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Note: all vessels and aircraft are British unless otherwise identified or implied - click for abbreviations |
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Background Events - June-November 1941 Invasion of Russia, Malta Convoys, Japan prepares for war
1941
Friday, 15 August Battlecruiser REPULSE departed Rosyth at 0720
escorted by destroyers IMPULSIVE, ECLIPSE, and ACTIVE, and arrived at _____ Heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE departed _____ Convoy ON.7 departed _____ German steamer MEMELLAND (542grt) was lost on a
mine south of _____ Italian steamer ADUA (400grt) was sunk by British
bombing in the _____ German steamer NORDENEY (3667grt) scuttled herself
when she was intercepted by light cruiser DESPATCH and armed merchant cruiser
_____ Battleship BARHAM arrived at The battleship departed The ships arrived at _____ Australian light cruiser HOBART, minelaying cruiser
ABDIEL, and destroyers DECOY and HAVOCK departed Australian sloop After departing The Sloop _____ Destroyers _____ Destroyers HASTY and JAGUAR departed The destroyers returned to _____ Submarine THRASHER unsuccessfully attacked German
steamer _____ Dutch submarine O.24 arrived at _____ Submarine OSIRIS arrived at _____ Convoy SL.84 departed On the 18th, sloops FOLKESTONE and Destroyer ST.ALBANS joined on 2 September to 8
September. Catapult ship SPRINGBANK and destroyers CAMPBELTOWN, WANDERER, and
WESTCOTT joined on 3 September to 8 September. The convoy arrived at _____ American aircraft carrier Saturday, 16 August Light cruiser ARETHUSA departed the _____ Destroyer LIVELY departed _____ Destroyer VIVACIOUS departed the _____ Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed The ship proceeded to Rosyth to clean boilers. _____ Convoy WS.10X departed The convoy was composed of liners STRATHNAVER, The convoy was escorted by light cruiser HEEMSKERK
and destroyers Destroyers GURKHA, LANCE, PIORUN, and ISAAC SWEERS
escorted the convoy from 17 to 19 August. Heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE escorted the convoy from
17 to 28 August, when the convoy arrived at Destroyers BRILLIANT and WRESTLER and corvettes
CROCUS and CLEMATIS escorted the convoy from 26 to 28 August. Destroyer VELOX escorted the convoy on 26 and 27
August. The convoy arrived at The convoy was escorted by battleship REVENGE from
1 to 11 September, when the convoy arrived at Capetown. Corvette AMARANTHUS escorted the convoy on 1 and 2
September. Corvettes WOODRUFF, MIGNONETTE, and ARMERIA from 1
to 3 September. Battleship REVENGE was in a collision with liner
ORION on 2 September and sustained slight damage to her bulges. The convoy arrived at Capetown on 11 September and
sailed on 14 September. The convoy was escorted by battleship REVENGE until
23 September when light cruiser CERES took over the convoy. Light cruiser
CERES remained with the convoy until 27 September when the convoy arrived at _____ Convoy ON.8 departed _____ Submarine TRIDENT departed On the 19th, the submarine damaged German steamer
LEVANTE (4769grt) by gunfire in 71-01N, 24-34E. On the 22nd, the submarine sank German steamer
OSTPREUSSEN (3030grt) in 70-12N, 21-05W. On the 30th, submarine TRIDENT sank German steamers
DONAU (2931grt) and BAHIA LAURA (8561grt) off the Lofotens in 70-27N, 21-55E,
from a convoy of German DONAU and BAHIA LAURA, French CORNOUAILLE (3290grt),
and Norwegian AUGUST BOLTEN (3665grt), escorted by destroyers LODY and
GALSTER, submarine chaser UJ.178, and auxiliary submarine chasers Vp.6113 and
Vp.6111, joined by UJ.176 and UJ.177 off Nordkinn. The survivors from the two ships were rescued by
destroyer GALSTER (490 men), destroyer LODY (38 men), Vp.6111 (178 men),
Vp.6113 (360 men), Norwegian steamer MITTNATTSOL (200 men), and R.153 twenty
three men. On the 31st, Russian submarine SC.402
unsuccessfully attacked this convoy in Kjoellefjord. _____ Tug NESS POINT was damaged by a near miss of German
bombing at _____ Sloop FLAMINGO departed The sloop arrived at _____ Destroyers The destroyers arrived back at _____ Submarine _____ Dutch submarine O.23 unsuccessfully attacked a
steamer in 39-35N, 13-18E. _____ Yugoslav torpedo boats DURMITOR and KAJMAKALAN
departed _____ Corvettes JONQUIL and COREOPSIS departed Out of the local approaches, the corvettes joined
arriving tanker CARDIUM. _____ Convoy HX.145 departed Sunday, 17 August Light cruiser PENELOPE departed Rosyth for _____ Destroyer LAMERTON departed Rosyth for The ship arrived at 1930. _____ Anti-aircraft ship PALOMARES departed _____ Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed Rosyth on
completion of boiler cleaning and proceeded northwards to meet convoy WN.68
in The ship escorted convoy WN.68 to In _____ British steamer KINDERSLEY (1999grt) was damaged by
German bombing three miles southeast by east of B.1 Buoy ( The steamer arrived at _____ Panamanian steamer SESSA (1700grt) was reported
sunk by a submarine in 61-26N, 30-50W. The steamer does not appear in the Rohwer list.
Three crew were rescued by US.destroyer LANSDALE on 7 September. The rest
were lost. _____ An Italian convoy of steamers MADDALENA ODERO
(5479grt), NICOLO ODERO (6003grt), CAFFARO (6476grt), MARIN SANUDO (5081grt),
GIULIA (5921grt), and MINATITLAND (7599grt) escorted by destroyers FRECCIA,
EURO, and DARDO and torpedo boats PROCIONE, PEGASO, and SIRTORI was attacked
by Dutch submarine O.23. Italian steamer MADDALENA ODERO was torpedoed. The steamer, escorted by torpedo boats PEGASO and
SIRTORI, was sunk by British aircraft on the 18th at Lampedusa. The convoy arrived at _____ Destroyers KIPLING and NIZAM landed supplies at
Tobruk during the night of 17/18 August. The destroyers then returned to _____ Submarine REGENT at There were no personnel casualties. _____ Dutch steamer KOTA NOPAN (7322grt) was captured by
German raider KOMET at 1-22S, 89-10W. _____ Australian heavy cruiser Cruiser The convoy consisted of French steamers VILLE
D'ORAN (10,172grt), LINOIS (7473grt), DALNY (6672grt), LEPARI (tons), and
SAGITTAIRE (7706grt). The operation ended on the 25th, without contact
with the French convoy. Monday, 18 August Heavy cruiser _____ Destroyer _____ Destroyer ANTHONY departed The ships sailed at 0200/19th. At 1530/19th, Force A in light cruiser _____ Anti-submarine whaler WASTWATER departed _____ Destroyer QUORN, between Harwich and Chatham, was
damaged on a mine. The damage was repaired at _____ British P/T/Midshipman (A) J. M. Down RNVR, was
killed when his Martlett of 802 Squadron crashed after an engine failure on
take off near Campbeltown. _____ U.38 sank Panamanian steamer LONGTAKER (1700grt) in
61-26N, 30-50W. _____ Destroyers JACKAL and The destroyers arrived back at _____ Submarine P.33 (Lt R. D. Whiteway-Wilkinson DSC),
which departed Whiteway-Wilkinson, Lt R. H. Bygott, Lt R. L.
Cunningham, Lt R. S. Frost _____ Submarine P.32 (Lt D. A. B. Abdy) had departed The damage killed the eight crew forward in the
submarine. The submarine was grounded on the bottom. Only Abdy
and one rating were able to successfully evacuate the submarine and were
picked up by an Italian Sub Lt M. F. Millar, Lt R. L. S. Morris, Sub Lt R.
M. Smithard and twenty seven ratings were lost on the submarine. _____ Submarines UNBEATEN and URGE departed _____ Submarine TETRARCH fired torpedoes into The torpedoes exploded on the boom defense. _____ Australian minesweeper The minesweeper joined the East Indies Fleet. Australian minesweeper LISMORE was also transferred
to the East Indies Fleet, passing through the Canal on the 21st. In exchange, armed boarding vessels CHANTALA, which
passed through the Canal on the 20th, and CHAKDINA, which arrived at Armed boarding vessel CHAKDINA arrived at _____ Convoy HG.71 departed Destroyer WILD SWAN was detached on the 23rd and
destroyer VIMY, which departed Anti-aircraft ship PALMARES joined the escort on
the 29th. Destroyers CALDWELL and CASTLETON joined on the 30th. The convoy arrived at _____ Soviet destroyer STATNY was mined and sunk off
Oesel. _____ Soviet steamer AXEL CARL (2170grt) was sunk by
German bombing in _____ Destroyers AVONVALE and ERIDGE departed _____ Submarine Tuesday, 19 August Heavy cruiser _____ Destroyer INGLEFIELD departed Rosyth after boiler cleaning
and arrived at _____ Leading Airman E. S. Ingle and Leading Airman G. R.
Watson of 1 SFTS Netheravon were killed when their Hart crashed at Claverton,
three miles _____ U-boat attacks on convoy OG.71, escorted by sloop On the 19th, Norwegian destroyer Melsom, T/Sub Lt J. R. A. Pennick RNVR,T/Surgeon Lt
R. Taylor MB, ChB RNVR, and nine RN ratings were lost in the destroyer; one
further died of wounds. Two more Norwegian officers and sixty seven Norwegian
ratings were lost in the destroyer. Corvette HYDRANGEA picked up thirty nine
and destroyer WANDERER four survivors from the destroyer. All but nine of the
survivors in the corvette were transferred to the destroyer for medical
attention; two died of wounds en route to Submarine U.559 sank British steamer ALVA (1584grt)
in 49N, 17W on the 19th. The submarine also claimed sinking one more steamer
and damaging another. One crew was lost on the steamer. British steamer
CLONLARA (1203grt) rescued her some of her survivors, but fifteen of the ALVA
survivors were lost when CLONLARA was sunk on the 22nd. Tug EMPIRE OAK picked
up eleven survivors from steamer ALVA. Destroyer BOREAS picked up five
survivors. Submarine U.201 sank British steamer CISCAR
(1809grt) in 49-10N, 17-40W and British steamer AGUILA (3255grt) in 49-23N,
17-56W on the 19th. A third ship was reported sunk. Twenty one crew and five gunners were rescued.
British steamer CERVANTES (1810grt) rescued five survivors; on 26 September
when CERVANTES was lost, three of these survivors were lost. Steamer PETEREL
rescued twenty five survivors from CISCAR. Fifty eight crew, five gunners, Commodore (Vice
Admiral P. E. Parker DSO Rtd), four of his staff, and eighty nine passengers
were lost on steamer AGUILA. Among the passengers lost were Lt J. C. Graham,
Surgeon Commander A. N. Forsyth, MB ChB, T/Sub Lt (A) A. J. Ensor RNVR,
T/A/Sub Lt (A) R. A. Fawcett RNVR, P/T/Sub Lt (A) W. P. Blewitt, P/T/Sub Lt
(A) M. Eden RNVR, and P/T/Midshipman (A) HM Bulpitt RNVR, en route to the
aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, A/Gunner (T) T. L. P. Melloy,en route to
destroyer FORESIGHT, Surgeon Lt R. M. Calder, MB, ChB RNVR, en route to
destroyer DUNCAN, T/A/Warrant Shipwright G. J. Lawson en route to submarine
depot ship MAIDSTONE, Paymaster Lt Cdr D. G. Mackenzie Six survivors from steamer AGUILA were picked up by
Tug EMPIRE OAK (484grt) and corvette WALLFLOWER picked up survivors. Submarine U.204 made two attacks on the 19th and
reported sinking two steamers, but none were reported. Destroyers GURKHA and LANCE from convoy WS.10 X
reinforced the convoy from 20 to 23 August. Destroyer VIDETTE, which departed
Destroyers BOREAS and WIVERN reinforced the convoy
from 22 to 23 August. Submarine U.564 made four attacks on the 22nd and
sank British steam tug EMPIRE OAK (484grt) and British steamer CLONLARA
(1203grt) in 40-43N, 11-39W. She reported damaging two other steamers. Eleven crew and three gunners were missing from the
tug. Eight survivors from steamers ALVA and six survivors from AGUILA were
missing. Destroyer BOREAS rescued four survivors from the tug. Corvette
CAMPANULA picked up the remainder of the survivors. Eleven crew were lost on the steamer. Submarine U.201 sank British steamers STORK
(787grt) and ALDERGROVE (1974grt) in 40-43N, 11-30W on the 23rd. She reported
damaging two other steamers. One naval rating was lost on steamer ALDERGROVE.
Destroyer BOREAS rescued four survivors from the steamer. Corvette CAMPANULA
rescued the remainder of the survivors. Nineteen crew were lost on steamer STORK. Three
crew were rescued by corvette CAMPION. Submarine U.564 on the 23rd damaged Norwegian
steamer SPIND (2129grt) in 40-43N, 11-39W. The submarine reported damaging
another steamer. Corvette ZINNIA (Lt Cdr C. G. Cuthbertson DSO A/Sub Lt M. T. Edwards RNVR, T/Sub Lt J. Halliday
RNVR, and T/Sub Lt J. B. Miller RNVR, and forty six ratings were lost on the
corvette. Her survivors were picked up by corvette CAMPION. The submarine reported sinking two other steamers
on the 23rd. Submarine U.552 sank damaged Norwegian steamer
SPIND (2129grt) in 40-43N, 11-39W. The entire crew was rescued by destroyer
BOREAS. _____ Convoy OG.72 departed On the 20th, destroyers CHELSEA, CROOME, HEYTHROP,
and WOLVERINE, sloop ROCHESTER, corvettes CARNATION, HELIOTROPE, LA MALOUINE,
and MALLOW, and catapult ship MAPLIN joined the convoy. Destroyer DUNCAN departed Destroyer LANCE joined the escort from patrol on
the 26th and destroyer BOREAS departed _____ Italian submarine TAZZOLI sank Norwegian tanker
SILDRA (7313grt) in 5-30N, 12-50W. The entire crew were rescued. _____ Motor barge GOLDEN GRAIN (101grt) was sunk on a
mine in 51-35-18N, 1-03-18E. The crew of three were all lost. _____ Soviet hospital ship SIBIR (3767grt) was sunk by
German bombing in the Some 400 passengers were lost on the ship. _____ Operation TREACLE began. Six thousand troops of the Polish Carpathian
Brigade were ferried to Tobruk, covered by the cruisers of the 7th and 15th
Cruiser Squadrons. On the first night of TREACLE, destroyers JERVIS, The destroyers arrived back at _____ Whaler THORBRYN (Lt Cdr J. F. Hall T/Lt D. C. Wilson RNVR, T/Lt W. B. Chisholm RNVR,
and six ratings were killed on the whaler. Hall, T/Sub Lt (E) R. Firing RNVR, T/Lt (E) K. A.
Larsen One D lighter was sunk and the second drifted onto
the enemy coast. Skipper P. D. Jackson _____ Light cruiser GALATEA arrived at _____ Anti-aircraft cruiser _____ Destroyer HOTSPUR departed Destroyer HAVOCK arrived back at _____ Submarine TETRARCH unsuccessfully attacked Italian
steamer CADAMOSTO, which was arriving at _____ Submarine UNBEATEN unsuccessfully attacked a convoy
of liners MARCO POLO, ESPERIA, NEPTUNIA, and After the attack, the convoy was joined by destroyers
MAESTRALE, GRECALE, and SCIROCCO. The convoy arrived at _____ Australian sloop The sloop arrived on the 21st and then sailed for _____ British steamer Wednesday, 20 August Battleship KING GEORGE V departed The ships arrived off _____ Battleship DUKE OF _____ Destroyer BADSWORTH departed The destroyer arrived at 0600/21st. _____ Destroyer PUCKERIDGE departed |
