Wednesday, 12 November

Heavy cruiser KENT arrived at Hvalfjord from Denmark Strait patrol.

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Destroyer HURWORTH departed Scapa Flow at 0930 for Scrabster with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Olaf of Norway.

The destroyer arrived back at 1200 and embarked her motor boat. Destroyer HURWORTH departed Scapa Flow for the Clyde to boiler clean prior to proceeding to the Mediterranean.

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Destroyer PYTCHLEY departed Leith for Scapa Flow at 1645.

The destroyer arrived at 0900/13th to carry out working up practices.

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Submarine SEALION departed Murmansk for patrol off Svaerholthavet.

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Convoy WS.12Z departed Liverpool and the Clyde and rendezvoused off Oversay on the 13th with steamers ADRASTUS, EMPIRE STAR, SUSSEX, MATAROA, DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, EMPRESS OF ASIA, NARKUNDA, EMPRESS OF JAPAN, AORANGI, ARUNDEL CASTLE, ORDUNA, MONARCH OF BERMUDA, CAPETOWN CASTLE, DEUCALION, ABBEKERK, and RIMUTAKA.

The convoy was escorted by destroyers WHITEHALL, WITCH, BADSWORTH, VANQUISHER, and EXMOOR from 13 to 16 November.

Destroyer MAORI was with the convoy from 13 to 17 November. The destroyer arrived at Gibraltar on the 20th for duty in the 19th Destroyer Flotilla.

Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN and destroyers FURY, FORESTER, and FORESIGHT departed the Clyde on the 12th to join the convoy. They were route via Milford Haven and south of Ireland. On the 13th, the warships arrived at Milford Haven and departed later that day to join the convoy.

Destroyers FURY, FORESIGHT, and FORESTER escorted the convoy from 16 to 19 November.

On the 19th, destroyers FORESIGHT, FORESTER, and FURY parted company with the convoy in 34-05N, 25-50 to refuel from oiler DINGLEDALE. The destroyers then proceeded to search for an enemy merchant ship report.

The oiler arrived back at Gibraltar on the 25th, escorted by corvettes JONQUIL and COREOPSIS.

Destroyer FORESTER later proceeded to Ponta Delgada to complete fuelling. She departed on the 22nd and rejoined destroyers FORESIGHT and FURY.

Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN and destroyers DULVERTON and SOUTHWOLD escorted the convoy from 16 to 24 November.

Destroyers VIMY and VELOX escorted the convoy from 21 to 24 November.

Corvette CLOVER escorted the convoy from 22 to 24 November.

The convoy arrived at Freetown on the 24th.

On the 24th, the convoy departed Freetown with SUSSEX, ADRASTUS, EMPIRE STAR, DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, EMPRESS OF ASIA, MATAROA, NARKUNDA, EMPRESS OF JAPAN, ARUNDEL CASTLE, MONARCH OF BERMUDA, AORANGI, CAPETOWN CASTLE, ORDUNA, DEUCALION, RIMUTAKA, and ABBEKERK.

The convoy was escorted by destroyers SOUTHWOLD and DULVERTON from 28 November to 14 December.

Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN escorted the convoy from 28 November to 18 December.

Sloop MILFORD and corvettes VERBENA and HOLLYHOCK escorted the convoy from 28 November to 15 December.

Corvettes ASTER and MARGUERITE escorted the convoy from 15 December to 18 December, when the convoy arrived at Durban.

The convoy departed Durban on 24 December with NIEUW AMSTERDAM, EMPRESS OF JAPAN, ORDUNA, DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, NARKUNDA, EMPIRE STAR, DEUCALION, ADRASTUS, ARONDA, INDRAPOERA, EASTERN PRINCE, CAPETOWN CASTLE, SUSSEX, AORANGI, and ABBEKERK, escorted by battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN.

The convoy off Mombasa on 31 December was split into three units.

Convoy WS.12 ZA of ORDUNA, ARONDA, EASTERN PRINCE, and NIEUW AMSTERDAM was detached at 1-26S, 48-44E, escorted by light cruiser COLOMBO.

Convoy WS.12 ZA arrived at Aden on 4 January.

Convoy WS.12 ZB was steamers CAPETOWN CASTLE, EMPRESS OF JAPAN, DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, INDRAPOERA, DEUCALION, ADRASTUS, and EMPIRE STAR, plus US liner ORIZABA which had been brought out from Mombasa by light cruiser COLOMBO. The convoy was detached at 1-26S, 48-44E and escorted by heavy cruiser CORNWALL.

Convoy WS.12 ZB arrived at Bombay on 6 January.

Convoy DM.1 of liners NARKUNDA, AORANGI, SUSSEX, and US MOUNT VERNON was detached at 1-26S, 48-44S and escorted by light cruiser EMERALD.

The convoy proceeded to Addu Atoll. The convoy was then escorted by heavy cruiser EXETER, light cruisers EMERALD and DURBAN, and sloop JUMNA from 9 January.

Dutch light cruiser DE RUYTER escorted the convoy on 10 January only. Destroyers JUPITER, ENCOUNTER, and VAMPIRE escorted the convoy from 10 to 13 January. Cruisers DE RUYTER and TROMP escorted the convoy on 11 and 12 January.

The convoy arrived at Singapore on 13 January.

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British cable ship FRANCOLIN (ex-FARADAY, 322grt, T/A/Skipper Lt J. Dinwoodie RNR) was sunk by German bombing two miles N 25° E from Haisborough Light House.

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British steamer trawler BEN SCREEL (195grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing fourteen miles northeast by north of St Abb's Head.

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British steamer MAURITA (199grt/总吨位) was sunk on a mine at Hilbre Swash, in the Dee Estuary.

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Soviet light cruiser CHERVONAYA UKRANIA was sunk by bombing at Sevastapool.

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Soviet destroyer SOVERSHENNY, under repairs at Sevastapool, was damaged further by German bombing.

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Soviet steamer KRASNY PROFINTERN (4648grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing in the Black Sea.

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Destroyers FARNDALE and HEYTHROP arrived at Aden to join the Mediterranean Fleet. They were sailed for Suez.

The destroyers had accompanied light cruiser EURYALUS for most of the passage.

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Greek destroyer AETOS departed Alexandria to transit the Suez Canal, en route to refitting in India.

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Greek submarine GLAUKOS sank a caique north of Crete with gunfire.

On the 14th, the submarine sank a second caique north of Crete with gunfire.

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Submarine PORPOISE departed Malta for Alexandria.

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During a sweep during the night of 11/12 November, seven Swordfish of 830 Swordfish took off to attack a convoy of two merchant ships and escorts reported west of Pantelleria. Swordfish piloted by Lt P. E. O'Brien, Sub Lt (A) M. Thorpe, and T/A/Sub Lt (A) R. S. Vercoe RNVR, were forced to return to Malta with engine problems. The other four Swordfish were lost when the aircraft ran out of fuel.

Lt Cdr J.G. Hunt, Lt G. M. T. Osborn DSC, and Sergeant M. Parke; T/A/Sub Lt (A) S. . L. Campbell RNVR, and Leading Airman J. R. Fallon; T/Sub Lt (A) R. . Taylor RNVR, and P/T/A/Sub Lt (A) F. L. Robinson RNVR,were rescued and made prisoners of war. Lt (A) A. F. Wigram RNVR, and Leading Airman K. D. Griffiths were not found.

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Convoy SL.91GF departed Gibraltar escorted by sloops FOWEY and BLACK SWAN to 18 November, ocean boarding vessel MARON to 15 November, and corvettes CAMPION and HELIOTROPE to 16 Novemberand CARNATION and STONECROP to 18 November.

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Convoy SL.91 GS departed Gibraltar escorted by destroyer WRESTLER to 16 November, sloops FLEETWOOD, LEITH, SANDWICH, and SCARBOROUGH to 19 November, and corvettes ANCHUSA, CALENDULA, MIGNONETTE to 19 November.

Corvettes ACANTHUS, GENTIAN, and HONEYSUCKLE to 19 November, and MYOSOTIS to 15 November joined on the 13th. Anti-submarine whaler SOUTHERN STAR joined on the 17th to 18 November.

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Submarine OLYMPUS arrived at Gibraltar from patrol in the Mediterranean.