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September             Based at Plymouth for defence of convoys in SW Approaches against attacks by German

                                surface ships.

 

October to November

                               Transferred to Halifax in continuation of defence of North Atlantic convoys.

 

December              Escorted military convoy TC1 taking Canadian troops from Halifax to UK with HM

                                Battlecruiser REPULSE, HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS and HM Cruiser

                                EMERALD.

 

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January                  Returned to Halifax in continuation of convoy defence role.

                                Passage to Plymouth.

                19th        Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

 

February to March

                               Under refit.

 

April                       Post refit trials.

                10th        On completion prepared for service with Home Fleet for support of the allied

                                military operations in Norway.

                26th        Joined Fleet units at Narvik as relief for HM Battleship WARSPITE.

                27th        Used as Base Ship for support of landing operations.

 

 May                       Continued deployment at Narvik.

                12th        Embarked four tanks and two Motor Landing Craft for the assault at Bjervick

                                by French Foreign Legion troops. Passage to Bjervik with HMS AURORA

                                and HMS EFFINGHAM escorted by HM Destroyers SOMALI, HAVELOCK,

                                FAME, WREN and BASILISK.

                13th        Provided naval gunfire support with HM Cruisers AURORA and EFFINGHAM

                                during landings

                16th        Hit by 250lb armour piercing bomb on starboard side aft between “X” and

                                “Y” turrets during air attacks anchored off Tjeldsundet, 30 miles west of

                                Narvik. Damage repaired temporarily by the ship’s staff and ship remained

                                operational.

                                (For details of operations in Norway see NARVIK by D Macintyre, ENGAGE THE

                                ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton,

                                THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by T Adams, and Naval Staff History.)

                18th        Released from operations and returned to UK because of vulnerability to air attacks.

 

June                        Covered passage of returning convoys after evacuation of allied troops. Taken in hand for

                                permanent repair on arrival in UK. Nominated for duty with Force H at Gibraltar.

                26th        Joined Force H on formation.

 

July

                2nd         Participated in attack on Vichy French warships at Mers el Kebir with HM Battlecruiser

                                HOOD, HM Battleship VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL, HM Cruisers

                                ARETHUSA and ENTERPRISE (Operation CATAPULT).

                                (For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and THE

                                RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute).

                8th          Deployed with HMS HOOD, HMS VALIANT, HMS ARK ROYAL, HM Cruisers

                                ARETHUSA, DELHI and ENTERPRISE screened by HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,

                                FOXHOUND, FEARLESS, ESCORT, FORESTER, DOUGLAS, ACTIVE, VELOX,

                                VORTIGERN and WRESTLER to carry out a series of air attacks at Cagliari.

                                (Operation MA5).

                                (Note: This operation was abandoned after detection by enemy aircraft).

                31st         Joined HMS VALIANT, HMS ARETHUSA, HM Destroyers ESCAPADE and VELOX

                                to form Group 2 and provide cover for Malta aircraft delivery and air attacks on the Italian

                                airfield at Cagliari, Sardinia (Operations HURRY and CRUSH).

 

August                  Deployed at Gibraltar with Force H.

 

September             Deployed to cover landings by Free troops at Dakar with HM Battleship BARHAM, HM

                                Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Australian Cruiser AUSTRALIA.

                                (Operation MENACE – See MENACE by A Marder and Naval Staff History).

                13th        Joined Force M with HMS ARK ROYAL and HM Battleships BARHAM.

                14th        Deployed for patrol off Dakar to prevent Vichy French cruisers sailing from Casablanca

                                to Dakar. This was unsuccessful and RN ship took passage to rejoin Force M at Freetown.

                21st         Sailed from Freetown for Dakar operation.

                23rd        Under attack from French shore batteries and withdrew.

                24th        Deployed with HMS BARHAM to carry out bombardment of Vichy French warships in

                                harbour at Dakar, which included the battleship RICHELIEU.

                                (Note: These were unsuccessful and RN ships withdrew after HMS BARHAM was hit twice

                                by return fire.)

                                Returned later to continue bombardment during which RICHELIEU

                                received minor splinter damage. Ship received minor hits by return fire. Again

                                withdrew from area.

                25th        During manoeuvres to take bombardment position for third time came under attack by Vichy

                                French submarine BEVEZIERS.

                                Hit on port side by torpedo and sustained major structural damage.

                                Fifty feet of bulge structure wrecked and thirty feet of double bottom destroyed. Extensive

                                flooding took place with some fires. A 15degree list made main armament useless and ship had

                                to withdrew from operation. (For details see above references.)

                27th        After the planned attack on Dakar was abandoned, taken in tow by HMS BARHAM.

                30th        At Freetown under repair.

 

October to December

                               Repair at Freetown in continuation.

                                On completion took passage to UK.

 

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January to February 

                               Awaiting repair and non operational.

                               Repair in US dockyard arranged.

 

 

March                    Passage to USA.

 

April                       Taken in hand for repair in US Navy Dockyard Philadelphia.

                                (Note: Provided crew for US Coastguard Cutter being transferred to the RN as HMS

                                LULWORTH).

 

May to August 

                               Repair in continuation.

                               Preparation for fitting radar equipment was carried out during this period.

 

September             Post refit trials.

 

October                  Passage to UK to complete installation of radars and other alterations not possible in USA.

                                (Note: Radar outfits fitted were:

                                Type 79 (Aircraft warning)

                                Type 273 (Surface warning)

                                Types 284 and 285 for main armament and anti-aircraft fire control).

 

November              Joined Home Fleet at Scapa Flow for defence duty.

 

December              Deployed with Home Fleet for trade protection.

 

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January                  Transferred to East Indies Station to supplement convoy defence and for duty with 3rd Battle

                                Squadron in Eastern Fleet.

                                Took passage to Indian Ocean as part of Ocean Escort for Military Convoy WS15.

                17th        Joined WS15 as Ocean Escort during passage to Cape Town.

                                (Note: Other ships in Ocean Escort were the Dutch AA cruiser HEEMSKEERK, HM Armed

                                Merchant Cruisers ASCANIA and CHESHIRE and HM Destroyer BOREAS.

                                Unusually, a British built destroyer on passage to Turkey with an RN crew was also

                                part of the escort. This ships was a modified ‘I’ Class Destroyer and served with the

                                Turkish Navy as DEMIR HISAR).

 

February                Passage with WS15 in Atlantic.

                10th        Detached from WS15 on arrival at Cape Town.

 

March                    Passage to Colombo to join Squadron.

                                On arrival at Addu Atoll carried out tactical and gunnery exercises.

 

April                       Joined Force ‘B’ with HM Battleships REVENGE, ROYAL SOVEREIGN and RAMILLIES,

                                HM Cruisers CALEDON and DRAGON and Dutch Cruiser HEEMSKEERK. This force also

                                included HM Destroyers VAMPIRE and SCOUT of 1918 vintage and six other modern

                                destroyers.

                                (For details of operations against Japanese after March 1942 see OPERATION PACIFIC by

                                E Gray).

 

May

                1st           Deployed in support of Force A of Eastern Fleet during search for Japanese naval units

                                reported on passage towards Ceylon.

                6th          After sinking of HM Cruisers CORNWALL and DORSETSHIRE by Japanese aircraft

                                transferred with Force B to Kilindini, Kenya for convoy defence. This was because of the

                                vulnerability of these capital ships to air attacks.

                23rd        Relieved HM Cruiser FROBISHER as Ocean Escort for Military Convoy WS18 off Durban

                                during passage in Indian Ocean to Aden.

                30th        Detached from WS18 with HM Seaplane Carrier PEGASUS on relief by HM Cruisers

                                EMERALD and ENTERPRISE.

                                Escorted mercantile SS EMPIRE WOODLARK from WS18 with HMS ALBATROSS.

 

June to December 

                               Indian Ocean trade and Military Convoy defence duties in continuation.

 

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January                  Indian Ocean trade and Military Convoy defence in continuation.

 

February                Covered passage of military convoy taking troops of 9th Australian Division back to Australia

                                from Middle East (Operation PAMPHLET).

                                Joined convoy with HM Battleships WARSPITE and REVENGE, HM Cruiser MAURITIUS

                                off Socotra. Ships escorted included RMS QUEEN MARY, RMS AQUITANIA, French Liner

                                ILE DE FRANCE, Dutch NIEUW AMSTERDAM and RMS QUEEN of BERMUDA.

 

March                    Passage in Indian Ocean.

 

April to September

                                Resumed trade defence role.

 

October                  Withdrawn from operational duty and took passage to UK.

 

November              On arrival, reduced to Reserve Status.

 

December              Prepared for training role.

 

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January to December

                                Deployed for training duties.

                                Reduced to reserve status with limited complement.

 

 

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January to August

                              Continued training duties.