HMS Diadem (84)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Diadem.
Career (UK)
Class and type: Dido-class light cruiser
Name: HMS Diadem
Builder: R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited (Hebburn-on-Tyne, UK)
Laid down: 15 December 1939
Launched: 21 August 1942
Commissioned: 6 January 1944
Decommissioned: 1950
Reclassified: In reserve between 1950 to 1956
Fate: Sold to the Pakistan Navy on 29 February 1956
Career (Pakistan)
Name: Babur
Acquired: 29 February 1956
Commissioned: 5 July 1957
Renamed: Jahangir
General characteristics
Displacement:5,950 tons standard
7,200 tons full load
Length:485 ft (148 m) pp
512 ft (156 m) oa
Beam:50.5 ft (15.4 m)
Draught:14 ft (4.3 m)
Propulsion:Parsons geared turbines
Four shafts
Four Admiralty 3-drum boilers
62,000 shp (46 MW)
Speed:32.25 knots (60 km/h)
Range:2,414 km (1,500 miles) at 30 knots
6,824 km (4,240 miles) at 16 knots
1,100 tons fuel oil
Complement:530
Armament:
Original configuration:
  • 8 x 5.25 in (133 mm) dual guns,
  • 6 x 20 mm dual AA guns,
  • 3 x 2 pdr (37 mm/40 mm) pom-poms quad guns,
  • 2 x 21 in (533 mm) triple Torpedo Tubes.

Early 1945 - Early 1956 configuration:

  • 8 x 5.25 in (133 mm) dual guns,
  • 8 x 20 mm dual AA guns,
  • 8 x 20 mm single AA guns,
  • 3 x 2 pdr (37 mm/40 mm) pom-poms quad guns,
  • 2 x 21 in (533 mm) triple Torpedo Tubes.
Armor:
Original configuration:
  • Belt: 3 inch,
  • Deck: 1 inch,
  • Magazines: 2 inch,
  • Bulkheads: 1 inch.
Notes:Pennant number 84

HMS Diadem was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Bellona subgroup of the Royal Navy. She was a modified Dido design with only four turrets but improved AA armament - aka Dido Group 2. She was built by R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited (Hebburn-on-Tyne), UK), with the keel being laid down on 15 December 1939. She was launched on 21 August 1942, and commissioned 6 January 1944.

Royal Navy service

Diadem served on the Arctic convoys and covered carrier raids against the German battleship Tirpitz in the early months of 1944, then became part of Force G off Juno Beach during the invasion of Normandy in June. After the landings she carried out offensive patrols against German shipping around the Brittany coast, sinking, with destroyers, Sperrbrecher 7 off La Rochelle on 12 August. She returned to northern waters in September, where she covered Russian convoys and carrier raids against German shipping routes along the Norwegian coast, as well as making offensive sweeps herself. In the course of one such sweep, accompanied by HMS Mauritius on 28 January 1945, the cruiser engaged three German destroyers, damaging Z31. Diadem remained with the 10th Cruiser Squadron until after the war, and served in the Home Fleet until 1950. She was placed in reserve between 1950 to 1956.

Pakistan Navy service

In 1956 her sale to Pakistan was agreed, and after a refit she was handed over to the Pakistan Navy on 5 July 1957. She was renamed Babur, after the founder of the great Mogul empire. She was later renamed Jahangir, and converted into a cadets' training ship in 1961.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Blackman, Raymond V B, Jane's Fighting Ships 1963-4, Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd, London, p193

Publications