HMS SHARPSHOOTER Ship’s Log - Source:  Original records held at Public Records Office ADM 53 / 110543

Date	At
1/9/39	Scapa	Sweeps at sea
2/9/39	Scapa	Clean ship
3/9/39	Scapa	07.00 1st MS slipped and proceeded 10.10 8th and 2nd Destroyer Flotillas entered harbour [11.15 Declaration of War] 11.30 Employed Blue Watch securing ship for Battle. 15.45 8th and 2nd Destroyer Flotillas proceed to sea.
4/9/39	Scapa	Clean ship. Gunnery drills.
5/9/39	Scapa	Clean ship 16.15 Action stations. Red aircraft warning 16.45 Secured from action stations.
6/9/39	Scapa	06.15 Slipped from No 6 buoy and proceeded. 07.00 Stopped at The Grinds to await Battle Fleet entering harbour. 07.40 Ordered to join 1st MSF at 10.30. 08.15 Action stations. Red Aircraft warning. 08.40 Assumed anti aircraft fire on aircraft. 09.10 Sighted 1st MSF. Took station on ‘Bramble’. Carried out sweeps and firing exercises with .5 MSG and Lewis gun.
7/9/39	Scapa	At sea (with ‘Bramble’)
8/9/39	Scapa	At sea (with ‘Bramble’)
9/9/39	Scapa	Surgeon Lt Coull RN left ship. Disembarked medical stores. At sea, sweeps.
10/9/39	Scapa	Received on board 1st MSF trophies. Clean ship. Splicing wires.
11/9/39	Scapa	At sea, sweeps.
12/9/39	Scapa	At sea, sweeping channel.
13/9/39	Scapa	07.20 Lead ‘HMS Nelson’ into harbour. 07.40 Anti submarine patrol. 11.48 Lead ‘RFA Spanker’ into harbour, resume anti submarine patrol 15.10 Lead ‘RFA Petrolus’ into harbour, resume anti submarine patrol 18.45 Lead drifters into harbour, resume anti submarine patrol 20.15 Secured to No 6 buoy Long Hope.
14/9/39	Scapa	06.27 Relieved ‘HMS Hazard’ on A/S patrol. 09.00 relieved on patrol by drifters. 10.00 At anchor. Cleaned ship.
15/9/39	Scapa	Departed for Loch Ewe. Sweeping Loch Ewe channel (with ‘Hazard’) Secured to ‘RFA Broomdale’ for fuel oil
16/9/39	Loch Ewe	Employed boys scrubbing upper decks. Employed hands cleaning ship and scraping funnel. 13.00 Sweeping approaches to Loch Ewe (with ‘Hazard’)
17/9/39	Loch Ewe	09.40 Special party sent to ‘Ark Royal’
18/9/39	Loch Ewe	Clean ship. 11.20 Cleared lower deck for address by Captain.
19/9/39	Loch Ewe	At sea (with ‘Hazard’) for anti submarine patrol.
20/9/39	Loch Ewe	11.45 Sweep Loch Ewe approaches and channel 17.28 Cover departure of RFA’s from Loch Ewe
21/9/39	Loch Ewe	Clean ship 13.50 Landed football party.
22/9/39	Loch Ewe	At sea to Loch Tarbet. 1930 escorted tanker ‘Venetia’ out.
23/9/39	Loch Ewe	Loch Gairloch – Venetia. Returned to Loch Ewe
24/9/39	Loch Ewe	At Loch Ewe
25/9/39	Loch Ewe	Clean ship
26/9/39	Loch Ewe	Clean ship
27/9/39	Loch Ewe	Clean ship
28/9/39	Loch Ewe	Clean ship. ‘Seagull’ entered harbour. Sailed for Scapa
29/9/39	Scapa	Arrived Scapa. Embarked stores. Surgeon Lt A Coull rejoined ship.
30/9/39	Scapa	Clean ship