H. M. S. C A L E D O N
“CALEDON” Class cruiser ordered from Cammell
Laird at Birkenhead on 8th December 1915 under an Emergency War Programme. She was laid down on 17th March 1916 and Yard No 828 and launched on
25th November 1916 as the
2nd RN warship to carry the name, first used in 1810 for the
captured French HENRI.
Build was completed on 7th March 1917
and during service in the Grand Fleet this cruiser was in
action against
German warships in Heligoland Bight. Before going into Reserve in 1931 she
served in the
Mediterranean. After being
brought forward for the Royal Review of the Reserve Fleet she remained in
commission
throughout WW2.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
MEDITERRANEAN 1940 - SOUTH
FRANCE 1944 - AEGEAN 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Black, An am in amour holding a a sword all Proper.
Motto
In utrumaque parata: ‘Ready for
anything’
S u m m a r y o f
P r e – W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 1 7
February
Contractors trials and commissioning.
March
7th Accepted into service with Grand
Fleet.
April Completion of trials and prepared for operational service.
May
Deployed with Grand Fleet in lst Light Cruiser
Squadron at Scapa
Flow.
to Became Squadron Flagship.
October
November
17th Took part in action against German
warships in Heligoland Bight and hit by
a
12” shell.
December Grand Fleet
deployment in continuation.
1 9 1 8
January
Grand Fleet duties at Scapa Flow in continuation.
to
October
November
21st German Fleet
surrendered and interned at Scapa
Flow under Home Fleet custody.
December
Nominated for service in Baltic
Sea for operations against
Communist forces.
1 9 1 9
January Grand Fleet duties in continuation.
to Deployed in Baltic Sea in
support of shore operations against Bolshevik forces.
March
Blockade of Soviet Fleet based in Baltic Sea
was also maintained
April Joined Atlantic Fleet as Flagship of 2nd
Light Cruiser Squadron.
May
Deployed in Hone waters with Squadron.
to
December
1 9 2 0
Atlantic
Fleet deployment with Squadron in continuation.
1 9 2 1
January Atlantic Fleet deployment in
continuation.
to
July
August
Relieved as Flagship of 2nd Cruiser Squadron by HM Cruiser CURACOA.
26th Re-commissioned at Chatham for further service in Atlantic
Fleet.
September
Rejoined 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron.
to
October Atlantic Fleet deployment in
continuation.
to
December
1 9 2 2
January Deployed
in Home waters including patrol and support in Irish Sea and
Atlantic
to during military operations against
Irish insurgents.
June
July
Nominated for detached service in Mediterranean.
August
Deployed in eastern Mediterranean for protection of British interests during the conflict
to between Turkey and Greece.
November
December Returned to UK to rejoin Atlantic Fleet.
1 9 2 3
January
Deployed in Baltic at Mamel during attempt by
rebel forces to occupy city
February
During detached service involved in collision with Pilot Vessel NEUMARK
I at
the port of Cuxhaven, Germany
March
On return from Baltic service resumed Atlantic Fleet duties
April
Atlantic Fleet deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 2 4
Atlantic Fleet deployment in Home waters in continuation.
Paid off.
1 9 2 5
January
6th Re-commissioned for further service in
2nd Light cruiser Squadron. Atlantic Fleet.
February
Atlantic Fleet deployment with Squadron in continuation.
to
December
1 9 2 6
January
Atlantic Fleet deployment in continuation.
to
July
August
17th Paid-Off and
taken in hand for refit at Chatham, under refit.
September Under refit
to
December
1 9 2 7
January
Under refit
to
June
July
Post refit trials.
August Nominated for service in 3rd
Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet.
September
5th Re-commissioned for service at Chatham.
October On
completion of sea trials and preparation for foreign service
took passage to Malta to
join
Squadron.
November
Deployed in Mediterranean with Squadron.
to
December
1 9 2 8
January
29th
Sustained major damage to forward structure in collision with the
Italian ship ANTARES in
Doro Channel, Aegean Sea.
February
Under temporary repair by m Dockyard, Malta to enable safe passage to UK.
to
March
April Passage to UK
to Paid off into Dockyard
control at Devonport.
December Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard
Devonport.
1 9 2 9
January
15th Re-commissioned at Devonport for further service 3rd Cruiser Squadron.
February
On completion of trials and preparation for
service took passage to Join Squadron
in Malta.
March
Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean.
to
July
August
8th Relieved in
Squadron by HM Cruiser CURLEW.
September
Passage to UK
for refit.
October Under refit at Devonport.
to
December
1 9 3 0
January
Under refit
to
May
June
Post refit trials
July Deployed in Home waters and
prepared to resume service in 3rd Cruiser Squadron.
August
Passage to Malta to rejoin Mediterranean Fleet.
September Deployed with
Squadron in Mediterranean.
to
December
1 9 3 1
January
Mediterranean Fleet deployment with Squadron in continuation.
to
June
July Relieved
in Squadron by HM Cruiser COLOMBO.
Nominated for
reduction to Reserve and took passage to Devonport.
31st Re-commissioned
for service in Reserve Fleet for training use.
August
Deployed at Devonport.
to
December
1 9 3 2
January Reserve training deployment in
continuation at Davenport.
to
November
December Deployed as Senior Officer's ship,
Reserve Fleet Devonport.
1 9 3 3
Senior
Officer Fleet Devonport service in continuation.
1 9 3 4
January
Senior Officer Reserve Fleet Devonport deployment in continuation.
to
November
December Deployed for carrying Army personnel to Malta.
1 9 3 5
January Resumed duty as Senior Officer
Reserve Fleet, Devonport.
February Deployed at Devonport.
to
December
1 9 3 6
January Devonport duty as Senior Officer, Reserve
Fleet in continuation.
to
September
October
23rd Relieved as Senior Officer's ship,
Reserve Fleet Devonport by HM Cruiser COLOMBO.
November Retained in Reserve at Devonport.
to
December
1 9 3 7
Devonport
Reserve Fleet service in continuation.
Nominated
for refit at Chatham.
1 9 3 8
January Devonport Reserve Fleet service in
continuation.
to
June
July
11th Passage to Chatham under tow for refit.
August Under refit by HM Dockyard,
Chatham.
to
December
1 9 3 9
January Under refit
to
May
June On completion of refit relieved
HM Cruiser CALCUTTA in Reserve Fleet at Chatham
as
Senior Officer’s ship.
July Brought forward with complement
of Reservists for attendance at Review of Reserve Fleet at
Weymouth by HM King George VI.
August
9th Present at Royal
Review.
Remained in commission and war station allocated.
On completion of storing and with complement for operational use took
passage to Scapa
Flow
September
Deployed with 7th Cruiser Squadron at Scapa Flow.
5th Sailed to carry out Northern Patrol for
interception of German shipping attempting return
German
ports and to maintain contraband control.
(For details of
Northern Patrol see THE BLCCKADERS by Hastings).
October Transferred to 11th Cruiser
Squadron and continued Northem Patrol duties.
15th Sustained weather damage to upper deck equipment during patrol.
23rd Established patrol line in
Faeroes-Iceland Passage with HM Cruisers CARDIFF and HM Cruiser
COLOMBO to intercept
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU after sinking of RAWALPINDI.
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett and Naval Staff History.)
30th Passage to Tyre for repair.
December Nominated for service in the Mediterranean.
(Note: Experience since outbreak of war had shown this Class of cruiser was
unsuitable for use
in North Atlantic,)
1st Under repair in Tyne shipyard.
19th On completion transferred to 3rd Cruiser
Squadron,
21st Passage to Gibraltar from Plymouth.
28th Joined Squadron at Malta for contraband control and patrol
duty.
1940
January
Based at Alexandria and deployed on contraband control
patrol duty In eastern Mediterranean.
February
Mediterranean
patrol duties in continuation.
to
May
June
11th After Italy entered war deployed
with HM Battleships WARSPHE and MALAYA, HM
Aircraft
Carrier EAGLE, HM Cruisers ORION, NEPTUNE, SYDNEY (RAN), LIVERPOOL,
GLOUCESTER
and CALYPSO with a screen of nine Fleet destroyers
for an offensive patrol
south of Crete to intercept Italian convoys to Libya.
12th Rescued survivors from HM Cruiser
CALYPSO with HM Destroyer DAINTY after sinking by
Italian submarine BAGNOLINI.
Carried out bombardment of Tobruk with
other ships.
14th Returned to Alexandria.
26th Joined HM Cruiser CAPETOWN, HM
destroyer GARLAND, H M Australian Destroyer VAMPIRE
as escort for convoy to Dardanelles.
30th Returned to Alexandria with
inward convoy.
July
11th Escorted convoy to Greece
with HMS CAPETOWN.
30th Declared unsuitable use in Mediterranean because of the low speed and lack of
AA armament in this
Class of cruiser.
August
10th Transferred for duty with East
Indies Squadron in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
15th Joined HM Cruisers HOBART, CERES
and CARLISLE, HM Destroyers KANDAHAR.
KIMBERLEY,
HM Sloops SHOREHAM, PARRAMATTA (RAN) and AUCKLAND
with
three Armed Merchant Cruisers and a hospital ship for
evacuation of Berbera.
A total of over
7,000 troops and civilians were taken to Aden.
Provided naval gunfire support against shore batteries during
operation.
September
Deployed for convoy defence and patrol in Indian Ocean
and Red Sea based at Aden.
to
December
1 9 4 1
January
Convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
to
February
March
16th Deployed
with HM Cruiser GLASGOW, HM Destroyers KANDAHAR and
KIPLING,
two Armed Merchant Cruisers and HM Motor Launch 109 to
support landings by Indian
troops at Berbera from HM Boarding
Ships CHAKDINA and CHANTALA
(Operation
APPEARANCE).
April In action with HMS
GLASGOW against four Italian destroyers in Red Sea.
Proposal by
Prime Minister to use as blockship with HM Battleship
BAHRAM during
planned operation at Tripoli turned down by CinC Mediterranean
May
Indian Ocean trade defence in continuation.
to
August
September Under refit at Colombo.
to
October
November
Resumed trade defence duties in Indian Ocean
with East Indies Squadron ships.
to December
HMS Caledon passing destroyer HMS Echo
1 9 4 2
January
Indian Ocean escort and patrol In continuation.
to
February
March
1st Detached to cover minelay by HM
Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK off Arakan with
HM Corvette
ASTER.
26th Joined 5th Cruiser Squadron,
Eastern Fleet based at Trincomalee.
31st Allocated to Force B with HM
Battleships RAMILLIES, ROYAL SOVEREIGN and
REVENGE, HM aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM Cruiser DRAGON, Dutch
cruiser
VAN HEEMSKERK
and eight destroyers.
Deployed in
support of Force "A" during search for Japanese Force reported on passage to
Ceylon.
(For details see
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO – 2002) and OPERATION PACIFIC by E
Gray
April
4th Supported Force "A"
during further sweep for Japanese warships.
(For details see above references).
9th Transferred to new base at
Kilindini for trade defence with Force "B" ships.
(Note: Ships of Eastern Fleet had moved to East Africa
because of Japanese air threat.)
May
Deployed on trade defence and interception patrol in Indian Ocean.
to Nominated for
conversion to Anti-Aircraft Cruiser.
June
July Passage to UK.
August Paid off into Dockyard
Control prior to refit.
September Awaiting
refit at Chatham.
14th Taken in
hand for refit and conversion.
(Note: Aircraft warning radar Type 279, surface warning radar
Type 272 and fire-control
radars
Type 285 and Type 282 to be fitted.
For
details of development and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse)
October
Under refit.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January
Under refit
to Nominated for
service in Mediterranean
October
November Harbour trials and
re-commissioned.
Carried out sea
trials
December
7th On completion
prepared for foreign service.
1 9 4 4
January
Passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with ships of Home Fleet.
February On
completion of work-up took passage to Mediterranean.
March
Joined Fleet at Alexandria.
24th Escorted military convoy to Salerno from Alexandria with H M Cruiser FROBISHER and four
HUNT Class Escort Destroyers.
April
Deployed for convoy
escort in Mediterranean.
May
9th Joined US Navy
Task Group west of Gibraltar for escort of Convoy UGS40 into Mediterranean.
11th Under attack by
62 Ju88 aircraft off Cape Bengut and shot down ten of them.
June
Convoy defence in continuation based at Malta.
July
Nominated for duty under overall US Navy Command for support of landings
In South of France.
(Operation DRAGOON).
August Took part in preparatory exercises for
DRAGOON.
15th Part of Task Group 88.2 providing AA
cover for Escort Carriers with H M Cruiser COLOMBO
during landings in south of France.
For details see LANDINGS IN SOUTH FRANCE (HMSO)
September
Resumed control by CinC Mediterranean and
deployed for convoy defence.
October
Transferred to Aegean area to support reoccupation of islands.
November
Deployed for support of shore operations and AA defence duties in Aegean.
December
Deployed in support of military operations on Greek mainland.
Carried out series of bombardments of Communist (ELAS) positions near to Pireaus
and
Salamis with HM Escort Destroyer EASTON, French corvette LA
MALOUINE, Greek
ships SAKHTOURIS and NAVARIN (RHN).
12th Released from military support
Remained in Aegean area for convoy defence and support of greek operations.
1 9 4 5
January
Deployment in Greek waters in continuation.
Nominated for withdrawal from operational service.
February
Passage to UK.
March
Paid off and to be reduced to Reserve status
April
On completion of reduction to Reserve and laid up at Falmouth.
May
Laid-up at Falmouth pending disposal.
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS CALEDON
was used for target trials after the end of hostilities and was then placed on the Disposal List. She was
sold to BISCO on 22nd January 1948 and arrived at Dover for breaking up on 14th February.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS CALEDON
by Don Kindell
Date convoy Joined
convoy
Convoy
No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
28/06/40 28/06/40 AS 001/1 02/07/40 02/07/40
11/08/40 13/08/40 BS 002A 17/08/40 17/08/40
24/08/40 24/08/40 BN 003A 27/08/40 27/08/40
25/10/40 unknown BN 008 03/11/40 11/11/40
29/10/40 11/11/40 WS 003 12/11/40 16/11/40
23/11/40 23/11/40 SW 003 27/11/40 05/12/40
30/11/40 30/11/40 BN 009B 02/12/40 04/12/40
30/11/40 unknown BS 009A unknown 05/12/40
18/12/40 18/12/40 BN 011 22/12/40 25/12/40
19/12/40 22/12/40 BS 011 27/12/40 27/12/40
29/12/40 29/12/40 BN 011B 01/01/41 04/01/41
01/01/41 02/01/41 SW 004A unknown unknown
12/01/41 12/01/41 BS 012C 15/01/41 15/01/41
17/01/41 17/01/41 BN 013 21/01/41 24/01/41
19/01/41 unknown BS 013 27/01/41 27/01/41
01/02/41 01/02/41 BN 014 03/02/41 03/02/41
02/02/41 unknown BS 014 08/02/41 08/02/41
24/03/41 24/03/41 BS 021 29/03/41 01/04/41
01/04/41 06/04/41 BS 022 09/04/41 09/04/41
09/12/41 09/12/41 ESCORT 15/12/41 15/12/41
16/12/41 16/12/41 BA 011 21/12/41 21/12/41
08/01/42 08/01/42 BM 010 13/01/42 25/01/42
19/01/42 19/01/42 BM 011 22/01/42 29/01/42
13/02/42 13/02/42 BM 013 17/02/42 25/02/42
17/03/42 17/03/42 KR 001 20/03/42 20/03/42
20/07/42 26/07/42 CM 030 08/08/42 08/08/42
25/03/44 03/04/44 GUS 035 06/04/44 22/04/44
29/03/44 06/04/44 KMF 030
