1
9 4 1
March
13th
- Damaged
on slipway during air raid on Glasgow. Build
and launch delayed.
1
9 4 2
April
Launched
as HMS
HALDON.
May
to November
Fitting
out in continuation.
December
Contractors
trials.
1st
- Transferred
to Free French Naval Force and renamed after
launch.
15th
- Commissioned
as FS LA COMBATTANTE.
30th
- Build
completion.
1
9 4 3
January
Carried
out
Acceptance Trials.
Passage
to Tobermory.
13th
- Commenced
Shakedown and training at Tobermory.
February
12th
- Took
passage to Scapa Flow on completion of
Tobermory training.
13th
- Began
work-up with RA(D), Home Fleet at Scapa Flow
March
Work-up
with
Home Fleet in continuation.
23rd
- On
completion of work-up took passage to
Portsmouth via Irish Sea.
26th
- Joined
escort coastal convoy from Milford Haven.
Detached
from convoy and took passage to Portsmouth
to join 1st Destroyer Flotilla.
April to
September
Deployed
with
Flotilla for coastal convoy defence and
patrol in English Channel.
October
7th
- Under
fire from shore batteries in Le Havre/Cap
Barfleur area during patrol.
November to
December
Flotilla
duties
in Channel in continuation.
1
9 4 4
January to
March
Convoy
escort
and patrol in Channel area with Flotilla in
continuation.
April
26th
- Engaged
E-Boats attacking shipping and assembled
MULBERRY Harbour units off Selsea
Bill.
Sank
E-Boat S147
May
Nominated
for
support of planned allied landings with
Force J of Eastern Task Force. See D Day
SHIPS for full details of all ships involved
in Operation NEPTUNE. (Note:
Part of
Bombardment Group E and allocated target
Beach Defences at Beny-sur-Mer with HM
Escort Destroyer STEVENSTONE of Flotilla.)
12th
- Deployed
with HM Frigate STAYNER for patrol in
Channel to intercept E-Boats from Boulogne
carrying out reconnaissance and shipping
attacks.
13th
- Illuminated
and engaged at close range a group of
E-Boats in position 18 miles south of Selsey Bill. E-Boat
S141 was sunk and another damaged. Subsequently
took part in running action against
retreating E-Boats with HMS STAYNER. (Note: It
was later determined from survivors that Lt
Klaus Donitz, son of the German naval commander
Admiral Donitz was one of the crew of this
E-Boat and had been lost when the
vessel was sunk).
27th
- Deployed
in Channel off coast of Sussex to cover
landing exercise prior to allied
landings in
Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE). (For
details of activities prior to and during
landings
see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards,
LANDINGS
IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO).)
28th
- Opened
fire on radar contact with main armament and
obtained several hits (Note: The
target was later found to be HM MTB 732
which had been sunk with 16 of
ship's
company killed or missing and 15 wounded.
For
details see FRIEND OR FOE by P Kemp. The
numbers involved suggest that this MTB must
have been on special duty since normal number on
board would have been less than 31.)
June
Deployed
in
Solent for briefing as part of Force J for
Normandy landings (Operation NEPTUNE). Served
with
Support Force E for JUNO Beach landings.
4th
- Operation
delayed for 24 hours.
5th
- Sailed
from Solent with HMS STEVENSTONE, HM
Destroyer VENUS as escort for Assault Convoy J9
during passage to JUNO Beach through Swept
Channel.)
(Note:
Convoy comprised: HM Frigate
LAWFORD, ten Landing Ships (Tank), five
Motor
Gunboats
and three US Navy Coastguard Cutters.)
6th
- Carried
out bombardment of shore defences during
initial landings.
On
completion deployed on for support and
escort
duties.
Passage
to Portsmouth.
12th
- Embarked
General de Gaulle for visit to Beachhead.
25th
- Rescued
crew of USAAF LIBERATOR aircraft in Channel.
24th
- Continued
of support role off Normandy beaches when
NEPTUNE terminated.
July
8th
- In action
against E-Boats from Le Havre attacking
patrols off coast of Normandy. (Note: HM
Escort Destroyer CATTISTOCK and HM Frigate
THORNBOROUGH also
took
part.)
August
7th
- During
interception patrol involved in collision
and sustained damage. Taken in
hand for repair.
26th
- In
action against convoy off Fecamp sinking
three ships and setting two on fire.
28th
- Attacked
German vessels evacuating Le Havre off Cap
d'Antifer.
(Note:
This Operation was carried out with Light
Coastal Forces MTB. Two
merchant ships damaged.)
September
Channel
deployment
in continuation.
Nominated
for transfer to 21st
Destroyer Flotilla based at Sheerness.
21st
- Joined
Flotilla at Sheerness and deployed for
English Channel and East Coast convoy
defence
and
interception patrol duties.
October to
November
Flotilla
duties
for convoy defence in continuation.
December
Convoy
defence
included military convoys on passage to
Antwerp.
19th
- Rescued
survivors from ss STEEL TRAVELLER which had
been mined.
1
9 4 5
January
Deployment
for
defence of convoys in Nore Command in
continuation
(Note:
Atlantic convoys had been re-routed through
English Channel.)
February
23rd
- Detonated
mine near East Dudgeon Buoy off Humber
estuary and sank quickly. 118
survivors were rescued by HM MTB 76 and 770
but 67
of ships company
lost
their lives, including two RN
personnel.
(Note:
Mines had been laid in the
area earlier in the month.)
Cause
of
sinking is in some contention but the latest
record in WARSHIP LOSSES IN WW2 by D
Brown is substantiated by survivors who
doubt that ship was sunk by
torpedo from
midget submarine as recorded.. See
THE BATTLE
OF THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott, HOLD THE
NARROW SEA
by
P Smith and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
C Barnett for more details of
enemy operations in Nore Command during
1945.