1 9 4 1
June Contractors
trials and commissioning.
30th Build
completed and commenced Acceptance Trials escorted by HM Destroyer WORCESTER.
Nominated for
service in the Mediterranean.
July On completion of trials and storing took
passage to Scapa Flow.
Worked-up with Home
Fleet.
August On completion of work-up taken in hand for refit to
replace damaged propellers and improve AA
defence.
(Note: Quadruple machine gun
mountings replaced by five single 20mm Oerlikon guns.)
Nominated for
escort of military convoy WS11X during passage to Gibraltar.
(Note: This identity was later
allocated to ships Bombay section of a military convoy also identified
as WSX11
during its passage from Glasgow to the Indian Ocean.)
September Embarked 300 RAF personnel and took
passage to join escort for WS11X
(Operation HALBERD – For details of
ships involved see THE MALTA CONVOYS by
R Woodman, THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, THE NAVAL
WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 1940-43 by Greene
and Massignani and The Naval
Staff
History (HMSO).
17th Joined
escort for WS11X
24th Deployed
with HM Cruisers KENYA, EDINBURGH, SHEFFIELD and HERMIONE
screened by
HM Destroyers COSSACK, ZULU, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FARNDALE,
HEYTHROP,
ORIBI, LAFOREY and
LIGHTING as Force "X" for escort of Malta relief convoy.
(Note: Ships of Force H provided
cover for passage of this convoy in western
Mediterranean.)
27th Escorted
HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL with HMS HERMIONE during air operations.
Under sustained air
attacks.
28th Detached
from Force H ships for passage through Sicilian Channel with Force X as escort
into
Malta
Sailed from Malta with Force X after arrival of mercantiles
in Grand Harbour and took passage to
rejoin
covering Force.
October
1st Arrived
at Gibraltar as part of Force W.
Took passage from Gibraltar to Alexandria via Cape of Good Hope with call at St. Helena.
November Passage in Indian Ocean and Red Sea
11th Joined
15th Cruiser Squadron at Alexandria for service in Mediterranean Fleet.
18th Carried
out bombardment of Bardia with HM Cruisers NAIAD and
GALATEA in support of
military
operation.
24th Deployed
with HM Cruisers AJAX, GALATEA, NAIAD and NEPTUNE as Force "B" in
search
for convoys
on passage to Benghazi.
Cover was provided by Force
"A" made up of HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH,
BARHAM,
and VALIANT.
HM Battleship BARHAM was torpedoed and sunk as Force
"A" was returning after this sortie
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
and TUBAL CAIN by D Mjspratt).
27th Escorted
HM Cruisers NEPTUNE and AJAX, HM Destroyers KIMBERLEY and KINGSTON
with HMS NAIAD, HM Destroyer GRIFFIN and HM
Destroyer HOTSPUR for part of passage to
join Force
"K" in Malta.
Carried out interception
sweep off Cyrenaica.
See Naval Staff History (HMSO) for
details
December
8th Deployed
with HM Cruisers NAIAD and GALATEA, H M Destroyers GRIFFIN and HOTSPUR
to cover
destroyer attacks en convoys.
9th Bombarded
enemy positions at Derna.
13th Deployed
with HM Cruisers GALATEA and NAIAD to intercept enemy convoys to ports in North
Africa.
14th Returned to Alexandria when Italian convoys recalled.
15th Provided
cover for passage of HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE to Malta and returning convoy
to
Alexandria with HM Cruisers NAIAD and CARLISLE.
17th Briefly
engaged Italian warships LITTORIO, DORIA, CESARE and destroyer screen.
(1st Battle of Sirte - See BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN) and above
references.
19th At Alexandria when Italian
frogmen placed limpet mines on HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and
HMS VALIANT.
1 9 4 2
January
4th Escorted
H M Supply Ship GLENGYLE to Malta and H M Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE to
Alexandria with HM
Cruisers NAIAD and DIDO as Force "B"
(Operation MF2)
9th Arrived
at Alexandria
16th Deployed
with HMS NAIAD and HMS DIDO to cover convoy to Malta escorted by HM AA
Cruiser CARLISLE and HM Destroyers KELVIN,
KIPLING, HAVOCK, HOTSPUR and
FOXHOUND.
24th Escorted HMS BRECONSHIRE to Malta and return of empty ships HMS GLENGYLE and
mv ROWALLAN CASTLE
(Note:
Convoy MF4) with HMS DIDO and HMS NAIAD screened by 8 destroyers.
(For details see above references).
February
12th Provided
cover for Convoys MW9A and MW9B to Malta with HMS NAIAD and HMS DIDO
screened by
eight Fleet destroyers.
(Note: After heavy air attacks and
loss of merchant ships returned to Alexandria with a convoy
from Malta (See above references.).
March
10th Deployed
with HMS DIDO, HMS NAIAD and screen of ten destroyers in search for an Italian
cruiser
damaged in a torpedo attack.
11th After
unsuccessful search came under air attack during return to Alexandria.
(Note HMS NAIAD was sunk by U-Boat
torpedo during this operation).
15th Bombarded Rhodes with HMS DIDO and 6 destroyers.
20th Provided
cover for Convoy MW10 to Malta with HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA, DIDO and four
Fleet destroyers. (Operation MG1).
22nd Took pert in engagement with Italian Fleet in defence of
convoy.
Damaged by
splinters from 15" shell which burst alongside.
(2nd Battle of Sirte
- For full details see above references and MEDITERRANEAN
MAELSTROM by G. C.
Cornell.
April Deployed with Mediterranean Fleet in support
of military operations and for interception of
shipping.
May Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean.
June
13th Escorted
Convoy MW11 with H M Cruisers CLEOPATRA, DIDO, COVENTRY and
BIRMINGHAM (Operation
VIGOROUS)
(For full details of this disastrous
and ill directed see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by C Barnett
and above references.)
14th Returned
to Alexandria after heavy air attacks, by E- Boats and threat from major
Italian units.
(Note: This operation was a failure
and misdirected by Cin C ashore at Alexandria.)
27th Escorted
HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH from Alexandria
July
19th Carried
cut bombardments of Mersa Matruh
with HMS DIDO and four Fleet. destroyers.
(Note: Operations in eastern Mediterranean were restricted by losses
incurred in VIGOROUS.)
August Nominated for deployment in diversionary Fleet
operation in eastern Mediterranean during
passage of
relief convoy to Malta from Gibraltar (Operation PERDESTAL).
10th Joined
HM Cruiser ARETHUSA, HM Destroyers JERVIS, PAKENHAM, PALADIN,
HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM,
BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, ERIDGE, HURSLEY,
HM Corvette HYACINTH and HM Auxiliary
Escort ANTWERP at Port Said
Sailed as escort for three supply
ships as decoy convoy for cruise in eastern Mediterranean
12th Met
HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA and DIDO deployed with HM Destroyers JAVELIN, SIKH
and ZULU as
escort for single supply ship from Haifa to form
joint Convoy MW12.
Continued westward
passage during PEDESTAL until nightfall.
13th Took
return passage with MW12 to Port Said.
14th Deployed
at Alexandria.
September Alexandria deployment
in continuation
(Note: Ship was awaiting
docking for examination of propulsion machinery
October Under self
refit and docking at Massawa
14th Rejoined
Squadron at Alexandria to resume Fleet service.
November
16th Deployed
with HM Destroyers JAVELIN, JERVIS, KELVIN, NUBIAN, PAKENHAM,
PALADIN and PETARD
as escort for Convoy MW13 during passage to Malta.
(Operation STONEAGE.)
17th Fleet
destroyers detached when relieved by ten escort destroyers.
18th Covering
force comprising HM Cruisers ARETHUSA, DIDO, ORION and CLEOPATRA
joined from Alexandria with same
Fleet destroyers
Under air attacks during which HMS
ARETHUSA was hit and had to return to Alexandria
See above references.
20th Returned
to Alexandria with Fleet units after MW13 arrived in Malta
25th Deployed with HM Cruiser NAIAD and two
destroyers as escort for HM Cruisers AJAX and
NEPTUNE to Malta for
service as Force K to intercept enemy supply shipping in central
Mediterranean,
December
1st Escorted
Malta relief convoy with HM Cruisers NAIAD, DIDO and CLEOPATRA screened
by Fleet
destroyers (Operation PORTCULLIS).
(Note: This was the last westward
convoy requiring protection due to the advance of the 8th
Amy towards Tunisia).
13th Attacked convoy off Tunisia with HMS DIDO, HMS CLEOPATRA
and four destroyers
sinking three. ships.
1 9 4 3
January
22nd Bombarded Zuara, Libya with HM Cruiser CLEOPATRA, HM Destroyers JERVIS, JAVELIN,
KELVIN and NUBIAN.
February Eastern Mediterranean convoy defence and interception
duties
March In action against supply convoy with HM
Destroyers JAVELIN
April Under
refit at Alexandria.
Radar equipment changes made.
(Note: Type 285 fitted for AA
armament fire-control and Type 279 for air warning radar was
replaced by
Type 281.
20th Passage to Malta to resume interception duties.
23rd Interception
and escort duty in continuation.
May Based in Malta for interception of supply and evacuation craft.
June Nominated for support of planned allied
military operations.
5th Escorted
convoy through Sicilian Narrows with HM Destroyer TROUBRIDGE
8th Covered
landings on Pantellaria by 1st British Division with
HM Cruisers AURORA,
NEWFOUNDLAND, ORION and PENELOPE screened by Fleet destroyers.
(Operation CORKSCREW).
Prepared for
support of planned allied landings in Sicily based at Oran.
(Operation HUSKY.
- See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History.)
July Transferred to 10th Cruiser Squadron
7th Sailed
from Oran with HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, HM Cruiser CLEOPATRA and
screen of
eight Fleet Destroyers to cover landings.
9th Joined
HM Battleships WARSPITE,
VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE, HM
Cruisers AURORA and
PENELOPE in Gulf of Sirte.
10th Deployed
on patrol off Cape Passaro to intercept any shipping
11th Involved in ‘friendly fire’ incident with HMS CLEOPATRA.
14th Deployed
with HMS CLEOPATRA, HM Destroyers QUAIL and QUILLIAM after return
from Malta to refuel.
16th Stood by
damaged cruiser HMS CLEOPATRA and escorted her to Malta.
20th Transferred to Force Q at Bone as relief for HM
Cruiser SIRIUS.
Deployed with Force Q in support of
military operations
26th Joined
HM Battleships KING GEORGE V
and HOWE, HM Aircraft Carrier
INDOMITABLE with HMS DIDO off Sicily to provided
additional AA defence.
August
1st Bombarded
Vibo Valentia, western Italy with HMS DIDO and HMS SIRIUS escorted by
two
destroyers.
16th Bombarded Scalea with HM Cruiser
AURORA, HM Destroyers JERVIS and PALADIN.
On return passage to Palermo sank several
Siebel ferries off Sicily.
27th Transferred
to Support Carrier Force "V" (Task Force 88) as Flagship.
Deployed with H M Cruisers SCYLLA and
CHARYBDIS as TF88 to cover air operations
by HM Escort
Carriers UNICORN, BATTLER, ATTACKER, HUNTER and STALKER
during the
planned allied landings at Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE).
September Passage to Salerno
9th Provided
cover during carrier operations during initial landings.
12th Whilst
carriers were replenishing at Palermo diverted to Bizerta with HMS SCYLLA and
HMS CHARYBDIS.
(For details of Salerno operations
see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and
Naval Staff
History).
13th Embarked
British Troops for passage to Salerno to reinforce
military at Salerno.
15th After
landing troops took passage to Algiers with HMS
SCYLLA and HMS CHARYBDIS.
. 16th Returned
to Salerno to assist damaged battleship HMS WARSPITE to Malta after glider
bomb
