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
APRIL
Wednesday,
1 April
Minesweeping
trawler SOLOMON (Skipper Lt C Dale
RNR) was sunk on a mine north of Cromer. There were
no casualties.
______
Submarine PANDORA (Lt R L Alexander)
was sunk at
Malta by German
bombing. Lt L Walford RNR, Warrant Engineer
F J Hickman DSC and twenty five ratings were killed. Lt J A Lindsell was
wounded and later evacuated in submarine OLYMPUS, when he was
lost.
Sunday, 5 April
JAPANESE CARRIER AIRCRAFT
ATTACKS IN
INDIAN OCEAN AND ON CEYLON
Heavy cruiser
CORNWALL (Captain P C W
Manwaring) was sunk by Japanese bombing in the Indian Ocean. Chaplain Rev J M
Bird, Ty/Gunner F E Cowell, Ty/Lt (E) M L Edgar, Warrant Ordnance Officer W H
Emberton, Lt J F R Fearfield, Paymaster Sub Lt P Goddard, Ty/Surgeon Lt C C
Kirby RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt R F Millett RNR, Lt D S Reid, RM,
Paymaster Lt Cdr W R Vallance, one hundred and fifty nine ratings and twenty
Marines were lost, and two ratings died of wounds. Paymaster Midshipman M H
Marsh RAN was wounded.
Heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE
(Captain A W S Agar VC) was also sunk by Japanese bombing in the
Indian Ocean. Ty/Act/Gunner
(T) J Austin, Surgeon Cdr F C M Bamfort, Lt (E) P V Bouquett, Cdr (E) C P
Buttar, Surgeon Lt (D) H B Concanon RNVR, Ty/Act/Warrant Electrician W Davey,
Warrant Engineeer W A Ferris, Act/Lt (E) G F C Hooker, Ty/Sub Lt J S W Jarvie
RNVR, Warrant Shipwright R W Jack, Act/Paymaster Sub Lt J E T Jennings,
Ty/Chaplain Rev E D B Laborde RNVR, Lt Cdr (E) J F Mansell, Ty/Paymster Lt E
D Paul RNVR, Ty/Surgeon Lt S W Pratt RNVR, Paymaster Lt Cdr, N G Pring RNVR,
Paymaster Sub Lt J R B Sidebotham, Warrant Ordnance Officer S J Scoble, Ty/Lt
(E) D Wilson, one hundred and eighty eight ratings and twenty four Marines
were lost, and two ratings died of wounds. Cdr C W Byas, Ty/Act/Sub Lt M H
Furnivall
RNR and Paymaster Lt Cdr T T
Pheophilus were wounded.
Armed merchant cruiser HECTOR
(Captain F Howard DSC Rtd) was bombed by Japanese aircraft and burnt out at
Colombo, where she was
reconverting to trade duties. Lt Cdr (E) W Peterson RNR was lost.
Destroyer TENEDOS (Lt R
Dyer), which was repairing defects, was also sunk by Japanese bombing at
Colombo. Lt R J Stokes
RNR, Lt F H George
RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt W B S Begg RNVR and thirty ratings were lost.
Submarine depot ship LUCIA was struck by splinters. Two ratings were
killed.
Destroyer DECOY was also in harbour with her main feed pump broken
down, but was not damaged.
A flight of six Swordfish of 788 Squadron was attacked by aircraft
from aircraft carrier HIRYU, and all six shot down – (1) Lt S M de L Longsdon
and his observer Sub Lt N A MacKay were badly wounded and
TAG Petty Officer (A)
J Heath slightly wounded, (2) Sub Lt (A) A W D Beale DSC and his TAG Leading Airman F
H Edwards were killed, (3) Sub Lt P A Meakin crashed landed on the beach and
was seriously wounded. His TAG, Naval Airman G E
H Skingley was killed, (4) Ty/Act/Sub Lt (A) C T Shaw RNVR was killed and his
observer Sub Lt J E Cope wounded, (5) Lt C Pountney and his observer Sub Lt G
Creese were wounded and TAG Petty Officer
Airman J Hall seriously wounded. Hall died of wounds, and (6) Lt D Carter was
shot down and his
TAG, Leading Airman D A Bolton died of wounds.
Two Fulmar’s of 806 Squadron from LANKA were lost and their pilots
killed - Ty/Sub Lt (A) K J M Pettitt RNVR when his Fulmar crashed in the
jungle and Ty/Sub Lt (A) L K White-Smith RNVR when his was shot down.
Light cruiser
GLASGOW’s Walrus crashed
near the Clampalmin landing ground. Sub Lt D A Baptie was killed.
An Albacore of 827 Squadron from aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE was
shot down. Sub Lt R J F Streatfield, Sub Lt T Weston and Naval Airman K
Porter were lost.
Monday, 6 April
Destroyer HAVOCK (Lt Cdr G
R G Watkins DSC), which had departed
Malta for Gibraltar earlier that day,
was wrecked on the Tunisian coast in 36-52-27N, 11-08-30E, with one rating
killed. Lt Cdr Watkins, Lt J B Burfield DSC, Lt M A Baille-Grohman,Lt (E) R
Andrewes, Ty/Surgeon Lt R D Royds MB, CHB RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt C
J Spearin RCNVR, Act/Sub Lt R H Lack RNVR, all ratings and about a 100
passengers, totalling some 250, were interned, but liberated on 11 November
after the invasion of North Africa. Among the passengers were Cdr R F Jessel,
Sub Lt R F Morgan RNVR, and Lt Cdr (E) M H Sayers of destroyer LEGION, Sub Lt
(A) J B Blakely RNVR, Sub Lt (A) D J Bunyan RNVR and Sub Lt (A) T G Davison
RNVR of 828 Squadron, ST ANGELO, and Midshipman J Duncan and Midshipman D M Ellis
who had been drafted to battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH on 30 November. Surgeon Lt
Royds died on 25 September during internment.
______
Indian sloop
INDUS was sunk by
Japanese bombing at Akyab, Burma, and ten crew
wounded.
Wednesday, 8 April
In German bombing attacks on
Malta, light cruiser
PENELOPE was targeted. Lt J S Miller and two ratings were killed.
Thursday, 9 April
CONTINUING JAPANESE CARRIER
AIRCRAFT ATTACKS IN
INDIAN OCEAN AND ON CEYLON
Aircraft carrier HERMES
(Captain R F J Onslow, MVO DSC) was sunk by Japanese bombing east of
Ceylon. Ty/Sub Lt (E) A
H L Briggs, Lt Cdr E A N Gardiner, Lt (A) A F Russell and Ty/Sub Lt (A) H
Worthy RNVR of 814 Squadron, and one rating were killed, and Capt Onslow,
Surgeon Lt Cdr R S Anderson RNVR, Ty/Lt R W Close RANVR, Ty/Sub Lt (A) J C G
Cranston RNVR of 814 Squadron, Commissioned Gunner (T) F W Grant DSC,
Ty/Act/Shipwright G C Grey, Cdr M F L Henstock, Boatswain C A Hincks, Gunner
F J Jordan, Ty/Chaplain Rev A C H Leeke RNVR, Lt W A McLachlan RNVR, Lt Cdr
(E) C H Martin, Observer Sub Lt (A) J S Quayle RNVR of 814 Squadron, Pilot
Ty/Sub Lt (A) W G Thomson RNVR of 814 Squadron, Lt Cdr T B Wardle, two
hundred and forty eight ratings, and twenty seven Marines missing. Surgeon
Cdr J M McNamara died of wounds on the 9th, Lt Cdr R T Shaw on the 11th, six
ratings, one on the 12th and one on the 16th, and one Marine.
Operations with RAF 273 Squadron. Observer Ty/Sub Lt (A) A L Mass
RNVR of 824 Squadron and Flight Officer A Gregg RAF were lost in the same aircraft.
Australian destroyer VAMPIRE
(Cdr W T A Moran RAN) was sunk by Japanese bombing east of
Ceylon. Six ratings were
killed, one died of wounds, and Cdr Moran and one RN signalman rating were
missing.
Corvette HOLLYHOCK (Lt Cdr
T E Davies OBE
RNR) was attacked by Japanese
bombing east of Ceylon, while escorting
tanker ATHELSTANE. Tanker ATHELSTANE
was sunk. While rescuing survivors,
the corvette was hit by two bombs and sank within 30 to 45 seconds. Davies, Ty/Lt B Simpson RNR, Ty/Sub Lt D J
Cory RNVR and forty six ratings were missing. Sixteen survivors were rescued by ATHELSTANE’s boat.
Monitor EREBUS at Trincomalee had slight damage from a near miss.
Nine ratings were killed and twenty two crewmen were wounded
Operations while on loan to RAF Squadron 11. Observers Ty/Sub Lt (A)
F W Bonnell RNVR and Ty/Sub Lt (A) A Peace RNVR of 806 Squadron were lost.
On loan to RAF Squadron 273 (F). Pilots Ty/Act/Sub Lt (A) R F H Jacob
RNVR and Ty/Sub Lt (A) P R Peirano RNVR of 803 Squadron were lost.
Saturday, 11 April
Anti-submarine trawler ST
CATHAN (Lt J Mackay
RNR), lent to the US
Navy, was sunk in collision off South Carolina. Ty/Sub Lt H B
Hodgshon RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt G P Allwork RNVR and twenty nine ratings were lost.
Monday, 13 April
Submarine THRASHER sank German steamer
ATLAS (2297grt) near Benghasi.
Tuesday, 14 April
Destroyer CHURCHILL and the Polish PIORUN escorted convoy TC.14 of
troopships BATORY and LETITIA to
Canada. The destroyers
each carried five tons of Russian gold after it had been brought from Archangel by light cruiser
KENYA in convoy QP.3.
The ships arrived in Halifax on the 16th.
______
Submarine UPHOLDER (Lt Cdr
M D Wanklyn VC, DSO) was sunk by Italian torpedo boat PEGASO north of
Tripoli. Cdr Wanklyn, Lt
P R H Allen, Ty/Sub Lt J H Norman DSC RNVR, Lt F Ruck-Keene DSC and twenty
eight ratings were lost, together with passenger L/Cpl C Parker of the Beds
and Herts Regiment.
Saturday, 18 April
German steamer SEEFAHRER
(2978grt) was sunk on a mine near Borkum.
______
Submarine THRASHER sank German steamer
BELLONA (1297grt) near Tobruk.
Monday, 20 April
Submarine TRIDENT sank German steamer
HODOR (5386grt) NW of Namsos.
______
Escort destroyers COTSWOLD and QUORN, escorting convoy FS.80, struck
mines off Aldeburgh. COTSWOLD was severely damaged near the bow. Five ratings
were killed and twenty three wounded. She was taken in tow by destroyer
LEEDS, which was later
relieved by tug SUPERMAN with tug KENIA and salvage vessel DAPPER assisting.
Towed to Shotley Spit and beached, she was refloated on 3 May and taken to
Chatham, repairs
completing 8 May 1943. QUORN had two
ratings killed and one wounded. She was towed by patrol sloop SHEARWATER, and
needed 17 weeks to repair, completing at Chatham on 19 August.
Wednesday, 22 April
Russian submarine M.173 sank German steamer
BLANKENESE (3323grt) off the Kirkenes.
Monday, 27 April
Submarine URGE (Lt Cdr E P
Tomkinson DSO) was sunk by Italian aircraft off Ras el Hilal. Cdr Tomkinson,
Lt D B Allen, Lt J M S Poole DSC, Ty/Lt J S D Ransome DSC
RNR, twenty eight
ratings and 11 RN rating passengers for Alexandria were lost.
Thursday, 30 April
Light cruiser EDINBURGH was damaged by U.456 near
Murmansk. Lt (E) V G
Manfield, Act/Lt (E) J Moir and twelve ratings were lost.
MAY
Saturday,
2 May
Following
her torpedoing on 30 April, light cruiser
EDINBURGH (Captain H W Faulkner) was sunk by German destroyer
torpedoes in the Barent's Sea. An additional forty three ratings were
missing, and Ty/Act/Sub Lt R A Rendel RNVR wounded.
Destroyer FORESTER lost Lt Cdr G P Huddart and destroyer FORESIGHT
lost Lt R A Fawdry in this engagement.
______
Polish submarine JASTRZAB (Lt
Cdr Romanowski), which had departed Holy Loch on 22 April, was attacked in
error by Norwegian destroyer
ST ALBANS (Lt Cdr S V
Storeheil) and British minesweeper SEAGULL off Northern Norway. Two British
communications ratings were lost with three of the Polish crew. Cdr Romanowski and British Sub Lt M
A Hanbury RNVR were among six wounded. When the mistake was realised, ST ALBANS and SEAGULL
rescued the survivors, after which SEAGULL scuttled the badly damaged
submarine.
Sunday, 3 May
German steamer KONSUL CARL
FISSER (5843grt) was sunk by British bombing near Aalsund.
Monday, 4 May
German steamer KLAUS FRITZEN
(2936grt) was sunk at Maaloy near
Bergen by British
bombing.
______
German steamer WARTENFELS (6181grt)
was scuttled at Diego Suarez.
Tuesday, 5 May
German steamer SIZILIEN (4647grt)
was sunk by bombing near Borkum.
______
LANDINGS IN DIEGO SAUREZ, MADAGASCAR
Corvette AURICULA (Lt Cdr
S L B Maybury) was mined in
Courrier Bay, Madagascar, and sank the
next day in Operation IRONCLAD
Friday, 8 May
Submarine OLYMPUS (Lt Cdr
H G Dymott), carrying survivors from submarines PANDORA, P.36 and P.39, was
lost when she struck a mine leaving Malta Harbour, six miles from St Elmo's
Light. Cdr Dymott, Lt B H Band DSC, Lt R A Milne-Thomson, Lt H N Edmonds DSC
of P.36, Lt J A Lindsell of PANDORA, Lt N Marriott DSC of P.39, Sub Lt G P
Bulmer of P.39, Warrant Engineer H G Howes, Ty/Lt R P G Owen
RNR of P.39, Act/Sub
Lt D Hawkyard
RNR of P.39, Sub Lt J F Wilford
RNVR and seventy seven ratings – 22 from P.39, three from light cruiser
PENELOPE, and two from P.36, were lost. The nine survivors - three from OLYMPUS and six from
P.39, managed to swim ashore.
Monday, 11 May
Destroyers JERVIS, KIPLING, JACKAL and LIVELY departed Alexandria to attack
a German-Italian convoy en route to Benghazi, and were instead attacked by
German bombers in the Eastern Mediterranean on the 11th.
KIPLING (Cdr A St Clair Ford DSO) and
LIVELY (Lt Cdr W F E Hussey DSO, DSC) were sunk, and
JACKAL (Cdr R Mc P Jonas DSC) was
damaged at the same time as KIPLING, and sank in tow next day. Casualties
were as follows:
KIPLING - six ratings killed, Lt (E) P G Fyers-Turner DSC and 17
ratings missing, Act/Sub Lt A J C Baker
RNR died of wounds
two days later and a rating died of wounds in August.
LIVELY - Cdr Hussey and one
rating killed, and fifty seven ratings missing. Lt Cdr (E) A H Bacchus was
wounded.
JACKAL - five ratings killed,
three missing and one died of wounds.
JERVIS rescued 630 survivors from the three ships.
______
Tug C.308 (Boatswain C M
Radcliffe) was sunk by German bombing at
Malta. Boatswain
Radcliffe and nine ratings were lost.
______
Anti-submarine trawler BEDFORDSHIRE
(443grt, Lt R B Davis
RNR), on loan to the
USN, was sunk by U.558 off Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Lt Davis, Ty/Sub
Lt H Chitterbuck RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt B Hall RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt T Cunningham RNVR and
all ratings were lost.
Friday, 15 May
Light cruiser
TRINIDAD (Captain L S
Saunders) was sunk in the Barent's Sea. Lt (E) J G Boddy, forty nine ratings
and twelve Marines were missing. Py/Ty/Surgeon Lt R P M Miles RNVR, was
wounded.
Saturday, 23 May
German steamer
ASUNCION (4626grt) was
sunk on a mine in Norwegian waters.
Wednesday, 27 May
Minesweeper FITZROY (Cdr A
C A C Duckworth) was sunk by mining off Great Yarmouth. One rating died of
wounds and twelve were missing. Ty/Surgeon Lt G P Fahrni RCNVR was wounded.
May, miscellaneous
At the time of the landings at Diego Suarez, French steamers MARECHAL
GALLIENI (1559grt) and AMIRAL PIERRE attempted to escape to
Lourenco Marques.
AMIRAL PIERRE was intercepted and
scuttled herself. MARECHAL GALLIENI
was captured and taken to a South African port.
Background Events - June-October 1942
Malta, Atlantic & Russian convoy battles, Raid on
Dieppe, Battles of Midway, Alamein, and for
Guadalcanal
JUNE
Wednesday,
3 June
Whaler
COCKER (ex-KOS XIX, Lt D H
Crampton
RNR) was sunk by U.331 off
Bardia. Ty/Lt M P Gallop RNVR and fourteen ratings were missing. Ty/Lt D M
Engeler RANVR was wounded.
Friday, 12 June
Destroyer GROVE (Lt Cdr J
W Rylands) was sunk by submarine torpedo in the
Eastern
Mediterranean. Four ratings died of wounds, and Ty/Act/Gunner B J
Fleetwood, Ty/Sub Lt A C Hermon-Hodge RNVR and one hundred and six ratings
were missing.
Sunday, 14 June
MALTA CONVOYS
OPERATIONS HARPOON
AND VIGOROUS
Light cruiser
LIVERPOOL was damaged by an Italian
torpedo bomber in HARPOON, and taken in tow by destroyer ANTELOPE
Monday, 15 June
MALTA CONVOYS HARPOON AND VIGOROUS
(continued)
Light cruiser
NEWCASTLE in VIGOROUS was
badly damaged by a motor torpedo boat. There were no casualties.
Destroyer BEDOUIN (Cdr B G
Scurfield OBE) was sunk by aircraft torpedo in the
Central
Mediterranean. Sub Lt C N Parker, Lt F T Skinner and twenty six
ratings were missing. Cdr
Scurfield, Lt P Bullard, Sub Lt R J Evans RNVR, Lt Cdr (E) J S Mc N Jay, Lt E
A S Manners, Ty/Lt J G Marshall RNVR, Ty/Lt J A R Moller RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt C J
Montgomery RNVR, Ty/Surgeon Lt R St. CMooney RNVR, Schoolmaster R S G Wilson
and 203 ratings were taken prisoner.
Destroyer HASTY (Lt Cdr N
H G Austen) in VIGOROUS was badly damaged by German motor torpedo boat S.55
in 34-10N, 22-00E. One rating was killed, eleven missing, and one died of
wounds. Destroyer HOTSPUR scuttled
HASTY
Escort destroyer AIREDALE (Lt
Cdr A G Forman) in VIGOROUS was badly damaged by bombing in 33-50N, 24-00E.
Lt J C K McCKinsman and forty four ratings were lost. Nine officers and 124 ratings were rescued, before AIREDALE was
scuttled by sister ship ALDENHAM, one of whose officers, Lt H T Tanner was
killed the same day.
Australian destroyer NESTOR
(Cdr A S Rosenthal DSO RAN) in VIGOROUS was badly damaged by bombing in
33-36N, 24-30E. She was taken in tow by destroyer JAVELIN, but had to be
scuttled on the 16th. Three RAN and one RN rating were lost.
______
Anti-submarine trawler KINGSTON
CEYLONITE (448grt, Skipper W Mc K Smith
RNR), on loan to the
USN, was sunk on a mine in Chesapeake Bay. Skipper Smith,
Ty/Skipper T O FLeiper RNR and eighteen
ratings were missing.
Tuesday, 16 June
MALTA CONVOYS HARPOON AND VIGOROUS
(continued)
Light cruiser HERMIONE
(Captain G N Oliver DSO) was sunk by U.205 in the
Western
Mediterranean in 33-20N, 26-00E. Cdr (E) S T G Bartwell DSC, Lt (E)
L F Guppy, Paymaster Cdr G C G Marfell, Warrant Engineer L R B Pearce,
Warrant Engineer W Wright, Ty/Surgeon Lt J W Ashley BM, BCh RNVR, Paymaster
Lt G B Kidd RNVR, Ty/Lt R J Browne RCNVR and seventy nine ratings were lost.
Four hundred and forty crew were
rescued.
Wednesday, 17 June
Destroyer WILD SWAN (Lt
Cdr C E L Sclater) was sunk by German bombing in the Western Approaches.
Thirty one ratings were lost.
Sunday, 21 June
German steamer REICHENFELS
(7744grt) was sunk by a British torpedo bomber in 34-43N, 11-58E.
______
Submarine P.514 (Lt Cdr R
M E Pain), which had lost her escort corvette PRIMROSE in low visibility, was
sunk by Canadian minesweeper GEORGIAN, escorting convoy CL.43, in 46-33N,
53-40W. Cdr Pain, Lt W A Phillimore, Ty/Lt C A Bentley
RNR, Ty/Lt J Taylor
RNR, Ty/Lt (E) J F
Magill RCNR and thirty seven ratings were lost. Corvette DIANTHUS departed St Johns later that day to
join PRIMROSE in her search for the submarine.
______
South African minesweeping whaler
PARKTOWN (Lt L J Jagger, SASDF) was sunk by an Italian motor
torpedo boat off Tobruk. Lt Jagger was killed. Sub Lt E R Francis was
wounded.
Sunday, 28 June
German steamer
SAVONA (2120grt)
departed
Benghazi on the 28th,
escorted by Italian torpedo boat CIRCE and two German S-boats, and was lost
after stranding near Sidi Sueicher.
JULY
Sunday,
5 July
Russian
submarine SC/320 sank German steamer ANNA
(677grt) west of
Memel.
Thursday, 9 July
Anti-submarine trawler MANOR
(314grt, Skipper B Pile
RNR) was sunk by a
German motor torpedo boat in the English Channel. Skipper Pile,
Ty/Skipper J Jaques RNR, Skipper J Wood
RNR and twenty six
ratings were missing.
Saturday, 25 July
Anti-submarine trawler LAERTES
(Act/Skipper Lt P J Quinlan DSC
RNR) was sunk by a
U.201 off
Freetown in 6-00N, 14-17W.
Skipper Quinlan, Skipper A Lawrence RNR, Ty/Skipper J
Reid
RNR and sixteen ratings were
missing.
AUGUST
Sunday,
2 August
MALTA CONVOY, OPERATION
PEDESTAL
Designated
WS 21, but not in fact properly one of the convoys of this series as the
title was applied to the ships destined for Operation Pedestal,a relief
convoy to Malta from the UK Prior to passing theStraits of Gibraltar on
10.8.42 however, the convoy did bear the style shown and the convoy sailing
order is therefore included from the Clyde from which it sailed on 2.8.42
until passing the Straits on 10.8.
|
DEUCALION
11
|
PORT CHALMERS
21
|
EMPIRE HOPE
31
|
GLENORCHY
41
|
|
CLAN
FERGUSON
12
|
MELBOURNE STAR
22
|
OHIO
32
|
SANTA ELISA
42
|
|
ROCHESTER CASTLE
13
|
DORSET
23
|
BRISBANE STAR
33
|
WAIRANGI
43
|
|
|
WAIMARAMA
24
|
ALMERIA LYKES
34
|
|
The
escort was unusually strong, and included ships of the Home Fleet on passage
to reinforce the ships usually based on Gibraltar for this next
Malta convoy. They included
battleships NELSON, RODNEY, aircraft carriers EAGLE, FURIOUS, INDOMITABLE,
VICTORIOUS, cruisers KENYA, NIGERIA, and destroyers AMAZON, BICESTER,
BLYSKAWICA, DERWENT, ICARUS, INTREPID, LAMERTON, LEDBURY, MALCOLM, PENN, SARDONYX,
VENOMOUS, WILTON, WISHART, WOLVERINE and ZETLAND at various times during the
passage from the Clyde to the Straits.
Thursday,
6 August
Submarine
THORN (Lt Cdr R G Norfolk DSO) was
sunk by Italian torpedo boat PEGASO 30 miles south of Gavdo Island. Lt Norfolk, Lt A
E C Bell
RNR, Warrant Engineer L FDavies,
Ty/Lt A St G Hawksworth RNVR, Sub Lt L J Ingledon, Ty/Lt C J Parker RNVR and
fifty four ratings were lost.
Friday, 7 August
Sub Lt C G Taylor
RNR and Leading
Airman J F Elson of VICTORIOUS were lost when their plane crashed during
BESERK operations prior to Operation PEDESTAL.
______
Submarine PROTEUS sank German steamer
WACHTFELS (8467grt) near
Sicily.
Sunday, 9 August
BATTLE OF SAVO ISLAND
Japanese ships sank American heavy cruisers
ASTORIA (Captain W G
Greenman), QUINCEY (Captain S N Moore), VINCENNES (Captain F L
Riefkohl) and Australian heavy cruiser CANBERRA (Captain F E
Getting RAN) off Savo Island. Casualties were:
ASTORIA, two hundred and
sixteen men killed or died or wounds and 186 wounded.
QUINCEY, three hundred
and seventy men killed or died of wounds and 167 wounded.
VINCENNES, three hunded and
thirty two men killed or died of wounds and 258 wounded.
CANBERRA, Captain Getting
and eight ratings died of wounds, Py/Paymaster Cadet K J Donovan,
Py/Ty/Engineering Lt D G Hazelton RANR, Lt Cdr D M Hole RAN,
Py/Ty/Engineering Lt A N Lulham RANR, Gunner (T) J MacDonald, Schoolmaster H
G Warren, Act/Lt (E) B D Yonge, sixty RAN and two RN ratings missing. One
RAAF airman died of wounds, Flying Officer D J Murchison RAAF and three
airmen were missing, as was Ensign J W Vance USN. Act/Paymaster Cdr E D Creal, Engineering Sub Lt R M Howlin
RANVR, Midshipman B H Loxton, Sub Lt F R Marshall RANVR, Lt (E) B W Mussared,
Lt Cdr J Plunkett-Cole, Instructor Cdr F G Rednall, Paymaster Cdr A L Rose,
Midshipman N L Sanderson and forty six ratings were wounded.
American heavy cruiser
CHICAGO was damaged with
two dead or died of wounds and 21 wounded.
Destroyers RALPH TALBOT with eleven dead and eleven wounded, and
PATTERSON with eight dead and eleven wounded were damaged.
Destroyer JARVIS, had been torpedoed by aircraft earlier in the day,
and fourteen men were lost at this time. As she withdrawing for repairs,
JARVIS (Lt Cdr W N Graham) was sunk
later in the day by air attack. All hands, two hundred and forty seven were
lost.
Tuesday, 11 August
MALTA CONVOY, OPERATION
PEDESTAL (continued)
Aircraft carrier EAGLE (Captain
L D Mackintosh DSC) was sunk by U.73 in 38-05N, 3-02E. Eleven ratings were
killed, and Ty/Lt (E) W H Hargest, Cdr (E) G F Mandeville, one hundred and
twenty nine ratings, and seventeen Marines were missing. The captain, 67 officers, and 862 ratings were rescued - nine
officers and 186 men by destroyer LAFOREY, 13 officers and 185 men by
destroyer LOOKOUT, and Captain Macintosh, 48 officers, 487 men, and one press
man by tug JAUNTY. They were later transferred to destroyers KEPPEL, MALCOLM
and VENOMOUS, respectively, for the voyage to
Gibraltar. In the air at
the time were four aircraft of 801 Squadron. Act/Ty/Lt Cdr (A) R A Brabner,
Ty/Act/Sub Lt (A) P J Hutton RNVR and Ty/Sub Lt (A) M Hankey RNVR landed on
aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS while Act/Sub Lt (A) D J MacDonald landed on
aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE.
Wednesday, 12 August
Submarine STURGEON sank German steamer
BOLTENHAGEN (3335grt) in Flekkefjord, while P.54 sank German
steamer GEORG L M RUSS (2890grt)
in other Norwegian waters.
______
MALTA CONVOY, OPERATION
PEDESTAL (continued)
Anti-aircraft ship
CAIRO (Act/Captain C
CHardy DSO) was sunk by Italian submarine AXUM off Bizerte. Eleven ratings
and nine Marines were missing, and three Marines died of wounds. Lt J D R McCullagh RNVR was wounded.
Light cruiser
NIGERIA was damaged in
the same attack. Midshipman P R Ingoldby, Midshipman J D Tuffill, Paymaster
Midshipman C B Ker, Warrant Electrician A A Martyr and forty eight ratings
were lost.
Air operations from aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE. Lt Cdr F E C Judd
of 880 Squadron, Ty/Sub Lt (A) J I Cruikshank RNVR of 880 Squadron and Ty/Sub
Lt (A) J M Lucas RNVR of 800 Squadron were lost, and Lt R L Johnston of 806
Squadron was also lost when his plane crashed on landing. INDOMITABLE was
then badly damaged by German bombing. Lt L C Williams, Lt (A) R B Park DSC
and Ty/Lt (A) G F Measures RNVR of 827 Squadron, Ty/Sub Lt (A) W L Protheroe
RNVR of 831 Squadron, Ty/Sub Lt H L Cunliffe-Owen RNVR of 880 Squadron,
Paymaster Lt G A Tanner and forty four ratings were killed. Fifty nine crew
including Sub Lt W A Davies and Sub Lt C M Brown were seriously wounded.
Air operations from aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS. Lt R A F Churchill
and Ty/Sub Lt (A) A Nunn RNVR of 884 Squadron, Ty/Sub Lt (A) C J Evans RNVR
and Leading Airman J Stewart, Ty/Sub Lt (A) J H O'C Nihill RNVR and Leading
Airman W R Regan of 809 Squadron were lost. Ty/Sub Lt (A) M Hankey RNVR,
ex-EAGLE of 801 Squadron, was lost attacking German bombers.
Thursday, 13 August
MALTA CONVOY, OPERATION
PEDESTAL (continued)
Light cruiser
MANCHESTER (Captain H Drew
DSC) was badly damaged by Italian MTBs in the Central
Mediterranean. Py/Ty/Sub Lt (E) L M Frankland RNVR and twelve ratings
were killed. One hundred and fifty eight ratings, three wounded officers and
two wounded ratings were taken off by destroyer PATHFINDER. She was later
scuttled and more crew rescued from rafts by destroyers ESKIMO and SOMALI. A
total of 13 officers and 308 ratings were rescued. Captain Drew, Warrant
Engineer A F Budden, Lt J H Akram RM, Gunner G H Burnett, Gunner (T) W G
Casey, Surgeon Cdr F L Cassidi, Lt B H Clinkard, Paymaster Midshipman J H M
Cocks
RCN, Act/Lt (E) R D Cooper,
Paymaster Lt A A D Cope RNVR, Ty/Lt A J Daniels RNVR, Lt Cdr D A R Duff DSC,
Lt (E) G M Fletcher, Lt (E) O J George, Cdr H B C Gill DSC, Lt T B W Jeans
RM, Cdr D H Johnston, Lt (E) N H Malim, Warrant Shipwright H Matthews,
Midshipman L L G C Parker, Surgeon Lt E C Powell, MRCS, LRCP RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub
Lt W Preshaw RNVR, Ty/Lt (E) P M Rambant, Warrant Ordnance Officer A E Reddy,
Cdr (E) W J Robb, Sub Lt (A) C K Roberts RNVR, Lt G V B Russell, Sub Lt (A) N
R Selkirk RNVR, Lt (E) E C Sutton, Ty/Sub Lt J E Tabor RNVR, Gunner D Turner,
Lt H Wake, Midshipman G B Walker, Sub Lt (A) P D V Wheeler RNVR, Midshipman J
C E White, Gunner E Whiteside, Midshipman A H Wilmot RCN, Midshipman G C
Yorke and four hundred and eighty seven ratings were interned by the Vichy
French at Algiers. The internees were released on
11 November 1942 after the invasion of North African. Several of
the ship’s officers were court martialled and the court ruled that
MANCHESTER had been scuttled
prematurely.
Destroyer FORESIGHT (Lt
Cdr R A Fell) was sunk by aircraft torpedo in the
Central
Mediterranean. Lt H R Evans and three ratings were missing, and one
rating died of wounds.
Royal Navy personnel were also involved in the loss of three of the
merchant ships sunk during PEDESTAL:
CLAN FERGUSON, ten merchant
seaman including Master K N Vooght OBE, twenty Royal Navy ratings and two
Royal Artillery gunners were lost. Italian ships picked up fifty three
survivors, including Lt Cdr I H H Meiklejohn Rtd and Lt H Grimston RNR of SPARTIATE.
Meikeljohn was taken to Germany and remained a
POW for the rest of the war.
WAIMARAMA, Sixty three
merchant seaman including Master R S Pearce, fourteen Royal Navy ratings and
sixteen Royal Artillery gunners were lost. Lt J S M Withers of Operations
Division and Lt D P Bent RNR of EAGLET were
taken prisoner.
GLENORCHY,
Eight Merchant
seaman and one Royal Artillery gunner were lost. German MTB.S.31, which with
S.26, had sunk her, picked up eight survivors as prisoners of war, including
Cdr L CAnsdell of Operations Division.
Wednesday, 19 August
RAID ON DIEPPE, OPERATION
JUBILEE
Destroyer BERKELEY (Lt J J
S Yorke) was sunk by German bombing off
Dieppe. Fifteen ratings
were missing, together with some of the other service personnel taking part.
Ty/Surgeon Lt D V Stott RNVR was
wounded.
SEPTEMBER
Monday,
7 September
Canadian
armed yacht RACCOON (Lt Cdr J N
Smith RCNR), escorting convoy QS.33 with corvette ARROWHEAD, minesweeper
TRURO and motor
launches Q.65 and Q.83, was sunk by U.165 in the St Lawrence River. There were no
survivors from the yacht with Cdr Smith, Lt J F Cook, Sub Lt J E Thomas, Sub
Lt R H McConnell RCNVR and thirty four ratings lost.
Friday, 11 September
Canadian corvette
CHARLOTTETOWN (Lt J W Bonner
RCNR) was sunk by U.517 in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Lt Bonner and
five members of the crew were missing, and three ratings died of wounds. One officer and twelve ratings were
wounded, and a total of 55 survivors were picked up by minesweeper CLAYOQUOT.
Saturday, 12 September
German steamer ROBERT
BORNHOFEN (6643grt) was sunk by torpedo in Porsangerfjord.
Monday, 14 September
RAID ON TOBRUK, OPERATION
AGREEMENT
Anti-aircraft ship
COVENTRY
(Captain R J R Dendy) was sunk by German bombing in
the
Eastern Mediterranean. Ty/Lt (E) G A March, Lt W H
C Rees DSC, Warrant Engineer A M Woods and fifty seven ratings were killed.
Destroyers BELVOIR and DULVERTON
rescued the survivors and took them to Alexandria, four ratings
dying of wounds in DULVERTON before arriving.
Destroyer SIKH (Captain St
J A Micklethwait DSO) was sunk by gunfire from shore batteries at Tobruk. Lt
J R David and twenty ratings were lost. Captain Micklethwait, Lt Cdr J B Cox DSC, Ty/Paymaster Lt N C Elliott
RNVR, Lt Cdr (E) A E Hargrave, Act/Gunner (T) S G McDonald, Lt P D H Moreton,
Ty/Lt J Nickolls RNVR, Ty/Surgical Lt B C H O'Neill RNVR, Lt J W G Payne,
Ty/Lt L F Ramseyer RNVR, Lt P G Sedgwick, Lt P G Sharp DSC RNVR, Act/Lt C D S
Smith and 240 ratings were taken prisoner. Lt Sedgwick died on
17 October 1942.
Destroyer ZULU (Cdr R T
White DSO) was badly damaged by German bombing in the
Eastern
Mediterranean. Lt (E) A R Moore DSC and ten ratings were killed,
Ty/Act/Gunner (T) F L Hickman, Ty/Midshipman A W Scott
RNR, Lt N
Scott-Elliot and twenty four ratings were missing, and one rating died of
wounds. Destroyer CROOME took off
all survivors except the towing party. Destroyer HURSLEY then took her in
tow, but ZULU sank still in tow that evening.
Coastal craft taking part were
MTB.260, MTB.261, MTB.262, MTB.265, MTB.266, MTB.267, MTB.268 of 10th MTB Flotilla, MTB.307, MTB.308, MTB.309 (Cdr J
FBlackburn DSC Rtd, Force C Commanding Officer, embarked), MTB.310, MTB.311, MTB.312, MTB.314, MBT 315 and MTB.316 of 15th MTB Flotilla, and
ML.352, ML.353 and ML.349. Of these, MTB.268 developed
engine trouble en route and returned to Alexandria,
MTB.308,
MTB.310 and
MTB.312 were sunk by bombing,
ML.352 and ML.353 by
anti-aircraft fire from the shore (editors note: presumably German 88’s),
MTB.314 was captured, and ML.349 badly damaged, but
able to return to Alexandria. Sub Lt R W Yates RNVR of
MTB.308, Lt S C Lane
RCNVR of
MTB.310 and forty one ratings
were lost in the light craft.
______
Canadian destroyer
OTTAWA (Act/Lt Cdr C
ARutherford
RCN), escorting convoy ON.127,
was sunk by U.91 in the
Gulf of St Lawrence. Cdr Rutherford,
Sub Lt D A K Wilson, Sub Lt (E) K F Wright RCNVR, Ty/Lt I McLeod RCNVR,
Surgeon Lt G A Hendry RCNVR and 107 Canadian ratings were missing. Also lost
were six RN ratings and about twenty two merchant ship survivors. Lt T C Pullen, Lt C Savard, Sub Lt T
H Buchanan RCNVR, Act/Gunner (T) L I Jones, Sub Lt L B Jenson RCN and 65 ratings
were rescued by British corvette CELANDINE and the Canadian ARVIDA.
Wednesday, 16 September
Submarine TALISMAN (Lt Cdr
M Willmott DSO) was lost on the mine in the Sicilian Passage. Cdr Willmott,
Lt M J Brendon, Lt O S V Waterlow DSC, Sub Lt W D H Eves, Commissioned
Engineer W J McNally and fifty eight ratings were lost on the submarine.
Thursday, 17 September
Minesweeping trawler WATERFLY
(387grt, Lt Cdr R W Hawes RNVR) was sunk by German bombing off Dungeness. Cdr
Hawes and one rating were killed, and Ty/Sub Lt F W Hill RNVR and twelve
ratings missing.
Sunday, 20 September
Destroyer SOMALI (Lt Cdr D
CMaud DSC) was torpedoed by U.70 in the
North Atlantic. Two ratings were
killed, and Lt M F Atkinson, Lt M A M Bruce DSC, Cdr (E) M H Hunt, Paymaster
Lt J Hutton-Attenborough, Act/Gunner (T) F W Jenkins, Act/Sub Lt J M
Longhurst
RNR, Lt C H Trend and seventy
three ratings missing. SOMALI sank in tow on the 24th.
______
Minesweeper LEDA (Act/Cdr
A H Wynne-Edwards Rtd) was sunk by German submarine in the
Greenland Sea. Ty/Surgeon Lt W
W Tennant RNVR and thirty eight ratings were missing, and six ratings died of
wounds.
Saturday, 26 September
Destroyer VETERAN and VANOC were escorting convoy RB 1, when VETERAN
(Lt Cdr T H Gatwood) was
detached to pick up survivors from steamers BOSTON and
NEW YORK. She had rescued
48 survivors from BOSTON and 30 from NEW YORK, and was en route
to rejoin the convoy when she was torpedoed and sunk by U.404. Cdr Gatwood,
Warrant Mechanician W Bradshaw, Ty/Sub Lt M J Carter RNVR, Lt H A A
Clogstoun, Ty/Act/Runner (T) E H Durham, Ty/Lt J C Dwyer RCNVR, Ty/Surgeon Lt
F M Hayes RNVR, Sub Lt BR Jones RNR, Lt J D Needham,
one hundred and fifty ratings and the rescued merchant seamen were missing.
OCTOBER
Friday,
2 October
Anti-aircraft
ship ship CURACOA and destroyers BULLDOG, SKATE, SALADIN, BRANHAM, COWDRAY
and BLYSKAWICA met liner QUEEN MARY in the northwestern
approaches to escort her into the Clyde, following her
departure from New York on 27 September
as convoy AT.24. CURACOA (Captain
J W Boutwood DSC) was sunk in collision with the giant liner in 55-51N,
8-38W. Lt Cdr A T Spearman, Lt A P C Johnson DSC, Lt J Maxwell, Lt E H
Vaughn, Ty/Lt (E) J Hiddleston, Surgeon Lt Cdr M Cay, Act/Gunner J E Frost,
Act/Gunner S Woodcock, Warrant Engineer J L Grant, Ty/Act/Warrant Electrician
E H Machin, Schoolmaster A J Tilley, Act/Captain J S Cole RM, Lt M P Thompson
RNR, Act/Cdr (E) D M Robertson RD
RNR, Lt D H J Bodger
RNVR, Lt N A Brittain RNVR, Ty/Lt D H W Gardner RNVR, Ty/Lt J T Harman RNVR,
Ty/Sub Lt P W Brocklesby RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt S B Caldwell RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt S R
Osborne RNVR, Ty/Surgeon Lt D J Naughton RNVR, Paymaster Lt Cdr G C Sutton
RNVR, Ty/Paymaster Lt A E Dawes RNVR, Ty/Paymaster Sub Lt A R Howland RNVR
and three hundred and thirteen ratings were lost. Captain Boutwood, Ty/Sub Lt P E M Holmes RNVR and 99 ratings
were rescued by BRANHAM and COWDRAY.
______
German S.65, S.77, S.82, and S.112 of the 5th Motor Torpedo Boat
Flotilla attacked convoy PW.226 and its escort, including Polish destroyer
KRAKOWIAK. Anti-submarine trawler LORD
STONEHAVEN (444grt, Skipper A F S Jenner
RNR) was sunk by
S.112 off the Eddystone. Skipper Jenner and seventeen ratings were lost.
Wednesday, 7 October
German S.101, S.46, S.46, S.62, S.80, S.105, S.108 of the 2nd and
S.63, S.79, S.117 of the 4th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotillas attacked convoy
FN.32, escorted by destroyers WESTMINSTER and VANITY, 12 miles NE of Cromer.
Rescue tug CAROLINE MOLLER was
sunk by S.80, and Act/Sub Lt T Manning RNVR, Sub Lt (E) W W Wile
RNR and Boatswain B
Nielsen lost. Also lost were
freighters JESSIE MAERSK (1973grt)
to S.117, ILSE (2874grt) to S.105,
SHEAFWATER (2730grt) to S.46 and
S.63, and ML.339 to S.62.
______
German auxiliary cruiser KOMET departed
Germany on the 7th and
proceeded down Channel, escorted by the 2nd Motor Minesweeper Squadron.
Minesweepers R.77, R.78, R.82 and R.86 were
sunk in 51-02N, 01-22E before reaching Dunkirk on the 8th, but
KOMET was able to continue down the coast. Then escorting Sperrbrecher 143
(steamer LOLA,
498grt) was sunk on a mine off Nieuport on the 9th. KOMET arrived at Le Havre on the13th.
Saturday, 10 October
Submarine UNIQUE (Lt R E
Boddington), which departed Holy Loch on the 9th for Biscay patrol and then
to Gibraltar, was last contacted on this date. She was due
to reach
Gibraltar on the 22nd, but never
arrived. Lt Boddington, Lt G AAdlard, Lt J W DCoombe, Sub Lt C I Reed and
thirty ratings were lost.
Tuesday, 13 October
German auxiliary cruiser KOMET, en route through the
English Channel from Le Havre, was escorted by
T.4, T.10, T.14 and T.19 of the 3rd Torpedo Boat Flotilla (KKpt Hans Wilcke
in T.14). Escort destroyers COTTESMORE (Lt Cdr J C AIngram), ALBRIGHTON,
ESKDALE, GLAISDALE, QUORN and MTB.49, MTB.55, MTB.56, MTB.84, MTB.95, MTB.203, MTB.229 and MTB.236 departed
Dartmouth to intercept.
Sister ships BROCKLESBY, FERNIE, TYNEDALE and the Polish KRAKOWIAK also
sailed from
Plymouth. In a confused
action, KOMET damaged her
escorting torpedo boats T.4, T.14 and T.19. MTB.236 is credited
with sinking her, but German sources maintain she exploded after gunfire
started a fire on board. KKpt Wilcke was killed when KOMET fired on her
escorts, and there were no survivors when she sank. BROCKLESBY was later
damaged by German shore gun, the only British casualty of the operation, and
two men wounded.
Sunday, 18 October
Norwegian submarine UREDD sank
German steamer LIBAU (3713grt) near Vilnaesfjord.
Saturday, 31 October
Chariots Number VI and
Number VIII were lost in Operation
TITLE, an attack on German battleship TIRPITZ in Ofotfjord, before reaching
the target.
Background Events - November 1942-January 1943
Landings in
French North Africa ('Torch'), Final battles for
Guadalcanal & Stalingrad, 'Cockleshell
heroes', Battle of Barents Sea
NOVEMBER
Sunday,
8 November
FRENCH NORTH AFRICAN LANDINGS, OPERATION TORCH
Destroyer
BROKE (Lt Cdr A F C Layard) was
badly damaged by shore gunfire at Algiers. Nine ratings
were lost. Lt Cdr A K Mackelvie
MBE RNVR and Py/Ty/Surgeon Lt J AOddie RNVR were wounded. She sank in tow of
destroyer ZETLAND on the 9th.
Ex-US Coast Guard cutters HARTLAND and WALNEY, accompanied by motor
launches ML.480 and ML.483, attempted to enter
Oran harbour to land
US troops.
HARTLAND (Lt Cdr G P Billot
RNR) was sunk by Vichy French destroyer TYPHON and
shore batteries, and also taken under fire by machine guns from the two
submarines in harbour. One rating was killed, Ty/Gunner (T) A Thompson and
one rating died of wounds, and Ty/Surgeon Lt J de L Bourgeois RCNVR, Ty/Sub
Lt A I Somerville RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt P EWard RNVR and twenty eight ratings
were missing. Cdr Billot and Ty/Lt
R J Perfitt RNVR were wounded.
WALNEY
(Lt Cdr P
CMeyrick) was sunk by French shore batteries and destroyers EPERVIER and TRAMONTANE.
Nine ratings were killed, and Cdr Meyrick, Lt P E A Duncan RNVR,
Ty/Act/Gunner (T) A E Lovell, Lt P B Pembery RNR, Ty/Surgeon Lt A
L Phillips RNVR and sixty six ratings missing.
Monday, 9 November
Corvette GARDENIA (Lt Cdr
H Hill
RNR) was sunk in a collision
with naval trawler FLUELLEN off Oran. One rating was
killed and two missing.
______
Minesweeper CROMER (Cdr R
H Stephenson DSO) was sunk by mine in the
Eastern Mediterranean. One rating was
killed, one died of wounds, and Cdr Stephenson, Ty/Paymaster Lt P A Compton
RNVR, Commissioned Engineer C E Martin and forty one ratings were missing.
Tuesday, 10 November
Destroyer MARTIN (Cdr C R
P Thomson DSO) was sunk by German submarine in the
Western
Mediterranean. Cdr Thomson, Ty/Surgeon Lt A B Alton RNVR, Sub Lt T
H Bayley, Ty/Sub Lt W H G Bowmer RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt F Kidd RNVR, Ty/Midshipman P
L Rhodes
RNR, Commissioned Gunner (T) N E
Tomes and one hundred and fifty two ratings were missing.
______
Sloop
IBIS (Cdr H M
Darell-Brown) was sunk by German bombing in the Western
Mediterranean. One rating was killed, Cdr Darell-Brown died of
wounds, and Ty/Lt D'A M Stephens RNVR, Ty/Lt A Thorpe
RNR and one hundred
and three ratings were missing.
Wednesday, 11 November
Submarine UNBEATEN (Lt D E
O Watson DSC) was sunk in error by British aircraft in the
Bay of Biscay. Lt Watson, Lt P
W Cannon, Sub Lt J J Brougham, Sub Lt T C Tweedy and thirty two ratings were
lost.
Thursday, 12 November
Anti-aircraft ship TYNWALD
(Captain P G Wodehouse DSO Rtd) was sunk on a mine off Bougie. Ty/Act/Sub Lt
(E) H E Longford RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) A P Millership RNVR, Ty/Lt (E) S J
Smith
RNR and seventeen ratings were
missing.
_____
Destroyer depot ship HECLA (Captain
S H T Arliss DSO, Commodore 2nd Class) was torpedoed by U.515 west of
Gibraltar in 35-43N, 9-54W
at 2315/11th and sank early on the 12th. Eight ratings were killed, Warrant
Supply Officer H D Honey died of wounds, and Ty/Lt (E) G S Brettell, Ty/Lt G
H G Cox RNVR, Warrant Electrician H Edmunds, Warrant Ordnance Officer L H
Farr RNVR, Paymaster Lt E T Hackett RNVR, Commissioned Gunner (T) W E
Hayward, Ty/Paymaster Sub Lt J McK S Hotchkiss RNVR, Warrant Writer R
Hutchison, Paymaster Captain F L Monk RNR, Ty/Boatswain S C
Norcott, Ty/Sub Lt S C Richardson RNVR, Act/Warrant Cook J A Saunders and two
hundred and sixty one ratings were missing.
Destroyer
MARNE, escorting depot ship HECLA,
was damaged by U.515 in 35-50N, 9-57W. Ty/Midshipman R H Brown RNR and some ratings
were lost. She was towed by tug
SALVONIA to
Gibraltar, arriving at
noon on the 15th.
Friday, 13 November
Dutch destroyer ISAAC SWEERS,
escorting Force R of tankers, was sunk by U.431 sixty miles NW of Algiers in
37-23N, 2-12E. Five Dutch officers and ninety three ratings, and five British
ratings were lost.
Sunday, 15 November
Escort aircraft carrier AVENGER
(Cdr A P Colthurst), escorting convoy MKF 1, was sunk by U.155 west of
Gibraltar. Cdr Colthurst,
Warrant Aircraft Officer A G Ansell, Ty/Sub Lt (A) H D Anson-May RNVR, Lt Cdr
J J Arkwright DSC, Ty/Sub Lt D F Barnard RNVR, Ty/Paymaster A E Barnett RNR, Lt (A) H W
Beggs, Ty/Act/Sub Lt J S Brew RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) J L Connell RNVR,
Ty/Sub Lt (A) V H G Cowper RNVR, Lt D P Z Cox, Ty/Lt S H Danson RNR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt
(E) S H Davies RNVR, Lt Cdr C H Dawson, Ty/Act/Lt R W Duarte RNVR, Ty/Lt (E)
E Dunkerley
RNR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) C H Dunn
RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt E Frame RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt (A) I P Garrow DSC RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt
(A) E R Giles RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt (E) C Gothard RNR, Sub Lt (A) F A
Gresham, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) R J Hackett RNVR, Ty/Lt G B P Hall RNVR,
Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) J A Harrison RNVR, Lt J B Haynes RNR, Ty/Sub Lt (E) R
Heavisides RNVR, Lt (A) D A Hutchinson DSC, Ty/Paymaster Sub Lt H V Jones
RNR, Ty/Paymaster Sub
Lt G T Kerr
RNR, Ty/Lt J L W Lane RNVR,
Ty/Lt (A) M S Latter RNVR, Ty/Lt (A) A R Laurie RNVR, Ty/Lt (E) K CLawson
RNR, Ty/Sub Lt (A) M
Lees RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) F W Love RNVR, Lt A J G Lydekker DSC, Ty/Lt Cdr
(E) R F McArt
RNR, Ty/Sub Lt (A) J McEvoy
RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt (A) G S Mansfield RNVR, Lt (A) P W V Massy DSC, Ty/Sub Lt (A)
P C H Morris RNVR, Ty/Lt T A R Muir RNR, Ty/Surgeon Lt J
E Powell RCNVR, Ty/Paymaster Sub Lt F Richardson RNR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt
(E) E H Sainsbury RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt (E) T D Scorer RNR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt
(E) E F W Selly RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt (A) A P A Shelley RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt T P
Sheppard RCNVR, Ty/Lt A K Smith RNVR, Ty/Lt (E) T A Smith RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt
(E) H J Staff RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) C E Steele RNVR, Lt Cdr J G B Stratton,
Ty/Sub Lt A G L Sutton RNVR, Sub Lt K E D Taylor RNR, Ty/Act/Gunner
(T) G A Terry, Surgeon Lt Cdr N A Vernon RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) L B Watson
RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (A) A D R Webber RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (A) T A Wightman
RNVR, Ty/Act/Sub Lt (E) H W Wilders RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt (A)H E Williams DSC RNVR,
Ty/Act/Sub Lt (A) P J Williams RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt (A) J K Wilson RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt
(A) P S Woodham, Ty/Major N R M Skene RM and four hundred and thirty six
ratings were lost. Just twelve survivors which picked up by destroyer
GLAISDALE
______
Minesweeper ALGERINE (Lt
Cdr W ACooke) was sunk by Italian submarine ASCIANGHI off Bougie. Four
ratings died of wounds, and Cdr Cooke, Ty/Lt K G Butler
RNR, Ty/Lt D Kemsley
RNVR, Ty/Surgeon Lt A B Kennedy RNVR, Ty/Electrical Sub Lt R R C Radcliffe
RNVR, Commissioned Engineer T K Reynolds DSC, Ty/Sub Lt J F Richards RNVR,
Ty/Sub Lt J D W Roberts RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt M A Wellington RNVR and sixty seven
ratings were missing.
______
Anti-submarine whaler ULLSWATER
(555grt, Ty/Lt N BCRoss
RNR) was sunk by a
German motor torpedo boat in the English Channel. Lt Ross, Ty/Lt P
W Elliott RNVR, Ty/Sub Lt T F J Moss RNVR and thirty two ratings were
missing.
Monday, 16 November
German auxiliary anti-submarine trawler UJ.2102 sank Greek submarine
TRITON (Lt Contoyannis, RHN).
______
Submarine SAFARI sank German steamer
HANS ARP (2645grt) near Benghasi.
Tuesday, 17 November
Submarine UTMOST (Lt J W
DCoombe) was sunk by Italian torpedo boat GROPPO NW of Marittimo. Lt Coombe,
Sub Lt J H Des Voeux, Ty/Sub Lt J C H Wood
RNR, Ty/Sub Lt B W
Taverner RNVR and twenty nine ratings were lost.
Saturday, 28 November
Greek submarine TRITON was
lost. Sub Lt A S Carter RNVR and one British rating were lost with the Greek
crew.
DECEMBER
Tuesday,
1 December
Anti-submarine
trawler JASPER (581grt, Ty/Lt W T
Hodson RNVR), escorting convoy PW.256 with escort destroyer GLAISDALE, ML.184
and anti-submarine trawler CORNELIAN, was sunk by German motor torpedo boat
S.81 in the
English Channel. Four ratings were killed,
and Ty/Lt B Ewin RNVR and six ratings missing. Escort destroyer TYNEDALE
departed
Plymouth to investigate
German motor torpedo boats in the area prior to the attack.
Wednesday, 2 December
Italian convoy H of steamers AVENTINO (3794grt), PUCCINI (2422grt)
and German KT 1 (760grt) departed
Palermo on the 1st for
Bizerte, while steamer
ASPROMONTE (976grt) left from Trapani and joined at
sea. The convoy was escorted by destroyers DA RECCO, CAMICIA NERA, FOLGORE
and torpedo boats PROCIONE and CLIO.
Force Q of light cruisers AURORA, SIRIUS, ARGONAUT with destroyers
QUIBERON and QUENTIN sank all four steamers and FOLGORE, and damaged DA RECCO
and PROCIONE 40 miles north of
Cape Bon. Merchantmen
AVENTINO went down in 37-40N, 11-00E, PUCCINI in 37-40N, 11-10E, and
ASPROMONTE in 37-43N, 11-15E. PROCIONE reached Tunisia at 0845/2nd, and
DA RECCO, CAMICIA NERA and CLIO arrived at Trapani at 2200/2nd.
Returning to Bone, QUENTIN
(Lt Cdr A H P Noble DSC) was sunk by aircraft torpedo north of
Algiers. One rating was
killed, one died of wounds, and eight ratings were missing. QUIBERON, which was damaged by a
near miss in the bombing, picked up survivors.
______
Italian steamer VELOCE (5451grt) while sailing in convoy was damaged
by aircraft torpedo 20 miles off Kerkenah. Steamer CHISONE, escorted by
torpedo boat ARETUSA was sent on, and arrived at Tripoli at 1900/3rd. Torpedo
boat LUPO, assisting
VELOCE, was surprised by destroyers
JERVIS, JAVELIN, JANUS and KELVIN, and both sunk. Torpedo boat ARDENTE, also
of the escort, rescued the survivors and arrived at
Palermo on the 4th.
Thursday, 3 December
Destroyer PENYLAN (Lt Cdr
J H Wallace DSC), escorting convoy PW.257 with five trawlers and three MLs,
was sunk by German motor torpedo boat S.115 in the
English Channel. Twenty ratings
were killed, Sub Lt P W Hopkins and four ratings died of wounds, and Ty/Sub
Lt R L Ross RCNVR and ten ratings were missing.
______
German steamer MENES (5609grt)
was sunk by torpedo off the Libyian coast.
Friday, 4 December
Submarine TRAVELLER (Lt
Cdr D St Clair-Ford) was mined in the
Taranto approaches on or
about this date. St Clair-Ford, commanding officer of submarine PARTHIAN, was
a temporary replacement for Lt M B St John, who was ill. Cdr St Clair-Ford,
Lt W B Hulbert, Lt (E) R D Verner-Jeffreys, Lt J R Wild RNR, Ty/Sub Lt W E
Hardwick RNVR, Ty/Lt H D S Russel RCNVR and fifty nine ratings were lost.
Saturday, 5 December
Anti-submarine trawler BENGALI
(455grt, Lt R S Penby
RNR), naval trawler
CANNA (Lt W N Bishop-Laggett RNR) and
anti-submarine trawler SPANIARD (455grt,
Lt J B Love
RNR) were sunk by an explosion
at
Lagos. Casualties were:
BENGALI, one rating died of wounds.
CANNA, two ratings died of wounds, and ten were missing. Ty/Lt H
Beaver RNVR was wounded.
SPANIARD, two ratings died of wounds. Ty/Sub Lt M J H King RNVR, and
2nd Hand Arthur C Cook were wounded.
Wednesday, 9 December
Corvette MARIGOLD (Lt J A
S Halcrow RD
RNR), escorting convoy MKS.3 (Y), was sunk
by German aircraft torpedo west of the Gibraltar Straits. Ty/Sub Lt C R Huth
RNVR, Ty/Lt J O V Yates RNVR and two ratings died of wounds, and Lt Halcrow
and forty four ratings were missing. Six officers and 37 ratings were
rescued.
Friday, 11 December
Destroyer BLEAN (Lt M J
Parker), escorting convoy MKF.4, was sunk by U.443 eleven miles 126° from
Oran. Six ratings were
killed, one died of wounds, and eighty two were missing. Eight officers and
86 ratings were picked up by destroyer WISHART
Saturday, 12 December
In Operation VALUABLE, destroyers WHITSHED, WORCESTER, ESKDALE,
BROCKLESBY, ALBRIGHTON and VESPER attacked a German convoy nine miles NNE of
Dieppe. Steamer GAUSS (1236grt)
was sunk by WORCESTER NW of Dieppe, and Sperrbrecher
144 (steamer BEIJERLAND, 387grt) by ESKDALE and ALBRIGHTON. All six
attacking destroyers received some damage - WHITSHED one 4 inch direct hit
which holed her on the water line, reducing speed to 20 knots. She was
repaired in six weeks. Then ESKDALE was damaged in the wheel house, and the
force withdrew. She repaired at
Portsmouth, completing on 16
January. WORCESTER and BROCKLESBY were damaged by shell short falls and
required four and five days respectively to repair. ALBRIGHTON was also
damaged by a shell short fall, but required no immediate repair. VESPER was
hit eight times, her commanding officer wounded, and she was repaired and
began conversion which required six months to complete.
______
Submarine P.222 (Lt Cdr A
J Mackenzie) was sunk by Italian destroyer FORTUNALE east of
Capri. Cdr Mackenzie,
Lt A Hemelryk, Sub Lt A J D Taylor, Warrant Engineer L F Taylor DSC, Ty/Sub
Lt M A Cousins RNVR and forty two ratings were lost.
______
Submarine P.35 sank German steamer
MACEDONIA
(2875grt) near
Susa.
Monday, 14 December
Light cruisers ARGONAUT, AURORA with destroyers ESKIMO and QUALITY
were returning from a patrol in the Bizerte-Marittimo Channel when attacked
by Italian aircraft. ARGONAUT was torpedoed west of
Gaita Island by Italian
submarine MOCENIGO in her bow and stern. However, two of her four propellers
remained operational and she was able to reach Algiers under her own
power. Lt (E) H S G Morgan was lost. She
repaired in
Philadelphia from March 1943
to November 1944.
Tuesday, 15 December
German steamer
GERMANIA (9851grt)
scuttled herself when intercepted by sloop EGRET and destroyer TANATSIDE west
of Cape Finisterre in 45-05N, 15-30W. Seventy one survivors were
picked up by the British ships.
Wednesday, 16 December
Destroyer FIREDRAKE (Cdr E
H Tilden DSC), escorting convoy ON.153, was sunk by U.211 in the
North Atlantic. One rating died
of wounds, and Cdr Tilden, Ty/Lt O J Gagnon RCNVR, Py/Ty/Surgeon Lt R R Latto
RNVR, Lt J B C Porter, Act/Sub Lt C D Thorpe RNR, Lt Cdr J W White
and one hundred and sixty three ratings were missing. Twenty six survivors
were rescued by corvette SUNFLOWER
Friday, 18 December
Destroyer PARTRIDGE (Lt
Cdr W A FHawkins DSO, OBE, BSc) was sunk by German submarine in the
North Atlantic. Eight ratings
died of wounds, and Ty/Act/Sub Lt J FJacquier RNVR, Ty/Surgeon Lt K CJeffery
DSC RNVR, Lt J C Langton DSC and twenty seven ratings were missing. Commissioned Engineer C H R Davis
DSC and Gunner (T) W A Rugman were wounded. Destroyer PENN picked up six
officers and 167 ratings.
Saturday, 19 December
Corvette SNAPDRAGON (Cdr H
C Simms DSO) was sunk by German bombing in the
Central
Mediterranean. Cdr Simms died of wounds, one rating was killed and
twenty one were missing. Ty/Lt I H
Laing DSC
RNR was wounded.
Thursday, 24 December
Submarine P.48 (Lt M E
Faber) was sunk by Italian destroyer escort ARDENTE in the
Gulf of Tunis. Lt Faber, Lt P
Caddy, Sub Lt M S Orton, Ty/Lt S E Spring-Rice RNVR and thirty ratings were
lost.
Thursday, 31 December
BATTLE OF THE BARENTS SEA
Destroyer ACHATES (Lt Cdr
A H T Johns) was sunk by German heavy cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER in the
Barents Sea. Cdr Johns, Sub
Lt K H Highfield
RNR, Ty/Surgeon Lt J L B
MacFarlane RNVR, Ty/Lt E B Marland DSC RNVR and seven ratings were killed,
Ty/Sub Lt P R Barrett RNVR died of wounds, and Ty/Lt R H Perry RNVR, Lt (E) P
A Wright
RNR and ninety nine and ratings
were missing. Lt L E P Jones DSC, Gunner (T) E W Smith, Sub Lt A J Davidson
and seventy eight ratings were rescued.
Minesweeper BRAMBLE (Cdr H
T Rust DSO) was sunk by German destroyers ECKHOLDT, BEITZEN, and Z.29 in the
Barents Sea. Cdr Rust, Ty/Lt
H C Aalf
RNR, Paymaster Lt M L Cully,
Warrant Engineer F Docherty, Lt N R Lambrick, Ty/Lt A T W McKevitt BEM RNVR,
Ty/Lt DMorrison RNVR, Ty/Lt R E Perry-Hook RNVR and one hundred and twelve
ratings were missing.
