HMS Chester

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Town-class
General Characteristics
Displacement:	5185 tons standard, 5845 tons full load
Length:	446 feet (135.9 m)
Beam:	50 feet (15.2 m)
Draught:	16 feet (4.9 m)
Propulsion:	4 shaft Parsons turbines, 12 Yarrow type boilers, 31,000 shp (23 MW)
Speed:	26.5 knots
Range:
Complement:	450
Armament:	Ten 5.5 inch (140 mm) 50-caliber Mk I, one 3 inch (76 mm) guns, 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour:	2 inch belt, 1.5 inch deck, 4 inch conning tower

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HMS Chester was one of two Town class cruisers originally ordered for the Greek Navy in 1914. It was to be named Lambros Katsonis. The order was placed with Cammell Laird and production continued for the Greek account after the outbreak of World War I in August 1914. In 1915, however, the two cruisers were purchased by the British government.

[edit] Design

The two Greek ships differed from Standard British Practice in several ways: The main armament consisted of the new 5.5 inch (140mm) Coventry Ordanance Works gun. This weapon was significantly lighter than the standard 6 inch gun and fired an 85 lb shell rather than the 100 lb shell of the 6 inch weapon. It therefore had a higher rate of fire with little loss in hitting power (ref). Chester also adopted oil firing machinery which was novel practice for the Royal Navy at the time.

[edit] Service

The ship was laid down on 7 October 1914, launched on 8 December 1915 and entered service in May 1916, three weeks before the Battle of Jutland. At Jutland she fought as part of the 3rd battle cruiser squadron and came under withering fire from German forces. She was hit by 17 150mm shells and suffered casualties of 29 men killed and 49 wounded; many of the wounded lost legs because the open backed gun-shields did not reach the deck and give adequate protection. Amongst the fatalities was John Cornwell VC. Chester served with the 3rd Light cruiser squadron until the Armistice and was subsequently placed in reserve. She was offered for re-sale to Greece but the offer was declined and the ship was scrapped in 1922. The gun served by Cornwell is preserved in the Imperial War Museum in London.