Mers El Kébir
On 10 November 1942, "Sturgeon" departed Gibraltar for her thirtieth (first in the Mediterranean) patrol, off Toulon, France, then Naples, Italy. "Sturgeon" ended her patrol at Gibraltar on 2 December. Between 20 and 24 December, she moved to Algiers, then between 12 and 14 January, she shifted to Mers El Kébir. From 16 January 1943 to 15 February, she conducted antisubmarine exercises off Mers El Kébir with various Royal Navy ships, then returned to Algiers on 16 February. "Sturgeon" then conducted further exercises off Gibraltar until 23 April 1943, when she set sail for Portsmouth, Britain. On 13 May, she shifted to Plymouth for a refit, but before it could be completed, she was loaned to the Royal Netherlands Navy, which renamed her RnMs "Zeehond".