Saturday, 5 April

Light cruisers AURORA and GALATEA departed Scapa Flow at 0720 to support cover minelaying operation SN.8.

Minelayers SOUTHERN PRINCE, AGAMEMNON, PORT QUEBEC, and MENESTHEUS, escorted by destroyers COSSACK and ANTHONY, which had departed Scapa Flow at 0900/4th and arrived at Loch Alsh at 1630, LANCASTER, and ST MARYS, departed Loch Alsh at 1630/5th for minelaying operation SN.8.

Minelayer AGAMEMNON was carried a reduced load of mines due to collision damage with destroyer CASTLETON.

The operation was carried out on the 6th.

Heavy cruisers NORFOLK from the Denmark Strait patrol and SUFFOLK departed Scapa Flow on the 5th provided cover for the operation.

Heavy cruiser NORFOLK arrived at Hvalfjord at 0540/8th.

Light cruisers AURORA and GALATEA arrived at Scapa Flow at 0640/8th. Heavy cruiser SUFFOLK and destroyer COSSACK arrived at Scapa Flow at 0829 on the 8th and destroyer ANTHONY arrived at 1245.

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Battleship RESOLUTION with destroyers PIORUN, GARLAND, LEGION, and LEOPARD departed Greenock for Hvalfjord.

Destroyers ACTIVE and ECHO relieved the battleship escort off Iceland for refuelling.

The battleship proceeded on to Halifax, then Philadelphia for refitting.

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Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 0630 to cover convoy WN.9 from the Pentland Firth.

At 1000/6th, the ship transferred to convoy EN.95 and covered her to the north.

After departing convoy EN.95 in Pentland Firth, the ship arrived at Scapa Flow at 1000/7th.

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Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed Methil at 0630 to meet convoy EC.2 and provide cover to the Pentland Firth.

Minelayer TEVIOTBANK, escorted by patrol sloop SHELDRAKE and French torpedo boat LA MELPOMENE, laid minefield BS.53 off the east coast of England.

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The Admiralty reported that six German destroyers passed through the Straits of Dover at about 1900, possibly en route to Brest.

Three of the destroyers were reported entering Cherbourg at 0720/6th.

This was viewed as a prelude to the sailing of German warships from Brest.

Destroyers KELLY and KASHMIR departed Plymouth and rendezvoused with destroyers KELVIN and JACKAL ten miles 130° from Wolf Rock.

No contact was made with the German ships.

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Light cruiser FIJI arrived at Gibraltar.

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Canadian destroyer ASSINIBOINE was damaged in a collision with British steamer LAIRDSWOOD (789grt/总吨位) in the Irish Sea in 55-05N, 5-32.

The destroyer was escorting British steamer GLENARTNEY (9795grt/总吨位) to Gibraltar. Destroyer BOREAS relieved her of the escort duty.

Destroyer ASSINIBOINE was repaired at Greenock from 8 April to 18 May. The destroyer departed Greenock on 22 May.

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U.105 sank British steamer ENA DE LARRINGA (5200grt/总吨位) in 1-10N, 26. Five crew were lost on the steamer. Thirty eight crew were rescued.

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U.76 was sunk by destroyer WOLVERINE and sloop SCARBOROUGH, escorting convoy SC.26, south of Iceland in 58-32N, 20-15.

Corvette ARBUTUS was also involved in the attack.

The commanding officer, three other officers, and thirty ratings from the submarine were rescued. One crewman was lost.

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British steamer ST CLEMENT (450grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing in 57-10N, 1-50. One crewman was missing.

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British steamer RATTRAY HEAD (496grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing eight miles ENE of Aberdeen. Three crew were lost on the steamer.

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Convoy AN.25 of five British and one Greek ship departed Alexandria escorted by anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY and destroyers JERVIS and JANUS.

The destroyers carried mines and special stores for the Fleet Air Arm in Greece, and arrived at Piraeus on the 9th.

Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY then proceeding to Suda Bay.

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Greek steamer SIFNOS (2290grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing at Milos.