Achilles

H.M.S. Achilles

(Neptun 1146a)

Class: Leander (1st group) - 5 cruisers of 1929-31
Displacement: 7,030 tons
Dimensions: 530 (pp) 554.5 (oa) x 55.25 x 16 ft
Machinery: 4-shaft geared turbines, SHP 72,000 = 32.5 knots
Armor: Main belt 2in-4in, deck 2in, turrets 1in, DCT 1in
Armament: 8-6in (4x2), 4-4in AA (4x1), 12-.5in AA (3x4) guns, 8-21in TT (2x4); 1 aircraft
Complement: 570

Service: Served in Home Fleet until being attached to the Royal Navy's New Zealand Division in 1936. Joined Force G in South Atlantic, Nov 1939, along with Ajax and Exeter, and participated in action against Admiral Graf Spee at Battle of the River Plate, 13 Dec 1939. Lightly damaged, she returned to New Zealand waters for trade protection patrols. When the Royal New Zealand Navy was officially formed, on 10 Oct 1941, she was recommissioned as HMNZS Achilles. After Japan entered the war, she escorted troop convoys, then joined the ANZAC squadron in SW Pacific. While operating off New Georgia with U.S. forces, she was hit by a bomb on X turret, 5 Jan 1943. Repaired at Portsmouth from Apr 1943 to May 1944, during which X turret was replaced by 4-2 pdr. Sent to Eastern Fleet, then joined TF57 in May 1945 for final operations in the Pacific. Returned to Britain in 1946 and subsequently sold to India and commissioned 5 Jul 1948 as HMIS Delhi. (After India became a republic, her designation was changed to INS.) She played herself in the 1956 movie Battle of the River Plate. Particpated in the occupation of Goa in 1961, but was in drydock at the time of the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965. Decommissioned and scrapped at Bombay in 1978.