Holland returned from his services with the French and in May 1940 took command of the aircraft carrier , which he commanded until May 1941. "Ark Royal" participated in a number of key theatres of the war, and Holland commanded it during Operation Alphabet, the transport of troops from Narvik to Britain, numerous convoy escort missions through the Mediterranean, bombing raids on the Italian mainland, and the search for the German raiders "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau".