The Final Quartet

As is by now custom, I present to the board each Christmas a little present of my own, normally something a little different.

Inspired by the great works of Garlicdesign, BB1987, Krakatoa, Golly and others this year, I have decided to bring to life the Surrey Class of cruisers, imaging their careers and fates based on the real-world lives and refits of the Counties.
This is also my first foray into camouflage and the time it takes to do these has certainly given me admiration for the efforts of Kim and Garlicdesign who have done so much excellent work in this area. Special thanks for the ships's badges goes to KimWerner, who by a quirk of fate already had these on the drawing board when I approached him.

So, without further ado, to the ships!

In the 1927 and 1929 Programmes were two heavy cruisers each, although nearly stopped by the Labour government as a token towards disarmament in the confused times around the Geneva talks, these four improved County Class ships would prove to be the last heavy cruisers ever built for the Royal Navy, the final quartet.

HMS Surrey
HM Dockyard, Portsmouth – Laid Down 15 September 1929; Launched 24 January 1931; Completed 18 September 1932
After commissioning joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron, East Indies Station as the squadron flagship.
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At the outbreak of war Surrey was engaged on covering convoys in the Indian Ocean. In December 1939 Surrey was assigned to Force I with HMS Eagle, HMS Cornwall, HMS Dorsetshire, HMAS Waterhen and HMAS Vendetta based at Colombo at Simonstown to hunt for German raiders. On 19 December, with Dorsetshire she sailed to reinforce Rear Admiral Harwood’s force in the River Plate Estuary.
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In February 1940 Surrey returned to Britain for an overdue major refit which replaced the single 4in mounts with twins and radar Type 279 was added. The refit completed in June and the following month Surrey was sent back to the South Atlantic, later forming part of Force K at Freetown hunting for the raider Thor and the Admiral Scheer.
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In January 1941 Surrey joined the hunt for the raider Kormoran in the Indian Ocean, the once again joined the frantic, but fruitless search for the Admiral Scheer which safely reached the South Atlantic. Following this she returned to convoy escorting until undergoing a minor refit at Durban in September. More convoys followed before Surrey was assigned to the Eastern Fleet, arriving at Colombo, Ceylon, on 18 February 1942. Assigned to Force A under Admiral James Somerville with HMS Warspite, Indomitable and Formidable on 31 March. On 5 April Surrey sortied with Force A, supporting the carriers and thus escaped the fate of HMS Cornwall and Dorsetshire sunk that day. On 22 April Surrey was assigned to Operation Ironclad, the occupation of Madagascar which was carried out on 5-7 May. Surrey made several shore bombardments during the operation.

Surrey then sailed to Britain to begin her long overdue refit which was carried out at Liverpool between July to December. The catapult was landed and seven twin 20mm Orkileon mounts added as well as RPC for the pom-poms and radar Types 273, 281, 282, 284 (using 283 aerial) and 285.

Following refit Surrey rejoined the 4th Cruiser Squadron, Eastern Fleet on 28 January 1943. Indian Ocean convoys remained the main duty. In January Surrey joined Operation Thwart, an unsuccessful search for German blockade runners on passage from Japan. Surrey then joined HMS London as escort for Replenishment Group (Force 67) of six tankers and a water carrier to support Force 66 ships for air operations against Soerabaya. On 15 May Surrey and London joined Force 68 escorting HMS Illustrious and USS Saratoga during air strikes.
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Surrey returned to Britain for refit at Chatham which began on 20 June 1944. The octuple pom-poms were replaced four quadruple mounts and another four twin 20mm mounts added.

Completing refit in September, Surrey returned to Ceylon to join the 5th Cruiser Squadron. On 15 October Surrey joined TG63.2 with HMS Cumberland, London, Relentless, HMAS Norman and HMNS Val Galen for Operation Millet, a diversionary operation against Japanese targets on Nicobar Islands during the US landings on Leyte. On 17 October Surrey bombarded targets in the Malacca area and two days later joined HMS Renown bombarding Car Nicobar. Normal fleet duties resumed until Surrey deployed with HMS Ceylon, Argonaut and Black Prince covering air attacks by HMS Indomitable, Victorious and Indefatigable on the oil refineries at Pangkalan, Brandan, Sumatra on 1 January 1945.

On 12 January Surrey joined the escort of the liner taking HRH The Duke of Gloucester, the Governor General designate of Australia, to Sydney. More escorting duties followed off the Burmese coast before joining HMS Queen Elizabeth and Richelieu as part of Force 63 for Operation Bishop on 27 April. Three days later Surrey provided cover during air strikes on airfields at Car Nicobar and bombarded shore targets at Car Nicobar and Port Blair with Force 63. Surrey returned to Car Nicobar on 1 May and then Port Blair the next day before joining the Operation Dracula landing operations. Convoy operations resumed, then on 18 June Surrey and Lancaster joined the escort of the 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron during a series of photoreconnaissance flights over south Malaya, air attacks on airfields in northern Sumatra and on shipping in the Malacca Strait.
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From 27 July Surrey was employed as troop ship and repatriation ship following the end of the war, being placed in the Reserve Fleet on 20 March 1946. Laid up at Chatham until sold to BISCO for breaking up in May 1948. Surrey arrived at Newport in July 1948 and demolition J. Cashmore at Newport had been completed by March 1949.

HMS Northumberland
HM Dockyard, Devonport – Laid Down 18 October 1929; Launched 20 May 1931; Completed 1 November 1932
After commissioning joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron Station, East Indies. Transferred to 5th Cruiser Squadron, China Station on 8 August 1935 to replace HMS Suffolk returning to Britain for refit.
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Returned to the 4th Cruiser Squadron Station, East Indies on 18 December 1937.
In January 1939 Northumberland returned to Britain to begin a major refit at Chatham which lasted until November. During the refit her single 4in were replaced by twins and two quadruple 0.5in Vickers MGs were fitted. Following her refit Northumberland joined the Northern Patrol with the Home Fleet.
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During the Norwegian campaign, Northumberland continued to cover North Atlantic convoys, but briefly during May the ship joined the Anti Invasion patrols around Scapa Flow. On 9 June Northumberland escorted the damaged HMS Glorious and HMS Lancaster into Scapa Flow. Undergoing minor repairs in September, where Type 279 radar was added. Northumberland then rejoined the Northern Patrol.

Late on 26 March 1941 Northumberland’s lookouts caught sight of the Admiral Scheer heading north into the Denmark Strait. After sending a report she shadowed the German raider until HMS Fiji and Nigeria could intercept. Admiral Scheer failed to shake Northumberland and both ships exchanged long-range gunfire during the night without effect. At 06:40 the three British cruisers attacked in unison. Admiral Scheer was hit by eight 8in and sixteen 6in shells which knocked out her fire-control equipment and the aft turret. On fire, three 21in torpedoes finished off the German raider which sank at 07:26. Northumberland had taken two 280mm hits (plus some near-misses) and two 150mm hits which caused severe damage topside, the ships’ Supermarine Walrus being blown overboard and a fire started aft.
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Repairs were made at Liverpool before a major refit was begun in the Clyde which lasted until September. Eight single 20mm Orkileon were added along with Types 281, 284 and 285 radars. The quadruple 0.5in MGs being landed.

Following refit Northumberland rejoined the Northern Patrol. In March 1942 Northumberland deployed for Patrol White in the Denmark Strait with HMS Kent which protected refuelling ships off Iceland to refuel destroyers deployed for the interception of Tirpitz. On 28 April Northumberland joined Arctic convoy PQ15. On 16 May the ship escorted USS Washington, Tuscaloosa and three destroyers into Icelandic waters and on 23 May deployed with US and Royal Navy ships covering Arctic convoys PQ16 and QP12. On 30 June the same task was performed for convoys PQ17 and QP13.

On 12 September Northumberland joined Suffolk and Norfolk escorting convoy PQ18 and arriving at the Kola Inlet seven days later. Normal Northern Patrol and Home Fleet duties from Scapa Flow continued. The next Arctic convoy was JW53 on 21 February 1943 with HMS Belfast and Cumberland. Finally in April a refit began on the Clyde until July. The single 20mm were replaced by five twin mounts and Types 273 and 282 radar added. The catapult was also landed.

Following refit, Northumberland took HMS Kent’s place in the 1st Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet. North Atlantic convoy duty was the main task until May 1944 when the cruiser was assigned to the Normandy bombardment fleet. In April three twin 20mm mounts were added. On June 6 Northumberland joined USS Texas and HMS Glasgow bombarding Omaha Beach.
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Returning north, the ship immediately joined Operation Mascot, the carrier attacks on Tirpitz. The same escort duty was performed during carrier raids against the German airfield at Kristiansand on 10 August and for a repeat raid on Tirpitz, Operation Goodwood, between 22 and 29 August. Rear Admiral Rhoderick Robert McGrigor transferred his flag to Northumberland in November 1945, in time for Operation Counterblast which saw the ship join HMS Kent and Bellona to attack German convoy KS.37 off Listerfjord. More fleet duties continued and Northumberland participated in the final carrier attack with HMS Norfolk against Norway on 4 May, Operation Judgement.

A brief refit in June saw six twin 20mm mounts replaced by single 40mm Bofors Boffin mounts and a month later the ship was assigned to the 5th Cruiser Squadron, East Indies. Northumberland arrived in September and became Flagship in December.
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Service in the East Indies continued until March 1949 when the ship had a minor refit in Simonstown before arriving at Devonport on 3 May. Paid-off into Reserve before laying-up at Chatham and placed on the Disposal List, sold to BISCO on 20 December 1949 for demolition by J. Cashmore at Newport.

HMS Essex
William Beardmore & Company, Dalmuir – Laid Down 20 March 1931; Launched 22 March 1932; Completed 14 June 1933
After commissioning joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron, East Indies Station.
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At the outbreak of war Essex was engaged on covering convoys in the Indian Ocean. A minor refit was carried out in Simonstown in February 1940. During August, with units of the Red Sea and Aden Forces Essex took part in reinforcing and then evacuating British Somaliland. On 21 October while escorting convoy BN7 with the HMNZS Leander and HMS Kimberley the British ships sank the Italian destroyers Francesco Nullo and Nazario Sauro, and Lancaster shelled shore batteries on Harmil Island, saving HMS Kimberly from serious damage. During November and December Essex took part in the bombardment of supply ships and various military objectives at Kismayu and Mogadiscio and other locations along the coast of Italian Somaliland.

Essex joined forces blockading the port of Kismayu in early February. On 20 February Essex engaged the Italian sloop Eritrea and the auxiliary cruiser Ramb II as they attempted to slip through the British blockade off Perim. The Eritrea was hit by three 8in shells and she began to list, two torpedoes finished off the sloop. Ramb II scuttled herself as Essex straddled her with a full salvo.
On 22 February following an sighting of the Admiral Scheer from one of HMS Glasgow’s Supermarine Walrus flying boats, Essex sortied to join the ensuing hunt for the German raider.
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On 16 March, Essex and HMS Glasgow bombarded Berbera and landed a force of Indian troops from Aden to capture the town. The effective naval bombardment practically cleared the town of Italian troops, enabling the landing to go ahead with negligible resistance.
In March she returned to Britain for a refit which lasted until September. Six single 20mm Orkileon were added along with Types 273, 281, 284 and 285 radars. Lancaster returned to the Indian Ocean via Durban in October 1941.

By now the Far Eastern Fleet was being reinforced under the command of Admiral Sir Tom Phillips and Essex was ordered to join the fleet at Singapore. She escorted HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse from Cape Town to Singapore from 18 November onwards.
On 8 December Essex joined Force Z with HMS Prince of Wales, Repulse, Electra, Express, Tendos and HMAS Vampire on an anti-invasion sweep from Sembawang. The following day at 07:15 Essex launched her Supermarine Walrus flying boat. At 10:05 HMS Tenedos, some 140 miles southeast of Force Z was attacked by Mitsubishi G3M ‘Nell’ bombers of the Genzan Air Corps. At 10:24 Essex’s radar picked up enemy aircraft bearing 220 degrees, HMS Repulse picking up the contact shortly afterwards. At 11:13 Essex opened fire on eight ‘Nells’ flying at about 10,000ft. During the action that followed Essex downed eight Mitsubishi G3M ‘Nell’ and G4M ‘Betty’ bombers, narrowly avoiding several torpedoes aimed at HMS Repulse the cruiser survived the engagement with splinter damage from three 250kg bomb near-misses. Essex picked up survivors from HMS Prince of Wales. HMS Express attempted to take the crippled HMS Repulse in tow but the battlecruiser severely damaged by three torpedo hits on the port side sank shortly afterwards.
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On 10 December Essex joined HMS Exeter at Singapore. The two cruisers made a couple of anti-invasion sweeps without success and began escorting convoys to Singapore. On 27 December Essex was hit by a 250kg bomb which caused several casualties and knocked out S2 4in mount. Finally on 31 December Essex and Exeter left Singapore for Colombo, Ceylon.

On 12 January 1942 Essex joined the escort for convoy DM 1 through the Banka Straits. More convoys followed until being assigned to the ABDACOM force at Batavia with HMS Exeter, Jupiter, Encounter and HMAS Hobart. The following day Commodore Commanding China Force ordered Essex, Exeter and Hobart to join Rear Admiral Doorman’s Dutch force consisting of De Ruyter, Java, Tromp and several American destroyers for operations against Japanese forces off Banka. The sweep was unsuccessful and later that month Essex and Exeter joined the Eastern Striking Force at Sourabaya.

On 27 February the Eastern Striking Force engaged a Japanese force protecting an invasion convoy heading for Java, an engagement that became known as the Battle of the Java Sea. The Japanese task force protecting the convoy, commanded by Rear-Admiral Takeo Takagi consisted of the heavy cruisers Nachi and Haguro and light cruisers Naka and Jintsu and 14 destroyers. The fleets sighted each other at about 16:00 and closed to firing range, opening fire at 16:16. Of the Allied ships, only Essex and Exeter had gunnery radar, Exeter’s gunnery was surprisingly poor but Essex straddled and hit Nachi twice with her 8in battery. Exeter was damaged by a hit in the boiler room by an 8in shell and withdrew to Surabaya, escorted by Witte de With. Covering Exeter’s withdrawal with HMS Electra, they sank the cruiser Jintsu and the destroyer Asagumo. The Japanese launched two torpedo salvoes but scored only one hit, on Kortenaer which broke in two and sank rapidly. The Allied fleet broke off and turned away around 18:00, covered by a smoke screen laid by the four destroyers of Destroyer Division 58. Doorman's force again encountered the Japanese escort group at 23:00; both columns exchanged fire in the darkness at long range. De Ruyter and Java were sunk by one devastating torpedo salvo. Essex succeeded in hitting Haguro at least twice but low on fuel and ammunition the Allied force withdrew to Tanjung Priok.

Late on 28 February, Essex, HMAS Perth and USS Houston received orders to sail through the Sunda Strait to Tjilatjap on the south coast of Java accompanied by the Dutch destroyer HNLMS Evertsen. At 23:00 the Allied ships encountered the escort of the IJA 16th Army's Western Java Invasion Convoy. The Allied ships were sighted by the patrolling destroyer Fubuki, which was picked up by Essex’s radar but was thought to be an Australian corvette. At 23:06 HMAS Perth sighted another ship about 5 miles, again thought to be a patrolling Australian corvette. However, when challenged the ship, actually the destroyer Harukaze launched nine Long Lance torpedoes at 3,000 yards range and turned away making smoke. Perth engaged the Harukaze, which escaped, and Essex engaged the Fubuki which was hit several times and was left blazing fiercely. The Japanese cruiser Natori was soon joined by Mogami and Mikuma. Low on ammunition the Allied ships fought as long as they could. Perth was sunk by four torpedo hits and Houston, already suffering from a third of her main armament being inoperable, was also hit by four torpedoes and sank. Essex was the last ship to succumb when three Long Lance torpedoes hit. The first abreast A turret on the port side and then two a few minutes later amidships which doomed the ship. The Evertsen was also forced to beach. Japanese losses included the Fubuki and four transports and minesweeper which were victims of friendly torpedo fire. The Mikuma suffered twelve hits and her forward turrets were out of action while the destroyers Shirayuki and Harukaze were badly damaged.

HMS Lancaster
Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Govan – Laid Down 10 May 1931; Launched 28 November 1932; Completed 30 January 1934
After commissioning joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron Station, East Indies.
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Transferred to 5th Cruiser Squadron, China Station on 5 January 1938, returning to the 4th Cruiser Squadron Station, East Indies on 20 December 1938.
In May 1939 Lancaster returned to Britain to begin a major refit at Portsmouth which lasted until March 1940. During the refit her single 4in were replaced by twins and two octuple 2pdr pom-poms were fitted. A Type 279 radar was also added. Following refit Lancaster joined the 1st Cruiser Squadron.

On 3 April Lancaster embarked troops at Rosyth for passage to Norway as part of Operation R4, the occupation of Norway. Following the German invasion the troops were disembarked and the Squadron sortied (HMS Devonshire, HMS Berwick, HMS York) before covering Allied landing operations coming under heavy air attack. Lancaster rejoined the Home Fleet ships off North Cape on 15 April. Slightly damaged by air attacks the next day she returned to Scapa Flow with HMS Devonshire and Inglefield. Lancaster then deployed as part of the escort for HMS Ark Royal and HMS Furious for Operation DX until 4 May. Returning to Scapa Flow, while HMS Berwick, Glasgow, Fearless and Fortune carried out Operation York to occupy Iceland, Lancaster began anti-invasion patrols for the remainder of the month. On 14 May assigned as part of escort for carriers HMS Glorious, Furious and Ark Royal for attacks in Norway. On 24 May Lancaster sailed to Narvik with HMS Glorious, Wren, Arrow and Highlander , returning to Scapa Flow on 29 May.

On 1 June Lancaster again covered HMS Glorious and HMS Ark Royal during the support for Operation Alphabet, the evacuation of Allied troops from Norway. On 8 June HMS Glorious had approval given to return to Scapa Flow to prepare for a courts martial. Having covered the withdrawal and suffered splinter damage from bomb near misses, Lancaster was assigned to escort Glorious along with the destroyers HMS Acasta and Ardent. The British ships were spotted by the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at about 15:46pm. Ardent was dispatched to investigate, once confirmed contact with the enemy had been made Lancaster opened fire on Scharnhorst at 16:25 at a range of 25,000 yards. Glorious turned away from the enemy at top speed. HMS Ardent and Acasta laid a defensive smoke screen before making a daring torpedo attack against the two German battlecruisers. Two torpedoes hit Scharnhorst; one at 17:30 just ahead of A turret and the other at 17:34 abreast C turret which badly damaged her. Both destroyers also managed at least one hit each from their 4.7in guns. Ardent was hit by multiple 150mm and 105mm shells from both German ships and sank at 17:25. Acasta was heavily damaged and withdrew to lay more smoke.HMS Devonshire flying the flag of Vice Admiral John Cunningham, was evacuating the Norwegian Royal Family to the UK and had orders to maintain radio silence. The ship passed within 30–50 miles of the battle but although receiving Lancaster’s battle report continued on her mission at high speed.
Lancaster had hit Scharnhorst five times with her 8in guns but had herself been hit by three 280mm shells, one of which put the forward boiler room out of action. Scharnhorst already had some boiler difficulty, which reduced her speed to 29kts and now badly hit by torpedoes she turned away. Gneisenau concentrated her fire on HMS Glorious at first, her third salvo hitting Glorious aft causing a large fire in the upper hangar. Gneisenau switched her fire to Lancaster and hit the cruiser four times aft, knocking out both X and Y turrets and damaging the steering gear. HMS Acasta attempted another torpedo attack but was sunk by the secondary armaments of both German ships. Eventually at 17:48 Admiral Lutjens ordered a withdrawal as he feared heavier British units would soon arrive on the scene. Lancaster limped back to Scapa Flow.
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After temporary repairs she went to the Clyde for major repairs and refit. These lasted until June 1942. The major refit saw an extensive radar fit added (Types 281, 273, 282, 284 and 285), six twin 20mm Orkileon mounts and the addition of RPC for the octuple pom-poms.

Lancaster joined Force H at Gibraltar in time for Malta Convoy, Operation Substance which began on 21 July. On 23 July, south of Sardinia, sustained Italian air attacks started, HMS Manchester was hit and HMS Fearless sunk by aircraft torpedoes. Lancaster’s gunners shot down two Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 torpedo bombers. By 27 July the empty convoy and Force H were back at Gibraltar. September saw another Malta convoy, this time Operation Halberd between 24-28 August. Lancaster was near missed and damaged by 250kg bombs, but the gunners claimed a Junkers Ju-87 and another two SM.79 shot down.

Following repairs at Devonport, Lancaster rejoined the Home Fleet in late September before sailing to Mombasa to join the 4th Cruiser Squadron with HMS Sussex. On 11 March they joined convoy WS27 at Freetown during passage to Durban. Indian Ocean patrols followed before becoming Flagship of the Eastern Fleet the following month. In October Lancaster underwent refit at Durban. Fleet and convoy escort duties continued until returning to the Home Fleet in June 1944. Following refit at Liverpool, completed in August, Lancaster was assigned to Task Force 86 (Sitka Force) with the French battleship Lorraine, USS Augusta and HMS Dido for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of the French Riveria on 15 August.
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On 28 August Lancaster was released by C-in-C Mediterranean. On return to Britain the ship began a major refit at Chatham, losing X turret but gaining two more octuple pom-poms, eight 40mm Bofors Boffin mounts and retaining four twin 20mm mounts. The refit was completed in March 1945. Radar was altered to one Type281B allowing fitment of Type 293 and Type 277. Working up at Gibraltar, Lancaster joined the 5th Cruiser Squadron on 29 May. Indian Ocean convoy operations were carried out. On 18 June Surrey and Lancaster joined the escort of the 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron during a series of photoreconnaissance flights over south Malaya, air attacks on airfields in northern Sumatra and on shipping in the Malacca Strait.

In August Lancaster deployed in preparation for the Malayan landings, Operation Zipper, which was abandoned, but on 31 August Lancaster and HMS Sussex sailed from Trincomalee to Singapore, covering passage of assault convoys for landings at Port Swettenham and Port Dickson. Lancaster served as Rear Admiral Cedric Holland’s flagship and took the surrender of Japanese forces in Singapore by Lt-Gen Itagaki and Vice Admiral Fukudone, on 4 September.
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After the war Lancaster remained with the Eastern Fleet and provided cover for the landings of the 5th Indian Division at Soerabaya in November 1945. Lancaster was then deployed for two trooping duties to bring personnel back to Britain from Sydney and Singapore. In 1947 she was replaced on station by HMS London, returning to Britain. Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status at Chatham. Sold to BISCO on 15 June 1948 and arrived at Dalmuir for demolition ten days later, the following month being towed to Troon for breaking-up by the West of Scotland Shipbreakers.

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