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In 1923–24, HMS Hood and the Special Service Squadron sailed around the world on The Empire Cruise, making many ports of call in the countries which had fought together during the First World War. The Squadron departed Devonport on 27 November 1923 and headed for Sierra Leone. The fleet would separate at various points of the cruise with the battlecruisers passing through the Panama Canal, while some cruisers carried around Cape Horn.
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Ships involved
Africa and the Indian Ocean
The fleet sailed from HMNB Devonport on 27 November 1923, and headed for Freetown, Sierra Leone. Whereupon the fleet was greeted by the Governor of Sierra Leone. Food and provisions were taken aboard after the journey of 2805 miles. The ships then sailed to Cape Town and arrived 22 December, adding a further 3,252 miles to the cruise distance. Some of the sailors and marines performed in a ceremonial march, to great fanfare. The fleet sailed for a short visit to Mossell Bay, East London and Durban, where the fleet left South Africa on 6 January 1924 for Zanzibar. Upon port arrival in Zanzibar on 17 January the fleet was greeted by Sultan Khalifa Bin Harub, which now encompassed the regular ceremonial March Past. The total distance covered was 11,734 miles.
Far East
The fleet arrived for the far east tour in Port Swettenham 4 February, where the ship fired a 17 gun salute for the Sultan. The fleet also incurred is first fatality when a seaman died of Malaria, a local funeral was arranged. 10 February marked the arrival of the fleet at the important British Naval Base at Singapore. In the same year of the cruise Singapore had been approved by the British Government to become the major British base in the far east with massive investment.