1 9 4 0
December Contractors
trials
14th Build completion
and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On
completion of trials and storing took passage to
Scapa Flow.
1 9 4 1
January
7th Worked-up at
Scapa Flow for service with 10th Cruiser
Squadron, Home Fleet.
Nominated escort of military convoy.
18th Joined military convoy WS6B as Ocean
Escort during passage to
Freetown from
Clyde.
March
5th Detached from
WS6B on arrival at
Freetown.
Deployed at
Freetown for Atlantic
convoy defence.
Part of escort for Convoys SL68 and SL69.
April Escorted
Convoy SL70 to
UK.
After
arrival transferred to 4th Cruiser Squadron in East Indies Squadron
Prepared
for foreign service and took passage.
May Joined
military convoy WS8A during passage in
Atlantic as Ocean Escort in place
of HM Battlecruiser REPULSE and HM Cruiser NAIAD.
9th WS8A arrived at
Freetown.
14th Deployed as Ocean
Escort for WS8A for passage from Freetown to Cape of Good
Hope.
24th Relieved as Ocean Escort for WS8A by HM
Cruiser HAWKINS and took passage to
join Squadron at
Colombo.
Deployed for
Indian Ocean trade defence
and Patrol.
June
Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
20th Arrived Colombo
and relieved HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE in Squadron.
Escorted Convoy OM11 to Aden.
July Deployed
in Indian
Ocean
and Bay
of Bengal for convoy defence and patrol duty.
August
1st Escorted mv
CAPETOWN CASTLE and ss
EMPRESS OF JAPAN during passage
from
Colombo to
Singapore as military convoy WS9AX
3rd After relief by HM Cruiser
DURBAN detached from WS9AX and resumed
Squadron
duties for trade defence and interception patrol.
September Deployed
with HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM Cruisers
ENTERPRISE and
HAWKINS
for interception of Vichy French convoy during passage in
Indian Ocean to
Madagascar from Saigon.
(Note:
Two RAF CATALINA aircraft were also used., but search
was unsuccessful
after one aircraft was missing. For details see WAR WITH
JAPAN Volume 1
(HMSO).)
October Squadron duties for trade
defence in continuation.
31st Deployed as
escort for military convoy WS11X from Colombo to Singapore.
November
6th Detached from
WS11AX on arrival at Singapore.
Taken in hand for refit.
December
10th Refit work suspended after Japanese
invasion of Malaya.
11th Passage to
UK via
Cape after embarking some of the
survivors from HM Battleship
PRINCE OF WALES and HM
Battlecruiser REPULSE.
1 9 4 2
January Passage to UK.
February Taken
in hand by HM Dockyard, Devonport to complete refit
March Under
refit.
(Note:
Fire control radar for HA and LA armament fitted.
20mm
AA armament increased.
April On
completion took passage to
Scapa Flow to work-up with Home Fleet
Nominated
for further service in
Ceylon with 4th Cruiser
Squadron.
May On
completion prepared for foreign service.
11th Joined military convoy WS19 with HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser CARNARVON
CASTLE,
HM Destroyers BELVOIR and HURSLEY during passage from
Clyde to
Freetown for duty as
Ocean Escort.
22nd Detached from WS19
on arrival at
Freetown.
26th Rejoined WS19 on its departure from
Freetown as Ocean Escort during passage
to Cape
of Good Hope with HMS HURSLEY and HM Sloop
MILFORD.
June
5th Detached from
WS19 with ships of Ocean Escort on arrival at Capetown.
6th Deployed for
Squadron duties in
Indian Ocean.
18th Joined WS19 as Ocean Escort duties
during passage from
Durban to
Bombay in place
of HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE.
26th Detached from WS19
when relieved by HM Cruiser
DEVONSHIRE as Ocean
Escort.
Resumed Squadron duties in Indian Ocean.
July
7th Escorted military convoy WS19L from
Durban for part of passage to
Aden.
14th Detached from WS19L on relief by HMS
DEVONSHIRE and took passage to Kilindini
21st Joined HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM
Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and
FORMIDABLE,
HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM, HM Destroyers NORMAN, NIZAM,
INCONSTANT
and Dutch VAN GALEN in Force A for Fleet diversionary operation in
Bay of Bengal. (OPERATION
STAB - See WAR WITH JAPAN Vol II (HMSO).)
23rd HM Destroyer NAPIER (RAN) joined Force
A during passage to
Seychelles.
28th Arrived at
Colombo after refuelling with Force A in
Seychelles.
30th Sailed with Force
A from
Colombo to provide
cover for diversionary convoys.
See
Reference.
August
1st Force A sighted by Japanese
seaplane.
2nd Japanese aircraft shot down by MARTLET
fighter from HMS FORMIDABLE.
Operation
terminated and Force A returned to Trincomalee.
Passage to Kilindini to resume Squadron duties in Indian Ocean.
26th Sailed from Kilindini to intercept Vichy
French ss AMIRAL PIERRE known to be on
passage from
Madagascar to
Reunion, a French possession in
Indian Ocean.
(Note:
Did not take part in support of British landings to occupy whole
island
of
Madagascar (Operation STREAM - See above
Reference.)
29th Began interception
patrol.
September
2nd Refuelled at
Mauritius and returned to patrol area.
4th Ceased interception patrol and took
passage to join military convoy US16 during
passage from Fremantle to
Aden as Ocean Escort.
October Detached
from US16 and returned to Kilindini
21st Nominated with HM Cruisers DEVONSHIRE
AND ENTERPRISE to carry out search
for a Japanese mercantile reported in use as a supply ship
for submarines or commerce
raiders deployed in
Indian Ocean for attacks on shipping.
(Operation
DEMCAT - See above Reference.)
27th Carried out search
operation with assistance from RAF aircraft.
30th Naval search operations abandoned and
returned to Kilindini.
November Deployed
at Kilindini for trade defence.
16th Joined HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
CARTHAGE and HM Cruiser HAWKINS to
supplement Ocean Escort for military convoy WS23 during
Indian Ocean passage.
17th Remained with Bombay Section of WS23
when convoy split and detached as Ocean
Escort
for ships on passage to
Bombay as Convoy WS23B.
24th Detached from
WS23B on arrival at
Bombay.
Embarked
CinC East Indies for passage to Kilindini from
Ceylon after a meeting in
London with Prime
Minister.
December
12th Relieved HM Cruiser FROBISHER as Ocean
Escort for military convoy WS24B during
passage from
Durban to
Bombay.
(Note
Convoy comprised troopships mv.
STIRLING
CASTLE and mv
ATHLONE
CASTLE.
17th Detached from
WS24B on arrival at
Bombay.
Resumed Indian Ocean Squadron duties.
1 9 4 3
January
Indian Ocean convoy defence in continuation
February
10th Joined Force A1 with HM Battleships
RESOLUTION, REVENGE and WARSPITE to
cover passage of convoy including rms
QUEEN MARY, rms
AQUITANIA, ILE DE
FRANCE, NIEUW
AMSTERDAM, and mv QUEEN OF BERMUDA.
(Note:
This convoy was taking ANZAC troops back to
Australia from
Middle East
(Operation
PAMPHLET).
15th Detached from PAMPHLET.
March
Indian Ocean trade defence and interception
patrol in continuation.
to
April
May Nominated for service with Mediterranean
Fleet in support of planned operations.
19th Transferred to 15th Cruiser Squadron in
Mediterranean.
June Passage to Alexandria via Red Sea.
Damaged by grounding in
Suez Canal during
transit.
Under repair at Alexandria.
(Note:
Additional 20mm AA mountings fitted to improve defence against close range
attacks.)
July Joined
Squadron at Alexandria on completion.
7th Sailed from
Alexandria with HM Cruisers
NEWFOUNDLAND,
UGANDA and ORION
screened by six destroyers for support during
Sicily landings (Operation HUSKY).
(For
details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and
Naval Staff History).
9th Joined HM Cruisers
CARLISLE,
COLOMBO and
DELHI in Support Force East.
Sustained damage to Keel after grounding at Malta.
10th Provided naval
gunfire support during landings SW of Syracuse.
11th Provided naval
gunfire support during German counter-attack on beachead.
12th Embarked Rear Admiral Troubridge (Flag Officer Force A) from damaged
destroyer
HMS ESKIMO to transfer to HM Destroyer EXMOOR.
14th Bombarded shore battery at Lentinmi in Catania
Bay.
23rd Under air attacks
at
Augusta.
Flag
transferred from HM Cruiser
NEWFOUNDLAND which had been damaged..
August
6th Joined Force
K in Malta with HM
Cruisers ORION and UGANDA.
12th Bombarded Riposto
on Italian coast with HM Destroyers NUBIAN and TARTAR.
Carried out offensive sweep along coast near Crotone with HMS UGANDA.
September
2nd Bombarded Calabrian
coastal targets prior to allied landings on the mainland of
Italy
with HM Battleships VALIANT and WARSPITE, HM Cruiser ORION,
HM Monitors
ABERCROMBIE,
ROBERTS, Fleet destroyers and River Gunboats.
(Operation
BAYTOWN - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
3rd Joined HMS ORION and provided naval
gunfire support during landings with HM
Monitors
EREBUS, ROBERTS and ABERCROMBIE.
7th Escorted convoy to
Salerno with HMS UGANDA, HMS ORION, and
Fleet destroyers.
9th Joined Northern Attack Force (TF85) to
support landings at
Salerno.
(Operation
AVALANCHE - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
10th Provided continuous naval gunfire
support for British military operations on the
bridgehead..
Under air attacks including FX1400 and Glider Bombs.
17th Relieved from
naval gunfire support by HM Cruiser SIRIUS.
October Deployed
in central Mediterranean.
5th Passage to Taranto from Salerno for
exercises.
November Military
support and convoy escort in continuation.
December Detached
for duty at Gibraltar for Atlantic convoy defence and interception patrol.
24th Deployed with HM Cruiser
GAMBIA in search for German blockade
runner in Bay of
Biscay
(Operation STONEWALL).
1 9 4 4
January On
completion of STONEWALL called in
Plymouth before return to
Gibraltar.
15th Escorted HM Battleship KING GEORGE V
with 3 destroyers from Gibraltar to Scapa Flow..
Returned to
Mediterranean on
completion.
30th Deployed at Naples for naval
gunfire support of military operations at Anzio.
(Operation
SHINGLE - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History).
February Deployed
in rotation with another cruiser for support duty,
(Note:
Thus was shared with HMS DIDO, HMS DELHI, HMS PHOEBE, HMS ORION, HMS
PENELOPE (before loss), US cruisers USS BROOKLYN and USS
PHILADELPHIA).
March
3rd Released from SHINGLE support duty.
15th Bombarded targets along west coast of
Italy in support of military
operations.
Deployed in
Western Mediterranean for convoy
escort duty.
April Transferred
to Home Fleet and took passage to
UK.
Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Normandy as Flagship
Bombarding Force D.
May Under refit at Chatham.
(Note:
Aircraft facilities removed.
Surface
warning radar, Type 273) fitted and aircraft warning radar Type 279
replaced by Type 281. For details of development and use of
radar see RADAR
AT
SEA by D Howse).
26th Invasion training
in
Clyde with Force D ships.
(Note: Other ships in Force D were HM Battleships WARSPITE, RAMILLIES, HM Cruisers
ARETHUSA, DANAE and Polish cruiser ORP DRAGON.)
June
2nd Passage from
Clyde in Convoy S6 with Force
D escorted by HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ and
SWIFT, Norwegian STORD and SVENNER, HM Frigates ROWLEY and HOLMES.
5th Met HM Monitor ROBERTS for Channel
crossing with Force D to support landings
on
SWORD Beach (Operation
NEPTUNE - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY
and Naval Staff History).
6th Bombarded Houlgate and Merville Battery
during assault on
SWORD Beach.
8th On completion of
Bombardment Phase joined Eastern Naval Task Force to continue support role.
13th Slightly damaged by shore fire.
July
4th Provided naval
gunfire support for military operations.
11th Bombarded enemy positions near Caen with HMS ROBERTS.
17th Bombarded German
positions at Caen to support
military operation.
18th Repeated Caen support bombardment.
August
5th Deployed in Bay of Biscay to intercept
craft evacuating troops.
14th During patrol off Les Sables with HM
Destroyer URSA and HM Destroyer IROQUOIS (RCN)
as Force 27 engaged German convoy and damaged Torpedo Boat
T24 and two ships under
escort.
Later
engage coastal steamer which grounded.
15th Force 27 engaged 2 minesweepers with 2
merchant ships off Ile de Yeux
and sank a
minesweeper.
22nd Under shore/fire
during patrol with Force 27 near Gironde.
25th Engaged escorted convoy with HMS URSA
and HMCS IROQUOIS in
Audieme
Bay.
German
patrol boats V702, V717, V720, V729 and V730 were sunk and ships set on fire.
28th Requirement ceased when Germans reported
by French resistance to be leaving the
Brittany area.
Returned to Devonport.
September
1st Under repair in
Devonport.
October Transferred
to 10th Cruiser Squadron for Hone Fleet operations.
16th Escorted HMS KING
GEORGE V from
Plymouth to Scapa Flow.
26th Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE
with 6 Fleet destroyers for air strikes against
targets in
Norway. During these two ferry barges
were damaged near Bodo,
patrol vessel V5722 and depot ship KARL MAYER at Rorvik, M433 minesweeper and two
steamers at Kristiansund.
Submarine
U1060 was also damaged in
North Sea and was later sunk by bomber aircraft.
(Operation
ATHLETIC)
November Deployed
with 10th Cruiser Squadron for Home Fleet operations off
Norway.
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
December Deployed
with Home Fleet units to intercept German destroyers and Alesund
without success.
1 9 4 5
January
28th During deployment with HM Cruiser DIADEM
engaged two German destroyers found to
be attempting passage into
Baltic Sea from
Bergen.
Damaged Z31.
Received
one hit from return fire.
(Note:
Enemy ships later reached
Kiel).
February Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
Nominated for refit.
25th Began refit at commercial shipyard in
Birkenhead
March Under
refit
to (Note:
Work included fit of Low Angle Fire control radar Type 275 to replaced Type
284.
August and
Warning radars Types 293 and 277 with
IFF in place of Type 273.
Air
warning radar Type 960 replaced Type 281. See RADAR AT
SEA).