Background
Events - September-December 1940
U-boat
packs
in Atlantic, Blitz on Britain, Attack on Taranto,
German raiders at sea
1940
Tuesday,
1 October
Anti-aircraft
ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 1100 to cover
convoy WN.19 Slow.
_____
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CURACOA was escorting convoy WN.19 Fast when it
was attacked by German aircraft at dusk.
Stragglers from WN.19 Slow were also machine gunned in
this raid.
_____
Destroyers
JACKAL, KASHMIR, JUPITER departed Rosyth at 0200 for
Plymouth for duty in the Western Approaches.
_____
Destroyer
VERSATILE departed Invergordon at 1530 with British
steamer ULSTER MONARCH. Both arrived in the Clyde
at 2100/2nd.
_____
Convoy
OB.222 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers SABRE,
WALKER and corvettes COREOPSIS and MALLOW from the 1st
to 4th and anti-submarine trawlers ST APOLLO and SPHENE
from 1st to 5th.
_____
Convoy
FN.296 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer
WESTMINSTER and sloop EGRET, and arrived at Methil on
the 3rd.
_____
Convoy
FS.297 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VANITY
and WOLFHOUND, and arrived at Southend on the 3rd.
_____
Off
Cape Barfleur, submarine SWORDFISH (Lt P J Cowell)
attacked the four German torpedo boats returning from
laying minefield WERNER off Dover. SWORDFISH
claimed sinking one of the torpedo boats, but none were
damaged.
_____
Submarine
H.49 (Lt M A Langley) attacked a German convoy of six
merchant ships off Texel.
_____
Minesweeper
BRITOMART and minesweeper trawler RETAKO (245grt) were
in a collision in the Firth of Forth. BRITOMART
was repaired at Leith, completed on the 18th.
_____
U.32
attacked Dutch steamer HAULERWIJK (3278grt) in
54-28N, 26-33W, and later sank her with gunfire in
53-34N, 27-28W. There were 27 survivors.
_____
U.38
sank British steamer HIGHLAND PATRIOT
(14,172grt) in 52‑20N, 19‑04W. Three crew were
lost. There were 141 survivors.
_____
Italian
submarine BARACCA sank Greek steamer AGHIOS NICOLAOS
(3687grt) in 40‑00N, 16‑55W, 300 miles off Lisbon.
_____
Convoy
SHX.77 departed Halifax escorted by Canadian armed
yachts REINDEER and HUSKY.
_____
Light
cruiser DAUNTLESS arrived at Penang.
Wednesday,
2 October
Destroyer
TARTAR departed Scapa Flow at 1200 for Devonport for
refitting, and arrived at 1700/4th.
_____
Destroyer
MATABELE departed Kirkwall at 1300 to search for a
German submarine reported at 1130, seven miles 360° from
Lossiemouth. She was recalled to Scapa Flow on the
3rd and arrived at 1420.
_____
Destroyer
BULLDOG departed Sheerness at 0740 for Rosyth to join
the Home Fleet temporarily.
_____
British
floating mines were still being destroyed west of the
Orkneys and Shetlands on this date, preventing the
carrying out of anti-submarine exercises in the normal
area.
_____
Convoy
OA.223 departed Methil escorted by sloop SANDWICH.
Corvette HEARTSEASE joined on the 6th and both were
detached later that day.
_____
Convoy
FN.297 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers
VALOROUS and WOLSEY. The convoy arrived at Methil on the
4th.
_____
Convoy
FS.298 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers WALLACE
and WATCHMAN. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 4th.
_____
In
a raid on German shipping in Bjorne Fjord by the British
801 Squadron from Hatston, a Skua was shot down and S/Lt
A. Hartoch and Naval Airman E. J. Adlam were killed.
_____
U.32
sank steamer KAYESON (4606grt) in 51‑12N,
24‑22W. The entire crew was rescued.
_____
Steamer
LATYMER (2218grt) in convoy HG.44 was sunk by
German bombing in 51‑20N, 10‑30W, four miles west of
Skelligs.
_____
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CURACOA arrived at Scapa Flow at 0400 after
escorting convoy WN.19 F. She
departed
Scapa Flow at 1230 to cover convoy HX.74 A. The convoy
was attacked by German bombers which dropped two
torpedoes, but both torpedoes missed. Steamer TREHATA
(4817grt) was damaged by German bombing off Peterhead in
convoy HX.74 A. CURACOA arrived back at Scapa Flow that
evening.
_____
Destroyers
HAVOCK and HASTY, returning to Alexandria from convoy AN
4 escort, sank Italian submarine BERRILO south
of Crete in 33‑09N, 26‑24E. Forty five crew were
rescued. HASTY and HAVOCK joined the Main Fleet at noon
on the 2nd and proceeded to Alexandria.
_____
Early
on the 2nd, light cruisers ORION and SYDNEY bombarded
Maltezana in Stampalia. The ships arrived back at
Alexandria on the 3rd.
_____
The
British Mediterranean Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.
_____
Heavy
cruiser DEVONSHIRE (Flagship Vice Admiral John
Cunningham) with destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FURY,
ESCAPADE departed Freetown for Duala, Cameroons arriving
on the 4th with Dutch liner WESTERNLAND (16, 469grt),
carrying 1564 tons, French sloops COMMANDANT DOMINE and
COMMANDANT DUBOC.
When
agreement could not be reached between De Gaulle and the
British command on operations, the destroyers returned
to Freetown.
_____
Heavy
cruiser HAWKINS arrived at Durban for refitting
completed on 16 November.
_____
Convoy
BS.5 A departed Port Sudan, escorted by armed boarding
vessel CHAKDINA and sloops FLAMINGO and INDUS. The
convoy was dispersed off Aden on the 6th.
Thursday,
3 October
Light
cruiser SHEFFIELD departed the Clyde with destroyer
VERSATILE to escort Convoy WS 3 A (slow) from Liverpool
bound for the Middle East.
Destroyer
depot ship WOOLWICH, after refitting at Liverpool,
departed for duty in the Mediterranean Fleet.
SHEFFIELD
joined British troopships OROPESA (14,118grt, convoy
commodore), DORSET (10,624grt), PORT CHALMERS (8535grt),
KHEDIVE ISMAEL (7290grt), ERINPURA (5143grt), PERTHSHIRE
(10,496grt), HIGHLAND BRIGADE (14,134grt) escorted by
destroyers HAVELOCK, HIGHLANDER, HARVESTER, HURRICANE,
WITHERINGTON, VISCOUNT, VERSATILE.
SHEFFIELD
turned the convoy over to heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND on
the 13th. The convoy arrived at Freetown on the 16th.
_____
After
D/F readings of a probable enemy ship sixty miles off
Bergen, battlecruiser HOOD, heavy cruisers BERWICK and
NORFOLK, available destroyers at Scapa Flow were brought
to one hour's notice. Destroyer MATABELE was recalled
from Moray Firth patrol and arrived at Scapa Flow at
1420.
_____
Convoy
OB.223 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer
SCIMITAR, corvettes HEARTSEASE and COREOPSIS,
anti-submarine trawlers KING SOL and ST ZENO. Corvette
HEARTSEASE was detached on the 5th and the other escort
ships on the 6th.
_____
Destroyer
CLEVELAND arrived at Scapa Flow at 1300 to work up prior
to joining the Nore Command.
_____
Convoy
FN.298 departed Southend, destroyer WOOLSTON and sloop
BLACK SWAN. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 5th.
_____
Convoy
FS.299 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VERDUN and
sloop LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at Southend on the
4th.
_____
Armed
patrol trawler FORFEIT (262grt) attacked a submarine
contact at 1500/2nd in 57-42N, 3-52W. Destroyers DUNCAN
and ISIS departed Scapa Flow to arrive before dawn on
stations - ISIS 18 miles 315° from Kinnaird Head, DUNCAN
15 miles 315° from Clythness. The destroyers left Moray
Firth that evening and returned to Scapa Flow.
_____
Destroyers
BRILLIANT, BEAGLE, BULLDOG arrived at Rosyth as
replacements for the 5th Destroyer Flotilla destroyers
sent to the Western Approaches.
_____
Anti-aircraft
ship ALYNBANK arrived at Scapa Flow after covering
convoy OA.223 near Bell Rock.
_____
Italian
submarine GLAUCO attacked a British transport without
success in 36N, 06W.
_____
British
trawler FRAMLINGHAM (169grt) was damaged by German
bombing twenty miles south of Fastnet.
_____
British
trawler IWATE (314grt) was damaged by German bombing
five miles northwest of Mizzen Head.
_____
Battleships
MALAYA and RAMILLIES, aircraft carrier EAGLE, light
cruiser AJAX, anti-aircraft ship COVENTRY, and
destroyers VOYAGER, VENDETTA, VAMPIRE, WATERHEN, DAINTY,
DECOY, DIAMOND, DEFENDER departed Alexandria to exert a
threat upon enemy Libyan convoys and cover Crete. Also,
light cruiser AJAX and anti-aircraft ship COVENTRY
conducted exercises with aircraft carrier EAGLE. AJAX
and COVENTRY arrived back at Alexandria on the 5th.
_____
Convoy
SL.50 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant
cruiser PRETORIA CASTLE to 16 October and armed merchant
cruiser ALCANTARA for the day only. On 21 October,
destroyer CLARE and corvettes ANEMONE and CLEMATIS
joined the convoy and on the 25th, anti-aircraft ship
CURACOA joined. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the
26th.
Friday,
4 October
In
another LUCID operation, first attempted on 25
September, Force A, old tankers WAR NIZAM (5605grt) and
MYTILUS (5693grt) with destroyers CAMPBELL, CATTISTOCK,
MACKAY, WALPOLE, minesweepers SALAMANDER, SUTTON,
SELKIRK, MTB.31, MTB.32, ML 108, ML 110 departed
Sheerness for Calais. Force B, old tanker OAKFIELD (ex
WAR AFRICAN, 5244grt), destroyers HAMBLEDON (Agar
embarked), GARTH, VENETIA, WITCH, minesweepers ELGIN,
HUSSAR, SPEEDWELL, MTB.34, Norwegian MTB.5, ML 106, ML
110 departed Harwich for Boulogne. Force C was
destroyers VERITY, VENOMOUS, WILD SWAN. Heavy weather
caused the operation to be once again cancelled.
_____
Light
cruisers MANCHESTER, DIDO, PHOEBE arrived at Scapa Flow.
_____
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CAIRO departed Rosyth to provide anti-aircraft
support for convoy OA.224 as far as Scapa Flow. At Scapa
Flow, CAIRO embarked stores before going to the Western
Approaches Command.
_____
Convoy
OA.224 departed Methil, escorted by sloop HASTINGS and
corvette PEONY. Corvette PEONY was detached on the 5th.
Anti-submarine yacht PHILANTE joined on 6 September.
Later that day HASTINGS and the yacht were detached.
_____
Convoy
FN.299 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VANITY
and WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 6th.
_____
Convoy
FS.300 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN and
sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Southend on the
6th.
_____
Destroyer
ASHANTI departed Rosyth to cover convoy EN.7. ASHANTI
departed Methil at 1000 and proceeded with the convoy to
Duncansby Head. The destroyer then returned to Rosyth.
_____
British
tug SIRDAR (34grt) was sunk by German bombing in
Long Reach, River Swale.
_____
Submarine
TRITON sank Italian steamer FRANCA FASSIO
(1858grt) 16 miles 97° from the Semaphore at Capo Noli
in the Gulf of Genoa. TRITON also shelled shore
installations off Vado and Savona. She unsuccessfully
attacked Italian steamer SPEZIA (1825grt) in Vado Roads
on the 8th.
_____
Submarine
RORQUAL laid mines off Benghazi.
_____
Submarine
RAINBOW (Lt Cdr L. P. Moore) had departed Alexandria on
patrol on 23 September. On 4 October, RAINBOW was
sunk in a collision with Italian steamer ANTONIETTA
COSTA (5900grt) in 41-28N, 18-05E. ANTONIETTA COSTA had
departed Bari with steamers ORESTE and PREMUDA for
Durazzo on the 3rd, escorted by auxiliary vessel RAMB
III. Lt Cdr Moore, Lt P. Chapman, Lt M. H. Davis, Lt G.
W. Tweed, S/Lt D. J. Adcock, Lt (E) W. R. Withey, the
fifty ratings of the crew were lost. RAINBOW was
declared lost on the 19th.
_____
Submarine
TETRARCH attacked an Italian merchant ship in the Gulf
of Genoa without success.
_____
Destroyer
WISHART escorted troopship NEURALIA to Lisbon to embark
British subjects and Polish troops from France. The
destroyer waited outside territorial waters and escorted
the troopship back to Gibraltar after embarkation.
_____
Italian
steamer NINA BIANCHI (2180grt) was lost in a
collision with Italian steamer VELOCE (5464grt) off
Brindisi in 40‑27N, 18‑24E.
_____
Convoy
HX.78 departed Halifax escorted by Canadian destroyer
ASSINIBOINE and auxiliary patrol ships FRENCH, HUSKY and
REINDEER. FRENCH returned to Halifax at 1845.
ASSINIBOINE
departed the convoy at 1850/5th. Ocean escort was armed
merchant cruiser JERVIS BAY, which was detached on the
14th.
On
14 October, destroyers ANTHONY and VERITY joined the
convoy. Destroyer ARROW, sloop ROCHESTER, corvettes
CALENDULA and CAMELLIA joined on the 15th. ANTHONY and
ARROW were detached on the 18th. The convoy arrived at
Liverpool on the 18th. Anti-aircraft cruiser CURACOA
provided protection for the east ships of this convoy on
19 and 20 October.
_____
Light
cruiser DURBAN departed Hong Kong.
Saturday,
5 October
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 1030 to provide
anti-aircraft support for convoy WN.20 from Pentland
Firth to the Firth of Forth. She then proceeded to
Rosyth.
_____
Convoy
OB.224 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer SKATE,
sloop DEPTFORD, corvettes ANEMONE, ERICA, PICOTEE.
Anti-submarine trawlers PENTLAND FIRTH and STELLA
CAPELLA joined on the 6th and were detached on the 8th
along with destroyer SKATE. The corvettes were detached
on the 9th and the sloop on the 12th.
_____
Convoy
FN.300 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers WALLACE
and WATCHMAN. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 7th.
_____
Convoy
FS.301 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VEGA and
VIMIERA. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 7th.
_____
Convoy
SC.7 of thirty four ships departed Sydney at 1115
escorted by Canadian armed yacht ELK as local escort and
ocean escort Sloop SCARBOROUGH. The convoy commodore was
Vice Admiral L. D. I. MacKinnon, CB, CVO Rtd on British
steamer ASSYRIAN.
On
16 October, at 21‑20W, SC.7 was reinforced by sloop
FOWEY and corvette BLUEBELL from OA.228 escort.
On
18 October, the convoy was reinforced by sloop LEITH and
corvette HEARTSEASE. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on
the 21st.
_____
Submarine
TIGRIS attacked Italian submarine OTARIO without success
in the Bay of Biscay.
_____
British
steamer ADAPTITY (372grt) was sunk on a mine
(Minefield WERNER) laid by German torpedo boats on 30
September/1 October in 51‑44N, 01‑17E. The Master of the
steamer was lost.
_____
Dutch
steamer OTTOLAND (2202grt) was sunk on a mine
four miles south of 20A Buoy, off Hartlepool. The entire
crew was rescued.
_____
British
steamer ORTOLAN (489grt) was damaged by German bombing
at Free Trade Wharf, Stepney.
_____
Free
French submarine NARVAL arrived back at Malta from a
patrol beginning on 25 September. The patrol was
conducted with Submarine RORQUAL.
_____
During
the evening of 5 October, Italian operation CV began.
Two merchant ships departed Taranto for North Africa
escorted by the 12th Destroyer Division, destroyers
LANCIERE, CARABINIERE, CORRAZZIERE, ASCARI.
On
the morning of 6 October, heavy cruisers POLA, FIUME,
GORIZIA, ZARA and the 9th Destroyer Division, destroyers
ALFIERI, ORIANI, CARDUCCI, GIOBERTI, departed Taranto.
Heavy cruisers TRIESTE, TRENTO, BOLZANO and the 11th
Destroyer Division, destroyers ARTIGLIERE, CAMICIA NERA,
AVIERE, GENIERE departed Messina.
When
a British force of battleships and screening forces were
sighted between Kaso Strait and Alexandria, all Italian
ships returned to port.
_____
Temporary
Lt (A) I. P. Godfrey RNVR, Naval Airman L. J. Stevens
and Acting S/Lt (A) J. Marshall RNVR, Naval Airman A. S.
Rush of 806 Squadron from aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS
landed their Fulmars in Crete and were interned. The
airmen returned to their Squadron at the end of the
month.
_____
Italian
steamer MARIA GRAZIA (188grt) was sunk in
41-05N, 17-45E by ramming by submarine REGENT.
_____
Italian
submarine NANI sank armed boarding vessel KINGSTON
SAPPHIRE (356grt, Lt L. A. Sayers RNR) southwest
of Cadiz, 36-11N, 6-32W. Three ratings were lost. The
rest of the crew were rescued by a Spanish trawler and
landed at Huelva.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawler LORD HOTHAM attacked a submarine contact near
Almina Point.
_____
Convoy
BS.6 departed Suez, escorted by sloops CLIVE and
GRIMSBY. The sloops were detached on 11 November when
joined by light cruiser LEANDER and sloops AUCKLAND,
HINDUSTAN, YARRA. Light cruiser HOBART joined on the
13th. The convoy was dispersed off Aden on the 13th.
Sunday,
6 October
Anti-aircraft
ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 0900 to meet convoy
OA.225 before dusk and escort it towards Pentland Firth.
_____
Destroyer
FAME completed her repairs at Rosyth and joined the 4th
Destroyer Flotilla at Rosyth.
_____
Convoy
OL.6 departed Liverpool. No escorts were listed.
_____
Convoy
OA.225 departed Methil escorted by sloop WESTON and
corvette GARDENIA from 6 to 11 October.
_____
Convoy
FN.301 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VERDUN
and sloop LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at Methil on the
8th.
_____
Convoy
FS.302 departed Methil and arrived at Southend on the
9th.
_____
A
Swordfish of 825 Squadron from aircraft carrier FURIOUS
crashed off Clacton. Temporary Lt (A) D. A. N. Watt
RNVR, was killed.
_____
U.37
badly damaged British tanker BRITISH GENERAL (6989grt)
in 51‑42N, 24‑03W. The next morning, U.37 attacked again
and this time sank her. The entire crew was missing.
Destroyer HARVESTER was searching for this British
steamer, but was unable to locate her.
_____
U.103
sank Norwegian tanker NINA BORTHEN (6123grt) in
54‑00N, 26‑00W.
_____
U.123
sank British steamer BENLAWERS (5943grt) in
53‑20N, 26‑10W. Twenty three crew and the naval gunner
were lost. The survivors were rescued by British
steamers BENGORE HEAD (2609grt) and FOREST (4998grt).
_____
Drifter
SCOTCH THISTLE (84grt) was lost after stranding in the
Thames Estuary.
_____
Steamer
HULL TRADER (717grt) was damaged by German bombing in
the London Docks.
_____
Steamer
FIRECREST (538grt) was damaged by German bombing two and
a half miles southwest of Sunk Light Vessel, Thames
Estuary.
_____
Destroyer
VIDETTE departed Gibraltar escorting storeship CITY OF
AUCKLAND for Alexandria, via Durban. The destroyer
detached at dark on the 7th.
_____
Italian
submarine TRICHECO sank in error Italian submarine GEMMA
in the Aegean Sea in 35‑30N, 27‑18E.
_____
Yugoslavian
steamer VIDO (1919grt) was sunk on a mine
eighteen kilometres east of Sulina.
Monday,
7 October
Anti-aircraft
ship ALYNBANK joined convoy HX.75 A on meeting in
Pentland Firth at 1100. She remained with the convoy
until midnight, then proceeded to Scapa Flow.
_____
Destroyer
BEDOUIN departed Rosyth at 0600 for Portsmouth to
deammunition. She then proceeded to Southampton to
refit.
_____
The
Liverpool section of Convoy WS 3 departed Liverpool with
troopships ORONTES (20,097grt), DUCHESS OF YORK
(20,021grt), MONARCH OF BERMUDA (22,424grt) escorted
locally by destroyers ARROW, ACHATES and WHITEHALL which
had departed Londonderry on the 7th.
The
Clyde section of WS 3 departed the Clyde with troopships
GEORGIC (27,759grt), CAPETOWN CASTLE (27,000grt),
WINCHESTER CASTLE (20,109grt), ORONSAY (20,043grt) and
were escorted locally by destroyers OTTAWA, ACTIVE, ST
LAURENT and DOUGLAS which had difficulty meeting the
convoy in heavy weather, finally joining in 56‑02N,
09‑35W.
On
7 October, light cruiser KENYA departed Scapa Flow to
escort convoy WS 3 (fast). ST LAURENT and DOUGLAS
departed Liverpool at 1510 to join the escort.
Anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO was with the convoys for
anti-aircraft protection.
The
two sections joined on the 12th and arrived at Freetown
on the 18th. They departed Freetown on the 20th and
arrived at Capetown on the 28th.
_____
Convoy
OB.225 departed Liverpool with destroyer SHIKARI and
corvettes CLARKIA and PERWINKLE. The escort was detached
on the 10th.
_____
Convoy
FN.302 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN
and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Methil on
the 9th.
_____
Convoy
FS.303 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WINCHESTER
and sloop EGRET. The convoy arrived at Southend on the
9th.
_____
Once
again, the LUCID operation was attempted with mainly the
same force as was deployed on 3/4 October, but without
MYTILUS. Destroyer HAMBLEDON (Cdr S. H. Carlill; Captain
A. W. S. Agar embarked) was mined and badly damaged in
51‑08N, 01‑21E near South Foreland. She
was taken in towed by destroyer VESPER. The LUCID
operation was again cancelled. HAMBLEDON was repaired at
Chatham completing on 14 May 1941.
_____
Lt
M. C. Hoskin and Temporary Lt (A) T. E. Rose-Richards
were killed when their Walrus of 765 Squadron was shot
down seven to eight miles south of Anvil Point.
_____
Submarine
TRIBUNE after returning from a patrol in Biscay with a
defect was repaired at Ardrossan from 7 October to 26
October and in the Clyde from 12 November to 26
November.
_____
U.59
sank Norwegian steamer TOURAINE (5811grt) in
55‑14N, 10‑34W. The entire crew was rescued.
_____
During
the night of 7/8 October, Italian destroyers VIVALDI, DA
NOLI and TARIGO laid mines off Cape Bon. Destroyer HYPERION
was later lost on this minefield.
_____
During
the night of 7/8 October, Dutch liner WESTERNLAND put
troops ashore off Manoko at the mouth of the Duala
River. This operation was covered by heavy cruiser
DEVONSHIRE and light cruiser DRAGON. DRAGON grounded
briefly on the 7th.
_____
German
armed merchant cruiser PINGUIN captured Norwegian tanker
STORSTAD (8998grt) in the Indian Ocean at 15‑07S,
107‑50E. Thirty of the crew were repatriated to Norway.
STORSTAD was renamed PASSAT for German use as an
auxiliary to PINGUIN, and arrived in Gironde on 4
February 1941 with some of the crew from steamers
AUTOMEDON and MAIMOA.
Tuesday,
8 October
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CURACOA departed Rosyth at 0830 to overtake
convoy OA.226 and give them anti-aircraft cover until
midnight. She then proceeded to Scapa Flow arriving at
0720/9th.
_____
Light
cruiser DUNEDIN departed Greenock after refitting there
in September and October.
_____
Destroyer
MASHONA departed Greenock after refitting at 1840. She
arrived at Scapa Flow at 1630/9th.
_____
Destroyer
ESKIMO sank a floating British mine in 59-07N, 3-56W at
1200 in the Fleet exercise area.
_____
Convoy
OA.226 departed Methil escorted by sloop ABERDEEN and
corvette PRIMROSE from 8 to 11 October. The convoy
rendezvoused with convoy OB.226.
_____
Convoy
FN.303 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VEGA
and VIMIERA. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 10th.
_____
Convoy
FS.304 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON
and sloop BLACK SWAN. The convoy arrived at Southend on
the 10th.
_____
Submarine
TRIDENT and U.31 were in a gun duel in the Bay of
Biscay. TRIDENT missed U.31 with torpedoes, but hit the
German submarine with gunfire, doing minor damage.
_____
Minesweeper
KELLET was damaged in a collision with the West Pier at
Granton. She repaired at Rosyth in October.
_____
Gunboat
LOCUST struck a mine three and a half cables north of N.
W. Shingles Beacon, and was seriously damaged. She was
able to proceed under her own power until weather
deteriorated when she was taken in tow. LOCUST
repaired at Tilbury, completing on 7 January 1941.
_____
U.58
badly damaged steamer CONFIELD (4956grt), a
straggler from convoy HX.76, in 56‑48N, 10‑17W, and then
sank her before noon on the 9th. One crewman was lost.
_____
Steamer
BELLONA II (840grt) was hit by German bombing four
miles east of Gourdon, Kincardineshire, then went ashore
at Streathlethan Bay, south of Stonehaven. Six crew and
three cargo workers were lost.
_____
Troopship
ORONSAY (20, 043grt) of convoy WS 3 was damaged by
German bombing 56‑00N, 10‑00W, and forced to leave the
convoy, escorted by armed merchant cruiser CHESHIRE and
destroyers ARROW and OTTAWA. ORONSAY was joined by
anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO which took her safely into
Lough Foyle.
Destroyer
SABRE departed Londonderry to join the damaged
troopship. CAIRO, armed merchant cruiser CHESHIRE,
destroyers DOUGLAS, VISCOUNT and SABRE escorted the
troopship to the Clyde arriving at 0937 on the 9th.
Destroyer VERITY was also signalled to escort ORONSAY,
but was unable to join.
_____
US
Destroyer Divisions 68 and 71 destroyers were
transferred to the Royal Navy under Lend Lease.
US
Name
|
British
Name
|
Commanding
Officer
|
USS
SATTERLEE (DD.190)
|
HMS
BELMONT
|
Cdr
P J Fitzgerald Rtd
|
USS
MASON (DD.191)
|
HMS
BROADWATER
|
Cdr
C H de H Bell RD RNR
|
USS
HUNT (DD.194)
|
HMS
BROADWAY
|
Lt
Cdr T Taylor
|
USS
BRANCH (DD.197)
|
HMS
BEVERLEY
|
Cdr
E F Fitzgerald Rtd
|
USS
AULICK (DD.258)
|
HMS
BURNHAM
|
Lt
Cdr J Bostock
|
USS
LAUB (DD.263)
|
HMS
BURWELL
|
Lt
Cdr S.R J Woods RNR
|
USS
MCLANAHAN (DD.264)
|
HMS
BRADFORD
|
(Lt
Cdr M. T. Collier)
|
USS
EDWARDS (DD.256)
|
HMS
BUXTON
|
(Lt
Cdr The Earl Beatty (Emgcy)
|
On
15 October, BEVERLEY, BELMONT, BROADWAY, BROADWATER,
BURNHAM and BRADFORD departed St Johns and arrived at
the Clyde on the 26th going on to Plymouth arriving on
28 and 29 October.
BUXTON
departed with the group, but had to return with defects
arriving at St Johns on the 16th, and did not make the
Atlantic crossing until September 1941 after a major
refitting at Boston. BURWELL departed after the rest of
her group and arrived at Devonport on 11 November.
_____
Convoy
HX.79 departed Halifax at 1330 escorted by Canadian
destroyer SAGUENAY and auxiliary patrol boats FRENCH and
REINDEER. Convoy commodore was on steamer SALACIA
(5495grt). Patrol boat FRENCH departed convoy at dusk
and destroyer SAGUENAY departed convoy at 1400/9th.
Ocean
escort was armed merchant cruiser MONTCLARE and Dutch
submarine O.14, which were detached on the 18th. Armed
merchant cruiser ALAUNIA later supplemented escort.
After the convoy duty, O.14 arrived at Rothesay on the
29th.
On
19 October, destroyers STURDY and WHITEHALL, escort ship
JASON, corvettes ARABIS, COREOPSIS, HIBISCUS,
anti-submarine trawlers BLACKFLY and LADY ELSA joined
the convoy. The escort ship and the trawlers were with
the convoy only on the 19th. Destroyer SARDONYX joined
on the 20th. Corvette COREOPSIS was detached on the
22nd. The convoy arrived at Liverpool 23 October.
_____
German
armed merchant cruiser THOR sank steamer NATIA
(8715grt) in the South Atlantic at 00‑44N, 32‑12W. Two
crew were lost, eighty three crew and the naval gunner
were made prisoners of war.
_____
German
trawler HECHT (222grt) was sunk by enemy action.
_____
During
the night of 8/9 October, German torpedo boats GREIF,
SEEADLER, KONDOR, FALKE, WOLF and JAGUAR operated off
the Isle of Wight.
_____
The
British Mediterranean Fleet with battleships WARSPITE,
VALIANT, MALAYA, RAMILLIES, aircraft carriers EAGLE and
ILLUSTRIOUS, heavy cruiser YORK, light cruisers
LIVERPOOL and GLOUCESTER of the 3rd Cruiser Squadron,
light cruisers ORION, AJAX, SYDNEY of the 7th Cruiser
Squadron, destroyers HYPERION, HAVOCK, HERO, HEREWARD,
HASTY, ILEX, IMPERIAL of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla,
VAMPIRE, VENDETTA, DAINTY, DECOY, DEFENDER of the 10th
Destroyer Flotilla, JERVIS, NUBIAN, JUNO, JANUS of the
14th Destroyer Flotilla departed Alexandria to cover
Malta bound convoy MF 3 (Operation MB 6) of British
steamers MEMNON (7506grt), LANARKSHIRE (11, 275grt),
CLAN MACAULEY (10, 492grt), CLAN FERGUSON (7347grt)
escorted by anti-aircraft cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY
and VOYAGER, STUART, WATERHEN, WRYNECK.
At
0524 on the 9th, NUBIAN made a submarine contact in
35-11N, 27-20E and HYPERION reported a torpedo at the
end of its run near MALAYA.
On
9 October, light cruiser LIVERPOOL and destroyer
DIAMOND, which had been delayed in leaving Alexandria,
joined the Main Fleet.
Submarines
TRIAD, ROVER, PROTEUS, RAINBOW, REGENT and PARTHIAN were
at sea to cover the operation.
The
Italian Fleet status at that time at Taranto were in the
1st Squadron, 9th Division, battleships LITTORIO and
VENETO; 5th Division, battleships CESARE and CAVOUR; 6th
Division, battleship DUILO; 1st Cruiser Division, heavy
cruisers POLA, ZARA, GORIZIA, FIUME; 7th Cruiser
Division, light cruisers EUGENIO, MONTECUCCOLI, AOSTA,
ATTENDOLO; 8th Cruiser Division, light cruisers ABRUZZI
and GARIBALDI.
At
Messina was the 4th Cruiser Division, light cruisers
DIAZ and GIUSSANNO. Under repair were light cruisers
BANDE NERE, CARDONA at Spezia, and DI BARBIANO at Pola.
Four
Italian battleships and their covering forces were at
sea during the passage of Convoy MF 3.
On
10 October, destroyers JERVIS, JUNO, ILEX were sent
ahead of the fleet to investigate a submarine contact
reported by aircraft.
At
1715 on the 10th, battleship RAMILLIES and destroyer
NUBIAN, HERO, HEREWARD were detached to refuel at Malta.
At 1800, destroyers HYPERION, HASTY, ILEX were also
detached to refuel.
Destroyer
DEFENDER attacked a submarine contact at 1825.
_____
Heavy
cruiser SHROPSHIRE arrived at Aden and joined the Red
Sea Force. In December, she returned to the East Indies
Command.
_____
Australian
light cruiser ADELAIDE arrived back at Sydney from
Noumea, having departed on the 5th.
Wednesday,
9 October
Aircraft
carrier FURIOUS departed Scapa Flow at 0800 with
destroyers ESKIMO and MATABELE to strike at Bodo. Poor
weather conditions forced the operation to be cancelled
and the ships arrived back at Scapa Flow at 1630.
_____
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 1600 to cover
convoys WN.21 S.and WN.21 F. On meeting convoy OA.227,
the cruiser joined the OA convoy and escorted it to
Pentland Firth. CURACOA then proceeded to Scapa Flow.
_____
Anti-aircraft
ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 0700 to escort
convoy SL.48 A from Pentland Firth until dusk. She then
returned to Scapa Flow.
_____
Convoy
OB.226 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer
ANTELOPE, corvettes GERANIUM and GLOXINIA,
anti-submarine trawler HUDDERSFIELD TOWN. The escort was
detached on the 12th.
_____
Convoy
FN.304 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers
VALOROUS and WESTMINSTER. The convoy arrived at Methil
on the 11th.
_____
Destroyer
VIMY departed Londonderry at 1400 for Portsmouth for
refitting.
_____
Destroyer
VERSATILE departed Londonderry at 0900 for Rosyth on
passage to the Tyne for refitting. Defects forced her to
return to Londonderry.
_____
Midshipman
D. A. C. Hadingham, in a Whitley of RAF 77 Squadron from
Topcliffe, was killed returning from a raid over Germany
when the plane flew into high ground west of Snape.
_____
Convoy
HG.45 of forty nine ships departed Gibraltar escorted by
local escort destroyers HOTSPUR, FIREDRAKE and WISHART.
Troopship NEURALIA departed with the convoy with 1093
Gibraltar civilians. She was detached and proceeded
unescorted to Kingston.
WISHART
was detached on the 10th and HOTSPUR and FIREDRAKE
escorted the convoy until 15 October. Escort vessel
GLEANER escorted the convoy from 9 to 27 October.
On
17 October, armed merchant cruiser PRETORIA CASTLE from
convoy SL.50 joined the convoy and remained with it
until 27 October. On 20 October, sloop FLEETWOOD joined
the convoy and escorted it until 27 October.
Destroyer
ANTELOPE and corvette MALLOW from convoy OB.230 joined
the convoy on the 21st and escorted it until 27 October.
Destroyers HAVELOCK, HESPERUS and SKEENA escorted the
convoy from 22 to 27 October, which arrived at Liverpool
on the 27th.
_____
U.103
attacked convoy SC.6, sank Greek steamers ZANNES
GOUNARIS (4407grt) and DELPHIN (3816grt)
and badly damaged British steamer GRAIGWEN (3697grt) in
58‑11N, 13‑57W. GRAIGWEN was sunk late on the
10th by U.123. One crewman was lost on ZANNES GOUNARIS,
the entire crew of DELPHIN was rescued, and seven crew
were lost on the British steamer.
_____
Steamer
ALDERNEY QUEEN (663grt) was sunk by German
bombing off Grassholm Island, North Wales, 51-38-30N,
5-25-30W. The entire crew was rescued.
_____
Minesweeping
trawler SEA KING (321grt) was sunk by mining 28
miles 310° from Bull Sand Road, Grimsby Roads. Acting
Temporary Skipper T. Sleeth RNR, Temporary Skipper L.
Rushby RNR, twelve ratings were lost.
_____
During
the night of 9/10 October, Italian destroyers VIVALDI,
DA NOLI and TARIGO laid mines to the south of Malta.
Destroyer IMPERIAL was soon mined on this
minefield.
_____
Submarine
REGENT sank Italian steamer ANTONIETTA COSTA
(6880grt) in 41-17N, 19-25E off Durazzo. On 11 October,
REGENT unsuccessfully attacked a tanker in the Southern
Adriatic.
_____
Light
cruiser DRAGON arrived at Duala.
_____
Convoy
SLS 51 departed Freetown on the 9th. Sloop ROCHESTER
escorted the convoy on 30 and 31 October, when it
arrived at Liverpool.
Thursday,
10 October
In
Operation MEDIUM, battleship REVENGE with destroyers
JAVELIN, JAGUAR, JUPITER, KASHMIR, KELVIN, KIPLING,
Motor Anti-Submarine Boats 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 51
departed Plymouth on the 10th. The battleship group was
covered to the west by light cruisers NEWCASTLE and
EMERALD with destroyers WANDERER, BROKE, BURZA, GARLAND
which departed Devonport on the 10th and to the east by
light cruiser CARDIFF and destroyers VANOC and VOLUNTEER
which departed Portsmouth on the 9th.
From
0333 to 0351 on the 11th, the REVENGE group bombarded
Cherbourg. German torpedo boats put to sea from
Cherbourg and briefly attacked the minesweeping force
before retiring. The battleship force returned to
Portsmouth and the cruiser force to Plymouth on the
11th. The CARDIFF group returned to Portsmouth.
_____
Destroyer
JERSEY departed the Humber after repairs, but on the
11th she was damaged off East Knob Buoy by the explosion
of a mine close aboard. She went to London for repairs
arriving on the 13th, was repaired in fifteen days, and
arrived at Plymouth on the 29th for duty with the 5th
Destroyer Flotilla.
_____
Destroyer
DOUGLAS departed Greenock at 0630 to join the Home Fleet
at Scapa Flow, where she arrived at 1000/11th.
_____
Convoy
OA.227 departed Methil escorted by sloop ROCHESTER and
corvette CAMELLIA from 10 to 14 October.
_____
Convoy
FN.305 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer
WINCHESTER, sloop EGRET, patrol sloop GUILLEMOT. The
patrol sloop was detached on the 11th. The convoy
arrived at Methil on the 12th.
_____
Convoy
FS.305 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VANITY
and WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived at Southend on the
12th.
_____
Submarine
H.28 on patrol in the Bay of Biscay fired torpedoes at a
1000 ton merchant ship, but no damage was done.
_____
In
British air attacks on Brest during the night of 9/10
October, German destroyer ECKHOLDT was damaged by near
misses and destroyers LODY and RIEDEL were splinter
damaged. Pilot Lt Cdr O. S. Stevinson, Squadron
Commander, Observer Lt Cdr N. R. Quill, and Petty
Officer A. Brimms in an Albacore of 829 Squadron were
shot down and made prisoners of war in this raid.
_____
Auxiliary
patrol vessel GIRL MARY (25grt, Acting Skipper
F. B. Plaskitt RNR) was lost on lost on a mine four
cables 255° from Inchcolm Monastery. Two ratings were
lost; Plaskitt and Temporary Lt E. C. A. Warren RNVR,
were wounded.
_____
MTB.22,
MTB.31, MTB.32 attacked a German convoy off Calais in
51‑02N, 01‑48E, sank German trawler NORDENHAM
(234grt) and captured thirty four prisoners.
_____
Steamer
TILL (367grt) was damaged on a mine in 51‑36N, 01‑12E.
_____
Australian
heavy cruiser AUSTRALIA arrived at Gibraltar from
Freetown and was temporarily assigned to Force H
_____
A
report was received that French light cruiser PRIMAUGUET
had departed Casablanca to escort a merchant ship
carrying torpedoes and shells for battleship RICHELIEU
and other warships at Dakar. Late on the 11th, heavy
cruiser AUSTRALIA departed Gibraltar and proceeded
towards Las Palmas. Early on the 12th, battlecruiser
RENOWN and destroyers WISHART, GALLANT, GRIFFIN, VIDETTE
departed Gibraltar.
Friday,
11 October
At
0920, destroyer ZULU, which was the fourth ship in a
line, was badly damaged by an acoustic mine 1.6 cables
064° from Beamer Rock in the Firth of Forth. The mine
exploded 40 feet off the starboard side abaft of the
bridge. There were no casualties. Many minor leaks,
machinery defects and distortion of the bulkheads were
caused by the explosion. ZULU was repaired at Rosyth,
completed in thirteen weeks on 18 January 1941.
_____
Destroyer
BEDOUIN was damaged when she struck a submerged object
in 56‑31N, 02‑15W, and was repaired at Southampton
completing on 17 November.
_____
British
minefield BS.40 was laid by minelayers TEVIOTBANK and
PLOVER and destroyers ICARUS and IMPULSIVE.
_____
Convoy
FN.306 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON
and sloop BLACK SWAN. The convoy arrived at Methil on
the 13th.
_____
Convoy
FS.306 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOLSEY and
sloop LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at Southend on the
14th.
_____
German
torpedo boats FALKE, GREIF, KONDOR, SEEADLER and WOLF
departed Cherbourg for another sortie to the area off
the Isle of Wight.
Late
on the 11th, in an engagement with anti-submarine
trawler WARWICK DEEPING (445grt, Skipper J. R. Bruce
RNR) and former French armed trawler LISTRAC (778grt, Lt
K. P. Kirkup RNR), both of the 17th Anti Submarine
Group, in 50‑25N, 01‑50W, torpedo boat GREIF sank LISTRAC
with a torpedo, and torpedo boats KONDOR and FALKE sank
WARWICK DEEPING with gunfire. Kirkup and eleven
ratings were lost on the LISTRAC; A/S/Lt R. J.
Pickford RCNVR and twenty four ratings were wounded. No
crew were lost in WARWICK DEEPING.
At
0007 on the 12th, the German force contacted and sank
French submarine chasers CH.6 (Lt W. B. G.
Galbraith, RN) and CH.7 (S/Lt G. A.
Gabbett-Mulhallen DSC, RN). The survivors of these ships
were picked up by German torpedo boat GREIF. Galbraith,
Temporary Acting S/Lt D. B. Walton RNVR and seven
ratings were lost on the CH.6; twelve crew were taken
prisoner. Gabbett-Mulhallen and eleven ratings were
killed on CH.7; Acting Lt R. V. Musman RNVR and eight
ratings were taken prisoner from CH.7.
Destroyers
JACKAL, JAGUAR, JUPITER, KELVIN, KIPLING came out from
Plymouth and two destroyers departed Portsmouth. At 0314
on the 12th, destroyer JACKAL engaged two of the German
ships at 280°, 27 miles from 50N, 1W . Neither side was
damaged and the German ships arrived back at Cherbourg
mid-morning on the 12th.
_____
Aircraft
carrier ARGUS departed Greenock with destroyer ACHATES
for Iceland, arrived on the 17th and departed to return
on the 20th. They
arrived back at Greenock
on the 25th. ACHATES was damaged by weather on the
voyage and was repaired at Greenock.
_____
Lt
A. F. Adie and Air Mechanic W. H. Souls were killed when
their Skua of 760 Squadron crashed on exercises near
Tewkesbury.
_____
Anti-aircraft
ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 0930 to join convoy
HX.76 A. German bombers attacked the convoy off
Peterhead in 57-41N, 1-41W at 1927. Gunfire from the
escorts and the merchantmen in the convoy drove off the
attack. ALYNBANK sustained minor damage from near
misses, and repaired at Rosyth completing on the 20th.
_____
Destroyers
MATABELE and PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow at 0800
escorting RFA tanker MONTENOL (2646grt) to Skaalefjord
before proceeding to operation DH. At 1330, a German
submarine was reported by aircraft five miles north of
this force, 16 miles 020° from Sule Skerry. PUNJABI
investigated the contact without locating the submarine,
and then rejoined MATABELE and the tanker.
Aircraft
carrier FURIOUS, exercising west of Hoy, detached her
screen of destroyers SOMALI, ESKIMO and DUNCAN to
investigate the submarine report. The destroyers made no
contact and the ships returned to Scapa Flow at
0800/12th.
_____
Destroyer
VERSATILE departed Londonderry for refitting in the
Tyne.
_____
Destroyer
FEARLESS departed the Clyde at 1700 after refitting, and
then proceeded to Rosyth for Home Fleet operations in
the 4th Destroyer Flotilla.
_____
Steamer
THYRA II (1088grt) was damaged by German bombing off
East Barrow Light Vessel, Thames Estuary.
_____
U.48
in attacks on convoy HX.77, sank Norwegian steamer BRANDANGER
(4624grt) in 57‑10N, 17‑00W and British steamer PORT
GISBOURNE (10,144grt) in 56‑38N, 16‑40W. Six crew
were lost on the BRANDANGER and twenty six crew were
lost on PORT GISBOURNE. British tug SALVONIA picked up
survivors from PORT GISBOURNE.
_____
Armed
yacht AISHA (117grt) was lost in mining in the
Thames Estuary.
_____
Steamer
INVER (1543grt) was damaged by German shore guns in the
Straits of Dover.
_____
In
German air attacks on Liverpool, steamers CLAN
MACTAGGART (7622grt), CLAN CUMMING (7264grt), HIGHLAND
CHIEFTAN (14, 135grt) and tanker VIRGILIA (5723grt) were
damaged.
_____
Steamer
BANNTHORN (429grt) was damaged by German bombing in
Rathlin O'Birne Sound, Eire.
_____
Convoy
OG.44 with thirty six ships departed Liverpool, Milford
Haven, Glasgow escorted by Canadian destroyer SKEENA and
corvette GLADIOLUS from 11 to 14 October. SKEENA and
GLADIOLUS were detached to assist damaged armed merchant
cruiser CHESHIRE.
Sloop
WELLINGTON escorted the convoy from 11 to 24 October.
Destroyer WRESTLER escorted the convoy from 22 to 24
October, which arrived at Gibraltar on the 24th.
_____
At
0915, during continuing Mediterranean Fleet operations,
destroyer DECOY was detached to Malta to refuel and
destroyer MOHAWK joined. At 0942, destroyer IMPERIAL was
detached to refuel.
IMPERIAL
was mined at 1105 on the 11th and badly damaged fifteen
miles south of Delimara near Malta. One rating was
killed in the explosion. She was towed to Malta by
DECOY, and IMPERIAL was repaired at Malta, sailing after
completion on 28 April.
Destroyer
VAMPIRE was detached at 1410 to refuel at Malta.
Convoy
MF 3 and light cruiser ORION arrived at Malta at 1600.
Australian destroyers VENDETTA and STUART arrived with
the convoy to start refitting in the Malta dockyard.
At
1800, destroyer NUBIAN, HERO and HAVOCK rejoined
the Main Fleet and destroyers DAINTY, DEFENDER, DIAMOND
were detached to refuel.
An
Italian civilian plane reported the British
Mediterranean Fleet 100 miles southeast of Malta.
In
anticipation that these warships would pick up some
merchant ships recently arrived at Malta, Italian
destroyers ARTIGLIERE, CAMICIA NERA, AVIERE and GENIERE
with torpedo boats AIRONE, ALCIONE and ARIEL were
patrolling an area east of Malta. Four MAS boats were to
the north of the Italian force. One destroyer division
and MAS boats were stationed to the west of Malta should
the British force set out for Gibraltar.
Gunboat
APHIS, after refitting, steamer VOLO (1587grt) and Fleet
auxiliary PLUMLEAF (5916grt) departed Malta at 2245 on
the 11th, escorted by anti-aircraft cruisers COVENTRY
and CALCUTTA and destroyers WRYNECK and WATERHEN.
Late
on the 11th, the Mediterranean Fleet began its return to
Alexandria.
_____
Sloop
AUCKLAND in convoy BS.6 was bombed by Italian bombers at
15‑51N, 41‑25E, west of Kamaran.
_____
Convoy
BS.6 A departed Port Sudan, escorted by sloop
PARRAMATTA. Destroyer KINGSTON joined on the 13th. The
convoy was dispersed off Aden on the 15th.
Saturday,
12 October
German
aircraft crossed Scapa Flow during the night. All
exercises were prohibited and movements were restricted
during the day.
_____
Aircraft
carrier FURIOUS, heavy cruisers NORFOLK and BERWICK,
destroyers SOMALI (D.6), ESKIMO, MASHONA, DUNCAN
departed Scapa Flow at 1800 for operation DH and to
cover the destroyer sweep off Egero. Destroyers MATABELE
and PUNJABI departed Skaalefjord at 0310/13th to join
FURIOUS. At 1230/13th, ESKIMO and DUNCAN were detached
to Scapa Flow arriving at 0900/14th. SOMALI and MASHONA
arrived at Scapa Flow at 1400/14th.
_____
Captain
D.12 on destroyer KEPPEL was transferred ashore at
Greenock.
_____
Convoy
OA.228 departed Methil escorted by sloop FOWEY and
corvette BLUEBELL from 12 to 16 October.
_____
Convoy
OB.227 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer ARROW
and corvette CALENDULA from 12 to 15 October.
_____
Convoy
FS.307 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN and
sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Southend on the
14th.
_____
Hunt-class
destroyer MENDIP was completed. She worked up at Scapa
Flow, but was badly damaged by the explosion of one of
her own depth charges on the 24th. She was assigned to
the 21st Destroyer Flotilla and joined the Flotilla
following completion of repairs.
_____
Destroyer
BULLDOG departed Rosyth at 1500 to join submarine CLYDE
off Dundee at 1830, and escorted the submarine to Cape
Wrath. BULLDOG arrived at Scapa Flow at 1730/13th.
_____
Destroyer
QUORN departed Scapa Flow at 0900 for Aberdeen, and left
there at 1500 with steamer LOCHNAGAR for Lerwick.
_____
Minesweeper
KELLET hit the pier at Leith, and had to be docked for
repairs.
_____
Monitor
EREBUS, escorted by destroyer CATTISTOCK, bombarded
German invasion barges at Dunkirk.
_____
U.48
sank Norwegian steamer DAVANGER (7102grt) from
convoy HX.77 in 57‑00N, 19‑10W. Seventeen crew were
missing.
_____
U.59
sank steamer PACIFIC RANGER (6895grt) from
convoy HX.77 in 56‑20N, 11‑43W. The entire crew was
rescued.
_____
U.101
sank Canadian steamer SAINT MALO (5779grt), a
straggler from convoy HX.77, in 57‑58N, 16‑32W. Sixteen
crew were rescued.
_____
Trawler
LONGSCAR (215grt) was damaged by German bombing off
Hartlepool.
_____
Minesweeping
trawler RESOLVO (231grt, Temporary Skipper A. Affleck
RNR) struck a mine six cables 083° from Knob Bell Buoy
in the Thames Estuary. Two ratings were wounded, and the
survivors rescued by minesweeping trawler PETER CAREY
(280grt). RESOLVO
was beached
outside the entrance to Sheerness at the Outer Bar Buoy
and abandoned on the 13th.
_____
German
schnellboote S.37 was sunk on a mine off
Orfordness.
_____
On
11 October, Yugoslavian steamer ORAO (5135grt) had been
intercepted by destroyer HOTSPUR and ordered to
Gibraltar with an armed guard. Then on the 12th,
Italian submarine TAZZOLI torpedoed ORAO
in 35‑34N, 10‑35W, with two crew killed.
Destroyers
WISHART, GALLANT, GRIFFIN, VIDETTE were detached from
battlecruiser RENOWN, with GALLANT and GRIFFIN picking
up the survivors, and WISHART scuttling the Yugoslavian
vessel.
The
destroyers were then ordered to meet arriving transports
ETTRICK and KARANJA, being escorted by destroyer
GREYHOUND. The destroyers, plus destroyer FIREDRAKE,
rejoined on 0724 on the 13th and the force met the
transport convoy at 1300. VIDETTE was detached to join
the transport convoy and the next day, WISHART was
detached to join as well.
_____
Steamer
STARLING (1320grt) was damaged by German bombing four
miles southwest of San Sebastian Light.
_____
Convoy
HX.80 departed Halifax escorted by Canadian destroyers
ST CROIX and NIAGARA and auxiliary patrol boats HUSKY
and REINDEER. The local escort was detached on the 13th.
Ocean escort was armed merchant cruiser LACONIA, which
was detached on the 22nd. On 23 October, destroyers
CASTLETON and WANDERER, sloop HASTINGS, corvettes FLEUR
DE LYS and PICOTEE, and anti-submarine yacht PHILANTE
joined the convoy, which arrived at Liverpool on the
27th.
_____
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CALCUTTA was subjected to high level Italian
bombing near Crete on the 12th.
Italian
and British Naval forces engaged east of Malta. In the
first phase of the battle between the Italian torpedo
boats and radar-equipped light cruiser AJAX (Captain E.
D. B. McCarthy) which was proceeding to cover the
eastbound convoy, Italian torpedo boats ARIEL
and AIRONE were sunk in 35‑37N, 16‑42E, with
AJAX hit three times, twice on the bridge and once
amidships starting a fire. Temporary Instructor Lt M. P.
Gamon, B. Sc., Acting Temporary S/Lt G. H. K. Strathey
RCNVR, and ten ratings were lost, with Lt Cdr J. G. T.
Inglis, Commissioned Gunner C. W. Lewis, and twenty two
ratings wounded. Italian torpedo boat ALCIONE picked up
the survivors of AIRONE.
In
the second phase of the battle between the Italian
destroyers which were coming to the aid of the torpedo
boats and AJAX, Italian destroyer AVIERE was damaged and
escorted back to base by undamaged destroyer GENIERE.
Destroyer ARTIGLIERE was badly damaged and destroyer
CAMICIA NERA stood by and later attempted to take her
into tow. AJAX was hit four times in this phase putting
out action, one four inch gun and her radar.
Early
on the 13th while under tow, Italian destroyer
ARTIGLIERE was subjected to fierce air attacks from
aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS after being located by a
Sunderland flying boat. Alerted by ILLUSTRIOUS's report,
heavy cruiser YORK (Captain R. H. Portal), AJAX, and
four destroyers including VAMPIRE and NUBIAN, located
ARTIGLIERE.
Destroyer
CAMICIA NERA cast off her tow and retired, leaving ARTIGLIERE
to be torpedoed and sunk in 35‑47N, 16‑25E by YORK,
VAMPIRE and NUBIAN. Rafts were dropped and the crew was
later picked up by an Italian hospital ship. AJAX and
Australian cruiser SYDNEY pursued CAMICIA NERA but did
not catch her.
The
Italian 3rd Cruiser Division, heavy cruisers BOLZANO,
TRENTO and TRIESTE with destroyers VIVALDI, DA NOLI and
TARIGO of the 14th Destroyer Flotilla departed Messina
to support destroyers ARTIGLIERE and CAMICIA NERA, but
did not arrive in time and did not contact the British
force.
Light
cruisers ORION, SYDNEY and AJAX rejoined the Main Fleet
during the morning of 12 October.
At
1000/12th, destroyers DAINTY, DEFENDER, DIAMOND and
battleship RAMILLIES with destroyers JANUS, JERVIS,
HEREWARD, DECOY rejoined the Main Fleet.
Reports
of further Italian destroyers caused YORK and light
cruisers LIVERPOOL, ORION, SYDNEY to return to support
convoy ME 4.
One
hundred survivors were picked up by Italian ships from
ARTIGLIERE. Eighty four survivors from AIRONE and forty
one from ARIEL were rescued.
_____
Destroyer
KIMBERLEY on Perim patrol was attacked by Italian
bombers three miles from Perim. There was no damage in
the attack.
_____
Gunboat
CRICKET departed Hong Kong in the tow of tanker WAR
SIRDAR. Owing to a typhoon, both ships were recalled.
They departed again on the 18th and arrived at Singapore
on the 24th.
Gunboat
TARANTULA departed Hong Kong on the 22nd, escorted by
light cruiser DURBAN and arrived at Singapore on the
29th.
_____
Convoy
SL.51 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant
cruiser ALCANTARA to 31 October. On 30 October,
destroyers ACHATES and ARROW, sloop ROCHESTER, corvette
PRIMROSE, and anti-submarine trawler ST APOLLO joined.
On 31 October, destroyer AMAZON joined, and the convoy
arrived at Oban on the 31st.
Sunday,
13 October
Anti-aircraft
cruiser CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 0830 and met
convoy WN.22 in Pentland Firth to provide anti-aircraft
protection for the convoy to the Firth of Firth.
_____
In
Operation D.N, destroyers COSSACK (Captain P. L. Vian,
D.4), ASHANTI, MAORI and SIKH departed the Firth of
Forth the evening of 13 October to strike at German
shipping off Egero Light. During the night of 13/14
October, the destroyers attacked a convoy of three ships
and two small escorts four miles off the Light.
While
the British ships claimed sinking at least two merchant
ships, only German netlayer GENUA (1949grt) was sunk and
she was later salved. The only British casualty was a
single shell hit in the stern of COSSACK with a stoker
wounded. The British force safely returned to Rosyth
arriving on the 14th. COSSACK's rudder was repaired at
Rosyth completing on the 25th.
_____
Scapa
Flow, except for a small area northeast of the Barrell
of Butter, was declared free of mines and anti-submarine
exercises were permitted.
_____
Convoy
OL.7 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers
HIGHLANDER, HURRICANE, KEPPEL, HAVELOCK. The convoy was
dispersed on the 16th.
_____
Convoy
OB.228 departed Liverpool escorted by sloops FOLKESTONE
and LEITH, corvette HEARTSEASE, anti-submarine trawler
SPHENE. The escort, less FOLKESTONE, detached on the
16th and she departed on the 17th.
_____
Convoy
FN.307 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers VANITY
and WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 16th.
_____
Convoy
FS.308 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VEGA,
VIMIERIA, WALLACE. The convoy arrived at Southend on the
17th.
_____
U.37
sank British steamer STANGRANT (5804grt) from convoy
HX.77 in 58‑27N, 12‑36W. Eight crew were lost.
_____
U.103
sank Estonian steamer NORA (1186grt) in 57‑02N,
13‑11W. Survivors were picked up by sloop LEITH five
days later, which was escorting convoy SC.7.
_____
Drifter
SUMMER ROSE (96grt, Temporary Skipper W. G. R.
Howes RNR) was sunk on a mine off Sunderland, 4.9 cables
032° from Roker Pier. Two ratings were lost.
_____
Tug
DANUBE III (234grt, Lt R. Sullivan Rtd) was sunk
on a mine off Sheerness, 2.5 cables 305° from Outer Bar
Buoy. Ten ratings and one Marine gunner were lost.
_____
U.138
damaged Norwegian steamer DAGRUN (4562grt) off North
Channel.
_____
Hopper
barge CARGO FLEET No. 2 (1130grt) was damaged on
a mine one cable west of Datum Buoy, off Tees. There
were no casualties on the barge, which was taken in tow,
but went ashore at Tees entrance, a total loss.
_____
Light
cruiser AJAX and destroyers JERVIS and JUNO met convoy
AS 4 of four steamers from Piraeus, which had sailed
that morning. At sea, they rendezvoused with
anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY. Convoy AS 4 joined
convoy ME 4 east of Gavdo Island.
Steamer
VOLO of ME 4 was sent ahead of the convoy to Alexandria
with anti-aircraft ship WRYNECK. Anti-aircraft ship
CALCUTTA remained with the convoy.
On
15 October, destroyer MOHAWK was detached from the Main
Fleet to relieve JERVIS. Convoy AS 4 arrived at Port
Said on the 16th.
_____
Australian
light cruiser SYDNEY arrived at Alexandria.
Monday,
14 October
Destroyer
DOUGLAS made high speed runs in Scapa Flow in view of
suspected minelaying, to fire acoustic mines. No mines
were located.
_____
Destroyer
MENDIP arrived at Scapa Flow at 0730 to work up.
_____
Rear
Admiral I. B. B. Tower of PRESIDENT was killed in an air
raid on London.
_____
Convoy
OA.229 departed Methil escorted by escort vessel JASON
and corvettes COREOPSIS and HIBISCUS from 14 to 19
October.
_____
Convoy
FN.308 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WOLSEY
and sloop LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at Methil on the
16th.
_____
Convoy
FS.309 departed Methil, escorted by destroyers VERDUN
and WATCHMAN. The convoy arrived at Southend on the
16th.
_____
U.138
torpedoed armed merchant cruiser CHESHIRE (10, 552grt)
in 55‑13N, 13‑02W. Canadian destroyer SKEENA and
corvette PERIWINKLE took off two hundred and twenty crew
and the AMC was successfully towed to Belfast Lough
where she was beached. She
was taken on to
Liverpool for repairs requiring six months.
_____
Steamer
RECULVER (683grt) was sunk on a mine 1.2 miles
195° from Spurn Point Light House. The entire crew was
rescued.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawler LORD STAMP (448grt) was sunk on a mine
seventeen miles southwest of Portland Bill in the
English Channel. Chief Skipper J. D. McKay RNR, Lt Cdr
M. E. C. Miller RNR and twenty one ratings were lost.
_____
Collier
GLYNWEN (1076grt) was lost to enemy attack.
_____
German
steamer EULER (1879grt) was sunk on a mine near
St Nazaire.
_____
Early
on the 14th, aircraft carriers ILLUSTRIOUS, escorted by
cruisers GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL and destroyers NUBIAN,
HAVOCK, HERO, HEREWARD launched air strikes against
Leros. The raid was successful and the ships returned to
the Main Force at 0840/14th. At 0900, heavy cruiser
YORK, which was short of fuel, and destroyer DEFENDER
were detached to Alexandria.
Destroyers
VAMPIRE and VENDETTA attacked submarine contacts at
1132.
At
1855 on the 14th, LIVERPOOL was torpedoed by an Italian
torpedo plane in the Aegean, in 33‑58N, 26‑23E. A fire
was started and an explosion of her petrol and
ammunition wrecked the bow which later broke away just
ahead of the bridge. Lt Cdr A. H. Browne, Midshipman R.
C. Norris, Lt Cdr (E) P. Ross, and twenty four ratings
were lost, with three more ratings dying of wounds.
Forty two ratings were wounded.
Destroyers
HEREWARD and DECOY were sent to stand by the cruiser.
Tug ST ISSEY was dispatched at 2345 on the 14th.
LIVERPOOL
was taken in tow stern first by light cruiser ORION and
screened by anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA. She arrived
at Alexandria on the 16th, with destroyers DAINTY,
DECOY, DIAMOND, VAMPIRE, which had been sailed from
Alexandria at 1420 and joined at 1900/15th. After
temporary repairs at Alexandria, completed in April
1941, LIVERPOOL proceeded to Mare Island, California for
repairs from 16 June to 15 November 1941.
The
Mediterranean Fleet arrived back at Alexandria at
0100/16th.
_____
Battlecruiser
RENOWN and destroyers GALLANT, FIREDRAKE, GRIFFIN
arrived at Gibraltar.
_____
Light
cruiser SHEFFIELD arrived at Gibraltar from a month in
Home Waters after carrying out a patrol off the Azores,
and rejoined Force H
_____
German
armed merchant cruiser ORION sank Norwegian steamer RINGWOOD
(7302grt) in the Pacific at 05‑29N, 159‑42E. The
European crew was repatriated to
Norway.