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HMS Achilles
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HMS Achilles a Leander Class Cruiser built by Cammell Laird and laid down on the 11th June 1931, launched 1st september 1932 and completed 6th October 1933, served with the new Zealand Navy from 1937 to 1943, HMS Achilles served in the South Atlantic 1939 taking a major role in the battle of the River Plate against the Graf Spee, firing a total of 1242 6-inch shells in the action. receiving splinter damage from near misses. Loaned to the newly formed New Zealand navy (along with her sister ship HMS Leander) 1940 to 1943, returning to the home Fleet 1943 - 1944 and then to the Pacific Fleet in 1945. In 1948 she was sold to the Indian Navy and renamed Delhi. arriving there after refit in September 1948. In the 1953 film Battle of the River Plate she played her self in the film. She again saw service in the action to seize Goa by a small naval force in 1961. Seeing no further service until1969 when she visited Australia, new Zealand and Fiji. after which she was based on harbor duty at Cochin finally being paid of in 1977 Specifications for HMS Achilles
Displacement: 7,030 tons Speed: 32.5kt Complement: 550 Armament: Eight 6 inch guns in pairs. Eight 4 inch anti-aircraft guns in pairs and eight 2pdr anti-aircraft guns in pairs as well as twelve 0.5 inch machine guns in fours. Eight 21 inch torpedo tubes in pairs and 1 aircraft. HMS Achilles engaging the Graf Spee by Ivan Berryman Viewed from beneath the wrecked X and Y turrets of her sister HMS Ajax, Achilles comes under fire from the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spec during what was to become known as the Battle of River Plate on 13th December 1939. Shells from Achilles are closing on her opponent as the Graf Spee alters course at the start of the doomed Battleship's flight to Montevideo. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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