British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day by Don Kindell NAVAL EVENTS, MAY 1940, Part 2 of 4 Wednesday 8th – Tuesday 14th

HMS Ajax, light cruiser (NavyPhotos, click photographs for enlargements)

on to MAY 1940, Part 3 or back to Naval-History.Net

Note: all vessels and aircraft are British unless otherwise identified or implied - click for abbreviations

Background Events - April-May 1940
Invasion of Norway, Battles of Narvik, Blitzkrieg on Western Europe, Dunkirk evacuation starts

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1940

Wednesday, 8 May

At 1736 Submarine TAKU (Lt Cdr V. J. Van Der Byl) attacked German steamers PALIME (2863grt) and PELIKAN (3264grt) escorted by torpedo boats MOEWE and KONDOR in the North Sea, sixty miles off Tyboroen in 56-45N, 06-12E.

The steamers were undamaged and later arrived at Stavanger on the 9th, but torpedo boat MOEWE was severely damaged in the stern.

Torpedo boat MOEWE was towed by torpedo boat KONDOR to Wilhelmshaven and was repairing until April 1941.

After the ten hour counterattack, TAKU was forced to return to Rosyth arriving on the 15th.

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Destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, JANUS departed Scapa Flow at 0500 with light cruiser BIRMINGHAM for Rosyth.

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Destroyers KELLY (D.5) and KIMBERLEY departed Greenock at 0845 with all dispatch for Rosyth to join a force of eight destroyers on duty on the East Coast.

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To forestall anticipated German landings on Iceland, armed merchant cruiser CALIFORNIA and armed boarding vessels KINGSTON PERIDOT (356grt), KINGSTON JACINTH (356grt), NORTHERN DUKE (655grt) operated off the Icelandic coast.

Armed boarding vessels KINGSTON ONYX (357grt) and KINGSTON TURQUOISE (356grt) joined armed merchant cruiser CALIFORNIA on the 13th off Iceland and armed boarding vessel DISCOVERY II (1062grt) arrived off the east coast of Iceland on the 22nd.

In Operation FORK, heavy cruiser BERWICK and light cruiser GLASGOW with destroyers FORTUNE and FEARLESS departed Greenock at 0430 for Reykavik where they arrived on the 10th to land a detachment of Royal Marines.

The troops landing was completed at 0700/10th and the FORK ships departed Reykavik at 1900/10th.

The cruisers searched for eastern fjord for German activity and took on board all German nationals for transport to England.

The destroyers were detached at 1500/11th and arrived at Scapa Flow at 1010/12th.

Cruisers BERWICK and GLASGOW arrived at Liverpool on the 12th.

Heavy cruiser BERWICK was refitting at Liverpool until the beginning of August.

Cruiser GLASGOW was refitting from 14 May to 1 July 1940.

Light cruiser GLASGOW departed Liverpool on 7 July.

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Heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE departed Scapa Flow at 1400 to return to Northern Norway.

Destroyers WESTCOTT and VOLUNTEER met the heavy cruiser at 2045/10th. They arrived at Tromso at 2255.

Destroyer WESTCOTT refuelled from the heavy cruiser at Tromso that night.

The destroyers were involved in anti-submarine duties around Tromso from 10 to 14 May. On 14 May, the destroyers were detachedto Vice Admiral Air to escort the aircraft carriers operating off northern Norway.

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Destroyer ISIS struck wreckage in Balangen Fjord and was badly damaged. Her propellers were wrecked and her tiller flat was damaged. She was towed to Skelfjord by destroyer ILEX.

Destroyer ISIS departed Skelfjord under tow for England on the 10th.

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At 2200, destroyer SOMALI met a Norwegian fishing vessel, en route to the Faroes with twelve Norwegian Air Force officers. The boat was given a boat's compass and directed to the Shetlands.

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A Swordfish aircraft of 810 Squadron from aircraftcarrier ARK ROYAL crashed into the sea on landing. S/Lt W. G. Adams, S/Lt H.E. H.Pain, Leading Airman H.G. Edwards were picked up by destroyer MAORI.

Adams died of injuries incurred in the crash on 5 October 1940. Edwards was injured, but not seriously.

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French Amiral Jean Abrial was lent six Destroyers of Convoy C for the defense of Belgium. This force was designated "FA" and was dispatched in four sections.

At 1600/10th, destroyers VALENTINE and WINCHESTER departed Dover for operations under Abrial's command.

Destroyer VALENTINE had arrived at Dover on the 9th after escorting convoy FS.66.

On 11 May at 0600, destroyers VIMIERA and WESTMINSTER departed Dover.

Destroyers WHITLEY and WOLSEY arrived at Dover from the north on the 12th. Destroyer WHITLEY departed Dover for FA operations at 0445/13th, followed by WOLSEY on the 15th at 1600.

However, heavy losses cut short the life of this unit. On 19 May at 1815 "FA" was disbanded with VALENTINE and WHITLEY lost, WESTMINSTER and WINCHESTER badly damaged. Only WOLSEY and VIMIERA remained fit for further operations and were ordered to the Dover Command.

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French destroyers carried out a twenty four hour sweep within twenty miles of the Belgian and Dutch coast as far north as Egmond.

No contact was made.

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Light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON was docked at Rosyth for repairs from 8 to 20 May.

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Swedish steamers ALBERT (1745grt) and TYRA BRATT (1301grt) were seized by German forces at Stavanger.

Steamer TYRA BRATT was detained at Haugesand and her crew was returned to Gotenburg. The steamer was renamed NOGAT for German service.

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Convoy OA.141 departed Southend escorted by destroyer VIVACIOUS.

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Convoy OB.141 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer VERSATILE from 8 to 10 May. The convoy was dispersed on the 12th.

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Convoy FN.166 departed Southend, escorted by armed patrol yacht BREDA. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 10th.

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Convoy FS.166 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer VALENTINE and sloop WESTON. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 10th.

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French large destroyers ALBATROS and VAUTOUR departed Brest escorting liner PASTEUR to St Nazaire, where the liner arrived that day.

The destroyers returned to Brest, arriving 1340/10th after spending six hours in Quiberon Bay.

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Convoy HX.41 departed Halifax at 0900 escorted by Canadian destroyers RESTIGOUCHE and ST LAURENT, which were detached on the 9th.

The destroyers turned the convoy over to ocean escort, armed merchant cruiser RANPURA and French submarine AJAX at 1800/8th.

The armed merchant cruiser and submarine were detached on the 20th.

Destroyer MACKAY and sloop ABERDEEN joined on the 19th and corvette CLARKIA on the 20th. The escort was detached on the 23rd when the convoy arrived at Liverpool.

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French destroyers INDOMPTABLE and MALIN passed Gibraltar en route from Brest for Oran, where they arrived on the 9th.

Thursday, 9 May

French submarine DORIS was sunk by U.9 thirty miles west of Terschelling Bank in 53‑40N, 04‑00E.

British Lt R. E. Westmacott, an observer on submarine DORIS, two British communications ratings were lost with the French crew on submarine DORIS.

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There were two SCISSORS landings during the night of 9/10 May.

Landings on 8/9 May were cancelled due to fog.

Destroyers JUNO and VETERAN arrived at Mosjoen escorting British troopship ULSTER PRINCE (3791grt) with 290 officers and men.

After the landings, at 1403/10th, destroyer JUNO was ordered to leave ULSTER PRINCE and proceed to Scapa Flow at high speed.

Destroyer VETERAN and troopship ULSTER PRINCE returning to the Clyde called at Sullom Voe to refuel on the 11th. They arrived at Greenock at 0330/13th.

Destroyer FIREDRAKE conducted a reconnaissance of Ranenfjord on report of enemy activity.

Destroyer NUBIAN and British troopship ROYAL SCOTSMAN (3244grt) arrived at Bodo at 2000/9th with 290 men.

Destroyer FIREDRAKE rejoined destroyer NUBIAN and troopship ROYAL SCOTSMAN at 2100/9th.

Early on the 10th ferried the troops ashore in a SCISSORS operation.

Destroyers FIREDRAKE and NUBIAN then departed Bodo at 0200/10th with the troopship.

Destroyer FIREDRAKE arrived at Scapa Flow at 2210/11th.

Destroyer NUBIAN and the troopship arrived safely at Scapa Flow at 0030/12th.

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Eight Skuas of 806 Squadron and six Blenheims of 254 Squadron departed Hatston to attack Bergen, where German training ship BREMSE was reported.

German minesweeper M. 134 was sunk with three dead by British bombing at Bergen, but was later salved and restored to service as patrol boat JUNGINGEN.

One Blenheim of 254 Squadron was lost when it was struck by flak. Observer Lt (A) R. B. Nuthall and the two Coastal Command crew were lost in the Blenheim.

Two Skuas were able to fly directly back to Hatston. However, the other six had to land at Sumburgh for fuelling. One Skua, flown by Petty Officer Airman A. Jopling, crashed arriving back at Sumburgh, but there were no injuries. A second Skua, flown by Probationary S/Lt (A) S. G. Orr RNVR, was damaged by shrapnel, but after repair at Sumburgh, returned to Hatston.

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A Skua of 803 Squadron force landed near Grondalen in Haugfjell. Midshipman C. Treen and Naval Airman A. E. T. Goble were later picked up by destroyer BEDOUIN.

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In operations from aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, a Swordfish from 810 Squadron crashed on take off. Lt A. W. Stewart, Midshipman G. T. Shaddick, Leading Airman H.W. V. Burt were picked up by a destroyer.

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British Midshipman P. L. Atkinson was killed when his Walrus of 765 Squadron crashed in the Solent.

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Destroyers EXPRESS, ESK, INTREPID departed Scapa Flow at 0500 to lay mines for ZMC, minelaying in the North Sea off Helgoland, then proceed to Immingham.

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German minelayers ROLAND, COBRA, PREUSSEN, KAISER laid minefield 16 west of Jutland escorted by German destroyers BEITZEN, SCHOEMANN, HEINEMANN, torpedo boat GREIF, Schnellboote S.30, S.31, S.32, S.33 of the 2nd Flotilla.

Light cruiser BIRMINGHAM (Captain I. G. Glennie aboard in command of the sweep) and destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, HAVOCK, JANUS departed Rosyth at 0900 to attempt to intercept this German force reported off the Isle of Sylt in 56‑39N, 03‑37E in the North Sea.

Outside Rosyth, destroyers KELLY (D.5), KIMBERLEY, KANDAHAR, HOSTILE rendezvoused with the BIRMINGHAM force. However, KIMBERLEY, just arriving from Greenock and short on fuel, was later detached for refuelling at Rosyth. After refuelling, KIMBERLEY went to Sheerness and arrived at 2120/10th.

Destroyers FORESIGHT, FURY, BULLDOG, GALLANT departed Scapa Flow at 0630 to operate with battlecruiser REPULSE and light cruisers SHEFFIELD and MANCHESTER for gunnery trials east of Pentland Firth. The light cruisers departed Scapa Flow at 0900, but returned at 1020.

The force returned to Scapa Flow and the destroyers, joined by destroyer MOHAWK, were sent at 1200 to operate in coordination with the Rosyth units. These destroyers were to proceed to 57-21N, 2-33E to intercept six German motor torpedo boats and sink them before joining light cruiser BIRMINGHAM.

When destroyer KANDAHAR made a submarine contact, KELLY and KANDAHAR were detached to hunt down the contact. Destroyer BULLDOG, which lost touch with her group, later joined them.

At 2230, destroyer KELLY was torpedoed and badly damaged by German S.31 in 56‑48N, 05‑09E in the North Sea. Twenty seven ratings were killed and Commissioned Engineer E. W. Cole was wounded. KELLY was taken in tow by destroyer BULLDOG.

At 0010/10th, German S.33 in heavy fog collided with destroyers BULLDOG and KELLY, glancing off both ships and doing no further damage to them, but badly damaging herself. She was able to return to Wilhelmshaven.

At 0700/10th, destroyer KELLY in tow of destroyer BULLDOG was in 56-56N, 4-05E and proceeding at five knots. Destroyers KANDAHAR, FURY, GALLANT were escorting the two destroyers.

At daylight on the 10th, destroyer KELLY's wounded were transferred to destroyer KANDAHAR.

Light cruisers SHEFFIELD and MANCHESTER departed Scapa Flow at 0330/10th to provide a screen for damaged destroyer KELLY. The cruisers joined KELLY at 1400.

At 0926/10th, light cruiser BIRMINGHAM and destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, HAVOCK, HOSTILE, FORESIGHT, KIMBERLEY came under the Command of Commander in Chief, Nore. They were ordered to proceed towards Terschelling. They later arrived at Harwich on the 10th.

Coastal Command Hudsons of 233 Squadron provided cover for the KELLY through the withdrawal.

Destroyer KANDAHAR departed the KELLY screen at 0410/11th and arrived at Rosyth to refuel and land the wounded at 0400/11th. She departed at 1820 that day and rejoined KELLY.

On 11 May, Commander Cruiser Squadron 18 requested a tug for destroyer KELLY as destroyer FURY could not tow the destroyer faster than three knots and Aircraft had reported two German submarines in the area.

Light cruisers SHEFFIELD and MANCHESTER departed the screen at 1609/11th and arrived at Rosyth that evening.

At 0500/12th, tugs WATERMEYER (621grt) and BRAHMAN (230grt) joined relieving BULLDOG of the tow at 0645.

Destroyers KELLY in tow of tugs WATERMEYER and BRAHMAN, KANDAHAR, FURY, BULLDOG, GALLANT arrived in the Tyne at 1730/13th.

Destroyer KELLY had been in tow for ninety one hours.

Destroyer KELLY was repairing in the Tyne at Hebburn until 18 December 1940.

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Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY (Rear Admiral 1st Anti-air Craft Squadron) after refuelling departed Sullom Voe on the 9th for Bogen where she arrived on the 14th.

On her arrival, anti-aircraft cruisers CAIRO and CALCUTTA departed Skelfjord for Rosyth for refuelling and ammunition.

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Destroyer GRENADE departed Greenock at 1700 for Liverpool for boiler cleaning.

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Convoy OG.29F was formed from convoys OA.143GF, which departed Southend on the 6th, escorted by corvette ARABIS from 6 to 8 May, OB.143GF, which departed Liverpool on the 6th, escorted by destroyer VIMY and sloop DEPTFORD from 6 to 9 May, fromwith fifty six ships.

Corvette ARABIS's role was the first use of the new Flower corvettes in an OG.convoy.

Destroyer VIMY was detached to convoy HG.29 F.

Sloop DEPTFORD escorted the convoy from 10 to 14 May.

Destroyer WINDSOR and corvette PERIWINKLE escorted the convoy on the 9th and then were detached to convoy HG.29 F. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 14th.

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Convoy BC.37 of steamers BARON CARNEGIE, GLENLEA, ILVINGTON COURT, KUFRA (Commodore), LOTTIE R, RONAN departed Bristol Channel escorted by destroyer VESPER. The convoy arrived at Loire on the 11th.

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Convoy SA.40 of two steamers arrived at St Malo from Southampton.

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Convoy FN.167 departed Southend, escorted by sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 11th.

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Convoy MT.66 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VIVIEN and VIMIERA. The convoy included two Danish steamers under armed guard. The convoy arrived the next morning.

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Convoy FS.167 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN. The convoy was recalled when it was thought there were mines being laid in the channel.

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French large destroyers TARTU and CHEVALIER PAUL departed Greenock escorting steamers DJENNE, FLANDRE, PRESIDENT DOUMER, PROVIDENCE. The convoy arrived at Brest on the 11th.

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Aircraft carrier EAGLE departed Singapore after completing repairs and refit. EAGLE called at Colombo on 14 to 17 May.

The aircraft carrier arrived at Aden on the 22nd and continued on that evening, accompanied by light cruisers GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, SYDNEY. On 23 May, light cruiser HOBART relieved light cruiser LIVERPOOL and on the 24th, both HOBART and GLOUCESTER were detached.

Aircraft carrier EAGLE departed Port Said on the 27th for duty with the Mediterranean Fleet and arrived at Alexandria, escorted by destroyers HEREWARD and HERO.

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Convoy SL. 31 departed Freetown escorted by armed mechant cruiser DUNNOTTAR CASTLE until 23 May.

On 23 May, destroyer WINCHELSEA, sloop DEPTFORD, corvette PERIWINKLE joined the convoy and escorted it to arrival on the 28th.

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German tanker CORRIENTES (4565grt), used for refuelling German submarines, at Las Palmas was sunk by French divers.

Friday, 10 May

On this date, of the surviving ten German destroyers, seven were repairing defects and damages in Germany.

Late on the 7th, destroyer JACOBI departed Trondheim and arrived at Wilhelmshaven on the 9th for repairs and refitting.

Destroyer RIEDEL at Trondheim with serious defects did not leave until 8 June to return to Wilhelmshaven.

Finally, only destroyer SCHOEMANN was operational and capable of duty.

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In operation WILDENTE, German troops from Trondheim were embarked on the Norwegian coastal steamer NORDNORGE (991grt), manned by personnel from destroyers JACOBI and RIEDEL.

These troops were landed at Ranfjord on the 10th and their presence facilitated the capture of Mosjoen by German troops.

The only British warships in a position to intercept were the anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA, escorting convoy NS.2 fifty miles to seaward, destroyer ZULU at Skelfjord.

By the time, destroyer ZULU arrived at 2050, the 300 German troops had been completely disembarked at Hemnes. However, ZULU was able to sink NORDNORGE (991grt) at Hemnesberget in Ranfjord with all the supplies for the German troops aboard.

Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA soon arrived and participated in the British bombardment of the village. Hemnes was set afire and the petrol stores were blown up.

Destroyer ZULU embarked the survivors of No. 3 Platoon of No. 1 Independent Company which had been holding the village before the German landing.

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The British Harstad Force at this time was composed of Battleship RESOLUTION, light cruisers AURORA (damaged), EFFINGHAM, ENTERPRISE, anti-aircraft cruisers CAIRO, COVENTRY, CURLEW, various destroyers.

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In a German air raid on Skelfjord, light cruiser PENELOPE was damaged by splinters from near misses and destroyer VANSITTART was hit by a small bomb putting her after guns out of action.

The light cruiser had Paymaster Cdr W. A. Sharp and four ratings killed in the attack. Destroyer VANSITTART lost S/Lt C. C. Butt and Midshipman A. B. Meria RNR and Lt Cdr W. Evershed and S/Lt D. C. S. Currey were wounded.

At 2237/10th, light cruiser PENELOPE departed Skelfjord towed by tug BANDIT (840grt).

Also, departing was Destroyer ISIS, which had damaged propellers, under the tow of tug BUCCANEER (840grt). British steamer LOCHEE (964grt) and tanker BRITISH VALOUR (6952grt) proceeded in this convoy.

Destroyers CAMPBELL and WITCH and anti-submarine trawler ST LOMAN (565grt) provided protection for the convoy. The convoy was taken under German air attack on the 10th and anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY joined the convoy for support. Following this duty, anti-aircraft COVENTRY arrived in the Lofotens on the 11th.

Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA was also with the convoy on the 10th after she had dealt with the German steamer NORD NORGE at Ranfjord.

After arriving in Vestfjord at 1100/11th, destroyer ESCORT was detached to join the convoy.

Destroyer ZULU joined the convoy on the 11th from Hemnes.

At 0600/14th, light cruiser PENELOPE, destroyer ISIS, tugs BUCCANEER and BANDIT, destroyers ZULU, ESCORT, WITCH, tanker BRITISH VALOUR, steamer LOCHEE, anti-submarine trawler ST LOMAN were in 62-45N, 4-40W.

Destroyer ACASTA departed Scapa Flow at 1222/14th to relieve destroyer ZULU.

Destroyer CAMPBELL was detached to refuel at Sullom Voe and arrived at 0600. She departed to join at 1030/14th.

Destroyer WITCH refuelled at Scapa Flow arriving at 0430/15th. She departed to rejoin the convoy at 0730/15th.

The ships all safely arrived at the Clyde late on the 16th.

At 2100/16th, light cruiser PENELOPE under tow of tug BANDIT with destroyers ACASTA and ESCORT arrived at Greenock.

At 2369/16th, destroyers CAMPBELL, WITCH, ISIS under tow of tug BUCCANEER arrived at Greenock.

At 1300/18th, destroyer ISIS departed the Clyde under the tow of tug BUCCANEER and escorted by destroyer WITCH. They safely arrived at Falmouth on the 20th.

Destroyer WITCH was detached to Plymouth to boiler and repair arriving at 1810/21st.

Destroyer ISIS was under repair until 13 June when she was taken to Plymouth repairing until 12 September.

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French steamers COLOMBIE (13,931grt), MEXIQUE (12,220grt), CHENONCEAUX (14,825grt), ST FIRMIN (4528grt), British steamers BELLEROPHON (9019grt), LYCAON (7350grt), tanker BRITISH LORD (6098grt) escorted by destroyers EPERVIER, ELECTRA, ILEX departed Narvik during the forenoon for the Clyde.

On arrival in North Channel, destroyer ILEX took tanker BRITISH LORD to Liverpool.

At 0700/17th, the British steamers and French steamer ST FIRMIN with destroyer ELECTRA arrived at Greenock.

The French destroyer and the French steamers proceeded ahead of the convoy from 70N, 10E and proceeded to return to France.

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French destroyers BRESTOIS and BOULONNAIS and destroyer WITHERINGTON departed Scapa Flow at 0600 escorting British steamers