September

3rd - At Alexandria (Capt. Victor Alexander Charles Crutchley VC, DSC, RN). Flying the Flag of CinC Mediterranean Fleet, Admiral Sir Andrew Browne Cunningham. Deployed with 1st Battle Squadron which also included battleships BARHAM and MALAYA.

17th - The Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

October

9th - Sailed from Alexandria to carry out exercises in company with battleships MALAYA and BARHAM,  aircraft carrier GLORIOUS, cruiser PENELOPE and destroyers BULLDOG, DAINTY, DARING, DUNCAN, GALLANT, GIPSY and GRAFTON.

13th - At the end of the exercises en route to Alexandria, MALAYA, GLORIOUS, BULLDOG and DARING detached for Aden.
The Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.
Nominated for return to Home Waters for duty with 2nd Battle Squadron, Home Fleet. Took passage for Scapa Flow.

29th - Departed Alexandria escorted by destroyers DAINTY and DIANA.

31st - Arrived at Malta, where she underwent a brief docking.

November

4th - Sailed from Malta escorted by destroyers DAINTY and DIANA.
En route to Gibraltar her deployment was changed to cover the transit of Atlantic convoys.

6th - Arrived at Gibraltar and refuelled.
Sailed from Gibraltar escorted by destroyers DAINTY, DIANA, ILEX and ISIS.

7th - DAINTY, DIANA, ILEX and ISIS detached.

14th - Arrived at Halifax.

18th - Sailed from Halifax in company with destroyers HMCS ASSINIBOINE and ST LAURENT escorting convoy HX 9.

20th - ASSINIBOINE and ST LAURENT detached.

23rd - (At 1551 hours the CinC Home Fleet received a signal from HM Armed Merchant Cruiser RAWALPINDI, patrolling the Iceland - Faroes gap, timed at 1545 hours stating she had sighted a German Battle cruiser, this was quickly changed identifying the vessel as the Pocket Battleship DEUTSCHLAND. The first sighting report was in fact correct what she had sighted were the SCHARNHORST with GNEISENAU in company)
Following receipt the report from RAWALPINDI, WARSPITE was ordered to detach from HX 9 and proceed to the Denmark Strait then to round Iceland outside the 100 fathom line to a position 20 miles due north of Kalso Lighthouse, north Faeroes.

29th - At 0800 hours all search forces commenced a sweep to the north following the trend of the Norwegian coast with battleships NELSON and WARSPITE on the western flank.

30th - At 0800 hours on reaching 66-10N all forces turned on to course 270¼.
At 1300 hours all forces turned on to course 195¼.

December

1st - At 0900 hours the search was called off and WARSPITE was ordered to proceed to Portsmouth.
(En route her destination was changed to the Clyde. This change was made due to RODNEY having incurred rudder damage which put her out of action)

4th - Arrived in the Clyde escorted by HM destroyers EXMOUTH, ECLIPSE and ECHO.

7th - In the Clyde where CinC Home Fleet Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Forbes hoisted his flag and WARSPITE became Flagship of the Home Fleet.
(It had been intended the CinC Home Fleet would shift his flag from RODNEY to NELSON but on 4/12/39 NELSON was mined in Loch Ewe and put out of operation)

13th - At 1930 hours sailed from Greenock in company with battleship BARHAM and HM Battle cruiser HOOD screened by destroyers INGLEFIELD, ICARUS, IMOGEN, IMPERIAL, ISIS and FOXHOUND. Off the Mull of Kintyre the Fleet was joined by destroyers FORESTER and FIREDRAKE from Loch Ewe. Course was then set westward to take up an interception position and to provide cover for the first Canadian troop convoy TCI carrying 7450 Canadian troops to the UK.

(This deployment followed a report from HM Submarine SALMON, received by CinC HF at 1605/13/12/39, reporting an attack on enemy battle fleet and from course given the indication was that the enemy could be in the Fair Isle channel by 2100/13/39, thereby posing a threat to the troop convoy. It later transpired that the enemy force was 5 destroyers covered by 2 cruisers returning from a minelaying operation, laying mines off the entrance to the Tyne)

16th - The Fleet arrived at a position 300 miles west of Malin Head from where it provided cover for the troop convoy TC.1.

1 9 4 0

January

14th - Sailed from Greenock escorted by destroyers FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FORTUNE, FEARLESS, FIREDRAKE, FAME, and FURY of the 8th DF to carry out a patrol of the NW approaches.

17th - The force arrived at Scapa Flow.

18th - Sailed from Scapa Flow in company with HM Battle cruiser HOOD and destroyers FURY, FAME, FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, FIREDRAKE and FORTUNE. To provide distant cover for the Northern Patrol and Norwegian convoys.

24th - The force arrived back in the Clyde.

February

10th - At 1900 hours west of the Shetlands, FAME and FORESTER were detached to refuel at Sullom Voe. 11th On patrol north west of the Shetlands.

12th - At 0600 hours north west of the Shetlands FAME and FORESTER rejoined the Fleet and FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND and FORTUNE were detached to refuel at Sullom Voe.
At 1430 hours FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND and FORTUNE rejoined the Fleet, following which FURY, FORESIGHT and FIREDRAKE detached to refuel at Sullom Voe.

13th - At 1750 hours north west of the Shetlands FORESTER detached to refuel at Sullom Voe.

14th - On patrol north west of the Shetlands.

15th - Early in the morning FURY, FORESIGHT and FIREDRAKE rejoined the Fleet and course was set for to return to the Clyde.

16th - At 1900 hours the Fleet altered course to close the Pentland Firth. This was so the heavy units would be available should the Germany Navy react to the ALTMARK operation.

17th - At 0530 hours to the west of the Pentland Firth, following the conclusion of the ALTMARK operation, the Fleet set course for the Clyde.

18th - At 0930 hours the Fleet arrived back at Greenock.

March

16th - Departed the Clyde at 1400 hours escorted by destroyers HARDY, HOTSPUR, HOSTILE and HUNTER.

17th - At 1600 hours arrived at Scapa Flow

19th - At 1445 hours sailed from Scapa Flow in company with Battleships RODNEY and VALIANT escorted by destroyers HARDY, HERO, HUNTER, HASTY, HOTSPUR, HYPERION and HOSTILE of the 2nd DF.

(This sailing was on Admiralty order that the Fleet should be at sea during the moonlight period between 19th and 26th March, because it was thought that the German air force might try to drive the Fleet out of Scapa Flow).

During the period of maximum moonlight the Fleet cruised to the north of the Shetlands and provided heavy cover for the Norwegian convoy HN 20 and ON 21.

27th - At 1100 hours arrived back at Scapa Flow in company with Battleships RODNEY and VALIANT escorted by destroyers FEARLESS, FORESTER, HUNTER, HASTY, HERO, HOTSPUR, HARDY, HOSTILE and HYPERION.

April

Nominated to join the Mediterranean Fleet.

4th - At 0130 hours sailed from Scapa Flow escorted by destroyers GRIFFIN, MOHAWK, HERO and JUPITER for the Clyde.
JUPITER was relieved by destroyer DELIGHT later on the 4/4/40.
HM Destroyer ASHANTI relieved HERO late on the 4/4/40.

5th - At 0600 hours arrived in the Clyde escorted by ASHANTI, DELIGHT, GRIFFIN and MOHAWK.
On arrival in the Clyde GRIFFIN and MOHAWK detached and returned to Scapa Flow.

7th - Sailed from Greenock escorted by destroyers HESPERUS, HAVANT and MACKAY for Gibraltar where she was due to arrived on 12/4/40.

8th - Recalled on passage to Gibraltar to rejoin Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.

(Note: PINK LIST of 9th April shows the ship as part of Home Fleet and ship may have been deployed in NW Approaches when ordered to rejoin Home Fleet ships in North Sea. See Naval Staff History (HMSO – 2001))

9th - At 1445 hours arrived at Scapa Flow escorted by destroyers HESPERUS and HAVANT. MACKAY which had been in the escort was detached at 1610/8/4/40 and returned to Liverpool.
At 2130 hours sailed from Scapa Flow escorted by destroyers ESCORT, JAVELIN, JANUS, JUNO and ECLIPSE. The force set course for a position 10 miles north of Muckle Flugga.

10th - At 0500 hours 10 miles north of Muckle Flugga the WARSPITE force RVed with  aircraft carrier
FURIOUS and destroyers ASHANTI, MAORI, DELIGHT and FORTUNE.
The combined force then proceeded on course 115¼ at 16 knots to join the CinC Home Fleet.
At 0730 hours the force joined the Home Fleet in position 61-24N, 2W.
The Fleet now comprised battleships RODNEY, VALIANT and WARSPITE,  aircraft carrier FURIOUS, cruisers DEVONSHIRE, BERWICK and YORK and destroyers ASHANTI, COSSACK, ZULU, MAORI, ECLIPSE, ESCORT, ISIS, ILEX, IMOGEN, INGLEFIELD, JANUS, JAVELIN, JUNO, FORESTER, FOXHOUND and FAULKNOR.
The fleet then steered north to a flying off position for FURIOUS’s Swordfish to attack Trondheim.

11th - At 0400 hours at 64-24N, 7-55E off Trondheim FURIOUS launched 18 torpedo carrying Swordfish against shipping in the harbour. No hits were obtained.
All the aircraft returned between 0630 and 0700 hours.
From 1540 to 1700 hours the Fleet was bombed by German aircraft, during the attack the ECLIPSE was hit and damaged.
At 1700 hours the Fleet was in position 64-48N, 7-52E.

12th - At 0730 hours in position 66-27N, 6-00E, off Vestfjord the Fleet was joined by HM Battle cruisers RENOWN and REPULSE.
At 1450 hours VALIANT, REPULSE, JANUS, JAVELIN and JUNO were detached to make contact with convoy NP 1.
Between 1615 and 1655 hours FURIOUS flew off 17 Swordfish armed with bombs to attack enemy shipping in Narvik.
Plans were then made for destroying the German naval forces at Narvik. This was to be an attack by a battleship heavily escorted by destroyers in conjunction with an air strike by aircraft carrier FURIOUS aircraft.

14th - At 0250 hours WARSPITE arrived off Narvik where she took on board wounded from COSSACK and PUNJABI.
(The Second Battle of Narvik resulted in the sinking of 8 German destroyers and a U-Boat)
(For details see NARVIK by D Macintyre, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History).

15th - Remained off Narvik screened by HOSTILE, HAVOCK and FOXHOUND pending arrival of other warships from UK.

19th - Sailed from Vestfjord for Rosyth escorted by destroyers HAVOCK, HOSTILE, HERO and FOXHOUND, was attacked by U.47 from 900 yards with two torpedoes with magnetic pistols, one missed and the other exploded at the end of its run. The escorting destroyers subjected U.47 to a heavy depth charge attack, and WARSPITE was recalled to Narvik.

26th - At 1615 hours arrived at Scapa Flow in company with HAVOCK, HOSTILE, HERO and FOXHOUND.

27th - At 1100 hours sailed from Scapa Flow for Greenock escorted by destroyers INGLEFIELD, HERO and FOXHOUND. (Prior to sailing Captain Crutchley handed over command to Captain Douglas Blake Fisher OBE RN)

28th - At 1100 hours arrived at Greenock.

30th - At 2020 hours sailed from Greenock escorted by destroyers HERO, FOXHOUND, FIREDRAKE for Gibraltar and duty with the Mediterranean Fleet.

May

1st - The destroyers detached and returned to the Clyde.

5th - Off Cape St Vincent WARSPITE was met by destroyers DOUGLAS and WRESTLER who escorted her into the Mediterranean.

6th - Off Alboran Island DOUGLAS and WRESTLER detached and destroyers KEPPEL, VELOX and VORTIGERN took over the escort.

7th - Arrived at Malta with KEPPLE, VELOX and VORTIGERN.
After refuelling sailed from Malta escorted by Australian destroyers HMAS's VENDETTA, VOYAGER and WATERHEN.

10th - Arrived at Alexandria and joined the 1st Battle Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet.

11th - At Alexandria where Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham hoisted his flag on WARSPITE and she became the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet.
Following her arrival she was deployed with Fleet units for extensive exercises in anticipation of the Italian entry into the war.

June

Deployed at Alexandria.

11th - (Italy declared war at 0001hours on 11/6/40)

12th - At 0230 hours sailed from Alexandria in company with battleship MALAYA,  aircraft carrier EAGLE screened by destroyers DAINTY, HASTY, ILEX, JANUS, JUNO, NUBIAN and HMAS STUART, VAMPIRE and VOYAGER to carry out a sweep west along the African coast.
At 0840 hours cruiser CALEDON joined the fleet at sea.
At 1325 hours cruiser CALYPSO joined the fleet at sea and destroyer MOHAWK joined later.
At 1840 hours destroyers HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO, HOSTILE, HYPERION and IMPERIAL joined the fleet.
At 1953 hours HMAS STUART, VAMPIRE and VOYAGER detached from the fleet.
Later destroyer DIAMOND joined the fleet.

14th - The Fleet returned to Alexandria.

July

7th - The Mediterranean Fleet sailed from Alexandria to cover passage of Convoys MF1 (Fast 13 knots) and MS1 (Slow 9 knots) from Malta. (Operation MA 5).
The Fleet was divided into three sections, forces A, B & C - Force B comprised WARSPITE, and destroyers NUBIAN, MOHAWK, HERO, HEREWARD, and DECOY.
Later that night, Italian submarine BEILUL sighted and attacked the Mediterranean Fleet without success 32-40N, 28-10W. Later, she was able to report her sighting to the Supermarina.

10th - At 0830 hours EAGLE flew off a strike force against shipping in Augusta roads.
At 2030 hours off Malta ROYAL SOVEREIGN and attendant destroyers detached to refuel at Malta. WARSPITE, MALAYA, EAGLE and attendant destroyers proceeded to the south of Malta to await ROYAL SOVEREIGN.

11th - At 1000 hours ROYAL SOVEREIGN and attendant destroyers rejoined. Following which the combined Fleet consisting of WARSPITE, MALAYA, ROYAL SOVEREIGN, EAGLE, GLOUCESTER, DAINTY, DEFENDER, HASTY, HEREWARD, HERO, HOSTILE, HYPERION and ILEX set course for Alexandria covering convoy MS1 (MS1 had sailed from Malta early on 10/7/40)

12th - Between 0850 and 1150 hours, WARSPITE was attacked by high level bombers but sustained no damage.

13th - At 0600 hours arrived at Alexandria.

19th - At 1100 hours WARSPITE and destroyers departed Alexandria and swept to the northwest.

(This sailing followed the report of HMAS SYDNEY and her destroyers being in action with 2 Italian cruisers, the BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI and GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, the former was sunk in the action off Cape Spada)

20th - At 1000 hours arrived back at Alexandria.
Later in the day the Mediterranean Fleet sailed from Alexandria to carryout an attack on Tobruk where it was thought the Italian cruiser GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE had taken refuge.

21st - Arrived back at Alexandria.

27th - At 0300 hours sailed from Alexandria in company with battleships MALAYA and RAMILLIES,  aircraft carrier EAGLE escorted by destroyers DECOY, HEREWARD, HERO, HYPERION, ILEX, IMPERIAL, JERVIS, JUNO, NUBIAN and MOHAWK to cover the passage of convoy AS2/1.
South of Crete the fleet was joined by cruisers NEPTUNE and HMAS SYDNEY.

28th - The fleet divided. South of the Kithera Strait
WARSPITE, ILEX, IMPERIAL and HYPERION proceeded ahead of the Fleet and were joined by destroyers HOSTILE and JANUS from Alexandria.

29th - The ships arrived at Alexandria at 2000 hours.

August

Under refit at Alexandria.

16th - At 1030 hours the Mediterranean Fleet comprising battleships WARSPITE, MALAYA, RAMILLIES, cruiser KENT and destroyers HOSTILE, HEREWARD, STUART, WATERHEN, VENDETTA, DIAMOND, NUBIAN and MOHAWK sailed from Alexandria on Operation MB 2.
(Operation MB 2 was the bombardment of Bardia)

17th - Between 0658 and 0720 hours the Fleet bombarded Bardia

18th - The Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

30th - At 0445 hours the Mediterranean Fleet comprising in company with battleship MALAYA,  aircraft carrier EAGLE, cruisers ORION and HMAS SYDNEY escorted by destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL, HMAS STUART, VAMPIRE, VENDETTA and VOYAGER and Polish ORP GARLAND sailed from Alexandria on Operation HATS/MB 3. The Fleet sailed towards the Gulf of Taranto.

(The objective of Operation HATS was to cover the passage of reinforcements for the Mediterranean Fleet and convoy MF 2 for Malta. Convoy MF 2 was weakly escorted by 4 destroyers to act as bait to invite an attack by the Italian Fleet).

31st - Early in the morning the Fleet was joined by cruisers KENT, GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL and destroyers HASTY, HYPERION and ILEX, returning from a sweep of the southern Aegean.
On reaching a point approximately 100 miles west of Cape Matapan the Fleet turned south.
At 1554 hours KENT, GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL detached from the Fleet to join convoy MF2.
At 1700 hours when the Mediterranean Fleet was approximately 150 miles west of Crete the Italian Fleet (comprising 4 battleships, 14 cruisers and 39 destroyers that had sailed from Taranto at 0600/31/8/40) was only 120 miles north west of their position making a Fleet action very likely. However at that point the Italian high command, who knew of the convoy but not the presence of the Mediterranean Fleet, ordered the Italian Fleet to return to base.
At 1815 hours the Fleet turned west heading for towards Malta and DECOY was detached to join convoy MF2.

September

Force A comprised KENT, GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, NUBIAN and MOHAWK.

Force E comprising MALAYA, EAGLE, COVENTRY, JANUS, JUNO, DAINTY, DIAMOND, VAMPIRE, and VENDETTA.

Force I comprised WARSPITE, VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, CALCUTTA, STUART, VOYAGER, DECOY, DEFENDER, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL, HYPERION, ILEX, HASTY, and WRYNECK.

(Operation MB 3 was an operation to attack Italian installations in the southern Dodecanese).

At 2200 hours on passage from Malta STUART suffered a broken steam pipe and was ordered to join convoy AS 3.
At 2330 hours VALIANT, HYPERION, IMPERIAL and JANUS joined Force I from Malta. Following which JANUS joined Force E.

2nd - Carrying out operation MB 3.

3rd - Carrying out operation MB 3.

5th - At 0700 hours WARSPITE, VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, HYPERION, HERO, HASTY, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL, JANUS, and DEFENDER arrived at Alexandria.
(Operation HATS - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre).

28th - Sailed from Alexandria in company with battleship VALIANT,  aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and cruisers YORK, ORION, and HMAS SYDNEY to carry out Operation MB 5.
(Operation MB 5 was an operation covering the transport of 1200 troops to Malta in the GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL).
Off Alexandria destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, HERO, ILEX, IMPERIAL, JERVIS, JUNO, JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, and HMAS STUART joined the Fleet.

29th - Early in the morning the Fleet was joined by cruisers GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL with 1200 troops embarked.
STUART suffered a broken steam main and was ordered to return to Alexandria alone.
The Fleet was under air attack for most of the day and in the evening WARSPITE was straddled and three crew were wounded by splinters.

October

1st - At 1245 hours destroyer HMAS VOYAGER joined the Fleet from Malta.
At 1700 hours ORION and SYDNEY were detached to carry out a sweep of the Gulf of Athens.
At 1745 hours GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL rejoined the Fleet.

2nd - The Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

8th - The British Mediterranean Fleet comprising battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT, MALAYA and RAMILLIES,  aircraft carriers EAGLE and ILLUSTRIOUS, cruisers YORK, LIVERPOOL and GLOUCESTER of the 3 CS, ORION, AJAX and HMAS SYDNEY of the 7 CS and destroyers HYPERION, HAVOCK, HERO, HEREWARD, HASTY, ILEX and IMPERIAL of the 2 DF, DAINTY, DECOY, DEFENDER and HMAS VAMPIRE and VENDETTA of the 10DF, JERVIS, NUBIAN, JUNO, and JANUS of the 14 DF departed Alexandria on Operation MB 6.
(Operation MB 6 was an operation to cover Malta bound convoy MF 3 and return convoy MF 4. Convoy ME 4 included HM Gunboat APHIS)

9th - Convoy MF 3 sailed from Alexandria.
At 0254 hours cruiser LIVERPOOL and destroyer DIAMOND joined the Fleet at sea.

10th - At 1715 hours RAMILLIES, HASTY, HEREWARD, HERO, HYPERION, ILEX and NUBIAN detached from the Fleet to refuel at Malta. At intervals through the day and during the 11th the various units of the Fleet detached to refuel in Malta.

11th - At 1105 hours IMPERIAL was mined and badly damaged, she was towed into Malta by DECOY.
At 1600 hours convoy MF 3 arrived at Malta in company with ORION, STUART and VENDETTA. At this time the main body of the Mediterranean Fleet was 100 miles south east of Malta, where it was sighted and reported by an Italian civil airliner.
At 2245 hours convoy ME 4, which included river gunboat APHIS, sailed from Malta escorted by cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY and destroyers WRYNECK and HMAS WATERHEN.
Late in the evening following the return of all the refuelled units, the Fleet turned for Alexandria. (To the north east of Malta positioned in anticipation that a convoy would be sailing from Malta were 4 Italian destroyers, 3 torpedo boats and 4 MAS boats)

12th - During return passage to Alexandria, at 0200 hours, 125 miles west of Malta, and about 70 miles north of the convoy. The 3 Italian torpedo boats launched torpedo attacks on the northern most unit of the Fleet, which was AJAX, all of which missed. However AJAX after initial confusion opened fire on the attackers at 4000 yards sinking ARIEL and ARIONE. In return AJAX received 3 hits from AIRONE. (AJAX was equipped with type 279 radar which was a long range air search set and of little use in a surface engagement). Immediately the 4 Italian destroyers came to the aid of the torpedo boats and at 0230 hours ARTIGLIERE launched a torpedo attack which AJAX avoided. AJAX managed to damage the AVIERE and severely damage the ARTIGLIERE. In return ARTIGLIERE hit AJAX 4 times, putting her radar out of action and damaging a twin 4in mount. At the time of the second engagement the moon had set and the lack of flashless powder caused problems for AJAX’s gunners.
At 0235 hours when the Italian destroyers withdrew behind a smoke screen AJAX broke off the action since Capt. McCarthy believed that he had been in action against 4 destroyers and 2 cruisers.
(This action is known by the Italians as the Battle of Cape Passero).
The gunfire drew other cruisers of the Mediterranean Fleet to the scene, but they arrived too late to see action.

13th - At dawn the damaged ARTIGLIERE under tow by the destroyer CAMICIA NERE, was sighted 107 miles west of Malta by a Sunderland. The Sunderland’s sighting report resulted in an air strike by Swordfish from ILLUSTRIOUS, without result. Also YORK, AJAX and 4 destroyers were despatched from the fleet and arrived at the position at 0900 hours. CAMICIA NERE slipped the tow a made off and YORK finished off the ARTIGLIERE.
At 1100 hours south east of Gavdos Island convoy ME 4 was joined by convoy AS 4 that had sailed from Piraeus.
In the evening the Fleet divided and ILLUSTRIOUS, GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO and NUBIAN headed into the Aegean.

14th - Early in the morning Swordfish from ILLUSTRIOUS carried out an air strike on the airfield on the Island of Leros.
At 0840 hours the ILLUSTRIOUS Force rejoined the main body of the Fleet and the combined Fleet then set course for Alexandria.
In the evening the Fleet came under air attack and at 1845 hours 70 miles SE of Crete, LIVERPOOL sustained an aerial torpedo hit in the starboard bow, delivered by an Italian torpedo aircraft. At 1920 hours the petrol storage compartment exploded, blowing the roof off A turret roof, the port gun fell into the sea and a fire was started. DECOY and HEREWARD stood by.
At 2230 hours ORION took her in tow, towing her backwards at 9.5 knots towards Alexandria escorted by DAINTY, DECOY, DIAMOND and VAMPIRE.

15th - At 0100 hours the Mediterranean Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

29th - At 0130 hours sailed from Alexandria in company with battleships RAMILLIES, VALIANT and MALAYA,  aircraft carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and EAGLE escorted by destroyers DAINTY, DECOY, DEFENDER, DIAMOND, HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO, HYPERION, ILEX, JANUS, JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN. The Fleet sailed towards the west of Crete on Operation CHURCH. (Following Italy’s attack on Greece on 28/10/40 the Greek Government invited Britain to set up a base at Suda Bay on the north coast of Crete.
(Operation CHURCH was the operation covering the military convoys carrying personnel and stores to Suda Bay).
Late in the evening south of Crete cruisers YORK, GLOUCESTER, ORION and HMAS SYDNEY joined the Fleet.

30th - The Fleet continued to sail north west and at 2000 hours the Fleet was 126 miles west of Cape Matapan.

31st - At 1630 hours 75 miles west south west of Cape Matapan WARSPITE, ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK, GLOUCESTER, HASTY, HEREWARD, HERO, ILEX and JERVIS detached from the Fleet and proceeded towards Alexandria. The rest of the Fleet remained cruising to the west of Crete.

November

2nd - At 1900 hours WARSPITE, ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK, GLOUCESTER, HASTY, HEREWARD, HERO, ILEX and JERVIS arrived back at Alexandria.

6th - Sailed from Alexandria in company with battleships RAMILLIES ,VALIANT and MALAYA,  aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, cruisers YORK and GLOUCESTER, destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER, HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO, HYPERION, ILEX, JANUS, JERVIS, JUNO and MOHAWK on Operation MB 8 and Operation COAT. Later the Fleet was joined by cruisers AJAX and HMAS SYDNEY from Suda Bay.
(Operation MB 8 was to provide cover for the passage of Convoy MW 3 [sailed from Alexandria on 5/11/40] to Malta and Convoy AN 6 [sailed from Port Said on 4/11/40] to the Aegean. Operation COAT was the passage of reinforcements for the Mediterranean Fleet).

9th - In the evening RAMILLIES, HAVOCK, HYPERION and ILEX detached for Malta to refuel.

11th - Covered passage of convoy ME 3 from Malta to Alexandria.
At 1310 hours AJAX, ORION, HMAS SYDNEY, MOHAWK and NUBIAN detached from the Fleet to carry out a raid on Italian military convoys in the southern Adriatic.
At 1800 hours ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK, BERWICK, GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER, HASTY, HAVOCK, HYPERION and ILEX detached from the Fleet to carry out Operation JUDGMENT.
(Note: The successful air attack on Taranto (Operation JUDGMENT) by aircraft from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS during the night of 11/12th November was also covered as part of Operation COAT).

12th - At dawn ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK, BERWICK, GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER, HASTY, HAVOCK, HYPERION and ILEX rejoined the Fleet.

13th - The Fleet and convoy ME 3 arrived at Alexandria.

25th - At 0325 hours sailed from Alexandria as part of Force A which comprised battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT,  aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and destroyers DECOY (for repairs at Malta), JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, GRIFFIN, WRYNECK and HMAS WATERHEN and set course for Suda Bay.
At 1200 hours the troopship ULSTER PRINCE joined the Fleet at sea.
At 1600 hours cruisers YORK, GLASGOW and GLOUCESTER of 3rd CS joined the Fleet at sea.
At 2330 hours off south east Crete ILLUSTRIOUS, GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER JANUS, JUNO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN detached from the Fleet and proceeded ahead to a flying off position 60 miles north east of Suda Bay to carry out Operation MB 9.
(Operation MB 9 was an air strike on the Italian seaplane base at Port Laki on the Island of Leros)

26th - The Fleet followed astern of the ILLUSTRIOUS force to provide distant cover.
At 0300 hours ILLUSTRIOUS flew off 15 Swordfish on Operation MB 9.
At 0600 hours ILLUSTRIOUS recovered 14 Swordfish.
All Fleet units then proceeded to Suda Bay to refuel arriving between 0700 hours and 0830 hours.
At 0800 hours destroyers HERO and HEREWARD arrived at Suda Bay to join the Fleet.
At 1030 hours Force A sailed from Suda Bay to carry out Operation COLLAR.
The 3rd CS comprising YORK, GLASGOW and GLOUCESTER detached to patrol to the north of Force A.
(Operation COLLAR was the passage of 1400 troops embarked on MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON, from Gibraltar to Alexandria. To pass three freighters from Gibraltar, two for Malta and one for Suda Bay. To sail reinforcements for the Mediterranean Fleet from Gibraltar to Alexandria)

27th - Force A proceeded towards Malta.

28th - Force A patrolled north of the MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON force sailing for Alexandria.

29th - At 1800 hours arrived back at Alexandria.

December

16th - At 0100 hours the Mediterranean Fleet comprising battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT,  aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, cruisers AJAX, GLOUCESTER, ORION, YORK and HMAS SYDNEY and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO, MOHAWK, GREYHOUND, DAINTY, HYPERION, ILEX, HERO, HASTY and HEREWARD sailed from Alexandria on Operation MC 2.
(Operation MC 2 was a complex operation involving distant cover for convoys to and from Suda Bay to Piraeus, AS 9 and AN 10. Convoy from Malta to Alexandria, ME 5A. An air strike against Rhodes and Stampalia. Forming part of the operation was Operation HIDE which was the passage of the MALAYA through the Mediterranean to Gibraltar and distant cover for convoys to Malta, MW 5A and MW 5B)
At 0745 hours YORK, GLOUCESTER, DAINTY and GREYHOUND detached and proceeded to Suda Bay to refuel.

17th - At 0352 hours in position 35-49N, 25-24E ILLUSTRIOUS flew off a strike force of 6 Swordfish against Rhodes.
At 0435 hours ILLUSTRIOUS flew off a strike force of 5 Swordfish against Stampalia.
At 0600 hours with all aircraft recovered the Fleet headed for Suda Bay.
At 0830 hours the Fleet entered Suda Bay to refuel.
At 1130 hours VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, JERVIS, JUNO, JANUS and MOHAWK departed Suda Bay sailing west.
At 1415 hours WARSPITE escorted by HYPERION, ILEX, HERO, HASTY and HEREWARD departed from Suda Bay sailing west.

18th - At 0130 hours south of Cape Matapan the WARSPITE, VALIANT forces RVed and the Fleet then proceeded toward the Strait of Otranto to carry out Operation MC 3.
(Operation MC 3 was an anti-shipping sweep into the Adriatic and a bombardment and air strike against the port of Valona. In the event because of the weather conditions the air strike was abandoned).
At 1600 hours south west of the Island of Zante ORION, AJAX, SYDNEY, JERVIS, JUNO and MOHAWK detached and proceeded ahead into the Adriatic to carry out the anti-shipping sweep. (This force went as far north as 41-08N without sighting any shipping)
At 1800 hours north west of the Island of Cephalonia ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK, GLOUCESTER, DAINTY, GREYHOUND, GALLANT and GRIFFIN detached and proceeded to position 39N, 20E to fly off the air strike, but due to the weather the strike was abandoned.

19th - At 0115 hours off Valona WARSPITE and VALIANT opened fire on the port area and airfield.
At 0120 hours after the firing of 96 rounds of 15in the bombardment was checked and WARSPITE, VALIANT, HYPERION, ILEX, HERO, HASTY and HEREWARD proceeded south west for Malta.
At 0630 hours the ILLUSTRIOUS force and the ORION force rejoined.
At 1200 hours YORK, GLOUCESTER, ORION, AJAX, SYDNEY, DAINTY, GALLANT, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and HASTY detached to cover the Malta convoys MW 5A and MW 5B

20th - At 1440 hours WARSPITE, JANUS, JERVIS and JUNO arrived at Malta.

21st - Early in the morning WARSPITE sailed from Malta.

24th - Arrived back at Alexandria.

1 9 4 1

January

2nd - At 1830 hours the Mediterranean Fleet comprising battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM and VALIANT, cruisers GLOUCESTER and YORK, HM AA Cruiser CALCUTTA and destroyers JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, WRYNECK, DIAMOND, VENDETTA and GALLANT sailed from Alexandria on Operation MC 5.
(Operation MC 5 was the bombardment of Bardia in support of Operation COMPASS the Western Desert Force offensive against Italian ground forces).
At 2100 hours the Fleet was joined by  aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, escorted by destroyers GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, ILEX and JUNO.

8th - At 1230 hours Force A arrived at Suda Bay where the destroyers were refuelled.
At 1400 hours Force A departed Suda Bay heading west.

9th - At 0730 hours Force A was in position 36-05N, 19-17E and ILLUSTRIOUS launched Swordfish to search a sector 280¼ to 310¼.
At 1030 hours 200 miles west of Malta Force D, cruiser AJAX and HMAS PERTH from Suda Bay and cruiser HMAS Sydney and destroyer HMAS STUART from Malta joined Force A.
At 1130 hours ILLUSTRIOUS flew off a strike force of 6 Swordfish to search for enemy shipping off the Libyan coast.
At 1140 hours Force A was reported by an enemy aircraft.
At 1240 hours in position 35-30N, 17-30E, SYDNEY and STUART detached from Force A for Alexandria.
At 1330 hours Force D, AJAX and PERTH detached to support convoy ME 6.
Force A now comprised WARSPITE, VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, DAINTY, GREYHOUND, GALLANT and GRIFFIN

10th - At 0430 hours in position 35-56N, 13-20E Force A altered course to RV with the EXCESS convoy.
At 0815 hours Force A, RVed with the EXCESS convoy in position 36-28N, 12-11E, and south east of Pantellaria. The convoy escort was BONAVENTURE, GLOUCESTER, SOUTHAMPTON, HASTY, HEREWARD, HERO, ILEX and JAGUAR. Force A took up position astern of the convoy.
At 0834 hours GALLANT was mined and was taken in tow by MOHAWK and BONAVENTURE and GRIFFIN were detached to stand by her.
At 1223 hours two SM 79’s dropped 2 torpedoes which passed astern of VALIANT.
At 1235 hours a large formation of German aircraft, 40 Ju 87’s plus Ju 88’s were sighted approaching from the north.
At 1238 hours the attack commenced, in the 10 minute attack 30 Ju 87’s attacked ILLUSTRIOUS who was hit by 6 bombs which caused serious damage.
The other 10 Ju 87’s divided their attack between WARSPITE and VALIANT. WARSPITE was hit and sustained slight damage to her starboard bower anchor and hawsepipe.

(Cunningham was unaware that Fleigerkorps X had recently moved into bases in Sicily from Norway. Their role was to cover the movement of the first elements of the Afrika Korps to North Africa, by establishing the aerial command over the central Mediterranean which the Italians had failed to do. Their first operation was a small raid on Malta on 9 January 1941. They followed this up with the attack on the EXCESS convoy).

Force A manoeuvred to maintain support for ILLUSTRIOUS whilst efforts were made to bring her under control.
At 1530 hours ILLUSTRIOUS was got under control and course was set for Malta at 17 knots. HASTY and JAGUAR were detached to screen ILLUSTRIOUS.
Between 1600 and 1700 hours further air attacks by 15 Ju 87’s were made on ILLUSTRIOUS and Force A.
At 1700 hours JANUS joined Force A from Malta.
At 2145 hours ILLUSTRIOUS arrived at Malta and Force A proceeded to the eastward.
At 2200 hours Force A now comprising WARSPITE, VALIANT, DAINTY, GREYHOUND, JANUS and NUBIAN was in position 35-40N, 14-10E steering 090¼.
At 2400 hours in position 35-20N, 15-26E, JARVIS joined Force A from Malta.

11th - Force A remained close to the course of the EXCESS convoy.
At 1200 hours Force A was in position 36-06N, 19-27E.
At 1630 hours Force A altered course to close SOUTHAMPTON who was reported stopped in position 34-54N, 18-24E following an attack by 12 Ju 87’s.
At 1645 hours ORION, PERTH, JERVIS and JANUS were detached from Force A to stand by SOUTHAMPTON. JUNO and NUBIAN detached from Force A to join the escort of EXCESS convoy and HERO detached from the convoy to join Force A.

12th - At 0800 hours in position 34-40N, 23-10E all forces RVed. Following which the forces split and Force A comprising WARSPITE, VALIANT, GLOUCESTER, JERVIS, JANUS, GREYHOUND, DIAMOND, VOYAGER, HERO and DEFENDER proceeded to Alexandria.

13th - At 0600 hours Force A arrived back at Alexandria.

31st - At 2200 hours as destroyer GREYHOUND was departing Alexandria she was in collision with WARSPITE causing damage to WARSPITE’s bulge.
(The log book noted that the damage was 'dealt with by local action')

February

March

3rd - WARSPITE,  aircraft carrier EAGLE, and five destroyers departed Alexandria for gunnery and flying exercises.

20th - Sailed from Alexandria in company with battleship BARHAM, and VALIANT,  aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO, JAGUAR, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, ILEX, HERO, and HAVOCK as Force A. to carry out operation MC 9.
(Operation MC 9 was the passage of Alexandria to Malta convoy MW 6 which was escorted by a force designated Force C)

21st - At 1600 hours Force A was joined at sea by Force B that comprised cruisers YORK, ORION, AJAX, GLOUCESTER, HMAS PERTH and destroyers HASTY, HEREWARD and HMAS STUART, .
YORK, ORION, AJAX, GLOUCESTER and HMAS PERTH then detached to provide close cover for convoy MW 6.

22nd - At 0740 hours YORK, ORION, AJAX, GLOUCESTER and HMAS PERTH rejoined force A.
At 2000 hours the Fleet parted company with convoy MW 6 in order to stay out of range of German bombers and reversed course. MOHAWK and NUBIAN detached from Force A and proceed to a position north of convoy MW 6.

23rd  - Force B detached from Force A to cover the withdrawal of Force C from Malta.
Force A then set course for Alexandria.

24th - At 2230 hours Force A arrived back at Alexandria.

27th - At 1220 hours a RAF Sunderland of 230 Sqd. sighted and reported Sansonetti's 3rd Cruiser Division of 3 cruisers and a destroyer in position 36-54N, 17-10E, steering 120¼. Visibility was poor and the Sunderland could not shadow.
On the basis of this report, (together with ULTRA decrypts which disclosed that the Germans were pressing the Italians to attack the British convoys that were transporting troops and supplies to Greece), Cunningham decided to take the battle fleet to sea to protect the convoy route to Greece. The one convoy at sea at the time was the troop convoy AG 9 that was ordered to return to Alexandria.
At 1900 hours sailed from Alexandria in company with battleships BARHAM, and VALIANT,  aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and HMAS STUART as Force A, Course was set 300¼ at 20 knots.

28th - At 0739 hours an aircraft from FORMIDABLE reported 4 cruisers and 6 destroyers 30 miles south of Gavdo Island. This was at first thought to be Force B.
At 0827 hours a sighting report was received from Force B confirming that the aircraft sighting report was of an Italian force, that at that time was 18 miles north of Force B. Force A set course to intercept the Italian force.
At 0900 hours VALIANT, MOHAWK and NUBIAN were detached to proceed ahead of Force A. (At the time WARSPITE was having condenser trouble and could only make 22 knots).
At 0905 hours a report from one of FORMIDABLE’s aircraft reported an enemy force north of the cruisers which included battleships.
At 0938 hours the strike force from FORMIDABLE was ordered to attack the enemy force sighted by Force B. At this time BARHAM who was having difficulty in maintaining 22 knots was ordered to follow astern of the screen. HMAS VENDETTA was sighted having been detached from Force B due to engine trouble. Cunningham immediately ordered VENDETTA to Alexandria.
At 1058 hours Force B confirmed the presence of the second enemy force of 2 battleships. (There was only one battleship)
At 1100 hours Cunningham intercepted 3 signals from Force B.
('Make smoke by all means available' - 'Turn together to 180¼' - 'Proceed at your utmost speed'. From these signals Cunningham concluded that Force B had run into the Italian battle fleet. Cunningham then ordered FORMIDABLE to change the air strike target to the Italian battle fleet. This attack was carried out by 6 Albacores of 826 Sqd. The air strike failed to achieve any hits but caused the enemy to turn away and thus saved Force B)

At 1200 hours FORMIDABLE was detached with 2 destroyers to act independently.
At 1235 hours FORMIDABLE launched a strike force of 3 Albacores of 829 Sqd and 2 Fulmars of 803 Sqd.
At 1245 hours Force B comprising cruisers GLOUCESTER, ORION, AJAX, and HMAS PERTH and destroyers HASTY, HEREWARD and ILEX joined Force A.
At 1250 hours following loss of contact with the enemy Cunningham concluded that the Italian battle fleet had reversed course.
At 1325 hours WARSPITE reduced speed to 21 knots to enable FORMIDABLE and BARHAM to catch up.
At 1515 hours the Italian force steering 270¼ was sighted by an aircraft from FORMIDABLE. The report put the enemy in a position 290¼, 65 miles from WARSPITE.
At 1525 hours the strike force of 3 Albacores commenced their torpedo run against the Italian battleship VITTORIO VENETO and the Fulmars strafe the battleship. The strike force reported 3 hits on the battleship and speed reduced to 8 knots. (There was only one hit in her stern near the port prop shaft reducing her speed to 15 knots. The aircraft which achieved the hit was shot down and the crew lost).
On receipt of the strike force report WARSPITE altered course to 300¼.
At 1644 hours Force B cruisers with MOHAWK and NUBIAN attached was ordered to press on and gain contact with the VITTORIO VENETO force. (MOHAWK and NUBIAN were positioned between Force A and Force B to provide visual signaling between the two forces).
At 1745 hours WARSPITE catapulted off one of her Swordfish. Reports from this aircraft between 1831 and 1915 hours established the position of the enemy forces.

At 1835 hours Cunningham ordered a further air strike against the Italian force. This strike force comprised 6 Albacores and 2 Swordfish of 826 and 829 Sqds flying from FORMIDABLE and 2 Swordfish of 815 Sqd from Maleme, Crete.
By 1915 hours it was clear to Cunningham that VITTORIO VENETO was 45 miles from WARSPITE and steering 290¼ at 15 knots.
At 1925 hours Force B reported enemy ships 9 miles to his north engaging aircraft.
At 1935 hours the air striking force reported 'probable hits'. In fact one of the Swordfish of 815 Sqd flown by Lieut. Michael Torrens-Spence had torpedoed the heavy cruiser POLA which now lay stopped. But at this time this was not known to Cunningham.
At 1940 hours Force B sighted the enemy force.
By 2040 hours Cunningham had decided on a night action. The destroyers of the 2ndDF and 14thDF, comprising JERVIS, JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, HASTY, HEREWARD, ILEX and HOTSPUR were ordered to carry out a torpedo attack. GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, STUART and HAVOCK remained with the battle fleet.

At 2111 hours Force B reported a radar contact on an unknown ship stopped 5 miles to port (This was the damaged POLA). On receipt of this report WARSPITE and the battle fleet altered course to 280¼ to pass nearer the position. (Force B continued on course and took no further part in the action).
At 2210 hours VALIANT reported a radar contact 6 miles off her port bow. (This was the POLA). Cunningham decided to investigate this contact and the battle fleet altered course together at 2213 hours on to bearing 240¼ into line ahead.
At 2225 hours 2 heavy cruisers (ZARA and FIUME) and 4 destroyers (ALFIERI, CARDUCCI, GIOBERTI and ORIANI) were sighted from WARSPITE on her starboard bow. The battle fleet which comprised WARSPITE, VALIANT, FORMIDABLE, BARHAM in line ahead, with GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN on their port side and STUART and HAVOCK on their starboard side, turned on to 280¼.
At 2228 hours with ZARA and FIUME now on the port side of the battle fleet, FORMIDABLE hauled out of line to starboard and GREYHOUND illuminated FIUME with her searchlight and the battle fleet opened fire at 2900 yards with 15in broadsides on FIUME and ZARA. WARSPITE also fired two salvos at HAVOCK who was not showing fighting lights, fortunately these missed. In the action WARSPITE fired 40 rounds of 15in AP and 44 rounds of 6in HE.
At 2235 hours fire was checked, leaving FIUME, ZARA, ALFIERI and CARDUCCI seriously damaged, and course was set on to bearing 010¼, with FORMIDABLE on the starboard side.
At 2238 hours the screening destroyers GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, STUART and HAVOCK were released and ordered to finish off the 2 cruisers.
At 2330 hours the battle fleet altered course to 070¼ speed 18knots.

29th - At 0006 hours Cunningham ordered the Fleet to RV at 0700 hours in position 35-54N, 21-38E.
At 0036 hours STUART reported 3 cruisers and 2 destroyers stopped and on fire/damaged.
By 0330 hours the 3 damaged cruisers and 2 destroyers had been sunk by destroyers.
(So ended what was the Battle of Matapan).
By 0700 hours all units of the fleet had joined Cunningham in WARSPITE. Including cruiser BONAVENTURE and destroyers DECOY and HMAS WATERHEN from Alexandria and destroyers JUNO, JAGUAR and DEFENDER from Suda Bay.
At 0800 hours WARSPITE was in position 35-43N, 21-38E and course was altered to 220¼ to sweep the area of the night action.
At 0920 hours STUART, GRIFFIN and HEREWARD were detached to Piraeus.
Between 0950 and 1100 hours wreckage and survivors were seen and large numbers of the survivors were picked up by the destroyers.
At 1100 hours course was set 120¼ for Alexandria.
At 1530 hours the fleet came under air attack for 12 Ju 88’s dive bombers no hits were achieved but FORMIDABLE was narrowly missed by several bombs and one JU 88 was shot down.
At 1930 hours AJAX, PERTH, DEFENDER and HASTY were detached to Suda Bay. BONAVENTURE to convoy GA 8. DECOY to convoy AN 23.

30th - At 0834 hours an S 79 shadower was shot down by a Fulmar from FORMIDABLE.
At 1730 hours the Fleet arrived at Alexandria.

April

19th - At 1130 hours PHOEBE and CALCUTTA detached for Piraeus.
At 1200 hours the Fleet arrived at Suda Bay, where the destroyers refuelled and WARSPITE off loaded air compressors, timbers and equipment for the repair of the damaged cruiser YORK.
At 1530 hours the Fleet sailed from Suda Bay and set a westerly course.

20th - At 0730 hours south west of the Island of Kithera the Fleet was joined by HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE escorted by HMAS PERTH and destroyer HOTSPUR.
At 0800 hours cruisers ORION, AJAX, GLOUCESTER and destroyers HERO and HASTY joined the Fleet at sea.
At 1200 hours PHOEBE and CALCUTTA rejoined the Fleet.
At 1230 hours the Fleet RVed with convoy ME 7 from Malta. PHOEBE and CALCUTTA detached and joined destroyers DIAMOND and NUBIAN escorting convoy ME 7 which then proceeded to Alexandria.
HM Destroyers JARVIS and JANUS detached from convoy ME 7 and joined the Fleet.
The Fleet then re-organised into two forces.

The bombarding force of WARSPITE, VALIANT, BARHAM, GLOUCESTER, HOTSPUR, HAVOCK, HERO, HASTY, HEREWARD, JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO and JAGUAR.

The covering force of FORMIDABLE, AJAX, ORION, PERTH, ENCOUNTER, GRIFFIN,  KIMBERLEY and KINGSTON.

At 2120 hours the bombarding force turned on to course 235¼ and the covering force detached.

23rd - At 1030 hours the Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

May

7th - Early in the morning south of Crete the Fleet came under attack from 5 enemy bombers, 4 of which were shot down by Fulmars from FORMIDABLE.
During the day the destroyers were refuelled by BRECONSHIRE.
At 1800 hours SW of Crete AJAX, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and IMPERIAL detached from the Fleet to carry out Operation MD 6, a bombardment of Benghazi.

8th - At 1700 hours AJAX, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and IMPERIAL rejoined the Fleet.
ABDIEL and BRECONSHIRE escorted by HOTSPUR, HAVOCK, and IMPERIAL detached for Malta.

9th - At 1100 hours east of Malta, following release from Valletta harbour, destroyers KELLY, KELVIN and JACKAL joined the Fleet.
At 1400 hours 40 miles south of Malta the Mediterranean Fleet RVed with the 4 mercantiles of the Tiger convoy that was escorted by battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH, cruisers GLOUCESTER, FIJI, NAIAD, DIDO and PHOEBE, anti-aircraft cruisers CALCUTTA, CARLISLE and COVENTRY and destroyers KASHMIR, KIPLING, GREYHOUND, HERO, HEREWARD, ILEX, ISIS and HASTY. Course was then set for Alexandria.

10th - At 1700 hours, 160 miles NNW of Benghazi KELLY, KELVIN, KASHMIR, KIPLING and JACKAL detached to carry out Operation MD7 a further bombardment of Benghazi.
In the evening after the full moon had risen the Fleet came under attack from enemy bombers but due to the intensity of the AA barrage on hits were achieved.

11th - DIDO and CALCUTTA and destroyers JANUS and ISIS were detached from the Fleet to proceed to Alexandria to refuel.

12th - Tiger convoy arrived at Alexandria.
At 1300 hours WARSPITE, BARHAM, QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, FORMIDABLE, NAIAD, PHOEBE, CARLISLE, and COVENTRY, GLOUCESTER, FIJI, PERTH, JERVIS, JAGUAR, JUNO, NAPIER, NIZAM, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, ILEX, HERO, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR, HASTY, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL, KANDAHAR, KINGSTON and KIMBERLEY.

18th - At 2000 hours battleships WARSPITE, wearing the flag of CS7, Rear Admiral Rawlings, and VALIANT, cruiser AJAX, and destroyers KIMBERLEY, JANUS, ISIS, HEREWARD, DECOY, HERO, GRIFFIN and HMAS NAPIER departed Alexandria as Force A 1 to relieve Force A off Crete.

19th - Force A 1 arrived off Crete and Force A and B were released to return to Alexandria to refuel.
HM Destroyers HOTSPUR and IMPERIAL detached from Force A and joined Force A1.

20th - At 0530 hours Force A1 was 100 miles west of Crete covering the light forces working inshore.
At 0800 hours the German airborne attack on Crete began. From their position the ships of Force A 1 could see the Ju 52 transports and gliders carrying the German assault forces.
At 2200 hours IMPERIAL and KIMBERLEY detached to join Force D.

21st - At 0530 hours Force A 1 was 60 miles west of the Anti Kithera Strait steaming west to RV with Force D.
At 0800 west of the Kithera Strait Force D, comprising cruisers DIDO, AJAX, ORION and destroyers ISIS, IMPERIAL, JANUS and KIMBERLEY joined Force A 1.
In the forenoon AJAX was damaged by a near miss.
During the day Force A 1 remained to the south west of Kithera prepared to prevent any attempt by the Italian Fleet to support the attack on Crete.
At 1800 hours Force D comprising DIDO, AJAX, ORION, HASTY, HEREWARD, JANUS and KIMBERLEY detached from Force A 1 to attack enemy troop convoys.
At 2000 hours Force B comprising GLOUCESTER, FIJI, GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN detached to patrol off Cape Matapan.
Throughout the day Force A 1 was under heavy air attack.

22nd - At 0530 hours Force A 1 was 45 miles south west of the Kithera channel steaming north west.
At 0700 hours Force D, comprising DIDO, AJAX, ORION, HASTY, HEREWARD, JANUS and KIMBERLEY rejoined Force A 1.
At 0830 hours Force B, comprising GLOUCESTER, FIJI, GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN rejoined Force A 1.
Forces A1, B and C patrolled 20 to 30 miles west of the Kithera Channel as Rear Admiral Rawlings stated in his report 'serving a useful purpose by attracting enemy aircraft'.
At 0930 hours WARSPITE’s HA ammunition was down to 66%.
By 0945 hours all the British naval forces were under sustained attack from 650 German aircraft.

At 1225 hours Admiral Rawlings received a message from CS15, Rear Admiral King, stating that the NAIAD had been badly damaged and he was in need of support. On receipt of the report Rawlings decided to go to the assistance of King and course was set westward at 23 knots into the Aegean.
At 1332 hours just as the combined force was entering the Kithera Channel WARSPITE was attacked by three Me 109 fighter bombers each armed with a 250Kg semi-armour piercing bomb. By manoeuvring the first two bombs missed but the third hit the starboard after 4in gun and penetrated the deck to explode in the starboard quarter 6in battery. 38 of ship's company were killed and 31 injured causing extensive damage, fires and the temporary evacuation of one boiler room. Her speed was reduced to 18 knots.
(The Messerschmitt Bf 109 Es were from Luftwaffe unit 111/Jg 77 which was based at Molai, in the Elos Peninsula, about 60 miles from the position where WARSPITE was hit. The bomb that hit WARSPITE was dropped from a plane flown by Wolf Dietrich Huy or Kurt Ubben).
WARSPITE’s Executive Officer Commander Charles Madden took charge of the damage control and fire- fighting parties, clearing up a gun battery which looked and smelled like an abattoir.
After putting out the fires and some temporary repairs WARSPITE stayed with the Fleet.
At 2230 hours CS7 sent a most immediate signal to the CinC Mediterranean Fleet reporting the loss of GLOUCESTER and FIJI and stating that the AA ammunition situation in all vessels was very low, the battleships had run out of pom pom ammunition.

23rd - At 0408 hours the CinC ordered all warships to withdraw to Alexandria.

24th - In the early hours Forces A1, C and E arrived at Alexandria.
On arrival in Alexandria, WARSPITE berthed near the cruiser ORION which had also just returned from Crete. ORION too had been hit by a bomb that penetrated to a crowded messdeck, killing or wounding more than 400 soldiers. Commander Madden organised working parties from WARSPITE to dig out the corpses and conduct funerals.
The CinC Mediterranean Fleet hoisted his flag in her and addressed the crew.
Temporary repairs were commenced to prepare her for an ocean journey.

June

After temporary repairs remained at Alexandria. Permanent repair arranged in US Navy Dockyard at Puget Sound, Washington state.

3rd - Whilst at Alexandria a conference was held on board to discuss actions to be taken following the arrival of German aircraft in Vichy Syria. The outcome of the discussions was the decision to invade Syria (Operation EXPORTER).

23rd - Sustained further damage after 'near miss' by 500 Kg bomb falling alongside her starboard side during a heavy air raid. Bulge structure fracture caused some flooding.

25th - Took passage to USA with calls at Colombo, Singapore, Manila and Honolulu.

July

On passage to the USA.

August

10th - Arrived at Esquimalt.
At Esquimalt a draft of 284 officers and men were sent back to the UK.
In the evening she sailed for Seattle.

11th - Arrived at Puget Sound US Naval Dockyard, Bremerton, Washington.
A further draft of 280 officers and men were then sent back to the UK leaving her with a skeleton crew of 600 who were kept on to assist with the repairs and refit.

September to October

Under refit. WARSPITE’s Walrus aircraft were overhauled at Sand Point US Naval Air Station.

November

During the refit 5 of her 8 x 15in gun barrels were replaced with barrels that were sent out from the UK. Surface warning radar Type 271 and aircraft warning Type 281 fitted. Fire control radar for main armament (Type 284), HA armament (Type 285) and for Close Range AA guns (Type 282) installed.
(According to her newly appointed radar officer Lt. Paddon, later Rear Admiral Paddon, the British radar sets that were to have been fitted were lost when the ship carrying them was torpedoed in the Atlantic. What she was fitted with were American improvised sets that he described 'as a real bag of tricks'.)

December

Post refit harbour trials.

Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet at Trincomalee.

28th - Re-commissioned at Puget Sound US Naval Dockyard.

1 9 4 2

January

7th - Sailed from Puget Sound US Naval Dockyard for Esquimalt on Vancouver Island.

8th to 21st - Carried out working up exercises off the Canadian coast.

23rd - Sailed from Esquimalt for Sydney. She sailed due south for the Pitcairn Islands, keeping well away from the Pacific war zone.

February

6th - Arrived at Henderson Island in the Pitcairn Island Group where she RVed with the 8406grt RFA BISHOPDALE.

14th - Crossed the International date line, sailing west so missed Friday the 13th.

20th - Arrived at Sydney.

24th - Carried out main battery firing off Sydney.

26th -Sailed from Sydney for Fremantle. En route enemy submarines were reported off Fremantle so she reversed course and made for St Vincent Gulf, Adelaide, where she refuelled and waited until considered safe to proceed.

March

22nd - Arrived at Trincomalee.

27th - At Trincomalee where Captain Fisher was replaced by Captain F E P Hutton and she was nominated as flag ship of the Eastern Fleet by Admiral Sir James Somerville who had taken command of the Eastern Fleet the previous day.
(Admiral Somerville had arrived from the UK on 24th March and took command of a disparate fleet of 29 vessels. He decided to divide his Fleet into a fast division, Force A, and a slow division, Force B.)

29th - At 0030 hours WARSPITE sailed from Trincomalee for Colombo.
At 2200 hours WARSPITE arrived at Colombo

May

21st - At 0800 hours Sailed from Kilindini with CinC Eastern Fleet embarked in company with  aircraft carriers FORMIDABLE and ILLUSTRIOUS, cruisers BIRMINGHAM and MAURITIUS and destroyers INCONSTANT, HMAS NIZAM and NORMAN and HMNethS VAN GALEN on Operation STAB.

(Operation STAB was a simulated attack on the Andaman Islands. It was an operation mounted in response to a request from the CinC USN Admiral King for a British diversion in the Indian Ocean to cover the USN Operation WATCHTOWER, the assault on Guadalcanal, that commenced 7/8/42)

22nd - The Fleet was joined by HMAS NAPIER (Commodore D).

23rd - At 1200 hours the 4 destroyers detached from Force A and entered Port Victoria, the Seychelles to refuel.
The remainder of Force A stood off to the north where the cruisers detached and carried out a shadowing exercise on the 3 main fleet units.

27th - At 1950 hours a Radar contact was made with a shadowing Catalina and a signal from her was intercepted reporting the position, course, and speed of Force A with reasonable accuracy.

August

4th - At 0900 hours Force A arrived at Colombo.

31st - WARSPITE was un-docked.

November

6th - During the forenoon the force passed through the Pemba Channel where the disembarked squadrons from ILLUSTRIOUS at Tanga carried out A.R.T., dive bombing, and fighter attacks on the ships of the force.
At 1500 hours WARSPITE, HOTSPUR and NAPIER arrived at Kilindini. BIRMINGHAM arrived at 1730 hours.

December

At Kilindini.

22nd - RANPURA detached from Force A and returned to Kilindini.

23rd - Force A less GAMBIA arrived back at Kilindini.

January

At Kilindini.

23rd - At Kilindini where Captain Herbert Annesley Packer RN took over command from Captain Douglas Blake Fisher RN.

February

At Kilindini.

(Part of the operation was to provide distant cover for Operation PAMPHLET. This was the code name for the troop convoy that carried the 9th AIF Division from the Middle East back to Sydney, Australia. The convoy sailed from Suez on 4/2/43 and arrived at Addu Atoll on 9/2/42 and sailed from Addu Atoll on 10/2/42)

13th - Force A less MAURITIUS sailed from Addu Atoll for Port Victoria, Seychelles.

April

Under refit.

13th - Refit completed.

16th - Sailed from Durban to return to the UK escorted by destroyers QUILLIAM (D 4), QUEENBOROUGH, QUALITY, and QUAIL.

May

On passage to UK.

10th - Arrived in the Clyde escorted by destroyers QUILLIAM (D 4), QUEENBOROUGH, QUALITY, and QUAIL.

 Berthed at Princes Dock, Govan, Glasgow, to commence a refit.

31st - Refit completed.

June

1st - At 1500 hours WARSPITE sailed from Greenock escorted by destroyers SCORPION and ORWELL.
Off the Firth of Clyde destroyer QUAIL joined the screen.

2nd - At 1800 hours WARSPITE, SCORPION, QUAIL, and ORWELL arrived at Scapa.

3rd - WARSPITE commenced working up exercises and bombardment practices off Cape Wrath in preparation for deployment in Operation HUSKY. (Operation HUSKY was the invasion of Sicily)

17th - At 1400 hours Force H comprising battleships NELSON (CinC Force H), RODNEY, VALIANT, and WARSPITE,  aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR (D 8), INTREPID, FURY, INGLEFIELD, ECHO, QUILLIAM (D 4), QUEENBOROUGH, QUAIL, OFFA, PATHFINDER, PANTHER, and ORP PIORUN sailed from Scapa for Gibraltar.

23rd - Force H arrived at Gibraltar.
Shortly after anchoring WARSPITE hoisted the flag of Rear Admiral A. W. La T Bissett 2inC Force H.

24th to 27th - Carried out 4 days of AA exercises with other units of Force H.

30th - Arrived early at Algiers.
Sailed later for Alexandria less AURORA and PENELOPE.

July

On passage to Alexandria

5th - At 0630 hours the force anchored off Ras-el-Tin Lighthouse, Alexandria Bay.

12th - WARSPITE and VALIANT with escorting destroyers detached from Force H and proceeded to Malta to for refuelling. WARSPITE was able to give leave to her Maltese ratings.

(This was the first visit by battleships to Malta since WARSPITE in December 1940)

Later in the day the WARSPITE division sailed from Malta and rejoined Force H at sea.

April

Under repair at Rosyth.

May

Allocated for support of allied landings in Normandy with Bombarding Force. (HM Battleship RAMILLIES, monitor ROBERTS, cruisers MAURITIUS, ARETHUSA, FROBISHER, DANAE and Polish ORP DRAGON in Eastern Task Force (Operation NEPTUNE).
Target in Pre-arranged Fire Plan – Gun Batteries at Villerville.
Carried out bombardment exercises with Force ‘D’ in NW Approaches.
(For more details of naval activities prior to and during landings see LANDINGS IN NORMANDY JUNE 1944 (HMSO) and OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards).

June

2nd - At 1900 hours sailed from Greenock for the Normandy beachhead, on Operation NEPTUNE, in company with battleship RAMILLIES, monitor ROBERTS, cruisers MAURITIUS, ARETHUSA, FROBISHER, DANAE and ORP DRAGON escorted by destroyers SAUMAREZ (D 23), SWIFT, SUCCESS and HNorMS STORD and SVENNER. This group was designated Bombarding Force D and was to have sailed directly to their bombarding stations off the beachhead, however due the bad weather the operation was postponed for 24 hours so they made for Portsmouth.

4th - Arrived off Portsmouth.

5th - Passage through swept channel to Assault area with ships of Force S of the Eastern Task Force in Convoy S6 escorted by destroyers SAUMAREZ, SWIFT, SUCCESS, destroyers HNorMS SVENNER and STORD and  frigates ROWLEY and HOLMES.

6th - At 0430 hours bombarding Force D was in position on the eastern side Force S, preparing to engage enemy shore batteries east of Ouistreham.
At 0500 hours NE of Sword Beach, approximately 11 miles west of Le Havre (at this time Le Have was cut off from the invasion fleet by a smoke screen that had been laid by RAF Boston’s of 88 Squadron) WARSPITE opened fire on the Villerville Battery at a range of 26000 yards.

(The German army battery at Villerville, in the village of Les Bruyeres, contained six 155-mm guns. Its range-finding post was located in a former farmhouse that had been turned into a blockhouse)

At 0515 hours almost simultaneously with opening fire the bombarding force was attacked by the German 5th Torpedo Boat flotilla of T28, FALKE, JAGUAR and MÖWE who fired their 18 torpedoes and made off. Torpedoes passed between RAMILLIES and WARSPITE, narrowly missing both, but one of them went on to hit and sink the Norwegian destroyer HNorMS SVENNER at 0535 hours. Another torpedo narrowly missed LSH(L) LARGS that was 200 yards ahead of SVENNER.

(The 5th TB flotilla had sailed from Le Havre at 0440 hours with orders to attack landing craft that had been sighted off Port en Bessin. But on breaking through the smoke screen they were confronted by the bombardment line of battleships, monitor and cruisers. On seeing the overwhelming force they fired their torpedoes and returned to Le Havre at speed)

7th - During the day she carried out bombardments on shore batteries to the east of the River Orne and at grid references provided by FOO’s at enemy troops, strong points, vehicles and guns. One enemy strong-point was destroyed with 20 rounds of 15in, fired blind.
Between 1650 and 1715 hours one of her bombardments was in support of 45 RM Commando in their attempt to take Franceville.
At the end of the second day she had carried out 20 shoots and fired 334 x 15in shells, 181 rounds of HE and 133 rounds of AP.
At 1900 hours she sailed from the beachhead for Portsmouth to replenish with ammunition.

8th - At 0330 hours arrived off Portsmouth and moved into harbour in the afternoon and commenced re-ammunitioning.

10th - On standby most of the day. In the afternoon carried out a shoot on an artillery battery.
In the evening NEVADA returned and WARSPITE moved off east to anchor off Gold Beach.

11th - On standby most of the day.
In the afternoon she fired 50 x 15in shells rapid fire into a wood near Cristot in front of the British 69 Brigade of the 50th Division who were held up by elements of the Panzer Lehr and 12 SS Panzer Divisions. The CinC 50th Division, Major General Douglas Alexander Henry Graham, signalled ' I want those concerned informed – good shooting'
In the evening WARSPITE left the beachhead for Portsmouth to re-ammunition.

12th - At 0430 hours arrived at Portsmouth to re-ammunition. However it was decided that her guns were so worn that replacement was necessary and since the nearest replacements were at Rosyth she was ordered to Rosyth.
At 1800 hours she sailed east from Portsmouth for Rosyth.

At 0815 hours she was in the swept channel 28 miles east of Harwich when an influence mine detonated under her stern on the port quarter. Her steering jammed she veered off to starboard, took a sharp list to port and had all four shafts put out of action. After a while the list was rectified by counter flooding and with both port shafts seized she was got a starboard shaft working, followed by the other starboard shaft, but she was taking in water aft and her draft was increasing.
At 0920 hours she managed to get underway at just 7 knots, initially heading for the Tyne, but the River Tyne authorities feared she might sink in the Tyne, so she continued on to Rosyth.

14th - At 2100 hours she arrived at Rosyth drawing 42 feet aft, as she sailed up the Firth of Forth she passed the battleships ANSON and HOWE, they and all the other warships off Rosyth cleared the lower decks and cheered WARSPITE in.

July

August

Under repair at Rosyth.

10th - Completed repairs and replacement of worn gun barrels. Captain Kelsey revealed her state on sailing - 'we had one good shaft, one fairly good shaft, one wobbly shaft and one, the port outer, still seized solid'. So WARSPITE was returned to service with just three turrets and now three shafts operational and a top speed of 15 knots.

11th - Sailed from Rosyth for Scapa escorted by destroyers ZAMBESI and ZEST.

12th - Arrived at Scapa and carried out practice shoot to zero in her new barrels.
Sailed for the Clyde.

13th - Arrived in the Clyde.

22nd - Sailed from the Clyde for Plymouth.

25th - Arrived off Ushant escorted by 5 Destroyers to carry out a bombardment of strong points off the fortress of Brest.

(Brest had been invested by the US Army V111 Corps since 17/8/44. The fortress contained 40000 German troops and was proving a formidable 'nut to crack' and didn’t surrender until 19/9/44)

Two of WARSPITE's main targets were the coastal batteries at Le Conquet and St Mathieu that contained guns up to 280 mm. She fired 213 rounds of 15in, 147 HE and 66 AP, return fire was accurate but she was only hit by shell splinters.

September

11th - Returned to Portsmouth.

October

At Portsmouth

30th - Sailed from Portsmouth in company with monitors EREBUS and ROBERTS as bombardment Force T who were to provide bombardment support for Operation INFATUATE II. The commander of Force T was WARSPITE’s captain.

In the evening Force T anchored off Deal.

31st - In the evening Force T sailed from Deal.

November

2nd - Arrived off Deal.

4th - Arrived at Portsmouth where she was placed into category C reserve

December

At Portsmouth

30th - Commander George Fellowes Blaxland RN took over as her new captain.

1 9 4 5

January

At Portsmouth

February

At Portsmouth

1st - A signal was received ordering her to pay off into reserve.

15th - She was moored up to the reserve fleet buoy off the Mother Bank off Spithead were she lay until the last day of March 1945.