Wednesday, 3 July

Destroyer PUNJABI departed Greenock at 1530 after escorting troopship ANDES.

Destroyer PUNJABI arrived at Scapa Flow at 0900/4th.

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Destroyer MASHONA and submarine tender BREDA passed May Island at 0700 escorting British steamer SHOAL FISHER (698grt/总吨位) to Scapa Flow.

Destroyer WARWICK and Canadian destroyer SKEENA departed Scapa Flow at 2245 on the 3rd to relieve destroyer MASHONA and submarine tender BREDA.

Destroyers WARWICK and SKEENA to report to the Commander in Chief, West Approaches on arrival at Greenock on the 5th.

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Destroyer HAMBLEDON arrived at Scapa Flow at 2000 from Portland to work up with the Commander in Chief Home Fleet.

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Five Skuas of 801 Squadron, escorted by three Blenheims from 18 Group, departedHatston to attack concentrations of German prepared boats and oil tanks at Bergen.

All five Skuas returned safely without sighting the boats.

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A submarine was reported off Marwick Head by shore watchers. Anti-submarine trawlers COVENTRY CITY, WHITEHORN, and BUTTERMERE, returning from their search off Strathie Point, were dispatched to search.

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Submarine SEAWOLF landed reconnaissance parties near Lindesnes in Operation THWART.

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Submarine SNAPPER sank Norwegian steamer CYGNUS (1333grt/总吨位) off Egersund in 58-18N, 5-13E. A second ship attacked was not damaged.

Submarine SEALION attacked a German convoy off Skudesnshavn in Boknafjord at 1550/3rd. She came under heavy counterattack for forty five hours and withdrew.

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Temporary Lt (A) T. Miller RNVR, was killed when his Shark of 774 Squadron crashed near Evanton.

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British steam barge BIJOU (98grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing at Mistley Quay, near Harwich.

The crew of the barge was rescued.

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Special services ship JAMES 83 (397grt/总吨位) was sunk as a blockship.

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Convoy OA.178 departed Southend on the 3rd escorted by corvette CLARKIA from 3 to 6 July and destroyer BROKE from 5 to 6 July.

This was the last Channel routed OA.convoy.

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Convoy OB.178 departed Liverpool on the 3rd escorted by sloop LEITH from 3 to 7 July and destroyer WHIRLWIND on 3 to 5 July.

Sloop LEITH was detached to convoy HX.53.

Destroyer WHIRLWIND was badly damaged by U.34 on the 5th and scuttled after destroyer WESTCOTT took off the crew.

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Mate T. . Cole of trawler DAMITO died of injuries on this date.

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Convoy OB.177G, which departed Liverpool on the 1st escorted by destroyers VANOC and VOLUNTEER, and convoy OA.177G, which departed Southend on the 1st escorted by destroyer VANESSA on the 1st and destroyer WITHERINGTON on 1 and 2 July and Plymouth on the 1st escorted by sloop ENCHANTRESS and corvette CAMELIA, merged as OG.36 with twenty one ships. The convoy was escorted by sloop ENCHANTRESS from 3 to 8 July when she was detached to convoy HG.37.

Destroyer VANOC from convoy OB.176 joined the convoy on the 1st. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 8th with storeship PALOMARES and destroyer VOLUNTEER. Fifteen ships of the convoy with French troops for repatriation had had company earlier and proceeded unescorted to Casablanca.

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Convoy MT.101 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 4th.

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Convoy FS.211 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloop LOWESTOFT. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 4th.

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German armed merchant cruiser KOMET departed Gydnia for Bergen.

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Operation CATAPULT was the British plan under which French warships that would not come under British control would be destroyed.

French ships in England

Plymouth (Amiral L. M. G. Cayol, all ships were under repair) - battleship PARIS, large destroyer LE TRIOMPHANT, destroyers MISTRAL and OURAGAN, torpedo boat BOUCLIER, sloops COMMANDANT DUBOC, COUCY, and BELFORT, submarines SURCOUF, JUNON, and MINERVE, and submarine chasers CH.8, CH.11, CH.12, CH.15.

Portsmouth (Amiral R. M. A. Gaudin de Vilaine, all ships were under repair - battleship COURBET, large destroyer LEOPARD, sloops CHEVREUIL, AMIENS, ARRAS, DILIGENTE, EPINAL, QUENTIN ROOSEVELT, SAVORGNAN DE BRAZZA, and LA CAPRICIEUSE, corvette LA MALOUINE, torpedo boats BRANLEBAS, CORDELIERE, INCOMPRISE, FLORE, and MELPOMENE (these torpedo boats and BOUCLIER at Plymouth were later formed into the 23rd Destroyer Flotilla), minelayer POLLUX, armed patrol vessel REINA DES FLOTS, submarines ORION and ONDINE, and submarine chasers CH.5, CH.6, CH.7, CH.10, CH.13, CH.14, CH.41, CH.42, CH.43, C 98, C 106.

Southampton - auxiliary minelayer INGENIEUR CACHIN and armed patrol vessels PATRIE, LA NANTAISE, and L'ORANAISE.

Falmouth - target vessel L'IMPASSIBLE, sloops COMMANDANT DOMINE, LA MOQUEUSE, SUIPPE, and CONQUERANTE, hydrographic sloop PRESIDENT THEODORE TISSIER, and VTB.11.

Swansea - submarine CREOLE (she had only been launched on 8 June at Le Havre and was towed to La Pallice. She departed La Pallice under tow on 18 June for Swansea)

Dundee - submarine RUBIS

Hythe - motor torpedo boats VTB.8, VTB.12, VTB.23, VTB.24, VTB.25, VTB.26, VTB.27.

Barry - armed patrol vessel ARMENIER

Greenock - armed patrol vessel LEOVILLE

Sheerness - armed patrol vessels LE VAILLANT and VIKINGS.

The only resistance was at Plymouth.

Destroyer MISTRAL was partially scuttled by opening of the sea valves by her crew.

Submarine SURCOUF, berthed alongside Submarine THAMES, was the scene of armed resistance. Cdr D. V. Sprague, commanding officer of the THAMES, Lt P. M. K. Griffiths, from submarine RORQUAL, a British rating from battleship REVENGE, and a French guard were killed in the take over of the French ship.

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French ships at Mer el Kebir were battleships DUNKERQUE (Flagship of Amiral Gensoul, Capitaine de Vaisseau H. J. M. Seguin) and STRASBOURG (Capitaine de Vaisseau D. A. J. Collinet) of the 1st Line Division, battleships PROVENCE (Flagship Contre Amiral Bouxin, Capitaine de Vaisseau G. T. E. Barois) and BRETAGNE (Capitaine de Vaisseau L. R. E. Le Pivain) of the 2nd Line Division, large destroyers VOLTA and MOGADOR of the 6th Large Destroyer Division (VOLTA was the Flagship of Contre Amiral E. M. La Croix, Commander of the 2nd Light Squadron), large destroyer LE TERRIBLE of the 10th Large Destroyer Division, large destroyers LYNX and KERSAINT of the 4th Large Destroyer Division (KERSAINT was under repair), and large destroyer TIGRE, Seaplane tender COMMANDANT TESTE, sloop RIGAULt DE GENOUILLY, and trawlers ESTEREL and TERRE NEUVE.

At Oran were destroyers TRAMONTANE, TROMBE, TYPHON, TORNADE, BOULONNAIS, BRESTOIS, BORDELAIS, CASQUE, and LE CORSAIRE, torpedo boat LE POURSIVANTE, and submarines EURYDICE, ARIANE, DANAE, DIANE, PYSCHE, and OREADE.

French ships at Algiers were light cruisers LA GALISSONIERE, MARSEILLAISE, and JEAN DE VIENNE of the 3rd Cruiser Division and GEORGES LEYGUES, GLOIRE, and MONTCALM of the 4th Cruiser Division, and large destroyers INDOMPTABLE and MALIN of the 8th Large Destroyer Division and FANTASQUE and AUDACIEUX of the 10th Large Destroyer Division.

Destroyer FOXHOUND, of Force H which departed Gibraltar on the 2nd, anchored one mile from the Mer el Kebir Channel and commenced negotiations with Amiral Gensoul on battleship DUNKERQUE on the de militarisation of the French ships.

When negotiations failed, a general engagement ensued and the French ships attempted to put to sea.

The destroyers left first. Large destroyer MOGADOR was struck by a 15 inch shell which detonated her depth charges and blew off 100 feet of her stern, killing three petty officers and thirty five ratings. MOGADOR sank in the channel, but was later salved.

Battleship BRETAGNE was sunk with thirty six officers, one hundred and fifty one petty officers, and eight hundred and twenty five ratings killed as she attempted to leave the harbour.

Battleship DUNKERQUE was struck four times, including a hit on her power supply, sustaining five officers and forty one ratings killed.

Battleship PROVENCE was hit and had two turrets knocked out. One officer and two ratings were killed.

Two Swordfish aircraft from ARK ROYAL were damaged attacking battleship STRASBOURG. They landed in the sea and their crews were rescued by destroyer WRESTLER. The aircraft carrier was screened by destroyers FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, and ESCORT for these operations.

Off the harbour, large destroyers LE TERRIBLE and VOLTA attacked Destroyers FOXHOUND and FORESTER without damage to either side.

Sloop RIGAULt DE GENOUILLY was damaged by gunfire from Light cruiser ENTERPRISE.

The submarines at Oran changed berths during the battle causing the British to think they were preparing to go to sea.

Petty Officer T. F. Riddler and his gunner Naval Airman 1/c H. T. Chatterley of 803 Squadron were lost when their Skua was shot down by a French fighter.

Another Skua of 803 Squadron was lost when force landed into the sea near ARK ROYAL. Petty Officer H. A. Glover and Naval Airman J. A. Burkey were picked up by a destroyer FORESIGHT.

After the bombardment, Force H drew away leaving destroyer WRESTLER to watch the port, but French battleship STRASBOURG and the destroyers leaving port forced WRESTLER to withdraw.

Two Swordfish of 818 Squadron were badly damaged and force landed after attacking the STRASBOURG force and one Swordfish was lost shadowing STRASBOURG. Their crews were safely picked up. Destroyer WRESTLER picked up the two crews of 810 Squadron.

After the Mer el Kebir battle, Amiral Gensoul (Commander Atlantic Fleet Raiding Force) was replaced by Amiral Estava (Commander French Naval Forces, North Africa)

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French forces at Dakar on the 3rd were battleship RICHELIEU, destroyers MILAN, EPERVIER, FLEURET, armed merchant cruisers EL D'JEZAIR, VILLE D'ORAN, VILLE D'ALGER, EL MANSOUR, EL KANTARA, VICTOR SCHOELSCHER, and CHARLES PLUMIER, escort ship BOUGAINVILLE, submarines HERO and GLORIEUX, escort vessels AIR FRANCE I and AIR FRANCE II, and seven auxiliaries, including the examinations vessel CALAIS.

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Aircraft carrier HERMES departed Freetown to join heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE off Dakar on the morning of 5 July.

Heavy cruiser AUSTRALIA, which had just arrived with convoy BC F from Capetown, departed Freetown at 0100/4th to join heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE as well.

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Destroyer VELOX on patrol off Casablanca was fired on by French shore batteries.

No damage was done to the destroyer.

Armed yacht SAYONARA, which departed Gibraltar on the 2nd to relieve destroyer VELOX, was recalled and destroyer WISHART was sent to relieve VELOX.

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Australian light cruiser SYDNEY departed Alexandria to cover an Aegean convoy.

The light cruiser arrived back at Alexandria the same day.

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Light cruiser DELHI arrived at Gibraltar from Freetown.

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Destroyer JERVIS at Malta was near missed by Italian bombing.

The destroyer spent no time out of service due to the slight damage.