Friday, September 23, 2011

Day 755 September 24, 1941

350 miles West of the Portuguese island of Madeira, U-107 and U-67 sink 4 British freighters in convoy SL-87 (remarkably only 16 killed, 197 survivors mostly rescued by British sloop HMS Gorleston). Just after midnight, U-67 sinks SS St. Clair II. At 6.31 AM, U-107 sinks SS John Holt, SS Lafian and MV Dixcove.

Convoy ON.18 becomes the first westbound convoy escorted by the United States Navy. ON.18 (which left Liverpool on September 21 escorted by British destroyers HMS Leamington, Saladin, Skate and Veteran) is met in mid-Atlantic by US destroyers USS Madison, Gleaves, Lansdale, Hughes and Simpson.

600 miles West of the Maldives, Greek steamer Stamatios G. Embiricos mistakes German raider Kormoran for a British ship. Kormoran stops and scuttles the Greek ship which is to low on fuel to be used by the Germans. Kormoran picks up all 31 crew including 25 who try to row away in 2 lifeboats.

Operation Supercharge. Overnight, British minelaying cruiser HMS Abdiel and destroyers HMS Napir, Kingston & Hotspur make the round trip from Alexandria to Tobruk carrying troops and supplies.

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