Background Events - January-May 1941
Battle of
Cape Matapan, Battles for Greece & Crete,
Capture of U.110, Enigma codes, Loss of 'Hood',
sinking of 'Bismarck'
1941
Wednesday, 1 January
Destroyers DUNCAN, FIREDRAKE, FOXHOUND, JAGUAR, HERO departed
Gibraltar on 31 December on a RATION
operation. Anti-aircraft cruiser BONAVENTURE departed Gibraltar on the 1st to support.
On the 1st, the destroyers intercepted French convoy K.5 of four
ships, French steamer CHANTILLY (9986grt), French tankers OCTANE (1950grt)
and SUROIT (554grt), Danish steamer SALLY MAERSK (3252grt), escorted by armed
trawler LA TOULONAISE, in the Gibraltar Straits, coming from Casablanca,
having departed on 30 December, for Oran.
Destroyer JAGUAR fired on steamer
CHANTILLY. Two on the steamer were
killed and four were wounded. The convoy was taken towards Gibraltar. A storm caused dispersal of
the convoy. Steamer
CHANTILLY arrived at
Gibraltar on the 2ndand tankers OCTANE
with an armed guard from destroyer HERO and SUROIT with an armed guard
arrived on the 3rd. The Danish ship with an armed guard from destroyer
FIREDRAKE also arrived at
Gibraltar.
Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, light cruiser
SHEFFIELD, destroyers FAULKNOR,
FORTUNE, FURY departed
Gibraltar to support this operation and sweep in the
western Mediterranean.
The ARK ROYAL force arrived back at
Gibraltar on the 4th. Steamer CHANTILLY and tanker OCTANE proceeded
to England in convoy HG.57 on 24 March.
_____
Italian submarine BAGNOLINI attacked armed boarding vessel NORTHERN
PRIDE in 54N, 14W without success.
_____
Light cruisers ARETHUSA and AURORA and destroyers BEDOUIN, MASHONA,
MATABELE, TARTAR departed
Scapa Flow at 0830 to cover destroyers INTREPID and ICARUS
departing to lay mines off Jaederens Point and Obrestad in Operation DZ.
Destroyer ICARUS damaged her mine rails casting off from depot ship
MAIDSTONE. The ships returned to port
at 1109 while destroyer ICARUS was repaired.
The force departed again at 0800/2nd for the operations.
During the morning, destroyers BEDOUIN and MASHONA were detached for forty
five minutes to search for a submarine reported by a trawler in 58-57N,
2-12W.
The mines were laid and all ships arrived back at 1415/3rd.
_____
Light cruisers
MANCHESTER and NIGERIA arrived at Scapa Flow from patrol.
Light cruiser
NIGERIA had serious engine room
defects.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa Flow at 0930 to carry out
exercises, then join convoy WN.62 until dark.
The ship arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 2330.
_____
Convoy OB.268 departed
Liverpool, escorted by destroyers
VETERAN and WOLVERINE, sloop DEPTFORD, corvettes ARBUTUS, DELPHINIUM, ERICA.
The escort was detached when the convoy dispersed on the 4th.
_____
Convoy FN.373 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA and
sloop WESTON, and arrived at Methil on the 3rd.
_____
Convoy FS.377 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOLFHOUND and
sloop EGRET, and arrived at Southend on the 3rd.
_____
Destroyer MEYNELL arrived at
Scapa Flow from Rosyth for working up.
_____
Destroyer WHITSHED arrived at
Scapa Flow from the Nore for working up.
_____
British steamer ATTENDANT (1016grt) was damaged on a mine one cable
east of 9 Buoy, Sheerness.
The steamer was beached, was later refloated and towed to
Gravesend for drydocking.
_____
Convoy SL.61 departed
Freetown escorted by armed merchant
cruiser BULOLO to 18 January and anti-submarine trawlers KELt and TURCOMAN to
3 January.
On the 18th, destroyer VETERAN and corvette DELPHINIUM joined the
convoy. On the 19th, corvette ARBUTUS joined and on the 20th, corvette
CAMELLIA joined. These four were detached on the 21st.
On the 22nd, destroyer WOLVERINE joined and on the 23rd,
anti-submarine trawler
LEEDS UNITED joined. These escorted the convoy to arrival at
Liverpool on the 24th.
_____
Convoy
SLS.61 departed
Freetown escorted by anti-submarine
trawlers BENGALI and SPANIARD to 7 January, and arrived at Liverpool on the 26th.
_____
Convoy HX.100 departed
Halifax, escorted by armed merchant
cruiser COMORAN, corvette COLLINGWOOD, escort vessel OTTER. The corvette and
the patrol vessel were detached the next day. The armed merchant cruiser was
detached on the 12th.
Convoy BHX.100 departed
Bermuda on 30 December escorted by
ocean escort armed merchant cruiser MONTCLARE. The convoy rendezvoused with
convoy HX.100/4thand the armed merchant cruiser was detached.
On the 13th, destroyers VANQUISHER, VISCOUNT,
WHITEHALL, WINCHELSEA and corvettes
GENTIAN and RHODODENDRON joined the convoy. Destroyer WHITEHALL was with the convoy on the
13th. Destroyers VANQUISHER and WINCHELSEA and corvette RHODODENDRON were
detached on the 16th and destroyer VISCOUNT and corvette GENTIAN the next
day, and arrived at
Liverpool on the 18th.
_____
A Fulmar of 803 Squadron from aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE failed to return
from a reconnaisance flight. Petty Officer H A Glover and Petty Officer R F
Hurford were both killed.
Thursday, 2 January
The 1st Minelaying Squadron, escorted by destroyers DOUGLAS, KEPPEL,
OURAGAN, which had arrived at Loch Alsh on the 1st, departed Loch Alsh to lay
mines in SN 6 and SN 65.
Destroyer BEAGLE departed
Scapa Flow at 0900 to join the destroyer
escort.
The operation was screened by light cruiser EDINBURGH, which departed
Scapa Flow at 1000/2nd.
Battlecruiser HOOD and destroyers
ECHO, ELECTRA, SIKH, ESKIMO
departed Scapa Flow at 1600/2ndand provided cover for the operation.
The minefield was laid and the minelayers returned to Loch Alsh on the
5th.
The battlecruiser force arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 0930/5th.
Destroyer OURAGAN arrived at
Scapa Flow at 1300/5th after being
detached from the minelayers due to a shortage of fuel.
Destroyer BEAGLE and the minelayers arrived at Loch Alsh at 1700/5th.
Destroyer BEAGLE was then sailed for
Greenock to join the escort of convoy WS.5B.
Light cruiser EDINBURGH arrived at 1801 on the 5th at
Scapa Flow.
At 2345/5th, destroyers DOUGLAS and KEPPEL arrived at
Scapa Flow after escorting the
minelayers to the Minches.
_____
Light cruiser NAIAD departed
Scapa Flow and relieved light cruiser
PHOEBE at Oban on guard duties. Light cruiser PHOEBE had been at Oban on
anti-aircraft guard duties since 24 December.
On relief, light cruiser PHOEBE proceeded to
Scapa Flow.
_____
Minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE laid mines in minefield ZME.10 in St
Georges Channel.
_____
Light cruiser EMERALD was recommissioned at Devonport after a refit
lasting from October to the end of December.
_____
Destroyer SOMALI departed
Scapa Flow at 1530 for Rosyth to carry
out repairs to a damaged gun shield.
The destroyer arrived at Rosyth at 0630/3rd.
_____
British P/T/Midshipman J. E. R. Rainford RNVR, was killed when his
Fulmar of 807 Squadron collided with another Fulmar at Yeovilton. The other
Fulmar safely landed.
_____
German tanker NORDMARK (15,000grt) refuelled German raider
THOR.
The tanker also embarked diesel oil from captured Norwegian tanker
STORSTAD (8998grt).
_____
U.65 sank British steamer NALGORA (6579grt) in 22-24N, 21-11W.
All passengers and crew were rescued.
_____
British steamer LOCH DEE (5252grt) was struck by a German delayed
action bomb at
Cardiff.
The bomb exploded at 0150/3rd. One crewman was killed.
_____
The British fleet departed
Alexandria to cover ground operations in
Libya for operation MC.5.
Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, escorted by destroyers GREYHOUND,
GRIFFIN, ILEX, JUNO departed in the morning to
embark aircraft.
Battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM, VALIANT, light cruiser GLOUCESTER and
heavy cruiser YORK of the 3rd Cruiser Squadron, anti-aircraft
cruiser CALCUTTA, destroyers JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, WRYNECK, DIAMOND,
VENDETTA, GALLANT departed Alexandria at 1830.
_____
Monitor TERROR and gunboats LADYBIRD and APHIS bombarded Bardia.
Destroyer VOYAGER and monitor TERROR were unsuccessfully attacked by
aircraft.
_____
Italian steamer
ALBANO (2364grt) was sunk on a mine one mile east of
Cape Laghi, Albania.
_____
Convoy SC.18 departed
Halifax, escorted by armed merchant
cruiser LACONIA, which was detached on the
14th. On the 14th, destroyer WESTCOTT and corvettes CANDYTUFT and HONEYSUCKLE
joined the escort. Ocean boarding vessel CRISPIN and sloop WELLINGTON joined on the 15th. Destroyer
WESTCOTT was detached on the 17th and the remainder of the escort on the
18th, and arrived at
Liverpool on the 19th.
Friday, 3 January
Destroyer LEGION arrived at
Scapa Flow at 2200 from the Clyde to carry out working up
exercises.
_____
Destroyer LINCOLN departed
Scapa Flow for Belfast after completing working up
exercises.
The destroyer arrived at
Belfast at 1600/4th.
_____
Destroyer COSSACK departed
Scapa Flow at 0800 for Southampton for refitting.
_____
Convoy OB.269 departed
Liverpool, escorted by corvette
ANEMONE. On the 4th, destroyers SARDONYX and SHIKARI, corvette LA MALOUINE,
anti-submarine trawlers ST KENAN, ST ZENO, VIZALMA, WELLARD joined. The
escort was detached when the convoy dispersed on the 6th.
_____
Convoy FN.374 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 5th.
_____
Convoy FS.378 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOLSEY and sloop
LOWESTOFT, and arrived at Southend on
the 5th.
_____
Naval drifter
NEW SPRAY (70grt) was lost in a gale off Sheerness.
_____
British steamer PINEWOOD (2466grt) was sunk on a mine one and a half
miles south of Pier, Southend.
Six crew were lost. Eighteen crew were rescued.
_____
Finnish steamer LIISA (1460grt) was sunk by British bombing at
Bremen.
The steamer was later salved.
_____
Finnish steamer YRSA (2803grt) was sunk by British bombing in the
Kiel Canal.
The bridge across the
Kiel Canal received a direct hit and fell upon the steamer.
The steamer sank in the canal. The steamer was subsequently raised and the
canal reopened.
_____
The Mediterranean Fleet bombarded Bardia.
Destroyers JANUS,
JUNO, GREYHOUND, ILEX, GRIFFIN streamed twin speed destroyer
sweep equipment.
Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, light cruiser
GLOUCESTER, heavy cruiser YORK, destroyers WRYNECK, DIAMOND,
GALLANT, VENDETTA parted company with the Fleet to operate aircraft as necessary.
Destroyers VOYAGER and DAINTY joined from Sollum.
The Battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT, BARHAM, escorted by destroyers
ILEX, GREYHOUND,
JUNO, JANUS,
GRIFFIN bombarded Bardia from 0810 to
0855.
Anti-aircraft protection was provided by anti-aircraft ship
CALCUTTA, escorted by destroyers
NUBIAN and MOHAWK and DAINTY and VOYAGER after being detached from Force W.
Monitor TERROR, escorted initially by destroyer DAINTY and Australian
VOYAGER, gunboats LADYBIRD and APHIS bombarded Bardia before and after the
fleet bombardment, as Force W.
Gunboat APHIS received slight damage from a near miss of an air bomb.
Two crew were killed and three wounded on the gunboat.
At 1000, light cruiser
GLOUCESTER, heavy cruiser YORK, anti-aircraft ship CALCUTTA were detached to Alexandria. Destroyers WRYNECK and
VENDETTA were detached to Sollum.
Monitor TERROR and the gunboats returned to
Alexandria that evening.
_____
Submarines TRIUMPH and UPHOLDER departed
Gibraltar for patrol west of Sicily. Following the patrol, the
submarines arrived at Malta on the 12th.
_____
Convoy BS.12 departed
Suez. Sloops CLIVE and GRIMSBY joined on the 4th. The sloops
were relieved by light cruiser LEANDER, destroyer KIMBERLEY, sloops FLAMINGO, HINDUSTAN, YARRA on the 6th. The convoy
was dispersed on the 11th.
Saturday, 4 January
Light cruiser ARETHUSA departed
Scapa Flow to relieve light cruiser
NAIAD on guard duties at Oban.
When relieved, light cruiser NAIAD proceeded to the
Clyde.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa Flow to join convoy WN.63 from
Pentland Firth until dark.
The ship arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 0830/5th.
_____
Destroyers ICARUS and INTREPID departed
Scapa Flow at 0200 for Rosyth en route
to the Nore.
_____
Destroyer NAPIER and Polish destroyer PIORUN departed
Scapa Flow at 2000 to meet and escort
armed merchant cruisers WOLFE and
CILICIA from the North Minches to their Northern Patrol
stations. The destroyers then escorted armed merchant cruisers LETITIA and
CHITRAL from the patrol area to the
North Minches.
_____
Destroyer
LEAMINGTON departed
Scapa Flow at 1800 for Londonderry after completing working up
exercises.
_____
Convoy FN.375 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VANITY and
WESTMINSTER, and arrived at Methil on the
6th.
_____
Convoy FS.379 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VIVIEN and
WALLACE, and arrived at Southend on the 6th.
Convoy FS.380 was cancelled.
_____
Battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM, VALIANT, aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, destroyers
ILEX, JANUS, JUNO, GREYHOUND,
GRIFFIN, DIAMOND, GALLANT, VOYAGER,
DAINTY arrived at
Alexandria.
_____
Italian torpedo boat PEGASO, escorting Italian steamers EZILDA CROCE
(1230grt) and PALLADE (1131grt) from
Tripoli, was attacked by British torpedo
planes near Cape Bon.
No damage was done, and arrived at
Palermo on the 5th and Naples on the 9th.
_____
In air operations from Aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, Lt I. Easton and Naval
Airman J. A. Burkey in a Fulmar of 803 Squadron failed to return from a
reconnaissance flight over
Dakar.
It was later found that they had been shot down and interned at
Dakar by French Vichy forces.
Both were liberated at the end of 1942.
_____
Convoy BN.12A departed
Suez, escorted by sloop YARRA, and
arrived at Port Sudan on the 6th.
_____
Destroyer STRONGHOLD began minelaying around
Singapore. By 8 March, the destroyer
had laid Minefield No.2 of six lines of mines and Minefield No.3 of eleven
lines of mines.
Sunday, 5 January
Light cruiser EMERALD was damaged while leaving dockyard at
Plymouth.
The damage was assessed to require four to seven days to repair. She
was able to depart
Portsmouth on the 12th for the South Atlantic.
_____
Convoy OB.270 departed
Liverpool, escorted by destroyers WILD
SWAN and WITCH, corvettes CAMPANULA, FLEUR DE LYS, GARDENIA, PERIWINKLE.
Sloop ABERDEEN joined on the 6th. The escort was detached when the
convoy dispersed on the 8th.
_____
Convoy FN.376 departed Southend, escorted destroyer WOLFHOUND and
sloop EGRET, and arrived at Methil on the 7th.
_____
Sloop LOWESTOFT, arriving with convoy FS.378, was damaged by a mining
in the Thames Estuary.
The sloop was able to arrive at Sheerness on the 5th.
The sloop was repairing to 3 October at
Chatham.
_____
Destroyer CHURCHILL departed
Scapa Flow at 1200 for the Clyde following working up.
_____
Destroyer SOUTHDOWN departed
Scapa Flow for Rosyth at 2000 following
working up.
_____
Destroyers BLENCATHRA and TYNEDALE departed
Scapa Flow at 2030 for Portsmouth following working up.
_____
Destroyers COTTESMORE at 1030 and BELMONT at 1400 arrived at Scapa
Flow to work up.
_____
Minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE laid mines in minefield ZME.11 in St
Georges Channel.
_____
Lt Cdr W. E. Fletcher, commanding officer of barrage balloon vessel
trawler HASLEMERE, drowned attempting to rescued a downed pilot near East
Knock John Buoy in the English Channel.
_____
Italian submarine CAPPELLINI sank British steamer SHAKESPEAR (5029grt)
from dispersed convoy OB.262 at 18-05N, 21-10W.
Eighteen crew and two gunners were lost on the steamer. The survivors
were towed in their boats to within sight of land.
_____
British steamer
TEMPLE MOAT (4427grt) was damaged by
German bombing in 55-20N, 18-55W.
One crewman was killed.
The steamer arrived at Gareloch on the 9th.
_____
Dutch steamer ALIOTH (5483grt) was damaged by German bombing near Cork
Light Vessel.
The steamer grounded in entrance to the fairway at Harwich. Steamer
ALIOTH was refloated and arrived at
Ipswich on the 10th.
_____
German auxiliary patrol vessel Vp.306 (trawler FRITZ HINCKE, 391grt)
was sunk on a mine near Ymuiden.
_____
Light cruiser
KENYA and corvettes CLEMATIS,
CYCLAMEN, GERANIUM, JONQUIL arrived
Gibraltar escorting British troopship
EMPIRE TROOPER (13,994grt) from Ponta Delgada.
The troopship's troops were disembarked at
Gibraltar and the troopship began
repairs completed in March.
Aircraft carrier ARGUS, heavy cruiser BERWICK, destroyers FORESTER,
FURY, FOXHOUND, WISHART departed
Gibraltar to cover as they proceeded
northwards.
On the 6th, destroyers FORESTER, FURY, FOXHOUND arrived back at
Gibraltar. On the 7th, destroyer WISHART
was detached and returned to
Gibraltar. Heavy cruiser BERWICK proceeded to
Portsmouth. Repairs to the cruiser were
begun on the 17th and were completed on 10 May. Aircraft carrier ARGUS
proceeded to the
Clyde, arriving 14 January.
_____
Italian coastal steamer VULCANO (273grt) was sunk on a mine at Tobruk.
_____
American heavy cruiser
LOUISVILLE arrived at Simonstown to
embark British gold to be deposited in American banks. The heavy cruiser
departed Simonstown on the 6th and arrived in New York on the 22nd.
Monday, 6 January
Due to suspected raider D/F signals, battlecruiser REPULSE with
destroyers BEDOUIN, ELECTRA, ESCAPADE departed
Scapa Flow at 0401 to cover convoy
HX.99.
Destroyer MASHONA setting out on this sortie collided with destroyer
SIKH at buoy at
Scapa Flow.
The destroyer was unable to proceed and was taken to
West Hartlepool for docking on the 9th.
Destroyer SIKH was docked at
Scapa Flow for temporary repairs. The
destroyer departed
Scapa Flow for the
Tyne on the 18th, escorted by
destroyer PUNJABI but was forced to return due to a snow storm. The destroyer
sailed again at 1000/20th escorted by destroyer WHITSHED and arrived in the
Tyne at noon on the 21st. Destroyer
WHITSHED continued to
Chatham to return to the Nore
Command.
Light cruisers
MANCHESTER and EDINBURGH departed Scapa Flow at 0401 and proceeded to
position 63N, 04W.
Armed merchant cruisers CHITRAL, LETITIA, WOLFE,
CILICIA at sea were advised of the
signals. Armed merchant cruisers CHITRAL and LETITIA returned to the Denmark Strait.
Later this day, destroyers NAPIER and PIORUN and armed merchant
cruisers CHITRAL and LETITIA refuelled at
Reykjavik. When refuelling was
completed, the destroyers escorted the cruisers to the Minches. The
destroyers arrived back at
Scapa Flow after this duty on the 11th.
Battlecruiser RENOWN and destroyers BEDOUIN, ESCAPADE, ELECTRA arrived
back at Scapa
Flow
at 1940/7th.
_____
Destroyer BRILLIANT departed
Scapa Flow at 0110 for Greenock to join destroyer BEAGLE in
the escort of convoy WS.5B.
Destroyer BRILLIANT arrived at
Greenock at 1700.
_____
Destroyer SOMALI arrived at
Scapa Flow from Rosyth following repairs
to her gun shield.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa Flow to escort convoy WN.64 from
the Pentland
Firth
to moonset.
The ship arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 1000/7th.
_____
Convoy FN.377 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 8th.
_____
Tug LION (87grt) was sunk on a mine two and a half cables 320°
from No. 5 Medway Buoy.
All crew were lost.
_____
British trawler GADRA (219grt) was sunk on a British mine one and a
half miles off Myling Head, Faroes.
Seven crew of a ten man crew were lost.
_____
Aircraft carrier EAGLE with four destroyers departed
Alexandria for flying exercises.
_____
Light cruisers
GLOUCESTER and SOUTHAMPTON embarked
twenty five officers and 484 other ranks of Army and RAF for Malta.
The light cruisers and destroyers ILEX and JANUS departed
Alexandria at 1315.
This group was designated Group B for Operation MC.4.
_____
The 9th Italian Destroyer Division of destroyers ALFIERI, CARDUCCI,
FULMINE, GIOBERTI and the 14th Torpedo Boat Division of torpedo boats
PARTENOPE, PALLADE, ROMEDA, ALTAIR shelled Greek positions at Porto Palmermo
in Albania.
_____
U.124 sank British steamer EMPIRE THUNDER (5965grt) in 59-14N, 12-43W.
Nine crew were lost.
_____
Greek steamer ANTONIS (3729grt) was sunk by German raider KORMORAN at
8-17N, 23-32W.
The entire crew was made prisoners of war.
_____
Heavy cruiser
NORFOLK, which departed the UK on 18 December for the South Atlantic, was attached to the South
Atlantic Command.
The heavy cruiser was involved immediately in searching for the German
raider KORMORAN on the SL.convoy route.
Heavy cruiser
DEVONSHIRE was searching for the armed merchant cruiser at
the last known position.
This search continued until 29 January.
_____
Convoy HX.101 departed
Halifax, escorted by armed merchant
cruiser AUSONIA, corvette COLLNGWOOD, patrol vessel OTTER. The corvette and
the patrol vessel were detached the next day.
Convoy BHX.101 departed
Bermuda on the 3rdescorted by ocean
escort armed merchant cruiser RAJPUTANA. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy
HX.101 on the 9th and the armed merchant cruiser was detached.
On the 17th, the armed merchant cruiser was detached and destroyer
AMBUSCADE, corvettes AUBRETIA, HEARTSEASE, HOLLYHOCK, anti-submarine trawlers
ANGLE, DANEMAN, LADY LILLIAN joined. Corvette AUBRETIA and the three
anti-submarine trawlers were detached later that day. Destroyer AMBUSCADE was
detached on the 20th, corvette HOLLYHOCK on the 21st, corvette HEARTSEASE on
the 22nd, and arrived at
Liverpool on the 22nd.
_____
German tanker NORDMARK replenished German heavy cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER
at sea.
_____
New Zealand light cruiser LEANDER
departed escort of convoy BN.12 and took over convoy BS.12 in the Red Sea.
Convoy BS.12 arrived at
Aden on the 11th.
_____
New Zealand light cruiser ACHILLES
departed Auckland escorting British steamer
EMPRESS OF RUSSIA (16,810grt) to Fiji.
They arrived on the 9th. The light cruiser departed
Fiji on the 10th to return to
Auckland.
Tuesday, 7 January
Light cruiser
MAURITIUS arrived at Scapa Flow to work up and join the 10th
Cruiser Squadron.
_____
Light cruisers
MANCHESTER and EDINBURGHarrived at Scapa Flow at 1540 from patrol.
_____
Destroyer KELLY departed
Scapa Flow at 1900 and proceeded to
Greenock, arriving the next day.
The destroyer's working up was completed and she joined destroyers
KIPLING, KASHMIR, JERSEY of the Flotilla.
On the 18th, the four destroyers arrived at
Plymouth for duty in the Western
Approaches.
_____
Destroyer MEYNELL departed
Scapa Flow at 1400 to proceed to Aberdeen and escort steamer BEN MY CHREE to Lerwick and back
to Aberdeen.
The ships arrived at Lerwick at 0930/8th.
Destroyer MEYNELL arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 1530/9th.
_____
Convoy FS.381 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers GARTH and
VERSATILE, and arrived at Southend on the 9th.
_____
Convoy FS.382 departed Methil, destroyer VIMIERA and sloop WESTON, and
arrived at Southend on the 9th.
_____
Convoy FS.383 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer
VERDUN and sloop LONDONDERRY, and arrived at Southend on
the 10th.
_____
Motor torpedo boats
MTB.32 and MTB.34 laid minefield PW.1 in
Zuydcote Pass.
German torpedo boats KONDOR and WOLF laid minefield RENATE off
Dover on the 7th.
Returning, torpedo boat WOLF was mined and sunk north of
Dunkirk in British minefield PW.1 on
the 7th.
Motor torpedo boats laid seven more PW minefields in January.
_____
Italian submarine NANI was sunk by Corvette ANEMONE, en route to join
convoy HX.99, south of Iceland in 60-15N, 15-27W.
French corvette LA MALOUINE assisted in the attack.
_____
British steamer H. H. PETERSEN (975grt) was sunk on a mine in 52-22N,
2-05E.
The crew was rescued.
_____
Convoy OG.49 departed
Liverpool escorted by destroyer ANTHONY and sloop
ROCHESTER. The convoy was join the next
day by destroyers ANTHONY and GEORGETOWN, armed boarding vessels
CRISPIN and MANISTEE, seaplane tender PEGASUS, corvettes HEATHER and PICOTEE.
On the 11th, destroyers ANTELOPE, ANTHONY,
GEORGETOWN, seaplane tender PEGASUS,
corvettes HEATHER and PICOTEE were detached. On the 14th, the ocean boarding
vessels were detached.
Convoy OG.49 arrived at
Gibraltar on the 21st, escorted by
sloop ROCHESTER.
_____
Force H sortied from
Gibraltar on the 7th to cover theEXCESS convoy. Units
participating were battlecruiser RENOWN, battleship MALAYA, aircraft carrier
ARK ROYAL, light cruiser SHEFFIELD, destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FORTUNE,
FIREDRAKE, FOXHOUND, FURY, DUNCAN.
Operation MC.4, the EXCESS convoy, which arrived in convoy WS.5 A, had
departed Gibraltar on the 6th, The convoy consisted of British steamers
ESSEX (11,063grt), en route to
Malta, CLAN CUMMING (7264grt), CLAN
MACDONALD (9653grt), EMPIRE SONG (9228grt), en route to Pireaus. Another
merchant ship, NORTHERN PRINCE (10,917grt) was to have participated, but she
ran aground at Gibraltar. The four hundred troops on NORTHERN PRINCE were
embarked in anti-aircraft cruiser BONAVENTURE.
The EXCESS convoy was escorted by anti-aircraft cruiser BONAVENTURE
and destroyers HEREWARD, JAGUAR, HASTY, HERO.
Battleship
MALAYA was with the EXCESS convoy until Force H
returned to Gibraltar twenty five miles north of
Bizerte.
The British Fleet with battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT, aircraft
carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, destroyers JERVIS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, DAINTY, GREYHOUND,
GALLANT, GRIFFIN of Force A departed
Alexandria on the 7th to cover the
EXCESS convoy.
Heavy cruiser
YORK and light cruiser ORION of Force D.departed
Alexandria at 0300 to cover the passage of Force C through the
Kaso Strait.
Force C was oiler BRAMBLELEAF and corvettes SALVIA, HYACINTH,
GLOXINIA, PEONY.
Force C refuelled the corvettes at
Suda Bay on the 8th and proceeded
independently to Malta.
Light cruisers
AJAX and PERTH departed Piraeus to rendezvous light cruiser
ORION and heavy cruiser
YORK at Suda Bay at 0800/8th.
Later on the 8th, light cruisers ORION,
AJAX, PERTH departed Suda Bay to cover Force C and for the
EXCESS operation.
Light cruiser
AJAX was detached to return to
Alexandria.
Convoy MW.5 1/2 departed
Alexandria at 1400 with transport
BRECONSHIRE and steamer CLAN MACAULAY for Malta, anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA, destroyers DEFENDER and
DIAMOND.
Submarines TRIUMPH and UPHOLDER were at sea south of
Sardinia.
Submarine PANDORA was at sea to the east of the other two submarines.
_____
Submarine USK departed
Gibraltar on the 7th and arrived at
Malta on the 17th.
_____
Submarine ROVER attacked a convoy in 32-15N, 23-36E. Italian steamer EDDA
(6106grt) was not damaged.
Torpedo boats CLIO and CASTORE counter-attacked and damaged the
submarine.
The damage required thirteen days to repair at
Malta.
_____
During the night of 7/8 January, Italian destroyers VIVALDI,
MALOCELLO, DA NOLI, TARIGO and torpedo boats SAGITTARIO and VEGA laid
minefields X 2 (180 mines) and X 3 (180 mines) north of Cape Bon.
Wednesday, 8 January
The flag of CS 18 was transferred from Light cruiser
MANCHESTER to light cruiser EDINBURGH.
Light cruiser
MANCHESTER departed Scapa Flow at 0128 on the 11th for
refitting and stiffening in the
Tyne.
_____
Light cruiser ARETHUSA arrived at
Scapa Flow after guard ship duties at
Oban.
_____
Convoy OB.271 departed
Liverpool, escorted by destroyers
VANQUISHER, VISCOUNT,
WHITEHALL, WINCHELSEA and corvettes
GENTIAN and RHODODENDRON. The escort was detached when the convoy dispersed
on the 12th.
_____
Convoy FN.378 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 10th.
Convoy FN.379 did not sail.
_____
Destroyers JACKAL and BROADWAY arrived at
Scapa Flow at 1100 from Plymouth to carry out exercises and
working up.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa Flow at 1300 to escort convoy
WN.65 from the Pentland Firth until moonset.
The cruiser arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 1000/9th.
_____
Minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE laid mines in minefield ZME.12 in St
Georges Channel.
_____
Minelayer TEVIOTBANK, escorted by destroyer INTREPID, laid minefield
BS.48 off the East Coast of England.
_____
Trinity House Tender STRATHEARN (683grt) was sunk on a mine in 51-45N,
1-10E.
Fifteen crew and passengers were lost.
_____
British steamer CLYTONEUS (6278grt) was sunk by German bombing in
56-23N, 15-28W.
The entire crew was rescued by armed merchant cruiser
ESPERANCE BAY and destroyer WILD SWAN.
_____
Naples was bombed by British Malta
based bombers.
Italian battleship CESARE was damaged by three near misses, but later
repaired at La Spezia.
Battleship
VENETO, escorted by the 19th
Destroyer Division, was sent to La Spezia to take her out of the reach
of Malta bombers.
_____
Force A refuelled destroyers at
Suda Bay, arriving at 1230. The Force
departed at 1400.
Force B, the British GLOUCESTER force, arrived at
Malta during the morning and
disembarked their troops.
Destroyer JANUS remained at
Malta for docking.
Force B then departed to join the EXCESS convoy.
Australian light cruiser SYDNEY, completed of her refit, departed
Valletta, escorted by Australian
destroyer STUART. These ships rendezvoused with Force D. They all then joined
Force A at 1030/9th southeast of Malta.
Light cruiser SYDNEY and destroyer STUART were detached from Force A
at 1240 for Alexandria.
Force D was detached from Force A at 1330 to cover the convoys and
provide anti-aircraft support for convoy ME.6 on the 10th.
_____
Convoy AS.10 of seven British and three other ships, escorted by five
Greek destroyers, departed
Piraeus, and arrived at Suda Bay on the 8th and at Port Said on the 10th.
_____
Convoy HG.50 departed
Gibraltar escorted by corvettes GERANIUM and JONQUIL until
12 January.
On the 12th, the corvettes were relieved by sloop
SCARBOROUGH.
French corvette LA MALOUINE joined the conovy on the 20th. On the 21st,
destroyers HESPERUS, JACKAL, MALCOLM, SHIKARI, SKATE,
SKEENA, corvete ARABIS,
anti-submarine trawler WELLARD joined the convoy. Corvette ARABIS was
detached on the 23rd and destroyer SKATE on the 24th, and arrived at Liverpool on the 26th.
Thursday, 9 January
Convoy FS.384
departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOLFHOUND and sloop EGRET. Patrol
sloops GUILLEMOT and SHELDRAKE were with the convoy on the 10th, and arrived at Southend on the 11th.
_____
Naval drifter DUSKY QUEEN (40grt) was lost when she ran aground in the
Dover Straits.
_____
Minesweeper SALTBURN was damaged by the near miss of a German air bomb
in Portsmouth dockyard.
The minesweeper spent no time out of service.
_____
Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, escorted by RENOWN, SHEFFIELD, destroyers
FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FURY, FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE, flew five Swordfish of 821X
Squadron to Malta.
A Swordfish of 818 Squadron, returning from a diversionary raid on
Cagliari, force landed in the sea 130
miles from the Fleet. Lt A. H. Appleton and Sub Lt R. I. W. Goddard were
rescued by destroyer FOXHOUND.
Two Italian bombers were shot down by a Fulmar of 808 Squadron. One
crewman from one bomber was picked up by destroyer FOXHOUND; two crew of the
other bomber were picked up by destroyer FORESTER.
Force H reversed course and returned to
Gibraltar after the EXCESS convoy was
joined by light cruisers
GLOUCESTER and SOUTHAMPTON and destroyer ILEX off Cape Bon.
At that time, light cruiser BONAVENTURE and destroyer JAGUAR were detached
to Malta and returned to the force
shortly before dusk that evening.
_____
Submarine PANDORA sank Italian steamers
PALMA (2715grt) and VALDIVAGNA
(5400grt) in 39-15N, 9-44E off Cape Carbonara, Sardinia.
_____
Submarine PARTHIAN (4208grt) sank Italian steamer CARLO MARTINOLICH
(4208grt) in 38-28N, 16-44E off
Calabria.
_____
Submarine ROVER unsuccessfully attacked a small steamer with artillery
in 32-23N, 23-21E.
_____
Greek submarine NEREUS unsuccessfully attacked a steamer off
Brindisi.
_____
Greek submarine TRITON unsuccessfully attacked an Italian submarine
off Otranto.
_____
Italian coastal steamer GIOVANNI MARI (636grt) was sunk on a mine
twelve miles from Bardia.
_____
Italian destroyers ASCARI, CARABINIERE, FOLGORE, FULMINE bombarded
Greek positions at
Porto
Palmermo, Albania.
_____
Italian submarine BEILUL fired torpedoes at two ships in a convoy in
35-25N, 26-28E.
_____
U.105 sank British steamer BASSANO (4843grt) in 57-57N, 17-42W.
One crewman was lost. The rest of the crew and passengers were rescued
by destroyer WILD SWAN and armed merchant cruiser
ESPERANCE BAY.
_____
Italian submarine GLAUCO reported shelling an 8000 ton steamer in 53N,
17W.
The submarine claimed two shell hits, but no confirmation is
available.
_____
British steamer
DORSET COAST (646grt) was damaged on a
mine in 51-24N, 3-08W.
The steamer was brought into Penarth Dock.
_____
French trawler URANIA departed
Saint Pierre et Miquelon for Casablanca on 28 December.
The trawler was intercepted by a British ocean boarding vessel on the
9th and sent into
Gibraltar arriving on the 11th.
Friday, 10 January
Direction finding readings 300 miles west of Bloody Foreland caused a
sortie from Scapa Flow. Battlecruisers HOOD (VA
BCS) and REPULSE, light cruisers
EDINBURGH (VA 18th CS) and BIRMINGHAM, destroyers SOMALI, BEDOUIN,
TARTAR, ESKIMO, ESCAPADE, ECLIPSE departed Scapa Flow at 0101 on the 11th.
When no contact was made, the ships arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 0100/13th.
Before arriving, battlecruiser HOOD was detached to Rosyth for
refitting. She was joined by destroyers
ECHO, ELECTRA, KEPPEL, which
departed Scapa Flow at 2300/12th, in
Pentland Firth and arrived at Rosyth on the
13th.
_____
Minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE laid mines in minefield ZME.14 in St
Georges Channel during the night of 10/11 January.
_____
Destroyer JACKAL departed
Scapa Flow at 1000 for Devonport
following a short series of exercises.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa Flow to escort convoy WN.66 from
Pentland Firth to the latitude of Buchan
Ness.
The ship arrived back at
Scapa Flow on the 11th.
_____
Convoy OB.272 departed
Liverpool, escorted by destroyer
WESTCOTT, ocean boarding vessel CRISPIN, sloop WELLINGTON, corvettes CANDYTUFT and
HONEYSUCKLE, anti-submarine yacht SURPRISE. The yacht was detached later that
day and the corvettes on the 13th. The remainder of the escort was detached
on the 14th when the convoy dispersed.
_____
Convoy FN.380 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 12th.
_____
Convoy FS.385 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VESPER and
WOOLSTON, and arrived at Southend on the 13th.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship TYNWALD, while fitting out at
Portsmouth, was damaged by German
bombing.
_____
British P/T/Sub Lt W. D. C. Hughes RNVR, P/T/Sub Lt N. A. Koelges
RNVR, were killed when their Swordfish of 812 Squadron crashed near Halton.
_____
British steamer MIDDLESEX (9583grt) was sunk on a mine at 0.8 miles
198° from Flat Holm Island.
The entire crew were rescued.
_____
German tanker NORDMARK replenished German supply ship EUROFELD
(5947grt) at sea.
_____
Dawn - EXCESS convoy escorts encountered Italian torpedo boats VEGA
and CIRCE off Cape Bon. Light cruisers SOUTHAMPTON and BONAVENTURE, escorted by HEREWARD and
JAGUAR, sank VEGA, but BONAVENTURE expended 75% of her ammunition and there
were no reserves in
Alexandria. One rating was killed and
four were wounded, with one dying of wounds on 4 April, in cruiser
BONAVENTURE.
Torpedo boat CIRCE escaped with only splinter damage, but she was
attacked later in the day by
Malta based aircraft.
At 0815, the EXCESS convoy and its escorts, undamaged, joined
Cunningham's Force A.
At 0834, destroyer GALLANT (Lt Cdr C. P. F. Brown) struck a mine off
Pantelleria in 36-27N, 12-11E. The destroyer's bow was blown off.
Fifty eight ratings were killed and twenty five were wounded.
A Fulmar of 806 Squadron from aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS was shot
down sixty miles southwest of
Malta. Sub Lt I. L. F. Lowe was
wounded, but was rescued by destroyer JAGUAR. Naval Airman R. D. Kensett was
killed.
Destroyers HEREWARD and JAGUAR joined Force A.
At 1000, light cruisers
GLOUCESTER and SOUTHAMPTON were ordered
to stand by destroyer GALLANT. Off Malta, the cruisers were detached
at 0500/11th.
Destroyer GALLANT was towed to
Malta by destroyer GRIFFIN and escorted by light cruiser
BONAVENTURE and destroyer MOHAWK.
Anti-aircraft cruiser BONAVENTURE and destroyer JAGUAR remained at
Malta to return to Gibraltar. However, on the 14th, they
sailed with light cruiser ORION to Alexandria. Cruiser BONAVENTURE carried
non essential personnel from aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS. The ships arrived
at Alexandria on the 16th.
At 0800/10th, convoy MW.5 1/2 arrived at
Malta.
On the 10th, convoy ME.6 of steamers VOLO (1587grt), former Italian
RODI (3220grt), PONTFIELD (8290grt), ULSTER PRINCE (3791grt), DEVIS (6054grt),
Norwegian tanker HOEGH HOOD (9351grt), tanker TROCAS (7406grt), oiler
PLUMLEAF (5916grt) departed Malta at 0700 escorted by corvettes PEONY,
SALVIA, GLOXINIA, HYACINTH departed Malta at 0700. Anti-aircraft cruiser
CALCUTTA joined the convoy later in
the day for anti-aircraft support.
Convoy ME.5 1/2 of steamers WAIWERA (10,800grt) and LANARKSHIRE
(9816grt) departed
Malta at 1130 escorted by destroyer
DIAMOND.
Both convoys safely arrived at
Alexandria on the 13th.
Destroyer JANUS departed
Malta at 1200 and joined Force A.
Steamer ESSEX (11,063grt) arrived at
Malta at 2045 escorted by destroyer
HERO.
Heavy cruiser
YORK was detached at 1830 to join the EXCESS convoy.
At 1235 to 1245, heavy air attacks on Cunningham's force in 36-00N,
13-12E. ILLUSTRIOUS was hit by six bombs and was forced to retire to
Malta for repairs escorted by HASTY
and JAGUAR.
Eighty three officers and men were killed on the aircraft carrier. Lt
P. M. Gregory of air staff, A/Sub Lt H. N. Loudon, A/Sub Lt (A) J. Marshall,
Petty Officer Airman J. D. Bushell of 806 Squadron, Lt N. McI. Kemp, Lt (A)
F. S. Beales, Sub Lt (A) A. L. O. Wray RNVR RNVR, of 815 Squadron, Lt E. W.
Clifford, Lt (A) R. G. Skelton, P/Sub Lt (A) A. F. X. Mardel-Ferreira RNVR,
P/T/Sub Lt (A) E. A. Perkins RNVR, of 819 Squadron, T/Lt (E) N. H. Pitts,
Gunner W. R. Anstis, P/Lt A. G. E. Manisty, RM, were killed. Sixty six ship
ratings, A/Flying Officer J. W. Harris, RAF, fifteen RAF ratings, thirty
three FAA ratings were lost. Marshall and Petty Officer N. E. Tallack were
killed when their Skua, which would not start, was destroyed on the deck in
the bombing.
Officers wounded were Cdr G. H. Beale, T/Sub Lt (A) W. H. Clisby RNVR,
of 806 Squadron P/T/Paymaster Sub Lt A. V. Drummond RNVR, Lt G. R. M. Going of
819 Squadron, Boatswain D.B. Howe, Lt H. R.B. Janvrin of 815 Squadron, Lt R.
F. Kipling, Sub Lt (A) I. L. F. Lowe of 806 Squadron, Lt (A) W. D. Morford of
819 Squadron.
Five Swordfish aircraft were destroyed in the bombing and four others
were damaged, but repairable. Five Fulmars of 806 Squadron were lost.
The aircraft carrier arrived at
Malta at 2145.
Battleship WARSPITE was also hit by a bomb, but it did not cause
damage.
Battleship VALIANT was near missed by several bombs. One rating was killed
and two were wounded by splinters.
_____
Italian submarine SETTIMO fired torpedoes at a light cruiser in
35-22N, 16-15E.
Italian submarine SETTIMO attacked British units escorting the EXCESS
convoy that night and into the morning of 12 January, without success.
_____
In Operation MONSOON, aircraft carrier FURIOUS departed
Freetown on the 6th with light cruiser
DELHI and destroyers ISIS and ENCOUNTER.
On the 10th, thirty nine Hurricanes and nine Fulmars were flown off to
Takoradi, the aircraft carrier and light cruiser NEPTUNE departed Takoradi.
The light cruiser was detached to
Lagos for fuelling on the 10th.
The aircraft carrier departed
Freetown on the 16th, escorted by
light cruiser NEPTUNE and destroyers ISIS and ENCOUNTER. The ships proceeded
to Gibraltar due to a shortage of fuel in
the ships.
Aircraft carrier FURIOUS arrived back in the
Clyde on 5 February and began
refitting at Greenock.
_____
Convoy SL.62 departed
Freetown escorted by armed merchant
cruiser PRETORIA CASTLE to 28 January.
On the 28th, corvette MALLOW and anti-submarine trawlers NORTHERN
PRIDE and ST ELSTAN joined to 3 February.
Destroyers JACKAL to 1 February, SALADIN, SKATE and corvette KINGCUP joined
on the 30th and destroyers SARDONYX and SCIMITAR and corvette ANEMONE joined
on the 31st, and arrived at
Liverpool on 3 February.
_____
Convoy
SLS.62 departed
Freetown. The convoy was escorted by
sloop FOLKESTONE from 25 January to 4 February.
On the 30th, destroyer VOLUNTEER and corvette TULIP joined the convoy
and escorted it to 4 February.
_____
French steamer CANTAL (3178grt) departed Fort de France for
Casablanca on 28 December.
The steamer was intercepted by British ocean boarding vessel MARON at
29-35N, 21-20W and sent to
Gibraltar, arriving on the 14th.
The steamer was sent to
England in convoy HG.57 on 24 March.
_____
Convoy BS.12B departed
Suez, escorted by sloops CLIVE and
GRIMSBY, and arrived at
Port Sudan on the 13th.
Saturday, 11 January
In German bombing attacks on the Vosper yard at
Portsmouth, Motor torpedo boats MTB.37, MTB.39, MTB.40, MTB.74, MTB.75, MTB.108 were destroyed on the
stocks.
_____
Convoy FN.381 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 13th.
_____
Naval drifter UBEROUS (92grt, Skipper M. M. Anderson
RNR) was lost when she ran
aground off Londonderry.
_____
Convoy rescue ship BEACHY (1600grt) was sunk by German bombing in
53-29N, 16-24W.
Five crew were killed. Anti submarine trawler ARAB rescued the
survivors of the ship on the 29th.
_____
Swedish steamer BERTHA (1216grt) was sunk by mining between Saltholm
and Middelgrund.
Thirteen crew were rescued. Four crew were missing.
_____
British tanker BRITISH FIDELITY (8465grt) was damaged on a mine in
51-22N, 3-05W.
The tanker's engines were totally disabled. She was towed to
Cardiff.
_____
British steamer GREYFRIARS (1142grt) was damaged by German bombing one
mile west of 59A Buoy, off Grimsby.
Five crew were lost.
The steamer drifted ashore near Chapel St Leonards during the night of
11/12 January. The steamer was refloated on the 14th and was towed to
Hull.
_____
British fishing vessel ORIOLE (172grt) was sunk on a British mine two
and a half miles north of Stakken North Point, Faroes.
The entire crew was lost.
_____
Light cruisers
GLOUCESTER and SOUTHAMPTON with
destroyer DEFENDER steaming from Malta to join convoy ME.6 was
attacked by German bombers in 34-54N, 18-24E at 1500.
Light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON was badly damaged at 1605. Light cruiser
GLOUCESTER picked up thirty three
officers and 678 ratings of which four officers and fifty eight ratings were
wounded. Destroyer DIAMOND picked up sixteen wounded ratings.
Light cruisers ORION and
PERTH and destroyers JERVIS and
JANUS were detached at 1645 to assist.
However, destroyers
JUNO and NUBIAN, low on fuel, were
detached to join the convoy. Destroyer HERO joined the Force A screen.
Destroyers MOHAWK and
GRIFFIN, after delivering destroyer
GALLANT, departed Malta to 1700 to assist.
Lt Cdr S. H. Balfour, Lt Cdr J. F. C. Barker-Hahlo, Midshipman G. E.
Davidson, Commissioned Gunner A. W. Davis, Lt (D) D. J. Fairweather, Cdr (E)
R. W. Fyfe, Paymaster Sub Lt C. K. Gray, Lt (E) J. A. Guest, Paymaster
Midshipman A.B. Holmes, T/Paymaster Sub Lt V.B. Lloyd-Smith RNVR, Midshipman
J. M. Mocatta, Surgeon Lt T. J. Morton RNVR, T/Instructor Lt J. E. Oliver,
P/T/Sub Lt L. F. Page
RNR, A/Lt R. H. S. Pemberton, Gunner H. C. Player,
Paymaster Lt N. L. C. Richards, Paymaster Midshipman E. Roynon-Jones, Major
H. E. F. Shackleton, RM, Warrant Engineer F. J. White, fifty nine ratings,
fifteen RAF ratings were killed. Cdr C.B. Tinley, OBE, Commissioned Gunner L.
C. Koester died of wounds on the 17th and 12 January, respectively.
T/A/Surgeon Lt Cdr W. C. Sloan RNVR, was wounded.
Light cruiser
GLOUCESTER was struck on the roof of the
forward 6" director. The bomb passed through five decks without
exploding.
Sub Lt R. H. Basford, SARNVR, one rating, seven Marines were killed on
light cruiser GLOUCESTER and T/Lt (E) J.B. E. Mattei and thirteen ratings
were wounded.
Light cruisers ORION and
PERTH and destroyer JERVIS and
JANUS joined that night. Light cruiser ORION scuttled light cruiser
SOUTHAMPTON.
Light cruiser
GLOUCESTER's Walrus returned to the ship
during the attack. The Walrus ditched alongside destroyer DIAMOND which took
off the crew then scuttled the aircraft.
_____
Battleship BARHAM, aircraft carrier EAGLE, light cruiser
AJAX, destroyers STUART, WRYNECK,
VENDETTA, VAMPIRE, VOYAGER departed Alexandria as Force X to cover the
EXCESS convoy in the
Aegean and later launch an air strike on
Rhodes.
This force joined Force A west of
Crete at 0730/12th.
Force X were sent to
Suda Bay to refuel, where the force
was reinforced by destroyers ILEX, JUNO, HASTY, MOHAWK, GRIFFIN.
After refuelling, battleship BARHAM, aircraft carrier EAGLE, light
cruiser AJAX with destroyers STUART, JUNO, HEREWARD, HASTY, DAINTY
departed Suda
Bay on the 13th. Destroyers ILEX,
WRYNECK, VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, after sweeping in Kithera Strait at dawn joined the Force at
noon.
DestroyersVAMPIRE and VENDETTA were detached to investigate explosions
which proved to be underwater volcanic activity. The destroyers then
patrolled in Kaso
Strait.
Destroyers ILEX and WRYNECK were detached to sweep towards Stampalia
and then with VAMPIRE and VENDETTA proceeded to
Piraeus to escort the EXCESS convoy
to Alexandria.
An air strike scheduled for the evening of 13 January on
Rhodes was cancelled due to poor
weather conditions.
On the 14th, four Swordfish were sent to search the Libyan coast
between Derna and Tolmeita. Lt (A) D. R. Hoar, A/Sub Lt (A) G. J. Woodley
RNVR, Naval Airman H. J. S. Frank of 824 Squadron from aircraft carrier EAGLE
were lost when their Swordfish ditched after running out of fuel. A search by
destroyer MOHAWK did not locate the crew.
Later on the 14th, an air strike of eight Swordfish were flown off to
strike at an Italian convoy, but returned without making contact that
evening.
_____
Convoy BN.12A departed
Aden, escorted by anti-aircraft
cruiser CARLISLE and destroyers KANDAHAR and KIMBERLEY, and arrived at Suez on the 15th.
_____
Convoy HX.102 departed
Halifax, escorted by armed merchant
cruiser VOLTAIRE.
Convoy BHX.102 departed
Bermuda on the 9th escorted by ocean
escort armed merchant cruiser RANPURA. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy
HX.102 on the 15th and the armed merchant cruiser was detached. The convoy was
joined on the 23rd by destroyers WILD SWAN and WITCH, sloop ABERDEEN, corvettes CAMPANULA, FLEUR
DE LYS, GARDENIA, PERIWINKLE. The armed merchant cruiser was detached on the
22nd. Destroyers WILD SWAN and WITCH were detached on the 25th and corvette
GARDENIA on the 27th. On the 28th, sloop ABERDEEN and corvettes CAMPANULA,
FLEUR DE LYS, PERIWINKLE were detached, and arrived at Liverpool on the 29th.
Sunday, 12 January
Italian battleships
VENETO and DORIA, the 3rd Cruiser
Division, eight destroyers, which had put to sea earlier, returned to La Spezia thinking aircraft carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS was still operational.
_____
Battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT, light cruiser
GLOUCESTER, destroyers JERVIS, JANUS,
GREYHOUND, DIAMOND, VOYAGER, HERO, DEFENDER proceeded to Alexandria.
_____
Light cruisers ORION and
PERTH, heavy cruiser YORK, destroyers MOHAWK and GRIFFIN, Force X proceeded to Suda Bay to refuel.
_____
Steamers CLAN CUMMING, CLAN MACDONALD, EMPIRE SONG of the EXCESS
convoy arrived at Pireaus at 1000.
_____
Australian light cruiser SYDNEY passed through the
Suez Canal to return to Australia after duty with the
Mediterranean Fleet.
_____
Netlayer PROTECTOR, having completed laying anti torpedo net at
Bardia, departed for
Alexandria after embarking 1058
prisoners.
_____
Convoy WS.5B departed Avonmouth
with four ships and
Liverpool with six ships on the 7th. The ships were
anchored in Moelfre
Bay from 8 to 11 January, because
fog delayed the departure of the eleven ships of the Clyde section.
Destroyer VANSITTART escorted the
Bristol Channel portion of the convoy.
Heavy cruiser
AUSTRALIA and destroyers HIGHLANDER,
HARVESTER, WITHERINGTON escorted the Liverpool section to Moelfre Bay and provided anti-aircraft
protection with anti-aircraft cruiser NAIAD.
Destroyers
OTTAWA, LEOPARD, CHURCHILL, LINCOLN, WATCHMAN, FEARLESS, BEAGLE,
BRILLIANT escorted the five ships of the Clyde section able to sail.
Destroyer FORESIGHT departed
Liverpool 8 January and joined the
convoy in Moelfre
Bay.
On the 11th, the ships in
Moelfre Bay moved to Belfast Lough to
take on water.
The Clyde section rendezvoused with the other sections on the 12th.
Convoy WS.5B of steamers DUCHESS OF BEDFORD (20,123grt), FRANCONIA (20,175grt),
CAPETOWN CASTLE (27,000grt), NEA HELLAS (16,991grt), ARUNDEL CASTLE
(19,118grt), EMPRESS OF JAPAN (26,032grt), WINDSOR CASTLE (19,141grt),
MONARCH OF BERMUDA (22,424grt), ATHLONE CASTLE (25,564grt), EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA (21,833grt), PENNLAND (16,082grt), BRITANNIC (26, 943grt),
WINCHESTER CASTLE (20,012grt), ORMONDE (14,982grt), DURBAN CASTLE
(17,388grt), SAMARIA (19,597grt), DUCHESS OF RICHMOND (20,022grt), HIGHLAND
CHIEFTAIN (14,135grt), HIGHLAND PRINCESS (14,172grt), DUCHESS OF
YORK (20,021grt).
Escorting the convoy were destroyers WITHERINGTON and LEOPARD to 14
January. Destroyers LINCOLN, VANSITTART, FEARLESS, BRILLIANT, WATCHMAN,
BEAGLE, JACKAL,
LEAMINGTON to 16 January. Destroyers HIGHLANDER and HARVESTER to
16 January.
Anti-aircraft cruisers NAIAD and PHOEBE proceeded with the convoy
until 15 January. Cruiser PHOEBE took steamers MONARCH OF BERMUDA and
CAPETOWN CASTLE to Gibraltar, arriving at 1500/18th.
Steamers MONARCH OF BERMUDA and
CAPETOWN CASTLE embarked the troops which had
been carried by troopship EMPIRE TROOPER.
These two steamers departed
Gibraltar for Freetown on the 19th escorted by
destroyers ISIS, ENCOUNTER, DUNCAN, FEARLESS, FURY. The destroyers joined
aircraft carrier FURIOUS and light cruiser NEPTUNE. They arrived off Gibraltar on the 22nd, but could not
enter due to bad weather. The ships arrived at Gibraltar on the 23rd.
Light cruiser PHOEBE departed
Gibraltar on the 19th to return to
England.
Light cruiser EMERALD departed
Portsmouth.
Battleship RAMILLIES was with the convoy until 17 January. Heavy
cruiser AUSTRALIA and light cruiser EMERALD
remained with the convoy arriving at Freetown on the 25th.
Corvettes ASPHODEL and CALENDULA joined the convoy on the 21st.
Destroyer VELOX joined the convoy on the 22nd and destroyer VIDETTE and
corvette CLEMATIS joined the convoy on the 24th. The convoy departed
Freetown, minus DUCHESS OF YORK, plusBritish steamer
CAMERONIA (16,297grt), escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR and FORESTER, sloop
MILFORD, corvettes CYCLAMEN and
CLEMATIS to 1 February.
Light cruiser EMERALD arrived at Capetown on 8 February with
ATHLONE CASTLE, CAPETOWN, CASTLE, ARUNDEL CASTLE, WINCHESTER CASTLE, DURBAN CASTLE, MONARCH OF BERMUDA, DUCHESS
OF BEDFORD, EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA, EMPRESS OF JAPAN. The light cruiser then on
to Simonstown.
Heavy cruiser
AUSTRALIA with PENNLAND, NEA HELLAS,
BRITANNIC, FRANCONIA,
SAMARIA, CAMERONIA, DUCHESS OF
RICHMOND, ORMONDE,
WINDSOR CASTLE, HIGHLAND PRINCESS, HIGHLAND
CHIEFTAIN arrived at
Durban on 11 February. The convoy
departed Capetown on 12 February, escorted by light cruiser EMERALD and from
Durban on 15 February, escorted by
heavy cruiser
AUSTRALIA. The two sections
rendezvoused off
Durban.
On 21 February, liners EMPRESS OF JAPAN,
WINDSOR CASTLE, ORMONDE, EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA, escorted by light cruiser EMERALD, were detached to Mombasa.
Convoy WS.5B continued to
Suez escorted by heavy cruisers
AUSTRALIA and HAWKINS, arriving on 3
March. Australian sloop
PARRAMATTA was the Red Sea escort for the convoy.
On 22 February, the cruisers were detached to hunt the German heavy
cruiser SCHEER. This duty continued until 26 February.
This section departed
Mombasa on 24 February as convoy WS.5
X escorted by light cruiser ENTERPRISE. Light cruiser CAPETOWN
joined convoy WS.5 X on 27 February and they arrived at Bombay on 3 March.
On 5 March, EMPRESS OF JAPAN and
AQUITANIA departed Bombay escorted by light cruiser
ENTERPRISE. They were joined by light
cruiser DURBAN on 8 March. Light cruiser
ENTERPRISE departed the convoy on 9
March. On 11 March, the convoy arrived at Singapore.
_____
Convoy SC.19 departed
Halifax, escorted by armed merchant
cruiser AURANIA and corvette ARROWHEAD. The corvette was detached the next
day. On the 26th, the armed mechant cruiser was detached and corvettes
HEATHER and PICOTEE, anti-submarine trawler LADY MADELEINE, seaplane carrier
PEGASUS joined the escort. On the 27th, destroyers ANTELOPE and ANTHONY
joined and on the 29th, destroyers JACKAL, SARDONYX, SCIMITAR. Destroyer
JACKAL was detached later that day. On the 30th, destroyers SARDONYX and
SCIMITAR were detached. On the 31st, destroyers ANTELOPE and ANTHONY seaplane
carrier PEGASUS, anti-submarine trawler LADY MADELEINE were detached. On 1
February corvettes HEATHER and PICOTEE were detached and the convoy arrived
at Liverpool on 2 February.
_____
Destroyer MONTGOMERY departed
Scapa Flow at 0900 for Liverpool on completion of working up
exercises.
The destroyer arrived at 1300/13th.
_____
Convoy OB.273 departed
Liverpool, escorted by destroyer
AMBUSCADE, corvettes AUBRETIA, HEARTSEASE, HOLLYHOCK, anti-submarine trawlers
ANGLE, DANEMAN, LADY LILLIAN. The escort was detached when the convoy
dispersed on the 16th.
_____
Convoy FN.382 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 14th.
_____
Convoy FS.386 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VANITY and
WESTMINSTER, and arrived at Southend on
the 14th.
_____
Minelayer TEVIOTBANK, escorted by destroyer INTREPID, laid minefield
BS.49, off the East Coast of England.
_____
British trawler STRATHRYE (212grt) was sunk by a mine in 50-35N,
3-59W.
The entire crew was rescued.
_____
British trawler OYAMA (340grt) was lost to unknown cause in the
North Atlantic.
_____
Norwegian steamer TIJUCA (5498grt) was damaged by mining in 51-23N,
3-10W.
The steamer arrived at Barry.
_____
Convoy BS.12C departed
Port Sudan, escorted by light cruiser
CALEDON and sloops FLAMINGO and HINDUSTAN. The escorts were detached on
the 15th and the convoy arrived at Aden on the 16th.
Monday, 13 January
Battlecruiser REPULSE, light cruisers EDINBURGH and
BIRMINGHAM with destroyers SOMALI,
TARTAR, ESKIMO, BEDOUIN, ESCAPADE, ECLIPSE arrived at Scapa Flow at 0100.
Destroyer ESKIMO was found to have defects to rudder requiring
docking.
_____
Convoy FS.387 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VERSATILE and
VIMIERA, and arrived at Southend on the 16th.
_____
British steamer WOOLER (507grt) was damaged by German bombing at
Victoria Wharf, Plymouth.
The steamer arrived
Southampton in tow on 2 February.
_____
Light cruisers ORION and
PERTH arrived at Piraeus at 0230 to embark passengers
from the EXCESS convoy.
PERTH also embarked a number of RAF
personnel from aircraft carrier EAGLE for Malta.
The cruisers departed at 0600 that morning and proceeded to
Malta.
Tuesday, 14 January
Battleship RODNEY, with destroyers
ECHO, ELECTRA, KEPPEL, arrived
back at Scapa
Flow
after repairing weather damage at Rosyth.
_____
Destroyer PUNJABI arrived at
Scapa Flow after temporary duties in the
Western Approaches.
_____
Destroyer ESKIMO departed
Scapa Flow for Immingham for rudder
repairs.
_____
Destroyer BROADWAY departed
Scapa Flow for the Clyde after completing working up
exercises.
The destroyer arrived at
Greenock at 1600/15th.
_____
Convoy OB.274 departed
Liverpool, escorted by destroyers
VETERAN and WOLVERINE and corvettes ARBUTUS, CAMELLIA, DELPHINIUM, ERICA.
Destroyer BEVERLEY joined on the 15th. The three destroyers were detached on
the 16th. The remainder of the escort was detached on the 17th when the
convoy dispersed.
_____
Convoy FN.383 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 16th.
Convoy FN.384 did not sail.
_____
Minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE laid mines in minefield ZME.15 in St
Georges Channel.
_____
Minesweeper FITZROY was damaged by mining in the
North Sea.
The ship was beached at Harwich. Repair from 30 January to 31 May was
done at Sheerness.
_____
Light cruiser ORION and Australian light cruiser
PERTH
landed troops at
Malta.
Light cruiser
PERTH with machinery defects was
berthed at Malta from 14 to 17 January.
Light cruisers ORION and BONAVENTURE and destroyer JAGUAR departed
Malta for Alexandria, arriving on the 16th.
_____
Convoy AN.12, escorted by five Greek destroyers departed
Port Said for Piraeus with twenty four ships, five
of which were British.
Minesweeper
DERBY was in the escort of convoy
AN.12. On the 17th, the minesweeper was detached to Suda Bay to relieve minesweeper FAREHAM.
Convoy AS.11 departed
Piraeus with ten ships of which three
were British.
Anti-aircraft cruiser
CALCUTTA, escorting convoy AS.11, was
detached at dusk on the 15th to join convoy AN.12 at daylight on the 17th.
Corvettes PEONY and GLOXINIA departed
Suda Bay on the 13th and joined AS.11,
escorting it to
Port Said. The corvettes then proceeded
to Alexandria, arriving 20 January.
_____
Destroyers ILEX, WRYNECK, VENDETTA, VAMPIRE departed
Suda Bay to join the EXCESS convoy.
The destroyers arrived back at
Suda Bay at 0900/16th when it was
found the destroyers were not required.
_____
Submarine ROVER arrived at
Malta from patrol with battery
defects.
_____
Corvettes HYACINTH and SALVIA arrived at
Port Said from EXCESS convoy duty.
On the 16th, the corvettes departed
Port Said escorting two steamers to
Alexandria, where they arrived on the
17th.
_____
Italian submarine CAPPELLINI sank British steamer EUMAEUS (7472grt) at
8-55N, 15-03W.
Twelve crew and about fifteen naval ratings were lost.
Walrus aircraft from seaplane carrier ALBATROSS dropped life rafts to
the survivors.
_____
German raider PINGUIN captured Norwegian oil refinery ships OLE WEGGER
(12,201grt) and SOLGLIMT (12,246grt) and Norwegian whalers
POL VIII (298grt), POL X (354grt), POL IX (354grt), TORLYN (247grt),
GLOBE VIII (297grt),
POL
VII (338grt), THORARINN (249grt)
in 59S, 3W.
Whalers GLOBE VIII,
POL VII, THORARINN escaped to the
Falkland Islands.
_____
German pilot ship BORKUM (280grt) was lost when she was stranded at Hubert
Gat.
_____
New Zealand light cruiser LEANDER
departed Aden for Colombo carrying out an anti raider
patrol en route.
The light cruiser arrived at
Colombo on the 21st and was assigned
to the 4th Cruiser Squadron of the East Indies Station.
