SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMS SPARTAN - Bellona-class AA Cruiser    
including Convoy Escort Movements

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above left  - HMS Spartan

(NP, click photographs for enlargements)

  
 

  H.  M.  S.   S P A R T A N

 

"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 - ATLANTIC  1943 - CHINA  1856-57 - 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

 

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)

 

  
 

 

further formatting is needed, but the data is being made available without delay

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