Wednesday, 14 January

Heavy cruiser NORFOLK departed Hvalfjord for Scapa Flow, arriving on the 16th.

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Heavy cruiser SUFFOLK departed the Tyne for Scapa Flow on completion of repairs to her propeller shafts, and arrived on the 15th.

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Heavy cruiser KENT departed Hvalfjord for patrol in the Denmark Strait.

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Armed merchant cruisers CITY OF DURBAN and CAPE SABLE, escorted by escort destroyer CALPE, departed Scapa Flow at 1430 for Operation EM. Both arrived at Sullom Voe on the 15th. The two armed merchant cruisers were to operate in the Inner Leads, but the operation was finally cancelled on the 30th after several post ponements.

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German steamer TURKHEIM (1878grt/总吨位) was sunk by Soviet submarine S.102 off Syltefjord. Escorting anti-submarine vessels UJ.1205, UJ.1403, and Vp.5903 attack the submarine without result.

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S/Lt D.G. Tompkins, flying a Master of RAF No.1 Flying Training School at Netheravon, was killed when his aircraft crashed at Shrewton.

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In attacks on convoy ON 55, U.43 sank Greek steamer MARO (3838grt/总吨位), which was straggling behind the convoy, British steamer EMPIRE SURF (6641grt/总吨位) in 58-42N, 19-16, and Panamanian steamer CHEPO (5582grt/总吨位) in 58-30N, 19-40. There were no survivors from the Greek ship. Thirty eight crew and nine gunners were lost in EMPIRE SURF, with six crew rescued. Seventeen crew in CHEPO were lost and 21 survivors rescued.

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Tug MERCIA (94grt/总吨位) was sunk on a mine in 51-31-21N, 2-46-44. The barge being towed was undamaged. There were no survivors from the tug.

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U.123 sank Panamanian motor tanker NORNESS (9577grt/总吨位) in 40-28N, 70-50. One crewman was missing, six survivors were rescued by US Coast Guard cutter ARGO and 24 by American destroyer ELLYSON.

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Light cruiser HERMIONE arrived at Gibraltar from Plymouth, carrying Rear Admiral E.N. Syfret, Flag Officer, Force H. Syfret raised his flag in battleship MALAYA.

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Submarine P.38 arrived at Gibraltar from Portsmouth, after departing on the 5th.

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Corvettes AZALEA and SPIRAEA departed Gibraltar escorting tanker LA CARRIERE, en route to New York.

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Convoy AT.17 departed Alexandria for Benghazi, escorted by escort destroyer AVONVALE, escort ship ANTWERP, anti-submarine trawler SOUTHERN MAID, and anti-submarine whaler SOIKA. No destroyers were available for a striking force. The convoy arrived on the 16th.

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Destroyers THANET and EXPRESS departed Singapore for Batavia.