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Note: all vessels and aircraft are British or Dominion unless otherwise identified or implied - click for abbreviations |
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Background Events - January-May 1941
1941
Tuesday, 1 April German heavy cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER returned to _____ Commander in Chief Home Fleet transferred his flag
from battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH to battleship KING GEORGE V. _____ Destroyer QUORN in the Nore Command was damaged by
two near misses of German bombing, but only sustained superficial damage. _____ Destroyers ANTHONY, NESTOR and anti-submarine trawlers of the 10th Anti-Submarine Striking Force departed
convoy HX.115 at daylight and proceeded to _____ A submarine was sighted ten miles 305° from Dunnet
Head by heavy cruiser _____ German bombing attacked convoy HXM.114 off Smalls. British tanker The tanker was taken in tow. When taken under
attack again by German bombing, the tow was cut. The tanker sank on the 2nd. Norwegian tanker HIDLEFJORD (7639grt) was sunk by
German bombing twenty miles northwest of Smalls. Twenty nine crew were missing. British tanker ADELLAN (7984grt) was damaged by
German bombing seven cables from Sea Buoy, Milford Haven. The tanker was brought to Milford Haven. After the
cargo was discharged, the tanker proceeded to British tanker The tanker was attacked again later that day ten
miles southwest of St Goven's Head and badly damaged by German bombing. The tanker anchored in Norwegian tanker KAIA KNUDSEN (9063grt) was damaged
by German bombing twenty miles north, northwest of Smalls. The tanker was towed to Milford Haven. _____ On an anti-submarine search, an Albacore of 828
Squadron force landed at A'Mhouine, Whiten Head, Sutherland. Lt Cdr L. A.
Cubitt, sub Lt M. G. Goodger RNVR, and Petty Officer D. E. Polmeer were all
injured. _____ Lt A. A. Pettigrew, in a Blenheim of RAF 55
Squadron from _____ Swedish steamer LIDINGO (5842grt) was damaged on a
mine west of Falsterbo. The steamer was beached and was later towed to _____ Battlecruiser RENOWN and aircraft carrier ARK
ROYAL, joined by destroyers NAPIER, NIZAM, and FORTUNE which departed Destroyers NAPIER and NIZAM departed All three ships departed _____ Light cruiser EDINBURGH arrived at _____ Destroyers HIGHLANDER, VELOX, and WRESTLER departed
On the 3rd, the ships arrived at _____ From 1 to 4 April, German tanker NORDMARK took on
fuel and stores from German tanker _____ Convoy Netlayer PROTECTOR sailed in this convoy with Fleet
Air Arm torpedoes for Also in this convoy was British steamer NORTHERN
PRINCE (10,917grt) that should have arrived in the EXCESS convoy. However,
after she ran aground at Anti-aircraft cruiser _____ Convoy AG.10 of one British ship and supply ship
BRECONSHIRE departed Supply ship BRECONSHIRE carried troops to be
disembarked at The convoy was joined by anti-aircraft cruiser On the convoy's arrival at _____ Convoy Anti-aircraft cruiser _____ Convoy AS.23 of one British and six Greek ships
departed Leaving _____ Italian troop convoy of troopships ESPERIA
(11,398grt), CONTE ROSSO (17,879grt), MARCO POLO (13,098grt), and VICTORIA
(13,098grt) escorted by destroyers TARIGO, EURO, and BALENO and torpedo boats
POLLUCE and PARTENOPE departed _____ Convoy BS.22 departed _____ Destroyer The German steamer scuttled herself near
Gondurmiat. _____ German steamer LICHTENFELS (7566grt) departed
Massawa. The steamer is unable to evade British patrols and is forced to
return to Massawa. _____ German steamers HERMONTHIS (4833grt) and MUENCHEN
(5619grt) departed Steamer MUENCHEN (5619grt) scuttled herself when
intercepted by Armed merchant cruiser PRINCE HENRY at 11-18S, 79-09W. Steamer HERMONTHIS (4833grt) scuttled herself when
intercepted by Canadian armed merchant cruiser PRINCE HENRY at 12-13S,
80-10W. The wreck was scuttled by Peruvian cruiser
ALMIRANTE GRAU off _____ German steamers in western South American ports
scuttled themselves. Steamer CERIGO (1120grt) was scuttled at The steamer was later salved by Steamer EISENBACH (4323grt) was scuttled at
Puntarenas. Steamer Steamers Wednesday, 2 April Battleship KING GEORGE V, heavy cruiser LONDON,
light cruiser DIDO, destroyers SOMALI, BEDOUIN, MATABELE, and MASHONA
departed Scapa Flow at 1100 to relieve battlecruiser HOOD and light cruisers
NIGERIA and FIJI on the OG/HG.route. Light cruiser The destroyers were detached to On the 8th at 2000, the ships left patrol and
battleship KING GEORGE V and destroyers SOMALI and MASHONA arrived at Destroyer MATABELE was detached at 0600/10th and
proceeded to Barrow for refitting, calling at Destroyer BEDOUIN was detached at 1547 on the 10th
to investigate a burning ship west of _____ Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH with destroyers
INGLEFIELD, ESKIMO, and ECLIPSE departed Destroyers INGLEFIELD and ECLIPSE on the 6th were
detached to Reykjavik, arriving at 0600/7th, and operated under Flag Officer
Iceland to screen cruisers in and out of Reykjavik. Destroyer ESKIMO returned
to Destroyer ESKIMO was ordered to return to The battleship continued to _____ Convoy OB.305 departed liverpool, escorted by
corvette ABELIA and anti-submarine trawler ROWAN. The trawler was detached
the next day. On the 3rd, destroyers BROKE, _____ Destroyer ERIDGE departed The ships arrived at Lerwick at 0800/3rd and
departed at 2000 that day to return to Destroyer ERIDGE arrived back at _____ Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed The ship arrived back at _____ Minelayer PLOVER laid minefield ZME.27 in the Minefield ZME.31 completed the series. _____ Minesweeping trawlers Trawler FORTUNA was proceeding to the assistance of
trawler _____ U.46 made attacks on convoy SC.26. British tanker BRITISH RELIANCE (7000grt) was sunk
in 58-21N, 28-30W. The submarine made another attack on a steamer on
the 2nd. The entire crew of the tanker were rescued. The attacks continued on the 3rd. British steamer ALDERPOOL (4313grt) was sunk in
58-21N, 27-59W. The entire crew was rescued. British steamer THIRLBY (4887grt) was torpedoed. The steamer was damaged by German bombing on the
10th en route to Loch Ewe. Steamer THIRLBY arrived at Loch Ewe on the 11th. British steamer ATHENIC (5351grt) was damaged by
torpedo. Steamer ATHENIC was assisted by corvette ARBUTUS. _____ British steamer BEAVERDALE (9957grt) was sunk by
U.48 in 60-50N, 29-19W. Twenty crew and one gunner was lost on the steamer.
_____ British steamer FERMAIN (759grt) was sunk by German
bombing in 50-35N, 00-52E. The entire crew was rescued. _____ British steamer MELROSE ABBEY (1908grt) was damaged
on a mine in the River Ythan (north of The steamer settled onto the river bed. The steamer
was refloated on 26 July and towed to _____ British tanker WILD ROSE (873grt) was damaged by
German bombing twelve miles southeast of Tuskar Light House. The tanker was taken in tow and beached near _____ Battlecruiser RENOWN, aircraft carrier On the 3rd, the flyoff of the Hurricanes to After the transfer, aircraft carrier FURIOUS,
escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR and FORTUNE, proceeded to join battlecruiser
REPULSE, en route to _____ Light cruiser _____ Convoy AS.23 was attacked by German bombers in the British steamer HOMEFIELD (5324grt) and Greek
steamer COULOURAS XENOS (4914grt) were sunk by German bombing off Steamer HOMEFIELD was later scuttled by destroyer
NUBIAN of the convoy Greek steamer TETI (2747grt) was damaged by near
misses of German bombing off Steamer TETI was able to proceed to _____ British steamer DEVIS (6054grt) in convoy _____ Corvette HYACINTH in the convoy _____ Yugoslavian steamers KARADJORDJE (1293grt) and
PRESTOLONASLEDNIK PETAR (1726grt) were sunk by mining off Sibenik. The crews of both steamers were rescued. _____ A supply convoy for the Afrika Korps departed Italian destroyers PANTERA, _____ Italian steamers GIUSEPPE MAZZINI (7669grt) and
URANIA (7099grt) were sunk by British bombing near The steamers were later salved by the British. Thursday, 3 April Light cruiser _____ Light cruiser DIDO departed The cruiser departed on the 7th with convoy OG.58. _____ Convoy OB.306 departed liverpool, escorted by
destroyers ACHATES, BOADICEA, _____ Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed _____ German tanker THORN (5436grt), which had been
involved in refuelling ADMIRAL HIPPER on her recent sortie, was sunk by
submarine _____ Submarine UNDAUNTED departed _____ River mouth patrol boat BAHRAM (72grt, 2nd Hand J.
N. Crawford) was sunk in mining in Crawford and seven other ratings were lost. There
was only one survivor. _____ Mine destructor ship BUSHWOOD was damaged in a
collision in The ship was repaired at _____ In attacks on Convoy SC.26. U.73 badly damaged British steamer ATHENIC
(5351grt), which was straggling behind convoy SC.26 with damage, in 58-32N,
20-13W. The entire crew was rescued. The steamer sank on the 5th. U.74 sank Belgian steamer INDIER (5409grt) and
Greek steamer LEONIDAS Z. CAMBANIS (4274grt) in 58-12N, 27-40W. Forty two crew from the Belgian steamer were lost.
Four survivors were landed at U.73 sank British steamer WESTPOOL (5724grt) in
58-12N, 27-40W. Thirty five crew were lost on the steamer. Submarine U.73 attacked a second ship at the same
time as steamer WESTPOOL. U.73 sank British tanker BRITISH VISCOUNT (6895grt)
in 58-15N, 27-30W. Twenty eight crew were missing. Twenty were rescued
from the tanker. U.74 damaged Armed merchant cruiser WORCESTERSHIRE
(11,402grt) in 58N, 27W. U.69 sank Finnish steamer DAPHNE (1939grt) in the _____ British steamer CAIRNIE (250grt) was sunk by German
bombing six to eight miles south by west of Tod Head. The entire crew were
rescued. _____ British steamer GREENAWN (784grt) was lost to
unknown cause in the _____ British steamer _____ British steamer ASSUAN (499grt) was damaged by
German bombing in 56-42N, 2-26W. The steamer was beached two miles east of Scurdy Ness.
The steamer was refloated on the 4th and berthed at Montrose. _____ Italian destroyer BATTISTI, en route to bombard Italian destroyers Destroyers MANIN and SAURO were sunk in the air
attacks ten miles off Destroyers _____ Italian submarine MICCA attacked two steamers in
34-10N, 25-24E without success. _____ Convoy The cargo she carried was so desperately needed in _____ Destroyers JANUS and JAGUAR departed When word was received that two of the Italian
destroyers were sunk by aircraft carrier EAGLE's aircraft, the destroyers
were returned to Destroyers On the 4th, destroyers GREYHOUND and _____ While minesweeping, Minesweeper ABINGDON was
damaged in a German dive bombing attack at _____ Convoy HG.58 departed Corvette ASPHODEL was detached on the 5th for Destroyers CHELSEA, VERITY, VETERAN, and WOLVERINE
joined the convoy on the 16th. On the 18th, destroyer CHELSEA was detached,
and arrived at _____ The cruiser departed the same day for Friday, 4 April Light cruisers ARETHUSA and GALATEA arrived at _____ Free French sloops SUIPPE and CONQUERANT were sunk
by German bombing at _____ U.98 sank Norwegian steamer HELLE (2467grt), a straggler
from convoy SC.26, in 59N, 24-30W. The entire crew was rescued. _____ U.94 sank British steamer HARBLEDOWN (5414grt) from
convoy SC.26 in 58-30N, 23W. Fourteen crew and two gunners were lost on the
steamer. Lt M. J. P. Walters of DOLPHIN was lost in the steamer. _____ U.98 sank British steamer WELCOMBE (5122grt) from
convoy SC.26 in 59-09N, 22W. Twenty crew were lost on the steamer. _____ U.97 sank British tanker CONUS (8132grt) in 56-14N,
31-19W. The entire crew were lost. _____ U.124 sank British steamer MARLENE (6507grt) at
8-15N, 14-19W. Thirteen crew were lost on the steamer. _____ British steamer SALVUS (4815grt) was sunk by German
bombing in 53-05N, 1-27E. Four crew were lost on the steamer. _____ British trawler _____ British steamer _____ Battlecruiser REPULSE, aircraft carrier ARGUS, and
troopship NARKUNDA with destroyers HIGHLANDER, FURY, and VELOX departed Aircraft carrier FURIOUS departed later, escorted
by destroyers FAULKNOR and FORTUNE, and joined at sea. The destroyers
returned to _____ Battlecruiser RENOWN, aircraft carriers ARK ROYAL
and FURIOUS, light cruiser Submarines On the 5th, operation PRINCIPAL was cancelled when
it was found that the French battleship was not preparing to leave port. Submarines _____ Submarine RORQUAL arrived at _____ Convoy _____ Convoy GA.10 of British steamer CAMERONIA
(16,297grt) and Dutch steamer PENNLAND (16,381grt) escorted by anti-aircraft
cruiser CARLISLE, destroyers ILEX, NUBIAN, and HEREWARD, arrived at
Alexandria on the 6th. _____ Destroyer NUBIAN and corvette HYACINTH of convoy _____ Destroyer JANUS departed _____ Submarine PARTHIAN departed _____ Australian destroyers VENDETTA and WATERHEN
departed _____ Italian torpedo boat ACERBI was sunk at Massawa. _____ German and Italian steamers were scuttled at
Massawa. German steamer CREFELD (8045grt) was scuttled at
Massawa. German steamer FRAUENFELS (7487grt) was scuttled at
Massawa. The steamer was salved as EMPIRE NIGER. German steamer German steamer LICHTENFELS (7566grt) was scuttled
at Massawa. German steamer LIEBENFELS (6318grt) was scuttled at
Massawa. The steamer was salved at EMPIRE NILE. German steamer OLIVA (7885grt) was scuttled at
Massawa. Italian steamer ADUA (3564grt) was scuttled at
Massawa. Italian steamer BRENTA (5400grt) was scuttled at
Massawa. Italian steamer |
