HMS Black Prince (81)

HMS Black Prince (81) was a British Town-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the late 1930s. She was part of the second group of Town-class cruisers, sometimes referred to as the Gloucester sub-class.

Black Prince was laid down on 27 October 1937 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Northern Ireland, launched on 27 August 1939, and commissioned on 20 November 1940.

During World War II, Black Prince served primarily in the Atlantic, escorting convoys and patrolling against German raiders. In 1943, she was transferred to the Mediterranean, participating in the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky). Later that year, she took part in the landings at Salerno (Operation Avalanche).

In 1944, Black Prince was loaned to the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and renamed HMNZS Black Prince. She continued to serve in the Pacific Theatre for the remainder of the war, supporting operations against Japanese forces. This service included bombardment of Japanese held islands and escort duty for aircraft carriers.

After the war, Black Prince was returned to the Royal Navy in 1946. She was placed in reserve and ultimately scrapped in 1962. The ship's wartime service earned her several battle honours.