LOSSES BY YEAR and AREA
(in date order within each year, ctl - constructive total loss)
|
Year |
Atlantic
|
Europe
|
Mediterranean
|
Far East
|
|
1939 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1940 |
- |
Effingham
Curlew
|
Calypso |
- |
|
1941 |
Dunedin |
- |
Southampton
York
Bonaventure
Gloucester
Fiji
Calcutta
Galatea
Neptune
Latona
|
Sydney (RAN) |
|
1942 |
Edinburgh
Trinidad
Curacoa |
- |
Naiad
Hermione
Cairo
Manchester
Coventry
|
Perth (RAN)
Exeter
Cornwall
Dorsetshire
Canberra (RAN) |
|
1943 |
- |
Charybdis |
Welshman
Abdiel
Carlisle (ctl)
|
- |
|
1944 |
- |
Durban
Dragon (ctl) |
Spartan
Penelope
|
- |
HEAVY CRUISERS
Four
of the five heavy cruisers lost were sunk by Japanese naval forces
28. County classes, 13 ships
- 9,800 tons, 32 knots, 8-8in, 680 crew, 1928-30, 3 lost:
CANBERRA
(RAN, Capt F E Getting+), 9th August 1942, South West Pacific, SE of Savo
Island off northern Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (09.15S, 159.40E) - by
torpedoes and 8in gunfire of Japanese cruiser force. With US cruiser force
covering US Marine landings on Guadalcanal; 84 crew lost (Casualty
List)
(Battle of Savo Island
- Japanese Invasion of Solomon Islands)
CORNWALL
(Capt
P C W Manwaring) and
DORSETSHIRE (Capt A W Agar VC), 5th April 1942,
Indian Ocean south west of Ceylon (01.54N, 77.45E) - by Japanese carrier
divebombers. Sailing from Colombo to rejoin the British Eastern Fleet out of
Addu Atoll; 'Cornwall' lost 191 men, ‘Dorsetshire’ lost 234, total of 1,122
saved from both ships (Casualty Lists -
Cornwall,
Dorsetshire)
(Japanese Conquests
- Carrier Attacks on Ceylon).
Surviving ships -
AUSTRALIA (RAN),
BERWICK,
CUMBERLAND,
DEVONSHIRE,
KENT,
LONDON,
NORFOLK,
SHROPSHIRE (RAN from 1943),
SUFFOLK,
SUSSEX
HMAS Canberra (NavyPhotos/Bruce Constable)
29. York class, 2 ships - 8,300 tons, 32 knots, 6-8in, 600 crew, 1930-31, both lost:
EXETER
(Capt O L Gordon), 1st March 1942, East Indies, north west of Surabaya in Java
Sea (05.00S, 111.00E) - by torpedoes and 8in gunfire of Japanese cruiser force.
Damaged in the main Java Sea battle, and sailing with two destroyers from
Surabaya to escape through the Sunda Strait. All three ships were lost. ‘Exeter’
lost 52 men in action with 653 taken prisoner. Of these 153 died in captivity.
(Casualty List)
(Japanese Conquests - Battles of the Java Sea)
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, most recently
MW.6. Anchored at the time of the motor boat attack; two ratings killed
(Mediterranean - Battle
for Greece)
HMS Exeter (NavyPhotos)
LIGHT and ANTI-AIRCRAFT (AA) CRUISERS
30. 'C' classes, 13 ships -
4,200 tons, 29 knots, 5-6in or 8-4in AA, 400 crew, 1917-22, 6 lost, 1 not
repaired:
CAIRO (AA)
(Capt C C Hardy), 12th August 1942, Central Mediterranean, north of Bizerta,
Tunisia (37.40N, 10.06E) - torpedoed by Italian submarine 'Axum' (Perrini).
Close escort, Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Pedestal'; 23 crew lost, 376 saved
(Casualty List)
(Mediterranean - Malta
Convoys)
CALCUTTA
(AA) (Capt D M Lees), 1st June 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, north west of
Alexandria, Egypt (31.55N, 28.15E) – by German Ju.88 bombers. Sailing with
cruiser
Coventry from Alexandria to rejoin the Mediterranean Fleet at end of
British evacuation of Crete; 118 crew lost, HMS Coventry picked up 255
survivors (Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean
-
Battle for Crete)
CALYPSO
(Capt H A Rowley) 12th June 1940, Eastern Mediterranean, south of Crete
(33.45N, 24.32E) – torpedoed by Italian submarine 'Bagnolini' (Tosoni-Pittoni).
Sortied from Alexandria with Mediterranean fleet against Italian shipping to
Libya. Hit around 0200 hours; 39 crew lost, 414 survivors
(Casualty List)
(Mediterranean - North African
Campaign)
CARLISLE
(AA) (Capt F J Nalder), damaged 9th October 1943, Eastern Mediterranean, south
west of Rhodes in Scarpanto Strait (35.48N, 27.38E) - by German Ju.87
divebombers. Taking part in sweep against German supply ships west of Kos in
the Aegean Sea; 24 crew lost. Destroyer
Panther
also sunk. 'Carlisle'
converted to base-ship (Casualty List)
(Balkans - British Aegean Campaign)
COVENTRY
(AA) (Capt R J R Dendy), 14th September 1942, Eastern Mediterranean, northwest
of Alexandria, Egypt (32.48N, 28.17E) - by German Ju.87 divebombers. Cover
force for an unsuccessful combined operations raid withdrawing from the port of
Tobruk; 64 crew lost. Destroyers
Sikh
and
Zulu
also sunk (Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean - North African
Campaign)
CURACOA
(AA)
(Capt J W Boutwood), 2nd October 1942, North Atlantic off north west Ireland
(55.50N, 08.38W) - sunk in collision with liner 'Queen Mary'. Western
Approaches escort to the 'Queen Mary' sailing as a fast-unescorted troopship;
339 crew lost, 26 saved (Casualty
List)
(Battle of the Atlantic).
CURLEW
(AA)
(Capt B C Brooke), 26th May 1940, Western Europe in Lavangs Fiord, near Narvik,
northern Norway (c68.30N, 16.30E) - by German Ju.88 bombers. Providing AA
support for land attack on Narvik at close of unsuccessful Battle for Norway,
run aground, total loss; 9 crew killed
(Casualty
List)
(Norwegian Campaign)
Surviving ships -
CALEDON
(AA),
CAPETOWN,
CARADOC,
CARDIFF,
CERES,
COLOMBO (AA)
HMS Cairo (NavyPhotos/Mark Teadham)
31. 'D' classes, 8 ships -
4,800 tons, 29 knots, 6-6in, 450 crew, 1918-22, 1 lost, 2 expended:
DUNEDIN
(Capt
R S Lovatt+), 24th November 1941, Central Atlantic off St Paul's Rocks, north
east of Recife, Brazil (c03N, 26W) - torpedoed by German ‘U.124’ (Mohr). On
South Atlantic patrol at time of sinking of German Raider 'Atlantis'; 418 crew
lost, 72 saved but five later died (Casualty
List)
(Battle of the Atlantic)
DURBAN,
9th June 1944, Western Europe off Ouistreham, Normandy beaches, France – not in
commission and 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
HMS Dauntless (NavyPhotos/Mark Teadham)
32. Hawkins class, 4 ships - 9,800 tons, 30 knots, 7-7.5in or
9-6in*, 710 crew, 1918-25. 'Vindictive' as lightly armed repair ship, 1 lost:
EFFINGHAM*
(Capt J M Howson), 17th May 1940, Western Europe near Bodo, northern Norway
between Briksvaer and Terra islands (67.17N, 13.58E) - 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
HMS Frobisher
(NavyPhotos/Paul Simpson)
33.
ADELAIDE (RAN), survived,
5,100 tons, 25 knots, 8-6in, 470 crew, 1922
HMAS Adelaide (NavyPhotos/Mark Teadham)
34. 'E' class,
EMERALD,
ENTERPRISE, 2 ships - 7,600 tons, 33 knots, 7-6in, 570 crew, 1926
HMS Emerald (NavyPhotos)
35. Leander class, 5 ships- 7,200 tons, 32 knots,
8-6in, 550 crew, 1933-35, 1 lost:
NEPTUNE
(Capt R C O'Connor+), 19th December 1941, Central Mediterranean off Tripoli,
western Libya (33.15N, 13.15E) - 3 or 4 mines laid by Italian cruiser force in
June 1941. With Malta cruiser Force 'K' searching for Italian convoy to Tripoli;
766 crew died and one able seaman survived. Cruisers
Aurora
and
Penelope
damaged, destroyer
Kandahar
sunk (Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean
- North African Campaign)
Surviving ships -
ACHILLES (RNZN),
AJAX,
LEANDER (RNZN),
ORION
HMNZS Achilles (NavyPhotos)
36. Perth class (all RAN), 3 ships- 6,900 tons, 32 knots, 8-6in, 550 crew,
1935-36, 2 lost:
PERTH
(RAN) (Capt H M L Waller+), night of 28th February/1st March 1942, East Indies
in Sunda Strait, western Java (c05.45S, 106.15E) - by torpedoes and 8in gunfire
of Japanese heavy cruisers ‘Mogami’ and ‘Mikuma’. 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. ‘Perth’ lost 353 men
with 326 taken prisoner, 106 of whom died in captivity (Casualty List)
(Japanese Conquests - Battle of the Sunda
Strait)
SYDNEY
(RAN) (Capt J Burnett+) 19th November 1941, Indian Ocean west of Shark Bay,
Western Australia (c28.00S, 111.00E) - by torpedoes and 5.9in gunfire of German
raider 'Kormoran'. On passage down north west coast of Australia after convoy
duties to Java. 'Kormoran' was also sunk. The entire crew of ‘Sydney’ was lost
– 647 men (Casualty List)
(Indian Ocean - Defence of Trade)
Surviving ship -
HOBART
HMAS Hobart (NavyPhotos/Mark Teadham)
37. Arethusa class, 4 ships - 5,200 tons, 32 knots, 6-6in, 450 crew,
1935-37; 2 lost:
GALATEA
(Capt
E W B Sim+), 14th December 1941, Eastern Mediterranean off Alexandria, Egypt
(31.17N, 29.13E) - torpedoed by German ‘U.557’ (Paulshen). Returning to
Alexandria with Mediterranean Fleet cruiser force after hunt for Italian convoy
to Libya; 472 men lost (Casualty List)
(Mediterranean - North African Campaign)
PENELOPE
(Capt
G D Belben+), 18th February 1944, Central Mediterranean, north west of Naples,
western Italy (40.55N, 13.25E) – torpedoed by German ‘U.410’ (Fenski).
Supporting Allied land forces in Battle for Anzio. Sailing unescorted from
Naples to Anzio; 430 men lost, 206 survivors. Nicknamed HMS 'Pepperpot' because
of the amount of splinter damage to her hull and upper works during her time in
the Mediterranean (Casualty
List)
(Italian Campaign - Battle for
Anzio)
Surviving ships -
ARETHUSA,
AURORA
.
HMS Arethusa (NavyPhotos/Mark Teadham)
38. Southampton classes, 8
ships - 9,100 tons, 32 knots, 12-6in, 700 crew, 1937-39, 3 lost:
GLOUCESTER
(Capt H A Rowley+), 22nd May 1941, Eastern Mediterranean in Antikythera
Channel, north west of Crete (c36.00N, 23.00E) - by German Ju.87 and Ju.88
bombers. With Mediterranean Fleet in action against German sea-borne invasion
of Crete. Attacked after supporting rescue of survivors from destroyer
Greyhound; 725 crew lost, 82 taken prisoner of whom one died in captivity
(Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean - Battle for Crete)
MANCHESTER
(Capt
H Drew), 13th August 1942, Central Mediterranean near Cape Bon, Tunisia, 4
miles off Kelibia (36.50N, 11.10E) – torpedoed by Italian MTBs ‘MAS.16’ or ‘MAS.22’.
Close support Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Pedestal'; 13 crew lost, 321 saved,
around 400 including CO interned by Vichy French
(Casualty List)
(Mediterranean
- Malta Convoys)
SOUTHAMPTON
(Capt
B C Brooke), 11th January 1941, Central Mediterranean east of Malta (c35.00N,
18.15E) - by German Ju.87 divebombers. Sailing from Malta to join
Malta/Alexandria convoy after carrying troops to Malta and supporting
Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Excess'; 96 on board lost, 727 saved but two died of
wounds (Casualty List)
(Mediterranean
-
Malta Convoys).
Surviving ships -
BIRMINGHAM,
GLASGOW,
LIVERPOOL,
NEWCASTLE,
SHEFFIELD
HMS Birmingham (NavyPhotos)
39. Belfast class, 2 ships - 10,000 tons, 32 knots, 12-6in, 850 crew, 1939, 1 lost:
EDINBURGH
(Capt
W Faulkner), 2nd May 1942, Arctic Ocean north of Murmansk, Russia in Barents
Sea (71.51N, 35.10E) – hit by a third torpedo from German destroyers 'Z.24' or
'Z.25' (now listed as ‘Z.24’), finally scuttled with a torpedo from destroyer
Foresight. Previously escorting Russia/Iceland convoy QP.11 and torpedoed by German
‘U.456’ (Teichart) in 73.09N, 32.45E on 30th April. Returning to Murmansk under
tow when attacked again; 57 crew lost
(Casualty
List)
(Russian Convoys)
Surviving ship -
BELFAST,
preserved as museum ship, River Thames,
London
HMS Belfast
(NavyPhotos)
40. Dido class, 11 ships -
5,500 tons, 33 knots, 10-5.25in AA or 8-4.5in AA *, 530 crew, 1940-42, 4 lost:
BONAVENTURE
(Capt
H J Egerton), 31st March 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, 90 miles S of Crete
(33.20N, 26.35E) - torpedoed by Italian submarine 'Ambra' (Arillo). With
Mediterranean Fleet cruiser force covering convoy GA.8 from Greece to
Alexandria; 138 crew lost, 310 saved (Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean
- 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 (48.59N, 03.39W) - torpedoed
by 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’; 462 crew lost, 107 saved
(Casualty
List)
(Battles of Britain - English Channel
Operations)
HERMIONE
(Capt
G N Oliver), 16th June 1942, Eastern Mediterranean, south of Crete (33.30N, 26.10E)
– torpedoed by German ‘U.205’ (Reschke). With Mediterranean Fleet covering
Alexandria/Malta convoy 'Vigorous'. Convoy returning to Alexandria after
failing to make Malta; 88 crew lost, 440 survivors
(Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean - Malta Convoys).
NAIAD
(Capt G Grantham), 11th March 1942, Eastern Mediterranean, north of Sidi
Barrrani, Egypt (32.01N, 26.20E) – torpedoed by German ‘U.565’ (Jebsen).
Returning with Mediterranean Fleet cruiser force to Alexandria after searching for and Axis convoy bound for Libya; 82 men
lost, 582 survivors (Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean - North African Campaign).
Surviving Ships:
ARGONAUT,
CLEOPATRA,
DIDO,
EURYALUS,
PHOEBE,
SCYLLA*,
SIRIUS
HMS Dido
(NavyPhotos)
41. Fiji class, 11 ships -
8,000 tons, 33 knots, 12-6in, 730 crew, 1940-43, 2 lost:
FIJI
(Capt
P B R William-Powlett), 22nd May 1941, Eastern Mediterranean, south west of
Crete (c34.45N, 23.15E) - by German Me.109 fighter-bomber. Operating with
Mediterranean Fleet against sea-borne invasion of Crete. Attacked after
supporting rescue of survivors from destroyer
Greyhound. The Me.109 attacked
out of the sun with a single 500 pounder while ‘Fiji’ was out of AA ammo; 242
crew lost, 523 saved but one died of wounds
(Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean
- Battle for Crete)
TRINIDAD
(Capt L S Saunders), scuttled 15th May 1942, Arctic Ocean north of North Cape
in Barents Sea (73.37N, 23.53E) - 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. Reached Murmansk, temporarily repaired
and now sailing home to UK; 63 crew and seven merchant seamen lost
(Casualty
List)
(Russian
Convoys).
Surviving ships:
BERMUDA,
CEYLON,
GAMBIA (RNZN from
1944),
JAMAICA,
KENYA,
MAURITIUS,
NEWFOUNDLAND,
NIGERIA,
UGANDA (RCN QUEBEC
from 1944)
HMS Trinidad (NavyPhotos)
42. Bellona class, 5 ships- 5,800 tons, 33 knots,
8-5.25in, 530 crew, 1943-44, 1 lost:
SPARTAN
(Capt
P V McLaughlin), 29th January 1944, Central Mediterranean off Anzio, western
Italy (41.26N, 12.41E) - by German aircraft-launched Hs.293 glider bomb.
Anchored in Anzio Bay in support of Allied landings; 60 crew lost, 523 saved
(Casualty
List)
(Italian
Campaign -
Battle
for Anzio).
Surviving ships -
BELLONA,
BLACK PRINCE,
DIADEM,
ROYALIST
HMS Bellona (NavyPhotos)
43. Swiftsure class,
ONTARIO
(RCN),
SWIFTSURE, 2 ships completed by war's end - 8,800 tons, 32 knots, 9-6in,
730 crew, 1944-45
HMCS Ontario
(NavyPhotos/Mark Teadham)
CRUISER MINELAYERS
44.
ADVENTURE, survived,
6,700 tons, 28 knots, 4-4.7in/280 mines, 400 crew, 1927
HMS Adventure (NavyPhotos)
45. Abdiel class, 6 ships - 2,600 tons, 40 knots,
6-4in/150 mines, 240 crew, 1941-44, 3 lost:
ABDIEL,
9th September 1943, Central Mediterranean, Taranto harbour, 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; 48 crew
lost plus 120 troops of 6th Para Btn (Casualty List)
(Italian Campaign).
LATONA
(Capt
S L Bateson), 25th October 1941, Eastern Mediterranean north of Bardia, eastern
Libya (c32.15N, 25.15E) - by German Ju.87 divebombers. Transporting men and
supplies to besieged Tobruk and lifting off Australian troops; 20 crew and
seven soldiers lost (Casualty List)
(Mediterranean - North African Campaign).
WELSHMAN
(Capt
D Friedburger), 1st February 1943, Eastern Mediterranean, north of Bardia
(32.12N, 24.52E) – torpedoed by German ‘U.617’ (Brandi). On passage from Malta
to Alexandria after minelaying operation in Strait of Sicily; 142 crew lost
(Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean
- North African Campaign).
Surviving ships -
APOLLO,
ARIADNE,
MANXMAN
.
HMS Manxman post-war (NavyPhotos)
