7.Januar 1940

 

„SS Towneley“ (2,888BRT) steamer, Tyne to Rouen was sunk by a mine near
Margate.

 

„SS Cedrington Court“ (5,160BRT) cargo ship, Buenos Aries to Hull with a
cargo of wheat, hit a mine and sank NE of the North Goodwin Lightship.

 

HM submarine „Undine“ built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow. Sixth Submarine squadron, Blyth. Depth-charged by German minesweepers M1201, M1204 and M1207 in the Heligoland Bight

 

9.Januar 1940

 

„SS Montauban“ (4,191BRT) was on a voyage from the Tyne to Marseilles with a cargo of coal, when she came ashore on the Saltscars nea Redcar, there she was battered by heavy seas and broke up.

 

„SS Gowrie“ (689BRT) cargo ship, Hull to Aberdeen was attacked and sunk by enemy aircraft E of Stonehaven.

 

HM submarine „Starfish“ (S-class). Built by H.M. Dockyard, Chatham. Depth charged and sunk by German minesweeper M7 in the Helgoland Bight, The crew survived to be taken prisoners-of-war.

 

HM submarine „Sea Horse“ Built by H.M. Dockyard, Chatham. rammed and had periscope standards knocked over by the destroyer Foxhound. Sunk by German 1.Minensuchflottille in the Helgoland Bight.

 

 

10.Januar 1940

 

The German destroyers „Schmitt“, „Galster“, „Beitzen“ and „Ihn“ between them laid another 240 mines in the Tyne approaches. The operation went off smoothly, but once again the now familiar engine problems affected the „Ihn“ this time, she was escorted by the „Beitzen“, they made their own way home.

 

11.Januar 1940

 

„SS Keynes“ (1,705BRT) cargo ship, Southampton to Sunderland was sunk by German aircraft, N of Spurn Point. She had also been attacked earlier in the day by german aircraft.

 

12.Januar 1940

 

„SS Granta“ (2,719BRT) steamer, London to Blyth was sunk by a mine off the Wash. Ten of her crew were lost.

 

19.Januar 1940

 

The collier „Mile End“ (859BRT) was on a voyage from London to Sunderland in ballast when she was in collision with the armed trawler „Faraday“ off the Tees at 54 43'18"N - 01 05'12"W. Five of her crew were killed.

 

HMS Grenville destroyer sunk by a mine in the southern North Sea with heavy loss of life.

 

21.Januar 1940

 

The collier „Ferryhill“ (1,086BRT) en route from Blyth to Aberdeen, struck a mine at 14.00 and sank off Blyth. The 1st Mate and 2nd Engineer of „SS Ferryhill“ were landed at North Shields and taken to the Preston Hospital.

 

„SS Everene“ (4,434BRT) a Latvian ship was torpedoed and sunk by a U Boat in the North Sea, off Longstone Island, Farnes, at 55 42'21.5"N - 01 30'30"W.

 

U22 sinks the british destroyer HMS „Exmouth“ at Moray Firth. 189 hands lost.

U22 sinks the danish ship SS „Tekla“

 

23.Januar 1940

 

„SS Pluto“ (1,598BRT) a Norwegian ship, was sailing E of Longstone Island, Farnes when she was torpedoed by U23 and sank at 55 33'24"N - 01 28'30"W.

 

25.Januar 1940

 

„SS Baltanglia“ (1,525BRT) was sailing north, E of Longstone Island, Farnes when she was torpedoed by a U Boat and sank at 55 33'24"N - 01 28'30"W.

 

„SS Gudveig“ (1,300BRT) a Norwegian ship was torpedoed and sunk by a U Boat, 5 miles NE by E of Longstone Island, Farnes at 55 42'15"N - 01 30'30"W

 

28.Januar 1940

 

SS „Eston“ from Hull to to Blyth hits a mine layed by U22 2,000 metres E of Whitley Bay at 55 03'24"N - 01 24'56"W.

 

29.Januar 1940

 

SS „Stanburn“ is hit by a Stuka bomber and sinks SE of Flamborough Head. Only three survivors.

 

30.Januar 1940

 

U55 is sunk south-west of the Isles of Scilly, in position 48.37N, 07.48W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS „Whitshed“, the sloop HMS „Fowey“, the French destroyer „Valmy“ and „Guépard“, and by depth charges from a British Sunderland aircraft (228.Squ..).1 dead and 41 survivors.

 

German Air force attacks ship traffic off the british coast.

 

SS „Highwave“ (1178BRT) steamer, Hull to Lorient was sunk by German aircraft, NE of Kentish Knock.

 

4./K.G.26 Heinkel He 111H-2. Crashed into the sea five miles east of Coquet Island, Northumberland after combat with Hurricanes of No 43 Squadron based at Acklington, at 12.45 (Sortie to Firth of Forth). F H. Hofer, Uffz R. Feist, Obergefr A. Hain and Gefr W. Korinsky missing. Aircraft 1H+KM sank in the sea.

 

 

30.Januar 1940

 

U15 sinks in the North Sea at Hoofden, after being rammed in error by the German torpedo boat Iltis. 25 dead (all hands lost).