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Notable events involving Hamlet include:

21 Aug 1941

Operation (Convoy) Dervish

Departed Hvalfjord for Northern Russia on 21 August 1941. It had been intended to proceed to Murmansk but due to German air attacks on this city the convoy was diverted to Archangelsk where it arrived on 31 August 1941.

On departure from Hvalfjord the convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alchiba (Dutch, 4427 GRT, built 1920), Esneh (British, 1931 GRT, built 1919), Lancastrian Prince (British, 1914 GRT, built 1940), Llanstephan Castle (British, 11348 GRT, built 1914), New Westminster City (British, 4747 GRT, built 1929) and Trehata (British, 4817 GRT, built 1928).

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Aldersdale (8402 GRT, built 1937) was also part of the convoy.

On departure from Hvalfjord the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Electra (Cdr. C.W. May, RN), HMS Impulsive (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Thomas, DSC, RN), HMS Active (Lt.Cdr. M.W. Tomkinson, RN), minesweepers HMS Harrier (Cdr. E.P. Hinton, MVO, DSO, RN), HMS Halcyon (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H. Harding, RNR), HMS Salamander (Lt.Cdr. W.A. Cooke, RN) and the M/S trawlers HMS Hamlet (T/Lt. H.H. Bolton, RNVR), HMS Macbeth (T/Lt. R.M. Thorne, RNR) and HMS Ophelia (T/Lt. S. Bennett, RNVR).

On 29 August the three destroyers and the RFA tanker were detached from the convoy to proceed to Spitsbergen.

The convoy arrived safely at Archangelsk on 31 August 1941 not having been detected by the Germans.

Distant cover for this convoy was provided by ' Force M '. This force departed Scapa Flow around 1530A/23 and was made up of the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious (Capt. H.C. Bovell, CBE, RN), heavy cruisers HMS Devonshire (Capt. R.D. Oliver, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral W.F. Wake-Walker CB, OBE, RN), HMS Suffolk (Capt. R.M. Ellis, RN) and the destroyers HMS Inglefield (Capt. P. Todd, DSO, RN), HMS Escapade (Lt.Cdr. E.N.V. Currey, DSC, RN) and HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. I.T. Clark, RN).

Between 1230A/26 and 1430A/26, HMS Inglefield fuelled from HMS Suffolk. Between 1500A/26 and 1605A/26, HMS Escapade fuelled from HMS Devonshire.

' Force M ' arrived at Spitsbergen to refuel from the Aldersdale around 0045A/1. ' Force M ' departed again 0200A/2 to provide cover for other operations.

28 Sep 1941

Convoy QP 1.

This convoy departed Archangelsk on 28 September 1941 and was dispersed off the Orkney Islands on 10 October 1941.

The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alchiba (Dutch, 4427 GRT, built 1920), Alma Ata (Russian, 3611 GRT, built 1920), Budenni (Russian, 2482 GRT, built 1923), Esneh (British, 1931 GRT, built 1919), Lancastrian Prince (British, 1914 GRT, built 1940), Llanstephan Castle (British, 11340 GRT, built 1914), Mossovet (British, 2981 GRT, built 1935), New Westminster City (British, 4747 GRT, built 1929), Rodina (British, 4441 GRT, built 1922), Sevzaples (British, 3974 GRT, built 1932), Stary Bolshevik (Russian, 3974 GRT, built 1933), Sukhona (Russian, 3124 GRT, built 1918) and Trehata (British, 4817 GRT, built 1928).

On departure from Northern Russia the convoy was escorted by the heavy cruiser HMS London (Capt. R.M. Servaes, CBE, RN), destroyers HMS Electra (Cdr. C.W. May, RN), HMS Active (Lt.Cdr. M.W. Tomkinson, RN), mineseepers HMS Harrier (Cdr. E.P. Hinton, MVO, DSO, RN), HMS Halcyon (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H. Harding, RNR), HMS Salamander (Lt.Cdr. W.A. Cooke, RN), M/S trawlers HMS Hamlet (T/Lt. H.H. Bolton, RNVR), HMS Macbeth (T/Lt. R.M. Thorne, RNR) and HMS Ophelia (T/Lt. S. Bennett, RNVR).

Around 1300C/30, HMS Harrier, HMS Halcyon and HMS Salamander parted company.

Around 1425C/2, HMS London parted company with the convoy and the heavy cruiser HMS Shropshire (Capt. J.T. Borrett, OBE, RN) joined the convoy. HMS London then set course to return to Archangelsk where she was to re-embark the Anglo-American delegation she had disembarked there on 27 September.

Around 2300A/4, the RFA tanker Black Ranger (3417 GRT, built 1941) escorted by the destroyer HMS Anthony (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Hodges, RN) joined the convoy having parted company with eastbound convoy PQ 1.

In the morning of 5 October, HMS Active fuelled from the Black Ranger.

In the late afternoon of 5 October, HMS Anthony fuelled from HMS London.

At 1800A/7, HMS Active took the M/S trawler HMS Ophelia in tow as her engine had broken down. Course was set for Seidisfjord but this was later changed for Akureyi where they arrived on 10 October.

HMS Shorpshire parted company with the convoy around 1900A/10 to proceed to Scapa Flow where she arrived around 0015A/11.

The convoy was dispersed off Dunnet Head around 0830A/11 and most ships joined a coastal convoy.

Meanwhile HMS Anthony had parted company with the convoy with the Black Ranger and the Llanstephan Castle. They arrived at Scapa Flow around 0900A/11.

HMS Electra arrived at Scapa Flow around 1030A/11.

(1)

9 Nov 1941

Convoy PQ 3.

This convoy departed Hvalfiord, Iceland on 9 November 1941 for Archangel, Russia where it arrived on 22 November 1941.

The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Briarwood (British, 4019 GRT, built 1930), Cape Corso (British, 3807 GRT, built 1929), Cape Race (British, 3807 GRT, built 1930), Cocle (Panamanian, 5630 GRT, built 1920), El Capitan (Panamanian, 5255 GRT, built 1917), San Ambrosio (British (tanker), 7410 GRT, built 1935), Trekieve (British, 5244 GRT, built 1919) and Wanstead (British, 5486 GRT, built 1928).

On departure from Hvalfiord the convoy was escorted by the M/S trawlers HMS Hamlet (T/Lt. H.H. Bolton, RNVR) and HMS Macbeth (T/Lt. R.M. Thorne, RNR).

On the 14th HMS Hamlet was detached to return to Hvalfiord with the merchant vessel Briarwood which had been damaged by ice.

HMS Macbeth detached from the convoy on 15 November.

Around 0335Z/13, the destroyers HMS Bedouin (Cdr. B.G. Scurfield, OBE, RN) and HMS Intrepid (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Lewes, DSC, RN) departed Seidisfiord, Iceland to make rendezvous with the convoy.

They were followed around 1050Z/13 by the light cruiser HMS Kenya (Capt. M.M. Denny, CB, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral H.M. Burrough, CB, RN).

Around 1235Z/14, HMS Bedouin and HMS Intrepid were joined by HMS Kenya.

HMS Bedouin parted company at 0500Z/15.

Early in the afternoon of the 15th, HMS Kenya attempted to fuel HMS Intrepid but the weather was unsuitable and the attempt had to be broken off.

Early in the evening of the 15th, HMS Kenya and HMS Intrepid made contact with the convoy.

At 2345A/16, HMS Bedouin joined the convoy.

Between 1025A/17 and 1205A/17, HMS Kenya transferred 90 tons of fuel to HMS Intrepid.

In the moring of the 18, it had been intended to fuel HMS Bedouin by HMS Kenya but the weather conditions were unsuitable.

In the morning of the 20th, the local A/S escort joined, this was made up of the minesweepers HMS Bramble (Capt. J.H.F. Crombie, RN), HMS Seagull (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Pollock, RN) and HMS Speedy (Lt. J.G. Brookes, DSC, RN).

At 1600C/20, HMS Kenya parted company with the convoy which went on to Archangel where it arrived on 22 November 1941.

HMS Kenya arrived at Murmansk around 1045C/21.

HMS Bedouin and HMS Intrepid arrived at Murmansk around 0950C/22 having been detached from the convoy. HMS Bramble also arrived at Murmansk on this day.

HMS Seagull and HMS Speedy arrived at Murmansk at 1105C/24.

22 Apr 1943
HrMs O 14 (Lt.Cdr. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) departed Scapa Flow for Lerwick where she arrived later the same day. She was escorted by the British M/S trawler HMS Hamlet (T/Lt. H.H. Bolton, RNVR). (2)

6 Jul 1943

Operation Camera.

The object of this operation was to pin down enemy forces in Norway before the Sicilian campaign commenced.

Four Forces were deployed during this operation, these were; ' The Battlefleet ' to provide cover for the operation. It was made up of the battleships HMS Duke of York (Capt. G.E. Creasy, DSO, RN, flying the flag of Admiral B.A. Fraser, KCB, KBE, RN), USS South Dakota (Capt. L.D. McCormick, USN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral O.M. Hustvedt, USN), aircraft carrier HMS Furious (Capt. G.T. Philip, DSC, RN), light cruiser HMS Glasgow (Capt. E.M. Evans-Lombe, RN) and the destroyers HMS Milne (Capt. I.M.R. Campbell, DSO, RN), HMS Mahratta (Lt.Cdr. E.A.F. Drought, DSC, RN), HMS Meteor (Lt.Cdr. D.J.B. Jewitt, RN) and HMS Musketeer (Cdr. E.N.V. Currey, DSC, RN), USS Ellyson (T/Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (T/Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN), USS Emmons (T/Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN), USS Macomb (T/Cdr. J.C. South, USN) and USS Fitch (T/Cdr. K.C. Walpole, USN).

' Force Q ' was made up of the light cruiser HMS Belfast (Capt. F.R. Parham, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral R.L. Burnett, CB, DSO, OBE, RN, Senior Officer ' Force Q ' ), heavy cruisers HMS Kent (Capt. G.A.B. Hawkins, DSC, MVO, RN), HMS London (Capt. R.V. Symonds-Tayler, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Rear Admiral L.H.K. Hamilton, CB, DSO and Bar, RN) and the destroyers HMS Obdurate (Lt.Cdr. C.E.L. Sclater, DSO and Bar, RN) and HMS Onslaught (Cdr. W.H. Selby, DSC, RN).

' Force R ', which was representing a convoy was made up of the destroyers HMS Opportune (Cdr. J. Lee-Barber, DSO and Bar, RN, Senior Officer ' Force R '), HMS Obedient (Lt.Cdr. H. Unwin, DSC and Bar, RN), trawlers HMS Bressay (T/Lt. J.E. Wilmot, RNVR), HMS Cape Barracouta (Skr.Lt.(Retd.) A. Flaws, DSC, RNR), HMS Cape Nyemetzki (T/Lt. A. Flaaten, RNR), HMS Hamlet (T/Lt. J.C. Boyd, RNVR), HMS Hawthorn (T/Lt. G.W. Fox, RNVR), HMS Larch (T/Skr. J.G. Mackay, RNR), HMS Macbeth (T/Lt. A. Parker, RNR), HMS Oak (A/Skr.Lt. P. Buchan, DSC, RNR), HMS Skye (T/Lt. W.G. Burt, RNR), HMS Sycamore (Skr. G. Reaich, RNR) and the Motor Launches HMML 276 (T/Lt. E.W. Lovelady, RNVR), HMML 286 (T/Lt. J.R.T. Ward, RNVR), HMML 345 (T/Lt. A. Priestly, RNVR), HMML 445 (T/Lt. B.W. Kelly, RNVR), HMML 452 (T/Lt. P.L.K. Wait, RNVR), HMML 466 (T/Lt.Cdr. D. Wilkie, RNVR).

' Force S ' which was made up of the heavy cruisers HMS Berwick (Capt. H.J. Egerton, RN, Senior Officer ' Force S '), HMS Norfolk (Capt. D.K. Bain, RN) and the destroyer HMS Scorpion (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Clouston, RN).

On 6 July ' Force S ' left Hvalfiord, Iceland for position 'A' (66°13'N, 12°05'W) and then to position 'B' (66°40'N, 10°01'W).

On 7 July ' Force R ' left Scapa Flow for position ' W ' (61°15'N, 01°25'W) and then to position ' X ' (61°40'N, 01°00'E).

' Force Q ' (besides HMS Obdurate) left Scapa Flow for position ' T ' (62°20'N, 05°30'W) where it was joined by HMS Obdurate coming from Skaalefiord, Faeroer, and then to position ' V ' (62°20'N, 01°00'E).

' The Battlefleet ' left Scapa Flow for position ' Y ' (62°52'N, 01°45'W) and then to position ' Z ' (61°20'N, 01°00'E).

In the afternoon of 8 July all forces commenced to withdraw having been sighted by enemy aircraft as had been the idea.

Martlets from HMS Furious shot down one BV 138 aircraft which was shadowing the ' Battlefleet ' and ' Force R '.

On 9 July, HMS Obdurate was detached from ' Force Q ' to return to Skaalefiord.

The ' Battlefleet ' and later ' Force Q ' returned to Scapa Flow.

' Force R ' arrived at Sullom Voe, sailing again P.M. for Scapa Flow.

On 10 July, ' Force S ' returned to Hvalfiord and ' Force R ' returned to Scapa Flow. (3)

13 Oct 1943
HMS Storm (T/Lt. E.P. Young, DSC, RNVR) conducted A/S exercises with USS Corry (Lt.Cdr. L.B. Ensey, USN), HMS Brissenden (Lt. the Hon. D.D.E. Vivian, RN), HMS Hamlet (T/Lt. J.C. Boyd, RNVR) and HMS Celia (T/Lt. L.B. Merrick, RNR). (4)

6 Jul 1944
HMS Shakespeare (Lt. D. Swanston, DSC and Bar, RN) conducted A/S exercises with HMS Mermaid (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Mosse, RN), HMS Hamlet (T/Lt. J.C. Boyd, RNVR) and HMS Graemsay (A/Skr.Lt. A.R. Lewis, RNR). (5)

1 Sep 1944
HMS Ultor (Lt. G.E. Hunt, DSC and Bar, RN) departed Holy Loch for Blyth. She was escorted by HMS Mistral (Lt. J.H.M. Sowry, RNVR) until 2130/2 when HMS Hamlet (A/Skr.Lt. J.A. MacTean, RNR) took over the escort. (6)

6 Mar 1945
HMS Volatile (Lt. F.R. Lawrence, RN), HMS Votary (Lt. P.M. Staveley, RN) and HMS Stubborn (Lt. A.G. Davies, RN) all departed Blyth for Scapa Flow / Lerwick. They were escorted by HMS Loch Monteith (T/Lt. W.E. Turner, RNVR) until 0900/27 when HMS Hamlet (A/Skr.Lt. J.A. MacTean, RNR) took over. (7)