Background Events - June 1940
Evacuation
of Dunkirk ends, Italy at war, Action at sea in
the Mediterranean, France falls
1940
Saturday, 15 June
Destroyer
GRIFFIN arrived at
Dover at 2145, the first arrival
of the newly reconstituted 1st Destroyer Flotilla. The Flotilla was to be
composed of CODRINGTON (Captain D 1), GREYHOUND, GALLANT, GRIFFIN, BULLDOG, BRILLIANT,
BOADICEA, BOREAS, BEAGLE, BRAZEN, BLYSKAWICA, BURZA. Most of these destroyers
were under repair on this date.
_____
French
large destroyer
MILAN took French General De Gaulle
from
Brest to
Plymouth.
_____
Destroyers
MACKAY and WINCHELSEA were ordered from Plymouth to escort convoys from France to England, and departed at 0700/16th.
_____
Steamers
EMPIRE ABILITY (7603grt) and
CITY OF FLORENCE (6862grt) departed Falmouth for Brest, while steamers ETTRICK
(11,279grt), KONINGIN EMMA (4135grt), ROYAL ULSTERMAN (3244grt), ROYAL
SCOTSMAN (3244grt) departed Falmouth for La Pallice in the
afternoon. Next day, the morning of the 16th, and also from Falmouth, troopship ORMONDE
(14,982grt) departed for
Plymouth and then to Quiberon Bay, and troopship ORONSAY (20,043grt)
for
Quiberon Bay. Troopships ARANDORA STAR (15,501grt), OTRANTO
(20,026grt), STRATHAIRD (22,281grt) were ordered to Brest from Cardiff.
_____
Destroyer
ESK escorted cable ship ARIEL from St Peter's Point, Guernsey to Southend.
_____
Light
cruiser
NEWCASTLE and destroyers AMAZON and
KELVIN departed
Scapa Flow at 0945 for firing practices in
Pentland Firth.
_____
Battleship
RODNEY, battlecruiser RENOWN, destroyers TARTAR, FEARLESS, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, MASHONA, MAORI
arrived at
Scapa Flow at 1650.
_____
Destroyer
AMAZON departed
Scapa Flow at 2100 for Sullom Voe with oiler ROSEWOOD (5989grt)
and anti-submarine trawlers SCOTTISH (558grt) and LOCH OSKAIG (534grt) .
_____
Destroyers
ATHERSTONE, ACHERON,
WALKER, VISCOUNT and anti-submarine
trawlers KING
SOL, ST CATHAN, ST ELSTAN, LOCH MONTEITH departed
Scapa Flow at 0600 with a convoy for
the Clyde. It was composed of steamers
BLACKHEATH (4637grt), YEWMOUNT (859grt), MARINA (5088grt), HARMATTAN
(4558grt), THESEUS (6527grt), DALLINGTON COURT (6889grt), REDCAR (1475grt), COXWOLD
(1124grt), and the Danish GUNVOR MAERSK (1977grt).
_____
U.A
torpedoed armed merchant cruiser ANDANIA (Captain D. K. Bain Rtd) northwest
of
Ireland in 62‑36N, 15‑09W
at 2330/15th. Icelandic trawler SKALLAGRIMUR (403grt) rescued the entire crew
of 347 men before she sank. Destroyer FORESTER departed Thorshaven to assist.
A transfer of the crew was attempted on the 16th when FORESTER met the
trawler, but the weather was too rough. The crew were transferred on the 17th
and FORESTER arrived at
Scapa Flow at 2230/17th with the survivors, who were taken
by minesweeper HAZARD to Scrabster.
Destroyer
AMAZON, escorting oiler ROSEWOOD, came from Sullom Voe and destroyer KELVIN
departed
Scapa Flow at 0200/16th to assist. Armed boarding vessel
DISCOVERY II also arrived on the scene.
Oiler
ROSEWOOD, now escorted by anti-submarine trawlers SCOTTISH and LOCH OKAIG,
arrived at Sullom Voe later that day.
Destroyer
AMAZON reported later on the 16th that her starboard turbine bearing had run
and she was returning to
Scapa Flow, arriving at 1112/17th.
Destroyers
BEDOUIN and
ASHANTI had departed Scapa Flow at 0240 for Reykavik and
attempted to locate trawler SKALLAGRIMUR en route. However, they were unable
to locate the trawler due to low visibility.
Anti-submarine
trawlers
CAPE
CORMORIN and AYRSHIRE in Iceland were sent to the area.
Heavy
cruiser
SUSSEX, light cruiser NEWCASTLE, armed merchant cruiser
CIRCASSIA patrolled in the area in
case this attack was a forerunner of an attempt by an armed raider to enter
the Atlantic.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawler ARAB (531grt) attacked a submarine contact in 52-26N, 1-57E.
The
trawler was joined by patrol sloop PINTAIL.
_____
Swedish
destroyers PSILANDER, PUKE, ROMULUS, REMUS with supply ship
PATRICIA and tanker CASTOR had arrived at Cobh (Queenstown) on the 2nd to
embark Swedish citizens to return to Sweden. They departed on the 15th,
en route to
Sweden from Italy.
_____
Convoy
OF 34F was formed from convoys OA.168GF and OB.168GF with nineteen ships.
British steamer CITY OF WINDSOR (7218grt) was
diverted to
Cherbourg from convoy OA.168 GF. The
convoy was escorted by sloop DEPTFORD from 15 to 22 June. The convoy arrived
at Gibraltar on the 24th.
_____
Convoy
BC 41 departed Bristol Channel escorted by anti-submarine
trawlers AGATE and CAMBRIDGESHIRE for Loire.
The
was the last convoy of the BC series.
_____
Convoy FN.196 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA and
sloop
LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at the
Tyne on the 17th.
Convoy FN.197 did not sail.
_____
Convoy FS.196 departed the
Tyne, escorted by sloops WESTON and
LOWESTOFT. The convoy became separated
in fog and anchored, one section with sloop WESTON and the other with sloop
LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at
Southend on the 17th.
_____
U.38
sank Norwegian motor tanker ITALIA (9973grt) and Danish steamer ERIK BOYE
(2238grt), under British control, from convoy HX.48 in 50‑37N, 08‑44W.
Nineteen
crew from the Norwegian tanker were lost. The survivors were rescued by sloop
FOWEY.
The
entire crew of the Danish steamer were rescued by sloop FOWEY.
_____
German
armed merchant cruiser PINGUIN departed Gydnia and was escorted by
Sperrbrecher IV to
Bremen.
Armed
merchant cruiser PINGUIN was joined by torpedo boats JAGUAR and FALKE on the
18 June in the
Skagerrak for the passage to
Bergen.
On
the 19th, PINGUIN was joined by minesweepers M.17 and M.18 off Skudesnes.
_____
French
destroyers FORBIN, FORTUNE, BASQUE departed Alexandria for Beirut.
_____
French
submarine MORSE (LV J. G. C. Paris) of the 9th Submarine Division was sunk on
a mine off Sfax with all officers and ratings aboard lost.
_____
Submarine
RORQUAL reported unsuccessfully attacking an Italian submarine in Otranto Strait.
_____
Destroyer
WRESTLER attacked a submarine contact seven miles 138° from Europa Point.
_____
Italian
submarine MACALLE, which had departed Massawa at 1600/10th, was wrecked on a
reef near
Port Sudan at 19‑00N, 38‑00E.
The entire crew were rescued by Italian submarine GUGLIELMOTTI on the 22nd.
_____
Convoy
SL.36 departed
Freetown escorted by armed merchant
cruiser
DUNVEGAN CASTLE. The convoy arrived at Liverpool 3 July.
Sunday, 16 June
Heavy
cruiser
SUSSEX and light cruiser NEWCASTLE departed Scapa Flow to patrol along 59N from 16
to 20W. They arrived on station at 0100/17th to search for a raider.
After
no contact, they were ordered at 0954/18th to return to Scapa Flow, arriving at 0455/19th.
_____
The
Australian -
New Zealand troop convoy US.3 arrived in
the Clyde.
Heavy
cruiser
CUMBERLAND departed the Clyde on the 16th for Liverpool arriving on the 17th.
Escorting
destroyers BROKE and WESTCOTT then proceeded to Plymouth.
Escorting
destroyer WARWICK proceeded to
Liverpool.
Escorting
destroyers WANDERER, WITCH, ST LAURENT, RESTIGOUCHE, SKEENA, FRASER departed the Clyde to join Canadian troop
convoy TC.5.
_____
Destroyer
DELIGHT departed the
Clyde with British steamers NAILSEA LASS (4289grt)
and
LOMBARDY (3379grt) for Plymouth.
_____
Armed
boarding vessel NORTHERN DUKE picked up a raft from Norwegian steamer
KRISTIANIAFJORD (6759grt) in 62-04N, 7-46W.
_____
At
0508, submarine TETRARCH encountered a southbound German convoy. Submarine TETRARCH
fired four torpedoes.
German
tanker SAMLAND (5978grt) was sunk off Korsfjord, five miles west of Lister,
in 58-18N, 05-40E.
_____
Submarine
TRUANT and Polish submarine
WILK departed Rosyth for
exercises in the Firth of Forth.
After
the exercises, submarine TRUANT set off on patrol and submarine WILK returned to Rosyth.
_____
Submarine
L.23 and submarine tender WHITE BEAR arrived at Scapa Flow.
_____
Sloop
BLACK SWAN and minesweeper SHARPSHOOTER arrived at Rosyth with part of convoy
FN.195.
Sloop
HASTINGS with rest of the convoy arrived later.
_____
Minesweepers
HALCYON and HEBE and destroyer ESK with cable vessel ARIEL were held for
several hours at
Dover while the Downs was cleared.
_____
At
2000, destroyer
GRIFFIN departed Dover to join light cruiser
GALATEA and destroyer IMOGEN en route from the Nore to Spithead.
_____
Anti-aircraft
cruiser
CALCUTTA departed Harwich for Portsmouth.
_____
Operation
AERIAL was the evacuation of allied troops from French Biscay ports.
On
the 16th, destroyers WOLVERINE, VANOC, WHIRLWIND were detailed to escort
loaded ships from France to the UK.
From
15 to 18 June, 30,630 troops were evacuated from Cherbourg and taken to Portsmouth.
On
16 and 17 June, 21,474 troops were lifted from St Malo and taken to Portsmouth.
The
demolition party for St Malo was XD.M (Cdr C. D. Howard-Johnston), delivered
on destroyer WILD SWAN on 0050/17th, after calling at St Helier en route.
On
16 and 17 June, 32,584 troops were evacuated from Brest and taken to Plymouth.
From
16 to 18 June, 57,235 troops were evacuated from St Nazaire and Nantes to Plymouth.
Destroyers
VEGA, FERNIE, SABRE and sloops FOXGLOVE and ROSEMARY were employed as escorts
along the evacuation route.
Destroyers
HAVELOCK, WOLVERINE, BEAGLE with troopships GEORGIC
(27,759grt), DUCHESS OF
YORK (20,021grt), BATORY
(14,287grt), SOBIESKI (11,030grt) of convoy FF.1 were at Quiberon Bay on the 15th. These liners
departed St Nazaire at 0119/17th, escorted by destroyers WHIRLWIND and
BEAGLE.
On
the 16th, destroyers HIGHLANDER and VANOC joined the force.
British
troopship
FRANCONIA (20,175grt) of convoy FF.2 was damaged by German
bombing at
Brest on the 16th. She was temporarily
out of action due to mainshaft and gearing out of line. On the 17th at 0700,
she was able to proceed independently to Plymouth.
British
troopships LANCASTRIA (16,243grt) and ORONSAY (20,043grt) of convoy FF.2 were
damaged by air bombing at Quiberon Bay on the 17th.
British
troopship ORONSAY (20,043grt) departed St Nazaire on the 17th.
On
the 17th two hours after being damaged by bombing, British troopship
LANCASTRIA (16,243grt) was sunk by German bombing at St Nazaire with a heavy
loss of life.
On
the 18th, British liners
FRANCONIA (20,175grt), ARANDORA
STAR (15,501grt), ORMONDE
(14,982grt) departed
Brest.
British
steamers BELLEROPHON (9019grt), EURYADES (5801grt), LYCAON (7350grt) OTRANTO
(20,026grt), STRAITHAIRD (22,281grt) arrived at Brest in the same convoy as FRANCONIA and ORMONDE and were sent to
Quiberon
Bay.
Liner
STRAITHAIRD (22,281grt) evacuated 32,584 troops from Brest.
_____
Light
cruiser ARETHUSA arrived at Le Verdon from Gibraltar.
_____
Convoy MT.89 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON and
sloop FLEETWOOD. Destroyer ENCOUNTER traveled in this convoy for passage to
Chatham. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne on the 17th.
_____
U.101
sank British steamer WELLINGTON STAR (13,212grt) in 42‑39N,
17‑01W.
The
entire crew were picked up by French steamer PIERRE L D (5795grt) .
_____
French
aircraft carrier
BEARN and light cruiser JEANNE
D'ARC departed
Halifax at 0600/16th to return to
France, but arrived in the Antilles on the 27th.
_____
French
General De Gaulle ordered new French liner PASTEUR (30,447grt), en route from
Halifax to
Bordeaux, to put into a British port.
Liner
PASTEUR on the first half of the voyage, her maiden passage, carried 400 tons
of gold to
Halifax.
_____
Convoy
HG.34 departed
Gibraltar with fifteen ships, escorted by destroyers VIDETTE
and WRESTLER until 18 June. The convoy arrived at
Liverpool on the 26th.
_____
German
steamer KONIGSBERG (6466grt) was scuttled when
intercepted by French auxiliary patrol boat PRESIDENT HOUDUCE (1178grt) in 41‑36N,
10‑37W.
Steamer
KONIGSBERG had earlier refuelled German
armed merchant cruiser WIDDER.
_____
At
1400, destroyers departed
Alexandria on an anti-submarine sweep.
Force
M:destroyers NUBIAN, MOHAWK, JANUS, JUNO.
Force
H:destroyers HYPERION, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HASTY.
Force
S:destroyers STUART, VAMPIRE, DAINTY, VOYAGER.
Destroyers
ILEX and IMPERIAL were already at sea to cover tanker movements between Port Said, Alexandria, Haifa.
On
the 17th, light cruiser
GLOUCESTER departed Alexandria to join the sweep.
_____
Submarine
GRAMPUS, (Lt Cdr C. A. Rowe), which had laid mines off Port Augusta on the
13th,was sunk by Italian torpedo boats POLLUCE, CALLIOPE, CIRCE, CLIO off
Augusta.
After
the minelay, the submarine had unsuccessfully attacked Italian submarine
BAUSAN on the 13th and torpedo boat POLLUCE on the 13th.
Destroyer
DIAMOND was sent on the 18th to search for the missing submarine.
Submarine
GRAMPUS was declared lost on the 24th and presumed mined.
Lt
Cdr Rowe, Lt E. B. Bull, Lt K. J. Dorrell, S/Lt CC Wilson RNR, Warrant Engineer L.E.
Buckler, the fifty three ratings of the crew, the Chinese steward were lost
with GRAMPUS.
_____
Heavy
cruiser DORSETSHIRE arrived at
Gibraltar after US.3 convoy duty until
14 June, then a patrol off the
Canary Islands.
_____
Italian
submarine DURBO attacked a French destroyer in 36‑06N, 11‑33E, in
the
Gulf of
Hammanet, northeast of Sousse.
_____
Italian
submarine GALILEI sank Norwegian tanker JAMES STOVE (8215grt) south of Aden at 12‑35N, 45‑03E.
The
entire crew of the tanker were rescued.
_____
Italian
steamer RASTRELLO (1550grt) was sunk by an underwater explosion at Naples.
_____
New Zealand light cruiser LEANDER was searching
for submarine GALILEI from 16 to 18 June. British trawler MOONSTONE captured
this submarine on the 19th.
Monday, 17 June
Destroyers
FOXHOUND and DIANA departed
Scapa Flow at 0130 for the
Clyde, but were recalled to escort
aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL.
_____
Aircraft
carrier ARK ROYAL with destroyers FAULKNOR (D.8), FEARLESS, ESCAPADE departed
Scapa
Flow
at 1545 for the
Clyde.
Destroyer
FOXHOUND joined the screen outside
Scapa Flow. Destroyer DIANA entered
Scapa Flow.
_____
Destroyers
BEDOUIN and
ASHANTI were sent at 0047 to hunt
for a German submarine reported off Reykavik in 64-09N, 22-16W.
Destroyers
BEDOUIN and
ASHANTI arrived off Reykavik on the
18th and maintained an anti-submarine patrol off Reykavik of one destroyer
and one trawler.
The
destroyers were then to escort British troopship EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA from
Iceland to Halifax.
Heavy
cruiser DEVONSHIRE was sent to Halifax to escort troopship EMPRESS
OF AUSTRALIA on her return voyage to Iceland with Canadian troops.
_____
Armed
merchant cruiser
CANTON on Northern Patrol reported
she was attacked by a German submarine.
_____
Destroyers
HAMBLEDON and WITHERINGTON arrived in the Clyde.
_____
Destroyer
VISCOUNT departed the
Clyde for
Plymouth.
_____
Destroyers
KASHMIR and JUPITER departed the
Tyne for the Humber where they arrived later the
same day.
_____
Destroyers
GALLANT and WALPOLE arrived at Rosyth from the Humber.
_____
Minelayer
PORT NAPIER arrived at Rosyth
from the
Tyne.
_____
Submarine
SALMON departed Rosyth on patrol.
_____
Destroyer
BRILLIANT arrived at
Dover to join the 1st Destroyer
Flotilla.
_____
Destroyer
WILD SWAN, en route from
Portsmouth to Harwich, spent the night
at
Dover. The destroyer arrived at 2208/17th and departed the
next morning at 0535.
_____
On
patrol, destroyer VESPER rescued three British officers, one British NCO,
five French soldiers and took them to Dover.
_____
Destroyer
VIVACIOUS, en route from
Portsmouth to Harwich, reported
sighting enemy boats seven miles east of Dungeness late on the 17th.
Destroyer
VIVACIOUS soon reported a torpedo missed ahead.
_____
In
support of the Cotentin Peninsula (Cherbourg area), French battleship
COURBET, Anti-aircraft ship AMIENS, submarine chasers CH.13 and CH.43
operated off the east coast and large destroyer LEOPARD, torpedo boats
BRANLEBAS, FLORE, INCOMPRISE, sloop SAVORGNAN DE BRAZZA operated off the west
coast.
On
the 19th, these ships proceeded to Portsmouth.
_____
French
steamers SAUMUR (2955grt), ENSEIGNE MAURICE PRECHAC (4578grt), VULCAIN
(4362grt), PAUL EMILE JAVARY (2471grt), ARMENIER (914grt), SAINTE CLAIR
(3824grt) departed the
Clyde for
Brest escorted by British
trawlers.
_____
Destroyer
WESTCOTT was damaged in a collision with British steamer NYROCA (786grt) at
Brest.
The
destroyer could steam only eight knots and returned to Plymouth, where she was under repair
from 18 to 30 June.
_____
A
convoy of twenty six ships departed Quiberon Bay escorted by destroyer
WOLVERINE for
Bristol Channel.
_____
At
St Nazaire on the 17th was the British liner LANCASTRIA (16,243grt) . She was
joined by British liners ULSTER PRINCE (3791grt), ULSTER
MONARCH (3791grt), ROYAL SCOTSMAN (3244grt), ROYAL ULSTERMAN (3244grt) .
In
the Loire anchorage was British tanker
CYMBULA (8033grt) and British steamers CLAN FERGUSON (7347grt), BAHARISTAN
(5479grt) FLORISTAN (5478grt), GLENAFFARIC (7782grt), JOHN HOLt (3815grt),
TEIRESIAS (7405grt) .
Destroyers
HIGHLANDER,
HAVELOCK, BEAGLE worked in the
anchorage.
British
steamer TEIRESIAS (7405grt) was badly damaged by German bombing in 47‑07N,
02‑23W.
One
crewman killed on the British steamer. The steamer was abandoned one mile
northwest Wreck Buoy off the entrance to St Nazaire.
British
steamer HOLMSIDE (3433grt) rescued the survivors.
British
steamer
DUNDRUM CASTLE (5259grt) had been diverted
from
Dunkirk and was waiting in St Nazaire to discharge her
military cargo.
Hospital
ship
SOMERSET (8790grt) was also at St Nazaire.
A
convoy was arriving from the
Bristol Channel. It was composed of British
steamers ROBERT L. HOLt (acting commodore, 2918grt), CITY OF LANCASTER (3041grt), DAVID LIVINGSTON
(4022grt), FABIAN (3059grt), GLENLEA (4252grt) .
Destroyers
HAVELOCK and HIGHLANDER were involved in ferrying troops
to the evacuating ships in the harbour.
Destroyer
HAVELOCK had her starboard engine out of action and was
to return to
Plymouth with troopship LANCASTRIA.
British
troopship LANCASTRIA (16,243grt) while evacuating troops at St Nazaire was
sunk by German bombing in Charpentier's Roads.
Anti-submarine
trawler CAMBRIDGESHIRE (443grt) rescued 1009 survivors and transferred them
to British steamer JOHN HOLt (3815grt) in harbour. 829 survivors on steamer
JOHN HOLt were sailed for England on the 17th.
Destroyer
HIGHLANDER, tanker CYMBULA (8033grt), steamers FABIAN (3059grt), GLENAFFARIC
(7782grt), ORONSAY (20,043grt), ROBERT L. HOLt (2918grt), ULSTER PRINCE
(3791grt) were also involved in rescue efforts.
Only
2477 survivors out of 5310 passengers and crew on LANCASTRIA were rescued.
Sixty six crew and 2833 troops and refugees were lost.
Destroyer
WREN and armed yacht ZAZA were ordered to St Nazaire to assist destroyer
HIGHLANDER.
At
0630/18th, British steamers OLIVE, ROYAL ULSTERMAN, ULSTER PRINCE, FLORISTAN,
BAHARISTAN, CLAN MACPHERSON, DUNDRUM CASTLE, DAVID LIVINGSTONE, FABIAN,
CITY OF MOBILE, GLENAFFARIC departed St
Nazaire, escorted by destroyers VANOC and BEAGLE.
Steamers
CLAN FERGUSON, ULSTER PRINCE, BAHARISTAN each carrying 3000 troops, DAVID
LIVINGSTON carrying 800 troops, destroyer BEAGLE carried 600 troops.
_____
Destroyer
STURDY was ordered to join destroyer MACKAY at Brest.
_____
At
1704, destroyers IMOGEN and GRIFFIN were ordered towards Brest for anti-submarine patrols.
At
2041, destroyers PUNJABI and HARVESTER were ordered to patrol between Ushant and the Loire.
_____
Minesweeping
trawler
MURMANSK (348grt) was accidently
grounded and abandoned at
Brest.
The
entire crew was rescued.
Trawler
MURMANSK was later salved by German forces. She was
placed into service in 1941 as auxiliary minesweeper KFK.76 which was later
renumbered as FB.06. The trawler did not survive the war.
_____
French
steamer CHAMPLAIN (28,124grt) was badly damaged on a mine off the entrance to
La Pallice and settled to the sea bed.
Eleven
crew were lost on the French steamer. Three hundred and fifty nine crew and
passengers were rescued.
_____
Norwegian
steamer KOMET (1147grt) was sunk by German bombing in the English Channel.
The
Master of the Norwegian steamer was lost.
_____
Convoy
OG.34F was formed at sea from convoy OA.168GF which departed Southend on the
15th escorted by corvette PERIWINKLE, conovy OB.168GF which departed Liverpool on the 15th, escorted by
sloop DEPTFORD.
Sloop
DEPTFORD escorted the convoy from 17 to 22 June. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 24th.
_____
Convoy
OA.169 departed Southend escorted by sloop FOWEY from 17 to 20 June. The
sloop was detached to convoy HX.49.
_____
Convoy
OB.169 departed Liverppol escorted by sloop SANDWICH from 17 to 20 June. The
sloop was detached to convoy HX.49.
_____
Convoy FN.198 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers WALLACE,
WOLFHOUND, VALOROUS. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne on the 18th.
_____
Convoy FS.197 departed the
Tyne, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON and sloop
FLEETWOOD. Destroyer ENCOUNTER traveled in this convoy en route for refit.
The convoy arrived at Southend on the 19th.
_____
German
light cruiser
NURNBERG and two steamers took the 2nd Infantry Regiment and
an artillery regiment of the 3rd Mountain Division from
Trondheim to Narvik and Tromso.
The
light cruiser arrived in Harjangsfjord on the 17th.
_____
U.46
sank Greek steamer ELPIS (3651grt) in 43‑46N, 14‑06W.
The
entire crew of the Greek steamer was rescued.
Destroyers
PUNJABI and HARVESTER were ordered to the area.
_____
Destroyer
DIAMOND was near missed and slightly damaged by Italian bombing at Malta,
but remained
in service.
_____
French
sloop LA CURIEUSE, which with sloop COMMANDANT BORY was escorting French
convoy IR.2F to
North Africa, damaged and captured Italian submarine PROVANA
thirty miles north of
Cape Palos near Oran.
However,
PROVANA sank in tow before she could be gotten into port.
_____
Submarine
PARTHIAN unsuccessfully attacked Italian destroyer NEMBO off Tobruk.
_____
Italian
submarine ADUA attacked a French convoy between Marseilles and Toulon. A detonation was heard but
there is no confirmation on damage.
_____
Convoy
HX.51 departed
Halifax escorted by Canadian
destroyers
ASSINIBOINE and
OTTAWA and auxiliary patrol vessels
ACADIA and FRENCH. On 8 June, the
destroyers turned the convoy over to the ocean escort, armed merchant cruiser
JERVIS
BAY, which was detached on the
28th.
Convoy
BHX.51 departed
Bermuda on the 16th escorted locally by sloop
PENZANCE and ocean escort armed
merchant cruiser ASCANIA. The convoy rendezvoused with HX.51 on the 21st and
the armed merchant cruiser was detached.
On
29 June, destroyers VERSATILE and VIVACIOUS and sloop SANDWICH joined the convoy. Destroyer
VERSATILE was detached on 1 July. The other escorts were detached on 2 July
when the convoy arrived at
Liverpool.
_____
Aircraft
carrier HERMES, returning from patrol off the Canary Islands to Dakar, was ordered to Freetown due to the peace terms. The
order was then cancelled at 0245/18th.
Tuesday, 18 June
Battlecruiser
HOOD with Canadian destroyers ST LAURENT, FRASER, RESTIGOUCHE, SKEENA and destroyer WANDERER
departed the
Clyde at 0400.
At
0520, destroyer ATHERSTONE departed the Clyde and relieved destroyer
WANDERER.
A
Swordfish from ARK ROYAL crashed into the sea on the 18th and destroyer
ATHERSTONE rescued the crew.
When
the battlecruiser HOOD group and the aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL group met,
the Canadian destroyers were detached to meet convoy TC.5 and destroyer
ATHERSTONE proceeded to
Liverpool.
_____
Destroyer
FOXHOUND called at Milford Haven to refuel.
_____
Light
cruiser GALATEA and destroyers IMOGEN and GRIFFIN were ordered to Plymouth from Portsmouth with all dispatch.
_____
French
battleship RICHELIEU (Capitaine de Vaisseau P. J. Marzin) completed trials
and put to sea from
Brest escorted by destroyers
FOUGUEUX and FRONDEUR.
The
destroyers were detached at Casablanca. Battleship RICHELIEU arrived at Dakar on the 23rd.
French
battleship
PARIS with hurried repairs of her
11 June aerial bombing damage departed Brest for Plymouth, escorted by French
auxiliary patrol vessels HEUREUX and GROENLAND.
French
depot ship JULES VERNE and submarines CASABIANCA and SFAX of the 2nd
Submarine Division, PERSEE, PONCELET, AJAX of the 6th Submarine Division,
CIRCE, THETIS, CALYPSO of the 13th Submarine Division, SIBYLLE, AMAZONE,
ANTIOPE, ORPHEE of the 16th Submarine Division, MEDUSE and AMPHITRITE of the
18th Submarine Division departed Brest for Casablanca.
Submarine
SURCOUF (Capitaine de Corvette P. Martin), which was unable to depart with
the JULES VERNE group, departed Brest for Plymouth, where she arrived on the
20th.
French
submarines MINERVE in the tow of French tug ZEELEW and JUNON in the tow of
French tug NESSUS departed Brest, escorted by auxiliary
patrol vessels
PESSAC and SAUTERNE. They later
were taken in tow by tugs QUEENS CROSS and WATERCOCK. Off Ushant, they were joined by
destroyer BROKE, which departed Brest at 0030/19th after the
demolition of the port with the XD. O demolition party.
Destroyer
STURDY took over the tow of submarine JUNON as her tug was short of coal.
Destroyer
BROKE and the submarines arrived at Plymouth on the 20th.
French
submarines ORION and ONDINE also departed Brest under tow and safely arrived
at
Portsmouth.
French
sloop VAUQUOIS hit a mine leaving the channel from Brest off Le Conquet. She returned
to Brest Channel and scuttled herself.
Carrying
1200 tons of French gold, French armed merchant cruisers EL D'JEZAIR, EL
MANSOUR, EL KANTARA, VILLE D'ALGER, VILLE D'ORAN departed Brest escorted by French
destroyers
MILAN and EPERVIER.
French
armed merchant cruiser VICTOR SHOELCHER, carrying 200 tons of Belgian gold
and 75 tons of Polish gold,departed Lorient on the 17th escorted by
destroyer EPEE. VICTOR SCHOELCHER joined the armed merchant cruisers from
Brest for the voyage to Casablanca where they arrived on the
21st. Destroyer EPEE was detached and went to St Nazaire to escort battleship
JEAN BART.
Destroyer
OURAGAN (CC E. P. Brunet) departed Brest under the tow of French tug
ABEILLE 22 and escorted by auxiliary patrol vessel POMEROL, which had engine
problems.
On
the 20th, destroyers IMOGEN and GRIFFIN were ordered to take over
the tow of the destroyer in 48-57N, 5-03W.
They
safely arrived at
Plymouth at 2100/19th.
Scuttled
at Brest to prevent their capture were the incomplete battleship CLEMENCEAU,
damaged destroyer CYCLONE, repairing submarines PASTEUR and ACHILLE of the
2nd Submarine Division and OUESSANT and AGOSTA of the 8th Submarine Division,
sloops ETOURDI and VAUQUOIS, auxiliary patrol vessel MOUETTE, auxiliary
minelayer ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE (1256grt), auxiliary minesweepers INGENIEUR
REIBEL (675grt) and ROCHE NOIRE (208grt), tugs ATHLETE and LUTTEUR, tanker
DORDORGNE (7333grt), steamer CAPITAINE MAURICE EUGENE (4499grt).
The
British demolition party for Brest was XD.O (Cdr G. C.
Congreve) .
When
Brest fell on the 19th to German forces, the only naval
vessel left afloat was the old six stack cruiser JEANNE DE ARC (1899) .
_____
Destroyer
MACKAY and steamer ROYAL SCOTSMAN arrived at Plymouth from Brest.
Destroyer
MACKAY carried forty nine naval and military ratings and thirty nine ratings
and other ranks.
_____
British
demolition party XD.P (Cdr R. W. Stirling Hamilton) departed Plymouth at 0115 on Armed yacht CUTTY
SARK for Lorient.
The
yacht was damaged by German bombing at 1245.
The
party arrived back at
Plymouth at 1232/19th. Destroyer
VISCOUNT carried XD.P to
Lorient.
_____
French
submarine LA CREOLE had only been launched on the 8th and towed by tug
MAMMOUTH from
Le Havre on the 9th, escorted by
patrol vssel RAMIER. They arrived at La Pallice on the 11th. The submarine
departed La Pallice under the tow of French tug ABEILLE 21 on the 22nd. They
both safely arrived at
Swansea.
French naval vessels scuttled
at
Lorient were sloop ENSEIGNE HENRY, auxiliary minesweepers
KERGROISE (261grt) and PLUVOISE (150grt), water carrier ONDINE II, tug LA
VALETTE (100grt) .
_____
Destroyers
SABRE and FERNIE took off the last of the evacuatees, 800 troops and fifty
naval demolition personnel, from Cherbourg.
_____
French
auxiliary minesweeper MARQUITTA (74grt) and tug GOURY (179grt) were scuttled
at
Cherbourg and French auxiliary minesweeper GAULOIS
(301grt) was scuttled at St Servan.
_____
French
steamers PIERRE L.D. (5795grt), SAN ANTONIO (6013grt), INDOCHINOIS
(6500grt), which had just arrived from Halifax with American aircraft,
departed St Nazaire on the 18th for Casablanca where they safely arrived on
the 23rd.
Also
departing St Nazaire were steamers ROYAL ULSTERMAN, CITY OF LANCASTER, BELTOY, MAURICE ROSE,
GLANLEA, HARPATHIAN, GELNDENNING, POLLUX, LECHISTAN carrying troops, hospital
ship ROBERT E.
HOLT, oiler CASPIA, Polish steamer LEWANT, trawlers
ST MELANTE, CLOUGHTON WYKE, OSAMA, ARMENA, destroyers HIGHLANDER and WREN.
_____
French
steamers MARGUERITE FINALY, VILLE DE HAVRE, BOURGOGNE, GROIX, MARIS STELLA,
TADORNE, PIERRE CLAUDE, MAURICE DELMAR, CARIMARE departed Le Verdon in convoy
for
Dakar.
_____
British
steamers HESTER (1199grt) and RONWYN (1766grt) and Norwegian steamer JACOB
CHRISTENSEN (3594grt) were damaged and abandoned after scuttling at
Rochefort.
Steamer
HESTER was taken in prize by German forces and used under the same name for
German service.
Steamer
RONWYN was renamed HOCHHEIMER for German use. Steamer JACOB CHRISTENSEN was
renamed BALDUR for German use.
_____
British
steamer DIDO (3554grt) was damaged and abandoned at Brest.
The
British steamer was salved by German forces and renamed DORPAT for their use.
_____
Destroyer
ZULU departed
Scapa Flow at 1200 for
Aberdeen.
Off
Aberdeen, the destroyer met British steamer LOCHNAGAR
which she escorted from
Aberdeen to Lerwick.
_____
Destroyer
WARWICK arrived at
Liverpool.
_____
Minelayers
TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER and destroyers ESK and INTREPID departed the Humber on minelaying mission BS.16.
The
minefield was laid during the night of 18/19 June.
The
ships arrived back in the
Humber on the 19th.
_____
British
steamers CORMINSTER and BALTEAKO, escorted by anti-submarine trawlers LEICESTER CITY and COVENTRY CITY, departed Scapa Flow.
_____
British
troopship EMPIRE TROOPER (13,615grt) towed by tugs SCOTSMAN, SEAMAN, PRIZEMAN
and escorted by destroyers GALLANT and WALPOLE departed Rosyth for the
Tyne.
_____
Destroyer
VESPER at 0114 on patrol reported an enemy motor boat near No. 10 Buoy, 23
miles 160° from Dungeness.
_____
Destroyers
VESPER and VIVACIOUS engaged German motor torpedo boats without result off
Dungeness.
_____
Destroyer
ANTHONY, en route from
Portsmouth to Harwich, anchored at
Dover at 2053. The destroyer
departed to continue at 0612/19th.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawler ELM departed
Scapa Flow to escort oiler ROSEWOOD from Sullom Voe for
onward routing to
Curacao.
_____
Submarines
SPEARFISH and NARWHAL arrived at
Blyth after patrols.
_____
Submarines
SUNFISH, TRIDENT, TRITON and Polish submarine WILK departed Rosyth on patrol.
_____
Convoy
FN.199 departed Southend, escorted by sloops LOWESTOFT and WESTON. Submarine L.26
departed Harwich and traveled with this convoy for Dundee. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne on the 19th.
_____
Convoy FS.198 departed the
Tyne, escorted by destroyers VIVIEN and VEGA. The
convoy arrived at Southend on the 20th.
_____
Convoy MT.90 departed Methil, escorted by sloops BLACK SWAN and
HASTINGS. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne the next day.
_____
German
minesweeper M.5 and Swedish steamer SONJA (1828grt) were sunk on mines laid
by submarine PORPOISE in minefield FD.18 off Fro Havet, southeast of
Fiskolmnes Light in 63-30N, 8-12E, on the 14th.
Twelve
crew were lost on the Swedish steamer. Nine crew were rescued by Norwegian
steamer INGER (1409grt) .
_____
Convoy
OA.170 departed Southend escorted by corvette HIBISCUS from 18 to 20 June.
_____
Convoy
OB.170 departed
Liverpool escorted by destroyer WARWICK from 18 to 21 June. The
destroyer was detached to convoy SL.35. The convoy dispersed on the 23rd.
_____
U.28
sank Finnish steamer
SARMATIA (2417grt) in 49‑04N, 12‑05W.
The
entire crew of the Finnish steamer were rescued.
_____
U.32
badly damaged Norwegian steamer ALTAIR (1522grt) in 49‑39N, 11‑15W
and sank Spanish trawlers SALVORA (108grt) and FARO-ONS (108grt) in 49‑39N,
11W.
The
entire crews of the steamer ALTAIR and trawler SALVORA were rescued.
Five
of the crew of the trawler
FARO-ONS were lost with the
trawler and one died later. Seven of the crew were rescued.
Steamer
ALTAIR was sunk by the gunfire of HM ship on the 21st in 49‑36N, 11‑22W.
_____
U.99
sailed from Kiel on her first mission, passed through the Kiel Canal and
reached Brunsbuttel on the 19th. Heading for Bergen she was mistaken for a
British boat and attacked at 1623 on the 21st by a German Arado flying from
SCHARNHORST. U.99's attack periscope jammed, the lens broken and both
compasses put out of action. After being repaired at Wilhelmshaven, she left
for her patrol. (Correction with
thanks to Michele Magnozzi)
_____
Italian
submarine GALILEI stopped Yugoslavian trawler DRAVA (199grt) in the Red Sea but released her after
inspection.
That
night, submarine GALILEI was surprised on the surface by destroyer KANDAHAR, but was able to escape in
the darkness without damage.
_____
British
steamer NIAGARA (13,415grt) was sunk on a
German mine in 35‑53S, 174‑54E in Hauraki Gulf, near Auckland, New Zealand.
New Zealand light cruiser ACHILLES
departed
Auckland. The light cruiser towed the
lifeboats of the steamer from Maro Tiki towards Hauraki Bay.
There
were 201 crew and fifty three passengers on the steamer. All were rescued.
The
light cruiser arrived back at Auckland on the 24th after searching
the area near
Kermadec Islands.
The
steamer NIAGARA was carrying gold bullion.
£2,379,000 sterling was recovered from the sunken vessel.
_____
German
armed merchant cruiser ORION captured Norwegian steamer TROPIC SEA (5781grt) in 28‑43S,
166‑08W.
Steamer TROPIC SEA was sent back to France as a prize and was scuttled
on
3 September 1940 as she arrived off Bordeaux when intercepted by
submarine TRUANT.
At
the time of her loss, steamer TROPIC SEA had twenty four crew from
the British steamer HAXBY intercepted by ORION on 24 April.
_____
Italian
steamer
RENO (1002grt) was sunk on a mine
28° from Faro Monte Cappuccino, eleven miles off Arcona in the Adriatic.
Wednesday, 19 June
After
reports of eight unknown destroyers and three escort vessels east of the
Orkneys at 1304 and 1335 from Burgh Head, Deerness, battlecruiser RENOWN with
destroyers TARTAR, MAORI, MASHONA which had been carrying out firing
practices in Pentland Firth were sent to intercept.
It
was later determined these unknown ships were Destroyer ZULU, proceeding
south from Lerwick, minesweeper BRAMBLE, SEAGULL, SPEEDY in the swept
channel.
The
British RENOWN force returned to
Scapa Flow at 1500 that day.
_____
Destroyer
HIGHLANDER departed
Aberdeen for Lerwick.
_____
Destroyer
VETERAN departed Rosyth for Harwich.
_____
Submarine
SWORDFISH arrived at
Blyth after patrol.
_____
Submarine
H.31 departed
Blyth on patrol.
_____
At
0300, French battleship JEAN BART (Capitaine de Vaisseau P. J. Ronarc'h), in
an incomplete state, sailed from St Nazaire.
Destroyer
VANQUISHER (Vice Admiral T. J. Hallett, CB, CBE Rtd aboard), which had
departed Sheerness on the 18th, had been sent to assure that JEAN BART sailed
or was destroyed.
Tugs
had also been dispatched to St Nazaire to assist JEAN BART and joined French
tugs MINOTAURE (889grt), URSUS (472grt), TITAN (276grt) .
Destroyer
VANQUISHER left St Nazaire with battleship JEAN BART, destroyersLE HARDI
(Vice Amiral E. M.J. M. Laborde aboard, CC A. de Tannenberg), MAMELUCK (CC P.
P. L. Charrasse) and EPEE (C. F. J. M.A. V. Molas), tanker ODET. However,
ODET could only make eight knots and oiler TARN was substituted at the last
moment.
Battleship
JEAN BART was attacked three times in the St Nazaire Channel and was hit once
bybomb that failed to pierce the armour deck.
Battleship
JEAN BART was refuelled. Destroyer VANQUISHER remained in company until the
French ships turned south for Casablanca where they arrived on the
22nd.
Destroyer
WATCHMAN, departing
Gibraltar on the 23rd, was stationed off
Casablanca to observe the French ships.
_____
British
steamers
CITY OF
MOBILE, FLORISTAN, ESSEX DRUID,
DUNDRUM CASTLE embarked troops at St
Nazaire, protected by destroyer VANOC.
Steamer
FLORISTAN was damaged by German bombing at St Nazaire.
_____
Scuttled
at
Cherbourg were incomplete French submarines ROLAND
MORILLOT and LE MARTINIQUE on the slips.
_____
French
steamer MEXIQUE (12,220grt), entering Verdon Roads, was sunk on a mine.
The
entire crew was rescued.
_____
French
trawler TANCHE (277grt) was sunk on a mine at Lorient.
_____
Operation
AERIAL continued.
From
Bayonne and
St Jean de Luz 19,000 troops were
evacuated from 19 to 25 June.
Although
DYNAMO was more widely known, the later CYCLE and AERIAL operations succeeded
in evacuating 191,870 troops before France fell.
_____
Destroyer
HIGHLANDER (D.9) arrived at Plymouth from St Nazaire with Captain
L.H. K. Hamilton DSO, on board.
D
9 reembarked on destroyer
HAVELOCK on the 20th.
_____
Destroyer
GREYHOUND arrived at
Dover at 1331 to join the 1st
Destroyer Flotilla.
_____
The
10th Mine Sweeping Flotilla, composed of auxiliary minesweepers MEDWAY QUEEN
and PRINCESS ELIZABETH arrived at Dover.
Two
more auxiliary minesweepers of this Flotilla would join when refitting was
completed.
_____
The
11th Mine Sweeping Flotilla, composed of auxiliary minesweepers JEANIE DEANS,
SCAWFELL, GOATFELL, HELVELLYN, MERCURY departed Dover at 0630/22nd for Portland.
_____
Convoy FS.199 departed the
Tyne, escorted by sloop BLACK SWAN and
HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at
Southend on the 21st.
_____
Convoy MT.91 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA and sloop
LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne the next day.
_____
S/Lt
(A) D. K. Marks, who had been lent to the RAF, was killed when his Hurricane
of 7 OTU crashed near Brynford, Holywell.
_____
In
a raid by British 801 Squadron against Boulogne and Calais, Lt J. W. Collett was
wounded. The Skua he was observer in forced landed at Manston on its return.
_____
German
auxiliary minesweeper M.1802 (trawler FRIEDRICH MULLER: 497grt) was sunk on a
mine northwest of
Helgoland.
_____
U.25
torpedoed a tanker in the
Bay of Biscay.
U.25,
while still submerged, was rammed by the ship following the tanker. Upon
surfacing, she observed a ship stopped. Returning to the scene 45 minutes
later, the heavily damaged tanker could not be found.
_____
U.28
sank Greek steamer ADAMANDIOS GEORGANDIS (3443grt) in 49‑35N, 11‑15W.
One
crewman was lost on the Greek steamer.
_____
U.32
sank Yugoslavian steamer LABUD (5334grt) southwest of Fastnet.
The
entire crew of the Yugoslav steamer was rescued.
_____
U.48
sank Norwegian steamer TUDOR (6607grt) from convoy HG.34F, escorted by sloop
SCARBOROUGH, in 45‑10N, 11‑50W.
One
crewman was lost from the Norwegian steamer. The survivors were rescued by
corvette ARABIS. Corvette CALENDULA picked up five survivors.
Corvettes
CALENDULA, ARABIS, GARDENIA were searching in the area.
U.48
sank British steamers BARON LOUDOUN (3164grt) and BRITISH MONARCH (5661grt)
in 45N, 11‑21W from convoy HG.34 F.
Three
crew were missing from steamer BARON LOUDOUN. There were no survivors from
steamer BRITISH MONARCH.
_____
U.52
sank British steamer THE MONARCH (824grt) in 47‑20N, 04‑40W and
Belgian steamer VILLE DE NAMUR (7463grt) in 46‑25N, 04‑35W, 250
miles off Corunna.
There
were no survivors from the British steamer. There were five crew killed and
twenty missing from the Belgian steamer.
_____
U.43
refuelled from German tanker BESSEL (1878grt) at Vigo.
_____
British
steamer PATELLA (7468grt) reported a German submarine twenty miles southwest
of Ailsa Craig.
Escort
vessels JASON and GLEANER were sent to search.
_____
British
steamer ROSEBURN (3103grt) was badly damaged by German motor torpedo boats
S.19 and S.26 five miles off Dungeness.
Steamer
ROSEBURN was taken in tow by destroyer VESPER. Tug LADY BRASSEY (362grt)
later relieved destroyer VESPER which screened the ships to Denge Marsh, west
of Dungeness where the steamer was run aground a total loss.
British
drifter LORD HOWE (75grt) picked up all the crew members which had abandoned
ship.
_____
Motor
barge GOLDEN GRAIN (101grt) was damaged by German bombing off Felixstone.
_____
British
troopship EMPIRE TROOPER (13,615grt), captured German liner CAP NORTE, arrived in the Tyne in tow of tugs SCOTSMAN,
SEAMAN, PRIZEMAN and escorted by destroyers GALLANT and WALPOLE.
The
destroyers returned to Rosyth arriving that same day.
_____
Submarine
ORPHEUS (Lt Cdr J. A. S. Wise) was sunk by Italian destroyer TURBINE off
Tobruk.
Submarine
ORPHEUS was declared lost on the 27th and presumed mined.
Lt
Cdr Wise, Lt C. T. Davies, Lt P. F. Fawkes, S/Lt J. D. Symonds, Warrant Engineer
E. K. Cross and the fifty ratings of the crew were lost with ORPHEUS.
_____
Submarine
PARTHIAN fired two torpedoes into Tobruk Harbour again Italian coastal
defense ship
SAN GIORGIO. The torpedoes exploded in the harbour
mud and no damage was done.
_____
Light
cruiser
DELHI departed Gibraltar for Dakar. The destination was later
changed to
Freetown in view of the Armistice.
_____
French
large destroyer GERFAUT, which departed Brest, passed Gibraltar en route to Toulon, where she arrived on the
21st.
_____
Australian
light cruiser HOBART bombarded Centre Peak Island W/T Station off Massawa.
_____
Italian
submarine GALILEI, which had departed Massawa on the 10th, surfaced near
Anti-submarine trawler MOONSTONE (615grt) off Aden and attacked her with
gunfire.
Trawler
MOONSTONE returned fire killing the Italian commanding officer and capturing
the submarine at 12‑48N, 45‑12E.
The
submarine was towed to
Aden by destroyer KANDAHAR.
From
information gained from documents from GALILEI, four Italian submarines were
located:the wreck of MACALLE lost on the 14th and submarines TORICELLI and
GALVANI which would soon be dealt with.
_____
Italian
submarine ZOEA, which departed Taranto on the 18th, arrived at
Tobruk with supplies.
Thursday, 20 June
Swedish
destroyers PUKE (ex-Italian GIOVANNI NICOTERA, Commodore T. Hagman, RSN) and
PSILANDER (ex-Italian BETTINO RICASOLI) and torpedo boats ROMULUS (ex-Italian SPICA) and REMUS
(ex-Italian ASTORE) arrived at Skaalefjord in the Faroes on the 19th as they
were en route to Sweden from Italy. They were accompanied by
depot ship PATRICA (ex-Italian PATRIS II) .
Tanker
CASTOR (8714grt) of this group was delayed. Earlier on the voyage, she had been
captured by a French cruiser and taken to Casablanca. She was soon released and
arrived in the Faroes shortly after the arrival of the Destroyers on the
20th.
Destroyers
TARTAR (D.6), MASHONA, MAORI, after departing Scapa Flow at 1930/19th,
arrived at Skaalefjord in the Faroes early morning on the 20th to requisition
the Swedish warships at 1100.
The
crews of the Swedish ships were put aboard depot ship PATRICIA and tanker
CASTOR and sailed to Sweden on the 21st.
Care
and maintenance parties were placed aboard PSILANDER and ROMULUS and passage crews were
placed aboard PUKE and REMUS.
After
the reported movement of German warships in the North Sea, destroyers MAORI and
MASHONA were ordered to reembark their crew from the passage parties for the
Swedish destroyers.
At
0620/21st, destroyers MAORI and MASHONA departed the Faroes to join the Home
Fleet at sea.
At
1630/21st, Swedish ships PUKE and REMUS departed Skaalefjord escorted by
destroyer TARTAR for
Scapa Flow.
Swedish
ships PATRICIA and CASTOR returned to the Faroes on the 22nd to demand the
return of the Swedish destroyers. The British Naval Officer in Charge of the
Faroes reported at 1100/22nd that the Swedish ships had returned to Thorshavn
and had were demanding the release of the Swedish warships.
Destroyers
MASHONA was ordered to the Faroes where she arrived at 2230/22nd.
Destroyer
MAORI departed
Scapa Flow at 1345/22nd to assist D 6. En route, she joined the
screen of destroyer PUKE.
On
the 22nd, PUKE broke down in 61‑15N, 6‑06W and was taken in tow
by armed boarding vessel KINGSTON PERIDOT. Tug SAUCY departed Kirkwall at 0340/22nd to join the
Swedish destroyer. The tug attempted to get a line aboard but collided with
PUKE in the progress.
Destroyer
MAORI was able to take the destroyer in tow. Despite heavy weather and
continued problems, PUKE was brought into Scapa Flow in tow of the tug
BUCCANEER, at 1200/23rd, escorted by destroyer MAORI.
Destroyers
TARTAR and REMUS arrived at
Scapa Flow at 0115/23rd.
The
two destroyers berthed alongside destroyer depot ship WOOLWICH for repairs.
Escorted
by anti-submarine whalers BUTTERMERE and WINDERMERE, British accomodation
ship ST MAGNUS (1312grt) departed
Scapa Flow on the 22nd with steaming
partiesfor destroyers PSILANDER and ROMOLUS. The parties were drawn from
battleships RODNEY and VALIANT.
At
1830/25th, destroyer MASHONA with Swedish destroyers PSILANDER and ROMOLUS
departed the Faroes. Also in company was British accomodation ship ST
MAGNUS,and anti-submarine whalers BUTTERMERE and WINDERMERE. Destroyer
MASHONA was damaged by weather en route to Kirkwall.
Destroyer
MASHONA and her group arrived at
Kirkwall at 1330/26th.
Destroyer
MASHONA went on to Rosyth arriving on the 27th and was drydocked for damage
to her hull.
Destroyer
BEDOUIN departed
Scapa Flow at 0800/30th to escort Swedish destroyers PUKE and
REMUS.
Swedish
destroyers PUKE and REMUS arrived at Kirkwall on the 30th, depot ship
PATRICIA arrived there later the same day.
Destroyer
BEDOUIN arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 1350/30th.
On
2 July, the Swedish ships were returned to Swedish control and the five ships
departed
Kirkwall on 5 July. They were joined at sea by tanker CASTOR
which had departed from the Faroes.
The
Swedish ships were bombed by aircraft of 18 Group, Coastal Command, on 7
July, but no damage was done.
The
Swedish ships arrived at
Goteborg, via Kristiansand, on 10 July.
_____
Aircraft
bombed a submarine at 1030 and brought up oil in 60-32. 5N, 5-18W. Destroyers
ZULU, ESCORT, FORESTER left exercises with submarine L.23 at 1105 joining
Anti-submarine whalers BUTTERMERE (560grt) and WINDERMERE (560grt), which had
been detached from the Norwegian Thorshaven to Kirkwall convoy, to search in
the area to hunt.
Armed
boarding vessels KINGSTON TOPAZ and KINGSTON SAPPHIRE were also ordered to
search. They returned to Northern Patrol duties at 0500/21st.
The
destroyers were ordered back to
Scapa Flow on the 21st.
_____
German
battlecruiser GNEISENAU and heavy cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER departed Trondheim to raid towards Iceland as a diversion so damaged
battlecruiser SCHARNHORST could make her way home without opposition.
However,
just outside of
Trondheim in 64‑43N, 9‑53E,
submarine
CLYDE reported she had contacted a German force of one battlecruiser, one
battleship, one destroyer.
Submarine
CLYDE was able to torpedo and
badly damage battlecruiser GNEISENAU at 2232.
A
large hole was torn in battlecruiser GNEISENAU's side at the bow and she was
later repaired at
Kiel completing on
5 November 1940.
Due
to submarine
CLYDE's report, destroyers ZULU, ESCORT, FORESTER returned to
Scapa Flow with dispatch arriving at
0800/21st.
Destroyers
MAORI and MASHONA reembarked their boarding parties from the Swedish
destroyers and proceeded at 0620 with dispatch towards Scapa Flow.
The
Fleet at
Scapa Flow was brought to one hour's notice.
Nevertheless,
battlecruiser SCHARNHORST arrived safely back at Kiel on the 23rd.
_____
Polish
submarine
WILK, which departed Rosyth on the 18th, was damaged in a
collision at 0025 while submerged with another submarine in 56‑50N, 03‑57E.
Recent
sources indicate that this submarine was Dutch submarine O.13 (Lt Cdr E. H.
Vorster RNIN), which had departed Aberdeen on patrol on the 11th, which
was earlier thought to have been mined.
Lt
B. E. Greswell, an observer on the submarine, two communications ratings were
lost with the entire Dutch crew.
There
was damage to the propellers and after planes, but the Polish submarine was
able to continue patrol.
Light
cruisers
SHEFFIELD and
BIRMINGHAM and destroyer GALLANT
departed Rosyth at 1030/23rd to support WILK. These ships returned to
Rosyth before joining the Polish submarine when it was found that WILK could dive.
Light
cruiser
NEWCASTLE and destroyer ECHO departed Scapa Flow at 0950/23rd to search for a
destroyer reported by aircraft at 0600 in 58-45N, 4-20E. They also covered
submarine
WILK's return.
Submarine
WILK arrived at Dundee on the 25th. She went on to
Rosyth for repairs arriving on the 26th underwent repairs for this damage.
The repairs were completed in early July.
_____
Destroyer
FORESIGHT departed Harwich for Rosyth where she arrived on the 21st.
_____
Destroyer
ARROW departed
Scapa Flow at 1430 for Harwich to join the Nore Command.
_____
At
1630, submarine SALMON fired two torpedoes at southbound convoy in 58-18N,
05-40E off Lister.
_____
Submarines
SHARK and TETRARCH arrived at Rosyth after patrol.
_____
Submarine
L.26 arrived at
Dundee escorted by sloop WESTON.
The
sloop then returned to Rosyth.
_____
Dutch
submarines O.21 and O.22 and torpedo boat Z.5 departed Belfast for Dundee, via Stornoway.
_____
British
liner EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA (19,665grt) escorted by destroyers BEDOUIN and
ASHANTI in the local approaches
departed Reykavik for
Halifax.
_____
British
troopships ROYAL SCOTSMAN (3244grt), SOBIESKI (11,030grt), OTRANTO, ORONTES,
ARANDORA
STAR, ST HELIER, ETTRICK and destroyers IMOGEN, PUNJABI,
GRIFFIN, WITCH, HARVESTER, VISCOUNT departed Plymouth late on the 19th for St
Nazaire to embark Polish troops there.
Destroyers
IMOGEN, HARVESTER, PUNJABI were ordered to return to Plymouth very early on the 20th for
refuelling.
Later
on the 20th, troopship SOBIESKI went to Le Verdon and destroyers IMOGEN,
GRIFFIN, WITCH, VISCOUNT to Rade de
Coisic.
Destroyer
PUNJABI embarked 409 troops at St Nazaire.
Polish
troops evacuated from Rade de Coisic were 340 on WITCH, 500 on VISCOUNT, 466
on IMOGEN.
Destroyer
GRIFFIN with 350 Polish troops returned to
Plymouth for refuelling later at
1425.
Destroyer
VISCOUNT escorted British steamer BRITTANY from Rade de Coisic past Ushant. Destroyers GRIFFIN and WITCH escorted steamers
KAIPAKI and ROYAL SCOTSMAN.
British
steamer ALDERPOOL (4313grt) embarked 4000 Polish troops and British steamer
EMPIRE INDUSTRY embarked forty British refugees at La Pallice. These ships
were sailed to
Falmouth.
Troopship
ROYAL ULSTERMAN went to La Pallice and then to Gironde.
_____
Light
cruiser ARETHUSA and destroyer BERKELEY evacuated the British Ambassador to
Poland and thirty of his staff
personnel, the Staff of the British Embassies of Brussels and Paris, the
President of Poland from Le Verdon. The two ships sailed at 1120 and safely
arrived at
Plymouth at 0801.
_____
Destroyer
BEAGLE (Rear Admiral F. B. Watson DSO Rtd aboard) arrived at Bordeaux with a demolition party for
the port, but due to the Armistice, the demolition was not carried out and
BEAGLE departed early on the 23rd.
_____
At
0610, Corvette GLADIOLUS, escorting convoy HX.48, picked up two French FAA
officers, two petty officers, four ratings from a small boat.
The
men were landed at
Dover.
_____
Convoy FN.200 departed Southend, escorted by sloops FLEETWOOD and WESTON.
The convoy arrived at Rosyth on the 22nd in two sections. One escorted by
armed patrol yacht
BREDA and the other by the two
sloops.
_____
Convoy FS.200 departed the
Tyne, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA and sloop
LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Southend
on the 22nd.
_____
Convoy MT.92 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS and
sloop EGRET. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne the next day.
_____
Destroyer
BOREAS arrived at
Dover at 1455 to join the 1st
Destroyer Flotilla.
_____
Destroyer
VESPER departed
Dover at 1552 for Sheerness.
_____
Auxiliary
minesweeper SANDOWN arrived at Dover at 1630 after refitting to
join the 10th Mine Sweeping Flotilla.
_____
British steamers
BIARRITZ (2388grt) and MALINES (2980grt) evacuated the
Channel Islands of Guernsey and
Jersey, respectively.
_____
French
steamer FOUCAULD (11,028grt) was sunk by German bombing at La Pallice.
_____
French
tanker BRUMAIRE (7638grt), which had departed Brest, was sunk by German bombing
off Belle Ile.
The
tanker was beached on the 21st on Ile de Re.
Armed
yacht VIVA II tried unsuccessfully to sink the bows of the tanker above water
on the 22nd.
_____
Greek
steamer ADAMANTIOS (4277grt) was sunk by German bombing at La Rochelle, off Ile de Re.
The
entire crew was rescued.
Steamer
ADAMANTIOS was later salved and taken in prize by German forces.
_____
French
light cruiser PRIMAUGUET departed Bordeaux with the last shipment of
gold from
France and proceeded to Dakar.
_____
U.30
sank British steamer OTTERPOOL (4876grt) in 48‑45N, 08‑13W.
Twenty
two crew and a gunner were lost with the British steamer. The survivors were
rescued by sloop
SCARBOROUGH at 0157/21st.
Earlier
that day OTTERPOOL and British steamer ANDALUSIAN (3082grt) were attacked by
U.51.
_____
U.38
sank Swedish steamer TILIA GORTHON (1776grt) in 48‑32N, 06‑20W.
Ten
crew were missing from the Swedish steamer. The survivors were picked up by
sloop LEITH.
_____
U.48
sank Dutch motor tanker MOORDRECHT (7493grt), a straggler from convoy HX.49,
in 43‑34N, 14‑20W.
Twenty
five crew were lost from the Dutch tanker.
_____
U.122
sank British steamer EMPIRE CONVEYOR (5911grt) in 56‑16N, 08‑10W.
Tug
AMSTERDAM and destroyers ATHERSTONE and CAMPBELL, which
received orders at 1316, were sent to assist the steamer, but she sank as the
ships arrived.
Three
crew from the British steamer were missing. Destroyer CAMPBELL rescued the
thirty eight survivors. Destroyer CAMPBELL remained in the area until
0800/21st before proceeding to
Liverpool.
After
disembarking the survivors at
Liverpool, destroyer CAMPBELL
proceeded to Sheerness.
Destroyer
ATHERSTONE at 0045/21st met Armed merchant cruiser MONTCLARE in North Channel on passage from the Clyde to Canada. When 13-40W was reached,
destroyer ATHERSTONE returned to the Clyde with dispatch.
_____
British
steamer STESSO (2290grt) was sunk by German bombing at Cardiff.
The
entire crew was rescued.
The
steamer was later refloated and left Cardiff on 31 December for breaking
up at Briton Ferry.
_____
Panamanian
tanker JAMES MCGEE (9859grt) was sunk on a mine 2. 4 miles 208° from Nash
Point.
The
entire crew of the tanker were picked up by destroyer WOLVERINE.
_____
Italian
submarine DIAMANTE was sunk by submarine PARTHIAN off Tobruk in 32‑42N,
23‑49E.
_____
Italian
destroyers ARTIGLIERE, CAMICIA NERA, AVIERE, GENIERE of the 11th Destroyer
Division departed
Augusta on the 19th and arrived with
supplies at
Benghazi on the 20th.
_____
In
operation MD 3, French battleship LORRAINE, light cruisers ORION
(Flagship), NEPTUNE, SYDNEY with destroyers HASTY, DECOY, DAINTY, STUART
departed
Alexandria at 1130 and bombarded Bardia
from 0548 to 0606/21st.
Destroyers
HYPERION, HAVOCK, HERO, HEREWARD, HOSTILE, which had departed Alexandria at 0800 were sweeping along
the Libyan coast.
French
heavy cruiser SUFFREN, light cruiser DUGUAY TROUIN, destroyers IMPERIAL,
ILEX, NUBIAN departed
Alexandria at 1730 and were sweeping in
the area on reports of an Italian cruiser and destroyers at Tobruk.
Light
cruiser SYDNEY's Seagull on spotting duty was attacked and damaged by RAF
Gladiators. The Seagull was able to return to the light cruiser and Flight Lt
T. MacBride, RAAF and Lt J. C. Bacon were not wounded. .
Italian
submarine SIRENA attempted to attack the French cruiser force without success
and was damaged by depth charges in return.
The
force arrived back at
Alexandria on the 21st.
_____
Destroyer
KEPPEL departed
Gibraltar for Port Vendres to transport H.M. Ambassador and a
party of nine to a "North African port. "
On
the 22nd, destroyer KEPPEL was ordered to Sete.
_____
Australian
light cruiser
PERTH departed Sydney with British liner
STRATHMORE (23,428grt) .
The
ships arrived at
Melbourne on the 22nd.
Both
ships departed on the 22nd and on the 23rd, light cruiser PERTH turned the liner over to
Australian heavy cruiser
CANBERRA.
Light
cruiser
PERTH patrolled Bass Strait until 25 June.
_____
Destroyer
KHARTOUM refuelled at Djoubiti.
Friday, 21 June
German
battlecruiser SCHARNHORST departed Trondheim escorted by destroyers
STEINBRINCK, LODY, SCHOEMANN, GALSTER and torpedo boats GREIF, KONDOR, FALKE,
JAGUAR.
On
the 21st off Utsire, three Swordish with Lt J. H. Stenning and Lt V. A. Smith,
RAN, Lt W. A. F. Fryer and Acting Petty Officer G. L. Taylor, S/Lt (A) O. A.
G. Oxley and Naval Airman E. D. Milsom of the 821 Squadron, three Swordfish
with Lt J. C. Reed and S/Lt (A) P. Winter, S/Lt (A) M.P. White and Naval
Airman C. H.A. G. Hull, S/Lt (A) L.B. Cater and Leading Airman F. W. Davis of
the 823 Squadron, six Hudsons of 233 Command, nine Beauforts of 42 Squadron
of the RAF unsuccessfully attacked the German ships.
S/Lt
(A) L.B. Cater and Petty Officer Airman F. W. Davis andS/Lt (A) M.P. White
and Naval Airman C. H.A. G. Hull were lost when two Swordfish were shot down.
Three Beauforts and one Hudson were also shot down and a Sunderland of 204
Squadron was damaged.
At
1120, aircraft reported one battlecruiser and six destroyers in 61-00N, 4-14E
on course 190 at 25 knots.
Battlecruisers
RENOWN (VA Battlecruisers) and REPULSE with destroyers FORESTER, ESCORT,
ZULU, INGLEFIELD (D.3), DIANA departed Scapa Flow at 1220/21st.
Destroyers
MAORI and MASHONA, which had departed the Faroes at 0620/21st, joined the
force at sea.
On
the 21st, light cruisers MANCHESTER (CS 18), SHEFFIELD, BIRMINGHAM, heavy
cruiser
YORK, destroyer GALLANT departed Rosyth to join Heavy
cruiser SUSSEX and light cruiser NEWCASTLE in 58‑50N, 00‑20E,
then meet the Battlecruiser Squadron.
At
1850, the operation was cancelled when the German ships were reported inside
the Fjords in the vicinity of Haugesand.
At
0240/22nd, failing to make contact with the German force, the British ships
withdrew to westward.
Battlecruisers
RENOWN and REPULSE and destroyers INGLEFIELD (D.3),ZULU, FORESTER, ESCORT,
DIANA arrived at
Scapa Flow at 1120/22nd.
Light
cruiser
NEWCASTLE and heavy cruiser SUSSEX arrived at Scapa Flow an hour after the RENOWN
group.
Light
cruisers
BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, heavy cruiser YORK, destroyer GALLANT arrived
back at Rosyth on the 22nd.
The
German ships put into Stavanger Fjord. They departed the next day and arrived
safely at
Kiel on the 23rd. Battlecruiser
SCHARNHORST was repairing at Kiel until
19 October 1940.
_____
There
was a reorganization of the destroyers under Rear Admiral Destroyers, Home
Fleet.
3rd
Destroyer Flotilla - Destroyers INGLEFIELD (D.3), ISIS, IMOGEN, DELIGHT,
DIANA, HOTSPUR, ECLIPSE, ELECTRA.
23rd
Destroyer Division of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla:Destroyer ATHERSTONE and
other HUNT destroyers as completed.
4th
Destroyer Flotilla - Destroyers COSSACK (D.4), SIKH, ZULU, MAORI, ESCAPADE,
ECHO, ESCORT, ENCOUNTER.
6th
Destroyer Flotilla - Destroyers TARTAR (D.6), ASHANTI, MATABELE, MASHONA, BEDOUIN,
PUNJABI, ESKIMO, SOMALI.
8th
Destroyer Flotilla - Destroyers FAULKNOR (D.8), FURY, FORESTER, FEARLESS,
FOXHOUND,
FAME, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE.
_____
Canadian
destroyers
SKEENA,
ST LAURENT, RESTIGOUCHE, FRASER arrived
at
Plymouth at 0640 after TC.5 escort duty. Battleship
REVENGE arrived at
Plymouth at 0645.
_____
French
destroyer TRIOMPHANT arrived at Plymouth from Lorient.
_____
Aircraft
carrier ILLUSTRIOUS departed Devonport for working up at Bermuda escorted by destroyers
IMOGEN,
GRIFFIN, ST LAURENT.
_____
Minelayers
TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER and destroyers ESK, INTREPID, ICARUS departed the Humber on minelaying mission BS.17
during the night of 21/22 June.
The
British ships arrived back in the
Humber on the 22nd.
_____
Destroyer
FORESIGHT arrived at Rosyth from Harwich.
Destroyer
FORESIGHT departed immediately with destroyer WALPOLE for Scapa Flow, arriving at 0545/22nd.
_____
Destroyer
WITHERINGTON arrived in the
Clyde.
_____
British
oiler ROSEWOOD, escorted by aircraft and anti-submarine trawlers CAPE WARWICK and ELM, arrived at Scapa Flow from Sullom Voe.
_____
Destroyer
CODRINGTON arrived at
Dover at 1420 to join the 1st
Destroyer Flotilla.
_____
Auxiliary
minesweeper EMPEROR OF INDIA arrived at 2130 at Dover after refitting to join the
10th Mine Sweeping Flotilla.
_____
At
0840, destroyer GREYHOUND observed an underwater explosion two miles 30° from
No. 10 Buoy.
The
cause was never established.
_____
Destroyer
BOREAS during the night of 21/22 June was on patrol in North Goodwins between
R Buoy and U Buoy to guard against German battlecruiser SCHARNHORST movement
through the Channel.
The
rest of the destroyers at
Dover were placed at a quarter
hour notice.
_____
Destroyer
HURRICANE (Lt Cdr H.C. Simms) was completed.
She
arrived at
Plymouth on the 30th for working up
and joined 9th Destroyer Flotilla operating in the Western Approaches.
_____
U.28
sank Special services vessel CAPE HOWE (acting Cdr E. L. Woodhall
DSO, MVO), which was disguised as RFA PRUNELLA (4443grt), south of Ireland in 49‑45N, 8‑47W.
Woodhall,
Surgeon Lt F. H. Williams, LMSSA, LAH, Lt E. J. Ormsby RNR, Probationary Acting Lt A.
G. Daniels
RNR, S/Lt W. A. Lawrence
RNR, Temporary Lt (E) J.
Wilkinson
RNR, Temporary S/Lt J. B. Bell RNVR, Temporary S/Lt I. R.
W. Stileman RNVR, forty eight ratings were lost in the British ship.
Twenty
seven crew were rescued on the 24th by French steamer CASAMANCE (5817grt) .
Thirteen survivors were picked up from a raft by destroyer VERSATILE on the
27th in 48-47N, 7-59W.
_____
British
drifter CHARDE (99grt) was sunk in a collision at Portsmouth.
_____
Anti-submarine
yacht VIVA II (502grt), escorting a transport in the Bay of Biscay, attacked a submarine
contact in 46‑28N, 3‑51W.
_____
At
1810, submarine H.44 sank Danish steamer ALFA (844grt) off Texel.
_____
Canadian
destroyer FRASER departed
Plymouth with Captain CC A Allen and
beach and communications parties for evacuation of St Jean de Luz.
_____
Convoy
OG.34 was formed from convoys OA.171G, which departed Southend on the 19th
escorted by sloop ABDERDEEN from 19 to 21 June, OB.171G, which departed Liverpool on the 19th escorted by
sloop LEITH, with twenty eight ships.
Sloops
LEITH and WELLINGTON escorted the convoy from 21
June to 3 July. The convoy arrived
Gibraltar on 3 July.
_____
Convoy
OA.172 departed Southend escorted by corvette GLADIOLUS from 21 to 24 June.
_____
Convoy
OB.172 departed
Liverpool escorted by destroyers VOLUNTEER and WHIRLWIND from
21 to 24 June. The convoy was dispersed on the 26th.
_____
Convoy FN.201 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VIVIEN and
VEGA and patrol sloop SHEARWATER. The sloop was detached to convoy FS.102
when met. The convoy arrived in the
Tyne on the 23rd.
_____
Convoy FS.201 departed the
Tyne, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS and sloop
EGRET. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 23rd.
_____
Convoy MT.93 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers WALLACE and
WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived at the
Tyne the next day.
_____
Four
Skuas and five Rocs of 801 Squadron from SPARROWHAWK, escorted by twelve
Hurricanes attacked a new German gun battery at Cap Blanc.
S/Lt
(A) A. V. M. Day flying a Roc was killed when he was shot down in the attack.
His crewman Naval Airman F. Berry was also lost.
_____
A
German convoy was reported near the
Frisian Islands. Eight British Albacores of
the 826 Squadron from PEREGRINE and nine Hudsons from Coastal Command were
sent to intercept the convoy. The convoy was not located. Six Albacores
attacked the DeKooy airfield and Willemsoord. Two Albacores were lost andwith
pilot Lt (A) J. L. Mackenzie Bell, Acting S/Lt F. B. Hookins, Naval Airman R.
G. Poole of one aircraft killed.
The
crew of the other Albacore was captured. Pilot S/Lt (A) W. S. Butterworth
survived as a prisoner of war, observer S/Lt V. J. Dyke died of wounds.
Leading Airman R. J. Jackson died as a POW on 18
January 1945.
_____
In
an attack by nine British Hudson aircraft of 206 Squadron, dismantled old
Dutch coastal battleship VLIEREEDE was sunk at Den Helder. The ship was later salved
as German ARIADNE in 1941.
_____
Convoy
HX.52 departed
Halifax escorted by Canadian
destroyers
ASSINIBOINE and
OTTAWA and auxiliary patrol vessels
ACADIA and FRENCH. On 22 Jul, the
destroyers turned the convoy over to the ocean escort, armed merchant cruiser
AURANIA, which was detached on 2 July.
Convoy
BHX.52 departed
Bermuda on the 20th escorted locally by sloop
PENZANCE and ocean escort armed
merchant cruiser RAJPUTANA. The convoy rendezvoused with HX.52 on the 25th
and the armed merchant cruiser was detached.
On
2 July, destroyers HURRICANE and WOLVERINE, sloop SCARBOROUGH, corvette GARDENIA joined
the convoy. Destroyer HURRICANE was detached later that day. The remaining
escorts were with the convoy until it arrived at Liverpool on 6 July.
_____
Convoy
HG.35 departed
Gibraltar with twenty one ships escorted by destroyers WATCHMAN
and VIDETTE.
Destroyer
WATCHMAN was detached on the 22nd and destroyer VIDETTE was detached on the
25th.
Sloop
DEPTFORD escorted the convoy from 22 June to 1 July. The convoy was joined in
Home Waters by destroyer WITHERINGTON on the 28th from convoy OG.35 and
remained with the convoy until 1 July.
The
convoy arrived at
Liverpool on 1 July.
_____
French
steamer BISCAROSSE (1937grt) was scuttled at Le Havre.
_____
French
steamer MECANICIEN PRINCIPAL CARVIN (4282grt) was sunk by German bombing at
Le Verdon.
_____
French
auxiliary patrol vessel MERCEDITA was beached after mining off Le Verdon and
scuttled.
_____
British
steamer LUFFWORTH (279grt) was abandoned at Brest. She was later taken in
prize by German forces.
_____
Destroyer
WRESTLER departed
Gibraltar to meet French convoy 7 P, which departed
Marseille, Sete, Port Vendres on the 19th with eighteen ships escorted by
destroyers BOULONNAIS and TYPHON and armed patrol vessels SIDI OKBA and
CYRNOS. Also, large destroyers
TIGRE and LYNX covered the convoy.
The
Destroyer was to escort the
Atlantic bound ships to
Gibraltar. Convoy 7 P arrived at Oran on the 22nd.
_____
French
armed merchant cruiser MASSILIA departed the Gironde with French ministers and
Members of Parliament. When
shearrived at
Casablanca on the 24th, the Vichy authorities arrested them.
_____
U.122
made an attack on a convoy off
North Channel on the 21st, but was not heard from
again after making her report. She may have been lost with all 48 crew in an accident in 48-33N, 10-26W.
.
_____
German motor torpedo boats S.21 and S.32 were sunk on a mine 15 miles south of
Dungeness. S.31 and S.35 picked up the survivors, but OzS Toniges and six
crew were lost. S.21 was salved
in 1941 and returned to service.
_____
U.29
refuelled from German tanker BESSEL (1878grt) at Vigo.
_____
U.25
attacked French steamer ARAGAZ (5009grt) in the Bay of Biscay, but without damage.
_____
U.38
sank Belgian steamer LUXEMBOURG (5809grt) in 47‑25N,
04‑55W, but the
entire crew was saved.
_____
U.43
sank steamer YARRAVILLE (8627grt) from convoy 65X in 39‑40N, 11‑34W. Five
crew were lost, but French trawler MARIE GILBERTE
(286grt) arrived at
Gibraltar on the 24th with 45 survivors.
_____
U.47
made attacks on three steamers in convoy HX.49. SAN FERNANDO (13,056grt) was badly
damaged in 50‑20N, 10‑24W, but the
other two were unharmed.
SAN FERNANDO was taken in tow and was
still afloat at 2100/22nd. However, she sank before arriving in port. Seventeen
survivors were picked up by sloop SANDWICH.
_____
U.52
sank Finnish steamer HILDA (1144grt) in 45‑46N, 03‑17W, after she
had been damaged by German bombing on the 19th. Five crew were killed in the
sinking.
_____
U.65
torpedoed French steamer CHAMPLAIN (28,124grt) in La Pallice Roads.
However,
CHAMPLAIN had already been mined on the 17th and had sunk resting
on the sea bed with the most of her still above water.
_____
Greek
steamer CORINTHIAN (3701grt) reported she was attacked by a U-boat in 51-47N,
6-24W. Destroyers
WANDERER and WITHERINGTON were ordered to search for her. Sister ship
WREN departed Milford Haven at 0335 to join them, and another sister ship,
WHIRLWIND also left Milford at 0530 for the same duty. When
WREN and WHIRLWIND arrived in the area, WANDERER and
WITHERINGTON were ordered to the
Clyde with all dispatch.
_____
Destroyers
NUBIAN and MOHAWK departed Alexandria to intercept Greek steamer
ERMOINI (440grt) in the
Aegean.
No
contact was made and they returned to other duties.
_____
Italian
submarine MOROSINI attacked an allied merchant ship without result sixty five
miles off
Cape
Palos.
