HMS Cairo: Difference between revisions

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#REDIRECT [[HMS Cairo (D87)]]
{{short description|Royal Navy C-class light cruiser}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox ship
|section1={{Infobox ship/image
|image=HMS Cairo.jpg
|image_caption=
}}
 
|section2={{Infobox ship/career
|hide_header=
|country=United Kingdom
|flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship class=[[C class cruiser|C-class]] [[light cruiser]]
|name=HMS ''Cairo''
|ordered=
|awarded=
|builder=[[Cammell Laird]]
|laid_down=17 November 1917
|launched=19 November 1918
|christened=
|acquired=
|commissioned=23 September 1919
|recommissioned=
|decommissioned=
|in_service=
|out_of_service=
|renamed=
|reclassified=Converted to anti-aircraft cruiser in 1939
|refit=
|captured=
|struck=
|reinstated=
|fate=Sunk 12 August 1942 by the [[Italy|Italian]] [[submarine]] [[Italian submarine Axum|''Axum'']] off [[Bizerta]]
|homeport=
|motto=Kaihara ('Victory')
|badge="On a Field Blue, a female Egyptian head proper, habited Black and Silver, upon three wavelets Silver"
|honours=* Norway 1940
          * Atlantic 1940-41
          * Malta Convoys 1942
|identification=[[Pennant number]]: 97 (Sep 19);<ref>{{cite book |last1=Colledge |first1=J J |title=British Warships 1914–1919 |date=1972 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton |page=49}}</ref> 87 (Nov 19); I.87 (1936); D.87 (1940)<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dodson |first1=Aidan |title=The Development of the British Royal Navy's Pennant Numbers Between 1919 and 1940 |journal=Warship International |date=2024 |volume=61 |issue=2 |page=134–66}}</ref>
 
}}
 
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics
|hide_header=
|header_caption=
|displacement=4,190 tons
|length={{convert|451.4|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|beam={{convert|43.9|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|draught={{convert|14|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|draft=
|propulsion=*Parsons geared turbines
            * Yarrow boilers
            * Two propellers
            * 40,000 shp
|speed=29 knots
|range=carried 300 tons (950 tons maximum) of fuel oil
|endurance=
|test_depth=
|boats=
|capacity=
|complement=330–350
|time_to_activate=
|sensors=
|EW=
|armament=*5 × [[BL 6 inch Mk XII naval gun|{{convert|6|in|adj=on|0}}]] guns
          * 2 × [[QF 3 inch 20 cwt|{{convert|3|in|mm|adj=on|0}}]] anti-aircraft guns
          * 4 × [[QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss|3-pounder]] guns
          * 2 × [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2-pounder]] pom-poms
          * 1 × machine gun
          * 8 × [[British 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
|armour=*3in side (amidships)
        * {{frac|2|1|4}}–{{frac|1|1|2}}in side (bows)
        * 2in side (stern)
        * 1in upper [[Deck (ship)|deck]]s (amidships)
        * 1in deck over rudder
|armor=
|aircraft=
|notes=
}}
}}
 
'''HMS ''Cairo'' (D87)''' was a [[C class cruiser|C-class]] [[light cruiser]] of the [[Royal Navy]], named after the [[Egypt]]ian capital,  [[Cairo]].  So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name. She was part of the ''Carlisle'' group of the C-class of cruisers.
 
== History ==
[[file:The Norwegian Campaign 1940- Naval Operations N320.jpg|thumb|left|Gun position on HMS ''Cairo'', smoke above Narvik in the back on 8 June 1940.]]
She was laid down by [[Cammell Laird]] at [[Birkenhead]] on 28 November 1917, launched on 19 November 1918 and commissioned on 24 September 1919. ''Cairo'' was not ready for service in [[World War I]] and her first posting was to the [[China Station]] in 1920, followed by the [[East Indies Station]] from 1921 to 1925. On 23 April 1926 ''Cairo'' visited [[Kismayu]], [[Italian Somaliland]], during the [[Jubaland]] Boundary Commission.<ref>Letter dated 30th November 1926, Ref: 6/5/3/1/2, from The Secretariat, Nairobi to Captain E.N. Erskine c/o HM Consul Ksmayu thanking him for acting as Liaison Officer and Interpreter.</ref> After a further temporary attachment to the China Station until 1927, she joined the [[8th Cruiser Squadron]] on the [[North America and West Indies Station]], based at the [[Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda|Royal Naval Dockyard]] on [[Ireland Island, Bermuda|Ireland Island]], [[Bermuda]]. From 1928 to 1930, ''Cairo'' was in the Mediterranean as flagship for the Rear-Admiral (D).<ref>The suffix "D" indicates command of flotilla(s) of destroyers.</ref> After a refit from 1931–1932, she was with the [[Home Fleet]] as Commodore (D). She was converted to an [[anti-aircraft]] cruiser in 1939.
 
In [[World War II]] she took part in the [[Allied campaign in Norway|Norwegian Campaign]], where she was damaged by German aircraft [[Battles of Narvik|off Narvik]] on 28 May 1940. 10 sailors were killed <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1940-05MAY.htm#curlewlost|title=Royal Navy casualties, killed and died, May 1940, including Norway}}</ref> and the ship was out of action for two months. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Cairo.htm|title=HMS Cairo, British light cruiser, WW2}}</ref> In the Mediterranean she led the escort of a six cargo-ship convoy from [[Gibraltar]] to [[Malta]], code named [[Operation Harpoon (1942)|Operation Harpoon]], which endured intense air strikes. The British squadron also faced the attack of an Italian light cruiser division in the [[Strait of Sicily|Sicilia channel]]. Four merchantmen and two destroyers were sunk, while ''Cairo'' was hit by two 6-inch rounds from the [[Italian cruiser Eugenio di Savoia|Italian cruiser ''Eugenio di Savoia'']], killing two members of her crew.
 
In August 1942, ''Cairo'' took part in [[Operation Pedestal]], the escort of a [[convoy]] to [[Malta]]. During the operation she was torpedoed and sunk by the [[Italian submarine Axum|Italian submarine ''Axum'']] north of [[Bizerta]], [[Tunisia]], on 12 August 1942. One torpedo blew off part of the stern, the port propeller was gone, the engine room flooded and gun mount Y fell off in the sea. As during the battle it was impossible to tow her to safety, it was decided to scuttle her. The destroyer {{HMS|Pathfinder|G10|6}} fired four torpedoes but only one hit. A series of depth charges did not finish her off, so finally the [[escort destroyer]] {{HMS|Derwent|L83|6}} received orders to sink her with gunfire.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hastings |first=Max  |translator-first=Wilma |translator-last=Paalman |title=Operatie Pedestal: de vloot die zich in 1942 een weg naar Malta vocht |date=2021 |publisher=Hollands Diep |isbn=978-90-488-5275-8 |location=Amsterdam |pages=241 |oclc=1285722455}}</ref> Twenty-four seamen went down with the ship.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Royal Navy casualties, killed and died, August 1942|url = http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1942-08AUG.htm|website = www.naval-history.net|access-date = 2015-10-31}}</ref>
 
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
 
==References==
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau |editor1-first=Roger |publisher=Mayflower Books|year=1980|isbn=0-8317-0303-2 |chapter=Great Britain |last1=Campbell |first1=N.J.M.|pages=2–85}}
*{{cite book |last1=Colledge |first1=J. J. |title=Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present |date=2020 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing|isbn=978-1-5267-9327-0 |edition=5th revised and updated|first2=Ben|last2=Warlow|first3=Steve|last3=Bush|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Crabb |first=Brian James |title=Operation Pedestal: The Story of Convoy WS21S in August 1942 |publisher=Shaun Tyas |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-907730-19-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After|year=2010|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|isbn=978-1-59114-078-8 |author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7|author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton}}
*{{cite book|editor1-last=Gray|editor1-first=Randal|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921 |year=1985 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-85177-245-5 |name-list-style=amp |chapter=Great Britain and Empire Forces|first1=Antony|last1=Preston|author-link=Antony Preston|pages=1–104}}
* {{cite book|last1=Raven|first1=Alan|last2=Roberts|first2=John|title=British Cruisers of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1980|isbn=0-87021-922-7|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2 |author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Cassell |year=1995|isbn=1-86019-874-0|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}
 
==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Cairo (D87)}}
* [http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80010579 IWM Interview with survivor Clifford Richardson]
 
{{coord|37|26|0|N|10|22|0|E|display=title}}
{{C class cruiser}}
{{August 1942 shipwrecks}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cairo (D87)}}
[[Category:C-class cruisers]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Mersey]]
[[Category:1918 ships]]
[[Category:World War I cruisers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by Italian submarines]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Cruisers sunk by submarines]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in August 1942]]

Latest revision as of 23:20, 31 December 2025

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HMS Cairo (D87) was a C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy, named after the Egyptian capital, Cairo. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name. She was part of the Carlisle group of the C-class of cruisers.

History

File:The Norwegian Campaign 1940- Naval Operations N320.jpg
Gun position on HMS Cairo, smoke above Narvik in the back on 8 June 1940.

She was laid down by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead on 28 November 1917, launched on 19 November 1918 and commissioned on 24 September 1919. Cairo was not ready for service in World War I and her first posting was to the China Station in 1920, followed by the East Indies Station from 1921 to 1925. On 23 April 1926 Cairo visited Kismayu, Italian Somaliland, during the Jubaland Boundary Commission.[1] After a further temporary attachment to the China Station until 1927, she joined the 8th Cruiser Squadron on the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island, Bermuda. From 1928 to 1930, Cairo was in the Mediterranean as flagship for the Rear-Admiral (D).[2] After a refit from 1931–1932, she was with the Home Fleet as Commodore (D). She was converted to an anti-aircraft cruiser in 1939.

In World War II she took part in the Norwegian Campaign, where she was damaged by German aircraft off Narvik on 28 May 1940. 10 sailors were killed [3] and the ship was out of action for two months. [4] In the Mediterranean she led the escort of a six cargo-ship convoy from Gibraltar to Malta, code named Operation Harpoon, which endured intense air strikes. The British squadron also faced the attack of an Italian light cruiser division in the Sicilia channel. Four merchantmen and two destroyers were sunk, while Cairo was hit by two 6-inch rounds from the Italian cruiser Eugenio di Savoia, killing two members of her crew.

In August 1942, Cairo took part in Operation Pedestal, the escort of a convoy to Malta. During the operation she was torpedoed and sunk by the Italian submarine Axum north of Bizerta, Tunisia, on 12 August 1942. One torpedo blew off part of the stern, the port propeller was gone, the engine room flooded and gun mount Y fell off in the sea. As during the battle it was impossible to tow her to safety, it was decided to scuttle her. The destroyer Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". fired four torpedoes but only one hit. A series of depth charges did not finish her off, so finally the escort destroyer Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". received orders to sink her with gunfire.[5] Twenty-four seamen went down with the ship.[6]

Notes

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  1. ↑ Letter dated 30th November 1926, Ref: 6/5/3/1/2, from The Secretariat, Nairobi to Captain E.N. Erskine c/o HM Consul Ksmayu thanking him for acting as Liaison Officer and Interpreter.
  2. ↑ The suffix "D" indicates command of flotilla(s) of destroyers.
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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References

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External links

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