1
9 3 9
September
Deployed in Mediterranean with 1st Cruiser
Squadron.
(Note: Ships of Mediterranean Fleet were
deployed for enforcement of blockade by
interception of
German shipping and neutrals carrying
cargo destined for
enemy use.)
11th
Sailed from Alexandria
for exercises with Squadron.
17th
Returned to Alexandria.
October
Mediterranean deployment in
continuation.
11th
Took passage from Alexandria
to Malta for repair.
13th
Under repair to rudder in Malta.
24th
Took passage from Malta
for Alexandria.
26th
Arrived at Alexandria.
November
Nominated for return to Home waters with
ships of Squadron.
3rd
Sailed for Plymouth
with ships of Squadron.
8th
Sailed from Gibraltar with HM Cruisers
SUFFOLK and NORFOLK.
11th
Arrived at Plymouth and transferred to
Home Fleet with ships of Squadron.
Taken in hand for
repairs.
21st
Took passage to Clyde to join ships of
Home Fleet for
Atlantic convoy defence and interception
of enemy blockade
runners and
commerce raiders.
23rd
Sailed from Clyde with HM Battleships
NELSON and RODNEY
to carry out
search north of Shetlands for German battlecruisers
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU after sinking of
HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser RAWALPINDI in defence of
Atlantic convoy.
29th
Returned to Clyde
with HMS NELSON after unsuccessful
search.
(Note HMS RODNEY had detached.)
December
Transferred to Loch Ewe instead of Scapa
Flow after loss of HM
Battleship ROYAL OAK
in Scapa
Flow.
4th
Entered Loch
Ewe with HMS NELSON, HMS RODNEY.
(Note: HMS NELSON detonated a magnetic
mine laid by U31 in
October. This
battleship was badly damaged and was under
repair at
Portsmouth for four months).
6th
Returned to Clyde for Atlantic convoy
defence duties.
9th
Deployed in NW Approaches.
22nd
On release returned to Scapa Flow.
1
9 4 0
January
Resumed Atlantic duties based in Clyde.
3rd
Sailed for patrol.
10th
Returned to Clyde.
18th
Passage to Scapa
Flow arriving on 19th.
20th
Deployed in NW Approaches.
February
Atlantic convoy defence and interception
duties in continuation.
based in Clyde.
March
6th
Flag of 1st Cruiser Squadron Home Fleet,
Vice-Admiral J H D Cunningham
transferred..
(Other ships of Squadron were HM Cruisers
BERWICK, YORK, SUSSEX
NORFOLK
and SUFFOLK.
Last two ships were under repair in
Clyde.)
NW Approaches
deployment in continuation.
April
Nominated for support of planned allied
landings in Norway and took passage to
Rosyth.
(Operation R4)
7th
Deployed at Rosyth with HM Cruisers
BERWICK, YORK and GLASGOW to
embark troops
of 1/5th Royal Leicestershire Regiment and
stores for landings at
Stavanger
and Bergen,
8th
Following German invasion of Norway, R4
was cancelled.
Troops and stores were landed before the
four cruisers sailed to join Home Fleet
ships in North
Sea. See NAVAL OPERATIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN
IN
NORWAY
1940 (HMSO) for details.)
9th
Joined French cruiser EMIL BERTIN and two
French destroyers off Kinnaird
Head
and carried out
sweep to north in search for German force
reported on passage to
reinforce
landings in Norway. Rejoined main body of
Fleet, including HM
Battleships RODNEY and VALIANT with
destroyer screen.
Under heavy air attacks in position SW of
Bergen and sustained
slight damage
from wear miss with heavy expenditure of
ammunition.
10th
Remained with Fleet during air operations
carried out by aircraft from
HMS FURIOUS at Trondheim.
11th
Detached with HMS BERWICK, HM Destroyers
INGLEFIELD and
ISIS, joined later by ISIS and ILEX to
carry out search for enemy
shipping in
Inner Lead between Trondheim
to Vestfjord.
12th
On completion of extended but unsuccessful
search in Tromso
area
ordered to
intercept German warships reported to be
on passage off
Lofoten
Islands.
Rejoined Fleet after
fruitless search.
13th
Took passage to Tromso
with HMS ISIS and ILEX for meeting with
Norwegian military and
naval authorities.
14th
Sailed from Tromso
after discussions and took passage to Kirkenes.
15th
Joined by HMS BERWICK and HMS INGLEFIELD
off North
Cape.
Escorted Norwegian
troop convoy from Kirkenes.
16th
Deployed at Narvik with HMS BERWICK and
HMS FURIOUS for
support for
operations pending arrival of main allied
landing force.
(Operation RUPERT).
19th
Released from support after landing force
arrived and took passage to
Scapa
Flow with HMS BERWICK and HMS
INGLEFIELD.
20th
At Scapa
Flow.
29th
Sailed from Scapa Flow with HM Cruiser
YORK, French cruiser
MONTCALM, HM Destroyers AFRIDI, NUBIAN,
HASTY,
IMPERIAL and French Destroyer BISON as
escort for French
transports LE
D’JEZAIR, EL KANTARA and EL MANSOUR during
passage for
evacuation at Namsos.
May
1st
Subjected to air attacks and near missed.
Operation delayed after fog
prevented
transfer of troops from shore by
destroyers.
2nd
Remained off shore and decision made to
carry out evacuation in one
night instead
of two.
Deployed off Kya
Light with HMS YORK and French transport
MONTCALM whilst the transports and
destroyers entered Namsos
to
embark troops.
(Note: HM Cruiser YORK, HMS Destroyers
AFRIDI. KELLY
GRENADE and GRIFFIN together with the
other troopships
carried out the
evacuation.)
3rd
Escorted transport EL D'JEZAIR with HM
Cruiser CARLISLE to Scapa Flow.
During air attacks whilst on passage HMS
AFRIDI and French
destroyer BISON
were sunk. See above reference for
details.
5th
Arrived at Scapa Flow
(Note: See also THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by J
Adams, NARVIK by
D Macintyre and
CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton. for
details of the
disastrous
operations off Norway).
Passage to Norway
to resume duties off Narvik in support
of shore operations.
31st
Deployed off Narvik.
June
6th
Detached and took passage to Tromso
to embark Norwegian Royal
Family, allied diplomats and members of
the Norwegian government
for passage to
UK.
7th
Sailed independently for Clyde
from Tromso
with passengers.
8th
During transit intercepted wireless
signals from HM Aircraft Carrier
GLORIOUS when she came under attack by
German battlecruisers
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU,
(Note: The transmissions were garbled and
in any event no response was made in
view of the
need for security. See CARRIER GLORIOUS by
J Winton
10th
Resumed Home Fleet Atlantic convoy defence
duties after the passengers
disembarked at
Greenock and took passage to join Military
convoy US3 to reinforce
escort.
(Note: This convoy was composed of ships
carrying ANZAC personnel who
eventually
served in Egypt.)
16th
Detached from US3 west of Gibraltar and
took passage to Halifax..
23rd
At Halifax
to replenish.
July
Deployed with HM Battle cruisers RENOWN
and REPULSE, HM Cruisers
AUSTRALIA (RAN) and YORK screened by Home
Fleet destroyers in an
unsuccessful
search for SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU
reported on passage
to attack
Atlantic shipping.
August
Nominated for detached service in support
of planned landing of
Free French troops at Dakar (Operation
MENACE).
31st
Deployed with HM Battleship BARHAM, HM
Cruiser FIJI with screen of four
Home Fleet destroyers as Force M and
sailed from Clyde as escort for troopships
during passage
to Freetown in preparation for landings.
September
1st
HMS FIJI withdrawn from operation after
being hit by torpedo fired by U31.
3rd
At Gibraltar
with Force M.
13th
Part of escort by Force M for passage
from Freetown
to Dakar.
(Note: HMS ARK ROYAL, HMAS AUSTRALIA and
HM
Cruiser AUSTRALIA had joined Force M.)
14th
Deployed to intercept Vichy French
cruisers MONTCALM, GEORGES
LEYGUES and GLOIRE reported on passage to
Dakar from Casablanca.
16th
Returned to Freetown
when the Vichy French ships had arrived
in Dakar.
19th
Sailed from Freetown to join HMAS
AUSTRALIA and HMS CUMBERLAND to
ensure enemy
cruisers could not leave Dakar during
landing operations.
23rd
Took part in bombardment of defences at
Dakar with ships of Force M
(Note: HM Battleship RESOLUTION hit by
shore return fire.
24th
Under shore fire during approach for
resumed bombardment.
Carried out further attack on defences
with ships of Force M
25th
Bombardment duties in continuation with
HMS BARHAM,
HMS RESOLUTION and HMS
CUMBERLAND.
After HMS BARHAM was hit by return fire
from Vichy French battleship
RICHELIEU and HMS RESOLUTION hit by a
torpedo from Vichy French
submarine
BEVEZIERS the planned landings were
cancelled.
(For details see MENACE by A Marder.)
29th
Returned to Freetown
with ships of Force M.
Nominated for further service with Force M
in support of planned Free French
operations.
October
2nd
Sailed from Freetown with 4 destroyers as
escort for transport WESTRALIA during
passage for
landings at Duala,
French Cameroons
by Free French troops.
7th
Deployed with HM Sloop BIDEFORD to cover
landings at Duala.
(For details see RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute.)
10th
On release from support duties returned to
Freetown.
Transferred to South Atlantic Station for
support of Free French
operations and
trade defence based at Freetown.
November
7th
Deployed with HM Cruiser DELHI to
establish blockade of Gabon
during Free
French attack on Libreville.
9th
Vichy French submarine PONCELOT attacked
by ship’s aircraft
and
subsequently surrendered to HMS MILFORD.
23rd
Relieved HM Cruiser NORFOLK as Ocean
Escort for military
convoy WS4B
during Atlantic passage from Clyde to
Freetown.
29th
Arrived at Freetown with WS4B.
December
1st
Sailed from Freetown
as Ocean Escort for WS4B during passage
to Durban.
(Note: HMS CUMBERLAND was also deployed
until 4th when relieved by
HM Cruiser HAWKINS.
12th
Arrived at Durban with WS4B
16th
Sailed from DURBAN as WS4B Ocean Escort
with HM Cruise SHROPSHIRE.
18th
Detached from WS4B and took passage to
resume trade defence in South Atlantic.
1
9 4 1
January
Nominated for refit in UK.
6th
Deployed with HM Cruiser NORFOLK and HM
Armed Merchant
Cruiser ARAWA in search for the German
commerce raider
KORMORAN which was
operating in the South
Atlantic.
29th
Detached from search and took passage to
Freetown.
February
3rd
Sailed from Freetown
to UK for refit. Rejoined 1st Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet.
March
Taken in hand for refit at Liverpool
commercial shipyard.
to
(Note: Twin 4in mountings fitted and close
range AA armament
May
increased. Tripod foremast and mainmast
fitted to enable
Aircraft Warning Radar Outfit 281 to be
fitted. See RADAR
AT SEA by D Howse
for details of development and use of
radar by RN.
Type 285 Fire-Control Radar Type 285 was
fitted.)
June
Post refit trials carried out before
rejoining Squadron for Home Fleet
duties at Scapa
Flow.
July
Deployed with Squadron for fleet duties.
23rd
Took passage to Iceland with HM Aircraft
Carriers FURIOUS and
VICTORIOUS, HMS
NORFOLK screened by six destroyers.
29th
Sailed from Seidisfjord
with HMS FURIOUS, HMS VICTORIOUS
and HMS NORFOLK
with screen of four destroyers to carry
out
air attacks on
shipping at Petsamo
and Kirkenes.
30th
Provided cover during air operations.
(For details see CONVOY
! by P Kemp.)
August
1st
Deployed as escort for HMS VICTORIOUS
during passage to Tromso
for air
operations
4th
Provided cover during attacks at Tromso.
5th
Passage to Scapa
Flow with HMS VICTORIOUS.
9th
Present during visit to Scapa Flow by HM
King George VI and took part in
demonstrations.
23rd
Deployed with HMS VICTORIOUS, HMS SUFFOLK,
HM Destroyers ECLIPSE,
ESCAPADE and INGLEFIELD and sailed from
Scapa Flow to provide Distant
Cover for passage of first Russian Convoy
to Murmansk (Operation DERVISH)
and the passage
of HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS with a
mercantile to Archangel.
(Note: For details of all Russian Convoys
with names of escorts and mercantiles
see
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield,
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman and Naval
Staff History.)
26th
Joined Convoy PQ1.
30th
Detached from PQ1 to refuel at Spitzbergen.
September
2nd
Took passage from Spitzbergen
to join HMS VICTORIOUS for covering duty
with
HM Cruiser SUFFOLK during air attacks at Hammerfest.
3rd
Provided cover during air operations and
detached on completion to provide Distant
Cover for passage of HMS ARGUS, HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE, HM Destroyers
ECLIPSE, ESCAPADE and INGLEFIELD during
passage to Archangel with aircraft
and RAF
personnel. (Operation STRENGTH).
September
4th
Joined HMS ARGUS and HMS SHROPSHIRE.
7th
Detached with HMS VICTORIOUS and HMS
SUFFOLK to refuel at Spitzbergen.
12th
Deployed with HMS SUFFOLK to provide cover
during air strikes on Bodo
by HMS
VICTORIOUS.
13th
Arrived at Scapa
Flow on completion of air operations.
Transferred for Atlantic trade defence and
took passage to Clyde.
October
1st
Joined military convoy WS12 in Clyde as
Ocean Escort for passage in Atlantic.
12th
Detached from WS12 on relief by HM
Cruiser DORSETSHIRE.
19th
Provided Ocean Escort for WS12 with HMS
DORSETSHIRE on departure from
Freetown.
30th
Detached from WS12 on arrival of HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser DERBYSHIRE.
November
Deployed interception of Vichy French
ships with HM cruiser
COLOMBO, HM Armed Merchant Cruisers
CARTHAGE and
CARNARVON
CASTLE.
(Operation BELLRINGER)
2nd
Intercepted convoy on passage east of Cape
of Good Hope from Indo China to
France. Captured five
ships which were escorted to South
African ports.
13th
Consequent on decryption of ENIGMA traffic
deployed for the
interception of
German commerce raider ATLANTIS known to
be operating in
South Atlantic and also providing fuel for
U-Boats.
(Note: HMS DORSETSHIRE and HMS CARNARVON
CASTLE were also deployed
independently
to intercept this raider and another
raider, PYTHON.
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR Volume 1 by C
Blair.)
22nd
Intercepted ATLANTIS in position north of
Ascension Island after sighting by
aircraft from
ship. German vessel was in process of
refuelling U126.
Opened fire at long range obtaining hits
after which ATLANTIS scuttled and was
abandoned.
Withdrew from area at high speed because
of threat of attack from U126 which had
been able to
leave the supply ship. See reference.
December
Deployed for trade defence in Indian
Ocean.
1
9 4 2
January
Nominated for repair in USA and passage to
Freetown.
12th
At Freetown and passage to Norfolk,
Va.
(Note: One source records escort of Convoy
BM12 in Indian Ocean)
24th
Taken in hand for repair by US Navy Yard
at Norfolk.
February
Under repair
(Note: Surface warning Radar Type 273
fitted during this period
See above reference.)
March
Transferred to 4th Cruiser Squadron in
Indian Ocean.
On completion of trials took passage to
join US Navy escort of
Military convoys AS1 and AS2 during
Atlantic passage
(Note: These convoys were on passage to
Freetown and
Ascension. US
Navy ships included US cruisers MEMPHIS
and
CINCINNATI
with screen of eight USN destroyers.
HM Escort Aircraft Carrier ARCHER was also
part of the escort
before
detaching to proceed to UK.)
On release from escort took passage to
Freetown.
13th
Escorted Convoys AS1 and AS2 with US
Navy ships.
(See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
19th
Detached from escort and resumed
independent passage from
Freetown
April
Nominated for support of planned landings
in Madagascar.
(Operation IRONCLAD).
6th
Joined HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM
Battleship MALAYA and HM
Cruiser HERMIONE for
passage to Durban.
as Force F
22nd
Arrived at Durban
with ships of Force F.
HM Battleship RAMILLIES joined Force F.
24th
Detached as escort for Y convoy with 3
destroyers, corvettes of
23rd Escort Group and
ships of 14th Minesweeping Flotilla.
May
Rejoined Force F.
3rd
Deployed with HM Aircraft Carrier
INDOMITABLE. HM Battleship RAMILLIES
and two
destroyers from Eastern Fleet for escort
of Fast convoy from Durban during
passage to
flying off and gunfire support positions
during landings.
5th
Provided cover during landings (Operation
IRONCLAD)
7th
Bombarded position at Diego Suarez. with
HMS RAMILLIES and HM Cruise
HERMIONE.
10th
On release from IRONCLAD resumed trade
defence duties in Indian Ocean.
June
Indian Ocean trade defence in
continuation.
26th
Relieved HM Cruiser MAURITIUS as Ocean
Escort for military
convoy WS19
during passage in Indian Ocean to Aden.
27th
Replaced as Ocean Escort by HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser
CORFU and detached from WS19 with three
troopships as Ocean
Escort for passage to Bombay.
July
(Note: During this
period special deployments of
Eastern Fleet
cruisers were
made to carrying out search operations for
enemy supply
ships operating in support of submarine
operations in
the Indian Ocean See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).)
1st
Detached from troopships on arrival at Bombay.
14th
Relieved HMS MAURITIUS as Ocean Escort for
Convoy WS19L
during passage
from Durban in Indian Ocean.
17th
Detached from WS19L on arrival at Aden.
August
Indian Ocean trade defence and patrol
duties in continuation.
to
See above Note.
September
Escorted convoys between India, West
Africa and Fremantle,
October
3rd
Joined military convoy WS22 in Durban as
Local Escort during passage in Indian
Ocean.
11th
Detached from WS22 on arrival at
separation point for Aden
and Bombay sections.
21st
Took passage from Kilindini to join search
operation with HM Cruisers
MAURITIUS and ENTERPRISE for submarine
supply ships in Gulf of Aden and
Gulf of Oman (Operation DEMCAT)
27th
Commenced DEMCAT search with RAF
CATALINA aircraft co-operation.
30th
DEMCAT search terminated without success
and resumed trade defence duties.
November
Indian Ocean trade defence in
continuation.
December
Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.
1
9 4 3
January
Indian Ocean trade defence in
continuation.
February
4th
Joined military convoy of five troopships
with HM Cruiser GAMBIA as Ocean
Escort during passage in Indian Ocean from
Suez to Fremantle with 30,000 men
of 9th
Australian Division recalled from Middle
East service to Australia after
Japanese threat to Australia
and New Zealand.
(Operation PAMPHLET)
18th
Detached from convoy on arrival at
Fremantle and resumed Eastern Fleet
duties.
March
Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.
Nominated for return
to UK
for refit.
April
Passage to UK via Cape of Good Hope.
29th
Called at Freetown.
May
Rejoined 1st Cruiser Squadron in Home
Fleet and took passage to Tyne for refit.
Taken in hand for
refit at commercial shipyard.
June
Under refit.
to
(Note: Work included:
December
Removal of X Turret and increase of close
range AA
armament with
additional 20mm weapons.
Replacement of Radar Type 281 by Type 281B
which
required use of
only one mast for aerial siting.
Additional Fire-control radar outfits
added.
Surface warning radar Type 273 resited
amidships.
IFF equipment added to radar fit. See
RADAR AT SEA.).
1
9 4 4
January
Under refit
February
Post refit trials
March
On completion of sea trials rejoined Home
Fleet to work-up for
operational
service.
April
Work-up at Scapa Flow.
May
Deployed with Home Fleet for exercises in
preparation for
planned allied
landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE)
June
Deployed with Squadron in Home Fleet at
Scapa Flow for
Distant Cover if required to protect
landings in Channel.
July
17th
Provided cover for air operations by HM
Aircraft Carriers
FORMIDABLE, INDEFATIGABLE and FURIOUS
against
German battleship TIRPITZ lying in Altenfjord,
Norway with
HM Battleship DUKE OF YORK, HM Cruisers
KENT,
JAMAICA and BELLONA screened by destroyers
of Home
Fleet (Operation MASCOT)
(Note: These attacks were unsuccessful.)
August
9th
Took passage from Scapa Flow with HMS KENT
and five
Home Fleet destroyers as escort for HMS
INDEFATIGABLE,
HM Escort Aircraft Carriers NABOB and
TRUMPETER to
carry out air
attacks on German airfield at Gossen
near
Kristiansund
and an air minelay between Lepsoy
and Haramsa
Island (Operation
OFFSPRING).
10th
Provided cover during air operations
11th
Returned to Scapa Flow
15th
Deployed with HMS DUKE OF YORK, HM Cruiser
BERWICK and 14 Home Fleet destroyers to
provide cover for
air attacks by
HMS INDEFATIGABLE, HMS FURIOUS and
HMS FORMIDABLE, HM Escort Aircraft
Carriers NABOB
and TRUMPETER
on TIRPITZ (Operation GOODWOOD).
(Note: This operation also provided
Distant Cover for passage
of Russian
Convoy JW59 to Kola Inlet and returning
Convoy RA59A to UK.)
20th
Provided cover during air operations
during which only two hits
to
were made on the enemy ship due to weather
conditions and
29th
use of smoke screens after warning of
attacks.
September
5th
Joined HMS KENT and HMS BERWICK as escort
for rms
QUEEN MARY taking the Prime Minister and
Chiefs of Staff
to USA for
meeting with US President.
9th
Return passage to UK with same ships.
12th
Deployed with HMS KENT and destroyers as
escort for HMS
FURIOUS and HMS TRUMPETER for air minelay
and attack
on shipping
south of Voska
Is. (Operation BEGONIA)
October
Under refit at Rosyth for fit of
additional 20mm mountings.
24th
Deployed as Senior Officer Force 2
comprising HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers CAMPANIA and TRUMPETER
with screen
of destroyers
to carry out air minelay and shipping
attacks in
Haramsfjord
(Operation HARDY).
November
Squadron deployment in Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow in
continuation
December
14th
Deployed with HM Escort Aircraft Carriers
TRUMPETER and PREMIER, HM
Destroyers ZEALOUS, ZEPHYR, SIOUX (RCN),
ALGONQUIN (RCN),
SAVAGE and SERAPIS as Senior Officer Force
2 to carry out air minelay and
shipping
strikes in Ramousund
area. (Operation
LACERATE).
1
9 4 5
January
Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
February
12th
Deployed with HMS PREMIER, HMS PUNCHER, HM
Destroyers
CAVENDISH, CAVALIER, SCOURGE and ZEBRA as
Force 2 to carry out air
minelay off Skatestrommen
(Operation SELENIUM)
March
Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
to
April
May
12th
Escorted HM Minelayers APOLLO and ARIADNE
with four
destroyers for
passage to Oslo from Rosyth.
(Note: HMS APOLLO had the Crown Prince of
Norway
embarked for
his return following VE Day)
14th
Relieved HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM as Guardship
at Copenhagen.
24th
Escorted German cruiser PRINZ EUGEN to
Wilhelmshaven
with HM
Destroyers IROQUOIS (RCN) and SAVAGE.
June
Nominated for trooping duties after
dockyard conversion.
5th
Escorted HM Cruiser NORFOLK with HM
Norwegian Destroyer STORD,
HM Destroyers ONSLOW
and ORWELL during passage from Rosyth to
Oslo.
(Note: HM King Haakon
was embarked in HMS NORFOLK for return to
his
Kingdom after end of
hostilities.)
Passage to Plymouth
Converted for use as
troopship.
29th
Took passage from Plymouth for Australia
July
Deployed for transport of returning
prisoners of war and
to
August
allied nationals to UK and service
personnel to Australia.