Table of contents

1 History 2 Ships of the Class 3 Colony Class Statistics 4 See Also

History

HMS Jamaica

The Crown Colony-class was an 11 ship class of light cruisers, named of course, after crown colonies of the British Empire. They were built due to the limitations that the Washington Treaty imposed on cruisers, that they should not exceed 10,000 tons, and were basically smaller derivatives of the Southampton-class cruiser. They had reduced armour, owing to their size, though in most respects were identical to the Southamptons.

They served with distinction during WWII, losing Fiji in 1941, and Trinidad the following year. They continued in service after the war, taking part in further actions, such as the Korean War. Ceylon was later sold to Peru, being renamed BAP Coronel Bolognesi, along with Newfoundland, which was renamed BAP Almirante Grau. The ship was decommissioned in 1982. Nigeria was also sold, to India, being renamed INS Mysore. The ship was scrapped in 1985, an astonishingly long time since her launch in the late 1930s.

All ships of the Crown Colony-class were decommissioned by the late 1960s, though none of them were the last cruisers of the Royal Navy. The honour went to HMS Blake, a modified Tiger-class cruiser, which was decommissioned in 1979, seemingly the last ever cruiser of the Royal Navy.

Ships of the Class

• Bermuda - Took part in Operation Torch, the landings in North Africa, during WWII, as well as other operations. After the war, the ship continued in service, seeing much of the world, and receiving a number of refits which helped her last until her decommissioning in 1962. She was scrapped in 1965.
• Ceylon - Was deployed to the Far East for much of World War II, taking part in a number of actions there. She took part in the Korean War, being involved heavily during that war. She was decommissioned in 1960, and subsequently sold to Peru, being renamed Coronel Bolognesi. She was decommissioned in 1982.
• Fiji - In 1940, Fiji was torpedoed by a German u-boat, though thankfully the ship survived this brush with Germany's submarines. In 1941, during the Battle of Crete, Fiji was hit by a bomb from a German Me 109 aircraft, after having survived 20 bomb hits, this one caused her to list heavily, though three furth bombs proved fatal for the cruiser. Sadly, 244 of her crew were lost.
• Gambia - Was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy from 1943, seeing active service in the British Pacific Fleet. She was returned to the Royal Navy in 1946. The ship was scrapped in 1968.
• Jamaica - Served in WWII, taking part in a number of operations during that war. In the Korean War, Jamaica was known as 'The Galloping Ghost of the Korean Coast', due to the North Koreans claiming that she had been sunk three times. She was scrapped in 1960.
• Kenya - Was heavily involved in both WWII, being deployed to the Far Eats for some time. Kenya was also involved in the Korean War. She was scrapped in 1962.
• Mauritius - She was involved in the Normandy Landings, and other actions during WWII. She was scrapped in 1965.
• Newfoundland - She was torpedoed by an Italian submarine, , receiving temporary repairs at Malta, and full repairs at Boston Navy Yard. In 1944, the ship suffered an explosion at Alexandria while docked there. She sustaining heavy damage, sadly also suffering a number of casualties. She was in the Far East from 1945, supporting a number of operations there. Sank the Egyptian frigate Domiat, during Suez operations, after the latter ship fired on her. Sold to Peru in 1959, being renamed BAP Almirante Grau. Renamed BAP Capitan Quinones in 1973. She was decommissioned in 1979. She was ironically broken up in Japan, the country that she and her crew fought against in WWII.
• Nigeria - Was involved in Operation Pedestal, the largest attempt to assist the besieged island of Malta in 1942, as well as a number of other deployments. She was sold to India in 1958, being renamed INS Mysore. She was scrapped in 1985.
• Trinidad - She was involved in an astonishing incident in 1942. While engaged three German destroyers, she was hit by her own torpedo, though she did destroy one of the German warships. The same year, Trinidad was hit by Ju-88 bombers, damaging her to an extent that her crew were forced to scuttle her in the Barents Sea the following day.
• Uganda - Escorted RMS Queen Mary, with Winston Churchill embarked aboard her, to Washington. Covered the invasion of Sicily in 1943. She was then hit by a German guided missile that same year, causing significant damage, sadly killing sixteen of her crew and wounded seven. She was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1944, following her repairs in the USA. She joined the British Pacific Fleet in 1945, taking part in a number of actions in the Far East.The ship was scrapped in 1961.