Sunday, 11 August

Battleship REVENGE, carrying ￡14.5 million pounds in gold being transferred to Canada, armed merchant cruiser ASTURIAS, steamers EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA (21,833grt/总吨位), ORONSAY (20,043grt/总吨位), SAMARIA (19,597grt/总吨位), ANTONIA (13,867grt/总吨位), DUCHESS OF YORK (20,021grt/总吨位), GEORGIC (27,759grt/总吨位) departed the Clyde at 1030 escorted by destroyers ASHANTI, which departed Scapa Flow at 1000/9th, GRIFFIN, WATCHMAN, VORTIGERN.

The gold transfer and convoy was designated convoy “ZA”.

Steamer ORION (23,371grt/总吨位) departed the Clyde at the same time as this convoy. She was joined at sea by armed merchant cruiser ASTURIAS which escorted her to Freetown. The steamer was taken by Dutch light cruiser SUMATRA to Capetown to rejoin convoy WS.2 B.

————

Destroyers COSSACK (D.4), SIKH, MAORI, DUNCAN joined Rear Admiral Minelaying on minelayer SOUTHERN PRINCE with minelayers PORT QUEBEC, PORT NAPIER, MENESTHEUS, which departed Loch Alsh at 0230/11th to lay minefield SN.13.

Survey ship SCOTT laid the navigational buoys.

The minefield was laid and the destroyers arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0700/13th.

————

Destroyer HOLDERNESS, on passage north to Scapa Flow, was diverted to Rosyth to act as part of the escort for submarine depot ship TITANIA to Belfast.

————

Light cruiser ARETHUSA and destroyer FOXHOUND departed Scapa Flow at 0630 for repairs and refitting at Chatham.

Light cruiser ARETHUSA was under repair from 17 August to 30 September at Chatham.

Destroyer FOXHOUND was under repair at London until 12 October.

————

Destroyer WINDSOR was damaged by German bombing off Botany Buoy in the Thames Estuary.

Destroyer WINDSOR was taken to London for repairs, completed at the end of October.

————

Destroyer ESK was damaged by German bombing at Harwich. She was repaired in one week.

————

Destroyer SCIMITAR was damaged by near misses while in Portland Harbour. Destroyer SCIMITAR was repaired in four days.

————

While in Portland Harbour, destroyer SKATE was damaged by near misses which wrecked her bridge. She did not require immediate repair for the damage.

————

S/Lt H. . Isherwood was killed when his Fulmar of 806 Squadron crashed near Aberdour.

————

Convoy OA.197 departed Methil. No escorts were listed.

————

Convoy OB.197 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer WINCHELSEA from 11 to 14 August,sloop SCARBOROUGH from 11 to 15 August, destroyers ARROW and ANTHONY on the 12th.

————

Convoy FN.249 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VALOROUS and sloop STORK. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 13th.

————

Convoy MT.137 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne later that day.

————

Convoy FS.249 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyers VIMIERA and WOLFHOUND and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 14th.

————

U.38 sank British steamer LLANFAIR (4966grt/总吨位) in 54?48N, 13?46.

Two crew were killed and one died later from the British steamer. Thirty survivors were picked up by Armed merchant cruiser CALIFORNIA.

————

British trawler EDWARDIAN was damaged by bombing off Kent. Three crew were killed and three wounded. The trawler was run agroun at North Foreland to prevent sinking.

————

British steamer KIRNWOOD (3829grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing in 52?27N, 02?10E.

————

British tanker OIL TRADER (5550grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing 3? miles 071° from Shipwash Light Vessel.

————

Convoy HG.41 with 45 ships departed Gibraltar escorted by destroyer VELOX from 11 to 15 August.

Sloop FOLKESTONE escorted the convoy from 11 to 24 August.

Destroyers RESTIGOUCHE and VANOC escorted the convoy from 22 to 24 August.

Destroyer WALKER and corvette ARABIS from convoy OB.200 escorted the convoy from 22 August to 24 and 25 August, respectively. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 26th.

————

Heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE arrived at Freetown from patrol in the northern half of the South Atlantic.

————

Britihs convoy SL.43 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser DUNVEGAN CASTLE to 27 August and sloop MILFORD to 13 August.

Due to the lack of escorts,Convoy SLF.43 departed Freetown at the same time. The convoy was joined by light cruiser DELHI, after refuelling at St Vincent and departing the evening of 10 August, to 16 August, when the convoy rendezvoused with convoy SL.43.

Sloop MILFORD escorted the Polish steamer CIESZYN to Bathurst, then returned to Freetown, arriving on the 15th.

Included in the convoy was steamer STAFFORDSHIRE, carrying the survivors from sunken steamer CAPE ST GEORGE.

Light cruiser DELHI arrived back at Freetown on the 20th.

On 26 August, sloop FOWEY and corvette PERWINKLE joined the convoy. on the 27th, destroyer WINCHELSEA and corvette PRIMROSE joined the convoy. The convoy arrived on the 31st.

————

British steamers CERAMIC and TESTBANK collied at 27-15S, 10-00E.

Heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND took steamer CERAMIC in tow, but it was not successful and the tow was later slipped. Steamer British VISCOUNT was in company.

The passengers in steamer CERAMIC were transferred to VICEROY OF INDIA.

Tug MCEWEN took steamer CERAMIC in tow and the heavy cruiser proceed to Simonstown for refuelling, arriving on the 17th.

Steamer TESTBANK proceeded to Capetown with damaged bows, accompanied by steamer British VISCOUNT.

Steamer TESTBANK arrived at Capetown on the 15th and steamer CERAMIC at Walvis Bay on the 16th.

————

Convoy BS.2A departed Suez, escorted by sloop GRIMSBY. Light cruiser CALEDON joined on 13 September. The convoy arrived at Aden on the 17th.