1 9 4 0
October Acceptance
trials and commissioning. Second
aircraft carrier fitted with
aircraft warning radar
(Type 279).
(For details of
development and use of radar by RN See RADAR AT SEA
by D Howse).
November Joined Home Fleet and worked up
24th Deployed in Force C at Freetown with HM Cruiser
NORFOLK for convoy
defence and interception of supply ships and commerce
raiders.
December Searched for German battleship
SCHEER and other commerce raiders in Atlantic.
(See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).
1 9 4 1
January Transferred to Mediterranean
to replace HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS
which had been seriously damaged in air attacks.
(See THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre).
Took passage to Alexandria via Cape of Good Hope.
February Deployed with East Indies Fleet
for support of military operations in Somaliland.
Air minelays carried out off Mogadishu (Operation BREACH).
March On release from BREACH
continued passage to Suez.
10th Joined Mediterranean Fleet after delay
due mines which had closed Suez Canal.
20th Deployed with HM Battleships BARHAM, VALIANT and WARSPITE, HM
Cruisers
GLOUCESTER,
YORK and destroyer screen to cover passage of Convoy
MW6.
(Operation MC9)
27th Joined HMS WARSPITE and HMS BARHAM to intercept Italian
Fleet.
28th Successful torpedo attacks on Italian cruisers resulted in
Battle of Matapan.
(See MATAPAN by
SW Pack and Naval Staff History).
29th Broke up air attacks on Fleet during
passage back to Alexandria.
April Deployed with Fleet to
cover passage of Convoy ME7.
21st Provided cover during Fleet bombardment of Tripoli escorted
by HM Cruisers
ORION, PERTH (RAN), AJAX and 4 Fleet destroyers (Force
C).
Aircraft
illuminated shore targets (Operation MD2).
22nd Aircraft shot down two Ju88 when Fleet was attacked on return
passage.
May
10th Joined Fleet operation to cover transit of Convoy MW7 from
Alexandria and
passage of military convoy from Sicilian Channel (Operation
TIGER).
20th Lack of fighter aircraft delayed sailing to assist in defence
of Crete.
26th Under sustained air attacks during passage to launch strikes
on Scarpanto
airfield. Major structural damage including X
Turret and Flight Deck
equipment.
(For details of
naval activities in the Mediterranean see THE BATTLE FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN and Naval Staff History.)
June Passage
to USA via Cape of Good Hope for repair.
July Under repair
to Preparations for
installation of additional radars carried out.
November (See
RADAR AT SEA).
December Post refit
trials.
Joint
passage to UK with HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS.
12th In collision with
ILLUSTRIOUS whilst on passage (see Addendum).
1 9 4 2
January Returned to UK to prepare for
service with Eastern Fleet.
(Note : Radar Type 281 to replace Type 279 installed after
arrival).
Two fire control
radars Type 265 fitted for anti-aircraft mountings).
Sea trials on radar equipments.
February
15th Passage to Indian Ocean as part of escort for military convoy
to Middle
East via Cape of Good Hope.
(Note : CinC Designate, Eastern
Fleet, Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville
embarked to take up appointment).
March
2nd Sailed from Freetown.
10th Arrived at Capetown.
26th Joined Eastern Fleet.
(Note : This ship was in need of extensive training of air
group before she could
be an effective fighting unit).
31st Deployed with HMS
WARSPITE, HM Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE,
HM Cruisers
CORNWALL,
EMERALD and ENTERPRISE as Force A.
Searched for Japanese force reported on passage towards Ceylon.
Damaged
propeller and withdrawn from search
April Under
repair at Bombay.
23rd On completion of repair took passage to rejoin Fleet at Mombasa.
(For details of
naval activities in Indian Ocean in 1942 see RELUCTANT ENEMIES
by W Tute,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett.
THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET by J Winton, OPERATION PACIFIC by Edwin
Gray and
Naval Staff History.
May
5th Deployed NE of Madagascar to provide cover against Japanese
air attacks during
the landings. (Operation IRONCLAD - See above references)).
MARTLET aircraft
shot down Japanese HK6 seaplane after detection by radar
during passage to refuel in Seychelles.
10th Based at Kilindini for convoy defence
and operational sweeps in Indian Ocean.
29th Took part in Fleet training with HM Battleship WARSPITE, HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS and
HM Cruiser
GAMBIA during passage to Ceylon from Kilindini.
June Convoy
defence and interception duty with Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean.
to
July
August Aircraft intercepted and
destroyed Japanese Flying Boat in Indian Ocean.
24th Transferred to Mediterranean to replace HMS INDOMITABLE and
took
passage to UK.
September Embarked SEAFIRE aircraft before
sailing to Mediterranean.
October Aircraft Direction facilities
provided to improve control of aircraft by use of
radio telephone based on radar information.
30th Sailed for Gibraltar to provide air cover during planned
landings in North Africa.
(Operation TORCH
- See above references and Naval Staff History).
November Passage
to Gibraltar
Deployed
with HMS VICTORIOUS and HMS FURIOUS in Force H on arrival
at Gibraltar.
8th Deployed 30 miles north of Algiers to
provide air cover during landings
13th Aircraft destroyed shore battery on Cape Matifu.
17th Aircraft of 820 Squadron sank U331 in position 37.05N 2.24E
(NW Algiers).
(Note : Submarine had already been under attack by aircraft
of 500 Bomber Sqdn,
RAF and
surrendered but this was not known by pilots of 820 Squadron.
December Deployed in western Mediterranean
in support of military operations and for
defence of military
convoys.
1 9 4 3
January Convoy defence in western
Atlantic and Mediterranean including Convoy KMF3.
February Western
Mediterranean deployment in continuation.
March Based at Algiers in
continuation and for interception of enemy supply convoys.
April
5th Transferred to Alexandria for convoy
defence in Eastern Mediterranean.
May Convoy defence and
support of military operations.
to
June
July Carried out
diversionary operation north of Crete and covered passage of convoys
to Central Mediterranean for planned assault landings.
7th Sailed from Malta with HM Battleships VALIANT and WARSPITE
escorted by HM Cruisers
AURORA and
PENELOPE screened by six destroyers. Deployed in Tyrrhenian Sea to
provided cover for military convoys from Alexandria during
on passage in eastern
Mediterranean for assault landings.
8th Under air attacks
9th Joined HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY and HM Fleet Aircraft
Carrier
INDOMITABLE, HM
Cruisers AURORA and PENELOPE in Gulf of Sirte to
cover the
assault phase of Sicily invasion against interference from
Italian surface units.
(Operation
HUSKY) - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval
Staff History).
10th Provided air cover during landings and
build-up phases.
to
14th
15th Under attacks by Italian torpedo bombers during which HMS
INDOMITABLE was
hit and had to be withdrawn from operation (See RADAR AT
SEA).
August Based in Malta and provided
air cover for ships deployed off Sicily.
September Support of military operations in
continuation.
8th Joined covering force with HMS NELSON, HMS RODNEY, HMS
WARSPITE, HMS
VALIANT and HMS ILLUSTRIOUS for air defence during landings at
Salerno.
(Operation AVALANCHE
- See above references).
(HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
had replaced HMS INDOMITABLE - See above)
October Deployed in support of
military operations off Italian coast.
Released from
Mediterranean operations and took passage to UK.
November Deployed with Home Fleet
2nd Provided Distant Cover for return
Convoy RA54 from Kola Inlet with HM
Battleship
ANSON, HM Cruisers JAMAICA screened by HM Destroyers ONSLOW,
VENUS,
HAIDA (RCN), Norwegian STORD, US destroyers USS CAPPS and USS
HOBSON.
December Home Fleet deployment in
continuation
1 9 4 4
January Passage to UK for refit.
February Under
refit.
to Aircraft warning
radar equipment modernised (Radar Types 281B and 79B fitted
April in
order to provide efficient cover at all altitudes.
Surface warning
radar fitted (Type 277 - See RADAR AT SEA).
May Post refit trials
June On completion embarked
aircraft and prepared for operational service.
July Deployed with Home
Fleet based at Scapa Flow.
17th Launched unsuccessful air attacks on German battleship
TIRPITZ in Altenfjord
with HM Aircraft Carriers INDEFATIGABLE and FURIOUS covered
by HM Battleship
DUKE OF YORK. Target was obscured by smoke screen after
early warning of
approach.
(Operation
MASCOT - See CONVOY ! by P Kemp).
August Home
Fleet deployment in continuation.
Prepared for air attacks on TIRPITZ (Operation GOODWOOD Series).
22nd Repeated air attacks on TIRPITZ with HMS FURIOUS, HMS
INDEFATIGABLE and
HM Escort Carrier NABOB. These were unsuccessful due to
weather conditions.
24th Further air attacks on TIRPITZ with HMS FURIOUS and HMS
INDEFATIGABLE.
Two hits were
reported.
29th Unsuccessful air attacks on TIRPITZ with HMS INDEFATIGABLE.
(Note : The lack of significant success by Fleet Air Arm
attacks resulted in the
decision to use heavy bombers for this task).
No official
record of Battle Honour NORWAY 1944 can be traced for either
September
Nominated for service with
British Pacific Fleet after refit.
October Taken in hand for refit at
Gibraltar with extensive machinery repair carried out.
November Under
refit.
to
December
1 9 4 5.
January Post refit
trials.
February Passage to join 5th US Fleet for
air operations in Pacific.
March
10th Arrived at Sydney.
Passage to Manus to join British Pacific Fleet.
April
4th Arrived Leyte for Joint RN/USN
flying operations in Task Force 57.
(Task Force 57 comprised :-
HM Battleships
KING GEORGE V and Howe - Task Group 57.1.
HM Aircraft
Carriers INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS, ILLUSTRIOUS and
INDEFATIGABLE - Task Group 57.2.
HM Cruisers
SWIFTSURE, GAMBIA (RNZN), BLACK PRINCE and ARGONAUT
-Task Group 57-3
HM Cruiser
EURYALUS, HM Destroyers GRENVILLE, ULSTER, UNDINE,
URANIA,
UNDAUNTED, WHELP and WAGER, HM Australian
Destroyers
QUICKMATCH, QUIBERON, QUEENBOROUGH and
QUALITY - Task Group 57.8.
14th Joined HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS,
ILLUSTRIOUS and
INDEFATIGABLE in Task Group 57.2 as replacement for HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS.
Took part in air
operations to neutralise Japanese airfields in Sakishima
Gunto
Group during US landings in Okinawa.
(Operation
ICEBERG I- For details see TASK FORCE 57 by Peter C Smith,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET BY J Winton
and Naval Staff History).
Under sustained
'suicide' aerial attacks by BAKA piloted bombs.
20th Withdrew from operational area with
ships of Task Force 57.
23rd Arrived at Leyte
for R&R period.
May
1st Sailed for operational area with
ships of Task Force 57.
(Note: HM
Cruisers EURYALUS and UGANDA (RCN) had joined Task Group 57.5
in place of HMS ARGONAUT.
Task Group 57.8
then comprised HM Destroyers GRENVILLE,
URSA, UNDINE,
URCHIN, URANIA, UNDAUNTED, KEMPENFELT,
WHIRLWIND,
WESSEX and HM Australian Destroyers
QUIBERON, QUEENBOROUGH, QUICKMATCH and QUALITY.
4th Resumed flying operations off Sakishima
Gunto.
(Operation ICEBERG II - See above references).
Provided air
cover and fall of shot spotting during bombardment of airfields by
HM Battleships
KING GEORGE V and HOWE.
During sustained
KAMIKAZE attacks aircraft crashed on flight deck.
Bomb detonated
abreast Island structure.
11 aircraft
destroyed and Boiler Room damage reduced speed to 18 knots.
Casualties
included 3 killed and 47 wounded).
Note: Cruisers
of TF57 had been detached with HM Battleships KING GEORGE V
and HOWE to carry out bombardment of airfields at Miyagi and
their AA
weapons could have provided
additional protection to the three aircraft
carriers. (See THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
HELLCAT aircraft
approaching to land-on during the KAMIKAZE attack was
shot down by close range 20mm Oerlikon (See ALARM STARBOARD
by
G Brooke).
5th Full power restored.
Joint flying
operations with US carriers and bombardments continued.
9th Sustained further damage after hit by KAMIKAZE aircraft
during renewed operations
in Sakishima Gunto
Group. One fatal casualty.
(For full details see A FORMIDABLE COMMISSION and above
references).
18th Fire in hangar after CORSAIR aircraft accidentally fired guns
during refuelling.
30 aircraft were
destroyed or made unusable in this conflagration.
19th Resumed air operations on Sakishima
Gunto despite shortage of aircraft.
22nd Detached before completion of operations and left operational
area for passage to
Manus escorted
by HM Destroyers KEMPENFELT and WHIRLWIND.
June On completion of
temporary repair at Manus took passage to Sydney
Repair and R&R in Sydney.
July Redeployed with HM
Aircraft Carriers IMPLACABLE and VICTORIOUS as part of US
3rd Fleet in Task Force 37.
(Note : US Naval Command structure had been changed and
British Pacific Fleet
was redesignated as Task Force
37).
Force 37
comprised:-
HM Battleship
KING GEORGE V (Flagship of Vice Admiral, British Pacific Fleet.
HM Aircraft Carriers FORMIDABLE (Flagship), VICTORIOUS and
IMPLACABLE.
(Note : HMS IMPLACABLE was delayed by defect from sailing
from Manus).
HM Cruisers
NEWFOUNDLAND (Flagship), BLACK PRINCE, EURYALUS,
UGANDA (RCN) and GAMBIA. HM
Destroyers GRENVILLE, UNDINE, URANIA,
URCHIN, ULYSSES,
UNDAUNTED, QUIBERON (RAN), QUICKMATCH (RAN),
QUEENBOROUGH
(RAN), QUALITY (RAN), TROUBRIDGE, TENACIOUS,
TERMAGANT, TERPSICHORE AND TEAZER.
6th Sailed with HMS VICTORIOUS and HMS
IMPLACABLE for operational area.
16th Joined ships of Third Fleet for Joint RN/USN attacks in Tokyo
and Yokohama area.
17th Carried out first British attacks on Japanese mainland and
provided air cover for
ships of TF37.
25th Combat Air Patrol (CAP) destroyed 3 AICHI torpedo bombers
when Task Force 37
on passage to refuel. One other was damaged.
(Note : HMCS UGANDA withdrew from operations on relief by HM
Cruiser ARGONAUT.
This was a
result of recent Canadian Government regulation about service
of Canadian personnel in the Japanese campaign
(See CANADIAN MILITARY HISTORY Vol.4 No.2).
August Deployed with US Task Group 38
Units for Joint air operations.
9th Attacked airfields and shipping in North Honshu and
Hokkaido with HMS VICTORIOUS
HMS INDEFATIGABLE and HMS IMPLACABLE. Cover was provided by
major RN units of
TF37.During an
attack on Onegawa a CORSAIR piloted by Lieut. Robert
Gray, DSC,
RCNVR bombed and sank the Japanese frigate AMAKUSA despite
extensive cross-fire
from other ships. For this feat of bravery which cost him
his life was awarded the VC
posthumously.
10th Air operations in continuation.
12th Returned to Manus with ships of British
Pacific Fleet to refuel.
(Note : Not transferred to Task Group Unit 38.5 with HMS
INDEFATIGABLE.
This was due to
the enforced withdrawal of TF37 ships because of a shortage of
fuel from British tankers - See above references and A
FORMIDABLE
COMMISSION).