1
9 3 9
June
Contractors
Trials
10th
Build completion
and commenced Acceptance Trials.
July
Worked-up
at Portland on completion of
trials.
August
Joined
7th Flotilla as relief for HM Destroyer ESK
and carried out Flotilla and Fleet
exercises.
Passage
to join Humber Force at allocated War Station
D e t a i l s o f W a
r
S e r v i c e
(for more
ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search)
September
Deployed
for North Sea patrol to intercept enemy
warships on
passage for attacks on Fleet units or to
Enter Atlantic
as commerce raiders.
(For details of naval
deployments at outbreak of war see Naval Staff
History and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C. Barnett.)
2nd
Carried out first
patrol off Norway.
22nd
Involved in collision with HM Destroyer JERSEY
during patrol with HM Cruisers SOUTHAMPTON
and GLASGOW
in Skagerrak (Operation SK).
Sustained
damage. Operation cancelled.
Taken in tow for repair in Tyne
shipyard
23rd
Repair by Hawthorn Leslie commenced
October
22nd
During post repair trials prior to
rejoining Flotilla involved in a further
collision with mercantile ss
MORDANT.
Two ratings were killed in after messdeck
and a third
was washed overboard but was
able to
climb back on board.
Taken in tow by HM Destroyer
JUPITER and escorted to Middlesbrough for
repair.
23rd
Taken in hand for
repair by Smiths Dock.
November
Under repair.
to
December
1
9 4 0
January
3rd
On completion of post repair trials
rejoined Flotilla and deployed for convoy
defence and patrol in
North
Sea.
(Note: One source records that
on departure from Middlesbrough ship detonated
mine
damaging
one
shaft and returned for repair. To be
investigated.)
February
Under repair.
March
On
completion deployed for North Sea convoy
defence with
Flotilla
19th
After sister ship HMS JERVIS sustained
major structural damage after collision with
Swedish ss
TOR
escorted damaged destroyer to Tyne for repair.
April
Detached
for escort of Trinity House Ship PATRICIA
during lay of navigation buoys in
Smiths Knoll.
5th
Deployed with HM Destroyers JANUS, JUNO
and ECLIPSE as escort for Convoy ON25 on
passage to
Norway.
8th
Returned to Kirkwall
with convoy after German invasion of Norway.
9th
Deployed with Flotilla for screening
of Home Fleet major units and support of
military operations
Passage to Norwegian
waters and under air attacks.
13th
Escorted HM Battlecruiser REPULSE during
passage from Norwegian coast to Scapa Flow.
20th
Deployed with HM Destroyers JACKAL as
escort for ST MAGNUS, ST SUNNIVA and
CEDARBANK during passage from Aberdeen
taking troops to reinforce landings at
Andalsnes,
Norway
(Operation SICKLE).
21st
CEDARBANK sunk by torpedo during
passage.
Detached on arrival at Rombaksfjord.
Under air attacks.
22nd
Escorted merchant ship to Alesund
(Note:
This ship has insufficient coal to return to
UK).
Under further air attacks.
23rd
Took passage to UK
escorting troopship.
27th
Deployed as escort
for HM Cruiser GLASGOW with HMS JAVELIN to
Molde from Scapa Flow.
29th
Sailed from Molde for Malangen
Fjord near Tromso
with
HMS JACKAL as escort for HMS
GLASGOW during
passage.
(Note: HMS GLASGOW had embarked
HM King Haakon of
Norway
and members of the
Norwegian Government with a
quantity of bullion.
30th
Detached with HMS JACKAL after
passengers disembarked from HMS GLASGOW at Malangen
and
resumed support duties.
May
Resumed
Flotilla duties in support of Norwegian
operations.
10th
Deployed with HMS
JAVELIN as escort for military convoy to
Norway.
11th
On arrival diverted with convoy to Mo
for support of landing of the troops.
12th
Provided naval gunfire support with HM
Cruiser ENTERPRISE during the
landings and came
under sustained air attacks.
13th
Returned to Scapa Flow.
(Note: For details of the
disastrous operations off Norway
see NARVIK by D
Macintyre, CARRIER GLORIOUS by J
Winton, THE DOOMED
EXPEDITION by J Adams
and The Naval
Staff History.)
16th
Transferred to 1st Flotilla and deployed
in Nore Command at Harwich for support of
military
operations and
North Sea convoy
defence.
19th
Escorted HM Trawlers GRAMPIAN, PELTON,
JAMES LAY, MILFORD
QUEEN, MILFORD
PRINCES and CAPE MELVILLE
with HMS JAGUAR
and HM
Corvette PUFFIN to cut commercial cables for
UK
to Continent
communications
off coast of Norfolk (Operation
QUIXOTE)
27th
Transferred to Dover Command with ships
of Flotilla to assist in evacuation
of allied troops
from beaches and harbour at Dunkirk
(Operation DYNAMO).
28th
Rescued survivors from merchant ship
sunk by torpedo. Remained off
beaches
and embarked troops from boats. Took
passage to Dover with 900
troops.
(Note: Further men were not
embarked as ship stability affected by
reduction in
fuel
carried.)
29th
Returned to Dunkirk after
disembarking troops at Dover.
Entered harbour to embark
troops and under air attacks.
30th
Took passage to Dover with 850
troops.
31st
After return to Dunkirk
ordered to take passage to Sheerness for duty
with
anti-invasion
force and withdrawn from DYNAMO.
(For details of DYNAMO see NINE
DAYS AT DUNKIRK by AD Divine
and
Naval Staff History.)
Pennant Number for visual
signalling purposes changed to G61.
June
1st
Arrived at
Sheerness and remained on call for new
duties.
5th
Released from duty at Sheerness and
took passage to Humber for delayed routine
docking and
maintenance.
6th
Taken in hand by Brigham and Cowan
shipyard in Hull
(Note: Modified RAF Air-Surface
radar set fitted during this period.
This was designated Naval Type
286. For details of development and
use of
radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
16th
On completion transferred to 5th
Destroyer Flotilla based at Immingham for
patrol
and interception duties in North Sea.
(Note: Other ships in Flotilla
were HM Destroyers JACKAL, JUPITER,
KELVIN, KASHMIR and
KIPLING, joined
later by HMS JACKAL.
Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten
was Senior Officer of the Flotilla and
embarked
in HMS JAVELIN during some patrols.
July
North Sea deployment with
Flotilla in continuation.
August
Detached
for duty with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow
17th
Deployed as escort for HM Auxiliary
Minelayers SOUTHERN PRINCE,
PORT
NAPIER, PORT QUEBEC
and MENESTHEUS of 1st Minelaying
Squadron with
HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD, JAGUAR.
FIREDRAKE
(HM Cruiser CAIRO
as AA Guardship
during minelay in Moray
Firth to
extend
North Sea Mine Barrier (Operation SN12 – See
Naval Staff History (Mining).)
20th
On completion resumed detached service
at Scapa Flow for patrol and screening duties.
Deployed
with escort for initial stage of passage in NW
Approaches for ships taking part
in planned landing
of Free French troops at Dakar
(Operation MENACE.)
September
1st
Escorted damaged cruiser HMS FIJI to Clyde
for repair
(Note:
HMS FIJI was part of assault force on passage
to West Africa.)
On release from detached service
with Home Fleet resumed service with Flotilla.
Transferred
with Flotilla to Plymouth Command for duties
in English Channel.
(Note: This deployment was made
in consequence of the movement of the
German destroyers KARL GASTNER, HANS
LODY, FRIEDRICH IHN,
RICHARD BEITZEN and ERICH
STEINBRINK from Wilhemshaven
to Cherbourg
which posed a threat to convoys from mines and
surface attacks.)
October
Deployed
at Plymouth for interception
patrols and convoy defence
10th
Joined HM Battleship REVENGE with H M
Destroyers JAGUAR,
JACKAL,
JUPITER, KASHMIR and KIPLING to carry out
bombardment of Cherbourg.
Took part in bombardment covered
by HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE and EMERALD,
11th
On completion escorted HMS REVENGE with
ships of Flotilla during the return passage
to Portsmouth.
Detached on arrival and sailed
for refit at Immingham
16th
Taken in hand for
refit by Humber Graving Dock.
November
15th
Post refit trials
16th
Sailed for Plymouth
to rejoined Flotilla for interception patrols.
28th
Sailed from Plymouth
with HM Destroyers JACKAL, JUPITER, JERSEY and
KASHMIR
to intercept German
destroyers reported by an aircraft on
passage in Channel from Brest.
Deployed on patrol line
between Lands End and Start Point.
29th
Sighted enemy
destroyers which had attacked convoy off
Start Point sinking two ships.
Took part in night action
against KARL GASTNER, HANS LODY and RICHARD
BEITZEN during
which enemy ships fired torpedoes.
Hit by torpedo forward and another
aft
causing
extensive damage.
Complete bow structure forward
of gun mounting demolished and after structure
were both
demolished
with extensive fire caused when magazine
exploded.
Major flooding of other
compartments and ship totally disabled. Only
155 feet of original
353 feet length of hull
remained. 46 of ship’s company lost their
lives
For full details see DESTROYER MAN
by AF Pugsley who
was in command of the ship.
Casualties were taken off by HMS
JACKAL and the other ships returned to scene
after a
fruitless
chase of the German destroyers.
Air attacks were driven off by
RAF aircraft and ship taken in tow to Plymouth
by a Falmouth
tug
escorted by HMS KASHMIR.
30th
Arrived at Plymouth and
taken in hand for repair by Devonport
Dockyard.
(Note: Captain Lord Mountbatten
was on board the ship during this action and
in command of
the
Flotilla. The execution of this attack has
been the subject of much criticism.
See
above
reference, HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY
by C Barnett.)
December
Paid
off into Dockyard Control and under repair.
1
9 4 1
January
Under
repair. Bow and stern structures
completely replaced.
to
December
1
9 4 2
January
Recommissioned
and on completion of post refit trials took
passage to Scapa Flow.
February
Worked-up
for operational service with ships of Home
Fleet.
On
completion deployed with Home Fleet for
screening of major ships.
March
1st
Deployed with HM Destroyers ASHANTI,
BEDOUIN, ECHO, ECLIPSE,
ESKIMO, FAULKNOR, FURY, GROVE,
ICARUS, INCONSTANT, JAVELIN,
INTREPID, LANCASTER,
LEDBURY, LOOKOUT, ONSLOW,
PUNJABI, TARTAR, VERDUN,
WELLS and WOOLSTON as screen for HM
Battleships KING GEORGE V and
DUKE OF YORK,
HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS,
HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM
Cruisers BERWICK and KENYA
to provide cover
for
passage of Russian Convoy PQ12 to Murmansk
and the return convoy QP8 to Iceland..
(For details of all Russian
convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIAN by RA
Ruegg,
CONVOY! by P Kemp,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B. Schoefield
and ARCTIC
CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
10th
On return to Scapa Flow
nominated for support of planned British
landings in
Madagascar
(Operation IRONCLAD)
Prepared for foreign
service and took passage to Clyde.
23rd
Joined military convoy WS17 with HM
Destroyers INCONSTANT and PAKENHAM
as part
of escort during Atlantic passage.
(Note: Ocean Escort included HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS.)
24th
HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE
and HM Armed Merchant Cruiser ALCANTARA
with screen of
three destroyers joined Ocean Escort.
31st
Detached from WS17 and took passage to
Freetown.
April
6th
Joined Convoy WS17A with HM Destroyers
ACTIVE, ANTHONY, LAFOREY,
LOOKOUT, LIGHTNING, PAKENHAM and
INCONSTANT as Ocean Escort during
passage
to Durban.
(Note: Convoy WS17 had split at Freetown
into two Sections, WS17A and WS17B
which
made separate passage to Cape of Good Hope.
22nd
Detached from WS17A on arrival at Durban
and joined 14th Destroyer Flotilla for service
in Indian Ocean.
May
Deployed
at Durban and prepared for support
of IRONCLAD.
5th
Took part in
support of landings at Diego Suarez and
provided gunfire support.
Deployment included
anti-submarine defence of assembled ships.
(For details of IRONCLAD see
RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute,
WAR WITH
JAPAN (HMSO)
and Naval Staff History.)
9th
On release from IRONCLAD transferred
with Flotilla for service at
Alexandria with
Mediterranean Fleet.
Took passage
to Alexandria via Aden and Suez Canal.
June
Passage in Red Sea
9th
Joined 14th
Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet for Fleet
duties in eastern Mediterranean.
13th
Sailed from Alexandria
with H M Destroyers HASTY, HERO, INCONSTANT,
JERVIS,
KELVIN, NAPIER, NESTOR, NIZAM,
NORMAN, PAKENHAM, PALADIN, SIKH
and
ZULU as screen for HM Cruisers ARETHUSA,
BIRMINGHAM,
CLEOPATRA,
DIDO, EURYALUS, HERMIONE and NEWCASTLE
to join Convoy MW11 which had
sailed
earlier from Egypt
(Operation VIGOROUS).
14th
Met convoy and came under air attacks.
Convoy under
threat of attack by U77 which was beaten off
by HMS PAKENHAM.
15th
Under attack by German E-Boats during
which HMS NEWCASTLE was hit by a torpedo
and had
to return to Alexandria. HMS HASTY
was also torpedoed and had to be sunk
by HMS
HOTSPUR.
(Note: HMS HOTSPUR had been part
of escort for Convoy MW11A from Haifa
which had
joined
MW11B and merged to form MW11 for passage to
Malta.)
Convoy ordered to reverse course
following report of threat of attack by an
Italian battle
squadron
reported by aircraft.
Under heavy and sustained air
attacks but earlier order rescinded and convoy
ordered to
resume
westward passage.
(Note: During these attacks HM
Cruisers ARETHUSA and BIRMINGHAM HM
Destroyers AIREDALE, NESTOR
(RAN) and HM Battleship CENTURION were
damaged.
HMS CENTURION, had been disguised as a
battleship of the KING
GEORGE V Class.)
Took damaged
HMAS NESTOR in tow.
Owing to heavy expenditure of AA
ammunition and despite further order from CinC
at
Alexandria
operation was abandoned and ship took passage
to return to Alexandria
with
convoy
and escorts.
16th
Tow terminated during passage and HMAS
NESTOR scuttled after her crew were
rescued.
Returned to Alexandria.
(For details of this disastrous,
confused and ill-directed operation see THE
BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D Macintyre and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY.)
July
Retained for service in Mediterranean
with 14th Destroyer Flotilla.
Deployed at Alexandria
for convoy defence, patrol and military
support
17th
Carried out
bombardment at Mersa
Matru.
23rd
Carried out
further bombardment at Mersa
Matru.
August
Flotilla duties in continuation.
12th
Carried out
bombardment at Rhodes.
Under repair
at Haifa.
September
Resumed
Flotilla duties on completion
14th
Carried out
bombardment at Daba.
October
Flotilla duties in eastern
Mediterranean including support of military
operations.
November
16th
Deployed with HM Cruiser EURYALUS, HM
Destroyers JERVIS, KELVIN, NUBIAN,
PAKENHAM, PALADIN and PETARD as
escort for Convoy MW13 to Malta
from Egypt
(Operation PORTCULLIS)
(Note: This was the first
westward convoy passage to be attempted air
cover from North
Africa
was available due to advance of the 8th Army
from Alamein.)
17th
Detached from MW13 after HM Destroyers
ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, BELVOIR,
CROOME, DULVERTON, EXMOOR,
HURSLEY, HURWORTH, TETCOTT and Greek
destroyer
PINDOS arrived as escort for passage to Malta.
Took passage
to Alexandria with Fleet destroyers.
18th
Sailed from Alexandria
with same Fleet destroyers as screen for HM
Cruisers ARETHUSA,
CLEOPATRA, DIDO and ORION to
provide cover for passage of Convoy MW13 to
Malta.
Under air attacks off Derna
after joining MW13 and HMS ARETHUSA hit by
torpedo
and
had to
be towed back to Alexandria by HMS
PETARD.
Detached from MW13 covering
force and escorted HMS PETARD during tow of
HMS
ARETHUSA.
(See above references and THE
CROSS AND THE ENSIGN by P Elliot.)
Transferred to Malta
with HM Destroyers JERVIS, KELVIN and NUBIAN
for interception
of
enemy supply convoys to North Africa as screen
for HM
Cruisers CLEOPATRA and
DIDO as Force
K.
December
Deployed
at Malta with
Force K for convoy interception.
2nd
Took part in attack on convoy in Gulf
of Gabes
with HMS JERVIS, KELVIN and NUBIAN
during
which Italian destroyer LUPO was sunk whilst
rescuing survivors from SS VELOCE
sunk in
an early convoy attack.
13th
Deployed with HMS CLEOPATRA, HMS DIDO,
HMS JERVIS, HMS KELVIN and HMS
NUBIAN and carried out
successful attack on convoy off Tunisia.
1
9 4 3
January
Force K deployment in
continuation.
8th
Sank three small schooners off Kuriat
during interception patrol.
17th
Deployed with HMS PAKENHAM off Lampedusa
and attacked supply convoy escorted
by
torpedo boats and sank naval auxiliary.
30th
Intercepted Italian convoy north of Tripoli
with HMS KELVIN and sank all eleven ships
including
four minesweepers.
February
Malta
deployment in continuation. Escort
for convoy to Alexandria.
March
to
Deployed
for interception patrols with ships of Force K
April
May
Deployed with ships based in Malta
to establish blockade of Cape Bon area to
intercept
craft
attempting to evacuation enemy personnel from
North African coast after the
defeat
of the Afrika
Corps (Operation RETRIBUTION – See above
references.)
June
Deployed with Fleet units and
ships of Flotilla for bombardment of Pantellaria
prior to
occupation
by British troops. (Operation CORKSCREW – See
above references.)
Nominated for
refit in UK. for
passage to UK
as part of escort for military convoy
MKF15.
15th
Taken in hand for
refit by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.
July
Under refit by HM Dockyard.
to
December
Nominated for service with 10th
Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet
1
9 4 4
January
Under refit and carried out
harbour trials.
February
10th
Carried out post refit trials and took
passage to Scapa Flow.
Deployed with HM Destroyers ASHANTI,
ESKIMO, HAIDA (RCN),
HURON (RCN),
TARTAR, Polish destroyer BLYSKAWICA and Polish
destroyer
ORP PIORUN of 10th Flotilla.
February
Home
Fleet deployment for screening duties during
operations off Norway
to
April
Nominated for
service in support of planned allied landings
in Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE
– For details of naval activities prior to and
during
landings
see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and
LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June
1944 (HMSO).
May
Transferred to Plymouth
with Flotilla and took part in exercises prior
to landings.
June
Deployed with Flotilla to carry
out patrols between Gulf of St
Malo and Ushant
for
interception
of enemy surface craft attempting to attack
cross Channel military
convoys
or coastal traffic.
5th
Deployed for
patrol north of Ushant.
6th
Following aircraft sighting of two
NARVIK Class destroyers and an
Ex Dutch
destroyer
(TJERK HIDDES) carried out search with
Flotilla but did not find the
enemy
ships.
7th
Returned to Plymouth with
Flotilla on relief by 23rd Destroyer
Flotilla.
8th
Deployed with Flotilla NE of Ushant
to intercept NARVIK Class ships
reported
on passage in the area from Brest.
9th
In action against German destroyers
with ships of Flotilla 20 miles NW of Ile
de Bas
during
which TJERK HIDDES was sunk, NARVIK Z32 driven
ashore and
subsequently
wrecked. NARVIK was damage and the ELBING
Class T24 was
able to
return to Brest.
(See LANDINGS IN NORMANDY for
details.)
25th
Retained in Channel area with Flotilla
based at Plymouth after NEPTUNE
closed.
July
Deployed at Plymouth
for interception of enemy convoys in Bay of
Biscay and
Channel coast with ships of Flotilla.
7th
During return passage to Plymouth
after interception patrol off Ushant
involved in
collision
with HMS ESKIMO and sustained major damage
aft. Three of ship’s
company
were killed and one injured.
Steering for remainder of
passage was by main engines.
10th
Taken in hand for
temporary repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
20th
Passage to Belfast for
permanent repair.
(Note:
One source records at Liverpool
– to be confirmed.)
27th
Taken in hand by
Harland and Wolff shipyard.
August
Under repair
to
Nominated
for service in Mediterranean with 14th
Destroyer
Flotilla and re-commissioned.
November
December
31st
Completion of repair and prepared for
post refit trials.
1
9 4 5
January
Passage to Scapa Flow
on completion of post refit
trials.
Worked-up with ships of Home
Fleet for operational service
February
Took
passage to join Flotilla in Mediterranean on
completion
of work-up.
19th
Arrived at Alexandria and
joined Flotilla.
March
9th
Withdrawn from Flotilla duties for replacement
of boiler tubes at Alexandria.
April
Boiler tube replacement work in
progress.
May
8th
Resumed Flotilla duties on completion
of post repair trials.
June
Remained with Flotilla in Mediterranean
after VE Day and deployed for Fleet duties
to
August
and support of re-occupation requirements at
Trieste
(Note: Ships on passage to Far
East were worked-up for service in the
Mediterranean
during
exercises with Fleet units.)
