British Town Class Cruisers

Introduction

This scholarly study of the Royal Navy's WWII light cruisers presents extensive design, performance, and engagement analysis of each ship.

Background

When the Second World War began, the ten British Town class cruisers were the most modern vessels of their type in the Royal Navy. Primarily designed for the defense of trade, they played decisive roles in victories such as the Battle of the Barents Sea and the destruction of the German Scharnhorst at the North Cape. They also paid a heavy price: four of the ships were lost and the other six sustained serious damage.

Study Overview

In this major study, Conrad Waters provides a technical evaluation of the Town class design and its subsequent performance. He outlines the class's origins in the context of inter-war cruiser policy, explains the design and construction process, and describes the characteristics of the resulting ships and how these were adapted in the light of wartime developments.

Service and Engagements

An overview of service focuses on major engagements and presents detailed assessments of action damage. Concluding chapters explore the modernization program that kept the remaining ships fit for service during the Cold War era.

Illustrations and References

Heavily illustrated with contemporary photographs and expert drawings, British Town Class Cruisers provides a definitive reference to one of the Royal Navy's most important warship designs.