Construction and career HMS Malaya

1 construction , career

1.1 between wars
1.2 second world war
1.3 fate

construction , career

malaya built sir w. g. armstrong whitworth , company @ high walker , launched in march 1915. named in honour of federated malay states in british malaya, government paid construction. served in rear-admiral hugh evan-thomas s 5th battle squadron of grand fleet. took part in battle of jutland, on 31 may 1916, hit 8 times , took major damage , heavy crew casualties. total of 65 men died, in battle or later of injuries. among wounded able seaman willie vicarage, notable 1 of first men receive facial reconstruction using plastic surgery , first receive radical reconstruction via tubed pedicule technique pioneered sir harold gillies. uniquely among ships @ battle, hms malaya flew red-white-black-yellow ensign of federated malay states.

between wars

on 17 november 1922 malaya carried last sultan of ottoman empire, mehmed vi, istanbul exile on malta (and later san remo). in august–september 1938 served in port of haifa during 1936–39 arab revolt in palestine.

unlike sisters queen elizabeth, warspite , valiant, malaya did not undergo comprehensive reconstruction between wars. did receive le cheminant deck watch royal observatory on 5 april 1933.

second world war

malaya served in mediterranean in 1940, escorting convoys , operating against italian fleet. shelled genoa in february 1941 part of operation grog due crew error, fired 15-inch armour-piercing shell south-east corner of cathedral nave. fuse failed detonate.

armour-piercing shell – cap (left) fired on 9 february 1941 nave of genoa cathedral

in march 1941, malaya s presence in convoy near cape verde sufficiently discouraging german commerce raiders scharnhorst , gneisenau withdrew rather risk damage in attack.

malaya damaged torpedo u-106 @ 2323 on 20 march 1941. u-106 attacked shadow of merchant ship spread of 2 stern torpedoes in bad light port side of convoy sl 68 250 miles west-northwest of cape verde islands. kapitänleutnant jürgen oesten heard hits after 2 minutes 37 seconds , 3 minutes 35 seconds. 1 torpedo damaged malaya , other meerkerk. malaya hit torpedo on port side, causing considerable damage. due flooding of compartments ship took list of 7 degrees, safely reached trinidad. after temporary repairs made, continued new york navy yard, docked 4 months.

on 9 july, under command of captain cuthbert coppinger, battleship left new york on trials , steamed halifax, nova scotia provide protection urgent fast convoy. no ships lost, , malaya arrived in rosyth on 28 july. thereafter escorted convoys united kingdom malta , cape town until summer 1943.

malaya placed in reserve @ end of 1943. during time entire secondary 6-inch armament offloaded , anti-aircraft armament enhanced. between 15 , 17 may 1944, malaya used in loch striven target ship inert bouncing bomb prototypes, 1 of punched hole in ship s side. reactivated before normandy landings act reserve bombardment battleship.

fate

malaya withdrawn service @ end of 1944 , became accommodation ship torpedo school. sold on 20 february 1948 metal industries, arrived @ faslane on 12 april 1948 scrapping. ship s bell can seen in east india club, london.