September Deployed at Portland with
18th Destroyer Flotilla for Anti-submarine patrol and convoy
defence duties.
(See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett).
October Convoy defence in
continuation.
24th Taken in hand for
repair of turbine defects in HM Dockyard, Devonport.
November Under repair.
to
December
1 9 4 0
January Nominated for duty at
Portsmouth with 16th Destroyer Flotilla.
10th Completed post refit
trials and joined Flotilla.
11th Detached to escort
HM
Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN with HM Destroyers ACHATES
and ANTHONY for
part of passage to Halifax for Atlantic convoy defence.
30th Returned to Devonport
for machinery repair
February Under repair.
March
10th On completion
continued convoy defence in Channel and Western Approaches.
April Transferred to 12th
Destroyer Home Fleet for support of military operations after landings
of allied troops
in Norway following German invasion (Operation RUPERT/R4)
Took passage to
Rosyth to embark reinforcement troops and stores to Norway (Operation SICKLE)
16th Embarked troops and
stores for passage to Namsos.
17th Sailed from Rosyth
with HM Destroyer ACHERON.
19th Landed troops and
stores at Andalsnes.
(Note: Planned
disembarkation was altered.)
Returned to
Rosyth on completion.
24th Sailed from Rosyth
with HM Cruisers BIRMINGHAM, YORK, HM Destroyers ACHERON and
GRIFFIN with
troops and stores for passage to Andalsnes
25th Landed troops and
stores.
26th Sailed from Molde
with HM Cruisers BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER and HMS ACHERON
engaged enemy
trawlers disguised as Dutch and believed deployed in advance of transports
bringing
reinforcements.
Engaged German
trawler SCHELSWIG (SCHIFF 37) off Andalsnes.
During this
action ship was rammed by HMS BIRMINGHAM and sustained serious structural
damage.
(See Addenda)
Withdrawn from
operational service and took passage to UK for repair escorted by HMS
ACHERON.
(For details of
the disastrous Norwegian campaign see NARVIK by D. MacIntyre,
CARRIER GLORIOUS
by J Winton, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by C Barnett and
THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Adams.)
27th Passage to UK for
repair escorted by HM Destroyer ACHERON.
29th Taken in hand for
repair by commercial shipyard at Middlesbrough
May
13th On completion of post
repair trials took passage to resume Home Fleet duties
14th Joined Norwegian
operations.
Rescued 80
survivors from Norwegian ships sunk by air attacks whilst on passage
to Faeroes with
refugees.
29th Deployed with HM
Destroyers ECHO, FIREDRAKE, HAVELOCK and VANOC
for evacuation of
troops from Mo and Bodo areas.
Troops taken to
Harstad for final evacuation from Norway
June Deployed in Norway
for support of evacuation.
7th Escorted Slow Convoy
of storeships from Harstad with HM Sloop STORK and ten trawlers
for passage to UK
(Operation ALPHABET - For details of ships in
convoy see Naval Staff History.)
On return
released from Home Fleet detachment and resumed Flotilla duties.
Nominated for
refit and took passage to Nore.
26th Taken in hand for
refit at Sheerness
(Note: Changes
in armament were made to improve AA defence capability)
July
4th Rejoined 16th
Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich for anti-invasion patrol and convoy defence off
East coast.
24th Transferred to
Western Approaches Defence Force based at Greenock.
August Deployed for convoy
defence in NW Approaches
See THE BATTLE OF
THE ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre).
16th Attacked U-Boat
sighted by HM Armed Merchant Cruiser CHESHIRE with HMS ACHATES.
27th Rescued survivors
from Greek steamer.
September
13th Rescued survivors
from Greek ss POSEIDON).
October Western Approaches
convoy duties in continuation.
8th Joined military
convoy WS3 (FAST) in Clyde as escort for HM
Cruiser KENYA with HM
Destroyers
ACHATES, SABRE and VIMY d0uring passage in NW Approaches.
12th Detached from HMS
KENYA with same destroyers and returned to Clyde.
Resumed convoy
defence in NW Approaches for Iceland convoys.
(Note: HMS KENYA
remained with WS3 (FAST) as Ocean Escort to
Freetown.
November
13th Rescued survivors
from ss EMPIRE HIND sunk by air attack in North Atlantic in position
53N 15W.
14th Stood by British
tanker SAN DEMETRIO off Achill Head and escorted her to
Clyde.
(Note: This ship
had been attacked by German battleship ADMIRAL HIPPER on 5th November
and the crew had
remained on board to ensure salvage of her valuable cargo.)
(For details of
German raider operations see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
16th Arrived in Clyde with
ss SAN DEMETRIO.
17th Under repair to
machinery at Barclay Curle shipyard on Clyde.
December Under repair.
1 9 4 1
January
14th On completion of
repair rejoined Home Fleet
15th Attached to 3rd
Destroyer Flotilla for anti-submarine defence of convoys.
February Deployed In NW Approaches
and in North Sea for escort of Icelandic convoys from
Aberdeen, Scapa
Flow and Clyde.
March Nominated for escort of
military convoy.
24th Joined military
convoy WS7 in Clyde with HI Battleship NELSON to provide escort during
Atlantic passage
to Freetown.
April
4th Detached from WS7
with HMS NELSON on arrival at Freetown.
Passage to return
to Scapa Flow.
(Note: Boiler
problems required attention and refit at Chatham arranged.
Withdrawn from
operational service.
May Passage to Sheerness
2nd Under repair by HM
Dockyard, Chatham.
Boilers re-tubed
June On completion
rejoined Home Fleet.
21st During passage to
Scapa Flow detonated mine off Flamborough Head.
Steamed to
Middlesbrough on one boiler for repair of damage.
22nd Taken in hand for
repair by Smiths Dock, Middlesbrough.
July Under repair.
to Nominated for
foreign service.
October (Note: Extensive repair
required to repair machinery mountings and replace bulkheads.) required
November
20th Carried out post
repair trials prepared for service in Eastern Mediterranean.
December
18th Took passage to
Gibraltar with HM Destroyers GURKHA, ZULU, NESTOR and FOXHOUND
as screen for HM
Cruiser DIDO during passage to Gibraltar.
21st Arrived at Gibraltar.
22nd Sailed for Malta with
same ships.
24th Arrived at Malta.
26th Joined HM Cruiser
AJAX, HM Destroyers LIVELY and LANCE with same ships as escort for
Convoy ME8 during
passage to Alexandria (Operation MF1)
29th Arrived at Alexandria
and joined Mediterranean Fleet with HMS DIDO, HM Destroyers
GURKHA, ZULU,
NESTOR and FOXHOUND.
(Note: For
details see MALTA CONVOYS by Richard Woodman)
1 9 4 2
January Deployed at Alexandria
12th Torpedo attack by
submarine failed.
Unsuccessful
search with HERO.
24th Part of escort for
Malta convoy MF4.
(See THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre, MALTA
CONVOYS by R
Woodman and Naval Staff History (HMSO-2001) for details of
operations in
Eastern Mediterranean during 1941-42.).
26th Returned to
Alexandria after BRECONSHIRE escort was transferred to HM Cruiser PENELOPE,
HM Destroyers
LIVELY, LEGION, MAORI and ZULU of Force K for passage to Malta.
(Note: HMS
KINGSTON joined Force K for passage to Malta and HMS LANCE joined Force B.
27th Return passage to
Alexandria with Force B escorting Convoy ME9 which had come from Malta
with Force K.
28th Arrived at Alexandria
with ME9
(For details see
MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman and THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by
D Macintyre.)
February
12th Joined screen for HM
Cruisers NAIAD, DIDO and EURYALUS with HM Destroyers
GRIFFIN, HASTY,
HAVOCK, JAGUAR, JERVIS, KELVIN and KIPLING to provide cover
for passage of
Convoys MW9 and MW9A during passage in Eastern Mediterranean, (Operation
MF5)
13th Under heavy and
sustained air attacks during which ss CLAN CAMPBELL was badly damaged
and had to be
sent under escort to Tobruk.
14th Air attacks continued
and ss CLAN CHATTAN had to be abandoned after catching fire.
Transferred
escort of MW9 to ships of Force K for onward passage to Malta.
Took over escort
of HMS BRECONSHIRE and three mercantiles of Convoy ME10 from
Force K and took
passage to Alexandria.
15th Arrived at Alexandria
with ME10
(Note: HM
Destroyers LIVELY, SIKH and ZULU also returned with escort for ME10.
For details see
references.
This deployment
is subject to confirmation as source references are at variation.)
March Transferred to Indian
Ocean to reinforce Eastern Fleet.
Passage to Indian
Ocean.
April
4th Joined Eastern Fleet
at Gan and deployed as screen for HM Battleships RAMILLIES,
ROYAL SOVEREIGN,
RESOLUTION and REVENGE, H M Aircraft Carrier HERMES,
HM Cruisers
CALEDON, DRAGON and the Netherlands cruiser JAN VAN HEEMSKERK
with HM
Destroyers FORTUNE, GRIFFIN, NORMAN, VAMPIRE, DECOY, SCOUT
and Netherlands
destroyer ISAAC SWEERS as Force B.
6th Transferred with
Force B to Kilindini after loss of HMS HERMES and Japanese air attacks
on Ceylon.
(For details of
1942 Indian Ocean operations see OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray, THE
RELUCTANT ENEMIES
by W Tute and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).).
15th Deployed for A/S
protection of convoys between Madagascar and Cape of Good Hope.
May Indian Ocean convoy
defence in continuation.
20th Withdrawn from
service for refit following series of defects affecting availability.
21st Taken in hand for
refit at Durban.
June Under refit
July
2nd On completion resumed
convoy defence duty in Indian Ocean.
August Deployed for convoy
escort between Cape of Good Hope and Madagascar.
September Nominated for support of
final occupation of Madagascar (Operation STREAM).
Joined 3rd
Destroyer Division of Force M with HM Destroyers ACTIVE, BLACKMORE
and INCONSTANT.
9th Provided escort for
Force M ships and protection during landings at Majunga.
(See WAR WITH
JAPAN (HMSO), Volume III).
30th On release from
STREAM transferred to Freetown, West Africa for convoy defence in
South Atlantic.
Passage to
Freetown.
October Convoy escort duty based
at Freetown.
8th Deployed off
Capetown with HM Destroyers ACTIVE and FOXHOUND for ant-submarine
search operations
and rescue of survivors from sunken mercantiles.
(Note:
Deployment made following significant increase in U-Boat activities of South
Africa.
HMS ACTIVE sank
U179 during A/S operations See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair
and U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P Kemp,)
November Withdrawn from service due
to recurrence of machinery defects.
Passage to UK for
refit.
18th Taken in hand for
repair in commercial shipyard at Middlesbrough.
December Under repair.
1 9 4 3
January Under repair
to
February
March Carried out post refit
trials.
26th On completion took
passage to Scapa Flow for working up.
April Worked-up for service
with ships of Home Fleet.
10th Sustained damage
after striking Boom Defences at Scapa Flow.
11th Passage to London for
repair.
13th Taken in hand by
Green and Silley Weir at Blackwall.
May Under repair.
Nominated for
duty in Mediterranean.
30th On completion took
passage to Scapa Flow to resume work-up
June
3rd Commenced work-up
for service with 13th Destroyer Flotilla at Gibraltar.
14th On completion
prepared for foreign service.
21st Joined HM Destroyers
BLANKNEY, BLENCATHRA, BRECON, BRISSENDEN,
HAMBLEDON,
LEDBURY, MENDIP, VICEROY, WALLACE, WITHERINGTON
and WOOLSTON in
Clyde as escort for joint convoy KMF17 to Gibraltar and military
convoy WS31 to
Middle East and India.
26th Detached with ships
of KMF 17 when destroyer escort for WS31 to Freetown arrived
from Gibraltar.
Escorted ships of
KMF17 to Gibraltar with same destroyers and joined Flotilla on arrival.
July Nominated for duty
with Support Force East during planned landings in Sicily.
(Operation HUSKY
- Sea ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval
Staff History).
10th Participated in
Sicily landings with Support Force.
Deployed for
escort of Follow-up convoys.
August
4th Whilst at Algiers
sat on fire by explosion in merchant ship ss FORT LE MONTÉE.
Sustained major
damage caused with many casualties and disabled.
September Towed to Gibraltar for
repair.
18th Arrived at Gibraltar.
October Under temporary repair
by HM Dockyard Gibraltar
November Permanent repair arranged
at Taranto.
19th Taken under tow to
Taranto for completion of repair.
27th Arrived at Taranto
December Under survey to assess
extent of work required.
1 9 4 4
January Under repair
to. State of ship found
unsatisfactory and future use under consideration
September
October
17th Repair work suspended
and ship to be de-equipped
November Ship being de-equipped.
to
Decenber
1 9 4 5
January De-equipment completed
and ship left as hulk at Taranto.
to
August
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS ARROW retained at Taranto as
a hulk until May 1949 when she was broken up there.
Addenda
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS ARROW
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy
as escort |
Convoy No. |
Left convoy |
Date convoy
arrived |
|
|
|
|
|
21/09/39
|
21/09/39
|
MB 006/1
|
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
MB 008/1
|
28/09/39
|
28/09/39
|
01/10/39
|
01/10/39
|
DB 010
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39
|
11/08/40
|
12/08/40
|
OB 196
|
12/08/40
|
15/08/40
|
16/08/40
|
18/08/40
|
OB 199
|
20/08/40
|
20/08/40
|
18/08/40
|
21/08/40
|
OB 200
|
22/08/40
|
22/08/40
|
26/08/40
|
27/08/40
|
OB 204
|
28/08/40
|
29/08/40
|
20/08/40
|
01/09/40
|
HG 042
|
01/09/40
|
03/09/40
|
30/08/40
|
02/09/40
|
OB 206
|
04/09/40
|
05/09/40
|
04/09/40
|
06/09/40
|
OB 209
|
08/09/40
|
09/09/40
|
28/08/40
|
09/09/40
|
HX 069
|
11/09/40
|
12/09/40
|
12/09/40
|
13/09/40
|
LG 001
|
15/09/40
|
15/09/40
|
28/09/40
|
28/09/40
|
OL 005
|
30/09/40
|
30/09/40
|
19/09/40
|
30/09/40
|
SC 005
|
03/10/40
|
04/10/40
|
07/10/40
|
08/10/40
|
WS 003B
|
12/10/40
|
28/10/40
|
11/10/40
|
12/10/40
|
OB 227
|
15/10/40
|
15/10/40
|
04/10/40
|
15/10/40
|
HX 078
|
18/10/40
|
18/10/40
|
24/10/40
|
24/10/40
|
OB 234
|
30/10/40
|
30/10/40
|
12/10/40
|
30/10/40
|
SL 051
|
31/10/40
|
31/10/40
|
08/11/40
|
08/11/40
|
OB 240
|
13/11/40
|
13/11/40
|
28/01/41
|
28/01/41
|
OB 279
|
01/02/41
|
02/02/41
|
21/01/41
|
03/02/41
|
HX 104
|
08/02/41
|
08/02/41
|
11/02/41
|
11/02/41
|
OB 285
|
unknown
|
17/02/41
|
03/02/41
|
20/02/41
|
HX 107
|
20/02/41
|
20/02/41
|
10/01/42
|
10/01/42
|
AT 015/M
|
12/01/42
|
12/01/42
|
20/10/42
|
20/10/42
|
CF 007
|
02/11/42
|
02/11/42
|
04/11/42
|
04/11/42
|
CF 007A
|
unknown
|
17/11/42
|
18/06/43
|
26/06/43
|
KMF 017
|
27/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
Engagement with German trawler SCHELSWIG (SCHIFF 37) off Andalsnes
26 April 1940
by Cyril Kelley, Able Seaman,
RNVR (at the time)
I was serving on the ARROW and
would like to correct the account. She was rammed by the German trawler and not
the BIRMINGHAM. We were struck midships at the torpedo davit thereby causing
relatively little damage. What makes the engagement most unusual was that on
being rammed "repel boarders" was piped - that must have been the only
time the pipe was given by any UK warship during the war. It is more reminiscent
of 1800 battles. The pipe was followed by action stations and the trawler was
sunk. Destroyer GRIFFIN did a search and found another trawler but this one
surrendered. This is the bare bones of events of that day, and yes, we did go
into dry-dock at Middlesborough. (Note: A fuller account can be found at
http://www.royalnavy-history.net/xDKWW2-4004-13APR04.htm)