1 9 3 9
September
Part of 1st
battlecruiser Squadron, Home Fleet, flying
the flag of CinC 1st BCS Rear Admiral W J
Whitworth.
3rd - On Patrol in
the North Sea off the approaches to the
Skagerrak in company with battlecruiser
REPULSE
and destroyers SOMALI, ASHANTI, ESKIMO,
MASHONA, MATABELE, PUNJABI and TARTAR
(BEDOUIN had been in company but had
detached with mechanical defects and
returned to Scapa Flow for repairs)
6th - Arrived back at Scapa Flow
8th - At 0600
hours sailed from Scapa Flow in company
with battlecruiser
RENOWN,
cruisers
BELFAST
and
EDINBURGH,
and destroyers FAME, FEARLESS and
FORESTER to patrol between Iceland and
the Faroes to reinforce the blockade. At
sea destroyer FURY joined the Force.
10th
- FEARLESS was detached from the screen to
investigate a merchant ship which proved
to be Swedish.
12th
- BELFAST and EDINBURGH detached for
Sullom Voe.
At
1200 hours the Force less BELFAST and
EDINBURGH arrived back at Scapa Flow.
14th - In the Evening sailed from Scapa Flow in company
with battleship
RODNEY
and
destroyers TARTAR, ESKIMO, BEDOUIN,
PUNJABI for Loch Ewe. En route TARTAR,
BEDOUIN, and PUNJABI detached join
aircraft carrier
ARK
ROYAL.
15th - Arrived at Loch Ewe.
17th - At Loch Ewe where she was visited by the First
Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill.
20th - At 1915 hours sailed from Loch Ewe in company with
battleships
NELSON
and
RODNEY,
battle cruiser
REPULSE,
aircraft carrier
ARK
ROYAL,
and destroyers FIREDRAKE, FORTUNE,
TARTAR and PUNJABI for Scapa Flow. En
route destroyers FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND,
FURY, FEARLESS, FORESTER and FORESIGHT
from Scapa Flow joined the Fleet.
21st - At 0945 hours the Fleet arrived at Scapa Flow.
22nd - At 1100 hours sailed from Scapa Flow in company
with battlecruiser
REPULSE
and destroyers FAME, FORESIGHT,
FIREDRAKE, FORTUNE, to provide cover for
Operation SK. (Operation SK was an
operation by the cruisers and destroyers
to attack German shipping off the
Norwegian coast.
At 2222/22/9/39 the operation was
abandoned following a collision between
JAVELIN and JERSEY)
23rd - 1910 hours arrived back at Scapa Flow.
25th - At 0900 hours sailed from Scapa Flow in company
with battlecruiser
REPULSE,
cruisers
NORFOLK,
NEWCASTLE
and
EDINBURGH,
and destroyers FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND,
FORESTER, FEARLESS, FORTUNE and
FIREDRAKE to provide distant cover for
recovery of the damaged
submarine SPEARFISH.
26th - At 1448
hours the HOOD force were subjected to an
air attack and HOOD was hit by a bomb
which struck a glancing blow immediately
above the bulge on the port quarter. The
damage was superficial and was repaired by
the ship’s crew.
27th - Arrived
back at Scapa Flow.
October
1st - Sailed from
Scapa Flow for Loch Ewe in company with
battleships
NELSON
and
RODNEY,
battle cruiser
REPULSE,
aircraft carrier
ARK
ROYAL,
cruiser
NEWCASTLE
and destroyers ASHANTI, MASHONA,
MATABELE, SOMALI, FAME, FORESIGHT,
FORTUNE and FIREDRAKE. (The move to base
the Home Fleet at Loch Ewe was in
accordance with Admiralty instructions
and in pursuance of the policy of
evading air attack on Scapa Flow)
2nd
- At 0700 hours arrived at Loch Ewe.
5th - Sailed from Loch Ewe for Scapa Flow in company with
battleships
NELSON
and
RODNEY,
battle cruiser
REPULSE,
and aircraft carrier
FURIOUS
and escorting destroyers.
6th - Arrived at Scapa Flow.
7th - At Scapa Flow, where she was visited by King George
V1.
8th - Overnight
the CinC Home Fleet was made aware that
the German Navy was about to launch a
sortie by heavy units.
At 1320 hours the
CinC Home Fleet received firm information
from the RAF when one of Coastal Command’s
Hudson aircraft of 224 Sqdn. sighted the
German battlecruiser GNEISENAU, cruiser
KOLN and 9 destroyers off Lister
lighthouse (Lindesnes LH, southern Norway)
steaming north. (The purpose of this
sortie was to sink any allied shipping
found and to entice out the Home Fleet
onto waiting U-boats and bring them into
range of German bombers) At 1530 hours
sailed from Scapa Flow in company with
battlecruiser
REPULSE,
cruisers
AURORA,
and
SHEFFIELD
and
destroyers SOMALI, MASHONA, ASHANTI and
ESKIMO. They sailed northeast into
rapidly worsening weather for a position
50 miles NW of Stadtlandet in 63‑00N,
04‑00E.
The remainder of the Home Fleet sailed
at 1840 hours. The battlecruisers and
the Home Fleet were to form Force F.
(The plan was to set a trap for the
German force. With Force F and Force E,
that had sailed from Rosyth and the
Humber, being the two halves of the trap
that were to close on the German force.
This failed to happen since the German
force reversed course and arrived back
at Kiel at 0100/10/10/39)
8th - At 0600 hours the battlecruiser force was at
position 63‑00N, 04‑00E. They then set
course to RV with the rest of the Home
Fleet.
At 1200 hours the two forces joined.
At 1225 hours course was altered to 295º to cover the
Shetlands-Faroes gap. In the evening
SHEFFIELD was detached to patrol the
Denmark Strait.
11th - Arrived at Loch Ewe in company with battleships
NELSON and
RODNEY
and
destroyers FAULKNOR, BEDOUIN, PUNJABI,
FURY, FORESTER and FIREDRAKE.
15th - At 1730 hours departed Loch Ewe in company with
battleships NELSON and
RODNEY,
aircraft carrier
FURIOUS,
cruisers
BELFAST,
AURORA
and destroyers BEDOUIN, FEARLESS,
FOXHOUND and FURY. They sailed to the
north of Iceland to provide cover for
and assist the Northern Patrol in the
interception of German merchant ships.
17th - The destroyers were refuelled at sea from the
capital ships.
22nd - At 0800 arrived back at Loch Ewe.
At 1830 hours sailed from Loch Ewe in company with
battleships NELSON and
RODNEY
and destroyers INTREPID, IVANHOE,
ICARUS, KELLY and KINGSTON to cover the
movement of convoy NV1 of twelve British
iron ore ships from Narvik.
24th - At 1200 hours off Muckle Flugga cruiser EDINBURGH
joined and KINGSTON detached.
26th - At 0130 hours off the Norwegian coast an RV was
made with convoy NV1 and cruiser AURORA
and destroyers ASHANTI, FAME, TARTAR and
SOMALI joined and took over the close
escort of the convoy.
31st - Arrived back at Loch Ewe.
November
2nd - At 0930
hours sailed from Loch Ewe in company with
battleships NELSON and
RODNEY
and
destroyers ICARUS, INTREPID, IVANHOE,
IMPULSIVE, FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORTUNE
and PUNJABI to provide cover for
cruisers and destroyers that were
searching for the US freighter SS CITY
of FLINT, 4963 tons (This vessel had
been captured by the DEUTSCHLAND and was
returning to Germany manned by a prize
crew) that was known to be off the
Norwegian coast and for convoy ON1 which
departed Methil at 1700/4/11/39.
Later destroyers FEARLESS
and FOXHOUND joined the force at sea.
3rd - At 1930 hours destroyers FAULKNOR, FORTUNE and
INTREPID were detached to refuel at Sullum
Voe.
5th - destroyers FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, IMPERIAL and
KANDAHAR, after refuelling at Scapa Flow
on the 4th, joined the force at sea.
6th - destroyer FAME departed Scapa Flow on the 5th and
joined the force at sea. 7th destroyers
ICARUS and IMPULSIVE were detached for
refuelling at Kirkwall.
8th - Very early, east of the Orkneys HOOD was detached
with FEARLESS, following which she
proceeded south to Plymouth.
11th - Arrived at Devonport to commence a refit escorted
by destroyers ISIS and ILEX.
24th - Refit cut short due to sinking of AMC HMS
RAWALPINDI.
25th - Sailed from Plymouth escorted by destroyers
EXMOUTH, ECHO and ECLIPSE to RV in the
Channel with French battlecruiser
DUNKERQUE, (Flag Ship of Vice Admiral
Gensoul), cruisers MONTCALM and GEORGES
LEYGUES and destroyers MOGADOR and VOLTA.
(This deployment was in response to a signal at
1551/23/11/39 from Armed
Merchant cruiser
RAWALPINDI, patrolling the Iceland
Faroes gap, timed at 1545 hours
stating she had sighted a German
battlecruiser. This was quickly
changed, identifying the vessel as
the Pocket battleship DEUTSCHLAND.
The first sighting report was in
fact correct as she had sighted the
SCHARNHORST with GNEISENAU in
company. The HOOD and DUNKERQUE were
ordered to patrol in the vicinity of
60-00N, 20-00W )
28th - EXMOUTH, ECHO and ECLIPSE were detached and
returned to the Clyde. MOGADOR and VOLTA
detached and made for Belfast.
29th - At 0800 hours the CinC Home Fleet ordered all
forces to sweep to the northward following
the trend of the Norwegian coast.
Destroyers SOMALI, PUNJABI and MASHONA
joined at sea from Sullom Voe.
30th - Patrol
maintained up to 65-00N in the Iceland,
Faeroes gap.
December
1st - At 0820
hours the search for the DEUTSCHLAND (not
at that time identified as the SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU) was called off and the various hunting groups
were dispersed. HOOD, escorted by
destroyers PUNJABI, GURKHA, KANDAHAR and
NUBIAN proceeded to the Clyde.
DUNKERQUE, MONTCALM and GEORGES LEYGUES
detached and proceeded to Belfast.
2nd
- At 0200 hours off Holy Island, off the
coast of Arran in the Firth of Clyde as
HOOD and her escorts were proceeding to
Greenock, PUNJABI was in collision with
steamer SS LAIRDCREST (789grt). Arrived
off Greenock to refuel.
At
1910 hours sailed from Greenock escorted
by destroyers KINGSTON, KHARTOUM and
KASHMIR to patrol north of the Faeroe
Islands.
5th
- In company with KINGSTON, KHARTOUM and
KASHMIR on patrol in the Iceland-Faeroes
gap providing cover for the AMCs of the
Northern Patrol.
7th
- Also provided distant cover for the 9
ship convoy HN4 that sailed from Bergen on
this date. (Note: due to bad weather
convoy HN4 was hove to from 2200/8/12/39
to 1600/10/12/39)
8th
- Departed from the patrol area in company
with KINGSTON, KANDAHAR, KASHMIR and
KHARTOUM for the Clyde.
10th
- Arrived in the Clyde
13th
- (At 0945 hours submarine SALMON on
patrol 130 miles W of Jutland in the North
Sea sighted 3 enemy ships, possibly
battlecruisers or Pocket battleships and 4
cruisers.
At
1020 hours SALMON fired torpedoes at this
force and estimated that 3 hits were
obtained. SALMON was then depth charged
and kept down until 1535 hours when she
surfaced and reported “Have attacked enemy
battle fleet steering westward in position
56-47, 4-00E, 1020”. Actually what SALMON
had sighted and attacked were the German
Light cruisers KÖLN, NÜRNBERG and LEIPZIG
and she had succeeded in torpedoing
NÜRNBERG and LEIPZIG causing serious
damage to both.
At
1605 hours on receipt of SALMON’s signal
the CinC Home Fleet considered that the
enemy force could be in the Fair Isle
Channel by 2100/13/12/39 and ordered
dispositions accordingly) At 1930 hours
sailed from the Clyde in company with
battleships WARSPITE and BARHAM screened
by 6 destroyers. Off the Mull of KINTYRE 2
more destroyers from Loch Ewe joined the
Fleet. Course was then set westward to
take up an interception position and to
provide cover for
the first Canadian
troop convoy TCI to UK against possible
attack by the German force.
15th - The force
was patrolling 250 miles west of Malin
Head.
16th - At 0730
hours the force was 300 miles west of
Malin Head providing cover for convoy TC1.
17th - At 1220
hours arrived back in the Clyde.
27th
- Sailed from the Clyde escorted by
destroyers MAORI, NUBIAN and AFRIDI to
relieve battleship
BARHAM
and battlecruiser
REPULSE
on patrol NE of the Shetlands.
29th
- destroyer ILEX joined the HOOD force
after refuelling at Scapa Flow. Provided
distant cover for convoys ON6 and HN6.
(Convoy ON6 sailed from Methil on 29/12/39
and arrived at Bergen on 1/1/40) (Convoy
HN6 sailed from Bergen on 31/12/39 and
arrived at Methil on 4/1/40)
1
9 4 0
January
5th - Arrived at
Greenock escorted by destroyers AFRIDI,
IMPERIAL, MAORI and NUBIAN.
18th - Sailed from
Scapa Flow in company with battleship
WARSPITE
and destroyers FURY, FAME, FORESTER,
FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, FIREDRAKE
and FORTUNE. To provide distant cover for
the Northern Patrol and Norwegian convoys.
24th - The force
returned to the Clyde.
February
5th - Covered
passage of convoy TC3, the 3rd Canadian
troop convoy.
7th - Arrived in
the Clyde.
8th - At 1130
hours sailed from the Clyde in company
with battleship
WARSPITE
escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR, FAME,
FOXHOUND, FORTUNE, FURY, FORESIGHT,
FIREDRAKE and FORESTER to provide cover
for the Northern Patrol and cover for
convoy HN11. (Convoy HN11 sailed from
Bergen on 12/2/40 and arrived at Methil on
15/2/40)
10th - At 1900
hours FAME and FORESTER detached and
refuelled at Sullom Voe.
12th - At 0600
hours FAME and FORESTER rejoined the
force.
At 0630 hours
FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FORTUNE detached and
refuelled at Sullom Voe
13th - At 1430
hours FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND, FORTUNE rejoined
the force.
At 1500 hours
FURY, FORESIGHT and FIREDRAKE detached and
refuelled at Sullom Voe At 1750 hours
FORESTER detached and refuelled at Sullom
Voe.
14th - Patrolling
north west of the Shetlands.
At 2300 hours
FURY, FORESIGHT and FIREDRAKE rejoined the
force and course was set for Scapa Flow.
15th - At 1830
hours with Operation DT imminent, course
was altered to patrol west of the Pentland
Firth.
16th - At 0010
hours, the ships involved in Operation DT
were ordered by the CinC Home Fleet to
search the Leads and offshore islands
south of Bergen for the ALTMARK.
(Operation DT was an operation by units of
the Home Fleet to intercept the German
supply ship ALTMARK which was known to be
carrying British Merchant Navy prisoners)
When the Operation commenced the HOOD
force was off the Pentland Firth covering
the operation.
18th - At 0830
hours arrived back in the Clyde. (At 0930
hours the CinC Home Fleet received
information that an RAF reconnaissance
over Heligoland at 0055 hours had observed
up to 10 warships, 2 of which were
battlecruisers. The vessels were the
German battlecruisers SCHARNHORST and
GNEISENAU, the cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER and
escorting destroyers. Their object was to
attack allied shipping between the
Shetlands and Bergen)
19th - At 1400
hours sailed from the Clyde in company
with battleship
RODNEY,
destroyers
FAULKNOR, FEARLESS, FOXHOUND, FURY,
FORESIGHT, FORTUNE and FIREDRAKE; and set
course for north of the Shetlands to
provide cover for convoy ON14. Later
destroyer HARDY joined the force
20th - Destroyers
KHARTOUM, KANDAHAR and TARTAR joined from
Scapa Flow. (The 23 ship convoy ON14
sailed from Methil on 17/2/40 and
following the sighting of the German
force, at 1500/18/2/40 convoy ON14 was
ordered into Kirkwall, where it arrived at
0200/19/2/40. The convoy commenced
departing from Kirkwall at 1400/20/2/40,
sailing into a south westerly gale, When
the HOOD force had arrived at a covering
position) (During the night of 19th/20th
the German force altered course and
returned to their bases)
24th - Arrived
back in the Clyde.
March
2nd - At 1600
hours sailed from Greenock in company with
battleship
VALIANT
and destroyers KELLY, SIKH, KANDAHAR,
FAULKNOR, FORESTER and FAME departed the
Clyde to provide cover for the Northern
Patrol and the Norwegian convoys ON17,
ON17A and HN17.
7th - At 1600
hours arrived at Scapa Flow in company
with
VALIANT,
KELLY, SIKH,
KANDAHAR, FAULKNOR, FORESTER and FAME.
(HOOD and VALIANT were the first Capital
ships to use Scapa Flow since the AA
defences had been improved)
11th - At sunset
Vice Admiral W J Whitworth, Vice Admiral
Commanding Battle Cruiser Squadron
transferred his flag from Hood to
battlecruiser RENOWN.
14th - At 1515
hours departed Scapa Flow escorted by
destroyers HARDY, HOTSPUR and IMOGEN for
the Clyde.
15th - Arrived in
the Clyde.
30th - At 0340
hours sailed from the Clyde escorted by
destroyers FORESTER, FOXHOUND and FORTUNE.
31st - At 1100
hours arrived at Devonport where she was
taken in hand for refit and various works
including re- tubing of her condensers.
April
Under refit.
Replacement of secondary 5.5" secondary
armament completed. Degaussing equipment
fitted for protection against magnetic
mines. (Note: the following planned work
was not carried out - fitting new
machinery, removal of both the conning
tower and the above-water torpedo tubes,
the fitting of an aircraft catapult and
crane and, most important of all, extra
horizontal and vertical armour.)
13th - A party of
250 Marines and Seamen from HOOD, with
ship's 3.7inch howitzer (the Marines were
to form a landing parting and the Seamen
were to man the pom-poms AA and 3.7inch
howitzer) entrained at Plymouth for Rosyth
to participate in Operation PRIMROSE.
(Operation PRIMROSE was a plan to
occupy
Ålesund, Norway
to deny the use of the Leads to the
Enemy. En route the destination was
changed to Andalsnes)
15th - At 0400
hours the HOOD group sailed from Rosyth on
board Sloop BLACK SWAN.
18th - By 0700
hours the HOOD group had landed at
Andalsnes from BLACK SWAN.
19th - The
HOOD-manned 3.7inch howitzer was in action
against German Parachute troops at
Dombaas.
30th - During the
night of 30th/1st the landing party
re-embarked from Andalsnes on cruiser
GALATEA
May
6th - All the
landing force except 3 injured men
returned to the HOOD at Devonport.
27th - At 1100
hours, HOOD sailed from Devonport escorted
by destroyers
ESCORT, WITCH and WOLVERINE.
28th
- Arrived at Liverpool where she entered
Gladstone Dock to complete her refit with
repairs to the under water hull.
June
11th - Following
commencement of hostilities against Italy,
HOOD was nominated for service with Force
H at Gibraltar.
12th - Sailed from
Liverpool
to RV
with ANZAC Troop Convoy US3. West of
Lands End, HOOD was joined by destroyers
BROKE and HMCS's RESTIGOUCHE, ST LAURENT
and SKEENA
14th - 300 miles west of Cape Finisterre HOOD, BROKE,
RESTIGOUCHE, ST LAURENT and SKEENA joined
aircraft carrier ARGUS, cruisers
DORSETSHIRE, CUMBERLAND and SHROPSHIRE
escorting ANZAC Troop Convoy US3.
Following which DORSETSHIRE detached.
15th - In the Western Approaches destroyers WARWICK and
WITCH joined ANZAC Troop Convoy US3.
16th - Convoy US3 and escort arrived in the Clyde.
18th - At 0400 hours sailed from the Clyde escorted by
destroyer WANDERER and HMCS ST LAURENT,
FRASER, RESTIGOUCHE and SKEENA.
At 0800 hours destroyer ATHERSTONE joined and WANDERER
detached.
At 2000 hours, 250 miles west of Malin Head The Hood
force RVed with aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL
and her escort destroyers ESCAPADE,
FAULKNOR, FEARLESS, and FOXHOUND.
Following which ST LAURENT, FRASER,
RESTIGOUCHE and SKEENA detached, and the
force set course for Gibraltar.
19th - During the day aircraft from ARK ROYAL made
dive-bombing attacks on HOOD and the
destroyers. Late evening ATHERSTONE
detached.
23rd - At 0700 hours the force arrived at Gibraltar and
Force H was formed.
25th - The French battleship RICHELIEU and destroyer
FLEURET departed Dakar for Casablanca,
shadowed by cruiser DORSETSHIRE.
At 1630 hours sailed from Gibraltar in the direction of
the Canary Islands to intercept the French
ships in company with aircraft carrier ARK
ROYAL, and destroyers FAULKNOR, FEARLESS,
FOXHOUND and ESCAPADE. At sea ARK ROYAL
embarked ten Swordfish from Rabat.
26th - At 1900 hours the force was informed that the
French had turned back towards Dakar and
the force was ordered back to Gibraltar.
27th - At 1900 hours arrived back at Gibraltar.
28th - Departed
Gibraltar towards the Canary Islands in
company with ARK ROYAL, following a
report, later proven incorrect, that the
RICHELIEU had again left Dakar. When
report was corrected they immediately
returned to Gibraltar.
30th
- At 1745 hours cruiser ARETHUSA arrived
at Gibraltar with Vice Admiral Sir James F
Somerville embarked. Vice Admiral
Somerville then transferred his flag to
the HOOD as CinC Force H. Later battleship
VALIANT and destroyers ESCORT, FORESIGHT
and FORESTER arrived at Gibraltar to join
Force H. (For
details of operations in the Mediterranean
in 1940 see THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre, ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and The
Naval Staff History).
July
2nd - At 1500
hours Force H destroyers ACTIVE, ESCORT,
FAULKNOR, FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, FOXHOUND,
KEPPEL, VORTIGERN, WATCHMAN and WISHART
sailed from Gibraltar to carry out an
anti-submarine sweep in advance of the
main force leaving harbour.
At 1700 hours
sailed from Gibraltar as Flag Ship of
Force H in company with battleships
VALIANT and RESOLUTION, aircraft carrier
ARK ROYAL, cruisers ARETHUSA and
ENTERPRISE and to carry out Operation
CATAPULT.
(Operation
CATAPULT was resultant from the French
surrender which took place on 25/6/40
and the wording of the surrender
document relating to the French naval
forces which stated, “The French fleet
was to be assembled at ports under
Italian or German control and
demilitarised”. This statement caused
great concern to the UK Government and
they determined to ensure that the
French fleet would not be allowed to
fall into enemy hands. Force H sailed to
enforce the UK Governments demands or
sink the French warships at
Mers-el-Kebir) (For details see THE
DEADLY STROKE by W Tute and The Naval
Staff History)
3rd - At 0300
hours FOXHOUND was detached to proceed
ahead with Captain Holland who was to
communicate the UK Governments message to
Admiral Gensoul on his Flag Ship the
battleship DUNKERQUE. At 0910 hours Force
H arrived off Oran.
At 1200 hours
FOXHOUND proceeded out of the entrance of
Mers-el-Kebir harbour but remained in
visual touch with HOOD and DUNKERQUE.
At 1725 hours
Captain Holland left the DUNKERQUE his
mission having failed.
At 1754 hours at a
range of 17500 yards Force H opened fire
on the French warships. At 1804 hours
after 36 salvoes of 15 inch, Force H
checked fire. This after the French
battleship BRETAGNE had blown up and the
DUNKERQUE damaged.
At 1820 hours the
French battleship STRASBOURG and
destroyers KERSAINT, LYNX, TERRIBLE, TIGRE
and LYNX sailed from Mers-el-Kebir. (This
force was later joined by 6 destroyers
from Oran) At 1825 hours ARK ROYAL
launched a strike of 6 Swordfish to attack
STRASBOURG without effect. The STRASBOURG
force then made off at speed towards the
east, with Force H in pursuit.
At 1914 hours
FORESTER picked up Captain Holland and
proceeded after the main force.
At 2020 hours the
hot pursuit was abandoned, STRASBOURG at
the time was about 25 miles ahead of HOOD,
and RESOLUTION and VALIANT were falling
behind.
At 2055 hours
Swordfish from ARK ROYAL made a torpedo
attack on STRASBOURG without slowing her
down. Force H then proceeded after
STRASBOURG at their best speed of 18
knots, governed by RESOLUTION.
4th - At 0400
hours Force H ran into fog and the planned
strike at 0430 hours by 12 Swordfish from
ARK ROYAL was abandoned. Force H
destroyers were now running low on fuel
and in consequence of this and the message
received at 2250/3/7/40 to Flag Officer,
Force H had received from Admiral Gensoul
stating that “his ships were hors de combat
and that their personnel had been ordered
to evacuate them”, Force H set course for
Gibraltar.
At 1900 hours
Force H arrived back at Gibraltar. (The
CinC Force H signalled the Admiralty that
it was not possible from aircraft
observation positively to assess the
damage to the DUNKERQUE, but that she was
aground. Consequently the Admiralty
directed that unless Vice Admiral
Somerville was certain that the DUNKERQUE
could not be re-floated and repaired in
less than a year, she was to be subjected
to further destruction by bombardment. The
operation to carry out a further attack on
the DUNKERQUE was code named Operation
LEVER)
5th - At 2000
hours sailed from Gibraltar as Flag Ship
of Force H in company with battleship
VALIANT, aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL,
cruisers ARETHUSA and ENTERPRISE and
destroyers ACTIVE, ESCORT, FAULKNOR,
FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, FOXHOUND, KEPPEL,
VORTIGERN and WISHART to carry out
Operation LEVER.
6th - At 0250
hours the Admiralty signalled Somerville
that he could carry out the task with an
air strike, as they agreed that a
bombardment could well lead to a slaughter
of civilians.
At 0520 hours 90
miles north west of Oran a strike force of
12 torpedo armed Swordfish was launched
from ARK ROYAL against the DUNKERQUE. At
0650 hours the strike wave of 6 Swordfish
achieved one torpedo hit on the
French
auxiliary patrol boat TERRE NEUVE
(780grt), that was alongside DUNKERQUE at
the time. TERRE NEUVE was sunk and her
depth charges exploded ripping a huge gash
in DUNKERQUE's side. Four officers and one
hundred and fifty ratings were killed or
wounded. One officer, one petty officer,
and six ratings were killed in the patrol
boat. Total French casualties for the
raids of 3 and 6 July on Mers-el-Kebir
were 1297 killed and 351 wounded.
At
0830 hours further attacks were called off
and Force H set course for Gibraltar.
At
1830 hours Force H arrived back at
Gibraltar.
8th
- At 0700 hours sailed from Gibraltar as
Flagship of Force H in company with
battleships RESOLUTION and VALIANT,
aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL, cruisers
ARETHUSA, DELHI, and ENTERPRISE, and
destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FOXHOUND,
ESCORT, FEARLESS, ACTIVE, DOUGLAS, VELOX,
VORTIGERN, and WRESTLER to cover the
Mediterranean Fleet. As a diversion for
the convoys leaving Malta. ARK ROYAL was
to launch an air raid against Cagliari. En
route Force H was detected by Italian
reconnaissance aircraft. Force H had also
been seen leaving Gibraltar and reported
by Italian agents in Spain. Between 1545
hours and 1840 hours Force H was attacked
by 40 high level Savoia SM 79 aircraft
that dropped over 100 bombs. No hits were
achieved but there were several near
misses. (The SM 79’s had flown from the
airfield at Villacidro, near Cagliari) The
loss of surprise and the possibility of
serious damage to the ARK ROYAL on an
operation that was only a diversion, led
to Somerville abandoning the operation.
At
2215 hours Force H reversed course and set
course for Gibraltar.
11th
- At 0215 hours destroyer ESCORT was
torpedoed by the Italian submarine
GUGLIELMO MARCONI.
At
0800 hours arrived back at Gibraltar.
31st
- At 0800 hours sailed from Gibraltar as
Flagship of Force H in company with
battleships RESOLUTION and VALIANT,
aircraft carriers ARK ROYAL and ARGUS,
cruisers ARETHUSA and ENTERPRISE, and
destroyers ENCOUNTER, FAULKNOR, FORESTER,
FORESIGHT, FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, GALLANT,
GREYHOUND, HOTSPUR and VELOX. To carry out
Operation HURRY. (Operation HURRY was an
operation to deliver 12 Hurricanes to
Malta. These were carried by ARGUS who had
arrived at Gibraltar on 30/7/40)
August
1st - At 2045
hours, 100 miles south west of Majorca,
Force H divided into two groups, Group 1
and Group 2. Group 1 comprised HOOD, ARK
ROYAL, ENTERPRISE, FAULKNOR, FOXHOUND,
FORESIGHT and FORESTER. Group 1 then
proceeded to a flying off position for
aircraft from ARK ROYAL to carry out
Operation CRUSH, a diversionary air attack
against Cagliari. Group 2 continued
towards southern Sardinia to fly off the
Hurricanes.
2nd - At 0230
hours ARK ROYAL launched Swordfish, 6 to
attack the Italian air base of Elmas and 3
to mine Cagliari harbour. One aircraft
from 810 Sqdn. was lost on take off and
one, 4F of 820 Sqdn. forced landed on
Elmas airfield.
At 0530 hours
Groups 1 and 2 rejoined. By 0700 hours all
8 Swordfish had been recovered and Force H
set course to return to Gibraltar.
4th - At 0600
hours arrived back at Gibraltar. (The
decision was taken to reorganise Force H,
with HOOD being replaced by RENOWN, the
change was to take place in the UK) At
1915 hours Force H, comprising HOOD,
battle ship VALIANT, aircraft carrier
ARGUS, cruiser ARETHUSA escorted by
destroyers ESCAPADE, FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT,
FORESTER and FOXHOUND sailed from
Gibraltar for the UK. Aircraft carrier ARK
ROYAL, cruiser ENTERPRISE and destroyers
GREYHOUND, GALLANT, ENCOUNTER and HOTSPUR
also sailed with Force H. (En route Force
H was instructed to search for neutral
mercantiles thought to be breaking the
blockade. To increase the effectiveness of
the search Force H was initially
accompanied by ARK ROYAL and her escort)
5th - destroyer
FEARLESS joined Force H.
6th - At 1050
hours ARK ROYAL, ENTERPRISE, GREYHOUND,
GALLANT, ENCOUNTER and HOTSPUR detached
and returned to Gibraltar. HOOD carried
out a 15 inch practice shoot.
7th - HOOD carried
out a 15 inch full charge practice shoot.
The result of these practice shoots
revealed that the rifling of one of the
guns was defective.
8th - At 0700
hours west of Ireland Force H was joined
by destroyers PUNJABI, TARTAR and BEDOUIN.
Following which VALIANT, ARGUS, FAULKNOR,
FEARLESS, FORESIGHT and FORESTER detached
for Liverpool.
10th - At 0600
hours arrived at Scapa Flow in company
with ARETHUSA, ESCAPADE, FOXHOUND,
PUNJABI, TARTAR and BEDOUIN. At 1800 hours
the Flag of CinC Force H was struck.
At 1900 hours the
Flag of Vice Admiral W J Whitworth CinC
battlecruiser Squadron was hoisted.
16th - At 0620
hours sailed from Scapa Flow for Rosyth
escorted by destroyers
COSSACK,
SIKH, MAORI and VORTIGERN.
At 1900 hours
arrived at Rosyth dockyard where she was
taken in hand for replacement of the port
15 inch gun in A turret.
24th - At 1730
hours sailed from Rosyth escorted by
destroyers
INGLEFIELD,
ESCAPADE, ECHO and JAVELIN.
25th - At 0640
hours arrived at Scapa Flow
with
destroyers INGLEFIELD, ESCAPADE, ECHO and
JAVELIN.
September
3rd
- HOOD reported that until the defects in
her starboard inner turbine were made good
and in order to avoid further damage it
was necessary to limit her speed to 25
knots.
13th
- At 0600 hours sailed from Scapa Flow in
company with battleship NELSON, cruisers
NAIAD, BONAVENTURE and destroyers KASHMIR,
KIPLING, ZULU, SIKH, SOMALI, and ESKIMO to
Rosyth for anti-invasion duties. En route
the force was met by destroyers JACKAL and
ELECTRA. Off Noss Head cruiser CAIRO
joined.
At
1900 hours the force arrived at Rosyth.
(This
movement was in response to the Admiralty
informing the CinC Home Fleet that all
evidence pointed to an attempted invasion
being imminent with the Germans using the
battleship BISMARCK, the battlecruisers
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU, old battleships
SCHELSIEN and SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN and a
Pocket battleship)
28th
- At 1815 hours sailed from Rosyth in
company with cruiser NAIAD and destroyers
ZULU, TARTAR and ELECTRA and set course
for 57-05N, 00-20W, to RV with the force
that was due to sail from Scapa Flow at
2015 hours. (This deployment was based on
a report timed at 1400/28/9/40 of a German
heavy cruiser, possibly the HIPPER,
escorting a convoy off Norway in 62‑00N,
3‑30E, sixty miles off Scavenger)
29th
- At 0909 the operation was called off and
the HOOD force set course for Scapa Flow.
At
1920 hours arrived back at Scapa Flow
escorted by ZULU, TARTAR, and ELECTRA.
October
15th - At 1550
hours
departed
Scapa Flow escorted by destroyers SOMALI,
ESKIMO and MASHONA to provide cover for
aircraft carrier FURIOUS, cruisers BERWICK
and NORFOLK and destroyers MATABELE and
PUNJABI who were carrying out Operation
DHU. (Operation DHU, was an air strike on
Tromso that was carried out at
0410/16/10/40 by aircraft from FURIOUS.
The HOOD force was deployed following
reports of enemy activity in the Skagerrak
which was thought might be German heavy
units reacting to the presence of the
FURIOUS force)
19th
- At 1330 hours arrived back at Scapa
Flow.
23rd
- At 1530 hours sailed from Scapa Flow in
company with battlecruisers REPULSE,
cruisers DIDO and PHOEBE and destroyers
ISIS, MASHONA, BULLDOG, KEPPEL and DOUGLAS
for anti-aircraft exercises in the
Pentland Firth and to provide southern
cover for Operation DNU. (Operation DNU
was a sweep off the Norwegian coast to
attack enemy coastal shipping. The only
vessel sunk was the German weather ship
WBS 5 (trawler ADOLF VINNEN, 391grt) sunk
west of Stadlandet by destroyers SOMALI,
MATABELE and PUNJABI)
24th
- Arrived back at Scapa Flow.
28th
- At 1430 hours sailed from Scapa Flow in
company with battlecruiser REPULSE,
aircraft carrier FURIOUS, cruisers
SOUTHAMPTON, DIDO and PHOEBE and
destroyers MASHONA, SOMALI, ESKIMO,
PUNJABI, DOUGLAS, KEPPEL, CLEVELAND and
VIMY and set course for north of the
Faeroes.
At
2400 hours CLEVELAND and VIMY detached and
returned to Scapa Flow. (This deployment
was in response to a signal from the
British merchant ship SS MAHOUT (7921grt),
who on the evening of 27/10/40 when in
position 400 miles west of Rockall had
reported being followed by a suspicious
vessel that had ordered the MAHOUT to
heave to. The description of the vessel
given by the MAHOUT matched that of the
German cruiser KONIGSBERG. The unknown
vessel made off to the north-eastward)
29th
- In the afternoon the Force ran into
heavy weather culminating in a hurricane
that caused damage to some the ships.
Shells came adrift in the DIDO in the
heavy weather, causing her turrets to jam.
She was forced to detach and put into the
Faroes for shelter and repairs.
30th
- SOUTHAMPTON intercepted the Finnish
merchant SS DORE K. SOUTHAMPTON, turned
her over to armed boarding vessel NORTHERN
SKY which took the steamer to Kirkwall.
November
1st - At 1350
hours arrived back at Scapa Flow in
company with
REPULSE,
FURIOUS, SOMALI, ESKIMO, MASHONA, PUNJABI
and DOUGLAS.
5th
- At 2330 hours sailed from Scapa Flow in
company with battlecruiser REPULSE,
cruisers PHOEBE, NAIAD and BONAVENTURE and
destroyers ESKIMO, MASHONA, MATABELE,
ELECTRA, SOMALI and PUNJABI for position
52-50N, 32-15W (ADMIRAL SCHEER's last
known position). (This deployment was in
response to distress signal from the SS
RANGITIKI (16908 grt) part of convoy HX 84
received by the Admiralty at 2003/5/10/42,
stating she was under attack from a raider
of the GRAF SPEE class. Convoy HX 84 was
under attack from the German Pocket
battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER. Confirmation of
the attack was received shortly afterwards
from the AMC JERVIS BAY and the SS CORNISH
CITY (4952 grt). The ADMIRAL SCHEER had
departed Brunsbuttel on the 27/10/40 and
had passed through the Denmark Straits on
the 31st/1 November)
6th -
At
1032 hours the force was sighted and
reported by enemy aircraft.
At 1100 hours in
position north of the Butt of Lewis the
Admiralty ordered the force to split with
HOOD,
PHOEBE,
NAIAD, SOMALI, ESKIMO and PUNJABI to
proceeded to cover the approaches to Brest
and Lorient.
7th
- At 1130 hours in position the HOOD force
turned north westerly and shortly
afterwards was shadowed for 20 minutes and
reported by enemy aircraft as steering
240º at 16 knots.
8th
- At 0800 hours the HOOD force was in
position 49-10N, 13-24W.
At 1400 hours the HOOD force was in
position 52-16N, 18-20W from where they
set course to return to Scapa Flow after a
fruitless search for the ADMIRAL SCHEER.
11th
- At 1400 hours arrived back at Scapa Flow
in company with PHOEBE, NAIAD, SOMALI,
ESKIMO and PUNJABI.
23rd
- At 1730 hours sailed from Scapa Flow
escorted by destroyers ESCAPADE, COSSACK,
SIKH and ESKIMO.
24th
- South of the Faeroes the HOOD force RVed
with the 1st Minelaying Squadron
comprising Auxiliary Minelayers SOUTHERN
PRINCE, AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS and PORT
QUEBEC who were escorted by cruiser AURORA
and destroyers BATH, ST ALBANS and KEPPEL
and provided cover for Operation SN 11. (Operation
SN 11: was the laying of a minefield off
SW of Iceland at the entrance to the
Denmark Straight. For details see Naval
Staff History)
26th
- Off the south west of Iceland covering
the minelaying force
29th
- Arrived back at Scapa Flow.
December
11th - At Scapa
Flow where she was inspected by the CinC
Home Fleet Admiral Sir John Tovey.
24th - At 1730
hours
departed
Scapa Flow in company with cruiser
EDINBURGH and destroyers COSSACK,
ESCAPADE, ECHO and ELECTRA to patrol east
of the Iceland Faroes Passage to intercept
outbound or inbound raiders. (At
0740/25/12/40 the German cruiser ADMIRAL
HIPPER attacked Troop convoy WS 5A, 700
miles west of Cape Finisterre. The HOOD
force was alerted to the possibility of
the ADMIRAL HIPPER attempting to return to
Germany via the Iceland-Faroes passage.
The ADMIRAL HIPPER had passed south
through the Denmark Strait on the night of
6-7/12/40)
29th
- Arrived back at Scapa Flow.
1
9 4 1
January
2nd - At 1600
hours sailed from Scapa Flow escorted by
destroyers ECHO,
ELECTRA, SIKH and ESKIMO.
3rd
-
Covered ships of
1st Minelaying Squadron during minelay in
Northern Barrage. (Operation SN6A)
4th - Covered
ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron during
minelay in Northern Barrage. (Operation
SN65)
5th - At 0930
hours when HOOD was 1.75 miles south of
Cantick Head and entering Scapa Flow she
cut a mine in her paravane. ESKIMO stood
by the mine until 1030 hours when it was
established it was a British mine. (Until
the mine was identified as British the
Pentland Frith was closed to shipping)
13th - At 0100
hours sailed from Scapa Flow escorted by
destroyers ECHO, ELECTRA and KEPPEL.
At 1315 hours
arrived at Rosyth for refit.
16th - Taken in
hand for refit at Rosyth. Fire -Control
Radar Type 284 fitted for forward main
armament. (For details of development and
use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D
Howse.)
February
Under refit Newly
developed aircraft warning radar Type 79B
using only one mast fitted. Followed by a
successful sea trial at the end of the
refit.
March
Under refit
18th - At 1600
hours on completion of refit sailed from
Rosyth to RV with battleship QUEEN
ELIZABETH in the Pentland Firth. (This
deployment was because German battlecruisers
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU were attacking
shipping off Newfoundland)
19th - At 0630
hours north of Dunnet Head, HOOD RVed with
battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH, cruiser LONDON
and destroyers ARROW, ECHO, ECLIPSE,
ELECTRA, ESKIMO and INGLEFIELD. Following
which LONDON detached, and the force set
course north westerly to RV with the CinC
Home Fleet in NELSON.
20th - At 1030
hours in position 62-50N, 14-40W the HOOD
force RVed with battleship NELSON CinC HF,
cruiser NIGERIA and destroyers ACTIVE,
BOADICEA, COSSACK, ESCAPADE, MAORI and
ZULU. The HOOD force were instructed to
operate 30 miles to the southward of the
NELSON force (At 2042/21/3/41 the
Admiralty signalled the CinC HF that the
German ships had been sighted by a
Swordfish from aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL,
600 miles WNW of Cape Finisterre.
At 0107/22/3/41
the Admiralty signalled the CinC HF that
if the HOOD had sufficient fuel, then she
plus any available cruisers should proceed
to patrol to the westward of the Bay of
Biscay)
21st - At 2000
hours the fuel state of the HOOD force
was, HOOD 62%, QUEEN ELIZABETH 57% and the
destroyers 48%.
22nd - At 0431
hours CinC HF signalled the Admiralty;
‘Consider HOOD should complete with fuel.
She has had no opportunity to work up
after long refit and many changes in
personnel. Consider 48 hours most
desirable’ At 0730 hours the HOOD force
were in position 56-15N, 13-53W, course
045º and making 18 knots for Scapa Flow.
23rd - At 0658
hours arrived at Scapa Flow in company
with QUEEN ELIZABETH, INGLEFIELD, ELECTRA,
ESKIMO, and ECHO.
25th - At 1645
signalled CinC HF that full power trial
was satisfactory.
28th - At 0600
hours sailed from Scapa Flow escorted by
destroyers ELECTRA, ESCAPADE and TARTAR to
operate generally in the vicinity of OG,
HG, and SL convoy routes between the
latitude of Ushant and Lisbon to guard
against an attack by the German battlecruisers
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU.
29th
- At 0900 hours in position 56-32N,
15-02W, cruisers NIGERIA and FIJI joined
and
ELECTRA, ESCAPADE
and TARTAR detached for Londonderry. HOOD,
NIGERIA and FIJI then proceeded to the
patrol area.
April
4th - At 0645
hours In position 52N, 22W, RVed with
battleship KING GEORGE V, cruiser LONDON
and destroyers BEDOUIN, MASHONA, MATABELE
and SOMALI. BC 1 in HOOD reported that no
ships had been sighted since 28/3/41 when
they had cleared land and that their
operational area had been in the region of
43N, 18W. The HOOD force then cleared the
area and set course for Scapa Flow.
6th - At 0815
hours arrived at Scapa Flow escorted by
destroyers ELECTRA, ESCAPADE, and TARTAR.
(At
0900/6/4/41 the CinC HF in KING GEORGE V
divided the area off Brest into 4
sectors A to D each 15º between bearings
213º and 273º, mean distance from Brest
560 miles.
At
1535/6/4/41 the Admiralty signalled
“Consider battlecruisers will probably
leave Brest tonight”. This was because
the GNEISENAU had moved out of dry dock
into the inner harbour; which was in
fact due to a 250lb UXB in the dock.)
At 1946 hours
sailed from Scapa Flow escorted by
destroyers ZULU, MAORI and ARROW and
sailed for position 50N, 20W in sector C
off Brest.
(At
0602/7/4/41 GNEISENAU was hit in the
stern, and put out of action for 7
months, by a torpedo dropped by Bristol
Beaufort OA-X of 22 Squadron RAF flown
by F.O. Kenneth Campbell, who was
posthumously awarded the VC. However,
this was not known to the Admiralty for
some time)
8th - At 0800
hours arrived at position 54N, 15-30W to
commence patrol.
8th - At 1200
hours in position 50N, 21W RVed with
cruiser KENYA.
10th - Destroyers
ARROW and COSSACK detached to refuel at
Londonderry.
11th - At 0800
hours the refuelled destroyers ARROW and
COSSACK from Londonderry rejoined.
Following which destroyers MAORI and ZULU
detached to refuel at Londonderry
13th - The
refuelled destroyers MAORI and ZULU from
Londonderry rejoined.
15th - At 0630
hours arrived back at Scapa Flow escorted
by destroyers COSSACK, ZULU, and MAORI.
ARROW, who was unable to maintain the
speed and had been detached, arrived at
Scapa Flow later.
18th - At 1645
hours sailed from Scapa Flow in company
with cruiser KENYA and destroyers COSSACK,
MAORI and ZULU for the Biscay patrol to
relieve KING GEORGE V.
19th - At 0120
hours following Admiralty order the HOOD
force were diverted to Hvalfjord. (This
deployment was to counter any attempt by
the German battleship BISMARCK to break
out into the Atlantic. Following a report
of a German force passing through the
Skagerrak)
21st - At 1000
hours arrived at Hvalfjord in company with
COSSACK, INGLEFIELD, MAORI and ZULU.
24th - At
Hvalfjord where the BC 1 in HOOD signalled
the Admiralty that he was concerned about
the security of the harbour from U-Boat
attack.
28th -
battlecruiser HOOD and destroyers ECHO,
ACTIVE, ACHATES, and ANTHONY departed
Hvalfjord to provide cover for convoys HX
122, escorted by AMC ALAUNIA, and SC 29,
escorted by AMC RANPURA.
30th - In
approximate position 56N, 33W the HOOD
force sighted convoy SC 29 and signals
were exchanged with the RANPURA. HX 122
was near by.
May
2nd - At 1900
hours in approximate position 57N, 22W,
HOOD, ECHO, ACTIVE, ANTHONY, and ACHATES
parted company with SC 29 following an
order to return to Scapa Flow. They set
course for Hvalfjord to refuel.
3rd - At 2350
hours arrived at Hvalfjord to refuel.
4th - At 1800
hours sailed from Hvalfjord escorted by
ACTIVE, ANTHONY, and ACHATES.
6th - At 1300
hours arrived at Scapa Flow in company
with ACTIVE, ANTHONY, and ACHATES.
8th - At Scapa
Flow. In the PM the flag of Vice Admiral
Whitworth was struck
12th - At Scapa
Flow. In the AM the flag of Vice Admiral
Holland was hoisted in HOOD and VA Holland
became FO BC 1 and second in command of
the HF.
22nd - At 0100
hours sailed from Scapa Flow in company
with battleship PRINCE OF WALES and
destroyers ACHATES, ANTELOPE, ANTHONY,
ECHO, ELECTRA, and ICARUS to cover cruiser
on patrol in the Denmark Strait. (This
deployment followed receipt of a report
that the BISMARCK and PRINZ EUGEN had left
Bergen)
23rd - At 1939
hours when south of Iceland the HOOD force
altered course, following receipt of Enemy
Sighting Report from cruiser SUFFOLK in
the Denmark Strait, to achieve an
interception course with the German
battleship BISMARCK and the cruiser PRINZ
EUGEN.
24th - At 0400
hours due to the pounding from the seas
the destroyers were given permission to
reduce speed, following which they fell
behind the capital ships.
At 0552 hours at a
range of about 25.000 yards HOOD opened
fire on the leading German ship which
happened to be the PRINZ EUGEN.
At 0600 hours HOOD
was hit after the fifth salvo of return
fire, following which she blew up and sank
within 3 to 4 minutes.
(Note: Loss was
due to design weakness which gave
inadequate armour protection against
plunging shells. See BRITISH BATTLESHIPS.)
Destroyer ELECTRA
rescued the only three survivors out of a
total complement of over 1,418 on board. (Casualty
List
- note
on
casualties)
(For further
details see PURSUIT by L K Kennedy,
BATTLESHIP BISMARCK by Müllenheim Rechberg
and The Naval Staff History.)