8th - At 0700 hours Force H comprising HOOD, RESOLUTION, VALIANT, ARK ROYAL, cruisers ARETHUSA, DELHI, and ENTERPRISE escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FOXHOUND, ESCORT, FEARLESS, ACTIVE, DOUGLAS, VELOX, VORTIGERN, and WRESTLER to cover the Mediterranean Fleet. As a diversion for the convoys leaving Malta. ARK ROYAL was to launch an air raid against Cagliari.
En route Force H was detected by Italian reconnaissance aircraft. Force H had also been seen leaving Gibraltar and reported by Italian agents in Spain.
Between 1545 hours and 1840 hours Force H was attacked by 40 high level Savoia SM 79 aircraft that dropped over 100 bombs. No hits were achieved but there were several near misses. (The SM 79’s had flown from the airfield at Villacidro, near Cagliari).
The loss of surprise and the possibility of serious damage to the ARK ROYAL on an operation that was only a diversion, led to Somerville abandoning the operation.
At 2215 hours Force H reversed course and set course for Gibraltar.

9th – At 1100 hours when Force H was steaming westward at 18 knots VALIANT’s radar picked up a number of aircraft approaching from the north. These aircraft came within 10 miles of the Force then turned away no doubt being unable to locate the Force due to the poor visibility.
At 0215 hours ESCORT was torpedoed in her forward boiler room by the Italian submarine GUGLIELMO MARCONI in position 36-11N, 03-37E, there were no causalities. The FORESTER had witnessed the attack a made an unsuccessful attempt to ram the submarine. Attempts were made to salvage ESCORT by FORESTER towing her stern first and FAULKNOR providing an escort. But she was too badly damaged and her list increased.
At 1115 hours the ESCORT sank. FAULKNOR and FORESTER, having taken off all ESCORT’s crew, then set course for Gibraltar.
At 0800 hours Force H arrived back at Gibraltar.

31st - At 0800 hours Force H comprising HOOD, RESOLUTION, VALIANT, aircraft carriers ARK ROYAL and ARGUS, ARETHUSA, ENTERPRISE, escorted by destroyers ENCOUNTER, FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FORESIGHT, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, GALLANT, GREYHOUND, HOTSPUR and VELOX. Sailed from Gibraltar to carry out Operation HURRY.

(Operation HURRY was an operation to deliver 12 Hurricanes to Malta. These were carried by ARGUS who had arrived at Gibraltar on 30/7/40)

1st - At 2045 hours, 100 miles south west of Majorca, Force H divided into two groups, Group 1 and Group 2.

Group 2 comprised RESOLUTION, VALIANT, ARGUS, ARETHUSA, ENCOUNTER, FEARLESS, GALLANT, GREYHOUND, HOTSPUR and VELOX. Group 2 continued towards southern Sardinia to fly off the Hurricanes.

Group 1 then proceeded to a flying off position for aircraft from ARK ROYAL to carry out Operation CRUSH, a diversionary air attack against Cagliari.

2nd – Between 0515 and 0600 hours in position 112 miles south west of Cape Spartivento light house the 12 RAF Hurricanes with two Fleet Air Arm Skuas as escort, were flown off to Malta. All Hurricanes arrived safely but one crashed on landing.
At 0530 hours Group 1 rejoined Group 2.
At 0700 hours, following the recovery of ARK ROYAL’s aircraft, returning from Operation CRUSH, Force H reversed direction and set course for Gibraltar.

4th – At 0600 hours Force H arrived back at Gibraltar.

(The decision was taken to reorganise Force H, with HOOD being replaced by RENOWN, the change was to take place in the UK)

At 1915 hours Force H, comprising HOOD (Flag VA Force H), VALIANT, ARGUS, light cruiser ARETHUSA escorted by destroyers ESCAPADE, FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER and FOXHOUND sailed from Gibraltar for the UK.
ARK ROYAL, light cruiser ENTERPRISE and destroyers GREYHOUND, GALLANT, ENCOUNTER and HOTSPUR also sailed with Force H.

(En route Force H was instructed to search for neutral mercantiles thought to be breaking the blockade. To increase the effectiveness of the search Force H was initially accompanied by ARK ROYAL and her escort)

5th – The destroyer FEARLESS joined Force H.

6th - At 1050 hours ARK ROYAL, ENTERPRISE, GREYHOUND, GALLANT, ENCOUNTER and HOTSPUR detached and returned to Gibraltar.
HOOD carried out a 15 inch practice shoot.

7th - HOOD carried out a 15 inch full charge practice shoot. The result of these practice shoots revealed that the rifling of one of the guns was defective.

9th - At 0700 hours west of Ireland Force H was joined by HM Destroyers PUNJABI, TARTAR and BEDOUIN.
Following which VALIANT, ARGUS, FAULKNOR, FEARLESS, FORESIGHT and FORESTER detached for Liverpool.

10th – At 1530 hours VALIANT, ARGUS and destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT and FORESTER arrived Liverpool.
(VALIANT was nominated to serve with the Mediterranean Fleet .Whilst at Liverpool VALIANT loaded armaments for Malta which she would discharge at Malta en route to Alexandra)

22nd – At 1500 hours VALIANT, light cruiser AJAX and destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER and FURY sailed from Liverpool and steered for the North Channel.

23rd – 0330 hours in the North Channel VALIANT, AJAX and destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER and FURY were joined by the anti-aircraft cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY and destroyer FORTUNE who had departed the Clyde at 2030/22/8/40.
At 2000 hours in approximate position 55N, 15W, VALIANT, AJAX, CALCUTTA, COVENTRY and destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FORTUNE and FURY RVed with aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS (Flag Rear Admiral Lumley Lyster, RA Carriers, Mediterranean), heavy cruiser YORK, light cruiser SHEFFIELD and destroyers FIREDRAKE, ASHANTI, TARTAR and BEDOUIN; who had sailed from Scapa at 1045/22/8/40.

24th – The destroyers ASHANTI, TARTAR and BEDOUIN detached and joined the AMC SALOPIAN who was en route to Liverpool.

28th – At 2000 hours in approximate position 35-45N, 14-15W, VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK AJAX, SHEFFIELD, CALCUTTA, COVENTRY and destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FORTUNE and FURY, RVed with Force H comprising battlecruiser RENOWN (Flag CinC Force H), aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, light cruiser ENTERPRISE, and destroyers GALLANT, HOTSPUR, GRIFFIN, VELOX, ENCOUNTER, GREYHOUND and VIDETTE.
The combined force then set course for Gibraltar.

29th – At 1830 hours to the west of the Straits of Gibraltar Force H was joined by the destroyers WRESTLER and WISHART from Gibraltar.
At 2030 hours Force H arrived at Gibraltar.

30th – At 0845 hours Force H comprising RENOWN, ARK ROYAL, SHEFFIELD and destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FURY, FORTUNE, ENCOUNTER, VELOX and WISHART. Force F comprising VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, COVENTRY, CALCUTTA and destroyers GALLANT, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and HOTSPUR. Force A comprising destroyers JANUS, HERO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN sailed from Gibraltar on Operation HATS.

(The objectives of Operation HATS for Force H were;

1. To cover the passage of Force F to the Sicilian Channel. The ships of Force F were reinforcements for the Mediterranean Fleet that en route were to call into Malta to offload military supplies. Force A had been detached from the Mediterranean Fleet to provide additional escorts for Force F.

2. To carry out air strikes on Cagliari, Sardinia)

31st – The fleet steered towards the south of the Balearic Islands. During the day Skuas from the ARK ROYAL shot down two shadowing Italian seaplanes a Cant Z 506B and a Cant Z 501.
At 2150 hours south east of the Balearic Islands, Force W, VELOX and WISHART were detached to carry out Operation SQUAWK and steered for the north of the Island of Minorca.
At 22.00 Forces F and H turned to the south east and headed for southern Sardinia.

(Operation SQUAWK required the two destroyers to proceed to the north of the Balearic Islands and then to make extensive wireless signals as if they were the entire fleet, in the hope that any Italian radio monitoring service would report that Force H was heading for Genoa. This attempt at deception may well have succeeded, for on the morning of 1 September Somerville reported that his fleet was not being shadowed)

1st – At 0330 hours ARK ROYAL launched a strike force of 9 Swordfish, each armed with 4 x 250lb HE bombs and 8 x 25lb incendiaries, to attack the airfield at Elmas, Cagliari. (Operation SMASH) Following the launch the fleet continued towards the Sicilian Channel.
At 0600 hours the Swordfish attacked the airfield and seaplanes in the adjacent harbour.
At 0800 hours all the Swordfish were recovered.
At 2200 hours in position 38-06N, 10-51E, approximately half way between the south-eastern tip of Sardinia and the western tip of Sicily, Force H detached and turned to the north.
At 2200 hours Force F comprising VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, COVENTRY, CALCUTTA and destroyers GALLANT, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN and HOTSPUR. Together with Force A comprising destroyers JANUS, HERO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN preceded on a south easterly course for Malta and a RV with the Mediterranean Fleet.

2nd – At 0500 hours in approximate position 36-30N, 12-45E, COVENTRY and CALCUTTA with destroyers NUBIAN, MOHAWK, JANUS and JUNO were detached to Malta.
At 0700 hours Force F was joined by the light cruiser ORION and destroyer WRYNECK.
At 0900 hours in approximate position 35-40N, 13-33E Force F RVed with the Mediterranean Fleet from Alexandra. Force F and the Mediterranean Fleet then proceeded on an easterly course.
At 0930 hours destroyers VAMPIRE and VENDETTA joined and destroyers HEREWARD and ILEX were detached to Malta to refuel.
At 1010 hours in approximate position 35-30N, 14E, VALIANT with destroyers HYPERION, DECOY, HASTY, and WRYNECK were detached to Malta.
Off Valletta VALIANT and her destroyers were subjected to an air attack which delayed their entrance into harbour.
At 1430 hours VALIANT with destroyers HYPERION, DECOY, HASTY, and WRYNECK arrived at Valletta.
(On arrival at Valletta VALIANT, COVENTRY and CALCUTTA off-loaded military supplies which included eight 3.7in anti-aircraft guns, predictors and height finders to support the AA guns, replacement gun barrels for the anti-aircraft guns, 10,000 rounds of 40mm Bofors ammunition, 100 Bren guns and ammunition etc. The off-loading was interrupted by an air raid carried out by Ju 87’s of the Italian Airforce)
At 1900 hours VALIANT with destroyers with STUART, HYPERION, IMPERIAL and JANUS sailed from Valletta to RV with the WARSPITE and her escort.
At 2330 hours VALIANT, HYPERION, IMPERIAL and JANUS joined WARSPITE and her escort. As VALIANT joined the light cruisers ORION and SYDNEY with destroyers ILEX and DECOY were detached for a dawn bombardment of the airfield on the Island of Scarpanto.
The combined force was designated Force I and comprised; battleship WARSPITE (Flag CinC Mediterranean Fleet Admiral Cunningham), VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, CALCUTTA, STUART, VOYAGER, DECOY, DEFENDER, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL, HYPERION, ILEX, HASTY, and WRYNECK. Force I then set course east to pass north of Crete, to carry out Admiral Cunningham’s plan to attack the Italian airfields on Rhodes.

(The Italians had been in procession of the Island of Rhodes since 1912, during which time they built naval and air bases. From June 1940 aircraft flying from the Rhodes airfields had caused the Mediterranean Fleet and the Aegean convoys some problems. Admiral Cunningham had informed the First Sea Lord of his intention to carry out an air attack on the Rhodes airfields with aircraft from his two carriers)

3rd - At 0700 hours the destroyer DEFENDER, which had been delayed at Malta with a damaged Asdic dome, rejoined the fleet.

4th – The carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and EAGLE were ordered to fly off every available Swordfish armed for dive bombing to attack the airfields of Maritza and Callato. In addition ILLUSTRIOUS was to provide 12 Fulmars for fighter cover over the two targets.
At 0345 hours in position 35-38N, 26-07E ILLUSTRIOUS launched a strike force of 12 Swordfish, unfortunately due to an accident with the ninth aircraft, only 8 Swordfish were actually flown off.
At 0315 EAGLE, who was part of Force D, and was to the south east of Crete launched a strike force of 12 Swordfish.
(The raid destroyed or damaged 13 Italian aircraft for the lost of 4 of EAGLE’s Swordfish).
At 0830 hours, ILLUSTRIOUS having recovered her aircraft, Force I set course for Alexandria.

5th - At 0700 hours WARSPITE, VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, HYPERION, HERO, HASTY, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL, JANUS, and DEFENDER arrived at Alexandria.
(On arrival at Alexandria VALIANT off-loaded 250 tons of military stores including 28 x 2 pounder anti-tank guns)

15th – VALIANT and ILLUSTRIOUS (Flag RA Carriers, Mediterranean), light cruiser ORION, and destroyers HYPERION, HERO, HASTY, MOHAWK, NUBIAN, DAINTY, and DECOY departed Alexandria and steered for the west of Crete, to carry out Operation MBD 1.
(Since the beginning of July 1940 Mussolini had been urging Marshal Graziani, the commander of the Italian Army in Cyrenaica, to attack the British position in Egypt. On 13/9/40 the Italian Tenth Army commenced their attack on Egypt and advanced as far as Sidi Barrani. Operation MBD 1 was designed to support British land forces in Egypt; by an air attack on the enemies supply base, Benghazi harbour and a bombardment of his forward base at Bardia)

16th – Off the west coast of Crete VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, ORION, and destroyers HYPERION, HERO, HASTY, MOHAWK, NUBIAN, DAINTY, and DECOY RVed with heavy cruiser KENT, light cruisers LIVERPOOL and GLOUCESTER, and destroyers JERVIS and HEREWARD who had departed Alexandria on the 13/9/40 to carry out an offensive sweep into the Aegean. For Operation MBD 1 the Fleet was divided into three Forces:

Force A was light cruiser ORION, aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, and destroyers NUBIAN, MOHAWK, HERO, and HASTY.

Force B was battleship VALIANT and destroyers HYPERION, DECOY, and HMAS WATERHEN.

Force C was heavy cruiser KENT, light cruisers LIVERPOOL and GLOUCESTER, and destroyers JERVIS and HEREWARD.

The Forces then proceeded to a position approximately 100 miles north of Benghazi.

17th – At 0001 hours, from a position approximately 100 miles north of Benghazi, ILLUSTRIOUS launched a strike force of Swordfish to attack Benghazi harbour; Nine aircraft from the 815 Squadron attacked shipping in the harbour and six aircraft from the 819 Squadron laid mines off the harbour.
(The attack resulted in the destroyer BOREA being torpedoed and sunk, the destroyer AQUILONE was mined and sank. The merchant ships SS GLORIA STELLA 5490grt and the SS MARIA EUGENA 4702grt were torpedoed and sunk)
At 0245 hours, after ILLUSTRIOUS recovered her strike aircraft, the Force set course for Alexandra.
At 1400 hours KENT and destroyers and destroyers MOHAWK and NUBIAN detached to carry out a bombardment of Bardia. However this was not carried out after KENT was torpedoed.

18th - VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, LIVERPOOL, GLOUCESTER and destroyers HASTY, HERO, HYPERION, DECOY and HEREWARD arrived back at Alexandria.

28th – Battleship WARSPITE (Flag CinC Mediterranean Fleet), VALIANT, ILLUSTRIOUS, heavy cruisers YORK, light cruisers ORION and HMAS SYDNEY to carry out Operation MB 5.
(Operation MB 5 was an operation covering the transport of 1200 troops to Malta in the light cruisers GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL).
Off Alexandria HM Destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, HERO, ILEX, IMPERIAL, JERVIS, JUNO, JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, and HMAS STUART joined the Fleet.

29th - Early in the morning the Fleet was joined by GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL with 1200 troops embarked for Malta.
STUART suffered a broken steam main and was ordered to return to Alexandria alone.
The Fleet was under air attack for most of the day.

30th - At 1126 hours a Fulmar from ILLUSTRIOUS reported sighting an Italian force of 7 cruisers and 7 destroyers in position 34-04N, 18-25E. On receipt of this report Cunningham altered course towards the Italian force.
At 1245 hours another aircraft reported sighting 4 battleships and 10 destroyers in position 37-45N, 18-15E, this was 116 miles from the Mediterranean Fleet. On receipt of this report Cunningham altered course away from the Italian Fleet. (The actual Italian Fleet at sea was 5 battleships, 11 cruisers and 20 destroyers)
At 1450 hours GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL were detached to Malta. YORK and MOHAWK also detached and were stationed twenty miles 350 degrees and forty miles 340 degrees from the Main Fleet.

1st –At 1245 hours destroyer VOYAGER rejoined the Fleet from Malta.
At 1545 hours the anti-cruiser CALCUTTA joined the Fleet after detaching from convoy AN 4.
At 1745 hours GLOUCESTER and LIVERPOOL rejoined the Fleet from Malta.

2nd – At 1900 hours the Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

8th – Battleships WARSPITE (Flag CinC Mediterranean Fleet), VALIANT, MALAYA and RAMILLIES, aircraft carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and EAGLE, heavy cruiser YORK, light cruisers AJAX, GLOUCESTER, ORION, YORK and HMAS SYDNEY screened by destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO, HYPERION, ILEX, IMPERIAL, JANUS, JERVIS, JUNO and NUBIAN sailed from Alexandria to provide Distant Cover for the passage of Malta convoy MF 3 from Egypt, convoy ME 4 from Malta, convoy AS 4 from Greece, and an air attack on Leros (Operation MB 6).

9th - At 0254 hours the fleet was joined at sea by cruiser LIVERPOOL and destroyer DIAMOND.

10th - At 1715 hours RAMILLIES, HASTY, HEREWARD, HERO, HYPERION, ILEX and NUBIAN detached from the Fleet to refuel at Malta. At intervals through the day and during the 11th the various units of the Fleet detached to refuel in Malta.

11th - At 1105 hours IMPERIAL was mined and badly damaged (the mines had been laid during the nights of 7 and 10/10/40 by Italian destroyers). She was towed into Malta by DECOY.
At 1600 hours convoy MF 3 arrived at Malta in company with ORION, STUART and VENDETTA. At this time the main body of the Mediterranean Fleet was 100 miles south east of Malta, where it was sighted and reported by an Italian civil airliner.
At 2245 hours convoy ME 4, which included River Gunboat APHIS, sailed from Malta escorted by cruisers CALCUTTA and COVENTRY and destroyers WRYNECK and HMAS WATERHEN. Late in the evening following the return of all the refuelled units, the Fleet turned for Alexandria.
(To the north east of Malta positioned in anticipation that a convoy would be sailing from Malta were 4 Italian destroyers, 3 torpedo boats and 4 MAS boats)

12th - During return passage to Alexandria, at 0200 hours, 125 miles west of Malta, and about 70 miles north of the convoy, the 3 Italian torpedo boats launched torpedo attacks on the northernmost unit of the Fleet, which was AJAX, all of which missed. However AJAX, after initial confusion, opened fire on the attackers at 4000 yards sinking ARIEL and ARIONE. In return AJAX received 3 hits from AIRONE. (AJAX was equipped with type 279 radar which was a long range air search set and of little use in a surface engagement). Immediately the 4 Italian destroyers came to the aid of the torpedo boats and at 0230 hours ARTIGLIERE launched a torpedo attack which AJAX avoided. AJAX managed to damage the AVIERE and severely damage the ARTIGLIERE. In return ARTIGLIERE hit AJAX 4 times, putting her radar out of action and damaging a twin 4in mount. At the time of the second engagement the moon had set and the lack of flashless powder caused problems for AJAX’s gunners.
At 0235 hours when the Italian destroyers withdrew behind a smoke screen AJAX broke off the action since Capt. McCarthy believed that he had been in action against 4 destroyers and 2 cruisers. (This action is known by the Italians as the Battle of Cape Passero) The gunfire drew other cruisers of the Mediterranean Fleet to the scene, but they arrived too late to see action.

13th - At dawn the damaged ARTIGLIERE under tow by the destroyer CAMICIA NERE, was sighted 107 miles west of Malta by a Sunderland. The Sunderland’s sighting report resulted in an air strike by Swordfish from ILLUSTRIOUS, without result. Also YORK, AJAX and 4 destroyers were despatched from the fleet and arrived at the position at 0900 hours. CAMICIA NERE slipped the tow a made off and YORK finished off the ARTIGLIERE.
Commencing at dawn the Italian Airforce carried out several attacks on the Mediterranean Fleet. In the attacks they employed a total of 84 bombers and 38 fighters. The Italian losses were three S 79’s and one Z 501; the Fleet suffered several near misses including EAGLE.
At 1100 hours south east of Gavdos Island, convoy ME 4 was joined by convoy AS 4 that had sailed from Piraeus. In the evening the Fleet divided and ILLUSTRIOUS, GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO and NUBIAN headed into the Aegean.
The main units of the Fleet steered south of Crete to wait off the south east coast of Crete.

14th - Early in the morning Swordfish from ILLUSTRIOUS carried out an air strike on the airfield on the Island of Leros.
At 0840 hours the ILLUSTRIOUS Force rejoined the main body of the Fleet, off the south east of Crete, and the combined Fleet then set course for Alexandria. In the evening the Fleet came under air attack, and at 1845 hours 70 miles SE of Crete, LIVERPOOL sustained an aerial torpedo hit in the starboard bow, delivered by an Italian torpedo aircraft.
At 1920 hours the petrol storage compartment exploded, blowing the roof off A turret roof, the port gun fell into the sea and a fire was started. DECOY and HEREWARD stood by.
At 2230 hours ORION took her in tow, towing her backwards at 9.5 knots towards Alexandria escorted by DAINTY, DECOY, DIAMOND and VAMPIRE.

15th - At 0100 hours the Mediterranean Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

(At 0300 hours on 28/10/40 the Italian ambassador in Athens issued an ultimatum to the Greek Government to allow Italy to occupy the country. The Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas immediately rejected the Italian ultimatum with the words "Alors, c'est la guerre". Without waiting for the ultimatum to expire, at 0530 hours the Italians attacked Greece across the Albanian border.

British Intelligence, through Sigint, had been expecting the attack from mid-October. On 22/10/40 the Chiefs of Staff had instructed, General Wavell, the CinC Middle East, in the event of Italy invading Greece, he was to be ready to help Greece by transferring troops to Crete. The British move into Crete was coded Operation BN: as part of the operation the Mediterranean Fleet was to set up a refuelling base at Suda Bay)

29th – Whilst at Alexandria VALIANT had a new CO, Captain Charles Eric Morgan, DSO RN.
At 0130 hours battleships WARSPITE (Flag CinC Mediterranean Fleet), VALIANT, MALAYA and RAMILLIES, aircraft carriers EAGLE and ILLUSTRIOUS, destroyers HYPERION, HAVOCK, HERO, HASTY, HEREWARD, ILEX, DAINTY, DECOY, DEFENDER, DIAMOND, JERVIS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, JUNO and JANUS sailed from Alexandria on Operation BN. The Fleet sailed for the west of south west Greece to cover shipping movements to Crete.

30th – South of Gavdos Island the Fleet was joined by heavy cruiser YORK and light cruisers SYDNEY, ORION and GLOUCESTER.
The Fleet continued to sail north west and at 2000 hours the Fleet was 126 miles west of Cape Matapan.

31st – In the morning destroyers JUNO and DEFENDER detached from the Fleet to refuel at Suda Bay.
Later in the morning destroyers MOHAWK and NUBIAN, detached from the Fleet to carry out an examination of Navarin Bay. In the afternoon destroyers MOHAWK and NUBIAN rejoined the Fleet.
Later destroyers JUNO and HMAS VOYAGER joined the Fleet from Suda Bay. VOYAGER was a replacement for the destroyer DEFENDER, which had fouled the nets at Suda Bay.
At 1630 hours 75 miles west south west of Cape Matapan, WARSPITE, ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK, GLOUCESTER and destroyers JERVIS, HERO, HEREWARD, HASTY and ILEX left the patrol area to return to Alexandria.
At 2030 hours VALIANT, MALAYA, RAMILLIES, EAGLE, ORION and HMAS SYDNEY and destroyers HYPERION, HAVOCK, DAINTY, DECOY, DIAMOND, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, JUNO, JANUS and HMAS VOYAGER departed from the patrol area to return to Alexandria.

2nd – At 2100 hours destroyers HYPERION, HAVOCK, DAINTY, DECOY, DIAMOND, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, JUNO, JANUS and HMAS VOYAGER detached to carry out an anti-submarine sweep off Alexandria.
At 2330 hours VALIANT, MALAYA, RAMILLIES, EAGLE, ORION and HMAS SYDNEY arrived back at Alexandria.

6th – Battleships WARSPITE, VALIANT, RAMILLIES and MALAYA, aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, heavy cruisers YORK and light cruiser GLOUCESTER and destroyers DECOY, DEFENDER, HASTY, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HERO, HYPERION, ILEX, JANUS, JERVIS, JUNO and MOHAWK sailed from Alexandria on Operation MB 8 and Operation COAT.
Later the Fleet was joined by the light cruisers AJAX and HMAS SYDNEY from Suda Bay.
(Operation MB 8 was to provide cover for the passage of Convoy MW 3 [sailed from Alexandria on 5/11/40] to Malta and Convoy AN 6 [sailed from Port Said on 4/11/40] to the Aegean. Operation COAT was the passage of reinforcements, Force F, for the Mediterranean Fleet).

7th – The Fleet covered the passage of convoy AN 6 and MW 3. The two convoys proceeded together from off Alexandria towards west Crete. (Operation MB 8).

9th - In the evening RAMILLIES, HAVOCK, HYPERION and ILEX detached for Malta to refuel.

10th - The Mediterranean Fleet cruised to the south east of Malta.
At 1015 hours Force F, comprising battleship BARHAM, heavy cruiser BERWICK and GLASGOW and destroyers GALLANT, GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN and preceded by the destroyers FAULKNOR, FORTUNE and FURY acting as minesweepers, RVed with the Mediterranean Fleet.
Force F (The reinforcements for the Mediterranean Fleet, Operation COAT) entered Valletta harbour to disembark 2150 troops and supplies and the 3 F’s to refuel.
At 1330 hours convoy ME 3, which included the monitor TERROR, sailed from Malta, escorted by RAMILLIES, COVENTRY, DECOY, DEFENDER and HMAS VENDETTA.
After disembarking their troops and supplies BARHAM, BERWICK, GLASGOW, GALLANT, GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN sailed from Malta and joined the Mediterranean Fleet sailing east.

11th – The Fleet covered passage of convoy ME 3 from Malta to Alexandria.
At 0600 hours the monitor TERROR and destroyer VENDETTA detached for Suda Bay.
At 1310 hours AJAX, ORION, HMAS SYDNEY, MOHAWK and NUBIAN detached from the Fleet to carry out a raid on Italian military convoys in the southern Adriatic.
At 1800 hours ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK, BERWICK, GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER, HASTY, HAVOCK, HYPERION and ILEX detached from the Fleet to carry out Operation JUDGMENT.
(Note: The successful air attack on Taranto (Operation JUDGMENT) by aircraft from ILLUSTRIOUS during the night of 11/12th November was also covered as part of Operation COAT).

12th - At dawn ILLUSTRIOUS, YORK, BERWICK, GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER, HASTY, HAVOCK, HYPERION and ILEX rejoined the Fleet.

13th – The Mediterranean Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

16th – Early in the morning battleships VALIANT, BARHAM, aircraft carrier EAGLE and destroyers HYPERION, VENDETTA, DAINTY, DIAMOND, JERVIS, GREYHOUND, GALLANT and GRIFFIN sailed from Alexandria and set course for the west of Crete. Their mission was to provide cover for various convoys from Egypt to Greece.

17th – At 1200 hours the covering force put into Suda Bay for the destroyers to refuel.
In the evening BARHAM developed engine problems so the whole force set course for Alexandria.

19th - VALIANT, BARHAM, EAGLE and destroyers HYPERION, VENDETTA, DAINTY, DIAMOND, JERVIS, GREYHOUND, GALLANT and GRIFFIN arrived back at Alexandria.

25th - At 0325 hours battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT, aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and destroyers DECOY (for repairs at Malta), JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, GRIFFIN, WRYNECK and HMAS WATERHEN sailed from Alexandria and set course for Suda Bay. They were designated the Mediterranean Fleet for Operation MB 9 and Force A for Operation COLLAR.
At 1200 hours the troopship ULSTER PRINCE joined the Fleet at sea.
At 1600 hours HM Cruisers YORK, GLASGOW and GLOUCESTER of 3rd CS joined the Fleet at sea.
At 2330 hours off south east Crete ILLUSTRIOUS, GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER JANUS, JUNO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN detached from the Fleet and proceeded ahead to a flying off position 60 miles north east of Suda Bay to carry out Operation MB 9.
(Operation MB 9 was an air strike on the Italian seaplane base at Port Laki on the Island of Leros)

26th - The Fleet followed astern of the ILLUSTRIOUS force to provide distant cover.
At 0300 hours ILLUSTRIOUS flew off 15 Swordfish on Operation MB 9.
At 0600 hours ILLUSTRIOUS recovered 14 Swordfish.
All Fleet units then proceeded to Suda Bay to refuel arriving between 0700 hours and 0830 hours.
At 0800 hours HM Destroyers HERO and HEREWARD arrived at Suda Bay to join the Fleet.
At 1030 hours Force A sailed from Suda Bay to carry out Operation COLLAR.
(Operation COLLAR was the passage of 1400 troops embarked on MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON, designated Force F, from Gibraltar to Alexandria. To pass three freighters from Gibraltar, two for Malta and one for Suda Bay. To sail reinforcements for the Mediterranean Fleet from Gibraltar to Alexandria).
The 3rd CS comprising YORK, GLASGOW and GLOUCESTER detached to patrol to the north of Force A.

27th - Force A proceeded towards Malta.

28th - Force A patrolled north of the MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON Force F, sailing for Alexandria.

30th - At 1800 hours arrived back at Alexandria.

3rd - Battleships VALIANT and BARHAM departed Alexandria for gunnery practices. As the battleships were setting out VALIANT was in collision with one of he escorts, the destroyer HAVOCK. The HAVOCK sustained damage forward. HAVOCK went to Malta for repairs.

(On 9/12/40 the 30,000 strong Western Desert Force commanded by Lt Gen Richard O'Conner launched Operation COMPASS; with the objectives of expelling the Italian forces from Egypt and advancing as far as Tobruk. The Italians had heavily fortified Bardia and Tobruk, with Bardia having an almost continuous antitank ditch around the perimeter and a double line of underground posts linked with barbed wire, each of which was protected by its own antitank ditch, antitank guns and machineguns. The Navy assisted in the offensive by bombarding the Italian positions)

10th – In the evening Force C comprising battleships VALIANT and BARHAM, anti-aircraft ship COVENTRY and destroyers GALLANT, HMAS VAMPIRE, HMAS VENDETTA, HMAS VOYAGER, WRYNECK, DAINTY and JUNO departed Alexandria to bombard the HQ of the Italian XXIII Corps and the 2nd Blackshirt Division at Sollum.

(Cunningham was unaware that Fliegerkorps X [61 dive-bombers, 77 long-range bombers, 12 long-range reconnaissance aircraft, and 22 twin-engined fighters] had recently moved into bases in Sicily from Norway. Their role was to cover the movement of the first elements of the Afrika Korps to North Africa, by establishing the aerial command over the central Mediterranean which the Italians had failed to do. Their first operation was a small raid on Malta on 9 January 1941. They followed this up with the attack on the EXCESS convoy)

At 1320 hours VALIANT’s radar picked up another wave of aircraft approaching from the north. There was now no air borne air defence so the CinC ordered the Fleet to close ILLUSTRIOUS to provide AA cover. Seven SM 79’s came in at 14000 feet but failed to score any hits.
Force A manoeuvred to maintain support for ILLUSTRIOUS whilst efforts were made to bring her under control.
At 1530 hours ILLUSTRIOUS was got under control and course was set for Malta at 17 knots. HASTY and JAGUAR were detached to screen ILLUSTRIOUS.
Between 1600 and 1700 hours further air attacks by 15 Ju 87’s were made on ILLUSTRIOUS and Force A.
At 1700 hours JANUS joined Force A from Malta.
At 2145 hours ILLUSTRIOUS arrived at Malta and Force A proceeded to the eastward.
At 2200 hours Force A now comprising WARSPITE, VALIANT, DAINTY, GREYHOUND, JANUS and NUBIAN was in position 35-40N, 14-10E steering 090¼.
At 2400 hours in position 35-20N, 15-26E, JARVIS joined Force A from Malta.

11th - Force A remained close to the course of the EXCESS convoy.
At 1200 hours Force A was in position 36-06N, 19-27E.
At 1630 hours Force A altered course to close SOUTHAMPTON who was reported stopped in position 34-54N, 18-24E following an attack by 12 Ju 87’s.
At 1645 hours ORION, PERTH, JERVIS and JANUS were detached from Force A to stand by SOUTHAMPTON. JUNO and NUBIAN detached from Force A to join the escort of EXCESS convoy and HERO detached from the convoy to join Force A.

12th - At 0800 hours in position 34-40N, 23-10E all forces RVed. Following which the forces split and Force A comprising WARSPITE, VALIANT, GLOUCESTER, JERVIS, JANUS, GREYHOUND, DIAMOND, VOYAGER, HERO and DEFENDER proceeded to Alexandria.

13th - At 0600 hours Force A arrived back at Alexandria.

20th – From this day VALIANT and other units of the Mediterranean Fleet were on short notice to proceed to sea on Operation MBD 2, also known as Operation INSPECTION.
(Operation MBD 2 was the extraction of damaged aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS from Malta and cover for her onward passage to Alexandria. ILLUSTRIOUS finally sailed from Malta at 1800/23/1/41)

22nd – At 2300 hours battleships VALIANT and BARHAM, light cruiser HMAS PERTH and destroyers HEREWARD, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, HASTY, DIAMOND and GRIFFIN sailed from Alexandria as Force C for Operation MBD 2. Force C set course to RV with ILLUSTRIOUS approximately 120 miles west of Crete.

24th – At 1200 hours, approximately 50 miles south west of Crete, the RV was earlier than anticipated because ILLUSTRIOUS had been able to make 25 knots, Force C RVed with ILLUSTRIOUS escorted by destroyers JERVIS, JUNO, JANUS and GREYHOUND.
Later in the day Force B, comprising, heavy cruiser YORK and light cruisers ORION, AJAX and BONAVENTURE and destroyers ILEX and HERO joined.

25th – At 1300 hours Force B and C and the ILLUSTRIOUS group arrived at Alexandria.

19th – At 1630 hours, Force A was composed of battleships BARHAM and VALIANT and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, JAGUAR, ILEX, HEREWARD, HERO, HASTY, DAINTY and DECOY sailed from Alexandria and steered north west to cover Operation MC 8.
The aircraft carrier EAGLE joined Force A at sea.
(Operation MC 8 was an operation to transport 1441 troops and stores, including seventeen Bren carriers and other vehicles, sixty motor cycles, a large quantity of Italian and other guns and ammunition to Malta in Force B, comprising the light cruisers ORION, GLOUCESTER and AJAX and destroyers NUBIAN, MOHAWK and DIAMOND. Force B departed Alexandria at 1730/19/2/41 and arrived at Malta at 0630/21st. After unloading the force departed at 1900 hours. The DIAMOND remained at Malta for refitting. The operation also included the passage of the supply ship HMS BRECONSHIRE, the SS CLAN MACAULEY and destroyers HOTSPUR and HAVOCK. These ships departed Malta at dusk on the 20/2/41. Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY joined this force en route to Alexandria)

23rd – At 1830 hours Force A arrived back at Alexandria.

6th – At 0700 hours battleships BARHAM and VALIANT and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, JAGUAR, HOTSPUR, HMAS VOYAGER, and HMAS WATERHEN departed Alexandria to carry out gunnery exercises. The force, designated Force A, then set course for the west of Crete to operate from Suda Bay in support of the LUSTRE operations.
(In April 1939 the British and French Governments issued a guarantee to Romania and Greece guaranteeing support for their independence. On 22/2/41 at a meeting between British and Greek representatives it was agreed that a British Commonwealth expeditionary force would be sent to Greece. The movement of troops to Greece was given the code name Operation LUSTRE)

7th – At 1600 hours Force A arrived at Suda Bay.

8th – Force A comprising battleships BARHAM and VALIANT and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, JAGUAR, HOTSPUR, VOYAGER, and WATERHEN departed Suda Bay to cover movements of convoys through Kithira Straits.

10th – Force A arrived back at Suda Bay.

12th - Force A comprising battleships BARHAM and VALIANT and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, JAGUAR, HOTSPUR, VOYAGER, and WATERHEN departed Suda Bay to cover movements of convoy AG 5. (Convoy AG 5 comprised six merchant ships and sailed from Alexandria on 12/3/41 and arrived at Piraeus on 15/3/41)

18th – At 0530 hours battleships BARHAM and VALIANT and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, GREYHOUND, and HAVOCK arrived at Alexandria.

20th - Battleships WARSPITE (Flag CinC Med Fleet), BARHAM, and VALIANT, aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO, JAGUAR, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, ILEX, HERO, and HAVOCK departed Alexandria as Force A and steered west on Operation MC 9.
(Operation MC 9 was the passage of Alexandria to Malta convoy MW 6 which was escorted by a force designated Force C)

21st -At 1600 hours Force A was joined at sea by Force B that comprised cruisers YORK, ORION, AJAX, GLOUCESTER and HMAS PERTH and destroyers HEREWARD, HASTY, HEREWARD and HMAS STUART.
YORK, ORION, AJAX, GLOUCESTER and HMAS PERTH then detached to provide close cover for convoy MW 6.

22nd - At 0740 hours YORK, ORION, AJAX, GLOUCESTER and HMAS PERTH rejoined force A.
At 2000 hours the Fleet parted company with convoy MW 6 in order to stay out of range of German bombers and reversed course. MOHAWK and NUBIAN detached from Force A and proceed to a position north of convoy MW 6.

23rd - Force B detached from Force A to cover the withdrawal of Force C from Malta.
Force A then set course for Alexandria.

24th - At 2230 hours Force A arrived back at Alexandria.

(Hitler decided that German forces were needed to rescue Italian forces in Albania and had ordered an invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia to begin in April. To facilitate their forthcoming operation, the Germans put pressure on the Italians to interrupt British shipping between Egypt and Greece. On 17/3/41 two Luftwaffe He 111’s reported that they had each torpedoed a British battleship. Following this report and with the knowledge that ILLUSTRIOUS was ‘out of the game’, Supermarina planned Operation GAUDO the attack on British shipping. Supermarina only agreed to the operation on the basis of the reduced capability of the Royal Navy and the promise of air support from both the Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe. Operation GAUDO commenced at 0830/26/3/41 when the battleship VITTORIO VENETO sailed from Naples)

27th - At 1220 hours a RAF Sunderland of 230 Sqd. flying from Skaramangas, Greece sighted three Italian Cruisers and a destroyer, in position 36-54N, 17-10E, steering 120¼, headed towards Crete.  This was the Italian 3rd Cruiser Division under Vice Admiral Sansonetti and consisted of the three heavy cruisers TRIESTE, TRENTO and BOLZANO. Poor visibility meant the Sunderland could not shadow.
On the basis of this report, (together with ULTRA decrypts, at this time Bletchley Park were reading Luftwaffe and Italian signals, which disclosed that the Germans were pressing the Italians to attack the British convoys that were transporting troops and supplies to Greece), Cunningham decided to take the battle fleet to sea to protect the convoy route to Greece. The one convoy at sea at the time was the troop convoy AG 9 that was ordered to return to Alexandria.
At 1900 hours the battleships WARSPITE (Flag), BARHAM and VALIANT, aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE and destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and HMAS STUART sailed from Alexandria as Force A. On departing Alexandria course was set 300¼ at 20 knots.

28th -At 0739 hours an aircraft from FORMIDABLE reported 4 cruisers and 6 destroyers 30 miles south of Gavdos Island. This was at first thought to be Force B.
At 0800 hours ORION sighted two 8in and two 6in Italian cruisers screened by three destroyers, some 70 miles south of Gavdos Island.
At 0814 hours the Italians opened fire at about 26,000 yards with 8in salvos and for the next 45 minutes Force B was engaged in a running fight, neither side suffering any damage.
At 0827 hours a sighting report was received from Force B confirming that the aircraft sighting report was of an Italian force, that at that time was 18 miles north of Force B. Force A set course to intercept the Italian force.
At 0900 hours VALIANT, MOHAWK and NUBIAN were detached to proceed ahead of Force A at a speed of 24 knots to make contact with Force B. (At the time WARSPITE was having condenser trouble and could only make 22 knots)
At 0905 hours a report from one of FORMIDABLE’s aircraft reported an enemy force north of the cruisers which included battleships.
At 0938 hours the strike force from FORMIDABLE was ordered to attack the enemy force sighted by Force B. At this time BARHAM who was having difficulty in maintaining 22 knots was ordered to follow astern of the screen. HMAS VENDETTA was sighted having been detached from Force B due to engine trouble. Cunningham immediately ordered VENDETTA to Alexandria.
At 1000 hours a strike force of six Albacores of 826 Sqd. Escorted by two Fulmars of 803 Sqd. took off from FORMIDABLE to attack the ships sighted by Force B.
At 1058 hours the cruiser ORION of Force B confirmed the presence of the second enemy force of 2 battleships. (There was only one battleship) The VITTORIO VENETO opened fire on Force B, firing ninety four 15in shells in 29 salvos over 23 minutes. However because the spread of shots was too wide, only splinter damage was caused to PERTH and ORION.
At 1100 hours Cunningham intercepted 3 signals from Force B.
('Make smoke by all means available' - 'Turn together to 180¼' - 'Proceed at your utmost speed'. From these signals Cunningham concluded that Force B had run into the Italian battle fleet. Cunningham then ordered FORMIDABLE to change the air strike target to the Italian battle fleet. This attack was carried out by 6 Albacores of 826 Sqd. The air strike failed to achieve any hits but at 1127 hours the air strike caused the Italian battleship VITTORIO VENETO to turn away and thus saved Force B)

At 1200 hours FORMIDABLE was detached with 2 destroyers to act independently.
At 1235 hours FORMIDABLE launched a strike force of 3 Albacores of 829 Sqd and 2 Fulmars of 803 Sqd.
At 1245 hours Force B comprising cruisers GLOUCESTER, ORION, AJAX and HMAS PERTH and destroyers HASTY, HEREWARD and ILEX joined Force A.
At 1250 hours following loss of contact with the enemy Cunningham concluded that the Italian battle fleet had reversed course.
At 1325 hours WARSPITE reduced speed to 21 knots to enable FORMIDABLE and BARHAM to catch up.
At 1350 hours FORMIDABLE launched a strike force of 3 Albacores and 2 Swordfish armed with torpedoes and escorted by 2 Fulmars.
At 1515 hours the Italian force steering 270¼ was sighted by an aircraft from FORMIDABLE. The report put the enemy in a position 290¼, 65 miles from WARSPITE.
At 1525 hours the strike force of 3 Albacores and 2 Swordfish commenced their torpedo run against the Italian battleship VITTORIO VENETO and the Fulmars strafed the battleship. The strike force reported 3 hits on the battleship and speed reduced to 8 knots. (There was only one hit from an Albacore in her stern near the port prop shaft reducing her speed to 15 knots. The aircraft which achieved the hit was shot down and the crew lost).
On receipt of the strike force report WARSPITE altered course to 300¼.
At 1644 hours Force B cruisers with MOHAWK and NUBIAN attached was ordered to press on and gain contact with the VITTORIO VENETO force. (MOHAWK and NUBIAN were positioned between Force A and Force B to provide visual signaling between the two forces)
At 1745 hours WARSPITE catapulted off one of her Swordfish. Reports from this aircraft between 1831and 1915 hours established the position of the enemy forces.

At 1835 hours Cunningham ordered a further air strike against the Italian force. This strike force comprised 6 Albacores and 2 Swordfish of 826 and 829 Sqds flying from FORMIDABLE and 2 Swordfish of 815 Sqd from Maleme, Crete.
By 1915 hours it was clear to Cunningham that VITTORIO VENETO was 45 miles from WARSPITE and steering 290¼ at 15 knots.
At 1925 hours Force B reported enemy ships 9 miles to his north engaging aircraft.
At 1935 hours the air striking force reported 'probable hits'. In fact at 1958 hours one of the Swordfish of 815 Sqd flown by Lieut. Michael Torrens-Spence had torpedoed the heavy cruiser POLA which now lay stopped. But at this time this was not known to Cunningham.
At 1940 hours Force B sighted the enemy force.
By 2040 hours Cunningham had decided on a night action. The destroyers of the 2ndDF and 14thDF, comprising JERVIS, JANUS, NUBIAN, MOHAWK, HASTY, HEREWARD, ILEX and HOTSPUR were ordered to carry out a torpedo attack. GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, STUART and HAVOCK remained with the battle fleet.
 

At 2111 hours Force B reported a radar contact on an unknown ship stopped 5 miles to port (This was the damaged POLA). On receipt of this report WARSPITE and the battle fleet altered course to 280¼ to pass nearer the position. (Force B continued on course and took no further part in the action).
At 2210 hours VALIANT, using her Type 279 radar, reported radar contact 6 miles off her port bow, estimated to be 600 feet long (This was the POLA).
Cunningham decided to investigate this contact and the battle fleet altered course together at 2213 hours on to bearing 240¼ into line ahead.
At 2225 hours 2 heavy cruisers (ZARA and FIUME) and 4 destroyers (ALFIERI, CARDUCCI, GIOBERTI and ORIANI) were sighted from WARSPITE on her starboard bow. The battle fleet which comprised WARSPITE, VALIANT, FORMIDABLE, BARHAM in line ahead, with GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN on their port side and STUART and HAVOCK on their starboard side, turned on to 280¼.
At 2228 hours with ZARA and FIUME now on the port side of the battle fleet, FORMIDABLE hauled out of line to starboard and GREYHOUND illuminated FIUME with her searchlight and the battle fleet opened fire with 15in broadsides on FIUME and ZARA, at the same time the battleships switched on their searchlights.
(Prince Philip was mentioned in dispatches for his command of a section of the ship’s searchlight control).
(Part of VALIANT's Report on the action reads:- "Shortly before this action, telephonic communication between the 15in transmitting station and the radar office, and also, range transmission from the gunnery attachment RBL.10 to a range receiver in the 15in transmitting station had been fitted by ship's staff. .After sighting the ZARA and FIUME, the guns and radar were put on the FIUME, the right hand ship, and fire was opened, the AFC (Admiralty Fire Control) Table being tuned so that True Range was set to RDF Range. The broadside was seen to hit")
VALIANT hit the FIUME with one 15in salvo of four shells and seven 4.5in salvos totalling approximately 70 shells.
VALIANT then switched to the cruiser ZARA and fired five 15in salvos, a total of 35 shells and five 4.5insalvos totalling approximately 50 shells.
At 2235 hours fire was checked, leaving FIUME, ZARA, ALFIERI and CARDUCCI seriously damaged, and course was set on to bearing 010¼, with FORMIDABLE on the starboard side.
At 2238 hours the screening destroyers GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, STUART and HAVOCK were released and ordered to finish off the 2 cruisers.
At 2330 hours the battle fleet altered course to 070¼ speed 18knots.

29th - At 0006 hours Cunningham ordered the Fleet to RV at 0700 hours in position 35-54N, 21-38E.
At 0036 hours STUART reported 3 cruisers and 2 destroyers stopped and on fire/damaged.
By 0330 hours the 3 damaged cruisers and 2 destroyers had been sunk by destroyers. The Italians lost 2303 dead and 1411 made prisoner.
(So ended what was the Battle of Matapan).
By 0700 hours all units of the fleet had joined Cunningham in WARSPITE. Including light cruiser BONAVENTURE and destroyers DECOY and HMAS WATERHEN from Alexandria and destroyers JUNO, JAGUAR and DEFENDER from Suda Bay.
At 0800 hours WARSPITE was in position 35-43N, 21-38E and course was altered to 220¼ to sweep the area of the night action.
At 0920 hours STUART, GRIFFIN and HEREWARD were detached to Piraeus.
Between 0950 and 1100 hours wreckage and survivors were seen and 905 survivors were picked up by the destroyers.
At 1100 hours course was set 120¼ for Alexandria.
At 1530 hours the fleet came under air attack for 12 Ju 88’s dive bombers no hits were achieved but FORMIDABLE was narrowly missed by several bombs and one JU 88 was shot down.
At 1930 hours AJAX, PERTH, DEFENDER and HASTY were detached to Suda Bay. BONAVENTURE to convoy GA 8. DECOY to convoy AN 23.

30th - At 0834 hours an Italian S 79 shadower was shot down by a Fulmar from FORMIDABLE.
At 1730 hours the Fleet arrived at Alexandria.

18th – At 0700 hours battleships WARSPITE (Flag), VALIANT and BARHAM, aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, light cruiser PHOEBE, anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA and destroyers JUNO, JAGUAR, KINGSTON, KIMBERLEY, GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, HEREWARD and ENCOUNTER sailed from Alexandria and set course for Suda Bay to carry out Operations MD 2 and MD 3.
(Operation MD 2 was the movement of the supply ship BRECONSHIRE from Alexandria to Malta and the Malta to Alexandria convoy ME 7. Operation MD 3 was the bombardment of Tripoli by the Fleet).
En route to Suda Bay HM Destroyer DEFENDER joined the Fleet at sea.

19th - At 1130 hours PHOEBE and CALCUTTA detached for Piraeus.
At 1200 hours the Fleet arrived at Suda Bay, where the destroyers refuelled and WARSPITE off loaded air compressors, timbers and equipment for the repair of the damaged cruiser YORK.
At 1530 hours the Fleet sailed from Suda Bay and set a westerly course.

20th - At 0730 hours south west of the Island of Kithera the Fleet was joined by supply Ship BRECONSHIRE escorted by the light cruiser HMAS PERTH and destroyer HOTSPUR.
At 0800 hours HM Cruisers ORION, AJAX, GLOUCESTER and HM Destroyers HERO and HASTY joined the Fleet at sea.
At 1200 hours PHOEBE and CALCUTTA rejoined the Fleet.
At 1230 hours the Fleet RVed with convoy ME 7 from Malta. PHOEBE and CALCUTTA detached and joined destroyers DIAMOND and NUBIAN escorting the four ship convoy ME 7 which then proceeded to Alexandria.
Destroyers JARVIS and JANUS detached from convoy ME 7 and joined the Fleet.
The Fleet then re-organised into two forces for Operation MD 3:

The bombarding force of WARSPITE, VALIANT, BARHAM, GLOUCESTER, HOTSPUR, HAVOCK, HERO, HASTY, HEREWARD, JERVIS, JANUS, JUNO and JAGUAR.
The covering force of FORMIDABLE, AJAX, ORION, PERTH, ENCOUNTER, GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, KIMBERLEY and KINGSTON.

At 2120 hours the bombarding force turned on to course 235¼ and the covering force detached.

21st - At 0445 hours the bombarding force arrived at the position of the marker submarine TRUANT, who was positioned 4 miles off the entrance of Tripoli harbour.
At 0502 hours the bombarding force opened fire on Tripoli harbour at ranges between 14000 and 11000 yards. FORMIDABLE provided 3 Swordfish for spotting (who were unable to spot fall of shot due to dust). Also taking part were 6 flare dropping Swordfish of 830 Sqd from Malta and RAF Wellingtons of 148 Sqd from Malta who bombed at the same time.
At 0545 hours fire was checked, after firing 478 x 15in and 1500 shells of smaller calibres, about 530 tons of ordnance fell on the port and harbour. The bombarding force withdrew without there having been any reaction from the enemy. (The effects of the bombardment were disappointing - Axis shipping traffic to Tripoli was suspended for a day and a single freighter was sunk. But damage was caused to the offloading and storage facilities). Course was set for Alexandria.
At 0730 hours the FORMIDABLE force rejoined and speed was increased to 21 knots.
At 2000 hours JARVIS, JANUS, JUNO and JAGUAR detached for Malta.

23rd - At 1030 hours the Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

(On 25/4/41, Ultra provided explicit details of the German plan for an airborne invasion of Crete to take place on 20/5/41. First objective was to capture key airfields at Maleme, Heraklion and Retimo, by 8,000 paratroops dropped from 520 Ju 52 aircraft, followed by 14,000 airborne troops in gliders)

29th – At 1500 hours the First Battle Squadron comprising battleships BARHAM (Flag, Rear Admiral Rawlings) and VALIANT, aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE and destroyers GREYHOUND and HMAS's STUART, VENDETTA, VAMPIRE, WATERHEN and VOYAGER sailed from Alexandria to support convoy GA 15.

30th – At 0600 hours in approximate position 34N, 27-30E the First Battle Squadron RVed with Pridham-Wippell’s covering force.
Following the RV, PERTH, PHOEBE and NUBIAN joined the First Battle Squadron and the remainder of Pridham-Wippell’s covering force made for Alexandria.
The destroyer ILEX joined the First Battle Squadron from Alexandria.
The destroyers JUNO and JAGUAR joined the First Battle Squadron from Malta.
At 0700 hours the First Battle Squadron RVed with convoy GA 15. The First Battle Squadron then reversed course and remained in touch with the convoy.
At 1900 hours in approximate position 32-30N, 29E, PERTH and NUBIAN detached to join the close escort of the convoy. Following which the First Battle Squadron reversed course back towards Crete to provide support for the destroyers HAVOCK and HOTSPUR who were withdrawing from Milos Island with 700 troops and refugees embarked.

1st – BARHAM, VALIANT, FORMIDABLE, PHOEBE and destroyers GREYHOUND, ILEX, JUNO, JAGUAR and HMAS STUART, VENDETTA, VAMPIRE, WATERHEN and VOYAGER arrived back at Alexandria.

6th – Battleships WARSPITE (Flag), BARHAM and VALIANT, aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, light cruisers AJAX, ORION and HMAS PERTH, cruiser minelayer ABDIEL and destroyers of the 14thDF, JERVIS, JUNO, JAGUAR, KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY and KINGSTON and 7thDF, HMAS NIZAM and NAPIER, IMPERIAL, GRIFFIN, HOTSPUR and HAVOCK and supply Ship BRECONSHIRE sailed from Alexandria on Operations MD 4, MD 6 and MD 7, and to cover the passage of the Tiger convoy. Because of the aerial mining of the harbour entrance channel the previous night each capital ship was individually sweep out of the harbour by minesweepers. This process took many hours.
(Operation MD 4 was covering the passage of convoys MW 7B, slow, and MW 7A, fast, from Alexandria to Malta. MD 6 & 7 were bombardments of Benghazi)

7th - Early in the morning south of Crete the Fleet came under attack from 5 enemy bombers, 4 of which were shot down by Fulmars from FORMIDABLE. During the day the destroyers were refueled by the BRECONSHIRE.
At 1800 hours SW of Crete AJAX, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and IMPERIAL detached from the Fleet to carry out Operation MD 6, a bombardment of Benghazi.

8th - At 1700 hours AJAX, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and IMPERIAL rejoined the Fleet.
ABDIEL and BRECONSHIRE escorted by HOTSPUR, HAVOCK, and IMPERIAL detached for Malta.

9th - At 1100 hours east of Malta, following release from Valletta harbour, the destroyers KELLY, KELVIN and JACKAL joined the Fleet.
At 1400 hours 40 miles south of Malta the Mediterranean Fleet RVed with the 4 merchant ships of the Tiger convoy and its escort of the battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH, light cruisers GLOUCESTER, FIJI, NAIAD, DIDO and PHOEBE, antiaircraft cruisers CALCUTTA, CARLISLE and COVENTRY and destroyers KASHMIR, KIPLING, GREYHOUND, HERO, HEREWARD, ILEX, ISIS and HASTY. Course was then set for Alexandria.

10th - At 1700 hours, 160 miles NNW of Benghazi KELLY, KELVIN, KASHMIR, KIPLING and JACKAL detached to carry out Operation MD 7 a further bombardment of Benghazi, sinking two ships and causing damage to port facilities.
In the evening after the full moon had risen the Fleet came under attack from enemy bombers but due to the intensity of the AA barrage on hits were achieved.

11th - DIDO and CALCUTTA and destroyers JANUS and ISIS were detached from the Fleet to proceed to Alexandria to refuel.

12th - The Tiger convoy arrived at Alexandria.
At 1300 hours WARSPITE, BARHAM, VALIANT, QUEEN ELIZABETH, FORMIDABLE, NAIAD, PHOEBE, CARLISLE, COVENTRY, GLOUCESTER, FIJI, PERTH, JERVIS, JAGUAR, JUNO, NAPIER, NIZAM, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, ILEX, HERO, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR, HASTY, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL, KANDAHAR, KINGSTON and KIMBERLEY arrived at Alexandria.

18th - At 2000 hours Force A 1, comprising the battleships WARSPITE (Flag of CS7, Rear Admiral Rawlings) and VALIANT, light cruiser AJAX and destroyers KIMBERLEY, JANUS, ISIS, HEREWARD, DECOY, HERO, GRIFFIN and HMAS NAPIER departed Alexandria to relieve Force A off Crete.

19th - Force A 1 arrived off south west Crete and Force A and B were released to return to Alexandria to refuel.
Destroyers HOTSPUR and IMPERIAL detached from Force A and joined Force A1.

(The objective of Force A 1 to prevent the intervention of the Italian Fleet in the invasion of Crete. All other Forces were tasked with preventing German troop from reaching Crete by sea).

20th - At 0530 hours Force A 1 was 100 miles west of Crete covering the light forces working inshore.
At 0800 hours the German airborne attack on Crete began. From their position the ships of Force A 1 could see the Ju 52 transports and the DFS 230A gliders carrying the German first wave of assault forces to attack Maleme airfield.
At 2200 hours IMPERIAL and KIMBERLEY detached to join Force D.

21st - At 0530 hours Force A 1 was in approximate position 35-42N, 22-12E, 60 miles west of the Antikythira Strait steaming east to RV with Force D.
At 0800 west of the Kithera Strait Force D, comprising light cruisers DIDO, AJAX, ORION and destroyers ISIS, IMPERIAL, JANUS and KIMBERLEY joined Force A 1.
In the forenoon AJAX was damaged by a near miss.
During the day Force A 1 remained to the south west of Kithera prepared to prevent any attempt by the Italian Fleet to support the attack on Crete.
At 1800 hours Force D comprising DIDO, AJAX, ORION, HASTY, HEREWARD, JANUS and KIMBERLEY detached from Force A 1 to attack enemy troop convoys.
At 2000 hours Force B comprising GLOUCESTER, FIJI, GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN detached to patrol off Cape Matapan.
Throughout the day Force A 1 was under heavy air attack.

22nd - At 0530 hours Force A 1 was in approximate position 35-24N, 22-45E, 45 miles south west of the Kythira channel steaming north west.
At 0700 hours west of the Antikythira Channel, Force D, comprising DIDO, AJAX, ORION, HASTY, HEREWARD, JANUS and KIMBERLEY rejoined Force A 1.
At 0830 hours, south west of Kythira, Force B, comprising GLOUCESTER, FIJI, GREYHOUND and GRIFFIN joined Force A 1, after having been under continuous air attack since 0630 hours.

(During the 20th and 21st the Luftwaffe forces were fully occupied supporting the German paratroops on Crete, so no attacks were made on British ships. However the Luftwaffe was fully aware of the location of all British naval forces. On the 22nd the Luftwaffe was ready to throw all its weight against the British ships. On the morning of the 22nd Forces A1, B and C were within 120 to 150 miles of the airfields of the Luftwaffe VIII Fliegerkorps who had up to 228 level bombers, Ju 88, He 111 & Do 17, 205 Ju 87 dive bombers Ju 87 and 230 fighter bombers Me 109 & Me 110, available to attack the British ships. The Luftwaffe took full advantage of their complete air superiority and the closeness of the British ships to their bases. At 0530 hours the first Ju 87’s took off and headed south east for the British ships)

Forces A1, B and D now patrolled 20 to 30 miles west of the Kithera Channel as Rear Admiral Rawlings stated in his report 'serving a useful purpose by attracting enemy aircraft'.
By 0945 hours all the British naval forces were under sustained attack from 650 German aircraft.
At 1045 hours Force A 1 was in approximate position 36N, 23E when on the CinC’s orders Force D was detached to return to Alexandria. Also at this time an audit of remaining high angle ammunition revealed the VALIANT was best placed with 80% remaining.

At 1225 hours Admiral Rawlings received a message from CS15, Rear Admiral King, and CinC Force C, stating that the NAIAD had been badly damaged and he was in need of support. On receipt of the report Rawlings decided to go to the assistance of King and course was set westward at 23 knots into the Aegean.
At 1320 hours the destroyer GREYHOUND was detached to sink a large caique spotted between the islands of Pori and Antikythira. 
At 1325 hours Force C joined Forces A 1 and B and course was set westwards. Rear Admiral King, as senior officer, now took command of the Fleet. However Force C continued to operate remote from Rawlings.
At 1332 hours just as the combined force was entering the Kithera Channel, WARSPITE was attacked by three Me 109 fighter bombers, each armed with a 250kg semi-armour piercing bomb. She was hit by one bomb which caused extensive damage,  reducing her speed to 18 knots. After putting out the fires and some temporary repairs WARSPITE stayed with the Fleet.
At 1351 hours, in sight of the Fleet, the GREYHOUND having sunk the caique was returning to the Fleet when she was attacked by eight Ju 87’s, she was hit by three bombs in succession and sank stern first at 1406 hours in position 36N, 23-10E.
At 1355 hours the destroyers KANDAHAR and KINGSTON were detached to go to GREYHOUND’s aid, but ended up picking up survivors whilst coming under heavy air attack themselves.
At 1358 hours King called upon Rawlings to go to GREYHOUND’s aid.
At 1400 hours King countermanded the order and ordered Rawlings to provide close support for Force C.
At 1402 hours, King ordered the light cruiser FIJI to provide the destroyers with anti aircraft defence, and five minutes later King ordered GLOUCESTER to also assist the destroyers.

(In ordering the cruisers to assist the destroyers, Rear Admiral King, made a huge blunder as he was not aware of their much reduced high angle ammunition state. At 1045 hours FIJI, 30%, GLOUCESTER, 18% and by 1400 hours these percentages were further reduced)

At 1413 hours King again ordered Rawlings to provide Force C with close cover, adding that Force C had practically no high angle ammunition left. Rawlings signalled King with concerns for FIJI and GLOUCESTER and informing him of their HA ammunition state. King then signalled Captain Rowley, commander of the GLOUCESTER, instructing GLOUCESTER and FIJI to withdraw at his discretion.
At 1530 hours GLOUCESTER and FIJI were sighted by the Fleet, under continuous air attack from Ju 87’s and steaming at full speed to regain the safety of the Fleet. But with no HA ammunition left the inevitable happened and GLOUCESTER was hit and disabled. FIJI stood by but could do little to help as she too was out of HA ammunition.
At 1555 hours after King had consulted with Rawlings over whether the Fleet should assist GLOUCESTER, he ordered FIJI to sink GLOUCESTER and the Fleet withdrew to the south west. At 1900 hours the FIJI, after having survived some 20 bombing attacks in four hours, was hit by a bomb from a Me 109 that scored a hit on the port side amidships. The ship took up a heavy list, but was able to steam at reduced speed until 1930 hours, when a Ju 88 dropped three bombs which sank her.
At 1645 hours VALIANT was hit and damaged by two bombs that landed abreast X-turret and one near miss. These caused some structural damage and flooding of a bulge compartment. The attack was made by high level bombers and probably carried out by Ju 88’s.
At 1655 hours the CinC Mediterranean Fleet signalled the Fleet, 'Stick it out. Keep in V/S touch. Must not let down the Army in Crete. It is essential no seaborne enemy force lands on Crete'.
At 2230 hours CS7, Rawlings, sent a most immediate signal to the CinC Mediterranean Fleet reporting the loss of GLOUCESTER and FIJI and stating that the AA ammunition situation in all vessels was very low, the battleships had run out of pom pom ammunition.

(The 22/5/41 was a dreadful day for the Royal Navy, two cruisers and one destroyer were sunk and two battleships, two cruisers and a number of destroyers damaged. In return the navy had sunk a few caiques in which had been lost 320 German troops)

23rd - At 0408 hours the CinC Mediterranean Fleet ordered all warships to withdraw to Alexandria.
24th - In the early hours all Forces arrived back at Alexandria.
VALIANT now had to await her turn for the repair to her bomb damage.

(At 2035 hours, in reply to a request from the Chiefs of Staff in London, the CinC Mediterranean Fleet said that the scale of air attack now made it no longer possible for the Navy to operate in the Aegean or the vicinity of Crete by day, or to prevent seaborne landings, without suffering losses which, added to those already sustained, would very seriously prejudice our command of the Eastern Mediterranean.

At 2132/25/5/41 the Chiefs of Staff replied, that the Fleet and RAF must accept whatever risk was entailed in preventing any considerable reinforcement from reaching Crete. If enemy convoys were reported north of the island, the Fleet would have to operate there by day; probably the losses incurred in so doing would be considerable, and only experience would show for how many days this situation could be maintained.

At 1334/26/5/41 the CinC Mediterranean Fleet replied, surely we have already sufficient experience of what losses are likely to be. In three days, two cruisers and four destroyers were sunk, one battleship out of action for several months, and two other cruisers and four destroyers sustained considerable damage. We cannot afford another such experience and retain sea control in the Eastern Mediterranean. He added that supply by sea had not come much into the picture, as despite loss and turning back his convoys the enemy were so prolific in the air that for the moment he was able to reinforce and keep his troops supplied at will, unchecked by air action on our part, and the sight of a constant unhindered procession of Ju 52’s flying into Crete was among the factors likely to affect the morale of our forces.

As a postscript to his last signal the CinC Mediterranean Fleet, added, that at 1330/26/5/41 the FORMIDABLE had been attacked by 20 dive bombers and considerably damaged)

(28/5/41 the evacuation of Crete commenced and continued over four nights)

1st - At Alexandria awaiting repair of bomb damage.

26th – At 1000 hours battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH (Flag CinC Mediterranean Fleet), WARSPITE, and VALIANT, light cruiser AJAX, minelayer ABDIEL, and destroyers KANDAHAR, GRIFFIN, HERO, JAGUAR, DEFENDER, KIMBERLEY, and HASTY sailed from Alexandria for gunnery and other exercises between Alexandria and Port Said.
At 1200 hours light cruiser PHOEBE and minelayer LATONA joined the Fleet exercises.
At 1500 hours WARSPITE detached for Port Said, escorted by destroyers KANDAHAR, GRIFFIN, and KIMBERLEY.

27th – At 0500 hours the destroyer KIMBERLEY rejoined the Fleet.
At 1500 hours QUEEN ELIZABETH, VALIANT, AJAX, PHOEBE, ABDIEL, LATONA and destroyers HERO, JAGUAR, DEFENDER, KIMBERLEY, and HASTY arrived back at Alexandria.

10th – VALIANT in company with light cruiser HMNZS LEANDER screened by destroyers sailed from Alexandria for a days exercise.

18th – Battleships VALIANT, QUEEN ELIZABETH, light cruiser PHOEBE and destroyers JACKAL, NIZAM, HASTY, KIPLING, and HAVOCK departed Alexandria for exercises.
Joined at sea by the minelaying cruiser LATONA.

19th - VALIANT and QUEEN ELIZABETH, light cruiser PHOEBE, minelaying cruiser LATONA, and destroyers JACKAL, NIZAM, HASTY, KIPLING, and HAVOCK arrived back at Alexandria after exercises.

22nd - At 2100 hours battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, VALIANT, light cruisers HMAS HOBART, NAIAD, NEPTUNE and PHOEBE, cruiser minelayers ABDIEL and LATONA screened by HM Destroyers GRIFFIN, HASTY, HAVOCK, JACKAL, NUBIAN and HMAS NIZAM sailed from Alexandria.

23rd - At 0600 hours off Alexandria the Battle Fleet was joined by the light cruisers AJAX and HMNZS LEANDER and destroyers JAGUAR, JERVIS, KANDAHAR and KINGSTON. The Fleet then sailed for a diversionary cruise in the eastern Mediterranean during the passage of a relief convoy to Malta from Gibraltar (Operation MD5 –cover for Operation SUBSTANCE by Force H.)
At 2200 hours NEPTUNE, ABDIEL and KIMBERLEY detached for the fleet.

24th - LEANDER and JAGUAR detached from the fleet.

25th - The Battle Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

At Alexandria.

26th – At 0900 hours battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, BARHAM, and VALIANT, light cruisers AJAX, NEPTUNE and HOBART, and destroyers JERVIS, JUPITER, KINGSTON, KIPLING, HERO, HOTSPUR, DECOY and VENDETTA sailed from Alexandria to act as a diversion for operation HALBERD being carried out by Force H.
At 1900 hours the destroyer NAPIER joined the Fleet at sea from Alexandria.

27th – At 1400 hours the Fleet returned to Alexandria.

10th – At 0530 hours battleships BARHAM and VALIANT, light cruisers AJAX and HOBART, and destroyers JERVIS, JAGUAR, JUPITER, KANDAHAR, GRIFFIN, HASTY, HOTSPUR, DECOY, AVONVALE, and ERIDGE departed Alexandria to sweep westward.
At 0730 hours in position 31-14N, 29-14E. The destroyer JERVIS attacked a submarine contact.
At 1800, the Fleet turned back to the eastward.

11th – At 1130 hours the Fleet returned to Alexandria.

12th – At 0700 hours battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, light cruisers AJAX, HOBART and GALATEA and destroyers JERVIS, JAGUAR, GRIFFIN, JUPITER, KANDAHAR, HASTY, HOTSPUR, DECOY, AVONVALE and ERIDGE departed Alexandria and proceeded westward.
At 1800, the cruisers AJAX, HOBART, and GALATEA and destroyers JERVIS, JAGUAR, and JUPITER were detached to pass through position 33-00N, 24-30E at midnight and rejoin the Fleet at daylight.

13th – At 0500 hours the Fleet set course for Alexandria.
At 1315 hours a report was received of three Italian cruisers and six destroyers approaching the North African coast.

(Italian light cruisers DUCA D'AOSTA, EUGENIO DI SAVOIA, and MONTECUCCOLI and destroyers VIVALDI, MALOCELLO, PIGAFETTA, DE VERAZZANO, AVIERE, and CAMICIA NERA were to lay mines off Benghazi during the night of 12/13 October. However, the operation was cancelled when it was found that the Mediterranean Fleet was at sea)

When no contact was made with the enemy force the Fleet set course for Alexandria.

14th – At 0530 hours the Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

11th - VALIANT, light cruiser HOBART, and four destroyers were at sea from Alexandria on exercises.

18th - Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, BARHAM and VALIANT, light cruisers NAIAD, GALATEA, and EURYALUS, and destroyers JERVIS, KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON, NAPIER, NIZAM, KIPLING, JACKAL, DECOY, AVONVALE, and ERIDGE departed Alexandria and sailed west in support of Operation CHIEFTAIN, the dummy convoy in the western Mediterranean; and to divert attention from the bombardment of Libyan coast positions by 7th and 15th Cruiser Squadrons (Operation ME.4) in support of Operation CRUSADER.
(Operation CRUSADER was the attack by the 8th Army to lift the siege of Tobruk).
(Operation CHIEFTAIN was a decoy Malta convoy that sailed from Gibraltar at 1800/16/11/41 and consisted of the merchant vessels BLAIRATHOLL (3319grt), BARON NEWLANDS (3386grt), SHUNA (1575grt), CISNEROS (1886grt), and OTTINGE (2870grt), and oiler BROWN RANGER escorted by destroyer WILD SWAN, sloop DEPTFORD, and corvettes CONVOLVULUS, RHODODENDRON, and MARIGOLD. The objective of the convoy was to draw enemy aircraft away from Operation CRUSADER. In the event it failed in its objective and the only positive outcome was the sinking of U 433 by the MARIGOLD).
At 1630 hours the Fleet reversed course and steered east for Alexandria.

19th – At 1030 hours the Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

20th - Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, BARHAM and VALIANT, light cruisers NAIAD, EURYALUS, and GALATEA, and destroyers JERVIS, KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, KINGSTON, NAPIER, NIZAM, KIPLING, JACKAL, HASTY, HOTSPUR, and DECOY departed Alexandria to operate in coordination with Operation CRUSADER to simulate an attack on Tripoli to draw German and Italian air strength away from Halfaya and Bardia.
At 1200 hours light cruisers AJAX, NEPTUNE and HMAS HOBART joined the fleet.
At nightfall AJAX, NEPTUNE and HMAS HOBART detached from the fleet.

22nd - At daylight the Fleet returned to Alexandria.

24th – At 1600 hours battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, VALIANT and BARHAM and destroyers JERVIS, GRIFFIN, and DECOY departed Alexandria to support operations by Force K (Force K, light cruisers AURORA and PENELOPE and destroyers LANCE and LIVELY had departed Malta on 23/11/41 to intercept Italian convoys); and to support Operation CRUSADER. Five other destroyers were unable to sail with the Fleet as they were still oiling when the Fleet departed.
In the swept channel the Fleet was joined by destroyers FARNDALE, AVONVALE and ERIDGE and these destroyers formed part of the Fleet screen until relieved.
At 2245 hours destroyers KIPLING, JACKAL, HASTY and HMAS NAPIER and NIZAM joined from Alexandria having completed fuelling.
Following which destroyers FARNDALE, AVONVALE and ERIDGE detached and returned to Alexandria.

25th – During the morning and afternoon the Battle Fleet steamed alternately east and west off the Gulf of Sollum waiting for bombardment requests from the 8th Army.
At 1625 hours the three battleships were steaming in echelon on the starboard leg of the zig-zag pattern, QUEEN ELIZABETH, leading, BARHAM in the centre and VALIANT astern. The German submarine U-331 managed to penetrate the destroyer screen and from almost point blank range fired four torpedoes, three of which hit the BARHAM on her port side. The BARHAM rolled over and sank in position 32-34N, 26-24E, four minutes after the first torpedo hit, following the detonation of a magazine.
On seeing the first torpedo hit, VALIANT’s officer of the watch ordered 'Hard-a-port' and 15 seconds later as the VALIANT started to turn to port, U-331’s bow broke the surface about eight degrees off the port how at a distance of approximately 150 yards ahead and moving from left to right. By this time VALIANT had swung about eight degrees to port.

(The firing of the torpedoes compromised U-331’s buoyancy and caused her bow, periscope and the top of the conning tower of broach the surface)

On sighting the submarine the OOW ordered 'Amidships', and then 'hard-a-starboard' in an endeavour to ram the submarine. However the manoeuvre was unsuccessful and the submarine passed down VALIANT’s starboard side, and after being visible for 45 seconds, submerged when abreast the bridge at a distance of about fifty yards. As it appeared on the starboard side the S1 pom-pom fired 19 rounds at it with the maximum depression, but all the rounds were over.
Aboard the VALIANT when BARHAM was hit was the Gaumont News cameraman John Turner who shot 2 minutes of movie film, all he had left in the camera, of the sinking. This film became one of the most poignant shot in the whole war and is frequently used in films about WW2 naval actions.

26th - At 1000 hours the Fleet arrived back at Alexandria.

At Alexandria.

18th – (At approximate1840 hours the Italian submarine SCIRE arrived in a position about a mile west of the entrance to Alexandria harbour. At 2047 hours three SLC (Siluro Lenta Corsa = Slow moving torpedo), known as Maiale (Italian word for pigs) with a top speed of 2knots submerged and a range of 15 miles, were launched from SCIRE. Each Maiale carried two commandos from the 10th flotilla MAS, after launching they headed for the harbour entrance. When they arrived at the harbour entrance they found the anti-submarine boom open for the passage of the cruisers and destroyers returning from escorting the BRECONSHIRE to Malta. The three Maiales followed the British forces into Alexandria harbour and headed for their targets the battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH, VALIANT and a fleet oiler. The VALIANT was the target of the Maiale, SLC 221, manned by Durand De La Penne and Emilio Bianchi. )

19th – At approximately 0230 hours Durand De La Penne and Emilio Bianchi placed the explosive warhead of the Maiale, which was a standard 270 kg torpedo warhead, filled with TNT, on the harbour bottom underneath the VALIANT.
At 0325 hours Durand De La Penne and Emilio Bianchi were sighted sitting on VALIANT’s mooring buoy and were taken aboard the VALIANT, where they were questioned, but refused to answer any questions. They were detained in a compartment on board VALIANT until 0600 hours when De La Penne asked to speak to VALIANT’s CO, Captain Morgan. De La Penne informed Morgan that the device they had planted was due to explode imminently. De La Penne was then returned to the compartment.
At 0547 hours an explosive device went off under the stern of the oiler MV SAGONA 7554grt, at the time of the explosion the SAGONA had four destroyers alongside refuelling, one of which, the JERVIS, was also damaged by the explosion.
At 0606 hours the explosive device went off under VALIANT’s A turret, causing flooding and serious damage to VALIANT.
At 0610 hours an explosive device went off under the QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Both VALIANT and QUEEN ELIZABETH settled on the harbour bottom on an even keel in a few feet of water.

(The other four commandos failed to escape and were also captured. At a stroke the six commandos had knocked out the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Battle Fleet. When Churchill received news of the sinkings he said, 'Six Italians, dressed in rather unusual diving suits and equipped with materials of laughably little cost, have swung the military balance of power in the Mediterranean in favour of the Axis'. Fortunately for the Allies the enemy was not fully aware of the precarious position of the Mediterranean Fleet. One reason being that the British allowed photographs of the seemingly undamaged battleships to appear in the British press.)

Salvage work on VALIANT commenced immediately.
VALIANT pumped out her fuel into the tanker CLYDEFIELD and the RFA oiler CHERRYLEAF.

21st – At 0950 hours VALIANT was towed into the Admiralty floating dock AFD 5 which had a maximum lift of 31,500 tons, for temporary repairs.

29th - Battleships WARSPITE (CinC Eastern Fleet), RESOLUTION and VALIANT, light cruisers GAMBIA, ENTERPRISE and JACOB VAN HEEMSKERCK and destroyers GRIFFIN, DECOY, INCONSTANT, FORTUNE, FOXHOUND, HMAS NAPIER and NEPAL and HMNethS VAN GALEN and TJERK HIDDES sailed from Kilindini to carry out Operation TOUCHSTONE.

(Operation TOUCHSTONE was an exercise to test out the defences of East Africa against a seaborne Japanese invasion and, also, to provide cover for the operation and a dress rehearsal for the forthcoming Madagascar operations [STREAM, LINE and JANE]. Royal Marines and naval landing parties from the naval force were to make landings at Tanga, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar Island)

30th - Operating off the East African coast in approximate position 6S, 41E. Covering Operation TOUCHSTONE.
After nightfall the Fleet returned to Kilindini.

At Kilindini.

There was very little opportunity for exercises at sea in the vicinity of Kilindini owing to the lack of destroyer escorts. VALIANT was only able to exercise once in this period.

21st – Battleships WARSPITE (Vice Admiral Eastern Fleet) and VALIANT, aircraft carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, light cruisers BIRMINGHAM (CS 4) and GAMBIA, AMC RANPURA and destroyers ROTHERHAM (D 11), NEPAL, HOTSPUR, BLACKMORE and DERWENT sailed from Kilindini as Force A to carry out local exercises.

22nd - RANPURA detached from Force A and returned to Kilindini.

23rd - Force A less GAMBIA arrived back at Kilindini.

7th – VALIANT escorted by destroyers HOTSPUR and BLACKMORE sailed from Kilindini for Durban.

12th – VALIANT and destroyers HOTSPUR and BLACKMORE arrived at Durban.

Late January sailed for the UK.

Passage to the UK

5th – Arrived at Devonport

7th – Taken in hand for refit.

Under refit at Devonport. Aircraft facilities removed. Surface warning Type 273 fitted and fire control radars Types 284 for the 15in main armament, Four Type 285 for secondary armament and four Type 282 for Close Range AA armament fitted. Single and twin Oerlikons fitted to supplement AA defence.

28th - Refit completed

5th – At 1300 hours VALIANT escorted by destroyers ORP ORKAN and PIORUN and one other sailed from Plymouth for Scapa.

6th – Off the mouth of the Clyde destroyers TUMULT, BRECON and BLANKNEY joined from Greenock following which destroyers ORP ORKAN and PIORUN detached and retuned to Plymouth

7th – At 0600 hours VALIANT with destroyers TUMULT, BRECON and BLANKNEY arrived at Scapa to commence working up.

For the remainder of the month at Scapa working up

9th – At Scapa where NELSON (Flag Vice Admiral Algernon U Willis CinC Force H), RODNEY, VALIANT and WARSPITE commenced a series of bombardment and preparatory exercises off Cape Wrath in preparation for the planned allied landings in Sicily, Operation HUSKY.

17th – At 1400 hours NELSON (Flag Force H), RODNEY, VALIANT, WARSPITE, aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE and destroyers ECHO, FAULKNOR (D8), FURY, INGLEFIELD, INTREPID, OFFA, PANTHER, PATHFINDER, QUAIL, QUEENBOROUGH, QUILLIAM (D4) and ORP PIORUN sailed from Scapa for Gibraltar.

23rd – Force H arrived at Gibraltar.

24th to 27th - Carried out 4 days of AA exercises with other units of Force H.

28th - At 1630 hours WARSPITE (2ic Force H), VALIANT, FORMIDABLE, AURORA, PENELOPE escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR (D 8), INTREPID, FURY, INGLEFIELD, ECHO, ECLIPSE, INGLEFIELD, ILEX, RAIDER and  HHellMS  QUEEN OLGA sailed from Gibraltar for Algiers.

30th Arrived early at Algiers.
Sailed later for Alexandria less AURORA and PENELOPE.

On passage to Alexandria

5th - At 0630 hours the force anchored off Ras-el-Tin Lighthouse, Alexandria Bay.

7th - At 1045 hours WARSPITE (2IC Force H) division of Force H, VALIANT, FORMIDABLE, escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR (D 8), INTREPID, FURY, INGLEFIELD, ECHO, ECLIPSE, INGLEFIELD, ILEX, RAIDER and  HHellMS  VASILISSA OLGA sailed from Alexandria Bay for the Gulf of Sirte.

9th - At 0600 hours in the Gulf of Sirte, 240 miles south east of Malta, the WARSPITE division of Force H RVed with the NELSON (CinC Force H), RODNEY, INDOMITABLE (FS Rear Admiral Lumley Lyster), light cruisers CLEOPATRA and EURYALUS and destroyers OFFA, PANTHER, QUAIL, QUEENBOROUGH, QUILLIAM (D 4), TROUBRIDGE, TUMULT, TYRIAN and ORP PIORUN.
Force H then provided distant cover for the combined convoys, MWF 36 (Ex Port Said 5/7/43) and MWS 36 (Ex Alexandria 3/7/43), SBS 1, SBM 1, SBF 1(Ex Sfax 8/7/43) and MWS 36X (Ex Tripoli 8/7/43) consisting of MT freighters, tankers, landing ships and landing craft for the invasion of Sicily, Operation HUSKY.

(Operation HUSKY was the allied invasion of Sicily. The primary purpose of the RN capital ships was to prevent the Italian navy from intervening in the operation. Their secondary purpose was on D-1, FORCE H was to move into the Ionian Sea so as to appear to threaten the west coast of Greece on D Day, thus serving as a means to divert the enemy's attention at the critical moment, and it was to maintain this position until D + 2. Their third purpose was to provide bombardment support if required by the army. To carry out their functions they were divided into three divisions:-

Division 1comprised NELSON (Flag, Force H), RODNEY and INDOMITABLE.

Division 2 comprised WARSPITE, VALIANT and FORMIDABLE.

Division 3 comprised KING GEORGE V (Flag, Vice Admiral Arthur John Power) and HOWE. Division 3 was also known as Force Z)

At 0700 hours AURORA and PENELOPE joined Force H.
At 0730 hours AURORA, PENELOPE, INGLEFIELD and OFFA detached to carry out Operation ARSENAL. (Operation ARSENAL was a naval bombardment of Catania)
(Following the invasion on the night of 9/10 July Force H was deployed in Ionian Sea as a covering Force for the landing operations to prevent possible interference from the Italian Fleet)

10th - AURORA, PENELOPE, INGLEFIELD and OFFA rejoined Force H.
At daylight Force H was approximately 40 miles off Cape Passero.
During the day Force H continued to patrol off Cape Passero.

12th - WARSPITE and VALIANT with escorting destroyers detached from Force H and proceeded to Malta for refueling.
Later in the day the WARSPITE division sailed from Malta and rejoined Force H at sea.

13th - 25 miles SE of Cape Spartivento ECHO and ILEX, who were part of Force H screen, sank the Italian submarine NEREIDE.

14th - Whilst patrolling the Ionian Sea Force H was attacked by Italian torpedo bombers, without result, although CLEOPATRA and EURYALUS were near missed.

16th - At 0015 hours the INDOMITABLE was torpedoed, port side amidships, by a lone Ju 88.
INDOMITABLE returned to Malta escorted by WARSPITE, VALIANT, FAULKNOR, FURY, ECLIPSE, INGLEFIELD, INTREPID, PETARD, RAIDER and VASILISSA OLGA.

17th - Early in the day due to overcrowding in Grand Harbour WARSPITE and VALIANT moved round to Marsaxlokk Bay. En route VALIANT fouled the anti-submarine defences and was held firm so WARSPITE proceeded alone, whilst VALIANT was cut free and checked for damage.

At Malta on standby to support military operations in Sicily.

1st - Battleships WARSPITE (2iC Force H) and VALIANT, light cruisers MAURITIUS and ORION escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR (D 8), FURY, INGLEFIELD, INTREPID, ECLIPSE and RAIDER sailed from Grand Harbour on Operation SLEDGE part of Operation BAYTOWN.

(Operation BAYTOWN was the assault across the Straits of Messina, by X111 Corps of the 8th Army, on the Italian mainland province of Calabria, due to commence at daylight on 3/9/43. Operation SLEDGE was the softening up bombardment prior to the assault, carried out by the 2nd division of Force H)

2nd - At 1000 hours WARSPITE and VALIANT opened fire on 155mm coastal batteries south of Reggio. The bombardment was also carried out by monitors EREBUS, ROBERTS and ABERCROMBIE, light cruisers MAURITIUS and ORION and river gunboats APHIS and SCARAB the escorting destroyers also joined in.
Following the bombardment the force remained in the area to provide support for the invasion.

3rd - In the early hours destroyer TARTAR with CinC ANCXF Admiral Cunningham embarked, joined the force. This was to enable the CinC to observe the landings.
At daylight the British X111 corps landed at Reggio di Calabria and Villa San under cover of gunfire from the off shore naval force, artillery fire from Sicily and aerial support.
(The landings were unopposed as the German 29th Panzer Grenadier Division had withdrawn from the coast and the Italian forces surrendered without a fight)

4th - Arrived back at Malta.

7th - At 1700 hours battleships WARSPITE (2ic Force H) and VALIANT escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR (D 8), FURY, INGLEFIELD, INTREPID and RAIDER sailed from Marsaxlokk Bay on Operation AVALANCHE.
At 1820 hours off Grand Harbour the force was joined by aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE, and destroyers ECHO, ILEX and  HHellMS  VASILISSA OLGA. The combined force formed the 2nd division of Force H and course was set westward until midnight when course was altered northwards towards the west of Sicily.

(Operation AVALANCHE was the landing of the British X Corps and US V1 Corps of the 5th Army at Salerno Bay at 0300/9/9/43. Salerno Bay which has a beach of 20 miles and was within aerial striking range of Sicily. It was the best possible landing site in the area; as such, the Germans fully anticipated the landing and were fully prepared for it. In order to achieve surprise no preliminary naval bombardment took place. As a result of all these factors, the landings at Salerno was fiercely contested)

8th - At 0545 hours the force was unsuccessfully attacked by torpedo bombers. In this attack VALIANT’s antiaircraft fire forced 15 aircraft to abort their attack.
At 0700 hours the two divisions of Force H combined.
At 1000 hours the combined Force H arrived off Marettimo Island where they cruised until 1730 hours.
At 1730 hours Force H set course for the Salerno area. The course set was designed to keep Force H end on to the moon, thereby presenting the most difficult target for air attack.
At 1830 hours Radio Algiers announced that Italy had concluded an armistice with the Allies.
At 1845 hours Marshal Badoglio announced on radio "The Italian Government, recognizing the impossibility of continuing the uneven struggle against the overwhelming enemy power, with the intent of saving further and more serious calamities to the Nation, has asked Gen. Eisenhower, CinC of the Allies forces, for an armistice. The request has been accepted. Consequently every action of hostility against the allied armed forces must stop from the Italian armed forces in every place. They (the Italian forces), however, will react to possible attacks of any other origin. (The armistice had actually been signed in Sicily on 3/9/43)
From 2100 hours the capital ships of Force H were under air attack mainly from single-engine fighter bombers.

9th - Air attacks continued.
At 0040 hours the air attacks ceased.
At 0300 hours the assault troops started to land.
At 0500 hours the air attacks re-commenced.
At 1330 hours WARSPITE, VALIANT, FAULKNOR, FURY, ECHO, INTREPID, RAIDER VASILISSA OLGA and FS Le TERRIBLE detached from Force H and set course south west for a position 360¼ Cape de Garde (now Ras El Hamra) Algeria, 20 miles, to carry out Operation GIBBON.

(Operation GIBBON was the reception of the surrendered Italian Fleet by units of the Allied Navy. In accordance with clause 4 of the surrender document. At 0300/9/9/43 the Italian Fleet of 3 Battleships, 3 Cruisers and 8 Destroyers sailed from La Spezia with instructions to sail south, westward of Corsica and Sardinia, to a position north of Bone. En route the Italian Fleet was attacked by German aircraft and in the attack the Battleship ROMA was hit by two FX-1400 missiles and at 1612/9/9/43 rolled over and sank taking the Italian Fleet CinC, Admiral Bergamini, with her)

At 2130 hours Le TERRIBLE detached and returned to Force H.

10th - At 0832 hours the Italian Fleet hove into sight from the north.
At 0916 hours the Italian Fleet was ordered to follow astern of the Allied ships, with WARSPITE leading, and course was set east for Malta.

11th - North of Malta the force was met by the destroyer HAMBLETON who had embarked General Dwight D Eisenhower the Allied CinC.
The Italian Fleet and the escorting force of WARSPITE, VALIANT, FAULKNOR, FURY, ECHO, INTREPID, RAIDER, VASILISSA OLGA and OFFA then entered Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk Bay.

14th - At 1700 hours Force H comprising battleships NELSON (CinC Force H), RODNEY, WARSPITE, and VALIANT, aircraft carriers FORMIDABLE and ILLUSTRIOUS escorted by destroyers JERVIS (D 14), ILEX, PATHFINDER, PENN and PETARD sailed from Malta for Gibraltar. VALIANT was en route to the UK to prepare for service with the Eastern Fleet.
At 2000 hours the CinC Force H received a signal recalling Force H and instructing him to detach WARSPITE and VALIANT with the escorting destroyers to proceed with all dispatch to Salerno Bay.

(The reason for this deployment was because during the 12th-14th September the Germans unleashed a concerted counterattack by six divisions against the Salerno beachhead with the objective of driving the allies into the sea before it could link with the Eighth Army. Heavy casualties were inflicted and on 13th they drove a salient between the two American divisions, the 34th and 45th, where the Sele and Calore Rivers merged. The Allied troops were too thinly spread to be able to resist the concentrated attacks. The heavy batteries of the battleships were urgently needed to redress the situation)

15th - At 1100 hours VALIANT (Captain Ashmore CO of VALIANT was in Command), WARSPITE and destroyers JERVIS (D 14), ILEX, PATHFINDER, PENN and PETARD arrived off the beachhead in the middle of an air attack by FW 190’s.
On arrival VALIANT’s gunnery officer crossed to the HQ ship USS BISCAYNE to obtain target information. The briefing and target details took over 5 hours. VALIANT was allocated the northern sector of the beachhead.
At 1630 hours on arrival at her station VALIANT sent a forward observation (FO) party ashore but having set up the FO party were unable to communicate with VALIANT. A frustrated Captain Ashmore then arranged with WARSPITE’s FO party to engage targets at the end of WARSPITE’s bombardment but was told the no further targets were available.
Captain Ashmore then ordered both battleships to move out to sea overnight.

16th – At 0800 hours VALIANT arrived back at her bombardment position off the northern beachhead. Again there were communication problems with her FO party.
Finally at 1545 hours VALIANT opened fire on the town of Nocera, and a nearby road junction, firing 19 rounds of 15in from a range of approximately 28000 yards.
At 1400 hours VALIANT sailed for Augusta.

17th – At 0300 hours arrived at Augusta, where she remained until the Salerno beachhead was secure.

23rd – Released from Operation Avalanche and sailed from Malta.

30th – Sailed from Malta for Gibraltar.

3rd – Arrived at Gibraltar.

5th – At 1400 hours VALIANT, aircraft carriers ILLUSTRIOUS, FORMIDABLE and UNICORN escorted by destroyers ONSLOW (Captain (D) Seventeenth Destroyer Flotilla), MAHRATTA, OBEDIENT, MATCHLESS, VENUS, HARDY, INGLEFIELD and HNorMS STORD, sailed from Gibraltar for the United Kingdom.

6th – At 1820 hours ILLUSTRIOUS and FORMIDABLE escorted by INGLEFIELD, OBEDIENT, VENUS and HNorMS STORD detached after being ordered to return to Gibraltar.

7th – In position 41-15N, 15-55W the destroyer MATCHLESS broke down with condenser trouble. MAHRATTA detached and stood by MATCHLESS.

8th – At 0100 hours MAHRATTA reported MATCHLESS completely recovered and they were proceeding at 24 knots to rejoin.

9th – At 1200 hours in approximate position 48-30N, 13W VALIANT escorted by MAHRATTA and MATCHLESS detached for Plymouth.

10th – At 1500 hours VALIANT escorted by MAHRATTA and MATCHLESS arrived at Plymouth.

11th – At Devonport VALIANT exchanged crews with the battleship MALAYA.
VALIANT was then taken in hand for a refit to prepare her for service with the Eastern Fleet.

15th – At Devonport VALIANT had a change of commanding officers her new CO was Captain George Eric Maxia O’Donnell, DSO, RN.