1 9 3 9
September Deployed
as Leader of 11th Destroyer Flotilla at Plymouth for convoy defence and
anti-submarine patrol in English Channel and SW Approaches.
(Note: Other ships in Flotilla were HM Destroyers
VANQUISHER, VANSITTART, VIMY,
WALKER, WARWICK, WHIRLWIND
and WINCHELSEA.)
11th During escort of Convoy OB3 in SW
Approaches with HM Destroyer WINCHELSEA detached
to assist HM Destroyers WALKER and VANSITTART which had
collided and sustained both
damage and casualties.
October Atlantic convoy defence in SW
Approaches in continuation with Flotilla.
(For
details of naval activities in Home waters during 1939 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR and Naval Staff History.
1 9 4 0
January Atlantic and SW Approaches convoy
defence in continuation.
February
24th Escorted Inward Convoy HG 19 from Gibraltar during passage in SW
Approaches to Liverpool
with H M Sloops BIDEFORD, LEITH, HM Destroyers WALPOLE and
WINCHELSEA.
27th Detached from HG19 in Irish Sea..
March Plymouth convoy defence deployment in
continuation
to April
May (Note: Western Approaches Command headquarters transferred
to Liverpool during this period
and ships in Command were based in Liverpool.)
24th Transferred to Dover
Command for support of military operations in Channel.
26th Took part in evacuation of troops from Dunkirk (Operation DYNAMO)
Passage to Beach
head and embarked 581 troops for return passage to Dover,
27th Passage to Dunkirk to embark troops.
28th Ship damaged in collision with HM Destroyer MONTROSE off Dunkirk and grounded
(Note: Propellers damaged and ship withdrawn from service
for repair.
Docked and taken
in hand for repair to propellers..
(Note: Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed
to I70.)
June On completion of repair
resumed service in Dover Command and deployed for evacuation of
allied troops and civilians from Brest (Operation CYCLE)
(Note: One source records ship also deployed at La Pallice. To be confirmed
For details of
evacuation operations at Dunkirk and other French Cannel ports see BEF
SHIPS by
J de S Winser and Naval Staff History (HMSO-2002 )
July Transferred to 16th Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich for convoy defence and
patrol
North Sea and
Channel.
(Note: Other ships in this Flotilla included HM Destroyers
WALPOLE, WHITSHED and
WORCESTER.)
August Deployed
on convoy defence and anti-invasion patrols.
(For details of North
Sea convoy defence see THREE CORVETTES by N Monsarrat, HOLD
THE NARROW
SEA
by P Smith, THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW
SEAS by P Scott and THE
BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by JP Foynes.)
September Flotilla
deployment for North Sea convoy defence and interception patrol against E-Boata in
to December continuation.
1 9 4 1
Deployment at Harwich for North Sea convoy defence continued
throughout the year apart from
a refit
during which an RAF radar outfit modified for naval use was fitted to give
warning of
the approach
of aircraft. Fire control radar Type 285 for the main armament was also
installed..
For details of development and use of
radar by the RN see RADAR AT SEA by D House.
Additional Close range weapons were
provided to improve defence against air attacks.
(Note:
Further research is required to provide more details of 1941 deployment)
1 9 4 2
January Flotilla
duties for Convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
February
12th Took part in Flotilla exercises with HM
Destroyers WHITSHED and WALPOLE of 16th
Destroyer Flotilla and HM Destroyers CAMPBELL, VIVACIOUS and WORCESTER of 21st
Flotilla.
Diverted
to intercept German warships SCHARNHORST, GNEISENAU and PRINZ EUGEN
that were on passage through English Channel from Brest to Wilhelmshaven.
Carried
out unsuccessful torpedo attacks and under heavy fire from enemy snipe and attacks from
aircraft.
(For
details see THE CHANNEL DASH by T Robertson and above references.
Resumed East coast duties after return to Harwich.
March North Sea and Channel Convoy defence
in continuation.
Nominated
for conversion to Short Range Escort
April Under
conversion
to (Note: Radar Type 271 was fitted to
provide warning of surface attacks and also for navigational
August use.
See above reference and V AND W DESTROYERS by A Preston
for details.)
September On
completion of trials and work-up detached for duty with Hone Fleet
Deployed
as part of screen for HM Battleships ANSON and DUKE OF YORK, HM Cruiser
JAMAICA with HM Destroyers BRAMHAM,
KEPPEL and MONTROSE to provide Distant
Cover
for Russian Convoy JW18, returning Convoy OP14 from Kola Inlet and operation to
support allied garrison at Spitsbergen (Operation GEARBOX)
(For details of all Russian Convoy
operations see ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield, CONVOY! by P Kemp and
CONVOYS TO
RUSSIA by R. A. Ruegg).
October Resumed
Flotilla duties at Harwich after release from Home Fleet. Flotilla duties for North Sea
November Convoy defence duties in
continuation at Harwich.
to December
1 9 4 3
January Convoy
defence and patrol from Harwich in continuation with Flotilla.
to February
March
7th In action against E-Boats attacking
convoy near Sunk Lightship with MTB's 17, 20 and 21 of
Light
Coastal Forces.
April Convoy
defence and patrol based at Harwich in continuation.
to May
June Flotilla duties at Harwich in continuation.
22nd Towed abandoned and grounded WALRUS
aircraft from Gunfleet Sands to Harwich.
(Note: This aircraft had been carrying out Air-Sea Rescue
duties and had run cut of fuel.
See
THE BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST.)
July Flotilla duties at Harwich in continuation.
to September
October Escorted
forth Sea Convoy FN160 with HM Destroyers PYTCHLEY, WORCESIER,
EGLINTON and CAMPBELL.
27th Drove off series of attacks on convoy
off Cromer by German Torpedo Boats with HMS
PYTCHLEY, HMS WORCESTER, Motor Gunboats and Motor Launches of
Coastal Forces.
November Convoy
defence in continuation.
to Detached for escort of coastal convoys in
Channel.
December
1 9 4 4
January Deployed in SW Approaches for
coastal convoy defence.
5th In action with other escorts against
E-Boats attacking Convoy WP457 off Mounts Bay.
(Note: Two mercantiles and HM
Trawler WALLASEA were lost in this engagement.)
February Resumed
duties based at Harwich.
March North Sea convoy defence and
interception patrol duties in continuation.
April Nominated
for duty in support of planned allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).
to (For details of activities prior to and
during the allied landing see LANDINGS IN NORMANDY,
May June 1944 (HMSO)
and OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards.
North Sea convoy defence and patrol in
continuation.
June
3rd Joined HM Destroyer SOUTHDOWN, HM
Corvettes POTENTILLA and VERVAIN to
form
Escort
Group 102 with 2 Motor Launches.
4th Operation delayed by 24 hours.
5th Passage to Thames estuary to
meet Convoy ETM2.
(Note: Convoy comprised 25 MT ships and four others taking
Pre-Loaded British Build-up
Division to Eastern Task
Force area.)
6th Escorted Convoy ETM2 with
Group and HM Corvettes POPPY and STATICE to Spithead.
7th Passage to beach head through swept
channel with Convoy.
8th After arrival took passage to return
to Thames Estuary.
9th Deployed with Group for escort of
Build-up convoys in accordance with pre-arranged plan
for Build-up.
On
release from NEPTUNE resumed Flotilla duties at Harwich
for- North Sea convoys.
July Harwich deployment in
continuation
to December
1 9 4 5
January Deployed
in North
Sea
and Channel for convoy defence and patrol.
to (Note: During this period Atlantic
convoys were re-routed through English Channel as the
April threat
of air attacks had beer, removed by the loss of air bases in western France.
Extensive
attacks by E-Boats, submersibles and minelaying were being made.
See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and HOLD THE NARROW SEA).
May Deployed in support of operations to
re-occupy ports in Norway.
16th Escorted minesweepers with HM Destroyer
VICEROY during clearance operations before entry
into Trondheim.
June Deployed
in Nore Command.