British Heavy Cruisers 1939–45The idea of a heavy cruiser emerged in the aftermath of World War I and was closely linked to the limits set by the inter war Washington Naval Treaty. The pre World War I concept of armoured cruisers had been abandoned, but in their stead, the Admiralty saw a place for powerful cruisers. These were able to patrol the sea lanes of the British Empire and were well armed enough to destroy enemy commerce cruisers. The result was a group of British