Thread: Malta Air/Sea Rescue 1941-43

Hi Will, sorry to hear about your Dad. I haven't found any reference for a convoy leaving Gib around that time on convoyweb. Not to say it didn't happen. I'm probably looking in the wrong place.

Happy to help. Feel free to PM/email me.

What references are you using? I can help with some books that might help with the cross-referencing/context.

A bit of further digging around Convoyweb has HMTS Pasteur - liner converted into troopship - arriving in Gibraltar on July 19, 1941 as part of convoy WS.9C. However, she departed for the Clyde on Aug 8.

I have found reference to an Army chap who was on the Pasteur in the same convoy. He disembarked at Gib and then boarded HMS Manxman - fast minelayer which made numerous runs to and from Malta - http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/hmsmanxma...onvoy_1941.htm

Note the July 23 entry. Suggests/indicates Manxman was travelling with other ships.

Edit: ah, Manxman was part of Operation Substance. The dates for Substance, according to the link below, are interesting given the diary entries above re Manxman's departure from Gib. Note one of the merchant ships was carrying troops. Of course, this doesn't tie in with your dates from the first post so I'm probably barking up the wrong tree.

http://www.melbournestar.co.uk/Operation_Pedestal.html

The Malta Convoy of July 1941 consisted of six fast merchant ships City of Pretoria, Deucalion, Durham, Port Chalmers, Melbourne Star (Captain D R MacFarlane) and Sydney Star (Captain T S Horn). Captain MacFarlane had been appointed Commodore of the Convoy. The escort for the journey consisted of the battle-cruiser HMS Renown, the battleship HMS Nelson, the aircraft-carrier HMS Ark Royal, cruisers HMS Edinburgh, Manchester, Arethusa and Hermione, the cruiser minelayer HMS Manxman and 17 destroyers with Admiral Sir James Somerville in command.

At 10.55am on July 23rd during an air attack, the destroyer HMS Fearless was hit by torpedo and was severely damaged, unable to continue, she was sunk by destroyer HMS Forester. 1 offficer and 24 ratings were killed.

At 2.50am on July 24th there was a sudden attack by an ‘E’ Boat. The Sydney Star was hit by a torpedo on the port side and began to list. It was decided to transfer the 460 troops she was carrying to the destroyer HMS Nester for safety. Despite having a hole 40 by 16 feet caused by the torpedo the Sydney Star managed to limp to her destination, with her cargo intact.

All the merchant ship of ‘Operation Substance’, including the Melbourne Star, arrived at Malta with their valuable cargoes.

Thanks for all your efforts. Brilliant! Dad recalls a sub being rammed and sunk during the convoy . I think that was by Hermione. Bill Jackson, Lofty Davisdon, Geordie Isbister and Geordie Wilkinson were in his draft (701 he says) and all were transferred to a new vessel at Gib when their transport from the Clyde, the Leinster, ran aground (on Algeceiras ? Point I think). I'm certain that Dad arrived in Grand Harbour, Malta, on Aug 2nd.
Will

Searching for whereabouts of Log for HSL 107 1941-43. Skipper Eric Price apparently sent them to a Fl Lt Crockett who never returned them!!! He later wrote a semi fictionalised 'diary' with almost all names changed. Suspect very strongly that Skipper Price and crrew of HSL 107 were responsible for capture of spy Carmello Borg Pisani and not Crockett as appears in 'official' accounts. Apparently Crocket despised Price as he was ex merchant navy & not RAF trained.
Will

Interesting and fascinating stuff, Will.

I found this yesterday but didn't scroll down far enough. Some excellent pics of the convoy and ships involved.

http://www.killifish.f9.co.uk/Malta%..._Substance.htm

Planning for this operation commenced in June 1941. It's aim was to resupply Malta from Gibraltar with cover from Force H as far as the Skerki Channel. The fleet from Alexandria were tasked with creating a diversion to make the axis powers think the convoy was heading for Alexandria.
Submarines from Alexandria were sent to the west of Crete to send misleading radio signals to fool the enemy to thinking their was convoy activity in the area & lure out attacking forces away from the real area of operation. This plan worked as aircraft from the Luftwaffe & Regia Aeronautica were drawn to the area. The battle fleet meanwhile returned to Alexandria.
The second part of the plan was to escort empty merchantmen lying in Grand Harbour, Malta back to Gibraltar. The tanker Breconshire & 6 merchantmen would be part of this return convoy.
Typically cargoes would be split between ships with a bit of everything so that if ships were lost at least some of all items would get through. Port Chalmers loading manifest included:- 2,000 tons of high octane aviation fuel, maize, wheat, flour, corned beef, mutton, cement, whiskey, tobacco, cigarettes, cotton bales, guns, shells, ammunition, cars, lorries & aircraft components.
The convoy originated from Greenock, Scotland. It departed around 2 am.
The convoy entered the Straits of Gibraltar on the night of 21st July 1941. Night passages were the norm as many enemy agents would report shipping movements back to Italian intelligence.
A thick fog covered the Straits & the merchant Leinster ran aground on the north African mainland at Algeciras. This was land controlled by Vichy French forces & the danger was that all personnel & cargo would be impounded. A ship (reportedly a destroyer) came alongside & took off the personnel, delivering them to Gibraltar where they were later billeted on the French Liner Louis Pasteur for a time. Leinster & the Pasteur failed to make the convoy.

At the Skerki Channel (the narrows) Force H turned back to Gibraltar. This was so as not to put capital ships at risk. The Italian fleet had a considerable force of battleships & heavy cruisers at hand.
On the 23rd July Manchester was attacked by 2 Italian torpedo boats (MAS)(No's 16 & 22) & Italian bombers. She was hit in an oil fuel tank & 2 engines were put out of action. She returned to Gibraltar for repairs.
Fearless was torpedoed & had to be sunk by her sister ship Forester.

Sydney Star was torpedoed by an E-boat & sustained a 40 x 20' hole in her bows. She started to sink by the head & drifted towards the enemy held island of Pantellaria. HMS Nestor came alongside & started evacuating the crew & 464 troops from the 32nd Light AA Regiment. Apart from the personnel her cargo was grain, naval stores & ammunition. It took about half an hour to transfer some 500 men. A skeleton crew remained on board & managed to get 12 knots out of the engines. They set coarse for Malta.
Some Savoia bombers made an attack which was driven off. Sydney Star by this time was estimated to have shipped 7,000 tons of water & was hard to handle. At 7 am a lone aircraft attacked with a torpedo which exploded in the ships wake. She was joined by Hermione, Nelson & Beaufighters from Malta & made Valletta harbour at 8 am.

HMS Firedrake received a direct hit in No. 1 boiler room from a bomb off Cape Bon. She was taken in tow by a Hunt class destroyer & taken 800 miles to Gibraltar.

HMS Edinburgh endured 13 hours of bombing & torpedoes. She was carrying the 11th Battalion Lancashire Fusilliers.

The convoy reached Malta on the 24th July & was greeted by reconnaissance aircraft from Sicily who brought up high level bombers to attack to convoy in harbour. This attack was broken up by the anti-aircraft barrage & Hurricanes.

The fleet returned to Gibraltar where Leinster & Louis Pasteur were docked. The personnel previously rescued from Leinster were transferred to Arethusa, Hermione & the minelayer Manxman. This small force sailed at top speed for Malta. It was rumoured that Arethusa & Hermione were expendable as long as Manxman got through (ref:Malta Convoy. David A.Thomas pp104). This ship also being loaded with bombs, torpedoes & supplies.
Next day at daybreak a submarine was seen on the surface off Tunis & orders were given for Hermione to ram which she did, hitting the submarine abaft the conning tower. This was the Italian submarine Tambien which sank. Hermione sustained a 20' gash to her bows.
This force got into Malta at 11.30 am, 24th July.

Once again many thanks to evceryone. Yes that all confirms Dad's manuscript. Anyone know if HMS Manxman hit anything on that op (Style) from Gib to Malta 31/7 - 2/8/1941?

No mention of any damage for that time.

http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chr...ML-Manxman.htm

Hi, Re: Operation Substance - The Official Report submitted to the Admiralty by Vice Admiral JF Somerville is available from the London Gazette website using the following address:- I think you will find it of interest?
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issu...pplements/4473.

Best wishes

John White
www.melbournestar.co.uk

Originally Posted by melbournestar

Hi, Re: Operation Substance - The Official Report submitted to the Admiralty by Vice Admiral JF Somerville is available from the London Gazette website using the following address:- I think you will find it of interest?
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issu...pplements/4473.

Best wishes

John White
www.melbournestar.co.uk

Hi John,

Most comprehensive report. Thanks for posting!

Cheers

Geoff