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1 9 3 9
September Deployed on Northern Patrol with
12th Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet
7th Returned
to Scapa Flow.
10th Sailed for interception patrol.
17th Returned
to Scapa Flow
20th Sailed from Scapa Flow for patrol.
28th Returned
to Scapa Flow.
(For details of deployment of
Northern Patrol see THE BLOCKADERS
by C
Hampshire)
October Transferred to South American
Division, America and West
Indies.
2nd Took
passage from Scapa Flow for Plymouth
3rd Arrived
at Plymouth and AA armament supplemented by fit of 0.5in
machine
guns.
7th Deployed
with HM Battleship REVENGE, HM Cruisers ENTERPRISE
and CARADOC
for transfer of gold bullion for safe custody in Canada.
Took passage to Halifax.
17th Disembarked gold bullion.
Transferred to Halifax Escort Force.
18th Sailed from Halifax for UK as part of escort for Atlantic
convoy.
29th Arrived
at Portsmouth
November Nominated for transfer of further
gold bullion.
13th Passage to Canada after call at Plymouth.
21st Arrived at Halifax and rejoined Halifax Escort Force.
26th Sailed for Bermuda for exercises.
December
7th Arrived
at Halifax from Bermuda.
10th Took
passage from Halifax with HM Battlecruiser REPULSE,
HM Battleship RESOLUTION and HM
Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS
as escort
for military convoy TC1 during Atlantic passage.
(Note: This convoy comprised
troopships AQUITANIA, EMPRESS
OF BRITAIN, EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA, MONARCH
OF BERMUDA and DUCHESS OF ATHOLL taking first
contingent
of Canadian troops to UK)
19th Returned to Halifax after detaching from TC1.
20th Sailed from Halifax as escort for Atlantic convoy.
1 9 4 0
January
3rd Arrived
at Portsmouth for repair.
12th Took passage from Portsmouth for Halifax to resume duties.
18th Arrived
at Halifax.
22nd Sailed as escort for convoy during Atlantic passage.
February Halifax Escort Force deployment
in continuation.
Sustained structural damage in heavy
weather and machinery
defects.
Repair arranged at Southampton.
15th Taken in hand for repair at commercial shipyard.
March Under repair.
April
30th Post repair trials.
May
Embarked gold bullion and took passage to Halifax.
Deployed as escort for DUCHESS OF
RICHMOND for passage
from Halifax to Clyde.
Return passage to Halifax.
June
Deployed for escort of Halifax-Bermuda
convoy.
10th Sailed
from Halifax as escort for troopship EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA
during
passage to Iceland with Canadian troops for occupation after
fall of Denmark and initial landing of British forces.
16th Arrived
at Reykjavik and embarked survivors from British aircraft
and four
German prisoners of war for passage to Clyde.
19th Passage to Greenock.
23rd Embarked gold bullion at Greenock.
24th Sailed
from Greenock for Halifax escorted by HM Destroyers
COSSACK and
ATHERSTONE.
25th Escort
detached due to adverse weather conditions and required speed.
30th Arrived
at Halifax to discharge cargo and resume Halifax Escort Force
duties.
July
Deployed for escort of Halifax-Bermuda
convoys
Nominated for
escort of troop convoy on return from Bermuda.
Deployed with HM Battleship REVENGE
for escort of military
convoy TC6
taking Canadian troops to UK.
August
1st Arrived
in Clyde with TC6.
5th Joined
military convoy WS2 in Clyde as part of escort with HM
Cruiser SHROPSHIRE during passage to Middle
East in NW
Approaches.
7th Detached
from escort of WS2 and took passage to Halifax.
Transferred to Home waters in view of
threat of German invasion and took
passage to Clyde.
(Note: One source records that this
order was made during service
on
Halifax-Bermuda route after return to Halifax from WS2.)
September
13th Arrived
at Greenock for anti-invasion patrol duties in Western
Approaches Command.
17th Sailed
from Clyde with HMS REVENGE and four destroyers
to take
up duties
based at Plymouth.
29th Deployed
with HM Destroyers BROKE, VELOX, Polish ORP
GARLAND and ORP BLYSKAWICA to investigate report of two
German destroyers
in area of Scillies.
30th No
enemy ship sighted but HM Yacht SAPPHO was sunk near
Falmouth possibly by the reported vessels.
Remained in area with three
destroyers and carried out further search
overnight
without success.
October Returned to Plymouth.
11th Deployed
with HMS REVENGE, seven destroyers and six MGBs to
carry out
bombardment of Cherbourg screened by HM Cruisers
NEWCASTLE and CARDIFF with screen of six destroyers.
(Operation MEDIUM)
12th Returned to Plymouth on completion of MEDIUM.
17th Deployed
with HMS NEWCASTLE and five destroyers for patrol
in SW
Approaches.
HMS NEWCASTLE engaged five German
destroyers off Lands End
but range of
18,000 yards made joint fire with old weapons ineffective.
Under air attack Enemy ships fired
torpedoes which were avoided.
Enemy force retired at high speed
towards Brest and in view of
increased
air support, chase discontinued.
Returned to Plymouth and Paid-off prior to refit.
November Under repair and refit by HM
Dockyard, Devonport.
Additional close range weapons fitted
and after 6” gun removed.
December Under refit at Devonport.
1 9 4 1
January
2nd Recommisssioned
Sustained damage in collision with
dockyard wall on departure from
refit and
taken in hand for repair.
12th Took
passage from Plymouth to join 4th Cruiser Squadron in the East
Indies
and joined military convoy WS5B as part of Ocean Escort with
HM Cruisers NAIAD, PHOEBE and
AUSTRALIAN (RAN) for
Atlantic passage.
15th Remained
with HMAS AUSTRALIA as Ocean Escort for WS5B
when HMS
NAIAD and PHOEBE detached.
25th At Freetown with WS5B
February
8th At
Capetown with WS5B
(Note: One source records that ship
supported British military
operations
to occupy Italian Somaliland (Operation
CANVAS) and that she rejoined WS5B on
release.
Kismayu was
captured on 16th February. This record
is subject
to confirmation. Also entries marked *)
12th* Sailed
from Capetown with WS5B as Ocean Escort.
15th* Sailed
from Durban with WS5B as Ocean Escort,
21st Detached
from WS5B with troopships EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA,
EMPRESS OF JAPAN, ORMONDE and WINDSOR CASTLE as
Ocean Escort for passage into Mombasa as WS5BX.
Diverted on passage to join HM
Aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM
Cruisers AUSTRALIA (RAN), CANBERRA (RAN), GLASGOW
ENTERPRISE and SHROPSHIRE as Force V in search for German
commerce
raider ADMIRAL SCHEER reported in Indian Ocean.
(Note: British freighter CANADIAN
CRUISER reported a raider
attack on
21st and was subsequently sunk by ADMIRAL
SCHEER.)
24th Detached
from Force V when search abandoned
Passage to Bombay.
(Note: Sources are at variance
regarding further escort of WS5BX
which was
escorted by HM Cruiser CAPETOWN to Bombay
after 27th
and arrived at Bombay on 3rd March.)
March
7th Arrived
at Bombay and joined Squadron for trade defence and
convoy
escort in Indian Ocean.
(Note: This date tends to confirm
ship not part of WS5BX
escort and
is subject to confirmation)
11th Sailed
from Bombay to relieve HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
ANTENOR as escort for Convoy BM4 on
passage to Bombay
from Colombo.
23rd Detached
from BM4 and took passage to Trincomalee.
April
Passage to Karachi after call at Colombo.
8th Arrived
at Karachi.
10th Nominated
for support of British operations in Persian Gulf
after threat
of German forces being allowed to enter Iraq after
coup d’etat and took passage to Basra at all despatch.
13th Arrived
at Basra.
20th Joined
at Basra by HM Cruiser LEANDER which had arrived
with
military convoy BM7 bringing Indian troops.
May
Deployed in Persian Gulf up the Shatt-el-Arab in
support of
military
operations
(Note: During this period an outbreak
of malaria caused concern
as number of
cases reported over 70 with two deaths.)
June
Released from service with Persian Gulf
Division and took passage
to resume trade
defence duties based at Colombo.
On arrival deployed for escort of
convoy to Singapore.
15th Involved
in collision with HM Cruiser DAUNTLESS in Malacca
Straits and
sustained major damage.
(Note: This included partial flooding
of forward engine room
and
structural damage amidships with 14 of ship’s
company
killed or missing and five injured.)
16th Arrived at Singapore and taken in hand for repair.
July
Under repair by HM
Dockyard.
August On completion of post repair trials took passage to
join Force V
in search
for mercantile which proved to be friendly vessel.
Resumed Indian Ocean trade defence deployment.
25th At Seychelles.
September Deployed in search for Vichy French
ships reported on passage
to Europe
from Indo China.
15th Relieved
HM Cruiser HAWKINS as Ocean Escort for military
convoy WS10B
during passage to Bombay from Durban.
20th Detached from WS10B on arrival at Bombay.
October Indian Ocean deployment in continuation including search for
to
Vichy
French ships and escort of RFA Tanker DERWENTDALE
December from Durban to Aden in November.
1 9 4 2
January Escorted transport MOUNT VERNON from Mombasa to join
military
convoy BM1.
Escorted BM1 for
passage to Addu Atoll.
9th Escort
joined at Addu Atoll by HM Cruiser DURBAN, Dutch
cruiser JAVA
and HM Sloop JUMNA (RIN) for passage to
Singapore with BM1.
13th Arrived
at Singapore with HM Cruiser DURBAN, HM Destroyers
ENCOUNTER,
JUPITER and VAMPIRE (RAN) as escort for
Convoy DM1.
16th Embarked
Admiral Layton, recently appointed CinC
Eastern
Fleet after death of Admiral Phillips
at Batavia, Java for passage
to
Trincomalee to set up headquarters for Eastern Fleet to be
formed
following outbreak of war with Japan.
See Naval Staff History Battle Summary 15 Appendix A and
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).
21st Arrived
at Trincomalee.
28th Joined
Convoy BM12 as escort for passage to Singapore.
31st Joined
Convoy DM2 on passage from Durban
to Singapore
escorted by
HM Cruiser DANAE and Dutch cruiser JAVA.
Detached when BM12 ships transferred
and took passage to
Trincomalee.
February
3rd Arrived
at Trincomalee.
Resumed trade defence and covering
duties in Indian Ocean.
March
12th During
passage in Indian Ocean rescued nine survivors from
British vessel LAKSHIMA GOVINDA which
had been sunk by
a Japanese
submarine in Bay of Bengal on 10th.
Passage to Karachi to land survivors
Deployed with HM
Cruiser DORSETSHIRE.
23rd Nominated for transfer to Eastern Fleet on formation.
25th Rejoined Squadron at Trincomalee.
28th Nominated
with HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Aircraft
Carriers INDOMITABLE and FORMIDABLE
with HM
Cruisers CORNWALL, DORSETSHIRE, ENTERPRISE,
HM Destroyers NAPIER, NESTOR,
PALADIN, PANTHER,
HOTSPUR and
FOXHOUND for service as Force A.
See references.
30th Sailed
from Trincomalee with Dutch cruiser HEEMSKERCK
to join
Force A south of Ceylon.
31st Deployed
with Force A in search for Japanese warships reported
on passage
towards Ceylon.
April
4th Resumed
search after refuelling at Addu Atoll
(Note: HMS DORSETSHIRE and HMS
CORNWALL which
had been
detached from Force A were recalled but were
sunk on 5th
after being sighted by Japanese aircraft.)
7th Took
passage to Addu Atoll to refuel when operation
abandoned.
8th Passage
to Bombay with ships of Force A.
Passage to Seychelles with HMS RESOLUTION when Eastern
Fleet transferred to Mombasa in view of vulnerability of
Ceylon to Japanese air attacks.
May
Passage from Seychelles to Mombasa to resume trade defence,
raider
interception patrol and convoy escort in Indian Ocean.
8th Arrived
at Mombasa.
30th Joined
military convoy WS18 to relieve HM Battleship
RESOLUTION and HM Seaplane Carrier
ALBATROSS
as Ocean
Escort
31st Detached
from WS18 on relief by HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
WORCESTERSHIRE.
June
Escorted damaged battleship HMS RAMILLIES
during
passage from
Aden to Durban with three destroyers.
Detached to carry out patrol 80 miles
east of Durban to
intercept
Japanese commerce raiders acting as supply ships
for
submarines.
See WAR WITH JAPAN, Volume III (HMSO).
15th Escorted
mercantiles from Durban to join military convoy WS19
and joined
HMS SHROPSHIRE as Ocean Escort.
23rd Detached
from WS19 with HM Destroyers BELVOIR and
HURSLEY and took passage to Mombasa
Nominated for
return to UK for refit.
30th At Simonstown.
July
Passage to UK from Simonstown
(Note: It may be assumed that the
ship escorted a routine convoy
for all or
part of passage).
27th Arrived
in Clyde and took passage to Portsmouth.
August At Portsmouth. Paid off and prepared for refit.
7th Taken
in hand for refit and modernisation by HM Dockyard.
September Under
Dockyard Control.
to
Refit
work included:
December Aircraft warning radar Type 281
fitted with aerials on new
tripod
mainmast and existing foremast.
IFF incorporated in aircraft warning radar fit..
Surface warning radar Type 273 fitted
on Bridge structure.
Fire control radars Type 282 for
close range AA defence
and Type 285
for main armament
Close range AA defence armament
improved.
No 7 6in mounting transferred to
Quarterdeck site.
After torpedo tube
mounting replaced by Carley Float stowage.
F’csle Plating extended to midships
forward of waist.
1 9 4 3
January Under refit.
to
March
April
Post refit trials.
7th Recommissioned
for service in 4th Cruiser Squadron,
Eastern Fleet.
Took passage to Scapa Flow.
May
Carried out work-up for operational service
at Scapa Flow
up at Scapa Flow.
June
Deployed in NW Approaches
July
Joined military convoy KMF19 in Clyde
as part of escort during
passage to Gibraltar with troops and equipment for planned
landings in Sicily.
Detached from KMF19 on arrival at Gibraltar and took passage
to Cape of Good Hope.
(Note: One source records convoy
escort between Freetown
and Cape of Good Hope.
August Passage in Indian Ocean.
20th Arrived
at Kilindini for redesignated
service with 5th Cruiser
Squadron, Eastern Fleet for trade
defence and convoy escort in
Indian Ocean..
September
3rd Joined
military convoy WS32 as Ocean Escort on passage from
Durban to Bombay.
10th Detached from WS32 on arrival at Bombay.
Took passage to Aden
28th At Aden.
October Deployed for convoy defence
between Aden and Durban.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Transferred to Colombo for Fleet duties with 4th Cruiser
to
Squadron
and took passage from Kilindini.
February Deployed in Indian Ocean and Arabian
Sea.
(Note: By February HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM
Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and
VALIANT
had joined
Fleet at Trincomalee and were preparing
for
operations against enemy positions in Sumatra
and Andaman Islands. See WAR WITH JAPAN and
THE FORGOTTEN FLEET
by J Winton.)
March Nominated for return to UK.
3rd Took
passage from Trincomalee.
22nd Rescued
32 survivors from British freighter NANCY
MOLLER sunk by a Japanese submarine
on 18th.
(Note: Survivors were landed in Durban)
April
Passage in Atlantic.
Joined Home Fleet on arrival and took
passage to Rosyth
for refit.
Nominated for service in support of
planned allied landings
in Normandy with Bombarding Force K and to join Eastern
Task Force on release from Force K
(Operation NEPTUNE)
Target in Pre-Arranged Fire Plan –Arromanches for assault
by Force G
on GOLD beaches. For details see LANDINGS
IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO).)
May
2nd Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard.
(Note: Aircraft facilities removed
and additional 20mm
Oerlikon guns fitted.)
On completion joined 10th Cruiser
Squadron at Scapa Flow.
Took part in
bombardment exercises off Cape Wrath.
31st Arrived
in Clyde to join ships of Force K
June
3rd Took
passage to Portsmouth with HM Cruisers ORION,
AJAX, ARGONAUT and Dutch Gunboat FLORES,
HM
Destroyers GRENVILLE
and UNDINE.
4th Operation
delayed 24 hours.
5th In
Solent awaiting departure through swept channel.
6th Arrived
in Bombardment position.
Carried out
bombardment of batteries off Gold Beach.
7th Under
air attack and sustained slight damage from near
miss.
Provided
naval gunfire support for landing of Royal Marine
Commando attack on
Port en Besin. Towed to position because
of threat from acoustic mines after DRAGON blew up alongside.
16th Returned
to Portsmouth to replenish for further support
duties in
Eastern Task Force.
July
Eastern Task Force
deployment in continuation.
7th Provided
naval gunfire support during military operations
in Caen area.
On release from Eastern Task Force
took passage to Rosyth
for repair
August Under
repair at Rosyth.
On completion
future service under consideration.
(Note: Transfer to RCN for training duties was not
implemented.)
September Withdrawn from operational use and
Paid-off.
to
Reduced
to Reserve status at Rosyth.
October Reducing
to Reserve.
November
3rd Accepted
into Reserve Category B at Rosyth.
December Laid-up at Rosyth
1 9 4 5
January Deployed as Senior Officer’s
Ship, Reserve Fleet Rosyth.
to August from
March
