1
9 3 2
October
Ordered under
1931 Estimates
1
9 3 3
February
7th
Laid down at Barrow by
Vickers-Armstrong
1
9 3 4
March
1st
Launched
1
9 3 5
March
Contractors
Trials
April
Acceptance
Trials
15th
Commissioned for
service in South American Division on America
and West Indies Squadron.
May
Worked-up
for service.
June
Diverted
for detached service in Mediterranean
Fleet after Abyssinian crisis.
July
Deployed
in Mediterranean.
to
October
November
Released
from detached service and took passage to
Bermuda to
join Squadron.
December
Deployed
in West Indies.
1
9 3 6 t
o 1
9 3 7
Deployed
with West Indies Squadron for exercise and
visits including ports in
South
America,
USA
and Canada.
Return
passage to UK
to refit and re-commission.
1
9 3 8
January
11th
Recommissioned for
service in America
and West Indies Squadron.
(Note:
During refit single 4in guns in secondary
armament replaced by twin 4in
mountings.)
February
Rejoined
Squadron at Bermuda,
March
Deployed
with Squadron in West Indies
to
December
1
9 3 9
January
Deployed
off west coast of South
America.
27th
Joined HM Cruiser EXETER
at Talcuahano,
Chile
to assist local authority
in
rescue of victims following an earthquake.
February
Returned
to Bermuda.
March
Deployed
with South American Division in South
Atlantic.
to
August.
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
Took-up war station
3rd
Deployed for trade defence
duty.
Intercepted
German ships OLINDA
and CARL FRITZEN between
Rio
Grande
do Sul
and Plate estuary and both
scuttled.
11th
Guardship
at Port
Stanley
and carried out patrol in Falklands
area.
21st
Redeployed on trade defence
between
Plate Estuary and Rio
de Janeiro.
October
3rd
Joined HM Cruiser EXETER
after sinking of ss
CLEMENT by
German battleship
GRAF
SPEE which HAD LEFT
Germany before the outbreak of war.
5th
Deployed with HM Cruisers EXETER
and CUMBERLAND
as Force G Hunting
Group in South
Atlantic
to search for GRAF SPEE.
November
Search for commerce raider in
continuation.
27th
Arrived at Port
Stanley.
December
Resumed search duty
with Force G
5th
Intercepted German freighter
USSKUMA
with HM Cruiser CUMBERLAND.
German ship
scuttled.
13th
Took part in Battle
of the River Plate with HM Cruisers
EXETER and ACHILLES.
Harried GRAF
SPEE after HMS EXETER retired from
action.
X
and Y-turrets were disabled and some
structural damage was sustained.
There were 12
casualties including 7 killed.
(For details see
BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE by W Pope and
Naval Staff
History).
16th
Remained off Plate estuary
with HMS
CUMBERLAND and HMS ACHILLES.
17th
GRAF SPEE scuttled off Montevideo.
18th
Detached to refuel at Port
Stanley.
29th
Resumed trade defence duty.
1
9 4 0
January
1st
Visited Montevideo.
5th
Passage to Freetown,
via Rio
de Janeiro.
Joined by HM
Aircraft Carrier ARK
ROYAL, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM
Destroyers
HASTY, HERO,
DAINTY and DIAMOND during passage
22nd
Passage to UK
for refit.
31st
Arrived at Plymouth.
February
Paid off and taken in hand for
refit by HM Dockyard Chatham.
March
Under refit.
to
Zarebas
fitted to 4in Guns. Tripod masts fitted
and aircraft warning radar Type 279
June
installed.
July
Post refit
trials and recommissioning.
Nominated
for service in Mediterranean.
August
Worked-up for service and
transferred to 7th Cruiser Squadron.
Nominated for
escort of mercantiles
carrying motor transport during
passage to
Egypt.
(Note: This
convoy was intended to pass through the
Mediterranean
as part of Operation
HATS but it was
later decided to divert it via Cape
of Good Hope.
The ships
carrying personnel and tanks remained
with the warships joining
the
Mediterranean Fleet which went direct to
Alexandria.
For details see
Naval Staff
History (2002).)
21st
Sailed from UK
as part of escort with HM Cruiser YORK
during passage via Cape
of Good
Hope to Middle
East.
September
2nd
At Freetown.
13th
At Durban
(Note: Italian
offensive in western desert began.)
26th
Escorted troopships EMPRESS OF
JAPAN, ORION and ORONSAY from Aden
to Suez.
23rd
At Suez.
30th
Joined HMS SYDNEY (RAN) in 7th
Cruiser Squadron at Alexandria
for deployment in
Eastern
Mediterranean.
October
3rd
Sailed from Alexandria
with HM Battleships MALAYA,
RAMILLIES, HM Aircraft
Carrier
EAGLE, HM Cruiser COVENTRY
with
screen of eight destroyers to
2nd
Took part in searched for
Italian convoys taking supplies to Libya
with Fleet units
8th
Deployed with HM Battleships
WARSPITE, VALIANT, MALAYA
and
RAMILLIES, HM
Aircraft
Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and EAGLE, HM
Cruisers YORK,
GLOUCESTER,
LIVERPOOL,
SYDNEY
and ORION with screen of 16 Fleet
destroyers to cover
passage
of Malta
convoy MF3 (Operation MB6)
11th
Detached at Malta
with HMS ORION for patrol SE of
island.
12th
Provided cover for Convoy MF4
to Alexandria
with Fleet units and deployed with ships
of
Squadron east of
Fleet
In close range
night action with HM Cruisers ORION,
SYDNEY and YORK
screened
by
HM Destroyers NUBIAN and MOHAWK against
Italian convoy in Gulf
of Otranto.
Two destroyers,
AIRONE and ARIEL were sunk and destroyer
ARTIGLIERE damaged.
Hit by 7 shells
resulting in 35 casualties including 13
killed.
(Note: Bridge
structure and radar items damaged.
For details see
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli
Barnett
and
Naval Staff History (HMSO 2002).
ARTIGLIERE was
sunk later by HMS YORK
when under tow after the action)
14th
Under air attacks during which
HMS
LIVERPOOL was hit by a torpedo and had
to be
taken
in tow by HMS ORION.
16th
Arrived at Alexandria
with Fleet units.
29th
Embarked advance party of York
and
Lancaster Regiment for passage to Suda
Bay.
(Note:
This was in response to Italian invasion
of Greece
and first phase of British
support
for defence of Crete.)
November
1st
Arrived at Suda
Bay,
Crete
from Alexandria
with HM Cruisers COVENTRY
and CALCUTTA,
HM Netlayer
PROTECTOR, HM Minesweeper FAREHAM
and
for destroyers to set up
forward
base.
Under air attack
and near missed.
2nd
During return to Alexandria
with HMS COVENTRY again under air attack
and again
near
missed.
4th
Sailed from Alexandria
for Suda
Bay
with HMS SYDNEY (RAN) having embarked HQ
14th
Armoured Brigade, AA Guns and troops
for service in Crete
(Operation BARBARITY).
5th
After disembarking troops and
equipment sailed from Suda
Bay
with HMS ORION
for
visits to
Piraeus and Candida.
(Note: The
passage of reinforcements to Crete
and of Aegean convoys were covered by
Fleet
units
including HM Battleships BARHAM, VALIANT
and HMS EAGLE
with
screen
of eight destroyers (Operation MB8).
6th
Passage to join Fleet units
covering
the passage of Convoy MW3 to Malta.
10th
Joined HMS WARSPITE, HMS
VALIANT, HMS MALAYA, HMS RAMILLIES,
HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS
GLOUCESTER, HMS YORK,
HMS ORION and destroyer screen
deployed
as Force A.
(Part of
Operation COAT with ships of Force H to
cover transit of convoys to and
from
Malta,
concurrent with reinforcement
of Mediterranean Fleet by ships from UK).
11th
Detached from Force A with HMS
ORION, HMS SYDNEY, HM
Destroyers MOHAWK and
NUBIAN to
carry out offensive sweep in Straits
of Otranto
during JUDGEMENT.
(Note: Ships of
Force A were deployed for cover of air
attacks on Taranto
by
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS
which had detached with screen of
cruisers and destroyers
(Operation
JUDGEMENT).)
12th
Intercepted Italian 4 ship
convoy escorted by auxiliary
cruiser RAMB III and
torpedo
boat FABRIZI. All mercantiles
were sunk but escorts escaped.
Rejoined
Force A.
(Note: A second
attack on Taranto
was planned but cancelled in view of
weather
forecast
in target area.)
13th
Detached from Force A with
HMS MALAYA,
HMS BARHAM, and five destroyers.
Took passage to Suda
Bay
to refuel before return to Alexandria
to resume Squadron
duties.
For details of
these operations see Naval Staff
History.
15th
Embarked troops at Alexandria
with HM Cruisers GLOUCESTER, YORK,
SYDNEY and
ORION for
passage to Piraeus.
20th
Disembarked troops and took
return passage to Alexandria.
23rd
Deployed with HM Battleships MALAYA,
RAMILLIES, HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE,
HM Cruisers BERWICK, ORION,
SYDNEY, screened by destroyers as
Force B to cover
passage
of convoy to Crete
and
carry out air attacks on Tripoli
from HMS EAGLE.
26th
Arrived at Malta
with Force C when HMS MALAYA, HMS
RAMILLIES and HMS
BERWICK detached
to join Force D for passage to Gibraltar.
28th
Deployed to cover passage of HM
Cruisers
MANCHESTER and SOUTHAMPTON, four corvettes
and
four mercantiles
during
passage through Sicilian
Narrows.
(Note:
These ships had been involved in the
action against an Italian Force on 27th
and
detached afterwards from ships of Force H.
Battle
of Cape Spartivento, see Naval Staff
History.)
On
arrival off Malta
detached from cover and took passage to Suda
Bay
with the four corvettes.
30th
Arrived at Suda
Bay.
December
Deployed with HMS ORION and
HMAS
SYDNEY for defence of convoys in Aegean.
based
at Suda
Bay.
16th
Returned to Suda
Bay
with Squadron to refuel and resumed
cover for Aegean
convoys.
17th
Joined by HM Cruisers YORK
and GLOUCESTER of CS3 and took passage
as Force B to
to
rejoin Mediterranean Fleet units
providing Distant Cover
for transit of Convoys MW5A
and
B from Egypt
to Malta,
as well as of Convoy.ME5 from Malta
to Egypt.)
(Note:
Part of Operations MC2 and MC3. These
also included air attacks on Dodecanese.
on
Port Skala,
Valona,
bombardment of Valona
and cover of transit of HMS
MALAYA
four
destroyers and two mercantiles
to Gibraltar.
All by Force A ships which comprised
HMS WARSPITE,
HMS VALIANT and HMS ILLUSTRIOUS screened
by 11 destroyers.
18th
Detached with HM Cruisers ORION
and SYDNEY
and HM Destroyers JANUS,
JERVIS and
JUNO
as screen during offensive sweep in Otranto
Strait.
19th
Rejoined Force A to provide
cover for transit of ships to Gibraltar
after unsuccessful search.
(Operation
HIDE.)
23rd
Remained with Force A to
provide escort
for passage of Convoy ME5A to Alexandria.
24th
Returned to Alexandria
with Fleet units.
1
9 4 1
January
6th
Sailed from Alexandria
with HMS ORION, HMS YORK,
HM Corvettes GLOXINIA,
PEONY,
HYACINTH, SALVIA and RFA Tanker
BRAMBLELEAF to Suda
Bay.
7th
Arrived at Suda
Bay
with two destroyers and four corvettes
for defence of
military convoys
to
and from Greece.
(Note: Part of
Mediterranean Fleet major operation
designed to cover the passage of
military
convoys
to Greece
and Malta
concurrent with other Malta
supply convoys
(Operation
EXCESS - See Naval Staff History and
ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE
CLOSELY).
11th
Detached with HM Battleship
BARHAM, HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE
and destroyers
to
carry out commando raid on Dodecanese
but operation cancelled due to weather.
(Note: Source
other than the Naval Staff History
records this Operation, MC6 was
to
carry out air attacks on Dodecanese
from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS but that
cancellation
was due to withdrawal of the aircraft
carrier
because of damage
after
air attacks on 10th.)
12th
Joined HMS WARSPITE, HMS
VALIANT which had been deployed to
cover passage
of
to Alexandria
for convoy ME6 after passage through Sicilian
Narrows.
(Note Operation
MC4 part of Operation EXCESS transit of
military convoy in eastern
Mediterranean,
See Naval Staff History, Battle
Summary No.18.)
These major
Fleet units had been under sustained and
heavy air attacks during
which
HM Cruiser SOUTHAMPTON was sunk, HMS
ILLUSTRIOUS and
HM Cruiser GLOUCESTER
seriously damaged..
See reference
and MALTA
CONVOYS by
R Woodman.)
16th
Arrived at Alexandria
after completion of ME6 escort
31st
Escorted convoy to Piraeus
with HM Cruiser COVENTRY.
February
2nd
Took passage from Piraeus
after arrival of convoy.
19th
Embarked troops and stores of
Cheshire Regt. and Hampshire
Regt. and sailed from
Alexandria
with HMS ORION and HMS GLOUCESTER also
carrying troops for
the
reinforcement
of Malta Garrison. HM Destroyers NUBIAN
and
MOHAWK were
deployed
for escort during high speed passage.
(Operation MC8
which also included cover by Fleet units
for this transit and that of
two
mercantiles
from Malta
to Egypt.)
21st
Disembarked troops in Malta
and took return passage to Alexandria
with HMS
ORION.
March
4th
Embarked troops at Suda bay for
passage to Greece
with HMS PERTH (RAN), ORION
and
GLOUCESTER
screened by four destroyers.
(Operation
LUSTRE – Military support of Greece
by British personnel).
6th
Deployed with same ships to
cover
passage of troop reinforcements to Greece.
24th
Escort of convoy to Piraeus
from Alexandria
with HMS PERTH, HMS ORION and
HMS
GLOUCESTER.
27th
On arrival ordered to be in
position south of Crete
off Gavdo
Island
by 0630 on
28th March
to
join Mediterranean Fleet units.
28th
Ships became Force B of
Mediterranean Fleet and took part in
Battle of Matapan.
(Full details in
THE BATTLE OF MATAPAN by SW Pack, and
Naval Staff History,
Battle
Summary No 44.)
29th
Detached with HM Cruiser PERTH
and HM Destroyers STUART (RAN) and GRIFFIN
for
escort of LUSTRE convoys to Piraeus.
April
6th
At Piraeus
with HMS COVENTRY during air raid when ss
CLAN FRASER was
hit
and
blown up. No
damage
sustained.
10th
Covered passage of HM
Destroyers JERVIS, JANUS, NUBIAN and
MOHAWK to
Malta
for duty as striking force against
Italian supply convoys.
12th
Carried out offensive sweep
off Ras-el-Tin
with HMS ORION and HMS PERTH (RAN).
18th
Sailed from Alexandria
with HM Battleships WARSPITE, BARHAM,
VALIANT,
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS,
HM Cruisers CALCUTTA,
GLOUCESTER, ORION and
PHOEBE screened
by destroyers to provide cover for
passage of HM Supply Ship
BRECONSHIRE
to Malta
from Egypt
and Convoy ME7 from Malta
(Operation MD2).
19th
At Suda Bay with same ships and
sailed after destroyers had
refuelled as Force C
with
HMS FORMIDABLE. HMS ORION and HMAS
PERTH, screened by
HM
Destroyers
DECOY, DEFENDER, GREYHOUND and ILEX to
provide air cover to
major
warships designated Force B during
bombardment of Tripoli
(Operation MD3)
21st
Deployed off shore during air
operations in defence of Fleet units
during bombardment.
See Naval Staff
History, Battle Summary No 19 for
details of MD2 and MD3)
24th
Assisted in evacuation of
allied troops from Greece
with HMS ORION, HMS PHOEBE
and
HMAS PERTH
(Operation DEMON).
27th
Embarked 3,850 men from Rafina
and Raftis
with HM Destroyers KINGSTON and
KIMBERLEY
for passage to Suda
Bay
29th
Embarked further 1,700 men
including Major-General Sir
Bernard Freyburg,
VC the,
commander
of the NZ Division commander and Rear
Admiral HT
Baillie-Grornan
at
Monemvasia
and took them to Suda
Bay.
HM Destroyers
GRIFFIN, ISIS
and HOTSPUR also embarked troops, Total
4,320.
(Note:
Evacuations were made under frequent air
attacks, See Naval Staff History.)
May
6th
Covered passage to Malta
of convoys MW7A and B with HMS WARSPITE,
HMS BARHAM, HMS
MALAYA,
HMS
FORMIDABLE, HM Cruisers ORION and PERTH
screened by 19
destroyers
and deployed as Force A (Operation MD4)
(Note: MD4 was a
joint operation with Force H to provide
cover for passage of military
TIGER convoy
carrying tanks from UK
to Egypt
for the 8th Army. It also provided
cover
for Convoys MA7A and B during passage to
Malta
and passage of reinforcement
warships
to Alexandria
, HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH
and HM Cruiser FIJI..
7th
Detached with HM Destroyers
IMPERIAL, HAVOCK and HOTSPUR
for bombardment
of
the Benghazi
area (Operation MD6)
8th
Carried out bombardment.
During passage
to rejoin Fleet engaged and sank an
Italian supply vessels TENACE and
CAPITANO
CECCHI. See Naval Staff
History.
Rejoined
Force A.
9th
Detached with HMS ORION, HMAS
PERTH, HMS DIDO and ships of
5th Destroyer
Flotilla
for escort of TIGER convoy.
11th
Under air attacks which were
repelled by
aircraft from HMS FORMIDABLE.
12th
Arrived at Alexandria
with Fleet units.
18th
Sailed from Alexandria
with HMS WARSPITE, HMS VALIANT and
screen of 8 destroyers
to
relieve HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and HMS
VALIANT on patrol
north of Crete.
19th
Deployed off Crete.
20th
Joined HMS ORION, HMS DIDO, HM
Destroyers KIMBERLEY, JANUS,
HASTY and
HEREWARD in
Force D.
21st
Under air attacks and sustained
damage from near miss
Detached to join
HMS WARSPITE and HMS VALIANT escorted by
Fleet destroyers for
cover
of minelay by HM Minelaying Cruiser
ABDIEL off Cephalonia
to block entry
to Corinth
Canal
(Operation MAT1
- See Naval
Staff History (MINING)).
Carried out
offensive sweep with HMS DIDO and ORION
escorted by HM Destroyers
JANUS,,
KIMBERLEY,
HASTY and HEREWARD.
Intercepted
enemy convoy north of Cannae.
Under heavy air attacks during the
operation.
Sank 10 caiques
and damaged Italian destroyer LUPO. See
Naval Staff
History.
22nd
Returned to Alexandria
to refuel and replenish ammunition.
Took
passage back to Crete
on completion.
24th
Carried out unsuccessful search
for invasion convoys N. of
Crete with HMS DIDO,
HM
Destroyers HOTSPUR, ISIS and IMPERIAL.
27th
Refuelled and re-ammunitioned
at Alexandria.
28th
Sailed to assist in
evacuation of allied
troops from Crete.
Damaged in air
attack on passage with HMS DIDO, HMS
ORION, HM Destroyers
DECOY,
JACKAL, IMPERIAL,
HOTSPUR, KIMBERLY and HEREWARD.
(Note:
Withdrew but damage found to be less
serious and took passage to Heraklion
to
evacuate troops.
29th
During return passage under
sustained air attacks and
sustained further damage
by
near misses causing some flooding.
(Note: For full
details of the disastrous operations off
Greece
and Crete
see
THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by Donald MacIntyre,
ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY, Naval Staff History and
Military History,
Middle
East
Vol. 2.)
During the
evacuations and other operations
since April
the ship spent less than
10 nights
in harbour).
June
Deployed In support of
military operations against Vichy French
in Syria.
(Operation
EXPORTER).
7th
Sailed from Alexandria
with HM Cruiser PHOEBE, HM Destroyers
JACKAL, JANUS,
KANDAHAR
and KIMBERLEY
deployed as Force B for support of
military operations
and
to provide cover for commando attack
north of Tyre
from HM Special Service Vessel
GLENGYLE
escorted by HM Cruiser COVENTRY.
8th
Arrived off coast of Syria.
Operation
abandoned due to weather.
Escorted convoy
to Sidon
with Force B and under torpedo attack by
the Vichy
submarine
CAIMAN which was
believed damaged during 2 hour
anti-submarine attacks by destroyers.
9th
Commando operation to capture
bridge
over Litani
River
successful.
On release from
cover duty took passage with Force B and
HM Destroyers ISIS,
HOTSPUR,
JANUS and JACKAL for patrol off Tyre.
Diverted to
intercept Vichy
destroyers reported shelling bridge in Litania
river but
ships
had left the area.
Took
passage to Haifa
leaving destroyers at the scene.
Returned with
HMS PHOEBE to assist destroyers which
had been in action against
Vichy
French destroyers GUEPARD and VALMY.
On arrival
remained with HMS JANUS which had been
seriously damaged with several
casualties.
Took passage to Haifa
with HMS KANDAHAR as escort for tow of
HMS JANUS by
HMS
KIMBERLEY.
(Note: Naval
support to military operations and
offensive operations against Vichy
warships
continued with reliefs
from Alexandria
for cruisers and destroyers
deployed
for DEMON which returned for
replenishment.)
July
4th
Bombarded Vichy positions near
Beirut
with HMS NAIAD, HMS KIMBERLEY, HMS
HAVOCK and
HMS HASTY
Repeated
this support operation daily until 7th
July.
When released from
EXPORTER resumed Fleet duties at Alexandria.
22nd
Deployed with HMS VALIANT, HMS
QUEEN ELIZABETH, HM Cruisers
LEANDER,
PHOEBE,
HOBART (RAN), NEPTUNE screened
by SEVEN destroyers
for diversionary
Operation
MD5 west of Crete
during passage of
Malta
relief convoy from Gibraltar.
(Operation
SUBSTANCE).
(Note: Naval
Staff History quotes operation identity
as ME3.)
25th
Returned to Alexandria
with Fleet units.
August
Under
repair at Alexandria.
(Note: An
accumulation of defects required
attention.)
September
Resumed Fleet duties with CS7
and
deployed for support of military
operations.
20th
Bombarded enemy positions at
Tobruk with HM Cruisers HOBART
(RAN) and
GALATEA.
24th
Further bombardment at Tobruk
with HMAS
HOBART and HMS NEPTUNE.
26th
Carried out bombardment of Bardia
with CS7 ships.
October
Under
refit and repair.
(Note: This may
have been a follow-up to earlier repair
period.
Work possibly
carried out at Alexandria
or in Egypt
to be determined.
Unlike to
have been done in Malta.)
November
Resumed duty with Squadron for
support of Tobruk garrison during siege.
17th
Sailed from Alexandria
with HMS NEPTUNE and HMAS HOBART to
carry out a
bombardment
in Gulf
of Sollum
in support of planned military
offensive.
(Operation
CRUSADER).
18th
On arrival in bombardment
position
operation abandoned due to weather
conditions.
20th
Sailed with CS7 ships to carry
out bombardment of Bardia-Tobruk
road.
21st
Carried out bombardment.
24th
Deployed with HM Cruisers
NAIAD, NEPTUNE, GALATEA, EURYALUS
and screen
of
four destroyers as Force B to carry
out
interception of enemy convoys reported
at sea.
with
Force K from Malta.
Cover was provided by HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HMS
VALIANT and
HMS BARHAM.
(Note: During
covering operation HMS BARHAM was
torpedoes and sunk by U331.
See Naval Staff
History.)
25th
Following a successful attack
by Force K carried out
offensive sweep along coast until
ordered
to return to Alexandria.
27th
Deployed with HM Cruiser
NEPTUNE, HM Destroyers KIMBERLEY
and KINGSTON
covered
by HM Cruisers
EURYALUS and NAIAD with HM Destroyers
GRIFFIN and
HOTSPUR to
join Force K in Malta.
Under air attack and near missed by
aircraft
torpedo.
(Note:
Ammunition and torpedoes for delivery to
Malta
were embarked )
29th
Arrived in Malta
for operations against enemy shipping
with Force K.
30th
With HMS NEPTUNE, HMS KIMBERLEY
and HMS KINGSTON detached
from Force K
to
search for enemy
convoy
bound for Tripoli.
December
1st
Returned to Malta
with ships of Force K which had carried
out a successful
action
against
an enemy supply convoy.
5th
Escorted HM Supply Ship
BRECONSHIRE for passage to Alexandria
from Malta.
with
HMS NEPTUNE,
HMS
KINGSTON, HMS KIMBERLEY and HMS LIVELY.
(Operation MD8)
6th
On relief by HMAS HOBART, HMS
GALATEA, HMS JAGUAR and HMS
KANDAHAR
returned
to Malta
with HMS NEPTUNE and HMS LIVELY.
16th
Under
repair in Malta.
26th
Sailed from Malta
with HMS LANCE and HMS LIVELY as Force B
to reinforce
escort
of Convoy ME8 by HM Cruiser DIDO, HM
destroyers
ARROW, FOXHOUND
GURKHA
and NESTOR (RAN) as Force C.
(Note:
Force C ships were joining the Fleet at Alexandria.)
28th
Under attack by
Italian aircraft which were driven off
by aircraft based ashore.
See
Naval Staff History
31st
Engaged shore batteries at Bardia
with four destroyers in support of
military
operations
to
recapture the port.
1
9 4 2.
January
To
be withdrawn from service for refit in
UK.
February
6th
Sailed from Suez
for passage via Cape
of Good Hope.
March
9th
Called at Mombasa.
April
4th
Called at Freetown.
14th
Arrived in Clyde.
May
Paid off at Chatham
and prepared for refit.
June
6th
Taken in hand for refit by HM
Dockyard
Chatham.
July
Under refit
to
Additional AA
armament fitted including eleven 20mm
Oerlikon guns.
September
Fire control radars fitted for
main
armament (Type 284),
for AA armament(Type285)
and
Barrage Control (Type 283). Improved
design Aircraft
warning radar (Type
281)
replaced
Type 279. Surface warning radar fitted
(Type 272).
Aircraft
facilities removed.
(For details of
development and use of radar by RN see
RADAR AT SEA
by
D Howse).
October
Post refit
trials.
Nominated
for service in Mediterranean
after work-up.
24th
Recommissioned at Chatham
November
6th
Passage to Sheerness to embark
ammunition before sailing to Scapa
Flow
9th
Worked-up at Scapa
Flow
with Home Fleet for
operational service.
December
On completion of work-up
prepared
for foreign service.
Passage to
Mediterranean.
31st
Joined Force Q at Bone for
attacks on enemy
convoys and convoy defence.
1
9 4 3
January
1st
Damaged by air attacks during
escort of coastal convoy and
later by 1,000lb bomb
during
air raid at Bone. Two boiler rooms put
out of action
and a third damaged.
7th
Towed to Gibraltar
for temporary repair
February
Under
temporary repair at Gibraltar.
Permanent repair
arranged in USA.
March
Passage to New
York.
April
Taken in hand for repair
at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia.
May
Under repair
to
US quadruple 40mm AA
mountings fitted with provision for
British fire control
September
radar
Type 282.
IFF
Type 242 fitted.
US
Fire control radar fitted in place of
Type 284.
October
Post refit
trials.
November
2nd
Passage to UK
via Bermuda.
December
Completion of installation of
British equipment not possible in USA
and prepared
for
service.
Nominated
for service in Mediterranean.
25th
Recommissioned at Portsmouth.
28th
Commenced Work-up with Home
Fleet at Scapa
Flow.
1
9 4 4
January
On completion took passage to
Join Fleet in Mediterranean.
February
2nd
Arrived at Algiers
and deployed in Central
Mediterranean.
March
Transferred to Alexandria
for duty in Eastern
Mediterranean.
April
Eastern
Mediterranean deployment at Alexandria
in continuation.
8th
Boarding party sent to suppress
mutiny on Greek cruiser
GEORGIOS AVEROFF.
May
2nd
Bombarded Rhodes as part of
diversionary operations in
eastern Mediterranean.
On completion
took passage to UK
for support of allied landings in Normandy
as
part
of Bombarding Force K supporting
Force G in
British Eastern Task Force.
(Operation NEPTUNE:
For
details see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K
Edwards and
LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY,
JUNE 1944 (HMSO)).
31st
Arrived at Clyde.
June
Joined HM Cruisers
ORION, ARGONAUT and EMERALD in
Bombarding Force K.
3rd
Passage to Channel with
Force K escorted by HM
Destroyers GRENVILLE
and
UNDINE as Convoy G12.
6th
Passage to Beachhead in
Convoy G12.
Provided
naval gunfire support during assault
phase. First
ship to open fire.
Destroyed shore
battery at Longues.
7th
Deployed in Eastern Task
Force area to
provide naval gunfire support.
22nd
Portsmouth
refit to replace 6in guns.
2,587 shells were fired off Normandy.
July
Nominated for support
of allied landings in South
France
(Operation DRAGOON).
(For details see
INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE (HMSO)).
Passage to
Mediterranean
for duty with Support Group ALPHA in
Task Force 88.
Under US
command for this operation.
Joined HM
Cruisers AURORA and BLACK PRINCE, US
cruiser QUINCY, French
cruiser
GLOIRE, HM Destroyers TERMAGANT,
TERPSICHORE and US
destroyers
in Malta.
August
Preparation
for DRAGOON.
11th
Sailed with ALPHA Group using
Convoy
Route 2 to Assembly area.
15th
HM Battleship RAMILLIES joined
Group from Algiers.
Provided naval
gunfire support before assault on YELLOW
Beach
and then on other
targets
as required. Fired
116 rounds.
17th
Covered minesweeping operations
with HMS TERPSICHORE and HMS
TERMAGANT.
22nd
Released from DRAGOON and
reverted to control of CinC
Mediterranean.
September
Transferred to British Aegean
Force
to cover re-occupation of Aegean
Islands
and
Greek mainland (Operation MANNA).
24th
Deployed on patrol and
interception of
evacuation craft in Aegean.
October
14th
Passage to Piraeus
to support allied military operations.
19th
Accepted surrender of German
garrison at Santorin,
north of Crete.
November
Deployed on convoy escort,
convoy
interception and naval gunfire support.
Based at Skiathos
off East coast of Greece
during military operations.
December
Deployed at Piraeus.
21st
Bombarded
Communist (ELAS)
positions near Piraeus.
25th
Prime Minister and Mr Anthony
Eden
(Foreign Secretary) on board at Malta.
Ship used for
meetings in preparation for Yalta
conference.
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed in Mediterranean
on convoy defence and support of
military operations.
to
March
April
Transferred for support
duty in Adriatic
May
At Trieste
on VE Day.
June
Deployed in Mediterranean.
to
August
