The 3 Fighters

Which one would rule?


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Can always uplift the relevant entries and put them in a thread of their own. I would have no objection to that. There is a purpose to all of this, however....basically to show that there was lively activity over the coastal wates of western europe throughout 1941, and also to show the gradual loss of control for the LW. Once I am done with the daily cataloging, I will do a bit of analysis to show that
 
...There were no Hurricanes embarked on either carrier, so this is either an error or misidentification , or they were Soviet manned Hurricanes.

Hello Parsifal
Yes, typical a/c misidentifications
Swordfish = Swordfish Albacore
Hurricane = Fulmar

Juha
 
September Pt II

4.– 15.9.1941 waters around Great Britain sinking success of LW Bombers : Westl. Great Britain are sunk at the 4.9. in the island Bardsey the Abbas Combe (489 BRT) and the niederl. Tone S. (466 BRT) damaged. In the St. St. -Georgs-Channel lost the Empire Gunner (4492 BRT) and at posn 15.9. the Daru (3854 BRT). — East of the Färoer islands Navy hospital ship Bloomfield (1417 BRT) sinks.

5.– 12.9.1941 Norway before Utsira the Dutch Submarine O. 14, runs aground, but continues mission. ( I think the transalation is she is later REPLACED by the FF sub Minerve)...

6.9.1941 Biskaya the KM. Destroyers Erich Steinbrinck and Bruno Heinemann, that were transferred at the beginning of April to Brest, begin the preparations for transfer back to germany, including laying defensive minefields, and shakedown trials for their machine plants. The auxiliary mine searcher M 4030 is damaged before Brest through mine hit and sinks after the reaching of the harbor.

7.9.1941 North Sea in the attack by the 4th S flottille (Kptlt. Bätge) with S 48, S 49, S 50, S 52 and S 107 sink convoy off the Norfolk coast Duncarron (478 BRT) (by S-50) and the norw. Eikshaug (1436 BRT) (by S-52).

7-26.9.41: North Sea Do217s of KG. 2 sink near Lowestoft the Marcrest (4224 BRT) and in Kinnaird Head the fish freighter coming from Iceland Trsat (1369 BRT). Other Ger. Airplanes sink south of the Humber estuary the niederl. Vechtstroom (845 BRT) and the British Prince (4979 BRT). In air attacks dnear Cromer the Stanmount (4468 BRT) is damaged, and near Harwich the Prestatyn Rose (1151 BRT).

9.9.1941 canal the norw. MTB 54 sinks the KM Picket boats V 202 and V near Boulogne and sinks the steamer Trifels (6198 BRT). Another Picket boat is also damaged through collision with the MTB .

10.9.1941 Biskaya Blockadebrecher Anneliese Essberger (5173 BRT, Kpt. Bahl) from shrinks of Dairen reaches Bordeaux with a load of 3400 t of rubber.

13./14.9.1941 aerial warfare Western Europe the RAF bomber Command hits the German battle ships in Brest.

15./16.9.1941 BC attacks ports and shipping in Germany including Hamburg, Bremen, Cuxhaven and Wilhelmshaven. In Hamburg, the Swedish freighter Yarrawonga (4900 BRT) sinks.

15.– 20.9.1941 Mine Sweeper M3823 is sunk in Le Havre by bombs. tug Vulcan (395 BRT) is sunk by a mine hit before near Le Havre and the small freighter Indus (733 BRT) by bomb hit near Vlaardingen.

16.– 21.9.1941 U 451 runs (Kptlt. Hope man) enroute from Kirkenes to Kiel is attacked by unknown airplane near the Kiel Wash. At pos'n 18.9. it narrowly avoids tightly paterned spread of torpedoes . The aggressor remains unexplained.


17.– 30.9.1941 North Sea the 4th S flottille (Kptlt. Bätge) patrols off cromer with S 50, S 51 and S 52 east of Cromer. Convoy on. S 51 (Oblt.z.S. Meyer) sinks the freighter Teddington (4762 BRT), S 50 (Oblt.z.S. Karcher) torpedos the and damages freighter Tetela (5389 BRT), In uses in the nights 20./21., 27./28. and 29./30.9. Patrols further south remain without success for the flotilla.

19./20.9.1941 aerial warfare Germany attack of the RAF bomber Command on Stettin.

21.9.1941 north Norway the German minesweeper R 158 is involved in a collision with harbor protection boat NT 05/ Togo (former norw. Minenleger Otra) It sinks at the 5.11.

29./30.9.1941 aerial warfare Germany air attack of the RAF bomber Command on Stettin and Hamburg. It is repeated in the following night
 
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Id go with the 109. i mean if it went from this in its original form
30shyf4.jpg

to this wonderfully honed final model
2rfzj8z.jpg

, who knows what they'll come up with next? plus, you can modify the bejeezus out of it with cannons, rocket-mortars, radar and scanning equipment, and maybe then the x-4 air-to-air missiles if the war continued
 
Id go with the 109. i mean if it went from this in its original form
30shyf4.jpg

to this wonderfully honed final model
2rfzj8z.jpg

, who knows what they'll come up with next? plus, you can modify the bejeezus out of it with cannons, rocket-mortars, radar and scanning equipment, and maybe then the x-4 air-to-air missiles if the war continued
Where might you tuck the radar remember in the 40's they hadn't even thought of the transistor the forerunner of the chip so radar was bulky and req'd a fair size power source meaning a bigger generator/alternator battery etc
 
2wfpqns.jpg

sorry i havent looked at this particular model in a long time. its actually radar homing equipment. my bad for saying that its radar. i dont think many night-fighter bf.109s were made, because they are overshadowed by even the focke-wulf ta-154, a failed project
if this model is fictional, please tell me. sometimes fiction gets mixed in with rare types and models that actually existed
 
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October


1.10.1941 aerial warfare Germany night attack by RAF bomber Command on Stettin and Hamburg.

1.10.1941 English Channel the 3rd R flottille with R 38, R 33, R 35, R 36, R 165 and R 166 is near Dieppe by 8 Hurricanes. R 38, R 33 and R 165 are heavily damaged, the other boats slightly damaged (13 dead, 11 seriously injured). On R 38, the flottille commander Kptlt fall. Rossow, and the commander of the 2nd security division, K. z. S. are killed.

1.– 4.10.1941 Nor T boat Draug tows the the nor. MTB 56 from Scapa Flow until 120 sea miles from the the norweg. Coast. On the night of the 3./4.10. MTB 56 (Lt. Danielsen) enters the Korsfjord aan attacks a Ger. Convoy with M 1101, V 5505 as escort and sinks the the norweg. Tanker Borgny (3015 BRT) by torpedo hit . MTB 56 is subsequently recovered by the Draug and is towed back again to Scapa

1.– 11.10.1941 north polar sea Convoy PQ. 1 foms (29.9.) and sails with 11 trade ships, escorted by the cruiser Suffolk, the destroyer impulsive and the mine sweepers Britomart, Gossamer, Leda and Hussar, from Hvalfjord to Arkhangelsk without enemy contact . For some of the journey time, the convoy escort is joined by destroyers Anthony, Antelope and Escapade. Convoy QP. 1 runs (since 28.9.) with 14 trade ships, escorted by Cruisers London and Shropshire and the destroyers Electra, Active, Anthony and 3 Trawlern from Arkhangelsk to Scapa Flow. In the white sea, sowj reinforce. Sov Picket boat of the white sea flottille near Kola Fjord rwndevous with Mine Sweepers Halcyon, Harrier and Salamander, which are then stationed in north Russia for local escort.

1.– 31.10.1941 waters around Great Britain LW Airplanes sink the Glynn (1134 BRT) east of Lowestoft, the norw. Rask (632 BRT) south east of Ireland, the niederl. Frieze country (2662 BRT) and Antiope (4545 BRT) north of Cromer, Tanker British Fortunes (4696 BRT) and the Greek Nicolaos Piangos (4499 BRT) east of Felixstowe. Serenity (557 BRT) is damaged nordwestl. of Lundy.

3.10.1941 RAF bomber Command attacks (actually I think it was 2 gp in a daylight raid) on Rotterdam. The Ger Picket boats V 1106, V 1107, V 1109 and fast boat S 107 are heavily damaged, with light dmage to S 51 and S 52.

10.– 24.10.1941 waters around Great Britain LW lays air mines. Sunk near the Humber estuary the Greeks Kyma (3959 BRT) and in the Barrow Deep sw. of Harwich Empire Ghyll (2011 BRT) Mahseer (7911 BRT) and the Minesweeping Trawler Emilion (201 BRT) and Lucienne Jeanne (264 BRT). Damaged near Orfordness the Icemaid (1964 BRT) and near Milford Haven the naval supply tanker Cordelia (8190 BRT).

11./12.10.1941 RAF Bomber Command attacks Emden.

12.10.1941 North Sea after being deployed in the Baltic Sea and a general refit 2nd S flottille transferred (Kptlt. Feldt) leads returns to the Atlantic coast with S 41, S 47, S 53, S 62, S 104 and S 105. Convoy north of Cromer is attacked. S 105 (Lt.z.S. Howaldt) sinks the Chevington (1537 BRT) and S 53 (Oblt.z.S. block) the norw. Freighter Roy (1768 BRT).

12.10.1941 Nor Steamer Vaagen rammt , whilst being escorted by the Ger Destroyer Friedrich Eckoldt, and the Karl Galster is heavily damaged when in a collision withy the former. Cargo ship and Destroyer transferred to Kiel transfer for repairs. The commander-in-chief, Grossadmiral Raeder orders the arrest of the norw. Captain, on the suspicion, that the collision was an act of deliberate sabotage.

12./13.10.1941 aerial warfare Germany RAF bomber Command attacks Bremen.

14.– 20.10.1941 North Sea Coastal Command sinks. UJ 1709 / in a running fight at pos'n 19.10 and the Freighter Barcelona (3101 BRT) near Aalesund, the Swedish freighters Hilda (1237 BRT) and Gunlog (1424 BRT), near the Dutch coast the Norwegian freighter Solskin (372 BRT), and the swede. Ingeren (6123 BRT) westl. of Borkum.

15.10.1941 channel Submarine L. 27 misses a Ger freighter near Cherbourg.

18.10.– 4.11.1941 Norway the fr. Submarine Minerve patrols neare Stavanger and misses at near posn 29.10. a tanker.

20./21.10.1941 aerial warfare Germany RAF bomber Command attacks Wilhelmshaven, Bremen and Emden.

21.10.– 5.11.1941 north polar sea the Soviets. M U would boot operate-176, Shch-401, Shch-404, Shch-421 before the norw. Polar coast. K-1 (Kpt. 3.Rg. Avgustonovich) puts at the 27.10. a mine barrier before the Mageröy Sund, on that at the 8.11. the dt. Steamer Flottbek (1930 BRT) sinks, and at the 29.10. a mine barrier before Breisund. K-23 (Kpt. 3.Rg. Potapov) a mine barrier puts before Kirkenes, on that at the 5.11. the dt. Mine searcher M 22 damaged becomes and at the 15.2. the norw. Steamers Birk (3664 BRT) lost goes. previous to this entry, have not been fully documenting Soviet ops in the European Atlantic coastal waters.....might go back and do that )

23.10.1941 Biskaya of the dt. Mine searcher M 6 decreases to a mine south of Lorient.

The Minesweeper M 6; 872GRT 121 crew; is sunk, after hitting a mine at 1245 hrs, south of Lorient., Position 47° 18N 04° 20E, 21 crew lost

23./24.10.1941 RAF Bomber Command attacks Kiel. 64 airplanes (of 71 started) find target with 1 a/c lost.

23.– 25.10.1941 canal the German destroyers Z 23 and Z 24 transfer from La Pallice to Cherbourg and enroute via the channel to north Norway.

24.10.– 6.11.1941 channel Submarine P. 36 on patrol south west of tip Great Britain (Cornwall). (a silly entry....but anyway)

26./27.10.1941 RAF Bomber Command attacks Hamburg. 78 airplanes (of 105 started) throw release bombs over target 5 losses (previously no details have been included in the diary entry....might try to get some)

31.10./1.11.1941 night attack of the RAF Bomber Command on Hamburg and Bremen. Intersting side note, this is the first entry that specifies night attack....surely the previous attacks were also night attacks)
 
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November

1./2.11.1941 North Sea Coastal Command sink by direct attack the swede. vessels Braheholm (5676 BRT) and westl. of Borkum the Ingeren (6123 BRT).

2.– 5.11.1941 "ultra" reports final preparations in the westl. Baltic Sea for a planned outbreak attempt of a German Heavy ship, possibly the Tirpitz, into the Atlantic. In German side preparations for 4.-10.11. for a planned Atlantic sortie in the zone of the Denmark strait lead to the precautionary deployment of the the U boats U 431, U 402, U 332 and U 105. Actually however the planned outbreak of the Admiral Scheer must be postponed because of machine damage. — Against the expected outbreak attempt the home Fleet takes (Adm. Tovey) with battle ship King George V, carrier Victorious, positions south of iceland and a rendevous with cruisers and destroyers. The american Task Group TG.3.1. (RAdm. Gaped) with the battle ships Idaho, Mississippi, heavy cruisers Tuscaloosa, Wichita and destroyers Gwin, Meredith, Monssenalso slip morrings from Hvalfjord to the cover of the Denmark strait as well . very intersting....what would the USN have done if they intercepted any German ships...they already had orders to treat any U-Boat encountered as hostile....would they have fired on surface warships????)

2.– 13.11.1941 waters around Great Britain German mineslaid by a/c sink in the Bristol channel the Excavator Foremost 45 (824 BRT) and at brightenhead. Madjoe (249 BRT), at the Humber River the Picket vessel Ouzel, and the Maurita (199 BRT) and in the harbor of Falmouth the niederl. Joma (372 BRT).

2.– 15.11.1941 North Ocean Soviet. U-boat-operations off the norweg. polar coast-M 401, M-171, M-172, M-173 and M-175. in the Lopphavet under the control of Shch-421 (Kptlt. N. A. Lunin) 3 unsuccessful attacks . HM Submarine Trident (Cdr. Sladen) sinks in the Svaerholthavet from a convoy the U hunter UJ 1213/ and MRS 3 /Bali. The large Soviet. K boat misses a target at on 3.11.41 at posn 7.11. as does K-21 on the 9th and 12.11. its goals. K-22 operates without success in the Vestfjord. K-21 (Kpt. 3.Rg. Zhukov) puts lays mines in the Söröysund which sinks at the norw. Steamer Bessheim (1774 BRT).

2.– 24.11.1941 North Sea LW Airplanes sink outside the Humber. Brynmill (743 BRT) and Marie Dawn (2157 BRT), sth the Firth of Forth the Trawler Cradock (204 BRT) and before Scarborough the norw. Victo (3655 BRT), East of Cromer the Marinetrawler Francolin (322 BRT), nördl. of the Humber the Corhampton (2495 BRT) and east of Lowestoft the Bovey Tracey (1212 BRT). — Damaged through air attacks before Great Yarmouth the tankers Agility (522 BRT) the Thyra III (828 BRT), before Sunderland the Gaslight (1090 BRT), before Harwich the norw. Bestum (2215 BRT) and in Great Yarmouth Ardenza (933 BRT).

3.11.1941 channell Brit. MTB sink near Cap Gris Nez the German transport Ro 19 (. Batavier V, 1573 BRT). (could not quite get this...The label Ro 19 is retained yet out of the time of the assembly of vehicles in Rotterdam for the planned landing in England.....I think it means the name was retained for deception purposes in relation to the cross channel attack )

3.– 17.11.1941 North Ocean Convoy QP. 2 (12 trade ships), accompanied by the cruiser Norfolk, destroyers Eclipse, Icarus and 2 Trawlern as well as when local escort protection before Kola, with mine sweepers Bramble, Leda and Seagull runs, without enemy contact from Archangelsk to Kirkwall

4.11. – 4.12.1941 The new submarines Umbra and Tuna in company with french subs Rubia and Minerve patrol near Utvaer and Vestfjord. The flottilla reports no success. Also the franz.

5.11.1941 North Sea Brit. Bombers sink the easy artillery carrier in the Emsmündung LAT 4/ Kurt Sandkamp (4.11. – 4.12.1941 Norway before Utvaer crosses roasted of the 4.-20.11. the new. Submarine umbra. Before the Vestfjord operates of the 12.11.- 4.12. Tuna. Both boats can indicate no successes. Also the franz. Rubis and Minerve U would boot remain without success.

5.11.1941 North Sea Brit. Bombers sink the easy artillery carrier in the Emsmündung LAT 4/ Kurt Sandkamp (4.11. – 4.12.1941 Norway before Utvaer crosses roasted of the 4.-20.11. the new. Submarine umbra. Before the Vestfjord operates of the 12.11.- 4.12. Tuna. Both boats can indicate no successes. Also the franz. Rubis and Minerve U would boot remain without success.

5.11.1941 North Sea Brit. Bombers sink the easy artillery carrier in the Emsmündung LAT 4/ Kurt Sandkamp ("Artillery carriers", small cargo vessels converted for landing support. The Kurt Sandekamp was approximately 300BRT). My best gues as to why this ship was where it was is that it was being used to provide flak support to seaborne traffic in the Kattegat, or was acting as a picket boat for the germans. Here is a picture of the Ost a near sister).
 

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Hello Parsifal
it's my understanding that during the attack against the Germn troop convoy on 6/7 Sept 41 the light cruisers HMS Nigeria and HMS Aurora only sunk Bremse and the transports Trautenfels and Barcelona escaped into the fjord in bad visibility

Juha
 
quite possibly. I am away from home and dont have access to the Seekrieg online diary. However from memory I think the diary says it esacaped, heavily damaged, was forced to beach itself and then lost. I will check and cross check and get back to you whaen I get home.

Thanks for the tip however....you may well be right.
 
Hello Parsifal
it's my understanding that during the attack against the Germn troop convoy on 6/7 Sept 41 the light cruisers HMS Nigeria and HMS Aurora only sunk Bremse and the transports Trautenfels and Barcelona escaped into the fjord in bad visibility

Juha


Hi Juha


was wondering if you could give your interpretation of the relevant "Seekrieg" Diary entry. It says"RAdm. Vian stößt mit den Kreuzern Nigeria und Aurora am 6./7.9. an die Polarküste vor und trifft dabei vor dem Porsangerfjord auf einen kleinen dt. Geleitzug. Die Kreuzer vernichten das Artillerieschulschiff Bremse (KKpt. v. Brosy-Steinberg †). Die Transporter Trautenfels (6418 BRT) und Barcelona (3101 BRT) mit etwa 1500 Mann der 6. Geb.-Div. an Bord entkommen bei schlechter Sicht in den Fjord. Am 10.9. treffen die brit. Verbände wieder in Scapa Flow ein."

English sites are allover the place with this engagement. I have already posted one that says both transports were sunk0. Another English site says both transports escaped. This versions is repeated in the WW2 Cruisers entries for both Nigeria and Aurura.

The SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2 by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005 HMS AURORA - Arethusa-class Light Cruiser including Convoy Escort Movements Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net
See : HMS Aurora, British light cruiser, WW2 states "Carried out surface gunfire attack on German military convoy off North Cape with HMS NIGERIA. (Note: A German naval training ship BREMSE deployed as escort was sunk and two other escorts damaged. The two troopships in this convoy escaped. HMS NIGERIA was damaged possibly after grounding or striking a wreck.)

This site contains an extremely detailed discusson about operations near Spitzbergen

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-11084.html

It does not mention the loss of the transports as well. The question is, if they were not lost immeditately were they beached as a result of damage or being trapped.....I am quite unsure now.

I am unsure about what to enter now until i get verification of the Seekrieg enty. What is your take on this?
 
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Though completely off topic, I find the operations surrounding Spi9tzbergen extremely intersting. According to the Naval Ships forum (mentioned above, there were a number of operations after the September raids, firstly that led to the re-establishment of a weather station by the Germans , and secondly concerning the return of the Norwegians to the island. These are events i knew very little about until undertaking this research

"Operation Fritham

Preliminaries
After representations by the exiled Norwegian Government to the Admiralty, it was agreed for Norwegian miners to reoccupy the settlements to prevent further deterioration of the mining facilities. The Norwegians thought that only a small force would be necessary which, in order to respect the terms of the Treaty, would be described as a group of patriots returning to their homeland in their own vessels.

Aerial reconnaissance on 5 April, by a Catalina of 210 Squadron, reported no enemy activity, but failed to spot the Banso weather station encampment only ten miles away, from the proposed landing site.

The Operation
On 30 April 1942, the Norwegian tug/icebreaker Isbjorn and the sealer Selis with 85 men, sailed from the Clyde. This was an all Norwegian operation with a Norwegian, Lieutenant-Commander Einar Sverdrup, in command. The 85 men were mainly ex miners from Spitsbergen who had undergone basic military training, but included some British Army and naval officers. They refuelled and loaded more stores in Iceland, leaving on 8 May.

On 13 May another reconnaissance flight by a Catalina of 210 Squadron in the Icefjord area, spotted tracks, radio masts and a Heinkel 111 by some huts. (This was the weather station Banso.) They opened fire on the Heinkel but caused no serious damage, and it was able to take off and return to Norway. The Norwegian ships were warned of possible air attacks, but it is doubtful if the message got through.

The Isbjorn and Selis arrived at the entrance to Icefjord at 20.00 on 13 May, but found the passage to their landing jetty was blocked by ice. Against the advice of the British military officers who wanted to start unloading immediately by relays of sleds, the Norwegian commander ordered the Isbjorn to cut a passage through the ice to the jetty, as it would be easier to unload there.

At 05.00 the next day, a Ju88 was seen flying at low level along Icefjord. The landing party's fears were confirmed at 20.30 when four Focke-Wulf Condors suddenly appeared without warning over the enclosed fjord. Making several bombing runs over the ships, the Condors sank the Isbjorn and set the Selis ablaze, which eventually sank. Thirteen men were killed including the Norwegian commander and a British officer Lieutenant-Colonel Dan Godfrey.

Nearly all the equipment, arms, ammunition, food clothing, radios and supplies had been lost, being still aboard the unloaded ships. Fortunately for the survivors, after the hurried evacuation of the previous year, there was shelter, accommodation, food, fuel and clothing left behind intact, enabling them to survive in relative comfort. Each day thereafter, the Germans flew a reconnaissance aircraft over the area.

Afterwards
Nothing of what had happened to the expedition could be reported as all the radio equipment had been lost. It was not until German Enigma signals from the Banso weather station were intercepted and decrypted that it was learned that two ships had been attacked and sunk. Aerial reconnaissance was ordered, and on 25 May, 210 Squadron sent a Catalina to look for survivors, and managed to make contact with them by signal lamp, learning of the wounded.

The same Catalina returned on 28 May at 04.30 packed with emergency supplies and comforts. As they were unable to land due to floating drift ice, everything was dropped with long orange streamers attached for easy location in the snow. A further supply flight on 1 June had to be abandoned because of snow storms.

The abandoned flight was resumed on 6 June, loaded mainly with arms and ammunition. This time the fjord was sufficiently free of ice to enable a landing to be made. The cargo was unloaded and six wounded survivors taken on board. Another supply flight took place on 15 June, bringing back Lieutenant-Commander Alexander "Sandy" Glen and two Norwegians.

peration Gearbox

When Naval Intelligence received Sandy Glen's report on Operation Fritham, it was decided that the objectives of Fritham could be achieved by reinforcing the Norwegians in an operation to be called "Gearbox".

For this operation, the land forces would again be Norwegian, but the transport and supply would be organised and implemented by the Royal Navy. The cruiser Manchester and destroyer Eclipse, under Rear-Admiral Bonham-Carter, were assigned for this and their movements would be disguised by sailing with the First Cruiser Squadron (Rear-Admiral Hamilton) which was providing the cruiser covering force for convoy PQ17. They would sail with them from Seidesfjord, Iceland as far as Jan Mayen Island then head north to approach Spitsbergen from the west.

A Catalina of 210 Squadron was again detailed to provide reconnaissance photographs of the area in and around Icefjord and report on the state of the sea ice in the fjord, and reconnoitre for a suitable safe refuelling location for future PQ convoy escorts. It was also to report on the position of the Arctic ice sheet to the north of Bear Island for PQ17, and take Sandy Glen and another British officer Major Andrew Croft to Spitsbergen.

Taking off from Akureyri, Icelend on 26 June, the Catalina achieved all its objectives, even destroying a Ju88 on the ground on the way. They returned at 23.30 the next day, having been airborne for over 24 hours. Rear-Admiral Bonham-Carter received the report and photographs only a few hours before he sailed with the First Cruiser Squadron from Seidisfjord.

The Manchester and Eclipse were carrying 60 Norwegian soldiers and 116 tons of equipment and supplies, including anti aircraft guns. Arriving at Barentsburg at 12.30 on 2 July, the men and supplies had to be unloaded in small boats due to the jetty being silted up, taking 120 trips and six hours in all.

When the operation was completed, the two ships joined the Home Fleet of Admiral Tovey, the distant covering force for PQ17.

Later Gearbox operations

After Operation Gearbox was completed, there were further re-supply operations which became known as the Gearbox support operations. When they were combined with another operation they were sometimes given a number such as Gearbox 2, Gearbox 3, etc. to distinguish their actions from the main operation.

8 September 1942 - Re-supply by HMS Jamaica HMS Keppel, HMS Bramham, HMS Mackay, HMS Montrose.

17-18 September 1942 - Operation Gearbox 2 (part of Operation EV, the escort for Convoy PQ18). Re-supply by HMS Cumberland, HMS Sheffield, HMS Eclipse.

19 October 1942 - Operation EZ. Re-supply by HMS Argonaut, HMS Inglefield, HMS Obdurate.

25 November 1942 - Re-supply by HMS London, HMS Suffolk, HMS Obedient, HMS Obdurate, HMS Orwell.

10 June 1943 – Operation Gearbox 3 (part of Operation FH, escorting corvettes Camellia and Bluebell from Russia). Re-supply by Force R - HMS Cumberland, HMS Bermuda, HMCS Athabaskan, HMS Eclipse.

18 October 1943 - Operation FQ (following the Tirpitz attack).
Relief force – USS Tuscaloosa, HMS Onslaught, HMS Oribi, HMS Orwell, USS Fitch;
Covering force – HMS Anson, USS Ranger, HMS Norfolk, HMCS Haida, HMCS Iroquois, HMS Hardy, HMS Janus, HMS Vigilant, USS Corry.

16 June 1944 - Re-supply by HMS Jamaica, HMS Whelp.

15 September 1944 - Re-supply by HMS Jamaica, HMS Orwell, HMS Obedient."
 
Hello Parsifal
entkommen = escape
Rohwer's and Hummelchen's Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 – 1945 (1992), it's an English edition of the earlier, less extensive edition of the book on which the on-line "Seekrieg" Diary is based. I usually used both the book and the clearly more extensive on-line version together. You have made a great work by picking up and translating the relevant parts of the on-line version plus digging out all the extras.

also the extensive description of the action in Whitley's German Coastal Forces of World War Two (1992) pp. 161 - 64.

Lastly and especially leastly, hazy recollections on the history of the 6th Mountain Div.

Juha
 
November continued

9./10.11.1941 aerial warfare Germany the RAF carries out light attacks on Hamburg, Cuxhaven and Ernden.

9.– 28.11.1941 North Ocean Convoy PQ. 3 (8 trade ships) runs without enemy contact from Hvalfjord to Archangelsk. 1 ship returns because of ice damage. The convoy stands is escorted at various times by 2 armed Trawlern. cruisers Kenya, the destroyer leaders Bedouin and Intrepid, with support of the sowj. Destroyer Gremyashchi and Gromki an attack against the norw. Polar coast and shoot Vardö. After that they receive the escort for the convoy after Archangelsk. From 23.11. the sowj step. Destroyer Sokrushitelny and RN Mine Sweeper Bramble, Seagull and Speedy act as local escort protection Convoy PQ. 4 (8 trade ships) follows at the 17.11. and encounters together with PQ. 3 at the 28.11. in Archangelsk on. It becomes first of all accompanied of 2 armed Trawlern and of 25.-27.11. of the cruiser Berwick and the destroyers Offa and Onslow. Local escort protection on the last piece of the way through the mine searchers Gossamer, Seagull and Speedy.

10.– 23.11.1941 North Sea the Swedish ore freighters Vollrath Thamm (5805 BRT) and Hedda (1472 BRT) set sail on the 10.11. and 23.11.respectively for Rotterdam.... north of Borkum they both hit air mines and are lost.

12.– 28.11.1941 North Ocean KM deploy U 752 and U 578 U boots in the entrance to the white sea U 752 (Oblt.z.S. Schroeter) in cape Gorodetskij area locates a small convoy misses the mine layer Jushar but sunk the patrol vesel T-898. at posn 27.11. locates the sowj. Picket Boat ship Briz (former RT-58/Spartak) in Kanin straits forcing it onto the on U 578 who damages it by ramming.

12.11.– 4.12.1941 North Ocean Sowj. Escort vessels of the the type MO IV operate in the coastal waters in several capacities, and lay mines near Petsamo, Kirkenes and Vardö.

13.– 14.11.1941 Biskaya the 8th M flottille (KKpt. v. Kamptz) undertaske Minesweeping with boats M 28, M 24, M 26, M 27 and M 32 in order to receive the retreating prize vessel Silvaplana (pinch HSK Atlantis) at arranged position. In place of the belated Silvaplana, the Kota Nopan (pinch HSK comet) appears unexpectedly at the reception position. The Kota Nopan believes attracted itself of hostile units into a trap and rammt M 27 that heavily is damaged. The flottilles led the Kota Nopan subsequently after Royan (Gironde).

16.– 28.11.1941 North Ocean U-boat-operations at the polar coast. The sowj. K-23 (Kpt. 3.Rg. Does Potapov) operating out of Murmansk (?), puts four small mine barriers between Bergsfjorden and Kvaenangenfjord at the 19./20.11 and shoots bombards Lopphavet with the board gun the norw. Auxiliary mine searcher start. Through garnet gravel, 7 garrison members are wounded. K-3 (Kpt. 3.Rg. Malofeev with the commander of the 1st U-Boot-Div., Kpt. 2.Rg. Gadzhiev on board) is also patrolling the 23.11. two mine barriers in the Reinöy- and Mageröysund areas a ere laid. On the first mentioned barrier goes at the the norw. Steamers Ingoy (327 BRT) is lost. 30.1.1942 of the UJ 1110 / Mob FD 6: Before the Porsangerfjord is lost(Kptlt. Bibeyev with the boss of the 2nd U-boat-Div. Kpt. 2.Rg. Kolyshkin, on board) at the 26.11. a convoy present on east course with 2 mine searchers on, only can assume however a success, do not observe.

Newly arrived into the North Ocean, U boots Sealion (Lt. Colvin) and Seawolf (Lt. Raikes). Sealion sinks the norw. Tanker Vesco (331 BRT) in the Svaerholthavet. Two attacks of Seawolf at the 22.11. and 24.11. before the Syltefjord fail. Ger freighter Bahia is attacked and damaged near Varberg however later returns to port.

18.11.1941 North Ocean the 8th S flottille newly set up at the 1.11.1941 (Kptlt. Christiansen) transfers with the boats S 42, S 44, S 45 and S 46 to north Norway where the flotilla is based at Tromsö and at Vardö . Because of bad weather, the flotilla suffres frequent damag and breakdown problems, the flottille operates for 6 months with hardly any operational uses. From 24.6.1942, the boats transfer back to Kiel where the flottille is dissolved at the 10.7.1942.

19.– 26.11.1941 Biskaya the French submarine Rorqual (Cdr. Dewhurst) lays a mine barrier outside La Rochelle, which sinls the the French fish steamer Coligny (600 BRT). At posn 26.11. the britsche submarine P-36 misses a German submarine outside St. Nazaire.

19./20.11.1941 North Sea attacks by 2nd S Fl. with S 104, S 105, S 41 and S 47 on one roasted. S 104 (Oblt.z.S. vine castle) sinks the navy tanker was Mehtar (5502 BRT) in a Convoy near Great Yarmouth, S 105 sinks Freighter Aruba (1159 BRT) and S 41 the freighter whale thing (2462 BRT). The 4th S flottille discontinued also with 5 boats does not approach the convoy. On British side, the escort destroyer Garth (Oblt. Popp) is damaged through gun fire of the destroyer Campbell. After the attack, S 41 is damaged in a collision with S 47 damaged and must be towed. The flottilla isattacked on its withdrawal by MGB 64 (LtCdr. R. Hichens) and MGB 67 . The MGB capture radio devices and lake cards, from one of the s bootes that are abandoned but do not rescue sinking boat. Also the other German S boats are all damaged through the superior fire of the new MGBs (the turning tide[?/I]).

24.11.1941 North Ocean Brit. Association (KAdm. Burrough) with the cruiser Kenya, the destroyers Bedouin and Intrepid as well as the sowj. Destroyers Gremjashchij and Gromkij rendevopuss at the norweg. Polar coast between Nordkyn and Vardö and then proceeds to Vardö, bombarding the port.

24.11.1941 North Sea attack of the 4th S Fl. (Kptlt. Bätge) on Convoy east of Orfordness with S 50, S 51, S 52, S 109 and S 110: S 109 (Lt.z.S. bosses) sinks Tanker Virgilia (5723 BRT), S 52 (Oblt.z.S. Karl Müller) the niederl. Freighter Groenlo (1984 BRT), S 51 torpedos the freighter Blairnevis (4155 BRT).

27.11.– 12.12.1941 North Ocean Convoy QP. 3 begins its return home and has no contact with the enemy from Archangelsk to Seidisfjord (Iceland), The convoy haas four freighters escorted by the Minesweepers, Seagull and Speady to the Kola Fjord led. From 28.11. the convoy with 6 further trade ships from Murmansk to Seidisfjord join the convoy, accompanied of the cruiser Kenya (until 3.12.), the destroyers Beduin and Intrepid (until 2.12.) and the mine sweepers Gossamer and Hussar (until 9.12.). 2 ships must reverse because of weather damage.

Convoy PQ. 5 Sharpshooter (going through), Hazard runs with 7 trade ships and in accompaniment of two mine sweepers , and from Kanin. Bramble and Seagull, without enemy contact from Hvalfjord to Archangelsk.

28./29.11.1941 North Sea mine enterprise of the 4th S flottille (Kptlt. Bätge) into the maritime area northwesterly of Cromer. Subsequently attack on one contacted Convoy. At the same time S51 (Oblt.z.S. Meyer) sinks the freighter Cormarsh (2848 BRT), S 52 (Oblt.z.S. Müller) the Empire Newcomen (2840 BRT) and S 64 (Oblt.z.S. Wilcke) the tanker Asperity (699 BRT).

29.11.1941 Norway RAF Airplanes sink at the before Skudesnes the norw. coastal steamer Vindafjord (142 BRT).

30.11.1941 North Sea the Danish freighters Ester (1272 BRT) and Oluf Maersk (1950 BRT) are sunk by British air attacks. — KM. Raider Komet (KAdm. Eyssen) arrives after 516-days at sea in Hamburg. Result: 6 ships with 31,005 BRT and 2 ships with 21,125 BRT together with disguised Raider Orion.
 
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