H E A V
Y C R U I S E R S
K E N T C L A S S
County classes
HMS Kent (NavyPhotos)
G e n e r a l I n f o r m a t i o n
This Class
of ship displaced 10,000 tons and were designed by Sir Tennyson D'Eyncourt a
renowned Admiralty naval constructor. They proved superior in operational
conditions compared with foreign cruisers of similar build. Their
accommodation and habitability was superior to that of previous British
cruisers. More importantly they could sustain their designed speed
indefinitely in all weathers without exceeding designed power. During WW2
their high endurance made them ideal ships for patrol in distant waters at a
time when fuelling at sea was not practiced. In addition structural design
ensured good strength and protection of vital areas.
KENT Class
cruisers were armed with eight 8in guns in twin turrets for surface targets
and four single 4in mountings as well as smaller weapons for anti-aircraft
defence. Originally they were fitted with two quadruple Torpedo Tube
mountings but these were removed later. The 8in mountings had a very high rate
of fire and could be elevated to over 65 degrees. Facilities for carrying
aircraft with a hangar were added after build although removed during WW2 in
most ships when war experience showed them of limited value.
The overall
length of the Class varied at about 630 feet, a beam of and a minimum
draught of 16 feet and 3 inches Four
propellers driven by steam turbines with shaft horsepower of 80,000 produced
a speed of 32.5 knots in service. Deck armour protection was provided as
well as for the machinery compartments, steering gear, magazines and gunnery
equipment. Protection by external bulges was provided against torpedo
attack.. The original
Complement of 680 significantly increased after 1939 due to addition of new armament and
radar equipment.
The changes
made during pre-war refits included increasing the height of the funnels,
the provision of aircraft facilities (See above) and replacement of the 4in
single AA guns by twin mountings. Armour protection was added at water line
over the machinery spaces. Close range anti-aircraft armament was
progressively increased during refits after 1939. Radar outfits for aircraft
warning and fire-control of main armament was also fitted when it became
available.
Without
exception all
KENT Class cruisers
(including HMS
BERWICK), made notable contributions to winning the
war at sea. They were particularly effective in the trade defence role where
their long endurance qualities proved their value. HMS
CORNWALL was the only
ship of the Class not to survive the war. Of the remainder only one, HMS
CUMBERLAND, remained in service after 1948.
Royal
Australian Navy
Two ships of
this Class were ordered by the Australian Government in 1924 and a third was
transferred in 1943 to replace a War Loss. The pre-war changes made in the
first 2 ships were as for the RN builds. These included the provision of
aircraft facilities and the replacement of single 4in secondary armament by
twin mountings. Wartime changes were similar in the ships which survived the
war.
HMAS Australia (NavyPhotos)
HMAS
AUSTRALIA - Modernised 1938-39 and refitted in Liverpool in 1940 when
torpedo tubes were removed and AA armament increased. This ship survived WW2
and one of the after 8in mountings (X) was removed during a post war refit.
HMAS
CANBERRA - During a refit in 1941 additional AA armament was fitted. This
ships was lost in August 1942 (See Chronology).
HMAS
SHROPSHIRE - Transferred to replace HMAS CANBERRA. During wartime refits the
AA armament was improved and twin 4in mountings were fitted. Aircraft
facilities were removed prior to transfer and after 1945 torpedo torpedo
tubes were removed and twin 20mm and 40mm Bofor mountings fitted to
replace the single 20mn mountings.
L O N D O N C L A S S
County classes
HMS London (NP/Mark
Teadham)
General
Information
This Class
of ships -
DEVONSHIRE,
LONDON,
SHROPSHIRE,
SUSSEX -
displaced 9,850 tons and were designed by Sir William J Berry of the
Admiralty Naval
Construction Department. Like the KENT Class they proved to be superior
under operational conditions
compared with foreign cruisers of similar build. In particular their
accommodation arid habitability were much better than those found in
previous types of British cruisers. More importantly these ships
were able to sustain their designed speed indefinitely in all weathers
without exceeding their designed power.
During WW2
their high endurance made them ideal ships for patrol in distant waters at a
time when refuelling
at sea was not practised .In addition their structural design was very
strong and provided protection
for vital areas.
LONDON Class
cruisers were armed with eight 8in guns in twin turrets for engagement of
surface targets. Four single 4in mountings and smaller weapons were fitted
to give anti-aircraft defence. The two
quadruple Torpedo Tube mountings also provided on build were not removed
later unlike those in the KENT
Class which were taken out. The 8in mountings had a very high rate of fire and
could be elevated
to over 65 degrees. An aircraft with a maintenance hangar were added after
build and were retained in HMS DEVONSHIRE although removed in other ships
when war experience had shown these facilities had only a limited value.
The overall
length of the Class varied at about 630 feet, a beam of 68 feet 3 inches
arid a minimum draught of
17 feet at standard displacement. Four
propellers driven by steam turbines with shaft horsepower of 80,000 produced
a speed of 32 knots in
service. Deck armour protection was provided as well as for machinery
compartments, steering gear and gunnery equipment. Internal bulges gave the
hull protection against torpedoes. The
original. Complement was 650 but this increased to over 800 after 1939.
The changes
made during Pre-war refits included the provision of aircraft facilities
(See above) and replacement of 4in single AA guns by twin mountings (Only
two in some ships. Extensive improvements to AA protection were
made progressively after 1941.
Without
exception all LONDON Class cruisers made notable contributions to winning
the war at sea. They were particularly effective in the trade defence role
where their long endurance qualities proved their value.
None of this Class was lost but only HMS DEVONSHIRE was retained in service
after 1950.
N O R F
O L
K C L A S S
County classes
HMS Norfolk (NavyPhotos)
General
Information
The fifth
Royal Navy ship to bear the name
NORFOLK and ordered under the 1926 - 27
Programme with HMS
DORSETSHIRE.
Two others to be named NORTHUMBERLAND and SURREY were also provided for but were
subsequently cancelled as an economy measure.
This ship
displaced 9,925 tons and was designed by Sir William Berry, an Admiralty
naval constructor. Like the earlier
KENT Class they proved superior in operational conditions compared with
foreign cruisers of similar
build. Their accommodation and habitability was of a good standard compared
with British cruisers built before
1925. Distinguishing features of the two ships are their Stern Walk, their
lower Bridge structure and the
positions of their AA armament abreast the funnels. During WW2
their high endurance made them ideal ships for patrol in distant waters at a
time when refuelling at sea was not
practiced. In addition the structural design ensured good strength and
protection of vital areas.
NORFOLK-Class cruisers were originally armed with eight 8in guns in twin turrets for
engaging surface targets and four 4in
single mountings as well as smaller weapons for anti-aircraft defence. The
AA armament was later
changed to four twin 4in mountings and one of the 8in turrets aft was removed.
On build two quadruple Torpedo Tube mountings were installed. but these also were
later removed. The 8in mountings had a very high rate of fire and could be
elevated to over 65 degrees. Facilities for carrying an aircraft remained
until war experience had shown these
had only a limited value.
The overall
.length of ships of this Class was 630 feet, a beam of 66 feet 3 and a mean
draught of 17 feet. Four
propellers driven by steam turbines with shaft horsepower of 80,000 produced
a speed of 33 knots in service.
Deck armour protection was provided for the machinery compartments, steering
gear and gunnery
equipment. The original
Complement was 650 but this increased to 710 after 1939.
HMS NORFOLK
was ordered from Faifields at Govan and was laid down in July 1927. She was
launched 12th
December 1928 and completed in June 1930.
During
wartime refits the AA armament was significantly increased as more modem
weapons became available.
Radar equipment including fire control units were also added as shown in
details of war service.
Both ships
of this Class gave notable service and were particularly effective in the
trade defence role in which their long
endurance proved their value. HMS DORSETSHIRE was lost in action against
Japanese aircraft in the
Indian Ocean on 5th April 1942. HMS NORFOLK survived the war and became
Flagship for CinC Far East Station
in December 1945 after a refit at Devonport Dockyard. She came back to UK to
pay-off in May 1949 and was
laid up in Reserve at Falmouth until 1950 when sold for breaking- up at
Newport.
Y O R K C
L A S S
HMS York (NavyPhotos)
G e n e r a
l I n f o r m a t i o n
The eleventh
Royal Navy ship to bear the name YORK and ordered under the 1927-28
Programme as the first of Class. The
design was the first British attempt to break away from the heavier 10,000
ton type of cruiser. Bysacrificing
one twin 8in gun turret a saving of about 1,600 tons was achieved without
significantly reducing the overall
capability required. Although five ships of this type were originally
planned only two were built, the other being
cancelled for economic reasons.
Designed by
Sir William Berry, HMS
YORK displaced 8,250 tons but HMS
EXETER which was
ordered a year later had a
slightly wider beam of 1 foot (58 ft) which thereby increased the
displacement to 8,390 tons. Their
accommodation and habitability was not as good as that of the earlier
cruisers of the LONDON and KENT Classes.
When first designed the ships were to have had three funnels but in a
subsequent change one was eliminated
by trunking the boiler up-takes for the forward funnels. HMS YORK is easily
distinguished by her high funnels
necessary to keep fumes away from the bridge and which like the masts were
raked. She also had a larger
bridge structure compared with HMS EXETER which had straight funnels and a
smaller more compact bridge structure.
YORK Class
cruisers were armed with six 8in guns in twin turrets for engagement of
surface targets. Four single 4in
mountings and smaller weapons were fitted to provide anti-aircraft defence.
Two triple Torpedo Tube mountings
were installed instead of the quadruple type previously found in cruisers,
as the space needed to train the
quadruple mountings was restricted. The original design allowed for two
seaplanes to be carried, one of which was to
be launched from a forward turret. However the strength of the turret
structure proved to be inadequate
and the catapult was never fitted. As a result only one aircraft was carried
and launched from the midship
catapult abaft the after funnel. A crane was fitted for recovery of the
seaplane.
The overall
length of the Class was 575 feet, a beam of 57 and a mean draught of 17
feet. Four propellers driven by steam
turbines with shaft horsepower of 80,000 produced a speed of 32 knots in
service. Deck and side armour
protection was fitted as well as 3in armour for the Gunnery Director and 1
1/2
inches over steering gear . The designed
Complement was 600 but this increased after 1939 when more personnel were
required for additional AA armament
and other war requirements.
Some
improvements were made In HMS YORK during a refit in 1931 when the upper
deck plating was extended farther aft
to the forward funnel. This provided additional accommodation and also
improved habitability in rough
weather. There were no other major changes during war service.
Both ships
were lost during WW2. HMS YORK was sunk by air attacks at Suda Bay in
Crete after being seriously
damaged by an Italian explosive motor boat . HMS EXETER was
lost in a valiant action with
Japanese warships during the defence of the Dutch East Indies in 1941 . She
is also renowned for her part in the action with German battleship ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE off the Plate estuary in 1939.
L I G H T
C R U I S E R S
C - C L A S S E S
HMS Caledon (NP/Paul
Simpson)
G e n e r a
l I n f o r m a t i o n
In all
fourteen ships of this type were ordered under Emergency War Programmes
between 1915 and
1918. They were a development of the 1912 ARETHUSA Class. The first orders
for three were
followed by a second batch of five the next year. Orders for a third batch, also of five
ships were placed in 1917. One ship of the first batch, HMS CASSANDRA was
lost in 1918
after being mined in the Baltic Sea.
They were
built to reinforce the Royal Navy's strength in this type of warship. Ships in the
second and third batches were designed with a Trawler bow to reduce the
effect of the sea
in rough weather or when at high speed. An aircraft hangar was fitted in HMS CARLISLE and
HMS CAPETOWN during build but removed before 1938. Some of this Class were fitted for
use as Flagships and deployed before 1935 on foreign stations.
HMS Ceres (NP/Mark Teadham)
As part of
the re-armament programme in 1935 two C Class Cruisers were selected for conversion
into Anti-Aircraft Cruisers and were known as COVENTRY Class. Before the outbreak of
WW2 conversion of the others was planned but only five more were completed.
Name |
Builder |
Launch date |
Remarks |
CALEDON Class - 1915 Emergency War Programme |
CALEDON |
Cammell Laird |
25.11.16 |
Converted 1942 - 1943 |
CASSANDRA |
Vickers |
25-11.16 |
Lost in Baltic 12.1918. |
CARADOC |
Scotts |
23.12.16 |
Not converted. |
CALYPSO |
Hawthorn Leslie |
24. 1.18 |
Not converted. |
CERES Class - 1916 Emergency War Programme |
CERES |
John Brown |
24. 3-17 |
Conversion cancelled 1939 |
CARDIFF |
Fairfields |
12. 1.17 |
Conversion cancelled 1939. |
CURACOA |
Harland & Wolff |
5.5 17 |
Converted 1939 - 1940. |
CURLEW |
Vickers |
5.7.17 |
Converted 1936 - 1937 |
COVENTRY |
Swan Hunter |
6.7.17 |
Converted 1935- |
CARLISLE Class -1917 Emergency War Programme |
CARLISLE |
Fairfields |
9. 7-18 |
Converted 1939 - 1940. |
CALCUTTA |
Vickers |
9. 7.18 |
Converted 1939 - 1940. |
CAIRO |
Cammell Laird |
19.11.18 |
Converted 1939 - 1940 |
COLOMBO |
Fairfields |
18.12.19 |
Converted 1942 - 1943 |
CAPETOWN |
Cammell Laird |
28. 6.19 |
Not converted. |
HMS
Carlisle (NavyPhotos)
Particulars
(CALEDON Class as designed). Others similar
Displacement |
4,180 tons on build. |
Armament |
5 -
6in; 2 - 3in; smaller AA weapons; 1 Twin 21in Torpedo Tubes. |
Dimensions |
Length 150 feet: Beam : 12 feet 9 inches. Draught : 11 feet 3
inches. |
Machinery |
2
Shafts : Steam turbines 10,000 SHP : Speed 29 knots. |
Endurance |
6,000 miles at 12 knots; 1,300 miles at maximum continuous speed. |
Armour |
Protection was provided on the decks and for the gunnery Director. |
Complement |
437
(Increased to 500 in converted ships during WW2) |
The ships
converted proved invaluable during WW2 and they served with great
distinction during the
Norwegian operations and later in the Mediterranean. Six ships were lost and
one damaged beyond repair.
Name |
Date |
Details |
CURLEW |
26.
5.40 |
By
aircraft bombs off Norway. |
CALYPSO |
12.
6.40 |
By
submarine torpedo off Crete. |
CALCUTTA |
1.
6.11 |
By
aircraft bombs off Crete. |
CAIRO |
12.
8.12 |
By
submarine torpedo off Bizerta. |
COVENTRY |
14.
9-42 |
By
aircraft bombs off Tobruk. |
CURACOA |
2.10.12 |
In
collision with rms QUEEN MARY. |
CARLISLE |
11.43 |
Declared Constructive Total Loss after damage. |
I M P R
O V
E D B I R M I N G H A M o r
H A W K I N S C L A S S
HMS
Frobisher (NP/Paul Simpson)
G e n e r a
l I n f o r m a t i o n
Five Light
Cruisers of this Class were built. Later, after WW1, they became known as
HAWKINS Class. They were ordered under War Emergency Programmes but were not
ready for service until after November 1918
Name |
Builder |
Launched |
Remarks |
EFFINGHAM |
HM
Dockyard Portsmouth |
8th
June 1921 |
Ran
aground off Norway and wrecked May 1940 |
FROBISHER |
HM
Dockyard Devonport |
20th
March 1920 |
Broken-up at Newport 1949 |
HAWKINS |
HM
Dockyard Chatham |
3rd
June 1916 |
Broken up at Dalmuir, 1947. |
RALEIGH |
Beardmore |
28th
August 1919 |
Ran
aground off Labrador, August 1922. |
VINDICTIVE
(Ex
CAVENDISH) |
Harland and Wolff |
17th
January 1918 |
Launched as CAVENDISH. Completed as an Aircraft Carrier and renamed.
Converted to Cruiser 1923-5. Demilitarised for use as Cadet Training
Ship 1936-7. Converted to Repair Ship 1940. Broken up at Blyth.1946. |
These ships
displaced 9,750 tons as designed and were 605 feet long overall with a beam
of 65 feet and a draught of 17 feet 3 inches. By 1945 the two ships still in
an operational use had an increased displacement due to changes of equipment
fitted. Their main
armament as designed comprised seven 7-5in single mountings with twelve 2
Pdr guns. In addition they carried six. 21in torpedo tubes, two being
submerged and 4 deck mounted. HMS HAWKINS was the only ship in the Class
completed with the designed armament. Some armour protection was fitted for
sides, upper deck and over machinery and steering gear. These ships also had
external bulges to give protection against torpedo hits.
Extensive
changes in the armament were made in all ships and in 1939 after re-arming
HMS HAWKINS had seven 7.5in for surface engagements with four 4in single
mountings and four 2Pdr pom-pom guns for anti- aircraft defence. Six 21in
torpedo tubes were fitted. During refits later in WW2 additional close range
AA guns and radar were installed.
The
propulsion machinery as designed provided 65,000 shaft horse power driving
four shafts. It included 6 oil fired and two coal fired boilers. However HMS
HAWKINS was converted to full oil firing in 1929 when two boilers were
removed. This reduced, the shaft horsepower to 55,000 and speed from 30
knots to 29 knots. Her endurance at full speed after this change was 2,900
miles and at 10 knots 10,600 miles.
All ships in
this Class were designed to be used as Flagships having a complement of over
700 but this increased during WW2 in the two ships in service after 1940 due
to addition of radar and close range AA guns.
HAWKINS
Class cruisers, being of WW1 design were unsuited to the demands placed on
the Royal Navy in WW2 except in the trade defence role. The modernisation
and refit carried out during the 1930's did not include the addition of
adequate AA armament and their main contribution was in trade defence,
particularly in the Indian Ocean.
It is worth
recording that two of this Class were wrecked after running aground and that
three were specially altered for use as Cadet training ships.
L E A N D E R C L A S S
HMS Leander (NP/Mark
Teadham)
D e t a i l
s o f C l a s
s
Estimates |
Name |
Remarks |
First Group (single funnel) |
1929 |
LEANDER |
Lead ship. Scrapped at Blyth 13/1/50 |
1930 |
ORION |
Scrapped at Troon 19/7/49. |
|
NEPTUNE |
Lost in Mediterranean 19/12/41. |
|
ACHILLES |
At Battle of River Plate.
Transferred to India as DELHI on 1948 (Note : Serving with tine
New Zealand Division as HMS ACHILLES at the outbreak of WW2 and
integrated into the Royal New Zealand Navy when it was
established by Order in Council in July 1941. She was formally
transferred on 1st October 1941 and then became HMNZS ACHILLES.) |
1931 |
AJAX |
At Battle of River Plate. Scrapped at Newport 11/49. |
Second Group (two funnels |
|
AMPHION |
Built for Royal Australian Navy. Renamed HMAS
PERTH. Lost in action 1/3/42. |
1932 |
HOBART |
Built for Royal Australian Navy. (Ex APOLLO) . Scrapped in Japan
1962 |
|
SYDNEY |
Built for Royal Australian Navy. Lost in action 19/11/41. |
HMS Perth (NP/Bruce Constable)
This Class
of ship displaced about 7,000 and represented a return to a moderate size
compared with the earlier 10,000 ton
heavy cruisers. Their main armament of 6 inch guns was of a new design using
the Auto-frettage system of
barrel rifling instead of being wire wound. These guns were mounted in twin
turrets which were believed to to be
superior in performance compared with the triple mountings used in the
German KOLN Class cruisers. The roomy
turrets allowed guns to elevate to 60 degrees.
In addition
to the four twin 6in mountings used for engaging surface targets, LEANDER
Class cruisers had four single 4in
guns and smaller weapons for anti-aircraft defence. These ships were also
fitted with two quadruple 21 inch torpedo tube
mountings.
Although the
design was criticised as being underarmed for its size and considered
vulnerable because of adjacent boiler rooms
their service in WW2 belied these misgivings since they survived shell,
torpedo and bomb damage. The initial
design also included facilities for a seaplane and a catapult used for its
launch. A crane was provided for recovery of
the aircraft. During a refit in 1937, the single 4in AA mountings were
replaced by four twin mountings of a modem
design. Later during WW2 the aircraft facilities were removed to enable the
fitting of more close-range anti-aircraft
guns. Extensive additions were made to the number of Close Range AA weapons
and several radar sets were fitted for
aircraft warning and surface warning as well as for fire control of main and
AA armament. Two ships of the Class, HMS
LEANDER and HMS ACHILLES, had one of the after 6in turrets removed so as to
save top-weight when the additional AA weapons were fitted.
The overall
length of this Class was about 554 feet with a beam of 55 feet 8 inches and
a draught of 16 feet at standard
displacement. Four propellers driven by turbines with shaft horsepower of
72,000 produced a speed of 32 knots in service. Design arrangements for
propulsion machinery in ships of Group 2 were significantly changed by
adoption of the Unit
System in which Boiler and Engine Rooms were separately associated with
drive for Inner or Outer propeller shafts. This
arrangement introduced use of two funnels and enables these ships to be
easily identified. Four boilers were used as
opposed to six in Group 1 and layout of machinery compartments differed.
Upper deck layout differed with
aircraft catapult sited between the funnels, secondary armament and torpedo
tubes were re-position further aft. The armour
protection was provided for decks and side as well as for the machinery
compartments and gunnery equipment.
Complement as designed was 550 in peace and 715 in war, but it increased in
WW2 due to fitting of additional
equipment.
Three of the
Class had been broken-up by 1951 and the fourth which survived WW2 was transferred
to India. She served with the Indian Navy until the mid 1970's.
A R E T H U
S A C L A S S
HMS Arethusa (NP/Mark
Teadham)
G e n e r a
l I n f o r m a t i o n
This Class
was designed within Treaty limits and were intended primarily for the
defence of ocean trade and to be easily
produced in large numbers. Costs were kept low by extensive use of welding
and provision of aluminium covered
plywood for the bulkheads of accommodation spaces. The cost of building each
ship was over £1.2M excluding
items supplied by Admiralty such as weapons and communication equipment.
Four ships
were built to this basic design but the last two (HMS PENELOPE and HMS
AURORA) were fitted with four twin 4
inch High Angle guns instead of single 4 inch mountings. These ships
also had a gunnery control director
fitted for these anti-aircraft mountings which was sited abaft the mainmast.
The searchlight in that position was placed
aft of the second funnel.
D e t a i l
s o f C l a s s
Estimates |
Name |
Remarks |
1931 |
ARETHUSA |
Lead
ship. Broken up in 1950 |
1932 |
GALATEA |
Sunk
off Alexandria on 11/12/41 |
1933 |
PENELOPE |
Sunk
off Anzio 8/2/44. |
1934 |
AURORA |
Sold
to China as CHUNGKING in 1948. |
This Class
of ship displaced about 5,270 tons and were smaller than the earlier
7,000tons LEANDER Class. Their main
armament comprised six 6 inch guns mounted in twin turrets for engaging
surface targets. As described above the AA
defence was improved in the last two ships which had 4 twin mountings. Close
range AA defence was further
implemented during WW2 following bitter experience in Norway by the addition
of 20mm Oerlikon guns. All four
ships carried two triple 21 inch torpedo tube mountings fitted on the upper
deck.
The initial
design also included aircraft facilities with hangar and a catapult, except
in HMS AURORA which had additional
superstructure amidships. A crane was provided for recovery of the aircraft
and handling boats. The aircraft
facilities were removed during WW2 to allow the installation of acre
close-range AA guns.
The overall
length of this Class was 506 feet with a beam of 51 feet and a draught of
about 14 feet at standard
displacement. Four propellers driven by turbines of 64,000 shaft horsepower
produced a speed of 32 knots in service.
Armour protection was provided for decks and sides including the machinery
compartments and turrets. The
arrangements of machinery compartments in the ARETHUSA Class differed from
the earlier LEANDER Class design.
These four ships had two sets of turbines and boilers fitted in two separate
compartments to prevent total flooding of
the boiler rooms In the event of damage in action or in collision. As a
result they had two funnels, unlike the
single funnelled LEANDERS. Another engineering feature was the use of fluid
flywheel transmission forthe speedy
transfer of power from the main engines to cruising turbines.
As designed
the Complement was 550 in peace and 715 in war, but this increased in WW2 due
to fitting of additional equipment
such as radar and AA guns.
During WW2
ARETHUSA Class cruisers served with distinction both in Home waters in
Norway and in the
Mediterranean for the defence of supply convoys to Malta and the support of
military operations in North Africa. HMS AURORA
served in Home waters, including the Norwegian campaign before going to the
Mediterranean to join Force
K for operations against enemy supply convoys to North Africa. She was twice
badly damaged but survived the war as
shown in the Chronology. Some names of this Class were again used for
LEANDER Class Frigates built after 1961.
S O U T H A
M P T O N O R T O W N
C L A S S E S
HMS Southampton (NP/Bruce constable)
G e n e r a
l I n f o r m a t i o n
Eight
SOUTHAMPTONS were constructed and all entered service before the outbreak of
war in September 1939. They were the British response to the American
SAVANNAH Class and Japanese MOGAMI Class cruisers of a similar size and
armament. The British ships had a striking appearance easily recognised by
their two raked funnels which were a departure from the design of earlier
Classes of cruiser.
Ships in
this batch displaced 9,100 tons and were armed with four triple 6 inch
turrets for engaging surface targets and four twin 4in gun mountings with
several other types of smaller guns for anti- aircraft defence. Facilities
were provided for carrying three WALRUS seaplanes which were launched using
an athwartships catapult and recovered by a crane. The basic design included
a maintenance hangar.
Changes were
made to the armament of the Class including the addition of several close
close range AA guns and the removal of X turret. The latter major alteration
was not implemented in HMS MANCHESTER because of her premature loss. The overall
length of the batch was 591 feet and 6 inches, a beam of 62 feet 8 inches
and a draught of 20 feet. Four
propellers driven by steam turbines with shaft horsepower of 82,500 gave a
speed of 32 knots. Armour protection was provided for machinery compartments
and for the main armament turrets.
After the
outbreak of war radar was fitted for detection of aircraft and also for fire
control of both main armament and anti-aircraft weapons. Improved outfits
were installed during refits and when ships were modernised. The original
Complement was 700 but this increased very significantly during WW2 due to
the addition of more equipment.
Details of Ships
Programme |
Name |
Builder |
Launched |
Completed |
Remarks |
1933 |
SOUTHAMPTON |
John
Brown |
10.
3.36 |
6.
3.37 |
Ex
POLYPHEMUS. Lost 11. 1.41 in air attacks |
|
NEWCASTLE |
Vickers, Tyne |
23
1.36 |
5.
3.37 |
Ex
MINOTAUR. Scrapped 8.59. |
1934 |
SHEFFIELD |
Vickers, Tyne |
23.
7.36 |
25.
8.37 |
Scrapped 9.67. |
|
BIRMINGHAM |
Devonport Dyd. |
1.
9.36 |
18.11.37 |
Scrapped 9.60. |
|
GLASGOW |
Scotts,Greenock |
20.
6.36 |
8.
9.37 |
Scrapped 7.58. |
1935 |
GLOUCESTER |
Devonport Dyd. |
19.10.37 |
31.
1.39 |
Lost
22.5.41 in air attack. |
|
LIVERPOOL |
Fairfield, Govan |
24.
3.37 |
25.10.38 |
Scrapped 7.58. |
|
MANCHESTER |
Hawthorn Leslie |
12.
4.37 |
4.
8.38 |
Lost
13. 8.42 in air attack. |
Three ships
of the Class HMS SOUTHAMPTON, HMS MANCHESTER and HMS GLOUCESTER were lost in
action in the Mediterranean. Four of the surviving ships served for ten
years after 1945 and the other cruiser of the Class, HMS LIVERPOOL Paid-off
in 1953. Between 1950 and 1952 HMS NEWCASTLE and HMS BIRMINGHAM underwent
major reconstruction including the fit of air conditioning in some
compartments. Structural changes in these two ships included a new design
lattice foremast and a rounded Bridge structure which make them easy to
identify. The
excellence of the design arrangements is proved by the fact that it was
followed in the later Classes of cruisers and by their excellent record of
war service.
Two ships of
an Improved SOUTHAMPTON Class were ordered in the 1936 Build Programme and
named:-HMS EDINBURGH and HMS BELFAST.
I M P R O V E D S O U T H A M P T O N O
R E D I N B U R G H C L A S
S
HMS Edinburgh (NavyPhotos)
General Information
Two ships of
this type were ordered on 15th August 1936 and were larger than those of the
SOUTHAMPTON Class
ordered
under the 1933, 1934 and 1935 Estimates. The Improved
SOUTHAMPTON Class comprised :
HMS
BELFAST
from Harland and Wolff, Belfast.
HMS
EDINBURGH
from Swan Hunter, Newcastle.
Both ships
were completed before the outbreak of war in September 1939- The earlier
SOUTHAMPTON Class heavy
cruisers were designed as the British response to American SAVANNAH Class
and Japanese MOGAMI Class
of a similar size and armament. Both
Improved SOUTHAMPTON Class cruisers had their two slightly raked funnels in
a position much nearer the stem, the second being sited abaft the mainmast.
This feature makes them easily distinguished from any other British cruiser.
Their
Standard Displacement was 11,580 tons (14,930 tons at Full load). They had a
main armament of four triple 6 inch gun turrets for engaging surface targets
and had four twin 4in gun mountings with several other smaller anti-
aircraft weapons. In addition they were fitted with two sets of triple
torpedo tubes mounted amidships on either beam on the upper deck for attacks
on surface ships. Three WALRUS type seaplanes launched using an athwartships
catapult and recovered using a crane were also provided. A hangar was
included in the original design but the requirement to carry aircraft in cruisers was
changed during WW2 as a matter of policy and this facility was removed.
The overall
length of the batch was 613 feet and 6 inches, beam of 63 feet 4 inches and
a draught of 17 feet 3 inches. Four
propellers driven by steam turbines having a shaft horsepower of 82,000
produced a speed of 32 knots. The endurance at
14 knots was 8,000 miles. Improved
armour protection was provided in these two ships, compared with the earlier
SOUTHAMPTON Class and covered sides, machinery compartments and the main
armament.
The original
Complement was 710 but this increased significantly after 1939 due to the
fitting of radar outfits and additional
close range AA weapons. After their
completion and following the extensive structural damage caused when HMS
BELFAST detonated a magnetic mine in December 1939, the design of both ships
had to be extensively reviewed. As a result it was decided to provide more
strengthening. War experience with both ships showed that their design
arrangement were not satisfactory comparedwith the
original SOUTHAMPTON Class.
HMS
EDINBURGH had a very active career in every sense and saw service in Home
waters and in the Mediterranean. Whilst returning from Murmansk with a cargo
of bullion she was torpedoed soon after joining the escort for a returning
Russian Convoy. Extensive damage was caused including loss of rudder.
Despite the efforts made to return to Murmansk these were frustrated by an
attack by German destroyers. Although one was sunk by HMS EDINURGH after a
surface gun action the ship was again hit by 2 torpedoes fired by one of the
enemy destroyers and sustained further damage that proved beyond control.
HMS EDINBURGH had therefore to be abandoned and was sunk by our own forces.
HMS BELFAST
was out of comnission for many months after detonating a magnetic mine in
1939 but after rejoining the Fleet in 1943 saw extensive service and took
part in the Battle of North Cape in December when the German battleship
SCHARNHORST was sunk in an action with the Hone Fleet. As shown in the
Chronology she remained in service after WW2 and is still afloat in the Pool
of London as Museum ship.
D I D O C L A S S A N T I - A I R C
R A FT C R U I S E R S
HMS Dido (NavyPhotos)
G e n e r a l I n f o r ma t i o n
This type of
cruiser was developed from the earlier ARETHUSA Class and was intended to
improve the
anti-aircraft defences of the Fleet. Despite the lack of an effective
fire-control system and the selection of the 5.25in
Dual Purpose gun mounting which was too heavy for its role, this Class of
ship had an outstanding record
during WW2. Owing to a shortage of 5.25in mountings two of the four ships in
the third batch were fitted with
twin 4.5in mountings (*). Eleven DIDO Class ships were ordered before the
outbreak of war in September
1939 and these were followed by five of the Improved DIDO Class. The later
ships mounted only four
twin 5.25in mountings.
Details of Ships
Build Programme |
Name |
Builder |
Launched |
Remarks |
1936
|
DIDO |
Cammell Laird |
18.
7.39 |
Scrapped 1958 |
|
EURYALUS |
HM
Dockyard Chatham |
6.
6.39 |
Scrapped 1959 |
|
NAIAD |
Hawthorn Leslie |
3.2.39 |
Lost
11 March 1942 |
|
PHOEBE |
Fairfield |
25.
3.39 |
Scrapped 1956 |
|
SIRIUS |
HM
Dockyard, Portsmouth |
18.
9.40 |
Scrapped 1956 |
1937
|
BONAVENTURE |
Scotts |
19.
4.39 |
Lost
31 March 1941 |
|
HERMIONE |
Stephen |
18.
5.39 |
Lost
16 June 1942 |
1938
|
CHARYBDIS
* |
Cammell Laird |
17.
9 39 |
Lost
23 October 1943 |
|
CLEOPATRA |
Hawthorn Leslie |
27.
3.40 |
Scrapped 1958 |
|
SCYLLA* |
Scotts |
24.
7.40 |
Scrapped 1950 |
|
ARGONAUT |
Cammell Laird |
6.
9.41 |
Scrapped 1955 |
Improved DIDO Class 1939 Programme
HMS Bellona (NavyPhotos)
BELLONA |
Fairfield |
29.
9 42 |
RNZN
1948-56. Scrapped 1959 |
BLACK PRINCE |
Harland & Wolff |
27.
8.42 |
RNZN
1948. Scrapped 1962 |
DIADEM |
Hawthorn Leslie |
28.
8.42 |
Transferred to Pakistan 1956 |
ROYALIST |
Scotts |
30
5. 42 |
RNZN
1956 |
SPARTAN |
Vickers Barrow |
27.8.42 |
Lost
29th January 1944 |
Particulars
as Designed
|
DIDO
Class |
Improved DIDO Class |
Displacement : |
5,450 tons |
5,770 tons |
Armament |
5
Twin 5-25in
(Except * see above) |
4
Twin 5.25in |
|
2
Triple 21in Torpedo Tubes |
2
Triple Torpedo Tubes |
Length |
512
feet |
512
feet |
Beam |
50
feet 6 inches |
50
feet 6 inches |
Draught |
14
feet |
14
feet 9 inches |
Machinery |
2
Shafts: Turbines 62,000 SHP |
2
shafts :Turbines 62,000 SHP |
Speed |
33
Knots |
33
knots |
Armour |
Decks, Machinery & Armament |
Decks, Machinery and Armament |
Complement |
550 |
530 |
Many
additional Close Range 20mm mountings were fitted during build and during
refit In service. Three ships had Q Turret forward removed and replaced by
this type of weapon. By 1947 six of the Class had been placed in Reserve and one put on
the Disposal List. Ships remaining in service had all been Paid-off by 1956,
except HMS BLACK PRINCE transferred
to the RNZN which remained in commission until 1961.HMS DIADEM was sold to
Pakistan and renamed BABAR after
a refit paid by US funds.
C O L O N Y O R F I J I C L A S S
E S
HMS Fiji (NP/Bruce Constable)
G e n e r a l I n f o r m a t i o n
The first five ships of the FIJI Class were ordered under
the 1937 Estimates and were followed by another four in the Programme for 1938. Their basic design evolved from
the earlier SOUTHAMPTON Class of heavy cruiser. However war experience showed the need for a much
greater anti-aircraft defence and the main armament was changed after they entered service, except for
ships which had been lost. Ships built to the new design were known as Modified FIJI Class Cruisers.
Original
FIJI Class
Build Programme |
Name |
Builder |
Launched |
Completed |
Remarks |
1937 |
FIJI |
John
Brown |
31.
5.39 |
5
.40 |
Lost
by air attack off Crete 22. 5.41 |
|
KENYA
* |
Stephens, Govan |
18.
8.39 |
8.40 |
Scrapped Faslane 10.62 |
|
MAURITIUS |
Swan
Hunter |
19.
7.39 |
12.40 |
Scrapped Rosyth 1965 |
|
NIGERIA
* |
Vickers,Tyne |
18.
7 39 |
9.40. |
Transferred to Indian Navy as MYSORE 1967. |
|
TRINIDAD |
Devonport Dyd |
21.
3.40 |
10.41 |
Completion delayed by air raid damage. Sunk in Barents Sea by own
forces after damage in air attacks. |
1938
|
GAMBIA* |
Swan
Hunter |
30.11.40 |
2.42 |
Scrapped Rosyth 1969 |
|
JAMAICA
* |
Vickers, Barrow |
16.11.40 |
6.42 |
Scrapped Dalmuir 1960 |
1939
|
BERMUDA* |
John
Brown |
11.
9.41 |
8.42 |
Scrapped 1965 |
* Ships converted to Modified design during service.
Modified
FIJI Class
1938 |
CEYLON |
John
Brown |
30.
7.42 |
7.43 |
Sold
to Peru 1959 |
|
UGANDA |
Vickers,Tyne |
7.
8.41 |
1.43
|
Presented to Canada 1944. Renamed QUEBEC in 1952 |
1939 |
NEWFOUNDLAND |
Swan
Hunter |
19.12.41 |
12.42 |
Sold
to Peru 1959 |
The original design incorporating four triple 6in turrets as
main armament was changed to three triple turrets during service by removal of X turret. The facilities for carrying
three seaplanes were also removed after 1942 when experience in war had shown them to be of limited value.
COLONY Class cruisers displaced 8,000 tons as originally
designed but increased due to changes made during and after WW2. They were 555 feet 6 inches in overall length
with a beam of 62 feet and a mean draught of 16 feet. Main armament was originally 4 triple 6in turrets and four
twin 4in secondary armament plus close range 20mm guns. The number of these was increased during WW2 and was not the
same in all ships. After 1945 the close range 20mm weapons were replaced by
40mm Bofor type mountings. The
original design included a pair of 21in Torpedo Tube mountings but these were removed in the Modified design.
Four propellers driven by steam turbines with shaft horsepower of 72,500 gave a speed of 29 knots in service.
Deck and side armour protection was provided as well as that for the armament equipment. The designed Complement was
750 but this increased significantly when radar and additional weapon equipment was installed.
Ships of this Class were extensively deployed both at Horns
and overseas during WW2 as is shown by their Battle Honours. Two of the Class were lost in action during WW2.
HMS FIJI was sunk after air attacks during the defence of Crete in May 1941 .HMS TRINIDAD had been damaged by one
of her own torpedoes which had malfunctioned after an action against German destroyers in defence of a
Russian convoy. Following temporary repair in a North Russian port, during passage to UK she sustained further
major damage in air attacks and had to be sunk boy own forces
M I N O T A U R
O R S W I F T S U R E C L A S S
HMS Swiftsure (NavyPhotos)
General Information
This Class
of cruiser was a modification of the improved design of the later FIJI Class
which were completed
with only three triple 6in turrets as dual purpose main armament for surface
or anti-aircraft use. Six
ship were ordered in 1941 and a further two the next year, but only six were
completed.
The
displacement of the first six ships was 8,800 tons, increased to 15,280 tons
in the last two. The overall length was
555 feet in the first six with a beam of 64 feet and draught of 17 feet. In
the last two ships these were
650 feet x 75 feet x 24 feet (full load).
The main
armament comprised three triple 6in turrets, two mounted forward and
one aft. Fit of an additional
twin 4in AA mounting to increase the defence against air attacks gave a
secondary armament of five twin 4in mountings. The first six ships had four
quadruple 2Pdr mountings and six 40 mm single mountings. The Close range AA
defence in the last two was significantly increased by having ten twin 40mm
mountings and 16 twin 20mm mountings in the final design. Four sets of
quadruple torpedo tubes were
provided in place of the two triple mountings in the earlier design. No
provision was made for any aircraft..
Main
Propulsion machinery in the first six ships comprised 4 geared turbines with
72,500 SHP driving four shafts
to give a designed speed of 32 knots, In the last two ships the turbines
were up-rated to 100,000 SHP giving
the same speed to a larger ship.
War
complement in the first batch was about 1,000 and in the last two ships over
1,200 because of the increased
equipment fit, especially for manning and support of weapon equipment.
Extensive
radar equipment was fitted to provide warning of aircraft, warning of
surface ships or land and for fire
control of main, secondary and close range armament.
The ships of
this Class were :
Ship |
Builder |
Launched |
Completed |
Notes |
SWIFTSURE |
Vickers, Tyne |
4/2/43 |
22/6/44 |
Scrapped 17/10/62 |
ONTARIO
(RCN) |
Harland & Wolff |
29/7/43 |
25/25/45 |
Ex
MINOTAUR Scrapped 19/11/60 |
*TIGER |
Clyde |
25/10/45 |
18/3/59 |
Ex
BELLEROPHON. Post war redesign |
*LION |
Scotts, Greenock. Completed by Swan Hunter |
2/9/44 |
20//7/60 |
Ex
DEFENCE.
Post war redesign. |
SUPERB |
Swan
Hunter |
31/8/43 |
16/11/45 |
Scrapped 8/8/60 |
BELLERPHON |
Vickers, Tyne |
not
launched |
- |
Ex
TIGER (i) 1945, Ex BLAKE(ii) 1944. Cancelled 3/46 |
*BLAKE |
Fairfield, Govan |
20/12/45 |
8/3/61 |
Ex
TIGER 1944 |
HAWKE |
Portsmouth Dyd |
not
launched |
- |
Cancelled 3/46 |
Notes:
*Work on these three ships was suspended after 1946 and in
1954 build recommenced to
a revised design.
HMS TIGER was first deployed as a cruiser between 1959 and 1966 and
then converted
for use as a Helicopter cruiser for amphibious operations. She paid-off
in 1978.
HMS LION was deployed as a cruiser until 1972 when placed in Reserve.
HMS BLAKE was deployed as a cruiser till 1964 and converted for use as
a Helicopter
Cruiser in which role she served until paying off in 1979.
C R U I S
E R M I N E L A Y E R S
A B D I E L C L A S S
F A S T M I N E L A Y E R S
HMS Abdiel (NP/Bob
Hanley)
General
Information
Four ships
of this type were ordered under the 1938 Estimates and described as LATONA
Class Cruiser Minelayers. Since the loss of HMS LATONA they have generally
been called ABDIEL Class Fast Minelayers and were designed for speedy
minelaying operations in hostile waters. These ships ware the fastest
cruisers in the Royal Navy at the time of their build and had a designed
speed of 40 knots but this was not attained in service. A second
batch of two ships was ordered under War Estimates.
Build
Programme |
Ship |
Builder |
Launched |
Completion |
Disposal |
1938 |
MANXMAN |
Alex.
Stephen |
05/09/40 |
20/6/41 |
Scrapped
10/72 |
|
ABDIEL |
J S White |
23/04/40 |
15/04/41 |
Mined
10/09/43 |
|
LATONA |
Thornycroft |
20/08/40 |
04/05/41 |
Air attack
25/10/41 |
|
WELSHMAN |
Hawthorn
Leslie |
04/09/40 |
25/08/41 |
Torpedoed
01/02/43 |
1942 |
APOLLO |
Hawthorn
Leslie |
05/04/43 |
12/02/44 |
Scrapped
28/11/62 |
|
ARIADNE |
Alex.
Stephen |
16/02/43 |
09/10/43 |
Scrapped
14/02/65 |
ABDIEL Class
minelayers displaced 2,650 tons and had an overall length of 418 feet, a
beam of 40 feet and a mean draught of 11 feet 2 inches. During build the
first batch of four ships ware fitted with three twin 4.7in mountings for
surface defence. After 1942 these mountings were replaced by twin 4in HA to
provide defence against air attack but still retaining a surface capability.
The last two ships were fitted with two twin 4in HA mountings during build,
one mounted forward and the other aft. All ships had radar fire control of
the main armament. Progressive improvements in Close range AA weapons were
made in all ships during war service. Their minelaying capacity was 160
mines.
Two
propellers driven by steam turbines with shaft horsepower of 72,000 gave a
speed of over 35 knots in service. Endurance at full speed was about 1,000
miles. The original Complement was about 300 in war but reduced in peace to
about 250.
During WW2
the ABDIEL Class Fast Minelayers carried out extensive minelaying in many
parts of the world. However, between 1941 and 1943 they were frequently used
for other duties which required the use of a ship capable of sustained
periods at high speed. In particular they were in demand for high priority
requirements such as the transport of personnel and stores to Crete, Malta,
Cyprus and Tobruk. Their spacious design and high speed made them very
successful but also vulnerable, especially to air attack.
Three ABDIEL
Class Fast Minelayers were lost. HMS WELSHMAN was the only one in use at the
time for a minelaying operation. She was returning to Alexandria from a
minelay in the central Mediterranean when torpedoed by U617 off Crete. HMS
ABDIEL sank after she detonated a mine at Taranto during the allied
occupation in September 1943, and HMS LATONA was sunk in air attack during
support of the Tobruk garrison in October 1941 and had never been deployed
on a minelaying operation. The remaining three ships survived the war and
were then reduced to Reserve. HMS MANXMAN was seriously damaged when
torpedoed by U375 during passage to Gibraltar from Algiers in December 1943-
Major repair kept the ship out of service until May 1945.
After VJ Day
the remaining ships were deployed in the Pacific to carry personnel, mail
and stores in support of repatriation and other British Pacific Fleet
activities. They returned to UK in 1946 and were placed in Reserve. HMS
APOLLO was brought forward for Home Fleet service in 1951 and after 1954
used as Flagship. She went on the Disposal List in 1961 and was broken up
the next year. HMS MANXMAN came out of Reserve in 1951 and after Fleet
service underwent conversion for use as a Minesweeper Support Ship in 1963.
Structural changes made to provide workshops and improved accommodation and
the removal of two boiler rooms reduced speed to 26 knots. She was deployed
at Singapore from 1963 until 1968. On return again altered for use as a
training ship for engineer officers. After damage by fire in 1969 she want
on the Disposal List and scrapped three years later. HMS ARIADNE refitted in
1951/52 but stayed in Reserve till 1962 when placed on the Disposal List and
scrapped in 1965.
|