British and Commonwealth Warship Camouflage of WW II: Volume III - Cruisers, Minelayers and Armed Merchant Cruisers

By Malcolm Wright

During the Second World War navies developed low visibility camouflage for their ships, on both vertical and horizontal surfaces, in order reduce visibility by blending in with the sea, or confuse the identity of a ship by applying more obtrusive patters. In this the second volume by maritime artist Mal Wright, both the official and unofficial paint schemes that adorned the cruisers of the Royal Navy and Commonwealth are depicted in detail, along with discussions on changes of armament and electronics that effected the outward appearance of each ship.

Beginning with the older cruisers, the book goes on to cover all the other cruiser classes, taking in heavy cruisers, prewar and wartime cruisers; the author then covers minelayers. Where possible both sides of the ship are depicted, and there are multiple images of the ships where armament or equipment changes had a fundamental impact on a ships appearance. Overhead views are also included. With 800 full color illustrations, arranged by ship type rather than camouflage scheme, this book concentrates the clearest possible information into a single volume to provide a one-stop reference source.

Many schemes would be difficult for the reader to have found other than with the most intensive research so that historians, collectors, model makers and wargamers will find this unique reference source absolutely invaluable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Jul 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781848324220

Malcolm Wright

MAL WRIGHT is an Australian maritime artist who is also an internationally-known wargames designer and writer and lecturer. He has spent five decades researching ships camouflage, making notes while interviewing veterans, as well as consulting official sources, photographs and the work of artists of the era. He lives in Adelaide.

Book preview

1

THE OLD CRUISERS

CONTENTS

Adelaide (HMAS)

Cairo

Calcutta

Caledon

Calypso

Capetown

Caradoc

Cardiff

Carlisle

Ceres

Colombo

Conrad (Poland)

Coventry

Curacoa

Curlew

Danae

Dauntless

Delhi

Despatch

Diomede

Dragon

Dunedin

Durban

Effingham

Emerald

Enterprise

Frobisher

Hawkins

Vindictive

AUSTRALIAN TOWN CLASS LIGHT CRUISERS

HMAS ADELAIDE Pennant I47

Australian Town class light cruiser 1922

Adelaide was the last of the World War I Town group of cruisers based around the Chatham class. Three ships were ordered from UK shipyards and it was decided that the fourth vessel would be constructed in Australia. Although laid down in 1915, her construction became a disgrace. Owing to industrial action and delays in delivery of equipment, it took seven years and four months to complete Adelaide for service. By that time the war had ended and her design was obsolete. Newspapers gave her the nickname ‘HMAS Long delayed’. The bridge usually had canvas over it in hot conditions. A 3in AA gun was placed aft on the centreline. She carried nine 6in guns, with the two forward being abreast in front of the bridge. During her early career the ship was painted in a very pale grey, but the top section of the tripod foremast, fighting top and director were black. Decks were holystoned wood. However, it was a practice of the day to paint vertical metal surfaces matt black in areas where coal was handled. Adelaide was the first RAN ship to transit the Caribbean after passing through the Panama Canal. She was very active on colonial duties, including putting down a native uprising in the Solomon Islands at Malaita.

HMAS ADELAIDE Pennant I47

Australian Town class light cruiser 1939

This ship was not disposed of prior to World War II, as had been her British-built sisters, because her very late, delayed construction meant she was in a much better condition. However, it was realised that modernisation was required. Owing to the conversion from coal and oil fuel to oil only, the number of boilers was able to be reduced and the fore funnel removed. One of the forward 6in guns was removed and the other placed on the centreline. Her fighting top was increased and rearranged. The aft 3in AA was replaced by a single 4in on the centreline and two more singles were added port and starboard at the break of the hull. Machine guns were added to the bridge wings and others could be mounted if required. The searchlight structure was increased in size and a secondary director added. The old gun shields were retained on her main armament. Initially, she adopted a grey similar to MS4a overall and the decks remained unpainted wood. The previously black painted fighting top area was now grey. In this form, the ship was intended mostly for training duties and was not expected to deploy outside home waters, but the coming war would see her on active service.

HMAS ADELAIDE Pennant D47

Australian Town class light cruiser 1940

A more warlike scheme approximating B6 seems to have been adopted by 1941, although some sources say 507c was the actual shade used. The decks were still unpainted, but permitted to gradually fade to pale grey from the action of salt water. Splinter mats were placed around areas of the bridge and searchlight platform aft. A crow’s nest was added above the fighting top. As the war was being fought far away in Europe and North Africa, there had as yet been no attempt to increase the AA armament. She remained little altered from her major rebuild. The searchlights between the funnels were removed during, or very shortly after, her rebuild. The flag superior of this ship was changed from I47 to D47 in late 1940. With Japan having entered the war and some of the more modern Australian cruisers lost, Adelaide was called on to perform duties around New Guinea and other places, as the RAN was pressed for warships. She was present in Sydney Harbour during the midget submarine attack, but was not damaged. Some depth charges were provided on the quarterdeck in racks, but no throwers were fitted at this time.

HMAS ADELAIDE Pennant D47

Australian Town class light cruiser 1941-2

Adelaide was given a disruptive camouflage scheme in 1941 utilising B6 and G10. This scheme was applied the same on both sides of the ship. The decks still remained wood, but were no longer polished and became a natural sea-stained grey. One anchor was removed to save weight. Light AA guns were added each side between the first and second funnels. Although stated in most sources to have been 20mm singles, photographic evidence seems to show them as single 2pdr pom-pom mountings. Depth-charge racks were added on the quarterdeck port and starboard aft of ‘Y’ gun. This was increased later since Adelaide’s main duty was convoy escort. It was expected that German raiders would attack coastal shipping and the ship would be involved with protection of the sea-lanes and covering convoys. After the fall of France, Adelaide was sent to New Caledonia to deliver a Free French governor to replace the Vichy French one. There was a stand-off with the heavily armed French colonial sloop Dumont d’Urville, but eventually the mission was completed. In November 1942 she sank the German blockade-runner Ramses while escorting a convoy in the Indian Ocean, scoring hits from her third salvo onward.

HMAS ADELAIDE Pennant D47

Australian Town class light cruiser 1943-4

In 1943 Adelaide received her last major refit. The original gun shields were replaced by a square type and could indeed have been provided from those removed from the Royal Navy ‘C’ class cruisers when they were refitted for AA duty. The main guns on each side of the aft deckhouse were removed and a single gun was mounted on the centreline in place of the aft 4in AA gun. This gave the ship the same broadside as before but with a weight saving, which could be used in other ways. Type 285 radar was fitted to the forward director, a Type 281 air-warning set to the foretop and a Type 271 lantern surface warning radar was fitted where the original fore funnel had been. A well-designed camouflage scheme, utilising B15 or G10, was added. The scheme was different on each side as shown. At this time the light AA armament still comprised four single 20mm, with one each side of the bridge front and two between the fore and central funnels. Some additional 20mm were added in 1944. Depth-charge throwers and racks were placed each side of the aft deckhouse, now that this space had been vacated by the removal of the waist guns. The side 4in guns were retained. On completion of the 1943 refit Adelaide returned to Fremantle in Western Australia for more patrols and convoys in the Indian Ocean. Much of this was carried out while also training new recruits.

HMAS ADELAIDE Pennant D47

Australian Town class light cruiser 1944-5

In late 1944 the camouflage on the funnels was painted out. The reason for this is unknown, but the same paint shades were used. The decks may have been painted in 1943 or had simply become much darker due to fading. Type 244 IFF was fitted to the radar lantern and the set may have been upgraded to a Type 272 radar. One of the aft searchlights was replaced by a single 20mm AA and others were also apparently fitted, for a total of up to ten guns. By late 1944, Adelaide was confined to training duties only. She was paid off into reserve in February 1945 in order to free up crew for the large number of newly built warships then coming into service. Adelaide remained in reserve until 1947, when she was finally sold for scrap. She was the oldest cruiser design to serve in the British and Commonwealth navies during World War II.

CALEDON CLASS LIGHT CRUISERS

HMS CARADOC Pennant I60

Caledon class light cruiser 1917

The Caledon class cruisers were a further improvement on the famous ‘C’ classes produced in World War I. The appearance of this ship was standard for the class, all of which were in service by 1917–18. Cassandra was mined and sunk in 1918 during the Russian Revolution. The remaining three were little altered before World War II. Caradoc is shown in standard World War I mid-grey. The decks were unpainted wood, but in the post-war period were brightly holystoned. The Union Jack was flown during World War I because of the similarity of the German naval ensign to the Royal Navy white ensign. It was placed either on a hoist or even higher on the foremast.

HMS CARADOC Pennant I60

Caledon class light cruiser 1934

Caradoc served in the China and Far East squadron from 1930 until 1934, during which she was painted in the traditional style for ships in the region: hull and upper works in white, with funnels and gun shields in buff. Gun barrels were painted black, and some ships also had the shields in black. The waterline was red, which was extended to most of the boats. However, one, as shown here, was normally stained wood. The motor launch, which is not visible here, would also have been stained wood, with lots of polished brass. It was the intention to impress the local population and leaders through the smartness of each ship. In addition to the normal crew, there would have been many Chinese from Hong Kong serving in auxiliary roles, as well as many others as servants working in the wardroom, galley, washing clothes and doing other tasks.

HMS CARADOC Pennant D60

Caledon class light cruiser 1939

At the start of the war, Caradoc was painted overall mid-grey. The area under the 3in gun mounts was plated over to provide more accommodation. A single 2pdr AA gun was added at the end of the aft deckhouse and single machine guns on the bridge wings. Other rifle-calibre machine guns could also be mounted. Extra Carley rafts were carried, but in general the ship is little altered from her pre-war appearance. Type 128 Asdic was fitted, but usually only six depth charges were carried by unconverted ships. The flag superior of her pennant number was changed from I to D. Caradoc had been placed in reserve in 1934 and on recommissioning in 1939 was sent to the East Indies Squadron. During this period Caradoc intercepted two German blockade-runners.

HMS CARADOC Pennant D60

Caledon class light cruiser 1940

In mid-1940 Caradoc was repainted with 507c pale grey upper works and a 507a dark grey hull, and remained in this scheme until her US refit commenced at the end of that year. Although on the East Indies Station, she continued to be used for ferry duty, transporting gold reserves from the UK to Canada. Note that she carried two single 2pdr AA guns on the aft shelter deck, in addition to machine guns in the bridge wings. Her areas of operation were such that the risk of air attack was very slight. Depth-charge capacity was raised to sixteen about this time, with most on the rack or stored by throwers.

HMS CARADOC Pennant D60

Caledon class light cruiser 1943-5

Caradoc received a refit in the United States from late 1941 until early 1942. During that time she was repainted in three colours, which appear to have been white, dark grey and dark blue or black. The decks remained unpainted wood. As no records exist, it is entirely possible that the colours used were of USN type, which would have been readily available. The light AA was altered to five single 20mm Oerlikon guns, two forward on the bridge and three at the rear of the aft deckhouse. She retained the 3in AA guns to the last. She was fitted with Type 290 radar at the masthead and a Type 271 lantern amidships. As the Type 290 was not very successful, it was probably later swapped for the improved Type 291. ASW equipment was carried at the stern, because ships of this type often operated in waters away from smaller escort vessels, but where longer range U-boats might be encountered. It is possible her Asdic was upgraded to Type 132. She went to the Eastern fleet in 1943, where she was first a gunnery training ship operating out of Durban and later as a base ship at Colombo until the war ended. She was scrapped in May 1946.

HMS CALYPSO Pennant I61

Caledon class light cruiser 1917

Calypso saw service near the end of World War I and was badly hit on 17 November 1917 during the Battle of Heligoland Bight. After repairs she was posted to the 3rd Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean in 1919, where she spent much of her post-war service, before going into reserve for seven years. While serving in the Mediterranean, she may have been painted in white and buff, similar to Caradoc while on colonial service. Note that Calypso had four searchlights amidships, a further pair in front of the fore funnel and two on the rear of the bridge.

HMS CALYPSO Pennant I61

Caledon class light cruiser 1939

Calypso was assigned to the 7th Cruiser Squadron on the Northern Patrol and captured two German blockade-runners near the end of 1939. During this time, which was mostly winter, she was painted in 507a battleship grey, which would have provided good concealment in the dull winter conditions. Note that the radio cabin between the funnels was enlarged, the aft searchlight platform was enlarged to include a director, and that machine guns were mounted on the aft deckhouse. The midships walkway had been filled in to provide more accommodations, as had the area under the 3in gun mounts.

HMS CALYPSO Pennant I61

Caledon class light cruiser 1940

In 1940 Calypso was sent to reinforce British naval forces at Alexandria. For this deployment, the previous dark scheme was painted out and MS4a adopted instead. The fighting top and masts were pale grey or white. There was little time for modifications. Extra machine guns were added on the aft deckhouse and a zareba was placed around the 2pdr mounts amidships. No radar was fitted. Her service was brief as she fell victim to the Italian submarine Bagnoli south of Crete on 12 June 1940. She was the only one of her class lost in World War II. The flag superior of her pennant number was not changed to D, as with her sister ships, since she was sunk before that change was