Friday, 11 July

Destroyer ECLIPSE departed Scapa Flow at 0700 providing escort for motor launches ML.122, ML.124, ML.125, ML.128, ML.208, ML.210, ML.213, ML.233 of the 4th Motor Launch Flotilla proceeding to Skaalefjord and thence to Reykjavik.

The force arrived at Skaalefjord at 2300.

The destroyer and the motor launches departed Skaalefjord on the 13th for Reykjavik, where they arrived at 1015 on the 15th. At 1800 on the same day, the destroyer departed to return to Scapa Flow, arriving at 0530 on the 17th.

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Battleship NELSON, escorted by destroyers LIGHTNING, KRAKOWIAK, and KUJAWIAK departed Scapa Flow at 0830 for the Clyde.

The ships arrived at Greenock at 1054 on the 12th.

Destroyer KRAKOWIAK, which had completed working up practices proceeded to Plymouth at 1500. Destroyer KUJAWIAK departed Greenock at 1430 for Scapa Flow, arriving at 1130 on the 13th.

Destroyer LIGHTNING remained at Greenock to escort convoy WS.9C.

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Destroyer ICARUS, on completion of repairs, departed Ardrossan at 0500 escorting tanker MONTENOL to Loch Alsh.

The destroyer then proceeded to Scapa Flow where she arrived at 1000 on the 12th.

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Convoy OB.345 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyers ARROW, BULLDOG, and GEORGETOWN, corvettes AUBRETIA and NIGELLA, and anti-submarine trawler ST APOLLO. This group was detached on the 16th. On the 16th, armed merchant cruiser CALIFORNIA, destroyers CHESTERFIELD and CHURCHILL, and corvettes ARROWHEAD, CAMELLIA, and EYEBRIGHT joined. This group was detached on the 24th. The convoy arrived at Halifax on the 26th.

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Motor vessel RIVER TRENT (246grt/总吨位) was damaged by a mine in 53N, 1-15E.

The vessel was towed to Great Yarmouth.

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During the night of 10/11 July, Light cruisers AJAX and PHOEBE with destroyers JACKAL, GRIFFIN, KINGSTON, HASTY, and KIMBERLEY searched the Syrian coast for French merchant ships reported by air the previous day.

There was no contact and the ships arrived back at Haifa at daylight.

At midnight on 11/12 July, the Army ceased hostilities with French forces in Syria.

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Destroyer DEFENDER and Australian destroyer VENDETTA, after carrying supplies to Tobruk, were bombed by German aircraft at 0520 in 31-45N, 25-51E.

Destroyer DEFENDER was damaged. Destroyer VENDETTA towed the damaged destroyer for a time before DEFENDER sank seven miles north of Sidi Barrani.

There was no loss of life in the destroyer.Five crew were wounded.

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Gunboat CRICKET, in tow of tug ST ISSEY, and gunboat GNAT, sailing on one engine, departed Alexandria for docking at Port Said.

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Aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL and light cruiser HERMIONE departed Gibraltar to exercise in the Mediterranean.

A Swordfish ditched during the exercises and its crew was picked up by destroyer FEARLESS.

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Submarines URSULA and P.33 departed Malta to intercept a convoy west of Lampedusa.

Submarine URSULA was forced to return to Malta on the 12th with a defective generator.

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anti-submarine trawlers FANDANGO, MORRIS DANCE, SARABANDE, SYRINGA, NORSE, and CORDELIA, escorting British steamer PINZON (1365grt/总吨位), departed Gibraltar for Freetown, via Bathurst.

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Convoy HX.138 departed Halifax, escorted by destroyers ANNAPOLIS and CROIX and armed merchant cruiser AURANIA.Corvette RIMOUSKI joined on the 12th and sloop LEITH and corvettes DAUPHIN and NAPANEE on the 13th. The corvettes were detached on the 13th. The armed merchant cruiser was detached on the 14th and the destroyers on the 15th. Destroyers BROADWATER and ST LAURENT and corvette POLYANTHUS joined on the 15th and destroyers BURWELL and RICHMOND and corvette COBALt on the 16th. These escorts were detached on the 23rd when relieved by destroyers BEAGLE, BOADICEA, and ROXBOROUGH, corvettes HEATHER, ORCHIS, and PICOTEE, and anti-submarine trawlers ARAB, LADY MADELEINE, and ST LOMAN. The destroyers and corvette HEATHER were detached on the 26th. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 27th with the remainder of the escort.