AJAX HMS 1935

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She was built as a light cruiser by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness, U.K. for the Royal Navy.
01 October 1932 ordered.
07 February laid down.
01 March 1934 launched under the name HMS AJAX one of the Leander class.
Displacement 6.985 ton standard, 9.000 tons full load. Dim.169.0 x 16.8 x 6.0m. (draught)
Powered by Parsons geared turbines, manufactured by the shipsbuilder, 72.000 shp., four shafts, speed 32.5 knots. Range 5.700 miles by 13 knots.
Bunker capacity 1.800 tons oil.
Armament 8 – 6 inch, 4 – 4 inch AA, 8 – 21inch torpedo tubes. Carried one Seafox aircraft.
Crew around 570 during peace time.
Building cost £1.480.097.
03 June 1935 completed.

After completing she was stationed in the America and West Indies Station, when World War II broke out she was part of the South American Division. At that time she was under command of Capt.Charles Woodhouse.
When operating off the River Plate she intercepted on 3 September 1938 the German cargo vessels OLINDA (4.576 grt) and the CARL FRITZEN, (6.594 grt.), their crews scuttled both vessels.
27 October 1938 she became flagship of Force C under command of Commodore Henry Hardwood.
05 December she intercepted together with HMS CUMBERLAND the German passenger liner USSUKUMA, (7.834 grt.) of the East Afrika Line, off Bahia Blanca, but also before she could be captured her crew scuttled her.

She was one of the three British vessels who took part in the Battle of the River Plate on 13 December 1939 against the German pocket battleship ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE, who was scuttled off Montevideo four days later.
HMS AJAX had 7 men killed and several wounded in the battle, and she was hit seven times, both after turrets were out of action and her radio aerials were lost.
Under repair until July 1940.

Then joined the forces in the Mediterranean under command of Capt. E.D.B McCarthy.
8 October 1940 was one of the ships who did give protection for 4 merchant ships in a convoy from Alexandria to the beleaguered island Malta. The convoy arrived safely in Malta on 11 October.
12 October 1940 she was attacked by Italian torpedoboats off Cape Passero, she destroyed two, the AIRONE and ARIEL, AJAX suffered 13 men killed and 22 wounded, but was in a few weeks patched up again and ready for action.
End April 1941 in company with three destroyers she evacuated safely the Allied rearguard from Greece under which the 5.000 men of the New Zealand Brigade.
In the night of 28/29 April she evacuated the Head Quarter staff from Greece.
28 March 1941 She took part in the Battle of Matapan.
May 1941 a fast convoy of 5 merchant ships from Gibraltar to Alexandria, were protected by ships of the Royal Navy under which the AJAX. Only one merchant ship was lost after hitting a mine. When nearing Alexandria the AJAX was dispatched with three destroyers to bombard enemy positions off Benghazi, one their way to that position they intercepted an enemy transport, which was set one fire by gunfire of the destroyers, and after the fire reached the cargo of ammunition blew up.
When in May 1941 the position of the Allied troops on Crete got dangerous, AJAX with DIDO and ORION and four destroyers were in Force D and on the night of 20/21 May she made a sweep north of Suda Bay, in the morning of 21 May the AJAX got superficial damage by near misses of enemy planes.
The next night Force D returned to the area north of Suda Bay, on 21 May Force D made contact with an enemy convoy, which was bound for Crete. Most of the convoy was destroyed and about 4000 German troops lost their lives, a torpedoboat who fired on the AJAX was destroyed by her, the AJAX cut with her bow trough a German lighter full of German Troops, the next morning they found that the bow of the ship was damaged, forepeak flooded, and a body of a German soldier wrap around the bow, who washed away later. The next day Force D returned to Alexandria for refueling and replenishing.
Sailed on the 24th May again with other warships from Alexandria for the north coast of Crete.
26 May in the afternoon the fleet was attacked by Stukas, AJAX got away without damage and returned to Alexandria.
Then she took part in the evacuation of the troops from Heraklion, Crete, when nearing the island the ships came under heavy attack of German planes. AJAX had many near misses, but one very near killed several of the repair parties below deck and set the ship on fire.
The AJAX had to withdraw due to this damage and returned to Alexandria for repairs.
Between May and October 1942 she was refitted in England, then returned to the Mediterranean.

01 January 1943 severely damaged by bombs during an airraid by German dive-bombers on Bone, Algeria. Sailed to New York for repairs, which took place between March and October 1943.
After her repairs returned to the Mediterranean.
April 1944 was dispatched to Alexandria when crews of Greek warships there mutinied.
06 June 1944 returned to the U.K.
Took part in Operation Neptune, the D-Day landings in Normandy, as a unit of assault convoy G12. Left the Clyde on the 3rd June 1944 at 11.00 and arrived Eastern Task Force Area (Gold Beach) the 6th at 05.28. She opened fire against shore targets on 05.30.
Then she returned to the Mediterranean, took part in the landings in South France in August, and operated in the Aegean during the reoccupation of Athens and the communist uprising in Greece.
16 February 1948 she arrived at Chatham, destored and laid up in the River Fal.
18 November 1949 arrived at Newport, Monmouthshire to be demolished by Cashmore.

Falkland Islands 1974 16p sg 310, scott? and 1989 29p sg 595, scott 513.
Marshall Island 1989 45c sg 252, scott 243
South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands 2004 10p sg380 Scott?


Source. Jane’s Fighting ships of World War II. The D-Day Ships by John de S. Winser. Battleship/Cruiser/destroyer by Haines & Coward. Watercraft Philately CD-ROM http://www.regiamarina.net/engagements/ ... ero_us.htm