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1 9 4 3
September Contractors
trials
October Commissioned.
9th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On
completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow for work-up with
ships of Home Fleet
(Note:
This ship was fitted with two twin 4in mountings in A and
Y positions
with fire control radar Type 285 fitted on the forward
Director.
Surface
warning radar Type 272 was fitted on foremast platform.
Close range 30mm and 20mm mountings were fitted to improve
close range
AA defence. For details of development and use of radar in RN during WW2
see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
November Deployed
at Scapa
Flow
to work-up for operational service.
December Detached
for interception duties in Atlantic.
Deployed
in Atlantic and took passage to Gibraltar.
Sailed from Gibraltar to join HM
Cruisers GAMBIA, PENELOPE. GLASGOW and
ENTERPRISE to intercept the blockade runner ALSTERUFER.
(Operation
STONEWALL).
(Note:
The blockade runner had been sighted by an RAF SUNDERLAND aircraft.).
27th In action with
German destroyers and Torpedo Boats in Bay of
Biscay.
(Note:
The enemy ships had been sent to escort ALSTERUFER into the Gironde but
after the blockade runner had been sunk by an RAF Liberator
aircraft the
returning ships were sighted by aircraft and located by HMS
GLASGOW
and HMS ENTERPRISE.
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and
HOLD
THE NARROW SEA by P Smith).
In
this action Destroyer Z27, Torpedo Boats T25 and T26 were sunk by
HMS GLASGOW and HMS ENTERPRISE SW of Ushant.)
28th Under Glider Bomb (He293) attacks whilst
on passage to Plymouth with HMS GLASGOW
and HMS ENTERPRISE.
(Note:
This weapon carried by an aircraft was frequently used during attacks on
warships
in the Bay of Biscay and in the Mediterranean. Counter-measurers against this weapon
were introduced later. See above reference.)
29th Arrived at Plymouth.
1 9 4 4
January Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
Nominated for loan service with US Navy in Pacific.
Embarked
mines at Milford Haven.
February Worked-up
for foreign service.
Passage to Pearl Harbour via Panama. See Naval Staff History
(MINING).
March Commenced
loan service with US Navy.
April Prepared
for operational duties with 7th US Fleet
May Deployed
with US 7th Fleet.
Nominated
for minelay off Wewak, New Guinea in support of Operation
RECKLESS
(See
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
June Passage to Manus for deployment with US Task
Force 75.
19th Carried out lay of
146 mines off Wewak.
20th Returned to Manus
on completion.
July US Navy loan service in SW Pacific in continuation
to (See HISTORY OF US NAVAL OPERATIONS by
Samuel E Morison.)
August Nominated
for use as Assault Troop Carrier during landings in Philippines after
completion of minelay in Wewak
harbour.
Passage to Wewak from Manus.
September
1st Carried out minelay and returned to
Manus on completion.
Converted for new role.
October Deployed
with Amphibious Force VH and took part in preparatory exercises.
20th Took part in
landing operations at Leyte.
to (Note: HM
Australian Cruisers AUSTRALIA
and SHROPSHIRE, HM Australian
22nd Destroyers ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, HM
Australian Frigate GASCOYNE
and HM Australian Landing Ships (Infantry) WESTRALIA,
MANOORA and
KANIMBLA
also took part. See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HM90).)
23rd Present during
action by US Navy against Japanese warships in Gulf of Leyte.
to See above
reference.
26th
November Loan
service with US Navy in continuation based at Manus.
15th Embarked US troops at Morotai for passage to Pegun Island in Mapia
Group with US
destroyers USS SHAW, USS CALWELL and USS WILMARTH to
establish a weather
and LORAN (Navigational Radio) stations. See above
reference.
December Loan
service with US Navy in continuation.
1 9 4 5
January Recalled
to UK for RN minelaying duties.
(Note:
Extensive stock of mines had become available and minelaying operations were
planned for the lay of anti-submarine fields in Bay of Biscay, Irish Sea and NW
Approaches
to deter operation of SCHNORKEL fitted U- Boats in UK coastal
waters.)
February Passage to UK from
Pacific.
March Resumed
RN service.
31st At Plymouth for leave
and boiler cleaning.
April Prepared
for minelaying operations in SW Approaches on Nymphe
Bank.
First
RN use as minelayer (Operation CH Series).
Deployed with HM Minelaying Cruiser APOLLO.
10th Began lay of Field S3.
12th Completed Field
S3.
17th Began lay of Field 32.
19th Lay of Field S2 in continuation.
22nd Completed lay of Field S2.
26th Laid Field S1
(Note:
HMS ARIADNE laid 1200 mines and HMS APOLLO 300 mines In Field S.)
May Redeployed in NW
Approaches and Irish Sea.
2nd Began lay of Field J in North Channel.
3rd Begin lay of Field Y off Fishguard
4th Completed lay of Field Y
6th Completed lay of Field J
(Note:
300 mines were laid in Field J and 300 mines in Field Y.)
7th Rejoined Hone Fleet at Scapa Flow for support of reoccupation
operations.
9th Joined HM Cruiser APOLLO at Rosyth.
11th Embarked Crown Prince of Norway for
return to Oslo (Operation KINGDOM).
(Note:
HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE with Flag Officer Norway (Designate) embarked,
HMS
APOLLO with HM Destroyers IROQUOIS, SAVAGE, SCOURGE and
Norwegian
destroyer ARENDAL (Ex HMS BADSWORTH) also took pert in this
operation.)
13th Arrived in Oslo.
14th Passage to
Devonport for refit.
20th Nominated for service with British
Pacific Fleet
Taken in hand for refit.
June Under
refit and prepared for passage to Pacific.
July Passage to Australia to join British Pacific
Fleet via Mediterranean.
August Deployed
with British Pacific Fleet after end of hostilities.
(Note: British ships had withdrawn from operations and were
no longer part of US 3rd Fleet.
See
THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton, WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO)
and FINAL REPORT BY SEAC (HMSO).