This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[parsifal]

19 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IXB U-104

Neutral
SU Subs KALEV and LEMBIT

KALEV and LEMBIT were commissioned in the Estonian Navy in 1937 but taken over by the Soviets on 19 August 1940. KALEV was most likely mined and sunk in late October or early November 1941 off Hanko. LEMBIT was also lost, but date uncertain

Losses
MV AMPLEFORTH (UK 4576 grt) Sunk by U-101 (Fritz Frauenheim) Crew: 38 (9 dead and 29 survivors) Cargo: Ballast Route: Hull - Jacksonville OA 199 (Straggler) Sunk in the Western Approaches. The cargo ship straggled behind the convoy and was torpedoed and sunk in the Western Approaches by U-101. The 29 survivors were rescued by RN DD WARWICK.

Hybrid MV/Liner VILLE DE GAND (BE 7900 grt) Sunk by U-48 (Hans Rösing) Crew: 54 (14 dead and 40 survivors) Cargo: listed as "shell bullets" Route: Liverpool - New York Sailing Unescorted Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 0005 hrs the unescorted VILLE DE GAND was hit aft by one of two torpedoes fired by U-48 about 200 miles west of Ireland. The ship sank by the stern in 2 minutes after being hit by a G7e coup de grace at 0109 hrs. No details on rescue.

MV KELET (Hu 4295 grt) Sunk by UA (Hans Cohausz) Crew: 74 (6 dead and 68 survivors) Cargo: Ballast Route: Port Talbot - Tampa Sunk in the Central Atlantic. Unescorted. On 19 Aug 1940 the KELET was stopped by UA with gunfire and at 0910 hrs hit by a coup de grace, but the vessel remained afloat and was shelled until she sank at 1001 hrs. Earlier the ship had picked up 41 survivors from the CLAN MACPHEE, which had been sunk by U-30 (Lemp) on 16 August, six of them were lost. The 33 crew members and the remaining 35 survivors were picked up by the Norwegian merchant VAREGG and eventually landed at Galway on 26 August.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-59, U-65

Departures
Lorient: U-56
Wilhelmshaven: U-124

At Sea 19 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-51, U-56, U-57, U-100, U-101, U-124, UA.
14 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
After emergency repairs at Greenock, CL PENELOPE (HMS "Pepperpot") departed Greenock for the Tyne escort DDs HAMBLEDON and ATHERSTONE. The DDs then proceeded on to the Nore Command. Sub CACHALOT laid 50 mines in minefield FD.24 50 miles off Penmarch.

FN.257 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 21st. MT.145 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.257 departed the Tyne. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 21st.

West Coast UK
OG.41 with 29 ships departed Liverpool escorted by sloop WELLINGTON and corvette GERANIUM and from Milford Haven by ASW trawlers DERBY COUNTY and ARSENAL. Sloop WELLINGTON escorted the convoy from 19 August to 2 September. Corvette GERANIUM escorted the convoy only on the 19th. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on 2 September.

British steamer WALDINGE was damaged by the LW at Milford Haven.

Central Atlantic
RM subs MALASPINA attacked a tkr without success, whilst RM sub BARBARIGO also attacked a British steamer ( the AGUILA) also without success.

USN CAs WICHITA and QUINCY departed Santos

Sth Atlantic
British steamer ASKA departed Freetown to deliver troops and refrigerated cargo, brought from the UK in MONARCH OF BERMUDA, to the RAF unit at Takoradi. The steamer arrived back at Freetown on the 31st.

Med- Biscay
DDs HOTSPUR, GREYHOUND, ENCOUNTER, GALLANT arrived at Gibraltar to refuel and then departed to rejoin CV ARK ROYAL and CL ENTERPRISE as they escorted BC RENOWN arriving on the 20th. DDs VELOX and GRIFFIN also departed Gibraltar to meet the BC.

Malta

227-1240 hrs Air raid alert for 3 enemy a/c which approach to within 3 miles of Malta but turn away without crossing the coast or dropping bombs.

1619-1651 hrs Air raid alert for a small number of enemy a/c reported to be approaching the Island from the west; raid does not materialise.

Three more Blenheims arrive at Luqa as the islands offensive capability gradually increases.

 

[parsifal]

20 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
IJN Kagero Class DD OYASHIO

Allied
Tree Class Aux MSW ALMOND

Tree Class Trawler HMS SYCAMORE Pictured

Losses
MSW trawler RESPARKO (RN 248 grt) was sunk by the LW at Falmouth. The entire crew was rescued.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MV TUIRA (Pan 4397 grt) Sunk by UA (Hans Cohausz) Crew: 32 (2 dead and 30 survivors) Cargo: Coal Route: Manchester - Argentina Sunk in the nth Atlantic OB 198 (dispersed). At 0027 hrs the unescorted TUIRA, having dispersed from convoy OB-198 on 18 August, was hit by a G7a torpedo from UA and sank after a boiler explosion about 8 mins after the torpedo strike, about 280 miles SW of Rockall. The mostly Finnish survivors were questioned by the Germans and they reportedly asked for the course to Norway because they did not want to go back to England. On 24 August, the 14 occupants of one lifeboat were picked up by DD BEDOUIN and landed in Liverpool two days later. The chief officer and 15 survivors were picked up from another boat on the 25 August by RN Corvette PERIWINKLE, which had been escorting convoy OA-202.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

LEONIDAS M VALMAS (Gk 2089 grt) U-46 (Engelbert Endrass) Crew: ? (16 Dead) Cargo: timber, boards and battens Route: Halifax - Dublin Unescorted. Sunk in the western approaches. At 2150 hrs the unescorted LEONIDAS M VALMAS was torpedoed and badly damaged by U-46. The ship was towed to Greenock, beached in Kames Bay and declared a total loss. The wreck was broken up where it was beached. Cargo was salvaged.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Type VIIB U-51 (DKM 753 grt) Sunk 20 Aug. 1940 in the Bay of Biscay about 100 miles west of Nantes, after a hit by a torpedo from the RN Sub CACHALOT . There were 43 dead (all hands lost). She had sunk 5 merchant ships (26,296 grt) and
1 auxiliary warship sunk, (4,724 grt) during her 4 war patrols.

UBOATS
At Sea 20 August 1940
U-28, U-29, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-38, U-39, U-40, U-41, U-45, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-52.
14 boats at sea
OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.258 departed Southend, escort DD WINCHESTER and sloop WESTON. Sloop PINTAIL was with the convoy on the 21st. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 22nd. MT.146 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.258 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VIVIEN, SIKH, ZULU. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 22nd.

British minefield BS.33 was laid by MLs TEVIOTBANK, PLOVER, WILLEM VAN DER ZAAN and DDs ICARUS and IMPULSIVE.

Floating dock AFD.12 departed the Tyne under tow escort sloops LOWESTOFT and EGRET and two trawlers. The dock arrived at Lyness on the 26th.

Northern Waters
LW a/c in small numbers raided Scapa from 0115 to 0315. Movements of all ships larger than trawlers were prohibited due to mining.
At 0945, Scapa was declared clear of mines nth of Barrel of Butter. The Fleet Channel was swept.

West Coast UK
OB.201 departed Liverpool escort DD WESTCOTT and corvette GLADIOLUS from 20 to 24 August. British steamer MACVILLE was damaged by the LW in Blacksod Bay (West Coast of Eire). British steamer PEEBLES was damaged by the LW 20 miles east of Tuskar Rock, Irish Sea.

SW Approaches
HG.42 with 17 ships departed Gibraltar. Sloop ENCHANTRESS and armed boarding vessel TIERCEL escorted the convoy from 20 August to 3 September. DD WRESTLER joined the convoy from 20 to 22 August, after which WRESTLER escorted steamer HIGHWEAR, which had collided with steamer POLLUX in the convoy, to Lisbon on the 25th. ASW trawlers MAN O' WAR and ULLSWATER escorted the convoy from 29 August to 3 September. DD VISCOUNT from convoy OB.204 and corvette CLEMATIS joined the convoy from 30 August to 1 September. On 1 September, DDs ARROW from convoy OB.204, ACTIVE and KEPPEL escorted the convoy. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 3 September.

Channel
Dutch tug ZWARTE ZEE was damaged by the LW at Falmouth. British trawler OUR MAGGIE was damaged by the LW at Brixham (sth coast of Cornwall).

Nth Atlantic
HX.67 departed Halifax escort RCN DD ASSINIBOINE and aux PV FRENCH, but difficulty with fog prevented the convoy from forming up until the 21st. SHX.67 departed escort RCN DD SAGUENAY, which was detached on the 22nd. The convoy joined HX.67 at sea.
At 1325, the ocean escort, AMC LACONIA, was sighted and ASSINIBOINE remained with the convoy until 2020. The escort was detached on the 21st. BHX.67 departed Bermuda on the 19th ocean escort CL EMERALD. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.67 on the 24th and the light cruiser was detached at that time, returning to Bermuda. On 31 August, DDs WALKER and WARWICK, sloop ROCHESTER, corvettes ARABIS and BLUEBELL joined the convoy as the inbound escort in the Western Approaches. They remained with the convoy arriving at Liverpool on 4 September.

Sth Atlantic
CL DRAGON departed Durban for Capetown.

Med- Biscay
Vice Adm Somerville arrived back at Gibraltar in BC RENOWN (HMS "Repair"). Also arriving were CV ARK ROYAL and DDs HOTSPUR, GREYHOUND, ENCOUNTER, GALLANT, GRIFFIN and VELOX.

Australia/Pac/Far East
DKM Raider ORION sank steamer TURAKINA (UK 9691 grt) in the Cook Strait (NZ). 38 crewman were killed and 21 crew were made PoWs. The remainder of the crew were landed at Emirau Island on 21 December. NZ Manned CL ACHILLES departed from Wellington and RAN CL PERTH departed Sydney, but no contact was made with the German ship. ACHILLES refuelled at Auckland on the 22nd. She was raider hunting off Campbell Island on the 25th. She returned to Wellington on the 27th. PERTH established a patrol off Gabo Island (off the sth NSW coast).

Malta

0810 hrs 6 Blenheim bombers land at Luqa direct from the UK.

0938-0955 hrs Air raid alert for two formations of 5 bombers each, in line astern, escorted by 20 ftrs which cross the coast and carry out bombing raids on Luqa and Hal Far. 12 HE bombs land on Luqa, including 3 on the aerodrome, causing fires in several buildings and considerable damage. One Blenheim bomber on the ground is hit by an incendiary bomb and destroyed, another is damaged but repairable and another two slightly damaged. Several bombs are dropped over a defence post of 8th Bn Manchester Regiment but there are no casualties. 10 HE bombs are dropped on the Hal Far area, seven explode causing slight damage to one Swordfish of 830 Sqn, 3 are reported as unexploded.

1517 hrs Air raid alert for 6 RA ftrs which fly over the Island, undertaking a sweep of the area that had been attacked earlier .

OPERATIONS REPORTS TUESDAY 20 AUGUST 1940

AIR HQ Arrivals 6 Blenheim. Departures 3 Blenheim (enroute to Egypt). Aircraft casualties 1 Blenheim destroyed; 4 damaged.

Bristol Blen I of the type and mark that aqrrived on this day

 

[Njaco]

Stona, that time mistake is mine. It was 1:20 in the afternoon and I failed to make it military time which would be 1320 hours. My mistake. Gonna try to fix it.

 

[Njaco]

August 20 Tuesday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post708076.html#post708076

Luftwaffe leadership ordered that no more Ju 87 Stuka aircraft were to be sent into action over Britain, after suffering unsustainable loss rates; almost 60 were shot down in the past 11 days.

UNITED KINGDOM: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill made the "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" speech in the House of Commons in London, England. BBC - School Radio - World War 2 Audio Clips - Winston Churchill's speeches: 'The few'

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announces an agreement to lease bases to the United States in exchange for fifty American destroyers.

GERMANY: The former Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 51, Hptm. Horst Tietzen, who was killed on 18 August, 1940, is posthumously awarded the Ritterkreuz.

Theodor Osterkamp, the commanding officer of Jagdgeschwader 51, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz). Forty-eight year old Osterkamp was one of only a handful of aviators to see combat in both World Wars. During the Great War he had been awarded both the Knight's Cross of the Royal Hohenzollern House Order with Swords and the Pour le Mérite, and finished the war with thirty kills to his name. In 1940 he added six more victories before his superiors insisted that his further career should be chairbound.

Hermann Göring sent peace proposals to Britain via Dutch and Turkish foreign ministries, but the proposals were ignored by the British.

NORTH AMERICA: Joseph Stalin's political enemy Leon Trotsky was attacked in his home in Mexico with an ice axe by undercover NKVD agent Ramón Mercader. Trotsky would die on the next day.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: British submarine HMS "Cachalot" torpedoed and sank German submarine U-51 in the Bay of Biscay 100 miles west of St. Nazaire, France, killing the entire crew of 43.

SOUTH PACIFIC: German armed merchant cruiser "Orion" spotted British ship "Turakina" 350 miles east of New Plymouth, New Zealand, finally sinking her with gunfire and one torpedo after a prolonged chase; 38 crew members were killed. Despite knowing the New Zealand Navy might already be on the way, "Orion's" commanding officer nevertheless decided to remain in the area for 5 hours to rescue 21 of "Turakina's" survivors.

ASIA: Chinese communist forces launched the Hundred Regiments Offensive in Hebei and Shanxi Provinces in China. The Hundred Regiments Offensive was a major campaign of the Communist Party of China's National Revolutionary Army divisions commanded by Peng Dehuai against the Imperial Japanese Army in Central China. From 20 August to 10 September, communist forces attacked the railway line that separated the communist base areas. They succeeded in blowing up bridges and tunnels and ripping up track, and went on for the rest of September to attack Japanese garrisons frontally. About 600 mi (970 km) of railways were destroyed, and the Jingxing coal mine—which was important to the Japanese war industry—was rendered inoperative for six months. It was the greatest victory the CCP fought and won during the war.

Heavy Japanese bombing raid on Chungking; many thousands made homeless.

MEDITERRANEAN: Italian Navy to carry out 'total blockade' of Gibraltar, Malta, Suez and other British possessions.

.

 

[parsifal]

21 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IID U141

Neutral
Tambor Class Sub USS THRESHER (SS200)

Losses
Steamer LETTY (UK 339 grt) was lost en route from Liverpool to Buncrana in Lough Swilly, Ireland, to unknown agent (post war dives suggest a mine). All hands were lost.

Hulk KENDAL (UK 178 grt) was sunk by the LW at the Woolston Barge Dock, Southampton.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Netlayer KYLEMORE (319grt) was sunk by German bombing off Harwich.

Hopper barge JAMES No. 70 (UK 182 grt) was sunk by the LW at Southampton.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Trawler ANO (Den 189 grt), in Danish service but in German waters, was sunk on a mine off the Danish coast.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

DKM Raider WIDDER sank tramp steamer ANGLO SAXON (UK 5594 grt) off the west coast of Africa in the Central Atlantic. WIDDER was indiscriminate as it attacked the steamer, raking the decks with LAA fire to prevent the crew escaping. 7 crew managed to launch a small jolly boat and pull away from the WIDDER unseen. Of the seven who got into the boat, there were only two survivors. They landed at Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas after drifting 2500 miles for 71 days. One of these survivors was lost aboard the Swedish steamer VALAPARISO when this ships in turn was lost on 31 December.

The German Captain decided not to pick up any survivors. He recorded in his war diary, the boats are: " Only 800 miles from the Canaries, and the wind was favourable." Post war the Captain was tried for war crimes, the only Armed Raider Captain to face a court. Able Seaman Robert G. Tascott, the sole survivor gave evidence that the WIDDER opened fire on the boats as they tried to move free from the sinking Anglo Saxon and raked the upper works with MG and gunfire (dives on the wreck suggest this to be true). In his defence, Ruchteschell stated the noise from his guns firing precluded the hearing of any "Cease Fire orders." The court martial did not believe this testimony and the Log entries were also seen as fabrication. He was sentenced to ten years gaol, but died in custody.

UBOATS
Departures
Lorient: U-60, U-65

At Sea 21 August 1940
U-28, U-29, U-33, U-34, U-37, U-38, U-39, U-40, U-41, U-45, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-52.
14 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
OA.202 departed Methil escorted by sloop FOWEY and corvette PERWINKLE until 25 August. FN.259 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 23rd.

Northern Waters
MLs SOUTHERN PRINCE, PORT NAPIER, PORT QUEBEC, MENESTHEUS departed Loch Alsh escort DDs INGLEFIELD and ECHO to lay minefield SN.2, an extension of minefield SN.1. DDs ESCAPADE and ECLIPSE departed Scapa and met the minelayers off Loch Alsh.
The minefield was laid on 21/22 August NNW of Cape Wrath.

The destroyers arrived at Scapa Flow at 2040/22nd after the minelay.

West Coast UK
CLA COVENTRY arrived at Greenock and joined CLA BONAVENTURE, which had arrived there earlier in the day

Western Approaches
U.48 made two unsuccessful torpedo attacks on two different steamers WNW of Ireland.

Channel
The LW damaged British steamer ALACRITY and trawler WOLSELEY at Falmouth and 9 miles west of Smalls Light respectively.

Central Atlantic
RM sub DANDOLO damaged NL tkr HERMES.

Sloop BRIDGEWATER departed Lagos for Victoria with de Gaulle's representatives, trying to pursuade local Senegalese troops to join him, with the intention of embarking them on transports. The sloop arrived on the 22nd and departed later that day to rendezvous with Free French transports. When the Sengalese troops refused to sail for the Duala operation, the sloop returned to Victoria arriving on the 23rd. BRIDGEWATER departed Victoria on the 23rd towards Takoradi to meet a possible troop convoy, but was then ordered to return and arrived at Victoria on the 25th.

Sth Atlantic
AMC ASTURIAS and troopship ORION arrived at Freetown from the UK. The troopship and NL CL SUMATRA departed Freetown for the Cape. on the 25th, the Dutch cruiser was relieved by RN CA DORSETSHIRE which took the troopship to Capetown, arriving on the 30th.

USN DDs WALKE and WAINWRIGHT arrived at Para.

Med- Biscay
5 miles NW of Ras Hilal, HM sub RORQUAL attacked FI steamers VERACE and DORIS URSINO in an Italian convoy escorted by RM TB GENERALE ACHILLE PAPA causing no damge but suffering a heavy counterattack in return.

PAPA was a member of the WWI Generali Class. Sister Ship GENERALE PRESTINARI pictured. The Generale Class were efficient ASW vessels

DD VIDETTE arrived at Gib escorting PV BRITISH COAST from England.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
AMC CARTHAGE and convoy RS.5 departed Durban for Aden.

Malta

1520-1537 hrs Air raid alert for six enemy fighters which cross the Island at high altitude. Malta fighters are scrambled and Ack Ack guns attack the raiders, one of which is seen to dive away to the north. No bombs are dropped.

 

[parsifal]

22 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Grimsby Class Sloop HMAS WARREGO, Flower Class Corvette HMS GLOXINIA

Losses
Steamer THOROLD (Cdn 1689 grt) was sunk by the LW 2.5 miles sth of the Smalls. 11 crew were lost on the British steamer.

RN DDs DIAMOND, ILEX, JUNO and RAN STUART and WATERHEN departed Alexandria and were joined by RAN CL SYDNEY which departed 6 hrs later. A British air attack on Bomba was carried out by 3 land based Swordfish, of 824 Squadron from CVL EAGLE.

RM TB CALIPSO had brought SLC's to Bomba for Italian submarine IRIDE to carry onto Alexandria that night. In this attack, the RM Perla Class sub IRIDE (RM 680 grt) and depot ship MONTE GARGANO (RM 1976 grt) were sunk and torpedo boat CALIPSO was damaged.

UBOATS
At Sea 22 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-56, U-57 (+), U-60, U-100, U-101, U-124, UA.
14 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
OA.203 departed Methil escorted by sloop LEITH, escort ship JASON, corvette HIBISCUS until 27 August. FN.260 departed Southend. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 24th. MT.147 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day.
FS.259 departed the Tyne. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 24th. In a British raid over Daedereide, Holland, S/Lt (A) R. L. G. Davies and Lt N. M. Hearle in a Swordfish of 812 Sqn from PEREGRINE were shot down and made pows.

Nth Atlantic
CV ILLUSTRIOUS, CA YORK, CL SHEFFIELD, DD FIREDRAKE departed Scapa, but due to heavy weather, the Liverpool section could not sail and the ships returned to Scapa. The force was able to proceed later on the 22nd. The ships were escorted in the local approaches by DDs ASHANTI, TARTAR, BEDOUIN. The DDs were detached on the 24th and joined AMC SALOPIAN, returning from patrol. The AMC was escorted to Liverpool, arriving on the 26th.

CLAs CALCUTTA and COVENTRY and DD FORTUNE departed the Clyde on the 22nd. BB VALIANT, CL AJAX and DDs FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FURY departed Liverpool. These groups joined the Scapa Flow group at sea.

Convoy AP.1 of liners DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, DENBIGHSHIRE, WAIOTIRA, departed the Clyde on the 23rd escorted by CLA COVENTRY which travelled with this group. Convoy AP.2 of liner SYDNEY STAR and CVE ARGUS departed the Clyde escorted by CL AJAX later that day. The AP convoys and AP.3 departing in September were designated operation APOLOGY.

Some of these ships were Med Flt reinforcements and were designated Force F. In the group of merchant ships was also British steamer ROYAL SCOTSMAN which was detached on the 28th for Gibraltar. ROYAL SCOTSMAN arrived at Gibraltar later on the 28th, escorted by DDs VELOX and VIDETTE.

Convoys AP.1 and AP.2 continued past Gibraltar escort CA YORK and CL AJAX and arrived at Freetown. AP.1 with YORK arrived on 1 September and departed later that day. AP.2 with CL AJAX and CVE ARGUS arrived on 2 September and sailed later that day. CL ENTERPRISE arrived at Freetown from Gibraltar at the same time as the convoy.

CVE ARGUS was detached en route to Takoradi and arrived at Takoradi on 5 September to fly a/c overland via Khartoum to Egypt. Convoy AP.1 arrived safely at Capetown and CA escort at Simonstown on 9 September. CA YORK departed Simonstown and the convoy from Capetown on 10 September. Convoy AP.2 and CL AJAX arrived at Durban 13 September and sailed later that day.

AP.1 was escorted in the Red Sea by cruisers YORK and RAN HOBART and DDs KANDAHAR and DIAMOND and arrived at Suez on 23 September. On 22 September AP.2 was joined by British steamer ARMADALE and CA YORK and DDs DAINTY and KINGSTON. The convoy arrived at Suez on 25 September.

Med- Biscay
Force A of DDs MOHAWK, NUBIAN, HOSTILE and Force B of CLs ORION and LIVERPOOL and DDs JERVIS and JANUS and departed Alexandria on the 20th to patrol in area of Gavdo Island in Operation MD 7. CL LIVERPOOL and DDs JERVIS and JANUS rendezvoused with British steamer MYRIEL and French tkr PHENIX from Chanak en route to Port Said. DDs HOSTILE, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, HERO arrived at Malta after an ASW sweep on the 22nd. They refuelled and departed for Gib the next day to assist in Opn HATS. However, destroyer NUBIAN was forced to return to Malta with a lubrication defect.

CLs ORION and LIVERPOOL arrived at Alexandria on the 23rd. DD JANUS was detached from the convoy and arrived later on the 23rd. DD JERVIS and the convoy safely arrived at Port Said. ASW trawler LOCH MELFORT reported a submarine contact at 13 miles 320° from Ras el Tin. DDs JUNO and ILEX departed Alexandria to assist, but no further contact was made.

Malta

Telegram from War Office today confirmed that the following stores for Malta are being despatched by fast convoy round the Cape in three ships:

First ship: 554 tons of ammunition, six heavy and five light tractors, 2 x 3.7" AA guns, 746 tons Royal Engineers stores including 625 tons timber in bundles, 613 tons ordnance stores including 355 tons sandbags and barbed wire and 152 tons AG stores, 1435 tons supplies, 72 tons medical stores.
Second ship: ammunition 1334 tons, 12 x 3.7 AA mobile guns, 36 x 3.7" barrels, 10 x 40mm Bofors each with spare barrels, Royal Engineers stores 70 tons, ordnance stores 241 tons, supplies 770 tons.
Third ship: ammunition 639 tons, six tractors heavy, five tractors light, 2 x 3.7" AA guns, 36 cases 3.7" barrels, ten 4.5" barrels.

ROYAL NAVY An enemy sub reported off Gozo. A search by trawlers was unsuccessful. However a floating mine was destroyed MSW BERYL 10 miles off Gozo.

 

[parsifal]

23 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
MSW Trawler LORD DARLING

Losses
MV SEVERN LEIGH (UK 5242 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Victor Oehrn) Crew: 43 (33 dead and 10 survivors) Cargo: Ballast Route: Hull - St. John, New Brunswick Convoy OA-200 (dispersed) Sunk in the North Atlantic. At 1250 hrs the SEVERN LEIGH, dispersed from convoy OA-200 on 20 August, was hit in the bow by one torpedo from U-37 sth of Iceland. The ship had been spotted at 1145 hrs the day before and missed with a first torpedo at 1822 hrs. During the chase, the KERET was sighted and sunk before the U-boat again located the ship at 0815 hours on 23 August.

When the crew abandoned ship in 4 lifeboats, Oehrn observed how the stern gun was manned and they overheard the radio operator sending distress signals which were contrary to the now widely enforced rules of engagement for the UBoats. Oehrn decided to surface and to silence the radio with the deck gun and to accelerate the sinking with shots into the waterline. He achieved both, but unfortunately two of the lifeboats were still alongside of the ship when the U-boat opened fire and were hit by shrapnel from the shells that exploded on the hull and killed almost all occupants. 32 crew members and one gunner were lost. The master and nine crew members made landfall at Leverburgh, South Uist on 5 September. The master Robert George Hammett was awarded the Lloyds War Medal for bravery at sea, and later an OBE. Unfortunately I dont have the details of his bravery

MV KERET (NOR 1718 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Victor Oehrn) Crew: 20 (13 dead and 7 survivors) Cargo: Ballast Route North Shields - Methil - Sydney Convoy OA-200 (dispersed) Sunk in the North Atlantic. At 0222 hrs on 23 Aug 1940 the KERET, dispersed from convoy OA-200 on 20 August, was hit amidships near the engine room by one torpedo from U-37 and sank within 8 mins. The ship had been spotted during the chase for SEVERN LEIGH at 2000 hours the day before and missed by a first torpedo at 0110 hrs.

The survivors managed to launch a lifeboat, but it capsized by the wash of the Uboat as it pulled alongside. Four survivors sat on the overturned lifeboat and three others on a raft, when the U-boat came alongside and asked for the name of the ship. Later the survivors righted the lifeboat and were picked up the next day by the British steam merchant TRIDENT and taken to Sydney, Nova Scotia.

LW torpedo strikes sank two British ships of convoy OA.203 in Moray Firth. Steamer MAKALLA (UK 6677 grt) was enroute to Durban, and some sources quote her as being lost in the Pentland Firth. She was attacked by He 115 a/c.

MV LLANISHEHN (UK 5053 grt) was also torpedoed by He 115 torpedo aircraft and sank.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Tugs BUCCANEER and SALVAGE KING were sent to assist both these the steamers but were unable to save them. 8 crew were lost on the steamer LLANISHEHN. There were 12 crew lost on steamer MAKALLA. The survivors from MAKALLA were picked up by sloop LEITH. The survivors from steamer MAKALLA were landed in the Orkneys.

Drifter NEW ROYAL SOVEREIGN (UK 68 grt) was sunk by the LW in Bridlington Harbour. There was no crew aboard at the time.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
At Sea 23 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-56, U-57, U-60, U-100, U-101, U-124, UA.
14 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.261 departed Southend. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 25th. MT.148 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.260 departed the Tyne. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 25th. DD AMAZON departed the Clyde with Br steamer ROYAL ULSTERMAN, with the DD returning to the Clyde on the 28th.

Northern Waters
BB RODNEY departed Scapa escort DDs INGLEFIELD, ECHO, ESCAPADE, JAVELIN. They arrived at Rosyth on the 23rd.
In Operation DR, CA NORFOLK and RAN CA AUSTRALIA departed Scapa to operate in the area of Bear Island to capture German fishing vessels. No contact was made and they arrived back early on the 29th. DD PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow for Aberdeen where she picked up British steamer LOCHNAGAR. The steamer with troops embarked was escorted to Lerwick.

British steamer BEACON GRANGE was damaged by the LW and taken in tow by tug BUCCANEER which was later relieved by tug MAURADER. DD KIPLING departed Scapa on the 24th to screen BEACON GRANGE from Clythness to Kirkwall, where the steamer was beached. The ship was repaired and returned to service.

Br steamer OVERTON was damaged by the LW off Bardsey Island.

West Coast UK
OB.202 departed Liverpool escort DDs WINCHELSEA and WITCH and corvette PRIMROSE from 23 to 25 August.

Channel
DKM aux ship Schiff 13 (trawler DUSSELDORF) was sunk by a mine off Dieppe, however the ship was salved and returned to service, as auxiliary patrol boat Vp.607.

Central Atlantic
USN CAs WICHITA and QUINCY arrived at Montevideo. DDs WALKE and WAINWRIGHT departed Para for Havana.

Sth Atlantic
CA CUMBERLAND departed Simonstown on patrol, and arrived at Freetown on 6 September.

Med- Biscay
DD HOSTILE struck a mine at 0317 and was badly damaged off Cape Bon. Cdr A. P. Gibson, aboard for passage to Gibraltar, four ratings were lost in the DD and 3 ratings were injured. GHI Class DD HOSTILE (RN 1370 grt) was scuttled by DD HERO. DDs HERO and MOHAWK took the survivors back to Malta. On 24 August, DD JANUS departed Alexandria to replace HOSTILE. On the 27th, DDs JANUS, HERO, MOHAWK departed Malta for Gib. DD NUBIAN followed on the 28th after her defects were corrected. All 4 ships arrived at Gib on the 29th.

In Operation MB.1, RAN DD STUART, RN DDs DIAMOND, ILEX and JUNO bombarded the Italian seaplane base at Bomba. RAN DD WATERHEN, which had departed with these DDs the day before, had been detached to cover the retirement of Gunboat LADYBIRD, which departed Alexandria for Mersa Matruh on the 20th.

Malta
0835 hrs 7 Blenheim aircraft land at Ta Qali.

0837 hrs Air raid alert for six enemy bombers escort 16 fighters which cross the coast and bomb the Hal Far area, causing some damage to RAF property. One unexploded incendiary bomb is reported by 2nd Bn Devonshire Regiment. It was later defused

1120-1150 Air raid alert for a formation of enemy bombers; they cross over Ghallis Tower heading south. Malta fighters are scrambled but do not engage.

2105 hrs Air raid alert for enemy aircraft which approach the Island but do not cross the coast.

OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 23 AUGUST 1940

RN DD NUBIAN returned to Malta with defective lubrication system to main engines. HMS HOSTILE was mined off Cape Bon: survivors returned to Malta in MOHAWK. HERO also returned. Sub PROTEUS left on patrol.

AIR HQ 1600-1845 hrs French Latecoere seaplane recon between Malta and a point ten miles north east of Cape Bon.

 

[Njaco]

August 21 Wednesday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post708438.html#post708438

UNITED KINGDOM: The United Kingdom House of Commons authorized foreign troops of occupied nations to conduct training in Britain under their own flags.

WESTERN FRONT: Reichsmarschall Göring begins the command changes among his pilots. Oblt. Gunther Lützow is appointed Kommodore of JG 3 in place of Oblt. Karl Vieck. Oblt. Lützow's place as Gruppenkommandeur of I Gruppe is taken by Oblt. Lothar Keller.

EASTERN EUROPE: Joseph Stalin's political enemy Leon Trotsky died of severe brain damage as the result of the previous day's assassination attempt by undercover NKVD agent Ramón Mercader.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German armed merchant cruiser "Widder" sank British collier "Anglo Saxon" 1,000 miles west of Africa. Survivors in lifeboats were machine gunned. In total, 34 crew members were killed. 7 survivors got away in a lifeboat, but would not reach land, Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, 2,500 miles away, for 71 days; by that time, only 2 were still alive. One of the survivors, Able Seaman Robert Tapscott, would later provide testimony to convict Captain Ruckteschell of "Widder" as a war criminal. The "Anglo Saxon's" Jolly Boat which carried the survivors 2500 miles is preserved at the Mystic Seaport Museum.

Italian submarine "Dandolo" damaged Dutch tanker "Hermes" 200 miles west of Lisbon, Portugal.

The engines on a Junkers Ju 88A from 9./KG 30 overheated and caught fire, during a reconnaissance training flight to Edinburgh, it crashed into the sea in flames, 40 miles east of Berwick at 2355 hours. Two of the crew were killed and the other two were captured unhurt, after spending twelve hours in their rubber dinghy.

.

.

 

[Njaco]

August 22 Thursday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post708833.html#post708833

At 0900 hours, German 38-centimeter guns at Cape Gris Nez, France shelled the convoy "Totem" in the Strait of Dover for 80 minutes, but no ships were hit. In the evening, the 38-centimeter gun fired again, this time at the city of Dover. British 14-inch gun "Winnie" returned fire in what is the first of many cross-Channel artillery duels.

WESTERN FRONT: Another day of awards given to several Luftwaffe personnel. Major Adolf Galland is promoted to Kommodore of JG 26 in place of Major Gotthardt Handrick. Galland's place as Gruppenkommandeur of III Gruppe is taken by Hptm. Gerhard Schöpfel. Hptm. Rolf Pingel is appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 26 in place of Hptm. Kurt Fischer. Generalmajor Theo Osterkamp, formerly of JG 51 and now Jagdfliegerführer 1 is awarded the Ritterkreuz for his leadership as is Major Max Ibel, Kommodore of JG 27. Obstlt. Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp, Kommodore of JG 2 and a former Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 77 with a total of six enemy aircraft destroyed during World War I, is awarded the Ritterkreuz in recognition of his leadership during the early campaigns in Norway and France despite his not scoring a single victory in World War II.

British Swordfish torpedo bombers of RAF No. 812 Squadron from HMS "Peregrine" bombed German invasion barges at Daedereide, the Netherlands. One Swordfish aircraft was shot down, with its crew of two taken prisoner.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: In the South Irish Sea off Milford Haven, Wales, German aircraft bomb Canadian merchant ship "Thorold".

NORTH AMERICA: James V. Forrestal, former Administrative Assistant to the US President and Wall Street broker, was named the first Undersecretary of the Navy responsible for procurement and materiel in the Navy Department.

MEDITERRANEAN: Churchill dispatches a heavily armed convoy with 150 tanks to reinforce the middle east.

.

 

[Njaco]

August 23 Friday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post709297.html#post709297

A Hurricane from RAF No 73 Squadron based at Church Fenton was shot down by British AA Defences, during a night patrol and crashed W of Beverley, Yorkshire at 0130 hours. The pilot, Sergeant M.E. Leng baled-out unhurt, but the aircraft was a write-off.

GERMANY: German propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels launched a new campaign that stressed the British fighting spirit in an attempt to rally Germany behind the war effort.

The British RAF flew a retaliation strike against Berlin, Germany.

MEDITERRANEAN: Australian cruiser HMAS "Sydney", Australian destroyer HMAS "Stuart", and British destroyers HMS "Diamond", HMS "Ilex", HMS "Juno" bombarded the Italian seaplane base at Bomba, Libya.

Captain Oliver Patch, Royal Marines led a flight of three Fairey Swordfish torpedo aircraft that were temporarily detached from HMS "Eagle". Flying from an RAF base in the western desert of Egypt, the Fleet Air Arm crew from RAF No. 824 Squadron flew far out to sea and then turned towards the Italian Libyan harbour of Bomba, where an Italian supply ship had been sighted by earlier reconnaissance. Approaching the harbour Patch saw an Italian submarine on the surface. It was later learnt that this was the submarine "Iride", exercising with frogmen who were planning to make a covert attack on the British base at Alexandria. Patch released his torpedo from 30 feet at a distance of 300 yards and scored a direct hit below the conning tower. His wingmen Lieutenant's Cheeseman and Welham flew on through the flak to attack a submarine and a depot ship in the Bomba harbour. They both scored hits and the exploding ammunition on the depot ship caught a destroyer that was alongside. The depot ship "Monte Gargano" was sunk and the Italian torpedo boat "Calypso" was damaged. The Italians subsequently reported that two submarines and two ships had been sunk. Welham's Swordfish was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire but he made it back to the forward base before it had to be abandoned.

British destroyer HMS "Hostile" hit a mine 18 miles off Cape Bon, Tunisia at 0317 hours, killing 5 and wounding 3. After the survivors were taken aboard by destroyers HMS "Hero" and HMS "Mohawk", HMS "Hero" scuttled "Hostile" with torpedoes.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-37 torpedoed Norwegian ship "Keret" in the Atlantic Ocean 500 miles west of Ireland at 0222 hours, killing 13; 7 survivors in a lifeboat and a raft were rescued by British ship "Trident". In the general area, at 1250 hours, U-37 sank British ship "Severn Leigh", killing 32 crew and 1 gunner; 10 survivors would make it to Outer Hebrides, Scotland on 5 Sep.

.

 

[parsifal]

Unused

 

[Njaco]

August 24 Saturday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post709738.html#post709738

Hans-Joachim Marseille scored his first kill, a British Hurricane Mk I fighter, over Kent, England, United Kingdom. While he was congratulated by his commanding officer, he was also reprimanded because he achieved the kill after abandoning his wingman to pursue the target. Later that evening, in his diary, he noted great sadness when he thought about the enemy pilot's mother not being able to see her son again.

GERMANY: German battleship "Bismarck" was commissioned into service.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-57 attacked Allied convoy OB-202 2 miles north of Ireland just after midnight. British ships "Saint Dunstan" and "Cumberland" were sunk, killing 14 and 4, respectively; British ship "Havildar" was damaged. German submarine U-48 sank British tanker "La Brea", carrying 9,410 tons of fuel oil, 130 miles west of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, United Kingdom at 1414 hours, killing 2; 31 survived and made it to the Outer Hebrides on lifeboats. 500 miles west of Ireland, German submarine U-37 sank British ship "Brookwood" at 0314 hours, killing 1; 35 crew and 1 gunner would remain adrift for 5 days before being picked up by British merchant ship "Clan Macbean". At 2038 hours, U-37 struck again, sinking British sloop HMS "Penzance" escorting Allied convoy SC-1, killing 90; 7 survivors were rescued by British ship "Blairmore".

INDIAN OCEAN: German armed merchant cruiser "Atlantis" sank British ship "King City", carrying 7,300 tons of coal and coke for Singapore, 900 miles east of Madagascar, killing 6. "Atlantis" remained in the area, in very rough seas, to pick up the survivors.

.

 

[parsifal]

24 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
DKM BB BISMARCK

Beginning 25 August BISMARCK is subjected to air attacks from the RAF. She is finally declared fully operational on the 5 December. At the time of her commissioning she is one of the most heavily armed and the most heavily armoured warship in the world

Allied
Dance Class ASW Trawler GAVOTTE, Motor Anti-Submarine Boat MA/SB 13,
New source for MGB image: British Power Boat Co

Fairmile "B" Motor Launch ML 114
New Source for ML 114: New Page 1

Losses
MV BROOKWOOD (UK 5100 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Victor Oehrn) Crew: 37 (1 dead and 36 survivors) Cargo: Ballast Route: London - Methil - Sydney Convoy OA 200 (Dispersed) Sunk in the Mid Nth Atlantic. At 0314 hrs on 24 Aug 1940 the BROOKWOOD, dispersed on 20 August from convoy OA-200, was torpedoed by U-37 sth of Iceland. The ship was then set on fire by gunfire and sank later. One crew member was lost. The master, 34 crew members and one gunner were picked up after five days by the British merchant CLAN MACBEAN and landed at Freetown. Later they were repatriated on the British merchant GLOUCESTER CASTLE.

Folkestone Class Sloop PENZANCE (RN 1025 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Victor Oehrn) Crew: 108 officers and men (90 dead and 18 survivors). Convoy: SC-1. At 2038 hrs, HMS PENZANCE , escort for SC-1, was hit by one torpedo from U-37, broke in two and sank in a few minutes . When the stern section sank the unsecured depth charges detonated, killing some of the survivors swimming in the water and slightly damaging the U-boat. Nevertheless two ships from the convoy stopped to pick up survivors. 12 men were picked up by the British steam merchant FYLINGDALE, but one of them later died of injures and was buried at sea. 7 men were picked up by the BLAIRMORE, which was torpedoed and sunk by the same U-boat later that night. All men from the sloop survived the second sinking, were rescued after about 17 hrs by the Swedish EKNAREN and landed at Baltimore.

Tkr LA BREA (UK 6665 grt) Sunk by U-48 (Hans Rudolf Rosing) Crew: 33 (2 dead and 31 survivors) Cargo: Fuel Oil Route: Aruba - Bermuda - Dundee HX 65 (Straggler) Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 1424 hrs the unescorted and unarmed LA BREA , a straggler from convoy HX-65 since 19 Aug, was hit on the port side by a G7a torpedo fired by U-48 WNW of Rockall. The torpedo was a surface runner, but nevertheless hit between, right at the break of the poop, opening the deck and causing a fire astern. It went out when the tanker rapidly settled by the stern on an even keel and sank suddenly with her bows in the air after 20 mins, leaving wreckage and two rafts on the surface. The master had refused to leave as he thought she would remain afloat and was lost as was one crew member on watch below. The survivors abandoned ship in two lifeboats in bad weather with rough seas and observed the U-boat nearby, but were not questioned. The chief officer and 16 men in one of the boats sailed 130 miles and reached South Uist, Outer Hebrides on 25 August. The second officer and 13 men in the other boat made landfall at Islivig Bay, Isle of Lewis on 26 August.

MV CUMBERLAND (UK 10939 grt) Sunk by U-57 (Erich Topp) Crew: 58 (4 dead and 54 survivors) Cargo: General cargo Route: Glasgow - Liverpool - Curaçao - Panama - Port Chalmers (New Zealand) Convoy OB 202 Sunk in the Western Approaches, At 0042 hrs , U-57 attacked the convoy OB-202 25 miles NE of Malin Head, sank the SAINT DUNSTAN (see below) and CUMBERLAND and damaged HAVILDAR. The CUMBERLAND remained afloat for a period and her skipper tried to reach port, but sank 8 miles 5° from Inishtrahull. 4 crew members were lost. The master and 53 crew members landed at Moville, Co. Donegal.

MV SAINT DUNSTAN (UK 5681 grt) Sunk by U-57 (Erich Topp) Crew: 63 (14 dead and 49 survivors) Cargo: Ballast Route: Glasgow - Baltimore Convoy OB 202 Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 0042 hrs on 24 Aug 1940, U-57 attacked the convoy OB-202 25 miles NE of Malin Head, sank sank the SAINT DUNSTAN and CUMBERLAND (see above) and damaged HAVILDAR.

The SAINT DUNSTAN was hit by one torpedo but remained afloat. The ship was abandoned by the crew on 25 August and she was taken in tow the next day, but sank on 27 August between Pladda Point and Holy Island, Irish Sea. The master and 48 crew members were picked up by the British rescue ship COPELAND, transferred to DD WITCH, and then later DD WANDERER and landed at Belfast on 25 August,

UBOATS
At Sea 24 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-56, U-57, U-60, U-100, U-101, U-124, UA.
14 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
MT.149 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.261 departed the Tyne, escort DD WINCHESTER and sloop WESTON. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 26th.

Northern Waters
DD MASHONA departed Scapa Flow at 1830 for Liverpool for docking and repair. DD KASHMIR departed the Humber at 1430 for Scapa to join the Home Flt.

West Coast UK
OB.203 departed Liverpool escort DD MACKAY and corvette HEARTSEASE from 24 to 27 August and ASW trawlers ANGLE and KING SOL from 24 to 28 August.

Channel
British monitor EREBUS was attacked by a DKM S-Boat 11 miles east of Lowestoft. There was no damage in the attack. DD ACHERON in Portsmouth Harbour was badly damaged by the LW. 2 ratings were killed and 3 crew were wounded. DD BULLDOG, which was moored alongside, was damaged by splinters and her CO was mortally wounded and died on the 29th. French TB FLORE suffered damage to her Bridge superstructure in Portsmouth Harbour by falling masonry in this attack. DD BULLDOG was repaired at Portsmouth completing on 2 September. DD ACHERON was repaired at Portsmouth completing on 2 December.

Nth Atlantic
Convoy HX.68 departed Halifax escort RCN DD ASSINIBOINE and aux PV FRENCH. Later that day the local escort left the convoy to ocean escort, AMC AURANIA, and returned to Halifax. The AMC was detached on 4 September. BHX.68 departed Bermuda on the 23rd escorted by ocean escort AMC MONTCLARE. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.68 on the 28th and the AMC was detached. On 7 September, CLA CAIRO, RCN DD ST LAURENT, corvette FLEUR DE LYS joined the convoy and remained with it until its arrived at Liverpool on 8 September.

Central Atlantic
AMC ASTURIAS departed Freetown and after full calibre firings made rendezvous with AMC ALCANTARA for patrol.

Med- Biscay
Pilots Acting S/Lt (A) A. G. Day RNVR, Naval Airman 1/c H. Newton and Acting S/Lt (A) A. L. Ayres RNVR, Petty Officer Airman S. H. Gould of the 806 Sqn of CV ILLUSTRIOUS were lost when their Fulmars of 806 Sqn collided.

CA KENT, CL GLOUCESTER, DDs HYPERION, HEREWARD, DEFENDER departed Alexandria to cover the movements of two steamers from Piraeus to Port Said. DD JANUS was sailed with this force and was detached to arrived at Malta on the 26th. KENT and GLOUCESTER, escorting two merchant ships from Piraeus to Port Said, were attacked by RA torpedo bombers (one of the first of this type of attack) on the 27th. There was no damage in the attack, and the cruisers arrived at Alexandria on the 27th. HYPERION and DEFENDER were escorting British steamer PALERMO and Spanish steamer VASCO back to Port Said. DD HYPERION arrived at Alexandria on the 28th. DD DEFENDER and the merchant ships arrived at Port Said on the 28th.

Early on the 24th, gunboat LADYBIRD, escorted by RAN DD WATERHEN, bombarded Bardia in Operation MB‑1. This bombardment was covered by RAN CL SYDNEY RAN DD STUART and RN DDs DIAMOND, ILEX and JUNO. WATERHEN later rejoined the covering force and the entire covering force arrived back at Alexandria on the 24th. Gunboat LADYBIRD arrived at Alexandria on the 25th.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
RM DDs NULLO and SAURO operated without contact in the Red Sea during the night of 24/25 August. Convoy BN.3A departed Aden, escorted by CL CALEDON RAN sloop PARRAMATTA and RN Sloop SHOREHAM. The convoy was dispersed on the 27th.

DKM Raider ATLANTIS sank steamer KING CITY (UK 4744 grt) in the Indian Ocean at 16‑53S, 65‑17E, with the loss of 6 crew on the steamer.

Malta

1211-1240 hrs Air raid warning for 6 RA bombers escorted by 16 fighters approached from the east and drop bombs on Hal Far and Kalafrana, causing slight damage to RAF buildings and serious damage to one Swordfish a/c. 4 Hurricanes are scrambled and engage the raiders, as do AA guns. The air battle can be heard across the Island. One enemy CR42 fighter is reported brought down into the sea; a parachutist is spotted bailing out, is rescued and taken prisoner (Sgt Maggiore Renzo Bocconi, 75a Squadriglia, baled out from his damaged aircraft, landed in the sea, was rescued and taken prisoner). Other enemy a/c are believed damage; one is thought to have been brought down near Hal Far, where rifle fire is heard, but a singke a/c is the only enemy loss. One Hurricane is hit in the main spar by a bullet. Another crash lands at Luqa due to a punctured tyre but is not seriously damaged.

 

[parsifal]

25 August 1940 (Part I)
Losses
MV JAMAICA PIONEER (UK 5471 grt) Sunk by U-100 (Joachim Schepke) Crew: 57 (2 dead and 55 survivors) Cargo: 1900 tons of bananas Route: Kingston, Jamaica - Avonmouth Sailing Independantly. Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 1912 hrs the unescorted JAMAICA PIONEER was hit by a torpedo from U-100 east of Rockall. The ship had been missed by a first torpedo at 1908 hours and was missed again at 1930 hrs. After a second hit at 1934 hrs, the U-boat tried to sink the vessel by gunfire and fired 55 rounds without hitting the ship, which was finally sunk with a coup de grâce at 2012 hrs. The master, 52 crew members and two gunners were rescued. Some of them were picked up by DD ANTHONY. Thew, RN) and landed at Greenock and the remaining survivors by DD WANDERER and were landed at Belfast.

MV FIRCREST (UK 5394 grt) Sunk by U-124 (Georg-Wilhelm Schulz) Crew: 40 (40 dead - no survivors) Cargo: iron ore Route: Halifax - Middlesbrough Convoy 65A Lost North Of the Hebrides. Between 2350 and 2356 hrs, U-124 fired four single torpedoes at four ships in the convoy HX-65A 23 miles nth of Butt of Lewis, Hebrides and claimed the sinking of all four (only 3 were actually hit) MV HARPALYCE (see below) and FIRCREST were sunk and the STAKESBY was badly damaged. The FIRCREST in the most starboard column sank immediately after being hit amidships by a torpedo due to her cargo of iron ore sank almost immediately.

FIRCREST with her former name RIGL

MV HARPALYCE (UK 5169 grt) Sunk by U-124 (Georg-Wilhelm Schulz) Crew: 47 (42 dead and 5 survivors) Cargo: Steel and iron Route: Halifax - Middlesbrough Convoy 65A Lost North Of the Hebrides . Another victim to quickly sink because of her cargo. The HARPALYCE was the convoy commodores ship and sank by the stern with a list to port within one minute after being hit by one torpedo, leaving the crew no time to launch the lifeboats. Five crew members clung to debris or swam to rafts that floated free, neither the designated rescue ship nor the escorts picked them up, but the ASW Trawler FORT DEE located them when investigating the burning STAKESBY nearby and picked them up at around 0345 hrs on 26 August. The trawler searched the area for further survivors during daylight and then landed the survivors at Kirkwall, Orkneys.
New Photo source:Harpalyce (1940); Cargo vessel - National Maritime Museum

A photo of the model of the HARPALYCE that is on display at the maritime museum at Greenwich

MV BLAIRMORE (UK 4141 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Victor Oehrn) Crew: 41 (5 dead and 36 survivors) Cargo: Timber Route: Newcastle, New Brunswick - Sydney - Tyne Convoy SC-1 Sunk in the Nth Atlantic. At 0146 hrs the BLAIRMORE in convoy SC-1 was torpedoed and sunk by U-37 SE of Cape Farewell. The ship had picked up 7 survivors from HMS PENZANCE, sunk by the same U-boat the previous day. The master, 28 crew members and the 7 survivors of the PENZANCE were picked up by the Swedish steamer EKNAREN and landed at Baltimore.

MV YEWCREST (UK 3774 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Victor Oehrn) Crew:39 (1 dead and 38 survivors) Cargo: Ballast Route: Cardiff - Liverpool - Wabana Convoy OB 201 (straggler) Sunk in the Nth Atlantic. Around 2230 hrs on 25 Aug 1940, U-37 opened fire with the deck gun at the YEWCREST, after following the ship for more than 2 hrs through rain squalls and haze SW of Iceland. A hit between the stack and the hatch was observed before the U-boat was forced to cease fire and had to turn away due to return fire from the ship. The Germans then began shelling her from ahead, but the crew soon stopped and abandoned the ship. The vessel sank in flames at 0307 hrs on 26 August. The master, 36 crew members and one gunner were picked up by H Class DD HIGHLANDER.

Tkr ATHELCREST (UK 6825 grt) Sunk by U-48 (Hans Rudolf Rosing) Crew: 36 (30 dead and 6 survivors) Cargo: Diesel Oil Route: Aruba - Bermuda - Methil - London Convoy HX 65A. Lost in the Western Approaches. At 0245 hrs, U-48 attacked the convoy HX-65A 90 miles NE of Flannan Isles and hit the ATHELCREST in station #13 and the EMPIRE MERLIN in station #15 (see below) with one torpedo each, claiming two ships totaling 14,000 grt sunk. The ATHELCREST was struck on the port side between bunker and boiler room by one G7e torpedo and caught fire after an internal explosion with flames enveloping the poop, the main deck and bridge. The ship stopped at once and slowly settled by the stern until only 20 feet of her bow was visible over the water. The master and five crew members managed to launch two lifeboats in the heavy swell, but suffered from oil fumes from their own ship and and sulphur fumes from EMPIRE MERLIN (the scene can only be imagined). They were picked up after 4 hours by Corvette GODETIA, which scuttled the wreck of the tkr with gunfire and later landed the survivors at Rosyth.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MV EMPIRE MERLIN (UK 5763 grt) Sunk by U-48 (Hans Rudolf Rosing) Crew: 36 (35 dead and 1 survivor) Cargo: Sulphur Route: Port Sulphur, Louisiana - Bermuda - Methil - Hull Convoy HX 65A Sunk in the Western Approaches. The EMPIRE MERLIN was hit on port side amidships by one G7e torpedo and broke in two after the cargo of sulphur caught fire. The stern broke off and sank immediately while the fore part sank after 35 seconds before any lifeboats could be launched. The sole survivor ordinary seaman John Lee rescued himself on a potato locker after swimming for 45 minutes and was picked up later that night by Corvette GODETIA which had troubles locating him in the darkness and searched in vain for another survivor who was heard for some time until the screams for help eventually ceased. The survivor was landed in Rosyth.

Tkr PECTEN (UK 7468 grt) Sunk by U-57 (Erich Topp) Crew: 56 (48 dead and 8 survivors) Cargo: Admiralty Fuel Oil Route: Trinidad - Bermuda - Glasgow Convoy HX 65B Lost in the Western Approaches. At 1948 hrs two torpedoes hit PECTEN, straggling less than a mile astern of convoy HX-65B due to engine troubles about 75 miles nth of Tory Island. Only a few minutes before, the tanker had been urged by Corvette GLADIOLUS to regain station in the convoy, but the the ship was hit on the starboard side in the engine room and just abaft the bridge and disappeared in cloud of smoke, sinking by the stern within 90 seconds. The first radio officer, an apprentice and six Chinese crew members rescued themselves on rafts that floated free and were picked up after 2 hours by the British steam merchant TORR HEAD from the same convoy, while GLADIOLUS and DD WESTCOTT unsuccessfully attacked the U-boat. The survivors were later transferred to the ASW trawler ROBINA and landed at Belfast.

UBOATS
At Sea 25 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-56, U-57, U-60, U-100, U-101, U-124, UA.
14 boats at sea

U-boat Combat Summaries
U-124. In late evening, the boat successfully attacked convoy HX 65A off the Isle of Lewis and then dived to evade counterattacks by Corvette GODETIA, which dropped 12 DCs and then lost contact. U-124 had lain grounded on the seabed for an hour after hitting a rock formation at a depth of 90 metres (295ft). The U-boat was not damaged by the DCs, but the collision had damaged three of the four bow torpedo tubes, and the boat was ordered to assume weather reporting duties for the rest of the patrol.

U-48. In the early morning, the boat sank two ships from convoy HX 65A and was then forced to dive when attacked by Corvette GODETIA, but U-48 evaded the DC attack and escaped unscathed.

U-57. On the morning of the 25th the boat was located on Asdic by DD WESTCOTT in the vicinity of convoy HX 65B, which depth charged U-57 twice, but without getting close. U-57 surfaced and chased the convoy until she caught up in the evening, and sank a straggler. She was then depth charged again by the WESTCOTT and Corvette GLADIOLUS, escaping undamaged after contact was lost following the initial attacks.

 

[Njaco]

August 25 Sunday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post710188.html#post710188

GERMANY: In response to the bomb raid on London the night before and on orders from Churchill, RAF Bomber Command raid Berlin at night. 81 British Hampden bombers of RAF No. 49 and No. 50 Squadrons attacked Berlin, Germany in the first retaliation attack. Clouds led to bombs falling largely in suburban lawns and gardens, killing only 6. Nevertheless, Luftwaffe chief Hermann Göring was shocked and embarrassed that the British bombers were able to get through in such great numbers. The raid causes little damage but infuriates the Führer into removing his ban on the Luftwaffe attacking only military targets. The tide slowly begins to turn against the Luftwaffe. Total losses: 5 aircraft.

Battleship "Bismarck" fired 52 3.7cm and 400 2cm shells against raiding British aircraft without any hits.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Hptm. Johannes Janke's I./JG 77 move from their airbase at Aalborg and transfer to Marquise.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Allied convoy HX-65 from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to Liverpool, England, United Kingdom was tracked and attacked by German submarines all day. At 0245 hours, German submarine U-48 sank the ship "Empire Merlin" (35 were killed and 1 was rescued by corvette HMS "Godetia") and tanker "Athelcrest" (30 were killed and 6 were rescued by HMS "Godetia") 90 miles north of the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. At 0748 hours, German submarine U-57 sank tanker "Pecten" (49 were killed and 8 were rescued) 75 miles north of Ireland. Between 2350 and 2356 hours, German submarine U-124 fired four torpedoes at the convoy 23 miles north of the Outer Hebrides, sinking British ships "Harpalyce" (42 were killed) and "Fircrest" (entire crew of 39 was lost), while damaging "Stakesby". Also on this date, German submarine U-37 sank British ship "Blairmore" 500 miles west of Ireland at 0146 hours; 5 were killed and 36 were rescued by Swedish ship "Eknaren". Closer to the Irish coast, German submarine U-100 sank British ship "Jamaica Pioneer", killing 2. At about 2345 hours, U-37 struck again, sinking British ship "Yewcrest".

.

 

[stona]

There's a picture of people siphoning petrol from the tanks of that Ju 88 (B3+BM, Wnr.6086) directly into a car! The chap doing the pumping looks to be military but the woman and (I think) young man by the car are not. By this time the swastika on the fin has also been 'liberated'.

Here Hauptmann Lothar Maiwold, the 'Beobachter' (usually translated as observer, but he, not the pilot, was the commander of the aircraft) is led off into captivity. The other German is unidentified but may be another of his crew.

Maiwold looks suitably defiant, as befits one of his rank, and obviously had or was lent a comb! He looks quite dapper for one recently shot down.
The escort to the prisoner(s) in photographs like this always have fixed bayonets. I'm not sure what they thought their charges would try to do, run away and swim the Channel perhaps

Cheers

Steve

 

[parsifal]

25 August 1940 (Part II)
OPERATIONS
North Sea
OA.204 departed Methil escorted by escort ship GLEANER and corvette CLEMATIS from 25 to 29 August. on the 26th, the escort was supplemented by DDs JAGUAR, JAVELIN and EGLINTON. FN.262 departed Southend, escort DDs VERDUN, VIMIERA, GARTH. Patrol sloops GUILLEMOT and PUFFIN joined for 26 August. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 27th. MT.150 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.262 departed the Tyne. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 27th. Minefield BS.34 was laid by MLs TEVIOTBANK, PLOVER, WILLEM VAN DER ZAAN and DDs ESK, ICARUS and IMPULSIVE.

Northern Waters
MV STAKESBY as leading ship of the most starboard column of HX 65A, carrying a load of timber was the torpedoed by U-124. The ship was struck first in the convoy with one torpedo hitting on the starboard side. The cargo kept the vessel afloat and she continued for a time until the crew were forced to abandon ship due to the fires on the ship. . The crew were picked up by the Norwegian steamer CETUS from the same convoy early next morning . The survivors, one of them injured, were landed at Stornoway later that day, from where the rescue tug HMS THAMES was sent to salvage the burning vessel. The fires eventually burnt out and the STAKESBY was beached at Glumaig Bay after the tow rope broke. The vessel sank in shallow water. In January 1942, she was raised, temporarily patched and left Stornoway in tow for Rothesay Bay on 9 June 1942, where the ship arrived three days later. Temporary repairs were carried out at the Clyde and permanent repairs at Sunderland. She was rebuilt by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and reentered service in 1943 as EMPIRE DERWENT.

BC HOOD with DDs INGLEFIELD, ESCAPADE, ECHO, JAVELIN arrived at Scapa from Rosyth. All Home Flt units, except CA BERWICK, at Scapa raised steam with dispatch. At 0140 on the 26th, steam was reverted to the standard 6 hrs notice. CLs GALATEA and CARDIFF departed Scapa for the Humber.

West Coast UK
Steamer GOATHLAND (UK 3821 grt) was sunk by the LW in 50‑21N, 15‑08W. The entire crew was rescued.

Model of the GOATHLAND

British steamer HAMPSHIRE COAST was damaged by the LW bombing six miles SW of St Ann's Light (Wales). British steamer OSSIAN was damaged by the LW in the same locality.

Western Approaches
HX.65A was escorted by sloops LONDONDERRY, EGRET, LOWESTOFT and RCN DD SKEENA. The convoy was to receive a severe mauling as it made it run into local waters.

Channel
British steamer SANFRY was damaged by the LW, and then attacked by a DKM S Boat on the 26th. She survived the attacks

Nth Atlantic
U-37 tore into Convoys sw of Iceland

SC.2 departed St Johns escorted locally by RCN PV REINDEER and ocean escort Sloop SCARBOROUGH. The convoy was joined for the run through local waters on 7 September by DDs SCIMITAR and SKEENA, sloop LOWESTOFT, corvette PERIWINKLE, ASW trawlers APOLLO and BERWICKSHIRE. DD SCIMITAR and corvette PERIWINKLE were detached on 8 September. The remainder of the escorts, including sloop SCARBOROUGH, arrived with the convoy at Liverpool on 10 September.

Med- Biscay
CV ARK ROYAL, CL ENTERPRISE, DDs GALLANT, HOTSPUR, GRIFFIN departed Gib to carry out exercises. BC RENOWN, DDs VELOX, ENCOUNTER, GREYHOUND, VIDETTE departed at 2025 on the 25th and joined ARK ROYAL at sea. This force joined CV ILLUSTRIOUS force and escort them into Gibraltar. The British force was CV ILLUSTRIOUS, BB VALIANT, CL SHEFFIELD, CLAs COVENTRY and CALCUTTA, DDs FAULKNOR, FORTUNE, OFRESTER, FoRESIGHT, FURY and FIREDRAKE from Scapa, with the force met off Gibraltar on the 28th and escorted into harbour, arriving on the 29th. DDs WRESTLER and WISHART were involved in local escort duties.

RM sub BIANCHI attacked an armed patrol boat off Gibraltar without success.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
Convoy BN.4 departed Bombay, escorted by AMCs HECTOR and RANCHI. These escorts were detached on 1 September when NZ manned CL LEANDER joined. LEANDER turned the convoy over on 8 September to sloops CLIVE and SHOREHAM. The convoy arrived at Suez on 11 September.

Malta
A Blenheim was lost trying to reach Malta, whilst part of a contingenet being transfered from Gibraltar to Egypt . The bomber was seen ditching in the sea 55 miles from Dingli. Blenheim T2058 was piloted by Warrant Officer G H 'Pee Wee' Cluley. It is thought he ran out of fuel near Pantelleria and was attempting to land there but fell short and came down in the sea.

A Swordfish, a Sunderland and DD NUBIAN were sent immediately to search the area but found nothing. Further aircraft continued to search throughout the afternoon but there was no sighting. WO Cluley, who later was listed as missing.

 

[parsifal]

26 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Flower Class Corvette FLEUR DE LYS

My apologies for the poor quality of the image

Losses
RM sub DANDOLO sank steamer ILVINGTON COURT (UK 5187 grt) in the the Central Atlantic, in a rough line between Portugal and the Azores. There are varying reports on the crew losses. One source simply states "at least 19 of the crew were saved". Another source says 8 crew were lost from a complement of 39. Benji Dog (which i have found a pretty accurate site to date states "the vessel was torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine DANDOLO of the Marcello Class, in position 37º14' N, 21º52'W whilst on a passage from Pepel to Glasgow. It is possible that there were no fatalities as this ship does not appear on the Tower Hill memorial and there are no entries of lives lost in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database". The attached photo is credited to the above mentioned site

The LW delivered repeated long range attacks on the badly mauled convoy HX.65A off Kinnaird Head.
Liner REMUERA (NZ 11,445 grt) was attacked and damaged by Junkers Ju 88 aircraft of Stab I and Stab III, KG30 and was then torpedoed and sunk in by Heinkel He 115 aircraft of KüFlGr 506, Luftwaffe. All 94 crew were rescued. Sunk by aerial torpedoes 12 miles N of Peterhead in position 57.50°N, 1.54°W. She was on a voyage from Wellington (NZ) to London.

Steamer CAPE YORK (Aus 5027 grt) was badly damaged 10 miles 45° from Kinnaird Head. The entire crew of the CAPE YORK was rescued. However the ship was so badly damaged that she was abandoned. The steamer sank on the 27th under tow, 8 miles 55° from Rattray Head.
New source: State Library Of Victoria

British steamer CITY OF HANKOW was badly damaged by German bombing off Peterhead, but managed to survive. Greek steamer NELLIE was also damaged 15 miles NE of Kinnaird Head.

Coastal steamers AVIELD (Ex-Nor 127 grt) and ODDA (Ex-Nor 835 grt) in German service were lost on mines off the Norwegian coast.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

UBOATS
Departures
Lorient: U-59

At Sea 26 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-48, U-56, U-57, U-59, U-60, U-100, U-101, U-124, UA.
15 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Western Baltic
Steamer LISBETH CORDS (Ger 907 grt) was sunk ten miles from Kiel Light Ship on a mine.

North Sea
FN.263 departed Southend, escort sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 28th. MT.151 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.263 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VEGA and WOLSEY. Patrol sloop GUILLEMOT joined on the 27th. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 28th.

Northern Waters
DDs VERSATILE, VIMY, ANTELOPE, AMBUSCADE departed the Nore to reinforce the Home Flt, however VERSATILE and VIMY were diverted to to Rosyth, ANTELOPE and AMBUSCADE proceeded to the Tyne to relieve DDs of DesFlot 4 who in turn were released Scapa. DD EGLINTON arrived at Scapa at 0930 to work up after providing additional escort for convoy OA.204. After a German air raid on the Orkneys, mines were found and exploded in the Fleet anchorage. No movements of ships was permitted until the channels were cleared.

DDs JAVELIN and JAGUAR departed Scapa at 0320 to escort convoy HX65A past Cape Wrath to Pentland Firth due to U-boat and air attacks on the convoy. The escort by this time were exhausted, having been in combat more or less continuously for more than 30 hours. The DDs were detached at dawn on the 27th for Lerwick. JAVELIN and JAGUAR departed Lerwick at 1730 with British steamer LOCHNAGAR for Aberdeen.

Central Atlantic
CL DELHI departed Freetown for Lagos to relieve sloop BRIDGEWATER. She arrived at Lagos on the 29th. SL.45 departed Freetown escorted by AMC CATHAY to 14 September. The AMC then proceeded to Glasgow for refitting. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 15 September.

Med- Biscay
DD JERVIS escorting British tanker MYRIEL and French tanker PHENIX arrived at Port Said. The DD then proceeded to Alexandria, arriving later the same day. Sub PERSEUS attacked Italian steamer FILIPPO GRIMANI off Durazzo (Albania) without success.

Malta

0330 hrs Sunderland L8159 of 230 Sqn recon of Kithera was forced to land and detained by the Greeks; the crew are interned, but the a/c is safe. Both crew and a/c return to service after greek entry. At 1000 hrs a Hudson carried out a search of Tripoli. FNFL Latecoere with French crew recon west of Malta to 10 miles NW of Cape Bon.

 

[Njaco]

August 26 Monday
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/ww2-general/day-battle-britain-25360-post710583.html#post710583

No. 1 Fighter Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, first engages German planes in battle, shooting down three bombers and damaging four others, losing just one Canadian plane and pilot.

UNITED KINGDOM: Ireland lodged a protest in Berlin, Germany after bombs were dropped over Wexford, Ireland.

NORTH AMERICA: The American-Canadian Permanent Joint Board on Defense convened in Ottawa, Canada. The American attendees were Fiorello H. LaGuardia (President, U.S. Conference of Mayors), Lieutenant General Stanley D. Embick (US Army commander of the Fourth Corps Area), Captain Harry W. Hill, and Commander Forrest P. Sherman (US Navy War Plans Division), Lieutenant Colonel Joseph T. McNarney, and John D. Hickerson (Assistant Chief of Division of European Affairs of the US Department of State).

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German He 115s and Ju 88s torpedo bombers attacked two British ships 10 miles east of Kinnaird Head, Scotland. "Remuera" would sink and "Cape York" would remain afloat until the next day. Both crews survived.

INDIAN OCEAN: German armed merchant cruiser "Pinguin's" seaplane attacked Norwegian tanker "Filefjell" off Madagascar at 1748 hours. "Pinguin" soon arrived to capture the ship which was carrying 10,000 tons of gasoline and 500 tons of oil.

GERMANY: The British RAF bombed Leipzig, Leuna, Hanover, Nordhausen in Germany.

Adolf Hitler ordered the transfer of 10 infantry divisions and 2 armored divisions from France to Poland. To avoid Soviet suspicion, he made plans to make this transfer appear as if these fresher troops were coming in to relieve older men who were going to be released back into the work force.

MEDITERRANEAN: The British RAF bombed Turin and Milan in Italy.

Italian submarine "Dandolo" sank British steamer "Ilvington Court", killing 8.

.

 

[parsifal]

27 August 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMS PRIMULA

Losses
MV EVA (Nor 1599 grt) Sunk by U-28 (Günter Kuhnke) Crew: 18 (1 dead and 17 survivors) Cargo: 1750 tons of timber Route: Sydney (15 Aug) - Sharpness Convoy SC-1 (Straggler) Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 1603 hrs the EVA, a straggler from convoy SC-1 since 16 August due to unsuitable coal, was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-28 about 60 miles east of Rockall. As the stern settled the crew abandoned ship in the lifeboats, 3 of them injured. The U-boat surfaced after 30 minutes and fired 22 rounds from the deck gun into the waterline because the ship stayed afloat on its cargo. She caught fire after 17 hits were scored and was then left in a sinking condition, while the lifeboats headed for the Hebrides. On 30 August, the survivors made landfall at Boligarry, Isle of Barra. DDs HURRIVANE and HAVELOCK and a flying Boat were sent to assist after a distress signal from EVA was received. HURRICANE arrived that night and though finding no survivors, extinguished the fire on board and requested a tug, because they assumed that she could be saved. But the EVA was washed ashore 1 mile from Butt of Lewis Lighthouse and was became a total loss. Some of her cargo was salvaged.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MV THEODORAS T (Gk 3409 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Victor Oehrn) Crew: ? all crew recued Cargo: Corn Route: Rosario - Gibraltar - Cardiff Sailing Independently. Lost in the SW Approaches. At 2231 hrs the unescorted THEODORAS T was hit in the bow by a stern torpedo from U-37 southwest of Ireland and sank after the crew abandoned ship. The crew were picked up by DD ECLIPSE.

AMC DUNVEGAN CASTLE (RN 15007 grt) Sunk by U-46 (Engelbert Endrass), One of the largest ships sunk by a UBoat Crew: 277 (27 dead and 250 survivors). Attached to SL43. Sunk in the Western Approaches. At 2147 hrs, HMS DUNVEGAN CASTLE, escorting convoy SL-43, was hit aft of the bridge by one torpedo from U-46 about 120 miles SW of Cape Clear. As the ship continued, the U-boat fired two further torps at 2212 and 2251, which hit the engine room and just before the bridge. The vessel stopped, caught fire and foundered the next day. The commander and 249 crew members (12 of them wounded) were picked up by DD HARVESTER and Corvette PRIMROSE and landed in Scotland.

Armed Yacht WHITE FOX II (RN 23 grt) was lost in a fire after the LW bombed Plymouth.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Departures
Kiel: U-47

At Sea 27 August 1940
U-28, U-30, U-32, U-37, U-38, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-56, U-57, U-59, U-60, U-100, U-101, U-124, UA.
16 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.264 departed Southend, escort DD WINCHESTER and sloop WESTON. Patrol sloop WIDGEON joined on the 28th. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 29th. MT.152 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day. FS.264 departed the Tyne, escort DDs VALOROUS and WESTMINISTER. DD SIKH was also with the convoy on the 27th. Patrol sloop WIDGEON joined on the 28th. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 29th. British minefield BS.35 was laid by MLs TEVIOTBANK and DDs EXPRESS, ESK, ICARUS.

DDs AMBUSCADE and ANTELOPE departed Rosyth to overtake convoy OA.205 and provide additional escort to Cape Wrath. They then proceeded to Scapa Flow.

Northern Waters
After a LW airstrike over Scapa Flow, there was a temporary prohibition of ship movements in Scapa Flow for several hours whilst the channels were swept for mines. Gutter Sound and Switha were clear of mines fairly quickly , which made possible for the DDs to proceed to sea. Some hours later, BB BARHAM departed Scapa at around 2200 escort DDs INGLEFIELD, ESCAPADE and ECLIPSE for Gibraltar. The ships were joined at sea by DD ECHO which departed early on the 28th. The ships arrived at Gibraltar on 2 September.

DDs WOLVERINE and VOLUNTEER departed Scapa Flow at 1600 and carried out an ASW sweep west of Flannan Islands and east of St Kilda. After this sweep, the DDs met convoy SL.43 A and provided additional ASW escort to Pentland Firth. DD ACTIVE, on completion of exercises off Scapa, proceeded to rendezvous off the northern entrance to the Inner Sound to Loch Alsh early on the 28th. ACTIVE joined the escort of the ML sqn 1 for ML operation SN.14.


West Coast UK
OB.204 departed Liverpool escort DD VISCOUNT, which remained with the convoy until 29 August, sloop DEPTFORD, FNFL PV PRESIDENT HONDUCE on the 26th. The convoy was joined on the 27th by DDs ARROW and ACHATES until 28 August. FNFL sloop SAVORGNAN DE BRAZZA and ASW trawlers NORTHERN GEM and LADY ELSA joined on the 28th. In this convoy were 4 AKs carrying vehicles for the Operation MENACE and RFA OCEAN COAST .

Channel
British steamer SIR JOHN HAWKINS was damaged by the LW at Plymouth.

Nth Atlantic
Cdn troop convoy TC 7 departed Halifax escorted by RCN DDs ASSINIBOINE and OTTAWA with British troopships ORONSAY , DUCHESS OF YORK , GEORGIC , PASTEUR , EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and SCYTHIA with 2627, 1548, 2801, 1153, 1625, 1204 troops embarked respectively. Ocean escort was BB REVENGE and RCN DD OTTAWA. On 2 September, the convoy was joined by HM DDs WOLVERINE, AMBUSCADE, JAVELIN and JAGUAR for the dangerous run in in home waters, however the convoy arrived safely at Greenock on 4 September, less troopship EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA which arrived safely at Glasgow on the same day. RCN DD OTTAWA arrived at Greenock to relieve RCN DD RESTIGOUCHE on the Western Approaches station. RESTIGOUCHE then returned to Halifax arriving on 5 September.

Central Atlantic
Sloop BRIDGEWATER departed Victoria and arrived at Duala later that day.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
Off the sth tip of Madagascar, DKM Raider PINGUIN captured and sank thre ships. The tkr FILEFJELL (Nor 7616 grt) was about 200 km sth of Madagascar while on a voyage from Abadan to London with 10 405 tons gasoline, 643 tons diesl oil, 144 tons fuel oil, having departed Abadan on Aug. 5. She had no armament. When one of PINGUINS's He 114 aircraft, camouflaged to look like a British one, circled above them several times, there was no suspicion aboard the Norwegian Tanker. The a/c took off to the west . It returned just after 1700 hrs, this time with a wire behind it which cut the radio antenna of the FILEFJELLl, then dropped a bag containing a note on the ships deck: "On account of vincinity of enemy raider alter course to 180°, distance 140 miles. From that point take up course direct to 31N 37E. Thence you get further informations. Do not use wireless. S. N. O."

When FILEFJELL did not follow the order to stop, the a/c atacked the ship. . As darkness started to fall the a/c returned, landed and signalled "Remain stopping here, cruiser Cumberland will go with you". FILEFJELL stopped (the time was 18:26), was ordered "Show your lights" and PINGUIN then approached at full speed. FILEFJELL was boarded and most of her crew members were transferred to PINGUIN's prisoners' quarters, both ships heading SE (the chief engineer and some of the engine crew remained on Filefjell, but they were also sent over to Pinguin the following day). Attempts were made to scuttle the FILEFJELL with explosives that same day, but she was still afloat by 2 in the morning of Aug. 28, forcing PINGUIN to shell her until she sank . At 02:04 one of her tanks was hit, causing her cargo to explode, and within seconds she erupted in flames which could be seen for at least 25 miles and PINGUIN quickly withdrew from the scene.

In the early morning hours of the 27th steamer BRITISH COMMANDER (UK 6901 grt) was also captured, but this ship managed to get radio messages off in the clear with her position and what was happening before being sunk. The 46 crew were captured without loss and transferred to the Raider. The RN responded with the despatch of CL NEPTUNE, CL COLOMBO and AMCs ARAWA and RAN KANIMBLA but were unable to intercept.

.
PINGUIN also sank steamer MORVIKEN (Nor 5008 grt). She was enroute from Capetown to Calcutta, when she was intercepted. The entire crews of these ships were taken prisoner. The crew of the steamer MORVIKEN later arrived at Oslo.

Australia/Pac/Far East
Dominion Troop convoy US.4 departed Auckland on the 27th with troopships MAURETANIA and EMPRESS OF JAPAN from Wellington and ORCADES from Lyttleton escorted by NZ manned CL ACHILLES. Troopship AQUITANIA departed Sydney on the 30th to join the convoy escorted by RAN CA CANBERRA which relieved ACHILLES. RAN CL PERTH joined in the Tasman Sea on the 30th and returned to Sydney on the 31st. CANBERRA and the convoy arrived at Melbourne on the 31st. The convoy arrived at Fremantle on 2 September. US.4 departed Fremantle on 5 September still escorted by CA CANBERRA. On 13 September, RN CL COLOMBO relieved the Australian cruiser and remained with the convoy until 15 September when the convoy arrived at Bombay. Troopships EMPRESS OF JAPAN and ORCADES arrived at Aden on 24 September. The troops in MAURETANIA and AQUITANIA were delivered in other vessels, rather than risk the large, new troopships in the Red Sea.


Malta
No significant activity