CERES-Class
cruiser built by John Brown of Clydebank,
Glasgow and laid down on 11th July 1916. The
ship was launched on 24th March 1917 as the
5th RN warship to bear this name first used
in 1777. Build completion was on 2nd June
1917 and she served in Home Waters during
WW1. In March 1942 the ship was adopted by
the civil community of the Borough of Luton,
Bedfordshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign.
1
9 1 7
May
Contractors trials
Commissioned for Grand Fleet service in
6th Light Cruiser Squadron
June
2nd
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to join Squadron at Scapa
Flow.
July
Joined Squadron for operational service
in Grand Fleet.
July
Deployed with Grand Fleet in Squadron.
to
December
1
9 1 8
January
Grand Fleet service in continuation.
to
Nominated for service in Baltic for
support of operations against Communist
forces.
November
December
Deployed in Baltic
1
9 1 9
On release from service with Squadron in
Baltic nominated for transfer to 3rd
Light Cruiser
Squadron.
Returned to UK
to prepare for foreign
service in Mediterranean.
Joined Squadron in Mediterranean.
1
9 2 0 t
o 1 9 2 2
Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean
included periods in Black
Sea
for support of
operations
against Communist forces.
(Note: Return to UK
to re-commission for further service in
3rd Light Cruiser Squadron
is to be
confirmed.)
1
9 2 3 t
o 1 9 2 6
Mediterranean
service in continuation.
Damaged in collision with US destroyer
USS FOX
at entrance with Bosphorus
(April 2nd)
1
9 2 7
Re-commissioned for further service in Mediterranean with 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron after
refit by HM
Dockyard Chatham
(Note: This refit may have been
consequent on collision and is to be
confirmed.)
Rejoined Squadron in
Mediterranean.
1
9 2 8
Towed damaged cruiser HMS CALEDON to Piraeus
after collision in Aegean
with Italian
mercantile
(January)
Deployed as Temporary Flagship 3rd Light
Cruiser Squadron.
1
9 2 9
Mediterranean service in continuation
Nominated for refit before reduction to
Reserve status
Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard
Chatham (October).
1
9 3 0
Under refit
1
9 3 1
Nominated for Reserve service at
Devonport
Passage to Devonport on completion of
refit and post refit trials (March)
(Note: Cost of refit is recorded as
£100,000.
Reduced to Reserve at Devonport.
1
9 3 2
Laid-up in Reserve
at Devonport.
Nominated for service to replace HM
Cruiser CASTOR in 3rd Cruiser Squadron
Mediterranean Fleet
Passage to Chatham to re-commission (April)
Re commissioned and took passage to join
Squadron.
Deployed in Mediterranean pending relief
by HM Cruiser DURBAN
Returned to UK
to Pay-off at Chatham
(October)
Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status
Laid-up in Nore
Reserve.
1
9 3 3
t o 1 9 3 4
Laid-up at Chatham.
1
9 3 5
Transferred to Devonport Reserve and
towed to Plymouth
(May)
Laid-up at Devonport
1
9 3 6 t
o 1 9 3 8
Laid-up at
Devonport.
(Note: Nomination for service during
Munich Crisis 1938 to be confirmed)
Conversion for use as an AA Cruiser was
approved but not implement.)
1
9 3 9
January
Laid-up at Devonport
to
Nominated for attendance at Royal Review
in September manned by Reservists from
June
Royal Fleet Reserve and RNVR
Division.)
July
Brought forward for Review with reduced
complement.
August
Commissioned temporarily with Reservists
for Royal Review at Weymouth
by H M King
George VI.
9th
Attended Royal Review as part of 20th
Cruiser Squadron
28th
War Station allocated
Stored and prepared for war service and
additional complement joined.
Remained
in commission.
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
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September
Passage to Portland
3rd
Deployed at Portland
with Channel Force and worked-up for
service.
11th
Nominated for escort of troop convoys
taking BEF to France
and took passage to Plymouth.
(Note: Deployed as escort for five
convoys with BEF personnel and
equipment.)
October
1st
Took passage
from Plymouth
to Gibraltar
8th
Arrived at Gibraltar.
10th
Sailed for Plymouth.
13th
On arrival taken in hand for repair by
HM Dockyard, Devonport.
20th
Transferred to 11th Cruiser Squadron
for interception of blockade runners.
27th
On completion sailed to Scapa
Flow
to join Squadron for Northern Patrol
duties.
31st
Called at Sullom Voe
November
2nd
Began first
patrol.
9th
Returned to Sullom Voe from patrol
12th
Sailed for patrol
23rd
Joined HM Cruisers SUFFOLK and CALYPSO
to search for the German battleships
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU after the
sinking of HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
RAWALPINDI.
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and
Naval Staff
History.)
24th
Returned to Sullom Voe.
.
26th
Sailed for patrol with call in Clyde.
December
16th
Returned to Scapa
Flow
to replenish and sailed on completion.
25th
Returned to Scapa
Flow.
28th
Sailed for patrol.
1
9 4 0
January
11th
Left patrol for repair in Belfast
13th
Taken in hand for repair.
February
Nominated for duty with 5th Cruiser
Squadron on completion of repair.
7th
Prepared for foreign
service on China Station.
16th
Passage to Malta.
22nd
Arrived in Malta.
March
Took passage from Malta
for Singapore
with HM Cruiser COLOMBO
to join Squadron.
27th
Sailed from Colombo.
31st
Arrived at Singapore
with HMS COLOMBO.
April
Retained at Singapore
with HMS COLOMBO for Indian
Ocean
patrol and trade defence
(Note: Commerce raiders were known to be
active in this area.)
29th
Passage to Ceylon
May
Deployed on patrol, convoy defence and
interception of commerce raiders in Indian
Ocean
and Red Sea.
June
8th
Squadron deployment in Indian Ocean
in continuation when Italy
commenced hostilities.
July
Patrol and trade defence in
continuation.
August
Nominated for support of military
operations in Somaliland.
15th
Joined HM Cruisers HOBART, CALEDON
and CARLISLE,
HM Destroyers KANDAHAR
and
KIMBERLEY
with three sloops, three Auxiliaries and
a hospital ship for evacuation of troops
and civilians from Berbera.
Over
7,000 persons were embarked and
taken to Aden.
17th
Bombarded Italian army column on Zeila-Bemera
road.
September
Resumed Indian
Ocean
trade defence role when released.
7th
Met military Convoy WS2a and escorted mv
LLANGIBBY
CASTLE
into Mombasa.
October
Indian
Ocean deployment in continuation.
November
1st
Under repair at Durban
(see Addenda).
10th
On completion resumed Indian
Ocean
trade defence duties
December
Indian
Ocean
deployment in continuation.
1
9 4 1
January
Deployed in Indian
Ocean
and Red
Sea
on trade defence.
29th
Deployed with HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE
as relief for HM Cruiser HAWKINS as
Ocean
Escort for military Convoy WS5A during
passage from Durban
to Aden.
30th
Remained with WS5A as Ocean Escort when
HMS SHROPSHIRE detached on relief by HM
Cruiser ENTERPRISE.
February
1st
Remained with WS5A when HMS ENTERPRISE
detached.
4th
On relief as Ocean Escort for WS5A
escorted ss
NIEUW AMSTERDAM and ss
ORBITA into
Mombasa.
Nominated for support of military
operations in Somaliland
and took passage to join RN ships
off Kismayu.
Blockaded Kismayu
with HM Cruisers COLOMBO
and SHROPSHIRE.
10th
Joined Force T with HM Cruisers SHROPSHIRE, HAWKINS and CAPETOWN, HM Aircraft
Carrier HERMES and HM Destroyer KANDAHAR
to support the military advance into
Italian
Somaliland.
14th
Intercepted German ship UCKERMARK which
had broken out of Kismayu.
Enemy ship scuttled on approach. Resumed
support operations.
25th
Released to resume Squadron trade
defence duties..
March
Deployed on convoy escort between Aden,
Mombasa
and Trincomalee.
21st
Under repair at Colombo
28th
Resumed convoy defence duty on
completion.
April
Deployed on
convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
to
June
July
2nd
Under refit and repair at Simonstown.
August
11th
On completion resumed convoy defence
in Indian
Ocean.
September
Convoy defence duty in continuation.
22nd
Relieved HM Battleship REVENGE as Ocean
Escort for military Convoy WS10X during
passage in Indian Ocean.
27th
Detached from WS10X on arrival at Aden.
October
13th
Relieved HM Battlecruiser REPULSE as
Ocean Escort for military Convoy WS11
during
passage in Indian Ocean from Durban.
19th
Detached from WS11 on arrival at Aden.
December
21st
Met military Convoy WS12X off Durban
and escorted ss
ORIZABA
into Mombasa.
1
9 4 2
January
Indian
Ocean
trade defence role in continuation.
16th
Joined HM Battleship RAMILLIES in Ocean
Escort for military Convoy WS14 during
passage from
Durban
to Bombay.
19th
Detached from WS14 as escort for ships
destined for Aden when convoy divided.
20th
Detached from WS14 ships on arrival at Aden.
February
17th
Joined HM Destroyer NORMAN and HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser CHESHIRE
and deployed
as Ocean Escort
for military Convoy WS15 during passage
from Durban
to Aden.
26th
Detached from WS15 with ships destined for
Aden
and deployed as Ocean Escort during
passage as
re-designated Convoy WS15A
March
1st
Detached from WS15Awith HM Cruiser COLOMBO
on arrival at Aden.
Transferred to 5th
Cruiser Squadron Eastern Fleet on
formation.
Deployment for Trade
defence and patrol in continuation.
April
Transferred to Kilindini when Eastern
Fleet ships withdrawn from Ceylon
(For details of naval activities in Indian Ocean see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) ).
May
Based at Kilindini for convoy defence in
Indian Ocean.
to
August
September
Under refit in HM Dockyard Simonstown.
(Note: Close range AA defence
implemented by singe 20mm weapons.)
Twin Torpedo Tube Mountings were removed
and four additional 20mm guns.).
October
Resumed convoy defence on completion
November
Deployed for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
(Note: Deployment as part of Ocean
Escort for WS24 to be confirmed.)
December
Indian
Ocean
convoy defence and patrol in
continuation.
1
9 4 3
January
Indian
Ocean deployment in continuation.
to
February
March
1st
Joined Ocean Escort for military Convoy
WS26 off Durban
(Note: WS26 comprised ships destined for
Aden
and Bombay.)
8th
Detached from WS26 during passage
before ships for Aden
left convoy.
April
Indian
Ocean
deployment in continuation
Nominated for refit
in Bombay.
Passage to Bombay.
May
Under refit in Bombay.
(Note: Surface warning radar Type 271
may have been fitted during this refit.
For details of development and use of
radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA
by D Howse.)
June
Resumed convoy defence duty in Indian Ocean.
July
Indian
Ocean
convoy defence in continuation.
to
(Note: Radar Type 286 for air/surface
warning is recorded as being fitted by
this period.)
August
September
Withdrawn ran operational service in East
Indies.
Took passage for UK
27th
Sailed from Suez
to Plymouth
October
On arrival in Plymouth
future deployment under consideration.
November
Use as an Accommodation Ship decided and
complement reduced.
to
December
1
9 4 4
January
Deployed at Devonport pending decision
February
Began
use as an
Accommodation Ship.
March
Accommodation
Ship deployment in continuation.
April
Nominated or support of Normandy landings as Depot Ship at GOOSEBERRY 1
in US
Sector to the east of St Martin de Varreville
(Operation NEPTUNE)
May
Conversion for support duties in hand by
HM Dockyard, Devonport..
(Note: Radar Type 290 fitted to replace
Type 286.)
6in main armament and 2pdr Pom
Pom weapons
were removed and 20mm guns added.)
June
8th
Passage to GOOSEBERRY 1.
9th
Began duty as Depot Ship and also used
as Control Ship for both northbound and
southbound
sailings during Build -up Phase.
(For details of NEPTUNE see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and the Naval Staff
History LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY
June 1944 (HMSO).)
July
Released from NEPTUNE
August
Withdrawn from operational service and
resumed duty as Accommodation Ship for
Plymouth
Command.
September
Deployed as an Accommodation Ship.
Nominated for reduction to Reserve
status
October
Paid-off into Reserve.
November
Reducing to Reserve prior to laying up
at Falmouth.
December
Deployment changed.
Transferred to Portsmouth
for further use as accommodation
ship in Fountain
Lake.
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed as an Accommodation Ship at Portsmouth
in continuation.
to
August
