RHNS Athens (CA-1939)

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While the two ex-US pre-dreadnoughts had been fairly modern in 1914, only 6 years later in 1920 they were hopelessly out of date. But the equipment on board the ship, the guns and armour were still fine and could be used as the basis for 2 cruisers and a battlecruiser/battleship. The Greek Navy saved some budget and sent the two ships off to Italy (who had won the bid to build the new ships). The two cruisers were outside the Washington treaty so they ended up as more armoured cruisers and a bit over the 10,000 tons the rest of the major powers were saddled with.

Each ship being armed with 8 x 8" removed from either Kilkis or Lemnos, this was a more than adequate armament for the time. The problem with recycling guns from 1908 is that they were slow firing and short ranged compared to more modern weapons of similar size. UK 8" fired 10,000 yards further and fired twice as fast. The Greeks did not mind as the only ships that really worried them were those in the Turkish Navy and these heavy cruisers outperformed any cruiser in the Turkish fleet.



It turned out the German Luftwaffe, Fliegerkorps X, was the biggest problem for the Greek Navy (and other Allied ships). Fliegerkorps X was the German anti-shipping unit. It proved decisive in the Mediterranean with most of the ship losses from Greece to Crete, then Crete to Egypt were caused by aircraft.. The crippling of the Illustrious was Fliegerkorps X's handiwork as well. In the withdrawal of Greek and Allied forces from Crete the Greek Navy lost the Athens to bombing. But the Allied Navy's did well enough so that the Greek Army was able to field a Greek Battalion in the coming North African battles. Their hatred of the Germans made them fearsome foes. The Piraeus went into Trincomalee dockyard for its Allied refit as being the closest yard with room to undertake the work required.
 

The twin 8" used on these ships are visible in this photo.

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