Details
A mahogany pedestal desk from HMS Chester
the rounded rectangular top above a long frieze drawer, above six drawers, on bun feet, stamped with Cammell Laird No. --56in. (142cm.) wide
The light cruiser Chester 5,185 tons, was ordered from Cammell Laird's by the Greek Navy in 1914 as their Lambros Katsonis. Laid down that October and launched in December 1915, her contract - and that for her sister soon to be named Birkenhead - had by then been taken over by the Admiralty due to the wartime emergency and she was therefore completed as H.M.S.Chester in May 1916. Measuring 456 feet in length and with a main armament of 10 5.5in guns, she was oil fired and could steam at 26½ knots under full power. Entering service just in time to be with the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron at Jutland, she remained with the Grand Fleet until 1919 after which she was placed in the Nore Reserve until sold for scrapping in 1921.
During the Battle of Jutland (31 May - 1 June 1916), Chester was engaged and badly damaged by German cruisers, thereby achieving a measure of lasting fame as the result of the actions of one of her youngest sailors. Boy First Class Jack Cornwell, barely 16½ years old, remained at his gun though mortally wounded and died at his post in circumstances of great gallantry. Subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross, his calm self-sacrifice at a critical moment in the greatest naval battle of the War caught the public's imagination and made both his name and that of his ship household words.
the rounded rectangular top above a long frieze drawer, above six drawers, on bun feet, stamped with Cammell Laird No. --56in. (142cm.) wide
The light cruiser Chester 5,185 tons, was ordered from Cammell Laird's by the Greek Navy in 1914 as their Lambros Katsonis. Laid down that October and launched in December 1915, her contract - and that for her sister soon to be named Birkenhead - had by then been taken over by the Admiralty due to the wartime emergency and she was therefore completed as H.M.S.Chester in May 1916. Measuring 456 feet in length and with a main armament of 10 5.5in guns, she was oil fired and could steam at 26½ knots under full power. Entering service just in time to be with the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron at Jutland, she remained with the Grand Fleet until 1919 after which she was placed in the Nore Reserve until sold for scrapping in 1921.
During the Battle of Jutland (31 May - 1 June 1916), Chester was engaged and badly damaged by German cruisers, thereby achieving a measure of lasting fame as the result of the actions of one of her youngest sailors. Boy First Class Jack Cornwell, barely 16½ years old, remained at his gun though mortally wounded and died at his post in circumstances of great gallantry. Subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross, his calm self-sacrifice at a critical moment in the greatest naval battle of the War caught the public's imagination and made both his name and that of his ship household words.