For other ships with the same name, see HMS Ceylon.
HMS Ceylon was a Fiji-classlight cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was of the Ceylon sub class, named after the island and British colony of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). The cruiser saw service in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres during the Second World War. In the postwar era, she participated in actions in Egypt and the Korean War. In 1960 she transferred to the navy of Peru and renamed Coronel Bolognesi. The cruiser was scrapped in 1985.
A depth charge explodes after it had been dropped from Ceylon
Built by Stephens at Govan and launched on 30 July 1942, she was completed on 13 July 1943. After two months in the Home Fleet she was transferred to the 4th Cruiser Squadron, with the Eastern Fleet and took part in many carrier raids, bombardments and patrols against Japanese-held territory, including Operations Cockpit, Meridian and Diplomat. In November 1944 she joined the British Pacific Fleet and sailed from Trincomalee on 16 January, taking part in a raid on Pankalan Bradan en route. By May 1945, however, she was back in the Indian Ocean, shelling the Nicobar Islands, and remained in that theatre until the end of the war. In October 1945 she returned to England for refit and lay-up.
Postwar
Postwar, she served in the Portsmouth Command during 1946/50, followed by the 5th and 4th Cruiser Squadrons on the Far East and East Indies stations. She was actively engaged in the Korean War, carrying out a number of bombardments.
Ceylon
Ceylon, in poor condition, was given a major refit from March 1955 to July 1956 to suit her for further service until the Tiger-class cruisers could enter service.[1][2] A Type 960 long range air warning radar replaced the existing Type 281B, while the Type 277 height finder radar was upgraded to 277Q standard and the UA-1 ESM system was fitted. Fire control for the ship's 4-inch guns was provided by US-supplied Mark 63 systems, with radar mounted on the gun mounts, while short range anti-aircraft defence was provided by an outfit of 18 Bofors 40mm guns in five twin Mark 5 mounts and eight single Mark 7 mounts, with the Mark 5 mounts provided with Simple Tachymetric directors (STD).[3]
After trials with the new equipment, in late 1956, Ceylon was deployed to the Mediterranean where she provided long range gunfire support to suppress Egyptian shore battery emplacements at Port Said in support of the British Army and Royal Marine landings.[4] A Communication Officer on the cruiser describes Ceylon's bombardment as relatively brief, as the Egyptian batteries did not return fire.[5] Later in the operation Ceylon served as an air direction picket, Royalist having been withdrawn for political reasons and the cruiser Jamaica lacking modern air warning and aircraft direction equipment. Between 1956 and 1959 she served in the Mediterranean Fleet, Home Fleet and East of Suez.
Peruvian service
On 18 December 1959, she returned to Portsmouth and was sold to Peru the same month. The disposal of the Ceylon, only three years after its modernisation, came as a shock to its last captain, Frank Twiss.[6][page needed] On 9 February 1960, she was transferred to the Peruvian Navy and renamed Coronel Bolognesi. The sale of her and Newfoundland, while the older Colony and Town cruisers – Gambia, Bermuda, Sheffield and Belfast remained in service or reactivable reserve until the election of a Labour Government in 1964, probably reflected a good price on the sale to Peru[7][page needed] and the need for cuts to save the Tiger class. The fact Newfoundland and Ceylon under different names remained in Peruvian service till the 1980s meant some crucial parts for the maintenance of the Tigers were obtained from Peru in the 1970s.[citation needed]
She spent over twenty years with the Peruvians until she was finally deleted from the Navy List in May 1982, and towed to Taiwan in August 1985 to be scrapped.[citation needed]
^F. Twiss. Social Change in the Royal Navy 1924-70,
^J. Wise. The Ripest Plum. Warship 2013. Conway Press. London (2013).
References
Brown, D. K. & Moore, George (2003). Rebuilding the Royal Navy: Warship Design Since 1945. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-705-0.
Campbell, N.J.M. (1980). "Great Britain". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 2–85. ISBN0-8317-0303-2.
Colledge, J. J.; Wardlow, Ben & Bush, Steve (2020). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (5th ed.). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN978-1-5267-9327-0.
Murfin, David (2010). "AA to AA: The Fijis Turn Full Circle". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2010. Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-84486-110-1.
Raven, Alan & Roberts, John (1980). British Cruisers of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-922-7.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-119-2.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Ceylon (30).
WWII cruisers
HMS Ceylon at Uboat.net
IWM Interview with Cromwell Lloyd-Davies, who commanded HMS Ceylon from 1950 to 1951
January 20, 2023
ceylon, other, ships, with, same, name, ceylon, ceylon, fiji, class, light, cruiser, royal, navy, ceylon, class, named, after, island, british, colony, ceylon, lanka, cruiser, service, atlantic, pacific, theatres, during, second, world, postwar, participated, . For other ships with the same name see HMS Ceylon HMS Ceylon was a Fiji class light cruiser of the Royal Navy She was of the Ceylon sub class named after the island and British colony of Ceylon now Sri Lanka The cruiser saw service in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres during the Second World War In the postwar era she participated in actions in Egypt and the Korean War In 1960 she transferred to the navy of Peru and renamed Coronel Bolognesi The cruiser was scrapped in 1985 Ceylon at anchor in August 1943HistoryUnited KingdomNameCeylonBuilderAlexander Stephen and Sons GovanLaid down27 April 1939Launched30 July 1942Commissioned13 July 1943IdentificationPennant number 30FateTransferred to Peruvian Navy 9 February 1960PeruNameBAP Coronel BolognesiAcquired9 February 1960DecommissionedMay 1982FateScrapped August 1985General characteristicsClass and typeFiji class light cruiserDisplacement8 712 tons standard 11 024 tons full loadLength169 3 m 555 ft 5 in Beam18 9 m 62 ft 0 in Draught5 3 m 17 ft 5 in PropulsionFour oil fired three drum Admiralty type boilers four shaft geared turbines four screws 54 1 megawatts 72 500 shp Speed33 knots 61 km h 38 mph Range10 200 nmi 18 900 km 11 700 mi at 12 knots 22 km h 14 mph Complement730 wartime 650 peacetime Sensors and processing systemsType 281 air search Type 272 surface search Type 277 height finding Type 274 fire control 6 inch guns Type 283 fire control 4 inch guns Type 282 fire control 2 pdr guns Armament3 triple BL 6 inch Mk XXIII guns 152 mm 4 twin QF 4 inch Mk XIX guns 4 quadruple QF 2 pounder Mk VII 40 mm pom pom guns 10 twin Oerlikon 20 mm Mk II guns 2 triple 21 inch 533 mm torpedo tubesArmour82 5 88 9 mm 3 25 3 50 in belt 25 4 50 8 mm 1 00 2 00 in turretsAircraft carriedTwo Supermarine Walrus aircraft Later removed Contents 1 Service history 1 1 Wartime career 1 2 Postwar 1 3 Peruvian service 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksService history EditWartime career Edit A depth charge explodes after it had been dropped from Ceylon Built by Stephens at Govan and launched on 30 July 1942 she was completed on 13 July 1943 After two months in the Home Fleet she was transferred to the 4th Cruiser Squadron with the Eastern Fleet and took part in many carrier raids bombardments and patrols against Japanese held territory including Operations Cockpit Meridian and Diplomat In November 1944 she joined the British Pacific Fleet and sailed from Trincomalee on 16 January taking part in a raid on Pankalan Bradan en route By May 1945 however she was back in the Indian Ocean shelling the Nicobar Islands and remained in that theatre until the end of the war In October 1945 she returned to England for refit and lay up Postwar Edit Postwar she served in the Portsmouth Command during 1946 50 followed by the 5th and 4th Cruiser Squadrons on the Far East and East Indies stations She was actively engaged in the Korean War carrying out a number of bombardments Ceylon Ceylon in poor condition was given a major refit from March 1955 to July 1956 to suit her for further service until the Tiger class cruisers could enter service 1 2 A Type 960 long range air warning radar replaced the existing Type 281B while the Type 277 height finder radar was upgraded to 277Q standard and the UA 1 ESM system was fitted Fire control for the ship s 4 inch guns was provided by US supplied Mark 63 systems with radar mounted on the gun mounts while short range anti aircraft defence was provided by an outfit of 18 Bofors 40mm guns in five twin Mark 5 mounts and eight single Mark 7 mounts with the Mark 5 mounts provided with Simple Tachymetric directors STD 3 After trials with the new equipment in late 1956 Ceylon was deployed to the Mediterranean where she provided long range gunfire support to suppress Egyptian shore battery emplacements at Port Said in support of the British Army and Royal Marine landings 4 A Communication Officer on the cruiser describes Ceylon s bombardment as relatively brief as the Egyptian batteries did not return fire 5 Later in the operation Ceylon served as an air direction picket Royalist having been withdrawn for political reasons and the cruiser Jamaica lacking modern air warning and aircraft direction equipment Between 1956 and 1959 she served in the Mediterranean Fleet Home Fleet and East of Suez Peruvian service Edit On 18 December 1959 she returned to Portsmouth and was sold to Peru the same month The disposal of the Ceylon only three years after its modernisation came as a shock to its last captain Frank Twiss 6 page needed On 9 February 1960 she was transferred to the Peruvian Navy and renamed Coronel Bolognesi The sale of her and Newfoundland while the older Colony and Town cruisers Gambia Bermuda Sheffield and Belfast remained in service or reactivable reserve until the election of a Labour Government in 1964 probably reflected a good price on the sale to Peru 7 page needed and the need for cuts to save the Tiger class The fact Newfoundland and Ceylon under different names remained in Peruvian service till the 1980s meant some crucial parts for the maintenance of the Tigers were obtained from Peru in the 1970s citation needed She spent over twenty years with the Peruvians until she was finally deleted from the Navy List in May 1982 and towed to Taiwan in August 1985 to be scrapped citation needed Notes Edit Friedman 2010 p 289 Whitley 1995 p 126 Friedman 2010 p 289 caption Lt Albert Ted Briggs Signals Officer HMS Ceylon Imperial War Museum Interview 10751 Lt A Briggs IWM Interview audio 10751 F Twiss Social Change in the Royal Navy 1924 70 J Wise The Ripest Plum Warship 2013 Conway Press London 2013 References EditBrown D K amp Moore George 2003 Rebuilding the Royal Navy Warship Design Since 1945 Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 705 0 Campbell N J M 1980 Great Britain In Chesneau Roger ed Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 New York Mayflower Books pp 2 85 ISBN 0 8317 0303 2 Colledge J J Wardlow Ben amp Bush Steve 2020 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present 5th ed Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 5267 9327 0 Friedman Norman 2010 British Cruisers Two World Wars and After Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84832 078 9 Murfin David 2010 AA to AA The Fijis Turn Full Circle In Jordan John ed Warship 2010 Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 84486 110 1 Raven Alan amp Roberts John 1980 British Cruisers of World War Two Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 922 7 Rohwer Jurgen 2005 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 The Naval History of World War Two Third Revised ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 119 2 Whitley M J 1995 Cruisers of World War Two An International Encyclopedia London Cassell ISBN 1 86019 874 0 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Ceylon 30 WWII cruisers HMS Ceylon at Uboat net IWM Interview with Cromwell Lloyd Davies who commanded HMS Ceylon from 1950 to 1951 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Ceylon 30 amp oldid 1072759506, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
