HMS Cairo

History

thumb|left|Gun position on HMS Cairo, smoke above Narvik in the back on 8 June 1940. She was laid down by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead on 28 November 1917, launched on 19 November 1918 and commissioned on 24 September 1919. Cairo was not ready for service in World War I and her first posting was to the China Station in 1920, followed by the East Indies Station from 1921 to 1925. On 23 April 1926 Cairo visited Kismayu, Italian Somaliland, during the Jubaland Boundary Commission. After a further temporary attachment to the China Station until 1927, she joined the 8th Cruiser Squadron on the North America and West Indies Station, based at the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island, Bermuda. From 1928 to 1930, Cairo was in the Mediterranean as flagship for the Rear-Admiral (D). After a refit from 1931–1932, she was with the Home Fleet as Commodore (D). She was converted to an anti-aircraft cruiser in 1939.

In World War II she took part in the Norwegian Campaign, where she was damaged by German aircraft off Narvik on 28 May 1940. 10 sailors were killed and the ship was out of action for two months. In the Mediterranean she led the escort of a six cargo-ship convoy from Gibraltar to Malta, code named Operation Harpoon, which endured intense air strikes. The British squadron also faced the attack of an Italian light cruiser division in the Sicilia channel. Four merchantmen and two destroyers were sunk, while Cairo was hit by two 6-inch rounds from the Italian cruiser Eugenio di Savoia, killing two members of her crew.

In August 1942, Cairo took part in Operation Pedestal, the escort of a convoy to Malta. During the operation she was torpedoed and sunk by the Italian submarine Axum north of Bizerta, Tunisia, on 12 August 1942. One torpedo blew off part of the stern, the port propeller was gone, the engine room flooded and gun mount Y fell off in the sea. As during the battle it was impossible to tow her to safety, it was decided to scuttle her. The destroyer fired four torpedoes but only one hit. A series of depth charges did not finish her off, so finally the escort destroyer received orders to sink her with gunfire. Twenty-four seamen went down with the ship.

Notes

References

References

1. (1972). "British Warships 1914–1919". Ian Allan.
2. (2024). "The Development of the British Royal Navy's Pennant Numbers Between 1919 and 1940". Warship International.
3. Letter dated 30th November 1926, Ref: 6/5/3/1/2, from The Secretariat, Nairobi to Captain E.N. Erskine c/o HM Consul Ksmayu thanking him for acting as Liaison Officer and Interpreter.
4. The suffix "D" indicates command of flotilla(s) of destroyers.
5. "Royal Navy casualties, killed and died, May 1940, including Norway".
6. "HMS Cairo, British light cruiser, WW2".
7. Hastings, Max. (2021). "Operatie Pedestal: de vloot die zich in 1942 een weg naar Malta vocht". Hollands Diep.
8. "Royal Navy casualties, killed and died, August 1942".