Background Events - April-May 1940
Invasion of
Norway, Battles of Narvik, Blitzkrieg on Western
Europe, Dunkirk evacuation starts
1940
Wednesday, 15 May
Anti-aircraft
ship CARLISLE departed Scapa Flow for Devonport.
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French
destroyer FOUDROYANT sank two German seaplanes at their moorings at Hemnes
and Sund.
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Destroyer
SOMALI and French destroyer FOUDROYANT, returning from Mo, received the
report of troopship CHROBRY's bombing and heavy damage. En route to assist at
0243, these destroyers were heavily bombed by German Ju.87 bombers and SOMALI
was badly damaged by a near miss.
Destroyer
SOMALI had fore compartments flooded.
Destroyer
SOMALI was escorted to
Scapa Flow by destroyer FOUDROYANT, screened by
anti-aircraft cruiser CURLEW.
Tug
BRIGAND departed Lerwick at 1930/15th, but she was ordered to return at 2150
when it was found she was not needed.
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CURLEW arrived and
Scapa Flow at 1339/17th and the two destroyers arrived at
Scapa Flow at 0400/18th.
Destroyer
SOMALI then went on her own to
Liverpool arriving at 1245/19th.
The
destroyer was under repair until 1 September
1940.
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French
destroyer FOUDROYANT arrived at
Scapa Flow at 0400/18th. She took on
fuel and ammunition before departing at 2130/18th for the Clyde.
Destroyer
FOUDROYANT escorted French tanker
TARN to the
Clyde arriving at 0400/20th.
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Destroyer
FURY, after destroyer KELLY escort, departed the Tyne for Leith to escort troopship ORION
(23,456grt) to
Pentland Firth.
Destroyer
FURY and the troopship departed
Leith at 1600/15th.
Destroyer
MASHONA departed
Scapa Flow at 0330/16th to escort ORION.
Destroyer
MASHONA arrived at
Greenock at 1530/17th after escorting ORION to 13W.
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Destroyer
ZULU, which had evacuated 150 allied troops from Mo, arrived in the Clyde at
1930 after having been relieved by destroyer ACASTA in the light cruiser
PENELOPE screen.
At
2102, destroyer ZULU received orders to remain at Greenock for escort duties.
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Destroyer
BEDOUIN departed
Scapa Flow at 1030/14th for repairs in the
Clyde, arriving at 0930/15th.
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A
Swordfish of 816 Squadron ditched in Ofotfjord after receiving damage on an
attack on German aircraft at Lake Hartvig, near Bjervik. S/Lt J. W.
Ball, Lt A. S. Marshall, Naval Airman R. Pike were picked up by destroyer
ZULU.
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Nine
Skuas of 806 Squadron and three Blenheims of 254 Squadron departed Hatston to
raid Bergen, but were forced to return owing to fog.
_____
British
Leading Airman J. Rees of 7 SFTS Peterborough was killed when his Hart
dived into the sea during dive bombing exercises off West Freugh.
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From
1045 to 1455, submarine PORPOISE laid minefield FD.11 in 61‑44N, 04‑54E.
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Anti-submarine
trawlers CAPE
WARWICK and CAPE PORTLAND departed Scapa Flow escorting oiler British
GENERAL for Liverpool and Norwegian oiler EGERO for
Trinidad as far as Cape Wrath.
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French
troopships DEGRASSE (18435grt) and COLOMBIE (13390grt) departed the Clyde for Brest.
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Swedish
steamer ROSENHOLM (1736grt) was seized by German forces at Bergen.
The
Swedish steamer was renamed OXHOFT for German use.
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Destroyer
MALCOLM departed
Dover at 1310 for docking at
Blackwall to repair propellers damaged at Hook of Holland.
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Destroyer
WINCHESTER, en route from
Flushing, was near missed by German bombing
early on the 15th off
Hook of Holland and was badly damaged.
Destroyer
WINCHESTER arrived at
Dover. She departed Dover at 1900/15th under tow for
Portsmouth where she was beached
temporarily. The destroyer was taken on to Liverpool for repairs completed in mid
June.
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Destroyers
VALENTINE, WINCHESTER, WHITLEY were operating off
Flushing during the night of 14/15
May.
At
1300, destroyers VALENTINE and WHITLEY were ordered to cover the Terneusen -
Brosele (Beveland) Ferry.
Destroyer
VALENTINE (Cdr H.J. Buchanan RAN), at the mouth of the River Scheldt within a
mile of Terneusen, was bombed and badly damaged by German Ju.88 bomber.
Struck
by two bombs, destroyer VALENTINE's boiler blew up and she was run aground
and abandoned a total loss.
Thirty
one ratings were killed and twenty one crew, including Probationary Temporary
Surgeon Lt N. F. E. Burrows RMCS, LRCP, MD, BCH RNVR, Temporary Lt R. M.
MacFie RNVR, Acting Gunner S. F. Burrow were wounded.
Destroyer
WHITLEY was bombed, but was not damaged. Destroyer WHITLEY blew up destroyer
VALENTINE.
Destroyer
WHITLEY remained at
Flushing during the afternoon and evening.
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Minesweeper
HUSSAR off Orfordness was struck by a glancing German bomb. The bomb itself
did little damage, but it set off a depth charge on the minesweeper.
Temporary
Lt F. F. Wheeler
RNR, two ratings were killed in the minesweeper.
Despite
the damage, the minesweeper was able to return to Harwich under her own
power.
The
minesweeper was repaired at North Shields, completing on 21 June.
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Destroyer
WESSEX departed Dover at 0600 for the Humber.
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Destroyers
WESTMINSTER and VIMIERA arrived at
Dover from the Hook of Holland.
After
refuelled and taking on ammunition, they departed that evening for Dunkirk.
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Destroyer
WOLSEY departed
Dover at 1600 for Dunkirk and Flushing.
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Destroyer
VESPER departed
Dover at 0010 for Sheerness.
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Five
Destroyers departed Harwich for Plymouth.
Destroyer
HYPERION departed Sheerness at 0800 for Plymouth. The destroyer arrived at
2130 to prepare to depart for duty in the Mediterranean Fleet.
Destroyers
JUNO and JANUS departed Harwich
for
Plymouth for duty with the Mediterranean Fleet.
Destroyer
HOSTILE departed
Humber for
Plymouth for duty with the
Mediterranean Fleet.
Destroyer
MOHAWK arrived at
Plymouth from Sheerness for duty with
the Mediterranean Fleet.
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Destroyers
KHARTOUM and
KINGSTON, after refitting at Falmouth, arrived at Plymouth for duty with the
Mediterranean Fleet.
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Destroyer
ILEX, which had departed Narvik on the 10th, was ordered at 1815 to proceed
directly to Plymouth.
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Submarine
SEAWOLF sighted enemy minesweepers off the Texel.
These
minesweepers were thought to be preceding merchant ships. The allied
submarines in these areas were told to remain to the east of their patrol
zones.
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Submarine
SUNFISH arrived at Harwich after patrol.
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Submarines
depot ship CYCLOPS of the 3rd Submarine Flotilla and French submarine depot
ship JULES VERNE of the 10th Submarine Flotilla departed Harwich for Rosyth.
Depot
ship CYCLOPS was escorted by destroyers CODRINGTON, GRIFFIN, GRAFTON, GALLANT. When the
Humber was reached, destroyers
CODRINGTON and
GRIFFIN were detached. The group
safely arrived at Rosyth on the 18th, escorted by destroyers GRAFTON and
GALLANT.
On
25 May, depot ship JULES VERNE and submarines CIRCE and THETIS departed
Rosyth for Dundee. They were joined at sea by submarine CALYPSO and safely arrived at
Dundee later the same day.
On
16 May, submarines H.49 and H.50 departed Dover with British trawler WARRIOR
II for Portsmouth.
On
18 May, after being delayed by fog, submarines H.28 and H.44 departed Dover escorted by British trawler
WARRIOR II for
Portsmouth, where they arrived on the
19th.
At
Harwich after the departure of the 3rd Submarine Flotilla, five H.class
submarines were brought from Portland for anti-invasion duties.
These
submarines were H.31 and H.32, which were refitting at Sheerness, H.33, H.34,
H.43. In addition, L. 27 was also attached to the Flotilla pending the
completion of a refit at
Portsmouth.
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Destroyers
IVANHOE, ESK, EXPRESS of the 20th Destroyer Flotilla departed Immingham at
1525/15th and laid mines off
Hook of Holland in Operation CBX 3.
On
26 July, three German minesweepers were lost on this minefield.
Destroyer
INTREPID, to be escorted by destroyer IMPULSIVE,departed Immingham to lay
mines off Egmond in Operation CBX 2, an extension of the CBX minefield.
However,
destroyer IMPULSIVE was forced to return to Immingham with boiler defects and
destroyer INTREPID proceeded alone.
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Destroyer
WESTMINSTER (Lt Cdr A. A. C. Ouvry) arrived at
Dover at 1100/15th to reprovision.
The destroyer departed at 2100 for Dunkirk.
At
2325, the destroyer struck a wreck in the Dunkirk west channel approaches. She
was considerably damaged, but sustained no casualties. WESTMINSTER was towed into Dunkirk and drydocked at 0520/16th.
On
20 May, tug LADY BRASSEY towed WESTMINSTER to Dover escorted by destroyer
WOLSEY.
Off
Dover, destroyer
WESTMINSTER was able to proceed on her
own at nine knots to
Portsmouth escorted by destroyer WOLSEY
as far as Nab
Tower.
Destroyer
WESTMINSTER was repaired at
Portsmouth on 7 July.
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Minesweeper
ELGIN was damaged in a collision with the Grimsby Royal
Dock.
The
minesweeper was repaired at Hull completing on 8 June.
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French
auxiliary minesweepers DUQUESNE II (189grt) and HENRI GUEGAN (251grt) were
sunk by mines at the entrance to the Scheldt River, five hundred yards
southeast of the Wielingen Whistle Buoy.
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Italian
steamer FOSCOLO (3059grt) was badly damaged by German bombing six miles
northeast of Zeebrugge.
The
steamer was abandoned and the survivors were landed at Zeebrugge. The steamer
sank on the 18th.
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Greek
steamer EVGENIA (5839grt) was badly damaged by German bombing in 51-23N,
03-07E, off red Buoy, outside Zeebrugge.
All
the crew was saved.
The
steamer was abandoned on the 16th and sank as a result of this bombing on the
18th.
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Belgian
steamer BRABO (3699grt) was damaged by German bombing in the River Scheldt.
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Dutch
steamer PRINSES IRENE (400grt) was damaged by German bombing in 51‑24N,
0l‑18E.
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Dutch
steamer TEXELSTROOM (1617grt) arrived at Dover with 268 German prisoners of
war, the Dutch guard, thirty one refugees.
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Dutch
steamer INSPECTOR GENERAL TWENT arrived at Dover with fifty of the Ijmuiden
XD demolition party.
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Convoy FN.172 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers WALLACE,
VIMY, WINDSOR. Minelayers TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER traveled in this convoy. On
arrival off the
Tyne, destroyers VIVIEN and VALOROUS escorted the minelayers to Rosyth.
The convoy arrived at the
Tyne on the 17th.
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Convoy FS.171 departed the
Tyne, escorted by sloop
HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at
Southend on the 17th.
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Convoy
HG.30 of twenty seven ships departed Gibraltar escorted by destroyer KEPPEL
which escorted the convoy from 15 to 17 May.
The
ocean escort for the convoy was Sloop DEPTFORD from 15 to 25 May.
Destroyer
WHITEHALL escorted the convoy in Home Waters from 22 to
25 May. The convoy arrived at
Liverpool on the 25th.
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Australian
light cruiser HOBART covered the disembarkation of the 2nd King's African
Rifles at Berbera from 15 to 17 May.
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Submarine
RORQUAL, following repairs at Singapore, departed Singapore on 28 April, Colombo on the 3rd, Aden on the 10th arriving at
Suez on the 15th.
Submarine
RORQUAL arrived at
Alexandria on the 16th, departing on
the 20th, arrived at Malta on the 22nd for duty with
the Mediterranean Fleet.
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French
destroyers VERDUN, VALMY, GUÉPARD, ALBATROS,
VAUTOUR, which departed
Brest on the 13th, passed Gibraltar en route to Toulon, arriving on the 17th.
Thursday, 16
May
Destroyer VERITY
departed Dover in the morning to relieve
destroyer WHITSHED on North Goodwin Patrol. When relieved destroyer WHITSHED
proceeded to Ostend, arriving at 1230.
Destroyers
WHITSHED and VENOMOUS with British steamer MONA'S QUEEN (2756grt) and Belgian
steamer PRINCE LEOPOLD (2938grt) arrived at Ostend at 1230 to evacuate
troops.
Both steamers ran
aground. They were towed off by destroyer WHITSHED which also ran aground and
was able to get off herself.
The steamers
proceeded to Folkestone. The destroyers arrived at Dover at 2100.
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Light
cruisers ARETHUSA and GALATEA departed Sheerness for Portsmouth due to air threat of
remaining at Sheerness.
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British
Captain G.H. Stevens-Guille assumed command of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla.
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French
destroyers CYCLONE and SIROCCO arrived at Dover at 1200 with the Dutch Naval
Staff and his staff.
The
French destroyers departed Dover that evening with Prince
Bernhard on his way to join the Dutch army at Zeeland.
_____
French
destroyers FOUGUEUX and ADRIOT operating off Hook of Holland attacked a submarine
contact.
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Dutch
minelayers NAUTILUS and JAN VAN BRAKEL, armed yacht DE MOK, armed tug
AMSTERDAM, seagoing torpedo boats Z.5, Z.8, G.13, G.15 passed Dover en route
to Portsmouth.
Dutch
seagoing torpedo boats Z.6 and Z.7 departed Dover for Ramsgate.
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Battleship
RESOLUTION, anchored at Tjeldsundet, was struck at 1130 by a German bomb that
pierced the starboard side of the quarterdeck and dove three decks before
exploding in the Marines' messdeck.
One
ratings was killed and a second rating died of wounds the next day. Twenty
two Marines and four naval ratings were wounded. A further rating was wounded
in destroyer VANSITTART in the bombing.
A
Swordfish of 700 Squadron from RESOLUTION was also damaged on the 16th. The
aircraft was shipped back to the UK in steamer BLACKHEATH, which
departed on 7 June.
Battleship
RESOLUTION, escorted by destroyers VANSITTART and WREN departed Vestfjord on
the 18th.
Destroyer
FORTUNE departed
Scapa Flow at 0745/20th and joined the British ships at sea.
All
four British ships arrived at
Scapa Flow without incident at
1000/21st.
Battleship
RESOLUTION was repaired by local repair facilities by 4 June when she sailed
to the join the North Atlantic Command at Gibraltar.
Destroyer
VANSITTART departed
Scapa Flow at 1715/24th and went on to the
Tyne. She arrived on the 26th for
repairs completed on 22 June.
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Sloop
FLEETWOOD was bombed in the same attack as battleship RESOLUTION near Narvik.
Splinters from a near miss mortally wounded Lt Cdr H.T. R. Bonham, which died
on 8 June.
Tanker
BROOMDALE also sustained some damage from bombing.
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Lt
L.A. Harris RM, Lt J. H.R. Medlicott-Vereker in a Skua of the 803 Squadron
were shot down in Rombaksfjord.
Both
were picked up by destroyer MATABELE.
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Destroyer
MATABELE was ordered to relieve destroyer FAME at Narvik. Destroyer FAME to Hol until relieved by
destroyer ECHO, then to Skaanland for fuel and provisions.
Destroyer
VANSITTART relieved destroyer
ECHO on "B" patrol.
Destroyer ECHO proceeded to Hol on relief.
Destroyer
BRAZEN was on "E" patrol.
Destroyer
HAVELOCK proceeded to Skaanland for ammunition, then
proceeded to Baroy.
Destroyer
WREN to Harstad to refuel and for oil and provisions.
Destroyer
WARWICK remained at Harstad.
Destroyer
VANSITTART was available to return to England when relieved by destroyer WHIRLWIND.
Destroyer
ESKIMO had been towed to Skaanland from Skelfjord. Her temporary repairs were
delayed until the arrival of further oxygen, acetylene, hydrogen.
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Nine
Skuas of 806 Squadron from Hatston, escorted three Blenheims of 254 Squadron,
attacked Bergen. No aircraft were lost and
damage to German targets was confined to fuel tanks at Kaarven,
Florgasaaspynt, Strudshavn.
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Destroyers
HAVOCK and HEREWARD departed Harwich at 0600 for Plymouth for duty in the
Mediterranean Fleet.
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Destroyers
to reinforce the Mediterranean Fleet departed Plymouth.
At
1630/16th, sloops
AUCKLAND (Cdr J. G.Hewitt) and
FLAMINGO (Cdr J. H.Huntley) departed Plymouth.
Sloop
GRIMSBY (Cdr K. J. D'Arcy) was taken in hand on the 20th at Plymouth to repair
defects, as a replacement for sloop EGRET which was in the earlier group, but
was ordered to return to Rosyth. The sloop was able to proceed independently
on the 20th for
Gibraltar.
At
2000/16th, destroyers KINGSTON (Lt Cdr P. Somerville), KHARTOUM (Cdr D. T.
Dowler), KANDAHAR (Cdr W. G.A. Robson), NUBIAN (Cdr R. W. Ravenhill),
HYPERION (Cdr H.St L.Nicholson), HOSTILE (Cdr J. P. Wright), HASTY (Lt Cdr R.
K. Tyrwhitt) departed Plymouth. This group arrived at Gibraltar on the 18th.
At
0035/17th, anti-aircraft cruiser CARLISLE (Captain G.M. B. Langley, OBE),
destroyers HERO (Cdr H.W. Biggs), HAVOCK (Lt Cdr R. E. Courage), HEREWARD (Lt
Cdr C. W. Greening), JANUS (Captain P. J. Mack; Cdr J. A. W. Tothill),
IMPERIAL (Lt Cdr C. A. De W. Kitcat), ILEX (Lt Cdr P. L.Saumarez), JUNO (Cdr W. E. Wilson),
KIMBERLEY (Lt Cdr J. S. M. Richardson), MOHAWK (Cdr J. W. M. Eaton) departed
Plymouth.
Destroyers
JANUS, JUNO, ILEX,
KIMBERLEY, MOHAWK and sloops AUCKLAND and FLAMINGO arrived at
Gibraltar on the 19th.
Destroyer
MOHAWK required docking at
Gibraltar for several days to make good damage sustained
by German bombing in the
North Sea.
On
19 May, destroyers HYPERION, HOSTILE, HASTY, NUBIAN, KINGSTON, KANDAHAR, KHARTOUM departed Gibraltar in company for Malta.
The
two sloops departed
Gibraltar for
Malta on the 19th.
The
two groups arrived at Malta on the 21st.
Destroyers
JANUS, KIMBERLEY,
JUNO, ILEX departed Gibraltar for Malta on the 20th.
On
20 May, anti-aircraft cruiser
CARLISLE and destroyers HEREWARD, HAVOCK,
IMPERIAL arrived at
Gibraltar and departed that day for
Malta.
Sloop
GRIMSBY arrived at
Gibraltar on the 24th and departed the
same day for Malta.
Destroyers
HYPERION, HASTY, NUBIAN arrived at Alexandria on the 23rd. Cruiser CARLISLE,
destroyers KHARTOUM, KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON, the sloops arrived at
Suez on the 24th, destroyers JANUS, JUNO, IMPERIAL arrived at
Alexandria on the 24th, as did HOSTILE on the 25th, HAVOCK on the 26th,
HEREWARD and HERO arrived at Alexandria on the 27th, destroyer ILEX arrived
on the 28th, MOHAWK on the 29th.
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Destroyer
SIKH arrived for boiler cleaning at
Scapa Flow at 1400.
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Polish
destroyer BLYSKAWICA departed
Scapa Flow at 1500 for Harwich for duty
under Commander in Chief, Nore.
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Destroyer
ATHERSTONE made a anti-submarine attack at North Rona, but this was later
determined to be non submarine.
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Submarine
TRUANT departed Rosyth for Harstad where she operated with Norwegian
submarines B.1 and B.3 under the Command of Vice Admiral Cruiser Squadron 1.
Submarine
TRUANT on the 18th was ordered to proceed directly to Tromso where she
arrived on the 19th.
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Submarine
SEALION arrived at Harwich after patrol.
_____
French
submarines ANTIOPE, SYBILLE, CIRCE, THETIS departed Harwich on patrol in the
North Sea.
Submarines
ANTIOPE and SYBILLE relieved Submarine SEAWOLF and French submarine AMAZONE
on patrol on stations.
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French
convoy FR.1 of French troopships KOUTOUBIA (8790grt), EXPLORATEUR GRANDIDIER
(10268grt), COMPIEGNE (9986grt), CHANTILLY (9986grt) departed the Clyde for Brest escorted by French destroyer
EPERVIER and patrol vessels JASON and GLEANER. The patrol vessels were
relieved west of the Skerries by destroyers WAKEFUL and VANQUISHER.
On
17 May, troopship EXPLORATEUR GRANDIDIER was in a collision with British
steamer ST KEARAN (691grt), but was able to continue.
Destroyer
VANQUISHER was ordered toescort troopship EXPLORATEUR GRANDIDIER to Brest. The convoy arrived safely
at Brest, escorted by EPERVIER.
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Submarine
PORPOISE laid minefield FD.11 off Hovden Island.
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Convoy
OA.149 departed Southend escorted by corvette GLADIOLUS.
_____
Convoy
OB.149 departed
Liverpool escorted by destroyer MACKAY from 16 to 19 May. The
destroyer was detached to conovy HX.41.
_____
Convoy
AXF.5, escorted by destroyer
WHITEHALL, departed Southampton for St
Malo.
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Convoy
AXS.13 of one steamer arrived at St Malo from Southampton.
_____
Convoy
OG.30F was formed from convoys OA.148GF, which departed Southend on the 14th
with sloop SCARBOROUGH and corvette PERIWINKLE, OB.148GF, which departed
Liverpool with sloops LIETH and
ENCHANTRESS on the 14th, with forty four ships.
Sloops
LEITH and ENCHANTRESS escorted the
convoy from 16 to 18 May and were then detached to convoy HG.30F.
Corvette
PERIWINKLE was in the convoy escort on the 16th.
Sloop
SCARBOROUGH escorted the convoy from 16
to 21 May. The convoy arrived at
Gibraltar on the 22nd.
_____
Convoy
BC.38 of steamers BALTRAFFIC, BARON KINNAIRD, DAVID LIVINGSTONE (Commodore),
EILDON, KERMA,
OCEAN COAST departed Bristol Channel escorted by destroyer
MONTROSE and armed yacht ZAZA. The convoy arrived at Loire on the 18th.
_____
Convoy FS.172 departed the
Tyne, escorted by destroyers VIMY and
WINDSOR and sloop WESTON. The convoy
arrived at Southend on the 18th.
_____
British
steamer KINGSBURY (4898grt) in convoy OA.149 was machine gunned by German
bombers eight miles 300° from Royal Sovereign Light Vessel. One crewman was
killed and one crewman was wounded.
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German
light cruiser KOLN and escort ship GRILLE departed
Wilhelmshaven for a minelaying mission in
Fisher Bank escorted by destroyers BEITZEN, SCHOEMANN, HEINEMANN and torpedo
boats KONDOR and GREIF.
The
minefield was successfully laid and the ships returned to Wilhelmshaven on the 18th.
The
force laid a second minefield shortly after.
_____
French
light cruiser MONTCALM and destroyers BRESTOIS and BOULONNAIS departed Brest at 1500/16th for the Mediterranean. The cruiser passed Gibraltar on the 19th and arrived at
Oran later that day. The
destroyers arrived at
Gibraltar on that date and departed the next day and
arrived at Oran later on the 20th.
_____
French
large destroyers
TARTU and CHEVALIER PAUL, which
departed Brest on the 14th, passed Gibraltar en route to Toulon, arriving on the 17th.
_____
French
light cruiser DUGUAY TROUIN, escorted by large destroyer GERFAUT, departed
Brest. The cruiser was escorted to
Gibraltar by the destroyer which then
returned to
Brest for other escort duties.
Cruiser DUGUAY TROUIN passed
Gibraltar on the 19th and arrived at
Toulon on the 21st.
_____
Destroyers
WISHART and DOUGLAS departed
Gibraltar for
Marseilles to act as escort for
troopships.
The
destroyers were recalled to escort troopship ORONSAY to Malta.
The
three ships departed on the 17th.
_____
Polish
destroyer GARLAND departed Malta for Alexandria for operations with the
Mediterranean Fleet.
_____
In
exercises from Aircraft carrier HERMES near Freetown at 8-31N, 13-37W, Lt E. A.
Liversidge and Leading Airman S. G. Bax of 814 Squadron were killed when
their Swordfish crashed into the sea. A second Swordfish of the 814 Squadron
was lost that day crashing on shore.
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Convoy
HX.43 departed
Halifax at 0900 escorted by Canadian
destroyers RESTIGOUCHE and
SKEENA, which were detached on the 17th.
Convoy
BHX.43 departed
Bermuda on the 15th escorted locally by sloop
PENZANCE and an ocean escort of armed
merchant cruiser COMORIN. The convoy joined convoy HX.43 on the 21st and the
armed merchant cruiser was detached.
Light
cruiser EMERALD was the ocean escort for this convoy. The light cruiser was
detached on the 27th.
Sloop
SANDWICH and corvette CLARKIA joined
the convoy on the 27th. The sloop was detached on the 30th. The corvette
escorted the convoy to 31 May, when the convoy arrived at Liverpool.
Friday,
17 May
Allied
troops were embarked on Light cruiser EFFINGHAM to be landed at Bodo.
Light
cruiser EFFINGHAM along with anti-aircraft cruisers CAIRO and COVENTRY and destroyers MATABELE and
ECHO departed Harstad for the
landings.
En
route on the 18th at 2000, light cruiser EFFINGHAM ran aground at 23 knots on
Faksen Shoal between Bricksvaer and Terra in 67‑17N, 13‑58E and
was wrecked. Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY brushed ground and ruptured
a fuel tank. Destroyer MATABELE also went aground, but was gotten off with
much damage to her hull.
After
the troops and crew were removed from EFFINGHAM by destroyer ECHO, destroyer MATABELE
torpedoed EFFINGHAM. The troops were taken back to Harstad and did not arrive
at Bodo until the night of 19/20 May when Destroyers FIREDRAKE and WALKER
delivered the first contingent.
Destroyer
MATABELE departed Harstad on the 20th and arrived in the Clyde on the 23rd. She went on to
Falmouth arriving on the 24th for
repairs from 27 May to 18 August. On 29 August
1940
she arrived back at
Scapa Flow for operations.
On
21 May, light cruiser EFFINGHAM was shelled and torpedoed by destroyer
MATABELE, en route to the
Clyde, to insure her demise.
_____
Minelayers
TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER arrived at
Scapa Flow from the Humber, escorted by destroyer SABRE
and armed patrol yacht
BREDA.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawler CAPE
NYEMETSKI, escorting trawler SPINDRIFT
(captured German trawler JULIUS PICKENPACK, but identified as POLARIS),
departed Scapa Flow for
Liverpool, arriving on the 20th.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawlers KING SOL and LOCH MONTEITH departed
Scapa Flow escorting cable ship MONARCH
to Rosyth.
_____
British
Captain H.Hickling relinquished his command of Force W (the three "Fleet
Tenders" - dummy ships) and Captain H.N. M. Hardy DSO Rtd of Fleet
Tender "C" assumed command.
_____
Norwegian
steamer TORGTIND (298grt) was sunk by German bombing off Batland, Helgeland.
_____
Destroyer
WILD SWAN arrived at
Dover from London after repairs.
_____
The
French 11th Destroyer Division on patrol off Dunkirk was attacked by German
bombers. Torpedo boats CORDELIERE (Capitaine de Fregate H.A. J. Robinet de
Plas) and MELPOMENE (Capitaine de Corvette P. A. M. Bonny) were badly
damaged.
Torpedo
boat FLORE, in company, escaped serious damage and escorted her two damaged
sisters to port.
_____
Dutch
minelayers MEDUSA and DOUWE AUKES arrived at Dover.
Dutch
auxiliary minesweepers No. 8 (trawler DIRKJE, 234grt), No. 7 (trawler
CLAESJE, 229grt),
AMSTERDAM (241grt), BLOEMENDAAL
(242grt), MARIA R. OMMERING (216grt) arrived in the Downs.
The
Dutch ships sailed for
Portsmouth the next day.
_____
French
auxiliary minesweeper MARDYCK (tons) was beached at Breskens after a fire and
was abandoned on the 17th.
_____
Three
destroyers of the 7th Destroyer Flotilla joined the Commander in Chief, Nore,
at Harwich.
Destroyers
JAVELIN and JACKAL departed
Scapa Flow at 1830/14th to run over the DG range at
Inchkeith before proceeding on the 15th.
Destroyer
JAGUAR departed Harwich on the 15th on patrol where she was joined on patrol
by destroyer JACKAL, coming from Rosyth. Both ships arrived back at Harwich
on the 17th.
Destroyer JAVELIN went
directly to Harwich arriving on the 16th.
_____
Light
cruiser FIJI was completed. She was
prepared for trials in the
West Indies and departed the
Clyde on 4 June for Bermuda.
_____
Submarine
depot ship MAIDSTONE was designated to replace depot ship CYCLOPS at
Rosyth.
Depot
ship MAIDSTONE departed Portland on the 19th escorted by
destroyer WORCESTER. She arrived in the Clyde on the 20th escorted by
destroyer VANOC and
WORCESTER.
Destroyer
VANOC was detached on the 21st to relieve destroyer HESPERUS with a convoy
returning from
Norway.
The
depot ship departed the
Clyde at 0945/22nd escorted by destroyers ZULU and
MAORI and arrived at
Scapa Flow at 1835/23rd.
At
1715/24th, MAIDSTONE departed
Scapa Flow with destroyer VANSITTART.
En route, VANSITTART obtained a submarine contact at 2042 in 58-14. 5N, 2-28W
and MAIDSTONE continued on alone.
The
contact was later assessed to be a wreck.
Both
MAIDSTONE and VANSITTART arrived
safely at Rosyth on the 25th.
_____
French
submarine CALYPSO departed Harwich to dock at Lowestoft.
_____
Submarine
PORPOISE arrived at Rosyth.
The
submarine was docked on the 18th to repair her asdic dome.
_____
Submarine
CLYDE arrived at Dundee.
_____
Sloop
LONDONDERRY struck a wreck in 55-13-06N,
10-18-41W at 1645.
There
was no damage to the sloop.
_____
French
submarine CIRCE reported she was involved in a collision with submarine LA
SYBILLE while diving in the
North Sea.
Submarine
SYBILLE was not damaged.
_____
Convoy
SA.41 of one steamer arrived at St Malo from Southampton.
_____
Convoy FN.173 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WALPOLE. The
convoy arrived at the
Tyne on the 19th.
_____
Convoy MT.68 departed Methil, escorted by sloop
LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne later that day.
_____
Convoy FS.173 departed the
Tyne, escorted by sloop
LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at
Southend on the 19th.
_____
Convoy SL.32 departed
Freetown escorted by armed merchant
cruiser DUNVEGAN CASTLE.
On
the 30th, sloop
ABERDEEN and on the 31st, sloop
FOLKESTONE joined the convoy. The convoy arrived on 3 June.
Saturday,
18 May
Destroyers
IMPULSIVE, INTREPID, ESK, EXPRESS, IVANHOE of the 20th Flotilla and minelayer
PRINCESS VICTORIA (2197grt) departed the Humber to lay mines off the Dutch
coast in operation BS.5 during the night of 18/19 May.
Patrol
sloop PUFFIN rendezvoused with the minelayers at 1340/18th and dropped dan
buoys after the minelaying was completed.
Returning
after the minelay, minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA (Captain J. B. E. Hall),
escorted by destroyers EXPRESS and IVANHOE, was sunk by a mine at the
entrance to the
Humber early on the 19th.
Destroyers
GRAFTON, GALLANT, FORESIGHT were ordered to assist.
Captain
Hall, Lt Cdr L.A. Lambert, Temporary S/Lt (E) H.Proudfoot RNR, thirty four ratings were
missing after the loss of minelayer PRINCESS VICTORIA. Paymaster Lt F. A. K.
Betty RNVR, Lt Cdr P. M. B. Chavasse, LtF. B. Fisher, Temporary S/Lt W. D.
Gray RNR, Temporary S/Lt (E) E. R. Jones
RNR, Lt H.A. Kirby, four ratings
were wounded.
On
21/22 destroyers IMPULSIVE, INTREPID, ICARUS, ESK, EXPRESS, IVANHOE laid minefield
BS.6 off the Dutch coast. All six destroyers returned on 23/24 May for BS.7,
on 25/26 May for BS.8, on 27/28 May for BS.9.
After
minelay BS.9, the 20th Destroyer Flotilla was ordered to Portsmouth.
_____
Early
on the 19th at 0035, destroyer KEITH was attacked by German bombing on North
Goodwins Patrol. She was not damaged.
At
0605, destroyer WILD SWAN was attacked by German bombing on the North
Goodwins Patrol. She was not damaged.
Destroyer
WILD SWAN met Dutch tugs SCHELDE (359grt) and EBRO (268grt) and sent them to
the Downs.
_____
Destroyer
WHITLEY relieved destroyer WOLSEY on patrol off the Belgian coast.
_____
Motor
torpedo boat MTB.25 departed Harwich with at 1445 with Vice
Admiral Ramsay for
Dunkirk.
The
motor torpedo boat returned that evening.
_____
Destroyer
VERITY was boiler cleaning from depot ship SANDHURST at Dover.
_____
Submarine
L.23 evacuated five crew from the Terschelling Light Ship. The six other crew
of the Light Ship escaped to Holland.
_____
Submarine
L.26 picked up nine refugees from an open boat off the Dutch coast.
_____
Submarine
TRIDENT departed Rosyth for
North Sea patrol.
_____
French
submarine THETIS on patrol in the
North Sea sighted Submarine SPEARFISH.
_____
French
submarine CIRCE reported her starboard motor out of action. The submarine was
ordered to Rosyth where she arrived on the 19th.
Repair
to the motor was found to be extensive and the submarine was to be sent to
France after exchanging a battery
with submarine CALYPSO.
Submarine
CALYPSO departed Harwich on the 23rd with convoy FN.78. The submarine arrived
at Rosyth on the 24th.
_____
Minelaying
from Aircraft of Channel ports began with minelaying off Texel. This continued on the 21st
off Ijmuiden, of Terschelling Gat on the 31st, off
Flushing on 5 June, off Dunkirk and Boulogne on 26 June.
_____
Dutch
gunboats FLORES and VAN MEERLANT arrived at Dover.
_____
Dutch
steamer PIA (304grt) departed Nieuport and Dunkirk on the 18th towing Dutch
auxiliary yacht ALBATROSS
III.
Steamer
PIA struck a mine and sank between Dunkirk and Gravelines. Six crew
were lost on the steamer.
On
the yacht, two crew and two refugees were lost.
Yacht
ALBATROSS III rescued the sole survivour from steamer PIA. The
yacht proceed to
Boulogne and later to Folkestone.
_____
Belgian
dredger VLAANDEREN I (1218grt) was sunk by German bombing at Calais.
_____
Heavy
cruiser YORK arrived at
Scapa Flow from Rosyth.
_____
Destroyer
FORESIGHT departed the
Humber for
Scapa Flow at 2300.
_____
Destroyer
MASHONA departed
Greenock at 1520 for
Scapa Flow.
Destroyer
MASHONA later joined destroyer SABRE hunting for a submarine reported by
minesweeping trawler
BRABANT (280grt) at 1405 in 58‑20N, 5‑23W.
Anti-submarine
trawlers STOKE
CITY and
LEICESTER CITY were ordered to join the
search.
The
destroyers remained in the area until French destroyer FOUDROYANT and tanker
TARN passed through the area
Destroyer
MASHONA left the position at 0815/19th and arrived at Scapa Flow at 1145. Destroyer SABRE
left the search at 1030/19th and proceeded to Holy Head for oil.
_____
Destroyers
ARROW and FURY departed
Scapa Flow at 1600 to join destroyer ATHERSTONE hunting
for a submarine reported by aircraft in 59‑07N, 0‑47W.
The
search was unsuccessful.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawlers CAPE
WARWICK and CAPE PORTLAND were ordered to search for a
submarine attacked by aircraft in 59-26N, 6-23W. The search was unsuccessful.
_____
Aircraft
carrier GLORIOUS flew the six Walrus aircraft of the 701 Squadron ashore for operations
at Harstad.
_____
Returning
from the Fleet Air Arm's first mining sortie in Norwegian waters Operation
BOTTLE, a Swordfish of the 823 Squadron from aircraft carrier GLORIOUS was
lost and Acting S/Lt (A) H D.Mourilyan and Naval Airman First Class E
Parkinson were killed. Destroyer ATHERSTONE unsuccessfully searched for the
aircraft. A second Swordfish of the Squadron force-landed off Isle of Eday.
Lt A T Easton and the Naval Airman were rescued.
_____
Heavy
cruiser DEVONSHIRE's 700 Squadron WALRUS was
shot down by a German He.111 aircraft at Malangsfjord, Rystraumer. Lt R W
Benson Dare was killed, Midshipman A D.Corkhill wounded, but rescued and
Leading Airman W H Hill died of wounds.
_____
Polish
troopships SOBIESKI (11,030grt) and BATORY (14,287grt) departed Harstad with
troops and survivors from sunken ships. These two ships were escorted by
destroyers TARTAR and WESTCOTT.
Leaving
Harstad at the same time were British steamers BALMAHA (1428grt) and CYCLOPS
(9076grt) escorted by destroyers MATABELE and WARWICK. The convoys left
together, but after passing 69‑30N, 0‑09E, the convoys parted.
The "fast" section to arrive in the Clyde on the 23rd and the
"slow" section to arrive on the 25th.
The
Polish troopships and the destroyers arrived safely in the Clyde at 0330/23rd.
Steamer
CYCLOPS and destroyer MATABELE arrived in the Clyde on the 23rd. Steamer BALMAHA
and destroyer WARWICK arrived in the Clyde at 0530/25th.
After
safely delivering the troopships at the Clyde, destroyer TARTAR went on to
Liverpool departing at 2000/23rd
arriving at 0720/24th for repair and boiler cleaning completed by the end of
the month.
Destroyer
TARTAR arrived at
Scapa Flow after repairs on 2 June.
_____
British
steamer ACRITY (403grt) departed
Scapa Flow at 2100escorted by
anti-submarine trawlers ST ELSTAN (564grt) and ST CATHAN (565grt) for Narvik
where they arrived on the 23rd.
_____
British
oiler WAR NIZAM, escorted by anti-submarine trawlers JUNIPER and HAZEL,
arrived at Scapa Flow from Sullom Voe.
_____
Norwegian
submarine B.6, destroyer TROLL, torpedo boat SNOGG were surrendered at Floro
to German Schiff 18. The crews of these ships had deserted on the 2nd when
they refused to sail to the Shetlands.
Destroyer
TROLL and torpedo boat SNOGG were used by German forces under the names of
TROLL and ZACK, respectively. Submarine B.6 was recommissioned on
20 October 1940 as UC 2.
_____
Norwegian
steamer SIRIUS (944grt) was sunk by German bombing off Senja (Finlandsnes).
Seven
crew were lost on the Norwegian steamer.
_____
Convoy
BC.37 of steamers BARON CARNEGIE, GLENLEA, KUFRA (Commodore), LOTTIE R
departed Loire escorted by destroyer MONTROSE. The convoy arrived in
Bristol Channel on the 19th.
_____
Convoy FN.174 departed Southend, escorted by sloop
HASTINGS. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne on the 20th.
_____
French
aircraft carrier
BEARN and destroyers TRAMONTANE,
TORNADE, TYPHON departed
Toulon and passed Gibraltar on the 20th, arriving at
Casablanca on the 21st.
The
aircraft carrier departed
Casablanca on the 22nd, escorted by
sloops ENTRECASTEAUX and IBERVILLE. Sloop IBERVILLE returned to Casablanca and was replaced by sloop
BOUGAINVILLE.
The
destroyers proceeded to
Casablanca. They passed Gibraltar on the 24th to return to the
Mediterranean.
The
aircraft carrier, joined by cruisers from Brest, proceeded to Halifax, arriving on 1 June.
_____
Heavy
cruisers CORNWALL and DORSETSHIRE arrived at
Gibraltar after duty in the South Atlantic.
They
were joined on the 17th by destroyer KEPPEL from convoy HG.30 escort duties
and destroyer VORTIGERN from patrol duties.
On
22 May, heavy cruiser
CORNWALL departed Gibraltar, escorted by destroyer
KEPPEL, for Freetown and heavy cruiser
DORSETSHIRE departed
Gibraltar, escorted by destroyer WRESTLER, for refitting
at Devonport.
However,
cruiser DORSETSHIRE was ordered to patrol off the Canary Islands and arrived back at Gibraltar on 16 June.
Destroyer
WRESTLER arrived back at
Gibraltar on the 23rd. Destroyer KEPPEL was ordered to
join troopship EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and escort her westwards.
Sunday,
19 May
Destroyer
WHITLEY (Lt Cdr G.N. Rolfe), under French orders in port blocking and refugee
lifting operations, was bombed at 0526 and badly damaged by German bombing
two miles 006° east of Nieuport.
After
three near misses, destroyer WHITLEY with both engine rooms flooded and her
back broken was run aground to prevent sinking.
Four
engine room ratings were killed on destroyer WHITLEY.
Destroyer
VIMIERA rescued the crew and tug LADY BRASSEY was dispatched to bring WHITLEY
back to England.
Destroyer
KEITH (Captain D.19) arrived on scene and found WHITLEY beyond salvage and
shelled her to prevent her use by the German forces.
Destroyer
VIMIERA with the destroyer WHITLEY crew, the rest of the crew from destroyer
WESTMINSTER, the Flushing demolition party departed
Dunkirk at 1700 for Dover.
_____
Destroyer
VENOMOUS relieved destroyer KEITH on North Goodwins Patrol.
Destroyer
VENOMOUS was attacked by German bombing late on the 19th.
Destroyer
KEITH proceeded to
Dover and refuelled. She departed
later that day for
Boulogne with Chief of the Imperial
General Staff General Sir Edmund Ironside.
After
this duty, destroyer KEITH arrived back at Dover at 0730/20th.
_____
Light
cruiser BIRMINGHAM departed the Humber for Rosyth to rejoin the
Home Fleet after duty off the Dutch coast.
_____
Destroyers
JAVELIN and JACKAL, which departed Harwich at 1830/18th, JAGUAR and patrol
sloop PUFFIN screened minesweeping trawlers CAPE MELVILLE (342grt), GRAMPIAN
(409grt), PELTON (358grt), MILFORD QUEEN (280grt), MILFORD PRINCESS (301grt),
JAMES LAY (278grt) cutting the telegraph cables between Lowestoft, Bacton,
Mundesley on the English east coast and Borkum and Nordeney.
At
1445/19th, destroyer JACKAL encountered abandoned Dutch salvage tug HECTOR
(175grt).
A
crew was put on the Dutch tug. The tug safely arrived at Yarmouth at 0600/20th.
Only
two cables were cut and this operation designated QUIXOTE continued on the
28th.
_____
At
1138 after a loop crossing of Loop No. 2, destroyer WILD SWAN departed Dover with anti-submarine trawlers
LADY PHILOMENA (trawler Senior Officer), SAON, KINGSTON OLIVINE, one
additional trawler.
Trawler
SAON attacked U.9 in 51-03N, 01-22E, but no damage was done.
Destroyer
WILD SWAN returned to
Dover on the 20th.
_____
Submarine
SEAWOLF arrived at Rosyth after patrol.
_____
Submarine
TRITON departed Rosyth on patrol.
_____
French
convoy FR.2 of troopships CHENONCEAUX (14825grt) and MEXIQUE (12220grt)
departed the Clyde at 2300 escorted by destroyer SALADIN and patrol vessel JASON for
Brest.
In
North
Channel on the 20th, French destroyer FOUDROYANT, relieved of her tanker
TARN escort, joined the convoy
and patrol vessel JASON was detached.
_____
British
steamer ROYAL ULSTERMAN (3244grt) departed Scapa Flow at 1837, screened by
anti-aircraft cruiser CURLEW, for Harstad where they both safely arrived on
the 23rd.
The
steamer departed Harstad the next day to return to Scapa Flow.
_____
Destroyer
CAMPBELL departed the
Clyde at 0900 for
Scapa Flow where she arrived at
1130/20th.
_____
Belgian
steamer VLAANDEREN IV (647grt) was sunk by German bombing at Dunkirk.
_____
French
auxiliary minesweeper AUGUSTIN NORMAND (175grt) was sunk by German bombing
near Qunette de Rochemont Lock at Le Havre.
_____
Convoy
OA.151 departed Southend escorted by sloop WELLINGTON from 19 to 21 May.
_____
Convoy
OB.151 departed
Liverpool escorted by destroyer WINCHELSEA from 19 to 22 May.
_____
Convoy FN.175 departed Southend, escorted by sloop WESTON. The convoy
arrived at the
Tyne on the 21st.
_____
Convoy MT.69 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS. The
convoy arrived in the
Tyne later that day.
_____
Convoy FS.174 departed the
Tyne, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS. The convoy
arrived at Southend on the 21st.
_____
U.37
sank Swedish steamer ERIK FRISELL (5066grt) in 57‑25N, 09‑15W.
The
crew were rescued by armed patrol trawler COBBERS (275grt) and were landed at
Stornoway.
_____
Minesweeper
Group 16 of minesweeping trawlers LOCH ERIBOL, ALAFOSS, WELLSBACK, LOCH LEVEN departed Scapa Flow for the Humber.
_____
New Zealand light cruiser LEANDER
departed Colombo for the Mediterranean to serve in the 7th Cruiser
Squadron in light cruiser
LIVERPOOL's place.
Light
cruiser LEANDER arrived at Alexandria on the 26th.
On
the 31st, the light cruiser was ordered to join the 4th Cruiser Squadron of
the East Indies Station.
On
1 June, she departed
Alexandria to join the Red Sea Force
and arrived at
Port Sudan on 4 June.
_____
French
light cruiser MONTCALM and destroyers BRESTOIS and BOULONNAIS arrived at
Gibraltar from Brest.
The
ships departed the next day for the
Mediterranean.
_____
Gunboats
COCKCHAFER and GNAT arrived at Basra; COCKCHAFER in tow of and
escorted by Indian sloop
HINDUSTAN.
The
gunboats had departed Singapore on 22 April. At Penang, they were joined by light
cruiser LIVERPOOL which escorted them to Car
Nicobar.
At
Car Nicobar, armed merchant cruiser
CATHAY relieved the light cruiser.
The
gunboats departed
Colombo on 29 April for Basra.
Monday,
20 May
Norwegian
steamer DENEB (750grt), British steamer PEMBROKE COAST (625grt), British steamer
BALTEAKO (1328grt) was badly damaged by German bombing at Harstad.
The
crew of eleven on the Norwegian steamer were rescued; two were lost. The
steamer was sunk by gunfire of a destroyer on the 21st.
Destroyer
DELIGHT was alongside BALTEAKO when she was bombed. The destroyer assisted
the steamer.
Two
crew were lost on the steamer PEMBROKE COAST. The steamer was towed to
sea and sunk by gunfire from Destroyers.
_____
At
1900, destroyer MALCOLM off the North Goodwins was attacked by German bombing
and damaged by three near misses.
Two
ratings were killed and nineteen crew, including Lt Cdr E. P.F. Atkinson and
Gunner D. E. Wright, were wounded on the Destroyer. Warrant Engineer G.F.
Walters died of wounds on the 24th. A rating also died of wounds.
Destroyer
MALCOLM departed
Dover on the 21st for Portsmouth. She was repaired in four
days.
_____
Minesweeper
HARRIER completed boiler cleaning at Dover.
The
minesweeper departed
Dover at 1830 to join the 6th Mine
Sweeping Flotilla.
_____
Destroyers
WESSEX and VENETIA arrived Humber.
_____
Minesweeping
trawlers RIFSNESS (431grt, Temporary Skipper C. G.Coombe RNR) and LORD INCHCAPE (338grt)
were minesweeping between
Dunkirk and Ostend.
Trawler
RIFSNESS was sunk by German bombing. Trawler LORD INCHCAPE picked up her crew
and returned to
Dover. Lt L.L. Thornton RNR, one ratings were lost on
RIFSNESS. One rating, reported lost, was taken as prisoner of war. Temporary
Skipper C. G.Coombe and Probationary Temporary Lt E. G.Lock RNVR, were
wounded in the RIFSNESS.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawlers LADY PHILOMENA (417grt) and KINGSTON OLIVINE (378grt), while on
anti-submarine patrol, were attacked by German bombing.
On
21 May, it was determined near misses had made the trawlers unseaworthy and
docking was required.
Trawler
LADY PHILOMENA arrived at
Dover on the 22nd with the crew of
a Aircraft that had crashed off Folkestone.
_____
French
tanker NIGER (5482grt) was sunk by German
bombing off Gravelines.
French
destroyer CYCLONE rescued the survivors of the tanker.
_____
French
steamer ORPHELIA (6477grt) was sunk by German bombing in Boulogne Roads.
_____
British
steamer MAVIS (935grt) was badly damaged by German bombing off Number four
Green Buoy, Calais Roads.
Three
crew and one gunner were lost on the British steamer.
Steamer
MAVIS was abandoned one mile north by west, one quarter mile west of Number 1
Buoy, Calais.
_____
French
tug HERCULES (216grt) was sunk on a mine at Calais.
_____
On
19 May at 1200, destroyers ZULU, WITHERINGTON, ESCORT, ACASTA, ARDENT
departed the Clyde to escort Canadian troop convoy TC.4. The convoy was met in 55‑30N,
13‑00W at 0530/20th. The convoy arrived at
Liverpool on the 20th escorted by
destroyers ZULU, WITHERINGTON, ESCORT.
At
0530/21st, battleship REVENGE and destroyers ARDENT and ACASTA anchored at
Greenock.
Destroyers
ZULU, ESCORT, WITHERINGTON arrived in the Clyde at 1700/21st after escorting
the convoy.
_____
At
0146, a report of one battleship and a large number of destroyers in 53‑47N,
7‑15E, steering 270° was received.
All
destroyers at Scapa Flow raised steam to escort capital ships.
This
order was later reduced to two and a half hours notice when the German
capital ships entered the
Ems and only four destroyers steering northeast remained
at sea.
_____
Destroyers
ARROW and FORTUNE carried out a search of Scapa Flow until 0500 after a shore
battery fired at an unknown craft at 0106 entering Scapa Flow through Water
Sound.
Destroyers
SIKH, FURY, FORESIGHT, MASHONA were also searching. The unknown craft later
was determined to be a float laid by survey ship FRANKLIN to gauge speed of the
current.
_____
Destroyer
MAORI departed
Liverpool at 2115 for the
Clyde after repairs. She arrived
at Greenock at 0700/21st.
Destroyer
MAORI was fitted with the first lethal kite flying equipment.
_____
Destroyer
ASHANTI departed Dundee at 1430 for Rosyth after
repairs.
_____
Destroyer
SIKH carried out firing trials of a modified pom pom gun in the Flow.
_____
French
steamer MASSILIA departed
Liverpool, escorted by destroyer WAKEFUL. Both ships
arrived at Brest during the afternoon of 22
May.
_____
German
motor torpedo boats S.22, S.23, S.24, S.25 of the 1st S.boat Flotilla and
S.13, S.30, S.31, S.32, S.34 of the 2nd S.boat Flotilla departed Borkum to
operate off Nieuport.
_____
Submarine
SPEARFISH in 55‑00N, 03‑30E intercepted two Danish fishing
trawlers.
At
0333, submarine SPEARFISH stopped Danish fishing trawler S.130. At 0450, she
stopped Danish fishing trawler S.175.
After
taking off the crews, SPEARFISH sank the trawlers with gunfire.
_____
At
0056, French submarine ANTIOPE fired three torpedoes at French submarine
SYBILLE while diving in 53-23N, 03-44E in the North Sea.
One
torpedo passed under the bow of submarine SYBILLE, but no damage was done.
French
submarines ANTIOPE and SYBILLE and submarine SHARK in adjacent patrol areas
were ordered not to attack submarines.
_____
French
submarine SYBILLE reported both periscope presses defective and a sick
rating.
Submarine
SYBILLE was ordered to Rosyth and was relieved on station by submarine L.23,
which departed Harwich on the 21st.
_____
French
submarine ACHILLE arrived at
Dundee.
Submarine
ACHILLE was bombed in the restricted area by aircraft. Damage was sustained
to the external fuel tanks, hydroplanes, echo sounding gear, both propellers.
_____
French
submarine AMAZONE arrived at Rosyth after patrol.
_____
Submarine
SALMON departed Harwich on patrol.
_____
Submarine
TRUANT departed Tromso on patrol off North Cape.
_____
On
a minelaying sortie from North Coates, a Swordfish of 812 Squadron ditched at
sea. Lt R. C. Dundas and S/Lt J. A. Allen were lost.
_____
Convoy
OA.152 departed Southend escorted by corvette ARABIS. The corvette was later
transferred to convoy HG.31.
_____
Convoy
OG.30 was formed from convoys OA.150G, which departed Southend on the 18th
escorted by corvette CLARKIA, OB.150G, which departed Liverpool on the 18th escorted by
sloop ROCHESTER, with forty six ships.
Corvette
CLARKIA escorted the convoy on the 20th.
Sloop
BIDEFORD escorted the convoy from 20 to 23 May and was then detached to
convoy HG.31F.
Destroyer
WATCHMAN, from convoy HG.31F, escorted the convoy from 23 to 26 May when the
convoy arrived at
Gibraltar.
_____
Convoy FN.176 departed Southend, escorted by sloop
LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at the
Tyne on the 22nd.
_____
Convoy MT.70 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WALLACE. The
convoy arrived in the
Tyne later that day.
_____
Convoy FS.175 departed the
Tyne, escorted by destroyer WALLACE. The convoy
arrived at Southend on the 22nd.
_____
Convoy
HX.44 departed
Halifax at 0900 escorted by Canadian
destroyers SAGUENAY and
SKEENA, which were detached on the 21st.
Convoy
BHX.44 departed
Bermuda on the 19th escorted locally by sloop
PENZANCE and an ocean escort of armed
merchant cruiser
JERVIS BAY. The convoy rendezvoused
with HX.44 on the 25th and the armed merchant cruiser was detached.
The
Armed merchant cruiser AUSONIA assumed command of escort of the convoy from
the destroyers at 1800/21st. The armed merchant cruiser was detached on the
30th.
On
the 30th, sloop
ROCHESTER joined and on 1 June, sloop
ENCHANTRESS joined. They escorted the convoy until 3 June when it arrived at
Liverpool.
_____
On
20 May, French battleships BRETAGNE and PROVENCE departed Alexandria to sweep towards Cape Bon. They were escorted by
French large destroyers
LYNX and TIGRE and Australian destroyers
STUART, VAMPIRE, VOYAGER, WATERHEN.
On
22 May, French destroyers BORDELAIS and TROMBE joined the sweep.
The
Australian destroyers were detached to Malta where they refuelled and
arrived back at
Alexandria on the 25th.
The
French battleships returned to Mer el Kebir, arriving on the 27th.
_____
Convoy
HG.31F of twenty nine ships departed Gibraltar. The convoy was escorted by
destroyer WATCHMAN from 20 to 23 May and was then transferred to convoy
OG.30.
French
auxiliary patrol vessel
JUTLAND escorted the convoy from 20 to 26 May. The
patrol vessel arrived at
Lorient on the 27th.
Sloop
BIDEFORD from convoy OG.30 escorted the convoy from 26 to 28 May.
Destroyer
WORCESTER escorted the convoy from 26 to 29 May when the convoy arrived at
Liverpool.
_____
Destroyers
WISHART and DOUGLAS departed
Gibraltar escorting British troopship ORONSAY (20,043grt)
to Malta.
Tuesday,
21 May
Destroyer
KEITH was damaged by the near miss of a German air bomb at Dunkirk.
Destroyer
KEITH evacuated one hundred and fifty British refugees and returned to Dover.
_____
A
group of French merchant ships were ordered away from Dunkirk. However, heavy German
bombing began before the ships even left port. French tanker SALOME
(13,291grt) was badly damaged by bombing before she could even be towed into
the channel.
French
steamer PAVON (4128grt), with 1500 Dutch troops aboard for evacuation to
England, was badly damaged by German
bombing between Gravelines and Calais.
The
steamer was run aground a total loss near Calais.
French
destroyers CYCLONE, SIROCCO, MISTRAL rescued the survivors of these sunken
ships.
French
destroyer L'ADROIT (Capitaine de Corvette H.M. A. Dupin de Saint-Cyr),
waiting to escort this convoy, was bombed and beached in a sinking condition
at Malo les Bains before ever joining the convoy.
French
submarine chaser CH.9, also waiting to escort the convoy, was bombed and
badly damaged off
Dunkirk. She was run aground a total
loss to prevent sinking and abandoned.
To
give the destroyers relief from constant bombing, French destroyers CYCLONE,
MISTRAL, SIROCCO, FOUGUEUX, FRONDEUR departed Dunkirk and arrived in the Downs that evening.
_____
British
steamer BAWTRY (835grt) was sunk by German bombing in the Dunkirk docks.
The
crew of thirteen and one naval gunner were saved and returned to England.
The
steamer was later raised by German forces, salved, renamed RIVAL for German
service.
_____
Commander
in Chief, Nore, offered to place two destroyers at disposal of Vice Admiral
Submarines for Operation LAMP, the cutting of the cable off Amsterdam.
_____
Panamanian
tanker CLAIRY (5838grt) was sunk by German bombing eight to nine miles off
Boulogne.
The
tanker was abandoned on fire on the 22nd.
The
entire crew was rescued.
_____
French
auxiliary minesweepers SAINT BERNOIT (315grt), NOTRE DAME DE LORETTE
(339grt), RIEN SANS PEINE (142grt), JACQUES COEUR (285grt), SAINT JOACHIM
(192grt) was sunk by German bombing at Dunkirk.
_____
French
tug TUMULTE (370grt) was sunk by German bombing at Dunkirk.
_____
Mine
destructor ship CORBURN (3060grt, Lt Cdr M. E. Welby) was sunk by German
motor torpedo boat S.32 off Le Havre.
_____
Destroyers
VIMY, WINDSOR,
VENETIA departed the Nore for
Dover to assist in various duties.
_____
Destroyer
VIMIERA arrived at
Dover after taking the WHITLEY
crew to Portsmouth.
_____
British
steamer FIRTH FISHER (574grt) was sunk by mining one half mile east of
Boulogne Pier.
Seven
crew were lost. The pilot and three crew were rescued by British steamer
SPARTA (708grt).
_____
Belgian
steamer ANTVERPIA (4932grt), which had been damaged by German bombing on the
20th in Boulogne Roads, was run aground to prevent sinking.
The
entire crew was rescued.
The
steamer was set afire by incendiary bombs on the 23rd.
_____
French
tugs ORME (340grt) and BARFLEUR (330grt) were scuttled at Boulogne.
_____
French
auxiliary minesweepers LEOPOLD SOUBLER (215grt) and CHRISTIANE CECILE
(146grt) were scuttled at
Boulogne.
_____
British
steamer HUBBASTONE (873grt) was sunk by German bombing in Dieppe Dock.
The
crew of the steamer were all rescued.
The
steamer was damaged again on the 23rd and abandoned.
Steamer
HUBBASTONE was later salved by German forces and renamed JURGENSBY for German
service.
_____
Hospital
carrier MAID OF
KENT (2693grt) was damaged by German bombing at in
the Paris
Basin at Dieppe.
The
steamer was abandoned in a sinking condition.
Thirty
seven men were lost.
_____
Belgian
fishing vessel DE NORMANDIE (137grt) was sunk on a mine fifty meters outside
Dieppe Harbour.
Five
crew and eight refugees were killed.
_____
Belgian
trawler NELLY SUZANNE (151grt) and fishing vessels INDEPENDANCE (96grt),
GEORGETTE SIMONE (11grt), ERNESTINE GABRIELLE (12grt) were sunk by German
bombing at Dieppe.
_____
Italian
steamer FIDELITAS (5740grt) was damaged by German bombing at Antwerp.
_____
Destroyer
VENOMOUS at Calais was attacked by German
bombers, but was not damaged.
The
destroyer arrived at
Dover on the 21st with 200
refugees and the crew and stores from the Sangette loop station.
_____
Destroyer
WILD SWAN on North Goodwins Patrol was attacked by German bombers, but was
not damaged.
Destroyer
WILD SWAN proceeded to
Boulogne and embarked 150 British
refugees.
These
refugees were taken to
Dover.
_____
French
light cruisers JEANNE D'ARC and EMILE BERTIN departed Brest on the 21st with 200 tons of
gold to be taken to
Halifax.
French
large destroyers JAGUAR and GERFAUT were assigned as escort, but both were
reassigned before they joined.
On
the 25th in 31-30N, 22-38W, the French light cruisers joined French aircraft
carrier BEARN, carrying gold from Toulon.
The
French ships safely arrived at Halifax on 1 June.
_____
French
Large Destroyer Division 2 was ordered from Brest to Cherbourg where they arrived without
incident.
At
Cherbourg, large destroyer CHACAL embarked a demolition
party for the
port of
Calais, LEOPARD for Boulogne, JAGUAR for Dunkirk.
_____
French
General Weygand left on
Dunkirk on French torpedo boat FLORE
for Cherbourg, via
Dover.
The
torpedo boat arrived safely at Cherbourg at dawn on the 22nd.
_____
Convoy
OB.152 departed
Liverpool escorted by sloop
ROCHESTER from 21 to 23 May. The sloop
was detached to convoy HX.42.
_____
Convoy FS.176 departed the
Tyne, escorted by destroyer WALPOLE. The convoy
arrived at Southend on the 23rd.
_____
Aircraft
carrier ARK ROYAL, escorted by destroyers ANTELOPE, BRAZEN, ENCOUNTER and
VOLUNTEER, departed her patrol area near Narvik.
Destroyer
ANTELOPE which lost touch in thick fog arrived at Scapa Flow at 0720/24th.
After
being delayed by fog, the aircraft carrier arrived for refuelling at Scapa Flow at 1940/24th with destroyers
ENCOUNTER and VOLUNTEER.
_____
Aircraft
carriers FURIOUS flew off the Gladiator aircraft of the 263 Squadron ashore
to Bardufoss airfield, northeast of Narvik.
One
Swordfish of the 818 Squadron escorting the Gladiators crashed on a
mountainside at Gryllefjord, Seja Island. S/Lt J. A. Welply, S/Lt
G.P. Simpson, Leading Airman H.H. Simpson were injured, but later returned to
the ship.
Aircraft
carrier GLORIOUS was unable to disembark her RAF Hurricanes of the 46
Squadron.
The
aircraft carriers with destroyers VETERAN, DIANA, AMAZON, VISCOUNT departed their
patrol area near Narvik for refuelling at Scapa Flow.
Both
aircraft carriers arrived for refuelling at 2100/23rd.
_____
Destroyer
ICARUS departed
Scapa Flow.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawlers CAPE PASSARO (510grt, Lt Cdr M. B. Sherwood Rtd of the 15th
AntiSubmarine Striking Force and MELBOURNE (466grt, Lt Cdr A. J. C. Pomeroy
RNVR) of the 23rd AntiSubmarine Group were sunk by German bombing near
Narvik.
Four
ratings were killed on the trawler CAPE PASSARO. There were no casualties on
trawler MELBOURNE.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawlers JUNIPER and HAZEL of the 19th Anti-Submarine Striking Force departed
Scapa
Flow
escorting oiler BRITISH JUSTICE and steamer BALTONIA to the Clyde. The trawlers were then to
patrol in position 59-10N, 5 to 7 W.
_____
French
destroyers BASQUE and FORTUNE departed Bizerte escorting steamers PRESIDENT
DOUMER and PROVIDENCE to Beirut, arriving on the 25th.
These
destroyers replaced large destroyers TIGRE and LYNX of Amiral Godfrey's command.
Destroyer
BASQUE had been repairing at Brest. She departed on the 13th,
escorting the two steamers to Casablanca, arriving 16 May. The three
ships passed Gibraltar on the 16th and arrived at
Bizerte on the 19th.
Destroyer
FORTUNE had been repairing at Oran. She departed on the 16th
and arrived at
Bizerte on the 17th.
