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,
15 January
The British Prime Minister visited battleship KING GEORGE V at
Scapa
Flow.
The Prime Minister was brought from Scrabster on destroyer NAPIER,
arriving at 1240. Minesweepers SHARPSHOOTER and
SPEEDY carried some staff
members to the battleship.
After a luncheon, the battleship, carrying Lord Halifax, the new
British ambassador to the
US,
departed Scapa Flow at 1630 escorted by
destroyers SOMALI, MATABELE, TARTAR, BEDOUIN.
This operation was codenamed PARCEL.
The Prime Minister returned to Scrabster on destroyer NAPIER,
departing at 1600/16th.
_____
Destroyer COTTESMORE departed
Scapa
Flow at 1600 for Aberdeen to escort steamer
LOCHNAGAR
to Stromness, and
rendezvoused at 0100/16th. COTTESMORE arrived back at
Scapa
Flow after the escort duty at
1000/16th.
_____
Destroyers LEGION and
DOUGLAS departed
Scapa
Flow at 0430 to meet armed
merchant cruisers CHITRAL and LETITIA west of Cape
Wrath at noon and escort them to their
patrol positions. On the 16th, the destroyers transferred to armed merchant cruiser
SALOPIAN and escorted her from the patrol position
to
Cape
Wrath.
_____
Convoy FS.388 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer GARTH and sloop
FLEETWOOD, and arrived at Southend on the 17th.
_____
Convoy FS.389 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VIVIEN and
WALLACE,
and arrived at Southend on the 17th.
_____
Sludge vessel MANCUNIUM (1286grt) was sunk on a mine two miles
northeast of Bar Light Vessel,
Mersey.
All crew saved.
_____
British steamer
MAYWOOD
(1823grt) was damaged on a
mine in 51-21N, 3-16W.
The steamer was beached in
Whitmore
Bay, Barry. The steamer was later
taken to Barry for drydocking.
_____
British steamer KARRI (354grt) was damaged by a mine two miles north
of Bar Light Vessel,
Mersey.
One crewman was lost.
The steamer was beached on the 16th at Tranmere. The steamer was taken
to Liverpool
arriving on 10 April for
drydocking.
_____
British trawler STALKER (197grt) was damaged by German bombing in
Hawke Roads, Grimsby.
The trawler anchored in
Hawke
Road, Grimsby. The trawler later sank but
was refloated and repaired.
_____
Submarine TETRARCH departed
Piraeus
after a brief duty with the
Greek submarine base at
Salamis.
_____
Norwegian oil refinery tanker PELAGOS (12,083grt) and whalers
STAR
XXI (298grt), STAR XXII (303grt), STAR XXIII
(357grt), STAR XXIV (361grt), STAR XIX (249grt)
were captured by
German raider PINGUIN in 59S, 3W.
Norwegian whalers
STAR
XIX and STAR XXIV were scuttled when
intercepted by Sloop SCARBOROUGH on 13 March in
45N, 23W.
The rest of the tankers and whalers, less the three whalers which
escaped to the Falklands, captured on 14 and 15 January later arrived in
France.
_____
From the 15th to the 17th of January, German tanker NORDMARK embarked
food stores from captured British refrigerator
ship DUQUESNA (8651grt) at
sea.
The German tanker then took the British ship in tow.
_____
Italian submarine TORELLI sank Greek steamer
NEMEA
(5101grt) in 52-33N, 24-13W
and Norwegian steamer BRASK (4079grt) in 52-45N,
23-59W.
Seventeen crew on steamer
NEMEA were lost. The steamer was abandoned, but was
reboarded on the 16th. Twelve crew was lost on the
steamer BRASK. Survivours
from steamer BRASK were found on the Greek steamer
when she was reboarded.
The Greek steamer later sank.
_____
Convoy HX.103 departed
Halifax,
escorted by battleship ROYAL
SOVEREIGN, destroyer RESTIGOUCHE, corvette
ARROWHEAD. The destroyer and the
corvette were detached the next day.
Convoy BHX.103 departed
Bermuda
on the 13th escorted locally
by armed yacht ELK and ocean escort armed merchant cruiser
MONTCLARE. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy
HX.103 on the 18th and the
armed merchant cruiser was detached.
The battleship was detached on the 26th. On the 27th, destroyer
VANQUISHER and corvettes GENTIAN and VERBENA
joined the convoy and were
detached later that day. On the 28th, destroyers
VISCOUNT,
WHITEHALL,
WINCHELSEA joined the convoy
and were detached on the 31st, and arrived at
Liverpool on 1 February.
_____
Submarine REGENT sank Italian steamer CITTA DI MESSINA (2472grt),
which departed Tripoli on the 11th for Benghazi,
escorted by torpedo boat
CENTAURO, in 32-59N, 14-11E off Benghazi.
Thursday,
16 January
Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS was damaged by German bombing in dock.
Australian light cruiser PERTH, refitting at Malta, was damaged by a
near miss which caused underwater damage aft,
including her propeller shafts.
Destroyer DECOY, which had completed repairs this day from her
November 1940 bombing, was struck by bombs.
British steamer ESSEX (11,063grt) was damaged by German bombing at Malta
during the night of 16/17
January.
Steamer ESSEX was damaged further by German bombing on 9 March.
Light cruiser
PERTH
departed Malta at 2200/16th and arrived at
Alexandria at 1400/18th.
_____
Battleship BARHAM, aircraft carrier EAGLE, light cruiser
AJAX
and destroyers STUART,
DAINTY, HASTY,
GRIFFIN
departed Suda Bay to return to Alexandria. They
were joined outside the
net by destroyers VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, WRYNECK from
Piraeus. Force X, less destroyers
DAINTY, HASTY, WRYNECK, arrived at 0700/18th. The
three destroyers arrived a
half hour later.
Aircraft carrier EAGLE was out of action, her speed reduced to sixteen
knots, due to problems with leaking stern glands.
_____
Heavy cruiser
YORK and destroyers ILEX, WRYNECK, VENDETTA, VAMPIRE
departed Suda
Bay
to make an anti-submarine
sweep in the Kaso
Strait
before convoy AN.12's
arrival.
_____
Submarine URSULA departed
Gibraltar
for patrol in the Gulf of Genoa. She arrived at
Malta on the 29th.
_____
Submarine PARTHIAN departed
Piraeus
after a brief duty with the
Greek submarine base at
Salamis.
_____
Convoy US008/1 departed Colombo for Suez with Norwegian steamer
CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS (16,287grt), British steamers
CITY
OF LINCOLN (8039grt),
DEVONSHIRE (11,275grt), DILWARA (11,080grt),
DOMINION MONARCH (27, 155grt),
Dutch steamers INDRAPOERA (10,825grt), JOHAN DE
WITT (10,474grt), Egyptian
steamer KHEDIVE ISMAIL (7290grt), British steamers
LANCASHIRE (9557grt),
NEVASA (9213grt), Dutch steamers NIEUW HOLLAND
(11,066grt) and SLAMAT
(11,636grt), British steamers RAJULA (8478grt),
ROHNA (8602grt), THURLAND
CASTLE (6372grt).
_____
Minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE, entering
Liverpool
Bay from Milford Haven, struck a
mine.
The damaged cruiser was assisted by tugs.
The cruiser was under repair at
Liverpool
from 23 January to 27 June.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa
Flow at 1100 to meet convoy WN.69
in Pentland
Firth.
The ship returned to
Scapa Flow after the escort duty at 2230/16th.
_____
Convoy FN.385 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 18th.
_____
Minesweeping trawler DESIREE (213grt, P/Skipper E. L. Fiske
RNR)
was sunk on a mine in the
Thames Estuary.
There were no casualties on the trawler.
_____
U.106 sank British steamer ZEALANDIC (10,578grt) in 58-28N, 20-43W.
The entire crew and all passengers were lost. Among the passengers was
Lt F. J. Wood en route to duty in CEREBUS II, Lt
G. W. Holden, two Australian
ratings.
Destroyer LEGION was detached from the escort of armed merchant
cruiser SALOPIAN to assist, but no contact was
made.
The destroyer arrived at
Scapa Flow
at 2200/21st.
_____
Italian submarine TORELLI sank Greek steamer NICOLAOS FILINIS
(3111grt) in 53N, 24W.
Three crew were lost.
_____
U.96 sank British steamer OROPESA (14,118grt) in 56-28N, 12W.
Ninety nine crew, one gunner, six passengers were lost. Included in
the passengers lost were T/Sub Lt (E) S. Milliken
RNR,
T/A/Sub Lt (E) T. M.
Phillips RNR, en route to join armed merchant cruiser QUEEN OF
BERMUDA.
_____
Greek steamer MEANDROS (4581grt) was badly damaged by German bombing
in 55-15N, 11-40W.
All crew were rescued.
The steamer was taken in tow, but lost touch with H. M. ship during
night. The wreck was subsequently sunk by a Royal
Navy ship.
_____
Dutch tanker ONOBA (6256grt) was sunk by German bombing in 55-55N,
12-24W.
The entire crew was rescued.
_____
British steamer GLADONIA (360grt) was damaged by German bombing off
Sunk Light Vessel.
_____
British steamer ROMSEY (509grt) was damaged on a mine in 51-41N,
5-09W.
The steamer was beached in
Dale
Road.
_____
British steamer SKJOLD (1345grt) was damaged by German bombing north
of Lundy
Island.
_____
British steamer LLANWERN (4966grt) was damaged by German bombing at
Avonmouth.
_____
French light cruiser LAMOTTE PICQUET escorted by sloops AMIRAL CHARNER
and DUMONT D'URVILLE and old sloops TAHURE and
MARNE
as Task Force 7 sortied from Saigon.
Friday,
17 January
Light cruiser NAIAD arrived at
Scapa
Flow after duty escorting convoy
WS.5B.
_____
Corvette RHODODENDRON was damaged by mining in
Liverpool
Harbour.
The corvette was repaired in three months at
Liverpool.
_____
Convoy FN.386 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 19th.
_____
Convoy FS.390 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer
VERDUN
and sloop EGRET, and arrived
at Southend on the 19th.
_____
U.96 sank British steamer ALMEDA
STAR
(14,935grt) in 58-16N,
13-40W.
All crew, gunners, passengers were lost. The passengers included 142
Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy officers and ratings and
thirty five other ratings
en route to Piarco,
Trinidad for duty in the Fleet Air Arm base HMS GOSHAWK.
Lt Cdr N. G. R. Crawford, Lt J. C.B. Boucher, Lt
A. W. N. Dayrell, DSC, of
the Instructional Staff, Lt (A) G. V. Aylott and
T/Lt (A) R. V. Wrightson
RNVR, of 749 Squadron, T/Lt (A) G. A. Alderson
RNVR, T/Lt (A) P. G.
Aldrich-Blake RNVR, T/Lt (A) L. F. Findlay RNVR,
T/Lt (A) G. Williamson RNVR,
T/Sub Lt (A) C. J. Davis RNVR, T/Sub Lt (A) D. F.
A. McBain RNVR, of 750
Squadron, Lt (A) M. D. Donati, Sub Lt (A) M. H. N.
Allen, T/Lt (A) R. W.
Anderson RNVR, T/Lt (A) J. Carr RNVR, T/Lt (A) H.
C. Friday RNVR, T/Lt (A) E.
M. Lamb RNVR, T/Lt (A) W. A. Richardson RNVR,
T/Sub Lt (A) J. S. Rowson RNVR,
P/T/Sub Lt (A) M. A. Manuel RNVR, P/T/Sub Lt (A)
T. H. Trubridge RNVR, of 752
Squadron, eighty two ratings from GOSHAWK,
including Chief Petty Officer
Airman A. W. Dicks, Petty Officer Airmen S. E.
Andrews, W. S. Bath, I. H.
Cook,B. W. A. Evans, E. G. Paksell, thirty nine
ratings, including Petty
Officer Airman D. A. C. Wynell-Sutherland, from
DAEDALUS were lost.
Destroyer
DOUGLAS was detached from the escort of armed merchant cruiser SALOPIAN to
assist, but was low on fuel and had to proceed to
Scapa
Flow, arriving at 2200. Destroyer
ST ALBANS, also escorting cruiser SALOPIAN, was
sent in her place.
Destroyers BEAGLE and BRILLIANT, after escorting convoy WS.5B,
refuelled at Londonderry and were sent to search and sweep in the area.
Destroyers SOMALI, MATABELE, BEDOUIN, TARTAR, completing their escort
of battleship KING GEORGE V, were ordered to carry
out an anti-submarine
search along the latitude of 58 N, north of
Rockall. If no results were
obtained, the destroyers were then ordered to
return to
Scapa
Flow.
On the 18th, destroyer BEAGLE was detached to escort steamer JAMAICA
PLANTER clear of the danger zone to the Minches.
The destroyer then arrived
at Scapa
Flow
at
0700/20th.
At 0700/20th, an unsuccessful attack was made on a submarine contact
in 59-40N, 17-52W by the SOMALI group.
At 0802 on the 21st, destroyer TARTAR attacked a submarine contact.
Destroyer BRILLIANT arrived at
Scapa
Flow at 1100/22nd.
Destroyer SOMALI developed hull defects on the 22nd. This, all the
destroyers low on fuel, caused the 6th Destroyer
Flotilla destroyers to
proceed to Loch Alsh, arriving at 1830/22nd.
The destroyers were able to depart Loch Alsh at 1815/23rd to return to
Scapa
Flow,
arriving
at 0500/24th.
_____
Destroyers LANCASTER departed
Portsmouth
and BRIGHTON departed Plymouth en route to Scapa
Flow for working up exercises.
Destroyer
BRIGHTON arrived at 1630/19th.
Destroyer LANCASTER, after being held up by bad weather, arrived at Scapa
Flow at 1200/21st.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa
Flow at 1130 to meet convoy WN.70.
However, the convoy was delayed and the ship was
recalled to Scapa Flow, arriving at 1430.
_____
British tanker ATHELDUKE (8966grt) was damaged on a mine in 51-21N,
3-20W.
The tanker was beached in
Whitmore
Bay.
_____
Norwegian steamer THOROY (2671grt) was damaged by German bombing at
Avonmouth.
_____
Panamanian tanker NORVIK (9555grt) was damaged by German bombing at Swansea.
_____
Norwegian steamer NOVASLI (3204grt) was damaged by German bombing in
the drydock at
Swansea.
_____
Operation BLUNT was to have taken place. This was a raid on Kaso by
naval forces and Commando troops from
Crete.
The operation was postponed for twenty four hours.
Heavy cruiser
YORK and destroyers ILEX, MOHAWK,
JUNO,
HEREWARD for the operation
were operating north of Kaso Straits.
Minesweeper
FAREHAM stood by at
Candia.
On the 18th, the operation was cancelled.
Heavy cruiser
YORK proceeded to
Piraeus
for escort duty with convoy
AN.12. The destroyers returned to Alexandria.
_____
Destroyers GREYHOUND, JANUS, DEFENDER departed
Alexandria
to escort convoy AS.12 from Piraeus to Port Said.
_____
Convoy AS.11 arrived at
Port
Said escorted by corvettes PEONY
and GLOXINIA.
_____
Corvettes HYACINTH and SALVIA departed
Port
Said with two merchant ships for Alexandria
arriving that day.
_____
Monitor TERROR and gunboat APHIS departed
Alexandria
at 1800 for Operation IS 1,
the bombardment of Tobruk during the nights of
18/19 and 19/20 January.
Light cruiser ORION, anti-aircraft cruiser BONAVENTURE, destroyers
JERVIS, NUBIAN, HERO departed
Alexandria
at 0400/18th to support this
operation. The cruisers operated northeast of
Tobruk and the destroyers to
the west.
Bad weather postponed the operation for twenty four hours.
Monitor TERROR and gunboats GNAT and LADYBIRD bombarded positions at
Marsa el Shal near Tobruk during the night of
20/21 January.
_____
Convoy HG.51 departed
Gibraltar, escorted by sloop FOLKESTONE. Destroyer
FIREDRAKE joined the escort on the 18th and
continued with the convoy until
20 January.
On the 30th, destroyer VOLUNTEER and corvettes BLUEBELL and CANDYTUFT
joined the escort. Sloops EGRET and
LONDONDERRY
joined on the 31st. Destroyer
WESTCOTT was involved in local escort duties near
the destination, and
arrived on 3 February at
Liverpool.
_____
French submarine ATALANTE arrived at
Oran
after departed Toulon on the 14th. The submarine
departed Oran
on 18 February and arrived at
Casablanca on the 20th.
_____
Convoy BN.13 departed
Aden,
escorted by light cruiser CALEDON, destroyer
KIMBERLEY, sloops FLAMINGO, INDUS, PARRAMATTA,
SHOREHAM, gunboat CRICKET.
The destroyer, sloop SHOREHAM, the gunboat were
detached on the 18th, sloop PARRAMATTA on the
20th, light cruiser CALEDON and sloop INDUS on the
21st, sloop FLAMINGO
on the 22nd. Sloop CLIVE joined on the 22nd and
the convoy arrived at Suez on the 24th.
_____
A French force led by light cruiser LAMOTTE PICQUET attacked a force
of Siamese warships in Indo Chinese waters.
Without loss to themselves, the French damaged Siamese coastal defense
ships SRI AYUTHIA and DONBURI and sank torpedo boats TRAD,
SONGHKLA, CHOMBURI during operations in the Kho
Chang Archipelago in the Gulf
of Siam.
Defense ship DONBURI was badly damaged and stranded. When the ship was
towed off, she sank.
Defense ship
SRI AYUTHIA was torpedoed by LAMOTTE PICQUETT and
beached in the River Chantaboum.
Saturday,
18 January
Destroyer CASTLETON, under repair at
Portsmouth,
was damaged by near misses
of German bombing.
_____
Destroyers KELLY, KIPLING,
KASHMIR,
JACKAL arrived at Plymouth from Greenock for
anti-submarine duties.
_____
Convoy OB.275 departed
Liverpool,
escorted by destroyers
MONTGOMERY, WILD SWAN, WITCH, sloop ABERDEEN,
corvettes CAMPANULA, FLEUR
DE LYS, GARDENIA, PERWINKLE. The escort was
detached when the convoy
dispersed on the 22nd.
_____
Convoy FS.391 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VALOROUSD and
VORTIGERN, and arrived at Southend on the 20th.
_____
Armed merchant cruiser ASTURIAS captured Vichy French steamer MENDOZA
(8199grt) sixty miles east of
Montevideo.
The steamer was taken to
Freetown,
arriving on 1 February.
_____
British tanker BRITISH UNION (6987grt) was sunk by German raider
KORMORAN at 26-34N, 30-58W.
Thirty six crew were taken prisoner. Eight crew were rescued and one
died.
_____
Norwegian tanker SANDEFJORD (8038grt) was captured in the
South
Atlantic by German heavy cruiser
ADMIRAL SCHEER.
_____
Greek steamer CHELATROS (3489grt) was damaged by German bombing at Swansea.
_____
German steamer GODFRIED BUEREN (4664grt) was sunk on a mine in the Kattegat.
_____
Light cruiser
GLOUCESTER
departed Alexandria at 0500 for Port Said to hoist
out her DCT which
was damaged in the 11 January bombing.
The DCT was found beyond repair. Light cruiser
GLOUCESTER
departed Alexandria on 13 February for Port Said
where damaged light cruiser LIVERPOOL's DCT was
fitted on GLOUCESTER.
_____
Sub Lt A. S. Griffith was killed when his Fulmar of 806 Squadron from
aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS was shot down off
Malta.
A second Fulmar of the Squadron was also shot down on this date, but
the crew was rescued.
_____
Italian steamer LELIO (1384grt) was sunk on a mine at
La
Spezia.
_____
Convoy BS.12 D.departed Port Sudan, escorted by destroyer
KIMBERLEY
and sloop YARRA. The convoy
was dispersed off
Aden
on the 20th.
Sunday,
19 January
Light cruiser GALATEA, repairing since 17 October at
Chatham,
departed Sheerness.
The light cruiser arrived at
Scapa Flow
on the 20th to rejoin the
Fleet.
CS.2 transferred to light cruiser GALATEA on the 23rd.
_____
Destroyer BOREAS, under repair at
London,
was damaged by German
bombing.
_____
Corvette HONEYSUCKLE was damaged by mining off Bar Light Vessel.
The corvette was repaired in three months at
Liverpool.
_____
Convoy OG.50 departed
Liverpool escorted by destroyers MALCOLM, SHIKARI, SKATE,
sloop DEPTFORD, corvettes ARABIS and LA MALOUINE,
anti-submarine trawlers
LADY ELSA, WELLARD, ZENO, ocean boarding vessel
MARSDALE.
The destroyers, corvettes, trawlers were detached on the 20th and the
ocean boarding vessel on the 22nd.
Sloop DEPTFORD escorted the convoy through to
Gibraltar,
arriving on the 31st.
_____
Convoy FN.387 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 21st.
_____
Convoy FN.388 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 21st.
_____
British steamer
BONNINGTON
COURT (4909grt) was sunk by German
bombing 9.5 cables 275° from Sunk
Light Vessel.
Two crew were lost.
_____
Dutch steamer DIANA (312grt) was sunk by a mine in 51-18N, 3-10W.
Two crew were rescued.
_____
British steamer ZELO (2294grt) was damaged by German bombing off Sunk
Light Vessel.
_____
Italian submarine NEGHELLI attacked Greek destroyer PSARA in the
Aegean.
Anti-aircraft cruiser
CALCUTTA
and destroyers GREYHOUND,
DEFENDER, JANUS departed
Piraeus
at 0800 escorting convoy
AS.12 of steamers CLAN CUMMING (7264grt), CLAN
MACDONALD (9653grt), EMPIRE
SONG (9228grt) from Pireaus to Alexandria.
British steamer CLAN CUMMING was damaged by a torpedo at 1153 from
Italian submarine NEGHELLI off
Piraeus
near San Giorgio Island in
37-15N, 24-04E.
The steamer was able to arrive back at
Piraeus
at 1900 under its own steam
with torpedo damage forward, escorted by destroyer
JANUS.
The submarine was sunk by destroyer GREYHOUND off
Crete.
The other two ships of the convoy arrived at
Port
Said on the 21st.
Anti-aircraft cruiser
CALCUTTA
and destroyers GREYHOUND, JUNO, DEFENDER proceeded
to Alexandria.
_____
Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS in dock at
Valletta,
Malta, was damaged by two misses of
air bombs.
The aircraft carrier was thrown against the wharf and sustained damage
below the water line. Her port turbine was
fractured and the boiler room
flooded.
Destroyer IMPERIAL in dock from her October mining was near missed,
but not damaged when debris from the dock was
blown into the dock.
A Fulmar of 806 Squadron from ILLUSTRIOUS was shot down after shooting
down a JU 87. Lt R. S. Henley and Naval Airman A.
S. Rush were both picked
up.
_____
On the 19th, operation IS 1 was cancelled due to bad weather.
The cruisers and destroyers were withdrawn for other operations and
proceeded to Suda
Bay.
Gunboat APHIS was having problems with the weather. Two destroyers and
an aircraft were sent to assist her.
The gunboat was found at 1300 off
Damietta.
Destroyer GRIFFIN escorted the gunboat to Port
Said arriving at 0700/20th.
Gunboat APHIS was under repair until 27 January at
Port
Said.
_____
Convoy AN.12 arrived at
Piraeus
on the 18th. Escorting heavy
cruiser YORK also arrived at
Piraeus.
_____
Light cruiser
AJAX
departed Alexandria for Suda Bay.
_____
Destroyer DECOY, under repair in dock at
Malta,
was damaged by German
bombing.
However, her completion was not delayed.
_____
Convoy BS.13 departed
Suez.
The convoy was joined on the
20th by sloops CLIVE and
GRIMSBY.
The sloops were relieved on
the 22nd by light cruiser
CALEDON
and sloops FLAMINGO, INDUS, PARRAMATTA. The convoy
was dispersed on
the 27th.
_____
Convoy
SLS.63 departed
Freetown,
and arrived at Liverpool on 13 February.
Monday,
20 January
A possible breakthrough of a German raider through the Iceland-Faroes
passage was detected by W/T traffic.
Light cruisers ARETHUSA and
NIGERIA
departed Scapa Flow for patrol at 0600.
_____
Light cruiser AURORA and destroyers ESCAPADE, ECLIPSE,
ECHO,
ELECTRA departed Scapa Flow at 1030 to meet
battleship
PRINCE OF WALES off
Liverpool.
When the battleship's departure was delayed until 25 January, the
escort ships were ordered back to
Scapa Flow,
arriving at 0815/20th.
_____
Convoy OB.276 departed
Liverpool,
escorted by destroyers
ANTELOPE and ANTHONY, corvettes ORCHIS and
PICOTEE, seaplane carrier PEGASUS,
anti-submarine trawlers ARAB, AYRSHIRE, LADY
MADELEINE. Corvette PICOTEE was
detached on the 23rd and the remainder of the
escort on the 24th when the
convoy dispersed.
_____
Destroyer BELMONT departed
Scapa Flow
at 1715 for Liverpool after completing her working
up exercises.
The destroyer arrived at 1000/22nd.
_____
Minesweeping trawler RELONZO (245grt, T/Skipper A. E. Slater
RNR)
was sunk on a mine in Crosby
Channel, liverpool.
Slater, T/Skipper W. Copeman
RNR,
seventeen ratings were lost
on the trawler.
_____
Dutch steamer BARNEVELD (5597grt) was captured by German heavy cruiser
ADMIRAL SCHEER at 1200 miles from
Freetown
in 7S, 3E.
T/Instructor Lt C. L. Broad, BSc, en route to light cruiser AJAX,
Surgeon Lt Cdr W. Greaves MB,
CHB,
en route to destroyer depot
ship WOOLWICH, Lt A. R. Cheyne, en route to
submarine depot ship MEDWAY, were
captured and made prisoners of war.
The steamer was sunk the next day by the heavy cruiser.
_____
Dutch steamer HEEMSKERK (6516grt) was badly damaged by German bombing
in 53-43N, 16-07W.
Eight crew were missing. The rest were rescued.
The steamer sank on the 21st.
_____
British steamer TREGARTHEN (5201grt) was damaged by German bombing in
55-54N, 7-00W.
The steamer arrived at Oban.
_____
U.94 sank British steamer FLORIAN (3174grt) in the
North
Atlantic west of the Faroes.
_____
Italian submarine MARCELLO sank Belgian steamer
PORTUGAL
(1550grt) in 50N, 19W.
Steamer
PORTUGAL
reported missing after 20
January. German intelligence identified this ship
as Greek steamer ELENI
(5655grt).
_____
British steamer VASCO (2878grt) was damaged by German bombing at
Pireaus.
One crewman was killed and eight were wounded.
_____
British steamer STANPARK (5103grt) was sunk German heavy cruiser
ADMIRAL SCHEER at 9-27S, 3-00W.
The entire crew was taken prisoner.
_____
Destroyer GALLANT, which had been mined on the 10th, was paid off into
dockyard hands after damage by German bombing in
Malta
Harbour.
The anti-aircraft guns from destroyer GALLANT were fitted on store
ship BRECONSHIRE.
_____
For Operation MBD 2, also called Operation INSPECTION, the extraction
of damaged aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS from
Malta,
the following forces were
organised.
Force A - Destroyers JERVIS (D.14),
JUNO,
JANUS, GREYHOUND to operate
in the vicinity of
Suda
Bay.
Force A departed
Suda
Bay on the 21st for Malta.
Force B - Light cruisers ORION (VA LF) and
AJAX,
anti-aircraft cruiser
BONAVENTURE, heavy cruiser
YORK
and destroyers ILEX (D.2) and
HERO to operate in the vicinity of Suda Bay.
Force C - Battleships BARHAM and VALIANT, light cruiser PERTH,
destroyers STUART, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, HASTY, DIAMOND,
GRIFFIN came to short
notice at Alexandria.
On the arrival of the convoy AS.12 escorts at
Alexandria,
destroyer HEREWARD relieved
destroyer STUART in the Force C screen.
_____
Convoy AN.13 departed
Alexandria
at 1800 escorted by anti-aircraft
cruiser COVENTRY
and destroyers WRYNECK and
VENDETTA with British steamers ULSTER PRINCE
(3791grt), LANARKSHIRE
(9816grt), PORT HALIFAX (5820grt).
Corvettes SALVIA and HYACINTH proceeded in company to establish a
patrol in the Kithera Straits
The Kithera Straits patrol began on the 22nd with the corvettes,
anti-submarine trawler KINGSTON CYANITE,
Sutherland aircraft from Scaramanga
in the Piraeus area, and arrived at Suda Bay on
the 22nd and Piraeus on the
23rd.
_____
Anti submarine trawlers SOUTHERN
ISLE
and SOUTHERN MAID of the 22nd
Anti Submarine Group departed Alexandria to
relieve anti-submarine
trawler AMBER at Sollum.
Minesweeping trawlers MILFORD COUNTESS and ARTHUR CAVANAGH and boom
working vessel MAGNET departed also departed
Alexandria
for Sollum to begin work
clearing Tobruk
Harbour.
_____
Convoy SL.63 departed
Freetown
escorted by armed merchant
cruiser CANTON
to 9 February, sloop MILFORD to 24 January,
corvettes
CLEMATIS to 22 January and CYCLAMEN to 24 January.
On 7 February, destroyers ACHATES and ANTELOPE joined. On 8 February,
corvette PICOTEE joined for the day only.
On the 9th, the destroyers were relieved by destroyers ANTHONY for the
day only andGEORGETOWN, sloop FLEETWOOD for the
day only, corvette HEATHER to
10 February, anti-submarine trawler AYRSHIRE for
the day only, and arrived on
10 February.
Tuesday,
21 January
Destroyer INTREPID and submarine SEALION took part in a special
exercise off Blyth.
Following the exercise, destroyers INTREPID and IMPULSIVE converted to
minelayers and sailed to
Scapa Flow to arrive on the 24th.
_____
Destroyer DOUGLAS departed
Scapa Flow
at 1600 for Aberdeen to escort steamer BEN MY
CHREE to Lerwick.
The destroyer was recalled at 2100 was the steamer was delayed by bad
weather. Destroyer DOUGLAS arrived at
Scapa
Flow at 1030/22nd.
The destroyer departed at 1445/23rd to meet the steamer. The steamer
was delayed, but the destroyer was ordered to
await her departure.
The steamer was escorted to Lerwick. Destroyer DOUGLAS was recalled to
Scapa
Flow
at
1900 and arrived at 0230/26th.
_____
Destroyer LEGION in a storm westward of
Cava
Island dragged anchors and fouled
the Hoy Boom.
With the aid of tugs, the destroyer was cleared and she was towed to
an anchorage on the eastern side of the Flow.
_____
Convoy FN.389 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on 23 December.
_____
Minesweeper TEDWORTH was extensively damaged in a gale in the
Clyde.
_____
British steamer
TEMPLE
MEAD (4427grt) was sunk by German
bombing 54-14N, 14-30W.
Fourteen crew were lost.
_____
Tug ENGLISHMAN (487grt) was sunk by German bombing forty miles west of
Tory
Island.
The crew of seventeen and one gunner were all lost.
_____
German steamer BRECHSEE (688grt) was sunk on a mine off
Malmo.
_____
Light cruiser ORION joined heavy cruiser
YORK
at Piraeus.
Light cruiser
AJAX
and anti-aircraft cruiser
BONAVENTURE covered convoy AN.13 through the Kaso
Straits during the night of
21/22 January.
Heavy cruiser
YORK and light cruiser ORION called at
Suda
Bay at 1600/22nd to oil.
At 0800/23rd, heavy cruiser
YORK
and light cruisers ORION, AJAX, BONAVENTURE and
destroyers
ILEX and HERO rendezvoused in 36-00N, 24-02E for
operation MBD 2.
Destroyers JERVIS, JANUS,
JUNO,
GREYHOUND departed Suda Bay for Malta during the
evening of 21
January and arrived on the 22nd.
The 1st Battle Squadron at
Alexandria
remained in harbour until 22
January.
_____
A British attack on Tobruk was supported at sea by monitor TERROR,
gunboats LADYBIRD and GNAT, destroyers STUART,
VAMPIRE, VOYAGER.
_____
During the night of 21/22 January, Australian destroyer VAMPIRE sank
Italian schooner DIEGO (63grt) west of Tobruk.
The destroyer took the crew of ten prisoner.
_____
Convoy HX.104 departed
Halifax,
escorted by armed merchant
cruiser RAJPUTANA and corvettes ARROWHEAD
EYEBRIGHT, SPIKENARD. The armed
merchant cruiser was detached on 21 February.
On 3 February, destroyers ARROW and CHURCHILL and corvettes AUBRETIA
and HOLLYHOCK joined the escort. Destroyer
CHURCHILL and corvette AUBRETIA
were detached on 6 February and the remainder of
the escort on 8 February,
and arrived at Liverpool on 8 February.
Convoy BHX.104 departed
Bermuda
on the 21st escorted by ocean
escort armed merchant cruiser ALAUNIA. The convoy
was routed direct to Liverpool.
Battleship KING GEORGE V escorted the convoy from 31 January to 3
February. The armed merchant cruiser remained with
the convoy until 4
February. On 5 February, destroyers
HAVELOCK,
HESPERUS, LINCOLN, SHIKARI,
SABRE, corvettes CLARKIA and GLADIOLUS,
anti-submarine trawlers NORTHERN WAVE and WELLARD
joined. Destroyer
HAVELOCK and corvette CLARKIA were detached on 7 February.
Destroyers HESPERUS, LINCOLN, SHIKARI were
detached on 8 February. The remaining
corvette and the two trawlers escorted the convoy
into
Liverpool
arriving on 9 February. Anti
submarine trawler
LEEDS UNITED escorted the Milford Haven local section.
Wednesday,
22 January
Light cruisers ARETHUSA and
NIGERIA
arrived at Scapa Flow at 1805 after patrol.
_____
German battlecruisers SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU departed
Kiel
to raid in the North and Central Atlantic in
Operation BERLIN.
British Admiral Tovey departed Scapa Flow at 2320/25th to intercept
with battleships NELSON and RODNEY, battlecruiser
REPULSE, lights cruisers
ARETHUSA, GALATEA, AURORA of the 2nd Cruiser
Squadron, MAURITIUS, NAIAD,
PHOEBE of the 15th Cruiser Squadron, EDINBURGH and
BIRMINGHAM of the 18th
Cruiser Squadron, destroyers BEDOUIN (T/D.6)
MATABELE, TARTAR, PUNJABI,
ESCAPADE, ECHO, ELECTRA, BEAGLE, BRILLIANT, KEPPEL, PIORUN.
On the 27th, battleship RODNEY, light cruisers EDINBURGH,
BIRMINGHAM,
MAURITIUS, destroyers BEAGLE,
BRILLIANT, KEPPEL, PIORUN were directed to return
to Scapa Flow.
Barring developments at sea, the ships would remain at
Scapa
Flow until 30 January when they
would sail to relieve units still on patrol.
Battleship RODNEY, light cruisers EDINBURGH,
BIRMINGHAM,
MAURITIUS, destroyers BRILLIANT and
BEAGLE arrived back at
Scapa Flow at 2345/28th.
Destroyers KEPPEL and PIORUN arrived at
Scapa
Flow at 0700/29th.
On the 30th, light cruisers NAIAD and PHOEBE arrived at
Scapa
Flow at 1105 and light cruisers
GALATEA and ARETHUSA arrived at
Scapa Flow
from patrol at 1125.
Battleships NELSON, battlecruiser REPULSE, destroyers BEDOUIN,
MATABELE, TARTAR, ESCAPADE, ELECTRA,
ECHO,
PUNJABI arrived at Scapa
Flow at 1700/30th after having covered convoy
HX.103 on the 29th.
Light cruiser AURORA arrived back at
Scapa
Flow on the 30th.
_____
Convoy OB.277 departed
Liverpool,
escorted by destroyers
VANQUISHER, VISCOUNT,
WHITEHALL,
WINCHELSEA and corvettes
GENTIAN and VERBENA. The corvettes were detached
on the 26th and the
destroyers on the 27th when the convoy was
dispersed.
_____
Convoy FS.392 departed Methil, and arrived at Southend on the 24th.
Convoy FS.393 cancelled.
_____
Minesweeping trawler LUDA LADY (234grt, Skipper W. F. Sommers
RNR)
was sunk on a mine in the Humber.
The entire crew was rescued.
_____
Naval tug ST CYRUS (810grt, T/A/Lt Cdr P. Allan
RNR)
was sunk on a mine off the Humber.
Allan, T/Lt (E) W. D. Hewitt
RNR,
most of the crew were lost
in the tug.
_____
German torpedo boat T.1 was damaged when she ran aground off
Kristiansand.
T/repairs were done at Horten. She departed on 10 February for
Gotenhafen, where the repairs were completed in
July.
_____
British steamer JAMAICA PLANTER (4098grt) was damaged by a mine 2500
yards 196°
from Neil's Point, Barry Island.
The steamer was beached in
Old
Harbour, Barry. refloated and beached
Whitmore
Bay,
13 February.
_____
Greek steamer KAPETAN STRATIS (3574grt) was sunk by German bombing in
54-34N, 12-08W.
The entire crew was lost.
_____
Tobruk was recaptured by the British.
The Italians scuttled their coastal defense ship
SAN
GIORGIO to prevent it from
falling into British hands.
The operation was supported offshore by monitor TERROR, gunboats
LADYBIRD and GNAT, destroyers STUART, VAMPIRE,
VOYAGER.
Monitor TERROR and gunboat GNAT returned to
Alexandria
late on the 21st.
The gunboat began boiler cleaning.
Destroyer VOYAGER with defects and a damaged anti-submarine dome was
ordered to return to
Alexandria.
Destroyer DEFENDER departed
Alexandria
at 0800/23rd to relieve destroyer
VOYAGER.
_____
Italian liner
LIGURIA
(15,354grt), immobilised
since bombing damage on 5 July, was sunk by
British bombing at Tobruk.
The liner was later salved.
_____
An Italian convoy of passengers ships ESPERIA, CONTE ROSSO, MARCO POLO
and steamer VICTORIA departed Naples for Tripoli
on the 22nd, escorted by
destroyers FRECCIA and SAETTA to Trapani, then
VIVALDI, TARIGO, MALOCELLO, DA
NOLI of the 14th Destroyer Division.
Submarine UNIQUE fired torpedoes at the convoy off Kerkenah. Steamer
ESPERIA was missed in the attack. The convoy did
not know it had been
attacked and arrived safely at
Tripoli
on the 24th.
_____
Convoy SC.20 departed
Halifax,
escorted by armed merchant cruiser
RANPURA and patrol vessel OTTER. The patrol vessel
was detached the next day
and the armed merchant cruiser on 4 February. On 4
February, destroyer
HARVESTER, corvettes ARBUTUS, CAMELLIA, ERICA,
anti-submarine yacht PHILANTE
joined the escort. The escort was detached on 8
February and the convoy
arrived at Liverpool on 8 February.
Thursday,
23 January
Norwegian steamers ELIZABETH BAKKE (5450grt), JOHN BAKKE (4718grt),
TAI SHAN (6962grt), TAURUS (4767grt), RANJA
(6355grt) under the direction of
British Captain R. D. Binney escaped from
Gotenburg in Operation RUBBLE.
Binney, the temporary attache to
Stockholm,
was on steamer TAI SHAN. One
rating from destroyer HUNTER returned to England
aboard the steamer.
The steamers narrowly miss German battlecruisers SCHARNHORST and
GNEISENAU in the
Kattegat.
Light cruisers NAIAD (CS 15) and AURORA departed
Scapa
Flow at 2250/23rd to meet the
ships.
Light cruisers EDINBURGH and
BIRMINGHAM
and destroyers ESCAPADE, ECHO, ELECTRA departed
Scapa Flow at 0130/24th.
The ELIZABETH BAKKE was the fastest of the five and proceeded
independently.
Light cruisers NAIAD and AURORA met steamers TAURUS and TAI SHAN. They
turned these steamers over the CS 18 group and
returned to meet JOHN BAKKE
and RANJA. These two steamers were under air
attack when the cruisers found
them. Steamer RANJA was strafed by a German
aircraft and her First Officer
was wounded.
Steamer TAURUS arrived at
Kirkwall
at 0430/25th escorted by
destroyer ELECTRA.
Steamer TAI SHAN arrived at
Kirkwall
at 0536.
Steamer JOHN BAKKE arrived at
Kirkwall
at 0700 with light cruiser
AURORA.
Steamer ELIZABETH BAKKE arrived at
Kirkwall,
unescorted at 0903.
Destroyer ECHO had been sent to escort the steamer into harbour, but
did not contact her.
Tanker RANJA arrived at
Kirkwall
at 0815 with light cruiser
NAIAD.
The escorting warships all proceeded to
Scapa
Flow arriving during the morning
of 25 January, the destroyers arriving
independently.
_____
Convoy FN.390 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 25th.
_____
Convoy FS.394 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers COTSWOLD and WESTMINSTER,
and arrived at Southend on
the 25th.
_____
Convoy FS.395 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VANITY,
VERSATILE, WALLACE and sloop FLEETWOOD, and
arrived at Southend on the 26th.
_____
Destroyer ATHERSTONE arrived at
Scapa
Flow to work up after repairs.
_____
Destroyer ECLIPSE departed
Scapa Flow
for boiler cleaning at
Rosyth, where she arrived at 0800/24th.
_____
Minesweeping trawler COUTIER (255grt) T/Lt G. Ashton, DSC) was damaged
by mining and brought into Milford Haven.
_____
Minesweeping trawler RONSO (248grt, T/Skipper H. G. Harris
RNR)
was badly damaged on a mine
2.9 miles 49° from South Foreland.
The trawler was repaired and restored to service.
_____
British steamer LURIGETHAN (3564grt) was sunk by German bombing in
53-46N, 16-00W.
Fifteen crew and one gunner were lost on the steamer.
_____
British steamer LANGLEGORSE (4524grt) was sunk by German bombing from
convoy SL.61 in 53-19N, 13-11W.
The entire crew was lost.
_____
British steamer MOSTYN (1859grt) was sunk by German bombing in 54-30N,
14-52W.
Two crew were lost.
A tug was sent to assist on the 25th, but she was unable to locate the
steamer.
_____
During the night of 23/24 January, German minelayers ROLAND, COBRA,
KAISER, SKAGERRAK,
escorted by destroyer
RICHARD BEITZEN and torpedo boats ILTIS and
SEEADLER laid mines off the
British south coast in Operation SW b.
_____
Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS escorted by destroyers JERVIS,
JUNO,
JANUS, GREYHOUND departed Malta.
Cruisers
YORK, ORION,
AJAX,
BONAVENTURE and destroyers
ILEX and HERO under Pridham-Wipple from Suda Bay
were to join the aircraft
carrier.
This movement was covered by battleships BARHAM and VALIANT, light
cruiser PERTH,
destroyers HEREWARD, NUBIAN,
MOHAWK, HASTY, DIAMOND,
GRIFFIN.
On the 24th, the Pridham Wipple force was attacked by German bombing.
Destroyer HERO, which had become detached due to a
breakdown of her steering
gear, was singled out.
Light cruiser
AJAX
was damaged by the near miss
of German bombing in the
Mediterranean.
The damage did not cause the cruiser any time out of service.
No damage was done to any of the ships.
Pridham-Wipple was not located and ILLUSTRIOUS finally joined the main
force.
The forces involved in MBD.2 arrived at
Alexandria
on the 25th.
_____
Monitor TERROR departed
Alexandria
at 1800 for Sollum to rejoin
the Inshore Squadron and later act as
anti-aircraft guard ship at Tobruk.
_____
Operation PARALLAX, the clearing of
Tobruk
Harbour and establishing the port as
a base, began.
Minesweeping trawlers ARTHUR CAVANAGH and MILFORD COUNTESS and boom
working vessel MAGNET were specifically deployed
for PARALLAX.
_____
Destroyer THRACIAN and minelayer
MAN
YEUNG laid mines in the
approaches to Hong Kong.
Friday,
24 January
Battleship KING GEORGE V, which had departed
Scapa
Flow on the 15th, was met in Chesapeake Bay by US
destroyer LANSDALE.
The new British ambassador to the
United
States was safely delivered.
_____
Light cruiser PHOEBE arrived at
Scapa
Flow after escort duty with convoy
WS.5B.
_____
Convoy OB.278 departed
Liverpool,
esocted by estroyers
SALADIN, SARDONYX, SKATE, corvettes ANEMONE,
KINGCUP, MALLOW, anti-submarine
trawlers NORTHERN PRIDE and ST ELSTAN. The escort
was detached on the 27th
when the convoy dispersed.
_____
Destroyer INGLEFIELD departed the Nore for
Scapa
Flow after repair at 1700,
and arrived at 1730/26th.
_____
British steamer CORHEATH (1096grt) was sunk on a mine one mile 270°
from Botany Buoy in Thames Estuary. Three crew
were lost.
_____
British steamer
TASMANIA
(6405grt) was damaged on a
mine 11½ miles 90° from Rattray Head.
She was unable to enter
Aberdeen
due to bad weather and
returned to Methil, arriving at Methil on the
25th. She left Leith in tow for the Tees on 3
February.
_____
U.123 sank Norwegian steamer VESPASIAN (1570grt) in 55N, 15W.
_____
German raider ATLANTIS sank British steamer MANDASOR (5144grt) 300
miles east of the Seychilles in 4-18S, 61-00E. Two
British crew were lost,
one died and sixteen were taken prisoner. Two
native crew were lost and 60
taken prisoner.
Cruisers
CANBERRA,
LEANDER, SYDNEY, COLOMBO were brought to the area
to
search, but no contact was made.
Cruiser LEANDER departed
Colombo
on the 24th and searched the
area.
Australian light cruiser SYDNEY remained in the area for three days.
After searching, cruiser LEANDER refuelled at
Addu
Island on the 27th and arrived back
at Colombo on the 30th.
_____
Submarine TRIUMPH, which was unable to leave her dock at
Malta
due to bombing on the 21st,
was successfully cleared from the dock on the
24th. The submarine was able to
proceed on patrol at 1830.
_____
Submarine UPHOLDER departed
Malta
to patrol off Tripoli.
_____
German tanker NORDMARK replenished German heavy cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER
at sea.
The tanker also contacted captured Norwegian tanker SANDEFJORD on the
24th.
Saturday,
25 January
Battleship KING GEORGE V departed
Chesapeake
Bay to escort convoy BHX.104,
which included 24 tankers, to England.
On the 29th, the convoy was met by escort ships and the battleship
proceeded to Scapa Flow.
_____
Convoy FN.391 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WOLFHOUND and
sloop LONDONDERRY.
Patrol sloop WIDGEON joined
on the 26th, and arrived at Methil on the 27th.
_____
Armed merchant cruisers WOLFE and
CIRCASSIA
departed the Clyde for Northern Patrol.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa
Flow at 0930 to escort convoy
WN.73 until after dark.
The ship arrived back at
Scapa Flow
at 2230.
_____
French destroyer OURAGAN departed
Scapa
Flow for Greenock following working up
exercises.
The destroyer arrived at 1000/26th.
_____
German steamers DUISBERG (7389grt) and INGO (3950grt) departed
Palermo
escorted by armed merchant
cruiser LAGO TANA for
Tripoli.
From Trapani, armed merchant cruiser
CARALIS relieved LAGO TANA.
_____
Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and supporting forces arrived at
Alexandria.
Australian light cruiser
PERTH
departed Alexandria the same day for Suda Bay to
arrive during the morning
of 26 January.
_____
Netlayer PROTECTOR, escorted by destroyers DAINTY and JAGUAR, departed
Alexandria with the first half of the anti torpedo boom for
Suda
Bay.
On arrival at
Suda
Bay, the destroyers were detached
to Kithera patrol.
_____
Convoy AS.13 departed Pireaus for
Port
Said, escorted by anti-aircraft
cruiser COVENTRY
and destroyers WRYNECK and
VENDETTA. Minesweeper
FAREHAM joined the convoy from
Suda
Bay, and arrived on the 27th at Port Said with
destroyer WRYNECK.
Anti-aircraft cruiser
COVENTRY,
destroyer VENDETTA,
minesweeper FAREHAM arrived at
Alexandria
at 0700/27th.
_____
Convoy BS.13A departed
Suez,
escorted by sloop GRIMSBY. The sloop was relieved
by
destroyer KANDAHAR
and sloop YARRA. The convoy
was dispersed on 1 February.
_____
Aircraft carrier HERMES and light cruiser
ENTERPRISE,
operating as Force J, intercepted
Vichy French steamer SONTAY (8917grt) and took her
to Durban.
_____
Convoy HX.105 departed
Halifax,
escorted by armed merchant
cruiser ASCANIA. On the 27th, submarine PORPOISE
was with the convoy for that
day only. The armed merchant cruiser was detached
on 6 February.
There was no BHX.105; the merchant ships presumably going to the
UK
direct in BHX.104.
Destroyers MONTGOMERY, WILD SWAN, WITCH, corvettes CAMPANULA,
PERIWINKLE, PIMPERNEL joined the convoy 6
February. The escort was detached on
9 February, and arrived at
Liverpool on 9 February.
Sunday,
26 January
Submarine CACHALOT laid fifty mines in minefield FD.28 in 62-57-30N,
6-52-40E off Bud.
_____
Destroyer MAORI arrived at
Scapa Flow
at 1030 following refitting
in the Tyne.
Destroyer MAORI departed Scapa Flow with destroyers DOUGLAS,
COTTESMORE, MEYNELL at 1745 to meet battleship
PRINCE OF WALES off Liverpool
and escort her to Rosyth.
The destroyers were later recalled and the ships arrived back at
Scapa
Flow at 2300.
_____
Destroyer INGLEFIELD arrived at
Scapa
Flow at 1730 from refitting in the
Nore.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa
Flow at 1030 to escort convoy
WN.74 until dark.
The ship returned to
Scapa Flow at 2230.
_____
Destroyers
JERSEY and JUPITER arrived at
Gibraltar
from England.
_____
Convoy OG.51 departed
Liverpool, escorted by sloop
LEITH
and corvettes BLUEBELL,
CANDYTUFT, TULIP.
The corvettes were detached on the 28th and the convoy was joined by
destroyer WESTCOTT, which remained with the convoy
until 29 January. On the
29th, destroyer VOLUNTEER joined the convoy and
remained until 30 January.
Corvette KINGCUP joined the convoy on the 31st and
left that evening, and
arrived at Gibraltar on 8 February, escorted by sloop
LEITH.
_____
Convoy FN.392 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers COTSWOLD and WESTMINSTER
and patrol sloop PUFFIN. The
sloop was detached on the 27th, and arrived at
Methil on the 28th.
_____
Convoy FS.396 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VIVIEN and
WOOLSTON. Patrol sloop WIDGEON joined on the 27th,
and arrived at Southend on
the 28th.
_____
British steamer MERIONES (7557grt) was sunk by German bombing in
52-53N, 1-47E while ashore Haisborough Sands.
The crew were all rescued.
The steamer was a constructive total loss.
_____
Dutch steamer BEEMSTERDIJK (6869grt) was badly damaged on a mine
twelve miles off Smalls bearing 290.
Thirty nine crew of a forty two man crew were lost.
The steamer anchored at 0930/27th in 51-17N, 6-23W. The steamer
subsequently sank.
The steamer probably sank on a British mine.
_____
Swedish steamer BELGIA (2023grt) in convoy FN.92 was damaged by German
bombing near Sunk Light Vessel.
The steamer drifter ashore at Frinton on the 27th on fire. Six crew
were killed. Twenty survivors were rescued by
destroyer COTSWOLD.
The steamer arrived at Harwich on 14 February in tow of two tugs. The
ship was repaired and renamed EMPIRE BELL.
_____
In convoy FS.395, escorted by destroyer WALLACE and trawlers LORD ST
VINCENT and REIDS, British steamer GWYNWOOD
(1177grt) was damaged by German
bombing abreast No. B3 Buoy, Barrow Deep.
The steamer arrived at
Gravesend
on the 28th leaking from near
misses.
British steamer GRANGETOFT (975grt) was damaged by German bombing off
B4 Buoy, Barrow Deep.
_____
British steamer CATFORD (1568grt) was damaged by a mine off Oaze Bank.
The steamer beached. She was refloated and arrived at
Gravesend
on the 27th in tow.
_____
British steamer SANDHILL (586grt) was damaged by a mine in 53-43N,
3-15W.
_____
On 26/27 January, German minelayers TANNENBURG, BRUMMER, KONIGIN
LUISE, HANSESTADT DANZIG escorted by torpedo boats
T.12 and FALKE and
minesweepers M.15 and M.22 from
Stavanger
laid mines in defensive
minefield POMMERN off Norway.
On 27/28 January, the same minelayers, escorted by torpedo boats T.12
and T.5 laid minefield
ODER.
_____
Submarine UPHOLDER unsuccessfully attacked a steamer off Kerkenah.
_____
U.105 sank Dutch steamer HEEMSKERCK (6516grt), which was straggling
from convoy SL.61.
The steamer was already damaged and burning from German air attack on
the 20th when the submarine torpedoed her.
_____
Convoy
SLG 1 departed Freetown with troopships KENYA
(9890grt)
and Polish SOBIESKI (11,030grt) escorted by light
cruiser DUNEDIN and
destroyers VELOX and VIDETTE.
On 2 February, corvettes GERANIUM and JONQUIL joined, and arrived at Gibraltar
on 5 February with the entire
escort force.
Monday,
27 January
Light cruiser
KENYA
and destroyers KELLY and KASHMIR departed Plymouth
to sweep for the German heavy
cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER.
The light cruiser arrived at
Greenock
on the 31st.
_____
Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed
Scapa
Flow at 0600 for Liverpool to provide air escort
for the
battleship PRINCE OF WALES to Rosyth.
_____
Convoy FN.393 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers QUORN, VANITY,
VERSATILE, and arrived at Methil on the 29th.
_____
Convoy FS.397 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VALOROUS
andVIMIERA, and arrived at Southend on the 30th.
Convoy FS.398 was cancelled.
_____
Minesweeping trawler DAROGAH (221grt, T/Skipper J. Harrison
RNR)
was sunk on a mine eight
cables 230° from No. 3 Sea Reach Buoy in the
Thames Estuary.
_____
British steamer RINGWALL (407grt) was sunk on a mine in the
Irish
Sea, south of the Isle of Man.
_____
British trawler
CAERPHILLY
CASTLE (275grt) was sunk by German
bombing in 52-35N, 12-00W.
Three crew were lost.
_____
British barge HEDON (73grt) was lost.
_____
Light cruiser
AJAX
departed Alexandria for Suda Bay to join light
cruiser PERTH there.
Light cruiser
AJAX
carried a quantity of
supplies to establish the Fleet Air Arm aerodrome
at Maleme.
_____
Australian destroyer VOYAGER departed
Alexandria
to relieve destroyer DEFENDER
on patrol in the Inshore Patrol.
_____
Tobruk
Harbour was opened to British sea
traffic.
Troopship
ULSTER
PRINCE (3791grt) arrived and
embarked prisoners at Tobruk. She departed the
morning of 28 January for Alexandria.
British ships CINGALESE PRINCE, ROSAURA, CHAKLA arrived at Tobruk and
unloaded personnel and stores. The disembarkation
was hampered by a severe
sandstorm.
_____
Destroyers FORESIGHT,
JERSEY, ENCOUNTER departed
Gibraltar
to patrol west of Cape Spartel.
Destroyer FOXHOUND departed
Gibraltar
escorting steamer NORTHERN
PRINCE until dark. The destroyer then joined the
Cape Spartel patrol.
_____
Convoy HG.52 departed
Gibraltar.
On 20 February, destroyer WINCHELSEA joined the convoy and escorted it
to to Liverpool,
arriving on 15 February.
There is no information on the other escorts of the convoy.
_____
Swordfish of 830 Squadron from
Malta
sank German steamer INGO
(3950grt) off Cape Bon in 34-27N, 14-11E.
Italian torpedo boat ORIONE arrived on the scene and picked up
survivors.
Tuesday,
28 January
Light cruiser NAIAD on blockade duty sighted German battlecruisers
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU at 0649 briefly to the
east of
Iceland.
However, the German ships
turned away at high speed and were gone before a
definite sighting was made.
Battlecruiser REPULSE and destroyers BEDOUIN, TARTAR, MATABELE,
PUNJABI were ordered at 0738 to join cruiser
NAIAD.
At 1601, both of destroyer TARTAR's steering units were out of action.
_____
Battleship PRINCE OF
WALES
departed Liverpool for Rosyth.
Light cruiser
NIGERIA
and destroyers INGLEFIELD,
MAORI, NIZAM departed
Scapa Flow at 0900/29th to meet battleship PRINCE OF WALES,
escorted by destroyer HIGHLANDER and anti-aircraft
ship CURACOA off
Cape
Wrath.
The ships arrived at Rosyth on the 30th at 1445.
Light cruiser
NIGERIA
and destroyers INGLEFIELD,
MAORI, NIZAM back arrived at
Scapa Flow at 0200/31st.
_____
Convoy OB.279 departed
Liverpool,
escorted by destroyers
ARROW, MISTRAL, OURAGAN, corvettes AUBRETIA and
HOLLYHOCK, anti-submarine
trawler KING SOL. Destroyer CHURCHILL joined on the 29th. The
destroyers were detached on 1 February and the
remainder of the escort on 2
February when the convoy dispersed.
_____
Convoy FN.394 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WALLACE and
sloop FLEETWOOD, and arrived at Methil on the
30th.
_____
Corvette BLUEBELL was in a collision with Destroyer WESTCOTT in the
Western Approaches.
Tug SALVONIA stood by the damaged corvette, which proceeded to
Londonderry
accompanied by destroyer
WESTCOTT.
Corvette BLUEBELL departed
Londonderry
on the 30th for Liverpool, but had to shelter from
weather at Belfast
on 4 and 5 February. The
corvette arrived at Lierpool on 5 February.
Repairs were completed at Cammell
Laird on 4 March.
The damage to the destroyer was slight and was repaired at
Liverpool
on the 29th.
_____
British tanker WAR PINDARI, which had come from the
Clyde,
departed Scapa Flow at 1000 escorted by
destroyers NAPIER and SOMALI.
The tanker proceeded to the Skaalefjord, Faroes, arriving on the 29th,
to refuel destroyers operating at sea.
_____
Italian submarine TORELLI sank British steamer URLA (5198grt), which
was straggling from convoy HX.102, in 54-54N, 19W.
All the crew were rescued.
_____
British steamer PANDION (1944grt) was sunk by German bombing in
55-34N, 10-22W.
The steamer anchored off Loch Swilly. She was grounded and later
abandoned. The steamer broke in two due to heavy
weather.
_____
British steamer GRELROSA (4574grt) was sunk by German bombing in
55-12N, 15-41W.
Five crew were lost.
_____
British steamer oil refinery TAFELBERG (13,640grt) was badly damaged
on a mine in 51-21N, 3-16W.
She was beached at Porthkerry, refloated and taken to Whitmore Bay,
then reconstructed as a tanker and renamed EMPIRE
HERITAGE.
_____
British steamer BARON RENFREW (3635grt) was damaged by German bombing
in 55-50N, 10-18W.
The steamer had engine room damage. Corvette CANDYTUFT stood by the
damaged steamer. Sloop
LEITH was also in the escort of this convoy. The steamer was
taken in tow for Loch Lathaich and anchored about
7 February.
Steamer BARON RENFREW was taken to the
Clyde
under tow arriving on 25
February. She was later taken to Glasgow.
_____
Greek steamer KATE (5197grt) was sunk on a mine in Greek waters
N.
Akres, Griva.
_____
Submarine RORQUAL laid 29 mines two miles off
Sansego
Island and twenty one mines off Ancona.
On the 31st, Italian torpedo boat FRANCESCO STOCCO was mined off
Fiume
on the first barrage. The
boat broke into two parts and was towed into Fiume
on the 27th and 10 February.
On 27 February, Italian steamer ISCHIA (5101grt) was mined off
Monfredonia on the second barrage.
_____
Submarine UPHOLDER damaged steamer DUISBERG (7389grt) off
Cape
Bon.
Italian torpedo boat ORIONE with INGO's survivors stood by DUISBERG
until a tug arrived. The steamer was towed into
Tripoli.
_____
Greek submarine PAPANICOLIS unsuccessfully attacked a large tanker off
Brindisi.
_____
Light cruiser
AJAX
and Australian light cruiser PERTH were operating
in the Aegean.
_____
Convoy AN.14 departed
Port
Said for Piraeus, escorted by corvette
GLOXINIA.
Bad weather prevented the
Alexandria
section from sailing.
British steamer LEVERNBANK (5150grt) and tanker DESMOULEA (8120grt)
departed Alexandria
on the 29th, escorted by
anti-aircraft cruiser
CALCUTTA
and corvette PEONY, to
overtake the convoy.
British steamer ETHIOPIA (5574grt), carrying RAF personnel for Crete
and Greece, departed Port Said during the morning
of 29 January, escorted by
destroyer HASTY to overtake the convoy and pass
through Kaso Straits during
the night of 30/31 January.
The Port Said
section was delayed by
weather and the
Alexandria
section and steamer ETHIOPIA continued
independently.
Destroyers DAINTY and JAGUAR swept the
Kaso
Strait prior to the convoy's
passage.
At daylight on the 31st, anti-aircraft cruiser
CALCUTTA
and destroyer JAGUAR joined
convoy AN.14. Destroyer DAINTY remained with the
two Alexandria ships.
Light cruisers
AJAX
and PERTH provided cover for all these
movements.
_____
Submarine TRUANT departed
Alexandria
to patrol off Benghazi.
_____
Netlayer PROTECTOR was ordered to sail from
Suda
Bay to collect prisoners at
Tobruk and take them to
Alexandria.
The vessel sailed from
Suda
Bay during the morning of 29
January to arrive at Tobruk on the 30th. She was
escorted by destroyer JAGUAR
to latitude 35N.
The netlayer arrived at Tobruk on the 30th.
_____
Battlecruiser RENOWN, aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, destroyers
FORESIGHT, ENCOUNTER, FIREDRAKE,
JERSEY, joined later by destroyers FOXHOUND and
JUPITER, departed
Gibraltar to exercise.
That evening, destroyer FIREDRAKE attacked a submarine contact.
On 29 December, battlecruiser RENOWN entered
Gibraltar,
followed later in the
afternoon by aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL.
Wednesday,
29 January
Destroyers INTREPID and IMPULSIVE arrived at
Scapa
Flow at 1045 from the Humber.
_____
Destroyer LEGION departed
Scapa Flow
for Greenock to refit radio direction
finding equipment.
The destroyer arrived on the 30th.
_____
Destroyer ECLIPSE arrived at
Scapa Flow
from Rosyth after boiler
cleaning.
_____
Convoy FN.395 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers SOUTHDOWN,
VIVIEN, WOOLSTON, and arrived at Methil on the
31st.
_____
Convoy FS.399 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers
WESTMINSTER
and WOLFHOUND. Destroyer
PYTCHLEY joined on the 30th, and arrived at
Southend on the 31st.
_____
Destroyer COTTESMORE departed
Scapa
Flow at 1700 for Aberdeen to escort steamer BEN MY
CHREE.
The steamer arrived at
Scapa Flow
at 1030/30th. The destroyer
had become separated during the night.
At 1300/31st, the steamer departed
Scapa
Flow, escorted by destroyer
COTTESMORE, for
Aberdeen.
The destroyer arrived back at
Scapa
Flow at 1100 on 1 February.
_____
Heavy cruiser
CUMBERLAND
departed Buenas Aires to
patrol off South America.
_____
Light cruiser NEPTUNE departed
Gibraltar
for Scapa Flow arriving on 5 February.
_____
German raider KORMORAN sank British steamer EURYLOCHUS (5723grt)
carrying crated aircraft to Takoradi at 8-15N,
25-04W.
Fifteen crew were lost and thirty eight were taken prisoner. Twenty
eight survivors were picked up by Spanish steamer
MONTE TEIDE (6202grt).
British steamer AFRIC
STAR
(11,900grt) was sunk by
German raider KORMORAN at 8N, 25W, four hundred
miles west of St Vincent.
All crew were made prisoners of war.
Heavy cruiser
NORFOLK
was sent to protect SL convoy
routes.
Heavy cruiser
DEVONSHIRE was sent to the EURYLOCHUS sinking area.
_____
U.93 sank British steamer KING ROBERT (5886grt), British tanker W.B.
WALKER (10,468grt), Greek steamer AIKATERINI
(4929grt) from convoy SC.19 in
56N, 15-23W.
All crew were rescued from steamer KING ROBERT.
Four crew were lost on the tanker. The ship broke in two. Destroyer
ANTHONY and anti-submarine trawler ARAB assisted
tanker W.B. WALKER. The bow
was sunk by destroyer ANTHONY.
All crew were rescued by the Greek steamer.
_____
U.94 sank British steamer
WEST WALES
(4354grt), which was
straggling from convoy SC.19, in 56N, 15-23W.
Sixteen crew were lost on the steamer.
_____
U.106 sank Egyptian steamer SESOSTRIS (2962grt), which was straggling
from convoy SC.19, in 56N, 15-23W.
_____
British steamer WESTMORELAND (8967grt) was damaged on a mine three
miles 270°
from Bar Light Vessel.
The steamer abandoned by the crew.
The steamer was assisted by destroyer WILD SWAN, barrage balloon
vessel VIGILANT, rescue tugs ALFRED,
COBURG,
SLONE, WAPPING, ALEXANDER.
The ship was later reboarded. The steamer arrived at
Liverpool
on the 31st in tow.
_____
Submarine UPRIGHT departed
Malta
to patrol the Tunisian coast
route from Sicily
to Tripoli.
_____
Minesweeper STOKE, minesweeping off Tobruk, lost her sweeping gear.
Minesweeper HUNTLEY relieved the minesweeper off Tobruk.
_____
British steamers
DEVONSHIRE and DILWARA, formerly of convoy US.008/1,
departed Port Said
escorted by destroyer
WRYNECK.
On arrival at
Haifa,
the destroyer returned to Alexandria.
Thursday,
30 January
Destroyer BOREAS arrived at
Scapa Flow
from the Nore to join the
Home Fleet.
_____
Submarine SUNFISH attacked an escorted convoy off
Kristiansand.
The submarine unsuccessfully
fired torpedoes against a tanker.
_____
German battlecruisers SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU refuelled at sea from
German tanker ADRIA (6358grt).
Following the refuelling, the German ships ran the
Denmark
Strait on 2 February.
On 5 February, the battleships refueled from German tanker
SCHLETTSTADT (8028grt) south of
Cape Farewell.
_____
Derna was captured by the British.
_____
The British Suez Canal Company's Dredger was sunk by German bombing in
Lake
Timsah.
_____
Submarine UPHOLDER attacked a convoy of Italian steamers MOTIA
(2473grt) and DELFIN (5322grt), which departed
Palermo
on the 27th for Tripoli, unsuccessfully in 32-55N,
12-41E, thirty miles north of Zavia.
The submarine was counter-attacked by convoy escort torpedo boat
ALDEBARAN.
_____
Destroyer VIMIERA, which departed Rosyth on the 27th, was damaged by
German aircraft machine gunning while joining
convoy FS.397 in the
North
Sea.
The damage caused no time out of service and reach Rosyth on 2
February after the convoy escort.
_____
U.94 sank British steamer RUSHPOOL (5125grt), which was straggling
from convoy SC.19, in 56N, 15-42W.
The entire crew of forty men was rescued by destroyer ANTELOPE.
_____
Norwegian steamer AUSTVARD (3677grt) was sunk by German bombing 130
miles west of Galway
Island.
Twenty three crew of a twenty eight man crew were lost.
_____
Belgian steamer OLYMPIER (5266grt) was badly damaged by German bombing
250 miles southwest of
Ireland.
The steamer was attacked again on the 31st in 56-04N, 11W.
_____
German steamer
KONIGSBERG (2530grt) was sunk on a mine near
ELBE
I lightship.
_____
Aircraft carrier EAGLE was undocked and proceeded to sea for exercises
escorted by destroyers GREYHOUND,
GRIFFIN,
JUNO, two other destroyers.
The British ships returned to
Alexandria
the next day.
_____
Convoy HX.106 departed
Halifax,
escorted by battleship RAMILLIES
and corvette COLLINGWOOD. The corvette was
detached the next day.
Convoy BHX.106 departed
Bermuda
on the 28th escorted by ocean
escort armed merchant cruiser MALOJA. The convoy
rendezvoused with convoy
HX.106 on 2 February and the armed merchant
cruiser was detached.
The battleship was detached on 10 February. On 12 February, destroyers
BURNHAM, MALCOLM, SALADIN, SARDONYX, SKATE and
corvette LA MALOUINE joined
the escort. Destroyer SALADIN departed the escort
on 14 February and
destroyers BURNHAM and MALCOLM on 15 February. On
15 February, corvette
KINGCUP and anti-submarine trawlers NORTHERN PRIDE
and VIZALMA joined the
escort. Destroyer SARDONYX and corvettes KINGCUP
and LA MALOUINE were
detached and the remainder on 18 February, and
arrived at
Liverpool
on 18 February.
_____
Convoy SL.64 departed
Freetown
escorted by armed merchant
cruiser ARAWA to 17 February and corvettes
ASPHODEL and CALENDULA to 2
February.
Destroyer HARVESTER, sloop FLEETWOOD, corvettes ARBUTUS, CAMELLIA,
ERICA joined on 17 February. Destroyer WOLVERINE
joined on 18 February. All
were detached on 20 February. Anti submarine
trawler
YORK
CITY joined on 22 February, and
arrived on 22 February.
_____
Convoy
SLS.64 departed
Freetown.
On 12 February, the convoy dispersed when attacked by German heavy
cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER.
Friday,
31 January
Destroyer ZULU arrived at
Scapa Flow
at 1730 from Rosyth on
completion of refitting.
_____
Destroyer MEYNELL departed
Scapa Flow
at 2300 on completion of
working up.
The destroyer arrived at Rosyth at 1100 on 1 February, en route to the
Nore.
_____
Convoy OB.280 departed
Liverpool,
escorted by destroyers
BEVERLEY and HARVESTER, corvettes ARBUTUS,
CAMELLIA, ERICA, anti-submarine
yacht PHILANTE, ocean boarding vessels CAVINA,
CORINTHIAN, CRISPIN. The ocean
boarding vessels were detached on 3 February and
the remainder of the escort
on 4 February when the convoy was dispersed.
_____
Convoy FN.396 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VALOROUS and
VIMIERA, and arrived at Methil on 2 February.
Convoy FN.397 did not sail.
_____
Convoy FS.400 departed Methil, escotted by destroyers VANITY and
VORTIGERN, and arrived at Southend on 2 February.
_____
Convoy FS.401 departed Methil, and arrived at Southend on 2 February.
_____
Italian submarine DANDOLO sank British steamer PIZARRO (1367grt) in
49-03N, 19-40W.
Twenty three crew of a twenty nine man crew were missing.
_____
British steamer ROWANBANK (5159grt) was sunk by German bombing from
convoy SL.62 in 57-00N, 16-30W.
_____
Naval collier BOTUSK (3091grt) and Dutch steamer EMMAPLEIN (5436grt)
both in convoy HX.103 were sunk on British mines
six miles northeast of
North
Rona Island.
Three crew were killed and one was missing on the British ship.
Corvette VERBENA rescued eleven survivors.
Thirty four crew were rescued from the Dutch ship by cable ship ARIEL
and two corvettes.
German submarines were suspected and anti-submarine whalers BUTTERMERE
and WINDERMERE were sent from Stornoway to
investigate.
Aircraft and later destroyers BEAGLE and DOUGLAS, which departed
Scapa
Flow at 1515, were also involved
in the search.
The destroyers arrived back at 1800 when it was determined the ships
had struck mines.
_____
Dutch balloon barrage vessel SATURNUS (200grt) was damaged in a
mining.
The vessel was abandoned and went ashore at Maughold Head. The Dutch
ship was later refloated and arrived at
Douglas.
_____
British steamer SPEYBANK (5154grt) was taken in prize in the
Indian
Ocean by German raider ATLANTIS.
The steamer was sailed to
Japan.
_____
British Force H departed
Gibraltar
with battlecruiser RENOWN,
aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, light cruiser
SHEFFIELD, ten destroyers for
Operations PICKET and RESULT.
Group 1 was battlecruiser RENOWN, battleship
MALAYA,
aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL,
light cruiser SHEFFIELD.
Group 2 was destroyers FEARLESS (D.8), FOXHOUND, FORESIGHT, FURY,
FIREDRAKE, JERSEY.
Group 3 was destroyers DUNCAN (D.13), ISIS, ENCOUNTER, JUPITER.
Group 4 was tanker ORANGELEAF and anti-submarine trawlers ARCTIC
RANGER and HAARLEM.
_____
Minesweeper HUNTLEY (Lt Cdr E. S. Cotsell
RNR)
was lost en route to Derna,
thirty miles west of Mersa Matruh.
Cotsell (dying of wounds on 2 February) and twelve crew were killed in
the minesweeper. Five crew were missing. Twenty
six crew were wounded.
_____
British hospital ship DORSETSHIRE (9717grt) was damaged by German
bombing in the
Gulf
of Sollum.
The ship attacked again on 1 February.
_____
Egyptian steamer SOLLUM (1290grt) was bombed near Sidi Barrani and was
run aground.
_____
Destroyers GREYHOUND and
GRIFFIN
were ordered to depart Alexandria and proceed at
2200 to Port Said. The destroyers were then to
continue to Aden
for escort duties.
While leaving harbour, destroyer GREYHOUND collided with battleship
WARSPITE.
The destroyer was docked for the damage. She was replaced by destroyer
JUNO.
Battleship WARSPITE's bulge was damaged. Emergency repairs were
completed at Alexandria
on 1 February.
_____
British tanker DESMOULEA (8120grt) was damaged by an Italian S boat in
35-20N, 25-34E.
The tanker was towed to
Suda
Bay by destroyer DAINTY, arriving
at 0800 on 1 February. The cargo was discharged
into British tanker EOCENE
(4216grt).
The tanker arrived at
Suez
on 6 May for use as a
temporary storage vessel, pending repairs.
Corvette PEONY with convoy AN.14 was missed by aircraft torpedoes
forty miles from
Suda
Bay.
_____
Italian tug URSUS (407grt), on passage from Lissa to Curzola, was sunk
by Submarine RORQUAL gunfire.
The tug was towing barge GM 239 which was also damaged. The barge was
later towed into
Dubrovnik.
_____
Convoy SC.21 departed
Halifax,
escorted by armed merchant
cruiser MONTCLARE, which was detached on 13
February. On 13 February, corvettes
FLEUR DE LYS and TULIP joined the convoy. On 14
February, destroyers
CALDWELL, VANOC, VOLUNTEER joined. Sloop ABERDEEN
joined on 15 February. On 16
February destroyer CALDEWELL and sloop ABERDEEN
were detached and on 17
February, anti-submarine trawlers HUDDERSFIELD
TOWN and YORK CITY joined. The escort was
detached on 18 February, the convoy arrived at
Liverpool on 18 February.
_____
Light cruiser DAUNTLESS arrived at
Penang.
_____
New Zealand
light cruiser LEANDER
departed Colombo
on patrol.
January,
miscellaneous
Two Greek destroyers swept in the
Adriatic.
Later four Greek destroyers
bombarded Valona on the report of two Italian
light cruisers being there.
