1 9 4 0
January
Contractors
trials and commissioned for service.
February
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On
completion of trials, storing and weapon
system calibration passage to Scapa
Flow for
work-up with
ships of Home Fleet.
21st
Deployed
with HM Cruiser MANCHESTER
in NW Approaches for patrol
to intercept enemy
merchant
shipping attempting return to Germany
and of commerce raiders on passage to attack
Atlantic
convoys.
Intercepted and captured German
freighter WAHEHE .Provided a boarding party
to take ship
to Kirkwall
as a Prize. (See THE BLOCKADERS by C
Hampshire.)
March
Home Fleet
deployment in continuation.
April
7th
Part
of screen for HM Battleships RODNEY and
VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser REPULSE
and cruisers of
Home Fleet during search in NW Approaches
for German ships reported on
passage to Atlantic.
8th
After
German invasion of Norway
remained with screen during passage to
support allied
landings
in Norway
(Operation WILFRED/R4).
Detached with HM Destroyers
BEDOUIN, ESKIMO and PUNJABI to assist HM
Destroyer
GLOWWORM which
was under attack by German battleship
HIPPER.
(Note: HMS
GLOWWORM was sunk with heavy loss of life.)
11th
Despatched
with HM Destroyer ESKIMO and HM Cruiser
PENELOPE to attacks transports
reported at Bodo.
During entry
into fjord at Fleinvaer
HMS PENELOPE ran aground
and had
to be towed clear by HMS ESKIMO.
Entered fjord but found no ships
and returned as escort for tow during return
passage to Fleet
units
off Narvik.
13th
Took
part in 2nd Battle of Narvik and attempted
to tow HM Destroyer COSSACK which
had
been
damaged in action with German destroyers and
disabled. This was unsuccessful.
(Note:
HMS COSSACK was later towed successfully by
HM Destroyer FORESTER)
Returned to Scapa
Flow.
(Note:
For details of the disastrous operations off
Norway
see NARVIK by D Macintyre,
CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
C Barnett, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION
by J Adams
and Naval Staff History.)
May
Nominated
for transfer to Mediterranean
and prepared for foreign service.
Damage during Norwegian
operations repaired.
Pennant Number for visual
signalling purposes changed to G50.
16th
Took passage to Mediterranean
with HM Destroyers KANDAHAR and KHARTOUM.
23rd
On
arrival at Alexandria
nominated for service in Red
Sea with HM Destroyers KANDAHAR,
KINGSTON
and KHARTOUM.
(Note:
This was part of a series of precautions in
anticipation of war with Italy
which had
destroyers
and submarines based in Eritrea.)
June
Deployed
for convoy defence in Red
Sea
to
July
August
Nominated for
support of evacuation of British nationals
from Berbera,
British
Somaliland
Joined
HM Cruisers CALEDON,
HOBART (RAN), CERES and CARLISLE, HM Sloops
PARAMATTA (RAN), SHOREHAM and AUCKLAND,
HM Armed Boarding Vessels
CHAKALA,
CHAKDINA, LAOMEDON and Hospital Ship VITA
with HMS KANDAHAR.
16th
Assisted in evacuation during which over
7,000 people were
embarked for passage to Aden.
September
12th
Joined
military convoy WS2A as Local Escort for
passage in Red
Sea with HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE,
HMS AUCKLAND and HM Sloop
FLAMINGO.
14th
Detached
from WS2A.
October
20th
Part
of escort for Convoy BN7 with HM Cruiser
LEANDER and five Sloops of East Indies
Squadron.
21st
Under attack by four Italian destroyers
150 miles east of Massawa.
Engaged Italian FRANCISCO NULLO
and driven ashore on Harmi
Island.
Fired torpedo at enemy ship and
came under fire from shore batteries.
Sustained
damage in engine room which disabled ship.
Taken in tow
for passage to Port
Sudan
by HMS LEANDER.
27th
Under repair.
31st
Took
passage to resume convoy defence duties but
with reduced speed capability.
November
12th
Escorted
troopships DUCHESS OF YORK
and GEORGIC from Aden
with HM Cruiser
CALEDON
to rejoin military convoy WS3 in Red
Sea.
14th
Detached
and returned to Aden.
December
25th
Escorted
military convoy WS4B with HM Cruiser CARLISLE and HMS
KANDAHAR
during passage in
Red Sea.
27th
Detached
from WS4B and returned to Aden.
1
9 4 1
January
Passage
to Bombay
to complete repairs.
February
Under repair by HM Dockyard Bombay.
March
Passage to
rejoin Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.
April
Deployed
with Mediterranean Fleet.
16th
Part
of screen for HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE
with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN,
DEFENDER
and KINGSTON
during passage to Suda Bay
with Fleet units prior to planned
bombardment of Tripoli
as Force C (Operation MD2)
21st
Remained off shore with HMS FORMIDABLE
during bombardment.
22nd
Deployed with Fleet screen during return
passage to Alexandria
after completion of MD2.
23rd
Arrived at Alexandria
with Fleet units.
26th
Deployed
as escort for Convoy AG15 to Pireaus
with HM
Destroyer VAMPIRE (RAN) and
HM
Sloop AUCKLAND.
27th
Took part in evacuation of allied troops
from Raphti,
Greece.
29th
Took part in evacuation from Kalamata.
Greece.
May
1st
Passage
from Kalamata
after three trips carrying evacuated
troops.
(See Naval Staff History
and BATTLE
OF THE WINE
DARK
SEA
by L Lind.)
6th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN,
HAVOCK, HEREWARD,
HERO, HOTSPUR, JERVIS, JUNO, KANDAHAR,
KINGSTON,
NIZAM and NUBIAN
as
screen for HMS FORMIDABLE, HM Battleships
BARHAM, VALIANT and WARSPITE,
HM Cruisers ORION, PERTH
and ABDIEL to provide cover for passage of
convoys in
the
eastern
Mediterranean
(Operation MD4).
(Note:
These convoys were MW7 from Egypt
to Malta
and military convoy from Malta
to
Alexandria
with tanks for 8th Army (Operation
TIGER).
8th
Remained
with Fleet screen after ME7 detached to
enter Malta.
9th
Deployed
with Fleet screen during cover for passage
of TIGER convoy to Alexandria.
10th
Arrived
at Alexandria
with Fleet units after unsuccessful air
attacks.
15th
Deployed
with screen for Fleet units providing cover
for convoys on passage to reinforce
defence of Crete.
21st
Deployed
with HM Destroyers JANUS, HASTY and HEREWARD
as screen for HM Cruisers
DIDO, ORION and AJAX
as Force D.
22nd
Intercepted
invasion convoy with Force D north of Crete
and sank several craft.
23rd
Took part in bombardment of airfield at Scarpanto.
24th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers DECOY, HOTSPUR, HEREWARD,
IMPERIAL and JACKAL
as screen for HMS
AJAX and HMS DIDO during search operation
in Kaso Strait
to intercept
invasion craft.
25th
Passage to Alexandria.
28th
Sailed
from Alexandria
with HM Cruisers AJAX,
ORION and DIDO, HM Destroyers
HOTSPUR, HEREWARD,
IMPERIAL and JACKAL for evacuation of
troops
from Crete.
29th
At Heraklion
and ferried troops to
cruisers offshore.
Under heavy
and sustained air attacks during return
passage.
(Note:
HMS AJAX and HMS DIDO were both badly
damaged.)
For details of the disastrous Crete
operations see above references and CRETE by
SW Pack.)
31st
Passage to Crete.
June
1st
Took
part in evacuation of troops from Sphakia.
2nd
Returned
to Alexandria.
6th
Nominated
for support of military operations in Syria
with HM Destroyers KANDAHAR,
JACKAL, JANUS and HM Cruiser
PHOEBE (Operation EXPORTER – See RELUCTANT
ENEMIES by W
Tute
and THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
by J Greene
and A Massignani.)
7th
Deployed
off Syria
for patrol to intercept Vichy French
destroyers
attempting to provide
support to
defending military units.
Provided naval gunfire
support.
9th
Took
HMS JANUS in tow after being disabled during
engagement with Vichy French
destroyers.
Under
air attack by Vichy French aircraft during
passage to Haifa.
10th
Carried
out bombardment of Khan bridge
area in support of
military advance.
15th
During deployment off Beirut
in action with French destroyer
GUEPARD and VALMY.
July
Syrian
support deployment in continuation.
4th
Carried
out further support bombardment.
On
release from EXPORTER deployed at Alexandria
for Flotilla duties.
22nd
Deployed
as screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH
and VALIANT, HM Cruisers
AJAX,
CARLISLE,
HOBART
(RAN), LEANDER, NAIAD, NEPTUNE,
PHOEBE, ABDIEL
and
LATONA with HM Destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK,
JACKAL, JAGUAR, JERVIS,
KANDAHAR,
KINGSTON,
NIZAM and NUBIAN during diversionary
operation in eastern
Mediterranean
(Operation MD5).
(Note:
This was to divert enemy attention from
progress of a Malta
relief convoy from
Gibraltar (Operation SUBSTANCE).
August
Deployed for
support of Tobruk and screening of Fleet
units during
to
search for enemy supply convoys.
October
November
Transferred to join HM Cruisers
AURORA and PENELOPE in Force K based in Malta
for interception
of enemy supply convoys to North
Africa.
22nd
Passage
to Malta
with HM Cruisers AJAX, NEPTUNE and HMS
KINGSTON to
reinforce
Force
K. HM Cruisers EURYALUS and NAIAD screened
by two destroyers provided
cover for this
transit.
30th
Deployed
with HMS AURORA, HMS PENELOPE, HMS AJAX, HMS
NEPTUNE and
HMS KINGSTON to
intercept supply convoy.
December
1st
Carried
out attack on convoy off Benghazi
sinking ammunition ship ADRIATICO.
2nd
Sank
Italian destroyer ALVISE DA MOSTA and
mercantile MANTOVANI off Kerkenah
Bank.
5th
Sailed
from Malta
with HM Destroyers KINGSTON
and LIVELY, HM Cruisers AJAX
and NEPTUNE
as escort for HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE
during
passage to meet ships
from Alexandria.
6th
HMS
AJAX, HMS NEPTUNE and HMS LIVELY detached
and took passage to Malta.
Remained with HMS
BRECONSHIRE.
7th
HM
Cruiser HOBART (RAN) joined but detached
later to assist damaged Sloop HMS
FLAMINGO off Tobruk.
Remained
as escort for HMS BRECONSHIRE to Alexandria
with HMS KINGSTON
8th
Arrived
at Alexandria
with HMS BRECONSHIRE.
15th
Joined
HM Cruisers CARLISLE,
EURYALUS and NAIAD with HM Destroyers HASTY,
HAVOCK,
JERVIS, KINGSTON,
KIPLING. DECOY and NIZAM as Force C for
escort
of HMS
BRECONSHIRE during passage for escort by
Force K
from Malta
16th
Remained
with HMS BRECONSHIRE after threat from an
Italian battle group escorting a
supply convoy to
Benghazi
was probable.
17th
Remained
with Force C when Italian battle fleet was
sighted and HMS BRECONSHIRE
detached
escorted by HMS DECOY and HMS HAVOCK.
Took part in brief engagement
with Italian warships which withdrew when
British destroyers
approached
to deliver torpedo attacks.
(1st Battle
of Sirte.
- See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, THE BATTLE
FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D Macintyre and Naval Staff
History.)
18th
Return
passage to Alexandria
with escorts.
1
9 4 2
January
Deployed
for support of Tobruk garrison and convoy
defence.
12th
Hit
by torpedo fired by U77 off Tobruk and
sustained major
damage to stern
structure. Disabled ship taken in tow by HM
Escort Destroyer HEYTHROP
13th
Passage to Alexandria
in tow.
February
Repair arranged at Alexandria.
Paid off.
to
Taken in tow to Alexandria
with minimal crew.
December
Under repair by HM Dockyard Bombay.
1
9 4 3
Under
repair and re-commissioned for service in Mediterranean.
1
9 4 4
January
Post
refit trials and
prepared for operational service.
to
Passage to Alexandria
March
April
Deployed
in Mediterranean.
(Note:
Extension deployments were made in support
of the
reoccupation of islands in the
Mediterranean
and in the Adriatic for
interception and military support.)
May
27th
During
deployment with HM Cruiser AURORA, Free
French destroyers Le MALIN,
Le
TERRIBLE and Le FANTASQUE sustained damage
in heavy weather and returned to
Alexandria
for repair.
June
On
completion of repair resumed duties based in
Malta.
July
Mediterranean
deployment in continuation.
Nominated for special
duties during planned allied landings in South
France.
August
14th
Embarked
CinC
Mediterranean for
passage to watch progress of the assault
convoys
through Straits
of Bonifacio.
(Note: Signal
to execute Operation DRAGOON was made whilst
CinC was on
board.
CinC's advanced
command post was established at Ajaccio
on 11th August
15th
Embarked
Prime Minister Winston Churchill for visit
to the Assault Area.
16th
Embarked
CinC with
military commander General Maitland- Wilson
for visit to
landing
beaches.
(Note:
For details of Operation DRAGOON see
INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF
FRANCE (HMSO) and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY.)
On release from Special Duties
deployed in Adriatic
for patrol and support of military
operations.
Passage to join HM Destroyers
UNDINE, URCHIN, LOYAL and HM River Gunboats
APHIS and SCARAB in Adriatic for the support of British Army advance up the east
coast
if Italy.
September
1st
Began
a series of bombardments in Rimini
area.
13th
On
completion of bombardment duties resumed
deployment for patrol and convoy
defence.
October
Transferred
to British Aegean Force for support of
landings to reoccupy Greek
mainland.
(Operation MANNA)
(Note: For
details see Military Staff History, Mediterranean.)
29th
Intercepted
Hospital Ship GRADISCCA in the Aegean
and captured as Prize.
November
Support deployment in
continuation.
Carried
out interception patrols to prevent
evacuation of German personnel from
occupied
territory.
5th
Sank
F-Lighter off Piscopi
11th
Carried out bombardment at Alimnia.
December
Aegean deployment in continuation.
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed
in support of operations on Greek mainland.
to
(Note: At Athens during
Communist rising.)
April
Transferred
for support of military operations in Aegean.
May
1st
Took
part in raid on island
of Rhodes
with HM Escort Destroyer CATTERICK and
Greek destroyer KRITI.
June
Remained
in Mediterranean
until nominated for return to
to
UK
to Pay-off.
July
August
Passage
to UK.
September
Paid off and de-stored.
Reduced
to Reserve status.