Allied Warships
HMS Bellona (63)
Light cruiser of the Bellona class
HMS Bellona as completed in 1943
Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | Light cruiser |
Class | Bellona |
Pennant | 63 |
Built by | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland) |
Ordered | 4 Sep 1939 |
Laid down | 30 Nov 1939 |
Launched | 29 Sep 1942 |
Commissioned | 29 Oct 1943 |
End service | |
History | Loaned to the Royal New Zealand Navy on 17 April 1946. |
Commands listed for HMS Bellona (63)
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Commander | From | To | |
1 | Capt. Charles Fred Wivell Norris, RN | 16 Aug 1943 | Nov 1944 |
2 | Capt. Gerald Seymour Tuck, DSO, RN | Nov 1944 | 1 Jul 1946 |
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Notable events involving Bellona include:
8 Nov 1943
HMS Spiteful (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Sherwood, DSC, RCNVR) conducted A/S exercises at Scapa Flow with HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN), HMS Hardy (Lt.Cdr. R. Horncastle, RN), HMS Kempenfelt (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Marjoribanks, RN), HMS Onslaught (Cdr. W.H. Selby, RN) and HMS Termagent (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Scatchard, DSC, RN). (1)
24 Nov 1943
HMS Taku (Lt. A.J.W. Pitt, RN) participated in A/S exercises off Scapa Flow together with HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN). (2)
30 Nov 1943
HMS Taku (Lt. A.J.W. Pitt, RN) participated in A/S exercises off Scapa Flow together with HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN), HMS Meteor (Lt.Cdr. D.J.B. Jewitt, RN), HMIS Cauvery (A/Cdr. A.W. Beeton, RIN) and HMS Tuscan (Lt.Cdr. C.H.de B. Newby, RN). (2)
9 Dec 1943
HMS Telemachus (Cdr. W.D.A. King, DSO, DSC, RN) conducted exercises off Scapa Flow together with HMS Enterprise (Capt. H.T.W. Grant, DSO, RCN), HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN) and HMS Golden Thyme (T/Lt. J.S. Bowes, RNVR). (3)
15 Dec 1943
HMS Syrtis (Lt. M.H. Jupp, DSC, RN) conducted practice attacks on HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN). (4)
17 Dec 1943
HMS Syrtis (Lt. M.H. Jupp, DSC, RN) conducted attack exercises with HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN) serving as target. (4)
7 Jul 1944
HMS Shakespeare (Lt. D. Swanston, DSC and Bar, RN) conducted A/S exercises with HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN). (5)
27 Oct 1944
HMS Virulent (Lt. S.J. Fovargue, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Scapa Flow with HMS Cowdray (Lt. D.J. Beckley, DSO, DSC, RN) and HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, RN). (6)
6 Jan 1945
HrMs Zeehond (Lt.Cdr. Baron D.T. Mackay, RNN) conducted A/S exercises off Scapa Flow with HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, DSO, RN). (7)
12 Jan 1945
The British heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (Capt. J.G.Y. Loveband, RN with Rear-Admiral R.R. McGrigor, CB, DSO, RN aboard) and the light cruiser HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, DSO, RN) escorted by the destroyers HMS Onslow (Capt. H.W.S. Browning, OBE, RN), HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Gower, DSC, RN) and HMS Onslaught (Cdr. the Hon. A. Pleydell-Bouverie, RN) attack a German convoy of Egersund, Norway. Two German merchants, the Bahia Camarones (8551 GRT) and the Charlotte (4404 GRT) and the minelayer M 273 were sunk.
9 Mar 1945
HMS Trusty (Lt. H.S. May, RN) conducts exercises with HMS Rodney (Capt. R.O. Fitzroy, RN), two cruisers and five destroyers.
During the exercises one of the destroyers, HMCS Haida (A/Lt.Cdr. R.P. Welland, DSC, RCN), dropped five depth charges in error.
Trusty immediately surfaced and was taken under fire by Haida and the two cruisers. Fire was soon ceased. No damage was caused.
The next day a board of inquiry was held on board HMS Bellona (Capt. G.S. Tuck, DSO, RN). (8)
13 Mar 1945
HMS Scotsman (Lt. A.H.B. Anderson, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises at Scapa Flow with HMS Bellona (Capt. G.S. Tuck, DSO, RN). (9)
18 Apr 1945
HMS Trusty (Lt. W. St.G. Anderson, DSC, RNR) conducts exercises with HrMs Zeehond (Lt. S.H. de Boer, RNN) and HMS Bellona (Capt. G.S. Tuck, DSO, RN). (10)
Sources
- ADM 173/18096
- ADM 173/18180
- ADM 173/18214
- ADM 173/18166
- ADM 173/18719
- ADM 173/19410
- 2.12.03.7152 (Dutch Archives, The Hague)
- ADM 173/20039
- ADM 173/19580
- ADM 173/20040
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.