CAPETOWN
Class cruiser ordered from by Armstrong’s at
Newcastle in June 1917 and laid down on 18th
October 1917. She was launched on 9th July
1918 and build was completed on 21st August
1919. After 1927 HMS CALCUTTA was placed in
Reserve and used for training of Boy Seamen.
She was selected for conversion to an AA
Cruiser at Chatham in 1938 and on completion
the next year joined the Home Fleet. This
ship was the only AA cruiser not fitted with
radar.
.
1
9 1 9
July
2nd
Commissioned for Trials
Contractors
trials
8th
Took passage to Portsmouth
from Tyne.
August
At Portsmouth
for trials and completion.
18th
Passage to Greenock
for Acceptance Trials in Clyde area.
21st
Formal Build completion date and
commenced Acceptance Trials.
22nd
Passage to Portsmouth
for full commissioning and completion
of storing.
24th
Commissioned for service as Flagship of
8th Light Cruiser Squadron on North
America
and West
Indies Station.
September
Deployed at Portsmouth preparing for foreign
service.
28th
Took passage to Bermuda
with call at Devonport.
October
9th
Arrived at Bermuda.
21st
Sustained damage whilst alongside jetty
at Bermuda in hurricane conditions
November
Deployed as Flagship 18th Light Cruiser
Squadron
to
(Note: Visits were paid to ports in Caribbean
and North America with Squadron
exercises
December
in Atlantic.)
1
9 2 0 t
o 1 9 2 5
Deployment as Flagship on North America
and West Indies Station based at Bermuda
in
continuation
1
9 2 6
January
Bermuda deployment in continuation
to September
October
21st
Sustained serious structural damage at
Bermuda caused by ship rolling against
masonry whilst
alongside
jetty during hurricane weather
conditions.
November
Under repair to allow ship to return
to UK.
On completion took passage to Chatham
December
4th
Commission termination and Paid-off.
(Note: Ship’s
company transferred to HM Cruiser
DESPATCHES.
13th
Placed in Nore Command Reserve Fleet.
1
9 2 7
January
Laid-up in Medway awaiting dockyard
repair.
to
(Note: Ship may have been used for
training of new entries and other
personnel.)
December
1
9 2 8
January
Laid-up in Reserve at Chatham
to
March
April
21st
Taken in hand for repair by HM
Dockyard, Chatham.
May
Under repair
to
Nominated for service as Flagship of 6th
Cruiser Squadron on South Africa
Station.
August
September
On completion prepared for Foreign
Service at Chatham
18th
Commissioned for service in place of HM
Cruiser BIRMINGHAM based at Simonstown.
October
Passage to Simonstown.
November
Deployed as Flagship for CS6 and carried
out visits and exercise programme with
to
ships of Squadron.
December
(Note:
Ships of Squadron visited ports in South Atlantic and Indian
Oceans.)
1
9 2 9 t
o 1 9 3 0
South African
Station Squadron deployment in
continuation.
1
9 3 1
January
Nominated for refit on return to UK.
Prepared for return passage
February
Passage to Chatham to Pay-off
March
Taken in hand for refit prior to
reduction to reserve status.
April
24th
Commenced Reserve service at Chatham.
May
Laid-up at Chatham.
to December
1
9 3 2
Chatham Reserve
service in continuation.
1
9 3 3
January
Chatham Reserve service in continuation
to
Nominated for use as overflow Boys
Training Ship pending availability of
October
HM Cruiser DRAGON for this duty.
November
10th
Re-commissioned for use as Boys Training
Ship at Chatham
December
Training Ship service at Chatham in
continuation
1
9 3 4 t
o 1 9 3 6
Training Ship
service at Chatham
in continuation.
1
9 3 7
Training Ship service at Chatham in
continuation
Nominated for conversion to
Anti-aircraft Ship
1
9 3 8
January
Training Ship service at Chatham in
continuation.
to
Conversion delayed and remained in use
at Training Ship
May
June
Deployed as SORF for Nore Command after
relief in Training role by HM Cruiser
DRAGON
July
Deployed as RNVR Drill Ship for Humber
Division as relied for HM Cruiser
CARDIFF.
August
Taken in hand for conversion to AA
cruiser by HM Dockyard Chatham
(Note: The
work undertaken was not as extensive as
in the earlier changes made
in HM
Cruisers COVENTRY and CURLEW in order to
reduce the
time required
for dockyard work. This was an important
factor in view of
the
likelihood of hostilities with Germany.)
September
Under conversion.
to December
1
9 3 9
January
Under conversion.
to
Carried out post conversion trials in
Nore Command area.
July
August
Re-commissioned and nominated for
service with Home Fleet
War Station nominated.
Passage to Scapa
Flow for service as AA Guardship.
(Note: The
possibility of all trials not being
complete is to be investigated
as the time
available to complete working-up must
have been limited.)
D
e t a i l
s o
f W a
r S e r v i
c e
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more ship information,
go
to
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1
9 3 9
September
Deployed with Home Fleet as AA ship at
Scapa Flow.
15th
Sailed from Scapa Flow
(Note: This
may have been part of a working-up
requirement.)
18th
Returned to Scapa Flow to resume AA Guardship
duty
26th
Detached for duty with 7th Cruiser
Squadron for Northern Patrol to intercept
German mercantiles
returning to Germany and for Contraband
Control.
29th
Transferred to Humber Force for AA defence
of East Coast convoys based at Grimsby.
30th
Deployed for convoy AA defence in North
Sea and NW Approaches.
October
Coastal convoy defence in continuation.
to
December
1
9 4 0
January
Coastal convoy defence in North Sea and leave period.
February
Transferred to Home Fleet for AA defence
duties and convoy escort.
27th
Escorted damaged destroyer HMS IMPERIAL
to Lerwick
after collision with merchant
ship in
convoy.
March
Home Fleet deployment for AA defence in
continuation.
April
1st
Provided AA defence for inward Norwegian
convoy HN20
5th
Escorted outward Norwegian Convoy ON25
with HM Destroyers JAVELIN, GRENADE
and
JANUS during
passage from Clyde
in NW Approaches.
7th
Convoy recalled after German invasion
and detached to rejoin Home Fleet
10th
Deployed with Home Fleet for AA defence
off Norway
(Operation RUPERT/R4)
16th
Searched with HM Cruiser EFFINGHAM, HM
Cruiser YORK and HM Destroyer
ASHANTI
for
German
warships reported off Alesund
on passage to Trondheim.
20th
Arrived at Andalsnes to provide AA
defence.
(Note: Rear
Admiral Vivian was embarked as Flag
Officer AA cruisers and later became
Senior Naval Officer
at Namsos.)
22nd
Covered landing of French troops from
transport VILLE D'ALGER at Namsos
with
HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM,
HM Destroyer MAORI. HM Sloop AUCKLAND,
French destroyers
BISON and FOUDROYANT.
Landings could not be completed because
of snow storm.
Transferred to Namsos
for AA defence
27th
Transferred to Andalsnes and deployed
as AA Guardship
duty in Romsdalfjord.
29th
Provided AA defence during evacuation
of allied troops from Andalsnes and
Molde.
May
1st
Embarked last 720 troops from SICKLE
FORCE for return to UK.
9th
Diverted with HM Destroyer ZULU to
intercept ship taking 300 German troops
to
Hemneskerget
to cut off British troops.
10th
Interception failed and British had left
area.
Sank ss
NORD NORGE and destroyed petrol stores
before leaving to assist with the
evacuation at
Mo and Mosjoin.
On completion joined HM Cruiser
PENELOPE, HM Sloop IBIS,
HM Destroyer WITCH
and HM
Destroyer Leader CAMPBELL to supplement
AA defence during passage to UK.
(For details of naval activities during
military operations in Norway
see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli
Barnett, NARVIK by Donald Macintyre, THE
DOOMED EXPEDITION by
D Adams
and Naval Staff History).
14th
Deployed at Scapa
Flow.
Nominated for
service in Mediterranean
with three Sloops.
26th
Transferred to Nore Command for
evacuation of allied troops from Dunkirk
(Operation DYNAMO).
Foreign service
deployment delayed.
28th
Evacuated 534 troops from beaches and
took passage to Sheerness to disembark
passengers.
29th
Returned to beaches and embarked 1,200
troops for return to Sheerness.
Disembarked
passengers.
30th
Deployed to provide AA defence in Nore
Command
June
Channel and Nore Command deployment in
continuation
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY and Naval Staff History
(HMSO – 2002).
On completion
of DYNAMO deployed in English
Channel to provide AA defence and to
assist in
evacuation of allied forces and
civilians from France.
18th
Assisted with evacuation from La Verdone
(Operation AERIAL).
Deployed off French coast to intercept
enemy ships off Gironde
estuary with H M
23rd
Embarked troops and other personnel at
St Jean de Luz and took passage to
Portsmouth.
25th
Joined in Gironde
Estuary by HM Canadian Destroyers FRASER
and RESTIGOUCHE
to intercept
craft reported in area.
In collision at
speed with HMCS FRASER whilst
manoeuvring off Bayonne.
Destroyer’s bows broke away and sank.
150 survivors were rescued but 66 men
were lost.
26th
After part of HMCS FRASER sunk with
scuttling charges.
Took passage to Devonport with part
of the bridge
structure of HMCS FRASER still on
board.
HM Destroyer HIGHLANDER provided escort.
(For details of allied evacuation
operations see Naval Staff Histories).
27th
Arrived at Plymouth
and disembarked passengers.
Repair arranged at Tyne commercial shipyard
July
Took passage to Tyne from Plymouth.
Under repair in Tyne
shipyard.
Rejoined Home Fleet
on completion.
20th
Detached as AA Guardship
during minelay by ships of 1st
Minelaying Squadron in
SW Approaches (Operation SN31).
On completion deployed for AA defence.
August
Prepared for service with Mediterranean
Fleet at Alexandria
to augment AA defence.
Notified of departure for Mediterranean with ships on passage to join Fleet at Alexandria,
23rd
Passage to Gibraltar
with HM Battleship VALIANT, HM Aircraft
Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS and HM Cruiser COVENTRY covered by HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD
and
destroyers of the
8th Destroyer
Flotilla as escort for Middle
East military convoy.
28th
Joined ships of Force H for exercised
with Force H ships.
30th
Part of Force F with HMS VALIANT, HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS and HMS COVENTRY
escorted by
HM
Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK
ROYAL, HMS
SHEFFIELD
and destroyers of Force H to join
Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.
(Operation HATS).
September
2nd
Disembarked passengers in Malta.
3rd
Detached with HMS COVENTRY to escort
Convoy AS3 during passage in Aegean
from Greece
to Alexandria.
Under air attacks.
6th
Arrived at Alexandria
for Mediterranean Fleet duties.
10th
Deployed as Close Escort for Convoy AN3
during passage from in Alexandria
in
Aegean.
(Note:
Cover was provided by HM Cruisers KENT,
LIVERPOOL and GLASGOW
of 3rd
Cruiser Squadron.)
13th
Convoy under unsuccessful air attacks
29th
Deployed as escort for Convoy AN5 with
two destroyers during passage in Aegean
to Piraeus.
(Note: This
was concurrent with Operation MB5
passage of military convoy to
Malta,
See Naval Staff History (HMSO 2002.)
October
8th
Deployed as Close Escort for Malta
Convoy MF5 with HMS COVENTRY and four
destroyers
during passage from Alexandria covered
by Mediterranean Fleet units.
(Operation MB6 .See
above reference.)
11th
Arrived and Malta and sailed as escort
for eastbound Convoy MF4 with same ships
during
passage to Alexandria.
(Note:
Cover was provided by Mediterranean
Fleet units.)
Italian attack by
torpedo boats repelled by Fleet units
which sank three enemy ships.)
12th
Fleet units under air attacks
13th
Remained with ME4 when HM Cruisers
COVENTRY and AJAX were detached with
two
destroyers to join Convoy AS4 as escort
during passage to Alexandria from
Greece.
14th
Fleet units under further air attacks
during which HM Cruiser LIVERPOOL was
badly
damaged.
AS4 and escort merged with ME4.
16th
Arrived at Alexandria.
For full details see
above reference.)
29th
Deployed with two destroyers as escort
for Convoy AN5 during passage to Greece
covered by
Fleet units (Operation MAQ2)
November
4th
Deployed with HMS COVENTRY,
and five destroyers as escort for Convoy
MW3
during
initial stage of passage to Malta.
(Operation MB8)
Detached from MW3 and escorted Convoy
AN6 to Suda
Bay.
5th
Arrived at Suda
Bay with AN6 and returned to Alexandria.
(Note:
Operation MB8 was part of a Fleet
operation in conjunction with the attack
on the
Italian Fleet at Taranto
by Force H (Operation JUDGEMENT).
December
Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean for AA defence.
1
9 4 1
January
7th
Joined Force C with HM Cruiser CALCUTTA,
HM Destroyers DIAMOND and
DEFENDER as close escort for Malta
supply convoy (MW5 1/2) covered by
Mediterranean Fleet as part of joint
operation for passage of military convoy
from
Gibraltar
to Piraeus and Alexandria (Operation
EXCESS)
Under sustained and heavy air attacks by
newly arrived German Stuka
aircraft.
February
Deployed in eastern Mediterranean for AA
defence duties.
March
5th
Provided AA defence for military convoys
from Alexandria to Piraeus
with sister
AA cruisers HMS
COVENTRY and HMS CARLISLE (Operation
LUSTRE).
22nd
Assisted defence of convoy off Piraeus
with HMS COVENTRY.
25th
When refuelling with HMS COVENTRY at Suda
Bay, HM Cruiser YORK was
attacked by
Italian
Explosive Motor Boats.
April
7th
Undamaged at Piraeus
during air attack on port when ss
CLAN FRASER was bombed
and blew up.
18th
Escorted Malta supply convoy(ME1)
including supply ship HMS BRECONSHIRE to
Malta
with HM
Battleships WARSPITE and BARHAM, HM
Aircraft Carrier
FORMIDABLE and HM
Cruiser PHOEBE
screened by destroyers.
20th
Deployed for AA defence of
Mediterranean Fleet during bombardment
of Tripoli.
23rd Escorted
Convoy AG13 with HMS PHOEBE, HM
Destroyers STUART (RAN) and
VOYAGER (RAN)
to Suda
Bay for evacuation of allied troops from
Greece
(Operation DEMON).
24th
Based at Suda
Bay with HM Cruisers ORION, AJAX,
PHOEBE, PERTH,
COVENTRY
and CARLISLE
for
evacuation of allied troops.
Deployed with HM Destroyers STUART
(RAN), VOYAGER (RAN), HM Corvettes
HYACINTH and
SALVIA to
escort three ships in Convoy AG13 to
evacuate troops from
Raftia
and Nauphlia.
Took passage to Suda
Bay to disembark passengers.
26th
Joined HMS ORION, HMS PHOEBE and HM
Destroyer DEFENDER off Nauphlia
with
HMS
DIAMOND, HMS
STUART (RAN) and HMS GRIFFIN off to
continue evacuation
27th
Returned to Suda
Bay.
Escorted Convoy GA14
taking troops to Alexandria.
May
5th
Covered two convoys to Malta
with HM Cruisers DIDO, PHOEBE, COVENTRY and
CARLISLE.
9th
Deployed with Mediterranean Fleet ships
to meet military convoy bringing tanks
for 8th
Army in Egypt
(Operation TIGER)
10th
Air attacks repelled by aircraft from
HMS FORMIDABLE.
20th
Deployed north of Crete as Force C with
HMS NAIAD, HMS PERTH and 4 destroyers
to
intercept invasion convoys.
Sighted one ship
which was sunk by destroyers.
Subjected to sustained air attacks.
21st
Under heavy attack by Italian high level
bombers during which HM Destroyer JUNO
was
sunk.
22nd
Deployed with HMS NAIAD, HMS PERTH
(RAN), HMS CARLISLE, HM Destroyers
KANDAHAR,
KINGSTON
and NUBIAN off Heraklion
for patrol and interception.
Under sustained
heavy air attacks.
26th
Assisted with evacuation of allied
troops from Sphakia.
27th
Under air attack during passage to Alexandria
and twice hit.
28th
Sailed as Force D with HMS PHOEBE, HMS
PERTH, HMS CALCUTTA,
HMS COVENTRY, HMS
JERVIS, HMS JANUS and HMS HASTY.
29th
Continued evacuation at Spahkia
and took passage to Alexandria
on completion.
June
1st
On passage with HMS COVENTRY from Alexandria
to provide additional AA protection
for HMS
PHOEBE and other ships returning with
more troops from Sphakia.
Under air
attack by two Ju88.
Hit by two
bombs and sank in a few minutes.
255 of ship's company were rescued by
HMS COVENTRY.
(For details
of Mediterranean operations in 1940 -
1941 by Force H at Gibraltar and
Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria see BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by
Donald MacIntyre,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, MALTA
CONVOYS
by R Woodman
and Naval Staff Histories)
