Thursday, 13 February

Anti-aircraft ship CAIRO departed Scapa Flow at 1330 for Greenock on completion of working up exercises.

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Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 1100 to provide cover for convoy WN.83. At 2200, the ship transferred to convoy EN.71.

In Pentland Firth at 0930/14th, ship CURACOA left convoy EN.71. While transferring to convoy WN.84, damage was caused by heavy seas and she returned to Scapa Flow, arriving at 1330.

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Heavy cruiser NORFOLK arrived at Scapa Flow after duty in the South Atlantic.

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Convoy OB.286 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyer WOLVERINE, sloop FLEETWOOD, corvettes ARBUTUS, CAMELLIA, ERICA. Destroyer HARVESTER joined on the 15th. The convoy was dispersed on the 17th.

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Destroyer ANTHONY was damaged by splinters from a near miss of a German bomb at Glasgow.

The destroyer spent no time out of service from this damage, but did begin refitting at Glasgow.

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Anti-submarine trawler RUBENS (320grt, T/Skipper H. G. Pyle RNR) was sunk by German bombing in 48-50N, 14-20. The trawler had separated from convoy OG.52 as a result of a misunderstood signal.

Pyle, P/T/Sub Lt C. E. Oates RNR, T/Sub Lt D. H. Owens RNVR, all the ratings were lost in the trawler.

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Destroyer RIPLEY was damaged in a collision with destroyer BURWELL and anti-submarine trawler NOTRE DAME DE FRANCE (433grt/总吨位) at Devonport.

The destroyer was repaired at Devonport completing on 3 March.

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U.96 sank motor tanker CLEA (8074grt/总吨位), which was straggling behind convoy HX.106, in the Northwest Approaches.

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U.103 damaged motor tanker ARTHUR F CORWIN (10,516grt/总吨位), straggling behind convoy HX.106, in 60-25N, 17-11.

U.96 sank this tanker three hours later.

All the crew from the tanker were lost.

Destroyers ELECTRA, ECLIPSE, BRILLIANT en route to refuel at Skaalefjord made a sweep through this area on the 14th.

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British steamer WESTCLIFFE HALL (1900grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing 2? miles 10° from Whitby High Light. She arrived in the Tees with steering gear damaged.

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British steamer CAPE RODNEY (4512grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing off Girdleness.

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Light cruiser GLOUCESTER departed Alexandria for Port Said to fit damaged cruiser LIVERPOOL's DCT.

The light cruiser returned to Alexandria on the 15th with the unit in place.

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British operation COMPOSITION.

Aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE air attacked Massawa.

Italian steamer MONCALIERI (5723grt/总吨位) was damaged by the bombing and later scuttled.

A/Sub Lt (A) J. H. Jefford, Sub Lt (A) C. P. Simpson, Leading Airman F. H. Shiel of 826 Squadron and A/Sub Lt (A) D. M. R. Wynne-Roberts RNVR, P/T/A/Sub Lt (A) M. G. C. Keeley RNVR, Leading Airman . M. Brown of 829 Squadron were shot down and made prisoners of war. They were liberated when Massawa fell to British forces in April.

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Convoy HX.109 departed Halifax, escorted by armed merchant cruiser AUSONIA, destroyer ANNAPOLIS, patrol vessel OTTER. The destroyer and the patrol vessel were detached on the 14th. On26 February, destroyers BURNHAM, DOUGLAS, MALCOLM, corvettes CLARKIA, MALLOW, PETUNA, anti-submarine trawler NORTHERN SPRAY joined the escort. The trawler was detached later that day. On the 2nd, destroyer DOUGLAS was detached, destroyers BURNHAM and MALCOLM and corvettes CLARKIA and PETUNA were detached. Corvette MALLOW was detached when the convoy arrived at Liverpool on 4 March.