshall.
H.M.S. ASTURIAS sailed from
Freetown for patrol accompanied by H.M.S. BRILLIANT to intercept Spanish MONTE
GURUGU.
CHRISTIAN HUYGENS escorted by
H.M.S. BOREAS arrived Takoradi.
H.M. Tug PRUDENT and Netherlands
submarine O 21 arrived and sailed Point Noire on passage to the Cape.
Saturday, 3rd October
Convoy S.L. 124 (25 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by H.M. Ships WESTON, TOTLAND, DECOY, HONEYSUCKLE, and
HYDERABAD.
H.M.S. AVONVALE joined convoy
S.T. 37 which arrived Takoradi with H.M.S.
WOODRUFF and F.S. COMMANDANT DROGOU. AVON VALE subsequently sailed from
Takoradi for Point Noire.
H.M.S. SOUTHERN GEM with Netherlands submarine K 15 arrived Freetown
from the Cape.
CHRISTIAN HUYGENS escorted by
BOREAS sailed Takoradi for Lagos with Belgian
Brigade from Matadi.
GRIFFIN parted company with Convoy C.F. 5 to proceed to Bathurst.
COWSLIP parted company with CORINTHIAN being relieved by SNOWDROP
and returned to Freetown.
H.M.S. ROYAL SOVEREIGN, H.M.S.
DUNCAN, and H.M.S. ANTHONY arrived Freetown from the Cape.
One Vichy convoy of 4 ships,
escorted by Sloop A.75 sighted in position 04-16N, 08-09W. Course 053 degrees,
speed 10 knots, sighted by aircraft on patrol. Another Vichy convoy of 4 ships
escorted by one sloop and one submarine in position 16-03N, 17-20W. Course 360
degrees, speed 10 knots, was sighted by an aircraft.
H.M.S. COPINSAY and H.M.S.
SNAKEFLY and M.L.s 244, 305, and 290 arrived Takoradi.
H.M.S. SKUDD VI carried out
"L"
and "S.A." search of Q.C.B. 116 at Takoradi with negative result.
Sunday, 4th October
(n.b.
top of page chopped)....sailed for Freetown.
H.M.S. Ships WIVERN and VELOX
parted company with Convoy C.F. 5
and proceeded to Bathurst.
COWSLIP recovered survivors from
EMPIRE AVOCET.
CROCUS arrived Freetown and
GRIFFIN arrived Bathurst.
WOODRUFF sailed Takoradi
escorting SILVER WILLOW to Freetown.
Vichy French S.S. ST BRIETAL
sighted by aircraft off Tabou.
Aircraft reported sighting one
destroyer escorting an 8000 ton merchant vessel in position 14-23N, 17-50W.
AVON VALE sailed from Takoradi.
BOREAS escorting CHRISTIAN
HUYGENS arrived Lagos, where 2455 troops were disembarked.
H.M.S. FANDANGO arrived River
Congo and sailed escorting ALEXANDRE ANDRE to Takoradi.
Monday, 5th October
ANTELOPE sailed Bathurst
escorting ROSEWOOD to join convoy S.L. 124. After making rendezvous with this convoy she proceeded to Freetown
with LAFONIA.
DECOY parted company with Convoy S.L. 124 and proceeded to
Bathurst.
COWSLIP arrived Freetown
subsequently sailing in company with CROCUS
to hunt a U boat.
BOREAS escorting CHRISTIAN
HUYGENS sailed Lagos for Takoradi.
PETUNIA attacked by U boat and
missed by five torpedoes. (German's claimed sinking U.S.S. MISSISSIPPI at same
time and place.)
American aircraft sighted one U
boat in position 3-18N, 2-52W an another in position 02-10N, 20-10W.
H.M.S. CARNARVON CASTLE made
rendezvous with ASTURIAS before
proceeding with BRILLIANT to
Freetown.
Tuesday, 6th October
SNOWDROP parted company with CORINTHIAN to return to Freetown.
H.M.S. VIMY and H.M.S. BURDOCK
arrived Gibraltar from Trinidad with tanker
convoy. VIMY requiring docking for repairs.
GRIFFIN sailed Bathurst for
Freetown.
BOREAS parted company with CHRISTIAN HUYGENS off Takoradi and
proceeded to Pointe Noire.
AVON VALE arrived Pointe Noire
for fuel and sailed for Banana.
H.M.S. TAMARISK and COMMANDANT
DROGOU sailed from Takoradi escorting convoy T.S. 21.
Netherlands submarine K 15
escorted by H.M.S. SOUTHERN GEM sailed Freetown to the U.S.A. via Bermuda.
AVON VALE arrived Banana.
CORINTHIAN arrived Ascension
Island.
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES
sailed Pointe Noire for Matadi.
WIVERN arrived Bathurst and
sailed escorting HAI LEE to Freetown (Troop movements).
ANTELOPE parted company with LAFONIA to assist CROCUS in hunting a
U boat, with which she had already
been in action.
CROCUS attacked U boat by
ramming, subsequently engaging her with
gun
fire before ramming again and finally dropping two depth charges, which were seen to explode close to the U boat. It is
considered that this U boat was destroyed, by this action 07-57N, 14-11W.
(n.b. U 333 – not sunk)
One U boat was sighted by U.S.
CINCINNATI in position 01-40N, 21-34W and another by an U.S. aircraft in the
same position.
S.S. ANDALUCIA STAR (14,943 G.T.)
torpedoed in position 6-38N, 15-40W.
MORRIS DANCE, COPINSAY, SNAKEFLY,
and SKUDD VI sailed from Takoradi.
ROBERTS received orders to join
Convoy T.S. 21.
Wednesday, 7th October
GRIFFIN arrived Freetown from
Bathurst and sailed to overtake ROYAL SOVEREIGN.
CARNARVON CASTLE with BRILLIANT in company arrived Freetown.
ANTELOPE arrived Freetown with LAFONIA.
ROYAL SOVEREIGN escorted by
DUNCAN and ANTHONY sailed from Freetown for U.S.A.
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES
arrived and sailed from Matadi escorting military transport to Lagos with Belgian troops.
VELOX arrived Bathurst.
AVON VALE sailed Banana escorting
H.T. BERGENSFIORD to Lagos.
Vichy French S.S.
GRAND QUEVILLY escorted by sloop A.75 sighted in ..(n.b.
bottom of page chopped)...54W. Course 185 degrees, speed 10 knots.
Thursday, 8th October
ANTELOPE sailed Freetown
escorting two merchant ships to Bathurst.
WIVERN arrived Freetown escorting
HAI LEE.
BOREAS arrived Pointe Noire and
sailed for Matadi.
WOODRUFF arrived Freetown from
Takoradi.
SOUTHERN GEM parted company with Netherlands submarine K 15 to escort
JOHN PAGE to Freetown.
COWSLIP and CROCUS arrived
Freetown.
PETUNIA arrived Freetown with 250 survivors from ANDALUCIA STAR.
S.S. GLENDENE (4413 G.T.)
torpedoed in position 04-34N, 17-36W.
Submarine periscope sighted in
position 07-09N, 15-30W by S.S. WELSH TRADER. U.S. aircraft reported sighting
submarine in position 4-30N, 01-10W.
Friday, 9th October
DECOY sailed Bathurst to
rendezvous with S.S. ORANSAY.
Convoy S.T. 38 (9 ships) sailed
from Freetown escorted by WIVERN, BRILLIANT, and SOUTHERN PRIDE.
PETUNIA sailed Freetown to search
for survivors.
BOREAS arrived Banana from Pointe
Noire and sailed for Lagos escorting LEOPARDVILLE.
(n.b. here and subsequent as recorded. Ship was LEOPOLDVILLE).
H.M.S. MILFORD arrived Freetown
after refitting at Rio de Janeiro.
ROBERTS and AMARANTHUS joined
convoy T.S. 21, subsequently AMARANTHUS parted company to proceed to Takoradi.
S.S. ORONSAY torpedoed in
position 04-29N, 20-52W.
SNOWDROP made four attacks on U
boat in position 05-40N, 16-27W.
BRILLIANT parted company with Convoy S.T. 38 and proceeded to search
for survivors from S.S. ORONSAY.
ANTELOPE arrived Bathurst.
Aircraft sighted lifeboat with 20 survivors in position 05-44N,
10-10W.
Saturday, 10th October
SOUTHERN GEM parted company with S.S. JOHN PAGE and set course to join
convoy S.T. 38.
VELOX passed orders to ANTELOPE
and proceeded to St Vincent.
ANTELOPE passed orders to VELOX
and proceeded to Bathurst.
BRILLIANT met S.S. NEA HELLES and
proceeded to Freetown.
AVON VALE arrived Lagos,
escorting BERGENSFIORD.
CORINTHIAN sailed from Ascension
to search for survivors from DUCHESS OF ATHOLL.
DECOY commenced search for
survivors from ORONSAY.
HYDRANGEA sailed from Lagos for
Takoradi escorting DRUPA.
AMARANTHUS arrived Takoradi.
ANTELOPE arrived Bathurst.
S.S. DUCHESS OF ATHOLL torpedoed
in position 07-03S, 11-12W.
Spanish S.S. MANU boarded by
AMARANTHUS in position 03-48N, 03-30W. Ship's papers were found to be in order.
Sunday, 11th October
DRUPA escorted by HYDRANGEA in
collision with CISTULA between Lagos
and Takoradi. DRUPA and HYDRANGEA returned to Lagos.
NEA HELLES escorted by BRILLIANT
arrived Freetown. BRILLIANT subsequently sailed to search for survivors of
ORONSAY.
SOUTHERN GEM joined Convoy S.T.
38.
VELOX arrived St. Vincent
AVON VALE sailed Lagos for
Takoradi, escorting BERGENSFIORD.
ANTELOPE sailed Bathurst to join convoy
W.S. 23.
COMMANDANT D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES
arrived Lagos.
CORINTHIAN picked up survivors
from DUCHESS OF ATHOLL.
Vichy French aircraft carried out
short reconnaissance of Freetown.
S.S. AGAPENOR (7392 G.T.)
torpedoed in position 06-53N, 15-23W.
Monday, 12 the October
PETUNIA arrived Freetown.
DECOY abandoned search for
survivors from ORONSAY and returned to Freetown.
ANTELOPE joined convoy W.S. 23.
BOREAS arrived Lagos with LEOPARDVILLE.
VELOX sailed St. Vincent to join
Convoy W.S. 23.
AVON VALE arrived Takoradi from
Lagos and sailed escorting to Freetown.
COMMANDANT DROGOU detached from
Convoy T.S. 21 to rendezvous with CORINTHIAN.
AURORA carried out bombardment
practices off Freetown screened by MILFORD.
WIVERN carried out an attack on U
boat in position 03-37N, 07-07W.
Large merchant vessel, burning
navigation lights, sighted by M.L. 272 at 2230 in position 05-02N, 00-16W,
course 250 degrees, speed 16 knots. M.L. was unable to overhaul and identify.
Tuesday, 13th October
Convoy T.S. 21 (13 ships) arrived
Freetown from Takoradi, escorted by TAMARISK, ROBERTS, COMMANDANT DROGOU,
COPINSAY, and MORRIS DANCE.
AURORA carried out naval
bombardment practices off Freetown.
MILFORD and SNOWDROP sailed
escorting to Bathurst.
U Boat sighted by U.S. aircraft
in position 07-10S, 13-44W.
Portuguese S.S. JOAO BELO arrived
Freetown for examination and navicerting.
Wednesday, 14th October
COMMANDANT DROGOU made rendezvous
with CORINTHIAN.
Convoy S.T. 38 escorted by WIVERN
arrived Takoradi.
WIVERN sailed from Takoradi
escorting BERGENSFIORD to Freetown.
BOREAS sailed Lagos for Freetown.
HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT
D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed from Lagos escorting LEOPARDVILLE to Takoradi.
BRIDGEWATER arrived Bathurst.
SOUTHERN GEM arrived Takoradi.
SOUTHERN PRIDE sailed from
Freetown, escorting to the West.
Portuguese S.S. QUANZA arrived
Freetown for examination of grant of navicert.
Portuguese JOAO BELO sailed
Freetown after a navicert had been granted.
One U boat was sighted by
BRILLIANT in position 4-35N, 18-00W. and another by an American Clipper
aircraft in position 3-53N, 18-05W.
Thursday, 15th October
VELOX joined Convoy W.S. 23.
AMARANTHUS sailed Takoradi
escorting NORVIC to Lagos.
CORINTHIAN and COMMANDANT DROGOU
arrived Freetown.
AVON VALE arrived Freetown.
MILFORD and SNOWDROP arrived off
Bathurst and escorted small convoy to Freetown.
HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT
D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Takoradi escorting LEOPARDVILLE.
Portuguese S.S. MARIA AMELIA
arrived Freetown for examination and the granting of a navicert.
ASTURIAS patrolling area H. 34
(A) to the east of 27-00W.
Friday, 16th October
Convoy W.S. 23 arrived Freetown,
consisting of nine ships and escorted by ANTELOPE, VELOX, KANARIS, and
PUCKERIDGE.
Convoy S.L. 125 (44 ships) sailed
from Freetown escorted by PETUNIA, WOODRUFF, COWSLIP, CROCUS, and COMMANDANT
DROGOU.
BOREAS on passage from Lagos to
Freetown was diverted to search for survivors from ORONSAY.
ARMERIA arrived Bathurst from
Gibraltar.
AMARANTHUS arrived Lagos escorting
NORVIC.
DECOY sailed Freetown for
Bathurst.
Portuguese S.S. QUANZA and S.S.
MARIA AMELIA sailed from Freetown, navicerts having been granted to both ships.
Saturday, 17th October
BRIDGEWATER and ARMERIA sailed
Bathurst escorting ships to join Convoy S.L. 125.
SOUTHERN PRIDE dispersed convoy
and proceeded to rendezvous with AMERICAN
SUN.
MILFORD and SNOWDROP arrived
Freetown from Bathurst.
BRILLIANT picked up 267 survivors
of ORONSAY and returned to Freetown.
BOREAS abandoned search for
survivors of ORONSAY and returned to Freetown.
Sunday, 18th October
SOUTHERN GEM sailed Takoradi for
Lagos escorting.
WIVERN arrived Freetown escorting
BERGENSFIORD.
BOREAS arrived Freetown and
BRILLIANT sailed to the North.
SNOWDROP sailed from Freetown escorting
to the North.
SOUTHERN PRIDE rendezvoused with AMERICAN SUN and escorted her to
Freetown.
Swiss S.S. MALOJA on arrival at
Takoradi, reported that she had been stopped by a U boat in position 01-10N,
02-43E.
ST MELANTE arrived Lagos with PINZON.
CARNARVON CASTLE escorted by
BRILLIANT and WIVERN sailed for United Kingdom with ORONSAY and DUCHESS OF ATHOLL survivors.
Monday, 19th October
COMMANDANT DROGOU arrived
Bathurst.
ARMERIA parted company with BRIDGEWATER and returned to Freetown.
AMARANTHUS and COMMANDANT
D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES sailed Takoradi for Freetown.
COMMANDANT DROGOU sailed Bathurst
to rendezvous with SNOWDROP.
BRIDGEWATER joined S.L. 125.
CORINTHIAN sailed from Freetown
escorting to the west.
SOUTHERN GEM arrived Lagos
escorting STUYVESANT.
WIVERN detached by CARNARVON
CASTLE to proceed to Bathurst.
Tuesday, 20th October
BRILLIANT detached by CARNARVON
CASTLE to return to Freetown.
SOUTHERN GEM sailed Lagos for
Takoradi.
Survivors recovered from ORONSAY
by ARMERIA.
COMMANDANT DROGOU from Bathurst
made rendezvous with SNOWDROP.
BRILLIANT picked up 61 ORONSAY
survivors and returned to Freetown.
Convoy W.S. 23 (10 ships) sailed
Freetown escorted by DURBAN, DESPATCH, CARTHAGE, MILFORD, AVON VALE, TAMARISK,
and KANARIS.
WIVERN arrived Bathurst.
Aircraft reported sighting on
Vichy merchant vessel in position 09-40N, 15-20W, course 120 degrees.
Wednesday, 21st October
SOUTHERN PRIDE arrived Freetown
escorting AMERICAN SUN.
SOUTHERN GEM arrived and sailed
Takoradi.
WIVERN sailed Bathurst for
Gibraltar.
VELOX and PUCKERIDGE sailed
Freetown to carry out an A/S patrol off the harbour.
BRIDGEWATER parted company with Convoy S.L. 125 to proceed to St.
Vincent.
CYCLAMEN arrived and sailed Point
Noire.
COMMANDANT DETROYAT arrived
Pointe Noire from the Cape and sailed to rejoin GUARDIAN on passage to
Freetown.
Thursday, 22nd October
VELOX and PUCKERIDGE returned to
harbour after carrying out A/S patrol off Freetown.
SOUTHERN GEM sailed from Takoradi
to join Convoy W.S. 23.
BRIDGEWATER met BARON NAPIER off
St. Vincent and escorted her to Freetown.
HYDRANGEA and COMMANDANT
D'ESTIENNE D'ORVES arrived Freetown from Takoradi.
BURDOCK arrived Bathurst from
Gibraltar.
Convoy T.S. 22 (7 ships) arrived
Freetown escorted by ARRAN, ST WISTAN, and M.L. 287.
Convoy S.T. 39 (14 ships) sailed
from Freetown, escorted by SOUTHERN PRIDE, ST WISTAN, Chasseurs Nos. 42 and 43,
and M.L.s 296, 244, 271, and 209.
Friday, 23rd October
EMPIRE PUMA detached by
AMARANTHUS and proceeded to Pointe Noire.
VELOX and PUCKERIDGE sailed from
Freetown escorting to Bathurst.
SOUTHERN GEM joined convoy W.S.
23 and AVON VALE was detached to proceed to Marshall to pick up survivors.
PHOEBE was hit port side forward
by torpedo from U boat, 4 miles off Pointe Noire, where she subsequently
proceeded into harbour. AMARANTHUS attacked this U boat, which was considered
to be damaged and possibly sunk.
Portuguese S.S. CABO VERDE
arrived at Freetown for examination and the granting of a navicert.
Aircraft reported sighting a U
boat in position 04-40N, 01-00W.
SIRIUS arrived Pointe Noire from
Cape Town.
Saturday, 24th October
AMARANTHUS arrived from Lagos and
SIRIUS sailed for Freetown.
ROBERTS sailed from Freetown for
Gibraltar, escorted by ANTELOPE and HYDRANGEA.
CORINTHIAN joined convoy S.T. 39.
VELOX and PUCKERIDGE arrived
Bathurst.
BOREAS sailed from Freetown with QUEEN OF BERMUDA.
SOUTHERN PRIDE detached from S.T.
39 to proceeded to Takoradi.
TAMARISK sailed Takoradi to join
Convoy C.F. 7.
AVON VALE embarked survivors at
Marshall and proceeded to Freetown.
Portuguese S.S. CABO VERDE sailed
from Freetown after navicert had been granted to Funchal and Lisbon.
A Vichy French Convoy of four
merchant ships escorted by one destroyer reported in position 11-19N, 17-51W,
course 192 degrees and speed 8 knots.
DURBAN arrived Takoradi for minor
repairs.
Sunday, 25th October
AVON VALE arrived Freetown.
AMARANTHUS sailed from Pointe
Noire to join Convoy W.S. 23.
BRILLIANT and AVON VALE sailed
from Freetown.
SNOWDROP and COMMANDANT DROGOU
arrived Bathurst and BURDOCK sailed to rendezvous with ROBERTS.
SOUTHERN GEM parted company with W.S. 23 to proceed to Pointe Noire.
COMMANDANT DETROYAT arrived
Pointe Noire.
U.S. Aircraft sighted U boat in
position 04-25N, 03-05W.
Monday, 26th October
SNOWDROP sailed from Bathurst to
join ROBERTS.
BURDOCK joined ROBERTS and
ANTELOPE proceeded to Bathurst.
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