1 9 3 9
September
Deployed in
Australian waters for anti-submarine patrol.
8th - Carried
out patrol off Fremantle with HM Cruiser SYDNEY (RAN) and HM Destroyer VOYAGER (RAN).
October
Transferred at
Admiralty request to join RN ships at Singapore.
14th - Took
passage from Fremantle to Sydney to prepare for RN service based at Singapore. Sailed to Singapore for service on China
Station. (Note : The Australian
destroyers STUART, VENDETTA, VOYAGER and
WATERHEN were also transferred.)
29th - At
Singapore.
November
Deployment at
Singapore cancelled and ship required to join the Fleet in the Mediterranean.
13th - Took
passage from Singapore to Colombo
16th - Detached
with HMAS VOYAGER to join HM Cruiser KENT and French cruiser SUFFREN in search for commerce raider GRAF SPEE in Indian Ocean.
December
On release from
Hunting Group took passage to joined the Fleet in Malta.
24th - Arrived
in Malta via Suez Canal and joined Mediterranean Fleet as part of 19th Division with HMAS STUART (Leader), VENDETTA, VOYAGER and WATERHEN.
1 9 4 0
January to April
19th Division deployment for
contraband control and exercises with Fleet
units.
May
27th - Joined
newly formed 10th Destroyer Flotilla with RAN ships and HM Destroyers DAINTY, DECOY and DEFENDER of
20th Division.
June
Took part in
Fleet exercises prior to outbreak of war with Italy.
Provided cover with HM Destroyer VOYAGER (RAN) for convoys to and from the Dardanelles
11th - Deployed
with screen for HM Battleship MALAYA and WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE and ships of 7th Cruiser Squadron
during passage from Alexandria for
offensive sweep in Aegean Sea.
12th - Detached
from screen and joined ships of Flotilla at Alexandria for anti-submarine patrol during which two Italian minefields were located.
13th - Carried
out further patrol off Alexandria with Flotilla and engaged in gun action with Italian submarine in
process of minelaying. Submarine was
damaged but further pursuit deterred by existence of mines.
26th - Deployed
with HM Destroyer GARLAND as escort for HM Cruiser CALEDON for passage to join escort for convoy to Greece.
27th - Detached
and joined incoming convoy to Port Said as escort.
July
Nominated for
Fleet screening duties.
7th - Deployed
with HM Destroyers DAINTY, DEFENDER, HASTY, HOSTILE, HYPERION, ILEX, IMPERIAL, JANUS, JUNO and VOYAGER (RAN) as screen for HM
Battleships MALAYA, ROYAL SOVEREIGN,
WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, NEPTUNE, ORION and SYDNEY (RAN) to provide cover for transit of Convoys
MF1 and MF2 from Malta (Operation
MA5. Note: These convoys were
supply ships carrying naval stores and
some passenger ships evacuating civilians from Malta. An earlier operation had been cancelled after the warships involved had expended huge
quantities of ammunition in an
engagement with Italian warships and had
to return to Alexandria. See MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman, THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre and THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN by J Greene and A
Massignani.)
9th - Took part
in brief engagement with Italian warships. (Battle
of Calabria – See references.)
10th - Detached
and joined Slow Convoy MS1 with HMS DECOY and HMAS VOYAGER as escort for passage to Port Said.
11th - Replaced
in escort by HMS JANUS after sustaining damage from near miss in an air attack. One man was killed by splinters. Took passage independently to Alexandria.
23rd - Deployed
with HM Cruiser ORION and HMAS VENDETTA for
a diversionary operation during passage of landing ships from Alexandria for simulated assault at Castelloriza..
26th - Joined
HMS ORION, HM Auxiliaries FIONA and CHAKLA off
Castelloriza.
27th - Carried
out bombardment during simulated landing operation (Note: Enemy shore defences did not react.)
29th - Return
passage to Alexandria with Mediterranean Fleet ships.
August
Flotilla
deployment in continuation.
30th - Deployed
with HM Destroyers GARLAND, DECOY, ILEX, IMPERIAL,
MOHAWK, NUBIAN and VENDETTA as screen for
HMS EAGLE, HMS MALAYA, HMS WARSPITE, HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER, KENT, LIVERPOOL and ORION to provide Distant Cover for passage of Convoy MS2 during
passage to Malta and passage of
reinforcement warships to join Fleet at Alexandria from western Mediterranean (Operation MB3. Note : This was part of Operation HATS involving ships of
Force H from Gibraltar.
September
2nd - Part of
screen for major units of reinforced Fleet during passage from Malta to Alexandria.
5th - Arrived
at Alexandria with Fleet units after an air attack on Rhodes by HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS.
14th - At Port
Taufik for routine docking
24th - Resumed
Flotilla duties at Alexandria.
October
Flotilla duties
including convoy escort in continuation.
9th - Deployed
with HM Destroyers DAINTY, DECOY, IMPERIAL, JANUS, JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK, STUART and VAMPIRE in screen for HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS EAGLE, HMS MALAYA, HMS RAMILLIES, HMS VALIANT, HMS WARSPITE,
HM Cruisers AJAX, GLOUCESTER,
LIVERPOOL, ORION, SYDNEY and YORK to
provide Distant Cover during passage of Convoy MF3 from Egypt and MF4 from Malta.
12th - Under
attack by Italian destroyers during which HMS AJAX hit and disabled the Italian ARTIGLIERE. Rescued survivors from ARTIGLIERE after it had been sunk by HMS YORK. (See above references for
details of this engagement.)
14th - Under
attack by torpedo aircraft during which HMS LIVERPOOL was damaged. Detached to screen HMS LIVERPOOL during passage under tow by HMS ORION.
16th - Boiler
cleaning at Alexandria with disinfection.
25th - Resumed
Flotilla duties and deployed with HMAS VOYAGER as screen for HMS MALAYA during offensive patrol in Kaso Strait as cover for passage of convoy.
28th - On
return sailed with HM Netlayer PROTECTOR, HMAS VOYAGER and HMAS WATERHEN as escort for first military convoy to Crete.
30th - Arrived
at Suda Bay.
November
4th - Deployed
with HM Cruisers COVENTRY, CARLISLE, HM Destroyers
DAINTY, DIAMOND, VOYAGER (RAN) and WATERHEN
(RAN) to escort Convoy AN6 during passage to Crete (Note : The passage of this convoy was part of a major Fleet movement to pass convoys to Malta (MW3)
and from Malta (ME3) as well as to
cover the passage of warships from
the western Mediterranean to reinforce the Mediterranean
Fleet based at Alexandria (Operation COAT)
- See above references.)
8th - Passage
to Malta to join Convoy ME3 as escort during passage to from Malta to Port Said.
10th - Joined
ME3 in Malta with HM Battleship RAMILLIES, HMS COVENTRY, HM Destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER and WATERHEN.
13th - Under
air attack during which HMS DECOY was damaged.
14th - Detached
from ME3 and resumed Fleet duties with Flotilla. Transferred with ships of Flotilla for support of military
operations (Note: During following
week under persistent air raids whilst at Alexandria.)
December
Deployed as
Force B with HMAS VENDETTA, VOYAGER and WATERHEN
for duty in Inshore Squadron for bombardment of coastal positions in support of the military offensive. (Note : Inshore Squadron also included
Force A - HM Monitor TERROR, HM River
Gunboats APHIS, LADYBIRD and GNAT,
Force C - HM Battleships BARHAM and MALAYA,
and Force
D - HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE with destroyer screen.)
11th - At
Sollum prior to planned bombardment of Bardia with HMAS VENDETTA and HMAS WATERHEN.
12th - Took
passage to Alexandria when bombardment cancelled due to sandstorm in target area.
15th - Sailed
from Alexandra with HM Monitor TERROR, HMAS VENDETTA, VOYAGER and WATERHEN as Inshore Squadron to carry out bombardments of retreating
Italian army units on North African
coast.
16th - Deployed
to give cover for ships of Inshore Squadron during bombardment.
18th - Return
passage to Alexandria.
19th - Taken in
hand for machinery repairs.
1 9 4 1
January
9th - Resumed
Flotilla duties.
11th - Deployed
with HMAS STUART, VENDETTA and VOYAGER as
screen for HMS EAGLE and HMS BARHAM for attacks on Dodecanese islands.
16th - Return
passage to Alexandria after planned operation cancelled.
17th - Detached
on arrival and resumed Flotilla duties.
21st - Provided
naval gunfire support from inside harbour during attack on Tobruk by 6th Australian Division.
22nd - Carried
out unsuccessful search for Italian cruiser SAN GIORGI off Tobruk.
Captured Italian schooner carrying lubricating oil.
February
7th - RAN ships
visited by Australian Prime Minister.
12th - Took
passage to Benghazi to carry out clearance of obstructions preventing discharge of cargoes.
13th - Deployed
at Benghazi and on completion took passage to Bardia.
17th - Escorted
HMS TERROR to Tobruk from Bardia.
Passage
to Alexandria. On arrival took
passage to escort of military convoy GA2 from
Piraeus to Egypt.
March
Escort of
military convoys to and from Greece in continuation (Operation LUSTRE).
12th - Escorted
Convoy AG3 to Piraeus.
April
LUSTRE
deployment in continuation.
12th to18th - Escorted
Convoy AN27 to Piraeus and AS26 from Greece with HM Sloop AUCKLAND.
24th - Sailed
from Alexandria with HMS AUCKLAND and HM Destroyer
KIMBERLEY as escort for Convoy AG15 to Piraeus.
27th - Detached
on arrival and took passage to assist in the evacuation of allied troops from Greece.
28th - Joined
HM Cruisers CALCUTTA, COVENTRY, HM Destroyers STUART, VENDETTA and WATERHEN for escort of Convoy GA14 from Nauphlia to Alexandria.
29th - On
arrival deployed with screen for HMS FORMIDABLE and other ships of Mediterranean Fleet to provide cover for passage of Convoy GA15 from coast of Greece.
May
3rd - Returned
to Alexandria after diversions for support of evacuation.
6th - Deployed
with HMAS STUART, HM Sloops AUCKLAND and FLAMINGO
as escort for Convoy AN30 from Alexandria to Suda Bay for collection of troops evacuated from Greece.
9th - Returned
to Alexandria.
10th - Deployed
with HMAS VOYAGER as escort for Convoy AS30 on passage from Suda Bay to Egypt.
11th - Resumed
Inshore Squadron duties and embarked stores and supplies for transit to Tobruk.
21st - Withdrawn
from Tobruk support because of increase in defect
rate, particularly propulsion machinery
25th - Released
from RN deployment in Mediterranean.
28th - Took
passage from Alexandria for refit at Singapore, via Red Sea.
June
Passage in
Indian Ocean.
16th - Taken in
hand for refit by HM Dockyard at Singapore.
July to October
Under refit.
November
On completion
of post refit trials remained at Singapore for
convoy defence duties.
December
3rd - Transferred
to Force G, Eastern Fleet
5th - Sailed
from Singapore with HM Destroyer TENEDOS as escort for HM Battlecruiser REPULSE during passage to Darwin.
6th - Returned
to Singapore with HMS REPULSE after Japanese convoys reported in Gulf of Siam.
8th - Deployed
with HM Destroyers TENEDOS, ELECTRA and EXPRESS
as screen for HMS REPULSE and HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES as Force Z to intercept Japanese invasion Fleet covering landings on east coast of
Malaya.
9th - Report of
sighting Japanese aircraft ignored. Under
attack by Japanese high level bombers but unable to carry out effective fire due to poor AA armament. HMS REPULSE and HMS PRINCE OF WALES were subsequently overwhelmed by bomb and
torpedo attacks and sunk. (See THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton, THE
SINKING OF FORCE Z by R Hough and WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).) Rescued 225 survivors from
the two major warships and returned
to Singapore.
15th - Deployed
for cover of minelaying operation off Kuantan..
19th - Deployed
with HM Cruisers DRAGON and DURBAN as escort
for troopships during passage from Singapore to Colombo.
1 9 4 2
January
10th - Deployed
with HM Destroyers ENCOUNTER and JUPITER and
joined HM Cruisers DURBAN, EXETER and HM Sloop JUMNA (RIN) in escort of military convoy DM1 during passage from Addu Atoll to Singapore with
reinforcement troops from UK
13th - Detached
from DM1 on arrival at Singapore.
Resumed
local convoy escort
20th - Transferred
to ABDA Command for convoy escort. (See
WAR WITH JAPAN).
24th - Escorted
Convoy MS2A from Ratan Bay with HMS THANET.
26th - Deployed
with HM Destroyer THANET with air cover for the interception of Japanese convoy off Endai, east coast of Malaya. (Note : Japanese force included cruiser
SENDAI with six destroyers and five
minesweepers.)
27th - Engaged
Japanese destroyer SHIRAYUKI and fired two torpedoes
unsuccessfully. Under heavy return fire but able to escape unscathed. (Note: HMS THANET was sunk in this action.)
28th - Deployed
with HM Sloop YARRA (RAN) as escort for convoy during passage from Singapore to Sunda Straits.
29th - Detached
at Sunda Strait and took passage to Padang.
February
1st - Deployed
with HMS EXETER and HMS JUPITER as escort for
two transports on passage from Batavia to Sunda.
2nd - Joined
military convoy DM2 and Convoy BM12 from Indian
Ocean with HMS JUPITER and joined HM Cruiser DANAE, Dutch cruiser JAVA, HM Sloop SUTLEJ (RIN), and HMAS YARRA for escort to Batavia.
3rd - Detached
on arrival at Batavia.
5th - Deployed
as escort for mercantile convoy on passage from Tandjong Priok to Colombo.
11th - Arrived
at Colombo. Joined Eastern Fleet.
March
1st - Deployed
with HM Destroyers EXPRESS, NIZAM, HM Corvette
HOLLYHOCK as screen for HM Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN, HM Cruiser CORNWALL and HM Armed Merchant Cruiser MANOORA (RAN) for escort of military convoy SU1 during Indian Ocean passage. (Note : This convoy was taking troops
returning to Australia from the
Middle East.)
Later detached from
SU1 to prepare for planned landings in
Madagascar and took passage to Ceylon.
April
Eastern Fleet
deployment in continuation.
8th - Sailed
from Trincomalee with HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM Corvette HOLLYHOCK, HM Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK and RFA Tanker PEAR LEAF to avoid
impending air attack on Ceylon from
Japanese aircraft carriers.
9th - After
sighting by Japanese aircraft, provision of air cover from shore delayed by failure of communications in Ceylon. Both ships came under attack. HMS HERMES
was the initial target and sank
after several bomb hits. Subsequently
ship under heavy attacks and broke in half after
several hits and near misses. One aircraft reported destroyed. (See WAR
WITH JAPAN for details.). Captain and
seven others of ship's company were killed. Hospital ship VITA near by, whose immunity was respected and which was not attacked,
rescued the survivors from both
ships.