HMS Bellona (63)

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Bellona moored in October 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Bellona
Namesake	Bellona, Roman goddess of war
Builder	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Govan
Laid down	30 November 1939
Launched	29 September 1942
Commissioned	29 October 1943
Decommissioned	June 1957
Out of service	Loaned to the Royal New Zealand Navy, 17 April 1946
Reclassified	In reserve between 1956 and 1957
Identification	Pennant number 63
Motto	'Battle is our Business'
Fate	Scrapped, Arrived at the Briton Ferry yard of Thos. W. Ward, (Barrow-in-Furness, UK) on 5 February 1959
New Zealand
Name	HMNZS Bellona
Commissioned	17 April 1946
Fate	Returned to Royal Navy control in April 1956
General characteristics
Class and type	Dido-class light cruiser
Displacement	5,950 tons standard 7,200 tons full load
Length	485 ft (148 m) pp 512 ft (156 m) oa
Beam	50.5 ft (15.4 m)
Draught	14 ft (4.3 m)
Propulsion	Parsons geared turbines Four shafts Four Admiralty 3-drum boilers 62,000 shp (46 MW)
Speed	32.25 knots (60 km/h)
Range	1,500 nmi (2,800 km) at 30 kn (56 km/h) 4,240 nmi (7,850 km) at 16 kn (30 km/h) 1,100 tons fuel oil
Complement	530
Armament	Original configuration: 8 × QF 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns, 6 × dual 20 mm AA guns, 3 × quadruple 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-poms", 2 × 21-inch (530 mm) triple torpedo tubes Early 1943 - early 1945 configuration: 8 × 5.25 in (133 mm) guns, 6 × 20 mm dual AA guns, 12 × 20 mm single AA guns, 3 × quadruple 2-pdr (40 mm) pom-poms, 2 × 21 in (533 mm) triple torpedo tubes. 1954 8 x 5.25 in (133 mm) guns, 6 x single 40mm Bofors electric, Mk3P AA guns 6 x 20mm Oerlikon Mk7A
Armor	Original configuration: Belt: 3 in (76 mm), Deck: 1 in (25 mm), Magazines: 2 in (51 mm), Bulkheads: 1 in (25 mm).

HMS Bellona was the name ship of her sub-class of light cruisers for the Royal Navy. She was the first of the fourth group of Dido-class cruisers. Built to a modified design ("Improved Dido") with only four twin 5.25-inch turrets, but with remote power control for quicker elevation and training, combined with improved handling and storage of the ammunition. The light AA was improved over earlier Dido cruisers, with six twin 20mm Oerlikons and three quadruple 40mm "pom pom".

Entering service in late 1943, the cruiser operated during World War II as an escort for the Arctic convoys, and as a jamming ship to prevent the use of radio-controlled bombs and in support of the Omaha Beach landings.

In 1946 the cruiser was loaned to the Royal New Zealand Navy. Although not involved in the 1947 Royal New Zealand Navy mutinies, at the start of the month, 140 sailors elected to not return to the ship in protest at the poor pay and working conditions and how their colleagues had been treated. Fifty-two sailors were eventually marked as deserters while the others were charged with various lesser offences.

Bellona was returned to the Royal Navy in 1956. She did not re-enter service and was scrapped two years later.