H. M. S. C E R E S
CERES-Class cruiser built by John Brown of
Clydebank, Glasgow and laid down on 11th July 1916. The ship was launched on 24th March 1917 as the 5th RN warship to
bear this name first used in 1777. Build completion was on 2nd June 1917 and she served in Home Waters during
WW1. In March 1942 the ship was adopted by the civil community of the Borough of Luton, Bedfordshire
after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.
1 9 1 7
May Contractors
trials
Commissioned
for Grand Fleet service in 6th Light Cruiser Squadron
June
2nd Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials
On
completion of trials and storing took passage to join Squadron at Scapa Flow.
July Joined
Squadron for operational service in Grand Fleet.
July Deployed
with Grand Fleet in Squadron.
to
December
1 9 1 8
January Grand
Fleet service in continuation.
to Nominated for service in Baltic for
support of operations against Communist forces.
November
December Deployed
in Baltic
1 9 1 9
On
release from service with Squadron in Baltic nominated for transfer to 3rd
Light Cruiser
Squadron.
Returned
to UK to prepare for foreign service in Mediterranean.
Joined Squadron in Mediterranean.
1 9 2 0 t o
1 9 2 2
Deployed
with Squadron in Mediterranean included periods in Black Sea for support of
operations against Communist forces.
(Note:
Return to UK to re-commission for further
service in 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron
is to
be confirmed.)
1 9 2 3 t o
1 9 2 6
Mediterranean service in continuation.
Damaged
in collision with US destroyer USS FOX at entrance with Bosphorus (April 2nd)
1 9 2 7
Re-commissioned
for further service in Mediterranean with 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron after
refit by HM Dockyard Chatham
(Note:
This refit may have been consequent on collision and is to be confirmed.)
Rejoined Squadron in Mediterranean.
1 9 2 8
Towed
damaged cruiser HMS CALEDON to Piraeus after collision in Aegean with Italian
mercantile (January)
Deployed
as Temporary Flagship 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron.
1 9 2 9
Mediterranean
service in continuation
Nominated
for refit before reduction to Reserve status
Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Chatham (October).
1 9 3 0
Under
refit
1 9 3 1
Nominated
for Reserve service at Devonport
Passage
to Devonport on completion of refit and post refit trials (March)
(Note:
Cost of refit is recorded as £100,000.
Reduced
to Reserve at Devonport.
1 9 3 2
Laid-up in Reserve at Devonport.
Nominated
for service to replace HM Cruiser CASTOR in 3rd Cruiser Squadron
Mediterranean
Fleet
Passage
to Chatham to re-commission (April)
Re
commissioned and took passage to join Squadron.
Deployed
in Mediterranean pending relief by HM Cruiser DURBAN
Returned
to UK to Pay-off at Chatham (October)
Paid-off
and reduced to Reserve status
Laid-up in Nore Reserve.
1 9 3 3 t o
1 9 3 4
Laid-up at Chatham.
1 9 3 5
Transferred
to Devonport Reserve and towed to Plymouth (May)
Laid-up
at Devonport
1 9 3 6 t o
1 9 3 8
Laid-up at Devonport.
(Note:
Nomination for service during Munich Crisis 1938 to be confirmed)
Conversion
for use as an AA Cruiser was approved but not implement.)
1 9 3 9
January Laid-up
at Devonport
to Nominated for attendance at Royal Review
in September manned by Reservists from
June Royal Fleet Reserve and RNVR Division.)
July Brought
forward for Review with reduced complement.
August Commissioned temporarily with
Reservists for Royal Review at Weymouth by H M King
George
VI.
9th Attended Royal Review as part of 20th Cruiser Squadron
28th War Station allocated
Stored and
prepared for war service and additional complement joined.
Remained in commission.
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
September Passage
to Portland
3rd Deployed at Portland with Channel Force and
worked-up for service.
11th Nominated for escort of troop convoys
taking BEF to France and took passage to Plymouth.
(Note: Deployed
as escort for five convoys with BEF personnel and equipment.)
October
1st Took passage from Plymouth to Gibraltar
8th Arrived at Gibraltar.
10th Sailed for Plymouth.
13th On arrival taken
in hand for repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
20th Transferred to
11th Cruiser Squadron for interception of blockade runners.
27th On completion sailed to Scapa Flow to join Squadron for
Northern Patrol duties.
31st Called at Sullom Voe
November
2nd Began first
patrol.
9th Returned to Sullom Voe from patrol
12th Sailed for patrol
23rd Joined HM Cruisers SUFFOLK and CALYPSO
to search for the German battleships
SCHARNHORST
and GNEISENAU after the sinking of HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
RAWALPINDI.
(For
details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and
Naval Staff History.)
24th Returned to Sullom Voe.
. 26th Sailed for patrol
with call in Clyde.
December
16th Returned to Scapa Flow to replenish and sailed on
completion.
25th Returned to Scapa Flow.
28th Sailed for patrol.
1 9 4 0
January
11th Left patrol for repair in Belfast
13th Taken in hand for
repair.
February Nominated
for duty with 5th Cruiser Squadron on completion of repair.
7th Prepared for foreign
service on China Station.
16th Passage to Malta.
22nd Arrived in Malta.
March Took
passage from Malta for Singapore with HM Cruiser COLOMBO to join Squadron.
27th Sailed from Colombo.
31st Arrived at Singapore with HMS COLOMBO.
April Retained
at Singapore with HMS COLOMBO for Indian Ocean patrol and trade defence
(Note:
Commerce raiders were known to be active in this area.)
29th Passage to Ceylon
May Deployed
on patrol, convoy defence and interception of commerce raiders in Indian Ocean
and Red Sea.
June
8th Squadron deployment
in Indian Ocean in continuation when Italy commenced
hostilities.
July Patrol
and trade defence in continuation.
August Nominated
for support of military operations in Somaliland.
15th Joined HM Cruisers HOBART, CALEDON and CARLISLE, HM Destroyers KANDAHAR and
KIMBERLEY with three sloops, three
Auxiliaries and a hospital ship for evacuation of troops
and civilians from Berbera.
Over 7,000 persons were embarked and
taken to Aden.
17th Bombarded Italian
army column on Zeila-Bemera
road.
September Resumed
Indian
Ocean
trade defence role when released.
7th Met military Convoy WS2a and escorted mv LLANGIBBY CASTLE into Mombasa.
October Indian
Ocean deployment in continuation.
November
1st Under repair at
Durban (see
Addenda).
10th On completion resumed Indian Ocean trade defence duties
December Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
1 9 4 1
January Deployed
in Indian
Ocean
and Red
Sea
on trade defence.
29th Deployed with HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE as relief for HM Cruiser
HAWKINS as Ocean
Escort
for military Convoy WS5A during passage from
Durban to Aden.
30th Remained with WS5A as Ocean Escort when
HMS SHROPSHIRE detached on relief by HM
Cruiser ENTERPRISE.
February
1st Remained with
WS5A when HMS ENTERPRISE detached.
4th On relief as Ocean Escort for WS5A
escorted ss NIEUW AMSTERDAM and ss
ORBITA into
Mombasa.
Nominated
for support of military operations in Somaliland and took passage to join RN
ships
off Kismayu.
Blockaded Kismayu with HM Cruisers COLOMBO and SHROPSHIRE.
10th Joined Force "T" with HM
Cruisers SHROPSHIRE, HAWKINS and CAPETOWN, HM Aircraft
Carrier
HERMES and HM Destroyer KANDAHAR to support the military
advance into
Italian
Somaliland.
14th Intercepted German ship UCKERMARK which
had broken out of Kismayu.
Enemy
ship scuttled on approach. Resumed support operations.
25th Released to resume Squadron trade
defence duties..
March Deployed
on convoy escort between Aden, Mombasa and Trincomalee.
21st Under repair at Colombo
28th Resumed convoy defence duty on
completion.
April Deployed
on convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
to
June
July
2nd Under refit and
repair at Simonstown.
August
11th On completion
resumed convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
September Convoy defence duty in
continuation.
22nd Relieved HM Battleship REVENGE as Ocean
Escort for military Convoy WS10X during
passage in Indian Ocean.
27th Detached from
WS10X on arrival at Aden.
October
13th Relieved HM Battlecruiser REPULSE as
Ocean Escort for military Convoy WS11 during
passage in Indian Ocean from
Durban.
19th Detached from WS11
on arrival at Aden.
December
21st Met military Convoy WS12X off
Durban and escorted ss ORIZABA into Mombasa.
1 9 4 2
January Indian Ocean trade defence role in
continuation.
16th Joined HM Battleship RAMILLIES in Ocean
Escort for military Convoy WS14 during
passage from Durban to Bombay.
19th Detached from WS14 as escort for ships
destined for Aden when convoy divided.
20th Detached from WS14 ships on arrival at Aden.
February
17th Joined HM Destroyer NORMAN and HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser CHESHIRE and
deployed
as Ocean Escort for military Convoy WS15 during passage from
Durban to Aden.
26th Detached from WS15 with ships destined
for Aden and deployed as Ocean
Escort during
passage as re-designated Convoy WS15A
March
1st Detached from
WS15Awith HM Cruiser COLOMBO on arrival
at Aden.
Transferred to 5th Cruiser Squadron Eastern Fleet on formation.
Deployment for Trade defence and patrol in continuation.
April Transferred
to Kilindini when Eastern Fleet ships withdrawn from Ceylon
(For
details of naval activities in Indian Ocean see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) ).
May Based
at Kilindini for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
to
August
September Under refit in HM Dockyard Simonstown.
(Note:
Close range AA defence implemented by singe 20mm weapons.)
Twin
Torpedo Tube Mountings were removed and four additional 20mm guns.).
October Resumed convoy defence on
completion
November Deployed
for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
(Note:
Deployment as part of Ocean Escort for WS24 to be confirmed.)
December Indian Ocean convoy defence and patrol in
continuation.
1 9 4 3
January Indian
Ocean deployment in continuation.
to
February
March
1st Joined Ocean Escort for military
Convoy WS26 off Durban
(Note:
WS26 comprised ships destined for Aden and Bombay.)
8th Detached from
WS26 during passage before ships for Aden left
convoy.
April Indian Ocean deployment in continuation
Nominated for refit in Bombay.
Passage to Bombay.
May Under refit in Bombay.
(Note:
Surface warning radar Type 271 may have been fitted during this refit.
For
details of development and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
June Resumed
convoy defence duty in Indian Ocean.
July Indian Ocean convoy defence in
continuation.
to (Note: Radar Type 286 for air/surface
warning is recorded as being fitted by this period.)
August
September Withdrawn
ran operational service in East Indies.
Took
passage for UK
27th Sailed from Suez to Plymouth
October On arrival in Plymouth future
deployment under consideration.
November Use as
an Accommodation Ship decided and complement reduced.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Deployed
at Devonport pending decision
February Began use as an
Accommodation Ship.
March Accommodation
Ship deployment in continuation.
April Nominated
or support of Normandy landings as Depot Ship at GOOSEBERRY 1 in US
Sector
to the east of St Martin de Varreville (Operation
NEPTUNE)
May Conversion
for support duties in hand by HM Dockyard, Devonport..
(Note:
Radar Type 290 fitted to replace Type 286.)
6in
main armament and 2pdr Pom Pom
weapons were removed and 20mm guns added.)
June
8th Passage to
GOOSEBERRY 1.
9th Began duty as Depot Ship and also used
as Control Ship for both northbound and
southbound sailings during Build -up Phase.
(For
details of NEPTUNE see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and the Naval Staff
History LANDINGS IN NORMANDY June 1944
(HMSO).)
July Released
from
