HMNZS Achilles (70)

HMNZS "Achilles" (pennant number 70) was a "Leander" class cruiser which served with the Royal New Zealand Navy in World War II. She became famous for her part in the Battle of the River Plate, alongside HMS "Ajax" and HMS "Exeter".

She was the second of five ships of the "Leander" class light cruisers, designed as effective follow-ons to the "York" class. Upgraded to "Improved Leander" class, she was capable of carrying an aircraft, becoming the first ship to carry a Supermarine Walrus although this was removed before the war.

ervice

"Achilles" was originally built for the Royal Navy, and was commissioned as HMS "Achilles" on October 10 1933. She served with the Royal Navy's New Zealand Division from March 31 1937 up to the creation of the Royal New Zealand Navy, into which she was transferred in September 1941, renamed as HMNZS "Achilles". Her crew was approximately 60% from New Zealand.

On the outbreak of the Second World War, "Achilles" started 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" (HMS "Exeter" and "Cumberland").

Battle of the River Plate

In the early morning of 13 December 1939, a force consisting of "Achilles", HMS "Ajax" and "Exeter" detected smoke on the horizon, which was confirmed at 06:16 to be a pocket battleship, thought to be "Admiral Scheer" but which turned out to be the "Admiral Graf Spee". A fierce battle ensued, at a range of approximately convert|20|km|nmi. "Achilles" took some da

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 with 72 hours. Faced with what he believed to be overwhelming odds, the captain of the "Graf Spee", Hans Langsdorff, scuttled his ship rather than risk the lives of his crew.

Pacific theatre

Following the Atlantic battle, HMNZS "Achilles" returned to Auckland, New Zealand on 23 February 1940, where she was underwent refits until June. After Japan entered the war, she escorted troop convoys, then joined the ANZAC squadron in the south-west Pacific. While operating off New Georgia Island with U.S. Navy forces, a bomb damaged her X turret on 5 January 1943. Between April 1943 and May 1944, "Achilles" was docked in Portsmouth, England for repairs. Her damaged X turret was replaced by four QF 2 pounder naval guns. Sent to back to the New Zealand Fleet, the "Achilles" next joined the British Pacific Fleet in May 1945 for final operations in the Pacific War.

Indian Navy

After the war, "Achilles" was returned to the Royal Navy at Sheerness, Kent, England on 17 September 1946. She was then sold to the Indian Navy and recommissioned on 5 July 1948 as INS "Delhi". She remained in service until decommissioned for scrap at Bombay on 30 June 1978. 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 Basein Auckland.

In 1956, "Achilles" played herself in the film "The Battle of the River Plate".

References

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* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4001.html HMNZS Achilles at Uboat.net]

ee also

* List of ships of World War II

External links

* [http://www.navy.mil.nz/ops/ship.cfm?ship_ID=24 Royal New Zealand Navy article]