1
9 4 1
June
Contractors
trials and commissioning.
30th
Build
completed and commenced Acceptance
Trials escorted by HM Destroyer
WORCESTER.
Nominated for
service in the
Mediterranean.
July
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to
Scapa Flow.
Worked-up with Home
Fleet.
August
On completion of work-up taken in hand
for refit to
replace damaged propellers and improve
AA
defence.
(Note: Quadruple machine gun
mountings replaced by five single 20mm
Oerlikon guns.)
Nominated for
escort of military convoy WS11X during
passage to Gibraltar.
(Note: This identity was later
allocated to ships
Bombay
section of a military convoy also
identified
as WSX11
during its passage from
Glasgow
to the
Indian Ocean.)
September
Embarked 300 RAF personnel and took
passage to join escort for WS11X
(Operation HALBERD – For details of
ships involved see
THE MALTA CONVOYS by
R Woodman, THE
BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, THE NAVAL
WAR IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN 1940-43 by Greene
and Massignani
and The
Naval
Staff
History (HMSO).
17th
Joined
escort for WS11X
24th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers
KENYA,
EDINBURGH,
SHEFFIELD
and HERMIONE
screened by
HM Destroyers COSSACK, ZULU, FORESIGHT,
FORESTER, FARNDALE,
HEYTHROP,
ORIBI, LAFOREY and
LIGHTING as Force X for escort of Malta
relief convoy.
(Note: Ships of Force H provided
cover for passage of this convoy in
western
Mediterranean.)
27th
Escorted
HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL with HMS
HERMIONE during air operations.
Under sustained air
attacks.
28th
Detached
from Force H ships for passage through
Sicilian Channel with Force X as escort
into
Malta
Sailed from
Malta
with Force X after arrival of mercantiles
in
Grand
Harbour
and took passage to
rejoin
covering Force.
October
1st
Arrived
at
Gibraltar
as part of Force W.
Took passage from Gibraltar
to Alexandria
via
Cape
of Good Hope
with call at
St.
Helena.
November
Passage in
Indian Ocean
and
Red Sea
11th
Joined
15th Cruiser Squadron at
Alexandria
for service in Mediterranean Fleet.
18th
Carried
out bombardment of Bardia
with HM Cruisers NAIAD and
GALATEA in support
of
military
operation.
24th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers AJAX, GALATEA, NAIAD
and
NEPTUNE as Force B in
search
for convoys
on passage to
Benghazi.
Cover was provided by Force
A made up of HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH,
BARHAM,
and VALIANT.
HM Battleship
BARHAM was torpedoed and sunk as Force
A was returning after this sortie
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
THE
BATTLE
FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN
and
TUBAL CAIN by
D Muskett).
27th
Escorted
HM Cruisers NEPTUNE and
AJAX,
HM Destroyers
KIMBERLEY and
KINGSTON
with
HMS NAIAD, HM
Destroyer
GRIFFIN and HM
Destroyer HOTSPUR for part of passage to
join Force
K in
Malta.
Carried out
interception
sweep off
Cyrenaica.
See Naval Staff History (HMSO) for
details
December
8th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers NAIAD and GALATEA, HM
Destroyers
GRIFFIN and HOTSPUR
to cover
destroyer attacks en convoys.
9th
Bombarded
enemy positions at Derna.
13th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers GALATEA and NAIAD to
intercept enemy convoys to ports
in North
Africa.
14th
Returned to Alexandria
when Italian convoys recalled.
15th
Provided
cover for passage of HM Supply Ship
BRECONSHIRE to
Malta
and returning convoy
to
Alexandria
with HM Cruisers NAIAD and
CARLISLE.
17th
Briefly
engaged Italian warships LITTORIO,
DORIA, CESARE and destroyer screen.
(1st Battle of Sirte
- See BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN)
and above
references.
19th
At
Alexandria when Italian
frogmen placed limpet mines on HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and
HMS VALIANT.
1
9 4 2
January
4th
Escorted
H M Supply Ship GLENGYLE to
Malta
and H M Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE to
Alexandria with HM
Cruisers NAIAD and DIDO as Force B.
(Operation MF2)
9th
Arrived
at
Alexandria
16th
Deployed
with HMS NAIAD and HMS DIDO to cover
convoy to
Malta
escorted by HM AA
Cruiser
CARLISLE and HM Destroyers KELVIN,
KIPLING, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and
FOXHOUND.
24th
Escorted HMS BRECONSHIRE to
Malta
and return of empty ships HMS GLENGYLE
and
mv
ROWALLAN
CASTLE
(Note:
Convoy MF4) with HMS DIDO and HMS NAIAD
screened by 8 destroyers.
(For details see
above references).
February
12th
Provided
cover for Convoys MW9A and MW9B to
Malta
with HMS NAIAD and HMS DIDO
screened by
eight Fleet destroyers.
(Note: After heavy air attacks and
loss of merchant ships returned to
Alexandria with
a convoy
from
Malta
(See above references.).
March
10th
Deployed
with HMS DIDO, HMS NAIAD and screen of
ten destroyers in search for an
Italian
cruiser
damaged in a torpedo attack.
11th
After
unsuccessful search came under air
attack during return to
Alexandria.
(Note: HMS NAIAD was sunk by U-Boat
torpedo during this operation).
15th
Bombarded Rhodes with HMS DIDO and 6
destroyers.
20th
Provided
cover for Convoy MW10 to
Malta
with HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA, DIDO and
four
Fleet destroyers.
(Operation
MG1).
22nd
Took
pert in engagement with Italian Fleet
in defence of
convoy.
Damaged by
splinters from 15in shell which burst
alongside.
(2nd Battle of Sirte
- For full details see above references
and
MEDITERRANEAN
MAELSTROM by G. C.
Cornell.
April
Deployed with Mediterranean Fleet in
support
of military operations and for
interception of
shipping.
May
Deployed in
Eastern
Mediterranean.
June
13th
Escorted
Convoy MW11 with H M Cruisers CLEOPATRA,
DIDO,
COVENTRY and
BIRMINGHAM (Operation
VIGOROUS)
(For full details of this disastrous
and ill directed see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY
by C Barnett
and above references.)
14th
Returned
to
Alexandria
after heavy air attacks, by E- Boats and
threat from major
Italian units.
(Note: This operation was a failure
and misdirected by Cin
C ashore at
Alexandria.)
27th
Escorted
HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH from
Alexandria
July
19th
Carried
cut bombardments of Mersa
Matruh
with HMS DIDO and four
Fleet. destroyers.
(Note: Operations in eastern
Mediterranean were restricted by losses
incurred in VIGOROUS.)
August
Nominated for deployment in diversionary
Fleet
operation in eastern
Mediterranean
during
passage of
relief convoy to
Malta
from
Gibraltar
(Operation PEDESTAL).
10th
Joined
HM Cruiser ARETHUSA, HM Destroyers
JERVIS, PAKENHAM, PALADIN,
HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM,
BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, ERIDGE, HURSLEY,
HM Corvette HYACINTH and HM Auxiliary
Escort
ANTWERP
at
Port Said
Sailed as escort for three supply
ships as decoy convoy for cruise in
eastern
Mediterranean
12th
Met
HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA and DIDO deployed
with HM Destroyers JAVELIN, SIKH
and ZULU as
escort for single supply ship from
Haifa to form
joint Convoy MW12.
Continued westward
passage during PEDESTAL until
nightfall.
13th
Took
return passage with MW12 to
Port Said.
14th
Deployed
at
Alexandria.
September
Alexandria deployment
in continuation
(Note: Ship was awaiting
docking for examination of propulsion
machinery
October
Under self
refit and docking at Massawa
14th
Rejoined
Squadron at
Alexandria
to resume Fleet service.
November
16th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers JAVELIN, JERVIS,
KELVIN, NUBIAN, PAKENHAM,
PALADIN and PETARD
as escort for Convoy MW13 during
passage to Malta.
(Operation STONEAGE.)
17th
Fleet
destroyers detached when relieved by ten
escort destroyers.
18th
Covering
force comprising HM Cruisers ARETHUSA,
DIDO, ORION and CLEOPATRA
joined from
Alexandria with same
Fleet destroyers
Under air attacks during which HMS
ARETHUSA was hit and had to return to
Alexandria
See above references.
20th
Returned
to
Alexandria
with Fleet units after MW13 arrived in
Malta
25th
Deployed with HM Cruiser NAIAD and two
destroyers as escort for HM Cruisers
AJAX and
NEPTUNE
to
Malta
for
service as Force K to intercept enemy
supply shipping in central
Mediterranean,
December
1st
Escorted
Malta relief convoy with HM Cruisers
NAIAD, DIDO and CLEOPATRA screened
by Fleet
destroyers (Operation PORTCULLIS).
(Note: This was the last westward
convoy requiring protection due to the
advance of the 8th
Amy towards Tunisia).
13th
Attacked convoy off Tunisia
with HMS DIDO, HMS CLEOPATRA
and four destroyers
sinking three. ships.
1
9 4 3
January
22nd
Bombarded
Zuara,
Libya
with HM Cruiser CLEOPATRA, HM Destroyers
JERVIS, JAVELIN,
KELVIN and NUBIAN.
February
Eastern Mediterranean convoy defence and
interception
duties
March
In action against supply convoy with HM
Destroyers JAVELIN
April
Under
refit at
Alexandria.
Radar equipment changes made.
(Note: Type 285 fitted for AA
armament fire-control and Type 279 for
air warning radar was
replaced by
Type 281.
20th
Passage to Malta
to resume interception duties.
23rd
Interception
and escort duty in continuation.
May
Based in
Malta
for interception of supply and
evacuation craft.
June
Nominated for support of planned allied
military operations.
5th
Escorted
convoy through
Sicilian
Narrows
with HM Destroyer TROUBRIDGE
8th
Covered
landings on Pantellaria
by 1st British Division
with
HM Cruisers AURORA,
NEWFOUNDLAND,
ORION and PENELOPE screened by Fleet
destroyers.
(Operation CORKSCREW).
Prepared for
support of planned allied landings in
Sicily
based at Oran.
(Operation HUSKY.
- See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and
Naval Staff
History.)
July
Transferred to 10th Cruiser Squadron
7th
Sailed
from
Oran
with HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, HM
Cruiser CLEOPATRA and
screen of
eight Fleet Destroyers to cover
landings.
9th
Joined
HM Battleships WARSPITE,
VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE,
HM
Cruisers AURORA and
PENELOPE in
Gulf
of Sirte.
10th
Deployed
on patrol off
Cape
Passaro
to intercept any shipping
11th
Involved in friendly fire incident
with HMS CLEOPATRA.
14th
Deployed
with HMS CLEOPATRA, HM Destroyers QUAIL
and QUILLIAM after return
from
Malta
to refuel.
16th
Stood by
damaged cruiser HMS CLEOPATRA and
escorted her to
Malta.
20th
Transferred to Force Q at Bone as
relief for HM
Cruiser SIRIUS.
Deployed with Force Q in support of
military operations
26th
Joined
HM Battleships KING GEORGE V
and HOWE, HM Aircraft Carrier
INDOMITABLE with HMS DIDO
off
Sicily to provided
additional AA defence.
August
1st
Bombarded
Vibo Valentia,
western
Italy
with HMS DIDO and HMS SIRIUS escorted by
two
destroyers.
16th
Bombarded Scalea
with HM Cruiser
AURORA, HM Destroyers JERVIS and
PALADIN.
On return passage to
Palermo sank several
Siebel ferries off
Sicily.
27th
Transferred
to Support Carrier Force V (Task Force
88) as Flagship.
Deployed with H M Cruisers SCYLLA and
CHARYBDIS as TF88 to cover air
operations
by HM Escort
Carriers UNICORN, BATTLER, ATTACKER,
HUNTER and STALKER
during the
planned allied landings at
Salerno
(Operation AVALANCHE).
September
Passage to
Salerno
9th
Provided
cover during carrier operations during
initial landings.
12th
Whilst
carriers were replenishing at
Palermo diverted to Bizerta
with HMS SCYLLA and
HMS CHARYBDIS.
(For details of
Salerno operations
see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and
Naval Staff
History).
13th
Embarked
British Troops for passage to
Salerno to reinforce
military at
Salerno.
15th
After
landing troops took passage to
Algiers with HMS
SCYLLA and HMS CHARYBDIS.
.
16th
Returned
to
Salerno
to assist damaged battleship HMS
WARSPITE to
Malta
after glider
bomb attack.
Tow attempt failed.
Stood by with HMS SCYLLA and HM Cruiser
DELHI to provide AA cover
until tug
arrived.
20th
Passage
to
Malta
when Force V disbanded and carriers left
to return to
UK.
22nd
Embarked
CinC
Mediterranean for passage
to
Taranto
for meeting with Italians to arrange
disposal of
Italian Fleet.
29th
Withdrawn
from Mediterranean operations for refit
and took passage to
UK.
October
On arrival
prepared for refit in commercial
shipyard.
Passage to
Clyde and Paid-off.
November
Taken in hand for refit at John Brown
shipyard,
Clydebank.
(Note: Work done included
Q turret removed to
reduce top-weight (See General
Introduction)
.
Modified for use as Escort Carrier
Squadron Flagship and fitted with an
Aircraft
Direction Room.
New design radars Types 277 and 293
with Interrogation equipment replaced
Type 272 for
surface warning and heightfinding.
December
Under refit
1
9 4 4
January
Under refit
to
May
June
28th
Re-commissioned
for service with 10th Cruiser Squadron,
Home Fleet.
July
Carried out post refit harbour trials
10th
Carried out sea trials.
On completion took passage to
Scapa
Flow for work-up with ships of Home
Fleet.
August
Work-up in continuation
19th
Fire in galley.
September
Completed work-up and took passage
to Humber for repair
in commercial shipyard.
20th
On
completion took passage to
Scapa Flow
to resume service in Squadron.
October
14th
Deployed
as Force 9 as Escort for HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers TRUMPETER and FENCER
with six
Fleet destroyers for air minelay between
Sandos and Risto
islands followed by
further
minelay in Aarmumsund
Leads off Norwat
(Operation LUCIDAS.
See Naval Staff History (Mining.)
15th
Deployed
as escort during further air minelay in
Ramossund
and
shipping strike in
Fro Havet.
November
Nominated for service with British
Pacific Fleet
14th
Deployed
as escort for HM Escort Aircraft Carrier
PURSUER with destroyers during attack
on enemy
shipping off
Trondheim.
16th
At
Rosyth for leave period prior to foreign
service.
(Note: British Pacific Fleet was
formed at Trincomalee on 22nd.)
December
Withdrawn from Home Fleet
Nominated for
special escort duty.
16th
Took
passage from
Liverpool
as escort for mv
RIMUTAKA with HM
Destroyers ULSTER
and UNDINE.
(Note: RIMATAKA was taking
HRH The
Duke of Gloucester to Australian to take
up his
appointment
as Governor General.
The destroyers were on passage to
join BPF.)
21st
At
Gibraltar
25th
At Malta.
29th
At
Suez.
1
9 4 5
January
2nd
At
Aden
5th
Detached
from escort of mv
RIMUTAKA At
Colombo and took passage to join 4th
Cruiser
Squadron at
Trincomalee.
24th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers ARGONAUT, BLACK PRINCE
and
CEYLON
to provide
cover during
air attacks by HM Aircraft Carriers
ILLUSTRIOUS, INDEFATIGABLE and
INDOMITABLE on oil
refineries at Pladjoe,
Sumatra
(Operation MERIDIAN I).
29th
Provided cover during second series of
attacks at Soengi-Gerong
oil refineries.
Under
series of air attacks which were
repelled by
air
cover and ship AA barrage.
For
details see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and
THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by
J Winton.)
(NOTE:: Two
AA shells landed on ILLUSTRIOUS causing
33 casualties, 12 of which were
fatal.
41
aircraft were lost, 16 by enemy action.)
30th
Passage to Sydney to join BPF.
February
2nd
Called at Fremantle.
11th
Arrived at Sydney.
13th
Docked at Sydney for routine inspection of underwater fittings.
(Note: Further exercises were carried
out on passage.)
Newly introduced US Navy signalling
and manoeuvring procedures used.)
On
completion
carried out
exercises to prepare for
joint RN/USN operations.
28th
Passage to British Forward Base at
Manus.
Admiralty
Islands with HM
Battleship KING
GEORGE V.
March
7th
Arrived
at Manus. to
await approval of US Chiefs of Staff for
RN ships to join US
Navy operations in
SW Pacific.
17th
Took
passage to US Navy Assembly area at Ulithi
to join US
Naval operations after
approval for
deployment under overall US Navy command
received.
20th
Arrived at Ulithi
to join US 5th
Fleet for operations.
23rd
Sailed
from Ulithi
as
CTU6 with destroyers of 25th, 27th
and 4th (RAN) Destroyer Flotillas
to join US
Navy
in the operational area off the Sakishima-Gunto
islands group
(Operation ICEBERG ONE.
(For details of activities of Task
Force 57 see TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith
and above
references.)
26th
Provided
cover for air attacks on Japanese
airfields in Sakishima
Gunto Group
by aircraft
from HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE,
ILLUSTRIOUS,
INDEFATIGABLE and VICTORIOUS with HMS
HOWE, HM Cruisers SWIFTSURE,
GAMBIA (RNZN), BLACK
PRINCE,
ARGONAUT and EURYALUS screened by TF57
destroyers
(Operation ICEBERG).
(Note: The attacks were made in
conjunction with those from US Carriers
with breaks
for
replenishment.
April
1st
Under
heavy and sustained air attacks.
11th
Transferred
with TF57 carriers for air attacks on
Formosa.
12th
Provided
covered during attacks on Shinchiku
and Matsugama
(Operation ICEBERG
OOLONG).
13th
Rejoined
US
ships off Sakishima
Gunto.
Deployed with TF57
during final strike of Phase 1 of Sakishima
Gunto
attacks.
(Note: One source records ship
returned to
Sydney)
Passage to rejoin
Task Force 57 at
Leyte.
May
1st
Passage
from
Leyte
to rejoin US Task Force 58 with Task
Force 57 carriers to
continue
attacks on Sakishima
Gunto.
4th
Rejoined
US Task Force 58 after refuelling in
Area MOSQUITO for continuation of
Sakishima attacks (Operation ICEBERG TWO
- See above references.
After first series of air strikes
diverted to bombard airfields at Miyako
Shima and Nobara
with the RN
battleships KING GEORGE V, HOWE, HM
Cruiser BLACK PRINCE,
GAMBIA
and
UGANDA
screened by destroyers of 25th Flotilla.
Carried out 4in
bombardments of AA batteries at Nobara
airfield.
(Note: This diversion reduced air
defence available for protection of the
aircraft
carriers
deployed for ICEBERG TWO.
HMS FORMIDABLE sustained serious damage
in KAMIKAZE attacks)
Operations ceased and ships of
bombardment force returned to flying off
area to reinforce
AA defences of carriers/.
See above references for details
9th
Commenced
cover for air operations in rotation
with US carriers until 26th Mau
(Note: Deployed with HM Cruiser BLACK
PRINCE within main body of Fleet to
reinforce
close range defence against a series of
KAMIKAZE attacks,
See references for details.)
25th
Sailed for Manus on completion of
ICEBERG TWO.
27th
Transferred
with other RN ships to US Task Force 37
when US Command changes were
made in
organisation of US Fleet.
June
Passage
from Manus to
Sydney
for R&R.
4th
At
Brisbane
for repair and maintenance.
Passage to
Sydney to rejoin
BPF for deployment during planned
attacks on Japanese
mainland
with US Task Force 37 of US 3rd Fleet.
28th
Took
passage from
Sydney
with HMS KING GEORGE V, HMS FORMIDABLE,
INDEFATIGABLE, HMS VICTORIOUS, ships
of 4th Cruiser Squadron screen ed
by
RN and RAN destroyers of BPF
July
6th
Sailed
from Minus for operations in
preparation for landings in Japan.
(Operation
OLYMPIC).
17th
Deployed
as Task Force 37 and joined ships of US
Task Force 38 to provide cover during
air attacks
on targets in
Tokyo
-
Yokohama
area
including
airfields and seaplane base
at
Kitaura.
24th
Covered
Task Force 37 carriers during air
attacks on
Osaka and Katori
as well as during
shipping
strikes.
(Note: Deployment of BPF ships was
restricted to a secondary role to
satisfy political
constrains
imposed of the Commander of US 3rd
Fleet. See references.)
August
9th
Covered
Task Force 37 ships during attacks on
airfields and shipping in
N
Honshu and
Hokkaido.
12th
Took
passage to Manus with RN ships due to
shortage of fuel oil from British
support
tankers.
(Note: A Token Force of BPF ships
was retained under US Command as Task
Group
38.5
in 3rd US Fleet. See references.)
15th
Transferred
to RN control after
Japan
surrendered.
18th
Arrived
at Manus
22nd Took
passage to
Leyte
with HMS INDOMITABLE, HM Escort Carrier
VENERABLE,
HM Cruiser SWIFTSURE,
27th
Sailed
as Task unit 111.2 with same ships, HM
Cruiser BLACK PRINCE, HM Destroyers
KEMPENFELT, URSA, WHIRLWIND and
quadrant AS Force 111.2 for
re-occupation
of
Hong
Kong.
.
29th
Entered
Hong
Kong
with HM Cruiser SWIFTSURE
and HM Canadian Landing Ship
PRINCE
ROBERT. See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET.
