1 9 4 2
April
Transferred to
Polish Navy. Contractors trials.
May
Commissioned
for Polish naval service as ORP SLAZAK.
9th
- Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
Nominated
for service in 15th Destroyer Flotilla. On
completion of trials and storing took passage for work-up.
June
Took passage to
join Flotilla at Plymouth Joined Flotilla
for convoy defence and patrol in Channel and SW Approaches
July
Channel
deployment in continuation. Nominated for
support of planned landings at Dieppe (Operation
JUBILEE - For details see THE WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson and the Naval Staff History).
Prepared
for support of amphibious operation.
August
18th
- Part of escort for assault craft during passage to Dieppe.
20th - Took
part in Dieppe Assault (Operation JUBILEE). Sustained
minor damage
September to December
Resumed convoy
escort and patrol duties with Flotilla in Channel an d SW Approaches
1 9 4 3
January
Sustained
structural damage by extreme weather during convoy defence. Passage to Liverpool for repair in commercial
shipyard.
February
Under
repair in commercial shipyard at Liverpool.
March
Resumed duties
with Flotilla based in Plymouth.
April
Convoy defence
duties in continuation.
May
Nominated for
service with Gibraltar Escort Force.
Passage to Gibraltar.
June
Deployed at
Gibraltar for convoy defence. Nominated for
support of allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY) (For
details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett, Naval Staff History and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.).
Part of escort for military convoys in western
Mediterranean during preparation for allied landings in
Sicily
July
Military convoy
defence in continuation. Joined Support
Force East with sister Polish Escort Destroyer ORP KRAKOWIAK (Ex HMS SILVERTON) and ships of Gibraltar Escort
Force.
9th
- Passage to beachhead area with ships of Support Force East.
10th - Provided
support for initial landings.
11th - Deployed
in support, patrol for interception of E-Boats off beachhead
and convoy defence duties in central
Mediterranean.
August
Central
Mediterranean deployment in continuation.
September
Transferred to
59 Destroyer Division in Malta. Nominated for support of allied landings at Salerno
(Operation AVALANCHE. (See above
references). Joined Support Carrier Force (TF88)
for screening duties.
8th - Deployed
with ORP KRAKOWIAK, CLEVELAND, HOLCOMBE, FARNDALE, ATHERSTONE,
LIDDESDALE, CALPE and HAYDON as screen for HM Cruisers EURYALUS,
SCYLLA, CHARYBDIS, HM Escort Carriers UNICORN, ATTACKER, BATTLER, HUNTER and STALKER during assault operations. Took part in defence operations off Salerno during
landings. On release from AVALANCHE
transferred to 48th Escort Group for convoy defence in Mediterranean.
October to November
Convoy defence
duties in continuation.
December
Transferred to
Mediterranean HUNT Flotilla based in Malta. Joined
HM Escort Destroyers ATHERSTONE, CALPE, CATTERICK, CLEVELAND, HAYDON, LIDDESDALE and ORP KRAKOWIAK for convoy
defence, patrol and support of military
operations in Italy.
1 9 4 4
January to March
Flotilla
deployment based at Malta in continuation.
April
Transferred to
18th Destroyer Flotilla at Malta in continuation. Nominated
for transfer to UK for support of planned landings in Normandy. (Operation NEPTUNE – For details see above
references, D-DAY SHIPS by J de Winser, LANDINGS
IN NORMANDY June 1944 (HMSO) and OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards.)
Passage to Plymouth to rejoin 15th
Destroyer Flotilla.
May
Detached for
duty with Force S based at Portsmouth. Took
part in preliminary exercises by Force S ships. (Note:
Final Rehearsal for Forces O, S, J and G (Exercise FABIUS was carried out in
Channel between 2nd and 6th May).
18th - Took
part in Defence Exercise off Brighton with Forces S, G and J. (Note: This exercise included simulated attacks by
E-Boats, midget submarines and by aircraft minelaying).
On completion of Defence Exercise deployed at
Portsmouth for final preparations. Nominated
with HM Escort Destroyer MIDDLETON to provide gunfire support for beach clearance operations on SWORD beach
head during Assault Phase
June
Deployed at
Portsmouth.
4th - Operation
delayed 24 hours.
5th
- Carried out patrol in English Channel during Channel 10 minesweeping
operations. Joined HM Destroyers SCOURGE and
SERAPIS with HMS MIDDLETON as escort for Convoy S2 during
passage through swept channel from Isle of Wight to SWORD beach
head. (Note: Convoy comprised ships of
15th Minesweeping Flotilla, four Danlayers and three Motor Launches. Five Motor Torpedo Boats had escorted convoy
from Dover).
6th - Provided
naval gunfire support at SWORD beach head as required
by Fire Plan.
7th
- Deployed in Eastern Task Force Area on completion of Assault Phase.
Carried out defence patrols and provided gunfire
support as required during the build-up phase of NEPTUNE.
July to September
On release from
NEPTUNE resumed Flotilla duties in English Channel for defence of convoys and anti-submarine patrols. (Note: An increase in submarine attacks and minelaying
in eastern Channel and Thames Estuary made
necessary a redeployment of escorts. See
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by Peter C Smith) .
October to December
Transferred to
16th Destroyer Flotilla based at Harwich. Deployed
for convoy defence and patrol in North Sea and Channel. (Note:
Other ships in Flotilla were HM Escort Destroyers COTSWOLD, FARNDALE, EGLINTON, HAMBLEDON, STEVENSTONE, Norwegian ARENDAL (Ex HMS BADSWORTH) and Polish ORP KRAKOWIAK)
1 9 4 5
January to April
Flotilla
deployment for convoy defence, patrol and interception in continuation (For details of activities in Thames Estuary and North
Sea, see above references). (Note: Despite
a serious increase in enemy minelaying and the concentration of Schnorkel fitted submarine attacks on convoys, the availability
of more Escorts provided Nore Command with
the necessary resources to ensure the safe passage of military convoys to ports in Europe. Atlantic
convoys had been re-routed through English Channel during this period because of removal of air threat from bases in France).
May to August
Transferred to
Nore Local Flotilla based at Chatham. Deployed
with HM Escort Destroyers GARTH, EGLINTON, HAMBLEDON, HOLDERNESS, MENDIP and ORP KRAKOWIAK for escort of military
convoys in Nore Command and
the support of
re-occupation operations in NW Europe.