HMS Hermione (74)

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Aerial photograph of Hermione at sea, January 1942
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HMS Hermione was a Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Alexander Stephen and Sons (Glasgow, Scotland), with the keel laid down on 6 October 1937. She was launched on 18 May 1939 and commissioned 25 March 1941. On 16 June 1942, Hermione was torpedoed and sunk by the Template:GS in the Mediterranean. Eighty-eight crewmembers were killed.

Construction and design

The Dido-class were designed as small cruisers capable of being built quickly and in large numbers to allow a shortfall in numbers of cruisers against the numbers which were required to meet the Royal Navy's needs. Rather than the mixed armament of single-purpose 6-inch (152 mm) low-angle (anti-ship) and 4-inch (102 mm) high-angle (anti-aircraft) guns carried by previous light cruisers, it was decided to fit a dual-purpose main armament, capable of both anti-ship and anti-aircraft fire. This used the new 5.25-inch (133 mm) gun as used in the King George V-class battleships.[1][2]

Hermione was one of two Dido-class cruisers ordered under the 1937 construction programme for the Royal Navy,[lower-alpha 1] following on from five ships ordered the previous year.[3] Hermione was laid down at Alexander Stephen and Sons Linthouse, Glasgow shipyard as Yard number 560 on 6 October 1937,[4][5] was launched on 18 May 1939 and completed on 25 March 1941.[4]

Hermione was Script error: No such module "convert". long overall and Script error: No such module "convert". between perpendiculars, with a beam of Script error: No such module "convert". and a mean draught of Script error: No such module "convert". (increasing to Script error: No such module "convert". at full load. Displacement was Script error: No such module "convert". standard and Script error: No such module "convert". full load.[4][6] The ship's machinery was arranged in a four-shaft layout, with four Admiralty 3-drum boilers supplying steam at Script error: No such module "convert". to Parsons single-reduction geared steam turbines, rated at Script error: No such module "convert"., giving a speed of Script error: No such module "convert"..[4] Script error: No such module "convert". of fuel oil were carried, giving a range of Script error: No such module "convert". at Script error: No such module "convert"., reducing to Script error: No such module "convert". at Script error: No such module "convert". and Script error: No such module "convert". at Script error: No such module "convert"..[6]

The ship's main armament consisted of ten 5.25-inch guns in five twin turrets on the ship's centreline, with three forward and two aft. Two quadruple 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom mounts were mounted on the ship's beams to provide close-in anti-aircraft protection, backed up by two quadruple .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns on the bridge wings.[7] Two triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes provided additional anti-ship capability.[6] Fire control for this armament was provided by a single low angle director control tower (DCT) on the ship's bridge, together with two High Angle Control System (HACS) director towers, one on the ship's bridge and one aft.[3][7] A Script error: No such module "convert". armour belt protected the ship's machinery and magazines with Script error: No such module "convert". protecting the ship's shell rooms. Deck armour was also an inch thick, with Script error: No such module "convert". plates over the magazines.[4] The 5.25 inch gun turrets had armour of Script error: No such module "convert". thickness.[6]

Modifications

File:HMS Hermione gun.jpg
A 20 mm Oerlikon gun on board HMS Hermione, showing a naval gunner utilising the rubber shoulder rests for high-angle firing, with the Thornycroft depth charge thrower Mark II and depth charge launching rail in the background.

While several of the Dido-class were completed with reduced main armaments owing to production problems (the King George V-class battleships had priority for the new guns),[8][2] Hermione was completed with the full ten-gun outfit. In October–November 1941, the ship's .50 in machine guns were replaced by five single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon.[3]

History

File:Convoy cat.jpg
Convoy, HermioneTemplate:'s ship's cat, sleeps in a hammock whilst members of the crew look on

After commissioning and workup, Hermione joined the 15th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet.[9] Hermione took part in the pursuit of the Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". and heavy cruiser Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". when they sortied into the North Atlantic in May 1941. Hermione left Scapa Flow on 22 May as part of a force including the battleship Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and the aircraft carrier Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[10][11][lower-alpha 2] On 24 May, Victorious, escorted by Hermione, Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., was detached to launch an air attack against Bismarck. The attack by VictoriousTemplate:'s Swordfish torpedo bombers resulted in a single torpedo hit on Bismarck which did little damage to the German ship.[12] On 25 May, Hermione, short of fuel, was detached from the chase in order to refuel at Iceland.[13] Following the sinking of Bismarck, the British launched a major operation against German supply ships in the Atlantic which supported the operations of surface raiders, with Hermione taking part in searches for these supply ships and German blockade runners before joining Force H, based at Gibraltar on 22 June.[14] Hermione was then deployed to the Mediterranean. On 2 August 1941, whilst helping to protect a convoy, Hermione attacked by ramming the Italian submarine Tembien, sinking her;[15][16] an action commemorated in a propaganda painting by artist Marcus Stone.[17]

Fate

While under Captain G.N. Oliver, DSO, RN, Hermione was part of the Force A group which escorted supply convoy MW-11, under Rear Admiral Philip Vian, from Alexandria to Malta in Operation Vigorous. On the 14th and 15 June 1942, the Hermione expended most of her ammunition while defending the ships against heavy air attacks and had to return to Alexandria, escorted by Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[18]

At 23:20 hours on 15 June, U-205 (under Kapitänleutnant Franz-Georg Reschke) spotted a group of warships north of Sollum and attacked two destroyers with one G7e torpedo each at 23:38 and 23:40 hours, but missed both. Only then did U-205 recognize one of the shadows as a cruiser and fired a spread of three torpedoes at 00:19 hours, hitting Hermione on the starboard side. The ship immediately settled by the stern with a list of 22° before ultimately capsizing, remaining afloat for 21 minutes before sinking. Eight officers and 80 ratings were lost, including the ship's cat. The survivors were picked up by the escorting destroyers and were landed at Alexandria.[18]

Notes

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  1. ↑ The other being Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[3]
  2. ↑ The force consisted of King George V, Victorious, the cruisers Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Hermione and the destroyers Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[10]

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References

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  10. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Footnotes".
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  18. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Footnotes".

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Bibliography

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External links

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