HMS Cornwall (56) was a
County classThe County class was a class of heavy cruisers built for the British Royal Navy in the years between the First and Second World Wars. They were the first post-war cruiser construction for the Royal Navy and were designed within the limits of the Washington Naval Conference of 1922...
heavy cruiserThe heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
of the
Kent subclass of the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
. She was built at
Devonport DockyardHer Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three UK operating bases for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England. It is the largest naval base in Western Europe and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the...
(
PlymouthPlymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
,
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
), with the keel being laid down on 9 October 1924. She was launched on 11 March 1926, and commissioned 8 May 1928.
Upon completion in 1928
Cornwall joined the
China StationThe China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy.-Description:Its responsibilities generally covered the coasts of China and its navigable rivers, the western part of the Pacific Ocean, and the waters around the Dutch East Indies...
. In 1936
Cornwall had completed her tour of duty and left the China Station for
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
for a refit the following year.
HMS Cornwall (56) was a
County classThe County class was a class of heavy cruisers built for the British Royal Navy in the years between the First and Second World Wars. They were the first post-war cruiser construction for the Royal Navy and were designed within the limits of the Washington Naval Conference of 1922...
heavy cruiserThe heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
of the
Kent subclass of the
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
. She was built at
Devonport DockyardHer Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three UK operating bases for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England. It is the largest naval base in Western Europe and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the...
(
PlymouthPlymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
,
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
), with the keel being laid down on 9 October 1924. She was launched on 11 March 1926, and commissioned 8 May 1928.
History
Upon completion in 1928
Cornwall joined the
China StationThe China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy.-Description:Its responsibilities generally covered the coasts of China and its navigable rivers, the western part of the Pacific Ocean, and the waters around the Dutch East Indies...
. In 1936
Cornwall had completed her tour of duty and left the China Station for
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
for a refit the following year. 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 OceanThe Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering about 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by South Asia ; on the west by Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean...
as a member of the newly created Force "I" based on Ceylon. On 5 October, she was involved in the search for the
German pocket battleship Admiral Graf SpeeThe Admiral Graf Spee was one of the most famous German naval warships of World War II, along with the Bismarck. Her size was limited to that of a cruiser by the Treaty of Versailles, but she was much more heavily armed than a cruiser due to innovative weight-saving techniques employed in her...
.
From 8 February to 14 February 1940
Cornwall was docked in the Selborne dry dock at Simonstown,
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
. In August she was summoned from the South Atlantic to proceed on convoy duties from
FreetownFreetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country and with a population of 1,070,200. The city is the economic and financial center of Sierra Leone...
. On the 25th convoy
WS-2 arrived in
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
with troop reinforcements including at least three Armoured Regiments for the 7th Armoured Division in
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has 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 CampaignThe East African Campaign refers to the battles fought in East Africa during World War II. The battles of this campaign were fought between the forces of the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations, and several allies on one side, and the forces of the Italian Empire on the other...
. The convoy split into
WS-2A for
Cape TownCape Town is the second most populous city in South Africa, and the largest in land area, forming part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. It is the provincial capital of the Western Cape, as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament and many...
and
WS-2B for Simonstown, it included fourteen ships. In September in the central Atlantic area, a French naval expedition force consisting of the
light cruiserA 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 as an armoured cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s
Georges LeyguesThe Georges Leygues was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonnière class. During World War II, she served with both the Vichy France and Allies. She was named for the prominent 19th and 20th century French politician Georges Leygues....
,
MontcalmThe Montcalm was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonnière class, named in honour of Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. During World War II, she served with both Vichy France and the Allies.-Pre-war:...
,
GloireThe Gloire was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonnière class.After completing trials, Gloire arrived in Brest on 18 November 1937, then left for French Indochina on 1 December, returning to Brest on 16 April 1938. Gloire joined the 4th Cruiser Division in January 1939, with which she visited...
and the large destroyers
Le Fantasque,
Le Malin and
L'Audacieux were sent to re-establish the authority of the
VichyVichy France, or the Vichy regime are the common terms used to describe the government of France from July 1940 to August 1944. This government, which succeeded the Third Republic, officially called itself the French State , in contrast with the previous designation, "French Republic." Marshal...
government. The light cruiser
PrimauguetPrimauguet was a French light cruiser built after World War I and destroyed by US naval gunfire from the battleship . She was named after the XVth Century Breton captain Hervé de Portzmoguer, nicknamed "Primauguet".- Service :...
with the tanker
Tarn had been sent ahead of the French force to
LibrevilleLibreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region.- History :...
to provide fuel supplies, but they were intercepted by
Cornwall and
Delhi and escorted to
CasablancaCasablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean...
.
January 1941, was spent in Selborne dry dock where
Cornwall had her rudder removed and refitted. In May she was in the
Indian OceanThe Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering about 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by South Asia ; on the west by Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean...
while on patrol the German commerce raider
PinguinThe Pinguin was a German auxiliary cruiser which served as a commerce raider in World War II. The Pinguin was known to the German Navy as Schiff 33, and designated HSK 5...
was sighted near the
SeychellesSeychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar...
and was engaged. 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
DurbanDurban is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. It is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal and is famous as the busiest port in Africa. It is also a major centre of tourism due to the city's warm subtropical climate and...
for repairs, which were completed on 10 June. On 25 November,
Cornwall intercepted the Vichy-French merchant
Surcouf off the east coast of
SomaliaSomalia , officially the Republic of Somalia and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a country located in the Horn of Africa...
and brought her to
AdenAden is a city in Yemen, 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb.Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a low isthmus. This harbour, Front Bay, was first used by the ancient Kingdom of Awsan between the 5th and...
. The
Surcouf was en route to
DjiboutiDjibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. On the other side of the Red Sea, on...
with food.
January 1942 found
Cornwall at the
Dutch East IndiesThe Dutch East Indies, or Netherlands East Indies, was the Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II.It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the former Dutch East India Company that came under the administration of the Netherlands in 1800...
Station participating in convoy duties between Ceylon and the
Sunda StraitThe Sunda Strait is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean...
. 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. P.C.W. Manwaring, R.N.) together with her sister ship
HMS DorsetshireHMS Dorsetshire was a heavy cruiser of the County class of the Royal Navy, named after the English county . She was launched on 29 January 1929 at Portsmouth Dockyard, UK. In World War II, she was commanded by Captain Augustus Agar V.C.-Interwar:Upon commissioning she became the flagship of the...
made up Force "A", and were then detached to
ColomboColombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the capital city of Sri Lanka. Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins and a city...
.
In early April,
Cornwall and her sister ship
HMS DorsetshireHMS Dorsetshire was a heavy cruiser of the County class of the Royal Navy, named after the English county . She was launched on 29 January 1929 at Portsmouth Dockyard, UK. In World War II, she was commanded by Captain Augustus Agar V.C.-Interwar:Upon commissioning she became the flagship of the...
were detached from the fleet to escort the aircraft carrier
HMS HermesHMS Hermes of the Royal Navy of United Kingdom was the first ship in any navy to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier, although the Imperial Japanese Navy's Hōshō was the first to be commissioned...
to
TrincomaleeTrincomalee is a port city on the east coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. It is one of the main centers of Tamil speaking culture on the island...
on Ceylon for repairs. 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 AtollAddu Atoll is the southernmost atoll of the Maldives.There are not many islands in this atoll, but many of them are large compared to the average size of islands in the Maldives. Most inhabited islands in Addu are in the western reef and these are Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Feydhoo, Gan...
shortly after midnight. 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. Bombers were immediately flown off the carriers to attack the two vessels, in an engagement known as the
Easter Sunday RaidThe Easter Sunday Raid was an air raid carried out by the Empire of Japan on Easter Sunday, 5 April 1942 on Colombo, Ceylon , as a part of the Indian Ocean Raid. A few days later Trincomalee was also attacked...
.
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
EnterpriseHMS Enterprise was one of two Emerald-class light cruisers of the Royal Navy. She was built by John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd., with the keel being laid down on 28 June 1918. She was launched on 23 December 1919, and commissioned 7 April 1926...
and the destroyers
PaladinHMS Paladin was a P-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II.Following the sinking of the heavy cruisers Cornwall and Dorsetshire, on April 5 1942, Paladin took part in the rescue operations, and assisted in the recovery of approximately 1,120 men from both...
and
PantherHMS Panther was a P class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down on 5 March 1940 by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company and launched on 28 May of the following year...
.
The cruiser's badge can still be seen proudly displayed on the Selborne dry dock wall at Simonstown,
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
.