1
9 1 7
November
Contractors trials.
December
Commissioned. for service in Grand
Fleet.
14th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
1
9 1 8
January
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to Harwich to join 5th Light
Cruiser
Squadron.
February
Prepared for operational service with
Squadron.
March
Deployed in North Sea for Squadron
duties
to
October
November
Squadron duties in continuation.
11th
Germany signed Armistice.
December
Nominated for service in Baltic
1
9 1 9
January
Passage to Baltic with other ships of
Squadron to relieve Baltic Squadron
which had been
deployed in November 1918 to assist in
defence of Baltic States against Bolshevik
troops.
Entered Baltic via Kiel Canal.
February
Deployed in Baltic.
to
Nominated for transfer to 1st Light
Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet on
return to UK.
April
May
Joined Squadron for Atlantic Fleet
service.
to
Nominated for reduction to Reserve
status.
June
Passage to Devonport.
July
Reduced to Reserve at Devonport.
August
Laid-up in Reserve Fleet at Chatham
to
December
1
9 2 0
January
Transferred to Reserve Fleet at Rosyth.
to
Nominated for service in 5th Light
Cruiser Squadron on China Station..
March
April
Prepared for service.
27th
Commissioned for service at Rosyth
May
Carried out sea trials and work-up.
June
Passage to Singapore to join Squadron
July
Joined Squadron.
August
Deployed with Squadron on China Station.
to
December
1
9 2 1
China Station
deployment with Squadron in
continuation.
1
9 2 2
January
Squadron
deployment on China Station in
continuation.
to
Nominated for service with 8th Light
Cruiser Squadron on America and West
Indies Station
August
September
Passage to UK to recommission.
October
Paid-off.
November
Prepared for recommissioning at Chatham.
24th
Recommissioned for service on America
and West Indies Station
December
Passage to West Indies.
1
9 2 3
Deployed with 8th Light Cruiser Squadron
(Note: Briefly deployed with HM
Battlecruisers REPULSE, and HOOD as part
of escort
during passage in Atlantic for Royal
Tour by HM The Prince of Wales.)
1
9 2 4 t
o 1 9 2 6
West Indies
Squadron deployment in continuation.
(Note: Ships of Squadron carried out
visits programme to ports in both
North and South
America in Atlantic and Pacific as well
Squadron
exercises
Based at Bermuda.)
1
9 2 7
January
Returned to UK
and Paid-off into Reserve
to
Nominated for service as a troopship
April
1928
January
China Station deployment in continuation
to
Nominated
for return to UK for refit and to
Pay-off into Reserve.
June
July
Passage to UK.
August
Arrived
at Chatham
September
15th
Paid
off into Dockyard control at Chatham.
Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard,
Chatham.
October
Under
refit
to
December
1
9 2 9
January
Under
refit
to
Nominated
for service with 3rd Cruiser Squadron
Mediterranean Fleet
on completion
July
of refit.
August
Dockyard work completed and
re-commissioned.
September
Passage to join Squadron in Mediterranean on completion of post
refit trials and shakedown.
October
Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean.
1930
to
1932
Deployed
with Squadron in Mediterranean and took
part in Fleet Exercise
and
Visits programmes.
Routine dockings and refits were carried
out in Malta.
1933
January
Mediterranean
deployment with Squadron in
continuation.
to
Nominated
for reduction to Reserve
July
August
Passage to Sheerness
22nd
Paid-off at Chatham.
September
Re-allocated
for further service
23rd
Re-commissioned
for service with 1st Cruiser Squadron,
Mediterranean Fleet.
October
On completion of trials took passage to
join Squadron in Malta.
November
Deployed with Squadron for Mediterranean
Fleet duties.
to
December
1934
to 1935
Mediterranean
Fleet service with Squadron in
continuation
1
9 3 6
January
Squadron deployment in Mediterranean in
continuation.
to
Nominated for return to UK for
conversion as an Anti-aircraft Cruiser.
September
October
Passage to Chatham to Pay-off into
Dockyard control
November
Taken in hand for conversion by HM
Dockyard, Chatham
to
(Note: This ship and HM Cruiser COVENTRY
were the prototypes for a new design of
December
warship specifically intended to provide
defence against air attacks. Changes
made
Included the replacement of the existing
armament by ten single 4" AA guns and
the
provision of two multiple 2pdr Pom Pom
mountings. Fire control of new weapons
was provided by new control platforms on
foremast and on new superstructure aft.
Under conversion at Chatham.
1
9 3 7
January
Under conversion.
to
Commissioned for trials.
April
May
On completion of dockyard work carried
out trials on new equipment.
Deployed with 10th Cruiser Squadron
June
Attended Coronation Review by HM King
George VI at Spithead.
July
Trials in continuation with Home Fleet.
to
December
1
9 3 8
January
On completion of trials nominated for
service as Boys Training Ship at
Chatham.
to
July
August
Commissioned for service as Training
Ship at Chatham.
September
Deployed at Chatham for training duties.
to
December
1
9 3 9
January
Training Ship deployment at Chatham in
continuation
to
Nominated for installation of prototype
aircraft warning radar outfit Type
79Z
July
(Note: This was
the first RN designed radar and had been
under development by HM Signal
School Extension at Southsea since 1936.
An earlier version Type 79Y had been
fitted in HM Battleship RODNEY and HM
Cruiser SHEFFIELD during 1938.
It had been intended to fit this
improved version in HM Cruiser DUNEDIN
at
Portsmouth.)
August
Installation of radar in hand at
Chatham,
(Note: Changes were needed to both masts
to accommodate the radar
aerial units.)
War complement joined ship
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
Conversion including docking in
continuation
23rd
Refit and installation work completed.
25th
Arrived at Portland after radar trials
on passage.
October
1st
Took passage to
Scapa Flow to continue work-up and radar
trials.
3rd
Deployed at Scapa Flow.
21st
On completion of work-up deployed with
Home Fleet.
(Note: Major Fleet units had been
transferred to Loch Ewe after sinking
of HM
Battleship ROYAL OAK on 14th.)
30th
On completion of trials took passage to
Rosyth
November
2nd
Returned to Scapa Flow from Rosyth for
Fleet deployment.
5th
Deployed as escort for convoy in North
Sea.
10th
Sailed from Scapa Flow for convoy air
defence duties in North Sea.
24th
Took passage from Grimsby for air
defence duties.
28th
Arrived at Chatham.
December
At Chatham.
9th
Sailed from Chatham to Scapa Flow to
resume Home Fleet duties.
12th
Under repair at Invergordon. Resumed
Fleet duties on completion.
1
9 4 0
January
Deployed for air
defence duties in North Sea.
Nominated for transfer to 1st AA
Squadron with Humber Force
16th
Took passage to Humber with call at
Rosyth.
21st
Deployed with Humber Force for convoy
defence in North Sea.
February
Humber Force deployment in continuation.
to
March
April
8th
Transferred to Scapa Flow for duty with
Home Fleet after German invasion
of Norway,
Deployed with Fleet units to provide air
defence cover during support of military
operations.
9th
Passage to Norway to join Fleet Units
for air defence.
16th
Deployed at Namsos to provide AA defence
during landings (Operation MAURICE)
(Note: Arrival as escort to military
convoy had been delayed.)
19th
Deployed at Namsos to provide air
defence during landing of French
troops.
21st
Return passage to Scapa Flow.
23rd
Deployed with HM Aircraft Carriers
GLORIOUS and ARK ROYAL, HM Cruiser
BERWICK and screen of six Home Fleet
destroyers during passage
to Narvik to provide
air defence (Operation DX.)
(Note: The aircraft carriers were also
taking RAF GLADIATOR fighter aircraft
for use in
Norway
24th
Under heavy and sustained air attacks
which caused some damage.
28th
Relieved by HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD.
May
1st
Detached from air defence duties off
Norway and took passage to
Scapa Flow for repair and replenishment.
5th
Resumed air defence duties off Norway
Deployed with HMS ARK ROYAL, HMS
GLORIOUS, HMS BERWICK and Fleet
destroyers in support of military
operations.
24th
Deployed as AA Guardship at Ofotfjord.
to
25th
26th
Under air attack whilst on passage off
Skutenes, Lavangfjord near Narvik
and hit by
stick of bombs.
Sank in position 67.32N 16.37E in Lavang
Fjord. (Casualty
List - note
on casualties)
(Note: The loss of this valuable ship
one of few with an aircraft warning
radar outfit
deprived the Fleet of invaluable air
cover at a critical stage of the
Norwegian
campaign.
For details of the disastrous operations
off Norway during April. May and June
see NARVIK by D Macintyre, CARRIER
GLORIOUS by J Winton, THE
DOOMED EXPEDITION by J Adams and Naval
Staff History (HMSO –2001).
