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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

ESCORTS

WICKES ex-US destroyers

Wickes 1918

St. Albans 1942

Name No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Annapolis (RCN) (ex-DD175 Mackenzie) I04 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco, USA 7/1918 19/9/1918 7/1919 // 9/1940 BU 6/1945
Bath (ex-DD181 Hopewell) I17 Newport News, USA 1/1918 8/6/1918 3/1919 // 9/1940 to Norway 4/1941 (Bath)
Brighton (ex-DD167 Cowell) I08 Bethlehem, Quincy, USA 7/1918 23/11/1918 3/1919 // 9/1940 to Soviet Union 3/1944 (Жаркий) (Zharkiy)
Campbelltown (ex-DD131 Buchanan) I42 Bath Iron Wks, USA 6/1918 2/1/1919 1/1919 // 9/1940 to Netherlands 1-10/1941, sunk 28/3/1942
Caldwell (ex-DD133 Hale) (RCN 7/1942 - 12/1944) I20 Bath Iron Wks, USA 10/1918 29/5/1919 6/1919 // 9/1940 BU 12/1944
Castleton (ex-DD132 Aaron Ward) I23 Bath Iron Wks, USA 8/1918 10/4/1919 4/1919 // 9/1940 BU 3/1947
Charlestown (ex-DD184 Abbot) I21 Newport News, USA 4/1918 4/7/1918 6/1919 // 9/1940 collision 12/1944, BU 1945
Chelsea (ex-DD134 Crowninshield) (RCN 11/1942 - 12/1943) I35 Bath Iron Wks, USA 11/1918 24/7/1919 8/1919 // 9/1940 to Soviet Union 3/1944 (Дерзкий) (Derzkiy)
Columbia (RCN) (ex-DD183 Haraden) I49 Newport News, USA 3/1918 4/7/1918 6/1919 // 9/1940 damaged 25/2/1944, never repaired, BU 1945
Georgetown (ex-DD168 Maddox) (RCN 9/1942 - 12/1943) I40 Bethlehem, Quincy, USA 7/1918 27/10/1918 3/1919 // 9/1940 to Soviet Union 3/1944 (Жёсткий) (Zhostkiy)
Hamilton (RCN) (ex-DD170 Kalk, ex-Rogers) I24 Bethlehem, Quincy, USA 8/1918 21/12/1918 3/1919 // 9/1940 BU 8/1945
Lancaster (ex-DD76 Philip) (RCN 1942 - 1944) G05 Bath Iron Wks, USA 9/1917 25/7/1918 8/1918 // 10/1940 BU 2/1947
Leamington (ex-DD127 Twiggs) (RCN 12/1942 - 12/1943) G19 New York SB, USA 1/1918 28/9/1918 7/1919 // 10/1940 to Soviet Union 3/1944 (Жгучий) (Zhguchiy)
Lincoln (ex-DD143 Yarnall) G42 Cramp, Philadelphia, USA 2/1918 19/6/1918 11/1918 // 10/1940 to Norway 6/1942 - 2/1944 (Lincoln), to Soviet Union 8/1944 (Дружный) (Druzhnyy)
Mansfield (ex-DD78 Evans) (RCN 9/1942 - 6/1944) G76 Bath Iron Wks, USA 12/1917 30/10/1918 11/1918 // 10/1940 to Norway 12/1940 - 2/1942 (Mansfield), BU 6/1944
Montgomery (ex-DD75 Wickes) (RCN 1942 - 1943) G95 Bath Iron Wks, USA 6/1917 25/6/1918 7/1918 // 10/1940 BU spring 1945
Newark (ex-DD89 Ringgold) G08 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco, USA 10/1917 14/4/1918 11/1918 // 11/1940 BU 2/1947
Newmarket (ex-DD88 Robinson) G47 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco, USA 10/1917 28/3/1918 10/1918 // 11/1940 BU 9/1945
Newport (ex-DD81 Sigourney) G54 Bethlehem, Quincy, USA 8/1917 16/12/1917 5/1918 // 11/1940 to Norway 10/1941 - 6/1942 (Newport), stricken  1/1945
Niagara (RCN) (ex-DD162 Thatcher) I57 Bethlehem, Quincy, USA 6/1918 31/8/1918 1/1919 // 9/1940 stricken 9/1945
Richmond (ex-DD93 Fairfax) (RCN 8/1943 - 12/1943) G88 Mare Island N Yd, USA 7/1917 15/12/1917 4/1918 // 10/1940 to Soviet Union 3/1944 (Живучий) (Zhivuchiy)
Roxburgh (ex-DD169 Foote) I07 Bethlehem, Quincy, USA 8/1918 14/12/1918 3/1919 // 9/1940 to Soviet Union 3/1944 (Доблестный) (Doblestnyy)
St. Albans (ex-DD182 Thomas) I15 Newport News, USA 3/1918 4/7/1918 4/1919 // 9/1940 to Norway 4/1941 - 2/1944 (St. Albans), to Soviet Union 3/1944 (Достойный) (Dostoynyy)
St. Clair (RCN) (ex-DD108 Williams) I65 Union Iron Wks, San Francisco, USA 3/1918 4/7/1918 3/1919 // 9/1940 stricken 10/1946
St. Mary`s (ex-DD185 Doran, ex-Bagley) I12 Newport News, USA 5/1918 19/10/1918 8/1919 // 9/1940 BU 3/1945
Salisbury (ex-DD140 Claxton) (RCN 9/1942 - 12/1943) I52 Mare Island N Yd, USA 4/1918 15/1/1919 9/1919 // 10/1940 BU 6/1944
Wells (ex-DD135 Tillman) I95 Charleston N Yd, USA 7/1918 7/7/1919 4/1920 // 11/1940 BU 7/1945

 

 

 

Displacement standard, t

1090

Displacement full, t

1360 - 1390

Length, m

94.5 wl 95.8 oa

Breadth, m

9.40

Draught, m

2.80

No of shafts

2

Machinery

Bath, Campbelltown, Caldwell, Castleton, Charlestown, Chelsea, Columbia, Lancaster, Leamington, Lincoln, Mansfield, Montgomery, Richmond, St. Albans, St. Mary`s, Salisbury, Wells: Parsons or Westinghouse geared steam turbines / 1 Parsons or Westinghouse geared steam turbine for cruising, 4 Normand, Thornycroft or White-Forster boilers

Annapolis, Brighton, Georgetown, Hamilton, Newark, Newmarket, Newport, Niagara, St. Clair, Roxburgh: Curtis geared steam turbines / 1 Curtis geared steam turbine for cruising, 4 Yarrow boilers

Power, h. p.

26000

Lancaster, Mansfield, Montgomery: 24200

Annapolis, Brighton, Georgetown, Hamilton, Newark, Newmarket, Newport, Niagara, Roxburgh, St. Clair: 27000

Max speed, kn

35

Lancaster, Mansfield, Montgomery: 32

Fuel, t

oil 275

Salisbury: oil 288

Endurance, nm(kts)

4300(14)

Armament

4 x 1 - 102/50 Mk 9, 1 x 1 - 76/23 Mk 14, 3 x 1 - 12.7/90, 4 x 3 - 533 TT, 2 DCR (10 - 15)
Sensors sonar

Complement

146

Ship project history: In May, 1940 Sir Winston Churchill has suggested US president Roosevelt to take in 99-year use all English naval and aviation bases in Western hemisphere, in exchange for 50 old destroyers. Originally the request has been turned down, however after the heavy losses suffered by Royal Navy in the summer of the same year, Churchill nevertheless managed to persuade Roosevelt, and 2/9/1940 president has signed the agreement.

Transferred destroyers concerned to numerous class of "flushdeckers" built in the USA in 1917-1920. Their distinctive feature were flyshdecked hull silhouette, a rhombic arrangement of main guns and powerful torpedo armament. Ships were sectioned into some groups, differing by macinery structure, number of funnels and a fuel stowage.

Transfer passed from September till November, 1940, part at once has arrived to RCN.

Though Admiralty was in great need in the ships for escort of Atlantic convoys, destroyers received from the USA needed many modernizing works to use them in this role. Armament of "flushdeckers" has not undergone some serious changes or 20 years of service and approached for the anti-air and anti-submarine tasks a little. Besides, insufficient, from the point of view of Admiralty, the stability of ships demanded acceptance of measures for decrease of the top weight.

As a whole update of former American destroyers repeated update to which have undergone in 1940 on old British WWI-era destroyers: British-constructed sonar was fitted, aft 102mm main gun was changed by British 3`` AA, and American gun of the same calibre was demounted, as well as pair of TT mounts. 4 DCTs were installed (rarely 2).

Modernizations: late 1940, all but Niagara, Columbia, Roxburgh, St. Albans and St. Clair: - 1 x 1 - 102/50, 1 x 1 - 76/23, 2 x 3 - 533 TT; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I HA, 4 DCT, DC stowage increased up to 60

late 1940, Niagara: - 1 x 1 - 102/50, 1 x 1 - 76/23, 2 x 3 - 533 TT; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I HA, 2 DCT, DC stowage increased up to 60

late 1940, Roxburgh: - 1 x 1 - 102/50, 2 x 3 - 533 TT; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I HA, 4 DCT, DC stowage increased up to 60

late 1940, St. Albans: - 1 x 1 - 102/50, 4 x 3 - 533 TT; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I HA, 4 DCT, DC stowage increased up to 60

late 1940, St. Clair, Columbia: - 2 x 3 - 533 TT; + 4 DCT, DC stowage increased up to 60

1941 - 1943, Annapolis, Castleton, Chelsea, Georgetown, Hamilton, Lincoln, Mansfield, Montgomery, Newark, Newmarket, Richmond, Salisbury, Wells: - 2 x 1 - 102/50, 1 x 3 - 533 TT; + (2 - 4) x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon or 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT. TT was moved to center line.

1941 - 1943, Roxburgh: - 2 x 1 - 102/50, 1 x 1 - 76/23, 1 x 3 - 533 TT; + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT. TT was moved to center line.

1942, Niagara: - 1 x 3 - 533 TT. TT was moved to center line.

1942, Brighton: - 2 x 1 - 102/50, 1 x 3 - 533 TT; + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon. TT was moved to center line.

1942, Columbia: - 3 x 1 - 102/50, 1 x 1 - 76/23, 1 x 3 - 533 TT; + 1 x 1 - 76/45 QF Mk I HA, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 1 x 24 - 178 Hedgehog DCT. TT was moved to center line.

1942 - 1943, Annapolis, Columbia: 1 boiler and its funnel were removed. Fuel stowage rose. Engine power and maximal speed were decreased.

Naval service: Campbeltown has become famous 28/3/1942 when she has acted in a role of a fire ship for demolition of dry dock in St. Nazaire. She has been camouflaged as German Möwe class torpedo boat for this purpose, armament consisted from only one 3`` gun.

Bath was sunk by German submarine U201 SW of Ireland 19/8/1941. Brighton 25/6/1941 was damaged at collision with cruiser Kenya, repair lasted till October, 1941. The fwd superstructure of Roxburgh was completely destroyed in January, 1943 during a storm, 11 people were lost, including all officers: only one officer was remained alive who has fetched the ship in a port; destroyer was repaired till April, 1943.

Columbia was damaged by a mine 25/2/1944 (fore part was broken off) and was not under repair; she was a hulk since 1944.

Fairfax 1918

 

 

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© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10