HMS Diana

HMS Diana was an Eclipse class second class cruiser that served in Home Waters at the start of the First World War, before moving to the China station and then the Red Sea and India stations later in the war. In August 1914 she formed part of the 12th Cruiser Squadron, also known as Cruiser Force “G”. This force was an Anglo-

HMS Diana from the right

French squadron with the job of guarding the western approaches to the English Channel. They helped to protect the BEF as it crossed to France, stopping any suspicious merchant ships that might have been planning to lay mines in front of the troop ships. When Admiral Wemyss was moved from command of this squadron to serve at the Dardanelles, the Diana became the flagship of the squadron, as her captain (C. B. Hutton) was the senior naval officer remaining.

In November 1915 she was transferred to the China station, where she officially remained until August 1917.  In January 1917 she was on patrol off Singapore at the start of the cruise of the German commerce raider Wolf. By March the Japanese had taken the Singapore station, and the Diana was patrolling south of Ceylon. From August 1917 she formed part of the East Indies squadron, patrolling the Red Sea and Indian Waters, remaining there until the end of the war.

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