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Background Events - June 1940 Evacuation of Dunkirk ends, Italy at war, Action at sea in the Mediterranean, France falls
1940 Saturday,
8 June Mobile
Naval Base Ship MASHOBRA, bombed and badly damaged by German bombing on 25
May and ran aground to prevent sinking, was scuttled to prevent her capture
near Harstad. ______ British
tanker OLEANDER (7048grt), bombed and badly damaged by German bombing on 26
May and ran aground to prevent sinking near Harstad, was scuttled to prevent
her capture. ______ British
Troopship Group I and battleship VALIANT and her destroyers rendezvoused at
0100 and VALIANT remained with the convoy until it was west of the Faroes. Battleship
VALIANT and her destroyers then left Group I and picked up Group II on the
10th. The convoy was continually bombed. Battleship VALIANT remained with
Group II until they reached 59N. The battleship then proceeded to Group
I arrived in the British
troopship GEORGIC went directly to Battlecruiser
RENOWN and destroyers ZULU and KELVIN departed Icelandic waters for
refuelling at Scapa Flow, where they arrived at 0515 and 520, respectively,on
the 9th. ______ British
tanker The
Master and nineteen crew of the British tanker were lost. Twenty
five survivors from the tanker and four from JUNIPER were picked up by the
German ships. Grenfell, Probationary Temporary Lt R. C. B. A. Daniel RNVR,
Probationary Temporary Lt N. L.Smith RNVR, rest of the crew of the trawler
were lost. British
troopship ORAMA (19,840grt) was also located in 67‑44N, 03-52E and sunk
by the German ships which sank Of
a crew of 297 men and two gunners, eighteen crew were missing and one died of
injuries. Heavy
cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER and the four destroyers were then ordered to Destroyer
STEINBRINCK arrived at ______ German
battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU encountered Aircraft carrier GLORIOUS
(Captain G. D'Oyly Hughes) with destroyers ACASTA (Cdr C. E. Glasfurd) and
ARDENT (Lt Cdr J. E. Barker) at 1600 west of the Aircraft
carrier GLORIOUS had been detached from the Narvik evacuation covering force
and was proceeding independently to All
three British ships were sunk west of Narvik, but not before ACASTA was able
to torpedo battleship SCHARNHORST and badly damage her, putting an end to
Marschall's operation. Battleship
SCHARNHORST had her centre and starboard engine room flooded, the after
turret out of action, her speed reduced to twenty knots. Two officers and
forty six ratings were killed. On
11 June, Lt Cdr R. C. O. Hill, FAA Petty Officer Pilot R. T. Leggott of 802
Squadron and officers S/Lt I. V. MacLachlan and Midshipman E. Baldwin of the
823 Squadron, RAF officers Squadron Leader K. B. B. Cross and Flight Lt P. C.
Jameson, thirty ratings from GLORIOUS, two ratings from ACASTA, a RAF non
commissioned officer were picked up by Norwegian trawler BORGUND (303grt)
which landed them in the Faroes on the 13th. One GLORIOUS survivour died
before arriving in the Faroes and one GLORIOUS survivour and one ACASTA
survivour died shortly after arriving. Destroyers VETERAN and FORESTER were
detached from the Commander in Chief on the 14th to call at the Faroes on the
16th and pick up these men taking them to Another
five ratings, of whom one died, from GLORIOUS were picked up by Norwegian
trawler Lost
on the three British ships were 1474 officers and ratings of the Royal Navy
and 59 RAF personnel. Lost
with GLORIOUS were Captain D'Oyly Hughes, Cdr A E F Lovell, Lt Cdr J R F
Newnham, Lt Cdr C H Wells, Lt Cdr R W J Pringle-Nicholson, Lt Cdr W G D
Blakeney, Lt Cdr A Malcouronne,Lt Cdr A N R Keene Rtd, Lt Cdr J R de la H
Marett Rtd, Lt D V Whinney, Captain M N Humphreys, RM, Temporary Lt H W
Brooks RNVR, Probationary Lt G R Gibb RNVR, Probationary Temporary Acting
S/Lt T J Earle RNVR, S/Lt H Dann RNVR, Cdr (E) J M Goodman, Lt Cdr (E) D E
Smeeton, Lt (E) W H Forbes, Lt (E) C Howlett, Lt (E) A T Noble, Lt (E) R H
Woodifield, Probationary Temporary S/Lt (E) P M Blunt RNVR, Probationary
Temporary S/Lt (E) D L McIntyre RNVR, Reverend J B King, Instructor Lt G
Steel, Surgeon Lt T A M Maunsell, Surgeon Cdr C H Egan, MRCS, LRCP, Surgeon
Lt (D) G P Pearse, LDS, Surgeon Lt Cdr H A Lockhart RNVR, Paymaster Cdr C S
Bishop, Paymaster Cdr H A Gibbons, Paymaster Lt Cdr C C Elliot, Paymaster
S/Lt E J L Wright, Temporary Paymaster S/Lt A G Bailey RNVR, Commissioned
Electrician A J Abraham, Gunner E G Meadows, Commissioned Gunner (T) H P
Scott, Commissioned Gunner L J Werran, Signal Boatswain C Rogers, Warrant
Telegraphist R R Clark,Warrant Engineer A E W Elliott, Warrant Engineer H E E
May, Warrant Engineer J H Longman, Warrant Shipwright B B Cole, Warrant Air
Mechanic L P Ayres, Acting Warrant Shipwright J H Hoppins, Acting Warrant
Engineer F B T Cusse, Warrant Writer R C V C Roberts, Warrant Supply Officer
F G Penny, Warrant Supply Officer J L Porter, Acting Boatswain P J
Caddy,Schoolmaster H G Hallum, 1086 ratings, 18 RAF pilots of 46 and 263
Squadrons and 41 RAF ground personnel. Lt
Cdr E H P Slessor, Lt Cdr W H Parkin Rtd, Lt Cdr J D Watson, Lt (A) B P Hart,
Probationary S/Lt (A) E A Phillips RNVR, of the air staff were lost in
GLORIOUS. Lt
J F Marmont (Squadron CO), Lt D N H Ogilvy, Lt N E Ward, Lt G D D'E Lyver,
Captain R J W Nott, RM, Captain J R Owens, RM, Lt (A) G H J Feeny, Lt (A) R J
B Miles of 802 Squadron, and Lt Cdr C J T Stephens (Squadron CO), Lt J L
Hallewell, Lt S F W Hebblethwaite, Lt G Starkey, Lt B J C Wise, S/Lt (A) J H
Radclift, S/Lt (A) G P Ritchie, Acting S/Lt (A) J M Franklin, S/Lt (A) J F
Shillitoe RNVR, of 823 Squadron were lost in GLORIOUS. Lost
with ACASTA were Cdr Glasfurd, Lt C F S Robinson, Lt S L Haydock, Lt B Pares,
Lt (E) F J Boyland, Probationary Temporary Surgeon Lt H J Stammers, MRCS,
LRCP, MC, BS RNVR, S/Lt R J D Law, Probationary Temporary S/Lt J H Hide RNVR,
Acting Gunner (T) A Sharpe, 152 ratings. One rating survived. Lost
with ARDENT were Lt Cdr Barker, Lt G L de Pury, Temporary Surgeon Lt D H T
Duggan, MD, BCH, BAO RNVR, S/Lt D P Robertson, S/Lt G V R Read-Davis,
Probationary S/Lt K S Wood RNVR, Commissioned Engineer B G Clynick, Acting
Gunner (T) G H Moses, Probationary Midshipman J F Hawkins ______ Polish
submarine ORZEL, lost on 25 May to mining, was declared lost after failing to
return from her second Norwegian war patrol. Lt K D'O Nott, a British
observer and two British communications ratings were lost with the Polish
crew. ______ Battleship
NELSON with destroyers WARWICK, WITCH, AMAZON arrived in the ______ Destroyer
INGLEFIELD (D.3) arrived at Scapa Flow at 2215 after refitting at Devonport. ______ Anti-submarine
trawler STOKE ______ British
steamer CORMINSTER arrived at Scapa Flow from Harstad. ______ A
German submarine was reported by a Aircraft at 0840 in 55-52N, 2-40E. ______ Escort
destroyer HAMBLEDON was completed. Following working up at Milford Haven, she
was attached to the Home Fleet. ______ Swedish
steamer KJELL BILLNER (1106grt) was seized by German forces at Stavanger. She
was renamed HELGA SCHRODER for German service. The
crew were returned to Gotenburg. ______ Destroyers
VESPER and WANDERER, which had departed Dover on the 7th, bombarded German
targets on the roadway between Abbeville and Treport, east of Dieppe, on the
8th before arriving at Dover later that same day. Light
cruiser CARDIFF at 1715/8th and destroyers VESPER and WANDERER later arrived
at Dover to stand by for operations off Dieppe. ______ British
steamer HARDINGHAM (5415grt), detached from convoy FS.89, struck a mine in
51-34N, 01-37E. Steamer HARDINGHAM sank in 51-39N, 01-40E. Two
crew were lost on the British steamer. ______ Convoy
BC.40 departed Bristol Channel, escorted by anti-submarine trawler AGATE. The
convoy arrived at Loire on the 10th. ______ Convoy FN.191 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers WOLFHOUND and
VALOROUS. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 10th. ______ Convoy
HG.33 departed Gibraltar with twenty three ships. Destroyers
DOUGLAS and VIDETTE escorted the convoy from 8 to 10 June. Sloop
ABERDEEN from convoy OG.32 escorted the convoy from 10 to 17 June. The convoy
arrived at Liverpool on the 18th. ______ British
troop convoy US 3 departed Freetown escorted by aircraft carrier HERMES and
heavy cruisers CUMBERLAND and SHROPSHIRE. HERMES was detached on the 10th and
heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE accompanied the convoy on 12 to 14 June. Convoy
US 3 was joined off Gibraltar by battlecruiser HOOD, which departed the Clyde
on the 12th, aircraft carrier ARGUS, destroyers BROKE, WANDERER, WESTCOTT,
Canadian destroyers ST LAURENT, RESTIGOUCHE, SKEENA which joined heavy
cruisers DORSETSHIRE, CUMBERLAND, SHROPSHIRE on the 14th. The
fourth Canadian destroyer in Home Waters, FRASER, had arrived at Plymouth on
the 3rd and was repairing defects; she did not return to service until 11
June. Heavy
cruiser DORSETSHIRE conducted a patrol off the Canary Islands and arrived at
Gibraltar on the 16th. On 23 June, she departed for Dakar, changed in view of
Armistice to Freetown. On
15 June, the convoy was joined by destroyers WARWICK and WITCH. On 16 June,
the convoy, heavy cruisers CUMBERLAND and SHROPSHIRE, escorts safely arrived
in the Clyde. From
12 to 16 June, U.29, U.43, U.46, U.48, U.101 were involved in an unsuccessful
attempt to intercept the convoy. Heavy
cruiser SHROPSHIRE arrived in the Clyde to refit, completing at the beginning
of August. ______ Light
cruiser DELHI arrived at Gibraltar. The cruiser sailed the next day with
important RAF stores, but was recalled to Gibraltar, arriving back on the
11th. ______ Convoy
SL.35 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser DUNNOTTAR CASTLE
to 22 June. On 22 June, destroyer WARWICK and corvette CLARKIA joined the convoy and escorted it to arrival on the 25th.
Sunday,
9 June French
submarine RUBIS, which had departed Dundee on the 5th, arrived off
Fedjeonsonfjord, near Bergen. She sighted German destroyer RIEDEL, which had
departed Trondheim on the 8th for Wilhelmshaven. RUBIS dived to evade, but
RIEDEL did not pursue continuing south. Submarine
RUBIS laid mines at 2210 in Fedjeosonfjord in 60‑36N, 04‑54E for
minefield FD.17. On the 10th, Norwegian steamer SVERRE SIGURDSON (1081grt)
was lost on this minefield. ______ Submarines
PORPOISE and NARWHAL departed Immingham to lay minefields FD.18 on the 14th
off Fro Havet in 63‑30N, 08‑12E and FD.19 on the 12th off
Haugesand 59‑26N, 05‑10E, respectively. ______ Submarines
STURGEON, H.28, H.31 departed Blyth on patrol. ______ Late
on the 9th, German battlecruiser SCHARNHORST arrived at Trondheim with
battleship GNEISENAU and were escorted into harbour by German torpedo boats
GREIF and KONDOR which were just arriving from Germany. ______ Destroyers
ESCORT and ELECTRA departed Scapa Flow at 0900 to rendezvous with heavy
cruiser DEVONSHIRE and escort her to the Clyde. However,
the destroyers were recalled to Scapa Flow for other duty. ______ Light
cruiser NEWCASTLE (CS.18) and heavy cruiser SUSSEX was ordered to leave the
Iceland area for a position off the west coast of Iceland. ______ At
1030/9th, Hospital ship ATLANTIS met battleship VALIANT and the first
intelligence of Marschall's forces was received by the Admiralty and the Home
Fleet. Hospital
ship ATLANTIS advised she had observed a pocket battleship engaging a two
funnel transport in 67-44N, 0-52E at 0900/8th. This transport was presumed to
the liner ORAMA. Hospital
ship ATLANTIS arrived at Scapa Flow on the 10th at 1600. Battleship
RODNEY, battlecruiser RENOWN, destroyers ZULU, KELVIN, INGLEFIELD (D.3),
ELECTRA, ESCORT departed Scapa Flow at 1245 to escort the convoys. Aircraft
carrier ARK ROYAL was ordered to join this force on the 10th. A
Swordfish of 810 Squadron from ARK ROYAL ditched in the sea after missing the
aircraft carrier on its return from a reconnaisance mission looking for
German battlecruiser SCHARNHORST. S/Lt R. C. Eborn, Midshipman G. T.
Shaddick, Leading Airman P. W. Clitheroe were picked up by Norwegian fishery
protection vessel SYRIAN and taken to Iceland. Battlecruiser
REPULSE, heavy cruiser SUSSEX, light cruiser NEWCASTLE, destroyers MAORI,
FOXHOUND, FORESTER were still in Icelandic waters. They were ordered at 1026
to sweep northeast and join Troopship Group II and the slow auxiliary convoy
which were travelling together. Light
cruiser NEWCASTLE arrived at Scapa Flow on the 11th. Destroyers
MAORI, FOXHOUND, FORESTER arrived at Sullom Voe for refuelling at 0100/10th
and departed at 0800 after refuelling. Destroyers
VOLUNTEER and WHIRLWIND departed Scapa Flow at 2000 for Sullom Voe. Destroyer
FOXHOUND experienced a turbine problem and returned to Sullom Voe, replaced
by destroyer WHIRLWIND, which sailed from Sullom Voe at 1530/10th. Destroyer
FOXHOUND departed Sullom Voe at 0845/11th and arrived at Scapa Flow at 2100. Destroyer
WHIRLWIND was soon detached to hunt a U.boat in 60‑04N, 1‑50E,
sighted by air at 0633/10th. Destroyer
WHIRLWIND was ordered to hunt for this submarine for twenty four hours. Destroyer
FIREDRAKE at 1300 with Group II attacked a submarine contact in 68-05N,
2-30E. Destroyers
FEARLESS, AMAZON, ANTELOPE, ESCAPADE departed Sullom Voe at 2230/11th to join
the Home Fleet at sea. Late on the 11th, battleship VALIANT and battlecruiser REPULSE with destroyers TARTAR (D.6), BEDOUIN, MAORI, DIANA, ACHERON, FORESTER arrived at Scapa Flow at 2200 for refuelling.
______ While
following the British slow convoy, Norwegian steamers PRINS OLAV (2147grt)
and ARIADNE (2029grt) were sunk by German bombing in 67‑55N, 02‑10E,
northeast of the Shetlands. One
crewman was missing from steamer PRINS OLAV and nine crew were missing from
steamer ARIADNE. Destroyer
ARROW rescued seventy two male and nine female survivors. ______ Destroyers
VETERAN and VANOC arrived at Sullom Voe at 2350. ______ Destroyers
WARWICK and WITCH departed the Clyde at 2330 for Liverpool. ______ Minelayers
TEVIOTBANK and PLOVER escorted by destroyers GALLANT and WALPOLE departed the
Humber to lay minefield BS 12 in the North Sea. The
British ships arrived in the Humber on the 10th after the minelay. ______ Operation
CYCLE, the evacuation of the French north coast was set into action. Destroyers
RESTIGOUCHE, BROKE, ST LAURENT, CODRINGTON and sloop WELLINGTON were ordered
at 1509/9th to proceed to rendezvous with destroyer SALADIN seven miles 270°
from Cape De Le Havre. At
1533 the same orders were sent to anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA and
destroyers BULLDOG and BOADICEA. These
ships were ordered not to arrive at Havre before 0400/10th. Destroyers
AMBUSCADE, HARVESTER, FERNIE and corvette GARDENIA from the Western
Approaches were also ordered to CYCLE and departed Portland on the 9th. ______ Drifter
DEWEY EVE (109grt) was sunk in an accidental collision at Scapa Flow with
British trawler ______ Destroyer
ENCOUNTER, sailing with a convoy to Aberdeen, was delayed by fog. They were
able to proceed and departed Scapa Flow at 1345/10th. The
Convoy of steamers ST MAGNUS, LOCH NAGAR, ROYAL SCOTSMAN and Norwegian
steamer IRIS departed Scapa Flow, escorted by destroyer ENCOUNTER and
trawlers ANGLE, INDIAN The
ships arrived at Aberdeen at 0430/11th and destroyer ENCOUNTER returned to
Scapa Flow. ______ British
trawlers BARBARA ROBB, MOUNT ARD, FORT ______ U.46
sank Finnish steamer MARGARETA (3598grt) in 44‑04N, 12‑30W. Five
crew were lost on the Finnish steamer. ______ British
steamer EMPIRE COMMERCE (3857grt) was badly damaged on a mine five cables
west, northeast, 220° of the NE Spit
Buoy, near Margate. Two
crew were missing. The
steamer was beached 19 cables 261° from NE Spit Buoy. She was refloated on
the 11th and beached on the 12th in 51-26N, 01-24E. ______ British
steamer DULWICH (4102grt) was sunk by German bombing off Villequier. Steamer
DULWICH was later salved and renamed HOLTENAU for German service. ______ French
auxiliary minesweepers NOTRE DAMES ______ Greek
steamer ______ Convoy
OA.164 did not sail. ______ Convoy
OB.164 departed Liverpool escorted by sloop SANDWICH from 9 to 12 June. The
sloop was detached to convoy HX.47. ______ Convoy
OG.33F was formed from convoys OA.163GF, which departed Southend on the 7th
escorted by corvette GLADIOLUS, OB.163GF, which departed Liverpool on the 7th
escorted by sloop SCARBOROUGH, with fifty two ships. Corvette
PERIWINKLE escorted the convoy from 9 to 10 June and was then detached to
convoy HG.33F. Sloop
SCARBOROUGH escorted the convoy from 9 to 13 June and was then detached to
convoy HG.34F. Destroyer
DOUGLAS joined on the 13th and escorted the convoy into Gibraltar, arriving
on the 14th. ______ Convoy FN.192 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN.
Destroyers JACKAL and FORESIGHT were ordered to close the convoy for the
night of 9/10 June and remain with it until daylight. The convoy arrived at
the Tyne on the 11th. ______ Convoy MT.85 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON and
sloop FLEETWOOD. The convoy arrived at the Tyne later that day. ______ Convoy FS.191 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer WOOLSTON and
sloop FLEETWOOD. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 11th. ______ Convoy
HX.49 departed Halifax at 0900 escorted by Canadian destroyers SAGUENAY and
ASSINIBOINE, which were detached on the 10th. The
ocean escort for the convoy was Armed merchant cruiser AUSONIA. Armed
merchant cruiser LACONIA had departed with the convoy but ran aground in
Halifax Harbour. Cruise
AUSONIA was sailed in her place at 1900/9th. The armed merchant cruiser was
detached on the 20th. On
20 June, sloops FOWEY and SANDWICH joined the convoy. Sloop FOWEY was
detached on the 23rd. Sloop SANDWICH escorted the convoy to Liverpool,
arriving on the 24th. ______ German
steamer DOCKENHUDEN (216grt) was sunk at Stolpmunde. ______ German
auxiliary patrol boat Vp.801 (trawler BAYERN, 437grt) was sunk off Ameland in
53‑33N, 06‑02E on a mine. Auxiliary patrol boat Vp.803 (trawler
WIESBADEN, 325grt) on patrol nearby rescued the survivors. Although
some German sources indicate that BAYERN was a victim of a submarine attack,
auxiliary patrol boat Vp.803 had reported that Vp.801 struck a mine. The
two Submarines in the area, TRIAD and SWORDFISH, report no vessels sighted on
their respective patrols and the French submarines had since been withdrawn
to Brest in preparation for duty in the Mediterranean. ______ Between
7 and 9 June, thirty three Italian submarines departed Italian ports on
patrol in the Mediterranean. ______ During
the night of 9/10 June, Italian light cruisers BARBIANO and CARDONA,
destroyers CORAZZIERE and LANCIERE, torpedo boats CALIPSO and POLLUCE laid
mines between Lampedusa and Kerkenah. Feared
intervention by Bizerte based French units did not materialize. ______ Italian
steamer AVVENIRE (957grt) was sunk north of Pantelleria on an Italian mine. ______ Italian
steamer ANGIULLIN (873grt) was sunk on an Italian mine off Cape Granitola.
Monday,
10 June After
proceeding to one of the inner evacuation rendezvouses after British forces
had already departed, armed boarding vessel VANDYCK (13,241grt, Captain G F W Wilson Rtd) was sunk by German
bombing off Andenes. Temporary Lt Cdr (E) E Watson ______ Destroyer
WHIRLWIND at 2048 attacked a submarine contact in 61-42N, 3-56W. ______ Destroyer
ATHERSTONE and ANTELOPE departed the Clyde at 1930 for Scapa Flow. ______ Destroyers
WOLVERINE, VISCOUNT, WITHERINGTON departed the Clyde at 1600 for Sullom Voe,
arriving on the 11th. Destroyers ESCAPADE, VISCOUNT, ANTELOPE had arrived
earlier on the 11th. They joined destroyers FEARLESS and AMAZON. ______ Destroyers
VOLUNTEER, WHIRLWIND from the Clyde and VETERAN, VANOC, WALKER arrived at
Sullom Voe for refuelling. Destroyers
VETERAN and VANOC arrived at 2350. After
refuelling, WALKER joined the slow store convoy. ______ Destroyer
ESCAPADE departed Liverpool at 1200. She proceeded to Sullom Voe, proceeding
at twenty knots, due to a loss of lubricating oil. ______ Anti-submarine
trawlers LE TIGER and LEICESTER ______ Submarine
TRIBUNE departed Rosyth for patrol off Fro Havet. ______ German
battlecruiser GNEISENAU, heavy cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER, destroyers LODY,
STEINBRINCK, SCHOEMANN, GALSTER departed Trondheim to attack the Convoys
evacuating Norway. However,
it was soon decided that the convoys were beyond reach and the German ships
arrived back at Trondheim late on the 10th. ______ Submarine
CLYDE at 1400 reported one German pocket battleship, one HIPPER class cruiser
in 64-35N, 9-45E, steering 300°. ______ Destroyer
Destroyer
British
Troopship Group II with anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY, destroyers FIREDRAKE,
French
troops on troopship ORMONDE were transferred to troopship ULSTER PRINCE.
Troopship ULSTER PRINCE then went to Brest arriving on the 15th. Troopship
ROYAL ULSTERMAN arrived at Lorient on the 16th and troopship ROYAL SCOTSMAN
arrived at Brest on the 17th to disembark French troops. Light
cruiser SOUTHAMPTON and anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY were detached to Scapa
Flow. Anti-aircraft
cruiser COVENTRY went on to Glasgow, then the Clyde. Light
cruiser SOUTHAMPTON arrived in the Clyde at 1306/12th. Anti-aircraft
cruiser COVENTRY departed the Clyde on the 15th and arrived in the Tyne for
refitting on the 16th. Following a short refit, she departed on the 29th for
Scapa Flow, arriving on the 30th. ______ Destroyers
TARTAR (D.6), BEDOUIN, MAORI, ASHANTI departed Scapa Flow at 1130/13th to
rendezvous with the Commander in Chief Home Fleet in 65N, 4W. Destroyers
VETERAN, CAMPBELL, MASHONA departed Sullom Voe at 0400/13th and destroyer
FORESTER departed Scapa Flow at 2100/12th to rendezvous with the Commander in
Chief Home Fleet in 63-00N, 4-00W at 1300/13th. At
dawn on the 13th, aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL launched an air attack of
fifteen Skuas on Trondheim harbour to be coordinated with a Royal Air Force
strike of four Beauforts of 22 Squadron and six Blenheim aircraft on the
Vaernes airfield near Trondheim. German
battlecruiser SCHARNHORST was hit by a bomb that did not explode and no other
ships were hit. Eight
Skuas were shot down. From the 800 Squadron, Captain R. T. Partridge, RM, was
shot down and made a prisoner of war, but his observer Lt R. S.Bostock was
killed in the crash. Lt G. E. D. Finch-Noyes. DSC, was shot down and killed,
but Petty Officer Airman H.G. Cunningham survived. Midshipman (A) L.M.
Gallagher, DSC, Acting Petty Officer W. Crawford died when the Skua crashed.
Midshipman (A) D. T. R. Martin was shot down and was taken prisoner, but
Leading Airman W. J. Tremeer was killed. Martin was picked up by the German
seaplane which had just picked up the two ARDENT survivors. From the 803
Squadron, Lt Cdr J. Casson and his observer Lt P. E. Fanshawe and Lt C.
H.Filmer and his observer Midshipman (A) T. A. McKee were shot down and made
prisoners of war. S/Lt J. A. Harris and Naval Airman S.R. Stevenson were shot
down; Harris died of injuries shortly thereafter and Stevenson died of injuries
on 31 May 1941. S/Lt R. E. Bartlett and Naval Airman 1/c L.G. Richards were
shot down and were made prisoners of war. Surviving
aircraft, piloted by Lt K. V. V. Spurway and Petty Officer Airman H.A. Monk
of 800 Squadron and S/Lt (A) G. W. Brokensha, Petty Officer Airman T. F.
Riddler, Midshipman (A) A. S.Griffiths, Midshipman (A) A. S.Gibson, Petty
Officer Airman H.Gardiner of 803 Squadron returned to the aircraft carrier. Later
on the 13th, destroyers ELECTRA and ANTELOPE collided while escorting aircraft
carrier ARK ROYAL off central Norway in heavy fog. Destroyer
ZULU took destroyer ELECTRA in tow. Destroyer INGLEFIELD stood by destroyer
ANTELOPE. This
signalled an end to the Norwegian operations. The retirement of the two
damaged destroyers was covered by battleship RODNEY and battlecruiser RENOWN.
Tug
BRIGAND proceeded on the 15th and joined destroyer ELECTRA. The destroyer was
taken in tow and at 2000 they were proceeding at eight knots in 60-36N,
4-00W. Destroyer
ELECTRA arrived at Scapa Flow at 1430/16th, attended by tug BRIGAND and
escorted by destroyer ZULU and ESCAPADE. Destroyer
ELECTRA departed on the 18th escorted by destroyer CAMPBELL and arrived at
Troon on the 20th. Her repairs were completed on 24 August. Destroyer
ANTELOPE arrived at Scapa Flow at 0330/15th escorted by destroyer INGLEFIELD.
She departed the Scapa Flow at 2213/15th to the Tyne. Destroyer ANTELOPE
returned to duty on 16 August. Aircraft
carrier ARK ROYAL with destroyers KELVIN, ESCORT, CAMPBELL arrived at Scapa
Flow on the 14th at 1545. Battleship
RODNEY, battlecruiser RENOWN, destroyers TARTAR, FEARLESS, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN,
MASHONA, MAORI arrived at Scapa Flow at 1640/15th. ______ Light cruisers MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, SHEFFIELD departed the Humber on the 9th and arrived at Rosyth on the 10th. They joined heavy cruiser |
