This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[parsifal]

6 June 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
IJN B1 Class I-Boat I-27

Colourised photo of sister ship I-26

Neutral
Cagni Class Submarine RM AMMIRAGLIO SAINT-BON

(Reported commissioning date 12 June 1941)

Allied
Escort destroyer BERKEKEY, AA ship FOYLEBANK

BERKELEY was sent straight into action before work up because of the loss of the CARINTHIA. FOYLEBANK was sunk 4 July in an attack on Portland Harbour by 33 Ju87s.
Losses
AMC CARINTHIA (RN 20277 grt) 4th largest ship sunk by a Uboat. Crew: ? men (4 dead and ? survivors). At 13.13 hours on 6 Jun 1940, HMS CARINTHIA was hit aft by one G7e torpedo from U-46 west of Galway Bay. The Germans then observed how the ship turned apparently uncontrolled in circles and dropped DCs from the stern. At 13.47 hours, another G7e was fired which missed and was answered by gunfire from the AMC. UBoat skipper Endrass decided not to waste another torp and left the area because the burning ship was settling by the stern, developing a port list and the crew began to abandon ship.

DDs VOLUNTEER, which departed the Clyde at 0115 for Scapa Flow, WREN, from the Clyde, escort vessel GLEANER, tugs BRIGAND and MARAUDER were sent to assist her. Escort DD BERKELEY, just completed, was also sent. The DDs reached the AMC CARINTHIA at 0400 on the 7th Tug MARAUDER took CARINTHIA in tow, but the AMC foundered at 1900 on the 7th. DD VOLUNTEER arrived at Scapa on the 8th. WREN arrived in the Clyde late on the 8th.

Sub B.3 (Nor 545 grt) departed Harstad for the Tromso area. En route, a battery explosion crippled the sub. Unable to make the passage to England, B.3 was scuttled on 9/10 June in Gavlfjord near Tromso.

Steamer HARCALO (UK 5081 grt), formerly in convoy HG.32F, was sunk on a minenear Goodwin Knoll Buoy. 3 crew were lost. The steamer was beached three cables northwest of Gull Buoy. Tug LADY BRASSEY investigated the steamer, but found her beyond salvage. She was listed a total loss
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Liner REMO (It 9870 grt) was seized by the RAN off Fremantle

Knowing the fate of her sister ship, Liner ROMOLO (It 9870 grt) departed Brisbane on 5 June, as Italy had declared loyalty to Nazi Germany. For that reason the captain of the MS ROMOLO decided to make a run for it and headed for Cape York Peninsula. Although RAN AMC had originally been ordered to shadow her, for some reason she had been called off, she was again called upon to locate and stop the MS Romolo. MANOORA located the ROMOLO approximately 220 miles SW of Nauru. The captain of the ROMOLO ordered the crew to scuttle her and abandon ship. MANOORA finished the job using her six inch guns and sunk her.

UBOATS
Departures
Kiel: U-51, U-61, UA
Wilhelmshaven: U-38

At Sea 6 June 1940
U-8, U-28, U-29, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-43, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-51, U-56, U-58, U-60, U-61, U-101, UA.
17 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Western Baltic
DKM Raider THOR departed Kiel to raid in the Central and South Atlantic, via the Denmark Strait. She was escorted through the Skagerrak by TBs JAGUAR and FALKE and arrived at Sorgulenfjord near Skudesnes where she remained until 11 June.

North Sea
Sub STURGEON departed Blyth on patrol. FN.190 departed Southend, escort DD WALLACE. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 8th. MT.83 departed Methil, escort DD VIVIEN. The convoy arrived at the Tyne later that day. FN.189 departed the Tyne, escorted by DD VIVIEN. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 8th. ASW trawler KINGSTON OLIVINE (378grt) made an attack on a suspected contact off Dungeness. The contact was later found to be a wreck.

Northern Waters
After receiving orders, BB VALIANT and DDs MASHONA, TARTAR (D.6), BEDOUIN, ASHANTI departed Scapa to escort convoys evacuating Harstad. DDs WOLVERINE, WITHERINGTON, VISCOUNT arrived off Scapa in the morning. They anchored off Cantick Hd in thick fog. WOLVERINE and VISCOUNT entered harbour in the afternoon during a temporary clearance. WITHERINGTON did not enter Scapa until 1900. Following work up, Escort DD BERKELEY was attached to the Home Flt. Sub SEVERN reported a U-boat 60 miles WNW of Aandalsnes.

Late on the 6th and into early 7 June, DKM Adm Marschall reaching the latitude of Harstad refuelled his CA ADMIRAL HIPPER and DDs from tkr DITHMARSCHEN.

Channel
BB NELSON, escort DDs WARWICK, AMAZON, WITCH departed Portsmouth for the Clyde, arriving on the 8th. DD VERITY was damaged in a collision with mine tender NIGHTINGALE at Portsmouth, and was under repair until the 15th. Fr ML POLLUX arrived at Dover for minelaying operation MI. On 6/7 June, POLLUX escort Fr TB MELPOMENE and DD VEGA laid mines from the English Coast to to Cherbourg. On 13/14 June, POLLUX and aux MLs INGENIEUR CACHIN (1310grt) and ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE (1256grt) escort TB BRANLEBAS and aux sloop ASIE extended this minefield.

Nth Atlantic
DKM Surface Raider WIDDER refuelled from KONIGSBERG in the Nth Atlantic. WIDDER had already fuelled twice from tkr NORDMARK in the Nth Atlantic since sailing on 6 May.

Med- Biscay
DD VORTIGERN, after escort duty with HG.32, arrived at Gib and was taken in hand for refitting. It subs BARBARIGO and NANI departed Naples for patrol off Algiers. It subs SALPA, GUILIANA, BAGNOLINI, TARANTINI departed Taranto for patrol sth of Crete.
It subs SETTIMO and UEBI SCEBI departed Taranto for patrol to the sth of the Otranto Strait and off Cerigo, respectively.

Indian Ocean
Convoy BC of steamers ASKA, KARANJA, KENYA, RAJULA, ROHNA, TALAMBA departed 6 June from Bombay and arriving 19 June at Durban, escorted by CA KENT. On 20 June, steamers ASKA, KARANJA, KENYA departed Durban escort CA CORNWALL. They arrived at Capetown on the 23rd. Liners REINA DEL PACIFICO and ORION departed Durban on the 22nd, escort CL DRAGON, arrived at Capetown the next day. CA CORNWALL departed Capetown on the 24th with steamers ASKA, KARANJA, KENYA. They arrived at Takoradi 1 July. They departed Takoradi on 2 July with CORNWALL and arrived at Freetown 5 July. Escorted by RAN CA AUSTRALIA, the convoy of REINA DEL PACIFICO, ORION, STRATHEDEN departed on the 24th and arrived at Freetown on 3 July.

Convoy BC.of troopships REINA DEL PACIFICO, ORION, STRATHEDEN, KENYA, KARANJA, ASKA departed Freetown 6 July, escort CA CORNWALL. The convoy was joined on 11 July by RAN CA AUSTRALIA and on 15 July by DDs HAVELOCK, ST LAURENT, WALKER, and WESTCOTT. The RN CAs arrived at Liverpool late on 16 July and the convoy and the DDs arrived at 0700 on 17 July.

 

[parsifal]

7 June 1940 (Part I)
Known Reinforcements
Axis
1935 Class Type M mSW M-16, Raider KOMET

The German raider 'Komet' had made passage to the Pacific along the north coast of Russia. The Germans had paid the Russians for the use of the ice breaker 'Stalin' to assist her passage. She then operated in the Pacific disguised as a neutral Japanese merchant.ship.

Neutral
Brazillian Carioca Class MLs CABADELO, CAMAQUA, CAMOCIM, CARAVELAS

Losses
MV FRANCIS MASSEY (UK 4212 grt) Crew: 35 (34 dead and 1 survivor) Cargo: 7500 tons of iron ore Route: Newfoundlan ore mines in Conception Bay - Glasgow. Sunk in the Western Approaches
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
Kiel: U-8

At Sea 7 June 1940
U-28, U-29, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-43, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-51, U-56, U-58, U-60, U-61, U-101, UA.
16 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Evacuation of Norway
Early on the 7th, Troopship Group I units leaving Harstad after evacuating allied troops were sighted by one of Adm Marschall's scouting planes. However, Marschall, at first, gave them no attention thinking them to be empty troopships returning to England. He was later to be severfely criticised for this, despite his greater success. Such were the peculiar workings of the German regime.
Later on the 7th, DKM Spotter a/c sighted and reported units of Troopship Group II at the entrance to Andfjord escorted by CLA COVENTRY and DDs WALKER and FIREDRAKE. Group II was composed of troopships ORONSAY , ORMONDE , ARANDORA STAR , DUCHESS OF YORK, ROYAL ULSTERMAN, ULSTER PRINCE, ULSTER MONARCH. Troopship DUCHESS OF YORK was not in the group leaving the Clyde on 31 May. On 1 June, she departed Liverpool and joined the group en route. Troopship ORAMA had arrived at the ocean rendezvous for the evacuation, but was short of fuel and fresh water. Since sufficient accomodation was already at hand, ORAMA was sent home with hospital ship ATLANTIS. Armed boarding vessel VANDYCK remained at sea at the ocean rendezvous in case she was required while the troopships embarked the troops and equipment. Gp II troopships arrived at Andfjord in turn and embarked 5200 troops on the 7th and 4600 troops on the 8th.

CV GLORIOUS and destroyers ARDENT and ACASTA departed the Narvik area in the early morning of the 8th. The carrier accepted units of the 46 sqn (Hurri) onto the decks, desp[ite the hurricanes not being equipped for deck landings and the crews not possessing any training in carrier work. It was a reamarkable final service by the carrier, and proved that high performance a/c could land on RN carriers.

Gp II leaving the ocean rendezvous was escorted at sea by CV ARK ROYAL with DDs ACHERON, DIANA, HIGHLANDER, CL SOUTHAMPTON , CLA COVENTRY, DDs FIREDRAKE, HAVELOCK, FAME, BEAGLE, CAMPBELL, DELIGHT, ECHO. It had been intended that GLORIOUS and her close escort remain with this Gp, but the CO of the GLORIOUS was impatient to return (Ive never found the reason) and reamined detached from the main gp.

A convoy of slow auxiliaries departed Harstad late on the 7th. This group consisted of British BLACKHEATH, OLIGARCH, HARMATTAN , CROMARTY FIRTH, THESEUS, ACRITY, COXWOLD, CONCH escorted by ASW trawlers ST CATHAN and LOCH MONTEITH of ASW Gp 18. The convoy was joined by DD ARROW, sloop STORK, trawlers STRATHDEVON, STRATHDERRY, ELDORADO , SHANDWICK , NEWHAVEN after they had completed assisting Group II during embarkation. DDs VETERAN and VANOC escorted the convoy away from the coast and then were detached to join the escort for GLORIOUS, but the carrier was lost before they could join the escort.
DD VETERAN, short of fuel, was ordered to Sullom Voe on the 9th. VETERAN and VANOC arrived at Sullom Voe on the 9th. This convoy was under German air attack from the 9th by 6 a/c, however there was no damage.

DD CAMPBELL was ordered on the 8th to join the convoy but could not locate it until the 10th. Then, she was too low on fuel and had to proceed independently, later accompanied by DD MASHONA, to Sullom Voe, arriving on the 12th. DD WALKER did successfully locate and join the convoy. DDs FIREDRAKE, FAME, BEAGLE, WALKER all sustained minor damage from near misses from the LW on the 12th. They suffered varied levels of damage. FIREDRAKE arrived in the Clyde on the 13th and was out of service 1 week. FAME arrived in the Clyde on the 12th and was out of service 1 week. BEAGLE arrived at Greenock on the 12th was out of service 4 days.

DD WALKER arrived at Scapa on the 14th with the starboard dynamo out of action. She departed Scapa on the 15th for the Clyde. She arrived at Glasgow for repairs completed on the 28th. On the 14th, the convoy with CA SUSSEX, CL cruiser NEWCASTLE, DDs ARROW and WALKER, sloop STORK safely arrived at Scapa. A convoy departed Tromso on the evening of the 7th with British tankers OIL PIONEER and YEWMOUNT and ammunition ships ARBROATH and NGAKOA escorted by ASW trawler JUNIPER. DDs CAMPBELL and WALKER and ASW whalers ELLESMERE and THIRLMERE were to rendezvous with the Tromso units. The whalers met YEWMOUNT, ARBROATH, NGAKOA later on the 7th. On the 10th, CAMPBELL reported she was a serious fuel loss and was returning to Sullom Voe. On the 12th, whalers ELLESMERE and THIRLMERE were relieved by DD VISCOUNT. The whalers took ammunition ship NGAKAO with engine troubles into Scapa. VISCOUNT arrived at Scapa in the early hrs of the 14th with the Narvik store ships. ASW trawler NORTHERN GEM departed Lodigen escorting Nor steamer RANEN , which was being used as HMS RAVEN. British trawlers departing Norway at this time were LILAC, SYCAMORE, HAWTHORN, WILLOW of MSWGp1, ULLSWATER of ASWGp10, NORTHERN SPRAY, NORTHERN DAWN, NORTHERN WAVE of ASWGp12, KING SOL of ASWGp18, MAN O' WAR of ASWGp21, PRESTON NORTH END and LINCOLN CITY of ASWGp30. ASW whalers ELLESMERE and THIRLMERE of ASWGp10 transferred 435 men and 26 women to CA DEVONSHIRE at Tromso.

CA DEVONSHIRE departed Tromso with the King of Norway, his govt, allied legations. She was accompanied by Nor sub B 1, fishery protection vessels NORDKAPP and FRIDTJOF NANSEN, armed aux SYRIAN , THOROOD , NORDHAV II, HVAL V , BORTIND and captured German trawler HONNINGSVAAG and ex Ger MALANGEN captured on 13 April. CA DEVONSHIRE arrived in the Clyde on the 10th. DD VETERAN departed Thorshavn on the 16th with submarine B 1, fishery protection vessel FRIDTJOF NANSEN, 5 minor warships through Pentland Firth for Rosyth. DD KELVIN was ordered on the 16th to join destroyer VETERAN and the Norwegian ships. The Norwegian ships escorted by DDs KELVIN and VETERAN and two trawlers arrived at Rosyth on the 18th. Both DDs proceeded to Nore, on completion of the escort duty.

 

[Njaco]

June 8 1940 Saturday
WESTERN FRONT: 5. and 7.Panzerdivisionen cross River Seine and 5.Panzerdivision captures Rouen. Further East, Kleist's 14.Panzerkorp breaks through at Amiens but 16.Panzerkorp is still held at Péronne by French 7th Army, showing the true fighting character of the French troops and the effectiveness of the hedgehogs.

Over the front lines, a schwarm of Bf 109s from 7./JG 26 are bounced by British Hurricanes. Lt. Mietusch of 7./JG 26 is shot down in his Bf 109E by one of the Hurricanes near Neufchatel and force lands behind French lines without injuries. But as he is about to make good his escape, he is shot in the buttocks by a French civilian. Lt. Mietusch becomes a POW of the French. A future Experte of JG 26, Lt. Josef 'Pips' Priller of 6./JG 51, shoots down two RAF Blenheims.

But the French aren't succumbing so easily to the German invasion and the Luftwaffe. Capt. Wuillame of the French GC I/2 flies his MS 406 to effect and destroys three Bf 109s in fifteen seconds.

Adolf Hitler issues Directive No. 14, to deal with strong resistance north of Paris. http://der-fuehrer.org/reden/english/wardirectives/14.html

NORTHERN EUROPE: Evacuation of Narvik. French and Polish troops, pursuing General Dietl's forces towards Sweden, pull out overnight and return to Narvik leaving dummies to fool the Germans. Group II troopships embark the final 4600 Allied troops (British, French and Polish) and depart Narvik, escorted by aircraft carrier HMS "Ark Royal", cruisers HMS "Southampton" and HMS "Coventry" and 11 destroyers. The convoy is spotted by German reconnaissance planes and bombed continuously until out of range but without damage. Germans quickly assess the withdrawal and retake Narvik.

Operation Juno meets Evacuation of Narvik. At 0300 hours, aircraft carrier HMS "Glorious" sails for Scapa Flow with destroyers HMS "Ardent" and HMS "Acasta" (these vessels are not needed to escort troop transports). Captain Guy D'Oyly Hughes failed to launch scouting aircraft as the carrier sailed for Britain, thus was caught unprepared when the convoy runs into German battleships "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau", 170 miles off the Norwegian coast. At 1630 hours, "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau" open fire from 24km, one of the longest hits ever recorded. "Glorious" is hit with several 11 inch shells, preventing aircraft taking off. "Ardent" and "Acasta" lay smoke and close on the German battleships firing 120 mm guns and torpedoes but both are hit. "Acasta" hits "Scharnhorst" with 1 torpedo (50 dead). "Ardent" sinks at 1720 hours (151 lives lost, 2 survivors). "Glorious" sinks at 1910 hours (1162 sailors and 59 RAF personnel killed, 42 survivors). "Acasta" sinks at 1920 hours (161 dead, 2 survivors). Admiral Wilhelm Marschall, aboard his flagship "Gneisenau" orders his flag lowered to half mast to honor the crews of the British destroyers. But Admiral Marschall is dismissed for putting "Scharnhorst" at risk and failing to carry out planned attack on Harstad.

German cruiser "Admiral Hipper" sinks British tanker "Oil Pioneer" and escorting armed trawler HMS "Juniper" (20 lives lost, "Hipper" picks up 29 survivors). Later, "Hipper" sinks empty British troopship "Orama" (19 lives lost, 280 rescued by German destroyers) but spares hospital ship "Atlantis". "Atlantis" obeys the rules of war and does not attempt to radio any signals; "Hipper" does not sink her.


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[parsifal]

7 June 1940 (Part II)
OPERATIONS [CONT'D]
North Sea
DD FEARLESS departed Middlesborough for Rosyth en route to Scapa. At 1300, FEARLESS reported the breakdown of both feed pumps. She returned to Middlesborough for repairs. At 1900 0n 10 June, she departed for Sullom Voe. MT.84 departed Methil, escort sloops LOWESTOFT and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at the Tyne later that day. FS.190 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloops LOWESTOFT and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 9th. Sub SEVERN arrived at Rosyth after patrol.

Northern Waters
DD ENCOUNTER departed Scapa on the 7th to search for a German seaplane down in the sea 43° from Wick. ENCOUNTER was later recalled. Attempting to enter harbour in the early hrs of the 8th, the DD went ashore on Cantick Head. She was later refloated with some damage. She arrived at Scapa Flow on the 8th, and subsequently departed Scapa on the 14th escorting British steamer FOSS BECK and tkr BRITISH LADY to Rosyth, arriving on the 14th. ENCOUNTER departed Rosyth on the 16th in convoy MT.89, escorted by escort ship WOOLSTON and sloop FLAMINGO, arrived on the 17th in the Tyne. The destroyer departed the Tyne on the 17th in convoy FS.97 with escort ship WOOLSTON and sloop FLEETWOOD. ENCOUNTER finally arrived at Chatham where she was under repair and refit until 20 July. ASW trawlers LE TIGRE and ELM arrived at Scapa escorting British oiler INVERSHANNON (9154grt) and steamers KIRKWOOD and ST CLAIR (1637grt). British steamer REDCAR arrived at Scapa from Harstad.

Western Approaches
MV EROS (UK 5888 grt) At 03.22 hours on 7 June 1940, U-48 fired a torp at the unescorted EROS about 15 miles off Tory Is and scored a hit after the torp ran for 4 mins 34 secs. The shot fell from a distance of about 3000m because the vessel was fast and the proximity of land prevented a chase on the surface. The U-boat left the area after the crew abandoned the burning ship.
The badly damaged vessel was taken in tow by HMS BERKELEY and was later assisted by BANDIT and DD VOLUNTEER, which had tried to salvage the torpedoed HMS CARINTHIA the previous day. The survivors were picked up by HMS PAYNTER. In the evening, the ship was beached on Tory Island and was later salvaged and repaired.

Channel
DD VEGA departed Chatham and called at Dover before proceeding to Le Havre with the XD.H (Dieppe demolition party). Off Le Havre, the XD.H party was transferred to a Fr trawler because the port was closed. The party travelled overland to Dieppe. On her return to Dover, VEGA was ordered to Portsmouth to pick up the CP (Dieppe blockships). Fr Contre Torpilleur DD GERFAUT departed Brest escorting steamers KONINGIN EMMA and PRINCESS BEATRIX to Plymouth, arriving on the 8th. On return, the DD departed on the 8th escorting steamers GENERAL METZINGER and MEKNES, joined by TB L'IMPETUEUSE. They arrived at Brest on the 9th.

Nth Atlantic
Fr CL EMILE BERTIN departed Halifax to return to Brest for another gold evacuation mission

Med- Biscay
CVE ARGUS and her attendant DD STURDY, and DD KEPPEL arrived from the Gulf of Lyons at Gibraltar en route to Home Waters. Fr sub ARCHIMEDE, which had come from Brest, via Casablanca, arrived at Gib escorted by sloop ELAN. The sub sailed later that day escortsloop ANNAMITE and arrived at Toulon on the 11th. Subs ARCHIMEDE and BEVEZIERS departed Brest on the 1st in convoy 47 BF, escort sloop ELAN. The convoy arrived at Casablanca on the 5th.

Indian Ocean
CL LEANDER departed Port Sudan to patrol off that port. On 8 June, she joined sloop GRIMSBY escorting liner UMBRIA (IT 9349 grt) to Port Sudan.

 

[parsifal]

8 June 1940
Known Reinforcements
IJN B1 Class I-Boat I-25

Allied
Sub SATYR , Escort destroyer HAMBLEDON

Losses
Steamer HARDINGHAM (UK 5415 grt), detached from convoy FS.89, struck a mine and sank . 2 crew were lost.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer KJELL BILLNER (SD 1106 grt) was seized by German forces at Stavanger. She was renamed HELGA SCHRODER for German service. The crew were returned to Gotenburg.

UBOATS
Departures
Kiel: U-52
Wilhelmshaven: U-25, U-30, U-65

At Sea 8 1940
U-25, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-43, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-60, U-61, U-65, U-101, UA.
20 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.191 departed Southend, escort DDs WOLFHOUND and VALOROUS. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 10th.

Northern Waters
British Troopship Gp I and BB VALIANT and her DDs rendezvoused in the early hours , and VALIANT remained with the convoy until it was west of the Faroes. VALIANT and her DDs then left Gp I and picked up Gp II on the 10th. The convoy was continually bombed. VALIANT remained with Gp II until they reached 59N, and then proceeded to Scapa. Gp I arrived in the Clyde on the 10th with her escorts of repair ship VINDICTIVE and DDs VISCOUNT, WITHERINGTON, WOLVERINE, ANTELOPE and ATHERSTONE. Troopship GEORGIC went directly to Brest arriving on the 14th to disembark her French troops.

Tkr OIL PIONEER (5666grt) and her escort ASW trawler JUNIPER (RN 550 grt) of ASWGp19 had departed Tromso on the 7th were attacked and sunk off Jan Mayen Is by DKM CA ADMIRAL HIPPER and the 4 DDs of the JUNO opn. The Master and 19 crew of the tkr were lost. 25 survivors from the tkr and 4 from JUNIPER were picked up by the Germans.

Troopship ORAMA (UK 19,840 grt) was also located in 67‑44N, 03-52E and sunk by the German ships which had sunk OIL PIONEER and JUNIPER, but her companion, hospital ship ATLANTIS, was not molested. Of a crew of 297 men and two gunners, 18 crew were missing and 1 died of injuries. ADMIRAL HIPPER and the 4 DDs were then ordered to Trondheim for refuelling. DD STEINBRINCK arrived at Trondheim on the 10th with one engine operating. The defects were corrected by 10 June.

DKM BCs SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU encountered CV GLORIOUS (RN 22500 grt) with DD ACASTA (RN 1360 grt) and DD ARDENT (RN 1337 grt) at 1600 west of the Lofoten Islands. GLORIOUS had been detached from the Narvik evacuation covering force and was proceeding independently to Scapa. All 3 ships were sunk west of Narvik, but not before ACASTA was able to torpedo SCHARNHORST and badly damage her, putting an end to Marschall's opn. She had her centre and starboard engine room flooded, the after turret out of action, and speed reduced to 20 knots. For the ACASTA, 193 of her 194 crew were lost. For the ARDENT 137 of the 138 crew were lost. For the GLORIOUS, 1,207 of her 1,247 crew were lost along with about 46 RAF personnel (4 survivors). Most of the casualties occurred after the ships had been sunk, brought on by drowning and exposure. About 50 aboard the SCHARHORST were killed or injured.

Crew members of HMS ACASTA, Jan 1940. Group includes AB Victor Vincent McCullen, who served at the Battle of Jutland, and lost his life when the ACASTA sank on the 8th June 1940. This photo is the property of his grandson Tim McCullen. HMS ARDENT shown right

HMS GLORIOUS photographed in May 1940 from the deck of HMS ARK ROYAL, the DD with her is HMS DIANA

DD INGLEFIELD arrived at Scapa after refitting at Devonport. ASW trawler STOKE CITY ran around south of Duncansby Head, but was refloated. British steamer CORMINSTER arrived at Scapa from Harstad. A UBoat sighting was reported by a CC a/c in 55-52N, 2-40E.

West Coast UK
BB NELSON with DDs WARWICK, WITCH, AMAZON arrived in the Clyde. AMAZON departed the Clyde that evening for Scapa.

Western Approaches
BC RENOWN and DDs ZULU and KELVIN departed Icelandic waters for refuelling at Scapa, where they arrived at 0515 and 520, respectively, on the 9th.

SW Approaches
HG.33 departed Gib with 23 ships. DDs DOUGLAS and VIDETTE escorted the convoy from 8 to 10 June. Sloop ABERDEEN from convoy OG.32 escorted the convoy from 10 to 17 June. It arrived at Liverpool on the 18th.

Channel
DDs VESPER and WANDERER, which had departed Dover on the 7th, bombarded German targets on the roadway between Abbeville and Treport, east of Dieppe on the 8th, before arriving at Dover later that same day. CL CARDIFF at 1715 on the 8th and VESPER and WANDERER later arrived at Dover to stand by for operations off Dieppe.

UK-France
BC.40 departed Bristol Channel, escort ASW trawler AGATE. The convoy arrived at Loire on the 10th.

Nth Atlantic

Central Atlantic
Troop convoy US 3 departed Freetown escort CVL HERMES and CAs CUMBERLAND and SHROPSHIRE. HERMES was detached on the 10th and CA DORSETSHIRE accompanied the convoy on 12 to 14 June. US 3 was joined off Gib by BC HOOD, which departed the Clyde on the 12th, CVE ARGUS, DDs BROKE, WANDERER, WESTCOTT, and RCN DDs ST LAURENT, RESTIGOUCHE, SKEENA which joined DORSETSHIRE, CUMBERLAND, SHROPSHIRE on the 14th. The 4th RCN DD in Home Waters, FRASER, had arrived at Plymouth on the 3rd and was repairing defects; she did not return to service until 11 June. DORSETSHIRE conducted a patrol off the Canary Islands and arrived at Gib on the 16th. On 23 June, she departed for Dakar, changed in view of Armistice to Freetown. On 15 June, the convoy was joined by DDs WARWICK and WITCH. On 16 June, the convoy, CUMBERLAND, SHROPSHIRE and escorts safely arrived in the Clyde, SHROPSHIRE to refit, completing at the beginning of August. From 12 to 16 June, U.29, U.43, U.46, U.48, U.101 were involved in an unsuccessful attempt to intercept the convoy.

SL.35 departed Freetown escorted by AMC DUNNOTTAR CASTLE to 22 June. On that date, DD WARWICK and corvette CLARKIA joined the convoy and escorted it to arrival on the 25th.

Med- Biscay
CL DELHI arrived at Gib, sailed the next day with important RAF stores, but was recalled to Gib, arriving back on the 11th.

 

[parsifal]

The loss of the GLORIOUS....ACASTA causes the Germans to abandon "JUNO"

The following is an extract from John Winton's "War At Sea" and is an account from the sole survivor of the ACASTA, Leading Seaman Cooper. At the end , after the "Abandon Ship" order had been given, the crew called out to the CO, Cdr Glasfurd, to join them in one of the Carley floats. He refused, calmly lighting a cigarette on the bridge, and waving serenely to his crew. Seconds later, the Bridge was blown away by a direct hit from the BCs.

ACASTA's sacrifice was not completely in vain. With her last torpedo salvo, fired at great range and from a disadvantageous position, she managed to score a single hit on the Scharnhorst, and forced a cancellation of further action by the two sister BCs. This one final act probably saved much of the retreating allied fleet from further molestation at the hands of the German raiders.

Both sides were critical of the results of this battle. For the RN, one of the worst days of the war, and a loss so avoidable, the criticisms are completely understandable. It is still such a sensitive subject within the Admiralty that the files relating to the loss are marked with the maximum 100 year delay for their release. The RN still is hesitant to talk about this tragedy.

For DKM, despite the obvious success, the Fleet commander was sharply reprimanded on a number of accounts, resulting in the early retirement of what perhaps can be described as their best most promising flag officer (after Donitz). There are direct links to the way Marschall was treated, and the behaviour of his successors, Lutjens in particular, that in turn led directly to the Bismarcks loss.

 

[Njaco]

9 June 1940 Sunday

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 1300 hours, U-46 sinks Finnish steamer "Margareta" carrying 1434 tons of peanuts 350 miles West of Cape Finisterre, Spain (5 lives lost). 19 survivors drift in a lifeboat for 4 days but are rescued and taken to Vivero, Spain.

EASTERN EUROPE: The Soviet Union issued the order for its military to complete preparations for the invasion of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia by 12 Jun 1940.

NORTHERN EUROPE: With the King and Government gone to exile in England, General Ruge agrees to the surrender of Norwegian 6th Division (essentially all that remains of the Norwegian Army). The armistice comes into effect at midnight. Allied losses (dead, missing or severely wounded) are 2119 British, 1335 Norwegian, 530 French and Poles combined. Germans lose 5296 dead or missing. Critically, Luftwaffe has lost 160 fighters and bombers and 80 transport planes while Kriegsmarine has lost 3 cruisers, 10 destroyers and 6 submarines, with 4 more cruisers and 6 destroyers requiring repairs. The loss of warships and transport planes will hinder plans for an invasion of England.

At 1030 hours, hospital ship "Atlantis" meets battleship HMS "Valiant" and reports the sinking of "Orama". This is the first the Admiralty knows about Admiral Marschall's flotilla which has sunk 6 ships including an aircraft carrier. Damaged German battleship "Scharnhorst" and sister ship "Gneisenau" return to Trondheim for repairs.

NORTH AFRICA: American cruiser "Vincennes" and destroyers "Truxton" and "Simpson" arrive at Casablanca to transfer 200 tons of French gold to USA for safekeeping. They will depart Casablanca June 10, arriving at New York June 20.

Destroyer USS "Dickerson" departed Casablanca, French Morocco with American passengers for Lisbon, Portugal, where they would board US passenger liner "Washington" for Ireland and then the United States.

UNITED KINGDOM: After attacking a Channel convoy, Oblt. Werner Machold of 7./JG 2 takes damage and force lands in Dorset.

WESTERN FRONT: The German 5.Panzerdivision forces reach the Seine at Rouen and take the city. Dieppe and Compiegne are both captured. Rommel's 7.Panzerdivision chases French 10th Army and British 51st Highland Division back to the sea at St-Valery-en-Caux. Rommel was to lead his Division in a hundred kilometer drive forward in just two days. Kleist's 14.Panzerkorp makes further progress past Amiens but 16.Panzerkorp remains stuck at Péronne. Further East, Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe A launches its attack towards Reims led by Guderian's panzers. In the fighting the French defenders manage to hold most of their positions but take heavy losses. French CiC General Weygand declares the battle for the Somme River to be lost and suggests seeking an armistice with Germany. Instead, the French government decides to leave Paris.

"Fall Rot" continues with nineteen airfields attacked and eighty-six French aircraft destroyed up to this date.

Fighters of III./JG 26, on escort duty for a Do 17 reconnaissance aircraft, shoot down six Polish Cauldron C 714C-1 fighters out of a flight of seventeen near Vernon. One of the victors, Lt. Josef 'Jupp' Bürschgens describes his first kill;

"That afternoon we were ordered to fly a freiejagd to Paris from our base at Capelle, north of the Seine. As we approached Paris we sighted two squadrons of enemy fighters climbing up from the city. We attacked them from above. I fastened onto the tail of one fighter, which vanished into the general airbattle with a split-S. I immediately climbed away into a heavy layer of haze, which lay at about 3,000 meters and clear skies above and below it. Flying at the upper border of the layer, I would pop out, look around for an opponent, and disappear again into the protective cloud. One time when I emerged I saw in front of me an aircraft doing just as I was - popping out, looking around and dropping from sight again. I saw roundels, and carefully approached the enemy plane, remaining in the cloud until I had reached optimum firing distance. I opened fire with all my weapons. I saw strikes in the cockpit and on the fuselage. The enemy aircraft reared up sharply, and came past me in a flat left curve, almost at my altitude. I could see that the pilot had been hit. He was slumped forward. The machine banked more steeply, and dove over a wing. I saw it crash in a heavily populated area west of Paris."

Several Bf 109s from JG 53 and Bf 110's of ZG 2 escort bombers of II Fliegerkorps to support von Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe A attack on the French Fourth Army. Oblt. Helmut Wick becomes the leading Experte of JG 2, the "Richthofen" Geschwader, when he scores his twelfth victory.

.

.

 

[parsifal]

9 June 1940
Losses
MV MARGARETA (FN 2155 grt) Crew: 24 (5 dead and 19 survivors) Cargo: 1434 tons of peanuts Route: Bathurst - Greenock. The neutral vessel was hit by one torpedo from U-46 amidships, broke in two and sank after one hour about 350 miles from Cape Finisterre. Four crew members died on watch below and another was killed in the water by sharks. The survivors were adrift in one lifeboat for three days and 21 hours, before they were picked up and taken to Vivero, Spain.

Fr sub RUBIS, which had departed Dundee on the 5th, arrived off Fedjeonsonfjord, near Bergen. She sighted DKM DD RIEDEL, which had departed Trondheim on the 8th for Wilhelmshaven. RUBIS dived to evade, but RIEDEL did not pursue, continuing sth. RUBIS laid mines at 2210 in Fedjeosonfjord for minefield FD.17. On the 10th, Steamer SVERRE SIGURDSON (Ex-Nor 1081 grt) was lost on this minefield.

While following the British slow convoy returning from Harstad, Steamer PRINS OLAV (Nor 2147 grt) and Steamer ARIADNE (Nor 2029 grt) were sunk by the LW. ARIADNE lost 9 crew, whilst PRINS OLAV lost one crewman. The ships were sunk NE of the Shetlands. DD ARROW rescued 72 male and 9 female survivors.

Drifter DEWEY EVE (UK 109 grt) was sunk in an accidental collision at Scapa with British trawler GOLD CROWN .
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer DULWICH (UK 4102 grt) was sunk by the LW off Villequier. She was later salved and renamed HOLTENAU for German service.

Aux MSW NOTRE DAMES DES DUNES (Fr 481 grt) and Aux MSW MADELEINE LOUISE (Fr 464 grt) were sunk by the LW off Dunkirk.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer MAX WOLF (Gk 6694 grt) was sunk by the LW in the English Channel between Roque and Berville. 2 crew were killed and she was beached at Tancarville. The wreck was later used as a target by the LW.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer AVVENIRE (It 957 grt) was sunk north of Pantelleria on an Italian mine.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer ANGIULLIN (It 873 grt) was sunk off Cape Granitola on an Italian mine.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Aux PV Vp.801 (DKM 437 grt) was sunk off Ameland on a mine. Aux PV Vp.803 on patrol nearby rescued the survivors.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer DOCKENHUDEN (Ger 216 grt) was sunk at Stolpmunde.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-37

At Sea 9 June 1940
U-25, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-32, U-38, U-43, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-60, U-61, U-65, U-101, UA.
19 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
Subs PORPOISE and NARWHAL departed Immingham to lay minefields FD.18 on the 14th off Fro Havet and FD.19 on the 12th off Haugesand. Subs STURGEON, H.28 and H.31 departed Blyth on patrol. MLs TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER escort DDs GALLANT and WALPOLE departed the Humber to lay minefield BS 12 in the Nth Sea, arriving back in the Humber on the 10th after the minelay.

FN.192 departed Southend, escort DD VIVIEN. Ds JACKAL and FORESIGHT were ordered to close the convoy for the night of 9/10 June and remain with it until daylight. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 11th. MT.85 departed Methil, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloop FLEETWOOD. The convoy arrived at the Tyne later that day. FS.191 departed the Tyne, escort DD WOOLSTON and sloop FLEETWOOD. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 11th.

Northern Waters
Late on the 9th, DKM BCs SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU were escorted into harbour by TBs GREIF and KONDOR which were just arriving from Germany.

DDs ESCORT and ELECTRA departed Scapa to rendezvous with CA DEVONSHIRE and escort her to the Clyde, but they were recalled to Scapa for other duty. CL NEWCASTLE and CA SUSSEX were ordered to leave the Iceland area for a position off the west coast of Iceland, covering possible breakouts by DKM forces. At 1030/9th, hospital ship ATLANTIS met BB VALIANT and the first intelligence of Marschall's forces was received by the Admiralty and the Home Flt. She advised she had observed a pocket battleship engaging a two funnel transport at 0900/8th. This was presumed to be liner ORAMA, now reported missing. ATLANTIS arrived at Scapa Flow on the 10th at 1600.

BB RODNEY, BC RENOWN, DDs ZULU, KELVIN, INGLEFIELD, ELECTRA and ESCORT departed Scapa to escort the convoys arriving from Harstad. CV ARK ROYAL was ordered to join this force on the 10th. A Swordfish of 810 Sqn from ARK ROYAL ditched in the sea after missing the carrier on its return from a recon mission looking for SCHARNHORST. S/Lt R. C. Eborn, Midshipman G. T. Shaddick and Leading Airman P. W. Clitheroe were picked up by Norwegian fishery protection vessel SYRIAN and taken to Iceland. BC REPULSE, CA SUSSEX, CL NEWCASTLE, and DDs MAORI, FOXHOUND, FORESTER were still in Icelandic waters. They were ordered at 1026 to sweep NE and join Troopship Group II and the slow aux convoy which were travelling together. NEWCASTLE arrived at Scapa on the 11th. MAORI, FOXHOUND, FORESTER arrived at Sullom Voe for refuelling on the 10th and departed later in the morning after refuelling. DDs VOLUNTEER and WHIRLWIND departed Scapa for Sullom Voe. FOXHOUND experienced a turbine problem and returned to Sullom Voe, to be replaced by WHIRLWIND, which sailed from Sullom Voe later on the 10th. FOXHOUND departed Sullom Voe on the 11th and arrived at Scapa later that evening. WHIRLWIND was soon detached to hunt a U-boat, sighting that had been reported by a/c on the 10th, and was ordered to hunt for 24 hrs. DD FIREDRAKE at 1300, with Group II, attacked a U Boat contact . DDDs FEARLESS, AMAZON, ANTELOPE, ESCAPADE departed Sullom Voe at 2230/11th to join the Home Flt at sea. Late on the 11th, VALIANT and REPULSE with DDs TARTAR, BEDOUIN, MAORI, DIANA, ACHERON and FORESTER arrived at Scapa for refuelling.

DDs VETERAN and VANOC arrived at Sullom Voe at 2350. DD ENCOUNTER, sailing with a convoy to Aberdeen, was delayed by fog. They were able to proceed and departed Scapa on the 10th. 3 Br steamers and 1 Norwegian steamer were escorted by ENCOUNTER and trawlers ANGLE, INDIAN STAR, ST KEENAN, LADY ELSA for Aberdeen, arriving on the 11th. ENCOUNTER returned to Scapa.
Trawlers BARBARA ROBB, MOUNT ARD, FORT RYAN arrived at Scapa from Norway.

West Coast UK
DDs WARWICK and WITCH departed the Clyde for Liverpool.

SW Approaches
OG.33F was formed from convoys OA.163GF, which departed Southend on the 7th escort corvette GLADIOLUS, and OB.163GF, which departed Liverpool on the 7th escort sloop SCARBOROUGH, with a total of 52 ships. Corvette PERIWINKLE escorted the convoy from 9 to 10 June and was then detached to convoy HG.33F. SCARBOROUGH escorted the convoy from 9 to 13 June and was then detached to convoy HG.34F. DD DOUGLAS joined on the 13th and escorted the convoy into Gib, arriving on the 14th.

Channel
Steamer EMPIRE COMMERCE (3857grt) was badly damaged on a mine five cables WNW, 220° of the NE Spit Buoy, near Margate. 2 crew were missing. She was beached 19 cables 261° from NE Spit Buoy, refloated on the 11th and again beached on the 12th.

UK-France
Operation CYCLE, the evacuation of the Fr nth coast was set into action. DDs RESTIGOUCHE, BROKE, ST LAURENT, CODRINGTON and sloop WELLINGTON were ordered on the 9th to proceed to rendezvous with DD SALADIN 7 miles 270° from Cape De Le Havre. At 1533 the same orders were sent to CLA CALCUTTA and DDs BULLDOG and BOADICEA. The ships were ordered not to arrive at Havre before 0400/10th. DDs AMBUSCADE, HARVESTER, FERNIE and corvette GARDENIA from the Western Approaches were also ordered to CYCLE and departed Portland on the 9th.

Nth Atlantic
HX.49 departed Halifax escort RCN DDs SAGUENAY and ASSINIBOINE, which were detached on the 10th. Ocean escort was AMC AUSONIA. AMC LACONIA had departed with the convoy but ran aground in Halifax Harbour, and AUSONIA was sailed in her place. . She was detached on the 20th. Also on 20 June, sloops FOWEY and SANDWICH joined the convoy for the inbound leg. FOWEY was detached on the 23rd. SANDWICH escorted the convoy to Liverpool, arriving on the 24th.

Med- Biscay
Between 7 and 9 June, thirty three Italian submarines departed Italian ports on patrol in the Mediterranean. During the night of 9/10 June, Italian CLs BARBIANO and CARDONA, DDs CORAZZIERE and LANCIERE, and TBs CALIPSO and POLLUCE laid mines between Lampedusa and Kerkenah. Feared intervention by Bizerte-based French units did not materialize.

 

[parsifal]

10 June 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Tree Class ASW Trawler BAY

Losses
After proceeding to one of the inner evacuation rendezvous points after British forces had already departed, armed boarding vessel VANDYCK (RN 13,241 grt), was sunk by the LW off Andenes. 7 crew were lost. The rest of the crew, 55 in total were able to row ashore in the ship's boats and taken prisoner. DD DELIGHT was sent to unsuccessfully search for her when she failed to arrive at the rendezvous.

Trawler RIVER NESS (UK 203 grt) was sunk by the LW 8 miles NNE of the Skerries. 8 crew were lost and two rescued.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

DD VEGA took blockships JACOBUS (UK 1262 grt), blockship KAUPO (UK 2420 grt), blockship RIVER TYNE (UK 1525 grt) to Dieppe from Portsmouth in Operation C P to block the harbour which was accomplished.

Troopship BRUGES (UK 2949 grt) was sunk by the LW on the 11th near Le Havre. During the night of 12/13 June, 11,059 troops were evacuated from Le Havre; 9000 of them were taken to Cherbourg.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

UBOATS
At Sea 10 June May 1940
U-25, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-32, U-38, U-43, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-60, U-61, U-65, U-101, UA.
19 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
Sub TRITON departed Rosyth for patrol off Fro Havet. Sub SEVERN arrived at Dundee. Sub STURGEON arrived at Blyth. ORP sub WILK arrived at Rosyth.

DKM CL NURNBERG with LW stores and mining equipment for Trondheim departed Kiel the evening of 10 June escort TBs JAGUAR and FALKE and at the start by escort ship F.3. On the 12th, the TBs were detached to Stavanger for refuelling. On the 13th, NURNBERG arrived at Trondheim escorted on the last leg of her voyage by MSWs of the 2nd Flotilla. After disembarking the supplies, she continued north arriving at Harjangerfjord and Narvik on the 17th.

TRIBUNE departed Rosyth for patrol off Fro Havet. CLs MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, SHEFFIELD departed the Humber on the 9th and arrived at Rosyth on the 10th. They joined CA YORK, which had been there since 28 May. OA.165 departed Southend escort corvette ARABIS. MT.86 departed Methil, escort sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at the Tyne later that day. FN.193 departed Southend, escort sloops LOWESTOFT and WESTON. Upon reaching the Tyne, LOWESTOFT was detached to escort ML PORT QUEBEC to Rosyth. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 12th. CLs BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD departed the Humber and arrived at Rosyth later the same day.

Northern Waters
DD WHIRLWIND attacked a submarine contact in 61-42N, 3-56W. DDs ATHERSTONE and ANTELOPE departed the Clyde for Scapa.
DDs WOLVERINE, VISCOUNT, WITHERINGTON departed the Clyde for Sullom Voe, arriving on the 11th. DDs ESCAPADE, VISCOUNT, ANTELOPE had arrived earlier on the 11th. They joined DDs FEARLESS and AMAZON. DDs VOLUNTEER, WHIRLWIND from the Clyde and VETERAN, VANOC, WALKER arrived at Sullom Voe for refuelling. VETERAN and VANOC arrived later that evening . After refuelling, WALKER joined the inbound slow store convoy. DD ESCAPADE departed Liverpool at 1200. She proceeded to Sullom Voe, at reduced speed, due to a loss of lubricating oil. ASW trawlers LE TIGER and LEICESTER CITY were ordered to investigate a direction finding bearing in Fair Isle Channel. Sub.

DKM BC GNEISENAU, CA ADMIRAL HIPPER, and DDs LODY, STEINBRINCK, SCHOEMANN, GALSTER departed Trondheim to attack the Allied Convoys evacuating Norway. It was soon decided that the convoys were beyond reach and the ships arrived back at Trondheim late on the 10th.

Sub CLYDE reported and enemy pocket battleship and one HIPPER class cruiser in 64-35N, 9-45E, steering 300°. DD ECHO arrived at Scapa at 1130/11th to oil, and departed at 1530 to rejoin British Troopship Group II. The Group, with CLA COVENTRY and DDs FIREDRAKE, FAME, HAVELOCK, BEAGLE, DELIGHT, ECHO arrived at Greenock on the 12th.

Fr troops on the ORMONDE were transferred to ULSTER PRINCE, which then went to Brest, arriving on the 15th. Troopship ROYAL ULSTERMAN arrived at Lorient on the 16th and troopship ROYAL SCOTSMAN arrived at Brest on the 17th to disembark Fr troops.

CL SOUTHAMPTON and CLA COVENTRY were detached to Scapa Flow. COVENTRY proceeded to Glasgow, then the Clyde. SOUTHAMPTON arrived in the Clyde during the early afternoon of the 12th. COVENTRY departed the Clyde on the 15th and arrived in the Tyne for refitting on the 16th. Following a short refit, she departed on the 29th for Scapa arriving on the 30th.

DDs TARTAR, BEDOUIN, MAORI and ASHANTI departed Scapa on the 13th to rendezvous with the Home Flt at sea. DDs VETERAN, CAMPBELL, MASHONA departed Sullom Voe on the 13th and DD FORESTER departed Scapa on the 12th also to rendezvous with the Home Flt, arriving in the early afternoon of the 13th. At dawn on the 13th, CV ARK ROYAL launched an airstrike of 15 Skuas on Trondheim harbour to be coordinated with an RAF strike of 4 Bfts of 22 Sqn and 6 Blen a/c on the Vaernes airfield near Trondheim. DKM BC SCHARNHORST was hit by a bomb that did not explode and no other ships were hit. The LW delivered a heavy reaction to this strike, and 8 Skuas were shot down. Surviving a/c, returned to the carrier.

Later on the 13th, DDs ELECTRA and ANTELOPE collided, while escorting ARK ROYAL off central Norway in heavy fog. DD ZULU took ELECTRA in tow, while DD INGLEFIELD stood by ANTELOPE. This signalled an end to the Norwegian opns. The retirement of the two damaged DDs was covered by BB RODNEY and BC RENOWN. Tug BRIGAND proceeded on the 15th and joined ELECTRA, which was taken in tow, and at 2000 they were proceeding at 8 kts. ELECTRA arrived at Scapa on the 16th, attended by tug BRIGAND and escorted by ZULU and ESCAPADE. She then departed on the 18th escorted by DD CAMPBELL and arrived at Troon on the 20th. Repairs were completed on 24 August. ANTELOPE arrived at Scapa on the 15th escort DD INGLEFIELD. She departed the Scapa on the 15th to the Tyne, and returned to duty on 16 August. ARK ROYAL with DDs KELVIN, ESCORT, CAMPBELL arrived at Scapa on the 14th . RODNEY, RENOWN, and DDs TARTAR, FEARLESS, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, MASHONA, MAORI arrived at Scapa on the 15th.

MLs ATREUS and LINNET were ordered to lay a controlled minefield in Bressay Sound, Lerwick with a guard loop to seaward. Following the operation, ATREUS proceeded to Scapa and LINNET proceeded to the Clyde

West Coast UK
After delivering the Narvik ALPHABET Gp I, DDs WOLVERINE, VISCOUNT, WITHERINGTON, ATHERSTONE and ANTELOPE departed the Clyde for Scapa.

Channel
Operation CYCLE was the evac of allied troops from the Fr nth coast. On 10 and 11 June, 3321 troops were embarked at St Valery.

British warships in CYCLE were DDs CODRINGTON, AMBUSCADE, BULLDOG, BOADICEA, HARVESTER, BROKE, SALADIN, FERNIE, RCN DDs RESTIGOUCHE and ST LAURENT, sloop WELLINGTON, corvette GARDENIA, ML HAMPTON. CODRINGTON had completed repairs and was due for return to Dover when she was detached to the Portsmouth Cmd for this opn. CLA CALCUTTA departed Harwich on the 10th for Portsmouth to arrive at 1800 to support this opn. On the 10th during the evac of the Le Havre Peninsula, DD AMBUSCADE was damaged by shore guns off Fecamp near St Valery. Damage was limited to minor hull damage and splinter damage. There were no men killed in AMBUSCADE. She was repaired at Portsmouth from 12 to 15 June. After working up from 16 to 22 June at Portland and 23 to 27 June at Portsmouth, she arrived at Harwich on the 27th. BULLDOG and BOADICEA were badly damaged by the LW off Le Havre later on the 10th. BOADICEA was hit by 3 bombs and immobilised due to flooded and wrecked machinery spaces. AMBUSCADE, later relieved by tug KROOMAN towed BOADICEA to Portsmouth. 6 crew were killed and 2 more were wounded on BOADICEA. BULLDOG was also struck by 3 bombs, 1 of which came to rest in number three boiler without exploding and a second passing into number three boiler and exploding 10 mins later. No men were killed. DD BROKE found BULLDOG at anchor damaged and unable to proceed, and towed her to Portsmouth. BULLDOG and BOADICEA, taken to Portsmouth for repairs, did not return to duty until 26 July 1940 and 16 February 1941, respectively. The delay in BOADICEA's repair was due to mechanical defects. CODRINGTON was slightly damaged by air attack. She was repaired at Portsmouth completing on the 21st. MTB 69 was damaged in this opn.

On 11 June, CL CARDIFF departed Dover to cover the evac at St Valery. She was joined by DD HARVESTER off the Fr coast. DD BROKE and corvette GARDENIA evacuated wounded from St Valery on the 11th. RCN DD RESTIGOUCHE embarked troops off Veules on the 11th. DD SALADIN reported St Valery was occupied by German troops on the 12th.

DD VIVIEN, escorting convoy FN.192 east of Lowestoft, reported attacks by DKM S Boats. Astern of the convoy, steamer BARON ELPHINSTONE (4635grt) was attacked by the S-boats near Smith's Knoll. DDs JACKAL and FORESIGHT and two Anson and two Hudson a/c joined the convoy. The Hudson aircraft attacked the DKM vessels NE of Schouwen Bank at 0355. FORESIGHT was relieved by DD FURY from Rosyth in mid morning. ASW trawler HICKORY attacked a UBoat contact 3 miles 120° from Hartlepool. DD WOOLSTON and ASW trawler CYPRESS later joined in the hunt.

 

[parsifal]

10 June Nth Europe (Cont'd)
UK-France
OB.165 departed Liverpool escorted by sloop LEITH from 10 to 11 June. BC.39 with 5 steamers departed Loire escorted by ASW trawlers AGATE and LORD HAILSHAM . The convoy arrived in Bristol Channel on the 11th. Fr DDs FRONDEUR and FOUGUEUX departed Brest escorting 3 troopships to Plymouth. British steamer PRINCESS BEATRIX joined the convoy en route. The convoy arrived on the 11th and embarked Cdn troops. Churchill was trying at this time to form a defensive redoubt in Brittany, the proposal was short lived and the Cdn troops soon found themselves covering the evac ops. EL MANSOUR and VILLE D'ALGER departed Plymouth on the 11th and arrived at Brest on the 12th. EL KANTARA departed Plymouth on the 12th and was escorted by DD WANDERER. They arrived at Brest on the 13th. On the 12th, EL MANSOUR and VILLE D'ALGER departed Brest, escorted by Fr DD EPERVIER on another trip to Plymouth, arriving on the 13th. On the 13th, the troopships returned, escort Fr DDs EPERVIER and MISTRAL, arriving at Brest on the 14th. EL KANTARA departed Brest on another trip to Plymouth, escorted by Fr sloop SUIPPE, on the 13th, arriving on the 14th. On the same day, she departed Plymouth and arrived at Brest on the 17th. On 14th June, EL MANSOUR and VILLE D' ALGER departed Brest on a third trip, again escorted by EPERVIER and MISTRAL. That evening, the mission was cancelled and the ships returned to Brest.

Indian Ocean
DKM Raider ATLANTIS captured steamer TIRRANNA (Nor 7230 grt) in the Indian Ocean. 8 crew and one passenger were lost.

Med- Biscay
10 June 1940 War In the Med

At 1645, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs informed the British Ambassador in Rome that at one minute past midnight on the 11th, a state of war would exist between Italy and the United Kingdom. Anticipating this action for some time, DDs HYPERION, HAVOCK, HERO, WATERHEN (RAN) , HOSTILE, IMPERIAL, DECOY, DEFENDER of DesFlot 2 and two flying boats departed Alexandria early on the 10th to sweep for Italian subs. They were to return to Alexandria to refuel the following day then join the Fleet at sea. Just before 2200, DECOY made an attack on an Italian submarine sth of Crete. CL CALYPSO had just relieved CL CAPETOWN on patrol in Kithera Channel. CAPETOWN, returning from the patrol off Crete to Alexandria, was diverted to Port Said. CL CALEDON was at Port Said.

Late on the 10th, sub RORQUAL departed Malta to lay mines off Brindisi on the 14th. ODIN, ORPHEUS, OSWALD and GRAMPUS also departed Malta on the 10th to operate off Gulf of Taranto, off Syracuse, sw of Rhodes, and off Augusta, respectively. Subs PARTHIAN from 14 June, PANDORA, PROTEUS from 14 June, and PHOENIX from 4 June operated from Alexandria in the Eastern Med. PARTHIAN operated off Tobruk, PANDORA in the Doro Channel, PROTEUS in the Kithera and antikithera Channels, and PHOENIX off Suda Bay. Fr subs LE CENTAURE, PASCAL, FRESNEL, VENGEUR, REDOUTABLE, NARVAL, CAIMAN, MORSE, SOUFFLEUR, MONGE, PEGASE, LE TONNANT departed Bizerte and Sousse to operate in the Central Med. Subs PHOQUE, ESPADON, PROTEE, ACHERON, ACTEON from Beirut operated in the Dodecanese, PROTEE and ESPADON east of Leros, and PHOQUE east of Rhodes. IRIS, VENUS, PALLAS, ARCHIMEDE from Toulon operated in the Tyrrhenian Sea. ARIANE, EURYDICE, DIANE, DANAE from Oran operated off Gibraltar. SAPHIR, NAUTILUS, PERLE, TURQUOISE were at sea to lay mines off the Italian coast.
DD DIAMOND departed Malta and shortly after departure attacked a sub off Malta, nine miles 92° from St Elmo Light without success.

FI CAs POLA, TRENTO, BOLZANO of CruDiv 3 with DDs MAESTRALE, LIBECCIO, GRECALE, SCIROCCO of DesDiv 10 departed Messina. The Italian CLs based at Naples sortied for operations.

Steamer UMBRIA (FI 9349 grt) scuttled herself at Pt Sudan after being brought into port by sloop GRIMSBY. CL LEANDER took off the crew.

Steamer OLTERRA (FI 4995 grt), Steamer LAVORO (FI 7886 grt), Steamer LIBANO (FI 5192 grt) scuttled themselves at Gibraltar and Steamer PAGAO (FI 6101 grt) scuttled herself at Rada di Algeciras, across the harbour. LIBANO was salved for British service. Steamer POLINICE (FI 1373 grt) was captured at sea and sent into Malta. On the 11th at Malta, she was scuttled. Steamer CAPO NOLI (FI 3921 grt) was captured in the Gulf of St Lawrence by RCN aux MSW BRAS D'OR, and renamed BIC ISLAND for Canadian use. Steamer SAN PIETRO (FI 5199 grt) was seized by French forces at Bordeaux and taken to Casablanca. She was later returned to the Italian owners. Steamers CAPO OLMO (FI 4781 grt) and Steamer NICOLO ODERO (FI 6003 grt) were seized by French forces at Marseilles. CAPO OLMO was later used by the British under the same name.

The Italian Merchant Marine was caught by surprise with Italy's announcement to declare war. Many ships were seized by the RN on outbreak of hostilities with Fascist Italy (hereafter referred to as FI). Allied losses in reverse were very modest, as the Italian decision had been anticipated for some time.

MV ADIGE (FI 2189 grt), captured at Malta, name not changed

MV AMELIA LAURO (FI 5335 grt) captured at Immingham renamed EMPIRE ACTIVITY

MV ANDREA (FI 5152 grt) captured at Newcastle, renamed EMPIRE ADVENTURE

MV ANGELINA LAURO (FI 5787 grt) captured at Liverpool renamed EMPIRE ADVOCATE

MV BARBANA C. (FI 6161 grt) captured at Newcastle, renamed EMPIRE AIRMAN

MV CALABRIA (FI 9515 grt) captured at Calcutta, renamed EMPIRE INVENTOR

MV CELLINA (FI 6140 grt) captured at Gibraltar, renamed EMPIRE SAILOR

MV ELIOS (FI 5202 grt) captured at Newcastle, renamed EMPIRE BRIGADE

MV ERICA (FI 4704 grt) captured at Liverpool, renamed EMPIRE DEFIANCE

MV ESQUILINO (FI 8657 grt) captured at Straits of Perim renamed EMPIRE GOVERNOR

MV ELICE (FI 5639 grt) captured at Haifa, renamed EMPIRE DEFENDER

MV GABBIANO (FI 6584 grt) captured Liverpool renamed EMPIRE ENERGY

MV GIOACCHINO LAURO (FI 5345 grt), captured at Hartlepool, renamed EMPIRE ENGINEER

MV LIBANO (FI 5192 grt) captured at Gibraltar, renamed EMPIRE RESISTANCE

MV MARZOCCO (FI 5106 grt), apprehended in the Nth Sea, name not changed

MV MINCIO (FI 5404 grt) seized at Liverpool, renamed EMPIRE FUSILIER

MV MONTE PIANA (FI 5890 grt) seized at Aden, renamed EMPIRE BARON

MV MOSCARDIN (FI 4374 grt) captured at Newcastle, renamed EMPIRE GUNNER

MV MUGNONE (FI 5213 grt) captured at Newcastle, renamed EMPIRE PROGRESS

MV PAMIA (FI 6245 grt) captured at Newcastle, EMPIRE PROTECTOR

MV PELLICE (FI 5360 grt) seized Newcastle, renamed EMPIRE STATESMAN

MV POLLENZO (FI 6470 grt) captured Gibraltar, name not changed

MV PROCIDA (FI 5366 grt) captured Cardiff, EMPIRE VOLUNTEER

MV RODI (FI 3320 grt) seized at Malta, renamed EMPIRE PATROL

MV SISTIANA (FI 5827 grt) captured at Capetown, renamed EMPIRE UNION

MV VERBANIA (FI 6640 grt) seized at Port Said, renamed EMPIRE TAMAR

 

[Njaco]

10 June 1940 Monday
NORTHERN EUROPE: In Norway the Allied campaign comes to an end. Strategically the campaign has been most significant for the naval losses on each side and the transformation it has helped to bring about in the potential of the available bases for the German fleets. The Allies have lost one carrier, two cruisers, nine destroyers and many smaller craft, also many ships were damaged. These losses do nothing to help the British ability to protect the trade routes.

The ground fighting in Norway ends but pilots of II./JG 77 are given no respite as the RAF increases its aerial activity, harassing German coastal traffic and German naval units. British armed boarding vessel HMS "Vandyck" is sunk by German bombing off Andenes (7 lives lost, 161 men row ashore and are taken prisoner). The first convoy of troopships carrying men from Narvik (Group I) arrives unmolested in the Clyde at 0600 hours.

Fifteen Blackburn Skua planes from British carrier "Ark Royal" attack German ships "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau" at anchor in Trondheim Fjord, Norway. Only one plane scores a hit, but the bomb fails to explode. Eight planes are shot down.

With the end of the Norwegian campaign, 1.(F)/122 departed Norway and transferred to Wunstorf (Lower Saxony) to rest, refit and complete conversion to the Ju 88.

WESTERN FRONT: Manstein's 38.Infanterie-Corps crosses the Seine, west of Paris. Rommel continues his charge down the Channel coast, driving French IX Corps and British 51st Highland Division towards the coast, north of Le Havre.. Elements of the French 10th Army are still fighting around St. Valery along with some British forces. Some of these units are evacuated from the town. Evacuations also begin at Le Havre. In the next three days 11,059 British and some French will be taken off, some to go to Cherbourg but the bulk is bound for Britain. Northeast of Paris, Guderian's Panzers advance towards Chalons-sur-Marne. Demonstrating the value of German flexibility and mobility, 16.Panzerkorps are withdrawn from Péronne and sent east to support Guderian's breakthrough. With Paris threatened, the French government flees to Tours. They declare Paris an open city to avoid the destruction by bombing and street fighting seen in Warsaw and Amsterdam.

In a second Allied evacuation from the French coast (Operation Cycle), 3321 troops embark at St-Valery-en-Caux and 11,059 troops are evacuated from Le Havre. Overnight, 9000 men are taken from Le Havre to Cherbourg to continue fighting. Destroyers HMS "Bulldog" and "Boadicea" (6 lives lost) are badly damaged by German bombing off Le Havre. HMS "Boadicea" is towed back to Dover and will be out of commission until February 1941.

French Prime Minister Reynaud appeals to President Roosevelt to intervene in the war in Europe. This appeal is repeated on June 13th but without success.

The fighters of I./JG 1 are ordered back to the battlefront and begin arriving at the airfield outside Abbeville in France.

Rear Admiral David M. LeBreton relieved Rear Admiral Charles E. Courtney as Commander of US Navy Squadron 40-T on board light cruiser USS "Trenton" at Lisbon, Portugal.

US passenger liner "Washington" arrived at Lisbon, Portugal to embark Americans desiring passage to the United States via Ireland. Destroyer USS "Dickerson" arrived from French Morocco with Americans who wished to board the passenger liner.


.

 

[Njaco]

June 10 1940 (continued)
MEDITERRANEAN: Italy declares war on France and Britain, effective June 11, expecting to make easy gains in Southern France. Benito Mussolini says;

"Soldiers, sailors and airmen! Black shirts of the revolution and the fascist legions! Men and women of Italy, of the Empire and the Kingdom of Albania! Pay attention! The time indicated by the destination has sounded in the skies of our motherland. The declaration of war has already been delivered to the ambassadors of Britain and France. Let the battle against the plutocrats and reactionary democracies of the West that in any moment have hampered progress and often endangered the very existence of the Italian people." He adds cynically; "I only need a few thousand dead to sit at the peace conference as a man who has fought."

Equally cynical, Churchill reacts to the news;

"People who go to Italy to look at ruins won't have to go as far as Naples and Pompeii again".

Three Italian armies with 32 divisions are deployed to the Alpine border. Mussolini has ordered them not to attack, waiting for the German invasion to reach the French rear. At present Italy has 750,000 soldiers, including many veterans of the Spanish Civil War and the conquest of Abyssinia, with 1,400 armored, most light tanks, 9,420 artillery pieces and 860 aircraft guns. The Regia Aeronautica has about 1,760 machines, of which 600 are bombers Savoia Marchetti Sparviero , 200 bombers Cicogna , 143 fighters Fiat CR42 Falco and 156 fighters Macchi C200 Saetta . The Regia Marina has 6 battleships, 23 heavy cruisers, 59 light cruisers, 63 destroyers and 116 submersibles, the most submarines in the world. Overlooking the Mediterranean, it is by far the best of the Italian armed forces. The only class of ship which the Italians do not have is the aircraft carrier. Two British ships of this type are in the Mediterranean at this time.

Six British submarines leave Malta for operations off Italian harbors and naval bases.

NORTH AMERICA: Franklin Roosevelt gave a speech at the graduation ceremony of the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, declaring that the Italian declaration of war on France was like;

"…the hand that held the dagger has struck it in the back of its neighbor".

Roosevelt says the US will extend resources to opponents of force, and will build up equipment and trained forces for defense and emergencies. This speech transforms the nation from neutral to non-belligerent. His son, Franklin Roosevelt, Jr., was among those who received degrees that day.

Canada declared war on Italy.

ASIA: Japanese bombers attacked Chongqing, China at 1300 hours. Chinese fighters claimed 5 Japanese aircraft shot down in Bishan County west of the temporary capital, including one G3M bomber.

EASTERN EUROPE: The Gestapo organization took control of the Theresienstadt Fortress in occupied Czechoslovakia and began its conversion into a concentration camp.

UNITED KINGDOM: Members of the Armed Forces on leave with an RB8 ration card are to have their sugar ration cut from 21oz to 16oz. An RB8a ration card holder would get 8oz instead of 10oz.

.

 

[Njaco]

11 June 1940 Tuesday
MEDITERRANEAN: Following Italy's declaration of war, Italian troops begin traversing the Alps towards the French border.

Ten Italian Z.1007 Alcione bombers attacked Grand Harbour, RAF Hal Far, and Kalafrana in Malta, killing 1 civilian and 6 soldiers. The entire Maltese fighter defense of 4 Sea Gladiators only manages to damage one enemy aircraft. RAF Hal Far was the first of the three major Malta airfields to be attacked during the war.

34 British Whitley bombers attack Italy from an airfield in southern France. The aircraft bombed bomb the Fiat- factories at Turin and the harbor at Genoa after a refueling stop in Channel Islands. French authorities at Marseilles prevented Wellingtons from taking off to bomb targets in Northern Italy by blocking runway with trucks (they fear Italian 'reprisal' raids) .

Due to the Italian entry into the European War, US President Roosevelt declared the Mediterranean Sea and mouth of Red Sea to be combat zones for American ships in accordance with the Neutrality Act. British Mediterranean Fleet and French cruiser squadron sweep Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean for Italian shipping.

NORTHERN EUROPE: RAF aircraft attacked German vessels at Trondheim, Norway. Fighters from 4./JG 77 attacked a dozen Hudsons of RAF Nos. 800 and 803 Squadrons FAA bombing the battle cruiser 'Scharnhorst' and claim two of the bombers destroyed, one going to Lt. Schirmbock.

WESTERN FRONT: Rommel's 7.Panzerdivision captures Le Havre and then turns back to drive 30 miles Northeast up the coast to St-Valery-en-Caux, encircling 46,000 French and British troops. Fog and German shelling have prevented a full-scale evacuation of St-Valery-en-Caux but destroyer HMS "Broke" and corvette HMS "Gardenia" embark the wounded. Empty British troopship "Bruges" is sunk by German bombing near Le Havre (all 72 crew survive). HMCS "Restigouche" (LCdr Horatio Nelson Lay Commanding) and HMCS "St. Laurent" (LCdr Harry DeWoIfe) were assisting in the evacuation of the BEF at Saint-Valéry-en-Caux near Dieppe France. After the 51st Highland Div, which was holding a flank, defense collapsed, the ship came under fire from Panzers which crested a cliff overlooking the harbour. Although there were some near misses, no hits were made on the Canadian Destroyers. This was the first instance of Canadian ships firing on the enemy in WW II. Guderian's Panzers capture Reims. German vanguards approach Pontoise, thereby threatening Paris from the northwest.

Luftwaffe bombers attacked Paris, France.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Foreign Minister Anthony Eden traveled to France for a Supreme War Council meeting at Chateau du Muguet near Briare. There is a palpable air of French defeatism. Churchill refuses a request for RAF support. Churchill, detecting feelings of defeat, reminded the French that the 28 March agreement noted that none of the two countries could seek a separate peace with Germany without the other country's consent. During this meeting, French Navy Admiral François Darlan assured Churchill that the French fleet would not fall into German hands.

The pilots of JG 53 get their last kills of the French campaign by claiming five aircraft shot down including two MS 406s destroyed by Hptm. Rolf Pingel.

Major Handrick's I./JG 26 keep up with the moving battle by transferring from the airfield at Hesdin and settle in at the airfield at Samoussy-Laon.

.

 

[Njaco]

June 11, 1940 (continued)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Norwegian trawler "Borgund" rescued 37 survivors of sunken HMS "Glorious" and 2 survivors of sunken HMS "Acasta".

German submarines U-48 and U-101 sank Greek ships "Violando N. Goulandris" and "Mount Hymettus" off Cape Finisterre, Spain. Nearby, U-46 torpedoed British tanker "Athelprince", but failed to sink her. "Athelprince" would be salvaged and returned to service by Jan 1941.

US passenger liner "Washington", en route from Lisbon, Portugal to Galway, Ireland with 1,020 Americans passengers aboard, was stopped by German submarine U-101 as the German submarine misidentified her as a Greek ship. After her identity became clear via blinker signals, U-101 allowed "Washington" to continue with her journey.

UNITED KINGDOM: Under a new Ministry of Defence regulation, today was the last day to comply with the order to erect delivered Anderson shelters. They must be erected and covered with 15" of earth on top and 30" at the sides or they will be taken away and penalties imposed. Also announced, was the MOD's decision to forbid the carrying of portable radios in cars and any car that has a radio installed must have it removed and dismantled.

British Prime Minister Churchill sent a telegram to US President Roosevelt urging the US to send more destroyers to the United Kingdom especially in light of the Italian entry into the European War.

The first Hurricane Mk II prototype aircraft, actually a converted production Mk I example, took its first flight.

NORTH AFRICA: Italian forces stationed in Libya and the British and Commonwealth forces stationed in Egypt begin a series of raids on each other. General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Command, led 82,775 men from the United Kingdom, India, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Britain's African colonies. They faced 415,000 Italian troops stationed in Libya and East Africa. Nevertheless, it was British forces that took the initiative. Armored cars of the British 11th Hussars crossed into Libya and capture Italian prisoners who were unaware they were already at war.

SOUTH PACIFIC: Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa declared war on Italy. 0900 hrs EST Australia's war begins with Italy. Several Italian Merchant vessels were seized including the "Remo" at the port of Fremantle.

.

 

[parsifal]

11 June 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IXB U-124

Losses
MV MOUNT HYMETTUS (GK 5820 grt) Crew:24 (0 dead and 24 survivors). Cargo: Ballast Route: Enroute to New York . The ship was stopped by U-101, which had chased the ship for 5 hrs and the master was ordered to come to the U-boat with the papers. At 00.30 hours, Frauenheim spotted another U-boat and was not sure about its identity, dived when he observed that the unknown U-boat dived and fired a torpedo at the steamer, but it missed the target which then escaped for a short while. The other U-boat was U-43.

Frauenheim decided to wait until dawn before surfacing, when he did so he tried to stop the nearest steamer. The ship did not react and morsed that they didnt understand his orders. But then Frauenheim noticed that he had tried to stop the American steam merchant WASHINGTON, apologized his mistake and wished the ship a good journey.

At 08.30 hours, U-101 found the MOUNT HYMETTUS again, ordered the crew to leave the ship and transferred the master into one of the lifeboats. At 11.17 hours, the U-boat hit the ship with one torpedo in the stern, but it remained afloat and had to be sunk with 78 rounds of gunfire. The ship was sunk SW of Cape Finnestere in the SW Approaches
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer VIOLANDO N. GOULANDRIS (Gk 3598 grt) Crew: 28 (6 dead and 22 survivors) Cargo: Wheat Route:Argentina to Ireland The unescorted neutral was sunk in the SW Approaches by U-48 6 crew were missing.

PV PATRICE II (Fr 247 grt) was sunk by German gunfire off Fecamp.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MSW LA BRETONNIERE (Fr 628 grt) was scuttled at Le Havre.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer BRUGES (Fr 2949 grt) was hit by the LW off Le Havre, and was beached to avoid sinking. 72 men were rescued.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer GENERAL METZINGER (Fr 9345 grt), Steamer NIOBE (Fr 1684 grt), Steamer SYRIE (Fr 2460 grt) were sunk by the LW at Le Havre.

From Left to Right GENERAL METZINGER, NIOBE, no image found for the SYRIE

Liner ALBERTVILLE (Be 11,047 grt) and Steamer PIRIAPOLIS (Be 7340 grt) were sunk by the LW off Le Havre. ALBERTVILLE was en route to Le Havre from Bordeaux to embark troops.

Steamer ELLAVORE (Nor 1302 grt) was sunk by the LW at Le Havre. The entire crew was rescued.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Kiel: U-60

At Sea 11 June 1940
U-25, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-32, U-38, U-43, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-61, U-65, U-101, UA.
18 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
An RAF Wellington went down in the sea and DDs JACKAL and FORESIGHT were sent to search. Ne sub O.13 arrived at Aberdeen and departed that day on patrol.
Sub SHARK departed Rosyth on patrol. Subs SEALION, SALMON, SNAPPER departed Rosyth on exercises, and returned later that same day. FS.192 departed the Tyne, escort sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 12th.

Northern Waters
DDs VETERAN and VANOC were ordered to assist the Northern Patrol in rounding up Italian merchant ships. DDs ATHERSTONE and VOLUNTEER were ordered to Scapa. DDs WOLVERINE and WITHERINGTON, en route to Sullom Voe, were ordered to rescue the crew of a Sunderland down in the water. They were later advised the plane had taken off again, and arrived at Sullom Voe.

SW Approaches
U.46 damaged Motor tanker ATHELPRINCE (8782grt) in convoy OG.33F.

UK-France
DD HARVESTER was shelled 10 miles west of Havre, but sustained no damage. RESTIGOUCHE and ST LAURENT bombarded German targets at Veules. At Veules, 2137 Brit and 1184 Fr troops were evacuated on the 11th. RESTIGOUCHE also embarked troops off the beach at Veules. The demolition party for Le Havre and Veules was XD J. RCN DD ST LAURENT, sloop WELLINGTON, tugs STALWART and RESOLVE, drifters GOLDEN HARVEST and GOLDEN NEWS were unable to stay in St Valery Harbour during low water and returned to Havre.

The total number of troops evacuated in CYCLE (Fr nth coast) and the later AERIAL (Fr Biscay coast), which began on the 17th, was 191,870.

Nth Atlantic
Troopship BRITANNIC departed Liverpool escort DDs WARWICK and WITCH for Bermuda. Cdn troop convoy TC.5 departed Halifax, escort RCN DDs ASSINIBOINE and SAGUENAY, with troopships DUCHESS OF ATHOLL, SAMARIA , and DUCHESS OF BEDFORD carrying 1173, 787, and 1792 Cdn troops, respectively. DUCHESS OF ATHOLL came from Montreal departing on the 8th and joined the other two liners at Halifax. Her troop numbers are not known. Troopship EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA departed Halifax with the convoy and was detached on the third day to Iceland. ASSINIBOINE and SAGUENAY were detached late on the 12th. BB REVENGE was the ocean escort. TC.5 safely arrived at Liverpool on the 20th escort DDs WANDERER and WITCH and RCN DDs ST LAURENT, SKEENA, RESTIGOUCHE and FRASER. On the 21st, REVENGE arrived at Plymouth and the RCN DDs arrived at Plymouth later that day. DD WANDERER departed Dover at noon for Plymouth. This left only VESPER available at Dover. She was on patrol from Sth Goodwins to Dungeness. RCNd DDs RESTIGOUCHE and ST LAURENT and DD BROKE operated off St Valery en Caux. BROKE and corvette GARDENIA embarked wounded from St Valery and took them to Portsmouth.

Sth Atlantic
Steamers TIMAVO (FI 7549 grt) and GERUSALEMME (FI 8052 grt) departed Durban during the night of 9/10 June. On the 11th, aerial strafing drove TIMAVO ashore five miles north of St Mary's Hill, north, northeast of Durban. GERUSALEMME was intercepted by AMC RANCHI and ran herself ashore near Oro Point, Mozambique. She was later refloated and taken to Lourenco Marques.

Med- Biscay
italy delivers the first air raid on Malta. There are 6 casualties. Malta's defences at this time are minimal. The Island has fewer than 5000 ill-equipped and poorly trained troops, no operational fighter a/ct, only 14 coastal defence guns and food supplies sufficient for 6 weeks. Resupply and reinforcement of the island is a priority if it is to avoid capture.

There are no formed air sqns to call on – Because of its strategic position between Gibraltar and Alexandria (and Suez Canal beyond that) as well as being between Italy and Libya, the island of Malta was critical for both sides of the conflict. As a result, Malta found itself in the middle of the Med conflict as soon as Italy entered the war. Although it was no longer the main base of the British Med Flt (it moved to Alexandria), it was immediately targeted by the Italian a/c to augment the Regia Marina (RM) efforts to disrupt British shipping. The first raid on Malta came a day after Italy declared war on Britain. Little after 0430 on 11 Jun 1940 55 Regia Aeronautica (RA) SM79s were launched from Sicily to attack the 3 airfields at Malta: Hal Far, Valetta, and Kalafrana. They were escorted by 18 C.200 Saetta aircraft. At this time, Malta's air defense consisted of a radar station and 6 Gladiator and Sea Gladiator ftrs, and not all were in flight condition. The 3 Sea Gladiator a/c(there were 4, but 1 was not in flyable condition) scrambled immediately. Flight Lieutenant George Burges was the first of the 3 to make contact with the FI bombers, but he did not intercept them until the first load of bombs were already dropped. He damaged one of the bombers. His fellow pilot later scored another hit on the damaged bomber, but the Italian aircraft managed to return to Sicily. Although the aging biplanes barely fought off the first raid, Malta would be constantly attacked by Italian and German air forces. In order to maintain Malta's abilitjy to defend itself, the British knew they would need to constantly deliver war goods to the island. The defences are unable to significantly disrupt RA bombing of the island. There were multiple raids on the 11th causing civilian casualties across the Island, including 6 in one heavy bombing raid on Gzira. It is just the beginning for the most bombed location in history.

Sea Gladiator Faith

 

[parsifal]

11 June 1940 (Cont'd)
OPERATIONS [CONT'D]
Med- Biscay (Cont'd)
Steamers ZINOVIA (GK 2975grt) and MAKIS (Gk 3546 grt) were sunk by mines twenty miles and fifteen miles north of Pantellaria Island, respectively, in the Mediterranean. Two crew was missing from ZINOVIA, but the entire crew of MAKIS was rescued.

Steamer ST RONAIG (509grt) was sunk on a mine one mile 132° from West Breakwater Light, Newhaven. Two crew were killed, two missing and four crew were rescued.

Attacks on Malta harbour are made by 11 Z1007s from high altitude. No hits are scored Monitor TERROR and gunboats APHIS and LADYBIRD were in Grand Harbour. RAN DD VENDETTA and subs OTUS and OLYMPUS were in the dockyard. 4 crewman on various ships are killed from near misses. There was no damage to any of these vessels. However, after further air raids, Malta was abandoned on the 21st as a submarine base until the AA defences could be augmented. The subs did not return to Malta as a base until September.

CruSqn 7 of CLs ORION, NEPTUNE, SYDNEY, LIVERPOOL, GLOUCESTER departed Alexandria ahead of the Main Flt. The Mediterranean Flt departed Alexandria at 0230 with BBs WARSPITE and MALAYA, CVL carrier EAGLE, and RAN DDs STUART, VAMPIRE, VOYAGER, and RN DAINTY, HASTY, ILEX, JANUS, JUNO, NUBIAN. CL CALEDON joined the fleet at 0840. CL CALYPSO, which departed Port Said on the 10th, joined at 1325. DD MOHAWK, which departed Alexandria on the 11th after the fleet, joined that afternoon. The RAN DDs were detached at 1953, and relieved by DDs HAVOCK, HYPERION, HERO, HEREWARD, HOSTILE and IMPERIAL which joined at 1840 after refuelling. DD DIAMOND, which had departed Malta on the 10th, joined the Fleet at sea.

Fr CAs SUFFREN, DUQUESNE, TOURVILLE, CL DUGUAY TROUIN, and DDs FORBIN, FORTUNE, BASQUE under Amiral Godfroy departed Beirut to operate in the Kaso Strait as a diversion for the "VADO" operation in the western Med. On the 12th, RAN DDs STUART, VAMPIRE, VOYAGER, WATERHEN departed Alexandria on ASW patrol. VOYAGER claimed sinking a submarine soon after departure at dawn off Alexandria. Late on the afternoon of the 12th, STUART found the minefield laid by Italian submarine MICCA earlier on the 12th. She called in MSWs ABINGDON and BAGSHOT which cleared a channel for CL CALEDON and DD DAINTY which later arrived at Alexandria from Crete. CL cruiser DELHI arrived at Gibraltar.

DDs WATCHMAN, VELOX, KEPPEL, STURDY, WISHART and WRESTLER were deployed to the west of the Straits of Gibraltar to intercept and engage any enemy surface ships trying to pass. Cable ship MIRROR, escorted by DD ACTIVE and ASW trawler LEYLAND, proceeded on cable cutting operations. They returned later that day. Danish tug VALKYRIAN, escorted by DD WRESTLER and ASW trawler LORD HOTHAM, departed to cut the Malaga-Rome and Malaga-Barcelona cables. Cover was provided by CL ARETHUSA and a Fr sub. On the 12th, MIRROR, escorted by ASW trawler KINGSTON CHRYSOLITE, sailed to replaced VALKYRIAN, which reported her gear was not suitable to the task. The tug and LORD HOTHAM returned to Gib, as did ARETHUSA. MIRROR returned to Gib on the 14th after successfully cutting the cables.

Late on the 11th FI CAs BOLZANO, POLA, TRENTO of CruSqn3 with DDs ARTIGLIERE, CAMICIA NERA, AVIERE, GENIERE of DesDiv 11 and CLs D'AOSTA and ATTENDOLO of CruDiv7 and DDs LANCIERE, CARABINIERE, CORAZZIERE, ASCARI of DesDiv 12 carried out sweeps in the Sicilian Channel.

Indian Ocean
RAN CL HOBART and DDs KINGSTON and KHARTOUM departed Aden to sweep in the Red Sea off the Italian Somali coast. Italian bombers attacked them, but caused no damage. They arrived back late on the 12th without contact.

Malta

0655 hrs Air raid alert. 10 SM79 bombers in two formations escorted by MC 200 fighters approach the Island at 14000 feet, crossing the coast over Kalafrana and Hal Far, and heading towards Grand Harbour. AA fire is reported over St Pauls Bay and Luqa.

0706 hrs 16 250lb bombs are dropped on Hal Far causing craters on the aerodrome and damaging vehicles; two land within 15 yds of HQ shelter and the Officers' Mess.

0710 hrs Another 30 bombs fall between Fort Benghaisa, Birzebbugia and Kalafrana, where buses, a searchlight and vehicles are damaged. 1 a/c carries out a low-flying attack on Fort St Elmo, dropping a stick of bombs between the lighthouse and the Harbour Fire Command post, killing six members of the Royal Malta Artillery and wounding several others. One gun is put out of action. Damage to the Dockyard is slight. Enemy a/c are engaged by fighters and AA; 2 are brought down.

0714 hrs Bombers are reported Kalafrana, and then bomb Hal Far again.

0715 hrs Wardia reports two aircraft breaking north west: one over Marfa Ridge, the other over the Victoria Lines.

0720 hrs A second attack of 15 enemy bombers with ftr escort approaches from the same direction. They attack Corradino, Portes des Bombes, Pieta Creek, Sa Maison and the new St Luke's Hospital. Two bombs hit the Water and Electricity Department at Portes des Bombes, killing two Maltese workmen. Another bomb hits St Luke's Hospital, destroying a nearby house. A bomb on Msida destroys a house, killing two civilians.

0725 hrs Marsa reports light machine gun fire in the Cospicua area.

0845-0920 hrs Air raid alert for a/c which cross the Island on recon.

1009 hrs Air raid alert for 3 aircraft which cross the Island on recon.

 

[Njaco]

June 12 Wednesday
WESTERN FRONT: Guderian's Panzers cross the River Marne at Chalons-sur-Marne, 80 miles East of Paris. Like Rommel's 7.Panzerdivision, they have passed through the French defensive line and can travel almost at will. They will move quickly across the Langres plateau in the Champagne region into Southern France.

54,000 British and French troops surrender to German Erwin Rommel at St. Valery-en-Caux, on the northern Channel border, as the Germans continue their gains in France. There remained a substantial British force in France after Dunkirk. Large numbers of support troops were making their way to the western-most ports to find a route home. The 51st Highland Division had been fully engaged, fighting a defensive battle under French Command. Now like the main French forces, they were outflanked and they made their way to the small French port of St Valery-en-Caux where an attempt was made by the Royal Navy to evacuate them. However the main German force was soon on the cliffs overlooking the town and able to bring fire down on them. Eventually the majority of the 51st Division was forced to surrender. Overwhelmed by the German invaders, over 3,000 Allied troops attempted to escape by sea but were stopped by German artillery fire. Surrender was the order of the day; among those taken prisoner were 12 Allied generals.

Britain refused to leave France to German occupation. Prime Minister Winston Churchill had already ordered more British troops back into France, and British bombers were also attacking German lines of communication. British and Allied troops were still active in other parts of France - some 50 British fighters and 70 bombers were moving on German forces. The 1st Brigade of the Canadian 1st Division had landed in France. But despite the British reinforcements and encouragement, General Maxime Weygand was pushing for an armistice, in effect, capitulation. Weygand addressed his cabinet with his assessment of the situation:

"A cessation of hostilities is compulsory."

He bitterly blamed Britain for France's defeat, unwilling to take responsibility for his own inept strategies and failed offensives. Paris was poised for occupation.

US Ambassador William Bullitt, the last ambassador of a major nation left in the city, was named the provisional governor of Paris as the French government moved to Tours. French Admiral François Darlan, Commander-in-Chief of the French Navy, assured British Prime Minister Winston Churchill that there would be no question of surrendering the French naval ships. He further asserted that orders would be given to scuttle the ships if such a danger were to exist.

Back in battle, the fighters of I./JG 1 claim four Allied planes shot down for the day with two being credited to Hptm. Balthasar.

UNITED KINGDOM: British transports of Group II arrived in the Clyde, Scotland at 2300 hours with troops evacuated from Narvik, Norway. The French troops evacuated were later sent to Brest and Lorient to join the fight against the invading German forces.

The Commander-in-Chief of Home Defense of the United Kingdom Edmond Ironside completed a plan for defense against a potential German invasion.

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[Njaco]

June 12, 1940 (continued)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-boats sink another 3 British merchant vessels off Cape Finisterre, Spain. German submarine U-101 sank British ship "Earlspark" off Cape Finisterre, Spain at 1200 hours, killing 7 and sinking 7,500 tons of coal. Also off Cape Finisterre, U-46 sank British ship "Barbara Marie" at 1938 hours, killing 32 and sinking 7,200 tons of iron ore, and then sinking "Willowbank" at 1946 hours.

NORTH AMERICA: The Navy Department of the United States placed contracts for 22 new warships.

ASIA: The Japan-Thailand Non-Aggression Pact was announced. Britain and France sign non-aggression treaties with Thailand.

154 Japanese aircraft attacked Chongqing, China at 1200 hours. Chinese fighters claimed 5 Japanese aircraft shot down. Japanese capture Ichang, vital port and air base on river Yangtse, east of Chungking.

EASTERN EUROPE: The Soviet Baltic Fleet received orders to blockade Estonia.

NORTH AFRICA: A British cruiser and destroyer force shells the Italian base at Tobruk. The main force of Admiral Cunningham's Mediterranean Fleet is in support. An Italian force of cruisers is sent to engage the bombardment group but does not make contact. In a different action off Crete the cruiser "Calypso" is sunk by an Italian submarine.

British capture 62 Italians in skirmish on Egyptian border.

MEDITERRANEAN: Egypt breaks off diplomatic relations with Italy. Turkey breaks off commercial relations with Italy.

Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, is banned for publishing British and French war Communiques (ban lifted June 13, when editors agree not to publish war news).

SOUTH PACIFIC: HMAS "Manoora" intercepts Italian ship "Romolo". Italian captain gave orders to scuttle her and all crew were rescued. "Romolo" had sailed from Brisbane five days earlier, bound for Genoa.

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[parsifal]

12 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
ML PORT NAPIER (RN)

Losses
Sub NARWHAL laid minefield FD.19 . She then patrolled off Utsire to intercept German transports. Steamer JAEDEREN (Ex-Nor 908 grt) was lost on this minefield and PV NB 15 (DKM 178 grt) lost on 16 August. NARWHAL then patrolled off Utsire to intercept German transports. FV ARILD (Ex-Nor 128 grt) was sunk on this minefield on 26 August. DKM aux MSWs GNOM 7 (50 grt), KOBOLD 1 (50 grt), KOBOLD 3 (50 grt) were sunk on 13 October.


MV EARLSPARK (UK 5250 grt) Crew:38 (7 dead and 31 survivors) Cargo: Full load of Coal Route: Enroute from Sunderland to Bordeauz Sunk in the SW approaches about 120 miles WNW of Cape Finesterre. Ship was hit underneath the bridge by a single G7e torp from U-101 and sank.

MV BARBARA MARIE (UK 4223 grt) Crew: 37 (32 dead and 5 survivors) Cargo: Full load of Iron Ore Route: Pepel - Freetown - Workington Sunk approximately 220 miles WNW of Cape Finesterre in the SW Approaches as part of SL34. U-46 fired a stern torpedo at a ship in SL-34 and missed the intended target, but hit the BARBARA MARIE that broke in two and sank almost immediatyely. Eight minutes later, another torp was fired which hit the forward part of WILLOWBANK and caused that ship to sink as well. The survivors were were picked up by MV SWEDRU.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer WILLOWBANK (UK 5041 grt) Crew:51 (0 dead and 51 survivors) Cargo: 8750 tons of maize Route: Durban - Freetown - Hull. Sunk approximately 220 miles WNW of Cape Finesterre in the SW Approaches as part of SL34. See above . Survivors rescued by MV SWEDRU.

Coastal steamer PRINSES JULIANA (Ne 198 grt) was sunk on a mine that had been laid by the LW off Beacon Training Bank, just outside the entrance to Poole. 2 crew were killed.

Steamer YVONNE (Be 668 grt) was lost after hitting an enemy in mine 2 miles nth of Goodwin Knoll Buoy. 10 crew were killed, and two rescued.

Tug TWENTE (UK 239 grt) was struck a mine and sank in the Nth Sea.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MSW trawler SISAPON (RN 326 grt), sank when she hit a mine whilst sweeping with MSW trawler LORD IRWIN, near Cork Light Vessel, Harwich. 12 men were killed.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Aux PV ETIENNE RIMBERT (Fr 197 grt) was scuttled at Dieppe
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Aux sloop CERONS (Fr 350 grt (est) was sunk by enemy gunfire off Fecamp/Veule des Roses.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Aux MSW GRANVILLE (Fr 511 grt) was sunk by German shore guns off St Valery/Fecamp.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer SWALLOW (Fr 209grt) and Steamer INNISULVA (Fr 264 grt) were both beached and abandoned in the River Seine in Paris. There was a crew of five on the INNISULVA; 1 crewman survived and was made a PoW. She was later salved by German forces and used under that name for German service. There was a crew of 6 on the SWALLOW. These were all saved. She was also later salved by German forces and renamed SCHWABLE.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

Steamer BARON SALTOUN (UK 3404 grt) was sunk by a mine in the outer roads of Cherbourg. One crewman was lost.

Steamer TRAIN FERRY No. 6 (Fr (?) 2678 grt), after damage from shore batteries, was beached and abandoned at St Valery en Caux. Two crew were killed and twelve were missing.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

FI sub BAGNOLINI sank CL CALYPSO (RN 5150 grt) SW of Crete at about 0200. 39 crew members were lost. CL CALEDON and DD DAINTY in company picked up 418 survivors and took them to Alexandria.

CALYPSO Valletta Harbour 1924, and BAGNOLINI, returning to Taranto after the sinking of H.M.S. CALYPSO in June 1940.

FI sub NEREIDE torpedoed and badly damaged Tkr ORKANGER (Nor 8029 grt), en route from Suez to Malta, at 0503. FI sub NAIADE then finished her off at 2157. 4 crew were killed.

From left to right NEREIDE, NAIDE AND ORKANGER

UBOATS
At Sea 12 june 1940
U-25, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-32, U-38, U-43, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-51, U-52, U-56, U-58, U-61, U-65, U-101, UA.
18 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DD INTREPID arrived in the Humber. DDs FORTUNE and FORESIGHT joined FN.94, escort DD WOOLSTON, as far as Outer Dowsing. The 2 DDs then proceeded to the Humber for stores. Sloop FLEETWOOD joined the convoy when the destroyers were detached. FORTUNE and FORESIGHT then proceeded to patrol between Smith's Knoll and Outer Gabbard. ML PORT QUEBEC escorted by sloop LOWESTOFT departed Tees for Rosyth where they arrived that day. Subs TAKU and TRIAD arrived at Rosyth after patrol. Subs H.31 and H.28 with tender WHITE BEAR were exercising off Blyth. Subs TRUANT and TRIDENT were exercising in the Forth of Forth.
Sub THAMES arrived at Campbeltown. Fr sub RUBIS arrived at Dundee after ML opn FD.17. FN.194 departed Southend, escort DD WOOLSTON. Sloop FLEETWOOD was to have been in the escort, but was not ready. She was ordered to depart when ready and overtake the convoy. The convoy was however joined by DDs FORTUNE and FORESIGHT as far as Outer Dowsing when the DDs proceeded to the Humber. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 14th. MT.87 escort DD VALOROUS and PV BREDA departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne the next day. FS.193 departed the Tyne, escort DD VIMIERA and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 14th.

Northern Waters
DD VOLUNTEER departed Scapa for Devonport. DD FORESTER departed Scapa to rendezvous with DDs VETERAN, CAMPBELL, MASHONA, which departed Sullom Voe on the 13th. DD AMAZON departed Sullom Voe for Scapa where she arrived on the 13th. DD ATHERSTONE arrived at Scapa at 1645. DD ENCOUNTER arrived at Scapa at 1745. Convoy "Hebrew" departed Scapa with 6 Brit Steamers 1 Br Tkr, 3 Fr Steamers, escort DDs ATHERSTONE and ENCOUNTER and ASW trawlers LE TIGRE and LEICESTER CITY.
On the 12th, DDs VISCOUNT, WOLVERINE, VANOC, WITHERINGTON, WHIRLWIND departed Sullom Voe to relieve the escort NE of Cape Wrath. Fr steamer ARMENIER and Br steamer NAILSEA LASS joined the convoy off Stornoway on the 13th. These 2 steamers had to be escorted independently by DD WITHERINGTON. The convoy and NAILSEA LASS arrived at Greenock on the 14th. WITHERINGTON and steamer ARMENIER arrived at Greenock somewaht later.

West Coast UK
U.38 landed an agent on the Irish coast. BC HOOD and RCN DDs RESTIGOUCHE, ST LAURENT, SKEENA departed Liverpool for US.3 convoy escort duty. CL SOUTHAMPTON arrived in the Clyde. DD HAMBLEDON and steamer KYLE FISHER arrived in the Clyde.

Western Approaches
DDs HIGHLANDER and ASHANTI arrived at Scapa to refuel. HIGHLANDER departed Scapa for Plymouth to join the Western Approaches cmd. En route, she was detached to assist damaged AMC SCOTSTOUN on the 13th.

Channel
CL CARDIFF departed Dover to cover the evacuation near St Valery en Caux.

UK-France
Steamers ST BRIAC , AMSTERDAM , TYNWALD , THEEMS , EMERALD departed St Valery for Cherbourg during the night of 12 / 13 June with 4000 troops, including the rear guard. Steamer LOWICK carried the beach party. They were escorted by DDs FERNIE and VEGA. Steamer ROEBUCK was damaged by enemy artillery off St Valery. Fr tkr TARN departed the Clyde for Brest. Steamers BAHARISTAN (5479grt) and FLORISTAN (5478grt) departed Falmouth for Brest.

Nth Atlantic
Fr CL EMILE BERTIN departed Brest, escort DD GERFAUT for Halifax. She arrived on the 18th with 300 tons of gold, but the gold was not disembarked immediately.

 

[parsifal]

12 June 1940 (Part II)
OPERATIONS [CONT'D]
Med- Biscay
FI CAs ZARA, FIUME, GORIZIA of CruDiv1 and CLs ABRUZZI and GARIBALDI of the CruDiv8 with DD ALFIERI, CARDUCCI, GIOBERTI, ORIANI of DesDiv9 and DA RECCO, USODIMARE, PESSAGNO (TARIGO did not sail) DesDiv16 departed Taranto to patrol in the Ionian Sea while 2 other DD divs operated between Sicily and Malta. During the opns of CruDivs 1 and 8, RN subs made 5 attacks on these ships without causing any damage. ORPHEUS sighted 3 cruisers escorted by DDs SE of Syracuse, but was unable to attack. In 3 sweeps by DDs and one by TBs boats, sub ODIN (RN 1475 grt) was sunk on the 13th.

Early on the 12th, FI sub MICCA laid mines off Alexandria. CL DELHI departed Gib to patrol off the Canary Is. On termination of patrol, she was to proceed to Dakar for refuelling and join the Sth Atlantic Station. CVE ARGUS departed Gib to join CAs SHROPSHIRE, CUMBERLAND, DORSETSHIRE with convoy US.3. She was given local protection by DDs VELOX and WATCHMAN and Fr a/c. The DDs arrived back at Gib on the 12th. Fr DD FLEURET departed Toulon. She passed Gib on the 14th and arrived at Casablanca on the 15th.

Fr Raiding Force departed Mer El Kebir in response to a wild rumours that DKM BCs SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU were preparing to enter the Med through Gib. Fr CLs MARSEILLAISE, LA GALISSONNIERE, JEAN DE VIENNE and DDs BRESTOIS and BOULONNAIS were operating together when they were attacked by FI sub DANDOLO on the 13th. The torpedo fired passed between JEAN DE VIENNE and LA GALISONNIERE with no damage.

RN cruisers steering west were sighted by RA a/c sth of Crete. RM CAs BOLZANO, POLA, TRENTO of CruDiv3 and DDs ARTIGLIERE, CAMICIA NERA, AVIERE, GENIERE of DesDiv11 and LANCIERE, CARABINIERE, CORAZZIERE, ASCARI Desdiv12 were sent to investigate, but no contact was made. CLs LIVERPOOL and GLOUCESTER supported by CV EAGLE aircraft, sank gunboat GIOVANNI BERTA (RM 350 grt (est) off Tobruk at 0400 whilst also in an action with RM gunboats PALMAIOLA, GRAZIOLI, LANTE, GIOVANNI BERTA and coastal defense ship SAN GIORGIO. Coast Defence Ship SAN GIORGIO (RM 11122 grt) was immobilised subsequently by airstrikes undertaken by 202 sqn RAF, effectively a loss, which was operating in conjunction with the British ships.
View attachment 294795.

CLs ORION and HMAS SYDNEY had advanced onto Benghazi by dawn on the 12th and placing the harbour under close blockade.

Indian Ocean
New Zealand manned CL LEANDER departed Port Sudan, and arrived at Aden on the 13th.
Italian East Africa
Starting in June 1940, the Italians tested the resolve of the British Commonwealth forces along the borders of the Sudan and Kenya and in the shipping lanes of the Red Sea. On 13 June, early in the morning, 3 RA Caproni CA133 bombers appeared and bombed the Southern Rhodesian air base at the fort at Wajir in Kenya. The Rhodesian a/c were still warming up and preparing to take-off on a dawn patrol. The Capronis bombed the fort, the landing-ground, and nearby housing. The KAR, then garrisoning the fort, lost 4 killed and 11 wounded. 2 Rhodesian a/c were badly damaged and a large dump of aviation fuel was set on fire. Following this, the air base at Wajir received regular visits from the Italians every second or third day and the Rhodesian pilots were made to realise the significant shortcomings in speed and fire power of the Hawker Hardys that they flew.

Western Desert
On 11 June 1940, hostilities commenced and the British were ordered to aggressively patrol the frontier but avoid full scale battle due to the Italian numerical advantages. Immediate objective was to isolate Giarabub. The British crossed into Libya that night, exchanged fire with Italian troops at Sidi Omar and discovered that many Italians were unaware that war had been declared. On 14 June, the British captured Fort Capuzzo and Fort Maddalena, taking 220 prisoners. Two days later, the British raided a convoy on the Tobruk–Bardia road, killed 21 Italian troops and took 88 prisoners, including Generale di Brigata Romolo Lastrucci, the 10A Chief Engineer. At an engagement near the frontier wire at Nezuet Ghirba, an Italian force of 17 light tanks, four guns and 400 infantry was defeated by a mixed force of British tanks, artillery and mot Inf. During one of these fights, the outmoded tactical thinking and poor training of the Italian army was put on display. Faced with the mobile tactics employed by the Western Desert Force (WDF) British officers were aghast when they observed the Italian Infantry form a Napoleonic square as a final form of defence.

British Tanks crossing the frontier in the vicinity of Halfaya Pass mid 1940. They are relying on flags for communications and instructions

Malta
0820-0838 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches the Island at 12000 feet. A bomb is dropped near Garghur, starting a fire.

0902 hrs Air raid alert. Two groups of three plus raiders are reported approaching the Island.

0919 hrs One formation of three aircraft is seen flying northwards over Naxxar.

0932 hrs Three Gladiator fighters take off, reaching 15000 feet. The raiders circle 38 miles short of Malta and turn back for Sicily; no contact.

3.7" AA gun on Malta