This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

June 1 Sunday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-105 sank the ship "Scottish Monarch" southwest of the Cape Verde Islands at 0052 hours; 1 was killed, 44 survived.

German submarine U-107 sank British ship "Alfred Jones" 140 miles off Freetown, Sierra Leone, British West Africa at 1409 hours; 14 were killed, 62 survived and rescued by British corvette HMS "Marguerite".

The US Coast Guard begins patrolling off Greenland with 4 cutters. The U.S. Coast Guard establishes the South Greenland Patrol consisting of the Coast Guard cutters USCGC "Modoc" (CGC-39) and USCGC "Comanche" (CGC-57); yard tug USCGC "Raritan" (CGC-72); along with the U.S. Navy's unclassified auxiliary vessel USS "Bowdoin" (IX-50), a schooner. The ships will patrol from Cape Brewster to Cape Farewell to Upernivik.

ASIA: The Japanese destroyed four of the Chinese 12th BG's SBs at the aerodrome at Zhaotung.

The Chinese and the US Governments announced officially a document concerning the establishment of the reciprocal relationship.

GERMANY: The Blohm and Voss BV 141, one of the oddest aircraft the Luftwaffe has ever built, is flown for the first time. The aircraft, the V-10 of the redesigned B-series, had finally received a propeller and took to the skies. The plane was made in response to a RLM requirement for a tactical aircraft with a crew of three with excellent all around vision. The single engined BV141 has the power plant in the fuselage and the cockpit section located on the wing along with an offset tail aileron.

Oblt. Wilfried Balfanz is appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I / JG 53.

All Catholic publications were banned in Nazi Germany.

MEDITERRANEAN: Unternehmen Merkur: Before dawn, British cruiser HMS "Phoebe", minelayer HMS "Abdiel", and destroyers HMS "Jackal", HMS "Kimberley", and HMS "Hotspur" embarked 3,710 Allied troops at Sphakia, Crete, Greece and departed; the force would arrive safely at Alexandria, Egypt later on the same day. Anti-aircraft cruisers HMS "Calcutta" and HMS "Coventry" were dispatched from Alexandria to cover this force. HMS "Calcutta" was attacked by Axis aircraft, sinking at 0945 hours with 118 lost and 255 wounded. Although the Allied efforts had evacuated 16,511 men from Crete, 5,000 still remained. They would be surrendered by Australian Lieutenant Colonel Theo Walker by the end of the day, thus ending the German campaign on Crete. British Commonwealth losses amount to 1,742 dead and 1,737 wounded, while the German have lost 3,985 dead and missing and 2,131 wounded. The Germans have lost 220 planes to the RAF's 46. The Royal Navy has taken a severe pounding - three cruisers and six destroyers sunk and 17 ships crippled, with the loss of 2,011 lives. Some 15,000 troops are saved but at a cost to the RN of 2,000 men killed.

Axis Convoy departs for Tripoli with six vessels escorted by Italian destroyers "Aviere", "Geniere", "Dardo", and "Camica Nera" and supported by two cruisers and four more destroyers.

Operation ROCKET: Aircraft carrier HMS "Furious", after a fast passage to the UK and turn round, arrived at Gibraltar with 48 Hurricane Mk II aircraft, loading some into HMS "Ark Royal" immediately on arrival. HMS "Argus" made a stern to stern transfer of her aircraft to HMS "Furious", at the same time, the ultimate stowage being 20 Hurricanes in HMS "Furious" and 24 in HMS "Ark Royal", the balance were landed at Gibraltar for station there.

MIDDLE EAST: A pro-British government was established in Iraq under Amir Abdul Illah. Having waited several days at RAF Habbaniya, the Regent of Iraq, Amir Abdul Illah, returns to Baghdad to restore the monarchy. Air Vice-Marshal Arthur Tedder is appointed C-in-C air forces in the Middle East.

NORTH AFRICA: The balance of the 15th Panzer Division is now present in North Africa.

NORTH AMERICA: The First Issue of US Technical and Tactical Trends is published.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Major Joachim Seegert is made Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 77 in place of Hptm. Walter Grommes. Hptm. Alfred von Lojewski is posted as Gruppenkommandeur of the newly formed IV./JG 77.

SOUTH PACIFIC: RAAF No. 24 Squadron (Wirraways) arrived at Garbutt aerodrome, Townsville.

UNITED KINGDOM: Throughout the night, the Luftwaffe conducts several single bomber raids on England. The first raid begins at 0120 hours by a single He 111 of II./KG 53 with the bomber dropping its load on Bristol. The second occurs shortly after at 0157 hours when Avonmouth is attacked by a solitary Heinkel from III./KG 26. At 0220 hours three Ju 88s from KGr 806 attack Bristol again and an hour later one He 111 of I./KG 28 attacks Bristol for the last raid of the night. Before dawn, German bombers attacked Merseyside in the early hours of the day. The Luftwaffe sends 110 aircraft to attack Manchester and 130 bombers to attack Liverpool.

Clothing rationing was introduced in Britain. Everyone was allowed 66 clothing coupons a year; equivalent to about one complete outfit. A man's overcoat cost 16 coupons; a dress 11; a pair of pajamas eight; a nightdress six; underpants four; a pair of stockings two; a handerchief could be had for half a coupon. People were taken completely by surprise by today's announcement that clothes are now rationed and that they must give up their margarine coupons to buy them until special ration cards have been printed. Husbands can give up their coupons to their wives (and vice-versa), and both can give them up for their children. Second-hand clothes are unrationed. There was a run on second-hand shops today. None of the traders in Petticoat Lane market were taking coupons.

WESTERN FRONT: The pilots and crews of JG 26 transfer to new bases along the Channel coast. I Gruppe go to Clairmairais near St. Omer, II Gruppe goes to Maldegem in Belgium and III Gruppe is based at Liegescourt near Abbeville.

Erich Müller was made the military governor of the Channel Islands, succeeding Rudolf von Schmettow.

German cruiser "Prinz Eugen" arrived in Brest, France to join battlecruisers "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau" docked there for refits.

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June 2 Monday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-147 attacked Allied convoy OB-329 northwest of Ireland, damaging Belgian ship "Mokambo" (all 47 aboard survived), but was destroyed by depth charges from British destroyer HMS "Wanderer" and corvette HMS "Periwinkle", killing all 26 German sailors aboard.

German submarine U-108 sank British catapult-armed merchant ship "Michael E." (Catapult Armed Merchantman or CAM ship, carrying a Hurricane fighter in a catapult to combat long-range German bombers targeting shipping and directing U-boats) about 1,050 miles west of Land's End, England at 2043 hours; 4 were killed, 47 survived. The Hurricane fighter aboard was also lost.

First escort of a convoy by the NEF (Newfoundland Escort Force) undertaken when HMCS "Chambly", "Collingwood" and "Orillia" joined the 57-ship Halifax to Liverpool convoy HX129. The convoy, which left Halifax on 27 May, was the first to have continuous close escort all the way across the Atlantic. It arrived safely in Liverpool on 12 June 41.

ASIA: The commander of the Chinese 3rd PG, Lo Ying-Teh with parts of the command and flying staff were sent to Rangoon, Burma, to take delivery of the Hawk 81A (P-40C) which had been purchased in America. After trying the combat capabilities of these aircraft however, they determined that they would not be able to stand up against the Zero. Therefore the transfer was declined and the aircraft were delivered to Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers.

GERMANY: RAF Bomber Command sends 44 bombers to conduct a raid in the Ruhr region of Germany. RAF Bomber Command: 2 Group: 9 Blenheims of RAF No.105 Sqn. attack the Kiel Canal. Seven ships are attacked and several villages and the naval barracks at Friedrichskoog are bombed. Two ships are sunk blocking the Canal for the next ten days. At the same time RAF No.107 Sqn. bombs towns between the Ems and Elbe and RAF No.110 Sqn. try to hit the liner "Europa" berthed at Bremerhaven. RAF Bomber Command sends 150 aircraft to attack Dusseldorf and 25 aircraft to attack Duisburg overnight.

MEDITERRANEAN: The battle for Crete is over. The whole island has been freed from the enemy. Yesterday German troops occupied the last base of the beaten British, the port of Sfakion, capturing 3,000 more prisoners in the process. The German Luftwaffe effectively supported these final mopping-up actions. In the sea territory between Crete and Alexandria, German bombers demolished a British destroyer with three direct hits as it was travelling with a naval formation.

In light of the successful campaign at Crete, Greece, Göring boasted that there was no such thing as an unconquerable island, hinting a similar fate for Britain. As for the killings of German paratroopers by civilians at Crete, Göring officially ordered reprisals to be conducted as if the killers were partisan fighters.

The Massacre of Kondomari refers to the execution of male civilians from the village of Kondomari in Crete by an ad hoc firing squad consisting of German paratroopers on 2 June 1941 during World War II. The shooting was the first of a series of reprisals in Crete. It was orchestrated by Generaloberst Kurt Student, in retaliation for the participation of Cretans in the Battle of Crete which had ended with the surrender of the island two days earlier. The massacre was photographed by Franz Peter Weixler, a German army war correspondent whose negatives were discovered 39 years later in the federal German archives. .TOM CLARK: A Monster from the North: The Day the Germans Came to Kondomari (George Seferis: Postscript)

The Führer called Mussolini to a summit meeting at the Brenner Pass today, supposedly to review the war situation. For two hours the two dictators were alone, and Hitler did most of the talking, dropping hints about German plans for action "if the shipping losses do not suffice" to knock Britain out of the war. During the five-hour conference Hitler ranted about Rudolf Hess and other recent events, but kept Mussolini in the dark about the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union. At the end Mussolini departed for Rome no wiser than when he had arrived. Mussolini reportedly told Count Ciano after the meeting,

"I wouldn't be at all sorry if Germany in her war with Russia got her feathers plucked."

Click to expand...

Not so the Japanese ambassador in Berlin, Hiroshi Oshima who was given the same "hint hint" treatment by Hitler. Oshima told his foreign ministry in Tokyo that Hitler was about to attack Russia.

MIDDLE EAST: Vichy French aircraft claimed a British Blenheim aircraft shot down over Syria-Lebanon.

NORTH AFRICA: Vichy France grants Germany use of Tunisian port of Bizerta for transport food, clothing and supplies to North Africa (but excludes troops, equipment and ammunition).

East African 22nd Infantry Brigade begins crossing the Omo at Sciola in Galla-Sidamo.

NORTH AMERICA: USS "Long Island", Aircraft Escort Vessel Number 1 (AVG-1), the first escort aircraft carrier, is commissioned at Newport News, Virginia. "Long Island" was a flush-deck escort aircraft carrier converted from the cargo ship SS "Mormacmail" in 67 working days. She was redesignated Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier Number 1 (ACV-1) on 20 August 1942 and Escort Aircraft Carrier Number 1 (CVE-1) on 15 July 1943. During WWII, she served as an aircraft transport hauling airplanes to the Pacific and as a training ship for new pilots. US Marine SBD Douglas Dauntless dive-bombers and Grumman F-4F3 Wildcat fighters will launch from her deck headed for Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. They become the first aircraft of the "Cactus Air Force"

SOUTH PACIFIC: Joseph Rochefort reported to the main US Navy building at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii for his new duty heading up a cryptanalysis section.

RAAF No.3 Base Stores Depot (BSD) established at Spring Hill. The site is now an Energex Depot.

UNITED KINGDOM: Manchester Blitz: Before dawn, German bombers attacked Manchester and Salford in England in the early hours of the day; 70 were killed and 86 were seriously injured. Thousands of incendiary bombs and many tons of high-explosive were dropped indiscriminately. Once again, churches, hospitals and the homes of the people were among the buildings damaged. One of the worst incidents occurred at a nurses' home, which was wrecked by a heavy bomb. Two other hospitals received damage through fire or explosive bombs, but fortunately the patients had been removed to safety. Five [ARP] wardens were killed on patrol and a curate was killed on shelter duty outside his church. Two small and two medium sized HEs were dropped in Park Grove, Hull. This was Hull's fiftieth raid, and though it was small, it had most unfortunate results. The "Raiders Passed" signal had sounded, and people were making their way from shelters to their homes when the bombs dropped. The casualty list included, twenty-seven killed and eleven seriously injured, all killed and injured within minutes of thinking they were safe.

A Junkers Ju 88A was shot down by a Hurricane, into the sea four miles NE of Tynemouth at 2229 hours. Two of the crew were killed and two were taken prisoner.

WESTERN FRONT: Vichy French government published anti-Semitic legislation based on German laws; among it was the banning of Jews from holding public office.

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29 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIC U-132

7 ships sunk, total tonnage 32,356 GRT. sunk on 4 November 1942 in the Nth Atlantic SE of Cape Farewell, in approx., when the British ammunition ship HATIMURA blew up in a huge explosion. U-132 had torpedoed this ship earlier and was probably waiting nearby for her to sink when caught in the lethal radius of the explosion. 47 dead (all hands lost).

Type VIIC U-452
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

No ships sunk. Sunk on 25 August 1941 in the Nth Atlantic sth of Iceland, , by DCs from the British ASW trawler VASCAMA and from a CC Catalina aircraft (209 Sqn RAF). 42 dead (all hands lost).

Type VIIc U-572
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

6 ships sunk, total tonnage 19,323 GRT. Sunk on 3 August 1943 in the Nth Atlantic NE of Trinidad, by DCs from a US Mariner a/c (VP-205 USN). 47 dead (all hands lost).
Neutral
Benson Class DD USS SWANSON (DD443)



Allied
CALLENBURGH Class RNN DD ISAAC SWEERS


HDML 1041 and Fairmile B ML 272
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U-38 sank MV TABARISTAN (UK 3258 grt) off the West African Coast. The ship was carrying ground nuts , pig iron and manganese and was on passage from Basra to Liverpool via Capetown and Freetown. She had a crew of 60, of whom 21 were to lose their lives. At 2350 hrs, U-38 fired two G7a torpedoes at the unescorted TABARISTANabout 250 miles SW of Freetown. The ship was hit by both torpedoes and sank by the stern after four minutes. 20 crew members and one gunner were lost. The master, 36 crew members and two gunners were picked up by Armed Yachts HMS BENGALI and HMS TURCOMAN and landed at Freetown.


U-557 sank steamer EMPIRE STORM (UK 7290 grt) whilst she was a straggler from HX-128. She was on passage from Montreal to the UK via Halifax, and had a cargo of grain and flour with a crew of 43, of whom 3 were to lose their lives in the combat. At 2043 hrs the EMPIRE STORM, a straggler from HX-128, , was torpedoed and sunk by U-557sth of Cape Farewell. Three crew members were lost. The master, 35 crew members and four gunners were picked up by the Norwegian merchant MARITA and landed at St.Johns, Newfoundland on 4 June.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-109
St Nazaire: U-98

Departures
Kiel: U-77
St Nazaire:U-79

At Sea 29 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-75, U-77, U-93, U-94, U-97, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-556, U-557, U-561, UA
27 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
CA DORSETSHIRE arrived in the Tyne to refit.. DD LIGHTNING arrived at Scapa Flow from Rosyth to work up.

Northern Waters
CL EDINBURGH arrived at Scapa Flow after Bay of Biscay patrol

West Coast
OB.328 departed Liverpool, escort DDs BEAGLE and BOADICEA. The convoy was joined on the 30th by DDs COLUMBIA and NIAGARA, sloop EGRET, MSWs BRAMBLE and GOSSAMER, and ASW trawlers LADY MADELEINE and ST LOMAN. The escort was detached on 2 June when the convoy was dispersed

Med/Biscay
Submarine SEVERN arrived at Gibraltar.

After an a/c sighted a submarine on the surface in 35-30N, 10-16W, DDs FORESTER and FURY and five MLs departed Gibraltar to search. DD FORESTER attacked a submarine on the surface in 35-41N, 10-00W. RM sub VENIERO reported torpedoing one of the attacking DDrs.

During the night of 29/30 May, the evacuation of Crete continued.

Force D departed Alexandria on the 28th with CLAs PHOEBE, having completed her hull repairs, and RAN CL PERTH, troopship GLENGYLE, CLAs CALCUTTA and COVENTRY, and DDs JERVIS, JANUS, and HASTY. The CLAs were not to embark troops and provided AA protection only.

Sphakia:
CLA PHOEBE and CL PERTH, CLAs CALCUTTA and COVENTRY, commando ship GLENGYLE, and DD JANUS, HASTY, and JERVIS. HMAS PERTH carried two landing craft. After the force had departed Alexandria on the 28th, it was thought to recall GLENGYLE and substitute for her DDs STUART, JAGUAR, and DEFENDER. However, the order came to late to justify sending GLENGYLE back, but the three DDs joined anyway to assist in AA protection, joining at daylight on the 30th. 6029 were embarked. The Greek Commander in Chief was aboard cruiser PHOEBE.

Damage to this force was limited to a single bomb hit in CL PERTH's engine room on the 30th. The cruiser sustained four ratings, two Marines, and seven passengers killed.
The cruiser arrived at Alexandria on the 30th. She was repaired at Alexandria in June.

RAN DD VAMPIRE passed through the Suez Canal and departed Suez to refit at Singapore, arriving on 19 June.

ASW trawler SINDONIS (RN 913grt) was sunk by the LW in Tobruk Harbour.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MTB depot ship VULCAN and MTB.68 and MTB.215 of the 10th Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron departed Port Said and Alexandria, respectively for Famagusta, via Port Said and Haifa.

On 1 June, MTB.215 arrived at Famagusta. MTB.68 arrived later in the day under tow.

Nth Atlantic
Ocean boarding vessel MALVERNIAN captured weather ship AUGUST WRIEDT (DKM 407 grt) in the Nth Atlantic. The weather ship was sent into St John's, Newfoundland with a prize crew. The ship used under the name MARIA as a wreck dispersal vessel in the RN .
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Sth Atlantic
CVL EAGLE departed Freetown, escorted by DD VELOX, to search for German supply ships in the Sth Atlantic. CL DUNEDIN was ordered to join EAGLE and rendezvoused on the 31st. DD VELOX was detached on 1 June. Light cruiser DUNEDIN departed on 5 June.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 29 MAY TO DAWN 30 MAY 1941
Weather Fine.
1032-1055 hrs Air raid alert for a single JU 88 bomber escorted by 20 ME 109s which carries out reconnaissance at high altitude over the Island, passing over Luqa and Naxxar. Anti-aircraft guns engage and destroy the JU 88.
0259-0436 hrs Air raid alert for five enemy aircraft which approach the Island individually from the north east. Four turn drop bombs in the sea to the north then turn back before reaching the coast. One crosses the coast and drops bombs on fields the Grand Harbour area. No anti-aircraft guns engage and no Hurricane fighters are scrambled.
OPERATIONS REPORTS THURSDAY 29 MAY 1941
AIR HQ Arrivals 10 Beaufighter. 69 Squadron Maryland reconnaissance southern part of eastern Tunisian coast. 2 Marylands reconnaissance Greek coast report enemy ship movements. Maryland reconnaissance of shipping route to east of Malta.
LUQA Ten Beaufighters arrived from Gibraltar.

30 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMS MYOSOTIS (K-65)


U Class Sub HMS P-33


MSW MMS 10 (J-510), MSW MMS-13 (J-513), MMS 501 (J-517)
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
MA/SB 23, Fairmile B ML 265
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U-106 sank the Steamer SILVERYEW (UK 6373 grt) in the Central Atlantic. She was on passage from Calcutta to England via the Cape, carrying pig iron, kernels, manganese ore and 382 tons of kyanite ore. A crew of 54 was aboard of whom 3 were to lose their lives. At 0036 hrs the unescorted SILVERYEW was hit in the stern by one of two torpedoes from U-106 and sank west of the Cape Verde Islands. The master and two crew members were lost. 47 crew members, three gunners and one passenger made landfall at San Antonio, Cape Verde Islands.


U-38 sank the Steamer EMPIRE PROTECTOR (UK 6181 grt) in the Central Atlantic. She was on passage from Port Sudan to London via the Cape and Freetown. She was transporting cotton, cotton seed and copper with a crew of 38, of whom 5 were to lose their lives. At 1311 hrs the unescorted EMPIRE PROTECTOR was hit by one of two G7a torpedoes from U-38 sw of Freetown. The ship sank within a few minutes after being hit aft by a G7a coup de grace at 1407 hours. Five crew members were lost. The master, 29 crew members and three gunners were picked up by ARUNDA and landed at Freetown.

RM submarine MARCONI sank Naval tanker CAIRNDALE (RN 8129 grt) 170 miles WSW of Trafalgar, Five crew were lost on the tanker. Escorting corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS attacked the submarine. DDs FAULKNOR, FORESTER, and FURY were sent to assist the corvettes. Later on the 30th, corvettes AZALEA and WOODRUFF and ASW trawler IMPERIALIST joined the search. DD WRESTLER and sloop BIDEFORD sailed later. After more than seven consecutive DC attacks, the sweeps were discontinued finally on the 31st British tanker BRITISH YEOMAN reported she had been torpedoed in 35-28N, 8-11W. DD FAULKNOR and ASW trawler ALOUETTE departed Gibraltar and the five MLs were diverted to this position. The ship later arrived at Gibraltar and it was found she had received only slight damage.

Steamer WESTAVON (UK 2842 grt) was sunk on a mine in the Nth Sea . The entire crew were rescued.


UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-74, U-556
St Nazaire: U-97

At Sea 30 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-93, U-94, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-557, U-561, UA

24 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
CA DORSETSHIRE arrived at the Tyne for refitting completed on 15 July.

Northern Patrol
CLs AURORA and KENYA departed Hvalfjord for patrol.

Northern Waters
Sloop BLACK SWAN departed Dundee on completion of repairs and arrived at Scapa Flow at 1745 on the 31st having carried out gunnery practices en route.

In a flying accident, a Swordfish of 774 Squadron was lost near Tintagel. P/T/Sub Lt (A) J. H. Formby RNVR, Ordinary Seaman E. W. Page, and Ordinary Telegraphist F. Thurlow were killed.

Western Approaches
British steamer KYLECLARE was damaged by German bombing off Limerick.

Med/Biscay
During the night of 30/31 May, the evacuation of Crete continued.

Sphakia - DDs KELVIN, KANDAHAR, NAPIER, and NIZAM departed Alexandria at 0600/30th. However, soon after sortie, DD KANDAHAR broke down and forced to return to Alexandria. Soon thereafter, DD KELVIN was damaged by a near miss and also forced to abort. The DD sustained one rating killed and four crew wounded. DDs NAPIER and NIZAM continued to Sphakia and lifting 1510 men. Returning to Alexandria, they were both damaged by near misses. Both DDs sustained machinery damage from the near misses, but neither sustained any personnel casualties. The DDs returned to Alexandria on the 31st.

Submarine TRIUMPH torpedoed and damaged Italian armed merchant cruiser RAMB III, which was en route from Tripoli to Benghazi, off Benghazi.

Submarine UTMOST attacked a convoy of steamers TILLY RUSS and CA'DA MOSTO, escorted by TBs PALLADE and POLLUCE off Sirte. The convoy arrived safely at Tripoli on the 31st.

Submarine TORBAY reported sinking two caiques in the Aegean by gunfire.

steamer KNYAGUINYA MARIA LUISA (Bulg 3821 grt), in axis service was sunk near Piraeus by a torpedo or bomb attack from British Wellington a/c. There is some dispute about how this ship was lost, some greek historians claim she blew up due to sabotage. The accepted cause of loss is that she was bombed by British aircraft at the entrance to Piraeus harbour on May 30th, 1941. Her deck cargo of benzine in drums caught fire and this detonated her cargo of munitions. The ship blew up with an explosion that sank two or three other ships in the harbour and caused some 200 casualties.


The steamer blew up and sank steamer ALICANTE (Ger 2140 grt)
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

and steamer JIUL (Rum 3127 grt) both nearby.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer AGHIOS PANTLEMON (Gk 105 grt) was sunk by the LW when she lost touch with her escort of MSW whaler FALK off Tobruk.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Central Atlantic
CVE ARGUS and DDs FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, and FOXHOUND arrived at Gibraltar.

Convoy SL.76 departed Freetown escort AMC MORETON BAY to 21 June and corvettes AMARANTHUS to 1 June, ASPHODEL to 7 June, CLEMATIS to 1 June, and COLUMBINE to 7 June. DD VELOX escorted the convoy from 4 June to 6 June. CA CUMBERLAND escorted the convoy from 10 to 16 June. Corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS escorted the convoy from 13 to 18 June. CL SHEFFIELD escorted the convoy from 14 to 16 June. On 16 June, DDs PIORUN and ROXBOROUGH and ocean boarding vessels CORINTHIAN and MARON joined to 21 June. DD WESTCOTT and corvettes AURICULA and PERIWINKLE joined on 18 June to 21 June. On 19 June, DD WANDERER and corvettes FREESIA, HIBISCUS, and MARIGOLD joined to 21 June. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 21 June.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 30 MAY TO DAWN 31 MAY 1941
Weather Fine and warm.

2143-2214 hrs Air raid alert for three enemy aircraft which approach Grand Harbour from the north east but are turned away by a barrage from anti-aircraft guns, two raiders dropping their bombs in the sea.

OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 30 MAY 1941

AIR HQ Departures 8 Beaufighter. Remainder of 252 Squadron left for UK. 69 Squadron Maryland patrol of eastern Tunisian coast; convoy not identified due to a mishap in the aircraft which went out of control over the target. 2 Marylands reconnaissance Malta to Greek coast for enemy naval movements. Maryland reconnaissance Tripoli approaches for enemy shipping. 82 Squadron On information that Italian merchant vessel Florida previously attacked and damaged had been towed out of Sfax Harbour, three Blenheims despatched to attack and dropped 4 x 250lb bombs, scoring near-misses with delayed action bombs.

LUQA Eight Beaufighters left for Middle East, the other two remaining for repairs.

31 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type 1937 TB DKM T-13


Type IXC U-502

14 ships sunk, total tonnage 78,843 GRT. Sunk on 6 July 1942 in the Bay of Biscay west of La Rochelle, , by depth charges from a CC wellington (172 Sqn RAF). 52 dead (all hands lost).
Allied
Tug HMS DART
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Banff Class HMS GORLESTON


Losses
U-106 sank MV CLAN MACDOUGALL (UK 6843 grt) off the West African Coast. The ship was on passage from Glasgow to West Africa with a mixed cargo. She had a crew of 87, of whom 2 were to lose their lives. At 0313 hrs the unescorted CLAN MACDOUGALL) was hit by one torpedo from U-106 nth of the Cape Verde Islands. The U-boat had observed the vessel leaving a harbour on Sao Vicente and followed her. A second torpedo became a circle runner and a third torpedo missed at 0324 hrs. The ship sank eleven minutes after being hit by a coup de grace at 0334 hours. Two crew members were lost. The master, 74 crew members and ten gunners landed at Santo Antão, Cape Verde Islands.


U-107 sank the MV SIRE (UK 5664 grt) off the west African Coast. She was a dispersed ship from OB-320, on passage from the UK to Pepel, travelling empty , with a crew of 49, of whom 3 were to lose their lives. At 0739 hrs the SIREwas hit on the starboard side in the bow by one torpedo from U-107 and sank after 10 minutes WSW of Freetown. Three crew members were lost. The master and 45 crew members were picked up by corvette HMS MARGUERITE and landed at Freetown on 6 June.


U-147 sank MV GRAVELINES (UK 2491 grt) in the Western Approaches. She was part of the inbound HX-127 but was straggling when lost. She was carrying timber and had a crew of 36 on board, of whom 11 were to lose their lives. On 31 May 1941 the GRAVELINES, a straggler from HX-127, was torpedoed by U-147 NW of Bloody Foreland and broke in two. The master and 10 crew members died. 23 crew members and two gunners were picked up by the British sloop HMS DEPTFORD and landed at Liverpool. The afterpart of the GRAVELINES sank and the forepart was towed to the Clyde and beached at Kames Bay on 3 June. The vessel was declared a total loss and was broken up in Rothesay in 1942.


U-204 sank the FV HOLMSTEINN (Iceland 16 grt)


U-38 sank the steamer RINDA (Nor 6029 grt) off the west African Coast. She was on passage from Haifa to the UK via the Cape and Freetown. She was carrying coton and general cargo, with a crew of 31, of whom 13 were to lose their lives. At 0024 hrs the unescorted RINDA was hit by two torpedoes from U-38 off Liberia. When the torpedoes struck they blew off the funnel and the entire after deck. Four men on deck and the master and another seaman on the bridge were killed. The survivors attempted to lower the lifeboats but the ship sank before they were free and the men were pulled down by the suction, drowning some of them. Only one lifeboat with one man hanging on to it and four rafts floated free. A few survivors rightened the boat and picked up others during the night in the light of burning cotton. Finally, it contained 18 survivors (four of them badly burnt) and set sail for Freetown. On 1 June, they were picked up by Armed Yacht PICT after being located by a/c and taken to Freetown, where the wounded men were taken to a hospital ship.
Among the survivors was also the cat, that was found swimming in the ocean by the lifeboat during the night. She remained on board of the armed trawler that that rescued the survivors and was renamed ….'Rinda".


U-69 sank steamer SANGARA (UK 5445 grt) in the gulf of Guinea. She was on passage from Liverpool to Lagos carrying a mixed cargo. 1 of the crew was lost in the attack At 0025 hrs U-69 fired one torpedo at the SANGARA lying at anchor in the roads of Accra after arriving there on 30 May. She sank by the stern in 33 feet of water with her bow still visible above the water. One crew member was lost. The master died in an accident on 13 June 1941, apparently drowning while examining the wreck of his ship.

At 21.10 hrs on 12 August 1941 the Italian submarine ENRICO TAZZOLI fired a torpedo at the bow of SANGARAbut missed. On 1 April 1943 the wreck of SANGARAwas sold to two locally based engineers for the sum of 500 pounds stirling, was refloated and towed to Lagos roads, but it was not clear what should happen with her and she was then towed to Douala at the mouth of the Cameroon River where the cargo was salvaged and sold.


UBOATS
Departures
Lorient: U-141

At Sea 31 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-93, U-94, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-141, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-557, U-561, UA

25 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
AA ship ALYNBANK departed Methil and met convoy EC.24 off may Island. The convoy was escorted to the north. In Pentland Firth, the ship was detached from the convoy. Ship ALYNBANK arrived at Scapa Flow at 1800 escorting Dutch submarine O.14 into harbour.

Northern Waters
CL BIRMINGHAM arrived at Scapa Flow from patrol. DD WINDSOR departed Greenock for Dundee to carry out repairs to weather damage. She arrived at 1030 on 1 June. DD IMPULSIVE departed Scapa Flow escorting steamer LADY OF MANN and AMSTERDAM to Aberdeen where the ships arrived at 1900. She returned that evening.

West Coast
OB.329 departed Liverpool, escort DDrs CAMPBELTOWN, WANDERER, and WESTCOTT and corvettes AURICULA and PERIWINKLE. The escorted was joined on 1 June by seaplane carrier PEGASUS and corvette MARIGOLD. The escorted was detached on 5 June when the convoy was dispersed.

WS.8X departed the Clyde with steamers PORT WYNDHAM, DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, and WAIWERA and AMC ESPERANCE BAY. CV VICTORIOUS and CL NEPTUNE escorted the convoy from 31 May to 5 June. CA NORFOLK was with the convoy from 31 May to 11 June, when the convoy arrived at Freetown. DDs ASSINIBOINE and SAGUENAY escorted the convoy locally. The convoy was escorted by DDs SHERWOOD, LEGION, PIORUN, WIVERN, WILD SWAN, VANSITTART, SAGUENAY, ST MARYS, and BRIGHTON from 31 May to 3 June. All, but WIVERN, WILD SWAN, and VANSITTART, returning to England. AMC ESPERANCE BAY was detached on 3 June.

DDs WIVERN, WILD SWAN, and VANSITTART arrived at Gibraltar on 6 June. DD VELOX and corvette ASTER joined the convoy on 9 June and escorted the convoy into Freetown on 11 June. The convoy departed Freetown and escorted by CL NEPTUNE. They arrived at Capetown on 24 June. Convoy WS.8 X departed Capetown on 28 June, escorted by CL NEPTUNE. The convoy called at Kilindini on 6 July and departed the same day for Aden. They arrived on 11 July and proceeded independently to Suez arriving on 15 July.

Med/Biscay
During the night of 31 May/1 June, the final night of evacuation of Crete took place.

Sphakia – CLA PHOEBE, ML ABDIEL, and DDs JACKAL, KIMBERLEY, and HOTSPUR departed Alexandria at 0600on the 31st and lifted 3710 men in the last night of the evacuation.

CLA HMS CALCUTTA (RN 4190 grt) and COVENTRY sortied from Alexandria on 1 June to assist this force, but CALCUTTA was sunk at 0945 on 1 June soon after leaving port. Cdr G. P. Hunter-Blair Rtd and Lt F. J. March and one hundred and one ratings were killed. One Marine and four ratings were missing. Ten ratings died of wounds. CLA COVENTRY picked up 255 survivors from the cruiser.


In the evacuation of Crete, 16,511 were disembarked at Alexandria. In addition to the evacuations by Royal Navy ships, 54 men were evacuated by flying boat on the 31st/1 June.

RM TB PLEIADI was damaged by an Italian bomber falling out of control off Tobruk. Her superstructure was destroyed and her hull was damaged by fire. The torpedo boat was run aground to prevent sinking. While being salvaged, she was further damaged by RAF bombers on 13 October 1941. The torpedo boat was written off as a constructive total loss.
Nth Atlantic
CA SUFFOLK arrived at Conception Bay (Newfoundland) to refuel. After refuelling, she returned to patrol.

USN CV YORKTOWN, CA VINCENNES, and DDs SAMPSON and SWIN departed Bermuda on neutrality patrol. The group arrived back at Hampton Roads on 12 June

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 31 MAY TO DAWN 1 JUNE 1941
Weather Fine.

1030-1040 hrs Air raid alert triggered by the return of a Glenn Martin Maryland.
No enemy air raids.

OPERATIONS REPORTS SATURDAY 31 MAY 1941

ROYAL NAVY During the month three or four submarines were continuously on patrol. 830 Squadron had only five flying crews through the month. Blenheims of anti-ship bomber squadrons reported successful attacks on twelve merchant vessels and two destroyers. The Bomb Safety Officer dealt with 14 unexploded 50kg bombs and one 500kg.
AIR HQ Arrivals 2 Sunderland. Departures 2 Sunderland; 1 Beaufighter. 69 Squadron 2 Marylands patrol eastern Tunisian coast AM and PM. 2 Marylands patrol PM Ionian Sea to Greek coast. 82 Squadron Three Blenheim bombers attacked Florida II off Sfax; direct hits were scored, causing explosions and volumes of black smoke.
LUQA One Beaufighter left for the Middle East.

Summary Of Losses April 1941 (Unfinished)
Allied
Allied Warships


XXXXX(RN)), (Total XXXXX grt Naval Tonnage)
Allied Shipping



XXXXXXX (UK), XXXXX (Gk), XXXX (Be), XXXXX (Nor), XXXXX (NL), XXXX (NZ)
XXXX grt (Mercantile)
Total Mercantile and Military losses: XXXXX grt
Prizes captured


Neutral shipping


( grt Mercantile)

Neutral warships
None
Total Neutral Mercantile + Military: XXX grt
Total Allied + Neutral: XXXXXX grt

Prizes taken

Cumulative Losses since 9/39

Axis Warships
DKM
XXXXX(DKM XXX grt),

(XXX grt)
RM


XXXX (RM XXXX grt),

(XXXXX grt)

Axis Shipping
GER


(XXXXX grt)
FI


Vichy


(XXXXX grt)
Total Axis Mercantile (XXXXX grt)
Total Axis Mercantile and Naval Tonnage losses: ( XXXXXX grt)

Captured ships
tanker BRITISH ADVOCATE (UK 6994 grt),
steamer GRIGORIOS C II (Gk 2546 grt)

XXX (UK XXXX grt), (XXX Gk)
(+) (XXXXX grt)

01 JUNE 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Motor MSW MMS-6
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U-105 sank the MV SCOTTISH MONARCH (UK 4719 grt) in the Central atlantic. The vessel was dispersed from OB-319, and on passage from Newcastle on tyne to Freetown with a load of coal. She hadf a crew of 45 at the time of her loss, of whom 1 would be lost. At 0022 hrs the SCOTTISH MONARCH, was hit in the bow by one torpedo fired by U-105 SW of the Cape Verde Islands. The ship had been spotted at 0700 hours the day before and missed with a spread of two torpedoes at 1535 hrs. One crew member was lost. The survivors abandoned ship after the hit and the U-boat fired at 0036 and 0052 hours two coups de grace. The first was a dud but the second detonated near the bridge and caused the ship to sink by the bow after a boiler explosion. The U-boat then questioned the survivors before leaving the area. The master and 23 survivors were picked up on 8 June by the Dutch MVALPHARD and landed at Freetown five days later. The chief officer M. Macleod and 19 survivors were picked up on 11 June by the British steam merchant CHRISTINE MARIE and landed at Freetown on 19 June.

U-58 sank the Boom Defence Vessel HMS ASTRONOMER (RN 8401 grt) in the Nth Sea, off the east coast of Scotland. Of the 105 man crew, 4 would lose their lives in the attack. At 2348 hrs was hit in the stern by one G7e torpedo from U-58 30 miles SE of Wick. At 0318 and 0443 hrs on 2 June, the vessel was hit by two coups de grace and sank about 1 hour after the last hit. The master, 51 crew members, one gunner and 48 naval officers and ratings were picked up by Naval Yachts HMS STOKE CITY and HMS LEICESTER CITY and landed at Rosyth.


UBOATS
Departures
Kiel: U-558
At Sea 01 June 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-93, U-94, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-141, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-557, U-558, U-561, UA

26 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
ML TEVIOTBANK, escorted by DD HOLDERNESS, laid minefield BS.63 off the east coast of England.

Norwegian steamer FERNBANK was damaged by the LW off Peterhead, arrived at Aberdeen on the 1st, and later went on to the Tyne for repairs.

Northern Patrol
CL EDINBURGH departed Scapa Flow on Denmark Strait patrol. She arrived in Iceland on the 3rd and after refuelling departed on the 4th to relieve CLA HERMIONE. CL ARETHUSA departed the Denmark Strait patrol when relieved by HERMIONE, which departed Hvalfjord on 31 May, and arrived in Iceland. ARETHUSA departed Iceland for patrol in the Iceland-Faroes Channel.

Northern Waters
Home Fleet Status at the first of June at Scapa Flow.
BB KGV, CLs MANCHESTER and GALATEA, and 7 DDs.
CA SUFFOLK and CLs KENYA and AURORA were all attached to the home Flt, but were at sea sweeping for DKM supply ships.

BB NELSON, CLs NEPTUNE and SHEFFIELD, and 14 DDs would be available to the Home Fleet by 20 June as they completed various yard periods.

DDs COSSACK, ZULU, MAORI, and SIKH departed Scapa Flow for the Clyde to escort convoy WS.9A, and arrived in the Clyde on the 2nd.

DDs PUNJABI, ESKIMO, and ICARUS departed Scapa Flow at 1500 for the Clyde to screen BB RODNEY. The DDs arrived in the Clyde at 0730 on the 2nd, joining DD TARTAR already there.

SW Approaches
DKM CA PRINZ EUGEN arrived at Brest.

RM submarine MARCONI sank fishing trawler EXPORTADOR I (Pt 318 grt) with artillery 137 miles SW of Cape St Vincent. Two crewmen were killed and twenty rescued.
[NO IMAGFE FOUND]

Med/Biscay
Tanker PASS OF BALMAHA (UK 758 grt), escorted by sloop AUCKLAND and trawler SOUTHERN MAID, departed Alexandria for Tobruk, where whey arrived at 2330 on the 3rd, delivering much needed fuel. Then after unloading, and escorted by AUCKLAND, departed Tobruk during the night of 4/5 June.

Submarine CLYDE sank steamer SAN MARCO (FI 3076 grt) five miles 90° from Capo Carbonara, SE of Sardinia.A second torpedo attack on another steamer on this date was unsuccessful.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]
Submarine TORBAY sank a caique, carrying German troops and stores, in the Doro Channel with artillery. Nearly6 100 Germans lost their lives

Nth Atlantic
Submarine SEVERN departed Gibraltar for patrol in the Atlantic.

HX.130 departed Halifax, escorted by BB RAMILLES, corvettes PICTOU and RIMOUSKI, and aux PV RAYON D'OR. BHX.130 departed Bermuda on 30 May escorted by AMC ALAUNIA. The convoy rendezvoused with HX.130/5th and the AMC was detached. On the 4th, corvettes AGASSIZ, ALBERNI, and WETASKIWIN joined. DDs BURNHAM and CHURCHILL joined on 8 une. BB RAMILLIES was detached on the 9th and AMC DERBYSHIRE joined on the 11th. The two DDs were detached on 14 and 13 June, respectively. The three corvettes and the AMC were detached on the 15th. DDs SARDONYX and WATCHMAN, corvettes HELIOTROPE, PETUNA, VERBENA, and VIOLET, escort ships BANFF, CULVER, FISHGUARD, and HARTLAND, and CAM ship ARIGUANI joined on the 15th. DD WATCHMAN and escort ship BANFF were detached on the 18th. DD SARDONYX and escort ships CULVER, FISHGUARD, and HARTLAND were detached on the 19th.ASW trawlers NOTHERN GEM and NORTHERN PRIDE escorted the convoy in Home Waters. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 20th.

SC.33 departed Sidney CB, escorted by AMC DERBYSHIRE, DD ST CROIX, and aux PV RACCOON. The DD was detached on the 3rd and the escort vessel on the 4th. On the 4th, corvettes AGASSIZ and WETASKIWIN joined the convoy. DD BURNHAM and corvette ALBERNI joined on the 7th.Escort ship FISHGUARD joined on the 13th. DD BURNHAM was detached on the 14th and the AMC the next day. On the 15th, DD BULLDOG, corvettes AUBRETIA and CARNATION, escort ship BANFF, MSWs BRITOMART and SALAMANDER, CAM ship ARIGUANI, and ASW trawlers DANEMAN and ST APOLLO. The two escort ships were detached on the 18th. DD BULLDOG was detached on the 19th. The remainder of the escorts, less the two MSWs were detached on the 20th. The convoy, escorted by the two MSWs, arrived at Liverpool on the 21st.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 1 JUNE TO DAWN 2 JUNE 1941
Weather Fine and warm.
1616-1645 hrs Air raid alert for one enemy aircraft believed to be a JU 88 bomber on reconnaissance, escorted by nine fighters. The bomber carries out reconnaissance over Grand Harbour at 19000 feet. Anti-aircraft guns engage; no claims. Hurricanes are scrambled but do not engage as they are unable to reach height in time.
1905-1909 hrs Air raid alert caused by the return of a Maryland aircraft.
OPERATIONS REPORTS SUNDAY 1 JUNE 1941
ROYAL NAVY 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm Four Swordfish launched a successful attack with 4 'cucumbers' against Tripoli.
AIR HQ Departures 1 Beaufighter. 69 Squadron 4 Marylands special reconnaissance southern coast of Italy. AVM H P Lloyd, MC, DFC appointed Air Officer Commanding, Malta.
HAL FAR G/C M L Taylor, AFC, assumed command of RAF Station, Hal Far.
LUQA G/C Cahill, BDFC, AFC, assumed command of RAF Station, Luqa.

02 JUNE 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Baglietto (and others) MAS 555 class MAS Boat MAS 555

(approximate commissioning date. From about this time through to 1942, at a rate of about 2 per month, a total of 13 MAS 555 class boats were completed for the RM

Acciaio Class Sub RM PLATINO


Neutral
CVE USS LONG ISLAND (CVE 1)

USS LONG ISLAND, a 7886-ton CVE, was launched in January 1940 at Chester, Pennsylvania, not the first of her kind, even in US service (see the USS LANGLEY) but should stil be viewed as a prototype in her conception. She was converted from the US Merchant vessl MORMACMAIL. The U.S. Navy acquired her in March 1941 and converted her to its prototype CVE conversion design. LONG ISLAND was commissioned in early June 1941 and conducted trial operations in the Atlantic during the rest of that year. Among the results of these tests was a lengthened flight deck. She also performed some convoy escort duties and, during the first months of 1942, but served most of the war as a training carrier and aircraft transport in the pacific.

Allied
HDML 1000, MASB 24, MSW MMS 24, MTB 51
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

Losses
LOSSES
U-108 sank CAM Ship MICHAEL E (UK 7628 grt) in the North Atlantic in an attack on OB-327. The outbound ship was in ballast, on passage from Belfast to Halifax. A crew of 51 was aboard, of whom 4 were to be lost in the attack. At 2043 hrs the MICHAEL E, dispersed on 1 June from convoy OB-327, was hit on the port side by one of two torpedoes fired by U-108 while steaming on a non-evasive course at 10 knots in hazy weather about 700 miles SW of Cape Clear. Two hrs earlier, the U-boat had spotted three ships from the dispersed convoy and decided to attack the second one at dusk. The explosion opened a large hole in the port side and the upper deck, blew the hatch covers onto the top deck and broke the shaft which stopped the engines immediately. After sending a distress signal and discussing the possibility of launching the Hurricane fighter from its catapult, the crew of 35, five gunners (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 12pdr and four machine guns) and eleven FAA personnel, including two pilots and a fighter direction officer (FDO), began to abandon ship in four lifeboats as the ship quickly settled by the stern without a list. The torpedo had hit underneath the mess used by the naval ratings, killing 2 and wounding 12 others, three of them seriously. At 2221 hrs, the ship sank vertically by the stern. The U-boat surfaced shortly afterwards and questioned the survivors in each lifeboat before leaving.
The boats then set sail and two of them were spotted by ALCINOUS the ship of the convoy commodore from the dispersed convoy OB-328, in the afternoon on 3 June. The ship picked up the occupants and afterwards searched for the other two boats, locating them about 5 miles away. However, a crew member died of injuries and was buried at sea on 9 June. On 10 June, the survivors were landed at Halifax and the injured men were taken to a hospital where an air fitter died of injuries later that day.


Steamer BEAUMANOIR (UK 2477 grt) was badly damaged by the LW near, Robin Hood's Bay off the York Coast. The steamer was taken in tow. The steamer was sunk after a second air attack.


Steamer PRINCE RUPERT CITY (UK 4749 grt) was sunk by the LW in in the Northern Waters area. Four crewmen were lost on the steamer.


Trawler JOHN (Be 197 grt) was sunk by the LW ninety miles SE of the Scottish East Coast known as Inglos Hofdi. There were no casualties on the trawler.
[NO IMAGE]

Steamer KASTELHOLM (FN 5417 grt) was sunk by a mine SE of Iceland. One crewman was lost on the steamer. The rest of the crew were landed at Thorshavn. Some sources say this ship was sunk on the 6th June after being torpedoed by U-559


UBOATS
At Sea 02 June 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-93, U-94, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-141, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-557, U-558, U-561, UA

26 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
CL NIGERIA undocked at Rosyth, departing the next day for Scapa Flow. ML PLOVER, escorted by patrol sloop GUILLEMOT, laid minefield BS.57 off the east coast of England. MSWs ELGIN, SUTTON, and ALBURY of MSWFlot 4 accompanied the minelay.
RNN submarine O.14 was damaged in a collision, and repaired at Grangemouth from 8 June to 9 July.
British steamer THORPEBAY was damaged by the LW six miles off Coquet Lighthouse (off the east Coast in Northern England). The steamer returned to the Tyne. The ship arrived at Scapa Flow on the 17th in tow.
British Trawler BEN SCREEL was damaged by the LW in the Nth Sea. The trawler returned to the Tyne.

Northern Patrol
DD BEDOUIN arrived at Scapa Flow after escorting steamer BEN MY CHREE to Cape Wrath from Iceland.

Northern Waters
CL BIRMINGHAM departed Scapa Flow for the Clyde for escort of convoy WS.9A. The cruiser arrived in the Clyde on the 3rd. Following this duty, the ship proceeded for duty in the South Atlantic.
West Coast
OB.330 departed Liverpool, escorted by corvette ALISMA and ASW trawler NORTHERN DAWN. The convoy was joined on the 3rd by DDs LINCOLN, SABRE, and VENOMOUS, corvettes ARROWHEAD, KINGCUP, and SUNFLOWER, CAM ship SPRINGBANK, and ASW trawlers LADY ELSA and MAN O.WAR. The convoy was dispersed on the 7th

Western Approaches
U.147 damaged Belgian steamer MOKAMBO in the Western Approaches, with the steamer arriving in the Clyde on the 4th in tow. After this attack Type VIIC U.147 (DKM 749 grt) was sunk NW of Ireland in the ASW counterattack by DD WANDERER and corvette PERIWINKLE, escoring convoy OB.329. The entire crew of of the Uboat were lost.



Ex-US Coast guard cutter/escort ship HARTLAND, which had arrived at Londonderry on 29 May from the US, was damaged in a collision with British steamer WELSH COAST. The escort ship sustained minor damage which was repaired at Falmouth, during a scheduled refit from 8 June to 18 July.

SW Approaches
Sub P.32, on passage to Gibraltar, was damaged by the LW off Finisterre. Considerable damage was done to the batteries. The submarine arrived at Gibraltar on the 3rd.

Channel

Med/Biscay
Military whaler KOS XXII (RN 353 grt) was sunk on passage from Crete.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Submarine CLYDE made an unsuccessful torpedo attack on a small steamer off Terranova.

NZ manned CL LEANDER arrived at Suez and arrived at Alexandria on the 5th for duty with the 7th Cruiser Squadron.
Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 2 JUNE TO DAWN 3 JUNE 1941
Weather Cloudy and dull.

2255-2335 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which crosses the coast from the south east, dropping 12 bombs on the perimeter of Luqa aerodrome and also north of Fort Benghaisa. The raider is engaged by AA fire and one Hurricane is airborne but is unable to engage enemy aircraft; no claims.

Night A German Junkers 52 troop carrier is picked up by coastal searchlights moving southwards off the coast of Malta and is shot down into the sea. Wreckage retrieved next morning.

OPERATIONS REPORTS MONDAY 2 JUNE 1941

AIR HQ 69 Squadron 5 Marylands on reconnaissance.

June 3 Tuesday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: British cruisers HMS "Aurora" and HMS "Kenya" attacked German tanker "Belchen" 80 miles southwest of Greenland as the tanker refueled submarine U-93. U-93 escaped, but "Belchen" was damaged by shellfire and a torpedo from Aurora; her crew scuttled the ship. 5 were killed during the attack; U-93 later returned and picked up 50 survivors. The attack on "Belchen" was enabled by Ultra intercepts. To the south, U-48 and U-75 attacked Allied convoy OB-327 950 miles west of Brest, France, sinking Dutch ship "Eibergen" (4 killed; 35 survived) and British tanker "Inversuir" (45 survived).

British passenger liner "Mamari", modified to look like carrier HMS Hermes, was attacked by German aircraft off Cromer, Norfolk, England. She became stuck on the wreck of tanker "Ahamo" while evading the attack. After sundown, German E-boats arrived and hit "Mamari" with torpedoes.

Three wounded German airmen owe their lives to the gallantry of the second officer of a British merchant vessel which they had tried to bomb. When their aircraft was shot into the sea by the ship's gunners they scrambled on to a raft, and in a heavy swell the ship was maneuvered alongside and ropes were thrown to the men, but they were too badly injured to help themselves. Though he knew the risk of being crushed against the ship's side, the second officer climbed down a ladder, jumped on to the raft, and roped the three men so that they could be hoisted on board.

"City of Dieppe", RN stores ship, arrived St. John's and joined the NEF. Extremely limited naval facilities at St. John's could not support operations without extensive afloat resources. The RN provided both depot ships and stores ships to act as tenders for RCN and RN escorts. Fuel was provided from commercial and naval auxiliary tankers berthed in the port. Canadian shore facilities were expanded throughout the WW.II, although some were not completed before hostilities were ended.

ASIA: The Japanese 59th Sentai at Hankou was selected as the first unit to receive the new Nakajima Ki-43 Type 1 Fighter 'Hayabusa' ('Oscar'). The unit returned to Japan during June-August 1941 to collect some 30 examples of the Ki-43-Ia, which were then flown to Hankou. During these ferry flights and in training flights, folds began appearing in the wings following sharp turns and several mid-air disintegrations occurred. Four or five aircraft out of 20 examined proved to have defects in the wing construction, and at once the Sentai's ground personnel attempted to install reinforcement. Their efforts proved to be in vain, and the major part of the unit therefore returned to Tachikawa in October to convert to the –Ib model.

EASTERN EUROPE: German Ambassador Graf von Schulenburg tells the head of Soviet International Affairs that Adolf Hitler had decided to begin war with the Soviet Union on June 22. Josef Stalin considers the information to be disinformation.

GERMANY: Hitler received Japanese ambassador Hiroshi Ōshima at the Berghof and informed him of the plan to attack the Soviet Union.

MEDITERRANEAN: The Razing of Kandanos: The Holocaust of Kandanos refers to the complete destruction of the village of Kandanos in Western Crete (Greece) and the killing of about 180 of its inhabitants on 3 June 1941 by German occupying forces. It was ordered by Generaloberst Kurt Student in reprisal for the participation of the local population in the Battle of Crete that had held advancing German soldiers for two days. The destruction constituted one of the most atrocious war crimes committed during the occupation of Crete by Axis forces in World War II. German troops from the III Battalion of the 1st Air Landing Assault Regiment (most probably led by Oberleutnant Horst Trebes) reached Kandanos, following Student's order for reprisals. The Germans killed about 180 residents and slaughtered all livestock; all houses were torched and razed. Nearby villages such as Floria and Kakopetro met a similar fate. After its destruction, Kandanos was declared a 'dead zone' and its remaining population was forbidden to return to the village and rebuild it. Finally, inscriptions in German and Greek were erected on each entry of the village. One of them read: Here stood Kandanos, destroyed in retribution for the murder of 25 German soldiers, never to be rebuilt again.

MIDDLE EAST: British Gurkha troops (2/4 Gurkha Rifles) arrives by air transport to occupy Mosul. British regain control of Debarech, near Gondar (Ethiopia), after Italians have twice recaptured the town. British forces are now moving through the country establishing control of key points. Some of the British troops will be ready to move into Syria later in the month. In the power vacuum in Baghdad following the collapse of the Rashid Ali regime, two days of violence known as the Farhud broke out against the local Jewish population. Arab supporters of Rashid Ali riot, killing hundreds of Jews and looting Jewish shops.

RAF aircraft attack oil facility at Beirut.

NORTHERN EUROPE: From today until the 6th of June, the Finnish and German military leadership negotiate at Helsinki on co-operation in event of a Russo-German war. An agreement regarding the Finnish Army and Air Force is reached. Although formally the idea of a Russo-German war is hypothetical, the Finns have already understood that the Germans are in all probability about to invade the USSR. The Finnish High Command granted the German General Staff permission to use northern Finland as a staging area for the planned attack on the Soviet Union.

UNITED KINGDOM: Before dawn, German bombers attacked Hull and Tweedmouth in England in the early hours of the day. An enemy plane passed over Boulmer dropped bombs and machine-gunned the village. A Spitfire was seen chasing the plane. A corporal in the RAF Marine Section was seriously injured by machine-gun fire at North Side, Amble and was taken to the RAF Station, Acklington. A soldier was slightly hurt in High Street, Alnmouth. A lady of Scotsgap received a slight burn to the face and neck. The guard on the train, was struck on the top of the head by a bullet and taken to Alnwick Infirmary.

The Attlee memorandum approved by 2,430,000 to 19,000 at Labour Party conference in Britain.

Troop convoy WS 9A departs the Clyde, some for Suez and some for Bombay-Colombo-Singapore as WS 9AX.

WESTERN FRONT: A German He 111 bomber encountered a British de Havilland Dragon aircraft en route back to France and shot it down. The de Havilland Dragon turned out to be a civilian joy-riding aircraft and had just taken off from St Mary's on the Isles of Scillies for the short 25 mile hop back to the mainland at Penzance when it was intercepted by the German bomber, apparently returning from a raid on the north of England. The forward guns easily dealt with the unarmed Dragon aircraft which crashed into the sea with no survivors. The pilot and all 5 passengers were killed.

Led by Weygand, Petain and his Council of Ministers refuse to accept Darlan's concessions to Germany in Paris Protocols.

Vichy vows it will defend Syria and Tunisia against Allied incursions.

.

June 4 Wednesday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Royal Navy continues rounding up German supply ships all over the Atlantic. British cruiser HMS "London" and destroyer HMS "Brilliant" intercepted German tanker "Esso Hamburg" 750 miles southwest of Cape Verde islands based on Ultra intercepts. "Esso Hamburg's" entire crew of 87 survived the attack and the tanker was scuttled. Also from Ultra intercepts, British armed merchant cruiser HMS "Esperance Bay" and aircraft from HMS "Victorious" spotted German supply ship "Gonzenheim" 380 miles northeast of the Azores. Battleship HMS "Nelson" and cruiser HMS "Neptune" approached to board but not before "Gonzenheim" was scuttled; all 63 aboard survived and picked up by "Neptune". Finally, ocean boarding vessel HMS "Marsdale" captured German tanker "Gedania" also off the Azores. "Gedania" would later be pressed into British service as "Empire Garden".

German submarine U-101 attacked British ship "Trecarrell" 1,200 west of Brest, France at 0503 hours, killing 4; 41 abandoned ship. At 0640, U-101 rammed "Trecarrell", bending "Trecarrell's" bow, and then left "Trecarrell" to sink on her own.

ASIA: The destruction of bridges along the Burma Road by Imperial Japanese Navy bombers based at Hanoi in French Indochina forces the road to close.

GERMANY: Heinrich Rühl with five victories flying with JG 53 goes missing in action.

MEDITERRANEAN: Operation ROCKET: RN Force H – aircraft carriers HMS 'Ark Royal" and HMS "Furious", escorted by battlecruiser "Renown", cruiser "Sheffield" and destroyers "Foulknor", "Fearless", "Foresight", "Forester", "Foxhound" and "Fury" - departs for central Mediterranean with 43 Hurricane Mk IIs for Malta.

NORTH AFRICA: Axis air raid on Alexandria kills 170 people.

Nigerian 23rd Infantry Brigade, advancing south from Addis Ababa, begins crossing the Omo at Abalti in Galla-Sidamo. Gideon Force is disbanded, and Wingate reduced in rank and ordered to Egypt.

NORTH AMERICA: The US Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania reported that development of airborne television had progressed to the point that signals transmitted by this means could be used to alter the course of the transmitting aircraft.

UNITED KINGDOM: The British Home Security Situation Report noted that, for the week ending at 0600 hours on 4 Jun 1941, about 178 were killed by German bombing in Britain, and 185 were seriously injured.

During an early evening mission to England fighters from JG 51 collide with Spitfires from the RAF. Two British fighters are shot down over Folkestone with the credit going to Fw. Janke and Fw. Helmut Jürgens of IV./JG 51.

Later at night the Bristol area is attacked again by Luftwaffe bombers. Around 0230 hours four He 111s of III./KG 27 attack airfields and aircraft factories at Cheltenham and Bristol. Several buildings are damaged and a Gloster aircraft is destroyed. An Junkers Ju 88C on a night intruder sortie, flew into a hill in bad visibility at Skelder Moor near Whitby 0030 hours. The crew of three were killed.

British intelligence intercepted Ambassador Ōshima's coded message which included considerable details of Germany's plan to attack the USSR. However, due to a lack of either translators or interest, the report was not delivered to the Joint Intelligence Committee for eight days.

LCDR R. C. Robison, RAN, was awarded the DSC for 'bravery and enterprise' while serving on HMAS "Stuart", (destroyer), at the battle of Matapan. Robison was later to command HMAS "Voyager", (destroyer), and was in command when the ship ran aground, and was subsequently destroyed, at Betano Bay, Timor, in September 1942.

WESTERN FRONT: Former German Emperor and King of Prussia Kaiser Wilhelm II died in Doorn, Netherlands. Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859-1941), Germany's last Kaiser, was born in Potsdam in 1859, the son of Frederick III and Victoria, daughter of Queen Victoria. Wilhelm became emperor of Germany in 1888 following the death of Frederick II. At the time of his accession Otto von Bismarck was still German Chancellor; however he was effectively dismissed from office by Wilhelm II two years later. With revolution spreading to Berlin, Wilhelm was forced to abdicate on 9 November 1918. Chancellor Max von Baden pre-empted Wilhelm's decision by announcing his abdication to the public. Wilhelm sought exile in Holland, where he lived for the rest of his life. Holland refused to extradite Wilhelm as a war criminal to the Allies following the Armistice.

RAF Fighter Command conducted sweeps and Roadstead operations. RAF Bomber Command: 2 Group: Aircraft from RAF Nos. 18, 107 and 139 Sqns. make low-level attacks on Dutch airfields. RAF Bomber Command sends 54 aircraft on anti-shipping missions.

.

June 5 Thursday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: The first submarine is sunk by an RAF aircraft equipped with metre-wave radar and the new Leigh Light, a searchlight fitted beneath the wing. The pilot is PO W. Howell, a US citizen who had joined the RAF before the war.

British cruiser HMS "London" and destroyer HMS "Brilliant", using Ultra intercepts, intercepted and attacked German tanker "Egerland" 700 miles southwest of Cape Verde islands. "Egerland's" crew scuttled the ship; all 94 aboard survived.

German submarine U-48 sank British ship "Wellfield" 670 miles north of the Azores at 0131 hours; 8 were killed, 30 survived.

ASIA: Japanese aircraft flew more than 20 sorties against Chongqing, China over a 3-hour period, dropping bombs on civilian sections of the city. In the Jiaochangkou air raid shelter tunnel, more than 1,000 Chinese died from asphyxiation.

Japanese luxury ocean liner "Hikawa Maru" departed Yokohama for Vancouver, with some Jewish refugees on board.

GERMANY: JG 51 loses Heinz Wiest when he is killed in a flying accident. He has six victories with JG 51.

The German Kriegsmarine issued orders for 102 new submarines to be constructed.

MEDITERRANEAN: Germany announced that 15,000 British and Commonwealth prisoners of war were captured at Crete, Greece.

Off the coast of Libya between Misrata and Sirte, British submarine HMS "Triumph" and WWI-era Italian gunboat "Valoroso" engage in a duel of deck guns. HMS "Triumph" sinks "Valoroso" and 2 tiny Italian steamers "Frieda" and "Trio Frassinetti".

From Alexandria the Greek Prime Minister-in-exile Emmanouil Tsouderos made a broadcast to the people of occupied Greece.

"Unite as one man more closely than ever around our national symbols, around our flag and our heroic King," Tsouderos said. "Keep your heads high as men who have been victorious. Do not trust the enemy; and have confidence in the final victory. Help each one of you, with every means at your disposal in order that we may achieve the final victory. Help our country to overcome the present misfortunes until the glorious day of liberation of a Greece great and new."

Click to expand...

Cyprus reinforced by Australian troops—After their heavy losses during the invasion of Crete, German plans to launch a similar attack against Cyprus were abandoned.

MIDDLE EAST: Three British Blenheims raid Aleppo airfield, where a number of Italian CR.42 fighters and SM.79 transport aircraft had been observed. One aircraft and a hangar were demolished. Three French Morane 406 fighters tried in vain to ward off the attack.

British forces occupy Kirkuk.

Vichy French planes bombed the Transjordanian capital of Amman.

General Wilson directs that Maj-Gen Lavarack and HQ 1st Australian Corps will take over the direction of the Syrian campaign after Damascus and Beirut have been secured. Until then, Wilson proposes to command the invasion himself from the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. Brig Rowell (Australian BGGS in Palestine) protests that this is not feasible and that 1st Australian Corps should command the invasion from the start. Wilson disagrees but later events will force the adoption of Rowell's proposal. Anticipating this, HQ 1 Australian Corps moves to Nazareth.

NORTH AFRICA: East African 22nd Infantry Brigade captures over 1000 Italian troops across the Omo River at Sciola in Galla-Sidamo.

NORTH AMERICA: The Roosevelt administration asks Congress for $10,400 million for defense spending in 1942, in the army appropriation. This is equivalent to US $ 122.4 billion in Year 2000 dollars.

UNITED KINGDOM: Before dawn, German bombers attacked Birmingham, England in the early hours of the day. The bombs mostly missed their targets and fell outside the city.

Speaking at the Labour Party's annual conference, MP, Manny Shinwell says:

'Roosevelt's statement on our shipping losses did not disclose all the facts. It was a triumph of understatement. The position is much worse than he said. Unless we can speedily repair our vessels ... and replace ships lost ... I do not know whether victory is within sight, because ultimate victory rests upon the inviobility of seapower.'

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June 6 Friday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Aircraft from HMS "Eagle" sank German blockade runner "Elbe" in the South Atlantic. The German blockade runner was sunk by a Swordfish, flown by sub Lt (A) J.B. Murray of RAF No. 824 Squadron. A search for survivors was unsuccessful. On the 21st, ocean boarding vessel "Hilary" rescued nineteen survivors from the German ship.

Italian submarine "Marconi" sank British ship "Baron Lovat" (the entire crew survived) and Swedish ship "Taberg" (15 killed) 350 miles west of Gibraltar.

Axis submarines have a busy day in the mid-Atlantic. German submarine U-106 sank British ship "Sacramento Valley" 250 miles west of Cape Verde Islands at 0503 hours; 3 were killed, 39 survived. German submarine U-43 sank Dutch ship "Yselhaven" 930 miles northwest of the Azores at 2024 hours; 24 were killed, 10 survived. Three hours later at 2325 hours, 630 miles northwest of the Azores, U-48 sank British ship "Tregarthen", killing all 45 aboard.

ASIA: The Chinese 5th PG received six I-153s to use as night fighters.

GERMANY: Hitler issues Guidelines for the Treatment of Political Commissars (Commissar Order, Kommissarbefehl), which would bring about the summary execution of any captured Soviet political commissars. He says: "Any German soldier who breaks international law will be pardoned. Russia did not take part in the Hague Convention and thus has no rights under it." This order is tacitly disobeyed by most German army and corps commanders who deem it contrary to German military custom and tradition.

Hitler hints to the Japanese ambassador that Germany will soon invade the Soviet Union.

Admiral Raeder meets with Hitler about conduct of war in the Mediterranean. Croatian leader Pavelic meets with Hitler.

MEDITERRANEAN: Operation Rocket: RAF Hurricanes were launched from RN carriers "Ark Royal" and "Furious" of Force H to reinforce Malta. One Hurricane returned with defects, the remaining 43, escorted by 8 Blenheims from Gibraltar, arrived safely.

MIDDLE EAST: Invasion of Syria (Operation Exporter): Australian 7th Division is in position on the Palestine-Syria border. On the French side at the coast, elements of 24th Colonial, 22nd Algerian and 6th French Foreign Legion Regiments are entrenched, supported by seven battalions of artillery. The British invasion force has little reliable intelligence and only 1:200,000 scale maps. Some information is provided by Palestinian Jews attached to the British Army. Air support to the invasion is initially inadequate with 70 aircraft versus 100 French. As the invasion progresses it will be enhanced, eventually including: 80 Sqn RAF (Hurricanes) based at Haifa, 3 Sqn RAAF (Curtiss Tomahawk IIBs) based at Jenin, 208 Sqn RAF (Hurricanes) at Aqir, 203 Sqn RAF (Blenheim fighters), 803 and 806 Sqns FAA (Fulmars). Bomber support will consist of 84 and 11 Squadrons RAF (Blenheim) and 815 Squadron FAA (Swordfish). Finally, 'X' Flight RAF is formed at Habbaniya this day from the Gladiators remaining after the Iraqi Revolt.

RAF fighters shot down a French 167F bomber over Palestine.

NORTH AFRICA: The Nigerian 23rd Infantry Brigade is pushing south from the Omo River at Abalti in Galla-Sidamo. Italian defenders from Abalti begin withdrawing toward Jimma in Galla-Sidamo.

NORTH AMERICA: Gerow recommends to Marshall that the Philippine forces not be called into Federal service. Further recommends MacArthur be given command of the Philippine Department.

President Roosevelt said during a press conference that many Americans were being duped by German propaganda into believing that Britain was on the verge of collapse and would soon be suing for peace.

US Naval Air Station established at Balboa in the Canal Zone.

The first US navy vessel constructed specifically as a mine layer, USS "Terror", was launched.

NORTHERN EUROPE: First 120 Finnish volunteers for German Waffen-SS depart for Germany.

UNITED KINGDOM: The British Air Ministry issued a contract to Avro for the supply of 454 Lancaster Mk I heavy bombers powered by four Merlin XX engines, plus two prototype Lancaster Mk II fitted with four Bristol Hercules VI engines.

British Intelligence receives reliable information that Germany will attack Russia on 22 June.

Over Durham at 1500 hours, a single German aircraft dropped one 500kg bomb, 20 yards W of the LNER railway line at East Jarrow. Two pigs and a number of hens were killed by blast. No other damage or casualties were reported. One HE was dropped at Whitefield Pit, Penshaw, near to houses where damage was caused to about fifty of them, a small water pipe and an electric cable. A male and two females sustained injuries.

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03 JUNE 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
M-35 Class MSW DKM M-203
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Neutral
Benson Class DD USS NICHOLSON (DD442)


Allied
Motor MSW MMS 20 (J520)
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U-75 sank MV EIBERGEN (NL 4801 grt) in the SW Approaches. The ship had been part of OB327 until its dispersal. It was making passage from Newcastle on Tyne to Sierra Leone in ballast, with a crew of 39, 4 of whom were to lose their lives in the attack. At 0345 hrs on 3 June, the unescorted EIBERGEN was hit aft by one torpedo from U-75 about 650 miles north of the Azores. The U-boat had chased the ship for more than 9 hrs, missed with a first torpedo at 0237 hrs and then a spread of two torpedoes at 0253 hours before hitting the ship with the fourth. The Germans observed how the ship settled by the stern and the crew began to abandon ship in two lifeboats, but suddenly the U-boat was illuminated by a searchlight and opened fire with the AA gun to destroy it. U-75 then turned around and fired its stern torpedo as coup de grace at 0400 hrs. The torpedo struck amidships and caused the EIBERGEN to break in two and sink within one minute. Two crew members on watch below were killed and two British gunners failed to leave the ship. The survivors were not questioned by the Germans because the identity of the victim was known from its distress signals. HMCS NIAGARA from the dispersed OB 328 and the ocean boarding vessel HMS MALVENIAN were sent to the area to search for the lifeboats, but were unable to find them. On 7 June, the survivors were picked up by CL CAIRO and landed at Gourock.


U-75 sank Tkr INVERSUIR (UK 9456 grt) in the SW Approaches. The ship had been part of OB327 until its dispersal. It was making passage from Stanlow to Aruba in ballast, with a crew of 45. There were to be no deaths in this attacks. At 0101 hrs the INVERSUIR, was hit in the foreship by one torpedo from U-48 north of the Azores. The ship stopped and developed a heavy list to port after being hit amidships by a coup de grace at 0111 hours. The U-boat then fired 51 rounds from the deck gun and set the tanker on fire. At 0359 hours, a second coup de grace hit her in the bow and she was left in a sinking condition.

The wreck of INVERSUIR was finally sunk by U-75 with two coups de grace fired at 2033 and 2051 hrs.


Tanker BELCHEN (DKM 6367 grt) was sunk by CLs AURORA and KENYA in the Greenland area. U.93 rescued some fifty survivors. It was the start oif a stready program by the RN to round up and eliminate the supply tail that was allowing extensive world wide operations by surface raiders, made possible by the progress in breaking into the German naval codes.

Steamer ROYAL FUSILIER (UK 2187 grt) was badly damaged by the LW off the west Coast. The steamer sank four miles 200° from May Island. The entire crew was rescued.


UBOATS
Departures
Kiel: U-751

At Sea 03 June 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-93, U-94, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-141, U-204, U-552, U-557, U-558, U-561, U-751, UA

26 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
MSW FRANKLIN was damaged by two near misses from the LW in the Nth Sea. The MSW spent no time out of action.

Decoy ship MAMARI (Fleet Tender C) struck the sunken wreck of tanker AHAMO in the Nth Sea. The ship remained fast and attempts to remove the ship during the day were unsuccessful. During the night of 3/4 June, German S-boats attacked the decoy ship with a torpedo striking the AHAMO. The crew of the decoy ship was rescued by resuce tug SABINE and landed at Grimsby. The MAMARI is not recorded as a loss at this time.

In an attack on German shipping, a British Swordfish of 816 Sqn from Thorney Island was shot down. P/T/Sub Lt (A) C.M. Richards RNVR, observer, and Leading AirmanA.J. Atkin were killed. T/A/Sub Lt (A) E.K. Margetts RNVR, pilot, was taken prisoner.

Northern Waters
DDs ELECTRA, IMPULSIVE, and ANTELOPE departed Scapa Flow to Londonderry to refuel prior to joining the escort of arriving BB NELSON. The DDs arrived at 1330 and departed at 1900 to meet the BB. On the 4th, ELECTRA damaged her ASDIC dome to hitting a whale. DD ICARUS was ordered to leave BB RODNEY and join the NELSON group.

West Coast
BB RODNEY, escort DDs TARTAR, PUNJABI, ESKIMO, and ICARUS, departed the Clyde for refitting in the U.S. Also sailing in company was British liner WINDSOR CASTLE . The BB arrived at Boston on the 13th.

WS.9A departed with steamers SAMARIA, HIGHLAND BRIGADE, EASTERN PRINCE, AAGTEKERK, CAPETOWN CASTLE , EMPRESS OF JAPAN, FRANCONIA, MOOLTAN, ORBITA, LLANGIBBY CASTLE, DURBAN CASTLE, EMPIRE CONDOR, EMPIRE CURLEW, EMPIRE EGRET, and EMPIRE WIDGEON. CLA CAIRO and DDs RICHMOND, RAMSEY, COSSACK, MAORI, SIKH, ZULU, OTTAWA, RESTIGOUCHE, VANQUISHER, and WINCHELSEA were with the convoy form 3 to 7 June. AMC AUSONIA was with the convoy from 3 to 6 June. AMC DUNNOTTAR CASTLE and CL BIRMINGHAM, which departed the Clyde, were with the convoy from 3 to 18 June. DDs VANSITTART and WILD SWAN joined the convoy on the 13th and escorted it to Freetown arriving on the 18th. DDs HIGHLANDER, VELOX, BOREAS, and BRILLIANT were with the convoy from 16 to 18 June when the convoy arrived. The convoy and steamers BERGENSFJORD, ARONDA, THYSVILLE, and CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS departed Freetown on the 20th. They were escorted by DDs BOREAS, VELOX, WILD SWAN, and VANSITTART as local escort from 20 to 22 June and CL BIRMINGHAM as ocean escort. Steamers EASTERN PRINCE, CAPETOWN CASTLE, EMPRESS OF JAPAN, LLANGIBBY CASTLE, DURBAN CASTLE, and EMPIRE WIDGEON arrived at Capetown on 1 July. The remaining ships and BIRMINGHAM continued towards Durban. CA HAWKINS relieved the CL on 2 July. The convoy arrived at Durban on 4 July. The Capetown ships departed Capetown on 5 July escorted by BIRMINGHAM. Durban ships ARONDA, AAGTEKERK, THYSVILLE, EMPIRE CONDOR, EMPIRE EGRET, and EMPIRE CURLEW departed on 8 July escorted by heavy cruiser HAWKINS. They rendezvoused on 9 July with the Capetown section and light cruiser BIRMINGHAM was detached.
Steamers EMPRESS OF JAPAN, CAPETOWN CASTLE, and DURBAN CASTLE were detached at 9-10N, 51-40E with AMC HECTOR as convoy WS.9 AX for Bombay. The convoy arrived on 24 July. Convoy WS.9 AX departed Bombay escorted by AMC ANTENOR and arrived at Colombo on 30 July. Steamers EMPRESS OF JAPAN and CAPETOWN CASTLE departed Colombo on 1 August escorted by CL MAURITIUS. The CL was relieved later by CL DURBAN. The convoy arrived at Singapore on 5 August. The remaining ships arrived at Aden on 21 July and proceeded independently to Suez.

SW Approaches
Submarine P.32 arrived at Gibraltar from Holy Loch

Channel
British steamer DENNIS ROSE was damaged by the LW five miles SW of Start Point (Sth coast Of Cornwall).

Med/Biscay
British troopship GLENGYLE departed Alexandria, escorted by two RHN DDs, for Port Said to load equipment and LC for EXPORTER, the invasion of Syria. DDs ILEX and HOTSPUR departed Alexandria for Famagusta to embark special service troops and transfer them to troopship GLENGYLE. The DDs joined the troopship at Port Said on the 4th.

RAN sloop PARRAMATTA, after duty in the Red Sea, arrived at Alexandria for duty with the Med Fleet.

ASW Trawler KLO was damaged by the LW arriving at Mersa Matruh. The skipper was killed. And another crew member, died of wounds on 2 July.

RM CruSqn 7 with CLs EUGENIO D'SAVOIA, DUCA D'AOSTA, and ATTENDOLO and CruSqn4 with CLs BANDE NERE and DI GUISSANO with DDs PIGAFETTA, DA MOSTA, DA VERAZZANO, DA RECCO, USODIMARE, GIOBERTI, and SCIROCCO laid two minefields NE of Tripoli.

An Italian convoy of steamers AQUITANIA, NIRVO, Steamer MONTELLO (FI 6117 grt), CAFFARO, Steamer BEATRICE C. (FI 6132 grt), and POZARICA escort DDs AVIERE, GENIERE, DARDO, and CAMICIA NERA departed Naples for Tripoli.
Distant cover was provided by CLs DUCA DEGLI ABRUZZI and GARIBALDI and DDs GRANATIERE, FUCLIERE, BERSAGLIERE, and ALPINO from Palermo.

The convoy was attacked 20 miles NE of Kerkenah by British a/c on the 4th and steamers BEATRICE C. and MONTELLO were sunk.


Steamer MONTELLO




Steamer BEATRICE C.

Submarine PARTHIAN torpedoed tkr STROMBO (FI 5232 grt) in Salamis Bay. The tanker was beached off Dardanelles a total loss.
+

Submarine UNIQUE damaged Italian steamer ARSIA off Lampedusa. The steamer had departed Tripoli on the 1st in a convoy of steamer COSTANZA and tug COSTANTE NERI and escorted by gunboat GRAZIOLI LANTE for Trapani.
Submarine TORBAY sank a unknown caique (Ex-Gk 250 grt(est)), carrying oil drums, off Mitylene with gunfire.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

MTB.215 sank Turkish auxiliary schooner IKI KARDESHLER (Tu 250 grt (est)) in 35-56N, 32-52E.. The schooner was carrying petrol and was found to be sailing under false orders. She was sunk on suspicion she was co-operating with the enemy. The days of the sanctity of neutral shipping were long gone. .
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Central Atlantic
Corvette ASTER departed Gibraltar for Bathurst.

Pacific/Australia
CL DANAE departed Singapore.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 3 JUNE TO DAWN 4 JUNE 1941
Weather Fine and warm.rbour, escorted by twelve fighters. Heavy anti-aircraft guns engage; no damage to enemy aircraft. Hurricanes are scrambled but unable to reach height in time to engage the raiders.
PM One Italian three-engined aircraft passing to the west of Malta is attacked by four Hurricanes of 249 Squadron and shot down in the sea. The crew are seen on the wing. The Gozo boat and Hurricanes conducted a search but were unable to find any survivors.
2125-2135 hrs Air raid alert for four formations of enemy aircraft which approach the Island and circle east of Kalafrana and Grand Harbour for one and a half hours. 15kg bombs are dropped on land west of Island Bay and in the sea. Night Hurricanes are airborne but unable to locate the raiders due to heavy cloud.
2143-2300 hrs Air raid alert. Two enemy aircraft cross the coast near Kalafrana and drop 15kg and incendiaries near the airfield and in the sea. Searchlights illuminate the raiders on two occasions and anti-aircraft guns engage; no claims. Night Hurricanes are airborne but unable to locate the raiders due to heavy cloud.
2327-0045 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches the Island from the south west and drops bombs in the sea south west of St Thomas' Bay. During the raid four Swordfish aircraft land at Hal Far. Heavy anti-aircraft guns engage the raiders; no claims. Night Hurricanes are airborne but unable to locate the raiders due to heavy cloud.

OPERATIONS REPORTS TUESDAY 3 JUNE 1941
ROYAL NAVY 830 Squadron Six Swordfish in two unsuccessful attempts in poor visibility to intercept southbound convoys passing to the westward of Lampedusa. Unique successful attack on Lampedusa Harbour; 1000 ton ship destroyed.
AIR HQ 69 Squadron 5 Maryland on reconnaissance. 4 Blenheims of 139 Squadron and 1 of 82 Squadron attacked a convoy escorted by destroyers: one ship blown up and a second set on fire. The Blenheim which bombed the latter ship was hit by debris from it and exploded; it then crashed into the sea.

04 JUNE 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Isles Class ASW Trawler HMS BRORA (T-990
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U101 sank the Steamer TRECARRELL (UK 5271 grt) in the Nth Atlantic. The ship had sailed as part of OB-327, but this convoy dispersed 1June. She was on passage from Hull to New Brunswick in Ballast with a complement of 47, 4 of whom would lose their lives in the attack. At 0503 hrs the TRECARRELL, was hit in the stern by one G7e torpedo from U-101west of Cape Race. The ship had been chased for about 11 hrs and missed by a first G7e torpedo at 0405 hours the previous night. Four crew members were lost. After the survivors abandoned ship in three lifeboats and one raft, a coup de grace hit the stern of the ship at 0524 hrs. She developed a heavy list to port, but remained afloat so the U-boat opened fire with the deck gun at 0555 hrs. They scored a hit with the first shot, but one man of the gun crew was thrown overboard by the recoil so they were forced to cease fire. MtrOGfr Horst Jackl wore a life jacket but the search for him was futile and this crewman was lost. At 0640 hours the U-boat dived to fire another coup de grace, got to close and rammed the floating steamer, bending its bow to starboard. After so many unlucky events, the commander decided to left the sinking steamer behind. The master, 38 crew members and four gunners were picked up by the British steam merchant CORNERBROOK and landed at Halifax.
+

U-69 laid mines that sank Dredger ROBERT HUGHES (UK 2879 grt) 14 of her 31 man crew lost their lives. On 4 June 1941 the ROBERT HUGHES struck a mine laid on 29 May by U-69 in the entrance to Lagos Harbour and sank. 14 crew members were lost. The master and 16 crew members were rescued by harbour craft.


AO ESSO HAMBURG (DKM 9849 grt) was scuttled when she was intercepted by CA LONDON and DD BRILLIANT sth of the Azores, as part of the RNs round up of DKM auxiliaries operating in the Atlantic, andf in consequence to the recent progress in cracking the ENIGMA codes. The entire crew of 87 were rescued.


Supply ship GONZENHEIM (DKM 4104 grt) was first located by AMC ESPERANCE BAY, but the cruiser was not fast enough to intercept. The ship was next sighted by an a/c from CV VICTORIOUS in the mid Nth Atlantic.BB NELSON, from convoy SL.75, intercepted the supply ship and ordered CL NEPTUNE to board. The supply ship scuttled herself in 43-29N, 24-04W. NEPTUNE, which had been detached from convoy WS.8 X, rescued 63 survivors from the German ship and took them to Gibraltar.

AO GEDANIA (DKM 8923 grt) was captured in the Nth Atlantic in 43-38N, 28-15W by Ocean boarding vessel MARSDALE. The tkr was carrying 48 eight torpedoes to replenish U-boats. The vessel was taken for British use and renamed EMPIRE GARDEN.RE

UBOATS
Arrivals
St Nazaire: U-94

Departures
Kiel U-559

At Sea 04 June 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-93, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-141, U-204, U-552, U-557, U-558, U-559, U-561, U-751, UA

26 boats at sea
OPERATIONS
North Sea
AA ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 0615 to join convoy WN.35 in Pentland Firth and escort it southeastward. On meeting convoy EC.28, the ship transferred to that convoy and remained in company through the day. On the 5th, ship ALYNBANK transferred to convoy WN.36 west of the Orkneys. The convoy was attacked during the evening of 5 June and a steamer was set afire and a trawler was damaged.

Steamer QUEENSBURY (UK 3911 grt) was sunk by the LW in the Nth Sea from convoy WN.36. 10 crewmen and one gunner were lost on the steamer. The convoy and ship ALYNBANK arrived at Methil at 0900 6th.


Northern Waters
CL NIGERIA arrived at Scapa Flow after refitting at Rosyth.

SW Approaches
OG.64 departed Liverpool, escort ASW trawlers CANNA, LADY SHIRLEY, LAERTES, and LORD IRWIN. On the 5th, the convoy was joined by DDs ROXBOROUGH, SALISBURY, and SKATE, sloop FOLKESTONE, ocean boarding vessel HILARY, corvettes ANEMONE, CLARKIE, and VERONICA. The ocean boarding vessel departed the convoy that night. The DDs and corvettes were detached on the 8th. On the 12th, corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS and RNN sub O.21 joined the convoy. Corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS were detached on the 13th. DDs AVONVALE, ERIDGE, and FARNDALE, arriving from the Irish Sea Force, and WRESTLER, which departed Gibraltar on the 13th, joined the convoy on the 17th. ASW trawler LADY SHIRLEY was detached and arrived at Gibraltar on the 16th, and arrived at Gibraltar on the 18th with sloop FOLKESTONE, the 4 DDs, submarine O.21, deperming vessels SPRINGTIDE and SPRINGDALE, MSWs CORBRAE and LORD IRWIN, ASW trawler LAERTES, naval trawler CANNA, and whalers GOS 7, KOS 10, KOS 11, and KOS 12.

HG.64 departed Gibraltar escorted by sloop BIDEFORD, corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS, RNN sub O.21, and ASW trawler STELLA CARINA.Two MLs departed with the convoy for local escort. Corvette WOODRUFF joined on the 5th and was detached the next day for Bathurst. The ASW trawler was detached on the 10th.
Corvettes COREOPSIS and FLEUR DE LYS were detached on the 12th to convoy OG.64. On the 14th, ocean boarding vessels LADY SOMERS and MALVERNIAN joined the convoy. DDs SKATE and WALKER and corvettes HYDRANGEA and WALLFLOWER joined the convoy on the 15th. HG.64 arrived at Liverpool on the 19th.

CVE ARGUS and Greek troopship NEA HELLAS, escorted locally by DDs FOXHOUND, FORESIGHT, and FURY departed Gibraltar for the UK. Corvettes GERANIUM and JONQUIL were to escort the ships during daylight on the 5th, but a forecast of bad weather which would make the escorts inefficient forced the ships to return to Gibraltar, arriving on the 5th.

Channel
RNN ML VAN MEERLANT (RNN 687 grt) was sunk by mining in the Thames Estuary, with the loss of 42 crew.


Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 4 JUNE TO DAWN 5 JUNE 1941

Weather Fine and warm.

1036-1117 hrs Air raid alert for a fighter patrol by six ME 109s which cross the Island near St Thomas' Bay at 12000 feet; they are observed over the Zabbar area, then recede south west. No bombs are dropped. Two heavy anti-aircraft positions engage; no claims. 12 Hurricane fighters are scrambled and intercept the ME 109s 45 miles north of Malta, chasing them back towards Sicily.

OPERATIONS REPORTS WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE 1941

AIR HQ Arrivals 4 Wellingtons en route for Egypt. Departures 3 Wellingtons. 69 Squadron 4 Marylands on reconnaissance.

05 JUNE 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIC U-573

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 5,289 GRT. Badly damaged on 1 May 1942 in the Med NW of Ténes (area east of Oran in Algeria), by DCs from an ASV equipped Hudson a/c (233 Sqn). 1 dead and 43 survivors. She was towed to Cartagena, Spain on 2 May 1942. Sold to Spain on 2 Aug, 1942. Became the Spanish submarine G 7. In service until May 1970.

Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMCS BUCTOUCHE (K-179)


Flower Class Corvette HMCS SHERBROOKE (K-152)


Losses
U-48 sank tkr WELLFIELD (UK 6054 grt) in the Nth Atlantic. The ships had been attached to OB-328, but was on this day dispersed. She was in ballast, on passage from Liverpool to Curacao, with a crew of 42. 8 of the crew were to be lost in this attack. At 0131 hrs the unescorted WELLFIELD, was hit aft by two torpedoes fired by U-48 SE of Cape Farewell. The tkr had been spotted at 1409 hrs the day before and was sunk by one G7e coup de grace at 0156 hrs. The master and seven crew members were lost. 19 crew members were picked up by BRITISH ARDOUR and landed at New York. On 11 June, 15 crew members were picked up by the HEINA and landed at Halifax. .

Model of the WELLFIELD held at the British National Maritime Museum showing her appearance as built.

ASW trawler ASH (RN 505 grt) was lost on a mine in the Thames Estuary. Exact casualties are not recorded.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

AO EGERLAND (DKM 9789 grt) scuttled herself when she was intercepted by CA LONDON and DD BRILLIANT. The entire crew of 94 officers and ratings were rescued and taken prisoner.


Coal hulk HIMALAYA (UK 3540 grt) was sunk by the LW at Portland.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Balloon barrage drifter LAVINIA L. (RN 73 grt) was sunk by the LW at Sheerness. One crewman was lost on the drifter.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
Willhelmshaven: U-26

Departures
Kiel, U-79, U-203, U-371

At Sea 05 June 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-79, U-93, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-141, U-203, U-204, U-371, U-552, U-557, U-558, U-559, U-561, U-751, UA

29 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
CLs AURORA and KENYA arrived at Iceland after searching for DKM supply ships. AURORA continued on to Scapa Flow, arriving on the 7th. CLA HERMIONE arrived at Iceland after Denmark Strait patrol. AMC AURANIA arrived at Iceland after being withdrawn from Northern Patrol after a submarine was reported in her area.

Northern Waters
DD MATABELE struck a submerged object after leaving Barrow on the 4th for Scapa Flow. The DD returned to Barrow, arriving on the 5th, for repairs completing in August.
DD INTREPID departed Scapa Flow for Immingham to fit TSDS and carry out repairs.

West Coast
British steamer MYRMIDON was damaged on a mine in Crosby Channel. The steamer returned to Liverpool, but permanent repairs were completed in the US

Med/Biscay
BC RENOWN, CV ARK ROYAL and CVL FURIOUS, and six DDs departed Gibraltar to fly off 43 Hurricanes to Malta on the 6th in Operation ROCKET. Group 1 was BC RENOWN, CVL FURIOUS, and DDs FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, and FOXHOUND. Group 2 was CV ARK ROYAL, CL SHEFFIELD, and DDs FEARLESS and FURY. Force H.safely returned to Gibraltar on the 7th after the fly off.

CLA COVENTRY and DDs ISIS and HERO departed Alexandria to join troopship GLENGYLE at Port Said.

Submarine RORQUAL departed Alexandria with supplies for Malta where she arrived on the 11th.

RAN DDs VOYAGER and VENDETTA departed Alexandria to deliver supplies to Tobruk during the night of 5/6 June. The DDs unloaded and returned to Mersa Matruh.

Submarine TRIUMPH sank gunboat VALOROSO (built 1913) (RM 434 grt)
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

The sub then sank steamer FRIEDA (FI 245 grt) and Steamer TRIO FRASSINETTI (FI 244 grt) in 31-39N, 15-39E.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Pacific/Australia
RAN CA AUSTRALIA and NZ manned CL ACHILLES escorted convoy VK.2 of two ships from Sydney to Wellington, where they arrived on the 9th.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 5 JUNE TO DAWN 6 JUNE 1941
Weather Fine and warm.

1449-1505 hrs Air raid alert; raid does not materialise.

2207-2245 Air raid alert for three enemy aircraft which approach and cross the Island from different directions. One Sunderland approaching at the time is warned to keep clear. 17 high explosive bombs of 15kg fall are dropped between Kalafrana and Marsaxlokk and in the sea south of Hal Far. One 15kg bomb hits the roof of Loreto Church causing slight damage.

0102-0220 hrs Air raid alert for four enemy aircraft which approach the Island from the north east at 16000 feet, then cross the coast at Kalafrana. 15kg bombs are dropped on Ta Qali, the Dockyard, Tarxien, in the sea off Kalafrana, on Birzebbuga, Hal Far and Island Bay areas. Searchlights illuminate three times. A Hurricane night fighter of 185 Squadron piloted by F/Lt P Hancock engages a Heinkel 111, attacking from such close range that the two aircraft nearly collide; the Heinkel is severely damaged and the raider is suspected to have crashed in the sea.

OPERATIONS REPORTS THURSDAY 5 JUNE 1941

ROYAL NAVY Utmost returned after carrying out successfully another special mission in the Gulf of Hammamet.

AIR HQ 69 Squadron 4 Marylands on reconnaissance; 1 Hurricane on photo-reconnaissance. 139 Squadron Squadron returned to UK. Underground operations room now in use.

06 JUNE 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
S-Boat DKM S-103
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Allied
Bathurst Class Corvette HMAS MARYBOROUGH (J-195)


HDML 1045
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U-106 sank MV SACRAMEBTO VALLEY (UK 4573 grt) in the Central Atlantic. She was on passage from Carfiff to Pernambuco via Freetown, with a load of Coal. 49 crew were aboard the vessel, of whom 3 were to lose their lives. At 0503 hrs the SACRAMEBTO VALLEY, dispersed on 27 May OB-324, was hit on the port side just abaft amidships in the engine room by one torpedo fired by U-106 while steaming on a zigzag course at 9.5 knots about 250 miles NW of the Cape Verde Islands. The explosion killed the third engineer and two Indian fireman on watch below and destroyed the port lifeboat. The master, 39 crew members and six gunners (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 40mm and four machine guns) abandoned ship in the starboard lifeboat and two jolly boats within five minutes when the ship settled by the bow with a list to port. The radio operator sent distress signals on the emergency aerial, but got no reply and left the ship as last together with the master. The ship sank vertically by the bow about 10 minutes after the hit. The U-boat surfaced, questioned the survivors in the lifeboat and gave them the direction to the nearest land before leaving.

The boats remained at the sinking position for about 7 hrs after sending further distress signals with the emergency set, but when no help arrived they set sail towards the Cape Verde Islands. The lifeboat in charge of the second officer had 34 men aboard, including a greaser with a broken leg and drew ahead of the smaller jolly boats. On 9 June, they were picked up by the British MV CAITHNESS, which later that day also located the jolly boat in charge of the master and took its five occupants aboard. The ship searched in vain for the third boat and then proceeded to Freetown, where the survivors were landed on 14 June. The seven men in the jolly boat in the charge of the bosun had lost contact with the others during the second night and then decided to steer west, observing three ships passing them without being spotted. In the evening on 24 June, they were picked up by the Panamanian steam tanker STANVAC CALCUTTA and landed at Aruba on 3 July.


U-43 sank Steamer YSELHAVEN (NL 4802 grt) in the Nth Atlantic. She was on passage from Liverpool to St Lawrence in ballast when lost, with a crew of 34, of whom 24 were to lose their lives in the attack. At 2024 hrs the YSELHAVEN, dispersed from convoy OB-328 on 2 June, was hit by two torpedoes from U-43 and sank within two minutes about 600 miles east of Newfoundland. The master and eight crew members were lost. The remaining crew members abandoned ship in two lifeboats, but one of them with 15 occupants was never seen again. The other boat with 10 men under command of the first mate A. Boutkan set sail for Cape Race but was hit by a gale, so they had to lower the mast and dropped a sea anchor. On 15 June, the survivors were picked up by the Finnish steam merchant HAMMERLAND and taken to Norfolk, Virginia.


U-48 attacked and sank Steamer TREGARTHEN (UK 5201 grt) in the Nth Atlantic. She was on passage from Cardiff to Jamaica with a cargo of Coal and a crew o45, all of whom were to lose their lives in the attack. At 2325 hrs the unescorted TREGARTHEN, dispersed on 5 June from convoy OB-329, was hit in the stern by two torpedoes fired by U-48 NNW of the Azores. The ship capsized and sank within 3 minutes taking all of the crew with her.


Blockade runner ELBE (Ger 9179 grt), which had left Darien on 20 April, was sunk by a Swordfish, flown by sub Lt (A) J.B. Murray of 824 Sqn, from CVL EAGLE in the Sth Atlantic. A search for survivors was initially unsuccessful, however on the 21st, ocean boarding vessel HILARY rescued nineteen survivors from the German ship and took them prisoner.


Steamer GLEN HEAD (UK 2011 grt) formerly the SS PENTHAMES, was sunk by the LW in the SW Approaches. 27 crewmen were lost on the steamer.


Steamer TAURUS (Nor 4767 grt) was sunk by the LW in the Western Approaches. The entire crew were rescued.


UBOATS
At Sea 06 June 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-79, U-93, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-141, U-203, U-204, U-371, U-552, U-557, U-558, U-559, U-561, U-751, UA

29 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
British trawler EMULATOR was damaged by the LW seven miles east of Scarborough.

Northern Waters
DD ANTHONY departed Scapa Flow and met steamer AMSTERDAM and LADY OF MANN off the entrance to Aberdeen. The ships were escorted to the Orkneys; steamer LADY OF MANN to Long Hope and DD ANTHONY and steamer AMSTERDAM to Kirkwall. ANTHONY and steamer AMSTERDAM departed Kirkwall at 0430 for Lerwick where they arrived at 1000. DD ANTHONY escorting steamer AMSTERDAM departed Lerwick at 0430 on the 8th.Steamer LADY OF MANN departed Scapa Flow at 0930 and joined off Duncansby Hd. On arrival at Aberdeen at 1545, ANTHONY parted company and returned to Scapa Flow later that evening.

SW Approaches
Italian submarine VENIERO attacked convoy HG.64 in the SW Approaches. British steamer ARIOSTO was missed by torpedoes. The Italian submarine reported attacking another steamer in this convoy.

Italian submarine MARCONI attacked convoy OG.63 in 35N, 11W in the same vicinity of convoy HG.64. It is believed the MARCONI was responsible for the sinking of steamer BARON LOVAT (UK 3395 grt). There were no casualties on the steamer.


MARCONI also sank Steamer TABERG (SD 1392 grt), with 15 og the crew lost on the Swedish steamer. The Italian submarine reported sinking one more ship and damaging another, but no information is available.


Italian submarines VELELLA and EMO joined in the attack on the convoy wmulating DKM wolfpack tactics. The two submarines claimed sinking two steamers each, but no confirmation is available.

Submarine TORBAY damaged tkr ALBERTA (Vichy 3357 grt) with artillery eight miles 75 from Cape Helles. The tkr was boarded and further damage was done by the sub. When Turkish tug TAXIARCHIS tried to tow the damaged tanker on the 9th, submarine TORBAY fired a torpedo which missed. The ALBERTA sank on the 10th.


Nth Atlantic
BC REPULSE arrived at Conception Bay after escorting HX.129.

HX.131 departed Halifax, escorted by AMC CHESHIRE and corvettes PICTOU and RIMOUSKI. BHX.131 departed Bermuda on the 4th escorted by AMC WOLFE. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.131 on the 9th and the WOLFE was detached at that time. The convoy was joined on the 12th by corvette HONEYSUCKLE.All these escorts were detached on the 17th.Joining on the 17th were DDs BEAGLE, BOADICEA, and SALISBURY, CAM ship MAPLIN, corvettes GLADIOLUS, NIGELLA, ORCHIS, and POLYANTHUS, MSWs SEAGULL and SHARPSHOOTER, and ASW trawlers AYRSHIRE, LADY MADELEINE, and ST LOMAN. Corvette GLADIOLUS was detached on the 18th, DDs BEAGLE and SALISBURY and corvette POLYANTHUS on the 19th, and DD BOADICEA and corvette NIGELLA on the 20th. The remainder of the escort arrived with the convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 23rd.

Central Atlantic
DDs WIVERN, WILD SWAN, and VANSITTART arrived at Gibraltar after escort duty with convoy WS.8X for refuelling.

CVE ARGUS and troopship NEA HELLAS, escorted by DDs WIVERN, WILD SWAN, and VANSITTART, departed Gibraltar to meet CV VICTORIOUS and CL NEPTUNE. The DDs would return with VICTORIOUS and NEPTUNE to Gibraltar. ARGUS and steamer NEA HELLAS arrived in the Clyde on the 14th. At 1100 on the 8th, the DDs joined VICTORIOUS and NEPTUNE. DD WRESTLER, after reinforcing the OG.63 escort, also joined the VICTORIOUS escort.

Malta
DAWN 6 JUNE TO DAWN 7 JUNE 1941
Weather Fine and warm.

2005-2030 hrs Air raid alert for three unidentified enemy aircraft which approach from the north east to Kala Bay. 15kg bombs are dropped on Kala Bay and searchlight site, on Gudja and Zabbar.

2354-0120 hrs Air raid alert for several formations of three or more aircraft which approach from the north west and circle the Island. One aircraft crosses the coast and drops 15kg bombs on Ta Qali and near St Andrews, and between Salina Bay and Wardia. Two Hurricanes are scrambled but searchlight illuminations are prevented by cloud and there is no engagement.

0210-0300 hrs Air raid alert for three enemy aircraft which drop bombs on Luqa aerodrome, setting fire to a Blenheim aircraft, and on Kirkop. A large number of 15kg bombs land on the Safi area. Bombs are also dropped in the sea off St Julians and to the north of Ta Qali. Anti-aircraft guns engage; no claims.

OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 6 JUNE 1941

ROYAL NAVY 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm Five aircraft in operations against Tripoli.

AIR HQ Arrivals 43 Hurricanes. 46 Squadron arrived from UK. 69 Squadron 4 Marylands on reconnaissance; 1 Hurricane on photo-reconnaissance.

HAL FAR 17 Hurricanes (with the new extra long range tanks) landed at Hal Far from Gibraltar.

From the beginning everything went wrong at Omaha. Special amphibious Sherman tanks fitted with flotation screens that were supposed to support the 116th Regiment sank in the choppy waters of the Channel. Only 2 of the 29 launched made it to the beach. With the exception of Company A, no unit of the 116th landed where it was planned. Strong winds and tidal currents carried the landing craft from right to left. The 16th Regiment on the east half of the beach did not fare much better, landing in a state of confusion with units badly intermingled.

Throughout the landing, German gunners poured deadly fire into the ranks of the invading Americans. Bodies lay on the beach or floated in the water. Men sought refuge behind beach obstacles, pondering the deadly sprint across the beach to the seawall, which offered some safety at the base of the cliff. Destroyed craft and vehicles littered the water's edge and beach, and at 0830 hours all landing ceased at Omaha. The troops on the beach were left on their own and realized that the exits were not the way off. Slowly, and in small groups, they scaled the cliffs. Meanwhile, navy destroyers steamed in and, scraping their bottoms in the shallow water, blasted the German fortifications at point-blank range. By 1200 hours German fire had noticeably decreased as the defensive positions were taken from the rear. Then one by one the exits were opened.

By nightfall the 1st and 29th divisions held positions around Vierville, Saint-Laurent, and Colleville—nowhere near the planned objectives, but they had a toehold. The Americans suffered 2,400 casualties at Omaha on June 6, but by the end of the day they had landed 34,000 troops. The German 352nd Division lost 20 percent of its strength, with 1,200 casualties, but it had no reserves coming to continue the fight.

[Thanks Mike and very impressive post. I think this is not quite the format that Chris was looking for however, as the brief is to cover WWII day by day from 1 September 1939 through to 7 December 1941, and should be read in conjunction with Syscom's earlier thread on the war day by day from 7 December to the very end in 1945.

once this project is completed we will have as complete a record as any on the net of WWII daily events.

I would really encourage you to think about making contributions for the upcoming campaign in Russia which I think both Chris and me are looking at with a lot of trepidation. All contributions will be included and appreciated].

07 JUNE 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIB U-85

U-85 leaving Wilhelmshaven. The U-boat arm never learnt that an upside down horse shoe was very bad luck!
3 ships sunk, total tonnage 15,060 GRT
Sunk on 14 April 1942 in the Nth Atlantic off Cape Hatteras, by gunfire from the DD USS ROPER. 46 dead (all hands lost).

Type VIIC U-207

2 ships sunk, total tonnage 9,727 GRT
Sunk on 11 September 1941 in the Denmark Strait SE of Angmagssalik, Greenland, by DCs from the British DDs HMS LEAMINGTON and HMS VETERAN. 41 dead (all hands lost).

Type VIIC U-332

8 ships sunk, total tonnage 46,729 GRT
Sunk on 29 April 1943 in the Bay of Biscay Nth of Cape Finisterre, by DCs from a British Liberator a/c (224 Sqn RAF). 45 dead (all hands lost).

Neutral
Soviet SHCHUKA Class Serie X Bis Sub SHCH-405

Serie X Bis profile

Soviet SHCHUKA Class Serie X Bis Sub SHCH-406

The Diesel engines of SHCH 406
Losses
Examination vessel No.10 (RN 281grt) was sunk in mining off Milford Haven.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Departures
Hamburg : U-751
St Nazaire U-553

At Sea 07 June 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-75, U-77, U-79, U-93, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-111, U-141, U-203, U-204, U-371, U-552, U-553, U-557, U-558, U-559, U-561, U-751, UA

30 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
AA ship ALYNBANK departed Methil and escorted convoy EC.29 from May Island. ALYNBANK arrived at Scapa Flow on the 9th after having parted company with the convoy off Cape Wrath.

Northern Waters
Fleet units at Scapa Flow went to one hour's notice at 2000 on a report of German main fleet units. The notice was subsequently cancelled on the 8th.

Med/Biscay
DD HERO departed Port Said on the 6th for Haifa to complete final arrangements with the Army for EXPORTER.

ForceB of CLA PHOEBE and CL AJAX and DDs KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, JACKAL, and JANUS departed Alexandria on the 7th to be off the Syrian coast at daylight on the 8th for Operation EXPORTER.

Force C of British troops ship GLENGYLE, escorted by CLA COVENTRY and DDs ILEX, HOTSPUR, and ISIS departed Port Said on the 7th to land troops in Syria.

BC RENOWN, CV ARK ROYAL, CVL FURIOUS, CL SHEFFIELD with DDs FAULKNOR, FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FORESTER, and FURY departed Gibraltar to meet CV VICTORIOUS.

Submarine REGENT departed Gibraltar for Malta.

Submarine O.24 departed Gibraltar for patrol in the Gulf of Genoa.

Submarine SEVERN arrived at Gibraltar after patrol.

Nth Atlantic
BC REPULSE departed Conception Bay for Halifax, and arrived on the 9th to escort convoy TC.11.

Malta
With some indications of faltering morale on the island Churchill wrote to the Governor declaring "You may be sure we regard Malta as one of the master-keys of the British Empire. We are sure you are the man to hold it and we will do everything in human power to give you the means."

AIR RAIDS DAWN 7 JUNE TO DAWN 8 JUNE 1941

Weather Fine and warm.

0527-0621 hrs Air raid alert for three formations of twelve, three and four enemy aircraft approaching the Island from the south. Twelve ME109 fighters cross the coast rapidly. While eight remain at altitude, four dive low to machine-gun Hal Far aerodrome. Heavy and light anti-aircraft guns engage; no claims. Ten Hurricanes are scrambled; no interception.

0251-0429 hrs Air raid alert for four Italian BR 20 bombers which approach from the north east and drop 15kg bombs on the Wardia, Luqa and Marsa areas, and on Manoel Island. Two Hurricane fighters are scrambled. One BR 20 is illuminated by searchlights and engaged. The aircraft bursts into flames, the crew bale out and it crashes between Qrendi and Hagiar Qim. One parachute is seen descending over Marsaxlokk. 3rd Bn Kings Own Malta Regiment posts a guard over the aircraft and take two prisoners – an Italian flying officer at the Blue Grotto and a sergeant at Wied Bassasa – who are handed over to the Detention Barracks at Corradino. A dead body is later discovered 300 yards from the aircraft and buried at St Andrews Cemetery. A second BR 20 is illuminated and hit by a Hurricane; it is badly damaged and last seen over Hal Far heading out to sea, believed destroyed. A third enemy aircraft is badly damaged.

OPERATIONS REPORTS SATURDAY 7 JUNE 1941

ROYAL NAVY 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 7 Swordfish in successful attack on Tripoli: 'cucumbers' in harbour entrance.

AIR HQ 69 Squadron 4 Marylands on reconnaissance; 1 Hurricane on photo-reconnaissance of Catania aerodrome revealed 10 JU 52s, 9 HE 111s or JU 88s, 9 unidentified fighters.

....the upcoming campaign in Russia which I think both Chris and me are looking at with a lot of trepidation.

Click to expand...

AMEN!!!!!!

June 7 Saturday
ASIA: Japan diplomatically recognized the Independent State of Croatia.

EASTERN EUROPE: Polish physician Zygmunt Klukowski's diary entry for this date noted his observation of heavy German military traffic moving east.

Soviet Armaments Commissar Boris Vannikov was arrested.

GERMANY: King Boris of Bulgaria meets with Hitler.

MEDITERRANEAN: Axis Convoy departs Naples for Tripoli with three vessels escorted by Italian destroyers "Freccia", "Strale", "Marco Polo", and "Victoria" supported by two cruisers and three more destroyers.

The captured Italian vessel "Giovanni", (schooner), commanded by Australian Lt. A. Palmer, DSC, RNR, ran aground in the approaches to Tobruk, and was destroyed by German ground fire. "Giovanni", and her captain, had a legend built around them through their ghosting in and out of the besieged port with vital supplies. Palmer, who lost an arm in the engagement, was repatriated from a German POW camp in 1943.

HMS "Furious" sailed for the UK to load more aircraft, joining "Argus" at sea en route.

MIDDLE EAST: Invasion of Syria (Operation Exporter): Allied invasion begins. On the coastal axis, Palestinian Jewish guides (including a young Moshe Dayan) lead Australian forces who infiltrate the frontier before hostilities are declared. From a kibbutz at Hanita they cross the border at 2130 hours to cut signal wires and probe for mines. Heavy seas prevent British commandos from 'C' Battalion British Special Service Brigade from landing behind the border to prevent the French blocking the narrow coastal road. The advance of 21 Australian Brigade is halted by heavy French fire short of the bridge over the Litani River. On the central axis, 25 Australian Brigade sweeps aside the French frontier posts but is then halted by determined French troops in well-chosen positions. On the desert (eastern) axis, 5 Indian Brigade seize Deraa (site of Lawrence of Arabia's torture in WWI) and penetrate to Kuneitra. Churchill telegraphs to de Gaulle:

"...best wishes to our joint enterprise in the Levant. ....At this hour when Vichy touches fresh depths of ignominy, the loyalty and courage of the Free French save the glory of France."

Click to expand...

NORTH AFRICA: British Operation Battleaxe, an offensive against Axis positions in Libya, was delayed.

The RAF bombards Benghazi and Derna. Luftwaffe attacks Alexandria and Suez overnight with 31 Ju 88 bombers from bases on Rhodes, killing 230 people. Italian aircraft bomb Tobruk.

British transport "Glengyle" departs Port Said with No. 11 Commando for landing at the mouth of the Litani river in Lebanon

NORTH AMERICA: US President Roosevelt learned that Germany was unlikely to invade the Iberian Peninsula, and suspended the planning for the occupation of the Portuguese Azores islands.

President Roosevelt signed a bill authorizing the requisitioning of all foreign merchant ships idling in American ports. He then issued an executive order authorizing the Maritime Commission to operate or dispose of the ships in the interest of national defense. The marine commission began to commandeer foreign vessels and allocate them to whatever service may be most useful for national defence. They include 39 Danish, 28 Italian and two German ships as well as others in Lithuanian, Estonian, and Romanian registry. The pride of the catch is the 83,423-ton French liner "Normandie", the former holder of the Blue Ribbon for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic.

WESTERN FRONT: The first of five heavy night raids by the RAF begins. RAF Bomber Command sends 33 aircraft to attack Kreigsmarine cruiser "Prinz Eugen" at Brest, but fail to hit her. RAF Bomber Command sends 22 aircraft on anti-shipping missions.

Behind the screen of the continuing raids on Britain, the Luftwaffe is being switched to the east. The powerful air fleet which destroyed Belgrade and blasted the way clear for the Wehrmacht to march through the Balkans is being transferred to Poland, where it is being joined by squadrons taken there from France. There are now 2,770 German aircraft, formed into three fleets, facing the Soviet Union.

Operation Josephine B ended in Allied success when a sabotage team blew up an electrical transformer station in Pessac.

.