Fiji-class Light Cruiser, HMNZS Gambia, (C48) (1945).

Ogaly_Bogaly · October 27, 2025, 1:30am

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Fiji-class Light Cruiser, HMNZS Gambia (C48) (1945)

Description:
HMNZS Gambia was the only Fiji-class cruiser loaned to the New Zealand Navy during the Second World War. She remains to this day the ship with the heaviest gun armament to serve the RNZN.

In New Zealand service, she fought in the Pacific theatre with the British Pacific fleet from the start of her NZ commission, through to the end of the war, being present at the Japanese surrender. She fired some of the last shots of the war, firing at a Japanese Kamikaze aircraft at the same time as the ceasefire announcement was being received.

This suggestion is for her in her RNZN 1945 refit, as she was during the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.

History:

RN service:
Built as part of the 1938 Naval Estimates, she was ordered for the Royal Navy on the 1st of March 1939, being laid down on the 24th of July by Swan Hunter & Wignam Richardson at Wallsend, England. She launched on the 30th of November 1940, finishing fitting out and commissioning on the 21st February 1942.

She first deployed to the Eastern Fleet, fighting in the September 1942 Madagascar Landings with Operation Ironclad. In early 1943 she sailed for Liverpool for refit, visiting her namesake colony of the Gambia during this voyage. She arrived for refit in June, with work finishing in September 1943.

During this refit, her single Pom-Pom and 20mm Oerlikon mounts were removed, being replaced by ten twin power 20mm Oerlikon mounts. She also had a complete overhaul of her radar systems, gaining modern Surface/Air search as well as new fire control radars. The aircraft facilities were deemed unnecessary with the radar modernisations, and were removed. One crane was retained to recover the ship’s boats, with the hangar being turned into a cinema.

With the Royal New Zealand’s two Leander class cruisers being out of service as of September 1943, HMNZS Achilles being bombed, losing X turret, and HMNZS Leander being torpedoed, it was agreed that a temporary replacement was needed. HMS Gambia was chosen for this, albeit with a compromise. She would be commissioned into the RNZN, but remain under the control of the Admiralty.

RNZN service:
Commissioned as HMNZS Gambia on the 22nd of September 1943. As NZ did not have enough sailors to man the three cruisers (Gambia, Achilles, Leander), the crew of the damaged Leander would be paid off and sent to serve in Gambia, with the Leander herself reverting to Royal Navy control for repairs. This would result in 3/4 of Gambia’s crew being from NZ.

She finished working up in Scapa Flow, and served in the Atlantic anti-blockade runner patrols until the end of 1943. By early 1944 she sailed to join the Eastern Fleet’s 4th Cruiser Squadron, based out of Trincoimalee, Ceylon. She participated in further anti-blockade patrols in the Indian Ocean until March.

She then participated in the Eastern Fleet’s (soon to be the British Pacific fleet) carrier raids on Japanese positions in April 1944, notably those on Surabuya and Sabang. After a small refit in September, HMNZS Achilles rejoined the British Pacific fleet and Gambia sailed for Auckland. She was joined there in a visit by part of the British Pacific fleet, notably HMS Howe and HMNZS Achilles in February 1945.

Rejoining the main fleet out of Manus in March, she rejoined operations against Japanese positions in the Sakishima islands, as to prevent aircraft from assisting the Defenders of Okinawa. Gambia was part of the AA screen protecting the carriers. It was at this time she and the fleet first encountered Kamikaze aircraft attacks.

It was in an air attack that the destroyer, HMS Ulster, was damaged and disabled by a near-miss, with Gambia being ordered to take her under-tow to Leyte Gulf, a distance of 760 miles. She did this at an average speed of 8kts, with danger from Japanese submarines throughout.

Afterwards, she rejoined the fleet against the Sakishima islands. During this time, air attacks on the fleet were constant. On the 13th of April 1945, HMNZS Gambia accidentally hit and destroyed a US Navy Hellcat fighter with her port pom-pom mount. This continued until the 20th, when the fleet returned to Leyte Gulf for rest.

Sailing on the 1st of May 1945, the fleet resumed actions on Sakishima, including the bombardment of Nobara airstrip. These strikes continued until the 25th, when they again departed for rest at Leyte Gulf. Gambia was detached on the 30th to sail for Sydney for refit, arriving on the 5th of June. She rejoined on the 28th, which was by now operating off the coast of Japan. During this period she was again part of the AA screen for the carriers, as well as participating in the bombardment of the Kaimashi steel works. While returning to the main task force, the bombardment group was attacked by aircraft, one of which Gambia shot down.

During the ceasefire announcement, the task force came under air attack, during which Gambia engaged the aircraft, firing some of the final shots of the war. She was present in Tokyo bay representing the Royal New Zealand Navy during the Japanese surrender aboard USS Missouri. After this ceremony, she participated in the repatriation of POWs alongside other duties. She left Japan on the 11th of October, arriving in Auckland on the 30th. She spent six weeks in refit in Auckland before sitting non-operational until February 1946.

Upon her re-commissioning into the Royal Navy on the 8th of February 1946, she returned to Britain via the Suez Canal. She served in the post-war Royal Navy until December 1960, where due to her age and the cost of modernisation, she was placed in reserve. She was sold in 1968, leaving Portsmouth on the 2nd December 1968, being broken up in 1969.

General Characteristics
Name: HMNZS Gambia
Country: New Zealand
Type: Light Cruiser
Class name: Fiji
Year of commision: 1943
Refit: 1945
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Dimensions:

Length: 555 ft 6 in (169.3 m)
Beam: 62 ft (18.9 m)
Draught: 19 ft 10 in (6 m)
Displacement: 8,770t
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Propulsion:

Powerplant: 4x oil fired boilers, 4x geared turbines driving 4 shafts @ 80,000shp (60,000kW)
Speed: 32.25kt
Endurance: 6,250nmi @ 13kt
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Armament & sensors:

Compliment: 920
Primary armament: 4x3 BL 6-inch Mk.XXIII on triple mount Mk XXIII
Secondary armament: 4x2 QF 4-Inch Mk.XVI on dual mount XIX
Tertiary armament: 2x4 QF-2pdr (Pom-Pom), 10x2 20mm Oerlikon
Sensors: Type 273 radar, Type 281 radar, Type 284 radar, Type 285 radar
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Armour:

Waterline Belt: 3.25-3.5 in (83-89mm Rolled cemented
Magazine: 2-3.5 in (51-89mm) Rolled cemented
Deck: 2-3.5 in (51-89mm) Rolled cemented
Gun turrets: 1 in (25mm) RHA for the body, 2 in (51mm) Rolled cemented for the face
Bulkheads: 1.5-2 in (38-51mm) RHA