HMS Enterprise (D52)

Enterprise in November 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name	Enterprise
Builder	John Brown & Company, (Clydebank, Scotland)
Yard number	484
Laid down	28 June 1918
Launched	23 December 1919
Commissioned	7 April 1926
Decommissioned	13 January 1946
Identification	Pennant number: D52
Motto	Spes aspera levat (Latin:"Hope lightens difficulties")
Honours and awards	Atlantic (1939-40) Norway (1940) Biscay (1943) Normandy (1944)
Fate	Scrapped Handed over to BISCO for scrapping 11 April 1946 Arrived at Cashmore's yard at Newport, Wales on 21 April 1946 for breaking up
Badge	On a field red, a lion rampant under a star silver.
General characteristics
Class and type	Emerald-class light cruiser
Displacement	7,580 long tons (7,700 t) 9,435 long tons (9,586 t)
Length	570 ft (173.7 m)
Beam	54 ft 6 in (16.6 m)
Draught	16 ft 6 in (5.0 m)
Installed power	8 × water-tube boilers 80,000 shp (60,000 kW)
Propulsion	4 × shafts; 4 × geared steam turbines
Speed	33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Range	8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	572 officers and ratings
Armament	7 × BL 6-inch Mk XII guns 3 × QF 4-inch AA guns 16 × 21-inch torpedo tubes (4x4)
Armour	Belt: 3 in (76 mm) (amidships); 1.5–2.5 in (38–64 mm) (bow); 2 in (51 mm) (stern) Deck: 1 in (25 mm) (upper, amidships); 1 in (25 mm) (over rudder)
Aircraft carried	1 × Seafox
Aviation facilities	1 × catapult (later removed)

HMS Enterprise was one of two Emerald-class light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. She was built by John Brown & Company, with the keel being laid down on 28 June 1918. She was launched on 23 December 1919, and commissioned on 7 April 1926. She was the 14th ship to serve with the Royal Navy to carry the name Enterprise, a name which is still used in the Royal Navy today.

Enterprise was completed with a prototype twin 6" turret in place of the original design two forward single mounts; and with the trials proving successful it was retained for the rest of her service career. This turret was later worked into the design of the Leander, Amphion and Arethusa classes. The turret installation occupied less space than the superimposed 'A' and 'B' guns of Emerald, therefore the bridge was placed further forward. The bridge was of a new design, being a single block topped by a director tower, rather than the traditional platforms built around the foremast and wheelhouse topped with a spotting top. This design of bridge would appear in the County-class cruisers.