HMS Exeter (68) was a British heavy cruiser of the interwar period and World War II. The keel of this unit was laid down in 1928, launched in July 1929, and commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1931. The ship's overall length at the time of launch was 175.3 meters, overall beam 17.7 meters, and full displacement of about 10,600 tons. The maximum speed was about 31 knots. The ship's armament at the beginning of World War II included, among others: 6 203 mm guns, 4 102 mm guns and 2 40 mm guns. The unit could operate two seaplanes.
HMS Exeter (68) was one of the British York-class heavy cruisers. Cruisers of this type originated as a modernized and shortened County class. Compared to it, they were, first of all, weaker in armament, but still had good characteristics and high seaworthiness. They were also characterized by better armor - especially artillery turrets - and a much better layout of the ship's space, especially in the bow superstructure. Overall, York-class cruisers were seen as successful units with significant combat value. In the interwar period, HMS Exeter served in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the South Atlantic. Her combat career in World War II began very fruitfully, as in December 1939 she took part in the Battle of the La Plata River, which sank the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. However, as a result of this battle, she suffered serious damage and was under repair until early 1941! At the end of the same year he was sent to the Far East, and in 1942 he took part in the Battle of the Java Sea, as a result of which he was sunk on March 1 of that year.
