View source for HMNZS Achilles

{{Short description|Leander-class cruiser}}
{{Other ships|HMS Achilles}}
{{For|post-1948 service in the [[Indian Navy]]|INS Delhi (1948)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMNZS Achilles SLV AllanGreen.jpg
|Ship image size=300px
|Ship caption=
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=HMS ''Achilles''
|Ship namesake=[[Achilles]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Cammell Laird]], [[Birkenhead]]
|Ship laid down=11 June 1931
|Ship launched=1 September 1932
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=10 October 1933
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=Loaned to [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] 1 October 1936
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship captured=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: 70
|Ship fate=Sold to [[Indian Navy]] 5 July 1948
|Ship homeport=
|Ship honours=River Plate 1939<ref name="nav-hist">{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Achilles.htm |title=HMS ''Achilles'' - ''Leander''-class Light Cruiser |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |editor=Gordon Smith |publisher=naval-history.net|access-date=2 February 2015}}</ref>
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=New Zealand
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|New Zealand|naval-1941}}
|Ship name=HMNZS ''Achilles''
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=1 October 1941
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=17 September 1946
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship captured=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship identification=Pennant number: 70
|Ship fate=Returned to Royal Navy 17 September 1946
|Ship homeport=
|Ship honours=Guadalcanal 1942-43, Okinawa 1945<ref name="nav-hist" />
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Leander|cruiser (1931)|0}} [[light cruiser]]
|Ship displacement=*7,270&nbsp;tons standard
*9,740&nbsp;tons full load (Oct 1945)
|Ship length={{convert|555.5|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|56|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|19.1|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft=
|Ship power={{convert|73280|shp|kW}}
|Ship propulsion=*Four Parsons geared steam turbines
*Six Yarrow boilers
*Four shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|32.5|kn|km/h|0}}
|Ship range={{convert|5730|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|13|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship complement=*peacetime 550
*wartime 680
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=* 8 × [[BL 6 inch Mk XXIII naval gun|BL 6 in Mk.XXIII (152 mm L/50) guns]], twin turrets Mk.XXI
* 4 × [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF 4 in Mk.V (102 mm L/45) guns]], single mounts HA Mk.IV
* 12 × [[Vickers .50 machine gun|QF 0.5 in Mk.III Vickers]] (12.7 mm) machine guns, quad mounts Mk.I
* 8 (2×4) tubes for [[British 21-inch torpedo#21 inch Mark IX|{{convert|21|inch|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}} torpedo Mk.IX]]
|Ship armour=3 in [[Magazine (artillery)|magazine]] box
1&nbsp;inch [[Deck (ship)|deck]]
1&nbsp;inch [[gun turret|turret]]s
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=*[[Aircraft catapult#Interwar and World War II|Catapult]]-launched [[Fairey Seafox]]
*Amphibious [[Supermarine Walrus]]
*Radio controlled [[de Havilland Tiger Moth|DH.82 Queen Bee]]
|Ship notes=
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|}
'''HMNZS ''Achilles''''' was a {{sclass|Leander|cruiser (1931)|0}} [[light cruiser]], the second of five in the class. She served in the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] in the [[World War II|Second World War]]. She was launched in 1931 for the [[Royal Navy]], loaned to New Zealand in 1936 and transferred to the new Royal New Zealand Navy in 1941. She became famous for her part in the [[Battle of the River Plate]], alongside {{HMS|Ajax|22|6}} and {{HMS|Exeter|68|6}} and notable for being the first Royal Navy cruiser to have fire control radar, with the installation of the New Zealand-made SS1 fire-control radar in June 1940.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Tech-NZRadar.htm |title=New Zealand Radar Development |publisher=naval-history.net |last=Mason |first=Geoffrey B. |access-date=2 February 2015}}</ref>

After Second World War service in the Atlantic and Pacific, she was returned to the Royal Navy. She was sold to the [[Indian Navy]] in 1948 and recommissioned as INS ''Delhi''. She was scrapped in 1978.

==Design==
She was the second of five ships of the ''Leander''-class light cruisers, designed as effective follow-ons to the {{sclass|York|cruiser|4}}. Upgraded to ''Improved Leander''-class, she could carry an aircraft and was the first ship to carry a [[Supermarine Walrus]], although both Walruses were lost before the Second World War began. At one time she carried the unusual [[de Havilland Tiger Moth|DH.82 Queen Bee]] which was a radio-controlled unmanned aircraft, normally used as a drone.

==Service==
''Achilles'' was originally built for the Royal Navy, and was commissioned as '''HMS ''Achilles''''' on 10 October 1933. She would serve with the Royal Navy's New Zealand Division from 31 March 1936 up to the creation of the Royal New Zealand Navy, into which she was transferred in September 1941 and recommissioned HMNZS ''Achilles''. About 60 per cent of her crew was from New Zealand.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, ''Achilles'' began patrolling the west coast of South America looking for German merchant ships, but by 22 October 1939 she had arrived at the [[Falkland Islands]], where she was assigned to the South American Division under Commodore [[Henry Harwood]] and allocated to ''Force G'' (with ''Exeter'' and {{HMS|Cumberland|57|2}}).

===Battle of the River Plate===
{{Main|Battle of the River Plate}}
[[Image:HMS Achilles (70).jpg|left|thumb|''Achilles'' as seen from ''Ajax'' at the Battle of the River Plate]]
[[File:HMS_Achilles_(HMNZS_from_1941)_(15333552416).jpg|thumb|upright|''HMS "Achilles" in Battle of the River Plate '', a painting by Frank Norton, is part of the National Collection of War Art held by [[Archives New Zealand]]]]
In the early morning of 13 December 1939, a force consisting of ''Achilles'', ''Ajax'' and ''Exeter'' detected smoke on the horizon, which was confirmed at 06:16 to be a [[pocket battleship]], thought to be the {{ship|German battleship|Admiral Scheer||6}} but which turned out to be {{ship|German battleship|Admiral Graf Spee||2}}. A fierce battle ensued, at a range of about {{convert|20|km|nmi|disp=flip}}. ''Achilles'' suffered some damage. In the exchange of fire, four crew were killed, her captain, WE Parry, was wounded; 36 of ''Graf Spee''{{'}}s crew were killed.

The range reduced to about {{convert|4|nmi|km}} at around 07:15 and ''Graf Spee'' broke off the engagement around 07:45 to head for the neutral harbour of [[Montevideo]] which she entered at 22:00 that night, having been pursued by ''Achilles'' and ''Ajax'' all day. ''Graf Spee'' was forced by international law to leave within 72 hours. Faced with what he believed to be overwhelming odds, the captain of ''Graf Spee'', [[Hans Langsdorff]], scuttled his ship rather than risk the lives of his crew. An ensign flag flown by HMS ''Achilles'' in the Battle of the River Plate was donated to [[Christ Church Cathedral (Falkland Islands)|Christ Church Cathedral]] in the [[Falkland Islands]] and is still on display hanging on the south wall of the Cathedral at [[Stanley, Falkland Islands|Port Stanley]].<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://falklands-museum.com/ |title=Falkland Islands Museum & National Trust |website=FIMNT}}</ref>

===Pacific theatre===
Following the Atlantic battle, ''Achilles'' returned to [[Auckland]], New Zealand, on 23 February 1940, where she underwent a refit until June. After [[Axis naval activity in Australian waters#German surface raiders in 1940|German raider activity in the South Pacific]] in 1940 ''Achilles'' escorted the first Trans-Tasman commercial convoy, VK.1, composed of {{MV|Empire Star|1935|2}}, {{MV|Port Chalmers|1933|2}}, {{ship|RMS|Empress of Russia||2}}, and {{ship|TSS|Maunganui||2}} leaving [[Sydney]] 30 December 1940 for [[Auckland]].{{sfn|Gill|1957|p=284}} After Japan entered the war, she escorted troop convoys, then joined the [[ANZAC Squadron]] in the south-west Pacific.

''Achilles'' met {{HMAS|Canberra|D33|6}}, flagship of [[John Gregory Crace|Rear-Admiral John G. Crace]], and {{HMAS|Perth|D29|6}} in December 1941 to form an escort for the [[Pensacola Convoy]].{{sfn|Gill|1957|p=510}}

While operating off [[Guadalcanal]] Island with US Navy [[Task Force 67]] on 5 January 1943, she was attacked by four Japanese aircraft. A bomb blew the top off X turret, killing 13 sailors. Between April 1943 and May 1944 ''Achilles'' was docked in [[Portsmouth]], England for repairs and modernisation. Her single 4-inch AA guns were replaced by the dual-purpose [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun]] in four twin mountings, modern radar was fitted, and the damaged X turret was replaced by four [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|QF 2 pom poms]] in a quadruple-mount. The work was delayed by a dockyard explosion that killed 14 men. Stoker William Dale was awarded the [[Albert Medal for Lifesaving]] for his actions in saving the lives of several dockyard workers.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-collections/ships/achilles/ |title=Achilles |date=November 2015 |publisher=Torpedo Bay Navy Museum |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>

Sent back to the New Zealand Fleet, ''Achilles'' next joined the [[British Pacific Fleet]] in May 1945 for final operations in the [[Pacific War]].

==Indian Navy==
{{Main|INS Delhi (1948)}}
After the war, ''Achilles'' was returned to the Royal Navy at [[Sheerness]] in Kent, England on 17 September 1946. She was then sold to the Indian Navy and recommissioned on 5 July 1948 as {{INS|Delhi|1948|6}}. She remained in service until decommissioned for scrap in [[Bombay]] on 30 June 1978. In 1968 she was present at the granting of independence to [[Mauritius]] representing the Indian Government together with the Royal Navy frigate {{HMS|Tartar|F133|2}} under Captain Cameron Rusby.<ref>Glynn Burhouse, sparker on HMS ''Tartar''</ref> As part of the scrapping her Y turret was removed and presented as a gift to the New Zealand government. It is now on display at the entrance of [[Devonport Naval Base]] in [[Auckland]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-themes/technology-and-weapons/hmnzs-achilles-twin-6-inch-turret/|title=HMNZS Achilles Twin 6-inch Turret|publisher=Torpedo Bay Navy Museum|access-date=28 January 2024}}</ref> On 22 January 1979, Admiral [[Jal Cursetji]], the Indian Navy Chief of the Naval Staff, presented ''Achilles's'' builder's plaque, steering wheel and engine room telegraph to Admiral [[Terence Lewin]], the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff of the Royal Navy.<ref>{{cite web|title=First Sea Lord Calls on the President|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1979-JAN-MAY-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-I/PDF/DEF-1979-01-22_045.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=22 January 1979|access-date=22 February 2020}}</ref>

''Achilles'' played herself in the film ''[[The Battle of the River Plate (film)|The Battle of the River Plate]]'' in 1956.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{Cite Colledge2006}}
*{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After|year=2010|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-59114-078-8 |author-link=Norman Friedman}}
*{{cite book |last=Gill |first=G Hermon |year=1957 |title=Royal Australian Navy 1939–1942 |series=Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 2 – Navy |volume=1 |publisher=Australian War Memorial |place=Canberra |chapter=14 |url=http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/second_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67910 |access-date=19 May 2013 |archive-date=25 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525001721/http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/second_world_war/volume.asp?levelID=67910 |url-status=dead }}
*{{Cite book |last=Harker |first=Jack S |year=1980 |title=HMNZS Achilles |place=London |publisher=[[William Collins, Sons]] |isbn=978-0002169615}}
*{{Cite book |last1=Lenton |first1=HT |last2=Colledge |first2=JJ |year=1968 |title=British and Dominion Warships of World War Two |place=New York |publisher=[[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday & Co]]}}
* {{cite book|last1=Raven|first1=Alan|last2=Roberts|first2=John|title=British Cruisers of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1980|isbn=0-87021-922-7|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Cassell |location=London|year=1995|isbn=1-86019-874-0|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}
*{{Cite book |last=Woollard |first=Mike |year=2002 |title=The Beekeepers' Honey |place=Stamford |publisher=[[Aeroplane (magazine)|Aeroplane]]}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Achilles (ship, 1932)}}
*{{cite web |url= http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4001.html |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |title=HMNZS ''Achilles'' (70) |work=uboat.net}}
*[http://www.navy.mil.nz/ops/ship.cfm?ship_ID=24 Royal New Zealand Navy article] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050102175200/http://www.navy.mil.nz/ops/ship.cfm?ship_ID=24 |date=2 January 2005 }}

{{Leander class cruiser 1931}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Achilles (70)}}
[[Category:1932 ships]]
[[Category:Leander-class cruisers (1931) of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Mersey]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Battle of the River Plate]]
[[Category:Steamships of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Leander-class cruisers (1931) of the Royal New Zealand Navy]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of New Zealand]]