LOSSES BY YEAR and AREA - Cruisers
(in date order within each year; ctl - constructive total loss)

HEAVY CRUISERS

28. County classes - 9,800 tons, 32 knots, 8-8in, 680 crew, 1928-30, 13 ships, 3 lost

HMS Shropshire (All photographs courtesy Cyberheritage)

CANBERRA (RAN, Capt Getting+), 9th August 1942, South West Pacific, SE of Savo Island off northern Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands - by torpedoes and 8in gunfire of Japanese cruiser force. With US cruiser force covering US Marine landings on Guadalcanal (Battle of Savo Island - Japanese Invasion of Solomon Islands)

CORNWALL (Capt Manwaring) and DORSETSHIRE (Capt Agar), 5th April 1942, Indian Ocean south west of Ceylon (c 2-00'N, 78-00'E) - by Japanese carrier divebombers. Sailing from Colombo to rejoin the British Eastern Fleet out of Addu Atoll; 190 men lost from 'Cornwall', 234 from 'Dorsetshire'. Total of 1,122 saved from both ships (Japanese Carrier Attacks on Ceylon).

Surviving ships - AUSTRALIA (RAN), BERWICK, CUMBERLAND, DEVONSHIRE, KENT, LONDON, NORFOLK, SHROPSHIRE (RAN from 1943), SUFFOLK, SUSSEX

29. York class - 8,300 tons, 32 knots, 6-8in, 600 crew, 1930-31, 2 ships, both lost

HMS York prewar

EXETER (Capt Gordon), 1st March 1942, East Indies, north west of Surabaya in Java Sea (c 4-30'S, 111-00'E) - by torpedoes and 8in gunfire of Japanese cruiser force. Damaged in the main Java Sea battle, and sails with two destroyers from Surabaya to escape through the Sunda Strait. All three ships lost. (Battles of the Java Sea - Japanese Invasion of Java)

YORK, 26th March 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, in Suda Bay, north Crete - badly damaged by Italian explosive motor boats, beached and later wrecked by bombing. With Mediterranean Fleet covering British troop convoys to Greece. Believed anchored at the time (Battle for Greece)

LIGHT and ANTI-AIRCRAFT (AA) CRUISERS

30. 'C' classes - 4,200 tons, 29 knots, 5-6in or 8-4in AA, 400 crew, 1917-22, 13 ships, 6 lost, 1 not repaired:

HMS Carlisle

CAIRO (AA), 12th August 1942, Central Mediterranean, north of Bizerta, Tunisia (c 37-45'N, 10-00'E) - by 1 torpedo from Italian submarine 'Axum'. Close escort, Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Pedestal' (Malta Convoys)

CALCUTTA (AA) (Capt Leese), 1st June 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, north west of Alexandria, Egypt (c 32-00'N, 28-00'E) - by 2 bombs from German Ju88 bombers. Sailing with cruiser 'Coventry' from Alexandria to rejoin the Mediterranean Fleet at end of British evacuation of Crete; 255 survivors (Battle for Crete)

CALYPSO, 12th June 1940, Eastern Mediterranean, south of Crete (c 33-45'N, 24-30'E) - by 1 torpedo from Italian submarine 'Bagnolini'. Sortie from Alexandria with Mediterranean fleet against Italian shipping to Libya. Hit around 0200 hours and sank with the loss of 1 officer and 38 ratings (North African Campaign)

CARLISLE (AA), damaged 9th October 1943, Eastern Mediterranean, south west of Rhodes in Scarpanto Strait (c 35-45'N, 27-30'E) - by German Ju87 divebombers. Taking part in sweep against German supply ships west of Kos in the Aegean Sea. Destroyer 'Panther' also sunk. 'Carlisle' converted to base-ship (British Aegean Campaign)

COVENTRY (AA), 14th September 1942, Eastern Mediterranean, northwest of Alexandria, Egypt (c 33-00'N, 28-15'E) - by German Ju87 divebombers. Cover force for unsuccessful combined operations raid withdrawing from Tobruk. Destroyers 'Sikh' and 'Zulu' also sunk (North African Campaign)

CURACOA (AA), 2nd October 1942, North Atlantic off north west Ireland (c56-00N, 8-30'W) - sunk in collision with liner 'Queen Mary'. Western Approaches escort to the 'Queen Mary' sailing as a fast-unescorted troopship (Battle of the Atlantic).

CURLEW (AA), 26th May 1940, Western Europe in Lavangs Fiord, Ofotfiord near Narvik, northern Norway (c 68-30'N, 16-30'E) - by German Ju88 bombers. Providing AA support for land attack on Narvik at close of unsuccessful Battle for Norway (Norwegian Campaign)

Surviving ships - CALEDON (AA), CAPETOWN, CARADOC, CARDIFF, CERES, COLOMBO (AA)

31. 'D' classes - 4,800 tons, 29 knots, 6-6in, 450 crew, 1918-22, 8 ships, 1 lost, 2 expended

HMS Delhi - re-armed in USA with 5-5in

DUNEDIN, 24th November 1941, Central Atlantic off St Paul's Rocks, north east of Recife, Brazil (c 3-00'N, 26-00'W) - by 2 torpedoes from German U-124. On South Atlantic patrol at time of sinking of German Raider 'Atlantis' (Battle of the Atlantic)

DURBAN, 9th June 1944, Western Europe off Ouistreham, Normandy beaches, France - expended. Part of Gooseberry 5 breakwater of Mulberry harbour during Allied Invasion (Normandy Invasion).

DRAGON (manned by Polish Navy from 1943), damaged 8th July 1944 off Normandy beaches and expended as breakwater. (Normandy Invasion).

Surviving ships - DANAE (Polish 'Conrad' from 1944), DAUNTLESS, DELHI, DESPATCH, DIOMEDE

32. Hawkins class - 9,800 tons, 30 knots, 7-7.5in or 9-6in *, 710 crew, 1918-25, 4 ships,1 lost. 'Vindictive' as lightly armed repair ship

HMS Frobisher mounting five single 7.5in turrets

EFFINGHAM *, 17th May 1940, Western Europe near Bodo, northern Norway between Briksvaer and Terra islands (c 67-30'N, 14-00'E) - ran aground and wrecked, later torpedoed and abandoned. Carrying troops from Harstad to Bodo during unsuccessful Norwegian campaign (Norwegian Campaign)

Surviving ships - FROBISHER, HAWKINS, VINDICTIVE

33. Adelaide (RAN), 5,100 tons, 25 knots, 8-6in, 470 crew, 1922, survived

34. 'E' class - 7,600 tons, 33 knots, 7-6in, 570 crew, 1926, 2 ships, EMERALD, ENTERPRISE, both survived

HMS Enterprise in 1930

35. Leander class - 7,200 tons, 32 knots, 8-6in, 550 crew, 1933-35, 5 ships, 1 lost

HMS Orion

NEPTUNE (Capt O'Connor+), 19th December 1941, Central Mediterranean off Tripoli, western Libya (c 33-15'N, 13-15'E) - 3 or 4 mines laid by Italian cruiser force in June 1941. With Malta cruiser Force 'K' searching for Italian convoy to Tripoli; 1 survivor from crew of 550. Cruisers 'Aurora' and 'Penelope' damaged, destroyer 'Kandahar' sunk (North African Campaign)

Surviving ships - ACHILLES (RNZN), AJAX, LEANDER (RNZN), ORION

36. Perth class - all RAN, 6,900 tons, 32 knots, 8-6in, 550 crew, 1935-36, 3 ships, 2 lost

PERTH (RAN) (Capt Waller), night of 28th February/1st March 1942, East Indies in Sunda Strait, western Java (c 5-45'S, 106-15'E) - by torpedoes and 8in gunfire of Japanese cruiser force. Sailing with US heavy cruiser 'Houston' from Batavia for the Sunda Strait after the main Battle of the Java Sea. Both sunk in attack on Japanese invasion transports (Battle of the Sunda Strait - Japanese Invasion of Java)

SYDNEY (RAN) (Capt Burnett+) 19th November 1941, Indian Ocean west of Shark Bay, Western Australia (c 28-00'S, 111-00'E) - by torpedoes and 5.9in gunfire of German raider 'Kormoran'. On passage down north west coast of Australia after convoy duties to Java; no survivors. 'Kormoran' also sunk (Defence of Trade)

Surviving ship - HOBART

37. Arethusa class- 5,200 tons, 32 knots, 6-6in, 450 crew, 1935-37, 4 ships, 2 lost:

HMS Aurora 1938

GALATEA (Capt Sims+), 14th December 1941, Eastern Mediterranean off Alexandria, Egypt (c 31-15'N, 29-15'E) - by 3 torpedoes from German U-557. Returning to Alexandria with Mediterranean Fleet cruiser force after hunt for Italian convoy to Libya (North African Campaign).

PENELOPE (Capt George Belben+), 18th February 1944, Central Mediterranean, north west of Naples, western Italy (40-55'N, 13-21'E) - by 2 torpedoes from German U-410. Supporting Allied land forces in Battle for Anzio. Sailing unescorted from Naples to Anzio; 206 survivors, 417 men lost. Nicknamed HMS 'Pepperpot' because of the amount of splinter damage to her hull and upper works during her time in the Mediterranean (Battle for Anzio - Italian Campaign).

Surviving ships - ARETHUSA, AURORA

38. Southampton classes - 9,100 tons, 32 knots, 12-6in, 700 crew, 1937-39, 8 ships, 3 lost

HMS Gloucester

GLOUCESTER (Capt Rowley+), 22nd May 1941, Eastern Mediterranean in Antikythera Channel, north west of Crete (c 36-00'N, 23-00'E) - by German Ju88 and Ju87 bombers. With Mediterranean Fleet in action against German sea-borne invasion of Crete. Attacked after supporting rescue of survivors from destroyer 'Greyhound'; 693 officers and men lost (Battle for Crete)

MANCHESTER, 13th August 1942, Central Mediterranean near Cape Bon, Tunisia, 4 miles off Kelibia - by 1 torpedo from Italian MTBs MAS 16 or 22. Close support Gibraltar /Malta convoy 'Pedestal' (Malta Convoys)

SOUTHAMPTON, 11th January 1941, Central Mediterranean east of Malta (c 35-00'N, 18-15'E) - by German Ju87 divebombers. Sailing from Malta to join Malta/Alexandria convoy after carrying troops to Malta and supporting Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Excess' (Malta Convoys).

Surviving ships - BIRMINGHAM, GLASGOW, LIVERPOOL, NEWCASTLE, SHEFFIELD

39. Belfast class - 10,000 tons, 32 knots, 12-6in, 850 crew, 1939, 2 ships, 1 lost

HMS Edinburgh 1939

EDINBURGH (Capt Faulkner), 2nd May 1942, Arctic Ocean north of Murmansk, Russia in Barents Sea (c 72-00'N, 35-00'E) - by a third torpedo fired by German destroyers 'Z-24' or 'Z-25'. Previously escorting Russia/Iceland convoy QP.11 and hit by 2 torpedoes from German U-456 on 30th April. Returning to Murmansk when attacked again; 57 men killed (Russian Convoys)

Surviving ship - BELFAST preserved as museum ship, River Thames, London

40. Dido class - 5,500 tons, 33 knots, 10-5.25in AA or 8-4.5in AA *, 530 crew, 1940-42, 11 ships, 4 lost

HMS Argonaut 1943

BONAVENTURE, 31st March 1941, Eastern Mediterranean south east of Crete (c 33-15'N, 26-30'E) - by 1 or 2 torpedoes from Italian submarine 'Ambra'. With Mediterranean Fleet cruiser force covering convoy GA.8 from Greece to Alexandria; 310 survivors (Battle of Greece).

CHARYBDIS (Capt G A W Voelcker), 23rd October 1943, Western Europe off north coast of Brittany, France, 337N of Triagoz Light, 10 miles (c 49-00'N, 3-45'W) - by 2 torpedoes from German torpedo boats 'T-23' and 'T-27'. Night sortie from Plymouth with destroyer force ('Limbourne' also lost) to intercept German blockade runner 'Munsterland' in Operation Tunnel; 520 men lost (English Channel Operations)

HERMIONE, 16th June 1942, Eastern Mediterranean, south of Crete (c 33-15'N, 26-15'E) - by 1 torpedo from German U-205. With Mediterranean Fleet covering Alexandria/Malta convoy 'Vigorous'. Convoy returning to Alexandria after failing to make Malta; 440 survivors (Malta Convoys).

NAIAD (Capt Grantham), 11th March 1942, Eastern Mediterranean, north of Sidi Barrrani, Egypt (c 32-00N, 26-15'E) - by 1 torpedo from German U-565. Returning with Mediterranean Fleet cruiser force to Alexandria after search for Axis convoy to Libya; 82 men lost, 582 survivors (North African Campaign).

Surviving Ships - ARGONAUT, CLEOPATRA, DIDO, EURYLUS, PHOEBE, SCYLLA*, SIRIUS

41. Fiji class - 8,000 tons, 33 knots, 12-6in, 730 crew, 1940-43, 11 ships, 2 lost

HMS Bermuda 1943

FIJI (Capt William Powlett), 22nd May 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, south west of Crete (c 34-45'N, 23-15'E) - by German Me109 fighter-bomber. Operating with Mediterranean Fleet against sea-borne invasion of Crete. Attacked after supporting rescue of survivors from destroyer 'Greyhound'. The Me109 attacked out of the sun with a single 500 pounder; "Fiji" was out of AA ammo. (Battle for Crete)

TRINIDAD (Capt Saunders), scuttled 15th May 1942, Arctic Ocean north of North Cape in Barents Sea (74N, 23E) - hit by German Ju.88 bombers on the 14th. In March 1942, covered UK/Russia convoy PQ13 and damaged by own torpedo in action with German destroyers on 29th March. Temporarily repaired and now sailing from Murmansk for UK (Russian Convoys).

Surviving ships - BERMUDA, CEYLON, GAMBIA (RNZN from 1944), JAMAICA, KENYA, MAURITIUS, NEWFOUNDLAND, NIGERIA, UGANDA (RCN QUEBEC from 1944)

42. Bellona class - 5,800 tons, 33 knots, 8-5.25in, 530 crew, 1943-44, 5 ships, 1 lost:

HMS Black Prince

SPARTAN, 29th January 1944, Central Mediterranean off Anzio, western Italy (c 41-30'N, 12-45'E) - by German aircraft-launched Hs.293 glider bomb. Anchored in Anzio Bay in support of Allied landings (Battle for Anzio - Italian Campaign).

Surviving ships - BELLONA, BLACK PRINCE, DIADEM, ROYALIST

43. Swiftsure class - 8,800 tons, 32 knots, 9-6in, 730 crew, 1944-45, 2 ships completed by war's end, ONTARIO (RCN), SWIFTSURE, both survived

HMCS Ontario

CRUISER MINELAYERS

44. Adventure - 6,700 tons, 28 knots, 4-4.7in/280 mines, 400 crew, 1927, survived

HMS Adventure in 1933

45. Abdiel class - 2,600 tons, 40 knots, 6-4in/150 mines, 240 crew, 1941-44, 6 ships, 3 lost

HMS Apollo post-war

ABDIEL, 9th September 1943, Central Mediterranean at Taranto, southern Italy - by mines laid by German E-boats. Sailed from Malta with British troops for occupation of Taranto as part of Allied landings in southern Italy (Italian Campaign).

LATONA, 25th October 1941, Eastern Mediterranean north of Bardia, eastern Libya (c 32-15'N, 25-15'E) - by German Ju.87 divebombers. Transporting men and supplies to besieged Tobruk and lifting off Australian troops (North African Campaign).

WELSHMAN, 1st February 1943, Eastern Mediterranean, north of Bardia (c 32-15'N, 25-00'E) - 1 torpedo from German U-617. On passage from Malta to Alexandria after minelaying operation in Strait of Sicily (North African Campaign).

Surviving ships - APOLLO, ARIADNE, MANXMAN