HMS London (69)

HMS "London" (C-69) was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy.

Interwar career and rebuild

"London" was laid down by HM Dockyard at Portsmouth on 23 February 1926, launched on 14 September 1927 and completed on 31 January 1929. "London" served with the 1st Cruiser Squadron until March 1939, and was the flagship of Admiral Max Horton during his time in command of 1st Cruisers. Her flag captain during this time was Henry Harwood. "London" and her sister ship "Shropshire" facilitated the evacuation of thousands of civilians from Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. From March 1939 she was under reconstruction and was much altered in appearance. Replacement of her machinery was considered, but later abandoned. The weight added by the construction of the new bridge overstressed the hull and considerable trouble was experienced until it was strengthened. The reconstruction work was finally completed in March 1941.

Wartime career

The Atlantic, South Africa and the Arctic

"London" was involved in the pursuit of the German battleship "Bismarck" in May 1941. She was then assigned to operate off the South African coast. On 5 June 1941 "London" and the destroyer HMS "Brilliant" intercepted the German supply tankers "Esso Hamburg" and "Egerland" in the supply area off the Freetown-Natal route. The tankers were scuttled by their crews. On the 26th, she intercepted the German tanker "Babitonga", which had been tasked to refuel the commerce raider "Atlantis". Again, the "Babitonga"’s crew scuttled her. She then served on Russian convoy escort duties. In September 1941 she was tasked in bringing an Anglo American delegation with Lord Beaverbrook and W. Averell Harriman from Scapa Flow to Archangel for a meeting with the Soviet Government in Moscow. She returned to Scapa on the 30th in company with a return convoy of fourteen merchant ships. In October, it was apparent that the extra weight added during construction had greatly overstressed the hull, and the Atlantic operations had caused considerable damage to the hull, as a result she had to be docked again for repairs.

In January 1942 "London" was once again made operational. During April - May, she was a member of the close escort for Arctic convoys. During June - July she still served as close escort for Arctic convoys, in company with HMS "Norfolk" and the American cruisers USS "Tuscaloosa" and USS "Wichita" under the command of Rear Admiral Hamilton. In September she was still serving in the covering force for Arctic convoys in company with HMS "Norfolk" and "Suffolk" under Vice Admiral Bonham-Carter. In November she served with HMS "Suffolk" on Arctic convoys. By December, the stresses to her hull due to months of operating in heavy weather conditions, exposed more problems, and she had to be docked again for repairs.

The Far East

In January 1943 HMS "London" was paid off for a refit at Tyne Middledock. A year later in January 1944, "London"`s post refit trials were completed. In March, she was transferred to the British Eastern Fleet and based at Trincomalee, under the command of Admiral Somerville. In April, she escorted the carriers for the air raid on Sabang (Operation Cockpit). In May, she was involved in the carrier raid on Soerabaya and in company with HMS "Suffolk" escorted the supply ships for the task force. During October, the Eastern Fleet was used as a diversion force and attacked the Nicobar Islands so that the landings on Leyte could take place.

During April 1945 HMS "London" was still operating in the Indian Ocean and was involved in the shelling of Sabang (Operation Sunfish). During May - July, she was docked in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa for the removal and repair of her rudders. By August she was back in the Indian Ocean when Commodore Poland anchored her off Sabang. Japanese delegates brought documents concerning various mine barrages and gave assurance of their peaceful intentions, later that month Vice Admiral Hirose of the Imperial Japanese Navy came aboard "London" and surrendered on behalf of the forces on Sumatra. "London" then landed her marine detachments.

Postwar and the "Amethyst" incident

On 25 April 1949, Vice Admiral A. Madden, second in command of the Far Eastern Station, flew his flag in HMS "London" and after learning of the frigate HMS "Amethyst" being trapped on the Yangtse river, decided to sail upriver to render assistance in company with the frigate HMS "Black Swan". Madden hoped that the mere presence of the cruiser would be enough, but it was soon clear that the Chinese Communists were not to be overawed. Within ten minutes of beginning her upriver dash, "London" came under fire from 105 mm and 37mm guns. She replied with her main armament and secondary 4 inch guns. The Communists scored hits on "London"’s bridge and she turned back. "London" had both her forward turrets put out of action, and one of her aft turrets damaged. She had expended 132 8 inch, 449 4 inch, and over 2,000 rounds from her light AA guns. Her casualties were 13 killed and 30 wounded. In June, she sailed from Hong Kong to the UK after being relieved by the cruiser HMS "Kenya" and was laid up on the River Fal. She was sold on 3 January 1950. On 22 January 1950 "London" arrived at Barrow-in-Furness to be broken up for scrap by T.W. Ward of Barrow.

References

*Colledge
* "British and Empire Warships of the Second World War", H T Lenton, Greenhill Books, ISBN 1-85367-277-7
* "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946", Ed. Robert Gardiner, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 0-87021-913-8
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1178.html HMS London at U-boat.net]
* [http://www.world-war.co.uk/index.php3 Cruisers of World War II]