Thursday, 1 August

Submarine NARWHAL (Lt Cdr R. J. Burch DSO), which departed the Humber on 22 July to lay mines in operation FD.22, was declared lost after failing to return from a patrol southwest of Stavanger. Her loss most likely took place in a German bombing attack on 23 July in 58?50N, 02?20E off Aberdeen. Lt Cdr Burch, Lt Cdr S. R. White, Lt C. S. Green DSC, Lt H. R. . Twynar, Lt (E) J. E. Ackery DSC, S/Lt J. Cringle RNVR, the fifty four ratings of the crew were lost with NARWHAL.

————

Submarine SPEARFISH (Lt Cdr J. H. Forbes DSO), which departed Rosyth on 31 July, was sunk by U.34 off Cape Nose Head west of Stavanger. She was declared lost on the 5th. Lt Cdr Forbes, Lt D. A. Pirie, Lt A. R. Gimblett RNR, S/Lt J. P. Best, Warrant Engineer H. E. Archer, thirty six ratings of the crew were lost with SPEARFISH. U.34 picked up A/B . V. Pester from the SPEARFISH, the sole survivor.

————

Destroyer DUNCAN departed Rosyth at 1500 to rendezvous with destroyer MAORI and escort steamer LOCHNAGAR from Aberdeen to Lerwick. Destroyer MASHONA departed Scapa Flow at 0145 on the 2nd to relieve DUNCAN escorting LOCHNAGAR. DUNCAN proceeded to Scapa Flow, but was delayed entering harbour due to fog. She did arrive at Scapa Flow at 1730/3rd. On arrival at Lerwick at 1300/2nd, destroyers MAORI and MASHONA proceeded to an anti-submarine search in the vicinity of the one hundred fathom line north of the Shetlands. No contact was made.

————

Hunt-class destroyer CATTISTOCK was completed. She worked up at Scapa Flow with the 23rd Destroyer Division, and departed on the 30th for the Nore and duty in the 21st Destroyer Flotilla.

————

Temporary S/Lt (A) I. H. Kestin, flying a Hurricane of RAF 145 Squadron Westhampnett, was killed when he was shot down ten miles south of Hastings.

————

Dutch submarine O.21 attacked U.62, as she was arriving in the Helgoland from patrol in the North Sea, but without result.

————

U.59 sank Swedish steamer SIGYN (1981grt/总吨位) in 56?10N, 09?25. The entire crew was rescued.

————

Steamer CITY OF CANBERRA (7484grt/总吨位) was damaged on a mine in 52?06N, 01?52E.

————

Steamer KERRY HEAD (825grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing at four miles east, southeast of Old Head of Kinsale.

————

Tanker GOTHIC (2444grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing 12 miles 310° from Flamborough Head.

————

Convoy FN.239 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WINCHESTER, sloop WESTON, patrol sloop MALLARD. Steamer HIGHLANDER (1216grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing in 56?56N, 02?04. One plane shot down crashed on the poop deck of HIGHLANDER. WESTON also shot down a German bomber. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 3rd.

————

Convoy MT.127 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day.

————

Submarine OSWALD (Lt Cdr D. A. Fraser) was sunk by Italian destroyer VIVALDI off Calabria. VIVALDI was part of an anti-submarine sweep of destroyers DA NOLI, USODIMARE, DA RECCO, PESSAGNO, which departed Augusta 1 August. Three ratings were lost with OSWALD, but the remainder of the crew, Fraser, Lt G. R. Marsh, Lt M. D. Pope, Lt M. S. Hodson, Warrant Engineer G. Mitchell and forty seven ratings, were rescued by VIVALDI and made prisoners of war.

————

Force H departed Gibraltar on 31 July for Operation HURRY with battlecruiser HOOD, battleship VALIANT, aircraft carriers ARK ROYAL and ARGUS, light cruisers ARETHUSA and ENTERPRISE, destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FEARLESS, ESCAPADE, ACTIVE, WRESTLER, ENCOUNTER, GALLANT, GREYHOUND, HOTSPUR.

Light cruiser ENTERPRISE was southeast of Minorca simulating activity in the northern part of the Western Basin in Operation SPARK. The light cruiser was also to have contacted French steamer GENERAL GUEYDON, but contact was not made.

Diversion for HURRY was by the Mediterranean Fleet which departed Alexandria on 31 July withlight cruisers NEPTUNE, SYDNEY, ORION, destroyers NUBIAN, JUNO, GARLAND as Force A and battleships ROYAL SOVEREIGN and MALAYA, aircraft carrier EAGLE,HERO, HEREWARD, HOSTILE, HASTY, ILEX, IMPERIAL, JERVIS, VENDETTA as Force B.

However, when a mechanical breakdown occurred on battleship MALAYA, Force B returned to Alexandria on the 1st. Force A returned the next day.

On the 2nd, HURRY, the flyoff of fighters from aircraft carrier ARGUS to Malta was conducted. While the rest of Force H turned north, aircraft carrier ARGUS, escorted by destroyers ENCOUNTER, GALLANT, GREYHOUND, HOTSPUR, conducted the operation.

Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, screened by battlecruiser HOOD, light cruiser ENTERPRISE, destroyers FAULKNOR, FOESTER, FORESIGHT, FOXHOUND, launched aircraft to raid Cagliari in Operation CRUSH.

Lt J. R. Robins, Lt J. M. M. Tarver, Petty Officer J. Clarke of 810 Squadron were lost when their plane crashed on take off. Lt (A) G. R. Humphries, Lt D. Williams, Leading Airman C. Pendleton in a Swordfish of 820 Squadron were shot down and made prisoners of war.

Force H arrived back at Gibraltar on the 4th.

After HURRY, Somerville took Force H with battlecruiser HOOD, battleship VALIANT, aircraft carrier ARGUS, light cruiser ARETHUSA, destroyers of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla back to England. Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, light cruiser ENTERPRISE, destroyers GREYHOUND, GALLANT, ENCOUNTER, HOTSPUR sailed with Force H, but returned to Gibraltar on the 8th after parting with the rest of Force H

On 9 August, Force H was met west of Ireland by destroyers PUNJABI, TARTAR, BEDOUIN which escorted battlecruiser HOOD, light cruiser ARETHUSA, destroyers ESCAPADE and FOXHOUND to Scapa Flow, arriving 0600/10th.

Battleship VALIANT, aircraft carrier ARGUS, destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER arriving at Liverpool at 1530/10th.

Destroyer FEARLESS was in a minor collision with Armed patrol trawler FLYING WING (226grt/总吨位) at 0312 off the Mull of Cantyre in 55?14N, 5?58. Destroyer FAULKNOR stood by to assist.

Destroyer FEARLESS proceeded to the Clyde and then was taken to Glasgow where she was under repair until 8 October.

Aircraft carrier ARGUS and destroyer FORESTER were detached to enter Liverpool together.

————

Italian submarine MAMELI sank Greek steamer ROULA (1044grt/总吨位) in 34?06N, 26?30E. The entire crew was rescued.