Naval History Homepage and Site Search

 

 

SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

 HMAS CANBERRA - County-type Heavy Cruiser
including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMAS Canberra (Navy Photos/Bruce Constable, click to enlarge)

return to Contents List 
 

KENT-Class cruiser ordered from John Brown, Clydebank on 9th April 1925 under the 1924 build programme and laid down on 31st May 1925. The ship was launched on 31st May 1927. She was the first Royal Australian Navy ship to carry the name. Build was completed on 10th July 1928.

 

B a t t l e  H o n o u r s

 

SAVO ISLAND 1942 - GUADALCANAL 1942

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Not included in the Official Admiralty List.

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

 

1 9 3 9

 

September to December

 

Deployed in Indian Ocean for defence of trade.

 

 

1 9 4 0

 

January to April

 

Trade defence duties in continuation.

 

May

 

Transferred to RN control. Escorted military convoy US2 which including rms QUEEN MARY, rms MAURITANIA and seven other passenger liners with HM Cruisers AUSTRALIA (RAN), PERTH (RAN) and LEANDER (RNZN).

 

June to July

 

Deployed in Indian Ocean for convoy defence and Interception of commerce raiders.

 

August

 

Escorted Sydney - Fremantle convoys. Searched for raiders off Cocos Islands with PERTH (RAN).

 

September to October

 

Convoy defence and Interception in Indian Ocean and Australian coastal waters. (For details of activities of commerce raiders see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett)

 

November

 

28th - Escorted military Convoy US3 with HMAS PERTH during passage to Ceylon.

 

December

 

Indian Ocean convoy defence and patrol in continuation.

 

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

 

Under refit. Close range anti-aircraft defence improved by fitting 8 barrelled Pom-Pom mountings and 20mm Oerlikons.

 

February

 

Resumed Indian Ocean duties. Escorted military convoy US9 in Indian Ocean. Relieved by HM Cruiser LEANDER.

 

March

 

Indian Ocean interception and trade defence duty in continuation.

 

4th - Intercepted German freighter COBURG and captured Norwegian tanker KETTY BROVIG.

 

April

 

Deployed with HM Cruiser LEANDER in Indian Ocean.

 

10th - Joined military convoy WS 6 as relief for HM Cruiser PHOEBE.

 

11th - After detaching from WS6 resumed trade defence and interception duty.

 

 May

 

Transferred to ANZAC Squadron for convoy defence against attacks by German commerce raiders in Indian Ocean and East Indies area.

 

June to October

 

ANZAC Squadron deployment in continuation. (See OPERATION PACIFIC by Edwyn Gray).

 

November

 

Deployed with HMAS PERTH for convoy defence.

 

December

 

After outbreak of war with Japan transferred to defence of military convoys in SW Pacific. Escorted US troop convoy with HMAS PERTH and HMNZS ACHILLES for the final stage of passage to New Caledonia.

 

28th - Escorted convoy ZK5 from Sydney to Port Moresby with cruisers HMAS AUSTRALIA, PERTH and HMNZS ACHILLES.

 

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

 

Military convoy defence in SW Pacific in continuation.

 

29th - Transferred to ANZAC force with HM Cruisers AUSTRALIA, ADELAIDE, HOBART and PERTH for service under overall US Navy command. (See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)

 

February

 

Escorted military convoy from New Zealand to Suva.

 

March to April  

 

Transferred to Indian Ocean for convoy defence.

 

May

 

30th - At Sydney during Japanese midget submarine attacks on shipping.

 

June

 

Nominated for duty with US Navy. (For details of naval activities in SW Pacific see USN NAVAL OPERATIONS IN WW2 by SE Morison).

 

July

 

Prepared for duty with US Navy.

 

10th - Sailed from Sydney with HMAS AUSTRALIA, HOBART and US cruisers CHICAGO and SALT LAKE CITY as Task Force 44 for support of US amphibious Operations and convoy defence in SW Pacific.

 

August

 

7th - Deployed on patrol off Talus with HMAS AUSTRALIA, USS CHICAGO and two destroyers of US Navy.

 

9th - In action with Japanese cruisers CHOKAI, AOKA, KAKO, KINUGASA and FURUTAKI south of Savo Island whilst in low state of readiness. Set on fire and received major damage after repeated hits by 5in shells and by four torpedoes. 84 of ship's company were killed. (Casualty List - note on casualties).

 

Sunk by USS ELLET in position 09.15s 159.04E. (Note: The circumstances and details of loss of this ship are the subject of a great deal of controversy. Two official enquiries were held by RAN and a post-war US Defence Department study also included this action. SHAME OF SAVO published in Australia contends that the ship was in fact sunk by a US Navy destroyer. There is substantial reason to judge that the sinking has not been explained fully.)

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMAS CANBERRA

by Don Kindell

 

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

21/01/42

21/01/42

MS 002A

23/01/42

24/01/42

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 12/6/11
further editing is required


 

if any ads offend, please contact Naval-History.Net