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HMS Dragon (D46)

1918 WORLD WAR 2

History of HMS Dragon (D46)

The British results of the Battle of Jutland (May-June 1916) forced special attention to improve the armor protection of various ships, including light cruisers. More torpedo tubes are required, as well as improved main gun mounts (while retaining the existing 6" Mk XII turret).

A new light cruiser - the Danae class (also known as the "D class") - was established and served from 1918 to 1946. Twelve such ships were planned, although only eight were completed and four were cancelled (three ultimately failed in action).

The HMS Dragon was laid at Greenock by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering on 24 January 1917 and launched on 29 December 1917. She entered service on August 16, 1918 - just a few months before the end of World War I. She was part of three original ships ordered under the War Emergency Plan in September 1916 - HMS Danae and HMS Dauntless, the latter becoming her sister.

Her data shows two funnels amidships, with the bridge superstructure forward. A lower profile secondary superstructure was installed further down the chimney.

Power is provided by 6 Yarrow water tube boilers feeding Parsons geared steam turbines while sending 40,000 shaft horsepower to 2 shafts below the stern. She is able to travel at nearly 30 knots and has a range of up to 2,300 nautical miles.

Dimensions include a barrel length of 445 feet, a beam of 46.5 feet and a draft of 14.5 feet. The full load displacement is 5700 tons. The crew totaled 462, and the armor ranged from 3 inches amidships to 1 inch plate protection on the upper deck.

Upon completion in 1918, the Dragon had a 6 x 6" L/45 Mark XII BL 6 series main gun, supported by 2 x 3" Mk II Anti-Aircraft Guns (AA). With 2 x 40mm 2lb "Pom-Pom" guns for additional anti-air defense, her armament was completed by mounting 12 x 21" (533mm) torpedo tubes as four triple launchers. In 1930, these became the ship's Modified weapon.

Keeps its 6" gun, but adds 3 x 102mm Mk V anti-aircraft guns. It continued to use pom-pom anti-aircraft guns and twelve torpedo tubes.

At the start of World War II (1939-1945), HMS Dragon began her wartime career as a member of the 7th Cruiser Squadron, taking control of German U-boat operations off the Shetland Islands. From there, she became part of the fleet that hunted down the Admiral Graf Spee in November 1939. The enemy ship was eventually damaged, captured and sunk in Montevideo just before Christmas.

After returning to British shores in 1940, she received her first trophy in September in the form of the French destroyer Touareg, before taking part in "Operation Threat" - a failed attempt to capture the western French port city of Dakar Action Africa.

For most of 1941, the Dragons became part of the escort defenses of Allied ships that regularly crossed the Atlantic. Before the end of the year, she was transferred to the Pacific/Asia theater, where she continued to provide escort defenses. She returned to Liverpool by the end of 1942 (by travelling around South Africa). During the year, her armament was modified again: the 6" gun remained, but she lost a 102mm anti-aircraft gun.

6 x 40mm pom-pom anti-aircraft guns are now in service, while their torpedo capabilities remain unchanged.

On January 15, 1943, the ship was handed over to the Polish government, now she is named ORP Dragon under the flag of the Polish Navy, and a modernization program followed, updating her engines, radar and artillery. This work was completed on 23 August 1943, and the ship was sent to Scapa Flow for further escort defense duties.

Her 1943 armament consisted of 5 x 6" main guns, 1 x 102mm anti-aircraft gun, 8 x 40mm pom-pom anti-aircraft guns, 3 x Mark VII 2-pounder Mark VIII guns (quad) and 12 x 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun torpedo launchers The tube was removed and depth charge launcher rails were installed.

Their most prominent action in the war was in support of the Allied amphibious operation in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. Their artillery was armed against German coastal positions, but enemy close-range fire eventually caused them to retreat. When Allied ground forces moved in to protect the strategic city, their guns then began engaging enemy positions inland from Caen.

After resupplying at Portsmouth, she returned to the French coast to shell enemy positions and eventually escort the crippled HMS Nelson (28).

On July 7, 1944, a German manned/manned torpedo finally destroyed the ship, when she promised to redeploy the defenders at Caen. Two dozen of her crew were killed in the raid and her third newsstand caught fire, causing flooding.

This resulted in a list of ports, but crews were able to adjust the ship for the voyage and head to shallower waters. From there the ship was written off, its useful equipment (including guns) removed, and its hull towed for scrap.

From mid-July it became part of the artificial breakwater of Courseulles.