British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day by Don Kindell NAVAL EVENTS, JANUARY 1940, Part 2 of 2 Tuesday 16th - Wednesday 31st

HMS Glowworm, destroyer (CyberHeritage, click photographs for enlargements)

on to Naval Events, FEBRUARY 1940 or back to Naval-History.Net

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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1940

Tuesday, 16 January

Heavy cruiser NORFOLK departed Rosyth on patrol duties, and arrived in the Clyde on the 23rd.

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Light cruiser NEWCASTLE departed Scapa Flow on patrol and arrived back on the 18th.

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Light cruiser DIOMEDE departed Scapa Flow on patrol.

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Armed merchant cruiser DERBYSHIRE arrived at the Clyde from Northern Patrol.

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Armed merchant cruiser CALIFORNIA departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol.

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Anti-aircraft cruiser CURLEW (right, prewar before conversion - NP/Ingo Bauernfiend) departed Scapa Flow for the Humber, and on passage arrived at Rosyth on the 16th.

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Destroyers IVANHOE and INTREPID were to conduct minelaying operation IE-3 in the North Sea, but it was cancelled due to bad weather.

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Destroyers KIMBERLEY and KELVIN collided at sea SE of Barra in 56-45N, 7-15W between the Clyde and Scapa Flow. KIMBERLEY was not damaged, but KELVIN was taken to the Clyde for repairs, escorted by destroyer BEDOUIN. Repairs to KELVIN were completed on 2 February. KIMBERLEY arrived at Scapa Flow on the 16th.

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Destroyer EXMOUTH and cable ship ROYAL SCOT arrived at Rosyth after an unsuccessful attempt in bad weather to repair the Danish cable.

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Destroyers SIKH and MOHAWK departed the Clyde escorting base ship MASHOBRA to Scapa Flow. They arrived at Scapa Flow on the 18th, and the destroyers went on to Rosyth arriving later that day.

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Submarine SUNFISH departed Harwich on patrol.

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Submarine H.34 departed Rosyth to exercise in the Firth of Forth, and off Inchkeith, rendezvoused with sloop FLAMINGO.

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Salvage ship TEDWORTH, escorted by escort vessel/minesweeper JASON departed the Clyde for Liverpool.

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Tanker INVERDARGLE (9456grt) was sunk on a mine laid by U.33 in 51‑61N, 03‑43W on 5 November, with the loss of all 44 crew.

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Italian steamer PREMUDA (4427grt) collided with a Lightship and was run aground on Goodwin Sands to prevent her sinking.

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Convoy HG.15 departed Gibraltar with 37 ships on the 16th, escorts:

	joined	detached
16th	Destroyer WITHERINGTON, French TARTU, VAUQUELIN, sloop WELLINGTON
19th		WITHERINGTON detached to convoy OG.15
23rd		Convoy split, WELLINGTON escorted HG.15B
25th		TARTU, VAUQUELIN
convoy arrived on the 25th

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French light cruiser DUGUAY TROUIN and destroyer RAILLEUSE departed Casablanca with French steamer DE LA SALLE for Lorient, and French steamer BRAZZA departed Casablanca at the same time, escorted by destroyer BASQUE for Bordeaux. The destroyers were relieved on the 17th by large destroyer JAGUAR, which had departed Brest on the 15th, and destroyer BOUCLIER from Lorient.

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Convoy SL.17 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser CARNARVON CASTLE and destroyer DAINTY. The armed merchant cruiser was with the convoy until the 31st, but the destroyer was detached in the local approaches. On 2 February, sloop ROCHESTER and destroyers VISCOUNT and WALKER joined the convoy and escorted it until its UK arrival on 4 February.

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At 0700, steamer HIGHLAND PRINCESS (14,133grt) coming out of La Cruz, Canary Islands, was attacked by French submarine PASCAL which mistook her for a German blockade runner. No damage was done.

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New Zealand light cruiser ACHILLES departed the Falkland Islands for patrol in the Rio de Janiero area.

Wednesday, 17 January

Submarine TRIBUNE fired six torpedoes at 0250 at a submarine in 57-50N, 11-00E at the mouth of the Kattegat, and fired two more at 0253, but there was no German submarine in the area.

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Light cruiser DUNEDIN arrived at Scapa Flow after Northern Patrol.

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Armed merchant cruisers ANDANIA arrived in the Clyde from Northern Patrol and CALIFORNIA departed the Clyde for Northern Patrol.

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Destroyer KANDAHAR arrived at Scapa Flow.

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Submarine SNAPPER departed Blyth on patrol.

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Destroyers MAORI, TARTAR, INGLEFIELD and FORESIGHT were sent to patrol off the Norwegian coast to intercept German ore ships.

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Convoy OA.74 departed Southend escorted by destroyers WHITEHALL and WIVERN from the 17th. WIVERN was detached on the 19th and WHITEHALL on the 20th, both to convoy HGF.16.

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Convoy OB.74 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers WANDERER and MACKAY which later transferred to HXF.16. Steamer CAIRNROSS (not CAIRNCROSS as originally reported, 5494grt) from the convoy was lost on a mine seven miles, 276° from the Bar Light Vessel off Mersey Light laid by U.30 on the 9th. The entire crew was rescued, all 48 of them by MACKAY according to Uboat.net.

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Convoy FN.73 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON and sloop GRIMSBY. In a gale, the convoy had to turn back just off the harbour entrance, but finally arrived in the Tyne on the 20th.

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Convoy FS.75 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS and sloop LONDONDERRY, and arrived at Southend on the 19th.

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Captain K A Beattie DSC (Rtd), appointed to command sloop AUCKLAND on the 8th, died on the 17th. Cdr J G Hewitt was appointed in command from the 20th.

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Italian steamer ERNANI (6619grt) collided with Lightship BRAKE in the Thames Estuary. BRAKE sank and ERNANI was badly damaged.

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U.25 sank Norwegian steamer ENID (1140grt) six to seven miles 10° of Muckle Flugga and badly damaged steamer POLZELLA (4751grt) off Muckle Flugga. POLZELLA sank next day without a trace, and there were no survivors. The entire crew of ENID was rescued by Danish steamer KINA (9823grt) and British fishing vessel GRANADA. Destroyers FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE and anti-submarine trawlers of the 10th Anti-Submarine Force were sent to hunt for the U-boat, and FIREDRAKE scuttled the wreck of ENID.

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German steamer GRATIA (2068grt) was stranded and lost at Aussenems.

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German steamer SANTOS (5943grt) departed Rio de Janiero for Hamburg where she safely arrived on 16 March.

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French large destroyer JAGUAR collided with British destroyer KEPPEL at 0435, 100 miles SW of Vigo. KEPPEL had been escorting convoy HG.15F until 1900/16th when she turned the convoy over to sloop ENCHANTRESS. She was badly damaged and escorted to Gibraltar by French destroyer LA RAILLEUSE and the British VORTIGERN, screened by French light cruiser DUGUAY TROUIN. KEPPEL arrived at Gibraltar on the 20th, departed on 10 February and was repaired in the dockyard at Malta from 14 February until 5 April. She arrived back at Gibraltar on 19 April. JAGUAR was repaired at Brest.

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Repair ship RESOURCE departed Malta for the South Atlantic, escorted by Australian destroyer STUART as far as Gibraltar, reaching there on the 21st. RESOURCE sailed from Gibraltar, while French destroyer RAILLLEUSE left Casablanca on the 23rd and light cruiser NEPTUNE left Freetown on the 25th, to join her. The British ships arrived at Freetown on the 29th, while RAILLEUSE reached Dakar on the 27th. She left on 1 February and arrived back at Casablanca on the 5th.

Thursday, 18 January

Battleship WARSPITE and battlecruiser HOOD with destroyers FURY, FAME, FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, FIREDRAKE, FORTUNE of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla departed Scapa Flow. FORESTER and FIREDRAKE attacked submarine contacts on the 20th, east of the Faroes in 62-27N, 2-01W, and FORESIGHT attacked a contact NE of the Faroes in 62-54N, 3-10W on the 20th. The force returned to Scapa Flow on the 24th.

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Convoy FN.74 departed the southern terminus escorted by destroyer GREYHOUND and sloop AUCKLAND, with GREYHOUND being relieved by sloop STORK, which had been delayed at the start. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 19th. There was no FN.75.

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Convoy SA.26 of two steamers departed Southampton, escorted by sloop ROSEMARY, and arrived at Brest on the 19th.

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Destroyers AFRIDI and BEDOUIN departed Rosyth to provide anti-aircraft protection for the merchant ships at Methil.

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Heavy cruisers DEVONSHIRE and BERWICK, after undergoing alterations, departed Rosyth for Northern Patrol.

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Heavy cruiser NORFOLK's Walrus of 712 Squadron crashed on landing at Cadder, near Bishopbriggs, Glasgow. Lt (A) E F Pope and Leading Airman J Baxter were killed.

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Armed merchant cruiser WORCESTERSHIRE arrived in the Clyde from Northern Patrol, while CARINTHIA arrived in the Clyde from Portland for duty with the Patrol.

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Polish submarine ORZEL departed Rosyth on patrol.

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Destroyer IMOGEN arrived at Rosyth from convoy ON.8.

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Destroyers INGLEFIELD and FORESIGHT arrived at Sullom Voe to refuel prior to joining convoy HN.8.

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Destroyer KIPLING arrived at the Clyde from Portland.

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Destroyers MAORI and TARTAR were sent to hunt for a submarine reported in 63-30N, 7-30E.

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Destroyer VERITY, escorting a convoy, attacked a submarine contact south of Scilly Island in 49-02N, 6-14W.

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Sloops FOXGLOVE and ROSEMARY were escorting a convoy bound for Brest when a tanker going in the opposite direction advised them of a submarine contact. FOXGLOVE attacked a contact north of Alderney in 50-06N, 2-14W.

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Destroyers BROKE, WALKER, DIANA were sent to investigate a report of a U-boat on the surface west of Lizard Head in 49-58N, 5-30W. DIANA dropped depth charges on a submarine contact.

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Convoy OB.73GF had departed Liverpool on the 15th, and OA.73GF from Southend on the 16th escorted by destroyer BROKE from the 16th to 18th. On the 18th, the two convoys merged as OG.15F, totalling 26 ships. Escort was provided by sloop ABERDEEN and destroyer DOUGLAS from the 18th to the 23rd, when the convoy arrived at Gibraltar.

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Convoy BC.23S of steamers BALTRADER, BARON KINNAIRD, BRITISH COAST, DUNKWA (Commodore) and FABIAN departed Bristol Channel escorted by destroyer MONTROSE, which attacked a submarine contact west of Hartland Point in 50-55-45N, 5-18-30W. The convoy arrived safely in the Loire on the 20th.

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French torpedo boat BRESTOIS attacked a submarine contact off Boulogne in 50-35N, 2-32W.

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U.9 sank Swedish steamer FLANDRIA (1179grt) in 54‑00N, 03‑40E, 100 miles off Ymuiden. Seventeen crew were lost and four survivors rescued by Norwegian steamer BALZAC (963grt).

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U.25 sank Swedish steamer PAJALA (6873grt) ten miles 72° from North Rona. The crew of 35 was picked up by armed boarding vessel NORTHERN DUKE, at the time escorting her to Kirkwall for inspection. NORTHERN DUKE attacked the submarine, and destroyers ASHANTI and KIMBERLEY were dispatched to assist her.

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U.44 sank Danish steamer CANADIAN REEFER (1831grt) 25 miles NE of Cape Villano, but her crew was picked up by Spanish trawler JOSE IGNACIO DE C. (300grt).

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U.55 sank Swedish steamer FOXEN (1304grt) in 58‑52N, 00‑22W. Eight crew were lost and the sole survivor was picked up by Norwegian steamer LEKA (1599grt) on the 24 January according to Uboat.Net.

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German steamer AUGUST THYSSEN (2342grt) was sunk on a mine off Aland Island in the Baltic, part of a Swedish field, according to Seekrieg.

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Heavy cruisers DORSETSHIRE and SHROPSHIRE arrived at Port Stanley from Rio de Janiero to escort heavy cruiser EXETER to England.

Friday, 19 January

The Northern Patrol sighted 56 eastbound ships from the 19th to 31st, and 30 were sent into Kirkwall for inspection. Warships arriving back from Patrol were armed merchant cruisers CALIFORNIA and CHITRAL in the Clyde and light cruiser SHEFFIELD at Scapa Flow after being relieved by light cruiser MANCHESTER. Light cruiser DUNEDIN departed Scapa Flow on Patrol, but was recalled on the 25th and arrived back on the 26th. Also arriving at Scapa were heavy cruisers BERWICK and DEVONSHIRE from Rosyth and light cruiser DELHI.

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During the night of the 18th/19th, operation ST.3 was carried out off the Dutch coast with destroyers GRENVILLE, GRENADE, GRIFFIN and escort vessel WHITLEY. Two Dutch, one Norwegian and one Swedish ship were sent in for inspection. Returning to Harwich, GRENVILLE (Captain G E Creasy, D.1) was sunk by mine at 1250 off Kentish Knock in 51‑39N, 2‑17E. Seventy six ratings were lost, and the survivors picked up by accompanying GRENADE and GRIFFIN.

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Operation ST.4 was carried out by destroyers GREYHOUND, GLOWWORM, GRAFTON and the Polish BLYSKAWICA during the night of the 19th/20th. One Norwegian and one Swedish ship were sent in for inspection. In the four ST operations, destroyers GRENVILLE (ST.1 and ST.3), GREYHOUND (ST.1 and ST.4), GLOWWORM (ST.1 and ST.4), GRAFTON (ST.2 and ST.4), GRIFFIN (ST.2 and ST.3), GRENADE (ST.3) and BLYSKAWICA (ST.2 and ST.4) had taken part in the sweeps. Anti-submarine trawlers STELLA LEONIS, WILLIAM WESNEY, RIVER CLYDE, ARKWRIGHT, STELLA RIGEL, CAPE MELVILLE, PYROPE, EDWARDIAN and MILFORD PRINCESS were also involved.

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Anti-aircraft cruisers CALCUTTA and CAIRO departed Sheerness on escort duties, and arrived in the Humber on the 20th.

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Destroyer EXMOUTH departed Invergordon escorting tanker HORN SHELL (8272grt) as far as Cape Wrath, and then returned to Aberdeen on the 20th to escort steamer CYPRIAN PRINCE (1988grt) to Scapa Flow.

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Minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA departed Rosyth escorted by anti-aircraft cruiser CURLEW, destroyer ESCAPADE and escort ship WHITLEY with an MT convoy for the Humber.

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Destroyer BEDOUIN departed Rosyth.

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Destroyer ASHANTI departed Loch Ewe with salvage ships ANCHORITE and DISPERSER for Scapa Flow.

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Destroyer COSSACK arrived at Rosyth from Leith after repairs.

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Submarine THISTLE departed Rosyth on patrol.

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Destroyer VETERAN attacked a submarine contact off Owers Light in 50‑28N, 00‑45W.

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French anti-submarine trawlers LA ORIENTAISE (590grt) and LA NANTAISE (590grt), sweeping to the northeast of Barfleur Light, attacked a submarine contact off Pointe de Barfleur in 49‑45N, 0‑03W. On 20 January, LA ORIENTAISE and sloop YSER were sweeping in the area.

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Convoy HN.8 of two British, 28 Norwegian, three Swedish and five Finnish ships departed Bergen and was joined at sea by destroyers ICARUS, IMOGEN, ISIS, INGLEFIELD, KASHMIR, KHARTOUM and KIMBERLEY. Light cruisers GLASGOW and EDINBURGH departed Rosyth on the 17th in support. On the 18th, EDINBURGH dropped depth charges on a submarine contact ESE of Sumburgh Head in 60-21N, 1-09E. On the 19th, KHARTOUM and KASHMIR were detached to hunt for a submarine in Moray Firth and attacked a contact. On the 20th, the two destroyers again attacked a contact in Moray Firth in 58-03.5N, 02-07.5W. Nine steamers were detached to ports on the west coast, and arrived at Methil early on the 22nd escorted by KASHMIR, ICARUS, ISIS and IMPULSIVE; the last two destroyers reinforcing the convoy on the 19th after the submarine contact.

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Convoy FS.76 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloops BITTERN and FLEETWOOD, and arrived at Southend on the 20th.

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U.9 sank Swedish steamer PATRIA (1188grt) in 54‑16N, 03‑30E. Nineteen crew were lost and the survivors rescued by Swedish steamer FRIGG (1248grt).

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U.59 sank French steamer QUIBERON (1296grt) off Great Yarmouth.

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Steamer MILE END (859grt) was sunk in a collision with trawler FARADAY (322grt) in 51‑45N, 02‑40E in the North Sea. Sloop STORK picked up the survivors.

Saturday, 20 January

Light cruiser DELHI departed Scapa Flow for Portsmouth where she arrived on the 22nd. When she left Scapa, the 7th Cruiser Squadron ceased to exist.

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Light cruiser MANCHESTER stopped Norwegian steamer LISA and sent her to Kirkwall for inspection.

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Destroyer ASHANTI arrived at Rosyth from Loch Ewe, via Scapa Flow.

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Destroyers FAME and FURY arrived at Sullom Voe to refuel.

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Destroyer KIMBERLEY sailed for the Clyde after unsuccessfully searching for the submarine that sank Swedish steamer PAJALA.

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Destroyers SIKH, MOHAWK, IMPERIAL and IMOGEN departed Rosyth for a sweep in the North Sea. On the 21st, IMPERIAL was in a minor collision, but was able to continue, and then on the 22nd attacked a submarine contact off Buchan Ness in 57.31N, 01‑16W. She was ordered to remain at the location until relieved by destroyers ENCOUNTER and ESCAPADE from Rosyth. Repairs to IMPERIAL were completed on the 26th.

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Submarine TRIBUNE arrived at Rosyth from patrol with engine trouble, and was docked from 21 January to 22 March. Submarines TRIDENT, SEAL, TRITON departed Rosyth for patrol on this date, but TRIDENT and SEAL arrived back next day.

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Armed merchant cruiser SALOPIAN, en route from Devonport to the Clyde, was in a collision with Finnish steamer SAIMAA (2001grt) in the Firth of Clyde, and was grounded in the Clyde on the 21st.

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Anti-submarine trawlers KINGSTON CYANITE (433grt), KINGSTON CORAL (433grt) and KINGSTON CRYSTAL (433grt) were en route from Belfast to Portland. Off Lizard Head in 49-57N, 4-50W and 49-58N, 4-58W, they attacked a submarine contact.

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Convoy OA.76 departed Southend escorted by destroyers VERITY and VETERAN until the 23rd when the convoy dispersed.

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Convoy OB.76 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer WARWICK and sloop DEPTFORD until the 23rd.

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Convoy FN.76 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS and sloop LONDONDERRY, and arrived in the Tyne on the 22nd.