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|
H.M.S. CAIRO
H.M.S. NUBIAN
&
H.M.S. AUCKLAND |
This class was a progressive development from the earlier Arethusa class, and
their follow ons, the Caroline/Calliope/Cambrian class.
Capetown group.
One of three types of "C" Class Light Cruisers (other groups:
Caledon and Cardiff)
|
Name |
Builder |
Completed |
Details |
|
Cairo |
Cammell Laird |
Sep. 1919 |
AA cruiser; sunk by Italian submarine Axum 12 Aug. 1942 |
|
Calcutta |
Vickers |
Aug. 1919 |
AA cruiser; sunk by aircraft off Crete 1 Jun. 1941 |
|
Capetown |
Cammell Laird |
Feb. 1922 |
AA cruiser; scrapped 1946 |
|
Carlisle |
Fairfield |
Nov. 1918 |
AA cruiser; sunk by aircraft 9 Oct. 1943 |
|
Colombo |
Fairfield |
Jun. 1919 |
AA cruiser; scrapped 1946 |
Originally, to improve the poor sea-keeping of the bows (any sort of sea had
the bows awash in the preceding classes), a "trawler bow", a large
raised bulwark for'ard, was fitted, and a planned hanger and catapult replacing
the conning tower was only carried for a short time in Carlisle.
In 1939, all except Colombo were taken in hand for conversions to AA
cruisers, albeit on simpler lines than the Coventry. All except
superfiring "B" gun were replaced by twin 4" AA, and
"B" was replaced by a quad pom-pom, with quad 0.5" MG's replacing
the 3" AA abreast the fore funnel. An AA spotting top was added to the
foremast, together with a HA.DCT, another being added on a suppressed after
superstructure, and a tripod mainmast was stepped.
Later additions involved replacing the quad 0.5" MG AA with 20mm AA and
adding a further six single 20mm AA along the ship, and SW type 272 or 273 ahead
of the mainmast, AW type 286 on the mainmast, AR type 285 on the DCT's and AR
type 282 on the pom-pom director. Later, all except the wing 20mm AA were
replaced by twin 20mm AA in the Carlisle and the Capetown.
Dimensions
(Capetown group)
|
| Net displacement |
4190 tons |
|
Length |
450' |
| Gross displacement |
6200 tons |
|
Beam |
43'6" |
| Load |
2010 tons |
|
Draught |
16'3" |
Performance & Propulsion
|
| Propulsion |
8 x Yarrow small tube boilers, 2 x
Parsons steam turbines @ 40000 hp |
| Range |
2240nm @ 24kts, 1625nm @ 27.5kts |
| Speed |
29kts |
Complement, Armour, Electronics and Armament
|
| Complement |
400 - 437 officers and ratings |
| Armour |
- 3" side amidships
- 1" - 2" side (bow)
- 2" side (stern)
- 1" upper deck
- 3" conning tower (where fitted) |
| Electronics |
- Surface Warning (SW) type 273
- Air Warning (AW) type 286
- Air Recognition (AR) type 285 4" fire control
- Air Recognition (AR) type 282 pom-pom fire control |
Armament
(Earlier)
- 5 x 1 x 6" L/50 BL
- 2 x 1 x 3" AA
- 2 x 1 x 2pdr pom-pom AA
- 4 x 2 x 21" tubes
Armament
(Later - Capetown group except Colombo)
- 4 x 2 x 4" AA
- 1 x 4 x 2pdr pom-pom AA
- 2 x 4 x 0.5" MG AA later;
- 8 x 1 x 20mm Oerlikon AA or;
- 2 x 1 x and 6 x 2 x 20mm Oerlikon AA (Carlisle, Capetown)
|
H.M.S. Cairo May 1939. Note the fitment of the "trawler bow",a large
raised bulwark for'ard, designed to improve the poor sea-keeping of
the bows |
|
A heavily camouflaged H.M.S. Cairo in early 1941 |
The April 1940 Navy list details the naval officers and their respective
appointment dates to H.M.S. Cairo, as:
| Captain |
|
P.V.
McLaughlin.
.
1 Feb. 1940 |
| Commander |
|
J.H. Venville (ret)
..
.
.5
Dec. 1937 |
| Lieut.-Com. |
|
F.B. Lawrie (ret).
.
.29
Jun. 1939 |
| Lieut.-Com. |
|
I.M. Cooper (ret)
.
.28
Aug. 1939 |
| Lieutenant |
|
H.R. Law
..
..24
Aug. 1939 |
| Lieutenant |
|
P.M. Whatley.
..24
Jan. 1940 |
| Lieutenant
R.N.V.R. |
|
I.L. MacGregor
.
..-
Sept. 1939 |
| Lieutenant
R.N.V.R. |
|
R.E. Tod
.
..
..19
Feb. 1940 |
| Lieutenant
R.N.V.R. |
|
D.R.
Bennett-Jones..
..
..19 Feb. 1940 |
| Eng. Com |
|
C. H. McVittie
.
....21
Dec. 1939 |
| Lieut.-Com.
R.N.R. (E) |
|
H.R. Laycock RD
..22
Nov. 1939 |
| Lieutenant RM |
|
J.L. Jaquet.
..25
Aug. 1939 |
| Paym. Com.
R.N.R. |
|
R.T. Smith
-
Aug. 1939 |
| Surg.
Lieut.-Com. R.N.V.R. |
|
K. Forsythe
..
25
Aug. 1939 |
| Surg. Lieut.
R.N.V.R. |
|
C.S. Cane
.
.25
Aug. 1939 |
| Sub-Lieut. |
|
T.S. Sampson..
.23
Aug. 1939 |
| Sub-Lieut.
R.N.V.R. |
|
D.H.J. Bodger.
.....
.-
Sept. 1939 |
| Sub-Lieut.
R.N.V.R. |
|
B.H. Moss
.....
.-
Sept. 1939 |
| Tempy Sub-Lieut.
(E) R.N.V.R. |
|
R.B. Billbrough
(proby)...
10 Nov. 1939 |
| Tempy Paym.
Sub-Lieut. R.N.V.R. |
|
J.A. Ditton
...
..5
Dec. 1939 |
| Gunner |
|
C.Y. Taylor
.
.
..24
Nov. 1938 |
| Gunner |
|
J.
Thundercliffe.
..25 Aug. 1939 |
| Wt. Engineer |
|
S.G. Legge..
25
Aug. 1939 |
| Wt. Engineer |
|
C.J. Kelly (act)..
.
..31
Oct. 1939 |
| Wt. Elect. |
|
S. Hutchings
.
.
..24
Aug. 1939 |
| Paym. Mid. |
|
D.N. Ash
.
.
.26
Aug. 1939 |
|
Tribal Class Flotilla Destroyers |
Page 4 of Admiralty report, H.M.S. Nubian No. 5/16 of 23 April 1940,
confirms that my grandfather and his crew were taken aboard this Flotilla Class
Destroyer during the course of the evening, Sunday 21 April 1940 and
returned to Scapa Flow on Tuesday, 23 April 1940.
Having investigated the aforementioned report further, I believe that the
referred to Lieutenant-Commander A.H.Davies, R.N.V.R., was perhaps the
Commanding Officer of the 23rd A/S trawler group (of which the
Rutlandshire was part of) and not, as stated in the report, the Commanding
Officer of the lost Rutlandshire.
From the April 1940 Navy List, Lieutenant-Commander A.H.Davies, R.N.V.R., was
shown as serving on the trawler Melbourne which, from various Naval
communiquιs, was shown to be in the Namsos area. The Navy list also details the
naval officers and their respective appointment dates to the Rutlandshire, as:
| Ch. Skipper, R.N.R. |
|
J. Wilson
6
Dec. 1939 |
| Tempy. Sub-Lieut., R.N.V.R. |
|
D.S. McKenzie (proby)
..
.5
Mar. 1940 |
| Tempy. Sub-Lieut., R.N.V.R. |
|
W.G. Phillimore (proby)
...
..5
Mar. 1940 |
|
|
|
The artwork contained on this page is entirely the personal work and property
of Σ Andrew Arthur, web master of the RN
Encyclopaedia and has been reproduced here with his kind permission. Un-authorised
publishing on any other website is strictly forbidden. Please ask Andrew and I'm
sure he'll be happy to provide.
|
|
H.M.S. Nubian somewhere in the Mediterranean, probably just prior to the evacuation of Crete. During the evacuation her stern was badly damaged by the Luftwaffe. She managed to get back to Alexandria by steering with her main engines (the job of Sub-Lieut. M.D. Rahilly). After temporary repairs in Egypt she sailed to India to have a complete new stern fitted. |
|
Name |
Pennant |
Builder |
Launched |
Fate |
|
Afridi* |
F07 |
Vickers Armstrong |
8 June 1937 |
Sunk by German planes, May 1940 |
|
Cossack* |
F03 |
Vickers Armstrong |
8 June 1937 |
Torpedoed by U-563, Oct. 1941 |
|
Gurkha |
F20 |
Fairfield |
7 July 1937 |
Sunk by German planes, April 1940 |
|
Maori |
F24 |
Fairfield |
2 Sept. 1937 |
Scuttled of Malta, Feb. 1942 |
|
Mohawk |
F31 |
Thornycroft |
5 Oct. 1937 |
Torpedoed by Italian Tarigo, April 1941 |
|
Nubian |
F36 |
Thornycroft |
21 Dec. 1937 |
Scrapped, June 1949 |
|
Zulu |
F18 |
Stephen |
23 Sept. 1937 |
Lost Sept. 1942 - used to repair Nubian |
|
Ashanti |
F51 |
Denny |
5 Nov. 1937 |
Scrapped, April 1949 |
|
Bedouin |
F67 |
Denny |
21 Dec. 1937 |
Torpedoed by Italian planes June 1942 |
|
Eskimo |
F75 |
Vickers Armstrong |
3 Sept. 1937 |
Scrapped June 1949 |
|
Mashona |
F59 |
Vickers Armstrong |
3 Sept. 1937 |
Bombed by German planes May 1941 |
|
Matabele |
F26 |
Scotts |
6 Oct. 1937 |
Torpedoed Jan. 1942 |
|
Punjabi |
F21 |
Scotts |
18 Dec. 1937 |
Sunk in collision with Battleship King George V, May 1942 |
|
Sikh |
F82 |
Stephen |
17 Dec. 1937 |
Sunk by shore batteries at Tobruk, Sept. 1942 |
|
Somali* |
F33 |
Swan Hunter |
24 Aug. 1937 |
Torpedoed Sept. 1942 |
|
Tartar* |
F43 |
Swan Hunter |
21 Oct. 1937 |
Scrapped Feb. 1948 |
*- Flotilla Leader
These large and powerful destroyers (termed flotilla destroyers, or
'destroyer destroyers', for countering enemy flotillas head on in a gun battle)
were put in hand in response to the laying down by world navies of large,
powerful destroyers with 5" guns: 16 German Type 1934, 10 Japanese Arashios
and 5 American Somers.
Tonnage was limited to 1850 tons by treaty, and it was planned to fit 10
4.7" guns in 5 twin turrets. It was then accepted that "Q" turret
could be replaced by a 1/2 multiple pom-pom(s). The main armament was also the
first properly controlled DP 4.7" armament in a British destroyer, the
4" AA being the largest HA gun available before that. Their layout remained
unique in the Royal Navy, and for such large vessels, they were very deficient
in AA defence.
Dimensions
|
| Full Displacement |
2520 tons |
|
Length |
377.5' |
| Empty Displacement |
1960 tons |
|
Beam |
36.5' |
| Load |
460 tons |
|
Draft |
9.0' |
Performance & Propulsion
|
| Machinery |
4 x Admiralty 3 drum boilers, 2 x
Parsons Steam Turbines @ 44000hp |
| Speed |
36kts |
Armament & Complement
|
| Complement |
190 Officers & Ratings, Flotilla Leaders 211 |
Armament (Earlier)
- 4 x 2 x 4.7" DP
- 1 x 4 x 2pdr pom-pom AA
- 2 x 4 x 0.5" MG AA
- 1 x 4 x 21" tubes
- 2 x DC racks for 20 DC's
Armament (Later)
- 4 x 2 x 4.7" DP
- 1 x 4 x 2pdr pom-pom AA
- 2 x 1 x 2pdr pom-pom AA or;
- 2 x 1 x 20mm Oerlikon AA and a further,
- 2 x 2 x 20mm Oerlikon AA
- 2 x 1 x 20mm Oerlikon AA
- 1 x 4 x 21" tubes
- 2 x DC racks for 20 DC's
The April 1940 Navy list details the naval
officers and their respective appointment dates to H.M.S. Nubian, as:
| Commander |
|
R.W. Ravenhill
6
Dec. 1939 |
| Lieut.-Com. |
|
R.T. Lampard
.1
Feb. 1938 |
| Lieutenant |
|
J.F.D. Bush
..6
Dec. 1938 |
| Lieutenant R.N.V.R. |
|
W.E.M. de S.Dunn (proby).27
Nov. 1939 |
| Lieut.-Com. (E) |
|
A.E. Turner
..2
Feb. 1940 |
| Surg. Lieut. |
|
G.H.C.R. Chritten
22
Dec. 1939 |
| Sub-Lieut. |
|
M.D. Rahilly
.30
Jan. 1940 |
| Sub-Lieut. R.N.V.R. |
|
K.K. Lacey (proby)..
.14
Dec. 1939 |
| Tempy Sub-Lieut. (E)
R.N.V.R. |
|
R.S. Bickerton
5
Jan. 1940 |
| Tempy Sub-Lieut. (E)
R.N.V.R. |
|
G. Lowery (proby)
.5
Jan. 1940 |
| Gunner (T) |
|
F. Miller
..27
Jan. 1938 |
| Midshipman R.N.R. |
|
P.N. Hopper
.21
Aug. 1939 |
Commissioned with a Portsmouth crew on the 19th
November 1938, Auckland worked up at Portland and sailed for her first
assignment on 4th January 1939, arriving at Simonstown on the 17th February and
cruised on the eastern coast of southern Africa during that summer. On the
outbreak of war she remained Simonstown-based until November 1939 when she went
north to Freetown and escorted convoy SLF 9 to the United Kingdom, arriving at
Portsmouth on the 30th November 1939.
After refit at Portsmouth, Auckland joined the Rosyth Escort Force and protected
East coast convoys until April 1940 when she sailed for Norway, remaining in
that campaign until 1st May 1940. She was then transferred to the Red Sea Force
and passed through the Mediterranean during May 1940, to go straight on to
Bombay for a one months refit, from which she returned to the Red Sea in time to
cover the evacuation of Berbera.
Auckland remained on Red Sea convoy duty until January 1941 when she returned to
Bombay for a five week docking and refit, after which she went back to Red Sea
convoy duty until the beginning of April 1941. On the 8th April 1941 Auckland
arrived at Alexandria and transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet being based at
Alexandria and covering convoys and operations along the Libyan coast until sunk
by air attack off Tobruk on the 24th June 1941.
|
An early view of H.M.S. Auckland in her as built configuration. No
radar or close range weapons have yet been fitted, nor are her pennants
displayed |
|
Name |
Pennant |
Builder |
Launched |
Fate |
|
Auckland |
U61 |
Denny |
30 June 1938 |
Sunk by German
planes, June 1941 |
|
Egret |
U75 |
White |
31 May 1938 |
Sunk by glider
bomb, August 1943 |
|
Pelican |
U86 |
Thornycroft |
12 September
1938 |
Scrapped
November 1958 |
Dimensions
|
Standard
Displacement |
1250 tons |
Length |
292.5' |
|
Load
|
390 tons |
Beam
|
37.5' |
|
Draft |
11.0' |
Performance & Propulsion
|
Machinery |
Two shaft, geared
turbines, designed SHP 3,600 |
|
Speed
|
19.25kts |
Armament & Complement
|
Armament
(Earlier) |
● Gun
-
4 x 2 x 4" HA
- 1 x 4 x
0.5"
- 2 x 3pdr
saluting |
The April 1940 Navy list details the naval officers and their
respective appointment dates to H.M.S. Auckland, as:
|
Commander |
J.G.
Hewitt |
20 Jan.
1940 |
|
Lieutenant |
N.J.
Parker
W.F. Shelton
J.F. House |
Jan.
1940
3 Oct. 1938
16 Nov. 1938 |
|
Surg.
Lieut. |
C.J.
Roberts |
22 Dec.
1939 |
|
Paym
Sub-Lieut. R.N.V.R. |
B.C.
Young |
5 Oct.
1939 |
|
Cd.
Engineer |
C.L.
Meadley |
11 Jan.
1938 |
|
Gunner |
L.H.
Muger |
13 Sep.
1938 |
|
Tempy
Midshipman R.N.V.R. |
P.
Whitehead |
10 Feb.
1940 |
Please contact f.wilson@royal-naval-reserve.co.uk
for further information regarding this site.
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