HMS Sussex (96)

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For other ships with the same name, see HMS Sussex.

History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Sussex
NamesakeSussex
BuilderHawthorn Leslie, Hebburn-on-Tyne
Laid down1 February 1927
Launched22 February 1928
Commissioned19 March 1929
Decommissioned3 January 1950
IdentificationPennant number: 96
FateScrapping started on 23 February 1950 at Arnott Young, Dalmuir.
General characteristics
Class and typeCounty-class heavy cruiser
Displacement
  • 9,750 tons standard
  • 13,315 tons full load
Length633 ft (193 m)
Beam66 ft (20 m)
Draught21 ft (6.4 m)
Propulsion
  • Eight Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • Four shaft Parsons geared turbines
  • 80,000 shp (60,000 kW)
Speed32 knots (59.3 km/h)
Range2,546 nmi (4,715 km) at 31.5 knots, 10,862 nmi (20,116 km) at 12 knots; 3,210 tons fuel oil
Complement650 (peace), 820 (war)
Armament
  • Original configuration:
  • 8 ×
    8 in (203 mm) dual guns
    ,
  • 4 ×
    4 in (102 mm)
    single AA guns,
  • 4 × 2 pdr (40 mm) single pom-poms,
  • 2 × 2-pdr (40 mm) quad pom-poms,
  • 2 × 0.5 in MG quadruple Vickers machine gun mount,
  • 2 × quadruple
    torpedo tubes
    .
Armour
  • 1 to 4 in magazine box protection,
  • 1.375 in deck,
  • 1 in side-plating, turrets and bulkheads,
  • 4 internal boiler room sides (added 1936–1940).
Aircraft carriedOne aircraft, later three. One catapult.

HMS Sussex was one of the London sub-class of the

R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited, at Hebburn-on-Tyne
on 1 February 1927, launched on 22 February 1928 and completed on 19 March 1929.

Career

Mediterranean, Australia and Spanish Civil War

Sussex served in the

Valencia on 16 March 1939.[2][3][4]

Second World War service

Atlantic theatre

In September 1939 she operated with

Norwegian Campaign. She entered refit at Liverpool in March 1940 and in May after sea trials joined 1st Cruiser Squadron in Scapa Flow where she was deployed in search patrols and convoy duties.[5] In August her crew detected a defect with her propulsion machinery so she was sent to Glasgow
for repairs to her turbine blades, but while undergoing work, was struck by bombs on 18 September 1940. These caused serious fires, gutting the aft end, and she settled on the bottom with a heavy list. She needed extensive repairs and did not return to service until August 1942.

During these repairs at

Pom Pom Guns.[5] Having returned to her squadron in Scapa flow for more interception duties and exercises she was then sent for another refit in November, this time at the Tyne
shipyard.

Indian Ocean

Having spent January 1943 back with the 1st Cruiser Squadron, Sussex then took passage to

Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean.[5] On her way she intercepted and sank the German tanker Hohenfriedburg just south west of Cape Finisterre on 26 February[5][6] but was then attacked by German submarine U-264
. Sussex avoided the four torpedoes fired at her.

Pacific theatre

General Itagaki signs the surrender of Singapore on board HMS Sussex
Imprint of a Japanese kamikaze aircraft on the side of HMS Sussex

Sussex spent 1944 in the Pacific, and covered operations in the

Netherlands East Indies following the cessation of hostilities. On 26 July 1945 her Task Force was attacked by two attack bombers acting as kamikaze suicide weapons. One made an imprint on the side of Sussex, from which it could be identified as a Mitsubishi Ki-51 "Sonia". On Wednesday, 5 September 1945 at 11:30 am, HMS Sussex entered Singapore Harbour carrying the Flag of the Rear-Admiral Cedric Holland. General Seishirō Itagaki, the commander of the garrison at Singapore was brought on board, where he signed the formal surrender of the army, thus completing Operation Tiderace
, the Allied plan to recapture Singapore.

Decommissioning

HMS Sussex was paid off in 1949, handed over to the British Iron & Steel Corporation on 3 January 1950, and arrived at Dalmuir in Scotland on 23 February 1950 where she was broken up by W. H. Arnott, Young and Company, Limited.

Notes

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Cassells, The Capital Ships, p. 22
  2. ^ Royal Institute of British International affairs: Survey of International affairs. Oxford University Press, 1977. Page 386.
  3. ^ Gretton, Peter: The forgotten factor: The Naval Aspects of the Spanish civil war. Oxford University Press, 1984. Page 469.
  4. ^ Parliamentary debate, 20 March 1939
  5. ^ a b c d Naval-history.net
  6. ^ hohenfriedberg

References

  • Cassells, Vic (2000). The Capital Ships: their battles and their badges. East Roseville, NSW: Simon & Schuster.
    OCLC 48761594
    .
  • ISBN 978-1-59114-078-8
    .
  • Raven, Alan & Roberts, John (1980). British Cruisers of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
    ISBN 0-87021-922-7
    .
  • ISBN 1-59114-119-2
    .
  • ISBN 1-86019-874-0
    .

External links

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