HMS Royalist was a improved Dido-class light cruiser - one of five Bellona class cruisers with only four 5.25 turrets but improved anti-aircraft armament and fire control. The Royal Navy (RN) intended in late 1943 to use the class as flagships for escort-carrier and cruiser groups for the projected D-day and South of France invasions and for operations with the USN and the RN Fleet in the Pacific. Royalist was a class of one from the start - being fitted out, within months of commissioning, with further modifications giving it two extra rooms for additional communications with carriers and Fleet Air Arm aircraft and one of the first AIOs (Action Information Offices) for plotting and display of the tactical position and associated mechanical computers to multiply the effectiveness of its armament. Intended to enhance the vessel's role as a command ship in Northern Atlantic waters for operations against the Tirpitz and Scharnhorst, the extra equipment took the ship to the limit and provided minimal comfort and sleeping provision for the non-commissioned crew.^[1] The wartime development of radar and the requirement to equip the Royalist as a flagship fitted with AIO increased the crew complement from 484 to 600, adding to the discomfort. HMS Scylla the other AIO fitted Dido was a light anti aircraft variant of class more suitable for the flagship role with a more compact armamament of 4 twin 4.5 turrets, which used ammunition which loaded the shell and charge together in a single case, of equivalent weight to 5.25 shell, the maximum for manual loading. The other 4.5 inch armed Dido, HMS Charybdis would have been suited to be the second AIO flaghip, its loss of France, leading to HMS Royalist's conversion.^[2]

Royalist was built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Greenock, with the keel being laid down on 21 March 1940. She was launched on 30 May 1942, and commissioned on 10 September 1943. Her motto, Surtout Loyal, translates to "Loyal above all".^[3]

Following her commissioning, Royalist spent several months working up, during which time she underwent repairs for trial defects and for alterations and additions. Amongst these were modifications for service as a carrier flagship.^[4] In March 1944 Royalist joined the Home Fleet and served for a short period in the Arctic theatre. In this capacity she took part in Operation Tungsten, the carrier raid against the German battleship Tirpitz whilst the Tirpitz was in Norway. Royalist was then ordered to the Mediterranean to support the landings in the south of France (Operation Dragoon) in August 1944, as part of the escort carrier squadron TF88.1. On 15 September, accompanied by HMS Teazer, she sank the transports KT4 and KT26 off Cape Spatha. She was then stationed in the Aegean Sea until late 1944, when she was ordered to the East Indies. By April 1945 she was with the 21st Escort Carrier Squadron as Flagship, supporting the Rangoon landings (Operation Dracula), and the following month was part of a force that failed to join the Battle of the Malacca Strait where five Royal Navy destroyers successfully intercepted the Japanese cruiser Haguro and the destroyer Kamikaze evacuating troops from Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. For the remainder of the war she covered the carrier raids against targets in the East Indies and Sumatra.

Scottish author Alistair MacLean served on Royalist during the Second World War, and used his experiences as background for his acclaimed first novel HMS Ulysses as well as for some of his subsequent works.

Royalist was withdrawn from the East Indies after the conclusion of hostilities, and returned home to Naval Reserve. In 1954 she began a major refit which was completed in April 1956. The modernisation of Royalist was expected to be followed by similar upgrades to four other Dido-class cruisers in the December 1951 program, HMS Phoebe, HMS Sirius (to start in April 1954), HMS Diadem (in June 1955) and finally, HMS Cleopatra (in November 1955).^[5]

The ship was handed over to the Royal New Zealand Navy on 9 July 1956. When Captain Peter Phipps went to take command of Royalist in 1955, New Zealand diplomat Frank Corner was shocked to find that Phipps agreed that the ship was a white elephant, completely unsuitable for use by the RNZN in the Pacific. Phipps claimed Royalist's range was limited and the cruiser could not even reach Panama without refueling. However Captain Phipps also stated when the cruiser reached Auckland, that it was updated, as a most modern warship, with the capability to take 'three air targets simultaneously, usually on the first shot' ^[6] while the Type 12 frigates approved by Phipps had less endurance, meaning it would have been more logical to order longer range diesel versions of the Type 12, i.e. the Type 11 or T41.^[7] The improved T12 Leander ordered by the RNZN essentially was essentially a GP AA/AW picket ship for RN aircraft carriers ^[8] with much of the same functions as Royalist. The NZ Navy Board, of which three of its members were RN officers, supported the retention of a modernised cruiser force, and supported the presentation of the loan of the cruiser to PM Holland. Phipps demanded some improvements,^[9] while in command of HMS Bellona as an accommodation ship, and refused to accept the cruiser until three weeks later than intended by the RN Dockyard until alterations were made to the habitability of the cruiser. These notably included more showers, and some rectification of ventilation problems. With extra electronic equipment, the cruiser had no weight margin, and the priority of being ready for possible action in the Mediterranean meant the dockyard would not install the pre-wetting, ABC spraydown equipment, specifically requested by the RNZN in 1955.^[10] The dockyard responded that installing spraydown to wash nuclear fallout was possible, providing a wall size copy of the plan of the pre-wetting system under installation in HMS Sheffield, and suggested the NZ dockyard could do the job. Royalist had no weight margin with extra communications systems and an AIO (Action Information Office) fitted late 1943. The Dido cruiser, HMS Scylla was also fitted with AIO as Admiral Vian, RN D Day command ship, but with only four twin 4.5 turrets had more internal space and suffered such severe damage, 18 days after the invasion, it was not used post war and the other 12 Town, Colony and Minotaur, AI0 fitted cruisers were larger and usually not AD fitted ^[11] doubling the effectiveness of its armament in the RN postwar assessment,^[12] but less space for senior ratings and petty office, than RNZN's earlier Dido cruisers.

The concern of NZ servicemen and Phipps was on living conditions, recruitment, and steady funding of a programme of new frigates, while Royal Navy staff were concerned about the RNZN equipping itself to aid the RN in global and regional wars in the next five years and rejected the luxury of long term perspective. The 'provincial' NZ Foreign service viewed the British Treasury as simply opposing the refit of an obsolescent cruiser. "Then Whitehall thought of New Zealand!"^[13][14] First Lord Mountbatten disagreed, publicly defending Royalist as the most modern British cruiser in Auckland when it arrived in 1956 ^[15] and regarded Phipps as inexperienced and unsuitable.^[16] Mountbatten viewed New Zealand's Cabinet and officials as out of touch with the Cold War need to maintain ready, broad based naval and defense capabilities and frequently visited NZ to make appeals.^[17]

Royalist essentially incorporated the new fire control and radars fitted to frigates being commissioned in 1956–58, in doubled up form, in a cruiser-size hull with room for processing electronic data and communications and large enough for speed and seakeeping in the Pacific and considerable surface and anti air defense. Its close in air defense of 40mm CIWS was sharper than other RN warships, while using standard RN 40mm ammunition. Britain could not afford escorts larger than destroyers in addition to its carrier and frigate force but Royalist's 5.25 DP guns, fitted to battleships and AA cruisers were more modern and effective than those of other 1950s RN cruisers. Royalist may have been reactivated for Suez service, as its modernization for AA/AW and particularly AD support of RN carrier fighters and strike aircraft was ideal for Musketeer and likely future operations of the RN carriers focused on the Indian Ocean and Singapore. The Type 12 frigates that Phipps wanted were ordered for the RNZN early in 1957, but proved more short-ranged. Royalist's transit speed to escort Pacific convoys was 18 knots, compared with the Type 12s' ability to cover only the leg from Suva to Honolulu at its most economical speed. It was arguable the traditional cruiser role in trade defense against Russian cruisers and raiders was still relevant,^[18] and would be the Royal Navy's first priority, along with providing effective airwarning and aircraft direction for the RAN aircraft carriers,^[19] rather than defending against the questionable submarine threat.

After refitting, Royalist was re-equipped with new equipment for her role as an AA and AD escort ship for carriers, retaining 5.25-inch, as more powerful high level AA and surface weapons rather than the usual 4-inch (or 4.5-inch) guns. However RN and British Defence documents released under the 30-year rule, show the refit was to prepare it for all-out hot wars and high-level gun engagement of shadowers ^[20] whereas the Crown Colony class cruisers and Belfast were modernised for colonial visits and shore bombardment. The Royalists complement was 600 versus the 550 of the Bellona, and with extra equipment the larger crew had to be accommodated in less space. This was because the all the Royalists turrets were manned where the Crown Colony and Town class cruisers in the 1950s usually operated with a crew of only 650 and with gun crews for only one of their three main turrets.

In transferring Royalist to New Zealand, the Royal Navy assumed the RNZN as an extension of the RN and, the junior New Zealand service and government following British command. Around 25% of the officers on Royalist were RN officers on loan or exchange, as were many of the specialist ratings. The RNZN officers on the cruiser were usually of junior experience and had lengthy training with the RN in the UK. Even on Royalist's final deployment in 1965 on Confrontation patrols in southeast Asia, many RN and RAN officers occupied higher-ranking officer positions on board.^[21]

After working up in UK waters, Royalist was operational with the British fleet in the Mediterranean as the fleet awaited the possibility of action against Egyptian air force during the Suez crisis. Royalist was intended to be mainly a radar picket and aircraft direction ship for the RAF Canberra and RN carrier-based Seahawk and Sea Venom aircraft. Royalist had the standard RN long range air warning 960 radar carried by other British cruisers and carriers in the area, but Royalist was somewhat better equipped for aircraft direction than its other counterparts in the area. After hostilities with Egypt commenced, the resulting international outrage caused Prime Minister Sidney Holland to reverse his support for the British by calling for Captain Peter Phipps to withdraw from operations against Egypt. It is unclear whether Phipps immediately complied completely or whether Royalist continued to assist the RN fleet in a passive role with aircraft direction and air-warning.^[22] Holland officially ordered a withdrawal from operations, but allowed the cruiser to stay with the Operation Musketeer fleet, as " there was insufficient time for a decision not to withdraw."(quote) ^[23] an apparent non decision,^[24] Much of the Soviet-supplied Badgers and MiGs of the Egyptian Air Force remained a threat to the RN fleet, making Royalist's presence crucial to fleet defence.^[25] On the return voyage to New Zealand via South Africa Captain Phipps told the crew they deserved the recognition given to RN personnel for their involvement in the incident.^[26] In the 2000s the New Zealand Labour Government and the RNZN awarded these personnel battle honours for war service in the Mediterranean. Royalist's log for the crucial days of the Suez War was destroyed at the time, meaning the full account of her Suez service will never be known.

In early 1957, Royalist was involved in exercises with the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne.^[27] The cruiser made two shore bombardment missions in 1957-8 during the Malaysian Emergency against suspected terrorist areas in SE Johore, firing about 240 5.25 rounds.^[28] In AA exercises with the British Far East fleet in 1956–57, Royalist outperformed the RN Town-class cruisers, shooting down five jet Meteor unmanned targets and many towed targets.^[29][30]

In 1962, the still joint-crewed RNZN/RAN/RN Royalist suffered serious damage proceeding at high speed in rough sea conditions through the Tasman to get to a six test series between the Wallabies and All Blacks at Eden Park.^{[citation needed]} The cruiser operated with the British Far East fleet, in three tours of duty in 1963, 1964 & 1965, during the Indonesian Confrontation. From mid 1963, reports by the Royalist's captain note that one of the two Mk 6/275 HALADCTs are often unserviceable, as is often 1/2 STAAGs and the ships hull and lower structure, is marginal, requiring constant work, frequent painting requiring an extra Asian workforce due to the construction of the cruiser out of "low quality wartime steel', and the ship's below deck humidity and constant temperature at a minimum of 85 degrees F. The ships modernisation provided only for a lifespan of six years so these conditions were expected. Effective modernisation of the ship after acquisition from the RN only amounted to several ECM/ESM updates. In the 1964 deployment Royalist, returning to Auckland from Singapore via the Cairns races in Queensland, transited the Carmat Straits on 15 July, Sapud on 16 July and the Lombok Strait on 17 July 1964 ^[31] on what was described as 'routine passage' in the highly confidential flash to Canberra. During the transit of the straights the guns were fully manned with the crews closed up ,^[32] and full ABC protection at X Ray state 9 Log of HMS Royalist 1964 </ref> as were the crew of the escorting destroyers , in the transit through Lombok, two months later of the RN aircraft carrier HMS Victorious on 19/9/64 in the company of two C Destroyers and the second RN group of the DDG HMS Hampshire, which replaced HMS Lion and the T12 frigates HMS Dido and HMS Berwick. The Victorious assertion of the right of innocent passage by a carrier which Bucannears and Vixen aircraft were repainted in grey anti flash, and believed to be nuclear armed was viewed as one of the most dangerous moments of the cold war,^[33] with mass panic in Java, but proved a brave and effective move, in asserting British and Commonwealth naval rights and rights of Malaysians to their own sovereignty.

 The Royalist crew have recently been awarded general service medals by the NZ Government for the 1963 and 1964 South East Asia tours.

There was considerable doubt among RNZN staff whether Royalist, which had not had a major refit since 1956, could deploy again in 1965. It managed to deploy again after a seven-week, 24/7 refit in the Devonport dockyard and work up in the Hauraki Gulf, where it managed 27 knots at half power. The cruiser was still visually impressive, and provided the crucial appearance of capability and ability to operate. It was judged the fire control systems needed either a year's refit or $140,000 of new parts,^[34] and one of two STAAG CIWS mounts was refitted with the rather worn spare, after rust removal, the 2 UA3 ESM systems were playing up.^[35] It was hoped the worn steam turbines could last 15 months to allow a final 1966 visit to all the NZ ports if 'hope prevailed over fear'. Against most RNZN staff advice it was decided not to inform the Commander of the British Far East Fleet, of Royalist's situation as " Commander Far East has enough trouble fitting Royalist in his operational plans now with limitations on his main capability in the Confrontation War".^[36] The Royal Navy was desperately overstretched during the confrontation, and keeping one carrier fully operational in the theatre at all times was difficult.^[37] Deterring Jakarta with the threat of potential aerial nuclear strike meant keeping only one of the high-maintenance Tiger class cruisers, intended for the role, with the Far East fleet, HMS Lion was withdrawn after a boiler explosion on anti inflitration patrol and HMS Blake was put into reserve from Dec 1963 due to crew shortages in the RN and it was decided Royalist would proceed to Pearl Harbor for a second workup, rather than a longer refit in the Devonport dockyard, before deploying to Hong Kong and Singapore in support of RN forces. Royalist conducted anti-infiltration patrols, boarding boats, deployed shore patrols, participated in Exercise Guardrail, and provided AD support to HMS Bulwark's helicopters for a week.^[38] For the 1965 Far East tour, the crew were awarded Operational Service Medals (OPSM).

The 1965 deployment was somewhat marred by the refusal of the NZ Ministry of External Affairs or the NZ and British ambassadors to allow Royalist to dock with RN warships, in the Tokyo or Yokohama area.^[39] According to the RN attache in Tokyo, the RNZN sailors 'could not afford the one pound per minute price in the Ginza nightclubs and bars' ^[40] The captain of Royalist, J.P. Vallant replied to the Deputy Secretary of Defence in Wellington, 'find it quaint that the flagship of the NZ navy is persona non grata in the Tokyo Bay area'.^[41] Royalist was confined to the Japanese provincial ports when NZ diplomats persuaded the local police chiefs that their request for a curfew was unwise and it was essential to keep bars open 24 hours.^[42] After further shore leave in Bangkok, Singapore, and Subic Bay, Royalist returned to NZ, after a valiant repair of a milking boiler and turbine en route. It was unable to make its final scheduled 1966 visit for Waitangi Day and tour of the NZ ports, and was effectively paid off five months early.

Royalist was paid off on 4 June 1966. After eleven years in the RNZN, Royalist reverted to Royal Navy control in 1967. She was sold for scrap to the Nissho Co, Japan, in November 1967 and was towed from Auckland to Osaka on 31 December 1967.

Citations

Bibliography

• Media related to HMS Royalist (ship, 1942) at Wikimedia Commons