26th – At 1100 hours the Fleet were in position 57-36N, 03-18E, steering 285¼, with Swordfish from the ARK ROYAL patrolling above the Fleet. When 3 large aircraft were sighted, later identified as Luftwaffe Dornier 18D flying boats. The enemy aircraft were shot down or driven off by Skuas from ARK ROYAL, but not before they had sent off a sighting report.
At approximately 1345 hours RODNEY’s Type 79Y radar reported two or three groups of aircraft, Nine He 111 and four Ju 88 bombers, at approximately 80 miles and closing. RODNEY kept the CinC HF informed of the in coming attack by flag signals. Even so the Fleet was unprepared for the attack; RODNEY felt that her radar reports had not been taken seriously.
At 1420 hours the fleet was subjected to an air attack in which the ARK ROYAL was near missed by a 1000Kg bomb dropped by a He 111.
During the attacks all the heavy ships opened fire with both long and close range weapons but their fire was ineffective.

27th – In the early morning the fleet arrived back at Scapa.

1st – At 1700 hours the Home Fleet comprising NELSON (Flag), RODNEY, HOOD, REPULSE, ARK ROYAL, light cruiser NEWCASTLE and destroyers ASHANTI, MASHONA, MATABELE, SOMALI, FAME, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE and FIREDRAKE sailed from Scapa Flow for Loch Ewe.

(This movement was in accordance with Admiralty instructions and in pursuance of the policy of evading air attack on Scapa Flow)

2nd – At 0700 hours the Fleet arrived at Loch Ewe.

5th – At 2000 hours the Home Fleet comprising NELSON (Flag), RODNEY, HOOD, REPULSE, FURIOUS and escorting destroyers sailed from Loch Ewe for Scapa Flow.

6th – At 1000 hours The Fleet arrived at Scapa Flow.
In the late afternoon HM the King embarked in AURORA arrived in Scapa Flow and visited various ships of the Fleet.

8th - Over night the CinC Home Fleet was made aware that the German navy was about to launch a sortie by heavy units.
At 1320 hours the CinC Home Fleet received firm information from the RAF when one of Coastal Command’s Hudson aircraft of 224 Sqd. sighted the German battlecruiser GNEISENAU and the cruiser KOLN and 9 destroyers off Lister lighthouse (Lindesnes LH southern Norway) steaming north at 20 knots.

(The purpose of the Kriegsmarine sortie was to sink any allied shipping found and to entice out the Home Fleet onto four U-boats that were deployed in a line across what was the probable interception course of the Home Fleet and to bring the Home Fleet into range of Luftwaffe bombers)

(The CinC Home Fleets plan was to sail two forces, The Home Fleet from Scapa Flow, Force F and the Humber Force from Rosyth, Force E. The Home Fleet was divided into the battlecruisers and the battleships. Force F would go north of the assumed course of the enemy force then move south and Force E would sail north. The two Forces would then execute a pincer movement and trap the enemy force between them. This failed to happen since the German force reversed course and arrived back at Kiel at 0100/10/10/39)

8th – At 1840 hours the battleships NELSON, RODNEY, aircraft carrier FURIOUS, light cruisers AURORA, SHEFFIELD and NEWCASTLE and destroyers SOMALI, MASHONA, ASHANTI, ESKIMO, BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, FAULKNOR, FURY, FORESTER, FAME, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE and FIREDRAKE. Sailed from Scapa Flow for position 61N, 00E. Heavy weather damaged FORTUNE as the force entered the Pentland Firth and she detached to the Clyde for repairs.

11th – At 1200 hours when in the Minches, FAULKNOR detached for the Clyde to repair weather damage.
At 1300 hours battleships NELSON and RODNEY, battlecruiser HOOD, and destroyers BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, FURY and FORESTER and FIREDRAKE arrived at Loch Ewe.

13th – At 1025 hours the aircraft carrier FURIOUS and destroyers FEARLESS and FOXHOUND arrived at Loch Ewe.

14th – At 1500 hours the light cruisers AURORA (Flag CS18) and BELFAST arrived at Loch Ewe.

15th – At 1730 hours the Home Fleet comprising the battleships NELSON and RODNEY, battlecruiser HOOD, aircraft carrier FURIOUS, cruisers BELFAST and AURORA and destroyers BEDOUIN, FEARLESS, FOXHOUND and FURY sailed from Loch Ewe to cover and assist the Northern Patrol in intercepting a large number of German merchant ships that were believed to be attempting to return to Germany.

16th – At 0715 hours the Fleet was in position 60-52N, 8-33W.

17th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in approximate position 66-55N, 11-56W.
At 1030 hours the Fleet crossed the Arctic circle.
In the latitude of the Arctic Circle, north east of Iceland, the destroyers were refuelled from the capital ships.
At 1415 hours FURIOUS flew off aircraft.

18th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in position 68-26N, 13-48W.
At 0853 hours FURIOUS flew off aircraft.

19th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in approximate position 68-25N, 13-45W.
At 1200 hours REPULSE, JERVIS and JERSEY joined the Home Fleet in the Iceland Faroes gap.

22nd - At 0800 hours the Fleet arrived back at Loch Ewe.
At 1830 hours the Home Fleet comprising battleships NELSON and RODNEY, battlecruiser HOOD, and destroyers INTREPID, IVANHOE, ICARUS, KELLY and KINGSTON sailed from Loch Ewe to provide distant cover for convoy NV 1 of twelve British iron ore ships from Narvik. In this operation the Fleet cruised up to the Lofoten Islands and as far north as 68¼N.

(The ships of convoy NV1 had been waiting at Narvik until the Admiralty could provide an escort. The convoy sailed from Narvik on 26/9/39and was met at 1000/26/9/39 by their close escort of destroyers SOMALI, ASHANTI, TARTAR and FAME covered by cruisers AURORA and EDINBURGH. At 0005/31/10/39 SOMALI obtained a sub contact and carried out a DC attack without result, this was probably U 13. Ten ships of the convoy arrived safely at Methil Roads on 31/10/39, the other two ships were escorted to Cape Wrath by FAME)

23rd – At 2000 hours the Fleet was in position 58-20N, 5-34W.

24th – At 0715 hours the Fleet was in position 60-12N, 3-06W.

25th - At 0700 hours the Fleet was in position 64-08N, 2-59W.

26th – At 0712 hours the Fleet was in position 67-27N, 10-58W.
The destroyer IMPULSIVE joined the Home Fleet at sea.

27th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in approximate position 66-01N, 2-00E.

28th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in approximate position 62-04N, 1-47W.

29th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in position 59-51N, 4-22W.

30th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in approximate position 59-41N, 5-01W.
At approximately 1000 hours when west of the Orkneys returning to the Clyde, the Home Fleet comprising NELSON, RODNEY, HOOD, and destroyers ICARUS, IMPULSIVE, IVANHOE, INTREPID and KELLY ran into a line of 4 U-boats. U 56 fired three torpedoes at NELSON and all three struck the target, two broke upon hitting and the other failed to exploded. The crew of NELSON and the other ships of the Fleet were unaware of the attack.

31st – At 0900 hours the Fleet arrived in the Clyde off Greenock.

(On 31st October, whilst in the Clyde, the CinC HF received a visit from the first Lord of the Admiralty, the First Sea Lord and the Deputy Chief of air Staff, to discuss the question of Bases and their protection against aircraft and Submarines. The Admiralty’s proposal was to make the Clyde the main fleet base, but the CinC strongly demurred as a whole day would be wasted in getting into the northern part of the north Sea as compared with Scapa or Rosyth. The Deputy Chief of the Air staff was of opinion that the defence of the Clyde against air attack was much better then that of Rosyth because of the greater chance of Interception by fighters. The first Sea Lord advocated using the Clyde as the main base with the main fleet working in two watches - one at sea, the other in harbour. The CinC said that he preferred Rosyth to the Clyde, but if the Admiralty considered the risk of using Rosyth was not worth taking, he must work with the main fleet in two watches and would require five flotillas of destroyers. He also pointed out that a submarine could get under the net on the Clyde, and it was decided to lay a deep minefield out aide the net)

2nd – At 0930 hours battleships NELSON and RODNEY, battlecruiser HOOD, and destroyers FAULKNOR (D8), FORTUNE, ICARUS, INTREPID, IVANHOE, IMPULSIVE, FORESIGHT and PUNJABI sailed from the Clyde and headed north and to the west of the Hebrides. Their mission was to provide distant cover for 3 operations:

1 - The search for the captured US freighter SS CITY OF FLINT 4963grt

2/3 - Cover for convoys ON 1 and HN 2.

(The CITY OF FLINT, clearly marked as neutral, had been stopped on 9/10/39 in approximate position 41-30N, 46-30W, by the German panzerschiffe DEUTSCHLAND. She was carrying general cargo to the UK including lubricating oil. The lubricating oil was declared contraband and the CITY OF FLINT was seized, a prize crew was put on board and she was sailed to Murmansk, where she arrived on 23/10/39. The CITY OF FLINT sailed from Murmansk on 28/10/39 heading for Germany via the Indreled Norwegian territorial waters. On 3/11/39 the CITY OF FLINT anchored off the port of Haugesund, where she was boarded by a Norwegian naval boarding party from the minelayer OLAV TRYGGVASON and returned to US ownership. From 29/10/39 the destroyers KELLY (D5), ESKIMO, MATABELE, BEDOUIN, FEARLESS and FOXHOUND were off the Norwegian coast searching for the CITY OF FLINT. From 1/11/39 the destroyers were covered by the cruisers GLASGOW and NEWCASTLE.

The search was called off on 3/11/39 and the searching forces dispersed. 5/11/39 destroyers KELLY, BEDOUIN, ESKIMO and MATABELE arrived at Scapa Flow)

3rd – At 0200 hours the Fleet was off the Flannan Islands.
At 0800 hours the Fleet was in position 59-30N, 8-06W.
At 1135 hours the destroyers IMPERIAL and PUNJABI were detached on a submarine hunt.
At 1930 hours when the Fleet reached position 61N, 3-40W, FAULKNOR, FORTUNE and INTREPID were detached to refuel at Sullom Voe.

4th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in approximate position 62-15N, 00-25E.
Destroyer PUNJABI detached to refuel at Scapa Flow, then to join convoy ON 1.

(1700/4/11/39 convoy ON 1, of 5 mercantiles, sailed from Methil Roads escorted by destroyers SOMALI, ASHANTI, TARTAR and FAME. At 0810/5/11/39 the AA cruiser CURLEW joined ON 1. At 1700/5/11/39 FAME detached to refuel at Scapa and PUNJABI joined. At 0700/6/11/39 ASHANTI detached to Sullom Voe with an evaporator defect. At 0730/7/39 the convoy dispersed in Aspo Fjord)

5th – Destroyers FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, IMPERIAL and KANDAHAR joined the Force.
FAULKNOR, FORTUNE and INTREPID rejoined.
FORESIGHT and IVANHOE detached to refuel.

6th – Destroyer FAME joined the Force.

7th – Destroyers ICARUS and IMPULSIVE were detached to refuel at Kirkwall.

(1700/7/11/39 convoy HN 1, of 8 mercantiles, sailed from Aspo Fjord escorted by destroyers SOMALI and TARTAR and AA cruiser CURLEW. At 1800/8/39 ASHANTI joined. At 0930/9/11/39 in position 59-02N, 01-50W destroyers MAORI and ZULU joined, then detached with 2 mercantiles westward via the Fair Isle Channel. At 1600/9/11/39 ASHANTI detached to escort a straggler. At 1700/9/11/39 CURLEW detached for Scapa. 10/11/39 convoy HN 1 arrived in Methil Roads)

8th – Destroyers FORESIGHT and IVANHOE rejoined the Force.
At 1545 hours east of the Copinsay lighthouse HOOD detached with FEARLESS and they proceeded through the Pentland Firth.

12th – At 1400 hours NELSON, RODNEY, and destroyers FAULKNOR, FORTUNE, FORESIGHT, FOXHOUND, FAME departed Rosyth to carry out full calibre firings off Cape Wrath, then proceed on patrol between the Faroes and Norway to cover convoys ON.2 and HN.2
At sea the destroyer FAME joined the Force.

(12/11/39 convoy ON 2, of one freighter, sailed from Methil Roads escorted by the destroyer IMPERIAL. At 0730/14/11/39 the AA cruiser CAIRO joined the escort. At 1310/14/11/39 IMPERIAL detached from ON 2 for Sullom Voe. At 1600/14/11/39 the destroyers ICARUS and IMOGEN, from Sullom Voe joined convoy ON 2. 15/11/39 ON 2 arrived in Aspo Fjord)

13th – At 0830 hours in approximate position 58-40N, 3-30W, the Force was joined by the destroyers IMPULSIVE and IMOGEN from Scapa Flow.
At 0945 hours the destroyer ICARUS joined the Force from Scapa Flow.
At 1100 hours the Force arrived off Cape Wrath.
After carrying out a full calibre shoot the Force proceeded north to patrol off the Faroes.
At 2000 hours in approximate position 60-20N, 2-30W, ICARUS, IMPULSIVE and IMOGEN detached for Sullom Voe.

(0915/15/11/39 convoy HN 2, of 11 mercantiles, sailed from Aspo Fjord escorted by destroyers ICARUS, IMOGEN and IMPERIAL and the AA cruiser CAIRO. At 0800/18/11/39 convoy HN 2 arrived in Methil Roads)

16th – At 1000 hours at latitude 61N the CinC HF decided to return to the Clyde. He had intended to stay on patrol for a further two days but he cut short the patrol due to the weather which was so bad that it was impossible to detach his destroyers to refuel at Sullom Voe.
En route to the Clyde the CinC HF received a signal stating that the Clyde was closed to shipping on account of the faulty laying of the new deep, anti-submarine, minefield. This minefield was in the process of being swept.
The CinC decided to refuel in Loch Ewe.

17th – At 0600 hours the Force arrived in Loch Ewe to refuel.

20th – At 0730 hours NELSON, RODNEY, and destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FORTUNE, FOXHOUND, FAME, SOMALI and TARTAR sailed from Loch Ewe for the Clyde.

21st – At 0100 hours the Force arrived off Greenock.
Whilst in the Clyde Captain Frederick Hew George Dalrymple-Hamilton RN took over command of RODNEY.

23rd - At 1551 hours the CinC Home Fleet received a signal from HM Armed Merchant Cruiser RAWLPINDI, patrolling the Iceland Faroes gap in position 63-38N, 11-55W, timed at 1545 hours stating she had sighted a German Battlecruiser, this was quickly changed identifying the vessel as the panzerschiffe DEUTSCHLAND (The first sighting report was in fact correct what she had sighted was the SCHARNHORST with GNEISENAU in company). The CinC HF immediately ordered all available Home Fleet ships in the Clyde to raise steam.
At 1920 hours NELSON, RODNEY, the heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE and the destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE, FAME, FORESIGHT and FURY sailed from the Clyde.

9th – RODNEY by destroyers ECLIPSE, GURKHA and FEARLESS, arrived at Liverpool for repairs. The ships followed convoy SLF 10B into port. On arrival RODNEY entered the Gladstone dock for repairs.

(On 4/12/39 the NELSON was mined this put pressure on the repairers to release RODNEY as soon as possible. This led to the repairs being rushed and not carried out to the best quality)

30th – At 1230 hours RODNEY escorted by the destroyers ICARUS and IMOGEN sailed from Liverpool for the Clyde.

31st – At 0140 hours RODNEY arrived off Greenock and rejoined the Home Fleet.

1st – In the Clyde off Greenock where the CinC Home Fleet Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Forbes hoisted his flag.

4th – The Home Fleet comprising battleship RODNEY Flag, REPULSE and destroyers INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN, ICARUS, MOHAWK, BEDOUIN, KINGSTON, FIREDRAKE and MATABELE sailed from Greenock to patrol in the vicinity of the Shetland Islands to provide distant cover for the Northern Patrol and the Norwegian convoys.

10th – RODNEY, REPULSE and destroyers INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN, ICARUS, MOHAWK, BEDOUIN, KINGSTON and MATABELE arrived back at Greenock.

27th – At 1030 hours The Home Fleet comprising battleship RODNEY (Flag CinC HF), REPULSE and destroyers FAULKNOR, FAME, FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE, FOXHOUND and FURY sailed from Greenock to patrol in the vicinity of the Shetland Islands to provide distant cover for the Northern Patrol and the Norwegian convoys.

31st – At 1500 hours RODNEY, REPULSE and destroyers FAULKNOR, FAME, FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE, FOXHOUND and FURY arrived back at Greenock.

(In his report on the first 6 months of the war at sea the CinC HF stated that ‘the weather experienced in Northern Waters from October could only be described as foul; one gale had followed another with monotonous frequency’. The effect of the bad weather on RODNEY had already exposed the design weakness of her rudder and by the end of February she was experiencing problems with ‘panting’ of her hull plating. The term ‘panting’ when used in the context of a ships hull applies to out-of-plane movement causing the formation of secondary bending stresses which are produced when a deformed panel is subjected to in-plane edge loads. This action causes fatigue which leads to cracking. RODNEY had to have work carried out to rectify the damaged plating)

4th – Off Greenock church parties from RODNEY and REPULSE attended divisions on HOOD.

(At 2400/17/2/1940 the German battlecruisers SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU, heavy cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER and destroyers Z20 KARL GALSTER, Z21 WILHELM HEIDKAMP and Z9 WOLFGANG ZENKER sailed from Wilhelmshaven on Operation NORDMARK [Operation NORDMARK was an operation to intercept British convoys between Bergen and the UK] Almost immediately the WOLFGANG ZENKER was damaged by ice and forced to abort the mission. North Of Heligoland the force was joined by the destroyers Z5 PAUL JACOBI, Z6 THEODOR RIEDEL, Z7 HERMANN SCHOEMANN, Z1 LEBERECHT MAAS and the torpedo boats LUCHS and SEEADLER. At 0055/18/2/1940 [GMT] the German Force was sighted by a RAF reconnaissance flight, but this information didn’t reach the CinC HF until 0930 hours. The German Force proceeded to approximate position 60-30N, 3-20E, which they gained at 1130/19/2/1940, and having failed to sight any shipping the Force returned to Wilhelmshaven, where they arrived at 1400/20/2/1940.

At the time of the German sortie convoy ON 14 was at sea. The convoy of 24 ships had sailed from Methil Roads at 1600/17/2/40 escorted by the destroyers ESCAPADE, ESCORT, ECLIPSE and ELECTRA and the submarine NARWHAL. At 1200/19/2/1940 the Admiralty ordered the convoy in to Kirkwall until the HF arrived in support. Convoy ON 14all arrived at Kirkwall at 0200/20/2/1940 )

20th – At 0800 hours the Force was in position 57-41N, 6-34W.
At 1200 hours off Cape Wrath the destroyer KHARTOUM joined from Scapa.
At 1500 hours west of the Orkneys the destroyers KANDAHAR and TARTAR joined from Scapa.
At 1650 hours the destroyer FORTUNE detached to investigate a possible submarine contact.
At 2000 hours approximate position 60-13N, 4-35W was reached.

(At 1400/20/2/1940 convoy ON 14 sailed from Kirkwall for Bergen)

21st – At 0800 hours the Force was in approximate position 61-56N, 00- 58W.
At 1620 hours the destroyer HARDY detached to investigate a possible submarine contact.
At 2000 hours approximate position 62-06N, 2-20'E was reached.
At 2100 hours the destroyer FIREDRAKE detached to investigate a possible submarine contact.

22nd – At 0750 hours FIREDRAKE rejoined.
At 0800 hours the Force was in approximate position 61-16N, 1-53W.
At 2100 hours in approximate position 62N, 2-30W the force turned west and then south, heading back to the Clyde.

23rd – At 0800 hours the Force was in position 59-47N, 05-53W.
At 0945 hours the destroyer HARDY rejoined.
At 1030 hours off the island of North Rona the RODNEY and HOOD carried out a HA firing exercise.

24th – At 0620 hours when approaching the North Channel RODNEY’s steering failed. HOOD and her destroyer screen of HARDY, FIREDRAKE and FEARLESS detached and proceeded into the Clyde.
At 1300 hours RODNEY with destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT and FORTUNE arrived at Greenock.

27th – Off Greenock the RODNEY was visited by the King and Queen and the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill. The royal party took tea on board with the CinC HF.

(The conference on 31/10/1939 had actioned improvements to Scapa Flows defences. By the 1/3/1940 the improvements to Scapa Flow’s anti-aircraft defences were substantially complete and with improvements in the anti-submarine defences on-going. The CinC HF decided that the Home Fleet could again be based in the Flow. The First heavy ships to arrive were HOOD and VALIANT who arrived on 7/3.1940)

8th – At 1730 hours the Fleet was approaching the entrance to Flow when the CinC was informed that the Hoxa gate was closed as it was thought that a hostile aircraft (possibly a He 111 of KG 26) had dropped mines in approximate position one mile 055¼ from the north east end of the Calf of Flotta.
Winston Churchill was transferred by rowing boat to the destroyer KIMBERLEY who then took Churchill into Scapa via the Switha Sound gate, thence to the HOOD, on which Churchill spent the night.
The remainder of the Fleet cruised off the west of the Orkneys while the Flow was swept for mines, none were found.

9th – At 1045 hours RODNEY, RENOWN, REPULSE with destroyers HARDY, HOSTILE, INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN, FOXHOUND, FORTUNE, FIREDRAKE, PUNJABI, FAULKNOR and FORESTER arrived in Scapa Flow.

(On the afternoon of 9/3/1940, a meeting was held on the RODNEY to review the state of the Flows defences. Attending were the First Lord and Civil Lord of the Admiralty, the CinC HF and his Chief of Staff, The Vice Admiral Commanding Orkneys and Shetlands, the Rear Admiral Scapa, the Adjutant General Royal Marines, the Director of Local Defence Division, the Director of Naval Air Division and the Civil Engineer in Chief. The state of the defences was:-

Anti-Aircraft defences

55 HAA guns mounted, 39 in action, remainder expected to be in action within the week. A further 33 to be mounted. Ammunition available 300 rounds per gun out of 1200 rounds per gun to be available.

14 LAA [single mark VIII 2lb pom-poms] out of a total (of ?) to be provided.

30 A/A searchlights out of a total of 56.

9 barrage balloons deployed out of a total of 56.

The gun operations room at Kirkwall in action.

Netherbutton RDF [Chain Home Radar station] operational but inefficient in all directions.

Three squadrons of Hurricanes at Wick, Nos. 43, 111 and 504, out of five to be stationed there.

The Sector Controller at Wick in action, but the extra telephone lines required not yet working so there was a time lag.

At RNAS Hatson, HMS Sparrowhawk, one and half squadrons of Skuas and Rocs, 800 and 803 squadrons and one squadron of Gladiators, 804 squadron.

Anti-Submarine defences

Booms; Hoxa and Switha, still only single lines of nets. Hoy, six sections of the second line of nets completed. Boom depot at Howton Bay barely started.

Nevi Skerry boom; some moorings in place, no nets.

Defence electric lights and 12-pdr. Guns at ends of booms not in place.

Controlled mining; Hoxa and Switha complete, Hoy very nearly so. Controlled mining base at St Margaret’s Hope barely started.

Indicator Loops between Switha Island and South Ronaldsay completed. Harbour defence asdic [sonar] in Hoxa Sound not complete.

Blocking of the Eastern Sounds; Some blockships had been put down since October 1939, but there were still passages in all four Sounds through which a submarine could pass at slack water high tide. None of the three defence electric lights or 12-pdr. Guns for the defence of the Sounds were ready for action, but those on the mainland were to be ready in a day or two.

The CinC HF considered that the meeting served a useful purpose in enabling the deficiencies to be brought to notice and doubtful points to be cleared up. It was decided that work on all parts of the defences must be pressed on, and steps should be taken to close the Eastern Sounds by building a causeway across them, these causeways became the Churchill Barriers)

16th – At 1952 hours the Home Fleet in Scapa Flow came under attack from 34 Luftwaffe bombers, 16 He 111 of 3./KG 26 and 18 Ju 88 of KG 30. The first formation of 3 bombers approached from the east at 7000 feet, when over the Flow they split and their selected targets were the RODNEY, RENOWN, the heavy cruiser NORFOLK.
Dive bombing attacks were carried out on RODNEY, RENOWN and NORFOLK; two 250Kg bombs were dropped by each dive bomber. No hits were scored on RODNEY or RENOWN but NORFOLK was hit on the quarter deck port side abaft Y turret. The old battleship IRON DUKE was also damaged by 3 near misses.

(The first warning of the air attack came from the destroyer KASHMIR, escorting convoy ON 20; she reported the approach of German aircraft toward Scapa Flow. A warning was also received from the Sumburgh RDF station on Shetland, but the raid had not been picked up by Netherbutton RDF station, confirming its inefficiency. Shortly after the attack on the fleet attacks were made on Hatson and Bridge of Wraith. In the attack Bridge of Wraith the first British civilian to be killed in the war was killed. The returning German pilots reported having hit 3 battleships and a cruiser)

27th – At 1100 hours RODNEY, WARSPITE and VALIANT escorted by destroyers FEARLESS, FORESTER, HUNTER, HASTY, HERO, HOTSPUR, HARDY, HOSTILE and HYPERION arrived back at Scapa Flow.

(For various reasons strategic reasons Hitler decided to invade Norway. Operation Weserubung and was a combined operation to land German troops at various points in Norway timed to commence at 0415/9/4/40. The Germans achieved complete surprise even though various ‘intelligence’ was available but was ignored.

The Y service that monitored German radio traffic detected an increase in German naval radio traffic in the Baltic and this traffic was analysed by Harry Hinsley at GC and CS who informed the Admiralty that a possible invasion was under way. The Admiralty dismissed Hinsley’s analyst out of hand.

At 0800/7/4/40, 24 miles west of Horns Reef a RAF Hudson of 220 Sqd. sighted a cruiser and six destroyers steering north. Report received by CinC Home Fleet at 1120 hours. This report set the Home Fleet in motion.

The 23 Wellingtons of 9 and 115 Sqd. and 12 Blenheims of 107 Sqd. sent to attack this force failed to locate them. However at 1415 hours 7 Blenheims of 21 Sqd located and attacked another force comprising a battlecruiser, pocket battleship, 3 cruisers and 12 destroyers 78 miles NNW of Horns Reef steering 335¼.

Report received by CinC Home Fleet at 1727 hours.

This report was subsequently amended in Admiralty message at 2057 hours stating that photographs confirmed that one of the ships was GNEISENAU class.

Following this last report the CinC Home Fleet decided that a German assault on Norway was in progress and all ships in Scapa Flow were ordered to raise steam. The Admiralty at first judged that the German fleet movements were to cover the breakout of heavy fleet units into the Atlantic)

(At 0000/7/4/40 Group 1 of Operation Weserubung, the Narvik attack force, sailed from Bremerhaven, the Group consisted of battlecruisers GNEISENAU and SCHARNHORST and destroyers WILHELM HEIDKAMP, GEORG THIELE, WOLFGANG ZENKER, BERND VON ARNIM, ERICH GIESE, ERICH KOELLNER, DIETHER VON ROEDER, HANS LUDEMANN, HERMANN KUNNE and ANTON SCHMIDT carrying 2000 troops of the 139th Gebirgsjager Regiment, 3rd Mountain Division.

At 0000/7/4/40 Group 2 of Operation Weserubung, the Trondheim attack force, sailed from Cuxhaven, the Group consisted of cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER and destroyers PAUL JACOBI, THEODOR RIEDEL, BRUNO HEINEMANN and FRIEDRICH ECKHOLDT carrying 1700 troops of the 138th Gebirgsjager Regiment, 3rd Mountain Division.

At 0200 hours SW of Heligoland the two groups joined up and steered in a north easterly direction.)

7th – At 2015 hours the Home Fleet comprising RODNEY (Flag CinC HF), VALIANT, battlecruiser REPULSE, light cruisers SHEFFIELD, PENELOPE and the French EMILE BERTIN, destroyers ESKIMO, PUNJABI, BEDOUIN, KIMBERLEY, JUPITER, CODRINGTON (D.1), GRIFFIN, BRAZEN, ESCAPADE and ELECTRA sailed from Scapa Flow and steered easterly. After clearing the Pentland Firth course was set for 61-00N, 01-00E.

8th – At 0200 hours the EMILE BERTIN having lost contact with the Fleet turned back to Scapa Flow.
Between 0759 hours and 0904 hours the CinC Home Fleet received signals from the destroyer GLOWWORM stating that she was engaging an enemy force in approximate position 65 06N, 6-20E. After GLOWWORM’s last signal, which faded out, the CinC thought it probable that she had been sunk.

(In fact the GLOWWORM had been sunk by the German heavy cruiser HIPPER in position 64-13N, 06-28E)

At 0915 hours in approximate position 61-07N, 1-00E the CinC detached the REPULSE, PENELOPE and destroyers BEDOUIN, KIMBERLEY, PUNJABI and ESKIMO to proceed at their best speed to go to the assistance of GLOWWORM.
At 1200 hours the CinC HF ordered the accompanying RAF Sunderland of 201 Sqd. to proceed ahead of the Fleet and search for the enemy.
At 1429 hours the CinC received the Sunderland’s report timed at 1400 hours of one battlecruiser, two cruisers and two destroyers in position 64-12N, 06-25E, course 270¼.

At 1600 hours when in approximate position 63-06N, 04-30E the Fleet altered course to the north.
At 1615 hours course was altered north westerly.
At 1845 hours RODNEY launched her two Walrus aircraft to attempt to make contact with the enemy force. By this time it was blowing hard from the NNW and speed had to be reduced for the destroyers.

(At 1930 hours, by which time the Fleet should have intercepted the enemy, the CinC HF took stock of the situation. He had had reports from various sources of enemy forces to the north, to the west and of heavy units in the Skaw proceeding westward. The CinC decided to send REPULSE and her screen to reinforce RENOWN off Vestfjord and to turn south to try to bring the heavy enemy units reported in the south to action and support the cruisers of CS1 who were sweeping north toward the reported heavy units)

At 2000 hours the Fleet were in position 64-22N, 03-40E.
At 2010 hours the Fleet altered course to 195¼ and increased speed to 18 knots.

9th – In the early hours the CinC was joined by the destroyers SOMALI, MATABELE, MASHONA and TARTAR who had sailed from Rosyth at 2330/7/4/40.

(At 0446 hours the CinC HF received Admiralty message timed at 0424 hours, indicating that four German warships were reported entering Oslo Fjord at 0235/9/4/40, five ships were approaching Bergen, at least one at Stavanger and two were at Trondheim. From these reports the Admiralty conclude that the Germans were invading Norway)

At 0620 hours the CinC detached the destroyer TARTAR to RV with the Polish destroyers BLYSKAWICA, BURZA and GROM, the Polish destroyers were steaming north with the light cruisers ARETHUSA and GALATEA, then to RV with convoy HN 25 and escort it to Methil Roads.

(At this time the CinC HF signalled the Admiralty to ask whether there was any intelligence of enemy forces in Bergen, as it was desired to send MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON and six destroyers there. At 0830 hours the CinC HF received the Admiralty reply stating; no intelligence, but air reconnaissance being carried out. Bergen reported to be in the hands of the enemy and area mined. Submarines ordered to attack enemy forces in Stavanger. The CinC was also instructed by the Admiralty to prepare a plan for attacking German warships and transports in Bergen and for controlling the approaches assuming that the defences were still in Norwegian hands. A similar plan was to be prepared for Trondheim if sufficient forces were available; and Narvik was to be watched to prevent German forces landing)

At 0630 hours in position 61-23N, 03-06E course 180¼, speed 18 knots, the CinC was joined by the cruisers GLASGOW and MANCHESTER of the 18th CS, these cruisers had been covering convoy ON 25.
At 0940 hours in approximate position 60-28N, 03-00E The CinC was joined by the heavy cruisers DEVONSHIRE, BERWICK and YORK of the 1st CS, light cruisers ARETHUSA and GALATEA of the 2nd CS and SOUTHAMPTON of the 18th CS, French light cruiser EMILE BERTIN, destroyers, GURKHA, SIKH, AFRIDI, MOHAWK, and French large destroyers MAILLE BREZE and TARTU. The destroyers ELECTRA, CODRINGTON, GRIFFIN and ESCAPADE rejoined after refuelling at Sullom Voe.

(Four of the destroyers that had been with the 2nd CS had detached at 0400/9/4/40, when KELVIN and KASHMIR were in collision and COSSACK and ZULU were ordered to stand by)

(At 1015 hours The Admiralty gave approval to the CinC HF to carry out the operation against enemy forces at Bergen)

At 1130 hours the CinC HF detached SOUTHAMPTON, MANCHESTER (CS18), SHEFFIELD and GLASGOW of the 18th CS with destroyers AFRIDI (D4), GURKHA, SIKH, MOHAWK, SOMALI (D6), MATABELE and MASHONA for a raid on Bergen.
At 1200 hours in position 59-44N, 2-57E the Home Fleet turned north.
At 1357 hours the Admiralty ordered the Bergen attack force to set course to return to the Main Fleet which by then had turned north to open the distance between the Fleet and the German land based aircraft.

Between 1430 and 1740 hours the Fleet consisting of the RODNEY, VALIANT, DEVONSHIRE, BERWICK, YORK, SHEFFIELD, ARETHUSA, GALATEA and destroyers JUPITER, CODRINGTON (D.1), GRIFFIN, BRAZEN, ESCAPADE and ELECTRA and the French EMILE BERTIN and destroyers MAILLE BREZE and TARTU, was attacked by 47 Ju 88 bombers from KG 30 and 41 He111 bombers from KG 26.

In the attack the RODNEY was hit by a 500Kg AP bomb dropped by a Ju 88 dive bomber from 400ft. The bomb struck on the port side abaft the funnel a ready use ammunition locker deflected the bomb and split the fuse from the explosive. The body then passed through the boat deck hitting a table at which two midshipman were sitting, they had been sent below for safety. The bomb then continued down into an engineering store where it broke up on the 4' thick armoured deck, where its explosive charge caused a fire. Apart from the structural damage and a small fire, the only injuries caused were to Paymaster Midshipman W. R. H. Lapper, Commissioned Gunner F. G. Roper, Midshipman J. C. S. Wright, and seven ratings. The damage to the armoured deck and other structural damage was repaired by the ships staff who welded steel plates over the holes and RODNEY remained in action with the Fleet

In this attack the Fleet fired off 40% of their AA ammunition and only managed to shoot down four of the attacking Ju 88’s.

(This air attack made such an impression on Admiral Forbes that he decided the fleet could not operate without air superiority. Consequently, he proposed to the Admiralty an important change of plans: He would attack the Germans in the northern part of Norway with surface ships and military assistance, but the area to the south would have to be left to British submarines on account of the German air superiority in that area)

At 2030 hours in approximate position 61-50N, 3-00E the Fleet turned west to place distance between it and the Luftwaffe.

10th – Between 0000hours and 0315 hours, when the Fleet was in approximate position 61 50N, 01-00W the CinC HF detached SHEFFIELD, ARETHUSA, GALATEA and destroyers AFRIDI, SIKH, MOHAWK, SOMALI, MATABELE and MASHONA, JUPITER, CODRINGTON, GRIFFIN, BRAZEN, ESCAPADE and ELECTRA and French destroyers MAILLE BREZE and TARTU to refuel either at Sullom Voe or Scapa Flow.
At 0215 hours the CinC was joined by the destroyers FAULKNOR (D.8), FOXHOUND and FORESTER from Scapa Flow.
At 0500 hours the destroyers COSSACK and ZULU joined from Lerwick.
At 0530 hours the destroyers HERO and HYPERION joined from Sullom Voe.
At 0730 hours in position 61-24N, 2-00W, RODNEY, VALIANT, DEVONSHIRE, BERWICK, YORK, FAULKNOR (D.8), FOXHOUND and FORESTER were joined by the battleship WARSPITE, the aircraft carrier FURIOUS and their destroyer screen of ASHANTI, MAORI, ECLIPSE, ESCORT, ISIS, ILEX, IMOGEN, INGLEFIELD, JANUS, JAVELIN and JUNO.
At 0800 hours the Fleet changed course to north easterly to achieve a flying off position for FURIOUS’s Swordfish to attack Trondheim.
At 2035 hours the CinC HF received Admiralty message timed at 1904 hours which laid down future policy, viz; The capture of Narvik was to take priority over operations against Bergen and Trondheim.

12th – At 0730 hours in position 66-27N, 6-00E the Home Fleet and the Battle Cruiser Squadron RVed with the Flag, without either force having intercepted any enemy. The Home Fleet now comprised battleships RODNEY (Flag CinC HF), VALIANT and WARSPITE, battlecruisers RENOWN (Flag CinC BCS) and REPULSE aircraft carrier FURIOUS and destroyers ASHANTI, COSSACK, ZULU, MAORI, HERO, JANUS, JAVELIN, JUNO, FORESTER, FOXHOUND and FAULKNOR (D8). The Fleet then steered in a north easterly direction.

At 11220 hours the CinC HF received Admiralty message timed at 1033 hours, stating; An operation to clean up enemy naval forces and destroy shore batteries in Narvik is to be carried out using synchronized dive-bombing attacks from FURIOUS in combination with attack by surface forces. It is considered that the latter should consist of a battleship heavily escorted by destroyers. On completion of the operation, FURIOUS is to remain in Narvik area to assist coming land operation. Fuel for FURIOUS is being sent. Risk of U-Boat attack should be alright if suitable anchorage is selected with destroyer patrol outside.
At 1450 hours VALIANT, REPULSE, JANUS, JAVELIN and JUNO were detached to make contact with troop convoy NP 1.
Between 1615 and 1655 hours FURIOUS flew off 17 Swordfish, 9 from 816 squadron and 8 from 818 squadron armed with bombs to attack enemy shipping in Narvik.
At 2000 hours Vice Admiral Whitworth transferred his flag from RENOWN to WARSPITE. This was in preparation for Operation DW, the attack on Narvik.
At 2205 hours one of the last aircraft of 816 Sqd. returning in pitch darkness, missed the arrestor wires, catapulted overboard, and landed upside down in the freezing Arctic waters. After 45 minutes the three man crew were rescued by HERO.
At 2300 hours the cruisers DEVONSHIRE and BERWICK rejoined the CinC.

(DEVONSHIRE and BERWICK’s escorting destroyers INGLEFIELD, ISIS, ILEX and IMOGEN had detached in Vestfjord and proceeded to Skjelfjord to refuel from the oiler BRITISH LADY)

11th – The ST CROIX detached and returned to Halifax.

15th – In approximate position 58-50N, 33W, the destroyers HESPERUS, LEGION and the FS LEOPARD joined convoy TC 10 from Iceland.

16th – The FS LEOPARD detached from convoy TC 10.
RODNEY, HESPERUS and LEGION were joined by the destroyers ACTIVE, ECHO and ORP GARLAND and PIORUN, from Iceland, escorting convoy TC 10.

18th – At 0500 hours the destroyers ACTIVE and ECHO detached from convoy TC 10 for Scapa Flow.

(Late on the 18/4/41 the Admiralty received a report that the German battleship BISMARCK, two cruisers, cruiser Leipzig class and three destroyers passed the Skaw early morning of 18/4/41 steering north west. This report was false, has at the time the BISMARCK was in the Baltic)

19th – At 0030 hours the Admiralty signalled the RODNEY; ‘On arrival in the Clyde refuel with all despatch and prepare to leave harbour again’.
At 1130 hours RODNEY and destroyers HESPERUS, LEGION, GARLAND and PIORUN with convoy TC 10 arrived off Greenock.
On arrival RODNEY immediately commenced refuelling. She also required an estimated 12 hours work on urgent engine defects.
At 2358 hours RODNEY and destroyers ORP PIORUN and GARLAND and SALADIN departed the Clyde to reach position 60-45N, 14-45W by 0900/21/4/41, so as to be in a blocking position south of the Iceland/Faeroes gap should the BISMARCK attempt breakout via the Iceland/Faeroes passage. The cruiser KENYA was to be stationed to the north of RODNEY in position

20th – In darkness off the mouth of the Clyde RODNEY was in collision with the ASW trawler TOPAZE 608grt. The TOPAZE was sunk with the loss of all 18crew.
At 0700 hours RODNEY was in position 55-40N, 6-45W, course then set at 320¼, 15½ knots.

(At 1130/20/4/41 the Admiralty amended the date on which the German force was reported to have passed the Skaw from the 18th to the 14th April)

At 1530 hours with RODNEY in position 57-20N, 9-24W, the Admiralty ordered RODNEY to return to the Clyde.

21st – At 2229 hours the Admiralty ordered RODNEY to return to the Clyde forthwith.

22nd – At 1105 hours the Admiralty ordered RODNEY to proceed to Scapa with despatch.

23rd – At 0115 hours RODNEY and destroyers ORP PIORUN and GARLAND and SALADIN arrived at Scapa Flow.

RODNEY at Scapa Flow. She was suffering from various machinery and boiler defects that were necessary to repair before she could sail to the USA for a refit. One of her engine turbines had recently broken down twice, leaving her with power on only one propeller.

17th – RODNEY escorted by destroyers SOMALI (D6), BEDOUIN and ESKIMO sailed from Scapa Flow for the Clyde.

18th - RODNEY and destroyers SOMALI (D6), BEDOUIN and ESKIMO arrived off Greenock.
On arrival RODNEY took on board the extensive spares and equipment that would be required for her refit in the USA. This included 4000 boiler tubes and 3 x eight-barrelled pompoms which were stowed on top of B gun. There were also crates of spares stowed on the deck. Also stowed below were some of the Elgin Marbles and gold bullion. She also embarked over 500 passengers, including US naval personnel.

21st – The auxiliary minelayer SOUTHERN PRINCE 11447grt escorted by the destroyers BEDOUIN and IMPULSIVE sailed from the Kyle of Lochalsh. The SOUTHERN PRINCE carried equipment for RODNEY's refitting and specialist naval ratings en route to Canada.

22nd – At 1315 hours (Zulu +2 hours) RODNEY and destroyers SOMALI (D6), ESKIMO, TARTAR and MASHONA escorting the HMT BRITANNIC 26943grt sailed from the Clyde. RODNEY and ESKIMO were bound for Boston Navy yard for refits. The BRITANNIC, with military and civilian personal embarked, including 550 RAF pilot trainees en route to the USA to be trained under the then secret Arnold Scheme, was bound for Halifax.

23rd – At 1200 hours RODNEY, SOMALI (D6), ESKIMO, TARTAR, MASHONA and the HMT BRITANNIC were in approximate position 56-30N, 10W.

(At 1922/23/5/41 AB Alfred Newell the starboard lookout of the heavy cruiser SUFFOLK sighted the BISMARCK at a distance of 7 miles NNE, of SUFFOLK and shortly afterwards, astern of BISMARCK, the PRINZ EUGEN. SUFFOLK’s approximate position was 66-44N, 26-45W, BISMARCK’s 66 51N, 26 38W. At 1923 hours SUFFOLK made a sighting report, but because of icing of her aerials this was only picked up by the NORFOLK. At 2032 hours the heavy cruiser NORFOLK, who was in company with the SUFFOLK, sent a sighting report, one Battleship, one cruiser in sight’ which was picked up by the CinC Home Fleet, Admiral Holland and Admiralty )

When NORFOLK’s sighting report was received on board. RODNEY’s CO, Captain Frederick H. G. Dalrymple-Hamilton, formed a small committee, consisting of himself, the Commander John Grindle RN, the navigator Lt. Cdr. George Gatacre RAN, the Torpedo Officer Lt. Cdr. Roger Lewis RN and two U.S. military personnel a Captain Coppinger and Lieutenant Commander Joseph H. Wellings USN. They met in the charthouse to discuss the latest signals and events and put forward scenarios based on events as they unfolded. Early on the committee agreed that BISMARCK would head for France.

24th – At 0600 hours RODNEY, SOMALI (D6), ESKIMO, TARTAR, MASHONA and the HMT BRITANNIC were in approximate position 56-30N, 16W.

(At 1840/24/5/41 the BISMARCK emerged from mist on SUFFOLK’s starboard beam at a range of 10 miles and heading straight for SUFFOLK. BISMARCK immediately opened fire on SUFFOLK, and fired 7 salvoes. This manoeuvre was to allow the PRINZ EUGEN to detach to the south, which she did at 1814 hours. SUFFOLK replied with 9 broadsides, most of which fell short. PRINCE OF WALES came up from astern and fired 12 salvos from 15 miles, following which two of her guns were put out of action.

At 1856 hours BISMARCK broke off the action and turned west then south.

At 1914 hours BISMARCK reported to Seekriegsleitung: - brief fight with King George without results. PRINZ EUGEN released for oiling. Opponent keeps up surveillance.

At 2056 hours BISMARCK reported to Group West and Seekriegsleitung: - shaking off contacts impossible due to enemy radar. Due to fuel shortage will proceed direct to St. Nazaire.

At 2400/24/5/41 BISMARCK was attacked by nine Swordfish of 825 Squadron from the VICTORIOUS armed with 18" torpedoes. Three Fulmars of 800Z Flight followed the Swordfish with orders to observe the attack and then maintain contact at all costs. One torpedo hit was achieved on the starboard side, no significant structural damage was caused, however the shock of the impact caused one casualty. Also the increase in speed and manoeuvring had dislodged the collision mats that had been put over the two shell holes in the bows and she again started to take on water again. BISMARCK had to slow down to 16 knots to reposition the collision mats )

(Following BISMARCK’s 2056 signal, to Group West. GC and CS reported to Admiralty OIC that the operational control of BISMARCK had been transferred from Wilhelmshaven to Paris and this was a good sign that she was moving south. OIC didn’t pass on this information until late on the 25/5/41)

25th – RODNEY continued on he south westerly course, acting on the intuition of Dalrymple-Hamilton and his committee, with her escorting destroyers trailing some way astern.

(At 0310/25/5/41, BISMARCK’s CO, Captain Lindemann having decided that there was a chance that BISMARCK’s shadowers could be shaken off, turned to starboard and described a huge arc, passing astern of SUFFOLK.

At 0500 hours BISMARCK settled on a course of 130¼.

Also at 0500 hours SUFFOLK, now to the south of BISMARCK, signalled that she had lost radar contact)

(During the period that SUFFOLK had been in contact, BISMARCK had made 22 signals to Germany. Although GC and CS were unable to read any of BISMARCK’s signals until 28/5/41, the Admiralty OIC plotted the bearings of her DFed signals against the positions reported by SUFFOLK. This enabled any DF errors to be analysed which assisted in verifying the accuracy of bearings DFed after SUFFOLK lost contact)

At 0800 hours RODNEY was approximately 350 miles south east of BISMARCK and approximately on BISMARCK’s track, although of course Dalrymple-Hamilton didn’t know this. Dalrymple-Hamilton now considered that RODNEY was close to BISMARCK’s course for France so he slowed, this allowed the destroyers SOMALI, TARTAR and MASHONA, who had dropped astern of RODNEY due to the heavy weather, to close on her.

29th – At 1800 hours in Eddrachillis Bay RODNEY RVed with the destroyers MONTROSE, HOLCOMBE and IMPULSIVE and course was then set for Scapa Flow.
At 2400 hours RODNEY, MONTROSE, HOLCOMBE and IMPULSIVE arrived at Scapa Flow.

2nd to 9th – RODNEY carried out exercises in and around Scapa Flow.

10th – Early in the morning RODNEY sailed from Scapa Flow to carry out gunnery exercises. RODNEY returned to Scapa in the afternoon. After picking up her moorings and securing from sea, the Prime Minster, Winston Churchill came on board. The lower deck was cleared and Churchill addressed the crew who were assembled on the quarterdeck.
(RODNEY had been nominated for support duties in Operation TORCH, the allied landings in North Africa)

23rd – At 1700 hours RODNEY (with senior British and US army embarked) escorted by the destroyers LOOKOUT, PANTHER and PENN sailed from Scapa for Gibraltar.

26th – RODNEY was sighted by a U-Boat and reported as an American battleship.

29th – RODNEY, LOOKOUT, PANTHER and PENN arrived at Gibraltar.

1st – Early in the morning the cruiser SCYLLA (with Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham embarked; Cunningham was to be the CinC of Allied naval forces for Operation TORCH) and the destroyer OPPORTUNE arrived at Gibraltar.

6th – At 1930 hours RODNEY sailed from Gibraltar and steered east into the Mediterranean and joined Force H.
(The task of Force H was to patrol as far east as 3-30E, provide distant cover to prevent any attempt by the Italian or Vichy French Fleets to interfere with the landings at Algiers or Oran. The assault over the beaches was due at H hour, which was set for 0100/ 8/11/42 for the landing at Oran)

7th – At 1645 hours Force H was attacked by Ju 88’s who were driven off by the ships AA fire.
Late in the evening RODNEY with destroyers BEAGLE, BOREAS and BULLDOG detached from Force H to provide support for the Central Task Force off Oran.

8th – At 0500 hours RODNEY and the destroyers BEAGLE, BOREAS and BULLDOG were in position 20 miles north of Oran. This was the general area from where the carrier group of, FURIOUS, DASHER and BITER were operating.
At 0645 hours the cruiser AURORA and the destroyer CAPEL, who were off the beaches X and Y to the west of Oran, in position 35-55N, 1-05W, was in action with the Vichy French destroyers TRAMONTANE, EPERVIER, TYPHON and TORNADE.
The EPERVIER and TRAMONTANE were damaged by gunfire and driven ashore.
During the course of the action the JAMAICA and the destroyer FARNDALE arrived on the scene and joined the battle. JAMAICA fired 501 rounds of 6in but only managed to damage the TYPHON.
At 0730 hours the badly damaged TORNADE sank.
The TYPHON suffered damage but managed to make Oran harbour, where she scuttled herself across the harbour entrance.

(The waters off Y Beach at Les Andalouses, west of Oran were within range of the four 194 mm guns of the Fort du Santon, situated 1000 ft above Mers el Kebir harbour. At daylight intermittent shelling of the transport area began. Shortly before 0900/8/11/42, the transports there came under accurate fire, and at 0917 hours, the HMT LLANGIBBY CASTLE 11,951grt, received the first of several damaging hits which obliged her to move farther west and out of range. At 1050 hours the battery at Fort du Santon resumed firing at Y Beach and achieved a hit on the HMT MONARCH of BERMUDA 22,424grt, causing her to move out of range. The fort’s guns also targeted the AURORA who was straddled but not hit. AURORA called on RODNEY to suppress the fort)

At 1250 hours RODNEY launched her Walrus to spot fall of shot.
At 1300 hours RODNEY opened fire on Fort du Santon at a range of 30000 yards (the French 194mm/50 M1902 was thought to have a maximum range of 28500 yards). Because the fort was surrounded by housing RODNEY had to take great care not to cause civilian damage. After firing sixteen 16in shells low cloud caused her to cease firing. Damage to fort was difficult to ascertain as during the bombardment the guns of Fort du Stanton remained silent. During the shoot RODNEY was forced to make an emergency turn to avoid a torpedo (the torpedo had possibly been fired by a Vichy French submarine, either the ARGONAUTE or the ACTEON both had sailed from Oran earlier and both were sunk later in the day by ACHATES and WESTCOTT).
At 1500 hours RODNEY again fired at Fort du Santon with her main armament, again the fort didn’t reply.
At 2030 hours RODNEY was patrolling off shore, notionally out of range of Fort du Santon’s guns, when the Fort’s guns open fire on RODNEY and achieved several near misses. RODNEY immediately moved out of range.
At 2130 hours RODNEY carried out a main armament shoot against Fort du Santon. The fort was silenced temporarily, but RODNEY couldn’t knock it out.

9th – RODNEY remained off the Oran beachhead.

10th – RODNEY, AURORA and JAMAICA were off Oran ready to support the American attack on Oran. Force H had also moved closer to Oran to provide air support if required.
During the day RODNEY carried out a shoot against a battery of three 240mm guns at Canastel, to the east of Oran.
Then she returned to bombarding Fort du Santon. In this shoot she was assisted by Albacores from FURIOUS who carried out dive bombing.
At 1230 hours the French capitulated.

11th – RODNEY rejoined Force H, cruising south of the Balearic Islands.

16th – Late in the evening Force H returned to Gibraltar. But the harbour was so crowded that RODNEY was unable to find a berth.

17th – At 0300 hours RODNEY had to anchor outside the harbour.
At 0900 hours RODNEY with the rest of Force H, sailed from Gibraltar for Mers el Kebir.

18th – At 1200 hours Force H arrived at Mers el Kebir.
Whilst at Mers El Kebir RODNEY’s ships staff carried out maintenance on her troublesome boilers.

21st – Force H comprising NELSON (Flag), RODNEY, aircraft carriers FORMIDABLE and FURIOUS and Destroyers ASHANTI, ESKIMO, TARTAR, PENN, PARTRIDGE, PATHFINDER, PORCUPINE, LOOKOUT, METEOR, VANOC, PUCKERIDGE and CALPE sailed from Mers-el-Kebir for Gibraltar.

22nd - Force H including RODNEY arrived at Gibraltar.

8th – At 0400 hours an Italian SLC, human torpedo, of the Italian 10th Light Flotilla made an attack on Gibraltar harbour. The attack was detected and the attackers apprehended, but not before ships in the harbour, including RODNEY had raised steam and prepared to move out of the harbour.

(The attack had been made by three Italian SLC’s; these had been launched from the modified tanker OLTERRA 4995grt, which had been scuttled in the Spanish port of La Linea. The primary targets of the SLC’s were the NELSON, FORMIDABLE and FURIOUS. Two of the SLC’s failed to penetrate into the harbour and one of whom returned to the OLTERRA. The mission was a debacle; thereof the attackers had died, two were prisoners and only one had made it back. However the British, in a communique dated 8/12/42, indicated that they thought that the attack had been mounted from the submarine AMBRA, so the secret of the OLTERRA had not been revealed )

10th - Force H including RODNEY sailed from Gibraltar for Mers el Kebir.

26th - Force H including RODNEY arrived at Gibraltar.

2nd – At 0200 hours Force H including NELSON, RODNEY and FORMIDABLE sailed from Gibraltar and steered west into the Atlantic to RV with troop convoy KMF 6, with 27500 troops embarked.
After making a RV, Force H joined KMF 6 escorting it into the Mediterranean.
Off Gibraltar the SS CITY OF EDINBURGH 8036grt and SS CITY OF PRETORIA 8049grt, both with stores for Malta and escorted by the destroyer VANOC joined the convoy.

3rd - Force H including NELSON, RODNEY and FORMIDABLE arrived at Algiers escorting convoy KMF 6.

5th - Force H including RODNEY arrived at Gibraltar.

Movement between Gibraltar and Mers el Kebir continued during the remainder of January.

Movement between Gibraltar and Mers el Kebir continued during through February.

Movement between Gibraltar and Mers el Kebir continued during through March.

23rd – RODNEY was at Mers el Kebir when the Italian 10th Light Flotilla made a frogman attack on the harbour. The attack was detected before the frogmen entered the harbour.

Movement between Gibraltar and Mers el Kebir continued during through April.

7th – The battleship KING GEORGE V escorted by the destroyers METEOR, TROUBRIDGE and TUSCAN arrived at Gibraltar from Scapa.

RODNEY escorted by the destroyers METEOR, TROUBRIDGE and TUSCAN sailed from Gibraltar for Plymouth.

12th – In the western approaches TUSCAN detached. (13/5/43 off Hartland Point TUSCAN hit a floating mine, possibly from British minefield HS1 laid in February 1943 by the cruiser minelayer ADVENTURE)

13th – RODNEY, METEOR and TROUBRIDGE arrived at Plymouth. On arrival at Devonport RODNEY commenced a short refit.

During the refit she was fitted with addition 20mm Oerlikons.

1st – RODNEY escorted by the destroyers INGLEFIELD, ONSLOW and OPR PIORUN sailed from Plymouth for Scapa.

3rd - RODNEY escorted by the destroyers INGLEFIELD, ONSLOW and OPR PIORUN arrived at Scapa.

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.

18th – In approximate position 54-30N, 15W the destroyers ARROW, BLANKNEY, BLENCATHRA, BRECON, BRISSENDEN, HAMBLEDON, LEDBURY, MENDIP (D21), PENN, VICEROY, WALLACE and WOOLSTON joined Force H, from Londonderry.

20th – At 2320 hours RAF Liberator V ‘BXJ’ of 86 Sqd. from Aldergrove, who had been providing anti-submarine patrol around Force H, was forced to ditch. The FAULKNOR picked up 6 survivors.

23rd – Force H arrived at Gibraltar.

Also at Gibraltar were the battleships KING GEORGE V and HOWE.

29th – Force H comprising NELSON (Flag, Force H), RODNEY, aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE and destroyers OFFA, PANTHER, PATHFINDER, QUAIL, QUEENBOROUGH, QUILLIAM and ORP PIORUN sailed from Gibraltar for Mers el Kebir.

30th – Force H arrived at Mers el Kebir.

5th – At 1500 hours Force H sailed from Mers el Kebir for Algiers.

6th – At 0600 hours Force H arrived at Algiers.
At 1130 hours Force H (Division 1) comprising NELSON (Flag, Force H), RODNEY, aircraft carrier INDOMITABLE, light cruisers CLEOPATRA and EURYALUS and destroyers OFFA, PANTHER, PATHFINDER, QUAIL, QUEENBOROUGH, QUILLIAM and ORP PIORUN sailed from Algiers to take part in 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)

8th – The captain of RODNEY, appointed Rear Admiral.

9th – At 0600 hours in approximate position 33N, 18E Force H (Division 1) RVed with Division 2 comprising, battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT, aircraft carrier FORMIDABLE and destroyers FAULKNOR, FURY, ECHO, ECLIPSE, INGLEFIELD, ILEX, RAIDER, and HHellMS QUEEN OLGA from Alexandria.
The light cruisers AURORA and PENELOPE joined the force after detaching from convoy KMS 18B.
Force H then steered a northerly course towards the Ionian Sea.
At 0730 hours AURORA, PENELOPE, OFFA and INGLEFIELD detached and proceeded towards the east of Sicily to carry out a bombardment of Catania. (Operation ARSENAL).
Force H then moved into the Ionian Sea and manoeuvred so as to appear to threaten the west coast of Greece. This was done to divert the enemy's attention away from Sicily.
They also 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.

15th – At 0345 hours RODNEY sailed from Malta for Sicily. On her way out of Valletta RODNEY’s stern caught the anti-torpedo boom and the net wrapped itself around her rudder, but the propellers ripped the net to shreds and in the process the stern was swung around hitting the mole. Other than a dent caused by hitting the mole little damage was caused. She then proceeded to Augusta.
At 1100 hours RODNEY arrived at Augusta where she joined NELSON.

17th – RODNEY arrived back at Malta.

At Malta.

26th – RODNEY and NELSON escorted by the destroyer OFFA sailed from Malta for the UK via Algiers.

29th - RODNEY and NELSON escorted by the destroyer OFFA sailed from Algiers for the UK. En route RODNEY again encountered her old steering problems she also had engine problems.

26th – RODNEY sailed from Scapa in company with battleship HOWE escorted by the destroyers METEOR, WAKEFUL and WAGER for exercises and a 6in shoot.

27th – Sailed from Scapa for the Clyde.

28th – Arrived in the Clyde.

29th – RODNEY in company with battleships RAMILLIES and WARSPITE, cruisers FROBISHER, DANAE, DRAGON and MAURITIUS sailed for invasion exercises. The exercises included air attacks by RAF Beaufighters and simulated E-Boat attacks by motor launches.

30th – At 0400 hours a simulated invasion was carried out, the ‘invasion force’ was led by the 40th M/S Squadron and on the way into the beachhead further simulated air attacks were made on the force and barrage practice was carried out.

31st – The Force returned to Greenock.

3rd – At 1600 hours RODNEY, the cruiser SIRIUS, destroyer WESTCOTT and frigate RIOU sailed from Greenock and headed south to take part in Operation NEPTUNE/OVERLORD.
At 1900 hours RODNEY’s CO addressed the ships company, informing them of the operation and telling them that RODNEY was to be a standby bombardment vessel for the Eastern Task Force.

4th – At 0800 hours RODNEY’s group were in the St George’s Channel, west of the Smalls light, when they received the signal postponing the invasion for 24 hours. The group turned around and steered north.
At 1500 hours when off Anglesey, they stopped their northerly movement and cruised off the island to await the order to resume their southerly course.
At 2200 hours they were ordered to resume their southerly movement.

5th – At 0700 hours when off Lands End, WESTCOTT detached to refuel and the destroyer BLEASDALE joined.
At 2100 hours RODNEY’s group arrived in Spithead where they anchored to await orders.

6th – At 0230 hours RODNEY, SIRIUS, RIOU and BLEASDALE sailed for Sword Beach.
On arrival off the beachhead they were ordered to return to Spithead.

7th – At 0245 hours RODNEY, SIRIUS, RIOU and BLEASDALE sailed for the Normandy beachhead.
At 0930 hours they arrived off the American beachhead where they joined the US battleships ARKANSAS, TEXAS and NEVADA and the heavy cruiser TUSCALOOSA.
There were no targets for RODNEY in the American sector so the group sailed east to the British beaches.
At 1830 hours off Juno Beach RODNEY opened fire on the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" who were driving the 9th Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division back from Authie, north west of Caen. RODNEY fired 132 rounds of 16in and 99 rounds of 6in.
(After this bombardment a German officer stated that the concentrated fire was such as had never been seen before on any European battlefield and officers and men were totally demoralised)

8th – At 0900 hours carried out a 6in shoot in support of the 3rd Canadian Division, against a fortified farm held by the 12th SS Panzer Division.
Late in the evening the Luftwaffe attacked shipping off the beachhead. In the attack RODNEY was near missed by 4 bombs.

9th – Between 0315 and 0335 hours RODNEY fired 78 rounds of 16in in support of the 185th Brigade of the British 3rd Division against the 21st SS Panzer Division.
Later RODNEY fired 75 rounds of 16in against tanks of the 21st SS Panzer Division near Caen. It should only have been 15 rounds, but the telegraphist who took the radio message wrote his 'ones' in the continental manner, ie like a seven, so an additional 60 rounds were fired.
At 0900 hours RODNEY carried out a 6in blind shoot against a German troop assembly area.
At 1100 hours RODNEY carried out a 6in shoot against German troops and vehicles near Caen. Followed by 7 rounds of 16in AP against the Benneville battery.
Later in the day RODNEY carried out a 6in shoot against the Houlgate battery (4 ex French 155mm guns).
At 1600 hours RODNEY came under air attack from 12 Me 109 and Fw 190 fighter bombers all the bombs missed.
At 1700 hours RODNEY, the cruiser DRAGON escorted by RIOU and BLEASDALE sailed from the beachhead for Milford Haven, where RODNEY was to re-ammunition.

10th – At 1500 hours RODNEY, RIOU and BLEASDALE arrived at Milford Haven.
Re-ammunitioned with 260 HE and 610 AP 16in shells and 2400 HE 6in shells. The 16in shells were the last available in the UK.

11th – At 1400 hours RODNEY, RIOU and BLEASDALE sailed from Milford Haven.
At 2100 hours RIOU attacked a sub contact and damaged her engines. RIOU detached to Plymouth

12th – At 0730 hours RODNEY and BLEASDALE arrived in Spithead.
On arrival BLEASDALE was withdrawn from operational duty for the removal of wire from her propeller shafting.

18th – RODNEY escorted by the destroyers SCOURGE, FURY and ALGONQUIN (ALGONQUIN had embarked General Crerar and 22 Staff Officers for passage to Assault Area) sailed from Spithead for the beachhead.
On arrival at the beachhead RODNEY anchored off Juno Beach.

19th – At 0100 hours the weather off the beaches started to deteriorate, the wind, blowing from the north easterly direction grew in intensity from force 4.
At 1800 hours the wind speed was force 5 with waves of 6½ feet. (All storm data is for Omaha Beach)

20th – At 0700 hours the wind speed was force 5 with waves of 7 feet.
At 1800 hours the wind speed was force 6 with waves of 7½ feet.

21st – At 0700 hours the wind speed was force 6 with waves of 7½ feet.
At 1800 hours the wind speed was force 5 with waves of 7 feet.

22nd – At 0700 hours the wind speed was force 4 with waves of 5½ feet.

23rd – At 2330 hours RODNEY was subjected to an attempted dive bombing attack by a Ju 88, but the attacker was driven off by intensive AA fire.

24th – From 0015 hours through the hours of darkness RODNEY was subjected to air attack. No hits were scored.

26th – At 0800 hours RODNEY in company with the monitor ROBERTS and light cruisers ARGONAUT, BELFAST and DIADEM carried out a shoot in support of Operation EPSOM, the British VIII Corps, 15th Scottish Division leading, advance into the Odon Valley. Their target was the 1st, 9th and 12th SS Panzer Divisions.
Immediately afterwards RODNEY fired 10 rounds of 16in at Carpiquet airfield which was to east of the line of advance of VIII corps; the target was the 12th SS Panzer Division.
At 1230 hours RODNEY fired a further 10 rounds of 16in at Carpiquet airfield.

29th - Intelligence reported that an E-Boat attack is to be made on RODNEY. To counter the threat 37 LCT’s were positioned around RODNEY.

30th – At 1400 hours RODNEY was off Gold Beach when she carried out a one hour shoot firing 16in shells into the village of Gavrus in support of the 15th Scottish Division who had earlier been forced out of Gavrus by 1st SS Panzer Division. RODNEY’s bombardment had a devastating effect on enemy morale.

3rd – At 0500 hours RODNEY carried out a 16in shoot on Carpiquet airfield in support of the Canadian 8th Brigade, Operation WINDSOR. RODNEY’s target was the 12th SS Panzer Division.

4th – RODNEY was visited by General Montgomery, Vice Admiral Dalrymple-Hamilton and Rear Admiral Rivett-Carnac.

5th – RODNEY was visited by officers from the Guards Brigade.

6th - Intelligence reported that an attack on shipping off the invasion beaches was to be made by human torpedoes and midget submarines.
At 1900 hours RODNEY carried out a shoot on buildings in Le Havre docks that were thought to be the base for the human torpedoes and midget submarines.

7th – RODNEY fired 46 rounds of 16in against Hill 112, which is 6¼ miles south west of Caen. The barrage was to soften up the 9th SS Panzer Division who held Hill 112 in preparation for Operation JUPITER the attack by the 129th Brigade of the 43rd Wessex Division the following day to seize Hill 112. (Hill 112 had changed hands several times during the past two weeks and the Germans said; He who controls Hill 112 controls Normandy)

8th – At 0800 hours RODNEY carried out a 16in shoot against the assembly areas of the 12th SS Panzer Division and the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division in support of the British 1st Corps assault on Caen, Operation CHARNWOOD.

9th – At 0200 hours the Luftwaffe mounted an attack by 150 aircraft on shipping off the beachhead.
At 0845 hours RODNEY fired 15 rounds of 16in at German tanks of the 12th SS Panzer Division in support of Operation CHARNWOOD. One of RODNEY’s 16in shells destroyed the spire of the Church of Saint-Pierre in Caen.
At 1400 hours Sailed from the beachhead for Spithead. During her period off the beachhead RODNEY had fired 519 x 16in, 454 x 6in and 1200 x 4.7in.
At 2200 hours arrived in Spithead.
RODNEY’s crew were heartened to hear a BBC news bulletin attribute all their success to NELSON!

15th – At 0430 hours RODNEY escorted by a frigate and two sloops sailed from Spithead for Plymouth.
At 1400 hours arrived in Plymouth Sound and then proceeded to dock in Devonport.

At Devonport.

10th - At 1300 hours RODNEY escorted by the destroyers FAULKNOR and the HNorMS STORD sailed from Plymouth for Portland.
At 1900 hours RODNEY, FAULKNOR and STORD arrived at Portland.

11th – At 0645 hours RODNEY escorted by the destroyers FAULKNOR, STORD and URANIA sailed from Portland to carry out a bombardment of coastal gun emplacements on Alderney.
In the channel STORD and URANIA detached and the destroyer SAUMAREZ from Portsmouth joined.
At 0910 hours on arrival off Cherbourg the weather was unsuitable for the shoot so RODNEY, FAULKNOR and SAUMAREZ returned to Portland.
At 1200 hours RODNEY, FAULKNOR and SAUMAREZ arrived back at Portland.

12th – At 0730 hours RODNEY escorted by the destroyers FAULKNOR and JERVIS sailed from Portland to carry out a bombardment of coastal gun emplacements on Alderney.
At 1215 hours RODNEY arrived off Cherbourg and with the assistance of a US tug from Cherbourg RODNEY was manoeuvred into position at 90¼ to the cost about 20 miles from and broadside to Alderney.
At 1410 hours RODNEY opened fire on the Blucher Battery of four guns on Alderney, spotting was carried out by a RAF Spitfire from 26 Sqd. Great accuracy was required due to the nearby British civilian population. (This was the first time a battleship had fired on Crown territory).
At 1642 hours after firing 75 x 16in shells, 40 of which fell very close to the battery, RODNEY ceased fire. The spotting aircraft reported that the shoot had achieved the destruction of 3 of the 4 guns. However subsequently this was found not to be so.
At 1700 hours RODNEY, FAULKNOR and JERVIS set sail for Portland.
At 2230 hours RODNEY escorted by the destroyers FAULKNOR and JERVIS arrived at Portland.

27th – At 0545 hours RODNEY escorted by two destroyers and a sloop sailed from Portland for Plymouth.
At 1330 hours arrived at Plymouth.

29th – Rodney moved into the No 5 basin of Devonport dockyard for urgent maintenance.

Under repair at Devonport

12th – RODNEY sailed from Plymouth for Scapa.

14th – RODNEY arrived at Scapa and joined the Home Fleet. On arrival at Scapa RODNEY embarked a quantity of AP 16in shells. These were necessary as her next roll was to protect a Russian convoy against the possible intervention by the German battleship TIRPITZ.

16th – At 1300 hours RODNEY, escort carriers CAMPANIA (Flag C1, Rear Admiral McGrigor) and STRIKER light cruiser DIADEM and destroyers MYNGS (D26), VERULAM, SAVAGE, ZAMBESI, HMCS ALGONQUIN and HNorMS STORD sailed from Scapa for Operation RIGMAROLE. (Operation RIGMAROLE was the operational name for the Russian convoy JW 60).

(What was not known at the time of sailing was that the RAF had carried out Operation PARAVANE, a bomb attack on the TIRPITZ. At 0630 hours GMT on 15/9/44, 27 Lancasters, 10 from No 9 Sqd and 17 from 617 Sqd. Took off from Yagodnik airfield in northern Russia to bomb the TIRPITZ lying in Altenfjord. 21 aircraft carried the 12,000lb, Tallboy bomb, 4 carried the 500 lb JW ‘walking mine’ and 2 carried ‘special bombs’. The attack on TIRPITZ took place at 1100 hours GMT, by the time the force arrived over the target TIRPITZ was completely hidden by a smoke screen. However despite the smoke screen TIRPITZ was hit by one Tallboy bomb [explosive 5200 Lb of Torpex] on her foredeck, the bomb passed through her hull and exploded off her starboard bow almost blowing her bows off. The damage effectively put TIRPITZ out of action for at least nine months. However naval intelligence did not learn of the true extent of the damage for several weeks)

At 1800 hours RODNEY carried out a 16in shoot on the Cape Wrath range.
At 2100 hours proceeded to RV with convoy JW 60. (JW 60 had sailed from Loch Ewe at 0800/15/9/44)

17th – At 0500 hours in approximate position 60N, 8W RODNEY, CAMPANIA, STRIKER, DIADEM and destroyers MYNGS, VERULAM, SAVAGE, ZAMBESI, ALGONQUIN and STORD, RVed with convoy JW 60. At same time The destroyer HMCS SIOUX joined from Scapa.
The convoy comprised 30 merchant ships a rescue ship with close escort of the 7th Escort Group comprising destroyers BULLDOG, KEPPEL and WHITEHALL, the sloop CYGNET and the corvettes ALLINGTON CASTLE and BAMBOROUGH CASTLE. The destroyers MILNE (D3), MUSKETEER, MARNE and METEOR who had been with the convoy from Loch Ewe. Also with the convoy were the destroyers SAUMAREZ (D23), SCORPION, VOLAGE and VENUS who had joined JW 60 in approximate position 58-45N, 6W.
Following the RV with the convoy the destroyers MYNGS, VERULAM, SAVAGE, ZAMBESI, ALGONQUIN and STORD detached and returned to Scapa.
At 0600 hours the convoy was joined by the destroyers VIRAGO, VERULAM and HMCS ALGONQUIN from Loch Ewe.
At 0600 hours RODNEY took up station in the centre of the convoy with a close escort of the destroyers MILNE, MARNE and METEOR and MUSKETEER. The two escort carriers took up position astern of the convoy which then proceed at 9.5 knots.
At 1540 hours RODNEY’s captain informed the crew that their mission was to deter the TIRPITZ.

23rd - Convoy JW 60 arrived at Kola Inlet.
On arrival the flag of CS1 was transferred from the CAMPANIA to RODNEY.

26th – RODNEY was visited by Russian admiral Golovko

28th - The flag of CS1 was transferred from RODNEY back to the CAMPANIA.
Convoy RA 60 comprising 30 merchant ships a rescue ship with close escort of the 7th Escort Group comprising destroyers BULLDOG, KEPPLE and WHITEHALL, the sloop CYGNET and the corvettes ALLINGTON CASTLE and BAMBOROUGH CASTLE sailed from Kola Inlet.
Off Kola Inlet convoy RA 60 was joined by the ocean escort of RODNEY, CAMPANIA, STRIKER, DIADEM and destroyers MILNE (D3), MUSKETEER, MARNE, METEOR, SAUMAREZ (D23), SCORPION, VOLAGE, VENUS, VIRAGO, VERULAM and HMCS ALGONQUIN and SIOUX.

29th – At 1630 hours in approximate position 73N, 24E the Liberty ships SS EDWARD H CROCKET 7,176 grt with 1659 tons of chrome ore as ballast and  SS SAMSUVA 7,219 grt with 3000 tons of pit props were torpedoed and seriously damaged by submarine U 310. 
The EDWARD H CROCKET was sunk by gunfire by the destroyer MILNE.
The SAMSUVA was sunk by the destroyers BULLDOG and MUSKETEER.

4th – RODNEY, CAMPANIA, STRIKER, DIADEM and destroyers MILNE (D3), MUSKETEER, MARNE, METEOR, SAUMAREZ (D23), SCORPION, VENUS, VERULAM, VIRAGO, VOLAGE and HMCS ALGONQUIN and SIOUX arrived at Scapa.

5th – RODNEY hoisted the Flag of Admiral Sir Henry Moore the CinC Home Fleet.

11th – The flag of CinC home Fleet transferred from RODNEY to FURIOUS.

13th – At 1200 hours RODNEY escorted by destroyers CAPRICE and VENUS sailed from Scapa for Rosyth.

14th – At 0100 hours RODNEY and destroyers CAPRICE and VENUS arrived at Rosyth. The destroyers then returned to Scapa.
RODNEY was docked for maintenance.

27th – At 0500 hours RODNEY sailed from Rosyth.
Off May Island RODNEY RVed with the destroyer HMCS IROQUOIS who then escorted her to Scapa.
At 1700 hours RODNEY and IROQUOIS arrived at Scapa.

30th - RODNEY hoisted the Flag of Admiral Sir Henry Moore the CinC Home Fleet.

4th – RODNEY in company with light cruiser EURYALUS sailed from Scapa for a practice shoot off Cape Wrath. RODNEY acted as a target for EURYALUS

22nd – Flag of Admiral Sir Henry Moore the CinC Home Fleet transferred to IMPLACABLE

29th - RODNEY hoisted the Flag of Admiral Sir Henry Moore the CinC Home Fleet.

At Scapa flying the Flag of Admiral Sir Henry Moore the CinC Home Fleet.

At Scapa flying the Flag of Admiral Sir Henry Moore the CinC Home Fleet.

At Scapa flying the Flag of Admiral Sir Henry Moore the CinC Home Fleet.

11th – At Scapa where she was visited by Mr A V Alexander the first lord of the Admiralty.

22nd – Flag of Admiral Sir Henry Moore the CinC Home Fleet was hauled down. RODNEY then sailed for Rosyth.

23rd – RODNEY arrived at Rosyth.

At Rosyth.