Note: all vessels and aircraft are British or Dominion unless otherwise identified or implied - all ships lost in bold - click for abbreviations.
Corrections with thanks to Donald Bertke

Background Events - September 1939-March 1940
Battle of Atlantic starts, 'Phoney War' on land, Battle of River Plate

 

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1939

 

 

Friday, 15 September

 

Western Atlantic - Canadian destroyers FRASER and ST LAURENT arrived at Halifax for escort duties.

 

Kingston, Jamaica-UK (KJF) convoys - the first of the series, KJF.1, sailed with light cruiser ORION as escort from the 15th to 17th.

 

The series only continued until 8 October 1939 with three more KJF’s leaving Kingston, all unescorted - KJF.2 departing 22nd and arriving 6 October, KJF.3 departing 29th and arriving 14 October, and KJF.4 departing 8 October and arriving 22nd.

 

Northern Patrol - light cruiser DUNEDIN departed Scapa Flow for Northern Patrol duties and arrived back on the 18th.

 

British northern waters - battleship NELSON departed Loch Ewe on the evening of the 15th, escorted by destroyers SOMALI, MASHONA, MATABELE and arrived at Scapa Flow next morning.

 

Destroyer FURY, which had departed Scapa Flow on the 14th escorting battleship RODNEY, joined aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL at sea on anti-submarine patrol.

 

Heavy cruiser NORFOLK departed Scapa Flow.

 

Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA departed Scapa Flow and arrived back on the 16th.

 

British east coast/North Sea – U.36 sank steamer TRURO (974grt) 130 miles ENE of Rattray Head in 58‑20N, 02‑00E. Survivors were picked up by a Belgian trawler.

 

British aircraft bombed a submarine contact 60 miles east of Aberdeen. Destroyer SABRE was already hunting in the area and was joined by destroyer FORESIGHT, which had departed Scapa Flow on the 16th.

 

Destroyer BROKE attacked a submarine contact off Flamborough Head.

 

Light cruiser NEWCASTLE relieved light cruiser SHEFFIELD for duties with the Humber Force, although SHEFFIELD continued in the 18th Cruiser Squadron for another week.

 

Destroyers JERVIS, JAVELIN, JERSEY, JUPITER departed the Humber to search for a reported damaged German submarine in the North Sea. There was no contact, and the ships were badly battered by heavy weather. JUPITER and JAVELIN also attacked a submarine contact three miles NE of Flamborough. British trawler SILURIA (207grt) passing between them during their hunt, rode over a submerged object which she reported as a suspected submarine. On return, JERVIS boiler cleaned and repaired at Rosyth from the 17th to 22nd and JERSEY docked at Chatham from the 18th to 20th.

 

Destroyer VALOROUS attacked a submarine contact 10 miles east of Lowestoft.

 

Convoy FN.5 departed Southend and arrived at Methil on the 16th.

 

English Channel - destroyer WREN made two attacks on a submarine contact off Cherbourg.

 

Belgian liner ALEX VAN OPSTAL (5965grt) sank on a mine laid by U.26 on the 8th off Shambles Light ½ mile east of Weymouth and Greek steamer ATLANTICOS (5446grt) rescued her survivors. As ALEX VAN OPSTAL went down, she put number three submarine detection loop out of action.

 

UK-France convoys - BC.2 departed Barry, escorted by destroyers WOLVERINE and WAKEFUL, and arrived at Quiberon Bay on the 16th. The convoy was also escorted by French large destroyers MOGADOR and VOLTA from 0600 to 2000 on the 16th.

 

DB.2 departed Southampton with one personnel ship for Brest, escorted by destroyers WREN and VENOMOUS and arrived on the 16th. The following DB.3 was cancelled.

 

UK-out convoys - OA.5 of two ships, and OA.5A of twelve, departed Southend. Destroyers JANUS, JACKAL and Polish GROM departed Devonport to escort them from the 15th to 18th, when the convoy dispersed. JANUS arrived back at Devonport on the 18th and JACKAL on the 20th.

 

OB.5 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers VERSATILE and VIMY until the 18th and joined by destroyer VIVACIOUS

 

Southwestern approaches - steamer ROTHESAY CASTLE (7016grt) was attacked by U.26, 120 miles SW of Fastnet, but not damaged

 

U.53 seriously damaged British tanker CHEYENNE (8825grt) 150 miles WSW of Fastnet at 50‑20N, 13‑30W. The crew was picked up by Norwegian steamer IDA BAKKE (5455grt) which was directed to the tanker by U.53. As U.53 was scuttling CHEYENNE with gunfire, destroyer MACKAY, 11th Flotilla arrived and drove her off. Finding CHEYENNE beyond salvage, MACKAY finished off the tanker with gunfire.

 

Central and South Atlantic – light cruiser COLOMBO (right - NavyPhotos) departed Gibraltar for Casablanca and arrived back on the 17th.

 

Heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND arrived at Rio de Janiero with destroyers HAVOCK and HOTSPUR. After refuelling and reprovisioning, the destroyers departed that night and CUMBERLAND next day. CUMBERLAND was ordered to commence escort duties with HAVOCK from Rio de Janiero, while heavy cruiser EXETER with HOTSPUR was to escort outbound shipping from Montevideo.

 

Chinese waters - sloop SANDWICH departing Tienstin under tow because of low water, ran aground at Taku. She was towed off by five tugs, but a towing line fouled a propeller. With tug ST BREOCK in attendance, SANDWICH left the area.

 

 

Saturday, 16 September

 

Halifax, Nova Scotia-UK (HX) convoys - the first of the convoys, HX 1, departed Halifax at 1400 with Canadian destroyers ST LAURENT and SAGUENAY as local escorts. On the 17th, 353 miles east of Halifax, the convoy was turned over to heavy cruisers YORK and BERWICK. The cruisers arrived back at Halifax on the 20th, while the convoy reached Liverpool on the 30th.

 

British northern waters - aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL and destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FEARLESS, FURY, FORESTER, FORTUNE arrived at Loch Ewe to refuel. Destroyer FOXHOUND, also with ARK ROYAL’s screen, arrived at Scapa Flow for her refuelling.

 

Light cruiser DRAGON arrived at Scapa Flow.

 

Destroyer MATABELE departed Scapa Flow and arrived at Loch Ewe on the 17th.

 

Destroyer ESKIMO arrived at Loch Ewe.

 

Destroyer FORESIGHT departed Scapa Flow to assist destroyer SABRE hunting a submarine reported by aircraft. FORESIGHT oiled at Rosyth on the 17th and arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 18th.

 

Scottish west coast - British trawler WELLVALE (271grt) was lost to unknown cause.

 

British east coast – convoy FS.6 departed Methil and arrived at Southend on the 18th.

 

Destroyer WANDERER attacked a submarine contact 10 miles E by S of Flamborough Head. Sloop HASTINGS also attacked a contact, but this time 38 miles E by S of Flamborough Head.

 

Destroyer VALOROUS attacked submarine contacts 10 miles east of Lowestoft and also 32 miles SW of Spurn Point.

 

Steamer CITY OF PARIS (10,902grt) in convoy FN.6 was damaged 3½ miles ENE of Aldeburgh in 52‑14N, 01‑43E by a mine laid by U.13 on the 4th.

 

British submarine H.34, carrying out experiments off Harwich, was bombed by a friendly aircraft. No damage was done.

 

Convoy FN.6 departed Southend and arrived at Methil on the 18th.

 

Humber Force - light cruisers GLASGOW and SOUTHAMPTON departed the Humber and arrived at Rosyth on the 17th. SOUTHAMPTON boiler-cleaned from 17th to 19th, GLASGOW from 19th to 21st.

 

Dover Straits - steamer BRAMDEN (1594grt), inbound from Dunkirk, was sunk on a British defensive minefield in 51‑22N, 02‑31E, with three crew lost.

 

Southwestern approaches - aircraft carrier COURAGEOUS departed Plymouth for anti-submarine hunting in the Western Approaches, west of 12-00W and north of 250° from Land's End. She was joined outside the breakwater at 0930 by destroyers INGLEFIELD, IVANHOE, IMPULSIVE. Destroyer INTREPID, which had not completed embarking depth charges departed Plymouth later in the day and joined them at 1500. IMPULSIVE attacked a submarine contact at 2035 and INGLEFIELD went to assist. At 2150, the search was abandoned as a "non-sub" contact.

 

Light cruisers CARADOC and CERES with destroyer KELLY departed Plymouth for anti-submarine patrol in the Western Approaches. The cruisers returned on the 18th.

                                                                             

U.33 sank steamer ARKLESIDE (1567grt) 150 miles SW of Land's End in 48‑00N, 09‑30W.

 

Destroyer WHIRLWIND attacked a submarine contact 330 miles WSW of Land's End.

 

U.31 sank steamer AVIEMORE (4060grt) at 0815, 350 miles west of Land's End in 49-11N, 13‑38W. She was sailing as an independent crossing ahead of convoy OB.4 and not a member of the convoy as frequently reported. Twenty three crew were lost and 11 survivors were by destroyer WARWICK. A ship in OB.4 was attacked by U.31 at 0040 but was not damaged. WARWICK was then missed at 0827 by a torpedo from U.31 in 49-17N, 13-38W, but in the counter-attack, the submarine sustained light damage.

 

Destroyers KEMPENFELT and VESPER attacked a submarine contact ESE of Fastnet.

 

Royal Fleet Auxiliary BACCHUS (5150grt) was missed by a torpedo, 170 miles SW of Fastnet at 2242.

 

U.27 sank British trawler RUDYARD KIPLING (333grt) 100 miles west of Donegal. The entire crew were towed in their boats by the submarine to within five miles of the coast. Destroyers SOMALI and MATABELE and aircraft were ordered to the area to search for the submarine.

 

Mediterranean - Heavy cruiser SHROPSHIRE arrived at Malta for docking, departed on the 18th and reached Alexandria on the 20th.

 

 

Sunday, 17 September

 

Norwegian Sea - German steamer CLARE HUGO STINNES I (5294grt) which had run aground on Raftsund on the 9th was refloated on this date and taken to Trondheim to offload her cargo on the 21st. With a damaged bottom, she remained at Trondheim until early October when she left for repairs at Tingvold arriving on 6 October. She underwent repairs until 7 April 1940, then left Tingvold for Ulvik in Hardangersfjord. This move did not save her during the Norwegian campaign as she was soon captured by Norwegian forces, but only until 20 April when she was recaptured by German naval forces.

 

ARK ROYAL, Northwestern approaches - aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL with destroyers FURY, FORESTER, FORTUNE, FEARLESS departed Loch Ewe for her second anti-submarine patrol NW of Ireland. Destroyers SOMALI and MATABELE sailed ahead to search for a reported submarine in the area of Tory Island. FORTUNE was later detached to join.

 

On the 17th seven miles west of Tory Island, steamer BARON LOVAT (3395grt) was attacked by a submarine and ARK ROYAL's aircraft sent to search the area.

 

With the loss of COURAGEOUS (below), ARK ROYAL and escorts were ordered to return to Loch Ewe at 1400/18th. Still on the 18th, ARK ROYAL’s aircraft sighted a submarine in the afternoon, which FURY unsuccessfully depth charged in 55‑48N, 10‑50W.

 

Destroyers SOMALI, MATABELE, FORTUNE rejoined the force at 1545/18th. SOMALI and MATABELE were again detached at 2047/18th to assist British trawler LORD MINTO which was under attack. ARK ROYAL arrived in harbour at 0950/19th.

 

British northern waters - heavy cruiser NORFOLK departed Scapa Flow on patrol. Returning on the 20th, she was ordered to proceed through Fair Isle Channel, due to submarine activity in Pentland Firth and arrived back on the 21st.

 

Battleship NELSON departed Scapa Flow, unaccompanied, and arrived at Loch Ewe that evening.

 

Destroyer MASHONA arrived at Scapa Flow.

 

Destroyer FAME departed Scapa Flow escorting British tanker SAN ALBERTO (7397grt) to Invergordon. FAME arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 18th with tanker MONTENOL.

 

British west coast - patrol sloop PC.74, operating as decoy ship CHATGROVE, was damaged in a collision with British trawler TOM MOORE (194grt) at Liverpool. PC.74 was repaired at Liverpool completing on 4 October.

 

U.32 laid mines in Bristol Channel, which sank two merchant ships.

 

British east coast - sloops BITTERN and ENCHANTRESS, both escorting an east coast convoy, separately attacked submarine contacts off Flamborough Head.

 

North Sea - submarine SEAHORSE departed Dundee on patrol on the 16th, and now on the 17th, attacked U.36 at 1200 while she was searching a Danish merchant ship 100 miles east of Montrose in 56-42N, 0-52E. Three torpedoes were fired at 1210, with one apparently hitting, but not exploding. U.36 examined neutrals Norwegian steamers IRIS (1177grt) and ELDRID (1712grt), Swedish steamer NORMA (1287grt) and Danish steamer OSLO (1412grt) on the 17th.

 

U.41 captured Finnish merchant ships VEGA (1073grt) and SUOMEN POIKA (1099grt) in the North Sea at 58N, 04E and sent both ships back to Germany with prize crews.

 

Baltic - Polish submarine SEP (Lt Cdr Salamon), with two compartments flooded and diving planes inoperative, arrived at Landsort, Sweden, for internment.

 

Dover Straits - patrol sloop KITTIWAKE struck a British mine at 1900 in the Goodwins-Ruytingen minefield two miles east of South Goodwin Light Vessel and only a few cables from minesweepers sinking shallow mines. She was badly damaged with one rating killed and four missing from the blast. Cdr E R Conder was blown off the bridge and later picked up by a trawler. Minesweeper HARRIER took 39 crewmen on board and towed KITTIWAKE to Dover. On 7 October she was towed by tugs GONDIA and SIMLA to Sheerness and under repair until 18 January 1941.

 

English Channel - minelaying-cruiser ADVENTURE, escorted by destroyer BEAGLE, departed Dover to return to Portsmouth where they arrived safely.

                                                                             

UK-France convoys - DB.4 departed Southampton with troops and arrived at Brest on the 19th.

                                                                             

MB.4 departed Southampton with eight cargo ships carrying war materials and arrived at Brest on the 19th.

 

BC.1F of steamers FENELLA and TYNWALD departed Quiberon Bay escorted by destroyers KEITH and VIVACIOUS. The convoy safely arrived at Barry Roads on the 19th.

 

BC.1S of steamers BARON MINTO, BELLEROPHON, and TRELAWNEY departed the Loire, escorted by destroyers ELECTRA and ESCORT. The convoy arrived in Bristol Channel on the 19th.

 

UK-out convoys - OA.6 departed Southend, while destroyers JUNO and AMAZON departed Devonport to escort the convoy from the 17th to 20th. The destroyers arrived back at Devonport on the 21st.

 

OB.6 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers WINCHELSEA and WALPOLE.

 

Loss of aircraft carrier COURAGEOUS - COURAGEOUS (Capt William Makeig-Jones) was on anti-submarine patrol 350 miles west of Land's End with destroyers INGLEFIELD, INTREPID, IMPULSIVE, IVANHOE. The distress call from KARIFISTAN was received and COURAGEOUS flew off four aircraft and detached destroyers INGLEFIELD and INTREPID to assist. One of the aircraft dropped a bomb on U.53 causing her to dive.

 

Then U.29 sighted COURAGEOUS in 50‑10N, 14‑45W and fired two torpedoes at 1920. They exploded port side and COURAGEOUS sank at 2015.

 

Capt Makeig-Jones, Lt Cdr P H Cardew, 811 Squadron’s Lt H J C Walton-Wilson, Lt A F Ingram, Lt (A) T D M MacDonald and PO Airman B J Owen, 822 Squadron’s Sub Lt (A) D F Williams and Acting Sub Lt (A) G J B Pollard, Paymaster Cdr M Lawrey, Commissioned Gunners A J Hocken Rtd and F J Smith, Commissioned Boatswain P J O'Brien Rtd, Warrant Engineers J H Winter, F E Blackman and J J Spilman, Schoolmaster W E Tomlinson, Warrant Writer J D Latham, Warrant Supply Officer G B Jess and 501 ratings, including 36 RAF service crewmen, were lost. IMPULSIVE was unable to do any more than assist in rescuing survivors (Casualty List).

 

IVANHOE made three anti-submarine attacks at 2000, 2017, and 2028 during a five hour search and IVANHOE and INTREPID searched until daylight. Destroyers KEMPENFELT and ECHO submarine hunting in the area went to assist.

 

Light cruisers CARADOC and CERES and destroyer KELLY investigating a possible submarine contact off Land's End received the COURAGEOUS SOS and sped to the scene to rescue survivors. INGLEFIELD arrived back at 2335.

 

American steamer COLLINGSWORTH (5101grt), steamer DIDO (3554grt), Dutch liner VEENDAM (15,450grt) also rescued survivors. DIDO picked up 23 officers and 195 five ratings. The survivors were transferred from the merchant ships to INGLEFIELD and KELLY, and arrived at Devonport on the evening of 18 September. INTREPID escorted steamer DIDO to Liverpool.

 

Cdr C W G M Woodhouse was rescued, but never recovered from his injuries and died on 27 July 1940 while attached to HMS DRAKE.

 

U.29 left her patrol area for Wilhelmshaven for refuelling with only one torpedo left.

                                                                             

Southwestern approaches - destroyer ANTELOPE with destroyer JACKAL in company attacked a submarine contact 15 miles SSW of Land's End.

 

Destroyer KELLY, 70 miles SW of Land's End made three attacks on submarine contacts early on the 17th.

 

U.53 attacked steamer KARIFISTAN (5193grt) at 1445, 280 miles WSW of Fastnet in 50‑16N, 16‑55W. She was able to get off a radio report before being sunk by U.53. Six crewmen were lost and the survivors were picked up by American steamer AMERICAN FARMER (7430grt).

 

Spanish and Portuguese coasts - French large destroyers LE FANTASQUE, LE TERRIBLE, L’AUDACIEUX patrolled off the Spanish coast from the 17th to 19th.

 

Light cruiser CAPETOWN departed Gibraltar as escort with SL.1 and arrived back on the 27th.

                                                                             

Mediterranean Fleet - arrived back at Alexandria after covering Mediterranean convoys GC.1 and Green 1.

                                                                             

Indian Ocean - Light cruiser GLOUCESTER departed Mombasa and arrived at Aden on the 22nd.

 

 

Monday, 18 September

 

Northern Patrol - light cruiser CARDIFF departed Scapa Flow on Northern Patrol duties, arriving back on the 22nd.

 

U.35 in Northwestern approaches - U.35 sank British trawlers ARLITA (326grt) 22 miles WNW of St Kilda and LORD MINTO (295grt) off the Butt of Lewis, 30miles NW of St Kilda in 57-51N, 9-28W on the 18th. The survivors were picked up by British trawler NANCY HAGUE (299grt), which was in company and spared by the submarine to rescue the other two crews.

 

At 0409/19th, U.35 stopped trawler ALVIS (279grt) 29 miles north of St Kilda. She was ordered to dismantle her radio and proceed to Fleetwood. This trawler was erroneously reported in early sources as the RIVER TAY (203grt).

 

At 0600/19th, trawler NEIL MACKAY (209grt) was chased by U.35, 22 miles W by N of the Butt of Lewis.

 

These attacks put into motion a major anti-submarine operation by destroyers beginning on the 19th.

 

British northern waters - light cruisers AURORA, EDINBURGH, BELFAST, and SHEFFIELD departed Sullom Voe after refuelling and arrived at Scapa Flow on the 20th.

 

Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA with destroyer FOXHOUND departed Scapa Flow for patrol in Fair Isle Channel, stopping Danish steamer MAROCCO (1641grt) on the 18th and sending her into Kirkwall for inspection. At 2029/18th, FOXHOUND attacked a submarine contact east of the Orkneys and on the 20th detached to investigate another contact. During this hunt, FOXHOUND experienced a defect to her depth charge thrower and repaired at Scapa Flow alongside light cruiser AURORA. CALCUTTA arrived back on the 21st.

 

Light cruiser DELHI arrived at Scapa Flow.

 

Light cruiser ENTERPRISE departed Scapa Flow and arrived back on the 21st.

 

British east coast - U.23 laid mines in St Andrews Bay between Dundee and the Firth of Forth.

 

Convoy FS.7 departed Methil and arrived at Southend on the 20th.

 

Destroyer JUPITER made an attack on U.21 off Dunbar, but no damage was done. The submarine was also attacked unsuccessfully by aircraft.

 

Destroyers EXPRESS and ESK arrived at the Humber after escorting convoys off Flamborough Head.

 

Convoy FN.7 departed Southend and arrived at Methil on the 20th.

                                                                             

North Sea - destroyer BOREAS on patrol was near missed by German bombing, but not damaged.

 

U.7 departed Kiel for patrol in the North Sea and returned on 3 October.

 

Baltic - Polish submarine ORZEL, commanded by Lt Grudzinski, escaped internment at Tallin and began a 16 day patrol in the Baltic before heading for England.

 

Polish submarine RYS, with damaged periscopes and low on fuel, arrived at Stavnas, Sweden, for internment.

 

English Channel – destroyer JAGUAR with destroyer VANOC in company attacked a submarine contact off St Albans Head, Dorset.

 

Light cruisers CERES and CARADOC departed Plymouth on escort duties and arrived back on the 20th.

 

Destroyer VANOC attacked a submarine contact SW of Eddystone.

 

Destroyer ISIS attacked a submarine contact 20 miles south of the Lizard, Cornwall.