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HMS Anson (1940)
Encyclopedia
HMS Anson was a King George V-class
battleship
of the Royal Navy
, named after Admiral George Anson
. She was built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson
Shipyard and launched on 24 February 1940, being completed on 22 June 1942. Her completion was delayed because of the inclusion of fire-control radar, and additional anti-aircraft weapons. She was originally to have been named Jellicoe, but she was renamed Anson in February 1940.
Anson saw service in the Second World War
, escorting nine Russian convoys in the Arctic
by December 1943. She took part in diversionary moves as to draw attention away from Operation Husky in July 1943, and February 1944 she provided cover for Operation Tungsten
, the successful air strike against the German battleship Tirpitz
. She accepted the surrender of Japanese forces occupying Hong Kong
on 15 August 1945, and following the war became the flagship
of the 1st Battle Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet
.
Anson arrived back in British waters on 29 July 1946, spending the next three years in active service with the post-war navy. She was finally placed in reserve
and "mothballed" in 1949, spending eight years in this condition. On 17 December 1957 she was purchased for scrap by Shipbreaking Industries, Faslane.
42600 long tons (43,283.7 t) as built and 45360 long tons (46,088 t) fully loaded. The ship had an overall length of 745 feet (227.1 m), a beam
of 103 feet (31.4 m) and a draught of 31 in 3 in (9.53 m). Her designed metacentric height
was 6 in 1 in (1.85 m) feet at normal load and 8 in 1 in (2.46 m) feet at deep load.
She was powered by Parsons
geared steam turbine
s driving four propeller shafts. Steam was provided by eight Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boiler
s which normally delivered 100000 shp, but could deliver 110000 shp at emergency overload.
This gave Anson a top speed of 27.62 knots (15 m/s). The ship carried 4210 long tons (4,277.6 t) of fuel oil. At full speed Anson had a range of 3150 nautical miles (5,833.8 km) at 27 knots (14.7 m/s) while burning 36 long tons (36.6 t) of fuel per hour.
. The 14-inch guns were mounted in one Mark II twin turret forward and two Mark III quadruple turrets, one forward and one aft
. The guns could be elevated 40 degrees and depressed 3 degrees. A full gun broadside
weighed 15950 pounds (7,234.8 kg), and a salvo
could be fired every 40 seconds. Her secondary armament consisted of 16 QF 5.25 inches (133.4 mm) Mk I guns which were mounted in eight twin mounts. The maximum range of the Mk I guns was 24070 yards (22,009.6 m) at a 45-degree elevation, the anti-aircraft ceiling was 49000 feet (14,935.2 m). The guns could be elevated to 70 degrees and depressed to 5 degrees. The normal rate of fire was ten to twelve rounds per minute, but in practice the guns could only fire seven to eight rounds per minute. Along with her main and secondary batteries Anson carried six 8-barrelled QF 2 pdr 1.575 inches (40 mm) Mk. VIII
"pom-pom" anti-aircraft guns. These were supplemented by eighteen 20 millimetre (0.78740157480315 in) Oerlikon
light AA guns.
extended the ban on battleship construction that had been introduced in 1922, and by 31 December 1936 it was realised that Britain was woefully short of modern battleships. During this period the Admiralty
set in motion plans for the construction of a new battleship class and out of this the King George V-class battleships were born. They were limited armament-wise because when the original plans had been drawn up for the King George V-class, the Washington Treaty
was still in effect and because of the urgent need for battleships the Admiralty did not have enough time to re-work the plans to a more suitable 16-inch main gun arrangement.
The keel of the fourth ship of the class was laid at the Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Shipyard on 20 July 1937. She was originally to have been named Jellicoe, after Admiral Sir John Jellicoe
, the commander of the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland
in 1916, but she was renamed Anson in February 1940. Anson was launched on 24 February 1940 and was completed on 22 June 1942. Completion was delayed largely because of the inclusion of fire-control radar, and additional anti-aircraft weapons.
, with distant cover provided by Anson, the cruiser Sheffield and the destroyers Inglefield, , and the Polish destroyer Orkan from 30 January.
In June 1942, the pre-First World War
battleship HMS Centurion
was disguised as Anson in the Mediterranean Sea
, acting as a decoy during Operation Vigorous
.
In July 1943 Anson took part in the diversionary moves designed to draw attention away from the preparations for Operation Husky, and in October that year, with Duke of York and the US cruiser Tuscaloosa
, provided cover for Operation Leader
, in which the US aircraft carrier Ranger
mounted air strikes against German shipping off Norway. In February 1944, in company with the French battleship Richelieu and a force of cruisers and destroyers, Anson stood by in the same capacity while aircraft from the aircraft carrier HMS Furious
carried out air strikes against German targets in Norway during Operation Bayleaf, and on 3 April she provided cover for Operation Tungsten
, a successful air strike against the German battleship Tirpitz
, during which she served as flagship for Vice Admiral
Sir Henry Moore.
Anson was decommissioned for a refit in June 1944 and did not return to the fleet until March 1945, when she sailed with Duke of York to join the British Pacific Fleet
. By the time she arrived in the theatre, hostilities were all but over. She left Sydney on 15 August for Hong Kong
with Duke of York, and along with a task force of other ships from Britain and the Commonwealth, accepted the surrender of the Japanese forces occupying Hong Kong. She was also present in Tokyo Bay
during the official Japanese surrender
aboard the USS Missouri
.
. After a brief refit, Anson sailed from Sydney
to Hobart
in February 1946 to collect the Duke
and Duchess of Gloucester
and return them to Sydney.
Anson arrived back in British waters on 29 July 1946 and after a short refit was returned to peacetime duties. In November 1949 Anson was placed in reserve and in 1951 she was towed to Gare Loch
. On 17 December 1957 she was purchased for scrap by Shipbreaking Industries, Faslane.
King George V class battleship (1939)
The King George V-class battleships were the most modern British battleships used during World War II. Five ships of this class were built and commissioned: King George V , Prince of Wales , Duke of York , Howe , and Anson .The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 limiting all of the number,...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, named after Admiral George Anson
George Anson, 1st Baron Anson
Admiral of the Fleet George Anson, 1st Baron Anson PC, FRS, RN was a British admiral and a wealthy aristocrat, noted for his circumnavigation of the globe and his role overseeing the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War...
. She was built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson
Swan Hunter
Swan Hunter, formerly known as "Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson", was one of the best known shipbuilding companies in the world. Based in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, the company was responsible for some of the greatest ships of the early 20th century — most famously, the RMS Mauretania which...
Shipyard and launched on 24 February 1940, being completed on 22 June 1942. Her completion was delayed because of the inclusion of fire-control radar, and additional anti-aircraft weapons. She was originally to have been named Jellicoe, but she was renamed Anson in February 1940.
Anson saw service in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, escorting nine Russian convoys in the Arctic
Arctic convoys of World War II
The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United Kingdom and North America to the northern ports of the Soviet Union—Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. There were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945...
by December 1943. She took part in diversionary moves as to draw attention away from Operation Husky in July 1943, and February 1944 she provided cover for Operation Tungsten
Operation Tungsten
Operation Tungsten was a British naval operation during World War II. it was one of a number of aerial attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz while she was in Norwegian waters...
, the successful air strike against the German battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
. She accepted the surrender of Japanese forces occupying Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
on 15 August 1945, and following the war became the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of the 1st Battle Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet
British Pacific Fleet
The British Pacific Fleet was a British Commonwealth naval force which saw action against Japan during World War II. The fleet was composed of British Commonwealth naval vessels. The BPF formally came into being on 22 November 1944...
.
Anson arrived back in British waters on 29 July 1946, spending the next three years in active service with the post-war navy. She was finally placed in reserve
Reserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
and "mothballed" in 1949, spending eight years in this condition. On 17 December 1957 she was purchased for scrap by Shipbreaking Industries, Faslane.
Description
Anson displacedDisplacement (ship)
A ship's displacement is its weight at any given time, generally expressed in metric tons or long tons. The term is often used to mean the ship's weight when it is loaded to its maximum capacity. A number of synonymous terms exist for this maximum weight, such as loaded displacement, full load...
42600 long tons (43,283.7 t) as built and 45360 long tons (46,088 t) fully loaded. The ship had an overall length of 745 feet (227.1 m), a beam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 103 feet (31.4 m) and a draught of 31 in 3 in (9.53 m). Her designed metacentric height
Metacentric height
The metacentric height is a measurement of the static stability of a floating body. It is calculated as the distance between the centre of gravity of a ship and its metacentre . A larger metacentric height implies greater stability against overturning...
was 6 in 1 in (1.85 m) feet at normal load and 8 in 1 in (2.46 m) feet at deep load.
She was powered by Parsons
Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company
Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company was a British engineering company based in Wallsend, North England, on the River Tyne.-History:The company was founded by Charles Algernon Parsons in 1897 with £500,000 of capital, and specialised in building the steam turbine engines that he had invented for...
geared steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s driving four propeller shafts. Steam was provided by eight Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boiler
Water-tube boiler
A water tube boiler is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire. Fuel is burned inside the furnace, creating hot gas which heats water in the steam-generating tubes...
s which normally delivered 100000 shp, but could deliver 110000 shp at emergency overload.
This gave Anson a top speed of 27.62 knots (15 m/s). The ship carried 4210 long tons (4,277.6 t) of fuel oil. At full speed Anson had a range of 3150 nautical miles (5,833.8 km) at 27 knots (14.7 m/s) while burning 36 long tons (36.6 t) of fuel per hour.
Armament
Anson mounted 10 BL 14 inches (356 mm) Mk VII gunsBL 14 inch Mk VII naval gun
The BL 14 inch Mk VII naval gun was designed for the ships of the Royal Navy in the late 1930s. This gun armed the King George V class battleships.-Background:...
. The 14-inch guns were mounted in one Mark II twin turret forward and two Mark III quadruple turrets, one forward and one aft
Aft
Aft, in naval terminology, is an adjective or adverb meaning, towards the stern of the ship, when the frame of reference is within the ship. Example: "Able Seaman Smith; lay aft!". Or; "What's happening aft?"...
. The guns could be elevated 40 degrees and depressed 3 degrees. A full gun broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
weighed 15950 pounds (7,234.8 kg), and a salvo
Salvo
A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute.Troops armed with muzzleloaders required time in which to refill their arms with gun powder and shot...
could be fired every 40 seconds. Her secondary armament consisted of 16 QF 5.25 inches (133.4 mm) Mk I guns which were mounted in eight twin mounts. The maximum range of the Mk I guns was 24070 yards (22,009.6 m) at a 45-degree elevation, the anti-aircraft ceiling was 49000 feet (14,935.2 m). The guns could be elevated to 70 degrees and depressed to 5 degrees. The normal rate of fire was ten to twelve rounds per minute, but in practice the guns could only fire seven to eight rounds per minute. Along with her main and secondary batteries Anson carried six 8-barrelled QF 2 pdr 1.575 inches (40 mm) Mk. VIII
QF 2 pounder naval gun
The 2-pounder gun, officially designated the QF 2-pounder and universally known as the pom-pom, was a 1.575 inch British autocannon, used famously as an anti-aircraft gun by the Royal Navy. The name came from the sound that the original models make when firing...
"pom-pom" anti-aircraft guns. These were supplemented by eighteen 20 millimetre (0.78740157480315 in) Oerlikon
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
light AA guns.
Construction
The terms of the 1930 Treaty of LondonLondon Naval Treaty
The London Naval Treaty was an agreement between the United Kingdom, the Empire of Japan, France, Italy and the United States, signed on April 22, 1930, which regulated submarine warfare and limited naval shipbuilding. Ratifications were exchanged in London on October 27, 1930, and the treaty went...
extended the ban on battleship construction that had been introduced in 1922, and by 31 December 1936 it was realised that Britain was woefully short of modern battleships. During this period the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
set in motion plans for the construction of a new battleship class and out of this the King George V-class battleships were born. They were limited armament-wise because when the original plans had been drawn up for the King George V-class, the Washington Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
was still in effect and because of the urgent need for battleships the Admiralty did not have enough time to re-work the plans to a more suitable 16-inch main gun arrangement.
The keel of the fourth ship of the class was laid at the Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Shipyard on 20 July 1937. She was originally to have been named Jellicoe, after Admiral Sir John Jellicoe
John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe
Admiral of the Fleet John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, GCB, OM, GCVO was a British Royal Navy admiral who commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in World War I...
, the commander of the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
in 1916, but she was renamed Anson in February 1940. Anson was launched on 24 February 1940 and was completed on 22 June 1942. Completion was delayed largely because of the inclusion of fire-control radar, and additional anti-aircraft weapons.
Operational history
After her commissioning in 1942, Anson was sent to the Arctic Sea with most of the Home Fleet as an escort ship for multiple Russian convoys. On 12 September 1942 Anson was part of the distant covering force for convoy QP.14, along with her sister-ship , the light cruiser and the destroyers , , and . On 29 December Anson provided distant cover for Convoy JW.51B along with the cruiser and the destroyers , and . On 23 and 24 January 1943 Anson provided distant cover for convoy JW.52 along with the cruiser and the destroyers , , , , Montrose, , and the Polish destroyer Orkan. On 29 January Convoy RA.52 departed from the Kola inletKola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
, with distant cover provided by Anson, the cruiser Sheffield and the destroyers Inglefield, , and the Polish destroyer Orkan from 30 January.
In June 1942, the pre-First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
battleship HMS Centurion
HMS Centurion (1911)
HMS Centurion was the second battleship of the King George V class, built at HM Dockyard, Devonport.The Battleships of the King George V class had been designed as Dreadnought Battleship....
was disguised as Anson in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, acting as a decoy during Operation Vigorous
Operation Vigorous
Operation Vigorous was a World War II Allied operation to deliver a supply convoy that sailed from Haifa and Port Said on 12 June 1942 to Malta. The convoy encountered heavy Axis air and sea opposition and returned to Alexandria on 16 June....
.
In July 1943 Anson took part in the diversionary moves designed to draw attention away from the preparations for Operation Husky, and in October that year, with Duke of York and the US cruiser Tuscaloosa
USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37)
USS Tuscaloosa was a United States Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser.She was laid down on 3 September 1931 at Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Co., launched on 15 November 1933, sponsored by Mrs. Thomas Lee McCann, the wife of Lieutenant Thomas L...
, provided cover for Operation Leader
Operation Leader
Operation Leader was the code name for an attack undertaken by aircraft from the carrier on 4 October 1943 on German shipping along the coast of Norway in the Bodø area...
, in which the US aircraft carrier Ranger
USS Ranger (CV-4)
USS Ranger was the first ship of the United States Navy to be designed and built from the keel up as an aircraft carrier. Ranger was a relatively small ship, closer in size and displacement to the first U.S. carrier——than later ships. An island superstructure was not included in the original...
mounted air strikes against German shipping off Norway. In February 1944, in company with the French battleship Richelieu and a force of cruisers and destroyers, Anson stood by in the same capacity while aircraft from the aircraft carrier HMS Furious
HMS Furious (47)
HMS Furious was a modified cruiser built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Designed to support the Baltic Project championed by the First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, Lord John Fisher, they were very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. Furious was modified while...
carried out air strikes against German targets in Norway during Operation Bayleaf, and on 3 April she provided cover for Operation Tungsten
Operation Tungsten
Operation Tungsten was a British naval operation during World War II. it was one of a number of aerial attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz while she was in Norwegian waters...
, a successful air strike against the German battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
, during which she served as flagship for Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
Sir Henry Moore.
Anson was decommissioned for a refit in June 1944 and did not return to the fleet until March 1945, when she sailed with Duke of York to join the British Pacific Fleet
British Pacific Fleet
The British Pacific Fleet was a British Commonwealth naval force which saw action against Japan during World War II. The fleet was composed of British Commonwealth naval vessels. The BPF formally came into being on 22 November 1944...
. By the time she arrived in the theatre, hostilities were all but over. She left Sydney on 15 August for Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
with Duke of York, and along with a task force of other ships from Britain and the Commonwealth, accepted the surrender of the Japanese forces occupying Hong Kong. She was also present in Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
during the official Japanese surrender
Japanese Instrument of Surrender
The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that enabled the Surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan, the United States of America, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist...
aboard the USS Missouri
USS Missouri (BB-63)
|USS Missouri is a United States Navy Iowa-class battleship, and was the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri...
.
Post war
Following the war Anson was the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet and helped to re-occupy Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. After a brief refit, Anson sailed from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
in February 1946 to collect the Duke
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was a soldier and member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary....
and Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, the wife and then widow of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of George V and Queen Mary.The daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry, Scotland’s largest landowner, her brothers Walter and...
and return them to Sydney.
Anson arrived back in British waters on 29 July 1946 and after a short refit was returned to peacetime duties. In November 1949 Anson was placed in reserve and in 1951 she was towed to Gare Loch
Gare Loch
The Gare Loch or Gareloch is a sea loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.-Geography:A sea loch aligned north-south, Gare Loch is 10 kilometres long with an average width of 1.5 kilometres. At its southern end it opens into the Firth of Clyde through the Rhu narrows...
. On 17 December 1957 she was purchased for scrap by Shipbreaking Industries, Faslane.
Refits
During her career, Anson was refitted on several occasions in order to update her equipment. The following are the dates and details of the refits undertaken:| Dates | Location | Description of Work |
|---|---|---|
| Early 1943 | 22 x 20mm Oerlikon 20 mm cannon The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others... added. |
|
| July 1944-March 1945 | Devonport HMNB Devonport Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England... |
2 x 8-barrelled 2pdr QF 2 pounder naval gun The 2-pounder gun, officially designated the QF 2-pounder and universally known as the pom-pom, was a 1.575 inch British autocannon, used famously as an anti-aircraft gun by the Royal Navy. The name came from the sound that the original models make when firing... , 4 x 4-barrelled 40mm, 8 x 2-barrelled 20mm, 13 x 20mm added. Type 273 radar deleted, Type 281 radar replaced by Type 281B, Type 282 replaced by Type 252 and two more Type 262 added, Type 284 replaced by 2 x Type 274, Type 285 replaced by Type 275; Type 277 and 293 added. RH2 VHF/DF, Type 651 jammer added; HA/LA Mk V directors replaced by HA/La Mk VI; aircraft and catapult equipment removed and ship's boats relocated. |
| Mid 1945 | 2 x twin 20mm replaced by 2 x 4-barrelled 2pdr. | |
| 1946 | 4 x 2-barrelled, 2 x 8-barrelled 2pdr removed. | |