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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
Thursday, 1 May Heavy cruiser _____ Destroyers BEDOUIN and ANTELOPE departed No contact was made and the destroyers arrived back
at _____ Destroyer MAORI departed Destroyer SIKH departed at 2200/11th. The 4th Destroyer Flotilla ships were replaced in
the Home Fleet by the destroyers of the 20th Destroyer Flotilla. _____ Destroyer IMPULSIVE, escorting steamer At 0035/3rd, the destroyer and steamer departed
Lerwick for the return to _____ Australian destroyer NESTOR departed The destroyer arrived at _____ P/T/Midshipman (A) J. A. David RNVR, was killed
when his Albacore of 767 Squadron from Arbroath crashed near Glen Cova. _____ Minesweeping trawler JEAN FREDERIC (329grt) with a
Dutch crew was sunk by German bombing off Start Point. T/Sub Lt R. G. Madders RNVR, was lost in the
trawler. The trawler was escorting a convoy. _____ British balloon barrage vessel SATURNUS (200grt)
with a Dutch crew was declared a constructive total loss after damage. _____ U.552 sank British steamer NERISSA (5583grt) in
57-57N, 10-08W. Eighty three crew and one hundred and twenty four
passengers were lost on the steamer. Twenty three crew and fifty one
passengers were rescued. Among the passengers lost were Lt Cdr R. A. F.
Nicholl-Cadell Rtd, Paymaster Cdr F. R. W. Nixon _____ U.103 sank British steamer SAMSO (1494grt) at
8-35N, 16-17W. One crewman was lost on the steamer. _____ British steamer The steamer was beached by tugs. She was refloated
and arrived at Middlesborough on the 5th. _____ Destroyer FAULKNOR with Dutch submarine O.21
departed _____ Former Italian steamer POLINICE (1373grt) under
Control was sunk by German bombing at The steamer was later salved. _____ Anti-submarine trawler LOCH OSKAIG (534grt)
captured French steamer At 0430/2nd, Battlecruiser RENOWN and destroyers
FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FURY, FORESTER, and FORTUNE departed Destroyer FORESIGHT took over escort of the steamer
and the anti-submarine trawler returned to patrol. _____ Destroyers JAGUAR and A premature explosion of a depth charge on
destroyer The ship sustained minor damage only. _____ Submarine TRUANT arrived at _____ Sub Lt R. D. B. Hopkins, on loan to the RAF in a
Beaufighter of 525 Squadron, was taken prisoner by the French after the
aircraft crashed between Speval and _____ Italian light cruisers EUGENIO DI SAVOIA, DUCA
D'AOSTA, and ATTENDOLO and destroyers PIGAFETTA, ZENO, DA MOSTO, DA VERAZZANO,
DA RECCO, and PESSAGNO laid mines north of Tripoli. _____ German steamer LARRISA (1819grt) was sunk on a mine
in the _____ Italian steamer SERDICA (1533grt) was sunk by
British bombing at _____ When a direction finding bearing indicated an
Italian submarine in 35-00N, 15-30W, Corvettes FLEUR DE LYS, SPIRAE, and
COREOPSIS departed On the 4th, the corvettes attacked a firm contact
110 miles 280° Corvettes JONQUIL, GERANIUM, and AZALEA were
ordered to join in the search. _____ Ocean boarding vessel CAVINA captured Italian
tanker SANGRO (6466grt), which departed Teneriffe on 21 April for France, on
the 1st in 44-36N, 30-20W. The vessel turned the tanker over to Ocean
boarding vessel CAMITO for the voyage to Corvettes HEATHER and ORCHIS were ordered to meet
and escort the two ships to U.97 sank ocean boarding vessel CAMITO (6833grt,
A/Cdr A. A. Barnet A/Sub Lt (E) R. H. Barclay RNVR, Lt D. M. Brown CAMITO's prise crew on SANGRO and all but four of
SANGRO's crew were lost. Only two of CAMITO's ship's company were lost. The
rest were picked up by corvette ORCHIS. _____ Ocean boarding vessel CORINTHIAN captured French
three masted schooner MARTIN PECHEUR (350grt). The ship sank as a result of a fire on the 10th in
37-07N, 8-34W. The prise crew made their way to Friday, 2 May Ex-US Coast Guard cutter/escort ship LULWORTH (Lt
Cdr C. Gwinner (emcgy), built in the _____ Convoy OB.318 departed _____ Minesweeping trawler ALBERIC (286grt, T/Lt R M
Johnson RNVR) was sunk in an accidental collision with destroyer T/Sub Lt C. S. Whitehead RNVR, and twelve ratings
were lost on the trawler. The destroyer proceeded to _____ Armed yacht NYULA (48grt, T/Lt W. H. F. Kelly RNVR)
was sunk in a collision off the _____ U.201 sank British tanker CAPULET (8190grt), which
had been torpedoed and abandoned on 28 April, in 60N, 16W. _____ P/T/Sub Lt (A) S. W. Everett RNVR, was killed when
his Swordfish of 828 Squadron from Hatston crashed into the sea. _____ German auxiliary anti-submarine trawler Vp 808
(trawler REICHSPRASIDENT VOR HINDENBURG: 321grt) was sunk by British bombing
northwest of Borkum. _____ When _____ Destroyers The Australian destroyers arrived at _____ Destroyers DECOY and DEFENDER departed Port Said
late on the 2nd to embark troops at Mersa Matruh and transport them to
Tobruk. _____ Destroyer Lt (E) M. G. Gardner and Surgeon Lt D. Lorimer
RNVR, and thirty three ratings were killed. Two officers and forty six
ratings were wounded. Because there were no minesweepers available, light
cruiser Destroyers KELLY, JACKAL, and KELVIN had already
entered the harbour and remained with repairing destroyer JANUS. On the 3rd, light cruiser Light cruiser _____ Gunboat LADYBIRD bombarded Derna. _____ British steamer PARRACOMBE (4702grt), carrying
crated twenty one Hurricanes and other stores brought from England in convoy
OG.59 for Malta, was sunk 9½ miles 62°
Cape Bon on a mine. This movement had been designated Operation TEMPLE. Eighteen crew were interned in Bizerte. _____ Greek steamer VIRGINIA (2041grt) arrived at Tobruk
with supplies. After unloading, the steamer departed during the
night of 2/3 May, escorted by anti-submarine trawler WOLBOROUGH. Despite air attacks in _____ Destroyer FOXHOUND arrived at _____ Destroyer VIDETTE arrived at Saturday, 3 May Light cruisers GALATEA and ARETHUSA departed Heavy cruiser Light cruiser _____ Battlecruiser HOOD and destroyers The ships called at The HOOD group departed _____ Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed Methil at 0715
to cover convoy EC.14 from In _____ In a German bombing raid on _____ Minelayer ADVENTURE, under repair,was damaged by
splinters from German bombing at The cruiser's repair was unaffected. _____ Minelayer TEVIOTBANK, escorted by patrol sloops
SHELDRAKE and KITTIWAKE, laid minefield BS.55 off the east coast of Paddle minesweepers SNAEFELL and THAMES QUEEN
accompanied the minelay. _____ Light cruiser Refit was completed on _____ German tanker NORDMARK replenished U.105 and U.107
at sea. _____ U.103 sank British steamer _____ U.95 sank Norwegian steamer TARANGER (4873grt) in
61-07N, 25-20W. Two crew were lost. _____ In German bombing on British steamer CORBET (468grt) was sunk on a mine
two cables 248° from Herculaneum Dock entrance, Eight crew were lost. One was rescued from the
steamer. British sailing barge BARNACLE (138grt), tug BONITA
(65grt) in Waterloo Dock, motor barge EMILY BURTON (58grt), sailing barge
PIKE (168grt), sailing barge LING (164grt), steam barge WALTON (82grt) at
Huskisson Branch No. 3 Dock, sailing barge SILVERDALE (176grt) at Canada
Dock, motor vessel IVY P. (79grt) at Langton Branch Dock, flats GROSENOR,
ROVER, BRILL (106grt), DACE (143grt), LUCE (143grt) at Canada Dock, MUS
(81grt), There were no casualties on tug BONITA. Steamer MALAKAND (7649grt) carried ammunition. A partially
deflated barrage balloon fell on deck and caught fire. The ship was abandoned
at 0030/4th and blew up about 0730. One crewman from steamer MALAKAND was
killed ashore. Steamer ELSTREE GRANGE (6598grt), steamer DOMINO
(1453grt) at Canada Dock, steamer EUROPA (10,224grt), and barge ELLESPORT
were lost when steamer MALAKAND exploded. Steamer TACOMA There were no casualties on steamer DOMINO. One
crewman was lost on the steamer TACOMA Flat LUCE was lost when she caught fire from the
explosion of steamer BRA-KAR and sailing barge OYSTER. British steamers AUSTRALIA During the night of 3/4 May, British steamer
BARONESE (8663grt), British steamer LOBOS (6479grt), Tug WAPITI (208grt),
British steamer MAHOUT (7921grt), British tanker Damage to steamer MAHOUT caused by explosion of
steamer MALAKAND. Tanker Steamer SILVERSANDAL was set afire by the MALAKAND
explosion. One crewman was killed on the steamer. One crewman was killed on
Norwegian steamer SALLAND. _____ British steamer ROYSTON (2722grt) was badly damaged
by German bombing 270° from 62C Buoy, The steamer was taken in tow and sank on the 5th in
53-37N, 00-39E. _____ Norwegian steamer SITONA (1143grt) was badly
damaged by German bombing in 53-12N, 1-11E. The entire crew was rescued. The steamer sank on the 4th. _____ Norwegian steamer TRAJAN (1347grt) was sunk by
German bombing in 53-10N, 1-13E. The entire crew was rescued. _____ Light vessel SIRIUS (176grt) was sunk on a mine at
Albert Dock, _____ Battleships BARHAM and VALIANT, aircraft carrier
FORMIDABLE, and destroyers ILEX, _____ Anti-aircraft cruiser PHOEBE and destroyers HERO,
HOTSPUR, ISIS, HAVOCK, and _____ Destroyers DECOY and DEFENDER shelled Tobruk during
the night of 3/4 May. The destroyers then returned to _____ British steamer ARAYBANK (7258grt) was badly
damaged by German bombing at The steamer was bombed again on the 16th and became
a total loss. _____ Italian torpedo boat CANOPO was sunk by British
bombing at Italian steamer BIRMANIA (5305grt) was set afire
and exploded. Italian steamer CITTA D' _____ Italian coastal steamer GUISSEPPE ORLAND (838grt)
was lost on a mine at _____ Italian coastal steamer TUGNIN F. (425grt) was sunk
by Submarine TRIUMPH gunfire eleven miles northwest of Mersa Brega. _____ Ocean boarding vessel HILARY intercepted Italian
tanker RECCO (5595grt), which had departed Teneriffe on 21 April, in 44-37N,
24-27W. The tanker scuttled herself to avoid capture. _____ Sunday, 4 May Heavy cruiser The cruiser departed Rosyth after repairs on the
11th. Departing, the cruiser was involved in a collision with Dutch skoot _____ Destroyers INTREPID and IMPULSIVE departed The destroyers arrived at 1640. _____ Destroyer PUNJABI departed Rosyth at 2350 escorting
armed merchant cruiser After this escort, the destroyer arrived at _____ Minesweeping trawler There were no casualties on the trawler. _____ Destroyer SOUTHDOWN, which departed Sheerness on
the 3rd was damaged in the The destroyer's hull was leaking and her steering
motors were temporarily out of action. _____ Minesweeper SELKIRK was damaged by the near miss of
a German bomb off Roughs Buoy. The ship was towed to port and was under repair in
the Patrol yacht FRANC TIREUR was also damaged by a
near miss. _____ U.38 sank Swedish steamer _____ British steamer TREGOR (222grt) was sunk by German
bombing six miles off Trevose Head. The crew of six were rescued. _____ Belgian steamer MARIE FLORE (545grt) was damaged by
German bombing in 50-41N, 5-05W. The steamer was beached at Padstow on the 5th. _____ PNEUMATIC ELEVATOR No. 11 (295grt) was sunk at Tug BISON (274grt), British steamer TALTHYBIUS
(10,254grt), British steamer BARON INCHCAPE (7005grt), Tug HORNBY (201grt),
Tug ENID BLANCHE (99grt), British hopper barge No. 33 (718grt), barge AID
(209grt), flat JOHN (67grt), and British steamer |
