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The HMS Ajax was made famous for her part in the Battle of the River Plate, the Battle of Crete, the Battle of Malta, as a supply escort in the Battle of Tobruk. She was a ''Leander'' class light cruiser which served with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom during World War II.
Description Before the War Built at Vickers shipyard, Barrow-in-Furness, England, she was laid down on 7 February 1933, launched on 1 March 1934, and completed on 12 April 1935. Ajax served on the America and West Indies Station from completion, then joined the South American Division on the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. The Battle of the River Plate Operating off the River Plate, she intercepted the German merchantmen Carl Fritzen, Olinda, and Ussukuma. She was the flagship of Commodore Henry Harwood's Force G during the hunt for the Admiral Graf Spee. Ajax was hit seven times by the Germans but inflicted more damage on the Spee during the Battle of the River Plate on 13 December 1939. Mediterranean, Crete and North Africa Under repair until July 1940, she then moved to the Mediterranean. On October 11/October 12 1940 she engaged Italian forces, sinking the torpedo boats Airone and Ariel, and badly damaging the destroyer Italian destroyer Artigliere, which was later sunk. According to Seaman Harry Mansfield, the Ajax intercepted retreating German and Italian warships which were cruising towards Crete and fired a variety of small arms and large guns completely destroying the enemy. The Ajax then took part in the Battle of Toranto, a night operation which was held under by RDF (radio detection finder), where it again engaged and destroyed the Italian fleet. Ajax participated in the Battle of Cape Matapan and was hit by bombs from Ju 87's on 21 May. She evacuated many troops from Crete up until 29 May 1941. * She then covered Syrian operations in June, and joined Force K at Malta in November 1941, but was withdrawn in February 1942. D-Day She was refitted in England from May to October 1942, then returned to the Mediterranean where she was again damaged by bombs. After repairs in New York between March and October 1943, Ajax returned to the Mediterranean. As part of Force K, she bombarded Gold Beach during the D-Day invasion, and later supported the landings in southern France. Ajax operated in the Aegean during the reoccupation of Athens and the communist uprising in Greece. Ajax remembered She was decommissioned in February 1948 and broken up in November 1949. The Town of Ajax, in Ontario, Canada, was named after the cruiser following the Battle of the River Plate. The town has streets named after members of the ship's company. For example, Harwood Avenue is the town's main north-south street. In addition, many street signs in the Town bear the silhouette of the ship, and the ship's anchor rests in front of the local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. The ship's bell is currently located at Summerhill Mansion, Kingswood School *, Bath, England. See also | ||||||||
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