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Background Events - March-May 1942
Russian
convoys, Raid on St Nazaire, Battle of Sirte
Gulf, SE Asia & SW Pacific occupied, British
landings on Madagascar
1942
Sunday, 15 March
Destroyer VORTIGERN (Lt Cdr R S
Howlett) was sunk by German motor torpedo boat S.104 off Cromer. Cdr
Howlett, Temporary S/Lt J Gilmour
RNVR, Lt P A B
Powell and eleven ratings were killed, and S/Lt P Le M
Andrew RNR, Probationary Temporary Surgeon Lt S L
Bindermann RNVR, Temporary S/Lt H
A Blackhall RNVR, Lt W H
G Jones and one hundred and
twenty seven ratings missing. Temporary Midshipman C H F D'Albiac RNR, and Acting Gunner (T) A G J
H Watson were wounded. Patrol sloop GUILLEMOT, formerly escorting convoy
FS,449, rescued the 14 survivors, but one rating died of wounds.
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Convoy
ON.76 departed Liverpool 15 March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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15th
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naval
trawlers Inchkeith, Killegray, Sanda, Scarba, New Zealand Tui
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16th
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destroyers
Restigouche, St Francis, corvettes Buctouche, Cobalt, Dunvegan, Napanee
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23rd
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St
Francis
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26th
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Inchkeith,
Killegray, Sanda, Scarba, Tui, Buctouche, Napanee
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28th
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Restigouche,
Dunvegan
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convoy arrived Halifax 31 March
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German steamer
NICOLE SCHIAFFINO (4969grt) was
sunk by torpedo near Tromso.
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Convoy
HX.180 departed Halifax 15 March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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15th
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destroyer
Vanquisher, corvettes Lunenburg, Sudbury, Summerside, minesweeper
Ungava
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19th
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American
destroyer Edison, corvettes Clematis, Gentian, Pictou, Vervain
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Vanquisher,
Lunenburg, Sudbury, Summerside, Ungava
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convoy arrived Liverpool 27 March
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Monday, 16 March
Submarine
UNBEATEN damaged Italian steamer PISANI (6339grt) south of Messina.
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An Albacore of
827 Squadron from aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE ditched in the Indian Ocean. Lt R B Park was rescued by
armed merchant cruiser CORFU.
Tuesday, 17 March
Convoy OG.81
departed Liverpool 17 March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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17th
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sloop
Black Swan, corvettes La Malouine, Bluebell, Myosotis, Stonecrop
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27th
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destroyer
Vidette
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28th
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corvette
Mallow
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convoy arrived Gibraltar 29 March
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Convoy ON.77
departed Liverpool 17 March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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18th
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American
destroyer Niblack, US coast guard cutter Ingham,
corvettes Aconit, Barrie, Chambly, Mayflower, Rosthern
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25th
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Mayflower
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26th
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destroyer
Vanquisher, corvettes Lunenburg, Sudbury, Summerside, Trail,
minesweeper Ungava
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Niblack,
Ingham, Aconit, Barrie, Chambly, Rosthern
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convoy dispersed 28 March
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Submarine
UNBEATEN sank Italian submarine GUGLIELMOTTI
off Calabria. Some twelve survivors were later rescued by a
motor torpedo boat.
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Steamer CRISTA
(2590grt) was damaged by U.83 near Tobruk in 32-21N, 25E, with two officers
and five ratings killed. The survivors were taken off by South African
minesweeping whaler BOKBURG. MTB.266 found CRISTA abandoned
and anchored her off Bardia where the fire was put out and salvage
begAn. She was towed by ST MONANCE, and escorted by
SOUTHERN ISLE, ML.1005 and ML.1069 to Alexandria, arriving on the 28th.
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A Swordfish of
830 Squadron attacked and badly damaged German steamer ACHAIA (1778grt) in
32-53N, 13-40E. The Swordfish was shot down and S/Lt S C Shute and Midshipman
G L Hilary killed. ACHAIA later
struck a mine and sank.
Wednesday, 18 March
American convoy AS.2 departed Charleston, SC, 18 March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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18th
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heavy cruiser Devonshire, escort carrier Archer, American destroyers
Cole, Dupont, Upshur
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26th
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Dupont
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27th
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Cole, Upshur
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1st
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French sloop Command
Detroyat, British corvette Hydrangea
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convoy
arrived Freetown 3 April
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ships
proceeded as convoy AS.2A on 7 April
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7th
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Devonshire, destroyers Aldenham, Grove
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convoy arrived Capetown 19 April
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Convoy SC.75 departed Halifax 18
March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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18th
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destroyers Lauderdale,
Ramsey, corvettes Arrowhead, Chicoutimi, minesweeper Quinte
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22nd
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Quinte
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24th
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Polish destroyer Piorun,
American Babbitt, Schenck, Woolsey, corvettes Heather, Lobelia, Narcissus
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Lauderdale, Ramsey,
Arrowhead, Chicoutimi
Babbitt, Schenck, Woolsey
(later)
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3rd
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A/S trawler Man O’ War
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convoy
arrived Liverpool 3 April
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Thursday, 19 March
Indian armed
patrol trawler SOPHIE MARIE
(1138grt) was sunk by a mine off the Andaman Islands.
Two ratings
were killed and the rest of the crew rescued.
Friday, 20 March
Escort
destroyer HEYTHROP (Lt Cdr R S
Stafford) was sunk by U.652 in the eastern Mediterranean, with six ratings killed and
ten missing.
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Convoy
ST.17 departed Freetown, escorted by minesweepers
CROMARTY and ROMNEY, and arrived at Takoradi on the 25th.
Saturday, 21 March
Convoy ON.78
departed Liverpool 21 March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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22nd
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corvettes
Eyebright, Kamsack, Rimouski, Sherbrooke, Trillium
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1st
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destroyers
Montgomery, Veteran, corvettes Nanaimo, Nipigon, Oakville
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3rd
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Eyebright,
Kamsack, Rimouski, Sherbrooke, Trillium
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convoy arrived Halifax 9 April
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Motor launches
ML.129 and ML.132 departed Gibraltar on the 14th for Malta, but both were bombed and
sunk off the coast of Algeria. Temporary S/Lt R P Cottrell
RNVR and six ratings were killed or died of wounds, and the rest interned -
Temporary Lt W S Strang RNVR at Bone, Lt A T Read RANVR, and Lt R W James
RANVR of ML 132 also at Bone. A total of twenty three ratings were interned.
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Convoy
HX.181 departed Halifax 21 March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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21st
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corvettes
Fredericton, Matapedia,
minesweeper Red Deer
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22nd
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destroyer
Caldwell
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24th
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corvettes
Acanthus, Eglantine, Potentilla
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Acanthus,
Eglantine, Potentilla (later)
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25th
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destroyers
Burwell, Firedrake, corvette Abelia, Anemone
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Fredericton, Matapedia, Red Deer, Caldwell
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convoy arrived Liverpool 2 April
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Sunday, 22 March
Destroyer KINGSTON (Cdr P. Somerville DSO, DSC)
was sunk by German bombing at Malta.
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Convoy
SL.103G departed Gibraltar 22 March, escorts:
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joined
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detached
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22nd
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corvettes
Campion, Coltsfoot, Coreopsis, Petunia, A/S trawler St Nectan
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23rd
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corvette
Mallow
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St
Nectan
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convoy rendezvoused with SL.103, 25 March, joined
for passage to Liverpool
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Monday, 23 March
TROOP CONVOY WS.17, UK TO SOUTH AFRICA AND INDIAN OCEAN
Convoy WS.17
assembled off Oversay on the 23rd, the following ships having sailed from Liverpool and the Clyde:
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Glaucus
11C
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Leopoldville
21C
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Abosso
31C
(Vice Cdre)
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Tamaroa
41C
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Franconia
51C
(Cdre)
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Almanzora
61C
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Mataroa
71C
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Largs Bay
81C
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Port Wyndham
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