Battle Honours

NARVIK 1940 - NORWAY 1940-41 - ATLANTIC 1940-41 - NORWAY 1941-41 -  MALTA CONVOYS 1942

History

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March                   Contractors trials

          15th            Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

April                     On completion of trials and storing took passage to Portland to work-up

                            for service with the 6th Destroyer Flotilla in Home Fleet.

                            Worked up in Channel area with units based at Portland.

May                      Deployment at Portland in continuation.

June

            1st           Despatched from Portland to assist in search for HMS THETIS which

                            had failed to surface after diving trials in Liverpool Bay.

            2nd          Arrived in search area and joined ships taking part in rescue operations.

                           On release from HMS THETIS rescue requirements resumed Home Fleet Summer

                           Programme.

July                      Deployed with Flotilla in Home Fleet for exercises and visits.

August                  Passage to Scapa Flow to take-up war station.

September            Deployed for screening ,anti-submarine patrol duties and interception

                            of mercantiles attempting to return to Germany in NE Approaches based

                            at Scapa Flow.

October                 Took part in unsuccessful search for SS CITY OF FLINT which had been

                            captured by German cruiser DEUTSCHLAND.

                            This ship was later interned in Norway.

                            Deployed as part of screen for HMS RENOWN and HMS ARK ROYAL during their passage to

                            Freetown prior to their joining Hunting Group X in search for German battleship ADMIRAL GRAF

                            SPEE

                            Returned escort and patrol duties with Flotilla.

November/December

                            Flotilla duties in continuation including escort of Canadian Troop convoys

                            in NW Approaches

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January                 Withdrawn from operational use because of high incidence of defects.

                            Passage to Tyne for repair and refit in commercial shipyard.

           23rd           Taken in hand for repair.

February                Under repair and refit

                             Work included installation of Degaussing.

                             Defect repair of propulsion machinery turbines to be confirmed.)

March

            16th           Post refit trials and passage to resume Flotilla duties at Scapa Flow.

                             Rejoined Flotilla on arrival.

                             Other ships in 6th Flotilla were HMS SOMALI (Leader),HMS ASHANTI, HMS MATABELE, HMS MASHONA, HMS PUNJABI, HMS

                             ESKIMO and HMS TARTAR.

                             During the operations off Norway in April 1940 she was patrolling off Baroy when she was

                             attacked by the German submarine  U-25, the torpedoes exploded some distance from target.

April                       Deployed at Scapa Flow for screening of major Home Fleet units

              7th           Deployed with HMS CODRINGTON, HMS GRIFFIN, HMS JUPITER,HMS ELECTRA,ESCAPADE

                             HMS BRAZEN, HMS PUNJABI, HMS ESKIMO and HMS KIMBERLEY

                             as screen for HMS RODNEY and HMS VALIANT, HMS REPULSE.HMS SHEFFIELD,HMS PENELOPE and FFL EMIL BERTIN in search for

                             German warships reported by aircraft as onpassage in North Sea.

              8th            Detached to carry out patrol off Skomvaer Light with HMS REPULSE,

                              HMS PENELOPE, HMS ESKIMO, HMS PUNJABI and HMS KIMBERLEY.

                              Rejoined Home Fleet units after German occupation of Narvik confirmed.

               9th           Deployed as screen for Home Fleet ships.

              10th          Deployed for Patrol in Ofot Fjord area.

              12th          Joined screen for HMS WARSPITE, HMS RENOWN and HMS FURIOUS with HMS PUNJABI,

                              HMS KIMBERLEY and HMS ICARUS during passage into Vest Fjord.

              13th          Took part in engagement with German destroyers with HMS WARSPITE,

                              HMS ICARUS, HMS HERO, HMS FOXHOUND, HMS KIMBERLEY, HMS FORESTER,

                              HMS PUNJABI, HMS ESKIMO and HMS COSSACK during which she sank the German

                              destroyer ERICH KOELLER (Second Battle of Narvik.)

              15th         Escorted damaged HMS ESKIMO to Skelfjord for repair with HMS HOSTILE

                             and HMS IVANHOE.

                             Resumed support of military operations and patrol duties off Narvik.

 May

                4th         Rescued survivors from Polish destroyer ORP GROM sunk by air attacks in

                             Ofotfjord. Passage to UK on release from Norwegian support duties.

                             Taken in hand for repair in Glasgow commercial shipyard.

                             On completion resumed Flotilla duties at Scapa Flow.

                             Pennant Number changed to G67.

 June

                7th         Deployed with HMS TARTAR, HMS MASHONA and HMS ASHANTI as screen

                             for HMS VALIANT to provide cover against attack on Group 1

                             Evacuation convoy from Norway during passage.

                8th         Met Group 1 ships off Faeroes.

 July                       Home Fleet deployment in continuation.

August                    Deployed in North Sea for anti-invasion patrol and screening duties.

                29th        Deployed with HMS TARTAR as escort for ships of 1st Mine-laying

                               Squadron during mine-laying in Northern Barrage (Operation SN14)

September           Rescued crew of Norwegian fishing boat in North Sea.

                              Nominated for refit.

October                  Passage to Southampton for refit.

                10th       Taken in hand for refit during which Twin 4” mounting was fitted in place of

                              4.7” mounting in “X” position.

November

                 17th       On completion of post refit trials took passage to resume Flotilla duties at

                               Scapa Flow with Flotilla.

December                 Flotilla duties for screen of Home Fleet ships and patrol in NW Approaches.

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January

                  3rd            Escorted HMS ICARUS and HMS INTREPID with HMS MASHONA, HMS MATABELE and HMS

                                  TARTAR during lay of minefield in coastal shipping route off Norwegian coast.

                                  During passage accidentally discharged torpedo which ships in company were

                                  able to avoid.

                                  On return to Scapa Flow resumed Home Fleet duties.

February                     Deployed at Scapa Flow with Flotilla.

March                         Sailed for support of planned commando raid on Lofoten Islands. by 3 & 4 Cdo

                                  as escort for HMS Queen EMMA and HMS PRINCESS BEATRIX

                                  during passage. (Operation CLAYMORE).

                  4th           Provided support during landings.

                                  Sank Norwegian coastal steamer MIRA.

                   6th           Return passage to Scapa Flow as escort and resumed Home Fleet duties.

April                            Scapa Flow deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

May                           Nominated for special operation to intercept German weather ship in

                                  a reporting station east of Iceland.

                                  This operation was intended to capture a German ENIGMA Coding machine and its

                                   associated documentation.

                    6th          Escorted HMS EDINBURGH, HMS MANCHESTER and HMS BIRMINGHAM

                                   with HMAS NESTOR (RAN), HMS SOMALI and  HMS ESKIMO during search for

                                   weather ship.

                    7th          Took part in capture of German MUNCHEN during which the machine was

                                   thrown overboard and only the documentation was obtained.

                                   On release from EB resumed Flotilla duties.

June                          Nominated for further special operation to intercept another German weather ship

                                  stationed off Jan Mayen Island in Arctic Sea.

                     25th       Deployed with HMS NIGERIA and HMS TARTAR during search.

                     28th       Intercepted and enemy vessel which scuttled. Boarding Party were able to

                                   recover associated documentation.

July                             Nominated for refit and took passage to Immingham from Scapa Flow.

                     19th       Taken in hand at Commercial shipyard in Immingham during which Radar Type

                                   286M was fitted, with fixed type aerial.

                                   This equipment was later replaced  by a naval design using a rotating aerial.

August

                      31st      On completion carried out post refit trials before resuming Flotilla duties in

                                   Home Fleet.

September/October      Home Fleet Flotilla deployment in continuation.

November

                      14th      Joined Russian convoy PQ3 with HM Cruiser KENYA and HM Destroyer

                                   INTREPID as Ocean Escort during passage to North Russia.

                       20th     Detached from PQ3 on arrival of Local Escort for final stage of passage.

                       25th     Deployed with HMS KENYA, HMS INTREPID and two Soviet destroyers

                                   for bombardment of enemy batteries at Vardo.

                      28th      Joined return convoy QP3 with same ships as Ocean Escort for return passage

                                   to Iceland.

December

                         3rd     Detached from QP3 with HMS KENYA and HMS INTREPID and resumed

                                   Flotilla duties in Home Fleet.

                       22nd   Escorted HMS ARETHUSA, HMS PRINZ ALBERT and HMS PRINCESS CHARLOTTE with HMS

                                   SOMALI and HMS ESKIMO,HMS WHEATLAND, HMS LAMERTON , Polish destroyers ORP

                                   KRAKOWIAK and ORP KUJAWIAK, HNoMS ACANTHUS and HNoMS EGLANTINE

                                   during passage to the Lofoten Islands for Commando raid

                                   This operation also included another landing from a separate force

                                   including HMSKENYA and Home Fleet destroyers with two Landing Ships. Two submarines

                                  were also deployed as markers to assist in passage off Norway.)

                       26th     During landing operations destroyers carried out search of Vestfijord.

                       28th     Under air attacks during which HMS ARETHUSA was damaged by a near miss.

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January                        Resumed Flotilla duties on return to Scapa Flow from ARCHERY.

February                      Home Fleet deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

March

                         1st     Deployed as part of screen for HMS KING GEORGE V and HMS DUKE OF YORK, HMS VICTORIOUS,

                                   HMS BERWICK and HMS KENYA with HMS ASHANTI, HMS ECHO,

                                    HMS ECLIPSE, HMS FAULKNOR,HMS FURY,HMS GROVE, HMS ICARUS, HMS INCONSTANT,

                                    HMS INTREPID, HMS JAVELIN ,HMS LANCASTER, HMS LEDBURY, HMS LOOKOUT, HMS

                                    ONSLOW, HMS PUNJABI, HMS TARTAR,HMS VERDUN, HMS WELLS and HMS WOOLSTON  

                                    to provide cover for passage of Russian convoys PQ12, PQ12 and return convoy QP9.

                                   These convoys were under the perceived threat of attack by the German battleship TIRPITZ

                                   with destroyer escort.

                         9th      Detached from covering force.

                       11th      Took part in search operation to intercept enemy ships.

                       13th      Search discontinued and resumed Fleet duties on return to Scapa Flow.

April

                       10th    Deployed with HMS BELVOIR,HMS ESCAPADE,HMS ESKIMO,HMS FAULKNOR,HMS

                                   LEDBURY,HMS MATCHLESS,HMS MIDDLETON,HMS OFFA,HMS ONSLOW,HMS SOMALI and HMS

                                   WHEATLAND as screen for HMS KING GEORGE V and HMS DUKE OF YORK, HMS VICTORIOUS,

                                   HMS NIGERIA and HMS KENT to provide Distant Cover for passage of Russian convoy PQ14 and

                                   return convoy QP10.

                                   Returned to Scapa Flow with Fleet units after arrival of QP10 in Iceland.

                       20th    Passage to Humber for refit.

                       21st    Taken in hand by Amos & Smith shipyard in Immingham.

May                            Under refit.

                      31st      On completion carried out post refit trials before resuming Home Fleet duties with Flotilla.

June                          Nominated for escort of military convoy to Malta. (Operation HARPOON)

                        5th     Sailed from Clyde as Ocean Escort for Convoy WS19Z during passage to

                                  Gibraltar with HMS KENYA, HMS LIVERPOOL.HMS ONSLOW,HMS ICARUS,HMS MARNE,

                                  HMS MATCHLESS,HMS ESCAPADE,HMS BLANKNEY, HMS MIDDLETON, HMS BADSWORTH and

                                 ORP KUJAWIAK deployed as Force T.

                      10th     Detached with HMS KENYA and ORP KUJAWIAK to refuel in Gibraltar.

                      11th     Joined HMS HEBE, HMS SPEEDY,HMS HYTHE and HMS RYE with HMS MARNE, HMS MATCHLESS,

                                 HMS BADSWORTH, HMS ITHURIEL,HMS PARTRIDGE, HMS BLANKNEY and HMS MIDDLETON to

                                 form Force X for Close

                                 Escort of convoy from Sicilian Channel into Malta

                                 Deployed with escort of WS19Z during passage in western Mediterranean,

                     14th     Under air attacks during which HMS LIVERPOOL was hit by a torpedo and

                                 sustained serious damage.

                                 HMS CAIRO joined Force X and detached from WS19Z.

                                 Deployed with HMS CAIRO and ships of Force X as Close escort during

                                 passage in Sicilian Narrows to Malta.

                     15th     Under attack by Italian force comprising cruisers MONTECUCCOLI and

                                 DI SAVOIA with destroyers ORIANA, ASCARI, VIVALDI, MALOCELLIO

                                 and Ex-Yugoslav PREMULA.

                                 Led by HMS CAIRO took part in attack on Italian ships with HMS MARNE, HMS MATCHLESS,

                                 HMS ITHURIEL and HMS PARTRIDGE.

                                 Came under 6” gunfire and hit by 12 shells causing severe damage and

                                 fire in gearing room. with structural damage forward. Ship disabled.

                                 Taken in tow by HMS PARTRIDGE which had also been damaged.

                                 Came under torpedo attack by aircraft during which two were shot down

                                 after having dropped their weapon one of which hit the ship.

                                 Sank quickly in position (36.12N  111,37E) SW of Pantellaria.

                                 33 of ships company lost their lives and the remaining 157 were rescued

                                 by an Italian hospital ship and became prisoner of war.