1 9 4 3
July Contractors trials
August
4th Build completion and commissioned for Royal Navy service as HMS TRUMPETER
Carried out sea trials and shakedown.
26th Took passage to Norfolk
29th Transit of Panama Canal.
October Passage to east coast of USA.
6th Arrived at Norfolk Va.
Embarked AVENGER and CORSAIR aircraft for delivery to RN.
23rd Sailed for New York
November Deployed at New York.
Sailed from New York for Clyde.
(Note: Passage with routine convoy to be confirmed.)
1st Disembarked aircraft at Belfast
Nominated for service as a Ferry Carrier
Commenced service and took passage to New York to embark aircraft.
December Completed first ferry carrier trip and returned to New York for second load.
1 9 4 4
January Completed second passage and nominated for refit at Dundee.
February
4th Taken in hand for refit by commercial shipyard.
March Under refit
to Nominated for Home Fleet deployment on completion.
April
May Carried out post refit trials on completion of shipyard work
21st Passage to Rosyth for further modifications to suit RN service.
(Note: These may have included changes to petrol distribution system required after loss
of HMS DASHER in 1943.)
June Deployed in Clyde after embarking 846 Squadron AVENGER aircraft and personnel.
Worked-up in Clyde are for operational service.
July
18th Under repair to post work-up defects in Clyde shipyard.
Passage to Scapa Flow on completion
August Joined 1st Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet..
8th Carried out rehearsal in NW Approaches for planned operation off Norway.
9th Deployed with HM Aircraft Carrier INDEFATIGABLE and HM Escort Carrier NABOB,
HM Cruisers KENT and DEVONSHIRE screened by HM Destroyers MYNGS,
VIGILANT, VERULAM, VOLAGE, VIRAGO, SCOURGE, ALGONQUIN (RCN) and
SIOUX for air attacks on airfield at Gossen and shipping (Operation OFFSPRING).
10th During air operations six Me110 aircraft and three steamers
were damaged.
15th Joined HM Aircraft Carriers INDEFATIGABLE, FORMIDABLE, FURIOUS and sister ship
HMS NABOB for air attacks on German battleship TIRPITZ lying in Kaafjord.
Ships of 5th Escort Group provided screen.
(Note: Cover was provided by HM Battleship DUKE OF YORK, HM Cruisers
DEVONSHIRE and BERWICK screened by HM Destroyers MYNGS, VIGILANT,
SIOUX (RCN), ALGONQUIN (RCN) KEMPENFELT, ZAMBESI and Norwegian
STORD.). For details see CONVOY ! by P Kemp.
20th Operation delayed because of weather conditions.
22nd Launched aircraft to carry out diversionary attacks on airfields at Hammerfest and Banak.
Attacks made by Fleet carriers were unsuccessful as approach of aircraft had been detected.
Heavy fighter opposition and AA fire experienced (Operation GOODWOOD.)
See above reference for details.
(Note: During the operation HMS NABOB was torpedoed by U354 and had to be taken
in tow. HM Frigate BICKERTON was also hit and had to be sunk.
25th Passage to Scapa Flow.
September
11th Deployed with HMS FURIOUS for air minelay and shipping attacks.
Cover was provided by HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE and Force was screened by
HM Destroyers MYNGS, MARNE, MUSKETEER, VIGILANT, VERULAM,
and Canadian ALGONQUIN.
12th Carried cut minelay south of Vosko Island. (Operation BEGONIA)
13th Returned to Scapa Flow on completion.
October
13th Sailed from Scapa Flow with HM Cruiser EURYALUS and HM Escort Carrier
FENCER as Force 9 to carry out air minelay and shipping strikes screened by
HM Destroyers MYNGS, ALGONQUIN, SIOUX, VOLAGE, SCORPION and
SERAPIS (Operation LYCIDAS).
FENCER screened by HM Destroyers MYNGS, VOLAGE, SERAPIS,
ALGONQUIN (RCN) and SIOUX (RCN) for air minelay (Operation LYCIDAS).
15th Embarked aircraft carried out minelay off Sado and Aaramsund in error
(Note: This was due to poor identification of land position.).
16th Minelay carried out successfully and took return passage to Scapa Flow with ships
of Force 9.
30th Deployed with Part of Force 9 to carry out anti-submarine air patrols in support of transit
of return Convoy RA60 during passage to Loch Ewe from Kola Inlet.
14th Air minelay carried out near Ristos Island and Aarumsund Leads.
15th Second air minelay carried out in Ramsosund and shipping attacks in Fro Havet.
16th Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 9.
23rd Sailed from Scapa Flow with HMS DEVONSHIRE, HM Escort Carrier CAMPANIA
as Force 2 for air minelay and shipping strike, screened by HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ,
SERAPIS and three other destroyers for air minelay and shipping strike.
(Operation HARDY).
24th Air minelays carried out south of Lepsoy Island and in Haramsfjord.
Shipping strikes were cancelled and air strikes carried out on airfield at Gossen
27th Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 2.
November Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
December
6th Sailed from Scapa Flow with HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE and HM Escort Carrier
PREMIER in Force 1 to carry out air minelay in Karm Sound and attacks on coastal
shipping between Bergen and Stavanger (Operation URBANE).
7th AVENGER aircraft carried cut minelay.
Coastal targets attacked instead of shipping.
8th Attacks made on shipping at Fro Havet.
10th Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 1.
12th Sailed from Scapa Flow for minelay.
14th Deployed with HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Escort Aircraft Carrier PREMIER and a
destroyer screen comprising HM Destroyers ZEALOUS, ZEPHYR, SAVAGE, SERAPIS,
SIOUX (RCN) and ALGONQUIN (RCN) (Force 2) for joint shipping strike and air minelay.
(Operation LACERATE).
Air minelay carried out in Ramosund.
Under air attack by Ju88, one of which was destroyed.
Two AVENGER aircraft crashed on landing without casualties.
Diversionary air strikes on air fields at Hammerfest and Banak not possible due to low cloud
in target areas.
Later one aircraft ranged on deck lost overboard. in bad weather.
Planned air minelay in Skatestromme cancelled due to deteriorating weather
(Note: Minelay in Skatestrommen was cancelled after Force was shadowed.
15th Ship sustained weather damage.)
17th Returned to Scapa Flow with Force 2
881 Squadron aircraft embarked for planned operation.
21st Planned air attacks on shipping off Statlandet unsuccessful due to weather conditions.
(Operation FRETSAW.)
1 9 4 5
January
11th Deployed as Force 3 with HMS PREMIER, HM Cruiser DIDO, HM Destroyers
OPPORTUNE, ZEST, ZODIAC and CAVENDISH to provide air cover and anti
-submarine patrols during joint Home Fleet operations SPELLBINDER and
GRATIS.
(Note: Force 1 comprising HM Cruisers NORFOLK and BELLONA with screen of
three destroyers were to carry out attacks on convoy off Egersund.
(Operation SPELLBINDER)
HM Minelayer APOLLO screened by two destroyers was to carry out
minelay in Karm Sound (Operation GRATIS)
During attack on convoy an escorting minesweeper M273 and two mercantiles
were sunk with three others damaged.
Aircraft from carriers prevented torpedo attack by KG26.
For details see Naval Staff History (Mining).
Air minelay was carried out during GRATIS.)
February Under refit in Clyde shipyard.
March
15th Joined Russian Convoy JW65 with HM Destroyers SAVAGE and SCOURGE.
(Operation SCOTTISH)
(Home Fleet ships including HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort Carrier CAMPANIA and
a destroyer screen were already with this convoy. For details of all warships and
passage of Russian convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, ARCTIC
CONVOYS by R Woodman, CONVOY ! by P Kemp and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS
by B Schoefield.)
20th HM Sloop LAPWING of Close Escort was sunk by honing torpedo from U968.
21st Detached from JW65 on arrival at Kola Inlet.
23rd Joined return Convoy RA65 with same ships.
(Note: Close escort sailed early for attacks on an assembly of U-Boats off Kola Inlet.
30th Detached from RA65 with Home Fleet ships and took passage to Scapa Flow.
April Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
6th Took part in operation to attack U-Boat facilities at Narvik with HM Escort. Aircraft
Carriers PUNCHER, QUEEN and SEARCHER (Operation NEWMARKET)
(Note: Operation called off due to adverse weather conditions.
May
4th Deployed with HM Escort Carriers SEARCHER and QUEEN as part of a Home Fleet
Task Force to carry out attack on U-Boat facilities at Narvik.
(Operation JUDGEMENT – Last offensive operation by Home Fleet during WW2.)
(Note: Home Fleet ships included HM Cruisers NORFOLK and DIADEM,
HM Destroyers CARYSFORT, OPPORTUNE, SAVAGE, SCOURGE
and ZAMBESI joined later by HMS OBEDIENT and ORWELL on
passage from Murmansk.)
During this operation the Submarine Depot Ship BLACK WATCH was sunk
together with U711 which was alongside. This was the last U-Boat sunk by
aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
5th During return passage to Scapa Flow joined ships of Home Fleet deployed for
liberation at Copenhagen. (Operation CLEAVER)
6th Provided air cover during transit to Denmark.
8th Took return passage to Scapa Flow with Home Fleet ships.
Nominated for refit and took passage to Glasgow.
June Under refit in Clyde shipyard
Nominated for duty in East Indies Fleet and prepared for foreign service.
(Note: Pennant Number R318 allocated for use to conform with US Navy identity
for this type of warship.)
July
7th Sailed to join Fleet at Trincomalee.
30th Arrived at Colombo
Joined 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron.
(Note: Other ships in Squadron were:
HM Cruiser ROYALIST, HM Escort carriers AMEER, ATTACKER,
EMPEROR, EMPRESS, HUNTER, KHEDIVE, PURSUER, SHAH,
SEARCHER, SMITER and STALKER
August Nominated for support of planned landings in Malaya (Operation ZIPPER)
(Note: This operation was delayed for various reasons including implementation
of the PYTHON scheme to return servicemen to UK and American
insistence after VJ Day. See Final report by SEAC and THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET by J Winton
Deployed as deck landing training carrier pending execution of ZIPPER
September Embarked SPITFIRE aircraft for delivery to RAF after landings by assault forces.
(Note: HMS SHAH and HMS SMITER were also deployed as General Purposes Carriers.
See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
4th Sailed from Singapore with ships of Squadron/
6th Launched air patrols to provide cover for passage of Assault Convoy ME1F during
passage.
8th Deployed at Port Swettenham.
(Note: Passage in Malacca Strait to provide air cover during landings to be confirmed.)
26th Arrived at Singapore
