Tuesday, 2 September

Force M, aircraft carrier VICTORIOUS, heavy cruisers SUFFOLK, DEVONSHIRE and destroyers ECLIPSE, ESCAPADE, INGLEFIELD, ELECTRA, ACTIVE and IMPULSIVE departed Sardam Bay after refuelling for a raid on a German convoy off Hammerfest on the 3rd. Senior Officer Force M transferred his flag from DEVONSHIRE to VICTORIOUS from 1 to 4 September when he returned to the heavy cruiser. At 0540/3rd, the force was sighted by German reconnaissance and the rendezvous with Force L was changed to 75-25N, 6-50E.

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Light cruiser NIGERIA with destroyers ICARUS, ANTELOPE, ANTHONY and liner EMPRESS OF CANADA arrived at Isfjord from Archangel.

Light cruiser AURORA departed Sveagruva on the 2nd for Gronfjord.

Trawler ELM with four Norwegian prizes departed Gronfjord on the 3rd for Akureyri. The ships all arrived on the 10th to coal. They departed Akureyri on the 12th for Reykjavik, arriving on the 14th.

The Spitzbergen community was embarked on the EMPRESS OF CANADA and the town demolished. On the 3rd, the cruisers, destroyers, and the liner departed Spitzbergen for the Clyde.

On the 4th, the cruisers were detached from the force.

At 0100/6th, light cruiser PENELOPE departed Scapa Flow to rendezvous with the ships in 62N, 05 at 1800.

Destroyer LIGHTNING departed Scapa Flow at 2200/6th to rendezvous with the force. LIGHTNING and ICARUS escorted the liner to the Clyde, arriving at 2300/7th. ANTELOPE and ANTHONY were detached to Scapa Flow, arriving at 1000/7th. Off Cape Wrath, PENELOPE was detached and returned to Scapa Flow, arriving on the 7th.

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Heavy cruiser LONDON arrived at Hvalfjord from Scapa Flow, via Akureyri.

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Light cruiser SHEFFIELD was detached from convoy WS.11 and proceeded to Scapa Flow, arriving on the 4th.

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Light cruiser EURYALUS departed Scapa Flow for Rosyth to change a propeller, and arrived on the 3rd.

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Destroyer ESKIMO departed London at 1500 on completion of refitting and arrived at Sheerness at 1845. On the 5th, she departed Sheerness for Scapa Flow, arriving at 1515/6th.

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Free French destroyer LA CORDELIERE ran aground in Scottish waters and damaged her anti-submarine dome.

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P/T/Midshipman (A) J. F. Williams RNVR, was killed when his Hurricane of 759/760 Squadron crashed near North Petherton.

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Anti-submarine trawler CAPE PALLISER (497grt/总吨位) on Northern Patrol reported an enemy ship 20 miles 25° from 62N, 17. Heavy cruiser BERWICK and light cruiser KENYA at Scapa Flow was brought to one hour's notice and heavy cruiser LONDON at Hvalfjord was ordered to stand by. This was later cancelled when it was determined the ship was a motor vessel.

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Convoy OS.5 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyers MANSFIELD and WOLVERINE which were detached on the 8th.

Sloop ENCHANTRESS and escort vessel HARTLAND joined on the 3rd and were detached on the 17th. Escort vessel WALNEY joined on the 6th and was detached on the 17th.

On the 17th, destroyer BRILLIANT, corvettes AMARANTHUS and ASPHODEL, and anti-submarine trawler SARABANDE joined. The destroyer, corvette AMARANTHUS, and the trawler were detached on the 18th. Corvette ASPHODEL was detached on the 20th. The convoy arrived at Freetown on the 21st.

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German steamer OSLEBSHAUSEN (4989grt/总吨位) was sunk by a torpedo near Obrestad. As this does not correspond to any noted sinking, she was presumably lost on a mine.

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Convoy HG.72 departed Gibraltar escorted by destroyers BOREAS, FARNDALE, VIDETTE, and WILD SWAN, sloop LEITH, fighter catapult ship MAPLIN, and corvettes CAMPION, CAMPANULA, BLUEBELL, WALLFLOWER, and HYDRANGEA.

The catapult ship and destroyer VIDETTE were detached later on the 2nd.

Destroyer BOREAS was detached to refuel at Ponta Delgada, then rejoined and escorted the convoy to Londonderry.

Destroyers CROOME and VIMY departed Gibraltar on the 4th to join the convoy. Destroyer CROOME then to convoy OG.73.

On the 7th, destroyers FARNDALE and WILD SWAN were detached to refuel at Ponta Delgada and then join convoy OG.73. Sloop ROCHESTER and corvettes CARNATION, LA MALOUINE, HELIOTROPE, and MALLOW departed Gibraltar on the 4th and joined the convoy on the 8th.

Sloop DEPTFORD joined the convoy on the 10th, sloop SANDWICH, French sloop COMMANDANT DOMINE, and anti-submarine yacht PHILANTE joined on the 11th.

Destroyers CALDWELL, VANOC, VOLUNTEER, and WALKER joined on the 12th.

On the 14th, a Hurricane from catapult ship MAPLIN drove off a German Fw.200 bomber one hundred miles south of Ireland. Sub Lt C. . Walker baled out and was picked up by sloop ROCHESTER.

On the 15th, sloop DEPTFORD was detached.

The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 17th.

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Submarine URSULA arrived at Malta from patrol east of Tripoli.

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Submarine TRIUMPH arrived at Malta from patrol off the north coast of Sicily.

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Convoy ST.2 departed Freetown, escorted by corvettes ARMERIA and ASPHODEL, and arrived at Takoradi on the 7th.