This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

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25 SEPTEMBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IXC DKM U-158

Type VIIc U-589
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Allied
Fairmile C MGB 329

Fairmile B ML 283
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MMS I Class coastal MSW MMS 113

Because of the small size and their initials (they only had numbers) they were nicknamed "Micky Mouse boats".

The design of the short MMS was based on the larger sort of motor fishing vessels which were being used around the coasts of Britain. The most promising design of these was hastily adapted to combat Hitler's first "secret weapon" the magnetic mine. Their displacement (weight) was 255 tons, but when they were sold after the war as fishing boats, their gross register tonnage (based on volume) was about 170grt. They were powered by a single diesel engine of about 500bhp but because these were made in different factories to the makers' own designs there were variations. MMS 15, Wivenhoe Shipyard's yard number 11, was one of the first of these new craft to go to sea.

The long MMSs were developed by the Admiralty to overcome the shortcomings of the earlier type. They were intended to be more powerful with two engines of the same sort as the 105′ class and less cramped, with more room for the crew and the increasing amount of equipment that was found necessary for their work. Their displacement was 360 tons and when sold out of service to commercial owners their tonnage was about 290 grt. Unfortunately there was a shortage of suitable engines and it was decided to change the design for them to have only one, just like the shorter ships.

However they managed to perform their work adequately, although their Cold War replacements had two engines.

Losses
Convoy HG 73
U.124 sank steamer EMPIRE STREAM (UK 2922 grt) NNE of the Azores whilst she was on passage from Huelva to Dundee with a cargo of potash. She had a crew of 35. Four crew, two gunners, and two stowaways were lost in the attack. She was hit at 0744 hrs in station #33 of HG-73 by two torpedoes from U-124. The master, 24 crew members and two gunners were picked up by Corvette BEGONIA and landed at Milford Haven on 30 September.

UBOATS
Arrivals
St Nazaire: U-433

At Sea 25 September 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-74, U-94, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-132, U-201, U-203, U-204, U-205, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-431, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-572, U-575

32 Boats

OPERATIONS
North Sea
Sloop IBIS departed Rosyth and arrived at Scapa Flow the same say to work up.

Northern Patrol
CA SUFFOLK with DDs IMPULSIVE, ANTHONY, and ANTELOPE departed Scapa Flow for Hvalfjord to fuel prior to escorting convoy PQ.1. The ships arrived on the 27th.

Northern Waters
The Flag of Rear Admiral, CruSqn 1, was transferred from CA DEVONSHIRE to CA NORFOLK, which then proceeded to the Clyde, where she arrived on the 27th, for duty escorting convoy WS.12.

Med/Biscay
P/T/Sub Lt (A) D. Simmonds, RNZVR, was killed when his Fulmar of 761 Sqn crashed near West Camel.

RAN DD VENDETTA arrived at Alexandria from Haifa.

Nth Atlantic
Convoy ON.20 departed Liverpool escorted by DDs VANOC, VOLUNTEER, and WALKER and corvette HYDRANGEA. The convoy escort was reinforced on the 26th by DD CALDWELL. These escorts were relieved on the 30th by USN DDs BENSON, HILARY P. JONES, NIBLACK, REUBEN JAMES, and WINSLOW. Corvette ALGOMA joined on 3 October and was detached the next day. The US DDs were detached on 9 October when the convoy was dispersed

Central Atlantic
Ocean boarding vessel MARON departed Gibraltar for Western Patrol, eoscrted by anti-submarine trawlers LADY SHIRLEY and ERIN.

Trawler ERIN was to join arriving tanker LA CARRIERE for escort duties to Gibraltar.

Trawler LADY SHIRLEY was detached on the 28th to relieve sloop COMMANDANT DUBOC towing damaged steamer SILVERBELLE to Las Palmas.

Pacific/Australia
RAN CL ADELAIDE departed Melbourne escorting a steamer to SE of Chatham Island.
The CL then proceeded to Wellington, arriving on the 30th.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 25 SEPTEMBER TO DAWN 26 SEPTEMBER 1941
Weather Fine.

2356-0015 hrs Air raid alert for two enemy aircraft which approach the Island and drop high explosive and incendiary bombs eight miles off the west coast before receding to the west.

0032-0055 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches to within eight miles of the Island, drops bombs in the sea off Dingli and recedes to the south west. Two Hurricanes are scrambled but there are no searchlight illuminations and no engagement.

OPERATIONS REPORTS THURSDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 1941

AIR HQ Arrivals 1 Maryland, 2 Wellington. 69 Squadron 1 Blenheim patrol eastern Sicilian coast and Crotone. 38 Squadron 9 Wellingtons attacked motor transport yards and barracks in Tripoli. 105 Squadron5 Blenheims attacked lorry convoys east of Sirte. 107 Squadron 2 Blenheims attacked transport near Beurat. 1 Blenheim attacked a convoy.

TA QALI 4 sergeant pilots proceeded by Hurricane to the Middle East

 

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Halder's diary 25 September 1941

 

[Njaco]

September 26 Friday
ASIA: Raizo Tanaka was named the commanding officer of 2nd Destroyer Squadron. He brought his flag aboard light cruiser "Jintsu".

Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese forces encircle Changsha. Japanese 11th Army begins attacking Changsha overnight.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The completely ad hoc organization of the Newfoundland Escort Force led to the piecemeal generation and deployment of forces. Ships frequently sailed as singles or in small groups to join their convoys. This left dangerous windows where the escort force was depleted and disorganized. The lack of proper support facilities in St. John's was a problem that plagued the RCN throughout the war. The USN advance base at Argentia was soon supporting American, British and when space was available, Canadian escorts.

Convoy HG-73: German submarines U-124 and U-203 attacked Allied convoy HG-73 500 miles north of the Azores islands and sank 6 merchant ships. HMS "Larkspur" counterattacked U-203 with depth charges but caused no damage. U-124 sank SS "Cervantes", SS "Lapwing" and SS "Petrel" and U-203 sank SS "Avoceta", SS "Cortes" and SS "Varangberg". U-66 sank SS IC "White".

Convoy SC-46: Corvette HMCS "Brandon" a Flower-class corvette, A/LCdr. John Coldecott Littler RCNR CO, departed St. John's to join the close escort for the 53-ship Sydney to Liverpool convoy SC-46. SC-46 arrived safely in Liverpool on 10 Oct 41. Convoy SC-46, one of the most heavily attacked convoys of WW II, attacked by 14 U-boats, which sank 15 ships, a total of 65,776 tons, U-boats that scored or shared in kills were: U-81; U-82, U-85, U-98, U-202, U-207, U-372, U-432 and U-652. U-82 Kpt/Lt Siegried Rollmann CO, sank 4 ships in this convoy.

EASTERN FRONT: General de Gaulle's Free French government signed an alliance with the Soviet Union.

Armeegruppe Nord: In the Leningrad sector, General Kulik relieved of command of Soviet 54th Army, replaced by General Khozin.

Armeegruppe Mitte: Most fighting ceases around Kiev, Ukraine as the last significant units in the pocket surrendered. German Field Marshal von Rundstedt has been able to feed fresh infantry into the cauldron. In contrast, surrounded Soviet forces are starving and running out of ammunition, having not received supplies, and they are leaderless following the death of General Mikhail Kirponos in a German ambush on September 20. 4 Soviet Armies have been destroyed, comprising 850,000 men. 150,000 escaped the encirclement and about 300,000 are taken prisoner by the Germans – only 6,000 will return from captivity. The Kiev Pocket remains to this day the largest single pocket of enemy combatants ever encircled in the history of warfare. It ultimately yielded over 665 000 POWs; the largest number of POWs ever captured during a single battle. In excess of an additional 100 000 Red Army soldiers were killed in the pocket. A few days after the occupation of Kiev, downtown buildings were blown, killing hundreds of members of the Wehrmacht. SS and Wehrmacht officers meet and decide that as a reprisal the majority of the Jews in Kiev shall be killed.

Armeegruppe Sud: Soviet 9th Army and 18th Army attack Rumanian forces in German Army Group South.

Lithuanian Activist Front banned and most of its leaders arrested.

A Lithuanian policeman in Kovno thought he heard a shot fired in a street of the Jewish ghetto. When the German authorities were informed, the 1800 men, women and children living on the street were taken to the local fortress and executed.

GERMANY: German battleship "Tirpitz" sailed with other warships to patrol off of the Aaland Islands in the Baltic Sea to prevent Soviet naval maneuvers.

MEDITERANNEAN: British submarine HMS "Tetrarch" sank Italian ship "Citta Di Bastia" off Greece. The Italian ship was en route from Piraeus to Crete.

Operation Halberd: Italian Admiral Iachino, leads a force consisting of two battleships, six cruisers and fourteen destroyers to stop the Allied relief convoy sailing to Malta. The Italian fleet attempted to intercept the convoy but did not make contact with it as they turned away after learning that the Royal Navy force included several battleships and an aircraft carrier. HMS "Prince of Wales", followed by the slower HMS "Rodney", attempted in vain to intercept the Italian force.

The first reports of "bandit bands" operating in the Balkans are received in Berlin.

NORTH AFRICA: Operation Supercharge: British minelaying cruiser HMS "Latona" and destroyers HMS "Jackal", HMS "Kimberley", and HMS "Hasty" departed Alexandria, Egypt with troops and supplies for the besieged Tobruk, Libya. They would set sail to return to Alexandria overnight, arriving in the following day.

NORTH AMERICA: The U.S. Navy orders the protection of all ships engaged in commerce in U.S. defensive waters—by patrolling, covering, escorting, and by reporting or destroying the German and Italian naval forces encountered.

The German Charge d'Affaires in Washington replies to the U.S. note of 19 September regarding reparations for the sinking of the US freighter SS Robin Moor. The Germans state that President Roosevelt's address to Congress on 20 June and the State Department note on 19 September "are not such as to lead to an appropriate reply by my government."

The U.S. Army establishes the Military Police Corps.

The Congressional hearings on allegations of propaganda in American films adjourned with the intention to resume in January 1942. The media was almost universally critical of the attacks made on the film industry during the hearings, as the isolationist Senators who initiated the proceedings came across as anti-Semitic and more paranoid about Hollywood than any threat from Hitler.

PACIFIC OCEAN: Mountbatten tours Pearl Harbor, meets General Short and Admiral Kimmel, and lectures US officers on progress of the war in Europe and lessons learned.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Fighter Command flew Roadstead and Rhubarb operations.

.

 

[parsifal]

26 SEPTEMBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Accentor Class MSW USS ADAMANT (AMc-62
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Allied
Fairmile B ML 444
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
Steamer BRITISH PRINCE (UK 4979 grt) was sunk by the LW in the Nth Sea.The vessel was on passage from New York to London with a cargo of steel and copper and a crew of 32 & 6 gunners, no lives lost.

Schooner KANTARA (UK 250 grt(est)) was lost, cause and location unknown.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

U-66 sank the tkr I. C. WHITE (Pan 7020 grt) in the sth Atlantic off the Brazilian coast. The ship was transporting crude oil from Curacao to Capetown, with a crew of 37, 3 of whom would perish. At 2310 hrs the unescorted and unarmed tkr I. C. WHITE (Pan 7020 grt) was hit by one of two torpedoes from U-66, while proceeding fully lit and neutrally marked. The U-boat had spotted the tanker already on the morning of 24 September and observed her since then. The uboat skipper, Zapp, asked the BdU for advice after seeing the Panamanian flag and got the answer that it is only allowed to sink the vessel outside of the Pan-American security zone. He attacked the tkrI. C. WHITE after she left the zone because they were transporting oil to a British port. The torpedo struck on the starboard side between #7 and #8 tanks. The explosion threw flaming oil up over the boat deck aft. The ship stopped but continued after about 15 minutes and two more torpedoes had to be fired at 0404 hrs which both hit and caused her to break in two, so that water ran across the deck amidships. At 0530 hrs, a coup de grace missed but the tanker sank anyway at 0740 hrs about 500 miles off Recife.

The survivors abandoned ship in three lifeboats and some rafts. Later the survivors were evenly distributed between two of the lifeboats, which then headed for Brazil. The occupants of one boat were picked up on 3 October after sailing 470 miles by the American steam merchant DELNORTE about 40 miles off Porto de Maceio. The remaining survivors in the other boat were also picked up on 3 October after sailing 500 miles by the American steam merchant WEST NILUS. All survivors landed four days later in Rio de Janeiro from which they were repatriated aboard the American Liner BRAZIL, arriving at New York on 20 October.

Convoy HG 73
U-124 sank Steamer CORTES (UK 1374 grt) in the SW Approaches. The vessel was on passage from Lisbon to London, via Liverpool with a cargo of potash and cork and a crew of 43, with 42 being lost. There were more survivors from steamer CORTES that were rescued by British steamer LAPWING, but all but one were lost when LAPWING was sunk.

U.124 sank steamer PETREL (UK 1354 grt) in the SW Approaches, NNE of the Azores. She was on passage from Oporto to Bristol, with a cargo of Cork and a crew of 34, 23 of whom would be lost in the attack. The master of the ship would be awarded the Lloyds medal of bravery.

U.124 sank steamer SIREMALM (Nor 2468 grt) in the SW Approaches, NNE of the Azores. The entire crew of 28 were lost. The ship was transporting iron ore from Almeira to Barrow when lost. At 2335 hrs the SIREMALM in station #23 of HG-73 was hit aft by one torpedo from U-124 and sank immediately. Corvette HMS HIBISCUS was ordered to pick up survivors, but the master, 25 crew members and two British gunners were lost.

U-203 sank steamer LAPWING (UK 1348 grt) in the SW Approaches, NNE of the Azores. 21 crew and three gunners were lost on steamer LAPWING. Nine survivors were rescued. The ship was a straggler when lost , on passage from Lisbon to Glasgow with a mixed cargo of pyrites and cork. During the night of 25/26 Sep 1941, two vessels ahead of LAPWING torpedoed and sunk. LAPWING stopped to launch a lifeboat with six men for rescue work. The boat brought 17 survivors from PETREL and three from CORTES to the LAPWING, then returned to pick up more survivors from PETREL from a raft. In the meantime Corvette LARKSPUR came across the stopped vessel, assumed that it had been torpedoed and set one of her cutters adrift to help the survivors because she had orders to return to the convoy. At 0401 hrs, U-203 fired one torpedo at the corvette lying close to a stopped tanker but it missed, like the spread of two G7a torpedoes fired three minutes later. Apparently these attacks remained unnoticed aboard the corvette while the U-boat left the area at full speed and dived to reload the torpedo tubes.

When U-203 returned to the area, they found the stopped LAPWING again which was just about to recover her lifeboat with the remaining survivors, but before this could be done the ship was hit amidships by one torpedo at 0634 hours and sank within 3 minutes. . Only three crew members from LAPWING, the three survivors from CORTES and one survivor from PETREL survived the sinking and were picked up by the lifeboat, which made landfall at Sylne Bay, Co. Galway on 9 October. But two survivors from CORTESand one survivor from PETREL died of wounds and exhaustion in the boat and the last survivor from CORTES later died in a hospital, only nine crew members from LAPWING and nine survivors from PETREL survived.

After the corvette returned to the convoy, her report of a disabled ship behind the convoy started a salvage operation and the rescue tug Tug ZWARTE was sent out with HMS LEITH as escort with a Catalina aircraft searching the area. The sloop did find one final survivor from LAPWING at the sinking position, but nothing else so the search was broken off in the evening on 2 October.

U.203 on the 26th sank steamer VARANGBERG (Nor 2842 grt) in the SW Approaches NNE of the Azores. The ship was on passage from Melila to Cardiff via Gibraltar and Belfast, transporting iron ore, with a crew of 27 aboard. 21 of the crew were to be lost. At 0031 hrs, U-203 fired a spread of four torpedoes north of the Azores and heard four detonations, but made no observations because they had to dive to evade an attack by Coirvette LARKSPUR. Two ships were hit and sunk in this attack VARANGBERG in station #52 and AVOCETA, the ship of the convoy commodore in station #51.

The VARANGBERG was hit by two torpedoes on the port side at #1 hatch and forward of the bridge and sank immediately. The master 19 crew members and one passenger (the chief engineer of SPIND (sunk by U-552 23 August) were lost. The survivors had no time to launch lifeboats and rescued themselves on debris and rafts that floated free until being picked up by Corvette HMS JASMINE, which landed them at Milford Haven on 30 September.

U-203 sank Liner AVOCETA (UK 3442 grt) as the convoy was entering the SW Approaches NE of the Azores. She was on passage from Lisbon to Liverpool carrying mail and passengers. Total crew and passengers aboard were 166, with 123 being lost. Forty three crew, four gunners, and seventy six passengers were missing on steamer AVOCETA. Corvette PERIWINKLE rescued the convoy Commodore Creighton and other survivors. Some survivors were picked up by steamer CERVANTES which was later sunk. Surgeon Lt F. Bagot of battleship NELSON was lost in steamer AVOCETA.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Kiel: U-451
St Nazaire: U-74, U-98

At Sea 26 September 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-132, U-201, U-203, U-204, U-205, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-431, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-572, U-575

U-205 reported she had been bombed by an aircraft "with American markings" while shadowing convoy HG-73 and forced to break off patrol and head for France.

30 Boats

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Steamer GILLHAUSEN (Ger 4339 grt) ran aground and was lost south of Krakens,Norway.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

West Coast
British steamer ORIOLE was damaged by mining off South Bishops, Cardigan Bay. The steamer was towed to Milford on the 27th.

Med/Biscay
Fishing boat CAPODOGLIO (FI 184 grt) was sunk by the RAF 16 miles 346° from Marsa Dili.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

The Med Flt departed Alexandria at mid morning with BBs QUEEN ELIZABETH, BARHAM, and VALIANT, CLs AJAX, NEPTUNE, and RAN HOBART, and DDs JERVIS, JUPITER, KINGSTON, KIPLING, HERO, HOTSPUR, DECOY, and RAN VENDETTA to act as a diversion for operation HALBERD being carried out by Fce H

DD NAPIER departed Alexandria after fueling and joined the Fleet at 1430.

The Fleet returned to Alexandria at 1400/27th.

A convoy with CITTA DE MARSALA, CITTA DE BASTIA, TRAPANI, and SANTAGANTA departed Piraeus for Candia on the 26th, escorted by DD SELLA, TB LIBRA, and AMC BRIONI. Submarine TETRARCH sank steamer CITTA DI BASTIA (FI 2499 grt)in the Aegean.
[NO IMGAE FOUND}

ML cruiser LATONA and DDs JACKAL, KIMBERLEY, and HASTY departed Alexandria for Tobruk on Serial 12 of the SUPERCHARGE operation. The ships arrived back on the 26th.

ASW whaler SOUTHERN SEA attacked a submarine contact. Te whaler was later joined by corvettes DELPHINIUM and ERICA, but the search was unsuccessful.

Nth Atlantic
Convoy HX.152 departed Halifax. The convoy was joined on the 28th by DD ANNAPOLIS. The DD was detached on the 30th when relieved by USN DDs BABBITT, BROOME, LEARY, MAYO, and SCHENCK. In heavy weather all the USAN DDs suffered varying degrees of storm damage. The USN group was relieved on 9 October by DDs KEPPEL, SABRE,SHIKARI, and VENOMOUS, corvettes DIANELLA and SUNFLOWER, and ASW trawlers LADY ELSA, MAN O.WAR, and NORTHERN DAWN. SHIKARI was detached on 9 October, the corvettes and the trawlers on 11 October, destroyer KEPPEL on 12 October, and DD SABRE on 13 October. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 14 October.

Central Atlantic
Submarine P.34 arrived at Gibraltar after departing Barrow on the 16th. En route on the 21st, she was ordered to conduct a diving patrol in the vicinity of 42-50N, 10-40W and look for enemy submarines.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
CA EXETER departed Aden.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 26 SEPTEMBER TO DAWN 27 SEPTEMBER 1941
Weather Fine and warm.

1126-1139 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches the Island but does not cross the coast. Two Hurricanes are scrambled; no interceptions.

2143-2153 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches from the west, drops bombs 25 miles out to sea and turns back. Two Hurricanes are scrambled but there are no searchlight illuminations and no interceptions.

2311-2330 hrs Air raid alert caused by the return of friendly aircraft.

OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 1941

ROYAL NAVY Operation Substance ships departing: SS Melbourne Star sailed for Gibraltar at 1130 hrs.Port Chalmers and City of Pretoria to sail in two days' time with HMS Gloxinia as escort.

AIR HQ Arrivals 7 Beaufighter. Departures 4 Hurricane, 3 Wellington. 38 Squadron 1 Wellington attacked Palermo. 69 Squadron Photoreconnaissance Marsala, Trapani and Palermo. 1 Blenheim patrol eastern Sicilian coast. 1 Maryland reconnaissance Cagliari. 107 Squadron 3 Blenheims on shipping sweep near Zuara. 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 4 Swordfish laid mines outside PalermoHarbour in a semi-circle covering the south east approach. Wellington bombers created a very successful diversion.

HAL FAR Hurricanes 185 Squadron, one Swordfish 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm and two Fulmars performed special escort duty for a convoy of one merchant vessel.

 

[parsifal]

Halder's Diary 26 September 1941

 

[Njaco]

September 27 Saturday
ASIA: Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese forces land paratroops behind the Chinese lines and penetrated into Changsha, Hunan Province, China against strong resistance by Chinese 9th War Area. Japanese troops in plain clothes infiltrated the north gate of the walled city, but failed to complete their sabotage mission. The Chinese counterattacked the paratroops, destroying them, and in an uncharacteristically decisive move, wheeled their forces north of the city, cutting off the Japanese troops in the city. Chinese 9th War Area launched thrusts against flanks and rear of Japanese 11th Army, cutting its line of communications. About 100,000 Japanese troops found themselves surrounded.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Convoy HG-73: German submarine U-201 attacked Allied convoy HG-73 600 miles north of the Azores islands, sinking two merchant ships and the anti-aircraft ship HMS "Springbank"; 32 were killed, 201 survived. U-201 also sank SS "Margareta" and SS "Siremalm".

EASTERN FRONT: The first rains fell on Eastern Front of the European War. Mud began to become an issue for the attacking German forces.

Armeegruppe Nord: Soviet attacks on German 16.Armee in the Valdai Hills.

Armeegruppe Mitte: The Soviet GKO issued the Directive to Organize a Strategic Defense, which proved to be disastrous as it led to over 50 divisions of Soviet troops being trapped at Vyazma and Bryansk in Russia shortly after.

Armeegruppe Sud: Heavy fighting breaks the Soviet defenses in the Crimean Peninsula as the town of Perkov is captured by the German 11.Armee.

On this date The Jager Report (issued on 1 Dec 1941) noted that 989 adult male, 1,636 adult female, and 821 children, all Jews, were killed in Eysisky, Lithuania for a total of 3,446 people.

HMS "London" arrived in Archangel, Russia with Lord Beaverbrook and Averell Harriman aboard.

MEDITERANNEAN: Operation Halberd: The Allied convoy to Malta is found by air reconnaissance and suffers the loss of one transport. Force H rejoined the convoy at 07:10 hours. Sixteen destroyers formed a bent line screen ahead of two columns of merchant ships. The port column was led by the cruiser "Kenya", followed by "Ajax", "Clan MacDonald", "Imperial Star", "Rowallan Castle" and "City of Calcutta". The starboard column was led by the cruiser "Edinburgh" followed by "Clan Ferguson", MV "Dunedin Star", HMS "Breconshire" and "City of Lincoln". "Rodney" took position behind the port wing of the screen followed by "Prince of Wales". "Nelson" took position behind the starboard wing of the screen followed by "Ark Royal" in formation with the anti-aircraft cruisers "Euryalus" and "Hermione". The cruiser "Sheffield" took position astern of the merchant ships, while the destroyers "Piorun" and "Legion" assumed plane guard positions astern of "Ark Royal". Italian aircraft correctly identified "Ark Royal" at 08:10 hours and the battleships from Naples rendezvoused with the cruisers from Taranto and were joined by the 8th cruiser division at 11:48 hours. The Italian fleet was faster than the battleships of Force H, but was inferior to the British firepower. Since Italian aircraft had reported only a single British battleship, the Italian fleet received authorization at noon to engage the British formation. Regia Aeronautica was requested to provide increased air cover for the Italian fleet. Regia Aeronautica launched a strike of 28 SM.79 and SM.84 torpedo planes with 20 Cr.42 fighters. The strike was met by defending Fulmars and heavy anti-aircraft fire. Three bombers pressed through the barrage of starboard wing destroyers to launch torpedoes at "Nelson". An Italian torpedo bomber hit "Nelson" in the bow with a torpedo. "Nelson" slowed to 15 knots, but maintained position in the convoy. Six more torpedo planes and 1 fighter failed to return from the strike. Friendly fire from "Rodney" and "Prince of Wales" shot down two Fulmars, and a patrolling Swordfish had been shot down by the Italian fighters before the strike ended. The Italian fleet was about 40 miles from the convoy, but decided to return home around 14:30 hours when it learned that the British had two battleships, a carrier and six cruisers at sea. Two more Italian pilots were lost when another flight of ten C.200s ran out of fuel and ditched at sea. In the evening, Force H turned back and sailed for Gibraltar. The merchant vessel "Imperial Star" carrying 8,000 tons of war supplies was hit by another aerial torpedo and damaged. Despite being taken in tow by the destroyer HMS "Oribi" it had to be scuttled the following day. There was no loss of life.

Unternehmen Užice: The Germans launched Operation Užice. Operation Uzice was the first major counter-insurgency operation by the German Wehrmacht on the occupied territory of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia during World War II. The operation was directed against the Užice Republic, the first of several "free territories" liberated by the Yugoslav Partisans. It was named after the town of Užice, and is associated with the First Enemy Offensive.

MIDDLE EAST: Reza Shah Pahlavi departs via Bombay for exile on the island of Mauritius and then in South Africa.

Catroux, Free French Delegate-General, announces independence of Syria. Final Vichy French vessel, "Colombie", departs Haifa with 1415 troops being repatriated to France from the Levant.

NORTH AFRICA: Operation Supercharge: Conclusion of naval transport of British 16th Infantry Brigade into Tobruk while Australian 24th Infantry Brigade is withdrawn to Egypt. British minelaying cruiser HMS "Abdiel" and destroyers HMS "Kandahar", HMS "Jaguar", and HMS "Griffin" departed Alexandria, Egypt after sundown with supplies for Tobruk, Libya. This would be the final Operation Supercharge supply run for the besieged city. Since September 17, Royal Navy has carried 6308 British troops and 2100 tons of supplies into Tobruk and removed 5444 troops mostly Australian 9th Division, 544 wounded, and 1 POW.

After a lengthy siege, British King's African Rifles capture Wolchefit Pass from the Italians (11 miles North of Gondar, the last Italian stronghold in East Africa). The British 25th East African Brigade accepts the surrender of the Italian garrison at Wolchefit.

Western Desert Force officially redesignated British 8th Army under command of General Cunningham.

NORTH AMERICA: The "Patrick Henry" is launched from the Baltimore Naval Yard. The 10,000 ton cargo ship is the first of 2742 "liberty ships" which would be launched in the next few years. 14 Liberty Ships were launched today in the United States. They were to be transferred to the United Kingdom via the Lend-Lease program.

The first US Army Officer Candidate School (OCS) class graduates from Fort Benning, Georgia. General Marshall is to address the class but due to observing the Louisiana Manouvres, Brigadier General Omar Bradley takes his place. The reading focuses on leadership and the concept of the citizen soldier in a democracy.

PACIFIC OCEAN: Joseph Rochefort warned US commanders at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii that the Japanese communication codes were being changed.

German raider "Atlantis" departs rendezvous for Vanavana in the Pomotu Islands (Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia).

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Bomber Command sends 24 aircraft to attack Amiens during the day. RAF Fighter Command flew Circus operations. Blenheims, escorted by Spitfires, bombed the Amiens rail junction. 21 German and 13 British fighters were shot down. Losses of British Blenheim bombers are not known.

RAF combat reports start describing encounters with a radial engined fighter misidentified as either captured French Bloch 151s or Curtiss Hawk 75s. In reality the aircraft is the new Focke-Wulf Fw 190, making it's first appearance in combat. On this day the new German fighter encounters the new British fighter, the Spitfire V for the first time and the German aircraft proves itself to be superior in every respect to the upgraded British fighter.

Karl Kaufhold, a seven victory Experte with JG 54, is killed in a flying accident.

U-boat supply ship "Kota Pinang" departs France.

Operation Chopper/Deepcut: were two British Commando raids by No. 1 Commando during the Second World War. The raids, over the night of 27/28 September 1941, targeted Saint-Aubin-d'Arquenay in France. 65 men of 5 Troop No1 Commando took part in the twin raid against the coast of Northern France. A mistake in navigation took the two LCAs in Force B (Chopper) to Luc sur Mer, 3 miles off course from the objective of Courseulles and landed them in front of an alerted defense, illuminated by flares and raked by fire. Two men were killed, Pte Elwyn Edwards and L/Cpl Cyril Evans, one badly wounded and an LCA so badly holed that the men had to bail water to stay afloat. The other raiding party - Force A (Deepcut) - landed at St Vaast Bay on the Cherbourg peninsula. A party of 5 Troop under Captain G.A. Scaramanga penetrated inland, got no answer when they knocked on the door of a shuttered house and then ambushed a German cycle patrol.

.

 

[Njaco]

September 28 Sunday
ASIA: Light carrier "Hosho" became the temporary flagship of Carrier Division 3.

The Second Battle of Changsha continued. Chinese 9th War Area heavily engaged with isolated Japanese 11th Army around Changsha.

EASTERN FRONT: General Georgy Zhukov announced to his troops that family members of those who become captured by the enemy would be arrested and shot.

Armeegruppe Mitte: Germans enter Donets Basin (Donbas) industrial region, source of over 60 per cent of USSR coal output.

Armeegruppe Sud: Army Group South occupied a line from: the shores of the Sea of Azov, just east of Melitopol, the Dnepr bend bridgeheads at Zaporozhe and Dneprepetrovsk, through Krasnograd and Poltava, and just east of Romny. At Romny the new 'border' with Army Group Centre started, which was now preparing for Operation Typhoon. German 1.Panzergruppe, pushing forward from Dniepr bridgeheads, attacks Soviet 2nd Cavalry Corps around Sumy. German 11.Armee continues attacking in the Perekop isthmus.

Einsatzgruppe C, operating in the Kiev area, stated in their official report that, "The Jewish population was invited by posters to present themselves for resettlement…More than 30,000 Jews appeared; by a remarkably efficient piece of organization, they were led to believe in the resettlement story until shortly before their execution." 34,000 Jews were marched into the Babi Yar Bulka and massacred.

Allied convoy QP-1, which was consisted of 14 British and Soviet merchant ships escorted by British cruiser HMS "London" and four minesweepers, departed Arkhangelsk, Russia at about 1200 hours for Britain.

A conference in Moscow begins. Originally thought of at Placentia Bay in August, Harriman from the US; Beaverbrook for the UK and Molotov meet regarding Lend-Lease and British Aid to Russia. This conference will last through October 1st.

GERMANY: The Oak Leaves and Swords to the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross award (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) and Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillianten) were both established in Germany. The Oak Leaves with Swords clasp was similar in appearance to the Oak Leaves clasp with the exception that a pair of crossed swords were soldered to the base of the Oak Leaves. The first version of the Brillianten was based on the design of the Oak Leaves with Swords clasp with the clasp drilled out to accept the diamonds. This first version was awarded to the first two recipients, Werner Mölders and Adolf Galland.

RAF Bomber Command sends 44 aircraft to attack Frankfurt overnight.

MEDITERANNEAN: An uprising against Bulgarian occupation began in Macedonia region of Greece. SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Reinhard Heydrich arrives in Prague, as new commander of Czechoslovakia. Heydrich imposes martial law on 6 districts of Moravia and Bohemia.

Operation Halberd: The Allied Operation Halberd convoy arrived in Malta and began to disembark 50,000 tons of supplies aboard its ships. Despite reports that the Italian fleet had left port, no ship-to-ship encounters took place, although the convoy came under further torpedo attacks from the air with one transport, "Imperial Star" hit - but her troops were taken off before she sank. The Italian Air Force lost 21 aircraft to RN Fleet Air Arm fighters and the AA guns of the Royal Navy. The entire population of Malta seems to have crowded the shoreline to cheer as three cruisers - their bands playing and crews lined up as though they had been on a peacetime cruise - led the vitally needed convoy into the Grand Harbour of Valetta. Few convoys have had such a powerful escort: three battleships - HMS "Nelson", HMS "Rodney" and HMS "Prince of Wales", the carrier HMS "Ark Royal", five cruisers and 18 destroyers. They were shepherding nine fast merchant ships, totaling 81,000 tons, with 2,600 troops divided among the transports and warships. Admiral Somerville was knighted in recognition of his successful command of Force H during Operation Halberd. It was the second time Somerville had received that honour; and occasioned this memorable congratulatory message from Admiral Cunningham:

"Fancy, twice a knight at your age."

At 2205hrs U-331 began her attempt to break through into the Mediterranean. Next morning at 0430hrs the boat had successfully completed the passage.

RAF Bomber Command sends 41 aircraft to attack Genoa overnight.

Detached from covering convoy GM 2 - Operation Halberd, RN cruiser "Herminone" bombards Pantelleria.

MIDDLE EAST: Syria was declared and independent state by the Vichy government.

NORTH AMERICA: US Army forces conclude large-scale exercises in Louisiana.

PACIFIC OCEAN: Joseph Rochefort warned US commanders at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii that the recent Japanese Navy communications changes might mean the preparation of a large exercise or another major action.

Lt John Bulkeley's USN Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 arrives Manila from the US with six PT boats.

UNITED KINGDOM: The British transferred the airfield RAF Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire, England to the US Army. The airfield would soon house the USAAF 91st Bombardment Group, which would remain until the end of the war.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Fighter Command flew a Roadstead and a Rhubarb operation.

.

 

[Old Wizard]

 

[Njaco]

September 29 Monday
ASIA: Light carrier "Hosho" was relieved of the duty of being Carrier Division 3's temporary flagship.

Being rebuffed by Roosevelt three times during September for a call to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Konoye, the Japanese make a fourth attempt stating;

". . . if nothing came of the proposal for a meeting between the chiefs of our two Governments it might be difficult for Prince Konoye to retain his position and that Prince Konoye then would be likely to be succeeded by a less moderate leader."

Second Battle of Changsha: Chinese 9th War Area is heavily engaged with isolated Japanese 11th Army around Changsha. Chinese Relief troops arrive at Changsha, forcing the Japanese to retreat.

Eight SBs of the Chinese 1st and 2nd BGs returning to base got lost and all the aircraft made forced landings in the fields. One of the SBs missing was the aircraft of the commander of the 2nd BS, Zhang Tiqing. Eventually it became clear that he had become a traitor and deserted to the aerodrome at Hankou delivering a complete SB to the Japanese. After this the 1st and 2nd BGs had to fill up their strength from the 6th BG.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Allied convoy PQ-1 departed Hvalfjörður, Iceland. There is no German attack on this convoy. It will reach Archangel on October 11. The first Allied convoy for the Arctic departed Hvalfjörður, Iceland (having originated from Scotland, United Kingdom) at 1845 hours with 11 merchant ships escorted by cruiser HMS "Suffolk", destroyer HMS "Antelope", destroyer HMS "Impulsive", and four minesweepers. By the end of the year five other convoys had followed it, landing 120,000 tons of supplies at Murmansk, Russia, including 600 tanks, 800 aircraft and 1,400 motor vehicles. It was somewhat embarrassing to the Germans that, between 29 Sep and 31 Dec 1941, all 55 vessels of these first six convoys reached their destination without loss.

Convoy SC-47: Corvettes HMCS "Sherbrooke", "Chicoutimi", "Matapedia" and "Napanee" departed Sydney, Nova Scotia for Convoy SC-47 to Iceland. Convoy SC-47 arrived safely in Liverpool on 20 Oct 41. The early corvettes did not have adequate endurance to complete the trip across the Atlantic and had to divert to Iceland for fuel and stores before returning with a westbound convoy. This necessitated a complicated system of meeting and hand over points between the groups conducting the escort. It also required more escort groups that, as a consequence, were smaller in number. The smaller escort groups resulted in a weak defensive screen that the U-boats were able to exploit successfully. Successful convoys of this period were accomplished by evasive routing that was possible due to intelligence successes. When convoys were intercepted by U-boats, heavy losses resulted.

EASTERN FRONT: The Moscow Conference began with representatives of Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union meeting for the first time in the war. Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov, British Minister of Supply Lord Beaverbrook, and American envoy Harriman met in Moscow, Russia to discuss lend-lease aid to the Soviet Union.

Armeegruppe Nord: Adolf Hitler issues an order regarding the future of Leningrad. Adolf Hitler ordered that Leningrad, Russia was to be wiped out by artillery and aerial bombardment. Germany could not and would not feed its population, which was of no use for the future of Germany. German Army Group North deploys 18.Armee facing Leningrad and 16.Armee stretching south through the Valdai Hills.

Armeegruppe Mitte: German Army Group Center deploys 9.Army, 3.Panzergruppe, 4.Armee, 4.Panzergruppe 2.Armee, and 2.Panzergruppe for renewed offensive toward Moscow

Armeegruppe Süd: Soviet resistance prevented the Germans from moving from southern Ukraine into the Krym (Crimea) region of Russia. The attacks by Heeresgruppe Süd (von Rundstedt) to force an entry into the Crimea are halted. German 11.Armee halts its attempt to break into the Crimea. German Army Group South redeploys 6.Armee toward Kharkov, 17.Armee toward Voroshilovgrad, 1.Panzergruppe toward Rostov, and 11.Armee into the Crimea. Stalin authorizes evacuation by sea of Soviet 51st Army from Odessa to the Crimea.

The German Einsatzgruppen massacred somewhere between 50,000 and 96,000 Ukrainians, 33,771 of whom Jews, at the Babi Yar ravine outside Kiev.

Prime Minister General Alois Elias of Bohemia and Moravia is arrested. This comes two days after the appointment of Heydrich as German Governor. He is tasked with wiping out all opposition to the Nazi occupation. Martial law was declared yesterday and hundreds of Czechs have been rounded up, including, today, the puppet premier Elias. He has been sentenced to death.

GERMANY: RAF Bomber Command sends 139 aircraft to attack Stettin overnight. After sundown, 10 bombers of British RAF No. 102 Squadron were launched from RAF Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, England, to join the bombers in the attack on Stettin. The anti-aircraft fire was reported to be heavy. Another group of bombers took off to attack Hamburg, Germany. RAF Bomber Command sends 93 aircraft to attack Hamburg overnight.

The Stab of ZG 26 is reformed in Stade as Stab./NJG 3 flying Bf 110s with Major Johann Schalk posted as Kommodore.

NORTH AMERICA: In a statement to The Globe and Mail, Commander Andrew McNaughton called the Canadian Corps "a dagger pointed at the heart of Berlin," a phrase that made for great copy in the press back home while Canadian forces continued waiting to see front line action.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The TSS "Zealandia" returns with the final component of Rabaul's defenses, the 17th Antitank Battery commanded by Captain Gwynne Matheson equipped with eight 2-pounder guns.

50 P-40E's are received at Nichols Field, Philippines.

In Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, the Japanese consulate sends the following message to Tokyo: "The following codes will be used hereafter to designate the location of vessels: 1. Repair dock in Navy Yard: KS. 2. Navy dock in the Navy Yard (The Ten Ten Pier): KT. 3. Moorings in the vicinity of Ford Island: FV. 4. Alongside in Ford Island: FG. (East and west sides will be differentiated by A and B respectively."

UNITED KINGDOM: Mr. Churchill today told British MP's about an historic meeting which began yesterday in Moscow between the USSR, Britain and the USA. He told them that although Allied aid to Russia as only now been formally agreed, many desperately needed supplies have already been dispatched. Russia's relative inaccessibility, hemmed in on all sides by enemies or freezing weather, is a major obstacle.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Fighter Command flew Rhubarb operations.

.

 

[Old Wizard]

 

[parsifal]

27 SEPTEMBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIc DKM U-436
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Allied
Bangor Class MSW / Corvette HMCS CHEDABUCTO (J-168)

U Class submarine HMS UNA (N-87)

HDML 1059
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
Motor FV FRAM (Faroes 92 grt) was sunk at Vestmannhavn by the LW. There were no casualties on the vessel.

[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Convoy HG 73
Cam Ship HMS SRINGBANK (RN 5155 grt) was sunk by U.201 in the SW Approaches. At 0209 hrs fired the stern torpedo at a steamer in the convoy but missed, so the U-boat turned around and fired a spread of two torpedoes at the same ship at 0211 hrs. Lookouts on HMS SRINGBANK on station in the fifth column observed a torpedo passing between her and the LEADGATE in station #41, shortly before the CAM ship was hit on the port side by two torpedoes about 430 miles WSW of Cape Clear. Most survivors from the vessel were rescued by Corvette JASMINE, which went alongside to take off survivors and later scuttled her by gunfire after an attempt to sink her with depth charges failed. One officer and 31 ratings were lost. Other survivors were picked up by Corvette HIBISCUS, which landed them at Gibraltar and by Corvette PERIWINKLE which landed them at Milford Haven.

U-201 sank Steamer CERVANTES (UK 1810 grt) from the convoy . The ship was on passage from Lisbon to Liverpool with a mixed cargo of potash and cork. A crew of 40 was embarked, 8 of whom would be lost in the attack. At 0208 hrs, U-201 struck again, as she fired a spread of two torpedoes at a steamer of 5000 tons and a corvette NNE of the Azores, observed a bright flash close to the escort and a steamer sinking immediately. In fact, one torpedo apparently detonated prematurely close to the LEADGATE in station #41 but the other hit and sank the CERVANTES in station #53. The day before the ship had picked up three survivors from AVOCETA after she had been sunk from the same convoy by U-203. Survivors were were picked up by the British steam merchant STARLING from the same convoy and landed at Liverpool on 1 October.

U-201 sank steamer MARGARETA (UK 3103 grt) in the SW approaches from the convoy on the 27th. The submarine also reported sinking a corvette and a steamer from the convoy. There were no casualties for the crew of 34 on the steamer. The ship was carrying a mixed cargo when lost, mostly scrap iron and cork. At 2303 hrs, U-201 fired two G7e torpedoes from a distance of 3500 meters at two ships in convoy HG-73 SW of Cape Clear and observed one ship breaking in two after being hit, sinking within one minute and another sinking by the stern. However, only the MARGARETA in station #42 was hit and sunk. Survivors were rescued by Corvette HIBIDCUS and landed at Gibraltar.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Bergen: U-566

Departures
Lorient: U-129
St Nazaire: U-75

At Sea 27 September 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-75, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-201, U-203, U-204, U-205, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-431, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-572, U-573, U-575, U-576

34 Boats

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Submarine TRIDENT sank ASW trawler UJ 1201 (DKM 446 grt) (former UJ 126: trawler STEIERMARK) off Rolvsoy Sound, near Oslo).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

West Coast
Convoy OG.75 departed Liverpool escorted by sloop ROCHESTER and corvettes BLUEBELL, CAMPION, CARNATION, HELIOTROPE, and MALLOW. MSW trawler BURKE and AA vessel ARIGUANI joined the convoy on the 28th. Corvette LA MALOUINE joined the convoy on 3 October. On 4 October, DD LAMERTON joined the escort. DDs FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FURY, LEGION, and LIVELY departed Gibraltar on 7 October and joined the escort on 8 October. Corvette FLEUR DE LYS departed Gibraltar on 8 October and joined the convoy escort. DD VIDETTE joined the escort on 13 October. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on 13 October.

On 13 October, CV ARK ROYAL, which was exercising east of Gibraltar, flew off aircraft to provide escort for the convoy.

Channel
During the night of 27/28 September, RN LSI PRINCE LEOPOLD, accompanied by MGB.316, MGB.314, MGB.312, landed a Commando unit at St Vaast, near Cherbourg in Operation Chopper and Deepcut. DDs FERNIE and VANITY provided covering patrol. On the night of 28th Sep 1941 65 men of 5 Troop No1 Commando took part in a twin raid against the coast of Northern France. One raiding party landed at Luc sur Mer (Chopper) and took a number of casualties including two killed, Pte Elwyn Edwards and L/Cpl Cyril Evans. The other raiding party landed at St Vaast Bay (Deepcut) and ambushed a German cycle patrol. There were over 30 Germans killed, but more importantly The force withdrew after obtaining information on a variety of vital issues.

Men of 5 Troop No1 Commando took part in a twin raid against the coast of Northern France

Med/Biscay
ML cruiser ABDIEL and DDs KANDAHAR, JAGUAR, and GRIFFIN departed Alexandria for Tobruk on Serial 13 of the SUPERCHARGE operation. The ships arrived back at Alexandria on the 28th and SUPERCHARGE came to an end.

Also sailing on this date was Serial 14. ASW trawler WOLBOROUGH, A 7, A 11, and store ship MIRANDA departed Alexandria. They turned back on the 28th after A 11 was bomb damaged. They sailed again on the 29th and arrived on 1 October.

Store ship TIBERIO also sailed on this date in Serial 15 and arrived at Mersa Matruh. She sailed on the 28th and was damaged in error by the RAF on the 30th. She arrived at Tobruk on 1 October. In this series of operations 6308 officers and men and 2100 tons of stores were carried to Tobruk. 5444 officers and men, 544 wounded, and one prisoner of war was brought from Tobruk.

Submarine UPRIGHT sank TB ALBATROS (RM 334 grt) off Messina. DKM U.371 rescued forty two survivors.

Submarine TETRARCH made an unsuccessful attack on a steamer in Zea Channel. Later that day, the submarine sank coastal steamer PANAJOTIS KRAMOTTOS (Ex Gk 120 grt) with artillery SW of Milos.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Dutch submarine O.21 made an unsuccessful attack on a steamer.

Operation Halberd
Air attacks on the convoy had been in progress since 1300 hrs when a formation of 12 Italian Cant Z-1007 and BR 20 bombers approached from the north at low altitude. Guns from the convoy ships and Fulmars from ARK ROYAL managed to destroy or drive off eight of the raiders; the remaining four attempted an attack without success.


At 1330 hrs a second wave of raiders attacked out of the sun. Six Z-1007 bombers approached line abreast and despite heavy gunfire from the ships three managed to press home their attack, hitting the NELSON with a torpedo; fortunately her speed was the same as the convoy speed so that she remained with the covering force. A third wave of enemy a/c approached but did not make any attack


BB NELSON was damaged by an aerial torpedo and had her speed reduced to 18 knots, later further reduced to 15 knots. DD ZULU was damaged by splinters from the near miss. Then at 1430 hrs came a radio signal from Malta: two BBs, four cruisers and 16 DDs of the RM were just 80 miles from the convoy and closing fast. Fleet commander Admiral Somerville prepared for an attack BBs PRINCE OF WALES, NELSON, and RODNEY and six DDs were detached to attack these elements of the RM. CV ARK ROYAL also prepared an air strike. After speed of the NELSON was reduced further and she was forced to drop out, CLs EDINBURGH and SHEFFIELD were ordered to replace her. In rapidly deteriorating weather the two fleets missed each other. The RM as a whole was suffering severe shortages of fuel oil at this point which severely affected its operational freedom of movement. For Force H, the prime directive remained protection of the convoy. The prospects of intercepting the RM were judged as slim, and as a result the ships returned to the convoy and at 1900 hrs the main force turned west to return to Gibraltar as planned

On the 27th, troopship IMPERIAL STAR (UK 12000 grt) was badly damaged in the narrows after being struck by an air launched torpedo. IMPERIAL STAR was carrying 300 passengers as well as a large volume of supplies – was badly damaged, her engines stopped and her steering gear failed. DD HEYTHROP took off the 300 troops and crew and DD ORIBI took IMPERIAL STAR in tow. However, the 12000 ton merchant ship was too heavy for the DD and the tow line parted. It proved impossible to make headway. IMPERIAL STAR was now low in the water and drifting towards the coast of Sicily and the decision was made to sink her. The remainder of the crew was taken off and ORIBI laid depth charges to sink her. However, despite this and repeated shelling the merchant ship remained afloat and had to be abandoned. There were no casualties on IMPERIAL STAR but three Fleet Air Arm pilots were killed defending the convoy. There were no casualties on the troopship.

The Malta convoy with its close escort of five cruisers and nine destroyers continued its passage eastwards, taking the same route as the last convoy, 'Operation Substance', through the Skerki Channel close to the Sicilian coast. As the night skies cleared, Italian bombers relaunched their attacks, singly and in pairs. Approaching low and fast to launch their torpedoes they were difficult to see against the dark sky.Cossack, Kenya, Oribi and the merchantman Rowallan Castle suffered near-misses. The convoy ships took evasive action; two collided trying to dodge a torpedo, but another merchant ship was hit.

BB RODNEY shot down in error a Fulmar of 807 Sqn. Sub Lt P. Guy and Leading Airman Jones were picked up by DD DUNCAN. A second Fulmar of 807 Sqn was also shot down by RODNEY. Lt G. C. M. Guthrie and Petty Officer A. T. Goodman were also picked up by DD DUNCAN.

During the night of 27/28 September, CLA HERMIONE bombarded Pantelleria for five minutes. Steamers CITY OF CALCUTTA and ROWALLAN CASTLE were damaged in a collision.

Steamers MELBOURNE STAR departed Malta at 1130 and arrived at Gibraltar on the 29th. Steamers PORT CHALMERS and CITY OF PRETORIA departed Malta at 1100 on 27September and arrived at Gibraltar on the 30th.

Lt M. W. Watson and A/Sub Lt (A) P. W. N. Couch of the 808 Sqn of CV ARK ROYAL were lost when their Fulmar was accidently shot by by gunfire from BB PRINCE OF WALES. BB NELSON was detached with five DDs to return to Gibraltar at dark on the 28th. She was escorted by DDs DUNCAN, PIORUN, and GARLAND back to Gibraltar. DD ROCKINGHAM and corvettes JONQUIL, FLEUR DE LYS, SAMPHIRE, and ARBUTUS departed Gibraltar on the 29th to join the escort. All arrived at Gibraltar on the 30th. On the 27th, DD DUNCAN picked up the pilot of a Fulmar aircraft accidently shot down by RODNEY.

HMS SHEFFIELD and other escorts of Operation Halberd

Central Atlantic
Submarine CLYDE encountered U.111 supplying U.68 in Tarafal Bay,St Antao Island, Cape Verde Islands. Submarine CLYDE was missed by torpedoes from U.68 and was narrowly missed when the second submarine attempted to ram her. At 0330, the CLYDE was damaged in a collision with U.67. Submarine CLYDE arrived at Gibraltar on 4 October.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
T/Sub Lt (A) C. F. G. Carr-Gregg RNVR, and Air Mechanic D. V. Blacklaws were killed when their Fulmar of RN Fulmar Flight Dehkheila crashed off Hurguarda in the Red Sea during an a dummy attack on a warship.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 27 SEPTEMBER TO DAWN 28 SEPTEMBER 1941
Weather Cloudy.

No air raids.

OPERATIONS REPORTS SATURDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 1941

ROYAL NAVY SS Port Chalmers and City of Pretoria sailed for Gibraltar at 1100 hrs.

AIR HQ 2 Blenheims on convoy escort; 1 Blenheim anti-submarine patrol. 69 Squadron Marylands reconnaissance Palermo, Cape Carbonara, Sicily, Sardinia, east Sicilian coast and special patrols and searches. 1 Blenheim on anti-submarine patrol. 105 Squadron 6 Blenheims sent to attack Porto Empedocle; 4 returned due to bad weather, the remaining two carried out the attack. 185 Squadron 6 Hurricane fighters and 6 Hurricane fighter-bombers attacked Comiso aerodrome three times, dropping 5140lbs of bombs and setting fire to several buildings and aircraft. 252 Squadron 2 Beaufighters attacked Marsala seaplane base. 272 Squadron 6 Beaufighters attacked the seaplane base at Cagliara. 2 Beaufighters attacked Borizzo aerodrome. 3 Beaufighters on patrol over Trapani against e-boats.

TA QALI Sergeants Mess in New Camp taken over.

 

[parsifal]

Halder's Diary 27 September 1941

 

[parsifal]

28 SEPTEMBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Type II Hunt Class DD HMS DULVERTON (L-63)

Fairmile B ML 338
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses

UBOATS
Departures
Brest; U-83
Lorient; U-79

At Sea 28 September 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-84, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-201, U-203, U-204, U-205, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-431, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-572, U-573, U-575,

35 Boats

OPERATIONS
East Front
Arctic
Convoy QP.1 departed Archangel at 1200 with Dutch steamer ALCHIBA, British tanker BLACK RANGER, British steamers ESNEH, LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE, NEW WESTMINSTER CITY, LANCASTRIAN PRINCE, and TREHATA, and Soviet steamers SEVZAPLES, SUKHONA, ALMA ATA, BUDENNE, MOSSOVET, RODINA, and STARY BOLSHEVIK. Local escort for the convoy was MSWs HALCYON, HARRIER, and SALAMANDER from 28 to 30 September. CA LONDON escorted the convoy from 28 September to 2 October. CA SHROPSHIRE departed Scapa Flow on the 28th escorted the convoy from 2 to 10 October, relieving CA LONDON in 74-55N, 27-30E.

DDs ELECTRA escorted the convoy from 28 September to 9 October, ACTIVE from 28 September to 5 October, and ANTHONY from 4 to 9 October. Trawlers MACBETH and HAMLET of the 73rd MSW Gp escorted the convoy from 28 September to 9 October. Trawler OPHELIA escorted the convoy from 28 September to 5 October. Trawler OPHELIA, escorting tanker BLACK RANGER en route to convoy PQ.1, developed defects and was towed by destroyer ACTIVE to Akureyri, arriving on 10 October.

Soviet steamers SUKHONA and MOSSOVET straggled from the convoy, but arrived safely. The convoy dispersed off the Orkneys on 10 October, the steamers proceeding to their destinations in convoy WN 91. CA SHROPSHIRE was detached 10 October and arrived at Scapa Flow on the 11 October.

DD ANTHONY escorting oiler BLACK RANGER and steamer LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE arrived at Scapa Flow on the 11 October. DD ELECTRA arrived at Scapa Flow on 11 October.

North Sea
DD SOUTHWOLD was damaged in a collision with patrol sloop SHEARWATER off Sheringham. Neither ship received more than minor damage. SOUTHWOLD was repaired during refitting at Chatham from 10 October to 7 November. The sloop was repaired at Harwich from 4 to 8 October.

Northern Patrol
MSWs LEDA, BRITOMART, GOSSAMER, and HUSSAR arrived at Hvalfjord for escort duty in convoy PQ.1.

Convoy ON.19 A departed Reykavik, escorted by RCN DD ST CROIX and corvettes AGASSIZ, EYEBRIGHT, and PRESCOTT. The convoy was dispersed on 4 October.

West Coast
DD OFFA departed the Clyde for work up at Scapa Flow, where she arrived on the 29th.

Convoy ON.21 departed Liverpool, escorted by DD KEPPEL. On the 30th, DDs SABRE and VENOMOUS, corvettes DIANELLA and SUNFLOWER, and ASW trawlers LADY ELSA, MAN O.WAR, and NORTHERN DAWN joined. DD SABRE was detached on 2 October and DDs KEPPEL and VENOMOUS were detached on 5 October. The remainder escort ships were detached on 6 October after RCN DD ST LAURENT and corvettes BITTERSWEET, CHILLIWACK, COLLINGWOOD, SNOWBERRY, and TRAIL joined on 5 October. The convoy was dispersed on 14 October and the escorts detached.

Fishing trawler MURIELLE (UK 96 grt) was badly damaged by a mine eight to nine miles SSW of Morecambe Bay Light Vessel (Nth of Liverpool). The trawler sank in tow, with no casualties.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Med/Biscay
DDs NAPIER and JACKAL departed Alexandria to reinforce the Suez escort force. The destroyers passed through the Canal on the 29th.

Submarine TETRARCH damaged steamer YALOVA (Ger 3751 grt) twenty miles south of San Giorgio.The steamer was able to beach herself, but was finished off on 3 October by submarine TALISMAN.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Argonauta class submarine FISALA (RM 650 grt) was sunk by Corvette HYACINTH off Jaffa in 32-19N, 34-17E.

Sister ship SERPENTE

Operation Halberd
On the 28th, light cruiser HERMIONE bombarded Pantelleria. Over 50000 tons of supplies were landed on Malta

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
Convoy BP.16 departed Bombay, escorted by Greek cruiser GEORGIOS AVEROFF. The cruiser was detached en route and arrived back at Bombay on 4 October for boiler repairs. The convoy arrived at Basra on 5 October. Convoys BP.17 through BP.40 in April 1942 traveled without escort.

Australian troop convoy US.12B departed Fremantle with liners AQUITANIA , JOHAN VAN OLDENBARNEVELDT , MARNIX VAN ST ALDEGONDE , and SIBAJAK . Steamer SIBAJAK was detached to Singapore.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 28 SEPTEMBER TO DAWN 29 SEPTEMBER 1941
Weather Fine and warm.

1230 hrs A convoy of eight merchant ships plus escort arrives at Malta.

1530-1555 hrs Air raid alert for two Macchi 200 fighters which approach to within half a mile of the coast, follow the coast line southwards and turn south east at Grand Harbour. Two heavy anti-aircraft guns fire pointer rounds; no claims. Eight Hurricanes are scrambled; no interceptions.

2221-2340 hrs Air raid alert for five unidentified enemy bombers approaching the Island separately. Only two cross the coast at Kalafrana and Grand Harbour. Searchlights illuminate one aircraft which is barraged by heavy anti-aircraft guns. The raiders drop bombs in the sea off Grand Harbour and off Tigne and retreat.

OPERATIONS REPORTS SUNDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 1941

ROYAL NAVY Operation Halberd successfully completed, with the exception of the loss of Imperial Starin the Skerki Channel; no casualties.

AIR HQ Departures 1 Wellington. 38 Squadron 12 Wellingtons attacked Palermo. 69 Squadron 1 Maryland on patrol, 1 Maryland photoreconnaissance Taranto. Marylands reconnaissance Pantelleria and westwards, Messina, Naples; Marylands shadowing enemy fleet; one Maryland on patrol. 107 Squadron 1 Blenheim patrol eastern Sicily. 2 Blenheims search for damaged merchant ship. 1 Blenheim patrol Cape Passero. 113 Squadron 2 Blenheims at a time on two anti-submarine patrols. 2 Blenheims on anti e-boat patrol off Pantelleria; Sgt Crossley failed to return. 2 Blenheims anti e-boat patrol Trapani. 272 Squadron 2 Beaufighters attack 2 e-boats. 10 Beaufighters attacked a convoy escort.

TA QALI 344 airmen arrived from home establishment by convoy. Palazzo Parisio, Naxxar, taken over and 15 airmen housed there. 50 airmen are housed in the Manchester Regiment barrack block at Imtarfa.

 

[parsifal]

Halder's Diary 28 September 1941

 

[parsifal]

29 SEPTEMBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Accentor Class MSW USS BARBET (AMc-38)
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Accentor Class MSW USS DOMINANT (AMc-76)
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Allied
N Class DD HMAS NORMAN (G-49)

Flower class corvette HNoMS MONTBRETIA (K-208)

Bangor class MSW/Corvette HMCS MAHONE (J-159)

Bar Class Boom Defence vessel HMS BAROVA (Z-94)

Losses
None

UBOATS
Arrivals
Bergen: U-576

Departures
Bergen: U-566
Kiel; U-208, U-374, U-502
St Nazaire: U-71

At Sea 29 September 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-201, U-203, U-204, U-205, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-572, U-573, U-575,

39 Boats

OPERATIONS
East Front
Black Sea/Caspian
Tanker SUPERGA (FI 6154 grt) was sunk by Soviet submarine SC.211 near Varna in the Black Sea.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Northern Patrol
Convoy PQ.1 with steamers ATLANTIC, BLAIRNEVIS, ELNA II, HARMONIC, Panamanian NORTH KING & CAPIRA, Belgian VILLE D'ANVERS, BLACK RANGER, GEMSTONE, LORCA, and RIVER AFTON departed Hvalfjord at 1845 escorted by CA SUFFOLK, DDs ANTELOPE and IMPULSIVE, and MSWs BRITOMART, GOSSAMER, LEDA, and HUSSAR.

DD ANTHONY departed Hvalfjord with oiler BLACK RANGER on the 29th and sailed with the convoy. On 4 October, the DD and oiler met returning convoy QP.1. DD ANTELOPE was detached on 2 October to Scapa Flow.

DD ESCAPADE departed Scapa Flow on the 28th for Seidisfjord for refueling from Oiler BLACK RANGER. The DD arrived on the 30th. She departing and joined the recently departed convoy PQ.1 on 2 October, escorting it to 11 October.

Convoy PQ.1 arrived at Murmansk on 11 October at 0240.

An allied conference aboard BB KING GEORGE V between Admiral Commanding, Home Fleet, Admiral Commanding, Western Approaches, Admiral Commanding, Iceland Command, Air Officer Commanding Iceland, US Rear Admiral R. C. Giffen (SO, US Naval Forces in Iceland), and staffs concluded. Admiral Commanding, Western Approaches, which had arrived by air on the 26th, took passage back to England in DD ASHANTI.


Med/Biscay
RAN DD VENDETTA and two ML's departed Alexandria for Haifa.

Tanker FLUVIOR (FI 389 grt) was sunk by mining at Tripoli.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer ILVANIA (FI 487 grt) was sunk at Port Torres, Sardinia, to unknown cause.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Operation Halberd
Italian submarines DIASPRO at 0617 on the 29th in 37-32N, 6-45W, SERPENTE at 1642 in 37-22N, 6-16E carried out unsuccessful attacks on Force H. DDs LEGION and LANCE damaged submarine SERPENTE in counter attacks.

Nth Atlantic
Submarine TRUANT departed St Johns, NF, on the 19th after refitting at Portsmouth, NH, and had been delayed by engine defects.

Convoy SC.47 departed Sydney, CB, escorted by corvettes CHICOUTIMI, MATAPEDIA, NAPANEE, and SHERBROOKE. Corvette CHAMBLY joined on 1 October and DDs RAMSEY and RICHMOND and corvette ORILLIA on 4 October. DDs BROKE, MANSFIELD, and WOLVERINE, corvette EGLANTINE, and ASW trawler KING SOL joined on 11 October. DDs RAMSEY and RICHMOND and corvettes CHAMBLY, MATAPEDIA, ORILLIA, and SHERBROOKE were detached on 12 October, DDs BROKE, MANSFIELD, and WOLVERINE on 15 October, corvette EGLANTINE on 16 October, and ASW trawler KING SOL on 17 October. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 20 October.


Central Atlantic
Submarine ULTIMATUM arrived at Gibraltar from Barrow. DDs AVONVALE and ERIDGE arrived at Suez from Gibraltar, via Capetown. The DDs were held at Suez for duty with Suez Escort Force until 5 October. At that time they proceeded to Alexandria and joined the DesFlot 2 in the Med Flt.

The troopships of convoy WS.11X, less LEINSTER, departed Gibraltar for Freetown, escorted by DDs VIMY and WILD SWAN The troopships were turned over to corvettes WOODRUFF and MIGNONETTE on the 2nd. The DDs, after spending 2 to 5 October at Bathurst, were to join CVL EAGLE off Bathurst on 6 October. EAGLE and sloop COMMANDANT DUBOC, escorted by CL DUNEDIN, sloop BRIDGEWATER, and corvettes ARMERIA and ASTER, had departed Freetown 4 October. DD VIMY was detached and DD WILD SWAN finally met the carrier and sloop. DD CROOME departed Gibraltar on 5 October to join the ships and escorted them to Gibraltar, arriving at Gibraltar on 11 October.

Submarines THORN and TRUANT arrived at Gibraltar after she had departed Holy Loch on the 22nd.

Sth Atlantic
CA HAWKINS arrived at Montevideo

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
CL GALATEA departed Port Said.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 29 SEPTEMBER TO DAWN 30 SEPTEMBER 1941

Weather Fine and warm.

No air raids.

OPERATIONS REPORTS MONDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 1941

AIR HQ Departures 7 Beaufighter. Fleet Air Arm One Fulmar Fleet Air Arm offensive patrol over Catania, Gerbini and Comiso made a machine-gun attack and dropped bombs on Gerbini aerodrome, causing a violent explosion and fire. 38 Squadron 10 Wellingtons attacked a motor transport park in Tripoli. 69 Squadron Marylands reconnaissance/patrols Catania, Comiso, Augusta, Cagliari, Palermo Harbour, Naples and Messina Harbours. 107 Squadron 6 Blenheims attacked targets at Buerat. 272 Squadron 4 Beaufighters attacked Elmas aerodrome and seaplane base.

 

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Halder's Diary 29 September 1941

 

[parsifal]

30 SEPTEMBER 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Isles Class ASW Trawler HMS HILDESAY (T-173)
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

HDML 1057
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Fairmile B MLS 291, 300
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Vos[er 70' Type MTB 221
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
MSW trawler EILEEN DUNCAN (RN 223 grt) and MSW trawler STAR OF DEVERON (RN 220 grt) were sunk by the LW at the River Tyne.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Departures
Bergen: U-576
St Nazaire: U-206

At Sea 30 September 1941
U-66, U-67, U-68, U-69, U-71, U-75, U-79, U-83, U-94, U-97, U-103, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-129, U-132, U-204, U-205, U-206, U-208, U-331, U-371, U-372, U-373, U-374, U-431, U-502, U-552, U-559, U-562, U-564, U-565, U-572, U-573, U-575,

38 Boats

OPERATIONS
East Front
Arctic
Submarine TRIDENT unsuccessfully attacked German hospital ship BIRKA.

Black Sea/Caspian
LW Stuka dive bombers damaged VMF DDs BEZUPRECHNY, BESPOSHCHADNY and BOYKI in the Black Sea off Odessa during sustained attacks over a six hour time frame. The attacks are in broad daylight and in conditions of ideal visibility. .

VMF DD SOVERSHENNY was mined whilst undergoing on trials near Sevastapol. The DD was repaired.

North Sea
DD ECLIPSE departed Rosyth and arrived at Scapa Flow later that day on completion of boiler cleaning and minor repairs.

Submarine SUNFISH, refitting at Tyneside, was damaged by near misses from LW attacks. Temporary repairs were carried out on the submarine at Tyneside from 3 October to 1 November. The submarine was then taken to Portsmouth where repairs were completed on 9 October 1943.

West Coast.
DD DULVERTON departed the Clyde for Scapa Flow to work up. The DD arrived on 1 October.

Channel
CA KENT, after repairs and refitting at Devonport, departed Devonport on the 30th, escorted by DD NORMAN. Both ships arrived at Scapa Flow on 1 October. British steamer CEDARWOOD was damaged by the LW off Dover.

Med/Biscay
Submarine ADUA (RM 680 grt) at 0350 hrs on the 30th attacked DDs in Force H as it was on its return to Gibraltar, off Algeria.. DD GURKHA damaged submarine DIASPRO in counter attacks Submarine ADUA was sunk by DDs GURKHA and LEGION on the 30th east of Cartagena.

ADUA under construction in Monfalcone

Central Atlantic
Corvette JONQUIL departed Gibraltar to meet arriving tanker LA CARRIERE, which had not been met by ASW trawlers ERIN and LADY SHIRLEY as planned. The tanker and corvette arrived on 2 October.

Sth Atlantic
Uruguayan authorities seized steamers ADAMELLO (FI 5785 grt), and FAUSTO (FI 5285 grt) at Montevideo.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

Pacific/Australia
CL DAUNTLESS arrived at Singapore, whilst CL DANAE departed Singapore.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 30 SEPTEMBER TO DAWN 1 OCTOBER 1941
Weather Fine and fresh.

No air raids.

OPERATIONS REPORTS TUESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 1941

AIR HQ Arrivals 4 Wellington. Departures 6 Beaufighter, 4 Blenheim fighter. Fleet Air Arm One Fulmar on offensive patrol over Gerbini and Catania aerodromes dropped high explosive bombs on Gerbini dispersal area. 38 Squadron 9 Wellingtons attacked a motor transport depot in Tripoli. 69 SquadronPhotoreconnaissance eastern and southern Sicily, east Calabrian coast and Tripoli. Patrol of east Sicilian coast and shipping search off Tripoli area. 107 Squadron 4 Blenheims attacked shipping and motor transport near Misurata and Beurat. 1 Blenheim attacked a schooner. 1 Blenheim on search for shipping north of Crotone.

HAL FAR 185 Squadron 11 Hurricanes attacked Comiso aerodrome, 5 carrying bombs and 6 acting as fighter escort. High explosive bombs and incendiaries were dropped on buildings and a dispersal area. The aircraft of P/O Lintern failed to return

 

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Halder's Diary 30 September 1941

 

[parsifal]

Summary Of Losses XXXXXX 1941 (Unfinished)

Allied
Allied Warships




XXXXX(RN)), (Total XXXXX grt Naval Tonnage)


Allied Shipping




XXXXXXX (UK), XXXXX (Gk), XXXX (Be), XXXXX (Nor), XXXXX (NL), XXXX (NZ)
XXXX grt (Mercantile)


Total Mercantile and Military losses: XXXXX grt



Prizes captured




Neutral shipping




( grt Mercantile)



Neutral warships



Total Neutral Mercantile + Military: 1215 grt
Total Allied + Neutral: XXXXX grt



Prizes taken
None



Cumulative Losses since 9/39
XXXXXX grt Allied and Neutral Mercantile and Naval tonnage losses


Axis Warships
DKM
XXXXX(DKM XXX grt),



(XXX grt)


RM


XXXX (RM XXXX grt),



(XXXXX grt)



Axis Shipping
GER


(XXXXX grt)


(FI)




Vichy


(XXXXX grt)


Total Axis Mercantile (XXXXX grt)
Total Axis Mercantile and Naval Tonnage losses: ( XXXXXX grt)



Captured ships




XXX (UK XXXX grt), (XXX Gk)
(+) (XXXXX grt)

 

[Njaco]

September 30 Tuesday
ASIA: Second Battle of Changsha: Japanese 11th Army, cut off around Changsha, breaks out overnight and begins withdrawing to the north. They suffer serious losses in the retreat to Yoochow. Chinese estimates range up to 40,000 losses for the Japanese, a major victory for the Chinese. Chinese troops at Changsha declared victory at the Second Battle of Changsha after pushing Japanese troops back to the Yueyang region.

Representatives of France and Thailand further defined the boundaries between Thailand and French Indochina per the 9 May 1941 peace treaty.

EASTERN FRONT: The end of September is viewed by most historians as the end of Operation Barbarossa. The advance of the German Army into Russia is nearly unparalleled in the history of warfare. In one season, the Wehrmacht had destroyed some 2 million of their enemy and advanced nearly 500 miles on a 1000 mile front. However, despite this triumph of arms, the Germans fell far short of their goals for the campaign. Leningrad was surrounded, but not captured. Moscow was still 180 miles away and Rostov slightly further. The Soviet Army was hurt, but far from destroyed and still in the field. By the end of September, 1360 Soviet heavy industrial plants had been moved from areas that were now occupied by the Germans to the Urals and points east. Russia was beginning its recovery from the summer onslaught. Meanwhile Germany had lost half of their tank strength and nearly 10% of its fighting soldiers.

Armeegruppe Nord: Leningrad's defenders have stopped the Germans seven miles from the city, within sight of its church spires. Today General Zhukov arrives to take charge of the city's defenses.

Armeegruppe Mitte: Unternehmen Taifun: Operation Typhoon begins, an attack by German forces on Moscow - "the last battle of the year for the annihilation of the enemy," as Hitler had put it. Field Marshal Fedor von Bock commands 70 divisions of Army Group Center with Günther Von Kluge's 4.Armee and Strauss' 9.Armee. Unternehmen Taifun got an unofficial start when Guderian's 2.Panzergruppe attacked two days ahead of the rest of the operation. Guderian began his offensive at 0635 hours, with his two panzer corps striking the unsuspecting Soviets. The 3.Panzer-Divisionen (Lieutenant General W. Model) moved off towards the east at Glukhov, along with it the 4.Panzer-Divisionen (Major General W. von Langermann), the 10.Infanterie-Division (mot.) (Lieutenant General F-W von Loeper), and the whole XXIV.Armeekorps (mot.) (General of Panzer Troops Geyr von Schweppenburg) moved into action. To the left was General Lemelsen's XLVII.Armeekorps (mot.) with 17.Panzer Divisionen (Lieutenant General H-J von Arnim) and 18.Panzer Divisionen (Major General W. Nehring) and 29.Infanterie-Division (mot.) (Major General W. von Boltenstern). Behind was General Kempf's XLVIII.Armeekorps (mot.), another two Infantry Corps with six divisions, and the 1.Kavallerie-Division (Lieutenant General O. Mengers) for subsequent flank protection. Guderian's left flank was virtually in the air, with the 1.Kavallerie-Division screening a 60km wide sector between his Panzer Group and von Weichs' Second (Infantry) Army. Thus the 2.Panzergruppe was moving towards the north again in a broad wedge aimed at Moscow. Outside the ancient Ukrainian capital of Glukhov Guderian hit the unprepared Operational Group Ermakov and scattered its five divisions, soon creating a 13-mile gap between him and the Soviet 13th Army. The five divisions in Major General's Arkadii Ermakov's operational group (three infantry, two cavalry and two tank brigades) had not dug in their troops or artillery. The main Schwerpunkt, Kampfgruppe Eberbach of 4.Panzer-Divisionen, attacked the newly raised 283rd Rifle Division and inexperienced 150th Tank Brigade in the flat terrain near Essman. On the flanks of the Schwerpunkt, 3.Panzer-Divisionen dispersed the 121st Tank Brigade and the 10 Motorized Infantry Division attempted to pin down the two cavalry divisions of Group Ermakov. Due to poor communications and limited reconnaissance capabilities, Ermakov thought his group was being attacked by only a single German corps and sent this faulty information to the front commander, Lieutenant General Yeremenko. The forward panzers break through the Russian 13th Army positions and advance up to 10 miles toward Orel. By nightfall 3.Panzer-Divisionen had its first experience with Katyusha rockets, dogs trained to run under tanks with explosives fixed to their backs, and almost undetectable wooden-cased, antitank mines. This modern battle of Cannae was intended to unroll in two phases. Phase one was to open with a break-through along the Soviet " Western Front " where it was held by the Ninth and Fourth Armies, to the north and south of the Smolensk-Moscow motor highway. Two Panzer groups were to race through the gap—3.Panzergruppe forming the northern and 4.Panzergruppe the southern jaw of the pincer movement. These jaws were to close on the highway near Vyazma, thereby surrounding the enemy forces outside the immediate defenses of the city. Simultaneously, Guderian's Panzer Corps was to strike towards Orel from the south-west, from the Glukhov area in the Northern Ukraine. After driving deep into the rear of Yeremenko's forces the Corps would wheel towards Bryansk. Three Soviet Armies would thus be encircled. Phase two of the operation then envisaged the pursuit of all escaping enemy forces along a broad front by all three Panzer Groups; this to be followed by a drive to Moscow, with either the capture or the encirclement of the city.

Armeegruppe Sud: Kleist's 1.Panzergruppe attacks east from the Dniepr at Dnepropetrovsk, and easily breaks through the Soviet defensive line. They are headed for Donetsk and Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov. The leadership of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet began to consider evacuating forces in Odessa, Ukraine to the Crimean region of Russia (now also in Ukraine). Italian troops were able to encircle some sizeable Red Army units near Petrikovka. The Italians took more than 10,000 prisoners of war.

Renewed German attacks against Soviet forces on Saaremaa (Osel) Island in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Estonia.

Timoshenko takes command of Soviet Southwestern Front. Stavka began assembling a new 6th Army around Krasnograd.

Schnellkampfgeschwader( SKG) 210 receives a new Kommodore when Major Arved Crüger is posted in place of Major Walter Storp. The pilots and crew of III./JG 27 receives a new Gruppenkommandeur when Hptm. Erhard Braune is posted in place of the outgoing Hptm. Max Dobislav. The crew of III./JG 52 also receive a new Gruppenkommandeur when Major Hubertus von Bonin is appointed the Gruppe's leader when Major Albert Blumensaat leaves the Gruppe.

In a dogfight over Leningrad, the Gruppenkommandeur of III./JG 54, Hptm. Arnold Lignitz, loses a wing from his Bf 109 and spins down to earth out of control. Hptm. Lignitz is able to bail out but is killed as a prisoner of war. The Ritterkreuz holder had twenty-five victories and his place as Gruppenkommandeur is taken by Hptm. Reinhard Seiler.

On this date The Jager Report (issued on 1 Dec 1941) noted that 366 adult male, 483 adult female, and 597 children, all Jews, were killed in Trakai, Lithuania for a total of 1,446 people.

GERMANY: British bombers attacked Stettin and Hamburg in Germany after sundown for the second consecutive night. RAF Bomber Command sends 82 aircraft to attack Hamburg overnight. RAF Bomber Command sends 40 aircraft to attack Stettin overnight.

MEDITERANNEAN: Italian submarine "Adua" attacked British ships sailing for Malta to Gibraltar (having just completed escorting the Operation Halberd on the previous day) 250 miles east of Gibraltar. British destroyers HMS "Gurkha" and HMS "Legion" counterattacked with depth charges, sinking the Italian submarine, killing all 46 aboard.

Turkey embargoes chrome exports to Germany.

PACIFIC OCEAN: US General Marshall directs MacArthur to arrange for the "regular use" of British and Imperial air fields at Port Darwin, Rabaul, Port Moresby, and Singapore, for the "emergency use" of fields in the Netherlands East Indies, and to ask the British to develop an additional air field in the northern part of Borneo. At the instigation of Arnold, Marshall offers MacArthur the choice of MG Lewis Brereton, MG Jacob E Fickel, or BG Walther H Frank to head up the expanded FEAF. Sayre writes to MacArthur to complain of MacArthur's lack of co-operation with the High Commission in civil defense.

War Plans Division develops plans for the stockpiling of ammunition and POL [ petroleum, oil and lubricants] throughout the South-West Pacific.

UNITED KINGDOM: The RAF withdrew B-17 bombers from service.

Luftwaffe raids on the north-east were carried out by some of the eighty German aircraft that flew over Britain. A major raid on Tynemouth Borough caused sixty-one deaths and widespread damage. The main weight of attack fell on North Shields, to the west of Tynemouth, where some fifty HEs were dropped. The Wesleyan Hall, fortunately unoccupied, was reportedly set on fire by oil bombs. A Rescue Party foreman, who afterwards received the George Medal for his gallantry, was lowered head first into the cellar and succeeded in rescuing 3 people, despite the danger from a broken gas main and the possible collapse of heavy masonry. The south bank of the river got off more lightly. Twenty-eight HEs were dropped at South Shields and one medium fire was started. German bombers attacked the shipyards at Tyneside where the Submarine HMS "Sunfish" was badly damaged during the attack. The minesweeping trawlers 'Eileen Duncan' and 'Star of Deveron' were attacked and sunk, probably during this same air raid. Three bombs fell on Prince Albert Edward Dock. A 1,000kg bomb fell in No.3 dock in Middle Docks, passing through the side of a ship and on to the dock bottom. Another of the same size fell on the west side of the Middle Docks, demolishing the canteen and the Whitehill Point ferry landing stage; it sank the ferry with 4 of the crew on board. The last bombs of this disastrous evening descended on Mayfair Gardens and Harton Cemetery. Of the 2 that fell in Mayfair Gardens, one fell in a garden on the north side of the houses, causing no casualties but damaging windows and roofs. The 2nd scored a direct hit on 2 semi-detached villas which were completely obliterated. 34 bombs fell during this raid, no incendiary bombs were dropped and the NFS was only called out to attend one fire. Approximately 300 people were rendered homeless or were evacuated from their homes.

The detention center in Peel, Isle of Man had its guard forces strengthened after disturbances; 20 arrested British fascists were transferred to Liverpool as another result.

A Junkers Ju 88 was shot down by a Beaufighter 50 miles off the Northumberland coast. The Beaufighter was also hit and returned to base on one engine.

WESTERN FRONT: Pierre Laval was discharged from the hospital after recovering from the wounds sustained during the unsuccessful assassination attempt against him on 25 Aug 1941.

RAF Fighter Command flew Roadstead operations. RAF Bomber Command sends 41 aircraft to attack Cherbourg overnight.

Jean "Max" Moulin was smuggled to London to meet Charles de Gaulle, leader of the French Resistance, and the other exiled French leaders. In January 1942 the SOE parachuted him back into France, to set up an organized Resistance movement.

.