York joined the Norway response after troops assigned to Operation R4 were disembarked as news of the German invasion arrived. She towed the bomb-damaged destroyer HMS Eclipse back for repair rather than leaving the task to another destroyer. With the Town-class cruisers Manchester and Birmingham, she then transported the Green Howards and other troops before assisting the evacuation from Namsos. These practical transport and towing duties show how a smaller heavy cruiser could remain valuable even if she was not ideal for fighting peers. After escorting a convoy around the Cape of Good Hope, York joined the Mediterranean's Third Cruiser Squadron and took part in the Battle of Cape Passero.
Chapter · 33:47-35:46
York as a transport, towing, and convoy cruiser
York's Norway and Mediterranean service included towing a destroyer, transporting troops, evacuating Namsos, escorting around the Cape, and fighting at Cape Passero.