Background
Events - March-May 1942
Russian
convoys,
Raid on St Nazaire, Battle of Sirte
Gulf, SE Asia & SW Pacific occupied, British
landings on Madagascar
1942
Sunday,
1
March
BATTLE
OF THE SUNDA STRAIT
American
heavy cruiser
HOUSTON and Australian light cruiser PERTH departed
Batavia to pass through the Sunda Strait into the Indian
Ocean. Dutch destroyer EVERTSEN
departed later with the intention of joining them at
sea.
HOUSTON
(Captain A H Rooks) was sunk in
Sunda
Strait by Japanese heavy cruisers
MOGAMI, MIKUMA and destroyers.
ENS
F J Bourgeois, LCDR J K
Chisholm, ENS J R Darter, LCDR R H Gingras, LT E D
Hodge, CDR J A Hollowell
Jr, LCDR F W Keith, LT H G Kirkpatrick, LT D W Knoll, LT
(jg) K L Kollmyer,
Acting Pay Clerk J A Lafferty, ENS H A Levitt,ENS L H
Mainey Jr, ENS F F
Mallory, ENS C A Mayo
III, ENS A F Nethken, LT J C Patty Jr, Captain F M
Ramsey USMC, CDR G S Rentz, CDR D W Roberts, Captain A H
Rooks, ENS C Sellers
III,
LT B D Skidmore, LCDR S L
Smith, ENS G S Stewart, Acting Pay Clerk R B Thompson,
LT (jg) J F Woodruff
and six hundred and twenty nine enlisted men were
missing.
Colonel
A Back USMC, 2nd LT E
M Barrett USMC, LT C D Burroughs USMC, ENS P R Clark, LT
J F Dalton, CDR W A
Epstein, LT R B Fulton II, LCDR W J Galbraith, 2nd LT F
E Gallagher Jr
USMC,ENS J M Hamill, LT (jg) H S Hamlin Jr, CDR A L
Maher, ENS J B Nelson, LT
T B Payne, LT L W Rogers, LT R R Ross, ENS C D Smith II,
ENS J B Stivers, LT
(jg) F B Weiler, LT (jg) W G. Winslow and three hundred
and thirty six
enlisted men were rescued and made prisoners of
war. LT Ross died as a prisoner of war on
5 May 1942 at
Batavia,
LT Weilner on
26 March 1942 at Pendeglagang, Java and seventy four enlisted men
during captivity.
PERTH
(Captain H M L Waller DSO)
was sunk in the Sunda Straits by MOGAMI, MIKUMA and
destroyers.
Cdr
(E) R Gray, Commissioned
Shipwright H T Haylock, Acting Warrant Mechanician H S
Hill DSC, Lt N D
McWilliam RANR and thirty three ratings were killed, and
nineteen officers
and 291 ratings missing. The missing Australian officers
were S/Lt A L Ball
RANR, Chaplain the Reverend R S Bevington, Temporary
Engineering Lt W H
Gidney RANR (S), Lt P S F Hancox,S/Lt J S Lester, Cdr W
H Martin, Lt (E) A H
J Mears, Lt D J Sutton, Paymaster Midshipman F M
Tranby-White, Surgeon Lt Cdr
(D) A S Tregar, LDS, BDSC, Surgeon Lt Cdr E M Tymms DSC,
MD, BS RANR, Captain
H M L Waller DSO, Lt Cdr L L Watkins, and Acting S/Lt T
B Wolley RANR.
Missing British officers were Lt Cdr G D Clarke, Lt Cdr
J K Johnson, Lt M H
Highton, Lt C H Palairet, Warrant Engineer J E H
Tuersley. Two British
ratings, three RAAF airmen and three canteen staff were
also among those
missing.
Probationary
Paymaster S/Lt R
M Barker RANR, Paymaster S/Lt G D M Black RANR,
Probationary Lt L T Burgess
RANR, Paymaster Midshipman G R Campbell, S/Lt W L Gay,
Probationary
Electrician Lt F D Gillan RANR, Lt J A Harper, Gunner F
E Hawkins, Paymaster
Lt Cdr R F M Lowe, Schoolmaster N E Lyons, S/Lt J B
Martin RANR, Chaplain J K
W Mathieson, Paymaster Lt Cdr P O L Owen, Probationary
Engineering S/Lt T F
Robbins RANVR, Probationary Engineering S/Lt W H Roberts
RANVR, Commissioned
Gunner G L Ross, Temporary Gunner L C Smith, Surgeon Lt
S E L Stening RANR,
Lt J A Thode RANR, Warrant Electrician C V Vowles,
Acting S/Lt N H S White,
Temporary Warrant Supply Officer C J Woodley and three
hundred and one
ratings were rescued and made prisoners of war. Flying
Officer A V McDonough
RAAF and two ratings were also captured. Of those
captured, one hundred and
four ratings Australian, one British and one RAAF rating
died as prisoners of
war. Two hundred and twenty nine
crewmen, including all the officers and the RAAF Flying
Officer survived to
return to Australia
at war's end.
EVERTSEN (Lt Cdr W M De Vries RNN) running behind the cruisers
was attacked by Japanese destroyers SKIRAKUMO and
MURAKUMO, badly damaged and run aground in Sunda
Strait to prevent her sinking.
_____
Heavy
cruiser EXETER
(Captain O L Gordon MVO) was
sunk by Japanese heavy cruisers NACHI, HAGURO and
destroyer INAZUMA off Bawean Island in the Java Sea in
5-00S, 111-00E.
Temporary
Lt C
G Bird RNVR, eleven ratings, and one Marine were killed
and Temporary S/Lt D
B Jewell RNVR, thirty four ratings and four Marines were
missing.
Midshipman
G P
Allen, Midshipman P Anson, Temporary Lt D M Beadle RNVR,
Warrant Mechanician
W G Beckford, Temporary S/Lt (E) N J M Bennett,
Temporary S/Lt (E) R G Blain,
Lt P Brougham, Lt D W E Chubb, Lt Cdr (E) E J Chubb,
Acting Lt K H F Clark,
Lt Cdr G T Cooper, Acting Paymaster S/Lt P G Cranefield,
Cdr (E) A H Drake,
Temporary Warrant Engineer C E T Farren, Midshipman W F
B Faulkner,
Probationary Temporary Midshipman T H Finn, Temporary
Chaplain G O Fitzgerald
RNVR, Captain O L Gordon, Warrant Shipwright W E
Harding, Acting Paymaster Lt
Cdr J P K Harkness, Warrant Ordnance Officer M E Higman,
Lt Cdr R K Hudson,
Lt H A Hutcheson, Gunner J E John, Temporary Paymaster
Lt A W Kerr RNVR, Lt M
W B Kerr, Midshipman R H Leir
RCN,
Lt Cdr E S Lipscomb,
Captain J H McCahon, RM, Instructor Lt J F Potter,
Temporary Probationary
S/Lt N H Power RNVR, Cdr H P Richardson, Lt D G Roome,
Surgeon Lt D N Ryalls,
Temporary Acting Gunner (T) G G Shelley, Warrant
Electrican M A Smith,
Temporary Lt (E) E Southwold, Lt M H Syms, RM,
Probationary Temporary
Midshipman P Spear
RNR, Temporary Lt G H Tidy RCNVR, Midshipman K A
Townsend-Green, Lt Cdr F R Twiss, Surgeon Cdr V F Walsh,
Gunner J White,
Schoolmast R K Wood, Surgeon Lt J C Wyatt, and six
hundred and seven ratings
were made prisoners of war. Surgeon Lt Cdr D N Ryalls
RNVR died as a prisoner
of war 24
June 1944 (NAVY LIST, 20 June
according to Naval Historical Branch) when the Japanese
transport he was in
was sunk. Additionaly, one hundred and thirty one
ratings and twenty one
Marines died in captivity during the war.
Destroyer
ENCOUNTER (Lt Cdr E V St J Morgan) was sunk by
Japanese heavy
cruisers MYOKO and ASHIGARA off Bawean Island in the
Java Sea in 5-00S, 111-00E.
Seven
ratings
were lost. Lt Cdr St J Morgan, Lt J A V Hickley, Lt S
Falle, Acting Temporary
Lt R J M Conibear RNVR, Lt (E)
E Tyrrell,
Probationary Surgeon Lt D R
Syred, MRCS, LRCP RNVR, S/Lt D C Hazelton RNR, Acting
Gunner (T) J V Leiper
and one hundred and forty three ratings were made
prisoners of war. Thirty
seven ratings died in captivity, and S/Lt D. C. Hazelton
was lost on
18 September 1944 when the transport he was in was sunk.
American
destroyer
POPE (LCDR W C Blinn),
in company with
EXETER
and ENCOUNTER, was sunk by
Japanese bombers from aircraft carrier RYUJO.
The entire crew, one hundred and fifty one officers and
enlisted men,
were picked up and made prisoners of war. Twenty seven
enlisted men died in
captivity.
_____
American
destroyer
EDSALL (LT J J Nix) was
sunk by Japanese battleships HIEI and KIRISHIMA near
Christmas Island. LT C G Butler, LT (jg) R C Dell,
LT J F
Fairbanks Jr, LT (jg) M D Gilmore Jr, ENS J W Gustin, LT
R W Meyers, LT J J
Nix, LT (jg) R A Snodgrass, LT P G Wild Jr, and one
hundred and thirty seven
enlisted men were lost. Two of the enlisted men were
formerly in destroyer
STEWART. Five enlisted men were
rescued, but died of wounds while prisoners of war.
_____
Troop
convoy
SU.1 (former JS.3) of EASTERN PRINCE (10,926grt), CITY
OF PARIS (10,02grt), CITY OF LONDON (8956grt),
ESPERANCE BAY (14,204grt), KOSCIKSKO (6852grt), EGRA
(5108grt), SALWEEN
(7063grt), SILVERWILLOW (6373grt), PENRITH CASTLE
(6369grt), MATHURA
(8890grt), MADRAS
CITY (5092grt) and EMPIRE GLADE (7006grt) departed
Colombo at 0130Z/1st, escorts:
|
departed
to
join
|
detached
to
arrive
|
28th
|
battleship Royal Sovereign, destroyers Nizam, Vampire,
AMC
Manoora departed
Trincomalee 28 February to meet and escort
JS.3
|
|
1st
|
heavy cruiser
Cornwall,
destroyer Express,
corvette Hollyhock departed Addu on the
1st, to meet and escort SU.1 from the
1st
|
|
2nd
|
|
Express, Hollyhock arrived
Colombo
2nd
|
3rd
|
|
Royal Sovereign, Nizam, Vampire detached 3rd, arrived Trincomalee
7th
|
14th
|
|
Manoora (with
Madras
City, Silver Willow, Mathura, Empire Glade),
detached
for Adelaide, arrived 14th
|
rest of convoy arrived Fremantle 15 March with
Cornwall
|
_____
Detached
from
convoy DM.3, battleship RAMILLIES and destroyer NORMAN
arrived at Addu to
refuel.
_____
Monitor
EREBUS
and corvette MARGUERITE departed Addu with an unnumbered
convoy of three
steamers, two for Trincomalee and one for Calcutta. They
arrived at Colombo on the 3rd3 March.
_____
Indian
sloop SUTLEJ departed Addu.
_____
Destroyers
ARROW
and HOTSPUR departed Aden for Bombay.
_____
Minelayer
TEVIOTBANK
departed Trincomalee for mining operation P.1 in South
Preparis
Channel, Arakan. She was escorted by corvette ASTER and
covered by light
cruiser CALEDON.
_____
Indian
minesweeping
trawler SOPHIE MARIE
(Lt D G C Courtenay RINR) sank on a mine at the south
entrance to MacPherson Strait, Nicobars laid by
minelayer
ABDIEL. Two ratings were killed.
_____
Submarine
UNBEATEN
sank French tanker
PLM.25 (3415grt) off Misurata.
Monday,
2 March
S/Lt
(A) J A K
Watson RNVR and S/Lt (A) T H Greet RNVR, in a Swordfish
of 821 Squadron were
lost when their plane went missing off Malta.
_____
Acting
S/Lt
(A) S W Chapman RNVR and Acting S/Lt (A) P F C Brown
RNVR, both of 815
Squadron, were killed when their Swordfish of 830
Squadron went missing off Malta during a ferrying
mission
from El Adem to Hal Far.
_____
Destroyer
STRONGHOLD (Lt Cdr G R Pretor-Pinney)
was sunk by Japanese heavy cruiser MAYA and destroyers
ARASHI and NOWAKE. Cdr
Pretor-Pinney, Temporary S/Lt (E)
S J
M Cornwell RNVR, Temporary Acting Warrant
Engineer A G
Dunn, Lt H J Eason SSRNVR, Temporary Lt
R V
Gunn RNZNVR, Commander J S Hoffman (retired)
formerly of gunboat
GRASSHOPPER, Temporary Lt W S McFarlane RNR,
Acting Cdr E K
H St Aubyn DSC formerly of
SULTAN, Temporary Acting Gunner (T) R
F Steed and sixty one ratings
were missing. Lt I D S
Forbes and some fifty rating survivors were picked up by
captured
Dutch steamer DUYMAER VAN TWIST and transferred to MAYA.
Five ratings died
while prisoners of war.
_____
Dutch
destroyer
WITTE DE WITH was sunk
in drydock at
Surabaya
by Japanese bombing.
_____
American
destroyer
PILLSBURY (LCDR H C
Pound) was sunk by Japanese heavy cruisers ATAGO and
TAKAO south of
the Java coast. LT A C
Bookout, LT (jg) G L Fisher, LT (jg) E
Gandia, LT R W
Germany Jr , ENS W H Harris, LT T
A
Hilger, LCDR H C Pound, ENS J J
Riley, ENS L S Sulkis, LT A H
Vorpahl and one hundred and seventy enlisted men were
lost. ENS Harris
and twenty eight enlisted men were from destroyer
STEWART. There were no
survivors.
_____
Patrol
vessel
KEDAH, with ABDA COM HQ on board, reported her machinery
had broken down in
2-10S, 90-44S. Australian light cruisers HOBART and the
British DRAGON were
ordered to assist. DRAGON took her in tow and arrived at
Colombo on the 6th.
_____
American
light
cruiser MARBLEHEAD
departed Trincomalee for
Simonstown for repairs.
_____
Convoy
SU.3
departed Colombo
with troopships STRATHALLAN,
DURBAN
CASTLE,
ANDES and ORCADES, escorted by
light cruiser GLASGOW. The convoy dispersed in 4-20N,
82-38E. Destination and
routing were changed en route and instead of proceeding
to Fremantle, arrived
at Adelaide.
Tuesday,
3 March
Convoy
ON.72
departed Liverpool 3 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
5th
|
destroyers
Chesterfield,
Churchill, corvettes
Camellia, Pimpernel
|
|
14th
|
|
Chesterfield,
Churchill
|
16th
|
destroyers Montgomery, Vanoc, corvettes Mahone,
Saskatoon
|
|
17th
|
|
Camellia, Pimpernel
|
18th
|
|
Montgomery,
Saskatoon
|
convoy arrived
Halifax
19 March
|
_____
Convoy
HX.178
departed Halifax 3 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
3rd
|
destroyers Walker, Witherington, corvettes Bittersweet,
Calgary,
Oakville, minesweeper Drummondville
|
|
4th
|
|
Calgary
|
6th
|
American destroyer
Gleaves,
US Coast Guard cutter
Spencer, corvettes Algoma, Chilliwack, Shediac
|
Bittersweet
|
7th
|
|
Walker,
Witherington, Calgary, Oakville
|
16th
|
|
Gleaves, Spencer, Algoma,
Chilliwack
|
17th
|
Anti-submarine whaler Narvik
|
|
convoy arrived
Liverpool
17 March
|
_____
American
gunboat
ASHEVILLE
(LCDR J W Britt) was sunk by
Japanese warships south of the Java coast. LCDR Britt,
ENS D L
Goff, LT L J Gulliver Jr , LT (jg) J
W Hays,
LT L T
Miles, LT G H Moseley, LT K E
Pound, LT (jg) G R Rings, ENS R
J
Tonill, Warrant Officer H
A Walstromand one hundred and
sixty enlisted men were lost. There were no survivors.
_____
Battleship
RAMILLIES
and destroyer NORMAN departed Addu to rejoin convoy
DM.3.
_____
Light
cruiser BIRMINGHAM arrived at Simonstown for
refitting.
Wednesday,
4 March
Australian
sloop
YARRA (Lt Cdr R W Rankin RAN) escorting depot ship
ANKING (Captain
J P
L Reid) and tanker FRANCOL with
motor minesweeper
MMS.51 (Lt F
Nixon RNR) which all departed Tjilatjap on the 2nd, were
sunk by Japanese warships 300 miles south of Java.
Indian sloop
JUMNA
had been with the convoy,
but detached at Tjilatjap for other duties.
YARRA - Cdr Rankin, Lt F
E Smith RANR, Probationary
Temporary Lt K L Dawson RANR, Lt G
L
Wright RANVR, Lt N M Anderson RANVR,
Temporary Engineering Lt
C J
Wilks RANR, Surgical Lt W
J McLaren-Robinson RAN, Gunner
R W
D Bull RAN and 124 ratings were
missing. Five British ratings were also lost. Also lost
were survivors from
Dutch steamer PARIGI picked up on the 3rd March. Only
one of the PARIGI's
survivors survived the second sinking. Twenty crew and
the sole Dutch
survivor died on the rafts prior to rescue.
ANKING - Lt Cdr S
L Garrett RNR,
Temporary Lt J McN
Morren RNR, Temporary Lt J
Neville RNZNVR, Paymaster Lt L
E O'Shaughnessy RNR,
Lt M Melville MRNVR, Temporary Paymaster Lt
A W
G Gibson RNR, Temporary S/Lt R W
Smith RNZNVR, S/Lt E E Leyden MRNVR, Lt Cdr
(E) J Robertson RNR, Lt (E) J Millar RNR,
Temporary Acting Warrant
Supply Officer F Oliver, Temporary Lt
(E) W F Phillips RNR, S/Lt (E) S Lee
RNR, S/Lt (E) C J
Wood RNR, Temporary S/Lt K T
Hamblett RANVR, and twenty five RAN ratings were lost.
Lt L L
Cooper, MRNVR, Temporary Lt C
O'Neill RNR (died 8 March), Temporary Surgeon Lt G
S
Cross MRNVR (died 21 March), Temporary Lt F Taylor
RNZNVR and fifty three ratings were
picked up by Dutch steamer TAWALI.
FRANCOL
- two survivors were picked up.
MMS.51 - survivors were rescued by Dutch steamer TJIMANOEK
on the 7th.
Thirteen
ratings
from YARRA and three from ANKING were rescued on the 7th
by Dutch
submarine K.11 and landed in Colombo on the 13th.
Sixteen
survivors
from ANKING and
MMS.51
reached the Java coast
and were made prisoners of war.
One
steamer,
one of a number unnamed ones which
sailed at the same time with the convoy, was captured.
_____
Light
cruiser SHEFFIELD departed Seidisfjord on
Russian convoy duty and was mined three hours out. One
rating died of wounds.
Escorted to Seidisfjord by destroyers BEDOUIN and
FAULKNOR, she arrived at
1100/5th and after temporary repairs, departed on the
23rd for Scapa Flow, arriving on the 29th.
Repaired at the Hebburn yard in the Tyne, she completed 20 July.
_____
Convoy
OS.21
departed
Liverpool 4 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
4th
|
sloop
Aberdeen, escort ships Hartland, Walney
|
|
5th
|
corvette
Thyme,
minesweeper
Boston
|
|
11th
|
sloop
Ibis
|
|
19th
|
destroyer
Wivern,
corvettes Aubretia, Tamarisk
|
|
21st
|
sloop
Commandant
Drogou, corvettes Bellwort, Bergamot, Genista
|
Aberdeen,
Hartland, Walney, Ibis
|
convoy arrived
Freetown
24 March
|
_____
Convoy
SL.102
departed
Freetown
4 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
5th
|
destroyer
Boreas,
corvettes Genista, Violet
|
|
7th
|
sloops
Egret,
Fleetwood, corvette Orchis, escort ships
Banff, Fishguard, A/S yacht
Philante
|
|
8th
|
|
Boreas,
Genista,
Violet
|
26th
|
A/S
trawler
Man O’ War
|
|
convoy arrived
Liverpool
26 March
|
_____
Three
groups
of ships arrived at
Colombo
– (1) Convoy DM.3,
battleship RAMILLIES and destroyer
NORMAN,
(2) destroyers DECOY,
FORTUNE and the Dutch ISAAC SWEERS, (3) netlayer
GUARDIAN, armed merchant
cruiser RANCHI
and Dutch submarine depot
ship COLUMBA.
_____
Light
cruiser DURBAN arrived at Mauritius.
Thursday,
5 March
Acting
S/Lt P
N Hopper RNR, was lost overboard from destroyer INTREPID.
_____
Convoy
ON.73 departed Liverpool 5 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
6th
|
American
destroyers
Mayo, Simpson, British
corvettes Acanthus, Aglantine, Morden,
Potentilla, Rose
|
|
16th
|
destroyers
Walker,
Witherington, corvettes Drummondville,
Oakville
|
Mayo,
Simpson,
Acanthus, Aglantine,
Morden, Potentilla, Rose
|
convoy dispersed 18 March
|
_____
German
steamer
ARGUS (3143grt), carrying
munitions, was lost in an explosion of her cargo at
Hambukt, Norway.
_____
Submarine
P.31
sank Italian steamer MARIN SANUDO
(5081grt) 10½ miles 215° from
Lampedusa.
_____
Three
groups
of ships arrived at
Colombo
– (1) light cruiser ENTERPRISE after convoy MS.5 escort
duty, (2) Australian light cruiser HOBART, British light
cruiser DANAE and
destroyers SCOUT and TENEDOS from Batavia, (3) Convoy
MS.5 of
troopships KATOOMBA, HOLBROOK, and DUNTROON.
_____
Heavy
cruiser
DORSETSHIRE, after convoy MR.5 escort duty, and corvette
VERBENA arrived at
Trincomalee.
6
March,
Friday
Convoy
SC.73
departed Halifax 6 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
6th
|
destroyers
Annapolis, Vanoc, corvettes
Calgary,
Saskatoon, minesweeper Mahone
|
|
10th
|
destroyer
Reading, corvettes Dauphin,
Lethbridge,
Primrose, Shawnigan,
minesweeper Minas
|
Annapolis,
Vanoc, Calgary, Saskatoon, Mahone, Minas
|
13th
|
|
Lethbridge
|
17th
|
American
destroyers
Babbitt, Schenck
|
Babbitt,
Schenck
(later)
|
23rd
|
A/S
whaler
Bodo
|
Reading,
Dauphin, Primrose,
Shawnigan
|
convoy arrived
Liverpool
24 March
|
__________
Convoy
SU.2
departed Colombo
with troopships RAJULA,
NEVASA, TAKLIWA, DILWARA and ARONDA, escorted by
Australian light cruiser
HOBART, British sloop SHOREHAM and corvette TULIP, the
latter two detaching
en route. American light cruiser PHOENIX and destroyers
JOHN D FORD and ALDEN met the convoy on
the 18th, and arrived at Fremantle on the 20th.
_____
Aircraft
carrier
INDOMITABLE flew off the first of two batches of
Hurricanes of RAF
Squadrons 30 and 261 to Ceylon aerodromes. The remainder
were flown off next day. INDOMITABLE and destroyers
NAPIER and NESTOR arrived
at Trincomalee early on the 7th.
_____
Three
more
groups of ships arrived at Colombo – (1) light cruiser
GLASGOW,
after escort duty with convoy SU.3, (2) patrol vessel
KEDAH in tow of light
cruiser DRAGON, (3) submarine TRUSTY after duty in the
Dutch East Indies.
_____
Aircraft
transport
ENGADINE arrived at Trincomalee.
Saturday,
7 March
Ocean
boarding
vessel NORTHERN PRINCESS (655grt,
Lt D B Phillipson
RNR) was sunk by U.94 in the
Western
Atlantic. Lt Phillipson, Temporary Lt
L W Kevis RNR, Temporary Lt E Shepherd RNVR, Temporary S/Lt J
Macdonnell RNVR and all the ratings were lost.
_____
Two
battleship
groups arrived at Trincomalee – (1) ROYAL SOVEREIGN with
destroyers NIZAM and
VAMPIRE at 0345/7th after escort duty with convoy SU.1,
(2) RAMILLES with
destroyers DECOY and FORTUNE at 1140/7th from Colombo.
At 0313, before arriving in
port, RAMILLIES reported a periscope, but a search by
DECOY was unsuccessful.
Sunday,
8 March
Anti-submarine
trawler
NOTTS COUNTY (541grt,
Temporary Lt R. H. Hampton
RNR)
was sunk south of Iceland on a mine. Lt Hampton,
Temporary S/Lt F P S. Davies RNVR, Temporary S/Lt R R
Humble-Smith RNVR,
Temporary S/Lt A C Joy RNVR and thirty seven ratings
were missing.
Monday,
9 March
In
an attack
on German battleship TIRPITZ, S/Lt D J Shephard, S/Lt L
Brown and Leading
Airman S G Hollowood were killed when their Albacore of
832 Squadron was shot
down. S/Lt R C Jones and Leading Airman C F Sivewright
in an Albacore of 817
Squadron were also killed.
_____
Convoy
ON.74
departed
Liverpool 9 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
10th
|
destroyer
Assiniboine,
corvettes Amherst, Celandine, Hepatica
|
|
11th
|
corvette
Fennel
|
|
12th
|
corvette
Brandon
|
|
20th
|
destroyers
Niagara,
Witch, minesweepers
Gananoque, The Pass
|
Assiniboine,
Amherst,
Celandine, Hepatica,
Fennel, Brandon
|
convoy arrived
Halifax
25 March
|
_____
A
Swordfish of
767 Squadron crashed near Forfar. S/Lt J Lawson and S/Lt
L T Hardy both died
of injuries.
_____
Convoy
HX.179
departed Halifax 9 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
9th
|
destroyers
St
Clair, Verity, corvettes Calgary, Halifax,
minesweepers Charlottetown, Clayoquot
|
|
13th
|
American
destroyers
Bristol,
Buck, British corvettes
Dianella, Kingcup, Loosestrife, Roselys
|
St
Clair,
Verity,
Calgary,
Halifax, Charlottetown, Clayoquot
|
convoy arrived
Liverpool
22 February
|
_____
Allied
forces
in Java capitulated.
_____
Destroyer
FOXHOUND
departed
Suez
for Aden, en route to the East Indies.
Tuesday,
10 March
In
flying
exercises, a Swordfish of 813 Squadron collided with
another Swordfish near
North Front. Lt G R L Bell, S/Lt G Dinnis and Leading
Airman T H Clarke were
all killed. The other Swordfish survived and had no
casualties.
_____
Convoy
ON.75
departed
Liverpool, and was
joined on the 11th by American destroyers BENSON,
BROOME, MACLEISH and
corvettes ALBERNI and COLLINGWOOD. The convoy dispersed
on the 19th.
_____
Convoy
ST.16
departed
Freetown
and arrived at Takoradi on
the 18th.
_____
Light
cruiser ENTERPRISE, minelaying cruiser ABDIEL,
destroyers EXPRESS, NORMAN,
sloop JUMNA and minelayers ATREUS and
ALSEY departed
Colombo.
ABDIEL reached Addu on the
11th, EXPRESS Trincomalee on the 11th,
and NORMAN, ATREUS and ALSEY Trincomalee on the 12th.
Wednesday,
11 March
Light
cruiser NAIAD (Captain G Grantham DSO) was
sunk by U.565 south of
Crete. Lt (E) D H Jewell, Temporary Lt (E) J J Woods,
and eighty ratings were lost, and Probationary Temporary
Lt (E) J Smith RNVR
wounded. The survivors, including Adm Vian, were rescued
by destroyers
JERVIS, KIPLING and LIVELY.
_____
Anti-submarine
trawler
STELLA CAPELLA (440grt,
Temporary Lt W L Sadgrove RANVR) was sunk by U.701 off
Iceland. Lt Sadgrove, Temporary
Acting Lt J S Adams RNVR, Temporary Lt A J Harris RNVR,
Temporary Lt J K
Mason RNVR, and twenty nine ratings were missing.
_____
Battleship
RESOLUTION
(Vice Admiral Commanding 3rd Battle Squadron) departed
Capetown
for Durban, arriving on the 13th.
_____
Battleship
ROYAL
SOVEREIGN and destroyers TENEDOS and EXPRESS departed
Trincomalee for Colombo, arriving on the 13th.
Thursday,
12 March
Air
target
vessel ST BRIAC (2312grt, Captain
R E Lubbock) was sunk by a mine off Aberdeen. Temporary
Lt J H Norfolk
RNVR, Acting S/Lt (E) J McK Adams RNVR, Acting S/Lt (E)
J C Ferguson RNVR,
Acting S/Lt (E) D H Kelly RNVR, Acting S/Lt (E) F D
Lutton RNVR were lost,
and Capt Lubbock, Temporary Acting S/Lt (E) C Cromack
RNVR, Temporary S/Lt
(E) D Ditchburn
RNR and Temporary Acting Lt D D Day RNVR wounded.
_____
Convoy
SC.74
departed Halifax 12 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
12th
|
destroyers
Niagara,
Witch, corvette The Pas,
minesweeper Gananoque
|
|
16th
|
destroyer
Hurricane,
corvettes Anchusa, Dahlia, Monkshood,
Snowflake
|
|
18th
|
|
Niagara, Witch, The Pas, Gananoque
|
26th
|
|
Hurricane,
Dahlia
|
27th
|
|
Anchusa,
Monkshood,
Snowflake
|
convoy arrived
Liverpool
28 March
|
_____
Aircraft
carrier
FORMIDABLE (Flagship Admiral Sir James Somerville) and
destroyers
PALADIN and PANTHER departed Capetown for Colombo.
_____
Australian
minesweeper
LISMORE and Indian sloop SUTLEJ departed Colombo.
Friday,
13 March
Convoy
OS.22 departed Liverpool 13 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
13th
|
corvette
Campanula
|
|
14th
|
sloops
Deptford,
Folkestone, Weston escort ships Gorleston,
Sennen
|
|
15th
|
corvette
Cyclamen
|
Cyclamen
|
19th
|
escort
ship
Totland
|
|
28th
|
destroyer
Wild
Swan, corvettes Bergamot, Snowdrop, Violet
|
|
29th
|
|
Wild
Swan
|
30th
|
|
Folkestone
|
31st
|
corvette
Genista,
minesweepers
Boston,
Seaham, Whitehaven
|
|
convoy arrived
Freetown
1 April
|
_____
Two
groups of
ships departed Trincomalee – (1) destroyers NAPIER,
NIZAM, NESTOR and NORMAN
for exercises, arriving back next day, (2) aircraft
transport ship ENGADINE and corvette TULIP for Colombo.
_____
Destroyer
GRIFFIN, corvette VERBENA and Dutch
submarines K.15 and K.11 (with survivors from sloop
YARRA) arrived at Colombo.
_____
Corvette
HOLLYHOCK
departed
Colombo.
_____
Destroyer
FOXHOUND
arrived at
Aden
and departed that day for Bombay.
Saturday,
14 March
Convoy
HG.80 departed
Gibraltar 14 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
14th
|
destroyers
Whitehall, Wishart, sloops Pelican, Stork, catapult
ship Maplin, corvettes Asphodel, Campion,
Gardenia, Mallow, Pentstemon,
Vetch
|
|
15th
|
|
Campion,
Gardenia
|
17th
|
|
Whitehall,
Wishart, Pelican
|
19th
|
|
Mallow
|
convoy arrived
Liverpool
26 March
|
_____
Convoy
SL.103
departed Freetown
14 March, escorts:
|
joined
|
detached
|
14th
|
destroyers
Brilliant,
Wivern, corvettes Aubretia, Burdock, Tamarisk,
Wallflower
|
|
16th
|
sloops
Hastings,
Londonderry,
corvettes Coreopsis,
escort ships Landguard, Lulworth
|
|
19th
|
|
Wivern,
Aubretia,
Tamarisk
|
24th
|
French
sloop
Commandant Detroyat
|
|
25th
|
corvettes
Coltsfoot,
Mallow, A/S whaler Molde
|
|
26th
|
|
Coltsfoot,
Mallow,
Molde
|
28th
|
|
Commandant
Detroyat
|
29th
|
destroyers
Beverley,
Keppel, Sabre, Saladin, Volunteer
|
Beverley,
Keppel
(that night)
|
30th
|
destroyers
Sardonyx,
Scimitar
|
|
31st
|
|
Sabre,
Saladin,
Hastings,
Burdock, Coreopsis,
Wallflower, Landguard
|
convoy arrived
Liverpool
2 April
|
_____
German
steamer
KELLERWALD (5032grt) was sunk on a
mine in German waters.
_____
Greek
destroyer
AETOS, escorting an unnumbered convoy that departed
Trincomalee for
Colombo on the 11th, attacked a submarine contact in 6-52N,
78-57E. The convoy arrived at
Colombo
that morning.
_____
American
light
cruisers MEMPHIS and destroyers ELLIS, GREER and WINSLOW
escorted convoy AS.1
of two army transports from Charleston, SC. ELLIS and
GREER detached on the
15th while light cruiser CINCINNATI and destroyers
JOUETT and SOMERS joined.
The convoy arrived at Ascension on the 31st to build an
airfield.