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Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Carnarvon Castle (F 25)

5 May 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted D/G trials off Helensburg. (1)

6 May 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted gunnery trials / exercises in the Clyde area. (1)

27 May 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1530Z/27, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Freetown to patrol in the South Atlantic. (2)

28 May 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0700Z/28, west-south-west of Freetown, in position 06°40'N, 16°50'W, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) encountered a Vichy-French convoy made up of the merchant vessels Chelma (4968 GRT, built 1920), Fort de Souville (5229 GRT, built 1918), Tours (4158 GRT, built 1920) and Ville d'Oran (10172 GRT, built 1936). They were escorted by the minesweeping sloop Annamite.

The convoy was left alone and was allowed to continue on its voyage. (2)

4 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
At 1006Z/4, the British merchant vessel Gemstone (British, 4986 GRT, built 1938) reported being shelled by an enemy raider in position 01°52'N, 26°38'W.

The armed merchant cruisers HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) and HMS Pretoria Castle (A/Capt.(Retd.) A.V. Hemming, RN), both on patrol in the South Atlantic were ordered to investigate. (3)

16 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In a signal timed 0845Z/16, the Rear Admiral Commanding West Africa Station, ordered HMS Asturias (Capt.(Retd.) H. Ardill, RN) and HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) to leave patrol and return to Freetown with all despatch. (4)

20 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1530Z/20, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Freetown from patrol. (5)

24 Jun 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1730Z/24, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Freetown for patrol in the South Atlantic and passage to Capetown. (5)

3 Jul 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In the afternoon, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Capetown from patrol / Freetown. (6)

4 Jul 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In the afternoon, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Capetown escorting the Capetown section of convoy WS 19P.

[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy WS 19P ' for 1 June 1942.] (5)

12 Jul 1942
Around 1200B/12, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Capetown from convoy escort duty. (7)

15 Jul 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) proceeded from Capetown to Simonstown. She was then taken in hand for main engine repairs. (6)

24 Jul 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted post repair trials in False Bay. (6)

25 Jul 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) proceeded from Simonstown to Capetown. (6)

29 Jul 1942
In the afternoon, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Capetown for Port Stanley, Falkland Islands. She is escorting the troop transport Esperance Bay (British, 13837 GRT, built 1922) which personnel for the garrison. (7)

11 Aug 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1015Q/11, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) and the troop transport Esperance Bay (British, 13837 GRT, built 1922) arrived at Port Stanley from Capetown.

Around 1615Q/11, HMS Carnarvon Castle departed Port Stanley for Freetown. (6)

23 Aug 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1000Z/23, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Freetown from Port Stanley. (6)

29 Aug 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1830Z/29, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Freetown for patrol. She is to patrol in the South Atlantic. (6)

18 Sep 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) was joined on patrol by HMS Carthage (A/Capt.(Retd.) W.V.H. Harris, DSC, MVO, RN). They then operated in close company until 24 September. (8)

4 Oct 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) left patrol to return to Freetown. (9)

7 Oct 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1630Z/7, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) and HMS Brilliant (Lt.Cdr. A.G. Poe, RN) arrived at Freetown. (10)

30 Oct 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) proceeded from Greenock to Belfast where she is taken in hand for engine repairs at the Harland & Wolff shipyard. (11)

11 Nov 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) is docked at Belfast. (12)

16 Nov 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) is undocked. (12)

11 Dec 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted D/G trials off Belfast. (13)

12 Dec 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted RDF calibration trials off Belfast. (13)

13 Dec 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) proceeded from Belfast to Greenock. (13)

3 Jan 1943
Around 1300Z/3, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Freetown for an anti blockade runner patrol in the Central / South Atlantic. She is also to try to intercept the Portugese passenger / cargo vessel Quanza (6657 GRT, built 1929) that was on passage from Luanda (departed 25 December 1942) to Fuchal. (14)

9 Jan 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In a signal timed 1615Z/9 from the Flag Officer Commanding West Africa Station, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) is ordered to leave patrol and proceed to Rio de Janeiro. (15)

15 Jan 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1500P/15, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Rio de Janeiro from patrol. (16)

18 Jan 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1100P/18, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Rio de Janeiro for Port Stanley, Falkland Islands. (16)

24 Jan 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1000P/18, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Port Stanley from Rio de Janeiro. (16)

26 Jan 1943
Around 0830O/26, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Port Stanley for patrol. She is ordered to patrol off the South Shetland and Orkney Islands. (17)

11 Feb 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1800O/11, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) returned to Port Stanley from patrol. (18)

15 Feb 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0930P/15, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Port Stanley for Montevideo. (19)

18 Feb 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1145OP/18, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Montevideo from Port Stanley. (19)

22 Feb 1943
Around 1045OP/22, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Montevideo for patrol. She is to conduct an anti blockade runner patrol in the South and Mid Atlantic. (18)

11 Mar 1943
At 0428Z/11, in position 05°35'S, 11°48'W, HMS Cilicia (Capt.(Retd.) J.M. Scott, RN) sighed a ship which she lost sight of at 0450Z/11. Course of this ship had been approximately 340°. It was though to be a suspicious vessel and thus possibly an enemy blockade breaker. No allied or neutral vessel was known to be in that position proceeding to the north-north-west.

HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) and Gloire (?), both also on anti blockade breaker patrol were ordered to join HMS Cilicia in the search for the suspicious vessel. Also an air search by American aircraft from Ascension was arranged.

HMS Despatch (Capt. W.R.C. Leggatt, RN) departed Freetown on the 12th to join the search.

The following patrol positions were ordered;
HMS Cilicia proceed to arrive position 01°09'S, 15°31'W at 0500Z/12 and search westward, with an estimated speed of advance of unidentified ship as 12 knots.
HMS Carnarvon Castle search from westward to arrive position equator, 16°00'W at 2000Z/12 with an estimated speed of advance of unidentified ship as 12 knots.
Search by aircraft will be carried out during daylight in this area.

Later new orders were given as follows;
HMS Carnarvon Castle commence in position 00°48'S, 18°15'W at 0500Z/13 proceeding to arrive position 02°55'N, 17°40'W. at 2000Z/13th.
Cilicia commence in position 00°55'N, 14°10'W at 0500Z/13 proceeding to arrive in position 00°58'N, 017°14'W at 2000Z/13.
Gloire commence in position equator, 20°10'W. at 0600Z/13th and proceed to arrive in position 05°00'N, 19°32'W at 2000Z/13.
HMS Despatch commence in position 03°05'N, 16°26'W. at 0700Z/13 proceeding to arrive in position 05°08'N, 20°55'W at 2000Z/13.
Aircraft will carry out cross-over patrol to cover estimated a speed of advance of the unidentified ship of 10.5 knots to 12.5 knots.

For the 14th patrols were ordered as follows;
HMS Despatch commences to search in position 07°35'N, 22°01'W at 0700Z/14 and proceed to arrive in position 007°42'N, 25°59'W at 1900Z/14.
Gloire commences in position 08°20'N, 21°51'W at 0700Z/14 and proceed to arrive in position 08°34'N, 25°51' W at 1900Z/14.
HMS Carnarvon Castle commences in position 05°17'N, 20°13'W at 0800Z/14 and proceeds to arrive in position 05° 22'N, 23°19'W at 2000Z/14.
HMS Cilicia commence in position 00°59'N, 20°28'W at 0800Z/14 and than steer a course of 299° at 14 knots. From 2000Z/14, HMS Cilicia was to proceed from position 02°20'N, 22°53'W to Freetown.

For the evening of the 14th and the 15th patrol orders were as follows;
HMS Carnarvon Castle proceed from position 05°22'N, 23°19'W at 2000Z/14 to patrol the area bounded by the following points:
A.) 08°46'N, 31°28'W.
B.) 10°54'N, 27°28'W.
C.) 13°01'N, 29°32'W.
D.) 10°31'N, 32°28'W.
Commencing at point A. Speed making good 15.5 knots.
HMS Despatch recommence search in position 05°50'N, 28°08'W at 0500Z/15 and then towards 10°15'N, 28°30'W as far as endurance permitted and thence to proceed to Bathurst. She was to report her position and speed at 0800Z/16 and also her E.T.A. at Bathurst.
Gloire will recommence search in position 07° 54'N, 28°12'W at 0500Z/15 and proceed northward at 20 knots to the limit of her endurance and then onward to Dakar. (20)

21 Mar 1943
In a signal timed 1529Z/21, the Flag Officer Commanding West Africa Station, ordered HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) to commence a patrol from 1200Z/22 bounded by the following points;
E) 09°02'N, 27°54'W.
F) 10°01'N, 27°01'W.
G) 08°12'N, 23°21'W.
H) 06°10'N, 24°22'W.

She is to try to intercept the Portugese merchant vessel Mello (3900 GRT, built 1915) that had departed Buenos Aires on 6 March for Lisbon and had reported that four German naval machinists were found as stowaways on board.

She was also ordered to leave patrol at 'position G' (see above) at 2359Z/24 and proceed to Freetown.

On 23 March it was however found out that the Mello had already been boarded by the US destroyer USS Livermore (T/Cdr. H.E. Seidel, Jr., USN) to the east of Pernambuco on 17 March and that no German stowaways had been found. If the ship would needed to be more thoroughly searched it would be necessary to sent her into port but this had been deemed not 'politically correct'. It was therefore decided to let the ship proceed to Lisbon. (21)

26 Mar 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1115Z/26, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Freetown from patrol. (22)

2 Apr 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1615Z/2, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Freetown for an anti blockade runner patrol in the Mid Atlantic. (23)

23 Apr 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
In a signal timed 1717Z/23, the Flag Officer Commanding West Africa Station, ordered HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) to leave patrol and proceed to Freetown proceeding through position 12°00'N, 19°00'W. (24)

27 Apr 1943
In the morning, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Freetown from patrol. (23)

6 May 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0945Z/6, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Freetown for an anti blockade runner patrol in the Mid Atlantic. On departure D/G trials were carried out. (25)

28 May 1943
Around 1630Z/28, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Freetown from patrol.

She arrived with a defective lubrication oil pump. As the other three pumps have been found to be also in a bad state it had been decided that she would proceed to the Cape to effect repairs. (26)

15 Jun 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1800B/15, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Simonstown from convoy escort duty. (27)

16 Jun 1943
Around 1300B/16, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Simonstown for Port Elizabeth. (27)

18 Jun 1943
Around 0900B/18, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Port Elizabeth from Simonstown. She is than taken in hand for repairs to her lubrication pumps. (27)

7 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1030B/7, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Port Elizabeth for Capetown. (28)

8 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1400B/8, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Capetown from Port Elizabeth. (28)

9 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) proceeded from Capetown to Simonstown. (28)

10 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted gunnery exercises in False Bay. (28)

11 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted gunnery exercises in False Bay. (28)

12 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted gunnery exercises in False Bay. (28)

13 Aug 1943
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) proceeded from Simonstown to Capetown. On entering harbour D/G trials were carried out. (28)

14 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1515B/14, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Capetown for Freetown. (28)

23 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0830Z/23, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Freetown from Capetown. (28)

3 Sep 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 2200Z/3, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) departed Freetown for an anti blockade runner patrol in the Mid Atlantic.

The next afternoon she however set course to return to Freetown. [unable to find out the reason, either recalled or returned due to defects.] (29)

5 Sep 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1030Z/5, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) returned to Freetown. (29)

27 Sep 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) conducted compass adjustment trials at Freetown. (29)

28 Sep 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1030Z/28, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) and the frigate HMS Ness (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.H. Marchington, RNVR) departed Freetown for patrol. They were to patrol in the South Atlantic. (30)

8 Oct 1943
Around 1630Z/8, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) and HMS Ness (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.H. Marchington, RNVR) returned to Freetown from patrol. (31)

11 Oct 1943
Around 1800Z/11, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) G.B. Lewis, RN) and the 37th Escort Group made up of the sloops HMS Fowey (Cdr.(Retd.) L.B.A. Majendie, RN), HMS Stork (Cdr.(Retd.) G.W.E. Castens, RN), frigate HrMs Johan Maurits van Nassau (Cdr. A. de Booy, RNethN) and the corvettes HMS Campion (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.T.S. Clouston, RNVR), HMS Myosotis (T/Lt. R. Lugg, RNR) and HrMs Friso (Lt.Cdr. Goslings, RNethN) departed Freetown to patrol in the Mid Atlantic south of the Cape Verde Islands. They were to intercept the Spanish merchant vessel Habana (8279 GRT, built 1929) which had departed Rio de Janeiro for Las Palmas. The ships radio operator was thought to be a German agent which was carrying contraband (Platinum) and secret codes. In the search area the ships were spread out in a line with HMS Fowey remaining with HMS Carnarvon Castle for A/S protection.

Around 0845FG/19, HrMs Johan Maurits van Nassau intercepted the Habana in approximate position 08°45'N, 24°20'W. A boarding party was put onboard which placed the radio operator under arrest. Later HMS Carnarvon Castle replaced the Dutch boarding party with her boarding party with proceeded with the Spanish ship to Gibraltar for inspection.

With the operation now completed, HMS Carnarvon Castle proceeded on patrol in the South Atlantic while the 37th Escort Group set course to return to Freetown carrying out an A/S sweep en-route.

(32)

25 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1300Z/25, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Freetown from patrol. (33)

5 Nov 1943

Convoy SR 7.

This convoy departed Freetown on 5 November 1943.

It was made up of the troop transport Orbita (British, 15495 GRT, built 1915).

The armed merchant cruiser HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) were also part of the convoy.

On departure from Freetown the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Isis (Cdr. B. Jones, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Malcolm (Lt. I.M. Clegg, RN) and the frigate HMS Ness (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.H. Marchington, RNVR).

The convoy arrived at Dakar on the 7th and departed from there after having spent a few hours in port but now joined by the battleship Lorraine.

Around 1630Z/11, the Lorraine was detached to Casablanca. The destroyer Simoun and La Grandiere had come out from Casablanca to escort her in.

The remainder of the convoy arrived at Gibraltar on 12 November 1943. (34)

15 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 0500A/15, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) and the troop transport Orbita (British, 15495 GRT, built 1915) departed Gibraltar to join convoy MKF 25A which they did around 0600A/15.

[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy MKF 25A ' for 9 November 1943.] (35)

24 Nov 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Around 1700A/24, HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.W. Kitson, RN) arrived at Swansea. (35)

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