C class cruiser

HMS Cambrian
C-class
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The C-class were light cruisers of the Royal Navy, and were built in a number of sub-classes known as the Caroline (six ships), Cambrian (six ships), Centaur (two ships), Caledon (four ships), Ceres (five ships) and Carlisle (five ships) classes. They were built for the rough conditions of the North Sea and proved rugged, and capable, vessels, though were quiet small and cramped.

The Caroline-class were all launched in 1914 and commissioned in 1915. They had an armament of two single 6-in guns, eight 4-in guns and two 6-pounder guns. Their anti-air warfare (AAW) weaponry consisted of four 3-pounder guns. Their aft 6-in gun was superimposed and the class had three funnels. During WWI, the class underwent a variety of alterations, including the removal of the 4-in gun in Caroline, Carysfort Comus, being replaced by two extra 6-in guns, while Cleopatra, Conquest and Cordelia retaining one to two of the 4-in guns, with two 2-pounder guns being added to some of the ships.

The Cambrian-class were commissioned between 1915-16. They had two funnels rather than the three in the previous sub-class. HM ships Calliope and Champion had all geared turbines, the first RN cruisers to be fitted with them. They also had increased belt armour and, Champion had just two screws. The Cambrian-class had similar armament to the previous sub-class, with its main armament being four 6-in guns in single turrets. Their secondary armament consisted of eight 4-in guns. They were later removed from the class, except Canterbury and Champion which retained one single 4-in gun. The rest of the ships used either two to three 3-in guns.

The Centaur-class were launched and commissioned in 1916. The class also had geared turbines, as-well as four screws. They retained the two funnels introduced to the C-class by the Cambrians. Their main armament was five 6-in guns in single turrets. Their 4-in guns were mostly replaced in a similar fashion to the previous sub-classes, with smaller calibre guns.

The Caledon-class were all commissioned in 1917. They retained the two funnels of the previous two sub-classes. Their propulsion was slightly different to the previous sub-classes. Their superstructure was also slightly altered. They had a main armament of five 6-in guns and a secondary armament of two 3-in guns, as-well as an AAW armament of four 3-pounder guns. The surviving ships of the class survived to see WWII, and underwent a number of modifications. Five 20mm Oerlikon guns were added to all ships. Caledon herself had a different armament, as she underwent an extensive rebuild that saw her become an anti-air warfare (AAW) cruiser. She was armed with the effective 4-in gun, of which she had twelve, two 40mm Bofors and eight 20mm Oerlikons.

The Ceres-class were commissioned between 1917-18. They were very "wet" at th ebow, which was remedied in the subsequent Carlisle sub-class with the addition of a "trawler bow". Their main armament consisted of five 6-in guns, while their secondary armament consisted of two 3-in guns, of which a further one was later added to Ceres herself. Four 3-pounder guns were also fitted. Three ships underwent extensive rebuilds during the 1930s, becoming AAW cruisers, resulting in all previous armament being removed. The ships were Coventry, Curacao and Curlew, with Curacao being the last of the three to be rebuilt in 1939, with the other two ships having been converted in 1935. Coventry and Curlew were given ten 4-in guns (two later being removed from Coventry) and sixteen 3-in guns for their AAW role. Curacao had slightly different gun numbers, being armed with eight 4-in guns and four 3-in guns, and later on in WWII, four 20mm Oerlikons. Cardiff and Ceres were to have underwent the same conversion, but WWII stopped it from happening.

The Carlisle-class were commissioned between 1918-22. They differed from the previous sub-class, with the addition of a "trawler bow" which raised the bow higher, as-well as having no conning towers. They had an armament of 5 x 6-in guns in single turrets, while their secondary armament consisted of two 3-in guns, four 3-pounder guns and two 2-pounder guns. All ships of the class, except Colombo, were converted into AAW cruisers in 1939. Their main armament consisted of eight 4-in guns in four triple turrets with varying numbers of 20mm Oerlikon guns being added. Colombo was finally converted to an AAW cruiser in 1942, with its armament consisting of eight 4-in guns and six 20mm Oerlikons.

Operational Service

In March 1916, Cleopatra rammed sank the German destroyer G.194 while Cleopatra was covering a raid at Tondern. Ships of the C-class saw action later that year in the largest surface engagement in naval-warfare, at the Battle of Jutland. The ships and crews of the C-class present at that battle performed valiantly against the German opposition. In 1917, Centaur hit mines that blew her bow and stern off, yet astonishingly, Centaur survived. Also that year, ships of the C-class saw action at Heligoland Bight

In 1918, Cardiff had the prestigious honour of leading the defeated German High Seas Fleet to the River Forth where the German ships would be held before being moved to various other ports. Cardiff was leading massive German warships like Seydlitz, which was the lead German ship, the sight must have been astonishing to witness, looking upon a small minnow leading the massive behemoths that were once the pride of the mighty German Navy.

The C-class ships suffered heavy damage but no losses during the First World War. However, in December 1918, Cassandra hit a mine and subsequently sank. Ships of the C-class performed a variety of duties post-WWI, including service on overseas stations. In 1919, Curacoa hit a mine that badly damaged her, but she survived and was repaired. The Caroline, Cambrian and Centaur classes were all scrapped by the 1930s.

In the Second World War, the Caledon, Ceres and Carlisle classes participated, despite the age. Calypso caught the German blockade-runner Konsul Hendrik Fisser in 1939. That same year, Caradoc intercepts the German tanker Emmy Friedrich, whose crew subsequently scuttle her. A number of ships took part in the Norway Campaign in 1940. Ships of the C-class also took part in duties in the Mediterranean Sea, where Coventry took part in the Battle of Cape Spartivento in 1940.

In 1941, Calcutta and Carlisle took part in the Battle of Cape Matapan, in which a number of Italian warships were sunk. In 1941, ships of the class also took part in the campaign and evacution of Crete, coming up against heavy German opposition from the air. In 1942, Carlisle took part in the Second Battle of Sirte. In 1943, Carlisle was heavily damaged by German aircraft, though she did not sink, the damage knocked her out of the war. In 1944, Cape Town supported to the Normandy Landings, bombarding German positions.

A number of ships of the C-class were lost during the war. In 1942, Cairo was sunk by Axum, an Italian submarine, while taking part in Operation Pedestal, an operation to reinforce the besieged island of Malta. Calcutta was attacked and sunk by German aircraft during the evacuation of Crete. Calypso was sunk by the Italian submarine Bagnolini in 1940. Coventry was heavily damaged by German aircraft while covering the raid on Tobruk in 1942, forcing Zulu to scuttle her. Curacoa was sunk in an accident, colliding with the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary in 1942 while she had been escorting the great liner. Curlew was sunk by German aircraft during the Norwegian Campaign in 1940.

The Caroline remains in service as of 2004, and serves as HQ and training ship to the Royal Naval Reserve in Northern Ireland, duties that she first started in 1924. Her armament was removed many decades ago, but in nearly every other aspect still resembles the Caroline that fought at Jutland in 1916, and remains in very good condition. There are plans to bring her to Portsmouth, where she would be berthed next to HMS Warrior as a museum-ship upon Caroline being retired.

C-class cruiser

Cairo | Calcutta | Caledon | Calliope | Calypso | Cambrian | Canterbury | Cape Town | Caradoc | Cardiff | Carlisle | Caroline | Carysfort | Cassandra | Castor | Centaur | Ceres | Champion | Cleopatra | Colombo | Comus | Concord | Conquest | Constance | Cordelia | Coventry | Curacoa | Curlew

List of cruisers of the Royal Navy