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