1 9 4 1
May Contractors
harbour and sea trials
18th Commenced
Acceptance Trials and commissioned for service in 19th Destroyer Flotilla .
(Note: Many of the ship’s company had previously served in
HM Destroyer ASHANTI which
had Paid-off after being badly damaged in a collision off
the mouth of the Tyne in
October
1940.)
28th Passage from Tyne to Scapa Flow.
29th Commenced
work-up at Scapa Flow with ships of Home Fleet.
June Deployed
at Scapa Flow.
11th On completion of work-up deployed for Fleet duties.
(Note:
One source records ship was part of escort for Atlantic convoy to Gibraltar and returned
to Scapa Flow. The dates provided cannot be identified for any routine convoy.
Further research is required).
July
1st At
Scapa
Flow
and deployed for Fleet duties.
Nominated for detached service in support of Malta Relief convoy
(Operation SUBSTANCE).
12th Deployed
with HM Battleship NELSON, HM Cruisers MANCHESTER and ARETHUSA, HM
Destroyers COSSACK, NESTOR (RAN)
and SIKH for escort of Convoy WS9C and
took
passage from Scapa Flow to Londonderry.
13th Joined
convoy during passage in NW Approaches.
(Operation SUBSTANCE – Malta relief convoy. For details see MALTA CONVOYS by R
Woodman, The
Naval Staff History, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
by J
Green and A Massignini and Naval Staff History for
details.)
17th Detached
from WS9C with HMS MANCHESTER and HM Destroyer NESTOR (RAN) for escorted
of ss PASTEUR into Gibraltar to embark troops for passage to Malta.
20th At Gibraltar
21st Deployed
with ships of Force H to provide cover for passage of convoy, now redesignated GM1,
during
passage to western Mediterranean to Sicilian Narrows.
(Other ships in covering force
and screen were `HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Battleship NELSON,
HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL, HM Cruiser HERMIONE, HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,
FORESTER, FURY
and DUNCAN.
22nd Under threat of attack by Italian submarine DIASPRO which was
driven off by HMAS NESTOR.
23rd Under
air attacks during which HMS MANCHESTER and HM Destroyer FEARLESS were hit
by
torpedoes and sustained serious damage.
(Note:
HMS MANCHESTER had to be withdrawn and was escorted back to Gibraltar.
HMS FEARLESS had to be sunk by
sister destroyer HMS FORESTER.)
23rd (sic)
Remained with Force H ships west of Sicilian Narrows when Convoy and its Close Escort
by
Force X continued passage to Malta.
25th Took
passage to Gibraltar as part of screen after Force X rejoined waiting
Force H
(Note:
Cover was also provided for passage of Convoy GM1 from Malta.)
27th Arrived
at Gibraltar on completion of SUBSTANCE and retained for support
of planned operation
to take
RAF personnel and stores to Malta.
(Note:
For details see above references.)
31st Deployed with HM Destroyer SIKH as screen for HM
Cruisers ARETHUSA, HERMIONE and
MANXMAN during passage in
western Mediterranean covered by ships of Force H which were
also to
carry out concurrent air attack and bombardment on Alghero.
(Operation STYLE – See references.)
August
1st Detached
from cruisers and joined Group I of Force H as screen for HMS ARK ROYAL, HMS
HERMIONE with HM Destroyers
SIKH, ENCOUNTER and FORESTER during passage to
Gibraltar.
4th Returned
to Gibraltar with ships of Force H
8th Took passage to Scapa Flow from Gibraltar on release from Force H duty.
12th Arrived
at Scapa Flow.
19th Resumed Fleet duties after maintenance at Scapa Flow.
20th Deployed
with HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD, PUNJABI and TARTAR as screen for HM Battleship
KING
GEORGE V.
22nd
Sailed from Scapa Flow with HM Destroyer LIVELY to assist damaged Free
French submarine
RUBIS
damaged off Norway.
Joined
HM Cruiser CURACOA and located submarine which was under way to Dundee
having
repaired a machinery defect.
26th Deployed
with HM Destroyers LAMERTON, INTREPID and HM Trawler REGAL for anti-
submarine search in NW Approaches.
29th Deployed
with HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD, HM Destroyers VIVACIOUS, BADSWORTH and HM
Auxiliary
Despatch Yacht JEAN as screen for HM Battlecruiser REPULSE during post refit trials.
September
3rd Deployed
with HM Cruiser KENYA to provide cover for minelay off Norwegian coast by HM
Fast
Minelayer MANXMAN (Operation EH – See Naval Staff History (Mining) for
details.)
5th Returned
to Scapa Flow.
6th Took
passage from Scapa Flow to Greenock for repair and boiler clean in Clyde
commercial shipyard
17th Nominated
for support of planned Malta relief (Operation HALBERD) and joined military
convoy WS11X
with HM Battleships PRINCE OF WALES, RODNEY, HM Cruisers
EURYALUS, KENYA, SHEFFIELD, EDINBURGH,
HM Destroyers LAFOREY, ORIBI,
Dutch
destroyer ISAAC SWEERS, Polish destroyers ORP GARLAND and PIORUN.
24th Escort
joined by destroyers from Gibraltar and Force H ships provided cover for passage
October
1st Arrived
at Gibraltar.
(Note:
Passage of three mercantiles identified at Convoy MG2
and without escort was covered
presence
of Force A and X.)
2nd Sailed from Gibraltar as part of screen for HMS PRINCE OF WALES during
passage to Scapa Flow.
6th Arrived
at Scapa Flow and took passage to Rosyth for maintenance period.
14th Sailed
from Rosyth to resume Flotilla duties and took passage to Greenock.
17th Deployed for anti-submarine operations in NW Approaches on
arrival at Greenock.
25th Transferred
to Force H with HMS LAFOREY of Flotilla and took passage to Gibraltar.
29th Joined
Force H for screening and convoy defence duties based at Gibraltar.
(Note:
Passage may have been independent as no routine convoy sailed in this period.)
November
10th Deployed
with HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LEGION, SIKH, ZULU, GURKHA and
Dutch destroyer ISAAC SWEERS as
screen for HM Battleship MALAYA, HM Aircraft
Carriers ARK ROYAL. ARGUS and HM Cruiser HMS HERMIONE during provision of
cover
for Malta aircraft delivery from the two aircraft carriers
(Operation PERPETUAL)
13th Carried out unsuccessful anti-submarine operations after
suspected contact.
Under attack
by U81 during which HMS ARK ROYAL was hit by torpedo and disabled.
Took part in unsuccessful search
for submarine with HMS GURKHA
Embarked personnel not required
for damage control from HMS ARK ROYAL
14th Returned to Gibraltar after sinking of HMS ARK ROYAL.
17th Deployed for anti-submarine patrol and convoy defence.
26th Returned
to Gibraltar
(Note:
One source records escort of UK bound convoy.
During this period there was
extensive U-Boat activity in the area.
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by c
Blair.)
December Under maintenance at Gibraltar.
Nominated for special detached
duty as escort for HM Battleship DUKE OF YORK during
passage
from UK to USA with Prime Minister to attend ARCADIA conference with President
of USA.
(Note:
Commander RG Stuart, in command discharged sick and relieved by First
Lieutenant.)
11th Sailed
from Gibraltar with HM Destroyers HARVESTER and HIGHLANDER to meet
HMS
DUKE
OF YORK
15th Arrived at Ponta Delgardo, Azores to refuel and replenish.
(Note: Weather during passage had delayed journey.)
17th Sailed
from Azores.
22nd Arrived in Bermuda after failing to meet HMS DUKE OF YORK due to extreme weather conditions.
29th Sailed
from Bermuda for Norfolk, Va. with HMS HARVESTER and HMS HIGHLANDER
31st Arrived
at Norfolk.
1 9 4 2
January
12th Took
passage from Norfolk to St Johns, Newfoundland with same ships,.
16th Arrived at Johns to refuel and embark stores.
18th Sailed from St Johns for Greenock with same ships.
(Note: This passage may have been independent.)
25th Arrived
at Greenock.
New
commanding officer, Commander HG Walters joined ship.)
26th Under maintenance.
February WARSHIP WEEK held in Doncaster.
1st Took
passage from Greenock to rejoin Force H at Gibraltar.
(Note: One source records two US Navy destroyers were in
company.)
4th Resumed
service at Gibraltar with Force H
6th Deployed
for escort of inward convoy to Gibraltar from Liverpool.
(Note: Convoy OG79 arrived on 7th.)
9th Took
passage to UK with HMS LAFOREY for escort of military convoy
during Atlantic passage from Clyde.
13th Arrived
in Clyde
17th Joined
Convoy WS16 with HM Destroyers ACTIVE, ANTHONY, BLANKNEY,
CROOME, DUNCAN, FIREDRAKE and LAFOREY as Ocean
Escort during Atlantic passage.
21st Detached
from WS16 with same ships and returned to Gibraltar.
(Note: HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS was part of WS16 and on
passage to Gibraltar
to carry out Malta aircraft delivery. It may be assumed that the
destroyers
detached as escort for HMS ARGUS.)
23rd Arrived
at Gibraltar.
27th Deployed
with HM Destroyers LAFOREY, ACTIVE, ANTHONY, WHITEHALL,
WISHART, BLANKNEY, EXMOOR
and CROOME as screen for HMS ARGUS, HMS
EAGLE, HMS HERMIONE and HMS
MALAYA providing escort for Malta aircraft
delivery
from carriers (Operation SPOTTER I)
28th Operation
cancelled due to aircraft fuel tank defects and returned to Gibraltar
March
6th Deployed
for Operation SPOTTER II with same ships as SPOTTER I
8th Arrived
at Gibraltar after successful launch of
aircraft.
14th Sustained
damage to rudder during anti-submarine search operations in Straits of
Gibraltar
and returned to Gibraltar for
repair.
16th Docked for repair by HM Dockyard Gibraltar.
(Note: During the period in dock a rating fell into the dock
and was badly injured.
30th Nominated
for support of planned landings in Madagascar with other ships of Force H on
completion of planned aircraft delivery (Operation
IRONCLAD).
31st Prepared for passage to Indian Ocean.
April (…) destroyers for escort
of assault convoy during passage to Madagascar.
1st Sailed
for Gibraltar for Freetown with HM Battleship MALAYA,
HMS HERMIONE,
HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LOOKOUT and DUNCAN.
5th Joined
military convoy WS17 during passage.
(Note: HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS was deployed
periodically with this convoy.)
6th Called
at Freetown to refuel..
9th Sailed
from Freetown with HMS MALAYA, HMS HERMIONE, HM Destroyers ACTIVE,
ANTHONY, INCONSTANT, JAVELIN,
LAFOREY, LOOKOUT and PAKENHAM as Ocean
Escort for WS17A Section of
convoy.
14th Detached from WS17A to refuel at St Helena.
16th Rejoined Ocean Escort.
19th Called at Cape Town to refuel.
22nd Arrived
at Durban
28th Sailed
from Durban to join screen for HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS HERMIONE with
May
2nd Carried
out bombardment exercises.
3rd Joined HM Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE and HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE to provide
cover during landings.
4th Entered Courier Bay with HMS LAFOREY and HMS ANTHONY after passage
through
channel previously swept by minesweepers.
5th Acted as marker using searchlight to guide HM Landing Ship
(Infantry) ROYAL ULSTERMAN
carrying Commando force to assault area. Went to assist HM
Corvette AURICULA which
detonated a mine but no support required.
Provided naval gunfire support after landing.
6th Provided further support bombardment before leaving to join
HMS LAFOREY and HMS
LIGHTNING
for escort of HMS RAMILLIES during departure to carry out search for
presumed Japanese surface ships.
(Note: No enemy ships were found.
HMS
AURICULA sank in Courier Bay due to mine damage.)
7th Provided naval gunfire support during military operations
at Oranjia prior to assault
on Diego Suarez.
8th Deployed for anti-submarine operations with aircraft from
HMS INDOMITABLE and
other destroyers.
11th After
surrender of Diego Suarez provided working parties to assist ashore.
Remained at
Diego Suarez for anti- submarine patrols and to support occupation.
For full details of IRONCLAD see
Naval Staff History.
27th Transferred
to Eastern Fleet with HMS LAFOREY and HMS LIGHTNING
29th Took passage to Colombo from Diego Suarez.
31st Called at Seychelles to refuel. and sailed on completion.
June
1st Joined
HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS, FORMIDABLE
and HM Cruiser GAMBIA during passage to Colombo
3rd Took
part in Fleet exercises including AA shoot.
5th Arrived
at Colombo
6th Commenced
maintenance period.
12th Resumed
Fleet duties and joined HMS LAFOREY and HMS LOOKOUT in screen for
HMS WARSPITE, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS,
HMS INDOMITABLE and HMS GAMBIA
deployed
as Force A for offensive sweep of Indian Ocean to Chagos islands.
16th Called at Addu Atoll with Force A
to refuel after delay due to monsoon weather.
Took passage from Addu Atoll for Colombo on completion.
18th Arrived
at Colombo.
22nd Deployed with HMS LAFOREY for anti-submarine patrol.
23rd Took passage to Mombasa with ships of Force A.
28th Called at Seychelles to refuel.
July
1st Arrived
at Mombasa and carried out maintenance.
9th Nominated
for return to Mediterranean for support of Malta relief operation.
Sailed from Mombasa with HMS LAFOREY and HMS LOOKOUT as screen
for HMS
INDOMITABLE during passage to Gibraltar.
11th Rescued
Norwegian seaman in Indian
Ocean, the sole survivors
from a ship sunk on 9th.
13th Called
at Durban.
19th Called
at Cape Town
23rd Called
at Pointe Noire, Belgian Congo for fuel.
(Note: Ship passage delayed by deployment for trade defence
in Atlantic.)
27th Joined
by HM Cruiser PHOEBE
28th Arrived
at Freetown.
23rd Took passage to Mombasa with ships of Force A.
28th Called at Seychelles to refuel.
July
1st Arrived
at Mombasa and carried out maintenance.
9th Nominated
for return to Mediterranean for support of Malta relief operation.
Sailed from Mombasa with HMS LAFOREY and HMS LOOKOUT as screen
for HMS
INDOMITABLE during passage to Gibraltar.
11th Rescued
Norwegian seaman in Indian
Ocean, the sole survivors
from a ship sunk on 9th.
13th Called
at Durban.
19th Called
at Cape Town
23rd Called
at Pointe Noire, Belgian Congo for fuel.
(Note: Ship passage delayed by deployment for trade defence
in Atlantic.)
27th Joined
by HM Cruiser PHOEBE
28th Arrived
at Freetown.
August
1st Sailed
from Freetown for Gibraltar as screen for same ships.
Rescued
survivors from Norwegian mercantile sunk on 25th July.
4th Refuelled
from HMS INDOMITABLE.
5th Deployed
with HM Destroyers FORESIGHT, FURY, ICARUS, INTREPID, LAFOREY,
LOOKOUT, VANSITTART, WESTCOTT
and WRESTLER as screen for HM Aircraft
Carriers ARGUS, EAGLE,
INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers PHOEBE,
CHARYBDIS and SIRIUS during
Exercise BERSERK west of Gibraltar to carry out
tactics
for use during planned defence of PEDESTAL convoy, identified as Convoy GM4.
10th Refuelled
and nominated with HMS LOOKOUT for escort of HM Aircraft Carrier
FURIOUS during aircraft delivery
to Malta (Operation BELLOWS –Coincident with
PEDESTAL.
11th During
screening of HMS FURIOUS detached when HMS EAGLE was hit by torpedo
fired
by U73 and sank within eight minutes. Carried out rescue work with HMS LOOKOUT
and HM
Tug JAUNTY
(Note:
These ships rescued a total of 927 survivors from a ships company of 1160.)
Transferred survivors to HM
Destroyer KEPPEL and refuelled from tanker in Force R
Took passage
to join ships covering passage of PEDESTAL convoy after refuelling.
(Note:
These were HMS RODNEY, HMS NELSON, HMS VICTORIOUS,
HMS PHOEBE, HMS SIRIUS, HM
Destroyers LAFOREY, LOOKOUT,
QUENTIN, AMAZON, ITHURIEL,
ANTELOPE, ITHURIEL, VANSITTART,
WESTCOTT, WISHART and ZETLAND
deployed as Force Z.)
12th Under air attacks.
Carried out successful
anti-submarine operations against Italian submarine BRIN with
HM Destroyers FORESIGHT and FURY
and drove submarine away from convoy.
Despatched with HMS SOMALI, HMS
LOOKOUT and HMS CHARYBDIS to assist
damaged
HMS INDOMITABLE after being hit and badly damaged in air attacks.
Remained with Force Z ships when
GM4 detached and entered Sicilian Narrows escorted
by
Force X.
13th Deployed
with HMS VICTORIOUS, HMS PHOEBE, HMS LAFOREY, HMS LOOKOUT
and HMS
QUENTIN west of Narrows to provide cover for returning ships of Force X.
(Note:
HMS INDOMITABLE, HMS RODNEY screened by HM Destroyers AMAZON
ANTELOPE, ITHURIEL, VANSITTART,
WESTCOTT, WISHART and
ZETLAND had been detached to
return to Gibraltar.)
14th Passage to Gibraltar as part of screen for ships of Forces X and Z.
(Note: For details of PEDESTAL see PEDESTAL by P Smith and
above references.)
15th Arrived
at Gibraltar
16th Deployed
as screen for HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS and HMS CHARYBDIS with
HM Destroyers LOOKOUT, LAFOREY,
ANTELOPE, WISHART, MALCOLM,
KEPPEL, ESKIMO. SOMALI,
VENOMOUS, DERWENT and BICESTER during
Malta aircraft delivery from HMS FURIOUS (Operation
BARITONE)
21st After
return to Gibraltar from BARITONE carried anti-submarine operations in
Gibraltar Straits.
24th Took
passage from Gibraltar as screen for HMS INDOMITABLE with HM Destroyers
ITHURIEL BRAMHAM and LEDBURY for return to UK.
28th Arrived
and Liverpool and sailed for Scapa Flow.
29th Arrived
at Scapa Flow.
31st Arrived at Sheerness and de-ammunitioned
before refit.
September
1st Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Chatham
October Under refit
15th Formal
visit to Doncaster by some of ship’s company with commanding officer for
recognition of adoption by civil community of the Borough.
November
7th Commenced
post refit harbour trials
10th Complete
post refit sea trials.
11th Took passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with ships of Home Fleet
after shakedown.
19th Arrived
at Scapa Flow.
December Work-up in continuation.
7th Sailed
from Scapa
Flow
to Greenock with HMS LAFOREY to resume
operational service.
in Mediterranean.
8th Arrived
at Greenock and nominated for escort of military convoy KMF5 to Gibraltar.
12th Passage to Liverpool for escort of troopship DUCHESS OF ATHOLL to join
KMF5.
15th Joined
escort of convoy in NW Approaches.
17th Petty
Officer Telegraphist died on board of heart failure
and buried at sea during a short
break in particularly atrocious weather,
20th Arrived at Gibraltar after stormy passage.
21st Sailed from Gibraltar as part of escort for KMF5 during passage to Algiers.
Took part in rescue operations
when troopship STRAHALLAN was torpedoed by
U654 off
Algerian coast.
(Note:
For details see STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. Several hundred troops including
American nurses were rescued by
ships of escort.)
22nd Landed
survivors at Oran.
(Note: STRATHALLAN foundered on 23rd after fires became
uncontrollable.)
24th Took
part in Fleet exercises with ships deployed in western Mediterranean..
25th Remained
at sea when call at Algiers was cancelled after assassination of Admiral Darlan.)
26th Arrived
at Algiers.
30th Took passage from Algiers to Bone to join Force Q.
1 9 4 3
January
1st Arrived
at Bone and joined Force Q. See references
(Note: Force
Q included HM Cruisers AJAX, AURORA, PENELOPE, DIDO, SIRIUS,
HM Destroyers
LAFOREY, LOYAL and LOOKOUT of Flotilla.)
2nd Assisted
in fire-fighting on ships hit during air raid at Bone.
(Note: HMS AJAX was badly damaged during this air raid.)
3rd Deployed
for patrol off Bone and returned during air raid.
Involved in collision with HM
Destroyer LAMERTON during harbour movements
when
tanker EMPIRE MORN was hit and set on fire by a bomb.
(Note HM Fleet Minesweeper ALARM
was damaged in this attack and beached.
6th Provided
fire-fighting party on board British freighter ST MERRIEL.
7th Deployed
with HMS LOYAL as escort for HMS AJAX under tow to Algiers
10th Arrived
at Algiers.
12th Took
return passage to Bone.
13th Arrived at Bone after carrying out interception patrol.
18th Deployed
with HMS LOYAL for interception patrol south of Cagliari and sank one
mercantile
which exploded after surface gunfire. Repelled aircraft
during intermittent attacks.
(Note:
One source record that this was Italian naval oiler
TANARO sunk in Gulf of Gabes
23rd Returned
to Algiers.
30th Deployed as escort for HM Fast Minelayer ABDIEL during
minelay on Skerki Bank.
See
Naval Staff History (Mining) for details.)
31st Minelay
abandoned after engagement with E-Boats and returned to Bone
(Note: One unconfirmed source records sinking of two Italian mercantiles.)
February
8th Resumed
Force Q duties at Bone.
13th Returned to Algiers for maintenance period.
25th Passage to Bone to resume Force Q duties.
March
1st Sustained
damage during air raid at Bone with 10 casualties, two of whom were fatal.
3rd Took
passage to Algiers for minelaying escort.
5th Deployed
with HMS LOYAL for escort of HMS ABDIEL during passage for further
minelay
on Skerki Bank.
Carried out
diversionary sweep to the north during minelay.
6th Escorted
HMS ABDIEL to reload mines at Algiers and for return passage to Bone
8th Deployed
with HM Destroyers LOYAL, PAKENHAM and PALADIN for escort and
cover
during minelay on Skerki Bank.
Stationed to
north east of lay position with HMS LOYAL during operation.
(Note:
The other two destroyers were stationed south east of lay position.)
Passage to Algiers.
9th Deployed
with HMS LOYAL as escort for HM Landing Ship Infantry ROYAL
ULSTERMAN
during passage from Algiers to Bone with troops.
Under torpedo
attack by aircraft on passage.
10th Sailed from Bone with Landing Ships after refuelling and took
passage to Algiers.
11th Embarked
120 RAMC personnel and sailed from Algiers for AA Guardship duty off
the port to supplement shore AA defences.
12th On
release took passage with HMS LOYAL as escort for HM Landing Ships (Infantry)
ROYAL
ULSTERMAN and ROYAL SCOTSMAN taking troops to Bone.
13th Arrived
at Bone with troopships and resumed Force Q duties
Sailed from Bone with HMS LOYAL
as screen for HMS AURORA, HMS SIRIUS
during
planned attack on convoy during its passage from Sicily to North
Africa.
Under air
attack soon after departure and threat of attack by E-Boats.
Came under E-Boat attack and hit
on port side forward by torpedo from S55 which
caused
major damage and totally disabled ship, presenting a “sitting duck” target.
Hit amidships soon afterwards by
second torpedo from same German craft which
inflicted
tremendous damage breaking the ship’s back.
Sank quickly in position 37.53N
09.50E north of Bizerta with the loss of 45 of the
ship’s
company. Eight others were injured. 183 survivors from a total complement of
227 were
rescued
by HMS LOYAL after some delay during which period one of the ship’s company was
take
prisoner by the enemy ship and later freed when the allied forces landed in Sicily.
Survivors were landed in Bone on
14th March and the loss of this ship was announced
on 7th April 1943. Further details of the loss are given in STRUCK BY
LIGHTNING.