1 9 4 1
June Contractors
trials and commissioning.
30th Build
completed and commenced Acceptance Trials escorted by HM Destroyer WORCESTER.
Nominated for
service in the
Mediterranean.
July On completion of trials and storing took
passage to
Scapa Flow.
Worked-up with Home
Fleet.
August On completion of work-up taken in hand for refit to
replace damaged propellers and improve AA
defence.
(Note: Quadruple machine gun
mountings replaced by five single 20mm Oerlikon guns.)
Nominated for
escort of military convoy WS11X during passage to Gibraltar.
(Note: This identity was later
allocated to ships
Bombay section of a military convoy also identified
as WSX11
during its passage from
Glasgow to the
Indian Ocean.)
September Embarked 300 RAF personnel and took
passage to join escort for WS11X
(Operation HALBERD – For details of
ships involved see THE MALTA CONVOYS by
R Woodman, THE
BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, THE NAVAL
WAR IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN 1940-43 by Greene
and Massignani and The Naval
Staff
History (HMSO).
17th Joined
escort for WS11X
24th Deployed
with HM Cruisers
KENYA,
EDINBURGH,
SHEFFIELD and HERMIONE
screened by
HM Destroyers COSSACK, ZULU, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FARNDALE,
HEYTHROP,
ORIBI, LAFOREY and
LIGHTING as Force X for escort of Malta relief convoy.
(Note: Ships of Force H provided
cover for passage of this convoy in western
Mediterranean.)
27th Escorted
HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL with HMS HERMIONE during air operations.
Under sustained air
attacks.
28th Detached
from Force H ships for passage through Sicilian Channel with Force X as escort
into
Malta
Sailed from
Malta with Force X after arrival of mercantiles
in
Grand
Harbour and took passage to
rejoin
covering Force.
October
1st Arrived
at
Gibraltar as part of Force W.
Took passage from Gibraltar to Alexandria via
Cape of Good Hope with call at
St. Helena.
November Passage in
Indian Ocean and
Red Sea
11th Joined
15th Cruiser Squadron at
Alexandria for service in Mediterranean Fleet.
18th Carried
out bombardment of Bardia with HM Cruisers NAIAD and
GALATEA in support of
military
operation.
24th Deployed
with HM Cruisers AJAX, GALATEA, NAIAD and
NEPTUNE as Force B in
search
for convoys
on passage to
Benghazi.
Cover was provided by Force
A made up of HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH,
BARHAM,
and VALIANT.
HM Battleship BARHAM was torpedoed and sunk as Force
A was returning after this sortie
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
THE
BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN
and TUBAL CAIN by D Muskett).
27th Escorted
HM Cruisers NEPTUNE and
AJAX, HM Destroyers
KIMBERLEY and
KINGSTON
with HMS NAIAD, HM Destroyer
GRIFFIN and HM
Destroyer HOTSPUR for part of passage to
join Force
K in
Malta.
Carried out interception
sweep off
Cyrenaica.
See Naval Staff History (HMSO) for
details
December
8th Deployed
with HM Cruisers NAIAD and GALATEA, HM Destroyers
GRIFFIN and HOTSPUR
to cover
destroyer attacks en convoys.
9th Bombarded
enemy positions at Derna.
13th Deployed
with HM Cruisers GALATEA and NAIAD to intercept enemy convoys to ports in North
Africa.
14th Returned to Alexandria when Italian convoys recalled.
15th Provided
cover for passage of HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE to
Malta and returning convoy
to
Alexandria with HM Cruisers NAIAD and
CARLISLE.
17th Briefly
engaged Italian warships LITTORIO, DORIA, CESARE and destroyer screen.
(1st Battle of Sirte - See BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN) and above
references.
19th At
Alexandria when Italian
frogmen placed limpet mines on HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and
HMS VALIANT.
1 9 4 2
January
4th Escorted
H M Supply Ship GLENGYLE to
Malta and H M Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE to
Alexandria with HM
Cruisers NAIAD and DIDO as Force B.
(Operation MF2)
9th Arrived
at
Alexandria
16th Deployed
with HMS NAIAD and HMS DIDO to cover convoy to
Malta escorted by HM AA
Cruiser
CARLISLE and HM Destroyers KELVIN,
KIPLING, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and
FOXHOUND.
24th Escorted HMS BRECONSHIRE to
Malta and return of empty ships HMS GLENGYLE and
mv
ROWALLAN
CASTLE
(Note:
Convoy MF4) with HMS DIDO and HMS NAIAD screened by 8 destroyers.
(For details see above references).
February
12th Provided
cover for Convoys MW9A and MW9B to
Malta with HMS NAIAD and HMS DIDO
screened by
eight Fleet destroyers.
(Note: After heavy air attacks and
loss of merchant ships returned to
Alexandria with a convoy
from
Malta (See above references.).
March
10th Deployed
with HMS DIDO, HMS NAIAD and screen of ten destroyers in search for an Italian
cruiser
damaged in a torpedo attack.
11th After
unsuccessful search came under air attack during return to
Alexandria.
(Note: HMS NAIAD was sunk by U-Boat
torpedo during this operation).
15th Bombarded Rhodes with HMS DIDO and 6 destroyers.
20th Provided
cover for Convoy MW10 to
Malta with HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA, DIDO and four
Fleet destroyers. (Operation MG1).
22nd Took pert in engagement with Italian Fleet in defence of
convoy.
Damaged by
splinters from 15in shell which burst alongside.
(2nd Battle of Sirte
- For full details see above references and
MEDITERRANEAN
MAELSTROM by G. C.
Cornell.
April Deployed with Mediterranean Fleet in support
of military operations and for interception of
shipping.
May Deployed in
Eastern Mediterranean.
June
13th Escorted
Convoy MW11 with H M Cruisers CLEOPATRA, DIDO,
COVENTRY and
BIRMINGHAM (Operation
VIGOROUS)
(For full details of this disastrous
and ill directed see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by C Barnett
and above references.)
14th Returned
to
Alexandria after heavy air attacks, by E- Boats and threat from major
Italian units.
(Note: This operation was a failure
and misdirected by Cin C ashore at
Alexandria.)
27th Escorted
HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH from
Alexandria
July
19th Carried
cut bombardments of Mersa Matruh
with HMS DIDO and four Fleet. destroyers.
(Note: Operations in eastern
Mediterranean were restricted by losses
incurred in VIGOROUS.)
August Nominated for deployment in diversionary Fleet
operation in eastern
Mediterranean during
passage of
relief convoy to
Malta from
Gibraltar (Operation PEDESTAL).
10th Joined
HM Cruiser ARETHUSA, HM Destroyers JERVIS, PAKENHAM, PALADIN,
HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM,
BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, ERIDGE, HURSLEY,
HM Corvette HYACINTH and HM Auxiliary
Escort
ANTWERP at
Port Said
Sailed as escort for three supply
ships as decoy convoy for cruise in eastern
Mediterranean
12th Met
HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA and DIDO deployed with HM Destroyers JAVELIN, SIKH
and ZULU as
escort for single supply ship from
Haifa to form
joint Convoy MW12.
Continued westward
passage during PEDESTAL until nightfall.
13th Took
return passage with MW12 to
Port Said.
14th Deployed
at
Alexandria.
September
Alexandria deployment
in continuation
(Note: Ship was awaiting
docking for examination of propulsion machinery
October Under self
refit and docking at Massawa
14th Rejoined
Squadron at
Alexandria to resume Fleet service.
November
16th Deployed
with HM Destroyers JAVELIN, JERVIS, KELVIN, NUBIAN, PAKENHAM,
PALADIN and PETARD
as escort for Convoy MW13 during passage to Malta.
(Operation STONEAGE.)
17th Fleet
destroyers detached when relieved by ten escort destroyers.
18th Covering
force comprising HM Cruisers ARETHUSA, DIDO, ORION and CLEOPATRA
joined from
Alexandria with same
Fleet destroyers
Under air attacks during which HMS
ARETHUSA was hit and had to return to
Alexandria
See above references.
20th Returned
to
Alexandria with Fleet units after MW13 arrived in
Malta
25th Deployed with HM Cruiser NAIAD and two
destroyers as escort for HM Cruisers AJAX and
NEPTUNE to
Malta for
service as Force K to intercept enemy supply shipping in central
Mediterranean,
December
1st Escorted
Malta relief convoy with HM Cruisers NAIAD, DIDO and CLEOPATRA screened
by Fleet
destroyers (Operation PORTCULLIS).
(Note: This was the last westward
convoy requiring protection due to the advance of the 8th
Amy towards Tunisia).
13th Attacked convoy off Tunisia with HMS DIDO, HMS CLEOPATRA
and four destroyers
sinking three. ships.
1 9 4 3
January
22nd Bombarded
Zuara,
Libya with HM Cruiser CLEOPATRA, HM Destroyers JERVIS, JAVELIN,
KELVIN and NUBIAN.
February Eastern Mediterranean convoy defence and interception
duties
March In action against supply convoy with HM
Destroyers JAVELIN
April Under
refit at
Alexandria.
Radar equipment changes made.
(Note: Type 285 fitted for AA
armament fire-control and Type 279 for air warning radar was
replaced by
Type 281.
20th Passage to Malta to resume interception duties.
23rd Interception
and escort duty in continuation.
May Based in
Malta for interception of supply and evacuation craft.
June Nominated for support of planned allied
military operations.
5th Escorted
convoy through
Sicilian
Narrows with HM Destroyer TROUBRIDGE
8th Covered
landings on Pantellaria by 1st British Division with
HM Cruisers AURORA,
NEWFOUNDLAND, ORION and PENELOPE screened by Fleet destroyers.
(Operation CORKSCREW).
Prepared for
support of planned allied landings in Sicily based at Oran.
(Operation HUSKY.
- See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History.)
July Transferred to 10th Cruiser Squadron
7th Sailed
from
Oran with HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, HM Cruiser CLEOPATRA and
screen of
eight Fleet Destroyers to cover landings.
9th Joined
HM Battleships WARSPITE,
VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE, HM
Cruisers AURORA and
PENELOPE in
Gulf of Sirte.
10th Deployed
on patrol off
Cape
Passaro to intercept any shipping
11th Involved in friendly fire incident with HMS CLEOPATRA.
14th Deployed
with HMS CLEOPATRA, HM Destroyers QUAIL and QUILLIAM after return
from
Malta to refuel.
16th Stood by
damaged cruiser HMS CLEOPATRA and escorted her to
Malta.
20th Transferred to Force Q at Bone as relief for HM
Cruiser SIRIUS.
Deployed with Force Q in support of
military operations
26th Joined
HM Battleships KING GEORGE V
and HOWE, HM Aircraft Carrier
INDOMITABLE with HMS DIDO off
Sicily to provided
additional AA defence.
August
1st Bombarded
Vibo Valentia, western
Italy with HMS DIDO and HMS SIRIUS escorted by
two
destroyers.
16th Bombarded Scalea with HM Cruiser
AURORA, HM Destroyers JERVIS and PALADIN.
On return passage to
Palermo sank several
Siebel ferries off
Sicily.
27th Transferred
to Support Carrier Force V (Task Force 88) as Flagship.
Deployed with H M Cruisers SCYLLA and
CHARYBDIS as TF88 to cover air operations
by HM Escort
Carriers UNICORN, BATTLER, ATTACKER, HUNTER and STALKER
during the
planned allied landings at
Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE).
September Passage to
Salerno
9th Provided
cover during carrier operations during initial landings.
12th Whilst
carriers were replenishing at
Palermo diverted to Bizerta with HMS SCYLLA and
HMS CHARYBDIS.
(For details of
Salerno operations
see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and
Naval Staff
History).
13th Embarked
British Troops for passage to
Salerno to reinforce
military at
Salerno.
15th After
landing troops took passage to
Algiers with HMS
SCYLLA and HMS CHARYBDIS.
. 16th Returned
to
Salerno to assist damaged battleship HMS WARSPITE to
Malta after glider
bomb attack.
Tow attempt failed.
Stood by with HMS SCYLLA and HM Cruiser DELHI to provide AA cover
until tug
arrived.
20th Passage
to
Malta when Force V disbanded and carriers left to return to
UK.
22nd Embarked
CinC Mediterranean for passage
to
Taranto for meeting with Italians to arrange
disposal of
Italian Fleet.
29th Withdrawn
from Mediterranean operations for refit and took passage to
UK.
October On arrival
prepared for refit in commercial shipyard.
Passage to
Clyde and Paid-off.
November Taken in hand for refit at John Brown shipyard,
Clydebank.
(Note: Work done included
Q turret removed to
reduce top-weight (See General Introduction)
. Modified for use as Escort Carrier
Squadron Flagship and fitted with an Aircraft
Direction Room.
New design radars Types 277 and 293
with Interrogation equipment replaced
Type 272 for
surface warning and heightfinding.
December Under refit
1
9 4 4
January Under refit
to
May
June
28th Re-commissioned
for service with 10th Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet.
July Carried out post refit harbour trials
10th Carried out sea trials.
On completion took passage to
Scapa Flow for work-up with ships of Home
Fleet.
August Work-up in continuation
19th Fire in galley.
September Completed work-up and took passage
to Humber for repair
in commercial shipyard.
20th On
completion took passage to
Scapa Flow to resume service in Squadron.
October
14th Deployed
as Force 9 as Escort for HM Escort Aircraft Carriers TRUMPETER and FENCER
with six
Fleet destroyers for air minelay between Sandos and Risto islands followed by
further
minelay in Aarmumsund Leads off Norwat
(Operation LUCIDAS.
See Naval Staff History (Mining.)
15th Deployed
as escort during further air minelay in Ramossund and
shipping strike in
Fro Havet.
November Nominated for service with British Pacific Fleet
14th Deployed
as escort for HM Escort Aircraft Carrier PURSUER with destroyers during attack
on enemy
shipping off
Trondheim.
16th At
Rosyth for leave period prior to foreign service.
(Note: British Pacific Fleet was
formed at Trincomalee on 22nd.)
December Withdrawn from Home Fleet
Nominated for
special escort duty.
16th Took
passage from
Liverpool as escort for mv RIMUTAKA with HM
Destroyers ULSTER
and UNDINE.
(Note: RIMATAKA was taking
HRH The
Duke of Gloucester to Australian to take up his
appointment
as Governor General.
The destroyers were on passage to
join BPF.)
21st At
Gibraltar
25th At Malta.
29th At
Suez.
1 9 4 5
January
2nd At
Aden
5th Detached
from escort of mv RIMUTAKA At
Colombo and took passage to join 4th Cruiser
Squadron at
Trincomalee.
24th Deployed
with HM Cruisers ARGONAUT, BLACK PRINCE and
CEYLON to provide
cover during
air attacks by HM Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS, INDEFATIGABLE and
INDOMITABLE on oil
refineries at Pladjoe, Sumatra (Operation MERIDIAN I).
29th Provided cover during second series of attacks at Soengi-Gerong oil refineries.
Under
series of air attacks which were repelled by air
cover and ship AA barrage.
For
details see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by
J Winton.)
(NOTE:: Two
AA shells landed on ILLUSTRIOUS causing 33 casualties, 12 of which were
fatal.
41
aircraft were lost, 16 by enemy action.)
30th Passage to Sydney to join BPF.
February
2nd Called at Fremantle.
11th Arrived at Sydney.
13th Docked at Sydney for routine inspection of underwater fittings.
(Note: Further exercises were carried
out on passage.)
Newly introduced US Navy signalling
and manoeuvring procedures used.)
On
completion carried out exercises to prepare for
joint RN/USN operations.
28th Passage to British Forward Base at Manus.
Admiralty Islands with HM
Battleship KING
GEORGE V.
March
7th Arrived
at Manus. to await approval of US Chiefs of Staff for
RN ships to join US
Navy operations in
SW Pacific.
17th Took
passage to US Navy Assembly area at Ulithi to join US
Naval operations after
approval for
deployment under overall US Navy command received.
20th Arrived at Ulithi to join US 5th
Fleet for operations.
23rd Sailed
from Ulithi as
CTU6 with destroyers of 25th, 27th
and 4th (RAN) Destroyer Flotillas
to join US Navy
in the operational area off the Sakishima-Gunto
islands group
(Operation ICEBERG ONE.
(For details of activities of Task
Force 57 see TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith and above
references.)
26th Provided
cover for air attacks on Japanese airfields in Sakishima
Gunto Group
by aircraft
from HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE, ILLUSTRIOUS,
INDEFATIGABLE and VICTORIOUS with HMS
HOWE, HM Cruisers SWIFTSURE,
GAMBIA (RNZN), BLACK PRINCE, ARGONAUT and EURYALUS screened by TF57
destroyers
(Operation ICEBERG).
(Note: The attacks were made in
conjunction with those from US Carriers with breaks
for
replenishment.
April
1st Under
heavy and sustained air attacks.
11th Transferred
with TF57 carriers for air attacks on
Formosa.
12th Provided
covered during attacks on Shinchiku and Matsugama
(Operation ICEBERG
OOLONG).
13th Rejoined
US ships off Sakishima Gunto.
Deployed with TF57
during final strike of Phase 1 of Sakishima Gunto attacks.
(Note: One source records ship
returned to
Sydney)
Passage to rejoin
Task Force 57 at
Leyte.
May
1st Passage
from
Leyte to rejoin US Task Force 58 with Task Force 57 carriers to
continue
attacks on Sakishima Gunto.
4th Rejoined
US Task Force 58 after refuelling in Area MOSQUITO for continuation of
Sakishima attacks (Operation ICEBERG TWO
- See above references.
After first series of air strikes
diverted to bombard airfields at Miyako Shima and Nobara
with the RN
battleships KING GEORGE V, HOWE, HM Cruiser BLACK PRINCE,
GAMBIA and
UGANDA screened by destroyers of 25th Flotilla.
Carried out 4in
bombardments of AA batteries at Nobara airfield.
(Note: This diversion reduced air
defence available for protection of the aircraft
carriers
deployed for ICEBERG TWO.
HMS FORMIDABLE sustained serious damage
in KAMIKAZE attacks)
Operations ceased and ships of
bombardment force returned to flying off area to reinforce
AA defences of carriers/.
See above references for details
9th Commenced
cover for air operations in rotation with US carriers until 26th Mau
(Note: Deployed with HM Cruiser BLACK
PRINCE within main body of Fleet to
reinforce
close range defence against a series of KAMIKAZE attacks,
See references for details.)
25th Sailed for Manus on completion of ICEBERG TWO.
27th Transferred
with other RN ships to US Task Force 37 when US Command changes were
made in
organisation of US Fleet.
June Passage
from Manus to
Sydney for R&R.
4th At
Brisbane for repair and maintenance.
Passage to
Sydney to rejoin
BPF for deployment during planned attacks on Japanese
mainland
with US Task Force 37 of US 3rd Fleet.
28th Took
passage from
Sydney with HMS KING GEORGE V, HMS FORMIDABLE,
INDEFATIGABLE, HMS VICTORIOUS, ships
of 4th Cruiser Squadron screen ed by
RN and RAN destroyers of BPF
July
6th Sailed
from Minus for operations in preparation for landings in Japan.
(Operation
OLYMPIC).
17th Deployed
as Task Force 37 and joined ships of US Task Force 38 to provide cover during
air attacks
on targets in
Tokyo -
Yokohama area including airfields and seaplane base
at
Kitaura.
24th Covered
Task Force 37 carriers during air attacks on
Osaka and Katori as well as during
shipping
strikes.
(Note: Deployment of BPF ships was
restricted to a secondary role to satisfy political
constrains
imposed of the Commander of US 3rd Fleet. See references.)
August
9th Covered
Task Force 37 ships during attacks on airfields and shipping in
N Honshu and
Hokkaido.
12th Took
passage to Manus with RN ships due to shortage of fuel oil from British support
tankers.
(Note: A Token Force of BPF ships
was retained under US Command as Task Group
38.5
in 3rd US Fleet. See references.)
15th Transferred
to RN control after
Japan surrendered.
18th Arrived
at Manus
22nd Took
passage to
Leyte with HMS INDOMITABLE, HM Escort Carrier VENERABLE,
HM Cruiser SWIFTSURE,
27th Sailed
as Task unit 111.2 with same ships, HM Cruiser BLACK PRINCE, HM Destroyers
KEMPENFELT, URSA, WHIRLWIND and
quadrant AS Force 111.2 for re-occupation
of
Hong Kong.
. 29th Entered Hong Kong with HM Cruiser SWIFTSURE
and HM Canadian Landing Ship
PRINCE
ROBERT. See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET.
