1 9 4 2
January
Contractors
trials and commissioned for service in 19th
Destroyer Flotilla
30th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
(Note:
This ship was fitted with new design High
Frequency Radio Direction Finding
Outfit
FH3 which
enable the bearing of the origin of
wireless signal traffic to be determined.
For details of the use of this
equipment see SEEK AND
STRIKE by W Hackmann
and
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
February
On completion of trials and
storing took passage to Scapa
Flow
to work-up with ships
of
Home Fleet.
Deployed at Scapa
Flow
for working-up.
March
Began
operational service on completion
5th
Part
of screen for HM Battleships KING GEORGE V,
DUKE OF YORK, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS,
HM Cruisers BERWICK and KENYA
with
with HM
Destroyers ASHANTI,
BEDOUIN, ECHO. ECLIPSE, FAULKNOR, FURY, GROVE
INCONSTANT, ICARUS, INTREPID,
JAVELIN, LANCASTER,
LEDBURY, ONSLOW,
PUNJABI,
TARTAR, VERDUN,
WELLS and WOOLSTON.
(Note:
This force was providing cover for transit
of Russian Convoy PQ12 to Murmansk
and
return Convoy QP8 to Iceland.
Convoys were under threat of
attack by German battleship TIRPITZ.
For details of all Russian
Convoy operations
see
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by
B
Schoefield,
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman and CONVOY! by
P Kemp.
8th
Remained
with Fleet units when some destroyers left
to replenish fuel.
See
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.
9th
Deployed
for screening duties during air operations
by HMS VICTORIOUS in search of
German
Battleship TIRPITZ which failed. See
references.)
11th
Passage to Scapa
Flow
with covering ships of Home Fleet.
24th
Joined
military Convoy WS17 in Clyde
with HM Destroyers ALDENHAM and GROVE
as part of Ocean
Escort during passage in Atlantic to Freetown.
April
6th
Detached
from WS17 on arrival at Freetown.
9th
Joined
Ocean Escort for military Convoy WS171 as
part of Ocean Escort on departure
from
during
passage to Durban.
(Note:
Convoy WS17 divided during the period at Freetown)
Other ships in Ocean Escort for
WS17A were HM Cruiser HERMIONE, HM
Destroyers
ACTIVE, ANTELOPE, INCONSTANT,
JAVELIN, LIGHTNING and PAKENHAM
which
were to take part in support of planned
landings at Diego
Suarez,
Madagascar.)
18th
Arrived
at Cape
Town
with WS17.
22nd
Arrived
at Durban
with WS17.
(Note: Some mercantiles
in WS17
were destined for the Middle
East
and Indian detached
at ports in South
Africa
and continued passage as WS17.)
28th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers LIGHTNING, LOOKOUT and
other destroyers as escort
for Convoy Z
during passage to Diego Suarez, northern Madagascar.
May
2nd
Carried
out bombardment exercises.
3rd
Joined HM Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE and
HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE to provide
cover during
landings.
6th
Provided further support bombardment before
leaving to join
HMS LAFOREY and HMS
LIGHTNING
for escort of HMS RAMILLIES during departure
to carry out search for
presumed Japanese
surface ships.
(Note: No enemy
ships were found.)
7th
Provided naval gunfire support during
military operations
at Oranjia
prior to assault
on Diego Suarez.
For details of IRONCLAD see WAR
WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
June
1st
Joined
HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carriers
ILLUSTRIOUS, FORMIDABLE
and HM Cruiser GAMBIA
during passage to Colombo
3rd
Took
part in Fleet exercises including AA
shoot.
5th
Arrived
at Colombo
6th
Commenced
maintenance period.
12th
Resumed
Fleet duties and joined HMS LAFOREY and HMS
LIGHTNING in screen for
HMS WARSPITE, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS
INDOMITABLE and HMS GAMBIA
deployed
as Force A for offensive sweep of Indian Ocean to Chagos
islands.
16th
Called at Addu
Atoll with Force A
to refuel after delay due to monsoon
weather.
Took passage from Addu
Atoll for Colombo
on completion.
18th
Arrived
at Colombo.
July
1st
Arrived
at Mombasa
and carried out maintenance.
9th
Nominated
for return to Mediterranean
for support of Malta
relief operation.
Sailed from Mombasa
with HMS LAFOREY and HMS LIGHTNING as screen
for HMS
INDOMITABLE during passage to Gibraltar.
11th
Rescued
Norwegian seaman in Indian
Ocean,
the sole survivors
from a ship sunk on 9th.
13th
Called
at Durban.
19th
Called
at Cape
Town
23rd
Called
at Pointe Noire, Belgian
Congo
for fuel.
(Note: Ship
passage delayed by deployment for trade
defence
in Atlantic.)
27th
Joined
by HM Cruiser PHOEBE
28th
Arrived
at Freetown.
August
1st
Sailed
from Freetown
for Gibraltar
as screen for same ships.
Rescued
survivors from Norwegian mercantile sunk on
25th July.
4th
Refuelled
from HMS INDOMITABLE.
5th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers FORESIGHT, FURY, ICARUS,
INTREPID, LAFOREY,
LIGHTNING, VANSITTART, WESTCOTT
and WRESTLER as screen for HM Aircraft
Carriers ARGUS, EAGLE,
INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers PHOEBE,
CHARYBDIS and SIRIUS during
Exercise BERSERK west of Gibraltar
to carry out
tactics
for use during planned defence of PEDESTAL
convoy, identified as Convoy GM4.
10th
Refuelled
and nominated with HMS LIGHTNING for escort
of HM Aircraft Carrier
FURIOUS during aircraft
delivery to Malta
(Operation BELLOWS –Coincident with
PEDESTAL.
11th
During
screening of HMS FURIOUS detached when HMS
EAGLE was hit by torpedo
fired
by U73 and sank within eight minutes.
Carried out rescue work with HMS
LIGHTNING
and HM
Tug JAUNTY.
(Note:
HM Destroyers LAFOREY and MALCOLM, also took
part in rescue operations.
A total of 927 survivors were
rescued from a ships company of 1160.)
Transferred survivors to HM
Destroyer VENOMOUS and refuelled from tanker
in Force R
Took passage
to join ships covering passage of PEDESTAL
convoy after refuelling.
(Note:
These were HMS RODNEY, HMS NELSON, HMS
VICTORIOUS,
HMS PHOEBE, HMS SIRIUS, HM
Destroyers LAFOREY, LIGHTNING,
QUENTIN, AMAZON, ITHURIEL,
ANTELOPE, ITHURIEL, VANSITTART,
WESTCOTT, WISHART and ZETLAND
deployed as Force Z.)
12th
Under air attacks.
Carried out successful
anti-submarine operations against Italian
submarine BRIN with
HM Destroyers FORESIGHT and FURY
and drove submarine away from convoy.
Despatched with HMS SOMALI, HMS
LIGHTNING and HMS CHARYBDIS to assist
damaged
HMS INDOMITABLE after being hit and badly
damaged in air attacks.
Remained with Force Z when GM4
detached and entered Sicilian Narrows
escorted by Force X
12th (sic)Intercepted
attack
by Italian submarine EMO with HMS TARTAR
which was driven off
by depth charges.
13th
Deployed
with HMS VICTORIOUS, HMS PHOEBE, HMS NELSON
HMS LAFOREY,
HMS LIGHTNING and HMS QUENTIN
west of Narrows
to provide cover for returning
ships
of Force X.
(Note:
HMS INDOMITABLE, HMS RODNEY screened by HM
Destroyers AMAZON
ANTELOPE, ITHURIEL, VANSITTART,
WESTCOTT, WISHART and
ZETLAND had been detached to
return to Gibraltar.)
14th
Passage to Gibraltar
as part of screen for ships of Forces X
and Z.
(Note: For
details of PEDESTAL see PEDESTAL by P Smith
and
above references.)
15th
Arrived
at Gibraltar
September
Deployed with Flotilla in Force H
based at Gibraltar
4th
Escorted
ss LEINSTER
with HM Destroyer LAFOREY to Gibraltar.
(Note:
ss LEINSTER
had detached from military convoy WS22 after
passage
from Clyde.)
Deployed as
escort for HM Battleship MALAYA during
passage from Gibraltar
to UK.
October
Return
passage to Gibraltar
as escort for HM Battleship RODNEY.
29th
Rejoined Flotilla at Gibraltar.
November
Nominated with Flotilla for
support of planned landings in North
Africa
(Operation TORCH)
8th
Provided
cover during TORCH landings in Algeria.
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY and Naval Staff History for
details.)
On release from TORCH deployed
at Gibraltar
for patrol and convoy defence.
December
Nominated for service in Force Q
to be based at Bone for interception of
enemy supply
convoys
in western and central Mediterranean.
Joined HM Cruisers ARGONAUT,
SIRIUS, AURORA, DIDO, HM Destroyers QUIBERON
and
QUENTIN in Force Q based at Algiers.
1
9 4 3
January
Carried
out interception patrol with ships of Force
Q
2nd
Based
at Bone.
February
Force Q deployment in
continuation.
16th
Rescued
50 survivors from HM Corvette LOUISBERG sunk
during convoy escort NE of Oran.
March
Force Q
deployment in continuation
23rd
Taken
in hand by HM Dockyard, Gibraltar
for repair to turbines
April
5th
On
completion took passage to rejoin 19th
Flotilla at Malta.
(Note:
Other ships in Flotilla were HM Destroyers
LAFOREY, LOYAL, NUBIAN and TARTAR)
Deployed for
interception patrol and convoy defence.
May
Nominated for blockade of Cape
Bon area to prevent evacuation of enemy troops
from Tunisia
by sea. (Operation RETRIBUTION)
13th
Intercepted
craft evacuating German personnel and took
12 men PoW.
23rd
Intercepted
and sank supply ship with HMS LAFOREY in Central
Mediterranean.
Nominated for
support of planned British landings on Pantalleria
and Lampedusa.
(Operation CORKSCREW)
Took part in
preparatory exercises for CORKSCREW.
June
10th
Bombarded Pantellaria
with HMS
LOYAL.
11th
Deployed for support of landings.
See
above references for details.
11th
Accepted
surrender of Lampedusa.
Under air attacks by
dive bombers without damage.
19th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers ESKIMO, JERVIS and NUBIAN
for as escort of HM
Cruiser AURORA
during passage from Tripoli
to Malta.
(Note:
HM King George VI was embarked in HMS AURORA
for visit to Malta.)
July
Nominated
for escort and support duties during planned
allied landings in Sicily
(Operation HUSKY)
Took part in
preparatory exercises.
9th
Deployed
with ships of Flotilla for screening of
Support Force East during passage
to
cover landings by British XXX Corps SW of
Syracuse.
(Note:
Support Force East comprised HM Cruisers
MAURITIUS, NEWFOUNDLAND,
ORION and UGANDA.)
10th
Took part in operations off beach head
during landings.
For details of HUSKY see ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, Naval Staff History
and
Military Staff History (Mediterranean)
18th
Carried out bombardment in support of
military operation in Sicily.
19th
Bombarded gun positions at Catania
with hm Cruiser
NEWFOUNDLAND and HM Destroyer
BLANKNEY.
20th
Bombarded shore positions at Lentini
and Carlentini
with same destroyers.
23rd
Took
passage from Augusta, Sicily
for Malta
as screen for HM Cruisers NEWFOUNDLAND
and
MAURITIUS
with HM Destroyers
LAFOREY and LOYAL.
During
attack by U407 HMS NEWFOUNDLAND
was hit aft causing significant damage
but able to
proceed at
reduced speed.
(Note:
Anti-submarine attacks made by HMS LAFOREY
forced U407 to
dive and able to escape.
Post
war records state that a later attack by
Italian submarine ASCIANGHI failed.
See
references.)
(Note: One
source records the torpedoes from the
Italian
submarine missed.
ASCIANGHl was
sunk during the subsequent anti-submarine
operations by HM
Destroyers LAFOREY and
ECLIPSE.
August
Deployed for
Flotilla duties in Malta
and nominated for support of planned allied
landings
at Salerno
(Operation AVALANCHE)
September
2nd
Deployed
with Fleet units for bombardment of shore
targets in Messina
Strait
and Reggio
to
Calabria
prior to British landings on Italian
mainland
(Operation BAYTOWN)
3rd
8th
Joined
Northern Attack Force TF 85 with ships of
Flotilla for screening of HM Cruisers
MAURITIUS,
UGANDA,
ORION and DELHI
providing support during assault landings
9th
Deployed
with Northern Attack Force Support Group
during first landings.
Under
shore fire and provided naval gunfire
support.
11th
Under heavy air attacks including use of
FX1400 radio
controlled and Hs293 Glider weapons.
13th
Provided
naval gunfire support with HMS LAFOREY
during counter-attack by German
divisions
on Allied
bridgehead and under further attacks by
FX1400 and
Hs293 weapons.
16th
Under attack by FX1400 which near-missed
by 250 Kg bomb.
Took passage to Malta
for repair.
October
Deployed
for support of military operations off west
coast of Italy
and defence of shipping.
13th
Provided
naval gunfire support for military operation
near Volturno
with HMS LAFOREY
and
Dutch Gunboat FLORES.
Under attack by fighter-bombers
and sustained some casualties as well as
structural damage
by near
miss from 250Kg
November
Convoy defence and support duties
with Flotilla in continuation based at Naples.
Nominated
for refit and machinery repair at Taranto
13th
Taken
in hand for refit and repairs
December
Under refit and repair
1
9 4 4
January
Taranto
refit in continuation
to
June
Transferred to 14th Destroyer
Flotilla in Malta.
July
24th
On
completion carried out post refit trials and
took passage to Malta.
Resumed duty with 14th Destroyer
Flotilla based in Malta after brief work-up.
Nominated for support of planned
allied landings in South of France
(Operation ANVIL – Later DRAGOON
– For details see
INVASION OF THE SOUTH
OF FRANCE
(HMSO).)
August
Prepared for
service in SITKA Fire Support Group Task
Force 86)
Passage to Naples
with HM Cruiser DIDO for duty in Western
Task Force
under overall
US command.
12th
Sailed
from Naples with US cruiser USS AUGUSTA, HM
Cruiser DIDO, US Navy
destroyers
GLEAVES and SOMERS and took passage to
operational area.
14th
Arrived in SITKA
sector.
15th
Present during initial landing operations
on Levant
Island.
and Port Cros.
(Note:
No bombardment was then necessary but later
the ships of SITKA Group provided
gunfire
support during German counter attack.)
19th
Deployed with HM Cruiser AURORA during
bombardment of St Mandrier,
Toulon.
Fired 116 rounds
25th
Deployed
with USN destroyer KENDRICK as screen for HM
Cruiser AURORA during
further
bombardment of forts at St Mandrier.
September
Returned to RN service and rejoined
Flotilla.
Deployed
support of 8th Army operations on west
coast of Italy.
Passage to Adriatic.
10th
Provided support in Rimini
area until 25th.
October
Adriatic
patrol and military support duties with
Flotilla in continuation.
11th
Carried out bombardments of shore
batteries at Cesantico
with HM Destroyer LOYAL.
12th
Further shore
bombardment in Casanatico
area.
13th
In company with HMS LOYAL which detonated
a ground mine and
was disabled.
Carried out tow of HMS
LOYAL to Ancona.
November
Gunfire support, patrol and convoy
defence duties in continuation.
to
December
1
9 4 5
January
Transferred
to 3rd Destroyer Flotilla for support,
patrol and convoy defence in
Ligurian
Sea.
6th
Carried
out bombardment in Massa
area.
SE of Spezia
with US Navy
destroyer
USS WOOLSEY.
15th
Carried out bombardment at San
Remo
on Italian Riviera.
18th
Further bombardment at Shore targets on
Franco/Italian border
until 19th.
February
Ligurian
Sea deployment with Flotilla in continuation
March
17th
Deployed with HMS METEOR and Free French
TEMPETE and BASQUE
for patrol
off North
Corsica.
18th
Following
report from shore intercepted ARTURO (TA24),
ERIDANO (T29) and
PREMUDA (T32) of 10th German
Torpedo Boat Flotilla which were carrying
out minelay
Carried out torpedo and gun
attacks with HMS METEOR during which ARTURO
and
ERIDANO were sunk but PREMUDA escaped in
smoke screen.
Rescued over
200 survivors from enemy ships.
April
Deployed
for support of military advance by British
5th Army.
23rd
Carried
out shore bombardment on targets in French
Riviera with Free French cruisers
MONTCALM and DUGUAY
TROIN.
May
Returned
to MaltA after VE day and deployed with
Flotilla for Fleet duties including
to
August
support
of re-occupation and for exercises in Mediterranean to
prepare British warships
for operational
service in the Eastern Fleet and British
Pacific Fleet.