Background Events - July-August 1940
Fall of France, Battle of Britain,
War in Mediterranean
1940
Monday, 15 July
Battleship NELSON with destroyers BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, and MASHONA departed
Scapa Flow in the evening to conduct night firings. Because of heavy fog,
they were unable to return to Scapa Flow until 1635 on the 16th.
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Heavy
cruiser DEVONSHIRE departed Scapa Flow for Rosyth to change secondary
armament.
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Light
cruiser AURORA arrived at Scapa Flow from the Humber.
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Escort
destroyers HAMBLEDON and ATHERSTONE departed Scapa Flow at 1315 to
rendezvous off Aberdeen at 2000 with steamer HIGHLANDER (1216grt) and tanker
PRESTOL (2629grt) for Lerwick and Scapa Flow, respectively. On the 16th,
HAMBLEDON and PRESTOL arrived off Scapa Flow, but due to heavy fog, the
ships could not enter harbour until 1100. ATHERSTONE arrived at Scapa Flow
at 1113 on the 17th.
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A
mine explosion close aboard damaged mine destructor ship BURLINGTON at
Aultbrea.
The
ship, escorted by anti-submarine trawler THIRLMERE, proceeded to Stornoway
on the 17th for repairs. She returned to Aultbrea on the 18th, again
escorted by THIRLMERE.
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Convoy
OB.184 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer WARWICK and corvette
HEARTSEASE form 15 to 18 July. The escorts were detached to inbound convoy HX.56.
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Convoy
FN.223 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS, sloop STORK, and
patrol sloop WIDGEON, and arrived in the Tyne on the 17th.
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Convoy
MT.111 departed Methil, and arrived in the Tyne on the 16th.
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Convoy
FS.222 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloop BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS, and
arrived at Southend on the 16th.
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Convoy
HX.58 departed Halifax at 0730 escorted by Canadian destroyers SAGUENAY and
ASSINIBOINE which turned the convoy over to the ocean escort, armed merchant
cruiser RANPURA, and returned to Halifax at 0835 the next day.
While
at sea, the Canadian destroyers investigated an aircraft down in the sea.
Convoy
BHX.58 departed Bermuda on the 14th escorted locally by sloop PENZANCE and
an ocean escort of armed merchant cruiser JERVIS BAY. The convoy
rendezvoused with convoy HX.58 on the 19th and the armed merchant cruiser
was detached.
RANPURA was detached on the 28th.
On the
27th, destroyers SKEENA, WESTCOTT, sloop ENCHANTRESS, corvettes CAMELLIA and
CLARKIA, plus anti-submarine trawlers LADY ELSA and ST KENAN joined the
convoy. Destroyer WESTCOTT and sloop ENCHANTRESS were detached, and arrived at Liverpool on the 31st.
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At
1142 on the 15th, suspicious ships were reported southwest of Land's End in
4810N, 7-30W, steering 350°. Light
cruiser NEWCASTLE (right - postwar, NavyPhotos) with destroyers BROKE, MACKAY, WOLVERINE, WITHERINGTON,
HESPERUS, and RESTIGOUCHE departed Plymouth to investigate. At
1708, the force, less MACKAY and BROKE detached to assist steamer
CITY OF LIMERICK, returned to Plymouth.
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U.34
sank Greek steamer EVDOXIA (2018grt) forty miles southwest of Bull Rock,
southwest Ireland. One
crew was missing. The same U-boat also sank Greek steamer NAFTILOS (3531grt) in 48‑05N, 10‑25W. The
entire crew was rescued, but one crewman later died.
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U.58 torpedoed a tanker off
Cape Wrath.
She observed the torpedo breaking the tanker's back, but there is no
record of the damage.
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Steamer
BELLEROCK (1199grt) was sunk on a mine in 51‑20N, 03‑47W.
Seventeen crew were lost.
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German bombing damaged steamer
HEWORTH (2855grt) in convoy
FN.223 ten miles south of Aldeburgh Light Vessel.
She was taken in tow for Harwich, but was grounded three cables
267° from East Shipwash Buoy. Four crew were lost and the survivors rescued by destroyer
VALOROUS.
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Steamer
CITY OF LIMERICK (1359grt) was sunk by German bombing, 100
miles 270° from Ushant in 48‑39N, 07‑12W.
Destroyers MACKAY and BROKE were ordered to the area to assist and hunt
for survivors.
Two
crew were killed and the survivors rescued by Belgian
trawler ROGER JEANNINE.
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German bombing sank Panamanian steamer
FOSSOULA (1282grt) 240
miles northwest of Cape Finisterre.
Four crew went missing.
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Polish
steamer ZBARAZ (2088grt) in convoy FN.223 was badly damaged by German
bombing ten miles south of Aldeburgh Light Vessel. She was taken in tow by tug ST OLAVES, but
sank near South Ship Head
Buoy. There
were no casualties and the survivors were rescued by
trawler VIDONIA and tug MURIA.
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German bombing sank Estonian steamer
MERISAAR (2136grt),
captured by U.99 on the 12th, off Queenstown. The German prize crew
was rescued and made prisoners of war.
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Portuguese steamer
ALPHA (853grt) was sunk by German bombing in 48‑51N,
06‑34W. The
entire crew was picked up by destroyers BEDOUIN, MASHONA,
and TARTAR which were sweeping in the area.
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Norwegian tug
DRAUGEN (184grt) was sunk on a German mine off Salhus, north
of Bergen.
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Submarine RAINBOW, which had departed Colombo on 24 June, Aden on the 7th,
and Port Said on the 14th, arrived at Alexandria from Singapore for duty
with the Mediterranean Fleet.
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Heavy
cruiser HAWKINS arrived at Montevideo.
Tuesday, 16 July
Destroyers FIREDRAKE and ECHO departed Reykavik at 1030 with liners ORMONDE (14,982grt) and ULSTER PRINCE (3791grt) for the Clyde where they
arrived on the 18th at 0500.
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British Force C, heavy cruisers SUSSEX, SHROPSHIRE, light cruisers
SOUTHAMPTON (Vice Admiral CS 18), GLASGOW, and destroyers COSSACK (D.4),
SIKH, ZULU, MAORI, FURY, FORTUNE, INGLEFIELD (D.3), and IMOGEN departed
Scapa Flow at 1030 to attack German ships off Denmark. The
force swept southeast until 1543 when the course was reversed due to
negative air reports. SHROPSHIRE was detached at 2315 for the Clyde for refitting.
At
2355 on the 16th, off Duncansby Head in Pentland Firth in 58‑34N, 02‑54W,
GLASGOW accidentally collided with IMOGEN (Cdr C. L.
Firth MVO) in heavy fog. IMOGEN's fuel tanks caught fire and the ship had to be abandoned.
The destroyer was not seen to sink.
Seventeen ratings were lost, while GLASGOW rescued ten
officers and 123 ratings.
Temporary Surgeon Lt J. W. Ashley RNVR, and ten ratings were injured, and one
ratings later died of injuries.
GLASGOW had a six foot gash in her port side
60 feet back from
the bow above the water line. Midshipman E. J. M. Lucas and one rating were
lost in her. She arrived at Scapa Flow at 0936 with SOUTHAMPTON, with SUSSEX
arriving at 1050/17th.
COSSACK, SIKH, MAORI, ZULU, FURY, FORTUNE, and INGLEFIELD arrived
at Scapa Flow at 1750 after searching for IMOGEN's hulk.
Stromna Light House keepers had reported a ship drifting westward in
Pentland Firth.
Destroyer ATHERSTONE departed Scapa Flow at 1445 on the 18th to search south
of Stromna, but returned to Scapa Flow that evening at 1650 after
failing to locate her.
GLASGOW departed Scapa Flow at 1800/19th with destroyers INGLEFIELD,
ASHANTI, and MASHONA. Off Cape Wrath, destroyer DIANA joined while ASHANTI and MASHONA returned to Scapa Flow arriving at 0457 on the 20th.
GLASGOW arrived at Liverpool escorted by INGLEFIELD and
DIANA at 1200/21st for repairs completed on 4 September.
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Battleship NELSON with destroyers BEDOUIN, MASHONA, and PUNJABI arrived at
Scapa Flow at 1640 after full calibre firings.
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Convoy
FN.224 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON, sloop FLEETWOOD,
and patrol sloop SHEARWATER. The patrol sloop was detached later that day.
On the 17th, destroyers JAVELIN and JUPITER covered the convoy, and arrived at the Tyne 18 July.
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Convoy
MT.112 departed Methil, and arrived in the Tyne on the 17th.
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Convoy
FS.223 departed the Tyne, and arrived at Southend on the 17th.
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U.61
badly damaged tanker SCOTTISH MINSTREL (6998grt) from convoy HX.55
in 56‑10N, 10‑20W. Nine
crew were lost and the survivors rescued by
steamer FISCUS (4815grt).
(Uboat.net - 32 survivors rescued by corvette GARDENIA). SCOTTISH MINSTREL
sank on the 17th.
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Submarine
PHOENIX (Lt Cdr G. H. Nowell) attacked Italian escort ship
ALBATROS off Augusta and was sunk in the counterattack. Lt Cdr
Nowell, Lt G. A. Liversidge, Lt M. G. Henderson, A/Lt K. Barkley, Warrant
Engineer F. Pegler, and the fifty ratings of the crew were lost.
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Cable
ship MIRROR departed Gibraltar, escorted by destroyer FOXHOUND, to cut to
Fayal-Malaga cable and join the Fayal end to Gibraltar. She later returned to Gibraltar and sailed again on the 19th,
escorted by destroyer WRESTLER to continue the work.
The
work continued on the 21st with MIRROR escorted again by WRESTLER, which
was later relieved by destroyer VIDETTE.
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German
armed merchant cruiser THOR sank steamer WENDOVER (5487grt) in the
South Atlantic at 23‑08S, 34‑49W. Four
crew were killed, while 36 crew and one gunner were
made prisoners of war.
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Heavy
cruiser DORSETSHIRE departed Freetown to search for a German naval unit in
the South Atlantic.
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Convoy
SL.40 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser ASTURIAS.
Armed
merchant cruiser
CANTON
joined the convoy on 1 August, when convoy SLF.40 merged with SL.40. On 2
August, both merchant cruisers were detached and arrived at
Greenock
for fuel and water on 3 August.
ASTURIAS departed Greenock on 6 August to return to
Freetown.
On 2
August, sloop ABERDEEN joined the convoy. On 3 August, destroyer WALKER and
corvette PERIWINKLE and on 4 August, corvettes GODETIA and PRIMROSE joined,
and arrived at Liverpool on 8 August.
Wednesday, 17 July
Destroyers BEDOUIN and PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow at 1120 to patrol in
60-20N, 01‑34E.
PUNJABI was detached at 1230 from this force to investigate a
trawler reported by aircraft at 1132 in 60-13N, 0-45E, steering 270, and
flying the signal "I have sighted a mine in the position indicated. "
At
1415 on the 18th, BEDOUIN and PUNJABI were ordered to return to Scapa Flow.
The
trawler, located by PUNJABI, was found to be manned by
Norwegians. PUNJABI escorted the trawler towards Lerwick until
2115 when she parted company and proceeded to Scapa Flow.
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Destroyers ASHANTI and MASHONA departed Scapa Flow at 1120 to patrol in
59‑08N, 00‑12E.
When
destroyers BEDOUIN and PUNJABI were ordered to return to Scapa Flow,
ASHANTI and MASHONA were ordered to move their patrol to 58-30N,
1-45W to cover the passage of convoys across Moray Firth.
At
2346, ASHANTI and MASHONA were ordered to return to Scapa Flow by
1000/19th. These destroyers arrived back at Scapa Flow at 1100/19th after
being delayed by fog.
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Destroyers HAMBLEDON and FERNIE departed Scapa Flow at 1830 to reinforce
convoy WN.1 off Cape Wrath at about midnight.
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Submarine L.23, escorted by Dutch torpedo boat Z.8, arrived at Scapa Flow at
1140. The
torpedo boat departed at 1815 that day to return to Dundee.
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British minefield BS.24 was laid by destroyers EXPRESS and IMPULSIVE.
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U.57
sank steamer MANIPUR (8652grt) at 2222 from convoy HX.55A in
58‑41N, 05‑14W. Fourteen crew were lost, but Canadian destroyer SKEENA
rescued sixty-four survivors.
Destroyers HAMBLEDON and FERNIE in the area to join convoy WN.1 began to
hunt for the submarine, and attacked a
contact.
Destroyers DIANA, BERKELEY, and GARTH departed Scapa Flow at 0645 on the
18th to assist. BERKELEY and GARTH were ordered at 1725/18th to return to Scapa Flow,
where they arrived at 0045/19th.
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Convoy
OG.38 was to have been formed from convoys OA.185G and OB.185G, but departed
Liverpool as an OG convoy. The convoy of twenty ships was escorted by sloop
WELLINGTON from 17 to 29 July when the convoy arrived at Gibraltar.
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Convoy
OA.186 departed Methil escorted by sloops SANDWICH and DEPTFORD from 17 to
21 July.
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Convoy
MT.113 departed Methil, and arrived in the Tyne on the 18th.
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Convoy
FS.224 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer WOLSEY and sloop EGRET, and
arrived at Southend on the 18th.
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U.43 sank steamer
FELLSIDE (3509grt) straggling convoy OA184
at 135 miles northwest of Bloody Foreland in 56‑09N, 12‑30W.
Twelve
crew were missing.
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U.57
sank Swedish steamer O. A. BRODIN (1960grt) in 59‑22N, 03‑40W. Three
crew were killed and the survivors rescued by
minesweeping trawler SICYON and taken by Kirkwall.
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Mooring vessel
STEADY (758grt) was sunk on a mine at Newhaven, two
cables south of East Pier Head. There
were thirteen survivors.
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Estonian steamer
LEOLA (554grt) was sunk by German bombing in 49‑00N,
07‑30W, about sixty miles east of the Scillies. Two crew were lost and
the survivors rescued by
Belgian trawler ROGER JEANNINE.
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Finnish steamer
WIIRI (3525grt) was sunk by Italian bombing 30 miles off
Malta. Twenty
six crew were rescued.
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Belgian fishing vessel DE ZEESTER (74grt) was damaged by German bombing
15 miles south by west of Bishop Light.
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Commodore F. H. Pegram on heavy cruiser HAWKINS at Montevideo
ordered armed merchant cruiser ALCANTARA to patrol the Pernambuco-Trinidade
area.
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Sloop
MILFORD departed Freetown for anti-submarine patrol in the Cape Verde
Islands area. She refuelled at St Vincent on the 25th and was to arrive back at Freetown
on 5 August.
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Italian light cruisers BANDE NERE and COLLEONI with the 10th Destroyer
Division departed Tripoli. The
destroyers were detached to the Sollum area and the cruisers proceeded
towards Leros.
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Convoy
BN.2 departed Bombay, escorted by light cruiser CERES and armed merchant
cruisers CATHAY and WESTRALIA. The armed merchant cruisers were detached on
the 26th. Light cruiser LEANDER joined on the 26th and sloops HINDUSTAN and
SHOREHAM on the 27th.
CERES was detached on the 29th,
and HINDUSTAN and SHOREHAM on the 30th. On the 30th, anti-aircraft cruiser CARLISLE,
destroyers KANDAHAR and KIMBERLEY, with sloops AUCKLAND and FLAMINGO joined
LEANDER and the convoy. Sloop CLIVE joined on 3 August when
the other ships were detached and arrived at Suez with the convoy on 5
August.
Thursday, 18 July
Australian light cruiser SYDNEY (Captain J. A. Collins, RAN) with destroyers
HYPERION (Cdr H. St L. Nicolson DSO, D.2), HERO (Cdr H. W. Biggs), HASTY (Lt
Cdr L. R. K. Tyrwhitt), HAVOCK (Cdr R. E. Courage DSO DSC), and ILEX (Lt Cdr
P. L. Saumarez DSC) departed Alexandria. SYDNEY and HAVOCK were to operate in the Gulf of Athens
against Italian shipping. The other destroyers were to make an
anti-submarine sweep along the north coast of Crete.
Destroyers HEREWARD and IMPERIAL departed Alexandria at the same time to
escort convoy AN.2 from Port Said.
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Heavy
cruiser CUMBERLAND departed Simonstown to search for German armed merchant
cruiser THOR.
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German
armed merchant cruiser PINGUIN rendezvoused with U.A in mid Atlantic between
Belem and Dakar, so that the submarine could be replenished with fuel and torpedoes.
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Heavy
cruiser YORK arrived at Scapa Flow at 0750 from Rosyth.
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After
D/F reports received at 0940, destroyers ZULU, FORTUNE, and FURY departed
Scapa Flow at 1515 and made an anti-submarine sweep towards Cape Wrath. This
search was in an area bordered by Cape Wrath, North Rona, and the Butt of
Lewis, but no contact was made.
Destroyer ATHERSTONE departed Scapa Flow at 1445 on the 18th for
anti-submarine duties off Cape Wrath. FORTUNE and FURY arrived back at Scapa Flow at 2330/19th.
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Minesweeper BRITMART departed Scapa Flow at 0415 for Aberdeen, while minesweeper SPEEDY arrived at Scapa Flow at 2000 from Aberdeen.
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British minefield BS.25 was laid by destroyers EXPRESS and IMPULSIVE.
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Submarine H.31 (Lt M. D. Wanklyn) attacked three trawlers and sank German
anti-submarine trawler UJ.126 (trawler STEIERMARK, 446grt) northwest of
Terschelling in 53-29N, 5-03E. H.31 was unaware she had sunk the trawler,
and was undamaged in the counterattack.
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Base repair ship VINDICTIVE
(ex-cruiser) departed Devonport for Freetown.
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Anti-submarine trawler CAPE FINISTERRE (591grt) was machine gunned and
bombed in the North Sea.
Destroyer ARROW and anti-submarine trawler AGATE (627grt) departed Harwich
to assist.
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Convoy
FN.225 departed Southend, escorted by sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS with
patrol sloop PINTAIL, and arrived in the Tyne on the 20th.
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Convoy
FS.225 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyers WALLACE and WOLFHOUND, and
arrived at Southend on the 19th.
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U.58
sank Norwegian steamer GYDA (1591grt) in 56N, 10W
(Uboat.net - 55, 50N, 09, 00W).
Eleven
crew were lost and nine rescued
by Belgian steamer Ville d’Arlon
.
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U.99
sank steamer WOODBURY (4434grt) in 50‑46N, 13‑56W. The
entire crew was rescued.
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Steamer GENERTON (4797grt) was damaged by German bombing in the
North Sea.
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Trawler LODDON (200grt) was damaged by German bombing in 51‑05N,
08‑35W.
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Italian submarine DELFINO attacked a destroyer in 38‑16N, 24‑47E in the
Aegean northeast of Athens without success.
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Lt P.
N. Dean and Naval Airman K. L. Jones in a Skua of 806 Squadron from aircraft
carrier ILLUSTRIOUS were killed
from in exercises.
Friday, 19 July
Destroyers ECHO and FIREDRAKE departed the Clyde at 1130 for Scapa Flow. At
0005 on the 20th, the ships to ordered to reinforce convoy WN.2 and remain
in company until joining outbound OA.187.
Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY departed Scapa Flow at 1135 on the 20th, also to
join WN.2. All three ships were later ordered to return to Scapa Flow after escorting WN.2,
but without joining convoy OA.187. They arrived there at 0010/21st.
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Destroyers ZULU, HAMBLEDON, and FERNIE departed their anti-submarine patrol
in the Cape Wrath area at 1800 to return to Scapa Flow. HAMBLEDON and FERNIE arrived at Scapa Flow at 0457 on the 20th.
Destroyers FORTUNE and FURY remained on patrol to cover convoys passing
between Pentland Firth and the Minches, and arrived at Scapa Flow at 2330/20th.
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Destroyers BEDOUIN and PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow at 1410 for the Tyne to
cover anti-aircraft cruiser NAIAD on trials. Due to
mining, the cruiser was unable to sail and the destroyers remained off
the river entrance.
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Dover,
which was the anti invasion base for the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, was raided
twice by German bombers.
Destroyer GRIFFIN was slightly damaged by near misses in the bombing and
sustained no casualties. She returned to service in two weeks.
Destroyer BEAGLE, en route from Dover to Devonport, was lightly
damaged by near misses off Dover, with damage to her gyro
suspension. There were no casualties, and she received temporary repairs at Plymouth. On 17 August, she
proceeded to Portland and repairs were completed on 28 August.
Tanker
WAR SEPOY (5574grt) was badly damaged by German bombing at
Dover. Beyond
repair, she was broken in two and later used as a block-ship at Dover.
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Minesweeping trawler
CRESTFLOWER (550grt, Skipper C. Pollard RNR) of the
28th Minesweeping Group was badly damaged by German bombing off Portsmouth
and foundered in 50-29-06N, 01-17-08W. Two ratings were killed.
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Convoy
OB.186 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer WANDERER and corvette
PERIWINKLE from 19 to 22 July. The escorts were detached to inbound convoy HX.57.
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Convoy
FN.226 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA, sloop LONDONDERRY,
and patrol sloop SHELDRAKE, and arrived in the Tyne on the 21st.
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Convoy
MT.114 departed Methil, and arrived in the Tyne on the 20th.
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Convoy
FS.226 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON and sloop
FLEETWOOD. Destroyers JACKAL and KELVIN , with patrol sloop SHELDRAKE joined
the convoy on the 20th. Destroyers JACKAL and KELVIN were detached later on
the 20th, and the convoy arrived at Southend on the 21st.
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German
torpedo boats T.5, T.6, T.7, and T.8 of the 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla withFALKE and JAGUAR of 5th Torpedo Boat Flotilla screened minelayers ROLAND,
KONIGIN LUISE, KAISER, HANSESTADT DANZIG, COBRA, and PREUSSEN laying mines
in the northwest North Sea in minefield designated "NW 1".
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Convoy
HX.59 departed Halifax at 0730 escorted by Canadian destroyers OTTAWA and
SAGUENAY. At
1430, the convoy was turned over to armed merchant cruiser VOLTAIRE and the
destroyers arrived back at Halifax at 0050/20th. The armed merchant cruiser
was detached on the 30th.
Convoy
BHX.59 departed Bermuda on the 18th escorted by ocean escort, armed merchant
cruiser AURANIA. The convoy rendezvoused with HX.59 on the 23rd and
the armed merchant cruiser was detached. On the
31st, destroyer WARWICK, sloop FOWEY, with corvettes HEARTSEASE and HIBISCUS
joined the convoy, which arrived at Liverpool on 3 August.
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U.62
sank steamer PEARLMOOR (4681grt) in 55‑23N, 09‑18W.
Thirteen crew were lost.
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Italian light cruisers COLLEONI and BANDE NERE entering the Aegean between
Crete and Cerigotto engaged Destroyers ILEX, HERO, HASTY, and HYPERION
supported by Australian light cruiser SYDNEY and Destroyer HAVOCK. COLLEONI
was badly damaged by SYDNEY and later
scuttled by ILEX and HYPERION. BANDE NERE was damaged by HYPERION, but was able to
escape. During the engagement, the only damage sustained by the British
force was a shell hit in SYDNEY's funnel.
After
the battle, HAVOCK, ILEX, and HYPERION picked up 525 survivors
from COLLEONI, but the rescue was cut short by Italian bombing attacks. HAVOCK was damaged by
a near miss three miles
south of Gavdo Island and temporarily lost way.
Light
cruisers ORION and NEPTUNE departed Alexandria at 0915 to carry out a sweep
to the northwest.
Battleship WARSPITE and destroyers departed
Alexandria
at 1100 and also swept
northwest.
Battleships BARHAM and MALAYA and aircraft carrier EAGLE with destroyers
departed Alexandria at 1230 and swept to the west.
HAVOCK was escorted back to Alexandria by SYDNEY, HYPERION and ILEX, later joined by light cruiser LIVERPOOL.
Destroyers HASTY and HERO returned independently. All forces arrived back at
Alexandria on the 20th. HAVOCK arrived at Suez for repairs on the 27th,
which were
completed on 15 September, and she departed Port Said on 19
September.
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Troopship ROYAL ULSTERMAN, escorted by destroyer VELOX, departed
Gibraltar with
evacuees to Madeira. The destroyer parted company at 2100/20th and returned
to Gibraltar.
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Australian heavy cruiser CANBERRA departed Simonstown to patrol the southern
half of the Cape-Freetown route, but her aircraft was left behind as defective.
She arrived back at Simonstown on the 28th.
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German
armed merchant cruiser THOR sank Dutch steamer TELA (3777grt) in the South
Atlantic at 14S, 33W. The 33 crew were made prisoners of war.
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On a
goodwill cruise, American heavy cruisers WICHITA and QUINCY and destroyers
WAINWRIGHT and WALKE arrived at Rio de Janiero. The
heavy cruisers departed Rio on the 25th for the north. The
destroyers departed Rio Grande on the 29th for Buenos Aires.
Saturday, 20 July
Australian heavy cruiser AUSTRALIA arrived at Scapa Flow from the Clyde.
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Light
cruiser SHEFFIELD arrived at Scapa Flow from Sheerness.
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A
report was received that German battlecruiser GNEISENAU had departed
Trondheim at 0900. The
Home Fleet came to short notice for steam and the destroyers at sea were
recalled at 1938.
Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY, destroyers ECHO and FIREDRAKE departed
convoy WN.2 and arrived at Scapa Flow at 0010/21st, while destroyers FORTUNE and FURY departed their anti-submarine patrol off Cape
Wrath and arrived at Scapa Flow at 2320/20th.
The
Home Fleet at Scapa Flow was organized for the interception of
GNEISENAU:
Force
D - battlecruisers RENOWN and REPULSE, cruisers SHROPSHIRE, SUSSEX,
and SOUTHAMPTON, with destroyers COSSACK, SIKH, ZULU, MASHONA, FORTUNE, and
FURY.
Force
E - battleships RODNEY, NELSON, and BARHAM, aircraft carrier FURIOUS,
anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY, with destroyers ECHO, FIREDRAKE, HAMBLEDON,
ATHERSTONE, FERNIE, GARTH, and BERKELEY.
The
Fleet did not sail as the information was later found to be incorrect, and returned to usual notice at 0838 on the 22nd.
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On the
report that GNEISENAU might have left Trondheim,
submarine TRIDENT was ordered to remain off Korsfjord and TRUANT, returning to Rosyth, was ordered to patrol west of
Sognefjord. On the
21st, these orders were cancelled with TRIDENT proceeding to Stadlandet and
TRUANT returning to Rosyth, arriving on the 24th.
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Light
cruiser SOUTHAMPTON departed Scapa Flow for Sheerness. .
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Destroyer MAORI departed Scapa Flow at 0700 for Invergordon to embark the
new Flag Officer of the Shetlands/Orkney Command, Admiral of the Fleet Lord
Cork, and his staff. She departed Invergordon that evening at 2100 and arrived at Lerwick
at 0700/21st.
_____
Anti-aircraft cruiser NAIAD departed the Tyne at 1600 for trials, escorted
by destroyers BEDOUIN and PUNJABI.
_____
Destroyers BOREAS, VERSATILE, and WINDSOR were escorting convoy CW.7 off
Dover, with destroyer BRAZEN and anti-submarine trawler LADY PHILOMENA on
patrol with the convoy, when they were attacked by German bombers. BRAZEN
(Lt Cdr Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Bt) was badly damagedi, taken n tow by tug LADY BRASSEY,
but sank next day. One rating was lost and BOREAS took off the crew.
Destroyer SCIMITAR joined the convoy on the 21st and escorted it until the 22nd.
_____
Destroyer ACHERON was attacked by German bombers ten miles south of St
Catherine's Point, near missed by nine bombs and suffered some damage. She
later proceeded to Portsmouth for repairs begun on 6 August. However, before
they were completed, she was further damaged in
German bombing on 24 August.
_____
Destroyers HAVELOCK and VANOC were in a minor collision leaving Liverpool. Both
were repaired at Liverpool, HAVELOCK completing on 3 August, and VANOC on the 28th.
_____
Submarine SWORDFISH undocked at Blyth.
_____
Submarines TRITON and SNAPPER arrived at Rosyth.
_____
Submarine H.50 arrived at Harwich.
_____
Submarine NARWHAL departed Blyth for the Humber where she arrived later the
same day.
_____
Convoy
OA.187 departed Methil escorted by destroyer HESPERUS from 20 to 25 July,
sloop WESTON from 20 to 22 July, and destroyer RESTIGOUCHE from 22 to 25
July. RESTIGOUCHE was detached to convoy SL.39.
_____
Convoy
FN.227 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WOLSEY, sloop EGRET, and
patrol sloop GUILLEMOT, and arrived at the Tyne on the 22nd.
_____
Convoy
MT.115 departed Methil, and arrived at the Tyne on the 21st.
_____
S/Lt
G. G. R. Bulmer was killed when his RAF Hurricane of 32 Squadron from Biggin
Hill was shot down five miles northeast of Dover.
_____
Steamer
PULBOROUGH (960grt) from convoy CW.7 was sunk by German
bombing, two and a half miles southeast of Dover Pier. Trawler LADY PHILOMENA (417grt) took off the seventeen survivors.
_____
German bombing damaged steamer WESTOWN (710grt) off Dover.
_____
Steamer
TROUTPOOL (4886grt) was sunk on a mine, eight cables 3° from
Bangor Pier Light in 54‑40N, 05‑40W. Eleven
crew were lost.
_____
The
Mediterranean Fleet, which departed Alexandria on the 20th, launched air
attacks on Tobruk searching for the damaged Italian light cruiser BANDE
NERE. Six
Swordfish of 813 Squadron (824 Squadron according to Seekrieg) of aircraft carrier EAGLE took off from Sidi
Barrani and sank Italian destroyers OSTRO, NEMBO and steamer
SERENO (2333grt) in Tobruk harbour.
One
Swordfish crashed, with Lt G. R. Brown and Lt K. C. Grieve wounded and Petty
Officer R. J. W. Wynn dying of wounds on the 21st. Cdr W.
L. M. Brown and Lt P. N. Medd from 700 Squadron in battleship WARSPITE were
forced to land in Italian territory. Medd was later able to escape, while Brown
was later repatriated.
After
this raid, the Italians abandoned Tobruk as a se
