1 9 4 0
December
Contractors
trials
14th
Build completion
and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On
completion of trials and storing took
passage to
Scapa
Flow.
1 9 4 1
January
7th
Worked-up at
Scapa
Flow
for service with 10th Cruiser
Squadron, Home Fleet.
Nominated escort of
military convoy.
18th
Joined military convoy WS6B as Ocean
Escort during passage to
Freetown
from
Clyde.
March
5th
Detached from
WS6B on arrival at
Freetown.
Deployed at
Freetown
for Atlantic
convoy defence.
Part of escort for
Convoys SL68 and SL69.
April
Escorted
Convoy SL70 to
UK.
After
arrival transferred to 4th Cruiser
Squadron in East Indies Squadron
Prepared
for foreign service
and took passage.
May
Joined
military convoy WS8A during passage in
Atlantic
as Ocean Escort in place
of HM
Battlecruiser REPULSE and HM Cruiser
NAIAD.
9th
WS8A arrived at
Freetown.
14th
Deployed as Ocean
Escort for WS8A for passage from Freetown
to Cape
of Good
Hope.
24th
Relieved as Ocean Escort for WS8A by HM
Cruiser HAWKINS and took passage to
join Squadron
at
Colombo.
Deployed for
Indian
Ocean
trade defence
and Patrol.
June
Indian
Ocean
deployment in
continuation.
20th
Arrived Colombo
and relieved HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE
in Squadron.
Escorted Convoy OM11
to Aden.
July
Deployed
in Indian
Ocean
and Bay
of
Bengal
for convoy defence and patrol duty.
August
1st
Escorted mv
CAPETOWN CASTLE
and ss
EMPRESS OF JAPAN during passage
from
Colombo
to
Singapore
as military convoy WS9AX
3rd
After relief by HM Cruiser
DURBAN
detached from WS9AX and resumed
Squadron
duties for
trade defence and interception patrol.
September
Deployed
with HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES, HM
Cruisers
ENTERPRISE
and
HAWKINS
for interception of Vichy French convoy
during passage in
Indian
Ocean
to
Madagascar
from Saigon.
(Note:
Two RAF CATALINA aircraft were also used.,
but search
was unsuccessful
after one
aircraft was missing. For details see
WAR WITH
JAPAN Volume 1
(HMSO).)
October
Squadron duties for trade
defence in continuation.
31st
Deployed as
escort for military convoy
WS11X from Colombo
to Singapore.
November
6th
Detached from
WS11AX on arrival at Singapore.
Taken in hand for
refit.
December
10th
Refit work suspended after Japanese
invasion of Malaya.
11th
Passage to
UK
via
Cape
after embarking some of the
survivors from HM Battleship
PRINCE OF WALES
and HM
Battlecruiser REPULSE.
1 9 4 2
January
Passage to UK.
February
Taken
in hand by HM Dockyard, Devonport to
complete refit
March
Under
refit.
(Note:
Fire control radar for HA and LA
armament fitted.
20mm
AA armament increased.
April
On
completion took passage to
Scapa Flow to work-up with Home Fleet
Nominated
for further service in
Ceylon
with 4th
Cruiser
Squadron.
May
On
completion prepared for foreign
service.
11th
Joined military convoy WS19 with HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser CARNARVON
CASTLE,
HM Destroyers BELVOIR and HURSLEY during
passage from
Clyde
to
Freetown
for duty as
Ocean Escort.
22nd
Detached from WS19
on arrival at
Freetown.
26th
Rejoined WS19 on its departure from
Freetown
as Ocean Escort during passage
to Cape
of Good Hope
with HMS HURSLEY and HM Sloop
MILFORD.
June
5th
Detached from
WS19 with ships of Ocean Escort on
arrival at Capetown.
6th
Deployed for
Squadron duties in
Indian
Ocean.
18th
Joined WS19 as Ocean Escort duties
during passage from
Durban
to
Bombay
in place
of HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE.
26th
Detached from WS19
when relieved by HM Cruiser
DEVONSHIRE
as Ocean
Escort.
Resumed Squadron
duties in Indian
Ocean.
July
7th
Escorted military convoy WS19L from
Durban
for part of passage to
Aden.
14th
Detached from WS19L on relief by HMS
DEVONSHIRE and took passage to Kilindini
21st
Joined HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM
Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and
FORMIDABLE,
HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM,
HM Destroyers NORMAN, NIZAM,
INCONSTANT
and Dutch VAN GALEN in Force A for Fleet
diversionary operation in
Bay
of Bengal.
(OPERATION
STAB - See WAR WITH JAPAN
Vol II
(HMSO).)
23rd
HM Destroyer NAPIER (RAN) joined Force
A during passage to
Seychelles.
28th
Arrived at
Colombo
after refuelling with Force A
in
Seychelles.
30th
Sailed with Force
A from
Colombo
to provide
cover for diversionary convoys.
See
Reference.
August
1st
Force A sighted by Japanese
seaplane.
2nd
Japanese aircraft shot down by MARTLET
fighter from HMS FORMIDABLE.
Operation
terminated and Force A returned to
Trincomalee.
Passage to Kilindini
to resume Squadron duties in Indian
Ocean.
26th
Sailed from Kilindini to intercept Vichy
French ss
AMIRAL PIERRE known to be on
passage from
Madagascar
to
Reunion,
a French possession in
Indian
Ocean.
(Note:
Did not take part in support of British
landings to occupy whole
island
of
Madagascar
(Operation STREAM - See above
Reference.)
29th
Began interception
patrol.
September
2nd
Refuelled at
Mauritius
and returned to patrol area.
4th
Ceased interception patrol and took
passage to join military convoy US16
during
passage from
Fremantle to
Aden
as Ocean Escort.
October
Detached
from US16 and returned to Kilindini
21st
Nominated with HM Cruisers DEVONSHIRE
AND
ENTERPRISE to carry out search
for a
Japanese mercantile reported in use as a
supply ship
for submarines or commerce
raiders
deployed in
Indian
Ocean
for attacks on shipping.
(Operation
DEMCAT - See above Reference.)
27th
Carried out search
operation with assistance from RAF
aircraft.
30th
Naval search operations abandoned and
returned to Kilindini.
November
Deployed
at Kilindini for trade defence.
16th
Joined HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
CARTHAGE
and HM Cruiser HAWKINS to
supplement
Ocean Escort for military convoy WS23
during
Indian
Ocean
passage.
17th
Remained with Bombay Section of WS23
when convoy split and detached as Ocean
Escort
for ships on passage to
Bombay
as Convoy WS23B.
24th
Detached from
WS23B on arrival at
Bombay.
Embarked
CinC East Indies for passage to
Kilindini from
Ceylon
after a meeting in
London
with Prime
Minister.
December
12th
Relieved HM Cruiser FROBISHER as Ocean
Escort for military convoy WS24B during
passage from
Durban
to
Bombay.
(Note
Convoy comprised troopships mv.
STIRLING
CASTLE
and mv
ATHLONE
CASTLE.
17th
Detached from
WS24B on arrival at
Bombay.
Resumed Indian Ocean
Squadron duties.
1 9 4 3
January
Indian
Ocean
convoy defence in continuation
February
10th
Joined Force A1 with HM Battleships
RESOLUTION, REVENGE and WARSPITE to
cover passage
of convoy including rms
QUEEN MARY,
rms
AQUITANIA, ILE DE
FRANCE,
NIEUW
AMSTERDAM, and mv
QUEEN OF BERMUDA.
(Note:
This convoy was taking ANZAC troops back
to
Australia
from
Middle
East
(Operation
PAMPHLET).
15th
Detached from PAMPHLET.
March
Indian
Ocean
trade defence and interception
patrol in continuation.
to
April
May
Nominated for service with
Mediterranean
Fleet in support of planned
operations.
19th
Transferred to 15th Cruiser Squadron in
Mediterranean.
June
Passage to Alexandria
via Red
Sea.
Damaged by grounding
in
Suez
Canal
during
transit.
Under repair at Alexandria.
(Note:
Additional 20mm AA mountings fitted to
improve defence against close range
attacks.)
July
Joined
Squadron at Alexandria
on completion.
7th
Sailed from
Alexandria
with HM Cruisers
NEWFOUNDLAND,
UGANDA
and ORION
screened by
six destroyers for support during
Sicily
landings (Operation HUSKY).
(For
details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett and
Naval Staff
History).
9th
Joined HM Cruisers
CARLISLE,
COLOMBO
and
DELHI
in Support Force East.
Sustained damage to
Keel after grounding at Malta.
10th
Provided naval
gunfire support during landings SW of
Syracuse.
11th
Provided naval
gunfire support during German
counter-attack on beachead.
12th
Embarked Rear Admiral Troubridge
(Flag Officer Force A) from damaged
destroyer
HMS ESKIMO to
transfer to HM Destroyer EXMOOR.
14th
Bombarded shore battery at Lentinmi
in Catania
Bay.
23rd
Under air attacks
at
Augusta.
Flag
transferred from HM Cruiser
NEWFOUNDLAND
which had been damaged..
August
6th
Joined Force
K in Malta
with HM
Cruisers ORION and UGANDA.
12th
Bombarded Riposto
on Italian coast with HM Destroyers
NUBIAN and TARTAR.
Carried out
offensive sweep along coast near Crotone
with HMS UGANDA.
September
2nd
Bombarded Calabrian
coastal targets prior to allied landings
on the mainland of
Italy
with HM
Battleships VALIANT and WARSPITE, HM
Cruiser ORION,
HM Monitors
ABERCROMBIE,
ROBERTS, Fleet destroyers and River
Gunboats.
(Operation
BAYTOWN - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
3rd
Joined HMS ORION and provided naval
gunfire support during landings with HM
Monitors
EREBUS, ROBERTS and ABERCROMBIE.
7th
Escorted convoy to
Salerno
with HMS UGANDA, HMS ORION, and
Fleet destroyers.
9th
Joined Northern Attack Force (TF85) to
support landings at
Salerno.
(Operation
AVALANCHE - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY).
10th
Provided continuous naval gunfire
support for British military operations
on the
bridgehead..
Under air attacks
including FX1400 and Glider Bombs.
17th
Relieved from
naval gunfire support by HM Cruiser
SIRIUS.
October
Deployed
in central Mediterranean.
5th
Passage to Taranto
from Salerno
for
exercises.
November
Military
support and convoy escort in
continuation.
December
Detached
for duty at Gibraltar
for Atlantic convoy defence and
interception patrol.
24th
Deployed with HM Cruiser
GAMBIA
in search for German blockade
runner in Bay of
Biscay
(Operation STONEWALL).
1 9 4 4
January
On
completion of STONEWALL called in
Plymouth
before return to
Gibraltar.
15th
Escorted HM Battleship KING GEORGE V
with 3 destroyers from Gibraltar to Scapa Flow..
Returned to
Mediterranean
on
completion.
30th
Deployed at Naples
for naval
gunfire support of military operations
at Anzio.
(Operation
SHINGLE - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY and Naval Staff History).
February
Deployed
in rotation with another cruiser for
support duty,
(Note:
Thus was shared with HMS DIDO, HMS
DELHI, HMS PHOEBE, HMS ORION, HMS
PENELOPE (before
loss), US
cruisers USS BROOKLYN
and USS
PHILADELPHIA).
March
3rd
Released from SHINGLE support duty.
15th
Bombarded targets along west coast of
Italy
in support of military
operations.
Deployed in
Western
Mediterranean
for convoy
escort duty.
April
Transferred
to Home Fleet and took passage to
UK.
Nominated for
support of planned allied landings in
Normandy
as Flagship
Bombarding Force D.
May
Under refit at Chatham.
(Note:
Aircraft facilities removed.
Surface
warning radar, Type 273) fitted and
aircraft warning radar Type 279
replaced by
Type 281. For details of development and
use of
radar see RADAR
AT
SEA
by D Howse).
26th
Invasion training
in
Clyde
with Force D ships.
(Note: Other ships in Force D were HM
Battleships WARSPITE, RAMILLIES, HM
Cruisers
ARETHUSA, DANAE and
Polish cruiser ORP DRAGON.)
June
2nd
Passage from
Clyde
in Convoy S6 with Force
D escorted by HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ and
SWIFT, Norwegian
STORD and SVENNER, HM Frigates ROWLEY
and HOLMES.
5th
Met HM Monitor ROBERTS for Channel
crossing with Force D to support
landings
on
SWORD Beach
(Operation
NEPTUNE
- See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY
and Naval
Staff History).
6th
Bombarded Houlgate
and Merville
Battery
during assault on
SWORD
Beach.
8th
On completion of
Bombardment Phase joined Eastern Naval
Task Force to continue support role.
13th
Slightly damaged by shore fire.
July
4th
Provided naval
gunfire support for military
operations.
11th
Bombarded enemy positions near Caen
with HMS ROBERTS.
17th
Bombarded German
positions at Caen
to support
military operation.
18th
Repeated Caen
support bombardment.
August
5th
Deployed in Bay
of Biscay
to intercept
craft evacuating troops.
14th
During patrol off Les Sables with HM
Destroyer URSA and HM Destroyer IROQUOIS
(RCN)
as Force 27
engaged German convoy and damaged
Torpedo Boat
T24 and two ships under
escort.
Later
engage coastal steamer which grounded.
15th
Force 27 engaged 2 minesweepers with 2
merchant ships off Ile
de Yeux
and sank a
minesweeper.
22nd
Under shore/fire
during patrol with Force 27 near Gironde.
25th
Engaged escorted convoy with HMS URSA
and HMCS IROQUOIS in
Audieme
Bay.
German
patrol boats V702, V717, V720, V729 and
V730 were sunk and ships set on fire.
28th
Requirement ceased when Germans reported
by French resistance to be leaving the
Brittany
area.
Returned to
Devonport.
September
1st
Under repair in
Devonport.
October
Transferred
to 10th Cruiser Squadron for Hone Fleet
operations.
16th
Escorted HMS KING
GEORGE V from
Plymouth
to Scapa
Flow.
26th
Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE
with 6 Fleet destroyers for air strikes
against
targets in
Norway.
During these two ferry barges
were damaged near Bodo,
patrol vessel
V5722 and depot ship KARL MAYER at Rorvik,
M433 minesweeper and two
steamers at Kristiansund.
Submarine
U1060 was also damaged in
North Sea and was later sunk by bomber aircraft.
(Operation
ATHLETIC)
November
Deployed
with 10th Cruiser Squadron for Home
Fleet operations off
Norway.
(See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
December
Deployed
with Home Fleet units to intercept
German destroyers and Alesund
without success.
1 9 4 5
January
28th
During deployment with HM Cruiser DIADEM
engaged two German destroyers found to
be attempting
passage into
Baltic
Sea
from
Bergen.
Damaged Z31.
Received
one hit from return fire.
(Note:
Enemy ships later reached
Kiel).
February
Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
Nominated for refit.
25th
Began refit at commercial shipyard in
Birkenhead
March
Under
refit
to
(Note:
Work included fit of Low Angle Fire
control radar Type 275 to replaced Type
284.
August
and
Warning radars Types 293 and 277 with
IFF
in place of Type 273.
Air
warning radar Type 960 replaced Type
281. See RADAR AT
SEA).