HMS Jamaica – Former British Royal Navy Ship

by | posted: February 17, 2008 13 comments

It’s late, I can’t sleep and I am up reading all kinds of things on the internet. I hope you read my about page, because if you did you would have known that I am also a military buff that almost joined the British Army.

British Colonial Naming – HMS Jamaica

I was reading up on various ships and one thing led to next and before you knew it i discovered that there was once a Crown Colony Cruiser in the British Royal Navy named after Jamaica. The HMS Jamaica as she was called was one of many light cruisers named after what was then British colonial “possessions”. The HMS Jamaica saw action all over the world especially in the second world war and was one of the naval stars of the Korean War where it picked up the nick names “galloping ghost of the Korean coast” and “Fighting J”.


HMS Jamaica

Why don’t they teach this stuff in local and regional schools instead of so much American, European and the whole watered slave trade and flawed Caribbean history. Just thought I’d geek out and share that fact with you guys. If you want to read more check out the HMS Jamaica page on Wikipedia or on Britain’s Small Wars.

[jamaica]

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Jamaipanese

Kirk lives in Kingston, Jamaica and is an avid Japan enthusiast. Since starting Jamaipanese.com in February 2006 and visiting Japan in September 2011 his knowledge and understanding of Japan has grown and he enjoys sharing his interests with his readers.

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  • Alan McGrath

    My father Bill NcGrath served on the “Jamaica” during the onset of the Korean conflict. As with most people of that generation he seldom spoke of what he and his shipmates endured.
    Through the internet I have discovered most of the history of this ship.
    The Jamaica was the first ship hit by the North Koreans and indeed sustained the first casualties before the UN even became involved.

  • David Pearce

    I am a Trainee Instructor with Margate Sea Cadets (UK) and our unit is named TS Jamaica, after this ship. Having read the history of this vessel it is very interesting to see how much she did during WWII. She even appeared in the film The Battle of The River Plate (doubling for HMS Exeter)!

  • http://www.jamaica-fact-fest.com Proud Jamaican

    Thanks for posting this, Jamaipanese. There are so many interesting facts about Jamaica that we don’t know.

  • Craig Miles

    Hi, My Grandfather was on this ship in WW2. One of the family memorabilia is a menu card that has the signatures of the survivors from the Scharnhorst in 1943 (Boxing Day Battle of North Cape) that my Grandfather helped out of the water. He never mentioned the war again though once he was home.
    Interestingly, my Father was born the day before the Battle of North Cape on Christmas Day and named Christopher. So this ship has a strong place in my family’s heart.
    If Jamaica can be proud of this ship, then that is great, I am certainly proud of what it means to my family.

    • Joe Yates

      Hi Craig just wondering if your grandad is still with us my father served on this ship inww2 and i am trying to find any surviving members and see if they can have a comunication any help would be great

      Thanks Joe Yates

  • Joe Yates

    My father served on this ship during WWll…would like to see if anyone still around he served with and if they ar still with us….luckily my dad is

    • steve johnson

      my grandad Ernest Bailey served on this ship sometime in the 50′s i think … does anyone remember him?

  • Fiona

    My grandpa served on HMS Jamaica!