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Notable events involving Derby include:

20 Mar 1940
Around 1223Z/20, HMAS Hobart (Capt. H.L. Howden, RAN) departed Colombo to make rendezvous with the 2nd Minesweeper Flotilla coming from Singapore. HMAS Hobart was to escort them to Colombo. The 2nd Minesweeper Flottila was made up of the following ships; HMS Abingdon (Capt. (Retd.) A.R. Farquhar, DSC, RN), HMS Bagshot (Lt.Cdr. J.F.B. Gage, RNVR), HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN), HMS Fareham (Lt. W.J.P. Church, RN) and HMS Stoke (Cdr.(Retd.) C.J.P. Hill, RN).

Rendezvous was effected around 0721Z/22.

They arrived at Colombo around 1330Z/23. (1)

1 Apr 1940
HMS Carthage (Capt.(Retd.) B.O. Bell-Salter, RN) conducted gunnery exercises off Bombay on completion of which she departed for Aden (via Masirah) escorting the minesweepers HMS Abingdon (Capt. (Retd.) A.R. Farquhar, DSC, RN), HMS Bagshot (Lt.Cdr. J.F.B. Gage, RNVR), HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN), HMS Fareham (Lt. W.J.P. Church, RN) and HMS Stoke (Cdr.(Retd.) C.J.P. Hill, RN). (2)

5 Apr 1940
Around 0900D/5, HMS Carthage (Capt.(Retd.) B.O. Bell-Salter, RN), HMS Abingdon (Capt. (Retd.) A.R. Farquhar, DSC, RN), HMS Bagshot (Lt.Cdr. J.F.B. Gage, RNVR), HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN), HMS Fareham (Lt. W.J.P. Church, RN) and HMS Stoke (Cdr.(Retd.) C.J.P. Hill, RN) arrived at Masirah from Bombay. (2)

7 Apr 1940
Around 070D/7, HMS Carthage (Capt.(Retd.) B.O. Bell-Salter, RN), HMS Abingdon (Capt. (Retd.) A.R. Farquhar, DSC, RN), HMS Bagshot (Lt.Cdr. J.F.B. Gage, RNVR), HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN), HMS Fareham (Lt. W.J.P. Church, RN) and HMS Stoke (Cdr.(Retd.) C.J.P. Hill, RN) departed Masirah to continue their passage to Aden.

The armed merchant cruiser and the minesweepers parted company around 0900D/9. (2)

16 Aug 1940

Evacuation of Berbera.

From 16 to 19 August 1940, Allied troops from Berbera, Italian Somaliland, were evacuated to Aden.

The troops were evacatuated by the transports Akbar (4043 GRT, built 1924), Laomedon (6491 GRT, built 1912), the hospital ship Vita (4691 GRT, built 1914) as well as the armed boarding vessels HMS Chakdina (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Hickey, RNR) and HMS Chantala (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) C.E.I. Gibbs, RN).

Cover for the evacuation was provided by the light cruisers HMAS Hobart (Capt. H.L. Howden, RAN), HMS Caledon (Capt. C.P. Clarke, RN), HMS Ceres (Capt. E.G. Abbott, AM, RN), AA -cruiser HMS Carlisle (Capt. G.M.B. Langley, OBE, RN), destroyers HMS Kandahar (Cdr. W.G.A. Robson, RN), HMS Kimberley (Lt.Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, RN), sloops HMS Auckland (Cdr. J.G. Hewitt, DSO, RN), HMS Shoreham (Cdr. G.P. Claridge, RN), HMAS Parramatta (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Walker, MVO, RAN), HMIS Indus (Cdr. E.G.G. Hunt, RIN), HMIS Hindustan (Cdr. G.V.G. Beamish, RIN), minesweeper HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN) and the netlayer HMS Protector (Capt. W.Y la L. Beverley, RN).

On 17 August, HMS Ceres bombarded Italian Army targets which temporarily halted the Italian advance.

On 18 August, HMS Caledon and HMS Kandahar bombarded enemy units on the Bulhar-Berbera road.

The evacuation was completed on the 18th. Over 7000 men had been evacuated.

The last men were taken off by HMAS Hobart at Berbera early on the 19th. She left around 0845C/19 for Aden with the last of the Army personnel and the demolition parties which had demolished the harbour facilities. HMIS Indus proceeded along the coast to pick up stragglers. (3)

6 Sep 1940
HMS Caledon (Capt. C.P. Clarke, RN) conducted gunnery exercises on a target that was being towed by HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN). (4)

10 Oct 1940

Convoy BN 7.

This convoy departed Bombay on 10 October 1940.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Ekma (British, 5108 GRT, built 1911), Ethiopia (British, 5574 GRT, built 1922), Felix Roussel (British, 17083 GRT, built 1930), Karagola (British, 7053 GRT, built 1917), Nevasa (British, 9213 GRT, built 1913), Nurmahal (British, 5419 GRT, built 1923), Subadar (British, 5424 GRT, built 1929) and Varsova (British, 4701 GRT, built 1914).

On departure from Bombay the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruisers HMS Antenor (Capt.(Retd.) D.I. McGillewie, RN) and HMS Ranchi (Capt.(Retd.) H.C. Legge, DSC, RN).

Around 1330D/16, the light cruiser HMS Leander (from the New Zealand Division) (Capt. H.E. Horan, RN) joined the convoy. The armed merchant cruisers then parted company.

On the 18th, the sloops HMS Auckland (Cdr. J.G. Hewitt, DSO, RN) and HMAS Yarra (Lt.Cdr. W.H. Harrington, RAN) joined.

On 19 October the Varsova was detached from the convoy and proceeded to Aden.

Also on the 19th, 24 more transports / tankers joined the convoy off Aden, these were the following; Arundo (Dutch, 5163 GRT, built 1930), Askot (Norwegian, 1323 GRT, built 1938), Australind (British, 5020 GRT, built 1929), British Colonel (British (tanker), 6999 GRT, built 1921), Cranfield (British, 5332 GRT, built 1919), Egero (Norwegian (tanker), 7590 GRT, built 1929), Erica (South African, 5112 GRT, built 1926), Hannah Moller (British, 2931 GRT, built 1911), Hatarana (British, 7522 GRT, built 1917), Inviken (Norwegian, 4131 GRT, built 1925), Jalakrishna (British, 4991 GRT, built 1937), King Arthur (British, 5224 GRT, built 1928), Kingswood (British, 5080 GRT, built 1929), Mandalay (British, 5529 GRT, built 1911), Marcella (British, 4592 GRT, built 1928), Margot (British, 4545 GRT, built 1926), Marion Moller (British, 3287 GRT, built 1909), Myrtlebank (British, 5150 GRT, built 1925), Nyco (Norwegian, 1345 GRT, built 1938), Nyholm (Norwegian (tanker), 5843 GRT, built 1927), Odysseus (British, 4577 GRT, built 1913), Serbino (British, 4099 GRT, built 1919) and Tyndareus (British, 11361 GRT, built 1916).

The Turkish minelayer Sivrihisar that had been built in the U.K. and was on passage to Turkey for delivery was also part of the convoy.

Also the destroyer HMS Kimberley (Lt.Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, RN) and the minesweepers HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN) and HMS Huntley (Lt.Cdr. H.R.A. King, RNR) joined the convoy.

On 19 October 1940 and also on 20 October 1940 the convoy was attacked by Italian aircraft but no damage was done.

During the night of 20/21 October 1940, the Italian destroyers Pantera, Leone, Nazario Sauro and Francisco Nullo. No damage was done and the destroyers were driven off by the escort.

At dawn on 21 October one of the Italian destroyers, Francisco Nullo, was seen to be aground on Harmil island. She had been in battle with HMS Kimberley which then closed to finish off the damaged and grounded Italian destroyer. However HMS Kimberley was taken under fire by Italian shore batteries and sustained damage in her engine room. She was towed clear by HMS Leander during which both ships were unsuccessfully bombed. Later the destroyer HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, RN) took over the tow and she towed her damaged sistership to Port Sudan.

HMS Derby and HMS Huntley arrived at Port Sudan on 22 October 1940.

On 23 October 1940, HMS Auckland, Cranfield, Erica, Felix Roussel, Hatarana, Nevasa and Nurmahal arrived at Port Sudan. After taking on board water the Felix Roussel sailed again to rejoin the convoy.

Also on 23 October 1940, the remaining escorts parted company and the sloops HMS Grimsby (Cdr. K.J. D'Arcy, RN) and HMIS Clive (Cdr. H.R. Inigo-Jones, RIN) had joined.

On 24 October 1940, HMAS Yarra arrived at Port Sudan.

The convoy arrived at Suez on 26 October 1940. (3)

9 May 1941

Convoy AS 30.

This convoy departed Suda Bay on 9 May 1941.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Belray (British, 2888 GRT, built 1926), Crista (British, 2590 GRT, built 1938), Kephallinia (Greek, 1055 GRT, built 1893), Kirkland (British, 1361 GRT, built 1934), Lesbos (Greek, 1106 GRT, built 1893), Pass of Balmaha (British (tanker), 758 GRT, built 1933), Popi (Greek, 1594 GRT, built 1896), Rodi (British, 3220 GRT, built 1928, former Italian), Rokos (Greek, 6426 GRT, built 1918), Runa (British, 1575 GRT, built 1930), Samos (Greek, 921 GRT, built 1889), Scottish Prince (British, 4917 GRT, built 1938) and Zealand (British, 2726 GRT, built 1930).

On departure from Suda Bay the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMAS Vampire (Cdr. J.A. Walsh, RAN), HMAS Voyager (Cdr. J.C. Morrow, DSO, RAN), sloops HMS Auckland (Cdr. E.G. Hewitt, RN), HMS Flamingo (Cdr. R.J.O. Otway-Ruthven, RN), minesweeper HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN), ASW trawler HMS Moonstone (Lt.Cdr. P.G. Britten, RNR). The Greek torpedo boat RHS Sfendoni was also with the convoy.

The passage was undisturbed. The convoy split into two sections (Port Said and Alexandria) around 2100C/11.

Both sections arrived at their destination on the 12th. The Port Said section was escorted by HMS Flamingo while the other escorts remained with the Alexandria section.

23 Jun 1941
Around 1245C/23, HMAS Stuart (Capt. H.M.L. Waller, DSO, RAN) and HMAS Voyager (Cdr. J.C. Morrow, DSO, RAN) departed Mersa Matruh loaded with troops and stores for Tobruk.

They arrived at Tobruk around 2330C/23 and disembarking the troops and stores was commenced. They departed again around 0045C/23 with wounded and other personnel.

En-route to Alexandria they were ordered to go to the assistance of the minesweeper HMS Derby (Lt.Cdr. F.C.V. Brightman, RN) which had been attacked but missed by an enemy submarine. The submarine in question was the Italian Axum which had fired a torpedo at a darkened vessel at 2325C/23 in position 32°18'N, 25°10'E. The torpedo however missed.

HMAS Stuart and HMAS Voyager arrived at Alexandria around 1600C/24. (5)