H. M. S. C L E O P A T R A
"DIDO" Class cruiser ordered from R&W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. Ltd at Hebburn,
Newcastle on 18th March 1938. The ship was laid down on 5th January 1939 and was
launched on 27th March 1940 as the seventh RN warship to carry this name, dating
from 1779. Build was completed on 5th December 1941 and in February 1942 this
ship was adopted by the civil community of Harrogate, then in the West Riding of
Yorkshire, following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
DOGGER BANK 1781 - MARTINIQUE 1794 - BURMA 1853 - BELGIAN
COAST 1916 -
MALTA CONVOYS
1942 - SIRTE 1942
SICILY 1943
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field
Black, Cleopatra's head proper crowned Gold.
M o t t o
Invicta ut olim : ‘Unconquered as
ever’.
D e t
a i l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 4
1
December Commissioned for service in 15th
Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet
5th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion took
passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with ships of Home Fleet.
1 9 4 2
January Worked-up for operational
service based at Scapa Flow.
February Passage to Clyde
5th Sailed from Clyde
11th Arrived at Malta
with HM Destroyer FORTUNE after call at Gibraltar
Under air attack
during entry into Grand Harbour.
Hit by 500Kg bomb
which exploded after passing through forward structure.
Sustained flooding
forward with some
splinter damage to torpedo tubes and structure by
other near misses.
12th Taken in hand for repair by HM
Dockyard, Malta.
March
10th On completion deployed with HM
Destroyer KINGSTON to join Force "B" in search for Italian
convoys.
(Note: Force B
included Flagship of Squadron, HM Cruiser NAIAD.
11th During search with Force B came
under sustained air attacks
Following loss of
HMS NAIAD by torpedo from U565 became Flagship of Squadron.
15th
Bombarded
Rhodes with ships of 15th Cruiser Squadron.
20th Provided cover for Malta supply
convoy (MW10) during passage from Alexandria
(Operation MG1) with H M
Cruisers DIDO and EURYALUS (Force B) in conjunction with HM
Cruiser PENELOPE and HM Destroyer LEGION (Force K) from Malta.
21st Joined convoy escort (HM Cruiser CARLISLE
and HUNT Class Destroyers).
March
22nd In action
against
aircraft and superior Italian naval force including battleship LITTORIO and
three cruisers.
After brief
engagement and threat of torpedo attack by the
Fleet destroyers, Italian ship
turned
away and convoy
was saved.
Hit on Bridge by
6”return fire from an Italian cruiser caused some casualties.
(2nd Battle of
Sirte - for details see MEDITERRANEAN
MAELSTROM by G. C. Connell.
THE BATTLE FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre. MALTA CONVOYS by R
Woodman and Naval
Staff History.)
(Note: Convoy
MW10 came under heavy air attacks and lossess. See references.)
28th Returned to Alexandria with Force "B".
(Note: Congratulatory signal from Prime Minister was received by
Admiral Vian for the
engagement with a superior Italian force.)
April
Deployed in eastern Mediterranean with Squadron based at Alexandria
to
(Note: Operation IRONCLAD in Indian Ocean to carry out landings at
Diego Suarez,
May Madagascar
had reduced strength of Fleet in Eastern Mediterranean and no relief
convoys were passed to Malta.)
June
13th Deployed as
Flagship
of escort for Malta supply convoy (MW11) with ships of Squadron
which had been reinforced by HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE and BIRMINGHAM on
return
from detached service in Eastern Fleet fir IRONCLAD (Operation
VIGOROUS)
(Note: HM Battleship CENTURION (Pre 1911 build), disguised as modern KGV
Class
battleship and 25 destroyers also formed part of the escort.
This
was also intended as a Diversion during passage of a relief convoy to Malta
from
Gibraltar (Operation
HARPOON)
14th Under heavy and sustained attacks by
high level and dive bombers.
15th After night torpedo boat attacks, a
surface threat from heavy Italian naval force and a series of
conflicting orders from a new CinC in Alexandria, operation abandoned.
(See above
references for details of this ill fated and poorly organised operation.)
30th Transferred to Haifa with ships of
Squadron to act as a Bombardment Force for support of
military operations.
(Note: Operation EXPORTER to support military advance in Syria has
begun and support
from Haifa
was planned. Vichy French warships were also known to be active.
See
RELUCTANT ENEMIES and Naval Staff History and Military (Middle
East) Staff History).
July
Deployed with Squadron in eastern Mediterranean based at Haifa.
August
12th Carried out bombardment at Rhodes
with HM Cruiser ARETHUSA, HM Destroyers
JAVELIN, KELVIN, SIKH and NUBIAN as a
Diversion during passage of Malta Relief
Convoy from Gibraltar (Operation PEDESTAL)
Nominated for self refit at Massawa in Red Sea,
Passage to Massawa.
September
Under
self-refit at Massawa.
(Note: As there was no suitable floating dock available extempore
arrangements were
necessary.
Only the half the
ship could be raised at a time.
Some
damage was caused when ship slipped off blocks.
October On
completion took passage to rejoin Fleet in the Mediterranean.
Joined HM Cruisers ORION and EURYALUS for deployment in eastern
Mediterranean
November
16th Deployed with HM Cruisers ARETHUSA,
DIDO, EURYALUS, ORION and destroyers of
14th Destroyer Flotilla to cover passage of MW13 to Malta from Port
Said.
(Note: This was first relief convoy to Malta since siege was lifted - Operation
STONEAGE.)
During
air attacks on 18th HMS ARETHUSA was seriously damaged but able to
return
to Alexandria with great difficulty.)
19th Nominated for return to Malta as
Force K.
(Note: Other ships in Force K comprised
HM Cruisers DIDO, EURYALUS, HM estroyers
JERVIS, JAVELIN, KELVIN and NUBIAN.)
25th Sailed from Alexandria for service
based in Malta.
December
4th Deployed with Force K to cover
passage of Convoy MW14 during final stage of passage
into Malta from Egypt (Operation PORTCULLIS)
10th Transferred to Bone with HM Cruisers
ARGONAUT, DIDO and EURYALUS for
deployment as Force "Q" for attacks on enemy supply convoys to
North African ports. -' j
12th In action with HM Cruisers EURYALUS
and four destroyers against convoy off
Tunisia
sinking three ships.
For details see above references
1 9 4 3
January
22nd Bombarded enemy withdrawal route near
Zuara, with HMS EURYALUS and HM
Destroyers JERVIS, JAVELIN,
KELVIN and NUBIAN.
February
Deployed in eastern Mediterranean on convoy defence and for support of
military
to
operations, based at
Bone.
April
May Transferred to 12th
Cruiser Squadron and continued deployment at Bone
June
Escorted military convoys for build up of allied forces before allied
landings in Sicily.
July
1st Based at Bone for support of
planned allied landings in Sicily,
6th Sailed from Algiers to commence
HUSKY support
8th Covered assault convoys in Gulf
of Sirte with Force "H" and Mediterranean Fleet units.
10th Deployed In Ionian Sea with HM
Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, WARSPITE,
VALIANT, HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE and FORMIDABLE and ships of
Squadron.
(Operation HUSKY - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History).
11th Deployed for gunfire support on
northern Flank of Beach head,
Involved in
“Friendly Fire” incident with HM Cruiser EURYALUS and Motor Torpedo
Boats.
(Note:
This incident was not public knowledge until after 1993.
For information on this subject see FRIENDLY FIRE by P Kemp.)
12th Deployed for interception patrol
with HMS EURYALUS and HM Destroyers ILEX and
ECHO.
During anti-submarine operations the two destroyers sank the Italian
submarine NEREIDE
10 miles SE of Augusta.
14th Torpedo attack by aircraft during
naval gunfire support failed.
16th Hit amidships by torpedo from
Italian submarine
Sustained major damage to structure with flooding of machinery
compartments.
Only 'Local' control of
armament was possible.
30 of ship's company were killed or missing with 23 wounded,
(Note: Submarine probably DANDALO but another source claims ALAGI)
17th Returned to Malta at 10 knots
screened by HM Destroyers QUIBERON and QUAIL
with AA cover by HMS EURYALUS.
August
Deployed at Malta pending arrangements for repair.
to Under temporary repair to
allow passage
September
October
Repair arranged in USA
Passage to Gibraltar with call at Algiera
November
7th Sailed from Gibraltar for Philadelphia.
Taken in hand for repair and refit in US Navy Yard, Philadelphia
December Under
repair and refit.
1 9 4 4
January
Under repair and refit
to
August
September Carried
out post refit trials.
October On completion of trials took
passage from Philadelphia to Bermuda
with call at New York.
November
Deployed at Bermuda for shakedown before passage to Clyde.
28th Arrived in Clyde
December
Completion
of refit work and A's and A's in Clyde shipyard.
(Note: Work including installation of equipment not available in USA
and
included new radars and IFF outfits.
"Q" 5.25" mounting forward replaced by Close Range AA
armament.
For details of development and use of radar see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.
1 9 4 5
January
Under refit
to Carried cut post refit trials.
April
Nominated for duty in Eastern Fleet
and began work-up in Clyde.
May
3rd
Took passage
from Clyde to Mediterranean for further working-up in Malta
with ships of Mediterranean Fleet.
12th Arrived in Malta
June
Deployed in Malta.
Sailed from Malta on
completion to join 5th Cruiser Squadron in Eastern Fleet.
July
Passage in Red Sea and Indian Ocean
12th Arrived at Colombo.
Joined 5th Cruiser Squadron, East Indies Fleet
August Deployed for exercises with ships
of Eastern Fleet in preparation for planned landings
in Malaya (Operation ZIPPER).
(Note: Operation delayed by US insistence and problems relating to
return of service
personnel from SEAC under the PYTHON Scheme. See Final Report of the
Supreme Commander SEAC (HMSO)
15th At Colombo
Nominated for duty as Flagship for Re-occupation of Singapore (Operation
TIDERACE.)
27th
Embarked
CinC Eastern Fleet for passage to Penang via Sabang.
Passage from Colombo
September
1st At Penang for surrender
ceremonies.
2nd Covered minesweeping operation
during passage in Malacca Strait to Singapore.
3rd Arrived at Singapore with HM
Minesweeper BENGAL (RIN) and remained for
landing of re-occupation forces,
9th Covered landings at Port Swettenham with
HM Battleship NELSON, French battleship
RICHELIEU, ships of 21st Escort Aircraft Carrier Squadron , HM Cruisers
NIGERIA,
CEYLON and 15 Fleet Destroyers.
(Operation ZIPPER - For details of this operation see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE
CLOSELY and Naval Staff History).
12th Attended Formal Surrender at
Singapore
17th Released from ZIPPER and took
return passage to Trincomalee.
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS CLEOPATRA remained in the
East Indies until 7 January 1946 when she returned to UK arriving at Portsmouth
on 7th February. After delays due to manning problems she re-commissioned for
service in 2nd Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet until reducing to Reserve in
January 1951. After refit she again commissioned on 30th October for service in
the 1st Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet. In February 1953 she returned to
UK and attended the Coronation Review in June that year before going into
Reserve at Chatham. Between 1954 and 1956 this cruiser was used as Flagship for
the Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth. Laid-up at Portsmouth she was placed on the
Disposal List in 1958 and sold to BISCO for demolition by Cashmore at Newport.
Taken under tow she left Portsmouth on 9th December that year and arrived at
the breaker’s yard on 15th December.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
CLEOPATRA
by Don Kindell
Date
convoy Joined convoy
Convoy
No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
11/06/42 14/06/42 MW 011 16/06/42 16/06/42
16/11/42 16/11/42 MW 013 19/11/42 20/11/42
01/12/42 04/12/42 MW 014 05/12/42 05/12/42
27/01/43 28/01/43 ME 016 01/02/43 01/02/43
17/10/43 23/10/43 MKF 025 26/10/43 04/11/43
29/10/43 08/11/43 GUS 020 24/11/43 24/11/43
(Note on Convoys)
