1 9 3 7
July Contractors
trials
August Prepared
for commissioning and acceptance
25th Build completion and commissioned for
service in 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet.
Carried out Acceptance Trials.
September On
completion of trials, ammunitioning and storing
worked-up for service in Home waters.
to
December
1 9 3 8
January Deployed
with Squadron in Home Fleet exercise and visits programme.
to Nominated
for escort and support of planned assault landing by 9th Infantry Brigade in
June Start Bay.
July Deployed
with HM Battleship REVENGE and HM Cruiser SOUTHAMPTON as escort for
troopships LANCASHIRE and CLAN
MACALISTER during passage from Plymouth
to Start
Bay for assault landings.
6th Provided cover and support during
landings
On
release resumed Home Fleet Squadron duties.
August Leave
Period.
Ships was fitted with newly developed air warning radar Type
79Y.
September Rejoined
ships of Squadron at Scapa Flow during Munich
crisis.
October On
release from emergency deployment at Scapa Flow resumed
Squadron duty in Home Fleet.
to (Note:
This ship was fitted with a development model of aircraft warning radar Type
79Y
December and
was the third RN warship fitted with this new device before the outbreak of
war.)
1 9 3 9
January Deployed
with Squadron for Home Fleet exercises and visits.
February Passage
to Lisbon for Fleet visit
(Note:
This was part of an annual joint exercise at Gibraltar
with ships of the Mediterranean
Fleet
and was usually interspersed with visits.)
3rd At Lisbon with HM
Cruiser SOUTHAMPTON and Home Fleet destroyers.
8th Sailed from Lisbon
to Gibraltar to take part in joint Fleet exercises.
9th Arrived at Gibraltar for exercises.
(Note:
Trials were carried out using Radar Type 79Y and valuable information was
obtained about its operational use.)
March Return
passage to Home waters for Leave period.
April Leave
period in Chatham
May Resumed
Squadron duties with Home Fleet including visits in UK
and preparatory exercises
to in
anticipation of hostilities with Germany
July
August
31st Sailed from Scapa Flow to take-up war
station.
Deployed
with HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, RAMILLIES, ROYAL OAK, ROYAL
SOVEREIGN,
HM Battlecruisers HOOD and REPULSE screened by destroyers of Home
Fleet.
September Transferred
to 18th Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet.
3rd Deployed at Scapa Flow
with Squadron in Home Fleet
5th Under air attacks
at Scapa Flow.
7th Deployed with HM Battleships NELSON,
RODNEY, HM Battlecruiser REPULSE, HM
Aircraft
Carrier ARK ROYAL and HM Cruiser AURORA in search for German mercantiles
attempting return passage to Europe
west of Hebrides.
9th Returned to Scapa Flow
to refuel
10th Return passage to Scapa Flow.
12th Sailed for Sullom Voe for interception
patrols.
18th Deployed for
interception patrol in NW Approaches.
22nd Carried out
offensive sweep of Kattegat with 2nd Cruiser Squadron.
23rd Returned to Scapa Flow
after HM Destroyers JERSEY and JAVELIN had been involved in
collision.
26th Sailed from Scapa Flow
with HM Cruisers SOUTHAMPTON, GLASGOW
and
AURORA
screened by six destroyers to escort HM Submarine SPEARFISH during passage
to Rosyth after damage on patrol.
Under air attacks whilst on passage.
27th Arrived at Scapa Flow
October
5th Sailed for Invergordon.
6th Resumed duty at Scapa Flow.
8th Deployed with HM Battlecruisers HOOD
and REPULSE with screen
of four Home Fleet destroyers in search for the German
battleship
GNEISENAU
and cruiser KOLN reported on passage in North
Sea.
10th Returned to Scapa Flow after unsuccessful
search.
15th Transferred to Loch Ewe with other Home
Fleet ships after the sinking
of HM Battleship ROYAL OAK in Scapa Flow
17th Sailed from Loch
Ewe for interception patrol in Denmark
Strait.
21st During interception patrol in NW
Approaches boarded German freighter
GLORIA which took ship to Kirkwall as Prize.
29th Under refit at
Rosyth.
November
9th Resumed Fleet duties and sailed from
Rosyth for patrol in NW Approaches.
21st Returned to Loch
Ewe.
23rd Deployed with ships of Home Fleet in
search for German battleships
SCHARNHORST
and GNEISENAU after the sinking of HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser RAWALPINDI in defence of an Atlantic convoy.
(For
details of naval activities in Home waters in 1939 including
Northern
Patrol duties see ARMED MERCHANT CRUISERS by
K
Poolman, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett
and Naval Staff History.)
December
10th Taken in hand for
routine docking in Tyne commercial shipyard.
17th Return passage to Scapa Flow
to rejoin Squadron.
18th Deployed for
interception patrol in NW Approaches.
28th Return passage to Scapa Flow.
1 9 4 0
January
7th Deployed for
interception patrol in NW Approaches.
30th Stoker rating lost overboard in rough
weather conditions.
Sustained structural damage.
February Under
repair at South Shields.
March On
completion resumed Home Fleet duties based at Scapa Flow.
Deployed for escort of convoys to and from Norway.
Under
air attacks and carried out an unsuccessful attack on a submarine contact.
April (Note:
18th Cruiser Squadron comprised:
HM
Cruisers MANCHESTER (Flag),
SOUTHAMPTON,
GLASGOW
and BIRMINGHAM with HMS EDINBURGH
and HMS NEWCASTLE under repair.)
7th Sailed from Scapa Flow
with HM Battleships RODNEY (Flag of
CinC
Home Fleet, VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser REPULSE, HM
Cruiser
PENELOPE and French cruiser EMILE BERTIN with HM
Destroyers
CODRINGTON, GRIFFIN, JUPITER,
ELECTRA,
ESCAPADE,
BRAZEN, BEDOUIN, PUNJABI, ESKIMO and
KIMBERLEY
to intercept German warships reported by aircraft
on passage in North Sea off Norway.
8th Remained with HMS RODNEY and HMS
VALIANT when other
Home
Fleet ships detached for search to north and deployed to
carry out search in Bergen
– Trondheim area.
9th Detached with HMS MANCHESTER and HMS
BIRMINGHAM
with seven destroyers to attack enemy forces in Bergen.
Rejoined
Home Fleet ships when attack cancelled by Admiralty
Under
air attacks after rejoining Fleet.
(Note:
HMS GURKHA was sunk during these attacks.)
10th Deployed for
patrol off Bergen with HMS GLASGOW.
On
release rejoined Home Fleet and took passage to Scapa Flow
11th Nominated for patrol duty off Norway
in inshore waters to intercept
ships carrying reinforcements to German invasion forces.
Took
passage with HMS GLASGOW, HM Destroyers SOMALI,
MASHONA,
AFRIDI, SIKH, MATABELE and MOHAWK
12th Carried out patrol
off coast of Alesund north of Stadlandet.
Diverted
with to carry out search for German landing force reported
by aircraft
13th Ordered to prepare a ship landing party
to secure quay at Namsos
(Operation
HENRY)
14th Landed seamen and
marines at Namsos and remained in area.
to Ships’
aircraft carried out reconnaissance flights.
16th
17th Re-embarked landing party from
destroyers and took passage to
return to Scapa Flow.
20th Nominated for transport of reinforcement
for SICKLE Force at
Molde.
22nd After embarking troops and equipment at
Rosyth took passage with HM Cruisers
GALATEA,
GLASGOW, HM Destroyers VANSITTART, CAMPBELL,
IVANHOE, ICARUS and WITCH.
23rd Arrived at Molde after HMS GLASGOW
detached for landing
reinforcements at Andalsnes
24th Took independent passage to Scapa
Flow after landing troops
on the quay at Molde.
25th Escorted damaged cruiser HMS CURACOA
returning to Scapa Flow.
26th Nominated for
detached service in Nore Command in the Humber.
28th Deployed to provide cover for HM
Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL
during air operations in defence of Fleet units off Norway
(Operation DX).
30th Deployed with HM Cruisers GALATEA,
ARETHUSA,
SOUTHAMPTON,
HM Destroyers SOMALI, MASHONA, SIKH,
WANDERER,
WALKER, WESTCOTT and HM Landing Ship
ROYAL
ULSTER to evacuate troops from Andalsnes.
Anchored
off shore and embarked troops from HMS WALKER.
May
1st Took passage to Scapa Flow
with 600 troops embarked
9th Despatched from Scapa Flow
with HMS MANCHESTER to cover passage in tow
to Tyne of damaged destroyer HMS
KELLY which had been in action with E-Boats
in North Sea.
10th Arrived in contact with tow but withdrawn
because of threat of
submarine attack.
27th Deployed with
Humber Force for anti-invasion patrol.
(Note:
For details of the disastrous operations off Norway
see
NAVAL
OPERATIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN IN NORWAY,
April- May 1940
(HMSO),
NARVIK by D MacIntyre, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by J
Adams and CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton.)
June Anti-invasion
deployment with Humber Force in continuation.
July Deployed
with HMS REPULSE and HMS RENOWN, HM Cruisers
DEVONSHIRE,
YORK
and AUSTRALIA (RAN) in search for German warships reported
on passage to attack Atlantic shipping.
Passage to Greenock for repair.
August Nominated
for service at Gibraltar with Force H as relief for HM
Cruiser ARETHUSA which had returned to UK for
refit.
Taken
in hand for short refit at Greenock to prepare for foreign service.
(Note:
Other ships in Force H were:
HMS
RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK
ROYAL HM Destroyers
FAULKNOR,
FORESTER, FEARLESS, FORTUNE , FIREDRAKE, FORESIGHT,
FOXHOUND
and FURY)
HM
Battleship VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers
CALCUTTA
and COVENTRY which were to join
Fleet at Alexandria took passage
to Gibraltar prior to transit to Malta
escorted by Force H (Operation HATS).
22nd Took passage to Gibraltar
as part of escort for military convoy taking troops and stores to
Alexandria.
(Note:
Passage of this convoy in NW Approaches was provided
by reinforcement warships on passage to Gibraltar.)
29th Arrived at Gibraltar and commenced Force
H service.
30th Joined HMS ARK
ROYAL and HMS RENOWN to provide cover for passage of
reinforcement warships in western Mediterranean
as Force F to Sicilian Narrows.
(Operation
HATS)
(For
details of Malta Convoy operations see MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman.
THE
BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D MacIntyre and NAVAL WAR
IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN by J Greene an d A
Massignani).
September
1st Took return passage to Gibraltar
after Force F entered Sicilian Narrows.
2nd Provided cover for air attacks by HMS
ARK ROYAL on airfield
at Cagliari
during passage of HATS (Operations SMASH and
GRAB.
See references.)
3rd Arrived at Gibraltar.
4th Nominated for
cover of military convoy during Atlantic passage from Clyde.
5th Took passage to UK
October
3rd Provided cover for convoy WS3A (Slow)
13th Detached from WS3A (Slow) on relief by
HM Cruiser
CUMBERLAND
and took passage to Gibraltar to rejoin Force H.
27th Carried out unsuccessful search for
German blockade runners
reported leaving Azores.
November
5th Intercepted French liner MESSILA on
passage in Atlantic from
Liverpool
and allowed to proceed.
7th Sailed from Gibraltar
with HMS ARK ROYAL and screened by HM Destroyers
DUNCAN,
ENCOUNTER, FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FORESTER, FORTUNE
and FURY to provide cover during passage in western Mediterranean
to Sicilian Narrows
for reinforcement warships in transit to join the Fleet at Alexandria
designated as Force F (Operation COAT).
(Note:
Force F comprised HM Battleship BARHAM, HM Cruisers BERWICK and
GLASGOW,
HM Destroyers GALLANT,
GRIFFIN and
GREYHOUND.)
9th Provided cover during air operations
against Cagliari
during passage (Operation CRACK)
Detached on arrival at Sicilian Narrows for
return to Gibraltar.
(Note:
HMS ENCOUNTER, FAULKNOR, FORTUNE and FURY transferred to Force F
as screen.)
14th Arrived at Gibraltar with Force H ships.
15th Deployed with HMS RENOWN and HMS ARK
ROYAL screened by HM Destroyers
FAULKNOR,
FORTUNE, FORESTER,
FIREDRAKE and FOXHOUND as Force B to
provide cover for Malta
aircraft delivery by HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS
(Operation
WHITE – See references.)
17th Detached to carry out search in Atlantic
for German commerce
raider and sustained
weather damage.
21st Joined HM Cruisers MANCHESTER and
SOUTHAMPTON west of Gibraltar
for the escort of reinforcement warships on passage to join
Fleet at Alexandria and
transit of merchant ships (Operation COLLAR)
(Note:
This was a complex operation involving transfer of warships to and from
Alexandria as
well as passage of mercantile traffic to and from Malta.
For details
see above references.)
25th Deployed with HMS RENOWN. HMS ARK ROYAL,
HM Cruiser DESPATCH, screened
by HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FIREDRAKE, FORESTER, FURY,
WISHART,
ENCOUNTER,
KELVIN and JAGUAR as Force B to provide cover for passage of
reinforcement warships in transit to join Fleet at Alexandria
as Force F, and three mercantiles.
See references for details.
27th Took part in brief engagement with
Italian surface force including two battleships
(Battle
of Spartivento)
(Note:
HM Cruiser BERWICK, HM Battleship RAMILLIES and HM Cruiser
NEWCASTLE
(Force D) on passage from Egypt
had joined Force B and took part.
. HMS
BERWICK was hit and sustained damage with seven of her ship’s
company were killed. The Italian ships withdrew after an
incorrect assessment of
the composition of the British force. For details of the
subsequent criticism of the
conduct of this action by Vice Admiral JF Somerville and his
later exoneration
see references).
29th Returned to Gibraltar with ships of
Forces B and D.
December
14th Deployed on
interception patrol off Azores till 18th December.
15th Escorted m Battleship MALAYA and 2
merchantmen to Gibraltar from
Galita Island with HMS RENOWN (Operation HIDE).
25th Despatched from Gibraltar
with HMS RENOWN and HMS ARK ROYAL to
assist defence of Convoy WS5A attacked by German cruiser
ADMIRAL
HIPPER off Spanish coast.
1 9
4 1
January
1st Carried out offensive sweep in
western Mediterranean
4th Returned to Gibraltar.
7th Covered passage of Malta
convoy to Skerki Bank and aircraft delivery by
HMS
ARK ROYAL with HMS RENOWN, HMS ARK ROYAL and HM
Battleship MALAYA (Operation EXCESS).
27th Joined escort for Gibraltar
- UK convoy for
two days and returned.
31st Escorted HMS ARK ROYAL with HMS RENOWN
and HMS MALAYA for air
attack on Tirso Dam (Operation
PICKET).
(Note:
This was intended as a diversion during planned bombardment of Genoa
by ships of Force H. (Operation RESULT).
February (Note: Planned bombardment of Genoa
cancelled during operation because of
adverse weather conditions.
4th Returned to Gibraltar.
6th Sailed for Genoa with ships
of Force H.
8th Bombarded Genoa with HMS RENOWN and
HMS MALAYA and covered
HMS
ARK ROYAL during air attacks on shore targets and minelaying
(Operation
GROG – For full details see Naval Staff History)
11th Returned to Gibraltar
13th Took part in searched for German cruiser
ADMIRAL HIPPER with HMS
ARK
ROYAL and HMS RENOWN after it had attacked unescorted
convoy SL54.
18th Relieved HMS KENYA
as escort of convoy SL65 until 1st March
March
10th Escorted troopship STRATHMORE to Clyde
with HM Cruiser ARETHUSA.
12th Routine docking in Gibraltar
17th Exploded two
British A/S mines with paravane. Damage did
not justify docking.
21st Escorted HM Submarine Depot Ship
MAIDSTONE during return passage to Gibraltar.
30th Intercepted Vichy
French convoy off Oran. Returned fire from shore batteries and
sustained structural damage during attack by two French
aircraft.
April
2nd Escorted HMS ARK ROYAL with HMS RENOWN
for aircraft delivery to
Malta.
(Operation WINCH)
5th Docked at Gibraltar
for repair of damage inflicted during air attacks on 30th March
6th On completion of docking joined HMS
ARK ROYAL, HMS RENOWN,
to HM
Cruiser FIJI
and destroyers of 8th Flotilla in Atlantic search for
16th German warships SCHARNHORST reported on
passage to attack convoys.
20th Escorted HMS ARGUS for part of passage
into Gibraltar with aircraft for transfer to
Malta
in HMS ARK ROYAL.
24th Covered transit of HM Cruiser DIDO to
join Mediterranean Fleet.
(Operation
TRANSIT) and also aircraft delivery to Malta
by HMS ARK ROYAL with
HMS
RENOWN and ships of Force H. (Operation DUNLOP)
May
6th Covered transit of HM Battleship QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HM Cruisers NAIAD,
to PHOEBE,
and FIJI to
reinforce Fleet in eastern Mediterranean and convoy of
9th tanks for Eighth Army in Middle
East with HMS RENOWN, HMS ARK ROYAL
and ships of Force H. (Operation TIGER)
(For
details of Mediterranean operations in 1941 see BATTLE
FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN
by D. MacIntyre, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
and Naval Staff Histories).
Under
air attacks
12th Escorted damaged destroyer HMS FORTUNE
to Gibraltar during final stage of return
passage.
19th Escorted HMS ARK
ROYAL and HMS FURIOUS for Malta
aircraft delivery
with HMS RENOWN (Operation SPLICE).
24th After BISMARCK had broken out into Atlantic
urgently despatched from
Gibraltar
with HMS RENOWN, HMS ARK ROYAL and screen of destroyers
to join Home Fleet in the search in north Atlantic.
26th Accidentally attacked by SWORDFISH from
HMS ARK ROYAL and then
engaged in action with BISMARCK.
Structural
damage sustained to upper deck and radar equipment
was disabled. Three seaman were
killed.
Detail
in BATTLESHIP BISMARCK by Mullenhein-Rechberg and Naval Staff History)
29th Returned to Gibraltar
with Force H
June
5th Escorted HMS ARK ROYAL and HMS FURIOUS
with HMS RENOWN
during aircraft delivery to Malta
(Operation ROCKET).
8th Joined HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS
and HM Cruiser HERMIONE with
HMS RENOWN and HMS ARK ROYAL to escort into Gibraltar.
10th Relieved in Force "H" by HM
Cruiser HERMIONE and deployed on
interception duty in Atlantic.
14th Intercepted and sank U-Boat supply
tanker FREDRICHE BREME.
88 survivors from the German
ship were rescued.
20th Joined HM Cruiser CUMBERLAND
to reinforce escort for UK
convoy.
July Under refit at HM
Dockyard Rosyth.
(Note:
Radar Type 284 Fire-control for forward 6" main armament
and Type 285 for secondary AA armament were fitted.
Six
20mm Oerlikon guns fitted for Close Range
defence against air attack.)
August Under refit at Rosyth.
12th On completion worked-up at Scapa
Flow and deployed with 10th Cruiser
Squadron in Home Fleet.
30th Joined escort for military convoy WS1 1
in Atlantic with HMS FURIOUS,
HMS
REPULSE, HM Cruiser CAIRO and HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser
DERBYSHIRE.
September
2nd Detached from convoy and returned to Scapa
Flow
12th Passage to Gibraltar to rejoin Force H.
22nd Relieved HM Battleship RODNEY in escort
for Malta
support convoy in
Atlantic.
25th Joined Force X with HM Cruisers KENYA,
EDINBURGH, HERMIONE
and EURYALUS as the Close Escort for Convoy WS11 to Malta
covered
by Force H supplemented by ships of the Home Fleet including
HM
Battleships
NELSON, RODNEY and PRINCE OF WALES
and HMS ARK
ROYAL to Skerki Channel (Operation
HALBERD).
27th Under air attack
and threat from Italian surface units which never materialised.
October Deployed at Gibraltar and
despatched with HM Cruiser KENYA
to carry
out search for U-Boat supply ship operating in Atlantic.
(Note:
This search was activated as a result of decryption of enemy signals.
3rd Intercepted German Freighter KOTA
PINANG and sunk by HMS KENYA.
(Note:
German mercantile was located by aircraft from HMS KENYA,
scuttled on approach and set on fire before being abandoned.
See
HITLER'S U-boat war by C Blair and IN HARMS WAY
by B J Crabb.
Survivors
were later rescued by a U-Boat.)
6th Returned to Greenock with HMS KENYA and
joined Home Fleet.
November
3rd Deployed with
18th Cruiser Squadron in Iceland
for defence of Russian Convoys.
December
1st Joined escort for Russian Convoy PQ5.
7th Detached from PQ5 with HM Fleet Minesweepers
HAZARD and HEBE
on relief by HM Fleet Minesweepers BRAMBLE and SEAGULL.
Passage to Kola Inlet.
. 16th Deployed with HMS KENYA and HMS SUFFOLK
in search for German
Battleship
TIRPITZ reported breaking out into Atlantic.
1 9
4 2
January
27th Deployed on Northern Patrol between Iceland
and Faeroes in turn with
HM Cruisers KENYA
and TRINIDAD.
February Northern Patrol duty in
continuation.
March
4th Detonated mine off NE
Iceland when on passage to provide cover for Russian Convoy
PQ12.
Major damage was sustained aft and a RM sentry was killed.
Escorted to Seidisfiord by HM Destroyers
FAULKNOR and ESKIMO.
(Note:
One source records HMS BEDOUIN with HMS FAULKNOR.)
6th Arrived in Iceland
after passage at 6 knots.
27th On completion of temporary repair by
ship's staff took passage to Scapa Flow.
April
2nd Under repair and
refit at- Palmer's Yard, Hebbum on Tyne.
(Note:
Radar Type 284 radar fitted for after 6" turret fire control.
Radar
Type 285 sets fitted AA fire-control.
Radar Type 273
surface warning radar added and Type 79Y
air warning radar replaced by new design Type 281.
IFF
equipment added and US manufactured VHF radio
telephone outfit (TBS) installed for inter-ship
communications.
(For
details of radar equipment development and use see RADAR AT SEA
by D Howse.
Additional 20mm
Oerlikon gins fitted.)
May Under
refit and repair by Palmers at Hebburn, Newcastle.
to
June
July Carried out post refit
trials before taking passage to Scapa Flow.
24th Rejoined 18th Cruiser Squadron at Scapa Flow.
August Worked up for service at Scapa
Flow.
September
8th Passage to Iceland
with HM Cruiser CUMBERLAND and HM Destroyer ECLIPSE.
14th Sailed from Iceland
with HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND, NORFOLK,
SUFFOLK and LONDON.
16th Detached with HMS CUMBERLAND and HM Destroyer ECLIPSE for
passage to Spitzbergen to land equipment and personnel for
garrison..
23rd Covered returning
Russian Convoy QP14 during passage to Scapa
Flow.
October
9th Present at Scapa Flow during visit by
Prime Minister and Sir Stafford Cripps.
24th Exercised in NW Approaches with HM
Cruiser JAMAICA
and HMS
ARGUS
for support duty during planned assault landings
26th Embarked 670 members of US combat team
for passage to Gibraltar.
27th Joined close escort for 38 ship military
convoy taking troops for
landings in North Africa (Operation
TORCH)
November
5th After refuelling Joined KMF1 Convoy
escort with HM Aircraft Carriers
ARGUS and AVENGER and HM Cruisers SCYLLA and CHARYBDIS.
6th Joined Eastern Naval Force with HMS
BERMUDA to cover landings at Algiers.
(Operation
TORCH - For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY),
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser and Naval
Staff History)
7th Transferred US
troops to HM Destroyers MALCOLM and BROKE for landings.
9th Deployed on
protective patrol off landing areas.
10th Escorted troopship convoy to Bougie for landings.
11th In collision with
HM Minesweeper CADMUS on passage.
Slight
structural damage in waist and a Stoker rating on the upper deck was killed.
13th Passage to Gibraltar with HM Destroyer
CLARE.
14th Passage to Scapa Flow with HMS JAMAICA
to rejoin Home Fleet.
20th Under repair at Scapa and then began
Home Fleet exercise programme.
(Note:
Welding equipment and radar stores were thrown overboard and had to be
recovered by divers before dockyard work could start !
Return
to Scapa Flow was met with concern by some of ship’s
company who
had anticipated that repair would have been done at a UK
commercial shipyard.
Retention
at Scapa Flow was made necessary by requirement to have
the ship
available at Scapa Flow for despatch
to intercept German warships on passage
to attack Atlantic convoys.)
December
14th After convoy conference for Russian
Convoy JW61 at Loch Ewe sailed to rendezvous
with HMS JAMAICA for passage to Iceland.
15th Joined HMS JAMAICA, HM Destroyers
BEAGLE, MATCHLESS and OPPORTUNE
and took passage to Seidisfjord.
19th Provided cruiser cover in Force
"R" with HMS JAMAICA and same
destroyers for passage to Kola Inlet of Russian Convoy
JW51A.
(Note:
HM
