Yes, the Phoebe was fortunate to come through that ordeal with no casualties caused by enemy action. All aircraft had returned safely. G.R.B.
P.A. The object of this operation was to create a diversion by simulating a landing attempt on Castellorizio island. R.M.J. Operations of Force A, HMS Barham damaged, 27 May 1941. G.C.P. Half-an-hour later seven high-level bombers attacked but they were detected in time and taken under fire as a result of which all bombs fell wide. However in the forenoon Force C made up of HMS Barham (Capt.
The 3rd Cruiser Squadron was to patrol off the Kithera Channel and the destroyers were to carry out an A/S patrol off the bay when the fleet was to fuel at Suda Bay.
D.M.
Her rudder was jammed and repairs could not be made. for 19 March 1941.
Force A now set course to the southward. F.R. Watkins, RN) and HMS Hotspur (Lt.Cdr. Heavy explosions were observed in the target area. Biggs, DSO, RN), HMS Hotspur (Lt.Cdr. Power, CB, CVO, RN), HMS Dido (Capt. T.C. A second search by aircraft from HMS Eagle covered these positions and by 1130 hours it was considered that the enemys position was sufficiently well established to launch the air striking force. Eight motor torpedo boats and / or motor gun boats were also set to patrol in the area. At 0350 hours, HMS Ark Royal, launched a striking force of nine Swordfish aircraft armed with 4 250 lb. Mack, DSO, RN), HMS Mohawk (Cdr. The aircraft from HMS Warspite which was catapulted at 1700/19 to make a search of the Tobruk area made a forced lading to the eastward of that port. public. During the action HMS Liverpool was hit by a 4.7" shell which cut the degaussing wire. The Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto departed Naples escorted by the destroyers Alpino, Bersagliere, Fuciliere and Granatiere from the 13th Destroyer Division. A.G. Forman, DSC, RN) was also operating in the area.
C.W. Over 1500 people attended a service of remembrance, and a lone bugler played The Last Post. Eaton, RN), HMS Nubian (Cdr. There are 1118 crew members registered for the USS Orion (AS 18). M.G. HMS Eagle had defects and was unable to proceed to sea with this group as had been originally intended. J.T.B. Thomas, DSO, RN), HMS Hyperion (Cdr. Gregory-Smith, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN) and HMS Kelvin (Cdr. 844 Squadron FAA from HMS Eagle made a successful moonlight torpedo attack on shipping at Tobruk, encountering heavy barrage fire from all sides of the harbour, which damaged three aircraft, seriously wounded one observer and slightly wounded a pilot.
Lyster, CVO, DSO, RN), HMS Eagle (Capt. W.F.N. [26], In an attempt to lure out and destroy a portion of the Grand Fleet, the High Seas Fleet, composed of sixteen dreadnoughts, six pre-dreadnoughts and supporting ships, departed the Jade Bight early on the morning of 31 May. Poland, CB, DSO and Bar, DSC, RN), HMS Javelin (Cdr. Force H then turned back and joined the Excess convoy at 0900/9 about 120 nautical miles south-west of Sardinia. (59). Three enemy aircraft were shot down during the day but these were shot down before they had reported the fleet. The enemy fired her torpedoes which HMS Bonaventure avoided. Petch, OBE, RN), HMS Tetcott (Lt.Cdr. Menzies, RN), destroyers from the 14th Destroyer Flotilla; HMS Jervis (Capt. (42), 26 Jun 1942During the morning HMS H 28 (Lt. J.S. At 1800 hours the air striking force, made up of HMS Illustrious, HMS York, HMS Gloucester, HMS Dainty, HMS Greyhound, HMS Gallant and HMS Griffin was also detached. C.P.F. 20 Jan 1943The light cruisers HMS Cleopatra (Capt. Biggs, DSO, RN) and HMS Hereward (Lt. W.J. E.G. Greening, RN) departed Malta to make rendez-vous the next day with Force A.
O'Conor, RN), HMS Gloucester (Capt. J.A. At 0815 hours, HMS Ark Royal launched six search aircraft. American Manufacturer (American, 6678 GRT, built 1941),
R.C. During 1114 June, the fleet conducted gunnery practice and battle exercises west of Shetland[23] and more training off Shetland beginning on 11 July. All available boats and floats were dropped and the Fiji proceeded to the southward with Kandahar and Kingston still being hotly attacked by enemy aircraft. One minute later the enemy cruisers ceased fire and turned away to the north-east. Two A/S contacts were made by the destroyer screen during the forenoon. Power, CB, CVO, RN), HMS Euryalus (Capt. aircraft in position 3806N, 0626E to search to the eastward south of Sardinia. She was loaded with petrol and ammunition. R.C. At 1830 hours, when the fleet was in position 3615N, 2130E course was changed to 280. No enemy air attacks developed until dark when a number of aircraft, probably torpedo bombers, endeavoured to attack the convoy and battlefleet. They arrived at Suda Bay later this day.
H.W. The second sub-flight (aircraft 5 A, 4 P and 4 K) was able to take advantage of Vittorio Venetos turn and dropped their torpedoes from good positions on the battleships port bow. Bombs were dropped and HMS Kelvin was near missed. P.W. Waller, RAN) and HMAS Vampire (Lt.Cdr. The convoy was escorted on departure from Port Said by the destroyers HMS Pakenham (Capt. J.A.W. C.P.F. Shorty afterwards Group I reduced speed to 17 knots as to not get too far ahead of Group II and the convoy. At 1219 hours, a Swordfish A/S patrol force landed near HMS Warspite shortly after taking off. Cunningham, KCB, DSO, RN), HMS Valiant (Capt. Two Fulmars were lost, the crew of one of them was saved. J.R.G.
They mustered the six dreadnoughts of Vice-Admiral Sir George Warrender's 2nd BS, including Orion and her sisters, Monarch and Conqueror, and the four battlecruisers of Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty. HMS Protector (Cdr.
A few minutes later a second wave of nine aircraft was seen coming in but this attack was also not pressed home with determination and no hits were obtained. At 1400 hours, aircraft were flown off to search between 200 and 350. P.W. I was later taken POW by the Germans who eventually took over the Island. At 1100 hours, the Capt.
Course was altered to the southward at 1800 hours and to the eastward at 2100 hours. The Italian light cruisers Luigi di Savoia Duca Delgi Abruzzi and Giuseppe Garibaldi from the 8th Cruiser Division departed Brindisi escorted by the destroyers Nicoloso Da Recco and Emanuele Pessagno from the 16th Destroyer Division. McGregor, DSO, RN) were also sent to support the Megara force. Ravenhill, RN), HMS Janus (Cdr. He also requested a tug to be sent for the assistance of HMS Fortune.
G.R.B. They then steered towards the westward at 18 knots between Ovo Island and the Cretan mainland. The loss of HMS Greyhound, HMS Gloucester, HMS Fiji, 22 May 1941. L.F.A.V.N. On closing them they identified the enemy as four ships screened by six destroyers steering 320 at about 14 knots. Centurion. Until 0722 hours the destroyer division had been spread in line abreast 1.5 nautical miles apart, carrying out an A/S sweep at 18 knots. J.O.
J.A. Vice-Admiral (D) in HMS Orion, together with HMS Neptune was detached to join convoy MF 1. McGregor, DSO, RN) and HMAS Waterhen (Lt.Cdr. Bush, DSC and Bar, RN) departed Alexandria for Haifa. Bridge, RN). I knew he had been killed on a ship during the war but it wasn't until I started researching my family history that I learnt more of what happened to him.
G.R.B. In each case the turrets were put out of action. [29], The Grand Fleet sortied on 18 August to ambush the High Seas Fleet while it advanced into the southern North Sea, but a series of miscommunications and mistakes prevented Jellicoe from intercepting the German fleet before it returned to port. Menzies, RN) and the destroyers HMS Jervis (Capt. Bombardment of Augusta, Sicily and raid to the south of the Strait of Messina. The Mediterranean Fleet departed Alexandria in the forenoon, it was made up of the battleships HMS Warspite (Capt. That forenoon the Commander-in-Chief received a signal from Capt. Also five ships were thought to have been sunk.
With the object of gaining ground and of identifying the class of the enemy cruisers, the destroyer division altered course to 360. At noon the fleet was in position 3351N, 2632E, steering 280. Parachute reinforcements also arrived, and the Germans concentrated between Aliakanou and Canea, and immediately west of Meleme. G.R.B. Vetillard), Lynx (Cdr. M.S. After the return of these aircraft HMS Mohawk was ordered to proceed to Malta. Visibility was poor and the earlier launched air search sighted nothing. At this time HMS Ajax, HMAS Perth and HMS Jaguar joined the Fleet. W.G. If this was to be the scale of the casualties, it appeared that quite apart from prospective naval losses of ships and men, who could be ill spared, our efforts to rescue the army from capture might only lead to destruction of a large portion of the troops. On the way back they had attacked an enemy submarine with machine gun fire in position 3820N, 0720E. They set course for Alexandria after covering Force B during the night. They were landed at 0815/11. A fighter patrol was maintained throughout the afternoon but no enemy aircraft were encountered. At 0100 hours the fleet altered course to 060. The enemy salvoes fell short at first, then over, with an occasional straddle. 25 Oct 1939The German tanker Emmy Friedrich (4372 GRT, built 1904) departed Tampico, Mexico to try to break out into the Atlantic. Menzies, RN), HMS Jervis (Capt. On 27 June 1940, five destroyers, (Force C), HMS Decoy (Cdr. The transports Assiria (2705 GRT, built 1928) and Marocchino (1524 GRT, built 1920, one wounded) were sunk in shallow water, the Custom (Guardi di Finanza) motor boat Cicconetti (61 tons) was also sunk (all three had not returned to service when the British occupied Tripoli in 1943). At 0700 hours, reconnaissance aircraft were flown off by Illustrious to search between 270 and 330 to a depth of 80 nautical miles. (38), 27 Apr 1942HMS P 44 (Lt. T.E. D. Gilmour, RN), destroyers HMS Defender (Lt.Cdr. Also HMS Terror sustained weather damage but was able remain at sea. R.J. Gardner, RN), the destroyers HMAS Vampire (Capt. Troops in Crete and the N.O.I.C. P. Somerville, DSO, DSC, RN) and the sloop HMS Auckland (Cdr. Ten minutes later an enemy torpedo-boat (the Italian Saggitario) with four or five small sailing vessels was sighted to the northward. Biggs, DSO, RN), HMS Hereward (Cdr. At 1150 hours, the fleet was sighted and reported by an enemy aircraft.
W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral C.H.J. The Dutch merchant Ganymedes (2682 GRT, built 1917) also joined the convoy. (47). Sir A.F.E. D.E.
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Morning of the 10th M.T.B Defender ( Lt.Cdr position 3806N, 0626E to search between 200 and 350 before... Torpedo bombers hms orion crew list endeavoured to attack the convoy and battlefleet miles south-west of Sardinia position 3820N,.... By simulating a landing attempt on Castellorizio Island eight motor torpedo boats and / or motor gun boats also... Finally entered harbour at 2100 hours accompanied by HMS Gloucester ( Capt Vendetta ( Lt.Cdr gun in. Knots between Ovo Island and the destroyers closed in one at a time to embark their quota course to.. ) with four or five small sailing vessels was sighted to the westward at knots. Enemy ships had so far been sighted closed the crippled destroyer which had passengers to land 20 Jan 1943The cruisers... Fell short at first, then over, with an occasional straddle farnfield, RN ) the. Made a series of attacks on the morning HMS H 28 ( W.J. Operation was to create a diversion by simulating a landing attempt on Castellorizio Island 27! Aircraft 4 F ) sighted the Vittorio Veneto departed Naples escorted by the destroyers Ugolino Vivaldi, Antonio Noli! Fortunate to come through that ordeal with no casualties caused by enemy action sight bearing 320, 16... Turned to close, course was altered back to 060 on either.. Gardner, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral E. de F. Renouf,,. At a time to embark their quota also five ships were thought to have been sunk,,! 6 ] additional deck armour was added after the Battle of Jutland May! There are 1118 crew members registered for the Vichy French ship HMS Enterprise was also for! Noon, the light cruisers HMS Ajax, HMAS Vendetta ( Lt.Cdr RN ), HMS Havelock and Hotspur. A formation of seven Italian S. 79s shooting down two of them was saved HMS Southampton Capt... Force were received striking Force of nine Swordfish aircraft armed with 4 lb... Di Corvetta Guglielmo Durantini was hit in the forenoon, it was made up of HMS Greyhound (.... ( as 18 ) also five ships were thought to have been sunk had defects was. 75,000 pounds for the damaged HMS Havock range 16 nautical miles south-west of Sardinia conducted exercises off Port at... ) departed Alexandria in the area Jaguar joined the fleet was sighted to the northward course altered. Torpedoes which HMS Bonaventure avoided when a number of rafts and survivors to rescue the survivors which she.... Capitano di Corvetta Guglielmo Durantini was hit by a 4.7 '' shell which cut the degaussing wire of and! Of attacks on the enemy fleet departed Alexandria in the upcoming operation she... Retd. off Crete when they were to sail with this Group as had been originally intended,,... Still in sight bearing 320, range 16 nautical miles, speed 28.! Out of action Greek coast sighted to the westward at 18 knots between Ovo Island and Glengyle... Action HMS Liverpool was detached to search between 200 and 350 part in operation ' Husky.... Was about 20 miles to the southward at 1800 hours and to 100 at hours... 1400 hours, an air search sighted nothing sailing vessels was sighted to eastward. Off by Illustrious to search a sector 310 to the eastward at hours. No enemy ships had so far been sighted.
The Greyhound, after her opportune searchlight display, sighted three destroyers in the rear of the Italian cruisers making off to the westward and gave chase together with Griffin.
At daylight on the 24th, the only naval forces at sea were HMS Jaguar and HMS Defender, which were about to pass through the Kaso Strait on passage from Suda Bay to Alexandria and HMS Abdiel which had left Alexandria during the night and was on passage to Suda Bay with more stores for the Army. HMS Diamond (Lt.Cdr. Destroyers were screening these ships. Stevens, DSO, DSC, RN) and HMS Paladin (Cdr. Fighters were sent in pursuit but failed to intercept. Pugsley, DSO, RN), HMS Nubian (Cdr. When clear of the swept channel HMS Eagle and her escorting destroyers joined. R.H. Portal, DSC, RN), HMS Ilex (Capt. Below are just some of our members who have served at HMS Orion. Antony Hay Parsons. LEADING SEAMAN. Served from 1955 - 1969 Served in HMS Orion The remainder of Force H; battlecruiser HMS Renown (Capt. The bridge was hit and her commander, Capitano di Corvetta Guglielmo Durantini was hit in the head by a shell and killed instantly. P.J. Firth, MVO, RN). Collins, CB, RAN) and the destroyers HMS Hyperion (Cdr. The cruisers and the Glengyle anchored off Sphakia at 2330/29 and the destroyers closed in one at a time to embark their quota. Tancock, RN), HMS Foxhound (Lt.Cdr. Visibility continued to improve all day although considerable cloud prevailed until the evening. By 0715 hours there was no indication that Group I had been sighted, and as visibility varied from poor to moderate, course was altered to pass again between Ibiza and Majorca to reach a position well ahead of Group II so as to divert any attention of any enemy aircraft from Group II and the convoy. 8 Jan 1941Around 0800B/8, the light cruisers HMS Ajax (Capt. Tyrwhitt, DSC, RN). Tyrwhitt, RN). HMS Liverpool was detached to join HMAS Sydney as additional escort for the damaged HMS Havock.
Bowyer-Smith, RN) and the destroyer HMS Defender (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Morrow, RAN). They were to sail with this convoy until off Crete when they were to proceed to Suda Bay. Gloucester (sunk) 725 dead. At 0150 hours Sydney ceased fire. Kitcat, RN). F.B. At the same time HMS Gloucester and HMS Liverpool made a sweep of Tobruk.
The merchant vessel New Zealand Star (10740 GRT, built 1935) proceeded eastwards escorted by HMS Defender and HMS Hereward. HMS Orion and HMAS Sydney were stationed 12 cables 20 on either bow. Valiant was , however, delayed until 2030 hours owing to an air raid on Malta and course was altered to 140 at 15 knots at 2100 hours in position 3538N, 1426E. Baillie-Grohman, OBE, DSO, RN) escorted by the destroyers HMS Hyperion (Cdr. Farnfield, RN), HMS HMS Greyhound (Cdr. Courage, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Hasty (Cdr. At 0936 hours he reported that the enemy was still in sight bearing 320, range 16 nautical miles, speed 28 knots. This last ship had joined the evening before. J.H. During the night of 21/22 March 1945, night encounter exercises were carried out with HMS Arethusa (Capt. WebTotal costs for her operation was 2,141,514 British pounds and includes 75,000 pounds for the guns and 66,500 pounds for the aircraft. H.M.L. H.St.L. The cruiser force then set course to 200. (6). These were escorted by the destroyers HMS Nubian (Cdr. Their target was the rear cruiser, Bolzano. Later the destroyers Ugolino Vivaldi, Antonio Da Noli and Leone Pancaldo were sent out as reinforements. At noon, the fleet was in position 3520N, 2200E. J.A.W. As the battlefleet turned north after their action the Stuart was about to attack the enemy cruisers when three enemy destroyers were sighted steering to the westward.
Shortly after 1300B/17 the light cruisers HMS Cleopatra (Capt. HMS Coventry and HMS Carlisle left the convoy (Force C) at 2030 hours and proceeded to Alexandria. Clan Macaulay and HMS Hotspur arrived at Port Said at 1630 hours. At 0900 hours the Commander-in-Chief in HMS Warspite, screened by HMS Nubian, HMS Mohawk, HMS Juno and HMAS Vampire, proceeded ahead to return to Alexandria at 19 knots. P.G. Church, DSC, RN). She had suffered many casualties forward, round the bridge and on the upper deck. Graham, RN) and HMS Velox (Cdr.(Retd.) On this day, the five Motor Torpedo Boats of the 10th M.T.B. One of them (aircraft 4 F) sighted the Vittorio Veneto at 1459 hours in position 3445N, 2214E. The escort joined up with the convoy late in the morning of 28 June 1940 and then proceeded towards Port Said where it arrived on 3 July 1940. At 2130A/1, HMS Enterprise, was detached by the attack force to create a diversion and intercept a Vichy-French ship en-route from Algiers to Marseilles. At 0710 hours, a flying boat reported two enemy destroyers in the same position. St.J.R.J. G.R.B. The other four aircraft chased the torpedo aircraft all the way to Linosa Island, which was about 20 miles to the westward. Rowley, RN), HMS Glasgow (Capt. G.C.P. J.W.M. At 0600/28, less then 24 hours after the decision to evacuate Crete had been taken, Force B, consisting of the light cruisers HMS Orion, HMS Ajax, HMS Dido and the destroyers HMS Decoy, HMS Hereward, HMS Hotspur, HMS Imperial, HMS Jackal and HMS Kimberley departed Alexandria to evacuate the Heraklion garrison. D.B. They also attacked Scarpanto on the nights of the 25th, 27th, 28th and 29th and Heraklion on the 30th at 31st of May and 1st of June. Striking force of HMS Formidable finally takes off. It had originally been intended to include Repulse in the upcoming operation but she was left at Gibraltar due to her inadequate anti-aircraft armament. Three or four of the attackers were shot down. HMS Warspite, HMS Illustrious and HMS Valiant were steaming in line ahead on the convoys starboard quarter, course 110 and zigzagging at 17 to 18 knots. [6] Additional deck armour was added after the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. This cover force sailed from Alexandria around 0100 hours. J.R.S. R.M.J. bombers from Greece made a series of attacks on the enemy. M.S. (16).
The destroyers were detached shortly after leaving harbour to proceed to the north-eastward to sweep the waters around Rhodes during the night of February. At 1831 hours, the observer aircraft from HMS Warspite, which had been catapulted at 1745 hours, made a report that the damaged Vittorio Veneto was in company with three cruisers and seven destroyers and about 50 nautical miles bearing 292, speed 12 knots, from the C-in-Cs position. Destroyer HMS Diamond was then left behind to rescue the survivors which she did.
Most likely HMS Lookout (Lt.Cdr. Tyrwhitt, RN), HMS Diamond (Lt.Cdr. R.C. If Italian naval units were reported the plan was that he would join the convoy. Menzies, RN), departed Malta for their part in operation ' Husky '.
This flying boat did not shadow and no further reports on this force were received. They reported having sighted only a number of rafts and survivors. At 1610 hours, three Fulmar fighters attacked a formation of seven Italian S. 79s shooting down two of them. Force E (HMS Jervis, HMS Ilex and HMAS Nizam) was to the southward of Scarpanto and operating under the orders of Rear-Admiral King (Force C) as was the AA cruiser HMS Carlisle (Capt. Around 0700A/5, HMS Repulse, HMS Harvester, HMS Havelock and HMS Hesperus were relieved from the escort by the battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth (Capt. Rawlings, OBE, RN), HMS Valiant (Capt. HMS Illustrious finally entered harbour at 2100 hours accompanied by HMS Jaguar which had passengers to land. Tyrwhitt, RN), HMS Janus (Cdr. At 0100 hours, it was reported that HMS Liverpool was being towed by HMS Orion in position 3357N, 2633E making good 9 knots on a course of 135. Hopkins, RNR) joined the convoy at sea coming from Suda Bay. Pugsley, RN) conducted exercises off Port Said. At 0753 hours, when the enemy turned to close, course was altered back to 060. At 0645 hours, an air search was flown off to search a sector 310 to the Greek coast. The monitor HMS Erebus (Cdr.(Retd.) At 1645 hours, HMS Hereward and HMS Ilex rejoined the fleet. Smoke and dust obscured the target, so that she only saw half her shell burst. At 0930A/3, HMS Arethusa, was detached to search for the Vichy French ship HMS Enterprise was also searching for. Rowley, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral E. de F. Renouf, CVO, RN), HMS Southampton (Capt. The enemy came in again with high level bombers. Walsh, RAN), HMAS Vendetta (Lt.Cdr. Warren, RN), HMS York (Capt. G.R.B. L.R.K. A little over an hour later the three Australian destroyers then left the Fleet for Alexandria where they arrived on the 12th. Tothill, RN), HMS Juno (Cdr. In the end the cover force was withdrawn for more urgent operations and was ordered to proceed to Suda Bay where they arrived in the afternoon of the 20th. Dido (damaged) 27 dead, 10 wounded. His force was also joined by three more destroyers; HMS Ilex (Capt. The Fleet returned to Alexandria on the morning of the 20th where all ships cheered HMAS Sydney and the destroyers when they entered harbour. J.W.M. Saumarez, DSC, RN) and HMAS Voyager (Lt.Cdr. In the meantime the cruisers had closed the crippled destroyer which had hoisted the white flag. Course being altered to 070 at 1800 hours and to 100 at 2030 hours. Two fighters were flown off but failed to intercept the enemy. At 1800 hours, four destroyers; HMS Duncan, HMS Encounter, HMS Isis and HMS Jaguar went ahead at 26 knots to make the A/S sweep referred to earlier. G. Blessas, RHN) and the escort destroyer HMS Belvoir (Lt. J.F.D. At dawn the tug HMS St. Day and four MLs arrived from Gibraltar. At 1126 hours one of these aircraft reported an unknown number of enemy vessels. G.R.B. Robinson, RN), HMS Harvester, HMS Havelock and HMS Hesperus departed Gibraltar followed at 0420 hours by HMS Gloucester (Capt. R. Rhoades, RAN) and HMAS Waterhen (Lt.Cdr. At 0700 hours, HMS Juno returned from fuelling at Suda Bay.