A PRE 1941 HMS GALATEA ARETHUSA CLASS LIGHT CRUISER CAP TALLY

THIS DAY 80 YEARS AGO HMS GALATEA WAS SUNK WITH THE LOSS OF 460 HANDS DURING ITS SHORT HISTORY DURING THE WAR IT PLAYED A VITAL ROLE.

A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE PRE 1941 HMS GALATEA  ARETHUSA CLASS LIGHT CRUISER  CAP TALLY 

HMS GALATEA TOOK PART IN THE FOLLOWING OPERATIONS NORWAY 1940 AND RETURNED FROM NORWAY WITH 8 TONS OF GOLD , HUNT FOR BISMARK , CODE WORD  CROMWELL ( INVASION OF KENT BY THE GERMANS ) AND WAS SENT TO PATROL THE DOVER AREA 1940 AND WHILE ON THE RETURN JOURNEY STRUCK A MINE AND WAS IN DRY DOCK FOR A PERIOD OF 3 MONTHS , THEN WENT TO THE MED WHERE SHE WAS SUNK BY THE GERMAN UBOAT U557. INCIDENTLY THIS UBOAT WAS SUNK SHORTLY AFTERWARDS BY AN ITALIAN PATROL BOAT WHICH RAMMED IT 460+ MEN WERE LOST WHEN SHE WAS SUNK.