Monday, 13 October

Heavy cruiser NORFOLK was at Scapa Flow.

During firefighting exercises on the hulk INVERLANE, an explosion killed Lt . J. Van De Kasteele, the cruiser's gunnery officer, and four ratings. The ship's executive officer Cdr A. C. Luce died of injuries on the 20th.

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Destroyer SOUTHWOLD departed Portsmouth at 1000 for Scapa Flow to carry out working up exercises.

The destroyer arrivedat 1300/15th.

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Minelayer PORT QUEBEC, escorted by destroyer LANCASTER, laid minefield SN.24 B.

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The Liverpool section of convoy PQ.2, escorted by minesweepers SPEEDY and SEAGULL departed Liverpool at 1030 for Scapa Flow, arriving at 0730/16th.

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Convoy OS.9 departed Liverpool escorted by French sloop COMMANDANT DOMINE which was detached on the 24th.

On the 14th, sloops EGRET, FOWEY, and LEITH joined the convoy. The sloops were detached on 2 November for EGRET and on 1 November for the other two. Also joining on the 14th were escort vessels BANFF and FISHGUARD which were detached on 1 and 2 November, respectively, and corvettes HOLLYHOCK and STONECROP. Corvette HOLLYHOCK arrived with the convoy on 5 November and STONECROP was detached on 1 November.

Corvettes BURCOK, CLOVER, and NIGELLA joined on the 31st and arrived with the convoy at Freetown on 5 November.

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Destroyers NAPIER and JACKAL passed the Suez Canal northbound to return to the Mediterranean Fleet after being relieved in the Suez Escort Force by sloops FALMOUTH and SHOREHAM.

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Motor torpedo boats MTB.68 and MTB.215 were ordered to patrol off Bardia to intercept a reported submarine.

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Anti-submarine trawler LOCH OSKAIG was attacked by a German Focke Wulf aircraft in 38-15N, 9-59. Seven crew were wounded and considerable damage was done to the superstructure by cannonfire.

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Submarine P.31 departed Gibraltar for Malta, arriving on the 20th.

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Submarine THORN departed Malta on patrol and then to proceed to Alexandria.

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Dutch submarine O.24 made an unsuccessful attack on a steamer in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea.