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Allied Warships

HMS Calypso (D 61)

Light cruiser of the Caledon class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeLight cruiser
ClassCaledon 
PennantD 61 
Built byHawthorn Leslie & Co. (Hebburn-on-Tyne, U.K.) 
Ordered 
Laid down7 Feb, 1916 
Launched24 Jan, 1917 
Commissioned21 Jun, 1917 
Lost12 Jun, 1940 
Loss position34.03N, 24.05E (See a map)
 
HistoryHMS Calypso (Capt. Henry Aubrey Rowley, RN) was sunk in the Eastern Mediterranean, about 45 nautical miles south of Khania island, Greece in position 34º03'N, 24º05'E by 1 torpedo from the Italian submarine Bagnolini, Lcdr. Franco Tosoni-Pittoni.

On that night, Calypso was executing a search for enemy ships out of Alexandria. At 0050 hrs, already on the route home with CL Caledon and DD Dainty, was attacked by the surfaced Italian sub, lying in her "ambush position" some 50 nm southeast of Gavdo island.
Calypso was hit about 0200 hrs on the port side, under "B" 152 mm mount, by the single torpedo fired by the sub from 1,500 metres and sank at 0330 hrs with theloss of 1 officer and 39 men. The British destroyer HMS Dainty took off 418 of the ships company.

Commanding Officers:
Capt. Newton James Wallop William-Powlett, DSC, RN
31 July 1939 – 12 December 1939

Capt. Henry Aubrey Rowley, RN
12 December 1939 - 12 June 1940 


Noteable events involving Calypso include:

24 Sep, 1939
HMS Calypso (Capt. N.J.W. William-Powlett, DSC, RN) intercepts the German merchant Minden (4165 GRT) south of Iceland in position 62º00'N, 15º34'W. However before the ship can be captured she is scuttled by her own crew. (see map)

22 Nov, 1939
The German merchant Konsul Hendrik Fisser (4458 GRT) is captured off the Faroers in position 63º00N, 07º00W by the British light cruiser HMS Calypso (Capt. N.J.W. William-Powlett, DSC, RN) (see map)


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