1 9 4 1
April
Contractors trials and
commissioned.
May
Nominated for service in
the Mediterranean.
4th
Build
completion and commenced acceptance
trials.
Passage to Scapa
Flow
on completion of trials and
storing.
16th
Took
passage to Mediterranean after
embarking stores, including
20mm
Oerlikon guns badly needed in the Mediterranean for defence
against
close
range air attacks.
June
Passage via Cape of Good
Hope and Red Sea.
21st
Joined
sister ship HMS ABDIEL at Alexandria.
22nd
Deployed for support of military
operations in eastern Mediterranean.
July
Embarked RAF personnel for passage
to Cyprus
to reinforce garrison.
(Operation GUILLOTINE).
25th
Returned
to Alexandria.
August
Deployed with HMS ABDIEL, HM Cruise
HOBART (RAN), HM
Destroyers NAPIER (RAN) and NIZAM
(RAN)
for support of Tobruk
garrison.
12th
Took part in transfer of troops to
and from Tobruk.
to
(Note: 6,300 troops were taken to
Tobruk and 6,100 evacuated.)
31st
September
Tobruk support in continuation.
October
Deployed for Tobruk support
25th
Under air attack north of Bardia
during
support of Tobruk garrison.
(Note: 1,000 Polish troops were on
board.)
Sustained hit in engine room causing
fire
which could not be
controlled.
Rescue work carried out by HM
Destroyers
HERO and ENCOUNTER.
Remained afloat for two hours before
sinking
in position 32.15N 24.14E
when
after magazine
exploded.
37
of the ship’s company lost their
lives. (Casualty
List
- note
on casualties)