HMS York (90)

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Career

Class and type:	York-class heavy cruiser
Name:	HMS York
Ordered:	21 October 1926
Builder:	Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow
Laid down:	16 May 1927
Launched:	17 July 1928
Commissioned:	1 May 1930
Fate:	Disabled by Italian assault launches and later blown up 22 May 1941, arrived Bari for breaking up March 3, 1952
General characteristics
Displacement:	8,250 tons standard 10,350 tons full
Length:	540 ft (160 m) p/p 575 ft (175 m) o/a
Beam:	58 ft (18 m)
Draught:	17 ft (5.2 m)
Propulsion:	Eight Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers Parsons geared steam turbines Four shafts 80,000 shp
Speed:	32¼ kts (30½ kts full load)
Range:	1,900 tons oil fuel, 10,000 nmi (20,000 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement:	630
Armament:	as built: 6 x BL 8 inch (203 mm) L/50 Mark VIII, twin mounts Mk.II 4 x QF 4 inch (102 mm) L/45 Mk.V, single mounts HA Mk.III 8 x 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) L/50 Mk.III Vickers machine guns, quad mounts Mk.I 2 x triple tubes for 21 inch (533 mm) torpedoes
Armour:	Main belt 3 in 2½-1 in enclosing bulkheads Lower deck 1¼ in over machinery 1½ in over stearing gear Magazine box citadels 5-1 in Transmitting Station 1 in Turrets 1 in face, rear, crown 2½ in base 1 in barbette 2 in hoist
Aircraft carried:	Plan to fit catapult and floatplane on 'B' turret never completed rotating catapult and Fairey Seafox amidships

For other ships of the same name, see HMS York.

HMS York, pennant number 90, was a York class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow, on 18 May 1927 launched on 17 July 1928 and completed on 1 May 1930.

She was the lead ship for the planned five ships of her class, built to a modified design based on the earlier County classes intended to be built cheaper than the predecessors. She could be instantly recognised form her sister, Exeter, as the latter had straight masts and funnels, those of York being raked. In addition, York had a more traditional bridge design similar to the Counties, that of Exeter was a modern design, later seen in the Leander and Arethusa classes.

[edit] Service

HMS York entering Havana harbour, January 1938

York served with the 8th Cruiser Squadron on the America and West Indies Station, in the Mediterranean in 1935 and 1936, on the America Station until October 1939, with Force F at Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. Early in World War II found her with the 3rd Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean from 1940. On 3 March, 1940 she intercepted the German passenger ship Arucas off the south-east coast of Iceland. The German ship was scuttled by her own crew before she could be captured. At the end of the Norwegian campaign she was used to evacuate British and French troops from Namsos alongside HMS Devonshire, the French cruiser Montcalm and three French transports. York then returned to the Mediterranean and joined the 3rd Cruiser Squadron on convoy duties.

Whilst escorting one convy, on the return trip the Mediterranean Fleet was sighted by an Italian aircraft. The Italian Navy tried to intercept them in the Ionian Sea. In the night of 11/12 October, off Cape Passero, the first Italian torpedo boat flotilla with Airone, Alcione and Ariel attacked the cruiser HMS Ajax. The attack failed and Ajax sank Airone and Ariel whilst Alcione escaped. A little while later the Italian 11th destroyer flotilla, with Artigliere, Aviere, Camicia Nera and Geniere arrived at the scene. They were surprised by the radar-directed gunfire from HMS Ajax. Artigliere was heavily damaged and Aviere was lightly damaged. Camicia Nere tried to tow Artigliere away but she was sighted by a British Sunderland aircraft that homed in three Swordfish aircraft from HMS Illustrious. The torpedoes missed the Italian ships. Later HMS York arrived at the scene. Camicia Nera quickly slipped the tow line and sped off. After her crew had left the ship Artiglire was sunk by York.

York was disabled at Suda Bay in Crete by two Italian barchini, small motor assault boats (or MTMs) of the Italian MAS, launched by enemy destroyers Crispi and Sella on 26 March 1941. The motorboats, each packed with 300-kg (667 lb) charges in the bows impacted her amidships, flooding both boiler rooms and one engine room, and causing her to settle on the bottom in shallow water. Two men of her complement were killed in action. The British submarine HMS Rover was dispatched from Alexandria to supply electrical power, but on 24 April the submarine was severely damaged by an air attack and the decision was taken to abandon any attempt at salvage. York was wrecked by demolition charges on 22 May 1941. Some of her armament was removed and installed around Crete to defend the island. After the war, York’s hull was towed to Bari and broken up in 1952.