Diary of Percival Holman Pascoe, 1940-1941 - Part 3

7.9.40. On our returning from the bombardment
two destroyers were sighted in the distance,
refused to answer signals .Action Stations
sounded off again, turned out to be Stuart  &
Waterhen

home at high speed.
2.9.40. Strong reinforcements for fleet came
through from Gibraltar last night.
They came between Sicily & Pantaleria
a heavily fortified island. Reinforcement
consist of aircraft carrier Illustrious
battleship Valiant, sone destroyers &
two A.A. cruisers Coventry & Calcutta.
5.9.40 Orion, Sydney & two destroyers
have left the rest of the fleet to carry
out a bombardment on an Italian

naval & air base on Stampalia Scarpanto.
6.9.40. Bombardment carried out.
successfully. Ilek our accompanying
destroyer sank one E boat, damaged

another & the third retired from
the scene.
2.9.40. Back in Alex once again
8.9.40. In dock again for an overhaul

9-20-9.40.In harbour all the time, only
a few air raids to break the monotony.
The barrage the Illustrious & Valiant

put up now are enough to frighten off
any bomber.
H.M.S. Kent crawled back into harbour.
She had been hit in the stern with
an aerial torpedo, about thirty killed.
20-30.9.40 Out to sea a couple of times
Nothing happened. Things are getting
a bit dead over here
1.10.40. Out again with the Fleet.
2.10.40. Strong enemy force at sea,
they outnumber us so we are giving them
a wide berth. Off Malta again, we've
been seeing a bit of this place, from
the outside.
3.10.40. Orion & us are off up to the
Aegean again for another

bombardment. This time on Stampalia.
4.10.40 Bombardment carried out O.K.
No opposition
5.10.40. Back in Alex. Ajax has
joined the Fleet now.
9.10.40. At sea with Fleet on the usual
sweep. Plenty of bombers
12.10.40. Ajax in action, sinks a 
destroyer & two E boats, damages
another destroyer
13.10.40 3rd & 7th Cruiser Squadrons
left fleet to chase Italian destroyers
but they get away, except one which
was being towed until we came on the
scene."York" sunk it. One shell
struck magazine, it was a beautiful
sight as it blew up. A column of flame
& smoke tho hundreds of feet high shot
into the air.

14.10.40. Closed up at Action Stations all

afternoon. Enemy force believed to be
trying to get at convoy. No sign of them.
Visibility very bad.
15.10.40. Liverpool struck by aerial
torpedo. No details yet. A few air raids
18.10.40. Back in Alex again. Ajax is
tye tied up next to us. Has a couple of holes
from her encounter. Thirteen killed on
her. Liverpool towed back to harbour
stern first. Bows for'd of A turret, blown
right off. Believed to be caused by petrol
exploding
20.10.40. More air raids
25.10.40. 7th Cruiser Squadron at sea
on contraband control run to Dardanelles.
26.10.40. Stopped two ships. Destroyers
looked after them, we pushed on. we have

an American naval officer on board.

27.10.40. Off Gallipoli. Saw monuments on
Cape Helles. Couldn't go any closer than 10
miles, neutral country. Heard that Greece
has entered war.
28.10.40 Return to Alex through Kass, no
excitement.
29.10.40. Off again with Fleet.
31.10.40. Steming along the coast of Greece
everything quiet. Cold up around this
way.
2.10.40. Back in Alex. An uneventful
trip.
3.11.40. Left Alex with Ajax & proceed at
28 knots to Port Said. Arrived there 9 pm.
4.11.40. Loading with army stores, trucks
& AA. guns. Embarked 500 soldiers. Left
at 5 pm.headed for Suda Bay (Crete).
5.11.40. Arrived Suda Bay safely. Disembarked
soldiers & gear. Looks more like

a warship now, not a troopship.
6.11.40. Oiled ship off tanker & off to sea to
rejoin fleet.

7.11.40. Headed in direction of Malta. More
reinforcements coming through
9.11.40. Reinforcements through safely.
Battleship "Barham", cruisers "Berwick"
& Glasgow & some destroyers. A few
bombers came over, the first we've seen
for a while.
11.11.40. 7th Cruiser Squadron & 2 destroyers
on their way to carry out a raid on merchant

ships in teh Adriatic.
12.11.40. Ran into enemy convoy, consisting
2 destroyers & 5 mercahnt ships. Thr Two
ships sunk, one badly damaged, believed
sinking & one on fire. Destroyers
disappeared when we opened fire.
13.11.40 Rejoin Fleet. Hear news of

Fleet Air Arm's attack on Taranto. Two
battleships damaged, two cruisers & two
auxiliary ships also damaged. Lost two
planes.
14.11.40. Back in Alex.
15.11.40. Shift ship to alongside wharf
& embark army stores & more soldiers
Wire the troopship again. Left at 5 p.m.
headed for Greece.
16.11.40. Arrived Pireus at 2 pm. Very fast
trip. Five cruisers loaded with soldiers
& air men who received a wonderful
reception as they landed. No leave today
17.11.40. Salied during afternoon with
Orion & Ajax. Hope we go back there.
19.11.40. Through Kaso straits, very quiet.
20.11.40.Arrived Alex.
23.11.40. At sea with fleet
24.11.40. Called in at Suda Bay. One bomber

came over & dropped a couple of bombs just
as we were leaving.
25.11.40. Planes off 'Eagle' are to carry out
a raid on Tripoli, if weather is favourable.
26.11.40. Raid came off O.K. No details
yet. "Ramillies" & "Berwick" leave us
for the other end of the Med. Hanging
around Malta.
27.11.40. Received signal from Renown
in western Med. Engaging an enemy
force of battleships & cruisers, Ramillies &
Berwick are into it.
28.11.40. Enemy force escaped, Berwick
hit once, seven casualties.
29.11.40. Back in Alex.
1.12.40. Mounting Breda guns on board.
6.12.40. At sea again with Orion & Ajax.
7.12.40. Arrived Suda Bay, mountains
around covered with snow. Off again.

8.12.40. Arrived in Pireus. Went ashore
& up to Athens, (8 mile away). Good place,
hope we stay here.
9.12.40. In harbour. "Orion" left this morning
10.12.40. Put out to sea to cover convoys.
rather rough & cold.
11.12.40. Roughest day we've had for a long
time.
12.12.40. In to Suda Bay for a couple of
hours & then off back to Pireus. Very
rough & cold.
13.12.40. Back in Pireus & ashore again
14.12.40. Out to sea again for Suda Bay.
15.12.40. Suda bay, oiled & back to
Pireus with convoy. Terribly cold.
16.12.40. Arrived outside Pireus. Transhipped
mail from Orion. Didn't enter harbour
out to sea & down to Suda Bay at 28 knots
Arrived Suda oiled & off to join fleet.

18.12.40. Joined fleet. Are proceeding
up Adriatic to carry out another raid.
19.12.40. Battleships, Warspite & Valiant
bombarded Valona, Albania. We went up
further looking for enemy shipping.
No sign of any.
20.12.40. Action Stations sounded off during
night. Italian hospital ship. Allowed
it to carry on.
21.12.40. Headed for Ma Suda bay to
oil. Arrived Suda midnight
22.12.40. Oiled & proceeded to Malta
for refit.
23.12.40. Arrived Malta, de fuel &
de ammunition ship in preparation for
docking.
24.12.40. Went on 48 hours leave.
Had a good time.