1 9 3 9
September
3rd Serving with Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria and
exercising in the eastern
Mediterranean.
October Deployed
in Indian Ocean with HM Battleship MALAYA and HM Destroyer BULLDOG
in Hunting Force
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett).
(Note : During
this period boiler tubes were replaced during non-operational
flying periods.
November Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
December
10th At Colombo
29th Passage with HM Cruiser KENT and French cruiser SUFFREN to
rejoin Fleet in
the
Mediterranean.
1 9 4 0
January Deployed with Mediterranean
Fleet and prepared for refit.
17th Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Malta.
February Under refit
to Post refit trials.
March
April Planned work-up with HM
Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL in eastern Mediterranean
cancelled after
German invasion of Norway.
14th Passage to Clyde with HM Australian Destroyer STUART for
deployment with the
Home Fleet off
Norway (Operation RUPERT/R4).
19th Nomination for cover of Trondheim landings (Operation HAMMER)
cancelled.
21st Sailed from Clyde to rejoin Fleet.
22nd . Embarked RAF GLADIATOR aircraft, previously based at Filton,
Bristol.
23rd Took passage from Scapa Flow with HMS ARK ROYAL, HM Cruiser
BERWICK and
HM AA Cruiser
CURLEW, screened by HM Destroyers FEARLESS, FURY, HASTY,
HEREWARD,
HYPERION and JUNO to relieve HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS at
Narvik
(Operation DX)
(Note : HMS
CURLEW was fitted with aircraft warning radar equipment.
-This was the
first RN multi-carrier operation).
24th Commenced air operations iin support of military.
GLADIATOR
aircraft flew off to establish airfield on frozen lake in Romsdal
valley.
25th Aircraft operations in support of miltary and for shipping
attacks.
to Four SKUA aircraft lost but crews recovered.
26th Operation extended 24 hours.
New screen
provided comprising HM Destroyers BEAGLE, ENCOUNTER,
ESCORT, FORTUNE,
GRENADE and VOLUNTEER.
27th Returned to Scapa escorted by HM Destroyers BEAGLE, ENCOUNTER,
ESCORT,
FURY,GRENADE, HASTY and VOLUNTEER to refuel and re-arm.
30th Sailed for Narvik after delay due to bad weather without all
expected nunber
of replacement
aircraft embarked.
Escort Included
HM Destroyers ACHERON, ANTELOPE and BEAGLE.
May
1st Rejoined HMS ARK ROYAL and provided cover for evacuations
at Andalsnes
and Molde.
Provided A/S patrols and air cover for fleet and shipping protection.
Escorted HM
Battleship VALIANT with HM Cruiser BERWICK.
Under heavy air
attacks.
2nd Returned to Scapa Flow with HMS ARK ROYAL.
3rd Aircraft landed prior to passage to Clyde.
4th At Greenock to replenish and give leave.
14th Sailed for Norway with HMS FURIOUS.
18th Provided cover and Fleet protection with HMS ARK ROYAL and
HMS FURIOUS.
(Note : This was
the first time 3 RN carriers operated together).
21st Landed GLADIATOR aircraft for operation from shore.
Took passage to
Scapa Flow.
24th Passage to Narvik area escorted by HM Destroyers WREN, ARROW
and
HIGHLANDER
to resume flying operations.
26th Flew off RAF HURRICANE aircraft to operate from airstrip at
Skaanland.
27th Provided air cover during allied military operations to
recapture Narvik.
28th During continuation of air cover intercepted enemy aircraft
at Narvik during
allied attack.
29th Returned to Scapa Flow.
June
1st Passage to Narvlk with HMS ARK ROYAL screened by HM
Destroyers ACASTA,
ARDENT, ACHERON, DIANA and HIGHLANDER for support of evacuation
(Operation
ALPHABET)
2nd Deployed at Narvik to embark RAF GLADIATOR aircraft.
3rd Detached with HMS HIGHLANDER and laid off Norwegian coast
to conserve fuel.
(Note : Owing to
lack of aircraft unable to take full part in covering the
evacuation of
allied troops from Narvik with HMS ARK ROYAL.
For details see
THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Jack Adams, NARVIK by D
MacIntyre).
4th Rejoined HMS ARK ROYAL.
6th Launched SWORDFISH aircraft for bombing attack on German HQ
at Hundallan.
Operation
aborted because of weather and aircraft returned.
7th Began to embark RAF HURRICANE aircraft from shore for
passage to UK.
8th On completion of recovery of RAF aircraft approval given to
return to Scapa
Flow to prepare
for courts martial.
Sailed for UK at
0253 escorted by HM Destroyers ACASTA and ARDENT.
Intercepted by
German battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU.
In brief
engagement all three British warships were sunk. (Casualty
List -
note
on casualties)
(For further
details See CARRIER GLORIOUS by John Winton, THE DOOMED
EXPEDITION
by J Adams and Naval Staff History).
(Note ; The loss
of these ships was the subject of an Inquiry.
Among the
various factors leading to this loss was the failure to ensure
aircraft were
available for reconnaissance and the wisdom of allowing
the ship to make
an independent passage).