Crimea_River
Marshal
Thanks Michael. I did hear of those earlier recoveries of parts up to the time they raised the eagle crest in 2006 but nothing after that. Almost sounds like they gave up.
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This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning
- Thread starter Njaco
- Start date
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parsifal
Colonel
18 December 1939
Known Losses
Trawler ACTIVE (UK 279 grt): The trawler was bombed and sunk in the Moray Firth 30 nautical miles (56 km) north by west of Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire, by aircraft of X Fliegerkorps (FK X), with the loss of one crew member. Survivors were rescued by CARIBINEER II (UKi)
[NO IMAHE FOUND]
Trawler TRINITY N B (UK 203 grt): The trawler was bombed and sunk in the North Sea off Kinnaird Head, Aberdeenshire by a/c of FK X, with the loss of two crew. Survivors were rescued by SMART (Den)
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Arrivals
Kiel: U-47 , U-61
Wilhelmshaven: U-28
At Sea 18 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-48, U-59, U-60.
5 boats at sea.
OPERATIONS
Baltic
Air attacks began at 10.07 hours against Finn positions . BB OCTOBER REVOLUTION appeared from southeast 12.18 and opened fire 12.25. The battleship was escorted by DD Leader MINSK, DDs STEREGUSHIJ (Project 1938 class), ex DD ARTEMIEV (rated as a Patrol Vessel), old DDs KARL MARX, ENGELS (in 1941 grouped under the "Sverdlov Class, was built as a subclass of the Novik class which had widely varying profiles by 1940. She ex-DESNA 1915, - renamed the ENGELS in 1922, she struck a mine in 1941) and LENIN (Also from the Sverdlov" class; known as KAPITAN IZYYLMETYEV in 1914, - renamed the LENIN in 1922). Additional cover was given by four escorts, four sweepers and six MO patrol boats . A seaplane was circling above the battery and spotting. The Finnish heavy battery opened fire 12.39. Fire was checked after seven minutes, but recommenced again 13.04, but at 13.37 all guns were silent because of carriage failures or dirt thrown by close hits of 12 inch shells. BB October Revolution checked fire 13.50, came closer and opened fire again 13.55. At 14.00 the number 4 gun of Finnish battery was able to open fire. The gun kept firing till 14.21 and OCTOBER REVOLUTION fired till 14.25. After this the battle was over, except few air attacks. The Finnish side estimated that 400 heavy shells and 200 bombs had landed on the battery area, in front and behind it. The Soviet BB had shot 209 shells . Finnish losses were five wounded and ammunition consumption was 49 254 mm shells and 39 152 mm shells.
Patrol Vessel ARTEMIEV (left), and typical Sverdlov (ex Novik) class profiles
Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers between the Faroes and Iceland, and CA BERWICK in the Denmark Strait. CL SHEFFIELD departed the Tyne on Northern Patrol duties, and arrived at Scapa on the 28th.
North Sea
CL CALEDON departed the Tyne for Devonport. FS.56 departed the Tyne escort sloops PELICAN, WESTON, HASTINGS, and arrived at Southend on the 19th. DD WALLACE and sloop STORK departed Methil with a group of merchant ships for the Tyne to join FS.57.
DKM DDs FRIEDRICH IHN, FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT and HERMANN SCHOEMANN departed Wilhelmshaven to lay mines off Orfordness. When they arrived and found the British navigational lights extinguished, they returned as the mines could not be accurately laid.
Northern Waters
CL EDINBURGH departed Scapa for Portsmouth, and left Portsmouth on the 22nd after refuelling and docking briefly .
UK - France
SA.22 of two unescorted steamers departed Southampton, arriving at Brest on the 19th.
Sth Atlantic
SL.13 departed Freetown escort sloops WELLINGTON and LEITH, the latter detaching on the 19th. On 4 January, WELLINGTON was relieved by sloop ENCHANTRESS and DD WITHERINGTON. The convoy arrived on 6 January.
.
Med- Biscay
CL CAPETOWN departed Malta on patrol duties, and arrived back on the 26th.
Known Losses
Trawler ACTIVE (UK 279 grt): The trawler was bombed and sunk in the Moray Firth 30 nautical miles (56 km) north by west of Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire, by aircraft of X Fliegerkorps (FK X), with the loss of one crew member. Survivors were rescued by CARIBINEER II (UKi)
[NO IMAHE FOUND]
Trawler TRINITY N B (UK 203 grt): The trawler was bombed and sunk in the North Sea off Kinnaird Head, Aberdeenshire by a/c of FK X, with the loss of two crew. Survivors were rescued by SMART (Den)
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Arrivals
Kiel: U-47 , U-61
Wilhelmshaven: U-28
At Sea 18 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-48, U-59, U-60.
5 boats at sea.
OPERATIONS
Baltic
Air attacks began at 10.07 hours against Finn positions . BB OCTOBER REVOLUTION appeared from southeast 12.18 and opened fire 12.25. The battleship was escorted by DD Leader MINSK, DDs STEREGUSHIJ (Project 1938 class), ex DD ARTEMIEV (rated as a Patrol Vessel), old DDs KARL MARX, ENGELS (in 1941 grouped under the "Sverdlov Class, was built as a subclass of the Novik class which had widely varying profiles by 1940. She ex-DESNA 1915, - renamed the ENGELS in 1922, she struck a mine in 1941) and LENIN (Also from the Sverdlov" class; known as KAPITAN IZYYLMETYEV in 1914, - renamed the LENIN in 1922). Additional cover was given by four escorts, four sweepers and six MO patrol boats . A seaplane was circling above the battery and spotting. The Finnish heavy battery opened fire 12.39. Fire was checked after seven minutes, but recommenced again 13.04, but at 13.37 all guns were silent because of carriage failures or dirt thrown by close hits of 12 inch shells. BB October Revolution checked fire 13.50, came closer and opened fire again 13.55. At 14.00 the number 4 gun of Finnish battery was able to open fire. The gun kept firing till 14.21 and OCTOBER REVOLUTION fired till 14.25. After this the battle was over, except few air attacks. The Finnish side estimated that 400 heavy shells and 200 bombs had landed on the battery area, in front and behind it. The Soviet BB had shot 209 shells . Finnish losses were five wounded and ammunition consumption was 49 254 mm shells and 39 152 mm shells.
Patrol Vessel ARTEMIEV (left), and typical Sverdlov (ex Novik) class profiles
Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers between the Faroes and Iceland, and CA BERWICK in the Denmark Strait. CL SHEFFIELD departed the Tyne on Northern Patrol duties, and arrived at Scapa on the 28th.
North Sea
CL CALEDON departed the Tyne for Devonport. FS.56 departed the Tyne escort sloops PELICAN, WESTON, HASTINGS, and arrived at Southend on the 19th. DD WALLACE and sloop STORK departed Methil with a group of merchant ships for the Tyne to join FS.57.
DKM DDs FRIEDRICH IHN, FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT and HERMANN SCHOEMANN departed Wilhelmshaven to lay mines off Orfordness. When they arrived and found the British navigational lights extinguished, they returned as the mines could not be accurately laid.
Northern Waters
CL EDINBURGH departed Scapa for Portsmouth, and left Portsmouth on the 22nd after refuelling and docking briefly .
UK - France
SA.22 of two unescorted steamers departed Southampton, arriving at Brest on the 19th.
Sth Atlantic
SL.13 departed Freetown escort sloops WELLINGTON and LEITH, the latter detaching on the 19th. On 4 January, WELLINGTON was relieved by sloop ENCHANTRESS and DD WITHERINGTON. The convoy arrived on 6 January.
.
Med- Biscay
CL CAPETOWN departed Malta on patrol duties, and arrived back on the 26th.
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parsifal
Colonel
19 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
Axis
AMC ATLANTIS
Allied
DD HAVANT
MTB 24 (75ft Thornycroft Design)
new Photo Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/leifsoderman/3950281756/
Known Losses
[Liner COLUMBUS (GER) See entry for 14 December]
Steamer CITY OF KOBE (UK 4373 grt) in convoy FS.56 was sunk off Cross Sands on a mine laid by U.60 on the 17th; one crewman was lost, and 18 survivors rescued.
Trawler DANEDEN (UK 250 grt (est)): World War II: The trawler was bombed and sunk in the North Sea east south east of the Shetland Islands by aircraft of X Fliegerkorps, Luftwaffe.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
MV JYTTE ( Den 1916 GRT): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 18 nautical miles (33 km) off Souter Point,
Northumberland, with the loss of ten of her 18 crew. Survivors were rescued by MV AVANCE (Den).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Trawler RIVER EARN (UK 350 grt (est))) The trawler was bombed and sunk in the North Sea east north east of Kinnaird Head by a/c of X Fliegerkorps. All on board were rescued by MV ROGALAND (Nor).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Steamer UKO (Fn 757 grt) sunk by a/c from FK X 80 miles south of Utsire; three crew and two passengers were wounded. Survivors were picked up by Steamer SIR ERNEST CASSEL (SD 7739 grt) and landed at Kopervik.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Arrivals
Kiel: U-59 , U-60
Departures
Kiel: U-46
At Sea 19 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-46, U-48.
4 boats at sea.
Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and four AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and CA BERWICK and one AMC in the Denmark Strait. AMCs ASTURIAS and WORCESTERSHIRE departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol duties.
North Sea
Elements of the Home Flt (including BB BARHAM, BC REPULSE and DDs INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN, ICARUS, ISIS and KHARTOUM) put to sea to cover HN.5 and NV.2. Off Holy Island at 1700, KHARTOUM reported a torpedo was fired at her. ISIS attacked a submarine contact, and KHARTOUM made three attacks later in the afternoon. KHARTOUM, in company with ASW trawler LORD SNOWDEN (444grt), made a submarine attack off Arran at 0725 on the 20th. Patrol sloops MALLARD and PUFFIN assisted, but the attack was unsuccessful. DDs IMPULSIVE, MATABELE, MASHONA, BEDOUIN and ESKIMO departed Greenock to assist in the sweep . MATABELE joined ISIS and also made attacks. KHARTOUM was ordered to rejoin the BARHAM screen. The Sweep continued until liners AQUITANIA and EMPRESS OF BRITAIN passed the area southbound. IMOGEN and KHARTOUM refuelled at Sullom Voe on the 23rd, while MASHONA arrived at Loch Ewe on the 24th with defects. ICARUS and ISIS refuelled at Sullom Voe on the 25th. During this time, the FK X launched another air raid against Sullom Voe and the DDs assisted CLA COVENTRY in driving off the attack. INGLEFIELD refuelled at Sullom Voe on the 27th. MATABELE, BEDOUIN, ESKIMO returned to the Clyde in time for convoy TC.2 escort.
Large numbers of drifting mines were reported by DD GRAFTON. FN.56 departed Southend, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloop GRIMSBY. The convoy had been delayed 24 hours, and arrived in the Tyne on the 20th. OA.56 departed Southend, escorted by DDs WHITEHALL and WIVERN from the 19th to 21st, and joined by DD VESPER on the 21st, when the convoy dispersed.
West Coast UK
DD DUNCAN attacked a submarine contact. OB.56 departed Liverpool escort DDs VIMY and WITHERINGTON to the 21st, when the convoy dispersed.
Channel
DD HAVANT was commissioned . After work up at Portland, she was the first unit of the new DesFlot 9 and operated with the Home Flt.
Western Approaches
DDs WITHERINGTON and VIMY attacked a probable submarine contact in the Western Approaches. They rejoined their convoy the next morning when relieved by destroyer VOLUNTEER.
SW Approaches
Nth Atlantic
CL EMERALD arrived at Halifax after escorting troop convoy TC.1. HXF.13 departed Halifax escort RCN DDs SAGUENAY and SKEENA, which detached on the 20th. CL ENTERPRISE departed Halifax as the ocean escort on the 19th, detached on the 28th and arrived at Portsmouth on the 29th. DD WREN escorted the convoy from the 28th to 30th, when it arrived at Liverpool.
Central Atlantic
Sth Atlantic
SLF.13 departed Freetown escort sloop EGRET until 2 January when she was relieved by DD ARDENT and BROKE. The convoy arrived in home ports on the 3rd.
.
Far East/Pacific/Australia
Sub REGENT departed Singapore for patrol in the Java Sea off Saband and Mentawei. On the 24th, she bottomed off Pulo Simalar and was badly damaged with damage to her hydroplanes. She was ordered to return to Singapore on the 25th and arrived back, repairing until 28 February. REGENT then proceeded to Hong Kong, arriving on 18 March, for a refit completed on 19 June.
Known Reinforcements
Axis
AMC ATLANTIS
Allied
DD HAVANT
MTB 24 (75ft Thornycroft Design)
new Photo Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/leifsoderman/3950281756/
Known Losses
[Liner COLUMBUS (GER) See entry for 14 December]
Steamer CITY OF KOBE (UK 4373 grt) in convoy FS.56 was sunk off Cross Sands on a mine laid by U.60 on the 17th; one crewman was lost, and 18 survivors rescued.
Trawler DANEDEN (UK 250 grt (est)): World War II: The trawler was bombed and sunk in the North Sea east south east of the Shetland Islands by aircraft of X Fliegerkorps, Luftwaffe.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
MV JYTTE ( Den 1916 GRT): The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 18 nautical miles (33 km) off Souter Point,
Northumberland, with the loss of ten of her 18 crew. Survivors were rescued by MV AVANCE (Den).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Trawler RIVER EARN (UK 350 grt (est))) The trawler was bombed and sunk in the North Sea east north east of Kinnaird Head by a/c of X Fliegerkorps. All on board were rescued by MV ROGALAND (Nor).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Steamer UKO (Fn 757 grt) sunk by a/c from FK X 80 miles south of Utsire; three crew and two passengers were wounded. Survivors were picked up by Steamer SIR ERNEST CASSEL (SD 7739 grt) and landed at Kopervik.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Arrivals
Kiel: U-59 , U-60
Departures
Kiel: U-46
At Sea 19 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-46, U-48.
4 boats at sea.
Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and four AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and CA BERWICK and one AMC in the Denmark Strait. AMCs ASTURIAS and WORCESTERSHIRE departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol duties.
North Sea
Elements of the Home Flt (including BB BARHAM, BC REPULSE and DDs INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN, ICARUS, ISIS and KHARTOUM) put to sea to cover HN.5 and NV.2. Off Holy Island at 1700, KHARTOUM reported a torpedo was fired at her. ISIS attacked a submarine contact, and KHARTOUM made three attacks later in the afternoon. KHARTOUM, in company with ASW trawler LORD SNOWDEN (444grt), made a submarine attack off Arran at 0725 on the 20th. Patrol sloops MALLARD and PUFFIN assisted, but the attack was unsuccessful. DDs IMPULSIVE, MATABELE, MASHONA, BEDOUIN and ESKIMO departed Greenock to assist in the sweep . MATABELE joined ISIS and also made attacks. KHARTOUM was ordered to rejoin the BARHAM screen. The Sweep continued until liners AQUITANIA and EMPRESS OF BRITAIN passed the area southbound. IMOGEN and KHARTOUM refuelled at Sullom Voe on the 23rd, while MASHONA arrived at Loch Ewe on the 24th with defects. ICARUS and ISIS refuelled at Sullom Voe on the 25th. During this time, the FK X launched another air raid against Sullom Voe and the DDs assisted CLA COVENTRY in driving off the attack. INGLEFIELD refuelled at Sullom Voe on the 27th. MATABELE, BEDOUIN, ESKIMO returned to the Clyde in time for convoy TC.2 escort.
Large numbers of drifting mines were reported by DD GRAFTON. FN.56 departed Southend, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloop GRIMSBY. The convoy had been delayed 24 hours, and arrived in the Tyne on the 20th. OA.56 departed Southend, escorted by DDs WHITEHALL and WIVERN from the 19th to 21st, and joined by DD VESPER on the 21st, when the convoy dispersed.
West Coast UK
DD DUNCAN attacked a submarine contact. OB.56 departed Liverpool escort DDs VIMY and WITHERINGTON to the 21st, when the convoy dispersed.
Channel
DD HAVANT was commissioned . After work up at Portland, she was the first unit of the new DesFlot 9 and operated with the Home Flt.
Western Approaches
DDs WITHERINGTON and VIMY attacked a probable submarine contact in the Western Approaches. They rejoined their convoy the next morning when relieved by destroyer VOLUNTEER.
SW Approaches
Nth Atlantic
CL EMERALD arrived at Halifax after escorting troop convoy TC.1. HXF.13 departed Halifax escort RCN DDs SAGUENAY and SKEENA, which detached on the 20th. CL ENTERPRISE departed Halifax as the ocean escort on the 19th, detached on the 28th and arrived at Portsmouth on the 29th. DD WREN escorted the convoy from the 28th to 30th, when it arrived at Liverpool.
Central Atlantic
Sth Atlantic
SLF.13 departed Freetown escort sloop EGRET until 2 January when she was relieved by DD ARDENT and BROKE. The convoy arrived in home ports on the 3rd.
.
Far East/Pacific/Australia
Sub REGENT departed Singapore for patrol in the Java Sea off Saband and Mentawei. On the 24th, she bottomed off Pulo Simalar and was badly damaged with damage to her hydroplanes. She was ordered to return to Singapore on the 25th and arrived back, repairing until 28 February. REGENT then proceeded to Hong Kong, arriving on 18 March, for a refit completed on 19 June.
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- Thread starter
- #364
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
19 December 1939 Tuesday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Captain Hans Langsdorff shoots himself in Buenos Aires. He symbolically goes down with the "Graf Spee" (writing in his final letter "for a captain with a sense of honor …. his personal fate cannot be separated from that of his ship"), an honorable death for a man who sunk 9 ships with no lives lost and spared the lives of his crew. History will brand him incompetent for taking on Harwood's cruiser squadron and a coward for failing to fight out of Montevideo.
Argentine government issues a decree saying Germans from the "Graf Spee" are to be interned in Buenos Aires.
British light cruiser HMS "Orion" intercepted German freighter "Arauca" off Miami, Florida, United States; the German crew sailed into Port Everglades, Florida to avoid capture as the United States was still a neutral nation.
HMS "Hyperion" intercepted German passenger liner "Columbus" 450 miles east of Cape May, New Jersey, United States; "Columbus'" crew scuttled the ship to prevent capture.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Soviet tanks exploit a swampy gap near Summa to get behind the Mannerheim Line. Without infantry support, they are quickly destroyed with satchel charges and Molotov cocktails. In their attack on Summa, the Soviet Army lost 20 of 100 tanks. As Soviet 44th division advances slowly up the Raate Road to rescue the 163rd division trapped in Suomussalmi, the Finns build a hidden ice road parallel on the lake. Another Soviet division starts to disintegrate as Finns surround 75th division at Ägläjärvi.
ASIA: Japanese troops captured Kunlun Pass 59 kilometers northeast of Nanning, Guangxi Province, China.
UNITED KINGDOM: Using the mine recovered by Ouvry and Lewis on Nov 23, British scientists Goodeve and Bullard devise a method demagnetize ships to prevent from detonating magnetic mines ("degaussing").
Eleven more cases of bombing and machine-gunning of fishing, trawlers made known. Of these 'Active' and 'Zealous' were sunk. British steamer 'City of Kobe' sunk by mine after surviving bombs and bullets from aircraft. Three neutral ships reported sunk through enemy action: Norwegian steamer 'Glitrejell'; Danish steamers 'Jytte' and 'Bogoe'. 'SS Jytte' a Danish ship, en route for the Tyne, struck a mine and sank 18 miles off Souter Point. Eight survivors of the 'Jytte' were landed at Tynemouth at 13.00, two of them were taken to Preston Hospital, North Shields.
WESTERN FRONT: Prime Minister returned from visit to B.E.F. after meeting of Supreme War Council in Paris.
.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Captain Hans Langsdorff shoots himself in Buenos Aires. He symbolically goes down with the "Graf Spee" (writing in his final letter "for a captain with a sense of honor …. his personal fate cannot be separated from that of his ship"), an honorable death for a man who sunk 9 ships with no lives lost and spared the lives of his crew. History will brand him incompetent for taking on Harwood's cruiser squadron and a coward for failing to fight out of Montevideo.
Argentine government issues a decree saying Germans from the "Graf Spee" are to be interned in Buenos Aires.
British light cruiser HMS "Orion" intercepted German freighter "Arauca" off Miami, Florida, United States; the German crew sailed into Port Everglades, Florida to avoid capture as the United States was still a neutral nation.
HMS "Hyperion" intercepted German passenger liner "Columbus" 450 miles east of Cape May, New Jersey, United States; "Columbus'" crew scuttled the ship to prevent capture.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Soviet tanks exploit a swampy gap near Summa to get behind the Mannerheim Line. Without infantry support, they are quickly destroyed with satchel charges and Molotov cocktails. In their attack on Summa, the Soviet Army lost 20 of 100 tanks. As Soviet 44th division advances slowly up the Raate Road to rescue the 163rd division trapped in Suomussalmi, the Finns build a hidden ice road parallel on the lake. Another Soviet division starts to disintegrate as Finns surround 75th division at Ägläjärvi.
ASIA: Japanese troops captured Kunlun Pass 59 kilometers northeast of Nanning, Guangxi Province, China.
UNITED KINGDOM: Using the mine recovered by Ouvry and Lewis on Nov 23, British scientists Goodeve and Bullard devise a method demagnetize ships to prevent from detonating magnetic mines ("degaussing").
Eleven more cases of bombing and machine-gunning of fishing, trawlers made known. Of these 'Active' and 'Zealous' were sunk. British steamer 'City of Kobe' sunk by mine after surviving bombs and bullets from aircraft. Three neutral ships reported sunk through enemy action: Norwegian steamer 'Glitrejell'; Danish steamers 'Jytte' and 'Bogoe'. 'SS Jytte' a Danish ship, en route for the Tyne, struck a mine and sank 18 miles off Souter Point. Eight survivors of the 'Jytte' were landed at Tynemouth at 13.00, two of them were taken to Preston Hospital, North Shields.
WESTERN FRONT: Prime Minister returned from visit to B.E.F. after meeting of Supreme War Council in Paris.
.
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
20 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Kagero Class DD SHIRANUHI
Allied
AMCs ALCANTRA, CIRCASSIA DUNVEGEN CASTLE and HECTOR
[NO IMAGES PROVIDED]
Known Losses
Steamer MARS (SD 1877 grt) was sunk one mile east of St Marys Light Vessel near Blyth on a mine laid by U.22 on the 15th; seven crew were lost, and 15 survivors rescued
Photo source Sjöhistoriska Museet, Stockholm
Tug NAPIA (UK 155 grt) was sunk on a mine off Ramsgate. The entire crew of eight were lost.
Print Page - Claxton Co. Ltd.
Steamer VEGA (Sd 1300 grt) was badly damaged on a mine, and ran aground at Westergronden on the 21st near Ijmuiden a total loss. Seventeen survivors were picked up by Swedish steamer VENERN (1171 grt). VEGA and VENERN had been in convoy together from the German Bight.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Steamer ADOLF BRATT (Sd 1323 grt) was sunk on a mine. Five crew were lost, 16 survivors rescued by Latvian steamer AUSEKLIS (1309grt).
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Arrivals
Kiel: U-48
Departures
None
At Sea 20 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-46.
3 boats at sea.
OPERATIONS
Baltic
Eastern Baltic
Soviet BB MARAT escorted by two DDs carried out a bombardment of parts of the Finn fortfied positions that had stalled the land assault (Soviet sources say this attack occurred on the 19th against the Koivisto Artillery Battalion, a fixed CA position
In response the Finns sortied with their Sub VESIKKO which was sent to the area to try to attack MARAT. There was no contact , but MARAT is reported to have suffered some minor concussion damage during the shoot. The Soviet TG was well clear of the battle when VESIKKO arrived.
The Soviets deployed 1st and 2nd Submarine brigades in their blockading operations of Finland.
Northern Patrol
A cruiser between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and six AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and one AMC in the Denmark Strait. CA SUFFOLK departed Clyde on Northern Patrol duties, and arrived back on the 29th.
North Sea
A German warship, identified as DEUTSCHLAND, was sighted northbound in the Belt. IUt was later determined to be the CS LUtZOW. CL GLASGOW returning from Northern Patrol was ordered to refuel and join CL NEWCASTLE on Fair Island Channel Patrol to screen an attempted breakout. Sub H.34 on trials with DD ENCOUNTER in company in Pentland Firth was ordered to patrol in the Firth to cover any action against Coastal traffic . Submarines L.23 and STURGEON were doing likewise 10 and 25 miles south of Rjyvingen Light, respectively. Submarine THISTLE was 80 miles WSW of Ryvingen Light also ordered to join this picket line.
CinC Home Flt ordered that if German warships were sighted in the North Sea, the Commander of the CruSqn 2 (CLs EDINBURGH and SOUTHAMPTON) was ordered to take BB BARHAM, BC REPULSE, and CLs GLASGOW and NEWCASTLE under his command, as well as any available DDs from Desflot 12 led by CL NEWCASTLE. The destroyers of the DesFlot 8 at Loch Ewe were put on one hour's notice. On 21 December, DEUTSCHLAND was sighted steaming south back towards Germany. GLASGOW arrived at Rosyth on the 22nd and NEWCASTLE at Scapa with DD ESCAPADE on the 23rd. DD ESCAPADE was sent to search for a submarine reported at the entrance to Kirkwall. Sloop FOWEY attacked a submarine contact in the same area.
FN.57 departed Southend, escort sloops PELICAN, WESTON and HASTINGS, and arrived in the Tyne on the 22nd. FS.57 departed the Tyne, escort DD WHITLEY and sloops STORK and FLAMINGO, and arrived at Southend on the 22nd. OA.57 departed Southend escort destroyers WOLVERINE and ARDENT from the 20th to 21st. DD WINDSOR was escort from the 21st to 23rd, when the convoy dispersed. OB.57 departed Liverpool escort DDs WANDERER and WALPOLE to the 23rd, when they detached to HX.12.
U.22 laid mines off Blyth near Newcastle, on which one merchant ship was sunk.
Northern Waters
ASW trawler ARCTIC EXPLORER (501grt) attacked a suspected submarine contact in Shapinsay Sound in the Orkneys. The same submarine was sighted again later and armed boarding vessel NORTHERN ISLES made another attack.
West Coast UK
Channel
CL CARDIFF departed the Clyde for Portsmouth, and arrived on the 23rd for refitting, completed on 30 January. CL DIOMEDE was refitting at Plymouth until 10 January.
Nth Atlantic
HX.13 departed Halifax at 1000 escorted by RCN DDs FRASER and ST LAURENT. Off Halifax, RCN DDs SAGUENAY and SKEENA took over the escort and were detached on the 22nd. The convoy was turned over to Ocean escort CL EMERALD which departed Halifax with the convoy and did not detach until 3 January. The Canadian DD returned to Halifax the morning of the 23rd. DDs MACKAY and WARWICK from OB.62, together with WOLVERINE and VERITY escorted the convoy from 2 to 4 January, when it arrived at Liverpool. EMERALD arrived at Portsmouth on 4 January to repair defects, completed on the 11th.
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Kagero Class DD SHIRANUHI
Allied
AMCs ALCANTRA, CIRCASSIA DUNVEGEN CASTLE and HECTOR
[NO IMAGES PROVIDED]
Known Losses
Steamer MARS (SD 1877 grt) was sunk one mile east of St Marys Light Vessel near Blyth on a mine laid by U.22 on the 15th; seven crew were lost, and 15 survivors rescued
Photo source Sjöhistoriska Museet, Stockholm
Tug NAPIA (UK 155 grt) was sunk on a mine off Ramsgate. The entire crew of eight were lost.
Print Page - Claxton Co. Ltd.
Steamer VEGA (Sd 1300 grt) was badly damaged on a mine, and ran aground at Westergronden on the 21st near Ijmuiden a total loss. Seventeen survivors were picked up by Swedish steamer VENERN (1171 grt). VEGA and VENERN had been in convoy together from the German Bight.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Steamer ADOLF BRATT (Sd 1323 grt) was sunk on a mine. Five crew were lost, 16 survivors rescued by Latvian steamer AUSEKLIS (1309grt).
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Arrivals
Kiel: U-48
Departures
None
At Sea 20 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-46.
3 boats at sea.
OPERATIONS
Baltic
Eastern Baltic
Soviet BB MARAT escorted by two DDs carried out a bombardment of parts of the Finn fortfied positions that had stalled the land assault (Soviet sources say this attack occurred on the 19th against the Koivisto Artillery Battalion, a fixed CA position
In response the Finns sortied with their Sub VESIKKO which was sent to the area to try to attack MARAT. There was no contact , but MARAT is reported to have suffered some minor concussion damage during the shoot. The Soviet TG was well clear of the battle when VESIKKO arrived.
The Soviets deployed 1st and 2nd Submarine brigades in their blockading operations of Finland.
Northern Patrol
A cruiser between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and six AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and one AMC in the Denmark Strait. CA SUFFOLK departed Clyde on Northern Patrol duties, and arrived back on the 29th.
North Sea
A German warship, identified as DEUTSCHLAND, was sighted northbound in the Belt. IUt was later determined to be the CS LUtZOW. CL GLASGOW returning from Northern Patrol was ordered to refuel and join CL NEWCASTLE on Fair Island Channel Patrol to screen an attempted breakout. Sub H.34 on trials with DD ENCOUNTER in company in Pentland Firth was ordered to patrol in the Firth to cover any action against Coastal traffic . Submarines L.23 and STURGEON were doing likewise 10 and 25 miles south of Rjyvingen Light, respectively. Submarine THISTLE was 80 miles WSW of Ryvingen Light also ordered to join this picket line.
CinC Home Flt ordered that if German warships were sighted in the North Sea, the Commander of the CruSqn 2 (CLs EDINBURGH and SOUTHAMPTON) was ordered to take BB BARHAM, BC REPULSE, and CLs GLASGOW and NEWCASTLE under his command, as well as any available DDs from Desflot 12 led by CL NEWCASTLE. The destroyers of the DesFlot 8 at Loch Ewe were put on one hour's notice. On 21 December, DEUTSCHLAND was sighted steaming south back towards Germany. GLASGOW arrived at Rosyth on the 22nd and NEWCASTLE at Scapa with DD ESCAPADE on the 23rd. DD ESCAPADE was sent to search for a submarine reported at the entrance to Kirkwall. Sloop FOWEY attacked a submarine contact in the same area.
FN.57 departed Southend, escort sloops PELICAN, WESTON and HASTINGS, and arrived in the Tyne on the 22nd. FS.57 departed the Tyne, escort DD WHITLEY and sloops STORK and FLAMINGO, and arrived at Southend on the 22nd. OA.57 departed Southend escort destroyers WOLVERINE and ARDENT from the 20th to 21st. DD WINDSOR was escort from the 21st to 23rd, when the convoy dispersed. OB.57 departed Liverpool escort DDs WANDERER and WALPOLE to the 23rd, when they detached to HX.12.
U.22 laid mines off Blyth near Newcastle, on which one merchant ship was sunk.
Northern Waters
ASW trawler ARCTIC EXPLORER (501grt) attacked a suspected submarine contact in Shapinsay Sound in the Orkneys. The same submarine was sighted again later and armed boarding vessel NORTHERN ISLES made another attack.
West Coast UK
Channel
CL CARDIFF departed the Clyde for Portsmouth, and arrived on the 23rd for refitting, completed on 30 January. CL DIOMEDE was refitting at Plymouth until 10 January.
Nth Atlantic
HX.13 departed Halifax at 1000 escorted by RCN DDs FRASER and ST LAURENT. Off Halifax, RCN DDs SAGUENAY and SKEENA took over the escort and were detached on the 22nd. The convoy was turned over to Ocean escort CL EMERALD which departed Halifax with the convoy and did not detach until 3 January. The Canadian DD returned to Halifax the morning of the 23rd. DDs MACKAY and WARWICK from OB.62, together with WOLVERINE and VERITY escorted the convoy from 2 to 4 January, when it arrived at Liverpool. EMERALD arrived at Portsmouth on 4 January to repair defects, completed on the 11th.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #366
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
20 December 1939 Wednesday
WESTERN FRONT: Fw. Franz Willinger of 1./JG 51 destroys a Potez 63 about 4 km south of Pirmasens for his first victory of the war.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Finnish 27th regiment, now reinforced and renamed 9th Division, continues finishing off Soviet 163rd division at Suomussalmi and awaits the arrival of Soviet 44th division from Raate. Finnish "Group Talvela" (16th Infantry Regiment plus four separate infantry battalions and one battalion of Artillery) attacks Soviet 75th division surrounded at Ägläjärvi. Red Army continues attacking the Mannerheim Line but lose the initiative in the First Battle of Summa. With temperatures as low as -20C (-4F), the engines of tanks and other vehicles have to be run continuously to prevent freezing up. Fuel runs out, tanks are stranded and Red Army infantry goes forward unsupported. Taipale sector of the Line is noticeably quiet after daily WWI-style artillery/infantry attacks abruptly stopped on Dec 17. From Nov 30, Red Army troops have been marched into a terrible slaughter of accurate Finnish machinegun, mortar, field artillery and coastal battery fire on well-plotted ground.
NORTH AMERICA: US Cruiser 'Tuscaloosa' arrived in New York with 579 survivors from scuttled German liner, 'Columbus'.
UNITED KINGDOM: Admiralty announced sinking by enemy aircraft of fishing trawlers 'Pearl' on December 17th and 'Trinity' on December 18th. H.M. trawlers 'Evelyn' and 'Sedgefly' were overdue and presumed lost. Swedish steamers 'Mars' and 'Adolf Bratt' were sunk by mines. SS 'Mars' (1,877t) a Swedish ship, en route from Kopmaholnen to London was mined and sank off Whitley Bay in 90ft of water. Nine survivors of the 'Mars' were landed at North Shields at 16.30. Four of the crew members were injured and were taken to the Royal Jubilee Hospital, Tynemouth.
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WESTERN FRONT: Fw. Franz Willinger of 1./JG 51 destroys a Potez 63 about 4 km south of Pirmasens for his first victory of the war.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Finnish 27th regiment, now reinforced and renamed 9th Division, continues finishing off Soviet 163rd division at Suomussalmi and awaits the arrival of Soviet 44th division from Raate. Finnish "Group Talvela" (16th Infantry Regiment plus four separate infantry battalions and one battalion of Artillery) attacks Soviet 75th division surrounded at Ägläjärvi. Red Army continues attacking the Mannerheim Line but lose the initiative in the First Battle of Summa. With temperatures as low as -20C (-4F), the engines of tanks and other vehicles have to be run continuously to prevent freezing up. Fuel runs out, tanks are stranded and Red Army infantry goes forward unsupported. Taipale sector of the Line is noticeably quiet after daily WWI-style artillery/infantry attacks abruptly stopped on Dec 17. From Nov 30, Red Army troops have been marched into a terrible slaughter of accurate Finnish machinegun, mortar, field artillery and coastal battery fire on well-plotted ground.
NORTH AMERICA: US Cruiser 'Tuscaloosa' arrived in New York with 579 survivors from scuttled German liner, 'Columbus'.
UNITED KINGDOM: Admiralty announced sinking by enemy aircraft of fishing trawlers 'Pearl' on December 17th and 'Trinity' on December 18th. H.M. trawlers 'Evelyn' and 'Sedgefly' were overdue and presumed lost. Swedish steamers 'Mars' and 'Adolf Bratt' were sunk by mines. SS 'Mars' (1,877t) a Swedish ship, en route from Kopmaholnen to London was mined and sank off Whitley Bay in 90ft of water. Nine survivors of the 'Mars' were landed at North Shields at 16.30. Four of the crew members were injured and were taken to the Royal Jubilee Hospital, Tynemouth.
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Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #367
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
21 December 1939 Thursday
WESTERN FRONT: Maj. Hans-Jürgen von Cramon of the Stab I./JG 54 gains his first victory of the war when he destroys a French Morane east of Colmar.
UNITED KINGDOM: Spitfires from RAF Nos.602 and 72 at Drem attacked 2 bombers and shot them down into the Forth. Sadly the bombers were Hampdens from RAF No.44 Sqn en route to Waddington. A British Hampden bomber, shot down in error by Spitfires of 602 Squadron, crashed on to the Church of Christ, Togston Terrace, North Broomhill. The church was demolished. One person was killed and one was injured. Of the bomber's crew, one was uninjured, one was seriously injured and two were killed.
The British RAF Bomber Command issued Operational Instruction 21, which in part noted the following that reflected the reluctance to end daylight bombing missions despite of the heavy losses sustained thus far: "With the intention of combining useful training and operations, sweeps will continue to be carried out.... If enemy aircraft are encountered, gunners will be able to practice shooting at real targets instead of drogues."
Luit-Commander Bickford of HM Submarine 'Salmon' awarded D.S.O.
Newly arrived Canadian division had their first ceremonial parade at Aldershot.
Minesweeping trawler 'Dromio' was lost in a collision with an unnamed vessel north of Whitby.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Between 0725 and 1016 hours, German submarine U-21 sank two neutral Swedish ships "Mars" and SS "Carl Henckel" with one torpedo each. The German submarine did not pick up any survivors; only 8 out of the 36 floating in the water survived until when help arrived on the next day.
Italian ship 'Comitas' mined off North Holland.
EASTERN EUROPE: Russia celebrated Joseph Stalin's 60th official birthday. His actual birthday is 18 Dec 1878, but was changed to 21 Dec 1879 after he came to power in 1922.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Soviet attacks on the Mannerheim Line weaken. Finns attack at Suomussalmi and Ägläjärvi. In Lapland, Soviet 122nd division is stopped at the villages of Pelkosenniemi and Kemijärvi (having advanced 45 miles since Nov 30) and will gradually be pushed back 20 miles to Salla (Battle of Salla). The Red Army had planned to be in Helsinki by Stalin's birthday but the Finns clearly have the advantage. Enemy bombers twice raided Helsinki and did damage in the hospital quarter. Other open towns were also bombed. General Hugo Österman, Finnish commander on the Karelian Isthmus, boldly presents Field Marshall Mannerheim with a plan for a counterattack on the Isthmus (prepared by II Corp's commander General Harald Öhqvist).
.
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WESTERN FRONT: Maj. Hans-Jürgen von Cramon of the Stab I./JG 54 gains his first victory of the war when he destroys a French Morane east of Colmar.
UNITED KINGDOM: Spitfires from RAF Nos.602 and 72 at Drem attacked 2 bombers and shot them down into the Forth. Sadly the bombers were Hampdens from RAF No.44 Sqn en route to Waddington. A British Hampden bomber, shot down in error by Spitfires of 602 Squadron, crashed on to the Church of Christ, Togston Terrace, North Broomhill. The church was demolished. One person was killed and one was injured. Of the bomber's crew, one was uninjured, one was seriously injured and two were killed.
The British RAF Bomber Command issued Operational Instruction 21, which in part noted the following that reflected the reluctance to end daylight bombing missions despite of the heavy losses sustained thus far: "With the intention of combining useful training and operations, sweeps will continue to be carried out.... If enemy aircraft are encountered, gunners will be able to practice shooting at real targets instead of drogues."
Luit-Commander Bickford of HM Submarine 'Salmon' awarded D.S.O.
Newly arrived Canadian division had their first ceremonial parade at Aldershot.
Minesweeping trawler 'Dromio' was lost in a collision with an unnamed vessel north of Whitby.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Between 0725 and 1016 hours, German submarine U-21 sank two neutral Swedish ships "Mars" and SS "Carl Henckel" with one torpedo each. The German submarine did not pick up any survivors; only 8 out of the 36 floating in the water survived until when help arrived on the next day.
Italian ship 'Comitas' mined off North Holland.
EASTERN EUROPE: Russia celebrated Joseph Stalin's 60th official birthday. His actual birthday is 18 Dec 1878, but was changed to 21 Dec 1879 after he came to power in 1922.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Soviet attacks on the Mannerheim Line weaken. Finns attack at Suomussalmi and Ägläjärvi. In Lapland, Soviet 122nd division is stopped at the villages of Pelkosenniemi and Kemijärvi (having advanced 45 miles since Nov 30) and will gradually be pushed back 20 miles to Salla (Battle of Salla). The Red Army had planned to be in Helsinki by Stalin's birthday but the Finns clearly have the advantage. Enemy bombers twice raided Helsinki and did damage in the hospital quarter. Other open towns were also bombed. General Hugo Österman, Finnish commander on the Karelian Isthmus, boldly presents Field Marshall Mannerheim with a plan for a counterattack on the Isthmus (prepared by II Corp's commander General Harald Öhqvist).
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Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
21 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
Axis
U-62 (Type IIC)
TB 7 (Type 1935)
Allied
DD Kimberley (JKN Class)
MA/SB 6 (Reclassified MGB 6 in January 1941)
Unsure of even what class this boat belongs to, but in numbering it is close to the fairmile Type MGB 003, which is pictured
Known Losses
MV CARL HENCKEL (SD 1,352 grt) 17 (10 dead and 7 survivors): Cargo of Coal: Leith - Malmö - Stockholm : The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 90 nautical miles (170 km) off Aberdeen, Scotland . The survivors were rescued by MV HOP (Nor).
Steamer COMITAS (Italy 3482 grt): World War II: The cargo ship struck a mine and was damaged in the North Sea off the coast of Belgium. She was beached off Vlissingen, Zeeland, Netherlands. She later broke in two, a total loss.[91]
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Boom defence vessel BAYONET (UK 605 grt) was sunk on a mine in South Inchkeith Channel off Leith in the Firth of Forth, laid by U.21 on 4 November. Barron and two ratings were lost and 28 crew injured.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Tug DANUBE IV (UK 190 grt (est)): The tug collided with SOUTHERN PRINCE (UK) in the Clyde and sank.
MV RUDOLF (Nor 924 grt):15 (0 dead and 15 survivors): In Ballast: Gothenburg - UK: Completed in 1893, this old steamer was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by U-46. Survivors were rescued by BIARRITZ and BJERKA (both Nor).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
SOUTHERN PRINCE (UK): The ship collided with Danube IV( United Kingdom) in the Clyde and was beached. She was refloated on 23 December, repaired and returned to service
MSW trawler DROMIO (UK 380 grt) was sunk in a collision with Steamer VALDARNO (It 5696 grt) four miles due north of Whitby. There were no casualties on either ship.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
At Sea 21 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-46.
3 boats at sea.
OPERATIONS
Baltic
After being delayed 48 hours, HN.5 with eight British, five Norwegian, two Swedish, six Finnish, three Estonian and one Latvian ship departed Bergen escort DDs AFRIDI, MAORI, NUBIAN, MOHAWK with DD ESCAPADE closing to join at sea while the convoy was en route. NUBIAN and MOHAWK were detached to escort the six ships of the west coast section of the convoy and arrived at Greenock on the 24th. HN.5 arrived at Methil without event on the 24th with MAORI, AFRIDI and ESCAPADE. On the 25th, MAORI and AFRIDI departed Rosyth and arrived in the Clyde on the 27th.
Northern Patrol
Two cruisers between the Orkneys and Faroes, one cruiser and five AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and one AMC in the Denmark Strait. CLs NEWCASTLE and COLOMBO departed Scapa separately on Northern Patrol duties, and both arrived back on the 22nd.
North Sea
DDs EXMOUTH, ELECTRA and new sloop FLEETWOOD departed Rosyth escorting a convoy from Methil to the Tyne. CL CALYPSO departed the Tyne for Plymouth in preparation for transfer to the Med Flt.
Submarine UNITY departed Rosyth on patrol.
Northern Waters
ASW trawler CAPE WARWICK (516 grt) reported a submarine seven miles 52° from North Foreland , and made an attack on the contact. Sloop ABERDEEN also attacked a submarine contact. DD WOLVERINE attacked a submarine contact 20 miles 90° from Start Point. DD ARDENT later joined her in the sweep.
Med- Biscay
OA.55G and OB.55G merged as OG.11 with 46 ships. At various times the following warships provided escort: DDs ACASTA, WINDSOR VANESSA, AMAZON, MACKAY and WARWICK of OB.55G, (which departed Liverpool on the 18th). Fr DDs GUÉPARD and VERDUN, which departed Brest on the 20th, escorted the convoy from the 21st to 26th. DD VORTIGERN escorted the convoy on the 25th and 26th, when it arrived at Gib. CL CALEDON departed Plymouth and arrived at Gib on the 24th for duty with the Med Flt. She left on the 26th for Malta. BB MALAYA, escort DDs DIANA and DELIGHT, departed Malta for Gib with DD WATCHMAN providing local escort. She was en route to Halifax, and the DDs for service in Home Waters.
Fr CAs TOURVILLE and COLBERT patrolled in the Greek Islands for two days on passage from Beirut to Bizerte. On the 25th, they arrived at Malta.
Lt P L Hocking and Lt A A C Gage, both Fleet air Arm (FAA) officers on the China Station at the start of the war, were lost in a commercial airliner accident from Sollum to Malta. A third officer Lt W. Ashton was picked up by Maltese fishing boat SAN GORG (615grt) on the 23rd.
Indian Ocean
Fr CA SUFFREN arrived at Trincomalee
Far East/Pacific/Australia
CL DURBAN arrived at Singapore. Sloop FOLKESTONE, which completed her long refit on the 13th, departed Hong Kong on the 21st. She left Singapore on the 28th for patrol in the Malacca Strait, departed Penang on 3 January and Colombo on the 8th arriving at Aden on the 14th. FOLKESTONE left Aden on 19 January, Port Said on the 24th, and boiler cleaned at Malta beginning on the 27th. She arrived at Gibr on 5 February and departed the same day, escorting HG.16, and reaching Portsmouth on the 14th for duty in the Western Approaches, assigned to Convoy Cmd.
Known Reinforcements
Axis
U-62 (Type IIC)
TB 7 (Type 1935)
Allied
DD Kimberley (JKN Class)
MA/SB 6 (Reclassified MGB 6 in January 1941)
Unsure of even what class this boat belongs to, but in numbering it is close to the fairmile Type MGB 003, which is pictured
Known Losses
MV CARL HENCKEL (SD 1,352 grt) 17 (10 dead and 7 survivors): Cargo of Coal: Leith - Malmö - Stockholm : The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea 90 nautical miles (170 km) off Aberdeen, Scotland . The survivors were rescued by MV HOP (Nor).
Steamer COMITAS (Italy 3482 grt): World War II: The cargo ship struck a mine and was damaged in the North Sea off the coast of Belgium. She was beached off Vlissingen, Zeeland, Netherlands. She later broke in two, a total loss.[91]
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Boom defence vessel BAYONET (UK 605 grt) was sunk on a mine in South Inchkeith Channel off Leith in the Firth of Forth, laid by U.21 on 4 November. Barron and two ratings were lost and 28 crew injured.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Tug DANUBE IV (UK 190 grt (est)): The tug collided with SOUTHERN PRINCE (UK) in the Clyde and sank.
MV RUDOLF (Nor 924 grt):15 (0 dead and 15 survivors): In Ballast: Gothenburg - UK: Completed in 1893, this old steamer was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea by U-46. Survivors were rescued by BIARRITZ and BJERKA (both Nor).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
SOUTHERN PRINCE (UK): The ship collided with Danube IV( United Kingdom) in the Clyde and was beached. She was refloated on 23 December, repaired and returned to service
MSW trawler DROMIO (UK 380 grt) was sunk in a collision with Steamer VALDARNO (It 5696 grt) four miles due north of Whitby. There were no casualties on either ship.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
At Sea 21 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-46.
3 boats at sea.
OPERATIONS
Baltic
After being delayed 48 hours, HN.5 with eight British, five Norwegian, two Swedish, six Finnish, three Estonian and one Latvian ship departed Bergen escort DDs AFRIDI, MAORI, NUBIAN, MOHAWK with DD ESCAPADE closing to join at sea while the convoy was en route. NUBIAN and MOHAWK were detached to escort the six ships of the west coast section of the convoy and arrived at Greenock on the 24th. HN.5 arrived at Methil without event on the 24th with MAORI, AFRIDI and ESCAPADE. On the 25th, MAORI and AFRIDI departed Rosyth and arrived in the Clyde on the 27th.
Northern Patrol
Two cruisers between the Orkneys and Faroes, one cruiser and five AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and one AMC in the Denmark Strait. CLs NEWCASTLE and COLOMBO departed Scapa separately on Northern Patrol duties, and both arrived back on the 22nd.
North Sea
DDs EXMOUTH, ELECTRA and new sloop FLEETWOOD departed Rosyth escorting a convoy from Methil to the Tyne. CL CALYPSO departed the Tyne for Plymouth in preparation for transfer to the Med Flt.
Submarine UNITY departed Rosyth on patrol.
Northern Waters
ASW trawler CAPE WARWICK (516 grt) reported a submarine seven miles 52° from North Foreland , and made an attack on the contact. Sloop ABERDEEN also attacked a submarine contact. DD WOLVERINE attacked a submarine contact 20 miles 90° from Start Point. DD ARDENT later joined her in the sweep.
Med- Biscay
OA.55G and OB.55G merged as OG.11 with 46 ships. At various times the following warships provided escort: DDs ACASTA, WINDSOR VANESSA, AMAZON, MACKAY and WARWICK of OB.55G, (which departed Liverpool on the 18th). Fr DDs GUÉPARD and VERDUN, which departed Brest on the 20th, escorted the convoy from the 21st to 26th. DD VORTIGERN escorted the convoy on the 25th and 26th, when it arrived at Gib. CL CALEDON departed Plymouth and arrived at Gib on the 24th for duty with the Med Flt. She left on the 26th for Malta. BB MALAYA, escort DDs DIANA and DELIGHT, departed Malta for Gib with DD WATCHMAN providing local escort. She was en route to Halifax, and the DDs for service in Home Waters.
Fr CAs TOURVILLE and COLBERT patrolled in the Greek Islands for two days on passage from Beirut to Bizerte. On the 25th, they arrived at Malta.
Lt P L Hocking and Lt A A C Gage, both Fleet air Arm (FAA) officers on the China Station at the start of the war, were lost in a commercial airliner accident from Sollum to Malta. A third officer Lt W. Ashton was picked up by Maltese fishing boat SAN GORG (615grt) on the 23rd.
Indian Ocean
Fr CA SUFFREN arrived at Trincomalee
Far East/Pacific/Australia
CL DURBAN arrived at Singapore. Sloop FOLKESTONE, which completed her long refit on the 13th, departed Hong Kong on the 21st. She left Singapore on the 28th for patrol in the Malacca Strait, departed Penang on 3 January and Colombo on the 8th arriving at Aden on the 14th. FOLKESTONE left Aden on 19 January, Port Said on the 24th, and boiler cleaned at Malta beginning on the 27th. She arrived at Gibr on 5 February and departed the same day, escorting HG.16, and reaching Portsmouth on the 14th for duty in the Western Approaches, assigned to Convoy Cmd.
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
22 December 1939
Known Reinforcements
Known Losses
Steamer GRYFEVALE (UK 4434 grt) Crew numbers unknown, no casualties: Alexandria - Leith: Cargo of cotton seed, oil cake and 250 tons of rice. The ship was badly damaged three miles east of the Tyne Piers, off Whitby Bay on a mine laid by U.61 on the 2nd. She was towed into the Tyne and beached to prevent her sinking. Her ultimate fate is unknown, but she is not subsequently mentioned in any manifests. this suggests she was at some point a total loss.
MV LONGSHIPS (UK 1582 grt): The Clyde Shipping Company cargo ship ran aground on the Seven Stones Reef, between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. All crew were rescued by the St Mary's lifeboat Cunard (RNLI FLAG.png Royal National Lifeboat Institution). She broke in two a week later.
New Photo Source: Leaving Newhaven in 1932. | SS LONGSHIPS (1917-1939) | CROSS CHANNEL FERRIES | SHIPS BOATS | PORT AND HARBOUR | Our Newhaven
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
At Sea 22 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-46.
3 boats at sea.
OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and Faroes, one cruiser and five AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and two cruisers and one AMC in the Denmark Strait. In addition, one additional cruiser and two AMCs were en route for the patrol line between the Faroes and Iceland. CA DEVONSHIRE arrived at Scapa from Northern Patrol, refuelled, and left again that same day for the Patrol.CL GLASGOW arrived at Rosyth from Nthn Patrol.
The Northern Patrol from 22 December to 4 January 1940 sighted 43 eastbound ships of which 35 were sent into Kirkwall for inspection.
North Sea
OA.58 departed Southend escort DD BROKE and sloop ABERDEEN. The DD was detached on the 24th, and the sloop on the 25th, when the convoy dispersed.
Northern Waters
CL MANCHESTER departed Portsmouth for Scapa , arriving on the 24th. DDs FOXHOUND, FIREDRAKE, FAME and FEARLESS with the MSW Flot 1 arrived at Loch Ewe.
Newly completed DD KIPLING continued her work and shake down cruise eventually she joined DesFlot 5 operating with the Home Flt, on 18 January 1940. KIPLING was to have been completed in September, but turbine problems required the gears to be re-cut.
West Coast UK
OB.58 departed Liverpool escort DD WINCHELSEA and sloop DEPTFORD to the 25th, when the convoy dispersed.
Nth Atlantic
Cdn troop convoy TC.2 departed Halifax with troopships BATORY (14,287grt), ANDES (25,689grt), ORMONDE (14,982grt), ALMANZORA (15,510grt), ORAMA (19,840grt), CHROBRY (11,442grt) and REINA DEL PACIFICO (17,702grt) carrying 806, 1358, 1269, 1284, 935, 1045 and 1455 troops, respectively. The convoy was escorted from Halifax by RCN DDs OTTAWA, FRASER, RESTIGOUCHE, ST LAURENT and the British HUNTER. BB REVENGE (Vice Admiral Holland aboard returning to England to assume post on Admiralty-Air Ministry staff), Fr BC DUNKERQUE and CL GLOIRE were ocean escort.
Sth Atlantic
CA CORNWALL and CL GLOUCESTER departed Durban. CORNWALL arrived at Simonstown on the 26th, while GLOUCESTER proceeded to Mauritius.
.
Known Reinforcements
Known Losses
Steamer GRYFEVALE (UK 4434 grt) Crew numbers unknown, no casualties: Alexandria - Leith: Cargo of cotton seed, oil cake and 250 tons of rice. The ship was badly damaged three miles east of the Tyne Piers, off Whitby Bay on a mine laid by U.61 on the 2nd. She was towed into the Tyne and beached to prevent her sinking. Her ultimate fate is unknown, but she is not subsequently mentioned in any manifests. this suggests she was at some point a total loss.
MV LONGSHIPS (UK 1582 grt): The Clyde Shipping Company cargo ship ran aground on the Seven Stones Reef, between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. All crew were rescued by the St Mary's lifeboat Cunard (RNLI FLAG.png Royal National Lifeboat Institution). She broke in two a week later.
New Photo Source: Leaving Newhaven in 1932. | SS LONGSHIPS (1917-1939) | CROSS CHANNEL FERRIES | SHIPS BOATS | PORT AND HARBOUR | Our Newhaven
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
At Sea 22 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-46.
3 boats at sea.
OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and Faroes, one cruiser and five AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and two cruisers and one AMC in the Denmark Strait. In addition, one additional cruiser and two AMCs were en route for the patrol line between the Faroes and Iceland. CA DEVONSHIRE arrived at Scapa from Northern Patrol, refuelled, and left again that same day for the Patrol.CL GLASGOW arrived at Rosyth from Nthn Patrol.
The Northern Patrol from 22 December to 4 January 1940 sighted 43 eastbound ships of which 35 were sent into Kirkwall for inspection.
North Sea
OA.58 departed Southend escort DD BROKE and sloop ABERDEEN. The DD was detached on the 24th, and the sloop on the 25th, when the convoy dispersed.
Northern Waters
CL MANCHESTER departed Portsmouth for Scapa , arriving on the 24th. DDs FOXHOUND, FIREDRAKE, FAME and FEARLESS with the MSW Flot 1 arrived at Loch Ewe.
Newly completed DD KIPLING continued her work and shake down cruise eventually she joined DesFlot 5 operating with the Home Flt, on 18 January 1940. KIPLING was to have been completed in September, but turbine problems required the gears to be re-cut.
West Coast UK
OB.58 departed Liverpool escort DD WINCHELSEA and sloop DEPTFORD to the 25th, when the convoy dispersed.
Nth Atlantic
Cdn troop convoy TC.2 departed Halifax with troopships BATORY (14,287grt), ANDES (25,689grt), ORMONDE (14,982grt), ALMANZORA (15,510grt), ORAMA (19,840grt), CHROBRY (11,442grt) and REINA DEL PACIFICO (17,702grt) carrying 806, 1358, 1269, 1284, 935, 1045 and 1455 troops, respectively. The convoy was escorted from Halifax by RCN DDs OTTAWA, FRASER, RESTIGOUCHE, ST LAURENT and the British HUNTER. BB REVENGE (Vice Admiral Holland aboard returning to England to assume post on Admiralty-Air Ministry staff), Fr BC DUNKERQUE and CL GLOIRE were ocean escort.
Sth Atlantic
CA CORNWALL and CL GLOUCESTER departed Durban. CORNWALL arrived at Simonstown on the 26th, while GLOUCESTER proceeded to Mauritius.
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Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #371
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
22 December 1939 Friday
WESTERN FRONT: Hptm. Werner Mölders of III./JG 53 and Staffelkapitän Oblt. Hans von Hahn of 8./JG 53 both shoot down Hurricane I's of RAF No. 73 Squadron over the Saar during an escort mission for a pair of Do 17s. It is Hptm. Mölder's third victory and Oblt. von Hahn's first kill. The pair became the first German fighter pilots to shoot down British Hurricane fighters.
M Daladier announced that the Maginot Line has been extended on the Northern and Jura Frontiers.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Finnish 9th division chips away at Soviet 163rd division entrenched at Suomussalmi. 163rd has put up solid resistance despite having been surrounded for 10 days; however, time is on the Finns side as temperatures drop and Soviet supplies run out. Soviet 44th division is within a few km of Suomussalmi, having struggled 9 days up the road from Raate to relieve 163rd.
Finnish "Group Talvela" overruns Soviet 75th division in hand to hand combat at Ägläjärvi. 75th division retreats pell mell back down the road towards the Russian border. Group Talvela, part of IV Corps, has now put 2 Red Army divisions to flight in 10 days.
As Red Army attacks on the Karelian Isthmus falter, Finnish Commander in Chief Field Marshall Mannerheim takes the initiative. He hastily agrees to Öhqvist and Österman's plan to counterattack to deal a demoralizing blow to the weary Soviet forces.
NORTH AMERICA: US Navy awarded a US$7,000,000 contract to build two new graving docks at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii; the future Dock No. 2 was to be large enough to hold a battleship, while Dock No. 3 was to be made for destroyers and submarines.
.
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WESTERN FRONT: Hptm. Werner Mölders of III./JG 53 and Staffelkapitän Oblt. Hans von Hahn of 8./JG 53 both shoot down Hurricane I's of RAF No. 73 Squadron over the Saar during an escort mission for a pair of Do 17s. It is Hptm. Mölder's third victory and Oblt. von Hahn's first kill. The pair became the first German fighter pilots to shoot down British Hurricane fighters.
M Daladier announced that the Maginot Line has been extended on the Northern and Jura Frontiers.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Finnish 9th division chips away at Soviet 163rd division entrenched at Suomussalmi. 163rd has put up solid resistance despite having been surrounded for 10 days; however, time is on the Finns side as temperatures drop and Soviet supplies run out. Soviet 44th division is within a few km of Suomussalmi, having struggled 9 days up the road from Raate to relieve 163rd.
Finnish "Group Talvela" overruns Soviet 75th division in hand to hand combat at Ägläjärvi. 75th division retreats pell mell back down the road towards the Russian border. Group Talvela, part of IV Corps, has now put 2 Red Army divisions to flight in 10 days.
As Red Army attacks on the Karelian Isthmus falter, Finnish Commander in Chief Field Marshall Mannerheim takes the initiative. He hastily agrees to Öhqvist and Österman's plan to counterattack to deal a demoralizing blow to the weary Soviet forces.
NORTH AMERICA: US Navy awarded a US$7,000,000 contract to build two new graving docks at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii; the future Dock No. 2 was to be large enough to hold a battleship, while Dock No. 3 was to be made for destroyers and submarines.
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Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #372
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
23 December 1939 Saturday
NORTHERN EUROPE: At 0630 hours, four Finnish divisions counterattacked on a 28-mile front on the west side of the Karelian Isthmus, trying to trap resting Soviet forces in a massive encirclement. They immediately run into the Red Army in force and are repulsed. Soviet tanks are brutally effective against Finnish troops without antitank or artillery support. General Öhqvist calls off the attack at 2.40 PM, at a cost of 1300 dead and wounded (+ 200 cases of frostbite). The Finns have more success further North. Captain Mäkinen's 2 machine gun companies (9th division) attack the arriving Soviet 44th division, consisting of about 15,000 men, strung out over several km of the Raate road. 44th is back to front; 25th rifle regiment leads, followed by artillery and tanks, with mobile reconnaissance units at the rear. 25th regiment, unsure of Finnish numbers and unable to bring up guns and armor, stops and takes up defensive positions. The whole column grinds to a halt, never to move again.
Russian planes bombed towns on southern coast of Finland and dropped leaflets over Helsinki with a message from the 'puppet' Prime Minister.
UNITED KINGDOM: The British Military Intelligence Section 9 (MI9) was established under the command of Major Norman Crockatt. It was charged with aiding resistance fighters in enemy occupied territory and recovering Allied troops, including downed airmen and prisoners of war.
An IRA gang stole the Irish Army's entire reserve of small arms ammunition - more than one million rounds - from an ammunition fort in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Most of it was recovered over the following days.
Admiralty announced intention of laying a mine barrage of nearly the full length of the East Coast as a reply to German action.
EASTERN EUROPE: German SS organization decreed that Polish workers who left their workplace without permission were to be arrested and sent to concentration camps.
WESTERN FRONT: Paris reported intense air activity on Western Front. Allied planes were busy photographing German lines.
The oxygen system of a He 111H from 4(F)./122 failed at 9600 meters while on a high altitude recce over northeastern France, and Lt. F Jordan was killed.
NORTH AMERICA: USA and 20 other American Republics made a protest, in the form of a joint neutrality declaration, against the activities of belligerent warships in American waters.
Anthony H.G. Fokker, Dutch airplane builder, died at age 49 in New York from pneumococcal meningitis, after a three-week-long illness. He is most famous for the fighter aircraft he produced in Germany during the First World War such as the Eindecker monoplanes, the Dr.1 triplane and the D.VII biplane. In 1940, his ashes were brought to Westerveld Cemetery in Driehuis, North Holland, where they were buried in the family grave.
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NORTHERN EUROPE: At 0630 hours, four Finnish divisions counterattacked on a 28-mile front on the west side of the Karelian Isthmus, trying to trap resting Soviet forces in a massive encirclement. They immediately run into the Red Army in force and are repulsed. Soviet tanks are brutally effective against Finnish troops without antitank or artillery support. General Öhqvist calls off the attack at 2.40 PM, at a cost of 1300 dead and wounded (+ 200 cases of frostbite). The Finns have more success further North. Captain Mäkinen's 2 machine gun companies (9th division) attack the arriving Soviet 44th division, consisting of about 15,000 men, strung out over several km of the Raate road. 44th is back to front; 25th rifle regiment leads, followed by artillery and tanks, with mobile reconnaissance units at the rear. 25th regiment, unsure of Finnish numbers and unable to bring up guns and armor, stops and takes up defensive positions. The whole column grinds to a halt, never to move again.
Russian planes bombed towns on southern coast of Finland and dropped leaflets over Helsinki with a message from the 'puppet' Prime Minister.
UNITED KINGDOM: The British Military Intelligence Section 9 (MI9) was established under the command of Major Norman Crockatt. It was charged with aiding resistance fighters in enemy occupied territory and recovering Allied troops, including downed airmen and prisoners of war.
An IRA gang stole the Irish Army's entire reserve of small arms ammunition - more than one million rounds - from an ammunition fort in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Most of it was recovered over the following days.
Admiralty announced intention of laying a mine barrage of nearly the full length of the East Coast as a reply to German action.
EASTERN EUROPE: German SS organization decreed that Polish workers who left their workplace without permission were to be arrested and sent to concentration camps.
WESTERN FRONT: Paris reported intense air activity on Western Front. Allied planes were busy photographing German lines.
The oxygen system of a He 111H from 4(F)./122 failed at 9600 meters while on a high altitude recce over northeastern France, and Lt. F Jordan was killed.
NORTH AMERICA: USA and 20 other American Republics made a protest, in the form of a joint neutrality declaration, against the activities of belligerent warships in American waters.
Anthony H.G. Fokker, Dutch airplane builder, died at age 49 in New York from pneumococcal meningitis, after a three-week-long illness. He is most famous for the fighter aircraft he produced in Germany during the First World War such as the Eindecker monoplanes, the Dr.1 triplane and the D.VII biplane. In 1940, his ashes were brought to Westerveld Cemetery in Driehuis, North Holland, where they were buried in the family grave.
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Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #373
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
24 December 1939 Sunday
NORTHERN EUROPE: In Finland, the Red Army has little to show for 24 days of fighting, only having pushed the Finns back to prepared defenses on the Isthmus. Stavka had planned 12 days to conquer Finland, making political assumptions that the Finnish populace and army would rebel against the Capitalist government and welcome the Soviet liberators. Consequently, the Soviet troops are running out of food, fuel and ammunition. Worse, they do not have winter clothing. Not only do they freeze but their dark uniforms stand out clearly against the snow making easy targets. Soviet 163rd division tries to break out of Suomussalmi but is pushed back. 44th division, now stationary for miles along the Raate Road, hears the guns but inexplicably does not move out in support. Finnish "Group Talvela" pursues beaten Soviet 75th and 139th divisions back across the Russian border. The Finns are briefly in possession of Soviet soil. Finns claimed to have shot down a least 14 Russian aircraft.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: After blazing for a week, the hulk of the 'Graf Spee' has burnt out.
UNITED KINGDOM: 'SS Pandora' renamed 'Dolphin' (4,580t) was heading for Blyth under tow to start her new career as a submarine accommodation ship for the submarine base at Blyth, when she struck a mine. Much of the wreck still remains and lies 19 metres of water.
An air raid siren at the Nurses Home on Westgate Road was sounded. It appears that someone was meddling with the siren control switch and accidentally set it off. As it sounded for less than 30 seconds, the 'All Clear' was considered unnecessary.
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NORTHERN EUROPE: In Finland, the Red Army has little to show for 24 days of fighting, only having pushed the Finns back to prepared defenses on the Isthmus. Stavka had planned 12 days to conquer Finland, making political assumptions that the Finnish populace and army would rebel against the Capitalist government and welcome the Soviet liberators. Consequently, the Soviet troops are running out of food, fuel and ammunition. Worse, they do not have winter clothing. Not only do they freeze but their dark uniforms stand out clearly against the snow making easy targets. Soviet 163rd division tries to break out of Suomussalmi but is pushed back. 44th division, now stationary for miles along the Raate Road, hears the guns but inexplicably does not move out in support. Finnish "Group Talvela" pursues beaten Soviet 75th and 139th divisions back across the Russian border. The Finns are briefly in possession of Soviet soil. Finns claimed to have shot down a least 14 Russian aircraft.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: After blazing for a week, the hulk of the 'Graf Spee' has burnt out.
UNITED KINGDOM: 'SS Pandora' renamed 'Dolphin' (4,580t) was heading for Blyth under tow to start her new career as a submarine accommodation ship for the submarine base at Blyth, when she struck a mine. Much of the wreck still remains and lies 19 metres of water.
An air raid siren at the Nurses Home on Westgate Road was sounded. It appears that someone was meddling with the siren control switch and accidentally set it off. As it sounded for less than 30 seconds, the 'All Clear' was considered unnecessary.
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Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
23 December 1939
Known Losses
Repair Ship DOLPHIN (RN 3,099 grt): The decomisioned former repair ship struck a mine laid on 20 December by U-22 and sank 1.5 miles south-southeast of Blyth. The ship had been used as floating workshop in Portsmouth Dockyard and was being towed to Hughes Bolckow at Cambois to be stripped of all machinery prior to being sunk as blockship at Scapa. All seven crew were rescued.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
MV KIZILRMAK (Tu 1500 grt(est)) The cargo ship sank in the Black Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) off the Sinop Lighthouse.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
Aux MSW PROMOTIVE (RN 78 grt):The auxiliary minesweeper struck a mine and sank in Loch Ewe in the same incident as GLEN ALBYN All 7 crew were rescued.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
Aux MSW GLEN ALBYN (RN 82 grt): The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in Loch Ewe. All 7 crew were rescued
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-30
At Sea 23 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-30, U-46.
4 boats at sea
OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
AMC CALIFORNIA departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol.
North Sea
BB RESOLUTION and DDs ILEX, KINGSTON, KASHMIR departed the Clyde to cover convoy TC.2. CL EDINBURGH arrived at Rosyth to boiler clean and refit, and was under repair from 29 December to 30 January when she was able to depart for escort duty. DDs EXMOUTH and ELECTRA arrived at Rosyth after Tyne-Methil convoy escort duty.
FN.58 departed Southend at 1500, but was ordered to anchor in the Downs for the night. The escort was sloops FLAMINGO and STORK, joined by DD VEGA. The convoy was cancelled on the 24th, and FLAMINGO and STORK ordered to proceed to Rosyth if weather permitted. FS.58 departed the Tyne, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloops FLEETWOOD and GRIMSBY, and arrived at Southend on the 24th.
Northern Waters
DD ESCORT with ML PLOVER and sub H.34 arrived at Dundee from Scapa en route to Rosyth. MSW HAZARD departed Loch Ewe for the Clyde, and was joined by DD FORESTER for escort.
UK - France
BC.20 of steamer BARON KINNAIRD departed Bristol Channel escort DD VIVACIOUS. They arrived in the Loire on the 25th, and returned, departing on 4 January and reaching Barry on the 6th.
Sth Atlantic
CA SHROPSHIRE had departed Capetown on the 15th for Montevideo, but was diverted en route and on the 23rd arrived at Rio de Janeiro.
.
Med- Biscay
DD SIKH, which departed Malta on the 17th and Gib on the 20th, arrived at Dover completing the transfer of DesFlot 4 from the Med to Home waters. She moved on to Chatham arriving on the 26th for refitting and repairs until 10 January 1940.
Indian Ocean
Fr CA SUFFREN and RN AMC CATHAY departed Trincomalee for patrol duties
RN Naval Awards
the first list of British naval awards and honours of the war was gazetted:
Harwood and the three cruiser captains of the River Plate Battle, Bickford and crew members of the submarine SALMON for the sinking of submarine U.36, Gregory of the submarine STURGEON for his "successful action" against a U-boat were listed.
Certain officers and ratings of submarine SPEARFISH and destroyer MOHAWK were listed for the incidents in which their ships were damaged.
Commanding officers of the following DDs were awarded DSO's for "successful action" against U-boats - AFRIDI, BROKE, ECLIPSE, ECHO, EXMOUTH, FAULKNOR, FORTUNE, INGLEFIELD, KINGSTON and SOMALI.
COs of the following warships were awarded DSC's for "successful action" against U-boats - DDs EXPRESS, FIREDRAKE, FORESTER, ILEX, IMOGEN, INTREPID, IVANHOE, VESPER, WALPOLE, WINCHELSEA, sloop PUFFIN, and ASW trawlers CAYTON WYKE and LOCH TULLA.
COs of the following DDs were mentioned in dispatches for "successful action" against U-boats - ESK, FAME, FOXHOUND, KASHMIR, VOLUNTEER, WHIRLWIND and WOOLSTON.
Also, two officers and two ratings of VERNON were decorated for their work on magnetic mines.
Known Losses
Repair Ship DOLPHIN (RN 3,099 grt): The decomisioned former repair ship struck a mine laid on 20 December by U-22 and sank 1.5 miles south-southeast of Blyth. The ship had been used as floating workshop in Portsmouth Dockyard and was being towed to Hughes Bolckow at Cambois to be stripped of all machinery prior to being sunk as blockship at Scapa. All seven crew were rescued.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
MV KIZILRMAK (Tu 1500 grt(est)) The cargo ship sank in the Black Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) off the Sinop Lighthouse.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
Aux MSW PROMOTIVE (RN 78 grt):The auxiliary minesweeper struck a mine and sank in Loch Ewe in the same incident as GLEN ALBYN All 7 crew were rescued.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
Aux MSW GLEN ALBYN (RN 82 grt): The naval trawler struck a mine and sank in Loch Ewe. All 7 crew were rescued
[NO IMAGES FOUND]
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Departures
Wilhelmshaven: U-30
At Sea 23 December 1939
U-21, U-22, U-30, U-46.
4 boats at sea
OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
AMC CALIFORNIA departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol.
North Sea
BB RESOLUTION and DDs ILEX, KINGSTON, KASHMIR departed the Clyde to cover convoy TC.2. CL EDINBURGH arrived at Rosyth to boiler clean and refit, and was under repair from 29 December to 30 January when she was able to depart for escort duty. DDs EXMOUTH and ELECTRA arrived at Rosyth after Tyne-Methil convoy escort duty.
FN.58 departed Southend at 1500, but was ordered to anchor in the Downs for the night. The escort was sloops FLAMINGO and STORK, joined by DD VEGA. The convoy was cancelled on the 24th, and FLAMINGO and STORK ordered to proceed to Rosyth if weather permitted. FS.58 departed the Tyne, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloops FLEETWOOD and GRIMSBY, and arrived at Southend on the 24th.
Northern Waters
DD ESCORT with ML PLOVER and sub H.34 arrived at Dundee from Scapa en route to Rosyth. MSW HAZARD departed Loch Ewe for the Clyde, and was joined by DD FORESTER for escort.
UK - France
BC.20 of steamer BARON KINNAIRD departed Bristol Channel escort DD VIVACIOUS. They arrived in the Loire on the 25th, and returned, departing on 4 January and reaching Barry on the 6th.
Sth Atlantic
CA SHROPSHIRE had departed Capetown on the 15th for Montevideo, but was diverted en route and on the 23rd arrived at Rio de Janeiro.
.
Med- Biscay
DD SIKH, which departed Malta on the 17th and Gib on the 20th, arrived at Dover completing the transfer of DesFlot 4 from the Med to Home waters. She moved on to Chatham arriving on the 26th for refitting and repairs until 10 January 1940.
Indian Ocean
Fr CA SUFFREN and RN AMC CATHAY departed Trincomalee for patrol duties
RN Naval Awards
the first list of British naval awards and honours of the war was gazetted:
Harwood and the three cruiser captains of the River Plate Battle, Bickford and crew members of the submarine SALMON for the sinking of submarine U.36, Gregory of the submarine STURGEON for his "successful action" against a U-boat were listed.
Certain officers and ratings of submarine SPEARFISH and destroyer MOHAWK were listed for the incidents in which their ships were damaged.
Commanding officers of the following DDs were awarded DSO's for "successful action" against U-boats - AFRIDI, BROKE, ECLIPSE, ECHO, EXMOUTH, FAULKNOR, FORTUNE, INGLEFIELD, KINGSTON and SOMALI.
COs of the following warships were awarded DSC's for "successful action" against U-boats - DDs EXPRESS, FIREDRAKE, FORESTER, ILEX, IMOGEN, INTREPID, IVANHOE, VESPER, WALPOLE, WINCHELSEA, sloop PUFFIN, and ASW trawlers CAYTON WYKE and LOCH TULLA.
COs of the following DDs were mentioned in dispatches for "successful action" against U-boats - ESK, FAME, FOXHOUND, KASHMIR, VOLUNTEER, WHIRLWIND and WOOLSTON.
Also, two officers and two ratings of VERNON were decorated for their work on magnetic mines.
Last edited:
parsifal
Colonel
24 December 1939
Known Losses
Liner PEGU (UK 8183 grt): The passenger ship ran aground off Southport, Lancashire. All 103 passengers rescued by lifeboats. The ship was declared a total loss
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Arrivals
Kiel, Germany: U-21 , U-22
At Sea 24 December 1939
U-30, U-46.
2 boats at sea
OPERATIONS
Baltic
Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and seven AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and one AMC in the Denmark Strait.
North Sea
CA NORFOLK departed Belfast and arrived in the Clyde on 1 January. CL SOUTHAMPTON arrived in the Tyne for repairs from 28 December until 23 January 1940. DD WALLACE departed Rosyth in the tow of two tugs for Leith. Sub TRIAD arrived at Rosyth after patrol. DDs GREYHOUND and GRENVILLE attacked a submarine contact in the North Sea.
Northern Waters
DDs ECHO and ELECTRA departed Inchkeith escorting tankers to Loch Ewe (the largest oil storage farm was located underground in huge storage tanks at Loch Ewer. They were not finally decommissioned until 1982). DDs FURY and FIREDRAKE departed Loch Ewe and joined DDs FEARLESS, KASHMIR, KINGSTON, ILEX, NUBIAN and MOHAWK in the Clyde.
Channel
CL CALYPSO departed Plymouth for Gib where she arrived on the 27th for duty with the Med Flt.
SW Approaches
OB.59 departed Liverpool, escort DDs VOLUNTEER and VENETIA to the 27th when they detached to SL.14. Convoy OA.59 did not sail
Sth Atlantic
CA DORSETSHIRE departed Simonstown on the 13th for Montevideo to join CLs AJAX and the ACHILLES. En route, DORSETSHIRE was diverted on the 18th to the Falklands. She arrived, refuelled from tanker OLYNTHUS on the 22nd in San Boroban Bay and on the 24th arrived in the Falklands to embark the prisoners from German steamers KARL FRITZEN and USSUKUMA. Off the Plate, ACHILLES departed on the 18th for the Falklands where she arrived on the 21st to land her wounded, and after refuelling, left to arrive back off the Plate on the 24th. CA CUMBERLAND arrived in the Falklands on the 24th.
.
Med- Biscay
BB MALAYA and DDs DELIGHT and DIANA arrived at Gib, and left the same day with DD WATCHMAN. MALAYA proceeded to Halifax, and DELIGHT and DIANA to Portsmouth and Dover respectively, arriving on the 30th. DIANA carried on to Chatham, arriving for refit on the 31st.
HG.12 of 48 ships departed Gib, escort Fr Contre Torpilleur DDs JAGUAR and LÉOPARD, from the 24th until the DDs arrived at Brest on 1 January, and also by destroyer KEPPEL. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 2 January.
Known Losses
Liner PEGU (UK 8183 grt): The passenger ship ran aground off Southport, Lancashire. All 103 passengers rescued by lifeboats. The ship was declared a total loss
DKM War diary
Selected Extracts
UBOATS
Kriegstagebücher (KTB) - War Diary
Arrivals
Kiel, Germany: U-21 , U-22
At Sea 24 December 1939
U-30, U-46.
2 boats at sea
OPERATIONS
Baltic
Northern Patrol
two cruisers were between the Orkneys and the Faroes, two cruisers and seven AMCs between the Faroes and Iceland, and one cruiser and one AMC in the Denmark Strait.
North Sea
CA NORFOLK departed Belfast and arrived in the Clyde on 1 January. CL SOUTHAMPTON arrived in the Tyne for repairs from 28 December until 23 January 1940. DD WALLACE departed Rosyth in the tow of two tugs for Leith. Sub TRIAD arrived at Rosyth after patrol. DDs GREYHOUND and GRENVILLE attacked a submarine contact in the North Sea.
Northern Waters
DDs ECHO and ELECTRA departed Inchkeith escorting tankers to Loch Ewe (the largest oil storage farm was located underground in huge storage tanks at Loch Ewer. They were not finally decommissioned until 1982). DDs FURY and FIREDRAKE departed Loch Ewe and joined DDs FEARLESS, KASHMIR, KINGSTON, ILEX, NUBIAN and MOHAWK in the Clyde.
Channel
CL CALYPSO departed Plymouth for Gib where she arrived on the 27th for duty with the Med Flt.
SW Approaches
OB.59 departed Liverpool, escort DDs VOLUNTEER and VENETIA to the 27th when they detached to SL.14. Convoy OA.59 did not sail
Sth Atlantic
CA DORSETSHIRE departed Simonstown on the 13th for Montevideo to join CLs AJAX and the ACHILLES. En route, DORSETSHIRE was diverted on the 18th to the Falklands. She arrived, refuelled from tanker OLYNTHUS on the 22nd in San Boroban Bay and on the 24th arrived in the Falklands to embark the prisoners from German steamers KARL FRITZEN and USSUKUMA. Off the Plate, ACHILLES departed on the 18th for the Falklands where she arrived on the 21st to land her wounded, and after refuelling, left to arrive back off the Plate on the 24th. CA CUMBERLAND arrived in the Falklands on the 24th.
.
Med- Biscay
BB MALAYA and DDs DELIGHT and DIANA arrived at Gib, and left the same day with DD WATCHMAN. MALAYA proceeded to Halifax, and DELIGHT and DIANA to Portsmouth and Dover respectively, arriving on the 30th. DIANA carried on to Chatham, arriving for refit on the 31st.
HG.12 of 48 ships departed Gib, escort Fr Contre Torpilleur DDs JAGUAR and LÉOPARD, from the 24th until the DDs arrived at Brest on 1 January, and also by destroyer KEPPEL. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 2 January.
Last edited:
Crimea_River
Marshal
With thanks to Falke Eins. FalkeEins - The Luftwaffe blog
On 24 December 1944 the acting Kommandeur of II.(Sturm)/JG 300, Klaus Bretschneider was shot down and killed by Mustangs. Call sign Specht Anton - Bretschneider- scrambled at the head of JG 300 against an 8th AF raid - was easy prey for the aces of the 357th FG. His Schwarm had been directed right into the path of the aggressively flown P-51 Mustangs. His Sturmbock Fw 190 A-8 (W.Nr. 682204) was a specialist bomber destroyer variant fitted with cockpit armour and 30mm cannon and entirely unsuited to dogfighting. The hapless German pilot plummeted to earth near Kassel, almost certainly dead at the controls. His loss was a hard blow for his pilots. Klaus Bretschneider flew Wilde Sau sorties with JG 300 in July 1943 with 6. Staffel then 5. Staffel, claiming 14 victories by night. Before being appointed Kapitän of 5. Staffel and serving as acting Kommandeur, Klaus Bretschneider served also in Stab II./JG 300 and Stab/JG 300 and by the time of his death he had claimed 20 additional victories against US aircraft by day. The 'eternal Leutnant' had been promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant and, by late 1944, was a rare Defence of the Reich fighter leader to wear the Knights Cross.
On 24 December 1944 the acting Kommandeur of II.(Sturm)/JG 300, Klaus Bretschneider was shot down and killed by Mustangs. Call sign Specht Anton - Bretschneider- scrambled at the head of JG 300 against an 8th AF raid - was easy prey for the aces of the 357th FG. His Schwarm had been directed right into the path of the aggressively flown P-51 Mustangs. His Sturmbock Fw 190 A-8 (W.Nr. 682204) was a specialist bomber destroyer variant fitted with cockpit armour and 30mm cannon and entirely unsuited to dogfighting. The hapless German pilot plummeted to earth near Kassel, almost certainly dead at the controls. His loss was a hard blow for his pilots. Klaus Bretschneider flew Wilde Sau sorties with JG 300 in July 1943 with 6. Staffel then 5. Staffel, claiming 14 victories by night. Before being appointed Kapitän of 5. Staffel and serving as acting Kommandeur, Klaus Bretschneider served also in Stab II./JG 300 and Stab/JG 300 and by the time of his death he had claimed 20 additional victories against US aircraft by day. The 'eternal Leutnant' had been promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant and, by late 1944, was a rare Defence of the Reich fighter leader to wear the Knights Cross.
- Thread starter
- #377
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
Thanks CR but its 1939. 
- Thread starter
- #378
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
25 December 1939 Monday
NORTHERN EUROPE: After a lull in the fighting since Dec 17, Red Army resumes attacking the Taipale sector of the Isthmus. At 5-7 AM in darkness, snow and mist, Soviet 4th Rifle Division crosses the frozen Suvanto River and gains 3 bridgeheads. Finnish artillery and machine guns take a heavy toll and Soviet troops are pushed back across the ice at Patoniemi and Volossula. The Soviets dig in on the shore near the village of Kelja (now Kelya in USSR) and hold on throughout the night. Soviet 163rd division attempts another break out but is again penned up in Suomussalmi. Some desperate Soviets try to cross frozen Lake Vuonanlahti to escape West further into Finland. They are rapidly picked off by the Finns due to their dark clothing. The forward elements of 44th division on Raate Road, still with no artillery support, again fail to come to the aid of the trapped 163rd division.
Twenty-three Russian bombers attempted to raid Helsinki, but were driven off by anti-aircraft guns. Other large flotillas of bombers attacked Viborg, inflicting considerable damage. There were also raids of Borga, Tampere and Turku. Enemy planes bombed Koivisto coastal batteries repeatedly. Koivisto was also shelled by Russian warship 'Marat'.
UNITED KINGDOM: The King broadcast a Christmas message to the people of the Empire.
Minesweeping trawler 'Loch Doon' hit a mine and sank, off Blyth, with the loss of fifteen of her crew.
The Admiralty announced that a minefield, 500 miles long and 35 miles wide, down the east coast has been completed.
.
.
NORTHERN EUROPE: After a lull in the fighting since Dec 17, Red Army resumes attacking the Taipale sector of the Isthmus. At 5-7 AM in darkness, snow and mist, Soviet 4th Rifle Division crosses the frozen Suvanto River and gains 3 bridgeheads. Finnish artillery and machine guns take a heavy toll and Soviet troops are pushed back across the ice at Patoniemi and Volossula. The Soviets dig in on the shore near the village of Kelja (now Kelya in USSR) and hold on throughout the night. Soviet 163rd division attempts another break out but is again penned up in Suomussalmi. Some desperate Soviets try to cross frozen Lake Vuonanlahti to escape West further into Finland. They are rapidly picked off by the Finns due to their dark clothing. The forward elements of 44th division on Raate Road, still with no artillery support, again fail to come to the aid of the trapped 163rd division.
Twenty-three Russian bombers attempted to raid Helsinki, but were driven off by anti-aircraft guns. Other large flotillas of bombers attacked Viborg, inflicting considerable damage. There were also raids of Borga, Tampere and Turku. Enemy planes bombed Koivisto coastal batteries repeatedly. Koivisto was also shelled by Russian warship 'Marat'.
UNITED KINGDOM: The King broadcast a Christmas message to the people of the Empire.
Minesweeping trawler 'Loch Doon' hit a mine and sank, off Blyth, with the loss of fifteen of her crew.
The Admiralty announced that a minefield, 500 miles long and 35 miles wide, down the east coast has been completed.
.
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- Thread starter
- #379
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
26 December 1939 Tuesday
GERMANY: Shortly after 1300 hours, six British Blenheim bombers are sent to bomb targets in the Deutsche Bucht area. Intercepted by the defending German fighter forces for the area, one Blenheim bomber is shot down by Kommodore Obstlt. Schumacher of JG 77 and JG 1 near Wangerooge. It is his second and last victory of the war. The other bombers return to England safely before they reached the coast.
UNITED KINGDOM: The first squadron of Royal Australian Air Force on active service lands in England. The first Royal Australian Air Force personnel arrived by boat at Pembroke, Wales, United Kingdom for anti-submarine duty in Sunderland flying boats with No. 10 Squadron.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Finnish 9th Division received artillery support and began bombarding the Soviet 163rd Division trapped in Suomussalmi, Finland. Elsewhere in the Taipale sector, near Lake Lagoda, on the Eastern end of the Karelian Isthmus, Soviets and Finns battle over the Soviet foothold on the Finnish side of the Suvanto River near the village of Kelja. Soviet infantry supported by tanks attempt to cross the frozen river but are turned back by shelling from Finnish artillery and shore batteries at the Kekinniemi fort. The Finns attack twice in company strength at 07.30 and 16.15 hrs but fail to dislodge the dug in Soviets.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Reported that three more neutral ships were sunk during the week-end: Swedish vessel 'Carl Henkel'; Norwegian cargo-boat 'Lappen'; and Spanish steamer 'Perez.'
ASIA: At the Battle of South Kwangsi, the Chinese attack the Japanese near Kunlunkuan. The Chinese 5th War Area attacks around Hsinyang. The Japanese 21st Army crosses the North River in the Chinese 4th War Area.
GERMANY: Shortly after 1300 hours, six British Blenheim bombers are sent to bomb targets in the Deutsche Bucht area. Intercepted by the defending German fighter forces for the area, one Blenheim bomber is shot down by Kommodore Obstlt. Schumacher of JG 77 and JG 1 near Wangerooge. It is his second and last victory of the war. The other bombers return to England safely before they reached the coast.
UNITED KINGDOM: The first squadron of Royal Australian Air Force on active service lands in England. The first Royal Australian Air Force personnel arrived by boat at Pembroke, Wales, United Kingdom for anti-submarine duty in Sunderland flying boats with No. 10 Squadron.
NORTHERN EUROPE: Finnish 9th Division received artillery support and began bombarding the Soviet 163rd Division trapped in Suomussalmi, Finland. Elsewhere in the Taipale sector, near Lake Lagoda, on the Eastern end of the Karelian Isthmus, Soviets and Finns battle over the Soviet foothold on the Finnish side of the Suvanto River near the village of Kelja. Soviet infantry supported by tanks attempt to cross the frozen river but are turned back by shelling from Finnish artillery and shore batteries at the Kekinniemi fort. The Finns attack twice in company strength at 07.30 and 16.15 hrs but fail to dislodge the dug in Soviets.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Reported that three more neutral ships were sunk during the week-end: Swedish vessel 'Carl Henkel'; Norwegian cargo-boat 'Lappen'; and Spanish steamer 'Perez.'
ASIA: At the Battle of South Kwangsi, the Chinese attack the Japanese near Kunlunkuan. The Chinese 5th War Area attacks around Hsinyang. The Japanese 21st Army crosses the North River in the Chinese 4th War Area.
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vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Excellent job fellas!
