HMS Jervis Bay was initially an Australian and British cargo and passenger vessel, and later an armed merchant cruiser from the interwar period and World War II. The launch of the vessel took place in January 1922, and entry into the civil service - in September of the same year. In August 1939, he was confiscated by the Royal Navy. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 167 meters and a width of 21 meters. Full displacement reached approx. 14,400 tons and maximum speed up to approx. 15 knots. After rearmament, the unit was equipped with 7 152mm Mark VII guns and 2 76mm AA guns.
Originally, HMS Jervis Bay was constructed for an Australian shipowner Australian Commonwealth Line via Vickers Shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Northern England. In total, five vessels of this class were created, which were characterized by quite good seaworthiness and a large swimming range in excess of 14,000 nautical miles. In 1928, the vessel was bought by the British shipping line Aberdeen & Commonwealth Line, and later by Shaw, Savill & Albion Ltd in 1933. HMS, of course Jervis Bay it was used during this period as a thoroughly civilian unit. This state of affairs changed in August 1939, when she was commandeered by the Royal Navy, rearmed and converted into an auxiliary cruiser. The ship, along with her crew, went down in British naval history in November 1940 when she fought a heroic fight with the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer in defense of the HX-84 convoy. Despite the sinking of the vessel, the dedication of its crew and its commander made it possible for many ships to escape from the convoy. Commander of the HMS Jervis Bay - Commander Edward Stephen Fogarty Fegen - was awarded posthumously with the Victoria Cross, the highest British award for bravery and courage shown on the battlefield.