DRAGON HMS 1918

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shipstamps
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:12 pm

DRAGON HMS 1918

Post by shipstamps » Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:52 pm


Built as a light cruiser by Scott’s Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd., Greenock for the Royal Navy.
24 Jan. 1917 laid down.
29 Dec. 1917 launched under the name HMS DRAGON (D46) one of the Danae Class of six ships.
Displacement: 4.850 ton, full load 5.603 ton. Dim. 143.65 x 14.02 x 4.41m. (draught)
Powered by two Brown & Curtis steam turbines, 40.000 shp., twin screws, speed 29 knots.
Range by 10 knots 6.700 mile. Bunker capacity 1.060 ton oil.
Armament: 6 – 15.2cm., 3 – 10.2cm., 4 – 47mm AA, 2 – 40mm AA and 10 MG, 12 – 53.3 cm.torpedo tubes.
Crew 460.
16 August 1918 completed.

After commissioned she joined the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron based at Harwich the last days of the First World War.
1919 She sailed to the Baltic before joining the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet.
In August 1919 was she part of an escort to the Prince of Wales visit to the West Indies.
Took part in the Empire Cruise between 1923-24.
From 1925 till 1929 in the 1st Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean.
After a refit where her AA armament was altered to 3 – 10.2 guns, 2 – 40mm and 10 MG. She joined the 8th Cruiser Squadron on the American and West Indies Station between 1930 and 1935.
Thereafter in reserve in Devonport and Portsmouth till 1939.
Just before the outbreak of World War II she was mobilized for service with the 7th Cruiser Squadron of the Northern Patrol and after a refit she was transferred to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean from March 1940. After the loss of France transferred to Freetown, 16 Sept. 1940 captured the French steamer TUAREG, and she took part in “Operation Menance” was slightly damaged in this operation by gunfire of shore batteries. She stayed in the South Atlantic as an escort vessel until October 1941
Sailed to the East Indies Station to strengthening the China Force arrived Singapore end November.
Escorting convoys to and from Australia till February, January 1942, then transferred to the Western Striking Force at Batavia, when the Battle of the Java Sea took place, she was not part of the battle group, she escaped from the region together with the HMAS Hobart and her sister the HMS DANAE she made the escape through Strait Sunda on 28 February at around 06.10am.
The DRAGON steamed to Trincomalee, Ceylon where she till the end of 1942 was used for escorting troops, before returning to the U.K. in November 1942.

After a refit where she received radar, one 15.2cm gun and all 10.2cm were removed, and replaced by 40mm pom-pom AA guns and 8 – 20mm AA guns.
01 Jan 1943 commissioned under command of Capt. E. Plawski in the Polish Navy named ORP DRAGON.
23 August 1943 repairs completed and the DRAGON sailed to Scapa Flow.
October 1943 she went again to a shipyard for repair.
Early 1944 she joined the British Home Fleet.
12 Jan. 1944 command was taken over by S. Dzienisiewicz.
Used as escort in a convoy JW57 to North Russia together with the British cruiser BERWICK and JAMAICA. And the return convoy RA 57.
Then transferred to the 10th Light Cruiser Squadron for training in the landing in Normandy.
April 1944 refitted the stern pom-pom was replaced by 10.2cm AA double gun, 20mm AA guns were doubled, and torpedo tubes removed.
Took part in the Normandy landing June 1944, sailed from the Clyde on the 2nd and joined Bombarding Force D in Assault Convoy S6. Expending 50 rounds of main ammunition by 16.00 of the 6th. on Sword Beach.
08 July 1944 torpedoed by a German one man midget submarine type Neger at 04.34am and severely damaged, declared at total loss, she was stripped of some fittings but not her main armament and scuttled as part of a breakwater at Gooseberry 5 miles north of Quistreham on 23 July. She is lying on her starboard side and still visited by divers.

St Helena 1995 5p sg 691, scott 647.

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/cap.info/dragon.htm. http://news.mod.uk/news/press/news_head ... em_id=1473
http://crolick.website.pl/pmw/flota_morska/ship_02.html
http://www.geocities.com/dutcheastindies/java_sea.html
The D-Day Ships by John de S Winser.

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aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: DRAGON HMS 1918

Post by aukepalmhof » Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:19 pm

The HMS DRAGON supported survivors of the 1932 hurricane in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

Cayman Islands 2016 $4 sgMS?, scott?
Attachments
Dragon.jpg
2016 dragon.jpg
1995 HMS--Dragon--cruiser (2).jpg

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