Royal Navy cruisers, heavy cruisers and light cruisers in naval historical art prints. Royal Navy cruiser website dedicated to the Ceres Class. HMS Ceres, HMS Cardiff, HMS Coventry, HMS Curacoa, HMS Curlew including crew and families of ex-crew members notice board for the Ceres Class cruisers.

HMS Cardiff served with the Home Fleet in 1939 then as a training ship from 1940-45 after which she was put into reserve. HMS Ceres served with the Home Fleet in 1939, then the Mediterranean Fleet in 1940 and the East Indies from 1940-42. From 1942-43 Ceres served with the Eastern fleet and finally serving as an accommodation ship from 1944-45. HMS Coventry and HMS Curlew both served in the home Fleet from 1939-40 where Curlew was lost after being bombed by a German Aircraft Carrier off Norway. HMS Coventry went on to serve in the Mediterranean Fleet from 1940-42 when she too was bombed by both German and Italian Aircraft Carriers off Tobruk. HMS Curacoa served with the Home Fleet from 1940-42 when she was lost in a collision with the SS Queen Mary near Donegal.

Displacement: 4,190 tons    Speed: 29kt    Complement: 400 increasing to 437 as a Flagship.

Armament: HMS Ceres & HMS Cardiff -Five 6 inch guns, Two 3inch anti-aircraft guns and two 2pdr anti-aircraft guns.   Eight 21 inch torpedo tubes. HMS Coventry & HMS Curlew - Ten 4 inch anti-aircraft guns, sixteen 2pdr anti-aircraft guns. HMS Curacoa - Eight 4 inch anti-aircraft guns, four 2pdr anti-aircraft guns, eight 0.5 inch machine guns.

HMS Cardiff

HMS Cardiff, July 1945.

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HMS Cardiff, July 1935.

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HMS Cardiff, July 1945.

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HMS Cardiff 

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HMS Cardiff, 1925.

"30 miles per hour, March 2nd 1925".

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HMS Cardiff on steam trials, 2nd March 1925.

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The Arbuthnot Trophy for Marathon.

Won by HMS Cardiff in 1922 and 1924.

The phrase on the trophy, "Mens Sana In Corpore Sano" means Healthy Mind in a Health Body.

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HMS Cardiff (centre) with the sloop HMS Bryony (left) and HMS Calypso (right) at Venice, 1926.

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Ship's Company of HMS Cardiff, Malta c.1924.

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Football team of HMS Cardiff.

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HMS Cardiff - Engine Room Chiefs & P.O.s Football Team 1924.

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Football team of HMS Cardiff - Royal Marines 5-a-side team.

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Crew members of HMS Cardiff, March 1923.

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HMS Cardiff, Racing Whaler's Crew.

Winners of the Cusani Cup, July 1925.

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Crew members of HMS Cardiff, April 1921.

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Crew members of HMS Cardiff, Alexandria, February 1925.

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One of the rowing / cutter teams of HMS Cardiff.

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Crew members of HMS Cardiff.

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Admrial Sir L Chatfield leaving HMS Cardiff, January 18th 1925.

Also several other ship present at Malta in this photo.

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The band of HMS Cardiff c.1924.

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Crew members of HMS Cardiff.

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HMS Cardiff's trip to Cartagena, Spain, 1924.

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Bullfight given in honour of British Fleet's visit to Tarragona (?) Spain, September 1924.

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HMS Ceres

HMS Ceres.

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HMS Ceres making smoke.

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HMS Ceres 'Chasing Torpedoes'

Danae Class cruiser in the foreground with HMS Ceres in the centre and another cruiser behind.

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Firing a torpedo from HMS Ceres.

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HMS Ceres during heavy seas.

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Close up of crew members from image opposite.

"Prince Lewie Cup Winners, Sailing, Corfu 1924".

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HMS Ceres at Malta c.1920. 

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Percy Knight and mate on HMS Ceres.

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George B. Chatfield

Opposite is a page taken from George's Diary.   These were provided by Bill Logan.

If anyone is looking for information on the HMS Ceres, I have the handwritten diary of George B. Chatfield, titled "Foreign Commission - My Diary whilst on the HMS Ceres and Movements, From February 22, 1919 to February (January) 1920.  Bill Logan.  

HMS Coventry

HMS Coventry built by Swan Hunter at Wallsend was initially going to be called HMS Corsair. and laid down on the 4th August 1916, and launched 6th July 1917 completed for naval service in February 1918.  HMS Coventry joined the 5th Light Cruiser squadron  in February 1918 till May 1919, and served in the Baltic in this time. Commissioned in may 1919 into the Atlantic fleet, until in 1920 when HMS Coventry became the HQ ship for naval Inter allied Disarmament Commission. Went into refit in  late 1920 once completed she joined the 2nd Light cruiser squadron and flagship to the Rear admiral Atlantic Fleet. A Torpedo Explosion while in Malta in March1923 caused the death of two crew.  At the outbreak of world war two HMS Coventry was serving with the Home Fleet between 1939 and 1940, moving to the Mediterranean fleet in 1940 until being sunk off Tobruk on the 14th September 1942 by German and Italian aircraft.

Displacement: 4,190 tons    Speed: 29kt    Complement: 400 increasing to 437 as a Flagship.

Armament:     Ten 4 inch anti-aircraft guns, sixteen 2pdr anti-aircraft guns.   eight 0.5 inch machine gun

HMS Coventry, 1925.

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HMS Coventry, May 1935.

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HMS Coventry, May 1935.

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HMS Coventry, May 1935.

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HMS Coventry.

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HMS Coventry, 1937.

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HMS Coventry 

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The deck of HMS Coventry with unusual cargo 

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HMS Curacoa

HMS Curacoa.

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HMS Curacoa, 1935.

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HMS Curacoa, 1935.

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HMS Curacoa. 

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HMS Curacoa 1935.

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HMS Curacoa, 3rd Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean, 1929.

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Three officers in this photo and their respective service records are as follows:

Arthur John Davies :  Midshipman 15th January 1894; Sub-Lieutenant 15th July 1897; Lieutenant 15th January 1899; Commander 31st December 1909; Captain 31st December 1915; Rear Admiral 25th October 1926; Vice Admiral 4th April 1931; Retired (Officer Reserve) 1st June 1931.  Admiral (Retired) 1st January 1936; Died 13th December 1954.

Awarded CB(C) 1st January 1927; KBE(M) 1st January 1943 and Mentioned in Despatches 24th August 1943.  Awarded Coronation Medal 1911 

Service : HMS Excellent August - December 1914; HMS Tiger December 1914 - 1916; Air Department as Armament Captain 1916 - 1917; HMS Cassandra (In Command) 1917 - 1918; HMS Lion (In Command) May 1918 - 1919.  HMS Revenge as Chief of Staff to CinC Atlantic Fleet August 1924 - 1927.  HMS Curacoa as Rear Admiral Commanding 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean December 1928 - 1930.  HMS Eaglet II as Commodore of Convoys, March 1940 - 1944.

Henry Evelyn Charles Blagrove : Born 26th April 1887; Midshipman 15th October 1903; Sub-Lieutenant 15th December 1906; Lieutenant 30th June 1909; Lieutenant Commander 30th June 1917; Commander 31st December 1919; Captain 30th June 1927; Rear Admiral 10th January 1939; Died 14th October 1939.

Awarded Al Valore Militare (Silver) 17th November 1917; Jubilee Medal 1935; Coronation Medal 1937;

Also medalled for : Persian Gulf 1909 - 1914 in HM Armed Launch Karauja; HMS Tiger 1914 - 1917; HMS Queen Elizabeth 1917 - 1919; Palestine 1936 - 1939 in command of HMS Sussex 1937 - 1938; HMS Royal Oak as Rear Admiral Commanding 2nd Battle Squadron, Home Fleet, September to October 1939 (Lost 14th October 1939)

Service : HMS Good Hope 1903 - 1907; RN College 1907 - 1908; HMS Good Hope April 1908 - August 1908; HMS Flirt August 1908 - September 1908; HMS Arab 1908 - 1909; HMS Invincible 1909 - 1911; HMS Highflyer 1911 - 1912; HMS Pelorus 1912 - 1913; HMS Pomone for Dartmouth College 1913 - 1914; HMS Tiger 1914 - 1917; HMS Queen Elizabeth 1917 - 1919; Duty at Cambridge University 1920 - 1921; Office of Second Sea Lord 1922 - 1923; HMS Cardiff 1923 - 1925; SOTC May - July 1925; HMS Vivid for Devonport Barracks 1925 - 1927; HMS Constance November 1927 - December 1927; SOWC March 1928 - September 1928; SOTC October 1928 - December 1928; HMS Curacoa (In Command) 1929 - 1931; HMS Victory in charge of Physical Training School 1931 - 1932; HMS Delhi (In Command) April 1932 - May 1932; Tac Course May 1932 - August 1932; SOTC May 1932 - August 1932; HMS Norfolk (In Command) and as Chief of Staff 1932 - 1934; Naval assistant to Second Sea Lord 1934 - 1937; HMS Sussex (In Command) 1936 - 1938; HMS Royal Oak as Rear Admiral Commanding 2nd Battle Squadron, Home Fleet, September 1939 - October 1939.

Richard Hugh Loraine Bevan : Born 10th July 1885; Midshipman 30th May 1901; Sub-Lieutenant 20th July 1904; Lieutenant 31st December 1906; Lieutenant Commander 31st December 1914; Commander 31st December 1917; Captain 31st August 1923; Rear Admiral 25th August 1935; Retired 26th August 1935; RRL 17th January 1946; Died 10th May 1976.

Mentioned in Despatches 16th August 1915; Commended 14th March 1916; Awarded Distinguished Service Order 14th March 1916; Legion of Honour 5 25th January 1918; Mentioned in Despatches 22nd April 1919; ONile 4 21st June 1919; MVO4 17th August 1923; CB(M) 11th June 1942; KBE(M) 1st January 1946; Legion of Merit 3 16th July 1946.

Also medalled for : Delhi Durbar Medal 1911; Jubilee Medal 1935; Liaket Medal 7th November 1907; O.White Eagle 3; Swedish Red Cross Medal 1946.

Service : Flag Lieutenant to Rear Admiral Wemyss 1914 - 1915 and to him as CinC East Indies 1915 - 1917; HMS Egmont on Staff of CinC Mediterranean 1917 - 1918; HMS Whitby (In Command) 1918 - 1919; HMS Godetia (In Command) January 1919 - April 1919; Naval Intelligence Division January 1940 - February 1940; Naval Attache, Rome, February 1941 - July 1941; Staff of CinC Western Approaches February 1941 - July 1941; HMS Titania for command of NP100 July 1941 - October 1941; SBNO North Russia October 1941 - 1942; Naval Intelligence Division August 1942 - September 1942; HMS Caroline as FOIC Northern Ireland 1942 - 1946.