Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget
British Legion
The Royal British Legion

H.M.S. MALAYA


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

The photograph opposite shows an aircraft being hoisted aboard the battleship HMS "MALAYA" from a barge alongside. Using a pulley rigged on one of the 15-inch guns of "B" turret, the aircraft can be swung inboard by rotating the turret. Both guns have frames mounted on the top onto which the launch platform for the aircraft was fitted.

Last updated 3 February, 2009

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