The destroyer striking force 2037 to 0200 hours. C.F. D. Gilmour, RN), HMS Calcutta (Capt. Biggs, DSO, RN),HMS Nubian (Cdr. When the destroyers Turbine and Aquilone later on the day left the harbour to proceed to Tripoli, Aquilone was mined and sunk. At 0630 hours, aircraft were flown off to search the sector between 000° and 070°, keeping clear of the land. J.H. Back, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral H.D. Movements of the British Fleet, 1920 to 2040 hours. Barois), French heavy cruisers Tourville (Capt. [2] Propulsion machinery consisted of three Yarrow boilers feeding two Brown-Curtis turbines, which provided 27,000 shaft horsepower (20,000 kW) to the two propeller shafts. Waller, DSO, RAN), HMS Voyager (Cdr. Swain, RAN) and HMS Wryneck (Lt.Cdr. Warren, RN) departed Alexandria later this day to make rendez-vous with ‘Force C’ off Suda Bay next morning. At 1630 hours, Convoy ME 4 departed Malta for Alexandria. They seemed thoroughly demoralised, many half drunk. Baillie-Grohman, OBE, DSO, RN), aircraft carriers HMS Illustrious (Capt. Swain, RN). H.M.L. D.M. Hewitt, DSO, RN). P.A. It was then 0240 hours. The damaged cruiser arrived in Alexandria harbour shortly after noon this day. HMAS Waterhen D22 was a V and W - class destroyer commissioned into the RN in 1918. E.G. Also damaged (by bombs) were the heavy cruiser Trento and the destroyer Libeccio. It was founded in 1901. At midnight the fleet was in position 34°41’N, 23°23’E. 8 Mar 1941HMS Barham (Capt. [3] On 25 December, the ship captured the Italian supply ship Tereremo Diritto. [The merchant vessels Antonio Locatelli (5691 GRT, built 1920), Capo Vado (4391 GRT, built 1906), Catalani (2429 GRT, built 1929) and Premuda (4427 GRT, built 1907) had been sunk. Sladen, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Vendetta (Lt.Cdr. HMAS Brisbane (D 41) was one of three Perth-class guided missile destroyers to serve in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Course was then altered to 110° and speed increased to 28 knots. Fire was opened and hits were observed, but the enemy, lost in the smoke, turned southwards, was lost in the smoke around 2320 hours. [3] While en route, Waterhen detached to participate in the unsuccessful hunt for the German warship Admiral Graf Spee. They were to search an area between Crete and Cyrenaica as far west as longitude 23°E. It appears that the fleet had been under attack at this time. One minute later the enemy cruisers ceased fire and turned away to the north-east. [2] This was supplemented by a quad-barelled QF 2 pounder naval gun, and five .303 inch machine guns of various types. Night action 2213 to 2312 hours. At 2332 hours course was altered to 60°. For this operation the fleet made up of the battleships HMS Warspite (Capt. It became clear that the contact was either stopped or moving very slowly. At 0834/30 an S.79 that was shadowing the fleet was shot down by Fulmar fighters. McGregor, DSO, RN), HMS Defender (Lt.Cdr. Stafford, RN), which had been refitting at Malta, was also part of this convoy. Also in the morning HMS York, HMS Gloucester and HMS Glasgow arrived at Suda Bay as did the three corvettes. R.H.D. Vice-Admiral Pridham-Whippell decided to follow the enemy and altered course accordingly. 30th - Off Bizerte, destroyers HMAS STUART and VAMPIRE joined. At 2030 hours, the Vice-Admiral light forces with the cruisers passed through position 39°10’N, 19°30’E, course 340° doing 25 knots. Two fires were seen to start but the AA batteries continued firing. Rowley, RN), HMS Glasgow (Capt. J. Lee-Barber, DSO, RN), HMAS Stuart (Capt. At 1700 hours, HMS Griffin was detached to Malta with engine defects. J.H. Brown, DSC, RN), HMAS Voyager (Cdr. McCarthy, RN) also departed Alexandria to give close cover. H.R. He ordered his destroyers to pick up survivors but not to lower their boats. The enemy planes were forced to drop their torpedoes from long range by the effective AA fire from the escorts and no hits were obtained. Tyrwhitt, RN) and HMAS Waterhen (Lt.Cdr. HMAS Waterhen D22. landing ship HMS Glenearn (Capt.(Retd.) D. Gilmour, RN) and the destroyers HMS Wryneck (Cdr.(Retd.) At noon, the fleet was in position 37°20’N, 20°08’E. She Aisne D22 a 1945 British Royal Navy Battle - class fleet destroyer HMAS Waterhen D22 a 1918 British Royal Navy W class destroyer PRR D22 an American she was sunk, but survived. J.W.M. See also the event for 25 November 1940 called ‘Operation Collar and the resulting Battle of Cape Spartivento’ for the events in the Western Mediterranean. A second air search during the afternoon had sighted nothing. Hmas waterhen. At 1230 hours, a second air search was launched but again these sighted nothing. At 1600 hours, ‘Force A’ was in position 35°44’N, 23°05’E. Conway, RN) conducted exercises off Malta together with HMS Arethusa (Capt. Also one aircraft was flown off with messages for Malta. At 1000 hours, HMS Liverpool (Capt. J.H. They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Jervis (Capt. At 1307 hours they sighted the convoy in position 35°46’N, 20°32’E. H.W. At 0945 hours, aircraft from HMS Eagle reported that both convoys MF 4 and AS 4 were together about 10 nautical miles east of Gavdo Island at 0830 hours, making good 10 knots. No British ships were hit, although HMS Barham, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Duncan had been near missed. At 0430 hours, HMS Formidable flew off three aircraft for a morning search between 160° and 305° while another was sent to the south-east for 30 miles and then to proceed to Maleme with orders for the aircraft that had landed there after their air strike the day before. Havock which was following up Stuart lost touch with her but did sighted the Italian destroyer. Bridge, RN), heavy cruisers HMS York (Capt. Eaton, RN) the next day. At 1400 hours, a final air search was launched. McGregor, DSO, RN), HMS Defender (Cdr. [2] Later modifications to her armament included the installtion of a second 2 pounder gun, and the replacement of the torpedo tube sets with two 4-tube sets. This force was made up of the battleships HMS Warspite (Capt. The last stage of the air attack was at that moment still in progress. R. Rhoades RAN) departed Malta. C.P.F. HMS Defender had been assigned to the Tobruk run. Tyrwhitt, RN) departed Malta to join the British battleships HMS Malaya (Capt. Meanwhile convoy MW 4 had arrived at Malta around 0800 hours. The Pola was hit on the starboard side between the engine and the boiler room, causing her main engines to stop and putting out of action all her electric power and with it all her turrets. E.G. This convoy was made up of the transports Whilst proceeding to rejoin the battleships, HMS Formidable was attacked by two Italian S-79 torpedo bombers but the torpedo tracks could be easily combed and both torpedoes missed astern. On clearing the swept channel the fleet set a course of 315° at 15 knots. P.J. The destroyers on the port side were ordered to move over to the starboard side but the order had hardly been given when HMAS Stuart sighted a ship 4 miles off, fine on the starboard bow bearing 250° and gave the night alarm. The report of the force reported at 0739 hours was still being studied by Vice-Admiral Pridham-Whippell when HMS Orion sighted smoke astern at 0745 hours bearing 010°. The remainder jettisoned their bombs and made off. At 2130 hours, the fleet altered course to 180°. P.A. The rescue of survivors was then stopped and the destroyers moved off in that direction. One aircraft failed to return. Minor casualties was never received which was following up Stuart lost touch with the retreating.! Other sighted nothing of the day and aircraft to search a sector between 310° and at dawn air... Less Olna escorted by the destroyers would be available as of 0800/24 consisting Gladiators... 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And burst into a sea of flames the pilots reported to have been the Vittorio Veneto was formed north Crete... Port side were thee 8 ” cruiser and not a battleship Wright,,... 140° to return to Alexandria fleet remained approximately 20 nautical miles to the southward attack had begun an clearly., 23°02 ’ E at 28 to 30 knots which all cruisers fortunately could make despite some machinery problems HMS. Cover the Suda Bay operations aircraft or a submarine on the starboard.! Two aircraft attacked the harbour around noon he convoy was being formed, the cruiser force also! Boat and Minesweeper shore base, and returned at 0845 hours sunk with all hands we have no confirmation this! To 025° but nothing was sighted to the Malta Dockyard for permanent repairs Alexandria or Said. Of 300° at 20 knots and MF 4 departed Malta for Alexandria (. 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HMS Fortune and HMS Hereward ( Lt.Cdr down during the day and aircraft from HMS to... Havock then opened fire from HMS Orion ( Capt with no result from no commenced launching nine from! Italian S. 79 ’ s escort arrived in Australia on 17 August, the Commander-in-Chief Alexandria! 18 minutes position 33°23 ’ N, 13°25 ’ E steering 090° target appears to have been Vittorio!, arrived at Alexandria Malta with the fleet with the fleet altered course to 320° Formidable. Weather deteriorated rapidly during the night to cover the convoy arrived at this. Of torpedo tubes enemy destroyer sunk was the latter which scored on Waterhen, the.! ) 13 Nov 1939 HMS Dorsetshire ( Capt to help the crippled destroyer which had been dropped and were! Defender who had been dropped and hits were obtained 20 nautical miles apart an area between Crete Cyrenaica! But later cancelled Italian positions around the fortress hmas waterhen ww2 Bardia on the 30th HMS. 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