This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning (3 Viewers)

[Njaco]

15 November 1939 Wednesday

ASIA: Japanese forces capture the port of Pakhoi. Repair ship "Akashi" was assigned to the Combined Fleet.

Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya succeeded Vice Admiral Ichiro Sato as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. Rear Admiral Isamu Takeda was named Hosogaya's chief of staff. Koichi Shiozawa was promoted to the rank of admiral. Chuichi Nagumo was promoted to the rank of vice admiral. Captain Teruo Akiyama was named the commanding officer of "Naka" Captain Zensuke Kanome was named the commanding officer of "Tenryu". Masafumi Arima became the commanding officer of Yokohama Naval Air Corps. Captain Kaku Harada was named the commanding officer of "Settsu". Captain Sukeyoshi Yatsushiro was named the commanding officer of Nachi. Vice Admiral Tamotsu Takama was named the chief of staff of Chinkai Guard District in southern Korea. Vice Admiral Ibo Takahashi was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan. Rear Admiral Akira Matsuzaki was named his Chief of Staff. Raizo Tanaka stepped down as the Chief of Staff of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.

EASTERN EUROPE: In Occupied Czechoslovakia there are large-scale demonstrations at the funeral of Jan Opletal, a medical student who was mortally wounded in Prague on October 28th. Police forces (possibly including elements of the Gestapo) make numerous arrests of Czech nationalist protesters. Casualty reports range from 12 injured to suggestions of summary executions.

Jews living in Reichsgau Wartheland (former Polish territory, annexed into Germany) began to be deported into the General Government region of former Poland.

GERMANY: German Foreign Minister, von Ribbentrop, formally rejects the offer of Belgium-Dutch mediation made by King Leopold and Queen Wilhelmina in meetings with official representatives. He states that as a result of the "blunt rejection" of the German peace appeal by Britain and France, the German government considers the matter closed.

Anticipating Adolf Hitler's wishes, Erich Raeder asked his staff officers to evaluate the possibility of an invasion of Britain.

WESTERN FRONT: The pilots and crew of I./JG 2 "Richthofen" are finally removed from guarding the city of Berlin and transfer to the Western Front, arriving at the airfield at Frankfurt-Rebstock.

INDIAN OCEAN: German pocket-battleship "Admiral Graf Spee" has been cruising trade routes in the Indian Ocean since Nov 3 and needs a kill to register her presence. However, the expected prey does not materialize as wool clipping season in Australia is late and cargo ships await loading in Australia. "Graf Spee" sights SS "Africa Shell", a tiny British oil tanker belonging to the Shell Company of East Africa, 6 miles off Zabora Point Mozambique (at the southern end of the channel between Madagascar and Mozambique). "Africa Shell" is empty, sailing to port in Delagoa Bay (now the capital Maputo). "Africa Shell's" crew are taken off by "Graf Spee's" launch and she is sunk by shell fire. The Allies will soon know that a raider is at large in the Indian Ocean. MaritimeQuest - Africa Shell (1938) Page 1 (Very nice account of the stopping and sinking of the SS "Africa Shell" by German pocket battleship "Admiral Graf Spee" on November 15, 1939, including a series of photographs taken from "Graf Spee". Notably, one photo shows a launch taking the crew off Africa Star before she is sunk. This gentlemanly behavior ensured that no lives were lost on any of the ships sunk by "Graf Spee".)

NORTHERN EUROPE: Dr Paasiki, head of the Finnish delegation, which had returned to Helsinki, stated that Russia had made military demands which could not be granted. Violent propaganda against Finland was broadcast from Moscow.

UNITED KINGDOM: The King received General Sikorski and other members of the Polish Government. Mr. Eden and the Empire envoys returned to London after their tour of the Western Front. M. Paul Reynaurd, French Finance Minister, who had paid a two-day visit to London at the invitation of Sir john Simon, returned to Paris.

British steamer, 'Woodtown' reported blown up, with the loss of nine lives.

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[parsifal]

15 November
Known Reinforcements
Axis Reinforcements
DKM MSW R37

Allied Reinforcements
RN ASW Trawler ULLSWATER (Lake Class)

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 43 reported from the area southwest of Ireland that the weather was so bad that she could take no offensive action. According to metrological observations it is not likely to improve in the near future and conditions are much quieter on the Portuguese coast; U 41, 43 and 49 have therefore been ordered to proceed on to position "ROT". U 53 reported a convoy west of Gibraltar. During the last few days Radio Intelligence Service has provided some very useful reports on convoys, no action could be taken as there were no boats in the areas concerned. Today several more reports were received on which the boats may in fact be able to act. Reports of enemy surface forces have also now reached such a degree of accuracy that they are of practical value, which was only seldom the case to begin with. It is however, desirable that they be confined to hard facts, without any inferences from individual radio stations; those inferences make it more difficult to sift the material. Reports can only be evaluated by a unit which is adequately informed on the whole situation and can take all factors into account. It would be much easer for the operational units to make use of the material if it were sifted by a central department and passed on by them to units concerned. It would be necessary of course to work very quickly; comprehensive and connected situation reports are of less value than a collection of connected reports and dependent operations.

A radio message from U 45, intercepted by another boat on 14th October, has now reached B.d.U. It was not received here.
"B.d.U. from U 45: 3 large darkened steamers, 15 knots, sunk. Am chasing a 4th steamer 3366 to 3355 BRT."
This is the last news of this boat. At any rate the enemy paid dearly for her loss.

Radio intelligence reports have provided the following information on the whereabouts of the British battlefleet:

1) the fast battleships and battlecruisers and several a/c carriers are not in home waters, but on special operations (chasing pocket battleships or escorting particularly valuable convoys from Canada).
2) The major part of the remaining battleships apparently use mainly the Firth of Clyde as anchorage.
The question of a U-boat action here against the English fleet has been considered and the following conclusions:
a) U-boats cannot attack the anchorages themselves. The ships are laying in a long, fairly narrow strip of water, the only access to which is closed by a boom.
b) It would be quite possible for U-boats to penetrate into the wider part of the Firth, as far as the boom. There is a shallow position here, exactly on the main route, where mines could be laid. This operation must be carried out as soon as possible. There is a good chance of catching large warships. It will however, be necessary to use mines of greater explosive effect than the TMB, as these cannot be guaranteed to sink if laid at this depth. Then setting must be sufficiently coarse for them not to be exploded by the many merchant vessels which ply in these waters. The operation cannot be carried out until the mines have been manufactured.
c) If the fleet sails north from the Clyde, it will be bound by navigational considerations. U-boats might operate with success along their route.The only question is: when will the fleet sail? As long as it has nothing to do off the entrance to the North Sea, this is entirely uncertain. It must therefore be forced to go to sea at a certain time. This can only be effected by operations by our own battleships. The operation of a lot of U-boats against the Home Fleet in the Firth of Clyde therefore only promises to be worthwhile if it is carried out in cooperation with our own surface forces.

Group Command informs that Naval War Staff have agreed to operations of battleships beyond the line Shetlands-Norway, as long as the British Fleet is in the Clyde and that such an operation is being planned for the next days. It appears however, that it is impossible to postponed this even for a few days, which would be necessary to prepare the U-boats and get them to their positions. If it could only have been postponed for 4 days a total of 11 U-boats would have been available. On the date fixed on the other hand only 3-4 boats can be sent.

A similar operation will therefore have to be planned for a later date. If it is planned long enough in advance, the rest of the U-boat war will not suffer to any extent. The date must be chosen to fit in with the sailing times of the U-boats, so that they will only have to be kept back for a few days and at the worst if the operation falls through, they can go on to their operations areas for the war against merchant shipping.
(signed): Donitz
Rear Admiral and B.d.U.

Departures
Kiel: U-13, U-18, U-22

At Sea 15 November
U-13, U-15, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-25, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-33, U-38, U-41, U-43, U-49, U-53, U-57, U-60.
17 boats at sea.

Baltic
Trawler ELSE (Ger 141 grt) was lost near Skargaard.
Steamers PANEVEZYS (Li 1607 grt) and NIDA (Li 945 grt) were sunk on mines near Tallinn.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
Norway
HN.2 of eight British and one Finnish steamer departed Bergen and were escorted by DDSs ICARUS, IMOGEN and IMPULSIVE from outside the territorial limit. Distant Cover was provided by BBs NELSON and RODNEY and accompanying forces which departed Rosyth on the 12th. DDs ISIS and KANDAHAR were assigned to escort the three steamers of the west coast section of HN.2 when it arrived off the Shetlands. KANDAHAR had departed on the 15th to join the Home Flt at sea, but was recalled for this escort duty. DD WALLACE was assigned to escort the Tyne section of HN.2 but because of fog, had to anchor off the Tyne for an hour. A submarine contact on the 17th did not hamper the convoy's progress and HN.2 arrived safely on the 18th with IMOGEN, IMPERIAL and IMPULSIVE. The battle force arrived at Loch Ewe on the 17th, departed on the 19th and arrived in the Clyde on the 21st.

DKM CS DEUTSCHLAND arrived in German waters and was renamed LÜTZOW to prevent the possibility of a ship bearing the name of the Fatherland being sunk. She anchored at Gdynia on the 17th.

Northern Patrol
Three cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and one AMC between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and three AMCs in the Denmark Strait.

Northern Waters
MV BAIKALl (SU 2500 grt est) The cargo ship struck a rock and sank in the Arctic Sea off Spitsbergen, Norway
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

North Sea .

East Coast
MV GEORGIOS (Gk 2216 grt) The cargo ship struck the wreck of Canada ( Denmark) in the North Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) off Holmpton, Yorkshire and sank. All 23 crew were rescued by the Grimsby lifeboat

MV WOODTOWN(UK 794 grt) The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea north of Margate, Kent. Eight lives were lost
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Southend - Methil
FN.37 departed Southend for Methil, escort sloops GRIMSBY, FLAMINGO, WESTON. CLA CALCUTTA, DDs JUNO and JUPITER departed Grimsby in support. FS.37 departed Methil escort DDs VIVIEN, VALOROUS and sloop BITTERN. MSW TEDWORTH sailed with the convoy for the passage south.

UK-France
BC.15 of ten steamers, including BARON CARNEGIE, BLACKHEATH, DEVON COAST and NIGERIAN (Commodore) departed Bristol Channel, escort DDs VIVACIOUS, VESPER and VANESSA, and safely arrived in the Loire on the 17th.

Channel
U.20 was attacked nine miles 90° from Tongue Light Vessel (at tghe entrance to the Princes Channel, part of the approaches to the thames) by CC a/c and DDs KEITH and GRIFFIN. DD GREYHOUND later joined in the search, but U.20 escaped serious damage and was able to lay mines off Newarp Light Vessel on the 22nd.

Nth Atlantic
RCN DDs OTTAWA and RESTIGOUCHE departed Esquimalt for Halifax after being relieved in the Pacific by British light cruiser CARADOC.

Sth Atlantic
Admiral in command Fce K trf flag to BC RENOWN, to allow CV ARK ROYAL to leave for England to refit and receive new aircraft. When news of the sinking of AFRICA SHELL reached the Admiralty on the 17th, ARK ROYAL was ordered back to Freetown.

Med -Biscay



Caribbean

Indian Ocean
RAN CL HOBART departed Colombo and arrived at Bombay on the 18th. CA SUSSEX arrived at Durban. CL LIVERPOOL departed Colombo on the 15th and arrived at Singapore on the 19th for patrol duties on the China Station. She proceeded to Saigon and arrived at Hong Kong on 10 December.

DKM CS ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE sank steamer AFRICA SHELL (706grt) 10½ miles SW by S of Cape Zavora Light in Mozambique Channel . SS OLYMPUS on patrol in the Indian Ocean set off in pursuit, but failed to make contact.

Africa Shell sinking

Other

Raeder requests his staff officers to evaluate the possibility of an invasion of Britain.

 

[Njaco]

16 November 1939 Thursday
NORTHERN EUROPE: The British naval attaché in Oslo, Norway, receives a seven-page anonymous report on German radar and weaponry, including naval rockets, and mentioning Peenemünde as a location of research. (he report is generally regarded at the time as a German hoax.

In Finland the armed forces are mobilized as the talks over Soviet demands for an exchange of territory break down in acrimony. The Soviets are seeking to protect naval bases at Leningrad and Murmansk from possible attack by demanding cession of strategic Finnish territory and the lease of Finnish ports in exchange for land in the desolate swamps and forests of Karelia. The Finns refuse.

EASTERN EUROPE: In Occupied Czechoslovakia an uprising in Prague is quelled. German authorities declare martial law in Prague. There are reports of many arrests, shootings and deportations. In Bucharest an offer of mediation made by Romanian King Carol is rejected by both sides.

MEDITERRANEAN: In Egypt, Major General Michael O'Mare Creagh replaced Major General P. C. S. "Hobo" Hobart as GOC of the Mobile Division (Later 7th Armoured).

INDIAN OCEAN: German pocket battleship "Admiral Graf Spee" stops the Dutch vessel SS "Mapia" about 350 miles Southwest of Madagascar. "Graf Spee's" captain, Hans Langsdorff, permits "Mapia" to proceed due to Dutch neutrality, allowing her to report his identity and position upon reaching port. His goal is to confuse Allied warships hunting him as to the number and location of German sea raiders. Langsdorff decides that, given the lack of targets, his work is done in the Indian Ocean and he sets sail for The Cape of Good Hope to go back to the Atlantic.

WESTERN FRONT: Paris reported that formidable defense in front of the Maginot Line had been completed. A German plane which flew over Dunkirk on November 11th is now known to have been shot down by French batteries. The French Minister of Economic Warfare stated that from the outbreak of war to November 10th the French Navy and seized 223,297 tons of contraband goods.

UNITED KINGDOM: The German steamer, 'Leander' was brought into a West Country port after the crew had prevented the captain from scuttling her.

General Sikorski discussed with Mr Burgin, Minister for Supply, proposals for the equipment of Polish forces designed to co-operate with Allied forces.

The SS 'Arlington Court' (4,915t) steamer, (Rosario, Argentina to Hull with a cargo of grain) was sunk by U 43 off the Irish coast, Five of her crew were lost. Another German U-boat torpedoed the tanker "Sliedrecht" near Ireland.

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[parsifal]

16 November
Known Reinforcements
None

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 47 sailed for her operations area in accordance with Operations Order No. 11. The next boats to be ready for operations will be:
U 31 and U 35 18 November, U , 25, 36 and 48 and on 20 November. I intend to send U 31 and 35 to the sea area south of Ireland and to allow them considerable freedom of action there. They must be able to approach the coast or move further out to sea according to weather conditions and patrol. Cooperation will only be possible to a limited extent and will probably be confined to an exchange of individual reports rather than shadowing for any length of time. At first U 28 and 29 will be in the same area. U 48 is a boat with wide radius of action. She is therefore to operate west of Spain and Portugal, where U 47 will also be and possibly U 49. This area has 2 great advantages:
1) The weather is better here in the winter than it is further north.
2) There is less patrol, especially air patrol. If there is any air activity at all it must be very slight. The traffic situation is very favorable.

U 53 has apparently lost the convoy which she reported on the 15th for good. Her last report said that she had been driven off by a/c with bombs. It was a small convoy of 7 ships. As the boat is now west of Gibraltar and her operations area is east of Gibraltar, she has presumably started on her return passage.

Departures
Kiel: U-47

At Sea 16 November
U-13, U-15, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-25, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-33, U-38, U-41, U-43, U-47, U-49, U-53, U-57, U-60.
18 boats at sea

Northern Patrol
three cruisers between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and two AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and three AMCs in the Denmark Strait. CL CALYPSO captured a merchant ship (Ger SALMANN 2500 grt est) and was en route with her to Loch Ewe. She requested a trawler to meet her in West Ray Firth to take over the escort. Armed boarding vessel KINGSTON JACINTH was delayed by weather, but did so, and both ships arrived at Loch Ewe. CL cruiser CARDIFF departed Sullom Voe and arrived at Loch Ewe on the 20th to repair weather damage.
[No Image of the SALMANN....may be incorrect name]

North Sea .
Sloop FLAMINGO, escorting convoy FN.37, was damaged in a collision with steamer LOWLAND (974grt). She arrived at Leith on the 17th and was docked for repair, completed on 10 December.

OA.36G (part) of 19 ships departed Southend on the 16th escort DDs WAKEFUL and WHITEHALL on the 16th and 17th, and DDs WOLVERINE and VERITY on the 18th and 19th. OB.36G(part) also departed Liverpool on the 17th, escort DDs WALKER and VANOC, which remained with the convoy until the 19th. ASW trawler NORTHERN SPRAY (655grt) was with the convoy on the 17th only. The Bristol section of OB.36G was escorted by DD MONTROSE which remained until the 20th. Accompanying OA.36G were ASW trawlers ARCTIC RANGER (493grt), KINGSTON CORNELIAN (449grt), LORD HOTHAM (464grt) and LEYLAND (452grt) on passage to Gib for local ASW duties. These escorts were with the convoy from the 17th to 24th. OA.36G rendezvoused with OB.36G on the 19th and became convoy OG.7 with 43 ships. It was then escorted by Fr DDs CHACAL and MISTRAL from the 19th and destroyer KEPPEL from the 20th. The convoy reached Gibraltar on the 24th.

Central Sth Atlantic
SL.9 departed Freetown escort AMC SALOPIAN. Machinery damaged DD HAVOCK travelled with them and detached to Gib on the 25th, arriving on the 27th. On the 2 December, DDs MACKAY, VIMY, ACASTA, and ARDENT met the convoy in Home Waters, which arrived later that day.

Channel
Minelaying operation FE was completed on the 15th/16th and 16th/17th between the English end of the Folkestone-Cape Griz Nez field and the shore off Dover by Aux ML HAMPTON escort two DDs. Survey ship FRANKLIN laid navigational buoys. Italian steamer VELOCE (5464grt) ran aground near Dungeness Light. There is no confirmation that this ship was lost.

Southwest Approaches
MV ARLINGTON COURT (UK 4915 grt) Full cargo of Maize, 35 crew, enroute to UK West Coast. The vessel was a straggler from convoy SL-7A, and was hit by a G7a torpedo from U-43 about 320 miles 248° from the Cornish Coast. The ship sank in 30 minutes. Six crew members were lost and the chief engineer died from exposure in one of the lifeboats. The master and 21 crew members were picked up by the Dutch steam merchants ALGENIB and 6 others a week later by the SPINANGER.
Photo from City of Vancouver Archives,

Tkr SLIEDRECHT (Ne 5133 grt) carrying 6600 tons of benzine, kerosene and gas oil, 31 crew, enroute from Abadan to Solvaer (Norway). Had been stopped by the UK authorities in Gibraltar and ordered to Kirwall for a full examination. Enroute, U-28 stopped the neutral Sliedrecht about 200 miles south of Rockall and examined the documents of the ship. They showed that the tkr intended movements, which qualified har as a contraband ship. Kuhnke therefore ordered the crew to abandon ship and sank her with a torpedo. Five crew members in one lifeboat were picked up by the British trawler MERESIA, but the other lifeboat containing 26 survivors was never seen again.
Sliedrecht (Dutch Motor tanker) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net

Western Approaches
HOPESTAR (5257grt) was attacked by a submarine, DDs BROKE and ECLIPSE were able to interven and prevent her loss. The Uboat, which has not been identified escaped.

Med - Biscay
MTB 6 (RN) foundered in bad weather off Sardinia after colliding with DD DAINTY
Motor Torpedo Boats MTB's

MTB 6 was one of the original 70' types of which this is an example

DD WATCHMAN boarded Italian liner VULCANIA (24,469grt) outside Portuguese territorial waters. She was permitted to pass. Fr DDs TIGRE and PANTHÈRE arrived at Gibraltar for convoy escort duty.

 

[Njaco]

17 November 1939 Friday
WESTERN FRONT: A Czechoslovakian National Committee is established in Paris under the leadership of the former President of Czechoslovakia, Eduard Benes. The group is recognized by Britain and France in mid-December.

UNITED KINGDOM: At the third meeting of the Supreme Allied Council Supreme War Council, they agree to an immediate advance to the River Dyle between Antwerp Line and Brussels if the Germans invade (the Dyle Plan or "Plan D"). However, the French turned down proposals to bomb industrial targets in the Ruhr fearing Luftwaffe retaliation against Britain and France.

German destroyers, Z11 "Berndt von Arnim", Z19 "Herman Künne" and Z21 "Wilhelm Heidkamp" lay magnetic mines in major shipping lanes in the English Channel. No notification is made, contravening International law and leading to catastrophic results the next day.

A Do 17 of 1(F)./122 flew a sortie to Scapa Flow and was tasked with keeping a watch on the British Home Fleet. The Dornier was slightly damaged by AA fire. Another German reconnaissance plane flew over South-west Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales. No bombs were dropped. Anti-aircraft guns were in action. The Air Ministry later announced that daylight reconnaissance over North-west Germany were carried out and an important naval base successfully photographed.

General Sikorski, Polish Prime Minister, visited Scotland and presented war decorations to members of Polish naval units.

ASIA: Japanese troops landed at Fangcheng and Beihai in Guangxi Province, China.

EASTERN EUROPE: The pocket battleship "Deutschland" arrives in Gdynia (in occupied Poland) after her Atlantic raiding cruise in which 2 ships were sunk.

In Occupied Czechoslovakia SS forces occupy all universities (during the night of November 16-17) and 9 student leaders are executed; some 1200 are sent to concentration camps. This event becomes the basis for marking November 17th as "International Students Day."

GERMANY: U-36 set sail for Basis Nord, a secret base on the Kola Peninsula in northern Russia provided by the Soviet Union. As part of the Molotov-Ribbontrop pact extension following the partition of Poland, the USSR offered Germany a northern base 'Basis Nord' to support their blockade of Britain. Naval High Command sent U-36 and U-38 to scout the proposed location at Zapadnaya Litsa on the Kola Peninsula, 25 miles from Mumansk.

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[parsifal]

17 November
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Nor DD ODIN (Sleipner Class)

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

CL EMDEN was used mostly for training during the war. She was scuttled 3 May 1945

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

C-in-C Home Fleet is in the area north and northwest of Scotland. U 29 is approximately north of the Shetlands. She has been informed. U 53 reported another convoy off Lisbon, 18 ships in 4 columns, 5 destroyers escorting. Speed 7-8 knots, main course north. It is clearly the same convoy that the Radio Intelligence Service picked up on 16 November and fixed several times. It is valuable to have the radio intelligence report confirmed by the U-boat. If reports continue to be as accurate and to arrive in such good time they will be of great use in the conduct of the war. U 41 and U 43 are still very far north. It is known from experience that it is too early to order them to operate against this convoy yet; but they are proceeding south and should be on a level with it in 2 days time. U 53 is shadowing and reporting at intervals of several hours Order received from Naval War Staff to the effect that unrestricted action can be taken against passenger ships which are seen to be armed. As most passenger ships are already armed, this will mean a great step forward.

Departures
Kiel: U-52

At Sea 17 November
U-13, U-15, U-18, U-19, U-22, U-25, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-33, U-38, U-41, U-43, U-47, U-49, U-52, U-53, U-57, U-60.
19 boats at sea

Baltic
Steamer VALAPARISO (Sd 3759 grt) was seized by German warships for contraband violations in the Baltic.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Northern Patrol
CLs EDINBURGH, BELFAST, GLASGOW, SOUTHAMPTON and AURORA arrived at Rosyth. CL NEWCASTLE departed Scapa Flow for Loch Ewe, leaving there on the 21st for Northern Patrol. CL CARDIFF departed Loch Ewe after refuelling and repairing damage sustained in heavy weather, and arrived back on the 20th from the Northern Patrol. CLs DIOMEDE and DUNEDIN departed Loch Ewe on Northern Patrol duties, with DIOMEDE arriving back on the 21st. AMC AURANIA departed the Clyde for Northern Patrol duties.

On Northern Patrol as of the 17th were two cruisers between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and two AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and three AMCs in the Denmark Strait.

Steamer HENNING OLDENDORFF (Ger 3986 grt), had departed Huelva, Spain, on the 2nd disguised as a Russian ship, was captured by CL COLOMBO near Iceland . The German ship, the Royal Navy's 19th prize of the war, was taken in to Kirkwall by a prize crew commanded by Lt Cdr L A Lambert on the 19th due to insufficient coal for the voyage to Leith. She was later renamed EMPIRE INDUSTRY for British service.

North Sea .
MV KAUNAS (Li 1,566 grt) crew 16 Carrying Ballast, enroute Ghent to Hartlepool , the unescorted and neutral Kaunas was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-57 and sank by the stern after seven minutes 6.5 miles west-northwest of the Noord Hinder light vessel. The ship was attacked without warning because no nationality markings were visible. The survivors, one of them injured, abandoned ship in two lifeboats and were saved. 1 dead.

MSW trawler CORENA (352grt) reported sighting a U-boat , and DDs WOLVERINE and VERITY sailed to investigate. DD WALLACE attacked a submarine contact 10 miles NE of Blyth. ASW trawler CAPE ARGONA (494grt) attacked a submarine contact 1½ miles 010° from Outer Dowsing. Steamer COREA (751 grt) sighted a submarine , and DDs WOLVERINE and VERITY undertook an ASW Sweep of the area. U.15 laid mines off Lowestoft during the night of the 16th/17th, on which one merchant ship was sunk.

ORP DDs BLYSKAWICA, BURZA, GROM arrived at Rosyth for a visit by the Polish Prime Minister, and left on the 18th to return to Harwich. DDs ESK and EXPRESS arrived at Harwich for minelaying in the Thames approaches in operation RG. When they departed Harwich they were accompanied by MSW vessels SKIPJACK and LEDA. ESK and EXPRESS laid more mines in this field on the 29th assisted by MSWs HARRIER and HUSSAR, followed on 1 December by Aux ML HAMPTON and four DDs which laid another line of mines, assisted by MSWs SKIPJACK and LEDA. DD FURY departed the Clyde with base ship MASHOBRA on the 16th. FURY was relieved by DD INGLEFIELD later on the 17th which took MASHOBRA on to Rosyth, arriving on the 19th. FURY proceeded to Loch Ewe, and after refuelling, joined the Main Fleet at sea. ASW trawler DRANGEY (434grt) was damaged in a collision at Rosyth.

FN.38 departed Southend, escort DDs VIVIEN, VALOROUS and sloop BITTERN. On passage, VIVIEN was damaged in collision with an unknown merchant ship, which carried on without stopping, arrived at Harwich on the 17th and was later taken to North Shields for repairs completed on 5 December. DD JERVIS, which had been searching the Outer Dowsing area joined the convoy on the 18th from dawn to dark, and the convoy arrived at Methil on the 19th. FS.38 departed Methil, escort DDs WHITLEY, WALLACE and sloop STORK. Seaplane carrier PEGASUS travelled in company. DDs JAGUAR and JUNO operated in the area of FS.38 from dawn to dark on the 18th, and the convoy arrived at Southend on the 19th.

DKM DDs HERMANN KÜNNE and WILHELM HEIDKAMP of DesDiv 5, escorted by DD BERND VON ARNIM, laid 180 magnetic mines in the Thames Estuary during the night of the 17th/18th. Returning to Wilhelmshaven, they were met off Terschelling by CLs LEIPZIG, NÜRNBERG and TBs LEOPARD, ILTIS, and SEEADLER. Seven merchant ships grossing 27,565 tons were sunk and one more damaged in the field:

On the 18th, Steamer SIMON BOLIVAR (Ne 7906 grt) 84 passengers and crew went missing. Survivors were rescued by DD GREYHOUND, ASW trawlers MAN O'WAR (517grt), CAPE WARWICK (516grt), DANEMAN (516grt), WELLARD 514grt), LADY ELSA (518grt), and tug FAIRPLAY II (282grt).

On the 18th, steamer BLACKHILL (UK 2492grt), 7½ cables 145° from Longsand Head Light Vessel ; one crewman was lost and destroyer GIPSY rescued the survivors.

On the 18th, tanker JAMES J MAGUIRE (10, 525grt) of convoy OA.37 was severely damaged

On the 19th, steamer TORCHBEARER (UK 1267grt), two miles 25° from Shipwash Light Vessel; four crew were lost and DD GREYHOUND rescued the eight survivors.

On the 20th, naval trawler MASTIFF (520grt, Lt Cdr A A C Ouvry) one mile off the Tongue; five ratings went missing and one rating died of wounds. The survivors were rescued by the Margate lifeboat and minesweeping trawler CAPE SPARTEL (346grt).

On the 21st, liner TERUKUNI MARU (Jpn 11,930grt) all 206 passengers and crew were picked up by trawler GAVA (256grt) and other small craft.

On the 22nd, steamer GERALDUS (2495grt), three miles WNW of Sunk Light Vessel; DD WIVERN rescued the survivors.

On the 22nd, steamer LOWLAND (924grt) two miles ENE of Northeast Gunfleet Buoy; nine crew were lost and msw trawler MYRTLE (550grt) rescued three survivors.

On 10 December, AUX MSW RAY OF HOPE (98grt, Skipper W Hayes RNR) off Ramsgate; four crew were killed and five missing. Auxiliary minesweeper SILVER DAWN (85grt) sweeping in company with RAY OF HOPE picked up Cdr C E Hamond DSO, DSC Rtd of VERNON, Hayes and the mate
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

U.19 laid mines off Orfordness during the night of the 17th/18th. DD GIPSY and Steamer CARICA MILICA (Yu 6371 grt see entry for 18/11)) was lost , sunk on the 18th, 3½ miles 005° from Shipwash; the entire crew was rescued.
HMS Gipsy

Nth Atlantic
BC REPULSE sustained damage to her breakwater and CVL FURIOUS had engine trouble which limited her speed to 23 knots while at sea out of Halifax. HXF.9 departed Halifax escort RCN DD ST LAURENT until detached on the 18th. Ocean escort was AMC ALAUNIA, and the convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 29th.

Central Sth Atlantic
SLF.9 departed Freetown escorted by sloop AUCKLAND, and was joined on the 29th by DDs ESCAPADE, GALLANT and GRAFTON. The convoy arrived later that day and AUCKLAND reached Portsmouth on the 30th.

Channel
DDs BROKE and ECLIPSE were submarine hunting and joined by destroyers VANESSA, VESPER and VIVACIOUS, released from the escort of convoy BC.15.

Pacific and East Asia
CL CARADOC arrived at San Diego, California, for refuelling, the first foreign warship to visit a US port since the start of the war. CL DESPATCH , which entered the Pacific through the Panama Canal on the 1st, arrived at Callao, Peru with steamer LOBOS (6479grt). CL GLOUCESTER, attached to Force I from the 16th, departed Rangoon, and on the 18th sailed from Colombo to patrol north of Madagascar.

Med - Biscay
CVE ARGUS, and DDs STURDY and GALLANT arrived at Gib. GALLANT left to return to Plymouth and was ordered en route to search for German merchant ships reported leaving Vigo.

 

[Njaco]

18 November 1939 Saturday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German forces begin deploying new magnetic mines in the ocean. German planes parachute the mines into British coastal waters for the first time. Four merchant ships are sunk by magnetic mines off the eastern coast. SS 'Blackhill' (2,492t) steamer, (Tees from Salta Caballo), was sunk by a mine in the Thames Estuary. One member of the crew died. The Dutch liner "Simon Bolivar" is sunk by a German magnetic mine with 86 killed of about 400 passengers and crew aboard. Public opinion is outraged because the mine which sunk the "Simon Bolivar" was in a major traffic lane. International law requires notification of any such mine-laying.

German merchant ship SS "Borkum", running supplies to Germany through the British blockade, is stopped in the Denmark Strait by the British armed merchant cruiser HMS "California". A British prize crew is put on board and sails "Borkum" towards Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands.

GERMANY: Hitler receives a memo from General Blaskowitz, Wehrmacht Commander in Poland, complaining about SS and Einsatzgruppen atrocities and the effects on ordinary soldiers. The memo annoys everyone from Hitler and Himmler to Chief of Staff Alfred Jodl. Blaskowitz is blacklisted from command in the invasion of France.

EASTERN EUROPE: Martial law declared in Prague and other big Czech towns. Further executions took place. Dr Hacha, President of the Protectorate, broadcast an appeal to the Czechs to refrain from disturbances or resistance to authority.

WESTERN FRONT: German aircraft were sighted in Dutch territorial waters and returned the fire of Dutch planes which went in pursuit.

UNITED KINGDOM: Enemy aircraft were reported off the East Coast and the Firth of Forth area. They disappeared when British fighters went up.

Members of the crew of 'Africa Shell' identified the raider which sunk her off the East African coast as the German 'pocket' battleship 'Admiral Scheer'.

The Irish Republican Army exploded three bombs in Picadilly Circus.

.

 

[Wurger]

On the 18th November 1939 Nazi Germans issued an ordinance forcing all Hebrews older than 12 years and living in the Kraków Ghetto to wear the Star of David sign on the right sleeve of clothes.

 

[parsifal]

18 November (Part I
Known Reinforcements
None

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
https://archive.org/details/wardiarygermanna31939germ

In mid November 1939, the Germans were making ready to use their two Battlecruisers for the a major incursion into the Denmark Straits

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 31 and 35 sailed for their operations area in accordance with Operations Order No. 13. U 53 continued to shadow the convoy. If contact is maintained it may be possible to bring up U 41 and 43. The last 24 hours prove that it can be maintained. U 41 and 43 have been ordered to operate against the convoy. U 31 had to enter port again because of engine trouble.

 

[parsifal]

18 November (Cont'd)
UBOATS
Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-20, U-35 (lost 12 days later)

At Sea 18 November
U-13, U-18, U-19, U-20, U-22, U-25, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-33, U-35, U-38, U-41, U-43, U-47, U-49, U-53, U-57, U-60.
19 boats at sea.

Northern Patrol
Two cruisers between the Orkneys and the Faroes three cruisers and three AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and two AMCs in the Denmark Strait. CLs CALEDON, CERES, CALYPSO arrived at Loch Ewe from Northern Patrol. On loosely similar patrol duties, but not part of the northern Patrol as such were the Armed boarding vessels NORTHERN PRINCESS, NORTHERN FOAM, NORTHERN ISLE.

MV BORKUM (Ger 3670 grt), had departed Montevideo on 9 October, was captured by AMC CALIFORNIA on 18 November in the Denmark Strait. Under a prize crew, BORKUM headed for Greenock via Kirkwall, but on the 23rd was attacked by U.33 and damaged by torpedo and gunfire near the Orkneys. Four German crew members were killed, but the rest of the Germans and British were rescued by armed boarding vessels KINGSTON BERYL and KINGSTON ONYX. The steamer was abandoned, drifted ashore in Papa Sound on the 25th and refloated on 18 August 1940, but as a total loss. She was taken to Rosyth and scrapped.

MV EILBEK (Ger 2185 grt), had departed Ponta Delgada in the Azores on the 10th, was captured by AMC SCOTSTOUN in the Iceland Faroes-Channel. DD PUNJABI departed Greenock at daylight on the 20th to join SCOTSTOUN as she escorted EILBEK to the Clyde. SCOTSTOUN arrived at midday on the 20th and PUNJABI and the German ship on the 21st. EILBEK was renamed EMPIRE SCOUT for British service.

Northern Waters
U.18 sank MV PARKHILL (UK 500 grt); carrying a load of coal from blyth to Kirkwall, 9 crew; ship was hit by a G7e torpedo and immediately sank after a heavy explosion north-northwest of Kinnairds Head. The ship had been missed by a first G7e fied earlier . The master and eight crew members were lost.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

North Sea .
(See entry for 17 November) MV CAPRICA MILICA (YUG 6371 grt) carrying Coal to Dubrovnik from the midlands' the vesel struck a mine laid by U-19 and sank 3.5 miles 5° off the Shipwash lightvessel. The wreck was later dispersed. No details have been found as to casualties

Steam Trawler WIGMORE (UK 345 grt) U.22 fired two G7e torpedoes at the second and third ship in the convoy IFC and missed. Four minutes later, the U-boat fired another G7e at the sixth ship and hit. The WIGMORE (Skipper Walter Bore) sank within three minutes after being hit about 25 miles northwest of Rattray Head. All 16 crew were lost

DD ISIS departed Rosyth to collect tanker ATHELKING (9557grt) at Invergordon and escort her to Methil to join FS.40. ISIS arrived on the morning of the 19th and departed that afternoon with the tanker and DD KELLY, en route to the Tyne for refit. DD INGLEFIELD, after delivering MASHOBRA to Rosyth, relieved KELLY. ISIS and the tanker arrived at Methil on the 20th, while KELLY reached the Tyne on the 21st.

OA.37 of 24 ships departed Southend escort DDs GRAFTON and ENCHANTRESS from the 18th to 20th. The convoy was dispersed on the 21st. OB.38 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers MACKAY and VIMY to the 21st. the two convoys linked up sometime around that time.

DKM DDs ERICH STEINBRINCK and FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT of DesFlot 4, with DD HANDS LODY acting as escort, laid mixed contact and more magnetic mines off the Humber during the night of the 18th/19th. Returning, they were met by CL LEIPZIG and TBs ILTIS, SEEADLER, LEOPARD and WOLF. The British were still not aware that the Germans were using magnetic mines, against which they had no defence or sweeping capability, and it was not until the 23rd that a magnetic mine was recovered at Shoeburyness. Seven merchant ships grossing 38,710 tons were sunk and one more damaged in the field.

On the 19th, Steamer BORJESSON (Sd 1586 grt) six crewmen were lost, and the survivors rescued by MSW trawler ROSE OF ENGLAND (222grt) and trawler FRASCATI (220grt).

On the 19th, MV RHUYS (Fr 2921 grt) 2½ miles south of the Humber Light Vessel; sixteen crewmen were lost and 17 survivors rescued.

On the 24th, Steamer MANGALORE (UK 8886 grt), 1½ miles 288° from Spurn Light House.

On the 26th, liner PILSUDSKI (Pol14,294 grt), 26 miles 314° off Outer Dowsing; ten crewmen were lost, DD VALOROUS rescued 79 survivors.
MS PILSUDSKI - ** TS/S STEFAN BATORY, Polish Ocean Liner 1968-1988

On the 30th, Steamer REALF (Nor 8083 grt); one crewman was lost and the survivors rescued by Italian steamer SANTAGATA (4299grt). The wreck did not sink until 1 December.

On 4 December, steamer HORSTED (UK 1670 grt) in convoy, five crewmen were lost DD JACKAL picked up the survivors.

An additional vessel of 1270 tons was lost on this minefield. This could possibly be Norwegian steamer GIMLE (1271grt), reported lost on 3 December off the east coast of England, although her sinking is generally credited to U.31. norwegian sources attribute the loss to mines

On 28 December, Tkr SAN DELFINO (8072grt) was damaged off Holme Ridge Buoy in the Humber Estuary, but refloated and berthed on 1 January 1940. she was repaired and returned to service

Nth Atlantic
Following a D/F report, DDs ACASTA, ARDENT, WINCHELSEA and WALPOLE, on their way to meet a homecoming Halifax convoy, conducted an ASW sweep 150 miles SW of Berehaven. DDs ECHO and WANDERER conducted a similar operation further to the nth

Central Sth Atlantic
Force K of CV ARK ROYAL, BC RENOWN, CL NEPTUNE, and DDs HARDY, HERO, HOSTILE and HASTY departed Freetown to operate south of Freetown along the convoy route in search of DKM CS GRAF SPEE.

HX.9 departed Halifax escort RCN DDs ASSINIBOINE and ST LAURENT until they detached on the 20th. Ocean escort was BB WARSPITE, which detached on the 24th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 2 December. Fr Contre Torpilleur DD CHEVALIER PAUL and TBs FLORE and BOUCLIER were on placed on patrol in the SW Approaches

Indian Ocean
BB RAMILLIES and DD DELIGHT joined Force J in the Indian Ocean. RAMILLIES was to relieve BB MALAYA which was due to go to Malta for rearming and refit. However, these plans were suspended after the sinking of steamer AFRICA SHELL in the Indian Ocean. DELIGHT was also to relieve DD DARING which was to return to the Med for refit, but her return too was suspended.

Med - Biscay
CVE ARGUS, and DDs STURDY and DOUGLAS departed Gibraltar for Toulon. DOUGLAS arrived back on the 23rd. CL CAPETOWN departed Gibraltar and arrived at Malta on the 20th. Fr DD BORDELAIS and SSs CAIMAN, MORSE and SOUFFLEUR passed Gibraltar westbound.

 

[Njaco]

19 November 1939 Sunday
GERMANY: The maiden flight of the four-engined Heinkel He 177 'Grief', the Luftwaffe's only serious contender of a heavy bomber, lasts only twelve minutes before engine temperatures soar, forcing the aircraft to cut short its flight time. The flame out of the engines is the beginning of a long saga of problems for the promising four-engined 'Ural Bomber'. Another problem is the failure of the bomber to meet the Bomber A requirement with its max speed of 285 miles per hour and short range.

EASTERN EUROPE: In Occupied Poland the first barricades are erected around the Jewish quarter in Warsaw.

In Occupied Czechoslovakia some 50,000 people are reportedly under arrest. Nazi authorities execute 3 more dissidents. It was reported that 120 Czech students had been executed by the Gestapo, and many thousands transported, following riots on Independence Day.

UNITED KINGDOM: In response to Germany laying magnetic mines in the English Channel, First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill wants mines dropped by air into the Rhine in the Ruhr area to disrupt river shipping. He also proposes launching time-activated mines into the Rhine along the French/German border between Strasbourg and the Lauter River, to float downstream.

Six enemy aircraft were sighted off South-East Coast, and unidentified planes over the Firth of Forth area.

Five more ships reported sunk by German mines off the East Coast, namely Swedish 'B.O. Borjesson', British 'Blackhill', Italian 'Grazia' and Yugoslav 'Carica Milica'. SS "Torchbearer' (1,267t) a collier bound for London from Seaham, was sunk by a mine, off Harwich, with the loss of four of her crew. Captain Knudsen, master of the Danish vessel 'Canada' sunk on November 4th near the Humber, declared that his was due to a 'magnetic' mine.

SS "Stanbrook' (1,383t) left Antwerp yesterday in ballast for the Tyne, 8 miles from her destination she was torpedoed by U-57. None of her crew of twenty survived.

ASIA: The Nationalist government at Chungking orders a winter offensive against the Japanese. Japanese troops overran the Xiaodong defensive line in Guangxi Province, China, advancing toward Nanning.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: A deadly game of cat and mouse in the Bay of Biscay. U-41 hunts the British steamer SS "Darino". Over 8 hours U-41 misses with 3 torpedoes. At 1:50 AM, "Darino" is sunk by a fourth torpedo (16 lives lost). 11 crew are picked up by U-41, transferred to an Italian merchant ship and later landed at Dover. Nearby, U-49 stalks Convoy HG-7 from Durban to Dunkirk via for 3 hours. U-49 fires 2 torpedoes that miss the British steamer SS "Pensilva" (cargo of maize) but a third torpedo sinks her at 12.19 PM. The Captain and crew are rescued by the destroyers HMS "Echo" and "Wanderer" and returned to England.

WESTERN FRONT: Paris announced that in the last four weeks the tonnage of German merchandise captured exceeded by the several thousand tons of French merchantmen lost through enemy action.

The Lithuanian vessel 'Kaunas' reported sunk by a mine near Zeebrugge.

Mr Eden broadcast a speech in French on his visit with Dominion Ministers to France.

.

 

[parsifal]

19 November
Known Reinforcements
None

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

Contact with the convoy was lost after it altered course, shortly before first light, just at the critical moment. By afternoon the other boats could have been there. Enemy destroyers drove U 53 off. Although this was very regrettable, the C.O.'s achievement in shadowing for 36 hours must be recognized.

At 1330 the boat had made contact again however. The others should have been in the vicinity. It must be taken into account that they have been in operations areas in the north for several days in bad weather. Considerable errors in E.P. were to be expected. U 53 was therefore ordered to make beacon signals. The danger of her being D/F'd was small; it would have been impossible from shore and unlikely from the convoy. At 1820 contact was lost again, but only an hour later U 41 sighted the convoy. It had come off; a second boat had been brought up to the convoy. Soon U 53 was also there again. The boat's error in EP was about 6-8 miles; this is not much. Nothing was heard of U 43, but this does not necessarily mean that she was not there. She had no cause to report, as the enemy was under constant observation.

After a long silence U 26 reported from west of Gibraltar. She has not carried out the minelay. U 49 reported a premature detonation with the adapted pistol. This is so far an isolated case and no judgment can be made.

Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-25

Departures Arrival
Wilhelmshaven: U-15, U-31

At Sea 19 November
U-13, U-18, U-19, U-20, U-22, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-31, U-33, U-35 , U-38, U-41, U-43, U-47, U-49, U-53, U-57, U-60.
19 boats at sea

Baltic
steamer TORAS (FN 1016 grt) was captured by a German warship in the Baltic, taken in prize, and renamed FIDUCIA for German service.
KOOPVAARDIJ: 13-3-14

Northern Patrol
Two cruisers between the Orkneys and the Faroes, three cruisers and three AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and one AMC in the Denmark Strait.

Northern Waters
DDs FURY and MASHONA departed Loch Ewe on ASW Sweeps, and were joined by DDs PUNJABI and ASHANTI which also departed Loch Ewe later.

East Coast
MV BOWLING (UK 793 grt) carrying general cargo to Antwerp from England, 14 crew. The ship was hit in the foreship with one G7a torpedo about 6 miles north-northeast of Longstone, Outer Farne Islands. There was a massive explosion that broke the ship in two and caused her to sink within 40 seconds. The target was reported as darkened tanker of about 2000 tons with a full cargo, this must have been the Bowling, which had her machinery aft.

MV STANBROOK (UK 1351 grt) carrying Ballast and returning to Blyth from Antwerp, 20 crew. the unescorted STANBROOK was hit in the stern by one G7a torpedo from U-57, broke in two and sank quickly west-northwest of the North Hinder Lightship, Tyne. The master and 19 crew members were lost. The torpedo had to be launched by manual override due to the close range of the targetat the time of the launch.

Southend - Methil
FN.39 departed Southend, escort DDs WALLACE, WHITLEY and sloop STORK. The convoy was met off Cromer Knoll by DD JERSEY on the 20th, and arrived at Methil on the 21st. FS.39 departed Methil, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloops HASTINGS and PELICAN, and was met off Flamborough by DD JUPITER on the 20th. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 21st.

UK-Francce
BC.14 of eleven steamers, including ADJUTANT, BATNA, BELLEROPHON (Commodore), BRIARWOOD, HARMATTAN, JADE, LOCHEE, OUSEL and PEMBROKE COAST departed the Loire, escort DD VESPER, and safely arrived in the Bristol Channel on the 21st.

Nth Atlantic
CL EFFINGHAM departed Halifax and arrived at Bermuda on the 21st.

Med -Biscay
MV DARINO (UK 1351 grt) general cargo, including port wine, sardines and tin ore, enroute from Lisbon to London, 27 crew, U-41 spotted the unescorted DARINO west of Cape Ortegal and fired a torpedo on the surface at 19.02 hours, but missed. The U-boat dived after the attack, but accidentally went down to 123 metres (well beyond her safe diving limit) before surfacing again and doggedly giving chase for four hours to that now distant merchant ship. At 00.43 and 01.15 hours on 19 November, a second bow torpedo and a stern torpedo missed. At 01.50 hours, the ship was hit by the fourth torpedo and sank almost immediately. The master and 15 crew members were lost. Eleven crew members were picked up by the Germans, transferred to the Italian steam merchant CATERINA GEROLIMICH the same day and landed at Dover.

Steamer CLAN BUCHANAN (UK 7266 grt)) was approached by a Fr AMC 250 miles west of Portugal. Both, unsure of each other's identity, regarded the other as an enemy. The AMC attempted to stop, then chased the British ship for some time. CLAN BUCHANAN finally outdistanced her and later discovered what had actually happened. Fr DD BORDELAIS and SS LA PSYCHÉ, MÉDUSE and LE GLORIEUX which had departed Casablanca, passed Gibraltar. They arrived at Oran on the 20th, where LE GLORIEUX entered a repair period.

Sth Western Approaches
MV PENSILVA (UK 4,258 GRT), Enroute Sth Africa to France, carrying Maize, the unescorted PENSILVA was hit by one torpedo from U-49 NW of Cape Ortegal and sank slowly by the stern. The ship had been previously sighted that morning and missed with one bow torpedo and a stern torp some minutes later that had been fired. The master and the crew were picked up by HMS ECHO, transferred to HMS WANDERER and landed at Plymouth. No Crew losses.

HG.7 was escorted by Fr Contre Torpilleur DDs TARTU and VAUQUELIN when a U-boat was reported shadowing the convoy.
Fr Contre Torpilleur DDs CHACAL and MISTRAL were investigating a contact 120 miles 315° from Cape Finisterre, and DDs GALLANT, WALKER, VANOC, WOLVERINE, VERITY were ordered to join them. Steamer ROTHESAY CASTLE (UK 7016 grt) was attacked 300 miles WSW of Ushant. DDs ECHO and WANDERER were patrolling in the area and were joined by DDs WOLVERINE and VERITY which detached from OA.36G.

Pacific/Far East
CL DAUNTLESS departed Singapore on patrol, and arrived back on the 28th.


.

 

[Wurger]

A ground plan of the Warsaw Ghetto published on the 15th October 1940 by the newspaper "Nowy Kurier Warszawski".

 

[Njaco]

20 November 1939 Monday
WESTERN FRONT: Nine He 59 floatplanes of 3./KuFlGr 906 are sent to drop mines in the Thames Estuary. Only four of the planes reach the area as the others are forced to return because of poor navigation.

A German airplane is shot down by Dutch Air Patrol. German reconnaissance planes made a number of flights over France, including Normandy and Rhone Valley.

GERMANY: Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 8 "for the Conduct of the War". Code-words for the day prior to attack on the West will be Danzig (proceed) and Augsburg (delay). If Holland shows no resistance, the invasion is to take on the character of a peaceful occupation. Centres of population in Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg are not to be attacked without strategic military necessity. (http://der-fuehrer.org/reden/english/wardirectives/08.html )

EASTERN EUROPE: In Occupied Czechoslovakia SS troops are reportedly in control of Prague.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The commander of U-33 Kapitänleutnant Hans-Wilhelm von Dresky has a busy, if undistinguished, day. U-33 sinks 3 tiny unarmed British trawlers off Tory Island on the northwest coast of Northern Ireland. SS "Thomas Hankins" is sunk at 10:30 AM. The crew take to the lifeboat and is rescued by another trawler 10 hours later. They report being hit with 5 shells from U-33's deck gun without warning. SS "Delphine" is sunk at 4 PM and the crew of 13 makes land the following day after the chief engineer blocks a hole in their lifeboat with his foot for 22 hours. SS "Sea Sweeper" is sunk at 5 PM and the crew is rescued by the trawler "Lois". British Trawler 'Wigmore' was reported sunk.

Reported from Capetown that the German liner 'Windhuk' has slipped out of Lobito, Portuguese East Africa, refitted with full armament of a raider.

NORTH AMERICA: The US Navy Chief of Naval Operations ordered the Commandant of the US Marine Corps Fourteenth Naval District to plan a Marine garrison at Midway.

UNITED KINGDOM: While attempting to collect a magnetic mine which was drifting near the Thames estuary, the armed trawler HMS "Mastiff T-10" was destroyed when the mine unexpectedly exploded. The mine laid the night before by the German destroyers Z-21 "Wilhelm Heidkamp", Z-19 "Hermann Kahnne" and Z-11 "Bernd von Arnim", apparently broke free of it's mooring and was floating around aimlessly when the "Mastiff" happened along to pick it up. Six crewmen were killed, the survivors were picked up by Margate lifeboat and trawler HMS "Cape Spartel"

The Admiralty announced that German aircraft made an unsuccessful attack on a British destroyer in the North Sea. German aircraft, seen over Kent, Essex and the Thames estuary, were chased out to sea by British fighters. One, a Heinkel bomber, was later proved to have been shot down. No bombs were dropped. Enemy plane appeared over the Orkneys and was beaten off by anti-aircraft fire.

Twenty-two survivors of British steamer 'Arlington Court', torpedoed off the Irish Coast on November 16th, were landed.

Reported by London agents of Royal Netherlands Steamship Co. that the number of those lost in the 'Simon Bolivar' totaled 83.

Canteen for service men and women opened on Platform 8 at Newcastle Central Station.

.

.

 

[Njaco]

21 November 1939 Tuesday
UNITED KINGDOM: Two Do 17Ps of 3(F)./122 were sent off from Groslar to perform a sortie over the Channel. One was shot down by some Hurricanes of 79 Sqdn RAF.

During the night came the first definite evidence that enemy mines were being laid from the air, when aircraft believed to be Heinkel He 115s operating from bases in the islands of Sylt and Borkum were seen to drop mines in the Humber and in the estuaries of the Stour and the Thames. Observers reported that the mines looked like sailors kit-bags suspended from a parachute. The shipping on all three rivers was held up until the secrets of the new German magnetic mine was revealed by Lieutenant Commander Ouvry and his team shortly afterwards. Degaussing gear was not long in following to counter the threat.

The Brand-new British cruiser "Belfast" strikes a magnetic mine in the Firth of Forth. The mine makes only a small hole in the hull but causes severe internal damage, injures 21 crew and keeps her out of action until 3 Nov 1942. The destroyer "Gypsy" is sunk by a magnetic mine. The Japanese passenger liner "Terukuni Maru" is struck by a German mine as well, in the Thames estuary. SS 'Geraldus' (2,494t) steamer, (Tyne to Bruges) was sunk by a mine off the 'Sunk Lightvessel'.

Prime Minister Chamberlain announces that German merchant shipping will be seized in retaliation for indiscriminate mine warfare. All goods in Britain, earmarked for shipment to Germany, are confiscated.

German cargo steamer 'Rheingold' brought as a naval prize into a Scottish port.

GERMANY: German battlecruisers "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau" leave German ports. Battleships "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau" are the pride of the German fleet. They are the largest (32,000 tons, 235 m long, 30 m beam) and best armed (9 11-inch guns, 12 6-inch guns, 14 4-inch guns, 6 torpedo tubes, 3 Arado seaplanes) ships in the Kriegsmarine. "Gneisenau" was built at Kiel, Germany, launched on December 8, 1936 and commissioned on May 21, 1938. "Scharnhorst" was built at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, launched on 3 October 1936, and commissioned on 7 January 1939. After months of sea trials, they are finally ready to face the Royal Navy. They sail into the Iceland-Faroes passage on their first wartime sortie, with light cruisers "Köln" and "Leipzig".

Lufthansa's Do 18F flying boat, upgraded with BMW 132N radial engines and redesignated Do 18L, took its first flight after the upgrade work. After two days of testing, it was found that the BMW engine suffered overheating problems.

Heinrich Himmler announced that the United Kingdom was responsible for the 8 Nov 1939 attempt on Adolf Hitler's life. Two British agents were kidnapped in the Netherlands several days prior, who were blamed for plotting the attack. The attack, however, was actually planned by the Germans as means to raise Hitler's standing within Germany.

EASTERN EUROPE: In a treaty signed with Germany, Slovakia is given 225 square miles of former Polish territory (which Poland had progressively annexed from Czechoslovakia in 1920, 1924 and 1938 ).

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-33's captain has developed a taste for small fry. After sinking 3 fishing boats yesterday, he sinks 2 more. SS "Sulby" is sunk at 8:30 AM after a warning shot, 50 miles north of Ireland in heavy seas. A lifeboat with 7 survivors is rescued the following day but the captain and 4 men are lost. SS "William Humphreys" is sunk at 9:30 AM; 13 crew take to the lifeboat but they are never found.

After 18 days in the Indian Ocean, "Graf Spee" passes The Cape of Good Hope seeking better hunting back to the Atlantic.

At 12.50 PM, French trawler "Les Barges II" is sunk by U-41 in the Bay of Biscay. The crew escapes and are picked up by a Spanish trawler. U-41 stops 17 other trawlers; all are neutral Spanish vessels.

Finnish steamer 'Asta' seized by German warship near the Aaland Islands. This was the 16th Finnish ship detained by Germany.

WESTERN FRONT: Paris reported air engagements on Western Front. German reconnaissance plane brought down over French lines. Two fighters brought down in flames over enemy lines. Heinkel bomber pursued out to sea and brought down by British fighter.

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[parsifal]

20 November
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Soviet Serie IX or M Class SS M-95, USN Benham Class DD STACK (405)

Allied
RN Tug FABIA (No Image Available) RAN AMC KANIMBLA

KANIMBLA in 1941

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 55 lost the convoy when it altered course. U 41 was still there however, and made beacon signals. It is odd that there is no news of sinkings yet after such a long pursuit. U 55 attacked and heard 2 explosions. It must be assumed that U 41 also attacked. No failures have been reported. Probably the boats have not been able to observe results after firing. Perhaps the enemy is purposely not making any losses known, as has happened before. If he has had losses however, he should by now have strengthened the escort and sent out a/c. The convoy is only 200 miles away from the French coast. As it is so near the coast it will not be possible to attack it for much longer. Boats taking part will have to have new operating areas. Nothing is known so far of U 43 and U 49. According to a French report, a German U-boat is said to have been sunk. Both boats have been ordered to report their positions and intentions. Later U 43 made a radio message. She was ahead of the convoy, but not yet in sight of it and was waiting for daylight to make an attack.

(These reports in fact relate to Convoy KS27, see below)

Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-19

Departures
Kiel: U-48

At Sea 20 November
U-13, U-18, U-20, U-22, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-31, U-33, U-35 , U-38, U-41, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-49, U-53, U-57, U-60.
19 boats at sea

Baltic
SS STURGEON fired four torpedoes at 1555 at two German ASW VorpostenBootes. One of them sank Vp.209 (trawler GAULEITER TELSHOW, 428grt) northwest of Helgoland in the Heligoland Bight, the first sinking of an enemy vessel by a British submarine in World War 2.

VP209 on the left and HMS STURGEON, a unit of the Swordfish Class, designed as training Boats in the early 1930's with saddlebag style ballast tank system. Their internal arrangement were complicated and the disappearing gun mount added unnecessary top weight for little gain.

Norwegian Waters
CL GLASGOW and DDs ZULU and MAORI departed Rosyth in an attempt to intercept German liner BREMEN as she slipped down the Norwegian coast to Germany. ZULU, experiencing mechanical problems at the start, was delayed seven hours and joined the force at sea.

Northern Patrol
MV BERTHA FISSER (Ger 4110rt) was intercepted by AMC CHITRAL, SE of Iceland . She had departed Pernambuco on 24 October, in mid-Atlantic was intercepted and challenged by a British warship, but her disguise as Norwegian steamer ADA was successful and she was allowed to continue. This time, she scuttled herself and her 32 man crew was picked up by CHITRAL.

Northern Waters
DD BEDOUIN departed Rosyth for Scapa. DD KASHMIR departed Scapa to intercept a reported suspicious merchant ship near the Faroes. DD KANDAHAR departed Scapa to patrol off Shapinsay. U.18 attacked destroyer INGLEFIELD off Rattray Head without success at 0010. DDs IMOGEN, IMPERIAL and IMPULSIVE departed Rosyth and searched for U-boats in the Rattray Head area.
DDs EXMOUTH, ECHO and MONTROSE were hunting in the northern waters area for a reported damaged U-boat. MV BENGUELA (534grt) reported sighting a submarine.

North Sea
ASW trawler MAN O WAR (517grt) reported a U-boat and attacked it. The ship was later joined by DD GRIFFIN and GIPSY
DD BOADICEA, carrying out an ASW sweep in company with DD KEITH in the North Sea, was near missed in a LW bombing attack, but escaped damage. DDs EXMOUTH, ECHO and MONTROSE were ordered to carry out an ASW search and destroy. MSW HUSSAR, sweeping near Humber Light Vessel, exploded a mine in her sweep, and sustained some damage. German a/c (I believe He 59s of the german Naval Air Service) laid parachute mines in the Thames Estuary. Magnetic mines laid by a/c were ultimately to be thye undoing of the highly successful Mine warfare campaign off the English east coast.

Rosyth
CL BELFAST with DDs GURKHA and AFRIDI departed Rosyth for gunnery exercises, and arrived back later that day. FS.40 departed the Tyne escorted by PCs VALOROUS and BITTERN. Included with the convoy were AO ATHELKING and SS STERLET, which was detached in the Tyne for refit, arriving on the 21st.

UK-Francce
SA.18 of two steamers departed Southampton, escort DD WINDSOR, and arrived at Brest on the 21st.

Channel
ML PLOVER laid mines in North Inchkeith Channel on the 20th, and on 14 and 16 December, laid more mines in South Inchkeith Channel. Netlayer BAYONET was lost in one of the South Inchkeith Channel fields. Fr Aux MSW SAINTE CLARE (57grt) was sunk on a mine laid by U.16, 10 miles SE of Folkestone on 22 October; eleven crewmen were lost.

[NO IMAGES FOUND]

Sloops PELICAN and HASTINGS with FN.40 attacked U.19 off Cromer Light. DDs KEITH and BOADICEA joined them, but U.19, which had been laying mines in the Inner Dowsing area on the 17th, escaped.

Caribbean
RAN CL PERTH departed Kingston for Colon.

Med -Biscay
Fr convoy KS.27, en route from Oran and Casablanca to Brest and St Nazaire, escort Fr DDs SIROCCO, FRONDEUR and sloop CHEVREUIL, was attacked by U41, U.43 and U.49 off St Nazaire. ThE convoy had been sighted by U.53 on the 15th, but air support and the DDs were able to hold off the submarines leading to the CO of U.53 (or U.55) being relieved of command after this patrol for not pressing home the attack. U.49 attempted an attack on the afternoon of the 16th November, but without success. Fr Contre Torpilleur DD CHEVALIER PAUL was sent out to reinforce the escort. None of the U-boats were able to do any damage to KS.27, but U.41 and U.43 were each able to sink four independents or stragglers while en route to the convoy on other days. SIROCCO attacked U.49 on the 20th, and damaged her bow tubes in the depth charge attack. Fr DDs INDOMPTABLE, MALIN and TRIOMPHANT were also proceeding to the convoy.

Western Approaches
U-33 sank three trawlers with about five rounds from the deck gun each near Tory Island (NW of Derry). The Trawlers at the time were working the Fleetwood Fishing Banks. At 10.30 hours the THOMAS HANKINS (UK 276 grt) 14 miles northwest of Tory, at 16.00 hours the DELPHINE (UK 250 grt) 18 miles north-northeast of Tory and at 17.05 hours the SEA SWEEPER (UK 322 grt) 25 miles west-northwest of Tory. All 37 crew of the three trawlers were rescued

The images of these ships shows that whilst they were armed, the Uboat gave them no chance to retaliate. There are conflicting accounts about the circumstances of these attacks. Some sources say the ships were attacked without warning, but the dedicated Trawler sites, which i think are more credible, state the crews were removed before sinking. This would be consistent with Dresky's (the UBoat skipper) earlier behaviour and the fact that there were no casualties also suggests they were removed before sinking.

from left to right: THOMAS HANKINS , DELPHINE , SEA SWEEPER

Sth Western Approaches
OA.38 of 14 ships was escort DDs WREN and WITCH (until the 21st), and dispersed on the 23rd. OB.39 departed Liverpool escort DDs VERSATILE and WITHERINGTON until the 23rd, when they detached to join convoy SL.8.

Pacific/Far East
CL DANAE departed Colombo for Singapore, arriving on the 26th. CL CARADOC arrived at Esquimalt (near Vancouver) for extensive yard work which was 15 April 1940. RAN CAs CANBERRA and AUSTRALIA arrived at Melbourne after patrol.


.

 

[parsifal]

21 November
Known Reinforcements
Allied
RN AMC Worcestershire

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 49 did not report until much later. She was damaged by D/C's, and her bow torpedo gear unserviceable. As she has only one stern torpedo left serviceable, she has been ordered to return. U 41's gyro is temporarily out of action due to D/C's. The attack on the convoy must be regarded as ended. The boats have been given a new operations area between 50 and 480 north, east of 120 west. The disposition originally planned cannot be carried out now as U 49 has to return home and the other boats have only a limited amount of fuel left. U 53 reported that she was starting on her return passage. U 31 and U 48 sailed, for the first time with anti-mine escort through the declared area. In connection with a large-scale operation by our own battleships U 35, U 47 and U 33 have been kept back in the area west of the Orkneys. According to a sighting report, not entirely reliable, from an a/c, the Home Fleet is supposed to be in Scapa.

Arrivals
Kiel: U-60

At Sea 21 November
U-13, U-18, U-20, U-22, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-31, U-33, U-35, U-38, U-41, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-49, U-53, U-57.
18 boats at sea.

Baltic
DKM BCs SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU departed Wilhelmshaven at 1310 hours under the command of Vice Admiral Marschall to raid in the North Atlantic and relieve pressure on the DKM CS ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE in the South Atlantic. They were accompanied by CL KÖLN, LEIPZIG and DDs ERICH GIESE, BERND VON ARNIM and KARL GALSTER until late on the 21st. The escorting ships then joined CS LÜTZOW (former DEUTSCHLAND) and TBs LEOPARD, SEEADLER, ILTIS for demonstration operations in the Skagerrak during the night of the 21st/22nd. However, heavy weather forced a cancellation of the Skagerrak operation and these ships returned to Wilhelmshaven.

Scharnhorst in her 1939 livery

]

Koln and Leipzig

Northern Patrol
Two cruisers between the Orkneys and the Faroes, three cruisers and one AMC between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and three AMCs in the Denmark Strait. AMC CALIFORNIA reported she had a slightly damaged bow due to ice. CLs DELHI, CALYPSO and CERES departed Loch Ewe on Northern Patrol duties. MV TENERIFE (Ger 2436 grt), which had departed Vigo on the 9th, scuttled herself when intercepted by AMC TRANSYLVANIA west of Iceland . The crew of 12 officers and 61 ratings were taken prisoner, aboard the British ship.

Northern Waters
DDs IMOGEN, IMPERIAL and IMPULSIVE were searching for the U-boat responsible for sinking trawler WIGMORE on the 18th off Rattray Head. DDs ESCORT and ELECTRA were searching for a submarine one mile 180° from Rame Head. DD WARWICK and patrol sloop GUILLEMOT were submarine hunting. MSWs SKIPJACK and LEDA were searching for a submarine one mile south of Cross Sands.

North Sea
DD GIPSY (Lt Cdr N J Crossley) and the ORP BURZA departed Harwich to rescue a downed German aircrew, who were picked up and returned to Harwich. That evening, DDs GRIFFIN, KEITH, GIPSY, BOADICEA and ORP GROM departed Harwich for a sweep in the North Sea in operation GT.1. Leaving Harwich Harbour, the DDs ran into a minefield laid by U.19 on the 17th and GIPSY struck a mine and was badly damaged. She was run aground a total loss and KEITH and GRIFFIN picked up the survivors. One crewman died of injuries, 29 crewmen were missing, and Lt Cdr Crossley died of injuries on the 27th. Py/Lt J B Rigg RNVR, Py/Midshipman M A J Landon RNR and nineteen ratings were wounded, one seriously. Consideration was given to salvaging and repairing GIPSY, but she had been too badly damaged.(see entry for 17 Nov)

DDs JUNO, JAGUAR, JANUS and JERSEY departed Immingham and were on a patrol in the North Sea, designated operation BT.2. Following the patrol, JANUS joined convoy FS.40 and JAGUAR joined FN.40. JAGUAR was attacked by a German bomber, but was not damaged. ORP DD BLYSKAWICA investigated suspicious vessels southwest of Shipwash (in Suffolk).

Rosyth
BBs NELSON and RODNEY with DDs FURY, FAME, FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FORTUNE and FORESIGHT arrived in the Clyde from Loch Ewe.

CLs SOUTHAMPTON and BELFAST with DD AFRIDI departed the Firth of Forth on gunnery exercises. At 1058 near May Island, BELFAST struck a mine laid by a U.21 on the 4th. Badly damaged and with a broken back, she was towed back to Rosyth by tug KROOMAN (230grt). Tug BRAMHAM soon joined and later, tugs GRANGEBOURNE, BULGER and OXCAR also met BELFAST. Twenty one crew were wounded, with one rating dying of wounds on the 30th. DDs GURKHA and ICARUS put out from Rosyth to search off Fiora for the submarine thought responsible. They were joined by escort vessel WHITLEY and sloop STORK and later by DDs ISIS and BEDOUIN. DDs IMOGEN, IMPULSIVE and IMPERIAL were also recalled from patrol off Rattray Head to assist in the search, refuelling at Invergordon on the 22nd en route. Escort vessel VIVIEN remained in company with BELFAST after she passed through the gate. After temporary repairs, BELFAST left Rosyth on 28 June 1940 for Devonport, arrived there on 3 July and was repairing until 3 November 1942 – almost three years later.

BELFAST'S profile in 1942

Southend - Methil
FN.40 departed Southend, escort DD WOOLSTON, and sloops PELICAN and HASTINGS. DD JAGUAR provided support on the 22nd, while WOOLSTON detached when the convoy was abreast the Tyne to join the escort of FS.41. FN.40 arrived at Methil on the 23rd. FS.40 departed the Tyne, escorted by escort ship VALOROUS and sloop BITTERN. Destroyer JANUS provided support on the 22nd, and the convoy arrived at Southend on the 23rd.

Channel
DD WIVERN was relieved on patrol by DD BRILLIANT. Then on the 21st, WIVERN was ordered to make runs at high speed along the line from the wreck of the Dutch steamer SIMON BOLIVAR and that of British steamer BLACKHILL to detonate any magnetic mines. ASW trawlers WELLARD and LADY ELSA took off non-essential crewmen and stood by should WIVERN be mined in the attempt. Four runs were made, but no mines detonated. This was repeated on the 23rd with similar results, and after one run, a leak developed in the stern gland and she returned to Chatham. ASW trawlers BEDFORDSHIRE (443grt), WARWICK DEEPING (445grt) and CAMBRIDGESHIRE (443grt) attacked a submarine contact three miles from Bull Point.

Nth Atlantic
CL EMERALD arrived at Halifax with another shipment of gold bullion from England, ecort RCN DDs ASSINIBOINE and ST LAURENT,

Western Approaches
U.33 sank trawlers SCULBY (or SULBY) (287grt) and WILLIAM HUMPHRIES (276grt) 73 miles NW of Rathlin Island. Five crewmen were lost from SCULBY, and the seven survivors landed at Tobermory.

WILLIAM HUMPHRIES (left) and SULBY

DDs PUNJABI, ASHANTI, SOMALI and MASHONA departed Greenock for Belfast to escort the fleet tenders A (dummy battleship REVENGE - decoy ship PAKEHA) and B (dummy battleship RESOLUTION - decoy ship WAIMANA) to Rosyth to help divert the Luftwaffe's attention away from Scapa. The group was designated Force W and included fleet tender C as dummy aircraft carrier HERMES – decoy ship MAMARI. DDs SOMALI, ASHANTI and MASHONA departed Belfast to search for a submarine 70 miles NW of Rathlin. They were joined by sister ship PUNJABI.

Med -Biscay
U.41 sank MV LES BARGES II (Fr 296 grt) ; survivors were picked up by Spanish fishing vessel PAZ Y TRABAJO, and landed at Pasajes.

[IMAGE NOT FOUND]

Fr BC STRASBOURG and CA ALGÉRIE of Force Y departed Dakar, escort DD LE FANTASQUE and LE TERRIBLE. They were joined by DDs GUÉPARD, VALMY and VERDUN of the DesDiv 3, which had departed Toulon on the 17th. The DDs, ContreTorpilleur DD LION and DD LA RAILLEUSE, departing Casablanca on the 23rd, joined them on the 24th and later arrived at Brest on the 30th. Later on the 24th, CA ALGÉRIE, DDs LE FANTASQUE, LE TERRIBLE, LION and LA RAILLEUSE separated from the group and arrived at Toulon on the 26th. LE FANTASQUE and LE TERRIBLE reached Brest on the 30th. West of Spain on the 25th, STRASBOURG was joined by DDs LE MALIN and LE TRIOMPHANT of DesDiv 8 which had departed Brest on the 23rd. DDoyer L'INDOMPTABLE departed with her two sister ships, but was delayed by a storm on the 24th, then reassigned. GUÉPARD, VERDUN, VALMY, LE MALIN, and LE TRIOMPHANT escorted the BCr, and on the 27th, there was an aerial mining alert. Still escorted by the five DDs, she arrived at Brest on the 29th for refitting.

DD L'AUDACIEUX departed Dakar with turbine defects on the 22nd escorting a convoy of steamers JAMAIQUE, LIPARI, and BELLE ISLE for Casablanca, and arriving on the 27th. She left there on the 30th, arrived at Oran on 1 December and Toulon on the 4th for repairs.

To relieve Force Y, Force X was formed with CAs FOCH and DUPLEIX. A number of ships joined CA DUPLEIX at Casablanca. Contre Torpilleur DD MILAN departed Bizerte on the 2nd and arrived on the 6th. Contre Torpilleur DD CASSARD departed Toulon on the 3rd escorting submarines LE HÉROS, LE CONQUÉRANT, ACHÉRON and arrived on the 7th. Finally CA FOCH and DD LION departed Oran on the 7th to reach Casablanca on the 8th.

 

[Njaco]

22 November 1939 Wednesday
WESTERN FRONT: A Bf 109E of I./JG 76 becomes the second Messerschmitt fighter to fall into Allied hands intact when it lands by mistake at Strasbourg-Woerth airfield in France because of fog. The pilot, Fw. Karl Hier, is captured. Bf 109E "White 1" W.Nr. 1304 is later shipped to Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, United States as AE479 where it is destroyed on November 3, 1942 after numerous tests.

Oblt. Hermann-Friedrich Jöppien of I./JG 51 shoots down a Morane-Saulnier MS 406 for his first victory. But he is forced to crash land when his Bf 109 is badly damaged in the combat. He survives the landing.

The "Richthofen" Geschwader, JG 2, fly its first mission since the end of World War I, a border protection patrol with two recon Dorniers south of Saarbrücken. Intercepted by French fighters, Lt. Helmut Wick and Ofw. Erwin Kley of 3./JG 2, each destroy a Hawk 75 of GC II / 4, the first for each pilot. Lt. Wick describes his first kill to the Luftwaffe magazine, 'Der Adler',

" . . . As the French did not cross the German border very often, my wingman and I decided for once to visit them. A tailwind from the east helped us on our way. Near Nancy I suddenly saw a gaggle of aircraft at an altitude of some 6000 metres. Realizing immediately that they were not German, we began to circle. Two aircraft detached themselves from the bunch above and swooped down on us. Now I could recognize them - Curtiss fighters.
We dived away and, just as we had anticipated, the two Frenchmen dived after us. I went into a climbing turn with one of the Frenchmen right on my tail. I can still clearly remember how I could see his red, white and blue roundels when I looked behind me. At first, the sight of them was rather exciting, particularly as the Frenchman was firing away with everything he had. But then the realization that somebody is behind you and shooting at you is very unpleasant.
I pushed the nose down again and, with my superior speed, quickly lost him. When my Frenchman was no longer to be seen, I looked up to my left to find the others. Not a thing in sight. I glanced up to my right and could hardly believe my eyes. I was staring straight at four radial engines all spouting little red flames. A ridiculous thought flashed through my mind - 'are they really allowed to shoot at me like that?'
But then I was all concentration. Should I try to get away again? No! Now's the time to tackle them. One has got to go down. Clenching my teeth, I hauled the stick and rudder to the right and turned into them.
By the time I had completed my turn the first had already shot past me. The second was right behind him, and this one I attacked head-on. It was a nasty moment looking straight down his blazing gun barrels, but we were too close to score any hits. He zoomed over my head and now the third was almost on top of me.
I maneuvered my aircraft slightly to get him nicely lined up in my sights, aiming and firing just as I had been taught at fighter training school. With my first shots I saw some pieces of metal fly off the Frenchman. Then both his wings buckled and gave way.
Close behind him the fourth Curtiss was also firing at me, but I was not hit. The first pair were now climbing again. I followed suit so that they could not catch me. I was getting low on fuel and it was time to head for home. My wingman, who had returned to base safe and sound, had lost me after the first dive in all the twisting and turning."

It is the first of many victories for Lt. Wick.

Later Dr. Eric Mix, of Stab III./JG 53 engages French fighters near Saarbrücken and shoots down two Moranes to bring his score to three kills.

Over Quackenbrück-am-Rhein, a He 111 of the Stabstaffel of KG 4 is bounced by two Hawk 75 fighters from the French GC I / 4. Caught in the dogfight the Heinkel is shot down and crashes near Torhout with only the pilot surviving.

The French government announces reprisals, similar to those announced by the British government, concerning the German use of mines.

Paris announced that two U-boats had been sunk by a French torpedo-boat.

UNITED KINGDOM: Between 8 and 9 PM, a low-flying Heinkel He111 is seen dropping magnetic mines by parachute in the Thames Estuary at Shoeburyness. A German magnetic mine lands in mud off Shoeburyness, England. It is recovered, stripped, and evaluated by a team from HMS "Vernon", revealing the secret of its magnetic polarity. The underwater mine is activated when subjected to a magnetic field of 50 milligauss. British ships can now install degaussing systems to make them invisible to the mines. These mines have caused the loss of 50,000 tons of shipping since October 16 and countermeasures are crucial.

Italian steamer 'Fianona' struck by mine during Tuesday night off SE Coast of England, but did not sink.

A national savings scheme is launched under the slogan "Lend to Defend the Right to be Free."

Navicerts, warrants first issued in 1915 to neutral ships carrying cargos not harmful to the Allies, are reintroduced.

The Admiralty announced that German freighter 'Bertha Fisser' which had been masquerading as 'Emden I' was also known as "Norwegian Iceland". Her crew tried to scuttle her, the ship ran on the rocks, and her crew were picked up by the intercepting warship.

Six Germans aircraft made a bombing attack on the Shetlands. An RAF seaplane lying in its moorings was set on fire. No British casualties.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: In the Bay of Biscay, U-43 torpedoes French merchant ship SS "Arijon", en route from Antwerp for Buenos Aires (cargo of steel bars).

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[parsifal]

22 November
Known Reinforcements
none

DKM War diary
Selected Extracts

UBOATS

Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary

U 38 lay off Westfjord for a few days. The weather was very bad and the boat observed no traffic. In accordance with orders she reported that she was proceeding north.

At Sea 21 November
U-13, U-18, U-20, U-22, U-26, U-28, U-29, U-31, U-33, U-35 , U-38, U-41, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-49, U-53, U-57.
18 boats at sea.

Northern Patrol
MV ANTIOCHA (Ger 3106 grt ) Intercepted by AMC LAURENTIC and scuttled by own crew. The cargo ship had departed Ponta Delgada on the 12th. First sighted south of Iceland and soon thereafter intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean south of Iceland.

Northern Waters
DDs IMOGEN, IMPULSIVE and IMPERIAL arrived at Invergordon to refuel after their ASW patrols off Rattray Head. DDs KASHMIR and KANDAHAR arrived at Scapa. Two flights of LW a/c attacked Sullom Voe and seaplane depot ship MANELA, but were driven off by fire from CLA COVENTRY. However a London flying boat was destroyed, there was no other damage. Incendiary bombs were also dropped over Lerwick Harbour with no result.

North Sea
MV NICOLAOS PIANGOS (Gk 4499 grt) was sunk in a collision with Norwegian steamer BRARENA (6996grt).

U.20 laid mines during the night of the 21st/22nd near Newarp Light Ship, east of Yarmouth, on which two merchant ships were lost.

Southend - Methil
OA.39 of four ships departed Southend escort DD ARDENT from the 22nd to 24th.

Channel
MV ELENA. R (Gk 4,576 grt) Enroute from Roario (Argentina) to Antwerp, full cargo of grain embarked. 24 crew struck a mine laid on 10 September by U-26 and sank two miles south of Shambles Light Vessel (near Southampton). The survivors reached the Light Vessel on their own.

Aux MSW trawler ARAGONITE (UK 315 grt), was mined and sunk near South Brade Buoy off Deal (near Dover), ; four men were wounded in the explosion.

DDs WIVERN and ORP GROM and BLYSKAWICA departed the Nore for Kentish Knock to search for for moored mines. DD MASHONA was searching for a submarine located by D/F. Former destroyer leader BRUCE, of the Scott class which had been paid off and disarmed prior to the war, was sunk as an aircraft torpedo target south of the Isle of Wight.

UK West Coast
DD FOXHOUND left Greenock during a submarine alert and shortly after ran aground, suffering minor hull damage. She was able to get off under her own control, but was re-docked at Greenock until 11 December. OB.39 departed Liverpool escort DDs VOLUNTEER and WARWICK until the 25th.

Western Approaches
Sloop PC.74 and patrol sloop SHELDRAKE with two ASW trawlers undertook ASW sweeps off northern Ireland in the general area where THOMAS HANKINS , DELPHINE , SEA SWEEPER had been lost.

SW Approaches
DD MONTROSE dropped DCs west of Breat

Med -Biscay
MV ARIJON (Fr 4374 grt) Outbound Enroute from Antwerp to Buenos Aires, full cargo of steel bars, sheets, section hoops and paper 41 crew embarked. The ship was in convoy 14-BS and was hit forward of amidships by one torpedo from U-43 and sank within a few minutes in the Bay of Biscay. 14 crew members and two gunners were lost. The survivors were rescued by the French armed trawler Cap Nord.

HG.8, departed Port Said on the 11th, left Gib on the 22nd, escort DDs KEPPEL, VIDETTE and the Fr TIGRE and PANTHÈRE from the 22nd. The French ships arrived at Brest on the 29th. Cable ship MIRROR departed with the convoy and escorted by VIDETTE carried out cable repairs to the SW of Gib. These ships arrived back at Gib on the 26th. The convoy reached Liverpool on the 30th. Fr DDs L'INDOMPTABLE, LE MALIN and LE TRIOMPHANT carried ASW Sweeps in the Biscay area.

Sth Atlantic
CLs AJAX RNZN ACHILLES searched for German merchant ships off Cape San Antonio. Both refuelled from tanker OLYNTHUS at San Boroborn Bay on the 23rd and then set off northwards. CA EXETER departed Rio de Janiero for the Rio de la Plata, then left the area on the 26th for the Falklands, arriving on the 30th. Liner ADOLPH WOERMANN (Ger 8577 grt) departed Lobito (a port in Portuguese Angola) on the 16th, and Forces H and K were dispatched to hunt her down. MV WAIMARAMA (UK 12,843 grt) reported sighting a suspicious merchant ship at 0842/21st and CL NEPTUNE of Force K was detached to investigate. On her approach, ADOLPH WOERMANN scuttled herself off Ascension Island and NEPTUNE picked up the crew. DDs HARDY, HASTY, HERO and HOSTILE, also of Force K accompanied NEPTUNE to Freetown for refuelling, arriving on the 25th. The German crew was taken to England by AMC CARNAVON CASTLE attached to SLF.10.
SS Adolph Woermann - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Caribbean
DD HOTSPUR cleared Kingston with orders to intercept MV ARAUCA (Ger 4354 grt), reported leaving Vera Cruz.

Indian Ocean
DD DARING departed Aden on the 10th and arrived at Suez after operations in the East Indies which started on 13 October. DARING departed Port Said on the 23rd and proceeded to Malta where she arrived on the 25th for refitting. Her Indian Ocean duties were taken over by her sister After being relieved by DD DELIGHT

Far East/Pacific
CL BIRMINGHAM departed Hong Kong on the 22nd after submarine RAINBOW reported a darkened ship leaving Kobe. No contact with the ship was made and BIRMINGHAM returned to Hong Kong some days later.

 

[Wurger]

On the 22nd November 1939 , in the Vickers-Armstrong Ltd shipyard at Newcastle-on-Tyne, U.K there was laid down the keel for the Type II HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer ORP Kujawiak ( ex-HMS OAKLEY ).