HMS Phoebe (43)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Phoebe.

Phoebe at anchor on completion
History
United Kingdom
Name	Phoebe
Builder	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company (Govan, Scotland)
Laid down	2 September 1937
Launched	25 March 1939
Commissioned	27 September 1940
Decommissioned	14 March 1953
Out of service	14 March 1951
Identification	Pennant number 43
Fate	Scrapped, 1 August 1956
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type	Dido-class light cruiser
Displacement	5,600 tons standard 6,850 tons full load
Length	485 ft (148 m) pp 512 ft (156 m) oa
Beam	50.5 ft (15.4 m)
Draught	14 ft (4.3 m)
Installed power	Four Admiralty 3-drum boilers 62,000 shp (46 MW)
Propulsion	4 shafts; 4 geared steam turbines
Speed	32.25 knots (59.73 km/h; 37.11 mph)
Range	2,414 km (1,500 miles) at 30 knots 6,824 km (4,240 miles) at 16 knots
Complement	480
Armament	8 (4×2) 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns, 1 × 4.0 in (102 mm) gun, 8 (2×4) 0.5-inch (12.7 mm) machine guns 12 (3×4) 2-pounder (40 mm) anti-aircraft guns 6 (2×3) 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor	Belt: 3 in (76 mm) Deck: 1 in (25 mm) Magazines: 2 in (51 mm) Bulkheads: 1 in (25 mm)

HMS Phoebe was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company (Govan, Scotland), her keel was laid down on 2 September 1937. She was launched on 25 March 1939, and commissioned on 30 September 1940.

Construction and design

The Dido-class were designed as small cruisers capable of being built quickly and in large numbers to allow a shortfall in numbers of cruisers against the numbers which were required to meet the Royal Navy's needs. Rather than the mixed armament of single-purpose 6-inch (152 mm) low-angle (anti-ship) and 4-inch (102 mm) high-angle (anti-aircraft) guns carried by previous light cruisers, it was decided to fit a dual-purpose main armament, capable of both anti-ship and anti-aircraft fire. This used the new 5.25-inch (133 mm) gun as used in the King George V-class battleships.

Phoebe was 512 ft (156.06 m) long overall and 485 ft (147.83 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 50 feet 6 inches (15.4 m) and a mean draught of 16 feet 6 inches (5.0 m) (increasing to 17 feet 3 inches (5.3 m) at full load. Displacement was 5,600 long tons (5,700 t) standard and 6,850 long tons (6,960 t) full load. The ship's machinery was arranged in a four-shaft layout, with four Admiralty 3-drum boilers supplying steam at 400 psi (2,800 kPa) to Parsons single-reduction geared steam turbines, rated at 62,000 shaft horsepower (46,000 kW), giving a speed of 32.25 knots (59.73 km/h; 37.11 mph). 1,100 long tons (1,100 t) of fuel oil were carried, giving a range of 4,240 nautical miles (7,850 km; 4,880 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph), reducing to 3,480 nmi (6,440 km; 4,000 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and 1,500 nmi (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph).

While the class had a design main armament of ten 5.25-inch guns in five twin turrets on the ship's centreline, with three forward and two aft, Phoebe completed with only four turrets giving eight 5.25-inch guns, with a single low-angle low angle 4-inch (102 mm) gun mounted in 'C'-position, immediately forward of the ship's bridge, to fire star shell. Two quadruple 2-pounder (40 mm) pom-pom mounts were mounted on the ship's beams to provide close-in anti-aircraft protection, backed up by two quadruple .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns on the bridge wings. Two triple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes provided additional anti-ship capability. Fire control for this armament was provided by a single low angle director control tower (DCT) on the ship's bridge, together with two High Angle Control System (HACS) director towers, one on the ship's bridge and one aft, while Type 279 air warning radar was fitted. A 3 in (76 mm) armour belt protected the ship's machinery and magazines with 1 in (25 mm) protecting the ship's shell rooms. Deck armour was also an inch thick, with 3 in (76 mm) plates over the magazines. The 5.25 inch gun turrets had armour of 1+1⁄2–1 in (38–25 mm) thickness.

Phoebe was one of five Dido-class cruisers ordered under the 1936 construction programme for the Royal Navy. Phoebe was laid down at Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company's Govan shipyard as Yard number 666 on 2 September 1937, was launched on 25 March 1939 and completed on 27 September 1940. Phoebe was the fifth ship of that name to serve with the Royal Navy.

Modifications

While Phoebe was repaired and refitted at New York from November 1941 to April 1942, the ship's close-in anti-aircraft armament was strengthened by replacing the 4-inch gun by a third quadruple pom-pom mount, while eleven single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon were fitted, with the .50 in machine guns removed. The ship's radar outfit was also improved, with Type 281 radar air warning radar replacing the Type 279 radar, with Type 285 radar and Type 284 radar also fitted. When the ship was repaired in early 1943, the pom-poms were replaced by three US quadruple Mark II mounts for 40 mm Bofors guns, the first use of the US quadruple Bofors mount in a British ship, while seven of the single Oerlikon cannon were replaced by six twin Oerlikon, giving a total of sixteen 20mm cannon.

History

Mediterranean

Phoebe with HM King George VI and HM Queen Elizabeth on board, coming alongside the quay at Belfast in 1942.

Following commissioning Phoebe joined the 15th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, carrying out commerce protection duties in the North Atlantic. In November 1940, following the breakout of the German cruiser Admiral Scheer into the Atlantic, Phoebe, together with sister ships Dido and Naiad and the battlecruisers Hood, Renown and Repulse to block the approaches to the German-occupied French Atlantic ports. In April 1941 she joined the Mediterranean Fleet based at Alexandria, as part of the 7th Cruiser Squadron.

On 18 April 1941, Phoebe left Alexandria with most of the Mediterranean Fleet in an operation which saw Phoebe and the cruiser Calcutta rendezvous with a convoy of four merchant ships outbound from Malta and escort them back to Alexandria (Convoy ME.2), while other units of the fleet bombarded Tripoli, Libya, and a single supply ship made passage from Alexandria to Malta. Phoebe joined up with the convoy on 20 April and escorted it back to Egypt. From 24 April 1941, Phoebe took part in Operation Demon, the evacuation of British and Empire troops from Greece. On the night of 24/25 April, she took part in embarkations from beaches at Nafplio and on 26/27 April, took part in embarkations from Kalamata. On 27 April 1941 Phoebe and the destroyers Defender, Hereward, and Hero rescued all the crew and all 2,600 soldiers from the Dutch troop ship Costa Rica, which had been near-missed by bombs from German Junkers Ju 88 bombers and was slowly sinking. On the night of 28/29 April, Phoebe, with the cruiser Perth and several destroyers were sent to Kalamata to continue the evacuations, but fighting in Kalamata harbour caused the evacuation to be abandoned. Phoebe then took part in the evacuation of troops from Crete, the landing troops in the Syria–Lebanon campaign, and taking troops to and from Tobruk.

On 27 August 1941, HMS Phoebe was hit by a torpedo from an Italian SM.79 Sparviero torpedo bomber while covering troop transports to the besieged Tobruk. Temporary repairs were made at Alexandria and the cruiser then left to New York for permanent repairs, which were made between 21 November and 21 April 1942 and she returned to service in May 1942.

Africa

On 23 October 1942, Phoebe was torpedoed by the German submarine U-161 off the Congo Estuary, while on passage to French Equatorial Africa. Her route was from Simonstown in South Africa to Freetown in Sierra Leone, but she had to refuel at Pointe Noire. Two U-boats (U-161 and U-126) were patrolling that area at the time.

After the hit, the Flower-class corvette HMS Amaranthus coming up from the harbour prevented the U-boat from finishing off the cruiser. 42 crew members were killed. After temporary repairs, on 2 December 1942, Phoebe made for New York for complete repairs, sailing 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km) with a hole (60 by 30 feet (18.3 m × 9.1 m)) in her hull. On 12 January 1943, Phoebe arrived at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for repairs, which were not completed until 16 June 1943. During the repairs, HMS Phoebe became the first ship to be fitted with RP Mark II quad mounting, equipped with 40 mm Bofors cannons.

In October 1943, she returned to the Mediterranean to take part in the Aegean operations.

Far East

In May 1944, Phoebe was transferred to the Eastern Fleet and was involved in strike operations against the Andaman Islands, Sabang in Northern Sumatra and the Nicobar Islands. In January 1945, she was switched to supporting amphibious operations in Burma and was engaged in actions against Akyab, Ramree Island off the Arakan Coast, and Cheduba Island. From April to May 1945, Phoebe was involved in the amphibious assault on Rangoon as part of the East Indies Fleet's 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron.

Post war

After VJ-Day, Phoebe returned home for refitting and spent five years in the peacetime Mediterranean Fleet. In early 1948, the cruiser took elements of Royal Marines 40 Commando to Haifa, to assist in the British withdrawal from Mandatory Palestine. On 30 June Phoebe embarked the last GOC Palestine and rearguard troops, as the evacuation was completed. After a period in reserve she was sold for scrap in 1956.

References

Bibliography

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• Barnett, Corelli (2000). Engage the Enemy More Closely: The Royal Navy in the Second World War. Penguin. ISBN 0-141-39008-5.
• B.R. 1736 (38): Selected Bombardments (Mediterranean), 1940–1941 (Battle Summaries Nos. 1, 6, 7 & 19) (PDF). Naval Staff History: Second World War. Historical Section, Naval Staff, Admiralty. 1954. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 November 2023.
• Brown, David K. (2012). Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923–1945. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-149-6.
• Campbell, John (2002). Naval Weapons of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland, US: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-459-4.
• Campbell, N.J.M. (1980). "Great Britain". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 2–85. ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Friedman, Norman (2010). British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-59114-078-8.
• Lenton, H. T. (1973). Navies of the Second World War: British Cruisers. London: Macdonald & Co. ISBN 0-356-04138-7.
• Playfair, I. S. O. (1956). The Mediterranean and Middle East: Volume II: "The Germans come to the Help of their Ally" (1941). History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
• Raven, Alan & Roberts, John (1980). British Cruisers of World War Two. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-922-7.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Roskill, S. W. (1954). The War at Sea 1939–1945: Volume I: The Defensive. History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
• Shores, Christopher; Cull, Brian; Malizia, Nicola (1987). Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete: 1940–41. London: Grub Street. ISBN 0-948817-07-0.
• Whitley, M. J. (1995). Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell. ISBN 1-86019-874-0.
• Whitby, Michael (2022). "The Challenges of Operation 'Tunnel', September 1943 — April 1944". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2022. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. pp. 29–46. ISBN 978-1-4728-4781-2.
• DiGiulian, Tony (2 June 2025). "Britain Mountings | 40 mm OQF Marks I, III, IV, VIII, IX, X, XI, NI and NI/I". navweaps.com. Retrieved 1 August 2025. The quad mount was first installed on HMS Phoebe in June 1943.
• "Ships hit by U-boats: HMS Phoebe (43)". uboat.net. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  • "Ships hit by U-boats: HMS Phoebe (43)". uboat.net. Retrieved 1 August 2025. HMS Phoebe (43) was hit by a torpedo from an Italian aircraft while covering troop transports to the besieged Tobruk. Temporary repairs were made at Alexandria and the cruiser then left to New York for permanent repairs, which were made between 21 November and 21 Apr 1942 and she returned to service in May 1942.
  • "Ships hit by U-boats: HMS Phoebe (43)". uboat.net. Retrieved 1 August 2025. At 07.56 hours on 23 Oct 1942, HMS Phoebe (43) (Capt C.P. Frend, RN) was hit on the port side forward and aft by two torpedoes from U-161 six miles 282° from Pointe Noire, French Equatorial Africa. The U-boat reported the torpedoeing of a Balch class destroyer and observed the lowering of boats but was then chased away by a corvette. The badly damaged cruiser continued at 6 knots to Point Noire and was beached there.

Further reading

Allied Warships: HMS Phoebe (43). uboat.net