View source for HMS Birmingham (C19)

{{short description|Town-class cruiser}}
{{other ships|HMS Birmingham}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Birmingham.jpg
|Ship caption=''Birmingham'' in 1943
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Birmingham''
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[HMNB Devonport|HM Dockyard, Devonport]]
|Ship laid down=18 July 1935
|Ship launched=1 September 1936
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=18 November 1937
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=3 December 1959
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|Ship fate=Broken up in 1960
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class={{sclass2|Town|cruiser (1936)|0}} [[light cruiser]]
|Ship displacement=*9,100 tons '''standard'''
* 11,350 tons '''full load'''
|Ship length={{convert|591|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall
|Ship beam={{convert|61|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|21|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=* Four [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
* {{cvt|75,000|shp|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*4 shafts; 4 geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|32|kn|lk=in|0}}
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|Ship capacity=
|Ship complement=748
|Ship time to activate=
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|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
* 12 × [[BL 6-inch Mk XXIII naval gun|{{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on|0}} Mk XXIII guns]] [triple mounts]
* 8 × [[QF 4-inch naval gun Mk XVI|QF {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|0}} Mk XVI guns]] [double mounts]
* 4 × [[QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss|3-pounder]]
* 8 × [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|QF 2-pounder (40 mm) AA guns]] [quadruple mounts]
* [[Torpedo tube]]s: 6 × [[British 21-inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|mm|adj=on|0}}]]
|Ship armour=
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|Ship notes=[[Pennant number]] C19
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Birmingham''''' was a member of the first group of five ships of the {{sclass2|Town|cruiser (1936)|4}} [[light cruiser]]s.

==Early career==
[[File:NMM by Richard Symonds 14.JPG|thumb|left|Ship's badge in the National Maritime Museum]]

''Birmingham'' initially joined the 5th Cruiser Squadron on the [[China Station]] in January 1938. On the outbreak of [[World War II]] in September 1939, she left for [[Malta]] for a refit before joining the [[Home Fleet]] in March–April 1940. ''Birmingham'' was a unit of the 18th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, initially used to patrol off the coast of [[Norway]] to prevent German fishing vessels operating in this area. In mid-April ''Birmingham'', {{HMS|Manchester|C15|2}} and {{HMS|Cairo|D87|2}} escorted a troop convoy to Norway. On 26 April she shelled and sank the {{ship|German patrol boat|Schiff 37||6}} after ''Schiff 37'' rammed and damaged the [[destroyer]] {{HMS|Arrow|H42|2}} off Norway. In May, ''Birmingham'', in company with ''Manchester'', evacuated 1,500 troops from [[Åndalsnes]]. She returned to the UK and was in refit between September–December 1940.

From January until April 1941 ''Birmingham'' escorted troop convoys to the Middle East, around the [[Cape of Good Hope]]. In May she returned to home waters, and was involved in the hunt for the {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||6}} and heavy cruiser {{ship|German cruiser|Prinz Eugen||2}}. ''Birmingham'' had already put to sea from [[Scapa Flow]] on a patrol of the [[Iceland]]-[[Faroe Islands|Faroes]] passage, and did not end up engaging the German ships. ''Birmingham'' then escorted convoy WS-9A from the UK to [[South Africa]] arriving on 4 July 1941. Whilst in South African waters, she docked in the [[Selborne Graving Dock|Selborne dry dock]] at [[Simon's Town]] for a minor refit, where she was fitted with the Mk 284 and 291 radars and several new [[anti-aircraft]] weapons.

==In the Mediterranean and home waters==
On completion in February 1942, ''Birmingham'' was transferred to the [[Eastern Fleet]], returning to South Africa in March. In June she was reassigned to operate in the [[Mediterranean]] as a member of the 4th Cruiser Squadron under Rear Admiral Tennant. She was part of the covering force for the double convoy operation codenamed Operations [[Operation Harpoon (1942)|"Harpoon"]] and [[Operation Vigorous|"Vigorous"]] from [[Gibraltar]] and [[Alexandria]] to supply the island of [[Malta]]. In March, she was attacked and damaged by 15 [[Junkers Ju 87|Ju 87]] from [[Sturzkampfgeschwader 3]] and Italian [[Cant Z.1007|Cant 1007]] aircraft. Though they failed to hit ''Birmingham'' directly, she was damaged by several near misses. In September she returned to the Indian Ocean and was involved in the [[Battle of Madagascar|British operation to occupy Madagascar]], codenamed Operation "Stream". In November ''Birmingham'' escorted a convoy to [[Mahajanga]] West Coast where the 10th Infantry Brigade was landed under air cover provided by the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Illustrious|87|2}}.
[[File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A28566.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein|Field Marshal Montgomery]] saluting from his car while passing down a quayside lined with a [[Royal Marines|Royal Marine]] [[Guard of honour]] from ''Birmingham''. The [[Field Marshal]] had just landed at [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]] following its liberation by British forces. ''Birmingham'' is moored to the quayside and her crew line the decks]]
In April 1943 ''Birmingham'' was again refitted in the UK, a process completed in October. She returned to the Mediterranean and on 28 November was torpedoed by the {{GS|U-407}} off the coast of [[Cyrenaica]]. The torpedo struck the keel, in line with the 'B' turret and right under the seaman boys' mess deck, killing about seventy men in that compartment. Seriously damaged, and with her bow almost severed, she succeeded in returning to Alexandria where temporary repairs were carried out.<ref name=pk0>Keeble, Chapter VII "Make and Mend" pp. 107-108</ref> In June 1944, she sailed for the United States where more permanent repairs were carried out. 'X' 6 inch turret was removed and replaced by 16 (4x4) [[Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun|Bofors 40 mm gun]] plus an increase to 27 (10x2, 7x1) [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]].<ref>Waters, p. 132</ref> In November 1944, the repairs were completed and she returned to home waters to join the 10th Cruiser Squadron at Scapa Flow.

In May 1945, as the war drew to a close, a force consisting of the cruisers ''Birmingham'', {{HMS|Dido|37|2}} and several destroyers was tasked with occupying ports in the [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]]. The force passed through the German [[Naval mine|mine]] barrage off the [[Skagerrak]], reaching [[Copenhagen]] on 9 May, taking control of the German cruisers ''Prinz Eugen'' and {{ship|German cruiser|Nürnberg||2}} after their surrender. On 13 May ''Birmingham'' was relieved by the cruiser {{HMS|Devonshire|39|2}} and she returned to the UK.

==Postwar career==
In 1948 ''Birmingham'' was transferred to the South Atlantic Command. On 4 January 1947, she embarked the departing governor of Burma on its independence.<ref>Kwasi Kwarteng ''Ghosts of Empire'' (London: Bloomsbury 2012) p.205</ref> She served in the East Indies Fleet with the 4th Cruiser Squadron between 1949 and 1950. During 1950 and 1952 ''Birmingham'' underwent a modernisation, receiving new bridgework, a lattice foremast and air conditioning rendering her suitable for service in the Far East. To control the 4" A/A armament, she was given 2 – Mk 6 high angle directors at the corners of the former aircraft hangar. Her armament now consisted of 9 (3x3) 6 inch guns, 16 (4x4) 4 inch guns and 18 (6x2 & 6x1) [[Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun|Bofors 40 mm gun]].<ref>Waters, p. 241</ref> This was her last modernisation as she was considered to be too old to justify any major modernisation. After this refit she was transferred to the Far East Fleet, where she was a member of the 5th Cruiser Squadron. She became involved in the [[Korean War]] where she expended 1,051 six-inch shells. In June 1952 as the [[Panmunjeom|Panmunjom]] ([[Korea]]) negotiations moved belatedly towards an armistice, ''Birmingham'', along with the cruiser {{HMS|Newcastle|C76|2}} and two [[frigate]]s, supported American landing craft evacuating thousands of friendly Koreans from islands off the north-west coast. An armistice was finally reached in June 1953. In June 1954, ''Birmingham'' returned home from the Far East.

In 1955 ''Birmingham'' was transferred to the [[Mediterranean Fleet (United Kingdom)|Mediterranean Fleet]], where she was the flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron. The 1956 film ''[[The Baby and the Battleship]]'' was filmed aboard her. During the same year she was in the Mediterranean, ''Birmingham'' also took part in the film [[Battle of the River Plate (film)|''Battle of the River Plate'']] starring [[Anthony Quayle]] and [[Peter Finch]]. The visible presence in the wardroom of a full-frontal painted nude,<ref name="Bane">{{cite web|url=http://www.fleetwood-walker.co.uk/public-collections/|title=Bernard Fleetwood-Walker – Works in Public Collections|access-date=24 May 2012}}</ref> ''The Bane'', painted in 1931 by [[Birmingham]] artist [[Bernard Fleetwood-Walker]] and loaned to the ship by [[Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery]], caused some discussion at the [[Cannes Film Festival]] of 1957.<ref name="BEM-1957-05-13">{{cite news|title=untitled|last=Anon|date=13 May 1957|work=Birmingham Evening Mail}}</ref>

In June 1957, she was one of seven warships involved in an exercise off the [[Turkey|Turkish]] [[Black Sea]] ports under the Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, Admiral Sir [[Ralph Edwards (Royal Navy officer)|Ralph Edwards]] — the exercises led to a strong protest from the Soviet government. In May 1959 whilst operating off Malta, ''Birmingham'' was involved in a collision with the [[destroyer]] {{HMS|Delight|D119|2}} which caused the deaths of two sailors who were overcome by fumes while inspecting areas below ''Birmingham''{{'}}s waterline for damage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Ops-Events1951-60.htm |title=Chronology, Part 2 - 1951-60 |publisher=naval-history.net |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |date=2007 |access-date=18 May 2015}}</ref>

==Decommissioning and disposal==
''Birmingham'' was paid off at [[HMNB Devonport]] on 3 December 1959. By this time she was the last of her class in service. She was broken up in September 1960 by [[Thos. W. Ward]], of [[Inverkeithing]]. Her badge is still visible on the [[Selborne Graving Dock]] wall at [[Simon's Town]], [[South Africa]].

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau |editor1-first=Roger |publisher=Mayflower Books|location=New York|year=1980|isbn=0-8317-0303-2 |chapter=Great Britain |last1=Campbell |first1=N.J.M.|pages=2–85}}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After|year=2010|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-59114-078-8 |author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last=Keeble|first=Peter|title=Ordeal by Water|publisher=Doubleday |location=Garden City, New York|year=1958|oclc=1252892}} 
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7|author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton}}
* {{cite book| title=British and Dominion Warships of World War Two |author1=Lenton, H.T.  |author2=Colledge, J. J. |publisher=Doubleday and Company |year=1968}}
* {{cite book |last1=McCart |first1=Neil |title=Town Class Cruisers |date=2012 |publisher=Maritime Books |location=Liskeard, UK |isbn=978-1-904-45952-1}}
* {{cite book|last1=Raven|first1=Alan|last2=Roberts|first2=John|title=British Cruisers of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1980|isbn=0-87021-922-7|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2 |author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book |last=Waters|first=Conrad|year=2019|title=British Town Class Cruisers: Design, Development & Performance; Southampton & Belfast Classes |location=Barnsley, UK |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |isbn=978-1-5267-1885-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Cassell |location=London|year=1995|isbn=1-86019-874-0|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

==External links==
{{commons category|HMS Birmingham (C19)}}
* [https://archive.today/20130118153949/http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=13686 HMS ''Birmingham'' docked at Portsmouth, 1938] ([[Pathé News]]reel)
* [https://archive.today/20130119050948/http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=66576 HMS ''Birmingham'' at Cannes, 1957] (Pathé newsreel)
* {{YouTube|t2qIU5SH_s8&t|"Naval Bombardment"}} – Training video from 1945 featuring the ''Birmingham''.

{{Town class cruiser 1936}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Birmingham}}
[[Category:Town-class cruisers (1936)]]
[[Category:Ships built in Plymouth, Devon]]
[[Category:1936 ships]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Cold War cruisers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Korean War cruisers of the United Kingdom]]