British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day by Don Kindell NAVAL EVENTS, AUGUST 1941, Part 1 of 2 Friday 1st - Thursday 14th Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Audacity, escort carrier (Cyberheritage)

on to AUGUST 1941, Part 2 or back to Naval-History.Net

Note: all vessels and aircraft are British or Dominion unless otherwise identified or implied - all ships lost in bold - click for abbreviations.

Background Events - June-November 1941

Invasion of Russia, Malta Convoys, Japan prepares for war

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1941

Friday, 1 August

Heavy cruiser SHROPSHIRE arrived at Akureyri from Denmark Strait patrol. Later that day, she departed for Hvalfjord, arriving on the 2nd.

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Monitor EREBUS arrived at Scapa Flow, escorted by destroyer QUORN.

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Destroyer LIVELY arrived at Scapa Flow from Greenock at 0900 to work up.

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Minesweeper HARRIER arrived at Scapa Flow at 1400 to take the place of minesweeper NIGER, which had developed defects.

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 Steamer TRIDENT (4317grt) was badly damaged by German bombing four miles 208° from 20C Buoy, Tyne, but the entire crew were rescued. TRIDENT sank on the 2nd.

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Corvette HYACINTH departed Port Said with motor transport ship SALAMAUA for Famagusta in Serial S.11 of the GUILLOTINE operation. They arrived on the 3rd.

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Destroyers JERVIS, KINGSTON, JACKAL, and NIZAM departed Alexandria to sweep north of Bardia for a reported submarine. A flying boat cooperating in the search was shot down by the submarine Italian DELFINO, but the destroyers had no contact. The destroyers arrived back at Alexandria on the 2nd.

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Destroyers HERO and DECOY departed Alexandria on a supply run to Tobruk.

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Submarine THUNDERBOLT departed Gibraltar with aviation spirits for Malta, arriving on the 8th. After delivering the aviation spirits at Malta, the submarine departed on the 10th and arrived at Alexandria on the 18th.

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Convoy HX.142 departed Halifax, escorted by destroyer ANNAPOLIS, armed merchant cruiser AUSONIA, and corvettes COLLINGWOOD and ROSTHERN. Corvette ROSTHERN was detached later that day. Corvettes DAUPHIN and NAPANEE joined on the 2nd and were detached later that day. Destroyer ANNAPOLIS was detached on the 3rd. Destroyer CHESTERFIELD and corvettes HEPATICA, TRILLIUM, and WINDFLOWER joined on the 4th, destroyer CHURCHILL and corvettes ARROWHEAD and EYEBRIGHT joined on the 5th, and corvette CAMILLIA joined on the 6th. Corvette COLLINGWOOD was detached on the 5th and the remaining escorts were detached on the 12th when relieved by destroyers BEAGLE, BOADICEA, KEPPEL, SABRE, SALISBURY, SHIKARI, and SKATE, corvettes HEATHER, ORCHIS, andSNOWDROP, minesweepers HAZARD, HEBE, and SEAGULL,and anti-submarine trawlers ARAB, AYRSHIRE, and NORWICH CITY. Destroyers KEPPEL, SHIKARI, and SKATE, the minesweepers, and the trawlers were detached on the 13th. On the 14th, destroyer SALISBURY was detached, on the 15th, destroyer SABRE and corvette ORCHIS were detached, on the 16th, destroyer BEAGLE. On the 17th, corvette ARABIS joined and on the 18th, the convoy arrived at Liverpool with destroyer BOADICEA and corvette ARABIS.

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Convoy SC.39 departed Sydney, CB , escorted by armed merchant cruiser MALOJA and corvettes BARRIE and CHICOUTIMI. These three escorts were detached on the 4th. On the 4th, destroyer CHESTERFIELD and corvettes BUCTOUCHE, HEPATICA, TRILLIUM, and WINDFLOWER joined the convoy. Corvettes HEPATICA and TRILLIUM were detached on the 8th and remainder of the escorts were detached on the 12th, when relieved by destroyers KEPPEL, LINCOLN, and SHIKARI, corvettes ALISMA, DIANELLA, MATAPEDIA, and SUNFLOWER, minesweepers HAZARD and HEBE, and anti-submarine trawlers MAN O.WAR and NORTHERN DAWN. Thisescort group was detached on the 17th. Destroyers BOADICEA and SABRE joined on the 18th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 19th.

Saturday, 2 August

Destroyer HEYTHROP departed Scapa Flow for Greenock at 1300 on completion of working up exercises, and arrived at 1100/3rd.

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Destroyer ORIBI departed Scapa Flow at 1630 for Scrabster to convey Admiral Horton to Scapa Flow, and arrived back at 2030.

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Minesweeper HARRIER departed Scapa Flow at 2330 for Seidisfjord, where she arrived at 0100/5th.

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Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 0615 to provide escort for convoy WN.60 from the Pentland Firth until joining convoy EC.53 at 2300. She parted company with convoy EC.53 in Pentland Firth at 2115/3rd and arrived at Scapa Flow.

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 Steamer KOOLGA (1110grt) was damaged by German bombing in 52-40-03N, 2-11E, near 54.D Buoy, Smiths Knoll, and arrived in tow at Great Yarmouth on the 3rd.

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LL magnetic minesweeper SOIKA was recalled from Port Said to aid in minesweeping at Tobruk. Corvette SALVIA departed Beirut to relieve her at Port Said. SOIKA proceeded to Alexandria and minesweeping whaler SOTRA departed Alexandria for Tobruk.

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Australian destroyer VENDETTA and destroyer HAVOCK, en route to Tobruk, were attacked by German bombers and fighters. South African air support was able to repulse the attack and the destroyers were undamaged.

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 tanker LAURELWOOD and Panamanian tanker NORVINN departed Gibraltar for Curacoa and Trinidad, respectively, escorted until dark on the 4th by destroyer WISHART and anti-submarine trawler LADY HOGARTH.

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Dutch submarine O.23 departed Gibraltar for patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

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Motor launches ML.130, ML.129, and ML.168 departed Gibraltar to conduct an anti-submarine search north of Alboran Island.

Sunday, 3 August

Aircraft carrier FURIOUS, heavy cruiser SUFFOLK (right - NavyPhotos) and destroyers INTREPID, ECHO, and ECLIPSE arrived at Seidisfjord at 1000 on completion of Operation EF. The ships went on to Scapa Flow after refuelling. FURIOUS, ECHO and ECLIPSE arrived at 0830/5th. INTREPID which had been separated in bad weather, proceeded to Loch Ewe to fuel and arrived at 1115. The destroyer later proceeded to Greenock.

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Heavy cruiser BERWICK departed Rosyth for Scapa Flow and arrived later that day. Turbine problems had not yet been repaired and she was only capable of a maximum of 22.5 knots.

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Destroyer QUORN departed Scapa Flow at 1200 after a short period of practices for Rosyth.

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Destroyers HAVELOCK, HESPERUS, and HARVESTER arrived at Scapa Flow at 0815 from Reykjavik.

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Destroyer ANTHONY departed Scapa Flow for Scrabster at 1615 to embark special personnel, and arrived back later that evening.

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Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 1800 and escorted convoy WN.61 to southward. On the 4th, she transferred to convoy EC.54 in the vicinity of Tod Head, and arrived at Scapa Flow at 0030/6th after parting from the convoy to the west of the Orkneys.

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Minesweeper NIGER departed Scapa Flow at 0300 for Dundee to refit, arriving at 2100 for refitting which was completed on 28 September. She returned to Dundee on 6 October for further refitting which continued until 15 December.

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CAM (Catapult-Armed Merchantman) ship MAPLIN, which had left convoy OG.70 en route to convoy SL.81, scored the first success for a ship of this type when her Hurricane shot down a German FW 200 aircraft. LT (A) R. W. H. Everett RNVR was the pilot, and after his success, landed in the sea near destroyer WANDERER of convoy SL.81 and was rescued.

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U.401 was sunk by convoy SL.81 escorts, destroyers WANDERER and ST.ALBANS and corvette HYDRANGEA, formerly of convoy SC.81, south of Iceland, in 50-27N, 19-50W. The entire crew of forty four were lost. Destroyer CAMPBELTOWN and corvettes LA MALOUINE, ZINNIA, CAMPANULA, BLUEBELL, WALLFLOWER, CARNATION, and HELIOTROPE were also escorting this convoy.

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Convoy WS.10 was formed at sea from ships departing Avonmouth on 30 July, Liverpool on 31 July, and the Clyde on the 2nd. It was composed of steamers PHEMIUS, DIOMED, INDIAN PRINCE, INDRAPOERA, ANDES, RANGITIKI, ORCADES, BRITANNIC, HIGHLAND MONARCH, MANCHESTER PORT, STARTHALLAN, VOLENDAM, CAMERONIA, REINA DEL PACIFICO, NEA HELLAS, STIRLING CASTLE, WINDSOR CASTLE, WARWICK CASTLE, and NIGERSTROOM.

On the 6th, steamers WINDSOR CASTLE and WARWICK CASTLE collided. WARWICK CASTLE was detached to Halifax and escorted by armed merchant cruiser WORCESTERSHIRE.

The convoy was escorted by armed merchant cruiser WORCESTERSHIRE and destroyers GURKHA, PIORUN, ISAAC SWEERS, BROADWAY, LANCE, and LEGION from 2 to 6 August.

Anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO and destroyers WHITEHALL, WITCH, and WINCHELSEA escorted the convoy from 2 to 5 August.

Heavy cruiser LONDON escorted the convoy from 2 to 10 August. On the 10th, light cruiser EDINBURGH, which departed Gibraltar on the 8th, relieved the heavy cruiser and escorted the convoy until 17 August when it arrived at Freetown. The heavy cruiser proceeded to 40N, 30W to attempt to intercept an armed enemy merchant ship reported by civil aircraft.

Destroyers WRESTLER and VELOX and corvette BERGAMOT escorted the convoy from 14 to 17 August and corvette CYCLAMEN escorted the convoy from 15 to 17 August.

Destroyer JUPITER was involved in the escort of the convoy at some time prior to the arrival at Freetown.

The convoy arrived at Freetown on the 17th. The convoy departed on the 21st, escorted by light cruiser EDINBURGH to 2 September when BRITANNIC, INDRAPOERA, REINA DEL PACIFICO, STIRLING CASTLE, STRATHALLAN, VOLENDAM, WINDSOR CASTLE, NIGERSTROOM , and PHEMIUS arrived at Capetown.

On 6 September, liners ORCADES, ANDES, CAMERONIA, HIGHLAND PATRIOT, NEA HELLAS, RANGITIKI, DIOMED, INDIAN PRINCE, and MANCHESTER PORT arrived at Durban, escorted by heavy cruiser HAWKINS.

On 6 September, liners BRITANNIC, STIRLING CASTLE, WINDSOR CASTLE, VOLENDAM, INDRAPOERA, STRATHALLAN, NIGERSTROOM, and PHEMIUS departed Capetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser CARNARVON CASTLE.

Liner BRITANNIC was detached on 8 September to Durban to embark passengers from liner CAMERONIA. She rejoined with steamer ARONDA departing Durban on 9 September with heavy cruiser HAWKINS.

On rendezvous, armed merchant cruiser CARNARVON CASTLE was detached with VOLENDAM, INDRAPOERA, PHEMIUS, and NIGERSTROOM to Durban.

Heavy cruiser HAWKINS then escorted the convoy until 15 September in 3-25S, 51-12E, when light cruiser EMERALD took over the escort of the convoy.

The convoy arrived at Bombay on 20 September.

Steamers not departing Capetown on 6 September went forward to Aden in convoy CM.17.

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Convoy OS.2 departed Liverpool. On the 4th, destroyers CHELSEA and WOLVERINE joined the convoy and were detached on the 8th. Also joining on the 4th were sloop SANDWICH which was detached on the 19th, corvettes GENTIAN, HIBISCUS, and MYOSOTIS which were detached on the 8th, and anti-submarine yacht PHILANTE which was detached on the 19th. French sloop COMMANDANT DOMINE joined the convoy on the 4th and was detached on the 18th.

On the 7th, destroyers VICEROY and WOOLSTON joined the convoy and were detached on 9 and 10 August, respectively.

On the 19th, destroyer BRILLIANT and corvettes AMARANTHUS, ARMERIA, and WOODRUFF joined the convoy and arrived at Freetown with the convoy on the 22nd.

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Dutch submarine O.21 unsuccessfully attacked a sailing vessel south of Sardinia.

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Submarine UTMOST arrived at Malta from patrol.

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Belgian motor vessel ESCAUT (1087grt) was sunk by German bombing 17.3 cables 232° from South Beacon Ships Head, Attika Bay, Suez. The Master and two crew were missing.

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Belgian tanker ALEXANDRE ANDRE (5322grt) was damaged by German bombing eight miles S of Suez.

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Australian sloop PARRAMATTA arrived at Port Said from Famagusta.

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Sloop FLAMINGO departed Port Said with motor transport ship KEVINBANK for Famagusta in Serial S.12 of the GUILLOTINE operation. they arrived on the 5th.

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Australian minesweeper BATHURST passed through the Suez Canal and proceeded to Alexandria for duty with the Mediterranean Fleet. BATHURST and LISMORE had been retained at Suez to assist with the large liners of the US.11A convoy.

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Tanker DESMOULEA (8120grt) was damaged by German bombing at Suez off the west beacon, and towed to Bombay for repairs.

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Italian steamer ELISA (216grt) was sunk by British bombing off Benghazi.

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Destroyers WIVERN, WILD SWAN, and BOREAS departed Freetown at 0800 to proceed to Bathurst to refuel en route to Gibraltar.

Monday, 4 August

Destroyers ORIBI and CROOME departed Scapa Flow at 0720 for Scrabster and returned to Scapa Flow at 1130 with personnel.

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Battleship PRINCE OF WALES departed Scapa Flow at 1730 escorted by destroyers ORIBI, HAVELOCK, HARVESTER, and HESPERUS, but ORIBI returned to Scapa Flow that evening. The other destroyers were detached at 0030/5th in heavy weather and proceeded to Reykjavik.

On the 6th, the battleship was met by Canadian destroyers RESTIGOUCHE and ASSINIBOINE and destroyer RIPLEY, which came out from Iceland.

PRINCE OF WALES and her destroyer escort arrived at Placentia Bay on the 9th.

In harbour at this time were American battleship ARKANSAS, heavy cruisers AUGUSTA and TUSCALOOSA, destroyers MCDOUGAL, MADISON, SAMPSON, WINSLOW, MOFFETT, BELKNAP, RHIND, and MAYRANT, Destroyer READING, and American oiler SALINAS.

RESTIGOUCHE while refuelling touched ground and damaged her screws. She was repaired at St Johns and Halifax, completing on 9 October.

The Atlantic Charter was signed on the 10th.

PRINCE OF WALES departed Placentia Bay on the 14th escorted by RIPLEY, ASSINIBOINE, SAGUENAY, and READING and the American RHIND and MAYRANT.

RIPLEY and READING were detached on the 16th.

Destroyers TARTAR, PUNJABI, and ESCAPADE departed Scapa Flow at 1530/11th and arrived at Hvalfjord at 2100/12th. The destroyers put to sea on the 14th to meet the battleship.

At 0900/16th, the battleship arrived at Hvalfjord, escorted by TARTAR, PUNJABI, and ESCAPADE. Churchill went on to Reykjavik on ASSINIBOINE.

Churchill addressed the crews of ships at Hvalfjord on this date. Included at Hvalfjord on the 16th were American battleship NEW MEXICO, battleship RAMILLIES, heavy cruisers SHROPSHIRE and QUINCEY, five destroyers, including CHURCHILL, five US.destroyers and destroyer depot ship HECLA.

PRINCE OF WALES departed Hvalfjord at 2045/16th escorted by TARTAR, PUNJABI, and ESCAPADE.

On the 17th, when a submarine was reported off Cape Wrath, destroyers ECLIPSE and ORIBI departed Scapa Flow to search for the submarine. The destroyers joined the battleship at midnight on the 17th.

The battleship, escorted by the five destroyers, arrived at Scapa Flow at 0900/20th.

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Ex-US Coast Guard cutter. escort ship BANFF was damaged in a collision with a Thames lighter in the Thames Estuary. She had just departed Tilbury, and returned following for repairs, which were completed on the 8th.

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Submarines TIGRIS and TRIDENT departed Holy Loch 26 July and 1 August, respectively and arrived at Polyarnoe on the 4th and 10 August. They were relieved by submarines SEALION and SEAWOLF, which departed Portsmouth on 16 and 25 October, respectively and arrived at Polyarnoe on 6 and 10 November. These two then returned to Home Waters in December, and were relieved by submarine STURGEON which departed Scapa Flow on 1 January and arrived on 11 January.

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 Steamer TUNISIA (4337grt) was sunk by German bombing in 53-53N, 18-10W. Thirty eight crew of a crew of 43 were missing.

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U.126 sank fishing trawler ROBERT MAX (172grt) with gunfire in 36-47N, 21-15W. The crew of six were all rescued and landed at Ponta Delgada.

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Force H and Force X arrived at Gibraltar.

On the 8th, destroyers COSSACK, MAORI, ZULU, and LIGHTNING escorted battlecruiser RENOWN and troopship PASTEUR, carrying 15 officers and 157 ratings of damaged light cruiser MANCHESTER to the Clyde.

Destroyers INGLEFIELD, IMPULSIVE, and ECLIPSE departed Scapa Flow at 2000/11th to meet the battlecruiser at 1700/12th in 55-45N, 13W and escort her to Rosyth for refitting, arriving at 0945/14th. INGLEFIELD was taken in hand for boiler cleaning.

The Force H destroyers and the troopship arrived in the Clyde. MAORI proceeded to London for refitting. The other two Tribal destroyers returned to the Mediterranean escorting convoy WS.11 which departed the Clyde on the 30th. LIGHTNING returned to the Home Fleet.

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Submarine UNIQUE arrived at Malta from patrol.

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Light cruiser CALEDON departed Suez for Bombay where she was refitting from 18 August to 13 October.

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Light cruiser CARLISLE departed Alexandria for Suez to provide anti-aircraft defense.

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Light cruiser NEPTUNE, minelaying cruiser ABDIEL, and destroyers JACKAL and KIPLING departed Alexandria for Port Said for one serial of GUILLOTINE operation. The ships would then relieve light cruiser HOBART and destroyers at Haifa.

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Destroyers JAGUAR and NIZAM carried supplies to Tobruk.

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Minesweeping whaler SOTRA (A/Lt J. M. Davies RCNVR) was attacked by German aircraft off Mersa Matruh. T/Skipper W. T. Allen RNR, was killed.

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Corvette VERVAIN broke down with boiler problems at 18-50N, 20-35W while on patrol duty . On the 5th, she was able to proceed on one boiler, but by mid-afternoon on the 8th, could not steam at all with both boilers defective. Corvette CLOVER took her in tow for Freetown, arriving on the 9th.

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Ocean boarding vessel CAVINA intercepted German steamer FRANKFURT (5522grt) west of the Azores in 31-34N, 37-42W. The steamer scuttled herself to avoid capture, and 26 crew were rescued. A second boatload refused to be picked up and were lost. CALVINA arrived at Gibraltar on the 11th.

Tuesday, 5 August

Heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE, aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS, and destroyers INGLEFIELD, ICARUS, and ESCAPADE arrived at Seidisfjord. The ships departed the next day for Scapa Flow, where they arrived on the 7th.

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Heavy cruiser SHROPSHIRE departed Hvalfjord to cover minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE's return from Archangel. After successfully escorting ADVENTURE, SHROPSHIRE arrived back at Hvalfjord on the 10th. ADVENTURE arrived at Loch Alsh on the 11th.

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French submarine MINERVE arrived at Scapa Flow from a submarine patrol off the Faroes.

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Convoy SL.81 was attacked on the 5th by U-boats. U.372 sank steamers BELGRAVIAN (3136grt) in 53-03N, 16-54W and SWIFTPOOL (5205grt) in 53-03N, 16-00W. Two crew were lost from BELGRAVIAN, and forty two crew from SWIFTPOOL out of a crew of 49.

U.372 claimed to have damaged steamer VOLTURNO (3424grt), but she was undamaged, and U.204 made a similar claim for another large steamer.

U.75 sank steamer HARLINGEN (5415grt) and badly damaged CAPE RODNEY (4512grt) in 53-26N, 15-40W. Two crew were lost on HARLINGEN, but the entire crew of CAPE RODNEY was rescued. CAPE RODNEY was taken in tow for Rothesay Bay, but sank in tow on the 9th in 52-44N, 11-41W.

U.74 made four attacks on the convoy (presumably and sank steamer KUMASIAN (4922grt) in 53-26N, 15-40W, with the loss of one crewman.

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Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH, light cruiser NAIAD, and destroyer JERVIS, KINGSTON, HERO, and VENDETTA departed Alexandria for exercises. Battleship, cruiser, HERO and VENDETTA arrived back at Alexandria on the 6th. However, JERVIS and KINGSTON were detached for Mersa Matruh to intercept a reported enemy supply ship. No contact was made and they returned to Alexandria, arriving on the 7th.

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Australian light cruiser HOBART and destroyers KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, and KIPLING arrived at Port Said from Haifa. They sailed again later that day for Famagusta in Serial S.14 of the GUILLOTINE operation. They arrived on the 8th.

The light cruiser and the destroyers arrived back at Alexandria on the 6th.

Australian sloop PARRAMATTA departed Port Said, escorting motor ship GUJARAT to Famagusta in Serial S.12 of the GUILLOTINE operation. they arrived on the 7th.

Light cruiser NEPTUNE, minelaying cruiser ABDIEL, and destroyers JACKAL and KIPLING arrived at Port Said from Alexandria. KIPLING departed that day for Serial S.14 of the GUILLOTINE Operation.

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Greek destroyer KONDOURIOTIS departed Alexandria carrying torpedoes for Fleet Air Arm Squadron 815 at Famagusta, and arrived back at Alexandria on the 7th.

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Destroyers HERO and DECOY carried supplies to Tobruk.

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Cruiser minelayer MANXMAN and light cruiser ARETHUSA departed Gibraltar for Loch Alsh and the Clyde, respectively. ARETHUSA arrived in the Clyde on the 10th.

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Convoy SL.83 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruisers CATHAY and CITY OF DURBAN to 28 August, destroyer BRILLIANT to 11 August, sloop MILFORD to 9 August, and corvettes ANCHUSA, ASPHODEL, and CALENDULA to 8 August and LAVENDER to 7 August. The corvettes joined convoy OS.1 and escorted it to Freetown.

Sloop WELLINGTON to 28 August and escort vessels CULVER to 28 August and LANDGUARD to 23 July joined on the 8th.

On the 22nd, ocean boarding vessel CORINTHIAN joined to 28 August.

Destroyers CHELSEA and WOLVERINE joined on the 24th to 28 August.

The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 28th.

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Convoy HX.143 departed Halifax escorted by destroyers ANNAPOLIS and NIAGARA and armed merchant cruiser WOLFE. The destroyers were detached that night. Corvettes DAUPHIN and NAPANEE joined on the 6th and were detached on the 7th. Destroyer BURNHAM and corvettes AGASSIZ, GALT, LEVIS, and MAYFLOWER joined on the 8th. The escorts were detached on the 17th when relieved by destroyers MALCOLM, SARDONYX, SCIMITAR, and WATCHMAN, corvettes ARABIS, VERBENA, and VIOLET, and anti-submarine trawlers NORTHERN GEM, NORTHERN PRIDE, and NORTHERN WAVE. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 20th.

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American heavy cruisers NORTHAMPTON and SALT LAKE CITY arrived at Brisbane, followed by Port Moresby on the 13th and Rabaul on the 16th on goodwill visits.

Wednesday, 6 August

Destroyers CASTLETON, CHARLESTOWN, and ECHO departed Scapa Flow at 1000 for Greenock to join destroyer INTREPID, which departed Loch Alsh for the Clyde, for escort duties with convoy SW.8 C.

The destroyers arrived at 0700/7th.

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Destroyer IMPULSIVE departed the Humber at 1900 on completion of refitting for Scapa Flow.

The destroyer arrived at 1630/7th.

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Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 1000 to join convoy EC.55 off Buchan Ness and escort it to Pentland Firth.

After this escort, the ship arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0345/7th.

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Convoy ON.4 departed Liverpool, escorted by corvette SNOWDROP and minesweeper SEAGULL. The convoy was joined on the 7th by corvettes HEATHER, ORCHIS, and PICOTEE, and anti-submarine trawlers ARAB, AYRSHIRE, and ST.LOMAN. Destroyers BEAGLE, BOADICEA, ROSBOROUGH, and SALISBURY, and anti-submarine trawlers LADY MADELEINE and NORWICH CITY on the 8th. These escorts were all detached on the 12th. On the 11th, corvettes BITTERSWEET, CANDYTUFT, and FENNEL joined and on the 15th, corvettes ALBERNI, ORILLIA, and PRIMROSE joined. The corvettes escorted the convoy until it was dispersed on the 18th.

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Convoy ON.5 departed Liverpool, escorted by anti-submarine trawlers MAN O WAR and NORTHERN DAWN. On the 7th, destroyers KEPPEL, LINCOLN, and SHIKARI and corvettes ALISMA, DIANELLA, and SUNFLOWER. Minesweepers HAZARD and HEBE joined on the 8th. These escorts were all detached on the 11th. On the 11th, destroyer SKEENA, armed merchant cruiser MONTCLARE, and corvettes ALBERNI, ORILLIA, and PRIMROSE joined. These escorts were detached on the 14th when the convoy was dispersed.

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Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 1830 and escorted convoy WN.62 to May Island.

The ship arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0300 after parting company with convoy EC.56 in Pentland Firth.

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Anti-submarine trawler AGATE (627grt, Lt L. H. Cline RNVR) was lost when she ran aground off Cromer in heavy weather. Cline, T/Sub Lt P. G. Beard RNVR, T/Sub Lt A. G. Tree RNVR, and the entire crew were lost.

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U.652 sank Soviet anti-submarine trawler KAPITAN VORONIN (558grt) off Cape Teriberka.

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Dutch submarine O.24 sank Italian steamer BOMBARDIERE (613grt) six miles off Fregene in 41-47N, 12-06E.

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