September Deployed
with 1st Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.
9th Carried out contraband control patrol
in Mediterranean to enforce blockade of
enemy shipping and cargoes destined for German ports,
11th At Malta.
13th At Gibraltar.
15th Returned to Malta for docking.
18th Passage to Alexandria from Malta.
20th Rejoined Squadron
at Alexandria.
October Transferred
to South Atlantic command for interception of commerce
raiders and trade
defence
2nd Took passage to Simonstown via Suez
Canal and Red Sea.
14th Arrived at Simonstown.
16th Deployed with HM Cruiser SUSSEX as
part of Hunting Group in search for German
battleship GRAF SPEE operating off South
Africa.
November
11th Sailed from Simonstown for Plate area to continue search.
23rd Returned to Simonstown.
December
3rd Deployed with HMS
SUSSEX for interception and trade defence in Indian Ocean.
9th Intercepted German blockade runner
ADOLF LEONHARDT which scuttled to avoid
capture
15th Returned to Capetown and sailed to Plate
area to support operations after sinking of
GRAF
SPEE
18th Diverted on passage to Rio
de Janeiro and continued trade defence duties.
28th Passage to Falklands.
1 9 4
0
January
18th Arrived at Port
Stanley.
21st Deployed with HM Cruiser DORSETSHIRE as
escort for damaged cruiser HMS
EXETER
during passage in South
Atlantic to UK.
February
10th Detached from escort on relief by Home
Fleet ships and took passage to Simonstown.
20th Taken in hand for
refit by HM Dockyard, Simonstown.
March
16th Resumed trade defence and interception
duties on completion.
April Trade
defence and interception patrol in South Atlantic and Indian
Ocean in
continuation
May Nominated
for escort of military convoy on passage to UK from Australia.
20th Relieved HM Australian Cruiser CANBERRA as
Ocean Escort for convoy US3
during passage in Indian Ocean
(Note:
US3 was taking ANZAC personnel for service in Europe.
26th Arrived at Capetown with US3
31st Sailed from Capetown with HM Cruiser CUMBERLAND as
Ocean Escort during
passage in Atlantic.
June
7th At Freetown with
US3
8th Sailed from Freetown and
joined by HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES and HMS
CUMBERLAND as Ocean Escort.
10th HMS HERMES detached.
12th Joined by HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE.
14th HM Battlecruiser HOOD, HM Aircraft
Carrier ARGUS and six Home Fleet destroyers
joined Convoy US3 escort.
16th Arrived in Clyde with
US3
20th Under refit in Clyde
commercial shipyard.
July
15th On completion transferred to Home Fleet
for temporary duty.
16th Deployed with HM Cruisers SUSSEX,
SOUTHAMPTON and GLASGOW,
screened by ten Fleet destroyers in search for German
warships reported on passage
in North Sea.
Operation cancelled when German ships reversed passage. During the
return to Scapa Flow HMS GLASGOW was involved in collision
with HM Destroyer
IMOGEN which sank.
August
5th Joined military convoy WS2 in Clyde as
Ocean Escort during passage to Freetown with
HM
Cruiser EMERALD.
(Note:
Local Escort by HM Destroyers HARVESTER, HAVELOCK,
HIGHLANDER,
HURRICANE,
VORTIGERN and WATCHMAN were deployed as Local Escort
during passage from Clyde until
detached on 7th July)
8th Remained with
SLOW Section of WS2 when convoy divided.
16th Detached from WS2
SLOW Section on arrival at Freetown.
18th Rejoined WS2 SLOW Section on departure
from Freetown for
Ocean Escort during
passage to Capetown.
25th Detached from WS2
SLOW Section on arrival at Capetown.
30th Joined Convoy WS2 on departure from
Capetown as Ocean Escort for passage to
Perim.
September
14th Remained with SLOW Section when FAST
Section detached for passage to Suez
escorted by HM Australian Cruiser HOBART, HM Cruiser COVENTRY, HM
Destroyers
KANDAHAR and KINGSTON which
joined WS2 off Perim
SLOW
Section escort was then reinforced by HM Destroyer KIMBERLEY, HM
Sloops AUCKLAND and FLAMINGO.
20th After arrival at Suez with
SLOW Section of WS2A detached and took passage to Aden
for convoy defence duties with Red Sea Force.
October Deployed
for convoy defence and support of military operations with ships of Red
Sea
to Force.
November
December Deployed
for Indian Ocean trade defence and took passage to Durban.
16th Joined military convoy WS4B at Durban for
Ocean Escort during passage to Aden with
HM Cruisers DEVONSHIRE and SOUTHAMPTON.
25th Detached from WS4B on arrival at Aden and
resumed Squadron trade defence duties.
1 9 4
1
January Indian
Ocean trade defence duties in continuation and passage to Capetown.
21st Joined military convoy WS5A at Capetown
to replace HM Cruisers DEVONSHIRE
and HAWKINS as Ocean Escort during passage to Durban.
22nd Detached from WS5A
on arrival at Durban.
29th Deployed as Ocean Escort for Convoy WS5A
with HM Cruiser CERES during passage
in Indian Ocean to Aden.
30th Detached during passage on relief by HM
Cruiser ENTERPRISE and
took passage to
join HM Cruisers HAWKINS, CAPETOWN, CERES, HM Aircraft
Carrier HERMES
and HM Destroyer KANDAHAR as
Force “T”.
Owing
to outbreak of epidemic on board withdrawn from patrol and planned support
operations. Relieved in Force “T” by HM
Cruiser ENTERPRISE.
Arrived at Durban for control of epidemic.
February
3rd Took passage to resume Force “T”
deployment
(Note:
Some of ships complement reported as fit only for Light Duties after epidemic
had been controlled.)
10th Provided support to military operations
in Somaliland with ships of Force “T”
14th Bombarded Italian positions at Mogadicio in support of British advance.
(Note:
Heavy damage caused in port area and tanker PENSILVANIA was sunk.)
19th Returned to Durban.
21st Sailed from Durban to
rejoin Force “T”.
22nd Joined HM Australian Cruisers AUSTRALIA and CANBERRA, HM
Cruisers
GLASGOW,
EMERALD and ENTERPRISE to
form Hunting Group and carry out
search for German battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER operating in Indian
Ocean for
attacks on shipping.
March
2nd Intercepted Vichy French freighter
VILLE DE STRASBOURG and taken as Prize.
5th Detached from Hunting Group on relief
by HM Armed Cruiser RANCHI and took
passage to Simonstown after
replenishment at Durban.
8th Arrived at Simonstown
and taken in hand for refit
April Under
refit and docking
May
7th Refit completion and prepared for post
refit trials.
13th Post refit
trials unsatisfactory.
(Note:
Defects included sudden excessive vibration in starboard turbine and starboard
outer condenser due to perforated tubes contaminating water
in all boilers.
Ship unable to steam and taken in tow to Simonstown
for repairs.
18th Under repair
June
8th Took passage to Freetown.
14th At Freetown.
(Note:
Embarked German prisoners of war for passage to UK under
guard.)
21st Passage to UK for
service with Home Fleet
(Note:
Relieved in 4th Cruiser Squadron by HM Cruiser MAURITIUS.)
July
5th Arrived at Scapa Flow and
joined 1st Cruiser Squadron.
(Note:
Prisoners were disembarked.)
25th Sailed from Scapa Flow to Hvalfjord on completion of exercises.
28th Passage from Hvalfjord for Denmark
Strait patrol.
(Note:
During this period provided cover for ships of Home Fleet were carrying
Operation
EF
for air attacks from HM Aircraft Carriers VICTORIOUS and FURIOUS on
Tromso and Kirkeness and passage
of HM Cruiser ADVENTURE for
delivery of mines to Archangel.)
August
1st Sailed from
patrol area for Havalfjord with call at Akureri.
18th Took passage from Hvalfjord
to Scapa Flow with HM Battleships PRINCE OF
WALES,
RAMILLIES, HM Depot Ship HECLA and screen of five Home Fleet
Destroyers.
(Note:
HMS PRINCE OF WALES was taking Prime Minister Winston Churchill
back to UK from
the Atlantic Charter meeting with US President Franklin
Roosevelt)
23rd Deployed at Scapa Flow after
call in Clyde to disembark passengers from meeting.
27th Nominated for
refit at Chatham.
(Note:
Originally intended to begin in September this was delayed by Home Fleet
operational requirements
30th Deployed as escort for HMS ARGUS,
screened by HM Destroyers MATABELE,
PUNJABI and SOMALI during passage to Archangel.
(Note:
HMS ARGUS was taking HURRICANE aircraft and RAF personnel for
duties in North Russia.
(Operation STRENGTH). Cover was provided by
HM
Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS, HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE screened
by HM Destroyers ECLIPSE, ESCAPADE and INGLEFIELD.)
September
6th Took passage to Seidisfjord with escort after launch of aircraft to airfield
near Murmansk.
10th Passage from Seidisfjord to Scapa
Flow to resume Home Fleet duties.
14th Arrived at Scapa
Flow.
28th Passage to Archangel for
escort of return convoy from North
Russia.
October
2nd Joined HM Cruiser LONDON, HM
Destroyers ELECTRA and ACTIVE in escort for
Convoy
QP1 during passage from Archangel.
10th Detached from QP1 off Orkneys and
returned to Scapa Flow.
11th Passage to Sheerness
(Note:
Ship was to be Paid-off prior to refit and transfer to RAN on completion.).
17th Paid-off and taken in hand for refit by
HM Dockyard, Chatham
November Under
refit
to
December
1 9 4
2
January Post
refit harbour trials.
30th Passage to Sheerness to ammunition and
carry out Post refit sea trials.
31st Trials unsatisfactory due to failure of
star board outer turbine.
February Returned
to Chatham for
repair.
(Note:
Decision made for ship to only use three shafts.
Repair
to be undertaken by Harland and Wolf at Scotstoun,
Glasgow,
16th Passage to Clyde for
repair.
20th Under repair at Scotstoun.
(Note:
One official records states that Radar outfits were
fitted:
Type 281 for aircraft warning.
Type 273 for surface warning.
Type 285 for Secondary armament fire control.
Type
282 for Close range AA armament fire control)
March On
completion to be deployed for Atlantic convoy defence
21st Passage to Clyde from Belfast.
23rd Joined military convoy WS17 in Clyde for
Ocean Escort during passage to Freetown
with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser ALCANTARA, HM Destroyers
ALDENHAM,
GROVE and LOOKOUT.
April
6th Detached from
WS17 on arrival at Freetown where convoy split into two sections.
11th Joined military convoy WS17B on
departure as Ocean Escort with HM Sloop
MILFORD
23rd Detached from WS17 B on arrival at
Capetown and deployed for trade defence in
Indian Ocean.
29th Returned to Simonstown after patrol including call at Durban.
May
12th Resumed trade defence duties.
25th Returned to Capetown.
June
2nd Sailed from Capetown to join military
convoy WS19 as Ocean Escort during passage
to Durban from Cape
of Good Hope.
5th Provided Ocean Escort to WS19 during
passage to Durban.
9th Arrived at Durban with
WS19.
12th Escorted WS19 during passage from Durban in Indian
Ocean
18th Detached from WS19
on relief as Ocean Escort by HM Cruiser MAURITIUS.
Took
passage to relieve HM Battleships RODNEY and NELSON as Ocean Escort for
military convoy WS19P.
26th Relieved HM Battleships NELSON and
RODNEY as Ocean Escort for WS19P
during passage from Freetown to
Capetown.
July Nominated
for return to UK for
Home Fleet service.
1st Remained as
Ocean Escort for WS19P to Durban on arrival off Cape
of Good Hope.
4th Detached from
WS19P on arrival at Durban and resumed trade defence.
12th Arrived at Simonstown.
14th Deployed in Cape area.
16th Returned to Simonstown.
August Deployment
restricted to Local Escort by CinC South Atlantic.
Escorted convoy to Durban.
28th Returned to Simonstown.
September
1st Taken in hand
for docking and emergency defects by HM Dockyard, Simonstown.
8th Offered to Royal Australian Navy as
replacement for HM Australian Cruiser
CANBERRA which
had been sunk after damage in an action against Japanese
warships at Savo Island on 9th August 1942.
22nd Resumed operational duties on completion of
dockyard work.
25th Joined military convoy WS22 off Capetown
as escort for passage to Durban.
29th Detached from WS22 on arrival at Durban,
30th Took passage to
Capetown.
October Deployed
at Simonstown and nominated for escort of convoy to UK.
20th Passage to UK,
November Transfer
to RAN confirmed. RAN Captain to be appointed.
2nd At Freetown.
16th Arrived in Clyde
20th Took passage to
Sheerness.
22nd De-ammunitioned
and prepared to Pay-off prior to refit and transfer to Royal
Australian Navy.
(Note: Ship had steamed 220,000 miles since September 1939.)
December Under
refit and RAN personnel joined the ship
Single
4” Secondary armament mountings replaced by Twin mountings.
Close
range AA defence supplemented by 20mm single Oerlikon guns.
Aircraft
facilities removed.
1 9 4
3
January Refit
work in continuation
to
March
April Refit
completion date programmed for end of May, Ex Trials
20th Commissioned as HMAS SHROPSHIRE.
June Harbour
trials and Sea Trials in Thames area.
16th Trials completion and prepared to
work-up with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
July Deployed
at Scapa Flow for work-up
August Nominated
for Ocean Escort of military convoy to Indian
Ocean on completion.
13th Joined joint military convoy KMF22 to Mediterranean and
WS33 in Clyde as
Ocean
Escort with HM Escort Aircraft Carrier HUNTER, HM Destroyer
WRESTLER, HM Sloops CHANTICLEER, WESTON and NARBADA
(RIN).
24th Detached from WS33/KMF22 on arrival at Gibraltar and
took independent passage
to Fremantle with call at Simonstown.
