1 9 3 9
August
9th Commissioned from Reserve for Royal Review at Weymouth.
Attended Review
In view of the political situation she was retained in service and after storing and completion to
war complement sailed with HM Cruiser DANAE to join 9th Cruiser Squadron in South Atlantic
for trade defence.
September
3rd Escorted convoy to Capetown from Gibraltar.
14th Based at Freetown for trade defence and escorted convoys for part of passage to Cape of Good
Hope
(Note: Deployed for interception of German shipping which was attempting return to European
waters. For details of deployment of warships in Atlantic see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).
October Transferred to China Station and took passage via Mediterranean.
10th Sailed from Gibraltar for Singapore.
21st Sailed from Aden for Colombo.
31st Arrived Singapore.
November
2nd Deployed with 5th Cruiser Squadron for interception patrol and protection of allied shipping in
Singapore area.
4th Relieved HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM in Sunda Strait.
December Continuation of duties based at Singapore.
1 9 4 0
January
8th Deployed in Malacca Straits.
21st Called at Penang.
February Trade protection role in continuation.
March
23rd Transferred to British Malayan Force for surveillance of German shipping
. Deployed off Batavia to intercept German merchant ships, including NORDMARK,
RENDSBERG and VOGTLAND.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
April
26th Passage to Hong Kong for refit.
May Under refit
June
4th Passage to Singapore to resume surveillance and trade defence duties.
July Continuation of trade defence role in Malacca Straits
to
October
November Passage to Hong Kong for routine docking.
December
4th Docking at Hong Kong.
15th Passage to resume duties in Singapore area.
20th Patrol duty in Malacca Straits.
1 9 4 1
January Deployed for trade defence and interception patrol based at Singapore.
to
April
May Under refit in Singapore.
June
9th On completion resumed trade defence duties.
15th Slightly damaged in collision with HM Cruiser EMERALD off Singapore.
(Note: HMS EMERALD sustained major damage with several casualties.)
Taken in hand for repair at Singapore.
July On completion resumed patrol and interception duties on completion.
to
October
November Withdrawn from China Station for refit in UK.
December Passage to Portsmouth
(Note: This ship was therefore not involved in the operations against Japan).
1 9 4 2
January On arrival taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard..
(Note: Work included
Installation of Radar Type 286 and Radar Type 271. For details of development and
use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.
AA armament improved by replacement of the after 4in gun by quadruple
pom-pom and addition of 20mm Oerlikon guns.
February
14th On completion carried out post refit trials.
Prepared for foreign service with 5th Cruiser Squadron in East Indies.
March Took passage to join 5th Cruiser Squadron in Indian Ocean.
April On arrival deployed for convoy defence and interception duties.
27th Joined military convoy WS17 as Ocean Escort for the passage from Capetown to Durban
with HM Battleship REVENGE.
May
7th Detached from WS17 on arrival at Durban and trade defence in continuation.
June
5th Deployed with HM Destroyer ANTHONY for trade defence.
On passage to Diego Suarez. See WAR WITH JAPAN Volume III (HMSO).
13th Deployed for patrol duties with HMS DANAE between Diego Suarez and Farquar Island
to intercept Japanese submarines and supply ships. See above reference
July Patrol duties in continuation.
22nd Diverted to take part in capture of Mayotte (Operation THROAT).
August Indian Ocean deployment in continuation.
Nominated for support of planned landings in Madagascar (Operation STREAM)
(Note: Practice landing Exercise TOUCHSTONE was carried out as a preliminary.)
September Allocated to Force M with HM Cruisers BIRMINGHAM, GAMBIA, CARADOC, MANXMAN,
HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Monitor EREBUS and HM Seaplane Carrier
ALBATROSS.
10th Took part in landing operations at Majunga.
(Note: No bombardments were required as there was no opposition
October Indian Ocean trade defence in continuation,
For details of naval operations in the Indian Ocean during 1942 see OPERATION PACIFIC
by E Gray, WAR WITH JAPAN Volume III (HMSO) and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY
November
9th Joined military convoy WS23 on departure from Durban as Ocean Escort with HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser CARTHAGE.
11th Detached from WS23 on relief by HM Cruiser HAWKINS.
December Indian Ocean Trade defence and interception duties in continuation
Passage to Simonstown for refit
1 9 4 3
January Under refit by HM Dockyard, Simonstown.
to
February
March Withdrawn from operational duty. See General Information.
April Passage to UK.
May On arrival deployed at Chatham pending decision for future use.
Selected for training duties.
June Under refit at Chatham by HM Dockyard
to July Further dockyard work to suit new role to be carried out by HM Dockyard at Rosyth.
(Note: Future deployment as a training ship for Direct Entry Y-Scheme personnel
required provision of suitable compartments for instruction and on items
of equipment. Ships displacement was reduced by removal of equipment not
required for training role.
Y-Scheme personnel comprised ratings selected for promotion to commissioned
rank in the RNVR.)
August Passage to Rosyth.
September Under conversion by HM Dockyard.
(Note: Changes included removal of Pom-pom mounting and installation of additional
20mm close range weapons. Radar Type 273 was installed for training in use of
this Surface Warning equipment.
October Joined Training Squadron based at Rosyth on completion of conversion.
November Deployed at Rosyth for harbour and sea training in Forth area.
to December.
1 9 4 4
January Training duties in continuation.
to October
November Taken in hand for routine inspection and essential repairs by HM Dockyard, Rosyth
December Resumed duties in Training Squadron on completion.
1 9 4 5
January Deployed for Squadron training duties
February Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth.
to March (Note: This may have been for repair work since ship had not been long out of dock.)
April Resumed training duties,
May Squadron training duties in continuation.
to August