Dates: 1940 - 1952
HMS Mauritius (Pennant C80) was a Colony-class light cruiser built by Swan Hunter, Newcastle upon Tyne and commissioned on 4 January 1940. Complement: 730.
Mauritius operated on trade protection duties in the Atlantic and remained with the Home Fleet until going to the East Indies late in 1941. She joined the Eastern Fleet in 1942, but was withdrawn in April 1943 to reinforce the Mediterranean Fleet. After repairs following grounding, she was operational in June 1943 and thereafter participated in the landings in Sicily.
In September she was part of the covering force for the Salerno landings, but by the end of the year had been transferred to the Bay of Biscay to carry out anti-blockade-runner patrols, as part of Operation Stonewall. However, she soon returned to the Mediterranean, this time for the Anzio landings in January 1944. In June 1944 she covered the landings in Normandy as part of Force D off Sword Beach, then carried out offensive patrols of the Brittany coast in August to mop up the remnants of the German shipping in the area.
She sank or damaged the following German ships:
Sperrbrecher 157 on 14/15 August 1944 (Bay of Biscay)
5 Vorpostenboote on 22/23 August 1944. (Bay of Biscay)
Z31 (badly damaged) in January 1945 with HMS Diadem (Norwegian coast).
She was refitted at Cammell-Laird’s between February 1945 and March 1946.
She then served in the Mediterranean with the 15th (later lst) Cruiser Squadron, returning to the UK in 1948. After a spell in reserve and in refit, she recommissioned in 1949 for the 1st Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean, sailing on 6 May 1949. However, the years 1949 to 1951 were spent on the East Indies Station with the 4th Cruiser Squadron until she returned to Chatham on 18 December 1951. She was placed in reserve in 1952 and remained there until she was sold for scrap at Inverkeithing in 1965.
Association:
HMS Mauritius Association
38 Langdale Gardens
Grimsby
DN33 3HN
Memories of HMS Mauritius
HMS Mauritius, in 1974Written by Charlie Chase
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"HMS Mauritius Nov 73 to Nov 74 my best draft. I was single, so lived on the VMs Patch as shown in the photo.
I was REM1 working in Systems in the Commcen. Loved all the football that we could play, loved all about HMS and Mauritius."
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Mauritius
" Quoting: ray hall Have just come across this site and have enjoyed reading many of the stories from ex servicemen. I notice many are from ex navy types, im ex R A F and for two&half years was stationed in Ceylon at R A F Negombo, we used to take leave at the N A F F I club in Colombo. i ..."
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" Quoting: Ray McWilliams Ray. HMS Highflyer wasn’t a ship that docked for a few days...it was a Shore Base in Ceylon!! A friend of mine was based there on a Foreign Accompanied Draft and also HMS Mauritius. The Royal Naval Base at Trincomalee (HMS Highflyer) was commissioned on 1 July ..."
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"I’m trying to contact POREL Sean (George) Best and anyone who served at HMS Mauritius that isn’t already a member of our ’private’ HMS Mauritius website - ’The M.V. Mauritius Veterans’.
Please contact me at roberthchase(AT)btinternet.com
ROBERT H CHASE AT BT INTERNET DOT COM"
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" HMS MAURITIUS WEBSITE
I’m trying to contact anyone who served at HMS Mauritius who isn’t already a member of our ’private’ HMS Mauritius website - ’The M.V. Mauritius Veterans’.
Please contact me at roberthchase(AT)btinternet.com
ROBERT H CHASE AT BT INTERNET DOT COM
I am Robert ..."
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"HMS MAURITIUS WEBSITE
I’m trying to contact anyone who served at HMS Mauritius who isn’t already a member of our ’private’ HMS Mauritius website -
’The M.V. Mauritius Veterans’.
Please contact me at roberthchase(AT)btinternet.com
ROBERT H CHASE AT BT INTERNET DOT COM
I am Robert (Charlie) Chase at HMS Mauritius Nov 73 to Nov74
Please read my profile"
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