Friday, 7 June

Destroyer VEGA departed Chatham and called at Dover before proceeding to Le Havre with the XD.H (Cdr R. . Stirling-Hamilton) Dieppe demolition party.

Off Le Havre, the XD.H party was transferred to a French trawler because the port was closed.

The party travelled overland to Dieppe.

On her return to Dover, destroyer VEGA was ordered to Portsmouth to pick up the CP (Dieppe) blockships.

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French large destroyer GERFAUT departed Brest escorting steamers KONINGIN EMMA and PRINCESS BEATRIX to Plymouth, arriving on the 8th. On return, the destroyer departed on the 8th escorting steamers GENERAL METZINGER and MEKNES, joined by torpedo boat L'IMPETUEUSE. They arrived at Brest on the 9th.

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Destroyer FEARLESS departed Middlesborough at 1030 for Rosyth en route to Scapa Flow.

At 1300, destroyer FEARLESS reported the breakdown of both feed pumps. The destroyer returned to Middlesborough for repairs.

At 1900 0n 10 June, the destroyer departed for Sullom Voe.

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Destroyer ENCOUNTER departed Scapa Flow at 2100/7th to search for a German seaplane down in the sea 43° from Wick.

Destroyer ENCOUNTER was later recalled. Attempting to enter harbour at 0300/8th, the destroyer went ashore on Cantick Head.

The destroyer was later refloated with only slight damage. She arrived at Scapa Flow at 1245/8th.

Destroyer ENCOUNTER departed Scapa Flow at 0300/14th escorting British steamer FOSS BECK (4876grt/总吨位) and tanker BRITISH LADY (6098grt/总吨位) to Rosyth, arriving on the 14th.

Destroyer ENCOUNTER departed Rosyth on the 16th in convoy MT.89, escorted by escort ship WOOLSTON and sloop FLAMINGO, arrived on the 17th in the Tyne.

The destroyer departed the Tyne on the 17th in convoy FS.97 with escort ship WOOLSTON and sloop FLEETWOOD.

Destroyer ENCOUNTER arrived at Chatham where she was under repair and refit until 20 July.

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Anti-submarine trawlers LE TIGRE (516grt/总吨位) and ELM (530grt/总吨位) arrived at Scapa Flow escorting British oiler INVERSHANNON (9154grt/总吨位) and steamers KIRKWOOD and ST CLAIR (1637grt/总吨位).

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British steamer REDCAR arrived at Scapa Flow from Harstad.

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French tanker SALOME (13,291grt/总吨位) was lost at Dunkirk to unknown causes. She was later salved by German forces and renamed BREISGAU.

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Convoy MT.84 departed Methil, escorted by sloops LOWESTOFT and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at the Tyne later that day.

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Convoy FS.190 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloops LOWESTOFT and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 9th.

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U.48 sank British steamer FRANCIS MASSEY (4212grt/总吨位) and damaged British steamer EROS (5888grt/总吨位) 14 to 15 miles 52° of Tory Island in 55?33N, 08?26.

Destroyer VOLUNTEER and tug BANDIT was detached from the armed merchant cruiser CARINTHIA mission.

The only survivour from steamer FRANCIS MASSEY was the Master of the vessel, rescued by destroyer VOLUNTEER. The destroyer was guided to the raft by aircraft. After picking up steamer FRANCIS MASSEY's survivour, destroyer VOLUNTEER proceeded to assist steamer EROS.

Destroyer BERKELEY took steamer EROS in tow. Anti-submarine trawler PAYNTER (472grt/总吨位) took the survivors off EROS, which was later beached at 2230 on Tory Island, assisted by tug BANDIT.

After this operation, destroyer VOLUNTEER arrived at Scapa Flow at 2145/8th and secured alongside depot ship WOOLWICH.

Destroyer BERKELEY was sent off on other duties.

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Aircraft carrier ARGUS and her attendant destroyer STURDY, escorted by destroyer KEPPEL arrived from the Gulf of Lyons at Gibraltar en route to the United Kingdom.

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Submarine SEVERN arrived at Rosyth after patrol.

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Early on the 7th, Troopship Group I units leaving Harstad after evacuating allied troops were sighted by one of Admiral Marschall's scouting planes. However, Marschall, at first, gave them no attention thinking them to be empty troopships returning to England.

Later on the 7th, German aircraft sighted and reported units of Troopship Group II at the entrance to Andfjord escorted by anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY (Flagship Vivian, Rear Admiral 1st AntiAirCraft Squadron) and destroyers WALKER and FIREDRAKE.

Group II was composed of troopships ORONSAY (20,043grt/总吨位), ORMONDE (14,982grt/总吨位), ARANDORA STAR (15,501grt/总吨位), DUCHESS OF YORK (20,021grt/总吨位), ROYAL ULSTERMAN (3244grt/总吨位), ULSTER PRINCE (3791grt/总吨位), ULSTER MONARCH (3791grt/总吨位).

Troopship DUCHESS OF YORK was not in the group leaving the Clyde on 31 May. On 1 June, she departed Liverpool and joined the group en route.

Troopship ORAMA (19,840grt/总吨位) had arrived at the ocean rendezvous for the evacuation, but was short of fuel and fresh water. Since sufficient accomodation was already at hand, ORAMA was sent home with hospital ship ATLANTIS.

Armed boarding vessel VANDYCK remained at sea at the ocean rendezvous in case she was required while the troopships embarked the troops.

Group II troopships arrived at Andfjord in turn and embarked 5200 troops on the 7th and 4600 troops on the 8th.

Aircraft carrier GLORIOUS and destroyers ARDENT and ACASTA departed the Narvik area at 0300/8th.

Group II leaving the ocean rendezvous was escorted at sea by aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL with destroyers ACHERON, DIANA, HIGHLANDER, light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON (Lord Cork's Flagship), anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY, destroyers FIREDRAKE, HAVELOCK, FAME, BEAGLE, CAMPBELL, DELIGHT, ECHO.

A convoy of slow auxiliaries departed Harstad late on the 7th. This group consisted of British BLACKHEATH (4637grt/总吨位), OLIGARCH (6897grt/总吨位), HARMATTAN (4558grt/总吨位), CROMARTY FIRTH (538grt/总吨位), THESEUS (6527grt/总吨位), ACRITY (403grt/总吨位), COXWOLD (1124grt/总吨位), CONCH (8376grt/总吨位) escorted by anti-submarine trawlers ST CATHAN (565grt/总吨位) and LOCH MONTEITH (531grt/总吨位) of the 18th Anti-submarine Striking Force. The convoy was joined by destroyer ARROW, sloop STORK, trawlers STRATHDEVON (212grt/总吨位), STRATHDERRY (193grt/总吨位), ELDORADO (180grt/总吨位), SHANDWICK (166grt/总吨位), NEWHAVEN (182grt/总吨位) after they had completed assisting Group II during embarkation.

Destroyers VETERAN and VANOC escorted the convoy away from the coast and then were detached to join the escort for aircraft carrier GLORIOUS, but the aircraft carrier was lost before they could join the escort.

Destroyer VETERAN, short of fuel, was ordered to Sullom Voe at 1115/9th. Destroyers VETERAN and VANOC arrived at Sullom Voe at 2350/9th.

This convoy was under German air attack from 2345/9th to 0100 by six aircraft in 67-55N, 2-10E. There was no damage.

Destroyer CAMPBELL was ordered at 1900/8th to join the convoy but could not locate it until 1730/10th. Then, she was too low on fuel and had to proceed independently, later accompanied by destroyer MASHONA, to Sullom Voe, arriving at 0745/12th.

Destroyer WALKER did successfully locate and join the convoy.

Destroyers FIREDRAKE, FAME, BEAGLE, WALKER all sustained minor damage from near misses of air bombing on the 12th.

Destroyer FIREDRAKE arrived in the Clyde on the 13th and was out of service one week.

Destroyer FAME arrived in the Clyde on the 12th and was out of service on week.

Destroyer BEAGLE arrived at Greenock on the 12th was out of service four days.

Destroyer WALKER arrived at Scapa Flow on the 14th with the starboard dynamo out of action. She departed Scapa Flow on the 15th for the Clyde. She arrived at Glasgow for repairs completed on the 28th.

At 0500/14th, the convoy with heavy cruiser SUSSEX, light cruiser NEWCASTLE, destroyers ARROW and WALKER, sloop STORK safely arrived at Scapa Flow.

A convoy departed Tromso at 1700/7th with British tankers OIL PIONEER (5666grt/总吨位) and YEWMOUNT (859grt/总吨位) and ammunition ships ARBROATH (553grt/总吨位) and NGAKOA (507grt/总吨位) escorted by anti-submarine trawler JUNIPER (530grt/总吨位).

Destroyers CAMPBELL and WALKER and anti-submarine whalers ELLESMERE and THIRLMERE were to rendezvous with the Tromso units.

The whalers met YEWMOUNT, ARBROATH, NGAKOA later on the 7th.

On the 10th, destroyer CAMPBELL reported she was a serious fuel loss and was returning to Sullom Voe.

On the 12th, whalers ELLESMERE and THIRLMERE were relieved by destroyer VISCOUNT.

The whalers took ammunition ship NGAKAO with engine troubles into Scapa Flow.

Destroyer VISCOUNT arrived at Scapa Flow at 0400/14th with the Narvik store ships.

Anti-submarine trawler NORTHERN GEM departed Lodigen escorting Norwegian steamer RANEN (463grt/总吨位), which was being used as HMS RAVEN (Cdr Sir Geoffrey Congreve).

British trawlers departing Norway at this time were LILAC, SYCAMORE, HAWTHORN, WILLOW of Minesweeping Group 1, ULLSWATER of the 10th Anti-Submarine Striking Force, NORTHERN SPRAY, NORTHERN DAWN, NORTHERN WAVE of the 12th Anti-Submarine Striking Force, KING SOL of the 18th Anti-Submarine Striking Force, MAN O' WAR of the 21st Anti-Submarine Group, PRESTON NORTH END and LINCOLN CITY of the 30th Anti-Submarine Group.

Anti-submarine whalers ELLESMERE and THIRLMERE of the 10th Anti-submarine Striking Force transferred 435 men and twenty six women to heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE at Tromso.

Heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE departed Tromso with the King of Norway, his government, allied legations. She was accompanied by Norwegian submarine B 1, fishery protection vessels NORDKAPP and FRIDTJOF NANSEN, armed auxiliaries SYRIAN (298grt/总吨位), THOROOD (422grt/总吨位), NORDHAV II (425grt/总吨位), HVAL V (248grt/总吨位), BORTIND (328grt/总吨位) and captured German trawler HONNINGSVAAG (487 tons: ex German MALANGEN captured on 13 April).

Heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE arrived in the Clyde on the 10th.

Destroyer VETERAN departed Thorshavn at 0600/16th with submarine B 1, fishery protection vessel FRIDTJOF NANSEN, five minor warships through Pentland Firth for Rosyth.

Destroyer KELVIN was ordered at 2349/16th by Rear Admiral, destroyers, to join destroyer VETERAN and the Norwegian ships.

The Norwegian ships escorted by destroyers KELVIN and VETERAN and two trawlers arrived at Rosyth on the 18th.

Both destroyers proceeded to Commander in Chief, Nore, on completion of the escort duty.

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French light cruiser EMILE BERTIN departed Halifax to return to Brest for another gold evacuation mission.

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French submarine ARCHIMEDE, which had come from Brest, via Casablanca, arrived at Gibraltar escorted by sloop ELAN. The submarine sailed later that day escorted by sloop ANNAMITE and arrived at Toulon on the 11th.

Submarines ARCHIMEDE and BEVEZIERS departed Brest on the 1st in convoy 47 BF, escorted by sloop ELAN. The convoy arrived at Casablanca on the 5th.

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New Zealand light cruiser LEANDER departed Port Sudan to patrol off that port. On 8 June, she joined sloop GRIMSBY escorting Italian liner UMBRIA (9349grt/总吨位) to Port Sudan.