1 9 1 7
November Contractors trials.
December Commissioned. for service in Grand Fleet.
14th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
1 9 1 8
January On completion of trials and storing took passage to Harwich to join 5th Light Cruiser
Squadron.
February Prepared for operational service with Squadron.
March Deployed in North Sea for Squadron duties
to
October
November Squadron duties in continuation.
11th Germany signed Armistice.
December Nominated for service in Baltic
1 9 1 9
January Passage to Baltic with other ships of Squadron to relieve Baltic Squadron which had been
deployed in November 1918 to assist in defence of Baltic States against Bolshevik troops.
Entered Baltic via Kiel Canal.
February Deployed in Baltic.
to Nominated for transfer to 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet on return to UK.
April
May Joined Squadron for Atlantic Fleet service.
to Nominated for reduction to Reserve status.
June Passage to Devonport.
July Reduced to Reserve at Devonport.
August Laid-up in Reserve Fleet at Chatham
to
December
1 9 2 0
January Transferred to Reserve Fleet at Rosyth.
to Nominated for service in 5th Light Cruiser Squadron on China Station..
March
April Prepared for service.
27th Commissioned for service at Rosyth
May Carried out sea trials and work-up.
June Passage to Singapore to join Squadron
July Joined Squadron.
August Deployed with Squadron on China Station.
to
December
1 9 2 1
China Station deployment with Squadron in continuation.
1 9 2 2
January Squadron deployment on China Station in continuation.
to Nominated for service with 8th Light Cruiser Squadron on America and West Indies Station
August
September Passage to UK to recommission.
October Paid-off.
November Prepared for recommissioning at Chatham.
24th Recommissioned for service on America and West Indies Station
December Passage to West Indies.
1 9 2 3
Deployed with 8th Light Cruiser Squadron
(Note: Briefly deployed with HM Battlecruisers REPULSE, and HOOD as part of escort
during passage in Atlantic for Royal Tour by HM The Prince of Wales.)
1 9 2 4 t o 1 9 2 6
West Indies Squadron deployment in continuation.
(Note: Ships of Squadron carried out visits programme to ports in both North and South
America in Atlantic and Pacific as well Squadron exercises
Based at Bermuda.)
1 9 2 7
January Returned to UK and Paid-off into Reserve
to Nominated for service as a troopship
April
1928
January China Station deployment in continuation
to Nominated for return to UK for refit and to Pay-off into Reserve.
June
July Passage to UK.
August Arrived at Chatham
September
15th Paid off into Dockyard control at Chatham.
Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham.
October Under refit
to
December
1 9 2 9
January Under refit
to Nominated for service with 3rd Cruiser Squadron Mediterranean Fleet on completion
July of refit.
August Dockyard work completed and re-commissioned.
September Passage to join Squadron in Mediterranean on completion of post
refit trials and shakedown.
October Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean.
1930 to 1932
Deployed with Squadron in Mediterranean and took part in Fleet Exercise and
Visits programmes.
Routine dockings and refits were carried out in Malta.
1933
January Mediterranean deployment with Squadron in continuation.
to Nominated for reduction to Reserve
July
August Passage to Sheerness
22nd Paid-off at Chatham.
September Re-allocated for further service
23rd Re-commissioned for service with 1st Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet.
October On completion of trials took passage to join Squadron in Malta.
November Deployed with Squadron for Mediterranean Fleet duties.
to
December
1934 to 1935
Mediterranean Fleet service with Squadron in continuation
1 9 3 6
January Squadron deployment in Mediterranean in continuation.
to Nominated for return to UK for conversion as an Anti-aircraft Cruiser.
September
October Passage to Chatham to Pay-off into Dockyard control
November Taken in hand for conversion by HM Dockyard, Chatham
to (Note: This ship and HM Cruiser COVENTRY were the prototypes for a new design of
December warship specifically intended to provide defence against air attacks. Changes made
Included the replacement of the existing armament by ten single 4" AA guns and the
provision of two multiple 2pdr Pom Pom mountings. Fire control of new weapons
was provided by new control platforms on foremast and on new superstructure aft.
Under conversion at Chatham.
1 9 3 7
January Under conversion.
to Commissioned for trials.
April
May On completion of dockyard work carried out trials on new equipment.
Deployed with 10th Cruiser Squadron
June Attended Coronation Review by HM King George VI at Spithead.
July Trials in continuation with Home Fleet.
to
December
1 9 3 8
January On completion of trials nominated for service as Boys Training Ship at Chatham.
to
July
August Commissioned for service as Training Ship at Chatham.
September Deployed at Chatham for training duties.
to
December
1 9 3 9
January Training Ship deployment at Chatham in continuation
to Nominated for installation of prototype aircraft warning radar outfit Type 79Z
July (Note: This was the first RN designed radar and had been under development by HM Signal
School Extension at Southsea since 1936.
An earlier version Type 79Y had been fitted in HM Battleship RODNEY and HM
Cruiser SHEFFIELD during 1938.
It had been intended to fit this improved version in HM Cruiser DUNEDIN at
Portsmouth.)
August Installation of radar in hand at Chatham,
(Note: Changes were needed to both masts to accommodate the radar aerial units.)
War complement joined ship
D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search
September Conversion including docking in continuation
23rd Refit and installation work completed.
25th Arrived at Portland after radar trials on passage.
October
1st Took passage to Scapa Flow to continue work-up and radar trials.
3rd Deployed at Scapa Flow.
21st On completion of work-up deployed with Home Fleet.
(Note: Major Fleet units had been transferred to Loch Ewe after sinking of HM
Battleship ROYAL OAK on 14th.)
30th On completion of trials took passage to Rosyth
November
2nd Returned to Scapa Flow from Rosyth for Fleet deployment.
5th Deployed as escort for convoy in North Sea.
10th Sailed from Scapa Flow for convoy air defence duties in North Sea.
24th Took passage from Grimsby for air defence duties.
28th Arrived at Chatham.
December At Chatham.
9th Sailed from Chatham to Scapa Flow to resume Home Fleet duties.
12th Under repair at Invergordon. Resumed Fleet duties on completion.
1 9 4 0
January Deployed for air defence duties in North Sea.
Nominated for transfer to 1st AA Squadron with Humber Force
16th Took passage to Humber with call at Rosyth.
21st Deployed with Humber Force for convoy defence in North Sea.
February Humber Force deployment in continuation.
to
March
April
8th Transferred to Scapa Flow for duty with Home Fleet after German invasion of Norway,
Deployed with Fleet units to provide air defence cover during support of military operations.
9th Passage to Norway to join Fleet Units for air defence.
16th Deployed at Namsos to provide AA defence during landings (Operation MAURICE)
(Note: Arrival as escort to military convoy had been delayed.)
19th Deployed at Namsos to provide air defence during landing of French troops.
21st Return passage to Scapa Flow.
23rd Deployed with HM Aircraft Carriers GLORIOUS and ARK ROYAL, HM Cruiser
BERWICK and screen of six Home Fleet destroyers during passage to Narvik to provide
air defence (Operation DX.)
(Note: The aircraft carriers were also taking RAF GLADIATOR fighter aircraft for use in
Norway
24th Under heavy and sustained air attacks which caused some damage.
28th Relieved by HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD.
May
1st Detached from air defence duties off Norway and took passage to
Scapa Flow for repair and replenishment.
5th Resumed air defence duties off Norway
Deployed with HMS ARK ROYAL, HMS GLORIOUS, HMS BERWICK and Fleet
destroyers in support of military operations.
24th Deployed as AA Guardship at Ofotfjord.
to
25th
26th Under air attack whilst on passage off Skutenes, Lavangfjord near Narvik and hit by
stick of bombs.
Sank in position 67.32N 16.37E in Lavang Fjord. (Casualty List - note on casualties)
(Note: The loss of this valuable ship one of few with an aircraft warning radar outfit
deprived the Fleet of invaluable air cover at a critical stage of the Norwegian
campaign.
For details of the disastrous operations off Norway during April. May and June
see NARVIK by D Macintyre, CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton, THE
DOOMED EXPEDITION by J Adams and Naval Staff History (HMSO –2001).
