|
Date |
Entry |
|
1941 |
|
Sept 10
|
Joined
ship 08.00. Gladstone Dock Seaforth, Liverpool,
Ammunitioning. |
|
Sept 27-28 |
Last
week-end leave |
|
Sept 30 |
Saw Doris
( sister ) in the evening |
|
Oct 1 |
Left
Gladstone 08.00 – one destroyer and spitfire escort. |
|
Oct 2 |
Lay off
Bangor. Co.Down arriving am. Sailed for Greenock 20.00 |
|
Oct 3 |
Arrive
Greenock during 1st Dog – no leave piped. |
|
Oct 5 |
Under way
08.00 – Flying trials and speed trials – night lying off
Ardrossan. |
|
Oct 5 - 16 |
Trials in
Firth of Clyde and off Ailsa Craig going in at anight to
Ardrossan. Week-end at Greenock – ashore Friday and
Sunday – Glasgow and Gurock by train. Three of us spend
45 shillings on food. |
|
Oct 18
|
Left
Greenock 02.00, last mail distributed 07.30. |
|
Oct 19 -
20 |
In convoy.
French liner PASTEUR for Halifax ( Canada ) Destroyer
escort. Heavy seas breaking over flight deck. Only at 6
knots. |
|
Oct 22 |
Left
convoy |
|
Oct 25 -
26 |
Two
aircraft lost. Survivors from one picked up after 30
hours search.
Whaler crew to the rescue
|
|
Oct 27 |
Arrived
Bermuda during last Dog. Four leaves during stay
Left: Divisions held while in Bermuda note the
variations
in uniform ranging from full temperate rig to full
tropical
rig and all points in-between. Right: Captain H.
E. Morse, DSO, RN, Commanding Officer.
|
|
Oct 31 |
Left
Bermuda |
|
Nov 2 |
18.00
Arrived Jamaica. Ran on reef entering harbour. |
|
Nov 3 |
02.30 Got
off reef. Clocks 6 hours back on B.S.T.
Kingston harbour, Jamaica
|
|
Nov 4 |
For
Norfolk. V.A Max speed during passage 16 knots due to
drainage. |
|
Nov 8 |
Arrived
off Norfolk during forenoon. Cold day. |
|
Nov 9 - 10 |
At Norfolk
Naval Air Station. Eight leaves. |
|
Nov 19 |
In river.
Marsh fires caused bad visibility, returned to berth in
the evening. |
|
Nov 20
|
For
Jamaica |
|
Nov 24 -
|
Lying off
Jamaica. Kingston harbour. Out all week off Kingston
fighting trials. |
|
Nov 29 |
Back in
harbour |
|
Nov 30 |
Sent for
week to H.M.S Buzzard. Palisadoes. F.A.A aerodrome. |
|
Dec 6 |
Ship back
in harbour. Returned to ship. |
|
Dec 6 -12 |
Leave in
Kingston.
Kingston, Jamaica
|
|
Dec 13 |
For
Trinidad. |
|
Dec 15
|
Sighted
Trinidad. Lay off Port of Spain. |
|
Dec 16 |
Submarine
scare – F.A.A Cadets come to sea with us. Bad show. Two
landing crashes. |
|
Dec 17 |
23.00 To
sea for Cape Town. |
|
Dec 22 |
19.00
Crossed the line.
Crossing the line ceremony
|
|
Dec 25 |
Games and
concert. Christmas dinner. Very hot. |
|
Dec 31 |
Arrived
Cape Town during afternoon. Leave in the evening
Cape Town, South Africa
|
|
1942 |
|
Jan 1 |
Leave in
Cape Town. |
|
Jan 2 |
For Aden. |
|
Jan 10
|
In the
Gulf – met by destroyer escort H.M.A.S NAPIER, NIZAM,
NESTOR
H.M.A.S. NAPIER
|
|
Jan 11 |
Arrive
Aden during forenoon – disembarked 2 squadrons. Leave
(22,000 miles )
Aden |
|
Jan 12 |
To Port
Sudan, escorted. |
|
Jan 14 |
Arrived
Port Sudan. 50 Hurricanes and crews for Singapore.
Leave.
Port Sudan
 |
|
Jan 15 |
P.M to sea |
|
Jan 16 |
Escort
sent in to refuel at Aden – passed through Straits under
cover of darkness. |
|
Jan 21 |
P.M at
Addu Atoll. Refuelling Pear leaf. [RFA] |
|
Jan 22 |
Left P.M.
for Cocos Islands |
|
Jan 25 |
Cocos
Islands to refuel. Difficulty in refuelling destroyers –
one left behind. At sea again following morning. |
|
Jan 27 |
Joined by
third destroyer waiting all day to fly off RAF
Hurricanes – 16 got off. |
|
Jan 28 |
Essential
that remainder get off. Destroyers running short of
fuel. Swordfish lost. ASDICS pick up submarine, nothing
developed. Hurricanes all of safely. Ship having closed
the coast of Java which was just in sight. 8.5 hours
ahead of GMT. |
|
Jan 29 –
Feb 1 |
Returning
to Trimcomlee having lost time in refuelling escort at
sea. |
|
Feb 2 |
Arrived
Trimcomlee |
|
Feb 4 |
Orders to
proceed to Colombo cancelled due to sub activity.
REVENGE.
ROYAL SOV. EMERALD. ENTERPRISE. VITA (HMHS) HERON.
APPLELEAF. PEARLEAF. NAPIER. NESTOR. NIZAM. MANOORA.
SUMATRA. |
|
Feb 2 - 16 |
(32,000
miles) Boiler cleaning. Sub scare delayed sailing for
two days. |
|
Feb 16 |
For Aden |
|
Feb 18 |
Reconnaissance a/c in search for enemy supply ship off
Malidivean Islands. |
|
Feb 22 |
USS WEST
POINT from Singapore. Arrived Aden during forenoon mail
– 70 bags – 13 letters, 1 tel : ashore. R.A.A joins
ship. Captain H.E. Morse relieved of command by Captain Troubridge. |
|
Feb 23 |
Left Aden
for Port Sudan. |
|
Feb 25
|
Arrived
Port Sudan, took on more Hurricanes and RAF personnel
for Far East. |
|
Feb 27 |
Left
P.Sudan. NAPIER NESTOR escorting. New skipper now in
command. |
|
Mar 6 |
40
Hurricanes flown off. |
|
Mar 7 |
Trimcomlee.
Remainder of planes flown off.
Trimcomlee, Ceylon.
Photo: RN REsearch Archive
|
|
Mar 8 and
9 |
Ashore
RAMILLIES.
ROYAL SOV. DORSETSHIRE. VAMPIRE. DECOY. FORTUNE. NAPIER.
NESTOR. NIZAM. EREBUS. SUMATRA. |
|
Mar 10 |
Left
Trimco: DECOY and FORTUNE in company. For Aden 07.00 |
|
Mar 16 |
Arrived
Aden. 150 bags of mail. Leave. COMMANDANT DOMINE. F.F.S.
SS DRONTES (RMC) CORFU . KIWI (HMS) SS CLANMACTAVISH.
|
|
Mar 19
|
Left Aden.
Main engines broken down from 13.15 – 22.00. DECOY
FORTUNE in company 800. 880. 827. 831 squadrons
complete. |
|
Mar 23 |
Arrived
Adhu Atol. |
|
Mar 24 |
Fleet
manoeuvres. RAMMILLIES. ROYAL SOV. REVENGE. RESOLUTION (
flagship ) . Escort – GRIFFIN. FOXHOUND and FORTUNE.
DECOY. ISAAC SWEEN. D.S. NESTOR NAPIER. ?? LIMGAIN ???
NORMAN . |
|
Mar 25 |
Fleet
manoeuvres. Arrived back Adhu Atol Saturday (28th)
PM |
|
Mar 29 |
Left 23.00
Fleet sails for unknown rendezvous. |
|
Mar 31 |
Joined by
HMS WARSPITE. 4 Fulmars lost this week on exercises.
HMS
FORMIDABLE. HERMES. CORNWALL. CALEDON. EMERALD.
ENTERPRISE. HEEMSKIRK. DORSETSHIRE. PANTHER. PALADIN.
VAMPIRE. FOXHOUND. GRIFFIN. ARROW. DRAGON. SCOUT. |
|
Mar 31 –
Apr 4 |
Unsuccessful search carried out, no contacts made with
enemy. Returned to Adhu Atol April 4th
midday. |
|
April 5 |
17.00
Reconnaissance a/c make contact. 1 Albacove lost, 1 shot
up but returned safely 22.00. Lost contact. COLOMBO
raided. |
|
April 6 |
Search
continued, enemy BS’s raiding to the N.W. No sign of HMS
DORSETSHIRE and HMS CORNWALL having failed to
rendezvous. |
|
|
Oct 1st
to April 1st 45,986 miles. 31,000 tonnes oil fuel. |
|
Apr 7 |
HMS
DORSETSHIRE and HMS CORNWALL reported sunk. HMS
ENTERPRISE and 2 DR’s return with approx 1000 survivors,
search continued – 7 ships reported sunk yesterday in
Bay of Bengal. |
|
Apr 8 |
Ado Atoll
refuelling |
|
April 9
|
HMS HERMES
sunk. To sea for Colombo. |
|
April 13
|
Arrive
Bombay Monday |
|
April 20
|
01.30 Left
Bombay for Colombo among those in company. WARSPITE –
flagship . FORMIDABLE. HEEMSKIRK. NEWCASTLE. EMERALD.
ENTERPRISE. |
|
April 23 |
Colombo to
take on aircraft. 1 new fulmar squadron. |
|
April 24 |
Left
Colombo with fleet |
|
|
Fleet
air arm losses since October:-
6
Fulmars, 1 Swordfish. Several Albacores badly smashed
up. 1 lost April 5, Casualties 7 possibly 8. 3 lost
April 5 and 1 injured.
Second
boiler clean in Bombay |
|
April 29 |
Arrive
Seychelles to refuel. In company. Left Seychelles 19.00.
Transports
in Company :-
KEREN,
SOBIESKI, ORANSAY, ROYAL ULSTERMAN, DUCHESS OF ATHOLL,
WINCHESTER CASTLE. FRANCONIA. KARANJA. Also HMS
HERMIONE. ?? lafonmey ?? LIGHTNING, DUNCAN, JAVELIN,
INCONSTANT. ANTHONY.
H.M.S. LIGHTNING alongside INDOMITABLE in the Indian
Ocean, a man is being ferried between the two ships by
light jackstay transfer.
|
|
May 3 |
Join up
with 8 transports. HMS ILLUSTRIOUS. RAMMILLIES.
DEVONSHIRE 2 D.F’S – bound for Diego Suarez Madagascar. |
|
May 5 |
Attack at
dawn on town and aerodrome of Diego Suarez |
|
May 8 |
French
surrended. Our casualties about 500. |
|
May 9 |
Fleet
enters harbour. 08.00 French sub fires 1 torpedo at
Indom. Missed us by about 20 yards.
Diego Suarez Madagascar
Two views of the wreck of the Vichy French Sloop FS
D'ENTRECASTEAUX, crippled by bombs and torpedoes from
aircraft flying from INDOMITABLE and ILLUSTRIOUS
during 'Operation IRONCLAD' |
|
May 19 |
Left for
Mombasa with ILLUSTRIOUS. |
|
May 22
|
Arrive
Mombasa as home to C in C’s office |
|
May 26 |
In
hospital |
|
June 12
|
To Nairobi
hospital. |
|
June 15 |
Left
Nairobi |
|
June 16
|
Arrive
Mombasa, sent to ?? Lihoni Camp. 7 days excused duty.
Indom arrives back from patrol. |
|
July 4 |
Return to
ship |
|
July 9 |
For Durban
?? LAFONEY ?? LIGHTNING. LOOKOUT. ISLE DE FRANCE.
BRITTANNIC in Durban.
|
|
July 13 |
Arrive
Durban |
|
July 14 |
Leave for
Cape Town. |
|
July 17 |
Arrive
Cape Town. |
|
July 18 |
Leave for
Freetown. |
|
July 28
|
Arrive
Freetown forenoon. PHOEBE. UNION. VINDICTIVE. In
harbour. |
|
Aug 1 |
Left
Freetown to rendezvous with VICTORIOUS and EAGLE off
North-West Africa |
|
Aug 6 |
Rendezvous
AM with a EAGLE. VICTORIOUS. ARGUS about 300 miles off
Gib. |
|
Aug 8 |
In Gib to
oil – not successful. Left 04.45 ( 27 Knots )
|
|
Aug 9 |
JOINED
CONVOY FOR MALTA pm. NELSON. RODNEY. KENYA. FURIOUS.
MANCHESTER. NIGERIA. SIRIUS. etc Through straits during
dark hours. Refuel ourselves in Gibraltar Bay ( 1000
tons )
MALTA
CONVOY :- 4 AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, 2 BATTLESHIPS, 9
CRUISERS, 15 MERCHANT SHIPS about 60 ships in all with
Destroyer screen – oilers and tugs. |
|
Aug 10 |
“DI”
Overtake convoy pm. Proceeding 12 knots due east,
reduced visibility – sea choppy , no incidents. |
|
Aug 11
|
“DII”
Action stations 05.40. – no incidents. Shadowers all
forenoon.
13.00
Submarine attack – EAGLE hit and sunk – several torpedos
fired at us – obviously more than one submarine –
doubtful whether any were sunk – Pompoms opened up on
periscope – EAGLE sank approx 13.24.
Action
stations on and off all afternoon – convoy intact
proceeding at about 12 knots.
20.00
Action stations – Dusk – torpedo bombers, attack all
guns opened up – no hits secure about 22.15. |
|
Aug 12
|
“DIII”
(Action stations all day). Between the straits of
Sardinia and African coast, no incidents.
10.30
approx – JU 88’S terrific barrage – no hits – several
raids reported coming in, small formations not more than
20 at a time – C.O 880 sqdn shot down and lost.
Afternoon- torpedo attack on convoy. HMS NELSON and
RODNEY open up with 16 inch flack.
16.00 –
18.15 Quiet and peaceful – none of the convoy lost out
of 15 ships.
18.30 J.U.
87 dive bomber and torpedo attack.
18.45
Attack on Indom. Three hits – forward aft and mid ships
prt side. Malta fighters overdue hence inadequate
fighter protection.
19.15
approx. Turned due west – 12 knots
19.45
approx. Steaming due west. 20 knots. NELSON RODNEY
VICTORIOUS and screen in company – HMS MANCHESTER.
NIGERIA KENYA and CAIRO etc proceed with convoy. More
gunfire heard in the distance. Damage considerable but
above the waterline.
22.00
approx. Darken ship. Security from the night – next
operation abandoned. |
|
Aug 13 |
No
incidents. 2 dud action stations.
21.30
approx. VICTORIOUS and NELSON turn east to cover
returning ships and light convoy out of Malta. Speed 18
knots – due in Gibraltar tomorrow.
We
accounted for 28 a/c. |
|
Aug 14 |
Arrive
Gibraltar 18.00
Dry dock
for temporary repairs.
|
