May 31:
Aegean Sea: It was noted yesterday that Ernst von Voigt, in
UB-8, Torpedoed HMS
Merion, a passenger liner converted to look like HMS
Tiger.
Merion didn't sink until the 31st, which gives us an opportunity to look at how well the ruse of remaking passenger ships to look like capital ships worked.
SS
Merion as built.
What von Voigt fired his torpedoes at.
British East Africa: In the midst of overcast skies and rain squalls, dead reckoning places the monitors' convoy roughly 28 miles off the African mainland, east of Mombasa. Captain Fullerton decides that since they are close enough to not be in danger of running out of coal it is time for the tugs to start doing their job again. HMS
Mersey is taken in tow by
Sarah Joliffe and
Revenger, and
Severn by
Blackcock. This operation takes three hours while the convoy drifts several miles northward.
An Examination Officer comes out from Mombasa in a steam launch and demands to inspect the convoy. Captain Fullerton urges him to leave the word "monitor" out of his report, and the Officer tells him that
Severn and
Mersey have already been reported by a passing Norwegian freighter, and everybody knows they are coming.
*
German East Africa: HMS
Laconia launches Short 121 on another reconnaisance flight, which lasted from 1000 to 1100 hours.
There is no log for HMS
Laurentic during this period, but several ships note her departure. It is known that during this period (late May-early June) the armed merchant cruiser was dispatched to pick up four landplanes and their crews. This may have been her departure date, but it is uncertain.
*I mistakenly had this dated a day early. Today is the correct date for these events.