Allied Warships
HMS Kent (54)
Heavy cruiser of the Kent class
HMS Kent after refitting at Devonport Dockyard September 1941
| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Heavy cruiser |
| Class | Kent |
| Pennant | 54 |
| Built by | Chatham Dockyard (Chatham, U.K.): Hawthorn Leslie & Co. (Hebburn-on-Tyne, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 15 Nov, 1924 |
| Launched | 16 Mar, 1926 |
| Commissioned | 25 Jun, 1928 |
| End service | Jan, 1945 |
| Loss position | |
| History | From completion until 1939 was assigned to the China Station in the 5th Cruiser Squadron, undergoing a reconstruction in 1937-38. Her initial war duties were anti-raider patrols on the China Station and then was reassigned to troop convoy escort in the Indian Ocean early in 1940. Following the declaration of war by Italy, she was reallocated to the Mediterranean Fleet, arriving Alexandria in August 1940 with the 3rd Cruiser Sqn. Torpedoed by an Italian VTB in 9/40 and was out of action for a year, after completing repairs, in early 1942 she was reassigned to the Home Fleet to escort convoys to North Russia. In 1944 covered the carrier raids against tarhets on the Norwegian coast. Paid off into reserve in January 1945 and was not employed thereafter. Sold to be broken up for scrap on 22 January 1948. Arrived at Troon on 31 January 1948 to be broken up by West of Scotland Shipbreakers. Commanding Officers: Capt. Douglas Young-Jamieson, RN Cdr. J.H. Venville, RN (retired) Capt. Angus Edward Malise Bontine Cunninghame-Graham, RN Capt. Geoffrey Alan Brooke Hawkins, MVO, DSC, RN Capt. Walter Herman Gordon Fallowfield, RN (retired) A/Capt. P.H. Calderon, RN |
| Noteable events involving Kent include: There is a ceremony in Rochester Cathedral every Saturday morning at 11 A.M. The ship's bell of the 8" cruiser (County Class) is in the Rochester Cathedral and preceding a short ceremony 8 bells are sounded on the bell. From time to time various veterans of the wartime crew attend the ceremony as occaisionally have members of the present ship!s company. On the 29th July 2006 5 ex Royal Marines from the 1938 - 1940 commission are meeting there (one from Canada) and following the 11 A.M. ceremony will have lunch at a local pub. Any other shipmates will be more than welcome.If you want information on a contact adress let us know, we will then supply the contact's e-mail adress. 17 Aug, 1940 17 Sep, 1940 Illustrious was escorted by the British battleship HMS Valiant (Capt. H.B. Rawlings, OBE, RN) the British heavy cruiser HMS Kent (Capt. D. Young-Jamieson, RN), the British light cruisers HMS Liverpool (Capt. P.A. Read, RN) HMS Gloucester (Capt. H.A. Rowley, RN), HMS Orion (Capt. G.R.B. Back, RN) and the British destroyers HMS Nubian (Cdr. R.W. Ravenhill, RN), HMS Mohawk (Cdr. J.W.M. Eaton, RN), HMS Hero (Cdr. H.W. Biggs, DSO, RN), HMS Hasty (Lt.Cdr. L.R.K. Tyrwhitt, RN), HMS Hyperion (Cdr. H.St.L. Nicolson, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Hereward (Lt.Cdr. C.W. Greening, RN), HMS Decoy (Cdr. E.G. McGregor, DSO, RN), HMS Jervis (Capt. P.J. Mack, DSO, RN) and the Australian destroyer HMAS Waterhen (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Swain, RAN). After the attack HMS Kent, escorted by HMS Nubian and HMS Mohawk, was detached to bombard Italian positions at Bardia early on the 18th. However before this could materialise HMS Kent was torpedoed and heavily damaged by Italian torpedo bombers (two S.79 of 278th Squadriglia Aerosiluranti: pilot lieutenant Guido Robone is Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia) just before midnight. Kent was hit in the stern and badly damaged. Kent was towed to Alexandria by HMS Nubian, escorted by light cruiser HMS Orion, AA cruiser HMS Calcutta (Capt. D.M. Lees, DSO, RN) and destroyers HMS Mohawk, HMS Jervis, HMS Juno (Cdr. W.E. Wilson, RN), HMS Janus (Cdr. J.A.W. Tothill, RN) and the Australian destroyer HMAS Vendetta (Lt.Cdr. R. Rhoades, RAN). HMS Kent arrived at Alexandria early on the 19th. Emergency repairs were carried out and Kent departed for the UK (around Africa) on 26 October 1940. Kent arrived at Plymouth on 27 December. Repairs were completed in September 1941. 12 Nov, 1944 |