Monday, 11 December

Battleship VALIANT departed Plymouth on trials after refit, escorted by destroyers ACASTA and ARDENT. She was to have arrived back on the 11th, but due to submarine activity in the area, remained at sea overnight with destroyers ENCOUNTER, ARDENT, ACASTA and GRENADE. She then headed for Portland, reaching there on the 12th and leaving on the 14th for Bermuda. VALIANT was met by destroyer HYPERION on the 21st, 240 miles 70° from Mount Hill Light and reached Bermuda on the 22nd for working up after the refit. She arrived back at Bermuda on the 25th.

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A U-boat was sighted in the vicinity of the Plymouth indicator loops. Exercises were cancelled and submarine H.43 was ordered to return to harbour on the surface. Destroyer WOLVERINE and sloop LONDONDERRY hunted 60° and 320° respectively from a position 4 miles 45° from Eddystone, and WOLVERINE also took destroyer BRAZEN under orders to join in the search. A tug reported bumping a submerged object inside the loop at 1115. Destroyers ENCOUNTER, GRENADE, WHITEHALL and sloop LONDONDERRY searched without success but WOLVERINE did make a contact 6.5 miles 112° from Rame Head.

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Light cruiser GLASGOW arrived at Scapa Flow.

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Light cruiser EDINBURGH arrived at Rosyth.

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Old German merchant ship ILSENSTEIN (8216grt/总吨位), acquired pre-war, departed Rosyth escorted by destroyer ESCORT and escort ship WOOLSTON for Loch Ewe. After reaching the Pentland Firth, WOOLSTON returned to Rosyth. Destroyer ELECTRA was ordered to join ESCORT, but ILSENSTEIN could not proceed in the heavy weather.

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Destroyer MOHAWK was in collision with a tug as she headed down the Tyne. Temporary repairs were completed in the Tyne on the 14th.

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Polish destroyer BLYSKAWICA fired on an unidentified aircraft off Harwich.

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Destroyer BEDOUIN departed Rosyth with tanker DAGHESTAN (5742grt/总吨位) for Invergordon, then proceeded to Scapa Flow and on to the Clyde, arriving on the 12th.

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Convoy OA.51 departed Southend on the 11th escorted by destroyers VETERAN and BROKE until the 13th when they were relieved by destroyers WHITEHALL and WIVERN. After the convoy dispersed on the 14th, WHITEHALL and WIVERN joined SL.11.

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Convoy OB.51 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer VOLUNTEER and sloop DEPTFORD.

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Convoy BC.17 of steamers BARON GRAHAM, CLAN ROSS (Commodore), DUNKWA and GUELMA departed the Loire escorted by destroyer VESPER, and arrived in the Bristol Channel on the 12th.

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Convoy SA.21 of two steamers departed Southampton, escorted by destroyer WINDSOR which reported a submarine contact in 50-15N, 02-00. The convoy arrived at Brest on the 12th.

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Convoy AXS.8 of one steamer, escorted by destroyer VIVACIOUS, arrived at Brest from Barry.

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Convoy FS.53 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer WALLACE and sloop HASTINGS, and arrived at Southend on the 12th. Convoy FN.54 was delayed for 24 hours, but destroyer WHITLEY and sloops FLAMINGO and STORK guarded the ships overnight and were joined by destroyer GREYHOUND.

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A U-boat was reported in the Channel near Portsmouth and destroyers ACHERON, VEGA and WHITSHED were ordered to search.

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French battleship DUNKERQUE with 100 tons of gold for deposit in Canada and light cruiser GLOIRE departed Brest at 1700 for Halifax escorted by large destroyers MOGADOR, VOLTA, LE TRIOMPHANT, LE TERRIBLE and VALMY. VALMY detached on the 12th and the rest of the destroyers on the 13th. DUNKERQUE and GLOIRE arrived on the 17th.

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U.38 sank Greek steamer GAROUFALIA (4708grt/总吨位) in 64?36N, 10?42E with the loss of four crew.

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U.61 laid mines off the Firth of Forth.

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Battleship MALAYA, which had been escorted by Australian destroyers VENDETTA and WATERHEN in the Red Sea, arrived at Suez after duty in the Indian Ocean.

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Submarine OSWALD departed Alexandria for patrol in the Mediterranean until the 23rd.