Friday, 13 February

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

————

Light cruiser NEWCASTLE departed Scapa Flow for the Clyde for escort duty with convoy WS.16, arriving on the 14th.

————

Destroyer INCONSTANT arrived at Scapa Flow at 1500 from the Clyde for working up.

————

Destroyer PANTHER departed Scapa Flow at 1145 for Greenock, ariving at 0500/14th. She then proceeded in convoy WS.16 for the Far East.

————

Destroyer VANQUISHER departed Liverpool to escort Rear Admiral Minelaying in Operation SN.84.

————

Convoy ON.66 departed Liverpool. On the 14th, the convoy was joined by destroyers NIAGARA, SARDONYX and corvettes ABELIA, ANEMONE, ROSELYS, and VERVAIN. SARDONYX detached on the 16th, ABELIA and ANEMONE on the 18th, and NIAGARA on the 19th. The convoy was joined on the 18th by corvettes CHILLIWACK, DAUPHIN, LETHBRIDGE, LOUISBURG and SHEDIAC. CHILLIWACK and SHEDIAC detached on the 25th, and the convoy dispersed off Halifax on the 26th.

————

A Martlett of 888 Squadron crashed on take off from aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE. S/Lt G Marriott was picked up by a destroyer.

————

Submarine TEMPEST (Lt Cdr A K N Cavaye) was sunk in the Gulf of Taranto by Italian torpedo boat CIRCE. Cdr Cavaye, S/Lt M Neel-Wall, and thirty seven ratings were lost. Twenty four crew, including Lt Cdr H D Bowker RNR, Temporary Lt M V H Caplat RNVR, and Lt (E) R B Blatchford were taken prisoner and taken to Taranto.

————

Corvettes GLOXINIA and HYACINTH, escort ship ANTWERP, two anti-submarine trawlers, and a convoy of A lighters and empty store ships departed Tobruk for Alexandria. U.652 attacked GLOXINIA at the end of the Tobruk swept channel.

————

Corvettes VETCH and GERANIUM arrived at Gibraltar, escorting submarine CLYDE and Royal Fleet Auxiliary DINGLEDALE.

————

Convoy HX.175 departed Halifax, escorted by destroyer ST CLAIR, corvettes SACKVILLE, THE PAS, WEYBURN and mineweeper GEORGIAN. They detached on the 15th when relieved by American destroyers DECATUR, LEARY, MAYO and SIMPSON. DECATUR and LEARY detached on the 23rd when relieved by corvettes CAMELLIA, COLUMBINE, and PIMPERNEL. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 25th.

————

Motor launch ML.310 (Lt J H Bull RNVR) departed Singapore with 44 crew and passengers, including Rear Admiral E J Spooner, Vice Air Marshall C H Pulford, Cdr P L Frampton from SULTON, Lt R A Pool from SULTAN, S/Lt M H Henderson RANVR, and Acting Boatswain V E Richardson. After being damaged early on the 14th by Japanese aircraft, ML.310 reached Lalang Island, the passengers were put ashore on Tjebia Island and she was scuttled. Lt Bull, two ratings, and two Javanese set out in a small boat for help and were later picked up by an RAN corvette. American submarine S.39 was sent to search for the Admiral Spooner group, but was unable to locate them. Spooner, Pulford, Frampton, Henderson, and twelve ratings died, and the rest were captured on 19 May.

————

Gunboat SCORPION (Lt Cdr G C Ashworth SSRNVR) was sunk by Japanese destroyers in the Banka Straits after being damaged by Japanese aircraft on the 9th. One hundred and fifteen officers and men were lost, including Cdr Ashworth killed. S/Lt J T Ronaldson MRNVR missing and S/Lt E Richards RNVR died of wounds. Temporary Lt H G Fabian RNVR, S/Lt S R L Buckwell MRNVR, Lt J C Kemp MRNVR, one other officer and twenty six ratings were rescued by Japanese forces and made prisoners of war.

————

Examination ship GIANG BEE carrying wounded, and auxiliary patrol ships KUALA and HUNG JAO departed Singapore in convoy for Rengat.

KUALA (Lt F H George SSRNVR) was sunk by Japanese bombing in the Banka Stait off Pompong Island. Among her passengers were between one and two hundred nursing sisters, women and children. Lt (E) L L Hosey RNR, S/Lt (E) G H Lunberg RNR and Acting S/Lt (E) G R Rae RNVR were lost. One hundred and fifty passengers were rescued and taken on board steamer TANDJONG PINANG which was sunk on the 17th. Only three survivors from KUALA survived the second sinking.

GIANG BEE (Acting Lt S K Rayner SSRNVR) was sunk near Berhala Island, 160 miles south of Singapore by Japanese aircraft. Out of a crew of 48 and 245 passengers, 223 were missing. Lt P C Costa MRVRN, Lt S K Rayner MRNVR, S/Lt M Goldstone MRNVR, S/Lt C R Bradley MRNVR, Temporary Lt (E) H Hill RNVR, S/Lt E J Evans MRNVR, Lt T G Adams MRNVR, S/Lt E G Rowland MRNVR, Temporary Lt H H Lancaster RNR, S/Lt A Scott RNR, Temporary S/Lt (E) R K McE Angus RNR, Temporary Lt (E) R K Beaton RNR and Temporary Lt (E) R M Wilson RNR were lost.

Temporary S/Lt A Nesfield RNR and Temporary Skipper B B Brahim RNR were captured and later died while prisoners of war. S/Lt E P C Langdon MRNVR, Acting S/Lt Attenborough RNVR, S/Lt I Hornby MRNVR, and Temporary S/Lt H Morton RNR were also captured.

HUNG GAO took off about 70 survivors who were landed at Rengat. Lt J H Craig MRNVR, received a DSC and S/Lt J S H Cunyngham-Brown MRNVR was mentioned in dispatches post war for this rescue. Then on the 15th, HUNG JAO (Temporary Lt T E Mellor RNVR) was lost in company with coaster SUNGEI PINANG while on another rescue mission. Craig and Cunyngham-Brown were both taken prisoner by the Japanese.

————

Anti-submarine vessel SIANG WO (Temporary Lt Cdr A Woodley RNR) was badly damaged by Japanese air attack in the Dutch East Indies, and run aground on Bangka Island a total loss. Lt (E) Dykes RNR, was the only crew member lost, but passenger Lt Cdr H Vickers (HMS PELANDOK, RMN base Singapore) was also killed. Cdr Woodley, Lt V N Wade MRNVR, S/Lt C Lyle MRNVR, Temporary Lt (E) R Grant RNR, Temporary S/Lt D G R Kinner RNR, Lt A A Hare MRNVR, Temporary S/Lt T C Marr RNR and Temporary S/Lt (E) C Moore RNR were taken prisoner. Moore later died in captivity.

————

Auxiliary minesweeper CHENGTEH (244grt/总吨位) was sunk in Rhio Strait by Japanese bombing, while carrying 11 officers and 85 Army and RAF personnel, in addition to her crew of 22. Sixty eight crew and passengers were lost. S/Lt S J Fisher MRNVR and Lt J Craig MRNVR were killed, and Temporary Skipper M V Adam RNR rescued.

————

Auxiliary patrol vessel TRANG went aground near Peak Island, but refloated and scuttled in Cooper's Channel. Lt H T Rigden MRNVR and 25 survivors were made prisoners of war.

————

Auxiliary patrol vessel JARAK was shelled by Japanese forces and abandoned in Rhio Strait. She was later reboarded, but scuttled on the 18th south of Singkap because of engine trouble.

————

Steamer REDANG (531grt/总吨位) was sunk by Japanese surface craft 50 miles 110° from Berhala. Of the crew of 19 plus 70 passengers, 58 were missing, including Lt (E) H S Deans RNR.

————

Dutch tanker MERULA (8228grt/总吨位) departed Palembang for Batavia, but was badly damaged in Banka Strait by Japanese bombing. She was taken in tow by Norwegian tanker HERBORG (7892grt/总吨位), but later abandoned when the fire on board spread. Of a crew of 38, one was lost and 37 missing. A staff of 12 were on board, of which four were lost.

Dutch tanker MANVANTARA (8237grt/总吨位) was sunk by Japanese bombing en route from Palembang to Batavia. Of a crew of 39, three were lost, but the other 36 arrived in Batavia. There were also twelve Staff personnel on board, of which one was lost.

Steamer SUBADAR (5424grt/总吨位) was sunk by Japanese bombing in the Banka Strait. Of a crew of 78 and eight gunners, five crew were lost.

The remaining ships of the convoy, tankers HERBORG, ERLING BROVIG, SEIRSTAD and ELSA, arrived at Batavia on the 13th, escorted by destroyer JUPITER and minesweeper TOOTOOMBA.

————

Steamer HOSANG (5698grt/总吨位) had been damaged by Japanese bombing at Singapore on 25 and 30 January and 2 February. She departed for Palembang on the 6th, but grounded and was abandoned. Later seized by Japanese forces, she was renamed GYOZAN MARU in Japanese service.

————

Motor vessel ROMPIN (189grt/总吨位), which departed Singapore on the 10th with four RAF tenders in tow, was captured by Japanese forces at Muntok.

————

Japanese submarine I.55 sank steamer DERRYMORE (4799grt/总吨位) north of Sunda Strait. Of a crew of 36, including four gunners, none were lost. Of 209 RAAF personnel, nine were missing. Some survivors reached a nearby island where they were picked up three days later by Dutch minesweeper CHERIBON, while others were rescued from rafts by Australian minesweeper BALLARAT.

————

Steamer BRUNEI (101grt/总吨位) was scuttled at Singapore.

————

Motor patrol boat PANGLIMA was scuttled in Banka Strait.

————

Corvettes ASTER and VERBENA arrived at Mauritius.

————

Troopship DUNERA, formerly of convoy DM.2, arrived at Colombo.

————

Convoy BM.13 of steamers CITY OF LONDON, EASTERN PRINCE, EGRA, ESPERANCE BAY and CITY OF PARIS, departed Bombay escorted by light cruiser CALEDON to the vicinity of Ceylon.

Off Ceylon on the 17th, they joined convoy SJ.3 of steamers PENRITH CASTLE, SILVERTEAK, SILVERWILLOW, MADRAS CITY, and EMPIRE GLADE, which departed Colombo on the 16th, escorted by light cruiser GLASGOW, sloop FALMOUTH and minesweeper BATHURST. CALEDON was detached.

The combined convoy proceeded until the 21st, when they were ordered north. BATHURST returned to Colombo with engine problems. Heavy cruiser DORSETSHIRE joined on the 23rd, but was ordered to return to Trincomalee later that same day.

The convoy arrived at Colombo on the 25th, escorted by GLASGOW.

————

Chartered steamer SUI WO (2672grt/总吨位), serving as a boom defence acccomodation ship, was sunk at Singapore by Japanese bombing.

————

Panamanian steamer SANTE FE (1543grt/总吨位) was seized by Japanese forces at Saigon, and renamed RIZYO MARU for Japanese use.