1 9 4 0
January Contractors
trials and commissioned for service.
February Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On
completion of trials, storing and weapon system calibration passage to Scapa Flow for
work-up with ships of Home Fleet.
21st Deployed
with HM Cruiser MANCHESTER in NW Approaches for patrol
to intercept enemy
merchant
shipping attempting return to Germany and of commerce raiders on passage to attack
Atlantic
convoys.
Intercepted and captured German
freighter WAHEHE .Provided a boarding party to take ship
to Kirkwall as a Prize. (See THE BLOCKADERS by C Hampshire.)
March Home Fleet
deployment in continuation.
April
7th Part
of screen for HM Battleships RODNEY and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser REPULSE
and cruisers of Home Fleet during search in NW Approaches
for German ships reported on
passage to Atlantic.
8th After
German invasion of Norway remained with screen during passage to support allied
landings
in Norway (Operation WILFRED/R4).
Detached with HM Destroyers
BEDOUIN, ESKIMO and PUNJABI to assist HM Destroyer
GLOWWORM which
was under attack by German battleship HIPPER.
(Note: HMS GLOWWORM was sunk with heavy loss of life.)
11th Despatched
with HM Destroyer ESKIMO and HM Cruiser PENELOPE to attacks transports
reported at Bodo. During entry
into fjord at Fleinvaer HMS PENELOPE ran aground
and had
to be towed clear by HMS ESKIMO.
Entered fjord but found no ships
and returned as escort for tow during return passage to Fleet
units
off Narvik.
13th Took
part in 2nd Battle of Narvik and attempted to tow HM Destroyer COSSACK which
had
been
damaged in action with German destroyers and disabled. This was unsuccessful.
(Note:
HMS COSSACK was later towed successfully by HM Destroyer FORESTER)
Returned to Scapa Flow.
(Note:
For details of the disastrous operations off Norway see NARVIK by D Macintyre,
CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
C Barnett, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION
by J Adams and Naval Staff History.)
May Nominated
for transfer to Mediterranean and prepared for foreign service.
Damage during Norwegian
operations repaired.
Pennant Number for visual
signalling purposes changed to G50.
16th Took passage to Mediterranean with HM Destroyers KANDAHAR and KHARTOUM.
23rd On
arrival at Alexandria nominated for service in Red Sea with HM Destroyers KANDAHAR,
KINGSTON and KHARTOUM.
(Note:
This was part of a series of precautions in anticipation of war with Italy which had
destroyers
and submarines based in Eritrea.)
June Deployed
for convoy defence in Red Sea
to
July
August Nominated for
support of evacuation of British nationals from Berbera,
British Somaliland
Joined HM Cruisers CALEDON, HOBART (RAN), CERES and CARLISLE, HM Sloops
PARAMATTA (RAN), SHOREHAM and AUCKLAND, HM Armed Boarding Vessels
CHAKALA,
CHAKDINA, LAOMEDON and Hospital Ship VITA with HMS KANDAHAR.
16th Assisted in evacuation during which over 7,000 people were
embarked for passage to Aden.
September
12th Joined
military convoy WS2A as Local Escort for passage in Red Sea with HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE, HMS AUCKLAND and HM Sloop
FLAMINGO.
14th Detached
from WS2A.
October
20th Part
of escort for Convoy BN7 with HM Cruiser LEANDER and five Sloops of East Indies
Squadron.
21st Under attack by four Italian destroyers 150 miles east of Massawa.
Engaged Italian FRANCISCO NULLO
and driven ashore on Harmi Island.
Fired torpedo at enemy ship and
came under fire from shore batteries.
Sustained
damage in engine room which disabled ship.
Taken in tow
for passage to Port Sudan by HMS LEANDER.
27th Under repair.
31st Took
passage to resume convoy defence duties but with reduced speed capability.
November
12th Escorted
troopships DUCHESS OF YORK and GEORGIC from Aden with HM Cruiser
CALEDON to rejoin military convoy WS3 in Red Sea.
14th Detached
and returned to Aden.
December
25th Escorted
military convoy WS4B with HM Cruiser CARLISLE and HMS
KANDAHAR
during passage in Red Sea.
27th Detached
from WS4B and returned to Aden.
1 9 4 1
January Passage
to Bombay to complete repairs.
February Under repair by HM Dockyard Bombay.
March Passage to
rejoin Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.
April Deployed
with Mediterranean Fleet.
16th Part
of screen for HM Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN,
DEFENDER
and KINGSTON during passage to Suda Bay with Fleet units prior to planned
bombardment of Tripoli as Force C (Operation MD2)
21st Remained off shore with HMS FORMIDABLE during bombardment.
22nd Deployed with Fleet screen during return passage to Alexandria after completion of MD2.
23rd Arrived at Alexandria with Fleet units.
26th Deployed
as escort for Convoy AG15 to Pireaus with HM
Destroyer VAMPIRE (RAN) and
HM
Sloop AUCKLAND.
27th Took part in evacuation of allied troops from Raphti, Greece.
29th Took part in evacuation from Kalamata.
Greece.
May
1st Passage
from Kalamata after three trips carrying evacuated
troops.
(See Naval Staff History and BATTLE OF THE WINE DARK SEA by L Lind.)
6th Deployed
with HM Destroyers GRIFFIN, HAVOCK, HEREWARD,
HERO, HOTSPUR, JERVIS, JUNO, KANDAHAR, KINGSTON,
NIZAM and NUBIAN
as
screen for HMS FORMIDABLE, HM Battleships BARHAM, VALIANT and WARSPITE,
HM Cruisers ORION, PERTH and ABDIEL to provide cover for passage of convoys in
the
eastern
Mediterranean (Operation MD4).
(Note:
These convoys were MW7 from Egypt to Malta and military convoy from Malta to
Alexandria with tanks for 8th Army (Operation
TIGER).
8th Remained
with Fleet screen after ME7 detached to enter Malta.
9th Deployed
with Fleet screen during cover for passage of TIGER convoy to Alexandria.
10th Arrived
at Alexandria with Fleet units after unsuccessful air attacks.
15th Deployed
with screen for Fleet units providing cover for convoys on passage to reinforce
defence of Crete.
21st Deployed
with HM Destroyers JANUS, HASTY and HEREWARD as screen for HM Cruisers
DIDO, ORION and AJAX as Force D.
22nd Intercepted
invasion convoy with Force D north of Crete
and sank several craft.
23rd Took part in bombardment of airfield at Scarpanto.
24th Deployed
with HM Destroyers DECOY, HOTSPUR, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL and JACKAL
as screen for HMS AJAX and HMS DIDO during search operation
in Kaso Strait to intercept
invasion craft.
25th Passage to Alexandria.
28th Sailed
from Alexandria with HM Cruisers AJAX, ORION and DIDO, HM Destroyers
HOTSPUR, HEREWARD, IMPERIAL and JACKAL for evacuation of troops
from Crete.
29th At Heraklion and ferried troops to
cruisers offshore.
Under heavy
and sustained air attacks during return passage.
(Note:
HMS AJAX and HMS DIDO were both badly damaged.)
For details of the disastrous Crete
operations see above references and CRETE by
SW Pack.)
31st Passage to Crete.
June
1st Took
part in evacuation of troops from Sphakia.
2nd Returned
to Alexandria.
6th Nominated
for support of military operations in Syria with HM Destroyers KANDAHAR,
JACKAL, JANUS and HM Cruiser
PHOEBE (Operation EXPORTER – See RELUCTANT
ENEMIES by W Tute and THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN by J Greene
and A Massignani.)
7th Deployed
off Syria for patrol to intercept Vichy French destroyers
attempting to provide
support to defending military units.
Provided naval gunfire support.
9th Took
HMS JANUS in tow after being disabled during engagement with Vichy French
destroyers.
Under
air attack by Vichy French aircraft during passage to Haifa.
10th Carried
out bombardment of Khan bridge area in support of
military advance.
15th During deployment off Beirut in action with French destroyer
GUEPARD and VALMY.
July Syrian
support deployment in continuation.
4th Carried
out further support bombardment.
On
release from EXPORTER deployed at Alexandria for Flotilla duties.
22nd Deployed
as screen for HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Cruisers
AJAX, CARLISLE, HOBART
(RAN), LEANDER, NAIAD, NEPTUNE, PHOEBE, ABDIEL
and
LATONA with HM Destroyers HASTY, HAVOCK, JACKAL, JAGUAR, JERVIS,
KANDAHAR, KINGSTON,
NIZAM and NUBIAN during diversionary operation in eastern
Mediterranean (Operation MD5).
(Note:
This was to divert enemy attention from progress of a Malta relief convoy from
Gibraltar (Operation SUBSTANCE).
August Deployed for
support of Tobruk and screening of Fleet units during
to search for enemy supply convoys.
October
November Transferred to join HM Cruisers
AURORA and PENELOPE in Force K based in Malta
for interception of enemy supply convoys to North Africa.
22nd Passage
to Malta with HM Cruisers AJAX, NEPTUNE and HMS KINGSTON to
reinforce
Force
K. HM Cruisers EURYALUS and NAIAD screened by two destroyers provided
cover for this transit.
30th Deployed
with HMS AURORA, HMS PENELOPE, HMS AJAX, HMS NEPTUNE and
HMS KINGSTON to intercept supply convoy.
December
1st Carried
out attack on convoy off Benghazi sinking ammunition ship ADRIATICO.
2nd Sank
Italian destroyer ALVISE DA MOSTA and mercantile MANTOVANI off Kerkenah
Bank.
5th Sailed
from Malta with HM Destroyers KINGSTON and LIVELY, HM Cruisers AJAX
and NEPTUNE as escort for HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE during
passage to meet ships
from Alexandria.
6th HMS
AJAX, HMS NEPTUNE and HMS LIVELY detached and took passage to Malta.
Remained with HMS BRECONSHIRE.
7th HM
Cruiser HOBART (RAN) joined but detached later to assist damaged Sloop HMS
FLAMINGO off Tobruk.
Remained
as escort for HMS BRECONSHIRE to Alexandria with HMS KINGSTON
8th Arrived
at Alexandria with HMS BRECONSHIRE.
15th Joined
HM Cruisers CARLISLE, EURYALUS and NAIAD with HM Destroyers HASTY,
HAVOCK,
JERVIS, KINGSTON, KIPLING. DECOY and NIZAM as Force C for escort
of HMS BRECONSHIRE during passage for escort by Force K
from Malta
16th Remained
with HMS BRECONSHIRE after threat from an Italian battle group escorting a
supply convoy to Benghazi was probable.
17th Remained
with Force C when Italian battle fleet was sighted and HMS BRECONSHIRE
detached
escorted by HMS DECOY and HMS HAVOCK.
Took part in brief engagement
with Italian warships which withdrew when British destroyers
approached
to deliver torpedo attacks.
(1st Battle of Sirte. - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, THE BATTLE FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre and Naval Staff
History.)
18th Return
passage to Alexandria with escorts.
1 9 4 2
January Deployed
for support of Tobruk garrison and convoy defence.
12th Hit
by torpedo fired by U77 off Tobruk and sustained major
damage to stern structure. Disabled ship taken in tow by HM
Escort Destroyer HEYTHROP
13th Passage to Alexandria in tow.
February Repair arranged at Alexandria. Paid off.
to Taken in tow to Alexandria with minimal crew.
December Under repair by HM Dockyard Bombay.
1 9 4 3
Under
repair and re-commissioned for service in Mediterranean.
1 9 4 4
January Post
refit trials and prepared for operational service.
to Passage to Alexandria
March
April Deployed
in Mediterranean.
(Note: Extension deployments were made in support of the
reoccupation of islands in the
Mediterranean and in the Adriatic for
interception and military support.)
May
27th During
deployment with HM Cruiser AURORA, Free French destroyers Le MALIN,
Le
TERRIBLE and Le FANTASQUE sustained damage in heavy weather and returned to
Alexandria for repair.
June On
completion of repair resumed duties based in Malta.
July Mediterranean
deployment in continuation.
Nominated for special duties during planned allied landings in South France.
August
14th Embarked
CinC Mediterranean for
passage to watch progress of the assault convoys
through Straits of Bonifacio.
(Note: Signal to execute Operation DRAGOON was made whilst CinC was on board.
CinC's advanced command post was established at Ajaccio on 11th August
15th Embarked
Prime Minister Winston Churchill for visit to the Assault Area.
16th Embarked
CinC with military commander General Maitland- Wilson
for visit to
landing
beaches.
(Note:
For details of Operation DRAGOON see INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF
FRANCE (HMSO) and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY.)
On release from Special Duties
deployed in Adriatic for patrol and support of military
operations.
Passage to join HM Destroyers
UNDINE, URCHIN, LOYAL and HM River Gunboats
APHIS and SCARAB in Adriatic for the support of British Army advance up the east
coast
if Italy.
September
1st Began
a series of bombardments in Rimini area.
13th On
completion of bombardment duties resumed deployment for patrol and convoy
defence.
October Transferred
to British Aegean Force for support of landings to reoccupy Greek
mainland. (Operation MANNA)
(Note: For details see Military Staff History, Mediterranean.)
29th Intercepted
Hospital Ship GRADISCCA in the Aegean and captured as Prize.
November Support deployment in
continuation.
Carried
out interception patrols to prevent evacuation of German personnel from
occupied territory.
5th Sank
F-Lighter off Piscopi
11th Carried out bombardment at Alimnia.
December Aegean deployment in continuation.
1 9 4 5
January Deployed
in support of operations on Greek mainland.
to (Note: At Athens during
Communist rising.)
April Transferred
for support of military operations in Aegean.
May
1st Took
part in raid on island of Rhodes
with HM Escort Destroyer CATTERICK and
Greek destroyer KRITI.
June Remained
in Mediterranean until nominated for return to
to UK to Pay-off.
July
August Passage
to UK.
September Paid off and de-stored.
Reduced
to Reserve status.