1 9 4 1
March
29th Commissioned for service
in Home Fleet after work-up.
April
Contractors sea trials and passage
to Rosyth.
Prepared for
operational service.
15th Joined Home Fleet.
May Final
Acceptance Trials and worked-up for
service.
20th Embarked of aircraft and
intended to Join Convoy WS8X escort.
22nd Placed at
disposal of
CinC Home Fleet and sailed
with HMS KING GEORGE V
in search
for German battleship BISMARCK which
was on passage into Atlantic.
(Note
: Aircrew training was
incomplete. No other aircraft
carrier available).
24th Launched
air strike against BISMARCK escorted
by HMS AURORA, KENYA and
HERMIONE.
One hit obtained but this ran
'shallow' and did little damage. The
failure
of the Aircraft Homing Beacon
prejudiced landing of aircraft.
31st Joined
escort for convoy WS8X at Clyde with
HMS NEPTUNE.
(Note:
HMS NORFOLK is also recorded
in one source.)
June
4th During
cover of WS8X carried out series of
air searches in Atlantic for German
supply
ships with HM Battleship NELSON, HMS
NEPTUNE and HERMIONE.
Located German
ss
GOZZENHEIM after report from British
ss
ESPERANCE BAY.
(This ship was intercepted and sunk
by HMS NEPTUNE on 5th June).
5th
Detached from convoy and took
passage to Gibraltar escorted by
ships of Force H.
13th Deployed
for delivery of HURRICANE aircraft
to Malta with HM Aircraft Carrier
ARK
ROYAL escorted by HM Battleship
RENOWN and ships of Force "H".
(Operation TRACER - 45 of the 48
aircraft launched arrived safely).
18th Passage to
UK after completion of TRACER.
(Note
: Prisoners from GOZZENHEIM
sere embarked at Gibraltar for
passage.)
July
6th Working
up exercises for embarked FAA
Squadrons in NW Approaches.
23rd Deployed
with HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS and
1st Cruiser Squadron to escort
HM
Minelaying Cruiser ADVENTURE
carrying mines to Murmansk
(Operation EF).
30th Deployed
with HMS DEVONSHIRE and SUFFOLK
screened by 6 destroyers of the
Home Fleet as
Force P.
Carried out air strikes on
Kirkenes
concurrently with similar attacks by
HMS
FURIOUS on
Petsamo
for air attacks after refueling in
Iceland.
(Note
: 11 ALBACORE and 2 FULMAR
aircraft from ship were lost.)
August
26th Covered
first convoy to Archangel with HMS
DEVONSHIRE SUFFOLK
screened by
HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD, ECLIPSE
and ESCAPADE.
(Operation
DERVISH – See ARCTIC CONVOYS by R
Woodman).
30th Covered
return passage of HMS ARGUS after
delivering HURRICANE
aircraft
to Murmansk (Operation STRENGTH).
(For
details of this and all Russian
Convoy operations see "CONVOY!" by
P. Kemp,
CONVOYS
TO
RUSSIA by R. RUEGG and
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS
by B.
Schoefield.)
September
3rd
Launched air strikes against targets
at Tromso.
7th
Repeated air strikes operation at
Tromso.
12th Launched
shipping strikes off
Bodo and
against shore targets in
Vestfjord.
October Deployed
with Home Fleet based in Iceland for
interception of German warships.
(Note
: The only modern operational
carrier available in Home waters).
November Iceland
deployment in continuation.
5th Took
passage with HM Battleship KING
GEORGE V to carry out patrol in the
Denmark
Strait
with USS IDAHO and USS
MISSISSIPPI, cruisers USS WICHITA
and
TUSCALOOSA to intercept German
battleships SCHEER and TIRPITZ.
(Note
: This deployment had been
made following decryption of an
ENIGMA signal
giving
details of planned movements to
carry out attacks on shipping in
North Atlantic.
See
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
13th Withdrawn from patrol
when German movements cancelled by
Hitler.
Returned
to
Reykjavik to resume Home Fleet
duties.
December Home
Fleet deployment for interception
based in Iceland in continuation.
1 9 4 2
January Home Fleet
duty in continuation.
to
February
March
6th
Deployed with HMS KING GEORGE V,
DUKE OF YORK, HMS
RENOWN,
HMS BERWICK and KENYA for passage of
Convoys PQ12 & QP8.
9th
Launched unsuccessful ALBACORE
strikes on German battleship
TIRPITZ.
(Note
: This was the opportunity to
bring TIRPITZ to action by air
strikes.
Two
aircraft were lost in these
attacks.)
20th Deployed
to cover passage of Russian Convoy
PQ13, QP9 with same
battleships
as
for PQ12 and HM cruisers EDINBURGH
and KENT.
April
12th Part of
Home Fleet covering force for
Russian Convoys PQ14 and returning
QP10
with
HMS KING GEORGE V, DUKE OF YORK,
NIGERIA and KENT.
28th Deployed
with HMS KING GEORGE V, USS
WASHINGTON, HMS KENYA,
US
Cruiser
TUSCALOOSA, USS WICHITA cover
passage of PQ15 and QP11.
(Note
: During this operation on
1st May HMS KING GEORGE V came into
collision
with
HM Destroyer PUNJABI which was sunk
and caused major damage to KGV).
13th Joined
Home Fleet cover for return of HM
Cruiser TRINIDAD from Murmansk with
HMS
DUKE OF
YORK, KENT, LIVERPOOL,
LONDON,NIGERIA NORFOLK.
14th Returned
to Scapa Flow after HMS TRINIDAD
sank.
25th Part of
Home Fleet covering force for
Russian Convoys PQ16 and QP12.
This
was the largest convoy up to date
and ships involved included HMS DUKE
OF
YORK,
USS WASHINGTON, USS WICHITA, HMS
LONDON and destroyers.
June
30th Deployed
with Home Fleet Distant Covering
Force for passage of Russian Convoy
PQ17 and returning QP13. US
Battleship WASHINGTON, USS MAYRANT
and
USS RHIND joined HMS DUKE OF YORK,
HM Cruiser CUMBERLAND and NIGERIA.
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by Corelli
Barnett and above references)
July
Returned to Scapa Flow after Convoy
QP13 arrived at Reykjavik.
Nominated
for escort of
Malta relief convoy with other Home
Fleet ships.
August
3rd
Deployed with HM Battleship NELSON,
HM Cruisers NIGERIA, KENYA and
MANCHESTER
for
escort of support convoy WS21S on
passage to Gibraltar.
8th
Exercises with HM Aircraft Carriers
INDOMITABLE, FURIOUS, EAGLE and
ARGUS to
improve
multi-carrier operating techniques
(Exercise BERSERK).
10th Joined
'Force Z' covering WS21S to Sicilian
Narrows (Operation PEDESTAL).
12th During air attacks hit
by bomb which broke up on Impact
with flight deck. See
PEDESTAL by
P
Smith,
MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman and Naval
Staff History.)
20th Took
passage with Home Fleet ships to
Scapa Flow.
(Note
: Survivors from HM Aircraft
Carrier EAGLE were embarked.)
September
Nominated for refit.
Taken
in hand for refit.
October Under
refit.
Prototype
Aircraft Direction Room fitted.
(For
details of development and use of
radar see RADAR AT SEA by D.
Howse).
On
completion carried out Deck Landing
trials at Scapa Flow.
November Passage to
Gibraltar with HM Aircraft Carrier
FORMIDABLE.
8th Joined
Force "H" and provided air cover
during landings (Operation TORCH).
(Note
: Air attacks made at Algiers
including Fort
Duree.
Four
MARTLET fighters landed on
Blida
airfield and accepted surrender).
18th Passage to
UK with HMS DUKE OF YORK and HM
Destroyer OPPORTUNE to Scapa Flow.
21st During
passage ALBACORE aircraft of 817
Squadron attacked U517 by depth
charges
in
position 46.10N 17.08W (WNW Cape
Finisterre).
Submarine structure was badly
damaged.
51 of crew were rescued by HMS
OPPORTUNE after having scuttled.
December Nominated for
loan service in Pacific with US Navy
20th Passage
to Norfolk, Virginia escorted by HM
Destroyers QUICKMATCH, RACEHORSE and
REDOUBT.
1 9 4 3
January
1st
Independent passage after destroyers
detached.
Taken in hand
for refit in Norfolk Navy Yard.
February
14th Took passage to Pacific
via
Panama Canal.
German
battleship TIRPITZ. A
'mock-up' vessel was placed in Loch
Eriboll.
March
Passage in Pacific.
4th On
arrival at Pearl Harbour converted
for the operation of U S Navy
WILDCAT and
AVENGER
aircraft. During this period
additional close range armament was
fitted including
fitting
of sponsons
outboard of
Island structure.
April Under
conversion at Pearl Harbour.
May
8th Carried
out exercises with US aircraft
carrier USS SARATOGA and US
battleship USS
NORTH CAROLINA
On
completion of work-up for service
with US Navy took passage to Join US
Third
Fleet
Task Group 36.3 for support of US
landing operations and
June Deployed
with TG 36.3 to provide defence
against attacks by IJN surface
warships
during
landing operations.
July Carried
out first 'Cross-Carrier’ operating
procedure with USS SARATOGA.
August
Deployed with USS SARATOGA and
TG63-3 to cover landings on New
Georgia.
(Operation
CARTWHEEL).
September Released from
loan duty and took passage to return
to UK.
Called
at
San Diego before transit of Panama
Canal.
October Passage in
Atlantic.
15th Rejoined Home Fleet.
(Note
: During Pacific service
ship's company adopted US Navy
working dress.
This
was introduced into RN use for ships
of British Pacific Fleet later
in
1944 and became standard No 8
uniform in RN after WW2.
Since
1982 No 8 Rig was replaced after
review of current requirements
and
new uniform provided to improve fire
protection and maintenance.)
November Deployed with
Home Fleet for interception duties
and operations off Norway.
December Taken in hand
for refit in Liverpool at commercial
shipyard.
1 9 4 4
January Under refit
at Liverpool.
New radars installed.
to
February
March
28th 'Full
Dress Rehearsal' with other Home
Fleet aircraft carriers for attack
on
TIRPITZ
30th Joined
'Force 1' to cover Convoy JW58 with
HMS DUKE OF YORK and HMS ANSON.
April
2nd In 'Force
2' (HM Aircraft Carriers FURIOUS,
SEARCHER, EMPEROR, PURSUER and
FENCER)
for attacks on TIRPITZ in
Altenfjord,
Norway (Operation TUNGSTEN).
3rd Launched
BARRACUDA strikes on TIRPITZ which
was leaving harbour for trials.
Three
BARRACUDA aircraft were lost due to
the intense AA fire but several hits
were
obtained.
Repair of damage took over a month.
For
full details see "CONVOY
!" by Paul Kemp.)
24th Air
strikes on TIRPITZ by Hone Fleet
carriers escorted by HMS ANSON
abandoned
because
of weather conditions (Operation
PLANET). Shipping strikes in
Bodo
area
instead. Three ships in convoy were
sunk for loss of six aircraft.
May
15th Deployed
for attacks on TIRPITZ with HMS
FURIOUS escorted by HMS ANSON which
were
cancelled because of cloud cover
(Operation BRAWN).
28th Shipping
strike when further TIRPITZ attack
abandoned due to weather over the
target
(Operation TIGER CLAW).
30th Acoustic
torpedo (GNAT) attack by U957
failed.
June Deployed
on shipping attacks off Norway
Operation LOMBARD).
1st Sank
minesweeper and merchant ship sunk.
12th Sailed
for Ceylon via Mediterranean with HM
Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE
July Arrived
at Colombo and joined Eastern Fleet.
6th Prepared for operations
in
Indian Ocean.
25th Launched
attacks on airfields near
Sabang,
Sumatra with HM Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS
escorted by HM Cruiser PHOEBE
(Operation CRIMSON).
August
23rd Covered
Eastern Fleet units providing
air-sea rescue facilities during
series
of
attacks by US Army aircraft on
Sumatra (Operations BOOMERANG).
29th Carried
out air strikes on
Padang,
Indaroeng
and Emmahaven
with HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
and
HMS INDOMITABLE escorted by HMS HOWE
and Eastern Fleet units.
(Operation
BANQUET).
September
18th Deployed
with HMS INDOMITABLE for attacks on
railway yards at
Sigli,
Sumatra
and
photo-reconnaissance of
Nicobars
escorted by HMS HOWE (Operation
LIGHT).
(Note
: Aircraft made inadvertent
attack on HM Submarine SPIRIT
fortunately without
causing
any casualties. During
this operations
steering problems were experienced).
30th Docked at
Bombay for repair.
October
6th Rejoined
Eastern Fleet on completion of
repair work.
17th Attacks
on Nicobars
and Nancowry
harbour with HMS INDOMITABLE
escorted by H M
Battlecruiser
RENOWN. Four aircraft destroyed and
five damaged during enemy air
attacks.
Further steering problems arose
(Operation MILLET).
November Arrangements
made for repair after HM Aircraft
Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS arrived.
16th Under repair to steering
gear at
Bombay.
22nd Transferred to British
Pacific Fleet on formation.
December Resumed
operation duties
(Note
: Not available for air
strikes on oil refineries at
Pangkalang
by Eastern
Fleet
aircraft carriers. (Operation
ROBSON).
1 9 4 5
January
4th Joined
HMS INDOMITABLE and IMPLACABLE for
air strikes on oil refineries
at
Pangkalan
Brandan
covered by Eastern Fleet TF 63
(Operation LENTIL).
16th With
British Pacific Fleet ships as TF63
to attack refineries in Sumatra.
24th Launched
air attacks on
Pladjoe, with HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS INDOMITABLE
HMS
VICTORIOUS during passage to
Australia.
Mana, SW
Sumatra attacked in
second
strike. Little
opposition from enemy aircraft
(Operation MERIDIAN I).
29th Unsuccessful attacks on
oil installations at
Soengi-Gerong
with damage to several aircraft.
Retaliatory
KAMIKAZE attacks beaten off. Losses
by all
Carriers - 16 aircraft in action and
25
lost by ditching or when deck
landing. 9 pilots captured by the
Japanese were executed
in
April 1945 (Operation MERIDIAN II).
February
10th Transferred to Task Force
113 at
Sydney to prepare for service with
US Navy.
28th Sailed
from Sydney for Manus with HMS KING
GEORGE V and rest of TF113
March
25th Arrived at
Ulithi
and joined 5th US Fleet as Task
Force 57.
26th Deployed to neutralise
airfields in
Sakashima
Gunto
Group (Operation ICEBERG I.)
Air
attacks with HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS
INDEFATIGABLE and HMS INDOMITABLE.
April
1st Escaped
damage during KAMIKAZE attack when
aircraft exploded alongside.
Aircraft
from HMS INDEFATIGABLE landed on
when own Flight Deck damaged.
9th
Detached with TF57 ships for attacks
on Formosan airfields.
(Operation ICEBERG OOLONG).
12th Launched
attacks on Formosa with same
Carriers with little opposition.
16th Returned to operations
off Sakishima
Gunto
group with BPF aircraft carriers.
(HMS
FORMIDABLE, HMS INDEFATIGABLE and
HMS INDOMITABLE.
Attacked
targets at
Ishigaki and
Mikayo
with refueling breaks until
