1 9 3 9
March Contractors
trials and commissioning for service with 2nd Tribal Destroyer Flotilla. Home Fleet
10th Build completion and
commenced Acceptance Trials.
April Worked-up at Portland on completion of trials.
(Note: Transferred to re-designated
6th Destroyer Flotilla which also included HM Destroyers
SOMALI, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, MATABELE, PUNJABI, TARTAR
and ESKIMO.)
May Portland deployment in continuation
June Diverted
to assist in rescue operations in Liverpool Bay after sinking of HM Submarine THETIS
during trials
after build completion.
On release from
the unsuccessful rescue work resumed work-up programme.
July Passage
to Devonport for repair
3rd Taken in hand for
repair of defects by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
25th Resumed Flotilla duties with Home Fleet on
completion of trials and took passage to Scapa Flow.
D e t a i l s o
f W a r S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search)
September Deployed
with Flotilla at designated war station at Scapa Flow for screening of major warships,
interception of blockade runners and commerce raiders with anti-submarine
patrols.
October Home
Fleet duties with Flotilla in continuation.
November
24th Deployed with Screen for Home Fleet ships
during search for German SCHARNHORST and
GNEISENAU
after sinking of HM Armed Merchant Cruiser RAWALPINDI.
December Passage
to Clyde for repair of defects
4th Taken in hand for
repair at Govan by Alexander Stephens.
(Note: In common with other TRIBAL
Class destroyers extensive leaking had been experienced
due to high
speed operations in heavy weather conditions.
For details of naval activities in
Home Waters in 1939 see the Naval Staff History and
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
Corelli Barnett.
29th Resumed Flotilla duties in Home Fleet and
took passage to Scapa Flow.
1 9 4 0
January Flotilla
duties with Home Fleet in continuation
to Deployed for escort of
convoys to and from Norway and Fleet screening.
February (Note: Ships of Flotilla were carrying out patrol and convoy
defence in North Sea.)
March Deployed
with HMS MOHAWK for escort of rms QUEEN ELIZABETH during
passage
in NW Approaches
on maiden voyage to New
York. On release
took passage to resume North
Sea duties based at Rosyth for convoy defence.
April
4th Deployed with HMS SOMALI, HMS MATABELE
and HMS MASHONA as escort for
Convoy
HN24 during passage from Norway to Methil.
8th Joined HM Destroyers AFRIDI, GURKHA, SIKH,
MOHAWK, ZULU, COSSACK,
KASHMIR and KELVIN Polish Destroyers ORP GROM and BLYSKAWICA
with escorts
for ON24 in screen for Cruisers GALATEA and ARETHUSA carrying out
search north
of 58.30N 3.30E for German warships reported on passage in northern North Sea.
(TARTAR, with MASHONA, MATABELE, SOMALI may instead of have joined Adm Forbe's main
force on the 7th)
9th Search abandoned and rejoined ships of
Home Fleet also deployed for this operation.
After arrival
detached with the three Polish destroyers to escort Convoy HN25 during its passage
from Norway after escaping before German invasion troops occupied
Bergen.
14th Rejoined Home Fleet units for operations
off Norway in support of planned allied landings
(Operation RUPERT/R4)
18th Detached
for escort of damaged cruiser HMS SUFFOLK during passage to Scapa Flow.
21st Resumed deployment with Home Fleet units
off Norway and carried out inshore patrols to
to intercept further
enemy landings.
28th (Note: HM Destroyers ASHANTI, MOHAWK, SOMALI, SIKH and NUBIAN were also
deployed and returned to replenish or for convoy defence duties.).
30th Took part in evacuation of allied troops
from Andalsnes and Molde with HM Destroyers
SOMALI, MASHONA and HM Auxiliary AA Ship ULSTER PRINCE.
Under heavy
and sustained air attacks.
Transferred to Mole to embark Captain Denny and staff with
ULSTER PRINCE.
(For details
of the disastrous Norwegian campaign and the heavy price paid in losses and major
damage to
RN ships, see NARVIK by D MacIntryre, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION
by J Adams,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and the Naval Staff History.)
May
1st Took passage from
Andalsnes to Harstad.
Resumed Home Fleet
duties for defence of inward support and evacuation convoys based at Harstad.
24th Passage to Scapa
Flow from Harstad
Pennant Number for
visual signalling Purposes changed to G43.
June Part
of escort for HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL during flying operations off Norway
8th Deployed with HM Destroyers MASHONA, BEDOUIN
and ASHANTI as screen for HM
Battleship VALIANT to cover passage of Group I of final evacuation convoys
from Ofotfjord area.
9th Detached from Group I with HMS VALIANT
and ships of screen to cover return passage of other
evacuation convoys.
10th Took part in unsuccessful Home Fleet search
for GNEISENAU and SCHARNHORST after sinking
of HM Aircraft Carrier GLORIOUS.
11th Returned to Scapa Flow and resumed Flotilla duties.
20th At Faeroes with HMS
MASHONA to seize Swedish destroyers ROMULUS and REMUS.
(Note: These ships had been purchased from Italy and were on passage to Sweden.
After
intense diplomatic activity they were later returned to Sweden from Scapa
Flow.
22nd Returned to Scapa
Flow.
July Deployed
with Flotilla for Home Fleet screening and convoy defence.
14th Under repair to rudder
equipment by Cammell Laird shipyard.
24th Resumed Flotilla duties in Home Fleet
(Note:
Extensive anti-invasion deployments were made during this period and
affected Home Fleet ships.)
August
8th Deployed as part of escort for ships of
Force H during Atlantic passage to UK from Gibraltar.
September
1st Escorted HM Cruiser FIJI which had been damaged in an attack
by U32 off Shetland whilst on
passage with other warships for a Free French attack on Freetown. HMS ANTELOPE was also
deployed.
5th Deployed as escort for ships of 1st Minelaying
Squadron during minelay in Northern Barrage.
(Operation
SN14 - See Naval Staff History (Mining) for details.)
October Passage
to Devonport for refit
4th Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard,
Devonport
(Note: Work including repair to feed
water leaks (See above) and replacement of twin 4.7in
mounting
in X position by twin 4in HA mounting to improve AA defence.)
November Under
refit.
December Post refit
trials.
(Note: One source records delay in
completion due to sabotage of electric cables.)
Passage to resume Flotilla Home Fleet
duties at Scapa Flow as Leader of 4th Destroyer
Flotilla.)
On arrival at Scapa Flow carried out trials with prototype radar equipment
(Note:
One source quotes Type 74X which does not exist. It may have been an early trial
on
newly fitted
Fire-control Radar Type 284 in HM Battleship KING GEORGE V.
See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
1 9 4 1
January
3rd Deployed as escort for HM Cruisers ARETHUSA
and AURORA with ships of Flotilla for
an offensive
sweep and minelay by HM Destroyers INTREPID and ICARUS off Egersund.
(Operation DZ - This was failed after
destroyer in the escort opened fire on minelayers.)
February
1st Nominated for escort of minelayers with
ships of Home Fleet during planned minelay off
Norway.
(Operation EA - This was cancelled
due to adverse weather conditions.)
March
1st Deployed with HM Destroyers SOMALI, BEDOUIN
and ESKIMO as escort for HM Landing
Ships (Infantry) PRINCESS EMMA and
PRINCESS BEATRIX during passage to Lofoten
Islands for raid
by 3 and 4 Commando as Task Force REBEL.
(Operation CLAYMORE - For details
see THE WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson.)
4th Provided support during
landing operations.
Intercepted trawler KREBS off Svolvser and placed boarding party on board. The ENIGMA
coding machine
and supporting documentation were recovered and later used by the Bletchley
Park personnel
to assist in decryption. (See BREAKING THE ENIGMA by D Khan and
BRITISH INTELLIGENCE
DURING WW2 (Ed Hinsley for further details.)
10th Deployed at Scapa Flow for Home Fleet Flotilla duties
April Home
Fleet duties including screening of major units during unsuccessful search for German
ships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU in NW Approaches.
May Deployed
for Atlantic convoy defence
22nd Part of escort for mv
BRITANNIC with HM Battleship RODNEY, HM Destroyers ESKIMO
MASHONA and SOMALI during passage in NW Approaches from Clyde.
24th Detached from escort with HMS MASHONA and HMS SOMALI as screen
for HM
Battleship RODNEY
during search operation by Home Fleet ships for German battleship
BISMARCK after the sinking of HM Battlecruiser
HOOD.
25th Detached from HMS RODNEY screen when weather
conditions made it impossible to
maintain speed.
27th Present at sinking
of BISMARCK.
For details of search and sinking
of BISMARCK see Naval Staff History, PURSUIT by
L Kennedy and BATTLESHIP
BISMARCK by Mullenheim Rechberg.)
28th During return passage to Scapa Flow with HMS MASHONA came under heavy air attack
100 miles west of Ireland during which HMS MASHONA was hit and sustained major
damage.
After the stricken vessel capsized rescued 14 officers and 215 ratings and landed
them at
Greenock.
June Resumed
Flotilla duties with Home Fleet
Nominated
for Home Fleet operations to capture German weather ship to obtain
ENIGMA coding machine and associated documentation (Operation EC).
26th Part of escort for HM Cruiser NIGERIA with HMS BEDOUIN during passage from
Scapa Flow to area of Jan Mayen Island to capture German trawler in order to retrieve
ENIGMA material.
28th Sighted trawler LAUENBERG boarded vessel
which was being scuttled.
Only
documentation could be recovered before vessel sank (See above reference).
July Nominated for investigation
of use of Spitzbergen as a fuelling base for escorts of
Russian convoys.
27th Deployed with HM Cruisers AURORA,
NIGERIA and HMS PUNJABI
at Spitzbergen to carry out reconnaissance
of anchorage for future use.
August
1st Visited Russian settlement
at Barentsburg with HMS PUNJABI.
2nd Evacuated Russian nationals and destroyed
weather station on Bear Island.
4th Passage to Scapa Flow from Murmansk after landing Russian passengers.
8th Returned to Scapa Flow with HMS NIGERIA and HMS PUNJABI.
Present
during visit to Scapa Flow by HM King George VI and demonstration exercises.
17th Part of Home Fleet destroyer escort for HM
Battleship PRINCE OF WALES during
return passage
from Iceland with Prime Minister Winston Churchill embarked.
(Note: Prime Minister had been attending
the Atlantic Charter meeting with US President
in Argentia Bay,
Newfoundland.)
18th Embarked Prime Minister from HMS PRINCE OF
WALES in Clyde and took him to
Greenock for his return to London.
20th Deployed with HM Destroyers ANTELOPE, ANTHONY,
ECLIPSE and ICARUS as
screen for
HMS AURORA and HMS NIGERIA escorting ss EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA and RFA OLIGARCH to Spitzbergen
for establishment of garrison
(Operation GAUNTLET).
On release from Spitzbergen operation escorted EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA to
Murmansk taking Russian miners and Norwegian
population.
Landed Russians and took passage
to UK as escort for EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA with
Norwegians still on board and joined
other GAUNTLET ships during passage
(Note:
HMS NIGERIA and HMS AURORA carried out an attack on a coastal convoy
in this
period and sank the minelayer BREMSE.)
Date of completion of GAUNTLET deployment
to be confirmed.)
September Passage
to London for refit
2nd Taken in hand for refit
by Green and Silley Weir, Royal Albert Dock.
October Under
refit
(Note:
Work carried out included removal of original mainmast to improve gunnery arcs,
shortening of after funnel, resiting
depth charge positions and installation of Type
285 gunnery radar for main armament fire-control.)
17th Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of post refit trials
Resumed Home Fleet service as Leader 6th Flotilla.
November Home
Fleet deployment for screening, patrol and convoy defence in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Nominated
for support and escort of Russian convoys with Home Fleet ships
(Note:
For details of all Russian convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA
Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield,
CONVOY 1 by P Kemp
4th Part of escort for
Russian Convoy PQ7B with HM Destroyer ICARUS.
11th Detached from PQ7B.
13th Joined return convoy QP5 as escort for part
of passage to Iceland with HM Cruiser
CUMBERLAND and HMS ICARUS.
16th Detached from QP5.
February
10th Deployed with HM Destroyers ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, ECHO, ECLIPSE, FAULKNOR,
FURY, GROVE, ICARUS, INCONSTANT,
INTREPID, JAVELIN, LANCASTER,
LEDBURY, LOOKOUT, ONSLOW, PUNJABI,
VERDUN, WELLS and WOOLSTON as
screen for
HM Battleships KING GEORGE V and DUKE OF YORK, HM Aircraft Carrier
VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers KENYA and
BERWICK to provide Distant Cover for passage
of Russian
Convoys PQI2, PQ13 and returning QP9.
25th Resumed Flotilla duties.
March
8th Joined HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, BEDOUIN
and ESKIMO as screen for units of
Home Fleet during
unsuccessful search for German battleship TIRPITZ in North Sea.
Sustained damage
to forward gun mounting due to high speed operations in rough weather.
10th Returned to Scapa Flow with Fleet units.
14th Carried out patrol for shipping attacks in
Bodo area with HM Destroyers FURY.
INTREPID, ICARUS, ESKIMO and BEDOUIN.
20th Deployed with HM Destroyers ECHO, ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, ESCAPADE, ESKIMO,
FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, ICARUS, INGLEFIELD,
LEDBURY, MARNE,
MIDDLETON, ONSLOW, PUNJABI and WHEATLAND
as screen for HMS KING
GEORGE V, DUKE OF YORK, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HMS VICTORIOUS,
HM Cruiser EDINBURGH and HM Cruiser
KENT to provide Distant Cover for passage
of Russian
Convoy PQ13 and return convoy QP9.
(Note: These convoys had an enlarged
protection because of the increased threat of attack
by German
cruisers SCHEER and HIPPER now joined by the battleship TIRPITZ
in Norwegian
waters.
Passage
to Hull for repair to damage and refit in commercial shipyard.
28th Taken in hand by Brigham
and Cowan shipyard.
April Under
repair and refit
to May
June
7th Resumed Home Fleet duties on completion
of post refit trials.
July Flotilla
duties with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow for screening and patrol in continuation.
August Nominated
for detached service for support of Malta relief operation
2nd Sailed from Clyde as part of escort for military convoys
WS21 (Operation PEDESTAL).
9th Detached to refuel at Gibraltar and rejoined on completion.
10th Deployed with HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LIGHTNING, LOOKOUT, QUENTIN,
ESKIMO, SOMALI, WISHART, ANTELOPE, VANSITTART, ZETLAND
and
ITHURIEL as screen for HM Battleships NELSON and RODNEY,
HM Aircraft Carriers
EAGLE, INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers PHOEBE,
SIRIUS and
CHARYBDIS to provide cover against surface
attack on the convoy.
11th Under air and submarine
attacks after sighting by Italian submarine UARSCIER.
(Note:
HMS EAGLE was torpedoed by U73.)
12th Under further air and
submarine attacks.
Carried out depth
charge attacks which drove off Italian submarine GRANITO.
Drove off attack
by Italian submarine EMO with HMS LOOKOUT.
During air attacks that evening both
HMS INDOMITABLE and HMS FORESIGHT,
were damaged
and put out of action.
Took damaged destroyer in tow and
detached for passage to Gibraltar.
(For Details of passage of PEDESTAL
convoy see PEDESTAL by P Smith, MALTA
CONVOYS by R Woodman, ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and the
Naval Staff History.)
13th Under unsuccessful
attack by U73.
Scuttled
HMS FORESIGHT 13 miles SW of Galita Island and took passage
to Gibraltar
16th Passage to Scapa Flow with other Home Fleet ships detached for PEDESTAL
September Deployed
with Flotilla at Scapa Flow for Home Fleet duties
9th Part of Fighting Escort for Russian Convoy
PQ18 with HM Cruiser SCYLLA, HM
Destroyers
ASHANTI, ESKIMO, FAULKNOR, FURY, IMPULSIVE, INTREPID,
MARNE,
MARTIN, METEOR, MILNE, OFFA, ONSLOW, ONSLAUGHT,
OPPORTUNE and SOMALI..
(Note:
HM Submarines also carried out anti-submarine escort duties. See references.)
17th Detached from PQ18 with HMS SCYLLA, HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier AVENGER,
HM Destroyers ASHANTI, ESKIMO, FAULKNOR, FURY, INTREPID, MARNE,
METEOR, MILNE, OFFA ONSLAUGHT, ONSLOW,
OPPORTUNE, SOMALI,
WHEATLAND and WILTON. Joined return convoy QP14 as Fighting Escort.
. 20th Detached from QP14
having remained with convoy after Home Fleet escorts left.
October Nominated
for detached service in support of planned allied landings hi North Africa.
Passage to Gibraltar as escort for military convoy.
November Deployed
at Gibraltar to prepare for support of Operation TORCH.
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History.)
8th Deployed for screening of Fleet units and
convoy defence during landings and follow-up
. to Attached to
6th Destroyer Flotilla after landings for anti-submarine patrol.
30th Nominated for service at Algiers with Force Q
December Deployed
with Force Q for interception of enemy supply convoys to North Africa and for
convoy escort duties.
1 9 4 3
January Provided
screen for cruisers of Force Q during interception patrols and defence of coastal
to convoys between Algerian
ports. Under air attacks.
February
March Detached
for service at Mers-el-Kebir for defence of anchorage
against anticipated attacks
by Italian
human torpedoes.
(Note:
This form of attacks had already been used against ships at Alexandria and
Gibraltar. No craft were sighted during this period and ship then
resumed Force Q
duties.
April Force Q deployment
in continuation.
28th Carried out attack on E-Boats near Marrettimo, Algeria.
May
7th Deployed with other destroyers of Mediterranean Fleet for blockade
of Cape Bon area to intercept
craft attempting to evacuate enemy personnel from Tunisia (Operation RETRIBUTION).
(For
details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and the Naval Staff History.)
June
Transferred to Malta with Force Q for support
of planned invasion of Pantellaria.
Carried
out bombardment of shore positions n Pantellaria prior
to landings.
10th Joined HM Cruisers AURORA and NEWFOUNDLAND with HM Destroyers LAFOREY,
LOYAL,
LOOKOUT, JERVIS, NUBIAN, TROUBRIDGE and WHADDON to cover attack on
Pantellaria (Operation CORKSCREW.).
11th Deployed as Guardship at Pantellaria pending arrival
of naval occupation party.
On
release from Guardship duty embarked senior officer for
passage to Djidjelli, Algeria.
July Nominated
for support of planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY).
(For
details see above references and THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
by J Greene and A Massignani.)
10th Deployed with Support
Force East for escort of assault convoys and support of landings.
Provided
gunfire support and patrols against surface and submarine attack on ships
11th During support deployment took part in rescue
of 200 survivors from Hospital Ship TALAMBA
sunk by German air attack off beach head.
12th Sank ammunition ship BAARN which was on fire
after air attacks.
13th Took damaged destroyer HMS ESKIMO in tow to Malta.
(Note: HMS ESKIMO had sustained major damage and flooding after
air attacks.
August Support
and patrol duties off Sicily in continuation.
Nominated for support of planned allied invasion of Italian mainland.
(Operation
BAYTOWN)
31st Provided naval gunfire support during landings
in Calabria with HMS NELSON, HMS
RODNEY,
HM Cruiser ORION, HM Destroyers OFFA, PETARD, QUAIL,
QUEENBOROUGH,
QUILLIAM, TYRIAN, TROUBRIDGE and Polish PIORUN
September Nominated
for support of allied landings at Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE).
Passage to Salerno area to join Northern Attack Force as
part of Task Force 89.
9th Deployed with HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LOOKOUT
and LOYAL of 19th Destroyer
Flotilla for gunfire
support and defensive patrol duties off landing area.
19th Provided gunfire support
during German counter-attack.
Under attacks by
radio-controlled glider bombs.
October Support and patrol duties off west
coast of Italy and Sicily in continuation.
Nominated for return
to UK for refit.
Passage to Gibraltar.
30th Sailed from Gibraltar.
November Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
December Under
refit.
1 9 4 4
January Under refit
Nominated for service
in Plymouth Command on completion.
February Post
refit trials.
March Deployed with HM Destroyers ASHANTI, ESKIMO, JAVELIN, HAIDA (RCN) and
HURON (RCN) as Leader of 10th Destroyer Flotilla deployed in Plymouth Command
for offensive
patrols against coastal shipping of French coast (Operation TUNNEL
Series) and convoy defence. (See
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith.)
10th Deployed with Flotilla for TUNNEL strike
against German warships reported as escort
for German
submarine on passage to Brest.
(Note:
No interception was made as enemy ships remained close to coast.)
15th Deployed with HM Cruiser BELLONA as Force
26 and provided cover for operations
by coastal
craft in defence of Convoy WP429 against E-Boat attacks off Lands End.
April Deployment at Plymouth for TUNNEL operations and convoy defence
in continuation.
(Note:
Extensive training exercises in preparation for allied landings in Norway were
being carried
out in Plymouth Command and cover for these was provided by
larger warships
when any enemy threat was anticipated. This ship was not involved
in the disastrous
TIGER Exercise in Lyme Bay when several US Landing Ships
were sunk
by E-Boats.)
May Nominated with HMS BELLONA to provide
cover for minelaying operations off French
coast by
HM Minelaying Cruiser APOLLO as part of preparations for allied landings in
Normandy (HOSTILE series of Operations. See Naval Staff History (Mining) for details)
17th Deployed with HMS BELLONA and HMS APOLLO
as escort for passage and execution of
minelay
west of Ushant (Operation HOSTILE 32)
(Note:
This operation had been abandoned earlier after escort opened fire on HMS APOLLO.)
20th Escorted HMS APOLLO with HMS BELLONA and
ships of Flotilla for repeat minelay north
of Ushant. (Operation HOSTILE 33).
(Note:
HMS BELLONA withdrew due to threat of submarine attack.)
22nd Escorted HMS APOLLO with ships of Flotilla
for repeat minelay in Ile de Vierge
area, off
Brittany (Operation HOSTILE 34).
25th Escorted HMS APOLLO with HMCS HURON covered by Coastal Command
aircraft for final
minelay before landings (Operation HOSTILE 40)
June Nominated
for support of allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE)
(Note: For details of naval activities
prior to and during landings see OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY (HMSO).
6th Deployed with ships of Flotilla in western
approaches to English Channel to prevent
Interference with
landings or passage of convoys during NEPTUNE.
(Note:
Polish Destroyers PIORUN and BLYSKAWICA were also deployed with 10th Flotilla.)
8th Patrol area shifted to NE of Ushant to meet possible threat from German destroyers.
9th In action with German warships with Flotilla
and damaged by return fire.
Destroyer ZH1 (Ex Dutch GERARD KELENBERG)
was later sunk by HMS ASHANT1 and Z32
was damaged
and wrecked on Isle de Bas when driven ashore. Destroyers Z24 and T24 escaped.
(Note: 140 enemy survivors were rescued
by British ships.)
11th Under repair of action
damage at Devonport.
25th Resumed duties with Flotilla for support
of Channel operations.
July Flotilla duties in English Channel for interception of enemy ships off French coast
in continuation.
7th Intercepted and engaged minesweepers of
46th German Flotilla off Channel
Islands and sank the minesweepers
M4601 and M4605.
(Operation DREDGER -See HOLD THE
NARROW SEA.)
August Channel interception with Flotilla
in continuation.
6th During interception deployment with HMS
BELLONA, HMS ASHANTI, HMCS
HAIDA and HMCS IROQUOIS carried out
attack on convoy 32 miles SSW of St Nazaire.
(Note:
Ships were deployed as Force 27).
The minesweepers M263 and M486, Patrol
Boat V414 and a coastal launch together with
four small
ships under escort were all sunk.
September Channel
patrol and interception in continuation with Flotilla.
(Note:
During this period extensive efforts were being made to evacuate German personnel
from Bay of Biscay ports.)
Nominated for service in Eastern
Fleet after refit
November Under
refit
to December
1 9 4 5
January Under refit.
February Post
refit trials and prepared for service in East Indies Fleet
as Leader of 10th Flotilla.
March Took passage from Clyde
as part of escort for Escort Aircraft Carriers to Gibraltar.
12th Carried out exercises
in Mediterranean before departure for Trincomalee.
April Passage in Mediterranean and Red
Sea
12th At Aden
20th Joined HM Destroyers VERULAM, NUBIAN and
PENN in 10th Flotilla
28th Deployed as screen for HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH, French Battleship
RICHELIEU, HM Escort Aircraft Carriers SHAH and EMPRESS,
HM Cruisers
CUMBERLAND,
SUFFOLK CEYLON and Dutch Cruiser TROMP with HM
Destroyers ROTHERHAM, VERULAM, NUBIAN
and PENN for offensive
sweep in Andamans
and Nicobars area as Force 63.
(Operation BISHOP. For details of East Indies Fleet operations
in 1945 see THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and WAR
WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
29th Refuelled from RFA OLWEN with destroyers
of Force 63.
30th Took part in bombardment and fighter strike against airfield at
Car Nicohar and at Port Blair
May
1st Took part in repeat
bombardment at Car Nicobar.
2nd Took part in repeat
bombardment at Port Blair.
3rd Passage with Force
63 to take up station for cover of landings at Rangoon.
(Operation DRACULA).
4th Refuelled before joining HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH,
HMS SUFFOLK, and Dutch TROMP
with HMS
PENN to form Force 64.
6th Screen deployment during bombardments at
Port Blair, Phoenix Bay, Mount Harrier and
Stewart Sound, North
Andamans,
9th Returned to Trincomalee with Force 64.
10th Joined HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, HM Cruiser ROYALIST,
HM Escort Aircraft Carriers
HUNTER, SHAH and EMPEROR, HMS CUMBERLAND
and Dutch cruiser TROMP with
HMS Destroyers SAUMAREZ, VENUS, VERULAM,
VIRAGO and VIGILANT of 26th
Flotilla, HMS ROTHERHAM
and HMS NUBIAN in Force 61 (Operation DUKEDOM).
(Note:
This Force was created in an emergency move to intercept Japanese warships known
to be on
passage from Singapore in the Malacca Straits. See references.
13th Remained with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and major
units of East Indies Fleet to continue
screening
duties when 26th Flotilla detached for interception of Japanese warships.
(Note:
The subsequent action is fully described in above references and SINK THE HAGURO
by J Winton.)
16th Under air attacks with Fleet units but these
were unsuccessful.
21st Returned to Trincomalee
with Fleet units.
June
5th Deployed with HM Destroyers ESKIMO. NUBIAN,
PENN and PALADIN
as Force
65 to carry out attacks on shipping between Nicobars and
Sabang
(Operation IRREGULAR)
12th Attacked two ships off Rondo Island 20 miles north of Sabang with
HMS NUBIAN and HMS
ESKIMO sinking
them both.
(Note: The
ships were later identified as KUROSHIMA MARU No.2 and Submarine Chaser 57.
See OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and
above references.
A rescue attempt by the two RN ships
was made but Japanese sailors refused to come
on board)
Under attacks without
damage or casualties.
15th Returned to Trincomalee.
July Deployed at Trincomalee inn preparation
for planned landings in Malaya (Operation ZIPPER).
(Note: Did not take part in minesweeping cover operations.)
Part of screen for major units during
passage in Indian Ocean awaiting approval for landings,
(Note:
Start of ZIPPER was delayed by US insistence and problems related to the return of
long serving
SEAC personnel to UK in the PYTHON Scheme
See WAR IN THE PACIFIC and Final
Report of Supreme Commander SEAC (HMSO).
August East Indies Fleet duties in continuation.
Passage to Penang
8th Sailed from Penang for support of planned landings at Port Swettenham.
9th Provided support at
MORIB Beach.