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Cruise of the Special Service Squadron

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Empire Cruise
The route of the cruise
CountryUnited Kingdom
LeaderRear Admiral Sir Frederick Field
Start27 November 1923; 100 years ago (1923-11-27)
End28 September 1924; 100 years ago (1924-09-28)
Ships

In 1923–24, battlecruisers HMS Hood, HMS Repulse and the Special Service Squadron sailed around the world on The Empire Cruise, making many ports of call in the countries which had fought together during the First World War. The squadron departed Devonport on 27 November 1923 and headed for Sierra Leone.[1] Returning from the Pacific, the battlecruisers passed through the Panama Canal, while the light cruisers rounded Cape Horn.[1]

Ships involved

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The Battlecruiser HMS Hood at the Panama Canal Zone in July 1924.

Ports of call

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Taken by a plane from Naval Air Station, Pearl Harbor, while Hood was off Honolulu, Hawaii, on 12 June 1924.
HMS Repulse taken on the cruise.
HMS Repulse entering Vancouver Harbour, 1924

Africa and the Indian Ocean

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The fleet sailed from HMNB Devonport on 27 November 1923,[2] and headed for Freetown, Sierra Leone, where the fleet was greeted by the Governor. Food and provisions were taken aboard after the journey of 2805 miles.[1] The ships then sailed to Cape Town and arrived 22 December, adding a further 3,252 miles to the cruise distance. Some of the sailors and marines performed in a ceremonial march, to great fanfare.[1]

The fleet sailed for a short visit to Mossel Bay, East London and Durban, where the fleet left South Africa on 6 January 1924 for Zanzibar.[1] Upon port arrival in Zanzibar on 17 January the fleet was greeted by Sultan Khalifa Bin Harub, which now encompassed the regular ceremonial March Past. The total distance covered was 11,734 miles.[1]

Far East

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The fleet arrived for the far east tour in Port Swettenham, Malaysia, on 4 February, where the ship fired a 17 gun salute for the Sultan. The fleet also incurred its first fatality when a seaman died of malaria, a local funeral was arranged. 10 February marked the arrival of the fleet at the important British Naval Base at Singapore.[1] In the same year of the cruise Singapore had been approved by the British Government to become the major British base in the far east with massive investment.

Australia and New Zealand

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Pacific

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West coast of North America and Caribbean

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South America

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East coast of Canada and Newfoundland

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Crew of HMS Hood in Topsail, Newfoundland during the final stop of the cruise

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Fleet Route
  2. ^ Scott O'Connor, Vincent Clarence (1925). The Empire Cruise. Riddle, Smith & Duffus.
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