Sunday, 1 February

Light cruiser TRINIDAD arrived in the Clyde from Scapa Flow to disembark the Polish personnel brought back from Murmansk with convoy QP. 6. She departed the Clyde on the 4th to return to Scapa Flow, arriving on the 5th.

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Heavy cruiser LONDON arrived at Scapa Flow from the Tyne on completion of refitting.

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Heavy cruiser SUFFOLK arrived at Hvalfjord from patrol in the Denmark Strait.

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Destroyer ICARUS arrived at Hvalfjord from Scapa Flow at 1100 to operate with the Home Fleet.

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Destroyers FAULKNOR and INTREPID arrived at Seidisfjord from Hvalfjord for ocean escort of convoy PQ.9 and PQ.10.

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Destroyer CALPE arrived at Scapa Flow at 0800 on return from Operation EW in which she had been providing anti-aircraft protection to armed merchant cruisers CAPE SABLE and CITY OF DURBAN.

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Convoy ON.62 departed Liverpool, and was joined on the 2nd by destroyer WATCHMAN and corvettes ANCHUSA, ARABIS, DAHLIA, MONKSHOOD, and SNOWFLAKE. WATCHMAN detached on the 6th when the convoy was joined by destroyer ST LAURENT and corvettes KAMSACK, NAPANEE, RIMOUSKI, TRAIL and TRILLIUM. The original corvettes were detached on the 7th when American destroyer GLEAVES joined. GLEAVES detached on the 13th, and the convoy dispersed on the 15th.

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U.109 sank steamer TACOMA STAR (7924grt/总吨位) in 37-33N, 69-21. The entire crew of 85 were lost.

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Steamer SEDULITY (490grt/总吨位) was damaged by German bombing off Cromer.

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Submarine TEMPEST departed Gibraltar for Malta, arriving on the 8th.

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Escort destroyer HURWORTH arrived at Alexandria from the Canal Area for duty with the 5th Destroyer Flotilla.

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Submarine THUNDERBOLT sank Italian steamer ABSIRTEA (4170grt/总吨位) six miles 320° from Cape Dukato.

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Convoy HX.173 departed Halifax, escorted by destroyer ST CLAIR, corvettes MIDLAND, NASTURTIUM, and minesweepers GANANOQUE and QUINTE. The minesweepers detached on the 2nd. American destroyers BERNADOU, DECATUR, EDISON, LEA, and NICHOLSON joined on the 3rd, while the rest of the initial escort detached on the 4th. Destroyer WATCHMAN joined on the 9th and corvette SNOWFLAKE. The American destroyers detached on the 10th, and corvettes ANCHUSA, ARABIS, DAHLIA and MONKSHOOD joined on the 12th. The escorts all detached on the 13th and the convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 14th.

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American naval forces attacked Kwajalein, Wotje, Maloelap, Jaluit and Mili in the Marshalls, and Makin in the Gilbert Island groups.

Aircraft from aircraft carrier YORKTOWN, escorted by heavy cruiser LOUISVILLE, light cruiser ST LOUIS and destroyers HUGHES, SIMS, RUSSELL, and WALKE, struck Makin Island.

Aircraft from aircraft carrier ENTERPRISE, escorted by destroyers RALPH TALBOT, BLUE and MCCALL, struck Wotje, Maloelap, and Kwajalein.

Heavy cruisers NORTHAMPTON and SALT LAKE CITY with destroyer DUNLAP bombarded Wotje.

Heavy cruiser CHESTER with destroyers BALCH and MAURY bombarded Taroa and Maloelap.

Oiler SABINE with destroyer MAHAN was the tanker unit for the task forces. Earlier on 28 January, a second oiler PLATTE was detached with destroyer CRAVEN.

Aircraft carrier ENTERPRISE was damaged when a Japanese plane crashed into her in 10-33N, 171-53E. One enlisted man was killed and three wounded.

Heavy cruiser CHESTER was damaged by a Japanese dive bomber in 8-45N, 171-33E. Seven enlisted men were killed and twenty wounded. Of the Cruiser Scouting Squadron 5 staff aboard the cruiser, LT A L Ekberg was killed and one enlisted man wounded.

Ensign M Heywood Jr in destroyer SIMS was wounded by a Japanese bomb near miss.

One enlisted man on cruiser NORTHAMPTON was wounded by shellfire.

From YORKTOWN, one enlisted man in Torpedo Squadron 3 was wounded. LT G L Bellinger, LT (jg) M P. Fishel, and two enlisted men from Bombing Squadron 5 were lost when their bombers collided over Jaluit. LT F X Maher, Jr, LT J C Moore, and the four enlisted men of their respective planes of Torpedo Squadron 5 were lost when their planes collided shortly after take off. Two more planes of Torpedo Squadron 5 were lost when they ran out of gasoline, and LT H T Johnson, Ensign H Hein, and four enlisted men were taken prisoners by the Japanese. A seventh plane, piloted by Ensign T A Reeves, of Bombing Squadron 5 went down returning to the carrier. Reeves and his enlisted man crewman were rescued by an American destroyer.

From ENTERPRISE, LT (jg) E J Kroeger was wounded and Ensign J J Doherty and an enlisted man were lost on the 1st from Bombing Squadron 6. Ensign D Criswell of Fighter Squadron 6 was lost when his plane spun into the sea. Ensign E R Donnell, Jr, LT (jg) C T Fogg, LCDR H L Hopping, Ensign D Seid, and four enlisted men from Scouting Squadron 6 were lost at Roi. LT (jg) R E Laub of Torpedo Squadron 6 was wounded on 31 January.

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Heavy cruiser EXETER with destroyers JUPITER and VAMPIRE departed Batavia with US transports WAKEFIELD and WEST POINT for the Sunda Straits. The escorts then returned to Tanjong Priok and the transports safely arrived at Colombo on the 6th.

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Convoy MS.1 with British steamers CITY OF MANCHESTER, DERRYMORE, GORGON, PEISANDER, and Norwegian PAN EUROPE and Tanker WAR SIRDAR, escorted by light cruiser HOBART and destroyers TENEDOS and STRONGHOLD, arrived at Singapore.

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Heavy cruiser CORNWALL arrived at Colombo.

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Submarine TRUANT departed Colombo for Batavia via the Sunda Strait.

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Australian minesweeper MARYBOROUGH and armed patrol vessels MEDUSA and CIRCE departed Singapore for Batavia.

2 February, Monday

Minelaying cruiser ADVENTURE departed Scapa Flow for the Clyde to embark the Russian trade delegation. She arrived in the Clyde on the 4th, and after embarking the delegation, departed on the 5th for Murmansk.

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Light cruiser ARETHUSA departed Scapa Flow for Chatham for refitting prior to joining the Mediterranean Fleet, and arrived at Chatham on the 3rd.

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Light cruiser KENYA departed Hvalfjord for patrol in the Faroes-Iceland Channel.

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Light cruiser SHEFFIELD (CS.18) departed patrol in the Faroes-Iceland Channel for Hvalfjord, arriving on the 3rd.

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Destroyer CALPE departed Scapa Flow at 1400 to rendezvous with armed merchant cruisers CITY OF DURBAN and CAPE SABLE to the northeast of the Shetlands to provide anti-aircraft protection for their return to Scapa Flow. CALPE was unable to meet the ships on the 3rd and proceeded to Sullom Voe to refuel, arriving at noon on the 4th. The ships were met later on the 4th, and all three arrived at Scapa Flow at 2200/5th.

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Convoy ON.63 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyers CHELSEA, VERITY, WITCH and corvettes ARBUTUS, CAMELLIA, COLUMBINE, and PIMPERNEL. ARBUTUS detached on the 5th, and the remainder of the escort when the convoy was joined by American Coast Guard cutter INGHAM and destroyers DALLAS, ROPER, and UPSHUR. The convoy was dispersed on the 13th.

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Minesweeping trawler CAPE SPARTEL (346grt, Lt J. R. Grundy RNR) was sunk by German bombing in 53-28-42N, 0-49-12E in the Humber. There were no casualties.

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Minesweeping trawler CLOUGHTON WYKE (324grt, Temporary Skipper C. S. Larter DSC, OBE RNR) was sunk by German bombing in 52-59-N, 1-18-30E in the Humber. Four ratings were lost and Skipper Larter wounded.

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U.751 damaged Dutch tanker CORILLA (8096grt/总吨位) from convoy HX.173 in 44-49N, 61-37.

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U.103 sank American tanker L STEED (6182grt/总吨位) in 38-25N, 73-00. Thirty five crew were lost and only three rescued.

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Submarine P.39 departed Gibraltar for Malta, arriving on the 11th.

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Corvette RHODODENDRON departed Gibraltar to rendezvous with steamers CRESSADO and EMPIRE PANTHER off Cape Razo and escorted them to join convoy HG 78.

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Submarine REGENT, which departed Ponta Delgada after emergency repairs on the 2nd, was attacked in error by Submarine CLYDE. Two torpedoes were fired, but both missed.

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Convoy AT.23 departed Alexandria, escorted by destroyer AVONVALE and corvette HYACINTH, and arrived at Tobruk on the 5th. There was no convoy AT.24.

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Submarine TURBULENT arrived at Malta from Gibraltar.

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Aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE and destroeyrs NIZAM, NESTER, and NAPIER arrived at Trincomalee from operation OPPONENT.

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Australian light cruiser HOBART and destroyer TENEDOS departed Singapore for Batavia.

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Destroyer SCOUT was ordered to return to Singapore from operations at Sabang.

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Submarine TRUSTY departed Singapore for patrol in the southern part of the Gulf of Siam. On completion of patrol, she was to proceed to Batavia.

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Convoy MR.2 departed Madras with steamer ELLENGA (5196grt/总吨位), escorted by Australian armed merchant cruiser MANOORA, Indian sloop INDUS,and patrol vessel SONAVATI. The convoy dispersed on the 5th and the escorts were detached.

3 February, Tuesday

Heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND departed Scapa Flow for Rosyth to land contaminated cordite before proceeding to refitting at Chatham. She arrived at Rosyth on the 4th.

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Light cruiser NIGERIA (CS.10) departed Scapa Flow to meet and escort convoy PQ.9 and PQ.10 to Murmansk.

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Destroyers ESCAPADE and PANTHER departed Hvalfjord at 1400 for Scapa Flow. ESCAPADE was proceeding to Immingham for refitting and PANTHER completing working up. ESCAPADE arrived at Scapa Flow at 0815/5th and sailed at 1200 for Immingham, while PANTHER arrived there at 1200 after carrying out gunnery practices in Pentland Firth. ESCAPADE arrived in the Humber at 1130/6th for refit.

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Destroyers FAULKNOR and INTREPID departed Seidisfjord to escort convoys PQ.9 and PQ.10 to Murmansk.

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Minesweeper NIGER arrived at Scapa Flow at 1000 to carry out a “Short Programme of Practices” (Home Fleet Destroyers War Diary) prior to her departure for Northern Russia.

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U.106 sank Swedish steamer AMERIKALAND (15,355grt/总吨位) in 36-36N, 74-10. Four crew were lost.

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U.86 attacked a convoy in mid-Atlantic and reported explosions which may have been the torpedoes exploding at the end of their runs.

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Convoy AT.25 departed Alexandria, escorted by destroyers HEYTHROP and HURWORTH, and arrived at Tobruk on the 5th.

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U.431 attacked a Tanker near Sidi Barrani at 2305. A torpedo hit without detonation and was heard in the submarine. A few minutes later, the submarine fired torpedoes against the escorting destroyer. At the same time – 2305, U.73 attacked a destroyer near Sidi Barrani. These attacks were against empty ships, which had departed Tobruk, escorted by destroyers SOUTHWOLD, DULVERTON and HASTY. No damage was done to the convoy or the destroyers and no mention of either attack appears in the War Diary.

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Submarine P.35 sank Italian steamer NAPOLI (6142grt/总吨位) off Kuriat.

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Convoy HG.78 of two steamers departed Gibraltar escorted by corvettes GARDENIA and SAMPHIRE and anti-submarine trawler LORD HOTHAM. Corvette RHODODENDRON joined on the 5th with two steamers near Lisbon. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 14th.

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Convoy JS 1, whose ships had arrived independently at Colombo at the end of January,departed Colombo with British steamers ADRASTUS (7905grt/总吨位), ALICE MOLLER (4986grt/总吨位), FILLEIGH (4856grt/总吨位), LULWORTH HILL (7628grt/总吨位), MODASA (9070grt/总吨位), YOMA (8131grt/总吨位), HERMION (5202grt/总吨位) and PROMINENT (2282grt/总吨位). Norwegian steamer HAI LEE (3616grt/总吨位) departed Colombo on the 4th and joined the convoy on the 5th. ALICE MOLLER returned to Colombo with defects.

The convoy was escorted by heavy cruiser CORNWALL to the 10th and minesweepers BATHURST and LISMORE to the 5th, after which they detached to screen battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN and netlayer PROTECTOR en route to Trincomalee from Addu. On the 10th, light cruiser HOBART joined the escort and remained until the 13th. On the 11th, heavy cruiser EXETER joined and remained until the 13th. On the 12th, destroyer ELECTRA and sloop JUMNA joined. HOBART and JUMNA arrived on the 13th at Oosthaven with steamers FILLEIGH, YOMA, LULWORTH HILL, HAI LEE and HERMION. JUMNA remained there to provide anti-submarine patrol with Australian minesweepers GOULBURN and BURNIE. Meanwhile ELECTRA and steamers ADRASTUS, MODASA, and PROMINENT arrived at Batavia on the 14th. CORNWALL arrived back at Colombo on the 13th.

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Australian destroyer VENDETTA (Acting Lt G Whitting RANR) departed Singapore in the tow of tug ST JUST. Two more officers, Gunner J C Lace and Commissioned Engineer N J E Lark and eighteen ratings made up the crew. Off Keppel Harbour, destroyer STRONGHOLD took her in tow. The three ships arrived at Palembang on the 4th and STRONGHOLD proceeded to other duties.

VENDETTA was towed on the 8th by ST JUST, arriving at Batavia on the 10th and anchored at Tanjong Priok, remaining there until the 17th. She then left in tow of two tugs and was met by auxiliary patrol ship PING WO outside the harbour. PING WO took over the tow and they joined convoy SJ.3 escorted by destroyer ELECTRA and sloop YARRA. On 24 February off Christmas Island, light cruiser ADELAIDE relieved YARRA in the escort. YARRA returned to Batavia.

On 3 March, tug NEWCASTLE from Fremantle took over the tow and they arrived at Fremantle next day. VENDETTA at Melbourne on 15 April.

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Steamer NORAH MULLER (4433grt/总吨位) was sunk by Japanese bombing off West Nangka Point in the Banka Strait. Seventeen crew were killed, but eight European survivors, 13 passengers, all the naval gunners, and 31 Chinese were rescued. Australian light cruiser HOBART took off 57 survivors and destroyer TENEDOS took off thirteen. Six wounded died of wounds before the ships arrived at Tanjong Priok on the 4th.

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Steamer KATONG (1461grt/总吨位) was sunk by Japanese bombing four miles from Bar Light Vessel, Palembang. Only five crew members were rescued.

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Steamer CITY OF CANTERBURY (8331grt/总吨位) and French liner FELIX ROUSSEL (17,083grt/总吨位) of convoy BM.12 received extensive superficial damage and casualties from Japanese bombing in Banka Strait.

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Steamer LOCH RANZA (4958grt/总吨位) was sunk by Japanese bombing at 00-37N, 104-14E. Of a crew of fifty, including nine gunners, and four RAF passengers, five crew were killed. The survivors were taken to Palembang in steamer SUBADOR (5424grt/总吨位). One crewman and one gunner died later, and two crew were taken prisoner.

Tanker PINNA (6121grt/总吨位) was damaged by Japanese bombing at 00-52S, 104-19E, attacked again the next day, run aground and abandoned. Of 51 crew and two passengers, 20 crew were killed and 23 crew and two passengers taken to Palembang by steamer SUBADOR, and later made prisoners of war.

Australian minesweepers TOOWOOMBA and BALLARAT and auxiliary minesweeper GEMMA, en route from Singapore to Palembang, went to the assistance of the two British ships.

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Steamer MADURA (9032grt/总吨位) was damaged by Japanese bombing in the Dutch East Indies.

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Japanese submarine I.62 damaged tanker SPONDILUS (7402grt/总吨位) in 6-16N, 79-38E, which in turn claimed to have damaged the submarine with gunfire, but no damage was found. Sloop FALMOUTH and armed patrol whaler OKAPI searched for the submarine without success.