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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
Wednesday, 15 October Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN and destroyers BEDOUIN
and ANTHONY departed the The battleship arrived at 1500/16th, escorted by
destroyers ORIBI and ANTHONY. _____ Heavy cruiser The sweep was cancelled and ships were ordered to
return to _____ U.553 sank British steamer SILVERCEDAR (4354grt) in
53-36N, 29-57W and Norwegian steamer ILA (1583grt) in 53-34N, 30-10W from
convoy SC.48 on the 15th. The submarine claimed sinking a third ship. Eighteen crew, two gunners, and one passenger were
lost on steamer SILVERCEDAR. Fourteen crew on steamer ILA were lost. On the 16th, U.568 sank British steamer EMPIRE
HERON (6023grt) from convoy SC.48 in 56-10N, 24-30W. Thirty three crew and nine gunners were lost on the
steamer. Only one survivor from EMPIRE HERON was rescued by corvette
GLADIOLUS, but this survivor was lost with the corvette. U.553 on the 17th sank Panamanian steamer Seventeen crew were missing on steamer On the 17th, U.558 sank British tanker W. C. TEAGLE
(9552grt) in 57N, 25W, Norwegian tanker ERVIKEN (6595grt) in 56-10N, 24-30W,
and Norwegian steamer RYM (1369grt) in 57-01N, 24-20W from convoy SC.48. The
submarine claimed damaging another steamer. Thirty crew were lost on tanker W. C. TEAGLE. Nine
survivors were rescued by destroyer BROADWATER and were lost when the
destroyer was sunk. Twenty six crew were lost on steamer ERVIKEN. Two
survivors were picked up by destroyer BROADWATER and were lost when the
destroyer was sunk. The entire crew of steamer RYM were rescued. On the 17th, U.432 sank Greek steamer EVROS
(5283grt) in 57N, 24-30W and Norwegian tanker BARFONN (9739grt) in 56-58N,
25-04W from convoy SC.48. The submarine claimed sinking one more steamer and
damaging another. Thirty crew were lost on steamer EVROS. Two
survivors were rescued. Thirteen crew and one gunner were lost on tanker
BARFONN. On the 17th, U.568 damaged American destroyer Eleven enlisted men were killed and eight ratings
were seriously wounded in the destroyer. Destroyer After temporary repairs at Hvalfjord, the destroyer
sailed on 25 December for Corvette GLADIOLUS (Lt Cdr H. M. C. Sanders DSC,
DSC, RD Sanders, T/Lt S. H. Gifford RANVR, T/Lt J. G.
Gifford-Hull RNVR, T/Lt J. C. Miller DSC RNVR, T/Sub Lt R. B. Ross RNVR, and
fifty nine ratings were missing in the lost of the corvette. Destroyers HIGHLANDER, BULLDOG, AMAZON, Destroyer BROADWATER (Lt Cdr W. M. L. Astwood) was
sunk by U.101 south of Lt J. S. Parker RNVR, was killed. Parker was an American
and was believed to be the first American killed in the Royal Navy. T/Lt R. J. Sampson RNVR, and one rating died of
wounds. Lt A. Knowles, T/A/Gunner (T) F. W. Turner, and
thirty nine ratings were missing. _____ U.558 sank Canadian steamer Corvettes ACONIT and DIANTHUS were ordered to
assist the steamer. Corvette ACONIT, with defects, was not able to assist and
proceeded to _____ Submarine L.27 made an unsuccessful attack on a
steamer off _____ Anti-aircraft ship _____ Destroyer ENCOUNTER arrived in the Canal area to
rejoin the Mediterranean Fleet. _____ Submarine THUNDERBOLT made an unsuccessful attack
on a tanker in the _____ Polish submarine SOKOL made two unsuccessful
attacks on steamers in the _____ Corvettes JONQUIL and COREOPSIS departed _____ Submarine _____ Convoy SL.90 departed The convoy arrived at Thursday, 16 October Light cruiser EDINBURGH departed the _____ Destroyers LAFOREY and LIGHTNING departed The destroyers arrived at 0900/17th. _____ Convoy ON.27 departed _____ T/A/Sub Lt (A) A. C. Scott RNVR, was killed in a
Hurricane of 759 Squadron which crashed at Yeovilton. _____ British steamer EDENVALE (444grt) was damaged by
German bombing off Old Head of Kinsale. _____ Battleship RODNEY, aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL,
light cruiser HERMIONE, and destroyers COSSACK, FORESTER, FORESIGHT, FURY,
LEGION, SIKH, and ZULU departed On the 18th, eleven Albacore and two Swordfish of
the 828 Squadron under Lt Cdr D. E. Langmore were flown off the aircraft
carrier to Pilots T/Sub Lt (A) T. G. Davison RNVR, and T/Sub
Lt (A) D. J. Dunyan RNVR, and observer A/Sub Lt (A) W. N. Jones RNVR, of 828
Squadron did not depart ARK ROYAL in CALLBOY, but joined the Squadron at Hal
Far later. Force H arrived back at Force H arrived back at _____ British steamers CLAN MACDONALD and EMPIRE
GUILLEMOT departed Steamer EMPIRE GUILLEMOT was able to sail on the
22nd. _____ Convoy HX.155 departed Friday, 17 October Convoy PQ.2 departed Scapa Flow at 1630 with
steamers EMPIRE BAFFIN (6978grt), HARTLEBURY (5082grt), QUEEN Heavy cruiser Destroyers ECLIPSE and ICARUS refuelled at
Seidisfjord on the 20th and rejoined the convoy. On the 29th, minesweepers GOSSAMER, HUSSAR, and
LEDA from _____ A Swordfish of 767 Squadron crashed at Hallom Mill,
Frickheim. T/Sub Lt (A) S. J. Carpenter RNVR, died of injuries on the 20th. _____ Anti-submarine trawler OPHELIA, which had been
repairing at Akureyri, departed that port for _____ German steamer PAULA FAULBAUM (1922grt) was lost in
a stranding near _____ Minelaying cruiser LATONA and destroyers NIZAM,
JACKAL, and HAVOCK, departed The ships returned to _____ U.97 sank Greek steamer SAMOS (1208grt) and British
tanker PASS OF BALMAHA (758grt), which departed Alexandria, escorted by
anti-submarine whaler KOS 19, on the 16th, in 31-14N, 28-50E proceeding to
Mersa Matrah for Serial 4 of the CULTIVATE operation. Twenty four crew, three gunners, and four British
personnel were lost on the Greek ship. The entire crew of the British tanker
were lost. The ships were to have joined gunboat GNAT and
landing craft tank A lighters A.13, A.17, and A.18 off Mersa Matruh before
proceeding to Tobruk. Destroyers HASTY, AVONVALE, ERIDGE, and DECOY
departed Destroyers HASTY and ERIDGE were detached during
the night of 17/18 October to sweep ahead of gunboat GNAT and the A lighters.
After an unsuccessful search, the destroyers returned
to The gunboat and the A lighters arrived at Tobruk on
the 19th. _____ Armed boarding vessel CHANTALA departed _____ Submarines URSULA, P.34, and RORQUAL departed Submarine RORQUAL was forced to return to _____ Convoy ST.6 departed _____ Convoy HG.75 sailing was postponed. Two
anti-submarine forces of destroyers LAMERTON, VIDETTE, and DUNCAN and of
sloop _____ Convoy SC.50 departed Sydney CB escorted by
corvette Saturday, 18 October Destroyers ANTELOPE and ANTHONY departed The destroyers arrived at 0900/19th. At 1800/19th, the destroyers and depot ship FORTH
departed the The ships arrived off _____ Minesweepers FITZROY, _____ British steamers EMPIRE GHYLL (2011grt) and MAHSEER
(7911grt) were sunk on mines in Barrow Deep, four to five cables from B 7
Buoy, in 51-41N, 1-19E. Five crew and two gunners were lost on the steamer
EMPIRE GHYLL. The entire crew of steamer MAHSEER were rescued. _____ Tug ASSURANCE was grounded and declared a total
loss at Lough Foyle. _____ Swedish steamer INGEREN (6123grt) was damaged by
British bombing west of Borkum. _____ U.132 sank Soviet steamer ARGUN (3487grt) in
69-30N, 33-30E. _____ U.559 attacked at destroyer escorting three
lighters in 32-40N, 24-34E. _____ Minelaying cruiser ABDIEL and destroyers Returning from Tobruk, destroyer Cruiser ABDIEL arrived back at _____ Destroyers JERVIS and JUPITER departed The destroyers and landing ship arrived at _____ An Italian convoy of steamers MARIN SANUDO
(5081grt), PROBITAS (5084grt), BEPPE (4859grt), PAOLINA 4994grt), and
CATERINA (4786grt) departed Steamer AMBA ARADAM (405grt) joined the convoy from
Torpedo boat CASCINO joined the convoy from On the 18th, submarine URSULA damaged Italian
steamer BEPPE near Lampedusa. The steamer was taken in tow by tug Steamer CATERINA was badly damaged by British
bombing on the 18th and sank 62 miles 350° from Rest of the convoy arrived at _____ Submarine TRUANT departed _____ Submarine RORQUAL departed After the operation on 21 and 22 October, the
submarine arrived at _____ Submarine THUNDERBOLT made an unsuccessful attack
on a steamer in the _____ Corvettes AZALEA and SPIRAEA were directed that
upon departing Corvette SPIRAEA arrived at The three ships arrived at _____ Heavy cruiser Sunday, 19 October Aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS and destroyers LAFOREY
and LIGHTNING departed the All three ships sustained weather damage during a
gale. Off Tiumpan Head at 1150/20th, the destroyers hove
to and the aircraft carried continued unescorted to _____ Heavy cruiser No enemy ships were sighted. On the 25th, the three ships called at Seidisfjord
from Spitzbergen to refuel. They departed at 0800/26th and arrived at _____ Heavy cruiser The heavy cruiser arrived at _____ Destroyer CHIDDINGFOLD departed the The destroyer arrived at _____ Sloop Sloop _____ Dutch submarine O.14 and Free French submarine
MINERVE departed the Faroes to patrol off the Norwegian coast. Submarine O.14 arrived back at _____ Minesweepers HARRIER and BRITOMART arrived at
Spitzbergen. A German landing party promptly was evacuated by air from
Longyearby. _____ Norwegian steamer RASK (632grt) was sunk by German
bombing in 52-08N, 6-23W. Seven crew and one gunner were lost on the steamer.
_____ U.206 sank British steamer BARON KELVIN (3081grt)
14 miles 100° from Tarifa. Nineteen
crew and seven gunners were lost on the steamer. _____ U.126 sank American steamer LEHIGH (4983grt) at
8-26N, 14-37W, seventy five miles west of _____ U.204 sank British tanker INVERLEE (9158grt) 30
miles 240° from Twenty crew and one gunner were lost on the tanker.
_____ German steamer ANDROMEDA (658grt) was sunk in
Kongsfjord by "enemy action". _____ U.204 was sunk by sloop Corvette BLUEBELL picked up debris from the
submarine the next day. _____ Destroyers HOTSPUR, HASTY, HAVOCK, and DECOY
departed Late on the 19th, destroyer HAVOCK ran aground in
32-02N, 24-53E. The destroyer's propellers and shaft were damaged. The other
destroyers escorted her back to The destroyers arrived back at _____ Sloop FLAMINGO departed _____ Anti-submarine whaler Destroyer ENCOUNTER and two anti-submarine trawlers
joined to search for the submarine, without success. The tanker and its escort safely arrived at Tobruk
on the 21st. _____ Submarine TRUSTY departed _____ Submarine URSULA arrived at Monday, 20 October In the early morning hours during a gale, heavy
cruiser _____ Battleship On meeting destroyers LAFOREY and LIGHTNING, which
had been detached from escort duty with aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS,
destroyers BEDOUIN and PUNJABI returned to The battleship continued to the Destroyer LAFOREY put into Stornoway at 1500/20th
to land a cot case, injured in the gale. The destroyer put back to sea at
1700 and rejoined the battleship. _____ Convoy ON.28 departed _____ Destroyer SOUTHWOLD departed _____ Destroyer _____ Submarine _____ British steamer CORDELIA (8190grt) was damaged by
mining off Great Castle Head, Milford Haven. The tanker arrived at Milford Haven on the 20th. _____ U.126 badly damaged British tanker BRITISH MARINER
(6996grt) in 7-43N, 14-20W. Three crew were lost on the tanker. The tanker arrived at _____ Minelaying cruiser LATONA and destroyers The ships arrived back at _____ Gunboat GNAT bombarded an enemy gun battery near
Tobruk during the night of 19/20 October. The gunboat departed Tobruk with the A lighters
after dark on the 20th to return to _____ Light cruisers The bombardment was conducted during the night of
20/21 October. _____ Australian destroyer VENDETTA departed The destroyer was refitting at _____ Panamanian steamer INDRA (2032grt), which departed _____ Italian torpedo boat ALTAIR struck a mine in the Torpedo boat ALTAIR with armed merchant cruiser Torpedo boat ALDEBARAN going to her assistance also
struck a mine and was sunk. The mines were part of a minefield of fifty mines
laid by submarine RORQUAL on the 8th. _____ Submarine PORPOISE departed _____ Light cruiser HERMIONE departed The cruiser arrived back at _____ Destroyer DUNCAN and anti-submarine trawlers ST
NECTAN and ARCTIC RANGER departed Tanker arrived on the 22nd, escorted by the
destroyer and the two corvettes. _____ Tuesday, 21 October Heavy cruiser BERWICK, having completed engine
repairs, departed Rosyth for _____ Destroyer ELECTRA departed Rosyth at 1600 for The destroyer joined destroyer ANTELOPE and both
arrived at _____ Minesweepers FITZROY, |
