Saturday, 5 July

Heavy cruiser SHROPSHIRE, carrying 60 prisoners of war, arrived at Scapa Flow from the East Indies to join the Home Fleet.

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For Operation DN, Light cruiser NIGERIA, anti-aircraft cruiser CURACOA, and destroyers BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, TARTAR, and ECLIPSE departed Scapa Flow at 0630 to strike German shipping near Stadtlandet.

The force was sighted by German aircraft on 5/6 July. The ships then returned to Scapa Flow, arriving at 1300 on the 8th.

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Destroyer JUPITER departed Scapa Flow at 1700 for Greenock to carry out minor repairs prior to joining Western Approaches. The destroyer was to have been in the escort for convoy WS.9C, but repairs required longer than expected. Destroyer LIGHTNING replaced her in the convoy escort.

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Dutch destroyer ISAAC SWEERS arrived at Scapa Flow at 1900 from Greenock to carry out working up exercises.

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Anti-aircraft ship ALYNBANK departed Methil at 1130 to cover convoy EC.41 from May Island to Pentland Firth.

The ship arrived at Scapa Flow at 1100 on the 8th after leaving convoy EC.41.

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Italian submarine MICHELE BIANCHI was sunk by Submarine TIGRIS in 45N, 04 in Biscay.

There were no survivors from the Italian submarine.

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Auxiliary minesweeper SNAEFELL (A/T/Lt Cdr F. Brett RNR) was sunk by German bombing in 54-51N, 1-27.

Brett was lost in the minesweeper. T/Sub Lt F. Greenwood RNVR, and T/Lt A.R.D. Morgan RNVR, were wounded.

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Destroyer HOLDERNESS struck a mine in the North Sea.

The damage required twenty six days to repair.

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Submarines TRAVELLER and TROOPER, building at the Scotts yard at Greenock, were damaged by German bombing.

The submarines were damaged again on the 8th by bombing.

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British steamer FOWEY ROSE (470grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing in 51-51N, 5-28.

Eight crew were missing on the steamer.

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U.96 attacked a group of ships composed of surveying ship CHALLENGER, and British steamer ANSELM (5954grt/总吨位), carrying troops and RAF personnel for Takoradi, escorted by corvettes STARWORT, LAVENDER, and PETUNIA.

These ships had departed the Clyde on 30 June for Freetown.Corvette PETUNIA had departed Londonderry on 30 June.

The submarine sank steamer ANSELM in 44-25N, 28-35. Four crew and about two hundred and fifty troops were lost on the steamer of a crew of 98 and 1210 troops. Ship CHALLENGER rescued 970 survivors and corvette STARWORT 240. They were all later transferred to armed merchant cruiser CATHAY.

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anti-submarine trawler NORTHERN FOAM sighted a German submarine on the surface in 62-20N, 15-37E.

The submarine escaped at high speed on the surface.

anti-submarine trawlers NORTHERN PRINCESS and NORTHERN SKY joined the hunt, but the submarine was not recontacted.

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Latvian steamer RASMA (3204grt/总吨位) was damaged on a mine laid by Finnish submarine VESIHIISI on 23 June north of Ekholm.

The steamer was beached to avoid sinking, but was sunk by German motor torpedo boats S.26 and S.28 on the 10th.

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Swedish steamer STIG GORTHON (2241grt/总吨位) was sunk on a mine off Borkum. The entire crew was rescued.

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British steamer BENCRUACHEN (5920grt/总吨位) was sunk ona mine 9.8 cables 297° from Mex High Light. Three crew were lost on the steamer.

Motor yacht WYREEMA (31grt/总吨位) was lost when the steamer was sunk.

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Light cruisers AJAX and PERTH, anti-aircraft cruiser CARLISLE, and destroyers JACKAL, KINGSTON, NIZAM, GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, and HOTSPUR, with air support, bombarded Damur.

A night sweep was conducted by light cruiser PERTH, anti-aircraft cruiser CARLISLE, and destroyers NIZAM and HAVOCK.

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Submarine TORBAY sank Italian submarine JANTINA south of Melos in 37-309N, 25-00E.

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Submarine CLYDE returned to Gibraltar after Operation VIGOROUS.