1 9 4 0
August
Contractors trials
28th
Commissioned for service under the
command of Captain M
Denny, Royal Navy.
(Note: 300 of the Ship’s
Company were
from HM Cruiser EXETER)
This ship was fitted with Type
279
Radar Outfit to provided warning of
the approach
of
aircraft.
Other radar outfits were fitted later
for surface cover and for fire
control.
For
details of
development and use see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse and later references.)
September
Storing and preparation for
Acceptance Trials
11th
Commenced
Acceptance Trials after three days
delay due to strike by shipyard
workers
because
they
wanted extra pay for attendance during
sea trials !)
18th
Docked at Greenock
for hull inspection before Full
Power Trials.
28th
Sailed
for Scapa
Flow
from Greenock
on completion of Acceptance Trials
October
Deployed at Scapa
Flow for work-up with ships of Home Fleet.
7th
Joined
ships of military convoy WS3 as part
of escort during Atlantic passage to Freetown.
19th
Detached from WS3 on arrival at Freetown.
27th
Sailed
from Freetown
for Scapa
Flow.
November
17th
Joined
10th Cruiser Squadron on arrival at Scapa Flow after
calls at Belfast
and Greenock.
21st
Carried
out gunnery exercises with HM
Battlecruiser HOOD and HM Cruiser
AURORA.
December
10th
Passage to Devonport from Scapa
Flow
for routine docking.
25th
Sailed
from Devonport with despatch following
attacks on military convoy WS5A by
German
cruiser
ADMIRAL HIPPER.
(Note: WS5A dispersed and had
to be
re-assembled,)
26th
Sighted by German aircraft.
Ordered to provide assistance
to ss
EMPIRE TROOPER which had been
seriously
damaged
with
casualties when hit by 11in gunfire
from the German cruiser.
(Note: HM Cruiser BERWICK was
also
damaged by 11in gunfire.)
28th
Joined
HM Corvette CYCLAMEN escorting EMPIRE
TROOPER to Punta Delgado, Azores.
1
9 4 1
January
Passage from Punta Delgado to Gibraltar as escort for EMPIRE TROOPER with four corvettes.
4th
Arrived
at Gibraltar
with EMPIRE TROOPER.
5th
Sailed
from Gibraltar
to join escort for HMS BERWICK
during passage to UK.
6th
Joined
HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS, HM
Destroyers FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FURY
and WISHART
for escort of HMS BERWICK as relief
for HM Destroyers FORESTER,
FOXHOUND and FURY which
detached and
took return passage to Gibraltar.
7th
Detached
from HMS ARGUS and HMS WISHART to take
passage to join Convoy SL60
as escort
to
UK
from Freetown
13th
Detached
from SL60 on arrival in Clyde
and took passage to Plymouth.
15th
Arrived
at Plymouth.
30th
Sailed from Plymouth
to Greenock
for Atlantic convoy escort.
February
1st
Joined
outward Convoy OB281 as Ocean Escort
during passage in NW Approaches.
5th
Detached
from OB281 and took passage to Freetown.
8th
Arrived
at Freetown.
10th
Sailed from Freetown
as Ocean Escort for inward Convoy
SL65.
14th
Remained
as Ocean Escort with HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser BULOLO for SL63 after
it merged
with Convoy SL63 Slow for joint
passage to UK.
20th
Detached
from joint SL63 and took passage to Gibraltar.
22nd
Arrived
at Gibraltar.
28th
Sailed
from Gibraltar
to join inward Convoy SL66 (Slow
Section) as Ocean
Escort
during
passage in Atlantic.
March
9th
Detached
from SL66 and took passage to join
Fast Section of SL 66
10th
Sighted by German aircraft which was
engaged unsuccessfully.
Carried out attack on Italian
submarine which was sighted on surface
and force to
submerge by
by 6in
fire. Joined
SL66F.
13th
Detached
from SL66F and took passage to Plymouth.
17th
Sailed
from Plymouth and joined HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Aircraft
Carrier ARK
ROYAL, in
SW
Approaches to provide cover for
passage of inward Convoy SL67 on
passage
to
UK
from Freetown.
(Note: This convoy was believed
to be
under threat of attack by German
battleships
SCHARNHORST
and
GNEISENAU which never materialised.
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR
by
C Blair.)
It had been attacked by U105
and U124
on 8th and post war records show a
loss of five ships.
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair
and ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM by A Hague.)
19th
Detached
from SL67 and took passage to join
escort of Convoy HG56 inward bound
from
Gibraltar.
(Note: Threat of attack by the
German
capital ship was still considered
likely.)
23rd
Joined
HX56 and carried out exercises with HM
Submarine OLYMPUS, part of escort.
31st
Detached from HG76 on arrival in Clyde.
April
6th
Sailed
from Clyde
to join ships covering convoys against
surface
attacks.
15th
Detached
from patrol duties and took passage to
Scapa
Flow.
18th
Arrived
at Scapa
Flow
and nominated for interception patrol
in NW
Approaches.
24th
Deployed
as Ocean Escort for ships of 1st
Minelaying Squadron during minelay in
Northern
Barrage
(Operation SN71 in Faeroes-Iceland
Gap – See Naval Staff History (Mining)..)
29th
Returned
to Scapa
Flow.
May
8th
Joined
ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron as
escort during further Northern Barrage
minelay.
(Operation SN9B)
15th
Provided
escort for ships of 1st Minelaying
Squadron during another minelay in
Northern
Barrage (Operation SN9B)
22nd
Sailed
from Scapa Flow with HM Battleship
KING GEORGE V, HM Carrier
VICTORIOUS,
HM Cruisers AURORA GALATEA and
HERMIONE screened by HM Destroyers
INTREPID,
INGLEFIELD, PUNJABI, LANCE,
ACTIVE
and WINDSOR
to intercept the German battleship
BISMARCK
reported on passage to attack North
Atlantic
convoys.
24th
Detached
with HMS HERMIONE and HMS AURORA with
screen of destroyers to escort
HMS VICTORIOUS
during air operations after sinking
of HM Battlecruiser HOOD.
(Note: For details of the
search and
destruction of BISMARCK
see Naval Staff History
and
BATTLESHIP BISMARCK
by Mullenheim-Rechberg..)
27th
Detached
with HMS AURORA from Fleet units after
sinking of BISMARCK
and took passage
to Hvalfjord,
Iceland
to refuel
30th
Sailed
from Iceland
with HMS AURORA to carry out search
south of Greenland for German
supply
ships.
(Note: Supply ship movements in
support of BISMARCK
had been decrypted by
GCHQ at Bletchley
Park
from ENIGMA messages,
31st
Rescued
survivors from British freighter
MARCONI sunk by U-Boat on 26th.
June
3rd
Intercepted
and engaged with main armament German
tanker BELCHEN which was in process
of
refuelling U93. Enemy ship was set on
fire and developed a list to starboard
after which
she was hit
by a torpedo from HMS AURORA.
(Note: HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR
records
that ship took scuttling action.
U 93 escaped and later rescued
some
survivors from BELCHEN.)
16th
Provided cover for minelay in
Northern Barrage by ships of
1st Minelaying Squadron.
(Operation SNN66)
25th
During
return from providing cover for
further Northern Barrage minelay in Denmark
Strait
by
1st Minelaying Squadron,
collided
with HM Destroyer BRIGHTON
of Close Escort and
damaged
abreast B Turret on starboard side
(Operation SN70B).
(Note: HMS BRIGHTON had to be
towed
to Iceland
for temporary repair of her bow
structure.
before
return for permanent repair in UK.)
July
Deployed at Rosyth pending repair.
28th
Under
repair by HM Dockyard, Rosyth during
which period Radar Type 271 was fitted
for
warning
against surface ships and two 20 mm
Oerlikon guns were added to improve
defence
against
close range
air attacks. See above reference for
radar details.)
(Note: This was fitted on
platform
abaft B turret and experience showed
this site could be
damaged
when
the mounting was fired. As a result
another site was chosen for later fits
in
this Class
of cruiser.)
August
(Note: One source records that a 15in
shell was
found in an oil fuel tank and its
removal whilst
in No 3
Dock
at Rosyth presented a serious problem
during removal.)
On completion resumed Home
Fleet
duties at Scapa
Flow.
September
4th
Deployed
with HM Destroyer LIGHTNING as escort
for HM Fast Minelayer
MANXMAN
during
minelay off
Stadlandet,
southern Norway.
17th
Nominated
for support of planned operation to
reinforce garrison in Malta
Deployed as Flagship for Vice
Admiral
HM Burroughs in command of escort for
the Operation
Embarked RAF
ground
crew personnel for passage to Gibraltar.
19th
Passage
to Gibraltar
with HM Battleships NELSON, PRINCE OF
WALES
and RODNEY, HM
Cruisers EDINBURGH, EURYALUS
and SHEFFIELD screened by destroyers
as escort
for Malta
relief convoy during passage to Gibraltar (Operation HALBERD).
24th
Joined
HM Cruisers EDINBURGH, EURYALUS,
HERMIONE and SHEFFIELD with destroyer
screen as
Force X to provide close escort for mercantiles
during passage from Gibraltar
to Malta
through Sicilian
Narrows.
Cover for transit was provided
by
ships of Force H and
Under air and E-Boat attacks
with
threat from major Italian surface
warships..
For details see Naval Staff
History,
MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman
, THE BATTLE FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D MacIntyre and THE NAVAL WAR IN
THE MEDITERRANEAN
by J Greene
and A Massigani.
27th
Passage through Narrows.
28th
Took passage from Malta
with ships of Force X to rejoin
covering
force west of Narrows.
30th
Arrived
at Gibraltar
with HMS PRINCE OF WALES and HMS
SHEFFIELD screened
by six
destroyers.
October
1st
Sailed
from Gibraltar
with HMS SHEFFIELD to carry out search
for German
supply ship
KOTA PINANG which was known to
be on
passage from Bordeaux
for support of U-Boat
operations.
3rd
Intercepted
KOTA PINANG after air search
operations and engaged with main
armament
and
then by torpedo. Enemy ship was set of
fire and took on list before
sinking
after a large explosion in position
43.26N 24.30W.
4th
Rejoined
by HMS SHEFFIELD and took passage to UK.
8th
Under
repair to weather damage at build
yard.
10th
On
completion took passage from Greenock
to Scapa
Flow
to resume Home Fleet
duties.
31st
Sailed
from Scapa
Flow
with HM Destroyers BEDOUIN and
INTREPID for
interception patrol
based in Iceland.
November
Deployed off Iceland.
(Note: Threat of an attack by
major
German warships on Atlantic
or Russian convoys had
been
perceived.)
6th
Embarked
Russian General Gromoff
and staff officers at Seydisfjord
for passage to Murmansk..
9th
Escorted
HM Auxiliary Minelayer MENESTHEUS of
1st Minelaying Squadron for minelay in
Northern Barrage
(Operation SN 83B).
After escort of HMS MENESTHEUS
back
to Iceland
took passage with the two destroyers
to
join
Russian
Convoy PQ3 as escort in place of HM
Trawlers MACBETH during passage to
North
Russia.
(Note: One man was lost
overboard
during rough weather conditions.)
14th
Joined
PQ3 as escort with HMS BEDOUIN and HMS
INTREPID.
20th
Detached
from PQ3 and took passage to Murmansk
to disembark passengers.
For details of Russian Convoy
operations including names of warships
and mercantiles
under
escort see
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by
D MacIntyre,
CONVOY ! by
P Kemp and RUSSIAN CONVOYS by R
Woodman.)
21st
Carried
out search for enemy shipping off NE
coast of Norway
with Russian destroyers
GROMKI and
GREMYASHI, HMS BEDOUIN and HMS
INTREPID.
25th
Took part in bombardment of Vardo
and Hornoy
islands with other destroyers.
27th
Embarked
RAF personnel for return passage to UK.
(Note: These had been giving
instruction
on HURRICANE aircraft to Russian
personnel
after
training Soviet airmen.)
28th
Took
passage from Archangel
to join HMS BEDOUIN, HMS INTREPID, HM
Fleet
Minesweepers GOSSAMER as Ocean
Escort
for return Convoy QP4.
December
3rd
Detached
from QP4 and took passage to Rosyth.
6th
Arrived
at Rosyth and taken in hand for
routine maintenance and installation
of steam
piping
to reduce
effects of icing on upper deck
equipment..
Radar Type 284 for main
armament was
fitted and Type 273 installed in place
of Type 271.
8th
Rating
killed by fall into dry dock.
15th
On completion
took passage to resume Fleet duties
and deployed for preparatory exercise
prior
to
providing
gunfire support during planned
commando raid on Lofoten
islands by No 3 and
No 4 Commando
24th
Sailed
from Scapa
Flow
with HM Destroyers ONSLOW, OFFA, ORIBI
and
CHIDDINGFOLD
as escort
for HM Landing Ships (Infantry) PRINCE
CHARLES and PRINCE
ALBERT
to carry
out landings
at Vaagso
and Malloy with air support (Operation
ARCHERY)
(Note: Military commander,
Brigadier
J C Haydon
was embarked.)
25th
Forced
to shelter at Sullom Voe in Shetlands
by adverse weather conditions which
had
caused
damage to
HMS PRINCE CHARLES. Operation
postponed by 24 hours.
26th
Resumed
passage covered against surface attack
by ships of Home Fleet.
27th
Royal
Marines detachment embarked in Landing
Craft (Personnel) specially carried on
board
for this
operation.
Provided naval
gunfire support prior to landings by
Commando units and Royal Marines.
Sustained damage
from return fire from shore battery
which was then permanently silenced.
Came under sporadic air
attacks/
(Note: Norwegian troops and
Royal
Engineers also took part in the
landings.)
For details see IN HARMS WAY by
B Crabb
and THE WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson.)
28th
Arrived at Scapa
Flow with 343 Norwegian citizens who wished to join Norwegian forces in UK.
1
9 4 2
January
1st
Under
repair to action damage at Scapa
Flow
On completion deployed for
exercises
based at Scapa
Flow.
(Note: Despite stormy weather
conditions ship was not damaged.)
17th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers SHEFFIELD and SUFFOLK
in search for German battleship
TIRPITZ reported on passage in
North
Sea.
On release from search took
passage
to Hvalfjord,
Iceland.
21st
Returned
to Scapa
Flow
with HMS NIGERIA after carrying out
interception
patrol in
NW Approaches.
22nd
Took passage from Scapa
Flow
for BLACK patrol between Iceland
and Faeroes.
27th
Based
in Iceland
for interception patrols with HM
Cruisers SHEFFIELD
and TRINIDAD.
(Note: The three cruisers were
deployed in turn.)
February
Iceland
patrol duties in continuation
Nominated to provide cover for
minelay off Norwegian coast (Operation
EA) which was
subsequently
cancelled.
16th
Provided
cover for HM Auxiliary Minelayers
AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS and PORT
QUEBEC
of 1st Minelaying Squadron during
minelay in Northern
Barrage between Iceland
and
Faeroes.
(Operation SN84)
21st
Returned
to Scapa
Flow
March
Passage to Iceland
and joined HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM
Battleship
DUKE OF YORK,
HM Destroyers
FAULKNOR, ESKIMO, PUNJABI, FURY, ECHO
and ECLIPSE.
3rd
Sailed
from Hvalfjord
with same ships to provide cover for
passage of Russian Convoy PQ12
to Murmansk
and return Convoy QP8 from North
Russia
to UK.
See IN HARMS
WAY
by B Crabb.
5th
Joined
QP12 during passage from Reykjavik
and sighted by KONDOR aircraft.
6th
Detached
and took passage to join Home Fleet
ships
(Note: HM Battleship KING GORGE
V.
HMS VICTORIOUS and HM Cruiser BERWICK,
screened by
HM Destroyers ONSLOW, ASHANTI,
INTREPID, ICARUS, LOOKOUT
and BEDOUIN
had sailed from Scapa
Flow
to join force from Iceland
on 4th.)
7th
TIRPITZ
reported on passage and presumed
threat to convoys,.
8th
Remained
with QP12
12th
Detached from PQ12 on arrival at
Kola Inlet.
(Note: Air attacks on TIRPITZ
by HMS
VICTORIOUS were unsuccessful. See
references.
These were the only attacks
made by
the Fleet Air Arm
on the
German ship whilst she was at sea.
22nd
Sailed
from Kola Inlet with ten tons of gold
bullion and took passage to UK
independently.
(Note: Intended deployment to
cover
outward Convoy QP9 not carried out.)
29th
Arrived
at Scapa
Flow.
Command change.
April
Deployed at Scapa
Flow for Fleet duties.
18th
Provided
cover for minelay by HM Auxiliary
Minelayers SOUTHERN PRINCE, PORT
QUEBEC,
AGAMEMNON and MENESTHEUS of 1st
Minelaying Squadron
in Northern
Barrage between
Faeroes and Iceland.
(Operation SN88).
28th
Deployed
with Home Fleet covering force to
provide Distant Cover for Russian
Convoy
QP15 and return Convoy QP11
during
transit in Arctic
Ocean.
(Note: Units deployed included
HMS
KING GEORGE V, US battleship USS WASHINGTON,
HM Cruiser KENT, US
cruisers USS TUSCALOOSA and WICHITA
screened by
Home Fleet
destroyers and four US Navy
destroyers. See references
for
details.).
May
2nd
Remained
with Home Fleet covering force when
HMS KING GEORGE V was involved in
collision
with HM Destroyer PUNJABI which was
sunk
.
(Note: HMS KING GEORGE V was serious
damaged and replaced by HMS DUKE OF YORK
and USS
WASHINGTON
On release from covering duties
resumed interception patrol duty..
June
Nominated for support of planned Malta
Relief
Convoy (Operation HARPOON).
4th
Deployed
with HM Cruiser LIVERPOOL,
HM Destroyers BEDOUIN, ESCAPADE,
ICARUS,
ONSLOW, MARNE,
MATCHLESS, BADSWORTH, BLANKNEY,
MIDDLETON and
and Polish
KUJAWIAK as escort for Convoy WS19Z
during passage to Gibraltar.
11th
Joined
HM Battleship MALAYA,
HM Aircraft Carriers EAGLE and ARGUS,
HM Cruisers
LIVERPOOL and CHARYBDIS, HM Destroyers ONSLOW, ESCAPADE, ICARUS,
WISHART, WESTCOTT, WRESTLER,
VIDETTE,
ANTELOPE to form Force W to
provide
cover for re-designated Convoy GM4
during passage in western Mediterranean
to the Sicilian
Narrows.
(Note: Force X comprising HM
Cruiser CAIRO,
nine destroyers and four Fleet
Minesweepers
was also
formed to escort GM4 during passage
through Narrows to Malta.
For details of all Malta Relief
convoys see MALTA CONVOYS by R
Woodman,
THE BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D
MacIntyre, THE NAVAL WAR
IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
by J Greene and A
Massignani
and the Naval Staff History.)
14th
Under
heavy and sustained air attacks during
which HMS LIVERPOOL was damaged by a
torpedo and
had to return to Gibraltar
under tow.
15th
Detached with remaining ships of
Force W when GM4 took
passage into Malta.
16th
Remained
west of Narrows
with HMS CHARYBDIS to await return of
Force Z
17th
Took
passage to Gibraltar
with Force W and ships of Force Z
18th
Arrived
at Gibraltar
with HMS CHARYBDIS, HMS CAIRO, HM
Destroyers
BLANKNEY,
ITHURIEL, MARNE
and MIDDLETON.
(Note: HMS BADSWORTH and HMS
MATCHLESS has
remained in Malta.
Polish ORP KUJAWIAK also in
Force Z
was mined and sunk on entry into Malta.)
20th
Sailed
from Gibraltar
to resume Home Fleet duties hat Scapa
Flow with survivors from
ORP KUJAWIAK embarked.
24th
Arrived
at Scapa
Flow.
July
1st
Escorted
HM Battleship HOWE from Tyne
to Rosyth
on completion of
build.
See KING GEORGE V CLASS
BATTLESHIPS
V Tarrant.
Deployed for
interception patrol off Iceland.
Return passage to Scapa
Flow for special duties in support of Malta Relief convoy
(Operation PEDESTAL - For
details see
above references
29th
Took passage from Scapa
Flow
to Clyde
to join escort for convoy.
August
3rd
Deployed
with HM Battleships NELSON, RODNEY, HM
Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS,
HM Cruisers NIGERIA,
MANCHESTER*,
HM
Destroyers AMAZON,
ASHANTI,
ESKIMO,
MALCOLM, PATHFINDER, PENN, QUENTIN, SOMALI, TARTAR, VENOMOUS,
WISHART, WOLVERINE, BICESTER,
BRAMHAM, DERWENT, LEDBURY, WILTON
and ZETLAND
as escort for |Convoy WS21S during
passage to Gibraltar.
(Note: * ships
which joined later on passage.)
10th
Joined
HM Cruisers CAIRO,
MANCHESTER
and NIGERIA,
HM Destroyers ASHANTI,
FURY, ICARUS, INTREPID,
PATHFINDER, PENN, BICESTER, DERWENT, LEDBURY
WILTON
and BRAMHAM, on formation of Force X
as Close escort
for passage
through Sicilian
Narrows
after covering Force Z detached.
Deployed as Lead Ship for
starboard
column during initial stage of passage
from
Gibraltar
until taking station astern of
aircraft carriers.
11th
Under
air and submarine attacks during which
HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE was hit by
torpedoes
fired by U93 and sank within eight
minutes with loss of over 200 of her
ship’s
company.
12th
Air
attacks continued with a series of
submarine attacks.
Covering
Force Z detached on arrival at
entrance to Narrows.
In an attack by Italian
submarine
AXUM, HM Cruisers NIGERIA and CAIRO
were hit
by this
submarine.
(Note: HMS CAIRO had to be
scuttled
later but HMS NIGERIA had to withdraw
from
the escort
and return to Gibraltar.
Both these ships were fitted with VHF
radio
equipment
for control of aircraft defence.
Ship took over control of
convoy
after these losses.
Hit forward by one of four
torpedoes
from Italian submarine ALAGI and
sustained
damage to
bow structure. Ship was able to
continue defence of mercantiles.
13th
HMS
MANCHESTER hit during series of
attacks by E-Boats and convoy under
threat
of surface
attack
(Note: HMS MANCHESTER was later
scuttled but enemy cruiser squadron
withdrew.
After daylight incessant air
attacks
resumed with loss of one mercantile.
Near miss to stern later found
to
have damaged a propeller.
Detached from escort on arrival
of
the three remaining mercantiles
off Malta
and
took return
passage through Narrows
to rejoin ships of Force Z with HM
Cruiser
CHARYBDIS, HM Destroyers ASHANTI,
FURY, ICARUS, INTREPID and
PATHFINDER.
See above references for
details of
defence of PEDESTAL convoy.
14th
Met
HMS VICTORIOUS, HMS NELSON, HMS
PHOEBE, HM SIRIUS, HM Destroyers
LAFOREY,
LIGHTNING,
LOOKOUT and QUENTIN off Bougie
for onward passage.
Under air attacks and slightly
damaged by near miss.
15th
Arrived
at Gibraltar.
17th
Taken in hand for temporary repair
to bow structure by HM
Dockyard.
20th
Took passage to Scapa
Flow.
25th
Arrived at Scapa
Flow
having lost temporary bow structure
during passage.
Accorded well deserved welcome.
30th
Passage to Tyne
for repair in South
Shields
commercial shipyard.
31st
Taken in hand for repair and refit.
August
Under repair and refit
to
December
Work
undertaken included replacement of air
warning Radar Type 279 by Type 281,
Type 281, Installation of
fire-control Radars Type 282 and 285
for anti-aircraft
mountings
and removal of aircraft facilities.
Close range AA armament
increased
by
addition of six twin 20mm Oerlikon
mountings.
(Note: The availability of
radar had
allowed this new policy which also
reduced
fire
risk presented by storage of petrol.)
1
9 4 3
January
Nominated for service in
Eastern Fleet.
8th
Command
change.
12th
Passage to Rosyth to prepare for
operational service.
18th
Passage
to Scapa
Flow
from Rosyth to commence work-up with
ships of
Home Fleet.
February
Work-up at Scapa
Flow in continuation.
March
6th
Sailed
from Rosyth on completion of
work-up.
8th
Arrived
at Plymouth
and kept at short notice for sea as
Plymouth Command
duty cruiser.
(Note: Cruisers were being
deployed
in SW Approaches for attacks on
enemy
shipping of French coast and to
protect convoys from
attack by
surface warships.
12th
Joined
escort for outward convoy and on
release took passage
to Gibraltar
18th
Arrived
at Gibraltar
22nd
Sailed
from Gibraltar
for Freetown
to provide cover for military convoy
during
Atlantic passage between Freetown
and Cape
of Good Hope.
27th
Arrived
at Freetown.
30th
Deployed
with HM Destroyers QUADRANT and
REDOUBT as Ocean
Escort for Convoy WS28 during
Atlantic passage.
(Note: This convoy was taking
troops
and equipment to Middle
East
April
11th
Detached
from WS28 on arrival at Capetown and
took passage to Simonstown.
15th
Rejoined
WS28 as Ocean Escort during passage in
Indian
Ocean.
25th
Detached
from WS28 and took passage to
Kilindini and commenced
duty in
Eastern Fleet.
May
Deployed at Kilindini
for routine maintenance.
(Note: Ship was repainted to
suit
deployment in Eastern Fleet)
On completion took passage to Durban
as escort for southbound convoy.
26th
Joined
military convoy WS29 off Durban
as Ocean Escort during passage to
Kilindini.
June
1st
Detached
from WS29 on arrival at Kilindini.
6th
Sailed
from Kilindini to Diego Suarez for
escort of troopship during
its passage
back to Kilindini.
10th
Arrived
at Kilindini
18th
Took passage from Kilindini to
escort two troopships to Colombo.
On arrival at Colombo
detached as escort and took passage to
main
base of
Eastern Fleet at Trincomalee,
Ceylon.
20th
Took passage to Colombo
for routine docking.
July
On completion returned to Trincomalee
for
Fleet duties.
Took part in
exercises
with ships of Eastern Fleet.
August
4th
Sailed
from Trincomalee to meet military
convoy US20 bringing troops and
equipment
for service in Middle
East.
9th
Took
over escort of WS20 from Dutch
cruiser TROMP.
20th
Returned to Kilindini after
refuelling at Addu
Atoll.
24th
Command change.
September
Deployed at Kilindini for
interception and patrol duties in Indian Ocean.
(Note: Carried out exercises
with HM
Submarine OSIRIS and HM Cruiser
SUFFOLK,
the latter having just completed refit
in Durban.)
October
Deployed as escort for convoy
to Ceylon
during passage from Kilindini.
12th
Arrived
at Colombo.
Resumed Fleet duties at
Trincomalee
including exercises in preparation
for planned
operations in Indian
Ocean.
November
9th
Took
passage to Bombay
from Trincomalee to carry out
demonstration
of naval
gunfire support
On completion took passage to
Kilindini
for trade defence duties.
Carried out
unsuccessful search for warship
reported in Bay
of Bengal.
(Note: Naval Staff History WAR
IN
JAPAN (HMSO) records that no
Japanese raider was active at
this
time.
December
Deployed at Kilindini
4th
Took
passage to Trincomalee with HM
Cruiser NEWCASTLE.
9th
Arrived
at Trincomalee.
13th
Fatal accident during recreational
bathing in harbour.
17th
Carried
out Local Exercises with HMS NEWCASTLE
until 24th.
1
9 4 4
January
5th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE,
CEYLON and SUSSEX
for Local
Exercises.
9th
Took
passage with HMS NEWCASTLE from
Trincomalee to Madras
for
Official Visit.
10th
Recalled to Colombo
to refuel for special operation.
12th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE
and SUFFOLK,
HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier BATTLER, HM
Armed
Merchant Cruiser CANTON,
HM
Destroyer NEPAL (RAN) and HM
Frigate
BANN to carry out search for a
blockade
runner in the area SE of Mauritius
(Operation THWART).
23rd
Carried
out search with HMAS NEPAL
as Force 64 from Tombau
Bay,
Mauritius
to SE of the island.
Aircraft from HMS BATTLER provided
reconnaissance
support.
30th
Operation
cancelled due to adverse weather after
fruitless search.
February
Sailed from Mauritius
for Simonstown
for refit.
On arrival taken in hand by HM
Dockyard for refit which included
fit of two
more twin 20mm Oerlikons
to reinforce defence against
close range
air attack.
March
Refit in continuation.
April
Carried out post refit harbour and sea
trials.
15th
Sailed
from Simonstown
and resumed trade defence duties.
During patrol carried out ship
exercises to ensure future efficiency.
24th
Arrived
at Kilindini.
25th
Sailed
from Kilindini as escort for routine
convoy during passage to
Colombo.
May
Detached from convoy on arrival.
4th
Docked
at HM Dockyard, Bombay
for routine docking/
(Note: As ship was only a few
weeks
from refit, there may have been
other
reasons.)
6th
Joined
HM Battleships QUEEN ELIZABETH and
VALIANT, HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN, French
Battleship RICHELIEU, Dutch cruiser
TROMP HM Destroyers NAPIER
(RAN), NEPAL
(RAN), ROTHERHAM,
RACEHORSE, QUIBERON (RAN),
QUALITY
(RAN), and
Dutch destroyer
VAN GALEN in Force 65.
Wearing Flag of Officer
Commanding
4th Cruiser Squadron Force 65 deployed
to provide
cover for air strikes by HM Aircraft
Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS and US
Aircraft Carrier USS SARATOGA
on Sourabaya.
(Operation TRANSOM)
15th
Refuelled at Exmouth
Gulf
in Western
Australia
from tankers of Force 67.
Sailed from Exmouth
Gulf
with Force 65 on completion and took
passage
to
launching
area to provide cover.
17th
Provided
cover during raid and began return
passage to Ceylon.
(Note: The attacks inflicted
significant damage.
For full details see WAR WITH
JAPAN
(HMSO) and THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by
J Winton.)
18th
USS
SARATOGA detached to rejoin US Pacific
Fleet.
27th
Returned to Trincomalee with Eastern
Fleet ships.
(Note: On return from TRANSOM
ships
had steamed some 7,000
miles and
the fuel remaining in cruisers and
larger ships
was below
the level needed to carry out a Fleet
operation.
Shortage of Fleet tankers in Ceylon
resulted in three days
being
needed
to complete refuelling of Eastern
Fleet ships.
June
Carried out exercises in Palk
Strait between mainland of India
and
after visit
to Colombo.
Returned to Trincomalee on
completion
and nominated for support of
planned air
attacks on Andaman
islands
(Operation PEDAL)
19th
Joined
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, HMS RENOWN, FS
RICHELIEU, HMS NIGERIA
and HMS
CEYLON screened by HM Destroyers
QUILLIAM, QUALITY,
QUICKMATCH, ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, RELENTLESS, ROEBUCK
and RAIDER
as Force 60 to carry out attack on
Port Blair.
21st
On
arrival at flying off position
provided cover against surface attack
reinforce
defence against air attacks.
23rd
Arrived at Trincomalee after
completion of PEDAL.
(Note: Despite damage to
installations the Japanese seem to
have
treated
this
attack as a diversion from other
activities. The use
of only one
aircraft carrier was somewhat
questionable as in
the event
of
damage returning aircraft would have
been at
significant
risk.)
27th
Carried out exercises in Palk
Strait.
July
Deployed at Trincomalee
(Note: HM Aircraft Carriers
INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS joined
Eastern Fleet to add to
capability of
carrying out air operations
with more
than one carrier. See above Note.)
4th
Embarked
100 Indian troops at Colombo
for passage to Addu
Atoll.
10th
Return
passage with Indian dock workers for
passage to Colombo.
22nd
Sailed
from Trincomalee with HMS QUEEN
ELIZABETH, HMS VALIANT,
HMS RENOWN, FS RICHELIEU, HMS
NIGERIA, HMS CEYLON, HMS
CUMBERLAND,
HMS
PHOEBE and Dutch cruiser TROMP
screened by
HM Destroyers RELENTLESS, ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, RAIDER,
ROEBUCK, RAPID, QUILLIAM,
QUALITY and
QUICKMATCH to carry out
air strikes
against airfields near Sabang
together with a
bombardment
on harbour
and shore installations by surface
warships.
(Operation CRIMSON - Force 62)
24th
Remained
with main force when aircraft carriers
and three destroyers
detached to
proceed to launching area.
25th
Joined
in naval bombardment of wireless
station at Pulo
We
Island
and
provided
counter-fire against enemy shore
batteries.
26th
Return
passage to Trincomalee with Force 62
August
Deployed with HMS CEYLON screened by
HM Destroyers
ROTHERHAM,
REDOUBT, RAIDER, RAPID and
ROCKET as
escort for HM Battleship
HOWE for final
stage of Indian Ocean
passage into Colombo.
(Note: HMS HOWE was on passage
to
join British Pacific Fleet being
formed in Ceylon.)
19th
Deployed
in Force 64 with HMS VICTORIOUS, HMS
INDOMITABLE, HMS
HOWE, HMS CEYLON, HM Destroyers
ROTHERHAM, REDOUBT, RAIDER,
RAPID and ROCKET to carry out
air
operations at Padang
and at
Emmerhaven
as a diversion during US operations
in New
Guinea.
(Operation BANQUET)).
22nd
Replenished
oil fuel from RFA tanker EASEDALE.
24th
Provided
cover against surface and air attacks
during air operations.
27th
Return
passage to Trincomalee.
27th
(Note: :
During BANQUET it was discovered that
HMS HOWE could not
satisfactorily
maintain the speed of the Fleet when
at 28 knots,
despite
that
required by specification. Her fuel
capacity was
also
suspect
(See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
28th
At Colombo
(Note: This was the fourth
anniversary of her commission.)
September
Deployed for Fleet and Squadron
exercises.
11th
On
completion returned to Trincomalee.
14th
Sailed
from Trincomalee in Force 63 with HMS
INDOMITABLE,
HMS VICTORIOUS, HMS HOWE and HM
Cruiser CUMBERLAND
screened
by HM
Destroyers ROTHERHAM,
REDOUBT, RAPID, ROCKET,
RELENTLESS and
RACEHORSE.
(Operation LIGHT - air attacks
on
railway works at Sigli,
Sumatra and air
reconnaissance
flights.
17th
Part
A of LIGHT
(Strikes on airfields and air
reconnaissance) abandoned because
of weather
conditions but Operation LIGHT B still
to be executed.
18th
Provided cover during air operations
by carrier aircraft.
20th
Returned
to Trincomalee with Force 63
(Note: Various mistakes were
identified including communications
errors
and
procedures for landing aircraft.
25th
Deployed
as escort to HM Submarine Depot Ship
MAIDSTONE during
passage
from
Ceylon
to Fremantle.
(Note: Reports of Japanese
cruiser
operating in area may have made it
necessary
to
provide suitable escort.)
October
3rd
Arrived
at Fremantle with HMS MAIDSTONE
15th
Sailed
from Fremantle as escort for troopship
mv DUNNOTAR
CASTLE
during
passage in
Indian
Ocean.
23rd
HM
Destroyers PATHFINDER and PALADIN
joined escort.
25th
Detached
from escort and took passage to Addu
Atoll to refuel.
26th
Diverted to proceed to Colombo
for routine docking after
refuelling.
November
Docked at Colombo.
8th
Sailed
for Trincomalee to resume Fleet
duties.
11th
Arrived
at Trincomalee.
Deployed at Trincomalee for
Fleet
exercises and bombardment
demonstration
prior to planned landing operations in
Burma.
22nd
Ship
transferred to 5th Cruiser Squadron
East Indies Fleet on formation of
British
Pacific Fleet.
December
Deployed with HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA
and PHOEBE as Force 61 for
visit by
CinC, Eastern Fleet to bases on coast
of Burma
to be used during
planned
naval operations in support of
military advance in Burma.
19th
Passage
to Calcutta
for official visit by CinC Eastern
Fleet,
20th
At Calcutta.
26th
Sailed
from Calcutta
and took passage to Bombay.
1
9 4 5
January
5th
Carried
out landing exercises for Royal
Marines near Bombay.
(Note: Four Landing Craft
(Personnel)
were embarked for this purpose.
On completion returned to
Trincomalee
11th
Deployed
with HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE,
NIGERIA,
PHOEBE, HM
Destroyers PALADIN and RAPID
for
exercises in preparation for
planned
operations
off Burma
in support of military advance.
23rd
Joined
HMS NEWCASTLE, HMS NIGERIA, PALADIN
and RAPID as
Force 65 to provide support for
landings by Royal Marines.
26th
Provided
naval gun fire support prior to
landings by Royal Marines
on Cheduba
Island
(Operation SANKEY).
28th
Passage
to Ramree
to supplement bombardment by ships of
Force
64
in support of landings at Ramree
Island
(Operation MATADOR)
29th
Returned to Cheduba
after release
from Ramree
support.
31st
Re-embarked
Royal Marines and carried further
support bombardment
before
taking return passage to Trincomalee.
February
22nd
Sailed
from Trincomalee with HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers EMPRESS
and AMEER,
HM Destroyers VOLAGE, VIRAGO and
VIGILANT, HM Frigates
SPEY, SWALE and PLYM as Force
62 to
carry out air reconnaissance
operations
in Andaman
Sea.
22nd
(Operation STACEY – See WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).
(Note: HMS SPEY detached with
defects
on 26th and was replaced by
HM Frigate TRENT
which had been apart of Tanker Force
61.
25th
Provided cover during air
operations.
(Note: Reconnaissance flights
were
made on Kra
Isthmus, Phuket
Island,
Penang,
Langkawi
and Butong
Islands,
as well as Victoria
Point
in
Malaya
and northern Sumatra.)
March
1st
Under
air attacks which were repelled by
aircraft from carriers.
Took passage with Force 62
ships to Simalur
Island
for further
air
reconnaissance flights.
5th
Passage
to Ceylon
with Force 62 on completion of air
operations.
7th
Arrived
at Trincomalee
15th
Provided naval gunfire support
during landings at Letpan.
(Operation TURRET).
On return nominated for release
from
Eastern Fleet and prepared for
passage to
UK
via Durban
and Cape
of
Good Hope.
28th
Sailed
from Colombo.
April
6th
Arrived
at Durban.
15th
After
Upper 6in gun-mounting (X Turret)
removed.
(Note: This was in preparation
for
installation of additional AA gun
armament in
this Class of cruiser. Removal in South
Africa
may
have been
arranged to ensure availability of
spare mounting
for
replacement
following damage in another ship
deployed
in Indian
Ocean
area.)
23rd
Sailed for Capetown after embarking
gold bullion for passage
to UK.
May
Passage to Sheerness
with call at Freetown.
13th
Arrived
at Sheerness.
Passage to Chatham
on completion of de-ammunitioning
June
Paid-off into Dockyard control and
prepared
for long refit by HM
Dockyard, Chatham
6th
Taken
in hand
July
Under refit
to
December
(Note:
Close Range AA armament improved by
fit of 40mm Bofor
gun
mountings in place of Oerlikon 20mm
guns.)
S
u m m a r
y o f
P o s t –
War S e r v i
c e
1
9 4 6
Re-commissioned
in April for service
in the West
Indies
the ship worked-up in Malta
before joining the
8th
Cruiser Squadron in Bermuda
during December.
1
9 4 7
Her first
cruise between January and
April included British
Honduras,
Cuba
Dominica,
Haiti
before going
to
Puerto Rica and ports in Brazil.
After return in April she took part in
exercises
based
Acapulco
in Mexico,
California
and Canada
followed by Alaska.
On her return passage she called in
Portland, Oregon
an San
Francisco
and the final visit was to Manzillo,
Mexico. On arrival at Bermuda
in
October
she was ordered back to UK
to pay off as part of the reductions
in Fleet
strength due to manning
problems. She Paid-off into Reserve in
November.
1
9 4 8
Deployed
in Reserve
at Chatham.
1
9 4 9
Brought
forward to replace HM Cruiser
LONDON
in the Far
East
the ship was refitted
before commissioning
in July. After a brief work-up and
docking at Portsmouth
she sailed for Foreign service
in
October. Christmas was spent in Malta
and she then continued her journey to
join the 5th
Cruiser Squadron..
At Suez
the Foreign Secretary, Ernest Bevin
embarked for
passage to Ceylon
where
he was
to open the Colombo Conference of
Commonwealth ministers.
1
9 5 0
After
arrival at Colombo
the ship was sent to assist a disabled
mercantile in
the Indian
Ocean
and towed
this
vessel back to Colombo.
She then embarked Buddhist relics
which were taken
to Rangoon
for
an
exhibition before resuming passage to
Hong Kong where she
arrived in February having
called at
Singapore.
Exercises at Subic
Bay
and later at Hong
Kong were carried out in March when she went
to Singapore
The invasion of South
Korea
precipitated major change RN
deployments in the Far
East
and a
planned visit to Japan was cancelled.
Joining
the UN naval organisation she
sailed from Hong
Kong
in July with HM Cruisers BELFAST and
JAMAICA
for operational service based at Sasebo,
Japan.
Her first patrol was undertaken later
that month
and she took part in support of
landings at Inchon
in September followed by patrols
off
Korea
in October.
An R&R visit to the Commonwealth
base at Sasebo
in November brought needed respite and
she returned to operation to provide
cover
for an evacuation by South Korean
troops
from
the Chinnampo
Peninsular.
1
9 5 1
During
January she supported
evacuation operations from Inchon
before returning to Hong
Kong. Further UN duties began in
March when
she was deployed for support
bombardments and patrol in the
Yellow
Sea. Raiding parties were landed behind enemy lines to obtain information
prior to the bombardments.
Her second operational tour ended in
June when she sailed for Hong
Kong. She resumed
UN
duties in July and carried out patrols
with more bombardments including some
at
Wonsan
on
the east
coast of Korea.
The ship sailed for Hong
Kong in August having carried out 19 patrols,
steamed
63,118 miles and fired 3,386 rounds of
6” ammunition as well as 2,242 rounds
of
4” ammunition
during bombardments. She arrived at Singapore
for refit. in
September and
on completion in
November
was transferred to the East Indies
Station in exchange for HM Cruiser MAURITIUS
in the
4th
Cruiser Squadron.
1
9 5 2
A visit
were paid to Calcutta, Pakistan
in January before sailing to Mombasa, Kenya
to escort ss
GOTHIC taking HM King George VI for a
Commonwealth Tour. This was cancelled
on
the death
of HM
the King and the ship returned to
Trincomalee. During March the ship
took part
in a
cruiser to
the Nicobars
and Port Blair in the Andamans
followed by a visit to Madras
before return
to
Trincomalee for a SEATO exercise
including Commonwealth navies and HMS
GAMBIA. After routine docking in Colombo
a second cruise was carried out to
ports in East
Africa and the
Seychelles.
This was followed by Series of
exercises with RN
ships of the East Indies Station
and RIN
warships.
In October she went to Mombasa
before taking passage to Malta
where she arrived at
the end
of October. During service with the
Mediterranean Fleet the ship was
involved
in exercises in
the
eastern Mediterranean
and on 22nd December took part in
rescue personnel
from the French mercantile,
ss
CHAMPOLLION aground south of Beirut.
On return to Port
Said
she was immediately sent
to
assist in salvage of another
mercantile, ss
BURICA
which was towed to Port
Said
1
9 5 3
Before
sailing back to UK
in February she continued service in
the Mediterranean
and returned to Malta
after
Fleet
exercises. The ship arrived at Portsmouth
on the 23rd February and was visited
by HRH The Duchess
of Gloucester
before being Paid-0ff into Reserve
and later laid-up at Rosyth.
1
9 5 4
Laid-up
at Rosyth.
1
9 5 5
HMS KENYA
re-commissioned for service
on 15th August after a refit and
sailed via the Azores
to
Bermuda
in October as relief for HM Cruiser
SWIFTSURE.
She took part in
exercises with US Navy ships
based in Cuba
during the next few weeks and returned
to Bermuda in December. Parties from the
ship gave aid to the civil power in Hamilton
after unrest.
1
9 5 6