The convoy consisted of the British merchants Highland Chieftain (14131 GRT, built 1929), Nariva (8723 GRT, built 1920) and the French merchant Alsina (8404 GRT, built 1922). She returned to Dakar on 4 November having sighted nothing. It was hoped that by the time it attacked the Richelieu the opening of the naval bombardment would provide a diversion, but this did not occur; one Swordfish was shot down and two others failed to return. Capira (5625 GRT, built 1920),

Harrison, Jr., USN) and USS Wainwright (Lt.Cdr. In October 1939 HMS Cumberland was a member of Force G part of the hunting group searching for the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, her allocated search area was along the east coast of South America. By 1104 hours the submarine was sighted on the Barham’s port bow. H.B. First contact with the enemy occurred on 1 July 1942 when escorts from convoy PQ 17 twice attacked German submarines that were spotted on the surface several miles from the convoy. Also the guns from the Gorée Island battery were joining in. Daniel Morgan (7177 GRT, built 1942), On the 10th HMS Ajax also fueled from RFA Olynthus as did HMS Exeter after her while HMS Ajax was at anchor close by. All hopes of a friendly reception had been scattered.

Hill, RN), HMS Wilton (Lt. A.P. Fallowfield, RN) and HMS Cornwall (Capt. A boarding party from HMS Delhi went on board. The surviving ships arrived at Archangel the next day, 11 July. HMS Exeter departed Rio de Janeiro the next day. On 20 November 1939, the Commander-in-Chief ordered ‘Force H’ to return to the Cape of nothing of the German merchant vessels had been sighted. The weather was overcast, visibility about one mile, wind north-east, force 8, sea rough. Robinson, RN) and HMS Greyhound (Cdr. The US merchants Exford and West Gotomska had to return both arrived back damaged at Reykjavik on 30 June. The next morning the Admiral Graf Spee sank the British merchant Tairoa (7983 GRT, built 1920) in position 19°40’S, 04°02’E. Both searches were unsuccessful.

It consisted of the British merchant ships Sussex (11062 GRT, built 1937), Roxby (4252 GRT, built 1923), El Ciervo (5841 GRT, built 1923) in addition to the earlier mentioned Lafonia, and was escorted by HMS Hotspur. A.F.

In October the Eastern Fleet was used as a diversion force and attacked the Nicobar Islands, so that the landings on Leyte could take place, unfortunately the diversion did not succeed. A.R. When the Vice-Admiral, Aircraft Carriers, received this information her detached HMS Hardy and HMS Hasty to sweep north-westward for the Pioneer, while ‘Force K’ and the remaining two destroyers searched for her to the south-westward. E.P.

She was then transferred to the Far East, as part of 4th Cruiser Squadron Eastern Fleet.

Her lights were sighted at 2142/18 but disappeared at 0425/19. G.E.M. My 2323B/4. R.de.L Brooke, RN). At the same time the Commodore ordered HMS Hotspur to join him in the Plate area after refuelling at Rio de Janeiro, so that similar convoys could be started from Montevideo.

HMS Daniella was escorting the submarines, HMS P 614 and HMS P 615. H.F.H.

In July, she was employed in the task of hunting for the German commerce raider Thor before moving to Freetown for operation “Menace” .

Commodore Dowding, whose ship the River Afton had been sunk by a U-boat on the 5th, arrived in HMS Lotus, which had rescued him and 36 survivors, including the Master after 3.5 hours on rafts and floats. Meanwhile a message from Lobito had stated that the five German ships that were stated to have left the harbour were still there. (2111B/4)

The approval of the Führer to sail the heavy ships to attack the convoy had still not been obtained. One minute later a report came in that the submarines were passing the entrance and when a torpedo missed HMS Foresight Vice-Admiral Cunningham cancelled the order for HMS Ark Royal to bomb Gorée Island but to bomb the submarines instead. Carlton (5127 GRT, built 1920), Lancaster (7516 GRT, built 1918),

Pieter de Hoogh (7168 GRT, built 1941). C.C. J.G. 14 Jun 1940Convoy US 3, made up of the troopships (liners) Andes (25689 GRT, built 1939), Aquitania (44786 GRT, built 1914), Empress of Britain (42348 GRT, built 1931), Empress of Canada (21517 GRT, built 1922), Mauretania (35739 GRT, built 1939) and Queen Mary (81235 GRT, built 1936) with troop from New Zealand and Australia on board and escorted by the British heavy cruisers HMS Shropshire (Capt. Empire Selwyn (7167 GRT, built 1941), No German ships were however encountered off Ascension and all ships then proceeded to Freetown where they arrived on 2 October 1939 with HMS Cumberland low on fuel. That evening the Commodore learned that the Doric Star had been sunk by a raider to the south-east of St. Helena.

The smoke-laying cruiser was still active, and at 0942 hours the Barham’s 6” guns engaged her without success. A.A. Tait, DSO, RN), HMS Volunteer (Lt. A.S. Pomeroy, RN), the minesweepers HMS Niger (Cdr.ret.) Convoy is to scatter.

For some three hours that afternoon all contact was lost with General de Gaulle and the French transports. R.L.B. Kuzbass (3109 GRT, built 1914), B.C.B.

The Commander-in-Chief estimated that if the enemy was proceeding northwards to the North Atlantic she would cross the Freetown-Pernambuco line between 9 and 10 December.

O.H. They joined company the next day and proceeded towards Novaya Zemlya. Around 1835 hours these ships completed their bombardment but then HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Suffolk, HrMs Tromp, HMS Tartar and HMS Penn took over.

E.B.

An hour later an enemy aircraft passed over the fleet above the clouds but endeavours to attrack its attention by gunfire and fighters were unsuccessful. Accordingly he ordered them to fuel from HMS London and HMS Norfolk. HMS Exeter which had arrived at the Falklands on 31 October for repairs, sailed again on 4 November to meet up with HMS Cumberland off the Plate on 10 November, but the Commodore ordered her to enter Mar del Plata for a 24-hour visit on the 9th. Punctually at daybreak (0505 hours), HMS Ark Royal, then some 25 nautical miles from Dakar, flew off five aircraft most of which were manned by Free French flying officers. Within a couple of hours he learnt that the French Squadron had entered Casablanca.

Boyd, RNR), HMS Dianella (T/Lt. The French cruisers inside the boom to the northward, sheltering amongst the many merchant vessels, also made a smoke screen, which drifted slowly south and, combining with the mist and heavy smoke from the vicinity of the Richelieu, eventually obscured all targets. Shaw, MBE, RN), destroyers HMS Echo (Cdr. HMS Cumberland was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw action during the Second World War. At 1440 hours the leader was forced down with engine trouble, his crew being picked up by the destroyer HMS Escapade.

(3), 4 Mar 1940HMS Cumberland (Capt. About this time a message reached him from Buenos Aires that the Argentinian Foreign Minister had drawn attention to cases of fueling in the Plate by HMS Exeter and HMS Ajax. The destroyers of the 3rd Division of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla (HMS Hardy, HMS Hostile and HMS Hero) left Freetown on 6 December with the oiler RFA Cherryleaf (5896 GRT, built 1917). R.A. Fell, RN), HMS Antelope (Lt.Cdr. No further reports have been received of the raider which had sunk the Africa Shell off Laurenco Marques on 15 November and it seemed clear that she had either gone further into the Indian Ocean or doubled back into the South Atlantic by going well south of the Cape.

One ship was bombed on the 6th. HMS Havock was then ordered to join the cruisers. As this gave her some time at hand, he ordered her to cover the Plate while HMS Ajax visited Buenos Aires from 6 to 8 November during which the Commodore discussed the question of fuelling his ships in the River Plate Estuary with the Argentine naval authorities.