HMS LIVELY

HMS LIVELY

A brief history of an L Class destroyer

Authors Note

In compiling this history, which started out as a quick note for a friend, I was amazed at the amount of decisive action in the Mediterranean in which the ship was involved in during its relatively short career. One of the things that gave me major problems at first was the difference in times given by various sources for the same event, I have tried to stick to the times given in the Royal Navy reports of the period, but I have not managed to establish if these are Greenwich Mean Time or an hour ahead of that.

In several parts I have included part or all of the scenario, such as the story of Convoy MW10, even when HMS Lively had left the convoy. To gather as much information as possible I have drawn on many sources of information, and I cannot vouch for the accuracy of all of them although I have managed to eliminate most of the obvious discrepancies, for example, many air combat reports exaggerated the number of enemy aircraft shot down or damaged, and in the fog and thunder of a naval engagement it was easy to mistake one ship for another, so it is possible that some errors may have crept in, for this I accept full responsibility.

I should like to thank all those who have given me so much help in compiling this history, especially Christobel Milner for allowing me to use the letter to her mother, Mrs Hussey, from Livelys Gunnery Officer, Commissioned Gunner (T) John C Jones describing the sinking of HMS Lively, and Ember Izumi Rose, who has given me so much help and encouragement during the research.

John Thompson.

HMS LIVELY

SPECIFICATION

Type:- Destroyer

Class:_- L (Laforey)

Pennant Number:- G40

Ordered:- 31/03/1938 Under 1937 Estimate

Launched :- 28/01/1940

Commissioned :- 20/07/1941

Builder:- Cammell Laird, Birkenhead

Job Number 1038

Laid Down:- 20/12/1938

Length Overall 362 Feet 6 Inches

Length between perpendiculars 354 Feet

Beam:- 36 Feet 9 Inches

Mean Draught 10 Feet

Max Draught 16 Feet 9 Inches

Machinery Parsons Geared Turbines

Shafts 2

Shaft Horsepower 48,000 at 36.5 Knots

Boilers 2 X Admiralty 3 Drum Type

Armament 6 X 4.7 inch

6 X 20mm Anti-Aircraft

8 X 21 Inch Torpedo Tubes

Cost (Excluding Admiralty supplied parts) 458,132

The design of the L Class destroyers was based on that of the preceding J and K classes, but with modifications to accommodate enclosed mounts for 4.7 inch guns, a combined high angle/ low angle director control tower and more powerful machinery. To compensate for the additional weight the number of torpedo tubes was reduced from 10 to 8.

Following the outbreak of World War 2 2x4.7 inch gun mountings were in short supply, and the design of HMS Lively, along with HMS Larne, HMS Lance and HMS Legion were modified to include 4 twin 4 inch high/low angle mountings, the extra mounting being facilitated by extending the after deckhouse forwards. They were equipped with both AR and AW radar and in 1941 the anti-aircraft armament was increased by the addition of 2 single 20mm anti-aircraft guns, fitted abreast of the amidships searchlight platform.

The Ships crest, authorised by the Admiralty Board on the 13^th of May 1938, was an ansate cross on a Barry wavy field of 4 white and blue the cross being also known as an ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life. HMS Lively was the 22^nd Royal Navy ship to carry the name, since the first in 1689.

Upon commissioning, the ship was commanded by Lt Commander W.F.E. Hussey DSO DFC, and at a service of dedication and blessing, which started with part of the 107^th psalm and included The Bidding which came from a Gaelic prayer book some 500 years old, the ship was blessed by the Revd. Russell Derhan Marshall, the Vicar of St. Margarets Church in Toxteth, Liverpool, the parish of which had adopted the Lively. Working up exercises were carried out in the Clyde and on the 31^st of July after which she was sent to Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands, and during August more working up exercises were carried out and she was deployed to escort duties in the North-West approaches with the Larne, Lance and Legion, the other destroyers of her type. A new High Frequency Direction Finder (HFDF), type 271 was fitted on the after pole mast and she took part in the sea trials of a modified type 271 Radar.

On August 22^nd HMS Lively was dispatched to assist the Free French mine laying submarine, which had been damaged off Obrestad in Norway, and, unable to dive, was making her way back on the surface at 10 knots. She was then sent back to Scapa Flow arriving on the 25^thof August.

Operation Status

On the 27^th HMS Lively was sent to Liverpool, arriving on the 30^th, to join the escort of a section of convoy WS11 to its forming up point in Londonderry, they arrived on the 31^st of August, and Lively sailed from there immediately as part of the escort for the Aircraft carrier HMS Furious, loaded with Hurricane fighters to reinforce the defence of Malta, this was Operation Status in which the carriers Furious and Ark Royal flew off the Hurricanes and a squadron of Blenheim bombers were flown from Gibraltar to Malta. HMS Lively arrived at Gibraltar at 9:20 on the10th of September, sailing into the Mediterranean with the ships of Force H on the14^th, and arriving back there at 19:40 on the 24^th. By this time convoy WS11 had arrived there, and HMS Lively joined the escort force.

Convoy WS11

The convoy, carrying 80,000 tons of supplies and 2,600 troops consisted of 9 merchant ships, Clan Macdonald, Imperial Star, Rowallan Castle, City of Calcutta, Clan Ferguson, Dunedin Star, Breconshire and the City of Lincoln, had sailed from Londonderry in Ireland on the 11^th of September 1941. It was heavily escorted by the battleship HMS Rodney, 2 Cruisers and 11 destroyers. On Passing Gibraltar the warships of Force H, under Admiral James Somerville, in the battleship HMS Nelson, with The Battleship Prince of Wales, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and 7 destroyers including HMS Lively sailed at 23:30 on the 24^th to escort the convoy. The merchant ships were scheduled to unload supplies at Malta, and then sail onwards to Singapore. The Italian intelligence, observing the departure of Force H to the east, warned the Italian high command that a possible supply convoy to Malta was about to sail, however deceptive measures employed by the British, gave the impression that only one battleship was sailing with the convoy.

Operation Halberd

On the 24^th Of September Operation Halberd began; the force split into 2 groups, Group 1, with the flagship, HMS Nelson, included Ark Royal, the cruiser Hermoine and the destroyers Cossack, Zulu, Foresight, Forester, Laforey and Lightning. This group headed straight down the middle of the Mediterranean well ahead of the second group, commanded by Admiral Curties, which was made up of the Battleships Prince of Wale and Rodney, with the cruisers Sheffield, Kenya, Edinburgh and Euryalus and the destroyers Lively, Heythrop, Ghurkha, Legion, Lance, Duncan, Fury and Farndale, with the Polish destroyers Oribi and Piorun and the Dutch destroyer Isaac Swears, with the convoy of merchant ships., this group followed a more northerly route.

At 07:18 on the 26th the Southern force was spotted West of La Galite by an Italian Cant Z.1530 reconnaissance aircraft of 287 Squadriglia, which sent back a report of 1 battleship, 1 carrier 4 cruisers and unspecified number of destroyers and steamships at 3743-0855, route 90 speed 12 knots. This was followed by a second report of 3 cruisers, 3755-0855 route 90 speed 18 knots. The Northern Force was also spotted, by a Spanish civil aircraft, which reported their position to the Italian fleet.

The Italian fleet, under Admiral Iachino, set sail from Taranto on the evening of the 26^th, with the battleships Littorio and Vittorio Venito, the heavy cruisers Trento, Trieste and Gorizia, the light cruisers Attendolo and Duca degli Abuuzzi, escorted by the destroyers Granatiere, Fuciliere. Bersagliere. Gioberti, Da Recco, Passegero, Folgore, Corazziere, Carabiniere, Ascari, Lanciere, Maestrale, Grecale and Sirocco. More heavy ships were prevented from sailing by a shortage of fuel. By dawn the fleet, steering South by West, was nearing Cape Carbonara on the South West tip of Sardinia, more heavy ships were prevented from sailing by a shortage of fuel. The submarines Dandolo, Adua, Turchese, Squalo, Bandiera, and Delfino were deployed North of Cape Ferrat, and Axum, Serpente, Aradam and Diaspro North of Cape Bougaroni with Narvalo at Cape Bon. Information concerning the sailing of this force reached Admiral Somerville in HMS Nelson during the afternoon of the 27^th.

The two forces rendezvoused at dawn on the 27^th, 120 miles Southwest of Sardinia, within easy range of the Italian airfield at Cagliari, the weather was fine, but overcast with patches of low thundercloud and some patches of haze, and a light wind of under 5 knots shifting between South and West. Shortly after dawn the ships were spotted again by Italian Cant and BR20 reconnaissance aircraft, the Ark Royals Fulmars were sent to intercept, but one of the Italian aircraft escaped in the cloud and haze and sent back a sighting report.

As a result of a raid by Malta based bombers on the night of the 16^th which had set fire to hangers and parked Savoia torpedo bombers, the Italian air attack was delayed, but at 12:50, 11 Savoia S79 torpedo bombers from 280, 283 and 278 Squadriglias accompanied by 3 Savoia S84s of 282 Squadriglia were scrambled from the airfield of Cagliari-Elmas, along with 3 S84s of 282 Squadriglia. The torpedo bombers were escorted by 2 formations of 12 and 8 Fiat CR42 fighters from 24 Gruppo which took off from Monserrato at 12:20. In the rain, the rear formation, led by Capitano Corrado Santoro lost touch with the Savoia S79s, and he led the formation directly to La Galite. At 13:15 11 Savoia S84s of the 36^th Stormo took off from Decimomannu, these aircraft, being faster, caught up and passed the S79s, and at 13:59 this group of aircraft were attacked by 8 Fairy Fulmars (which were mistakenly identified as Hurricanes by the Italians)of 808 squadron, launched from the Ark Royal. In the ensuing dog-fight one of the CR42s was shot down, and a Fulmar damaged, unfortunately this aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the Prince of Wales whilst returning to the Ark Royal, with the loss of both members of its crew, Lt Malcolm Watson and Sub Lt Paul Couch.

The aircraft of 282 Squadriglia and their escorting fighters were the first to find the British ships, North of La Galite, the formation split, and dived to attack from both port and starboard side, escorted by the fighters. Before they could release their torpedoes, one of the Savoia S84s was hit by anti-aircraft fire from the ships, the pilot, Capitano Rotolo, lost control of the aircraft and collided with his wingman, and both aircraft crashed into the sea. At 13:00 2 Aircraft of 257 Squadriglia attacked HMS Rodney, both torpedoes narrowly missing the battleship, another 256 Squadriglia S84 launched a torpedo at the destroyer HMS Lance, also missing the target, at 13:03 3 aircraft of 282 Squadriglia attempted to torpedo the destroyer Oribi, one of the torpedoes, dropped from a range of under 1,000 yards, porpoised and ran in circles, but the other came extremely close to the destroyer, whilst retreating after this attack these aircraft were attacked by Fairy Fulmars from Ark Royals 808 Squadron.

Another group of Italian aircraft, which had been forced to divert around a storm en-route, sighted the ships at 13:15 but had to execute a 270 degree turn ahead of the ships to gain a suitable attacking position. At 13:30 they launched an attack from the starboard side, 2 aircraft from 258 Squadriglia launched torpedoes at HMS Nelson, one of which, dropped from a range of 800 yards, 20 off the bow, hit the battleship almost head on, blowing a large hole in the port side of the bow, (this was to put the ship out of commission for over 6 months) the other torpedo missed, running closely down the starboard side. Both these aircraft were shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the Prince of Wales and the cruiser Sheffield. The Nelsons crew managed to shore up the bulkhead and stop the flooding aft of the damaged bow section, although some, 3.700 tons of water had flooded into the ship, putting the damaged bow down by some 11 feet.

With the flagship now reduced to a maximum speed of 18 knots Admiral Somerville, having now been informed of the sailing of the Italian fleet, ordered Vice Admiral Curties to engage as soon as possible, and for the Ark Royal to launch a torpedo armed strike force. A second attacking group of Italian aircraft was intercepted by Ark Royals Fulmars, who shot down the Savoia S84 of Capitano Guiselloino Verna, CO of 259 Squadriglia, and 2 aircraft of the same unit unsuccessfully attacked the cruiser HMS Euryalus. One of the Fulmars, piloted by Sub Lt Percy Guy, was shot down by fire from HMS Rodney and another was lost whilst chasing a straggler when it ran into a formation of 6 CR42s.

At 13:15 a further flight of 7 Fulmars was flown off from Ark Royal, making a total of 14 over the fleet, and at 13:20 another group of Italian aircraft joined the battle, escorted by 12 fighters, joined the battle, splitting up to attack from varied directions. The aircraft of 280 and 282 Squadriglia attacking from the North, those from 283 Squadriglia from the South, and 278 Squadriglia from the West, these were intercepted by 6 Fulmars before they could launch their attack, and although the escorting CR42 pilots claimed later to have shot one of the Fulmars down, the only allied aircraft damaged was a Fairy Swordfish reconnaissance aircraft, which managed to make an emergency landing on HMS Ark Royal.

The aircraft attacking from the North were partially hidden by bad weather, and managed to achieve a surprise attack, A S79 of 280 Squadriglia, flown by Tenente Carlo Deslex, came in at low level aiming for the Ark Royal, but was shot down by fire from the carrier before releasing its torpedo. Two more of the same Squadriglias aircraft attacked Ark Royal, and the destroyer HMS Cossack at 13:58, both torpedoes missing; these aircraft were chased off by Fulmar fighters from the carrier. 3 more of 280 Squadriglias aircraft launched torpedoes, narrowly missing another destroyer, HMS Lightning.

Admiral Iachino, commanding the Italian fleet, now between Sardinia and the Skerki Bank, was made aware of the strength of the British fleet by reports from the aircraft, and under orders not to attack unless he had a clear superiority of strength, now discovered that the opposing force consisted of 3 battleships and an aircraft carrier and turned back, his force was not located by the Ark Royals Swordfish due to poor visibility and some confusion of radioed orders.

At 14:30 Admiral Somerville received a report from a reconnaissance aircraft sent out from Malta, reporting 2 Vittorio Class battleships with 4 cruisers and 16 destroyers on a course of 190 at a speed of 20 knots, this put the Italian fleet less than 80 miles from the convoy, and closing fast. Somerville immediately ordered the Ark Royal to fly off 2 aircraft to shadow the Italians and to prepare a striking force, however all the carriers aircraft had been drained of fuel and disarmed to reduce the fire risk during the attacks on the carrier, because of this it took over an hour before the strike force could be re-fuelled and re-armed.

In the meantime the Italian warships had made a considerable change of course, and this was not reported by the Malta based aircraft for 15 minutes, and, due to the large amount of radio traffic during the attacks, it took another 25 minutes for the report to reach Admiral Somerville. An attempt was made to relay the information to the 2 shadowing aircraft which had not yet reached the position of the Italian fleet, but one of the aircraft was already out of radio range, and the other had run into a group of Italian fighters and, with the observer wounded, a leaking fuel tank and a wing tip shredded had to turn back to the carrier. As the weather got worse, the shadowing aircraft lost contact with the Italian ships. The two fleets came within sixty miles of each other. Because of the worsening weather, the low cloud and heat haze Admiral Iachino called off the search for the British ships, and without the promised fighter cover from Cagliari, reversed course at 14:45, increasing speed to 26 knots. The Swordfish reached the end of their range without making contact and were forced to return to the carrier, and HMS Rodney and the Prince of Wales, which had been sent to search ahead of the convoy also failed to establish contact.

In an attempt to distract the anti-aircraft gunners, Sergente Maggiore Luigi Valiotti, flying a Fiat CR42 of 354 Squadriglia started performing aerobatics over the ships, but was shot down after 6 minutes. Further attacks were unable to get through the anti-aircraft barrage, and the Italian aircraft flew back to base, pursued by the Ark Royals Fulmars, which strafed the airfield at Cagliari, damaging 10 seaplanes and causing 3 casualties.

At 19:00 the British force reached the entrance to the Sicilian narrows, the cruisers of both groups, accompanied by 9 of the destroyers formed into Force X, under Rear Admiral Burrough, these ships escorted the convoy through the Sicilian narrows to Malta, whilst the Nelson, Rodney, Prince of Wales, Ark Royal and the remaining 9 destroyers waited for the unloaded convoy to return from Malta. As darkness fell the Fulmars were landed on the carrier.

In a series of moonlight attacks the Italian torpedo aircraft continued the attack on the convoy, coming in at low level singly and in pairs, the destroyers Cossack and Oribi, the Cruiser Kenya and the cargo ship Rowallan castle all had near misses, and during the evasive manoeuvres the City of Calcutta and the Rowallan Castle collided, fortunately without serious damage.

At 20:10, 2 Savoia S79s of 278 Squadriglia from Pantelleria torpedoed the 12,000 ton cargo ship Imperial Star which was loaded with 500 tons of refrigerated meat, 500 tons of kerosene, and several hundred crates of bombs, ammunition, and about 300 troops. The torpedo hit the stern of the 22,427 ton ship blowing off the rudders and both propellers. The troops she was carrying were quickly taken off by the destroyer Heythrop, and the stricken ship was taken in tow by the Polish destroyer Oribi. However, lacking a rudder, down by the stern and with the engine room flooding the merchant ship was soon found to be uncontrollable as, without a rudder, and with a section of the keel jammed between the 2 propeller shafts she continually swung to starboard, and it was only possible to tow her in circles.

At 01:20 Oribi was forced to slip the tow, and the decision was made to scuttle the Imperial Star, the 141 people still aboard were transferred to the destroyer and all the flooding valves that were still accessible were opened. 3 depth charges, lashed together, were placed below the waterline with a 15 minute time fuse, and at 03:40 the Oribi moved away. Shortly afterwards the depth charges exploded starting large fires, but the ship did not sink and at 04:20 the destroyer started to shell the burning ship. However, after 30 minutes of concentrated fire at a range of 2,000 yards the Imperial star, now ablaze from stem to stern still refused to sink, and, with daylight approaching the Oribi had to leave for Malta, subsequent reconnaissance failed to find the Imperial Star the next afternoon, and it is assumed that she sank during the morning, some 20 miles off the Sicilian coast..

The remainder of the convoy reached Malta on the 28^th of September, the cruisers entering Grand Harbour with guards paraded and bands playing and a tumultuous welcome from thousands of the Maltese who thronged the citys battlements. During the battle to get the Halberd convoy through to Malta, 4 unescorted empty transport ships sailed from Malta, and were overtaken by the returning ships of Force X which rejoined the main body of Force H West of the Sicilian Narrows, the whole force reaching Gibraltar without incident on the 6^th of October. Temporary repairs were carried out to HMS Nelson in Gibraltar to enable her to get back to Rosyth for more permanent repairs to be carried out, which took until May 1942.

On the night of the 28^th of September several Italian MAS boats (motor torpedo boats) were sent out to attack the convoy, but failed to find it, The Italian Fleet, between Sardinia and the Skerki Bank, also having also failed to locate the convoy turned back to base.

The Italian submarines Diaspro and Serpente found the convoy in the morning of 29^th September, and launched an attack, but without success. On the same day the cruiser Hermoine shelled the Island of Pantelleria.

Of the 7 Italian aircraft lost to the Fulmars and the anti-aircraft fire, one survivor, Aviere Marconista Guerrino Sravia, who was the radio operator in one of the aircraft that had attacked HMS Nelson, was picked up by the destroyer HMS Forester. The pilots of both of these aircraft, Capitano Bartolmeo Tomasino and Colonnello Riccardo Seidl of 258 Squadriglia, were posthumously awarded the Medaglia dOro al Valore Militare, as was Capitano Guisellino, the CO of 259 Squadriglia. 10 Macchi fighters, of a Squadriglia of 15, were also lost, running out of fuel, having used most of it trying to find the British ships without success.

Another Italian submarine, the Adua also attacked the returning ships on the 30^th of September, the attack was unsuccessful but the submarine was hunted and sunk by the destroyers Ghurkha and Legion. The 3 heavy cruisers of the retreating Italian fleet were attacked by the British submarines Upholder, Trusty and Utmost, but they failed to hit any of the cruisers. The Dutch submarine O21 and the British submarines Unbeaten and Ursula, which were stationed in the Messina straight failed to make any contact with the Italian ships.

Convoy OG75

On the 7^th of October HMS Lively left Gibraltar with the destroyers Foresight, Forester, Fury and Legion to rendezvous with the incoming convoy OG75 which had left Liverpool on the 27^th 0f September, this convoy had already lost 1 of the escorts when the corvette HMS Fleur de Lys was torpedoed by U 204. They arrived back in Gibraltar on the 13^th where she became part of the newly formed Force K. This Force consisted of the Cruisers HMS Aurora and HMS Penelope, with The L Class destroyers HMS Lance and HMS Lively. Force K was formed under Captain W.G.Agnew on 21 October 1941, with the purpose of intercepting the Italian and German supply lines to their armies in North Africa. Before leaving Gibraltar on the 19^th of October the ships were loaded with supplies for Malta, in the Livelys case this included 2 aerial torpedoes and 200 rounds of ammunition. The force arrived in Valetta at 09:15 on the 21st

Force K

The first 2 attempts to intercept Italian convoys, on the nights of 25^th-26^th October and 1^st-2^nd November were unsuccessful, the Italians being aware of the times of the forces leaving and returning to Malta.

The situation in North Africa however meant that Axis supplies were urgently needed, and a convoy, codenamed Beta, was assembled, consisting of the German transport ships Duisburg, 7,389 tons, and the 3,113 ton San Marco, with the Italian transports Maria, of 6,339 tons, Sagitta, 5,153 tons, the 5,180 ton Rinacorrado, Conte di Misurata, 5,140 tons and the 7,599 ton Minatitian. Between these ships were dispersed 13,290 tons of supplies, 1,579 tons of ammunition, 389 assorted vehicles, 17,281 tons of fuel plus 145 Italian troops and 78 German troops.

Close escort for the convoy was provided by 6 destroyers, the Fulmine, Euro, Grecale, Oriani and Libeccio, these were commanded by Captain Ugo Bisciani in the destroyer Maestrale. A distant covering force was also provided by Rear Admiral Bruno Brivonse in the heavy cruiser Trieste, with the heavy cruiser Trento, and the destroyers Granatiere, Alpino, Bersagliere and Fuciliere.

The Italians had been assured by their air force that the British Cruisers HMS Penelope and HMS Aurora had been so badly damaged by the air raids on Malta that they would not be able to leave harbour for several weeks. Thinking that the main danger during the night would come from air attack, and not from surface forces, the Italians, who did not yet appreciate the capabilities of radar, set course East of Malta, heading for Tripoli. However British Intercepts of Luftwaffe radio signals, decoded by Ultra, alerted the allies to the convoy, and at 13:55 sighting was made 40 miles East of Cape Spartivento by one of Maltas Maryland reconnaissance aircraft on the 8^th of November.

At 17:30 that evening, Force K Sailed from Malta and at 00:39 the next morning, located the convoy 135 miles East of Syracuse, making 9 knots in 2 columns with the Destroyer Maestrale at the head of the convoy, Minatitian, Maria and Sagitta on the port side, with the destroyers Oriani and Libeccio, and Duisburg, San Marco and Conte on the Starboard, escorted by the destroyers Fulmine and Euro. The Rinacorrado brought up the rear between the columns, followed by the destroyer Grecale. The distant escort was off the convoys starboard quarter and about 3 miles astern doing about 12 Knots when the convoy was sighted at 00:39, bearing 30, by the Aurora, in the lead of Force K, followed by Lance, Penelope and Lively in line astern.

Captain Agnew moved his ships onto the convoys starboard quarter, in a down-moon position, being sighted by the Italian destroyers in the process, who mistook them for the ships of their distant escort.

At 00:57, at a range between 3,300 and 5,500 yards the allied ships opened fire on the Convoy silhouetted in the bright moonlight, using radar to lay the guns with great accuracy. Auroras first 3 salvos set of an explosion on the rear Italian destroyer Grecale, starting a fire and leaving the ship dead in the water. Penelopes first salvos hit the leading destroyer Maestrale. Lance opened fire on one of the cargo ships at 4,000 yards, and after registering several hits, switched her target to the destroyer Fulmine. At 01:00 HMS Livelys guns opened fire on the Duisburg, hitting her with the first 5 salvos, then turned her fire on the Italian destroyer Euro.

Aurora now targeted the leading enemy destroyer, Mistrale, which was making smoke and heading across the convoys front towards the port disengaged side, her captain , Ugo Bisciani, ordered the 2 destroyers on that side to make smoke and ordering the escort to gather on Maestrale, believing that the attack was coming from that side of the convoy and mistaking the cruisers on the starboard side for the Italian cruisers of the distant escort; at this point he was unable to issue further commands as a salvo from Aurora carried the radio aerials of his ship away.

On the Starboard side of the convoy the destroyers Fulmine and Euro, having a better grasp of the situation, counter attacked the allied ships, however the Fulmine was rapidly overwhelmed by salvos from both Lance and Penelope, and after getting off a few shots, turned over and sank at 01:06, just 9 minutes after the start of the action. Lt Commander Cigala Fulgosi, in the Euro managed to get within 2,100 yards of the British ships and had manoeuvred his ship to an excellent position for a torpedo attack when he received the signal from the Maestrale, and delayed the attack, believing that he might be about to attack the cruisers of the distant covering force, as he turned away the Euro was hit by fire from Lively, then from both Aurora and Penelope, 6 shells hitting in rapid succession, but failing to cause much damage, the 6 inch shells passing straight through her thin hull plates.

When the action commenced, the Italian heavy cruisers of the distant escort were about 5,500 yards from the convoys starboard side, and, increased speed to 24 knots as the attacking force turned away then steamed across the front of the convoy and started down its port side at 20 knots. The Trieste and Trento opened fire at 01:03, at a range of 7,800 yards but were disadvantaged by having the convoy between them and the British ships, they kept firing until 01:25, firing 207 rounds of 8 inch ammunition, and 82 rounds of 3.9 inch shells, before ceasing fire as the range increased. The Aurora had returned fire with her 4 inch guns, but these were not effective at that range.

No evasive action was undertaken by the ships in the convoy, believing themselves to be under air attack, and as the attacking ships of Force K circled around the head of the convoy and along its Port side, they picked off the merchant ships with both gunfire and torpedoes from a range of 2,000 yards., one of the ammunition ships blew up, and the Duisberg became a wall of flame. The convoys surviving escorting destroyers, Libeccio, Oriani, Maestrale and Euro withdrew to a range of 10 miles to the East to re-group, then, led by Maestrale launched a counter attack, making smoke, and firing salvos whenever the British came into view. They did not launch a torpedo attack, due to the risk of hitting the merchant ships beyond the British warships. The counter attack did not pose a serious threat to the Allied ships, although HMS Lively was narrowly missed by a torpedo which passed astern of her and Libeccio was slightly damaged by the return fire.

At 01:40 the British ships ceased fire as they passed the rear of the remains of the convoy, partly through lack of targets, and partly to save ammunition, (Penelope having shot off 259 6 inch shells, which were in short supply in Malta). Every cargo ship in the convoy had been sunk, as had the Italian destroyer Fulmine and the destroyers Euro and Grecale were damaged, and the British force withdrew at 02:05. Later the damaged Italian destroyer, the Libeccio, was torpedoed by the Malta based submarine HMS Upholder at 10:48 whilst engaged in rescue operations, Euro took her in tow, but she broke apart and sank very soon afterwards. The only damage incurred to the British ships was some splinter damage to HMS Lively, when a starshell burst overhead, splinters holing the funnel and the starboard sirens steam pipe, and the only casualties were 6 canaries aboard HMS Penelope which died of heart failure when the guns opened fire. Force K arrived back in Malta on the 9^th.

These actions, combined with losses caused by submarine and air attacks, removed the equivalent of 50 per cent of the axis supply line to their North African armies, with the result that the Italians suspended convoys to North Africa and announced that Tripoli was practically blockaded Vice Admiral Brivonse and Captain Bisciani were subsequently relieved of their commands, though Admiral Brivonse was later re-enstated.

The Tankers

With the German Afrika Corps under pressure from the allied armies as a result of operation Crusader, the German High Command insisted that further supply ships were sailed, and on the 24^th of November another convoy from Taranto bound for Benghazi was intercepted by the ships of Force K, which had been re-enforced by the light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMS Neptune with the K class destroyer HMS Kandahar and HMS Havock, an H Class destroyer, which had sailed the previous day. The 2 Italian cruisers escorting the convoy were hit by torpedoes, and the convoy turned back into Taranto.

The force returned to Malta, arriving on the 25^th, but sailed again almost immediately to intercept a 2 tankers which had sailed from Piraeus heading for Benghazi, and intercepted the 2 ships 100 miles West of Crete. They were the 2910 ton tanker Maritza and the tanker Procida of 1842 tons, both loaded with aviation fuel urgently needed by the Luftwaffe in North Africa. Despite the efforts of the 2 escorting Italian destroyers which, having been hit several times retreated to the North West, escaping in a rain squall. The tankers were now attacked by the cruiser HMS Penelope and HMS Lively, despite them having to dodge the attentions of the convoys air escort of Junkers Ju88s which carried out a series of shallow diving attacks. The tankers were quickly set on fire, their crews took to the boats and the blazing tankers collided with each other then blew up. Force K arrived back in Malta on the 28^thof November. On the 29^th HMS Lively, with Aurora, Penelope and Lance left Malta, returning the next day.

This brought the losses sustained by the axis convoys in November 1941 to 12 ships, totalling 54,900 tons, over 60 per cent. As a direct result of these losses only 30,000 tons of supplies were delivered to the German forces causing severe fuel shortages, and Axis aircraft were only able to fly one sortie per day in December, and General Rommel, commanding the Afrika Corps was forced to retreat to shorten the vulnerable supply lines.

By the time Force K had returned to Malta a congratulatory signal had been received from the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, saying Many congratulations on youre your fine work since you arrived at Malta, and will you please tell all ranks and ratings from me that the two exploits in which they have been engaged, namely the annihilation of the enemys convoys on 9/11 and of the two oil ships on Monday last, have played a very definite part in the great battle now raging in Libya. The work of the Force has been most fruitful and all concerned may be proud to have been a real help to Britain and our cause.

Guildford

The Surrey town of Guildford had applied to the Admiralty to adopt a warship with funds raised during a warship week to be held on the 14^th to the 21^st of February. The Admiralty had allocated HMS Lively to the town, giving the town the target of 700,000.to raise. The mayor, Alderman V.G. Wilkinson also sent a telegram On behalf of the people of Guildford I send the heartiest congratulations to the officers and men of HMS Lively on their part in the particularly successful Mediterranean action.

At 05:00 On the 30^th of November HMS Lively, with Lance Aurora and Penelope sailed from Malta to intercept another Italian convoy, which was the located off Kerkenah Island. On the 1^st of December 1941, HMS Lively, with the light cruisers Aurora and Penelope sank the Merchant vessels Adriatico and Iridio and at 09:52 they sank the Italian destroyer Alvise da Mosto, of the 15^th destroyer squadron, which had been escorting them and the ships of Force K arrived back in Malta on the 2^nd of December.

The Italian Minefield

On the 3^rd the destroyers Lance and Lively were detailed to form part of the Mediterranean Fleet and sailed on the 5th with the cruisers HMS Ajax and HMS Neptune to cover the cargo ship Breconshire, escorted by the destroyers Kandahar and Jaguar on a supply run to Malta, they arrived back there on the 8^th

The 2 destroyers, with the cruisers Ajax and Neptune left Malta to cover the cargo ship Breconshire, which had sailed from Alexandria on the 15^th of December escorted by the destroyers Kandahar and Jaguar arriving in Malta on the 18^th. They sailed again the same day with the Aurora, Penelope, Neptune, and the destroyers Havock, Kandahar, and Lance to intercept an Italian convoy bound for Tripoli but at 00:30 on the 19^th they ran into a newly laid Italian minefield, 15 miles from Tripoli.

Route Taken By Force K

The force, steaming South in line ahead was led by the flagship, the light cruiser HMS Neptune commanded by Captain Rory OConor followed by the light cruisers Aurora and Penelope. The cruisers were supported by the destroyers Kandahar, Lance, Lively and Havock when the flagship struck a mine at 01:06, the following cruiser, HMS Aurora altered course to starboard to avoid the stricken ship, but also hit a mine and the light cruiser Penelope struck a mine abreast the bridge on her port side. The Neptune went full astern to get out of the minefield, but struck another mine, the explosion of which wrecked the steering gear and propellers, disabling the ship. HMS Aurora managed to turn and get out of the minefield without further damage, as did HMS Penelope.

HMS Auroras commander, Captain Agnew, with dawn approaching and close to the enemy coast, had to head back towards Malta, the damage limiting his speed to 10 knots, to get as far from the coast as possible before daybreak. The destroyers HMS Lively and HMS Kandahar entered the minefield with the intention of towing the stricken Neptune clear, with HMS Penelope also cautiously edging towards them, but at 03:18 Kandahar struck a mine, and the ships were flashed a warning to keep away by Captain OConor. Despite the warning HMS Lively attempted to run alongside the crippled destroyer, but was ordered to stay clear by Captain OConor.

At 04:03 the drifting cruiser set off another mine amidships, turned over and sank. The Captain of the Kandahar, with his ship crippled made a signal to Captain Nicholl of the Penelope suggesting that the cruiser and HMS Lively leave. After a last plea by Livelys Captain to be allowed to try and assist was overruled, the two ships set of on a course of 010 degrees at 15 knots arriving back in Malta later that day.

By daybreak the Kandahar, submerged from astern to the funnel, was washed clear of the minefield by a rising sea, but with an increasing list. At 04:00 the destroyer HMS Javelin, which had been sent from Malta to assist, arrived on the scene, positioning herself upwind of the slowly sinking destroyer, the crew of Kandahar abandoned ship, and 170 men, plus 8 officers were pulled out of the water as the Javelin slowly drifted down on them. 73 members of HMS Kandahars crew were lost, and no-one had seen any sign any survivors from the Neptune. HMS Javelin then sank the stricken destroyer with a torpedo, and set off back to Malta. Of the crew of 764 officers and men of the Neptune a single survivor, Able Seaman Norman Walton, was picked up by an Italian torpedo boat 5 days later.

Italian Minefield and drift of Neptune and Kandahar after striking mines

Repairs

Both the remaining cruisers escorted by the destroyers retired to Malta for repairs, arriving on the 19^th. The badly damaged HMS Aurora was patched up and returned to Liverpool for repairs which took from April till June of 1942. HMS Penelope was bombed in Malta whilst still under repair on 26^th March 1942, and had to go into dock for further repairs. Whilst there another bomb exploded between the ship and the dock wall adding even more holes which were plugged with wooden wedges. By this stage her crew were referring to the cruiser as HMS Pepperpot. The dockyard had estimated it would take a month to repair the ship, but Captain Nicholls added his shipwrights to the dockyard workforce and repairs were completed within a fortnight enabling her to take part in the escort of several convoys. New damage was being inflicted by air raids as repairs were being carried out, and the gun barrels, replaced shortly before going into the dock, were worn out as she fired over 5,000 rounds of 4 ammunition and over 75,000 rounds of smaller anti-aircraft ammunition in defence of the ship and harbour. At the peak of the action the ships cat gave birth to 3 kittens which were promptly named Bomb, Blitz and Blast. Penelope finally left Malta on the 8th of April, arriving in Gibraltar on the 10^th,a signal was received saying Penelope from Prime Minister, Bravo.

The cruiser then sailed for the United States for full repairs to be carried out in the New York Navy Yard, these repairs being completed in September 1942.

HMS Lively remained in Malta over Christmas, sailing on the 26^th of December, and arriving back there on the 29^th

Operation MF2

In the first week of January the Fleet Auxiliary Glengyle was sailed from Alexandria on the 6th, loaded with oil for Malta, covered by several destroyers and the cruisers Naiad, Euryalus, and Dido, with the anti-aircraft cruiser Carlisle; the empty cargo ship Breconshire left Malta at 18:45 also on the 6^th of January escorted by the destroyers Lively, Lance, Jaguar and Havock. As the 2 forces met, some of the escorts changed over and HMS Lively returned to Malta on the 8^th with the Glengyle, the destroyers Lance, Sikh, Jaguar and Lance and the submarine Upholder. The whole operation, designated MF2, was provided with air cover and no enemy air attacks took place.

On the 13th, HMS Lively with Zulu, Jaguar and Lance and the temporally repaired Penelope were put under notice to be ready to sail at short notice to meet an incoming convoy.

Operation MF3

A larger convoy, operation MF3, sailed from Alexandria on the 16^th of January, consisting of 4 ships escorted by 8 destroyers and the Carlisle, with the Cruisers Euryalus, Dido and Naiad covering them. On the 18^th the Norwegian owned 6,655 ton Thermopylae loaded with stores, and also carrying troops, developed engine defects and was ordered back to Alexandria, escorted by Carlisle and 2 destroyers, returning out of range of allied fighter cover, and despite the defence of the destroyers and anti-aircraft cruiser, she was bombed and set on fire with the loss of 3 lives, and had to be sunk by the escort. The remainder of the convoy, although covered by Beaufighters of 252 and 272 Squadrons from the RAFs Naval Co-operation Group, was attacked several times, but no ships were hit. On the 19^th the destroyers Zulu, Lance and Jaguar sailed with HMS Lively and the cruiser Penelope to meet the incoming convoy, and returned later the same day with the 3 remaining merchant ships, Penelope and the destroyers Maori, Zulu, Sikh, Legion and Lance, covered by Hurricanes from Malta.

Operation MF4

Operation MF4 started on the 24^th of January Lively, with Penelope, Maori, Legion, Lance, having been under 1 hours notice to steam since the 22^nd, escorted the now unloaded Fleet Auxiliary Glengyle and one of the ships from the last convoy out of Malta on their return voyage to Alexandria. They met incoming supply ship Breconshire which had sailed under the usual escort from Alexandria on the same day, and returned to Malta with Penelope, Zulu, Legion, Kingston and Maori, arriving on the 27^th.

Guildford Appeal

As mentioned earlier, the Surrey town of Guildford which had applied to the Admiralty to adopt the warship with funds raised during a warship week to be held on the 14^th to the 21^st of February. The advert below was placed in the Surrey Advertiser on the 31^st of January, and the Mayor, Alderman Wykeham-Price, appealed for contributions in short film, including clips of film of the ship, which appeared in the local cinemas and a target thermometer was placed outside Holy Trinity church to display the progress of the appeal.

The Ships badge was to be displayed in the towns Guildhall, and a plaque of the towns coat of arms was to be cast in bronze and attached to HMS Livelys quarter deck.

Operation MF5

With HMS Zulu, Lively located an enemy convoy West of Sicily and they sank 2 of the merchant ships on the 7^th of February.

Convoy MF5, consisting of the fast freighters Rowallan Castle, Clan Chattan, and Clan Campbell, escorted by 8 destroyers and the Carlisle sailed from Alexandria on the evening of the 12^th of February, and the returning Breconshire, with the destroyers Sikh, Legion, Decoy, Fortune and Lively with the cruiser Penelope as escort, sailed from Malta on the 13^th. The incoming convoy came under intermittent air attack during most of the 13^th but these were frustrated by the convoys air cover of land based fighters. On the 14^th however both the 7,262 ton Clan Chattan and the Rowallan Castle of 7,793 tons were lost to air attack. The two convoys met on the 15^th, and after dark the Lively, accompanied by Zulu, Sikh and Decoy, then made a high speed run to Alexandria, arriving on the 16^thof February.

Loss of HMS Niad

HMS Lively was allocated to join the 22^nd Destroyer Flotilla in Alexandria on the 24^th of February 1942 and sailed for Tobruk, arriving on the 27^th.to support the beleagured garrison she left Tobruk the next day and got back to Alexandria on the 2^nd of March.

On March 10^th 1942 HMS Lively sailed from Alexandria as part of the escort of a cruiser force commanded by Admiral Vian in the Dido Class anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Naiad, to attack an Italian cruiser reported to be damaged, the force consisted of 3 cruisers, the flagship, HMS Dido and HMS Euryalus, (Also Dido Class ships)with and escort of 8 destroyers including HMS Lively, the others being the Javelin class HMS Kipling, HMS Kelvin, HMS Sikh, HMS Zulu, which were both Tribal class, and the H class destroyers HMS Hasty, HMS Havock and HMS Hero, the force was later joined by the Dido class anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Cleopatra and the Javelin class destroyer HMS Kingston from Malta.

The report of the damaged cruiser proved to be incorrect however and the task force turned back for Alexandria, repelling several air attacks from German bombers and Italian torpedo planes. On the 11^th of March however the Flagship was hit by a torpedo from the German U boat U565 and sank North of Mersa Matruh at 32.00N 26.19E, 82 members of the crew of were lost in the attack, and 582 survivors were picked up by HMS Lively, HMS Kipling and HMS Jervis. They returned to Alexandria, arriving on the 12^th

HMS Lively sailed from Alexandria in company with the destroyers Sikh, Zulu and Havock on the 14^th, escorting the cruisers Euryalus and Dido. The next day this force bombarded Rhodes then returned to Alexandria on the 16th

By this stage, the pace of the war in the Mediterranean was increasing as the axis powers attempted to stop the British resupplying their forces in North Africa. The Island of Malta, from which the Royal Navy was attacking the Italian and German convoys, was coming under an increasing number of air raids, which resulted in a shortage of ammunition and aircraft fuel. A convoy, MW10, to resupply the island was organised from Alexandria, aware that an attempt to supply Malta would be attacked by both the German and Italian air forces and could also be attacked by Italian surface forces, although this threat was considered to be less than that from the air.

The 2^nd Battle of Sirte

The convoy consisted of 3 fast freighters under convoy commodore Captain Hutchinson. The Clan Campbell, 7,255 tons loaded with Aviation fuel in 4 gallon cans, ammunition and stores. The 6,798 ton Norwegian ship Talabot, carrying kerosene, aviation spirit and ammunition. Pampas, of 5,415 tons, was carrying army stores and foodstuffs. and the Breconshire, 9,776 tons and loaded with fuel and stores, were heavily escorted by 3 anti aircraft cruisers, HMS Cleopatra, HMS Dido, and HMS Euryalus, the converted antiaircraft cruiser HMS Cleopatra, and the destroyers Jervis, Hasty, Havock, Hero, Kingston , Kipling, Kelvin, Sikh, Zulu , Lance and Lively, with Admiral Vian in overall command. 7 destroyers, had been sent to join the convoy from Tobruk, but HMS Heythrop was torpedoed of Sidi Barrani at 32:22N 25:28E by U652, at 11:00 on the 20^th, she was taken in tow by HMS Eridge, but sank at 16:00 that day.

The pre-arranged plan for was, in the event of an attack by surface forces, HMS Carlisle and half the destroyers would, at all costs, remain with the convoy, whilst the remainder of the escort would lay smoke and delay the Italian ships.

Convoy MW10 sailed from Alexandria early on the 20^th of March, and later that day was shadowed by the Italian submarine Platino. As dusk was falling 6 Junkers Ju52 transport aircraft from North Africa, en-route to Crete, over flew the convoy, and circled above the ships, reporting the composition of the convoy and escort, its position, speed and course.

Upon receipt of this information Admiral Angelo Iachino sailed from Taranto in the battleship Littorio, with the destroyers Alfredo, Ascari, Aviere, Geniere, Grecale, Oriani, and Sirocco. This group was sighted by a British submarine, The P3, patrolling the Gulf of Taranto which reported the Italian force on a course of 150 at 23 knots to the British force. A second Italian force sailed from Messina, commanded by Admiral Parona, consisting of the 2 heavy cruisers Gorizia and Trento, the light cruiser Giovanni dalle Bande Nere and the destroyers Alpino, Bersagliere, Fuciliere and Lanciere.

The 2^nd Battle of Sirte

Early on the morning of the 21^st, the convoy was re-enforced from Malta by the anti-aircraft cruiser Penelope, with the destroyer Legion. During the morning the convoy was shadowed, and frequently attacked by Italian Savoia aircraft, which dropped torpedoes at extreme range, at least 2 of these were shot down by the convoys anti-aircraft defences. Then shortly after 1:30 an Italian aircraft dropped a line of 4 red flares ahead of the convoy, signalling its position to something over the horizon.

At 2:10 that afternoon smoke was sighted on the horizon, and, HMS Euryalus reported 4 unknown ships bearing 015. Admiral Vian immediately, left the convoy with a single cruiser and a screen of 6 destroyers, he formed the rest of his ships into 5 divisions in line ahead towards the Italian ships, which proved to be the cruisers Trento and Gorizia under Admiral Parona and 2 destroyers, shortly afterwards 2 more destroyers and the cruiser Giovanni della Banda Nere were also sighted.

The Italians swung broadside on and at 2:36 opened fire with ranging shots at a range of 27,000 yards. The British put their pre-arranged plan into operation, with the convoy and its escorts turning onto a South Westerly course for Malta, with the Carlisle and the Avon Vale making smoke to conceal the convoy. It took another 15 minutes for the outgunned British to close the range to 22,000 yards but at 2:56 Cleopatra and Euryalus started to return fire, After a short exchange of fire the Italian ships turned to the North, with the exception of the Trento, which continued a rapid but inaccurate fire for a few minutes before turning Northwards in an attempt to lure the British ships into Admiral Iachinos force headed by the battleship Littorio.

In rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, Admiral Vian turned back at 3:15 towards the convoy, where the anti-aircraft fire from the escorting destroyers and HMS Carlisle was fighting off a succession of heavy air attacks by German Ju87 dive bombers and Ju88s, coming in simultaneous waves from different heights and bearings, straddling the Breconshire and near missing the Carlisle. In repelling these attacks HMS Carlisle used nearly 30% of her ammunition, and some of the escorting destroyers used almost half of theirs.

At 4:37 HMS Zulu, leading the 3^rd Division sighted the whole Italian force appearing on the horizon to the North, steering South-West at high speed to try and get between the convoy and Malta. Again, as Carlisle and Avon Vale laid a covering smoke screen, the outgunned cruisers and destroyers turned back towards the Italians, laying a smoke screen towards the enemy, helping to hide the convoy, which turned to the South East under its cover, and preventing the Italian gun layers spotting their fall of shot.

For the next 2 hours the battle continued, with the British ships ducking into the smoke screen when the Italian fire grew to close, whilst the Italians tried 3 times to tried to get round the Western end of the smoke screen, each time being turned back by the British destroyers Havock, Lively, Hero and Sikh, laying smoke and attacking with torpedoes.

At 6:00 the Littorio, with Trento and Gorizia tried to force their way through the end of the smoke screen, but as they cleared the smoke the cruisers Penelope and Euryalus came in from the East, where they had been covering the other end of the smoke screen, and opened fire at a range of 13,000 yards, hitting the Littorio between the after turrets and starting a fire, whilst Cleopatra swung broadside on and launched 3 torpedoes which narrowly missed the battleship, and the Italians turned away.

HMS Cleopatra was hit by fire from the Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, destroying the after turret, and the cruisers Penelope and Euryalus both suffered heavy damage. The Littorio was hit but remained undamaged, although her aircraft caught fire and was destroyed by the flash of the battleships own guns, and one of the Italian cruisers was seen to be on fire, although it did not suffer sever damage.

At 6:30, with the weather worsening to a force 5, with a 30 Knot wind and steep 20 foot waves, the Italians made a final attempt to round the smoke screen but the destroyers launched a torpedo attack from a range of 6,000 yards, which forced the Italians back, for although they were significantly outgunned, the British destroyers outnumbered theirs. No hits were achieved on the Italian ships, and HMS Havock received a direct hit from one of a salvo of 15 inch shells, which left her dead in the water, and HMS Lively was damaged by fire from the Littorio, this damaged a bulkhead and resulted in her speed being reduced to 20 Knots. Sikh was hit by fire from the Trento, and Lance, Legion, Kingston and Zulu all suffered damage. HMS Cleopatras bridge was hit by a 6 inch shell, and HMS Kipling was damaged by a 15 inch projectile.

As darkness gathered, at about 7:00, the Italian force turned away North West, realising that without radar they would be at a disadvantage. 2 destroyers, the Lanciere and the Sirocco were later lost, with only 18 survivors, as the weather deteriorated into a severe storm, and the Geniere sustained weather damage and lost several members of her crew. The British Tribal Class destroyer H.M.S. Zulu had her forecastle stove in by the severe weather The damaged cruiser Giovanni delle Bande Nere, heading for La Spezia, was sunk by the Malta based submarine HMS Urge 11 miles South East of Stromboli Island. Hit by 2 torpedoes the cruiser broke in half and sank rapidly.

The damaged destroyers, including Havock which had managed to get under way again, headed for Malta, with the cruisers Penelope and Carlisle Now short of fuel, the escort force, including HMS Lively, headed back to Alexandria in the increasingly bad weather, arriving on the 25^th.

Convoy MW10

The convoy, which had been forced Southwards by the Italian attacks, now turned Westwards and headed for Malta, Captain Hutchinson, aware that dawn would bring further air attacks dispersed the convoy some 240 miles Southeast of Malta and ordered that each merchant ship proceed as fast as possible. During the night the Breconshire was joined by the destroyers Southwold and Beaufort, and at 10:00 the cruiser Carlisle caught them up. This group, with the destroyers on either bow, and the cruiser following astern steered a course of 310 at 17 knots getting within 20 miles of Malta as dawn broke at 7:45 on the 22^nd of May. The weather was still bad, with a cloud ceiling of 800 feet, and visibility limited to about 11 miles.

A signal was sent to Malta, advising the Islands defences that the ships of the convoy were approaching the Southwest of the defensive minefield on a course of 318, and requesting air cover, as the separated ships, in the narrow channel between the minefields and the shore were very vulnerable to air attack.

This soon proved to be correct, by 7:50 the ships were spotted and shadowed by an Italian Cant seaplane which reported their position, and 5 minutes later the first attack came, as a German JU88 dived on the Breconshire, dropping 2 bombs close astern. Very soon all the merchant ships were reporting air attacks from positions between 15 and 50 miles from Malta., Despite air cover from relays of Hurricanes and Spitfires from the Island, which during the course of the day were to cost the Luftwaffe a Heinkel III and 2 Ju88s, with another 8 Ju88s badly damaged. A low level attack on the Clan Campbell resulted in several direct hits, killing her master and nine members of the crew and she had to be abandoned as she rapidly foundered in the heavy seas 20 miles from Malta. With the destroyers and the Carlisle providing anti-aircraft support, the next attack on Breconshire was repulsed at 8:17, a JU88 being driven off trailing black smoke, however, shortly afterwards 3 Messerschmitt 109 fighter bombers dived out of the low cloud, hitting the tanker with 3 250lb bombs, one hitting level with number 1 hold, which was packed with ammunition and bombs, a second hit aft, and the third impacted close to the port deck rail.

With the engine room flooding fast, no electrical power and the steering jammed the Breconshire was now in a very vulnerable state, and less than 10 minutes later a JU88 attacked the stricken ship, despite being hit several times by fire from the Southwold it pressed home the attack, dropping 3 500lb bombs close on the port beam. This left the ship out of control, listing and rolling in the heavy swell with the engines stopped. Just over 10 minutes later 2 more JU88s came in at very low level, one was forced away by the heavy anti-aircraft fire, but the other dropped 2 bombs from mast height close to the Breconshires starboard beam. These explosions virtually lifted the ship out of the water and swinging broadside on she started to drift towards the Zonker Point minefield.

Despite 3 more attacks, with several near misses and being machine-gunned twice, the crew of the ship managed to gain some control by rigging hand steering from aft, and with 12 feet of water in the engine room stopping all power, they resorted to hand pumps to try and control the flooding. Just after 10:00 the Carlisle, short of fuel and almost out of ammunition, went on to Malta, being replaced by the Penelope, which had already refuelled and taken on ammunition. At 10:25 the cruiser tried to take the Breconshire in tow, but with no power the crew of the damaged ship were unable to haul in and secure the heavy towing cable to the capstan or winches.

The weather was too bad for tugs from Malta to assist, and eventually the severely damaged vessel, less than 9 miles from Grand Harbour, was forced to drop the anchors to avoid being swept into the minefield. During the afternoon and evening the Penelope, and the re-supplied Carlisle gave Breconshire added anti-aircraft support, assisted by the destroyers Beaufort, Southwold, Hurworth and Dulveston., fighting off 12 attacks and shooting down 2 JU88s and a ME109. The tow wire was recovered by 4:00 and a power supply was rigged from the Penelope, the anchor chains were cut and the cruiser attempted to take the ship under tow just before sunset, but this was unsuccessful.

Dawn on the 23^rd found the Breconshire pitching badly in the heavy swell, down by the head and drawing nearly 40 feet of water, she had also dragged her remaining anchors and was very close to the edge of the minefield. The trawler Beryl arrived from Malta and attempted to get alongside to lift off the Breconshires passengers but had to give up after 2 attempts as the swell was still too heavy. The Southwold then attempted to approach the Breconshires quarter, with the intention of shooting a line aboard and transferring the passengers by breeches buoy. Whilst attempting this manoeuvre however the Southwold hit a mine which exploded under the engine room, flooding it with water and steam, killing all the engine room personnel and creating a split in the shaft tunnel and gearing room.

The engine room was battened down, and the splits were plugged with cotton waste and margarine and the tug Ancient was sent out from Grand harbour to take the destroyer in tow. This was secured at 13:58, but as the tow tightened the destroyers back broke, leaving the ship in 2 parts held together by just the deck plates. By 16:15 the tug finally managed to start the tow, but during the next 1 hours the ships were attacked 3 times by JU88s and ME109s, and at 18:00 a large bomb exploded 30 feet to port of the Southwold - this was the final blow, and the destroyer slowly rolled over and sank.

During the afternoon the Breconshire was attacked several times, bombs coming close to the ship on several occasions, The Beryl tried to get alongside again at 4:00, but after 2 attempts had to give up as the swell was still too great. At midnight the salvage tug Ancient, with another salvage tug, the Robust, arrived, and secured a tow by 2:00 am on the 24^th. The heavy swell prevented any attempt to tow the ship into Grand Harbour, so it was decided to tow the ship into Marsaxlokk harbour which had a less exposed and wider entrance, they first towed the Breconshire clear of the minefield, and pulled out to sea, but as they turned South across the strong wind the tanker started to yaw, up to 60 degrees either side of the tow, till eventually 2 of the tow lines snapped, and the Robots engines broke, Ancient managed to hang on to the tow, and slowly towed the damaged vessel for 7 hours.

At daybreak the ships were getting very close to Delimara Point, and in danger of running into the shoal at the point, at this point the now repaired Robust caught up with them and secured to the Breconshires port quarter managed to keep them clear of the shoal, whilst the destroyer Eridge secured to the starboard quarter and managed to get them past the end of the reef, clearing it by about 20 feet, and into the calmer sea West of Delimara Point. With an escort of 3 destroyers, the 2 tugs towed Breconshire into Marsaxlokk Harbour, and at midday she was moored at No 1 buoy, the ship was evacuated by 3:00. despite dive bombing attacks by the Luftwaffe. It was intended that the Reserve fleet oilier Plumleaf would tie up to Breconshire during the night and pump out as much oil as possible and the ship would then be towed to Valetta to offload the rest of her cargo the following night. However, during the night the ship was found to be so badly damaged, and the flooding so severe that the Plumleaf was unable to open her tanks to pump out any oil.

The next day attacks by German dive bombers hit the Talabot and the Pampas in Marsaxlokk harbour. The Pampas was sunk at her berth, and the Talabot was set on fire. It was feared that the fire could detonate the bombs she was carrying for the RAF, causing massive damage to the surrounding area. A demolition party was sent from the Penelope under her torpedo officer, Lt. Copperwheat and a depth charge was slung over the side just below the waterline and wires taken ashore to detonate it, unfortunately these were not long enough to reach a position under cover, and whilst the rest of the demolition party took cover, Lt Copperwheat stayed out in the open to fire the charge, the blast from the resulting explosion throwing him up in the air, luckily without serious injury. The Talabot rapidly settled on the bottom of the harbour wreathed in huge clouds of steam as the fires were extinguished. Lt. Copperwheat was later awarded the George Cross for his brave actions.

Partly due to a delay of nearly 12 hours before unloading commenced, barely 6,000 tons of cargo was saved, out of the 26,000 tons loaded in Alexandria. During the day, the gunners on the Breconshire fought off a series of attacks, and the still loaded ship was prepared for towing to Valetta, during these attacks the Plumleaf was driven aground, the tug Ancient suffered 2 direct hits and several warships were damaged and Breconshire was near-missed several times. Just after 5:15 a lone Ju88 attacked, one engine hit and burning from the defensive anti-aircraft fire it dropped 4 bombs all of which hit the Breconshire. The 1^st fell into No 4 hold, exploding in the 690 tons of coal there, setting it on fire, the next 2 fell abreast of the bridge by the port deck rail opening up the no 2 tank and wrecking the earlier repairs, letting oil fuel leak into the sea, the 4^th bomb penetrated no 5 hold, opening it to the sea. The crew started to try to fight the fires, and fire hoses from the Robust and Swona were brought onto the fire.

By sunset the fire was under control, but the ship was settling in the water by the stern, and the after well deck was 3 feet below the surface. With more water being pumped aboard from the fire hoses, the ship started to list to port until the port deck rail was awash and the ship was evacuated at 8:00. At Dawn on the 25^th the ship was still afloat, listing badly to port, but the fires were now taking hold again, and ammunition, stored next to 500lb bombs, was starting to explode. An attempt was made to flood the boiler room next to No1 hold to try to get the ship to settle on an even keel. With the ship now listing at 20, and flame pouring from the hatches, the ship was again evacuated; soon afterwards she turned on her side then capsized.

Over the next few nights, holes were cut in the upturned hull, and much of the badly needed fuel oil was pumped into lighters which were then towed round to Grand harbour, some of this oil was used to refuel HMS Penelope for her journey back to Gibraltar after repair.

HMS Legion, already damaged in Grand harbour during an air raid on the 23^rd of March was sunk in the harbour on the 26^th when a bomb hit her forward magazine, there was a violent explosion and the destroyer quickly sank by the bows until they touched the bottom of the harbour and the crew had to rapidly abandon ship. HMS Lance was dry-docked in Malta after air raid damage was then damaged beyond repair in a raid on the 5^th of April, and was hit again on the 9^th.

Repairs to the damage kept HMS Lively in harbour until the 28th of April, when she sailed, in company with HMS Jaguar, returning on the 30^th

The Loss of Lively and Kipling

On the 10^th of May 1942 the British destroyers HMS Jackal, HMS Jervis, HMS Kipling and HMS Lively sailed from Alexandria at 18:15 to intercept an Italian convoy of 3 merchant ships escorted by 3 destroyers which had sailed from Navarins Bay, bound for Benghazi, however at about 15:15 on the 11^th the ships were spotted by German JU88 reconnaissance aircraft which flew round the ships at a height of 10,000 feet despite the anti-aircraft fire from the destroyers, then flew off . At this point the proposed attack on the convoy was called off by the commander of the force, aboard HMS Jervis and the force turned back for Alexandria, forming line abreast, with HMS Lively on the Port wing of the formation. Shortly after this an escort of Beaufighters arrived over the destroyers.

At 16:25 the force was attacked by a force of Junkers JU88s of Fliegerkorps II, North of Sidi-el Barrani, the dive bombing attack coming out of the sun at a steep angle. At about 16:30, during the first wave of the attack, which had overwhelmed the 4 Beaufighters escorting the British ships, although they shot down a Heinkel III and damaged two more and five of the Junkers JU88s. HMS Lively was sunk 100 miles North East of Tobruk at 3324N 2538E, with the loss of 76 of her crew. A diving JU88 dropped 4 bombs from a low altitude, almost unopposed as the Livelys main armament did not fire, possably mistaking the German aircraft for one of the Beaufighters, and the pom-poms line of fire was masked by the superstructure, the only guns firing being the Oerlikons.

At least 3 of the bombs hit the Lively on the forecastle, penetrating through three decks before exploding, blowing out the whole forepart of the ship. Travelling at high speed, she drove the wrecked forepart under the surface, rolled over onto her Starboard side and sank within 4 minutes. Survivors from the forward part of the ship and the bridge were distributed over about quarter of a mile as the rapidly sinking ship lost way with her stern in the air, and the bridge and funnel awash. As the remainder of the survivors abandoned the ship more bombs exploded in the water around them, several of them tried to climb into a ships boat which had floated free, but this capsized and sank.

HMS Kipling moved in, picking up some of the survivors in the oil contaminated water, followed by HMS Jervis, which started picking up some of the larger groups, however they were driven of by further bombing attacks, circling around the survivors position. After the attacks ceased Kipling again returned and started picking the main groups Livelys men from the water Jervis came back and commenced to pick up the more scattered survivors

One of these was the Livelys commanding officer, Lt. Commander Hussey, who was holding on to a coir torpedo fender with the Gunnery Officer, John Jones and Able Seaman Dommett, a member of B guns crew, who was semi conscious. As HMS Jervis approached, Lt. Commander Hussey left the fender and swam towards the approaching destroyer, catching hold of the boat rope near the bows, holding onto which he was towed for several hundred yards, as the Jervis, with her scrambling nets lowered moved towards the fender. The 2 men on the fender were rescued and Lt. Commander Hussey, suffering from exhaustion was hauled aboard.

Almost all of the survivors were picked up by HMS Kipling and HMS Jervis, and the 3 destroyers set off for Alexandria but shortly afterwards they came under air attack from Junkers 88s of another squadron. HMS Kipling, now 60 miles North of Mersa Matruh, and was also sunk, at 32 38N 25 20E and HMS Jackal was severely damaged and set on fire.

The survivors from the Kipling were picked up by HMS Jervis, which attempted to take the crippled and burning Jackal in tow, however this proved to be impossible, and her crew were taken off. HMS Jervis, now with some 650 survivors aboard, sank the Jackal with a torpedo at 4:55 on the morning of the , then set course for Alexandria. Several of the injured survivors had died during the night, including Lt. Commander Hussey, and at 10:30 the ship briefly stopped some 60 miles west of Alexandria, and, with a brief service they were buried at sea, before the Jervis finaly returned to Alexandria.

The Guildford adoption

As a result of the successful warship week in Guildford, which raised 570,000, plans had been made for the ships badge and history to be displayed in the Guildhall, and for the Guildford coat of arms, cast in bronze, to be affixed to the destroyers quarterdeck. Following the loss of the ship these plans obviously had to be cancelled, and on the 7th November 1942 the retiring mayor, Alderman V. G.Wilkinson handed the badge of HMS Lively to the towns War Savings committee for safekeeping, with the intention that it would be eventually placed in Guildford Guildhall. The bronze coat of arms was held over to be presented to the next HMS Lively when she was built. As far as I have been able to establish the city plaque was not actually sent to the next HMS Lively, and the ships crest seems to have disappeared without trace.

MEMORIALS

And

COMMEMORATIONS

Report of the loss of HMS Lively

The Times, 13^th May 1942

Casualty list, The Times, 17^th June 1942

St. Margarets Church, Toxteth, Liverpool.

Top Left, Plymouth Naval War Memorial

Top Right, Chatham Naval War Memorial

Bottom Left, Portsmouth Naval War Memorial

Bottom Right, Hadra War Cemetery, Alexandria

The Church of St Margaret, in Liverpool, which had adopted the ship donated a window in the Lady Chapel to the memory of HMS Lively, and this was dedicated, following the completion of repairs to bomb damage sustained during the war, on the 2^nd of February 1947. In a service during which the citation below was read, a scroll beside the altar in the Lady Chapel holds the names of all those lost in the ship.

(Copy of the citation by kind permission of the Rev. Robert Gallagher).

Those lost are also commemorated on the memorials of their manning ports, with the exception of those who either died of wounds after the sinking, or whose bodies were recovered, these, with one exception, are buried in the military cemetery at Hadra, Alexandria. The names and memorials are listed below, and many of the names will also be found on their local war memorials, in local churches and in village and town books of remembrance.


NUMBER	NAME		AGE	RANK	DoD	MEMORIAL/GRAVE
	William E F Hussey	DSO DFC	33	Lt CDR	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
P/JX 236693	William Allison		25	Able Seaman	02.06.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
C/JX 262910	Arthur Askins		36	Ord Signalman	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
P/JX 177363	Charles Baker		17	Boy, 1st Class	11.05.42	Portsmouth Naval War Memorial
D/SSx 36037	James Bamber		18	Ord Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/J 113714	Bernard Bashford			Signalman	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
P/KX 81274	Harry Bell		33	Act/Stoker P.O.	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/J 115272	Ernest Blight		32	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/KX 82158	Sidney Brown		29	Act/PO	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/KX 99325	Henry Burgess		25	Stoker 1st Class	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
N.A.F.F.I.	Albert Cooper		20	Canteen Assistant	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/KX 87156	Harry Cox		29	Act/Ldg Stoker	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
D/J 75346	Frederick Cridge		42	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/MX 73008	William Daniel		34	Act Cook	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 140372	Walter Davey		33	Leading Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/KX 117556	Peter Devereux		27	Stoker 2nd Class	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 287270	Robert Dobbie		20	Ord Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/JX 234014	Charles Durrant		28	Ord Signalman	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
D/JX 139483	Cyril Fawcett		24	Able Seaman	17.06.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
D/JX 254743	James Firn			Able seaman	11.05.42	El Alamien War Cemetery
C/JX 277289	John Flynn			Ord Seaman	15.05.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
D/JX 254808	James Gardner		28	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/J 34671	Albert Gee		44	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 151271	Alfred Gribbell			Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/KX 96987	Alfred Harris			Stoker 1st Class	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/JX 210323	Reginald Hindle		25	Signalman	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
D/J 101931	Marshall Hodges		42	Chief Petty Officer 11.05.42		Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/ D/X 2976	James Houghton RNVR		28	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/SSX 24578	David Jones		23	Able seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/J 105462	William Kay		39	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/KX 118401	William Latham			Stoker 2nd Class	13.05.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
D/JX 212944	Thomas Lavelle		22	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/JX 148813	Clarance Layhe		26	Ldg Telegraphist	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
D/JX 217151	Leonard Lock		25	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/SSX 22366	James McAleer	Aleer	22	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/X 20336	John MacLeod RNR		27	Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX158487	Henry Major		20	Telegraphist	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/KX120581	Douglas Motton		24	Stoker 1st Class	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
D/JX 132647	Thomas Murray		30	Act Ldg Signalman 11.05.42		Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/SSX 19480	William Murt		25	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 254529	William Nettleton		34	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/KX 90316	Basil Parsons			Petty Officer Stoker 11.05.42		Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 144990	Alfonso Podesta		22	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
E/LX 25652	Charles Polidano		19	Assistant Steward	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 1555503	Albert Pratley		19	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
D/JX 284479	Ronald Rothero			Ord Seaman	13.05.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
D/KX 136594	Francis Sage		19	Stoker 2nd Class	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
P/JX 295658	Gregory Savage		21	Ord Seaman	11.05.42	Portsmouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 153450	Arthur Scriven DSM		20	Petty Officer	15.05.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
P/JX 276445	Frederick Scudder		27	Ord Seaman	11.05.42	Portsmouth Naval War Memorial
D/X 9983B	Alexander Smith RNR		29	Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/JX 214545	Ronald Smith		24	Telegraphist	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
D/J 113224	George Stead DSM		32	Chief Petty Officer 11.05.42		Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JK 194393	James Thomas		26	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Alexandria Military Cemetery
E/IX 25643	Joseph Tirchett			Assistant Steward	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 253481	John Tweddle		21	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/MX 64722	Gordon Twyford		25	Writer	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/MX 75137	Victor Wait		20	Ord Artificer	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 221097	George Waite			Able Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
P/JX 217371	James Walker			Ord Seaman	11.05.42	Portsmouth Naval War Memorial
D/JX 254664	Robert Wears		26	Ord Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/JX 258013	Wiliam Whitley		22	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
D/JX 284263	Stanley Whittle		30	Ord Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
C/SSX 32920	James Wickins		19	Able Seaman	11.05.42	Chatham Naval War Memorial
D/JX 284427	Donald Williams		27	Ord Seaman	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial
D/K 58056	Fredrick Woodhead		42	Stoker 1st Class	11.05.42	Plymouth Naval War Memorial

The Memorial Plaque and Scroll, St. Margarets Church

Sources and acknowledgements.

Janes Fighting Ships of World War II, Random House Group, London.

Warship Losses of World War Two, David Brown, Arms and Armour Press, London.

Red Duster, White Ensign, Ian Cameron, Futura Publications Ltd, London.

Destroyers, Anthony Preston, Bison Books Ltd, London.

Cruisers, Bernard Ireland, Hamlyn Publishing Group, London.

The Fourth Service, John Slader, Robert Hale Ltd, London.

The Allied Convoy System, Arnold Hague, Chatham Publishing, London.

The Navy At War 1939-1945, Stephen Roskill, Collins Publishers Ltd, London.

Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two, Jurgen Rohwer, Naval Institute Press,

Mrs Christobel Milner (Daughter of Lt.Commander Hussey).

Mr Malcolm Alexander, Guildford Museum.

Mr David Rose, Surrey Advertiser

U Boats Destroyed, Paul Kemp, Arms and Armour Press, London.

The Battle For The Mediterranean, Donald Macintyre, Pan Books Ltd, London.

The Battle Of Malta, Joseph Attard, William Kimber & Co Ltd, London.

The Navy At War 1939-1945, Stephen Roskill, Collins (publishers) Ltd, London.

The Mediterranean Fleet, HMSO, London.

The War At Sea, Julian Thompson, Sidgwick & Jackson (in association with the Imperial War Museum), London.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Fleet Air Arm Officers Association

The Neptune Association @ www.hmsneptune.com.

Joseph Cali Warrington,www.my-malta.com.

Paul Young, Via www.WWIIReenacting.co.uk

The Rev. Robert Gallagher, The Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Princes Rd, Toxteth, Liverpool