B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ARMADA 1588 - CADIZ 1596
- DARDANELLES 1915 - NORWAY 1940
- SPARTIVENTO 1940 - MEDITERRANEAN 1940-41
-
BISMARCK Action 1941 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941
H e r a l d i c D a
t a
Badge: On a Field Blue, an Ark Silver, crowned Gold upon 5 wavelets Gold.
M o t t
o
Desire n'a
pas Repos: 'Desire has not rest'
D e t a i l s o
f W a r S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search
1 9 3 9
September
3rd Deployed
with Home Fleet in NW Approaches and North
Sea patrols.
14th Under
attack by U39 which failed.
26th Provided
air cover for Home Fleet units in Heligoland Bight during recovery of
damaged
submarine HMS SPEARFISH. Under air attack for first time.
October Deployed
at Freetown with Force K with HM Battlecruiser RENOWN in search for
commerce raiders between African coast and Brazilian
waters.
9th Aircraft
sighted German supply tanker ALTMARK but were deceived into believing
her to be the US tanker DELMAR.
November
5th Intercepted
and captured German ss UHENFELS which was later used by Britain as
cargo
ship. Aircraft searches also resulted in interceptions by other ships.
December Diverted to join British ships at Montevideo waiting for German battleship GRAF
SPEE
to leave port. Called at Rio
de Janeiro for fuel.
1 9 4
0
January Atlantic deployment with Group
in continuation.
to Covered part of
return passage from Falklands to Devonport of damaged cruiser
February HMS EXETER.
March Transferred to Mediterranean
for joint work-up and flying exercises with the
aircraft
carrier HMS GLORIOUS. Took passage to Malta.
31st Sailed
for Alexandria with HMS GLORIOUS.
April
8th Commenced
work-up with HMS GLORIOUS in Eastern
Mediterranean.
Training
programme cancelled.
9th Passage
to Gibraltar with HMS GLORIOUS.
(See
CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton).
16th
Transferred to Home Fleet and took passage to Scapa Flow.
23rd Sailed for
Norway with HMS GLORIOUS escorted by HM Cruisers BERWICK and
CURLEW
screened
by HM Destroyers HYPERION, HEREWARD, HASTY, FEARLESS, FURY and JUNO.
(Operation
DX - This was the first use by the RN
of a Task Force including an
an
aircraft carrier with the prime purpose of providing fighter protection for
warships,
offensive strikes against shipping and
shore targets as well as anti-
submarine
patrols).
25th Commenced
anti-submarine patrols and provided Combat Air Patrol (CAP)
for the
defence
of Fleet units.
27th Passage
to Scapa Flow refuel and embarked aircraft.
29th Returned
to Norway escorted by HM Battleship VALIANT.
30th Covered
evacuation from Andalsnes and Molde.
May Norwegian coast deployment
in continuation.
13th Covered
bombardment at Narvik by Fleet units and a landing by French troops.
18th Supported
military operations with HM Aircraft Carriers GLORIOUS and FURIOUS.
(Note: This was the first time more than two
aircraft carriers had operated as
one
unit since the outbreak of war).
June Deployed in support of
evacuation of allied Expeditionary Force (Operation ALPHABET).
1st Sailed
from Scapa Flow with HMS GLORIOUS screened by HM Destroyers HIGHLANDER,
DIANA,
ACASTA, ARDENT and ACHERON.
2nd ALPHABET
commenced.
3rd Carried
out patrols and bombing operations when weather permitted until 6th.
7th Deployed
at Narvik to cover evacuation.
9th Provided
air cover for last evacuation convoy to UK.
Aircraft
searched for German battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU which were
reported
at sea.
(These
ships sank HMS GLORIOUS - See above reference)
11th Unsuccessful
bombing attack by SKUA aircraft on HIPPER at Trondheim. Eight SKUA
aircraft
were lost.
14th Returned
to Scapa Flow.
(For
details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway see NARVIK by Donald
MacIntyre
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).
28th Transferred
to Force H at Gibraltar on formation.
July
2nd Deployed
with Force H to secure transfer, surrender or destruction of French
warships
at Mers-el-Kebir and Oran (Operation CATAPULT).
Aircraft
laid mines off Oran to deter any escape from port.
(For
details see THE RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W
Tute
7th Joined
Force C in Force H for cover passage of military
convoys.
8th Planned
aircraft attacks on Cagliari not made in view of heavy air attacks made south of Minorca.
22nd Deployed
with Force H to carry out attacks on shipping in Bay of Biscay.
25th Operation
cancelled and returned to Gibraltar.
31st Covered
aircraft delivery to Malta by HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS with ships of
Force
H including HM Battlecruiser HOOD and HM Cruiser ENTERPRISE.
(Operation
HURRY).
(For
details of operations in Mediterranean between 1940 and 1941 see The Naval
Staff
Histories and THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre).
August
2nd Detached
to launched air attack on Cagliari as a diversion (Operation CRUSH).
30th Covered
passage of reinforcements to Alexandria with Force B comprising HMS
ARK
ROYAL, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN and HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD screened by ships
of the
8th Destroyer Flotilla (Operation HATS).
September
1st Launched
attacks on Elmas and Cagliari in Sardinia as a diversion.
(Operations
SMASH and GRAB)..
October Withdrawn for docking and took
passage to Liverpool escorted by H M Destroyers FORTUNE,
FORESTER
and GREYHOUND.
8th Routine
docking at Liverpool.
November
3rd Passage
from Scapa Flow with HM Battleship BARHAM, HM Cruisers BERWICK and
GLASGOW.
6th Resumed
duties with Force H on arrival at Gibraltar.
7th Covered
passage of reinforcement ships to Alexandria with HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD
and
six destroyers as Force B (Operation COAT).
9th Launched
air attacks on Elmas and Cagliari as a diversion. (Operation
CRACK).
15th Covered
aircraft delivery to Malta by HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS with HM Cruiser
SHEFFIELD and
HM Cruiser DESPATCH screened by Force H destroyers.
(Operation
WHITE).
25th Covered
Malta convoys and transfer of HM Cruisers SOUTHAMPTON and MANCHESTER
to Eastern Mediterranean with HMS RENOWN, HMS SHEFFIELD and HMS DESPATCH
screened
by destroyers of Force H (Operation COLLAR).
27th Detached
from Force H ships with HM Destroyers JAGUAR and KELVIN when
Italian
battleships
VITTORIO VENETO and GIULIO CESARE with cruisers and a destroyer
screen
were sighted off Cape Spartivento. When enemy ships retired and were not brought to
action
to ensure safe passage of convoy this decision was criticised but a subsequent Board of
Enquiry
supported the local decision.
(For
details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History.
December.
14th Deployed with Force
H in Atlantic off Azores in
search for commerce raiders.
.20th Deployed for escort of HM Battleship
MALAYA and merchants ships from Malta with Force
H (Operation HIDE).
27th Carried cut further search off the Azores with
Force H which was restricted by
weather conditions.
1 9 4
1
January
7th Covered
transit of HM cruiser BONAVENTURE, HM Destroyers JAGUAR and JUNO to
join
Fleet
in Eastern Mediterranean and passage of convoy to Malta and Piraeus with HMS RENOWN,
HM
Battleship MALAYA, HMS SHEFFIELD and destroyer screen. (Operation EXCESS).
February
2nd Launched
air attacks on Tirso Dam, Sardinia escorted by HMS RENOWN, HMS MALAYA
and
HMS SHEFFIELD (Operation PICKET).
6th Cover
bombardment of targets at Genoa by HMS RENOWN and HMS MALAYA.
(Operation
GROG).
9th Launched
air strikes on La Spezia oil refinery and air minelay in entrances to harbour.
12th Deployed
with HMS SHEFFIELD to cover passage of Convoy SLS65
for Sierra
Leone
after
an attack by German cruiser HIPPER on earlier SL54.
17th Joined HMS
RENOWN and destroyers to escort military Convoy WS6 to Middle East.
21st Relieved and returned to Gibraltar
March
8th Deployed
with HMS RENOWN, HMS SHEFFIELD and HM Cruiser ARETHUSA to join ships
of
Home Fleet in patrol off Best to prevent German battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU
from
entering harbour.
10th Detached
with HMS RENOWN to join HMS MALAYA, HM Destroyer FAULKNOR and HM
Destroyer
FORESTER as escort for Convoy SL67
19th Detached
on relief and deployed in search for ships captured by SCHARNHORST and
on
passage to Germany with prize crews. Two were later intercepted and scuttled
with
one ship POLYKARP being retaken.
21st Aircraft
sighted SCHARNHORST but further reports
prevented by fog.
Resumed
patrol off Brest.
24th Returned
to Gibraltar to refuel.
April
2nd Carried
out Malta aircraft delivery with HMS ARGUS escorted by HMS RENOWN
and
HMS
SHEFFIELD (Operation WINCH).
6th Deployed
with HMS RENOWN and HMS SHEFFIELD in Atlantic to search for commerce raiders.
16th Returned
to Gibraltar.
24th Joined
HMS RENOWN and HMS SHEFFIELD with screen of destroyers from Force H
to
cover
passage of HM Cruisers DIDO, HM Cruiser ABDIEL and ships of 5th Destroyer
Flotilla
(including HMS KELLY) to Eastern
Mediterranean concurrent with a Malta
aircraft
delivery (Operations DUNLOP and SALIENT).
May
6th Joined
same Force H ships as DUNLOP to cover transit of major military
convoy
taking
tanks to Eighth Army and the passage of HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH, HM
Cruisers
NAIAD, FIJI, GLOUCESTER and 6 destroyers to join Fleet in the Eastern
Mediterranean
(Operation TIGER).
12th Under air
attack on return passage.
19th Aircraft
delivery with HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS escorted by HMS RENOWN and
SHEFFIELD
(Operation SPLICE).
23rd Deployed
with HMS RENOWN, HMS SHEFFIELD and HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT,
FORESTER,
FORTUNE, FOXHOUND and FURY in search for German Battleship BISMARCK.
26th Aircraft
sighted and shadowed BISMARCK. Inadvertent attack on HMS SHEFFIELD was
fortunately
unsuccessful !
Later
launched torpedo strikes which disabled steering and propellers of German
ship
which enabling Fleet surface action (See BATTLESHIP BISMARCK by Mullenheim
Rechberg
and The Naval Staff History for full details).
29th Returned
to Gibraltar with Force H ships.
June
5th Carried
out Malta aircraft delivery with HMS FURIOUS escorted by HMS RENOWN
and
HMS
SHEFFIELD (Operation ROCKET).
8th Deployed
with HMS RENOWN and HMS SHEFFIELD to meet HM Cruiser HERMIONE and HM
Aircraft
Carrier VICTORIOUS and escort them into Gibraltar.
13th Carried
out Malta aircraft delivery with HMS VICTORIOUS escorted by RENOWN
and
HMS
HERMIONE (Operation TRACER).
27th Made two Malta aircraft deliveries to Malta with HMS VICTORIOUS escorted by HMS
RENOWN
and HMS HERMIONE screened by destroyers (Operations RAILWAY I and II).
July
21st Covered
passage of Malta convoy with Force H ships reinforced by HM Battleship
NELSON,
HM Cruisers EDINBURGH, MANCHESTER and ARETHUSA screened by destroyers
of 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet (Operation SUBSTANCE).
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN)
29th Covered
personnel convoy to Malta with HMS NELSON screen by ships of 4th and 8th
Destroyer
Flotilla (Operation STYLE).
August Deployment
with Force H in continuation.
21st Deployed
with HMS NELSON and HMS HERMIONE screened by HM Destroyers NESTOR (RAN)
FORESTER,
FORESIGHT, FURY and ENCOUNTER for multiple operation to cover minelay
by HM
Minelaying Cruiser MANXMAN off La Spezia and to carry cut air strikes on
Tempia,
Sardinia.
September
8th Carried
out two aircraft delivery to Malta with FURIOUS covered by HMS NELSON
and
Force H destroyers (Operation STATUS I and II).
24th Part of
Force "A" with HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY and PRINCE OF WALES with a
screen
of 9 destroyers to cover passage of Malta convoy to Sicilian Narrows.
(Operation
HALBERD - For details see above
references).
October
16th Made
aircraft delivery to Malta covered by HMS RODNEY and HMS HERMIONE.
(Operation
CALLBOY).
November
10th Made
aircraft delivery to Malta with HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS covered by HMS
MALAYA, HMS
HERMIONE and ships of 19th Destroyer Flotilla (Operation PERPETUAL).
13th During
return passage to Gibraltar hit by torpedoed fired by U81, 150 miles east
of Gibraltar.
Took on heavy list and lost all power. HM Destroyers LAFOREY and
LEGION
stood by stricken ship and Crew were taken off. After ship was taken in
tow by
tugs from Gibraltar some personnel rejoined but were unable to control
flooding or
extinguish
fires.
14th Ship sank
after list slowly increased. The loss of this efficient and effective
ship
severely weakened Fleet resources in the Mediterranean.
Casualty
Lists were published on 17th and 20th November 1941. (Casualty
List -
note
on casualties)
Addendum
Convoy
Escort Movements of HMS ARK ROYAL
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been
cross-checked with the text above
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Date convoy sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
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Convoy No.
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Left convoy
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Date convoy arrived
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01/03/41
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10/03/41
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SL 067
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19/03/41
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26/03/41
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06/05/41
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06/05/41
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TIGER
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12/05/41
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12/05/41
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24/09/41
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24/09/41
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HALBERD
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27/09/41
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27/09/41
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(Note on Convoys)
