Friday, 3 January

Destroyer LEGION arrived at Scapa Flow at 2200 from the Clyde to carry out working up exercises.

————

Destroyer LINCOLN departed Scapa Flow for Belfast after completing working up exercises.

The destroyer arrived at Belfast at 1600/4th.

————

Destroyer COSSACK departed Scapa Flow at 0800 for Southampton for refitting.

————

Convoy OB.269 departed Liverpool, escorted by corvette ANEMONE. On the 4th, destroyers SARDONYX and SHIKARI, corvette LA MALOUINE, anti-submarine trawlers ST KENAN, ST ZENO, VIZALMA, WELLARD joined. The escort was detached when the convoy dispersed on the 6th.

————

Convoy FN.374 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 5th.

————

Convoy FS.378 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer WOLSEY and sloop LOWESTOFT, and arrived at Southend on the 5th.

————

Naval drifter NEW SPRAY (70grt/总吨位) was lost in a gale off Sheerness.

————

British steamer PINEWOOD (2466grt/总吨位) was sunk on a mine one and a half miles south of Pier, Southend.

Six crew were lost. Eighteen crew were rescued.

————

Finnish steamer LIISA (1460grt/总吨位) was sunk by British bombing at Bremen.

The steamer was later salved.

————

Finnish steamer YRSA (2803grt/总吨位) was sunk by British bombing in the Kiel Canal.

The bridge across the Kiel Canal received a direct hit and fell upon the steamer. The steamer sank in the canal. The steamer was subsequently raised and the canal reopened.

————

The Mediterranean Fleet bombarded Bardia.

Destroyers JANUS, JUNO, GREYHOUND, ILEX, GRIFFIN streamed twin speed destroyer sweep equipment.

Aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, light cruiser GLOUCESTER, heavy cruiser YORK, destroyers WRYNECK, DIAMOND, GALLANT, VENDETTA parted company with the Fleet to operate aircraft as necessary.

Destroyers VOYAGER and DAINTY joined from Sollum.

The Battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT, BARHAM, escorted by destroyers ILEX, GREYHOUND, JUNO, JANUS, GRIFFIN bombarded Bardia from 0810 to 0855.

Anti-aircraft protection was provided by anti-aircraft ship CALCUTTA, escorted by destroyers NUBIAN and MOHAWK and DAINTY and VOYAGER after being detached from Force .

Monitor TERROR, escorted initially by destroyer DAINTY and Australian VOYAGER, gunboats LADYBIRD and APHIS bombarded Bardia before and after the fleet bombardment, as Force .

Gunboat APHIS received slight damage from a near miss of an air bomb.

Two crew were killed and three wounded on the gunboat.

At 1000, light cruiser GLOUCESTER, heavy cruiser YORK, anti-aircraft ship CALCUTTA were detached to Alexandria. Destroyers WRYNECK and VENDETTA were detached to Sollum.

Monitor TERROR and the gunboats returned to Alexandria that evening.

————

Submarines TRIUMPH and UPHOLDER departed Gibraltar for patrol west of Sicily. Following the patrol, the submarines arrived at Malta on the 12th.

————

Convoy BS.12 departed Suez. Sloops CLIVE and GRIMSBY joined on the 4th. The sloops were relieved by light cruiser LEANDER, destroyer KIMBERLEY, sloops FLAMINGO, HINDUSTAN, YARRA on the 6th. The convoy was dispersed on the 11th.