|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Note: all vessels and aircraft are British unless otherwise identified or implied - click for abbreviations |
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Background Events - December 1941-February 1942
1941
Monday, 15 December Heavy cruiser BERWICK departed _____ Destroyer WHEATLAND departed _____ Destroyers MONTROSE and WORCESTER departed
Sheerness for _____ Convoy ON.47 departed _____ Destroyer LAMERTON departed _____ Polish destroyer KRAKOWIAK departed _____ Submarine TUNA arrived at _____ Minesweeper HARRIER departed the _____ Minesweeper SPEEDWELL departed _____ Minesweeper BRITOMART departed _____ Canadian troop convoy TC 16 departed Halifax with
steamers On the 16th, battleship On the 22nd, destroyers BLYSKAWICA, _____ Destroyers HERO and HASTY arrived at _____ Light cruisers NAIAD and EURYALUS, antiaircraft
cruiser At dark on the 16th, antiaircraft cruiser Radio deception was being conducted by minelayer
ABDIEL and by antiaircraft Submarines UNBEATEN and UTMOST in the On the 16th, light cruisers AURORA and PENELOPE and
destroyers LANCE and LIVELY at 1100 and destroyers SIKH, MAORI, LEGION, and
ISAAC SWEERS at 1800 departed On the 17th, German reconnaissance sighted Vian's
force proceeding towards 1ST Supply ship BRECONSHIRE, escorted by destroyers
DECOY and HAVOCK were detached from Vian's force to avoid contact with the
Italian ships. When light cruiser AURORA with Force K.contacted
supply ship BRECONSHIRE, the destroyers DECOY and HAVOCK joined Force K.for
the return to Destroyer KIPLING was damaged by a near miss of
German bombing on the 17th and sustained one rating killed. Destroyer JERVIS
sustained one rating wounded by machine gun fire. Light cruiser NEPTUNE and destroyers JAGUAR and Light cruiser Destroyer On the 18th, U.371 fired torpedoes at the cruisers
NAIAD and EURYALUS group returning to Destroyer JERVIS reported sinking the submarine in
31-27N, 29-20E, but submarine U.371 escaped damage. Supply ship BRECONSHIRE, Force K.and Force B
groups, anddestroyers DECOY and HAVOCK arrived at _____ Australian destroyer NESTOR sank U.127 off _____ Sub Lt K. W. Jones, Sub Lt T. E. Richards, and Leading
Airman E. Kennelly were killed when their Albacore of 826 Squadron failed to
return from a bombing raid on Derna. _____ Submarine _____ Submarine _____ Convoy AT.4 departed The slow section was escorted by destroyers HERO
and AVONVALE and anti-submarine trawler COCKER. The slow section arrived on
the 19th. Destroyers HERO and AVONVALE immediately sailed to conduct an
anti-submarine sweep in the _____ T/Sub Lt (A) K. W. Jones RNVR, and T/A/Sub Lt (A)
T. E. Richards RNVR, of 826 Squadron from GREBE, were lost when their
Albacore aircraft went missing while on patrol. _____ Submarine _____ Australian sloop YARRA passed through the Sloop YARRA arrived at _____ U.77 sank Steamer EMPIRE BARRACUDA (4972grt),
escorted by destroyer WISHART and corvettes GERANIUM, AZALEA, and COLTSFOOT,
in 35-30N, 6-17W. The submarine claimed sinking another steamer. Thirteen crew were lost on the steamer. Corvette
COLTSFOOT picked up thirty nine survivors and took them to _____ Submarine UNIQUE arrived at _____ Convoy HX.165 departed _____ Indian sloops _____ Australian heavy cruiser CANBERRA and light cruiser
PERTH departed Sydney to join US heavy cruiser PENSACOLA escorting a convoy
of BLOEMFONTEIN (10,081grt), COAST FARMER (3290grt), MEIGS (12,568grt),
WILLARD A. HOLBROOK (14,812grt), REPUBLIC (17,886grt), ADMIRAL HALSTEAD
(3289grt), and CHAUMONT (7555grt) and gunboat NIAGARA, which had departed San
Francisco on 21 November for the Philippines. On the 8th, the convoy had been diverted to On the 16th, On the 19th, the Australian cruisers joined the
convoy at On the 21st, cruisers On the 22nd, cruisers _____ Motor torpedo boats _____ Tug INDIRA (637grt) was sunk by Japanese bombing at
Tuesday, 16 December Light cruiser _____ Landing ships PRINCESS CHARLOTTE and _____ Minesweeper SPEEDWELL departed _____ Minesweeper BRITOMART arrived at _____ Submarine TIGRIS departed Scapa Flow for Operation
ANKLET, but the submarine was ordered to return on the 17th, arriving late
that day. _____ While on passage in an aircraft of 24 Squadron, Lt
P. L. Field, en route to DOLPHIN, and T/Lt Cdr E. Croghan RNVR, en route to
PRESIDENT, were lost in an air crash. _____ Italian steamers MONGINEVRO, Italian steamer Battleship DUILO, light cruisers DUCA D'AOSTA,
ATTENDOLO, and MONTECUCCOLI, and destroyers ASCARI, AVIERE, and CAMICIA NERA
departed Distant cover is provided by battleships DORIA,
CESARE, and LITTORIO, heavy cruisers GORIZIA and On the 16th, Submarine UPROAR unsuccessfully
attacked a group of three westbound cruisers in the _____ On the 18th, steamer _____ U.557 was sunk in a collision with Italian torpedo
boat ORIONE off _____ Destroyers FOXHOUND, NESTOR, CROOME, and GURKHA
arrived at _____ Minelayer MANXMAN arrived at _____ Convoy SC.60 departed _____ Convoy BA.11 departed _____ Japanese minelayer SHIRATAKA and fourteen
transports departed _____ Motor torpedo boat _____ Light cruiser DANAE departed Trincomalee for _____ Destroyer SCOUT arrived at Tanjong Priok from _____ Six hundred and fifty Dutch and Australian troops
were moved from Koepang to Dili on Steamer CANOPUS (1337grt), escorted by
Dutch coastal defense ship SOERBAYA. _____ American aircraft carrier _____ American heavy cruiser _____ American convoy 2005 departed _____ American submarine SWORDFISH sank Japanese
transport ATSUTASAN MARU (8663grt) south of Samah at 18-06N, 109-44E. Wednesday, 17 December Heavy cruiser BERWICK arrived at Hvalfjord and
departed later that day for patrol in the _____ Norwegian corvettes ACANTHUS and EGLANTINE and
auxiliary ship GUDRUN MAERSK arrived at _____ Polish destroyer BLYSKAWICA departed _____ During the night of 17/18 December, German
battleship GNEISENAU was damaged by near misses at _____ U.108 attacked convoy HG.76 and claimed sinking a
steamer. _____ U.131 was sunk by destroyers _____ Italian tanker LINA (2175grt) was sunk by British
bombing northwest of _____ Submarine URSULA departed _____ Minelayer TEVIOT BANK laid mines in Durian Straits.
_____ Dutch light cruiser JAVA, after escorting convoy SM
1, examined _____ Japanese destroyer SHINONOME was sunk by Dutch
bombing off Miri in 4-24N, 114E. _____ Twenty one Japanese transports departed On the 18th, twenty seven transports of the
1stForce departed Twenty eight transports of the 2nd Force departed
escorted by light cruiser NAKA, destroyers MURASAME, YUDACHI, HARUSAME,
SAMIDARE, ASAGUMO, MINEGUMO, and NATSUGUMO, five minesweepers, and six submarine
chasers. Heavy cruisers ASHIGARA and MAYA and light cruiser
KUMA provided cover for the operation. Kondo was covering in the west part of the _____ Destroyer THRACIAN, repairing damage of her 14
December grounding, was damaged by Japanese bombing at Hong Kong. _____ American convoy 2004 departed _____ American steamer _____ Japanese submarine RO.66 was sunk in a collision
with Japanese submarine RO.62 off _____ Japanese submarine I.75 sank American steamer
MANINI (3253grt) 17-46N, 157-03W, one hundred and eight miles south of Thursday, 18 December Heavy cruiser On the 21st, the cruiser sailed to the _____ Destroyer ONSLOW departed Rosyth at 1630 on
completion of boiler cleaning and repairs and arrived at _____ U.434 was sunk by destroyers STANLEY and BLANKNEY,
escorting convoy HG.76, southwest of Cape St Vincent in 36-15N, 15-48W. BLANKNEY was damaged from ramming the
submarine. She was repaired at _____ Soviet steamer PEREKOP (2493grt) was sunk by
Japanese bombing near Senoa, east coast of _____ Late on the 18th, Italian submarine SCIRE launched
three Battleship VALIANT was damaged forward at 0606 on
the 19th. The battleship was docked on the 21st. Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH was holed in the boiler
rooms at 0610. Naval constructors wanted to strip the battleship and use her
as a depot ship because of the extent of the damage. Nine ratings were killed in the battleship. Submarines TRUSTY and TRIUMPH were brought
alongside either side of battleship QUEEN Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH was docked on 4 April.
After temporary repairs, battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH was taken in September
1942 to Battleship VALIANT pumped out her fuel into tankers
CLYDEFIELD and CHERRYLEAF. She was docked at 0950/21st and after temporary
repairs departed on 8 April for repair at Norwegian tanker SAGONA (7554grt) had her stern
blown off from the explosion of an Destroyer JERVIS was docked on the 20th. Repairs
were completed on 28 January. Italian submarine ZAFFIRO was off _____ In attack on an Italian convoy, Lt E. A. Greenwood
and Lt Cdr D. E. Langmore, of 828 Squadron from ST ANGELO, were lost when
their Albacore crashed into the sea.
Langmore was the Commanding Officer of the 828 Squadron. _____ Convoy ST.11 departed _____ Destroyers ENCOUNTER, after convoy SM 1 duty, and
THANET coming from Friday, 19 December Submarine _____ Minesweeper HALCYON, to be employed in operation
ANKLET, arrived at _____ Minesweepers BRITOMART and SALAMANDER departed _____ Convoy ON.48 departed _____ Submarine P.35 arrived at _____ Lt J. D. Parker and Captain K. L. Ford, RM, was
killed in a crash of a Lysander of 755 Squadron at _____ British tanker LUCELLUM (9425grt) was damaged by
German bombing five miles from 270° _____ British fishing vessel MOUETTE (3grt) was sunk on a
mine in _____ U.108 sank Steamer RUCKINGE (2869grt) in 38-20N,
17-15W from convoy HG.76. The submarine claimed sinking another steamer. The
survivors were rescued by Steamer FINLAND (1333grt) and sloop STORK. The
steamer was scuttled by corvette SAMPHIRE. _____ Destroyer STANLEY (Lt Cdr D. B. Shaw OBE),
escorting convoy HG.76,was sunk by U.574 in 38-12N, 17-23W southwest of Shaw, P/T/Surgeon Lt A. R. Barrett RNVR, Lt C. E.
M. Crabtree, T/Warrant Engineer S. F. Finch, T/Lt J. S. Petrie RNVR, (on
passage to DRAKE) Paymaster Lt R. W. Robb RNVR, (on passage to SPARTIATE),
T/Gunner (T) W. W. Turner, T/Lt (E) A. S. Watkins (from ARK ROYAL), T/Sub Lt
W. M. Watson RNVR, Lt (E) W. E. G. Waycott (from ARK ROYAL), two Marines, and
one hundred and twenty one ratings were lost in the destroyer. ( One rating died of wounds after being rescued. _____ U.574 was sunk by sloop STORK, escorting convoy
HG.76, off Punta Delgada. Twenty two
crew were lost in the submarine. Five additional crew were lost when sloops
STORK and DEPTFORD collided. Four officers and sixteen ratings were rescued. _____ At 1800/18th, light cruisers NEPTUNE, AURORA, and
PENELOPE and destroyers KANDAHAR, LANCE, HAVOCK, and LIVELY departed Malta to
strike at an Italian convoy of Italian steamers MONGINEVRO, NAPOLI, and
VETTOR PISANI, escorted by destroyers VIVALDI, DA NOLI, DA RECCO, MALOCELLO,
PESSAGNO, and ZENO off Tripoli. Light cruiser AURORA was badly damaged by mining at
0112 on the 19th and light cruiser PENELOPE was lightly damaged at 0108 when
a mine exploded in her paravane. There were no casualties in light cruisers
AURORA or PENELOPE. Light cruiser AURORA was under repair at Light cruiser NEPTUNE (Captain R. C. O'Conor)
struck a mines at 0111, 0112, 0125, and 0400. Destroyer Light cruiser AURORA was escorted to Light cruiser PENELOPE and destroyer LIVELY
returned to Light cruiser PENELOPE and destroyer LIVELY joined
light cruiser AURORA en route. The two cruisers and three destroyers arrived
at 1230/19th. Light cruiser NEPTUNE and destroyer Lt P. C. R. Arbuthnot, Midshipman C. D. E. Babcock,
Midshipman P. H. C. Bastable, Cdr P. A. Berry, Sub Lt D. R. L. Bevan, A/Lt D.
J. Bullimore SARNVR, T/Lt R. T. Coulton RNVR, Lt D. C. Cunningham, T/Gunner
(T) E. T. Edmans, Midshipman M. A. S. Ensell, Warrant Mechanician M. W.
Evans, Midshipman D. B. Forbes, T/Surgeon Lt C. Fraser RNVR, Lt (E) G. E. A.
Freeland, Chaplain the Reverend T. Harris, Lt H. D. Hartnoll DSC, RM, Lt A.
B. Hill RNVR, T/A/Warrant Shipwright H. Hoar, Midshipman D. R. Holloway,
Engineering Cdr A. Holt, Midshipman D. A. Houston, Lt (E) F. A. V. Jackson,
Midshipman D. A. Jay, Lt (E) J. M. Knowles, Commissioned Gunner C. K. Laban,
A/Surgeon Cdr T. C. Larkworthy RNVR, Midshipman B. E. McPherson, NZNF,
A/Paymaster Cdr J. H. McGregor, Midshipman A. A. Markwick, T/Paymaster Lt M.
B. H. Marshall RNVR, Paymaster Midshipman M. G. H. Mawson, Midshipman P. B.
Medicott-Vereker, Schoolmaster D. Metcalf, A/Captain N. L. W. Millar, RM, Lt
the Right Hon. J. D. North (Baron North, T/Instructor Lt W. H. Osborne,
Gunner F. C. Prince, T/Surgeon Lt E. B. Riding RNVR, Paymaster Midshipman E.
C. Robinson, Warrant Engineer E. W. E. Sainty, T/Lt (E) I. B. Tetley,
Paymaster Lt B. M. Thomson, NZNF, Warrant Electrician V. T. W. J. Wilks, T/Lt
D. J. Wilson RNVR, Lt F. A. Woodward, Lt F. H. Wright RNVR, six hundred and
forty four ratings, and seventy three Marines were lost on the cruiser. O'Conor died on the 23rd while still on a raft. The
sole survivor, Able Bodied Seaman J. N. Walton,from the cruiser was picked up
by an Italian torpedo boat about 1600/24th. From destroyer Destroyer JAGUAR sent from _____ Submarine UPRIGHT arrived at _____ Destroyers _____ Italian steamer FERRUCCIO (83grt) was sunk in a
collision at _____ U.652 sank Soviet steamer VARLAAM AVANESOV
(6775grt) in 39-27N, 26-05E. The entire crew were rescued. _____ Gunboat _____ Japanese submarine I.72 sank American steamer PRUSA
(5113grt) 17-30N, 157W one hundred and fifty miles south of _____ Soviet steamers KRECHET (2282grt), SERGEI LAZO
(2975grt), _____ British ferries |
