1 9 3 9
September
3rd
Serving with Mediterranean Fleet at
Alexandria and
exercising in the eastern
Mediterranean.
October
Deployed
in Indian Ocean with HM Battleship MALAYA
and HM Destroyer BULLDOG
in Hunting Force
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C.
Barnett).
(Note : During
this period boiler tubes were replaced
during non-operational
flying periods.
November
Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
December
10th
At Colombo
29th
Passage with HM Cruiser KENT and French
cruiser SUFFREN to
rejoin Fleet in
the
Mediterranean.
1
9 4 0
January
Deployed with Mediterranean
Fleet and prepared for refit.
17th
Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard,
Malta.
February
Under refit
to
Post refit trials.
March
April
Planned work-up with HM
Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL in eastern
Mediterranean
cancelled after
German invasion of Norway.
14th
Passage to Clyde with HM Australian
Destroyer STUART for
deployment with the
Home Fleet off
Norway (Operation RUPERT/R4).
19th
Nomination for cover of Trondheim landings
(Operation HAMMER)
cancelled.
21st
Sailed from Clyde to rejoin Fleet.
22nd . Embarked
RAF GLADIATOR aircraft, previously based
at Filton,
Bristol.
23rd
Took passage from Scapa Flow with HMS ARK
ROYAL, HM Cruiser
BERWICK and
HM AA Cruiser
CURLEW, screened by HM Destroyers
FEARLESS, FURY, HASTY,
HEREWARD,
HYPERION and JUNO to relieve HM Aircraft
Carrier FURIOUS at
Narvik
(Operation DX)
(Note : HMS
CURLEW was fitted with aircraft warning
radar equipment.
This was the
first RN multi-carrier operation).
24th
Commenced air operations in support of
military.
GLADIATOR
aircraft flew off to establish airfield on
frozen lake in Romsdal
valley.
25th
Aircraft operations in support of military
and for shipping
attacks.
to
Four SKUA aircraft lost but crews
recovered.
26th
Operation extended 24 hours.
New screen
provided comprising HM Destroyers BEAGLE,
ENCOUNTER,
ESCORT, FORTUNE,
GRENADE and VOLUNTEER.
27th
Returned to Scapa escorted by HM
Destroyers BEAGLE, ENCOUNTER,
ESCORT,
FURY, GRENADE, HASTY and VOLUNTEER to
refuel and re-arm.
30th
Sailed for Narvik after delay due to bad
weather without all
expected number
of replacement
aircraft embarked.
Escort Included
HM Destroyers ACHERON, ANTELOPE and
BEAGLE.
May
1st
Rejoined HMS ARK ROYAL and provided cover
for evacuations
at Andalsnes
and Molde.
Provided A/S patrols and air cover for
fleet and shipping protection.
Escorted HM
Battleship VALIANT with HM Cruiser
BERWICK.
Under heavy air
attacks.
2nd
Returned to Scapa Flow with HMS ARK ROYAL.
3rd
Aircraft landed prior to passage to Clyde.
4th
At Greenock to replenish and give leave.
14th
Sailed for Norway with HMS FURIOUS.
18th
Provided cover and Fleet protection with
HMS ARK ROYAL and
HMS FURIOUS.
(Note : This was
the first time 3 RN carriers operated
together).
21st
Landed GLADIATOR aircraft for operation
from shore.
Took passage to
Scapa Flow.
24th
Passage to Narvik area escorted by HM
Destroyers WREN, ARROW
and
HIGHLANDER
to resume flying
operations.
26th
Flew off RAF HURRICANE aircraft to operate
from airstrip at
Skaanland.
27th
Provided air cover during allied military
operations to
recapture Narvik.
28th
During continuation of air cover
intercepted enemy aircraft
at Narvik during
allied attack.
29th
Returned to Scapa Flow.
June
1st
Passage to Narvik with HMS ARK ROYAL
screened by HM
Destroyers ACASTA,
ARDENT, ACHERON,
DIANA and HIGHLANDER for support of
evacuation
(Operation
ALPHABET)
2nd
Deployed at Narvik to embark RAF GLADIATOR
aircraft.
3rd
Detached with HMS HIGHLANDER and laid off
Norwegian coast
to conserve fuel.
(Note : Owing to
lack of aircraft unable to take full part
in covering the
evacuation of
allied troops from Narvik with HMS ARK
ROYAL.
For details see
THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Jack Adams,
NARVIK by D
MacIntyre).
4th
Rejoined HMS ARK ROYAL.
6th
Launched SWORDFISH aircraft for bombing
attack on German HQ
at Hundallan.
Operation
aborted because of weather and aircraft
returned.
7th
Began to embark RAF HURRICANE aircraft
from shore for
passage to UK.
8th
On completion of recovery of RAF aircraft
approval given to
return to Scapa
Flow to prepare
for courts martial.
Sailed for UK at
0253 escorted by HM Destroyers ACASTA and
ARDENT.
Intercepted by
German battleships SCHARNHORST and
GNEISENAU.
In brief
engagement all three British warships were
sunk. (Casualty
List - note
on
casualties)
(For further
details See CARRIER GLORIOUS by John
Winton, THE DOOMED
EXPEDITION
by J Adams and
Naval Staff History).
(Note ; The loss
of these ships was the subject of an
Inquiry.
Among the
various factors leading to this loss was
the failure to ensure
aircraft were
available for reconnaissance and the
wisdom of allowing
the ship to make
an independent passage).
Addendum
1938-1940 MOVEMENTS
of
HMS GLORIOUS
by
Don Kindell
|
1938
|
|
Devonport
|
3
Nov
37
to
15
Jan 38
|
|
Weymouth
Bay
|
16
Jan
38
to
17
Jan 38
|
|
Gibraltar
|
21
Jan
38
to
21
Jan 38
|
|
Malta
|
24
Jan
38
to
7
Feb 38
|
|
Alexandria
|
12
Feb
38
to
21
Feb 38
|
|
Malta
|
25
Feb
38
to
3
Mar 38
|
|
Gibraltar
(exercises)
|
7
Mar 38 to 25 Mar 38
|
|
Malta
|
27
Mar 38 to 16 May 38
|
|
Golfe
Juan,
France
|
18
May 38 to
24
May 38
|
|
Ajaccio,
Corsica
|
25
May 38 to
29
May 38
|
|
Malta
|
31
May 38 to
27
Jul 38
|
|
Crkvenica,
Yugoslavia
|
24
Jul
38
to
1
Aug 38
|
|
Argostoli,
Greece
|
3
Aug
38
to
11
Aug 38
|
|
Patras,
Greece
|
12
Aug
38
to
23
Aug 38
|
|
Malta
|
25
Aug
38
to
16
Sep 38
|
|
Vatika
Bay,
Greece
|
18
Sep
38
to
21
Sep 38
|
|
Alexandria
|
23
Sep
38
to
5
Nov 38
|
|
|
|
|
1939
|
|
Malta
|
9
Nov
38
to
23
Jan 39
|
|
Alexandria
|
27
Jan
39
to
16
Feb 39
|
|
Malta
|
20
Feb
39
to
23
Feb 39
|
|
Gibraltar
|
27
Feb 39 to 18 Mar 39
|
|
Malta
|
20
Mar 39 to 26 Apr 39
|
|
Alexandria
|
28
Apr
39
to 12 May 39
|
|
Malta
|
14
May 39 to
6
June 39
|
|
Alexandria
|
9
Jun
39
to
4
Jul 39
|
|
Phalerum
Bay,
Greece
|
7
Jul
39
to
14
Jul 39
|
|
Milos,
Greece
|
15
Jul
39
to
18
Jul 39
|
|
Suda
Bay,
Crete
|
20
Jul
39
to
24
Jul 39
|
|
Alexandria
|
27
Jul
39
to
9
Aug 39
|
|
Limassol,
Cyprus
|
11
Aug
39
to
14
Aug 39
|
|
Alexandria
|
15
Aug
39
to
11
Sep 39
|
|
East Mediterranean
|
11
Sep
39
to
16
Sep 39
|
|
Alexandria
|
16
Sep
39
to
9
Oct 39
|
|
Aden
|
13
Oct
39
to
13
Oct 39
|
|
Socotra
area
|
15
Oct
39
to
6
Dec 39
|
|
Colombo,
Ceylon
|
10
Dec 39 to 18 Dec 39
|
|
Trincomalee,
Ceylon
|
21
Dec
39
to
29
Dec 39
|
|
Colombo,
Ceylon
|
30
Dec
39
to
31
Dec 39
|
|
|
|
|
1940
|
|
Aden
|
7
Jan
40
to
7
Jan 40
|
|
Suez
|
9
Jan
40
to
9
Jan 40
|
|
Alexandria
|
11
Jan
40
to
13
Jan 40
|
|
Malta
|
17
Jan
40
to
25
Mar 40
|
