| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Light cruiser |
| Class | D |
| Pennant | D 30 |
| Built by | Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | Jul, 1918 |
| Launched | 24 Sep, 1919 |
| Commissioned | 2 Jun, 1922 |
| End service | |
| Loss position | |
| History | HMS Despatch was completed by Chatham Dockyard.
Reduced to reserve in January 1945. Sold 5 April 1946 and arrived for scrapping at Arnott Young, Troon, Scotland on 5 May 1946. Commanding Officers: Capt. John Wentworth Farquhar, RN Capt. Cyril George Bucknill Coltart, CVO, RN Capt. Cyril Eustace Douglas-Pennant, DSC, RN Capt. Waldeman William Powell Shirley-Rollison, RN ??? HMS Despatch was possibly in Dockyard Control during refit Capt. William Ronald Christopher Leggatt, RN A/Capt. Richard Taylor White, DSO and 2 Bars, RN HMS Despatch was not an active unit as of January 1945 |
| Noteable events involving Despatch include: 5 Dec, 1939 1 Mar, 1940 |