york class heavy cruisers built royal_navy late 1920s served north_america west indies station world war early war ship escorted convoys atlantic participated york transferred mediterranean theatre late escorted convoys larger ships mediterranean_fleet wrecked attack italian explosive 10th flotilla bay crete march ship wreck salvaged scrapped design description york design based classes intended smaller cheaper better armoured easily distinguishable sister ship exeter straight masts funnels york angled rear addition york tall bridge designed clear aircraft catapult originally planned carried superfiring gun turret forward york displaced long tons standard load long tons deep load ship overall length feet beam feet 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 york carried maximum long tons fuel oil gave range nautical miles knots mph ship complement officers men ship mounted calibre inch guns twin turrets secondary armament consisted inch anti aircraft guns single mounts york mounted single pounder light guns ship carried triple torpedo tube water mounts inch torpedoes york lacked waterline armor belt sides boiler engine rooms protected inches armour sides magazines protected inches armour transverse bulkheads end machinery rooms inches thick ends magazines inches thick lower deck machinery spaces steering gear thickness inches space weight reserved catapult seaplane fitted completed second catapult intended mounted turret deleted design construction service york laid launched july completed flagship 2nd cruiser squadron home fleet commissioning commanded captain served 8th north_america detached mediterranean_fleet second italo war returning outbreak war september ship transferred halifax nova scotia month convoy escort duties october york assigned force halifax active hunting commerce raiders protecting convoys briefly refitted bermuda october november returned great_britain thorough refit december completion february york assigned 1st cruiser squadron home fleet march ship intercepted german blockade runner near iceland scuttled crew captured early april york rest squadron assigned carry troops plan british plan invade norway troops disembarked april british learned imminent german invasion norway squadron command vice admiral joined bulk home_fleet sea april destroyer hms eclipse badly damaged air attack york detailed tow repairs ship light cruisers ferried 1st troops april york returned home april york ships evacuate british french troops french transports number british destroyers evening mediterranean august york assigned mediterranean_fleet joining alexandria late september escorting convoy cape good hope days later participated mediterranean_fleet escorted light cruisers hms gloucester ferried troops malta york sank disabled abandoned destroyer october destroyer engagement light cruiser previous evening month later york mediterranean_fleet executed operation complex series including ship escorted aircraft carrier aircraft attacked november days later york ferried british troops alexandria egypt greece november york rest covered small convoy malta mediterranean_fleet including york sortied december conduct air strikes italian shipping rhodes bombard early january ship escorted tanker flower class covered operations operation excess arrived alexandria january york returned early february operations italian shipping operation march protected troop convoys egypt greece fate york disabled bay crete italian explosive italian regia marina assault launched destroyers march old destroyers fitted special cranes operate assault craft entered bay led attacked targets pairs york second tanker ship anchor attacking boats problems mechanical human extreme temperature conditions successfully attacked targets packed kilogram charges bows struck york amidships flooding boiler rooms engine room british seamen killed italian sailors survived attack fell british hands ship run aground prevent sinking submarine supply electrical power operate cruiser guns anti aircraft defence later severely damaged air attack towed away repairs damage inflicted german bombers ship damaged repair main guns wrecked demolition charges allies began evacuate crete york wreck salvaged february towed broken beginning march
HMS York (90)