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Allied Warships

HMS Derbyshire (F 78)

Armed Merchant Cruiser

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeArmed Merchant Cruiser
Class 
PennantF 78 
Built byFairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland) 
Ordered 
Laid down 
Launched14 Jun, 1935 
Commissioned4 Dec, 1939 
End service19 Feb, 1942 
Loss position
 
HistoryOn 14 October 1939 the passenger ship Derbyshire of the Bibby Brothers & Co, Liverpool was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an armed merchant cruiser. Conversion was completed on 4 December 1939.

Displacement: 11660 BRT
Armament: 6x 152mm, 2x 76mm
Speed: 16 knots

Career:
December 39 - May 40: Northern Patrol
May 40: North Atlantic Escort Force
June 40 - August 40: Northern Patrol
November 40 - March 41: Northern and Western Patrol
April 41: Bermuda and Halifax Escort Force
May 41 - November 41: Freetown Escort Force
December 41 - February 42: South Atlantic Station

On 19 February 1942 returned and used as troopship by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 1943 converted to a landing ship LSI(L). 1945 used as troopship and in November 1947 returned to owner. 


Noteable events involving Derbyshire include:

30 Jul, 1941
The British merchant Shahristan is torpedoed and sunk southeast of the Azores in position 35º19'N, 23º53'W. HMS Derbyshire (Capt. E.A.B. Stanley, DSO, MVO, (retired), RN) later picks up 6 survivors.


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