SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2 by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2006 HMS ACHILLES  -  Leander-class Light Cruiser including Convoy Escort Movements return to Contents List or back to Naval-History.Net

above left  - HMS Achilles

(NP, click photographs for enlargements)

H. M. S. A C H I L L E S

"LEANDER" Class cruiser ordered from Cammell Laird at Birkenhead on 16th February 1931. The ship was laid down on 11th June that year and launched on 1st September 1932 as the 9th RN warship to carry the name. It was previously used for a cruiser sold in 1923 and had been introduced in 17??. After completion on 10th October 1933 she served with the Home Fleet until 1935 and attended the Silver Jubilee Review by HM King George V. In November 1935 she refitted at Chatham for service with New Zealand Division and re-commissioned with a New Zealand crew from HM Cruiser DIOMEDE on 31st March 1936. Before arriving in New Zealand in September 1936. she worked-up in the Mediterranean during the Abyssinian crisis. This ship had a very long association with New Zealand and was formally transferred to the RNZN on its formation in July 1941. She was damaged by SS RANGATIRA on 14th April 1938 and had to return to UK for repair at Portsmouth. The ship re-commissioned in March 1939 and returned to New Zealand.

B a t t l e H o n o u r s

BELLE ISLE 1761 - TRAFALGAR 1805 - LEOPARD Action 1917 - RIVER PLATE 1939 - GUADALCANAL 1942-43 - OKINAWA 1945

H e r a l d i c D a t a

Badge:  On a Field Red, the head of Achilles helmeted all Gold.

M o t to

Fortiter in Re:  'Bravely in action'

D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e

1 9 3 9

August Transferred to RN control..

29th Sailed from Auckland for war deployment on the America and West Indies Station.

September Deployed at Balboa for interception of German shipping.

(Note: The only RN warship off the west coast of the American continent.

13th After refuelling at Valparaiso continued patrol off Chilean coast.

16th Unable to intercept German ships which escaped in territorial waters.

30th Escorted liner ORDUNA from Buenaventura, Columbia to Callao, Peru

October

5th Transferred to Force "G" in South Atlantic for defence of trade and interception of enemy shipping.

10th Took passage to meet Join Force G after self maintenance period in Valparaiso.

19th Passed through Straits of Magellan.

23rd Sailed from Port Stanley after refuelling.

26th Met HM Cruiser EXETER off Lobes Island.

27th Joined HM Cruisers CUMBERLAND and EXETER and carried out joint patrol.

November

11th Carried out patrol with Force G after call at Rio de Janeiro

Returned to Plate estuary.

22nd Unsuccessful search for German shipping with HM Cruiser AJAX.

26th Patrolled off Brazilian coast.

December

3rd Called at Recife..

10th Joined HMS AJAX at Plate estuary.

12th Met HMS EXETER and began Joint patrol off estuary.

13th Took part in Battle of River Plate with HM Cruisers EXETER and AJX against the German

battleship GRAF SPEE.

(For further details see THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE by Dudley Pope and Naval Staff

History).

Shadowed GRAF SPEE after action until enemy ship entered Montevideo.

17th Patrol terminated after GRAF SPEE scuttled.

21st Landed wounded at Port Stanley and deployed on local patrol.

30th Returned to Plate estuary for interception patrolled with IMS AJAX

1 9 4 0

January

5th Sailed for Falklands after transferring Flag to HMS AJAX.

16th Sailed for patrol off Rio de Janeiro.

29th After visit to Montevideo inspected wreck of GRAF SPEE before taking passage to Port Stanley.

February

2nd Took passage to New Zealand from Port Stanley.

23rd Reverted to service in New Zealand Division after arrival at Auckland.

Taken in hand for refit and damage repair.

March Under refit.

to

May

June Carried out post refit trials and prepared for operational service.

14th Deployed for Sea Trials and work-up in Hauraki Gulf.

18th Despatched to assist survivors of ss NIAGARA which had struck mine laid by the German raider

KONDOR.

Located lifeboats and towed these towards Hauraki Gulf.

22nd Deployed for search near Kermadac Islands.

28th Returned to Auckland.

July

20th Embarked Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Air Staff for passage to Fiji

Passage to Fiji for Defence conference.

23rd Arrived at Fiji.

26th Passage to Tonga.

28th Arrived at Tonga.

31st On return to Auckland became Flagship for Commodore NZ Division.

August

20th Deployed in search for German raider ORION after sinking of ss TURAKINA in Three Kings

Island area.

25th After refuelling in Auckland deployed to continued search off Campbell Island in Southern Ocean

27th Escorted mv ORCADES from Wellington to Lyttleton.

28th Escorted troop convoy to Melbourne.

(Note: Convoy include mv ORCADES, ss EMPRESS OF JAPAN and rms MAURETANIA).

September

2nd Return passage to Auckland.

6th Embarked NZ Government officers for passage to Tahiti for conference.

15th Passage to Cook Islands with officials for conference.

21st Passage to Auckland from Raratonga.

October

21st Deployed for interception patrol off North Cape..

November

7th Escorted Military Convoy US7 for passage to Sydney.

16th Deployed for patrol off Auckland Island and Campbell Island.

28th Searched for raider after report from ss RANGATANE which was subsequently sunk.

Located wreckage.

30th Interception patrol continued off Auckland.

December

1st Escorted mail steamer from North Cape to Tasman Sea.

5th Escorted mv DOMINION MONARCH to Wellington.

8th Carried out search for raider in Tasman Sea.

Returned to Auckland when operation cancelled.

20th Escorted Military Convoy US8 to Sydney

23rd At Sydney.

30th Escorted US Military Convoy T1 for passage to Auckland.

1 9 4 1

January

2nd Detached to escort Convoy VK1 to Auckland.

6th Escorted as EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA for passage to Fiji and returned to Auckland.

10th Routine docking.

February

7th Escorted liner for part of passage to Panama and detached at Chatham Island.

12th Escorted Convoy ZT2 to Sydney.

18th Detached for escort of liner to Cap Maria Van Diemen, North Island NZ.

26th Escorted Convoy AP13 on passage to Panama to position 450 miles N of Chatham Is.

March

3rd Escorted Convoy APP14 to same area.

6th Deployed on escort of Panama convoys towards Chatham Island.

20th Released from convoy defence in Pacific.

April

7th Escorted military convoy to Australian coast with HM Australian Cruisers AUSTRALIA and

HOBART.

10th Detached for escort of rms QUEEN MARY to join Convoy US10 from Sydney to Aden.

11th Joined Military Convoy US10 which included rms QUEEN ELIZABETH, ss ILE DE

FRANCE, ss MAURETANIA and ss NIEUW AMSTERDAM.

12th Detached and returned to Auckland after refuelling in Sydney.

May Passage to Fiji with escort of liner to position 500 miles SE of East Cape, North Island NZ.

14th On return passage rescued 'survivors of HMNZ Minesweeper PURIRI which had sunk during

minesweeping operation to clear mines laid by raider ORION off Hauraki Gulf.

20th Escorted mv RANGATIRA from Wellington to Fiji.

June

2nd Returned to Wellington after 26 days at sea steaming 9875 miles).

10th Escorted Convoy AP41 (Ex VK12) to Chatham Island.

12th Detached and escorted ship during return passage to Wellington.

14th Further convoy escort duty Convoy to Chatham Island.

15th When detached escorted ship for passage from Noumea

20th Returned to Auckland.

23rd Escorted liner to North Cape and returned with another ship to Vfeellington.

27th Escorted ss AQUITANIA to Bass Strait.

30th Joined HM Australian Cruiser AUSTRALIA for escort of Military Convoy US11A for part of

passage to Aden. Convoy included as AQUTTANIA, rms QUEEN MARY and rms

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

July Detached from convoy and returned to Auckland for refit

Taken in hand on arrival.

(Statistics: Miles steamed since 9/39: 133,327

Miles steamed since last docking: 41,937).

Transferred to Royal New Zealand Navy on formation and became HMZNS ACHILLES.

August Under refit and carried out post refit trials.

29th Resumed escort duty and escorted rms RIMUTAKA from Cape Palliser to Chatham Island.

September When detached escorted mercantile to Wellington.

15th Deployed as Ocean Escort for Convoy US12B.

18th On relief by HMAS ADELAIDE and HMAS SYDNEY returned to Auckland.

October Deployed for interception duty in Pacific.

3rd Carried out raider search in Tasman Sea with HMAS ADELAIDE and an HM New Zealand

Armed Merchant Cruiser MONOWAI.

10th Returned to Auckland with HMNZS MDNOWAI of New Zealand Division.

14th Relieved HMAS ADELAIDE in Tasman Sea as escorted for liner to Auckland.

20th Escorted US liner from Auckland for part of passage to USA as far as Equator.

27th Detached and took passage to Suva.

November Passage to Auckland arriving on 4th.

8th Escorted US Liner for passage to Australia.

22nd Took over escort of Convoy VK21 in Bass Strait from HMAS ADELAIDE.

24th Detached east of Chatham Island.

27th Escorted convoy from Cape Brett to Navalu Passage.

30th Passage from Suva with HM Cruiser LEANDER to Auckland.

December

5th Deployed on escort of ships between New Zealand and Fiji..

8th Transferred to Eastern Fleet after outbreak of war with Japan.

Took passage from Suva for Port Moresby.

11th Order to join HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES and HM Battlecruiser REPULSE in the

Eastern Fleet as part of Force "Z" cancelled after loss of these two ships.

Released from Eastern Fleet duty and returned to Auckland.

16th Passage from Auckland to join US Convoy for New Caledonia from Brisbane.

19th Joined US Cruiser US S PENSALCOLA for escort of convoy which later was reinforced

by HM Australian Cruisers CANBERRA and PERTH.

22nd Detached and took passage to Sydney with HMAS CANBERRA and HMAS PERTH.

28th Escorted Convoy ZK5 including ss AQUITANIA, ss SARPEDON and ss HERSTEIN, taking

troops and stores from Sydney to Port Moresby, with HMAS AUSTRALIA, HMAS

CANBERRA and HMAS PERTH.

1 9 4 2