1 9 3 9
September
Contractors trials and commissioned
for service in 5th Destroyer Flotilla, Home
Fleet.
14th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
On
completion took passage to Portland
to work-up for operational service.
Commenced
work-up
October
3rd
Took
passage to join Flotilla on completion of
work-up
Deployed for convoy
defence in Channel and off East coast.
29th
Arrived
at Scapa
Flow
and taken in hand for repair by HM Depot
Ship
GREENWICH,
(Note: In
common with other ships of the Class defects
were
associated with leaks in
Reserve Feed Water
tanks, due to stresses whilst steaming at
speed.
November
5th
Repair
work at Scapa
Flow
terminated and arranged for attention at
commercial
shipyard.
7th
Passage
to Leith.
9th
Under
repair.
19th
Resumed
operational service and returned to Scapa Flow for
screening of Home Fleet major
warships and for
anti-submarine patrol.
29th
Took
part in sinking of U35 off Shetlands in
position 60.55N 02.47E with HM
Destroyers
KASHMIR
and ICARUS.
December
Home Fleet deployment in
continuation.
(Note: For
details of naval activities in Home waters
during
1939 see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C
Barnett and the Naval Staff History.)
1
9 4 0
January
Home
Waters convoy defence and patrol with Home
Fleet screening in continuation.
to
(Note: During this period ship
continued to experience leaking in water
systems and further
February
was arranged at commercial
shipyard in Falmouth.)
March
Passage to Falmouth.
3rd
Taken
in hand for repair by Silley
Cox & Co.
April
Under
repair
(Note:
De-gaussing
equipment was fitted and strengthening
structure was carried out
On completion resumed Flotilla
duties for convoy defence and patrol in
Channel and
southern
North
Sea.)
May
Nominated
for service in Mediterranean
with 14th Destroyer Flotilla based
at Alexandria.
16th
Sailed
from Plymouth
for Gibraltar.
Pennant
Number for visual signalling purposes
changed to G64
24th
Arrived
at Alexandria
25th
Transferred
to Red
Sea
for convoy defence with sister destroyers
HMS
KANDAHAR, HMS
KHARTOUM
and HMS KIMBERLEY.
(Note:
This was part of precautionary moves by CinC
Mediterranean in anticipation of the
entry
of Italy
into the war with Germany.
Italian surface ships and submarines were
based
at Massawa and
were a threat to convoys in the Red
Sea.)
June
Based at
Aden
for interception patrol and surveillance.
10th
After outbreak of war against Italy
deployed for convoy defence in Red
Sea
and Indian
Ocean.
23rd
Took
part in sinking of Italian submarine
TORRICELLI off Perim
Island
with HMS
KANDAHAR,
HMS KHARTOUM and HM Sloop
SHOREHAM.
(Note: During
this surface gun engagement HMS KHARTOUM was
hit by return fire and
in a
subsequent explosion sustained serious
damage and major fire which caused
a
magazine to explode and ship sank.)
28th
Carried out unsuccessful attack on Italian
submarine PERLA.
July
Convoy
defence and patrol duties based at Aden
in continuation.
to
August
September
12th
Joined
military convoy WS2A off Perim
with HMS KANDAHAR,
Cruisers HOBART (RAN)
and COVENTRY
as escort during passage in Red
Sea.
(Note:
Convoy comprised troopships ANDES,
EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and EMPRESS
OF CANADA
taking troops for service in Middle
East.)
14th
Detached from WS2A in Red
Sea
when Italian threat became
unlikely.
(Note: WS2A
SLOW section was escorted by HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE, HMS KIMBERLEY,
HMS Sloops
AUCKLAND and FLAMINGO which made separate
passage in Red
Sea.)
October
Aden
deployment in continuation.
to
November
December
18th
Joined
military convoy WS4 off Aden
with HM Cruisers CARLISLE and PERTH (RAN),
HM Sloops INDUS (RIN) and YARRA
(RAN) as escort during passage in Red Sea,
(Note:
This was FAST
Section of WS4 and comprised troops DUNEDIN
STAR,
MELBOURNE
STAR
and STIRLING
CASTLE.)
1
9 4 1
January
Red
Sea deployment in continuation for convoy defence and. interception patrol
to
February
March
2nd
Located
Italian destroyers PANTERA and TIGRE
which were aground inshore to the south
of Jeddah. These
ships were then scuttled and later
destroyed by gunfire and air attacks.
16th
Deployed
with HM Destroyer KANDAHAR,
HM Cruisers GLASGOW and CALEDON
as
escort for HM
Armed Boarding Vessels CHAKDINA and CHANTALA
during passage to
Berbera
for
landings in British Somaliland.
(Operation APPEARANCE).
17th
Took part in support of landings at Berbera.
April
Nominated
for further support of planned military
operations in Somali.
8th
Took
part in occupation of Italian
Somaliland
at Massawa
with Force G.
(Note:
Details of ships in Force G to be
investigated and date confirmed.)
Passage to
rejoin Flotilla at Alexandria
after release from East Indies
Station service.
Deployed with
Flotilla for Fleet screening and convoy
defence.
(Note:
Service as part of screen during bombardment
of positions in Libya
to be confirmed)
25th
Deployed for defence of military convoys
to Greece.
Diverted for support of
evacuation of troops from Greece.
26th
Took
part in evacuation from Raphti
and embarked 650
troops for passage to Suda Bay,
Crete.
27th
Returned to Raphti
and embarked 640
troops for passage to Suda
Bay.
29th
Assisted in evacuation at Kalamata
and embarked 39 troops.
Returned to Alexandria
for Flotilla duties.
May
4th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN,
HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO, HOTSPUR,
JERVIS, JUNO, KANDAHAR,
KIMBERLEY,
NIZAM and NUBIAN as screen for HM
Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE, HM
Battleships BARHAM, VALIANT and WARSPITE,
HM Cruisers AJAX,
ORION, PERTH
(RAN), HM Cruiser
ABDIEL
and HM Supply
Ship BRECONSHIRE to provide
Distant Cover for passage of Convoys MW7A/B
during
passage
to Malta
in eastern Mediterranean.
9th
Remained
with Mediterranean Fleet units off Malta
before providing Distant Cover for
military convoy
from Gibraltar to Egypt
bringing tanks for 8th Army (Operation
TIGER).
12th
Returned to Alexandria
with Fleet units after arrival of
TIGER convoy in Alexandria.
20th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers NAIAD, PERTH
(RAN), CALCUTTA
and CARLISLE
with
HM
Destroyers NUBIAN, JUNO
and KANDAHAR
as Force C for
interception of invasion craft on passage to
land German troops in Crete.
21st
In action with Italian Torpedo Boat LUPO
which was escorting
an invasion convoy.
Enemy vessel damaged by cruiser
6in shells but hit by return fire causing
minor damage
(Note:
Two torpedoes were fired by LUPO without
success.
Ten of caiques
under escort by LUPO were sunk. See THE
NAVAL WAR IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
by J Greene and A
Massignini.)
Under unsuccessful night attack
by six Italian torpedo boats.
22nd
Under
constant air attacks after dawn
Force C search for another
convoy of 30 caiques
was hampered by low speed of HMS
CARLISLE
and
planned attack was called off because of
heavy expenditure of AA ammunition by
cruisers.
See above reference for details.
Later with HMS KANDAHAR rescued
of survivors from HM Destroyer GREYHOUND
sunk in
air attacks.
23rd
Deployed
with HMS KANDAHAR in search for survivors
from HM Cruisers FIJI and
GLOUCESTER
which had been sunk on 22nd in air
attacks.
(Note:
523 survivors from both cruisers were
rescued by the destroyers.
Continuing threat of air attacks
had prevented any search after this tragic
event. This
failure
has been the subject of much criticism since
1945. See THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D MacIntyre
,CRETE
by SW Pack and above
references
for details of operations in defence of Crete.)
24th
On
return to Alexandria
taken in hand for repair of action damage
June
16th
Passage
to join Mediterranean Fleet ships off Syria.
17th
Deployed
for patrol and naval gunfire support of
British military operations against Vichy
French in Syria.
(Operation
EXPORTER.- See
RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W
Tute
for details.)
23rd
Engaged
Vichy French destroyer GUEPARD with HM
Cruisers LEANDER and NAIAD,
HM Destroyers
NIZAM (RAN) and JAGUAR.
(Note:
French vessel was able to escape due to her
high speed.)
July
2nd
Took
part in bombardment of Damour
area, Syria
with HMAS PERTH.
Open
release from EXPORTER resumed Flotilla
duties at Alexandria
and deployed for
escort of convoys
during passage to and from Cyprus.
22nd
Deployed
with HM Destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK, JACKAL,
JAGUAR, JERVIS, KANDAHAR
KIMBERLEY,
NIZAM (RAN) and NUBIAN as screen for HM
Battleships
VALIANT and
QUEEN ELIZABETH, HM Cruisers AJAX,
NAIAD, CARLISLE, HOBART
(RAN), LEANDER,
NEPTUNE, PHOEBE, ABDIEL and
LATONA during cruise by ships of
Mediterranean Fleet
in
eastern Mediterranean
as a diversion during passage of convoy to Malta
from Gibraltar
(Operation MD5 –part of
Operation SUBSTANCE.)
August
Flotilla
duties based at Alexandria
including support of Tobruk garrison.
September
(Note:
Ships of Mediterranean Fleet carried out a
diversionary cruise in eastern Mediterranean
between
25th and 27th. Deployment
with Flotilla as screen to be
confirmed.
(Operation
MD6: Co-incident with Operation
HALBERD, Passage of Malta relief
convoy
from Gibraltar.)
October
Flotilla
duties based at Alexandria
including escort of convoys and transport of
troops
and
stores to Tobruk,
30th
Aircraft
crashed into sea after hitting mast during
exercises. All aircrew were killed
November
27th
Passage
to Malta
with HM Cruisers AJAX
and NEPTUNE
and HMS KIMBERLEY to
reinforce
Force K. HM Cruisers EURYALUS and NAIAD
screened by HM Destroyers
GRIFFIN
and HOTSPUR provided cover for this transit.
29th
Arrived in Malta
for reinforcement of Force K with
HMS KIMBERLEY.
30th
Deployed
with HMS AURORA, HMS PENELOPE, HMS AJAX, HMS
NEPTUNE and
HMS KIMBERLEY for
interception of a supply convoy.
December
1st
Took
part in attack on convoy off Benghazi
with ships of Force K sinking ammunition
Ship
ADRIATICO.
2nd
Took
part in attack on convoy off Kerkenah
Bank with Force
K during which Italian
destroyer ALVISE
DA MOSTA and mercantile MANTOVANI were
sunk.
5th
Sailed
from Malta
with HM Destroyers KINGSTON
and LIVELY, HM Cruisers AJAX
and
NEPTUNE as escort for HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE during passage to meet ships
from Alexandria.
6th
HMS
AJAX, HMS NEPTUNE and HMS LIVELY detached
and took passage to Malta
Remained with HMS
KIMBERLEY as escort for HMS BRECONSHIRE to
Alexandria.
7th
HM
Cruiser HOBART (RAN) joined but detached
later to assist damaged Sloop HMS
FLAMINGO off Tobruk.
8th
Arrived
at Alexandria
with HMS BRECONSHIRE and HMS KIMBERLEY.
15th
Joined
HM Cruisers CARLISLE,
EURYALUS and NAIAD with HM Destroyers DECOY,
HASTY, HAVOCK, JERVIS, KINGSTON,
KIPLING and NIZAM as Force C for escort
of HMS
BRECONSHIRE during passage from Alexandria
to meet Force K for escort into
Malta
(Operation MF1)
17th
Remained
with Force C when Italian battle fleet was
sighted and HMS BRECONSHIRE
detached escorted
by HMS DECOY and HMS HAVOCK.
Took part in brief engagement
with Italian warships which withdrew when
British destroyers
approached
to deliver torpedo attacks.
(1st Battle
of Sirte.
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, THE BATTLE
FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D Macintyre and Naval Staff
History.)
18th
Deployed
with Force C during continued search for
Italian convoy.
19th
Returned
to Alexandria
with Force B.
1
9 4 2
January
5th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers FOXHOUND, GURKHA, KIPLING
and SIKH as screen
for HM Cruisers
DIDO, EURYALUS and NAIAD as Force B for
escort of HM Supply
Ship
GLENGYLE during passage from Alexandria
to Malta
and as escort from Malta
of the returning
HMS BRECONSHIRE (Operation MF2)
7th
Passage
to Alexandria
with Force B as escort for HMS
BRECONSHIRE.
(Note:
Escort of HMS GLENGYLE was transferred to
ships of Force C from Malta.
HMS HAVOCK joined Force C and
HMS SIKH transferred to Force B at meeting
west of
Derna.)
9th
Detached
on arrival of Force B at Alexandria.
24th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN,
KELVIN, KIPLING, JAGUAR, HASTY, ARROW
and
Dutch destroyer ISAAC SWEERS as screen for
HM Cruisers CARLISLE, DIDO,
EURYALUS and NAIAD as Force B to
escort supply convoy to Malta
and return Convoy
ME10 from Malta
(Operation MF4).
Took passage
from Alexandria
with Force B having embarked a
company of infantry.
(Note:
HMS BRECONSHIRE was part of this convoy.)
For details of this and other
convoys to Malta
in 1942 see above references.)
26th
Detached
from Force B when convoy escorts were
exchanged and took passage to Malta
as relief for HM
destroyer LANCE in Force K.
27th
Arrived
in Malta
and nominated for routine docking.
February
Deployed at Malta
with Force K ships on completion of docking.
(Note: No record of participation
in defence of relief convoy MW9 to Malta
which
failed
to arrive and return Convoy ME10 to Egypt
which arrived has been found
(Operation MF5) Ship may have
been in dock and not available for Force K
service
as work in HM Dockyard Malta
was delayed by the heavy air attacks on Malta.
.
For details of failed passage of
convoy MW10 see above references and THE
NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
by J Greene and A
Massignani.)
March
10th
Sailed
from Malta
with HM Cruiser CLEOPATRA to join HM
Cruisers NAIAD
and
EURYALUS screened by eight
Mediterranean Fleet destroyers which were
returning
to Alexandria
after search for Italian cruiser damaged in
air
attack. See references.
(Note:
Under sustained air attacks which were
repelled.
11th
HMS
NAIAD sunk by torpedo from U655
15th
Returned to Alexandria
after cruiser bombardment of Rhodes.
20th
Joined
HM Destroyers JERVIS, KELVIN and KIPLING as
screen for HMS CLEOPATRA
HMS DIDO and HMS EURYALUS as
Force B to reinforce escort of Convoy MW10
during
passage
from Alexandria
to Malta
(Operation MG1)
(Note This
convoy included HMS BRECONSHIRE and three mercantiles.)
22nd
Convoy
joined by ships of Force K from Malta
Force B ships ordered to remain
with MW10 in view of threat of attack by an
Italian force
including
battleship LITTORIO, two heavy cruisers and
a light cruiser squadron with
destroyer
screens.
Took part in engagement with
Italian ships and whilst turning to take
part in torpedo attack
with
the other destroyers hit by 15”shell which
pass through ship and then exploded
causing
serious
damage with 15 fatalities and 20 others of
ships company injured. Three
torpedoes
were
fired before ship came to a stop. Withdrew
from scene when able to get under
way and
took
passage to Malta
for repair escorted by HM Destroyer HAVOCK.
27th
Following
survey which established that repair would
be lengthy ship was taken in hand by
HM
Dockyard,
Malta
April
Under
repair which was interrupted on a daily
basis due to extent of air attacks on
dockyard
area
5th
Hit
by bomb and sustained additional damage
with flooding.
7th
Sustained
further air raid damage.
11th
Sank
in No 4 Dock
(Note:
Further casualties were caused during period
under repair with 14 killed and
four
others
injured.
Ship declared a Total
Constructive Loss