1 9 3 9
September Deployed
as Base Ships at Singapore.
to (Note: Under refit during which the
secondary armament of eight 4in Low Angle
December mountings
was replaced by six 3in AA mountings and side plating was fitted on
main deck to provide more accommodation.
1 9 4 0
January Recalled
to UK and took passage via Mediterranean with call in Malta.
to Retained in Mediterranean in view of likelihood of war
with Italy
May Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Malta during which Upper Deck and Main
Deck
armour was increased.
On
completion deployed with Mediterranean Fleet
June Deployed
in Malta with HM River Gunboats
APHIS, GNAT and LADYBIRD
11th Under air attack in Malta
July Transferred
to Alexandria for deployment in support of shore military
operations with
to HMS APHIS, HMS GNAT and HMS LADYBIRD as
Inshore Squadron.
August
September Provided
naval gunfire support with Inshore Squadron ships against Italian army
advance in Western Desert.
October Inshore Squadron deployment at
Alexandria in
continuation.
November Deployed
in Malta
11th Passage from Malta to Suda Bay, Crete with HM Destroyer VENDETTA
(RAN) and
four mercantiles.
Later returned to Alexandria for
Inshore Squadron duties.
December Deployed
with HMS APHIS, HMS GNAT and HMS LADYBIRD to provide naval
gunfire support at Sidi Barrani as Force A during
8th Army advance.
(Note: HM Australian
Destroyers VAMPIRE, VENDETTA and VOYAGER were also
deployed as Force B and
operation was covered by ships of Mediterranean Fleet
1 9 4 1
January Inshore
Squadron deployment in continuation
(Note: Some captured Italian 20mm guns were fitted to
supplement AA defence.)
21st Provided naval gunfire support with
River Gunboats of Squadron to assist ANZAC troops
during advance towards Tobruk. Australian destroyers were
deployed as cover.
February Deployed
off coast of Egypt and Libya in support of military
operations with ships of
Squadron
17th Arrived at Benghazi.
22nd On departure
slightly damaged by two mines detonated during passage from harbour.
(Note: These had been laid a few hours earlier by an He 111
aircraft.)
23rd Under air attack by three Ju88 aircraft which arrived after the single HURRICANE
aircraft providing air cover
had left for base.
Serious damage caused resulting in some flooding.
HM Minesweeper FAREHAM and HM Corvette SALVIA sent
to provide escort
during passage for repair.
24th Personnel transferred to HMS FAREHAM and
HMS SALVIA before ship sank in
position 32.04N 24.05E.
There were no fatal casualties.
(Note: One source records
ship was scuttled due to extent of flooding and another
records only sinking.
(see addendum)
See WARSHIP LOSSES by P Kemp and THE NAVAL WAR IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN by J Greene and A Massignani.)