1
9 3 1
May
8th
Commissioned for Trials.
15th
Sailed for Clyde to carry out Acceptance
Trials
26th
Took return passage to Plymouth on
completion of trials.
27th
Arrived at Devonport.
30th
Paid-off
June
Deployed at Devonport and prepared for
service.
July
Dockyard build work completed
27th
Commissioned for service in 2nd Cruiser
Squadron, Atlantic Fleet.
28th
At Exmouth for visit by dignitaries of
City of Exeter.
August
Worked up with ships of Squadron for
operational service.
On completion took passage to Portsmouth
to remedy defects found during
work-up and modifications.
September
14th
During passage to join Atlantic Fleet at
Invergordon changes in Pay to naval
personnel were announced and resulted in
mutiny of some Atlantic Fleet
ship’s companies.
15th
Arrived at Invergordon to find Fleet in
state of confusion and disarray.
(Note: No sign of disaffection on board,
presumably because ship was newly
commissioned and ship’s company not
closely involved with the
increasing disquiet due to the inept way
in which the Fleet had been
poorly advised about the 10% reduction in
pay structure caused by
the current financial depression. Army and
RAF personnel pay had
not been reduced. This subject is well
documented.)
17th
Fleet discipline restored and ships took
passage to Home ports.
Passage to Plymouth
October
Deployed at Plymouth
to
December.
1
9 3 2
January
Took part in Home Fleet Spring Cruise with
ships of Squadron.
to
March
After completion of exercise programme and
visits to ports in West Indies
returned to Plymouth.
April
Deployed for visits to UK Ports including
Liverpool, Ilfracombe and St Ives.
to
June
July
Attended Royal Review of Fleet by HM King
George V
August
After Leave period joined ships of
Squadron for visit to Copenhagen
as part of
to
September
British exhibition
(Note: Other ships in Squadron were HM
Cruisers DORSETSHIRE, NORFOLK
and YORK.)
October
Deployed with Squadron for exercises.
to
December
1
9 3 3
January
Squadron deployment included Spring
Exercise programme with visits to
to
March
Spanish ports.
April
Took part in further Squadron visits to
Norway and Sweden,
to
July
August
Taken in hand for refit at Devonport
September
Under refit
October
10th
Recommissioned for service in 8th Cruiser
Squadron on America and West
Indies
Station.
Carried out shakedown prior to leaving
Home waters.
November
13th
Took passage from Plymouth to relieve HM
Cruiser DURBAN at Gibraltar.
16th
Arrived at Gibraltar.
28th
Relieved HMS DURBAN in 8th Cruiser
Squadron.
December
Passage to join Squadron in Bermuda.
6th
Arrived in West Indies.
1
9 3 4
Deployed with Squadron and served as part
of South American Division
Carried out visits to ports in Brazil,
Argentina and other countries.
(Note: Ships of Squadron also visited
Falkland Islands and countries on
west coast.)
1
9 3 5
January
Deployed for Squadron duties in South
Atlantic.
to
July
August
Transferred for detached service in
Mediterranean and sailed to reinforce
1st Cruiser Squadron at Alexandria.
(Note: This was part of British response
to counter threat by Italy to invade
Abyssinia)
September
5th
Sailed from Port Stanley to join 1st Cruiser Squadron at Alexandria.
30th
Joined HM Cruisers BERWICK, LONDON,
SHROPSHIRE, SUSSEX and
AJAX
at Alexandria.
October
Took part in Mediterranean Fleet exercises
and deployments in the eastern
to
December
Mediterranean
1
9 3 6
January
Detached service with 1st Cruiser Squadron
in continuation.
to
June
(Note: Mediterranean Fleet ships took part
in combined exercises with
Home Fleet ships each Spring, usually in
western Mediterranean and
Atlantic.)
July
Released from detached service in
Mediterranean to return to UK for refit
and
recommissioning
14th
Sailed from Alexandria.
27th
Arrived at Devonport to refit and
recommission.
August
Under refit and Paid-off.
to
November
December
Carried out harbour trials.
29th
Recommissioned for service on West Indies
Station
31st
Took passage from Plymouth to rejoin
Squadron.
1
9 3 7
January
7th
Arrived at St Vincent.
10th
Passage to Montevideo to resume duties
with Division in South Atlantic.
February
Deployed in South Atlantic.
to
April
May
Took passage to Bermuda.
June
Despatched to Trinidad with HM Cruiser
AJAX to provide aid to civil power at
Trinidad
following rioting. Royal Marines landed to
protect oil installations.
July
West Indies Squadron deployment in
continuation.
to
December
1
9 3 8
West Indies Station deployment in
continuation including exercises with RCN
and visits to Ports in USA.
Deployed on west coast South America.
1
9 3 9
January
During west coast deployment despatched
with HMS AJAX to assist after
an earthquake at Talcahuana, Chile. Landed
parties to help with rescue and
to restore essential services.
February
At Talcahuana
March
Return passage to Bermuda.
April
Deployed with Squadron for visits and
exercises
to
July
Prepared for return passage to Pay-off at
Devonport
August
Passage to Plymouth
17th
Arrived at Devonport and commenced Leave
Period.
Ship remained in commission in view of the
deteriorating political situation.
23rd
Ship’s Company on leave recalled and
prepared to return to duty in South
American Division of America and West
Indies Squadron.
25th
Took passage from Plymouth and escorted
troopship ss DUNERA during
passage to Cape Verde.
(Note: Commander Harwood, in command of
Squadron was embarked.)
Passage to Freetown after detaching from
escort.
September
1st
Sailed from Freetown for passage to Rio de
Janeiro.
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
3rd
Took-up war station in South American
Division of America and West Indies
Squadron for deployment in South Atlantic
for trade defence and the
interception of German shipping.
8th
Patrolled in area of Rio de Janeiro with
HM Cruiser AJAX.
9th
Met HM Cruiser AJAX and made joint passage
to Plate estuary.
(Note: HMS AJAX detached later and took
passage to Falkland Islands.)
15th
Escorted convoy from Plate estuary with HM
Destroyer HOTSPUR.
20th
Deployed on patrol off Rio de Janeiro
after call at Montevideo.
(Note: HM Cruiser CUMBERLAND and HM
Destroyer HAVOCK were also
deployed in South Atlantic for trade
defence.)
October
5th
Deployed as Hunting Force G on formation
with HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND,
and AJAX in search for German Battleship
ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE in South
Atlantic.
(Note: HM New Zealand Cruiser ACHILLES
joined Force later and an RFA
tanker was deployed to ensure availability
of oil fuel.)
27th
Passage to Falklands from patrol
Flag transferred to HMS AJAX.
November
Returned to Rio de Janeiro area in
continuation.
22nd
Passage to Falklands via Plate area for
search.
(Note: Intended repair period in
Simonstown cancelled.).
30th
Arrived at Port Stanley for self refit.
December
9th
Recalled to join HMS AJAX and HMS ACHILLES
off Plate estuary in
anticipation of an early encounter with
GRAF SPEE.
13th
Took part in action against GRAF SPEE with
HMS AJAX and HMS ACHILLES.
Seriously damaged by 11in shells with many
casualties and outbreak of fire.
Continued to engage the enemy until power
lost by flooding. Withdrawn from
action with heavy list and all guns
unserviceable (photo above). Casualty List
included 63
killed and 23 wounded.
(For full details see THE BATTLE OF THE
RIVER PLATE by D. Pope, ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and the Naval Staff
History).
15th
Passage to Port Stanley after relief by HM
Cruiser CUMBERLAND.
20th
Under temporary repair at Port Stanley.
1
9 4 0
January
21st
Began passage to UK escorted for part of
voyage by HM Cruisers
DORSETSHIRE and SHROPSHIRE until relieved
by HM Cruisers
DEVONSHIRE
and CUMBERLAND.
February
10th
Escort joined by HM Battlecruiser RENOWN
and HM Aircraft Carrier ARK
ROYAL with destroyer screen.
14th
HM Destroyers VESPER and WHITSHED detached
from screen to assist
survivors of ss SULTAN STAR after being
sunk in SW Approaches.
15th
Arrived at Plymouth for repair and
modernisation including fit of aircraft
warning radar (Type 279) and improved AA
armament.
23rd
Ship's company marched through City of
London for Guildhall luncheon.
March
Under refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport
to
(Note: Tripod type masts were fitted and
aircraft catapult replaced.
December
For details of development and use of
radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA
by
D. Howse.)
1
9 4 1
January
Under refit
to
February
March
Refit work suspended due to possible
damage to ship during intense air raids on
Plymouth.
10th
Recommissioned at Devonport
24th
Passage to Scapa Flow and Dover Strait
patrol.
26th
Joined 1st Cruiser Squadron in Home Fleet
at Scapa Flow and worked up.
April
Work-up in continuation
26th
On completion deployed on Northern Patrol
to intercept German commerce
raiders.
May
Transferred to East Indies Squadron.
22nd
Escorted military convoy WS8B with HM
Cruiser CAIRO, HM Destroyers
COSSACK, MAORI, SIKH, ZULU and Polish
destroyer ORP PIORUN during
passage via Cape of Good Hope to join East
Indies Station. This convoy was
a vulnerable target in the event of
successful break cut by BISMARCK and PRINZ
EUGEN.
(Note: WS8B included eight troopships
taking troops to middle East and HM
Aircraft Carrier ARGUS with aircraft for
onward flight to Egypt from
Freetown.)
26th
Sole escort for convoy after destroyers
detached to join search for German
Battleship BISMARCK (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C
Barnett).
June
2nd
HM Destroyers DUNCAN and BOREAS joined for
Local Escort into Freetown.
3rd
HM Corvette MARGUERITE joined Local
Escort.
4th
Detached from WS8B on arrival at Freetown.
6th
Sailed from Freetown for Durban as Ocean
Escort for WS8B with HM Destroyers
DUNCAN, BOREAS and HIGHLANDER as Local
Escort for initial stage of
passage.
8th
Local Escort detached.
20th
Detached from WS8B on arrival at Durban.
27th
Sailed from Durban as Ocean Escort for
WS8B during passage to Aden.
(Note: Additional troopship NIEUW ZEELAND
joined convoy which then
comprised five ships.)
July
4th
Arrived at Aden and detached from WS8B.
Deployed for trade defence in Indian Ocean
during return passage to Durban.
August
Deployed on trade defence in continuation.
27th
Escorted convoy to Durban from Aden.
September
2nd
On arrival at Durban detached for
investigation of future use of Addu Atoll
by Eastern Fleet. On completion took
passage to Aden.
26th
Passage to Colombo from Aden.
October
Routine Docking period at Colombo.
On completion deployed in Bay of Bengal
for convoy escort.
Escorted convoy from Calcutta to Rangoon
November
Deployed on escort of convoys from Ceylon
to Banka Strait.
December
On passage to Singapore escorting last
troop convoy before Japan declared war.
7th
Detached to join Force Z at Singapore.
(Note: Unable to arrive before Force Z
sailed and thus not deployed with HM
Battleship PRINCE OF WALES and HM
Battlecruiser REPULSE when
sunk off eastern Malaya in air attacks.
See HUNTING OF FORCE Z by
E. Hough and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
1
9 4 2
January
Escorted military convoy to Singapore.
7th
Transferred to ABDA Command at Tangjong
Priok for duty with Western
Striking Force made up of Australian,
British, US and Dutch warships.
Deployed on escort of ships for passage
through Sunda Strait into the Indian
Ocean from Singapore. (For details see
OPERATION PACIFIC by E. Gray).
9th
Joined HM Cruiser EMERALD with HM Cruiser
DURBAN and HM Sloop
JUMNA (RIN) to reinforce Ocean Escort of
military convoy DM1 during
passage from Addu Atoll to Singapore.
(Note: This was the first of three convoys
from Durban carrying reinforcements
for the Singapore garrison.)
13th
Detached with HMS EMERALD, HMIS JUMNA, HM
Destroyers JUPITER,
ENCOUNTER and VAMPIRE (RAN) on arrival of
DM1 at Singapore
Deployed with Western Striking Force.
27th
Escorted inward Convoy BM11 to Singapore
with HM Cruisers DRAGON and
DURBAN.
29th
Arrived at Singapore with BM11.
February
1st
Escorted two US transports from Batavia to
Sunda Straits with HM Australian
Destroyer VAMPIRE and HM Destroyer
JUPITER.
3rd
Escorted nine troopships through Sunda
Straits on passage to Batavia and
Singapore
with HM Cruiser DANAE, HM Australian
Destroyer VAMPIRE, HM
Sloops YARRA (RAN), SUTLEJ (RIN) and Dutch
cruiser JAVA. Joined search
for Japanese invasion craft by ABDA units
in Macassar Strait and had to
withdraw in the face of heavy air attack.
5th
Covered passage of Dutch cruiser JAVA and
two transports during passage to
Palembang
with reinforcements for defence of
Sumatra, with HM Cruiser
HOBART (RAN), HM Destroyers JUPITER and
ENCOUNTER.
Torpedo attack by Japanese submarine R34
failed.
7th
Returned to Batavia.
13th
Joined HOBART, Dutch cruisers JAVA and
TROMP, HM Destroyer ELECTRA
and HM Sloop JUMNA (RIN) as escort for
Singapore/Java convoys JS1 and SJ1
during passage.
Under attack by Japanese submarine 156
which sank one ship.
Escort detached later to intercept
Japanese convoy reported in Banka Strait
on
passage to Palembang,
Under sustained air attack by and had to
withdraw.
25th
Transferred from Tanjong Priok to join
Eastern Striking Force at Soerabaya
with HM Cruiser PERTH (RAN), HM destroyers
JUPITER, ELECTRA and
ENCOUNTER.
26th
Joined ESF at Tjilatjap and immediately
sent to search for Japanese invasion
convoys. No contact made and subjected to
heavy air attacks.
27th
In action against Japanese cruisers
HAGURO, NAKA, NACHI, JINTSU
escorted by 14 destroyers covering
invasion ships with ESF ships. Hit by 8in
shell on the starboard side which exploded
in Boiler. Speed reduced to 11 knots
and ordered to return to Soerabaya for
repair escorted by Dutch destroyer WITTE
DE WITH.
Further damage by enemy destroyer
torpedoes prevented in determined counter
attack by HM Destroyers ELECTRA, JUPITER
and ENCOUNTER.
HMS ELECTRA was sunk.
28th
Ordered to take passage to Australia with
HMS ENCOUNTER and US
Destroyer USS POPE.
Destination changed to Colombo because
ship’s draught too great to allow
passage via Bali Channel and threat of air
attacks from newly established
airfields. Damage to boilers restricted
speed to 23 knots.)
Sighted by Japanese aircraft soon after
leaving harbour.
March
1st
Ambushed by Japanese cruisers HAGURO and
NACHI escorted by four
destroyers which were engaged in a running
fight.
Soon afterwards hit in boiler room and
lost use of director control for main
armament.
Despite smoke screens laid by destroyers
received more hits.
Fires broke out and all electrical power
supplies failed.
Ship was abandoned after 3 hours in
action.
Finally sunk by torpedo.
54 of the ship’s company were killed in
this action and 651 were rescued by
Japanese ships and became POW.
(Casualty
List - note
on casualties)
(For full details see BATTLE OF THE JAVA SEA
by D. A. Thomas, NO
SURRENDER by W Johns, OPERATION PACIFIC by
E. Gray and WAR
WITH JAPAN (HMSO)
