1 9 3 9
August Passage to Gibraltar to take up
war station.
September Deployed
at Gibraltar in 13th Destroyer Flotilla
with HMS Destroyers DOUGLAS,
VIDETTE, WRESTLER and
WISHART for Atlantic convoy defence and interception of
blockade runners.
October Gibraltar duties in
continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 0
January Deployed
at Gibraltar for convoy defence.
14th Joined Convoy OG14F with HM Destroyer
VORTIGERN during passage from Liverpool
in the Atlantic as escort for final stage into Gibraltar. Detached from OG14F with
HMS
VORTIGERN on arrival.
February
1st Joined HM Sloop SANDWICH with HM
Destroyer WISHART as escort for Convoy
OG16F during final stage of passage from Liverpool into Gibraltar.
Detached on arrival.
5th Joined HM Sloop ENCHANTRESS and HM
Destroyer VERSATILE as escort for
Convoy
OG17F during passage into Gibraltar from Liverpool.
8th Detached from OGI7F with HM Destroyer
HERO.
(Note: HMS HERO had relieved HMS ENCHANTRESS on 7th.).
22nd Joined two French Navy destroyers
escorting Convoy OG18 for passage into Gibraltar.
On
arrival deployed with same French Navy destroyers as escort for Convoy HG20F
during passage from Gibraltar to Liverpool.
28th French destroyers detached on relief by
HM Sloop SANDWICH, HM Destroyers VANOC
and WHIRLWIND.
March
3rd Detached from
HG20F with escort on arrival at Liverpool.
22nd Joined outward Convoy OG23F on formation
in SW Approaches as escort during passage to
Gibraltar with HM
Sloop LEITH, HM Destroyer VIDETTE.
28th Detached from
OG23F with escort on arrival at Gibraltar.
April
8th Joined escort for Convoy OG24 for
final stage of passage into Gibraltar.
May Convoy
defence deployment at Gibraltar in continuation.
Pennant
Number used for visual signalling purposes changed to I34 to conform with changes
introduced for all RN warships.
June Gibraltar deployment
in continuation.
(Note : After French capitulation deployed for Fleet duties as required by
Flag Officer North
Atlantic at Gibraltar.)
Deployed for patrol off Morocco.
July
3rd Under fire from
shore batteries during surveillance of movement
of French warships.
Returned
to Gibraltar to refuel on relief by air
surveillance..
30th Deployed with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,
FOXHOUND, FORESTER, FORESIGHT.
and ESCAPADE as screen for HM Battlecruiser HOOD, HM
BATTLESHIPS VALIANT,
RESOLUTION,
HM Aircraft Carriers ARGUS, ARK ROYAL, HM Cruisers ARETHUSA
and ENTERPRISE to provide cover during Malta aircraft delivery by HMS
ARGUS
Operation
HURRY, and air attacks on Cagliari by HMS ARK ROYAL, Operation
CRUSH,
See
Naval Staff History (HMSO 2001), MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman and THE
BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre for details.)
31st Detached with HM Destroyers HOTSPUR,
GREYHOUND, GALLANT, ESCAPADE and
ENCOUNTER
as screen for HMS VALIANT and HMS RESOLUTION to provide cover
for aircraft launch. from HMS
ARGUS..
(Note : Cover for air attacks on Cagliari was provided by the other
ships.)
August
4th Returned with Force H ships to Gibraltar.
31st Deployed with HM Destroyers ENCOUNTER,
FAULKNOR, P1REDRAKE, FORESIGHT,
FORESTER,
FURY, GALLANT, GREYHOUND, GRIFFIN, HOTSPUR and WISHART
as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL, HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN and HM
Cruiser
SHEFFIELD to provide cover for
passage of Convoy MS2 to Malta and
reinforcement warships to join the Fleet in the Eastern Mediterransan .
(Operation
HATS – For details see above references)
(Note:
Warships being transferred were HM Battleship VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS,
HM Cruisers COVENTRY and CALCUTTA as Force F)
September
1st Detached from screen to carry out
radio deception by wireless transmissions
(Operation
SQUAWK).
on completion returned to Gibraltar and resumed Local Escort
duties.
1Ith Deployed with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN, VIDETTE. HOTSPUR, WISHART and
ENCOUNTER
as screen for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN during search for French warships
reported to be on passage from Toulon to enter Atlantic..
(Note : For details see Naval Staff History.,
The
destroyers had been carrying out interception patrols and were recalled to
Gibraltar to refuel before HMS RENOWN
sailed.)
October Gibraltar Local Escort duties
in continuation.
November
21st Deployed with HM Destroyers VELOX,
VIDETTE AND WRESTLER as Local Escort into
Gibraltar for mercantiles
on passage in Atlantic for planned Malta Relief operation.
(Operation
COLLAR – provision of reinforcements for Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria and
troops to Malta together with relief supplies.
See above references.)
25th Detached with HMS WRESTLER from escort
of mercantiles on relief by escorts from
Gibraltar
(Note : A strong escort including ships from Home Fleet had
been detached for refuelling.)
Resumed
convoy defence duties based at Gibraltar.
December Nominated for Local Escort duties
at Freetown and took passage to join Local Escort
Force.
On arrival
deployed for convoy defence.
1 9 4 1
January Deployed
at Freetown for Atlantic convoy defence.
8th Joined military convoy WS5A with HM
Destroyer VIDETTE, HM Sloops
BRIDGEWATER and
MILFORD, HM Corvettes ASPHODEL and
CALENDULA for Local
Escort
from Freetown.
9th Detached from
WS5A during passage to Capetown.
22nd Joined HM Corvettes ASPHODEL and
CALENDULA in escort of military convoy WS5B for
passage into Freetown.
25th Detached with
Local Escort on arrival of WS5B at Freetown.
February Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation.
to
March
April Nominated for temporary
service at Gibraltar for support of planned passage of military convoy
to Egypt (Operation TIGER – See above
references.)
30th Deployed at Gibraltar
May
4th Joined TIGER Convoy as screen for HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH with HM
Destroyers
FORESIGHT, FORTUNE and FEARLESS in Atlantic escort for TIGER Convoy
during final stage of Atlantic passage from UK.
(Note : This was to allow HM Battlecruiser REPULSE, HM
Destroyers HAVELOCK,
HESPERUS and
HIGHLANDER to refuel before rejoining convoy from Gibraltar
7th Released from TIGER detached service at Gibraltar and took passage to resume Freetown
convoy defence.
June Deployed at Freetown.
16th Joined military convoy WS9A with H M
Destroyers BOREAS, BRILLIANT and
HIGHLANDER for Local Escort
into Freetown.
18th Detached from WS9A
with Local Escort on arrival at Freetown.
20th Joined WS9A with HM Destroyers BOREAS,
VANSITTART and WILD SWAN on
departure from
Freetown for Local Escort.
22nd Detached from WS9A with Local Escort and
returned to Freetown.
July
16th Joined military convoy WS9B with HM
Destroyers BOREAS, BRILLIANT and
VANSITTART on departure from Freetown for Local
Escort.
18th Detached with Local Escort and returned
to Freetown.
August
14th Joined HM Destroyer JUPITER in escort of
military convoy WS10 with HM Destroyer
WRESTLER and HM Corvette BERGAMOT for passage into Freetown.
17th Detached from WS10
on arrival at Freetown with Local
Escort.
27th Joined military convoy WS10X during
passage to Freetown and detached on arrival
September
13th Joined FAST Section of military convoy
WS11 with HM Destroyer WRESTLER and
Corvette
STARWORT off Freetown and detached on arrival.
18th Joined SLOW Section of military convoy WS11 on departure from
Freetown as Local
Escort with HMS
WRESTLER.
20th Detached from WS11 SLOW with HMS
WRESTLER and returned to Freetown.
October
11th Joined military convoy WS12 with HM
Destroyer WRESTLER for Local Escort.
14th Detached from WS12
with Local Escort on arrival at Freetown.
19th Joined WS12 with BMS WRESTLER, HM Corvettes ANCHUSA,
CALENDULA and
MIGNONETTE as Local Escort on departure from Freetown.
22nd Detached from WS12 with Local Escort and
returned to Freetown.
November
21st Joined military convoy WS12Z with HM Destroyer VIMY as Local
Escort during final stage
passage into Freetown.
25th Detached from WS12Z on arrival at Freetown.
December Freetown deployment in
continuation.
Nominated for return to Gibraltar for Local Escort duty.
1 9 4 2
January Deployment
at Gibraltar in continuation.
to
April
May
19th Joined military convoy WS19 for Local
Escort into Freetown.
22nd Detached from W519
with Local Escort on arrival at Freetown.
(Note
HMS BOREAS and HMS WILD SWAN had joined on 20th.)
June
11th Joined HM Destroyers BLACKMORE and
DERWENT in escort of military
convoy WS19P
for passage into Freetown.
15th Detached from
WS19P on arrival at Freetown.
19th Joined WS19P on departure from Freetown with HM Destroyers DERWENT,
PATHFINDER,
PENN and
QUENTIN for escort during passage to Capetown.
(Note : HM Battleships NELSON and RODNEY were providing Ocean
Escort.)
22nd Detached from WS19P during passage and
returned to Freetown.
30th Joined HM Destroyers BLACKMORE,
BRILLIANT and VIMY in Local Escort for military
convoy WS20 during passage into Freetown.
July
2nd Detached from WS20
with Local Escort on arrival at Freetown.
6th Joined WS20 with HM Destroyer BOREAS
for Local Escort on departure from Freetown.
8th Detached from WS20 with HMS BOREAS and
then escorted ss BATORY to Takoradi
before
return to Freetown.
(Note : HM Battleship MALAYA was providing Ocean Escort.)
August
10th Joined HM Destroyers CATTERICK, LEDBURY
and PETARD in escort for military convoy
WS21
and detached on arrival at Freetown the same day
September Freetown deployment
in continuation.
Nominated
for transfer to Gibraltar for escort of military convoys prior to planned allied
landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH - See above references).
October
14th Joined HM Armed Merchant Cruiser QUEEN
OF BERMUDA, HM Destroyer PUCKERIDGE
and Greek destroyer KANARIS in escort for military convoy WS23
during passage into
Freetown,
16th Detached from WS23
on arrival at Freetown.
Returned to Gibraltar for convoy
escort duties.
November Deployed
at Gibraltar.
4th Sailed from Gibraltar
to supplement escort of military Convoy KMF1 during passage in
Atlantic.
6th Detached from KMF1 and remained west
of Gibraltar.
7th Despatched to stand-by US troopship THOMAS STONE that had been
disabled by an air
launched torpedo 50 miles of Spanish coast.
Mercantile was
later taken in tow to Algiers.)
(Note : This ship did not take part in support of TORCH
landings in North
Africa
December Gibraltar convoy defence in continuation.
1 9 4 3
January Gibraltar convoy defence deployment in
continuation
to
April
May Deployed
at Gibraltar for defence of military
convoys in Mediterranean before the
planned
allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY)
June Deployment
for Atlantic and Mediterranean convoy defence in continuation,.
to Nominated for conversion to Long Range
Escort.
October (See V&W DESTROYERS by A Preston).
November Passage
to UK for conversion by HM
Dockyard, Sheerness..
December Paid-off
into Dockyard control and taken in hand for refit.
1 9 4 4
January Under refit and conversion at
Sheerness.
to (Note : Future deployment under
consideration due to mechanical and structural
April condition).
May Post
refit trials.
Relegated for use as an Air Target Ship due to machinery problems.
June Prepared
for future deployment.
July Deployed
in Home waters as a target ship for training of aircrew.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Air
Target Ship duties in continuation
to
August