This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

[parsifal]

1 December 1940
Losses
U-101 delivered an attack on Convoy HX-90. The LOCH RANZA was damaged by a torpedo, but managed to continue under own power at 6 knots, later beached by a tug in Rothesay Bay on 9 December. The ship was refloated and repaired at Glasgow, returning to service in May 1941. She would eventually be sunk by the Japanese whilst helping to evacuate Singapore.

Tkr APPALACHEE (UK 8826 grt) Sunk by U-101 (Ernst Mengersen); Crew:39 (7 dead and 32 survivors); Cargo: Avgas Route: Baytown, Texas - Bermuda - Avonmouth ;Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Nth Atlantic; At 2212 hrs U-101 attacked the convoy HX-90 about 340 miles west of Bloody Foreland and claimed one ship of 8000 grt sunk (LOCH RANZA was only damaged ), another ship of 6000 grt damaged (not confirmed) and one tanker of 12.000 grt sunk (the APPALACHEEA). Seven crew members from the APPALACHEE were lost. The master and 31 crew members were picked up by HMS HELIOTROPE (K 03) and landed at Londonderry.

MV PALMELLA (UK 1578 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Asmus Nicolai Clausen); Crew:29 (1 dead and 28 survivors); Cargo: 230 tons of general cargo and 1000 bags of prisoner mail Route: London – Oban (20 Nov) - Oporto ;Convoy OG-46; Sunk In the South Western Approaches, off the west coast of Portugal; At 2022 hrs the unescorted PALMELLA was struck on the port side a little forward of the midship line by one torpedo from U-37 while steaming on a non-evasive course at 7 knots about 225 miles west of Oporto, Portugal. The ship had been on station with convoy OG-46, but proceeded independently after straggling due to very bad weather on 24 November. The explosion broke the back of the ship, causing her to sag in the middle, but as a precaution all ventilators had been plugged and the locking gear was wedged across the hatch beams and it seems that this prevented her from sinking at once. No distress signals were sent as the radio had been damaged and the 28 crew members and one gunner (the ship was armed with one 12pdr and one machine gun) began to abandon ship in the starboard lifeboat as both boats on port side had been blown out of the davits. While doing so the U-boat was seen to close the ship from astern and shone a small searchlight on them before leaving in a northerly direction without questioning the survivors. The crew left the ship about 20 minutes after being torpedoed in rough sea and just when they got clear, the PALMELLA broke in two. The two halves floated separately for a short while, the after part disappearing first followed by the fore part. The boat then searched the area for a missing crewman but only found an empty raft. He had been on watch below and was probably killed by the explosion. At daylight the boat set sail for the nearest land, but on the second day the weather became very calm and they were unable to make any headway. However, they were in good spirit as the master made fire in a bucket and used a bully beef can as a saucepan to provide the survivors with hot soup and milk. In the morning of 5 December, they were picked up by the Spanish trawler NAVEMAR and landed at Lisbon in the night of 5/6 December.

Paddle steamer HER MAJESTY (UK 235 grt) was sunk by the LW at Southampton Harbour Board Yard. There was no crew on board at the time of her loss.

Tanker BRITISH OFFICER (UK 6990 grt) was sunk on a mine one quarter mile east of North Pier Light, Tyne. The tanker broke in two. The forepart was towed to port. Five crew were lost on the British tanker.

Liner OSLOFJORD (Nor 18,673 grt), escorted by destroyer VIMY, was sunk on a mine one half mile 220° from T.2 Buoy, Tyne. The ship had arrived New York on Jan. 2 1940 later heading to Bayonne, NJ. In Oct.-1940 it was decided to put her into service as a troopship and she was sent to Halifax for armament, departing Bayonne, NJ on Oct. 26, arriving Halifax on the 28th. While there, she was fitted out with bridge protection and degaussing gear, as well as a 4" gun, an old 12 lbs AA gun, 8 Colt Marlin MGs and 4 Lewis guns. On Nov. 21 she left Halifax for the U.K., where she was to be further fitted out for troop transport, and sailed across independantly. She arrived Gourock Bay on Nov. 28 where the troops she was carrying were disembarked. Everything was made ready for the mail and cargo to be discharged, but the next day she was ordered by the Admiralty to go to Newcastle-on-Tyne, escorted by the destroyer VIMY, and she departed that same afternoon (Nov. 29).

OSLOFJORD followed the DD, and was about 2 ship lengths behind it when at about 0820 hrs she struck a mine about 2 miles ESE of the entrance to the River Tyne, 220° 0.5 miles from T2 Buoy. On the bridge at the time were the captain, the chief mate, the 3rd mate, 4th Mate and helmsman , all of whom, except the chief mate were knocked down by the explosion. The latter ordered the engines stopped, then found the captain and the helmsman unconscious on the deck. The captain soon regained consciousness again, but was injured. All the lifeboats were launched; the captain and the helmsman were assisted into one of them by some of the able seamen. Helmsman Halvorsen died from his injuries on board an MSW.

When the chief mate after a while realized that OSLOFJORD was not in danger of sinking, though she was listing heavily to starboard, he went forward and called for assistance from nearby vessels through a megaphone, and at about 0845 towing commenced. The captain also came back on board, though injured and still in shock. Several tugs came to, and some of her deck crew returned to help out, a pilot had also arrived (by the name of Duncan). However, after conferring with the Admiralty the pilot refused to tow her to port because she could block the inlet to the Tyne. The engine room was rapidly flooding, and after further examinations it was eventually agreed there was nothing else to do but follow orders and beach OSLOFJORD south of Tynemouth South Pier. Some of her crew had been taken ashore by the Cullercoast lifeboat, others by the Tynemouth lifeboat. In the next few days about 9000 bags of mail were rescued by volunteers. The captain, meanwhile, had been admitted to a hospital with a crushed vertebrae in his back.

After she had been beached, she dug deeper and deeper into the sand. Some members of her crew remained on board until Dec. 8. at which time the situation was such that she had to be abandoned, she had already started to break up by that time, and cabins and saloons were flooded, as were her holds. Those who were on board were taken ashore by John Pyemont, under extremely hazardous conditions and a strong gale. OSLOFJORD finally broke in two and capsized in bad weather on Jan. 21/22-1941, becoming a total loss.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Kiel: U-138

At Sea 1 December 1940
U-29, U-37, U-43, U-47, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-95, U-99, U-101, U-103, U-140.
12 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
Lord Mountbatten reassumed command of DD KELLY, completing repairs at Hebburn (in County Durham). Sloop HASTINGS collided with steamer LIMSLADE on the east coast.

Northern Waters
DD GEORGETOWN arrived at Scapa at 1700 to work up. DDs BULLDOG, BEAGLE, KEPPEL departed Scapa Flow for Rosyth. BULLDOG and BEAGLE were to escort the nearly complete BB KING GEORGE V (KGV). KEPPEL was to escort BB NELSON. The DDs arrived at Rosyth on the 2nd. PUNJABI departed Scapa Flow at 0400 for Plymouth as a replacement for damaged destroyer JAVELIN. PUNJABI arrived at Plymouth on the 2nd.

West Coast UK
DD CASTLETON was damaged in a collision on the 1st during escort operations.

Western Approaches
AMC FORFAR, DDs VISCOUNT (escort commander), VANQUISHER and CASTLETON, RCN DD ST LAURENT, sloop FOLKESTONE, corvette GENTIAN were escorting convoy HX.90 in the Western Approaches on the 1st.

SW Approaches
RCN DD SAGUENAY, had departed the Clyde on 27 November, escorting convoy HG.47. She was torpedoed and damaged by RM sub ARGO 300 miles west of Ireland. 21 one ratings were killed. DD HIGHLANDER assisted SAGUENAY which was able to reach Barrow in Furness on the 5th for repairs. DDs ACHATES and ANTHONY from convoy SL.55 joined the convoy as escorts whilst this was in progress. SAGUENAY was under repair at Greenock until 22 May 1941.

Channel
Dutch steamer FRISO was damaged by the LW at Southampton. Yugoslavian steamer CETVRTI was damaged by the LW as well.

Nth Atlantic
BB ROYAL SOVEREIGN departed Gibraltar for Halifax, escort DDs JAGUAR and KELVIN. On the 2nd, KELVIN attacked a submarine contact in 36-02N, 9-42W.

Central Atlantic
CL NEWCASTLE departed Gibraltar for Freetown.

DKM CS ADMIRAL SCHEER sank steamer TRIBESMAN (UK 6242 grt) in the Central Atlantic near Cape Verde. Eight crew were missing from the steamer. 14 crew were made prisoners of war. British units immediately began to sweep for ADMIRAL SCHEER, but no contact was made. CVL HERMES, CL DRAGON, AMC PRETORIA CASTLE at St Helena swept northward from St Helena. CA DORSETSHIRE and CL NEPTUNE swept 500 miles westward from Freetown.

Malta

 

[Njaco]

December 1 Sunday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German heavy cruiser "Admiral Scheer" sank British ship "Tribesman" 500 miles west of the Cape Verde islands; 8 were killed and 14 survived. British warships leave Freetown, Sierra Leone, and the island of St. Helena to search for "Admiral Scheer".

200 miles West of Ireland, escorting convoy HG-47, Italian submarine "Argo" torpedoed Canadian destroyer HMCS "Saguenay", destroying the bow and killing 21. "Saguenay" would later able to reach Barrow in Furness, England, for repairs that would last until 22 May 1941.

German submarine U-37 sank British ship "Palmella" 200 miles west of Porto, Portugal at 2022 hours. 1 was killed; 28 survivors were picked up by Spanish trawler "Navemar".

Allied convoy HX-90 became undefended 340 miles west of Ireland after her ocean escorts departed and coastal escorts failing to arrive due to poor weather. At 2012 hours, German submarine U-101 sank the already-damaged British tanker "Appalachee" (7 killed, 32 survived) and damaged British ship "Loch Ranza".

WESTERN FRONT: Werner Mölders claimed his 55th victory. Adolf Galland was promoted to the rank of Oberst.

UNITED KINGDOM: Bristol is attacked by 120 planes during the night (December 1-2). Heavy damage to residential areas is caused by the bombing.

Norwegian troop ship "Oslofjord" hit a mine and sank in the River Tyne, England, at 0820 hours; 1 was killed and 179 survived.

Army Co-operation Command is formed under the command of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Barrett, RAF.

NORTH AMERICA: Major General Thomas Holcomb was appointed to a second term as the Commandant of the US Marine Corps.

ASIA: Romania established diplomatic relationship with the Japanese-sponsored puppet state of Manchukuo.

MEDITERRANEAN: In Italy rationing is introduced for flour, rice, spaghetti and macaroni.

SOUTH PACIFIC: RAAF Station Maryborough, No.3 Wireless Air Gunners' School and No.3 Air Navigation School were established at the present day Maryborough Airport.

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[parsifal]

2 December 1940 (Part I)
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Shakespearian Class ASW Trawler HMS OPHELIA (T 05)

Pictured is HMS CELIA of the same class

Losses
Battle For HX-90
On 1 December 1940, some 500 nautical miles (926 km) sth of Iceland, HX 90 was sighted by U-101, which reported its position. Her skipper, Mengersen, was ordered to shadow and report. During the day, the first Western Approaches escort, the DD HMS VISCOUNT, arrived from OB 251. That evening, Mengersen was no longer able to resist attacking. He fired all twelve of his torpedoes, claiming four ships sunk and two damaged; in fact he sank three ships during the night – APALACHEE (see 1 December), KAVAK, and LADY GLANELY – and damaged another, LOCH RANZA.

Just after midnight on 2 December, U-47 joined and sank one ship, VILLE D'ARLON, which had become separated from the convoy, and damaged another, CONCH. Prien attacked a third ship, DUNSLEY, with his deck gun, but was driven off by an escort.

Later U-95 joined, attacking the damaged CONCH; which was again hit, but remained afloat. U-99, commanded by another ace, Otto Kretschmer, was en route to join the attack, but encountered the RN AMC HMS FORFAR on her way to join OB 251 as ocean escort. Kretschmer attacked her, and hit Forfar five times with torpedoes; she sank with the loss of 172 of her crew, leaving 21 survivors.

U-43 also missed the convoy, but fell in with OB 251, sinking two ships, while the RM sub ARGO, having attacked HG 43, also missed HX 90, but found SC 13, attacking and sinking one ship.

On the morning of 2 December the pack was joined by U-52, which sank two ships, TASSO and GOODLEIGH. The convoy was joined by a further two escorts, the British sloop HMS FOLKESTONE and corvette HMS GENTIAN, also from OB 251. They were assisted by the RCN DD HMCS ST LAURENT, which had been travelling with FORFAR but had detached to reinforce HX 90's escort. VISCOUNT and ST LAURENT attacked numerous asdic contacts, making 13 DC attacks over 4 hrs. No U-boats were hit, but all were kept submerged and silent, allowing HX 90 to escape.

Later that evening, however, the convoy was sighted again, by newcomer U-94; she attacked during the night of 2–3 December and sank two more ships, STIRLINGSHIRE and WILHELMINA. Also that night, U-99 found and sank a straggler, VICTORIA CITY, (though some sources say she was sunk by U-140) and further hit the stricken CONCH which finally did sink .

No further U-boat attacks developed for HX 90, though on 3 December the W HENDRIK was bombed by the LW and sunk. The convoy met its local escort on 5 December and arrived in Liverpool later that day.

MV KAVAK (UK 2782 grt) Sunk by U-101 (Ernst Mengersen) Crew: 41 (25 dead and 16 survivors); Cargo: Bauxite and Pitch Route: Demerera - Halifax (21 Nov) - Newport, Mon; Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 0406 hrs on 2 Dec 1940, U-101 again attacked the convoy HX-90 about 340 miles west of Bloody Foreland and reported one ship sunk and another damaged. In fact, only KAVAK was hit and sunk. The master, 23 crew members and one gunner were lost. 15 crew members and one gunner were picked up by HMS VISCOUNT (D 92) and landed at Liverpool.

MV LADY GLANELY (UK 5497 grt) Sunk by U-101 (Ernst Mengersen) Crew:33 (33 dead - no survivors); Cargo:Wheat Lumber Route: Vancouver, BC - Panama - Bermuda - London ;Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 0507 hrs the LADY GLANELY was torpedoed and sunk by U-101 about 410 miles west of Bloody Foreland. The master, 32 crew members and one gunner were lost.

MV VILLE D'ARLON (Be 7555 grt) Sunk by U-47 (Günther Prien); Crew: 57 (57 dead - no survivors); Cargo: Mixed Route: New York - Halifax - Liverpool; Convoy HX-90 (Straggler); Sunk In the Western Approaches. At 0409 hrs on 2 December 1940 the unescorted VILLE D'ARLON was hit on starboard side aft of amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-47 and sank quickly with a heavy list about 250 miles SW of Rockall. The ship had been in station of HX-90, but became a straggler due to steering troubles and had stopped when attacked by the U-boat, presumably carrying out repairs. The master, 55 crew members and one passenger (DBS) were lost.

Tkr CONCH (UK 8376 grt) Sunk by U-99, hit also by U-47 and U-95 Crew: 53 (0 dead and 53 survivors) Cargo: Fuel Oil Route: Trinidad - Bermuda - Clyde; Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 0525 hrs the CONCH in convoy HX-90 was hit by one torpedo from U-47 (Prien) about 370 miles west of Bloody Foreland and dropped behind the convoy. Between 0905 and 0932 hours, U-95 (Schreiber) fired four torpedoes at the CONCH and hit twice the foreship with only little effect and stopped the vessel with a hit in the engine room, but was then attacked by a DD and driven away. The abandoned tanker was finally sunk by one torpedo from U-99 at 1058 hrs on 3 December, fired from the U-99. The master and 52 crew members were picked up by the HMCS ST. LAURENT (H 83) and landed at Greenock.

MV GOODLEIGH (UK 5448 grt) Sunk by U-52 (Otto Salman); Crew: 37 (1 dead and 36 survivors); Cargo: Timber and Zinc Alloys; Route: British Columbia - Panama - Bermuda - Oban ; Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 0725 hrs, U-52 attacked the convoy HX-90 about 367 miles west of Bloody Foreland and sank two ships, the TASSO and GOODLEIGH. At 0735 hours, the U-boat fired a stern torpedo, which struck one of the ships again. The master, 34 crew members and one gunner from the GOODLEIGH were picked up by HMS VISCOUNT and landed at Liverpool. One crew member was lost.

MV TASSO (UK 1586 grt) Sunk by U-52 (Otto Salman); Crew:32 (5 dead and 27 survivors); Cargo: Timber Route: Halifax - Oban ; Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 0723 hrs, U-52 fired a torpedo at TASSO in convoy HX-90, hit the ship amidships and caused her to sink about 360 miles west of Bloody Foreland. Five crew members were lost. The master and 26 crew members were picked up by HMS VISCOUNT and landed at Liverpool.

MV STIRLINSHIRE (UK 6022 grt) Sunk by U-94 (Herbert Kuppisch); Crew: 74 (0 dead and 74 survivors); Cargo: Mixed Route: Sydney (NSW) - Townsville (Qld) - Bermuda - Liverpool; Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 1823 hrs the STIRLINSHIRE in convoy HX-90 was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-94 and sank with a starboard list about 280 miles NW of Bloody Foreland. The master, 72 crew members and one gunner were picked up by the British steam merchant EMPIRE PUMA from the same convoy and landed at Liverpool.

MV WILHELMINA (UK 6725 grt) Sunk by U-94 (Herbert Kuppisch); Crew: 39 (5 dead and 34 survivors); Cargo: Fish, Wood Pulp and other General Cargo; Route: British Columbia - Panama - Halifax - Liverpool; Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Western Approaches; Between 2216 and 2217 hrs , U-94 fired 3 single torpedoes at a tkr and two steamers in convoy HX-90 265 miles west of Bloody Foreland and observed two hits on the tker and one on a steamer identified as W. HENDRIKk, which was missed by a coup de grace at 0005 hours on 3 December. In fact only the WILHELMINA was hit and sunk in this attack. Four crew members and one gunner were lost. The master and 33 crew members were picked up by HMS GENTIAN and landed at Gourock. The British steam merchant W. HENDRIK thought that they had been hit when the other ship was torpedoed, sent a distress signal and stopped. She was in fact undamaged and continued with the convoy, but was bombed and sunk by the LW on 3 December.

AMC FORFAR (RN 16402 grt) Sunk by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer); Crew: 193 (172 dead and 21 survivors); Convoy HX-90; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 0546 hrs, AMC FORFAR (F 30) was hit by one torpedo from U-99 after she had just left the convoy HX-90 bound for OB-251 about 500 miles west of Ireland. She finally sank at 0657 hrs, after four additional torpedo hits at 0639, 0643, 0650 and 0657 hours. The master, 35 officers and 136 naval ratings were lost. Three officers and 18 naval ratings were rescued by RCN DD ST. LAURENT, DD VISCOUNT and the DUNSLEY and landed at Oban.

 

[Njaco]

December 2 Monday
WESTERN FRONT: The Luftwaffe loses Siegfried Fischer of JG 53 when he goes missing in action. He had five victories at the time of his disappearance.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-99 attacked British armed merchant cruiser HMS "Forfar" with five torpedoes between 0546 and 0657 hours, sinking her; 172 were killed, 21 survived. Shortly after, German submarines U-47, U-52, U-94, U-99, and U-101 attacked Allied convoy HX-90 unescorted 300 miles west of Ireland between 0400 and 0730 hours; her ocean escorts had departed on the previous day, and her coastal escorts failed to arrive due to poor weather. 5 ships were sunk (totaling 22,868 tons), while 2 were damaged; 119 were killed. German submarine U-43 sank British ship "Pacific President" at 0901 hours (entire crew of 50 killed) and British tanker "Victor Ross" at 0941 hours (entire crew of 44 killed). German submarine U-99 sank Norwegian ship "Samnanger" at 2050 hours, killing the entire crew of 30. Destroyer HMS "Viscount" rescues 79 survivors and Canadian destroyer HMCS "St. Laurent" rescues 106. U-94 finds the convoy after the coastal escort vessels arrive and sinks 2 more ships after dark (5 killed, survivors rescued by British SS "Empire Puma" from the same convoy and corvette HMS "Gentian").

German submarine U-37 sank Swedish ship "Gwalia" at 0418 hours (16 killed, 4 survived) and British ship "Jeanne M." at 0446 hours (7 killed, 19 survived); both attacks were about 230 miles north of Cape Roca, Portugal.

HMS "Hermes" made rendezvous with light cruiser HMS "Dragon" in the South Atlantic.

UNITED KINGDOM: Overnight, German bombers bombed Bristol, England.

Various command changes for the Royal Navy are announced. Admiral Tovey is to succeed Admiral Forbes as Commander in Chief, Home Fleet. Forbes goes to Plymouth Command. Admiral Harwood becomes Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff.

ASIA: Crown Prince Yi Un was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in the Japanese Army.

Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma was named the commanding officer of the Taiwan Army.

NORTH AMERICA: Henry Arnold was promoted to the permanent rank of brigadier general.

MEDITERRANEAN: British Admiral of the Fleet William Boyle (Earl of Cork and Orrery) arrived at Gibraltar aboard destroyer HMS "Jersey" to conduct a Board of Inquiry into Admiral James Somerville's decision to disengage at the Battle of Spartivento. Somerville's decision to disengage in the face of superior forces will be upheld and no disciplinary action taken.

Greek forces capture 5.000 Italian troops.

SOUTH PACIFIC: 8 Division of the AIF sailed from Sydney to Malaya and Singapore.


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[parsifal]

2 December 1940 (Part II)
Losses [CONT'D]
OB-251 and SC-11
Whilst the attacks on HX-90 are continuing, U-43 makes contact with OB-251, which escort has left for HX-90 and sinks 2 ships. She sinks also a romper from HX-90. On the 3rd Dec, U-43, u-52, U-94 and U-99 search for SC-13 but do not find it. This convoy has made a detour to the NW because of the bad weather. Only the RM ARGO finds the convoy, fails to report position (which incenses Donitz), but manages to sink one of its ships. The convoy battles end with the sinking of a ship of HX-90 by a Fw-200.

MV PACIFIC PRESIDENT (UK 7113 grt) Sunk by U-43 (Wolfgang Lüth); Crew: 52 (52 dead - no survivors); Cargo: Empty; Route: Leith - New York; Convoy OB-251; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 0901 hrs the PACIFIC PRESIDENT in convoy OB-251 was hit by two torpedoes from U-43 and sank fast by the bow WSW of Rockall. All of the crew were lost.

Tkr VICTOR ROSS (UK 12247 grt) Sunk by U-43 (Wolfgang Lüth); Crew: 44 (44 dead - no survivors) Cargo:Empty; Route:Liverpool - New York; Convoy OB-251; Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 0941 hrs the VICTOR ROSS in convoy OB-251 was hit by two torpedoes from U-43 and sank by the stern after being hit aft by a coup de grace at 1015 hrs 355 miles 210° from Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal. The tkr had been missed by a first coup de grace at 0950 hrs and the U-boat had to evade a ramming attempt by diving shortly afterwards. All crew members were lost.

MV SAMNANGER (UK 4276 grt) Sunk by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer); Crew: 30 (30 dead - no survivors); Cargo:Empty; Route: Hartlepool - Methil Roads - Oban - Pepel; Convoy OB-251 (Straggler); Sunk In the Western Approaches; In the afternoon on 2 December, U-99 spotted and identified the SAMNANGER west of Ireland and followed her for a night attack because the periscope was inoperative. At 2050 hrs, one G7e torpedo was fired that hit amidships and caused a list to starboard. After the crew abandoned ship in the lifeboats, the U-boat began shelling the starboard side of the ship with 27 HE rounds and 25 incendiary shells from the deck gun, setting her on fire. The ship capsized and sank after several hours. While the Germans had observed the crew to abandon ship, no survivors were ever found.

There was also a battle for Convoy OG-46

MV GWALIA (SD 1258 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Asmus Nicolai Clausen); Crew: 20 (16 dead and 4 survivors); Cargo: Coal and mail; Route: Cardiff - Lisbon; Convoy OG-46; Sunk In the SW Approaches; At 0418 hrs the GWALIA in convoy OG-46 was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-37 and sank, followed by the JEANNE M at 0446 hrs about 230 miles north of Cape Roca, Portugal. After a third attack at the same convoy the U-boat observed a burning tker, but this is not supported by Allied sources. The survivors from GWALIA were picked up from a raft after 11 days by a British DD and landed at Gibraltar.

MV JEANNE M (UK 2465 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Asmus Nicolai Clausen); Crew: 26 (7 dead and 19 survivors); Cargo: Coal; Route: Cardiff - Lisbon; Convoy OG-46; Sunk In the SW Approaches; At 0418 hrs the GWALIA in convoy OG-46 was torpedoed and sunk by U-37, followed by the JEANNE M. at 0446 hrs about 230 miles nth of Cape Roca, Portugal. Seven crew members from the JEANNE M were lost. The master and 18 crew members were picked up by HMS ERIN.

Other losses
Steamer JOLLY GIRLS (UK 483 grt) was sunk on a mine 18 cables 101° from North Pier Light, Tyne. The entire crew of the steamer were rescued. She was carrying a cargo a submarine cable. N55 00 29 W001 23 08. The Cullercoats life boat was called out to a spot 3/4 mile east of the Tyne piers. As of 2001, the wreck has never been found by divers, despite extensive searches. The wreck is said to be eighteen cables (just over two miles) out and more or less NW of the North Tyne pier, lying in a depth of around 29.3m on a seabed of sand and stone. There is a wreck on the Admiralty charts in that approximate location, marked as 'position approximate'. It is possible that she lies very close to the wreck of the Nyula

Trawler KILGERRAN CASTLE (UK 276 grt) was sunk by the LW in 51‑21N, 08‑35W. There were no casualties on the British trawler.

UBOATS
Departures
Lorient: U-100

At Sea 2 December 1940
U-29, U-37, U-43, U-47, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-95, U-99, U-100, U-101, U-103, U-140.
13 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.348 departed Southend, escort DDs VERDUN and WOLSEY. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 4th. DD VIMY departed the Tyne for Rosyth arriving early on the 3rd. DD MAORI departed Rosyth for the Tyne for repairs completed on 14 January. DD MATABELE was taken in hand at Rosyth for docking and repairs.

Northern Waters
Admiral Sir J. C. Tovey took over command of the Home Fleet relieving Admiral Sir C. M. Forbes on the 2nd. Tovey had been Vice Admiral, Light Forces in the Med being relieved by Rear Admiral H. D. Pridham-Wipple in November 1940. BB KGV with DDs SOMALI , MASHONA, BEAGLE, BULLDOG departed Rosyth at 1445 for the Scapa Flow exercise area to carry out her acceptance trials.

AA ship ALYNBANK arrived at Scapa Flow at 0700 after escorting convoy EN.34.

West Coast UK
OB.253 departed Liverpool escort DDs VANSITTART and WESTCOTT and corvettes CANDYTUFT and HONEYSUCKLE. The escort was detached on the 6th. DD CAMPBELTOWN was damaged when DD CALDWELL was blown into her while refuelling at Belfast.

Western Approaches
As a part of the Battle for HX-90, at 0606 hrs the DUNSLEY, a straggler from convoy HX-90, was damaged by gunfire by U-47. The U-boat fired 11 rounds of 88mm and scored five hits. The deck cargo caught fire, but was extinguished by the crew after U-47 broke off the attack (having been driven off by the escort). The shelling damaged also shell plates, derricks and masts.

U.47 attacked a straggler (possibly British steamer PENROSE) from HX.90 in 55N, 20W, claimed damaging her, but allied corroboration of this damage exists.

Channel
During the night of 2/3 December, DKM TBs ILTIS and JAGUAR from Cherbourg laid minefield OSKAR off Dover.

Nth Atlantic
Steamer KLAUS SCHOKE (Ger 5830 grt) had departed Holtenau on 12 August 1939 for New York. She was only 300 miles from New York when she diverted for Las Palmas in the Azores after the war started. She remained in the Azores for over a year. On the 1 December 1940 , the German steamer left Las Palmas to attempt to return to Germany. She was intercepted by AMC CALIFORNIA, and then attempted to scuttle herself off the Azores. On the 3rd, DD ENCOUNTER and tug ST DAY departed Gibraltar to bring the prize to Gibraltar. However the steamer did eventually sink after an unsuccessful attempt to get to port on the 5th. .

Sth Atlantic
CA DORSETSHIRE departed Durban.

Med- Biscay
CL MANCHESTER, escorted by DDs HASTY and HEREWARD departed Alexandria for Gibraltar. The ships called at Suda Bay at 0900 on the 3rd. CL MANCHESTER and CA YORK departed Suda Bay at noon. At sunset, YORK was detached and CL MANCHESTER then set off on her own arriving at Gibraltar on the 6th. CL SOUTHAMPTON departed Alexandria for Suez. She departed Suez that day to meet troop convoy WS.4B coming from the Cape. RAN DDs VOYAGER and VENDETTA departed Alexandria and Port Said, respectively, with steamers for convoy AN.8 of five ships, two British. The convoy arrived at Piraeus on the 6th.

Pacific/Far East/Australia Station
RAN CL ADELAIDE provided escort for the Vancouver Mail Ship. On the 2nd, the CL turned over the escort to NZ manned CL ACHILLES off Nth Cape, Australia. ACHILLES escorted the steamer to the Tasman Sea.

Malta

 

[parsifal]

3 December 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIB U-76

Type VIIB U-83 shown in the 1941 Nth Atlantic paint scheme. Six days into her first and only patrol on 2 April, U-76 sank the Finnish steam merchant ship SS DAPHNE which ironically was on her way to Lillehammer, Norway. All 22 crew members were killed in the attack. The next day, U-76 followed the mostly British convoy SC 26 travelling from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Liverpool. The U-boat fired a torpedo at the British merchantman SS ATHENIC, disabling the vessel. The 40 people aboard were rescued by HMS ARBUTUS. However, aided by the new Type 271 radar
the attack attracted the attention of the escort vessels, who pinpointed her position. Deploying depth-charges from HM ships WOLVERINE and SCARBOROUGH, U-76 was sunk. Forty-two of her forty-three-man crew survived and were captured.

Allied
Fairmile B Motor Launch ML 162

Losses
Further attacks on HX-90
U.140 sank steamer VICTORIA CITY (UK 4739 grt) west of Ireland. There were no survivors from the steamer. On the 3rd Decmber 1940 when on route from New York (17 Nov) - Halifax (21 Nov) - London as a straggler in Convoy HX-90 she was torpedoed by German submarine U-140 and sunk. The master and 42 crew members were lost.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Wilhelmshaven: U-29

At Sea 3 December 1940
U-37, U-43, U-47, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-95, U-99, U-100, U-101, U-103, U-140.
12 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Western Baltic
DKM raider KORMORAN departed Gotenhafen on a raiding sortie that was to take her into the Central and Sth Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific. She carried 280 moored mines and 40 ground mines for operations. On the 7th, DKM TBs T.1, T.5, T.12 escorted KORMORAN through the Skagerrak. The KORMORAN successfully passed the Denmark Strait on the 13 December.

North Sea
FN.349 departed Southend, escort DD VIMIERA and sloop WESTON. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 5th. FS.351 departed Methil, escort sloop EGRET and DD VORTIGERN. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 7th. FS.352 departed Methil. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 5th.

Northern Waters
BB NELSON (Tovey) departed Rosyth escort DDs VIMY, DOUGLAS, KEPPEL. NELSON and her escorts arrived at Scapa Flow at 0600 on the 4th. DDs ESCAPADE and BRILLIANT departed Scapa Flow to rendezvous with BB KING GEORGE V in Pentland Firth. Upon joining, DDs ESCAPADE and BRILLIANT relieved DDs SOMALI and MASHONA which entered Scapa Flow. DDs EXMOOR and COTSWOLD departed Scapa Flow to rendezvous with AMCs CHITRAL and SALOPIAN off the Butt of Lewis. CLs AURORA and ARETHUSA departed Scapa Flow with DDs SOMALI, BEDOUIN, MASHONA, ESKIMO on Operation DN (a sweep off the SW Norwegian coast for enemy shipping). No contact was made and the ships arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 4th.

CLA CURACOA departed Scapa Flow to escort convoy WN.47 Fast from Pentland Firth until after dark and then to return to Scapa Flow. AA ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow to cover convoy WN.47 to Methil. At Methil, the AA ship was taken in tow from Methil to Rosyth for maintenance.

Western Approaches
DD CAMPBELTOWN was damaged in a collision with British tanker CONUS. CAMPBELTOWN was repaired at Liverpool completing on 28 March. Dd CASTLETON was damaged in a collision in the Western Approaches. CASTLETON was taken to Portsmouth for repair, arriving on the 18th. While under repair, she was damaged by the LW on 18 January 1941. CASTLETON repairs were completed on 22 February.

SW Approaches
Catapult ship PEGASUS departed Portsmouth to join the escort of convoy OG.47. British trawler SLEBECH was damaged by the LW five miles WNW of Skelligs (SW of the Irish coast). British trawler WILLIAM DOWNES (275grt) was also damaged by the LW five miles WNW of Skelligs. British steamer QUEBEC CITY was damaged by the LW in the North Atlantic off the Irish Coast. British steamer ROBRIX was damaged on a mine two miles 110° from Spurn Light House.

Channel
DD ICARUS departed Portsmouth for Dartmouth on 30 November. On the 3rd, ICARUS departed for minelay GR with DDs KASHMIR, KIPLING, PUNJABI. A defect on ICARUS delayed the minelay. The defect was corrected the next day, but the escorts were no longer available. ICARUS departed Portsmouth on the 7th for Immingham.

During the night of 3/4 December, DKM DDs GREIF, KONDOR, FALKE, SEEADLER from Cherbourg laid minefield MARIANNE off Dover.

Nth Atlantic
HX.93 departed Halifax at 1440 escort RCN DD ASSINIBOINE and aux PVs FRENCH and HUSKY. FRENCH and HUSKY were detached at later that day and ASSINIBOINE departed on the 4th. The ocean escort was AMC AURANIA, which was detached on the 11th. BB RODNEY joined on the 11th and was detached on the 13th. Corvette PICOTEE joined on the 11th and DDs ACHATES, ACTIVE, ANTELOPE and corvette HEATHER on the 13th. ACHATES and corvette HEATHER were detached on the 16th. ASW trawlers LADY MADELEINE and NORWICH CITY were with the convoy in Home Waters. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 18th.

Central Atlantic
CVL FURIOUS and CLA DIDO departed Freetown for the Clyde where they arrived on the 14th.

Steamers IDARWALD (Ger 5033 grt) and MV RHEIN (Ger 6031 grt) departed Tampico to attempt again to return to Germany. IDARWALD was shadowed by USN DD BROOME (DD.210) until RN CL DIOMEDE arrived on the 8th. IDARWALD scuttled herself off the Cuban south coast. Attempts to save IDARWALD continue until 9 December. Steamer RHEIN was shadowed by USN DD SIMPSON (DD.221) which was relieved by USN DD MACLEISH (DD.220). Steamer RHEIN was intercepted on the 11th by Dutch gunboat VAN KINSBERGEN in the Straits of Florida. RHEIN scuttled herself to avoid capture. By the time the scuttling charges were detonated, CL CARADOC had also arrived.

Med- Biscay
CL GLASGOW at anchor in Suda Bay was struck by two torpedoes from RA SM79s and was seriously damaged. The first torpedo at 1540 blew a 22 foot by twenty two hole foot in the starboard side forward. It caused structural damage and flooding. The second torpedo struck at 1541 and hit the starboard side aft. X turret was out of service and two propeller shafts were damaged. 3 crew memebers were kiled and another 3 were seriously wounded. CL GLOUCESTER was also in Suda Bay. GLASGOW was able to return under her own power at 2300 later at 16 knots to Alexandria with GLOUCESTER and DDs HEREWARD and HASTY and given AA protection by CLA CALCUTTA. GLOUCESTER was detached on the 4th to join cruiser YORK covering convoy movements. CALCUTTA was also detached. GLASGOW with DDs HEREWARD and HASTY arrived at Alexandria early on the 5th. After temporary repairs, GLASGOW was able to leave Alexandria in early February 1941 for passage into the Red Sea. GLASGOW was deployed in the East Indies on convoy and escort duties. The cruiser received further temporary repairs at Singapore from 29 June to 29 August 1941.
GLASGOW continued damaged until 6 May 1942 when she arrived at the New York Naval Yard. Repairs were completed 7 August 1942.

BBs BARHAM and VALIANT departed Alexandria for gunnery practices. DD HAVOCK setting out collided with VALIANT. HAVOCK was under repair at Malta from 22 December to 20 February.

Convoy AS.6 of 7 ships departed Pireaus, escort ASW trawler LOCH MELFORT. The second trawler of the escort, KINGSTON CORAL, was unable to proceed due to defects. The convoy was given AA support by CALCUTTA until south of Kaso Strait. Escort ship WRYNECK departed Alexandria on the 5th and joined the convoy. CA YORK and CL GLOUCESTER provided cover for this convoy and convoy AN.8 on the 5th. The convoy arrived at Port Said on the 7th.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
RM DDs TIGRE, LEONE, MANIN, SAURO and sub FERRARIS operated in the Red Sea looking for a Convoy without success.

Malta

 

[Njaco]

December 3 Tuesday
GERMANY: Chief of Naval operations, Admiral Kurt Fricke, demands that air torpedo attacks by the Navy should be resumed and that the Naval bomber squadrons should be re-equipped with the newly designed He 111 H-5.

MEDITERRANEAN: Greeks push Italians back 15 miles along the Ionian coast past the archaeological site at Butrint and capture the Albanian Riviera town of Sarandë. In response to the Italian crisis, the Germans dispatched 50,000 troops to Albania to shore up the Italian defenses. Coupled with the Italian defeats in Africa, the debacle in Greece was a blow to Axis prestige. To the far south, Italian torpedo bombers attacked the British naval base at Suda Bay, Crete, Greece at 1540 hours, damaging British cruiser HMS "Glasgow" with two torpedoes (3 killed, 3 wounded). The Italians lost 28,000 soldiers as war prisoners and one-fourth of Albania's territory. HMS "Glasgow" will be patched up at Alexandria, Egypt, until February 1941 but not fully repaired until August 1942 in New York, USA.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The attack on convoy HX-90 continues despite escort vessels. At 1058 hours, U-99 sinks the abandoned hulk of British MV "Conch", damaged yesterday morning by torpedoes from U-47 and U-95. British SS "W. Hendrik", stopped by her captain who believes she had been hit by a torpedo, is bombed and sunk by a Focke-Wulf Fw-200 (5 killed). The final victim in convoy HX-90 is British SS "Victoria City", sunk by U-140 at 2142 hours (all 43 hands lost).

German armed merchant cruiser "Kormoran" departed Gotenhafen, German (Gdynia, Poland) to raid Allied shipping, carrying supplies for 12 months, 280 naval mines, 40 land mines, and spare parts and torpedoes to supply submarines.

UNITED KINGDOM: 51 German aircraft bombed Birmingham, England, dropping 55 tons of high explosive bombs and 448 incendiary bombs.

The British government announces that it has placed a first order with US yards for the construction of 60 merchant ships.

Destroyer HMS "Campbeltown", one of the first 8 destroyers transferred from the US Navy in September, is damaged in collision with British tanker "Conus" off Liverpool (repaired at Liverpool until March 28 1941).

.

 

[parsifal]

4 December 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIC U-552

U-552 was a Type VIIC U-Boat. She was laid down on 1 December 1939 at Blohm Voss in Hamburg as yard number 528, launched on 14 September 1940 and went into service on 4 December 1940. U-552 was nicknamed the Roter Teufel ("Red Devil") after its mascot of a grinning devil which was painted on the conning tower. She was one of the more successful of her class, operating for over three years of continual service and sinking or damaging 30 Allied ships with 164,276 tons sunk and 26,910 tons damaged. She was a member of 21 wolf packs.

U-552 was involved in two controversial actions: in October 1941 she sank the USS REUBEN JAMES, the first US Navy warship to be lost in WWII ; this was at a time when the US was still officially neutral, and caused a diplomatic row. In April 1942 she sank the freighter SS DAVID H. ATWATER off the US seaboard in a particularly brutal attack, characterized as a naval atrocity.

U-552 had an unusually long service life, surviving to the end of World War II; after evacuating from her French base during the spring of 1944 she operated on training duties in the Baltic Sea until 2 May 1945, when her crew scuttled her in Helgoland Bight, to prevent her falling into enemy hands.

Neutral
Benson Class DD USS EBERLE (DD 430)

Allied
AMC HMCS PRINCE HENRY (F 70)

Rebuilt as Landing Ship Infantry LSI(M). Refit started on 6 March 1943 and recommissioned as such on 6 January 1944.
As LSI(M) she was armed with 2 4" AA guns (1x2), 1 40mm AA, 6 20mm AA (6x1). She carried 2 LCM's, 1 LCS(M) and 5 LCA's or LCP(L)'s and 444 troops. She was decommissioned 15 April 1945.

BPB 70 feet-type (ex: French) Motor Anti-Submarine Boat MA/SB 61 (MA/SB 61)

Sister ship MA/SB 64 pictured. MGB 64 at this stage of the war armed with twin Lewis guns alongside the bridge and a four barrelled Boulton Paul gun turret aft.

Losses
MV DAPHNE (SD 1518 grt) Sunk by U-37 (Asmus Nicolai Clausen); Crew: 19 (18 dead and 1 survivor); Cargo: Coal Route: Glasgow - Lisbon; Convoy OG-46 (Straggler); Sunk off the coast of Portugal ; At 0457 hrs the unescorted DAPHNE, a straggler from convoy OG-46, was hit aft by one torpedo from U-37 and sank within three minutes SW of Cabo Espichel, Portugal.

Special service vessel EMPIRE SEAMAN (RN 1927 grt) was lost. Some reports claim she was sunk as a blockship in June 1940

FVl HELENE (Be 145 grt) was sunk on a mine.

UBOATS
Departures
Kiel: U-96

At Sea 4 December 1940
U-37, U-43, U-47, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-95, U-96, U-99, U-100, U-101, U-103, U-140.
13 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.350 departed Southend, escort DD VIVIEN and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 6th. FS.353 departed Methil, escorty DD WOOLSTON and sloop LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 8th. DD TYNEDALE arrived at Scapa Flow to work up. T/Lt (A) R. H. Ridley RNVR, was killed when his Fulmar of 759 Sqn crashed near Shaftesbury.

Northern Waters
Ummission ed BB KGV with DDs ESCAPADE, BRILLIANT, BEAGLE, BULLDOG arrived at Scapa Flow after acceptance trials that hadf been carried out west of the Orkneys. CLA CURACOA departed Scapa Flow to join convoy WN.48, then transfer to convoy EN.36 when met.

DDs DOUGLAS and KEPPEL departed Scapa Flow and proceeded to Loch Alsh as additional escorts for Minelayer operation SN.10 A.

West Coast UK
CLA PHOEBE was repairing in the Clyde to complete on the 14th. OB.254 departed Liverpool escort ORP DDs BLYSKAWICA and GARLAND; and RN DD VESPER, sloops CHEVREUIL and SANDWICH, corvette HEARTSEASE. The corvette was detached on the 5th. BLYSKAWICA and sloop CHEVREUIL were detached on the 6th and the rest of the escort on the 7th.

Western Approaches
U.52 attacked and claimed sinking a steamer west of Ireland, but allied records dont show such a loss.

Central Atlantic
CL DRAGON departed Freetown.

Med- Biscay
CL DESPATCH departed Gibraltar for Bermuda.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
BS.10 departed Suez, escort sloops CLIVE and GRIMSBY. The sloops were detached on the 7th when relieved by RAN CL HOBART, sloops AUCKLAND and INDUS, armed patrol yacht SAGITTA. DDs KANDAHAR and KIMBERLEY joined on the 8th. The convoy was dispersed on the 11th.

Pacific/Far East/Australia Station
CL DAUNTLESS was refitting at Hong Kong.

Malta

 

[Njaco]

December 4 Wednesday
NORTH AMERICA: F4F-3 Wildcat fighters entered service with the US Navy; VF-41 received the first of these aircraft.

MEDITERRANEAN: Greek forces captured Përmet (capturing 500 Italians), Pogradec, and Sarande in Albania. Italians abandon important supply base of Argyrokastro, southwest Albania, and nearby port of Santi Quaranta, taking 500 Italian prisoners. They now occupy a line from Sarandë on the Ionian Sea, via Përmet and Korçë, to Pogradec on Ohrid Lake in the East.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0457 hours, U-37 sinks Swedish SS "Daphne", 15 miles Southwest of Cabo Espichel, Portugal (18 dead and 1 survivor). This vessel was also torpedoed in WWI (at the time known as SS "Naparima") off Hartlepool, England, by UB-107 on May 10 1918.

UNITED KINGDOM: 62 German bombers dropped 77 tons of high explosive bombs and 184 incendiary bombs on Birmingham, England.

.

 

[Njaco]

December 5 Thursday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Battleship "Bismarck" completed her trials in the Baltic Sea and set sail for Hamburg, Germany.

German armed merchant cruiser "Thor" and British armed merchant cruiser HMS "Carnarvon Castle" exchange 6-inch shells 300 miles south of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. HMS "Carnarvon Castle" was hit 27 times (4 killed, 32 wounded) while "Thor" was able to disengage unharmed. HMS "Carnarvon Castle" would soon receive temporary repairs at Montevideo, Uruguay, using steel plates salvaged from the scuttled German pocket battleship "Graf Spee".

British submarine HMS "Sunfish" sank Finnish ship "Oscar Midling" off the Stadlandet peninsula, Norway, killing all aboard.

British motor torpedo boats MTB.32, MTB.29, and MTB.31 patrolled the coast of the Netherlands near the mouth of River Scheldt, sinking German ship "Paranagua".

Italian submarine "Argo" sank British ship "Silverpine" 250 miles west of Ireland, killing 35.

UNITED KINGDOM: Scottish Independent Labour Party politician John McGovern's peace amendment was rejected by the British House of Commons, 341 votes against the amendment to 4 votes in favor.

British destroyer HMS "Cameron", one of the first 8 destroyers transferred from the US Navy in September, is bombed and badly damaged while refitting in drydock at Portsmouth (14 killed). The dock floods and HMS "Cameron" capsizes. She will be refloated in February 1941 and repaired by April 1942 but never see active service again.

MEDITERRANEAN: Italian torpedo boat "Calipso" hit a mine and sank 6 miles off Cape Misurata, Libya.

GERMANY: An outline plan for the attack on the Soviet Union (Operation 'Otto') is presented to Hitler by the army. As in the last version it provides for a three-pronged attack, with the center force moving toward Moscow being the strongest. Hitler agrees to allow planning to go ahead on this basis but suggests some modifications. He also orders planning for the attack on Greece to continue. Hitler about Barbarossa:

"The German Armed Forces must be prepared to crush Soviet Russia in a quick campaign even before the end of the war against England... Preparations... are to begin now... and are to be completed by 15 May 1941."

.

 

[parsifal]

5 December 1940
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IXB U-109

U-107, a U-boat identical to U-109. U-109 conducted nine war-patrols, sinking 12 ships and damaging one. All but one of these successes were during the six patrols she carried out under the command of the U-boat ace, Heinrich Bleichrodt. On 4 May 1943, she was sunk with all hands by a VLR ASW B-24 Liberator, operated by 86 Sqn RAF

Neutral
Elco 70' PT USS PT 15

Cimarron Class AO USS SABINE (AO 25)

The USS "NICHOLAS" refuels from the oiler USS "SABINE" (AO 25

Allied
Town Class DD HMS (later HMCS) SALISBURY (I 52)

Losses
RN Sub SUNFISH sank steamer OSCAR MIDLING (FN 2182 grt) whilst in German service off Stadlandet. There were no survivors from the Finnish steamer.

RM sub ARGO sank steamer SILVERPINE (UK 5066 grt), a straggler from convoy OB.252, in 54‑14N, 18‑08W. 36 crew lost their lives in this attack.

UBOATS
At Sea 5 December 1940
U-37, U-43, U-47, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-95, U-96, U-99, U-100, U-101, U-103, U-140.
13 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS

Northern Waters
DDs DOUGLAS, KEPPEL, BATH, ST ALBANS departed Loch Alsh escorting minelayers SOUTHERN PRINCE , MENESTHEUS, PORT QUEBEC, AGAMENOM for minelaying mission SN.10 A. BC REPULSE with DDs SOMALI, MASHONA, ESKIMO, BEDOUIN departed Scapa to cover this operation.
The minelaying was conducted during the night of 7/8 December.

DDs ESCAPADE, SIKH, BRILLIANT, BEAGLE departed Scapa Flow escorting BB RODNEY on passage to cover an Atlantic convoy. ORP DD PIORUN and RN DD VIMY departed Scapa to rendezvous with AMCs LETITIA and WOLFE and aux ML MANCHESTER CITY on the 7th, these ships were met and safely arrived in the Clyde.

Channel
DD CAMERON was bombed and badly damaged at Portsmouth while in dock refitting. The dock was partially flooded and CAMERON capsized in dock. 14 ratings were killed in the DD. CAMERON was not refloated until 23 February 1941. She was repaired in fifteen and a half months, completing April 1942, and was used for hull stress testing.

British steamer WATERLAND at Dover was damaged by German shore guns.

Motor torpedo boats MTB.32, MTB.29 and MTB.31 attacked German shipping off Flushing. Steamer PARANAGUA (Ger 6062 grt) was sunk in the attack.

Central Atlantic
CL SHEFFIELD departed Gibraltar for Azores patrol. DKM raider THOR and AMC CARNARVON CASTLE engaged SE of Rio de Janiero The AMC was badly damaged and six ratings were killed, and 17 ratings were wounded.

CA CUMBERLAND and CLs ENTERPRISE and NEWCASTLE searched for the German merchant cruiser on the 7th, but no contact was made

Med- Biscay
Convoy AN.9 with troopship ULSTER PRINCE and oiler BRAMBLELEAF departed Port Said, escorted by RAN DDs VOYAGER and VENDETTA. The convoy arrived at Piraeus on the 7th

TB CALIPSO (RM 679 grt) was sunk on a mine east of Tripoli, laid by Submarine RORQUAL on 5 November.

Pacific/Far East/Australia Station
NZ manned CL ACHILLES met British troopship DOMINION MONARCH in the Tasman Sea and escorted her to Wellington arriving on the 7th.

German steamer AUGSBURG at Dairen was sold to Japan and renamed TEIRYU MARU.

Malta

 

[parsifal]

6 December 1940
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Bathurst Class Minesweeper HMAS BATHURST (J 158 )

The Bathurst Class Corvettes were to the RAN what the Flower class were to the RN and RCN. In 1938, the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board (ACNB) identified the need for a general purpose 'local defence vessel' capable of both ASW and mine-warfare duties, while easy to construct and operate. The vessel was initially envisaged as having a displacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), and a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled Bar-class boom defence vessel saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph) top speed, and a range of 2,850 nautical miles (5,280 km; 3,280 mi), armed with a 4-inch gun, equipped with asdic, and able to fitted with either DCs or minesweeping equipment depending on the planned operations: although closer in size to a sloop than a local defence vessel, the resulting increased capabilities were accepted due to advantages over British-designed mine warfare and ASW vessels.

Construction of the prototype HMAS KANGAROO did not go ahead, but the plans were retained. The need for locally built 'all-rounder' vessels at the start of WWII saw the "Australian MSWs" (designated as such to hide their primary ASW, but universally referred to as "corvettes") approved in September 1939, with 60 constructed during the course of the war: 36 directly ordered by the RAN, 20 (including BATHURST) ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.

BATHURST laid down by Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney on 10 February 1940. She was launched on 1 August 1940 , and commissioned on 6 December 1940 under Lieut-Commander A. V. Bunyan, DSC, RD; RANR(S)

Flower Class Corvette HMCS SPIKENARD (K 198 )

HMCS SPIKENARD was torpedoed and sunk on the 11 Feb 1942 by U-136, about 465 nautical miles west of Malin Head, Ireland in position 56º10'N, 21º07'W, while escorting convoy SC-67. There were only eight survivors.

Higgins 70' Type HMS MGB 72

Generic Image BPB 70′ MGB 1941

Thornycroft 55 feet-type class Motor Torpedo Boat MTB 215

Losses
MV SKRIM (Nor 1902 grt) Sunk by U-43 (Wolfgang Luth); Crew: 23 (23 dead - no survivors); Cargo: Empty; Route: Grangemouth - Aberdeen - Oban - Sydney; Convoy OB-252 (Straggler); Sunk In the Western Approaches; The SKRIM straggled from convoy OB-252 due to bad weather on 4 December and was never seen again. According to BDU reports, at 2248 hrs on 6 Dec 1940, U-43 hit a ship going west in the stern with a torpedo and observed it sinking in 63 seconds. The ship had been spotted at 1847 hrs and missed with a first torpedo at 2226 hrs. This vessel was probably the SKRIM.

Steamer SUPREMITY (UK 554 grt) was sunk on a mine WSW, three cables from EastOaze Light Vessel, Thames Estuary. One crewman was lost on the British steamer.

Trawler JUPITER (Ger 218 grt) was sunk by unspecified enemy action.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-47, U-95

At Sea 6 December 1940
U-37, U-43, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-96, U-99, U-100, U-101, U-103, U-140.
11 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
DD MATABELE departed Rosyth at 2200 for Scapa Flow after docking and repairs. The DD arrived at Scapa Flow on the 7th. FN.352 departed Southend, escort DDs VANITY and WESTMINSTER. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 8th. FS.354 departed Methil, escorted by DDs WALLACE and WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 8th. FS.355 departed Methil, escorted by DDs VALOROUS and VERSATILE. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 9th.

Northern Waters
CLA CURACOA arrived at Scapa Flow after escorting convoy EN.36. The cruiser departed Scapa Flow later that day to join convoy WN.49. DDs BEVERLEY and BURNHAM departed Scapa Flow, after both DDs had completed their working up and were en route to Belfast to join the Western Approaches Command. DD BEAGLE with a damaged steering gear, escorted by DD SIKH, arrived at Scapa Flow at 2359 after being detached from BB RODNEY's screen.

West Coast UK
Sub UNBEATEN was damaged by gales while alongside submarine depot ship TITANIA in the Clyde. The submarine arrived at Barrow to repair on the 17th. Repairs were completed on the 30th. MSW SALAMANDER was damaged in a gale. The MSW underwent repairs and refit at Grimsby from 20 January to 10 March.

Nth Atlantic
HX.94 departed Halifax at 1435 escorted by RCN DD ASSINIBOINE, corvettes TRILLIUM and WINDFLOWER, aux PVs ELK and HUSKY. At 1745, the ocean escort, AMC RAJPUTANA joined the convoy and at 1725 on the 7th, ASSINIBOINE returned to Halifax. The AMC in turn was detached on the 18th. DD SCIMITAR and corvettes and ARABIS and MALLOW joined on the 18th. Corvette ARABIS was detached on the 19th, DD SCIMITAR was detached on the 20th as were the RCN corvettes on that day. Corvette MALLOW was detached on the 22nd. ASW trawlers NORTHERN DAWN and WELLARD were with the convoy in Home Waters. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 22nd.

Med- Biscay
CLs ORION and AJAX and RAN CL SYDNEY departed Alexandria to cover convoy movements. The cruisers called at Suda Bay on the 7th before proceeding to Piraeus, where they arrived on the 8th. ORION then returned to Alexandria, ARRIVING On the 10th. Cruisers AJAX and SYDNEY remained in the Aegean until departing Piraeus on the 10th for Suda Bay. Italian steamers OLIMPIA and CARNIA departed Durazzo escorted by torpedo boat RIBOTY on the 5th. Submarine TRITON on the 6th attacked and badly damaged Italian steamer OLIMPIA in 41‑06N, 18‑39E. RM TBs ALTAIR and ANDROMEDA attacked TRITON, but the submarine escaped.

Pacific/Far East/Australia Station
DKM raider ORION sank steamer TRIONA (Aus 4413 grt) near Nauru Island in the Sth Pacific. Four natives were lost on the steamer. The remainder of the crew were made prisoners of war.

Malta

 

[Njaco]

December 6 Friday
GERMANY: On instructions from Hitler, Lt.Gen. Alfred Jodl orders Major General Walther Warlimont to prepare a general plan for operations against Soviet Russia.

SOUTH PACIFIC: German armed merchant cruisers "Komet" and "Orion" intend to raid phosphate mining operations and drop prisoners on the Allied-run island of Nauru in the South Pacific (a German colony until WWI). The armed merchant cruisers stopped freighter "Triona" with gunfire 200 miles south of Nauru, killing 3 in the process. 54 crew and 7 passengers were taken off the ship before "Orion" sank "Triona" with a torpedo. German Navy admirals would later criticize this use of torpedo as a waste.

MEDITERRANEAN: The Greek advance north along the coast continues to go well. In Pindus Mountains Greeks advance towards Klisura. In Macedonian sector Greeks advance along valleys towards Elbasan. Santi Quaranta, Albania was taken by Greek forces.

Marshal Badoglio resigns his post as Italian Commander in Chief. His successor is General Count Cavallero.

British submarine HMS "Regulus" hit a mine and sank in the Strait of Otranto between Italy and Albania; the entire crew of 55 were killed.

British submarine HMS "Triton" attacked and damaged Italian ship "Olimpia" 40 miles off Brindisi, Italy. Italian torpedo boats "Altair" and "Andromeda" counterattacked, but HMS "Triton" was able to escape unharmed.

WESTERN FRONT: Vichy France held a War Guilt trial, indicting Blum, Daladier, La Chambre, and Gamelin.

ASIA: Captured (by German armed merchant cruiser Atlantis on 10 Nov) Norwegian tanker "Ole Jacob" arrived in Japan, carrying aviation fuel and the captured crew of tanks "Ole Jacob" and "Teddy".

UNITED KINGDOM: Overnight, Luftwaffe bombs Bristol again. In the last 4 days, 256 people have been killed and 229 injured.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-43 sank Norwegian ship "Skrim" 400 miles west of Ireland at 2248 hours; the entire crew of 23 was killed.

NORTH AFRICA: The Western Desert Force begins Training Exercise No.2. This was a 60 mile approach march to their concentration point, designated Piccadilly, approximately 20 miles south of Maktila. Since September, 80,000 Italian troops have fortified a line of 7 camps to protect their forward supply line at the port of Sidi Barrani (running Southwest from Maktila on the Egyptian coast). However, British forces in Egypt have received Matilda tanks and Hurricanes fighters sent at Churchill's request from England. Middle East Commander-in-Chief General Wavell plans a 5 day raid (Operation Compass) through a 15 mile gap in the Italian camps between Nibeiwa on the coastal plain and Sofafi on the escarpment inland. British 7th Armoured Division, British 16th Infantry Brigade and Indian 4th Infantry Division (Western Desert Force under General Richard O'Connor) leave Mersa Matruh at 0700 hours, traveling all day and night to cover half the 70 miles to the Italian camps.

.

 

[parsifal]

7 December 1940
Operation Compass
On the 28 november, Wavell, CinC ME Command wrote to Maitland Wilson "I do not entertain extravagant hopes of this operation but I do wish to make certain that if a big opportunity occurs we are prepared morally, mentally and administratively to use it to the fullest".

The general idea behind the plan was initially the destruction of the fortified campsin a series of mobile raids, taking advantage of the British advnatages of superior mobility and built around the heavy protection of the British tank forces. Surprise was essential to the operation. The British forces were heavily outnumbered, and were relying on shock effect of attacking the fortified camps from their weakest points in their rear.

Order of Battle
The British
General Sir Archibald Wavell
Western Desert Force (XIII Corps from 1 January 1941)
Lt General Richard O'Connor
Corps Troops

7th Btn, Royal Tank Regiment (Matilda Mk II Infantry (I) Tanks)
1st and 104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiments, Royal Horse Artillery (25-pdrs)
51st Field Regiment (Westmoreland and Cumberland Yeomanry), RA (25-pdrs)
7th Medium Regiment, RA (6in Howitzers and 6in guns)
64th Mediterranean Regiment, RA (4.5in guns)
37th Light AA Regiment, RA (40mm Bofors AA guns)
6th Survey Regiment, RA
5th Field Park Company, New Zealand Engineers (from January 1941)
2 x Coys, Cyprus Regiment; Detachment, Palastine Regiment (Pioneers) (from December 1940)
Free French Motor Marine Coy
61 231 Coys, Royal Army Service Corps; 4th Reserve Mechanical Transport Coy, New Zealand Army Service Corps
7th Armoured Division

Maj Gen M. O'Moore Creagh
11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) (Rolls Royce and Morris armoured cars) with No. 2nd Armoured Car Squadron, RAF (Fordham armoured cars)
B Squadron, 1st King's Dragoon Guards (from February 1941) (Marmon-Herrington armoured cars)
3rd Royal Horse Artillery (2-pdr AT guns)
106th (Lancashire Hussars) RHA (37mm Bofors AT guns, 20mm Breda AA guns)
2nd (Cheshire) Field Squadron and 141st Fd Pk Sqn, Royal Engineers
7th Arm'd Div Signals, Royal Corps of Signals
270th Field Security Section, Intelligence Corps
7th Arm'd Div Provost Coy, Corps of Military Police

Divisional Services
4th Armoured Brigade
Brig J. R. L. Caunter
7th Queen's Own Hussars (Light Tanks)
2nd Btn, RTR (Cruiser Tanks)
6th Btn, RTR (Cruiser Tanks)

7th Armoured Brigade
Brig H. E. Russell

3rd The King's Own Hussars (Light Tanks)
8th King's Royal Irish Hussars (Light Tanks)
1st Btn, RTR (Cruiser Tanks)

Support Group
Brig W. H. E. Gott

1st Btn, King's Royal Rifle Corps
2nd Btn, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
4th RHA (25-pdrs)

4th Indian Division (until 12 December 1940)
Maj Gen N. M. de la P. Beresford-Peirse
The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) (Carriers and Light Tanks)
J Bty, 3rd RHA (attached)
1st, 25th 31st Field Regiments, RA (25-pdrs)
1st Btn, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (Machine Gun) (attached)
4th Field Company (King George's Own Bengal)
12th Field Coy (Queen Victoria's Own Madras)
18th Field Coy (Royal Bombay)

Divisional Services
5th Indian Infantry Brigade
Brig W. L. Lloyd

1st Btn, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
3rd Btn, 1st Punjab Regiment
4th Btn (Outram's), 6th Rajputana Rifles

11th Indian Infantry Brigade
Brig R. A. Savory

2nd Btn, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
1st Btn (Wellesley's), 6th Rajputana Rifles
4th Btn, 7th Rajput Regiment

16th (British) Infantry Brigade
Brig C. E. N. Lomax

1st Btn, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
2nd Btn, Leicestershire Regiment
1st Btn, Argyll Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

Selby Force (from Mersa Matruh Garrison)
Brig A. R. Selby

14th Inf Bde HQ
3rd Btn, Coldstream Guards
W Coy, 1 NF
A Coy, 1st Btn, South Staffordshire Regiment
A Coy, 1st Btn, 22nd (Chesire) Regiment (Machine Gun)
Detachment, 1st Btn, Durham Light Infantry; Troop, 7th Hussars; Lt AA Bty, RA

6th Australian Division (from 12 December 1940)
Maj Gen I. G. Mackay
1st NF (from 4th Ind Div)
1st Cheshire (from January 1941)
6th Cavalry Regiment (Carriers and Light Tanks)
2/1st, 2/3rd (25-pdrs) and 2/2nd (18-pdrs and 4.5in howitzers) Field Regiments

Divisional Services, including 2/1st, 2/2nd 2/8th Field Coys, Royal Australian Engineers
16th Australian Infantry Brigade
Brig A. S. Allen

16th AT Coy
2/1st, 2/2nd 2/3rd Battalions

17th Australian Infantry Brigade
Brig S. G. Savige

17th AT Coyy
2/5th, 2/6th 2/7th Battalions

19th Australian Infantry Brigade
Brig H. C. H. Robinson

19th AT Coy
2/4th, 2/8th 2/11th Battalions

202 Group, RAF
Air Commodore Raymond Collishaw 45, 55 113 (Bomber) Squadrons (Blenheims)
33 274 (Fighter) Squadrons (Hurricanes)
3 (Fighter) Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (Gladiators / Gauntlets)
6 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (Lysanders)
208 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (Hurricanes / Lysanders)

(There were also several squadrons available to Collishaw in Egypt at ACM Longmore's discretion such as 37, 38 70 (Bomber) Squadrons (Wellingtons), 216 (Bomber Transport) Squadron (Bombays) and 230 (Coastal) Squadron (Sunderlands))

A number of other squadrons, such as No.211 Squadron, were moved to Greece before the start of Operation Compass and did not return until the fighting had ended.

The Italians

Maresciallo (Marshal) Rodolfo Graziani
Tenth Army
(HQ Bardia)
Generale d'Armata Italo Gariboldi (Generale d'Armata Giuseppe Tellera from 23 December 1940)
10th and 12th Bersaglieri Regiments
12th, 26th and 55th Artillery Regiments
Various Machinegun battalions (from 55th Savona, 17th Pavia, 27th Brescia and 27th Bologna Divisions)
Babini Armoured Bde (57 M13s, 3 x Bersaglieri Btns, Motorcycle Btn, Artillery Regt, 2 x Antitank Coys, Eng Coy and logistics units)

XX Corps
(HQ Giovanni Berta)
Generale di Corpo d'Armata Ferdinando Cona

60th Sabratha Division (Derna)

Gruppo divisioni libiche (Libyan Group)
(HQ Sidi Barrani)
Generale di Corpo d'Armata Sebastiano Gallina

2nd Ragrupamento Carristi (Tank Group) (M11/39s L3s)
Colonello Trivioli

1st Libica Sibelle Division (Maktila)
2nd Libica Pescatori Division (Tummar)
3rd Libica - Gruppo Malletti (Nibeiwa)
4th 3 Gennaio CCNN Division (Sidi Barrani)

XXI Corps

(HQ Sofafi)
Generale di Corpo d'Armata Lorenzo Dalmazzo

V Btn (M13/40s), IV LX Btns (L3s)

63rd Cirene Division (Rabia / Sofafi)
64th Cantanzaro Division (Buq Buq)

XXII Corps
(HQ Tobruk)
Generale di Corpo d'Armata Petassi Manella

Fortress troops and artillery in Tobruk.
1st Ragrupamento Carristi (Tank Group) (M11/39s, M13/40s L3s)
Colonello Aresca

61st Sirte Division (Tobruk)

XXXIII Corps

(HQ Bardia)
Generale di Corpo d'Armata Annibale Bergonzoli

Frontier Guards and Fortress troops in Bardia.

1st 23 Marzo CCNN Division (along the coast between Buq Buq and Sidi Barrani)
2nd 28 Octobre CCNN Division (Sollum)
62nd Marmarica Division (covering the escarpment between Sofafi and Halfaya)

Regia Aeronautica
(as of 10 June 1940)
5th Squadra
Generale Felip Porro

10 Stormo 31 x SM79
14 Stormo 43 x SM81, 12 x SM79, 1 x BR20
15 Stormo 21 x SM81, 37 x SM79, 3 x BR20
33 Stormo 31 x SM79

2 Stormo 60 x CR32, 25 x CR42
10 Gruppo 27 x CR42
50 Stormo 68 x BA65, 17 x RO17, 23 x CA31

Colonial Garrison

1 Gruppo APC su Ghibli e av sahariana 32 x Ghibli
2 Gruppo APC vari tipi battagli sahariana 27 x various

Air Observation

64 Gruppo 5 x RO 1 Bis, 9 x RO 37 Bis
73 Gruppo 1 x RO 1 Bis, 8 x RO 37 Bis
143 Squadron (Mare) 6 x Cant Z 501 (flying boats)

 

[Njaco]

December 7 Saturday
GERMANY: Battleship "Bismarck" entered the Kiel Canal while "Admiral Hipper" departed Kiel, Germany for an anti-shipping sortie in the Atlantic.

British RAF bombers raid Dusseldorf during the night.

SOUTH PACIFIC: "Orion" and "Komet" sank the ship "Vinni" off Nauru. Shortly after, "Komet" sank the ship "Komata".

UNITED KINGDOM: The 100th Beaufighter aircraft rolled off the production line at Filton, South Gloucestershire, England.

There are no air raids recorded -- day or night -- for the first 24 hour period since August 7th.

The Fairey Barracuda dive bomber took its first flight.

NORTH AFRICA: Operation Compass. General O'Connor's Western Desert Force (30,000 troops, artillery, trucks and 275 tanks including 48 Matilda slow but heavily armoured "infantry" tanks) hides out all day and night in No-Man's Land. Windshields are removed from all vehicles to prevent sunglare. O'Connor's luck holds and they are not spotted by Italian reconnaissance aircraft. They recuperate and prepare for the advance to the Italian forts using supplies hidden in advance (Forward Supply Depots hold enough fuel, food, water and ammunition for the planned 5 day raid).

.

 

[parsifal]

7 December 1940
Losses
MV FARMSUM (NL 5237 grt) Sunk by U-99 (Otto Kretschmer); Crew: 31 (16 dead and 15 survivors); Cargo: Coal; Route: Blyth - Oban - Buenos Aires; Convoy OB-252 (straggler); Sunk In the Nth Atlantic; At 2239 hrs , U-99 fired a torpedo at the FARMSUM, a straggler from the convoy OB-252, in heavy seas. The torpedo was a surface-runner and struck the ship above the waterline at the stern, blowing the stern gun overboard. A second torpedo was fired on the bow of the ship but also struck the stern. The next torpedo hit amidships and caused the ship to sink within three minutes. 19 survivors abandoned ship in lifeboats and were eventually picked up by HMS AMBUSCADE (D 38 ) with severe signs of frostbite, four men perished from the frostbite and exposure.

MSW trawler CAPRICORNUS (RN 219 grt) was sunk by a mine two miles 94° from Nore Light Vessel.

MSW trawler CORTINA (RN 213 grt) was sunk in a collision off the Humber.

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-101

At Sea 7 December 1940
U-37, U-43, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-96, U-99, U-100, U-103, U-140.
10 boats at sea

U.65 refuelled at sea from German supply ship NORDMARK

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FN.353 departed Southend, escort DD VORTIGERN and sloop EGRET. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 9th. British steamer YEWARCH was damaged by the LW off Dudgeon Buoy, Humber.

Northern Patrol
MLs SOUTHERN PRINCE, MENESTHEUS, PORT QUEBEC, AGAMEMNON laid minefield SN.10 A, east of Iceland at Seidisfjord and from the northern end of the Faroes - Iceland minefield, escorted by DDs BATH, KEPPEL, DOUGLAS, ST ALBANS during the night of 7/8 December. BC REPULSE, CL ARETHUSA, DDs SOMALI, MASHONA, ESKIMO, BEDOUIN were at sea to cover this operation. The REPULSE group arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 10th.

Northern Waters
CLA CURACOA transferred to convoy EN.37 for escort to Pentland Firth. A northerly gale at Scapa Flow interfered with the exercises and delayed undocking of DD BRADFORD. DD BROADWAY was damaged in a collision with an unknown ship at Scapa Flow. DD BROADWAY departed Scapa Flow on the 9th en route to Hull. The DD arrived in the Humber on the 11th and began repairs completed on 7 January. Sub SUNFISH damaged Norwegian tanker DIXIE (in German service) in 62-10N, 5-05E.

West Coast UK
DD SABRE, returning to Londonderry after escorting convoy SC.13, was damaged by heavy seas NW of Ireland. SABRE was repaired at Belfast completing on 18 January. Convoy OB.255 departed Liverpool escorted by corvette ARBUTUS. The convoy was joined the next day by DDs CHELSEA, COTTESMORE, VERITY, VETERAN, WOLVERINE and corvette CAMELLIA. Corvette ARBUTUS was detached on the 8th and the rest of the escort on the 10th.

SW Approaches
SL.58 departed Freetown escort CA KENT, returning to England for repairs, to 23 December, sloop BRIDGEWATER to 8 December, ASW trawler TURCOMAN to 9 December. On the 23rd, DDs KELVIN and KIPLING joined the convoy for the day and escorted the CA to Plymouth. DD SHIKARI joined on the 24th. On the 25th, DD BROKE, corvettes ANEMONE, HELIOTROPE, LA MALOUINE, ASW trawlers ST KENAN and ST ZENO joined. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 28th.

SLS.58 departed Freetown escort ASW trawlers KELt and SPANIARD to 9 December. Ocean boarding vessel MARSDALE was involved in the escort of the convoy. On the 29th DDs HARVESTER and HIGHLANDER joined the convoy for the day only. Also on the 29th, sloop WELLINGTON joined and was detached on the 31st. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 2 January.

Med- Biscay
BB RAMILLIES, CVE ARGUS, troopship FRANCONIA , DDs KELVIN, ECLIPSE, WRESTLER, VELOX departed Gibraltar to join CVL FURIOUS and CLA DIDO, returning from Takoradi, in 37‑50N, 17‑30W. After the rendezvous, VELOX returned to Gibraltar and the other ships went on to England.

Submarine TRIUMPH arrived at Gibraltar after patrol eastwards of the Straits.

CLA CALCUTTA arrived at Alexandria after covering convoy AS.6. CL GLOUCESTER and CA YORK arrived at Alexandria after covering convoys.
Monitor TERROR, gunboat LADYBIRD, MSW BAGSHOT departed Alexandria as Force A for Mersa Matruh. The monitor and gunboats operated (and were supported by DDs JERVIS, JANUS, NUBIAN) during the night of 8/9 December offshore of the italian positions in the westrn desert. Monitor TERROR and gunboat LADYBIRD also bombarded Sidi Barrani, whilst Gunboat APHIS bombarded Maktila.

Rainbow Class Sub HMS REGULUS (RN 1769 grt), which departed on patrol on 23 November, was declared lost after failing to return from a patrol in the Straits of Otranto. All 54 crew men were lost. She is believed to have hit a mine.

Pacific/Far East/Australia Station
British steamer HERTFORD was damaged by a mine in 35‑30S, 135‑25E, west of Kangaroo Island, near Adelaide (SA).

DKM raider KOMET sank steamer VINNI (Nor 5181 grt) five miles south of Nauru Island in Sth Pacific. There were no casualties on the Norwegian steamer. VINNI had departed Dunedin, New Zealand in ballast on Nov. 21-1940, arriving Nauru on Saturday the 30th, but it was too late in the day to start taking on board phosphate cargo, and due to strong winds the next day she was ordered to head out again as there was no proper harbour facilities at Nauru (which was essentially a phosphate mine) . She went back to the signal station on the island every morning and evening to see if there were any further orders, but the weather continued to be unfavourable for loading. By the afternoon of Saturday Dec. 7 she had drifted about 15 n. miles away from the island, and had started to head back when the people on board noticed a cargo ship with the Japanese flag on the side approaching from the west side of Nauru. VINNI was at that time about 3 miles NE of the island and had stopped her engines again, preparing to stay there through the night. When it became clear that the ship with the Japanese neutrality markings was not on a friendly errand, VINNI attempted to get away at full speed, but it was too late; the "Japanese" vessel eventually caught up with them. A prize crew was placed on board (at about 1915) and VINNI's men were ordered to gather up their belongings as quickly as possible, abandon ship and row towards DKM KOMET (which was now flying the Kriegsmarine ensign) which for the occasion carried the name MANYO MARU, where they were locked up and placed under guard. VINNI was sunk by explosive charges at 10 o'clock that evening, about 6 n. miles NE of Nauru (another source, "The World's Merchant Fleets", Roger W. Jordan says 5 miles south of Nauru, while "Nortaships flåte" gives the position as 00 41S 16 55E).

No shots had been fired, so all 32 crew had survived and were prisoners on board KOMET for 2 weeks, until they were left on Emirau Island on Dec. 21, along with almost 500 other prisoners from 6 ships, women and children included. When the mainland was made aware of the incident it quickly became widespread news. Mr. Fraser, NZ's PM at the time reported it himself as early as Jan. 1-1941, soon after VINNI's 1st Mate A. Jensen, and some officers from the other ships had managed to get in touch with the mainland . Even Oslo newspapers carried the news on Jan. 2. The Australian Naval authorities sent the passenger ship S/S Nellore to their rescue. They arrived in Townsville on Jan. 1-1941.

Model of the VINNI

 

[parsifal]

7-8 December 1940
The Battle of the Camps - Prelude
Late on 8 December, an Italian recon aircrew reported that attack on Maktila and Nibeiwa camps was imminent but Maletti (the Italian armoured gp) was not informed. On 9 December, the 1st Libyan XX Sibelle was at Maktila and the 2nd Libyan XX Pescatori was at Tummar. The Maletti Gp was at Nibiewa and the 4th Blackshirt XX 3 Jennaio and the headquarters of the Libyan XXX HQ were at Sidi Barrani. The 63rd Infantry XX Cirene and the headquarters of XXI Corps were at Sofafi and the 64th Infantry XX Catanzaro was at Buq Buq. The HQ of the XXIII Corps and the 2nd Blackshirt XX "28 Ottobre" were in Sollum and Halfaya Pass respectively and the 62nd Infantry XX Marmarica was at Sidi Omar, sth of Sollum. Berti was on sick leave and Gariboldi, the 1st Blackshirt XX 23 Marzo and the 10th XXXX HQ were far back at Bardia.

Operation Compass (la battaglia della Marmarica Battle of the Marmarica) began on the night of 7/8 December. The Western Desert Force with the 7th Armoured XX, 4th Indian XX and the 16th Infantry Bde advanced to their start line. The RAF made attacks on Italian airfields and destroyed or damaged 29 a/c on the ground. Selby Force (Brigadier A. R. Selby) with 1,800 men, the maximum for whom transport could be found, moved up from Matruh, set up a bde of dummy tanks in the desert and reached a position SE of Maktila by dawn on 9 December. Maktila had been bombarded by the monitor HMS Terror and the gunboat HMS Aphis; Sidi Barrani had been shelled by the gunboat HMS LADYBIRD the preceding evening. All along the coast the RN was carrying out significant gunfire support missions in an effort to offset the glaring weaknesses in Allied artillery

8 December 1940
Losses
Hybrid Liner/Cargo Vessel CALABRIA (UK 9515 grt) Sunk by U-103 (Viktor Schütze); Crew: 360 (360 dead - no survivors); Cargo: Passengers, Oil, Tea and Oilcake; Route: Calcutta - Freetown - Belfast - Liverpool ; Convoy SLS-56 (Straggler); Sunk In the Western Approaches; At 2058 hrs the CALABRIA, a straggler from convoy SLS-56, was hit by two torpedoes from U-103 295 miles 262° from Slyne Head, Co. Galway. She sank after being hit by a coup de grace at 2106 hrs. There were no survivors: the master, 128 crew members, one gunner and 230 Indian seamen (crews for other ships) were lost.

MV ASHCREST (UK 5652 grt) Sunk by U-140 (Hans-Peter Hinsch); Crew: 38 (38 dead - no survivors); Cargo: Steel; Route: Philadelphia - Middlesbrough; Convoy SC-13 (Straggler); Sunk In the Western Approaches; On 7 Dec 1940 the ASHCREST , a straggler from convoy SC-13, sent in a radio distress signal that her rudder was broken. The signal also alerted U-140 which sighted the stopped ship in the evening on 8 December and fired one G7e torpedo at 2020 hrs. It became a surface runner and missed, so after five minutes a second G7e torpedo was fired that hit underneath the bridge and broke her in two. The foreship sank immediately and the remaining part after 10 minutes. The master, 36 crew members and one gunner were lost.

Coastal steamer ACTUALITY (UK 311 grt) was sunk on a mine three miles south of Mouse Light Vessel. All six crew were lost.

Sailing Vessel PENANG (FN 2018 grt) Sunk by U-140 (Hans-Peter Hinsch); Crew: 18 (18 dead - no survivors); Cargo: Grain Route: Port Victoria, South Australia - Stenhouse Bay - Queenstown, Ireland ;Convoy Independant; Sunk In the Western Approaches; at 1226 hrs, U-140 fired one torpedo at a sailing ship reported as the Finnish LAWHILL and observed how the ship capsized after the hit and sank after 30 minutes NW of Tory Island. However, the ship was in fact the PENANG , which was reported missing en route to Queenstown, Ireland.

UBOATS
At Sea 8 December 1940
U-37, U-43, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-96, U-99, U-100, U-103, U-140.
10 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
FS.356 departed Methil, escort DD VIMIERA and sloop WESTON. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 10th. FS.357 departed Methil, escort DD VIVIEN and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 11th.

DD WINDSOR was mined off Aldeburgh; after which she was towed to Harwich by DD GARTH and later to Sheerness. She was repaired to Chatham to complete on 24 April after 17 weeks in repair dock.

Northern Waters
DDs COSSACK and SIKH departed Scapa Flow to rendezvous on the 11th in 55N, 22W with BB RAMILLIES, CVL FURIOUS, AMC CALIFORNIA and , troopship FRANCONIA returning from Takoradi. The DDs provided additional escort for the warships as they proceeded to Clyde for replenishment and a short refit. Simultaneously, the new CV FORMIDABLE was escorted from the Clyde to Skerryvore by DD AMBUSCADE. ORP DD PIORUN and RN DD VIMY, escorting AMCs, were detached at 2115 to proceed to Belfast to provide additional escort for the CV. DDs PIORUN and VIMY arrived at Belfast on the 9th.

CLA CURACOA arrived at Scapa Flow after covering convoy EN.37 in the Pentland Firth area. DDs MATABELE, BULLDOG, BEAGLE, PYTCHLEY departed Scapa Flow to screen BB KING GEORGE V which was completing its acceptance trials west of the Orkneys. DD BRADFORD departed Scapa Flow after docking for repairs. She proceeded to Londonderry to join the Western Approaches command.

West Coast UK
OB.256 departed Liverpool escort DDs BROKE, SALADIN, SARDONYX, corvette LA MALOUINE, ASW trawlers ST KENAN and VIZALMA. The escort was detached on the 12th.

Western Approaches
British steamer TREVERBYN was damaged by the LW.

Nth Atlantic
SC.15 departed St Johns at 1000 with an ocean escort AMC CILICIA. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 23rd.

Central Atlantic
CV ARK ROYAL and DDs FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FURY departed Gibraltar for patrol in the Atlantic and flying off exercises. They also covered CL MANCHESTER, which departed Gibraltar at the same time escorted by DD JERSEY, returning to Plymouth after COLLAR operations. The ARK ROYAL force returned to Gibraltar on the 11th. The MANCHESTER group arrived at Plymouth on the 11th. DD JERSEY remained at Plymouth while the MANCHESTER went to Scapa Flow, arriving on the 13th.

Vichy CL PRIMAUGUET departed Casablanca for Dakar at the beginning of December. PRIMAUGUET had been sent to Dakar to collect and transport Vichy gold reserves at Dakar, and departed the port Dakar on the 5th with 1200 tons of gold and arrived at Casablanca on the 8th.

Med- Biscay
Convoy AS.8's sailing was postponed. RAN DDs VENDETTA and VOYAGER, standing by to escort the convoy, returned to Alexandria. Sub REGENT made an unsuccessful attack on an Italian ship off the Libyan coast.

Pacific/Far East/Australia Station
DKM Raider ORION sank two Australian steamers off Nauru: the MV TRIADIC (Aus 6378 grt) at 00‑43S, 167‑20E

and MV TRIASTER (Aus 6032 grt) at 00‑54S, 167‑24E near Nauru Island in the South Pacific.

One native was lost and 11 Australian crew were taken prisoner on the steamer TRIADIC. 14 Australian crew and one passenger were made prisoners of war from steamer TRIASTER.

DKM Raider KOMET sank steamer KOMATA (NZ 3900 grt) east of Nauru Island in the South Pacific. The NZ cargo steamer was scuttled by the KOMET and ORION on December 8th, 1940, when 20 miles East of Nauru and on a voyage from Suva to Nauru. Some survivors were picked up by the raider. Two crew were killed on the steamer KOMATA.

NZ manned CL ACHILLES departed Wellington to search for the raiders but found nothingt and returned to Auckland .

Malta

 

[Njaco]

December 8 Sunday
WESTERN FRONT: During the take off for an attack on London, a He 111 from 9./KG 55 crashes at Villacoublay airfield and kills all aboard.

Franco determined Spain was not ready to enter the war.

GERMANY: Battleship "Bismarck" exited the Kiel Canal.

SOUTH PACIFIC: Stormy weather prevents German armed merchant cruisers "Komet" and "Orion" from landing on the island of Nauru to raid phosphate mining facilities and drop off their prisoners as planned. However, they sink 3 freighters waiting offshore. "Orion" sinks "Triadic" (1 killed, 11 crew taken prisoner) and "Triaster" (64 crew taken prisoner) and "Komet" sinks "Komata" (2 killed, 33 crew taken prisoner). The German raiders and their support vessel "Kulmerland" now have 675 prisoners including 52 women and 8 children.

MEDITERRANEAN: Greek troops captured Gjirokastra and Delvinë in Albania.

Three Italian admirals were dismissed, including Cavagnari, Chief of Naval Staff. Inigo Campioni was relieved of command with the Italian Navy 1st Naval Squadron.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: British light cruiser "Diomede" chased the German blockade runner "Idarwald" from Tampico, Mexico. Before a capture could be effected the crew of the German freighter set it afire and scuttled it off Cabo Corrientes, Cuba. The US destroyer USS "Sturtevant" observed the proceedings.

German submarine U-103 sank British liner "Calabria" (carrying 4000 tons of iron, 3050 tons of tea and 1870 tons of oilcake from India to Britain) 295 miles west of Ireland at 2058 hours. 360 were killed, 230 of whom were Indian sailors who were being ferried to Britain to crew other ships; 21 survived. German submarine U-140 sank Finnish sail ship "Penang" 75 west of Ireland at 1226 hours, killing the entire crew of 18. Penang is a 3-masted steel sailing ship, built in 1905, carrying 3250 tons of grain from Australia to Ireland. At 2025 hours, U-140 struck again, sinking British ship "Ashcrest", killing the entire crew of 37.


NORTH AFRICA: Operation Compass. General O'Connor's Western Desert Force moves forward all day and into the night, covering the remaining 35 miles to the line of Italian forts. British troops pass through a gap in a chain of Italian defensive camps near Sidi Barrani, preparing to attack from the rear the following day. The forces moved through the gap between Italian camps Nibeiwa and Sofafi without being detected.

RAF attack many Italian airfields and landing-grounds in Libya.

UNITED KINGDOM: In a wide ranging letter to President Roosevelt, Winston Churchill reviewed the state of the war. Now isolated from continental Europe, Britain's main source of supply, for food as well as all manner of war munitions, lay across the Atlantic. The Germans had recently had a series of successes, as their Surface raiders and U-Boat wolfpack tactics paid off. British countermeasures were constantly being developed but convoy escorts were not yet well co-ordinated, and there was still no answer to the long range Condor planes being used to spot shipping for the U-Boats. This letter was copied to the War Cabinet and might well have been intended for a wider audience given the characteristic language employed:

"The danger of Great Britain being destroyed by a swift, overwhelming blow, has for the time being very greatly receded. In its place, there is a long, gradually-maturing danger, less sudden and less spectacular, but equally deadly. This mortal danger is the steady and increasing diminution of sea tonnage. We can endure the shattering of our dwellings, and the slaughter of our civil population by indiscriminate air attacks, and we hope to parry these increasingly as our science develops, and to repay them upon military objectives in Germany as our Air Force more nearly approaches the strength of the enemy. The decision for 1941 lies upon the seas. Unless we can establish our ability to feed this Island, to import the munitions of all kinds which we need, unless we can move our armies to the various theatres where Hitler and his confederate, Mussolini, must be met, and maintain them there, and do all this with the assurance of being able to carry it on till the spirit of the Continental Dictators is broken, we may fall by the way, and the time needed by the United States to complete her defensive preparations may not be forthcoming. It is therefore in shipping and in the power to transport across the oceans, particularly the Atlantic Ocean, that in 1941 the crunch of the whole war will be found. If, on the other hand, we are able to move the necessary tonnage to and fro across salt water indefinitely, it may well be that the application of superior air power to the German homeland and the rising anger of the German and other Nazi-gripped populations, will bring the agony of civilization to a merciful and glorious end. But do not let us underrate the task".

Fire raid on London by 413 aircraft (2 lost): In 14-hour onslaught bombs are scattered over many metropolitan and suburban districts and between London and South and East Coasts, but all fires quickly controlled. 7 hospitals and 4 churches hit. Total bombload: 115,000 1-kg (2,2-lb) incendiaries and 387 t HE.

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[parsifal]

9 December 1940
Battle Of The Camps
Destruction Of Gruppo Malletti
At 05.00 on 9 December a detachment of artillery commenced a diversionary firing for an hour at the fortified Nibeiwa camp which was occupied by the Maletti Group from the east. At 07.00 the main divisional artillery started to register targets and by 07.15 a full concentration had started. At that moment 11th Indian Infantry Bde, with 7 RTR under command, attacked Nibeiwa from the NW, which reconnaissance had established as the weakest sector. By 08.30, after some fierce fighting, Nibeiwa was taken; General Maletti was killed and 2,000 prisoners were taken.

The destruction of the Maletti Group is described by Walker in Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts:"The initial British assault would fall on Nibeiwa Camp, where the only available Italian armoured unit was based, and it achieved complete surprise. Raggruppamento Maletti, or Maletti Group, under General Maletti, was an ad hoc formation consisting of 2,500 Libyan soldiers and 2 Armoured Battalion, with thirty-five M11/39 medium tanks and thirty-five L3/35 light tanks. It was earmarked for early destruction in the assault, which commenced at 0500 hrs with what appeared to be no more than another raid on the eastern side of the camp. At 0700, however, 48 Matilda tanks suddenly appeared from the opposite side of the camp. They struck twenty-three unmanned M11/39 tanks of the Maletti Group, which had been deployed to guard the unmined entrance to the camp. The Italians were caught completely off guard and many did not even reach their tanks, including General Maletti, who was killed emerging from his dugout. They were slaughtered and their vehicles destroyed by the British in less than ten minutes. The Italian artillery fought on valiantly, firing on the Matildas and recording many hits, some at point-blank range - but none penetrated their 70 mm of armour. The remaining Italian tanks were captured intact, and the Libyan infantry, left practically defenceless, quickly surrendered. The British had captured Nibeiwa and destroyed the only front-line Italian armoured unit in less than five hours".

Large quantities of supplies were also taken intact while O'Connor's casualties amounted to eight officers and forty-eight men. Major-General Noel Beresford-Peirse, commander of 4th Indian Division, ordered his 5th Indian Infantry Brigade to move up with supporting field artillery and take positions for the attack on the Tummar

Assault on the Tunmars
The attack commenced on Tummar West at 1350, after 7 RTR had refuelled and re-armed and artillery had softened the defences up for an hour. Here too a NW approach was made and the tanks broke through the perimeter without too much difficulty and were followed 20 minutes later by the infantry. However, the defenders put up stronger opposition than at Nibeiwa but by 1600 Tummar West was overrun, except for the extreme NE corner. The tanks shifted their point of attack to Tummar East, the greater part of which was captured by nightfall. Meanwhile 7th Armoured Division's 4th Armoured Brigade, while performing flank defence, had advanced to Azziziya where the garrison of 400 surrendered. Light patrols of the 7th Hussars pushed forward to cut the road from Sidi Barrani to Buq Buq while armoured cars of the 11th Hussars ranged further west. The tanks of 7th Armoured Brigade was held in reserve.

Maktila
Unaware of the situation at the Tummars, Selby decided nevertheless to send units forward to seal off the western exits from Maktila. During that night, however, the 1st Libyan Division was able to filter through and make good its escape.

Captured Italian Artillery from Nibeiwa Camp; Matilda Tanks were crucial to the British success

Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Elco 70' type USS PT 18

PT-18 helps tow the stricken, PT-11 back to the USS NIAGRA.
New image source: http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=680

Allied
LCT Mk I HMS LCT 11, 12, 13 (LCT 11-13); Elco 70' type HMS MTB 267 (MTB 267)

Losses
MV EMPIRE JAGUAR (UK 5186 grt) Sunk by U-103 (Viktor Schutze); Crew: 37 (37 dead - no survivors); Cargo: Empty; Route: Cardiff - Philadelphia; Convoy OB-252 (Straggler); Sunk In the Western Approaches; at 0132 hrs on 9 Dec 1940 the EMPIRE JAGUAR , a straggler from convoy OB-252, was torpedoed and sunk by U-103 296 miles 248° from Slyne Head. The master, 34 crew members and two gunners were lost.

Ferry ROYAL SOVEREIGN (UK 1527 grt) was sunk on a mine near the small port of Barry . One crewman was lost from the British steamer.
New image source: General Steam Navigation Passenger Motorship Postcards

UBOATS
At Sea 9 December 1940
U-37, U-43, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-96, U-99, U-100, U-103, U-140.
10 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
AA ship ALYNBANK completed refitting at Rosyth. The ship proceeded to Methil under tow, from which she departed Methil on the 10th escorting convoy EN.39. FN.355 departed Southend, escort DDs QUORN, WALLACE, WOLFHOUND, WOOLSTON and sloop LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 11th.

DD BROADWAY escorted convoy FS.59 at Methil for passage to the Humber. The DD arrived at Hull on the 11th for repairs.

B]Northern Waters[/B]
ORP DD PIORUN and RN DD VIMY departed Belfast at 2030 escorting CV FORMIDABLE to the Clyde. DD BURNHAM was also in the escort. DDs ESCAPADE and BRILLIANT arrived at Scapa Flow after escorting BB RODNEY.

DDs MATABELE, BULLDOG, ELECTRA departed Scapa Flow escorting BB KING GEORGE V for further acceptance trials west of the Orkneys. The DDs arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 10th. DD BROADWAY, which was damaged in a collision on the 7th, departed Scapa Flow to meet convoy WN.50 in the Pentland Firth and act as additional escort until daylight on the 10th.

SW Approaches
OG.47 with 30 ships departed Liverpool and Bristol escort DD WILD SWAN, sloop LEITH, corvettes GARDENIA, FLEUR de LYS, PRIMULA. British CAM ship PEGASUS, DD HIGHLANDER, corvettes CAMPANULA and PERIWINKLE departed Portland and met the convoy. Corvettes FLEUR de LYS with a damaged asdic dome and CAMPANULA with an engine room defect on the 12th were detached to Londonderry. DD WILD SWAN, corvette GARDENIA and CAM ship PEGASUS were detached on the 15th. The convoy and sloop LEITH arrived at Gibraltar on the 21st. Aux ML MANCHESTER CITY and AMC DUNNOTTAR CASTLE were in a collision.

HG.48 with 19 ships departed Gibraltar. Sloop DEPTFORD escorted the convoy from 10 to 23 December. DD VIDETTE escorted the convoy from 10 to 13 December. DD CALDWELL joined from convoy OB.260/18th and escorted the convoy until 23 December. Sloop SCARBOROUGH, DD VANSITTART, corvettes BLUEBELL and HONEYSUCKLE joined the convoy from convoy OB.260 on the 20th. They remained with the convoy until 23 December. DD WESTCOTT also joined the convoy on the 20th and remained with it until 23 December. In Home Waters, DD VANSITTART escorted the Clyde section and corvette BLUEBELL escorted the Oban section. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 23rd.

Central Atlantic
CA CUMBERLAND arrived on the Sth America Station to join flagship CA HAWKINS and CL ENTERPRISE.

Sth Atlantic

Med- Biscay
Vichy sloop COMMANDANT BORY departed Toulon escorting submarines LA VESTALE, LA SULTANE, L'ARETHUSE, L'ARCHIMEDE for Dakar. They called and Oran on 13 and 14 December, passing Gibraltar on the 15th. The ships arrived at Casablanca on the 16th.

Malta

 

[Njaco]

December 9 Monday
NORTH AFRICA: Operation Compass was launched with dawn attacks on the Nibeiwa camp with a heavy artillery barrage. When the Italians had invaded Egypt in September they had moved forward some 60 miles and then established a series of armed camps in the desert. Covert British reconnaissance had established that there were wide gaps between the forts and they did not form a linked defensive line. Furthermore although parts of the encampments were heavily fortified, with large mine fields in front of them, there were many weak spots, as the Italians required their own access in order to resupply them. The Italians commanded forces of around 150,000 whereas the British had around 36,000 troops and had far fewer tanks and guns. Nevertheless it was felt that a surprise attack was possible. Beginning at 0500 hours, Allied artillery and aircraft bombarded the Italian camp at Nibeiwa, Egypt for two hours. At 0715 hours, ground troops began moving toward the rear of the fort for attack. They are quickly spotted by Colonel Vittorio Revetra, commander of Italian fighter forces in Libya flying a Fiat CR-42 between airfields, but it is too late for the Italians to reorganize the defenses. Surprise was complete and there was widespread confusion amongst the Italians. Italian tanks in the camp areas were unable to mount a co-ordinated counter-attack. Then they discovered they had no weapons capable of dealing with the slow moving but heavily armoured British Matilda 'infantry' tank. There was no lack of bravery on the part of the Italians, many of whom died at their guns. Troops of the Indian 4th Infantry Division, supported by tanks of the British 7th Royal Tank Regiment, captured the camp at 0830 hours. General Malletti was dead and 2,000 Italians were surrendering. Italian The 4th Indian division also captures the Italian camps at Tumar East and West, while the 7th Armoured drives south of the camps at Sofafi and Rabia and turns north towards Buq Buq on the coast road to prevent an Italian withdrawal. Meanwhile, British monitor HMS "Terror" and gunboats HMS "Ladybird" and HMS "Aphis" bombarded Italian positions at Sidi Barrani and Maktila.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-103 sank British ship "Empire Jaguar" 250 miles west of Ireland at 0132 hours, killing the entire crew of 37.

The Special Landing Operation No. 2 exercise, conducted by US Navy and US Marine Corps in the Caribbean Sea, was completed.

ASIA: The French Groupe Occasionnel squadron was formed in French Indochina, consisted of a light cruiser and four avisos.

GERMANY: Battleship "Bismarck" arrived at Hamburg, Germany.

MEDITERRANEAN: Four special task forces of British Mediterranean Fleet formed to bombard Italian positions and communications along Egypt-Libya coast.

Admiral Iachino, former Naval Attache in London, appointed CinC of Italian Fleet.

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