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HMS Norfolk (78)

January 20, 2023

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

HMS Norfolk was a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy; along with her sister ship Dorsetshire she was part of a planned four-ship subclass. She served throughout the Second World War, where she was involved in the sinking of the German Navy's battleships Bismarck and Scharnhorst.

Norfolk in wartime camouflage. As she still has an X turret, this photo is pre-1944.
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Norfolk
NamesakeNorfolk
BuilderFairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd, Govan
Laid down8 July 1927
Launched12 December 1928
Commissioned30 April 1930
IdentificationPennant number: 78
Honours and
awards
  • Atlantic 1941
  • Bismarck Action 1941
  • North Africa 1942
  • Arctic 1943
  • North Cape 1943
  • Norway 1943
FateSold for scrapping on 3 January 1950
General characteristics
Class and typeCounty-class heavy cruiser
Displacement
  • 10,035 long tons (10,196 t) (standard)
  • 13,420 long tons (13,640 t) (full load)
Length632 ft 9 in (192.86 m)
Beam66 ft (20 m)
Draught18 ft (5.5 m)
Installed power80,000 shp (60,000 kW)
Propulsion
  • 4 × Parsons Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines
  • 8 × boilers
  • 4 × shafts
Speed31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph)
Range12,000 nmi (14,000 mi; 22,000 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement710 private ship, 819 war
Armament
Armour
  • Belt: 3.5 in (89 mm)
  • Citadel: up to 4 in (100 mm)
  • Turrets: 1 in (25 mm)
Aircraft carried2 × Supermarine Walrus flying boats (operated by 700 Naval Air Squadron)

Construction

She was laid down in July 1927 at Govan by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd and launched on 12 December 1928. She was commissioned on 30 April 1930.

Service history

 
1933 HMS Norfolk Summer cruise map

Inter-war period

In September 1931, the crew of the Norfolk were part of a mutiny that later became known as the Invergordon Mutiny. The ship later served with the Home Fleet until 1932 and then went to the America and West Indies Station based at the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, between 1932 and 1934. Ships based at Bermuda spent much of the year cruising around the Americas individually or in small groups, while being available to respond to states of emergencies (including hurricane relief and protecting British interests during civil wars such as the Cristero War in Mexico) anywhere in the region. The entire squadron would exercise at Bermuda. From 1935 to 1939, she served with the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies, before coming home to refit in 1939, being still in dockyard hands when war was declared.

 
Norfolk with destroyers and merchant ships in a Russian inlet whilst on northern convoy duty. Photograph taken from Scylla

Second World War

At the outbreak of war in 1939, Norfolk was part of the 18th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, and was involved in the chase for the German small battleships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, along with the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. She was soon receiving numerous repairs for damage that she had received, not to mention vital modifications to the ship. Her first repairs were carried out in Belfast, after damage from a near-miss by a torpedo from U-47, the submarine responsible for sinking the battleship Royal Oak at Scapa Flow.

Shortly afterward, bomb damage that she had received from a heavy air raid by Kampfgeschwader 26[citation needed] at Scapa Flow on 16 March 1940 forced her into yet another repair, this time on the Clyde.[1] After these repairs had been completed Norfolk proceeded to a shipyard on the River Tyne for a new addition to her equipment – a radar set.

In December 1940, Norfolk was ordered to the South Atlantic on trade protection duties. Operating out of Freetown as part of Force K she participated in the hunt for Admiral Scheer. In January 1941 Norfolk, under the command of Capt. Phillips, joined in a search for the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran in the South Atlantic. In February, she escorted Atlantic troop convoys, but by May she had returned to Icelandic waters. Norfolk was the second ship to sight the German battleship Bismarck, after Suffolk another County-class cruiser she was patrolling with. Norfolk and Suffolk continued to trail the German battleship before and after the Battle of the Denmark Strait; Suffolk had to break off as it was low on oil. Norfolk later joined the battleships Rodney and King George V and her sister Dorsetshire as part of the force that finally sank Bismarck in the Last battle of Bismarck.

From September onward, she was employed as an escort for the arduous Arctic Convoys. During this period, Dorsetshire had been bombed and sunk by Japanese torpedo and dive bombers in the Pacific Theatre as part of the Eastern Fleet's attempts to dodge Japanese advances on Ceylon. Norfolk was part of the cruiser covering force of Convoy JW 55B when it engaged Scharnhorst, on 26 December 1943. She scored three hits on the German ship, and received several 11-in shell hits (all passing through the thin-skinned ship without exploding) in return, before she withdrew; Scharnhorst was later caught and sunk by the battleship Duke of York and her escorting cruisers and destroyers.

 
The royal family of Norway waving to the welcoming crowds from HMS Norfolk at Oslo

She sustained damage (especially to X-turret and barbette) in that confrontation, and she was subsequently repaired/refitted (losing X-turret in favour of additional AA guns) on the Tyne, which prevented her from being involved in the historic D-day landings. Norfolk was the flagship of Vice Admiral Rhoderick McGrigor off North Norway during Operation Judgement, Kilbotn, an attack by the Fleet Air Arm on a U-boat base which destroyed two ships and U-711 on 4 May 1945, in the last air-raid of the war in Europe. When the war came to a close, Norfolk left Plymouth for a much needed refit at Malta, after transporting the Norwegian Royal family back to Oslo after their five-year exile in London. This was followed by service in the East Indies as the flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies.

Post-war

In 1949, Norfolk returned to Britain and was placed in Reserve. She was sold to BISCO for scrapping on 3 January 1950. On 14 February 1950, she proceeded to Newport, arriving on 19 February, to be broken up after 22 years of service, in which she gained the Norfolk lineage the majority of her battle honours, including her last.

Battle honours

Notes

Footnotes

  1. ^ Mason 2010.

References

  • 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.
  • Friedman, Norman (2010). British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-59114-078-8.
  • Raven, Alan & Roberts, John (1980). British Cruisers of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-922-7.
  • 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. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
  • Whitley, M. J. (1995). Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell. ISBN 1-86019-874-0.
  • Mason, Lt Cdr Geoffrey B (8 October 2010) [2003], Smith, Gordon (ed.), "HMS Norfolk - County-type Heavy Cruiser including Convoy Escort Movements", Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2, Naval-History.Net

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Norfolk (78).
  • HMS Norfolk at U-boat.net
  • Cruisers of World War II listing for HMS Norfolk

January 20, 2023
norfolk, other, ships, with, same, name, norfolk, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, june, 2008, learn, when, rem. For other ships with the same name see HMS Norfolk This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations June 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message HMS Norfolk was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy along with her sister ship Dorsetshire she was part of a planned four ship subclass She served throughout the Second World War where she was involved in the sinking of the German Navy s battleships Bismarck and Scharnhorst Norfolk in wartime camouflage As she still has an X turret this photo is pre 1944 HistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS NorfolkNamesakeNorfolkBuilderFairfield Shipbuilding amp Engineering Co Ltd GovanLaid down8 July 1927Launched12 December 1928Commissioned30 April 1930IdentificationPennant number 78Honours andawardsAtlantic 1941 Bismarck Action 1941 North Africa 1942 Arctic 1943 North Cape 1943 Norway 1943FateSold for scrapping on 3 January 1950General characteristicsClass and typeCounty class heavy cruiserDisplacement10 035 long tons 10 196 t standard 13 420 long tons 13 640 t full load Length632 ft 9 in 192 86 m Beam66 ft 20 m Draught18 ft 5 5 m Installed power80 000 shp 60 000 kW Propulsion4 Parsons Brown Curtis geared steam turbines 8 boilers 4 shaftsSpeed31 5 knots 58 3 km h 36 2 mph Range12 000 nmi 14 000 mi 22 000 km at 12 knots 22 km h 14 mph Complement710 private ship 819 warArmament8 BL 8 in 200 mm Mk VIII guns 4x2 8 QF 4 in 100 mm Mk XVI dual purpose guns added in 1937 4x2 16 QF 2 pdr Mk VIII guns 2x8 ArmourBelt 3 5 in 89 mm Citadel up to 4 in 100 mm Turrets 1 in 25 mm Aircraft carried2 Supermarine Walrus flying boats operated by 700 Naval Air Squadron Contents 1 Construction 2 Service history 2 1 Inter war period 2 2 Second World War 2 3 Post war 3 Battle honours 4 Notes 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksConstruction EditShe was laid down in July 1927 at Govan by Fairfield Shipbuilding amp Engineering Co Ltd and launched on 12 December 1928 She was commissioned on 30 April 1930 Service history Edit 1933 HMS Norfolk Summer cruise map Inter war period Edit In September 1931 the crew of the Norfolk were part of a mutiny that later became known as the Invergordon Mutiny The ship later served with the Home Fleet until 1932 and then went to the America and West Indies Station based at the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda between 1932 and 1934 Ships based at Bermuda spent much of the year cruising around the Americas individually or in small groups while being available to respond to states of emergencies including hurricane relief and protecting British interests during civil wars such as the Cristero War in Mexico anywhere in the region The entire squadron would exercise at Bermuda From 1935 to 1939 she served with the Commander in Chief East Indies before coming home to refit in 1939 being still in dockyard hands when war was declared Norfolk with destroyers and merchant ships in a Russian inlet whilst on northern convoy duty Photograph taken from Scylla Second World War Edit At the outbreak of war in 1939 Norfolk was part of the 18th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet and was involved in the chase for the German small battleships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst along with the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer She was soon receiving numerous repairs for damage that she had received not to mention vital modifications to the ship Her first repairs were carried out in Belfast after damage from a near miss by a torpedo from U 47 the submarine responsible for sinking the battleship Royal Oak at Scapa Flow Shortly afterward bomb damage that she had received from a heavy air raid by Kampfgeschwader 26 citation needed at Scapa Flow on 16 March 1940 forced her into yet another repair this time on the Clyde 1 After these repairs had been completed Norfolk proceeded to a shipyard on the River Tyne for a new addition to her equipment a radar set In December 1940 Norfolk was ordered to the South Atlantic on trade protection duties Operating out of Freetown as part of Force K she participated in the hunt for Admiral Scheer In January 1941 Norfolk under the command of Capt Phillips joined in a search for the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran in the South Atlantic In February she escorted Atlantic troop convoys but by May she had returned to Icelandic waters Norfolk was the second ship to sight the German battleship Bismarck after Suffolk another County class cruiser she was patrolling with Norfolk and Suffolk continued to trail the German battleship before and after the Battle of the Denmark Strait Suffolk had to break off as it was low on oil Norfolk later joined the battleships Rodney and King George V and her sister Dorsetshire as part of the force that finally sank Bismarck in the Last battle of Bismarck From September onward she was employed as an escort for the arduous Arctic Convoys During this period Dorsetshire had been bombed and sunk by Japanese torpedo and dive bombers in the Pacific Theatre as part of the Eastern Fleet s attempts to dodge Japanese advances on Ceylon Norfolk was part of the cruiser covering force of Convoy JW 55B when it engaged Scharnhorst on 26 December 1943 She scored three hits on the German ship and received several 11 in shell hits all passing through the thin skinned ship without exploding in return before she withdrew Scharnhorst was later caught and sunk by the battleship Duke of York and her escorting cruisers and destroyers The royal family of Norway waving to the welcoming crowds from HMS Norfolk at Oslo She sustained damage especially to X turret and barbette in that confrontation and she was subsequently repaired refitted losing X turret in favour of additional AA guns on the Tyne which prevented her from being involved in the historic D day landings Norfolk was the flagship of Vice Admiral Rhoderick McGrigor off North Norway during Operation Judgement Kilbotn an attack by the Fleet Air Arm on a U boat base which destroyed two ships and U 711 on 4 May 1945 in the last air raid of the war in Europe When the war came to a close Norfolk left Plymouth for a much needed refit at Malta after transporting the Norwegian Royal family back to Oslo after their five year exile in London This was followed by service in the East Indies as the flagship of the Commander in Chief East Indies Post war Edit In 1949 Norfolk returned to Britain and was placed in Reserve She was sold to BISCO for scrapping on 3 January 1950 On 14 February 1950 she proceeded to Newport arriving on 19 February to be broken up after 22 years of service in which she gained the Norfolk lineage the majority of her battle honours including her last Battle honours EditAtlantic 1941 Bismarck 1941 Arctic 1941 1943 North Africa 1942 North Cape 1943 Norway 1945Notes EditFootnotes Edit Mason 2010 References EditCampbell 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 Friedman Norman 2010 British Cruisers Two World Wars and After Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 59114 078 8 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 Mason Lt Cdr Geoffrey B 8 October 2010 2003 Smith Gordon ed HMS Norfolk County type Heavy Cruiser including Convoy Escort Movements Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2 Naval History NetExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Norfolk 78 HMS Norfolk at U boat net Cruisers of World War II listing for HMS Norfolk Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Norfolk 78 amp oldid 1132855389, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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