1 9 4 1
March
13th - Damaged
on slipway during air raid on Glasgow. Build
and launch delayed.
1 9 4 2
April
Launched as HMS
HALDON.
May to November
Fitting out in continuation.
December
Contractors
trials.
1st - Transferred
to Free French Naval Force and renamed after launch.
15th - Commissioned
as FS LA COMBATTANTE.
30th - Build
completion.
1 9 4 3
January
Carried out
Acceptance Trials.
Passage to Tobermory.
13th - Commenced
Shakedown and training at Tobermory.
February
12th - Took
passage to Scapa Flow on completion of Tobermory training.
13th - Began
work-up with RA(D), Home Fleet at Scapa Flow
March
Work-up with
Home Fleet in continuation.
23rd - On
completion of work-up took passage to Portsmouth via Irish Sea.
26th - Joined
escort coastal convoy from Milford Haven.
Detached
from convoy and took passage to Portsmouth to join 1st Destroyer Flotilla.
April to
September
Deployed with
Flotilla for coastal convoy defence and patrol in English Channel.
October
7th - Under
fire from shore batteries in Le Havre/Cap Barfleur area during patrol.
November to
December
Flotilla duties
in Channel in continuation.
1 9 4 4
January to
March
Convoy escort
and patrol in Channel area with Flotilla in continuation.
April
26th - Engaged
E-Boats attacking shipping and assembled MULBERRY Harbour units off Selsea
Bill.
Sank E-Boat S147
May
Nominated for
support of planned allied landings with Force J of Eastern Task Force. See D Day SHIPS for full details of all ships involved
in Operation NEPTUNE. (Note: Part of
Bombardment Group E and allocated target Beach Defences at Beny-sur-Mer with HM Escort Destroyer STEVENSTONE of Flotilla.)
12th - Deployed
with HM Frigate STAYNER for patrol in Channel to intercept E-Boats from Boulogne carrying out reconnaissance and shipping
attacks.
13th - Illuminated
and engaged at close range a group of E-Boats in position 18 miles south of Selsey Bill. E-Boat
S141 was sunk and another damaged. Subsequently
took part in running action against retreating E-Boats with HMS STAYNER. (Note: It was later determined from survivors that Lt
Klaus Donitz, son of the German naval commander
Admiral Donitz was one of the crew of this E-Boat and had been lost when the vessel was sunk).
27th - Deployed
in Channel off coast of Sussex to cover landing exercise prior to allied
landings in
Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE). (For details of activities prior to and during landings
see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards,
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO).)
28th - Opened
fire on radar contact with main armament and obtained several hits (Note: The target was later found to be HM MTB 732
which had been sunk with 16 of ship's
company killed or missing and 15 wounded.
For
details see FRIEND OR FOE by P Kemp. The
numbers involved suggest that this MTB must have been on special duty since normal number on board would have been less than 31.)
June
Deployed in
Solent for briefing as part of Force J for Normandy landings (Operation NEPTUNE). Served with
Support Force E for JUNO Beach landings.
4th - Operation
delayed for 24 hours.
5th - Sailed
from Solent with HMS STEVENSTONE, HM Destroyer VENUS as escort for Assault Convoy J9 during passage to JUNO Beach through Swept
Channel.)
(Note: Convoy comprised: HM Frigate
LAWFORD, ten Landing Ships (Tank), five Motor
Gunboats
and three US Navy Coastguard Cutters.)
6th - Carried
out bombardment of shore defences during initial landings.
On completion deployed on for support and escort
duties.
Passage to Portsmouth.
12th - Embarked
General de Gaulle for visit to Beachhead.
25th - Rescued
crew of USAAF LIBERATOR aircraft in Channel.
24th - Continued
of support role off Normandy beaches when NEPTUNE terminated.
July
8th - In action
against E-Boats from Le Havre attacking patrols off coast of Normandy. (Note: HM Escort Destroyer CATTISTOCK and HM Frigate
THORNBOROUGH also
took part.)
August
7th - During
interception patrol involved in collision and sustained damage. Taken in hand for repair.
26th - In
action against convoy off Fecamp sinking three ships and setting two on fire.
28th - Attacked
German vessels evacuating Le Havre off Cap d'Antifer.
(Note:
This Operation was carried out with Light Coastal Forces MTB. Two merchant ships damaged.)
September
Channel deployment
in continuation.
Nominated for transfer to 21st
Destroyer Flotilla based at Sheerness.
21st - Joined
Flotilla at Sheerness and deployed for English Channel and East Coast convoy
defence
and interception patrol duties.
October to
November
Flotilla duties
for convoy defence in continuation.
December
Convoy defence
included military convoys on passage to Antwerp.
19th - Rescued
survivors from ss STEEL TRAVELLER which had been mined.
1 9 4 5
January
Deployment for
defence of convoys in Nore Command in continuation
(Note:
Atlantic convoys had been re-routed through English Channel.)
February
23rd - Detonated
mine near East Dudgeon Buoy off Humber estuary and sank quickly. 118 survivors were rescued by HM MTB 76 and 770 but 67
of ships company
lost their lives, including two RN
personnel.
(Note: Mines had been laid in the
area earlier in the month.)
Cause of
sinking is in some contention but the latest record in WARSHIP LOSSES IN WW2 by D Brown is substantiated by survivors who
doubt that ship was sunk by torpedo from
midget submarine as recorded.. See THE BATTLE
OF THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott, HOLD THE NARROW SEA
by
P Smith and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett for more details of enemy operations in Nore Command during
1945.