Newcastle
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Ship Class | Town-class Light Cruiser |
| Builder | Vickers Armstrong |
| Laid Down | 4 Oct 1934 |
| Launched | 23 Jan 1936 |
| Commissioned | 5 Mar 1937 |
| Decommissioned | 1 Jan 1958 |
| Displacement | 9,100 tons standard; 11,540 tons full |
| Length | 591 feet |
| Beam | 62 feet |
| Draft | 20 feet |
| Machinery | Parsons geared turbines, 4 shafts, 8 Admiralty 3 drum oil fuel boilers |
| Power Output | 75,000 shaft horsepower |
| Speed | 32 knots |
| Crew | 750 |
| Armament | 4x3x6in guns, 8x4in AA, 2x2pdr quad pom-pom guns (later 18x40mm Bofors AA), 15x20mm AA, 2x3x21in torpedo tubes |
| Aircraft | Two Supermarine Walrus aircraft (Removed in the latter part of WW2) |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseNewcastle was a Town-class light cruiser of the Southampton subclass. On 23 Nov 1940, she engaged German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau with indecisive outcome. She was active during the Malta Campaign, including participation in Operation Collar which resulted in Battle of Cape Spartivento and Operation Vigorous where she was hit by a torpedo from German E-boat S-26. The damage sustained required her to receive constant temporary repairs by means of additional wood and concrete structural supports until she was properly repaired four months later at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York, United States in Oct 1942. After her repairs, she joined the Eastern Fleet based at Ceylon as the lead ship of the 4th Cruiser Squadron. She supported operations against Japanese positions along the Burmese coast and in the general Southwest Pacific region.
ww2dbaseAfter the war, Newcastle was overhaul in 1952 and took part in the Korean War and the Malayan Emergency. She was sold for scrap in Aug 1959.
ww2dbaseSources: Collins/Janes Wrships of World War II, Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II, Wikipedia.
ww2dbaseStatistics provided by Alan Chanter.
Last Major Revision: Sep 2007
Newcastle Operational Timeline
| 5 Mar 1937 | Newcastle was commissioned into service. |
| 18 Dec 1940 | HMS Cumberland diverted with HMS Enterprise to join HM Cruiser Newcastle in renewed search for Admiral Scheer. then reported between Rio de Janeiro and the Plate. Later was also deployed to search for commerce raider Pinguin. |
| 1 Jan 1958 | Newcastle was decommissioned from service. |
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Visitor Submitted Comments
17 Nov 2011 08:51:28 AM
very interested in walrus or seagull aircraft on Newcastle during WW2
25 Apr 2012 07:38:30 AM
My recently deceased Dad served as a Sub-Lieutenant on the Newcastle during WW2. Later in his life he recounted some of the events which I have read of on a number of websites since. Dad's name was Alexander (Sandy) Niven, was 89 when he passed away in 2010 and I would be delighted to hear from anyone who knew him or has photographs of that time for our memory chest.
22 Jul 2013 07:50:55 PM
Looking for anyone who can share details,photos of HMS Newcastle and her visit to the far east 1954/55
My father was an electrians mate on board also he was in the football team...Leonard/Lennie Lawrence.
Kind regards
David Lawrence
26 May 2014 12:22:10 PM
My Father Allan Armstrong was an Able seaman on the Newcastle in the Mid fifties and I know spent time in the far east does anyone in the membership remember him
12 Nov 2014 09:01:44 AM
Any one have any photos of the crew in 1937 .we lost all my dad's in a house fire .he was william henry charles_howells petty officer i think
12 Feb 2015 05:17:56 AM
My Dad was on HMS Newcastle during it's stint in the Far east. I have a couple of photos of him,and mates. I think he worked in the stores. I remember him saying about passing shells up and down when they were in action. Unfortunately he died in 1979 when he was 55, so I don't know much else about his service. My mum reckons he took part in the Nuclear testing . Would anyone have any details on that. I can share what photos I have if anyone is interested. His name was Chris Surtees - from Horden, Co Durham.
7 May 2015 01:53:31 PM
My father, Richard Butcher, was an able seaman on board the Newcastle from 1943-45. His closest friend on the ship was George Innes Lloyd, who later went on to be head of TV drama at the BBC. My father blamed his progressive deafness later in life on his time as a gunner. My mother still has his old flash helmet. Anyone in the membership have any memories of either man?
6 Nov 2016 02:54:36 PM
My father Thomas Stanley served on HMS Newcastle between 41 -45 as a gunner on the pom pom I remember him talking about Malta, Burma and the Japanese. I had lots of photos but when he died my brothers and sisters had the house cleared. Unfortunately I was away, in the RAF. I didn't have a chance to save them. I looked up this sight out of curiosity. All them photos probably lost for ever ! I remember one picture he had it was of the whole crew. If anyone has one it mean so much to have a copy.
God bless them all.
31 Oct 2018 05:47:50 AM
My grandfather John Briggs served on HMS Newcastle in WW11. I would love to find a picture of him on the ship/in uniform. or, any other information?
6 Jun 2019 04:41:19 AM
I remember my dad been on hms Newcastle at some point late dad refuses to tell us anything about the war he went on to subs out of faslane
8 Sep 2019 02:56:01 PM
My Dad served in the Navy from 1930 to 1953. Mostly serving on HMS Newcastle,definitely all through WW2. I would love any information anyone to give. His name was Tom Curry (Thomas)
18 Oct 2020 01:51:42 AM
MY FATHER BERTIE PARKER PETTY OFFICER HMS NEWCASTLE 1939-1945.
CAN YOU GIVE ME HIS SERVICE DETAILS.
MAURICE PARKER
14 Oct 2022 12:50:00 PM
My grandfather Wilfred Marriott served on the Newcastle throughout ww2 I still have his uniform , and de mob case , he went on to sign the painting amongst others or the night the Newcastle got torpedoed by an e boat near Malta
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937
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Sister Ships: HMS Birmingham, HMS Glasgow, HMS Gloucester, HMS Liverpool, HMS Manchester, HMS Sheffield, HMS Southampton