May 28th 1941
SIX BRITISH WARSHIPS SUNK
The cruisers GLOUCESTER and FIJI, the destroyers JUNO, GREYHOUND, KELLY and KASHMIR have been lost in the defence of Crete.
The KELLY was commanded by Lord Louis Mountbatten, cousin of the king. It is understood Lord Louis Mountbatten is among the saved.
Mr Churchill announcing the losses in the House of Commons yesterday stated, the greater part of the crews are saved. General Freyberg was receiving reinforcements of men and supplies, and the issue of their magnificent resistance hung in the balance.
Admiralty communique :-
Our naval operations in the eastern Mediterranean have prevented any enemy sea-borne landing in force on the island of Crete and have inflicted heavy loss upon laden enemy transports endeavouring to reach land. In addition to the two troop convoys already announced broken up by our forces with heavy loss to the enemy, one of our submarines has sunk by gunfire two caciques full of German soldiers. Two enemy E-boats have been sunk and two damaged in these operations. A number of German aircraft have also been shot down by our ships Operations of this type in confined waters, without fighter protection against the very large air forces employed by the enemy cannot be undertaken without loss and the Board of the Admiralty regret to announce the following ships have been sunk.
Cruisers
HMS GLOUCESTER, Capt H. A. ROWLEY, R.N.
HMS FIJI, Capt P. B. R. W. William-POULETT, R.N.
Destroyers
HMS JUNO, Com St U. R. J. TYRWHITT, R.N.
HMS GREYHOUND, Com W. R. Marshall A. DEANE, D.S.C, R.N.
HMS KELLY, Capt Lord Louis MOUNTBATTEN, G.C.V.O, D.S.O, R.N.
HMS KASHMIR, Com H. A. KING, R.N.
It is known the following survivors have been landed :-
FIJI, 34 Officers, 500 men.
KELLY, 8 Officers, 120 men.
KASHMIR, 9 Officers, 150 men.
JUNO, 6 Officers, 98 men.
GREYHOUND, 3 Officers, 88 men.
It is regretted there is no news available of survivors from HMS GLOUCESTER, but, since this was sunk not far from the Greek mainland where admiralty boats and rafts are available it is hoped many of her company have survived. Next of kin are being informed as soon as possible.
HMS GLOUCESTER, 9,400 tons, one of 8 cruisers of the Southampton class, launched Devonport 1937, completed January 1939, had a normal compliment of 700. She was one of the warships engaged in Admiral CUNNINGHAMS rout of the Italian Fleet in the Battle of Cape Matapan in March, and was armed with 12, 6inch, 8, 4inch AA, 4, 3pounder and 16 smaller guns, 1, 3-7inch howitzer and 6, 21inch torpedo tubes. Her designed speed was 32.3 knots and she carried 3 aircraft.
HMS FIJI, 8,000tons, one of the 13 cruisers of the class which bears her name, launched at Clydebank in May 1939, her designed speed 33knots, her armament, 12, 6inch, 8, 4inch AA and 16 smaller guns, she carried 3 aircraft.
HMS KELLY, 1,695tons, Flotilla leader, HMS KASHMIR and HMS JUNO both 1,690tons, were destroyers by the Javelin class of 24 ships, each had a normal compliment of 183 and mounted 6, 4-7inch and 6 smaller guns together with 10, 21inch torpedo tubes. Their speed was 33knots, and all completed in 1939.
HMS KELLY figured in an epic story of gallantry at sea in May last year Commander, Capt Lord Louis Mountbatten, she was crippled by a torpedo in the Channel. Throughout four days of air attack and menace from u-boats, her crew climbing from gun to gun over the wreckage of their ship, fought them entirely by hand, because the electrical system was out of action, and the KEELY was towed safely to port. She was repaired and in December last was at sea again.
HMS GREYHOUND, 1,335 tons, destroyer of the class bearing her name was built at Barrow, completed in 1935, and had a normal compliment of 145, armed with 4, 4-7inch, and 6 smaller guns, 8, 21inch torpedo tubes. Her designed speed 36knots.
It was the GREYHOUND which put her search lights on one of three enemy cruisers during the Battle of Cape Matapan, enabling our Battle Fleet to open fire at 2 miles range and wreck two of the enemy warships with the first shots.
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