17 SEPTEMBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIc DKM U-405
Type VIIc DKM U-656
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Allied
Fairmile B ML 273
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
K (Katjusa) Class Sub VMF K-51
Losses
DKM S-Boats S.50, S.51, and S.52 of 4th S-Boat Flotilla attacked a Convoy off Cromer.
Steamer TEDDINGTON (UK 4762 grt) was badly damaged by the DKM S Boats. The steamer was taken in tow, but went ashore on the 18th 2 ¾ miles ESE of Cromer Pier. The entire crew were rescued, but the vessel became a total loss. .
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
British steamer TETELA was damaged in this attack. The steamer was taken in tow and beached at Haile Sand Flat. The steamer was refloated on the 18th and berthed at Hull.
UBOATS
Arrivals
Brest: U-202
Kirkenes: U-752
At Sea 17 September 1941
U-43, U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-74, U-79, U-81, U-82, U-84, U-85, U-94, U-95, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-132, U-141, U-201, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-431, U-432, U-433, U-451, U-552, U-557, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-566, U-569, U-572, U-575, U-652,
41 Boats
At 1114hrs U-451 was attacked by an aircraft about 45 miles north of the North Cape while returning from Kirkenes to Germany for an overhaul and escaped damage by crash diving, reporting one bomb being dropped. In fact U-451 was attacked in error by a German He111 aircraft (1H+ML of 3./KG 26, pilot Oblt Fischbach), which subsequently claimed the sinking of a Soviet K class submarine with a stick of four bombs.
OPERATIONS
Baltic
In Stockholm Harbour, Swedish DDs KLAS UGGLA, KLAS HORN, and GOTEBORG were seriously damaged in an explosion. DD KLAS HORN was repaired from components of KLAS UGGLA and GOTEBORG. DD GOTEBORG was not repaired until after the war.
Steamer JOHANN WESSELS (Ger 4601 grt) was lost on a mine on the Norwegian coast.
[NO IMAGE FOUN D]
North Sea
DD LANCASTER departed the Humber on completion of refitting for Scapa Flow. The DD arrived at Scapa Flow on the 18th to carry out work up exercises.
DD MENDIP was escorting convoy FS 605 when it was attacked by the LW.
Northern Patrol
Submarine TIGRIS unsuccessfully attacked German convoy R.152 one mile SW of Loppa (off the Norwegian far north coast.
Northern Waters
CVE ARGUS and DD ECLIPSE departed Scapa Flow for the Clyde. Off Shianti Island, ECLIPSE was detached and returned to Scapa Flow, arriving at daybreak on the 18th.
The CVE continued unescorted to the Clyde, arriving on the 18th.
West Coast
Convoy ON.17 departed Liverpool, escorted by DD BOREAS. On the 18th, DDs BELMONT andBULLDOG. corvettes ACONIT andHEARTSEASE, and ASW trawlers ANGLE, CAPEWARWICK, DANEMAN, NOTTS COUNTY, and ST APOLLO joined. DDs AMAZON, GEORGETOWN, and ST CROIX joined. These escorts were detached on the 21st when relieved by DD RICHMOND and corvettes FENNEL, GLADIOLUS, HEPATICA, and MMIMIOSA. DD RICHMOND was detached on the 24th. The corvettes escorted the convoy until its dispersal on the 29th.
SW Approaches
Convoy WS.11X, which departed Liverpool on the 16th and the Clyde on the 17th, rendezvoused off Oversay on the 17th. The convoy consisted by supply ship BRECONSHIRE and steamers ULSTER MONARCH, QUEEN EMMA, PRINCESS BEATRIX, ROYAL SCOTSMAN, LEINSTER, STRATHEDEN, CLAN MACDONALD, CLAN FERGUSON, AJAX, IMPERIAL STAR, CITY OF LINCOLN, ROWALLAN CASTLE, DUNEDIN STAR, and CITY OF CALCUTTA. The convoy was escorted by BB PRINCE OF WALES, CLA EURYALUS, CL KENYA, and DDs LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, and ORIBI, which departed the Clyde on the 16th, WHITEHALL, WITCH, BLANKNEY, PIORUN, GARLAND, and RNeN ISAAC SWEERS from 17 September to Gibraltar. DDs HAVELOCK and HARVESTER escorted the convoy from 17 to 19 September when they were detached escorting liner STRATHEDEN to Halifax. DDs FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FURY, and LEGION, escorting CVL FURIOUS, and ZULU, GURKHA, and LANCE departed Gibraltar on the 18th to join the convoy on the 19th in 42N, 22-30W. CL SHEFFIELD departed Gibraltar on the 20th to join the convoy. DD LIVELY departed Gibraltar on the 20th to join, as did DDs COSSACK, HEYTHROP, and FARNDALE on the 23rd. Troopships ULSTER MONARCH, QUEEN EMMA, PRINCESS BEATRIX, and ROYAL SCOTSMAN, and LEINSTER proceeded only to Gibraltar. The remainder of the convoy was the HALBERD convoy for Malta. During the night of 20/21 September, troopship PRINCESS BEATRIX and storeship AJAX were in a minor collision.
Convoy HG.73 departed Gibraltar with DDs DUNCAN, FARNDALE, and VIMY, sloop FOWEY, corvettes BEGONIA, GENTIAN, HIBISCUS, JASMINE, LARKSPUR, MYOSOTIS, PERIWINKLE, and STONECROP, and CAM ship SPRINGBANK.
DD WILD SWAN departed Gibraltar on the 19th to join the escort. DDs DUNCAN and FARNDALE were detached on the 20th. DDs VIMY and WILD SWAN on the 22nd. The CAM ship was sunk on the 27th. DD HIGHLANDER departed Gibraltar on the 20th and joined the convoy escort on the 22nd. She remained until 26 September. DD WOLVERINE joined the convoy on the 28th. The corvettes were detached on the 30th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 1 October with destroyer WOLVERINE.
Med/Biscay
From 17 to 27 September, 6300 British Commonwealth and fighting allied troops and 2100 tons of supplies were moved to Tobruk in Operation SUPERCHARGE.
CLs AJAX, NEPTUNE, and RAN HOBART departed Alexandria for Beirut to embark troops. CLs AJAX and HOBART arrived at Beirut on the 18th. CL NEPTUNE was detached to spend the night of 18/19 September at Haifa, rejoining at Beirut on the 19th.
ML cruiser ABDIEL and DDs JERVIS, JAGUAR, and HASTY departed Alexandria carrying supplies to Tobruk in Serial 1 of the Operation. ABDIEL and DDs arrived back at Alexandria on the 18th.
Red Sea/Indian Ocean
CL GALATEA arrived at Port Said.
Pacific/Australia
Dutch steamer WESTERNLAND departed Bombay for Singapore with 2061 personnel. From Ceylon, the steamer was escorted by CL DAUNTLESS. Steamer WESTERNLAND arrived at Singapore on the 25th.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 17 SEPTEMBER TO DAWN 18 SEPTEMBER 1941
Weather Fine and warm.
No air raids.
OPERATIONS REPORTS WEDNESDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 1941
AIR HQ Arrivals 1 Blenheim, 1 Wellington.
Departures 1 Sunderland, 1 Wellington.
38 Squadron 5 Wellingtons attacked Tripoli.
69 Squadron Marylands special patrol, photoreconnaissance Catania, Gerbini, Comiso; Blenheim special search.
105 Squadron 1 Blenheim searched for Swordfish aircraft. 4 Blenheims attacked a convoy. P/O Robinson and Sgt Bendall failed to return.
107 Squadron 5 Blenheims attacked Licata.
830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 6 Swordfish attacked a southbound convoy off Marittimo hitting one merchant vessel and slowing the convoy