Naval
Art prints HMS Achilles, The Leander Class Cruiser HMS Achilles is
shown in a new limited edition art prints by Ivan Berryman, showing the action
of the battle of The River Plate against the German Pocket battleship
Graf Spee. Viewed from her sister ship HMS Ajax, this superb
action painting is also available as a Giclee canvas prints. all published
by The naval art company a division of Cranston Fine Arts.
HMS
Achilles a Leander Class Cruiser built by Cammell Laird and laid
down on the 11th June 1931, launched 1st september 1932 and completed
6th October 1933, served with the new Zealand Navy from 1937 to
1943, HMS Achilles served in the South Atlantic 1939 taking a
major role in the battle of the River Plate against the Graf Spee,
firing a total of 1242 6-inch shells in the action. receiving splinter
damage from near misses. Loaned to the newly formed New
Zealand navy (along with her sister ship HMS Leander) 1940 to
1943, returning to the home Fleet 1943 - 1944 and then to the Pacific
Fleet in 1945. In 1948 she was sold to the Indian Navy and renamed
Delhi. arriving there after refit in September 1948. In the 1953 film
Battle of the River Plate she played her self in the film. She again saw
service in the action to seize Goa by a small naval force in 1961.
Seeing no further service until1969 when she visited Australia, new
Zealand and Fiji. after which she was based on harbor duty at Cochin
finally being paid of in 1977
Specifications
for HMS Achilles Displacement:
7,030 tons Speed: 32.5kt Complement: 550
Armament:
Eight 6 inch guns in pairs. Eight 4 inch anti-aircraft guns in pairs and
eight 2pdr anti-aircraft guns in pairs as well as twelve 0.5 inch machine
guns in fours. Eight 21 inch torpedo tubes in pairs and 1
aircraft.
