|
Date of
Arrival |
Place |
Date of
Departure |
Orders,
Remarks etc |
|
3.1.41 |
Harwich |
4.1.41 |
|
|
5.1.41 |
Harwich |
7.1.41 |
|
|
8.1.41 |
Harwich |
8.1.41 |
|
|
9.1.41 |
Harwich |
10.1.41 |
|
|
11.1.41 |
Harwich |
12.1.41 |
|
|
12.1.41 |
Harwich |
14.1.41 |
|
|
14.1.41 |
Harwich |
17.1.41 |
|
|
18.1.41 |
Harwich |
22.1.41 |
|
|
23.1.41 |
Harwich |
25.1.41 |
|
|
2.2.41 |
Harwich |
2.2.41 |
|
|
3.2.41 |
Harwich |
3.2.41 |
|
|
4.2.41 |
Harwich |
6.2.41 |
|
|
7.2.41 |
Harwich |
10.2.41 |
|
|
12.2.41 |
Harwich |
16.2.41 |
|
|
16.2.41 |
Harwich |
18.2.41 |
HARRIER was re‑deployed
to Scapa Flow, but in the following month she was again transferred,
this time to the Western Approaches Command, for ocean escort duties. |
|
21.2.41 |
Scapa |
20.3.41 |
Sailing of HARRIER
delayed by weather |
|
? |
Aberdeen |
29.3.41 |
24/3 Taken in hand 21/3
for boiler cleaning and minor repairs, completes 26/3 |
|
30.3.41 |
Scapa |
5.4.41 |
31/3 Able Seaman Harry
George Constable died. |
|
6.4.41 |
Aberdeen |
? |
Transferred to the
Western Approaches Command, for ocean escort duties. |
|
9.4.41 |
Greenock |
14.4.41 |
|
|
18.4.41 |
Iceland |
? |
|
|
? |
Stornoway |
20.4.41 |
|
|
|
|
|
8/5 HARRIER can be taken
in hand for refit forthwith by Messrs Thorneycroft, Southampton.
9/5 Intend sailing
HARRIER for Southampton 10/5 to arrive 13/5 |
|
? |
Stornoway |
10.5.41 |
For Clyde |
|
11.5.41 |
Clyde |
11.5.41 |
|
|
12.5.41 |
Milford Haven |
13.5.41 |
|
|
? |
Falmouth |
15.5.41 |
|
|
? |
Dartmouth |
16.5.41 |
|
|
? |
Southampton |
|
26/5 Taken in hand
Southampton 19/5, completes 6/7 |
|
? |
Portsmouth |
15.7.41 |
14/7 Intend to sail
HARRIER in convoy PW5 on 16/7 for onward routing to Londonderry |
|
? |
Falmouth
|
18.7.41 |
|
|
19.7.41 |
Milford Haven |
20.7.41 |
|
|
22.7.41 |
Londonderry |
26.7.41 |
HARRIER was one of the
ships which rendered assistance to the ATLANTIC CITY in convoy OS1,
which was torpedoed in 55° 42'N, 9° 58' W.
26/7 HARRIER to proceed
with despatch to join Walker hunting U-boat in 55°N, 09°36’W.
26/7 Request NO i/c
Londonderry will sail HARRIER to escort tug to Atlantic City and back
with tow. |
|
28.7.41 |
Londonderry |
31.7.41 |
|
|
1.8.41 |
Scapa |
? |
|
|
SALAMANDER,
NIGER, HARRIER and HALCYON spent most of August providing A/S
protection for the port of Seidisfjord in Iceland.
Ruegg |
|
4.8.41 |
Seidisfjord, Iceland |
12.8.41 |
|
|
13.8.41 |
Iceland |
? |
|
|
20.8.41 |
At sea |
31.8.41 |
Halcyon, HARRIER and
Salamander provided part of the ocean escort for Operation Dervish,
the first convoy to North Russia, arriving Archangel 31/8 without
being attacked.
They sailed to the White
Sea to conduct mine searching operations at its entrance in
preparation for future Arctic convoys. |
|
24.9.41 |
Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings
Report of the
proceedings of HM Ships HARRIER, Salamander and Halcyon is submitted
herewith.
MINESWEEPING
OPERATION OF SEPT 24TH – 27TH
Preparatory to the
arrival of HMS LONDON
The three sweepers sailed p.m. 24th;
on 25th searched QZF38 and then north to Cape Gorodetski
with Oropesa and SA. Sweeping was abandoned p.m. owing to strong
northerly winds. Ships anchored south of Veshnyak for the night. As
stated in the sailing directions, this is an uncomfortable anchorage
owing to strong tides.
On Sept 26th a high
percentage search of QZF 38 was carried out with LL and SA. On
completion ships returned to the North Dvina Lightship, arriving a.m.
Sept 27th.
|
|
28.9.41 |
The three sweepers formed part of the
escort of convoy QP1 (14 ships), parting company at 1300 on
Sept 30th. I had intended to carry out a further search of
Gorodetski – QZF 38 area before the return of HMS London but, owing to
the bad visibility, only an acoustic search was possible. Ships
returned to Archangel a.m. Oct 2nd.
Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings |
|
3.10.41 |
DEPARTURE
OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN MISSION
HMS London arrived p.m. October 3rd.
SALAMANDER and HALCYON were sent to the North Dvina Lightship to
provide A/S protection, while HARRIER remained at Archangel as W/T
link and to take the mission down river on Oct 4th.
Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings |
|
4.10.41 |
For some unknown reason the
mission did not embark in HARRIER until 1730, by which time HMS LONDON
had been compelled to cross the bar by the falling tide and anchor NW
of the North Dvina Lightship.
A north-westerly gale had been blowing
all day and by the time HARRIER crossed the bar at 1830 it was blowing
Force 8. Although a certain amount of minor damage was inevitable, I
decided to endeavour to secure alongside, rather than delay the
departure of the mission for probably 24 hours. I was somewhat
influenced in this decision by the fact that the Russian Naval Staff
who were on board, obviously considered the operation impracticable.
At the third attempt HARRIER succeeded
in securing alongside, and by various extemporaneous methods the
mission and their baggage was successfully transferred. Admiral
Stanley, US Navy, gave the party a lead over. The safe transfer of
Lord Beaverbrook who, in view of his importance, had been given a
special lifeline raised a short round of applause. In the darkness a
senior military was detailed with two ordinary seamen to tend a wire,
a duty he performed in an exemplary manner until his identity was
realised.
HARRIER was alongside about an hour and
a half and during this time a certain amount of superficial structural
damage was done, without, however, impairing fighting and seagoing
efficiency. On completion of the operation, HARRIER returned to
harbour with the Russian Naval Staff.
Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings |
|
6.10.41 |
HARRIER went alongside the Russian
floating workshop a.m. October 6th. Repairs were completed
by p.m. Oct 7th. The work was carried out efficiently and
rapidly.
Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings |
|
8.10.41 |
HARRIER and HALCYON sailed on October 8th to buoy the newly
established QZF 39 and to search QZF 38 before the arrival of convoy
PQ1. This was done at dusk on Oct 9th and HALCYON was sent
back to Archangel, while HARRIER proceeded to position Z to meet the
convoy.
The convoy was picked up by RDF at a
range of 10,000 yards at 0400 Oct 10th. HARRIER joined up
and formed part of the escort until arrival off Dvina at dawn on Oct
11th.
The weather was too bad to embark
pilots outside the bar, so HARRIER led the minesweepers across the bar
where they embarked pilots, and in turn led the ships of the convoy
across the bar.
Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings
|
|
11.10.41 |
Archangel |
14.10.41 |
|
|
14.10.41 |
HM Ships HARRIER, SALAMANDER, BRITOMART
and HALCYON sailed from Archangel p.m. Oct 14th, with
orders to return to Scapa via Seidisfiord. SALAMANDER had only
temporary repairs to her forepeak and was compelled to reduce speed in
any head sea; HALCYON could only steam 11 knots owing to a distorted
tail shaft: BRITOMART has no A/S: HARRIER’s Type 271 was out of action
owing to lack of spares.
Soon after sailing, orders were
received from the Commander in Chief, Home Fleet to search Brentsburg
and Longyearby for possible enemy occupation. It was obvious that
SALAMANDER and HALCYON would be unable to make the extra distance so
at noon on October 18th HARRIER and BRITOMART parted
company and increased to 13 knots to make landfall at Spitzbergen
before (?) on October 18th.
The weather, however, deteriorated and
by the afternoon of October 18th it was blowing a
north-easterly gale with snow squalls and visibility between a half
mile and two miles. Ships were compelled to alter course to the
southward for safety.
A rough position had been obtained from
soundings on the Spitzbergen bank. As the fuel situation made it
essential to carry out the reconnaissance on October 19th,
course was altered again to the NW at 2100 in the hope of the weather
clearing. This occurred sufficiently to enable a starsight to be
taken, and Isfiord was made at dawn on Oct 19th.
A report of the encounter in
Spitzbergen is being forwarded separately (my B/30/10 of 22nd
October 24th).
The passage to Scapa was without
incident. HARRIER and BRITOMART oiled at Seidisfiord on October 24th
Throughout the work in Russian waters
Lt Commander W A Cooke of HMS SALAMANDER and Acting Lt Commander H
Harding RNR maintained a high standard of efficiency under arduous and
exacting conditions. I received great assistance from the work of Lt J
D D Moore, the flotilla navigating officer.
J M Bayley
Commander HMS
HARRIER
Source ADM 199/264 Report of Proceedings |
|
19.10.41 |
On the way back to Scapa
from Archangel with BRITOMART, HARRIER examined the harbours at
Spitzbergen for any evidence of renewed German activity there. They
entered Isfjord on 19th, and found an enemy meteorological party which
had just arrived by air to establish a station. The party got away by
air, but HARRIER captured some of their equipment.
|
|
23.10.41 |
Seidisfjord |
24.10.41 |
Can be fitted out by
Consolidated Fisheries, Grimsby. |
|
25.10.41 |
Scapa |
28.10.41 |
|
|
29.10.41 |
Humber |
15.12.41 |
HARRIER to be taken in
hand 1/11 for refit and fitting out for arctic service by Consolidated
Fisheries, completes 13/12.
23/11 HARRIER is urgently
required to be ready to sail 4/12 |
|
16.12.41 |
Methil |
16.12.41 |
|
|
17.12.41 |
Scapa |
22.12.41 |
Halcyon, HARRIER, Scott and Speedwell left Scapa with
Arethusa, 6
destroyers, 2 corvettes, and two LSIs for the raid on Vaagso
(Operation Anklet, the landing of commandos on the Lofoten Islands);
entered Vestfjord on 26/12 and the Commando raid began. Force left
28/12 and arrived Scapa 1.1.42 |
