World of Warships - February 2019 UK PDF

BATTLESHIPS - SUBMARINES - AIRCRAFT CARRIERS - DESTROYERS
!W
NE
SINKING USS GEORGE

OF THE H.W. BUSH
BLÜCHER AMERICA’S 41ST PRESIDENT
DESTROYED BY AN REMEMBERED
ANCIENT WEAPON
BATTLE OF
TSUSHIMA
FIRST ‘MODERN’
WARFARE AT SEA
HMS
LADYBIRD
AND THE ‘PANAY
INCIDENT’
FEB 2019
£4.50
★ FIRST FOR NEWS ★ NAVAL HISTORY ★ MUCH, MUCH MORE ★

SHIPS IN FOCUS PUBLICATIONS incorporating MAINMAST BOOKS
FEATURE
John and Marion Clarkson 18 Franklands, Longton, Preston PR4 5PD Phone 01772 612855
A selected range of maritime books from quality publishers economical postal charges secure packing prompt service. Payment must accompany all orders and from
overseas must be in Sterling with cheques payable to Ships in Focus. Remittances can be made by Maestro, Switch, Mastercard, Visa/Delta. We require card number,
valid from and expiry dates, last 3 figures of security code and customer’s name as on card. We also accept payment by PayPal. Orders accepted by phone if payment
by credit card or PayPal. Postage: UK orders up to £20 add £2.00, £20-£50 add £3.50, over £50.00 free. Overseas orders by seamail: Europe/North America 15% of
total cost of books, elsewhere 20%, both with a minimum of £4.50. Airmail at cost. CLOSED 19/12/18 TO 5/1/2019
5% discount on orders placed through our website www.shipsinfocus.com
SHIPS IN FOCUS RECORD 2018 SHIPS IN THE PORT OF BRISTOL
The hardback, annual edition of Ships in Focus SHIPS IN THE
Photographer Colin Momber has
‘Record’ will be published in November, enlarged PORT OF BRISTOL
COLIN MOMBER
spent a lifetime around the dock
to 144 pages for 2018. The usual mix of articles systems which make up the Port
covers individual ships (designing the St Helena), of Bristol, and his photographs
ship types (classic reefers; Aberdeen’s line fishing provide evidence of over sixty
boats; paddle steamers in north west England), years of changing traffic in Bristol
tramp shipping from 1914 to 1939, ship owners waters. There are evocative shots
(Euxine Shipping Company, Ard Coasters of of smaller ships in the Avon and the
Greenock, the Greek Margaronis family), Esso’s former City Docks, with a plethora
‘Maracaibo’ tankers, the transition from sail to of ocean-going cargo liners in
steam in the Belfast coal trade and an important Avonmouth. The now-closed
but neglected shipbuilder (Williamsons of Cumberland). There is also an Portishead Dock is not neglected, and the story is brought
extended edition of the lively letters’ page ‘Putting the Record straight’. up to date with colour scenes in Royal Portbury. Each
As always, ‘Record 2018’ is fully illustrated, indexed and aims at a high part has a brief historical introduction, and the book is fully
standard of accuracy, whilst offering a good read. £18.50 indexed. 144-pages, 210 x 260mm s/b144pp, £14.95
BRITTANY FERRIES FERRIES OF SCANDINAVIA
BRITISH MOTOR THE FLEET BOOK The Baltic Sea and the
COASTERS Miles Cowsill, lists all ships Nordic countries
Charles V Waine, from Kerisnel through to Matthew Punter,
documents the history of this Honflear presently building
passenger, car and freight
type of vessel, ill with plans, in Germany, information on
drawings and photos h/b each ship accompanied by ferries, colour photos
216pp £25.00 a photo or illustration of the throughout h/b 144pp
ship h/b 96pp £16.95 £19.95
THE PORTSMOUTH HAYES’ BOATYARD STONY HURTIGRUTEN 125

DOCKYARD STORY From STRATFORD Alison Leighton John Bryant an extremely well
1212 to the present day Paul boat builders for over 50 years, illustrated history and celebration
Brown well illustrated history 54 illustrations with informative of 125 years service h/b 144pp
s/b 204pp £20.00 captions 48pp s/b £10.95 £19.95
FERRIES 2019 Nick Widdows FORTHRIGHT

comprehensive listing of British & STEADFAST
LONDON’S DOCKLANDS and European ferries s/b 224pp
The Wooden
An Illustrated History Geoff Fishing Boats of Richard Irvin & Sons
£18.95 Gloria Wilson almost 100 photos
Marshall describes individual
of fishing boats built by Irvin’s s/b
dock systems Illustrations in BURNS AND 140pps/b £16.00
black and white and colour s/b LAIRD – Family
168pp £20.00 Interests in the SOUTH WALES TUGS IN
formation of Coast Lines Nick COLOUR Andrew Wiltshire colour
WHITE EMPRESSES and photos tugs of Swansea, Port
Robins and Malcolm McRonald
other Canadian Pacific Liners Talbot, Barry, Cardiff and Newport
Illustrated history and fleet list h/b
of the 1920s and 1930s 96pp s/b £9.95
136pp £16.00
William H Miller many photos
clr and b&w s/b 112pp £19.99 THE PORT OF LIVERPOOL
A MARITIME REVIEW OF 2017 IN THE 1960s AND 1970s Ian
PUFFERS AND PLACES Krispen Atkinson photos with Collard, pictures mostly colour of the
Guthrie Hutton puffers in various captions and index s/b 96pp A4 last of the traditional cargo ships s/b
places photos with good captions £15.00 96pp £14.99
48pp s/b £10.95
BY SEA TO
GOLDSMITH THE CHANNEL COASTAL SHIPPING
OF GRAYS Graham Dent story ISLANDS Richard Kirkman from INTERNATION 2019 Bernard
of people, sailing barges and motor packet boats and steamers to ro- McCall . various illustrated articles
coasters over 400 illustrations 542pp pax and catamarans h/b 384pp on coasters h/b 72pp £15.00
h/b £35.00 £21.50
CELEBRATE 2019 MAURETANIA, TRIUMPH AND

RESURRECTION £8.00
REEFER SHIPS £10.00
BULK CARRIERS £10.00
with some really special offers ORIENT LINES £5.00 WM ROBERTSON & THE GEM LINE £5.00
WHALE FACTORY SHIPS AND MODERN GLEN & SHIRE LINES £5.00 LIFEBOAT DIRECTORY £15.00
WHALING £15.00 SHAW SAVILL’S MAGNIFICENT 7 £10.00 SHIPS IN FOCUS RECORD Issues 2 to 8,
RIX SHIPPING £10.00 BAILEY & LEETHAM £2.00 10 to 27, 29 to 33 and 35 to 50 all 3.00 each
BLUE STAR LINE £15.00 THE WORLDS MERCHANT SHIPS £10.00 Issues 51 to 64 £3.75 each
CLAN LINE Illustrated Fleet History £11.00 GRUNO £10.00 Postage on all orders for reduced price books will be
A TASMAN TRIO £6.00 COASTERS GO TO WAR £5.00 charged at cost rather than the usual 15% or 20%
BRITISH SHIPPING FLEETS VOL 2 £5.00 FEILDEN’S MERSEY £2.00 This offer is not available via our website
2 J & CWORLD of WARSHIPS
HARRISON, magazine
LONDON £5.00FEBRUARY 2019 BURNS AND LAIRD £5.00 LONG LIST OF OTHER BARGAINS AVAILABLE
Named after Horatio Nelson, most famous for his victory at the Battle of
Trafalgar, HMS Nelson, was the lead ship of the two Nelson-class battleships
along with HMS Rodney. The class is noted for having the main armament
installed ahead of the superstructure.
19 19 19 19 19
22 25 27 31 34
Laid down on 28 December Nelson was launched on Commissioned into the Royal Nelson collided with SS West Nelson ran aground on
and built by Armstrong- 3 September and became Navy on 15 August and joined Wales in foggy conditions off Hamilton’s Shoal near
Whitworth. flagship of the Home Fleet. her sister ship HMS Rodney in Cape Gilano, Spain, though Portsmouth as she was about
November. neither vessel was badly to set sail with the Home Fleet
damaged. The crew of Nelson to the West Indies.
took part in the Invergordon
Sailors of the South African Royal Naval Volunteer Mutiny in September, when
Reserve sat on one of Nelson’s 16in gun barrels. 1,000 sailors of the British
Atlantic Fleet took part in
strike action, one of only a
few military strikes in British
history.
3 WORLD of warships magazine november 2018

SPECIFICATION
Length 710ft, Beam 106ft, Draught 33ft, Surface
Dimensions
displacement 34,500 tons.
8x Admiralty super-heated boilers with 2x Brown-Curtis
Propulsion single reduction geared turbines producing 45,000hp to 2x
shafts.
Speed/Range 24 knots, 28mph, 7,000nm, 8,055 miles.
Compliment 1,360.
9x 16in BL Mk I main guns. HMS Nelson firing her 16in guns during a practice shoot.
12x 6in Mk XXII guns.
6x 4.7in QF Anti-Aircraft (AA) guns.
Firepower
48x QF 2-pounder AA guns.
16x 40mm AA guns.
61x 20mm AA guns.
Air wing 1x Floatplane Aircraft.
Nelson had a main internal belt of side armour. The armour
Protection protecting the magazines and machinery, varied between
thicknesses of 13-14in.
Nelson went through several colour changes during her time
in service, from different shades of grey to the Admiralty
Camouflage
Disruptive camouflage and it’s possible that at one stage she
was painted dark brown.
19 19 19 19 19
39 40 41 42 43
Nelson provided support Nelson was deployed in the While assigned to Force H in As flagship of Force H, Nelson In September, General Dwight
during salvage and rescue English Channel and also spent the Mediterranean, Nelson was performed escort duties for D. Eisenhower and Marshal
operations of the submarine some time at Rosyth in case of badly damaged by an Italian supply convoys to Malta in Pietro Badoglio signed the
HMS Spearfish. During the an invasion. Royal Air Force torpedo strike August and also gave her Italian long armistice while on
year, Nelson managed to and was out of action until support at Operation Torch, board Nelson.
evade German cruisers and 1942. an Anglo-American invasion
destroyers deployed in the of French North Africa in
North Sea, though she was November.
hit by torpedoes from U-56,
amazingly none of them
exploded. But in December
Nelson struck a mine laid by
U-31 and was then laid up for
repairs until the following year.
19 19 19 19 19
44 45 46 48 49
Nelson supported the Nelson took part in Operation Nelson was reassigned as a Decommissioned in February Sold to Thos W. Ward for
Normandy landings but struck Livery, a series of naval strikes training ship. and used as target practice for scrapping.
two sea mines and was sent on Japanese occupied Malaya aerial bombing.
to the Philadelphia Naval and when the Japanese
Shipyard, Pennsylvania for surrendered they were kept on
repairs. board the battleship.
RIGHT: The Fleet Review of 1937 with HMS Nelson in the

foreground and anchored behind are two Queen Elizabeth class
battleships and two London class cruisers.
BELOW: Nelson in Mers-el-Kebir during Operation Torch in 1942.
november 2018 WORLD of warships magazine 5

CONTENTS
ON THE COVER:
Royal Navy Type 23 ON THE
Frigate, HMS Montrose BACK: USS
during Marstrike 05. Alabama
PHOTO: Mick Storey (BB-60)
©Crown copyright USS Alabama (BB-60)
during a
2005. snowstorm.
during a
snowstorm.
Welcome to Issue 5 of the World of

Warships Magazine, it doesn’t seem
12 08
five minutes since the first issue was
printed and now the next one will be
celebrating six months.
This month, Derek Fox, who lives in
Portsmouth, and has sent in several
photographs taken by him of warships,
as they visit the harbour, has this
44
time, written a piece about his late
grandfather Ernie Fox and his time in
the Navy. His story is about the river
gunboat HMS Ladybird which Ernie
served on and the part it played when
36
the USS Panay was sunk by Japanese
aircraft in 1937.
The magazine also features Part two
of the story of torpedoes, USS George
H.W. Bush whose namesake the former
President, passed away in November
2018. We also have the Sinking of the
Blücher, the Battle of Tsushima, the
Italian battleship Andrea Doria, USS
Independence superbly painted by
Andy Hay, naval news from around the
world and much more.
50
Please feel free to get involved with
the magazine by emailing me at
[email protected]
52
Don’t miss an issue, the magazine is
available from WH Smith and all good
newsagents or see pages 42-43 for an
enticing subscription offer.
Enjoy the mag.
Charles Waters.
Editor
6 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRuary 2019

World of Warships Magazine
Kelsey Media
Cudham Tithe Barn
Berry's Hill
Cudham
Kent
TN16 3AG
EDITORIAL
Editor: Charles Waters
Email: [email protected]
Contributors: Andrew Hay, Rebecca Screaton, Patrick
Boniface, Allan George, Campbell McCutcheon, Derek Fox
Designer: Mark Aston
ADVERTISEMENT SALES
Talk Media Sales - 01732 445325
FOLD-OUT USS GEORGE
03 GATEFOLD FEATURE 30 H.W. BUSH Production:
MANAGEMENT
Named after the 41st President of
Managing Director: Phil Weeden
NEWS the United States, USS George H.W.
08 The latest Naval news from Bush is the 10th and last, Nimitz-class
Chief Executive: Steve Wright
Chairman: Steve Annetts
around the world. supercarrier.
Finance Director: Joyce Parker-Sarioglu
Publisher: Paul Appleton
THE SINKING OF THE WAR AT SEA
12 THE BLUCHER 36 PART 5
Publishing Operations Manager: Charlotte Whittaker
Retail Distribution Managers: Eleanor Brown/ Steve
To her ship’s company the heavy cruiser By 1918, the war was beginning to Brown
Blücher was the epitome of a fighting turn against the Germans, and, with Audience Development Manager: Andy Cotton
ship. the imminent arrival of hundreds of Print Production Manager: Nicola Pollard
thousands of American troops, the Print Production Controller: Georgina Harris
R-BOATS German High Command decided to
16 R-boats were a group of small make a great push and planned an
DISTRIBUTION
Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue,
motor torpedo boats built primarily as offensive on the Western Front. London, EC1A 9PT
minesweepers for the German navy www.seymour.co.uk
before and during the Second World War. SUBSCRIPTION FORM
42 See page 42 for an enticing
Tel: 020 7429 4000
PRINTING
WEAPONRY – subscription offer. PCP, Telford
18 TORPEDOES - PART 2
In part two, we look at the part HMS LADYBIRD Kelsey Media 2019 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a
torpedoes played in both World Wars

44 While researching his late
trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole
or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from
and study some of the various types grandfather Ernie Fox’s Royal Navy the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for
produced. career, Derek Fox discovered that one consideration by the editor must be the original work of the
of the ships he served on was the river author and not previously published. Where photographs
ANDREA DORIA gunboat HMS Ladybird in China. are included, which are not the property of the contributor,
21 The Italian battleship, named permission to reproduce them must have been obtained
from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee
after the 16th century Genoese admiral, ZUBR-CLASS (LCAC) AIR-
saw very little action during either
50 CUSHIONED LANDING CRAFT
a personal response to all letters and emails received. The
views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of
World War. Amphibious machines that are able the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no
to cross from water to land to supply liability for products and services offered by third parties.
BATTLE OF fighting men and equipment are among

24 TSUSHIMA - PART 1 the most versatile of any navy and have
Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For
more information of our privacy policy, please visit https://
The Battle of Tsushima in 1905 been around since the 1980s. www.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy/ . If at any point you have any
between the Japanese and Russian queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data
navies was as much of a watershed as USS INDEPENDENCE
was Trafalgar.
52 USS Independence, is the lead
Protection Officer at [email protected].
ship of the Independence-class of ultra- www.kelsey.co.uk

HMS OCEAN modern corvettes in service with the
28 A Merlin Mk3 helicopter of 845 United States Navy, which have been
Naval Air Squadron working from the designed using the latest seaborne
flight deck on-board HMS Ocean. stealth technology.
7
TRUMAN STRIKE GROUP RETURNS
Almost 6,500 sailors from the Harry S. missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), Fifth and Sixth Fleet areas of operation.
Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) and Destroyer Squadron Two Eight HSTCSG deployed in April for a
returned to Naval Station Norfolk in (DESRON 28) guided-missile destroyers regularly scheduled deployment as
December following an eight-month USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and part of the ongoing rotation of forward
deployment. USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98), were deployed forces to support maritime
Ships from the strike group, including welcomed by friends and family after security operations and operate in
flagship USS Harry S. Truman, guided- completing operations in the US Second, international waters across the globe.
Several strike group units returned to
Family and friends wait on the pier for sailors aboard the Norfolk in July for a working port visit,
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) to until August, when they departed to
return to Naval Station Norfolk. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass continue their deployment. The strike
Communication Specialist 2nd Class Anthony Flynn/Released)
group’s ships and aircraft conducted a
variety of missions, including forward
naval presence, maritime security
operations, and theatre security
cooperation. The strike group also
participated in numerous bi-lateral and
multi-lateral engagements, including
Lightning Handshake 2018, Baltic
Operations 2018 and Trident Juncture
2018; as well as operations alongside
Germany, Italy, France, the UK, Egypt
and Norway.
TWENTY YEARS SERVICE

HMAS Arunta recently the ship is due to complete Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944 ship’s name and original
celebrated 20 years’ service in February 2019. and Lingayen Gulf in 1945. motto ‘Conquer or Die’
with a seafood buffet and The AMCAP upgrade is The name ‘Arunta’ recognises the ship’s proud
birthday cake prepared being implemented by the comes from the Arrernte history and the ongoing and
by the ship’s Maritime Warship Asset Management Aboriginal people located special relationship with the
Logistics staff. Agreement (WAMA) in central Australia. The Arrernte Aboriginal people.
Launched in June 1996 Alliance, which is a strategic
and commissioned on 12 partnership between
December 1998, Arunta is the Commonwealth of
the second of eight Australia, BAE Systems,
Australian Anzac-class SAAB Australia, and Naval
frigates built by Tenix Ship Management Australia.
Defence Systems at The current Arunta is
Williamstown, Victoria. the second Australian
Currently berthed at warship to carry the
Henderson Shipyard, name – Arunta (I) was
Western Australia, Arunta is a Tribal-class destroyer
the first of the Anzac commissioned in 1942.
class to undergo the The ship served with
Anzac Midlife Capability distinction in New Guinea Cutting HMAS Arunta’s birthday cake are, from left, Executive Officer HMAS Arunta
Assurance Program and the Pacific between LCDR Aaron Scott, SMNMT Charley Klaster, and the Command Warrant Officer
(AMCAP) upgrade, which 1942-1944, and at the WOMT Kenneth McPherson.
8 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRUARY 2019

Upgrades for the Royal
New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy is currently decommissioned in 2017; ●● HMNZS Manawanui – a dive and
undergoing some major upgrades to take ●● HMNZS Manawanui – a 1988 hydrographic vessel based on
it into the next few decades. vintage diving support vessel that Østensjø Rederi of Norway’s offshore
Priding itself as having ‘The Best Small decommissioned in 2018; and, support vessel mv Edda Fonn that
Navy In The World’, the New Zealand ●● HMNZS Resolution – a 1997 vintage was purchased by the New Zealand
Government has decided to upgrade and hydrographic research vessel that Government last year. She is currently
replace some of its vessels which include:- decommissioned in 2012. undergoing outfitting modifications
●● 2 x ANZAC-class frigates – HMNZS in England prior to commissioning in
Te Kaha and Te Mana, with the former The two replacements for these three November this year.
currently alongside Esquimalt in vessels will include:-
Victoria BC where Lockheed Maritime ●● HMNZS Aotearoa – a Polar-class Manawanui will provide the RNZN
Canada has undertaken the task of a support vessel under construction at with the dual functions of diving and
major upgrade. Upon her return to Hyundai Heavy Industries in Korea. It hydrographic work within the South
Devonport, Auckland, her sister will sail will be ice-strengthened and winterised Pacific, and will displace 5,741tonnes,
for Canada for her turn; to withstand the extreme weather and be 84.7 x 18 x 6.8 metres. Her 4x AC
●● 2 x Protector-class offshore patrol conditions of the Southern Ocean diesel electric engines will drive her twin
vessels – HMNZS Otago and and Antarctica. It is also the world’s azimuth pods at a speed of 15 knots for
Wellington. These corvettes, which, first naval vessel to incorporate Rolls- 7,000 miles. She has 3x bow-thrusters for
like the above frigates were built in Royce’s ‘Environship’ technology, positioning purposes. She may be armed
Australia, are based upon Naval Service that includes a wave-piercing bow to with a single 12.7mm 50cal Mini-Typhoon
of Ireland’s Róisín-class large patrol reduced resistance and improve fuel HMG.
vessels; consumption. There has also been some speculation
●● 4 x Lake-class inshore patrol vessels – ●● Aotearoa will be the RNZN’s largest that the RNZN may receive a third
HMNZ Ships Hawea, Pukaki, Rotoiti and ever ship at about 35,500 tonnes full- offshore patrol vessel to support the
Taupo were constructed locally; and, load, and 173.3 x 24.5 x 8.5 metres. nation’s interest in Antarctica and the
●● Protector-class multi-role vessel – She will be propelled by 2x Bergen Southern Ocean. Again like HMNZS
HMAS Canterbury is an amphibious Main Engines and 4x MTU Generators Aotearoa, the vessel would have an
and military sealift vessel built in the (CODLAL) driving twin screws for 6,400 ice-strengthened hull and be winterised
Netherlands and based upon the Isle of miles at 16 knots. She will be armed to enable her to cope with the extreme
Man RoRo vessel mv Ben-my-Chee. with a single Phalanx 20mm CIWS and weather conditions that she would face.
carry a NH90 medium helicopter in her Given the above, all appears rosy to
Additional vessels are soon to be hangar. She will have the capacity to allow the RNZN to continue to live up to
commissioned into the RNZN to replace carry 12 x TEUs. The vessel is due to its reputation as ‘The Best Small Navy In
recently decommissioned vessels:- commission during 2020 and members The World’.
●● HMNZS Endeavour – a 1987 vintage of her crew are currently undertaking
fleet replenishment vessel that training at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall; Images courtesy of the Royal New Zealand Navy website.
NEW SHIP NAMED USS ST. LOUIS

The United States Navy War-era steamer troop ship, not just the great city of
christened its newest a First World War cruiser, St. Louis, Missouri, but
Freedom-variant littoral a Second World War light also the skilled industrial
combat ship, USS St. Louis cruiser, and a Cold War era workforce who built this
(LCS 19), during a ceremony attack cargo ship. ship,” said Secretary of the
on Saturday, 15 December, in Barbara Taylor, wife of Andy Navy Richard V. Spencer.
Marinette, Wisconsin. Taylor, chairman of Enterprise USS St. Louis is a fast, agile,
USS St. Louis, designated Holdings, the largest focused-mission platform
LCS 19, honours Missouri’s privately held company in designed for operation in
major port city along the St. Louis, serves as the ship’s near-shore environments
Mississippi river. She is the sponsor. In a time-honoured as well as the open-ocean.
seventh ship to bear the Navy tradition, the ship was It is designed to defeat A graphic representation of the future
name St. Louis. The first was christened by the breaking asymmetric ‘anti-access’ littoral combat ship USS St. Louis
a sloop of war, the second a of a bottle of sparkling wine threats such as mines, quiet (LCS-19). (US Navy photo by Mass
Civil War gunboat, followed across the bow. diesel submarines and fast Communication Specialist 2nd Class Paul
by a Spanish-American “USS St. Louis, honours surface craft. Archer/Released).
FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 9

Successful first patrol
for HMAS Ballarat
Over seven days, the men and women of the to September 1991.
Australian warship Royal Australian Navy Australia’s contribution
conducted joint to our partners in the included seven Royal
operations with the region,” Commander Australian Navy vessels
United States Coast Johnson said. and a clearance diving Artist impression courtesy of
Guard and the Iraqi “The team has made team. Naval Group Australia.
and Kuwaiti navies, and a strong start to the Mr Gilbert said
carried out almost 90 deployment and I am Australia was proud to
vessel boardings and proud of what we have have stood alongside
approaches.
Ballarat finished
achieved. We have a
long way to go but I
Kuwait and our
Coalition partners
NAVY’S
the patrol in Kuwait,
taking the opportunity
have every confidence in
the crew as we continue
during the liberation.
Ballarat visited Kuwait FUTURE
to reaffirm a Defence to contribute to maritime from 1 to 5 December
relationship that has
existed since Australia
security in the Middle
East region.”
2018. During her first
patrol, the Anzac frigate
SUBMARINE
helped liberate the
country in 1991.
An official reception
was held on Ballarat to
and her 189-strong
crew operated in direct CLASS
NAMED
Commander Paul mark the warship’s visit support to Combined
Johnson, said spirits on to Kuwait City. Task Force 152, which is
board were justifiably Australia’s responsible for security
high after the strong Ambassador to Kuwait, in the Arabian Gulf.
start to the nine-month His Excellency Jonathan Ballarat is an The Royal Australian Navy’s
deployment. Gilbert attended the Australian warship future submarines will be named
“The crew has trained event. Mr Gilbert said deployed on Operation the Attack class, with the first
hard to get to this Australia was one of MANITOU, which is submarine being named HMAS
point. It is pleasing to the first nations to step the Australian Defence Attack.
see that not only has forward to help liberate Force’s contribution Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral
that work enabled us Kuwait in 1991. to international efforts Noonan AO RAN, said the name
to operate safely in a More than 1800 to promote maritime ‘Attack’, represents the inherent
complex environment Australian Defence security, stability and stealth, long-range endurance and
but also allowed Force personnel were prosperity in the Middle lethality of a submarine.
us to showcase the deployed to the region East and North Africa “The future submarine
professionalism of the from August 1990 regions. project is a major part of the
Naval Shipbuilding Plan, and,
HMAS Ballarat (centre), with the United States Coast Guard vessels USCGS Maui (distant) and Adak conduct it is appropriate that the class
a combined patrol in the North Arabian Gulf, in support of the Combined Task Force 152’s mission to name be established now given
promote regional stability and security. the significant effort already
underway to introduce this
critical capability that will protect
Australia’s security and prosperity
for decades to come,” Vice
Admiral Noonan said.
“This is the second time the
Royal Australian Navy has used
the name Attack, with the name
previously used for the class of
Patrol Boats that served from
1967 to 1985.
“The name Attack along with
its motto ‘Never Waver’ captures
the tradition of tenacity and
determination within the Australian
Submarine service,” VADM
Noonan said.

KOREAN VISIT
Two South Korean and an
American warship made visits
to Portsmouth in November
2018, they are the ROK
frigate Chung Mu Gong Yi RIGHT: Korean
Sun Shin (975) and the tanker frigate Chung Mu
ROK Daecheong (58), and Gong Yi Sun Shin.
visiting for what was possibly BELOW: The Korean
the first time in its career was tanker Daecheong.
USS Gunston Hall (LPD-44). BELOW RIGHT: USS
Photos Derek Fox Gunston Hall.
BACK FROM FIGHTER JET TRIALS

Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS from the Integrated Test Force to the UK. They also dropped 54 inert
Queen Elizabeth, sailed back into (ITF) based out of Naval Air Station bombs, testing the weight loading in
Portsmouth recently, after a successful Patuxent River, Maryland. She also a variety of weather conditions and
completion of initial fast jet trials in conducted an historic, week-long visit sea states. The operating envelopes
America, marking a new era in UK to New York. will be further expanded during
Carrier Strike capability. During the Development Trials, the Operational Trials, scheduled for next
The 65,000-tonne carrier’s first jets conducted 202 takeoffs from the year.
transatlantic deployment, which ship’s ski ramp, 187 vertical landings, HMS Queen Elizabeth, will remain
began in August, saw her embark and 15 shipborne vertical landings in Portsmouth during the early part of
two F-35B Lightning II test aircraft, (SRVL) – a landing technique unique 2019 undergoing maintenance.
HMS Queen Elizabeth

back in Portsmouth after
successful fighter jet trials.
Photo Derek Fox.

FEATURE
THE
SINKING
To her ship’s company the heavy cruiser Blücher was the epitome of a fighting ship.
She bristled with heavy armament and her sleek lines and attractive appearance made
her a distinctive vessel with the Kreigsmarine. She also posed a considerable threat
to the Royal Navy. The crew aboard Blücher had longed to do battle with their British
counterparts but it was sadly never to be because on April 9 1940, the cruiser’s short
career came to a premature and spectacular end, destroyed by an ancient weapon.
lücher was built by Deutsche
Weke in Keil and laid down on
15 May 1936. The ship was
launched on 8 June 1937. She
was a member of the Hipper
class of heavy cruisers alongside
sister ships Hipper, Prinz Eugen
and Lutzow, which was later handed
to the Soviet Union, and uncompleted Seydlitz.
Armed with eight 8in guns in four main turrets,
two aft and two forward and supported by a
secondary armament of 12x 4.1in, 12x 1.5in
and eight 20mm guns, plus six 21in torpedo
tubes. An Arado floatplane was positioned
amidships for reconnaissance and observation
purposes. Her Blohm and Voss manufactured
steam turbines drew steam from 12 ultra high
pressure oil fired boilers which together could
generate 132,000shp, enough to drive the twin
shafts and three bladed propellers to a top Hitler’s plan to
speed of 32 knots.
Hitler’s plan to dominate Europe saw him dominate Europe saw
blitzkrieg through the Low Countries in early
1940. On 8 April, he turned his attention
him blitzkrieg through
northwards in order to annex the states of the Low Countries in
Denmark and Norway and bring them under
Nazi control. Hitler’s plan was codenamed early 1940
Operation Wasserubung. This massive
undertaking demanded the presence of
virtually every available and serviceable ship
in the German fleet, in order to seize and
control the conquered territories.
For the Blücher this meant being assigned
to Warship Group 5 with the objective of
seizing the Norwegian capital city of Oslo.
She became the flagship of Konteradmiral
Oskar Kummetz. Such was the need for
ships for the operation that it was decided
the new Blücher could do without extensive
sea trials and work up before undertaking
the operation. In fact, only ten days before
she sailed she had been receiving last
minute modifications and improvements ➤
OPPOSITE TOP:The
launching of Blücher at
Kiel on 8 June 1937.
LEFT: Starboard view

of the Admiral Hipper
class Second World
War German warship
Blücher.

FEATURE
to her systems. Her ship’s company operations by the Kreigsmarine will take The elderly minelayer Olav Tryggvason
were mostly green and inexperienced place mainly in an area in which not lay at the mouth of the fjord that
and hadn’t had time to create a spirit German, but England with her superior leads to Oslo. With her was a pair of
d’corps. Despite the protestations of naval forces, is able to exercise control minesweepers.
the Commander of the Kreigsmarine, of the sea. In spite of this we must On April 9, the Germans set their
Blücher was assigned to the operation. succeed and we will, if every leader is plan in motion. The approach of the
Another vessel taking part was conscious of the greatness of his task warships was initially a ruse to confuse
Deutschland (renamed Lutzow in and makes a supreme effort to reach the Norwegians. The German ships
1940), Germany’s only operational the objective assigned to him. signalled the defenders saying, “I am
pocket battleship, again against the “It is impossible to anticipate the pulling in with the permission of the
wishes of the Commander in Chief course of events and the situations Norwegian Government. Escorting
of the Kreigsmarine. The light cruiser which may arise locally. Experience officer on board.”
Emden, three torpedo boats, eight shows that luck and success are on the The ruse didn’t last long as within
motor minesweepers and various side of him who is eager to discharge minutes the Norwegians signalled to all
other support vessels backed up the his responsibilities with boldness, positions to "Douse all lights forthwith."
heavy units. On board, in addition to tenacity and skill. On receipt of the order, all lights in the
their crews, these ships carried 2,000 “The prerequisites for the success of fjord went dark – the Germans had lost
soldiers and a detachment of Gestapo the operation are surprise and rapid the element of surprise.
personnel. action. I expect the senior officer of At 23.06, the small Norwegian patrol
Under the plan, German forces were every group and every commanding boat Pol III raised the alarm while
to capture all of Norway’s principal office to be governed by an inflexible trying to ram the German torpedo boat
ports in the morning of 9 April, without determination to reach the port Albatross. The German ship opened
a prior declaration of war. Erich Reader assigned to him in the face of any fire and Pol III’s commanding officer
wrote in his decree of execution: difficulty that may arise. I expect them Leif Welding Olsen lost both his legs.
“The Fuhrer and Supreme Commander, to enter ports of disembarkation with Later Winston Churchill wrote of the
in order to ensure vital German interests, the utmost resolution, not allowing Norwegian’s courage stating: “Her gun
has imposed upon the Wehrmacht a themselves to be deterred by the was smashed and the commander had
task, the success of which is of decisive holding and defence measures of the both legs shot off. To avoid unnerving
importance to the war. local commanders, not by guard ships his men he rolled himself overboard
“The execution and and coastal fortifications…resistance is and died nobly.” Fourteen of his crew
protection of the to be broken ruthlessly…” were captured.
landing The Norwegian Government knew Blücher’s plan was to reach Oslo at
nothing of the planned invasion, and 05.00 and put men ashore who
as a peaceful country with a tiny navy would race to the Royal
and army, there was never any doubt Palace of King Haakan II
of the outcome of the invasion. and place him and

As the Blücher
approached, a
searchlight lit her
up in the dark of
the morning light.
Eriksen ordered
his two manned
guns to open
fire at a range of
1,500 yards.
ABOVE: Starboard view of the

Admiral Hipper class Second World
War German warship Blücher.
LEFT: Blücher on fire and sinking.
his family in custody. Navigating the morning light. Eriksen ordered his two port side. Water started to pour into the
Oslofjorden at night without the aid of manned guns to open fire at a range of crippled ship.
lighthouses was a tricky proposition. The 1,500 yards. At 06.30 a magazine exploded
hardest part is where the fjord tightens at The antiquated guns took time followed by a huge column of black and
the Drobak Narrows. Here the width of to fire and in that time Blücher was grey smoke. Half an hour later Blücher
the channel is just some 600 yards wide. considerably closer, perhaps as near as had a list of 45 degrees and by 07.31
Defending the narrows was the fortress 500 yards. The two shots fired found she had slipped beneath the waters
of Oscarborg sited on the island of South their target striking the heavy cruiser of Oslofjorden. As she sank, further
Kaholmen. The defenders at Oscarborg with devastating effect hitting the explosions were heard. Her crew of 2,500
had been alerted to the approaching hanger for the Arado floatplane and had to swim the 500 yards to safety
German warships and made preparations setting the aviation fuel alight. The through the frigid waters which was full
to use their mostly obsolete weapons second shell smashed into the foretop of burning oil. In all about 1,000 German
to attempt to stop them. The main killing the anti-aircraft commander, sailors died on board the Blücher.
weapons at the fort were three vintage Kapitanleutnant Hans Erik Pochhammer Her fight to defeat the Germans
1892 Krupp 11in guns. Known as 'Josua', and those around him. continued, but Norwegian opposition
'Mossessan' and 'Aron'. Each gun had a In response, Kapitan Heinrich faded against the impossible odds.
rate of fire of about one shell every four Woldag ordered Blücher’s engines The fortress at Oscarborg was bombed
or five minutes. to full speed but the two shells had by Luftwaffe aircraft as well as being
On the eastern side of the fjord caused considerable damage and pounded from the 28cm guns of the
three 6in guns were located at Husvik Blücher started to turn in a circle. As pocket battleship Lutzow. The fortress
and a further pair of six-pounders was the heavy cruiser steered by varying the eventually surrendered but their
positioned on the foreshore. At Nesit revolutions of her propellers she was courage and fortitude was recognised
on the western side of the fjord was repeatedly hit by shells from the ancient in the terms of surrender. A clause read:
another battery – that took no part in batteries on the eastern side of the “it is agreed the brave defenders of the
the destruction of Blücher. fjord. All the while the fires amidships fortress may hoist the Norwegian flag
At Oscarborg the fortress started to burn out of control. next to the German flag."
commander, Colonel Birger Kr Eriksen Half a mile north of Oscarborg the The sinking of the Blücher and the
only had two sergeants and 23 young Norwegian Navy maintained a torpedo defiant stand by Norwegian forces
trainees to fire the guns. Some of the battery on the small island of North bought time in which King Haakan II
trainees had only been at the fort for Kaholmen. The crew of the installation and his entire family and cabinet could
nine days. fired two ancient Whitehead 50cm escape to Great Britain and plan for
As the Blücher approached, a torpedoes at Blücher. The pair hit the their eventual return after the defeat of
searchlight lit her up in the dark of the German cruiser and ripped open the Nazi Germany in 1945. ■

FEATURE
R-boats were a group of small motor torpedo boats

built primarily as minesweepers for the German navy
before and during the Second World War.

A
total of 424 R-boats were built
and apart from minesweeping,
they were used for convoy escort,
coastal patrol and search and
rescue missions.
Approximately 140 R-boats survived
the war and these were distributed
between the Allies, although post-war,
some were transferred back to the
German navy – Bundesmarine – and
were still in use up until the late 1960s.
After the Second World War, the
German Mine Sweeping Association
(GMSA), was formed by the Allies
of former crews and ships of the
Kriegsmarine – German Navy –
supervised by the Royal Navy.
They were used mainly in the North
Sea and Baltic Sea for mine sweeping
missions after the Second War War. The
missions ended in 1948.
SPECIFICATION
Length 134.9ft, Beam

19ft, Draught 5.2ft,
Dimensions
Surface displacement
160 tons.
2x MAN diesel-fuelled
marine engines
Propulsion
producing 1,836hp to
2x shafts.
Speed 20 knots,
Speed/
23mph. Range
Range
1,099nm, 1,265 miles.
Compliment 38
1x 37mm C/30 cannon.
2-6x 20mm cannons.
Firepower 4x 7.92mm machine

guns.
Naval mines, depth
charges and torpedo
tubes as required.
Second World War German R-boat

mine sweepers in 1939.

Weaponry
TORPEDOES Part 2
In part two, we look at

the part torpedoes played
in both World wars and
study some of the various
types produced.
ABOVE: A Type-91 on the Imperial Japanese Navy
aircraft carrier Akagi.
LEFT: A Type-93 torpedo.
T
orpedoes were used extensively
throughout the First World A torpedo being launched in 1916
War, both against shipping and
submarines. Germany disrupted
supply lines to Britain using torpedoes
but the German U-boats were
themselves targeted by the British and
its allies, with approximately 20 sunk by
torpedo fire.
The Imperial Japanese Navy
experimented with pure oxygen instead
of compressed air and after a series
of explosions they abandoned the
project to return to it later and by 1933
they had a working oxygen-powered
torpedo.
With the inevitable costs of the First
World War, most countries were lacking
funds to be able to test new torpedoes
and heading towards the Second World
War, only one country had produced a
new model. This was the Japanese Type
93 nicknamed ‘Long Lance’ a name
given to it by the post war historian
Samuel E. Morrison.
The American submarine torpedoes
suffered from a lack of reliability in the
Pacific Theatre, and it was the Japanese
leading the way again with their Type-
91 aerial torpedo of 1931, which had
been developed especially for attacking
ships in harbours. The torpedo used
wooden aerodynamic stabilisers
attached to the tail fins which were shed
upon entry to the water and they had an
advanced acceleration control system
which could control rolling movement
enabling the torpedo to be dropped at
speed by the Nakajima B5N torpedo
bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
In the Second World War, most
classes of ships, submarines and aircraft
18 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine february 2019

were armed with torpedoes and this Navy’s Fleet Air Arm Swordfish – but a torpedo from a small craft during
firepower was utilised in most naval not until after a mistaken attack on the Second World War, was the British
strategies. As battleships were heavily HMS Sheffield – which was very soon cruiser HMS Manchester which was
armoured, a method of detonating the aborted. sunk by Italian MAS boats – Motoscafo
torpedo while it was right under the Large tonnages of merchant shipping Armato Silurante – a fast torpedo-
ship was developed as this was the were sunk during both World Wars armed vessel.
ship’s Achilles heel. by submarines with torpedoes. While Torpedo attacks featured widely
Germany, Britain and the USA devised hostilities raged, a range of small fast in the main naval battles of the war
methods, although both Germany and torpedo boats were being built, such namely the Battle of Samar which was
the USA struggled with their depth- as the Motor Torpedo Boats or (MTBs) at the centre of the Battle of Leyte Gulf,
keeping mechanisms as the torpedoes of the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian the Battle of the North Cape when
had to maintain a depth lower than Navy, while the Americans had PT boats the German battleship Scharnhorst
previous types, but eventually all which were torpedo-armed fast attack was hit by torpedoes from the British
countries had a suitable weapon. craft and the Germans had their S-boats destroyers, Savage and Saumarez which
The British successfully sank three which again were fast and heavily slowed the vessel down enough to be
Italian battleships at Taranto by armed. caught and sunk by HMS Duke of York.
torpedo fire which came from the Royal The largest warship to be sunk by The Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro, ➤
february 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 19

Weaponry
was sunk by torpedo fire by the British RIGHT: Loading 21in RNTF
26th Destroyer Flotilla led by Saumarez. Mark VIII torpedoes in to a
After the war, when submarines Vickers Wellington in May
became faster and stronger, so too did 1942.
the torpedoes with improved motors BELOW: MTBs pictured in
and warheads. June 1944.
Nuclear-powered submarines which
didn’t need to surface very often
became an essential asset during the
Cold War period particularly those
which carried nuclear missiles.
Over the years, there have been
a number of energy sources used to
propel the missiles, one of them being
compressed air. As mentioned in part
one, the first successful self-propelled
torpedo was the Whitehead model of
1866, powered by compressed air. It
could travel at 6.5 knots and had a range
of 200 yards. By 1906, speed was up to
35 knots, 65kph and a range of 1,100
yards.
The Brennan torpedo of 1877, had concept, which involved a method of its G7e battery-powered torpedo just
two wires wound around an internal water-cooling the combustion chamber before the Second World War, but it
drum, and shore-based winches pulled of the fuel burning torpedo, which in wasn’t a success as it needed constant
the wires which spun the drum and turn generated more power. maintenance. The USA had their Mark
drove the propellers. Speeds of 27 As the amount of fuel a torpedo 18 which was very similar to the German
knots, 31mph and a distance of up to engine can burn is limited by the design but with improved batteries.
2,000 yards could be achieved. amount of oxygen it can carry, the use Modern electric torpedoes such as
In the 19th century, the US Navy used of compressed oxygen was developed the Mark 24 Tigerfish of the Royal Navy
the Howell torpedo which featured by the Japanese for their Type 93 used silver oxide batteries that were
a flywheel which had to be spun up torpedo. Though the sole use of maintenance free and so torpedoes
before launch. It could travel 400 yards oxygen was in itself dangerous, when could be stored for years.
at a speed of 25 knots, but it left no trail ships carrying such weapons came Soon after Whitehead’s invention, a
giving the target less chance to avoid it. under attack a number of secondary number of rocket-propelled torpedoes
Then there were heated torpedoes, explosions caused extensive damage were tried with little success, although
with the Whitehead company starting and because of this, Japan lost several the Soviet Union had a successful
construction of a heated torpedo in cruisers. example in its VA-111 Shkval torpedo
1904. Passing the air through an engine, Electrical systems used on which was designed in the 1960/70s.
led to the idea of injecting a liquid fuel torpedoes leave no tell tale signs of Today’s torpedoes have a choice
into the air and lighting it. This caused it coming, which was ideal for this of drive mechanisms including, gas-
the air around the torpedo to heat up type of armament. The first electric turbines and monopropellants.
causing expansion and the burnt gasses powered torpedo was designed by In part 3, we look at guided and
added more drive to the engine. John Ericsson, a Swedish-American unguided torpedoes, warheads,
Wet-heater torpedoes was another inventor in 1873. Germany produced detonation and damage. ■
ABOVE: The Howell torpedo at the Naval War College Museum, Newport, Rhode
Island.
LEFT: German Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) S-13 in the 1930s.
20 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine february 2019

battleship
The Italian battleship, named after the 16th century Genoese

admiral, saw very little action during either World War.
A
ndrea Doria, was laid down on In November 1918, she sailed to Having played no real part in the First
24 March 1912 at the La Spezia Corfu and remained there until February World War, Andrea Doria remained in
shipyard in Naples, and was 1919, and after a brief return to Taranto, service, as most of the Italian fleet had
launched a year later on 30 March she sailed to Constantinople in July been demobilised to provide crews to
1913. She wasn’t completed until 1916 1919. Here she joined an Allied fleet bring back ex-German warships that
and from November 1918, she was and didn’t return to Taranto until early had been awarded to Italy after the
based in Taranto, Southern Italy. November 1919. signing of the Treaty of Versailles on ➤
Right elevation and deck plan

of the Andrea Doria battleship.

battleship
28 June 1919, which ultimately ended to resolve a border dispute between Another major refit occurred in 1937
the state of war between Germany and Albania and Greece, although the at the Cantieri Riuiniti dell’Adriatico
the Allied Powers. incident came to a peaceful conclusion. shipyard.
After the Treaty of Rapallo was signed It was off to Lisbon in 1925, when When the Second World War broke
in November 1920, which ended the Andrea Doria took part in the 400th out in 1939, Andrea Doria was still out
dispute over territories between the anniversary of the death of Vasco of service and didn’t join the Italian
Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of da Gama, the famous Portuguese Fleet again until October 1940, when
Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Andrea explorer who was the first European to she became part of the 5th Division in
Doria was sent to remove the rebellious reach India by sea. From February to Taranto. The Royal Navy attacked the
forces of General d’Annunzio who had June 1925, Andrea Doria underwent Italian Navy battle fleet in Taranto while
ignored the treaty and had declared a refit and later that year when civil the ships were anchored in the harbour.
war on Italy. After his headquarters had unrest broke out in Syria, she joined a Known as the Battle of Taranto, it took
been shelled by Andrea Doria, and squadron of destroyers which were sent place on 11-12 November 1940 and
he had sustained injuries, d’Annunzio to the country in case Italian nationals it was the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship
surrendered. needed to be evacuated. But the naval attack, using Fairey Swordfish
In 1923, Andrea Doria was deployed disturbance eased while she was there torpedo bombers from the Aircraft
during the Corfu Incident, a diplomatic and the battleship remained in dock Carrier HMS Illustrious.
and military crisis between Greece until the end of the year. Andrea Doria escaped the attack
and Italy, which had been triggered For the next six years, Andrea Doria and the day after, she was sent to
by the killing of an Italian general was on peacetime duties and was Naples. The Italian Navy reorganised
and members of his staff after trying withdrawn from service in 1932. its fleet in December 1940 and

LEFT: Andrea Doria
sailing to Malta for
internment in 1943.
SPECIFICATION
Length 554.3ft, Beam 92ft, Draught 28.1ft, Surface displacement

Dimensions
25,704 tons.
Original Propulsion 1x steam turbine with 20x boilers and

4x shafts at 30,000shp
Propulsion
Later Propulsion 1x steam turbine with 8x Yarrow boilers and
2x shafts at 75,000shp
Original 21 knots 24mph/Later 26 knots 30mph. Range 4,743nm
Speed/Range
5,458 miles
Compliment 1,233
Original Later
13x 12in main guns 10x 12.6in main guns
16x 6in guns 12x 5.3in guns
13x 3in guns 10x 3.5in anti-aircraft guns

Firepower
6x 76mm anti-aircraft guns 13x 76mm guns
15x 37mm anti-aircraft
3x 135mm torpedo tubes
cannons
16x 20mm anti-aircraft
cannons
It was off to Lisbon in Andrea Doria remained in the 5th forces ran into an Italian minefield at
Division alongside the battleship Tripoli. The Italian Navy had no losses
1925, when Andrea Doria Giulio Cesare. In the following month or casualties to the Royal Navy’s two
took part in the 400th of January 1941, Andrea Doria destroyers damaged and one life lost.
undertook her first operation with the Andrea Doria saw little more action
anniversary of the death new battleship Vittorio Veneto, they up to the Armistice in 1943 when Italy
of Vasco da Gama, the were sent on a mission to intercept
a series of British supply convoys to
was removed from the war. She was
interned in Malta during 1943, and
famous Portuguese Malta, but the Italian Navy failed to following release in 1944, she returned
locate the British fleet. to Taranto in 1945.
explorer who was the first As well in 1941, Andrea Doria got After the war, Andrea Doria went
European to reach India a report that the Royal Navy had to Syracuse, Sicily and remained
bombarded Genoa, but again the there until 1949. She was then
by sea Italian Navy failed to find the British made flagship of the Italian Fleet
fleet, this time due to dense fog. and performed in this role until
But on 17 December 1941, Andrea December 1950. This was a position
Doria did see action against the she performed again from March
British cruisers and destroyers in the 1951 to May 1953. She was then
First Battle of Sirte, where two British used as a gunnery training ship
battleships were disabled by Italian and decommissioned in 1956 to be
torpedoes and two more Royal Navy eventually broken up for scrap. ■

FEATURE
By Allan George
sushima in 1905 between the Japanese and

ttle of T Russian navies was as much of a watershed as w
The Ba as Trafa
lgar.
commanders much more effective
I
t was the first clash between ‘modern’ command and control of large, fast
battleships, it established Japan as moving fleets. THE BATTLE: OPENING PHASE
a naval power and as the leading The roots of the Russo-Japanese The Russian Second Pacific Squadron
nation in the East, and eradicated War, the first of the major wars of the had sailed 18,000 miles on a seven
Russian naval power in the Far East. It 20th century, lay in a clash between the month long disorderly voyage from
also weakened the underpinnings of expansionist plans of the two countries. the Baltic by way of the Cape of Good
Imperial Russia, and was a forerunner of Russia had been expanding eastwards Hope and Cam Ranh Bay in Indo
turmoil and eventual revolution. for centuries and wanted dominance in China. Soon after it left the Baltic, the
The battle, which took place in the Manchuria and a warm water port in the nervous and trigger happy Russians
straits between Japan and Korea, to all Far East. Japan saw this as a threat to its almost started a war with Great Britain,
intents and purposes ended the Russo- plans to develop a sphere of influence when it shelled innocent fisherman off
Japanese War of 1904/5. It was the first in Korea. the Dogger Bank in the North Sea,
defeat of a Western nation by an Asian More specifically Russia wanted Korea incredulously believing the trawlers to
one, and questioned the Western belief north of the 39th parallel of latitude to be Japanese torpedo boats.
in its superiority. As a result, Japan be a buffer zone between it and Japan. On the night of 26/27 May 1905, the
started to see itself as one of the great However, the Japanese felt this would squadron commanded by Admiral Zinovy
powers, and as the leader of East Asia. constrain their ambitions to extend its Rozhestvensky, was creeping in thick fog
It established the place of fast, big- power further into the Asian mainland. towards the Tsushima Straits hoping to
gun battleships and was a precursor of Negotiations between the two countries reach Vladivostok without being spotted
the Dreadnought revolution in naval broke down in 1904, followed by the by the Japanese. It consisted of 11
design. Japanese Navy making a surprise attack battleships, four new Borodino-class ships
Wireless communication was on the Russian Eastern Fleet in Port and seven of them older, eight cruisers,
employed in the battle for the Arthur, to the north west of the Korean and several auxiliaries.
first time as a practical means of peninsula. The squadron’s objective was to
tactical communication, which gave reinforce the remnants of the Russian
fleet in the Far East, which had
It was the first defeat

of a Western nation
by an Asian one,
and questioned the
Western belief in its
superiority.

lost major vessels in the attack and
subsequent blockade of Port Arthur.
However, as the squadron steamed
through the Straits, a Japanese auxiliary
cruiser, the Shinano Maru, caught a THE BATTLE: DAYLIGHT ENCOUNTER
glimpse of the navigation lights of The fog dispersed sufficiently at
Oryol, a hospital ship at the rear of the daylight to give about five miles of battle to steam parallel to the Japanese,
Russian ships. Gradually the shapes of visibility. Admiral Togo in his flagship, so the majority of its guns could bear
the unlit warships emerged through the the battleship Mikasa, was directed on the Japanese. But the Japanese had
gloom, and the Russians were rumbled. towards the enemy by wireless signals already concentrated their fire on the
Shinano Maru signalled by wireless from Japanese warships shadowing the Russian flagship, Knyaz Suvorov. It had
the Japanese Commander in Chief, Russian squadron, and soon after noon, taken a number of hits and was on fire,
Admiral Togo Heihachiro, who both fleets sighted each other. as was the battleship Oslyabya. Both
immediately sailed to intercept the Togo manoeuvred his fleet to these vessels fell out of the Russian line
Russians. This was believed to be the accomplish the classic naval tactic of of battle, Oslyabya sank within half an
first time wireless had been used to crossing the Russian ‘T’. Hence the hour, Knyaz Suvarov eventually also
trigger a battle. Japanese ships sailed in front of and sank.
The two fleets steamed towards each across the Russian’s course, enabling Admiral Rozhestvensky was injured,
other, the Japanese coming from the them to fire at the leading Russian ships and as Knyaz Suvorov was obviously
north east to confront the Russians with virtually all their main armament, sinking he transferred to the destroyer
sailing from the south west. while the Russians could only reply with Buiny, but devolved command to Rear
The Japanese were fresh out of port their forward guns. Admiral Nikolai Nebogatov on board
and eager for a fight, but the Russian Rozhestvensky had the added burden Imperator Nikolai I.
crews were tired and their ships needed of protecting his support vessels, The battleships Borodino and
refitting after their long voyage. restricting his ability to manoeuvre. He Imperator Alexander III were also hit
was further hampered as his squadron’s repeatedly, suffering terminal damage
speed was less than the more modern and soon sank.
Japanese ships. The Japanese rate of fire was much
He turned his squadron into a line of greater than the Russians’ and far more
accurate. Additionally, the Japanese ➤

FEATURE
The old battleship Navarin struck a
mine, leaving her dead in the water, and
presenting an easy target for the Japanese
who hit her with four torpedoes.
THE BATTLE: NIGHT ENCOUNTER her bows. Another armoured cruiser,

As darkness fell, Togo ordered swarm Admiral Kakhimov, collided with a
torpedo attacks from his 21 destroyers Japanese destroyer. Both these Russian
ships were fitted with state-of-the-art, and 37 torpedo boats on what was left ships were crippled and were scuttled
British-made Barr and Stroud range of the Russian squadron, which was after daybreak.
finders, while the Russians used range now desperately trying to escape to In the night time battle, the Russians
finders dating from the 1880s. Valdivostok, under cover of darkness. lost two battleships and two armoured
Russian Cdr Vladimir Semenoff, The engagement soon slipped into a cruisers, while the Japanese lost just
serving in Knyaz Suvarov, wrote of the confused melee. Several Japanese ships three torpedo boats.
Battle: “I had not only never witnessed collided with each other. However, it The six ships remaining under
such a fire before, I had never even became even worse at one point when Admiral Nebogatov’s direct command
imagined it. several Russian warships assisted the nervously steamed northwards towards
“It seemed impossible even to count Japanese locate their position when Vladivostok. But Togo caught them
the number of projectiles striking us. they turned on their searchlights to spot off the east coast of Korea. To avoid
Shells seemed to be pouring upon us their attackers. further bloodshed, he surrendered
incessantly one after another. The steel Making matters worse the battleship to the now overwhelmingly powerful
plates and superstructure on the upper Sissoi Veliky, hit and on fire during the Japanese, having realising his situation
decks were torn to pieces, and the daylight encounter, suffered torpedo was hopeless and further fighting would
splinters caused many casualties. Iron damage to her rudders and screws inevitably just mean the loss of more
ladders were crumpled up into rings, by a destroyer attack. In danger of life.
and guns were literally hurled from their sinking, her Captain beached her off The few remaining Russian ships,
mountings. Tsushima Island, and surrendered to two were pursued by the Japanese. Most
“In addition to this, there was the Japanese armed cruisers. were destroyed, although the cruiser
unusually high temperature and liquid The old battleship Navarin struck a Izumrud, despite being part of the
flame of the explosion, which seemed mine, leaving her dead in the water, group surrendered by Nebogatov,
to spread over everything. I actually and presenting an easy target for escaped but ran aground on the
watched a steel plate catch fire from a the Japanese who hit her with four Siberian coast and was scuttled. Three
burst.” torpedoes. She sank with a massive loss other warships reached Vladivostok,
By sunset, the Russian fleet had been of life, only three sailors surviving out of and others, including the cruiser Aurora
largely knocked out, four battleships her crew of more than 600. were interned in neutral ports.
had been sunk and others were heavily Vladimir Monomakh, an armoured The Russian Second Pacific Squadron
damaged, and they hadn’t inflicted cruiser, was hit by a torpedo near was to all intents destroyed: 21 ships
much damage upon the Japanese. had been sunk, and a further half
dozen captured, 4,380 Russian sailors
were killed and 5,917 captured. All of

this was achieved at little cost to the
Japanese: they lost three torpedo boats the ships operated close to their home
and their casualty list was comparatively bases. Thus they were in a much better powerful navy in the world. The success
light with 117 sailors killed and 583 state of repair than the Russian ships, of this battle, and the battles won by
wounded. which had just completed the long the Japanese Army, created a sense of
All that remained of the Russian Navy voyage from the Baltic. superiority, which it could be argued led
in the Far east was the armoured cruiser The Russian Squadron was in a to their excesses in China in the 1930s,
Rossia and a few torpedo boats. poor condition after that voyage: their and eventually the attack upon Pearl
Surprisingly two survivors of the men were tired and the ships needed Harbor. While this line of argument may
battle still exist, and can be visited by refitting. They were not in a fit state be regarded as tenuous, it is probably
the public, both the Russian cruiser to fight a battle, particularly against fair to claim the success in this war was
Aurora and Togo’s flagship Mikasa, are an efficient and well equipped navy, at the roots of Japan’s developing belief
museum ships. Aurora is of particular keen to prove itself. Furthermore, most in itself.
significance: she eventually returned of the Russian ships were old, out of Russia suffered a great loss of face
to the Baltic after escaping to the date and ill equipped, other than four in Asia and in Europe. The defeat
Philippines and being interned. In 1917 French designed and recently built led to internal unrest and mutinies in
she was the ship which lit the fuse for Borodino-class battleships: Knyaz the Russian Navy at Kronstadt in the
the 1917 October Revolution, when Suvarov, Borodino, Oryal and Imperator Baltic, Sevastopol in the Black Sea
she fired upon the Winter Palace in Alexander III. and Vladivostok in the Far East. These
St Petersburg. mutinies sowed some of the seeds for
IN SUMMARY the 1917 Revolution. They were among
WHY THE JAPANESE WON In making judgements about the the many other factors causing the
In essence Russian weakness and relative naval strengths, it should be Revolution.
Japanese strength was the reason for taken into consideration that while the In purely naval terms, the battle
the outcome of the battle. Additionally, Japanese performed extremely well validated the supremacy of firepower
Admiral Togo, had operational against a numerically superior enemy and speed. This fed directly into the
experience in the Russo-Japanese War in terms of capital ships, in reality they design of warships, culminating in the
and his was an efficient and well found fought against a weak and worn out development in the Dreadnought in the
fleet. enemy. UK, which made existing battleships
The Royal Navy had trained the Tsushima was a watershed battle obsolete virtually overnight. ■
Imperial Japanese Navy, which was in geo-political terms. It was the first
mostly equipped with modern ships defeat of a Western nation by an Asian In part two, we take a look at the
built in Britain, or locally to British one, and questioned the Western belief two fleet commanders, Admiral
designs. They were fitted with state- in its superiority. Togo Heihachiro and Admiral Zinovy
of-the-art guns, range finders, other After the battle, Japan saw itself Rozhestvensky, who were as different
equipment and ammunition. Their crews as one of the great powers, and in character as their fleets were
were well trained and worked up, and developed the ambition to become the materially. We also study two of the
leader of East Asia. warships which fought in the Battle
The battle confirmed the Imperial of Tsushima, one from each fleet,
Japanese Navy as the sixth most which survive as museum ships open
to public, Aurora in St Petersburg and
Mikasa in Yokoshuka.

A Merlin Mk3 helicopter of 845 Naval Air Squadron
working from the flight deck on-board HMS Ocean.
Photo: Si Ethell ©Crown copyright 2016.

carrier
USS
GEORGE
H.W. BUSH
Named after the 41st President of the United
States, USS George H.W. Bush is the 10th
and last, Nimitz-class supercarrier.
S
he was laid down on 6 September
2003, with the former President
George H.W. bush as the keynote
speaker. Also in attendance were
the Former First Lady Barbara Bush
and her daughter, the ship’s sponsor,
Dorothy Bush Koch. The former
President chalked his initials on to a
metal plate and his initials were then
welded on to the plate which was then
permanently fixed to the ship.
Bush was built at the Northrop
Grumman Newport News shipyard
and launched in 2006. She was
commissioned in to the US Navy in
2009 at a cost of over $6 billion. Her
homeport is Naval Station Norfolk,
Virginia.
George H.W. Bush was once a US
George H.W. Bush in a Grumman TBF Avenger during Navy pilot who flew torpedo bombers
the Second World War. during the Second World War. He was
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
and three Air Medals for courageous
service in the Pacific Theatre.
USS George H.W. Bush, was
constructed using a number of modular
sections with each one being craned
into position.

George Bush and wife Barbara depart the ship following Guests and US Navy personnel at the commissioning
the commissioning ceremony. ceremony on 10 January 2009.
The ship has many modern features, gone down twice rendering the 423
the hull has a bulbous bow which commodes unusable.
protrudes just below the waterline Bush also received the latest in Insignia of USS
improving buoyancy and hull efficiency. electronics and communications George H.W. Bush.
She has a curved flight deck, new technology and her equipment in
propeller design, anti-stain paint and a general was the most modern of the
new underwater hull coating system. time.
Other improvements include, a She was christened in 2006 which
modern radar tower in the island, was the first time a president had
upgraded navigation system and participated in the christening of his
armoured windows. Improvements namesake ship. President George W
to the air operation include semi- Bush attended the ceremony and paid
automatic refuelling, a modernised honour to his father during the event. Bush underwent sea trials
launch system and redesigned jet In August 2008, the Pre-
blast deflectors which redirect the high Commissioning Unit (PCU) crew, and acceptance trials in
energy exhausts from jet aircraft. boarded the carrier and for the first
Her sewage system uses sea water time, meals were prepared in the galley. 2009 and was officially
and waste is collected by a vacuum The US flag was raised on the ship and delivered to the US Navy
device, though this has proven less in the December, she sailed to Norfolk
than reliable and the entire system has Naval Station. ➤ on 11 May 2009
USS George H.W. Bush in the Atlantic

during training exercises in 2011.

carrier
ABOVE: An F/A-18 Super Hornet

launches off the flight deck of the carrier.
RIGHT: USS Carl Vinson foreground

with USS George H.W. Bush.
The commissioning ceremony was water purification system and a few

attended by approximately 15,000 upgrades and minor repairs.
people including veterans of USS San She was assigned to Carrier Strike
Jacinto, the ship which George H.W. Group Two under the command of Rear
bush served on during the Second Admiral Nora Tyson, who was the first
World War. A GM-built Grumman TBM woman to lead a US Navy ship fleet.
Avenger like the one George Bush flew Bush and her Carrier Air Wing Eight,
performed a flyover. plus another four ships in her group
Bush underwent sea trials and left for Britain on 15 May 2011, where
acceptance trials in 2009 and was she took part in training exercises. She
officially delivered to the US Navy had to anchor next to Stoke Bay while
on 11 May 2009. On 26 May, she visiting Portsmouth on 27 May, as she
successfully completed her first flight was too big to enter the harbour. She
deck certification, and then in June, then sailed to Naples in June and then
Bush returned to the shipyard for back to Norfolk, Virginia in December.
post-delivery work, which included the Bush then had a four-month overhaul
installation of a Rigid Hull Inflatable starting in July 2012 at the Norfolk
Boat (RHIB) handling system, a new Naval Shipyard.
SPECIFICATION
Length 1092ft, Beam 252ft, Draught 37ft, Surface

Dimensions
displacement 114,000 tons.
2x Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors with 4x Steam

Propulsion
turbines producing 260,000 shaft horsepower to 4x shafts.
Speed/Range Speed 30 knots, 35mph, Range unlimited.
Compliment 5,680.
2x Mk 29 ‘Evolved Sea Sparrow’ surface-to-air missile

launchers.
Firepower
2x RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers or up to
4x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWSs).
Air wing Up to 90 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft of various types.

In early 2013, Bush was ready to was sailing in the Atlantic. On 23 March 2014, Bush took over
conduct testing of the MV-22 tilt-rotor While on a visit to the port of Piraeus, from USS Harry Truman in the US 5th
aircraft of VMX-22 squadron to assess Greece, Bush found herself only a Fleet conducting security operations
its potential as a carrier on board few hundred miles from the rising in its area of responsibility. This is an
delivery aircraft, and she also tested the tension between Ukraine and Russia area of water approximately 2.5 million
MH-53E mine-sweeping helicopter of triggered by the Crimean peninsula square miles which includes the Arabian
HM-14 squadron. being annexed from the Ukraine by the Gulf, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman,
More tests followed, this time with Russian Federation. Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. In June
the X-47B unmanned combat air vehicle News sources believed the carrier 2014, Bush was ordered to the Persian
(UCAV), which successfully completed would stay in the area as a result of the Gulf to protect US interests in Iraq as
touch-and-go landings and take offs on tensions, but that was untrue and the the Islamic State had taken over several
the flight deck of the carrier while she ship proceeded through the Suez Canal. major cities in the country. ➤

carrier
USS George H.W. Bush in the

Straits of Gibraltar, February 2014.

The bulbous bow will
look something like this.
She participated in
strikes against ISIS in
support of Operation
Inherent Resolve, the US
Military’s intervention
against the Islamic State
of Iraq and Syria.
In August 2014, President Obama in strikes against ISIS in support of

announced that air strikes to protect Operation Inherent Resolve, the US
US personnel and the Yazidis – a small Military’s intervention against the Islamic
ethnic minority group of northern State of Iraq and Syria.
Mesopotamia – from ISIS attacks, Later in 2017, Bush took part in
would take place, and on the 8th of the Exercise Saxon Warrior a joint exercise
month, two F/A-18F Super Hornets left involving Carrier Strike Group Two plus
the carrier USS George H.W. Bush and elements of the Royal Navy, Swedish
conducted air strikes on Islamic State Navy, German Navy and Norwegian
artillery shelling the Kurdish city of Erbil. Navy.
In September 2014, Hornets and In May 2018, navies from the US and
Super Hornets again took off from Bush France took part in a combined exercise,
to strike specific targets in Syria, such called the Chesapeake Mission using 12
as weapons depots and training camps. Dassault Aviation Rafale M – a French
Bush then returned to Norfolk after a twin-engined, multirole fight aircraft – and
nine-month deployment. a Grumman E-2C Hawkeye, an American
In January 2017, Bush and Carrier carrier-capable tactical airborne early
Air Wing Eight left Norfolk for her third warning (AEW) aircraft embarked on the
deployment. She again participated carrier USS George H.W. Bush. ■

The war at sea
1918
Part
Five
By 1918, the war was beginning to turn against the Germans, and,
with the imminent arrival of hundreds of thousands of American
troops, the German High Command decided to make a great
push and planned an offensive on the Western Front. Campbell
McCutcheon recounts in the fifth part of a series that tells the story
of Britain’s naval exploits during the four-year conflict.
O
n 20 January, Breslau and Goeben, The beginning of February brought
which had been under Turkish a mutiny at Cattaro, the main Austro-
control since 1914, made a sortie Hungarian naval base on the Dalmatian
into the Aegean to draw Allied coast. February also saw the Germans
attention away lose patience with the Bolsheviks and
from Palestine and attack them once more, reaching into the
the conflict there. Ukraine and heading toward Petrograd.
But both ships On 24 February 1918, the German
sailed into an commerce raider SMS Wolf returned
Allied minefield to Kiel after an epic voyage of 451
with Breslau lost. days that saw her sink 14 ships, with
Goeben was minefields laid by her claiming another
forced aground 13. She had made the single longest
but stayed unaided voyage of the war, been at sea
afloat. Allied on a single voyage for longer than any
air attacks were other ship afloat and had masterfully
made on Goeben been sailed back to Germany with 467
in the hope prisoners of war and copious quantities
that she would of rubber, copper, zinc, brass and even
SMS Goeben, along with SMS Breslau, came out into the be damaged or sunk, but the Turks silk as well as many other items essential
Aegean on 20 January 1918, after having been bottled managed to rescue her. She was to the war effort. Captain Nerger was
up all war. Goeben was forced aground and was salvaged refloated and towed to safety. Goeben awarded Germany’s highest order, the
by the Turks before she became too badly damaged. This survived in the Turkish navy until the Pour le Merite, for his long voyage and
patriotic postcard summed up the fate of Goeben and 1970s, and was not broken up until the ship was greeted by thousands on
Breslau and their wasted war, stuck in Turkey. between 1973 and 1976. her return to port.

LEFT: Looking from atop the funnel of the AMC Packed with men of the Royal Naval
HMS Patia on 4 February 1918. HMS Patia was Division, Vindictive headed for the sea
commandeered as an AMC and spent February 1918 on walls at Zeebrugge. Her troops landed
convoy duties from Dakar, leaving there on 5 February ashore and occupied the Germans
for the UK. On 15 February, she met her sistership HMS while a submarine full of explosives was
Changuinola, and four days later stopped and boarded blown up alongside the sea wall. While
a Danish schooner, Duen, travelling from Huelva to the Marines were fighting the Germans,
Copenhagen. She reached Avonmouth on 25 February. three blockships, HMS Thetis, Intrepid
Note the six-inch gun on her forecastle. and Iphigenia, were sailed into the inner
harbour. The plan was that they should
block the canal, but Thetis ran aground
There were no major naval actions in at the entrance to the inner harbour.
the early part of the year but the German Both Intrepid and Iphigenia reached
submarines, destroyers and torpedo their destination but were sunk at the
boats operating out of Zeebrugge and wrong angle.
Ostend were a constant thorn in the The attack on Ostend was even less
side of the Allies. Masterminded by Vice successful, with the blockship HMS
Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, a plan was Brilliant running aground on mud
made to attack both ports and sink old, and Sirius crashing into her port side.
redundant warships across the entrances, German submarines were still able
thus blocking them from use. An attempt to get in and out of both harbours at
was planned for 2 April, but the weather high tide. Eight Victoria Crosses were
was against the attack and a smokescreen awarded for the actions, but in no way
could not be laid. were they a success. The Germans lost
On 23 April, some 70 warships and 34 dead, but the British casualty list ran
thousands of Marines headed from into the hundreds, with some 227 dead
Dover for Zeebrugge and Ostend. and over 300 wounded. ➤
Equipped with six 15cm guns and four torpedo tubes,

SMS Wolf left Kiel on 30 November 1916 on a mission
to sink as many Allied ships as possible. She had been
An attempt was made to attack Zeebrugge on 2 April 1918, built for the Hansa Line in 1913 as the Wachtfels, and
One thing not realised about the war was that the Red but this was cancelled at the last moment. On 23 April, was converted over the Autumn of 1916. With a range
Cross arranged for numerous prisoner transfers of another attempt was made. This one was more successful. of 32,000 nautical miles, she carried 8,000 tons of
severely injured military personnel. This view shows Zeebrugge was a base for torpedo boats and U-boats and coal as well as supplies for an extended voyage. After
the steamship Orange Nassau with British soldiers the attempts to sink blockships were done amid severe 451 days at sea, she returned to Kiel on 24 February
being returned back to the UK in exchange for injured fighting. Some 583 British died for 24 German losses. HMS 1918 with 467 prisoners and valuable supplies of rare
Germans. Many men of all nationalities were also kept Vindictive was used in this first raid and this image shows metals, rubber and cocoa. She sank 14 ships herself
in Switzerland in camps there too. the damage to her funnel at Dover. and laid minefields that sank another 13 vessels.
LEFT: HMS Thetis sunk in the channel inside the

breakwater at Zeebrugge. The next HMS Thetis would
be a submarine, which sank off Anglesey in June 1939,
with the loss of 99 out of 103 aboard. Thetis was an
Apollo class cruiser and had been built in 1890. During
the war she was used as a minelayer.
RIGHT: HMS Iphigenia and Intrepid blocking the entrance

to the docks at Zeebrugge. This raid was not very successful
and the two vessels could be bypassed at high tide.

The war at sea
With any extraneous equipment removed, HMS Brilliant set sail for Ostend in April
1918 to be sunk across the channel into the docks there. Filled with concrete and low in
the water, she is seen on her way to Ostend. Both Brilliant and Superb went ashore on a
sandbank at the harbour mouth and were sunk there.
An attempt was made with HMS Vindictive to

blockade Ostend, Vindictive was filled with
concrete and sunk alongside one of the jetties.
A floating dry dock used for submarines at Ostend,

which was damaged in the raid.
A second attack was made on Ostend the Austro-Hungarian navy attempted were also fighting the Bolsheviks.
on 10 May, using HMS Vindictive as to smash the Otranto blockade of The troopship Justicia was hit by
the blockship. She had been heavily the Adriatic on 9 June, with the torpedoes on 19 July and, after
damaged after the first raid on dreadnought Szent Istvan being sunk by further attacks, sank the following day.
Zeebrugge and was already redundant. Italian motor boats. By August, after a series of failed
Filled with concrete and explosives, she French and British warships sailed offensives, the German soldiers were
was sailed into the port and scuttled. to Murmansk and occupied the port low on equipment and morale. The sea
She was raised in 1920 and her bow can on 23 June in an attempt to halt blockade of Germany had strangled the
now be seen at Ostend as a memorial Japanese expansion in the area. country and it was running out of food,
to the two raids. Three Victoria Crosses Archangel and Vladivostock would equipment and war supplies. 300,000
were awarded to men on this second both be occupied in August. The American troops were by now arriving
raid. Allies supported the White Russians every month at ports in France and they
Meanwhile, on 14 May, HMS Phoenix fighting the Bolsheviks and helped soon outnumbered German and Austro-
was torpedoed in the Adriatic, while repatriate the Czech Legion, who Hungarian forces.
LEFT: In May 1918, an attempt was made again to blockade Ostend, this time
using HMS Vindictive from the previous attempts at Zeebrugge. This raid was more
successful than the First Ostend Raid, with HMS Vindictive being sunk and partially
blocking the canal to Bruges.
RIGHT: The Vindictive was eventually salvaged and her bow remains today in Ostend
as a monument to the many men who died in the attacks on Ostend and Zeebrugge.
Hailed as huge victories in the UK at the time, they were simply glorious failures.

The Allies supported the
White Russians fighting
the Bolsheviks and
helped repatriate the
Czech Legion
With the loss of HMHS Britannic in November 1916, Sailing empty from Belfast to New York on 19 July 1918,
the White Star Line had a crew and no ship. This was Justicia was torpedoed by UB-64. She took on a list and was
solved by Justicia, which had been under construction hit by three other torpedoes. Somehow, she managed to
as Statendam for Holland America Line and, after the stay afloat and her destroyer escort chased the submarine
loss of the Lusitania, had been intended for Cunard. away. The next day, she was found by UB-124 and Justicia
She could carry some 4,000 troops and was originally was hit by two more torpedoes. UB-124 was sunk and by
painted grey and then in this dazzle scheme. lunchtime Justicia had rolled over and sank.
LEFT: HMS Wisteria flying an observation balloon in

1918. These balloons were surprisingly stable while
being towed along and gave the crews of the ships
an extra ten or twenty miles of sea to search before
the horizon.
RIGHT: On 14 May 1918, HMS Phoenix was torpedoed

in the Adriatic. The men in the whaler are passing a
towrope from HMAS Warrego but she sank later that
day, capsizing within a few miles of safety. She was the
only British warship of the war sunk by an Austro-
Hungarian warship. Phoenix had taken part in the
Battles of Jutland, Dogger Bank and Heligoland Bight. The war was going disastrously on
all fronts for the German forces, and
on 5 October, Beirut was occupied by
BELOW: The seaplane carrier HMS Campania was French naval forces. The following day
converted from the redundant Blue Riband-winning the German chancellor asked Woodrow
ocean liner RMS Campania in 1914. Her tired Wilson for an armistice. Matters got
engines saw her being too slow to go to Jutland and worse for the Germans when German
she spent much time at Scapa Flow and Rosyth. On sailors mutinied at Keil on 29 October
5 November 1918, in the Forth, she dragged her after Admiral Hipper suggested a do-or-
anchor and collided with HMS Royal Oak and then die attack on the British navy. 40,000 of
Glorious. She sank stern first. the sailors were involved in the mutiny
and the revolt was spreading, forcing
the German High Command to sue for
peace before being overthrown from
within.
But the war was not yet over, and
Austro-Hungary’s flagship Viribus Unitis
was sunk during an Italian attack on
1 November in the Adriatic. Two days
later, the Allies captured the port of
Trieste and Austro-Hungary sued for
peace. HMS Campania, the seaplane
carrier, dragged her anchor on the
morning of 5 November when off
Burntisland, and collided with HMS
Royal Oak and then HMS Glorious.
Settling by the stern, the ship began
to sink, and by late afternoon she had
gone to the bottom, taking 11 aircraft
with her. ➤

The war at sea
A panoramic view of USS Mount Vernon on 30 October 1918. This gives the idea of the number of officers and crew required to operate a four-funneled vessel in wartime.
At Compeigne, between 7 and 11

November, the terms of an Armistice
were thrashed out in a railway carriage.
For the German navy, it marked defeat
and the end of further resistence. All
their submarines had to be surrendered
immediately, and the surface ships
were ordered to sail to Allied ports to
be interned. On 12 November, Allied
warships sailed through the Dardanelles
and anchored at Constantinople.
The major event of the sea war was
the surrender of the German fleet on
21 November. Admiral David Beatty,
on HMS Queen Elizabeth, took the
surrender. Almost 250 Allied ships
awaited the 80 or so German vessels,
which were escorted into the Firth of
Forth and then, over the next few days,
sent to Scapa Flow, in Orkney, after Drawn by Douglas MacPherson, on board HMS Resolution,
Resolution
being checked that they carried no the German sailors lower the Imperial battle flag on one of
ammunition. King George V headed the battleships at sunset on 21 November 1918. Despite
At Sierra Leone, on 11 November 1918, HMS Almanzora,
Almanzora north soon after to view for himself the German ships still belonging to Germany, Admiral
an ex-Royal Mail Steam Packet Company steamer, flies the the German battleships, cruisers and David Beatty insisted they could no longer fly their ensigns,
armistice signal. It was the end of the war. destroyers. technically a breach of maritime law.
Over the course of the next two weeks, negotiations

took place for the surrender of the German navy. All
of the submarines were ordered to Allied ports,
with the majority ending up in Harwich.
Submarines started to
appear in Allied ports
too, with many interned
at Harwich and for them
the war was over
A German cruiser passes HMS Queen Elizabeth on the afternoon of the surrender. The
German fleet of some 80 vessels, including destroyers, cruisers and battleships, was
ordered to the Firth of Forth, where almost 250 Allied vessels would meet them.
Filmed for posterity as members of the press watch, and Wearing both gas and flame masks, many of the
with flags still fluttering from the aft mast, one of the British sailors mistrusted the Germans and expect
German battleships at the surrender. It was a momentous them to come out fighting. All guns were trained on The Konigsberg arrives in British waters to negotiate the
occasion, and one of the largest gatherings of naval vessel the German ships, which had had their armaments terms of the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet.
at sea until the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942. removed before setting sail. Rear-Admiral Meurer boarded the Queen Elizabeth for
the surrender negotiations. Admiral Beatty would take
the opportunity to humiliate the Germans and referred
to Meurer as a ‘wretch’ throughout the negotiations.
Submarines started to appear in

Allied ports too, with many interned at
Harwich and for them the war was over.
War continued in revolt-stricken Russia,
where the Bolsheviks continued to clash
HMS Lion leading a group of cruisers into Scapa Flow. The German fleet was searched, and with forces which opposed them. On
checked for contraband and any form of weapon or ammunition and then the ships were 18 December, French troops occupied
led to Scapa in groups of five or so for internment. Odessa to ensure weapons and supplies
could be sent to Ukrainians fighting
the Bolsheviks, and with the continued
RIGHT: For them the war occupation of Vladivostok and the
was indeed over. Some of fighting in Murmansk and Archangel,
the crew of HMS Champion the war continued in this theatre well
on Christmas Day, 1918. into 1919.
Built by Hawthorn, Leslie On the other side of Europe,
on the Tyne, Champion meanwhile, the German fleet was
was commissioned on lined up at Scapa Flow to await its
20 December 1915. She fate, which was to be decided by the
saw action at the Battle of peace process. However, the final
Jutland and was sold for reckoning came in June 1919, once
scrap on 28 July 1934 and the armistice had turned into full-
broken up next to some of blown peace. After five years of bitter
the German battleships she fighting, with many thousands of lives
had spent so long at war lost, and ships of all types and sizes
against. sunk, the war was finally over. ■

3 EASY WAYS
FEATURE
ONLINE- -shop.kelsey.co.uk/heritagesale1
ONLINE
POST-SEND
POST- SEND FORMS
FORMS TO TO
TO ORDER
shop.kelsey.co.uk/heritagesale1
JANUARYSALE
JANUARY
NOW
NOW
SALE
ON
ON
Subscriptions FREEPOST RTKZ-HYRL-CCZX, Kelsey Publishing Ltd.,
Cudham Tithe Barn,Berry’s Hill, Cudham, Kent, TN16 3AG SAVE ON MAGAZINE
SAVE ON MAGAZINE
CALL-01959
CALL-
and
01959543
and quote
Lines open
Lines
543747
quoteoffer
openMonday
747
offercode
Monday
code heritagesale1
heritagesale1
- Friday 8.00am
- Friday - 6.00pm
8.00am - 6.00pm
SUBSCRIPTIONS
SUBSCRIPTIONS
YES! I would like to take advantage of these special discounted prices. CHANNEL COLOUR CHANGE
Please start my subscription with the first magazine to: SANEW SALE
LE LIVERY FOR BRITTANY FERRIES
Magazine No. Issues £
FR OM
JUST
£19.99
FR
www.shipsmonthly.com
THEJU S
£19.99ALE
OM
SHIP OF
ST
MONTH
Magazine No. Issues £ FR
OM
Magazine No. Issues £ JUST
February 2019
£19.99
SYMPHONY
This subscription is for myself This is a gift subscription OF THE SEAS
YOUR DETAILS
Mrs/Ms/Miss/Mr ............... Forename ................................................................................
BIGGEST BOX BOATS
Surname ........................................................................................................................................ COUNTDOWN OF THE
WORLD’S TOP TEN
Address ............................................................................................................................................
CONTAINER SHIPS
................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................... Post code .................................................................. SALE SALE
FR OM FROM
Daytime phone ............................................. Mobile ..........................................................
JUST JUST
Email ................................................................................................................................................. £19.99 £19.99
IF DELIVERY IS TO A DIFFERENT ADDRESS, COMPLETE BELOW
Mrs/Ms/Miss/Mr ............... Forename ................................................................................
Surname ........................................................................................................................................ FEBRUARY 2019 • Vol 54 £4.60
VICTORIA OF WIGHT
Address ............................................................................................................................................ WIGHTLINK’S NEWBUILD DEBUTS
................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................... Post code ..................................................................
Daytime phone ............................................. Mobile ..........................................................
Email ................................................................................................................................................. ADSTEAM Tug fleet recalled FINGAL From supply ship to hotel NAVAL NATO forces on exercise
6 issues for £19.99

PAYMENT DETAILS
I enclose a cheque made payable to Kelsey Publishing Limited
6 issues
12 for£34.99
issues for £19.99
12 issues for £34.99
for the sum of £..........................
Please debit £.......................... from Visa Visa Debit MasterCard SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/HERITAGESALE1

Card number
SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/HERITAGESALE1
WHY SUBSCRIBE
Security number
WHY SUBSCRIBE
Valid from ............ / ............ Expiry date ............ / ............
Signature ............................................................. Date .........................................
Visit shop. shop.kelsey.co.uk/carsale1 or call

Offer closes on the 31 January 2019. Here at Kelsey Publishing we take your privacy seriously and will only use 01959543747
Visit and quote offer code HSALE1
shop. shop.kelsey.co.uk/carsale1 or call
Prices quoted are for UK delivery only.
your personal information to administer your account and to provide the products and services you have requested
01959543747 and quote offer code HSALE1

from us. From time to time we have special offers that we believe would be of relevance to you. Please tick
the boxes to tell us all the ways you would prefer to hear from us ■ Email ■ Post ■ Phone ■ Text Message.
n
Prices quoted are for UK delivery only.

n
You can update these at any time by emailing us at [email protected] or by calling us on 01959 543 747.

18/12/2018 14:38
FEATURE
By Derek Fox
While researching his late grandfather Ernie Fox’s

Royal Navy career, Derek Fox discovered that one of
the ships he served on was the river gunboat HMS
Ladybird in China. He was serving on board when this
ship played a part in the famous ‘Panay incident’ in
December 1937, in which the American gunboat USS
The ship’s crest.
Panay was sunk by Japanese aircraft four years before
the Pearl Harbor attack, becoming the first US Navy
ship to be sunk by hostile aircraft.
T
he Ladybird, and her sister Royal
Navy gunboats were also subjected
to bombs, artillery and machine
gun fire – all this, two years before
the Second World War had even begun!
The story began for Ernie at
Portsmouth on Monday, 23 March,
1936, when he joined the cruiser HMS
Dauntless for passage to the Far East.
Dauntless left Portsmouth on 31 March
and called in via Malta, Port Said, the
Suez Canal and Aden, before arriving
at Colombo on 27 April. There the
cruiser was assigned as guard ship to
the SS Ranpura, which was carrying
a cargo of priceless art treasures that
had been on display in Britain, back to
China. The two ships called at Penang
and Singapore before arriving at
their destination of Hong Kong. After
delivering her charge, the Dauntless
proceeded to Hankow, where she tied
up alongside the Ladybird and Ernie Ernest Fox, HMS Ladybird
Fox transferred to the gunboat. 1938 (Derek Fox).

HMS Ladybird was one of the class, including Ladybird, were sent to had enough fuel oil to last four to six
renowned ‘Insect’ class patrol boats, China to patrol the Yangtse River, to months. The cruiser HMS Capetown, at
originally built in 1915 for service on safeguard British interests in the region Nanking, had sufficient fuel to last her
the River Danube, but which were and protect commercial shipping, and for four or five months if she stayed in
sent to the Middle East instead for the this they did for many years along with harbour, but if she returned to Hankow
remainder of the First World War. This the smaller ‘Bird’ class gunboats up this would be reduced to about two
class was larger than previous British until the outbreak of the Second World weeks, although once there, she could
gunboats, being 237 feet long, with a War. In the late 1930s, Japan began use shore supply and shut down her
beam of 36 feet, and a displacement its conquest of China, although there boilers. Capetown had been sent to
of 645 tons. Because they were was no formal declaration of war, and Nanking to evacuate British embassy
designed for river operations they the British and other nations remained staff should this become necessary, but
drew just four feet, with the propellers strictly neutral. with the construction of the Chinese
housed in tunnels to protect them. To try and slow the Japanese boom she had become trapped above
Crew complement was between 54-65. advance, in August 1937, the Chinese it, and although efforts were made
The Insect class were fitted with two constructed a boom across the river to persuade the Chinese to let her
reciprocating engines and their speed near the fortress of Kiangyin at the head through, they refused. Capetown was
was quoted as 14 knots, although some of the estuary, and began constructing sent to Hankow, and the majority of
of the class reached 18 knots on trials. other booms along the rivers, effectively the ship’s company then left the ship
They were armed with two 6in guns trapping 13 Royal Navy gunboats for Hong Kong by train, leaving behind
arranged on the centreline fore and above the boom. Rear Admiral Holt, enough crew to steam the ship. After
aft. Ladybird also had a 3in forward in command of the Royal Navy forces long negotiations, Capetown was
and a 12 pounder quick firing gun aft, on the Yangtse, faced a dilemma. eventually allowed to leave, and after
mounted above the 6in. Eight machine Because of the problems of getting all useful stores and ammunition had
guns were also carried. fuel oil, Ladybird, along with her sisters been removed and passed on to the
Britain, along with other nations, Aphis, Gnat, Scarab and Cricket, were gunboats, she sailed for Hong Kong
notably America and France, had long converted to burn coal, as there was a with women and children on board.
enjoyed special trade privileges in large local supply, and it was estimated On 5 December, the Ladybird was
China, and in the mid 1920s, the Insect that the other remaining gunboats anchored at Wuhu, some 8o miles
up-river from Nanking, to look after
British lives and property. Moored
LEFT: Gunboat HMS nearby in the anchorage were some
Ladybird. British river steamers. Suddenly,
three Japanese aircraft appeared and
BELOW LEFT: HMS bombed the anchorage. The steamship
Ladybird in dry dock, Tuck Po suffered a direct hit in her
Shanghai 1938. boiler room and caught fire, and the
SS Tatung suffered a near-miss and
began to list heavily, being towed
into shallow water by the Ladybird’s
boats. Meanwhile Ladybird had got
up steam and prepared to return fire
HMS but the planes came in from her stern
Ladybird and her 3in anti-aircraft gun would not
bear. The first bomb landed ten yards
was one away and showered the gunboat with
of the splinters – the rest of the bombs falling
among the Chinese civilians. Ladybird
renowned reported the attack to Rear Admiral Holt
‘Insect’ (Rear Admiral Yangtse) on the flagship
HMS Bee. Next day the anchorage was
class patrol attacked again and Ladybird was forced
boats, to leave the anchorage. Japanese
troops entered Wuhu on 10 December.
originally The Japanese army was by now
steadily advancing on Nanking, and
built in 1915 Japanese planes were bombing the
for service city daily. The American station ship at
Nanking was the gunboat USS Panay,
on the River commanded by Lieutenant commander
Danube Hughes, USN, operating as part of ➤

FEATURE
the US Asiatic Fleet. On 11 December 08.10 the Japanese opened fire without wrong. The normally smart Ladybird
1937, the Panay was anchored mid- warning on the merchant craft with had a dishevelled look, and had clearly
stream waiting to pick up the last of machine gun fire. Ladybird immediately been extensively damaged by shellfire.
the embassy staff and US citizens there, weighed anchor and manoeuvred into Japanese field guns and machine
when during a Japanese bombing a position between the craft and the guns lined the riverbank. As the Bee
raid bombs fell to within 150 feet of Japanese, who then opened fire with approached the anchorage, one of
the ship. Lt Cdr Hughes decided to heavy artillery. The Ladybird, under these guns fired, the round passing
move the Panay about a mile upriver fire, steamed up to the B&S pontoon over the Bee. Earlier, these same gun
to the San-Chia-Ho anchorage, where and secured without returning fire, and batteries had without warning opened
the British gunboats HMS Scarab and the British military attaché leapt ashore fire on Ladybird and her accompanying
Cricket were anchored, along with and ordered the Japanese to cease ships. Although the merchant vessels
British and American tankers, barges fire, which to everyone’s amazement, she was guarding had moved out of
and steamers that were under their they did. Shortly afterwards, HMS range, Ladybird had been hit four times
protection. All these vessels flew large Bee, with Admiral Holt (Rear Admiral by 6in gunfire. Ironically, the base of
national flags to show their neutrality. Yangtse) on board, arrived at Wuhu. one of the shells found lodged in her
However, as the fighting intensified As the Bee approached the anchored superstructure later was found to have
this anchorage came under artillery ships it was plain that something was been manufactured in England. She had
fire, and the ships moved upriver to a
safer anchorage. When this too came
under fire the Panay decided to move HMS Ladybird off Shanghai
even further upriver, to Hosien. The in the 1920s.
British ships however stayed where they
were and advised Lt Cdr Hughes to
do the same, on the grounds that they
would be safer from air attack if they
stayed together. However, the Panay
set off along with a convoy comprising
three American 200 foot tankers of
the Standard Oil Company, the Mei
Ping, Mei Shia and the Mei An, and
13 auxiliary craft, and anchored 13
miles upriver. On the way, the Panay
had stopped at 9.40am in response
to a signal from a Japanese landing
boat and was boarded. The Japanese
Officer was informed of the USS Panay’s
intention to anchor further upstream.
She then radioed the US Embassy in
Shanghai and informed them of the
ship’s new location, which was to be
passed on to the Japanese government.
As Panay and the tanker convoy were
neutral vessels, they were not expecting
to come under any more attacks once
their position was known. She was
carrying at this time four members of
the American Embassy staff, four US
nationals and five foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, on the morning of 12
December, the Ladybird, commanded
by Lieutenant Commander Barlow RN,
was back at the Wuhu anchorage, along
with several craft under her protection.
At 07.10 the SS Tseang-Tah arrived
from down river carrying the British Flag
Captain (Captain O’Donnell), British
Consul (Mr Prideaux-Brune), the Military
Attaché (Lt-Col Lovat-Fraser) and an
armed guard from HMS Bee aboard,
who then transferred to Ladybird. At

suffered damage to her forward 6in and who had stopped the Japanese from Nanking. It was a clear sunny day
3in guns, was holed below the waterline further shelling the Bee. The Japanese and the crew were eating Sunday
forward and had a ruptured fuel tank. commander explained he was not aware dinner – all guns were secured and
Her radio aerials were also shot away. there were any neutral ships in the area, unmanned, and only one lookout was
Sick berth attendant Terrance Lonergan even though there were prominent posted. Shortly after 13.30, the sound
was killed and A/PO Joseph Smallwood national flags flown. of approaching aircraft was heard. The
seriously injured in the attack. The urge The Royal Navy gun boats Scarab crew of the Panay were not unduly
to return fire with the ship’s 6in guns and Cricket, which had stayed anchored worried as Japanese bombers regularly
was ruled out for fear of starting a major above Nanking, had come under air passed overhead to bomb Chinese
international incident. When Admiral attack at about the same time, although targets. This time, however, three
Holt arrived, he went ashore and found all bombs had missed their targets. On Japanese B4Y1 bombers commenced
his Chief of Staff, Captain O’Donnell, this occasion the gunboats opened fire an attack on the Panay’s convoy,
who had been aboard the Ladybird with their 3in and machine guns, driving dropping 18 bombs, which disabled the
when she was attacked and had the attackers off. Panay’s forward 3in gun and wrecked
been wounded in the hand by a shell On 12 December, the USS Panay the sick-bay, radio-room and pilothouse,
splinter, already talking to the Japanese was still anchored near Hoshien, and damaged the boiler room. Shrapnel
commander. It was Captain O’Donnell approximately 28 miles upriver from fragments injured many of the crew. ➤

FEATURE
The captain suffered a broken hip
and severe shock, and the executive
officer, Lt Anders, was hit in the throat
and hands and could not speak. He
nevertheless, issued orders by writing,
to get the Panay underway and try to
beach the ship, but the damage was LEFT: Ladybird sunk in
too extensive. Japanese D1A1 and Tobruk.
D1A2 dive bombers then joined the
attack, and nine A4N1 fighters started BELOW: The crew of
strafing the gunboat and her convoy. HMS Ladybird.
The Panay’s crew fought back as best
they could with the ships eight .30
calibre machine guns, but no planes
were hit. By 14.06 all power had been
lost and the main deck was almost
awash – the order to abandon ship was
given, and the crew began to transfer
the wounded ashore in the ships boats.
These boats were also strafed by the
Japanese aircraft, while some of the
crew managed to reach the safety of
the reeds on the riverbank. After the
Panay had been abandoned, the chief
boatswain’s mate and the machinist’s
mate returned to the ship to try and
salvage some stores and medical
supplies. While returning to shore
they came under fire from a small boat
carrying Japanese soldiers, who went
aboard the Panay for about five minutes
and then left. At 15.55 the Panay began
to roll over to starboard and slide under
by the bow and sank.
After returning to their base to rearm,
the Japanese aircraft attacked again the survivors were transferred to HMS In the aftermath of the attack, the
at 15.00, this time targeting the three Ladybird, which had joined the rescue Japanese government immediately sent
tankers that had accompanied the USS on her way to Shanghai for repairs, and a formal letter of apology and insisted
Panay. also to the gunboat USS Oahu, which had the attack had been a mistake – the
Admiral Holt had by now received arrived from upriver. These two ships then ships had been mistaken for Chinese
the reports that the USS Panay and her set off for Shanghai, escorted through vessels, and the national flags not
consorts had been attacked and was the booms by Japanese destroyers. The visible. Reparations of $2,214,007 were
heading for Hoshien in HMS Bee. When Panay suffered two crewman killed, eleven paid to the US Government and the oil
he arrived, he found most of the survivors badly wounded and many injured. An companies for the loss of their tankers.
had gone inland to hide and had to send Italian news reporter was also killed along Neither the Americans nor the Japanese
out search parties for them. When found, with the captain of one of the tankers. were ready for war at that time, and the
Shrapnel damage after the attack on Ladybird

Ladybird.

‘Panay Incident’, which In Britain, the Prime Minister
could have led to war, answered questions in the Houses of
was diplomatically Parliament and issued a strong protest
played down. There to Tokyo about the shelling of HMS
were unconfirmed Ladybird at Wuhu.
reports the Panay had LEFT: Newspaper cutting of HMS Bee served on the Yangtse station
been tasked by US Ladybird’s officers after the for another year before being paid off
Naval Intelligence to attack by Japan. in 1938. She was sold for scrap the
gather information following year. The Ladybird, along with
on Chinese and BELOW INSET: USS Panay the remaining Insect class gunboats, was
Japanese military attacked, newspaper cutting. sent to Hong Kong as the world situation
activities, and that deteriorated, and in 1939 went via
at the time of her sinking she had Panay lay on her side in about 80 feet Singapore to the Middle East. She was
sensitive materials on board, including of water, covered in silt. A massive initially the guard ship for Port Said, and
a secret bombsight and code book split ran the length of her hull and one then supported the garrison at Tobruk.
from a crashed Japanese bomber. It is bomb had passed right through the On 12 May 1941, Ladybird was attacked
possible that the Japanese were aware ship without detonating, leaving a large by five enemy bombers and hit. She sank
of this and may explain the attack. It is hole. in 10 feet of water with her topsides still
known that before the Panay sank, the The divers were able to above water, and her 3in gun was used
ship was boarded by Japanese troops retrieve the ship's safe and by the army for anti-aircraft
who searched the ship, and that the US also 700 foot of newsreel defence even after she was
refused a Japanese offer to help raise film footage shot by Arthur sunk. After the war, the rusting
and salvage the ship later. When the Menken which showed the hulk was left undisturbed until
ship went down it took with it nearly attack. They also recovered the late 1940s, when the navy
$40,000 in payroll, and although the the ship’s bell. While these began to clear the wrecks from
crew had disposed of most of the operations were taking the North African ports. The
sensitive materials on board, there was place, a Japanese patrol last remains of HMS Ladybird
still a possibility that codebooks and boat stood by, observing were finally removed from
other papers could be compromised if every move. It is unknown whether the Tobruk on Christmas Eve 1951 – the end
the Japanese managed to salvage the Japanese searched the wreck after the of a grand old lady.
wreck. Thus in January 1938, the US departure of the American ships, but As for my grandfather Ernie, he left
salvage tug Saucy and the USS Oahu they did apparently ask for salvage the Ladybird in 1938 and returned
went back to the wreck site to begin rights, which were refused. to the UK aboard the cruiser HMS
salvage operations using a team of As far as is known, the wreck has Enterprise. As the Second World War
Russian divers. Once the wreck was lain undisturbed since then and is now broke out his adventures were about
surveyed it was clear that there was probably buried under many feet of to continue on the old destroyer HMS
no hope of salvaging the ship – the mud. Sturdy – but that’s another story… ■
ABOVE: USS Panay sinking after

the Japanese air attack.
BELOW INSET: From the left; USS

Panay, HMS Bee and HMS Ladybird.

FEATURE
Air-Cushioned
Landing Craft
A Soviet Pomornik-class air-cushioned

landing craft is beached after a
demonstration given to visiting Americans.

Amphibious machines that are able to cross
from water to land to supply fighting men and
equipment are among the most versatile of any
navy and have been around since the 1980s.
T
he Soviet Union has invested The superstructure is divided into
heavily in this type of compartments, the midsection is
amphibious assault vessel. fitted with tank ramps and carries
Their Zubr-class (Landing Craft combat material, outboard sections
Air Cushion) was first commissioned house the main and auxiliary
in 1988 and today represent the propulsion units, and there are
largest air-cushioned vehicles in the troop compartments, living quarters
world. and airtight combat stations, where
They are still in service today with the crew is kept safe in case of
the Russian Navy and several other an attack by a weapon of mass
countries including China, Greece destruction.
and the Ukraine. There are cooking/dining
The Zubr-class is known as facilities, the living quarters are
‘Pomornik’ to NATO and is heated and air-conditioned as well
designated as ‘Project 1232.2’ to as being sound/heat insulated.
Soviet/Russia. When the Hellenic To protect the vessel from
Navy – the naval force of Greece – magnetic influence mines, the
purchased HS Cephalonia, it was ships have an active system which
the first time a Soviet-designed compensates for the magnetic fields
naval craft had been built for a they generate.
NATO member. Zubra-class landing craft can carry
Military hovercraft, have been up to three main battle tanks of up
designed to sealift amphibious to 150 tonnes total weight, or, ten
assault units, such as tanks and armoured vehicles with 140 troop
marines, from equipped and non- up to 131 tonnes or, eight armoured
equipped vessels to non-equipped personnel carriers up to 115 tonnes
shores as well as transporting and or, eight amphibious tanks or, up to
planting naval mines. 500 troops – with 360 troops in the
The hovercraft has a rectangular cargo department.
pontoon which gives the vessel The hovercraft remains seaworthy
strength and buoyancy and the in conditions up to Sea State four,
pontoon is also the main load- which is moderate, with waves
carrying part of the hull. between four and eight feet.
SPECIFICATION
Length 187ft, Beam 84ft, Draught 5.2ft, Surface
Dimensions
displacement 415 tons.
5x Kuznetsov Type NK-12MV gas turbines – 2x lift and
Propulsion 3x propulsion – producing 11,836hp to 3x Four-bladed
variable pitch propellers.
Speed/Range Speed 60 knots, 69mph. Range 261nm, 300 miles.
Compliment 31
4x 4 Strela anti-aircraft missile launchers (32 missiles).
Or 2x 4SA-N-5 ‘Grail’ anti-aircraft missile launchers.
6x 30mm AK-630 Air Defence Gun Mount 2 anti-aircraft
Firepower cannons.
2x22 140mm Ogon rocket launchers (132 rockets).
or 2x 122mm rocket launchers.
Mine dispensers (20-80 mines).

USS INDEP
USS Independence, is the lead
ship of the Independence-
class of ultra-modern corvettes
in service with the United
States Navy, which have been
designed using the latest
seaborne stealth technology.
Badge of USS Independence.
20 20 20 20
06 08 09 10
USS Independence was laid down on Independence was launched on 26 April, Builder’s trials were completed in Independence was commissioned into
19 January and built by Austal USA of and christened by Doreen Scott, the wife October and acceptance trials in the US Navy on 16 January and after
Mobile, Alabama. of 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the November. The Board of Inspection and early sea trials, corrosion issues became
Navy, Terry D. Scott on 4 October. Survey found over 2,000 discrepancies apparent.
but said all could be resolved before the
Navy accepted the ship.
52 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine october 2018

PENDENCE
20 20 20 20
11 12 13 14/15
The corrosion problems were worse Independence made a successful US Navy sources described documents In 2014, Independence took part in
than expected, so much so, that voyage to her homeport, the Naval Base, that showed the ship was to be called RIMPAC – Rim of the Pacific Exercises,
seven US Senators sent a letter to the San Diego, California and was assigned Liberty, "a mistake". which is the world’s largest international
Department of Defence questioning the to the Littoral Combat Ship Squadron maritime warfare exercise. In what is
management of the corrosion issues. ONE. described by the US Navy as a unique
It was decided to combat the issue training opportunity, Independence
by installing a cathodic protection performed each of her tests proficiently.
system.
SPECIFICATION
Dimensions: Length 418ft, Beam 104ft, Draught 14ft,

Dimensions
Surface displacement 3,300 tons.
2x MTU Friedichshafen 20V 8000 diesel engines with

2x General Electric LM2500 gas turbines and 4x diesel
Propulsion
generators driving 2x shafts, 4x Wartsila waterjets,
1x Retractable thruster.
Speed/Range 44 knots, 51mph/Range 4,345nm, 5,000 miles.
1x AGM-175 Griffin air-to-surface missile launcher.
1x 57mm Mk110 deck gun.
2x 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II chain guns.

Firepower
4x 12.7mm heavy machine guns.
1x RIM-116 SeaRam (Rolling Airframe Missile) Close-In

ABOVE: USS Independence in dry dock 2008, to Weapon System (CIWS).
be commissioned in 2010.
2x Sikorsky MH-60R/S Seahawk naval helicopter.
LEFT: The stern of the ship showing her Air wing
1x Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout UAV helicopter.
helicopter facilities.
IN NEXT MONTH'S ISSUE OF On sale 8 February 2019
SINK THE HAGURO

On the face of it, one of the most powerful heavy cruisers
ever built versus five small destroyers would be no
contest – but in May 1945 reality proved very different.
THE WAR AT SEA PART 6

The war ended on 11 November 1918, but sporadic
actions took place beyond then.
VITTORIO VENETO
Part of the Littorio-class battleships,
which posed a real threat to the Royal
Navy when Italy entered the war
alongside Germany in 1940.
Snowbow’s Award Winning DVDs
There are 44 x 70 min DVDs now available in our TV series “The Great Liners”, a unique series that thanks to our exclusive
access to the world’s biggest maritime film and sound archive, has allowed us to be able to bring to you amazing film of
shipping in the 20th Century, a time remembered as the Golden age of Shipping. These unique programmes cover shipping
interests of every kind ranging from the great transatlantic liners to the hundreds of other great liners, ships that carried
millions as passengers and crews – to emigrate, to romance, to exotic destinations – in a style and pace that will never return
Just a small sample of those great transatlantic liners
Just a small sample of all the hundreds of ordinary passenger liners featured in this remarkable series.
The programmes also feature hundreds of ferries and ordinary conventional cargo ships incl tankers, bulk carriers coasters and tugs,
and amazingly, not only do you see these magnificent ships whilst in port, you also sail aboard them as if you were a passenger or
crew member on voyages to every far corner of the world. It’s almost as if someone has waved a magic wand and taken us back to
the golden days of shipping, when our Merchant Navy & Shipping Industry was the biggest and best in the world.
Just a small sample of the hundreds of cargo ships featured in this unique series
So let 2019 be a year that brings you lots of happiness and, gives you me to enjoy some of these truly amazing DVDs, showing you films that will
bring back wonderful memories of an age that was for most of us, the best years of our lives.
For full details of all 44 ship DVDs currently available, or to request a free brochure or order by phone call: 00 (0)1273 585391 or 584470. Or go to
our website at: www.snowbow.co.uk Price per DVD incl. UK P&P is £18. 95p, please allow £3 extra for elsewhere in the world. We sll have our
special offer of 3 DVDs for the price of 2, which is a massive saving, so get them now, sit in your favourite chair, pour yourselves a lile drink (or
two!) and really enjoy experiencing the Golden Age of Ocean 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine
Travel!
FEBRUARY 55
USS Alabama (BB-60) during a snowstorm.

World of Warships - February 2019 UK PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

World of Warships - February 2019 UK PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

World of Warships - February 2019 UK PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What ships are featured in the photographs?

What ships are featured in the photographs?

What historical events are discussed?

What historical events are discussed?

BATTLESHIPS - SUBMARINES - AIRCRAFT CARRIERS - DESTROYERS

SINKING USS GEORGE

★ FIRST FOR NEWS ★ NAVAL HISTORY ★ MUCH, MUCH MORE ★

THE PORTSMOUTH HAYES’ BOATYARD STONY HURTIGRUTEN 125

FERRIES 2019 Nick Widdows FORTHRIGHT

CELEBRATE 2019 MAURETANIA, TRIUMPH AND

3 WORLD of warships magazine november 2018

RIGHT: The Fleet Review of 1937 with HMS Nelson in the

BELOW: Nelson in Mers-el-Kebir during Operation Torch in 1942.

november 2018 WORLD of warships magazine 5

Welcome to Issue 5 of the World of

6 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRuary 2019

torpedoes played in both World Wars

BATTLE OF fighting men and equipment are among

ship of the Independence-class of ultra- www.kelsey.co.uk

TWENTY YEARS SERVICE

8 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRUARY 2019

NEW SHIP NAMED USS ST. LOUIS

FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 9

10 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRUARY 2019

BACK FROM FIGHTER JET TRIALS

HMS Queen Elizabeth

FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 11

LEFT: Starboard view

FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 13

14 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRUARY 2019

ABOVE: Starboard view of the

LEFT: Blücher on fire and sinking.

FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 15

R-boats were a group of small motor torpedo boats

16 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRUARY 2019

Length 134.9ft, Beam

1x 37mm C/30 cannon.

2-6x 20mm cannons.

Firepower 4x 7.92mm machine

Second World War German R-boat

FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 17

In part two, we look at

18 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine february 2019

february 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 19

20 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine february 2019

The Italian battleship, named after the 16th century Genoese

Right elevation and deck plan

FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 21

22 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRUARY 2019

Length 554.3ft, Beam 92ft, Draught 28.1ft, Surface displacement

Original Propulsion 1x steam turbine with 20x boilers and

13x 12in main guns 10x 12.6in main guns

16x 6in guns 12x 5.3in guns

13x 3in guns 10x 3.5in anti-aircraft guns

FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 23

sushima in 1905 between the Japanese and

It was the first defeat

24 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine FEBRUARY 2019

FEBRUARY 2019 WORLD of WARSHIPS magazine 25