Sunday, 14 July

British operation AMBASSADOR was a small commando raid on the island of Guernsey.

Late on the 14th, destroyers SALADIN and SCIMITAR from Dartmouth carried Commandos to Guernsey, but had no success as they made no contact with the enemy.

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Destroyers KEPPEL, ACTIVE, WATCHMAN, VORTIGERN, and DOUGLAS departed Gibraltar for Liverpool arriving on the 20th.

The destroyers were formed into the 12th Destroyer Flotilla for duty with the Home Fleet.

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Destroyers WRESTLER and VIDETTE departed Gibraltar to meet troopship ATHLONE CASTLE and relieve escorting destroyer HURRICANE.

The ships arrived at Gibraltar on the 17th.

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Armed merchant cruiser ESPERANCE BAY, carrying ten million pounds in gold, was bombed and badly damaged shortly after leaving England at 1250 in 49-30N, 6-40, one hundred miles west of Land's End.

Lt Cdr H. Close RNR, and six ratings were killed.

Destroyer VANOC and Canadian destroyer RESTIGOUCHE escorted the merchant cruiser. Dutch tug ZWARTE ZEE was sent.

Destroyer VANOC and tug ZWARTE ZEE was reassigned when it was found the armed merchant cruiser could proceed on her own to Plymouth with the gold.

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Turkish minelaying sloop YUZBASI HAKKI was attacked by German bombers off Weymouth at 1145 near the Shambles.

The British delivery crew were still on board. One crewman was killed and the Captain was wounded.

The sloop arrived at Weymouth on the 15th.

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Minesweeper FITZROY was damaged in a collision with Minesweeping trawler SEA MIST (324grt/总吨位) off the Humber.

Minesweeper FITZROY was repaired in the Humber from 15 July to 10 August.

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Anti-submarine trawlers CAPE WARWICK from Balta Sound and THIRLMERE from Dundee arrived at Scapa Flow.

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British minefield MN in the Straits of Dover was laid by minelayer PLOVER and Dutch minelayer WILLEM VAN DER ZAAN, escorted by four motor torpedo boats.

The force departed Dover at 2215 on the 13th for the minelay early on the 14th.

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British Leading Airman I. G. Farquhar, at the 1 SFTS Netheraven, was killed when his Hind undershot in forced landing and crashed at Pylle, near Shepton Mallet.

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Convoy OA.184 departed Methil by sloops ROCHESTER, HASTINGS, and LEITH from 14 to 19 July. The sloops were detached to convoy HX.56.

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Convoy FN.222 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers WALLACE and WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 16th.

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Convoy MT.109 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 15th.

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German armed merchant cruiser THOR sank British steamer GRACEFIELD (4631grt/总吨位) in the South Atlantic at 20?20S, 30?43.

The crew was made prisoners of war.

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U.A sank Norwegian steamer SARITA (5824grt/总吨位) at 15?22N, 26?28, 120 miles southwest of St Vincent.

The survivors were picked up by British steamer DUNSTAN (5149grt/总吨位) on the 18th at 15-31N, 30-04.

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U.52 sank Greek steamer THETIS A (4111grt/总吨位) in 47?40N, 13?20.

Nine crew were lost on the Greek steamer.

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British steamer ISLAND QUEEN (779grt/总吨位) of convoy CW.5 was badly damaged by German bombing four cables off A Buoy, Dover, east of Folkestone Gateway Light Vessel.

Steamer ISLAND QUEEN sank in tow of British trawler KINGSTON ALALITE (412grt/总吨位) later that day one half mile 350° from Folkestone Light Vessel.

Three crew were lost on the British steamer.

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British steamer MONS (641grt/总吨位) from convoy CW.5 was damaged by German bombing one and a half miles south of Dover Pier.

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Norwegian steamer BALDER (1129grt/总吨位) from convoy CW.5 was damaged by German bombing off Dover.

Steamer BALDER was taken in tow by British tug LADY BRASSEY and escorted by destroyers GRIFFIN and BOREAS.

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Belgian trawler PROVIDENTIA (139grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing in 49-55N, 9-12.

The entire crew was lost.

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Heavy cruiser KENT arrived at Durban after escorting West Afircan troop convoy to Mombasa and preparatory to escorting convoy WS 1 from the rendezvous in the vicinity of Durban.