Berkeley helped evacuate British embassy staff, Polish president Władysław Raczkiewicz, and Polish and Czech troops from western France during Operation Aerial. Within months she was escorting minelaying sloops, conducting anti-invasion patrols, and protecting Channel convoys. A mine damaged her in December 1940, but access to Chatham Dockyard returned her to convoy duty in January 1941. Her compressed service cycle shows both the variety expected of a Hunt and the repair infrastructure needed to keep new escorts operational.
Notable Point · 13:58-15:24
Berkeley's rapid cycle from evacuation to escort work
Berkeley moved from evacuating Allied personnel in Operation Aerial to minelaying support, anti-invasion patrols, convoy escort, and repair after mine damage.