1 9 3 9
September Post
refit trials at Portsmouth.
3rd Transferred to Portland for convoy defence in SW
Approaches.
October Transferred
to Halifax for defence of Atlantic convoys.
November Atlantic
convoy defence in continuation.
December Part
of escort for 2nd Canadian troop convoy to UK.
1 9 4 0
January to May
Atlantic
convoy defence in continuation.
June Embarked
£40m gold bullion in Clyde for transfer to USA for safe custody.
July Embarked
another consignment of gold bullion at Plymouth for transfer to USA.
Escorted
ss SOBIESKI, mv MONARCH OF
BERMUDA and ss BATORY taking
bullion to Halifax with HM Cruiser BONAVENTURE.
Returned to UK as escort for Canadian troop convoy
TC6 with HM Cruiser EMERALD.
August to September
Deployed
in English Channel for anti-invasion duty.
October Channel
deployment in continuation, based at Plymouth.
10th Deployed with HM Cruisers EMERALD and NEWCASTLE screened by HM
Destroyers
JAVELIN, JUPITER, JACKAL, JAGUAR, KASHMIR and KIPLING
for
bombardment of Cherbourg
11th On completion of bombardment with above
ships returned to Portsmouth with screen.
November to
December
Deployed
for Atlantic convoy defence.
1 9 4 1
January to February
Atlantic
convoy defence in continuation.
(Note: An aircraft
warning radar had been fitted during a refit by this period.
March Under refit.
(Note: Type 279
Radar to provide aircraft warning was fitted. For details of
development and use of radar in the RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
Nominated for
escort of military convoy during Atlantic passage on completion
of refit.
24th Joined Convoy WS7 in Clyde as Ocean Escort.
28th Detached from WS7 with mv GEORGIC as escort for passage to Halifax, NS.
April Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence after arrival at Halifax.
May
24th Despatched from Halifax to cover Convoy HX128 during Home Fleet search for
German battleship BISMARCK.
June to August
Atlantic convoy defence
in continuation.
Nominated for escort
of military convoy during passage to Middle East.
September
1st Joined Convoy WS10X on departure from Freetown.
11th Arrived at Freetown.
(Note: During
passage in South Atlantic involved in collision with ss
ORION
whilst exercising breakdown of steering. No major damage
incurred by
either ship.)
13th Sailed from Capetown with WS10X as Ocean Escort during
passage in Indian
Ocean.
22nd Detached from WS10X on relief by HM Cruiser CERES and deployed
for trade
defence in Indian
Ocean.
October Indian Ocean convoy defence in continuation.
November
5th Relieved HM Battlecruiser REPULSE as Ocean Escort for
military convoy WS12
in position 5.10S 34E.
(Note: HMS
REPULSE left to join the ill-fated Force Z at Colombo before
deployment with HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES at Singapore.)
14th Detached from WS12 on arrival in vicinity of Aden and took passage to return
to UK for refit via Cape of Good Hope.
December Taken in hand for refit on arrival
in UK
(Note: Radar
Type 273 for surface warning and Type 284 for fire-control of main
armament were fitted. See above.)
1 9 4 2
January Under
refit.
February Carried out post refit trials
including new radar outfits on completion.
Nominated for service in Indian Ocean with 3rd Battle Squadron.
Passage to Ceylon.
(See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).
March On
arrival joined HM Battleships RAMILLIES, REVENGE and ROYAL SOVEREIGN
at Addu Atoll for tactical and
gunnery exercises.
26th Joined Eastern Fleet on formation and
part of 3rd Battle Squadron.
April
1st Joined Force B of Eastern Fleet with
HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM Cruisers
CALEDON, DRAGON, Dutch cruiser HEEMSKERK
and ships of Squadron.
(Note:
Amongst the 8 destroyers deployed with Force B were HMS SCOUT and
HMAS
VAMPIRE (RAN), both 1918 vintage.)
(For
details of Indian Ocean operations see OPERATION PACIFIC by Edwyn Gray)
2nd Covered Force A
ships during search in Indian
Ocean for Japanese force
reported
on passage to Ceylon (See chronology on WARSPITE).
6th Detached with HMS RAMILLIES, HMS
RESOLUTION and HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN
for defence of Indian Ocean convoys
based at Kilindini.
(Note:
This move was made because of the vulnerability of Ceylon to Japanese air
attacks).
May. Indian Ocean convoy defence in continuation.
1st Joined military convoy WS17 on departure from Durban as Ocean Escort with
HM Cruiser DAUNTLESS during the passage to Mombasa.
8th Detached from WS17 with HMS DAUNTLESS with six troopships
for escort into
Mombasa.
Resumed Indian Ocean convoy escort after arrival.
June Deployed in Indian Ocean.
(For details of
operations in Indian Ocean see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
July to November
Under refit at Durban
December On completion of Post Refit Trials
resumed convoy escort and trade defence
in Indian
Ocean.
1 9 4 3
January Indian Ocean convoy defence in continuation.
February Covered
passage in Indian Ocean from Socotra of military convoy taking 9th ANZAC
Division back to Australia (Operation PAMPHLET).
(Note:
HMS RESOLUTION, HM Battleship WARSPITE and HM Cruiser MAURITIUS
were also deployed. Ships in convoy included rms QUEEN MARY,
rms AQUITANIA, French liner ILE DE FRANCE, Dutch liner NIEUW AMSTERDAM
and mv QUEEN OF BERMUDA.)
March to July
Indian Ocean convoy defence in continuation.
Nominated for return to UK to refit.
September Passage
to UK for refit.
October to December
Under
refit
Withdrawn from
operational service and to be used for training duties.
(Note: Fire-control radar outfits
were fitted for secondary armament for AA
defence. See above reference.)
1 9 4 4
January to December
Reduced
to Reserve status and used for training duties.
(Note: Not deployed
in support of Normandy landings).
1 9 4 5
January
to August
Training
duties in continuation.
