Wednesday, 10 July

Minelayers MENESTHEUS, PORT NAPIER, PORT QUEBEC, and SOUTHERN PRINCE departed Loch Alsh at 1100/10th and laid minefield SN 1 north of Rona at 2025 to 2234 on the 10th, escorted by destroyers INGLEFIELD (D.3), IMOGEN, ATHERSTONE, HAMBLEDON, and FERNIE. Anti-aircraft ship COVENTRY departed Scapa Flow at 1238 to rendezvous with the minelaying force.

After the minelay, the I's went to Scapa Flow arriving at 1645 on the 11th and the three Hunts arrived at Loch Alsh at 1100/11th. The Hunts departed Loch Alsh at 1430/11th and proceeded to Liverpool.

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Nine Skuas of 801 Squadron departed Hatston for Sumburgh in preparation for an attack on Bergen.

Leaving Sumburgh, they encountered poor visibility and returned to Sumburgh before proceeding half way to the objective.

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Convoy OA.182 departed Methil escorted by destroyer SKEENA and corvette GARDENIA from 10 to 14 July.

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Convoy MT.107 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 11th.

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Convoy FS.218 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer WINCHESTER and sloops LOWESTOFT and WESTON. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 11th.

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U.34 sank Finnish steamer PETSAMO (4596grt/总吨位) in 51?08N, 09?22.

Four crew were killed on the Finnish steamer.

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U.61 sank Dutch steamer ALWAKI (4533grt/总吨位) of convoy OA.180, 10 miles northeast of Cape Wrath in 58?46N, 04?46.

Canadian destroyer ST LAURENT reported the steamer's damage at 1234.

Destroyer ST LAURENT and escorting aircraft indicated the explosion was internal, probably sabotage.

British steamer HARMONIC (4558grt/总吨位) rescued the crew of eight from the Dutch ship.

Tugs BANDIT and THAMES were sent to assist.

Destroyers ZULU, MAORI, and BERKELEY departed anti-submarine exercises to join the convoy.

Destroyers TARTAR, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, and MASHONA exercising at Scapa Flow were ordered to search in the area.

Destroyers BEDOUIN and MASHONA remained in the vicinity of Cape Wrath until the evening of 11 July when a westbound convoy had passed the area. The destroyers then proceeded to Scapa Flow.

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British tanker TASCALUSA (6499grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing in Falmouth Harbour, alongside the Northern Arm. Greek steamer MARI CHANDRIS (5840grt/总吨位), which had been towed to Falmouth in June after a collision, was set afire by TASCALUSA. The entire crew of the Greek steamer was rescued. TASCALUSA was refloated on 29 August and beached at Mylor Flats for scrapping.

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British steamer WATERLOO (1905grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing two and a half miles NE of Smith's Knoll Bouy. The crew was rescued.

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Dutch steamer BILL S. (466grt/总吨位) was badly damaged by German bombing six miles 260° from Dungeness from convoy CW.3, escorted by destroyer VERSATILE.

The steamer sank 6.7 miles 67° from Dungeness.

The entire crew was rescued.

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British tanker British CHANCELLOR (7085grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing off Falmouth.

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Submarine PANDORA arrived at Gibraltar after patrol off Algiers.

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Aircraft carrier EAGLE launched nine Swordfish of the 813 Squadron on an air attack on Augusta.

Italian destroyer LEONE PANCALDO was sunk in harbour, but was salved on 26 July 1941 and returned to duty. A fleet oiler was damaged.

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Italian submarine SCIRE sank French steamer CHEIK (1058grt/总吨位) 54 miles 310° from Semaphore d'Asmare.

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Convoy HG.38 of six ships departed Gibraltar. The convoy was escorted by destroyer VOLUNTEER from 10 to 18 July. Destroyer VOLUNTEER returned to Gibraltar on the 10th to make good defects and was relieved by destroyer VIDETTE. Destroyer VOLUNTEER then returned to the convoy and VIDETTE returned to Gibraltar. The convoy was given escort by British corvette GLADIOLUS from 21 to 27 July. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 27th.

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German armed merchant cruiser WIDDER sank British steamer DAVISAN (6433grt/总吨位) in the Central Atlantic at 18?09N, 54?40, four hundred and fifty miles north, northeast of Guadalope.

The entire crew was made prisoners of war.

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Aircraft carrier HERMES was damaged in a collision at 0302 with Armed merchant cruiser CORFU 130 miles west, northwest of Freetown at 9?10N, 15?48.

Heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE was in company of HERMES and stood by these ships. CORFU had been escorting convoy SL.39 which continued on without her.

The two ships were locked together for just under an hour and a half during which CORFU was almost completely abandoned, 141 crew being taken aboard HERMES. There were no casualties in either ship. The armed merchant cruiser was later reboarded by crew in HERMES' cutter.

Aircraft carrier HERMES arrived at Freetown at 1800 that day. DORSETSHIRE attempted to tow CORFU. Sloop MILFORD arrived at Freetown at 1200/10th and after refuelling, sailed at 0520/11th to escort heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE and the armed merchant cruiser. Dutch tug DONAU departed Freetown at 0600/11th.

Heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE arrived at Freetown at 1700/12th.

Armed merchant cruiser CORFU with sloop MILFORD and Dutch tug DONAU anchored outside harbour during the night of 12/13 July.

Armed merchant cruiser CORFU, towed stern first by tug DONAU and escorted by sloop MILFORD arrived at Freetown at 1330/13th.

Armed merchant cruiser DUNVEGAN CASTLE was allocated to escort convoy SLF.39, but sailed to escort SL.39. Convoy SLF.39 when it did sail proceeded unescorted, after a local one day escort of sloop MILFORD.

Aircraft carrier HERMES after emergency repairs departed Freetown on 5 August and arrived at Simonstown on 17 August with convoy RS.5, joined at sea by Light cruiser DRAGON. HERMES had been designated to participate in MENACE in September, but was still under repair at Simonstown at that time. HERMES did not leave Simonstown until 18 November and she arrived back at Freetown for operations on 30 November.

Armed merchant cruiser CORFU was under repair at Freetown. She was intentionally run aground on 19 August to facilitate repairs to her bow. She was finally repaired in early 1941.