1 9 4 0
January Completion
date delayed to allow fitting of Type 79 radar.
to
March
April Contractors
trials
20th During departure from Barrow rammed and
sank tug POOLGARTH
Passage to Liverpool.
May Docking
for underwater inspection at Liverpool.
(Note: Phosphor Bronze propellers fitted.)
24th Final acceptance
trials.
(Note: Excessive vibration was noted particularly in the
Bridge Structure
This
problem was never completely resolved during subsequent service.)
26th Commissioned at
Portsmouth for service.
June Embarked
aircraft and prepared for work-up.
Nominated for service in Mediterranean.
July Passage
to West Indies for work-up.
(Note: Intention to carry out trials based at Dakar was
changed after fall oi France.)
On
completion of work-up took passage to UK.
28th Arrived in UK.
August Short
refit at Clydebank before flying exercises with squadrons embarked
(Note: External DG Cable replaced by internal wiring.
External
cable had been damage during Atlantic passage.)
Passage
to Gibraltar
30th Sailed from Gibraltar for transit of
Mediterranean in Force F with HM Battleship
VALIANT,
HM Anti-Aircraft Cruiser CALCUTTA and COVENTRY covered by
ships of Force H to reinforce Mediterranean Fleet at
Alexandria.
(Operation HATS).
(For
details of Mediterranean naval activities in 1940-42 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN
by D MacIntyre and Naval Staff History).
September
2nd Joined Mediterranean Fleet off Pantalleria with Force F.
4th Launched aircraft strike against
airfields at Maritza and Callato
on Rhodes.
17th Air minelay and shipping attacks in
Benghazi harbour.
Italian
destroyer BOREA was sunk.
(Operation
MD1 - This field later sank Italian destroyer AQUILQNE and two supply ships.
28th Escorted HM Cruisers LIVERPOOL and
GLOUCESTER taking troops
to Malta escorted by HM Battleships WARSPITE and VALIANT.
Returned to Alexandria.
October
8th Deployed with
HM Aircraft Carrier
EAGLE, HM Battleship MALAYA, RAMILLIES,
VALIANT,
and WARSPITE, HM Cruisers AJAX, GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, ORION,
SYDNEY
(RAN) and YORK screened
by HM Destroyers DAINTY, DECOY, IMPERIAL,
JANUS,
JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK, VAMPIRE (RAN) and STUART (RAN) to provide
Distant Cover of Convoys MF3 to Malta
and Convoy MF4 from Malta to Egypt.
(Operation
MB6).
12th Under attack by
Italian torpedo craft.
(Note: Three enemy craft were sunk - See BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN)
14th Launched air attacks on Leros with HMS
EAGLE.
Returned to Alexandria with Fleet units.
23rd Carried out air minelay in Tobruk
harbour which was unsuccessful due to shoals.
November
6th Deployed with HM Battleships MALAYA,
RAMILLIES, VALIANT and WARSPITE,
HM
Cruisers AJAX,
ORION, SYDNEY and YORK screened by HM Destroyers
DECOY,
DEFENDER, HASTY, HERO, HAVOCK, HEREWARD, HYPERION, ILEX,
JANUS,
JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN to give Distant Cover to passage
of Convoy MW3 to Malta (Operation MB8).
9th On arrival of convoy in Malta detached
with Fleet units to meet HM Battleship
BARHAM,
HM Cruisers BERWICK and GLASGOW, HM Destroyers GALLANT,
GREYHOUND
and GRIFFIN which were on passage from Gibraltar covered by
ships of Force H to join the Fleet at Alexandria (Operation
COAT).
10th Detached from Fleet to carry cut air
attack on Italian Fleet at Taranto
11th Outstandingly successful air attacks
during which the battleships LITTORIO, CAIO
DUILIO
and CONTE DI CAVOUR were crippled (Operation JUDGEMENT).
For
details see Naval Staff History.
25th Deployed with HM Battleships WARSPITE
and VALIANT, HM Cruisers AJAX,
ORION
and SYDNEY screened by nine Fleet destroyers as Force A for escort of
convoy to Suda Bay, Crete (Operation MB9).
27th Launched air attacks on Rhodes covered
by Force A ships.
29th Returned to Alexandria covered passage
to Alexandria of Convoy ME40 with
ships of Mediterranean Fleet (Operation COLLAR - See THE
BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN
and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).)
(Note: HM Cruisers MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON joined the
Mediterranean
Fleet as part of this Operation).
December
1st Arrived at
Alexandria with Fleet units.
16th Deployed with HM Battleships WARSPITE
and VALIANT, HM Cruisers AJAX.
GLOUCESTER, ORION, SYDNEY and YORK
screened by 11 Fleet destroyers
to provide Distant Cover
for passage of Convoy MW6 to Malta and transit of HM
Battleship MALAYA to return to Gibraltar (Operation MG2 and
Operation HIDE.
See
above references).
17th Detached to carry
out air strike on airfields in Stampalia and Rhodes.
21st Launched air attacks on Italian convoy
off Kerkennah bound for Tripoli.
Two
of the three ships were sunk.
22nd Joined Fleet units
covering passage of Convoy ME5 from Malta to Egypt.
24th Arrived at
Alexandria with Fleet units.
1 9 4 1
January
3rd Provided air cover for HM Battleships
WARSPITE, BARHAM and VALIANT during
Fleet bombardment of Bardia.
7th Part of Force A with HMS WARSPITE and
VALIANT screened by HM Destroyers
DAINTY, GALLANT, GREYHOUND,
GRIFFIN, JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK and
NUBIAN
to provide Distant Cover for passage of Malta Convoy MW5 ½
(Operation
MC4) .
10th On arrival south of Malta took passage
with Force A to meet military convoy on
passage from Gibraltar to Alexandria (Operation EXCESS)
Under
sustained air attack 60 miles west of Malta by newly arrived German
Ju87 dive bombers (See above
references).
Sustained major damage from direct hits causing many casualties.
Escorted by HM Destroyers HASTY and JAGUAR to Malta.
11th Taken in hand for
temporary repair at Malta.
16th Hit by two bombs
during air raid on Malta and sustained further damage.
19th Further damage caused by near miss
during air raid.
23rd Sailed for Alexandria at 20 knots
escorted by HM Destroyers GREYHOUND), JANUS,
JUNO and JERVIS.
25th Arrived at Alexandria,
February Under
repair.
Permanent
repair arranged in USA.
March Repair
in continuation.
19th Took passage to Durban for docking to
assess full extent of underwater and other
structural damage.
April Passage
to Norfolk, Virginia.
May
12th Taken in hand for
refit and permanent repairs at US Navy Yard.
June Under
repair.
to (Note: Other work carried out included installation of another aircraft lift after
with
July structural
modification to provide additional 50 ft of flight deck space, fit
of ten 20mm Oerlikon guns to improve close range AA defence
and
modification of catapult to enable use by US built aircraft.
August New
Captain (Lord Louis Mountbatten) took command but later relieved to become
Chief of Combined Operations.
September Under
repair.
October Post
refit trials.
November
28th Passage to Jamaica
to embark 12 SWORDFISH aircraft and carry out flying trials.
December Took
joint passage to UK with HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE.
16th In collision with
FORMIDABLE whilst on passage. (see Addendum)
1 9 4 2
January Under
repair in Liverpool.
(Note: Radar Type 79 was replaced by Type 281 during this
period.
(See
The Development and use of Radar Equipment for the RN (Ed FA Kingsley
and RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).
February Under
repair.
Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean.
March On
completion embarked squadrons at Scapa Flow and carried out flying trials.
23rd Joined military convoy WS17 in Clyde
with HM Destroyers INCONSTANT, JAVELIN
and PAKENHAM as Ocean Escort during passage to Freetown.
31st Detached from WS17 on arrival at
Freetown and took passage with same destroyers to join
Force
F for planned landings in Madagascar.
(Note: Damage caused by fire in hangar was repaired at Freetown.)
April Passage
from Freetown to Durban.
Nominated for participation in planned landings at Diego Suarez.
28th Escorted Convoy Z to Madagascar with HM
Battleship RAMILLIES, HM Cruiser
HERMIONE
and screen of 6 Fleet destroyers
May Deployed
east of Madagascar.
5th Provided air
cover during assault with HMS INDOMITABLE.
7th Aircraft sank Vichy French submarine
LE HEROS.
20th On release from
IRONCLAD sailed to Join Eastern Fleet at Mombasa.
(Note: 309 sorties were flown by the two carriers for a loss
of four aircraft
by enemy action).
29th Sailed from Kilindini with HM Battleship
WARSPITE, HMS FORMIDABLE and HM Cruiser
HERMIONE for Ceylon.
June Deployed
in Indian Ocean with ships of Eastern Fleet for interception patrol and convoy
defence.
July Carried
out interception patrols in Indian Ocean with Eastern Fleet.
US
Navy suggestion that ship be loaned for service in Pacific not agreed.
Eastern Fleet deployment in continuation.
Aircraft
used to test air defences of Ceylon
August Deployed
with Eastern Fleet for offensive sweep in Indian Ocean at request of US
Navy as a diversion during landings on Guadalcanal (Operation
STAB).
September
10th Deployed with HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM
Seaplane Carrier ALBATROSS screened
by HM Destroyers HOTSPUR, EXPRESS, FORTUNE, INCONSTANT and
NESTOR to
provide air cover during military operation to complete
allied occupation of Madagascar.
(Operation STREAM).
October On
release from STREAM took passage to Durban.
Taken
in hand for short refit
November Under
refit.
December On
completion rejoined Eastern Fleet in Ceylon.
1 9 4 3
January
5th Withdrawn from
Eastern Fleet.
To
be relieved by HM Escort Carrier BATTLER in October.
February Passage
to Birkenhead for refit including extension to Flight Deck
Taken in hand on arrival.
March Under
refit.
to (Notes: Major changes to radar fit were made.
May Aircraft
warning radars Type 79B and 281B fitted to provide an improved
cover for all altitudes - See above references.
Surface
warning 10cm Radar Type 272 fitted.
Fire-control
radars Type 282 and 285 fitted for Anti-Aircraft use.
See
above references.
Twin
Oerlikon mountings fitted to replace single type to further improve close
AA defence.)
Two
additional arrester wires fitted to improve aircraft safety on landing.)
June On
completion of post refit trials embarked aircraft and carried out training of
aircrews in Clyde area.
July Joined
Home Fleet and took part in offensive sweep off Norway with HM Aircraft
carrier UNICORN. Three German reconnaissance aircraft were
shot down.
(Operation
CAMERA)
August Home
Fleet deployment in continuation.
6th Deployed with HMS UNICORN for
anti-submarine patrols in NW Approaches for
convoy defence. Destroyers of 17th Flotilla provided screen.
14th Deployed with ships Home Fleet for
escort of rms QUEEN MARY carrying the
Prime Minister on return from QUADRANT conference with US President
at Quebec.
September Detached
with ships of Home Fleet for service in Mediterranean with Force H.
9th Deployed with HM Battleships NELSON,
RODNEY, WARSPITE and VALIANT,
HM
Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE as Covering Force during allied landings at
Salerno.
(Operation
AVALANCHE - These ships were intended to prevent any interference to
allied assault landings by Italian surface warships. A
screen of 21 destroyers
including French, Polish and Greek warships was provided.
See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and the Naval Staff History).
Attack
by torpedo bombers on Covering Force was unsuccessful.
October Returned
to UK with Home Fleet ships on release from detached duty.
Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet.
24th Prepared for foreign
service at Birkenhead.
(Note: Work included fit of additional twin Oerlikon
mountings, modification of
flight deck and improvement to catapult for use with fully
loaded
BARRACUDA aircraft.)
November
26th Took passage to
Clyde area to carry out flying training.
December Deployed
in NW Approaches.
30th Sailed to join Eastern Fleet with HM
Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT,
HM Battlecruiser RENOWN and HM Light Fleet Carrier UNICORN.
1 9 4 4
January Passage
to Trincomalee via Mediterranean and Red Sea.
31st Joined Fleet at
Trincomalee.
(Note: Complement over 2,000)
February Deployed
with Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean.
March Deployed
with HM Cruisers GAMBIA and SUSSEX, HM Destroyer ROTHERHAM
and the Dutch destroyer TJERK HIDDES in search for blockade
runners SW of
Cocos Islands.
(Operation SLEUTH).
21st Deployed with HM Battleships QUEEN
ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM Cruisers LONDON, GAMBIA
(RNZN), CEYLON and CUMBERLAND
screened by HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUALITY, QUEENBOROUGH,
PATHFINDER,
NAPIER,
NORMAN, NEPAL, QUIBERON, Dutch destroyers VAN GALEN and TJERK
HIDDES
to meet US aircraft carrier SARATOGA joining Eastern Fleet with three
destroyers Operation DIPLOMAT).
27th Met USS SARATOGA and destroyer escort SW
Cocos Islands.
(Note: US ships were being loaned to Eastern Fleet for
future operations).
April
2nd Returned to
Trincomalee with RN/USN ships.
Exchange
deck landing trials with USS SARATOGA in preparation for operations.
19th Launched Air strikes on Sabang with USS SARATOGA, escorted by Eastern Fleet
major units HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, HMS VALIANT, French
RICHELIEU and
HMS RENOWN as TF 70 (Operation
COCKPIT).
May
6th Deployed with USS SARATOGA, HM Cruisers
CEYLON and GAMBIA and a screen
comprising HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUADRANT, QUEENBOROUGH,
US
destroyers USS FANNING, CUMMINGS and DUNLOP as Task Force 65.
(Note: BARRACUDA aircraft replaced by AVENGERS before this
operation)
15th Refuelled in Exmouth Bay, Western
Australia.
17th Launched air strikes with aircraft from
USS SARATOGA on harbour and refineries
at Soerabaya, Java (Operation
TRANSOM).
(Note: Later assessment was that Attacks were not very
satisfactory).
18th USS SARATOGA and US Navy destroyers
detached.
27th Arrived at
Trincomalee after refuelling in Exmouth Bay.
June
10th Launched air attacks on Sabang covered by ships of Eastern Fleet as a diversion
during US landings on Marianas (Operation FORAGER).
19th On return passage
launched air attacks on Port Blair harbour and airfield.
(Operation
PEDAL).
July Carried
out Flying training with HM Aircraft Carriers
VICTORIOUS and INDOMITABLE
off Ceylon in preparation for future joint operations.
22nd Deployed with HMS VICTORIOUS, HM Cruiser
PHOEBE, HM Destroyers ROEBUCK
and RAIDER to carry cut air attacks on airfields near Sabang (Operation CRIMSON).
25th Launched air strikes.
CORSAIR
fighters Intercepted Japanese air retaliation and shot down 7 of the ten
planes for loss of two aircraft.
(Note: Eastern Fleet units carried bombardments
concurrently).
August
24th Deployed with HMS VICTORIOUS and HMS
INDOMITABLE to provide an Air-Sea
Rescue facility during US Army air raids on Sumatra (Operation
BOOMERANG).
(Note: Cover provided by ships of Eastern Fleet).
On
completion carried cut air attacks on Padang, SW
Sumatra (Operation BANQUET).
September Took
passage to Simonstown for refit prior to service in
Pacific.
Taken in for refit by HM Dockyard.
(Note: Work done included re-tubing of boilers and fit of US
aircraft Homing Beacon (Type YE)
to provide radio signals for assistance of returning
aircraft.)
Facilities
for re-fuelling escorts in company during ocean passages were also provided.)
October Under
refit.
Additional
Close Range AA armament fitted.
On
completion of post refit trials took passage to Trincomalee.
November
1st Rejoined Eastern
Fleet at Trincomalee.
17th Deployed with HMS INDOMITABLE, HM
Cruisers NEWCASTLE, ARGONAUT and
BLACK
PRINCE screened by HM Destroyers KEMPENFELT, WHIRLWIND,
WRANGLER,
WESSEX and WAKEFUL to carry cut air attacks on Pangkalan
Brandan,
NW
Sumatra,
20th Diverted from planned air attacks by
weather and target changed to refineries at
Belawan Deli. Subsequent raids made on airfields near Sabang.
(Operation
OUTFLANK).
22nd Transferred to
British Pacific Fleet on formation.
23rd Returned to Trincomalee.
December Deployed
with HMS INDOMITABLE, HMS BLACK PRINCE, HMS NEWCASTLE and
ARGONAUT with a destroyer screen.
17th Launched air attacks on Belawan Deli (Operation ROBS0N).
1 9 4 5
January
16th Took passage for Australia with HM
Aircraft Carriers VICTORIOUS, INDOMITABLE and
INDEFATIGABLE,
HM Battleship KING GEORGE V, HM Cruisers ARGONAUT, BLACK
PRINCE
and EURYALUS, screened by HM Destroyers GRENVILLE, UNDINE, URSA
UNDAUNTED,
WAGER, KEMPENFELT, WAKEFUL, WHIRLWIND and WHELP as Task
Force 63.
20th Refuelled from Task Force 69.
24th After delay due to weather launched air
attacks with the other carriers on oil refinery at
Pladjoe, Sumatra
(Operation MERIDIAN I). Small Japanese air attacks repulsed. 7 RN
aircraft
lost during attacks and 25 by crashes on landing.
26th Refuelled
29th With same ships
launched raids on Soengi Gerong
oil refineries near Palembang.
During
retaliatory KAMIKAZE attacks on Fleet whilst aircraft were landing hit by
two shells from HMS EURYALUS anti-aircraft fire (Operation
MERIDIAN TWO).
(Note: 11 killed and 22 other casualties - See OPERATION
PACIFIC).
February
9th Arrived at Sydney and prepared for air
operations in support of US landings in
Okinawa
(Operation ICEBERG).
Under repair. Centre shaft removed. Speed reduced to 24
Knots.
(Note: Vibration problems were still being experienced - see
May 1940 entry
Machinery defect rate increase possible due to extensive service.)
28th Took passage to Manus with ships of
British Pacific Fleet as Task Force 113
March
7th Arrived at Manus.
BPF
ships departure for operations delayed by US Navy pending approval
in Washington for their deployment with US Navy.
18th Attachment of British Pacific Fleet to
US 5th Fleet as Task Force 57 approved.
Sailed
to Ulithi with Task Force 57 for Joint air operations
(Operation ICEBERG)
26th Launched attacks on airfields in Sakishima-Gunto Group with HM Aircraft Carriers
INDOMITABLE,
INDEFATIGABLE and VICTORIOUS covered by major units of BPF and with
screen of Fleet destroyers.
Joint
operations with US Task Group in continuation with breaks for refuelling
from British Fleet Train.
April Sakishima-Gunto joint operations with US carriers in
continuation.
6th Sustained slight
above water slight damage when KAMIKAZE aircraft crashed alongside.
Major
underwater damage caused when weapon detonated near ship.
Retained in BPF despite effect of structural damage.)
9th Diverted from ICEBERG operations to
carry out air attacks on Formosa
12th Launched attacks on chemical plant and
airfields in poor weather conditions.
13th Passage to rejoin
operations off Sakishima Gunto.
(Note: Ship becoming an increasing liability.)
14th Relieved in Task Force 57 by m Aircraft
Carrier FORMIDABLE.
(Statistics:
505 sorties flown; 3,549 tons fuel embarked; 88,363
Gallons of AVGAS embarked.
15th Passage to Philippines
for underwater examination. Damage found to be much more
extensive than realised.
May Withdrawn from
operations and took passage to Sydney.
24th Sailed to UK from Sydney at reduced
speed of 19 knots.
June
27th Arrived at Rosyth
for repair and four month refit.
July Under
repair
to August