HMS Danae (D44)

HMS Danae underway, August 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Danae
Builder:	Armstrong Whitworth
Laid down:	1 December 1916
Launched:	26 January 1918
Commissioned:	22 July 1918
Decommissioned:	4 October 1944
Fate:	Transferred to Poland
History
Poland
Name:	ORP Conrad
Namesake:	Józef Konrad Korzeniowski
Commissioned:	4 October 1944
Decommissioned:	28 September 1946
Fate:	Returned to Royal Navy
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Danae
Recommissioned:	28 September 1946
Decommissioned:	22 January 1948
Fate:	Scrapped 27 March 1948 at Barrow
General characteristics
Class and type:	Danae-class light cruiser
Displacement:	4,276 tons Full: 5,603 tons After 1924: 4,850
Length:	445 ft (136 m)
Beam:	46.5 ft (14.2 m)
Draught:	14.5 ft (4.4 m)
Propulsion:	Six Yarrow-type water-tube boilers Parsons geared steam turbines Two shafts 40,000 shp (30,000 kW)
Speed:	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Range:	1,060 tons of oil 1,480 nautical miles (2,740 km; 1,700 mi) at 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) 6,700 nautical miles (12,400 km; 7,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement:	462
Armament:	1918: six BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns on single mountings CP Mark XIV two QF 3 inch (76.2 mm) Mk II AA guns two 40 mm QF 2 pdr "Pom-pom" AA guns twelve 21 in (533 mm) torpedoes (4 triple launchers) 1930: six BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns three QF 4-inch (101.6 mm) Mk V AA guns two 40 mm 2 pdr Pom-pom AA guns twelve 533 mm torpedo launchers 1942: six 6-inch (152 mm) Mk XII guns two 4-inch Mk V AA guns six 40 mm 2 pdr Pom-pom AA twelve 533 mm torpedo launchers 1943: five 6-inch (152 mm) guns, one 4-inch (102 mm) gun 8 × 40 mm 2 pdr Pom-pom AA guns 3 × quadruple mounting Mark VII 2 pounder Mark VIII guns 12 × 20 mm AA guns depth charge launcher
Armour:	3 inch side (amidships) 2, 1¾, 1½ side (bow and stern) 1 inch upper decks (amidships) 1 inch deck over rudder

HMS Danae, during the latter part of World War II commissioned as ORP Conrad, was the lead ship of the Danae-class cruisers (also known as the D class), serving with the Royal Navy between the world wars and with the Polish Navy during World War II.

Danae was laid down on 1 December 1916 in the Armstrong Whitworth Shipyard in Walker-on-Tyne and launched on 26 January 1918. The lead ship of her class, she was one of the fastest cruisers of her time. Propelled by two Brown-Curtis steam turbines of 40,000 HP, 6 boilers and 2 propellors, she could travel at 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph). With 1,060 tons of oil in her tanks, she had a range of 1,480 nautical miles (2,740 km; 1,700 mi) at 29 knots and 6,700 nautical miles (12,400 km; 7,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). She was also well armoured, with the sides and the command deck protected with 3 inches (76 mm) of reinforced steel, the tanks and munition chambers with 57 millimetres (2.2 in), and the main deck with 2 inches (51 mm).

Attached to the Harwich-based 5th Light Cruiser Squadron, she took part in several North Sea patrols during the last months of World War I. Between October and November of the following year, she passed to the Baltic Sea, where she supported the Whites in the Russian Civil War, along with her sister ships Dragon and Dauntless. In February 1920 she was attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet.