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ORP Dragon

General information
 Lended to PMW (Polska Marynarka Wojenna = Polish Navy) in 15.01.1943, entered service 17.05.1943. In 1943 he was used in some operations near the Norwegian coast. Later assigned to invasion forces ORP Dragon took his part in coastal bombardment in 7-9 june and 12-18 june. In the night 7-8 july he was heavily damaged by german Human Torpedo piloted by Karl Heinz Potthast,(37 men were killed). Damage was so heavy, that ship has been scuttled as the part of Mulberry port near the Sword beach.

Construction
Begun: 00.00.1917 Completed: 29.12.1917
Displacement 4850 tons
Armament six 152mm guns (6x 1)
(before 1944) three 102mm AA guns (3x 1)
  four 20mm AA guns (4x 1)
  twelve Torpedo Tubes 533mm (4x 3)
Armament five 152mm guns (6x 1)
(in 1944) two 102mm AA guns (3x 1)
  eight 40mm AA guns (2x 4)
  eight 20mm AA guns (4x 2)
Length
p.p. (forw. & afw. perpindiculars) 445 feet 146,00 meters
o.a. (overall length) 472,5 feet 155,02 meters
beam 46,5 feet 15,26 meters
mean draught 14,5 feet 4,76 meters
Speed 29 knots, 53km/h  
Range 2300Nm (4260km) with 28 knots (51km/h)
Crew 462
Class "D" Light Cruiser (British)
Other Ships in Class HMS Danae (from 04.10.1944: ORP Conrad)
HMS Dauntless
HMS Delhi
HMS Despatch
HMS Diomede
HMS Dunedin
HMS Durban

Campaigns
The ORP Dragon was used for coastbombarment on D-Day (june 6th, 1944). Her target were the battery of Colleville sur Orne.
Books: Druga Wojna Światowa na morzu, Jerzy Lipiński
  Wielkie dni małej floty, Jerzy Pertek
  Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II
Research by: Marcin Wojtuszkiewicz
  Jeroen Koppes
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