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Notable events involving Cornwallis include:

27 Aug 1939
HMIS Cornwallis (Cdr. G.V.G. Beamish, RIN) arrived at Bombay from Karachi. At Bombay she was taken in hand for boiler cleaning. (1)

24 Sep 1939
HMIS Cornwallis (Cdr. H.C. Beauchamp, RIN) departed Bombay for a patrol off the Nicobar Islands. (1)

1 Oct 1939
HMIS Cornwallis (Cdr. H.C. Beauchamp, RIN) arrived at Aden where she joined the Perim petrol. (2)

11 Dec 1939
HMIS Cornwallis (Cdr. H.C. Beauchamp, RIN) departed Aden for Bombay. (2)

19 Dec 1939
HMIS Cornwallis (Cdr. H.C. Beauchamp, RIN) arrived at Bombay where she started a short refit. (1)

4 Jan 1940
With her refit completed HMIS Cornwallis (Cdr. H.C. Beauchamp, RIN) departed Bombay for Aden where she was to re-join the Perim patrol. (1)

11 Jan 1940
HMIS Cornwallis (Cdr. H.C. Beauchamp, RIN) arrived at Aden. (2)

25 Jun 1940
HMIS Cornwallis (Lt.Cdr. E.S. Cotsell, RNR) departed Aden for Bombay. (2)

2 Jul 1940
HMIS Cornwallis (Lt.Cdr. E.S. Cotsell, RNR) arrived at Bombay for docking. (1)

8 Jul 1940
HMIS Cornwallis (Lt.Cdr. E.S. Cotsell, RNR) was undocked. (1)

8 Aug 1941

Convoy BA 4.

This convoy departed Bombay on 8 August 1941.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Dempo (Dutch, 17024 GRT, built 1931, 1718 troops), Devonshire (British, 11275 GRT, built 1939, 1483 troops), Neuralia (British, 9182 GRT, built 1912, 1949 troops) and Takliwa (British, 7936 GRT, built 1924, 977 troops).

On departure from Bombay the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Hector (Capt.(Retd.) F. Howard, DSC, RN), sloop HMIS Cornwallis (Lt. W.J.G. Hughes, RIN) and the auxiliary patrol vessel HMIS Dipavati (T/Lt. P. Munday, RINR).

On 9 August 1941, HMIS Cornwallis and HMIS Dipavati parted company with the convoy.

At 0600C/13, the convoy was dispersed off the entrance to the Gulf of Aden in position 15°26'N, 53°56'E.

5 Sep 1941

Convoy BP 14.

This convoy departed Bombay on 5 September 1941.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Khedive Ismael (British, 7290 GRT, built 1922, 906 troops and stores), Lancashire (British, 9557 GRT, built 1917, 1407 troops and stores), Rajula (British, 8478 GRT, built 1926, 1002 troops and stores), Santhia (British, 7754 GRT, built 1925, 964 troops and stores), Talma (British, 10000 GRT, built 1923, 1058 troops and stores), Varela (British, 4651 GRT, built 1914, 834 troops and stores) and Varsova (British, 4701 GRT, built 1914, 800 troops and stores).

On departure from Bombay the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Hector (Capt.(Retd.) F. Howard, DSC, RN), sloop HMIS Cornwallis (Lt. W.J.G. Hughes, RIN) and the auxiliary patrol vessel HMIS Sonavati (Lt. M.B. Hall, RIN).

Around 1740EF/5, HMIS Cornwallis and HMIS Sonavati were detached.

Around 1200E/5, the (troop) transport Rohna (British, 8602 GRT, built 1926, 978 troops and stores) joined the convoy in position 24°02'N, 65°51'E. She had left Karachi earlier that day.

Around 1400D/8, HMS Hector parted company with the convoy in position 24°28'N, 60°00'E.

The convoy arrived at Basra on 11 September 1941. (3)

13 Oct 1943

Landing exercise ' Otter '.

Late in the afternoon, HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan DSO, RAN), HMAS Nepal (Cdr. F.B. Morris, RAN), HMAS Napier (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Green, DSC, RAN), HMIS St. Anthony (T/Lt. W.E. Vangeysel, RINR) and HMIS Cornwallis (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.S. Shackleton, RINVR) departed Bombay to particiate in landing exercises about 100 miles to the south of Bombay. They were escorting ' Force G ' which was made up of the following ships;
Headquarters ships HMS Bulolo (Capt.(Retd.) R.L. Hamer, RN), landing ship HMS Keren (A/Cdr. S.E. Crewe-Read, RN), troop transports Dilwara (British, 11080 GRT, built 1936), Dunera (British, 11162 GRT, built 1937), Empire Pride (British, 9248 GRT, built 1941), Llanstephan Castle (British, 11340 GRT, built 1914) and the transports Empire Elaine (British, 7513 GRT, built 1942), Empire Prospero (British, 6766 GRT, built 1943), Jalapadma (British, 3935 GRT, built 1929) and Ocean Wanderer (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942).

They all returned to Bombay around 1130FG/13. (4)

5 Nov 1943

Landing exercise ' Swordfish '.

Around 1515FG/5, the destroyers HMAS Napier (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Green, DSC, RAN, with Commodere (D) Eastern Fleet, Commodore S.H.T. Arliss, DSO, RN, on board), HMS Rotherham (Capt. F.S.W. de Winton, RN), HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan DSO, RAN), HMAS Nepal (Cdr. F.B. Morris, RAN), minesweeper HMIS Khyber (T/Lt. H.C.H. Berry, RINR), M/S trawlers HMIS Calcutta (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J. Shackleton, RINVR), HMIS Cuttack (?) and the auxiliary patrol vessel HMIS St. Anthony (T/Lt. W.E. Vangeysel, RINR) departed Bombay to particiate in landing and bombardment exercises about 100 miles to the south of Bombay. They were escorting ' Force G ' which was made up of the following ships;
Headquarters ships HMS Bulolo (Capt.(Retd.) R.L. Hamer, RN), landing ship HMS Keren (A/Cdr. S.E. Crewe-Read, RN), troop transports Dilwara (British, 11080 GRT, built 1936), Dunera (British, 11162 GRT, built 1937), Empire Pride (British, 9248 GRT, built 1941), Llanstephan Castle (British, 11340 GRT, built 1914) and the transports Empire Elaine (British, 7513 GRT, built 1942), Empire Prospero (British, 6766 GRT, built 1943), Jalapadma (British, 3935 GRT, built 1929) and Ocean Wanderer (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942).

During the landing operations (some of) the escorts conducted bombardment operations.

They all returned to Bombay around 1100FG/9. (5)