Angus Konstam - Commonwealth Cruisers 1939 - 1945

HMAS Australia was a sister ship of Canberra, and entered service in 1928. During the war she served as the flagship of the ANZAC Squadron and its organizational successors, and saw extensive service in Pacific waters.

Of these dominions, the economies of Australia, Canada and New Zealand were largely dependent on maritime trade. It therefore made sense that these dominions should play their part in the protection of their trade routes, and in the maritime defence of their own territories. In time of war, these fledgling dominion navies could also support the Royal Navy, particularly in the defence of these same vital sea lanes. During World War I, the naval role of the dominions was extremely limited. However, this changed in 1926, when at the Imperial Conference, the dominions were described as being members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. This reflected the growing mood for political and economic independence within the empire. From there it was a short step to the creation of more independent Commonwealth military and naval forces.

This was also a period of parsimony, when naval spending was cut, naval disarmament conferences were being held, and the size of national fleets was generally being reduced. This came to an end during the late 1930s, as international posturing and military and naval expansion by the totalitarian powers of Germany, Italy and Japan increased levels of international tension. Beginning with Australia, the Commonwealth navies were expanded, and their activities integrated with those of the Royal Navy to better safeguard the maritime arteries that bound the empire together. During the early years of World War II British naval resources were thinly stretched, and the Royal Navy relied on the naval support of its Commonwealth partners.

As a result, during the war the navies of Australia, New Zealand and Canada played a significant role in the conflict. Commonwealth cruisers saw action far from home in the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean and eventually the three fleets became increasingly involved in the war in the Pacific. It was there, amid the islands of the East Indies, the Solomons, the Philippines and the Japanese Ryukyu Islands that these Commonwealth warships would face their greatest challenge. Several of them were lost in action, while all were damaged at some point in their wartime careers. All of them however, would play their part in the ultimate victory of the Allies, both in Europe and the Pacific. While their contribution is largely forgotten beyond the shores of their home countries, the wartime efforts of these Commonwealth ships and men is well worth celebrating. If this small book goes some way to achieving this, then it will have fulfilled its purpose.

DOMINION NAVIES

During World War II, the terms Dominion navies and Commonwealth navies were both used in official reports and documents by the British Admiralty, the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) alike. Technically, dominion navies referred to warships operated by the British Empires dominions. During the war years these were Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa and the Republic of Ireland. India, Pakistan and Ceylon only became dominions in 194748. Newfoundland was directly governed by Britain until it became a province of Canada in 1949. The British Commonwealth of Nations included these dominions, as well as other colonies and territories, so technically both terms are equally valid. However, it can be argued that the title of this book should actually refer to Dominion Cruisers, as no other Commonwealth state or territory maintained warships of that size during World War II.

Of these dominions, Australia, Canada and New Zealand included cruisers in their wartime fleets. However, even here the nomenclature is confusing, as New Zealand only established its own navy in 1942, even though there was a New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. The South African Navy was virtually non-existent before World War II, and while it expanded during the conflict, it never operated warships as large as cruisers. The Irish Republic maintained a few small craft to police its inshore fishing grounds, and while its Marine and Coastwatching Service expanded during the war, it remained a small inshore protection force, rather than a seagoing naval force. Besides, unlike the other dominions, Ireland remained neutral during World War II, and so its naval vessels played no part in the conflict.