KRĄŻOWNIK AJAX/ACHILLES

HMS Ajax (22) was a British light cruiser of the Second World War. The keel was laid in 1933, the launch took place in March 1934, and the entry into service with the Royal Navy - in 1935. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 169 meters, total width 17 meters, and full displacement - approx. 9,750 tons. The maximum speed was around 32-33 knots. The on-board armament at the time of the launch included, among others: 8 152 mm guns, 4 102 mm guns and 8 533 mm torpedo tubes. The unit could operate a single seaplane or a Supermarine Walrus flying boat. HMS Ajax (22) was one of the British light cruisers of the Leander-class. These types of units were built on the basis of the experience gained from the operation of York-class cruisers, and their main task was to protect the convoys against attacks by enemy surface ships. One of the ships of this class, HMS Ajax, was built at the Vickers Armstrong shipyard in Barrow in-Furness, Great Britain. The cruiser took a very active part in World War II, participating in such struggles as the battle at the mouth of La Plata (1939) or near Cape Matapan (1941). The unit also participated in the withdrawal of the Allied troops from Crete in 1941 and protected convoys heading to Malta and besieged Tobruk. HMS Ajax (22) also took part in the Allied landing in Normandy in June 1944. In 1948, HMS Ajax was decommissioned and shortly afterwards sold for scrap.