Trinidad as seen from HMS Fury in the North Atlantic during an Arctic convoy escort patrol. Trinidad is dazzle-painted.
Trinidad was built by HM Dockyard Devonport. She was laid down on 21 April 1938, launched 21 March 1941 and commissioned on 14 October 1941. The ship served with the British Home Fleet during her brief career.
Lossedit
While escorting Convoy PQ 13 in March 1942, she and other escorts were in combat with German Narvik-classdestroyers. She hit and damaged the German destroyer Z26 and then launched a torpedo attack. One of her torpedoes had a fault, possibly affected by the icy waters and sub zero conditions common in the Atlantic en route to Russia; causing the torpedo to limp across the water at a speed far below the 46 knots expected, the reduced speed causing the torpedo to strike Trinidad as she performed evasive zigzags in its path, killing 32 men. Survivors included Lieutenant Commander Williams as well as composer George Lloyd, a Royal Marines bandsman who had earlier written the ship's official march. This was performed at the Last Night of the Proms on 7 September 2013, in the presence of the last surviving crewman from Trinidad.[1]
Trinidad was towed clear of the action, and was then able to proceed under her own power towards Murmansk. The German submarine U-378[2] attempted to engage and sink the damaged cruiser, but was spotted and attacked by the destroyer Fury.[3] On arrival in Murmansk, Trinidad underwent partial repairs.
Trinidad under repair in the Kola Inlet at Murmansk
She set out to return home on 13 May 1942, escorted by the destroyers Foresight, Forester, Somali and Matchless. Other ships of the Home Fleet were providing a covering force nearby. Her speed was reduced to 20 knots (37 km/h) owing to the damage she had sustained. En route, she was attacked by more than twenty Ju 88 bombers on 14 May 1942. All attacks missed, except for one bomb that struck near the previous damage, starting a serious fire. Sixty-three men were lost,[4] including twenty survivors from the cruiser Edinburgh, which had been sunk two weeks earlier. The decision was taken to scuttle her and on 15 May 1942 she was torpedoed by Matchless and sank in the Arctic Ocean, north of North Cape.[5] Four Czechoslovak airmen en route to Great Britain – Sergeant Vratislav Laštovička, Corporals Jan Ferák, Josef Návesník and Bohuslav Zikmund – were killed,[6] and three other airmen were rescued.
Referencesedit
^"Proms night for HMS Trinidad Arctic Convoy veteran". BBC News. 7 September 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
^"Russian Convoys 1941–45". naval-history.net. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
^"HMS Trinidad – Colony type light cruiser". naval-history.net. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
^"HMS Trinidad (46)". uboat.net. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
^"Při potopení HMS Trinidad zahynuli čtyři čs. letci 15. 5. 1942 - 77 let" [During the sinking of HMS Trinidad, four MS pilots died. 15. 5. 1942 - 77 years ago]. fronta.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 8 May 2020.
Bibliographyedit
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.
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.
trinidad, other, ships, with, same, name, trinidad, trinidad, royal, navy, fiji, class, light, cruiser, lost, while, serving, arctic, convoy, duty, after, being, damaged, escorting, 1942, trinidad, 1942history, united, kingdom, namehms, trinidad, namesaketrini. For other ships with the same name see HMS Trinidad HMS Trinidad was a Royal Navy Fiji class light cruiser She was lost while serving in the Arctic on convoy duty after being damaged escorting PQ 13 in 1942 Trinidad in 1942History United Kingdom NameHMS Trinidad NamesakeTrinidad BuilderHM Dockyard Devonport Laid down21 April 1938 Launched21 March 1941 Commissioned14 October 1941 IdentificationPennant number 46 FateDamaged in air attack and scuttled 15 May 1942 General characteristics as built Class and typeFiji class light cruiser Displacement8 530 long tons 8 670 t standard Length555 ft 6 in 169 3 m Beam62 ft 18 9 m Draught19 ft 10 in 6 m Installed power4 Admiralty 3 drum boilers 80 000 shp 60 000 kW Propulsion4 shafts 4 geared steam turbine sets Speed32 25 knots 59 73 km h 37 11 mph Range6 250 nmi 11 580 km 7 190 mi at 13 knots 24 km h 15 mph Complement733 peacetime 900 wartime Armament4 triple 6 in 152 mm guns 4 twin 4 in 102 mm DP guns 2 quadruple 2 pdr 40 mm 1 6 in AA guns 4 quadruple Vickers 0 5 in 12 7 mm AA machine guns 2 triple 21 in 533 mm torpedo tubes ArmourEngine and boiler rooms 3 25 in 83 mm Decks 2 3 5 in 51 89 mm Magazines 2 3 5 in 51 89 mm Gun turrets 1 2 in 25 51 mm Aircraft carried2 seaplanes Aviation facilities1 catapult 2 hangars Contents 1 Early career 2 Loss 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 Further reading 6 External linksEarly career edit nbsp Trinidad as seen from HMS Fury in the North Atlantic during an Arctic convoy escort patrol Trinidad is dazzle painted Trinidad was built by HM Dockyard Devonport She was laid down on 21 April 1938 launched 21 March 1941 and commissioned on 14 October 1941 The ship served with the British Home Fleet during her brief career Loss editWhile escorting Convoy PQ 13 in March 1942 she and other escorts were in combat with German Narvik class destroyers She hit and damaged the German destroyer Z26 and then launched a torpedo attack One of her torpedoes had a fault possibly affected by the icy waters and sub zero conditions common in the Atlantic en route to Russia causing the torpedo to limp across the water at a speed far below the 46 knots expected the reduced speed causing the torpedo to strike Trinidad as she performed evasive zigzags in its path killing 32 men Survivors included Lieutenant Commander Williams as well as composer George Lloyd a Royal Marines bandsman who had earlier written the ship s official march This was performed at the Last Night of the Proms on 7 September 2013 in the presence of the last surviving crewman from Trinidad 1 Trinidad was towed clear of the action and was then able to proceed under her own power towards Murmansk The German submarine U 378 2 attempted to engage and sink the damaged cruiser but was spotted and attacked by the destroyer Fury 3 On arrival in Murmansk Trinidad underwent partial repairs nbsp Trinidad under repair in the Kola Inlet at Murmansk She set out to return home on 13 May 1942 escorted by the destroyers Foresight Forester Somali and Matchless Other ships of the Home Fleet were providing a covering force nearby Her speed was reduced to 20 knots 37 km h owing to the damage she had sustained En route she was attacked by more than twenty Ju 88 bombers on 14 May 1942 All attacks missed except for one bomb that struck near the previous damage starting a serious fire Sixty three men were lost 4 including twenty survivors from the cruiser Edinburgh which had been sunk two weeks earlier The decision was taken to scuttle her and on 15 May 1942 she was torpedoed by Matchless and sank in the Arctic Ocean north of North Cape 5 Four Czechoslovak airmen en route to Great Britain Sergeant Vratislav Lastovicka Corporals Jan Ferak Josef Navesnik and Bohuslav Zikmund were killed 6 and three other airmen were rescued References edit Proms night for HMS Trinidad Arctic Convoy veteran BBC News 7 September 2013 Retrieved 27 March 2015 U 378 uboat net Retrieved 27 March 2015 Russian Convoys 1941 45 naval history net Retrieved 27 March 2015 HMS Trinidad Colony type light cruiser naval history net Retrieved 27 March 2015 HMS Trinidad 46 uboat net Retrieved 27 March 2015 Pri potopeni HMS Trinidad zahynuli ctyri cs letci 15 5 1942 77 let During the sinking of HMS Trinidad four MS pilots died 15 5 1942 77 years ago fronta cz in Czech Retrieved 8 May 2020 Bibliography 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 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 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 Further reading editPearce Frank 1975 The Ship That Torpedoed Herself HMS Trinidad ISBN 0 904593 02 9External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Trinidad 46 WWII cruisers HMS Trinidad at Uboat net IWM Interview with survivor Wallace Hughes 73 37 N 23 27 E 73 617 N 23 450 E 73 617 23 450 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Trinidad 46 amp oldid 1193750146, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
