Sick of Stocks? There Are Alternatives
by Don Duncan | Oct 26, 2011 | Articles |
Recent stock market volatility has prompted many investors to look for alternatives to equities as they build a portfolio. Alternative investments — such as real estate investment trusts, commodities, private equity, and hedge funds — may have appeal for certain individuals.
The stock market volatility of the past decade has caused many investors to question how much of their portfolios should be allocated to equities. If the equity markets are making you nervous, it’s important to understand that there are alternatives. Many investors are turning to alternative investments, which, when used along with stocks, may increase diversification and potentially lessen volatility.1
Alternative Investments Defined
Alternative investments take many forms, including the following:
Real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs invest in groups of professionally managed properties such as office buildings, apartments, warehouses, or health care facilities. To qualify as a REIT, a company must invest at least 75% of its total assets in real estate, it must derive at least 75% of gross income from rents or mortgage interest, and it must pay at least 90% of its taxable income in the form of shareholder dividends. REITs trade on major exchanges and can be bought or sold as you would trade a stock.
Commodities.2 These investments include metals such as gold or silver, oil, and agricultural products. In the case of gold or silver, there are dealers who trade these precious metals. If you take physical possession of gold or silver, you will need to arrange for storage and insurance. Because many investors do not want to make these arrangements, exchange-traded funds have become a popular way to access commodities.
Private equity. Major categories of private equity include venture capital, leveraged buyouts, and mezzanine financing. Investors participate in private markets through collective vehicles such as partnerships that actively manage the investment assets on the investors’ behalf. Successful investing in this area requires the ability to assess complex financial structures, assume outsized risk in pursuit of superior reward, and tolerate extended periods of illiquidity. Private equity firms frequently require investors to make commitments ranging from $5 million to $10 million or more.
Hedge funds.3 The term hedge fund is a catch-all phrase describing funds that follow aggressive investment strategies such as intensive use of derivatives and proprietary computerized trading. Hedge funds typically are engineered to seek a more favorable risk-adjusted return than their investors might obtain from a fund that follows a standard market benchmark. These funds are offered to investors whose portfolios include more than $1 million in financial assets.
All investing involves risk, including loss of principal, and alternative investments by themselves can be highly volatile. But when used in combination with stocks or other assets, they may help to smooth out long-term returns and provide an alternative when stock returns are choppy. Be sure to consult with your financial professional before investing.
Source/Disclaimer:
1There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a nondiversified portfolio. Diversification does not ensure against market risk.
2Exposure to the commodities market may subject investors to greater volatility as commodity-linked investments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity.
3Hedge funds often engage in speculative investment practices that may increase the risk of investment loss. Hedge funds can be highly illiquid; are not required to provide periodic pricing or valuation information to investors; may involve complex tax structures and delays in distributing important tax information; are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds; and often charge high fees.
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Financial Communications. All rights reserved.
October 2011 — This column is provided through the Financial Planning Association, the membership organization for the financial planning community, and is brought to you by D3 Financial Counselors, a local member of FPA.


FACES OF THE DISAPPEARED: Ayotzinapa: A Writer's Chronicle of Injustice (Paperback)
By Tryno Maldonado, Chandler Thompson (Translated by)
Award-winning Mexican author Tryno Maldonado personally immerses himself in the lives of the students of Ayotzinapa Normal School—victims in the still-unexplained kidnapping tragedy that took place in September 2014. In this narrative, he relives the events leading up to and during the horrific incident in which 43 students were brutalized at the hands of police and militarized narco-gang members, then vanished without a trace. With in-depth interviews of family members and friends of the "disappeared," as well as investigative reportage of the events leading up to and during the incident, Maldonado has created a viscerally powerful account of this tragedy that, to date, has yet to be resolved.
Considered by critics to be one of the most promising voices in contemporary Mexican literature, Tryno Maldonado was born in 1977 in Zacatecas, México. He has contributed to some of the most important publications in México, and part of his work is included in national and international anthologies. He was named one of the best young Latin American writers by the Colombian magazine Gatopardo in 2006. Faces of the Disappeared is his first book to be translated into English. In the 1960s Chandler Thompson was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia, then a translator from French and Spanish to English for a wire service in Paris. He has been an interpreter for the U.S. State Department and the federal courts. He has covered Mexico as a stringer for The Christian Science Monitor and as a staff reporter for The El Paso Times.
"Faces of the Disappeared is more than an important book, it is a book that connects us to our own humanity." —Bill Carter, author of Fools Rush In: A True Story of Love, War, and Redemption
"...leaves a deep piercing wound in every human sensibility...the author threads the individual stories into a tapestry of muted colors and disturbing patterns...this is a book that will realign your perspective...Kudos to translator Chandler Thompson...a heart-wrenching text." —Janis Palma, Texas Master Level Court Interpreter
"By placing the stories of victims and survivors front and center, this book infuses tenderness, humanity, and heartbreak into our understanding of a unshakable act of injustice that has yet to be accounted for." —Francisco Cantu, author of The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border
"Maldonado vividly conveys the families’ struggle for information from a stonewalling government...his sensitively rendered portraits of the missing, assembled through letters and interviews with their families and friends, can make this a difficult book both to pick up and to put down." —Lauren Markham, The New York Review of Books
Publisher: Schaffner Press, Inc.
Political Science / Human Rights


Summerland has received conditional approval for $6 million in federal funding to build a one-megawatt solar array to provide power to the community. (File photo)
Summerland planning solar project to power community
$Six million grant awarded for integrated solar project
Steve Kidd
Mar. 9, 2018 10:30 a.m.
Summerland is taking a big step into the future and making plans to generate a portion of the electricity in the community.
The district received conditional approval for up to $6 million in funding from the Federal Gas Tax Fund to support the development of a one-megawatt solar array with two megawatts of battery storage to be located within municipal boundaries.
“Summerland is incredibly proud to be selected to receive this funding in support of our integrated solar project,” said Mayor Peter Waterman. “Our community has indicated an immense amount of support for our electrical utility to begin generating power locally from renewable sources, and for us to take our energy future into our own hands.
“The economic opportunities this project will provide to Summerland cannot be understated, and we look forward engaging our residents in the process so their vision for this project can be fully realized.”
Related: Municipality considering solar power
Speaking at a press conference, Waterman told about Summerland having a long history of being first: the first community in the Okanagan to enjoy electricity and the first to have telephone service, in 1907. Summerland is only one of five municipalities in B.C. to have its own electrical utility.
That, he said, has helped Summerland ensure the community’s energy future remains in the control of our residents and is operated strictly for their benefit.
There are a number of benefits to adding the solar array and storage to Summerland’s electrical utility systems beyond being a showcase of clean power technology that other communities can look too.
By generating solar energy locally, Summerland will strengthen its existing utility resource, enhance the local economy and create jobs, increase energy security while supporting innovation and, ideally, attracting new residents and visitors.
The project will form the basis for an integrated, long-term approach to sustainable energy management for the community, which will provide ongoing opportunities for job creation, community involvement, and partnerships with local businesses, schools, and not-for-profit groups.
The $6 million from the gas tax fund depends on completing a feasibility study and securing all the funding necessary to complete the project by March 2019. Summerland already received a $100,000 grant from the B.C. Rural Dividend Program for the initial phases of developing and planning the project, along with community consultation.
The additional funding would support the engineering, procurement, and construction of the projects, which are estimated to cost $6,980,000 including $1.4 million for upgrades to Summerland’s existing electrical system. The district will contribute the funds required beyond the grant from its electrical utility capital reserve fund.
More information about Summerland’s integrated solar project is available online at www.summerland.ca/solar.
2 dogs die in attacks as deep snow pushes B.C. cougars out of Cariboo forests
Funds will cover water system upgrade in Scotch Creek


406 University Avenue, Oxford, MS 38655 | [email protected] | (662) 915-5944
Brandt Memory House
Endowment Information
Financial and Operational Information
Planning a Gift
Ole Miss Women’s Council
Art History Professor Receives First Hensley Award
OMWC Dinner, Auction of 'Experiences' to Bolster Student Programming
Sanderson Farms Championship Host Breaks Record with $1.3M Gift
Annual Event Raises Support for University Museum
Best Wishes from Memory House to Your House
Couple Shares Success With UM Family
Daughter Establishes Pierce Memorial Scholarship for Mom
Dalrymple History Department Receives Major Gift
Anne Twitty (left), associate professor of history, greets students during the Department of History’s undergraduate open house outside of Bishop Hall on the Oxford campus.
A $150,000 gift to the University of Mississippi’s Arch Dalrymple III Department of History has better positioned the department to embrace long-range opportunities, such as supporting faculty with their research and teaching goals.
The unrestricted gift, for example, may be used to offset expenses associated with faculty summer writing grants or oral history initiatives, said Noell Wilson, chair of history.
“These help raise the profile of the department nationally while also serving the state of Mississippi and our surrounding community,” she said. “Gifts of this size, particularly to use at the department’s discretion, are rare but hold truly transformative potential to move forward a department’s research and teaching priorities.”
The gift was bequeathed to the university by the late Brig. Gen. John H. Napier III, a 1949 UM history graduate.
“I think he hoped the History Department could use that money to pursue the appreciation of history and research,” said Cameron Freeman Napier, the donor’s wife, who maintains their home in Ramer, Alabama. “But the main thing is to advance the interests of students in the field of history.
“People don’t seem to study history that much and there’s a prevalence of presentism — whereby present-day thinking is imposed upon the past, rather than understanding the past and learning from it,” she continued. “Young people think, ‘Oh, what did the past have to do with me?’ Well it has everything to do with them. The main point is that you learn from it.”
A historian himself, Napier’s book “Lower Pearl River’s Piney Woods: Its Land and People” was published by the university’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture in 1985. He also penned the “Air Force Officers Guide” and a history of his family. Napier and his wife both contributed a number of articles to the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, which was developed by the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at Ole Miss.
In 1989, a previous gift from Napier to the university established a scholarship to help support students from Pearl River County and surrounding counties in Mississippi.
Napier retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1977 as a lieutenant colonel and worked in intelligence and special operations. He served in Vietnam as an expert in unconventional warfare and in national security at the Pentagon, and completed his career at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. After retirement from active duty, he joined the Alabama State Defense Force in 1991 and retired as a state brigadier general in 1997.
As an Ole Miss student, Napier was a Taylor Medalist and was active in Sigma Chi fraternity, Air Force ROTC, and on the student newspaper and yearbook staffs.
“We are thrilled by the opportunities these monies will provide to expand the range of projects both our faculty and students can embrace,” Wilson said. “I personally find this scale of contribution not only generous but also visionary as the Napier family could imagine the multiple ways in which private giving can change the course of individuals’ lives.”
Gifts can be made to the Brig. Gen. John H. Napier III Dalrymple Department of History Endowment by sending a check to the University of Mississippi Foundation, with the fund’s name noted on the memo line, to 406 University Ave., Oxford, Mississippi 38655 or by giving online at give.olemiss.edu.
For information on including UM in estate plans, contact Dan Wiseman, senior director of gift planning, at 662-915-5944 or [email protected].
By Bill Dabney
UM Development
Athletics Foundation
UMMC Development
Endowment Info
Financial & Operational Info
Foundation Services & Forms
Whistleblower Process
©2019 The University of Mississippi Foundation Inc.


Festival updates
Label updates
September 3, 2019 September 3, 2019 by L.P.
The Body to release «Remixed»
Twenty years. That’s how long it has been since Lee Buford and Chip King founded The Body, undoubtedly one of the most important bands in extreme music over the course of the last two decades. This was achieved both through their own releases and through a series of collaborative efforts with the likes of Thou, Full of Hell, Uniform, The Haxan Cloak, Krieg, Vampillia, and more. To celebrate this anniversary, the band chose to once again pursue their collaborative streak and release «Remixed», a double LP of remixes made by “longtime friends, artists who The Body have influenced or been influenced by, and artists with whom the band share a mutual respect.” The last track on the record, «Hallow Hollow», was handled by none other than Lingua Ignota and can be heard below, alongside its original version, from 2016’s «No One Deserves Happiness».
Lingua Ignota is not the only artist from their current base of Providence who remixed a track for the record, with frequent collaborator (as drummer and sound engineer) Seth Manchester remixing «Western Dub» (of whose original release we found no record) and Container tackling «Ten Times A Day, Every Day, A Stranger», the enormous ending of last year’s «I Have Fought Against It, But I Can’t Any Longer». The Body’s Lee Buford said with regards to these choices that “I stand by my assertion that Providence and Providence-related music is the best. Seth is too humble for his own good. He’s a true genius and the best person,” adding that “It’s like a vacation recording with him” and that “Ren [Schofield of Container] is a longtime Providence head just like us. We met Kristin [Hayter of Lingua Ignota] when we went back to Providence to record and play a show there. She’s a true legend. We became friends immediately, and have become best friends since then. It’s always great to make music with her.”
The remaining seven songs were remixed by Moss of Aura, OAA, Mark Solotroff, Moor Mother, Andrew Nolan, Sow Discord, and Peter Rehberg. Below, find the official statement from the band regarding these collaborators.
Remixes by Moss of Aura (Future Island’s Gerrit Welmers) and Peter Rehberg (KTL, Pita) stand as a testament to The Body’s reputation as innovators across genres. It comes as no surprise that The Body would include remixes by friends from around the globe whom they’ve toured with like sometimes live The Body member OAA, Whitehorse’s Dave Coen (Sow Discord), and Andrew Nolan (Intensive Care). Buford explains how humbled they were to include tracks reworked by Mark Solotroff (Anatomy of Habit, Bloodyminded), and Moor Mother: “Mark is a legend and has been a longtime friend. He’s a total anomaly because he’s been doing this for decades and still is extremely enthusiastic about music. We’re huge fans of Moor Mother, and she’s making some of the most original music nowadays. She’s like us in that she has all these disparate influences in her music, but she pulls it off so seamlessly.”
«Remixed» is set for release on October 11 by Thrill Jockey on digital and vinyl formats. Pre-orders can be found here (digital) and here (vinyl).
You can follow The Body on Bandcamp and Facebook. Below, further recall their latest collaborative release alongside Uniform, «Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back», released on August 16 through Sacred Bones and available here on cd, digital, and vinyl formats.
Posted in NewsTagged Andrew Nolan, Container, industrial, Lingua Ignota, Mark Solotroff, Moor Mother, Moss of Aura, OAA, Peter Rehberg, Seth Manchester, Sow Discord, The Body, Thrill Jockey
Previous Blut Aus Nord to release «Hallucinogen»
Next An update on Dead Neanderthals’ «Ghosts»


March 25, 2010 | General News
X-TRAIL: LIL WAYNE
By Seyi Ogunbameru
Rising out of obscurity to stand in the limelight as an international rap juggernaut, Lil Wayne has come a long way from his humble but harsh Hollygrove beginnings. With the recent incarceration of the New Orleans, Louisiana native, we look at the life and times of the Young Money boss and Cash Money Millionaire.
1982: Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr is born September 27 to Jacida “Cita” Carter and Dwayne Michael Turner.
1990: Writes his first rap song
1993: Meets Bryan “Baby” Williams, rapper and owner of Cash Money Records and starts to record freestyles on Baby's answering machine.
1994: Plays the Tin Man in his middle school drama club's production of The Wiz
1995: Accidentally shoots himself with a .44 caliber gun in his chest while mimicking Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle in his bedroom mirror; the bullet misses his heart by two inches and he goes on life support for two weeks.
>> Signs with Cash Money Records and hooks up with another newcomer, Lil' Doogie “B.G”, to form The B.G.'z. Later, they release their first and only album, True Story.
1996: Drops out of school
1997: Joins the Hot Boys alongside rappers Juvenile, B.G. and Turk as the youngest member to release their debut album Get it How You Live.
>> Officially adopts the name Lil Wayne, dropping the “D” from his first name in order to separate himself from an absent father.
>> Step-father Reginald “Rabbit” Carter dies.
1998: Welcomes his first child, Reginae Carter with Antonia “Toya” Johnson, his high school sweetheart.
>> Distinguishes himself on the Hot Boys' multi-platinum selling Universal debut, Guerilla Warfare
1999: Releases debut solo album Tha Block is Hot and receives a Source Award nomination for “Best New Artist.
2000: Releases second album, Lights Out.
>> The Hot Boys receive a Source Award for “Group of the Year.”
2001: Gets shot in the chest in Florida after “some groupies” fire two shots through his tour bus window.
2002: Releases third album 500 Degreez.
2003: Releases hit mixtape called Da Drought.
2004: Releases fourth album Tha Carter and two mixtapes, Da Drought 2 and The Prefix.
>> Marries Johnson.
>> Features on Destiny's Child's single “Soldier” which earns him prominent nominations like 2005 BET Award-Best Collaboration and 2006 Grammy Award-Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
2005: Releases fifth album Tha Carter II and two mixtapes, The Suffix and Dedication with DJ Drama.
>> Enrolls at the University of Houston, majoring in Political Science but later switches to Psychology.
2006: Releases collaboration album with mentor Baby: Like Father, Like Son and also a mixtape with DJ Drama called Dedication 2, which includes a track entitled “Georgia Bush” addressing the problems surrounding the government's response to Hurricane Katrina in his native New Orleans, Lousiana.
>> Divorces wife, Antonia “Toya” Carter.
2007: Releases mixtape, Da Drought 3 and features with several artists including DJ Khaled, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Enrique Iglesias
>> Selected in an MTV poll as “Hottest MC in the Game,” in The New Yorker magazine as “Rapper of the Year”, GQ magazine as “Workaholic of the Year” and the BET Hip-Hop Award for “MVP of the Year.”
>> Arrested at a performance at the Beacon Theatre when the New York City Police Department discovers him smoking marijuana near a tour bus.
>> Arrested again following a performance at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, on felony fugitive charges after Georgia authorities accuse him of possessing a controlled substance.
2008: Releases sixth album Tha Carter III and wins Grammy for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance for “A Milli”, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his appearance on T.I.'s single “Swagga Like Us” and Best Rap Song for “Lollipop”.
>> Named “Best Rock Star Alive” by Blender magazine and “Best MC” by Rolling Stone.
>> Releases tenth mixtape, Dedication 3 with DJ Drama.
>> Has second child, Dwayne III.
>> Arrested in Yuma, Arizona when his tour bus is stopped by Border Patrol agents whose K-9 Unit recovers 105 grams (3.7 oz) of marijuana, almost 29 grams (1.0 oz) of cocaine, 41 grams (1.4 oz) of MDMA, and $22,000 (approx. N3.3 million) in cash.
2009: MTV lists him number two on their list of Hottest MCs in the Game.
>> Releases collaboration album with his Young Money artists
>> Has his third child, Lennox Samuel Ari, born to actress Lauren London and fourth child, Neal, with singer Nivea.
>> Detained at the Falfurrias, Texas border patrol checkpoint after an unknown amount of marijuana was found on two of his tour buses
2010: Releases seventh album Rebirth.
>> Re-signs with Cash Money Records and goes to jail to serve a one-year sentence for attempted criminal possession of a weapon
>> Gets bench warrant when he doesn't show for a final trial management conference. However, the rapper was already in prison, serving a year-long sentence in Rikers on weapons charges.
Additional info: WIKIPEDIA, CASHMONEY-RECORDS.COM, STARPULSE.COM


Brewers get Bandy, deal Maldonado to Angels in catcher swap
Dan Needles
Sports Director
The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired Jett Bandy from the Angels, with Martin Maldonado headed back to Los Angeles in an exchange of defensive-minded catchers. The Brewers also sent minor league pitcher Drew Gagnon to Los Angeles in the deal announced on Tuesday. Bandy hit .234 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 70 games for Los Angeles after being called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on May 20. The 26-year-old Bandy threw out 17 base runners trying to steal, which ranked fourth in the American League and first among major league rookies (37 percent). Maldonado returns to the organization that drafted him in the 27th round in 2004. He hit .202 last season with eight homers and 21 RBIs. In 69 games behind the plate, Maldonado threw out about 35 percent of base-stealers, which was sixth in the majors. The 30-year-old Maldonado made his debut with the Brewers in 2011, serving most of that time as the backup to Jonathan Lucroy until Lucroy was dealt by the rebuilding Brewers last summer to Texas. Maldonado was eligible for arbitration this offseason.
The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired Jett Bandy from the Angels, with Martin Maldonado headed back to Los Angeles in an exchange of defensive-minded catchers.
The Brewers also sent minor league pitcher Drew Gagnon to Los Angeles in the deal announced on Tuesday.
Bandy hit .234 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 70 games for Los Angeles after being called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on May 20. The 26-year-old Bandy threw out 17 base runners trying to steal, which ranked fourth in the American League and first among major league rookies (37 percent).
Maldonado returns to the organization that drafted him in the 27th round in 2004. He hit .202 last season with eight homers and 21 RBIs.
In 69 games behind the plate, Maldonado threw out about 35 percent of base-stealers, which was sixth in the majors.
The 30-year-old Maldonado made his debut with the Brewers in 2011, serving most of that time as the backup to Jonathan Lucroy until Lucroy was dealt by the rebuilding Brewers last summer to Texas.
Maldonado was eligible for arbitration this offseason.


Genesys Works Announces Sahaar Rezaie as Bay Area Executive Director
San Francisco, CA — Genesys Works, a national workforce development social enterprise, today announced that Sahaar Rezaie will lead the organization’s initiatives, which provide life-changing work opportunities to high school and college students, as the Executive Director of its Bay Area location.
Genesys Works provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities through skills training, meaningful work experiences, and impactful relationships. As the Bay Area Executive Director, Rezaie will lead regional strategy, development, and operations, while actively collaborating with leaders across the epicenter of our nation’s technology sector in order to build Bay Area’s future workforce.
Rezaie comes to Genesys Works after nearly a decade of leadership experience in workforce development programs and technology in both the private and public sector, most recently as the founding Vice President of YUPRO, West Region where she worked to close the Opportunity Divide and provide placement and career support for young adults from underserved communities.
“Sahaar’s deep roots in the Bay Area, decade of leadership in workforce development, and personal commitment to serve youth make her uniquely qualified to lead Genesys Works Bay Area,” said David Williams, Genesys Works President & CEO. “We are pleased to welcome her to the Genesys Works family, and confident she will help us scale our impact by serving even more youth in need of guidance and support to attain college and career success.”
Over the years, Genesys Works Bay Area has provided over 550 students with year-long, paid internships, in partnership with companies such as Salesforce, Accenture, AT&T, and more. The program’s goal is to open the door to new opportunities for Bay Area students, and ensure that students achieve college and career success.
“The next generation of leaders lies within our youth. It is our responsibility to help them reach their highest potential,” said Rezaie. “I am thrilled to serve my community as the Executive Director of Genesys Works Bay Area. Most importantly, I am proud to join a team so committed to providing pathways to success for individuals who may not otherwise be provided an opportunity to change their life trajectory.”
The Genesys Works program includes eight weeks of technical and professional skills training, a paid year-long corporate internship, college and career coaching, and alumni support to and through college. To date, 100 percent of students who participate in Genesys Works have graduated from high school and 94 percent have gone on to enroll in college as the next step on their path toward career success.
About Genesys Works
Genesys Works provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities through skills training, meaningful work experiences, and impactful relationships. Our program consists of 8 weeks of technical and professional skills training, a paid year-long corporate internship, college and career coaching, and alumni support to and through college. Our goal is to move more students out of poverty and into professional careers, creating a more productive and diverse workforce in the process. Since its founding in 2002, Genesys Works has grown to serve more than 4,000 students annually in Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington’s National Capital Region, and New York City. To learn more, visit genesysworks.org.
Posted by Genesys Works on 06 Aug 2019
Bay Area,
< OLDER
NEWER >


Harold Drew DSC, RN
Died 20 Dec 1987 (92)
28 Jan 1916 A/S.Lt.
15 Sep 1916 S.Lt.
15 Mar 1918 Lt.
15 Mar 1926 Lt.Cdr.
31 Dec 1931 Cdr.
30 Jun 1939 Capt.
Retired: 10 Jul 1948
12 May 1917 DSC
1 Jan 1946 CBE
Warship Commands listed for Harold Drew, RN
HMS Manchester (15) Capt. Light cruiser 4 Jun 1941 13 Aug 1942
Light cruiser HMS Manchester (15)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Scapa Flow for Hvalfjord, Iceland together with the destroyers with HMS Inglefield (Capt. P. Todd, DSO, RN) and HMS Icarus (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC and Bar, RN). (1)
9 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
For the daily positions of HMS Manchester during the period from 9 to 18 June 1941 see the map below.
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Hvalfjord, Iceland and after fueling went out on patrol together with HMS Inglefield (Capt. P. Todd, DSO, RN), HMS Icarus (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Achates (Lt.Cdr. the Viscount Jocelyn, RN). HMS Inglefield and HMS Icarus soon parted company to join HMS Edinburgh (Capt. H.W. Faulkner, RN). HMS Achates was relieved by HMS Active (Lt.Cdr. M.W. Tomkinson, RN) at 0200/14. HMS Achestes then went to Hvalfjord to refuel and later took over from HMS Active again. (1)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and HMS Achates (Lt.Cdr. the Viscount Jocelyn, RN) arrived at Hvalfjord. (1)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Hvalfjord together with the destroyer HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. I.T. Clark, RN) to relieve HMS Suffolk (Capt. R.M. Ellis, RN) on the Denmark Strait patrol. HMS Eclipse parted company with HMS Manchester around 1900/25. (1)
23 Jun 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
For the daily positions of HMS Manchester during the period from 23 June to 3 July 1941 see the map below.
1 Jul 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) returned to Hvalfjord. (2)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Hvalfjord for Scapa Flow. (2)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow. (2)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN), HMS Aurora (Capt. Sir W.G. Agnew, RN) and HMS Arethusa (Capt. A.C. Chapman, RN) departed Scapa Flow for Greenock. (2)
For the daily positions of HMS Mancherster during the period of 9 to 26 July 1941 see the map below.
10 Jul 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Greenock. (3)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Greenock as part of the escort of convoy WS 9C. (3)
Convoy WS 9C
This convoy was formed at sea and was initially made up of the British merchants/ troop transports Avila Star (14443 GRT, built 1927), City of Pretoria (8049 GRT, built 1937), Deucalion (7516 GRT, built 1930), Durham (10893 GRT, built 1934), Leinster (4302 GRT, built 1937), Melbourne Star (11076 GRT, built 1936), Pasteur (30447 GRT, built 1939), Port Chalmers (8535 GRT, built 1933) and Sydney Star (11095 GRT, built 1936).
They were escorted by the battleship HMS Nelson (Capt. T.H. Troubridge, RN) (12-20 July), cruisers HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) (12-17 July), HMS Arethusa (Capt. A.C. Chapman, RN), (12-17 July), AA cruiser HrMs Jacob van Heemskerck (Cdr. E.J. van Holthe, RNN) (12-15 July), cruiser-minelayer HMS Manxman (Capt. R.K. Dickson, RN), (15-16 July), destroyers HMS Winchelsea (Lt.Cdr. W.A.F. Hawkins, OBE, DSC, RN) (12 July), HMS Vanoc (Lt.Cdr. J.G.W. Deneys, DSO, RN) (12-15 July), HMS Wanderer (Cdr. A.F.St.G. Orpen, RN) (12-15 July), ORP Garland (Lt.Cdr. K.F. Namiesniowski, ORP) (12-15 July), HMS Gurkha (Cdr. C.N. Lentaigne, RN) (12-15 July), HMS Cossack (Capt. E.L. Berthon, DSC and Bar, RN) (12-17 July), HMS Maori (Cdr. R.E. Courage, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN) (12-17 July), HMS Sikh (Cdr. G.H. Stokes, RN) (12-17 July), HMS Lightning (Cdr. R.G. Stewart, RN) (12-17 July), HMAS Nestor (Cdr. A.S. Rosenthal, RAN) (12-17 July), HMS Fearless (Cdr. A.F. Pugsley, RN) (17-20 July), HMS Firedrake (Lt.Cdr. S.H. Norris, DSO, DSC, RN) (18-20 July), HMS Foresight (Cdr. J.S.C. Salter, RN) (17-20 July), HMS Forester (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Tancock, DSC and Bar, RN) (17-20 July), HMS Foxhound (Cdr. G.H. Peters, DSC, RN) (17-20 July), HMS Fury (Lt.Cdr. T.C. Robinson, RN) (17-20 July), escort destroyers HMS Avon Vale (Lt.Cdr. P.A.R. Withers, RN) (18-20 July), HMS Eridge (Lt.Cdr. W.F.N. Gregory-Smith, RN) (18-20 July), HMS Farndale (Cdr. S.H. Carlill, RN) (18-20 July) and sloop HMS Stork (Lt. G.T.S. Gray, DSC, RN) (12-13 July).
The merchant ships from the convoy departed either Avonmouth, Liverpool, the Clyde area and Belfast. The convoy was finally formed up at sea early on the 13th in position 55°40'N, 06°55'W.
The passage of the convoy was uneventful.
HMS Gurkha and ORP Garland left the convoy around 0330/15 reaching the limit of their endurance. HrMs Jacob van Heemskerck, HMS Vanoc and HMS Wanderer did the same around 1830/15. Around 2000/15 HMS Manxman joined the convoy, she parted company at 1900/16 and set course for Gibraltar. The merchant Avila Star had meanwhile left the convoy at 1000/16.
At 0700/17 the 8th Destroyer Flotilla was to join the convoy coming from Gibraltar but due to thick for no contact was made. At 1000/17 the Pasteur left the convoy for Gibraltar escorted by HMS Manchester, HMS Maori, HMS Lightning and HMAS Nestor. Shortly afterwards the fog lifted and the 8th Destroyer Flottilla was sighted and joined the convoy. At 1200/17 the Leinster also left the convoy for Gibraltar escorted by HMS Arethusa, HMS Cossack and HMS Sikh.
At 1800/18 HMS Firedrake joined the convoy coming from Gibraltar.
At 0700/18 HMS Avon Vale, HMS Eridge and HMS Farndale joined the Pasteur, HMS Manchester, HMS Lightning and HMAS Nestor. HMS Maori then left that group and joined the group that was made up of the Leinster, HMS Arethusa, HMS Cossack and HMS Sikh. HMS Manchester departed the ‘Pasteur group’ at 1000/19 to join the ‘Leinster group’ which she did at 1500/19.
The ‘Pasteur group’ arrived at Gibraltar shortly after noon on the 19th and around 0330/20 the ‘Leinster group’ arrived at Gibraltar. Troops aboard these ships then disembarked.
Around 0200/20, HMS Edinburgh, HMS Manxman, HMS Lightning, HMAS Nestor, HMS Avon Vale, HMS Eridge and HMS Farndale departed Gibraltar to rendez-vous with the now incoming convoy WS 9C. They joined the convoy shortly before noon, the six F-class destroyers of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla then left to refuel at Gibraltar.
For the continuation of the events see the event for 21 July 1941 on Operation Substance. (4)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. (3)
Operation Substance, convoys to and from Malta
Passage through the Straits of Gibraltar of the eastbound convoy and sailing from Gibraltar of the remaining ships involved in the operation.
Around 0130/21 convoy WS 9C passed the Straits of Gibraltar. The convoy at that moment consisted of six merchant ships; City of Pretoria (8049 GRT, built 1937), Deucalion (7516 GRT, built 1930), Durham (10893 GRT, built 1934), Melbourne Star (11076 GRT, built 1936), Port Chalmers (8535 GRT, built 1933) and Sydney Star (11095 GRT, built 1936).
At the time they passed through the Straits they were escorted by HMS Nelson (Capt. T.H. Troubridge, RN), HMS Edinburgh (Capt. H.W. Faulkner, RN), HMS Manxman (Capt. R.K. Dickson, RN), HMS Lightning (Cdr. R.G. Stewart, RN), HMAS Nestor (Cdr. A.S. Rosenthal, RAN), HMS Avon Vale (Lt.Cdr. P.A.R. Withers, RN), HMS Eridge (Lt.Cdr. W.F.N. Gregory-Smith, RN) and HMS Farndale (Cdr. S.H. Carlill, RN).
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN), HMS Arethusa (Capt. A.C. Chapman, RN), HMS Cossack (Capt. E.L. Berthon, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Maori (Cdr. R.E. Courage, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Sikh departed Gibraltar around 0200/21 escorting troopship Leinster (4302 GRT, built 1937) which was to join the convoy. However Leinster grounded while leaving Gibraltar and had to left behind. The small fleet tanker RFA Brown Ranger (3417 GRT, built 1941, master D.B.C. Ralph) left Gibraltar around the same time escorted by the destroyer HMS Beverley (Lt.Cdr. J. Grant, RN).
About one hour later, around 0300/21, HMS Renown (Rear-Admiral R.R. McGrigor, RN), HMS Ark Royal (Capt. L.E.H. Maund, RN), HMS Hermione (Capt. G.N. Oliver, RN), HMS Faulknor (Capt. A.F. de Salis, RN), HMS Fearless (Cdr. A.F. Pugsley, RN), HMS Firedrake (Lt.Cdr. S.H. Norris, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Foresight (Cdr. J.S.C. Salter, RN), HMS Forester (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Tancock, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Foxhound (Cdr. G.H. Peters, DSC, RN), HMS Fury (Lt.Cdr. T.C. Robinson, RN) and HMS Duncan (Lt.Cdr. A.N. Rowell, RN) departed Gibraltar to give convoy for the convoy during the passage to Malta.
At sea the forces were redistributed;
Force H, the cover force
HMS Renown (Flying the flag of Vice-Admiral J.F. Sommerville, KCB, DSO, RN), HMS Nelson, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Hermione, HMS Faulknor, HMS Foresight, HMS Forester, HMS Fury, HMS Lightning and HMS Duncan.
Force X, the close escort for the convoy
HMS Edinburgh (Flying the flag of Rear-Admiral E.N. Syfret, RN), HMS Manchester, HMS Arethusa, HMS Manxman, HMS Cossack, HMS Maori, HMS Sikh, HMAS Nestor, HMS Fearless, HMS Firedrake, HMS Foxhound, HMS Avon Vale, HMS Eridge and HMS Farndale.
Plan for the operation
Force H was to cover the convoy until it reached the narrows between Sicily and Tunisia. Force X was to escort the convoy all the way to Malta. Ships of Force X also had troops for Malta on board that had been taken to Gibraltar by troopship Pasteur. On 23 July 1941, the day the eastbound convoy would reach ‘the narrows’ five empty transports and two tankers would depart Malta for Gibraltar (Convoy MG 1) The seven empty transports were;
Group 1 (speed 17 knots)
HMS Breconshire (9776 GRT, built 1939),
Talabot (6798 GRT, built 1936),
Thermopylae (6655 GRT, built 1930),
Amerika (10218 GRT, built 1930),
Settler (6202 GRT, built 1939),
Tanker Svenor (7616 GRT, built 1931) and
Tanker Hoegh Hood (9351 GRT, built 1936)
These were escorted by the destroyer HMS Encounter (Lt.Cdr. E.V.St J. Morgan, RN) which had been repairing and refitting at Malta.
Through intelligence it was known that the Italian Navy had five battleships operational (three of them at Taranto) and about ten cruisers divided between Taranto, Palermo and Messina. The Italian Air Force had about 50 torpedo planes and 150 bombers (30 of which were dive bombers) stationed in Sardinia and Sicily, roughly half of each type on both islands.
The Royal Air Force was able to be of more help than during the previous convoy trip from Gibraltar to Malta last January. Aircraft from Gibraltar conducted A/S patrols for the fleet during the first two days of the passage to the east. Also patrols were flown between Sardinia and the coast of Africa, while aircraft from Malta conducted reconnaissance between Sardinia and Sicily, besides watching the Italian ports. Malta would also provide fighter escort for Force X and the convoy after Force H would part with them and HMS Ark Royal could no longer provide fighter cover for them.
During the operation eight submarines (HMS Olympus (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Dymott, RN), HMS Unique (Lt. A.F. Collett, RN), HMS Upholder (Lt.Cdr. M.D. Wanklyn, DSO, RN), HMS Upright (Lt. J.S. Wraith, DSC, RN), HMS Urge (Lt. E.P. Tomkinson, RN), HMS Utmost (Lt.Cdr. R.D. Cayley, DSO, RN), HMS P 32 (Lt. D.A.B. Abdy, RN) and HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN)) were on patrol to report and attack Italian warships that might be sailed to intercept the convoy.
The passage East, 22 July 1941
On 22 July the destroyers from Force X oiled from the Brown Ranger two at a time. A task that took about 10 hours. Having completed the oiling of the destroyers the Brown Ranger and her escort returned to Gibraltar. An Italian aircraft had reported Force H in the morning but the convoy and Force X, at that moment about 100 nautical miles to the south-westward, appeared not to have been sighed. At 2317/22 the Italian submarine Diaspro missed HMS Renown with torpedoes. HMAS Nestor sighted the torpedo tracks and was able to warn HMS Renown which was then able to avoid the torpedoes by doing an emergency turn to port.
The passage East and attacks by the Italian Air Force, 23 July 1941
Force H rejoined the convoy around 0800/23 as the British were now approaching the danger area. Shadowing aircraft had already reported the position of the fleet that morning and heavy air attacks soon followed.
The first came at 0945 hours, a well times combination of nine high level bombers and six or seven torpedo planes approaching from the north-east. HMS Ark Royal had eleven fighters up, which met the bombers about 20 miles from the fleet. They managed to down two of the nine bombers but unfortunately three Fulmars were shot down by the enemy. The other seven bombers came on working round the head of the screen of destroyers to attack the convoy from the starboard beam at a height of 10000 feet. Their bombs fell harmlessly amongst the leading ships as they altered course to avoid the attack. The torpedo planes however were more successful. They came from ahead out of the sun, flying low, and as the destroyers opened fire they divided into groups of two or three and to attack the convoy on both sides. Two aircraft attacked HMS Fearless, stationed ahead in the screen, dropping their torpedoes at ranges of 1500 and 800 yards from a height of 70 feet. The destroyer avoided the first torpedo, but was hit by the second, set on fire, and completely disabled. Other aircraft went to press on their attacks on the convoy itself. One of them, dropping its torpedo between two merchant vessels hit HMS Manchester as she was turning to regain her station after avoiding two torpedoes fired earlier. She reversed helm once more but to no avail. During the attacks three enemy torpedo bombers were shot down by AA fire from the ships.
HMS Manchester was badly damaged and could only use one engine out of four. At first she could steam only 8 knots. She was ordered to make for Gibraltar with HMS Avon Vale as escort. That evening, further to the westward, they were attacked again by three enemy torpedo planes but their AA gunfire kept the enemy at a distance. Both ships successfully reached Gibraltar on the 26th.
At 1010/23 five more bombers tried to attack the convoy crossing this time from north to south. Fighters from HMS Ark Royal forced them to drop their bombs from great height and mostly outside the screen.
At 1645/23 five more torpedo planes led by a seaplane came in from the northward. Three Fulmars caught them about 20 miles away. They managed to shoot down two planes and drove the remainder away.
Soon afterwards the fleet arrived off the entrance to the Skerki Channel. There HMS Hermione was transferred to Force X to take the place of HMS Manchester. Six destroyers were assigned to Force H and eight to Force X. At 1713 hours Vice-Admiral Sommerville hauled round to the westward. HMS Ark Royal kept her Fulmars up until RAF Beaufighters had arrived from Malta to take over.
The convoy was attacked again around 1900/23. Four torpedo planes arrived from the eastward, flying low and and working round from ahead to the starboard side of the convoy. They approached in pairs in line abreast. They kept HMS Sikh (on the starboard bow of the screen) between them and their target until nearly the moment for attack, thereby hampering the AA fire from the other ships. They dropped their torpedoes from long range from a height of 50 feet and nearly hit HMS Hermione, sternmost ship in the starboard column. To avoid the attack each column of the convoy turned 90° outwards and all warships opened barrage fire from all guns that would bear. The barrage however fell short but it caused the Italians to drop their torpedoes early. Also one of the enemy was possibly shot down.
This attack scattered the convoy and it took some time to reform. At 1945/23 about seven bombers appeared from ahead at a height of about 14000 feet to attack the convoy from the port side. The convoy altered 40° to port together and the escort opened up a controlled fire with some hesitation as the Italian aircraft looked a lot like Beaufighters. The bombing was extremely accurate. Several bombs fell near HMS Edinburgh which was leading the port column, and a near miss abreast a boiler room disabled HMS Firedrake which had been sweeping ahead of the convoy. She could no longer steam so Rear-Admiral Syfret ordered her back to Gibraltar in tow of HMS Eridge. They had an anxious passage, being shadowed by aircraft continuously during daylight hours, but were not again attacked. On the 25th HMS Firedrake managed to lit one boiler so the tow was slipped. Both destroyers entered Gibraltar harbour on the 27th.
Soon after leaving the Skerki Channel in the evening of the 23th the convoy hauled up to the north-east towards the coast of Sicily. This was to lessen the danger of mines. The Italians did not shadow the convoy after the attack at 1945 hours and missed this alteration of course which they clearly did not expect. Around 2100 hours, as it was getting dark, enemy aircraft were seen searching along its old line of advance. During the evening the convoy sighted flares several times about 20 miles to the south.
Continued passage to the east and enemy attacks, 24 July 1941
Between 0250 and 0315 hours the convoy was however attacked by the Italian MAS boats MAS 532 and MAS 533. The managed to torpedo and damaged the Sydney Star. HMAS Nestor went alongside and took off almost 500 soldiers. Sydney Star was however able to continue her passage as staggler escorted initially by HMAS Nestor. Admiral Syfret however sent back HMS Hermione. At 1000/24 eight German dive bombers and two high level bombers attacked. Their bombs fell close the escorting ships. HMS Hermione shot down one dive bomber. The three ships arrived at Malta early in the afternoon.
The main body of the convoy meanwhile continued on its way unhindered after the attacks of the motor torpedo boats except for an attempt by three torpedo planes around 0700 hours. They dropped their torpedoes at a safe distance when fired on by the destroyers in the screen ahead. According to the orders Rear-Admiral Syfret was to leave the convoy now, if there was no threat from Italian surface forces, and go on to Malta with the cruisers and some of the destroyers. They were to land the passengers and stores, complete with fuel and return to Force H as soon as possible. The remaining destroyers were to accompany the transports to Malta. They too were to join Force H as soon as possible. Rear-Admiral Syfret felt easy about the surface danger as all Italian ships were reported in harbour the day before, but he was anxious about the threat to the convoy from the air. He decided to go ahead with the cruiser but leave all destroyers with the convoy so at 0745/24, HMS Edinburgh, HMS Arethusa and HMS Manxman left the convoy and pressed ahead at high speed to Malta where they arrived at noon the same day. The transports and the destroyers arrived about four hours later. They had been attacked only once by a torpedo plane since the cruisers separated.
Return passage of the warships of force X to make rendez-vous with Force H.
In the evening HMS Edinburgh, HMS Arethusa, HMS Hermione and HMS Manxman sailed together followed by five destroyers; HMS Cossack, HMS Maori, HMS Sikh, HMAS Nestor, HMS Foxhound, later the same evening. The destroyers overtook the cruisers in the morning of the 25th. The sixth destroyer, HMS Farndale, had to be left at Malta due to defects (condenser problems). All ships made rendez-vous with Force H to the north-west of Galita Island at 0800/25.
Movements of Force H after it parted from the convoy.
After parting with the convoy in the evening of the 23rd, Vice-Admiral Sommerville had taken force H westward at 18 knots until the afternoon of the 24th going as far west as 03°30’E. He then turned back to meet Admiral Syfret, also sending from HMS Ark Royal six Swordfish aircraft which left her in position 37°42’N, 07°17’E at 1000/25. After their junction Forces H and X made the best of way towards Gibraltar. Fighter patrols of HMS Ark Royal shot down a shadowing aircraft soon after the fleet had shaped course to the westward, losing a Fulmar in doing so. However another aircraft had meanwhile reported the fleet.
High level bombers appeared from the east and torpedo bombers from the north at 1100 hours. HMS Ark Royal at that moment had four fighters in the air and sent up six more. They prevented the bombing attack shooting down three aircraft out of eight at a cost of two Fulmars, while the ships watched the enemy jettison their bombs 15 miles away. The torpedo attack came to nothing too for the enemy gave up the attempt and retired while still several miles from the fleet. Two days later, on the 27th, the fleet reached Gibraltar.
The movements of the seven empty ships coming from Malta.
Six of the transports / tankers left Malta for Gibraltar in the morning of the 23rd, escorted by HMS Encounter. The seventh ship, tanker Svenor grounded while leaving harbour and was held up for some hours. At dusk, when a few miles from Pantelleria, the six ships devided into pairs according to their speed. HMS Encounter initially escorted the middle pair but joined the leading ships in the evening of the 24th when past the Galita Bank.
Italian aircraft, both high level bombers and torpedo planes, attacked all these ships on the 24th to the southward of Sardinia. They made their first attempt on the second pair of transports and HMS Encounter. Four torpedo planes attacked at 1230/24 and four bombers at 1250/24. No ships were hit though the bombs fell close. Next came the turn for the leading pair, which were attacked further westwards by two bombers that came singly at 1330/24 and 1400/24. The second plane nearly hit HMS Breconshire. Finally when the third pair of ships reached about the same position in the evening they were attacked by torpedo planes and the Hoegh Hood was damaged but she managed to arrive at Gibraltar only a few hours after her consort on the 27th. The last ship, the one that had been delayed at Malta, arrived on the 28th. (5)
At 0947 hours (zone -2), HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN), is damaged by a torpedo fired by an Italian aircraft. The result was that only one engine out of four remained operational and she could only do 8 knots. Later this was increased to 12 knots. Manchester, who had 750 soldiers for Malta onboard, was ordered to return to Gibraltar escorted by HMS Avon Vale (Lt.Cdr. P.A.R. Withers, RN). Around 1800 hours, HMS Manchester was attacked by 3 Italian torpedo bombers but these obtained no more hits. At 0920/24 HMS Manchester and HMS Avon Vale were joined by two more destroyers coming from Gibraltar, HMS Vimy (Lt.Cdr. H.G.D. de Chair, RN) and HMS Vidette (Lt.Cdr. E.N. Walmsley, RN). At 0730/25 HMS Wishart (Cdr. E.T. Cooper, RN) also joined the screen relieving HMS Avon Vale that had left the screen after fueling from HMS Manchester the previous evening. (5)
The damaged HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Gibraltar. (3)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) is docked at Gibraltar. As there is no log available for HMS Manchester of the month of August 1941 the dates of her docking(s) are currently unknown to us. Anyway throughout August 1941 temporary repairs were made at Gibraltar and it was arranged that HMS Manchester would proceed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard in the U.S.A. for permanent repairs. (3)
With temporary repairs completed, HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN), departed Gibraltar for the Philadelphia Navy Yard, U.S.A. for permanent repairs. She made most of the passage together with HMS Firedrake (Lt.Cdr. S.H. Norris, DSO, DSC, RN) that had also been damaged during the ‘Substance’ convoy operation and that was en-route to the Boston Navy Yard. Both ships were escorted until reaching 25’W at 0620/16 by HMS Heythrop (Lt.Cdr R.S. Stafford, RN). (6)
13 Sep 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
For the daily positions of HMS Manchester from 13 to 23 September 1941 see the map below.
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for permanent repairs. (6)
12 Feb 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted trials off Philadelphia. (7)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) is docked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. (7)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) is undocked. (7)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) shifted from the Philadelphia Navy Yard to Delaware Bay. (7)
1 Mar 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Hampton Roads for Bermuda.
For the daily positions of HMS Manchester from 8 to 17 March see the map below.
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Bermuda. (8)
10 Mar 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Bermuda for Portsmouth, U.K. (8)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Portsmouth. There she was taken in hand for some more outstanding work that could not be undertaken in the U.S.A. which included the fitting of new radar. (8)
2 May 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Portsmouth for Scapa Flow. (9)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow to work up. (9)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted torpedo firing exercises at Scapa Flow. (9)
13 May 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted steering and torpedo firing exercises at Scapa Flow. (9)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Scapa Flow. She returned to Scapa Flow the next morning. (9)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Scapa Flow. (9)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted exercises at Scapa Flow. (9)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted exercises at Scapa Flow. In the afternoon HMS Manchester serves as target ship for simulated attacks by the Dutch submarine HrMs O 14 (Lt.Cdr. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN). (9)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Scapa Flow. Upon completion of these exercises she departed together with the escort destroyer HMS Wilton (Lt. A.P. Northey, DSC, RN) to cover a minelaying force made up of the cruiser minelayer HMS Adventure (Capt. N.V. Grace, RN), the auxiliary minelayers HMS Southern Prince, HMS Agamemnon (Capt. (Retd.) F. Ratsey, RN), HMS Port Quebec (A/Capt. (Retd.) V. Hammersley-Heenan, RN) and HMS Menestheus (Capt.(Retd.) R.H.F. de Salis, DSC and Bar, OBE, RN) and their escorts the destroyers HMS St. Marys (Lt.Cdr. K.H.J.L. Phibbs, RN), HMS Newark (Lt.Cdr. D.F. Townsend, RN) and HMS Saladin (Lt.Cdr. G.V. Legassick, RNR) that were to undertake minelaying operation SN 72. (10)
For the daily positions of HMS Manchester during the period of 29 May to 4 June 1942 see the map below.
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and HMS Wilton (Lt. A.P. Northey, DSC, RN) returned to Scapa Flow after covering minelaying operation SN 72. (11)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) conducted gunnery exercises off Scapa Flow. (12)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN)) and the destroyers HMS Somali (Capt. J.W.M. Eaton, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Ashanti (Cdr. R.G. Onslow, DSO, RN) and HMS Offa (Lt.Cdr. R.A. Ewing, RN) departed Scapa Flow to rendez-vous with new battleships HMS Anson (Capt. H.R.G. Kinahan, CBE, RN) that is to proceed from Rosyth to Scapa Flow for working up exercises. (11)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN), HMS Somali (Capt. J.W.M. Eaton, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Ashanti (Cdr. R.G. Onslow, DSO, RN) and HMS Offa (Lt.Cdr. R.A. Ewing, RN) returned to Scapa Flow escorting HMS Anson (Capt. H.R.G. Kinahan, CBE, RN) after taking over the escort duties from the destroyers Verdun (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Donald, DSC, RN) and HMS Vanity (Lt.Cdr. W.B.R. Morrison, RN). (11)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Scapa Flow for Greenock where some minor repairs were to be undertaken. (12)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Greenock. (12)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Greenock for Scapa Flow. (12)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow. (12)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) departed Scapa Flow together with the destroyer HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. E. Mack, DSO, DSC, RN) for Seidisfjord. (11)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and the destroyer HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. E. Mack, DSO, DSC, RN) arrived at Seidisfjord. (11)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and the destroyer HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. E. Mack, DSO, DSC, RN) departed Seidisfjord for operation Gearbox in which they were to land Norwegian troops and stores on Spitzbergen. (11)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and the destroyer HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. E. Mack, DSO, DSC, RN) arrived at Spitzbergen where they successfully landed Norwegian troops and stores (Operation Gearbox). They then immediately sailed jo join the main cover force for convoys PQ 17 and QP 13. (13)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and the destroyer HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. E. Mack, DSO, DSC, RN) joined the main cover force for convoys PQ 17 and QP 13. (13)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) was detached from the main cover force and ordered to proceed to Scapa Flow. (13)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) returned to Scapa Flow. (13)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and HMS Kenya (Capt. A.S. Russell, RN) departed Scapa Flow for the Clyde. (13)
HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and HMS Kenya (Capt. A.S. Russell, RN) arrived at the Clyde from Scapa Flow. (13)
Convoy WS 21S, Operation Pedestal.
Convoy WS 21S and the concentration of the escort forces
Convoy WS 21S departed the Clyde on 2 August 1942. The convoy was made up of the following ships;
American freighters;
Almeria Lykes (7773 GRT, built 1940), Santa Elisa (8379 GRT, built 1941), British freighters;
Brisbane Star (12791 GRT, built 1937), Clan Ferguson (7347 GRT, built 1938), Deucalion (7516 GRT, built 1930), Dorset (10624 GRT, built 1934), Empire Hope (12688 GRT, built 1941), Glenorchy (8982 GRT, built 1939), Melbourne Star (11076 GRT, built 1936), Port Chalmers (8535 GRT, built 1933), Rochester Castle (7795 GRT, built 1937), Waimarama (12843 GRT, built 1938), Wairangi (12436 GRT, built 1935), and the American tanker;
Ohio (9264 GRT, built 1940).
These ships were escorted by light cruisers HMS Nigeria (Capt. S.H. Paton, RN, flying the flag of the Rear-Admiral 10th C.S., Sir H.M. Burrough, CB, DSO, RN), HMS Kenya (Capt. A.S. Russell, RN) and the destroyers HMS Wishart (Cdr. H.G. Scott, RN), HMS Venomous (Cdr. H.W. Falcon-Stewart, RN), HMS Wolverine (Lt.Cdr. P.W. Gretton, OBE, DSC, RN), HMS Malcolm (A/Cdr. A.B. Russell, RN), HMS Amazon (Lt.Cdr.(Emgy) Lord Teynham, RN), HMS Derwent (Cdr. R.H. Wright, DSC, RN) and HMS Zetland (Lt. J.V. Wilkinson, RN).
A cover force made up of departed Scapa Flow on the same day. This force was made up of the battleships HMS Nelson (Capt. H.B. Jacomb, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral E.N. Syfret, CB, RN) and HMS Rodney (Capt. J.W. Rivett-Carnac, DSC, RN). They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Ashanti (Cdr. R.G. Onslow, DSO, RN), HMS Eskimo (Cdr. E.G. Le Geyt, RN), HMS Somali (Cdr. E.N.V. Currey, DSC, RN), HMS Tartar (Cdr. St.J.R.J. Tyrwhitt, DSC, RN), HMS Pathfinder (Cdr. E.A. Gibbs, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Penn (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Swain, RN) and HMS Quentin (Lt.Cdr. A.H.P. Noble, DSC, RN). They were to rendez-vous with convoy WS 21S at sea on 3 August. HMS Penn was delayed by a defect and after topping off with fuel at Moville, Northern Ireland overtook the force and joined at sea.
The aircraft carrier HMS Victorious (Capt. H.C. Bovell, CBE, RN, flying the flag of Rear Admiral A.L.St.G. Lyster, CB, CVO, DSO, RN) and the light cruiser HMS Sirius (Capt. P.W.B. Brooking, RN) meanwhile had already left Scapa Flow on 31 July 1941 to rendez-vous with the convoy. They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Intrepid (Cdr. C.A.deW. Kitcat, RN), HMS Icarus (Lt.Cdr. C.D. Maud, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Fury (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Campbell, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Foresight (Lt.Cdr. R.A. Fell, RN). These ships were joined at sea on 1 August 1942 by the aircraft carrier HMS Argus (Capt. G.T. Philip, RN), loaded with spare fighter aircraft for the operation, and her two escorts the destroyers HMS Buxton (Lt.Cdr. I.J. Tyson, RD, RNR) and HMS Sardonyx (Lt.Cdr. A.F.C. Gray, RNR). HMS Argus and her two escorting destroyers had departed the Clyde on 31 July. HMS Buxton later split off and proceeded towards Canada and HMS Sardonyx proceeded to Londonderry.
The last ships to take part in the operation to depart the U.K. (Clyde around midnight during the night of 4/5 August) were the aircraft carrier HMS Furious (Capt. T.O. Bulteel, RN), loaded with Hurricane fighters for Malta, and her escorts, the light cruiser HMS Manchester (Capt. H. Drew, DSC, RN) and the Polish destroyer ORP Blyscawica (Lt.Cdr. L. Lichodziejewski, ORP). They were joined at sea, around dawn, by HMS Sardonyx coming from Londonderry. The destroyers parted company around midnight during the night of 5/6 August. They arrived at Londonderry on 7 August. HMS Furious and HMS Manchester then joined convoy WS 21S around midnight of the next night but HMS Manchester parted company shortly afterwards to proceed ahead of the convoy and fuel at Gibraltar.
On 1 August 1942 the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable (Capt. T.H. Troubridge, RN), light cruiser HMS Phoebe (Capt. C.P. Frend, RN) and the destroyers HMS Laforey (Capt. R.M.J. Hutton, RN), HMS Lightning (Cdr. H.G. Walters, DSC, RN) and HMS Lookout (Lt.Cdr. A.G. Forman, DSC, RN) departed Freetown to proceed to a rendez-vous position off the Azores.
On 5 August 1942, the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle (Capt. L.D. Mackintosh, DSC, RN), light cruiser HMS Charybdis (Capt. G.A.W. Voelcker, RN) and the the destroyers HMS Wrestler (Lt. R.W.B. Lacon, DSC, RN), HMS Westcott (Cdr. I.H. Bockett-Pugh, DSO, RN) and HMS Vansittart (Lt.Cdr. T. Johnston, RN) departed Gibraltar also to the rendez-vous position off the Azores.
The convoy conducted maneuvering and AA exercises with the escorts between the Azores and Gibraltar during the period of 6 to 9 August. (Operation Berserk). Also dummy air attacks were carried out by aircraft from the carriers.
Passage of the Straits of Gibraltar and organization of escort forces.
The convoy then passed the Straits of Gibraltar during the night of 9/10 August 1942 in dense fog but despite this the convoy was detected by German and Italian spies and reported.
After passing the Straits of Gibraltar the convoy was organized as follows;
The actual convoy was protected a large force of warships until the whole force would split up before entering the Sicilian narrows after which ‘Force X’ under command of Rear-Admiral Sir H.M. Burrough, CB, DSO, RN was to accompany the convoy to the approaches to Malta where they would be met by the Malta Minesweeping Flotilla, which was then to sweep the convoy into the harbour. Force X was made up of the following ships:
Licht cruisers: HMS Nigeria (flagship), HMS Kenya,, HMS Manchester.
AA cruiser: HMS Cairo (A/Capt. C.C. Hardy, DSO, RN).
Destroyers: HMS Ashanti, HMS Fury, HMS Foresight, HMS Icarus, HMS Intrepid, HMS Pathfinder and HMS Penn.
Escort destroyers: HMS Derwent, HMS Bicester (Lt.Cdr. S.W.F. Bennetts, RN), HMS Bramham (Lt. E.F. Baines, RN), HMS Ledbury (Lt.Cdr. R.P. Hill, RN) and HMS Wilton (Lt. A.P. Northey, RN). Also the rescue tug HMS Jaunty was to be part of this force.
After the escort was to be split up cover was provided by ‘Force Z’ under Vice-Admiral E.N. Syfret, CB, RN. This force was made up of the following ships:
Battleships: HMS Nelson (flagship) and HMS Rodney.
Aircraft carriers: HMS Victorious, HMS Indomitable and HMS Eagle.
Light cruisers: HMS Phoebe, HMS Sirius and HMS Charybdis.
Destroyers: HMS Laforey, HMS Lightning, HMS Lookout, HMS Eskimo, HMS Somali, HMS Tartar, HMS Quentin, HMS Ithuriel (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Maitland-Makgill-Crichton, DSC, RN) HMS Antelope (Lt.Cdr. E.N. Sinclair), HMS Wishart and HMS Vansittart. Escort destroyer: HMS Zetland. Also attached were the aircraft carrier HMS Furious (for Operation Bellows, the launching of Hurricane fighters for Malta. HMS Furious only carried four Albacore aircraft for A/S searches after the Hurricanes had been launched) and the ‘spare’ destroyers HMS Keppel (Cdr. J.E. Broome, RN), HMS Malcolm, HMS Venomous, HMS Vidette (Lt.Cdr. E.N. Walmsley, DSC, RN), HMS Westcott, HMS Wolverine, HMS Wrestler and HMS Amazon. These ‘spare’ destroyers were to take the place of destroyers in the screen ‘Force Z’ if needed, escort HMS Furious during her return passage to Gibraltar after she had completed Operation Bellows and / or strengthen the escort of ‘Force R’.
Then there was also ‘Force R’, the fuelling force. This force was made up of the following ships:
Corvettes: HMS Jonquil (Lt.Cdr. R.E.H. Partington, RD, RNR), HMS Spiraea (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Miller, DSC, RNR), HMS Geranium (T/Lt. A. Foxall, RNR) and HMS Coltsfoot (T/Lt. the Hon. W.K. Rous, RNVR).
Rescue tug: HMS Salvonia.
RFA tankers: RFA Brown Ranger (3417 GRT, built 1941, Master D.B.C. Ralph) and RFA Dingledale (8145 GRT, built 1941, Master R.T. Duthie).
Before we give an account of the passage of the main convoy we will now first describe the operations taking place in the Eastern Mediterranean (Operations MG 3 and MG 4), the launching of the Hurricane fighters for Malta by HMS Furious (Operation Bellows) and the return convoy from Malta (Operation Ascendant) as well as on submarine operations / dispositions.
Diversion in the Eastern Mediterranean.
As part of the plan for Operation Pedestal the Mediterranean Fleet had to carry out a diversion in the Eastern part of the Mediterranean. Before we go to the operations in the Western Mediterranean we will first give an account of the events in the Eastern Mediterranean.
It was at this time not possible to sent any supplies from Egypt to Malta as all supplies and forces were much needed for the upcoming land battle at El Alamein it was agreed that ‘a dummy convoy’ would be sent towards Malta with the object of preventing the enemy to direct the full weight of their air and naval power towards the Western Mediterranean.
In the evening of 10 August 1942 a ‘convoy’ (MG 3) of three merchant ships departed Port Said escorted by three cruisers and ten destroyers. Next morning one more merchant ship departed Haifa escorted by two cruisers and five destroyers. The two forces joined that day (the 11th) and then turned back dispersing during the night. The Italian fleet however did not go to sea to attack ‘the bait’.
The forces taking part in this operation were:
From Port Said:
Merchant vessels City of Edinburgh (8036 GRT, built 1938), City of Lincoln (8039 GRT, built 1938) and City of Pretoria (8049 GRT, built 1937) escorted by the light cruisers HMS Arethusa (Capt. A.C. Chapman, RN), HMS Euryalus (Capt. E.W. Bush, DSO, DSC, RN), the AA cruiser HMS Coventry (Capt. R.J.R. Dendy, RN) and the destroyers HMS Jervis (Capt. A.L. Poland, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN), HMS Kelvin (Cdr. M.S. Townsend, OBE, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Pakenham (Capt. E.B.K. Stevens, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Paladin (Cdr. A.F. Pugsley, RN) and the escort destroyers HMS Dulverton(Lt.Cdr. W.N. Petch, OBE, RN), HMS Hurworth (Lt.Cdr. J.T.B. Birch, RN), HMS Eridge (Lt.Cdr. W.F.N. Gregory-Smith, DSC, RN), HMS Hursley (Lt. W.J.P. Church, DSC, RN), HMS Beaufort (Lt.Cdr. S.O’G Roche, RN) and HMS Belvoir (Lt. J.F.D. Bush, DSC and Bar, RN).
From Haifa:
Merchant vessel Ajax (7797 GRT, built 1931) escorted by the light cruisers HMS Cleopatra (Capt. G. Grantham, DSO, RN, flagship of Rear-Admiral P.L. Vian, KBE, DSO and 2 Bars, RN), HMS Dido (Capt. H.W.U. McCall, RN), the destroyers HMS Sikh (Capt. St.J. A. Micklethwait, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Zulu (Cdr. R.T. White, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Javelin (Cdr. H.C. Simms, DSO, RN) and the escort destroyers HMS Tetcott (Lt. H.R. Rycroft, RN) and HMS Croome (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Egan, RN).
After dark on 11 August 1942 the force turned back and the City of Pretoria returned to Port Said escorted by HMS Eridge and HMS Hursley. The City of Edinburgh, escorted by HMS Beaufort and HMS Belvoir proceeded to Haifa. The City of Lincoln escorted by HMS Dulverton and HMS Hurworth proceeded to Beirut and finally the Ajax, escorted by HMS Tetcott and HMS Croome returned to Haifa. HMS Dido had to return to Port Said with hull defects. She was escorted by HMS Pakenham, HMS Paladin and HMS Jervis.
HMS Cleopatra, HMS Arethusa, HMS Sikh, HMS Zulu, HMS Javelin and HMS Kelvin then proceeded to carry out another diversion (Operation MG 4). They bombarded Rhodos harbour and the Alliotti Flour Mills during the night of 12/13 August but did little damage. On the way back HMS Javelin attacked a submarine contact in position 34°45’N, 31°04’E between 0654 and 0804 hours. She reported that there was no doubt that the submarine was sunk but no Axis submarines were operating in this area so the attack must have been bogus. This force returned to Haifa at 1900/13.
Operation Bellows.
During operation Bellows, the aircraft carrier HMS Furious, started 37 Spitfire which were to proceed to Malta, when south of the Balearic Islands. The Admiralty had decided to carry out this operation at the same time as Operation Pedestal.
HMS Furious remained with the convoy until 1200/11. She then launched the Spitfires for Malta in 5 batches between 1230 and 1515 hours. During these flying off operations she acted independently with the destroyers HMS Lookout and HMS Lightning. After having launched the last batch of Spitfires she briefly re-joined to convoy until around 1700 hours when she split off and set course for Gibraltar escorted by the destroyers HMS Malcolm, HMS Wolverine and HMS Wrestler. These were joined shortly afterwards by HMS Keppel and HMS Venomous.
Around 0100/12, HMS Wolverine, rammed and sank the Italian submarine Dagabur which was trying to attack HMS Furious. Around 0200 hours, HMS Wolverine reported that she was stopped due to the damage she had sustained in the ramming. HMS Malcolm was detached to assist her.
At 1530/12, the destroyer HMS Vidette joined the screen. The force then entered Gibraltar Bay around 1930/12. The damaged HMS Wolverine arrived at Gibraltar at 1230/13 followed by HMS Malcolm around 1530/13.
Operation Ascendant
On 10 August 1942 the empty transports Troilus (7648 GRT, built 1921) and Orari (10107 GRT, built 1931) departed Malta after dark for Gibraltar. They were escorted by the destroyer HMS Matchless (Lt.Cdr. J. Mowlam, RN) and the escort destroyer HMS Badsworth (Lt. G.T.S. Gray, DSC, RN). They first proceeded to the south of Lampedusa, then hugged the Tunisian coast as far as Galita Island. Near Cape Bon they encountered the Italian destroyer Lanzerotto Malocello that was laying a minefield. They had a brief gunfight but this was soon ended as both sides were thinking the enemy was Vichy-French. The remained of the passage to Gibraltar was uneventful and the convoy arrived at Gibraltar shortly before noon on 14 August 1942.
Submarine operations / dispositions.
Eight submarines took part in the operation; these were HMS Utmost (Lt. A.W. Langridge, RN), HMS P 31 (Lt. J.B.de B. Kershaw, DSO, RN), HMS P 34 (Lt. P.R.H. Harrison, DSC, RN), HMS P 42 (Lt. A.C.G. Mars, RN), HMS P 44 (Lt. T.E. Barlow, RN), HMS P 46 (Lt. J.S. Stevens, DSC, RN), HMS P 211 (Cdr. B. Bryant, DSC, RN), HMS P 222 (Lt.Cdr. A.J. MacKenzie, RN). Two of these were to carry out normal dived patrol to the north of Sicily, one off Palermo, the other off Milazzo which is futher to the east. The other six submarines were given alternative patrol lines south of Pantelleria, one od which they were to take up at dawn on 13 August 1942, according to the movements of enemy surface ships that might threathen the convoy from the westward. When the convoy had passed the patrol line, which it should have done by that time, the submarines were to proceed on the surface parallel to the convoy as a screen and to dive away clear of the convoy at noon. It was expressly intended that they should be seen on the surface and reported by enemy aircraft in order to deter enemy warships from attacking the convoy.
Enemy warships did go to sea but as soon as it was clear that the enemy ships could not reach the convoy the sunmarines were ordered to dive and retire. These six sumarines had no contact with the enemy. One of the the two submarines off the north coast of Sicily, HMS P 42, managed to torpedo two Italian cruisers near Stromboli on the morning of 13 August 1942.
Now we return to the main convoy to Malta.
Passage eastwards after passing the Straits of Gibraltar.
10 and 11 August 1942.
After passing through the Straits of Gibraltar in the early hours of 10 August 1942, in dense fog, the convoy was first sighted by an Italian passenger aircraft, which sighted the convoy in the afternoon of the same day. German reconnaissance aircraft started shadowing the convoy from dawn on the 11th, and thereafter they or Italian aircraft kept the convoy under continuous observation, despite the effort of the fighters from the carriers to shoot them down or drive them off. At 1315 hours, HMS Eagle, was hit an sunk by torpedoes from the German submarine U-73 which had penetrated the destroyer screen. At that moment there were thirteen destroyers in the screen, the remainder was away from the main convoy, escorting HMS Furious during the flying off operations of the Hurricane fighters for Malta or oiling from and screening ‘Force R’ which was several miles away. Between 1430/10 and and 2030/11 no less then three cruisers and twenty-four destroyers fuelled from the two oilers of ‘Force R’.
At the time of the torpedoing of HMS Eagle the convoy was in four columns, zigzagging at 13 knots, with the heavy ships stationed close round it and a destroyer screen ahead. HMS Eagle was on the starboard quarter of the convoy. She was hit on her starboard side by four torpedoes which had dived through the destroyer screen and the convoy columns undetected and then torpedoed and sank the Eagle in position 38°05’N, 03°02’E (Another source gives 03°12’E but this might be a typo). The carrier sank quickly in about 8 minutes, 926 of her crew, including the Commanding Officer, were rescued by the destroyers HMS Laforey and HMS Lookout and the rescue tug HMS Jaunty. At the time of her sinking, HMS Eagle had four aircraft on patrol. These landed on the other carriers. All other aircraft were lost with the ship. The survivors picked up were later transferred to the destroyers HMS Keppel, HMS Malcolm and HMS Venomous that were to escort HMS Furious back to Gibraltar. The tug HMS Jaunty that had been involved in picking up survivors was never able to rejoin the convoy due to her slow speed.
Late in the afternoon air attacks were expected so Vice-Admiral Syfret ordered the destroyer to form an all-round screen. Indeed the air attacks started around sunset, 2045 hours. The last destroyers had just returned from oiling from ‘Force R’. The enemy aircraft that were attacking were 36 German bombers and torpedo aircraft, Ju 88’s and He 111’s, most of which attacked the convoy but a few attacked ‘Force R’ to the southward. The Junkers arrived first, diving down from 8000 feet to 2000 / 3000 feet to drop their bombs. They claimed to have hit an aircraft carrier and one of the merchant ships. Then the Heinkels attacked, they claimed to have torpedoed a cruiser but during the attacks no ship was hit. The British fighter cover was unable to attack / find the enemy in the failing light. Four enemy aircraft were claimed shot down by the ships AA fire but it appears only two JU 88’s were in fact shot down.
At 0915/12 another wave of German aircraft attacked the convoy. Some twenty or more JU 88’s approached the convoy out of the sun ahead. They were intercepted by fighters about 25 miles from the convoy. About a dozen got through to the convoy, making high-level or shallow dive-bombing attacks individually but without any result. Eight German aircraft were claimed to be shot down by the fighters and two more by AA guns from the ships. The fighters meanwhile were also busy dealng with shadowers, three of which are claimed to have been shot down before the morning attack. Around this time destroyers were also busy with numerous submarine contact which were attacked by depth charges.
Around noon the enemy launched heavy air attacks from the Sardinian airfields. Seventy aircraft approached which were heavily escorted by fighters. They attacked in stages and employed new methods.
First ten Italian torpedo-bombers were each to drop some sort of circling torpedo or mine a few hundred yards ahead of the British force, while eight fighter bombers made dive-bombing and machine-gun attacks. The object at this stage was clearly to dislocate the formation of the force and to draw anti-aircraft fire, making the ships more vulnerable to a torpedo attack which soon followed with over forty aircraft. They attacked in two groups, one on either bow of the convoy. The next stage was a shallow dive-bombing attack by German aircraft, after which two Italian Reggiane 2001 fighters, each with a single heavy armour-piercing bomb were to dive bomb on one of the aircraft carriers, whilst yet another new form of attack was to be employed against the other carrier, but defects in the weapon prevented this attack from taking place.
The enemy attack went according to plan besides that the torpedo attack was only made half an our after the ‘mines’ were dropped instead of five minutes. British fighters met the minelaying aircraft, they shot down one of them as they approached. The remaining nine aircraft dropped their ‘mines’ at 1215 hours in the path of the force, which turned to avoid the danger. The mines were heard to explode several minutes later. Only three of the fighter-bombers of this stage of the attack appear to have reached as far the screen, but HMS Lightning had a narrow escape from their bombs.
The torpedo-aircraft appeared at 1245 hours. Their number were brought down a bit due to British fighters. The remaining aircraft, estimated at 25 to 30 machines, attacked from the port bow, port beam and starboard quarter. They dropped their torpedoes well outside the screen some 8000 yards from the merchant ships which they had been ordered to attack. The force turned 45° to port and then back to starboard to avoid the attack.
In the next stage, around 1318 hours, the German bombing attack, the enemy scored their one success. These aircraft were also intercepted on their way in but about a dozen of about twenty aircraft came through. They crossed the convoy from starboard to port and then dived to 3000 feet. They managed to damage the transport Deucalion which was leading the port wing column. More bombs fell close to several other ships.
Finally, at 1345 hours, the two Reggiane fighters approached HMS Victorious as if to land on. They looked like Hurricanes and HMS Victorious was at that time engaged in landing her own fighters. They managed to drop their bombs and one hit the flight deck amidships. Fortunately the bomb broke up without exploding. By the time HMS Victorious could open fire both fighters were out of range.
The Deucalion could no longer keep up with the convoy and was ordered to follow the inshore route along the Tunisian coast escorted by HMS Bramham. Two bombers found these ships late in the afternoon, but their bombs missed. At 1940 hours, however, near the Cani Rocks, two torpedo aircraft attacked and a torpedo hit the Deucalion. She caught fire and eventually blew up.
The convoy passed some 20 miles north of Galita Island and spent the afternoon avoiding enemy submarines which were known to be concentrated in these waters. There were innumerable reports of sightings and Asdic contacts and at least two submarines proved dangerous. At 1616 hours, HMS Pathfinder and HMS Zetland attacked one on the port bow of the convoy and hunted her until the convoy was out of reach. HMS Ithuriel, stationed on the quarter, then attacked, forced the enemy to surface and finally rammed her. She proved to be the Italian submarine Cobalto. Meanwhile HMS Tartar, on the starboard quarter, saw six torpedoes fired at close range at 1640 hours, and the next destroyer in the screen, HMS Lookout sighted a periscope. Together they attacked the submarine, continuing until it was no longer dangerous. There was no evidence this submarine was sunk.
At 1750 hours, HMS Ithuriel, which was on her way back to the convoy after sinking the Italian submarine Cobalto was attacked by a few dive-bombers, when still a dozen miles astern of the convoy. At this time the convoy came under attack by aircraft stationed on Sicily. This force numbered nearly 100 aircraft. Ju.87 dive-bombers as well as Ju.88’s and SM-79’s all with a strong escort of fighters. The enemy started attacking at 1835 hours, the bombers attacking from both ahead and astern which last was the direction of the sun. The torpedo aircraft came from ahead to attack on the starboard bow and beam of the convoy.
The Italian SM-79’s torpedo bombers dropped their torpedoes from ranges of about 3000 yards outside the destroyer screen, and once again the convoy turned away to avoid them. However the destroyer HMS Foresight was hit by a torpedo and disabled. The bombers chose HMS Indomitable as their main target. She was astern of HMS Rodney at the time on the port quarter of the convoy. Four Ju.88’s and eight Ju.87’s came suddenly out of the sun and dived steeply towards HMS Indomitable from astern. Some of the Ju.87 came down to 1000 feet and the carrier received three hits and her flight deck was put out of action. Her airborne fighters eventually had to land on HMS Victorious. HMS Rodney meanwhile had a narrow escape when a bomber attacked from ahead. One enemy aircraft was claimed to have been shot down by AA fire from the ships while the fighters claimed nine more although there were about twice as much enemy fighters in the air then British.
HMS Tartar took the damaged HMS Foresight in tow and proceeded westward for Gibraltar. Next day, as they were shadowed by enemy aircraft, and enemy submarines were known to be in the area, it was decided to scuttle the cripple before both ships might be lost. HMS Tartar then torpedoed HMS Foresight a few miles from Galita Island.
Passage through the narrows, 12-13 August 1942, and the loss off HMS Manchester.
These last air attacks took place about 20 nautical miles west of the Skerki Channel and at 1900 hours, when the attacks were clearly over, Vice-Admiral Syfret turned away with ‘Force Z’. It was now up to Rear-Admiral Burrough with ‘Force X’ to take the convoy to Malta.
At 2000 hours, when the convoy was changing it’s formation from four to two columns, the convoy was attacked by Italian submarines. The submarine Dessie attacked a freighter with four torpedoes and claimed three hits. The sound of the torpedo hits was however not caused by her attack but by an attack by the Axum which hit three ships, HMS Nigeria, HMS Cairo and the tanker Ohio.
HMS Nigeria had to turn back to make for Gibraltar escorted by the escort destroyers HMS Derwent, HMS Wilton and HMS Bicester. Rear-Admiral Burrough transferred his flag to the destroyer HMS Ashanti. The stern of HMS Cairo had been blown off and she had to be sunk as she was beyond salvage with both engines also out of action. She was scuttled by HMS Pathfinder. The Ohio meanwhile managed to struggle on.
At this time the convoy was still trying to form up the the submarine attacks messed things up and right at thus time the convoy was once more attacked from the air in the growing dusk at 2030 hours. About 20 German aircraft, Ju-88’s made dive bombing and torpedo attacks, hitting the Empire Hope with a bomb and the Clan Ferguson and Brisbane Star with torpedoes. The first of these ships had to be sunk (by HMS Bramham, the second blew up but the last eventually reached Malta. Soon after this attack, at 2111 hours, HMS Kenya was torpedoed by the Italian submarine Alagi. She was able to evade three of the four torpedoes but was hit in the bow by the fouth. She was however able to remain with the convoy.
The situation was then as follows. HMS Kenya and HMS Manchester with two merchant ships, and with the minesweeping destroyers HMS Intrepid, HMS Icarus and HMS Fury sweeping ahead, had passed the Skerki Channel and were steering to pass Zembra Island on the way to Cape Bon. HMS Ashanti, with Rear-Admiral Burrough on board was fast overhauling these ships. The other two destroyers HMS Pathfinder, HMS Penn and the escort destroyer HMS Ledbury, were rounding up the remaining nine merchant ships. The escort destroyer HMS Bramham was also catching up after having escorted the single Deucalion until she sank.
On learing about the fate of HMS Nigeria and HMS Cairo, Vice-Admiral Syfret detached HMS Charybdis, HMS Eskimo and HMS Somali to reinforce Rear-Admiral Burrough. It would take these ships several hourse to catch up with the convoy.
The main body of the convoy passed Cape Bon around midnight. Fourty minutes later enemy Motor Torpedo Boats appeared and started to attack. Their first victim was HMS Manchester which was torpedoed at 0120/13 by the Italian MS 16 or MS 22. She had to be scuttled by her own crew. Many of her ships company landed in Tunisia and were interned by the Vichy-French but about 300 were picked up by destroyers (first by HMS Pathfinder, and later by HMS Eskimo and HMS Somali. These last two destoyers then set off towards Gibraltar.)
Four and possibly five of the merchant ships were also hit by the Motor Torpedo Boats. These were the Wairangi, Rochester Castle, Almeria Lykes, Santa Elisa and probably the Glenorchy. They were attacked between 0315 and 0430 hours about 15 nautical miles south-east of Kelibia whilst taking a short cut to overhaul the main body of the convoy. Four were lost, only the Rochester Castle survived and she managed to catch up with the main body of the convoy at 0530 hours. The Glenorchy was sunk by the Italian MS 31, the other four, of which the Rochester Castle survived as mentioned earlier, were hit by the German S 30 and S 36 as well as the Italian MAS 554 and MAS 557.
Shortly before 0530 hours HMS Charybdis, HMS Eskimo and HMS Somali had joined the main body of the convoy making the force now two cruisers and seven destroyers with the transports Rochester Castle, Waimarama and Melbourne Star. The damaged tanker Ohio was slowly catching up. With her was the escort destroyer HMS Ledbury. Astern of the main body was the Port Chalmers escorted by the destroyer HMS Penn and the escort destroyer HMS Bramham. The destroyers recued the crew of the Santa Elisa when the passed by the abandoned ship which was afterwards finished off by a German bomber. The Dorset was proceeding without escort and lastly the damaged Brisbane Star was still keeping close to the Tunisian coast independently, intending to steer towards Malta after nightfall.
At 0730 hours, Rear-Admiral Burrough, sent back HMS Tartar and HMS Somali to Kelibia to assist HMS Manchester and then go to Gibraltar. When they arrived they found out that the Manchester had been scuttled several hours earlier so they rescued those of her crew that had not reached the shore yet and then made off to Gibraltar as ordered. Besides crew of the Manchester they also picked up survivors from the Almeria Lykes and Wairangi.
The next encounter with the enemy was an air attack on the main body of the convoy at 0800 hours by German bombers. About 12 Ju.88’s made a shallow diving attack coming down from 6000 feet to 2000 feet to drop their bombs. Two dived on the Waimarama hitting her several times and she blew up immediately, one of the bombers was even destroyed in the explosion. HMS Ledbury saved some of her crew out of the blazing sea. At 0925 hours, when the Ohio, Port Chalmers and Dorset where with the main body again, a few Ju.87’s escorted by Italian fighters attacked. They dived down to 1500 to 1000 feet. HMS Kenya leading the port column, and the Ohio last ship but one in the starboard column, had narrow escapes. One of the enemy aircraft crashed on board the Ohio just after having released it’s bomb after being damaged by gunfire from the Ohio and HMS Ashanti. Another aircraft was claimed to have been shot down by fighters from Malta that had been patrolling overhead since daybreak.
Arrivals at Malta 13-15 August 1942.
At 1050 hours, about 20 bombers, mostly Ju.88’s with a few Ju.87’s, came in to attack. Target was the Ohio and she received four or five near misses and her engines were disabled. At the same time the Rochester Castle in the port column was near-missed and set on fire but she continued with the convoy. The Dorset which was astern of her was hit and stopped. The convoy went on leaving the Dorset behind with the Ohio and two destroyers.
At 1125 hours the last air attack on the main body took place. Five Italian SM.79’s attacked with torpedoes and almost hit the Port Chalmers as the torpedo got stuck in the paravane. Further attacks on the main body were held of by fighters from Malta. At 1430 hours, four minesweepers from Malta joined the main body of the convoy, these were HMS Speedy (Lt.Cdr. A.E. Doran, RN, with the group’s commander A/Cdr. H.J.A.S. Jerome, RN on board), HMS Hebe, HMS Rye and HMS Heyte. Also with them were seven Motor Launches; ML 121, ML 126, ML 134, ML 135, ML 168, ML 459 and ML 462. HMS Rye and two of the ML’s were sent towards the damaged Ohio which was ‘vital for Malta’, according to A/Cdr. Jerome.
At 1600 hours, Rear-Admiral Burrough, set course to the west with his two cruisers and with five destroyers. The Port Chalmers, Melbourne Star and Rochester Castle arrived in Grand Harbour around 1800 hours with the force of A/Cdr. Jerome. The Rochester Castle was by that time very low in the water, she had just made it into port on time.
Out were still the Ohio, Dorset and the Brisbane Star. The valuable Ohio had been helpless with HMS Penn and HMS Bramham. When HMS Rye arrived at 1730 hours, HMS Penn took the Ohio in tow. Meanwhile HMS Bramham was sent to the Dorset but soon afterwards German bombers came again and the ships were attacked repeatedly until dark. Both merchantman were hit around 1900 hours and the Dorset sank.
At daylight on the 14th HMS Ledbury arrived to help bringing the Ohio to Malta. HMS Speedy also soon arrived on the scene with two ML’s. The rest of his force he had sent to search for the Brisbane Star. At 1045 hours, enemy aircraft made their last attempt, causing the parting of the tow. Fighter from Malta shot down two of the attackers. The tow was passed again and the slow procession went on and in the morning of the 15th the vital tanker finally reached Malta.
The Brisbane Star had by then also arrived. She left the Tunisian coast at dusk on the 13th. Aircraft had attacked her unsuccessfully and one of the attackers was shot down by a Beaufighter escort that had been sent from Malta. She arrived at Malta in the afternoon of the 14th.
Italian surface ships to operate against the convoy ?
The convoy had experienced the violence of the enemy in every shape except that of an attack by large surface ships. Yet Italian cruisers and destroyers had been at sea to intercept and attack it. Two light cruiser had left Cagliari in the evening of 11 August 1942 and the heavy cruisers Gorizia and Bolzano from Messina, and a light cruiser from Naples had sailed on the morning of the 12th. That evening reconnaissance aircraft reported one heavy and two light cruisers with eight destroyers about 80 nautical miles to the north of the western tip of Sicily and steering south. It would have been possible for this force to meet the convoy at dawn on the 13th so the shadowing aircraft was therefore ordered in plain language to illuminate and attack. This apparently influenced the Italians as they had limited air cover and they turned back at 0130/13 when near Cape San Vito. At 0140 hours the aircraft reported that it had dropped its bombs but no hits had been obtained. Similar orders were signalled, in plain language, to relief shadowers and to report the position of the enemy force to the benefit of imaginary Liberator bombers in case the Italians would change their minds and turn back. They however held on to the eastward.
The submarine HMS P 42 sighted them around 0800/13 off Stromboli and attacked with four torpedoes claiming two hits. She had in fact hit the heavy cruiser Bolzano which was able to proceed northwards and the light cruiser Muzio Attendolo which managed to reach Messina with her bows blown off. The other cruisers went to Naples. Following the attack P 42 was heavily depth charged by the destroyers but managed to escape.
In fact the following Italian ships had been at sea; heavy cruisers Gorizia, Trieste, Bolzano, light cruisers Eugenio di Savoia Raimondo Montecuccoli, Muzio Attendolo. They were escorted by eleven destroyers; Ascari, Aviere, Camicia Nera, Corsaro, Fuceliere, Geniere, Legionaro, Vincenzo Gioberti, Alfredo Oriani, Grecale and Maestrale.
The return to Gibraltar.
The British ships returning to Gibraltar had better fortune. Having left the convoy off Malta in the afternoon of the 13th, they rounded Cape Bon around 0130/14 and from that point until past Zembra Island they successful ran the gauntled of E-boats laying in wait.
at 0450/14, near the Fratelli Rocks, a submarine fired torpedoes at HMS Ashanti from the surface. She was nearly rammed by HMS Kenya, which was next astern of the ‘flagship’ (Rear-Admiral Burrough was still in HMS Ashanti). The inevitable shadowers arrived soon after daylight to herald their air attacks that began at 0730 hours. They lasted until around 1315 hours. German bombers came in first with three attemps by a few Ju.88’s. This was followed by a more severe attack with about 30 bombers, Ju-88’s and Ju-87’s between 1030 and 1050 hours. An hour later 15 Savoia high-level bombers attacked followed until 1315 hours by torpedo-carrying Savoia’s. Around 20 aircraft attacking single or in pairs. Also aircraft are though to be laying mines ahead. Several ships were near missed, but no further damage was sustained. After these attacks the British were left alone and in the evening they joined ‘Force Z’.
Vice-Admiral Syfret had gone as far west as 01’E where he ordered the damaged carrier HMS Indomitable to proceed to Malta with HMS Rodney and a destroyer screen (which). He then turned back to the east to make rendez-vous with Rear-Admiral Burrough. They arrived at Gibraltar on the 15th.
A few hours before they arrived the damaged HMS Nigeria and her escort had also entered port, as had HMS Tartar, HMS Eskimo and HMS Somali. On her way back HMS Nigeria had been attacked by torpedo-bombers and a submarine but she had not been hit.
Out of the fourteen ships that had sailed only five arrived ‘safe’ at Malta. This was not a very high score also given the very heavy escort that had been provided also taken in mind that an aircraft carrier, a light cruiser, an AA cruiser an a destroyer had been lost and two heavy cruiser had been damaged. But the convoy had to meet very heavy air attacks by over 150 bombers and 80 torpedo aircraft, all in the space of two days. Also these aircraft were protected by fighter in much greater strength that the carriers and Malta could provide. And there were also the enemy submarines and E-boats.
The spirit in which to operation was carried out appears in Vice-Admiral Syfret’s report: ‘ Tribute has been paid to the personnel of His Majesty’s Ships, both the officers and men will desire to give first place to the conduct, courage, and determination of the masters, officers, and men of the merchant ships. The steadfast manner in which these ships pressed on their way to Malta through all attacks, answering every maneuvering order like a well trained fleet unit, was a most inspiring sight. Many of these fine men and their ships were lost. But the memory of their conduct will remain an inspiration to all who were privileged to sail with them. ‘ (14)
ADM 53/114625 + ADM 199/399
ADM 53/114626
ADM 53/114626 + ADM 53/114204 + ADM 199/1138
ADM 199/427
ADM 199/651 + ADM 234/353
You can help improve officers Harold Drew's page