1 9 4 2
January Contractors
trials and commissioned for service in 19th Destroyer Flotilla
30th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
(Note:
This ship was fitted with new design High Frequency Radio Direction Finding
Outfit
FH3 which
enable the bearing of the origin of wireless signal traffic to be determined.
For details of the use of this
equipment see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann
and
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
February On completion of trials and
storing took passage to Scapa
Flow to work-up with ships
of
Home Fleet.
Deployed at Scapa Flow for working-up.
March Began
operational service on completion
5th Part
of screen for HM Battleships KING GEORGE V, DUKE OF YORK, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS,
HM Cruisers BERWICK and KENYA with
with HM
Destroyers ASHANTI, BEDOUIN, ECHO. ECLIPSE, FAULKNOR, FURY, GROVE
INCONSTANT, ICARUS, INTREPID,
JAVELIN, LANCASTER, LEDBURY, ONSLOW,
PUNJABI,
TARTAR, VERDUN, WELLS and WOOLSTON.
(Note:
This force was providing cover for transit of Russian Convoy PQ12 to Murmansk
and
return Convoy QP8 to Iceland.
Convoys were under threat of
attack by German battleship TIRPITZ.
For details of all Russian
Convoy operations
see
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by
B
Schoefield,
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman and CONVOY! by P Kemp.
8th Remained
with Fleet units when some destroyers left to replenish fuel.
See
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.
9th Deployed
for screening duties during air operations by HMS VICTORIOUS in search of
German
Battleship TIRPITZ which failed. See references.)
11th Passage to Scapa Flow with covering ships of Home Fleet.
24th Joined
military Convoy WS17 in Clyde with HM Destroyers ALDENHAM and GROVE
as part of Ocean Escort during passage in Atlantic to Freetown.
April
6th Detached
from WS17 on arrival at Freetown.
9th Joined
Ocean Escort for military Convoy WS171 as part of Ocean Escort on departure
from
during
passage to Durban.
(Note:
Convoy WS17 divided during the period at Freetown)
Other ships in Ocean Escort for
WS17A were HM Cruiser HERMIONE, HM Destroyers
ACTIVE, ANTELOPE, INCONSTANT,
JAVELIN, LIGHTNING and PAKENHAM
which
were to take part in support of planned landings at Diego Suarez, Madagascar.)
18th Arrived
at Cape Town with WS17.
22nd Arrived
at Durban with WS17.
(Note: Some mercantiles in WS17
were destined for the Middle
East and Indian detached
at ports in South Africa and continued passage as WS17.)
28th Deployed
with HM Destroyers LIGHTNING, LOOKOUT and other destroyers as escort
for Convoy Z during passage to Diego Suarez, northern Madagascar.
May
2nd Carried
out bombardment exercises.
3rd Joined HM Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE and HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE to provide
cover during landings.
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.)
7th Provided naval gunfire support during military operations
at Oranjia prior to assault
on Diego Suarez.
For details of IRONCLAD see WAR
WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
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 LIGHTNING 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.
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 LIGHTNING 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,
LIGHTNING, 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 LIGHTNING 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
LIGHTNING
and HM
Tug JAUNTY.
(Note:
HM Destroyers LAFOREY and MALCOLM, also took part in rescue operations.
A total of 927 survivors were
rescued from a ships company of 1160.)
Transferred survivors to HM
Destroyer VENOMOUS 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, LIGHTNING,
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
LIGHTNING and HMS CHARYBDIS to assist
damaged
HMS INDOMITABLE after being hit and badly damaged in air attacks.
Remained with Force Z when GM4
detached and entered Sicilian Narrows escorted by Force X
12th (sic)Intercepted attack
by Italian submarine EMO with HMS TARTAR which was driven off
by depth charges.
13th Deployed
with HMS VICTORIOUS, HMS PHOEBE, HMS NELSON HMS LAFOREY,
HMS LIGHTNING 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
September Deployed with Flotilla in Force H
based at Gibraltar
4th Escorted
ss LEINSTER with HM Destroyer LAFOREY to Gibraltar.
(Note:
ss LEINSTER had detached from military convoy WS22 after passage
from Clyde.)
Deployed as
escort for HM Battleship MALAYA during passage from Gibraltar to UK.
October Return
passage to Gibraltar as escort for HM Battleship RODNEY.
29th Rejoined Flotilla at Gibraltar.
November Nominated with Flotilla for
support of planned landings in North
Africa (Operation TORCH)
8th Provided
cover during TORCH landings in Algeria.
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY and Naval Staff History for details.)
On release from TORCH deployed
at Gibraltar for patrol and convoy defence.
December Nominated for service in Force Q
to be based at Bone for interception of enemy supply
convoys
in western and central Mediterranean.
Joined HM Cruisers ARGONAUT,
SIRIUS, AURORA, DIDO, HM Destroyers QUIBERON
and
QUENTIN in Force Q based at Algiers.
1 9 4 3
January Carried
out interception patrol with ships of Force Q
2nd Based
at Bone.
February Force Q deployment in
continuation.
16th Rescued
50 survivors from HM Corvette LOUISBERG sunk during convoy escort NE of Oran.
March Force Q
deployment in continuation
23rd Taken
in hand by HM Dockyard, Gibraltar for repair to turbines
April
5th On
completion took passage to rejoin 19th Flotilla at Malta.
(Note:
Other ships in Flotilla were HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LOYAL, NUBIAN and TARTAR)
Deployed for
interception patrol and convoy defence.
May Nominated for blockade of Cape Bon area to prevent evacuation of enemy troops
from Tunisia by sea. (Operation RETRIBUTION)
13th Intercepted
craft evacuating German personnel and took 12 men PoW.
23rd Intercepted
and sank supply ship with HMS LAFOREY in Central Mediterranean.
Nominated for
support of planned British landings on Pantalleria
and Lampedusa.
(Operation CORKSCREW)
Took part in
preparatory exercises for CORKSCREW.
June
10th Bombarded Pantellaria with HMS
LOYAL.
11th Deployed for support of landings.
See
above references for details.
11th Accepted
surrender of Lampedusa.
Under air attacks by dive bombers without damage.
19th Deployed
with HM Destroyers ESKIMO, JERVIS and NUBIAN for as escort of HM
Cruiser AURORA
during passage from Tripoli to Malta.
(Note:
HM King George VI was embarked in HMS AURORA for visit to Malta.)
July Nominated
for escort and support duties during planned allied landings in Sicily
(Operation HUSKY)
Took part in
preparatory exercises.
9th Deployed
with ships of Flotilla for screening of Support Force East during passage
to
cover landings by British XXX Corps SW of Syracuse.
(Note:
Support Force East comprised HM Cruisers MAURITIUS, NEWFOUNDLAND,
ORION and UGANDA.)
10th Took part in operations off beach head during landings.
For details of HUSKY see ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, Naval Staff History
and
Military Staff History (Mediterranean)
18th Carried out bombardment in support of military operation in Sicily.
19th Bombarded gun positions at Catania with hm Cruiser
NEWFOUNDLAND and HM Destroyer
BLANKNEY.
20th Bombarded shore positions at Lentini
and Carlentini with same destroyers.
23rd Took
passage from Augusta, Sicily for Malta as screen for HM Cruisers NEWFOUNDLAND
and
MAURITIUS with HM Destroyers
LAFOREY and LOYAL.
During
attack by U407 HMS NEWFOUNDLAND was hit aft causing significant damage
but able to
proceed at reduced speed.
(Note: Anti-submarine attacks made by HMS LAFOREY forced U407 to dive and able to escape.
Post
war records state that a later attack by Italian submarine ASCIANGHI failed.
See
references.)
(Note: One source records the torpedoes from the Italian
submarine missed.
ASCIANGHl was sunk during the subsequent anti-submarine
operations by HM
Destroyers LAFOREY and ECLIPSE.
August Deployed for
Flotilla duties in Malta and nominated for support of planned allied landings
at Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE)
September
2nd Deployed
with Fleet units for bombardment of shore targets in Messina Strait and Reggio
to Calabria prior to British landings on Italian mainland
(Operation BAYTOWN)
3rd
8th Joined
Northern Attack Force TF 85 with ships of Flotilla for screening of HM Cruisers
MAURITIUS, UGANDA, ORION and DELHI providing support during assault landings
9th Deployed
with Northern Attack Force Support Group during first landings.
Under
shore fire and provided naval gunfire support.
11th Under heavy air attacks including use of FX1400 radio
controlled and Hs293 Glider weapons.
13th Provided
naval gunfire support with HMS LAFOREY during counter-attack by German
divisions
on Allied bridgehead and under further attacks by FX1400 and
Hs293 weapons.
16th Under attack by FX1400 which near-missed by 250 Kg bomb.
Took passage to Malta for repair.
October Deployed
for support of military operations off west coast of Italy and defence of shipping.
13th Provided
naval gunfire support for military operation near Volturno
with HMS LAFOREY
and
Dutch Gunboat FLORES.
Under attack by fighter-bombers
and sustained some casualties as well as structural damage
by near
miss from 250Kg
November Convoy defence and support duties
with Flotilla in continuation based at Naples.
Nominated
for refit and machinery repair at Taranto
13th Taken
in hand for refit and repairs
December Under refit and repair
1 9 4 4
January Taranto refit in continuation
to June Transferred to 14th Destroyer
Flotilla in Malta.
July
24th On
completion carried out post refit trials and took passage to Malta.
Resumed duty with 14th Destroyer
Flotilla based in Malta after brief work-up.
Nominated for support of planned
allied landings in South of France
(Operation ANVIL – Later DRAGOON
– For details see INVASION OF THE SOUTH
OF FRANCE
(HMSO).)
August Prepared for
service in SITKA Fire Support Group Task Force 86)
Passage to Naples with HM Cruiser DIDO for duty in Western Task Force
under overall
US command.
12th Sailed
from Naples with US cruiser USS AUGUSTA, HM Cruiser DIDO, US Navy
destroyers GLEAVES and SOMERS and took passage to
operational area.
14th Arrived in SITKA sector.
15th Present during initial landing operations on Levant Island. and Port Cros.
(Note:
No bombardment was then necessary but later the ships of SITKA Group provided
gunfire
support during German counter attack.)
19th Deployed with HM Cruiser AURORA during bombardment of St Mandrier, Toulon.
Fired 116 rounds
25th Deployed
with USN destroyer KENDRICK as screen for HM Cruiser AURORA during
further
bombardment of forts at St Mandrier.
September Returned to RN service and rejoined
Flotilla.
Deployed
support of 8th Army operations on west coast of Italy.
Passage to Adriatic.
10th Provided support in Rimini area until 25th.
October Adriatic
patrol and military support duties with Flotilla in continuation.
11th Carried out bombardments of shore batteries at Cesantico with HM Destroyer LOYAL.
12th Further shore bombardment in Casanatico area.
13th In company with HMS LOYAL which detonated a ground mine and
was disabled.
Carried out tow of HMS LOYAL to Ancona.
November Gunfire support, patrol and convoy
defence duties in continuation.
to December
1 9 4 5
January Transferred
to 3rd Destroyer Flotilla for support, patrol and convoy defence in
Ligurian Sea.
6th Carried
out bombardment in Massa area. SE of Spezia with US Navy
destroyer
USS WOOLSEY.
15th Carried out bombardment at San Remo on Italian Riviera.
18th Further bombardment at Shore targets on Franco/Italian border
until 19th.
February Ligurian
Sea deployment with Flotilla in continuation
March
17th Deployed with HMS METEOR and Free French TEMPETE and BASQUE
for patrol
off North
Corsica.
18th Following
report from shore intercepted ARTURO (TA24), ERIDANO (T29) and
PREMUDA (T32) of 10th German
Torpedo Boat Flotilla which were carrying out minelay
Carried out torpedo and gun
attacks with HMS METEOR during which ARTURO
and
ERIDANO were sunk but PREMUDA escaped in smoke screen.
Rescued over
200 survivors from enemy ships.
April Deployed
for support of military advance by British 5th Army.
23rd Carried
out shore bombardment on targets in French Riviera with Free French cruisers
MONTCALM and DUGUAY TROIN.
May Returned
to MaltA after VE day and deployed with Flotilla for Fleet duties including
to August support
of re-occupation and for exercises in Mediterranean to
prepare British warships
for operational service in the Eastern Fleet and British
Pacific Fleet.
