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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
Saturday, 15 November Destroyer FAULKNOR departed The destroyer arrived in the Destroyer FAULKNOR departed the _____ Destroyers _____ Convoy ON.37 departed _____ Submarine TRIDENT departed Polyarnoe and arrived at
The submarine went on to the _____ British steamer CORHAMPTON (2495grt) was badly
damaged by German bombing twenty six miles northeast of Spurn Point. The steamer sank on the 16th in tow two miles 142°
from 62D Buoy in the The entire crew were rescued. _____ British drifter HARMONY (24grt) was sunk in a
collision off Invergordon. _____ U.583 was sunk in a collision during night training
with U.153 off Forty five crewmen were lost on the submarine. _____ U.752 sank Soviet minesweeping trawler T.34 near _____ Destroyers ENCOUNTER and JUPITER departed On the 30th, at Battlecruiser REPULSE departed Trincomalee the same
day for _____ Light cruisers NAIAD and EURYALUS were at sea from _____ Dutch submarine O.21 unsuccessfully attacked
Italian steamer NINETTOG. (5335grt) in a convoy in the _____ British steamer EMPIRE DEFENDER (5649grt), en route
to Four crewmen were lost on the steamer. The rest of
the crew were made prisoners of war. _____ Convoy HX.160 departed Sunday, 16 November Destroyer ANTELOPE departed Hvalfjord at 1100 for _____ Minesweepers HAZARD and HEBE departed _____ Destroyer CHELSEA was damaged in a collision with
an unknown merchant ship while escorting convoy ON.36. The destroyer lost six feet of her stern, but was
able to reach The damage was repaired at _____ Minesweepers GOSSAMER, HUSSAR, and SPEEDY arrived
at _____ British fishing trawler FERNBANK (211grt) was sunk
by German bombing twelve miles northwest of Myggenaes. Five crewmen were lost on the trawler. _____ Examination vessel MINNA (290grt) was damaged by
German bombing in 56-04-36N, 2-51-12W. The vessel arrived at _____ Battleship NELSON, escorted by destroyers ZULU,
SIKH, and GURKHA departed Light cruiser HERMOINE, aircraft carrier ARGUS, and
destroyers LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, LEGION, and ISAAC SWEERS sailed with the
battleship to feint to the east. A probable German supply ship was reported by a
submarine in 44-00N, 2-00W at 0001 on the 17th. Battleship NELSON and light
cruiser HERMOINE proceeded to intercept, but no contact was made. The groups parted company at 1845/17th and arrived
back at _____ A Convoy of steamers BLAIRATHOLL (3319grt), BARON
NEWLANDS (3386grt), SHUNA (1575grt), CISNEROS (1886grt), and OTTINGE
(2870grt), and oiler BROWN RANGER departed The convoy, Operation CHIEFTAN, was a diversion for
Operation CRUSADER in the eastern A U-boat contact was made by destroyer WILD SWAN on
the 16th. The destroyer was joined by corvette SAMPHIRE. Corvette MARIGOLD sank the U.433 south of Six officers and thirty two ratings the submarine
were rescued. Six ratings were lost in the submarine. The convoy proceeded towards _____ Destroyers KIPLING, JACKAL, and DECOY departed The destroyers returned to _____ Destroyer FARNDALE arrived at _____ British motor torpedo boats _____ Dutch submarine O.21 unsuccessfully attacked
Italian steamer ITU (1578grt) in convoy in the _____ An Italian convoy of steamers CITTA DI GENOVA
(5413grt) and CITTI DI NAPOLI (5418grt), escorted by destroyers PIGAFETTA and
DA VERAZZANO, which had departed _____ Convoy SC.55 departed _____ Minelayer TEVIOT BANK arrived at Monday, 17 November Heavy cruiser The heavy cruiser arrived at Hvalfjord on the 18th.
_____ Light cruiser EDINBURGH departed The light cruiser arrived at Hvalfjord on the 18th.
_____ Heavy cruiser BERWICK with destroyers ONSLOW and
OFFA departed Hvalfjord at 0900 for Seidisfjord where they arrived at
0900/18th. After refuelling, the warships departed Seidisfjord
at 1300/19th to rendezvous with convoy PQ.4 and escort it to _____ Convoy PQ.4 departed The convoy was escorted by trawlers Heavy cruiser BERWICK and destroyers OFFA and
ONSLOW escorted the convoy from 25 to 27 November. The convoy was to have
been met on the 20th, but the warships were unable to locate the convoy. On the 27th, minesweepers GOSSAMER, SEAGULL, and
SPEEDY met the convoy relieving the heavy cruiser, destroyers, and trawlers,
which proceeded to _____ Minesweeper _____ T/Sub Lt M. S. H. Christopher RNVR, was lost
overboard from submarine P.38 while the ship was returning from patrol
southwest of _____ British steamer BOVEY TRACEY (1212grt) was sunk by
German bombing in 52-58N, 2-05E. The entire crew were rescued. _____ German steamer SCHWANECK (2194grt) was lost on a
mine near _____ Light cruisers The bombardment was cancelled due to poor weather.
The ships joined the Battle Fleet departing _____ Captain H. St. L. Nicolson, Captain 2nd Destroyer
Flotilla, which had been ashore since damage to destroyer ILEX, took command
of destroyer _____ Submarines UPRIGHT and URGE unsuccessfully attacked
a convoy in the _____ Anti-submarine trawlers STELLA CARINA and LADY
HOGARTH departed The trawlers were reassigned to join the escort of
outward tanker THORSHAVET on the 23rd. Corvette VETCH departed _____ Dutch steamers PLUTO (1156grt) and RHEA (1388grt)
were seized by French forces at _____ U.331 landed two German officers and seven enlisted
men of a Commando group near Daba, sixty miles west of All nine German Commandos were captured later the
same day before any sabotauge was done. _____ Vichy French submarine LE HEROS sank Norwegian
steamer THODE FAGELUND (5757grt) thirty five miles east of The entire crew were rescued. The attack was in retaliation for the British
operation against a French convoy on the 2nd. Tuesday, 18 November Submarine SEALION sank Norwegian trawler VESCO
(331grt) by gunfire off northern _____ Submarine TRIDENT, on passage from Submarine TRIDENT departed the patrol area for Submarine TUNA, on passage to the Northern patrol
area, was directed to patrol in the area of 61-02N, 3-50E. _____ French submarine RUBIS departed _____ T/Sub Lt (A) D. Worth RNVR, was killed when his
Fulmar of 884 Squadron crashed near Donibristle. _____ Convoy OS.12 departed The convoy was joined on the 19th by sloops
FOLKESTONE, Escort vessel GORLESTON joined the convoy on 4
December and was detached on 6 December. On 6 December, destroyers VANSITTART
and VELOX and corvettes BERGAMOT, LAVENDER, and STARWORT joined the convoy
and escorted it into _____ Light cruiser HERMIONE was detached from aircraft
carrier ARGUS, which with escort returned to The light cruiser joined battleship NELSON to
search for an enemy supply ship reported in the Biscay area. _____ British operation APPROACH was cancelled with the
exception of the sailing of tankers TONELINE and When tanker TONELINE broke down, sloop The tanker sailed after dark on the 19th for
Tobruk. Tanker _____ Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, BARHAM, and VALIANT,
light cruisers NAIAD, GALATEA, and EURYALUS, and destroyers JERVIS,
KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON, NAPIER, NIZAM, KIPLING, JACKAL, DECOY, AVONVALE, and
ERIDGE departed Alexandria to support Operation CHIEFTAN, the dummy convoy
intended to divert attention from Operation CRUSADER in the Eastern
Mediterranean. The Battle Fleet turned back after dark on the 18th
and arrived at Light cruisers NAIAD and EURYALUS and destroyers
KIPLING and JACKAL, which had been detached late on the 18th, bombarded the
Halfaya fortifications around Tobruk. The light cruisers and destroyers arrived later at _____ Force K of light cruisers AURORA and PENELOPE and
destroyers LANCE and LIVELY departed The ships arrived back at _____ British aircraft accidently attacked anti-submarine
whaler SOUTHERN MAID in 31-15N, 28-02E, reporting her as a submarine. Destroyers FARNDALE and ERIDGE departed _____ Submarine PERSEUS, which had been under repair at _____ Submarine THORN unsuccessfully attacked a steamer
in the _____ An Italian convoy of steamers AMBA ARADAM and BROOK
(1225grt), escorted by torpedo boat PARTENOPE arrived at _____ Turkish steamer YENICE (428grt) was sunk by Soviet
submarine SC.215 off Vasiliko, in the Twelve crewmen were lost on the steamer. Two
survivors were rescued. _____ Anti-submarine trawler SCOTTISH intercepted French
fishing ketch BELLE The ketch was sent into _____ Convoy SL.93 departed Freetown escorted by
destroyers BRILLIANT to 23 November and STANLEY to 24 November, sloop
BIDEFORD to 10 December, corvettes BERGAMOT and CROCUS to 23 November,
CYCLAMEN to 10 December, NIGELLA and ORCHIS to 23 November, escort vessels
CULVER, LANDGUARD, and LULWORTH to 10 December and GORLESTON to 1 December,
and anti-submarine whaler SOUTHERN PRIDE to 23 November. On the 27th, ocean boarding vessel CORINTHIAN
joined to 10 December. Sloop The convoy arrived at _____ American cruiser The convoy arrived at _____ Japanese submarines of the 1st and 2nd Submarine Flotillas
departed Submarine I.26 reconnoitered Kiska on the 25th and
during the night of 27/28 November flew her aircraft over Submarine I.10 reconnoitered From 3 December, submarines I.9, I.15, I.17, and
I.25 were in a line north of I 7 was south of I 1, I.2, and I.3 were west of I 4, I.5, and I.6 were east of The 3rd Submarine Flotilla from Submarines I.16, I.18, I.20, I.22, and I.24 which
carried midget submarines for an attack on Wednesday, 19 November Heavy cruiser _____ Destroyer ANTELOPE departed The destroyer arrived at _____ Convoy ON.38 departed _____ Minesweeper HAZARD departed The _____ Minelayer MENETHEUS, escorted by destroyer _____ Anti-aircraft cruiser _____ Lt Cdr L. C. D. Ashburner was killed when his Roc
of 834 Squadron crashed at _____ The German 2nd Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla attacked
convoy FS.650 of fifty nine ships, which had departed Methil on the 18th and
was escorted by destroyersWOLSEY, MGB.63, MGB.64, and MGB.67 departed to operate near
the German activity, but MGB.63 was forced to return at the start with engine
room problems. British tanker WAR MEHTAR (5502grt) was sunk by
S.104 in 52-50n, 2-08E. The entire crew were rescued. British steamer One gunner was missing on the steamer. British steamer WALDINGE (2462grt) was badly
damaged by S.41 near 55 A Buoy, Smith's Knoll. One gunner was lost on the steamer. The steamer sank on the 20th. S.41 was damaged in a collision with the convoy
escort and was in tow returning to port, when intercepted by MGB.64 and
MGB.67. The British were able to board the S-boat, but could not prevent her
sinking. Destroyer GARTH was seriously damaged when she was
accidentally struck by 40mm gunfire from another destroyer in the escort. Destroyer GARTH was towed to Harwich. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 20th. _____ American destroyer LEARY contacted a U-boat on
radar. This was the first instance of such a sighting in
the USN. _____ Destroyer CASTLETON was damaged by the accidental explosion
of a scuttling charge while at sea on escort duty. The destroyer was under repairs at _____ Submarine RORQUAL laid fifty mines off French trawler COLIGNY (600grt) was lost on the minefield.
_____ Submarine _____ Submarine OSIRIS arrived at _____ Italian convoy A departed Due to British naval activity, the convoy in the _____ Off the west coast of Cruiser SYDNEY sank with her entire crew of
Burnett, Cdr E. W. Thruston DSC, Lt Cdr J. C. Bacon, Lt Cdr A. M. Wilkinson,
Lt Cdr C. A. C Montgomery, Lt Cdr M. M. Singer DSC, Lt E. E. Mayo, Lt I. T.
R. Treloar, Lt T. E. Davis, Lt T.G. Brown, T/Lt J. A. Cole RANR, T/Lt A. I.
Keith RANR, Cdr (E) L. S. Dalton DSO, Lt Cdr (E) R. D. Handcock,
T/Engineering Lt A. W. Wilson RANR, T/Engineering Lt W. T. Anderson, Chaplain
the ReverendG. Stubbs, Surgeon Cdr J. R. Hasker, Paymaster Cdr T. F. Maynard,
Surgeon Lt Cdr F. H. Genge, Surgeon Lt (D) M. C. Townsend, Paymaster Sub Lt
C. M. Mitchell, Paymaster Lt R. E. Ridout RANR, Sub Lt E. R. Eddy, Sub Lt A.
E. Byrne RANR, Sub Lt A. V. Eager RANR, A/Sub LtB. A. Elder RANR,
P/Engineering Sub Lt A. J. King RANVR, P/Sub Lt F. H. Schoch RANVR, Paymaster
Sub Lt J. I. Clifton RANR, Gunner F. L. Macdonald, Gunner (T) J. E. Peterson,
A/Gunner J. K. Houston, Warrant Shipwright J. A. E. Fuller, Warrant Engineer
W.G. Batchelor, Warrant Engineer F. W. Reville, A/Warrant Engineer A.B.
Biggs, Warrant Electrician R. W. Nicolson, Schoolmaster P. F. Skewes, Warrant
Supply Officer W. A. Owen, Paymaster Midshipman D. W. McCabe, RAAF Flying
Officer R.B. Barrey, 592 RAN ratings, two RN ratings, four NAAFI personnel,
five RAAF ratings. The German ship was badly damaged and scuttled by
the crew the next day. On her cruise, the German ship sank eleven ships
for 68,274 tons. Seventy six crewmen were killed on the German ship.
British liner Two hundred and seventy five German survivors
reached the Australian coast in the ship's boats. When there was no contact with the light cruiser
SYDNEY, Dutch light cruiser TROMP departed the Sunda Straits to follow light
cruiser SYDNEY's track. _____ Polish submarine SOKOL attacked an Italian
destroyer of the AVIERE class at Navarino. The destroyer was reportedly beached. _____ American sailing vessel Six crewmen were rescued from the vessel. Thursday, 20 November Heavy cruiser _____ Light cruiser Light cruiser _____ Monitor EREBUS departed Sheerness at 0835 for Destroyers ECLIPSE and CHIDDINGFOLD departed Monitor EREBUS and destroyer and CHIDDINGFOLD
arrived at Destroyer ECLIPSE was detached to join battleship
NELSON's screen, but was unable to do so because of bad weather. The
destroyer arrived at _____ Battleship RAMILLIES, escorted by destroyers
VANQUISHER and WITCH, departed The three ships arrived at _____ Destroyer FAULKNOR departed the On completion of fuelling, the destroyer sailed on
the 22nd for position 55N, 10W and with destroyers NORMAN and ICARUS take
over screening duties of battleship NELSON from destroyers ZULU, SIKH, and
GURKHA. Destroyers NORMAN and ICARUS departed Destroyer GURKHA arrived at Destroyer ZULU and SIKH arrived at Battleship NELSON and destroyers FAULKNOR, NORMAN,
and ICARUS arrived off Destroyer NORMAN arrived in the _____ Light cruisers |
