crown colony class cruiser royal_navy named island jamaica british possession built late 1930s light cruiser spent entire wartime career arctic convoy duties deployment south landings north_africa november participated battle sea jamaica escorted aircraft carriers flew attacked german battleship northern norway late year extensive refit prepare service war ended reached pacific jamaica spent late 1940s far_east north_america west indies station korean war began ordered cooperation united_states_navy bombard north korean troops advanced eastern coast ship provided fire support landing later year jamaica refitted late year returned great_britain early placed reserve recommissioned service mediterranean_fleet jamaica play hms exeter film battle river plate company wartime partner ship participated anglo french invasion egypt seize control suez_canal jamaica paid sold scrap description jamaica displaced long tons standard load long tons deep load ship overall length feet inches beam feet inches draught feet inches powered parsons geared steam turbines driving shafts developed total shaft horsepower gave maximum speed knots mph steam turbines provided admiralty drum water tube boilers jamaica carried maximum long tons fuel oil gave range nautical miles knots mph ship complement officers men peacetime war ship mounted calibre inch guns gun turrets secondary armament consisted inch anti aircraft guns twin turrets jamaica mounted quadruple pounder light mounts short range armament known ship carried water triple torpedo tube mounts inch torpedoes jamaica lacked waterline armour belt sides boiler engine rooms magazines protected inches armour deck machinery spaces magazines reinforced thickness inches carried aircraft catapult history jamaica laid april england naval programme named colony jamaica ship launched november completed june working ship provided distant cover convoy september assigned early november unsuccessfully attacked french submarine arctic convoys suspended scheduled resume december escorting destroyers formed command rear admiral tasked cover convoy german surface ships convoy spotted germans arrived inlet incident december battle sea force sailed december rendezvous convoy blown southwards major storm ships separated storm confused radar force ships true location convoy force miles north convoy morning december heavy cruiser admiral hipper attacked convoy admiral hipper held bay british destroyers initially driven admiral hipper returned engaged force shortly noon hit inch shells cruisers german destroyers sheffield admiral hipper attempted form sheffield sank range miles jamaica unsuccessfully engaged hour later force spotted pocket battleship admiral hipper opened fire scored hits darkness sides turned away minutes later force continued track german ships hours lost contact destroyer sunk kriegsmarine convoy reached inlet intact force remained sea protect convoy returning great_britain relieved jamaica relieved escort duties return january main gun barrels replaced march rejoined home_fleet refitted portsmouth july september year received twin power operated millimetre guns single guns november protected convoys engaged december assigned force distant escort battleship hms duke york destroyers force commanded admiral commander chief home fleet duke york time british distant cover force escorted convoy way passage uneventful force sailed december refuel iceland reached destination admiral received ultra information sortie german battleship likely attack sea battle north cape german aerial reconnaissance spotted convoy december escorted destroyers 4th destroyer flotilla sailed december intercept resulting engagement known germans spotted morning december engaged covering force consisted cruisers destroyers approached south west barring path retreat german battleship turned base early afternoon brief encounters british cruisers spotted duke york type radar range yards duke york opened fire half hour later jamaica fired minute hit broadside forced cease fire german ship faster heavy seas british ships opening range despite heavy damage british shells shell duke york volley penetrated number boiler room effectively destroyed reduced german ship speed sufficiently british destroyers catch torpedo hits attack slowed ship jamaica caught opened fire range yards hit german ship continually sinking minutes firing jamaica ordered torpedo torpedoes volley missed cruiser turn fire broadside appeared hit belfast destroyers fired torpedoes finally sank convoys raids february march jamaica served covering forces convoys detached escort aircraft carrier launched air strike german battleship july formed covering force carriers unsuccessful attack german battleship operation mascot jamaica escorted convoys august september starting major refit october lasted april ship turret removed replaced pounder mounts radar suite modernized june cruiser conveyed king queen visit jamaica joined 5th cruiser squadron october replaced squadron flagship april ship returned devonport refit november transferred north_america west indies station august completion sent hong_kong april remained far_east korean war began june korean war fighting broken june whilst jamaica passage japan escort hms black swan ordered rendezvous american light cruiser east coast korea bombard advancing north korean troops july north korean supply convoy returning spotted allied ships escorting motor torpedo boats motor gun boats turned fight torpedo boats gun boats sunk inflicting damage allied ships resumed bombarding coastal targets days later jamaica hit millimetre shell killed wounded august ship bombarded captured harbour facilities following month jamaica participated preparatory bombardment island main landing september landing supported southern flank assault tasked support 1st days landing jamaica american heavy cruiser uss rochester attacked pair engined fighters dawn aircraft succeeded ship killing sailor shot ship guns jamaica sent refit singapore october sailed home completed arrived plymouth february placed reserve post war ship flagship recommissioned service mediterranean_fleet assigned 1st cruiser squadron refitted june rejoined squadron ship participated operation november ship led bombardment force covering landings port said permitted fire main guns cabinet banned naval gunfire support guns larger inches played hms exeter war film battle river plate jamaica placed reserve september port visit kiel sold november ship arrived yards december scrapping completed august
HMS Jamaica (44)