This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

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8 JULY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIB U-86

Type IXC U-161

Neutral
Acceptor Class MSW USSMARABOUT (AMc- 50)

PT-31

Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMCS SHEDIAC (K-110)

Isles Class ASW Trawler HMS Hoy (T-114)
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Bar Class Boom Defence Vessel HMS BARONIA (Z-87)
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MTB-47

Losses
Fishing vessel JAN HUBERT (Ger 460 grt) was sunk in a collision in southwest Norway.
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UBOATS
Arrivals
St Nazaire: U-69

Departures
Trondheim : U-565

At Sea 8 July 1941

U-66, U-68, U-74, U-84, U-95, U-96, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-109, U-123, U-126, U-140, U-142, U-143, U-144, , U-149, U-201, U-202, U-331, U-553, U-557, U-558, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, UA

28 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
North Sea
CLA CURACOA departed Scapa Flow to meet convoy EC.42 south of Duncansby Head to provide AA protection to the convoy. At 2300, the ship transferred to convoy WN.50 east of Cape Wrath and escorted it to Methil where they arrived at 0730 on the 10th.

Lt Cdr A.J. Tillard, Lt R.H. Furlong, and Lt Cdr W. Thompson were killed when their Walrus of 778 Squadron crashed off Arbroath.

Northern Waters
RAN DD NESTOR departed Scapa Flow to join DD JUPITER at Greenock prior to proceeding to the Mediterranean. The DD arrived at Greenock on the 9th.

SW Approaches
HG.67 departed Gibraltar, escort sloop DEPTFORD, DDs FOXHOUND and AVON VALE, corvettes JONQUIL, PETUNIA, and SPIRAEA, CAM ship MAPLIN, and Dutch submarine O.24. Captured Vichy steamer CAP CANTIN proceeded to the UK in this convoy. DD FARNDALE and corvette COREOPSIS departed Gibraltar on the 9th and overtook the convoy. DDs AVON VALE and FARNDALE were detached on the 12th. Early on the 13th, DD AVON VALE sighted a submarine on the surface near the convoy. The DD, joined by FARNDALE searched for the submarine without success, but there were no attacks on the convoy.

On the 14th, the corvettes, less PETUNIA, and the submarine were detached to convoy OG.67. On the 14th, the convoy merged with convoy SL.79. On the 19th, DDs CAMPBELTOWN, ST ALBANS, and WANDERER joined the convoy. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 24th.

Med/Biscay
Submarine TORBAY sank steamers LXIV and LI (Ger tonnage unknown)east of Kithera with artillery.

Dutch submarine O.21 arrived at Gibraltar from patrol.

Submarine UPHOLDER arrived at Malta from patrol.

Central Atlantic
Ocean boarding vessel MARSDALE arrived at Gibraltar from Western Patrol

Sth Atlantic
CA CORNWALL collided with the wharf at Durban. The cruiser's stem was buckled.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 8 JULY TO DAWN 9 JULY 1941
Weather Hot and sunny.

1101-1130 hrs Air raid alert for a SM 79 which crosses the Island on reconnaissance escorted by 13 Macchi fighters.

2214-0025 hrs Air raid alert for a single SM 79 bomber which approaches from the north and drops bombs in the sea off Bubaqra. Searchlights illuminate one BR20 and the raider is engaged by a Hurricane fighter. Pilot F/O Cassidy follows the bomber and engages at very close range at 15000 feet, shooting it down in flames in the sea south of the Island. Further aircraft then cross the coast and drops bombs near the Blue Sisters' Hospital, near Tal Qroqq, on Qormi, Hamrun, Birkirkara and St Julians, and off Tigne fort.

0059-0202 hrs Air raid alert for three enemy aircraft which approach the Island singly, crossing the coast north of GrandHarbour, and drop 100kg high explosive bombs on Marsa and on Luqa, where a Wellington is hit and burned out.

0324-0416 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches form the north, crosses the coast and drops 100kg high explosive bombs on Kalafrana, causing slight damage to buildings and injuring two NAAFI employees.

During the three raids Hurricanes are airborne 11 times, with several engagements. Two enemy aircraft are believed damaged.

OPERATIONS REPORTS TUESDAY 8 JULY 1941

ROYAL NAVY Upholder returned from patrol south of Messina, having sunk a fully laden westbound merchant vessel of 6000 tons. 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 8 Swordfish bombed and laid 5 cucumbers at Tripoli.

AIR HQ Arrivals 2 Blenheims 110 Squadron, 1 Bombay. Departures 1 Bombay, 7 Hurricane, 1 Maryland. 69 SquadronMarylands reconnaissance Augusta, Syracuse, Catania, Tripoli, Quara, Taranto, Naples and special patrols.

HAL FAR A Fulmar patrolled over Catania but returned due to deterioration in the weather.

TA QALI 8 Hurricanes took off for Middle East; two returned after a collision in mid-air

 

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Halders Diary 8 July 1941

 

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9 JULY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
HDML 1046, MA/SB 28

Losses
U-98 sank Steamer DESIGNER (UK 5945 grt) previously from Convoy OB-341 in the Nth Atlantic. She was carrying mail and military stores and was on passage to Capetown when lost. A crew of 77 were embarked, 66 of whom were to perish in the attack. At 0155 hrs the unescorted DESIGNER, dispersed on 6 July from convoy OB-341, was hit in the foreship by one of two torpedoes from U-98 and sank after six minutes NNW of the Azores. The master, 61 crew members and four gunners were lost. On 10 July, ten crew members (lascars) and one gunner in one lifeboat were picked up by the Portuguese sailing ship SOUTA PRINCESCA and landed at Leixoes.

U-98 sank Steamer INVERNESS (UK 4897 grt) previously from Convoy OB-341 in the Nth Atlantic. She was carrying military stores and was on passage from Liverpool to the Middle east via Capetown when lost. A crew of 43 were embarked, 6 of whom were to perish in the attack

At 0528 hrs the INVERNESS, dispersed on 6 July from convoy OB-341, was torpedoed by U-98 NNW of the Azores. The ship broke in two and sank after a coup de grace was fired at 0544 hrs. Six crew members were lost. The master, 31 crew members and five gunners landed at Corvo Island, Azores.
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UBOATS
Arrivals
Brest: U-558
St Nazaire: U-96

Departures
Trondheim: U-372, U-401

At Sea 9 July 1941
U-66, U-68, U-74, U-84, U-95, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-109, U-123, U-126, U-140, U-142, U-143, U-144, , U-149, U-201, U-202, U-331, U-372, U-401, U-553, U-557, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, UA

28 boats at sea.

OPERATIONS
Baltic
The following DKM MLs were sunk on a Swedish minefield as they were returning from Finnish waters to Swinemunde, being sunk just of the island of Oland.

ML TANNENBERG (DKM 5504 grt)

ML PREUSSEN (DKM 2529 grt),

ML HANSESTADT DANZIG (DKM 1415 grt)

East Front
Black Sea/Caspian
VMF DesDiv 2 with DDs TASHKENT, BODRY, BOIKI, BESPOSCHCHADNY, and BEZUPRECHNY operated in the Fidonisi area in the Black Sea on a shipping sweep, but did not make contact.

Northern Patrol
CA SUFFOLK arrived at Hvalfjord after Denmark Strait patrol. After refuelling, the cruiser departed for Scapa Flow, where she arrived on the 11th. CA DEVONSHIRE departed Scapa Flow for Hvalfjord. En route, she intercepted Panamanian steamer ST-CERGUE (4260grt) and sent her to Skopenfjord under armed guard. The cruiser on the 10th at Hvalfjord. The cruiser arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 15th.

Northern Waters
MLs AGAMEMNON, MENETHEUS, and PORT QUEBEC, escort DDs CASTLETON, WELLS, and HEYTHROP, laid minefield SN.67A of the Northern Barrage. On the 8th, CL NIGERIA and later on the same day BC REPULSE departed Scapa Flow to cover the operation.

On the 10th, DD HEYTHROP was detached and after collecting mails at Loch Alsh proceeded to Scapa Flow, where she arrived that evening. NIGERIA also returned to Scapa Flow on the 10th.

CLs AURORA, ARETHUSA, and MANCHESTER departed Scapa Flow for the Clyde to escort convoy WS.9C. The cruisers arrived on the 10th. AURORA was replaced in the operation by ML cruiser MANXMAN. The cruiser arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 13th.

A U-Boat was reported by British aircraft in 60-36N, 3-20W. ORP DD KRAKOWIAK and DD ECHO departed Scapa Flow at 2100 to search for the submarine. The Polish DD was later relieved by DD WINCHESTER, which departed Scapa Flow on the 10th. The Polish DD arrived at Scapa Flow just after midnight on the on the 11th. The search was unsuccessful. DDs ECHO and WINCHESTER returned to Scapa Flow on the 11th.

Med/Biscay
Leaving Tobruk Harbour, DD DECOY and RAN DD STUART were damaged by near misses by the LW. Both DDs required repair on their return to Alexandria. DD HERO replaced destroyer DECOY in the Tobruk operations.

RAN DD NAPIER departed Alexandria for Port Said to complete repairs on her turbines.

Submarine CACHALOT departed Alexandria on a supply run to Malta, where she safely arrived on the 16th.

Submarine TORBAY sank steamers LVI and LV (Ger 500 grt (est)) and damaged L 12 with artillery and scuttling charges east of Kithera.

Vichy DDs GUEPARD, VALMY, and VAUQUELIN departed Tripoli, Syria, for Salonika to pick up troops transported there by rail from France. These DDs were able to get within two hundred miles of Syria on their return journey when they were located by British aircraft. The Vichy DDs were ordered to retire to Toulon, putting an end to the naval phase of the Syria operations.

sloop ELAN (Vichy 630 grt), auxiliary tanker L'ADOUR (Vichy 4500 grt), small tanker CYRUS (Vichy 405 grt), patrol vessels DJEBEL SAMIN (Vichy 1130 grt), JEAN MIC (Vichy 1500 grt) , and MASSALIA (Vichy 1800 grt), MSWs AVOCETTE (Vichy 500grt (est)) and LECID (Vichy 500grt (est)), tugs MARIUS (Vichy 150 grt (est), CHAMBRUM (Vichy 150 grt (est), and MARSEILLAISE (Vichy 150 grt (est), and trawler LA VAILLANTE (Vichy 550 grt (est) were interned at Iskanderun, Turkey. Submarine CAIMAN proceeded to Bizerte.

On 18 September, the last of the interned ships had been moved, under Turkish escort, to Mersin and Erdek.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 9 JULY TO DAWN 10 JULY 1941

Weather Hot and sunny.

AM Four Hurricanes of 185 Squadron interrupt an enemy patrol of two seaplanes escorted by four Macchi 200 fighters ten miles off the coast of Sicily, probably a rescue party for the downed BR 20 bomber last night. One Macchi and one seaplane are damaged.

1939-2010 hrs Air raid alert for 12 enemy aircraft spotted 40 miles north of Malta. 14 Hurricanes are scrambled but the raiders turn back for Sicily before they can be engaged.

2350-0024 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches the Island from the south west and drops four 100kg high explosive bombs on Hal Far. Heavy anti-aircraft guns fire two barrages; no claims.

OPERATIONS REPORTS WEDNESDAY 9 JULY 1941

ROYAL NAVY C308, St Angelo and Justified landed troops for a military exercise.

AIR HQ Arrivals 3 Blenheims, 1 Bombay, 1 Sunderland. Departures 2 Blenheim, 1 Bombay. 69 Squadron Marylands reconnaissance Tripoli, Syracuse. F/O Warburton had a running fight with a Macchi 200 which was probably destroyed. 110 Squadron 6 Blenheims dawn attack on Tripoli; prevented by fog. 7 Blenheims made a low-flying attack on Tripoli Harbour with good results but 4 aircraft failed to return (S/Ldr Seale who landed in the sea, F/Lt Potier, P/O Lowe, Sgt Twist). 148 Squadron 9 Wellingtons night bombing raid on Naples; 3 returned owing to bad weather before reaching target. 6 bombers dropped 12000 tons of bombs and 2400 incendiaries on the Central Railway Station from 6500 feet. Bombs were also dropped on warehouses near an aircraft factory, causing fires and explosions. Ack Ack was slight and all aircraft returned safely.

HAL FAR Lt Governor Sir Edward Jackson visited Hal Far with AOC Mediterranean. 185 Squadron 2 Hurricanes attacked sea planes in Syracuse at sea level and inflicted heavy damage. 4 Hurricanes attacked float planes at Syracuse, damaging 8. A Fulmar patrolled the Catania area. 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm Swordfish despatched to attack Tripoli but returned without reaching objective due to low cloud and bad visibility

 

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Halders Diary 9 July 1941

 

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10 JULY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IXC U-503

Type VIIC U-578
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Neutral
Elco 77' PT USS PT-32

PT-32 on her sea trials

Allied
LCT 137, MGB 315, MSW MMS 34 (J-534),

U Class Sub HMS UMPIRE (N-82)

Losses
Trawler ISABELLA FOWLIE (UK 196 grt) was sunk by the LW seven miles ENE of Longstone. Three crew were lost on the trawler.

Steamer SVINT (Nor 1174 grt) was sunk by the LW seven miles NW of Kellan Head, Trevose. One crewman was lost on the steamer.

Steamer HERMES (ex- KARNAK),(Ger 7209 grt) was scuttled when intercepted by AMC CANTON 300 miles NW of St Paul.
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UBOATS
Arrivals
Bergen: U-146
Lorient: U-557

Departures
Kiel: U-563
Lorient: U-124
St. Nazaire: U-203
Trondheim: U-431

At Sea 10 July 1941
U-66, U-68, U-76, U-95, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-109, U-123, U-124, U-126, U-140, U-142, U-143, U-144, U-149, U-201, U-202, U-203, U-331, U-372, U-401, U-431, U-553, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, UA

29 Boats

OPERATIONS
East Front
Arctic
DKM DDs HANS LODY, KARL GALSTER, HERMANN SCHOEMANN, FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT, and RICHARD BEITZEN arrived at Kirkenes

Baltic
ASW Trawler UJ-113 (DKM 550 grt) struck a mine laid by VMF ML TSZOZ 204 during the opening days of the war and sank

The German 1st Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla with S.28, S.26, S.101, S.40, and S.39 sortied to attack a Soviet force in the Gulf of Finland near Ekholm. No contact was made with the Soviet force. However, DKM S-Boats S-26 and S-28 attacked and sank with torpedo the already heavily damaged and abandoned (after mine hit) MV RASMA (SU 3204 grt). Ship had a cargo of flour and grain.

North Sea
CLA CURACOA departed Methil at 1500 to escort convoy EC.43 from MayIsland to Pentland Firth. The ship arrived at Scapa Flow at 1800 on the 11th.

Motor boat CELANO (UK 14 grt), being used as a tender to diving ship TEDWORTH, was sunk on a mine one cable 100° from Number 1 Channel Buoy. All six crew on the boat were lost.

Northern Waters
ML Cruiser MANXMAN departed Scapa Flow at 1900 after working up for Greenock where she arrived on the 11th. The cruiser was to join convoy WS.9C and replaced light cruiser AURORA in the escort.

Western Approaches
Submarine TUNA unsuccessfully attacked a submarine in 46-00N, 09-40W.

SW Approaches
CL EDINBURGH, which had been with convoy WS.9 B, and CLA HERMIONE arrived at Gibraltar. EDINBURGH was docked at Gibraltar the next day.

Med/Biscay
CL AJAX and RAN CL PERTH with four DDs were at sea off Syria during the night of 9/10 July in support of the Army. No contact was made during the patrol.

BB VALIANT, CL LEANDER, and DDs were at sea from Alexandria exercising during the day.

Submarine TORBAY damaged Italian tanker STROMBO off the ZeaCanal. The submarine was in turn damaged by escorting TBs CLIMENE and CALATAFIMI.

Dutch submarine O.23 arrived at Gibraltar after a patrol in the Gulf of Genoa. The submarine was forced to depart the patrol area early on the 7th because of a fuel leak.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 10 JULY TO DAWN 11 JULY 1941
Weather Cloudy.

0009-0112 hrs; 0136-0221 hrs Air raid alert for four enemy aircraft in total which approach the Island singly. Three cross the coast from the south and south west. Bombs are dropped on near Bardia Ridge, near Dingli and on Ghain Tuffieha camp. One falls on the Ghain Tuffieha searchlight and fails to explode. The site is evacuated. Bombs are also dropped on Wardia Ridge and in the sea west of the Island. Two Hurricanes are scrambled with each approach. Searchlights illuminate raiders but there are no engagements. Wellington aircraft come in to land during the raid, causing confusion among the Island's defenders.

OPERATIONS REPORTS THURSDAY 10 JULY 1941

ROYAL NAVY Rorqual proceeded on patrol, but returned at 2200 hrs with engine defects. 4 Swordfish left to attack Tripoli, but returned as weather unsuitable.

AIR HQ Arrivals 4 Blenheim (3 of 114 Squadron, 1 of 82 Squadron), 1 Sunderland. Departures 3 Blenheim, 1 Sunderland. 69 Squadron Marylands reconnaissance Tripoli and convoy search. 148 Squadron 9 Wellingtons night bombing attack on railway marshalling yards at Naples causing damage and fires plus a large explosion in an airframe factory. 1 Wellington was struck by lightning but returned safely.

HAL FAR A Fulmar patrolled the Catania area but returned due to bad weather.

KALAFRANA Overnight 20 small 15kg bombs were dropped on the south slipway and barrack areas. Two small store buildings received direct hits and the flying boat hangar; the Heinkel float-plane housed within received superficial damage from bomb splinters. Two Army personnel were injured by bomb splinters.

 

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July 11 Friday

EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Barbarossa: The Soviet State Defense Committee establishes three new command areas for the Red Army. Marshal Voroshilov is to command in the North (Northwest Front), Marshal Timoshenko the central West Front, and Marshal Budenny the Southwest Front.

Hitler issued Directive No. 32, Plans following defeat of the Soviet Union. http://der-fuehrer.org/reden/english/wardirectives/32.html

Heeresgruppe Nord: Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb, commander of the German Heeresgruppe Nord, recorded in his diary: "heavy losses... If further attacks are to be conducted at this pace we will soon reach a state of exhaustion."

Heeresgruppe Mitte: Colonel General Heinz Guderian's 2.Panzergruppe reaches the Dnepr River in the Smolensk area. On his own Initiative, with no encouragement from OKH or General Feld Marshal Fedor von Bock, Guderian decided not to wait for the following horse-drawn infantry armies but to cross the Dnepr with his motorized infantry. Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluge, commander of 4. Armee and Guderian's immediate superior, ordered Guderian not to cross the river but to await the following infantry. Despite the expected tenacious resistance along the last great natural barrier to Moscow, Guderian attacked. Guderian's divisions crossed the Dnepr at several locations with only light casualties, a tour de force by Guderian on his mission to seize Moscow. Units of 2.Panzergruppe crossed the Dnepr River, XXXIV.Panzerkorps units at Starye Bychov, XXXXVI.Armeekorps (mot.) units near Shklov and XXXXVII.Armeekorps (mot.) at Kopys. He immediately ordered exploitation of the success by directing his XXXXVII.Armeekorps (mot.) to move against Smolensk. Guderian had impressed on the commander of his corp's 29.Infanterie-Division (mot.) the necessity to reach Smolensk with all speed, and after the division crossed the Dnepr, it immediately made a drive toward Smolensk. The Soviets were so surprised and confused that German motorized infantry of the division overran them conducting air operations at Sobowa air field, destroying or capturing twenty operational fighters on the ground. Later in the day, evidently out of touch with the operational situation, two Soviet staff officers, carrying maps of the headquarters 20th Army and the 23rd Air Division, landed on the field. German infantry disabled the aircraft, rushed it, and captured the crew, the staff officers, and the documents.

German 3.Panzergruppe was attacking toward Nevel. After five days of intense fighting, Lieutenant-General Kurochkin's 20th Army was decimated by the 3.Panzergruppe.

Heeresgruppe Sud: 1.Panzergruppe renews its advance toward Kiev and beats off a major Soviet counter-attack. The Germans - who have taken 600,000 Russians prisoner - are ten miles from Kiev. A Soviet counter-offensive by 5th and 6th Armies fails. The city was cut off in a huge pincer movement. The Russian 3rd Mechanized Corp joins in the strong counterattacks on the approaches to Kiev. The Red Army uses a large body of its new T-34 main battle tank for the first time. The Germans are stunned by the effectiveness of the new tank and tactics. XIV.Armeekorps (mot.) (Gen.d.Inf. Gustav von Wietersheim) and XLVIII.Armeekorps (mot.) (Gen.d.PzT. Werner Kempf) cleared the southern Ukraine while III.Armeekorps (mot.) (Gen.d.Kav. Eberhard von Mackensen) skirted Kiev to the South and reached the Dnepr River at Kremenchug. The implications of the moves by the German forces that would result in the huge pocket being formed to the east of Kiev were lost on Marshal Semyon Budenny, commander of the Soviet South West Front, and he continued to funnel troops into a salient that would soon be cut off.

Hptm. Josef Fözö of II./JG 51 is injured when his new Bf 109F crashes during a take-off accident.

Soviet armored cutters BKA-11 and BKA-134 were sunk during unsuccessful operations in the Danube estuary.

"When I see even at this time of the year how our vehicles, after it's rained a little, can barely make the grade, I just can't imagine how it will be in the autumn when the rainy period really sets in. We're fighting in a solid mass of dirt."

- Wihelm Prüller, NCO in German motorized regiment.

GERMANY: RAF Bomber Command sends 36 aircraft to attack Wilhelmshaven overnight.

MEDITERRANEAN: Heavy air-to-air combat over Malta.

MIDDLE EAST: Vichy-French planes bombed Tel Aviv and killed 20 Jews.

NORTH AFRICA: The British destroyer HMS "Defender" was bombed and subsequently scuttled off Sidi Barrani by a Junkers Ju 88 dive bomber piloted by Gerhard Stamp. "Defender" was returning from Tobruk in company with the Australian destroyer "Vendetta". They were attacked by a single Junkers Ju 88 bomber of I./LG 1 piloted by Gerhard Stamp on a reconnaissance flight along the coast before dawn. The bomber scored a near-miss on "Defender" which detonated under the ship, just forward of the engine room. The shock broke the ship's back and flooded the engine room, although there were no casualties among her crew or passengers. "Vendetta" took "Defender" in tow, leaving a skeleton crew aboard the damaged ship, but she started to break up and "Vendetta" was forced to scuttle her with a torpedo and gunfire off Sidi Barrani about five hours later.

Luftwaffe attacks Port Said and Ismailia with 52 bombers overnight.

During the night of 11/12 July, two Australian night-fighting-patrols from the 2/12th Battalion attacked the forward elements of the 'Pavia' in the form of a reinforced rifle platoon, dug-in near El Adem Road. Under the cover of artillery fire, one patrol marched off into the night, but soon came under machine-gun fire and seeking cover suffered three casualties due to Italian booby-traps before being able to resume their advance and capture three and kill or wound a number of Italians, but at the cost of another three casualties. In the meantime, the other patrol managed to reach the other part of the Italian platoon with the help of artillery fire, killing or wounding "between 30 and 40" Italians and capturing two, but at the cost of seven more Australian casualties. During the action, Second Lieutenant Cesare Giacobbe, the Italian platoon commander from the 27th 'Pavia' Infantry Regiment, won posthumously the Gold Medal of Military Valour. Despite being wounded, the young officer personally fired an automatic rifle and employed hand grenades, helping cover the retreat of the remainder of his platoon, before being shot a second time and killed.

NORTH AMERICA: US President Roosevelt asks Congress for $3,323,000,000 for the navy and the Maritime Commission. He also appoints William Donovan to head a new civilian intelligence agency with the title "coordinator of defense information." This appointment will lead to the creation of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) which in turn will develop into the modern CIA.

NORTHERN FRONT: German Gebirgsarmee Norwegen renews attack across the Litsa River. Maj. Gen. Talvela's VI Corps achieve a breakthrough and advance rapidly. However, Talvela is dissatisfied with the commander of the 5th Div Col. Koskimies and releases him from the command. Koskimies is replaced by Col. Ruben Lagus who had advanced rapidly with his Jäger Brigade. Maj. Gen. Hegglund's VII Corps has much tougher time. The defending Soviet forces are experienced and fight vigorously. In Lapland the attacking Germans are forced to recognize their operative mistakes and ask for reinforcements. Especially the SS-Division 'Nord' has been a disappointment. Finns send Infantry Regiment 14 which was originally meant to defend the Ahvenanmaa (Åland) islands in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Fighter Command Circus mission to Yainville. RAF 11 Group Circus 43 was 3 Stirlings of 3 Group escorted by 6 fighter squadrons at 11.00 hours.

RAF 11 Group flew Circus 44 at 14.35 hours as a Diversionary Feint prior to Circus 45. 8 fighter squadrons flew with 1 Blenheim of 60 Group that employed I.F.F. broad-band jamming. RAF Fighter Command Circus 45 mission to Lille with 13 fighter squadrons escorting 3 Stirlings of 3 Group.

RAF Fighter Command Rhubarb missions to Norrent-Fontes.

Since 16 June,1941 to this date, Lt. Josef 'Pips' Priller of 1./JG 26 has destroyed nineteen RAF aircraft including seventeen Spitfires to bring his total to thirty-nine air victories.

In the morning, east of Wimereux, Hptm. Johannes Seifert of 3./JG 26 downs a Spitfire. Landing back at base after the combat, Hptm. Seifert finds that he has been appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./JG 26, taking the place of the captured Oblt. Rolf Pingel. But another Kanalfront Geschwader loses a pilot when Horst Beyer of JG 3 is killed in action against the Allies. He had eight victories against Western pilots.

The 2nd great roundup of Jews of Amsterdam took place.


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July 12 Saturday

ATLANTIC OCEAN: 1st US Marine Brigade completed taking over the occupation of Iceland from British troops.

Soviet patrol vessel "Passat" and Soviet trawler "Molotov" were sunk by Kriegsmarine destroyers.

EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Barbarossa: An Armed Forces High Command communiqué, issued on 12 July, mentioned that 6,233 Russian planes had been destroyed against very minor Luftwaffe losses. 550 German planes have been destroyed so far with another 336 damaged. This is about 40% of all combat ready aircraft that was available to the Luftwaffe at the beginning of the conflict. Werner Mölders reported that under his command JG 51 had destroyed 500 Soviet aircraft at the cost of only three casualties during the first 20 days of Unternehmen Barbarossa. Soviet communiqués covering the same period spoke of 1,900 Russian planes lost against 2,300 German planes destroyed - 300 more than the total number of German planes committed in the Russian theater. Even though these figures are obviously exaggerated and differ so greatly, they do convey an idea of the impact of the initial air battles.

Heeresgruppe Nord: XLI. Armeekorps (mot.) (General of Panzer Troops G-H Reinhardt) reached the Plyussa River in northern Russia. 4.Panzergruppe, attempting to advance beyond Pskov toward Leningrad, calls a halt to their advance to allow the infantry to catch up. Since taking Pskov three days ago, the German tankers have made less than 10 miles of advance into the dismal swamp land of northern Russia against an ever strengthening Red Army.

Heeresgruppe Mitte: German 3.Panzergruppe attacking north of Orsha as German 2.Panzergruppe attacks south of Orsha.

The German 1. Kavallerie-Division ( Lieutenant General O. Mengers) has lost a total of 2,292 horses since the beginning of the Unternehmen BARBAROSSA with only 1,027 captured horses to offset the losses.

Heeresgruppe Sud: Rumanian forces capture Balti. Kirponos withdraws the headquarters of Kostenko's 26th Army into front reserve ordering it to attack to the northwest to link up with Potapov's 5th Army.

Luftwaffe conducts first bombing attack on Moscow.

Soviet destroyer "Bditelny" and Soviet flotilla leader "Kharkov" were damaged by mines.

German Einsatzgruppen C and D killing units start operating on Ukrainian territory killing Jews and later Ukrainians. Officials of the nationalist, anti-Soviet Provisional Ukrainian Government were arrested by German forces. Germans arrest Ukrainians in Stetsko government. Bandera, Stetsko and others are taken as prisoners to Sachsenhausen Prison in Germany.

In Kovno, Lithuanian police have murdered over 3,000 Jews under German supervision. In Jassy Romanian troops killed over 200 Jews and crammed 5,000 into sealed cattle trucks. In Bialystock, the Nazi soldiers spent the first day of the occupation herding the city's Jews into their own blazing synagogue where they died. Pavelic government begins forced relocation of Jews to camp in Zagreb. In Lwow, the Nazis have posted photographs of Ukrainian nationalist prisoners slaughtered by the retreating Russians and captioned "Jewish killings." They are exploiting a local tradition of nationalism and anti-Semitism to recruit a local militia. Just two days after the Germans arrived, local people were massacring Jews in ' Aktion Petlura' a symbolic revenge for the killing of a Ukrainian by a Jews in Paris 15 years ago.

GERMANY: RAF Bomber Command sends 61 aircraft to attack Bremen.

MIDDLE EAST: The Vichy French government fails to gain Turkish permission to send military supports to their forces in Syria. With this last hope gone, the forces still in Syria seek a truce with the Allied forces. French Lieutenant-General Joseph-Antoine-Sylvain-Raoul de Verdillac attended the French-British negotiations for a ceasefire in the French Mandate of Syria and the Lebanon. Making progress in the discussions during the day, the process to draft the Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre began at 2200 hours near Acre, British Mandate of Palestine. Meanwhile, French naval vessels and aircraft were ordered to go to neutral Turkey, where they were interned.

NORTH AFRICA: Ettore Bastico replaced Italo Gariboldi as Commander-in-Chief of Axis forces in North Africa.

Luftwaffe attacks Suez Canal with 20 bombers overnight.

NORTH AMERICA: Naval Research and Development Board created. Naval Air Station established at Quonset Point, Rhode Island.

NORTHERN FRONT: Finnish Army of Karelia captures Kokkari and Tolvayarvi northeast of Lake Ladoga.

UNITED KINGDOM: Four days after the Soviet military mission arrived in London, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union signed an agreement of mutual assistance, noting that neither country would negotiate a separate peace with the Axis powers. The USA perceived this to mean that the USSR intended to support the re-establishment of independent Polish, Czech, and Yugoslav states at the end of the war.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Fighter Command Circus 46 mission to Arques.

RAF Fighter Command sweep across northern France (RAF 11 Group Circus 47).

RAF Bomber Command sends 38 aircraft on sweeps off Dutch coast.

Douglas Bader shot down a German Bf 109 fighter and damaged three others over Pas-de-Calais, France. The fighter units guarding the Channel lost several pilots. At JG 26 Horst Ulenberg was killed in action against the Allies. He had seventeen enemy kills.

Juan Pujol Garcia, later known as agent Garbo, ostensibly departs Lisbon for the UK in order to work for German intelligence.


.

 

[Njaco]

July 13 Sunday
EASTERN FRONT: Unternehmen Barbarossa: Hitler reiterated the idea of using Heeresgruppe Mitte to capture Leningrad, but decided instead that the army group should swing to the southeast to take the Ukraine. Bock and virtually every officer at higher levels of command, but not those immediately around Hitler in OKW, would fight this decision. This turmoil would keep Heeresgruppe Mitte halted east of Smolensk and delay its excursion into the Ukraine until almost September 1941.

Heeresgruppe Nord: The German Armeegruppe Nord continued advancing towards Luga in northern Russia. Reinhardt's XXXXI Motorized Corps reach the Luga south of Kingisepp and capture several bridgeheads across the river. In the first 3 weeks of fighting, Leeb's Heeresgruppe Nord had advanced 270 miles into the Soviet Union and had captured most of the Baltic republics. The Soviets have lost 90,000 soldiers, more than 1,000 tanks, 4,000 guns and mortars, and over 1,000 aircraft.

Heeresgruppe Mitte: German 3.Panzergruppe pushing toward Nevel and Smolensk. German 2.Panzergruppe was attacking into Orsha. Guderian's XXXXVI.Panzerkorps passed north of Mogilev and his XXIV.Panzerkorps south of the city trapping the 13th Army's 61st Rifle and 20th Mechanized Corps. Komkor L.G. Petrovky's 63rd Rifle Corps drive German forces back from Rogachev and Zhlobin. At the same time, F.F. Zhmachenko's 67th Rifle Corps accompanied by Major-General S.M. Krivoshein's 25th Mechanized Corps launch a doomed attack on Guderian's southern flank.

Heeresgruppe Sud: Soviet general Mikhail Kirponos began counterattacking against the Zhytomyr corridor. The pressure exerted by the Russian Fifth Army from the Pripyat Marshes against the army group's flank diverted more and more 6. Armee (General of the W. von Reichenau) troops from their original mission. The Soviet 19th and 20th Armies arrive in Smolensk. Defenses across Smolensk were prepared under the direction of the Soviet 16th Army.

Luftwaffe bombers attack Kiev. Soviet bombers attack Ploesti, causing considerable damage to oil facilities.

Siegfried Freytag begins his scoring by downing a Russian MiG 3 while he flying with 6./JG 77.

In the Baltic, Soviet naval forces consisting of destroyers and motor torpedo boats as well as bombers make a concerted effort to destroy a German convoy off the coast of Latvia. One ship is sunk.

Montenegro starts an uprising against the Axis Powers shortly after the Royalists in Serbia begin theirs. Questionable Communist plans instigate parallel uprising and civil war.

Efraim Zuroff is kidnapped by a gang of Lithuanians roaming the streets looking for Jews with beards to arrest. He is taken to Lukiskis Prison, the main gaol in the city, and is murdered, along with his wife and two boys.

GERMANY: RAF Bomber Command continues its raids on German ports. Over 100 bombers attempted to hit Bremen. RAF Bomber Command sends 20 aircraft to attack Vegesack overnight.

MEDITERRANEAN: Luftwaffe again attacks Suez Canal with 20 bombers overnight.

In Turkey, repatriated Soviet Berlin Embassy staff arrived through Bulgaria, at Svilengrad. The German embassy staff were then permitted to leave the Soviet Union.

MIDDLE EAST: The Armistice of Saint Jean d'Acre negotiations at Acre, British Mandate of Palestine was stalled as the French rejected British demands.

NORTH AMERICA: The newspaper The New York Times reported that the famed Polish Jewish violinist Henri Czaplinski (aka. Genrikh Maksimovich Chaplinsky in Soviet documents) had escaped an NKVD prison in Lvov, Ukraine during a German bombing.

NORTHERN FRONT: Germans in Lappland (Gebirgsarmee Norwegen) continues its attacks towards Murmansk across the Litsa River. The advance bogs down soon and on 16 July Germans are forced to regroup for defence.

WESTERN FRONT: The first of the Spanish volunteers began leaving Spain for military training in Germany.

.

 

[parsifal]

My sincere apologies people. Have been quite ill for several days now, bit of a leg infection.

 

[parsifal]

Halders Diary 10 July 1941

 

[parsifal]

11 JULY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
S-Boat DKM S-49
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Neutral
Elco 77' PT USS PT 33
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMCS ALGOMA (K-127)

Bangor Class MSW HMS FELIXSTOWE (J-126)

MGB 323, ML 250,

Losses
None

UBOATS
Arrivals
Gotenhafen: U-149
Trondheim: U-451

Departures
Bergen: U-146

At Sea 11 July 1941
U-66, U-68, U-76, U-95, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-109, U-123, U-124, U-126, U-140, U-142, U-143, U-144, U-146, U-201, U-202, U-203, U-331, U-372, U-401, U-431, U-553, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, UA

29 Boats

OPERATIONS
North Sea
Motor vessel RIVER TRENT was damaged by a mine in the Nth Sea. The vessel was towed to Great Yarmouth.

Northern Patrol
DD ECLIPSE departed Scapa Flow providing escort for MLs.122, 124, 125, 128, 208, 210, 213, 233 of the 4th Motor Launch Flotilla proceeding to Skaalefjord and thence to Reykjavik. The force arrived at Skaalefjord just before midnight at 2300.

The force departed Skaalefjord on the 13th for Reykjavik, where they arrived at 1015 on the 15th. At 1800 on the same day, the DD departed to return to Scapa Flow, arriving at 0530 on the 17th.

Northern Waters
BB NELSON, with escort DDs LIGHTNING, ORP KRAKOWIAK, and KUJAWIAK departed Scapa Flow at 0830 for the Clyde. The ships arrived at Greenock at 1054 on the 12th. DD KRAKOWIAK, which had completed working up practices proceeded to Plymouth at 1500. DD KUJAWIAK departed Greenock at 1430 to return to Scapa Flow, arriving at 1130 on the 13th. DD LIGHTNING remained at Greenock to escort convoy WS.9C.

West Coast
DD ICARUS, on completion of repairs, departed Ardrossan at 0500 escorting tanker MONTENOL to Loch Alsh. The DD then proceeded to Scapa Flow where she arrived at 1000 on the 12th.

OB.345 departed Liverpool, escort DDs ARROW, BULLDOG, and GEORGETOWN, corvettes AUBRETIA and NIGELLA, and ASW trawler ST APOLLO. This group was detached on the 16th. On the 16th, AMC CALIFORNIA, DDs CHESTERFIELD and CHURCHILL, and corvettes ARROWHEAD, CAMELLIA, and EYEBRIGHT joined. This group was detached on the 24th. The convoy arrived at Halifax on the 26th.

Med/Biscay
During the night of 10/11 July, CL AJAX and CLA PHOEBE with DDs JACKAL, GRIFFIN, KINGSTON, HASTY, and KIMBERLEY searched the Syrian coast for French merchant ships reported by air the previous day. There was no contact and the ships arrived back at Haifa at daylight.

At midnight on 11/12 July, the Army ceased hostilities with French forces in Syria.

DD DEFENDER and RAN DD VENDETTA, after carrying supplies to Tobruk, were bombed by the LW t 0520 near Sollum as they returned.

DD DEFENDER was damaged. DD VENDETTA towed the damaged RN DD for a time before D-Class DD DEFENDER (RN 1375 grt) sank seven miles north of Sidi Barrani. There was no loss of life in the DDm but five crew were wounded.

Gunboat CRICKET, in tow of tug ST ISSEY, and gunboat GNAT, sailing on one engine, departed Alexandria for docking at Port Said.

CV ARK ROYAL and CLA HERMIONE departed Gibraltar to exercise in the Mediterranean. A Swordfish ditched during the exercises and its crew was picked up by DD FEARLESS.

Subs URSULA and P.33 departed Malta to intercept a convoy west of Lampedusa. URSULA was forced to return to Malta on the 12th with a defective generator

Nth Atlantic
HX.138 departed Halifax, escort DDs ANNAPOLIS and CROIX and AMC AURANIA. Corvette RIMOUSKI joined on the 12th and sloop LEITH and corvettes DAUPHIN and NAPANEE on the 13th. The corvettes were detached on the 13th. The AMC was detached on the 14th and the DD on the 15th. DDs BROADWATER and ST LAURENT and corvette POLYANTHUS joined on the 15th and DDs BURWELL and RICHMOND and corvette COBALt on the 16th. These escorts were detached on the 23rd when relieved by DDs BEAGLE, BOADICEA, and ROXBOROUGH, corvettes HEATHER, ORCHIS, and PICOTEE, and ASW trawlers ARAB, LADY MADELEINE, and ST LOMAN. The DDs and corvette HEATHER were detached on the 26th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 27th with the remainder of the escort.

Central Atlantic
ASW trawlers FANDANGO, MORRIS DANCE, SARABANDE, SYRINGA, NORSE, and CORDELIA, escorting British steamer PINZON (1365grt), departed Gibraltar for Freetown, via Bathurst.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 11 JULY TO DAWN 12 JULY 1941
Weather Hot and sunny.

0730 hrs 'Exercise Asia' cease fire is given. Military commanders review the Exercise, with many lessons learned in the past five days.

1321-1347 hrs Air raid alert for 40-50 Macchi 200 fighters approaching the Island from the north in three formations at 15000, 10000 and 500 feet. They are believed to come from Catania aerodrome. 15 cross the coast near St Paul's Bay. Six Macchis dive down over Luqa, machine-gunning the airfield. They destroy one Wellington and damage four more, two Marylands are also damaged and will be grounded for up to 6 days. The raiders are engaged by 12 Hurricanes of 185 Squadron who break up all three formations. Heavy and light anti-aircraft fire and light machine-guns also engage. The Hurricanes pursue the raiders in a running fight up to 15 miles north east of GrandHarbour. They destroy three Macchis which crash into the sea, severely damage four and damage another four. Five or six others are hit by light Ack Ack fire at Luqa and Safi, one hit is claimed by infantry firing machine guns.

0235-0253 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which crosses the coast south of GrandHarbour and drops 15kg high explosive bombs near Zeitun. Two Hurricanes 46 Squadron are scrambled but do not reach sufficient altitude to engage.

0402-0431 hrs Air raid alert for two enemy aircraft which cross the coast over GrandHarbour and drop 15kg high explosive bombs across four streets of Hamrun including the main street, demolishing four houses and damaging seven more. Eight civilians are killed and seven seriously injured; eleven are treated for minor injuries. One unexploded bomb is reported. Two Hurricanes 46 Squadron are scrambled; no engagement.

OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 11 JULY 1941

ROYAL NAVY Ursula and P33 sailed at 1700 to intercept convoy west of Lampedusa.

AIR HQ Departures 4 Blenheim, 1 Sunderland. 69 Squadron Marylands patrols to locate convoy north of Sicily; reconnaissance Catania and Syracuse.

 

[parsifal]

Halders Diary 11 July 1941

 

[parsifal]

12 JULY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Elco 77' PT USS PT 34

Allied
HDML 1053

Losses
None

UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-103
Oxhoft (Gydnia): U142

Departures
Horten: U-501
Kiel: U-82
St Nazaire: U-93, U-94

At Sea 12 July 1941
U-66, U-68, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-95, U-97, U-98, U-109, U-123, U-124, U-126, U-140, U-143, U-144, U-149, U-201, U-202, U-203, U-331, U-372, U-401, U-431, U-501, U-553, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, UA

30 Boats

OPERATIONS
Baltic

East Front
Arctic
DKM DDs HANS LODY, KARL GALSTER, HERMANN SCHOEMANN, FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT, and RICHARD BEITZEN swept off the Kola coast.

DDs LODY, GALSTER, and ECKHOLDT encountered a Soviet convoy near CapeTeriberski.

PV PASSAT (VMF 350 grt (est) and Trawler RT 67 (SU trawler MOLOTOV 350 grt(est)) were sunk. Auxiliary PV RT 32 was able to escape. Two barges being towed by RT-67 were also lost

The other two DDs off Iokanga found no targets.

Black Sea/Caspian
VMF DD BDITELNY was badly damaged and KHARKOV was slightly damaged by LW air attack on Sevastapool.

Northern Waters
In a flying accident on CV VICTORIOUS T/Sub Lt (A) J.B. Ganner RNVR, and Leading Airman L. Powell in a Fulmar of 809 Squadron were killed.

West Coast
AA ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 0930 to cover convoy WN.51 from the Pentland Firth to Tod Head where she transferred to convoy EC.44. In the Pentland Firth, the ship left convoy EC.44 and arrived at Scapa Flow at 2100 on the 13th. Corvette ARBUTUS was in a collision with British steamer BLACKHEATH (4637grt) in 55-58N, 10-38W. Corvette PIMPERNEL stood by the damaged corvette. Corvette ARBUTUS was repaired at Liverpool completing on 19 August.

OG.68 departed Liverpool escort DDs BATH and WALKER, corvettes AZALEA, BLUEBELL, CAMPANULA, HYDRANGEA, WALLFLOWER, and ZINNIA. The convoy was joined on the 13th by ocean boarding vessels CAVINA and HILARY. On the 14th, corvette AZALEA was detached. On the 18th, the DDs and the ocean boarding vessels were detached. DD WISHART and sub CLYDE from convoy HG.68 joined the convoy on the 22nd. On the 25th, the submarine was diverted to patrol in the vicinity of 40N, 15W. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 26th with the five corvettes.

Med/Biscay
RAN CL HOBART arrived at Suez from Australia to join the Med Flt. The cruiser could not immediately be passed through the canal due to mining. The CL and DD KIPLING, following repairs at Suez, were able to proceed through the Suez Canal on the 16th.

Submarine RORQUAL departed Malta for Alexandria and arrived on the 20th.

Among the items brought to Alexandria was a new stem piece, forged at Malta, for CLA COVENTRY.

Submarine TRIUMPH arrived at Malta for damage repairs incurred in patrol off Benghazi.

NL steamer ALPHARD was damaged by the LW at Port Said. Four crew were lost on the steamer.

Greek steamer PATRIA was sunk by the LW at Port Said. However, tThe steamer was raised and restored to service.

BC RENOWN departed Gibraltar and joined CV ARK ROYAL and CLA HERMIONE for exercises. The three ships arrived back at Gibraltar later that day.

Submarine OTUS departed Gibraltar, carrying stores, for Malta, arriving on the 20th.

Nth Atlantic
SC.37 departed Sydney, CB, escort corvettes BARRIE, CHICOUTIMI, and MATAPEDIA. AMC AURANIA joined the next day and was detached on the 14th. The three corvettes were detached on the 15th. On the 15th, DDs BURWELL and RICHMOND and corvettes COBALt and POLYANTHUS joined. These were detached on the 23rd, when relieved by DDs LEAMINGTON and SALADIN, corvettes ABELIA and ANEMONE, and ASW trawlers ST ELSTAN and ST ZENO. DD DOUGLAS joined on the 24th.Corvette ANEMONE was detached on the 26th, DDs DOUGLAS, LEAMINGTON, SALADIN, and SKATE, and trawler ST ZENO on the 27th.Corvette ABELIA and trawler ST ELSTAN arrived with the convoy in the Clydeon the 28th.

Central Atlantic
CA LONDON arrived at Gibraltar from Freetown.

Malta
Weather Sunny and hot.

1125-1135 hrs Air raid alert for nine enemy aircraft which approach to within 10 miles of GrandHarbour. 19 Hurricanes are scrambled; the raiders turn back to the north and there is no engagement.

Night Three short air raid alerts due to the approach of single aircraft but none came closer than 15 miles from Malta.

OPERATIONS REPORTS SATURDAY 12 JULY 1941

ROYAL NAVY Ursula returned to harbour with defective generators. Triumph arrived from patrol off Benghazi for damage repairs. Rorqual sailed at 1900 for Alexandria with stores and passengers.

AIR HQ Arrivals 3 Wellington. 69 Squadron Marylands patrols to locate convoy. 110 Squadron 6 Blenheims search for convoy but return due to poor visibility.

LUQA 1 Wellington crashed after take-off for Middle East.

 

[parsifal]

Halders Diary 12 July 1941

 

[parsifal]

13 JULY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Aloe Class Netlayer USS LOCUST

Allied
ML 277

Losses
None

UBOATS
Arrivals
Horten: U-82

At Sea 13 July 1941
U-66, U-68, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-95, U-97, U-98, U-109, U-123, U-124, U-126, U-140, U-143, U-144, U-149, U-201, U-202, U-203, U-331, U-372, U-401, U-431, U-501, U-553, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, UA

29 Boats

OPERATIONS
North Sea
British Steamer COLLINGDOC was sunk on a mine four cables 200° from Southend Pier. Two crew were lost on the steamer. The steamer was refloated on the 21st and towed to Gravesend. The steamer was converted to a hulk and towed to Rosyth. (I have not included this ship in the losses tally, though I concede their is good argument to do so).

British steamer SCORTON was damaged by the LW two miles west of 57C Buoy, near Smiths Knoll. The steamer arrived in tow at Immingham.

SW Approaches
Convoy WS.9C formed at sea from ships sailing from Avonmouth, Liverpool, and the Clyde. This convoy was primarily the SUBSTANCE convoy for Malta.

The Clyde section escorted by CLs ARETHUSA and the NL CLA HEEMSKERK departed on the 10th. The convoy consisted of BB NELSON, CLs MANCHESTER, ARETHUSA, and HEEMSKERK, cruiser minelayer MANXMAN, and steamers DEUCALION, AVILA STAR, LEINSTER, PORT CHALMERS, PASTEUR, MELBOURNE STAR, DURHAM, SYDNEY STAR, and CITY OF PRETORIA.

DD WINCHELSEA escorted the convoy on the 12th. Sloop STORK escorted the Avonmouth section and remained with the convoy until 13 July. CLA HEEMSKERK and DDs GURKHA, GARLAND, VANOC, and WANDERER escorted the convoy from 12 to 15 July. BB NELSON, CLs MANCHESTER and ARETHUSA, and DDs COSSACK, MAORI, SIKH, NESTOR, and LIGHTNING escorted the convoy from 12 to 17 July. Liner PASTEUR was detached to Gibraltar on the 17th escorted by CL MANCHESTER and DDs NESTOR and LIGHTNING. Liner LEINSTER was detached to Gibraltar escorted by DDs COSSACK, SIKH, and MAORI. Cruiser minelayer MANXMAN escorted the convoy from 15 to 16 July. Steamer AVILA STAR was detached as an independent on the 16th.

DDs FEARLESS, FOXHOUND,FURY, FORESIGHT, and FORESTER departed Gibraltar on the 14th and joined the convoy on the 18th. DD FIREDRAKE departed Gibraltar the next day and joined the DDs at sea. They remained with the convoy until arrival on the 20th. CL EDINBURGH joined the convoy on the 20th and arrived with it at Gibraltar. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 20th.

Med/Biscay
Submarine TAKU sank steamer CALDEA (FI 2703 grt), en route from Brindisi to Benghazi, ten miles 312° from Benghazi. RM TB MONTANARI from Tripoli was escorting the steamer, but was unable to damage the submarine.

Returning from a supply run to Tobruk, DD DECOY sighted a submarine off Bardia. After an unsuccessful attack, due to the threat of air attack, the DD proceeded to Alexandria. RAN DD VOYAGER, in company, was reduced to 17 knots due to a mechanical defect.

Tanker PEGASUS (UK 3597 grt) was sunk on a British mine at Beirut.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 13 JULY TO DAWN 14 JULY 1941

Weather Hot and hazy.

AM Three small formations of enemy aircraft approached the Island separately during the morning. Hurricane fighters were airborne three times in response. No interceptions were made owing to bad visibility and the fact that no enemy aircraft came within 40 miles of the Island.

0130-0227 hrs Air raid alert for four enemy aircraft which approach the Island separately from the north, the north east and the west. Bombs are dropped on land east of Delimara, in the sea off Delimara and on Luqa aerodrome. Bombs are also dropped on Paola, the Dockyard, St Thomas' Bay and KalafranaBay off Benghaisa. Heavy anti-aircraft guns fire three barrages; two succeed in causing raiders to turn away. No Hurricanes are scrambled due to bad visibility and low haze.

OPERATIONS REPORTS SUNDAY 13 JULY 1941

ROYAL NAVY 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 6 Swordfish left to intercept convoy southbound; mission failed owing to poor visibility.

AIR HQ Arrivals 1 Wellington. 69 Squadron Marylands patrol to locate convoy heading for Tripoli and conduct reconnaissance of Tripoli. 110 Squadron 5 Blenheims attacked convoy near Tripoli destroying a tanker and a schooner and setting a merchant ship on fire.

 

[parsifal]

Halders Diary 13 July 1941

 

[parsifal]

14 JULY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
MSW USS OSTRICH

Allied
FNFL ML GUENOLA, ML 271

Losses
Steamer ASPEN (SD 1305 grt), whilst operating as a neutral was sunk by the LW 45 miles from Rotterdam. Two crew were missing on the steamer.

RM submarine MOROSONI sank steamer RUPERT DE LARRINAGA (UK 5358 grt), from dispersed convoy OG.67, in 36-18N, 21-11W. 44 survivors were picked up by Spanish tanker CAMPECHE. The vessel was on passage from the Tyne via Oban for Las Palmas with coal and general cargo for the Spaniards.

RM submarine MALASPINA sank steamer NIKOKLIS (Gk 3576 grt), from dispersed convoy OG.67, 105 miles sw of the Azores, with the loss of 17 crew.
[NO IMAGES FOIUND

UBOATS
Arrivals
Bergen: U-143
Kiel: U-146

Departures
Lorient: U-141
Stormelo: U-145

At Sea 14 July 1941
U-66, U-68, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-95, U-97, U-98, U-109, U-123, U-124, U-126, U-140, U-143, U-144, U-149, U-201, U-202, U-203, U-331, U-372, U-401, U-431, U-501, U-553, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, UA

29 Boats

OPERATIONS
East Front
Baltic
DKM SBoat Flotilla 1 with S.28, S.27, S.40, S.101, and S.26 attacked a Soviet convoy near Ekholm without success.

Northern Waters
CA BERWICK departed Scapa Flow for turbine repairs at Rosyth. En route, the cruiser experienced further engine defects. DD TARTAR departed Scapa Flow with DD HEYTHROP to join the cruiser. En route, DD HEYTHROP was recalled returning to Scapa Flow early on the 15th. The cruiser was safely escorted to Rosyth by DD TARTAR, which returned to Scapa Flow on the morning of the 15th.

DD WELLS arrived at Scapa Flow from Loch Alsh to carry out a short program of practices.

CLA CURACOA departed Scapa Flow to carry out exercises in Pentland Firth and then join convoy WN.52 off Duncansby Head. The convoy was taken to Methil, arriving on the 15th.

Cruiser minelayer ADVENTURE departed Scapa Flow for Loch Alsh, where she arrived that evening. A Swordfish of 821 Sqn crashed at Ballantrae, en route from detling-Prestwick to Hatston. T/A/Sub Lt (A) S.F.J. Wood RNVR, Leading Airman F.B. Bavidige, and passenger Air Mechanician M. Robinson were killed.

West Coast
OB.346 departed Liverpool, escort sloop WELLINGTON, corvettes CLOVER and VERVAIN, and escort ships CULVER and LANDGUARD. On the 15th, DDs ST ALBANS and WESTCOTT, CAM ship MAPLIN, and corvettes AURICULA, HIBISCUS, MARIGOLD, and PERWINKLE joined. DDs ST ALBANS and WESTCOTT were detached on the 18th, corvettes AURICULA and MARIGOLD on the 20th, corvettes HIBISCUS and PERWINKLE on the 21st, corvettes CLOVER and VERVAIN on the 23rd, and CAM ship MAPLIN on the 28th. On the 31st, DD WRESTLER, sloop BRIDGEWATER, and corvettes AMARANTHUS and BERGAMOT joined the convoy which arrived at Freetown on 1 August.

Med/Biscay
CLAs NAIAD and PHOEBE, RAN CL PERTH, and DDs GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, KIMBERLEY, and HOTSPUR departed Haifa at 1800 to return to Alexandria, arriving on the 15th.

CL AJAX and DDs JACKAL, NIZAM, HASTY, and KINGSTON remained on station on the Syrian coast and CLA CARLISLE remained at Beirut.

During the night of 14/15 July, DD HERO and RAN DD VENDETTA ran supplies to Tobruk. DD VENDETTA was holed while alongside, but was able to return to Alexandria after temporary repairs at Mersa Matruh.

Submarine OSIRIS damaged Italian steamer CAPO D'ORSO in the central basin.

An Axis convoy of steamers RIALTO, ANDREA GRITTI, SEBASTINO VENIER, BARBARIGO, and ANKARA departed Tripoli for Naples escort DDs MALOCELLO, FUCLIERE, and ALPINO and TBs PROCIONE, PEGASO, and ORSA.

RN Sub UNION departed Malta just after midnight to intercept the convoy sth of Pantellaria. Swordfish aircraft departed Malta on 14 and 15 July to shadow the convoy, but no contact was made.

RN Sub P.33 sank steamer BARBARIGO (FI 5293 grt) on the 15th eight miles sth of Pantelleria. The submarine sustained hull damage from heavy depth charging. The convoy arrived at Naples on the 16th.Submarine P.33 arrived at Malta for repairs on the 16th.

Central Atlantic
DDs FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FURY, FORESIGHT, and FORESTER departed Gibraltar to meet convoy WS.9C, arriving from the UK.

Sloop SCARBOROUGH and corvette GERANIUM departed Gibraltar for exercises in the Atlantic. SCARBOROUGH returned to Gibraltar to escort convoy HG.68 departing Gibraltar on the 18th, while GERANIUM arrived back at Gibraltar on the 18th, escorting British oiler HORNSHELL.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
British troopship GEORGIC of convoy WS.9 A was bombed by German bombers in SuezBay. The troopship was set afire and drifted to the beach, fouling and slightly damaging landing ship GLENEARN en route. Twenty six on the troopship were killed.

RAN CL HOBART was able to later pass a line to landing ship GLENEARN towing her free. Troopship GLENEARN departed Suez for Bombay on 1 August in the tow of BritishsteamerCITY OF KIMBERLEY. The troopship was salved in November and towed to Bombay. Troopship GEORGIC arrived in UK 1 March 1943 for repairs.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 14 JULY TO DAWN 15 JULY 1941
Weather Hot and humid.

0205-0335 hrs; 0403-0440 hrs Air raid alerts for a total of three enemy aircraft which approach the Island from the north at intervals. One aircraft drops bombs between Il Gzira and Kalafrana and on a road in open country. Bombs are also dropped on Birzebbuga destroying 15 houses but causing no casualties, on Zurrieq, Marsaxlokk and near Luqa, and in the sea. During the first raid three Hurricanes 249 Squadron are scrambled; searchlights do not illuminate and there are no engagements. During the second alert a single raider approaches as the aerodrome beacon is illuminated for Wellington bombers coming in to land.

0500-0507 hrs Air raid alert triggered by the return of a Wellington not showing appropriate identification lights.

OPERATIONS REPORTS MONDAY 14 JULY 1941

ROYAL NAVY Union sailed at 0100 for position 10 miles south of Pantelleria to intercept northbound convoy.

AIR HQ Arrivals 5 Blenheim, 1 Sunderland, 1 Wellington. Departures 1 Wellington. 69 Squadron Marylands reconnaissance Taranto. 110 Squadron 3 Blenheims attacked Zuara aerodrome. 148 Squadron 8 Wellingtons attacked Messina causing extensive fires. 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 6 Swordfish left to look for convoy leaving Tripoli, but returned owing to poor visibility and low clouds.

HAL FAR A Fulmar took off for Catania and Gerbini but returned due to a glycol leak.

 

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Halders Diary 14 July 1941

 

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15 JULY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
MGB 82 (ii), 83, 84, 85

Losses
Landing ship PRINCE PHILIPPE (UK 2938 grt) was sunk in a collision with steamer EMPIRE WAVE (7463grt) off west of Scotland. T/Sub Lt (E) F.G. Moncur RNR, died of injuries sustained in the collision.

Ocean boarding vessel LADY SOMERS (UK 3500 grt (est)) was sunk by Italian submarine MOROSINI in in the Central Atlantic. Corvette SPIRAEA of convoy OG.67 was ordered to her position to assist. The entire crew of one hundred and thirty eight man crew were picked up by Spanish steamer CAMPECHE.Sloop BIDEFORD and ASW trawlers LOCH OSKAIG and IMPERIALIST were ordered to intercept the steamer and take off the survivors due to the difficulty in obtaining the release of seamen from Spain. The survivors were landed by the Spanish ship at Lisbon. They arrived back at Gibraltar on the 18th in British steamer PROCRIS.

Steamer FARFIELD (UK 468 grt) was sunk by the LW five miles 250° from Sth Stack. One naval rating was saved, but the remaining crew of eight were lost.
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UBOATS
Arrivals
Bergen: U-84
Trondheim: U-501

Departures
Kiel: U-125

At Sea 15 July 1941
U-66, U-68, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-95, U-97, U-98, U-109, U-123, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-140, U-141, U-144, U-145, U-201, U-202, U-203, U-331, U-372, U-401, U-431, U-553, U-561, U-562, U-564, U-565, UA

30 Boats

OPERATIONS
East Front
Baltic
DKM S-Boats of their 3rd Flotilla, (consisting of S.54, S.47, S.58, and S.57) attacked a VMF DD in the Bay of Riga without success.

North Sea
CLA CURACOA departed Methil and joined convoy EC.45 off MayIsland. The ship left the convoy in Pentland Firth and arrived at Scapa Flow that evening. CURACOA departed at the same night to rejoin a portion of the convoy which had proceeded north of the Orkneys.

ML TEVIOTBANK, escorted by DD CASTLETON and survey ship SCOTT, laid minefield SN.21 A of the Northern Barrage.

Med/Biscay
NZ manned CL LEANDER departed Alexandria to reinforce the British forces at Haifa.

Submarine UNBEATEN sank sailing vessel (FI 150 grt (est) off Mara Zuag Roads. The submarine reported sinking a second patrol vessel. This is in conflict with Italian records. Italian records say UNBEATEN sank a schooner with gunfire at Marsa Zuag roads, Libya. Another schooner was only damaged. According to Italian sources these were only local fishing vessels and only one was hit and suffered some damage with three wounded.
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Submarine TAKU sank Aux MSWVINCENCO (FI 270 GRT) and damaged a tug NETTUNO in position 30°41'N, 18°19'E. The TAKUs log states

(All times are zone -3)
1430 hours - An armed tug and a schooner were sighted in position 30°56'N, 17°56'E. Weather conditions were unfavourable for gunnery action. Taku shadowed the ships.

2126 hours - The ships were at anchor close inshore in position 30°41'N, 18°19'E. Taku surfaced to launch a folbot party. The folbot however broke in a wave and the idea of a folbot attack was abandoned. (A folbot is a folding kayak).

2314 hours - The armed tug was engaged with gunfire from 300 yards. A lighter was sighted laying astern of the tug. The lighter was slipped and drifted ashore. The tug was hit, the crew slipped the anchor cable and beached itself. Taku now shifted fire to the schooner. 12 rounds were fired from 150 yards. The schooner was then boarded. Charts, books, etc. were captured. The schooner was the Vincenzo P. and was loaded with provisions. The schooner was then sunk by gunfire. (Italian sources give the tug as Italian tug Nettuno. She was badly damaged and beached, The crew was saved and the tug was later salvaged.)

Lighters A.10 and A.11, en route to Tobruk, were attacked by German dive bombers in 32-15N, 25-26E. A.10 was hit and abandoned, after attempts to take her in tow by A.11 failed. One rating was killed and three ratings were wounded in lighter A.10. T/A/Sub Lt W.G. Jenkins RNVR, was wounded in A 11.

Nth Atlantic
USN CruDiv 7 with CLs PHILADELPHIA, BROOKLYN, SAVANNAH, and NASHVILLE relieved CAs WICHITA, QUINCEY, and VINCENNES from Central Atlantic Neutrality Patrol.

Central Atlantic
DDs FIREDRAKE, VIDETTE, VIMY, and BEVERLEY, ML 126 of the 3rd ML Flotilla, and the 9th ML Flotilla of MLs 169, 170, 172, 173, 174, 175, and 176 arrived at Gibraltar. DD FIREDRAKE departed later that day and joined DesFlot 8 en route to join convoy WS.9C.

SL.81 departed Freetown escort AMCs CAPE SABLE to 8 August and MORETONBAY to 2 August, DD WRESTLER to 23 July, and corvettes CLEMATIS, CYCLAMEN, MIGNONETTE, and WOODRUFF to 23 July. On the 30th, corvettes CARNATION to 6 August, HELIOTROPE to 8 August, and MALLOW to 4 August joined. DDs CAMPBELTOWN,ST ALBANS, and WANDERER to 8 August, CAM ship MAPLIN to 7 August, and corvettes BLUEBELL, CAMPANULA, HYDRANGEA to 5 August, LA MALOUINE to 6 August, WALLFLOWER to 8 August, and ZINNIA to 8 August joined on 3 August. On 3 August, a Hurricane from MAPLIN shot down a FW.200. Pilot Lt R.W.H. Everett then baled out and was picked up by a dingy from the CAM ship. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 8 August.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 15 JULY TO DAWN 16 JULY 1941
Weather Sunny and hot.

AM A formation of about 20 aircraft, approaches Malta and circles to the north. Malta fighters are scrambled but recede before they make contact with the raiders.

1738-1801 hrs Air raid alert for two formations of enemy fighters which circle well to the north of the Island. Hurricanes are scrambled but the raiders turn north before any interception.

0104-0155 hrs Air raid alert for three enemy aircraft which approach from the north and cross the coast over St Paul's Bay, drop bombs on Baida Ridge and retreat over Ghain Tuffieha, dropping bombs on the camp, injuring one driver and two personnel of 2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers. Bombs are also dropped in the sea nearby. Hurricanes are scrambled and remain airborne for two hours; no engagement.

0205-0450 hrs Air raid alert for 11 enemy aircraft which approach the Island singly, crossing the coast at various points and dropping bombs apparently indiscriminately, including on Baida Ridge (and in the sea nearby), near Anchor Bay, west of Gudia (and in the sea nearby), in Kalafrana Bay, and on land near Madalena, between Nigret and Lapsi, near Pitkali searchlight station and near Rabat. Searchlights illuminate one raider for two minutes: heavy anti-aircraft fire a barrage; no claims. Hurricanes are scrambled; no engagement. Three unexploded bombs are reported by 2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers.

OPERATIONS REPORTS TUESDAY 15 JULY 1941

ROYAL NAVY 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 5 Swordfish left to locate convoy off Kerkennah Bank. Failed to sight due to poor visibility, but torpedoed a wreck off the Bank mistaking it for a ship of the convoy. 2 mines off Tigne and 1 off Viaduct and breakwater successfully countermined.

AIR HQ Departures 4 Blenheim, 1 Sunderland. 69 Squadron Marylands reconnaissance Tripoli and patrol to locate convoy (Sgt Lee failed to return). Maryland patrol to navigate Blenheims to attack on convoy. 110 Squadron 3 Blenheims attacked convoy of 4 merchant ships escorted by 4 destroyers; one merchant ship is destroyed and another badly damaged. Anti-aircraft guns hit one Blenheim killing the Observer.

HAL FAR Two Fulmars on 'intruder operations' patrolled Catania and released four 20lb bombs which started a fire.

 

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Halders Diary 15 July 1941