British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day by Don Kindell

NAVAL EVENTS, MAY 1941, Part 2 of 2
Thursday 15th – Saturday 31st

HM S/M Perseus
(NP/Mark Teadham, click photographs for enlargements)

on to Naval Events, JUNE 1941
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Note: all vessels and aircraft are British or Dominion unless otherwise identified or implied - click for abbreviations

 

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

 

           

Thursday, 15 May

 

Battlecruiser REPULSE, aircraft carrier ARGUS, and liners MONARCH OF BERMUDA (22,424grt) and EMPRESS OF JAPAN (26,032grt) arrived at the Clyde from Gibraltar.

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Destroyer ICARUS arrived at Scapa Flow at 0915 for Home Fleet operations in the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla.

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Destroyer PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow after night exercises to meet heavy cruiser BERWICK off Dunnet Head at 0730/16th and escort her to Rosyth.

 

The heavy cruiser was escorted to May Island. The destroyer arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0230/16th.

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Minelayers AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS, and PORT QUEBEC of the 1st Minelaying Squadron laid minefield SN.9 B.

 

The minelayers were escorted by destroyers ANTHONY, ELECTRA, ANTELOPE, and ST MARYS.

 

Light cruiser HERMIONE, which departed Scapa Flow on the 14th, covered the minelayers.

 

Light cruisers NIGERIA and KENYA, which departed the Iceland Faroes Channel patrol on the 15th, provided support for the operation. Following the minelay, the cruisers returned to their patrol stations.

 

Light cruiser HERMIONE arrived at Scapa Flow on the 17th. Destroyers ANTELOPE, ANTHONY, and ELECTRA arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0730/18th.

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Convoy OG.62 departed Liverpool escorted by sloop BIDEFORD.

 

The convoy was joined on the 16th by destroyers BOADICEA and ST FRANCIS, sloop EGRET, corvettes ARROWHEAD, ASTER, HEPATICA, SNOWBERRY, SPIKENARD, and WOODRUFF, and anti-submarine trawlers ARAB, AYRSHIRE, and STELLA CARINA.

 

Trawler AYRSHIRE was detached later on the 16th, the destroyers, corvette SPIKENARD, and trawler ARAB on the 19th, sloop EGRET and corvettes ARROWHEAD, HEPATICA, and SNOWBERRY on the 20th.

 

On the 22nd, Dutch submarine O.24 joined the convoy escort.

 

The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 29th, escorted by sloop BIDEFORD, submarine O.24, corvettes ASTER and WOODRUFF, and trawler STELLA CARINA. The sloop and the corvettes were temporarily assigned to the 13th Destroyer Flotilla.

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P/T/Sub Lt (A) G. R. Cruickshank RNVR and P/T/Sub Lt (A) R. C. Brownie RNVR, were killed when their Skua of 801 Squadron crashed during a test flight near Winchester.

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Swedish steamer OSSIAN (1564grt) was sunk by British aircraft in 54N, 7-16E. Two crew on the steamer were killed and another died later.

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Italian submarine BARBARIGO attacked British steamer MANCHESTER PORT (5469grt) without success in 54N, 22W.

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French sailing vessel NOTRE DAME DU CHATELET (488grt) was en route from St Malo to the Grand Banks. On the 14th, the steamer was met by Italian submarine CAPPELLINI in 47-52N, 13-56W.

 

On the 15th, U.43 sank the French vessel with gunfire in 48N, 14W.

 

Two survivors from the vessel were rescued by Italian submarine OTARIA on the 23rd.

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U.105 sank British steamer BENVENUE (5920grt) in 4-27N, 18-25W. One crewman and one gunner were lost from the steamer. Three boats of survivors were rescued by British steamer ENGLISH TRADER (3953grt). A four boat was rescued on the 23rd by a Destroyer (BOREAS, VELOX, DUNCAN, or HIGHLANDER; one wasdetached from EAGLE screen).

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The British Mediterranean Fleet was divided at 1321 on the 15th into groups in anticipation of enemy action against Crete.

 

Force A - battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, BARHAM and destroyers JERVIS, JAGUAR, NIZAM, DEFENDER, and IMPERIAL was to be to the west of Crete by daylight on the 16th.

 

Force B - light cruisers GLOUCESTER and FIJI embarked theSecond Battalion of the Leicester Regiment at Alexandria and departed forenoon on the 15th. The troops were landed at midnight of 15/16 May at Heraklion. This movement was covered by Force A.

 

Force C - anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY and destroyers KANDAHAR, NUBIAN, KINGSTON, and JUNO departed Alexandria at 2000 and proceeded towards the Kaso Straits. The force was to sweep Kaso Straits at dark and sweep north of Crete. Cruiser DIDO met the force on the 16th.

 

Force D - light cruisers NAIAD, PERTH and destroyers GREYHOUND and HASTY patrolled

between Antikithera and Piraeus.

 

Destroyers ILEX, HOTSPUR, and HAVOCK departed Alexandria at 1400/15th. ILEX joined Force A and HOTSPUR and HAVOCK joined Force B after the disembarkation of the troops.

 

In Reserve - battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT, aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, and light cruisers ORION

and AJAX.

 

Submarine RORQUAL was on patrol off Lemnos.

 

Minelayer ABDIEL departed Alexandria on the 17th for Haifa to embark mines for a minefield between Cephalonia and Levkos. She laid 150 mines east of Cape Dukato during the night of 19/20 May and returned to Alexandria, arriving on the 21st.

 

Italian destroyer MIRABELLO, escorting steamers ANNARELLA (5999grt) and LAURA C (6181grt) and tankers DORA C (5843grt) and STROMBO (5232grt) with armed merchant cruiser BRINDISI from Brindisi for Patrasso, was sunk on this minefield off Cephalonia on the 21st.

 

German steamers KYBFELS (7764grt) and MARBURG (7564grt) were lost on this minefield east of Cape Dukato on the 21st.

 

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Greek destroyer LEON, damaged by air attack on 22 April and towed to Suda Bay, was further damaged in bombing at Suda Bay. She was run aground a total loss.

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Lt P. F. Scott of 806 Squadron was killed when the Gladiator he was ferrying between Maleme and Egypt crashed 100 miles south of Crete.

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Italian steamer SAN GIUSTO (861grt) was sunk on a mine 15 miles 25° from Tripoli.

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Destroyer VELOX departed Gibraltar for Freetown to join the South Atlantic command.

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In a dive-bombing attack on the Sumawar barracks, Iraq, a Swordfish of 814 Squadron from aircraft carrier HERMES, operating from Shaibah, was shot down.

 

Sub Lt (A) G. R. Coy, Lt J. H. Dundas, and Leading Airman L. E. Lasson were rescued.

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American heavy cruisers QUINCEY and VINCENNES and the 11th Destroyer Squadron (Captain M. L. Deyo in SAMPSON) joined the Bermuda based Central America Neutrality Patrol.

 

 

Friday, 16 May

 

Light cruisers EDINBURGH, GALATEA, and AURORA departed Scapa Flow to investigate a large warship reported by aircraft to the north.

 

Battlecruiser HOOD, light cruiser BIRMINGHAM, and destroyers ACHATES, ICARUS, and ACTIVE came to half hour's notice which was cancelled at 1600.

 

The cruisers returned to Scapa Flow on the 17th after an unsuccessful search.

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Sloop BLACK SWAN arrived at Scapa Flow at 1930 from Rosyth after large repairs for working up.

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Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 1300 to escort convoy WN.27 to the south.

 

On the 17th off Tod Head, the ship transferred to convoy EC.20.

 

In the Pentland Firth, ship ALYNBANK was detached and arrived at Scapa Flow at 0900/18th.

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Minelayers TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER, escorted by destroyer CATTISTOCK, laid minefield BS.56 off the east coast of England.

 

Paddle minesweepers SNAEFELL and THAMES QUEEN accompanied the minelayers.

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U.105 sank British steamer RODNEY STAR (11,803grt) in 5-03N, 19-02W. The entire crew were rescued.

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British steamer ARCHANGEL (2448grt) was sunk by German bombing 57-55N, 2-03W, ten miles northeast of Aberdeen.

 

Forty crew of a crew of seventy five and twelve troops of four hundred on board were lost. The survivors were rescued by destroyer BLANKNEY which landed them at Aberdeen.

 

The destroyer attempted to take the steamer in tow. The steamer beached off Black Dog, five miles south of Newburgh, and broke in four pieces.

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British steamer ETHEL RADCLIFFE (5673grt) was damaged by a German S boat on 17 April.

 

The steamer was sunk by German bombing at Great Yarmouth on the 16th.

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British steamer JOFFRE ROSE (715grt) was damaged by German bombing off St David's Head.

 

The steamer was beached in Dale Bay on the 16th.

 

The steamer was damaged again on the 18th in Dale Bay.

 

Steamer JOFFRE ROSE was refloated and drydocked.

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British steamer OBSIDIAN (811grt) was damaged by German bombing in 52-06N, 5-25W.

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Minelayer LATONA, which had completed construction on the 4th,departed the Portsmouth for Alexandria, via the Cape.

 

The minelayer arrived at Gibraltar on the 20th and Alexandria on 21 June.

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Light cruisers GLOUCESTER and FIJI, after landing the troops at Heraklion, were able to sail at 0545/16th. They met destroyers HAVOCK and HOTSPUR and then joined Force A and Force D

 

Destroyer ILEX joined these forces on the 16th.

 

During 16 May, the ten destroyers of ForcesA, B, and D.refuelled from the two battleships of Force A.

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Anti-aircraft cruiser DIDO and destroyer JUNO departed Alexandria during the morning of 16 May to join Force C.

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During the night of 16/17 May, the British cruiser forces swept off the north coast of Crete. No contact was made.

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Heavy cruiser YORK was damaged by a near miss of German bombing at Suda Bay.

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British troopship GLENGYLE departed Alexandria for Port Said, escorted by destroyer DECOY to embark new landing craft.

 

The troopship departed Port Said on the 17th, escorted by destroyers VOYAGER and WATERHEN and sloop AUCKLAND.

 

Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY from Force C was detached to join this group at daylight on the 18th.

 

During the night of 18/19 May, commando ship GLENGYLE landed 700 Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders at Tymbaki.

 

The troopship then withdrew to Alexandria with anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY, destroyers VOYAGER and WATERHEN, and sloop AUCKLAND, arriving on the 20th.

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Australian destroyer VAMPIRE carried troops to Tobruk during the night of 16/17 May.

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Submarine UNBEATEN unsuccessfully attacked escorted two transports near Tripoli.

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Lt A. H. M. Ash and Lt H. J. C. Richardson of 805 Squadron were attached to the RAF 33 Squadron at Maleme. Both were killed when their Hurricanes were shot down on the 16th.

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In air raids on Malta, destroyer ENCOUNTER was damaged again in the dockyard.

 

The destroyer had already been damaged during raids on 29 and 30 April.

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Corvette GLOXINIA, minesweeping at Malta, was damaged by the explosion of a mine close aboard.

 

The corvette had no time out of service.

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Minesweeper WIDNES was damaged by the near miss of German bombing and machine gunning in the eastern Mediterranean.

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British steamer LOGICIAN (5993grt) was badly damaged by German bombing at Suda Bay.

 

The steamer was bombed again on the 25th and sank two miles and two cables, bearing 303° from Kalani Prism Five crew were killed and one was missing. Twenty five Australian troops were killed.

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Greek steamer KYTHERA (1070grt) was sunk by German bombing at Suda Bay.

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Greek steamer NICOLAOU OURANIA (6397grt) was badly damaged by German bombing at Suda Bay.

 

The steamer was beached. She was later refloated and towed to Piraeus. The steamer was used under the name of NIKOLAUS for German use.

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Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, battlecruiser RENOWN, light cruiser SEHFFIELD, and destroyers WRESTLER, FEARLESS, FORESTER, and FURY for exercises.

 

They returned to Gibraltar on the 17th.

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Destroyers HAVELOCK, HESPERUS, and HARVESTER departed Gibraltar to join aircraft carrier FURIOUS, heavy cruiser LONDON,dummy battleship ANSON (old battleship CENTURION with wooden guns),and destroyer BRILLIANT arriving from the Clyde and escort them to Gibraltar.

 

The ships arrived on the 18th.

 

On the 19th,dummy battleship ANSON departed Gibraltar for Freetown, escorted by destroyer WRESTLER and corvettes JONQUIL and GERANIUM as local escort.

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Convoy HX.127 departed Halifax, escorted by battleship RAMILLIES. Destrpuer ST CROIX, and corvettes AGASSIZ and WETASKIWIN. The corvettes were detached on the 18th.

Convoy BHX.127 departed Bermuda on the 13th escorted by ocean escort armed merchant cruiser CHITRAL. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.127 on the 20th and the armed merchant cruiser was detached.

 

Destroyer LINCOLN and corvettes SUNFLOWER joined on the 23rd and were detached on the 27th. Destroyer SALISBURY joined on the 27th. On the 28th, destroyers OTTAWA and RESTIGOUCHE, sloop STORK, corvette BEGONIA, anti-submarine trawler ST KENAN, and anti-submarine yacht PHILANTE joined the escort. Destroyer SKATE and corvette LARKSPUR joined on the 29th. Destroyer OTTAWA and the yacht were detached on the 29th. Destroyers FARNDALE and HAMBLEDON were with the convoy on the 30th. Sloop SUTLEJ was with the convoy in Home Waters. On 1 June destroyers RESTIGOUCHE and SKATE and sloop STORK were detached. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 2 June.

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Ocean boarding vessel MARON arrived at Gibraltar from Western Patrol.

 

 

Saturday, 17 May

 

Battleship RODNEY departed Scapa Flow escorted by destroyers SOMALI, BEDOUIN, and ESKIMO for the Clyde.

 

The British ships arrived in the Clyde on the 18th.

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Convoy OB.323 departed Liverpool by corvette SUNFLOWER. On the 18th, destroyer VETERAN, catapult ship SPRINGBANK, and corvette HEATHER joined the escort. Destroyer VENOMOUS, KEPPEL, LINCOLN, and SABRE, corvettes DIANELLA, KINGCUP, and PETUNIA, and anti-submarine trawlers LADY ELSA, MAN O.WAR, and WELLARD on the 19th. Destroyers VENOMOUS and VETERAN and corvettes DIANELLA, KINGCUP, and SUNFLOWER were detached on the 22nd. On the 22nd, destroyers MANSFIELD and WOLVERINE and corvettes BEGONIA, and LARKSPUR joined. On the 23rd, destroyer KEPPEL and SABRE, corvettes HEATHER, PETUNIA, and SUNFLOWER, and trawlers LADY ELSA, MAN O.WAR, and WELLARD were detached. The remainder of the escort was detached on the 25th when the convoy was dispersed.

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Destroyer BLANKNEY arrived at Scapa Flow at 1930 after assisting sunken ship ARCHANGEL.

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Destroyer LANCE arrived at Scapa Flow for working up exercises.

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Ocean boarding vessel REGISTAN intercepted Vichy French auxiliary schooner IZARRA (488grt) and sent her to St John's, Newfoundland, under armed guard.

 

The schooner arrived on the 27th.

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Lt H. G. Hunt, flying a Battle of RAF No.1 Flying Training School at Netheravon, was killed when his aircraft crashed at Pepperbox Hill Bombing Range.

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P/T/A/Sub Lt (A) J. N. W. Parish RNVR, was killed when his Hurricane of 759 Squadron crashed in the River Parrett.

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U.107 sank Dutch tanker MARISA (8029grt) in 6-10N, 18-09W. Three crew were lost on the tanker.

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British steamer STATESMAN (7939grt) was sunk by German bombing in 56-44N, 13-45W. One crewman was lost on the steamer.

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British steamer ARTHUR WRIGHT (1091grt) was damaged by German bombing five miles south of Shoreham.

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Norwegian steamer ALA (933grt) was damaged by German bombing five miles south of Shoreham.

One crewman was killed on the steamer.

 

The steamer was beached about one and a half cables west of entrance pier, Shoreham. The steamer was refloated on the 19th and eventually towed to Southampton for repairs.

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Hospital ship ABA (7938grt), on passage to Haifa, was attacked fifty miles south of Crete south of Kaso Strait by German bombers.

 

Force C cruisers DIDO and COVENTRY came to the hospital ship's assistance.

 

Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY suffered some casualties to strafing.

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British Forces C and D were recalled to Alexandria.

 

Force C with light cruisers NAIAD and PERTH and destroyers GREYHOUND and HASTY arrived at Alexandria at 0800/18th.

 

Force D with light cruiser DIDO, anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY, and destroyers KANDAHAR, KINGSTON, JUNO, and NUBIAN arrived at Alexandria on the 18th.

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British tanker ELEONORA MAERSK (10,694grt) was sunk by German bombing at Suda Bay.

 

Twenty crew were missing and seven were made prisoners of war. Seventeen crew were rescued.

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Greek steamer THEMONI (5719grt) was sunk by German bombing at Suda Bay.

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Submarine REGENT arrived at Gibraltar from Malta.

 

Submarine PANDORA arrived at Gibraltar from patrol in the Tyrrhennian Sea.

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Convoy SL.75 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser CATHAY to 12 June and corvettes CROCUS, CYCLAMEN, and MARGUERITE to 25 May.

 

Battleship NELSON joined the convoy on 1 June to 5 June.

 

Corvette ARABIS joined on 8 June to 12 June. On 9 June, destroyers ROXBOROUGH, SALISBURY, and SKATE, and corvettes ANEMONE, CLARKIA, and VERONICA joined; all to 12 June. On 12 June anti-submarine trawler VIZALMA joined to 13 June.

 

The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 13 June.

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Petty Officer J. F. Bray was killed when his Vega Gull crashed at Aboukir. He had been appointed to battleship WARSPITE.

 

 

Sunday, 18 May

 

German battleship BISMARCK and heavy cruiser PRINZ EUGEN departed Gdynia.

 

From Cape Arkona on the 19th, the ships were escorted by Sperrbrechers 13 and 31 and destroyers FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT and Z 23.

 

Off the Belt, the German ships were joined by destroyer LODY and minesweepers of the 5th Minesweeping Flotilla.

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Heavy cruiser NORFOLK arrived at Hvalfjord and departed the same day to reinforce heavy cruiser SUFFOLK on Denmark Strait patrol.

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Light cruiser EDINBURGH departed Scapa Flow to patrol in the Bay of Biscay.

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Light cruisers MANCHESTER and BIRMINGHAM departed Scapa Flow to relieve light cruisers NIGERIA and KENYA on Faroes Iceland patrol.