HMS Ardent (H41), 1940

This collection of photographs from HMS Ardent in 1939-1940 has recently come into my possession. The Ardent was sunk on 8th June 1940 with only two survivors. I have transcribed the captions from the back of the photographs as accurately as I can (without editing). Some captions are in the first person, so I would assume the photographer was serving onboard the Ardent.

Caption (my comments in italics). Some photos have captions in two hands.
Harstad (the Ardent visited Harstad in mid-April 1940)
Norway 1940
Norway 1940
Harstad Fjord
Renown & Escort

HMS Wolverine D78
Renown & Exeter
Ajax / Returning from River Plate
Graf down

Graf Spee Scuttled @ Montivideo (17th December 1939)
Graf down
Graf down
Graf down
Graf down
Graf down
Exeter and Destroyer escort
Exeter coming home some time after River Plate action
Routine

Loading torpedoes @ Devonport
2nd right A/B Percy Martin (casualty)
Possibly L23
Possibly H43
Torpedo tubes with an active member of staff alongside. note my oilcan and brush - my badge of office
HMS Ardent
Petty officer F.L.G. Millman / Back 2nd from right
Chief Petty officeer Walter Salt / Back 3rd from right
Lieutenant Commander John Frederick Barker
HMS ARDENT
Leading Seaman John Joseph Lucey
Note the joint on the fork also the slim man on the other end. Dart board on the horizon. The joint by the way is not a large chicken. I think it was trodden on or something, I cannot recognise it.
Renown coming home with Exeter
Left to right. A/B Robert E. Coe, A.B. John S. Candlish, A/B Frank Furse
Gold braid / Never mind where

Devonport
More / I dont know which / They follow the ship in hundreds
These are Dolphins or Porpoises / I dont know which, anyway it is a very good photograph I think
Dover / Snowridden
Dover
This is taken from our Quarter deck / it is the "Courageous" about three or four days before she was sunk.

(The Courageous was sunk on 17th September 1939 by U-29)
Gypsy after being mined

Nov 39
H.M.S. Manchester
Other members of the torpedo staff. Note the thumbs.

Back 2nd from right A/B John Candlish
Back 3rd from left Chief Petty officer Sidney Driscoll
2nd from left A.B Robert E Coe
Evacuees
Part of Convoy (Ronin a.k.a. Waikawa)
Batory / Polish American Line (Possibly the MS Batory that transferred the Polish crown jewels from Cracow and Britain's gold reserves to Montreal)
HMS Ardent Starboard side
Taken from the bridge showing the whole of the starboard side from the bridge aft.
Just a slight roll which goes to make up so many happy moments

CENSORED
H.M.S.Ardent
Monarch of Bermuda 22,400 tons. Furness Withy & Co. Ltd.

(Troop ship) Norway 1940
H.M.S. Valient

Norway 1940
H.M.S. Valient

Norway 1940
Troopship

Reina-del-Pacifico at Sea
Troopship

Reina-del-Pacifico 17,700 tons
Pacific Steam Navigation Co.
Troopship

Embress of Australia 22000 tons (The Empress Of Australia was docked in Yokohama during the Great Kanto Earthquake and helped with the relief effort)
Convoy
Convoy
Chrobry / Gydnia Polish American Line
H.M.S. Amazon

Norway 1940
Harstad Pier and town during bombing raid April 16/40
Harstad Norway Bombing Raid 16/4/40
Harstad Norway Bombing Raid April 16th 1940 / HMS Ardent Right in picture
Yet another bang

Gun HMS Ardent (Night Shoot)
Night attack

A & B Guns HMS Ardent
Same night different gun

A Gun HMS Ardent
Routine
Still more water
Seas / over the forecastle head
Yet again. Dusk
Yet again.

CENSORED
H.M.S.Ardent
Same again
Mast head after snow
A & B Gun HMS Ardent
Carley float HMS Ardent
Routine
Routine
Just a slight swell taken from the QD. which makes everyone so happy and contented
More water
Slight sea
Depth charge ready for duty
I cant place this
George Robey and partner sat in the mess, contemplating a dart match.
D27 - HMS Walker following collision with HMS Vanquisher
Vanquisher later taken under tow by Ardent
HMS Vanquisher under tow from HMS Ardent following collision with HMS Walker
HMS Vanquisher following collision with HMS Walker. Awaiting tow line from HMS Ardent
HMS Vanquisher awaiting towing by HMS Ardent following collision with HMS Walker
Disembarking troops from Reina-del-Pacifico at Harstad Pier
French alpine troops being transferred by HMS Ardent - Norway 1940
HMS ARDENT WINTER 39/40
HMS ARDENT
HMS ACASTA (SISTER SHIP OF ARDENT) BOTH SUNK 8/6/40

Destroyer after decorations
Breakfast for one, but this one was always hungry
Sadly in need of a shave, but am trying to economise on water when at sea, so am drinking hardly any
A/B R.E. Coe & A/B Percy Martin (right) HMS ARDENT
Routine

Loading Torpedos @ Devonport
Routine
Routine

Devonport
Same fish different story

Ships cat HMS Ardent
A cat

SHIPS CAT HMS ARDENT
B. Gun crew (all casualties) HMS Ardent
Back Row Right to left
Francis Horn, Leonard Reid, John Yeoman, Alf Dale & Bertram Bailey
Front Row Right to left
Stanley Elen, Sidney Arbrey
Enforced rowing lesson
Rowing lesson! respite ahead
More fish for how many?

Cod brought to surface following depth charge
Norway 1940
Harstad Fjord
Harstad Fjord / Anchorage
Boom defence Scapa Flow April 9/40
Norway 1940