1 9 1 8
July Contractors trials and commissioning for service with 5th Light Cruiser Squadron
18th Acceptance trials on completion of build.
Passage to Harwich to join Squadron for service in North Sea.
August Deployed with Squadron for patrol duties in North Sea
After armistice deployed in Home waters for Fleet duties.
1 9 1 9
Transferred to 1st Light Cruiser Squadron. Atlantic Fleet.
Deployed with Squadron in Home waters
1 9 2 0 t o 1 9 2 2
Squadron duties in Channel Fleet in continuation.
1 9 2 3
January Atlantic Fleet deployment in continuation with Squadron
to August
September Nominated for foreign service as part of World Cruise with visits to countries in the
British Empire.
October Prepared for special duty.
November Joined HM Battlecruisers HOOD, REPULSE, HM Cruisers DELHI, DRAGON,
DAUNTLESS and DUNEDIN.
27th Sailed from Plymouth with ships of special squadron.
December
21st Arrived at Cape Town after call at Freetown, Sierra Leone.
22nd Passage to Zanzibar.
1 9 2 4
January
1st Arrived at Zanzibar after calls at Port Elizabeth, East London. Mossel Bay and Durban.
17th Took passage for Australia from Zanzibar.
February Passage in Indian Ocean
28th Arrived in Fremantle, Australia.
March Visited Albany, Adelaide and Melbourne.
April
6th Sailed from Hobart for Sydney.
9th Arrived at Sydney,
20th Sailed from Sydney for Wellington, New Zealand
23rd Arrived at Wellington.
May
7th Sailed from Wellington for Pacific visits programme.
(Note: Calls were made at Suva, Samara, Fiji, Samoa and Honolulu.
June Passage from Honolulu to Vancouver, British Columbia with call at Victoria, BC.
July
6th Arrived at Vancouver
7th Detached with HM Cruisers DELHI, DRAGON, DAUNTLESS and DUNEDIN for visits
to ports in South America
August Deployed in Pacific Ocean, Caribbean and Atlantic seaboard off South America for
to September visits programme.
October On completion of visits took return passage to Portsmouth.
to November
December Nominated for service in 1st Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet.
1 9 2 5
Commissioned for service in Mediterranean and joined Squadron at Malta
Deployed with Squadron for Fleet exercise and visits programmes.
1 9 2 6 t o 1 9 2 8
Mediterranean Fleet deployment with Squadron in continuation.
1 9 2 9
Nominated for return to UK for refit.
Taken in hand for refit after paying-off.
1 9 3 0
On completion of post refit trials commissioned for service in 8th Cruiser Squadron
on America and West Indies Station based in Bermuda.
Passage to join Squadron.
1 9 3 1 t o 1 9 3 4
Deployed with Squadron for exercises and visits to ports in North and South America
including Canada, West Indies colonies and ports in South America.
1 9 3 5
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status and took return passage to Portsmouth.
Paid-off and laid-up in Reserve at Devonport.
1 9 3 6
Recommissioned for service in 5th Cruiser Squadron on the China Station
Passage to Hong Kong to join Squadron.
Deployed at Hong Kong for Squadron duties
1 9 3 7
(Note: Japanese began hostilities against China which made necessary the
use of warships to protect British interests in Chinese ports. These
cities became targets for aerial attacks.)
January Squadron deployment on China Station in continuation.
to June
July Nominated for Guardship duty at Nanking
12th Embarked British Ambassador to China for passage to Nanking
15th Arrived at Nanking with Ambassador.
(Note: Ambassador had meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister
Ship provided secure wireless communication link for embassy traffic
to London.
August
2nd Sailed from Nanking for Shanghai on relief as Guardship by HM Cruiser CAPETOWN.
14th Deployed at Shanghai and provided shore landing parties to protect British interests
(Note: Shanghai was under air attacks by Japanese.)
17th Sailed from Shanghai to escort liner RAJPUTANA which was carrying evacuees from
Shanghai to Hong Kong.
Under fire from shore without damage.
Returned to Shanghai for Guardship duties.
September Deployment at Shanghai in continuation.
October Returned to Hong Kong from Shanghai
Nominated for return to UK.
November Passage to Portsmouth to Pay-off and reduce to Reserve status.
to December Paid-off at Portsmouth
1 9 3 8
January Reduced to Reserve and laid-up in Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth
February Laid-up at Portsmouth
to June Nominated for trade defence, patrol and interception duties on mobilisation
for war.
July Re-commissioned at Portsmouth with Reservists to attend Review of the
Reserve Fleet at Weymouth by HM King George VI.
August Attended Review and remained in commission to take up war station duty in
South Atlantic
Allocated to 9th Cruiser Squadron
Took passage with HM Cruiser DAUNTLESS after completing to war complement
and embarking ammunition and stores for operational duties.
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
3rd Called at Freetown prior to first patrol.
14th Sailed from Freetown for first patrol.
11th Arrived at Simonstown from patrol.
18th Sailed from Simonstown for patrol in South Atlantic.
(Note: It was known that German had deployed commerce raiders in the Atlantic
before the declaration of war.)
21st Returned to Simonstown.
28th Sailed for further South Atlantic patrol from Simonstown.
October
2nd Returned to Simonstown.
7th Deployed for convoy escort at Capetown.
9th Sailed from Capetown to join convoy as escort during passage to West Africa.
18th Took passage for St Helena from Lagos.
22nd At St Helena.
28th Arrived at Simonstown from patrol.
31st Transferred to East Indies Station
November
2nd Took passage from Simonstown.
10th Sailed from Mauritius for Colombo.
18th Arrived at Colombo.
20th Took passage to Singapore from Colombo.
26th Arrived at Singapore.
29th Took passage to Hong Kong for repairs arising from passage.
December
2nd Arrived at Hong Kong.
3rd Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard.
1 9 4 0
January
Under repair
February
14th Repair work completed
Commenced sea trials and return to operational duty.
March
6th Sailed from Hong Kong for patrol.
Returned to Singapore on release for replenishment.
21st Sailed from Singapore for trade defence.
23rd Transferred to British Malaya Force and deployed for surveillance of German
ships in Dutch East Indies ports
24th Deployed off Sourabaya for interception of enemy shipping attempting to take passage.
(Note: German mercantiles CASSEL, ESSEN and NAUMBERG were known to
be sheltering in Sourabaya.)
April
21st On release from patrol took passage to Penang.
23rd At Penang.
Passage to Singapore
30th Arrived at Singapore.
May Deployed for trade defence and interception patrol in China Sea and Indian Ocean
to December (Note: Visits paid to Penang and Hong Kong between patrols.)
1 9 4 1
January Deployed in South China Sea and East Indies eastern coasts.
February Routine docking in Singapore for hull inspection.
8th Resumed patrol duties
March Patrol duties in continuation in Malacca Straits
to April (Note: Visited Singapore and Penang between patrols.)
May Deployed as escort for troopship from Sunda Strait to Singapore.
June Trade defence and convoy escort in continuation.
to August
September Under refit by HM Dockyard at Singapore.
to October
November
6th Prepared to resume operational duties and ammunitioned.
8th Sailed from Singapore for Manila.
14th Sailed from Manila with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser PRINCE
ROBERT (RCN) as escort for troopship AWATEA carrying Canadian troops
to reinforce garrison at Hong Kong.
(Note: HMCS PRINCE ROBERT had escorted AWATEA during Pacific passage.
from Canada.
17th Arrived at Hong Kong.
19th Took return passage to Singapore.
22nd Arrived at Singapore.
December Deployed at Singapore. Transferred to 5th Cruiser Squadron.
4th Other ships at Singapore were:
HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES and HM Battlecruiser REPULSE.
HM Cruisers MAURITIUS and DURBAN.
HM Destroyers ELECTRA, ENCOUNTER, EXPRESS, JUPITER, TENEDOS
STRONGHOLD, SCORPION.
HM River Gunboat GRASSHOPPER, HM Auxiliaries KEDAH and MEDUSA.
HM Australian Fleet Minesweepers GOULDBURN, BENDIGO and BURNIE.
6th Sailed from Singapore for escort of convoy to Negapatam.
7th Called at Penang.
8th Hostilities began with Japan and sailed to with convoy.
11th Arrived at Trincomalee after detaching from convoy.
16th Sailed from Trincomalee having painted to required camouflage design.
19th Arrived at Singapore
26th Allocated to Western Striking Force based at Batavia and took passage.
29th At Tanjong Priok
Sailed to meet Dutch cruiser JAVA.
31st Met JAVA and took passage to join Convoy BM9B of six ships in position
00.28S 95. 27E as relief for HM Cruiser GLASGOW providing Ocean Escort.
1 9 4 2
January
4th Air cover provided.
5th Dutch warships joined escort for passage into Singapore.
6th Detached from convoy with escort on arrival at Singapore.
11th Sailed with HM Cruiser DRAGON to Batavia.
(Note: Vice Admiral Leyton and staff were embarked in HMS DRAGON for passage.
Singapore was under air attacks during period from 6th.)
13th At Tanjong Priok.
17th Sailed from Tanjong Priok to join Convoy BM10.
18th Joined BM10 as escort to Singapore with HM Cruisers ENTERPRISE, EXETER
and HM Sloop SUTLEJ (RIN).
26th Arrived at Singapore and sailed after embarking stores
Under air attacks whilst leaving Singapore.
27th Passage to join military convoy DM2 as escort into Singapore.
(Note: Convoy was made up of ships from Bombay in Convoy BM12 and
DM2 from Addu Atoll (Ex WS14 from UK).
Convoy comprised troopships *CITY OF CANTERBURY, DUNERA,
CITY OF PRETORIA, EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA, MALANCHA,
TROILUS, WARWICK CASTLE, *PLANCIUS, *EMPRESS OF ASIA,
DEVONSHIRE* and *FELIX ROUSSELL.)
31st Joined HMS EMERALD with Dutch cruiser JAVA for escort into Singapore.
February
1st HM Sloops SUTLEJ (RIN) and YARRA (RAN) joined escort.
2nd HM Cruiser EXETER, HM Destroyers JUPITER and VAMPIRE joined escort.
3rd On arrival at Batavia detached with ships marked * above and provided
escort for passage into Singapore with HMS EXETER, Dutch cruiser JAVA
and HMAS YARRA.
4th Dutch cruiser JAVA detached.
Under air attacks during which were repelled by escort, particularly that by
HMS EXETER
5th Under further heavy air attacks during which EMPRESS OF ASIA was set on
fire and FELIX ROUSSELL hit. Came under machine gun fire from aircraft causing
injury to two of ships company.
(Note ; EMPRESS OF ASIA later sank with 27 killed and 93 wounded.)
HMIS SUTLEJ joined escort from Singapore to reinforce AA fire.
Detached from BM2 on arrival in Singapore.
(Note Wireless equipment from Singapore naval stations were embarked.
6th Sailed from Singapore with HMAS YARRA and HMIS SUTLEJ as escort for
Convoy EM11during passage to Batavia.
(Note: The three mercantiles in EM11 were FELIX
ROUSSELL, DEVONSHIRE
and CITY OF CANTERBURY.)
7th Deployed with HM Cruiser HOBART (RAN) as escort for EM11,
8th Took passage to Batavia (Tanjong Priok) with CITY OF CANTERBURY
(Note: Troops on board CITY OF CANTERBURY had not disembarked
on arrival at Singapore.)
9th Deployed at Tanjong Priok for Boiler Clean and installation of two 20mm
Oerlikon mounting on Flag Deck to provide defence against Close Range
air attacks W/T equipment landed.
19th Took passage from Tanjong Priok to Padang to collect army personnel
who had escaped to Sumatra from Singapore.
20th Embarked passenger and sailed from Emmerhaven.
21st Diverted during passage to Tjilatjap on south coast of Java.
Transferred to Western Striking Force with HM Cruisers HOBART (RAN)
DRAGON, HM Destroyers TENEDOS and SCOUT for interception of Japanese
invasion convoys, based at Tanjong Priok
22nd Soldiers disembarked.
23rd Grounded on departure from Tjilatjap and pulled oof by tugs.
Water inlets to condensers blocked.
24th Sailed from Tjilatjap for Tangjong Priok.
25th Enemy aircraft sighted but ship not attacked.
26th Entered harbour after delay to allow departure of HM Cruiser EXETER
and HM Cruiser PERTH who had been despatch to join allied squadron
for attack on invasion convoys. See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
28th Despatched from Tanjong Priok with ships of Striking Force to carry out
attack on Japanese convoy at Muntok in Banka Island.
Japanese landings were made in Batavia and Sourabaya.)
After unsuccessful search diverted to carry out evacuation of civilians
at Emmerhaven, Sumatra with HMS TENEDOS and HMS SCOUT,
destroyers detached and took passage to embark passengers.
(Note: Ship had been ordered to proceed to Ceylon in the event of
failure to defend Sumatra and Java.
For details of operations in Dutch East Indies and the attack
on Singapore see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), OPERATION
PACIFIC by E Gray, THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and the Naval Staff
History.)
March
1st Anchored off Emmerhaven.
2nd HMS SCOUT disembarked 309 personnel including 15 Nurses,
(Note: 250 others were taken to HMS DRAGON,
3rd Passage To join HMAS HOBART.
Refuelled from RFA APPLELEAF and diverted to assist HM Auxiliary
KEDAH which had been evacuating personnel from Chilachap and was
disabled with engine trouble.
Passage south with HMAS HOBART.
Took HMS KEDAH in tow with HMAS HOBART in company..
4th Passage to Colombo
5th HMAS HOBART detached and made independent passage.
Arrived at Colombo with HMS KEDAH.
18th Sailed from Colombo for Bombay.
20th At Bombay and nominated for service in Persian Gulf.
22nd Sailed from Bombay for duty in Persian Gulf.
April Deployed in Persian Gulf.
(Note: A guardship was stationed at entrance for control of convoys
to Aden and ports in India as well as within the Gulf.
May Withdrawn from East Indies Station and nominated for return to UK for refit.
Took passage Portsmouth via Cape of Good Hope.
June Joined Home Fleet and prepared for refit
and July Deployed in Home waters
August Passage to Tyne for refit in commercial shipyard.
7th Taken in hand for refit.
September Under refit.
to December (Note: Work carried out included replacement of No 3 6in gun mounting
and both forward 6in mountings, which were replaced by Quadruple
2pdr Pom Pom Mountings controlled by Radar Type 282. Eight
20mm Oerlikon weapons were fitted to improve Close Range AA
defence. Radar Type 291 to provide limited surface and aircraft
warning was fitted at the foremast head and Fire –control. Radar
Type 283 installed with aerial on gunnery directors. Warning
surface Radar Type 271 was also fitted aft. For details of the
development and use of radar in the RN see RADAR AT SEA by
D Howse.)
1 9 4 3
January Under refit
to June
July Carried out harbour trials
2nd Refit completion and commenced post refit sea trials.
On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow to work
up with ships of Home Fleet.
August Deployed at Scapa Flow
September Prepared for foreign service in Eastern Fleet
October Passage to join 4th Cruiser Squadron at Trincomalee.
November Indian Ocean deployment for convoy defence.
to December
1 9 4 4
January Indian Ocean deployment in continuation
to March
April Withdrawn from Eastern Fleet and took passage to return to UK
Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Normandy
as part of Force S of Eastern Task Force (Operation NEPTUNE)
Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Rosyth.
Allocated for service in 1st Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet.
May Under refit
(Note: After Pom-Pom mountings were replace by Twin 4in AA
mounting and torpedo tubes were removed.) Additional
20mm mountings fitted.)
Allocated for service with Bombarding Force D for support of
British landings on SWORD Beach.
Passage to Scapa Flow on completion.
21st Joined HM Battleships WARSPITE, RAMILLIES, HM Monitor ROBERTS,
HM Cruisers MAURITIUS, ARETHUSA, FROBISHER and Polish Cruiser
ORP DRAGON in Clyde as Bombarding Force D.
(Note: Selected target was battery at Ouistreham.)
26th Took part in bombardment exercises on Cape Wrath bombardment range
with Force “D” ships.
Passage to Clyde on completion.
June
2nd Sailed from Clyde as part of Convoy S6 with ships of Force D escorted
by HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ, SWIFT, Norwegian destroyers STORD,
SVENNER, HM Frigates ROWLEY and HOLMES.
4th Operation delayed 24 hours.
5th Took passage from Portsmouth with Convoy for transit of Swept Channel
No 9 to position off GOLD beach head
(Note: Ships of 40th Minesweeping Flotilla were also part of S6 and were
to carry out minesweeping in bombardment position.)
6th Provided naval gunfire support during assault landings on SWORD Beach.
7th On completion of support duties deployed as Depot Ship at GOOSEBERRY 5
in position north of Ouistreham.
(For details of naval activities before and during NEPTUNE see LANDINGS
IN NORMANDY (HMSO) and OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards.)
24th Remained in Depot Ship role when NEPTUNE terminated.
July
6th Deployed with HM Cruisers BELFAST, EMERALD and HM Monitor ROBERTS
to provide naval gunfire support for military operations in JUNO area.
August On release from Assault area took passage to Plymouth.
to September Deployed at Plymouth as Depot Ship.
October
4th Transferred to Polish Navy as replacement of ORP DRAGON which had been
lost during operations off Normandy on 8th July.
16th Polish ships company joined ship at Portsmouth.
Renamed ORP CONRAD
O. R. P. C O N R A D
S e r v i c e u n d e r P o l i s h C o m m a n d
November Deployed at Portsmouth to prepare for refit.
Refit arranged in commercial shipyard at Southampton.
December
8th Taken in hand for refit at Southampton.
1 9 4 5
5th Carried out post refit trials.
On completion took passage to Scapa Flow to work-up for operational
service with Home Fleet in 10th Cruiser Squadron.
February Deployed for defence of military convoys in southern North Sea and
English Channel
(Note: Extensive traffic was taking place to ports in Belgium after the
clearance of the Scheldt estuary and Atlantic convoys were being
routed through the Channel to London after air threat from French
bases had been withdrawn.
During the last few weeks of the European war there was significant
enemy minelaying by aircraft and both surface craft and submarines
as well as E-Boat and submarine attacks.
6th Narrowly avoided collision with HM Landing Ship (Infantry) PRINCESS
JOSEPHINE CHARLOTTE off Harwich.
March Nore Command deployment in continuation.
Transferred to Scapa Flow for Home Fleet duties.
April Deployed at Scapa Flow.
May Under repair by HM Dockyard, Chatham
to June
July Resumed Home Fleet duties and deployed in support of re occupation
to August
