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1
9 3 9
August
9th
Attended Review
of Reserve Fleet at Weymouth.
War
complement joined and remained in
commission.
War
Station allocated for Atlantic patrol
with 4th Cruiser Squadron.
Completed
storing and took passage to join
Squadron.
September
6th
Joined Squadron at Portsmouth
9th
Sailed for Scapa
Flow
18th
Carried out patrol in NW Approaches to
intercept enemy shipping on passage to
ports
in
Germany.
October
2nd
After two
patrols transferred to America
and West Indies Squadron.
Took passage to Plymouth.
(For details of blockade operations
see THE BLOCKADERS by C Hampshire).
7th
Embarked
gold bullion for transfer to
Canada
to pay for war materials obtained in
USA. Sailed with HM Cruiser EMERALD
escorted by HM Battleship REVENGE
and HM Cruiser CARADOC.
22nd
On
arrival at
Halifax
transferred to Halifax Escort Force.
23rd
Deployed on patrol off eastern Canada.
November
Deployed as Ocean Escort for
Canada
-
UK
convoys
2nd
Sailed
from
Halifax
as escort for Atlantic convoy.
15th
Arrived
at
Portsmouth
December
4th
Sailed
for
Portland
to resume Atlantic convoy defence.
8th
Passage
from
Portland
to join convoy.
15th
At
Halifax.
19th
Sailed
from
Halifax
for convoy escort duty.
29th
Arrived at Portsmouth
after detaching from convoy.
1
9 4 0
January
4th
Sailed
from
Portsmouth
to join Atlantic convoy.
10th
On
arrival at
Halifax
transferred to West Indies Station for
trade protection.
14th
Passage to
Bermuda.
(Note: See entry for 27th February)
23rd
Return
passage to
Halifax.
26th
On
arrival prepared for return to
Portsmouth for refit.
February
27th
During passage to
Portsmouth intercepted
German freighter KONSUL HORN but
could not board
because
of weather.
Mercantile
avoided capture and arrived safely in
Germany.
(Note:
One source records this interception
during January off
Aruba and that
blockade runner,
purporting
to be a Soviet mercantile was not
detained.)
March
2nd
Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.
April
Under refit
Nominated for duty
with Home Fleet on completion.
11th
Carried
out post refit trials and took passage
to
Scapa
Flow.
14th
Deployed with Home Fleet in support
of operations in Norway
(Operation
RUPERT).
19th
Came under unsuccessful attack by
U65 off
Lofoten
Islands.
(Note: This was due to torpedo
failure. See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR Vol
1.)
21st
Relieved
HM Cruiser EFFINGHAM on patrol off
Harstad.
24th
Bombarded enemy positions at Narvik
with
H M Battleship WARSPITE, HM
Cruiser AURORA and
HM Cruiser EFFINGHAM.
May
Deployment
in support of military operations in
continuation.
4th
Rescued
survivors from Polish destroyer ORP
GROM sunk in air attacks.
7th
Deployed
with HM Cruiser
CAIRO,
HM Destroyer HESPERUS and HM Sloop
FLEETWO0D
to
take Scots
Guards to Mo to hold the southern
approaches to
Narvik.
11th
Embarked
Scots Guards for passage to
Mo.
Passage to Bodo
with HM Destroyer HESPERUS, HM Sloop
FLEETWOOD
and ss MARGOT.
12th
Landed
troops at
Mo.
Came under
sustained air attacks.
13th
Provided gunfire support to French
Foreign Legion landings at
Herjansfjord.
29th
Withdrawn from operational service.
Embarked
members of Norwegian Government and 20
tone of gold before passage
to Devonport for
repair
(For details of the disastrous naval
operations off
Norway
see NARVIK by Donald
Macintyre,
CARRIER GLORIOUS by
John. THE DOOMED EXPEDITION
by J
Adams and Naval Staff History
(HMSO.)
31st
Landed
passengers and gold before being taken
in hand for repair by HM
Dockyard at
Devonport.
June
Under repair.
Nominated for duty
at
Gibraltar
with newly formed Force H.
22nd
Dockyard
work completed. Joined
Force H on formation at Plymouth.
29th
Sailed from
Plymouth to join HM
Battleships HOOD, VALIANT, RESOLUTION,
HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL, HM Cruiser
ARETHUSA and ships of the 8th
Destroyer Flotilla at
Gibraltar.
July
Arrived at
Gibraltar and deployed with Force
H to attempt negotiation with the
French Admiral at
Mers-el-Kebir
for satisfactory disposal of French
warships.
(Operation
CATAPULT - for details see
THE DEADLY STROKE by
W. Tute
8th
Covered
passage of HMS ARK ROYAL for air
attacks on Cagliari
with HMS
HOOD, HMS VALIANT, HMS RESOLUTION, HM Cruisers
DELHI and
ARETHUSA screened by destroyers
9th
Under
high level air attacks.
10th
Deployed
with Force H to provide cover passage
of convoys threatened by attack
by Italian
warship in
western
Mediterranean.
23rd
Deployed
with screen of four destroyers to
cover air strikes by HMS ARK ROYAL
on targets at
Bordeaux and on enemy
shipping
(Note: This operation was cancelled
because of weather conditions.)
26th
Returned
to Gibraltar.
31st
Joined
HMS HOOD, HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,
FORESTER, FORESIGHT and
FOXHOUND as Group 1 of Force H to
provide cover for aircraft delivery to
Malta
by HMS
ARGUS
(Operation HURRY) and diversionary
attacks by aircraft from
HMS
ARK ROYAL (Operation CRUSH).
For details of naval operations in
the Mediterranean
between 1940 and 1942 see
THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by C
Barnett and Naval Staff History
(HMSO).
August
Transferred to West Africa Command as
part of the
re-organisation of Force H.
28th
Sailed for Capetown with call at Freetown.
September
On arrival at Simonstown
became Flagship of South American
Division.
Deployed for trade
defence and interception duty in
South
Atlantic.
(Note: German commerce
raiders were active in
South Atlantic.)
October
Trade defence and interception in
continuation.
25th
Refuelled
at
Buenos Aires.
November
Convoy defence and interception duty
in continuation.
December
7th
Joined
HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE and
CUMBERLAND in an
unsuccessful search
for the German raider
THOR (Raider E - SCHIFF
10) after she had attacked and
damaged HM
Armed Merchant
Cruiser
CARNARVON
CASTLE
south east of
Rio
on 5th December.
18th
Carried
out search for German battleship
ADMIRAL SCHEER between
Rio
de
Janeiro
and
Plate Estuary with
the same ships.
1
9 4 1
January
Deployed in
South
Atlantic and
Indian
Ocean for trade defence and
interception.
30th
Replaced
HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE
as Ocean Escort for military convoy
WS5A
during passage
in
Indian
Ocean.
(Note: This convoy from
UK
was taking troops to
Middle East.)
February
Transferred to
East
Indies Squadron.
1st
Detached
from WS5Aand took passage to join
escort for troop convoy on
passage from
Australia
to Aden.
22nd
Detached
from convoy at
Aden
and joined HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES,
HM
Cruisers
AUSTRALIA
(RAN)),
CANBERRA
(RAN),
GLASGOW,
SHROPSHIRE
and EMERALD
as a Hunting
Group. Searched
for German battleship ADMIRAL
SCHEER in Indian
Ocean.
24th
After
search abandoned detached from Group
and joined military convoy WS5BX
off
Mombasa as Ocean
Escort during passage to
Bombay.
(Note: This convoy was part of Convoy
WS5B and included ships destined for
the
Middle
East and
Singapore.
Ships for
Singapore
were designated WS5BX.
The convoy comprised EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA, EMPRESS OF JAPAN,
ORMONDE and WINDSOR
CASTLE.
27th
HM
Cruiser CAPETOWN joined for Ocean
Escort.
March
3rd
Arrived
at
Bombay
with WS5BX.
5th
Joined
4th Cruiser Squadron,
East
Indies.
Sailed from
Bombay as escort
for rms
AQUITANIA and rms
EMPRESS OF
JAPAN during passage to
Singapore.
8th
HM
Cruiser
DURBAN
joined escort.
9th
Detached
from convoy and took passage to rejoin
Squadron.
April
Covered
transit of military convoy to Basra
for occupation of Iraq.
(Operation COUNTENANCE.)
28th
Deployed
at
Basra
with HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES and HM
Cruisers
LEANDER and EMERALD to support
landings of allied troops after
pro-German
revolt in Iraq.
May
Remained in
Persian
Gulf in support of military
operations.
June
Resumed trade defence and interception
duties
in Indian
Ocean.
July
Indian
Ocean
deployment in continuation.
to
August
September
Deployed with HM Cruisers MAURITIUS
and HAWKINS for the interception of a
Vichy
French convoy on
passage in
Indian Ocean
to Madagascar
from Indo
China. (Operation SNIP -
See WAR WITH
JAPAN).
12th
Search for Vichy French convoy
unsuccessful.
(Note: This was possibly due to
diversion of RAF aircraft. See
Reference.)
October
Indian Ocean
trade defence duty in continuation.
November
Under
refit at
Colombo.
(Note:
During this period the two 6in gun
mountings fitted amidships on either
beam were
replaced by two quadruple 2pdr Pom-pom
mountings for
defence
against air
attack at close range.)
December
After
outbreak of war with
Japan
deployed for escort of military
convoys in Bay of
Bengal
to
Rangoon
and Singapore.
(Note: For details of Fleet
dispositions see WAR WITH Japan (HMSO)
1
9 4 2
January
Part of escort for military convoy
EM10 during
passage to
Singapore.
Returned to
Colombo,
February
Embarked Royal Marines (VIPER Force)
at
Colombo for passage
to
Rangoon
for
the defence of
Burma
against Japanese advance.
11th
Arrived
at
Rangoon
and resumed convoy defence role after
landing marines.
March
Deployed in
Indian
Ocean.
7th
Relieved
US
cruiser USS
PHOENIX
as escort for Convoy MS5 in
Celebes
Sea.
31st
Allocated
to Force A of Eastern Fleet with HM
Battleship WARSPITE, HM
Aircraft
Carriers
INDOMITABLE, FORMIDABLE, HM Cruisers,
CORNWALL,
DORSETSHIRE
and EMERALD.
Took part in unsuccessful search for
Japanese
warships reported to be heading
towards
Ceylon.
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY, OPERATION PACIFIC
by E Gray and
WAR WITH
JAPAN
(HMSO).)
April
5th
Carried
out further search for Japanese ships
which were not intercepted,
6th
Rescued
1,122 survivors from HMS DORSETSHIRE
in
Indian
Ocean with HM
Destroyers PALADIN
and
PANTHER.
Landed survivors
at
Bombay
after refuelling at Addu
Atoll.
May
Deployed
in
Indian Ocean
on interception and trade defence
duties.
30th
Joined
military convoy WS18 with HMS EMERALD
for Ocean Escort during
passage in
Indian Ocean as reliefs
for HM Battleship RESOLUTION and H M
Seaplane Carrier ALBATROSS.
June
2nd
Remained
with WS18 as escort for Bombay
Section when Aden Section detached.
7th
Detached
from WS18 on arrival at
Bombay
and resumed Squadron duties.
July
Escorted Troopship MONARCH OF BERMUDA
during
passage from
Aden
to
Kilindini.
(Note: This mercantile had been part
of military convoy WS19 and was
on
return passage to
UK
after troops disembarked in
Egypt.)
16th
Joined
military convoy WS19P to relieve Dutch
cruiser HEEMSKERCK as Ocean
Escort during
passage in
Indian Ocean.
17th
Detached
with
Bombay
section (designated Convoy WS19PB as
Ocean Escort.
23rd
Detached from WS19PB on arrival at Bombay
and resumed Squadron duties.
August
Indian
Ocean
deployment in continuation.
Passage to join military convoy WS
21PG
20th
Joined
WS21PG off
Durban
with HM Destroyer DUNCAN and HM
Corvette
CYCLAMEN for Ocean
Escort during initial phase of
passage to Persian
Gulf.
(Note: HM Armed Merchant Cruiser was
already with convoy)
25th
Detached
from WS21PG with HMS DUNCAN during
passage and resumed
Squadron duties
for trade
defence.
September
Indian
Ocean
deployment in continuation.
11th
Joined
military convoy WS21B as relief for HM
Cruiser HAWKINS as Ocean
Escort.
19th
Detached on arrival of remaining mercantiles
from WS21B at
Bombay.
(Note: Two of the five ships in WS21B
detached during passage for
Persian Gulf
as independents.)
Took passage to Bombay.
27th
Nominated for return to UK
via
Cape
of Good Hope.
October
Refuelled at
Aden and took passage to Kilindini.
21st
During
passage took part in search by HM
Cruisers MAURITIUS and HAWKINS
for a Japanese mercantile suspected as
being used as submarine supply ship.
(Operation DEMCAT).
(Note: This operation was terminated
on 30th October)
27th
Diverted
during passage in
Atlantic
to assist HM Cruiser PHOEBE which had
been
beached at Pointe
Noire in
French Equatorial Africa
after being hit by torpedo from
U161. On entry at 16 knots with two paravanes
streamed on either beam both
fouled. (Note: One on a lighthouse and the
other on the Mole. This brought the
ship to a
halt !)
November
Deployed off west
African
coast.
1st
Resumed
passage to
UK.
2nd
Arrived
at
Freetown.
December
Passage
to
Clyde.
Paid off and taken in hand for refit
at commercial shipyard.
1
9 4 3
January
Taken in hand for refit in
Clyde shipyard.
February
Under refit
to
Work carried out included:
October
Replacement of the two 6in
mountings on either beam.
Fire control radar Type 284 fitted on
forward Director for forward twin 6”
mounting
Fire control radar Type 285 fitted
amidships for AA defence
Fire control radar Type 282 fitted
for Pom-pom weapons
20mm
Oerlikon guns added for close range
air defence.
Two tripod masts fitted for aircraft
warning radar Type 281.
Surface warning Radar Type 272 fitted
with aerial on foremast structure.
(For details of development and use
of radar see RADAR AT
SEA
by D Howse.)
Nominated for service with 4th
Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet
November
Carried out post refit trials and
prepared for service.
December
Worked-up at
Scapa Flow
with Home Fleet.
On completion transferred to Plymouth
Command for interception duties in
Biscay
of Biscay.
(For details of
naval operations in Channel between
1941 THE NARROW SEA
by
P Smith).
27th
Deployed with HM Cruiser GLASGOW to
join HM Cruiser
GAMBIA
for
interception of German blockade
runner ALSTERUFER (Operation
STONEWALL).
28th
In
action in
Bay of Biscay
with HMS GLASGOW against ten
destroyers and
torpedo boats on
passage to escort ALSTERUFER.
Engaged at 18,000
yards.
Defect in forward gun turret
training.
Sank torpedo boat
(T26) by torpedo.
(Note: During this engagement
destroyers Z27and T25 were also sunk.)
Some survivors rescued by British
ships which later came conventional
bombing
and by
radio
controlled glider bombs.)
29th
Arrived at Plymouth
with machinery defects.
Taken in hand for
repair.
1
9 4 4
January
On completion resumed interception
duties in
Plymouth Command.
February
Taken in hand for refit by HM
Dockyard, Devonport.
Aircraft and catapult landed and four
additional 20mm Oerlikons
added.
March
Post refit
trials.
5th
Deployed
in SW Approaches for convoy defence
and interception duties.
April
Nominated for support of allied
landings in
Normandy (Operation
NEPTUNE).
.
Transferred to 1st
Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet.
14th
Detached
for duty with Bombarding Force A in
support of Assault Force U with
American Western
Task Force.
(For details of naval operations in
support of
Normandy
landings see
OPERATION
NEPTUNE
by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY,
JUNE
1944
(HMSO).
Prepared at Portsmouth
for support role.
Nominally part of
Home Fleet.
May
Passage
to
Belfast.
25th
Joined
Bombardment Force A (HM Cruisers
HAWKINS, BLACK PRINCE, HM
Monitor
EREBUS,
US
battleship USS NEVADA,
US
cruisers USS TUSCALOOSA,
USS QUINCY and Netherlands
Gunboat SOEMBA).
June
Passage
to
Plymouth.
3rd
Sailed
with Assault Convoy U1A from
Plymouth.
5th
Passage
from
Solent
to Western Task Force area.
6th
Bombarded
Saint-Martin-de-Varreville
batteries and other defence
positions
during
the
assault
on
UTAH
Beach with ships
of Bombardment Force A.
20th
Detached
and took passage to
Portland.
24th
Sailed
from
Portland with Group 1
of TF129.
25th
Bombarded
shore batteries at Querqueville
with USS NEVADA, USS
TUSCALOOSA, USS
QUINCY and HMS
GLASGOW.
(Note: Preliminary phase at long range
(25,000 yards) had been cancelled and
all
the ships moved
to 13,000 yards.)
Under heavy fire
from shore
but without serious damage.
26th
Returned to Portsmouth
on completion.
Released from NEPTUNE
duties.
July
Transferred to RN control.
4th
Deployed
off
Normandy
in support of British military
operations with HMS
RODNEY,
HM Monitors EREBUS, ROBERTS, HM
Cruisers
MAURITIUS,
ARGONAUT, DRAGON and EMERALD.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and
LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY,
June 1944.)
17th
Provided
naval gunfire support for British
attacks near Caen
with HMS
MAURITIUS
and
ROBERTS.
18th
Continued bombardment of
Caen
area.
August
4th
Rejoined
Home Fleet at
Scapa
Flow.
At Rosyth for
replacement of gun-barrels.
September
Detached for further bombardment
duties in support of military
operations.
Deployed at
Portsmouth for
bombardment duties off Dutch coast in
support of 2nd
British
Army.
Not used operationally.
(Note: Transfer to Royal Canadian
Navy for use as training cruiser
considered but
not implemented.
October
Withdrawn from
operational service
Took Passage to Rosyth to Pay-off and
reduce to Reserve status.
16th
Joined Reserve Fleet at Rosyth.
Future deployment
for trooping duties under
consideration.
November
Reducing
to Reserve Category B.
December
In Reserve
at Rosyth.
1
9 4 5
January
In Reserve
to
Refit approved for conversion to suit
trooping duties.
February
March
Under refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham
to
(Note: Three 6in mountings removed.)
April
May
Carried out post refit trials and
prepared
for new duty.
June
Trooping deployments:
to
To
Bombay 6 - 7/45
December
To
Colombo 8 - 9/45
To
Colombo 10 - 11/45
To
South
Africa
12/45