Editing York-class cruiser

{{Short description|Class of British heavy cruisers}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS York secured.jpg
|Ship caption={{HMS|York|90|6}}
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''York'' class
|Builders=
|Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}}
|Class before={{sclass2|County|cruiser|4}}
|Class after=None
|Subclasses=
|Built range=1927-1931
|In commission range=1930-1942
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=7
|Total ships completed=2
|Total ships cancelled=5
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=2
|Total ships retired=
|Total ships preserved=
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=- ''York''
|Ship type=[[Heavy cruiser]]
|Ship displacement=8,250 tons standard / 10,350 tons full load
|Ship length=*{{convert|540|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length between perpendiculars|p/p]]
* {{convert|575|ft|m|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|57|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draught={{convert|17|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draft=
|Ship propulsion=*Eight Admiralty 3-drum [[water-tube boiler]]s
* [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbines|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbines]]
* {{convert|80000|shp|kW|-2|abbr=on}} on four shafts
|Ship speed={{convert|32.25|kn|km/h|lk=in}} ({{convert|30.25|kn|km/h}} full load)
|Ship range=1,900 tons oil fuel; {{convert|10000|nmi|km|-4|abbr=on}} at {{convert|14|kn|km/h|0}}
|Ship complement=623
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
* 6 × [[BL 8 inch Mk VIII naval gun|BL 8 inch Mk.VIII (203 mm, L/50) guns]], twin mounts Mk.II
* 6 × [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF 4 inch Mk.V (102 mm, L/45) guns]], single mounts HA Mk.III
* 8 × [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.5 inch Mk.III Vickers (12.7 mm, L/50) machine guns]], quad mounts Mk.I
* 6 (2x3) tubes for [[British 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm) torpedoes]]
|Ship armour=
* [[Belt armor|Main belt]]
** 3 in
** {{fraction|2|1|2}}-1 in enclosing [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]]
* [[Deck (ship)|Lower deck]]
** {{fraction|1|1|4}} in over machinery
** {{fraction|1|1|2}} in over steering gear
* [[Magazine (artillery)|Magazine]] box citadels 4–1 in
* Transmitting Station 1 in
* [[gun turret|Turrets]]
** 1 in face, rear, crown
** {{fraction|2|1|2}} in base
** 1 in [[barbette]]
** 2 in hoist
|Ship aircraft=One × [[Fairey Seafox]]
|Ship aircraft facilities=rotating [[Aircraft catapult#Interwar and World War II|catapult]]
|Ship notes=
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= - ''Exeter''
|Ship displacement= 8,390 tons standard / 10,410 tons full load
|Ship beam= {{convert|58|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship complement= 630
|Ship armour=
* as ''York'', except;
** Magazine box citadels 5–1 in
|Ship aircraft=Two x [[Fairey Seafox]], later [[Supermarine Walrus]]
|Ship aircraft facilities=Two fixed catapults
|Ship notes= Other characteristics as per ''York''
}}
|}

The '''''York'' class''' was the second and final [[ship class|class]] of [[heavy cruiser]]s built for the [[Royal Navy]] under the terms of the 1922 [[Washington Naval Treaty]]. They were essentially a reduced version of the preceding {{sclass2|County|cruiser|4}}, scaled down to enable more cruisers to be built from the limited defence budgets of the late 1920s.

It was initially planned to build seven ships of this class, though in the end only two were constructed—{{HMS|York|90|6}}, started in 1927, and {{HMS|Exeter|68|6}}, started in 1928. ''Exeter'' differed in appearance from ''York'' because of late changes in her design. The remaining ships were delayed due to budget cuts, and then following the [[London Naval Treaty]] of 1930 the Royal Navy decided its cruiser needs were best met by building a greater number of yet smaller cruisers with 6–in guns.<ref name="Marriott-p35">Marriott, p. 35</ref>

While both ships served extensively in the first few years of the [[World War II|Second World War]], it was ''Exeter'' that had the more notable career. ''Exeter'' took part in the [[Battle of the River Plate]] against the German raider {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Graf Spee||2}}, and was badly damaged, though later she was repaired and modernized.  She escorted a convoy to the Pacific in late 1941, and was again heavily damaged in the [[Battle of the Java Sea]], then caught and overwhelmed a few days later by four Japanese heavy cruisers. ''York'' was sunk in [[Suda Bay]], Crete, by Italian [[MT explosive motorboat|MT boats]] in 1941, and was raised in 1952 and towed away to be scrapped in Italy.

==Design==
The Royal Navy had a need for smaller cruisers than the {{sclass2|County|cruiser|4}}, the largest design possible under the Washington limits, in order that more could be built under the strict defence economies of 1920s Britain. From 1925 the Royal Navy planned a "Class B" cruiser (as against the 10,000-ton cruisers of Class A, such as the Counties.)<ref name="Marriott-p35" />

The new design was to have a displacement of 8,500 tons, as opposed to the 10,000 tons of the County class. This weight saving was mainly to be accomplished by reducing the armament to six 8-in guns (as opposed to the 8 guns on the County class), and also by using a new Mark II mounting for the guns. Otherwise the new ships were to share all the main features of the preceding class.<ref name="Marriott-p35" />

===Propulsion===
The economies in size allowed for a {{convert|50|ft|m|adj=on|0}} reduction in length and {{convert|9|ft|m|0}} in beam over the Counties. Their engines were identical - four boilers in two boiler rooms providing steam for four Parsons geared turbines, generating 80,000 shaft horsepower. The design speed was {{convert|32.5|knots|km/h}}, one knot faster than the County class.<ref>Marriott, pp. 29, 35</ref>

===Protection===
The armour of the ''York-''class was slightly inferior to the preceding [[County-class cruiser|County class heavy cruisers]], which included a {{convert|3|in|mm|adj=mid|-thick}}, {{convert|8|ft|m|adj=mid|-deep|0}} main belt and an armoured lower deck joining at its top edge. Over the magazine spaces, the belt thickened to {{convert|4|in|mm}}, and the armour extended above the belt, with a {{convert|2.5|in|mm|sing=on}} magazine crown The turrets had {{convert|2|in|mm|sing=on}} armour to the face and crown, {{convert|1.5|in|mm}} on sides and rear, and the barbettes on which the turrets sat had {{convert|1|in|mm|sing=on}} armour. The transmitting station was also covered by 1-inch armour.<ref name="Marriott-p35" /> To shorten the belt length, the amidship magazine found on the Counties was removed (reduced armament required less magazine space anyway). This armour scheme was generally equivalent to that of the County class, though thicker over the machinery spaces.

===Armament===
The six [[BL 8 inch Mk VIII naval gun|{{convert|8|in|sing=on|sigfig=3}} Mark VIII guns]] were mounted in three turrets. ''York'' used the Mark II mounting, which was intended to be 20 tons lighter than the Mark I mounting used on the earlier County-class ships; however, in fact it turned out to be heavier.<ref name="Marriott-p35"/> The Mark II mounting was capable of firing at up to 80 degrees elevation for anti-aircraft barrage fire. However, this feature, which was also shared with the Mark I mounting, turned out to produce more mechanical headaches than were justified by its very marginal military utility.<ref>Marriott, p. 21</ref> ''Exeter'' used a modified Mark II* mounting, limited to 50 degrees elevation.<ref>Marriott, p. 36</ref>

The secondary armament consisted of four [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|sing=on|sigfig=3}} QF Mark V guns]] and two [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2-pounder guns]]. Two triple {{convert|21|in|mm|sing=on|sigfig=3}} [[torpedo tube]]s were carried. This was similar to the County class, with the exception that the ''York''s carried two fewer torpedo tubes, because of the narrower beam.

===Appearance===
As a result of the magazine changes, and to keep the funnels distant from the bridge, only two funnels were required; the forward boiler room uptakes trunked up into a large fore-funnel. This was raked in ''York'' to clear the flue gases from the bridge, but was straight in ''Exeter'' owing to an altered bridge design and more extensive trunking. To maintain homogeneity of appearance, ''York'' stepped raked masts and ''Exeter'' vertical ones. ''York'' had a tall "platform" style bridge as seen in the Counties, which was somewhat distant from 'B' turret. This was because it had been intended to fit a catapult and floatplane to the roof of the turret, which needed clearance distance and required a tall bridge to provide forward view. The roof of the turret, however, was not sufficiently strong to carry this catapult and it was never fitted. ''Exeter'' was ordered two years later and the bridge was redesigned in light of this, being lower, further forward and fully enclosed, as later seen in the {{sclass|Leander|cruiser (1931)|5}} and {{sclass|Arethusa|cruiser (1934)|5}} classes.

''York'' eventually received a rotating catapult amidships behind the funnels, and ''Exeter'' had a fixed pair in the same location, firing forwards and angled out from the centreline. A crane for recovery was located to starboard and one aircraft could be carried on ''York'', initially a [[Fairey Seafox]] (two on ''Exeter'') and later, on ''Exeter'', two [[Supermarine Walrus]].

Compared to the Counties, the ''York''s saved 1,750 tons in net weight, but the reductions in cost of £250,000 and manpower of 50 was something of an uneconomical saving.
{{clear}}

==Ships==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data
!scope="col"|Name
!scope="col"|[[Pennant number|Pennant]]
!scope="col"|Builder
!scope="col"|[[Laid down]]
!scope="col"|[[Ceremonial ship launching|Launched]]
!scope="col"|Completed
!scope="col"|Fate
|-
!scope="row"|{{HMS|York|90|2}}
|90
|[[Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company]], [[Jarrow]]
|16 May 1927
|17 Feb 1928
|6 June 1930
|[[Raid on Souda Bay|Scuttled]] following sustained attacks by Italian explosive boats, 22 May 1941; [[Marine salvage|salvaged]] and [[ship breaking|scrapped]], February 1952
|-
!scope="row"|{{HMS|Exeter|68|2}}
|68
|[[HMNB Devonport|HM Dockyard, Devonport]]
|1 August 1928
|13 July 1929
|31 July 1931
|Sunk by Japanese ships [[Second Battle of the Java Sea|in the Java Sea]], 1 March 1942
|}

== Service history ==

=== York ===
''York'' saw various peacetime patrol duties during the interwar period, before partaking in [[World War II]]. She saw convoy escorting duties, before intercepting the German blockade runner ''Skagerrak'', who scuttled herself before she could be captured.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=dreadnaughtz |date=2019-03-17 |title=York and Exeter (1929) - the last British heavy cruisers |url=https://naval-encyclopedia.com/ww2/uk/york-class-cruisers.php |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=naval encyclopedia |language=en-US}}</ref> Although ''York'' did not directly participate in the [[Battle of Cape Passero (1940)|Battle of Cape Passero]], she partook in the aftermath of the engagement where she sank the disabled and abandoned [[Italian destroyer Artigliere (1937)|Italian destroyer ''Artigliere'']].<ref name=":0" />

''York'' was [[Raid on Souda Bay|attacked]] in March 1941 by Italian [[MT explosive motorboat|explosive motorboats]] and hit amidships and then beached to prevent her sinking. ''York's'' beached wreck was then bombed beyond repair by German warplanes and abandoned after her main guns had been made useless.<ref name=":0" />

=== Exeter ===
Again, ''Exeter'' partook in various peacetime patrol duties before the events of the 2nd World War. Alongside the light cruisers [[HMS Ajax (22)|''Ajax'']] and [[HMNZS Achilles (70)|''Achilles'']], Exeter took part in the [[Battle of the River Plate]] to sink the German cruiser [[German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee|''Admiral Graf Spee'']]. ''Exeter'' partook in a flanking maneuver to distract ''Graf Spee'' so that ''Ajax'' and ''Achilles'' could sneak attack the German cruiser, and she paid the price for this.<ref name=":1">{{Citation |title=HMS Exeter - Guide 247 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6weg2nkgVtc |access-date=2023-04-14 |language=en}}</ref> Several 283 mm (11.1-inch) shells from the pocket battleship slammed into Exeter, leaving her heavily listing and with only her aft 8-inch (203 mm) gun turret operational, as well as wiping out half of her torpedo crews, her spotting aircraft, and communication systems.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2017-10-02 |title=Mighty WW2 Warships - KMS Admiral Graf Spee in the Battle of the River Plate |url=https://www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/kms-admiral-graf-spee-battle-river-plate-mm.html |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=warhistoryonline |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Once ''Ajax'' and ''Achilles'' joined the fight, prompting ''Graf Spee'' to target them, the crippled ''Exeter'' fled the scene, but not before scoring a decisive hit with her main guns that knocked out ''Graf Spee'''s fuel processing plant, ensuring that she would not make it back to Germany.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

After a year of repairs, she was sent to the far east to hold back Japanese forces, surviving numerous attacks by air bombers from the Japanese light carrier [[Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūjō|''Ryūjō'']].<ref name=":1" /> Following that, ''Exeter'' participated in the [[Battle of the Java Sea]] in February of 1942, where her luck ran out. She quickly lost a gunfight with the Japanese heavy cruiser [[Japanese cruiser Haguro|''Haguro'']], causing practically no damage to ''Haguro'' while being hit by numerous 8-inch (203 mm) shells from the cruiser, one of which blew up half of her engine and limited her to 5 knots, forcing her to withdraw from the engagement.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Imperial Cruisers |url=http://www.combinedfleet.com/haguro_t.htm |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=www.combinedfleet.com}}</ref> Two days later, the crippled ''Exeter'' alongside the destroyers [[USS Pope (DD-225)|USS ''Pope'']] and [[HMS Encounter (H10)|HMS ''Encounter'']] ran into ''Haguro'' again, supported by her three sisterships, [[Japanese cruiser Nachi|''Nachi'']], [[Japanese cruiser Myōkō|''Myōkō'']], and [[Japanese cruiser Ashigara|''Ashigara'']]. ''Exeter'' was hit by numerous 8-inch (203 mm) shells, the first of which blew up the rest of her engines and left her dead in the water, which resulted in her scuttling. She sank at 13:30.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau |editor1-first=Roger |publisher=Mayflower Books|location=New York|year=1980|isbn=0-8317-0303-2 |chapter=Great Britain |last1=Campbell |first1=N.J.M.|pages=2–85}}
* {{cite book |title=Naval Weapons of World War Two |last=Campbell |first=John |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |year=1985 |isbn=0-87021-459-4}}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
*{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After|year=2010|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-59114-078-8 |author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7|author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton}}
* Marriott, Leo. ''Treaty Cruisers: The first international warship building competition''. Pen & Sword Maritime, Barnsley, 2005. {{ISBN|1-84415-188-3}}
* {{cite book|last1=Raven|first1=Alan|last2=Roberts|first2=John|title=British Cruisers of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1980|isbn=0-87021-922-7|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2 |author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Cruisers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Cassell |location=London|year=1995|isbn=1-86019-874-0|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|York class cruiser}}

{{York class cruiser}}
{{WWII British ships}}{{Treaty Cruisers}}{{DEFAULTSORT:York Class Cruiser}}
[[Category:Cruiser classes]]
[[Category:History of York]]
[[Category:Ship classes of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:York-class cruisers| ]]