Considerable enemy air activity during the night, and it is suspected that a number of mines were laid off Grand Harbour.
BERYL and TRUSTY STAR were in action with E boats which were driven off to the N.E. BERYL observed the tracks of three torpedoes.
WELSHMAN entered harbour at 0530. In spite of frequent air raids, during the course of which she was "near missed" six times and slightly damaged, WELSHMAN completed unloading by 1330. Protective smoke screen was used over the Dockyard for the first time and proved effective, though the area covered by the smoke was heavily bombed. WELSHMAN was successfully swept out of the harbour and to sea at 2130.
26th May
BERYL and tug ST ANGELO carried out sweep of main entrance channel with EDDY, TRUSTY STAR, and SWONA as danlayers. EDDY struck a mine returning to harbour and sank with the loss of eight hands. The Commanding Officer and ten ratings were saved.
The sweep was abandoned owing to unsatisfactory conditions, only one mine having been swept.
Owing to S.E. swell, no operations of defuelling BRECONSHIRE were possible.
Seven Wellingtons bombed Messina. One battleship was reported anchored one mile south of the harbour.
28th May
Just after midnight 27th, a Beaufighter sighted 18 E boats 25 miles south of the island, and claimed to have damaged three of them.
ST ANGELO and TRUSTY STAR carried out sweep and cut seven mines off the Grand Harbour.
Four Albacores and two Swordfish on an unsuccessful sortie. All returned.
29th May
ST ANGELO and TRUSTY STAR continued sweeping.
30th May
ST ANGELO, BERYL, TRUSTY STAR, and SWONA sweeping. ST ANGELO struck a mine and sank ¾ mile from breakwater. Four hands were lost.
20 tons of oil fuel recovered from BRECONSHIRE.
31st May
TRUSTY STAR, BERYL, and M.L. 126 sent to Marsavlokk to sweep the approaches to that Harbour.
H.M. 235 sweeping off Grand Harbour.
17 tons of oil fuel recovered from BRECONSHIRE.
PART ll
2. Outstanding Events in May
(i). Minelaying by E Boats and possibly by submersible craft.
(ii). Arrival of WELSHMAN and use of smoke screen to protect her against aerial attack.
(iii). Departure of Captain (S), Tenth Submarine Flotilla, and Tenth Submarine Flotilla for Alexandria.
(v). Arrival of reinforcements of fighter aircraft.
(i). Minelaying by E Boats and possibly by submersible craft. Reports of the sound of engines at sea, and shipping picked up on R.A.F. plots, indicated that enemy small craft were operating off the N.E. Coast of the Island, probably minelaying. Patrols by M.L.s and trawlers were instituted, working in conjunction with coast defence searchlight sweeps.
On the morning of the 8th, M.L. 130 was sunk after being in action for 20 minutes with superior forces. The following day, OLYMPUS was mined off Grand Harbour when proceeding to Alexandria. These events seem to have marked the beginning of a period of mining activity on the part of the enemy, the intensity of which was not appreciated until later. The R.D.F. sets available have proved unreliable in detecting E boats and these craft, possibly supplemented by submarines, operating on dark nights, under the cover of the sound of aircraft engines have worked for the most part undetected, under the noses of the lookouts.
The only occasions on which E boats were actually sighted were:
(1). M.L.130's action on the morning of the 8th,
(2). A/S trawler BERYL and TRUSTY STAR's action on the morning of the 10th when they sank one and drove off the remainder, and
(3). The illuminated engagement by the coastal artillery of a number of E boats on the night of the 15th/16th.. On this occasion at least one of the enemy was disabled and was attacked at dawn by Spitfires and finally sunk by M.E. 109s before she could be brought in.
Between the commencement of this period and the end of the month, the sweepers, C.308, EDDY, and ST ANGELO, all struck mines and were lost, fortunately with only a small loss of life. The lack of shallow draft minesweepers made the clearing of the channels a hazardous operation, which was tackled by all ships that could be made available with great determination and untiring persistence. After the loss of C.308, ST ANGELO, SUNSET and EDDY the A/S trawler BERYL – who had been converted to Mk. lll equipment, continued the sweeping who with M.L. 126 preceding her to clear the shallow mines.
(ii). Arrival of WELSHMAN and use of the smoke screen to protect her against aerial attacks
H.M.S. WELSHMAN left Gibraltar on the 8th, successfully evaded identification by enemy forces, and arrived Grand Harbour at 0530 on the 10th. She was examined by a JU 88 at 1000 on the 9th while under French colours, but guns were kept fore and aft and no attack developed.
9th June
32 Spitfires arrived having flown off from H.M.S. EAGLE.
5 mines swept in Grand Harbour and Marsamxett entrances.
10th June
Sweep of Grand Harbour entrance channel. M.L. 126 was attacked by three M.E. 109s and shot down one and damaged another. The Captain and First Lieutenant, and three ratings were slightly wounded.
TRUSTY STAR struck a mine 3 miles 054 degrees from Fort St. Elmo and sank. One Maltese seaman was injured, the remainder of the crew being picked up unhurt.
11th June
BERYL, M.L. 126, and Harbour Launches continued sweep. BERYL's sweep damaged.