1 9 4 3
July Commissioned
for trials
August Contractor's
sea trials.
4th Accepted for service
in 11th Destroyer Flotilla.
Passage
to Scapa Flow and worked-up with Hone Fleet.
September Deployed
with Flotilla in Home Fleet
26th Escorted
ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron during minelay in NW Approaches.
(Operation
SN222C - For details see Naval Staff History MINING).
October Detached
for operations in English
Channel based at
Plymouth.
22nd Deployed
with HM Cruiser CHARYBDIS, HM Destroyers GRENVILLE, TALYBONT.
LIMBOURNE, WENSLEYDALE and STEVENSTONE
in an operation to intercept the
German blockade runner MUNSTERLAND off the coast of Brittany.
(Operation TUNNEL Series).
23rd Under
attack by German torpedo boats during which HMS CHARYBDIS and HMS
LIMBOURNE were sunk.
(For
details of this disastrous, ill-planned and poorly executed operation see HOLD THE
NARROW SEA by Peter C Smith and TWO
HONOURABLE YEARS by Craig Leith.
Note:
TWO HONOURABLE YEARS was privately published).
November Nominated
for service in Eastern Fleet. Prepared for foreign service
at Plymouth.
12th Deployed
with HM Destroyer ULSTER as escort for HM Battlecruiser RENOWN during
passage to Gibraltar with Prime Minister embarked.
(Note: Mr Churchill
was to attend meetings in Cairo with other allied leaders.)
20th Deployed at Gibraltar for convoy escort and Fleet
duties.
December Mediterranean
deployment in continuation.
Transferred to Algiers for Fleet duties with 24th
Destroyer Flotilla.
25th Part of escort
for convoy from Algiers to Malta.
1 9 4 4
January Deployed
with Flotilla in Mediterranean.
Took passage to Join Eastern Fleet.
February Joined
11th Destroyer Flotilla at Trincomalee for Fleet screening, interception
To patrol and convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
June (For
details of Fleet activities see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), OPERATION PACIFIC by E
Gray
and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).
July
22nd Eastern Fleet duties
in continuation.
Sailed
with Eastern Fleet as part of screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH
and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, French Battleship RICHELIEU, HM Aircraft
Carriers
ILLUSTRIOUS, INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND,
NIGERIA, KENYA, CEYLON, GAMBIA (RNZN) PHOEBE and Dutch TROMP with
HM
Destroyers RELENTLESS, RAPID, ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, ROEBUCK
and RAIDER of 11th Flotilla, HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUALITY
and QUICKMATCH
of 4th Destroyer Flotilla during air strikes and bombardments
at Sabang, Sumatra as part of
Force
62.(Operation CRIMSON)
25th Remained with rain force on completion of
shore bombardments whilst destroyers of 4th
Flotilla
carried cut close range attacks on harbour.
(For details see above references.)
Air
attacks during withdrawal were repelled.
August
19th Deployed with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, REDOUBT, RAIDER and RAPID as
screen for HMS VICTORIOUS, HMS INDOMITABLE, HM Battleship HOWE,
HMS
CEYLON and HMS KENYA as Force 64 to carry out photo-reconnaissance
flights over
Padang airfield and attacks by carrier aircraft on
targets in Sumatra.
(Operation
BANQUET)
24th Deployed with screen
during air operations.
(Note: Operation was delayed to enable HM Submarine SEA ROVER to get in position
for air-sea rescue duties. Destroyers refuelled during passage
on 22nd.
See
above references.
25th Remained with Force
64 during return passage.
September
16th Deployed with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, REDOUBT, RAIDER,
RELENTLESS
and RAPID as screen for HMS INDOMITABLE, HMS VICTORIOUS,
HM
Battleship HOWE, HM Cruisers KENYA, and CUMBERLAND to carry out photo-
reconnaissance flights and air strikes on airfields and areas in Sumatra (Operation LIGHT)
17th Photo-reconnaissance flights over airfields
cancelled due to weather and instead
photographed other targets in Sumatra and Nicobars (Operation
LIGHT A).
18th Air strikes carried out on railway repair
works at Sigli (Operation LIGHT B).
(Note: Mistakes and imperfections in flying operation were noted
for attention.)
October Eastern
Fleet duties with Flotilla in continuation.
to December
1 9 4 5
January Eastern
Fleet escort and convoy defence duties in continuation with Flotilla.
February
21st Joined Force 68 for offensive patrols off
and bombarded Cocos with H M Destroyers
ROEBUCK,
RAPID and ROTHERHAM (Operation SUFFICE).
24th Deployed off Andamans.
Later carried out bombardment of Great Coco Island.
25th Passage to Akyab to replenish.
27th Sailed from Akyab to cut patrol with Force 68 (Operation TRAINING).
March
1st During Inshore passage between Tavoy Island and
Heanzay
Took
part in attacks on coastal shipping during which three vessels were sunk.
3rd Bombarded Port
Blair
with ships of Flotilla.
4th Return passage to Trincomalee with ships
of Force 68.
April
1st Deployed with HM Destroyers ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE and REDOUBT for
offensive patrol between Mergui and
Amherst as Force 62. Small coaster and and Junk
were sunk (Operation PENZANCE - See WAR WITH JAPAN.)
2nd Ships of Force carried out reconnaissance
of Narcondam island with a view to its
use for replenishment of Light Coastal Force craft.
Bombarded Great Coco Island with ships of Force.
5th Replenished at Akyab.
7th Sailed from Akyab
for offensive patrol off coast of Burma between Moulmein River
and Mergui.
10th Several
small craft were sunk during sweep
11th Rescued 68 personnel from Japanese Tender
AGATA MARU sunk by LIBERATOR
aircraft.
12th Return passage to Trincomalee with Force
62.
Detached for convoy escort duties.
May Convoy
escort in continuation.
14th Detached
from escort to join HM Cruiser NIGERIA, HM Destroyers RACEHORSE,
REDOUBT.
and ROEBUCK in Force 62 to reinforce ships of Force 61 carrying
out an operation to intercept
Japanese
warships on passage to Andaman islands.
(Operation
DUKEDOM)
For
details of this operation see WAR WITH JAPAN, SINK THE HAGURO by John Winton and
OPERATION
PACIFIC)
20th Return passage to Trincomalee after sinking
of HAGURO.
June Eastern
Fleet duties in continuation.
July Preparation
for landings in Malaya with Eastern Fleet (Operation ZIPPER)
(Note: This operation was postponed at the insistence of the
USA and introduction of
of the PYTHON Release Scheme for return of servicemen from SEAC.
SEE ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET
and The Final Report of Supreme Commander SEAC (HMSO)
August Part of screen for Eastern Fleet
ships during passage in Indian
Ocean and whilst awaiting
approval to occupy Penang.
September Deployed with Eastern Fleet in support
of landings in Malaya
(Operation ZIPPER
See BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser and above references).
At Singapore during re-occupation.