Friday, 8 March

Heavy cruisers NORFOLK from the Clyde and BERWICK from Northern Patrol arrived at Scapa Flow.

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Anti-aircraft cruiser CURACOA arrived in the Humber.

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Destroyer KANDAHAR developed structural defects.

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Destroyer VIMIERA departed Portland for Rosyth.

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Submarine SEAWOLF arrived at Harwich after patrol.

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Destroyer VIVACIOUS, escorting convoy BC.29 dropped depth charges on a submarine contact 15 miles from Ushant Island.

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Patrol trawlers CHILTERN (324grt/总吨位) and CLOUGHTON WYKE (324grt/总吨位) fishing in 58-12N, 9-18, northwest of St Kilda were attacked by a submarine with gunfire. They drove her off with no damage to themselves or the submarine.

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Convoy OA.106 departed Southend escorted by destroyer VANESSA from the 8th to 9th.

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Convoy OB.106 departed Liverpool escorted by sloop ROCHESTER and destroyer VENETIA. On the 11th, when the convoy dispersed, they joined convoy SL.22.

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Convoy FN.115 departed Southend escorted by sloop FLAMINGO and destroyer WALLACE, and arrived in the Tyne on the 10th.

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Convoy MT.26 departed Methil escorted by the 19th Anti-submarine Group and supported by destroyer JAVELIN. Convoy TM.22 also departed the Tyne. When the two convoys crossed, JAVELIN detached to the north-bound TM convoy and escorted it to Rosyth. The south-bound MT convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 9th.

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Convoy FS.116 departed the Tyne escorted by destroyers VEGA, WOOLSTON and sloop STORK, and arrived at Southend on the 10th.

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Convoy AXF 1 arrived at St Malo.

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Armed boarding vessel NORTHERN REWARD (655grt/总吨位) attacked a submarine contact SE of Munken Rock, Faroes, 110 miles 348° from Cape Wrath in 60-32N, 4-57.

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Sloop ABERDEEN, escorting convoy HX.20, attacked a submarine contact SW of Portland Bill in 50-09N, 2-44.

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Steamer COUNSELLOR (5068grt, Commodore HX.22) was sunk by a mine laid on the 7th by U.32 off Mersey Light Vessel in 53?38N, 03?23. Destroyer WALPOLE unsuccessfully attempted to tow her to safety; the entire crew was rescued. (Note: Rohwer's “Axis Submarine Successes” lists her as COUNCILLOR, and confirms the mines were laid by U.32. UBoat.net reports they were laid by U.30, and that WALPOLE rescued 78 survivors.)

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Finnish steamer JULIETTE (1449grt/总吨位) was brought into the Downs for inspection by French torpedo boat L'INCOMPRISE.

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German steamer HANNOVER (5537grt/总吨位), which departed Curacao during the night of the 5th/6th, was captured early on the 8th by light cruiser DUNEDIN and Canadian destroyer ASSINIBOINE (Cdr E R Mainguy RCN) off Santa Domingo in the Mona Passage. DUNEDIN took her in tow for Kingston, and while on passage ASSINIBOINE had to fight a fire onboard after the crew attempted to scuttle her. HANNOVER arrived at Kingston on the 13th with DUNEDIN and ASSINIBOINE secured on either side. French light cruiser JEANNE D' ARC had also been involved in the search for this German ship and arrived at the same time. The captured ship was renamed EMPIRE AUDACITY for British service and later became HMS AUDACITY, the Royal Navy's first escort carrier.

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French light cruiser PRIMAUGUET after repairs at Lorient departed Brest on the 3rd and arrived at Toulon on the 8th. She departed on the 11th, escorted by destroyer LYNX and arrived at Casablanca on the 13th, after passing Gibraltar the same day. LYNX departed Casablanca on the 20th and arrived at Brest on the 25th, while PRIMAUGUET left Casablanca on 1 April and arrived at Fort de France on 10 April.

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French submarine REDOUTABLE, escorted by destroyer LA PALME, which departed Toulon on the 4th, arrived at Gibraltar. The destroyer continued on to Casablanca, but the submarine remained at Gibraltar for ten days for anti-submarine exercises with the British Gibraltar Force escorts, and then departed on the 18th, escorted by armed yacht ALPHEE, flying the flag of Vice Amiral Ollive.