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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY - UNITED KINGDOM

CONVERTED MERCHANT VESSELS

WWII special service vessels

Name Decoy name Launched // Comm. Builder Tonnage, BRT Dimensions, m Speed, kts Machinery, Fuel, t Armament Fate
Beauly Looe 2/5/1924 // 10/1939 Ailsa, Troon 1061 73.8(pp)x10.4x 11 1VTE, coal 4 - 102/40 Mk IV, 2 - 533 TT to MWT 6/1941
Botlea Lambridge 1917 // 9/1939 Ayrshire, Irvine 5119 122.1(pp)x16.3x 14 1VTE, coal 1482 7 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT AMC 2/1941, returned 12/1941
Cape Howe (ex-Knight Almoner) Prunella 31/3/1930 // 9/1939 Lithgows, Glasgow 4443 114.3(pp)x16.2x 13.5 1VTE, coal 7 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT sunk 21/6/1940
Cape Sable Cyprus 12/3/1936 // 9/1939 Lithgows, Glasgow 4398 114.3(pp)x16.2x 13.5 1VTE, coal 853 7 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT AMC 2/1941, returned 3/1942
City of Durban Brutus 30/9/1920 // 9/1939 Earle, Hull 5945 115.7(pp)x15.9x 15 1turbine, coal 1476 9 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT AMC 3/1941, returned 4/1942
Holland (ex-Dansted)   16/8/1919 // 6/1940 P. P. Stuhr, Aalborg, Denmark 1251 72.7(pp)x11.0x 9 1VTE   returned 1/1941, minelayer 1942
King Gruffydd (ex-Ambatielos) Maunder 11/10/1919 // 3/1941 Whampoa, Kowloon 5063 122.0(pp)x15.9x 15 1VTE, coal 1325 7 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT AMC 3/1941, returned 12/1941
Le Rhin Fidelity 23/2/1920 // 9/1940 Grayson, Birkenhead 2456 80.7(pp)x12.6x 9.5 1VTE 4 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 2 - 75/50, 4 - 40/39 pompom, 1 - 37/50, 2 - 25/50, 4 - 533 TT, 2 saplanes, MTB105 sunk 30/12/1942
Minnie de Larrinaga   30/6/1914 // 1940 Russell, Aberdeen 5046 128.0(pp)x16.5x 10.5 1VTE   wrecked 8/9/1940 when fitting out
Orchy Antoine 1/5/1930 // 10/1939 Ailsa, Troon 1090 75.1(pp)x11.0x 11 1VTE, coal 4 - 102/40 Mk IV, 2 - 533 TT to MWT 6/1941
PC74 Chatsgrove 4/10/1918 // 1939 White, Cowes 610 t (Dp) 75.3x8.2x2.4 20 2turbines, oil 164 1 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 450 TT returned 1945
Willamette Valley (ex-West Lynn) Edgehill 14/8/1928 // 9/1939 Napier & Miller, Govan 4702 122.3(pp)x16.5x 15 1diesel, oil 898 9 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT sunk 29/6/1940

 

 

Ship project history: Decoy vessels intended to catch German submarines and commerce raiders. All these ships had DCs.

Modernizations: None.

Naval service:  Format of date including day/month/year means loss of the vessel. Format of date containing month/year means return to owner or conversion to miscellaneous vessel. Cape Howe, Le Rhin and Willamette Valley were sunk by submarines. Le Rhin was used as AA decoy vessel.

 

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