1
9 3 9
September
Under major refit and reconstruction by
HM Dockyard Chatham.
to
Work done included with ship under
Dockyard Control.
December
New design superstructure with aircraft hangars,
cranes and catapult forward.
Bridge design modernised.
Funnel arrangements changed and only two
used.
Two twin 4in AA mountings and additional
smaller AA guns fitted.
Air warning radar Type 279 fitted on both
masts.
Fire control radar for forward main
armament Type 284 and for 4in mountings
Type
285 provided with aerial units on gunnery
directors. For details of the development
and in RN see
RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).
Armour protection added over machinery
spaces.
(Note: The significant increase on
displacement after modernisation resulted
in
increased
structural stresses in a hull which had
been designed to met Treaty
limitations.
During subsequent service these weaknesses
were most likely to
have been the
cause of the leakages in fuel and feed
water systems during
later service
1
9 4 0
Under Dockyard control
at Chatham.
1
9 4 1
January
Under Dockyard control at Chatham.
7th
Re-commissioned.
February
12th
Dockyard refit completed.
22nd
Post refit trials commenced.
March
Delayed at Chatham for completion of
repairs and on completion took passage to
join 1st
Cruiser Squadron Home Fleet for work-up.
April
2nd
On completion of work-up deployed on
Northern Patrol for interception duties
with HM Cruiser
KENYA
and four Home Fleet destroyers.
10th
Returned to Scapa Flow and prepared for foreign
service in South Atlantic.
May
12th
Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS to
Gibraltar with H M Destroyer BRILLIANT
prior
to Malta
aircraft delivery in Operation SPLICE.
19th
Detached with HMS BRILLIANT on arrival
at Gibraltar.
Sailed from Gibraltar as escort for ss
ARUNDEL CASTLE during passage to Clyde
(Note: This liner was taking evacuees from
Gibraltar to UK.)
24th
Diverted to join search for BISMARCK
after loss of HM Battlecruiser HOOD.
29th
Released from operation after sinking of
BISMARCK
and resumed passage to South Atlantic.
31st
Called at Bathurst, Gambia.
June
Deployed with HMS BRILLIANT in search for
German supply ships in South Atlantic.
4th
Intercepted tanker ESSO HAMBURG which
scuttled on approach.
6th
Intercepted German supply ship EGERLAND
which also scuttled.
21st
Intercepted German supply ship BABITONGA
900 miles SW of Freetown, Sierra Leone
which also
scuttled on approach.
(Note: These interceptions were carried
out following decryption of German ENIGMA
signals by GCHQ
at Bletchley Park. See BREAKING THE ENIGMA
by D Kahn and
BRITISH INTELLIGENCE IN WW2 (HMSO)
July
3rd
Deployed as Ocean Escort for military
convoy WS10 during passage from Clyde
to Freetown.
10th
Detached from WS10 on relief as Ocean
Escort by HM Cruiser EDINBURGH
Resumed Interception
patrol.
August
Atlantic trade defence duties in
continuation..
September
Transferred to Iceland for duty with Home
Fleet ships in northern waters.
Deployed with Northern
Patrol.
Detached and took passage to Scapa Flow.
22nd
Embarked Lord Beaverbrook and Mr. Averill
Harriman with an Anglo-American
trade
delegation at
Scapa Flow and took passage to Archangel.
27th
Arrived at Archangel.
28th
Joined HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE, HM Destroyer
ELECTRA and ACTIVE as escort for
for returning
Convoy QP1.
(Note: Re-embarked British delegation for
return to UK.)
(For details of all Russian convoy
operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
CONVOY ! by
P Kemp, ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman and
THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B.Schoefield.).
October
2nd
Detached from QP1 and resumed Northern
Patrol after disembarking passengers.
9th
Returned to Scapa Flow.
30th
Taken in hand for repair at Tyne
commercial shipyard
November
Under repair and refit
To
(Note: Eight 20mm Oerlikon guns fitted to
replace the existing multiple machine guns
to improve
December
close range defence against air attack
1
9 4 2
January
Under repair
February
On completion of dockyard work carried out
Post Refit trials
15th
Rejoined Home Fleet for patrol and escort
in northern waters.
March
Deployed for Patrol WHITE in Denmark
Strait with HM Cruiser KENT and three
USN ships.
Ordered to set up stations east of Bear
Island after refuelling in Iceland to
refuel
destroyers
deployed for the interception of German
battleship TIRPITZ which posed a
threat to
convoys to and from North Russia. See
ARCTIC DESTROYERS by R Woodman.
On release from refuelling resumed patrol
off Iceland.
April
Deployed for Northern Patrol.
28th
Detached from patrol to Join
escort for Russian Convoy PQ15.
30th
Joined HM Cruiser NIGERIA in escort of
PQ15.
May
Under air attacks which were
unsuccessful.
1st
Detached from PQ15 escort and rejoined
Home Fleet for covering duties.
Returned to Scapa
Flow.
12th
Nominated with HM Battleship DUKE OF YORK,
HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS,
HM Cruisers KENT, LIVERPOOL, NIGERIA and
NORFOLK, screened by HM Destroyers
ICARUS, BLANKNEY, ECLIPSE, ESCAPADE,
FAULKNOR, FURY, INGLEFIELD,
LAMERTON, MARNE, ONSLOW, MIDDLETON, ORIBI
and WHEATLAND to cover
return passage
from Murmansk of HM Cruiser TRINIDAD
(Note: HMS TRINIDAD had been damaged
during defence of an earlier convoy to
Russia
but sunk on
14th in air attacks and cover force not
deployed.)
15th
Took passage with Home Fleet ships to Hvalfjord.
16th
Met US aircraft carrier USS WASHINGTON, US
cruiser USS TUSCALOOSA and screen of
three USN
destroyers who had been detached by USN
for duty in support of Home Fleet.
17th
Arrived at Hvalfjord.
Resumed Northern Patrol duties
23rd
Deployed with HMS DUKE OF YORK, USS
WASHINGTON, HMS VICTORIOUS, US
cruiser USS
WICHITA and a screen of RN and USN
destroyers to provide cover for
passage of
Russian Convoy PQ16 and returning Convoy
QP12.
June
5th
At Scapa Flow
Passage to Iceland
to resume Northern Patrol.
30th
Sailed from Seidisfjord
with HM Cruiser NORFOLK, USS TUSCALOOSA,
USS
WICHITA screened by US destroyers USS
WAINWRIGHT and USS ROMAN to provide
close cover for
passage of Russian Convoy PQ17 and
returning QP13.
July
4th
After PQ17 was ordered to scatter by
Admiralty, returned to Iceland
6th
Resumed Northern Patrol.
August
Deployed with Home Fleet for interception
duties In NW Approaches.
September
12th
Sailed from Loch Ewe with HM Cruisers
SUFFOLK and NORFOLK to provide Cruiser
Cover
for the passage
of Russian Convoy PQ18.
18th
On arrival of convoy at Kola Inlet
resumed Home Fleet interception duties.
October
Deployed with Home Fleet for interception
in NW Approaches.
November
Independent passage to provide cover with
HM Cruiser Suffolk for passage of inward
convoy
QP15 whilst west of Bear Island,
(Note: This was the final west bound
convoy of 1942 season from Kola and the
last of PQ/QP
series).
17th
Deployed with HMS SUFFOLK screened by HM
Destroyers FORESTER, OBDURATE and
ONSLOW
23rd
Returned to Scapa Flow.
Nominated for refit in Tyne commercial
shipyard
December
Under refit.
(Note: Hull strengthening undertaken (see
1939 Note re modernisation).
1
9 4 3
January
Under refit
to
(Note: Work included installation of:
April
Surface warning radar Type 273
Fire control radar Type 282 installed with
aerials on directors for 2 pdr
Pom-Pom
weapons.
Five additional 20mm Oerlikon mountings
fitted.
Removal of aircraft
facilities.
Carried out harbour trials
May
Rejoined Home Fleet after completion of
sea trials.
Passage to Scapa
Flow to work-up for service.
June
Deployed with Home Fleet for patrol and
interception in NW Approaches.
July
7th
Deployed with HM Cruisers BELFAST and KENT
with destroyer screen for offensive sweep
off Norway as a
diversion during Sicily landings
(Operation CAMERA).
9th
Returned to Scapa Flew and resumed
interception duties.
August
Deployed on interception duty to prevent
breakout of German warships for attacks on
to
Atlantic convoys between Faeroes and
Iceland.
October
Nominated for special duty and sailed for
the Mediterranean.
November
Deployed with HM Destroyer ULSTER to
collect UK Defence Staff for return to UK
after
Teheran Conference with US and USSR
leaders.
December
3rd
Passage to UK
with passengers.
On arrival nominated for service in
Eastern Fleet and took passage to Rosyth.
1
9 4 4
January
Under refit at Rosyth for BPF service
(Note: Four Twin 20mm mountings fitted to
improve close range AA defence.
February
Passage to Ceylon to Join 4th Cruiser
Squadron after post refit trials.
March
13th
Joined Squadron at Trincomalee.
24th
Deployed with HM Battleships QUEEN
ELIZABETH and VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM
Cruisers GAMBIA, CEYLON and CUMBERLAND
screened by HM
Destroyers QUILLIAM, QUALITY,
QUEENBOROUGH, PATHFINDER, NAPIER,
NORMAN, NEPAL, QUIBERON, Dutch destroyers
TJERK HIDDES and VAN GALEN
for offensive
sweep in Indian Ocean (Operation
DIPLOMAT).
27th
Met US aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA and
US destroyers USS CUMMINGS, USS
DUNLOP and USS FANNING joining Eastern
Fleet for temporary service,
(Note: USN ships were to joined
planned air attacks on Sumatra.)
April
2nd
Arrived Trincomalee with US and RN ships.
16th
Deployed with HMS RENOWN, HM Aircraft
Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and USS
SARATOGA as Task Force 70 for air attacks
on Sabang
screened by HM Destroyers
QUILLIAM, QUADRANT, QUEENBOROUGH, USS
CUMMINGS, USS FANNING
and HM
Submarine TACTICIAN for Air Sea Rescue
duty.
(Note: Cover for operation was provided by
Task Force 69 (H M Battleships QUEEN
ELIZABETH and VALIANT, French battleship
RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers
NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA, CUMBERLAND, CEYLON,
GAMBIA and Dutch
cruiser TROMP
screened by HM Destroyers PENN ROTHERHAM,
RACEHORSE,
PETARD, QUIBERON, NAPIER, NEPAL, NIZAM
(RAN), and Dutch VAN
GALEN (Operation COCKPIT).
19th
Provided close cover to carriers during
attacks on Sabang.
24th
Returned to Trincomalee.
30th
Deployed with HMS SUFFOLK as escort for
Refuelling Group made up of 6 tankers and
a
water tanker in
Task Force 67.
Took passage to Exmouth Bay, Western
Australia to support Task Force 65 during
air
operations
against Soerabaya
(Operation TRANSOM – See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO)
May
Arrived at Exmouth Bay with Tanker Convoy.
15th
Joined HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, USS SARATOGA, HMS
GAMBIA, HMS CEYLON,
HM Destroyers QUADRANT, QUEENBOROUGH,
QUILLIAM, USS FANNING and
USS DUNLOP) in Task Force 66 (Operation
TRANSOM)
17th
Provided close cover to aircraft
carriers during attacks on Soerabaya.
18th
US Navy ships detached and returned to US
Navy administration.
27th
Returned to Trincomalee with TF67 ships
after refuelling at Exmouth Bay.
June
Transferred to 5th Cruiser Squadron,
Eastern Fleet and deployed on trade
defence and
to
interception duty in Indian Ocean.
August
September
8th
Took part in Joint Fleet exercises with HM
Battleship HOWE, HMS CUMBERLAND and
HMS GAMBIA off Ceylon.
October
15th
Joined Task Group 63.2 with HMS SUFFOLK
and HMS CUMBERLAND screened by HM
Destroyers RELENTLESS, RAIDER, NORMAN
(RAN) and Dutch VAN GALEN for
offensive
operations in Indian Ocean as a diversion
during US landings on Leyte.
(Note: HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE
and VICTORIOUS with H M Cruiser
PHOEBE for Fighter Direction and screened
by HM Destroyers WHELP,
WAKEFUL, WESSEX and WAGER as Task Unit
62-3 carried out air attacks.
HMS RENOWN screened by HMS QUILLIAM,
QUEENBOROUGH and
QUIBERON as Task Unit 62.1 provided cover
against any surface interference.
(Operation MILLET).
17th
Bombarded targets in Nicobars
with TU63.2 ships during daylight.
18th
Further bombardment with destroyers
after nightfall.
19th
Under attacks by torpedo carrying
aircraft 7 of which were destroyed.
November
Deployed with Squadron for convoy defence
and interception in Indian Ocean.
to
Retained in East Indies Fleet on formation
of British Pacific Fleet
December
1
9 4 5
January
Convoy defence and interception duty in
continuation
to
March
April
8th
Joined Task Force 63 with HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH, French RICHELIEU, HMS
CUMBERLAND, HM Escort Carriers EMPEROR and
KHEDIVE screened by HM
Destroyers SAUMAREZ, VENUS, VIRAGO and
VIGILANT for programme of offensive
operations off
Sumatra including bombardments, air
strikes and photo-reconnaissance of
Port Swettenham
and Port Dickson in Malaya
(Operation SUNFISH).
11th
Carried out bombardment of shore targets
at Sabang.
Under air attacks when
returning to rejoin TF63.
12th
Provided close cover for Escorted
Carriers during photo reconnaissance
flights.
14th
Continued Close Cover during further PR
flights.
15th
Under air attack during return passage
to Trincomalee.
18th
Arrived at Trincomalee.
May
Passage to Simonstown
for refit.
June
Under refit by HM Dockyard Simonstown.
to
(Note: Radar Type 283 for barrage fire
control fitted.
July
Anti-aircraft armament modified including
4 Twin 4in mounting to replace 4in guns
of pre-war
design.
Radar Type 277 fitted aft to replace Type
273 for surface warning.)
August
On completion of post refit trials took
passage to Ceylon to rejoin Squadron.
Prepared for support
of landing operations in southern Malaya.
(Operation ZIPPER).
15th
Sailed with Eastern Fleet for landings.
Operation cancelled at US insistence after
Japanese surrender and delays in the
implementation
of PYTHON Release Scheme for long serving
SEAC personnel.
Diverted to Rangoon
to await further instructions.
26th
Passage to Sabang
with HM Battleship NELSON.
28th
Anchored 5 miles from Sabang
with HMS NELSON and received charts of the
Japanese
minefields off
Malaya and Singapore from Japanese
delegation.
31st
Surrender of Japanese forces in Sumatra
carried out on board from Vice Admiral
HIROSE,
IJN.
September
2nd
Landed Royal Marines for occupation of Sabang.
Passage to Singapore.
