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.