Entering service in late 1943, the cruiser operated during World War II as an escort for the Arctic convoys, and as a jamming ship to prevent the use of radio-controlled bombs and in support of the Omaha Beach landings.

Although not involved in the 1947 Royal New Zealand Navy mutinies, at the start of the month, 140 sailors elected to not return to the ship in protest at the poor pay and working conditions and how their colleagues had been treated.

At dusk, under cover of darkness and maintaining radio and radar silence, the force would proceed at full speed to the French coast to keep the German Narvik-class destroyers bottled up in Brest.

Bellona returned to northern waters for the remainder of the war, sailing on Arctic convoys and accompanying carrier and cruiser sweeps along the Norwegian coastline before arriving in Copenhagen in time for the German surrender in May 1945.

[2] Although the ship had missed the main mutiny at the start of the month, personnel from Bellona were concerned about how their colleagues had been treated and during the afternoon, about 100 sailors assembled in Quay Street, Auckland and decided not to return to duty.

[2] Instead of addressing the complaints, the New Zealand Naval Board declared that any sailor who did not return to duty by the morning of Tuesday 29 April would be marked as Absent Without Leave.

[3] Various charges were laid against them, ranging from "wilfully disobeying a legal command" to "joining a mutiny not accompanied by violence" and the sailors were sentenced to periods of imprisonment up to 92 days.

[4] During the exercise a Hawker Sea Fury from the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney accidentally fired four practice rockets into the superstructure of the New Zealand ship.

[4] Only minor damage was caused and although an inquiry concluded that the pilot had unintentionally pressed the fire button, it was later found that certain signal frequencies transmitted by Sydney’s radios could trigger the aircraft's weapon-firing circuits.

[4] By 1952 a limited attempt at modernisation was being undertaken, with the twin Oerlikons being replaced with land Mk 3 single Bofors, which were upgraded with electric power into the RNZN unique Toadstool CIWS, also refitted to HMNZS Black Prince and intended to be controlled by six STD directors which the Government was reluctant to approve with the uncertain future of the cruiser.