H. M. S. C O L O M B O
“CAPETOWN” Class Cruiser ordered from Fairfield at Govan in July 1917 and laid down on 8th December 1917. The ship was launched on 18th
December 1918 and was the 1st RN ship to bear this name. Build was completed on 18th
June 1919 and she commissioned for foreign service. Until 1935 she was deployed in the
East Indies, America and West Indies Stations and in the Mediterranean. She was deployed as
Senior Officer’s ship in Chatham Reserve Fleet in 1936. The ship was
recommissioned in 1939 and took up war station at Gibraltar before war was declared with Germany on 3rd
September. Following a WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings Campaign in March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Salford, then in the county of Lancashire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939–44 - SICILY 1943 - AEGEAN 1944
-
SOUTH FRANCE 1944 - ADRIATIC 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Green, an elephant’s head proper
arising out of a mural crown Gold.
M o t t o
Selon le defense l’attaque
S u m m a r y o f
S e r v i c e b e f o r e
S e p t e m b e r 1 9 3 9
1 9 1 9
December Contractors trials and
commissioned for trials.
18th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance trials
1 9 2 0
On completion
of Acceptance trials Paid off.
Recommissioned for service in 5th Light Cruiser Squadron on
China Station.
Passage to join
Squadron, based at Hong Kong.
Deployed for
Squadron duties on China Station.
(Note:
Exercises with Squadron ships included periods in North China at Wei Hai Wei
an
island off the Chantung Peninsula leased from China
and used as an RN
Base for may years. Visits were paid to ports in Japan, Philippines and
the
Dutch East Indies together with Empire territories in the Pacific.)
1 9 2 1
China Station
deployment with Squadron in continuation.
1 9 2 2
Recommissioned for service in 4th Light Cruiser Squadron on
the East
Indies Station based in
Ceylon.
(Note:
Exercises were carried out in the Indian Ocean. Visit programmes included
ports in East Africa and island groups.)
1 9 2 3 t
o 1 9 2 5
Indian Ocean
deployment with Squadron in continuation.
Returned to UK
for refit in HM Dockyard, Chatham.
1 9 2 6
On completion
of post refit trials commissioned for service in 8th Cruiser Squadron
on American and
West Indies Station based at Bermuda.
1 9 2 7 t
o 1 9 2 8
Deployed for exercises and visits to port in
North and South America
including west
coast of both continents and empire possessions in West
Indies.
1 9 2 9
Returned to UK
for long refit at Chatham.
1 9 3 0
Paid-off at
Chatham and transferred to Dockyard Control for refit.
Under refit by
HM Dockyard, Chatham
1 9 3 1
Commissioned for trials.
Carried out
post refit harbour and sea trials.
On completion
commissioned for service in 3rd Cruiser Squadron,
Mediterranean Fleet.
Passage to join
Squadron at Malta.
1 9 3 2
Nominated for
service in East Indies and recommissioned for service
in 4th Cruiser
Squadron.
Returned to Chatham to Pay-off and
recommission.
Recommissioned for service in East Indies (June).
Passage to
Ceylon to join Squadron.
1 9 3 2 t
o 1 9 3 4
Deployed for Squadron duties in
Indian Ocean.
1 9 3 5
Nominated for
reduction to Reserve status and took passage to Chatham
Paid-off at
Chatham, destored and reduced to Reserve.
Laid-up in
Reserve in Nore Command (December)
1 9 3 6
Nore Command Reserve Fleet in continuation.
Deployed at Chtham as Senior Officer’s ship, Reserve Fleet.
1 9 3 7 t
o 1 9 3 7
Chatham Reserve
deployment in continuation.
Attended
Coronation Review.
1 9 3 8
Mobilised for
service with Reserve Fleet personnel during Munich crisis.
1 9 3 9
Commissioned
for service with Reservists for attendance at
Review of
Reserve Fleet by HM King George VI at Weymouth.
D e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
August Attended Review and
remained in commission.
Allocated for
War Station as Flagship of 11th Cruiser Squadron and remained
in commission.
On completion
of storing and increase to war complement too passage to Gibraltar
to take up
Station.
(Note: Ship
war deployment was for interception of
enemy mercantile traffic on passage
to
Germany and for trade defence against commerce raiders.)
September At Gibraltar and Flagship of 11th
Cruiser Squadron.
3rd Took passage from Gibraltar for
patrol off Casablanca
(Note: To
enforce blockade patrols were carried out to intercept
shipping carrying contraband destined for Germany.
26th Escorted convoy from Gibraltar to
SW Approaches.
October Nominated for service in
Northern Patrol for interception of shipping.
(Note: For
details of Northern Patrol service see THE BLOCKADERS
by
C Hampshire.)
5th Arrived at Plymouth.
11th Passage to Scapa Flow to commence
Northern Patrol duties as Flagship
of 11th Cruiser
Squadron.
13th Arrived at Scapa Flow.
14th Sailed for Sullom
Voe from Scapa Flow.
20th Took passage from Sullom Voe for first patrol in
North Atlantic.
November Northern Patrol in continuation
11th Intercepted German freighter MIM
and placed boarding party on board.
Taken as Prize
and took passage to Kirkwall.
(Note: During
passage captured ship went aground off Scottish coast.)
Intercepted
German freighter HENNING OLDENDORF.
Boarded and
taken to Kirkwall as Prize.
23rd Deployed with HM Cruisers CALEDON
and CARDIFF for patrol
off North Rona
to intercept German battlecruisers SCHARNHORST
and GNEISENAU
after they had attacked an Atlantic convoy and
had sunk its
escort HM Armed Merchant Cruiser RAWALPINDI.
27th Resumed patrol on release from
search.
December Northern Patrol duties in
continuation.
1 9 4 0
January Nominated for foreign service.
(Note: This
type of cruiser had been found unsuitable for duty in the
North Atlantic and were to be withdrawn. See above reference.)
6th Returned to Scapa
Flow from Patrol.
8th Sailed for patrol.
11th Escorted German freighter
BERGENSFJORD to Kirkwall after it had
been intercepted
by HM Trawler KINGSTON ONYX.
12th Took passage to Plymouth to prepare
for foreign service.
14th Arrived at Devonport
28th Sailed for Belfast.
30th At Belfast.
(Note: Repair
to be confirmed.)
February Passage from Belfast for
Mediterranean.
Deployed in
Mediterranean.
Took passage to
join 5th Cruiser Squadron at Singapore.
March On arrival at Colombo
nominated for duty with HM Cruiser CERES
27th Sailed for Singapore with HMS
CERES.
31st Arrived at Singapore and joined
Squadron on China Station
April Deployed for trade
defence and interception patrol based at Singapore.
May Transferred to 4th
Cruiser Squadron and took passage to Colombo.
Deployed for
patrol in Indian Ocean
June Indian Ocean duties
in continuation
to July
August Transferred to Red Sea
Force for convoy defence in Arabian Sea
and Red Sea.
September Red Sea Force deployment in
continuation.
October Nominated for escort of
military convoy WS2C and took passage to
Capetown.
November
1st Joined WS3C at Capetown as Ocean Escort
(Note: This
convoy comprised HM Depot Ship WOOLWICH
on passage to the Mediterranean and freighter CLAN
CAMPBELL.)
5th Joined Convoy CM5 which continued as WS3C.
10th HMS WOOLWICH detached to proceed
to Mombasa for repair.
HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser CARTHAGE joined escort from Mombasa.
23rd Detached from WS3C on arrival at
Suez.
December Resumed duties at Aden with
Red Sea Force.
1 9 4 1
January Deployed off Maldives as
part of search for German commerce raiders
ATLANTIS and
PINGUIN known to be active in Indian Ocean.
On release
from search nominated for support of military operations
in Somaliland (Operation APPEARANCE).
February
2nd Deployed with HM Cruisers
SHROPSHIRE and CERES to carry
out
blockade of port of Kismayu
On release
took passage to Colombo for docking and refit.
March Under refit
April On completion took
passage to resume trade defence in Indian Ocean.
28th Joined military convoy WS7 from Mombasa in position 4 S 42 E
with HM
Cruiser GLASGOW as relief for Ocean Escort HM
Cruiser
HAWKINS.
May
1st Detached from WS7 when it
divided into sections for Aden
and Bombay.
Deployed as Ocean Escort for Bombay section
designated
WS7X comprising four troopships.
5th Detached from WS7X on arrival at
Bombay and resumed trade
defence and
convoy escort duties.
June Indian Ocean
deployment in continuation.
to September
October
Deployed in Indian
Ocean.
Joined HM
Cruiser DEVONSHIRE, HM Armed Merchant Cruisers
CARTHAGE and
CARNARVON CASTLE in search for Vichy
French convoy on passage to Europe
from Indo China.
November
2nd Deployed with HM Cruisers
SHROPSHIRE, CERES , HM Armed Merchant Cruisers
CARNARVON
CASTLE and CARTHAGE to intercepted Vichy French
convoy east
of Cape of
Good Hope. Escorting Sloop detached when ships sighted. Mercantiles
were
captured and escorted to Ports in South
Africa
December Indian Ocean deployment for
trade defence in continuation.
27th Escorted troopship ORIZABA from
Mombasa to join military
convoy WS12Z.
Joined Aden
Section of WS12Z when it divided in position 1.26S
48.44E and
escorted it as Convoy WS12ZA to Aden.
1 9 4 2
January Selected for conversion
for use as an Anti-Aircraft Cruiser.
4th Detached from WS12ZA on
arrival off Aden.
20th Relieved HM Battleship
RAMILLIES in Ocean Escort of military
convoy WS14 with HMS CERES during passage
from Durban
(Note:
This convoy included troopships on passage to Singapore).
22nd Detached from WS14 Ocean Escort
February Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.
26th Joined HMS CERES in Ocean
Escort for military convoy WS15A
during
passage from Durban when it detached from WS15 for
onward transit to Aden.
March
1st Detached from WS15A off Aden
when ships proceeded to Suez
independently.
Transferred
to Eastern Fleet on formation as part of 5th Cruiser
Squadron
and retained on Station for trade defence in view of the
threat from
Japanese naval units in the area.
April Indian Ocean Trade
defence and convoy escort in continuation.
1st Deployed with HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser AURANIA as relief
for HM
Cruisers GLASGOW and NEWCASTLE as Ocean Escort
with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
WORCESTERSHIRE for
military
convoy WS16 during passage in Indian Ocean from
Durban.
3rd Detached from WS16 when
sections for Bombay and Aden divided.
Deployed as
Ocean Escort for Aden Section, designated WS16A.
6th Detached from WS16A off Aden
for independent passage
Released from Eastern Fleet duties
May Passage to UK for
conversion.
June
5th Arrived at Plymouth.
Paid off
into Dockyard Control for conversion.
July Under refit
to (Note:
Original armament replaced by twin 4” AA mountings
December with Radar Type
285 for fire-control. Two 2pdr Pom
Pom
mountings with Radar Type 282 fire-control and
20mm Oerlikon guns were fitted for close range
defence
against aircraft.
Type 279 Aircraft
Warning Radar was fitted on the
main mast and Type 273 Surface Warning Radar abaft
the mainmast on the centre line.
1 9 4 3
January Under refit
February Post refit trials and recommissioning.
Nominated
for service in the Mediterranean
March On completion of
trials prepared for foreign service.
April Passage to Clyde
to work-up for operational service.
13th Arrived in Clyde for work-up.
May Deployed in NW
Approaches on completion of work-up
June Nominated for
support if planned allied landings in Sicily
(Operation
HUSKY)
28th Joined escort for military
Convoy KMF18 in NW Approaches
July
4th Detached from KMF18 on arrival
at Algiers.
6th Joined Escort
Group C and took passage to join
military
Convoy
KMS18B in transit from Gibraltar to BARK WEST
Beach head
10th On arrival
deployed for AA defence of assault area with
HM AA Cruisers CARLISLE and
DELHI.
including landing of
1st
Airborne Division.
(For
details see Naval Staff History, ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett) and BRITISH INVASION
FLEETS by
J de Winser)
August Support deployment in
continuation.
September Deployed for convoy
defence in Western Mediterranean.
to
October
November Joined military convoy
KMF25 during passage to Algiers.
5th Provided
AA defence with 11 US Navy escorts, three RN
and two
Greek HUNT Class destroyers during attacks by 35
torpedo
aircraft east of Algiers..
(Note:
One US destroyer, USS BEATTY and two ships in this
convoy were sunk.)
December Convoy escort duties in
continuation.
1 9 4 4
January Mediterranean convoy
defence in continuation.
to
February
March Joined US Navy
escort for Convoy UGS36 with ships of 37th
Escort
Group west of Gibraltar.
30th Entered
Mediterranean with convoy of 72 ships including
18
Landing Ships (Tank).
31st Convoy under submarine
attacks which were driven off by
escorts.
April
1st Under
attack by 21 torpedo aircraft off Algiers during which
one freighter in convoy was
sunk.
May Mediterranean
convoy defence in continuation.
to June
July Mediterranean convoy defence in
continuation.
Nominated for support of planned landing in South of
France
with HM Cruiser CALEDON as part of Task Force 88
under US Navy
command (Operation DRAGOON)
August Joined HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers STALKER and HUNTER
US
aircraft carriers TULAGI and KASAAN BAY in Task
Group 88.2.
(For
details see INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE
(HMSO).)
15th Provided
AA defence during carrier air operations against
shore
targets with HMS CALEDON and US Navy destroyers.
27th Released
from US Navy command and resumed convoy
defence.
September
24th Transferred to British
Aegean Force for support of
operation to re-occupy islands in the Eastern
Mediterranean and planned
landings in Greece
(Operation
MANNA)
Took
passage to join British Aegean Force.
October Provided AA defence
during re-occupation.
3rd Bombarded shore targets at
Heraklion, Crete
November Transferred to Adriatic
to provide AA defence in support
of
military operations.
11th Deployed
at Zadar and accepted surrender of German
forces.
December Deployed in Aegean Sea
for AA defence during re
-
occupation of islands held by German troops.
Bombarded enemy positions on Aegina Island in Gulf
of
Athens.
1 9 4 5
January AA defence and
support of operations in Adriatic and
to Aegean in
continuation.
February
March Nominated for
reduction to Reserve and to be withdrawn
from
operational service in Mediterranean.
April Passage to UK
May Deployed in
Plymouth Command pending paying-off and
de-stored prior to reduction to Reserve status.
June Passage to
Dartmouth to Pay-off
Paid off.
July Laid-up in
Reserve at Dartmouth.
P o
s t W a r N o t e s
HMS COLOMBO remained in Reserve at Dartmouth until
placed on the Disposal List in 1947. The ship was sold to BISCO for breaking-up
by J J Cashmore on 22nd January 1948. She arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard
in Newport on 15th May 1948.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS COLOMBO
by Don Kindell
Date convoy Joined
convoy
Convoy
No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
26/09/39 26/09/39 HG 001 05/10/39 06/10/39
19/09/40 19/09/40 BN 005A 25/09/40 29/09/40
26/09/40 26/09/40 AK 002/1 03/10/40 03/10/40
01/11/40 01/11/40 WS 003C 16/11/40 16/11/40
04/11/40 04/11/40 CM 005 11/11/40 11/11/40
09/12/40 09/12/40 CM 007 15/12/40 15/12/40
06/04/41 06/04/41 BN 024 13/04/41 13/04/41
30/05/41 07/06/41 SW 007 12/06/41 12/06/41
15/08/41 15/08/41 CM 016A 21/08/41 21/08/41
03/09/41 03/09/41 CM 016B 10/09/41 10/09/41
16/11/41 16/11/41 CM 022 20/11/41 24/11/41
30/11/41 30/11/41 CM 023 07/12/41 13/12/41
08/12/41 08/12/41 MA 003/1 16/12/41 16/12/41
18/08/43 25/08/43 KMS 023 27/08/43 30/08/43
25/08/43 01/09/43 MKS 023 04/09/43 03/09/43
17/10/43 17/10/43 MKF 025 21/10/43 04/11/43
01/11/43 01/11/43 KMS 030 04/11/43 11/11/43
27/10/43 04/11/43 KMF 025A 08/11/43 11/11/43
31/10/43 09/11/43 MKF 025A 15/11/43 24/11/43
15/11/43 24/11/43 KMF 026 27/11/43 30/11/43
17/11/43 29/11/43 MKF 026 01/12/43 09/12/43
09/12/43 09/12/43 KMS 034 14/12/43 20/12/43
06/12/43 13/12/43 GUS 024 17/12/43 03/01/44
21/12/43 21/12/43 KMS 035 26/12/43 01/01/44
17/01/44 17/01/44 KMS 038 21/01/44 27/01/44
15/01/44 21/01/44 GUS 028 26/01/44 15/02/44
28/01/44 28/01/44 KMS 039 02/02/44 07/02/44
25/01/44 03/02/44 GUS 029 05/02/44 22/02/44
17/02/44 17/02/44 KMS 041 20/02/44 27/02/44
14/02/44 21/02/44 GUS 031 26/02/44 18/03/44
21/02/44 27/02/44 KMF 029 02/03/44 05/03/44
18/02/44 01/03/44 UGS 033A 03/03/44 29/02/44
02/03/44 05/03/44 MKF 029 09/03/44 16/03/44
05/03/44 05/03/44 SNF 016 08/03/44 08/03/44
17/03/44 17/03/44 KMS 044 21/03/44 27/03/44
15/03/44 24/03/44 GUS 034 26/03/44 14/04/44
14/03/44 01/04/44 UGS 036 03/04/44 09/04/44
30/03/44 09/04/44 MKS 045 11/04/44 11/04/44
17/04/44 17/04/44 KMS 047 18/04/44 27/04/44
06/05/44 06/05/44 KMS 049 10/05/44 16/05/44
03/05/44 21/05/44 UGS 041 25/05/44 30/05/44
13/05/44 30/05/44 UGS 042 02/06/44 08/06/44
08/06/44 09/06/44 MKS 052 20/06/44 20/06/44
03/06/44 11/06/44 GUS 042 16/06/44 29/06/44
12/06/44 29/06/44 UGS 045 01/07/44 07/07/44
28/06/44 05/07/44 MKS 054 10/07/44 10/07/44
14/07/44 21/07/44 GUS 046 23/07/44 08/08/44
(Note on Convoys)
