Friday, 7 March

Heavy cruiser LONDON, escorted by destroyer MATABELE, which had set off from Scapa Flow earlier in the day, arrived at Scapa Flow at 1500 after refitting.

Destroyer MASHONA, which departed Hartlepool at 0035, had also been detailed to escort the cruiser LONDON, but did not make contact. The destroyer arrived at Scapa Flow at 1600.

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Light cruiser DIDO parted company with convoy SL.65 and arrived in the Clyde.

The cruiser sustained structural damage from heavy weather during this duty.

Cruiser DIDO was repaired in the Clyde and departed on the 22nd for Scapa Flow.

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Destroyer NIZAM departed Scapa Flow at 1600 for Greenock on completion of working up exercises.

The destroyer arrived at Greenock at 1000/8th.

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Motor torpedo boat MTB.28 was lost by fire at Portsmouth.

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Submarine PORPOISE made an unsuccessful torpedo attack against a German submarine in 57-50N, 19-50.

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Convoy OG.55 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers ACHATES, BOREAS, and RAMSAY, sloops EGRET and WESTON, corvettes, AZALEA, FLEUR DE LYS, HEATHER, PICOTEE, and SNOWDROP, anti-submarine trawlers ARAB, AYRSHIRE, KINGSTON CHRYSOLITE, and LADY MADELEINE.

Trawler KINGSTON CHRYSOLITE joined the convoy on the 7th. Destroyers ACHATES and BOREAS, corvettes HEATHER and SNOWDROP, and the trawlers were detached on the 12th. On 14 March, submarine PANDORA and corvette COREOPSIS joined the convoy. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 21st with destroyer RAMSAY, sloop EGRET, submarine PANDORA, corvettes AZALEA, COREOPSIS, and FLEUR DE LYS, and trawler KINGSTON CHRYSOLITE.

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Convoy OB.293 was sighted by U.47.

German submarines U.47, U.99, U.70, and U.A attacked the convoy.

U.99 torpedoed British whaling vessel TERJE VIKEN (20,638grt/总吨位) in 60N, 12-50.

The entire crew of the whaling vessel was rescued.

The wreck of the whaling vessel was sunk by two Destroyers and one corvette on the 14th.

U.70 damaged British steamer DELILIAN (6423grt/总吨位) in 60-28N, 13-38.

Steamer DELILIAN returned to Glasgow.

U.70 damaged Dutch motor tanker MIJDRECHT (7493grt/总吨位) in 60-31N, 13-52.

The tanker arrived in Rothesay Bay with extensive damage. Tanker MIJDRECHT was temporarily repaired at Govan.

U.70 claimed hitting two more ships in the convoy before being lost herself.

Submarine U.70 was forced to the surface after an attack by corvettes ARBUTUS and CAMELIA and her commanding officer and twenty four men were picked up. Twenty ratings were lost.

U.99 sank British tanker ATHELBEACH (6568grt/总吨位) in 60-30N, 13-30.

Seven crew were lost on tanker ATHELBEACH.

Convoy escorts destroyers WOLVERINE and VERITY and corvettes ARBUTUS and CAMELLIA made further anti-submarine attacks.

U.47 was lost at this time, probably to marine accident. All forty eight crew were lost in the submarine.

U.A was damaged by destroyer WOLVERINE.

On 8 March, U.74 attacked a ship, escorted by two destroyers in the area.

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U.37 sank Greek steamer MENTOR (3050grt/总吨位) from dispersed convoy OB.292 in 59-30N, 25.

Seven crew were lost on the steamer.

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The German 1st MTB Flotilla of S.26, S.27, S.28, S.29, S.39, S.101, and S.102 and 3rd MTB Flotilla of S.31, S.57, S.59, S.60, and S.61 made a sortie against convoys FN.426 and FS.429 off Yarmouth and Cromer during the night of 7/8 March.

Convoy FS.429 was escorted by destroyer PYTCHLEY and patrol sloop PUFFIN. Convoy FN.426 was escorted by destroyers VERSATILE, BERKELEY, and patrol sloop SHELDRAKE.

Destroyers WORCESTER (D.16, Captain Halsey aboard) and WHITSHED were dispatched to cover both convoys.

Before midnight, five steamers were sunk.

British steamer DOTTEREL (1385grt/总吨位) was badly damaged by S.29 off Number 6 Buoy, Southwold.

The steamer went ashore in 52-41N, 1-59E. There was no possibility of salvage.

Eight crew were lost on the steamer. Lt C. . C. Checucci and two ratings of patrol sloop SHELDRAKE was lost trying to board the steamer. Nineteen survivors were rescued.

Sloop SHELDRAKE was near missed by a torpedo.

British steamer KENTON (1047grt/总吨位) was sunk by S.31 in 52-57N, 1-30.

Four crew were lost on the steamer.

British steamer CORDUFF (2345grt/总吨位) was sunk by S.28 off Number 8 Buoy near Cromer.

Fourteen crew were rescued, two taken as prisoner, and seven lost.

British steamer BOULDERPOOL (4805grt/总吨位) was sunk by S.61 in 52-58N, 1-28E, ten miles south of Sheringham Buoy.

The crew was rescued.

British steamer RYE (1048grt/总吨位) was sunk by an S.27 off Cromer.

The entire crew of twenty two and two gunners were lost.

After midnight, two more ships were sunk.

British steamer TOGSTON (1547grt/总吨位) was sunk by S.102, two miles 305° from Smith's Knoll.

Eight crew were missing from the steamer.

British steamer NORMAN QUEEN (957grt/总吨位) was sunk byS 102 off S. Haisborough Buoy, east of Cromer.

Twelve crew and two gunners were lost on the steamer. One crewman was taken as a prisoner of war.

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British steamer FLASHLIGHT (934grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing in 53-34N, 00-49E.

The entire crew was rescued.

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Destroyers FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE, and FOXHOUND departed Gibraltar at 2300 to rendezvous with Battlecruiser REPULSE, aircraft carrier FURIOUS, and troopship STRATHMORE and escort them into Gibraltar.

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Light cruisers ORION and AJAX and Australian light cruiser PERTH, comprising convoy AG.3, departed Alexandria with 1900 troops for Piraeus arriving at 1000/8th.

The cruisers were ordered to remain in the Aegean to cover convoys.

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Convoy AN.18 of two British, two Greek, and one other ship departed Alexandria and Port Said escorted by destroyer HAVOCK and corvette HYACINTH. The convoy was later joined by anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA and destroyer ILEX. Destroyer GREYHOUND operated in the area of the convoy. The convoy arrived at Piraeus on the 11th.

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Greek personnel ships CORINTHIA (3701grt/总吨位), IONIA (1936grt/总吨位), HELLAS (2295grt/总吨位), and MARIE MAERSK (8271grt/总吨位) departed Piraeus on the 7th as convoy GA.1 1/2, escorted by Greek destroyers SPETSAI and HYDRA. The convoy arrived at Alexandria on the 10th.

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German bombing attacks on the Malta shipyard caused additional damage during the night of 7/8 March.

British steamer ESSEX (11,063grt/总吨位) was struck by three bombs and further damaged.

Destroyer IMPERIAL was slightly damaged by splinters from the German bombing.

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Light cruiser EMERALD arrived at Colombo.