Improved
DIDO-Class cruiser ordered on 4th September 1939 from Vickers-Armstrong,
Barrow under an Emergency
War Programme and laid down on 21st December that year as Yard No 767 The ship
was launched on 27th August 1942 and was as the 5th RN warship to carry the
name, first used in 1806 for a 5th Rate and lastly by a
cruiser built in 1891 which was renamed DEFIANCE II. when used for training at
Devonport. Her main armament
comprised only four twin 5-25 inch mountings (see General Information). Build
was completed on 10th
August 1943. This ship was not adopted by any UK civil following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign in 1942-43 as she was not then in service.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
BURMA 1852-53- CHINA 1856-57 - ATLANTIC 1943 - ANZIO 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Blue,
two swans conjoined White, charged with drops of Red.
M o t t o
'Courage with great endurance'
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 3
August Contractor's trials and
commissioning
10th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
On completion of
trial and storing took passage to Scapa
flow for work-up with
Home Fleet
ships.
September Refitted for use as an Escort
Carrier Squadron Flagship
October On completion deployed at Plymouth for interception duty in SW Approaches.
Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean
and took passage to Malta to join Squadron.
November
8th Arrived at Naples from Malta as part of Force K.
Deployed for
support of military operations.
December Passage to Gibraltar.
1 9 4 4
January Nominated for support of
planned landings at Anzio.
15th Bombarded German positions at Gaeta, north of Naples prior to Anzio landings.
18th Carried out further bombardment of Gaeta with HM Destroyers
FAULKNOR, LAFOREY
and JERVIS.
21st Joined HM Cruisers ORION and PENELOPE, HM Destroyers
INGLEFIELD, and LOYAL
in
Northern Attack Force (Peter) at Anzio.
Escorted
Landing Ships (Tank) taking 1st British infantry Division to beachhead with
HMS
ORION and 12 destroyers.
22nd Provided naval gunfire support during landings with HMS ORION,
HM AA Snip ULSTER
QUEEN.
HM Destroyers LAFOREY and LOYAL.
(Operation
SHINGLE - For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
C
Barnett and the Naval Staff History.)
29th Hit on port side abaft after funnel by
Hs 293 Glider which exploded in engine room.
Compartment flooded and fire started in after
superstructure causing explosions.
Capsized and abandoned after an hour when fires could
not be controlled.
Sank in position 41.26N 12.41E.
523 Survivors were rescued by HM Cruiser DIDO, HMS
LAFOREY and HMS LOYAL.
(Casualty List
-
note on
casualties)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
SPARTAN
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
Date
convoy Joined convoy
Convoy
No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
25/09/43 27/09/43
MKS 025G 03/10/43 08/10/43
17/09/43 04/10/43 MKF 024 06/10/43 07/10/43
16/10/43 19/10/43 KMF 025 25/10/43 30/10/43
16/12/43 27/12/43 MKF 027 28/12/43 04/01/44
(Note on Convoys)
