Thursday, 8 August

Destroyers EXPRESS, ESK, ICARUS, IMPULSIVE, IVANHOE departed Immingham and joined four motor anti-submarine boats from Harwich.

During the night of 8/9 August, the destroyers laid minefield MP (A), an extension of the MN minefield to Falls Bank and to back up the MN minefield.

During the night of 10/11 August, the same destroyers conducted MP (B).

After MP (B), the destroyers returned to Immingham.

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Polish destroyer BURZA made three attacks at 1410 on a submarine contact in 52?21N, 5?06. 5.

Destroyer BURZA was en route to Scapa Flow to work up after repairs. She arrived on the 9th at 1900.

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Destroyers BULLDOG of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla and FERNIE departed Portsmouth to support Convoy CW.9.

In convoy CW.9 British steamers HOLME FORCE (1216grt/总吨位) off Newhaven and FIFE COAST (367grt/总吨位) ten to fifteen miles west of Beachy Head were sunk by German motor torpedo boats S.21 and S.27.

The Master, two crew, three gunners were lost on the steamer HOLME FORCE. Four crew and one naval rating were lost on the steamer FIFE COAST.

In addition to S.21 and S.27, S.20 and S.25, all of the 1st Flotilla made attacks on this convoy.

British steamers JOHN M (500grt/总吨位) ten miles south of Needles, IOW and POLLY M (380grt/总吨位) 15 miles 190° from Cape Wrath were damaged by German motor torpedo boat attacks.

British steamer OUSE (1004grt/总吨位) was sunk off Newhaven in a collision with British steamer RYE (1048grt/总吨位) while avoiding a torpedo from one of the motor torpedo boats.

Twenty three survivors were rescued from steamer OUSE.

In air attacks on convoy CW.9, British steamers COQUETDALE (1597grt/总吨位) and EMPIRE CRUSADER (1042grt/总吨位) were sunk fifteen miles west of St Catherine's Point.

The entire crew of steamer COQUETDALE was rescued. The Master, two crew, two naval gunners were lost on the steamer EMPIRE CRUSADER.

Dutch steamer AJAX (942grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing fifteen miles west of St Catherine's Point.

Four crew on the Dutch steamer were lost.

Dutch steamers VEENENBURGH (433grt/总吨位), OMLANDIA (400grt/总吨位), SURTE (244grt/总吨位) were damaged by German bombing fifteen miles west of St Catherine's Point.

British steamers SCHELDT (497grt/总吨位) and BALMAHA (1428grt/总吨位) were damaged by German bombing fifteen miles west of St Catherine's Point.

Norwegian steamer TRES (946grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing 1950 yards 036° from Nodes Point, St Helen's Roads.

Steamer TRES later sank in St Helens Bay.

During these attacks, anti-submarine yachts WILNA and RION and anti-submarine trawlers CAPE PALLISER, KINGSTON CHRYSOBERYL, KINGSTON OLIVINE, STELLA CAPELLA were damaged by German bombing in the area.

In the RION, Cdr J. K. B. Birch was wounded and died of wounds on the 14th. In the WILNA, Temporary Lt S. Behennah RNVR, Temporary Lt H. H. Dimmick RNVR, were wounded.

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S/Lt F. A. Smith, flying a Hurricane of RAF 145 Squadron Westhampnett, was killed when he was shot down over convoy CW.9 south of South Catherine's Point.

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Convoy FN.246 departed Southend, escorted by sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS and patrol sloop SHEARWATER. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 10th.

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Convoy MT.134 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day.

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Convoy FS.246 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS and sloop STORK. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 10th.

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Convoy HX.64 departed Halifax escorted by Canadian destroyer ASSINIBOINE and auxiliary patrol boat FRENCH at 1630. Destroyer SAGUENAY and auxiliary patrol boat LAURIER departed escorted SHX.64 and joined at sea

Patrol boat FRENCH returned to Halifax after dark on the 8th and destroyer ASSINIBOINE remained with the convoy until 2030/9th leaving the convoy to ocean escort, armed merchant cruiser RAJPUTANA. The armed merchant cruiser was detached on the 20th.

Convoy BHX.64 departed Bermudaon 7 August escorted by her ocean escort of light cruiser CARADOC. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.64 on the 12th and the light cruiser was detached.

On the 20th, destroyer WARWICK, sloop SANDWICH, corvettes GARDENIA and MALLOW joined the convoy. They arrived with the convoy at Liverpool on the 23rd.

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U.37 sank British steamer UPWEY GRANGE (9130grt/总吨位) in 54?20N, 15?28.

Thirty three crew and three passengers were missing from the British steamer.

The survivors were rescued by British trawler NANIWA (340grt/总吨位).

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Three Italian air raids were launched on Berbera. Australian light cruiser HOBART, sloop AUCKLAND, anti-submarine trawler AMBER, several steamers were in port.

Light cruiser HOBART and armed boarding vessel CHAKDINA were damaged by splinters from near misses.

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Destroyers HERO, HASTY, IMPERIAL departed Haifa to east east and north of Cyprus.

Destroyer HASTY was detached off Haifa to escort a local convoy.

Destroyers IMPERIAL and HERO arrived back at Alexandria on the 10th. Destroyer HASTY arrived later on the 10th.

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In Operation TUBE, submarine PROTEUS, which departed Gibraltar on the 1st, arrived at Malta with spares and ground equipment for the Hurricanes brought to Malta by HURRY.

In harbour, submarine PROTEUS was in a collision with British tug ANDROMEDA. The submarine was repairing until 22 August.

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Light cruiser DURBAN completed her refitting begun at Singapore in July.

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Light cruiser DRAGON arrived at Lobito to refuel prior to joining convoy RS.5.

The cruiser departed the next day and joined the convoy on the 11th.

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American destroyers WALKE and WAINWRIGHT departed Santos for Rio de Janiero.

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German armed merchant cruiser WIDDER sank Dutch steamer OOSTPLEIN (5095grt/总吨位) in the Central Atlantic 200 miles south of the Azores.

The crew were made prisoners of war and were landed at St Nazaire on 9 October.

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Italian minelayer SCILLA escorted by torpedo boats ANTARES and SAGITARIO laid mines off Pantelleria.

Destroyer HOSTILE was lost later this month on this minefield.