Wednesday, 14 May

Destroyer BULLDOG departed Scapa Flow at 0100 for Iceland.

————

Destroyers SOMALI, BEDOUIN, and ESKIMO departed Scapa Flow at 0500 for Rosyth to escort aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS.

The destroyers arrived at 1400/14th.

Aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS departed Rosyth on the 15th, escorted by light cruiser AURORA, and destroyers SOMALI, BEDOUIN, and ESKIMO for Scapa Flow where she arrived the same day at 2200.

————

Destroyer BLANKNEY departed Scapa Flow at 1400 for Aberdeen to meet steamers AMSTERDAM and ARCHANGEL at 2100 off the harbour entrance.

The destroyer escorted the steamers northward. Steamer ARCHANGEL was detached to Kirkwall. Steamer AMSTERDAM was escorted on to Lerwick.

The destroyer and steamer AMSTERDAM arrived at Lerwick at 0945/15th and departed later at 2000 for Aberdeen.

Destroyer BLANKNEY arrived back at Scapa Flow on the 16th to escort steamer ARCHANGEL from Kirkwall to Aberdeen. The two departed at 1800.

————

Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 1045 and escorted convoy WN.26 from the Pentland Firth southwards.

Early on the 15th, the ship transferred to convoy EC.Special 2 and provided cover until arrival in the Pentland Firth.

Destroyer BROCKLESBY departed Scapa Flow at 1845/15th to provide additional escort for convoy EC.Special 2.

Ship ALYNBANK arrived back at Scapa Flow at 2000/15th.

Destroyer BROCKLESBY after escort proceeded to Plymouth for duty.

————

Examination vessel M. A. WEST (96grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing one mile 105° from Great Yarmouth Harbour entrance.

There were no casualties on the drifter.

————

Harbour defence patrol vessel MINICOY (5grt, T/Lt E. F. Pegg RNVR) was sunk on a mine eleven cables 94° from St Ann's Head.

Pegg and some ratings were lost in the vessel.

————

Norwegian steamer KARLANDER (1843grt/总吨位) was badly damaged by German bombing in 55-38N, 13-38. The entire crew was rescued.

The steamer was sunk by an escort vessel at 1020/14th in 55-36N, 13-24.

————

At 2000/14th, battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and BARHAM, anti-aircraft cruisers NAIAD and PHOEBE, and destroyers JERVIS, JAGUAR, GREYHOUND, HASTY, NIZAM, DEFENDER, and IMPERIAL.

Cruiser PHOEBE developed cracks in her hull plating aft and was forced to return to Alexandria, arriving on the 16th.

Light cruiser PERTH was detached from the 7th Cruiser Squadron as a replacement for cruiser PHOEBE. After refuelling, the cruiser joined the QUEEN ELIZABETH group.

This ships constituted Forces A and D for the defense of Crete.

————

Convoy AS.31 departed Suda Bay with merchant ships British LOSSIEBANK (5627grt/总吨位) and Dutch NIEUW ZEELAND (11,069grt/总吨位) escorted by light cruiser DIDO and destroyers STUART, VENDETTA, JANUS, and ISIS. Light cruiser DIDO was carrying ￡7,000,000 sterling of Greek bullion.

Steamer LOSSIEBANK broke down and destroyer STUART was sent ahead with steamer NIEUW ZEELAND.

The convoy was attacked by air on the 15th, but no damage was done. British Forces A and D.joined the convoy for support.

Cruiser DIDO and anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA were detached from the convoy at dark on the 15th. They proceeded to Alexandria to refuel, arriving early on the 16th.

Three Greek destroyers departed Alexandria on the 15th. They relieved destroyers VENDETTA and ISIS at daylight on the 16th.

Destroyer JANUS had already been detached and arrived at Alexandria on the 16th with damaged steamer CAPE HORN (5643grt/总吨位).

Destroyers STUART, ISIS, and VENDETTA arrived at Alexandria on the 16th.

Convoy AS.31 arrived at Port Said escorted by the Greek destroyers on the 16th.

————

Submarine UNBEATEN attacked two schooners in Khoms Roads. The submarine claimed sinking one with torpedo and the other with gunfire.

Neither ship was lost.

————

British steamer DALESMAN (6343grt/总吨位) was badly damaged by German bombing in Suda Bay.

The steamer went aground. She was later salved for use by the Germans.

————

British steamer CAPE HORN (5643grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing at Port Said.

————

Gunboat GNAT bombarded a mobile enemy battery near the entrance of Tobruk Harbour.

Gunboat APHIS rejoined the Inshore Squadron after repairs.

————

Convoy HG.62 departed Gibraltar escorted by sloop DEPTFORD, corvette FLEUR DE LYS, and Dutch submarine O.24.

The submarine was detached that day and the corvette on the 21st.

On the 26th, the convoy was joined by destroyers LEAMINGTON and SALADIN, corvettes CLARKIA and GLADIOLUS, and anti-submarine trawler ST ZENO.

The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 2 June.

————

British steamer RABAUL (6809grt/总吨位) was sunk by German raider ATLANTIS at 19-30S, 4-30E.

Nine crew were killed. One was taken prisoner by the German ship. Forty six crew were rescued.

————

New Zealand auxiliary minesweeping trawler PURIRI (927grt/总吨位) was sunk on a mine off Auckland.

Light cruiser ACHILLES rescued the survivors.

————

New Zealand light cruiser LEANDER arrived at Colombo.