Dates: 1913 - 1931
HMS Birmingham was lead ship of the Birmingham group of three ships of the "Town" class of light cruisers built by the Royal Navy. Her sister ships were Lowestoft and Nottingham. The three ships were virtually identical to the third group of "Town" ships, but with an additional 6 inch gun worked in on the forecastle.
HMS Birmingham was built at Elswick, launched on 7 May 1913 and completed in January 1914. She joined the 1st light Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet in 1914, visiting Kiel in June that year.
On 9 August 1914 she spotted the German submarine U-15, whose engines had failed as she lay stopped on the surface in heavy fog, off Fair Isle. The crew of HMS Birmingham could hear hammering from inside the boat from attempted repairs, and so fired on her but missed. As the U-boat began to dive, she rammed her, cutting her in two. U-15 went down with all hands, the first U-boat loss to an enemy warship. Birmingham also sank two German merchant ships that year and took part in the Battle of Heligoland Bight on the 28 August, and the Battle of Dogger Bank in January 1915.
In February 1915 she joined the 2nd Light Cruiser squadron, attacking a u-boat on 18 June 1915 without success.
HMS Birmingham under fire at the Battle of JutlandShe also took part in the Battle of Jutland as a member of the Second Light Cruiser Squadron, during which she sustained damage caused by splintering during the night of the battle.
After World War I she was flagship to the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron from 1919 to 1920, after which she was transferred to the Nore from 1920 to 1922. She was recommissioned in November 1923 to the Africa Station with the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron as Flagship, relieving HMS Lowestoft. She then continued to serve in foreign stations until being sold in 1931. She arrived at the yards of Ward, of Pembroke Dock on 12 March that year to be broken up.
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Birmingham
" Can’t believe it has taken me 17 years to find this site !! For those who know me I served in the RN from 1978-1989, leaving as an RS. I served on HMS Birmingham (twice), HMS Fife, Commcen Whitehall (twice) and HMS Warrior (NILO commcen). It would be great to hear from anyone who remembers me Cheers Last edited by Tony Pezzolesi"
Click For More
" Quoting: Tony Pezzolesi Can’t believe it has taken me 17 years to find this site !! For those who know me I served in the RN from 1978-1989, leaving as an RS. I served on HMS Birmingham (twice), HMS Fife, Commcen Whitehall (twice) and HMS Warrior (NILO commcen). It would be great to hear ..."
Click For More
" Howdy All As part of our never ending Family Tree search I am trying to locate the military records of George Gibson Coutts. George is my wife’s gandfather. George was born 1899 in Aberdeen and joined the Royal Navy (from Scotland I believe) at the begining or during ww1. He was 12 or 13 ..."
Click For More
"HMS St.Vincent (1960), HMS Collingwood,HMS Pelew, HMS Anzio,HMS Maidstone, HMS Jufair, HMS Norfolk.
HMS Sultan (1978), CTCRM Lympstone, HMS Dido, HMS Birmingham (3rd Destroyer Sqaudron),RNB Portsmouth (St.Ann's)"
Click For More
"also served on HMS Brighton and HMS Birmingham being built at Cammel Lairds in Birkenhead"
Click For More
