War Time Service
She fought in several theatres during the war. In September 1940, as part of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla she scuttled HMS Ivanhoe, which had struck a mine off Texel during the Texel Disaster. In October 1940, she escorted HMS Revenge when she shelled Cherbourg.
A year later, under Admiral James Somerville, she was involved at the action off Cape Spartivento on 27 November 1940, and for the next two years she was employed heavily in the Mediterranean, being involved in several major actions as well as several minor engagements. In May 1941, she bombarded Benghazi in company with HM destroyers Jackal, Kashmir, Kelly and Kipling before heading to Crete on 20 May 1941. She survived the withdrawal with comparatively light casualties, but required repairs and was sent to Bombay during which time her crew had sufficient time to tour India as far north as the Khyber Pass. By March 1942 she was back in the Mediterranean escorting convoy MW10 which took part in the Second Battle of Sirte. Later in the year she was involved in diversionary attacks in support of Operation Pedestal and bombarded Rhodes.
On 16 April 1942, she landed troops from the 11th Battalion of the Royal Marines at Koufonisi near Crete to destroy a W/T station (Operation Lighter). In December 1942, in company with Janus, Javelin and Jervis, she sunk the Italian torpedo boat Lupo off Kerkennah Bank, Tunisia. In January 1943, she bombarded Zuwara and in company with Nubian was responsible for sinking a variety of Italian supply ships and minesweepers. Several members of her crew were decorated for their part in destroying enemy ships and aircraft in the Mediterranean.
By June 1944, she was back in home waters and carried Winston Churchill and various other dignitaries across the English Channel during Operation Overlord. She returned to the Mediterranean and took part in operations to liberate the Dodecanese. She bombarded Tilos and landed a party of Special Boat Service troops in November 1944.
Read more about this topic: HMS Kelvin (F37)
Famous quotes containing the words war, time and/or service:
“War. Fighting. Men ... every man in the whole realm is in the army.... Every man in uniform ... An economy entirely geared to war ... but there is not much war ... hardly any fighting ... yet every man a soldier from birth till death ... Men ... all men for fighting ... but no war, no wars to fight ... what is it, what does it mean?””
—Doris Lessing (b. 1919)
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—Elizabeth Drew (1887–1965)
“Mr. Speaker, at a time when the nation is again confronted with necessity for calling its young men into service in the interests of National Security, I cannot see the wisdom of denying our young women the opportunity to serve their country.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)