1
9 4 1
March
7th
Commissioned
for service.
During acceptance trials required
for
service.
22nd
Took
passage for Milford Haven to embark
mines for first operational lay.
Carried out vibration trials by
jettisoning Dummy Mines.
23rd
Embarked
mines at Milford Haven
24th
Deployed
on A/S minelaying operations in SW
Approaches. escorted by HM Destroyers
KIPLING
and KASHMIR
for first lay on Little Sole
Bank.
(Operation GV).
(Note: Intended use in Bay
of Biscay
changed because of material shortage).
25th
Despite
machinery defect deployed in minelaying
task in Bay
of Biscay
to hamper
movement of SCHARNHORST and
GNE1SNAU
into Atlantic.
29th
Carried
out minelay off Brest
escorted by HM Destroyers KELLY, KASHMIR,
KELVIN and
JACKAL of 6th Destroyer Flotilla
(Operation GY).
(Note: Congratulated by 1st Sea
Lord
on an impressive performance in an
unworked
-up ship. For details of
activities
in Home waters in 1941 see HOLD THE
NARROW SEA
by P Smith and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Bamett).
31st
Under
machinery repair at Cowes
April
Whilst on passage to Clyde
for Full Power Trial required
for priority duty and
trial
cancelled.
17th
Took
passage to Mediterranean
after embarking stores required in Malta.
24th
Passage
to Malta
from Gibraltar
with HM Cruiser DIDO, HM Destroyers
KELLY, KELVIN,
KASHMIR,
KIPLING, JACKAL and JERSEY
as Force S.
(Operation SALIENT - Co-incident
with
Operation DUNLOP (Malta
aircraft delivery and
transfer of reinforcement
warships
for Fleet in eastern Mediterranean.)
28th
Discharged
stores in Malta
and joined HMS DIDO, HM Destroyers
JAGUAR, JERVIS, JUNO
and IMPERIAL as escort for HM
Supply
Ship BRECONSHIRE during passage to Egypt.
30th
Arrived
at Alexandria
and joined Mediterranean Fleet.
(For details of naval operations
in
the Mediterranean
see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY, THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D Macintyre, THE NAVAL WAR
IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
by Greene and Massignani and
Naval Staff History (HMSO-2001.)
May
6th
Deployed
with Mediterranean Fleet to cover
passage of military convoy bringing
tanks
from UK
for
Middle
East
army (Operation TIGER).
11th
Planned minelay
between Lampedusa and Kerkenah Bank
cancelled.
(Part of Operation MD4).
21st
Carried
out minelay in Ionian
Sea
between Levkas and Cephalonia
against shipping
using Corinth
Canal.
Covered by HM Battleships
WARSPITE
and VALIANT with HM Cruiser AJAX
(Operation MAT
ONE).
(Note:: This field caused loss of
escorts and transports in convoy later
that day.)
23rd
Deployed
with HM Sloops AUCKLAND and FLAMINGO in
support of military defence of
Crete.
24th
Carried
troops and stores to Suda
Bay.
25th
Returned
to Alexandria
with wounded and prisoners.
26th
Passage
to Suda
Bay
with HM Destroyers NIZAM and HERO taking
troops and stores.
27th
Disembarked
personnel and stores and embarked 930
troops.
Took passage to Alexandria.
31st
Sailed
from Alexandria
with HM Cruiser PHOEBE, HM Destroyers
HOTSPUR, JACKAL and
KIMBERLEY
carrying medical supplies and for final
evacuation of allied
troops.
June
1st
Took
passage with 3,900 troops for return to
Alexandria
arriving
same day.
10th
Deployed
for support of Tobruk garrison.
(See Naval and Military Staff
Histories and above references.)
July
Transferred from Tobruk support
for
reinforcement of Cyprus.
Deployed with HM Fast Minelayer
LATONA and embarked RAF personnel.
(Operation GUILLOTINE).
August
Resumed support of military
garrison at Tobruk with
HM Cruiser HOBART (RAN), HM
Minelaying
Cruiser LATONA (sister ship), HM
Destroyer NAPIER (RAN) and HM Destroyer
NIZAM.
19th
Deployed
for transport of Polish Army units to
Tobruk and evacuated ANZAC troops
following
the
decision to return them to Australia
in view of threat of Japanese entry into
hostilities
See above references.)
(Note: 6,300 Polish troops were
carried in the two cruisers.)
September
Tobruk support and ferry duties
in
continuation.
12th
Troop
transport duties till 22nd.
October
Tobruk support in continuation.
12th
7,100
troops were carried. in the two
cruisers.
to
26th
28th
Transferred
for further reinforcement of Cyprus
and took passage to Beirut.
Deployed with ten destroyers for
transport of 5th Indian Division.
(Note: Total number of troops to
be
carried was over 14,000.)
November
1st
Commenced
troop transport duties.
8th
On
completion returned to Alexandria
for Fleet duties.
December
Deployed at Alexandria.
Nominated for transfer to Eastern
Fleet.
Took passage to Trincomalee.
1
9 4 2
January
10th
Arrived
at Trincomalee.
27th
Laid
four minefields off east coast of South
Andaman
Island.
Returned to Trincomalee on
completion.
February
1st
Laid
three minefields in approaches to MacPherson
Strait
On departure from Port Anson
grounded
and damaged port shaft.
Returned to Colombo
on one
engine.
March
Passage to Durban
for repair.
April
Docked for investigation of
starboard shaft
and A Bracket defects.
Local repair facilities
inadequate
for permanent repair.
Temporary repair work was carried
out
and permanent repair arranged in UK.
To be relieved by HM Minelaying
Cruiser MANXMAN (Sister Ship)
May
At Durban
awaiting
arrival of relief
June
Took passage to UK
after HMS MANXMAN arrived on station.
During passage called at Cape
Town
to embark
gold bullion for tranport to UK.
Refuelled at Pointe Noire, Congo
where emergency repairs were effected.
July
Disembarked bullion in Clyde
and took passage to Tyne.
Taken in hand for repair and
refit at
commercial shipyard.
August
Under refit.
to
(Note: The twin 4.7in mountings
fitted on build were replaced by two
twin 4" HA mountings
November
fitted forward aft to improve
defence against air
attack.
Radar Type 290 was installed in
place
of the earlier modified RAF outfit and
used a
rotating aerial. The set gave
surface
and air warning but was of inferior
quality.
Fire control radar was fitted for
forward main armament fire-control by
Type 285 and
for Close
Range
weapons by
Type 282. See above reference.)
December
On completion of Post refit
trials resumed operation
service..
24th
Embarked
mines at Milford Haven.
30th
Laid
minefield off coast of Brittany
near lie Vierge.
1
9 4 3
January
Transferred to Mediterranean
for minelaying duties.
2nd
Embarked
mines at Milford Haven and sailed for Gibraltar.
6th
Arrived
at Algiers
for Mediterranean minelaying operations
required by ANCXF.
9th
Laid
first minefield off Skerki Bank in
Sicilian Channel after call at Bone.
11th
Passage
from Malta
to Gibraltar
to embark mines being delivered from UK
by HM
Minelaying
Cruiser ADVENTURE.
31st
Abandoned
minelay off Skerki Bank after action
against E-Boats.
February
3rd
Completed
lay in Skerki Bank and returned to Mers
el Kebir to embark mines from
HMS ADVENTURE.
4th
Took
passage to Bone escorted by HM
Destroyers LIGHTNING and LOYAL.
7th
Completed
lay off Skerki Bank and returned to Bone
to recover anchor.
8th
Sailed
from Algiers
for repair in UK.
21st
Sailed
for Mediterranean
after repair and having embarked full
outfit of Mines,
26th
Arrived
Algiers to continue minelaying
operations.
28th
In
action with E-Boats.
Laid minefield off Ras Engela, NW
of
Bizerta..
March
Embarked mines from HMS
ADVENTURE at Mers el
Kebir
5th
Carried
out minelay on Skerki Bank covered by
HMS LIGHTNING and HMS LOYAL
6th
Embarked
mines from HMS ADVENTURE and sailed for
Bone to Join HMS LIGHTNING
and
HMS
LOYAL.
8th
During
passage to Skerki Bank engaged small
convoy of landing craft on passage
to Sicily
from North
Africa.
Commenced minelay but ceased
operation when unknown ship detected by
radar..
(Note: All but 16 mines were
laid.
Escorted to Malta
by HM Destroyers PAKENHAM and PALADIN.
(Note: The minefields in the
Sicilian
Channel proved very successful and were
responsible
for loss and damage to several
enemy
warships).
10th
Made
three trips to Haifa
to embark mines for storage in Malta
for future use.
to
31st
April
4th
Resumed
minelaying operations in Sicilian
Narrows,
escorted by H M Destroyers KELVIN
and PALADIN.
5th
Laid
Field off Skerki Bank and returned to Malta.
7th
Last minelay off Skerki Bank
with same
escort.
11th
Redeployed in Eastern
Mediterranean
for troop transport duties
.
14th
Embarked troops in Haifa
for passage to Cyprus.
May
Troop
transport duty in continuation.
June
Embarked
troops at Alexandria
for passage to Malta
prior to planned allied
landings in
Sicily
(Operation
HUSKY – For details see Naval Staff
History and BRITISH INVASION
FLEETS.
by J de Winser.)
Returned
to Alexandria
July
8th
Sailed from Alexandria
9th
Passage to Assault Area
10th
Embarked Allied Naval Commander
Expeditionary Force four tour of the
Assault Area
August
Deployed
in Central
Mediterranean
for support of military operations.
September
Embarked
troops and equipment of 1st Airborne
Division at Bizerta for occupation
of
Taranto
(Operation
SLAPSTICK - See above references).
9th
Passage to Taranto
with HM Cruisers AURORA,
PENELOPE, DIDO, SIRIUS and US
Cruiser
USS BOISE.
10th
Soon after arrival in Taranto
harbour, the protective
de-gaussing equipment had been
switched
off, and activated recently laid ground
mine.
(Note:
The explosion caused extensive flooding
and ship sunk within minutes with major
loss
of life.
48
of the ship's company were killed and
six wounded.
(Casualty
List
- note
on
casualties)
120
of the troops embarked were also killed
with 120 wounded.
This
disaster left no fast minelayer on
Mediterranean Station.