6th Division (Norway)

The 6th Division () is a former Norwegian military unit.
History.
The pinnacle of this division's service was during World War II, during the German invasion of Norway. It was commanded by General Carl Gustav Fleischer, who was one of the King of Norway's favourite military officers. His division was one of the few Norwegian military commands that was battle ready on 9 April 1940 when the Germans invaded. With help from British, French, and Polish forces, 6th Division were able to recapture the city of Narvik, during what became known as the Battle of Narvik.
The Germans took the city at the beginning of the battle, but it was retaken 28 May, in what became known as the first major victory for the Allies in World War II. However, the successful German attack on France forced the Allied task force to evacuate, which they did in June. As a result of the withdrawal of allied air and naval support the Norwegians were forced to lay down their arms and demobilize.
In one of the most controversial episodes in history of Norway's role in World War II General Fleischer ended his life in 1942, after being sent to Canada as the Norwegian military attaché, a role that was basically a demotion.
After the demobilisation, 6th Division was disbanded. However, when Norway was liberated in 1945, the division was immediately re-established. One long-term consequence of the action at Narvik was the close cooperation between the British military and Norwegian Army, along with close cooperation with France's alpine forces. During the Cold War the division fought in no conflicts. After the end of the Cold War the 6th was re-organized in 2002, as part of an overall reform of the Norwegian military.
Final organisation.
In its peacetime organisation, 6th Division consisted of approximately 1,200 commissioned and non-commissioned officers (COs and NCOs), with approximately 3,000 enlisted soldiers and 200 civilian support staff. In wartime, its numbers could exceed 12,000 in total.
Being the only division in the Norwegian Army, the 6th utilised a wide range of modern combat equipment. Its heaviest weapons included Leopard 2A4NO MBTs, CV9030 IFVs and modernized M109A3GN howitzers. The infantry use Bv206 tracked all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and light off-road vehicles. Their airlifting capabilities were provided by the Tactical Helicopter Group of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, which is stationed at Bardufoss. The division's motto is "Styrke for fred, evne til strid", or "Strength for peace, capability for war".
Subsidiary units.
The 6th division also included a number of support functions such as engineering and NBC units. The 6th Division was disbanded on 1 August 2009.


Operation Orient

Operation Orient (German: "Fall Orient") was the code name given to the operation that envisioned Nazi Germany linking up with the Empire of Japan mainly through the Middle East. Not to be confused with the North African Campaign, which highlighted in "Führer-Directive Nr. 32" gave large priority to the capture of Tobruk and ultimately securing North Africa, Operation Orient focused mainly on securing the Middle East and its oil fields and linking up with Japanese forces after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The operation was to be initiated after the capture of the Caucasus, the securing of the territories in North Africa, and after resistance in the Soviet Union had finally been overthrown. German armies would launch attacks from Libya through Egypt, and from Bulgaria through Turkey. Those armies would then link up in the Middle East and then march through Iran and Iraq as an assembled force finally convening in India, where they would seal their final victory over Britain. Defeats at Stalingrad and El Alamein in late 1942 and early 1943, canceled the plan.


Operation Abstention

Operation Abstention was a code name given to a British invasion of the Italian island of Kastelorizo (Castellorizo) off the Turkish Aegean coast, during the Second World War, in late February 1941. The goal was to establish a torpedo-boat base to challenge Italian naval and air supremacy on the Greek Dodecanese islands. The British landings were challenged by Italian land, air and naval forces, which forced the British troops to re-embark amidst some confusion and led to recriminations between the British commanders for underestimating the Italians.
Background.
After the attack on Taranto and the success of Operation Compass, an offensive in Cyrenaica, Libya from December 1940 – February 1941, the British conducted operations to neutralize Italian forces in the Dodecanese islands. Admiral Andrew Cunningham, the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet planned to occupy Kastelorizo, the easternmost Greek island in the chain just off the Turkish coast, about from Rhodes to establish a motor torpedo boat base at a time when Axis air attacks on Malta had led to the last flying boat being withdrawn to Alexandria. The operation was intended as a first step towards the control of the Aegean Sea. Despite isolation, Italian naval and air forces in the area were still capable of carrying out hit-and-run attacks on Allied shipping between Egypt and Greece.
Battle.
24 February.
The British planned to land a force of about 200 men of No. 50 Commando, assisted by a 24-man detachment of Royal Marines to establish a beachhead on the island, to be followed 24-hours later by an army unit to consolidate the British position. On 24 February the commandos, transported by the destroyers and and the marines, on the gunboat , sailed from Suda Bay. The second force, a company of Sherwood Foresters on board the armed yacht , escorted by the light cruisers and , awaited developments in Cyprus.
25 February.
Before dawn, fifty of the commandos landed from ten whaleboats on Nifti Point, south of the settlement, while the Royal Marines occupied the harbour. The landings were supported by the submarine , which had previously made a reconnaissance of the landing points and acted as a beacon for the incoming ships. The Italian garrison on Kastelorizo consisted of 35 soldiers and agents of the "Guardia di Finanza" in charge of a wireless station. The commandos ambushed an Italian patrol on the truck between Nifti Point and the port, killing two soldiers and wounding one. The British surprised the garrison, seized the radio outpost and inflicted 13 casualties, including twelve prisoners, the rest of the commandos coming ashore during the action. Before being overrun, the Italians had managed to send a message to Rhodes, the main Italian air and naval base in the Dodecanese. (Vice Admiral) Luigi Biancheri, commander of the Italian naval forces in the Aegean Sea reacted swiftly. From 08:00 and 09:30, aircraft of the "Regia Aeronautica" (Italian Royal Air Force) raided the harbour castle and the main hills of the island, where the commandos were dug in. "Ladybird" was struck by a bomb and three sailors were wounded. Short of fuel, "Ladybird" re-embarked the Royal Marines and made for Haifa, which cut the radio link of the commandos with Alexandria. After communications breakdowns and other mishaps, the follow-up force from Cyprus was diverted to Alexandria.
26 February.
The "Regia Marina" (Royal Italian Navy) counter-attack began after sunset on 26 February, when the torpedo boats "Lupo" and "Lince" landed about 240 soldiers north of the port and used their guns to bombard British positions at the docks and the Governor's palace, killing three and wounding seven commandos. The Italian warships evacuated a number of Italian civilians who had gathered at harbour after learning of their presence in the port.
27 February.
Biancheri, with "Lupo", "Lince", MAS 546 and MAS 561, landed troops on the morning of 27 February, the operation having been delayed by high seas. Italian forces already ashore harassed the exhausted and isolated British commandos, who were equipped only for a 24-hour operation. The destroyers and arrived later in the day with more ground forces; a total of 258 troops and 80 marines were eventually disembarked by Italian ships. As the Italians attacked, the commandos retreated to their encampment at the landing beach near Nifti point, under fire from "Lupo". One company remained in the area of the local cemetery. The captain of "Hereward" was warned by the commandos and joined "Decoy", about off the coast. The commander ordered the warships to disrupt the Italian landings but the destroyers did not find the Italian ships. "Hereward" reported that the Italian surface action threatened the landing of the main British force embarked on "Rosaura", which had already been compromised by the air attacks on the harbour. The landing was postponed and rearranged, to be carried out by the destroyers "Decoy" and , after embarking the Sherwood Foresters company from "Rosaura". The ships were ordered to Alexandria to reorganise; Admiral Renouf fell ill and was replaced by Captain Egerton, commander of "Bonaventure", which complicated matters.
28 February.
More British forces from Alexandria arrived in the early hours of 28 February. A platoon of the Sherwood Foresters found the landing point abandoned by the commandos; along with scattered equipment and ammunition were a dead soldier and two stragglers, who told them of the Italian counter-attack. Major Cooper of the Sherwood Foresters, who had sailed back to "Decoy", concluded, after talks with the other commanders, that lack of naval and air support made withdrawal inevitable. The bulk of the landing party, isolated on a small plateau in the east end of Kastelorizo, was re-embarked by 03:00. Italian troops surrounded and eventually captured a number of commandos who had been left behind. While covering the withdrawal, was attacked by "Crispi", which had fired twenty shells on British positions at Nifti Point, steaming from the south. The Italian destroyer fired two torpedoes which missed and "Jaguar" replied with her main armament. "Jaguar" received a 40 mm hit on her searchlight that made its gunfire ineffective and the British force sailed back to Alexandria. The destroyers , and "Jaguar" made a sweep between Rhodes and Kastelorizo after a radar contact and detecting wireless traffic in the area but failed to intercept the Italian warships as they returned to base.
Aftermath.
Analysis.
Cunningham described the operation as "a rotten business and reflected little credit to everyone" and laid blame on Renouf. A Board of Inquiry found that "Hereward"s commander made a misjudgement by rejoining "Decoy", instead of engaging the Italian force without delay, which caused the failure of the main landing and the isolation of the commandos. British commanders had also been surprised by the Italian riposte, especially the frequent air attacks which were unopposed. Greene and Massignani, writing in 1998, noted the British capture of Y-I, an Italian cipher book. In 2009, Vincent O'Hara wrote that the operation showed that the Italians dominated the seas around even their outlying bases and that this was not to be the last time that the British underestimated them. The Italians retained control of the Dodecanese Islands until the armistice of September 1943. When Italy changed sides, British forces landed on the islands to support the Italian garrisons in the Dodecanese Campaign (8 September – 22 November 1943). British and Italian troops were attacked and defeated by a German operation and the islands came under German control until the end of the war.
Casualties.
In 1998, Greene and Massignani wrote that the British suffered three men killed, eleven wounded and 27 missing for an Italian loss of eight men killed, eleven wounded and ten missing.
Order of battle.
Regia Marina
Royal Navy


Hong Kong Regiment

The Hong Kong Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment seconded to the British Army intended to form part of the garrison of British Hong Kong between 1891 and 1902. It was disbanded in 1902 following a request from the India Office owing to the cost of the regiment.
History.
The Hong Kong Regiment was created as a result of an 1886 recommendation for an extra battalion to join the Hong Kong Military Service Corps in garrisoning Hong Kong. The regiment was recruited by the British Indian Army from native Indians from Upper India and the regiment was seconded to the British Army. They first arrived in Hong Kong in 1892. Upon arrival, they received authorisation from their British officers to help with the funding and rebuilding of the Kowloon Mosque for the "Mohammedans of Upper India".
The soldiers of the Hong Kong Regiment received high praise on their standards of drill and soldiering. The first recruits were apparently so good at firing that the Commandant of the School of Musketry said there was "little we could teach them". A report in "The Daily Telegraph" described it as a "Swagger Regiment", and the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, Lord Roberts praised them highly during their first inspection, which was commonly repeated by the Governors of Hong Kong.
In 1897 the regiment was deployed to suppress disturbances in the newly acquired New Territories. Khaki drill was worn for ordinary duties (see photo above) but a scarlet and blue full dress uniform was authorised for cold-weather ceremonial.
The regiment saw action during the Boxer Rebellion and was a main part of the relief of Peking. However in 1902, the India Office demanded that the regiment be disbanded owing to the cost of maintaining them, as the soldiers were better paid than other regiments of the British Raj and as a result were able to select which recruits they took on. This request was accepted, with the regiment's soldiers being transferred to the newly renamed 67th Punjabis. Their colours were laid up at St John's Cathedral, Hong Kong, though they were later lost during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.


Convoy HX 84

Convoy HX 84 was the 84th of the numbered series of Allied North Atlantic HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Liverpool, England, during the Battle of the Atlantic. Thirty-eight ships escorted by the armed merchant cruiser departed from Halifax on 28 October 1940, eastbound to Liverpool.
On 5 November 1940, the German pocket battleship found the convoy at and attacked immediately. Captain E.S.F. Fegen of "Jervis Bay" attacked the raider so as to delay "Admiral Scheer" and to allow the convoy to scatter. "Jervis Bay" was sunk after 20 minutes of fighting with the loss of 190 of her crew. Nevertheless, their sacrifice allowed the convoy to begin to escape. The merchant ship SS "Beaverford", armed with only two guns, engaged "Admiral Scheer" in a cat and mouse gunnery duel that lasted for over four hours before "Beaverford" was sunk with all hands. This allowed most of the convoy to complete their escape. "Admiral Scheer" was only able to sink six of the 38 ships in the convoy.
"Maiden", "Trewellard", "Kenbame Head", "Beaverford" and "Fresno" were sunk and the tanker damaged, but failing light now allowed the rest of the convoy to escape. "San Demetrio" was abandoned by her crew, but two days later some of the crew, now in lifeboats, sighted "San Demetrio", still afloat and still ablaze. They reboarded her, got the engines running, and brought her in to port. This incident later formed the basis for the script of the film "San Demetrio London".
Ships in the convoy.
Allied merchant ships.
A total of 38 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Halifax or later in the voyage (convoys formed at Bermuda, coded "BHX" merged on the ocean with the convoys from Halifax as it was easier to protect one large convoy than two smaller ones). Five merchant ships were sunk when the unified convoy was attacked, with one more sunk after the convoy dispersed.
Convoy escorts.
A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey, with only one present when the Germans attacked.


United States military deployments

The military of the United States is deployed in more than 150 countries around the world, with approximately 165,000 of its active-duty personnel stationed outside the United States and its territories. This list consists of deployments excepting active combat deployments, which consist of troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. The exact number of these troops is currently in flux due to troop withdrawals.
Outside of active combat, US personnel are typically deployed as part of several peacekeeping missions, military attachés, or are part of embassy and consulate security. Nearly 40,000 are assigned to classified missions in locations that the US government refuses to disclose.
The deployment of the US Military in foreign countries can also have prominent effects on the host economy and community. Namely, the benefits include economic improvements and decrease in human rights violations, while the risks consist of increase in crimes, especially of sexual nature, displacement of native residents, and negative environmental impacts.
The following regional tables provide detail of where personnel from the five major branches of the US military are currently deployed. These numbers do not include any military or civilian contractors or dependents. Additionally, countries in which US military are engaged in active combat operations are not included. The numbers are based on the most recent United States Department of Defense statistics as of March 31, 2021.
Effects of Military Deployments on Host Economy and Community.
The stated benefits of hosting a US military base, especially for underdeveloped countries, include learning new marketing strategies, development of modern technology found in the US, and increased security from the presence of a large-scale military. Moreover, the initial creation of the base creates brief economic growth as materials are purchased from the local markets, and construction jobs are out-sourced to the local residents. One year, 2005, upwards of 80,000 locals were employed by US bases in foreign countries. As long as it is not central to the US global defense, and thus the US does not have a strong incentive to stay under the presence of human rights violations, the host state may also show increased respect for human rights.
The negative effects include relocation of and violence against native residents, which may also lead to destruction of local government; negative environmental impacts including the destruction of native landscape; and economic dependence created by the newly implemented marketing strategies and technology. The presence of US military can also have direct effects on increase in prostitution and sex-trafficking, because of the greater demand for adult entertainment created through the surge of mainly male residents in these areas. Moreover, the significant physical space taken up by the base could instead be used for schools, businesses or housing amenities which can support the local economy and increase skilled workers.
Effects of Military Deployments on the United States.
In addition to impacts on the host country, there are also many impacts of military deployments on military families. In the United States, about 1.4 million children have a parent in the military. In many studies of military deployments, it is proven that there are negative impacts on not only the soldier, but also the military spouse and children. Military deployments are associated with higher suicide rates, behavioral problems in children, and a higher risk of divorce. In a study of 1,507 children aged 11–17 with a deployed parent, it was found that these children had more emotional difficulties than children in national samples.
Veteran families may experience conflict from actions or feelings of withdrawal, numbing, and irritability that are caused by post-traumatic stress disorder. Generally, these families also struggle with role ambiguity from the parent or partner that was deployed, due to anxiety and/or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Impact on Childhood Development.
Notably, the number of spouses/partners and children of deployed military personnel far outnumber the actual number of service members. These families must navigate long or extended deployment separations, relocations, destruction of familial routines or role changes, and the threat posed against their loved one. This combined with contextual factors, such as living arrangements during deployment, stress levels of the parent who remains home, and frequency of contact with the deployed parent can positively or adversely impact the family members, and lead to increased rate of mental health issues, work/academic issues, internal familial conflict, or maltreatment. These stressors pose a significant threat to the development of the children, depending on how old they are when they occur. For instance, young children may not fully understand the implications and threats posed on their loved one during deployment, but their definite absence in an indefinite amount of time can be highly stressful.
Children under five experience the most significant physical, emotional, and cognitive advancements because this occurs during this first five years of life, and they also make up the largest group of children with deployed service members (i.e., parents). Children above three with a deployed parent, are more likely to display behavior problems, such as need for attention, clinginess, temper tantrums, questions regarding deployed parents, defiance, appetite changes, and sleep problems or nightmares.
Elementary school-aged children may also be hindered by their limited coping/problem-solving skills regarding their parent's absence. Middle school-aged children may be more heavily impacted due to pubertal transitions and elicited questions or increased responsibilities to help out at home. Within this age group, significant levels of anxiety, both separation anxiety and physical symptoms, were found, and a study of five- to twelve-year-olds showed that one-third was in high-risk range for “psychosocial morbidity”, according to the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. Acute stress reaction/adjustments, mood, and behavioral disorders are also common.


HMS Ajax (22)

HMS "Ajax" was a "Leander"-class light cruiser which served with the Royal Navy during World War II. She became famous for her part in the Battle of the River Plate, the Battle of Crete, the Battle of Malta and as a supply escort in the siege of Tobruk. This ship was the eighth in the Royal Navy to bear the name. In February 1942, she was adopted by the civil community of Halifax.
Prewar and first actions.
"Ajax" was built at Vickers' shipyard, in Barrow-in-Furness, England. She was laid down on 7 February 1933, launched on 1 March 1934 and completed on 12 April 1935. She was commissioned for service on the North America and West Indies Station, but after working up in May 1935, she was deployed instead to the Mediterranean on detached service after the Abyssinian crisis. This lasted until November when she finally joined her squadron in Bermuda. Until 1937 she undertook exercises and visits to ports in the Americas. At the end of her West Indies deployment, "Ajax" returned to Britain for refit. At this time, her 4" battery was upgraded by exchanging single for double mountings.
She rejoined her squadron in the West Indies in February 1938 and remained on that station until 1939 when she was redeployed to the Pacific, off South America. On 27 January, "Ajax" went to assist the rescue of earthquake victims at Talcahuano, in Chile. She then returned to Bermuda and was redeployed to the South Atlantic Division in March.
When war was declared in September 1939, "Ajax" took up her appropriate station and patrolled off the River Plate. There she sank the German merchant ship "Olinda" on 3 September. She intercepted the German merchantman "Carl Fritzen" and the passenger ship (with the cruiser ) on 4 and 5 September, respectively. Both ships were scuttled by their crews to avoid being taken as prizes.
After a brief deployment in and around the Falkland Islands, "Ajax" returned to her station off the Plate on 21 September.
The hunt for "Admiral Graf Spee".
When the German raider, , became a threat, Force G was formed from "Ajax" (flagship, Commodore Henry Harwood), and , all cruisers. ("Cumberland", also part of this force, was undergoing a refit at Port Stanley). Force G located and engaged "Graf Spee" on 13 December, despite the German warship's greater firepower. "Ajax" was hit seven times by the Germans: X and Y turrets were disabled, structural damage was sustained and there were 12 casualties including 7 killed. "Exeter", more severely damaged, retired, leaving the two light cruisers to maintain contact with "Graf Spee" when she withdrew to Montevideo. The reasons for the German ship's withdrawal and her failure to exploit her advantage are unclear, but there was damage to her bows, that affected her sea-worthiness, and to her fuel systems. "Ajax" and "Achilles", joined by "Cumberland", awaited events and successfully bluffed the Germans into believing that a superior force was on hand. "Graf Spee" was scuttled by her own crew. "Ajax" refuelled at Port Stanley and resumed her patrol.
In January 1940, she returned to Britain for refit, via Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro and Freetown, Sierra Leone. She was joined "en route" by the aircraft carrier , the battlecruiser and the destroyers , , and . "Ajax" arrived at Plymouth at the end of January; the following month, she was handed over to Chatham Dockyard for refit.
Mediterranean, Crete and North Africa.
Once refitted and worked up, "Ajax" became ready for service in August 1940. Her refit had included the addition of a Type 279 Radar, a tripod mast and zarebas for the 4" batteries.
In August 1940, "Ajax" was allocated to the 7th Cruiser Squadron for Mediterranean service (France had fallen and Italy was now a belligerent with a significant navy). She sailed from Britain on 21 August as part of the escort (with ), to a convoy for Egypt routed via the Mediterranean (Operation Hats), but she remained with a portion that was diverted via Durban. In late September, she escorted a troop convoy (, and ) from Aden to Suez. "Ajax" joined at Alexandria on 30 September.
From 2 to 16 October, "Ajax" was engaged in major fleet manoeuvres to interdict Italian convoys to Libya and to protect British convoys to Malta. Firstly, she sailed with the fleet to search for Italian convoys, possibly with their own fleet escorts. On 8 October, "Ajax" again deployed with a major naval force to cover the passage to Malta of convoy MF3 (Operation MB6). "Ajax" and "Orion" patrolled south-east of Malta before covering the return of Convoy MF4 to Alexandria on 12 October. (The main fleet was deployed to the west of the convoy).
During the night of 11–12 October, "Ajax" intercepted a small Italian force. In a close-range night action (sometimes called the Battle of Cape Passero), two s, "Airone" and "Ariel", were sunk and the destroyer was disabled (later sunk by HMS "York"). Two more warships escaped into a smoke screen. "Ajax" herself was hit by seven shells that destroyed one of her whalers, caused severe damage to the bridge and radar installation and 35 casualties, including 13 killed. She returned to Alexandria on 16 October.
At the end of October, "Ajax" set out on the first of two operations to carry troop reinforcements to Suda Bay, on Crete in Operation Barbarity; she suffered near misses from air attacks. On her return to the fleet on 6 November, she helped to provide cover for a Malta convoy, MW3. This was a large operation, involving most of the Mediterranean Fleet and part of a wider set of ship movements, Operation Coat. She was part of Force X which was detached from the main fleet on 11 November to sortie into the Straits of Otranto, between Italy and Albania, to provide a diversion and give cover for the successful naval air attack on Taranto.
On 12 November, after turning to return to the main fleet, they intercepted a small convoy of four Italian merchant ships escorted by naval auxiliary and the obsolete torpedo-boat . "Ramb III" fired 19 salvos in its own defense and succeeded in breaking away without suffering any damage. "Nicola Fabrizi" stayed with the merchant ships and attacked the British forces. As a result, "Nicola Fabrizi" was hit immediately and suffered serious damage. The Italian torpedo boat continued to fight until it was unable to fight any more and retired badly damaged. After "Nicola Fabrizi" was neutralized, the British force divided up the targets and sank all four of the Italian merchant ships. This action took place near the Strait of Otranto (see Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1940)).
Force X also bombarded the port of Durazzo (now Durres) and set the oil refinery on fire. before it rejoined the fleet. "Ajax" and other vessels were detached from the fleet and refuelled at Suda Bay before they returned to Alexandria.
From 15 to 20 November, "Ajax" and four other cruisers transported troops from Alexandria to Piraeus, the port of Athens, and returned to Alexandria. On 23 November, she was deployed with Force B to cover a convoy to Crete and to support air attacks on Tripoli from "Eagle".
"Ajax" participated in the Battle of Cape Matapan and was hit by bombs from Ju 87s on 21 May 1941. She evacuated many troops from Crete up until 29 May. She then covered Syrian operations in June and joined Force K at Malta in November, being withdrawn in February 1942 for refit.
Two years out of action (1942 & 1943).
On 6 February she departed Suez for the United Kingdom via the Cape of Good Hope, calling at Mombasa (9 March) and Freetown (9 April), arriving in the Clyde on 14 April. On 6 June, she was taken in hand for refit at Chatham Dockyard, which lasted until September. Her anti-aircraft (AA) gunnery was augmented by eleven Oerlikon 20 mm cannons. Various radar sets were also installed; fire control radars for her main guns (Type 284), AA armament (Type 285) and barrage control (Type 283); an improved aircraft warning radar (the Type 281, replaced the Type 279), surface warning radar was also fitted, (the Type 272). Her aircraft facilities were removed. "Ajax" underwent post refit trials in October and after being recommissioned on 24 October, she worked-up at Scapa Flow with the Home Fleet during November. On 31 December, she joined Force Q at Bône, in Algeria for the interdiction of enemy convoys and convoy defence.
"Ajax" was disabled by a bomb—dropped by an aircraft from II./SKG 10 or II./StG 3— hitting "B" boiler room on 1 January 1943 while at Bône, after convoy escort duty; she was towed on 7 January to Gibraltar for temporary repairs, which continued into February. Permanent repairs were arranged to take place in the United States and she was taken in hand at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia; these lasted until September. During repair work, "Ajax" was equipped with US quadruple 40mm anti-aircraft mountings with provision for a British fire control radar Type 282, IFF Type 242 fitted and a US fire control radar replaced her existing Type 284. After post refit trials in October, she returned to Britain, via Bermuda, in November and the fitting of British equipment was completed. "Ajax" was recommissioned at Portsmouth on 25 December and joined the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow once more for work-up before returning to the Mediterranean in February 1944 after nearly two years out of action – apart from just a couple of days in January 1943.
D-Day and post war.
As part of Force K, "Ajax" bombarded Gold Beach during the D-Day invasion; the battery at Longues gave some trouble but was silenced by 6-inch shells through the embrasures of two of the four casemates. She later supported the landings in southern France. "Ajax" also operated in the Aegean during the reoccupation of Athens and the communist uprising in Greece.
After the war, "Ajax" was used to repatriate German sailors from the crew of "Admiral Graf Spee" from Uruguay back to Germany – a historic irony since "Ajax" had been a member of the squadron that battled the German ship in 1939 and ultimately caused her to be scuttled. "Ajax" was then assigned to the Royal Navy Palestine Patrol and took part in the efforts to halt illegal Jewish immigration to Palestine. In July 1947 it took part in the "Exodus 1947" incident, in which she formed part of the Royal Navy task force which subdued the illegal immigrant ship and later escorted it back to Germany.
Final disposition.
"Ajax" was decommissioned in February 1948. Sales to the Chilean Navy or Indian Navy were mooted, but this latter deal did not materialize due to Winston Churchill's apparent disapproval of the sale; he felt that such an important vessel would be better off broken up to preserve her history. After running aground at Newport, Monmouthshire, on 9 November 1949 while under tow to the scrapyard, she was refloated and duly arrived at Cashmore's, in Newport, South Wales, for breaking up on 18 November 1949.
"Ajax" remembered.
The town of Ajax, in Ontario, Canada, was named after the cruiser following the Battle of the River Plate. The town also has streets named after every member of the ship's company, such as Hobson Avenue, and Harwood Avenue, which is the town's main north-south street. Many street signs in the town bear the silhouette of the ship. The silhouette signifies the street being named after part of the ship's company, and the ship's anchor rests in front of the local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Calle Exeter was named in honor of the ship, after HMS "Exeter" and HMS "Ajax" provided assistance to the citizens of Concepción, following the 1939 Chillán earthquake.
"Ajax"s bell is on a monument in Montevideo, just outside the port customs house, and was donated by Admiral Sir Henry Harwood and Sir Eugen Millington-Drake in 1949.
Ajax Icefall at the head of Visca Anchorage, King George Island, in the South Shetland Islands is named for HMS Ajax, which assisted in the search for a boat crew from the "Discovery II", missing on King George Island in January 1937.
In popular culture.
The author Warren Tute's service on HMS "Ajax" during the 1930s formed the background for his novel "The Cruiser". Like" Ajax", the novel's fictional HMS "Antigone" was a "Leander"-class light cruiser which was based on the North America and West Indies Station before World War II and saw action in the Mediterranean. The novel paints a realistic picture of life on a cruiser.