1
9 3 9
August
Carried
out trials prior to re-commissioning.
Nominated
for trade defence duties on
mobilisation of the Fleet.
September
1st
- Re-commissioned at Sydney.
10th
- Deployed with HM Australian Cruisers
AUSTRALIA and CANBERRA in search off Gabo
Island for minelayers.
On
completion deployed for convoy escort.
October to
November
Convoy
escort in continuation.
Nominated for service in Western Force based at Fremantle for
ocean escort duties.
December
Joined
Western Force.
13th
- Relieved HM Australian Cruiser
Sydney as escort for troopship
STRATHALLAN Returned
to Fremantle. (Note:
This troopship was taking 2nd
Australian Imperial Force to Middle
East.)
1
9 4 0
January
Under
refit at Sydney.
February
22nd
- On completion joined Eastern Force
in place of HMAS SYDNEY.
March
Escort
duty off Eastern and Southern
Australia
April
15th
- Part of escort with HM Battleship
RAMILLIES for troopships ETTRICK,
NEURALIA, STRATHAIRD
and DUNERA from Melbourne to
Fremantle.
21st
- Detached from troopships and
returned to Sydney.
May
to August
Eastern
Force escort duties in Australian
waters in continuation.
September
2nd
- Took passage from Sydney with Free
French minister to Vila, New Hebrides. (Note:
This representative to become Governor
of the French colony at Noumea.)
7th
- Arrived at Vila.
16th
- Took passage from Vila for Noumea as
escort for Norwegian tanker NORDEN.
19th
- Landed Governor at Noumea.
Ordered to remain at Noumea as Vichy French Sloops DURVILLE and
AMIRAL CHARNER
were known to be in the area.
20th
- Carried out patrol off Noumea.
October
Deployed
at Noumea.
5th
- Took passage to return to Sydney.
8th
- Resumed duty with Eastern Force on
arrival at Sydney.
21st
- Sailed from Sydney to carry out
patrol 120 miles SE of Gabo Island
after commerce raider
was reported.
November
Patrol
duty in continuation.
6th
- Returned to Sydney.
8th
- Despatched from Sydney to carry out
search for minelayer after sinking of
ss CAMBRIDGE.
10th
- Returned to Sydney after fruitless
search.
(Note:
Mines were laid by German commerce
raider ORION.)
Deployed
as escort for mail steamer during
initial part of passage to Vancouver.
December
2nd
- Transferred escort duty to HM
Australian Cruiser ACHILLES off North
Cape.
Took
passage to Sydney. On
arrival taken in hand for refit.
1
9 4 1
January to
March
Under
refit.
On
completion of post refit trials
resumed duties with Eastern Force.
April
to August
Deployed
for escort of convoys between Brisbane
and Rabaul, New Guinea.
September
Convoy
escort in continuation.
25th
- Escorted steamer from Melbourne to
Chatham Island.
30th
- Arrived in Auckland after detaching
from steamer.
October
Return
passage to Sydney.
Resumed duties in Eastern Force.
November
Convoy
escort in Australian waters in
continuation.
December
14th
- Escorted troop convoy from Darwin to
Ambon, Java.
17th
- Detached on arrival and returned to
Sydney.
1
9 4 2
January
3rd
- Escorted trans-Tasman Sea convoy
from Sydney to meet RNZN trawlers
8th
- Detached after transfer and returned
to Sydney.
(Note:
Only two such convoys were carried
out.)
29th
- Transferred to ANZAC Force with HM
Australian Cruisers AUSTRALIA, CANBERRA,
HOBART and PERTH, HM Australian
Destroyers STUART,
VOYAGER,
VENDETTA, HM Australian Sloop MORESBY,
HM Australian Armed
Merchant Cruisers KANIMBLA, MANOORA and WESTRALIA, HM New Zealand Cruisers
ACHILLES and LEANDER. (Note:
This was in implementation of a
decision made at a conference in
Washington to
establish a naval force in the north
eastern part of the Australia Station. See
WAR WITH JAPAN Volume III (HMSO).)
February
Nominated
for escort of tanker convoy and took
passage to Tanjong Priok, Java
3rd
- Deployed as escort for Convoy MS4
during passage from Java to Fremantle.
On
arrival at Fremantle took passage to
Java for duty with ANZAC Force.
22nd
- Met HMAS VENDETTA off Java as escort
of convoy during passage to Fremantle.
March
to May
ANZAC
Force deployment for convoy escort in
Australian waters. (Note:
Evacuation of allied troops from Dutch
East Indies involved escort of convoys search
for individual ships making
independent passage.)
Nominated
for duty with SW Pacific Area Force.
June
to October
Deployed
for escort of convoys in area during
passage between USA and Australia.
November
Transferred
for convoy escort in Indian Ocean.
(Note:
German blockade runner RAMSES was
known to be on passage from Japan.)
24th
- Escorted military Convoy OW1 with
Dutch cruiser HEEMSKERCK during
passage in Indian
Ocean from Fremantle.
26th
- Intercepted RAMSES in position
23.20S 99.13E (700 miles south of
Cocos Islands). Engaged
enemy ship which was scuttling and
sank her with gunfire.
28th
- On relief by HM Cruiser GAMBIA as
escort for OW1 took passage to return
to Fremantle.
December
Indian
Ocean and Australia waters convoy
escort in continuation.
1
9 4 3
January
Deployed
at Fremantle for convoy defence.
February
Passage
from Fremantle to meet military convoy
from Aden. (Note:
PAMPHLET Convoy included rms QUEEN
MARY, AQUITANIA, QUEEN
OF
BERMUDA, French liner ILE DE FRANCE
and Dutch liner AMSTERDAM.
It was carrying 9th Australian
Division returning from the
Middle
East for service in Pacific area
following the Japanese advance through
Dutch
East Indies.).
17th
- Joined escort for PAMPHLET Convoy.
(Note:
Escort from Aden included HM
Battleships REVENGE, RESOLUTION and
WARSPITE,
Dutch cruisers HEEMSKERCK and TROMP
with destroyers.)
18th
- PAMPHLET Convoy arrived at Fremantle
19th
- Escorted PAMPHLET Convoy during
passage from Fremantle with Dutch Cruisers
HEEMSKERCK, TROMP and Dutch destroyer
TJERK HIDDES.
On
arrival at Sydney detached from
PAMPHLET convoy.
March
to December
Coastal
convoy defence in continuation.
1
9 4 4
January
to February
Coastal
convoy defence in continuation.
March
11th
- Escorted convoy from Melbourne to
Albany, Western Australia.
20th
- Returned with submarine tenders as
escort for passage to Sydney.
April
Coastal
convoy defence in continuation based
at Fremantle.
May
Nominated
for support of Eastern Fleet operation
and took passage from Fremantle
to Exmouth Gulf (Operation COCKPIT).
14th
- Deployed as Guardship for Tanker
Force assembled at Exmouth Gulf for
replenishment of Eastern Fleet ships
prior to air attacks on targets
at
Sabang in Sumatra. (See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).)
19th
- Took passage from Exmouth Gulf to
Melbourne on completion of COCKPIT deployment.
Resumed
coastal convoy defence duty.
June to
November
Deployed
for coastal convoy defence
Nominated
for withdrawal from operational duty.
December
Deployed
at Melbourne pending passage to Sydney
1
9 4 5
January
Passage
from Melbourne to Sydney.
Deployed at Sydney.
February
to April
Sydney
deployment
in continuation.
To
be Paid-off.
May
13th
- Paid off and destored.
June to
August
At
Sydney awaiting decision re future use