Modified
LEANDER-Class cruiser ordered from HM
Dockyard Devonport on 1st March 1933 and
laid down on 15 August that year for the
Royal Navy. The ship was
launched on 9th October 1934 as HMS
APOLLO and build was completed on 13th
January 1936. Following a
commission under RN command she was refitted
and her single 4in secondary armament was
replaced by twin
mountings. During this period arrangements
were made for transfer to the Royal
Australian Navy and she commissioned
as HM Australian Cruiser HOBART on 28th
September 1938. She was deployed with
the RAN until the outbreak of war in 1939.
No details of her Heraldic data or motto are
available in Admiralty records as these
are property of the RAN.
MEDITERRANEAN
1941 - CORAL SEA 1942 - GUADALCANAL 1942-43
- PACIFIC 1945 - VIETNAM 1967-70*
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)
1
9 3 9
September
Deployed on
shipping defence patrol in Australian
waters.
October
Transferred
to
4th Cruiser Squadron on Far East
Station at Singapore.
November
Convoy
escort
and patrol duty in Indian Ocean
between Colombo and Aden.
6th
- Deployed
in search for German commerce raiders
in south of Arabian Sea after
sinking
of mercantiles by German
pocket battleship ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE.
December
Deployed
on
patrol off Ceylon.
1
9 4 0
January
Escorted
French
military convoy in Indian Ocean.
13th
- Joined
HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, HM Cruisers
CORNWALL and DORSETSHIRE in
Hunting
Force I based at Colombo for
interception duty in Indian Ocean.
30th
- Relieved
HM Cruiser KENT and French cruiser
SUFFREN as escort for Convoy US1 with
EAGLE
during passage in Indian Ocean
to Aden.
February
On
release from
US1 took passage to Colombo.
25th
- Routine
docking at Colombo.
March
Escorted
HM
River Gunboats LADYBIRD and APHIS from
Colombo to Aden during
passage
to join Mediterranean Fleet.
April
Joined
Red Sea
Escort Force with LIVERPOOL for
support of military operations in
Somaliland.
12th
- Intercepted
Danish merchant ship AFRIKA and sent
her with armed guard to Colombo.
18th
- Visited
Red Sea ports for diplomatic purposes.
May
Deployed
on
patrol in Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.
12th
- Joined
escort of Convoy US2 and then covered
landings of Kings African Rifles at
Berbera.
June
Supported
British
military operations in Somaliland.
11th
- Under
air attack by Italian aircraft in Red
Sea.
13th
- Assisted
in AA defence with CARLISLE during
Italian air raid at Aden.
19th
- Bombarded
Centre Peak W/T Station at Massawa.
30th
- Embarked troops at Aden for
landings at Berbera on 1 July.
July
Escorted
troop
convoys to Berbera and supported
military operations ashore.
August
3rd
- Carried
out reconnaissance patrol off Cape
Guardafui, Italian Somaliland.
8th
- Aircraft
launched to make attacks at Zeila,
British Somaliland after Italian
occupation.
Under
air attack at Berbera on
return.
9th
- Assisted
defence of Tug Argan, British
Somaliland with landing party.
15th
- Co-ordinated
evacuation of allied troops from
Berbera by HM Cruisers CERES ,
CALEDON,
CARLISLE,
HM Destroyers KANDAHAR,
KIMBERLEY, HM Sloops SHOREHAM,
AUCKLAND, HM Australian Sloop
PARRAMATTA and
auxiliaries. Sustained
slight
damage during air attacks.
19th
- Assisted
in demolition work. Some of landing
party taken prisoner.
(Note:
Released later when territory
re-occupied).
21st
- Returned
to Aden.
September
Convoy
escort
between Port Sudan and Aden and
subjected to air attacks.
12th
- Escorted
military convoy WS2A from Aden for Red
Sea passage with HM Cruiser
COVENTRY,
HM Destroyers KANDAHAR and
KINGSTON. Fast Section troopships
ANDES, EMPRESS OF BRITAIN and EMPRESS
OF
CANADA.
14th
- Detached
when mercantiles dispersed when clear
of Italian air threat.
October
19th
- Taken in
hand for refit at Colombo.
November
Post
refit
trials.
16th
- Passage
to Aden to resume to Red Sea duties as
relief for HM Cruiser LEANDER.
December
12th
- Passage
to Australia to rejoin RAN.
1
9 4 1
January
Deployed
on
patrol and convoy defence in
Australian waters.
4th
- Escorted
convoy US9 from Sydney to Fremantle
February
6th
- Detached
from US9 and returned to Sydney.
March
Convoy
defence
in continuation.
April
Escorted
troops
ships with AUSTRALIA and ACHILLES from
Wellington, NZ to Sydney.
May
Convoy
defence
in continuation.
June
Under
refit at
Sydney prior to detached service.
20th
- Transferred
to Mediterranean and took passage to
Suez.
July
12th
- Assisted
in re-floating and salvage of
troopship GLENEARN at Port Tewfik.
August
Joined
7th
Cruiser Squadron in Mediterranean
Fleet.
12th
- Embarked
troops for passage to Tobruk0 to
relieve some of garrison, with HM
Cruiser
minelayers
ABDIEL, LATONA, HM
Australian Destroyers NAPIER and
NIZAM.
20th
- Took
part in transfer of Army and RAF
personnel to Cyprus and Haifa from
Egypt with
HM
Cruisers LEANDER, NEPTUNE,
Destroyers of 11th flotilla, HM Sloops
FLAMINGO and
PARAMATTA
(RAN) (Operation
GUILLOTINE).
September
Deployed
with
Squadron for Fleet duties.
October
Deployed
on
support of military garrison at Tobruk
with HMAS NAPIER, HMAS NIZAM and
Mediterranean
Fleet ships.
21st
- Bombarded
Bardia-Tobruk road.
November
Squadron
duties
in continuation.
December
7th
- Escorted
Supply Ship HMS BRECONSHIRE from Malta
to Alexandria.
9th
- Under air
attack at Tobruk with HM Sloops
FLAMINGO and YARRA (RAN).
10th
- Recalled
to rejoin RAN after Japan entered war
and took passage to Colombo.
18th
- Diverted
to carry out patrol in Maldives area
following reports of unrest.
24th
- Joined
escort for military convoy BM9A with
HM Cruisers DURBAN and DRAGON for
passage
to Singapore from Bombay.
1
9 4 2
January
Transferred
to
ABDA Command for convoy defence.
3rd
- Arrived
at Singapore with convoy BM9A. (See
WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO)).
7th
- Sailed
from Singapore and diverted to join HM
Destroyers TENEDOS and STRONGHOLD as
as
escort for military convoy MS1 on
passage from Australia.
25th
- Joined
Malaya section of reinforcement
military convoy MS1 for escort to
Singapore.
29th
- Nominally
transferred to ANZAC Force with HM
Australian Cruisers AUSTRALIA,
CANBERRA
ADELAIDE
and PERTH.
30th
- Under
unsuccessful air attacks in Banka
Strait.
February
2nd
- Passage
to join Western Striking Force based
at Tanjong Priok.
Rescued
survivors from ms NORAH
MULLER.
5th
- Patrolled
Banka Strait with HM Cruiser EXETER,
HM Destroyers JUPITER and
ENCOUNTER
to cover passage of Dutch
cruiser JAVA escorting two troopships
to Palembang.
7th
- Relieved
HM Cruiser DANAE and HM Sloop SUTLEJ
(RIN) with HM Destroyer
ENCOUNTER
for patrol.
Joined
Evacuation Convoy EMU on
passage to Bombay.
10th
- Relieved
HM Cruiser CORNWALL as escort for
Military Convoy JS1 taking Australian
troops
from Middle East to Java.
11th
- Detached
to search for Japanese invasion craft
reported on passage to Sumatra.
14th
- Sailed
with Dutch cruisers DE RUYTER, JAVA,
TROMP and HM Cruiser EXETER with
destroyer
screen to intercept Japanese
invasion convoy in Banka Strait. Under
heavy air attacks.
17th
- Deployed
with EXETER for escort of JS and SJ
Australian military convoys as far
as
Sunda Strait.
25th
- Deployed
with HM Cruisers DANAE, DRAGON, HM
Destroyers SCOUT and TENEDOS
in
Western Striking Force when HM
Cruisers EXETER and PERTH (RAN)
transferred
to
Soerabaya.
Remained
with HM Cruisers DANAE,
DRAGON, HM Destroyers SCOUT and
TENEDOS
in
the Western Striking Force when
HM Australian Cruisers EXETER and
PERTH transferred
to
Soerabaya.
(Note:
Ship did not sail with
Western Striking Force because delay
in refuelling from
RFA
WAR SIRDAR.)
26th
- Carried
cut unsuccessful search with HM
Cruisers DANAE and DRAGON for Japanese
fleet
reported
in South China Sea heading
for western Sumatra.
27th
- Carried
out offensive sweep through Sunda
Strait with HMS DANAE, DRAGON and
destroyers.
28th
- As no
enemy force was sighted took passage
to Trincomalee since no fuel was
available
and air
support
was unavailable.
Destroyers
diverted to Padang to embarked
refugees from Singapore for passage to
Ceylon.
(For
details see WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).
March
Passage
to
Australia from Ceylon.
April
6th
- Under
refit at Sydney.
15th
- Nominated
for service with ANZAC Force ships as
part of US Navy Task Force 44 in SW
Pacific.
Passage
to
join TF44.
May
Deployed
in sea
area north of Australia on
anti-invasion patrol.
4th
- Joined
combined Task Forces 11 in south of
Coral Sea with HMAS AUSTRALIA, US
Navy
Cruiser USS CHICAGO and two US
Navy destroyers. (See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).)
5th
- Joined US
TF17 in Hervey Bay with TF11 ships. Nominated
for service as a Support Group for
combined
Forces as Task Group 17.3 in view of impending
action with Japanese invasion ships
7th
- In action
in defence of Tulagi with US TG17-3
and under heavy air attacks.
(Battle
of Coral Sea - See
above reference for details).
8th
- Detached
to refuel in Brisbane.
June
Deployed
on
convoy escort between Australia and SW
Pacific islands.
14th
- Sailed
from Brisbane with HMAS AUSTRALIA and
HMAS CANBERRA in US TF44
for
amphibious operations.
July
19th
- Met US
Amphibious Force off Wellington, NZ.
22nd
- Part of
Task Group 62.2 for escort of military
convoy to Fiji area.
28th
- Preparation
for assault landings on Guadalcanal
with Task Force 62 (South Pacific
Amphibious Force)
as
Task Group 62.2.
31st
- Joined
US 4th Fleet Task Force TF44 on
formation with HMAS AUSTRALIA, US
cruise USS
PHOENIX
and five USA Navy
destroyers. (Operation
WATCHTOWER
- See WAR WITH JAPAN.)
August
7th
- Took part
in covering eastern approaches during
approach of US assault ships on Tulagi
with USS SAN
JUAN.
8th
- Provided
naval gunfire support during landings. Under
air attacks.
Deployed
for patrol to cover
anchorages with US cruiser SAN JUAN
screened by two US Navy
destroyers.
9th
- Not
present at Battle of Savo Island when
Japanese warships attacked ships of
TG62
in anchorage. (Note:
HMAS
CANBERRA was sunk in this engagement.
See above reference and THE SHAME
OF
SAVO.)
19th
- Passage
from Noumea with HMAS AUSTRALIA and
three destroyers (Task Force 44) to
join
US
Task Force 61 off Guadalcanal.
21st
- Deployed
with TF61 and patrolled SE of Solomon
Islands with same ships.
24th
- Deployed
with HMAS AUSTRALIA, US Navy cruisers
USS MINNEAPOLIS and USS NEW
ORLEANS
as screen for US Navy
aircraft carrier SARATOGA during air
attacks on Japanese
Diversion
Force.
Later
came under heavy and sustained
air attacks. (See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).)
31st
- Joined
reformed TF44 with HMAS AUSTRALIA, US
Navy cruiser USS PHOENIX and three
US
Navy destroyers for passage to
Brisbane.
September
Passage
to
Brisbane on release from WATCHTOWER to
refuel.
4th
- Under
minor repair at Brisbane.
7th
- Sailed
from Brisbane with HMAS HOBART, US
Navy cruiser PHOENIX and five US Navy
Destroyers
to join for support of
operations by TF44 against Japanese
invasion in New Guinea.
11th
- Rejoined
Task Force 44 at Milne Bay for patrol
duty off New Guinea ships to intercept
destroyers evacuating
Trobriand
Islands. (Note:
The
interception was not successful)
October
Under
refit at
Sydney.
November
Deployed
on
support of US operations in SW
Pacific.
December
Deployed
on
patrol in Coral Sea as part of Task
Force 44.
1
9 4 3
January
to February
Task
Force 44
deployment in continuation.
March
Nominated
for
service with TF74. (Ships
of
TF44 had been transferred to US 7th
Fleet.)
15th
- Joined
TF74 with HMAS AUSTRALIA, US Navy
cruiser PHOENIX, HM Australian
Destroyers
ARUNTA,
WARRAMUNGA and seven US Navy
destroyers of DESDRON 4 for duty with
US 7th
Fleet
in support of amphibious
operations in SW Pacific. Released
from detached service for refit.
25th
- Taken in
hard for refit at Sydney. Aircraft
facilities removed and 20mm Oerlikon
weapons
fitted to improve close range defence against
air attack.
April
14th
- Refit
completion.
On
completion
of post refit trials deployed for
convoy escort and patrol based at
Brisbane.
May
Deployment
in
Australian waters continued.
June
Nominated
for
detached service with US Navy.
10th
- Joined
Task Force 44 as part of
reorganisation on US Pacific Fleet
(Note:
Other ships in TF44 included
USS CHICAGO and nine US Navy
destroyers designed
as
DESDRON 4.)
24th
- Deployed
in Task Force 44 with HMAS AUSTRALIA,
HMAS CANBERRA, HMAS ARUNTA,
HMAS
WARRAMUNGA and US Destroyer
LAMSON to cover US landings on New
Georgia.
(Operation
CARTWHEEL).
July
4th
- Detached
with Task Force 74 to refuel in
Flinders Group.
16th
- Deployed
with Task Force 74 to reinforce naval
support off New Guinea after recent
losses.
(See
WAR AGAINST JAPAN (HMSO).)
20th
- Hit on
port side aft by torpedoed from
Japanese submarine Ro-106 (111) during
assault
landings in
Solomons. Power
and
steering failed with structural
damage.
Took
on list and escorted to
Espiritu Santo by HMAS WARRAMUNGA and
HMAS
ARUNTA.
21st
- Under
temporary repair at Espiritu Santu.
August
Temporary
repair
in continuation.
21st
- Took
passage to Sydney and Paid off.
September
1st
- Taken in
hand for repair at Sydney.
40mm
Bofors mountings with Fire-control
radar fitted
in place of 20mm Oerlikons. 4in
mountings repositoned.
Tripod
masts fitted.
Twin
Hazemere radar controlled
mountings fitted for pom-pom weapons.
October
to December
Under
repair.
1
9 4 4
January
to November
Under
repair.
December
7th
- Re-commissioned.
Post
Refit trials.
1
9 4 5
January
Worked-up
for
operational service at Melbourne.
February
On
completion
of work-up and storing prepared to
resume operational duties.
6th
- Passage
to Manus.
16th
- Sailed
to rejoin Task Force 74 with HMAS
WARRAMUNGA as TASK Group 74.3 for
support
of Luzon landings (Operation
VICTOR I).
Provided
naval
gunfire support.
26th
- Bombarded
Japanese positions before landings in
Cebu area (Operation VICTOR II).
March
Support
deployment
in continuation.
April
Transferred
for
support Borneo landings with US 7th
Fleet ships and took passage
via
Mondoro Strait, Sulu Sea and
Sibutu Passage.
26th
- Intercepted
rafts taking Japanese to Borneo.
28th
- Bombarded
Japanese positions south of Tarakan
with USS PHOENIX, USS BOISE,
HMAS
WARRAMUNGA and five US
destroyers of DESDRON 21 (Operation
OBOE I)
deployed
as Task Group 74.3.
30th
- Released
from OBOE I.
May
4th
- Sailed to
join HM Cruiser NEWFOUNDLAND, HM
Australian Destroyer ARUNTA and
HM
Australian Destroyer WARRAMUNGA
to support military operations in New
Guinea.
10th
- Bombarded
Cape Hoem with HMAS ARUNTA.
11th
- Bombarded
Dove Bay before landings (Operation
DELUGE).
12th
- Provided
naval gunfire support at Wewak with
HMS NEWFOUNDLAND during landings by
6th
Australian
Division.
June
5th
- Sailed
from Morotai to join invasion force
off Brunei.
8th
- Bombarded
targets at Brunei.
9th
- Released
from Naval Gunfire Support duty in
Solomons.
10th
- Covered
minesweeping operations and provided
naval gunfire support prior to
landings at
Brunei
with Task Group 74.3
(Operation OBOE VI).
17th
- Joined
HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE (RAN) at Tawi
Tawi, Borneo and formed Task Group
74.2.
27th
- Commenced
bombardment of enemy shore batteries
at Balikpapan with HMAS SHROPSHIRE
and
ships of Task Group 74.1 before
landings of 7th Australian Infantry
Division.
July
1st
- Took part
in pre-assault bombardment after
escorting assault ships for landings
at
Balikpapan.
Provided
further
naval gunfire support during landings
with HMAS SHROPSHIRE and
HMAS
ARUNTA (Operation OBOE VII).
9th
- Withdrew
from assault area and went to Subic
Bay for R&R period.
August
Deployment
with
US Task Force in continuation.
17th
- Passage
to Japan via Manila and Okinawa.
31st
- Joined
Commonwealth warships with HMAS
SHROPSHIRE, HM Destroyer BATAAN (RAN),
HMAS
WARRAMUNGA and RAN minesweepers
for formal Japanese surrender
ceremony.
September
2nd
- Present at surrender ceremony.
Passage
to Sydney to refit.