The Town of Ajax

Town of Ajax Corporate Crest
(Image courtesy of The Town of Ajax)

This chapter utilises local historical information generously provided by courtesy of the Town of Ajax Archive, Ontario, Canada  supplemented from local and other historical archives.

The naming of the Canadian Town of Ajax in Ontario is unique being the only recorded instance of a town or city taking its name from a ship. It continues to be the only town or city in the world so named.

But why name a town after a ship, especially a Canadian town with that of a British warship?

How did this happen?

And why this particular ship?

On September 10, 1939 when Canada declared war on Germany, the present site of the Town of Ajax was then just peaceful rolling farmland nestled on the edge of Lake Ontario in Pickering County, some 16 miles (25 Kms) east of Toronto. In fact at that time it had only been 150 years since the first white settlers had arrived in this area to start their new life in what to them was unknown land.

And so it had remained peaceful farmland until abruptly early in 1941 it suddenly became the site of Defence Industries Limited (D.I.L.), Pickering Munitions Works. Thus began what was to rapidly become a vast munitions plant, the largest in Canada and one of the biggest in the world. By 1945 the Works had filled 40 million shells; employed over 9,000 people at peak production, by far the majority being female. It boasted of its own post office, water and sewage treatment plants, a school population of over 600, 30 miles of railroad and 30 miles of roads. The entire D.I.L. plant site included some 2,985 acres. People had come from all over Canada to work at D.I.L.

This enormous burgeoning war plant had grown very quickly into a community which sorely needed to have its own identity, its own name. In mid summer of 1941 the D.I.L. management formed a committee to arrange a competition to choose a name. The name chosen was to come from the first significant British naval victory of World War 2 and of course, the D.I.L. Pickering plant was a critical supplier of shells to the British Royal Navy.

Ajax Town Hall

Off the coast of South America between 13th to 19th December 1939 a flotilla of British warships, HMS Ajax, HMS Exeter and HMS Achilles (Royal Navy New Zealand Division), commanded by Commodore Henry H. Harwood, had engaged and routed the powerful German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee at the Battle of the River Plate, near the Uruguayan port of Montevideo. A feat of arms which Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, described in a memorable speech presented at a Luncheon in celebration of the Battle at London’s Guildhall in February 1940 to the attendant crews of HMS Ajax and HMS Exeter (HMS Achilles had returned to New Zealand for her own celebration) ‘the brilliant sea fight.....takes its place
in our naval annals .....in the days of a dark cold winter it warms the cockles of the British heart’. That speech literally reverberated around the world. This Battle thus became one of the Royal Navy’s most well known World War 2 naval battles and in 1956 was made into a very successful film ‘The Battle of the River Plate’ starring John Gregson, Peter Finch and Anthony Quale. The name Ajax and the names of her accompanying ships became worldwide symbols of courage and determination; attributes this Canadian community obviously respected and found synonymous with their name seeking aspirations. So Ajax was chosen as the name of this war-born community.

Although the reverse has been common practice for the Royal Navy to name its ships after towns and cities, this naming was unique forging a link not only to the Royal Navy but to those officers and crews who served in this, the seventh Royal Naval vessel to bear the name, HMS Ajax, a cruiser built in 1934 and it’s successor, a frigate built in 1962, through which a tradition has now been established. The Town takes a particular interest in maintaining very strong links with the HMS Ajax and River Plate Veterans Association (Note 1) with regular mutual visits particularly as anniversaries occur. Since 1962 each incoming Mayor automatically extends an invitation to the British Admiralty for their ships to visit the town, particularly if an HMS Ajax is currently in commission. Both the cruiser and frigate did pay visits. Upon the frigate being decommissioned and scrapped her anchor was donated to the Town and is now proudly installed there. Special commemorations are to take place in the Town in June 2014 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Battle in which a contingent of members of The HMS Ajax & River Plate Veterans Association will participate.

In 1945, World War 2 ended, but not the Town of Ajax. As the young veterans returned home, accommodation was required for thousands of additional university students. Consequently, the University of Toronto leased much of the D.I.L. plant to house the new flood of engineering students. War machinery was moved out and the buildings were converted to classrooms and laboratories. The residences that had housed war workers now housed university students. All the facilities of the University of Toronto were duplicated at Ajax. By 1949, the last year of the University of Toronto, Ajax Division, some 7,000 engineering students had received their basic training here.

But what was to become of this Town named Ajax? Many people who worked or lived in Ajax during the D.I.L. or university days wanted to remain there. Due largely to the vision of George W. Finley of the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Ajax became a planned modern community using the war time base for its post-war foundation. The swords were beaten into ploughshares. Post-war Ajax began its growth.

Industry and people came from everywhere to take advantage of the many assets of Ajax. Its schools, churches, hospital, steam generating plant, comprehensive town planning and particularly its geography on the shore of Lake Ontario close to Toronto but setting its individual identity, at a separate pace with its friendly, industrious and involved citizens.

Brenda Kriz, Records Manager and Freedom of Information Coordinator for the Town of Ajax, who devoted intensive research to the subject, concluded the name Ajax was adopted by the management of the Defence Industries plant in the late summer to early autumn of 1941 following the competition to name the community which had been held in mid-summer. The community gained its own municipal government in 1950 as the Corporation of the Improvement District of Ajax. 1953 saw it become the Corporation of the Town of Ajax holding its first council elections that December. In 1973 it was amalgamated with the Village of Pickering while annexing certain portions of the Township of Pickering and became The Town of Ajax. This was all part of the new Durham Region. The Durham Region and the Town of Ajax officially came into being on January 1st 1974. In 2011 Ajax had a population of 109,600.

There is one final and unique chapter of this bond connecting Town and Ship. The Town is a living memorial as it accords the honour of naming and dedicating all of its streets by taking the names of the Officers and Crew of this Cruiser Ajax, the Frigate which followed her of the same name and of the other two warships at the Battle of the River Plate, HMS Achilles and HMS Exeter. To date some 600 streets have been so named. Thus Bob Sharplin is now remembered by “Sharplin Drive” completed in 2012 and dedicated along with several others on 16th June 2014 in the presence of this author, Bob's son, during the Town's celebrations to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate.

"Sharplin Drive" Street Naming Ceremony, Town of Ajax, 16th June 2014

From left - Elizabeth Sharplin (Clive's Wife), Clive Sharplin (Bob's son), Mayor Steve Parish  



Source: Canadian “Daily Commercial News”

 



Notes:

1. ibid. "Resources", Veterans & Families Associations. 
   
   

HMS Ajax - Daily War Diary

This extract from the Daily War Diary covers only the period during which Bob served in Ajax from March 19th 1940 to 8th August 1941.

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February                Paid off and taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Chatham.

March                     Under refit.

to                            Zarebas fitted to 4in Guns. Tripod masts fitted and aircraft warning radar Type 279

June                        installed.

July                         Post refit trials and recommissioning.

                                Nominated for service in Mediterranean.

August                   Worked-up for service and transferred to 7th Cruiser Squadron.

                                Nominated for escort of mercantiles carrying motor transport during passage to

                                Egypt.

                                (Note: This convoy was intended to pass through the Mediterranean as part of                    

                                Operation HATS but it was later decided to divert it via Cape of Good Hope.

                                The ships carrying personnel and tanks remained with the warships joining

                                the Mediterranean Fleet which went direct to Alexandria. For details see

                                Naval Staff History (2002).)

                21st         Sailed from UK as part of escort with HM Cruiser York during passage via Cape

                                Of Good Hope to Middle East.

September

                2nd          At Freetown.

                13th         At Durban

                                (Note: Italian offensive in western desert began.)

                26th         Escorted troopships Empress Of Japan, Orion and Oronsay from Aden to Suez.

                23rd         At Suez.

                30th         Joined HMS Sydney(RAN) in 7th Cruiser Squadron at Alexandria for deployment

                                in Eastern Mediterranean.

October

                3rd           Sailed from Alexandria with HM Battleships Malaya, Ramillies, HM Aircraft

                                Carrier Eagle, HM Cruiser Coventry with screen of eight destroyers to

                2nd          Took part in searched for Italian convoys taking supplies to Libya with Fleet units

                8th           Deployed with HM Battleships Warspite, Valiant, Malayaand Ramillies, HM

                                Aircraft Carriers Illustrious and Eagle, HM Cruisers York, Gloucester,

                                Liverpool, Sydney and Orion with screen of 16 Fleet destroyers to cover passage

                                of Malta convoy MF3 (Operation MB6)

                11th         Detached at Malta with HMS Orion for patrol SE of island.

                12th         Provided cover for Convoy MF4 to Alexandria with Fleet units and deployed with                      

                                ships of Squadron east of Fleet

                                In close range night action with HM Cruisers Orion, Sydney and Yorkscreened

                                by HM Destroyers Nubian and Mohawk against Italian convoy in Gulf of Otranto.

                                Two destroyers, Airone and Ariel were sunk and destroyer Artigliere damaged.

                                Hit by 7 shells resulting in 35 casualties including 13 killed.

                                (Note: Bridge structure and radar items damaged.

                                For details see ‘Engage The Enemy More Closely’ by Corelli Barnett

                                and Naval Staff History (HMSO 2002).

                                Artigliere was sunk later by HMS Yorkwhen under tow after the action)

                14th         Under air attacks during which HMS Liverpool was hit by a torpedo and had to be

                                taken in tow by HMS Orion.

                16th         Arrived at Alexandria with Fleet units.

                29th         Embarked advance party of York and Lancaster Regiment for passage to Suda

                                Bay.

                                Note: This was in response to Italian invasion of Greece and first phase of British support for

                                         the defence of Crete.

                                   

November

                1st           Arrived at Suda Bay, Crete from Alexandria with HM Cruisers Coventryand

                                Calcutta, HM Netlayer Protector, HM Minesweeper Fareham and for 

                                destroyers to set up forward base.

                                Under air attack and near missed.

                2nd          During return to Alexandria with HMS Coventry again under air attack and again

                                near missed.

                4th           Sailed from Alexandria for Suda Bay with HMAS Sydney having embarked

                                HQ 14th Armoured Brigade, AA Guns and troops for service in Crete (Operation 

                                BARBARITY).

                5th           After disembarking troops and equipment sailed from Suda Bay with HMS Orion

                                for visits to Piraeus and Candida.

                                (Note: The passage of reinforcements to Crete and of Aegean convoys were

                                covered by Fleet units including HM Battleships Barham, Valiant and HMS Eagle

                                with screen of eight destroyers (Operation MB8).

                 6th          Passage to join Fleet units covering the passage of Convoy MW3 to Malta.

                10th         Joined HMS Warspite, HMS Valiant, HMS Malaya, HMS Ramillies, HMS

                                Illustrious, HMS Gloucester, HMS York, HMS Orion and destroyer screen

                                deployed as Force A.

                                (Part of Operation COAT with ships of Force H to cover transit of convoys to and

                                from Malta, concurrent with reinforcement of Mediterranean Fleet by ships from

                                UK).

                11th         Detached from Force A with HMS Orion, HMS Sydney, HM Destroyers

                                Mohawk and Nubian to carry out offensive sweep in Straits of Otranto during J

                                JUDGEMENT.

                                (Note: Ships of Force A were deployed for cover of air attacks on Taranto by

                                HMS Illustrious which had detached with screen of cruisers and destroyers

                                (Operation JUDGEMENT).)

                12th         Intercepted Italian 4 ship convoy escorted by auxiliary cruiser Ramb III and

                                torpedo boat Fabrizi. All mercantiles were sunk but escorts escaped.

                                Rejoined Force A.

                                (Note: A second attack on Taranto was planned but cancelled in view of weather

                                forecast in target area.)

                13th         Detached from Force A with HMS Malaya, HMS Barham, and five destroyers.

                                took passage to Suda Bay to refuel before return to Alexandria to resume

                                Squadron duties.

                                For details of these operations see Naval Staff History.

                15th         Embarked troops at Alexandria with HM Cruisers Gloucester, York, Sydney and

                                Orion for passage to Piraeus.

                20th         Disembarked troops and took return passage to Alexandria.

                23rd         Deployed with HM Battleships Malaya, Ramillies, HM Aircraft Carrier Eagle,

                                HM Cruisers Berwick, Orion, Sydney, screened by destroyers as Force B to cover

                                passage of convoy to Crete and carry out air attacks on Tripoli from HMS Eagle.

                26th         Arrived at Malta with Force C when HMS Malaya, HMS Ramillies and HMS

                                Berwick detached to join Force D for passage to Gibraltar.

                28th         Deployed to cover passage of HM Cruisers Manchester and Southampton, four

                                Corvettes and four mercantiles during passage through Sicilian Narrows.

                                (Note: These ships had been involved in the action against an Italian Force on 27^th 
                                and detached afterwards from ships of Force H.

                                Battle of Cape Spartivento, see Naval Staff History.)

                                On arrival off Malta detached from cover and took passage to Suda Bay with the                           

                                four corvettes.

                30th         Arrived at Suda Bay.

December               Deployed with HMS Orion and HMAS Sydney for defence of convoys in Aegean.

                                based at Suda Bay.

                16th         Returned to Suda Bay with Squadron to refuel and resumed cover for Aegean

                                convoys.

                17th         Joined by HM Cruisers York and Gloucester of CS3 and took passage as Force B

                                to rejoin Mediterranean Fleet units providing Distant Cover for transit of Convoys

                                MW5A and B from Egypt to Malta, as well as of Convoy.ME5 from Malta to

                                Egypt.)

                                (Note: Part of Operations MC2 and MC3. These also included air attacks on

                                Dodecanese, on Port Skala, Valona, bombardment of Valona and cover of transit

                                of HMS Malaya, four destroyers and two mercantiles to Gibraltar. All by Force A

                                ships which comprised HMS Warspite, HMS Valiant and HMS Illustrious screened

                                by 11 destroyers.

                18th         Detached with Cruisers HMS Orion and HMAS Sydney and HM Destroyers

                                Janus, Jervis and Juno as screen during offensive sweep in Otranto Strait.

                19th         Rejoined Force A to provide cover for transit of ships to Gibraltar after

                                unsuccessful search (Operation HIDE.)

                23rd         Remained with Force A to provide escort for passage of Convoy ME5A to

                                Alexandria.

                24th         Returned to Alexandria with Fleet units.

1 9 4 1

January

                6th           Sailed from Alexandria with HMS Orion, HMS York, HM Corvettes Gloxinia,

                                Peony, Hyacinth, Salvia and RFA Tanker Brambleleaf to Suda Bay.

                7th           Arrived at Suda Bay with two destroyers and four corvettes for defence of military

                                convoys to and from Greece.

                                (Note: Part of Mediterranean Fleet major operation designed to cover the

                                passage of military convoys to Greece and Malta concurrent with other Malta

                                supply convoys

                                (Operation EXCESS - See Naval Staff History and "Engage The Enemy More

                                Closely").

                11th         Detached with HM Battleship Barham, HM Aircraft Carrier Eagleand destroyers

                                to carry out commando raid on Dodecanese but operation cancelled due to

                                weather.

                                (Note: Source other than the Naval Staff History records this Operation, MC6 was

                                to carry out air attacks on Dodecanese from HMS Illustrious but that

                                cancellation was due to withdrawal of the aircraft carrier because of damage

                                after air attacks on 10th.)

                12th         Joined HMS Warspite, HMS Valiant which had been deployed to cover passage

                                of to Alexandria for convoy ME6 after passage through Sicilian Narrows.

                                (Note Operation MC4 part of Operation EXCESS transit of military convoy in

                                Eastern Mediterranean, See Naval Staff History, Battle Summary No.18.)

                                These major Fleet units had been under sustained and heavy air attacks during

                                which HM Cruiser Southampton was sunk, HMS Illustrious and

                                HM Cruiser Gloucester seriously damaged.. See reference and Malta

                                Convoys by R Woodman.)

                16th         Arrived at Alexandria after completion of ME6 escort

                31st         Escorted convoy to Piraeus with HM Cruiser Coventry.

February

                2nd          Took passage from Piraeus after arrival of convoy.

                19th         Embarked troops and stores of Cheshire Regt. and Hampshire Regt. and sailed

                                From Alexandria with HMS Orion and HMS Gloucester also carrying troops for the

                                reinforcement of Malta Garrison. HM Destroyers Nubian and Mohawk were

                                deployed for escort during high speed passage.

                                (Operation MC8 which also included cover by Fleet units for this transit and that

                                of two mercantiles from Malta to Egypt.)

                21st         Disembarked troops in Malta and took return passage to Alexandria with HMS

                                Orion.

March

                4th           Embarked troops at Suda bay for passage to Greece with HMAS Perth, HMS

                                Orion and HMS Gloucester screened by four destroyers.

                                (Operation LUSTRE – Military support of Greece by British personnel).

                6th           Deployed with same ships to cover passage of troop reinforcements to Greece.

                24th         Escort of convoy to Piraeus from Alexandria with HMAS Perth, HMS Orion and

                                HMS Gloucester.

                27th         On arrival ordered to be in position south of Crete off Gavdo Island by 0630 on

                                28th March to join Mediterranean Fleet units.

                28th         Ships became Force B of Mediterranean Fleet and took part in Battle of Matapan.

                                (Full details in "The Battle Of Matapan" by SW Pack, and Naval Staff History,

                                Battle Summary No 44.)

                29th         Detached with HMAS Cruiser Perth and Destroyers HMAS Stuartand HMS Griffin

                                for escort of LUSTRE convoys to Piraeus.

April

                6th          At Piraeus with Coventry during air raid when SS Clan Fraser,   

                               discharging 5,000 tons of ammunition into rail trucks alongside was hit and 

                               exploded. Ray Parkin in his autobiography ‘Ray Parkin’s Odyssey’ described it thus ‘the whole port

                               and almost everything in it became an inferno... HMS Ajax and HMS Calcutta, by some

                               miracle, got themselves clear of the harbour and out to our (HMAS Perth’s) anchorage’.                               

                10th         Covered passage of HM Destroyers Jervis, Janus, Nubian and Mohawkto

                                Malta for duty as striking force against Italian supply convoys.

                12th         Carried out offensive sweep off Ras-el-Tin with HMS Orion and HMAS Perth

                18th         Sailed from Alexandria with HM Battleships Warspite, Barham, Valiant,

                                HMS Illustrious, HM Cruisers Calcutta, Gloucester, Orion and

                                Phoebe screened by destroyers to provide cover for passage of HM Supply Ship

                                Breconshire to Malta from Egypt and Convoy ME7 from Malta (Operation MD2).

                19th         At Suda Bay with same ships and sailed after destroyers had refuelled as Force C

                                with HMS Formidable. HMS Orion and HMAS Perth, screened by HM

                                Destroyers Decoy, Defender, Greyhoundand Ilex to provide air cover to

                                major warships designated Force B during bombardment of Tripoli (Operation

                                MD3)

                21st         Deployed off shore during air operations in defence of Fleet units during

                                bombardment.

                                See Naval Staff History, Battle Summary No 19 for details of MD2 and MD3)

                24th         Assisted in evacuation of allied troops from Greece with HMS Orion, HMS

                                Phoebe and HMAS Perth(Operation DEMON).

                27th         Embarked 3,850 men from Rafina and Raftis with HM Destroyers Kingston and

                                Kimberley for passage to Suda Bay

                29th         Embarked further 1,700 men including Major-General Sir Bernard Freyburg VC,

                                the commander of the NZ Division and Rear Admiral HT Baillie-

                                Grornan at Monemvasia and took them to Suda Bay.

                                HM Destroyers Griffin, Isis and Hotspur also embarked troops, a  total of 4,320.

                                (Note: Evacuations were made under frequent air attacks, See Naval Staff

                                History.)

May

                6th           Covered passage to Malta of convoys MW7A and B with HMS Warspite, HMS

                                Barham, HMS Malaya, HMS Formidable, Cruisers HMS Orion and HMAS Perth   

                                screened by 19 destroyers and deployed as Force A (Operation MD4)

                                (Note: MD4 was a joint operation with Force H to provide cover for passage of

                                Military TIGER convoy carrying tanks from UK to Egypt for the 8th Army. It also

                                Provided cover for Convoys MA7A and B during passage to Malta and passage

                                of reinforcement warships to Alexandria, HM Battleship Queen Elizabethand HM

                                Cruiser Fiji.

                7th           Detached with HM Destroyers Imperial, Havoc and Hotspur for bombardment

                                of the Benghazi area (Operation MD6)

                8th           Carried out bombardment.

                                During passage to rejoin Fleet engaged and sank Italian supply vessels

                               Tenaceand Capitano Cecchi. See Naval Staff History.

                                Rejoined Force A.

                9th           Detached with HMS Orion, HMAS Perth, HMS Dido and ships of 5th Destroyer

                                Flotilla for escort of TIGER convoy.

                11th         Under air attacks which were repelled by aircraft from HMS Formidable.

                12th         Arrived at Alexandria with Fleet units.

                18th         Sailed from Alexandria with HMS Warspite, HMS Valiant and screen of 8

                                destroyers to relieve HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Valiant on patrol north of

                                Crete.

                19th         Deployed off Crete.

                20th         Joined HMS Orion, HMS Dido, HM Destroyers Kimberley, Janus, Hasty and

                                Hereward in Force D.

                21st         Under air attacks and sustained damage (to both port shafts) from near miss (It

                                is this event which is the subject of The Painting and this website)

                                Detached to join HMS Warspite and HMS Valiant escorted by Fleet destroyers for

                                cover of minelaying  by HM Minelaying Cruiser Abdiel off Cephalonia to block

                                entry to Corinth Canal (Operation MAT1 - See Naval Staff History (MINING)).

                                Carried out offensive sweep with HMS Dido and Orion escorted by HM

                                Destroyers Janus, Kimberley, Hasty and Hereward. Intercepted enemy convoy

                                north of Cannae. Under heavy air attacks during the operation.

                                Sank ten caiques and damaged Italian destroyer Lupo. See Naval Staff History.

                22nd        Returned to Alexandria to refuel and replenish ammunition.

                                Took passage back to Crete on completion.

                24th         Carried out unsuccessful search for invasion convoys North of Crete with HMS

                                Dido, HM Destroyers Hotspur, Isis and Imperial.

                27th         Refuelled and re-ammunitioned at Alexandria.

                28th         Sailed to assist in evacuation of allied troops from Crete.

                                Damaged in air attack on passage with HMS Dido, HMS Orion, HM Destroyers

                                Decoy, Jackal, Imperial, Hotspur, Kimberly and Hereward.

                                (Note: Withdrew but damage found to be less serious and took passage to

                                Heraklion to evacuate troops.

                29th         During return passage under sustained air attacks and sustained further damage

                                by near misses causing some flooding.

                                (Note: For full details of the disastrous operations off Greece and Crete see

                                "The Battle For The Mediterranean" by Donald MacIntyre, "Engage

                                The Enemy More Closely", "Naval Staff History" and "Military History,

                                Middle East Vol. 2")

                                During the evacuations and other operations since April the ship spent less than

                                10 nights in harbour).

June                        Deployed In support of military operations against Vichy French in Syria.

                                (Operation EXPORTER).

                7th           Sailed from Alexandria with HM Cruiser Phoebe, HM Destroyers Jackal,

                                Janus, Kandahar and Kimberleydeployed as Force B for support of military

                                operations and to provide cover for commando attack north of Tyre from HM

                                Special Service Vessel Glengyleescorted by HM Cruiser Coventry.

                8th           Arrived off coast of Syria.

                                Operation abandoned due to weather.

                                Escorted convoy to Sidon with Force B and under torpedo attack by the Vichy

                               submarine Caiman which was believed damaged during 2 hour anti-submarine

                               attacks by destroyers.

                9th          Commando operation to capture bridge over Litani River successful.

                                On release from cover duty took passage with Force B and HM Destroyers Isis,

                                Hotspur, Janus and Jackalfor patrol off Tyre.

                                Diverted to intercept Vichy destroyers reported shelling bridge in Litania River but

                                ships had left the area.

                                Took passage to Haifa leaving destroyers at the scene.

                                Returned with HMS Phoebe to assist destroyers which had been in action against

                                Vichy French destroyers Guepard and Valmy.

                                On arrival remained with HMS Januswhich had been seriously damaged with

                                several casualties.

                                Took passage to Haifa with HMS Kandahar as escort for tow of HMS Janus by

                                HMS Kimberley.

                                (Note: Naval support to military operations and offensive operations against Vichy

                                warships continued with reliefs from Alexandria for cruisers and destroyers

                                deployed for DEMON which returned for replenishment.)

July

                4th           Bombarded Vichy positions near Beirut with HMS Naiad, HMS Kimberley, HMS

                                Havoc and HMS Hasty.

                                Repeated this support operation daily until 7th July.

                                When released from EXPORTER resumed Fleet duties at Alexandria.

                22nd        Deployed with HMS Valiant, HMS Queen Elizabeth, HM Cruisers Leander,

                                Phoebe, Neptune and HMAS Hobart, screenedby seven destroyers for

                                diversionary Operation MD5 west of Crete during passage of Malta relief convoy

                                from Gibraltar.

                                (Operation SUBSTANCE).

                                (Note: Naval Staff History quotes operation identity as ME3.)

                25th         Returned to Alexandria with Fleet units.

August                   Under repair at Alexandria.

                                (Note: An accumulation of defects required attention.)

September             Resumed Fleet duties with CS7 and deployed for support of military operations.