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Background Events - September-December 1940 U-boat packs in Atlantic, Blitz on Britain, Attack on Taranto, German raiders at sea
1940
Friday, 1 November
Destroyer BULLDOG arrived at Greenock at 0930 for convoy WS.4A escort.
______
Convoy
WS.4A departed the Clyde and Liverpool. This convoy was composed of
troopships WARWICK CASTLE (20,445grt), STIRLING CASTLE (25,550grt), SCYTHIA
(19,761grt), DUNEDIN STAR (11,168grt), HIGHLAND MONARCH (14,137grt), PORT
WYNDHAM (8580grt), CLAN LAMONT (7262grt), CLAN CHATTAN (7262grt) and
steamers CITY OF MANCHESTER (8917grt), MARTAND (8000grt), DELIUS (6065grt),
ABOSSO (11,330grt), DUCHESS OF RICHMOND (20,022grt), ALMANZORA (15,551grt),
AKAROA (15,130grt), MALANCHA (8124grt). The convoy was escorted by heavy
cruiser CORNWALL and armed merchant cruiser SALOPIAN and given local escort
by anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO and destroyers OTTAWA, SKEENA, SAGUENAY,
BEAGLE, BULLDOG, HESPERUS which departed Greenock at 0200/2nd. The convoy
was also given local escort by destroyers HURRICANE, HARVESTER, GARLAND
which departed Liverpool.
______
Destroyer EXMOOR departed the Tyne at 0845 for Rosyth, but was delayed at
Rosyth due to mining of the port. She departed Rosyth at 1700/2nd and
arrived at Scapa Flow at 0715/3rd.
______
Destroyer QUORN departed Scapa Flow at 1030 for Lerwick to escort British
troopship ROYAL ULSTERMAN (3244grt) to Aberdeen.
Upon
arrival at Aberdeen at 1130/2nd, destroyer QUORN proceeded to Rosyth and
continued her passage to Sheerness to join the Nore Command.
______
Sloop
BLACK SWAN, arriving with convoy FN.323, was mined in the Firth of Forth. No
one was killed.
The
sloop was towed to Rosyth, then to Dundee for repairs completed in mid
April.
______
Patrol
sloop PINTAIL, escorting convoy FS.323 with destroyers WATCHMAN and VERDUN,
was badly damaged by German bombing in the Thames Estuary. Her commanding
officer Lt Cdr T. H. Hill-Walker, Sub Lt E. C. Hopkins RNVR, eight ratings
were killed. Three ratings were wounded.
Sloop
PINTAIL was under repair at London until mid February.
______
Convoy
FS.325 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VEGA and VIMIERA. The convoy
arrived at Southend on 3November.
Convoy
FN.326 was cancelled.
______
U.124
sank British steamer EMPIRE BISON (5612grt), a straggler from convoy HX.82,
in 59‑30N, 17‑40W.
Thirty
crew and a naval gunner were lost on the steamer.
______
British steamer LETCHWORTH (1317grt), in convoy FS.22, was sunk by German
bombing one cable west by north of Oaze Buoy and one cable south, southwest
of Mouse Light Vessel.
One
crewman was killed on the British steamer.
______
Minesweeping trawler TILBURYNESS (279grt, T/Skipper W. S. Hawes RNR) was
sunk by German bombing near East Oaze Buoy in the Thames Estuary.
Ten
ratings were lost. Anti-aircraft ship ROYAL EAGLE and tug SALVO rescued the
survivors.
Auxiliary anti-aircraft ship ROYAL EAGLE (T/Lt Cdr E. F. A. Farrow RNR) shot
down a bomber during these air raids in the Thames Estuary.
______
British drifter TORBAY II (83grt) was sunk by German bombing off Downs.
______
Dutch
steamer SANTA LUCIA (379grt) was sunk on a mine 3.6 miles 44° from Pile
Light, Belfast.
Four
crew were lost on the Dutch steamer.
______
Norwegian steamer HUNDVAAG (690grt) was sunk on a mine one to two cables
west of No. 1 Buoy (former S. Goodwin Lightship).
One
crewman was lost on the Norwegian steamer.
This
mine was laid by German torpedo boats 29/30 October in minefield designated
"ALFRED. "
______
Convoy
HX.85 departed Halifax at 1430 escorted by Canadian destroyer ASSINIBOINE
and auxiliary patrol vessels FRENCH and ELK.
At
1745, FRENCH departed the convoy and ASSINIBOINE departed the convoy at
1730/2nd.
Convoy
BHX.85 departed Bermuda on 30 October escorted by ocean escort armed
merchant cruiser AUSONIA. The convoy rendezvoused with HX.85 on the 4th and
the armed merchant cruiser was detached.
Ocean
escort was armed merchant cruiser RAJPUTANA. With the attack by German heavy
cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER on convoy HX.84, convoy HX.85 was diverted to Sydney
CB, where itarrived on the 9th.
______
Light
cruiser AJAX, which departed Alexandria on 30 October, landed troops of the
2nd Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment at Suda Bay on the 1st.
Light
cruiser AJAX was near missed by Italian bombing on the 1st.
Destroyers MOHAWK and NUBIAN examined Navarin Bay.
As the
force departed Suda Bay on the 2nd, light cruiser AJAX and anti-aircraft
cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY were taken under Italian bombing. Light
cruiser AJAX was again near missed.
The
ships arrived at Alexandria on the 4th.
______
The US
Atlantic Fleet was redesignated the Patrol Force, United States Fleet.
This
designation remained until 1 February 1941 when the old name US Atlantic
Fleet was revived.
______
Convoy
SLS.54 departed Freetown and arrived at Liverpool on the 26th.
Saturday, 2 November
U.31
was sunk by destroyer ANTELOPE, escorting convoy OB.237, northwest of
Ireland in 56‑26N, 10‑18W.
Destroyer ANTELOPE was damaged alongside U.31 while boarding her.
Five
officers and thirty eight ratings were taken prisoner from the German
submarine. Two ratings were lost.
Destroyer ACHATES was also in the escort of convoy OB.237.
Destroyer ANTELOPE proceeded to Greenock for repairs. On 7 December, she was
moved to Glasgow to complete repairs completed on 24 December.
______
Convoy
OB.238 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers CASTLETON, VANQUISHER,
VISCOUNT, WHITEHALL and corvette FLEUR DE LYS. The escort was detached on
the 5th.
______
Convoy
FN.324 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VERDUN and WATCHMAN. The
convoy arrived at Methil on the 4th.
______
Convoy
FN.325 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VANITY and WOLFHOUND. The
convoy arrived at Methil on the 4th.
______
British minefield BS.44 was laid by minelayers TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER and
destroyers INTREPID and ICARUS.
Following the minelay, destroyer INTREPID was damaged on a mine off
Hartlepool. Both INTREPID's engines were damaged.
Destroyer INTREPID was repaired at Hartlepool in seven weeks.
______
Destroyer CAMPBELTOWN, while on trials after refitting at Devonport, was
damaged in a collision with Norwegian steamer RISOY (793grt).
Destroyer CAMPBELTOWN was repaired at Liverpool completing on the 24th.
______
Armed
merchant cruiser RANPURA was damaged by fire.
______
Destroyer DOUGLAS departed Scapa Flow at 1830 to search for a boat
containing four men in 58-34N, 1-32W.
Destroyer DOUGLAS arrived at Scapa Flow at 1500/3rd with twelve survivors
from minesweeping trawler WARDOUR (335grt) mined on 31 October.
______
Destroyers MASHONA and KEPPEL departed Scapa Flow at 0030 to meet armed
merchant cruiser LETITIA and troopships EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and ANTONIA on
passage from Iceland to the Clyde.
All
ships safely arrived in the Clyde at 0815/3rd.
______
Destroyer VIMY arrived at Scapa Flow at 1715 after escorting Armed merchant
cruiser COMORIN to her Northern Patrol Station.
______
After
being delayed by engine room defects, Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed
Scapa Flow at 0040 to escort convoy EN.17 from the vicinity of Aberdeen to
Pentland Firth.
______
Submarine TAKU (Lt J. F. B. Brown) attacked German tanker GEDANIA (8923grt)
fifty miles off the Loire in 46-54N, 3-50W, without success.
______
Submarine TIGRIS unsuccessfully attacked Italian submrine VENIERO off the
Gironde.
______
British tugs LEA (168grt) and DEANBROOK (149grt) were sunk on mines in the
Tilbury Basin.
Six
crew were lost on tug LEA. The entire crew of tug DEANBROOK was lost.
Both
tugs were raised for scrap.
______
Minesweeping trawler RINOVA (429grt, Chief Skipper T. Fraser RNR) was sunk
on a mine off Falmouth, 2.9 miles 154.5°, from St Anthony Light.
Fourteen ratings were lost in the trawler.
______
British drifter GOODWILL (28grt) was sunk on a mine in the Firth of Forth.
______
Battleship WARSPITE, aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, other units of the
Mediterranean Fleet arrived at Alexandria after supporting initial Crete
landings.
______
Submarine TETRARCH unsuccessfully attacked a steamer off Benghasi.
______
Destroyer KIMBERLEY was attacked unsuccessfully by Italian bombers in
14‑14N, 42‑47E.
______
Light
cruiser NEPTUNE departed Lagos on patrol.
Sunday, 3 November
Light
cruiser DESPATCH, escorted by destroyers VENOMOUS, VESPER, WINDSOR, which
had departed Sheerness on the 1st and picked up DESPATCH at Portsmouth,
arrived in the Clyde.
______
Anti-aircraft cruiser CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 1000 to cover convoy
WN.29 from Pentland Firth to Methil.
Convoy
WN.29 was under German air attack from 1821 to 1930.
British steamer KILDALE (3877grt) was sunk by German bombing in 57‑45N,
01‑45W from the convoy.
Two
crew were lost on the British steamer.
British steamer EROS (5888grt) was damaged by German bombing in 57‑48N,
01‑54W from the convoy.
On her
arrival at Methil, cruiser CURACOA proceeded to Rosyth to boiler clean.
______
Destroyers MASHONA and KEPPEL departed the Clyde at 1345 and arrived at
Scapa Flow at 0700/4th.
______
Submarine STURGEON sank Danish steamer SIGRUN (1337grt) in 58-59N, 10-21E in
Oslofjord.
______
Britsh
convoy FN.326 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN and sloop
LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 5th.
______
Convoy
FS.327 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers QUORN, WALLACE, WESTMINSTER.
The convoy arrived at Southend on the 5th.
______
British steamer WINDSOR CASTLE (19, 141grt) was damaged by German bombing in
54‑12N, 13‑18W.
The
steamer was escorted to the Clyde by destroyer BULLDOG.
Destroyer BULLDOG departed the Clyde on the 4th for Liverpool, arriving at
2100/4th.
______
British steamer CAIRNGORM (394grt) was damaged on a mine in Bristol Channel.
______
Belgian fishing vessel VAN DER WEYDEN (132grt) four and a half cables 262°
from No. 4 Buoy, Milford Haven.
Eight
crew were lost from the vessel. There was only one survivor.
______
U.99
sank British steamer CASANARA (5376grt) in 53‑58N, 14‑13W.
Nine
crew were lost on the British steamer.
______
Destroyer ACHATES attacked a submarine contact in 55-07N, 14-45W. Joined by
destroyer ACTIVE, there was no definite result.
The
destroyers proceeded to assist armed merchant cruisers LAURENTIC and
PATROCLUS.
______
U.99
badly damaged armed merchant cruiser LAURENTIC (Captain E. P. Vivian Rtd),
which had departed Liverpool on convoy duty on 18 October, in 54‑09N,
13‑44W.
U.99
torpedoed armed merchant cruiser LAURENTIC again some six hours later
sinking her.
T/Lt
Cdr (E) J. Lightfoot RNR, Midshipman C. D. Fisher RNR, forty seven ratings
were lost in the armed merchant cruiser.
The survivors from steamer CASANARA and fifty two officers and three hundred and sixteen ratings from armed merchant cruiser LAURENTIC were rescued by Armed merchant cruiser PATROCLUS.
______
Aircraft carrier EAGLE, battleships VALIANT, RAMILLIES, MALAYA, the 7th
Cruiser Squadron arrived at Alexandria after supporting initial landings at
Crete.
______
Light
cruiser DRAGON departed Freetown.
Monday, 4 November
Battleships NELSON and RODNEY, anti-aircraft cruisers NAIAD (CS.15) and
BONAVENTURE, destroyers COSSACK (D.4), MAORI, MATABELE, ELECTRA, BRILLIANT
departed the Firth of Forth at 1615.
Destroyer PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow at 0630 to join Captain D.4 escorting
the Commander in Chief Home Fleet on battleship NELSON in the Firth of
Forth.
The
British force arrived at Scapa Flow at 1400/5th.
______
Destroyer BULLDOG departed the Clyde for Liverpool arriving at 2100/4th.
______
Polish
destroyer PIORUN (formerly British NERISSA) was completed. Following working
up she operated in the 7th Destroyer Flotilla in the Home Fleet.
______
Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 0900 to cover convoy
WN.30 to the vicinity of Bell Rock.
______
Anti-aircraft cruiser CURACOA arrived at Rosyth.
______
Convoy
OB.239 departed Liverpool, but due to the presence of German surface heavy
cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER in the North Atlantic, she proceededto Oban and did
not sail until 10 November.
______
Convoy
FN.327 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VEGA and VIMIERA. The
convoy arrived at Methil on the 6th.
______
U.99
badly damaged armed merchant cruiser PATROCLUS (Captain G. C. Wynter Rtd),
which had departed Liverpool on 19 October for convoy duties and had picked
up the survivors of steamer CASANAREand LAURENTIC, in 53‑43N, 14‑41W.
U.99
torpedoed PATROCLUS again five hours later sinking her.
Captain Wynter, Lt R. S. Murchie RNR, T/Lt Cdr (E) G. J. Arney RNR,
T/Surgeon Lt Cdr J. B. Barr RNVR, T/Lt F. S. Piddocke RNR, T/Lt E.
Richardson RNR, T/Paymaster Lt J. Bryant, forty nine ratings were lost on
the armed merchant cruiser PATROCLUS.
Destroyers ACHATES and HESPERUS picked up the survivors from the three
ships; thirty three officers and two hundred and thirty ratings from
PATROCLUS.
______
Aircraft carrier EAGLE developed defects to her machinery as a result of
near misses of Italian air bombing on 12 October.
This
caused her withdrawal from operation JUDGMENT.
______
Light
cruiser AJAX and Australian light cruiser SYDNEY departed Alexandria to
embark troops at Port Said.
The
cruisers departed on the 5th carrying troops and one heavy anti-aircraft
battery.
______
Convoy
AN.6, escorted by anti-submarine trawlers KINGSTON CRYSTAL (433grt) and
KINGSTON CYANITE (433grt), departed Port Said with British tankers ADINDA
(3359grt) and BRITISH SERGEANT (5868grt) and five steamers for Greece.
Tanker PASS OF BALMAHA (758grt) departed Alexandria and joined this convoy
at sea.
Both
trawlers broke down and destroyer DAINTY departed Alexandria late on the 4th
with anti-submarine trawlers KINGSTON CORAL (433grt) and SINDONIS (440grt)
to join the convoy. The convoy arrived on the 8th.
Destroyer DAINTY later joined the Main Fleet for the MB 8 operation.
______
Submarine TETRARCH damaged Italian steamer SNIA AMBA (2534grt) from a convoy
off Benghazi.
This
convoy had departed Tripoli 2 November with SNIA AMBA and PALLADE, escorted
by torpedo boat LA FARINA.
The
submarine claimed damaging steamer PALLADE, as well, but the steamer was not
damaged.
______
Italian submarine BIANCHI was damaged by destroyer GREYHOUND and a London
flying boat near Gibraltar and put into Tangiers for refuge.
______
French
destroyers MAMELUCK, FLEURET, EPEE, LANSQUENET passed Gibraltar from west to
east.
______
Light
cruiser DIOMEDE departed Tortula.
______
Convoy
SL.54 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser ESPERANCE BAY to
25 November. Armed merchant cruiser SALOPIAN joined the convoy on the 22nd
to 25 November.
On 24
November, destroyers CALDWELL, WALKER, WESTCOTT, corvettes CANDYTUFT,
CROCUS, HEARTSEASE, HONEYSUCKLE, French sloop CHEVREUIL joined the convoy.
Destroyer CALDWELL was detached with the merchant cruisers on the 25th. The
convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 26th.
______
Convoy
BS.8 departed Suez, escorted by sloop CLIVE. The convoy was joined on the
5th by sloop GRIMSBY. The sloops were detached when the convoy was joined by
light cruiser LEANDER, destroyer KINGSTON, slops FLAMINGO and INDUS. The
convoy was dispersed off Aden on the 12th.
Tuesday, 5 November
Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK transferred from convoy WN.30 to convoy EN.19
off the Firth of Forth.
Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK escorted convoy EN.19 to Pentland Firth.
______
Anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO arrived in the Clyde.
______
Hunt-class destroyer TYNEDALE was completed. Following working up, she was
assigned to the 1st Destroyer Flotilla in the Portsmouth Command.
______
The
British Home Fleet at Scapa Flow at this time were -
Battleships NELSON and RODNEY
Battlecruisers HOOD and REPULSE.
Aircraft carrier FURIOUS at Scapa Flow but due to repair to her rudders and
was not available. Her speed was limited to twenty three knots.
Light
cruiser of the 18th Cruiser Squadron SOUTHAMPTON
Anti-aircraft cruisers of the 15th Cruiser Squadron NAIAD, BONAVENTURE,
PHOEBE, DIDO (DIDO unfit for sea after structural defects developed at sea
in late October).
Destroyer of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla under orders of Home Fleet BRILLIANT
Destroyer of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla ELECTRA
Destroyers of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla COSSACK and MAORI
Destroyers of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla SOMALI, MASHONA, MATABELE, PUNJABI,
ESKIMO
Destroyers of the 12th Destroyer Flotilla KEPPEL and DOUGLAS
Destroyer of the 21st Destroyer Flotilla VIMY
Other
Home Fleet units were
Heavy
cruisers of the 1st Cruiser Squadron AUSTRALIA at the Clyde with machinery
defects, NORFOLK which arrived in the Tyne in late October to correct
structural defects completing on the 8th, SUSSEX and SUFFOLK which were
under long repairs to bombing damages.
Light
cruisers of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron AURORA was detached and at Sheerness,
ARETHUSA was repairing minor collision damage in Tyne, GALATEA was repairing
mine damage Chatham, PENELOPEunder long repairs for grounding damage
sustained in Norway.
Light
cruisers of the 10th Cruiser Squadron NIGERIA and KENYA working up and FIJI
repairing torpedo damage at Greenock.
Light
cruisers of the 18th Cruiser Squadron MANCHESTER detached and at Humber,
NEWCASTLE detached and at Plymouth, EDINBURGH at Scapa Flow working up after
long refit, BIRMINGHAM refitting at Liverpool from 27 September to 27
December.
Destroyers of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla under repairs ECLIPSE at Scapa
Flow, ECHO at Clyde, ESCAPADE at Troon.
Destroyers of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla under repair SIKH at Leith, ZULU
under repair at Rosyth, FAME at Rosyth aground.
Destroyers of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla under repair BEDOUIN at
Southampton, ASHANTI at Rosyth aground, TARTAR at Plymouth.
Destroyer of the 12th Destroyer Flotilla ANTHONY at Greenock.
Destroyers of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla on loan to Home Fleet operating in
the Western Approaches BEAGLE and BULLDOG.
Destroyer of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla operating in the Western Approaches
FEARLESS
Destroyers of the 12th Destroyer Flotilla operating in the Western
Approaches AMBUSCADE, ARROW, ACTIVE, AMAZON.
______
Convoy
FS.328 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WINCHESTER and sloop EGRET.
Patrol sloop SHELDRAKE joined on the 6th. The convoy arrived at Southend on
the 7th.
______
U.99
sank British steamer SCOTTISH MAIDEN (6993grt) from convoy HX.83 in 54‑36N,
14‑23W.
Sixteen crew were missing from the British steamer. The survivors from
SCOTTISH MAIDEN were rescued by destroyer BEAGLE.
Convoy
HX.83 was at that time escorted by destroyers ACTIVE, ACHATES, BEAGLE,
HESPERUS, HURRICANE, WILD SWAN and corvette PICOTEE.
In the
counter attack after the sinking of steamer SCOTTISH MAIDEN, destroyer
BEAGLE damaged U.123, which was able to return to Lorient.
______
British steamer HAIG ROSE (1117grt) was lost in Bristol Channel to unknown
agent.
______
At
1240, German heavy cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER sank British steamer MOPAN
(5389grt) in 52‑59N, 32-12W. Steamer MOPAN had departed Kingston, Jamaica,
was en route to England.
The
German battleship rescued the steamer MOPAN's sixty eight survivors.
At
1710, German heavy cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER attacked Convoy HX.84 of thirty
seven ships (Convoy Commodore Rear Admiral H. B. Maltby Rtd on British
steamer CORNISH CITY (4952grt) escorted by Armed merchant cruiser JERVIS
BAY.
Heavy
cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER sank armed merchant cruiser JERVIS BAY (Captain E. S.
F. Fegen (act)) at 2003 in 52-50N, 52-15W, British steamers MAIDAN (7908grt)
in 52‑28N, 32‑08W, TREWELLARD (5201grt) in 52‑27N, 32‑09W, KENBANE HEAD
(5225grt) in 52‑26N, 32‑34W, BEAVERFORD (10, 042grt) in 52‑26N, 32‑34W,
FRESNO CITY (4955grt) in 51‑47N, 33‑29W and damaged tanker SAN DEMETRIO
(8073grt) in 52‑48N, 32‑15W, steamer ANDALUSIA (3082grt) and troopship
RANGITIKI (16, 984grt).
Lt A.
H. W. Bartle RNR, Lt Cdr A. W. Driscoll RNR, Midshipman R. J. Owens RNR,
Midshipman W. E. Thiselton RNR, T/Lt N. E. Wood RNR, thirty five ratings
were killed.
Captain Fegen, T/Lt (E) J. W. P. Barry RNR, T/Lt (E) D. H. J. Bigg RNR,
T/Cdr (E) J. H. G. Chappell RNR, Surgeon Lt Cdr T. G. Evans, MRCS, LRCP
RNVR, T/Sub Lt (E) R. L. Hall RNVR, T/A/Sub Lt (E) G. D. Green RNVR, T/Lt W.
Hill RNR, Midshipman C. C. T. Latch RNR, T/Lt Cdr (E) M. A. Leddra RNR, Lt
Cdr K. M. Morrison RNR, T/Lt (E) W. Newton RNR, T/Lt Cdr G. L. Roe RNR,
Gunner E. R. Stannard, T/Paymaster Lt A. W. Stott RNR, T/Paymaster Lt Cdr W.
E. White RNR, ninety seven RN ratings, thirteen RCN ratings were lost on the
armed merchant cruiser.
T/A/Sub Lt (E) H. M. Pattinson RNVR, nine ratings died of wounds.
Six RN
ratings and two RCN ratings were wounded.
Swedish steamer STUREHOLM (4575grt) rescued sixty five survivors and three
bodies from JERVIS BAY. The steamer arrived at Halifax on the 12th. Most of
the survivors were transferred to Armed merchant cruiser COMORIN for return
to England.
British steamer GLOUCESTER CITY, from a dispersed OB.convoy rescued ninety
two survivors from the steamers - twenty five survivors from TREWELLARD,
twenty three survivors from SAN DEMETRIO, twenty survivors from KENBANE
HEAD, and twenty four from FRESNO CITY.
On 9
November, Greek steamer MOUNT TAYGETUS (3286grt) rescued a further twelve
crew from the FRESNO CITY.
On
steamer BEAVERFORD, all seventy seven crew were lost. On steamer MAIDAN, all
ninety one crew were lost. One crewman was killed on steamer FRESNO CITY.
Twenty three crew were lost on steamer KENBANE HEAD. Two crew were killed
and fourteen crew were missing on steamer TREWELLARD.
Steamer GLOUCESTER CITY arrived at St Johns on the 13th.
Convoy
SC.10, fourteen ships escorted by Sloop FOLKESTONE, was one hundred miles
southeast of HX.84. The convoy was ordered away from the area of the attack.
Convoy
HX.86 departing Halifax was immediately recalled.
Convoy
BHX.66 departed Bermuda on the 3rd escorted by armed merchant cruiser
MONTCLARE, but returned to Bermuda on the 5th.
Battlecruisers HOOD and REPULSE, anti-aircraft cruisers PHOEBE, NAIAD,
BONAVENTURE of the 15th Cruiser Squadron, destroyers ESKIMO, MASHONA,
MATABELE, ELECTRA, SOMALI (D.6), PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow at 2330/5th to
German heavy cruiser SCHEER's last position, 52-50N, 32-15W at 2003.
Later,
battlecruiser HOOD, cruisers PHOEBE and NAIAD, destroyers SOMALI, ESKIMO,
PUNJABI proceeded to cover the approaches to Brest and Lorient.
Battlecruiser REPULSE, anti-aircraft cruiser BONAVENTURE, destroyers
MASHONA, MATABELE, ELECTRA continued towards German heavy cruiser ADMIRAL
SCHEER's last position.
Battleships RODNEY and NELSON departed Scapa Flow at 0700/6th with light
cruiser SOUTHAMPTON and destroyers COSSACK (D.4), MAORI, BRILLIANT, DOUGLAS,
KEPPEL, VIMY to cover the Iceland-Faroes Channel.
Battleship RODNEY was sent to escort HX.83 and once she was safe, HX.85 from
Halifax.
Armed
merchant cruisers CHITRAL, which was to the northwest of Iceland, CALIFORNIA
and WORCESTERSHIRE, which were to the south of Iceland, departed their
stations for the Clyde on the 8th.
Light
cruiser SOUTHAMPTON replaced armed merchant cruiser CHITRAL on her Northern
Patrol station.
Armed
merchant cruiser WORCESTERSHIRE joined the battleship NELSON group at
1400/9th.
Submarine TRIDENT was ordered to patrol south of Belle Ile in the approaches
to St Nazaire.
Submarine USK was ordered to the Brest approaches.
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