HMNZS Royalist = Operation Shop Window 1964
HMS Royalist/HMNZS Royalist was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Bellona subgroup[Note 1] of the Royal Navy. She was a modified Dido design with only four turrets but improved anti-aircraft armament. She was built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Greenock with the keel being laid down on 21 March 1940. She was launched on 30 May 1942, and commissioned 10 September 1943. Her motto was “Surtout Loyal”, which translates to ‘Loyal above all’.
Royal New Zealand Navy career[edit]
Royalist was withdrawn from the East Indies after the conclusion of hostilities, and returned home to Naval Reserve. In 1954 she began a major refit which was completed in April 1956. The modernisation of the Royalist was expected to be followed by similar upgrades to four other Dido- class cruisers in the December 1951 program, HMS Phoebe, HMS Sirius (to start in April 1954), HMS Diadem (in June 1955) and finally, HMS Cleopatra (in November 1955).[3] The 1952 program called for the last two Didos’ reboilering, for nuclear protection.[4] Cleopatra (RN Reserve fleet flagship 55-6) [5] and Diadem did receive, a limited update with 14,40mm Mk 5/7 std, 1950s RN AA mounts.The Diadem(Babur)1956-7 refit being financed by US,MDAP funding [6] for transfer to Pakistan. The Didos were intended to be the most substantially updated war-built cruisers, as the view in the 1943-49 period was the 5.25 inch gun was more suitable and easier to develop to provide a dual purpose capability in the 1950s and was even intended to rearm the Crown Colony-class cruisers, because it required far less space and volume than 6-inch mounts.[7] The upgraded 5.25 inch gunnery and radar systems were seen as providing hot war capability.[8] However the excellent performance of the Royal Navy’s 6 inch gun cruisers in providing shore bombardment in the Korean war, vitally when McArthur landed at Inchon in 1950,[9] the longer range of the Town-class cruisers, and in particular, the 1955 decision to put into reserve, the last battleship, HMS Vanguard, which with a secondary 5.25 inch armament had been planned to lead the Dido cruiser squadron in anti-Sverdlov cruiser actions, meant the last, RN cruisers approved for long refits, in 1955-56, Bermuda, Gambia, Belfast and Swiftsure maintained, 6 inch, Mk 23 turrets.
The ship was handed over to the Royal New Zealand Navy on 9 July 1956. When Captain Phipps went to take command of the Royalist in 1955, New Zealand diplomat Frank Corner was shocked to find that Phipps agreed that the Royalist was a white elephant and completely unsuitable for use by the RNZN in the Pacific. While in late 1954 the RN had mothballed the last operational 5.25 units Euraylus and HMS Vanguard, both Mk 23 and Mk 26, 6 inch turrets weighed 170 tons, twice that of the Royalists(94 ton) 5.25 and took resources and space incompatible with modern warships. In 1944 24/25 of the RN Lords decided to abandon 6 inch gun cruisers for the new 5.25 gun N2 cruiser with Automatic Mk 3, 5.25 armament in a Colony size hull and new 62,000hp, economy machinery for range and 28 kts,[10] vetoed only by First Sea Lord Cunningham, who led the Dido cruisers,HMS Cleopatra & Euralyus against the Italian fleet in 1943. Phipps claimed Royalist range was so limited the cruiser could not get as far as Tahiti without refueling. However the Type 12 frigates approved by Phipps had less endurance and it would have been more logical to order longer range diesel versions of the Type 12, ie the Type 11 or T41.[11] The improved T12 Leander ordered by the RNZN essentially was essentially a GP AA/AW picket ships for RN aircraft carriers [12]with much the same functions as Royalist, anyway. The NZ Navy Board which 3 professional members were RN officers, supported the retention of a modernised cruiser force, and supported the presentation of the loan of the cruiser to PM Holland. Phipps demanded some improvements,[13] while in command of HMS Bellona as an accommodation ship and refused to accept the cruiser, until 3 weeks later than intended by the RN Dockyard until alterations were made, to the habitability of the cruiser, notably more showers, and some rectification of ventilation problems, but with extra electronic equipment, the cruiser had no weight margin, and the priority of being ready for possible action in the Mediterranean, meant the dockyard would not install the pre wetting, ABC spraydown equipment, specifically requested by the RNZN in 1955,[14] the dockyard, simply said installing spraydown to wash nuclear fallout was possible, and provided, a wall size copy of the plan of the prewetting system under installation in HMNZS Sheffield 1956-7(Admiralty DNC 3/56 No 8/647), a complex system of pumps and tubing fed from 4 seacocks and suggested the NZ dockyard could do the job. The Royalist had extra communication systems and AIO (Action Information Office) fitted in 1943-45 to 13 other Town, Fiji and Minotaur class cruisers [15] doubling the effectiveness of its armament in the RN postwar assessment [16] but less space for senior ratings and petty office, than RNZN’s earlier Dido cruisers. The ratings on Royalist, wrote to the Auckland Star, the ‘Royalist had not been modernised, didn’t have bunks, just 4 millions pound of new electronic junk, crowded into a old cruiser’, designed for operations off the Koala Peninsular [17] The concern of NZ servicemen and Phipps was about living conditions, recruitment and steady funding of a programme of new frigates. The Royal Navy staff were concerned about the RNZN equipping itself to aid the RN in global and regional wars in the next 5 years and rejected the luxury of long term perspective. The ‘provincial’ NZ Foreign service viewed the British Treasury as simply opposing the refit of an obsolescent cruiser, which in their definition must be useless . “Then Whitehall thought of New Zealand!”[18][19] However First Lord Mountbatten disagreed, publicly defending Royalist as the modern modern British cruiser in Auckland when it arrived in 1956 [20] and regarded Phipps as inexperienced and unsuitable.[21] Mountbatten viewed New Zealand’s Cabinet and officials, as out of touch, with the Cold War need, to maintain, immediately ready, broad based naval and defense capabilities and frequently visited NZ to try and maintain control[22] Royalist essentially incorporated the new fire control and radars fitted to frigates being commissioned in 1956-58, in doubled up form, in a cruiser size hull with room for processing electronic data and communications and large enough for speed and seakeeping in the Pacific and considerable surface and anti air defense. Its close in air defense of 40mm CIWS was sharper than other RN warships and used std RN 40mm ammunition. The RN whole cruiser reconstruction and construction was ended in 1955-1957 (other than finishing 3 old Tigers). Britain could not afford escorts larger than destroyers in addition to its carrier and frigate force but the Royalists 5.25 DP guns, fitted to battleships and AA cruisers were more modern and effective than those of other 1950s RN cruisers. Royalist may have been reactivated for Suez service, regardless, as its modernization, for AA/AW and particularly AD support of RN carrier fighters and strike aircraft was ideal for Musketeer and likely future operations of the RN Carriers focused on the Indian Ocean and Singapore. Auckland was the logical logistics base for Royalist.,[23] NZ was used to the Dido cruisers and a loyal ally. Royalist was perfect name for a NZ and the RNZN warship then, if not for NZ Diplomats like Corner who rejected colonialism and priority given to traditional defense relations, ahead of the UN, for doubtful regional and economic benefits. The Type 12 frigates, that Phipps wanted were ordered for the RNZN early in 1957, proved more short-ranged, and the Royalist transit speed to escort Pacific convoys was 18 knots, compared with the Type 12s ability to just cover the leg from Suva to Honolulu, at low, most economical speed and, it was arguable the traditional cruiser role in trade defense, against Russian cruisers and raiders was still relevant,[24] and the first priority to the Royal Navy First Sea Lord, Admiral McGrigor in 1955, along with providing effective airwarning and aircraft direction for the RAN aircraft carriers [25] rather than the questionable submarine threat.
More Info here –http://ift.tt/2lBWF9K
HMS Royalist/HMNZS Royalist was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Bellona subgroup[Note 1] of the Royal Navy. She was a modified Dido design with only four turrets but improved anti-aircraft armament. She was built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Greenock with the keel being laid down on 21 March 1940. She was launched on 30 May 1942, and commissioned 10 September 1943. Her motto was “Surtout Loyal”, which translates to ‘Loyal above all’.
Royal New Zealand Navy career[edit]
Royalist was withdrawn from the East Indies after the conclusion of hostilities, and returned home to Naval Reserve. In 1954 she began a major refit which was completed in April 1956. The modernisation of the Royalist was expected to be followed by similar upgrades to four other Dido- class cruisers in the December 1951 program, HMS Phoebe, HMS Sirius (to start in April 1954), HMS Diadem (in June 1955) and finally, HMS Cleopatra (in November 1955).[3] The 1952 program called for the last two Didos’ reboilering, for nuclear protection.[4] Cleopatra (RN Reserve fleet flagship 55-6) [5] and Diadem did receive, a limited update with 14,40mm Mk 5/7 std, 1950s RN AA mounts.The Diadem(Babur)1956-7 refit being financed by US,MDAP funding [6] for transfer to Pakistan. The Didos were intended to be the most substantially updated war-built cruisers, as the view in the 1943-49 period was the 5.25 inch gun was more suitable and easier to develop to provide a dual purpose capability in the 1950s and was even intended to rearm the Crown Colony-class cruisers, because it required far less space and volume than 6-inch mounts.[7] The upgraded 5.25 inch gunnery and radar systems were seen as providing hot war capability.[8] However the excellent performance of the Royal Navy’s 6 inch gun cruisers in providing shore bombardment in the Korean war, vitally when McArthur landed at Inchon in 1950,[9] the longer range of the Town-class cruisers, and in particular, the 1955 decision to put into reserve, the last battleship, HMS Vanguard, which with a secondary 5.25 inch armament had been planned to lead the Dido cruiser squadron in anti-Sverdlov cruiser actions, meant the last, RN cruisers approved for long refits, in 1955-56, Bermuda, Gambia, Belfast and Swiftsure maintained, 6 inch, Mk 23 turrets.
The ship was handed over to the Royal New Zealand Navy on 9 July 1956. When Captain Phipps went to take command of the Royalist in 1955, New Zealand diplomat Frank Corner was shocked to find that Phipps agreed that the Royalist was a white elephant and completely unsuitable for use by the RNZN in the Pacific. While in late 1954 the RN had mothballed the last operational 5.25 units Euraylus and HMS Vanguard, both Mk 23 and Mk 26, 6 inch turrets weighed 170 tons, twice that of the Royalists(94 ton) 5.25 and took resources and space incompatible with modern warships. In 1944 24/25 of the RN Lords decided to abandon 6 inch gun cruisers for the new 5.25 gun N2 cruiser with Automatic Mk 3, 5.25 armament in a Colony size hull and new 62,000hp, economy machinery for range and 28 kts,[10] vetoed only by First Sea Lord Cunningham, who led the Dido cruisers,HMS Cleopatra & Euralyus against the Italian fleet in 1943. Phipps claimed Royalist range was so limited the cruiser could not get as far as Tahiti without refueling. However the Type 12 frigates approved by Phipps had less endurance and it would have been more logical to order longer range diesel versions of the Type 12, ie the Type 11 or T41.[11] The improved T12 Leander ordered by the RNZN essentially was essentially a GP AA/AW picket ships for RN aircraft carriers [12]with much the same functions as Royalist, anyway. The NZ Navy Board which 3 professional members were RN officers, supported the retention of a modernised cruiser force, and supported the presentation of the loan of the cruiser to PM Holland. Phipps demanded some improvements,[13] while in command of HMS Bellona as an accommodation ship and refused to accept the cruiser, until 3 weeks later than intended by the RN Dockyard until alterations were made, to the habitability of the cruiser, notably more showers, and some rectification of ventilation problems, but with extra electronic equipment, the cruiser had no weight margin, and the priority of being ready for possible action in the Mediterranean, meant the dockyard would not install the pre wetting, ABC spraydown equipment, specifically requested by the RNZN in 1955,[14] the dockyard, simply said installing spraydown to wash nuclear fallout was possible, and provided, a wall size copy of the plan of the prewetting system under installation in HMNZS Sheffield 1956-7(Admiralty DNC 3/56 No 8/647), a complex system of pumps and tubing fed from 4 seacocks and suggested the NZ dockyard could do the job. The Royalist had extra communication systems and AIO (Action Information Office) fitted in 1943-45 to 13 other Town, Fiji and Minotaur class cruisers [15] doubling the effectiveness of its armament in the RN postwar assessment [16] but less space for senior ratings and petty office, than RNZN’s earlier Dido cruisers. The ratings on Royalist, wrote to the Auckland Star, the ‘Royalist had not been modernised, didn’t have bunks, just 4 millions pound of new electronic junk, crowded into a old cruiser’, designed for operations off the Koala Peninsular [17] The concern of NZ servicemen and Phipps was about living conditions, recruitment and steady funding of a programme of new frigates. The Royal Navy staff were concerned about the RNZN equipping itself to aid the RN in global and regional wars in the next 5 years and rejected the luxury of long term perspective. The ‘provincial’ NZ Foreign service viewed the British Treasury as simply opposing the refit of an obsolescent cruiser, which in their definition must be useless . “Then Whitehall thought of New Zealand!”[18][19] However First Lord Mountbatten disagreed, publicly defending Royalist as the modern modern British cruiser in Auckland when it arrived in 1956 [20] and regarded Phipps as inexperienced and unsuitable.[21] Mountbatten viewed New Zealand’s Cabinet and officials, as out of touch, with the Cold War need, to maintain, immediately ready, broad based naval and defense capabilities and frequently visited NZ to try and maintain control[22] Royalist essentially incorporated the new fire control and radars fitted to frigates being commissioned in 1956-58, in doubled up form, in a cruiser size hull with room for processing electronic data and communications and large enough for speed and seakeeping in the Pacific and considerable surface and anti air defense. Its close in air defense of 40mm CIWS was sharper than other RN warships and used std RN 40mm ammunition. The RN whole cruiser reconstruction and construction was ended in 1955-1957 (other than finishing 3 old Tigers). Britain could not afford escorts larger than destroyers in addition to its carrier and frigate force but the Royalists 5.25 DP guns, fitted to battleships and AA cruisers were more modern and effective than those of other 1950s RN cruisers. Royalist may have been reactivated for Suez service, regardless, as its modernization, for AA/AW and particularly AD support of RN carrier fighters and strike aircraft was ideal for Musketeer and likely future operations of the RN Carriers focused on the Indian Ocean and Singapore. Auckland was the logical logistics base for Royalist.,[23] NZ was used to the Dido cruisers and a loyal ally. Royalist was perfect name for a NZ and the RNZN warship then, if not for NZ Diplomats like Corner who rejected colonialism and priority given to traditional defense relations, ahead of the UN, for doubtful regional and economic benefits. The Type 12 frigates, that Phipps wanted were ordered for the RNZN early in 1957, proved more short-ranged, and the Royalist transit speed to escort Pacific convoys was 18 knots, compared with the Type 12s ability to just cover the leg from Suva to Honolulu, at low, most economical speed and, it was arguable the traditional cruiser role in trade defense, against Russian cruisers and raiders was still relevant,[24] and the first priority to the Royal Navy First Sea Lord, Admiral McGrigor in 1955, along with providing effective airwarning and aircraft direction for the RAN aircraft carriers [25] rather than the questionable submarine threat.
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