Monday, 14 July

Heavy cruiser BERWICK departed Scapa Flow for turbine repairs at Rosyth.

En route, the cruiser experienced further engine defects.

Destroyer TARTAR departed Scapa Flow at 0500 and destroyer HEYTHROP at 0600 to join the cruiser. En route, destroyer HEYTHROP was recalled and arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0030 on the 15th.

The cruiser was safely escorted to Rosyth by destroyer TARTAR, which arrived back at Scapa Flow at 0900 on the 15th.

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Destroyer WELLS arrived at Scapa Flow at 2000 from Loch Alsh to carry out a short program of practices.

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Anti-aircraft ship CURACOA departed Scapa Flow at 0900 to carry out exercises in Pentland Firth and then join convoy WN.52 off Duncansby Head. The convoy was taken to Methil, arriving at 1100 on the 15th.

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British cruiser minelayer ADVENTURE departed Scapa Flow for Loch Alsh, where she arrived that evening.

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Convoy OB.346 departed Liverpool, escorted by sloop WELLINGTON, corvettes CLOVER and VERVAIN, and escort ships CULVER and LANDGUARD. On the 15th, destroyers ST ALBANS and WESTCOTT, catapult ship MAPLIN, and corvettes AURICULA, HIBISCUS, MARIGOLD, and PERWINKLE joined. Destroyers ST ALBANS and WESTCOTT were detached on the 18th, corvettes AURICULA and MARIGOLD on the 20th, corvettes HIBISCUS and PERWINKLE on the 21st, corvettes CLOVER and VERVAIN on the 23rd, and catapult ship MAPLIN on the 28th. On the 31st, destroyer WRESTLER, sloop BRIDGEWATER, and corvettes AMARANTHUS and BERGAMOT joined the convoy which arrived at Freetown on 1 August.

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A Swordfish of 821 Squadron crashed at Ballantrae, en route from detling-Prestwick to Hatston. T/A/Sub Lt (A) S.F.J. Wood RNVR, Leading Airman F.B. Bavidige, and passenger Air Mechanician M. Robinson were killed.

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Swedish steamer ASPEN (1305grt/总吨位) was sunk by German bombing forty five miles from Rotterdam. Two crew were missing on the steamer.

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Italian submarine MOROSONI sank British steamer RUPERT DE LARRINAGA (5358grt/总吨位), from dispersed convoy OG.67, in 36-18N, 21-11.

Forty four survivors were picked up by Spanish tanker CAMPECHE (6382grt/总吨位).

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Italian submarine MALASPINA sank Greek steamer NIKOKLIS (3576grt/总吨位), from dispersed convoy OG.67, 105 miles southwest of the Azores.

Seventeen crew were lost on the steamer.

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The German 1st Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla with S.28, S.27, S.40, S.101, and S.26 attacked a Soviet convoy near Ekholm without success.

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Light cruisers NAIAD and PHOEBE, Australian light cruiser PERTH, and destroyers GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, KIMBERLEY, and HOTSPUR departed Haifa at 1800 to return to Alexandria, arriving on the 15th.

British cruiser AJAX and destroyers JACKAL, NIZAM, HASTY, and KINGSTON remained on station on the Syrian coast and anti-aircraft ship CARLISLE remained at Beirut.

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During the night of 14/15 July, Destroyer HERO and Australian destroyer VENDETTA ran supplies to Tobruk.

Destroyer VENDETTA was holed while alongside, but was able to return to Alexandria after temporary repairs at Mersa Matruh.

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Submarine OSIRIS damaged Italian steamer CAPO D'ORSO (5293grt/总吨位) in 36-27N, 11-54E.

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A German-Italian convoy of steamers RIALTO (6099grt/总吨位), ANDREA GRITTI (6338grt/总吨位), SEBASTINO VENIER (6311grt/总吨位), BARBARIGO (5293grt/总吨位), and ANKARA (4768grt/总吨位) departed Tripoli for Naples escorted by destroyers MALOCELLO, FUCLIERE, and ALPINO and torpedo boats PROCIONE, PEGASO, and ORSA.

Submarine UNION departed Malta at 0100 to intercept a convoy south of Pantellaria.

Swordfish aircraft departed Malta on 14 and 15 July to attack this convoy, but no contact was made.

Submarine P.33 sank steamer BARBARIGO on the 15th eight miles south of Pantelleria in 36-27N, 11-54E.

The submarine sustained hull damage from heavy depth charging. The convoy arrived at Naples on the 16th.Submarine P.33 arrived at Malta for repairs on the 16th.

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British troopship GEORGIC of convoy WS.9 A was bombed by German bombers in Suez Bay. The troopship was set afire and drifted to the beach, fouling and slightly damaging landing ship GLENEARN en route.

Twenty six on the troopship were killed.

Australian light cruiser HOBART was able to later pass a line to landing ship GLENEARN towing her free.

Troopship GLENEARN departed Suez for Bombay on 1 August in the tow of British steamer CITY OF KIMBERLEY (6169grt/总吨位).

The troopship was salved in November and towed to Bombay. Troopship GEORGIC arrived in UK 1 March 1943 for repairs.

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Destroyers FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FURY, FORESIGHT, and FORESTER departed Gibraltar at 1746 to meet convoy WS.9C, arriving from the UK.

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Sloop SCARBOROUGH and corvette GERANIUM departed Gibraltar for exercises in the Atlantic. SCARBOROUGH returned to Gibraltar to escort convoy HG.68 departing Gibraltar on the 18th, while GERANIUM arrived back at Gibraltar on the 18th, escorting British oiler HORNSHELL.