H. M. S. C A R D I F F
"CERES” Class Cruiser ordered in the
1916 from Fairfield’s of Govan in April 1916 under an Emergency War
Build Programme and laid down
on 22nd July 1916. The ship was launched on 12 April 1917 as the second RN warship to carry the name
which was introduced for a Dutch 34 gun ship FORTUNE captured in 1652 and sold in 1682. Build was completed on 2nd June 1917. In
January 1942 after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign she was
‘adopted’ by the civil community of Cardiff.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
None
H e r
a l d i c D a
t a
Badge: On a Field Green, a Castle Gold on three wavelets
Red and Gold.
M o t t o
Acris in cardine rerum: ‘Keen in Emergency’
S u m m
a r y o f S e r v i c e b e f o r e
1 9 3 9
1 9 1 7
June Build completion.
to Accepted into
service and commissioned for duty in Grand Fleet with 6th Light Cruiser
October Squadron
Deployed in North
Sea and NW Approaches based at Scapa Flow with
Squadron
November
17th Took part in action against German
warships in Heligoland Bight
December Deployed with Squadron at Scapa Flow.
1 9 1 8
January Squadron duties in Grand
Fleet in continuation
to
October
November
21st Lead German High Seas Fleet to Scapa Flow for surrender.
December Nominated for service in Baltic
in support of military operations against Bolshevik forces.
1 9 1 9
Deployed with
Squadron in Baltic
Nominated for
service as Flagship, 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron in Mediterranean
1 9 2 0
t o 1 9 2 7
Mediterranean Fleet service as Flagship of Squadron in continuation.
(Note: Commissions lasted 2 years 6 months and ship returned to UK
to re-commission. Refits
were carried out at Malta and in UK.
During this period the Mediterranean Fleet was involved in protection
of British interests
during unrest in Greece and Turkey.)
1 9 2 8
January
Mediterranean service in continuation.
to
February
March
Passage to Chatham to refit.
April
3rd Paid off at Chatham for refit.
May
On completion transferred to Portsmouth Depot for manning.
29th Re-commissioned for further service
with 3rd Cruiser Squadron in Mediterranean.
June
Passage to Malta to join Squadron.
Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean.
July
Squadron deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 2 9
January Squadron
deployment in Mediterranean in continuation
to
Nominated for Long Refit at Devonport.
July
August
Relieved in Squadron by HM Cruiser CURACOA
Passage to Devonport.
September
5th Paid off
into Dockyard control for refit.
October
Under refit
to
December
1 9 3 0
Under refit.
1 9 3
1
January
Post refit trials
February Nominated for service as Flagship of 6th
Cruiser Squadron on African Station.
to
Manning Division transferred to Chatham.
March
Passage to Chatham.
April
1st Commissioned at Chatham as Flagship,
6th Cruiser Squadron.
Prepared for foreign service.
May
Passage to South Africa after work-up in Home waters.
June Flagship deployment in South Africa based at Simonstown.
to
Deployed for visits and exercises in South Atlantic and Indian Ocean.
December
1 9 3 2
African Station deployment In
continuation.
1 9 3 3
January
African Station deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated for transfer to Reserve Fleet.
April
May
Relieved in 6th Cruiser Squadron by HM Cruiser DORSETSHIRE.
June
Passage to Chatham to Pay-Off.
July
Reduced to Reserve status.
14th Re-commissioned as Flagship Reserve
Fleet, Nore Command.
August Deployed at Chatham for training and
administration of ships in Reserve.
to
December
1 9 3 4
Deployment at Chatham as Flagship, Reserve Fleet for training duties.
1 9 3 5
January
Chatham Reserve Fleet deployment In continuation.
to Nominated for
attendance at Silver Jubilee Review of the Fleet by H M King George V
May
at Spithead
June
Prepared for passage to Portsmouth.
July Passage to Portsmouth.
16th Attended Review.
August
Return passage to Chatham.
September
Chatham Reserve Fleet Flagship duty in continuation.
to
December
1 9 3 6
Chatham deployment in
continuation.
1 9 3 7
January
Chatham deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated for detached service in 9th Cruiser Squadron to attend the
Coronation
March Review of the Fleet by H M
King George VI at Spithead.
April
Prepared for passage to Portsmouth.
May Passage to Portsmouth.
20th Attended Review with ships of 3rd Cruiser Squadron.
June
Returned to Chatham.
July
Resumed Reserve Fleet duties at Chatham
to
December
1 9 3 8
January
Deployed at Chatham as Flagship Reserve Fleet.
to
Nominated for operational Service 111 5th Cruiser Squadron, China
Station.
June
Prepared for re-commissioning.
July Re-commissioned at
Chatham for service in 5th Cruiser Squadron.
Deployed in Home waters to prepare for foreign service.
August
Took passage from Chatham for Singapore to join Squadron.
September
Passage to Singapore and joined Squadron on arrival.
October
Deployed with Squadron on China Station for visits and exercises.
to
Nominated for conversion to AA cruiser.
December
1 9 3 9
January
Deployed with Squadron on China Station.
to
Refit arranged at Devonport.
March
April
Prepared for return to UK.
29th Sailed from Hong Kong to Pay-Off.
May
Passage to Devonport.
June
Paid-off into Reserve at Devonport.
(Note: Planned conversion for use as an AA cruiser was cancelled.)
July
At Devonport in Reserve.
Nominated for attendance at Review of Reserve Fleet by H M King George
VI
Commissioned with Reservists at Devonport.
August Passage to Portland for Review.
9th Attended Review in Weymouth Bay.
Retained in commission in view of political situation.
15th Prepared for war service at Devonport.
(Note: Ship ammunition and stored for operational service and war
complement
joined ship.
War Station with 12th Cruiser Squadron nominated.)
Passage to Scapa Flow for Northern Patrol duty
with Squadron to intercept German
ships attesting to
return to Germany and to enforce blockade.
(For details see ARMED MERCHANT CRUISERS by K. Poolman
and Naval Staff
History.)
September Deployed for patrol in NW Approaches
based at Scapa Flow
6th. Sailed
for first patrol.
13th Returned to Scapa
Flow.
15th Sailed for second patrol returning on 22nd.
22nd Returned to Scapa
Flow.
October
6th Sailed for third patrol.
13th Returned from patrol.
(Note: Transferred to 11th Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet during patrol.)
14th Sailed
for fourth patrol.
19th Returned to Sullom
Voe,
25th Sailed from Sullom
Voe for fifth patrol.
29th Intercepted Norwegian freighter
TARE JARL which had been reported
as having been in contact with German submarine, but was allowed to
proceed.
November
3rd Returned to Sullom
Voe.
6th Sailed for sixth patrol from Sullom Voe.
11th Returned to Sullom
Voe.
14th Passage to Loch Ewe (Port
"A") from Sullen Voe.
17th Sailed for seventh patrol.
Intercepted
Norwegian freighter CARMELFJELL and put a boarding party on board.
(Note: This ship was stopped on 29th November by a German submarine
but was
again allowed to
proceed.)
20th Returned to Port "A".
23rd Joined HM Cruisers CALEDON and
COLOMBO for patrol off North Rona to intercept.
German battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISEMAU after loss of the Armed
Merchant
Cruiser HMS RAWALPINDI.
26th Returned to Scapa
Flow.
27th Sailed for eighth patrol
December
1st Returned to Scapa
Flow and took passage to Port "A"
9th. Sailed
for ninth patrol.
15th Returned to Scapa
Flow.
Withdrawn from Northern Patrol.
(Note: This
Class of cruiser had been found unsuitable for service in the Atlantic.
.
See above reference.)
17th Took passage from Scapa Flow to Plymouth for repair.
19th Arrived in Clyde.
20th Continued passage to Plymouth.
23rd Arrived at HM Dockyard, Devonport for repair of weather damage.
1 9 4 0
January
Rejoined Home Fleet for service
in 2nd Cruiser Squadron.
(Note: Early intended deployment in West Indies for interception patrol
with 8th Cruiser
Squadron was cancelled.)
February
Deployed on convoy defence and patrol in Home waters.
March
Transferred to Portsmouth Command in continuation.
to
May
June Deployed in Nore Command area in support of the evacuation of British
and allied
troops and
civilians from French ports. (Operation CYCLE)
12th Provided support at St. Valery during withdrawal troops evacuation of personnel.
(Note: Naval
gunfire support was not required.)
For details of naval operations in Channel area in this period see
ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY and Naval Staff History)
July
Deployed at Sheerness for anti-invasion patrol
in North Sea and Channel.
August
Patrol duty in North Sea.
25th Deployed in dumber area from Scapa Flow with HM Cruiser GALATEA to intercept
enemy craft during Invasion scare.
September
Returned to Scapa Flow for patrol duty in NW
Approaches and North Sea.
October Withdrawn
from operational service.
Prepared for service as Gunnery Training ship by HM Dockyard Portsmouth
(Note: 20m AA guns fitted.)
November Took
passage to Clyde for gunnery training based at
Greenock.
to
Carried out training in use of close range AA weapons in Clyde area.
December.
1 9 4 1
January
Under repair in Clyde shipyard.
to
February
March
On completion resumed gunnery training duties In Western Approaches
Command.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January
Training duties in continuation
to
August
September
Routine docking in Clyde commercial shipyard
October
Resumed training duties.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January
Training duties in continuation
February
Taken in hand for fit of Type 290 radar outfit to provide warning of
approach of aircraft
and ships.
(Note: This radar was an interim
RN design to replace a modified RAF outfit
used in
destroyers and other escorts before the introduction of the centimetric
Type 271. Type 291 was not very successful and withdrawn when Type 291
became available In 1943.
For details of the development and use of radar in the
RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
March
Resumed Gunnery training in Western Approaches Command.
to
June
July Under refit for
replacement of Type 290 Radar and fit of Type 271
August Resumed training duties
to
December
1 9 4 4
January
Gunnery Training duties in continuation.
to
(Note: During this period ship was used for Air Ministry bombing trials
and exercises
December
1 9 4 5
January
Trials deployment in continuation
to
April
May
After VE Day ceased deployment as training ship.
Taken in hand for refit in Clyde commercial shipyard
June
Nominated for reduction to Reserve and refit work suspended
to
August
September
3rd Paid-off and reduced to Reserve
status.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS CARDIFF was Laid-up in the Gareloch
and placed on the Disposal List. Sold to BISCO for demolition by West of
Scotland Shipbreakers later in 1946. She was towed to
the breakers at Troon on 18th March that year.
