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HMSCheshire

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HMSCheshirein war service
History
United Kingdom
NameCheshire
NamesakeCheshire
OwnerBibby Line
Operator1939:United KingdomAdmiralty
Port of registry1927:United KingdomLiverpool
RouteGreat Britain–Rangoon
BuilderFairfield S&E,Govan
Yard number620
Launched20 April 1927
CompletedJuly 1927
Identification
Fatescrapped inNewport,1957
General characteristics
Type
Tonnage10,560GRT,6,624NRT
Length483.6 ft (147.4 m)
Beam60.3 ft (18.4 m)
Draught29 ft1+1⁄4in (8.87 m)
Depth31.8 ft (9.7 m)
Decks3
Installed power2,196NHP
Propulsion
Speed15+1⁄2knots (28.7 km/h)
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
  • 6 × 6-inch (150 mm) guns
  • 2 × 3-inch (76 mm) guns
Notessister ships:Shropshire,Staffordshire,Worcestershire,Derbyshire

HMSCheshirewas apassenger shipthat was built in Scotland in 1927 and scrapped in Wales in 1957. She belonged toBibby Line,which ran passenger and cargo services between Rangoon inBurma(nowYangoninMyanmar) and various ports inGreat Britain,via theSuez CanalandGibraltar.[1]TheAdmiraltyrequisitioned her in 1939 and had her converted into anarmed merchant cruiser(AMC). She was converted into atroopshipin 1943, and returned to civilian service in 1948.

She was the second of five Bibby Line ships to be named after the English county ofCheshire.The first was asteamshipthat was built in 1891 and sold in 1911.[2]The third was a motor ship that was built in 1959 and sold in 1968.[3]The fourth was built in 1971 and sold in 1983. The fifth was built in 1989.[4]

The secondCheshirewas the second of fivesister shipsthat theFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering CompanyofGovaninGlasgowbuilt for Bibby Line. The first wasShropshire,which was built in 1926. They were followed byStaffordshirein 1929,Worcestershirein 1931, andDerbyshirein 1935.[5][6][7][8]

Building

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Fairfield builtCheshireas yard number 620, launched her on 20 April 1927, and completed her that July.[9]Her registered length was 483.6 ft (147.4 m), herbeamwas 60.3 ft (18.4 m), her depth was 31.8 ft (9.7 m) and herdraughtwas29 ft1+1⁄4in (8.87 m). Hertonnageswere 10,560GRTand 6,624NRT.[10]She was completed with four masts,[9]like all Bibby ships of her era.

Cheshirehad twinscrews,each driven by an eight-cylindertwo-stroke diesel engine.The combined power of her twin engines was rated at 2,196NHP,[10]and gave her a speed of15+1⁄2knots (28.7 km/h).[11]

As built, her navigation equipment includedsubmarine signallingand wirelessdirection finding.[10]

Bibby LineregisteredCheshireatLiverpool.Her United Kingdomofficial numberwas 149601 and hercode letterswere 149625.[10][12]By 1930 hercall signwas GLXV.[13]In 1934 this superseded her code letters.[14]

Auxiliary cruiser

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On 29 August 1939 the Admiralty requisitionedCheshirefor conversion into an AMC. Her primary armament was six 6-inch (150 mm) guns, and her secondary armament was two 3-inch (76 mm) guns. She wascommissionedon 30 October, with thepennant numberF18. Her first commander wasCaptainMontague Bernard.[11]Her mainmast and mizzen-mast were removed, as was the top of her jigger-mast. Only her foremast survived the conversion intact.[9]

Cheshirewas assigned to theSouth Atlantic Stationfrom November 1939 until April 1940, the North Atlantic Escort Force in May 1940, the Northern and Western Patrol from June 1940 until April 1941, and theFreetownEscort Force from May to November 1941. She returned to the South Atlantic Station from December 1941 to April 1943, and was assigned to theNoreCommand from May to June 1943.[11]

From January to March 1940Cheshiretook part in the escort of threeSL convoysfromFreetowninSierra Leoneto Britain. In June 1941 she took part in the escort ofConvoy HX131 fromHalifax, Nova Scotiato Britain, and Convoy OB 335 from Liverpool out into the North Atlantic. In July 1941 she took part in the escort of Convoy BHX 137 from Bermuda to join Convoy HX 137 in mid-Atlantic to continue to Britain. In August 1942Cheshiretook part in the escort of Convoy SL 118 from Freetown to Britain.[15]

The troopshipOronsay,which was damaged by an air attack and assisted by ships includingCheshire

On 8 October 1940Cheshireand her sister shipSalopianwere on patrol when enemy aircraft attacked Convoy WS 3 (Fast), which was assembling in home waters to take seventroopshipsfrom Britain toSuez.Enemy aircraft attacked the troopshipsCapetown CastleandOronsay.CheshireandSalopiancame to assist.Salopianresumed her patrol, butCheshirestayed with thedestroyersHMSActiveandHMCSOttawato assistOronsay,which had been damaged.[11]

At 21:28 hours 14 October 1940U-137attackedCheshirenorthwest ofIrelandat position55°13′N13°02′W/ 55.217°N 13.033°W/55.217; -13.033,hitting her with one torpedo. The destroyerHMCSSkeenaandcorvetteHMSPeriwinkletook off 220 members of her crew.Cheshirewas towed toBelfast Lough,where she was beached. She was later towed to Liverpool for repairs, which took six months.[16]She returned to active service in 1941, commanded by Captain James Begg.[11]

On 7 August 1942Cheshirejoined the escort of SL118, a convoy of 37 merchant ships that had left Freetown on 4 August and was bound for Liverpool.[17]At 18:52 hours on 18 AugustU-214attacked the convoy at position41°30′N19°49′W/ 41.500°N 19.817°W/41.500; -19.817,firing four single torpedoes. Two hit and sankNetherland Line'sBalingkar,one damaged theBritish India Steam Navigation Company'sHatarana,and one damagedCheshire.[16]

Troopship

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On 9 June 1943 the Admiralty returnedCheshireto Bibby Line, for conversion into a troopship for theMinistry of War Transport(MoWT).

In the small hours of 24 December 1944Cheshireand the Belgian troopshipLéopoldville,escorted by four destroyers, leftSouthamptonto cross theEnglish ChanneltoCherbourg.They carried the 262nd and 264th regiments, which were part of theUnited States Army's66th Infantry Division.That afternoon, just5+1⁄2nautical miles (10 km) off Cherbourg,U-486sankLéopoldvillewith two torpedoes, killing 763 US soldiers and 56 crew.[18]

Between 28 and 31 December 1944Cheshiretook the US Army's289th Engineer Combat Battalionfrom Southampton toLe Havre.Other US Army units thatCheshirecarried during the war included the 263rd Regiment, which was part of the 66th Infantry Division, and the 329th Regiment, which was part of the83rd Infantry Division.[citation needed]

The MoWT later usedCheshireas arepatriationship.[11]

Final years

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On 5 October 1948 the MoWT returnedCheshireto Bibby Line,[11]which resumed its passenger service between Britain and Rangoon.[19]

By 1946Cheshire's navigation equipment includedradar.[20]By 1955 it also included agyrocompass.[21]

Toward the end of her career she attended at least one of the UK'snuclear bomb tests on Christmas Island.On 11 July 1957 she arrived inNewport, Wales,where John Cashmore Ltd scrapped her.[9]

References

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  1. ^Talbot-Booth 1936,p. 420.
  2. ^"Cheshire".Harland & Wolff Shipbuilding & Engineering Works.Retrieved9 January2024.
  3. ^"Cheshire (1959)".Shipping and Shipbuilding.Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust.Retrieved9 January2024.
  4. ^Swiggum, Susan; Kohli, Marjorie (13 April 2006)."Bibby Line".TheShipsList.Retrieved9 January2024.
  5. ^"Cheshire".Scottish Built Ships.Caledonian Maritime Research Trust.Retrieved9 January2024.
  6. ^"Staffordshire".Scottish Built Ships.Caledonian Maritime Research Trust.Retrieved9 January2024.
  7. ^"Worcestershire".Scottish Built Ships.Caledonian Maritime Research Trust.Retrieved9 January2024.
  8. ^"Derbyshire".Scottish Built Ships.Caledonian Maritime Research Trust.Retrieved9 January2024.
  9. ^abcd"Cheshire (1927)".Scottish Built Ships.Caledonian Maritime Research Trust.Retrieved9 January2024.
  10. ^abcdLloyd's Register1928,CHE–CHI.
  11. ^abcdefgHelgason, Guðmundur."HMS Cheshire (F 18)".Allied Warships.Retrieved9 January2024.
  12. ^Mercantile Navy List1928,p. 102.
  13. ^Mercantile Navy List1930,p. 104.
  14. ^Lloyd's Register1934,CHE.
  15. ^Kindell, Don (4 December 2010)."Armed Merchant Cruisers, Part 1 of 3".World War 2 at Sea – Convoy Escort Movements of Royal and Dominion Navy Vessels.Naval-History.net.Retrieved9 January2024.
  16. ^abHelgason, Guðmundur."HMS Cheshire (F 18)".Ships hit by U-boats.Retrieved9 January2024.
  17. ^Hague, Arnold."Convoy SL.118".SL/ MKS Convoy Series.Don Kindell, Convoyweb.Retrieved9 January2024.
  18. ^Allen, Tonya."The Sinking of SSLéopoldville".uboat.net.Retrieved17 January2011.
  19. ^Harnack 1949,p. 412.
  20. ^Lloyd's Register1946,CHE.
  21. ^Lloyd's Register1955,CHERNYSHEVSKI.

Bibliography

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