HMS Despatch (D30)

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HMS Despatch in October 1939
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HMS Despatch was a Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". light cruiser built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was part of the Delhi sub-class of the Danae class.

Design and description

File:America and West Indies Station 1st Division (HMS Dragon, HMS Danae and HMS Dispatch) off Admiralty House Bermuda in 1931.jpg
America and West Indies Station 1st Division (HMS Dragon, HMS Danae and HMS Despatch) off Admiralty House in 1931 as they depart their base at the Royal Naval Dockyard in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda to exercise on the open ocean

The Delhi sub-class was identical with the preceding ships except that their bows were raised for better seakeeping. The ships were Script error: No such module "convert". long overall, with a beam of Script error: No such module "convert". and a mean deep draught of Script error: No such module "convert".. Displacement was Script error: No such module "convert". at normal[1] and Script error: No such module "convert". at deep load. Despatch was powered by two Brown-Curtis steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, which produced a total of Script error: No such module "convert".. The turbines used steam generated by six Yarrow boilers which gave her a speed of about Script error: No such module "convert".. She carried Script error: No such module "convert". tons of fuel oil. The ship had a crew of about 450 officers and other ranks.[2]

Despatch was armed with six centreline BL 6-inch (152 mm) Mk XII guns.[2] One superfiring pair of guns was forward of the bridge, another pair were fore and aft of the two funnels and the last two were in the stern, with one gun superfiring over the rearmost gun. The two QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun anti-aircraft guns were positioned on elevated platforms between the funnels and the QF 2-pounder "pom-pom" AA guns were amidships on the upper deck.[3] The ships were equipped with a dozen Script error: No such module "convert". torpedo tubes in four triple mounts, two on each broadside.[2]

Construction and career

She was laid down by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company on 8 July 1918, launched on 24 September 1919,[4] towed to Chatham Dockyard,[5] and completed there on 15 June 1922.[4]

File:HMS Despatch.jpg
HMS Despatch in July 1942.

Despatch had a relatively quiet wartime career, compared to her sisters. She was operating in the South Atlantic for the early part of the war, where she captured the German freighter Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and intercepted the German merchant ship Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".. The crew of Troja scuttled her, however, before the ship could be captured. She was in the Mediterranean, escorting convoys in late 1940, and became involved in Operation White and the Battle of Cape Spartivento. By the battle of Cape Spartivento as part of Force "B", a sub-unit of Force "H", Gibraltar.

18.2.43. - At 13.45hrs HMS Despatch intercepted Spanish ship Monte Naranco in position 14-42N, 23-01W and placed an armed guard aboard and ordered the Greek destroyer HHelMS Adrias to escort her for one day towards Gibraltar.

Despatch was present at the Normandy landings in June 1944. She was the headquarters ship for the Mulberry harbours. Whilst at Mulberry 'B' Despatch was present for the visit of H.M. King George VI. For her HQ Ship role, Despatch had had all her original guns removed and replaced with 16 Bofors 40 mm Anti-Aircraft guns manned by army gunners from 127th (Queen's) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, to support her role as "Traffic Control" in building the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches. Her captain, Commander R.T. White DSO**, was allocated landing pass "number one" for Arromanches.[6][7]

Despatch was reduced to reserve in January 1945, and sold on 5 April 1946 for scrapping. She arrived at the yards of Arnott Young, of Troon, Scotland on 5 May 1946 to be broken up.[8]

Notes

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  1. ↑ Friedman 2010, p. 388
  2. ↑ a b c Gardiner & Gray, p. 62
  3. ↑ Raven & Roberts, pp. 88–89
  4. ↑ a b Whitley, p. 73
  5. ↑ Raven & Roberts, p. 84
  6. ↑ 76th Anti-Aircraft Brigade War Diary, 1944, The National Archives (TNA), Kew, file WO 171/1084.
  7. ↑ Routledge, pp. 305, 311; Table XLIX, p. 319.
  8. ↑ Whitley, p. 76

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Bibliography

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  • Routledge, Brigadier N.W. (1994) History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: Anti-Aircraft Artillery 1914–55, London: Royal Artillery Institution/Brassey's, Template:ISBN.
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External links

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