Wednesday, 13 August

Destroyer LIGHTNING departed Greenock at 2000 for Scapa Flow to rejoin the Home Fleet after operations in the Western Approaches and Western Mediterranean. She arrived at Scapa Flow at 1530/14th.

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Convoy OG.71 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer BATH, sloop LEITH, and corvette ZINNIA.

Corvettes BLUEBELL, CAMPANULA, CAMPION, HYDRANGEA, and WALLFLOWER joined on the 15th.

BATH was detached on the 18th and was sunk early the next day by U.204.

Destroyers GURKHA and LANCE from convoy WS.10 X joined the escort on the 20th and destroyers BOREAS departed Gibraltar on the 19th, joining on the 23rd and WIVERN on the 20th to join on the 22nd. Destroyer VIDETTE departed Gibraltar on the 21st and joined the convoy on the 23rd.

ZINNIA was sunk on the 23rd by U.564 in 40-43N, 11-39.

The convoy was dispersed on the 23rd to Lisbon.

HYDRANGEA arrived at Gibraltar on the 22nd with nine survivors from BATH. Destroyers LANCE, GURKHA and corvettes WALLFLOWER, CAMPION, and CAMPANULA arrived at Gibraltar on the 24th.

On the 25th, LANCE and corvette SPIRAEA departed Gibraltar to carry out an anti-submarine patrol off Cape St Vincent to cover steamers sailing independently from Lisbon to Gibraltar from the former convoy. Later in the day, destroyer WILD SWAN arrived at Gibraltar and departed to join in the patrol off Cape St Vincent.

WILD SWAN, VIDETTE, LEITH, BLUEBELL and SPIRAEA arrived at Gibraltar on the 27th.

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Convoy OS.3 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyer ST.ALBANS which was detached on the 18th and corvette CAMPION which was detached on the 15th. On the 14th, destroyers CAMPBELTOWN and WANDERER joined and was detached on the 17th and 29 August, respectively, armed merchant cruiser DUNNOTTAR CASTLE joined and arrived with the convoy on 1 September, escort vessel BANFF joined and detached to Bathurst on the 29th, and ocean boarding vessel MARON joined and was detached on the 17th. On the 15th, sloop EGRET joined and was detached on the 29th to Bathurst. On the 16th, escort vessel FISHGUARD joined and was detached to Bathurst on the 29th. On the 29th, corvettes ASTER, BURCOCK, and STARWORT joined and arrived with the convoy at Freetown on 1 September.

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Faroes fishing vessel SJOBORG (158grt/总吨位) was sunk on a mine about 61-31N, 5-40 while fishing in a prohibited area.

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Light cruiser NEPTUNE, minelaying cruiser ABDIEL, and destroyer JACKAL departed Port Said with personnel for Famagusta in Serial S.20 of the GUILLOTINE operation.

The troops were landed on the 14th, after which NEPTUNE proceeded to Alexandria, and ABDIEL and JACKAL to Port Said.

Australian light cruiser HOBART and destroyers DECOY and HAVOCK departed Alexandria for Port Said to relieve NEPTUNE.

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Anti-aircraft ship COVENTRY departed Beirut to return to Alexandria, where she arrived on the 14th.

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Destroyers HASTY and JAGUAR departed Alexandria with supplies for Tobruk.

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British schooner KEPHALLINIA (1267grt/总吨位) foundered and sank off Alexandria, while en route to Tobruk with supplies. Destroyer HERO assisted her.

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Italian convoy of steamers ANDREA GRITTI, RIALTO, VETTOR PISANI. FRANCESCO BARBARO, and SEBASTIANO VENIER, escorted by destroyers VIVALDI, FOLGORE, STRALE, MALOCELLO, FULMINE and torpedo boat ORSA departed Naples for Tripoli. On the 14th, during an air attack, one of VIVALDI’s guns exploded and she was forced to return to Italy. There were also reported submarine attacks during the air attack, but there is no corresponding report. The convoy arrived at Tripoli and 15 August, undamaged by the British.