Allied Warships
HMS Sussex (96)
Heavy cruiser of the London class
HMS Sussex during the war (Photograph taken by Arthur Eric Jones (offsite link)
| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Heavy cruiser |
| Class | London |
| Pennant | 96 |
| Built by | Hawthorn Leslie & Co. (Hebburn-on-Tyne, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 1 Feb 1927 |
| Launched | 22 Feb 1928 |
| Commissioned | 19 Mar 1929 |
| End service | 2 Feb 1949 |
| Loss position | |
| History | On the night of 17-19/9/1940 she was in drydock at Glasgow, Scotland, when a german air raid started. Sussex sustained one bomb hit: the bomb penetrated the decks and detionated 2-3 level below the main deck. Decommissioned on 2 February 1949. Sold on 3 January 1950. Broken up by Arnott Young at Dalmuir arriving there on 23 Febuary 1950. Commanding Officers: HMS Sussex was in Dockyard Control during repairs Capt. William York La Roche Beverley, RN A/Capt. Michael Everard, RN Cdr. Denys Acland Lawford, RN Capt. Anthony Fane de Salis, DSO, RN |
Commands listed for HMS Sussex (96)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | ||
| 1 | Capt. Alexander Robert Hammick, RN | 16 Dec 1938 | ??? | |
| 2 | Capt. William York La Roche Beverley, RN | 7 Jul 1942 | ??? | |
| 3 | Cdr. Michael Everard, RN | ??? | 2 Sep 1944 | |
| 4 | Cdr. Denys Acland Lawford, RN | 2 Sep 1944 | 1 Dec 1944 | |
| 5 | Capt. Antony Fane de Salis, DSO, RN | 1 Dec 1944 | Oct 1945 ? | |
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Noteable events involving Sussex include:
Sep 1939
Sussex and sistership Shropshire formed Group "H" in the South Atlantic in the hunt for the Graf Spee.
2 Dec 1939
The German passenger ship Watussi (9552 GRT) is intercepted in the South Atlantic about 50 nautical miles south of Cape Agulhas, South-Africa by the British battlecruiser HMS Renown (Capt. C.E.B. Simeon, RN) and the British heavy cruiser
HMS Sussex (Capt A.R. Hammick, RN). However, before the German ship can be captured she is scuttled by her own crew.
Following the Graf Spee scuttling in December 1939 returned to the UK, took part in the Norwegian Campaign then went to Glasgow for a refit.
26 Feb 1943
HMS Sussex (aided by code-breaking) intercepted the German supply ship Hohenfriedberg (7892 GRT) north-east of the Azores in position 41º45'N, 20º58'W. The ship scuttled when challenged and the same time Sussex was narrowly missed by a spread of torpedoes from U-264 which was accompanying the supply ship.
Transferred to the Eastern Fleet until the end of the war, covered the reoccupation of the Netherlands East Indies before returning home. (see map)
26 Jul 1945
Her Task Force was attacked by 2 "Val" suicides (Mitsubishi type 99 dive-bombers): one was shot down by escort carrier Ameer and the second by Sussex. However, this latter one bounced on the surface of the sea and impacted the cruiser's hull above the waterline, causing a 2½ metre dent. Later in the same day Sussex downed another aircraft.