1 9 1 7
May Contractors trials.
June Commissioned.
16th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion of trials and storing took passage to join Grand Fleet at Scapa
Flow for work-up prior to operational use.
July Deployed at Scapa Flow with Grand Fleet.
August During Grand Fleet deployment grounded at Fair Isle.
September Resumed Grand Fleet service.
to
December
1 9 1 8
January Deployed with Grand Fleet.
to
October
November Nominated for service in Baltic in support of defence of countries under
threat from Bolshevik forces.
11th Germany agreed to an Armistice.
21st German High Seas fleet surrendered.
Passage to Baltic
December Deployed with HM Cruiser CALYPSO in Gulf of Finland and provided
gunfire support for Estonian troops under attack by Bolshevik forces.
26th Took part in capture of Russian destroyers AVTROIL and SPARTAK off
Revel with HMS CALYPSO, HM Destroyers VENDETTA, VORTIGERN
and WAKEFUL.
(Note: The Russian ships surrendered without returning fire.)
1 9 1 9
January Passage to UK on relief by 1st Light Cruiser Squadron.
February Nominated for service with 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron and took passage to
join Mediterranean Fleet.
(Note: HM Cruisers CARDIFF and CALYPSO were in LCS3.)
March Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean
to (Note: During this period ships of the Mediterranean Fleet carried out
December duties as Guardship to safeguard British interests during unrest
in Turkey and Greece.)
1 9 2 0 t o 1 9 2 2
Mediterranean Fleet deployment with Squadron in continuation
Recommissioned for further service in 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron.
1 9 2 4 t o 1 9 2 5
Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean
1 9 2 6
January Mediterranean Fleet service in continuation.
to Nominated for transfer to China Station.
November (Note: The number of British warships on the Station was increased after
outbreak of civil war in China in order to protect British commercial
interests in the area.)
December Passage Singapore and Hong Kong.
1 9 2 7
January Deployed on China Station
to Nominated for return to UK to recommission after refit.
June
July Passage to Mediterranean via Red Sea.
August Passage from Gibraltar to Sheerness.
De-ammunitioned prior to refit..
September Arrived at Chatham.
19th Paid off and taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham
October Under refit.
to
December
1 9 2 8
January Under refit
to
July
August Refit in continuation.
Nominated for service with 8th Cruiser Squadron on the America and
West Indies Station as relief for HM Cruiser DAUNTLESS.
(Note: HMS DAUNTLESS had been badly damaged after running aground
off Halifax, NS on 2nd July.)
Recommissioned for service.
September Refit completion and storing for foreign service.
Passage to Portsmouth
October Prepared for foreign service.
Took passage from Portsmouth for Bermuda to join Squadron.
November Deployed with Squadron for exercises and visits programme.
to
December
1 9 2 9
Deployment on West Indies Station in continuation.
(Note: Ships in Squadron visited ports in West Indies, South America
and on West ands East coasts of North America.
1 9 3 0
January Squadron deployment in West Indies in continuation.
Nominated for return to UK on relief by HMS DAUNTLESS.
February Passage to Portsmouth to pay off.
15th Arrived at Portsmouth and prepared for reduction to Reserve status.
March Passage to Devonport
April Laid-up in Reserve Fleet at Devonport.
to Nominated for service with 5th Cruiser Squadron in China Station.
June
July Prepared for operational service.
15th Recommissioned.
August Shakedown and exercises before passage to Singapore,
September Passage to join Squadron.
to
October
November Joined Squadron and deployed for protection of British interests and
exercises with ships on Station.
December China Station deployment with Squadron in continuation.
1 9 3 1 t o 1 9 3 3
Deployed with Squadron on China Station.
1 9 3 4
January Squadron deployment on China Station in continuation
to
July
August Nominated for return to UK to pay-off and refit.
September Passage to Sheerness.
October Paid off on arrival after de-ammunitioning.
17th Reduced to Reserve status and destored.
November Laid-up in Reserve.
to
December
1 9 3 5 t o 1 9 3 6
Laid-up in Reserve.
1 9 3 7
Under refit
1 9 3 8
January Under refit.
to Nominated for service in Reserve Fleet at Devonport for use as a
June Boys Training Ship
July On completion of refit carried out post refit trials.
August
12th Deployed in Reserve Fleet, Devonport as Boys Training Ship
September Training duties at Devonport in continuation.
to
December
1 9 3 9
January Training duties at Devonport in continuation.
to Nominated for attendance at Review of Reserve Fleet by HM King
July George VI in Weymouth Bay.
August Commissioned with Reservists for Royal Review and deployed as
Flagship in 11th Cruiser Squadron.
Carried out trials before passage to Weymouth Bay for Review.
9th Attended Royal Review and remained in commission for war service.
Took up War Station with Channel Force based at Portland.
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
September Deployed at Portland.
11th Provided cover for passage of military convoys to France carrying BEF.
14th Deployed at Plymouth in continuation.
23rd Returned to Plymouth after machinery defects.
25th Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard Devonport.
October Nominated for trade defence and interception of blockade runners with
America and West Indies Squadron.
7th Took passage from Plymouth for detached service in West Indies.
12th Joined HM Battleship REVENGE as escort for HM Cruisers EMERALD
and ENTERPRISE during passage to Halifax.
(Note: The cruisers were taking gold bullion to Canada for safe custody.)
17th Arrived at Halifax.
18th Took passage from Halifax to join 8th Cruiser Squadron in Bermuda..
20th Arrived at Bermuda and sailed after briefing for interception patrol.
23rd Intercepted German tanker EMY FRIEDRICH after sighting report by HM
Cruiser ORION and HM Destroyer SAGUENAY (RCN).
(Note: German ship was on passage from Tampico.)
Enemy ship scuttled on approach.
27th Returned to Bermuda from patrol with defects.
November Repair arranged at RCN dockyard, Esquimalt.
Passage to Panama Canal with call at Kingston, Jamaica.
20th Arrived at Esquimalt after Panama Canal transit.
December Under repair.
1 9 4 0
January Under repair
to
March
April
15th Carried out post repair trials and on completion took passage to resume
Squadron duties.
May Deployed in Pacific and West Indies for interception of blockade runners
to and commerce raiders.
October
November Deployed in Caribbean area.
11th Intercepted German blockade runner RHEIM in Straits of Florida.
Enemy ship set on fire in order to prevent boarding after being challenged.
Drifting hulk sunk by gunfire after crew abandoned ship.
December Squadron duties in West Indies in continuation.
1 9 4 1
January Squadron duties for patrol and interception in continuation.
to Nominated for refit by US Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York.
September
October Passage to New York from Bermuda.
28th Taken in hand for refit.
November Under Refit
to (Note: Close range AA defence was supplemented by fit of five 20mm
December Oerlikon guns and preparation for fit of radar was carried out.)
1 9 4 2
January Under refit.
February
26th On completion carried out post refit trials and shakedown for Atlantic
passage.
March Passage to Portsmouth for completion of radar installation.
(Note: Type 286 an RAF Air-Surface radar for aircraft use which gave
limited surface and air cover was fitted. For details of development
and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
Nominated for service in 5th Cruiser Squadron, Eastern Fleet.
April Passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with ships of Home Fleet.
May On completion of work-up took passage top join Squadron.
June Retained for convoy defence at Gibraltar.
(Note: Support of relief convoy to Malta had reduced number of ships
available for Atlantic service at Gibraltar.
Not deployed for Operation HARPOON.)
July Deployed at Gibraltar.
On release took passage via Cape of Good Hope to join Squadron in
Indian Ocean.
August Deployed for trade defence and convoy escort in Indian Ocean.
Nominated for support of military occupation of Madagascar.
(Operation STREAM)
September Deployed with HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Cruisers GAMBIA,
BIRMINGHAM, DAUNTLESS, MANXMAN and the Dutch cruiser
HEEMSKERCK with destroyers of Eastern Fleet as Force A to provide
naval support for landings in STREAM..
Nominated for support of landing at Nosi Be, an island off NW coast
of Madagascar (Operation ESME (B))
9th Joined HMS MANXMAN for passage to Nosi Be.
10th Provided Royal Marines landing party which landed at Hellville.
(For details see WAR WITH JAPAN, Volume III (HMSO).)
Rejoined Force A
October On release from STREAM took passage to Persian Gulf.
15th Relieved HM Cruiser CAPETOWN as Persian Gulf Guardship.
November Guardship deployment in Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January Deployed in Indian Ocean for convoy defence.
to (Note: During this period Radar Type 271 was fitted aft on the
July superstructure to provide efficient surface warning
Type 286 was also replaced by RN design Type 290
which provided an improved cover against aircraft.
See above reference.)
August Transferred to Simonstown for convoy defence and interception patrol
in South Atlantic and southern Indian Ocean.
September Convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Indian Ocean trade defence duties in continuation.
to
February
March Nominated for withdrawal from operational service and took passage
to Colombo.
April Withdrawn from service and deployed as an Accommodation Ship at
Colombo
May Accommodation Ship deployment in continuation.
to (Note: On 22nd November when British Pacific Fleet was formed the
December Flag of CinC Eastern Fleet was transferred from HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN and transferred to this ship.)
1 9 4 5
January Accommodation Ship deployment in continuation.
to Remained Flagship for East Indies Fleet
August
September Nominated for return to UK
October Prepared for return passage.
15th Sailed from Colombo for paying-off.
November Called at Aden.
17th Took passage for Devonport from Gibraltar after call in Malta.
25th At Devonport and Paid-off.
Commenced de-storing.
December Reducing to Reserve status at Devonport
