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Birmingham Class. Very similar to the Chatham class but with an additional 6 inch gun mounted on the forecastle in order to improve forward fire and more flare to the bow to improve sea keeping. Although the group of cruiser classes from Bristol onwards (often known as the 'Towns') were successful the Birmingham class were the last of the line. |
HMS Birmingham
Built Elswick, laid down June 1912, completed February 1914.
HMS Lowestoft
Built Chatham Dockyard, laid down July 1912, completed April 1914.
HMS Nottingham
Built Pembroke Dockyard, laid down June 1912, completed April 1914.
HMAS Adelaide (RAN)
Built Cockatoo Dockyard, laid down January 1915, completed August 1922.
Size:
Length 430 feet pp 457 feet overall, beam 50 feet, draught 16 feet, displacement 5,440 tons normal 6,040 tons deep.
Propulsion:
4 shaft Parsons turbines, 25,000 shp, 25.5kts
Armour:
2in belt, 1.5-0.5in decks
Armament:
9 x 6in 45cal Mk XII (9 x 1), 4 x 3 pounder (4 x 1), 2 x 21in TT
Comments:
Crew 480.
World War 1 Service:
Birmingham
1 Light Cruiser Squadron Grand Fleet.
August 1914 Sank two German merchant ships.
9 August 1914 Rammed and sank the German submarine U 15.
28 August 1914 Battle of Heligoland Bight.
24 January 1915 took part in Battle of Dogger Bank.
February 1915 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron.
31 May-1 June 1916 Battle of Jutland.
1931 Sold for scrap.
Lowestoft
1 Light Cruiser Squadron Grand Fleet.
August 1914 Sank a German merchant ship.
28 August 1914 Battle of Heligoland Bight.
24 January 1915 took part in Battle of Dogger Bank.
February 1915 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron.
1916 8th Light Cruiser Squadron Mediterranean.
1931 Sold for scrap.
Nottingham
1 Light Cruiser Squadron Grand Fleet.
28 August 1914 Battle of Heligoland Bight.
24 January 1915 took part in Battle of Dogger Bank.
February 1915 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron.
31 May-1 June 1916 Battle of Jutland.
16 August 1916 Torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U 52.
Adelaide (RAN)
Completed after World War 1.
1949 Sold for scrap.
| HMS Lowestoft became the first British cruiser fitted with a tripod mast, necessary to carry the weight of director fire control equipment. The class underwent the usual wartime additions of a 3 inch anti aircraft gun and changes in search lights but weren't fitted to carry aircraft |
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