1 9
1 6
July Contractors trials and commissioned for
Trials,
18th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials
(Note:
Achieved speed of 3 1 knots on speed trials.
Serious
weaknesses found in forward Hull
structure and smoke from forward
funnel
obscured visual observation for fire control equipment.)
September Trials and work-up in continuation.
21st Joined 1st Battle Squadron for duty as
Flagship.
October Taken in hand for strengthening of structure.
to (Note:
Pillars were fitted and forward funnel height increased by six feet.
December
1 9 1 7
January Resumed Fleet service in Home waters,
to Selected
for trials using a Flying Platform for launch of aircraft
August
September Taken in hand for installation of a Flying Platform on B
Turret.
October Carried out trials using Sopwith Pup aircraft.
November On completion resumed Squadron duties in Home waters.
15th Deployed in support of operation by
Light Cruisers to intercept German
minesweeping
off Heligoland.
(Note:
This attempt to entice deployment of German major warships was not
successful.
but during an engagement with cruiser Konigsberg enemy
ship
was
hit by gunfire.)
December Home waters deployment in Grand Fleet based at Scapa
Flow.
1 9 1 8
January Home waters Squadron duties in continuation.
to
May
June Took part in Fleet operation in Kattegat
to attempt interference by German warships.
(Note:
This was unsuccessful)
July Grand Fleet deployment in continuation.
to October
November
21st Present at surrender of German High
Seas Fleet which were met on passage in North
Sea
to Scapa Flow for formal ceremonial.
(Note:
These ships were later scuttled and many sank in Scapa Flow.)
December Nominated for future service after refit.
1 9
1 9
Taken
in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.
(Note:
Work done included addition of 9” armour plate and extension of existing
anti-torpedo
bulges.
1 9
2 0 t o 1 9 2 1
On
completion of refit and trials resumed service in Atlantic Fleet.
Deployed
for Fleet exercises and visits in Home Waters and Mediterranean.
Nominated
for attendance at Brazilian centenary celebration
1 9
2 2
Deployed
with Atlantic Fleet and attended ceremonials at Rio de
Janeiro
with
HM Battlecruiser HOOD.
Nominated
for service with five Light Cruisers to carry out World Cruise
1 9
2 3
January Atlantic Fleet service in continuation
to Prepared
for World Cruise to British Empire ports.
October
November
27th Joined HMS HOOD, HM Cruisers DELHI,
DANAE, DAUNTLESS, DRAGON
and
DUNEDIN and took passage for Freetown
December Called at Freetown
21st Visited Capetown
Sailed
with same ships to Zanzibar.
1 9
2 4
January
1st Arrived at Zanzibar
17th Took passage to Fremantle.
February
24th At Fremantle
March Visited Albany,
Adelaide and Melbourne
April Visited Hobart,
Tasmania
9th Arrived at Sydney
20th Sailed for Wellington,
New Zealand.
May
7th Sailed from Wellington
for visits to Pacific Islands
16th Commenced calls in Pacific.
(Note:
These included Suva, Samara,
Fiji, Apia,
W Samoa.)
June Passage to Victoria,
British Colombia
6th Arrived at Victoria
July
6th Visited Vancouver
(Note:
The five cruisers detached and took passage to visit ports in South
America.
August Visited ports in USA
with HMS HOOD.
September Took passage to Portsmouth
via Panama Canal.)
29th Arrived at Portsmouth
(Note:
During cruise ship steamed over 30,000 miles)
October Resumed Atlantic Fleet duties.
to Deployed
at Portsmouth
December Nominated for special duties to take Prince of Wales to
visit ports in South Africa
and
South America.
1 9
2 5
Carried
special duties for Royal Visits to Portugal,
South Africa
and east coast of
South
America with Prince of Wales. Resumed Atlantic Fleet duties on
return after
seven
months detached service.
Nominated
for reduction of complement.
1 9
2 6 t o 1 9 3 2
Deployed
with 60% of full complement in Atlantic Fleet including visits and Fleet
exercises
(Note:
These included annual exercises in Atlantic and Mediterranean
with ships of
the
Mediterranean Fleet based in Atlantic and Mediterranean
based at Gibraltar
During
1927 in a flying accidents two pilots from the ship were killed.
This
period included three Full Commissions.
Nominated
for major refit.
1 9
3 3 to 1 9 3 5
Taken
in hand for refit.
The
work carried out included:
Installation
of a catapult for launch of aircraft together with construction of
a
Hangar to accommodate four seaplanes and provide suitable repair and
maintenance
facilities. Stowage of petrol was also needed.
1 9
3 6
On
completion of refit carried out harbour and sea trials after re-commissioning
for
service
in Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta
Took
part in Fleet exercise and visits programmes.
1 9
3 7
January Mediterranean Fleet deployment in continuation
to
May
June During Fleet programme visited Spanish
waters.
to During
August was involved in negotiating the release of a British mercantile stopped
by
December Spanish Cruiser MIGUEL CERVANTES.
1 9
3 8
January Home
Fleet deployment in continuation including Fleet Exercises and Visits Programme
to Nominated
for refit
September
October Under refit
to (Note:
AA armament was improved to limited extent without replacement of most 4”
December AA mountings which were of original design used during
build.
No
work was done on machinery.
1 9
3 9
January Under refit
to (Note:
Selected for conversion to suit use for taking HM King George VI and HM Queen
February Elizabeth
to Canada with
the Royal Family. to Canada
with the Royal Family.
This
was later changed because of the increased possibility of war with Germany
as
all
major warships were to remain in Home waters.)
March Refit work completed
Carried
out sea trials
April Deployed as escort for rms EMPRESS OF
AUSTRALIA during initial stage of passage
May Completed
work-up with Home Fleet ships
June Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
July Completed harbour and sea trials
to Carried
out Shakedown and work-up prior to resuming service in Home Fleet
August Rejoined Home Fleet for service in 1st Battle
Squadron with HM Battlecruisers RENOWN
and
HOOD.
D e
t a i l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
September Part of 1st Battlecruiser Squadron, Home Fleet
3rd Deployed with Squadron for convoy
defence and interception in NW Approaches for
and
North Sea for the interception of commerce raiders and
mercantiles attempting to
return
to German ports
October Atlantic convoy defence to continuation.
Diverted to
carry out unsuccessful search off Norway
for German battleship
GNEISENAU and
cruiser KOLN.
Sustained damage
in heavy weather and returned to Scapa Flow,
November
3rd Under repair to forward breakwater.
21st Deployed to provide cover for passage of HX Convoy in Atlantic.
23rd Despatched from Halifax
with HM Aircraft Carrier FURIOUS to join search for
German
battleships SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU after sinking have HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser
RAWALPINDI in defence of Atlantic convoy.
Sustained
structural damage and returned to Halifax.
December On completion of repair resumed Atlantic convoy defence
deployment.
Escorted
military convoy TC1 to UK
with HM Battleship RESOLUTION, HMS
FURIOUS
and HM Cruiser EMERALD.
Detached from TC1 and resumed
Atlantic covering duties with HM Battleship BARHAM.
28th Under attack by U30 during which HMS
BARHAM was hit by torpedoes and seriously
damaged.
1 9
4 0
January Atlantic deployment in continuation.
7th Took part in North Sea
search with HM Battleships RODNEY and VALIANT to intercept
warships
reported on passage to attack shipping in North Atlantic.
February Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to March
April Deployed with HM Battleships RODNEY, VALIANT
and HM Battlecruiser RENOWN
screened
by ten destroyers to provide cover for passage of military convoys to Stavanger,
Bergen
and Trondheim.
(Operation
R4 – Planned landings in Norway
before German invasion. See Naval Staff
History.)
8th Despatched with HM Cruiser PENELOPE
screened by HM Destroyers BEDOUIN,
ESKIMO,
PUNJABI and KIMBERLEY to assist HM
Destroyer GLOWWORM
under
attack by German warships in North Sea off Norway.
(Note:
The German ships included cruiser HIPPER and two destroyers which were
providing
support for the German invasion of Norway.
For
details of the disastrous campaign in defence of Norway
see Naval Staff
History
(Norway),
published HMSO in 2000, CARRIER GLORIOUS by
J
Winton, NARVIK by D MacIntyre, THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by
J
Adams and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).
9th Carried out patrol off Vest Fjord with
HMS RENOWN and HMS PENELOPE
screened
by HM Destroyers BEDOUIN, ESKIMO, PUNJABI and KIMBERLEY.
10th Covered destroyers of 2nd Flotilla
during attacks on shipping in Narvik Fjord by
patrol
off Vest Fjord to intercept any interference by German warships.
14th Deployed with HMS VALIANT to provide
cover for passage of military convoy
NP1
during passage in North Sea.
(Note:
Convoy NP1 was bringing allied troops for landings in Norway.
See
above references.)
17th Deployed with HMS RENOWN as escort for
HM Cruiser SUFFOLK during
passage
to Scapa Flow.
(Note:
HMS SUFFOLK had sustained serious damage by air attacks during
bombardment
of airfield at Stavanger.)
18th Retained at Scapa Flow
for support of military operations and naval operations
off
Norway if
required.
(Note:
Future deployments were dependant on availability of air cover.)
May Deployed
at Scapa Flow.
June Nominated with HMS RENOWN for cover of
evacuation convoys during passage
from
Norway
(Operation
ALPHABET)
5th Diverted to carry out search in NW
Approaches with HMS RENOWN, HM Cruiser
NEWCASTLE
and destroyer screen following sighting of German vessels on
passage
to make landings in Iceland.
7th After fruitless search resumed
covering duty.
July Deployed for interception patrol in Atlantic.
Carried
out search for German GNEISENAU with HMS RENOWN but failed to
make
any contact.
August Deployed at Scapa Flow.
September Sailed from Scapa Flow to carry
out planned attack on Norwegian coast convoys off
Stavanger
with HM Battlecruiser HOOD, HM Cruisers NORFOLK
and BERWICK.
Planned
operation cancelled during passage and returned to Scapa Flow.
October Atlantic interception patrol and convoy defence
continued,
November
7th Deployed in Bay of Biscay
with HMS HOOD and HMS RENOWN to intercept
German
cruiser ADMIRAL SCHEER after sinking of HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
JERVIS
BAY in defence of Atlantic convoy.
December Deployed in SW Approaches for interception patrol.
28th Provided cover for convoys in SW
Approaches with HM Cruiser NIGERIA
following
attacks
by ADMIRAL SCHEER on Convoy WS5A.
See
Naval Staff History and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY.
1 9 4 1
January Deployed in North Atlantic
for interception patrol and convoy defence.
to March.
April
20th Detached for Ocean Escort of military
convoy during Atlantic passage.
(Operation
TIGER - See THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN
by D Macintyre
and
Naval Staff History.)
26th Joined military convoy WS8A with HM
Cruiser NAIAD in Clyde as escort to Gibraltar
with
Home Fleet destroyers including HMS HARVESTER, HMS HAVELOCK and HMS
HESPERUS.
(Note:
This convoy was destined for Middle East but included
five ships taking stores and
personnel
to Malta and Alexandria
as TIGER Convoy. See above references)
May
2nd Detached from WS8A with five TIGER
Convoy ships and took passage to Gibraltar.
After
arrival resumed Home Fleet duties and returned to Home waters.
23rd Deployed with HM Battleship KING GEORGE
V. HM Aircraft Carrier
VICTORIOUS,
Home Fleet cruisers and destroyer screen to intercept German
Battleship
BISMARCK and cruiser PRINZ EUGEN
after sighting report by
HMS
SUFFOLK..
25th Detached to refuel in Newfoundland
after sinking of HMS HOOD.
For
details of the search and sinking of HMS HOOD and HMS BISMARCK
(see
SINK THE BISMARCK by L Kennedy, BATTLESHIP BISMARCK
by
Mullenheim Rechberg and Naval Staff History.)
June Atlantic deployment based at Halifax
for interception and convoy defence.
July Return passage to UK.
(Note:
Ship had been nominated for service in Indian Ocean
after refit.
August Under refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth.
(Note:
Refit work included installation of Radar Type 284 for main armament
Fire-control.)
Prepared
for foreign service.
On
completion resumed operational duties
31st Joined military convoy WS11 with H M
Destroyers ENCOUNTER and NESTOR, H M
Indian
Sloop SUTLEJ, HM Cutters SENNEN and TOTLAND as Ocean
Escort during
Atlantic
passage to Freetown.
September
4th Detached from WS11 when convoy divided
into FAST and SLOW Sections and provided
Ocean
Escort for WS11 (Fast) to Freetown
with HMS ENCOUNTER and HMS NESTOR.
13th At Freetown
with WS11 ships.
18th Sailed from Freetown
with reformed WS11 as one convoy for Ocean Escort to Durban
(Note:
HM Armed Merchant Cruiser DERBYSHIRE was also part of escort to Capetown
October
3rd Detached from WS11 on arrival at Durban
8th Rejoined WS11 ships as Escort from Durban
in Indian Ocean..
13th Detached from WS11 on relief by HM
Cruiser CERES and returned to Durban
November Deployed at Durban
for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.
3rd Nominated for transfer to Force Z for
duty based at Singapore.
8th Joined military convoy WS12 off Durban
for Ocean Escort during passage in Indian, Ocean.
13th Detached from WS12 in position 5.1OS 34E
on relief by HM Battleship REVENGE and
took
passage to Colombo to join Force Z
ships.
(Note:
Radar Type 286 P to provide warning of land and limited air cover
was
fitted by ship’s staff during passage and available for use before
arrival
in Ceylon. The
equipment was the only warning radar on board
and
was an RAF equipment modified for shipboard use.
For
details of the development and use of radar in the RN see RADAR
AT
SEA by D Howse)
28th Joined by HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES
at Colombo.
29th Took passage as Force Z to Singapore
with H M Destroyers ENCOUNTER, EXPRESS,
ELECTRA
and JUPITER.
December
2nd Arrived at Singapore
with Force Z
(Note:
For details of the background to the creation of Force Z see WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO
Took
passage to Ceylon
5th Detached from Force Z and took passage
to visit Port Darwin, Australia escorted by HM
Destroyers
VAMPIRE (RAN) and TENEDOS.
6th Recalled to rejoin Force Z after
aircraft report of sighting Japanese transports in Gulf
of Siam
with
cruiser escort.
8th Sailed from Singapore
with HMS PRINCE OF WALES, escorted by HM Destroyers
EXPRESS,
ELECTRA, TENEDOS and VAMPIRE (RAN) to intercept Japanese invasion
craft
off east coast of Malaya. See above reference.
(Note:
No aircraft cover for passage was available from shore and no aircraft carrier
had
been
available to join Force Z before deployment.)
10th Under heavy and sustained attacks by
high level and torpedo bomber aircraft.
Initially
hit by two bombs that caused extensive damage and fires.
Further
multiple attacks by torpedo aircraft resulted in four hits that proved fatal
and ship
sank
within two minutes.
796 of ship’s company were
rescued by HMS ELECTRA and HMAS VAMPIRE from a
total
complement of 1,309. (Casualty
List -
note
on casualties)
(For
full details see above reference and THE HUNTING OF FORCE Z by R Hough..)
