Light cruiser of the Bellona class
HMS Bellona as completed in 1943
| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Light cruiser |
| Class | Bellona |
| Pennant | 63 |
| Built by | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 30 Nov, 1939 |
| Launched | 29 Sep, 1942 |
| Commissioned | 29 Oct, 1943 |
| End service | |
| Loss position | |
| |
| History | Loaned to the Royal New Zealand Navy on 17 April 1946.
Returned to the Royal Navy in April 1956.
In reserve during 1956-1957.
Scrapped by Ward, Briton Ferry, Wales starting on 5 February 1959.
Commanding Officers:
Capt. Charles Fred Wivell Norris, RN
14 August 1943 – November 1944
DSO awarded on 14 November 1944
Capt. Gerald Seymour Tuck, DSO, RN
November 1944 – still in command in October 1945 according to the Navy List |
| Noteable events involving Bellona include: 12 Jan, 1945
The British heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (Capt. J.G.Y. Loveband, RN with Rear-Admiral R.R. McGrigor, CB, DSO, RN aboard) and the light cruiser HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, DSO, RN) escorted by the destroyers HMS Onslow (Capt. H.W.S. Browning, OBE, RN), HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Gower, DSC, RN) and HMS Onslaught (Cdr. the Hon. A. Pleydell-Bouverie, RN) attack a German convoy of Egersund, Norway. Two German merchants, the Bahia Camarones (8551 GRT) and the Charlotte (4404 GRT) and the minelayer M 273 were sunk. |
