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HMS Phoebe (43)
Encyclopedia
HMS Phoebe was a Dido class
light cruiser
of the Royal Navy
. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
(Govan
, Scotland
), with the keel being laid down on 2 September 1937. She was launched on 25 March 1939, and commissioned on 30 September 1940.
Phoebe's first six months were spent in the Home Fleet
, escorting troop convoys on the first stage of their long voyage via the Cape to the Middle East
. In April 1941 she was transferred to the 7th Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean
. Enemy-held territory here was to keep the British Fleet busy for the next two and half years, and Phoebe was to have her fair share of the action. One of her first operations was the evacuation of troops from Greece
and Crete
, which was followed quickly by the Syria
landings and transporting troops to and from Tobruk
, where she was torpedoed by an Italian plane and went to the USA for repair. The damage she sustained put her out of action for eight months.
Phoebe returned to the Mediterranean in the summer of 1942 to escort the last heavily opposed convoy to Malta
.
. Her route was from Simonstown to Freetown
, but the ship had to refuel at Pointe Noire. Two U-boats (U-161 and U-126) were patrolling that area at the time.
After the hit, a corvette
coming up from the harbour prevented the U-boat from finishing off the cruiser. About 60 crew members were killed (and three more died from malaria
in the following days). After provisional repairs, Phoebe made for New York
for complete repairs. It was an incredible feat to sail 10,000 miles with a gaping hole (60 ft by 30 ft) in her hull. The repairs were not completed until June 1943. In October 1943 she returned to the Mediterranean to take part in the Aegean
operations.
In May 1944, Phoebe was transferred to the Eastern Fleet
and was involved in strike operations against the Andaman Islands
, Sabang in Northern Sumatra
and the Nicobar Islands
. In January 1945, a busy month, she was switched to supporting amphibious operations in Burma
and was engaged in actions against Akyab, Ramree Island off the Arakan Coast, and Cheduba Island. In May 1945, Phoebe was involved in the amphibious assault on Rangoon.
Dido class cruiser
The Dido class was a class of sixteen light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. The design was influenced by the Arethusa class light cruisers. The first group of three ships was commissioned in 1940, the second group and third group were commissioned in 1941–1942...
light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a British shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy and other navies through the First World War and the...
(Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
), with the keel being laid down on 2 September 1937. She was launched on 25 March 1939, and commissioned on 30 September 1940.
Mediterranean
British Home Fleet
The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which operated in the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967.-Pre–First World War:...
, escorting troop convoys on the first stage of their long voyage via the Cape to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. In April 1941 she was transferred to the 7th Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Theatre of World War II
The African, Mediterranean and Middle East theatres encompassed the naval, land, and air campaigns fought between the Allied and Axis forces in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and Africa...
. Enemy-held territory here was to keep the British Fleet busy for the next two and half years, and Phoebe was to have her fair share of the action. One of her first operations was the evacuation of troops from Greece
Battle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
and Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
, which was followed quickly by the Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
landings and transporting troops to and from Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
, where she was torpedoed by an Italian plane and went to the USA for repair. The damage she sustained put her out of action for eight months.
Phoebe returned to the Mediterranean in the summer of 1942 to escort the last heavily opposed convoy to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
Africa
On 23 October 1942, HMS Phoebe was torpedoed by U-161 off the Congo Estuary, while on passage to French Equatorial AfricaFrench Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
. Her route was from Simonstown to Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, but the ship had to refuel at Pointe Noire. Two U-boats (U-161 and U-126) were patrolling that area at the time.
After the hit, a corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
coming up from the harbour prevented the U-boat from finishing off the cruiser. About 60 crew members were killed (and three more died from malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
in the following days). After provisional repairs, Phoebe made for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
for complete repairs. It was an incredible feat to sail 10,000 miles with a gaping hole (60 ft by 30 ft) in her hull. The repairs were not completed until June 1943. In October 1943 she returned to the Mediterranean to take part in the Aegean
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
operations.
Far East
British Eastern Fleet
The British Eastern Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which existed from 1941 to 1971...
and was involved in strike operations against the Andaman Islands
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
, Sabang in Northern Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
and the Nicobar Islands
Nicobar Islands
The Nicobar Islands are an archipelagic island chain in the eastern Indian Ocean...
. In January 1945, a busy month, she was switched to supporting amphibious operations in Burma
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
and was engaged in actions against Akyab, Ramree Island off the Arakan Coast, and Cheduba Island. In May 1945, Phoebe was involved in the amphibious assault on Rangoon.