Career
Class and type:	County-class heavy cruiser
Name:	HMS Cornwall
Builder:	Devonport Dockyard (Plymouth, UK)
Laid down:	9 October 1924
Launched:	11 March 1926
Commissioned:	8 May 1928
Fate:	Sunk 5 April 1942, with HMS Dorsetshire, by bombs from Japanese carrier aircraft, west of Ceylon (198 lost)
General characteristics
Displacement:	9,750 tons (9,010 t) standard 13,450 tons (13,670 t) full load
Length:	630 ft (190 m)
Beam:	68 ft 3 in (20. Design & development The 10000 ton treaty cruisers were the first type of warships built to internationally-agreed restrictions by the original requirement that they should be capable The heavy cruiser was a type of Cruiser, a naval Warship designed for long range high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 8in in calibre Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB Devonport ( HMS ''Drake'') is one of three UK operating bases for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Career Interwar Upon commissioning she became the Flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island 8 m)
Draught:	16 ft 3 in (5. 0 m)
Propulsion:	Eight Admiralty 3-drum boilers Four shaft Brown Curtis geared turbines 80,000 shp
Speed:	31. 5 knots (58. 3 km/h)
Range:	3,100 miles at 31. 5 knots (5,740 km at 58 km/h), 13,300 miles at 12 knots (24,600 km at 22 km/h); 3,400 tons (3,450 t) fuel oil
Complement:	700
Armament:	Original configuration: 4x 8 in (203 mm) dual guns 4x 4 in (102 mm) single AA guns 2x 2 pdr (37 mm/40 mm) pom-poms quad guns 2x 0. 5 in MG quadruple guns 2x 21 in (533 mm) quadruple Torpedo Tubes. 1936 - 1942 configuration: 4x 8 in (203 mm) dual guns 4x 4 in (102 mm) dual AA guns 2x 2 pdr (37 mm/40 mm) pom-poms eight barrel guns 2x 0. 5 in MG quadruple guns
Armour:	Original configuration: 1 to 4 in magazine box protection 1. 375 in deck 1 in side-plating,turrets and bulkheads 4. 5 in belt 4 internal boiler room sides (added 1936-1940)
Aircraft carried:	Three aircraft with one catapult, removed in 1942
Notes:	Pennant number 56

HMS Cornwall (56) was a County class heavy cruiser of the Kent subclass of the Royal Navy. Design & development The 10000 ton treaty cruisers were the first type of warships built to internationally-agreed restrictions by the original requirement that they should be capable The heavy cruiser was a type of Cruiser, a naval Warship designed for long range high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 8in in calibre The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) She was built at Devonport Dockyard (Plymouth, UK), with the keel being laid down on 9 October 1924. Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB Devonport ( HMS ''Drake'') is one of three UK operating bases for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. Year 1924 ( MCMXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She was launched on 11 March 1926, and commissioned 8 May 1928. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

History

Upon completion in 1928 Cornwall joined the China Station. The China Station was a historical geographical Area of operations of the British Royal Navy 's China Squadron. In 1936 Cornwall had her tour of duty completed left the China Station for United Kingdom for a refit the following year. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In 1938 with the refit completed Cornwall joined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. In 1939 Cornwall was once again transferred to the China Station, joining the 5th Cruiser Squadron.

In September 1939, after the outbreak of war, the cruiser was transferred to the Indian Ocean as a member of the newly created Force "I" based on Ceylon. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island On 5 October, she was involved in the search for the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Description Admiral Graf Spee was a Deutschland class cruiser.

From 8 February to 14 February 1940 Cornwall was docked in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown, South Africa. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Simon's Town (also widely but incorrectly referred to as Simonstown) and in Afrikaans Simonstad) is a village and a naval base in South Africa, The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa In August she was summoned from the South Atlantic to proceed on convoy duties from Freetown. Freetown is the Capital and largest City of Sierra Leone, and a major Port on the Atlantic Ocean. On the 25th convoy WS-2 arrived in South Africa with troop reinforcements including at least three Armoured Regiments for the 7th Armoured Division in Middle East. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Desert Rats redirects here For other meanings see Desert rat. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Also embarked was the 2nd West African Brigade en-route from Mombassa to participate in the Abyssinian Campaign. Mombasa is the second largest City in Kenya, lying on the Indian Ocean. The East African Campaign refers to the battles fought in East Africa during World War II. The convoy split into WS-2A for Cape Town and WS-2B for Simonstown, it included fourteen ships. Cape Town (Kaapstad Xhosa: Ikapa) is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the Simon's Town (also widely but incorrectly referred to as Simonstown) and in Afrikaans Simonstad) is a village and a naval base in South Africa, In September in the central Atlantic area, a French naval expedition force consisting of the light cruisers Georges Leygues, Montcalm, Gloire and the large destroyers Le Fantasque, Le Malin and L'Audacieux were sent to re-establish the authority of the Vichy government. A light cruiser is a Warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light Armoured cruiser " describing a small ship that carried armour in the same way See also French ship ''Gloire'' for eponymous ships Vichy France, or the Vichy regime are the common terms used to describe the government of France from July 1940 to August 1944 The light cruiser Primauguet with the tanker Tarn had been sent ahead of the French force to Libreville to provide fuel supplies, but they were intercepted by Cornwall and Delhi and escorted to Casablanca. Libreville (population 578156 January 1, 2005) is the capital and largest city of Gabon. Casablanca (in Standard Arabic: الدار البيضاء ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ; Moroccan Arabic: dar beïda الدار البيضا

January 1941, was spent in Selborne dry dock where Cornwall had her rudder removed and refitted. In May she was in the Indian Ocean while on patrol the German commerce raider Pinguin was sighted near the Seychelles and was engaged. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Commerce raiding is to destroy the logistics (supplies of an enemy on the open sea rather than engaging the combatants themselves or enforcing a Blockade against them Early history Formerly a Freighter named Kandelfels, she was built by AG Weser in 1936 and was owned and operated by the Hansa Line Bremen Seychelles (seɪˈʃɛl or /seɪˈʃɛlz/ in English and seʃɛl in French) officially the Republic of Seychelles (République des Seychelles Creole Unfortunately 200 prisoners along with 332 Germans were lost with the ship, Cornwall managed to rescue 60 crew members and 22 prisoners who were originally the crew of the 32 merchant ships the raider had either sunk or captured. During the battle, Cornwall was hit in the stern. She returned to Durban for repairs, which were completed on 10 June. Durban (eThekwini is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the EThekwini metropolitan municipality. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem On 25 November, Cornwall intercepted the Vichy-French merchant Surcouf off the east coast of Somalia and brought her to Aden. Events 1034 - Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots dies Donnchad, the Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Aden (ˈeɪdən Arabic: عدن) is a city in Yemen, 170 kilometers east of Bab-el-Mandeb. The Surcouf was enroute to Djibouti with food. Djibouti ( جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti) officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the

January 1942 found Cornwall at the Dutch East Indies Station participating in convoy duties between Ceylon and the Sunda Strait. See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The Sunda Strait ( Indonesian: Selat Sunda) is the Strait between the Indonesian Islands of Java and the island of Sumatra During February until March the cruiser was still deployed in escorting convoys. Admiral Somerville, Commander in Chief Eastern Fleet, received reports on 29 March, of the impending attack by the Japanese on Ceylon, Cornwall (Capt. Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville GCB, GBE, DSO ( 17 July 1882 &ndash 19 March 1949 The British Eastern Fleet (also known as the East Indies Fleet and the Far East Fleet) was a fleet of the Royal Navy during World War II Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King P. C. W. Manwaring, R. N. ) together with her sister ship HMS Dorsetshire made up Force "A", and were then detached to Colombo. Career Interwar Upon commissioning she became the Flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron Colombo ( Sinhala:, ˈkoləmbə Tamil: கொழும்பு is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

HMS Dorsetshire and Cornwall under heavy air attack by Japanese carrier aircraft on 5 April, 1942. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Photographed from a Japanese aircraft.

In early April, Cornwall and her sister ship HMS Dorsetshire were detached from the fleet to escort the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes to Trincomalee on Ceylon for repairs. Career Interwar Upon commissioning she became the Flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron Trincomalee (திருகோணமலை Tirukōṇamalai තිරිකුණාමළය Tirikūṇamaḷaya is a district a bay and a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island On 4 April, the Japanese carrier fleet was spotted, and the two cruisers left the Harbour, and after a hurried refuelling at sea, set out for Addu Atoll shortly after midnight. Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. Addu Atoll (local administrative code Seenu) is the southernmost Atoll of the Maldives. On 5 April, the two cruisers were sighted by a spotter plane from the Japanese cruiser Tone about 200 miles (370 km) southwest of Ceylon. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop World War II Early Pacific War At the end of 1941 Tone was assigned to CruDiv 8 with her Sister ship, ''Chikuma'', and was thus present Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Bombers were immediately flown off the carriers to attack the two vessels, in an engagement known as the Easter Sunday Raid. The Easter Sunday Raid was an air raid carried out by the Empire of Japan on Easter Sunday, 5 April, 1942 on Colombo,

Cornwall was sunk in 12 minutes by nine 250 to 550 pound bombs, and six near misses. All boiler and engine rooms were out of action within minutes, thereby resulting in a lack of power to the pumps and fire fighting equipment. Dorsetshire was also lost in this engagement. 1,120 men from the crews of both ships were rescued by the light cruiser Enterprise and the destroyers Paladin and Panther. History Pre-war Enterprise served with the 4th Cruiser Squadron in the East Indies until 1934 HMS Paladin (G69 was a P-class Destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. HMS Panther was a P class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down on 5 March 1940 by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering

The cruiser's badge can still be seen proudly displayed on the Selborne dry dock wall at Simonstown, South Africa. Simon's Town (also widely but incorrectly referred to as Simonstown) and in Afrikaans Simonstad) is a village and a naval base in South Africa, The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

References

• British and Empire Warships of the Second World War, H T Lenton, Greenhill Books, ISBN 1-85367-277-7
• Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946, Ed. Robert Gardiner, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 0-87021-913-8
• Colledge, J. J. and Warlow, Ben (2006). James Joseph Colledge (born 1908 was a noted naval Historian, author of Ships of the Royal Navy, the standard work on the fighting ships of the British Ships of the Royal Navy: the complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy, Rev. For a list of ships of the Royal Navy, see List of Royal Navy ships. ed. , London: Chatham. ISBN 9781861762818. OCLC 67375475. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose  
• HMS Cornwall at U-boat.net