2.Dezember 1939
Sefldestruction of the german steamer „Watussi“ (9552 BRT) after HMS
„Renown“ opened fire on it near „Kap der Guten Hoffnung“.
„SS San
Calisto“ (8,010BRT) tanker, Hull to Houston, Texas, was sunk by a mine off the
Tongue Lightvessel.
3.Dezember 1939
„SS
Moortoft“ (875BRT) steamer, lost by an unknown cause in the North Sea after
leaving the Humber for Calais. All thirteen of her crew died.
The
german sub U36 is sunk by the british sub „Salmon“ south-west of Kristiansand,
in position 57.00N, 02.47E, 40 dead (all hands lost).
The british battleship „Nelson“ is damaged by a mine layed by U31
(Habekost) near Loch Ewe causing damage that took 8 months to repair.. 73
sailors are wounded.
The german cruiser „Nürnberg“ starts mine-laying operations near
Kristiansand.
„SS
Horsted“ (1,670BRT) on a voyage from London to Sunderland, struck a mine and
sank SE of Flamborough Head.
The „Graf Spee“ sinks the liner „Doric Star“ in the South Atlantic.
6.Dezember 1939
The
german destroyers „Hans Lody“ and „Erich Giese“ start offensive mine laying
operation off Cromer. 2 brit. ships (5286 BRT) sunk, 1 damaged,
7.Dezember 1939
SS
„Eskdene“ a ship built in 1934 (3,829BRT), with a cargo of timber, was
reported to have been damaged by a mine or torpedo but was still afloat,
seventy miles NE of the Tyne entrance. She is gets recovered and repaired.
In the
North Sea, the destroyers HMS „Juno“ and HMS „Jersey“ were attacked by the
German destroyers „Erich Giese“ and „Hans Lody“ which had been laying mines off
Cromer. HMS „Jersey“ was damaged by a torpedo and was towed into the Humber by
the HMS „Juno“.
8.Dezember 1939
„SS
Corea“ (751BRT) steamer, Humber from Boulogne hit a mine and sank off Cromer.
Eight of her crew died.
10.Dezember 1939
„SS
Willowpool“ (4,815BRT) steamer, Bona, Algeria to the Tees, hit a mine and sank
E of Newarp Lightvessel.
11.Dezember 1939
German
surface forces sink 2 british tankers (18000BRT) in the channel.
12.Dezember 1939
A force
of German destroyers under the command of Kommodore Bonte which consisted of
the „Beitzen“, „Steinbrinck“, „Heinemann“ and „Ihn“, each loaded with 60
contact mines, sailed from their assembly point at Schillig Reede, together
with the „Kühne“ as escort. Making their usual feint northwards till dusk then
westwards to the target area off the mouth of the Tyne. The 240 mines were laid
without incident. 11 ships sunk, one damaged.
The german cruisers „Leipzig“ and „Nürnberg“ are torpedoed by the
british sub „salmon“ damaging both of them. The „Salmon“ escapes.
The
british destroyer „Duchess“ sinks after a collision with HMS Barham 9 miles off
the Mull of Kintyre, Scotland.
13.Dezember 1939
The five destroyers (Beitzen“, „Steinbrinck“, „Heinemann“ „Ihn“ and
„Kühne“) after being subjected to an attack made in error by German aircraft,
were still some 130 miles away, they were ordered to form an anti-submarine
screen around the cruisers with all despatch, but shortly afterwards the 'Ihn'
and 'Steinbrinck' were diverted to Wilhelmshaven because of machinery
breakdowns.
The
minesweeping trawler „William Hallet“ (202BRT) struck a mine and sank off the
Tyne. The exact position of the wreck is unclear, but it is thought to be off
Whitley Bay.
The
german battleship „Graf Spee“ encounters the british heavy cruiser „Exeter“ and
the light cruisers „Achilles“ and „Ajax“ at the La-Plata Estuary. The „Graf
Spee“ is heavily damaged and escapes into the harbor of Montevideo.
The
german Fast-steamer „Bremen“ returns from New York breaking through the british
blockade via Murmansk.
14.Dezember 1939
The
remaining destroyers reached the cruisers at 13.57 together with two 'F' class
escort vessels and four 'M' boats. Zig-zagging down the Danish coast, the
German naval force sailed into the patrol area of the british submarine
„Ursula“.
Eight
miles S of Helgoland, Lieutenant Commander Phillips also launched a six torpedo
attack, two of them struck the escort vessel „F9“ at 0.33. She sank three
minutes later with a heavy loss of life.
The
trawler „James Ludford“ on Admiralty service, was mined and sank off the Tyne
at 55 02'30"N - 01 16'15"W in 44 metres of water on colliery spoil.
„SS
Inverlane“ a tanker (9,141BRT) built
in 1938, on a voyage from Abadan to Invergordon, was under way in the North Sea,
her reported position was 55 05'00"N - 01 07'00"W, when a huge
explosion, thought to be caused by a German mine, ripped through her hull. Four
of her crew were killed and many more injured, the ship was abandoned and left
to sink, but she drifted through stormy seas for 36 hours, to eventually appear
on the shore at Seaburn.
The „Inverlane“ burned for five days and was used as a marker by German
bombers searching for the entrance to the Tyne. When a salvage team got aboard,
as the stern had settled on a sandy bottom, it was decided that the fore
section (over 300ft) could be refloated. This was done and it was first taken
to South Shields and then to Blyth to be converted into a blockship. Over 3,000
tons of rubble and stone were put into the hull, which was then towed up to
Scapa Flow to be sunk in Burra Sound, where she lies to this day.
In the
afternoon, the tanker „SS Atheltemplar“ (8939BRT) and built in 1930, struck a
mine and was lying helpless eleven miles off the Tyne. The tugs „Joffre“ and
„Langton“, lying at Blyth and the tug „Great Emperor“ from the Tyne, set off to
help the tanker, they were met by the destroyers HMS „Kelly“ and HMS „Mowhawk“
acting as the escorts. It was 16.30 and nearly dark when the „Atheltemplar“ was
reached, her stern was high out of the water, her forecastle was awash and she
was rolling badly. The tanker is towed to a repair yard in the Tyne on the
15.Dec.
During
the rescue operation for the tanker Atheltemplar the destroyer „Kelly“ hits a
mine. The „Kelly“ was to be taken in tow by the „Great Emperor“, after the tow
was made fast it was found possible to maintain a speed of about three knots.
Reaching the Tyne just before mid-night, with the assistance of the tugs
„Robert Redhead“ and „Washington“, the „Kelly“ was taken to her builders,
Hawthorn-Leslie's shipyard, for repairs.
15.Dezember 1939
„SS
Strindheim“ (321BRT) a Norwegian
ship, struck a mine off the entrance to the Tyne and subsequently sank on a
seabed of shale and colliery spoil, 155ft deep at 55 02'37"N - 01
17'35"W. She is upright, lying in an E to W direction and is intact except
for the mine damage.
„SS Rosa“ (1,146BRT) a Belgian ship struck a mine and sank, 8.3 miles,
108 from St Mary's Island at 55 01'42"N - 01 13'00"W.
„SS Ragni“ a Norwegian ship struck a mine and sank off the mouth of the
Tyne, with the loss of six lives. She was built in 1919.
„SS H.C. Flood“ a Norwegian ship was mined and sank in the North Sea
off the Tyne, at 55 02'00"N - 01 12'00"W. She was 1907 tons and lies
in 30 metres of water.
16.Dezember 1939
The
trawler „Sedgefly“ (520BRT) on HM service hit a mine and sank, 1 mile off the
Tyne.
The armed trawler „Evelina“ (202BRT) on Admiralty service was mined off
the Tyne. She was built in 1919.
„SS Amble“ (1,162BRT) hit a mine and sank off Sunderland.
17.Dezember 1939
„SS
Serenity“ (487BRT) a cargo ship on a journey from Methil to London, was bombed
and sunk by German aircraft, E of Whitby.
Selfdestruction
of the „Graf Spee“ off Montevideo.
19.Dezember 1939
SS
“Jytte“ a Danish ship, en route for the Tyne, struck a mine and sank 18 miles
off Souter Point. Eight survivors of the “Jytte” were landed at Tynemouth at
13.00, two of them were taken to Preston Hospital, North Shields.
German
passenger liner „Columbus“ is scuttled about 450 miles east of Cape May, N. J.,
when intercepted by British destroyer.
20.Dezember 1939
Kpt.z.S.
Hans Langsdorff commander of the battleship „Graf Spee“ committs suicide in
Montevideo.
Selfdestruction
of the german steamer „Columbus“.
U47 (Kpt.Lt.Prien)
returns from war patrol.
U22
laying mines off the british coast.
„SS Mars“
(1,877BRT) a Swedish ship, en route from Kopmaholnen to London was mined and
sank off Whitley Bay at 55 03'48"N - 01 23'59"W in 90ft of water.
Nine survivors of the 'Mars' were landed at North Shields at 16.30. Four of the
crew members were injured and were taken to the Royal Jubilee Hospital,
Tynemouth.
21.Dezember 1939
Minesweeping
trawler „Dromio“ was lost in a collision with an unnamed vessel north of
Whitby.
23.Dezember 1939
„SS Pandora“ renamed „Dolphin“ (4,580BRT) was heading for Blyth under
tow to start her new career as a submarine accommodation ship for the submarine
base at Blyth, when she struck a mine at 55 06'05"N - 01 27'09"W.
25.Dezember 1939
Minesweeping
trawler „Loch Doon“ hit a mine and sank, off Blyth, with the loss of fifteen of
her crew.
The British Admiralty announced that a minefield, 500 miles long and 35
miles wide, down the east coast has been completed.
28.Dezember 1939
„SS Hanne“
(1,080BRT) a Danish ship, struck a mine about 1 mile E of Blyth Pier at 55
06'25"N - 01 29'14"W and sank in shallow water with the loss of
fifteen lives.
HMS
„Barham“ is torpedoed by U30 (Kptlt.Lemp) off the Clyde Estuary.
The
trawler Reserche hits a mine at 20.00, six miles SE of Flamborough Head and has
to be disbanded.
29.Dezember 1939
30.Dezember 1939
The
british Submarine „Seahorse" which had sailed from Blyth for a patrol in
the Helgoland Bight, was sunk.
31.Dezember 1939
„SS Box Hill“ (5,677BRT) steamer, St John, New Brunswick to Hull was
sunk by a mine in the North Sea, off the eastern coast. Twenty on board dead.