Allied Warships

Light cruisers

Dido class

11 ships


The light cruiser HMS Scylla (98) of the Royal Navy.

Technical information

TypeLight cruiser
Displacement5450 BRT 
Length512 feet (oa) 
Complement530 men 
ArmamentAs designed;
10 5.25" DP guns (5x2)
8 2pdr AA (2x4)
8 .5" AA (2x4)
6 21" torpedo tubes (2x3) 
Max speed33 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 4 shafts 
Power62000 HP 
Notes on class

This class of cruiser was designed for use as Anti Aircraft cruisers in the fleet role, in response to demands for better Anti Aircraft defence against the growing capabilities of the aircraft of the day. The special Dual Purpose main armament was designed in the 1930`s and fired an 80 pound projectile and had a maximum range at full elevation of 70 degrees of 46,500 feet. It was mounted in twin turrets. Three of the turrets were in tiers forward of the bridge, which necessitated a high bridge and even higher funnels to prevent smoke problems on the command positions.

Scylla and Charybdis had 8 4.5" AA guns in four twin mounts instead of the designed 5.25" guns duo to shortages. 


All ships of the Dido class


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Argonaut (61)
HMS Bonaventure (i) (31) Lost on 31 Mar 1941
HMS Cleopatra (33)
HMS Dido (37)
HMS Euryalus (42)
HMS Hermione (74) Lost on 16 Jun 1942
HMS Naiad (93) Lost on 11 Mar 1942
HMS Phoebe (43)
HMS Sirius (82)

AA Cruiser


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Charybdis (88) Lost on 23 Oct 1943
HMS Scylla (98)


11 Light cruisers of the Dido class. 4 of them were lost.

Full wartime service history on this vessel.

See all Light cruiser classes.


Dido class ships hit by U-boats (3)

16 Jun 1942HMS HermioneSunkU-205
11 Mar 1942HMS NaiadSunkU-565
23 Oct 1942HMS PhoebeDamagedU-161

Books dealing with this subject include:



Return to the Allied Warships section