Dates: 1919 - 1945
HMS Hawkins was a Cavendish class heavy cruiser built at Chatham Dockyard and commissioned on 25 July 1919. With the conversion of her sister, HMS Cavendish, to become the aircraft carrier HMS Vindictive, HMS Hawkins became the name ship of her class. Pennant number D86. Complement: 800 (wartime).
HMS Hawkins was flagship of the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron on the China Station from 1919 until November 1928, when she paid off at Chatham for refit She recommissioned in December 1929, and became the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron in the Atlantic Fleet.
Hawkins was decommissioned again in May 1930 and reduced to the Reserve Fleet. She recommissioned in 1932 to become flagship of the 4th Cruiser Squadron in the East Indies, before again being reduced to the reserve in April 1935. In 1937, Hawkins was demilitarised before she was returned to reserve status. Plans were drawn up to use her as a Cadets’ Training Ship.
When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Hawkins was rearmed and recommissioned to become the flagship to Rear Admiral Harwood, after the Battle of the River Plate. She patrolled off the South American coast, operating as far south as the Falklands. She rescued 9 of the crew of the tanker British Premier, which had been torpedoed off Freetown by U-65.
During February 1941 Hawkins was active off the East coast of Africa, supporting the British reconquest of British Somaliland and subsequent pushes into Italian Somalia from Kenya as part of Force T of the East Indies Fleet.
She underwent repairs in the UK between November 1941 and May 1942 when she joined the Eastern Fleet.
In June 1944 she returned to British waters, where she was involved in Operation Neptune, as part of the Western Task Force Gunfire Support Bombardment Force A, for Utah Beach. In August 1944 she was again designated as a Training Ship. In 1945 Hawkins was reduced to reserve for the last time. In January 1947 she was allocated for ship target trials, and was bombed by Royal Air Force Avro Lincoln bombers off Spithead.
Memorial:
During War Ship week in WWII, the Borough of Stockport officially adopted HMS Hawkins. Since then the Sea Cadets in the borough have been affiliated to HMS Hawkins and named TS Hawkins. A brass deck plate from the cruiser was presented to TS Hawkins and is situated outside the Commanding Officers cabin.
