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
(for more ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and type name in Site Search
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: 6in armament, a single 4in 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 EGLINTON, 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
