Sunday, 13 July

Convoy WS.9C formed at sea from ships sailing from Avonmouth, Liverpool, and the Clyde. This convoy was primarily the SUBSTANCE convoy for Malta.

The Clyde section escorted by light cruisers ARETHUSA and the Dutch HEEMSKERK departed on the 10th. The convoy consisted of battleship NELSON, light cruisers MANCHESTER, ARETHUSA, and HEEMSKERK, cruiser minelayer MANXMAN, and steamers DEUCALION, AVILA STAR, LEINSTER, PORT CHALMERS, PASTEUR, MELBOURNE STAR, DURHAM, SYDNEY STAR, and CITY OF PRETORIA.

Destroyer WINCHELSEA escorted the convoy on the 12th.

Sloop STORK escorted the Avonmouth section and remained with the convoy until 13 July.

Light cruiser HEEMSKERK and destroyers GURKHA, GARLAND, VANOC, and WANDERER escorted the convoy from 12 to 15 July.

Battleship NELSON, light cruisers MANCHESTER and ARETHUSA, and destroyers COSSACK, MAORI, SIKH, NESTOR, and LIGHTNING escorted the convoy from 12 to 17 July.

Liner PASTEUR was detached to Gibraltar on the 17th escorted light cruiser MANCHESTER and destroyers NESTOR and LIGHTNING.

Liner LEINSTER was detached to Gibraltar escorted by destroyers COSSACK, SIKH, and MAORI.

Cruiser minelayer MANXMAN escorted the convoy from 15 to 16 July.

Steamer AVILA STAR was detached as an independent on the 16th.

Destroyers FEARLESS, FOXHOUND,FURY, FORESIGHT, and FORESTER departed Gibraltar on the 14th and joined the convoy on the 18th. Destroyer FIREDRAKE departed Gibraltar the next day and joined the destroyers at sea. They remained with the convoy until arrival on the 20th. Light cruiser EDINBURGH joined the convoy on the 20th and arrived with it at Gibraltar. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 20th.

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Anti-aircraft ship POZARICA arrived at Scapa Flow at 1200 from Chatham to carry out working up exercises.

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British steamer COLLINGDOC (1780grt/总吨位) was sunk on a mine four cables 200° from Southend Pier. Two crew were lost on the steamer.

The steamer was refloated on the 21st and towed to Gravesend. The steamer was converted to a hulk and towed to Rosyth.

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British steamer SCORTON (4813grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing two miles west of 57C Buoy, near Smiths Knoll.

The steamer arrived in tow at Immingham.

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Submarine TAKU sank Italian steamer CALDEA (2703grt/总吨位), en route from Brindisi to Benghazi, ten miles 312° from Benghazi.

Torpedo boat MONTANARI from Tripoli was escorting the steamer, but was unable to damage the submarine.

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Returning from a supply run to Tobruk, Destroyer DECOY sighted a submarine off Bardia.After an unsuccessful attack, due to the threat of air attack, the destroyer proceeded to Alexandria. Destroyer VOYAGER, in company, was reduced to seventeen knots due to a mechanical defect.

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British tanker PEGASUS (3597grt/总吨位) was sunk on a British mine at Beirut.