HMS Bonaventure (31)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Bonaventure.

HMS Bonaventure at her mooring in 1940
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Bonaventure
Builder	Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company (Greenock, Scotland)
Laid down	30 August 1937
Launched	19 April 1939
Commissioned	24 May 1940
Fate	Torpedoed by the Italian submarine Ambra south of Crete, 31 March 1941 (139 lost)
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass- light cruiser
Displacement	5,600 long tons (5,700 t) (standard) 6,850 long tons (6,960 t) (full load)
Length	485 ft (148 m) p.p. 512 ft (156 m) o/a
Beam	50 ft 6 in (15.39 m)
Draught	14 ft (4.3 m)
Installed power	62,000 shp (46,000 kW)
Propulsion	4 × Parsons geared steam turbines 4 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers 4 × shafts
Speed	32.25 kn (37.11 mph; 59.73 km/h)
Range	1,500 mi (1,300 nmi; 2,400 km) at 30 kn (35 mph; 56 km/h) 4,240 mi (3,680 nmi; 6,820 km) at 16 kn (18 mph; 30 km/h)
Capacity	1,100 short tons (1,000 t) fuel oil
Complement	480
Armament	As built : 8 × QF 5.25-inch (133 mm) dual purpose guns (4×2) 1 QF 4-inch gun 8 × 2-pounder pom-pom anti-aircraft guns (2×4) 6 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2×3)
Armour	Original Configuration: Belt: 3 in (7.6 cm) Deck: 1 in (2.5 cm) Magazines: 2 in (5.1 cm) Bulkheads: 1 in (2.5 cm)
Notes	Pennant number 31

HMS Bonaventure was a Template:Sclass- light cruiser of the Royal Navy. Bonaventure participated as an escort vessel in Operation Fish, the World War II evacuation of British wealth from the UK to Canada. It was the largest movement of wealth in history.

On 10 January 1941 she, along with HMS Southampton and/or HMS Hereward, shelled and sank the Italian torpedo boat Vega off Cape Bon, Tunisia, Operation "Excess". Two members of her crew were killed by return fire.

On 31 March 1941 she was torpedoed and sunk south of Crete (33°20′N 26°35′E) by the Ambra with the loss of 139 of her 480 crew. 310 survivors rescued by HMS Hereward and HMAS Stuart.

References

Sources

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• Fechter, H.; Hümmelchen, G.: Seekriegsatlas. Mittelmeer, Schwarzes Meer, 1940 - 1943. J. F. Lehmanns Verlag, München 1972, p. 30 f., Map K 12. ISBN 3-469-00298-3

External links

• World War II cruisers
• HMS Bonaventure at Uboat.net
• IWM Interview with survivor Patrick Northcott
• IWM Interview with survivor Frank Connor