British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day by Don Kindell NAVAL EVENTS, DECEMBER 1939, Part 2 of 2 Friday 15th - Sunday 31st

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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 December

Battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM and battlecruiser HOOD with nine destroyers were 250 miles west of Malin Head. Heavy cruisers DEVONSHIRE, BERWICK and light cruiser GLASGOW were 480 miles W by N of Malin Head. Light cruisers SOUTHAMPTON and EDINBURGH were on patrol between the Orkneys and the Faroes. Light cruisers DIOMEDE, DELHI, CERES, CARDIFF were concentrated off the Faroes. If no further enemy reports were received, the battle fleet was directed to cover the Canadian Troop convoy, and the cruisers to return to Northern Patrol except SOUTHAMPTON and EDINBURGH which were to proceed to Scapa Flow for refuelling.

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Light cruiser DRAGON departed Scapa Flow on Northern Patrol and finished on the 18th for refitting at Chatham, arriving on the 21st. Her refit began on the 22nd December, completed on 24 February and on the 26th, she was transferred to the Mediterranean.

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Destroyers VIMY and WITHERINGTON attacked a submarine contact 120 miles WSW of Land's End in 49-14N, 6-36W. Destroyer ESCAPADE returning to Plymouth was ordered to search in the area.

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After a submarine was reported by aircraft, destroyer BASILISK attacked U.57, 17 miles east of North Foreland.

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Submarines SEAHORSE, STURGEON, UNITY arrived at Blyth after patrol.

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Submarine TRIAD arrived at Rosyth after patrol, but had to put to sea again to fire off two torpedoes which had been armed.

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After an aircraft bombed a submarine off Buchanness, destroyers ESCORT and ECLIPSE carried out a search, and on the 16th, ESCORT made an attack in 57‑26N, 01‑45W. The search continued until dark on the 16th when they relieved trawlers escorting captured German steamer CAP NORTE. The German ship, ESCORT and ECLIPSE arrived at Rosyth on the 18th.

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Destroyers JERVIS and JANUS attacked a submarine contact north of Cromer in 55-20N, 1-05W.

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Convoys FN.55, escorted by destroyers VIVIEN, VALOROUS and sloop BITTERN and FS.55, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON and sloops GRIMSBY and WESTON were delayed due to fog. The FN.55 escorts proceeded to Sheerness to wait, but FS.55 was later cancelled.

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Anti-submarine trawler NOTTS COUNTY (541grt) made a submarine contact SW of Pladda and attacked, but without success.

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Minesweeper/patrol vessel SCOTT carried out a search in Mounts Bay after a submarine was reported in 50-40N, 5-39W.

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U.22 laid mines off Blyth. One ship was lost on this minefield.

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U.48 sank Greek merchant ship GERMAINE (5217grt) west of the English Channel in 51‑00N, 12‑18W. Destroyers WANDERER, WALPOLE, WOLVERINE, ARDENT arrived on the scene about four hours later, but failed to find the attacker. The crew were picked up by WANDERER and transferred to Dutch liner PENNLAND (16,381grt). WOLVERINE and ARDENT were still searching on the 16th.

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Steamer HARFLY (909grt) was sunk in collision off Dunkirk with Portuguese steamer LUSO (6207grt) which was damaged.

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Heavy cruisers SUSSEX and SHROPSHIRE arrived at Capetown, but both departed the same day for the Plate.

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Destroyers HARDY, HOSTILE, HERO arrived at Pernambuco from Freetown, refuelled immediately, and departed for Rio de Janeiro.

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Submarine CLYDE was under repair at Dakar from the 15th to 30th.

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Destroyer DIANA, which had departed Malta on the 11th, was forced to leave her patrol to correct urgent defects at Malta.

Saturday, 16 December

The Home Fleet with battleships WARSPITE (right, over 4 years later off Normandy - Maritime Quest), BARHAM, battlecruiser HOOD and nine destroyers was 300 miles west of Malin Head at 0730 covering arriving Canadian Troop Convoy TC.1. The twelve destroyers which had sailed on the 12th to meet the convoy failed to make contact on the 15th due to fog, but met it during the morning of the 16th. Troopship EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA was separated from the convoy on the 15th again because of the fog, but rejoined on the 16th.

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On Northern Patrol, two cruisers were between the Shetlands and the Faroes, and three cruisers between the Faroes and Iceland.

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After a British aircraft attacked a submarine contact, destroyer ESCORT made another attack off Buchan Ness in 57-26N, 1-45W.

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Light cruiser CERES arrived Scapa Flow, departed the same day and arrived back on the 25th.

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Sloop FLEETWOOD, which had returned home from the East Indies in November, completed a refit on the 16th at Dundee and joined Convoy C.

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Convoy ON.5 of nine British ships departed Methil escorted by destroyers AFRIDI, MAORI, NUBIAN and submarine TRIAD. MOHAWK departed the Tyne on the 18th, but was delayed by the German mining off the port and joined at sea. The convoy was due to leave Methil on the 14th, but was also postponed due to submarine activity. ON.5 arrived safely at Bergen on the 19th without incident. Return HN.5 was delayed 48 hours and meanwhile, the destroyers went to Sullom Voe to refuel. TRIAD carried out a diving patrol.

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Convoy FS.55 departed Southend escorted by destroyers VIVIEN, VALOROUS and sloop BITTERN, and arrived at the Tyne on the 17th.

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Russian submarine SC.322 damaged German steamer GILLHAUSEN (4339grt) with gunfire south of Hanko.

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U.59 sank Swedish steamer LISTER (1366grt) in 55‑21N, 00‑38E and Norwegian steamer GLITREFJELL (1568grt) in 56‑14N, 01‑04E. Six survivors from LISTER were picked up by destroyer ECLIPSE on the 21st and 13 others in a large lifeboat arrived on the Danish coast. Five crew were lost from GLITREFJELL, with 13 survivors rescued by destroyer ICARUS and more by Greek steamer ICARION (4013grt).

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Japanese steamer SANYO MARU (970grt) departed Rotterdam after a week in port and arrived at the Tyne on the 16th. She carried German nitrates and machinery along with a Dutch cargo to challenge the British blockade but left the contraband control station at the Downs on the 18th, her cargo intact.

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Destroyers HARDY, HERO, HOSTILE departed Pernambuco early on the 16th and arrived in the Plate during the morning of the 22nd.

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French destroyers SIROCCO and RAILLEUSE, escorting convoy 40.KS, attacked a submarine contact 25 miles 245° from Cape Spartel,.

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Convoy OA.54 departed Southend escorted by destroyers WREN and WITCH until it dispersed on the 19th.

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Convoy OB.54 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers WALKER and WHIRLWIND until the 19th when the convoy dispersed.

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Convoy HG.11 departed Gibraltar with 52 ships for Britain and two more for Oporto, escorted by destroyer DOUGLAS and the French TIGRE and PANTHÈRE, the latter from the 16th until they arrived at Brest on the 23rd. DOUGLAS detached on the 19th to patrol off Cadiz-Huelva-Cape Santa Maria, and the convoy continued escorted by sloop SANDWICH from the 16th to 24th, when it arrived at Liverpool.

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Destroyer WRESTLER departed Gibraltar for refitting at Malta.

Sunday, 17 December

Admiral Forbes sent the armed merchant cruisers back to sea to counter a possible attempt by a number of German merchant ships to run the blockade to Germany. Four of them sailed from the Clyde to stations on the Northern Patrol, while heavy cruiser BERWICK headed for the Denmark Strait. Forbes returned to Greenock to refuel his destroyers on the 17th. At 0917/17th, his force was battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM, battlecruiser HOOD, destroyers ISIS, ICARUS, IMPERIAL, FOXHOUND, SOMALI, INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN. Aircraft carrier FURIOUS, battleship RESOLUTION, battlecruiser REPULSE, destroyers BEDOUIN, MASHONA, ESKIMO, MATABELE, FEARLESS, ILEX, IMPULSIVE, KANDAHAR, KHARTOUM, KASHMIR, KINGSTON arrived at Greenock at 1219/17th.

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Light cruiser DELHI departed Scapa Flow for Belfast arriving on the 21st to dock and refit, completed on 8 January.

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Destroyers IVANHOE, INTREPID of the 20th Flotilla and GRENVILLE, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and Polish BLYSKAWICA from Harwich carried out an anti-submarine sweep from the Thames entrance to Yarmouth between 1245 and 1515. IVANHOE and INTREPID then laid a field of 240 mines off Borkum in the mouth of the River Ems at 0200/18th in Operation IB, while GRENVILLE, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, BLYSKAWICA provided cover. After the lay, the Harwich destroyers carried out another anti-submarine sweep and arrived back at dusk on the 18th.

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Destroyers JERVIS, JUNO, JAGUAR, JANUS, which departed Grimsby on the 16th, left Scapa Flow and refuelled at Sullom Voe. JUNO was held up with defects, but the other three arrived off Tranoy late on the 18th to escort iron ore convoy NV.2 of six British and one Greek ship from Narvik, with light cruisers SOUTHAMPTON and EDINBURGH in support. JUNO sailed on the 19th to rejoin the convoy. On the 23rd, JAGUAR developed defects and was sent to Scapa Flow. One steamer was detached to the west coast and the convoy arrived safely at Methil on the 24th still with JERVIS, JUNO, JANUS.

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Destroyer depot ship WOOLWICH departed Rosyth for the Clyde, escorted by destroyers ESCAPADE and ENCOUNTER.

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Armed merchant cruiser LAURENTIC departed Liverpool for Northern Patrol, while AMCs TRANSYLVANIA, CHITRAL, MONTCLARE left from the Clyde.

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Armed merchant cruiser JERVIS BAY departed the Tyne, north-about for Portsmouth, escorted as far as the Pentland Skerries by destroyer ECLIPSE.

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Destroyer KEITH ran aground and required docking at Plymouth.

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Convoy BC.19 of steamer BARON CARNEGIE departed Bristol Channel escorted by destroyer WESSEX, and arrived in the Loire on the 19th. The convoy returned with BARON CARNEGIE, leaving on the 24th and arriving in the Bristol Channel on the 25th.

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U.59 sank Danish steamer BOGO (1214grt) 75 miles east of May Island in 56-12N, 0-17W. Seventeen crew were lost and survivors picked up by trawler RIVER EARN (202grt) which was sunk herself on the 19th with them still on board.

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Steamer AGNITA (3552grt) was near-missed and badly damaged by German bombing SE of the Isle of Wight in 50‑42N, 00‑44E. Italian steamer VALENTINO CODA (4486grt) was also attacked in this raid, but not damaged.

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German bombers of the FliegerKorps X (10th Flying Corps – to be met a year or so later in the Mediterranean) attacked and sank shipping, primarily British trawlers, in the North Sea off the British coast.

On the 17th, five trawlers were sunk – (1) SERENITY (487grt) eight miles ENE of Whitby, (2) PEARL (198grt) 65 miles E by S of Outer Dowsing Light Vessel, with one crewman lost and the survivors, three wounded, picked up by an accompanying trawler, (3) COMPAGANUS (270grt) 150 miles E by N of May Island (she was abandoned 100 miles E by S of Aberdeen), with one member of crew lost and the survivors picked up by trawler COLLEAGUE (207grt) which had been fishing in company, (4) ISABELLA GREIG (210grt) 145 miles E by N of May Island with the survivors, two wounded, picked up by a drifter, and (5) ZELOS (227grt) 110 miles E by N of May Island, but without casualties.

Still on the 17th, EILEEN WRAY (227grt) was badly damaged off Hartlepool and CRAIGIELEA (211grt) northeast of Aberdeen. Two were wounded on CRAIGIELEA, but there were no casualties on EILEEN WRAY which was towed to Hartlepool but sank in harbour. Sixteen other trawlers and Estonian steamer MARVI (244grt) were attacked but not damaged.

On the 18th, two trawlers were sunk, (1) ACTIVE (185grt) 30 miles N by W of Rattray Head with one crew lost and survivors picked up by trawler CARBINEER II (297grt), and (2) TRINITY N B (203grt) off Kinnaird Head, in 57-50N, 1-30W with two crew lost and survivors picked up by Danish schooner SMART.

Still on the 18th, ASTROS (275grt) and NEW CHOICE (236grt) were both damaged off May Island and ETRURIA (373grt) off Duncansby Head. ETRURIA lost three crew killed, and was towed in by trawler SILANION (366grt). Four other trawlers were attacked, but not damaged.

On the 19th, two more trawlers were lost – (1) DANEDEN (210grt) ESE of the Shetlands, and (2) RIVER EARN (202grt) in 58-30N, 2-01E ENE of Kinnaird Head. The entire crew of RIVER EARN was rescued by Norwegian steamer ROGALAND (902grt) and taken to Kopervik.

Again on the 19th, STAR OF SCOTLAND (203grt) was damaged off the Shetlands with two men killed and two wounded.

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U.60 laid mines off Cross Sands near Lowestoft. One steamer was lost on this minefield.

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Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL and battlecruiser RENOWN arrived at Rio de Janeiro, refuelled and put back to sea the same day. Light cruiser NEPTUNE refuelled at Santos and also departed the same day. Meanwhile, German pocket battleship ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE, after transferring her crew to German steamer TACOMA (8268grt), scuttled herself in the Rio de la Plata Estuary off Montevideo. The ARK ROYAL force, steaming at high speed towards Montevideo, had not gone far when word of SPEE's scuttling was received. Joined by destroyers HARDY, HERO, HOSTILE and later by NEPTUNE, they swept through 16-40S, 27-50W searching for supply ship ALTMARK. French light cruiser DUGUAY TROUIN, armed merchant cruisers CHARLES PLUMIER, KOUTOUBIE, submarines ACHÉRON, FRESNEL, LE HÉROS and REDOUTABLE also searched from 19 December to 19 January. ARK ROYAL’s force then proceeded to Freetown, arriving on the 24th, light cruisers AJAX and ACHILLES left the Plate Estuary and proceed to Port Stanley, while heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND remained off Montevideo.

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Destroyer DIAMOND departed Aden on the 14th and arrived at Suez on the 17th completing the transfer of the 21st Flotilla from China to the Mediterranean.

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Australian destroyer STUART, which had arrived at Aden from duty in the Indian Ocean on the 10th, reached Malta on the 17th for duty in the Mediterranean.

Australian destroyers WATERHEN and VENDETTA, escorting battleship MALAYA with destroyer DEFENDER, had arrived at Malta on the 14th followed by two more Australians, VAMPIRE and VOYAGER on the 24th.

These ships, with light cruisers ARETHUSA, PENELOPE, GALATEA, CAPETOWN and the 21st Destroyer Flotilla, which the Australians relieved for duty elsewhere, and submarines OSIRIS and OSWALD, comprised the entire operational Mediterranean Fleet.

On 2 January 1940, the Australian destroyers were organised as the 19th Destroyer Division.

Very shortly, light cruisers CALEDON and CALYPSO arrived from the Home Fleet and ARETHUSA and PENELOPE departed for Home Waters. CALEDON arrived at Gibraltar on the 24th, departed on the 26th, and reached Malta on the 28th for duty with the 3rd Cruiser Squadron. CALYPSO arrived at Gibraltar on the 27th,  departed on the 28th, and arrived at Malta on the 31st, also for duty with the 3rd Cruiser Squadron.

The 21st Destroyer Flotilla was divided in two, with one half returning to Home Waters and the other going to the South Atlantic. In addition, in February, light cruiser GALATEA also departed the Mediterranean for Home Waters.

As a replacement for the Australian destroyers in the Far East, light cruisers COLOMBO and CERES were sailed in February after completing refits.

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Sloop SCARBOROUGH departed Port Said after arriving from the Indian Ocean en route to England. She arrived at Malta and departed on the 26th.

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French large destroyer AIGLE was damaged in a collision with French auxiliary patrol vessel LEZARDRIEUX in Toulon Roads. The damage took a month to repair.

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Light cruiser BIRMINGHAM, while refuelling, collided with tanker FRANCOL (5620grt) at the Saddle Islands off Shanghai. Her port bow was holed. After emergency repairs, she was able to continue patrol and arrived at Hong Kong for docking on the 27th. Repairs took two days.

Monday, 18 December

On Northern Patrol, two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers between the Faroes and Iceland, and heavy cruiser BERWICK in the Denmark Strait.

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Armed boarding vessel NORTHERN DUKE attacked a submarine contact 55 miles NW of Cape Wrath.

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Light cruiser SHEFFIELD departed the Tyne on Northern Patrol duties, and arrived at Scapa Flow on the 28th.

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Light cruiser EDINBURGH departed Scapa Flow for Portsmouth, leaving Portsmouth on the 22nd.

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Light cruiser CALEDON departed the Tyne for Devonport.

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Armed boarding vessel KINGSTON TOPAZ, en route to her first patrol, ran aground on Skea Skerries, Westray Firth. She was got off and taken to Aberdeen for repairs.

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New submarine TAKU underwent trials off Liverpool during the day, escorted by anti-submarine yacht CUTTY SARK.

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German destroyers FRIEDRICH IHN, FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT, HERMANN SCHOEMANN departed Wilhelmshaven to lay mines off Orfordness. When they arrived and found the British navigational lights extinguished, they returned as the mines could not be accurately laid.

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Light cruiser CAPETOWN departed Malta on patrol duties, and arrived back on the 26th.

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Convoy SA.22 of two unescorted steamers departed Southampton, arriving at Brest on the 19th.

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Convoy FS.56 departed the Tyne escorted by sloops PELICAN, WESTON, HASTINGS, and arrived at Southend on the 19th.

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Destroyer WALLACE and sloop STORK departed Methil with a group of merchant ships for the Tyne to join convoy FS.57.

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Convoy SL.13 departed Freetown escorted by sloops WELLINGTON and LEITH. LEITH was detached on the 19th. On 4 January, WELLINGTON was relieved by sloop ENCHANTRESS and destroyer WITHERINGTON. The convoy arrived on 6 January.

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Light cruiser NEPTUNE attacked a submarine contact 150 miles east of Rio de Janeiro.

Tuesday, 19 December

On 19 December at 1430 Admiral Forbes departed the Clyde with battleship BARHAM, battlecruiser REPULSE and destroyers INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN, ICARUS, ISIS and KHARTOUM to cover convoys HN.5 and NV.2.

At 55-30N, 5-02W off Holy Island at 1700, KHARTOUM reported a torpedo was fired at her. ISIS attacked a submarine contact, and KHARTOUM made three attacks on this submarine at 1700.

KHARTOUM, in company with anti-submarine trawler LORD SNOWDEN (444grt), made a submarine attack in 55‑30N, 05‑00W off Arran at 0725/20th. Patrol sloops MALLARD and PUFFIN assisted, but the attack was unsuccessful.

Destroyers IMPULSIVE, MATABELE, MASHONA, BEDOUIN, ESKIMO departed Greenock to assist in the submarine hunt. MATABELE joined ISIS and also made attacks. KHARTOUM rejoined the BARHAM screen.

The search continued until liners AQUITANIA and EMPRESS OF BRITAIN passed the area southbound.

IMOGEN and KHARTOUM refuelled at Sullom Voe on the 23rd, while MASHONA arrived at Loch Ewe on the 24th with defects.

ICARUS and ISIS refuelled at Sullom Voe on the 25th. During this time, the Germans launched another air raid against Sullom Voe and the destroyers assisted anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY in driving off the attack.