Wednesday, 11 December

Due to the threat of German bombing, battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH was moved from Portsmouth to complete her refit.

On the 11th, battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH departed Portsmouth, escorted by destroyers KASHMIR, KIPLING, PUNJABI, JUPITER. They were joined by destroyer HOLDERNESS from Devonport.

When a German submarine was reported nearby by aircraft in 50?26N, 5?20, Free French destroyer LE TRIOMPHANT and Destroyers JERSEY, WRESTLER, MONTGOMERY were hunting.

The submarine hunt delayed the battleship's progress twenty four hours.

Because of the delay, the Scapa Flow destroyers went to Greenock to refuel. The destroyers departed Greenock at 1850/12th.

En route to the Clyde, the original escorting destroyers were relieved by destroyers SOUTHDOWN, EXMOOR, PYTCHLEY, BRILLIANT at 1600/13th. The British force safely arrived the next day.

The battleship went on to Rosyth arriving at 1330/15th. The battleship's refit was completed at the end of January.

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Destroyers MATABELE, ESCAPADE, ELECTRA, BULLDOG departed Scapa Flow at 1030 to meet Battleship RODNEY in 59-32N, 26-00 and escort her to Scapa Flow.

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Convoy OB.257 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers ACHATES, ACTIVE, ANTELOPE, corvettes HEATHER and PICOTEE, anti-submarine trawlers LADY MADELEINE and NORWICH CITY. The escort was detached on the 13th.

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Convoy FN.357 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA and sloop WESTON. The convoy arrived at Methil on the 13th.

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Convoy FS.359 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VORTIGERN and sloop EGRET. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 14th.

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Anti-aircraft cruiser CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 0930 to cover convoy WN.51. The cruiser parted company with the convoy after dark and returned to Scapa Flow.

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Destroyer NAPIER was completed. She underwent trials at Scapa Flow and was assigned to the 7th Destroyer Flotilla operating with the Home Fleet.

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Submarine UNIQUE departed Portsmouth for patrol in Biscay.

After the patrol, the submarine arrived at Gibraltar on the 23rd.

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Submarine USK departed Portsmouth for patrol off Fecamp.

After the patrol, the submarine arrived at Gibraltar on the 23rd.

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British steamer SAXON QUEEN (482grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing near Sunk Head Buoy, Thames Estuary.

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British trawler ROBINIA (208grt/总吨位) was sunk on a British defensive minefield in 65?20N, 12?40.

The entire crew was rescued.

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Swedish steamer TOR (1130grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing near Sunk Head Buoy, Thames Estuary.

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U.94 sank British steamer EMPIRE STATESMAN (5306grt/总吨位) west of Ireland.

There were no survivors from the steamer.

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U.96 in attacks on convoy HX.92 sank British steamer ROTORUA (10,890grt, Convoy Commodore Rear Admiral J. U. P. Fitzgerald Rtd) in 58?56N, 11?20 and Dutch steamer TOWA (5419grt/总吨位) in 58?50N, 10?10. The convoy SO was on destroyer VETERAN.

Sixteen crew, including Rear Admiral Fitzgerald, two gunners, three passengers were lost on the steamer ROTORUA. Two crew were picked up by the submarine and made prisoners of war. Destroyer MASHONA rescued the crew of steamer ROTORUA one hundred and ten miles west of St Kilda.

Eighteen crew were lost from the Dutch steamer TOWA. Destroyer MATABELE picked up sixteen survivors.

British steamer CARDITA (8237grt/总吨位) reported making a direct hit on the German submarine.

Destroyer MATABELE and her destroyers were detached to assist to and to search for the submarine before joining battleship RODNEY.

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Two Swordfish aircraft of 818 Squadron from aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL collided off Europa Point.

Sub Lt S. G. J. Appleby, Sub Lt J. . A. Grant, Leading Airman L. O. Clark of one aircraft were killed. The other crew was rescued.

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Submarine TRUANT damaged Italian torpedo boat ALCIONE in 35-29N, 24-11E.

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Convoy BS.10A departed Port Sudan, escorted by sloop YARRA. The convoy was dispersed on the 16th.