Thursday, 2 January

The 1st Minelaying Squadron, escorted by destroyers DOUGLAS, KEPPEL, OURAGAN, which had arrived at Loch Alsh on the 1st, departed Loch Alsh to lay mines in SN 6 and SN 65.

Destroyer BEAGLE departed Scapa Flow at 0900 to join the destroyer escort.

The operation was screened by light cruiser EDINBURGH, which departed Scapa Flow at 1000/2nd.

Battlecruiser HOOD and destroyers ECHO, ELECTRA, SIKH, ESKIMO departed Scapa Flow at 1600/2ndand provided cover for the operation.

The minefield was laid and the minelayers returned to Loch Alsh on the 5th.

The battlecruiser force arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0930/5th.

Destroyer OURAGAN arrived at Scapa Flow at 1300/5th after being detached from the minelayers due to a shortage of fuel.

Destroyer BEAGLE and the minelayers arrived at Loch Alsh at 1700/5th. Destroyer BEAGLE was then sailed for Greenock to join the escort of convoy WS.5B.

Light cruiser EDINBURGH arrived at 1801 on the 5th at Scapa Flow.

At 2345/5th, destroyers DOUGLAS and KEPPEL arrived at Scapa Flow after escorting the minelayers to the Minches.

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Light cruiser NAIAD departed Scapa Flow and relieved light cruiser PHOEBE at Oban on guard duties. Light cruiser PHOEBE had been at Oban on anti-aircraft guard duties since 24 December.

On relief, light cruiser PHOEBE proceeded to Scapa Flow.

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Minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE laid mines in minefield ZME.10 in St Georges Channel.

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Light cruiser EMERALD was recommissioned at Devonport after a refit lasting from October to the end of December.

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Destroyer SOMALI departed Scapa Flow at 1530 for Rosyth to carry out repairs to a damaged gun shield.

The destroyer arrived at Rosyth at 0630/3rd.

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British P/T/Midshipman J. E. R. Rainford RNVR, was killed when his Fulmar of 807 Squadron collided with another Fulmar at Yeovilton. The other Fulmar safely landed.

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German tanker NORDMARK (15,000grt/总吨位) refuelled German raider THOR.

The tanker also embarked diesel oil from captured Norwegian tanker STORSTAD (8998grt/总吨位).

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U.65 sank British steamer NALGORA (6579grt/总吨位) in 22-24N, 21-11.

All passengers and crew were rescued.

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British steamer LOCH DEE (5252grt/总吨位) was struck by a German delayed action bomb at Cardiff.

The bomb exploded at 0150/3rd. One crewman was killed.

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The British fleet departed Alexandria to cover ground operations in Libya for operation MC.5.

Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, escorted by destroyers GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, ILEX, JUNO departed in the morning to embark aircraft.

Battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM, VALIANT, light cruiser GLOUCESTER and heavy cruiser YORK of the 3rd Cruiser Squadron, anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA, destroyers JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, WRYNECK, DIAMOND, VENDETTA, GALLANT departed Alexandria at 1830.

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Monitor TERROR and gunboats LADYBIRD and APHIS bombarded Bardia.

Destroyer VOYAGER and monitor TERROR were unsuccessfully attacked by aircraft.

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Italian steamer ALBANO (2364grt/总吨位) was sunk on a mine one mile east of Cape Laghi, Albania.

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Convoy SC.18 departed Halifax, escorted by armed merchant cruiser LACONIA, which was detached on the 14th. On the 14th, destroyer WESTCOTT and corvettes CANDYTUFT and HONEYSUCKLE joined the escort. Ocean boarding vessel CRISPIN and sloop WELLINGTON joined on the 15th. Destroyer WESTCOTT was detached on the 17th and the remainder of the escort on the 18th, and arrived at Liverpool on the 19th.