1
9 1 8
Deployed with Harwich Force
1
9 1 9
Transferred to Atlantic Fleet and joined 2nd
Light Cruiser Squadron,
1
9 2 0 t
o 1 9 2 3
Transferred within Atlantic Fleet and
deployed as Flagship of Flag Officer
(Destroyers).
Atlantic Fleet Flagship deployment in
continuation.
(Note: During refit in this period
flying-off Platform removed.)
1
9 2 4
Transferred
to Mediterranean
for duty as Flagship, Flag Officer
Destroyers.
1
9 2 5 t
o 1 9 2 7
Mediterranean deployment in continuation.
1
9 2 8
Returned to Home waters for refit.
1
9 2 9
Under refit.
1
9 3 0
Recommissioned for service as Flagship for
Flag Officer (D), Mediterranean Fleet
1
9 3 1 t
o 1 9 3 4
Mediterranean Fleet Flagship service in
continuation.
1
9 3 5
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status
and returned to UK
to Pay-off
Selected for conversion to Anti-Aircraft
Cruiser.
Taken in hand for conversion by HM Dockyard,
Portsmouth
(September)
1
9 3 6
January
Under conversion
to
October
November
15th
Commissioned for Trials
December
Carried out First of Class Trials.
1
9 3 7
January
Additional refit work undertaken including
fir of multiple barrelled 2pdr Pom Pom
to
February
mountings.
March
Recommissioned for service as Trials ship.
April
Deployed for trials of new design equipment
including Degaussing gear and 20mm
to
December
Close Range Oerlikon guns.
1
9 3 8
Trials deployment in continuation.
(Note: One source records ships was held in
Reserve.)
1
9 3 9
January
Trials deployment in continuation
to
July
War Station in Mediterranean
allocated
August
Embarked war stores and additional
complement.
Joined HM Cruisers DANAE and DAUNTLESS for
passage to take up
War Station.
Detached and made independent passage to Gibraltar
to join Mediterranean Fleet.
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
September
3rd
Arrived at Alexandria
and joined Fleet.
18th
Recalled to Home Waters and took passage to
UK.
October
On arrival at Portsmouth
transferred to Humber Force for AA defence
of East
Coast convoys.
20th
Arrived at Immingham
21st
In action against aircraft attacking convoy.
Detached from escort after defect in
steering gear.
23rd
Under repair at Immingham.
November
On completion resumed convoy defence.
10th
During passage steering failed in Pentland
Firth
in heavy weather.
11th
Entered Sullom Voe using emergency manual
steering.
12th
Deployed as AA Guardship for Flying Boat
base at Sullom Voe.
In action against high flying enemy
aircraft.
13th
During low level attack by six HEINKEL
aircraft shot down one.
(Note: Two SUNDERLANDs were sunk at anchor
in Lerwick during this raid).
December
AA Guardship duty at Sullom Voe in
continuation.
25th
Joined by HM Destroyers ICARUS and
INGLEFIELD.
In action against high flying aircraft.
1
9 4 0
January
1st
In action against Dornier aircraft and near
missed.
15th
Released from Guardship duty at Sullom Voe
when Army AA batteries operational.
17th
Arrived Chatham for repair to steering and
machinery.
February
Under refit
to
(Note: Masts altered and aircraft warning
radar Type 279 fitted with Plotting Office.
April
Two after 4in guns (Nos. 6 and 7) removed.
Degaussing coil fitted.
Became Flagship of Humber
Force 1st AA Squadron (CS20).
(For details of development and use of radar
see RADAR AT SEA
by D Howse.)
May
2nd
Passage to Rosyth for radar and gunnery
trials.
7th
Rejoined Fleet on completion of trials and
took passage to Sullom Voe.
8th
Passage to Norway
for AA defence of Fleet units in Norwegian
waters.
(For details of the disastrous Norwegian
campaign see NARVIK by Donald MacIntyre,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli
Barnett and the Naval Staff History).
10th
Joined HM Cruiser CALCUTTA,
HM Destroyers ZULU, CAMPBELL, WITCH and ISIS
escorting two merchant ships and damaged
cruiser HMS PENELOPE under tow from
Norway.
11th
When detached deployed for patrol and AA
Guardship for RESOLUTION and damaged
HM Destroyer ESKIMO in Ofot Fjord.
13th
Under sustained air attacks with heavy
expenditure of ammunition.
Barrage' firing had to be discontinued.
14th
Covered HM Cruiser AURORA, HM Destroyers FAME
and WREN during Narvik bombardment.
16th
Embarked troops at Narvik with HM Cruisers
CAIRO and EFFINGHAM.
Passage to Bodo escorted by HM Destroyers ECHO
and MATABELE.
17th
After HMS EFFINGHAM grounded troops
transferred by HMS EFFINGHAM and operation
abandoned. Returned to Harstad.
18th
Replaced CURLEW as AA Guardship at Lavangs
after she had been sunk in air attack.
One aircraft destroyed by pom-pom fire.
19th
Guardship duty in continuation. Under
sustained attacks. 75 attacks since 11th.
to
Later transferred to Harstad to relieve HM
Cruiser AURORA as AA Guardship.
25th.
27th
Provided naval gunfire support to military
operation at Narvik with HM Cruisers
SOUTHAMPTON, and five destroyers. Withdrew
after HMS CAIRO was
in air attacks and returned to Narvik with
two destroyers.
29th
Deployed as AA Guardship for convoy assembly
in Ofot Fjord until 4/6/40.
June
Arrived at Glasgow
and detached for passage to Tyne.
4th
Escorted Group II evacuation convoy from
Narvik area with HM Cruiser
SOUTHAMPTON, HM Destroyers BEAGLE, DELIGHT,
FAME,
FIREDRAKE
and HAVELOCK
during passage to UK,
(Note: Convoy included troopships ORONSAY,
ORMONDE, ARANDORA STAR,
ROYAL ULSTERMAN,
ULSTER
PRINCE,
ULSTER
MONARCH,
DUCHESS OF YORK,
Troopship VANDYCK was sunk by air attack and
failed to join convoy.)
16th
Began refit and docking in Tyne
shipyard at Wallsend. Gun barrels replaced..
30th
Rejoined Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow
and deployed as AA Guardship.
July
6th
Covered HMS SOUTHAMPTON and six Fleet
destroyers escorting HM Submarine SHARK
from Stavanger
area as submarine unable to dive. Under air
attacks.
7th
Escorted damaged destroyer HMS FAME
to Rosyth and returned to Scapa
Flow.
Encountered Dutch mercantile adrift and
unmanned in North
Sea.
10th
Escorted ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron
for minelay in Northern Barrage.
(Operation SN1-For details of all minelaying
operations see Naval Staff History).
Detached after U-Boat attacks.
12th
Deployed at Plymouth
for convoy defence
28th
Docking and repair at Devonport prior to
transfer to Mediterranean Fleet.
August
Nominated for service in Mediterranean
to supplement available AA defences.
21st
Joined KM Cruiser BONAVENTURE at Greenock
for escort of Atlantic convoy.
23rd
Detached from convoy and took passage to Gibraltar.
28th
Embarked troops for passage to Malta.
30th
Joined W Battleship VALIANT, HM Aircraft
Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and HM AA Cruiser
CALCUTTA
for transit of Mediterranean
to join Fleet at Alexandria,
escorted by HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft
Carrier
ARK
ROYAL and HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD
screened by destroyers of Force H to Sicilian
Narrows
(Operation HATS).
September
1st
Landed embarked troops in Malta
and joined Mediterranean Fleet. Under air
attacks.
2nd
Detached to escort convoy for Greece
in Kithera Channel with HMS CALCUTTA.
Sustained air attacks continued.
3rd
Joined HM Cruisers GLASGOW, LIVERPOOL
and SYDNEY (RAN) for passage to
Alexandria.
6th
Transferred to Red Sea Escort Force for AA
defence of convoys.
7th
Sailed from Alexandria
for Red
Sea
convoy escort
Joined slow convoy at Port Tewfik as escort
for passage to Aden.
11th
Detached from southbound slow convoy to
escort Convoy BS4 on
passage to Aden
in view of threat of Italian air attacks.
13th
Detached from BS4 at Aden
and took passage to join military convoy
WS2A off Perim.
14th
Deployed with HM Cruiser HOBART
(RAN), HM Destroyers
KANDAHAR
and KINGSTON
as escort for Fast Section of WS2A
during passage in Red
Sea
to Suez.
(Note: This section comprised troopships ANDES,
EMPRESS OF
BRITAIN
and EMPRESS OF CANADA.)
16th
Detached from Fast Section of WS2A after air
threat no longer likely
and took passage to join southbound convoy
for AA defence during
transit of threatened area.
19th
Under air attack on arrival at Aden.
20th
Escorted northbound convoy to Bab
el Mandeb.
26th
Escorted rms EMPRESS OF JAPAN,
rms ORION and rms ORONSAY to Port Tewfik.
27th
Passage to Alexandria
through Suez
Canal
with HM River Gunboat GNAT and rejoined
Mediterranean Fleet.
October
2nd
Joined HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, HM
Battleships MALAYA
and RAMILLIES with H M
Cruiser AJAX
and destroyers in unsuccessful search for
Italian convoy to Libya.
8th
Provided AA defence during passage of Malta
supply convoy ME6.
12th
Under air attacks with HMS CALCUTTA off Crete.
27th
Joined HMS EAGLE, HMS MALAYA and ships of
Fleet for offensive sweep in the Eastern
Mediterranean.
30th
AA Guardship for passage of HMS AJAX, HM
Netlayer PROTECTOR, minesweepers and
tankers to Suda
Bay,
Crete.
November
1st
Under low level air attacks at Suda
Bay.
2nd
Passage to Alexandria
with HMS AJAX and under air attacks.
5th
Covered passage of convoy MW3 to Malta
and convoy AN6 to Greece
with HMS AJAX,
HMS CALCUTTA and HMAS SYDNEY.
7th
Joined Fleet units after HMS CALCUTTA
detached with AN6 to Suda
Bay.
10th
Returned to Alexandria
with Fleet units covering passage of HM
Battleship BARHAM,
HM Cruiser BERWICK, HM Cruiser GLASGOW and
three destroyers transferred from Home
waters (Operation COAT).
(For details of all Mediterranean
operations in 1940-41 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE
CLOSELY, THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by Donald MacIntyre and the Naval
Staff History.)
15th
Escorted Suda
Bay
convoy and returned on 20/11/40.
23rd
Escorted Suda
Bay
convoy and on arrival took passage to Malta.
27th
Joined Force D (HMS RAMILLIES, HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE
and HM Cruiser BERWICK
being transferred to Force H. After
rendezvous with Force H ships briefly
engaged a superior
Italian force south of Cape
Spartivento
which promptly withdrew. Provided additional
AA
support for passage of HM Cruisers
MANCHESTER, SOUTHAMPTON and other
ships joining Mediterranean Fleet (Operation
COLLAR)
28th
Returned with Fleet units to Alexandria.
December
11th
Provided AA protection for HMS BARHAM and
Fleet units during bombardment of Mersa
in support of military advance by 8th Army.
12th
Operation abandoned due to weather
(snowstorm !)
13th
Hit forward by torpedo fired by Italian
submarine NAIAD off North African coast.
Submarine sunk during counter-attack by HM
Destroyer HYPERION. Steamed stem first
to Alexandria.
14th
Under temporary repair at Alexandria.
27th
During trials new bow structure fell off.
28th
Docked again and heavier steel structure
filled with concrete.
1
9 4 1
January
20th
Resumed service with bow down attitude and
maximum speed restricted to 23 knots.
Escorted ULSTER
PRINCE, LANARKSHIRE and CITY
OF PRETORIA
to Piraeus.
23rd
Returned with convoy to Alexandria.
31st
Escorted convoy to Piraeus.
February
Supported military operations at Tobruk
(Operation AC1).
Escorted HM Monitor TERROR, minesweeping
corvettes and petrol carrier.
17th
Under air attacks on passage to Benghazi.
19th
Passage to Tobruk with convoy until detached
120 miles east of Malta.
21st
Escorted convoy to Alexandria.
27th
Escorted Greek ships on passage to Piraeus.
March
1st
Storm conditions off Greek coast forced
convoy to scatter.
Returned to Alexandria
because of possible damage to weaken bow
structure.
5th
Escorted Convoy AN17 with HM Destroyer
STUART (RAN), HM Destroyer HEREWARD
and HM Corvette HYACINTH during passage to Piraeus
(Operation LUSTRE).
12th
Returned to Alexandria..
14th
Joined Piraeus convoy off Crete
but had to return to Suda
Bay
because of weather.
19th
Deployed with HMS CALCUTTA for AA defence of
troop convoys to Piraeus.
Under air attacks.
21st
Covered passage of Malta
convoy with Fleet units.
22nd
Detached with HMS CALCUTTA to assist AA
defence of Piraeus
convoy.
25th
During refuelling at Suda Bay HM Cruiser YORK
attacked by Italian Explosive Motor Boat
and seriously damaged.
26th
Attacked by 24 Ju88's when escorting convoy
from Piraeus.
6 aircraft destroyed.
29th
Escorted Crete and Piraeus
convoys until 10/4/41.
April
11th
Joined 3 destroyers for escort of fast
merchant ship into Aegean
Sea.
In action with Rumanian manned DORNIER
aircraft.
16th
Escorted storeship GLENGYLE with HM
Australian Destroyers WATERHEN, STUART
and VOYAGER and for raid by 7 Cdo at Bardia
which was cancelled due to sea state
19th
Deployed for Bardia landing operation which
was not a complete success.
23rd
Detached from escort of two mercantiles with
HM Destroyers DIAMOND, GRIFFIN
and WRYNECK to provide defence for Convoy ANF29
during allied evacuation from
Greece
(Operation DEMON).
25th
Embarked troops at Megara
for passage to Suda
Bay
with HM Destroyers DECOY, HAVOCK
and HASTY. Under sustained air attacks.
26th
Sailed for Suda
Bay
with same ships plus the destroyers HMS
DECOY, VENDETTA (RAN)
HMS WATERHEN (RAN) and HMS WRYNECK. During
AA action against heavy air
attacks 4" shell exploded prematurely
killing one PO
and injuring other ratings. Use of 4in gun
mountings had to be restricted to
emergencies only because of barrel wear.
27th
Escorted Convoy GA14 to Alexandria
with HMS CALCUTTA and HMAS STUART.
29th
Gun barrels replaced.
May
6th
Deployed with Fleet units to escort convoy
bringing tanks to Middle
East.
9th
Joined close escort for convoy (Operation
TIGER).
16th
Carried 700 troops of Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders to Tintokioun, Crete
with
HM Sloop AUCKLAND,
HMAS VOYAGER and HMAS WATERHEN
17th
Deployed on patrol in Kaso - Leros area.
19th
Joined HM Cruisers DIDO and PHOEBE, HM
Destroyers JUNO,
KANDAHAR
and
KINGSTON
for attacks on invasion craft.
Detached with HMS PHOEBE to assist the
hospital ship mv ABBA being bombed
despite international Red Cross markings.
20th
Petty Officer A. E. Sephton, Director
Control Officer mortally wounded during the
defence of ABBA and posthumously awarded the
Victoria
Cross.
21st
Landed wounded at Alexandria.
22nd
Deployed with HM Sloops AUCKLAND and
FLAMINGO to reinforce squadron off
Timbakion but recalled.
26th
Escorted troopship GLENROY taking
reinforcements to Timbakion with HMS JAGUAR
and HMAS STUART. Ordered to return because
air attacks made landing impossible
before daylight
(For details of Tobruk support operations
see LEADER OF THE CROCKS by LE Clifford.
28th
Deployed with HM Cruisers PHOEBE, PERTH
and CALCUTTA,
HM Destroyers HASTY,
JANUS and JERVIS to evacuate troops from
Sphakia.
29th
Provided AA defence with HMS CALCUTTA
against sustained air attacks.
30th
During return came under heavy air attacks
but reached Alexandria
unscathed.
June
1st
Returned to assist AA defence of Spakhia
evacuation convoy with HMS CALCUTTA.
Near missed during further air attacks
during which HMS CALCUTTA was sunk.
Rescued 255 survivors.
5th
Deployed in support of military operations
in Syria
and escorted ss GLENGYLE from
Port
Said
for Commando attack on bridge over Litani
river to delay retreat of the
Vichy French forces (Operation EXPORTER).
7th
Patrolled off Tyre
when landing delayed because of weather.
Covered landings later.
8th
Joined HMS AJAX, HMS PHOEBE, HM Destroyers
JACKAL, JANUS, KANDAHAR
and KIMBERLEY
for patrol and support of shore operations.
9th
In action against Ju 88 attacking pipe line
at Tyre
and fighter aircraft at Haifa.
14th
During patrol escorted by HM Destroyers ILEX
and ISIS
engaged two Vichy
destroyers
at long range and followed them to Beirut.
Under fire from shore batteries and
later drove off air attacks.
20th
AA Guardship duty at Haifa
for 7 days. Periodic air raids during day
and night.
27th
Rest and Recuperation period at Alexandria.
Regular night air raids during stay.
July
10th
Aircraft mine exploded near ship whilst in
harbour without causing damage.
16th
Resumed operations and escorted convoy to Beirut.
18th
AA Guardship at Beirut
with HMS CARLISLE.
August
13th
Returned to Alexandria.
18th
Escorted HMS BARHAM after Durban
refit from Port
Said
to Alexandria.
19th
Escorted troopships ILE DE FRANCE, NIEUW
AMSTERDAM and ORION to Port Tewfik.
21st
Deployed to provide AA protection to troops
ships during passage from Anchorage
area in Gulf
of Suez
to Port Tewfik. Air raids kept at high level
by 4in barrage.
29th
Relieved as AA Guardship by HMS CARLISLE.
Deployed for convoy defence.
September
7th
Rescued crew of US
freighter sunk 50 miles south of Suez
in Red
Sea.
16th
Returned to anchorage area for Guardship
duty but had to return to Port Tewfik to
carry out repair to radar equipment.
29th
On completion took passage to anchorage area
October
3rd
Escorted two troopships to Suez
and during passage through Canal to Alexandria
shot
down minelaying aircraft.
8th
Escorted southbound convoy through Red
Sea
to Aden.
13th
After refuelling in Aden
escorted Norwegian tanker into Aden.
15th
Passage to Bombay
with Greek destroyer
19th
Began refit at Bombay.
November
Under refit. Boilers re-tubed and new Bows
fitted.
to
December
1
9 4 2
January
Under refit.
to
April
May
On completion embarked gold bullion and took
passage to Alexandria.
Off loaded gold for oil sheik into dhow off
Jiddah and called at Port
Sudan.
June
After arrival in Alexandria
two 20mm Oerlikon guns fitted.
11th
Escorted convoy to Tobruk with three
destroyers as diversion for Malta
relief convoy.
(Operation VIGOROUS - For details of this
ill fated attempt which was very poorly
controlled from shore, see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY and THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
and Naval Staff History).
12th
Detached to join Fleet units escorting
VIGOROUS convoy).
13th
Covered convoy passage with ships of 4th and
15th Cruiser Squadrons, escorted by
Fleet destroyers.
14th
Under heavy air attacks by high level and
dive bombers during daylight.
HMS NEWCASTLE was damaged and HMS HASTY had
to be sunk after E- Boat and
U-Boat attacks.
15th
Under threat from superior Italian forces
and continuing air attacks convoy.
Instructed to return to Alexandria
and operation abandoned.
17th
Resumed AA Guardship duties in Gulf
of Suez
and deployed at Abu Zenima.
July
Escorted HM Battleship QUEEN ELIZABETH for
part of Red
Sea
transit on
passage to refit in USA.
On completion resumed AA defence duties off
Syria.
August
AA Guardship at Haifa.
Detached to join Mediterranean Fleet units
in diversionary
sweep during passage of PEDESTAL convoy from
Gibraltar.
On completion returned to Guardship duty in
Gulf
of Suez.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, PEDESTAL
BY P. Smith THE
BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D MacIntyre and The Naval Staff History.
September
3rd
Returned to Alexandria
to prepare for assault on Tobruk. Owing to
poor security
enemy defences were forewarned of the
planned attack (Operation AGREEMENT).
12th
Passage with HM Destroyers BELVOIR, CROOME,
DULVERTON and HURSLEY
to provide AA cover during Tobruk raid
13th
Joined HM Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, EXMOOR,
HURWORTH, SIKH
and ZULU.
Under dive bomber attacks after attempt by
HMS SIKH and HMS ZULU to enter port.
After sinking of HMS SIKH and damage to HMS
ZULU the remaining ships became
prime targets. Two aircraft were destroyed
and 5 by RAF Beaufighters.
Sustained four direct bomb hits that gave
little opportunity to take effective damage
control action.
Ship had to be abandoned but HMS BEAUFORT
was able to close ship forward to
embark survivors and HMS DULVERTON rescued
men in the water.
(Casualty
List - note
on casualties)
(For details of war service and loss see HMS
COVENTRY ANTI-AIRCRAFT CRUISER
by George Slums - Privately published 1972).