The Dido class was a class of sixteen (including five in the Bellona sub-class) light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. The design was influenced by the Arethusa-class light cruisers. The first group of three ships was commissioned in 1940, the second group (six ships) and third group (two ships) were commissioned in 1941–1942. The Bellona subclass ships were commissioned between 1943 and 1944. Most members of the class were given names drawn from classical history and legend. They were designed as small trade protection cruisers and for action in the Mediterranean, where they were surprisingly effective in protecting crucial convoys as Malta was threatened and managed to see off far larger Italian battleships. The 5.25 was primarily a surface weapon but was intended to fire the heaviest