HMS
Malaya was build by Armstrong Ship Builders. She was ordered
in 1913, laid down 20th October 1913 and launched 18th March
1915. She was a Battleship in the Queen Elizabeth Class. She
took part in the Battle of Jutland. and sustained eight hits,
and took eight weeks for repairs. She was rebuilt twice between
Wars. During World War Two, she was in the Mediterranean during
1940 and took part in operations against the Italian Fleet.
She was also involved in Convoy escort duties of the west African
Coast. At 23.23 hours on 20 March 1941, U-106 attacked the shadow
of a merchant ship with a spread of two stern torpedoes in bad
light from the port side of the convoy SL-68 about 250 miles
west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands. One torpedo hit and
damaged HMS Malaya which was hit on the port side, causing considerable
damage. Due to the flooding of some rooms the ship took a list
of 7 degrees, but safely reached Trinidad. After temporary repairs
were made, she contined to the New York Navy Yard, where the
battleship was docked for 4 months. On 9 July, the ship left
for the Clyde, arriving on 28 July. From July 1941 to the summer
of 1943, she was involved again in Convoy protection on the
United Kingdom to Malta and Cape Town to United Kingdom, routes.
She was scrapped at Faslane in Scotland on the 12th April 1948.
HMS Malaya's ship's bell can be seen in the East India Club,
London.
Compliment
1,124 to 1300 approx. Armament 8 15-inch Guns and 12 6-inch
guns and 8 4-inch A.A Guns 16 2-pdr AA Guns and 1 aircraft.
Speed 24 knots, Displacement 31,100 tons.
Some
of the Crew on board HMS Malaya