HMS Arethusa (26)

HMS Arethusa in April 1942
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Arethusa
Namesake	Arethusa
Ordered	1 September 1932[1]
Builder	Chatham Dockyard
Laid down	25 January 1933
Launched	6 March 1934
Commissioned	23 May 1935
Decommissioned	1945
Refit	Sep - Oct 1937 Oct 1940 – Jan 1941
Identification	Pennant number: 26
Motto	Celeriter Audax (Latin:"Swiftly and audacious")[1]
Honours and awards	Ushant 1778 & 1781 - St Lucia 1796 - Curaçao 1807 - Black Sea 1854 - China 1900 - Heligoland 1914 - Dogger Bank 1915 - Norway 1940-41 - Malta Convoys 1941-42 - Normandy 1944[1]
Fate	Scrapped at Cashmores, Newport 1950
General characteristics
Class and type	Arethusa-class light cruiser
Displacement	5,220 tons standard 6,665 tons full load
Length	506 ft (154 m)
Beam	51 ft (16 m)
Draught	16.5 ft (5.0 m)
Propulsion	Four Parsons geared steam turbines Four Admiralty 3-drum oil-fired boilers Four shafts 64,000 shp
Speed	32 knots (59 km/h)
Range	5,300 nmi (9,800 km) at 13 knots (24 km/h)[2]
Complement	500
Sensors and processing systems	Type 286 radar (1941), replaced in 1942 by Type 273, Type 281, Type 282, Type 284, Type 285[2]
Armament	;Original configuration 6 × BL 6 inch Mk XXIII naval guns (3×2) 4 × 4-inch (102 mm) AA guns (4×1) 2 × .50 caliber quadruple machine guns 6 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2×3) 1941 additions 8 × 2-pounder (40 mm) AA guns (2×4) 2 × UP mountings (removed April 1942) 4 × 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns (4×1) April 1942 configuration 6 × 6-inch (152 mm) guns (3×2) 8 × 4-inch (102 mm) AA guns (4×2) 8 × 2-pounder (40 mm) AA guns (2×4) (increased to 11) 8 × 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns (8×1) 6 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2×3) April 1944 configuration 6 × 6-inch (152 mm) guns (3×2) 8 × 4-inch (102 mm) AA guns (4×2) 8 × 40 mm Bofors AA guns (2×4) 16 × 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns (8×1; 4×2) 6 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2×3)[2]
Armour	;Original configuration 1 to 3 inches – magazine protection 2.25 inches – belt 1 inches – deck, turrets and bulkheads[2]
Aircraft carried	One Hawker Osprey (Fairey Seafox from 1937) (removed 1940)[2]

HMS Arethusa was the name ship of her class of light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. She was built by Chatham Dockyard, with the keel being laid down on 25 January 1933. She was launched on 6 March 1934, and commissioned 21 May 1935 by Captain Philip Vian.