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ADMIRALTY WAR DIARIES of WORLD WAR 2

 

REAR ADMIRAL, TENTH (10th) CRUISER SQUADRON - September to December 1940

 

Transcribed by Don Kindell


HMS Nigeria (Navy Photos, click to enlarge) back to Admiralty War Diaries

 

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

 

Other Home Fleet and Cruiser Operations in this period

 

       
       
 

Areas of Operations (click to enlarge). Only some locations in text are shown

 

 

Click for Convoy Route Codes, Operation Code Names and Royal Navy  Minelaying

 


 

Source: ADM 199/379 

This log commenced on 10th September 1940 when Rear Admiral H.M. Burrough hoisted his Flag in NIGERIA.

 


 

Enclosure to 10th C.S. No. 3/A/682 of 2nd October 1940

WAR DIARY OF FLAG OFFICER COMMANDING, 10th CRUISER SQUADRON, FOR THE PERIOD

 10th TO 30th  SEPTEMBER 1940

 

10th September

Flag of Rear Admiral H.M. Burrough, C.B., Flag Officer Commanding, 10th Cruiser Squadron, hoisted in H.M.S. NIGERIA at Newcastle on Tyne.

19th September

H.M.S. NIGERIA escorted by H.M. ships MAORI and TARTAR sailed for Rosyth. Preliminary Full Power trial was carried out on passage.

21st/22nd September

H.M.S. NIGERIA escorted by H.M. Ships MAORI and TARTAR, carried out steaming and gunnery trials off Firth of Forth.

27th September

At 2300 H.M.S. NIGERIA sailed for Scapa Flow.

28th September

At 1140 H.M.S. NIGERIA secured to 'E' buoy at Scapa

 

P.M. Rear Admiral Commanding, 10th Cruiser Squadron, assumed duties of Senior Officer, Home Fleet ships in the Flow, on departure of H.M.S. REPULSE wearing the flag of Rear Admiral (D), Home Fleet.

29th September

P.M. H.M.S. CURACOA was ordered to sail to provide additional A/A protection to Convoy O.A. 222

 


 

Enclosure to 10th C.S. No. 10/A/682 of 23rd October 1940

WAR DIARY OF FLAG OFFICER COMMANDING, 10TH CRUISER SQUADRON, FOR THE PERIOD

1st to 15th OCTOBER 1940

Part I

1st October

Vice Admiral Commanding, British Cruiser Squadron, arrived and assumed duties of Senior Officer, Home Fleet Ships in the Flow

1st – 15th October

H.M.S. NIGERIA carried out working up practices as requisite from Scapa Flow.

7th October

1700. H.M.S. KENYA sailed to act as ocean escort for Convoy W.S. 3

 

Part II

Blank

 


 

Enclosure to 10th C.S. No. 21/A/682 of 11th November 1940

WAR DIARY OF FLAG OFFICER COMMANDING, 10TH CRUISER SQUADRON, FOR THE PERIOD

16th – 31st October 1940

Part I

16th – 26th October

H.M.S. NIGERIA continued her working up practices at Scapa.

26th – 29th October

H.M.S. NIGERIA at 12 hours notice for steam. Making good, engine room defects

29th October

2200. H.M.S. NIGERIA sailed from Scapa for Plymouth.

31st October

Owing to the closing of the Port of Plymouth, due to enemy minelaying, H.M.S. NIGERIA anchored in Milford Haven

 

Part II

          It was reported to the Commander in Chief, Home Fleet, that H.M.S. NIGERIA could be considered for any operation, from the point of view of armament efficiency, by 25th October, but that engine room defects had developed which would require Dockyard assistance.

          2.  Accordingly, the Commander in Chief, Home Fleet, ordered H.M.S. NIGERIA to proceed to Plymouth to obtain dockyard assistance and to relieve H.M.S. NEWCASTLE at Plymouth as soon as the defects had been made good.

          3.  A separate report has been rendered concerning the engine room defects.

 


 

Enclosure to 10th C.S. No. 28/A/682 of 25th November 1940

WAR DIARY OF FLAG OFFICER COMMANDING, 10TH CRUISER SQUADRON, FOR THE PERIOD

1st – 15th November 1940

Part I

1st November

H.M.S. NIGERIA sailed from Milford Haven at 0435

 

1729 – anchored inside Breakwater, at Plymouth

3rd November

H.M.S. NIGERIA proceeded up harbour and secured in North Lock.

 

Part II

During the period 4th – 15th November 1940, the Dockyard were employed in marking good defects to steam pipe joints.

 


 

Enclosure to 10th C.S. No. 49/A/682 of 22nd December 1940

WAR DIARY OF FLAG OFFICER COMMANDING, 10TH CRUISER SQUADRON, FOR THE PERIOD

1st – 15th December 1940

Part I

8th December

H.M.S. NIGERIA sailed from Plymouth for Scapa.

10th December

H.M.S. NIGERIA arrived Scapa. Flag of Rear Admiral Commanding, 10th Cruiser Squadron, transferred to H.M.S. KENYA

 

H.M.S. KENYA sailed for Plymouth

12th December

H.M.S. KENYA arrived Plymouth

15th December

H.M.S. KENYA docked at Plymouth.

 

Part II

          During the period 1st – 7th December H.M.S. NIGERIA completed her refit and returned to Scapa to join the Flag of the Commander in Chief, Home Fleet.

          2.  H.M.S. KENYA then proceeded to Plymouth to carry out a short docking and refit.  It is anticipated that she will be ready for service by 27th December 1940.

          3.  The Flag of the Rear Admiral Commanding, 10th Cruiser Squadron, was transferred to H.M.S. KENYA at the request of the Commander in Chief, Western Approaches, who wished to have a Flag Officer available to take charge of the Plymouth Force.

 


 

Enclosure to 10th C.S. No. 3/A/682 of 7th January 1941

WAR DIARY OF FLAG OFFICER COMMANDING, 10TH CRUISER SQUADRON, FOR THE PERIOD

16th – 31st December 1940

Part I

6th – 23rd December

H.M.S. KENYA in dock at Plymouth

23rd December

Ordered by Admiralty to come to 4 hours notice for steam.

24th December

Undocking, ammunitioning, and fuelling

25th December

1040 – Raised steam for full steam

 

2030 – Proceeded to sea to rendezvous with and act as ocean escort to convoy S.L. 59

26th December

H.M.S. KENYA engaged two shadowing H.E. 115 seaplanes. One possibly brought down.

27th December

H.M.S. KENYA ordered to locate and escort H.M. transport EMPIRE TROOPER.

28th December

1400 – H.M.S. DERBYSHIRE in convoy with C.S. 10

 

1800 – Sighted H.M. Transport EMPIRE TROOPER and H.M.S. CYCLAMEN

29th December

A.M. – H.M. Ships BERWICK, CLEMATIS, JONQUIL, and GERANIUM joined C.S. 10

 

P.M. – H.M. Ships BERWICK and DERBYSHIRE detached to Gibraltar

 

1800 – H.M.Transport EMPIRE TROOPER and H.M.S. CYCLAMEN entered Ponta Delgada for repairs.

30th December

P.M. – H.M.S. CYCLAMEN left Ponta Delgada.

 

2300 – H.M. Transport EMPIRE TROOPER left Ponta Delgada.

31st December

Escorting H.M. Transport EMPIRE TROOPER to Gibraltar.

 

Part II

          H.M.S. KENYA sailed from Plymouth with only a months’ provisions on board, this was partly due to there being insufficient time to embark provisions after undocking and partly due to the fact that one provision room was unusable owing to sea water leaking through the armour bolts.  This has been reported on separately and it is hoped to make good their defects on return to Plymouth about 14th January 1941.

          2.  A full report on this operation in connection with H.M. Transport EMPIRE TROOPER has been rendered under cover of C.S. 10. No. 1/A/682 of 4th January 1941.

 

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