1 9 2 2
May Contractors
trials and commissioned for service on China Station in 3rd Light Cruiser
Squadron.
June
2nd Build
Completion and commenced Acceptance Trials in Nore Command.
July On
completion of trials worked-up for foreign service in
Home waters
to August
September Passage to join Squadron on China
Station.
October Deployed
with Squadron for visits and exercises.
to December
1 9 2 3 t o 1 9 2 5
Deployed with Squadron on China Station
(Note Ship would have carried out
refits on Station with docking facilities
available
at Hong Kong and Singapore.
1 9 2 6
China Station
deployment in continuation.
On 16th November this ship with
HM Cruiser VINDICTIVE was despatched from
Hong Kong to search for pirates who had taken over the mercantile ss SUNNING
and
abandoned the ship in a lifeboat.
1 9 2 7
Returned to UK to pay off and re-commissioned for service in 8th
Cruiser Squadron
on America and West
Indies Station as Squadron
Flagship.
Sailed for Bermuda on 20 December and after a stormy passage via the Azores
arrived in
Bermuda on 31st December having damaged one
propeller and using one engine.
1 9 2 8
January On
completion of repairs deployed for visits programme to ports in South America.
to April
May Deployed
in West Indies
to June
July
2nd Sailed
for Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
On arrival off Halifax towed HM Cruiser DAUNTLESS off rocks on which this
ship
had
grounded.
12th Took
return passage to Bermuda
August Deployed on
West Indies Station for exercise and visits programme.
to December
1 9 2 9 t o 1 9 3 0
West Indies deployment with Squadron in
continuation.
(Note: Docking and refits for
ships in Squadron were carried out
in HM
Dockyard at Bermuda or in RCN dockyard
at Halifax)
1 9 3 1
January Nominated
for reduction to Reserve on return to UK pending refit
to August Passage
to UK from Bermuda on relief.
September In Reserve
at Portsmouth
to December
1 9 3 2
January Passage
to Chatham for refit
20th Paid-off into Dockyard control and taken in hand for refit.
February Under refit
to December Carried
out Post refit trials
1 9 3 3
January On
completion of trials took passage to Portsmouth.
February
3rd Re-commissioned
for service in 3rd Cruiser Squadron Mediterranean Fleet.
March Deployed in
Home waters and worked up for service.
to August
September Passage to Alexandria to join Squadron.
25th Arrived
at Alexandria.
October Deployed
with Squadron for exercises and visits
to December
1 9 3 4
Squadron deployment in Mediterranean including joint exercises with ships of
Home Fleet at Gibraltar and Mediterranean Fleet Spring and Summer Cruises
(Note: Visits included ports in
western and eastern Mediterranean with Fleet
Regatta.
1 9 3 5
January Mediterranean
Fleet deployment in continuation
to March Nominated
for attendance with HM Cruiser COVENTRY at Jubilee Review by
HM King George V at Spithead.
April Passage
to Portsmouth
May Deployed
in Home waters and prepared for Review ceremonials.
to June
July Present
at Review.
On completion took passage to Malta with Rear Admiral (Destroyers),
Mediterranean Fleet embarked.
August Resumed
Squadron duties
Deployed with HM Battleship
RESOLUTION in eastern Mediterranean
(Note: Following the Italian
invasion of Ethiopia significant reinforcement of
of the
Mediterranean Fleet took place and Fleet activities were adjusted to
to
ensure suitable response to any escalation of hostilities in the area.
September
2nd At
Port Said with HMS RESOLUTION.
15th Rejoined Mediterranean Fleet units.
October Deployed
in Eastern Mediterranean with Squadron.
to December
1 9 3 6
Squadron deployment in
continuation with Fleet units and including
exercises
planned to provide instant readiness to deal with the existing
emergency
and the outbreak of civil war in Spain.
1 9 3 7
January to Deployed in Mediterranean with Squadron which carried out Fleet and
October Squadron
exercises and visits in accordance with Fleet Programmes,.
(Note: Extensive deployments
were made by ships of Mediterranean Fleet
to deal
with civil war in Spain.
Ship visited Varna in the Black
sea.
November Passage to UK
December Nominated for reduction to Reserve
Status.
Arrived
at Portsmouth
1 9 3 8
January Paid-off
and de-stored
to February Accepted
into Reserve at Portsmouth.
March Laid-up at Portsmouth in Reserve
to December
1 9 3 9
January Laid-up
at Portsmouth in reserve.
to June
July Brought
forward for service to take-up war station in South Atlantic
on mobilisation.
August Commissioned
at Portsmouth for service with ship’s company mainly of
Reservists and
to be deployed with 9th Cruiser Squadron in South Atlantic.
Took passage
to Gibraltar with HM Cruiser DAUNTLESS to take
up war station.
(Note: Attendance at Royal
Review of Reserve Fleet at Weymouth
to be confirmed.)
D e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
September
3rd Sailed
from Gibraltar with HMS DAUNTLESS as escort for
convoy to Freetown.
14th Arrived
at Freetown.
21st Sailed for patrol from Freetown.
October Transferred
to 8th Cruiser Squadron for service ion West Indies.
2nd On
return to Freetown prepared for service based in Bermuda.
4th Sailed
for West Indies.
23rd Joined
West Indies Station for trade protection and interception of blockade runners.
26th Arrived
at Kingston, Jamaica
29th Deployed
for interception patrol in Caribbean
November Diverted for interception
operation in Pacific.
19th Transit of Panama Canal.
21st Deployed
off west coast of South
America
December
5th Intercepted
German freighter DUSSELDORF off Punta Caldera, Chile.
Captured enemy ship which was taken as Prize.
15th Resumed
patrol duties in Caribbean
1 9 4 0
January Caribbean area patrol and interception in
continuation.
to February
March Intercepted
German freighters TROSA and HEIDELBERGH which both
scuttled on approach.
April Interception
and trade defence duties in continuation.
to May
June Under
refit by HM Dockyard, Bermuda.
July
25th On
completion of post refit trials resumed trade protection and interception
patrol duties.
August Caribbean area duties in continuation.
Detached
from Squadron and returned to Home waters prior to refit and repair
September
1st Took
passage from Kingston for UK
29th Sailed
from Clyde to Portsmouth
October Under
repair by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth
Nominated for service at Gibraltar with Force H on completion.
November Took passage to Clyde
on completion of post refit trials
3rd Arrived
in Clyde and took passage for Gibraltar as escort for HM Aircraft
Carrier ARGUS taking aircraft to
Mediterranean for onward flight to Malta.
(Note: For details of naval
activities in the western Mediterranean
during
1940 see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D
Macintyre, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by C Barnett, Malta Convoys by R Woodman and the Naval Staff
History.)
15th Deployed
with HM Destroyers DUNCAN, FURY and WISHART as escort
during
passage in western Mediterranean to launch position for delivery of
aircraft
to Malta (Operation WHITE). Cover was provided by HM
Battlecruiser
RENOWN,
HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD and screen of eight destroyers of Force H.
(Note: Only four HURRICANE and one SKUA aircraft of the 14 launched arrived.
18th On
return to Gibraltar joined Force H for Mediterranean deployment.
25th Joined
HMS RENOWN, HM Aircraft
Carrier ARK ROYAL and HMS SHEFFIELD
as
Force B to provide cover for passage of Force F (HM Cruisers SOUTHAMPTON
and MANCHESTER to join Mediterranean Fleet in eastern Mediterranean and a
convoy
of mercantiles taking stores to Malta. (Operation COLLAR)
(Note: HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,
FIREDRAKE, FORESTER, FURY, WISHART
ENCOUNTER, KELVIN and JAGUAR
were deployed as Screen for Force B.
and HM
Destroyers DUNCAN, HOTSPUR, and VIDETTE with four corvettes
as
escort for Force F.)
27th Met
HM Battleship RAMILLIES, HM Cruisers BERWICK and NEWCASTLE of
Mediterranean Fleet on passage
to provide cover during eastward passage.
Detached with HMS VIDETTE and
HMS WISHART as Close escort for mercantiles
after
threat of attack by an Italian naval force including the battleship VITTORIO
VENETO
(Note: Italian force withdrew
after brief engagement by other ships of Force B and
Mediterranean Fleet Battle of
Spartivento – See above references.)
29th Returned
to Gibraltar with Force B.
December Passage to Portsmouth prior to resuming duties in West Indies with Squadron.
1 9 4 1
January Deployed
for trade defence duties during return passage to Bermuda.
February Taken in hand for refit by HM
Dockyard, Bermuda.
to March
April Resumed
trade defence. interception and patrol duties off east
coast of South America
to July and in Caribbean area.
August Atlantic
deployment with Squadron in continuation.
15th During
operation with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser PRETORIA CASTLE intercepted
German
freighter NORDERNEY NE of Amazon estuary but ship scuttled on approach.
September Atlantic deployment in
continuation.
to November
December Transferred to Pacific for service
in conjunction with US Navy Task Group to intercept
any Japanese attempt to attack Falkland islands.
1 9 4 2
January Pacific
deployment in continuation
(Note: One source records
service off Galapagos Islands, but this is to be confirmed.
Released from Pacific duties and
returned to Bermuda.
February Passage to Bermuda. 8th Cruiser Squadron disbanded.
26th Docking and routine maintenance at Bermuda.
March
20th Deployed in South Atlantic for interception duties and trade
defence.
April Nominated
for return to Home waters and took passage to UK.
Joined Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
May Passage
to Chatham for refit.
Taken in hand by HM Dockyard, Chatham.
June Under
refit.
July Refit
completion transferred to Tyne commercial shipyard
Passage
to Tyne
August Under refit
(Note: Close range AA defence
was improved by fit of eight 20mm single Oerlikon
weapons.
Radar outfit Type 271 was fitted to provide surface warning and a
Modified RAF Air-Surface radar
naval Type 286 also installed to provide
limited
air warning. For details of the development and use of radar in the RN
see
RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
September On completion of post refit trials
resumed Home Fleet service and took
passage to Scapa
Flow
October Worked
up for operational service with ships of Home Fleet at
Scapa Flow.
Nominated for detached service
at Freetown for trade defence and
interception
patrol
4th Joined
military convoy WS23 in Clyde with HM Cruiser DURBAN. HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser QUEEN OF BERMUDA, HM Destroyer PUCKERIDGE,
and
Greek destroyer KANARIS as Ocean Escort during Atlantic passage to Freetown.
15th Detached from WS23 on arrival of Local Escort from Freetown.
23rd Rejoined
WS23 with HM Sloop during convoy passage to Cape of Good Hope.
31st Detached
from WS23 before convoy arrived at Capetown and took passage to join
military
convoy WS24 then on passage in Atlantic from UK to Brazil.
(Note: Atlantic passage for
WS24, en route to Middle East exceptionally been routed
via Bahia, Brazil to avoid extensive US traffic on passage to North Africa for
the
planned landings in North
Africa (Operation TORCH).
November
11th Joined
HM Armed Merchant Cruiser QUEEN OF BERMUDA and HM
Destroyer
ILEX with HMS ROTHERHAM to supplement Ocean Escort for WS24.
17th Detached from WS24 on arrival of convoy at Bahia.
20th Rejoined
WS24 with HM Armed Merchant Cruisers QUEEN OF BERMUDA,
ALCANTARA, HMS ROTHERHAM and HMS ILEX as Ocean Escort.
23rd Detached
from WS24 during passage in South
Atlantic and resumed Trade
Defence
and patrol duties.
December South Atlantic deployment in
continuation.
1 9 4 3
January South
Atlantic deployment in continuation
to March
April Under
self refit and routine maintenance at Rio de Janeiro.
May Resumed South Atlantic trade defence and patrol duties.
June South
Atlantic deployment in continuation.
Nominated for escort duty in Indian Ocean and took passage to join
military
convoy.
July Passage
to Indian Ocean an d joined by HM Destroyers QUADRANT
and REDOUBT.
26th Joined
military convoy WS31 as Ocean Escort during passage to Bombay.
August
4th Detached
from WS31 on relief by HM Cruiser FROBISHER.
and resumed trade defence and patrol in Indian Ocean.
September Withdrawn from duties in South Atlantic
Passage to Scapa Flow.
October Nominated
for special duty in planned operations after refit and
conversion
to new role at Portsmouth.
Passage to Portsmouth and taken in hand by HM Dockyard.
November Under refit and conversion for use
as depot ship.
to December (Note:
6” armament, a single 4” AA mounting and the four triple torpedo tubes
were
removed. Close Range AA defence was improved by installation
of 16
40mm single weapons and two twin 20mm mountings.
1 9 4 4
January Under
refit.
February Nominated for support of planned
landing in Normandy and to
to April be deployed as HQ Ship stationed
at Arromanches with MULBERRY
B in Eastern Task Force Area.
May On
completion of post refit trials prepared for new type of deployment.
June In
Solent area during assembly of invasion forces.
4th Operation
delayed by 24 hours.
6th Joined
Convoy EWP1 comprising six personnel ships and two hospital
ships
for transit through swept channel escorted by HM Sloops REDPOLE
and
STORK, HM Escort Destroyer EGLINGTON, HM Frigates DUFF and
HOTHAM.
7th Passage
to Arromanches.
9th On
arrival commenced Depot Ship duties at MULBERRY B in Eastern
Task Force
area.
(Note: NOIC for Naval Party 1500
was Captain C H Petrie, DSO, RN)
16th Present during visit to MULBERRY B by HM King George VI.
24th NOIC
moved ashore and HQ duties terminated
For details of naval activities
before and during NEPTUNE see OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY (HMSO).
July Returned
to Portsmouth on release from NEPTUNE.
August Nominated for
refit and took passage to Devonport.
September Taken in hand for refit by HM
Dockyard, Devonport
Nominated for reduction to Reserve at Falmouth and Paid-off.
October Laid-up
at Falmouth.
to December
1 9 4 5
January Selected
for duty as an Accommodation Ship at Portsmouth
Passage to Portsmouth.
February Deployed at Portsmouth as an Accommodation Ship.
to August
