1
9 4 0
January
Completion
date delayed to allow fitting of Type
79 radar.
to
March
April
Contractors
trials
20th
During departure from Barrow rammed
and
sank tug POOLGARTH
Passage to
Liverpool.
May
Docking
for underwater inspection at
Liverpool.
(Note: Phosphor
Bronze propellers fitted.)
24th
Final acceptance
trials.
(Note:
Excessive vibration was noted
particularly in the
Bridge Structure
This
problem was never completely resolved
during subsequent service.)
26th
Commissioned at
Portsmouth for service.
June
Embarked
aircraft and prepared for work-up.
Nominated for
service in Mediterranean.
July
Passage
to West Indies for work-up.
(Note:
Intention to carry out trials based at
Dakar was
changed after fall oi
France.)
On
completion of work-up took passage to
UK.
28th
Arrived in UK.
August
Short
refit at Clydebank before flying
exercises with squadrons embarked
(Note:
External DG Cable replaced by internal
wiring.
External
cable had been damage during Atlantic
passage.)
Passage
to Gibraltar
30th
Sailed from Gibraltar for transit of
Mediterranean in Force F with HM
Battleship
VALIANT,
HM Anti-Aircraft Cruiser CALCUTTA and
COVENTRY covered by
ships of
Force H to reinforce Mediterranean
Fleet at
Alexandria.
(Operation HATS).
(For
details of Mediterranean naval
activities in 1940-42 see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY
MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli
Barnett, THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN
by D MacIntyre
and Naval
Staff History).
September
2nd
Joined Mediterranean Fleet off Pantalleria
with Force F.
4th
Launched aircraft strike against
airfields at Maritza
and Callato
on Rhodes.
17th
Air minelay and shipping attacks in
Benghazi harbour.
Italian
destroyer BOREA was sunk.
(Operation
MD1 - This field later sank Italian
destroyer AQUILQNE and two supply
ships.
28th
Escorted HM Cruisers LIVERPOOL and
GLOUCESTER taking troops
to Malta
escorted by HM Battleships WARSPITE
and VALIANT.
Returned to
Alexandria.
October
8th
Deployed with HM Aircraft Carrier
EAGLE, HM Battleship MALAYA,
RAMILLIES,
VALIANT,
and WARSPITE, HM Cruisers AJAX,
GLOUCESTER, LIVERPOOL, ORION,
SYDNEY
(RAN) and YORK
screened
by HM Destroyers DAINTY, DECOY,
IMPERIAL,
JANUS,
JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK,
VAMPIRE
(RAN) and STUART (RAN) to provide
Distant Cover of
Convoys MF3 to Malta
and Convoy MF4 from Malta to
Egypt.
(Operation
MB6).
12th
Under attack by
Italian torpedo craft.
(Note:
Three enemy craft were sunk - See
BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN)
14th
Launched air attacks on Leros with HMS
EAGLE.
Returned to
Alexandria with Fleet units.
23rd
Carried out air minelay in Tobruk
harbour which was unsuccessful due to
shoals.
November
6th
Deployed with HM Battleships MALAYA,
RAMILLIES, VALIANT and WARSPITE,
HM
Cruisers
AJAX,
ORION, SYDNEY and YORK screened by
HM Destroyers
DECOY,
DEFENDER, HASTY, HERO, HAVOCK,
HEREWARD, HYPERION, ILEX,
JANUS,
JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK and NUBIAN to
give
Distant
Cover to passage
of Convoy
MW3 to Malta (Operation MB8).
9th
On arrival of convoy in Malta detached
with Fleet units to meet HM Battleship
BARHAM,
HM Cruisers BERWICK and GLASGOW, HM
Destroyers GALLANT,
GREYHOUND
and GRIFFIN which were on passage from
Gibraltar covered by
ships of
Force H to join the Fleet at
Alexandria (Operation
COAT).
10th
Detached from Fleet to carry cut air
attack on Italian Fleet at Taranto
11th
Outstandingly successful air attacks
during which the battleships LITTORIO,
CAIO
DUILIO
and CONTE DI CAVOUR were crippled
(Operation JUDGEMENT).
For
details see Naval Staff History.
25th
Deployed with HM Battleships WARSPITE
and VALIANT, HM Cruisers AJAX,
ORION
and SYDNEY screened by nine Fleet
destroyers as Force A for escort of
convoy to
Suda
Bay, Crete
(Operation MB9).
27th
Launched air attacks on Rhodes covered
by Force A ships.
29th
Returned to Alexandria covered passage
to Alexandria of Convoy ME40 with
ships of
Mediterranean Fleet (Operation COLLAR
- See THE
BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN
and
ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).)
(Note: HM
Cruisers MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON
joined the
Mediterranean
Fleet as part of
this Operation).
December
1st
Arrived at
Alexandria with Fleet units.
16th
Deployed with HM Battleships WARSPITE
and VALIANT, HM Cruisers AJAX.
GLOUCESTER,
ORION,
SYDNEY and YORK
screened by 11 Fleet destroyers
to provide
Distant Cover
for passage
of Convoy MW6 to Malta and transit
of HM
Battleship MALAYA
to return to Gibraltar (Operation
MG2 and
Operation HIDE.
See
above references).
17th
Detached to carry
out air strike on airfields in Stampalia
and Rhodes.
21st
Launched air attacks on Italian convoy
off Kerkennah
bound for Tripoli.
Two
of the three ships were sunk.
22nd
Joined Fleet units
covering passage of Convoy ME5 from
Malta to Egypt.
24th
Arrived at
Alexandria with Fleet units.
1
9 4 1
January
3rd
Provided air cover for HM Battleships
WARSPITE, BARHAM and VALIANT during
Fleet bombardment
of Bardia.
7th
Part of Force A with HMS WARSPITE and
VALIANT screened by HM Destroyers
DAINTY,
GALLANT,
GREYHOUND,
GRIFFIN, JERVIS, JUNO, MOHAWK and
NUBIAN
to provide Distant Cover for passage
of Malta Convoy MW5 ½
(Operation
MC4) .
10th
On arrival south of Malta took passage
with Force A to meet military convoy
on
passage
from Gibraltar to Alexandria
(Operation EXCESS)
Under
sustained air attack 60 miles west of
Malta by newly arrived German
Ju87
dive bombers
(See above
references).
Sustained major
damage from direct hits causing many
casualties.
Escorted by HM
Destroyers HASTY and JAGUAR to
Malta.
11th
Taken in hand for
temporary repair at Malta.
16th
Hit by two bombs
during air raid on Malta and
sustained further damage.
19th
Further damage caused by near miss
during air raid.
23rd
Sailed for Alexandria at 20 knots
escorted by HM Destroyers GREYHOUND),
JANUS,
JUNO and JERVIS.
25th
Arrived at Alexandria,
February
Under
repair.
Permanent
repair arranged in USA.
March
Repair
in continuation.
19th
Took passage to Durban for docking to
assess full extent of underwater and
other
structural
damage.
April
Passage
to Norfolk, Virginia.
May
12th
Taken in hand for
refit and permanent repairs at US
Navy Yard.
June
Under
repair.
to
(Note: Other work carried out included
installation of another aircraft lift
after
with
July
structural
modification to provide additional 50
ft of flight deck space, fit
of ten 20mm
Oerlikon guns to improve close range
AA defence
and
modification
of catapult to enable use by US built
aircraft.
August
New
Captain (Lord Louis Mountbatten) took
command but later relieved to become
Chief of Combined
Operations.
September
Under
repair.
October
Post
refit
trials.
November
28th
Passage to Jamaica
to embark 12 SWORDFISH aircraft and
carry out flying trials.
December
Took
joint
passage to UK with HM
Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE.
16th
In collision with
FORMIDABLE whilst on passage. (see Addendum)
1
9 4 2
January
Under
repair in Liverpool.
(Note:
Radar Type 79 was replaced by Type 281
during this
period.
(See
The Development and use of Radar
Equipment for the RN (Ed FA Kingsley
and
RADAR AT SEA
by D Howse).
February
Under
repair.
Nominated for
service with Eastern Fleet in Indian
Ocean.
March
On
completion embarked squadrons at Scapa
Flow and carried out flying trials.
23rd
Joined military convoy WS17 in Clyde
with HM Destroyers INCONSTANT, JAVELIN
and
PAKENHAM as Ocean Escort during
passage to Freetown.
31st
Detached from WS17 on arrival at
Freetown and took passage with same
destroyers to join
Force
F for planned landings in Madagascar.
(Note:
Damage caused by fire in hangar
was repaired at Freetown.)
April
Passage
from Freetown to Durban.
Nominated for
participation in planned landings at
Diego Suarez.
28th
Escorted Convoy Z to Madagascar with
HM
Battleship RAMILLIES, HM Cruiser
HERMIONE
and screen of 6 Fleet destroyers
May
Deployed
east of Madagascar.
5th
Provided air
cover during assault with HMS
INDOMITABLE.
7th
Aircraft sank Vichy French submarine
LE HEROS.
20th
On release from
IRONCLAD sailed to Join Eastern
Fleet at Mombasa.
(Note:
309 sorties were flown by the two
carriers for a loss
of four aircraft
by enemy
action).
29th
Sailed from Kilindini with HM
Battleship
WARSPITE, HMS FORMIDABLE and HM
Cruiser
HERMIONE for
Ceylon.
June
Deployed
in Indian Ocean with ships of Eastern
Fleet for interception patrol and
convoy
defence.
July
Carried
out interception patrols in Indian
Ocean with Eastern Fleet.
US
Navy suggestion that ship be loaned
for service in Pacific not agreed.
Eastern Fleet
deployment in continuation.
Aircraft
used to test air defences of Ceylon
August
Deployed
with Eastern Fleet for offensive sweep
in Indian Ocean at request of US
Navy as a
diversion during landings on
Guadalcanal (Operation
STAB).
September
10th
Deployed with HM Battleship WARSPITE,
HM
Seaplane Carrier ALBATROSS screened
by
HM
Destroyers HOTSPUR, EXPRESS,
FORTUNE, INCONSTANT and
NESTOR to
provide air
cover during military operation to
complete
allied occupation of Madagascar.
(Operation
STREAM).
October
On
release from STREAM took passage to
Durban.
Taken
in hand for short refit
November
Under
refit.
December
On
completion rejoined Eastern Fleet in
Ceylon.
1
9 4 3
January
5th
Withdrawn from
Eastern Fleet.
To
be relieved by HM Escort Carrier
BATTLER in October.
February
Passage
to Birkenhead for refit including
extension to Flight Deck
Taken in hand on
arrival.
March
Under
refit.
to
(Notes: Major changes to radar fit
were made.
May
Aircraft
warning radars Type 79B and 281B
fitted to provide an improved
cover for
all altitudes - See above references.
Surface
warning 10cm Radar Type 272 fitted.
Fire-control
radars Type 282 and 285 fitted for
Anti-Aircraft use.
See
above references.
Twin
Oerlikon mountings fitted to replace
single type to further improve close
AA defence.)
Two
additional arrester wires fitted to
improve aircraft safety on landing.)
June
On
completion of post refit trials
embarked aircraft and carried out
training of
aircrews in
Clyde area.
July
Joined
Home Fleet and took part in offensive
sweep off Norway with HM Aircraft
carrier
UNICORN. Three German reconnaissance
aircraft were
shot down.
(Operation
CAMERA)
August
Home
Fleet deployment in continuation.
6th
Deployed with HMS UNICORN for
anti-submarine patrols in NW
Approaches for
convoy
defence. Destroyers of 17th Flotilla
provided screen.
14th
Deployed with ships Home Fleet for
escort of rms
QUEEN MARY carrying the
Prime Minister on
return from QUADRANT conference with
US President
at Quebec.
September
Detached
with ships of Home Fleet for service
in Mediterranean with Force H.
9th
Deployed with HM Battleships NELSON,
RODNEY, WARSPITE and VALIANT,
HM
Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE as
Covering Force during allied landings
at
Salerno.
(Operation
AVALANCHE - These ships were intended
to prevent any interference to
allied
assault landings by Italian surface
warships. A
screen of 21 destroyers
including
French, Polish and Greek warships was
provided.
See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
and the Naval Staff History).
Attack
by torpedo bombers on Covering Force
was unsuccessful.
October
Returned
to UK with Home Fleet ships on release
from detached duty.
Nominated for
service with Eastern Fleet.
24th
Prepared for foreign
service at Birkenhead.
(Note:
Work included fit of additional twin
Oerlikon
mountings, modification of
flight deck
and improvement to catapult for use
with fully
loaded
BARRACUDA
aircraft.)
November
26th
Took passage to
Clyde area to carry out flying
training.
December
Deployed
in NW Approaches.
30th
Sailed to join Eastern Fleet with HM
Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and
VALIANT,
HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN and HM Light Fleet Carrier
UNICORN.
1
9 4 4
January
Passage
to Trincomalee via Mediterranean and
Red Sea.
31st
Joined Fleet at
Trincomalee.
(Note:
Complement over 2,000)
February
Deployed
with Eastern Fleet in Indian Ocean.
March
Deployed
with HM Cruisers GAMBIA and SUSSEX, HM
Destroyer ROTHERHAM
and the
Dutch destroyer TJERK HIDDES in search
for blockade
runners SW of
Cocos
Islands.
(Operation SLEUTH).
21st
Deployed with HM Battleships QUEEN
ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM
Battlecruiser
RENOWN,
HM Cruisers LONDON, GAMBIA
(RNZN), CEYLON and CUMBERLAND
screened by
HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUALITY,
QUEENBOROUGH,
PATHFINDER,
NAPIER,
NORMAN, NEPAL, QUIBERON, Dutch
destroyers VAN GALEN and TJERK
HIDDES
to meet US aircraft carrier SARATOGA
joining Eastern Fleet with three
destroyers
Operation DIPLOMAT).
27th
Met USS SARATOGA and destroyer escort
SW
Cocos
Islands.
(Note: US
ships were being loaned to Eastern
Fleet for
future operations).
April
2nd
Returned to
Trincomalee with RN/USN ships.
Exchange
deck landing trials with USS SARATOGA
in preparation for operations.
19th
Launched Air strikes on Sabang
with USS SARATOGA, escorted by Eastern
Fleet
major units
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, HMS VALIANT,
French
RICHELIEU and
HMS RENOWN as TF
70 (Operation
COCKPIT).
May
6th
Deployed with USS SARATOGA, HM
Cruisers
CEYLON and GAMBIA and a screen
comprising
HM Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUADRANT,
QUEENBOROUGH,
US
destroyers
USS FANNING, CUMMINGS and DUNLOP as
Task Force 65.
(Note:
BARRACUDA aircraft replaced by
AVENGERS before this
operation)
15th
Refuelled in Exmouth Bay, Western
Australia.
17th
Launched air strikes with aircraft
from
USS SARATOGA on harbour and refineries
at Soerabaya,
Java (Operation
TRANSOM).
(Note:
Later assessment was that Attacks were
not very
satisfactory).
18th
USS SARATOGA and US Navy destroyers
detached.
27th
Arrived at
Trincomalee after refuelling in
Exmouth Bay.
June
10th
Launched air attacks on Sabang
covered by ships of Eastern Fleet as a
diversion
during US
landings on Marianas (Operation
FORAGER).
19th
On return passage
launched air attacks on Port Blair
harbour and airfield.
(Operation
PEDAL).
July
Carried
out Flying
training with HM Aircraft Carriers
VICTORIOUS and INDOMITABLE
off Ceylon
in preparation for future joint
operations.
22nd
Deployed with HMS VICTORIOUS, HM
Cruiser
PHOEBE, HM Destroyers ROEBUCK
and RAIDER
to carry cut air attacks on airfields
near Sabang
(Operation CRIMSON).
25th
Launched air strikes.
CORSAIR
fighters Intercepted Japanese air
retaliation and shot down 7 of the ten
planes for
loss of two aircraft.
(Note:
Eastern Fleet units carried
bombardments
concurrently).
August
24th
Deployed with HMS VICTORIOUS and HMS
INDOMITABLE to provide an Air-Sea
Rescue facility
during US Army air raids on Sumatra
(Operation
BOOMERANG).
(Note:
Cover provided by ships of Eastern
Fleet).
On
completion carried cut air attacks on
Padang, SW
Sumatra (Operation BANQUET).
September
Took
passage to Simonstown
for refit prior to service in
Pacific.
Taken in for refit
by HM Dockyard.
(Note:
Work done included re-tubing of
boilers and fit of US
aircraft Homing Beacon (Type YE)
to provide
radio signals for assistance of
returning
aircraft.)
Facilities
for re-fuelling escorts in company
during ocean passages were also
provided.)
October
Under
refit.
Additional
Close Range AA armament fitted.
On
completion of post refit trials took
passage to Trincomalee.
November
1st
Rejoined Eastern
Fleet at Trincomalee.
17th
Deployed with HMS INDOMITABLE, HM
Cruisers NEWCASTLE, ARGONAUT and
BLACK
PRINCE screened by HM Destroyers
KEMPENFELT, WHIRLWIND,
WRANGLER,
WESSEX and WAKEFUL to carry cut air
attacks on Pangkalan
Brandan,
NW
Sumatra,
20th
Diverted from planned air attacks by
weather and target changed to
refineries at
Belawan
Deli. Subsequent raids made on
airfields near Sabang.
(Operation
OUTFLANK).
22nd
Transferred to
British Pacific Fleet on formation.
23rd
Returned to Trincomalee.
December
Deployed
with HMS INDOMITABLE, HMS BLACK
PRINCE, HMS NEWCASTLE and
ARGONAUT with a
destroyer screen.
17th
Launched air attacks on Belawan
Deli (Operation ROBS0N).
1 9 4 5
January
16th
Took passage for Australia with HM
Aircraft Carriers VICTORIOUS,
INDOMITABLE and
INDEFATIGABLE,
HM Battleship KING GEORGE V, HM
Cruisers ARGONAUT, BLACK
PRINCE
and EURYALUS, screened by HM
Destroyers GRENVILLE, UNDINE, URSA
UNDAUNTED,
WAGER, KEMPENFELT, WAKEFUL, WHIRLWIND
and WHELP as Task
Force 63.
20th
Refuelled from Task Force 69.
24th
After delay due to weather launched
air
attacks with the other carriers on oil
refinery at
Pladjoe,
Sumatra
(Operation MERIDIAN I). Small
Japanese air attacks repulsed. 7 RN
aircraft
lost during
attacks and 25 by crashes on landing.
26th
Refuelled
29th
With same ships
launched raids on Soengi
Gerong
oil refineries near Palembang.
During
retaliatory KAMIKAZE attacks on Fleet
whilst aircraft were landing hit by
two shells
from HMS EURYALUS anti-aircraft fire
(Operation
MERIDIAN TWO).
(Note: 11
killed and 22 other casualties - See
OPERATION
PACIFIC).
February
9th
Arrived at Sydney and prepared for air
operations in support of US landings
in
Okinawa
(Operation ICEBERG).
Under repair.
Centre shaft removed. Speed reduced to
24
Knots.
(Note:
Vibration problems were still being
experienced - see
May 1940 entry
Machinery defect
rate increase possible due to
extensive service.)
28th
Took passage to Manus with ships of
British Pacific Fleet as Task Force
113
March
7th
Arrived at Manus.
BPF
ships departure for operations delayed
by US Navy pending approval
in
Washington for their deployment with
US Navy.
18th
Attachment of British Pacific Fleet to
US 5th Fleet as Task Force 57
approved.
Sailed
to Ulithi
with Task Force 57 for Joint air
operations
(Operation ICEBERG)
26th
Launched attacks on airfields in Sakishima-Gunto
Group with HM Aircraft Carriers
INDOMITABLE,
INDEFATIGABLE and VICTORIOUS covered
by major units of BPF and with
screen of
Fleet destroyers.
Joint
operations with US Task Group in
continuation with breaks for
refuelling
from
British Fleet Train.
April
Sakishima-Gunto
joint operations with US carriers in
continuation.
6th
Sustained slight
above water slight damage when
KAMIKAZE aircraft crashed alongside.
Major
underwater damage caused when weapon
detonated near ship.
Retained in BPF
despite effect of structural
damage.)
9th
Diverted from ICEBERG operations to
carry out air attacks on Formosa
12th
Launched attacks on chemical plant and
airfields in poor weather conditions.
13th
Passage to rejoin
operations off Sakishima
Gunto.
(Note:
Ship becoming an increasing
liability.)
14th
Relieved in Task Force 57 by m
Aircraft
Carrier FORMIDABLE.
(Statistics:
505 sorties flown; 3,549
tons fuel embarked; 88,363
Gallons of AVGAS embarked.
15th
Passage to Philippines
for underwater examination.
Damage found to be much more
extensive
than realised.
May
Withdrawn from
operations and took passage to Sydney.
24th
Sailed to UK from Sydney at reduced
speed of 19 knots.
June
27th
Arrived at Rosyth
for repair and four month refit.
July
Under
repair
to
August
