1 9 3 9
September
Deployed with Mediterranean Fleet
for Contraband Control duties based at
Toulon.
to
Nominated for
transfer to Home Waters.
December
1
9 4 0
January
Passage
to Scapa
Flow to
Join Home Fleet.
February
Deployed in Horns Waters for
aircrew training.
to
March
April
Deployed at Scapa Flow
with Home Fleet after German invasion
of Norway.
May
Not deployed with Fleet
off Norway and remained in NW
Approaches.
June
Deployed in NW
Approaches for convoy defence duties.
July
Detached for delivery
of aircraft for transfer to Middle
East from Takoradi.
Passage to Takoradi
and returned to UK
Embarked
aircraft for delivery to Malta and
took passage to Gibraltar.
31st
Sailed for Malta escorted by HM
Destroyers HOTSPUR, ENCOUNTER, GALLANT
and
GREYHOUND
covered by HM Cruiser ARETHUSA, HM
Battleships VALIANT and
RESOLUTION
screened by HM Destroyers ESCAPADE and
VELOX of Force H.
(Operation
HURRY).
(See THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D MacIntyre.)
August
4th
Passage to Liverpool from Gibraltar
with HMS VALIANT screened by HM
Destroyers
FAULKNOR and
FORESTER on completion of HURRY.
Rejoined Home
Fleet after passage from Liverpool.
September
Deployed in NW Approaches for
anti-submarine patrols and convoy
defence.
Carried out
aircraft delivery to Freetown.
October
2nd
Under attack by Italian submarine
which
failed.
November
Detached from Hone Fleet for
aircraft
delivery.
Embarked two
SKUA and twelve HURRICANE aircraft for
delivery to Malta and took
passage to
Gibraltar.
15th
Sailed from Gibraltar escorted by HM
Cruiser DESPATCH and HM Destroyers
DUNCAN,
WISHART and FURY
(Operation WHITE).
17th
Aircraft launched west of Sicilian
Narrows but only one SKUA and four HURRICANE
aircraft
arrived. Diversionary operation by HM
Aircraft
Carrier ARK ROYAL had to
be
cancelled by bad weather which may
account for the losses
of aircraft.
19th
Return passage to UK on completion of
WHITE
December
Detached duty for aircraft
delivery in continuation.
19th
Joined military convoy WS5A in Clyde
for
passage to Freetown
with
replacement
aircraft
embarked for transfer to Middle East
from West Africa.
HM Aircraft
Carrier FURIOUS also joined convoy and
was carrying aircraft for
delivery to
West
Africa.
25th
With WS5A during attack by German
cruiser ADMIRAL HIPPER.
Launched
SWORDFISH aircraft to embark torpedoes
in HMS FURIOUS as only bombs
were being
carried on board.
Intended air
operations on German ship ware
cancelled by Admiralty.
1
9 4 1
January
6th
Convoy W55A arrived at Freetown.
After disembarking
aircraft took passage to UK
to resume Home Fleet duties.
February
Deployed with Home Fleet.
March
Detached for aircraft
delivery duties.
Embarked
aircraft for delivery to Malta and
took passage to Gibraltar.
April
1st
Arrived at Gibraltar and transferred
12 HURRICANE aircraft to HMS ARK ROYAL
for
delivery to Malta (Operation WINCH).
(Note: HMS ARK
ROYAL made a delivery of HURRICANE and
FULMAR aircraft
on 3rd.
One source
indicates HMS ARGUS was also involved
but is not confirmed.)
8th
Passage to UK
from Gibraltar.
May
Detached
service for aircraft delivery in
continuation.
22nd
Joined military convoy WS8B in Clyde
for
part of passage to Gibraltar.
27th
Detached from WS8B for independent
passage to deliver replacement
aircraft.
June
Passage
from Gibraltar to UK after
disembarking aircraft.
(Note: An
aircraft delivery was carried out on
6th June by HM Aircraft Carrier
FURIOUS.
This may have included aircraft
delivered in May.
(Operation
ROCKET).
Resumed Home Fleet
duties.
July
Nominated for aircraft
delivery to North Russia.
August
Embarked HURRICANE aircraft
and took passage to Reykjavik.
26th
Sailed from Reykjavik
for aircraft delivery off North
Russia.
30th
Joined HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE, HM
Destroyers MATABELE, PUNJABI and
SOMALI
as escort
during passage
(Operation STRENGTH).
(Note: Cover was
provided by HM Aircraft Carrier
VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers SUFFOLK
and
DEVONSHIRE, HM Destroyers ECLIPSE ,
ESCAPADE and
INGLEFIELD.)
September
7th
Launched aircraft and took return
passage to Scapa Flow.
Embarked aircraft
for delivery to Gibraltar
after return to UK.
30th
Joined military convoy WS12 in Clyde
for
part of passage to Gibraltar.
October
5th
Detached from WS12 with HM Destroyer
SIKH as escort for
passage to Gibraltar
November
Disembarked aircraft on arrival
and returned to UK.
Detached service
for aircraft transport in
continuation.
Embarked
aircraft for delivery to Malta and
took passage to Gibraltar.
7th
At Gibraltar.
9th
Passage for aircraft delivery escorted
by HMS ARK ROYAL, HM
Battleship MALAYA,
HM Cruiser
HERMIONE with HM Destroyers LAFOREY,
LIGHTNING, SIKH, ZULU,
GURKHA and Dutch
ISAAC SWEERS (Operation PERPETUAL).
10th
Launched aircraft for delivery to
Malta from position west of Sicilian
Channel.
13th
During return passage HMS ARK ROYAL
was torpedoed in position
36.06N 05.07E by
U81. Carrier was
disabled and sank on 14th.
14th
Transferred to Force H in place of
HMS
ARK ROYAL pending arrival of
replacement.
December
Force H deployment at Gibraltar in
continuation.
1
9 4 2
January
Deployed at Gibraltar
with Force H.
February
Passage to UK with ships of Force H
for escort of military convoy in
Atlantic in
view of
threat posed by German warships
SCHARNHORST and
GNEISENAU then based
in Brest.
On arrival
embarked fighter aircraft for transfer
to Malta.
17th
Joined military convoy WS16 as part of
convoy which was
escorted by ships from
Force H
including HMS MALAYA, HM Aircraft
Carrier EAGLE (as the replacement for
HMS ARK ROYAL), HM
Cruiser HERMIONE screened by
destroyers from Gibraltar.
22nd
Detached from WS16 with Force H
ships.
24th
Arrived at Gibraltar.
27th
Deployed for aircraft delivery to Malta
with HMS EAGLE (Operation SPOTTER
I).
(Note: Escorted
by HMS MALAYA, HMS HERMIONE, LAFOREY,
LIGHTNING,
ANTHONY, ACTIVE,
WHITEHALL, WISHART, BLANKNEY, EXMOOR
and
CROOME.)
29th
Operation abandoned because of defects
in aircraft fuel
tanks.
Returned to Gibraltar.
March
6th
Resumed aircraft delivery with same
ships (Operation SPOTTER
).
8th
Returned to Gibraltar
on completion of SPOTTER II.
22 aircraft launched.
20th
Deployed for further aircraft delivery
with HMS EAGLE
(Operation PICKET I)
(Note: Escort
included HM Destroyers LAFOREY,
DUNCAN, ACTIVE, ANTHONY,
WHITEHALL, WISHART, BLANKNEY, EXMOOR
and
CROOME with same
covering
ships.)
23rd
Returned to Gibraltar
with same ships.
27th
Sailed with same ships for repeat
aircraft delivery (Operation PICKET
II).
30th
Returned to Gibraltar on completion of
PICKET II
Released from
detached service with Force H.
April
Resumed
Home Fleet duties on arrival from
detached service.
May
Detached for further
aircraft delivery and embarked
SPITFIRE aircraft.
Took passage to Gibraltar
with aircraft for delivery to Malta.
15th
At Gibraltar.
17th
Deployed with HMS EAGLE for aircraft
delivery, covered by HM
Cruiser CHARYBDIS
screened by
HM Destroyers PARTRIDGE, ITHURIEL,
ANTHONY,
WISHART, WESTCOTT
and
WRESTLER
(Operation
LB).
20th
Returned to Gibraltar
after successful launching.
Passage to UK
to embark aircraft for delivery to
Malta.
June
1st
Joined military convoy WS19P in Clyde
for
passage in NW Approaches.
5th
Detached from WS19P and made
independent passage to Gibraltar.
9th
Deployed at Gibraltar for temporary
duty with Force H after aircraft had
been
disembarked.
10th
Sailed from Gibraltar with HM Aircraft
Carrier EAGLE, HM Battleship MALAYA,
HM Cruisers CAIRO and CHARYBDIS of
Force H designated as Force T.
11th
Joined Malta Relief convoy in western
Mediterranean
to provide cover for its
passage to
Sicilian Narrows with HM Cruisers
KENYA and LIVERPOOL
which were
part of
escort from UK. Redesignated
Force
W and screened by HM Destroyers
ONSLOW, ICARUS,
ESCAPADE, WISHART, WESTCOTT, WRESTLER,
ANTELOPE
and
VIDETTE.
(Operation
HARPOON. See THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN and ENGAGE
THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY.)
14th
Detached from HARPOON off Bizerta
with ships of Force W.
(Note: Close
escort for passage through Sicilian
Narrows provided by Force X.
See above
references.)
15th
Deployed with Force W to west of
Sicilian Narrows to cover return
passage to
Gibraltar of
Force X.
16th
Returned to Gibraltar with HMS MALAYA.
HM Destroyers ESCAPADE, VIDETTE,
WISHART and
WRESTLER. Remaining ships of
Force W remained in
area.
17th
Arrived at Gibraltar.
22nd
Return passage to UK to resumed Home
Fleet duties.
(Note: During
this deployment it was evident that
the ship was not suitable for
Fleet use when
large scale air and surface attacks
were likely.)
July
Deployed with Home
Fleet whilst future deployment under
consideration.
August
5th
Took part in multi-carrier exercise in
Atlantic with
HM Aircraft Carriers EAGLE,
FURIOUS,
INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS (Exercise
BERSERK)
(Note: To
practice procedures for use by Fleet
Carriers during Operation PEDESTAL)
8th
Believed in Gibraltar after BERSERK
for several days and supplied FURIOUS
with aircraft
for
operation BARITONE. Followed by return
passage to
Scapa Flow.
September Home
Fleet
deployment in continuation at Scapa
Flow.
October
Nominated for support of
planned allied landings in North
Africa with ships of
the Home
Fleet. Took
passage from Scapa
Flow to Gibraltar.
(For details see
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Bamett
and
the Naval
Staff History.)
November
Joined Central Task Force at Gibraltar
for
support of landings,
(Operation TORCH
- HMS FURIOUS and Five escort aircraft
carriers were also
used
as well as
cover by
major warships from Home Fleet and
Force H.)
7th
Passage to beachhead area with HMS
FURIOUS.
(Note: Attack by
U8l failed. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by
C Blair.)
8th
Provided air support during landings
at Oran.
10th
Attack by U561 failed. See above
reference.
11th
Provided air support during landings
at Bougie.
Came under air
attack and sustained damage.
12th
Passage to UK as part of escort for
Convoy MKF1 with HM Escort Aircraft
Carrier AVENGER
and HM Destroyer WRESTLER and four
other
destroyers.
15th
Convoy MKF1 under attack by U98 which
was sunk by HMS
WRESTLER.
(See U-BOATS DESTROYED
by P Kemp and above reference.)
HMS AVENGER sunk
by U135. See WARSHIP LOSSES IN WW2 by
D Brown.
On arrival in UK resumed Home Fleet
duties
December
Home Fleet
duties
1
9 4 3
January
Withdrawn from operational
duties and nominated for aircrew
training and trials.
February
Deployed in Home Waters for
training and trials.
to
December
(Note: During November 835 Squadron
aircraft carried cut trials on new
design
'Bouncing Bomb'
for use against ship targets such as
TIRPITZ. The weapon
was never
introduced.)
Aircrew training
and trials duties in continuation.
Nominated for
withdrawal from sea service and to be
deployed as an Accommodation
Ship. Reduced
to Reserve status.
1
9 4 4
In reserve
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed in Nore Command as an
Accommodation Ship
to
August
