On commissioning in 1940, she completed work ups for service in home waters, both theNorth Sea and theEnglish Channel, which continued throughout 1941 and 1942. During April 1943, she was nominated for service in theMediterranean. During that year, she provided cover for theAllied landings inItaly onSicily (Operation Husky) and atSalerno (Operation Avalanche). During 1944, she was again deployed in the Mediterranean and in theAegean Sea.
On 29 September 1945,Cleveland steamed fromGibraltar toDevonport and was placed in reserve.[1] She was sold for scrapping and was wrecked atLlangennith beach on theGower Peninsula inWales, on 28 June 1957 while under tow toLlanelli, for scrapping.[2] The wreck was stripped and blown up in December 1959.[3] The years of salvage and stripping of the Cleveland on Llangennith beach were captured by an amateur film maker, Evan Morgan from Pontypridd, who compiled a silent film of the process[4]
United Kingdom
