Battle class Destroyer (1943)

HMS Lagos in 1945
The Battle class were initiated as early as in mid-1941 reflecting on destroyer losses from the Luftwaffe, and resulted in brand new design approved in 1942. It was for a dedicated AA destroyer using 4.5 inches HA gun mounts forward like the L-M class, extra light AA, for an ensemble of 32 ships as initially planned, for four flotillas. However, if they were laid down in 1942 and launched in 1943 or early 1944, deliveries of the new firing director tower and associated radar delayed their entry into service so much only Barfleur reached the British Pacific Fleet on time for the Tokyo Bay surrender. The smaller “Weapon class” in contrast were decided later, yet completed sooner. The remainder of the Battle class was cancelled and only two flotillas could be equipped in the end. These ships were heavily modified in the 1950s for a few more years if useful service, with the last retired in 1979 for the “late battle” or “1943 group”, but at best 1972 for the “early battle” or 1942 group. Due to the scope of this article, it will be updated for the “late battle” or 1943 group 2 & 3.

Development

The story of the last British destroyer of WW2 is fascinating, especially compared to the copy-paste nature of the relatively “boring” war emergency flotilla programes destroyers. They did not changed much from the J to the Z class. In 1942, as naval estimates were discussed by the Royal Navy admiralty, the fate of the war was still vey much in doubt, so it made no debate than a new class of destroyer would be needed pas the usual war emergency programme flotilla destroyers. There were two objectives: One, procuring a new type of destroyer better suited for AA defence of convoys, and two, replacing the early Tribal class destroyer that had already may losses and filled a precise role in the RN inventory.

The first British AA destroyers

For the first objective, it was clear after the losses inflicted by the luftwaffe in 1941 or those by the IJN aviaition in the early months of 1942, that RN destroyers had never been optiimized for concentrated air attacks. These heavy losses were in part due to inadequate AA (low angle main guns and short ranged Vickers 0.5 in and 2-pdr pomp-poms). In late 1941 already, this had led urgent consideration and trigerred a push on regular floitilla destroyer desogns already for more and better AA as well as HA mounts, but the admirakty wanted to solve the problem with a dedicated, large fleet destroyer. The staff requirement was for a ship sporting High Angle (HA) twin guns with a tailored HA control system, set forward in a superfiring configuration to concentrate on the target with the best arc of fire possible. Initially it was not even question of replacing the Tribals, but to adopt a transitional solution with new DP guns in highly mechanized 4.7 inches (120mm) DP 80°mounts with adequate fire control system on modified “L” class destroyers was preferred, with the beam slightly increased for extra stability. The L and Ms had famously an all forward armament but with low angle twin turrets.

Replacing the Tribals

This was a pretty radical configuration, but for the second objective, they also needed to retain some A/S capabilities, to replace the Tribal class losses. So for this, they had a more substantial torpedo armament (The Tribals had eight main guns in four twin turrets, low angle, only one quintuple TT bank). It was believed that the new HA mounts, despite being halved compared to a Tribal artillery, would benefit for a better loading design and far better fire control, to be much faster, and more accurate in a naval engagement, plus the space freed would allow for more space for torpedo tubes and free the whole aft part of the ship for extra AA, of the new generation sported by the allies, 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon.

One result of this rearrangement of the new mounts forward which were larger and heavier than those of a Tribal class, and soo needed extra space forward, was to push the bridge structure further aft than normal. The initial anti-aircraft armament comprised an unprecedented eight 40mm/60 mm Bofors guns, all in twin mountings, atop the middle and after deck houses for overlapping arcs of fire. The Bofors in 1942 had been proven already superior to the pom-pom for its range, so it’s provided an ideal closer bubble below the HA mounts own bubble, with perfectly interlocking arcs of fire due to these optilized fire arcs. In short, this was the same superfiring solution as for the Tribals, except the aft mounts were replaced by four Bofors mounts.

The third, even close bubble would be provided by an healthy array of by 20 mm Oerlikon guns positioned around the ship, wherever possible. They would have a low arc of fire, but could be posted either side of the ship in numbers given their smaller real estate, as well as upper on the bridge and between the funnel and the eight 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes that would be carried in two quadruple mounts. As usual the traditional roles of destroyers was not forgotten, especially at a time the fate of the Battle for the Atlantic was far from certain, two depth charge rails and four depth charge throwers would be fitted aft. However, since the ships needed to be AA platforms, it was decided to install for the first time on a destroyer, active stabilisers in addition to classic counter-keels to provide a steadier stance at sea.

First Orders

All these specifications had already been accepted so that a sketch design was approved in the autumn of 1941 already. Sixteen ships or two flotillas orders were placed under the 1942 programme. It was agreed they would be considerably larger than standard fleet destroyer and initialy the DNC came out with a provisional lenght of 379 feet (116 m) so two feet longer than the Tribals, one a beam of 40 feet 3 inches (12.27 m) three feet wider. Since ideas were about to run out for alphabetical naming and to mark their status as large fleet destroyers, and also for the press and nation’s moral into the war at a time it was sitll hard (In early 1942 the fate of North Africa was grim) it was decided to name these ships after famous land and sea battles, hence the “1942 Battle class” registered in the documentation of the time.

About the Names

The Battle class were built in three batches under the 1942 43 & 44 Naval Estimates and went into service with the RN and RAN. Only some details shown below as quite a complex history for these ships.
Names were used which commemorated great Naval Battles of the Royal Navy in order to project confidence worldwide as WWII looked to be on course for a home win, but, the course of the War showed they were not required in the numbers originally thought, and the latter two modified batches were reduced in size considerably. Of the 7 ships commissioned before the end of WWII, only HMS Barfleur saw action (in the Pacific), the rest generally being used for ‘showing the flag’ after WWII. Many more ordered were cancelled and 4 scrapped after launch.

Considerably larger than the standard fleet destroyer, these ships had been intended as replacements for the Tribal class which had suffered heavy losses and upgraded AA armament with overlapping fire arcs was introduced with high angles of fire. Typical layout included a lattice foremast was fitted with Type 293 target indicators; the Type 291 & type 275 fire control on Mk VI director on main mast. The twin 40/60mm guns had Hazemeyer mountings to aid high angle firing and type 282 radar.

HMS’s Barfleur, Armada, Trafalgar, Camperdown, Hogue & Lagos were fitted with the gun a 4” gun abaft the funnel, all others having two single 40/60 mm Mk VII instead, giving a total of 14 Bofors; the heaviest light AA armament of any British destroyer. Eventually all of the Battles had the 4” replaced. Second Flotilla ships had the Hazemeyer replaced by an improved Admiralty designed stabilizer. There are several other design changes for those interested. Many were delayed by lack of Director and Fire Control systems being delivered to the Builders yards. These ships had the ‘flawed’ two machinery space J class layout rather than three.

HMS’s Mons, Omdurman, Somme, River Plate. St. Lucia, San Domingo and Waterloo, were broken up on the slipway, and Belle Isle, Navarino, Poictiers, Talavera and Trincomalee were scrapped immediately upon launching; Albuera, Jutland, Namur and Oudenarde were laid up with the idea of completing them later but were eventually scrapped.

The four ships chosen for conversion were Agincourt, Aisne, Barrosa and Corunna were eventually changed to Air Direction Frigates as the type 61’s were found to be too slow to keep up with carriers.
Royal Navy Battle class only listed here. Built by Hawthorn Leslies Hebburn Tyne (See also thread named A Christmas Diversion). HMS Agincourt (D86) lcd 29 jan 45 Comm 25 June 47: leader of 4th Destroyer Flotilla Home Fleet. Conversion to radar picket 1959. HMS Armada (D14) lcd 9 Dec 43 comm 2 July 45: 19th Destroyer Flotilla, eventually leader 3rd Destroyer Flotilla in Home Fleet
HMS Solebay (D70) lcd 22 Feb 44 comm 25 Sept 45: 1st Flotilla leader. Took part in large scale sinkings of German U boat fleet; Escort to HMY Brittania during West Africa tour.
HMS Saintes (D84) lcd 19 July 44 comm 27 Sept 46: 5th Flotilla trailed new twin turret 4.5” guns: as 3rd flotilla leader rescued Empire Windrush troopship survivors. Sank HMS Buccaneer by mistake.
HMS Jutland (name switched to another later battle at Stephens Yard lcd 2 Nov 45; then used solely as a trail hull before scrapping.
Built by Vickers Armstrong Naval Yard Tyne:
HMS Aisne (D22) lcd 12 May 45 comm 20 march 47; 1st RN Warship launched after VE Day. Conversion to radar picket 1959.

Built by Browns Clydebank:
HMS Alamien (D17) lcd 17 Jan 45 comm 14 Feb 47:
HMS Barrosa (D68) lcd 17 Jan 45 comm 14 Feb 47: 4th Flotilla: converted to radar picket 1959
HMS Matapan (D43) lcd 30 April 45 comm 5 Sept 47: Immediately reserved and eventually converted to a Sonar Trails Ship, finally seeing active service in 1973. As such her appearance is radically different from othe Battle class ships.

Built by Swan Hunter Wigham Richardson Tyne:
HMS Corunna (D97) lcd 29 May 45 comm 6 June 47 Conversion to radar picket 1959
HMS St Kitts (D18) lcd 4 Oct 44 comm 21 Jan 46: 1st & 3rd Flotillas: Bombarded Port Said 1955 Suez Crisis.

Built at Swan Hunter Wallsend Yard, Tyne
HMS Barfleur (D80) lcd 1 Nov 43 comm 14 Sept 44: Only Battle class to see action during WWII Pacific Theatre: Flotilla leader in Mediterranean with 3rd Flotilla: Also Suez crisis.
HMS Gabbard (D47) lcd 16 March 45 comm10 Dec 46: 5th Flotilla Home and Med; In 1957. Sold to the Pakistani Navy and renamed Badr. In 1971, Badr seriously damaged during Indian pakistani war.
HMS Trafalgar (D77) lcd 12 Jan 44 comm 23 july 45: served with 19th then leader for 7th Flotilla: rammed HMS Solebay.

Built by Fairfields:
HMS Cadiz (D79) lcd 16 Dec 44 comm 12 April 46; 5th Flotilla; Then sold to Pakistan in 1956 and renamed PNS Khaibar; Sunk off Karachi by the Indian Navy missile boat, INS Nirghat (K89) during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
HMS Camperdown (D32) lcd 8 Feb 44 comm 18 June 45: Served with 1st 3rd & 19th Flotillas. Rammed by HMS Coreopsis (Flower corvette) in Plymouth Harbour 1953

Built by A. Stephens
HMS Dunkirk (D09) lcd 27 Aug 45 comm 27 Nov 46: 4th & 7th Flotillas
HMS Jutland (D62) Originally Jutland was launched at Hawthorn Leslies on 2 Nov 1945, but the hull was only used for trials during 1947, before being scrapped, her sistership Malplaquet, at Stephens was subsequently renamed Jutland. Her details are; lcd 20 Feb 46 comm 30 July 47: 4th & 7th Flotillas.

Built by Fairfields Govan
HMS Finisterre (D55) lcd 22 June 44 comm. 11 Sept 45: Saw service in Far East, Med and Home fleets.
HMS St James (D65) lcd 7 June 45 comm 12 July 46: 5th Flotilla; Note*: Not named after the Geordies usual match day barnies with the Mackems
HMS Vigo (D31) lcd 27 Sept 45 comm 9 Dec 46: 3rd Flotilla off Egypt during early 50’s; leader Portsmouth Squadron.

Built at Cammell Laird Birkenhead:
HMS Gravelines (D24) lcd 20 Nov 44 comm 14 June 46 : 3rd Flotilla
HMS Hogue (D74) lcd 21 April 44 comm 24 July 45: served with 19th & 1st Flotillas: involved in First Icelandic Cod War; rammed by INS Mysore on 25 Aug 59 with loss of one man, three wounded.
HMS Lagos (D44) lcd 4 Aug 44 comm 2 Nov 45: 19th & 1st Flottillas
HMS Sluys (D60).

About Collisions

There do appear to be quite a few harbour mishaps but as they were the backbone of the post war destroyers they were the ones putting in the miles. Several of these harbour bumps were in Sliema Creek Malta which is not the easiest to maonoeuvre in, and a lot seemed to involve Trafalgar and Jutland. The most costly harbour collision was when the Flower Class Coreopsis hit Camperdown (anchored)
while Coreopsis was taking the part of HMS Compass Rose and filming the Cruel Sea. Two most serious at sea were Corruna and Barrosa in the Bay of Biscay and INS Mysore and Hogue (1 dead and the bows ripped off back to A turret. She was then towed to Singapore and scrappped there and then. Both these two were during night exercises with Darken ship and radar silence but that is the price of trying to make exercises realistic.

There were plenty of other incidents like St James sinking the tug Buccaneer with a shell from the 4.5 and another when during a firing exercise of B turret the turret wall cracked (probably caused by poor wartime quality metal) and when examined by the armourers from Vickers they thought the turret would have probably gone over the side with a few more shots (presumable it would have taken the gunhouse crew with it). Another were a shell exloded prematurely and peeled the barrel back so they went in to Malta and made a wooden barrel to fit and then continued to join the British Pacific fleet for the Japanese final surrender. With 24 ships probably averaging about 10 yrs in service (some many more) it’s probably a average amount of knocks and bumps.

Construction

Comparison between the 1942 Battle class, 2nd sub-group and 1943 group. p.55 Battle class DDs, 1971.

The first ten ships were ordered on 27 April 1942, comprising a first batch of ten from four yards:
Swan Hunter, Wallsend: Barfleur, Trafalgar and St Kitts
Hawthorn Leslie: Armada, Solebay and Saintes
Fairfield, Govan: Camperdown and Finisterre
White, Cowes, then Cammell Laird: Hogue and Lagos.

The remaining six ships to make two 8-ships flotillas, were ordered on 12 August 1942:
Swan Hunter: Gabbard
Cammell Laird: Gravelines, Sluys and Cadiz (ex-White).

Design work went on, so plans were too far advanced for changes, albeit the admiralty later came out with design changes, restricted to the armament. The first choice was to choose the 4.5-inch gun as stadard than an adapation of the 4.7 inch due to its heavier shell. The new four 4.5 inch guns would be fitted as planned in two twin Mk IV turrets optimlized and designed from the start for high angle fire against aircraft. Changes were made to the new Director Control Tower (DCT) fitted with radar, that was perfected in between to work with traditonal fire control systems.

Another change was to fit a 4-inch gun on a gundeck, abaft the funnel. The choice was made for the twin 40mm/60 mm guns of the better stabilized Hazemeyer Mark IV mountings, assisted by the Radar Type 282, albeit they would be now mounted side by side on the middle gundeck between the torpedo tubes as well as en-echelon, atop the after deckhouse for an evern better fire arc, rather than all four side by side aft.

But the shipyards stated above had their hands full, plus there were bottlenecks in delivery of the main guns, new HA fire control, so delays in completion led to more changes, fortunately no hampering the design too much: The placement of 20 mm guns was altered. In the end it was decided to fit an additional four single 40/60 mm guns in Mk VII mountings, one forward of the bridge, behind ‘B’ gun, one on either bridge wing, one aft on the quarterdeck and to place the single 20mm wherever possible.

Early Modifications

By late-1942 already experience in the Pacific against the Japanese, already showe the 4 inch gun initially planned abaft the funnel had very limited use, so only the first ships completed (Barfleur, Armada, Trafalgar, Camperdown, Hogue and Lagos) had it. The remainder all had two single 40mm/60 mm Mk VII for 14 Bofors. This was the heaviest light AA armament of any British destroyer ever, even heavier than on many cruisers, albeit the US Gearing class would came close. Even the early battle fitted with the 4 inch gun would trade it as soon as possible for two single 40/60 mm Mk VII Bofors.

One aspect that was later modified as well, as the replacement of the tripods planned in early 1942 in the original blueprints by the new standard lattice foremast, offering better support for heavier radars to come. Thus, the latest radar upgrades, IFF transponders and receivers could be possible at completion. The average was the Type 293 target indication radar at the masthead, Type 291 air warning on the mainmast, plus twin nacelles Radar Type 275 for the fire control atop the Mk. VI director. This proved handy for postwar upgrades as well, ensuring a reasonably long cold war career.

Design of the “Early Battle”

Hull and general design

The 1st group of sixteen ships ordered on 27 April 1942 had an overall displacement of 2,315 tons standard and 3,290 tons full load (Early Tribals 1,854/2,520 long tons) for an overall length of 379 ft (116 m), a beam of 40 ft 3 in (12.27 m) and draught ranging from 12.75 ft (3.89 m) standard and 15.3 ft (4.7 m) full load. The general layout recalled the L/M class, except the forward twin mount being larger, the bridge was pushed even further aft. On key reason was the need for the best aft fire arc for “B” mount, so the bridge’s shape, already wedge-like, was further refined. There was also a greater separation between “A” and “B” mount fopr better weight repartition and structural strenght due to the larger ring mounts and extra weight of the new HA mounts.

The remainder of the layout however was closer to the L/M class, with the same central “island” with the bridge, lattice mast and single funnel amidship. Immediately aft of the funnel was a platform the initial 4-in QF HA Gun, then the two deck mounted torpedo tubes mounts, with a flying bridge above to communicate to the structure in between, supporitng Bofors mounts and the double searchlight platform. The forward one was omitted. This structure also supported an antenna mast, with the huff-duff antenna mast being located further aft on the quartterdeck structure, supporting the two twin Bofors mounts en echelon. Then came the DCT and DCR.

The hull ended in a transom stern, with well defined angles, and the bridge, which had 20 mm guns (later replaced by single bofors) pounted either side, being partly atop the forecastle cut, also moved further aft than another previous class. The stem was raked but not truly “clipper-like”. The bridge side Bofors were supported by lattice struts at the beam. There were four service boats under davits abaft the mast and turret and the mast as seen above was a lattice one, top support the main aerial on a platform and another antenna. The crew ranged from 186 in the early configuration to 222 as flotilla leader and in later configurations postwar.

Powerplant

Comared to previous classes, this was perhaps the last innovative aspect of the design, albeit more power was needed to maintain a regular battle fleet speed of 33-34 knots. That determined the type of powerplant to use, with a classic and familiar formula: Two shafts propellers, fixed-pitch, bronze, three-bladed, driven by two Parsons geared steam turbines, composed each of an HP and LP stages fed in turn by two Admiralty 3-drum boilers, for a total of 50,000 shp (37 MW). That was more than a Tribal class (44,000 shp/33,000 kW)) and more even than for the 1938 L/M class at 48,000 shp (36,000 kW), albeit they shared pretty much the same powerplant in the same space. The only innovation were the boilers, rated now to work at a pressure of 50kgf/cm2, more than all previous classes and compared to 21 kgf/cm2 on the “A-B” classes of 1929 showed how much had changed in boiler technology. These oil fired Admiralty 3-drum boilers supplied steam at 400 psi (2,800 kPa) and 700 °F (371 °C).

Outline of the main machinery. P.27, Peter hodge, Battle class DDs Almark Pub. 1971

However, being much larger, this class was also slower than previous ones, at 34 knots (63 km/h) compared to 36-37 on earlier ships. This was improved on the next Group 2 and 3 of 1943 orders, which would manage 35.75 knots (66.21 km/h). The range was however the same across the class at 4,400 nmi (5,100 mi, 8,100 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h or 23 mph), based on 727 or up to 778 tones of fuel oil and 40 tonnes for diesel oil, for the generators, two Vickers diesels used both for all electrical systems on board when the boilers were cold, or as emergency backup notably to power the water pumps.

Armament

The greatest innovations came from that area, with the fundamental change in March, 1942 from the standard 4.7 inches or 120mm to the 4.5-inches or 114mm guns as the latter were paradoxically heavier shells, but with far better ballistic characteristics. The latest iteration of the 4.7 inches had a unitary round developed for this new class initially but it appeared way too heavy for work with. The breech was re-designed for separate loading and it was tested on the S-class destroyer Savage.

This armament was completed by a 4-in (102mm)/40 DP gun usable mostly for star shells instead of a traditional searchlight located behind the funnel, but as said above, it was later replaced by extra Bofors. The all-Bofors armament was not initially fitted, as plans for the early ships in class comprised two 40mm/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII pompoms due to shortages and two 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk IV as complement. It seems also their active stabilizers were not ready at completion and were installed only from Camperdown onwards. The remainder of the armament was classic, with two quadruple torpedo tubes for the Mark IX, two depht charge racks at the stern and four throwers. All this was modified postwar.

4.5-in(114mm)/45 QF Mk III

src: 4.5-in Mark IV and mounting explanation. P.11 battle class DDs by Peter Hodge 1971
The Ordnance QF 4.5 inch gun Mk III was a derivative of the Mark I; except for firing mechanism. It was fitted in twin mountings BD Mark IV. They were shared with the Queen Elizabeth, Valiant, Renown and the Implacable class carriers.
Weight 6,179 lbs. (2,803 kg), 202 in (5.131 m), bore 200.3 in (5.086 m)
Rate of fire: 12 rounds per minute per gun , 24 per turret, 48 full battery.
Rounds HE – 87 lbs. (39.5 kg), SAP – 91.75 lbs. (41.6 kg), MV 2,449 fps (746 mps).

Barrel Life 650 rounds, stock per gun 300 rounds, 1,200 total.
Ceiling AA at 80 degrees 41,000 feet (12,500 m).
Penetration from 10,500 yards (9,600 m) 2.5″ (63 mm) plating with SAP.
Mount RP50 Mark V* (early) and RP10 Mark IV* (late Battle type).
Mark II BD mpunt 37.95 tons, RP10 Mark IV 17b 45.579 tons (46.310 mt)
Training and Elevation -5 / +80 degrees, 20°/sec. both.
RP.50 Mk IV mounts were installed on Cadiz, Gabbard, St. James, Vigo, Gravelines, St. Kitts, Saintes and Sluys and retrofitted postwar later on the earlier ships. More

4-in(102mm)/45 QF Mk V

src: P.14 battle class DDs by Peter Hodge 1971
Mass 4,890 lb (2,220 kg) bore 15 ft (4.6 m) 45 cal full 15 ft 8 in (4.8 m).
Shell: 31 lb (14.1 kg) fixed QF 4-inch (101.6 mm).
Breech: horizontal sliding-block, Hydrospring recoil.
Rate of fire: 15 rounds per minute.
Range 16,300 yd (15,000 m)/28,750 ft (8,800 m) AA

40mm/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII pompom

Extract from “Battle class Destroyer” by Paul Hodge, Almark Pub. 1971

Specs:

Shell: 2 lb. (980 g) or 1.8 lb. (820 g) HV
Performances: 115 rpm fully automatic at 2,040 ft/s (622 m/s) or 2400 ft/s (732 m/s) for HV
Effective Range: 3,800 yards (3,475 m) or 5,000 yards (4,572 m) HV, Ceiling HV: 13,300 feet (3,960 m)

40mm/56 Bofors Mk XI

Twin mount, unstabilized, optical targeting.

40mm/56 Bofors Mk III

Single Mount, unstabilized, optical targeting.

40mm/56 Bofors Mk IV Hazemeyer

The legendry AA ordnance that ruled the skies for the allies in WW2 had its origin in the interwar. The first order for the “real” L/60 was made by the Dutch Navy, ordering five twin-gun mounts for the cruiser De Ruyter in August 1934. They were stabilized by the Hazemeyer mount, a revolutionary set of layers aimed the gun with a second manually stabilizing the platform and they were all coordinated on a single target at once by a single fire-control system. United Kingdom took out a license but it took time before the Mark IV was standardized.

On the U, V class, they were installed on the same spot the former pompom was for the best arc of fire, on a banstand aft of the funnel and between the two torpedo tubes banks. This tri-axially stabilized twin mounting “Hazemeyer” had an on-mounting fire control, and depended from a Radar Type 282 for initial range information. Water-cooled it existed in left and right versionU, V, Wype D (left) and E (right). Many were later converted to the Mark XI standard, Mark V mountings. 484 Mark IV produced total. However the shortage of Hazemayers affected the T class, with only three ships entering service with them.

Specs

Barrel length 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in). Mount 9,800 to 13,000 lbs (4445-5897 kg).
Shell 0.9 kg (2 lb 0 oz) 40×311mmR 40 mm (1.57 in).
Action: Automatic extraction and integrated cam-operated recoil powered autoloader
Breech: Vertical sliding-wedge
Elevation −5°/+90° at 55°/s and full 360° traverse in 50°/s.
Rate of fire 120-140 rounds/min, decreased with elevation.
Muzzle velocity 850–880 m/s (2,800–2,900 ft/s)
Maximum firing range7,160 m (7,830 yd)
Crew: 5: 1 Gunner traversing, 1 elevating, 2 loaders, 1 pointer.

40mm/60 STAAG Mk II

Recoignizable to its large ad bulky shield, and radar dish behinf the barrels on an upper mount, these had barrel length of 2.25 m, 4-ds magazine still for the same rate of fire of 156 rounds per minute. The Stabilised Tachometric Anti-Aircraft Gun (STAAG) Mark II mounting was created from two mirrored OQF 40 mm Mark X guns side-by-side. At 17.8 tonnes, this was one of the most complex anti-aircraft mounts of its time, apart the 6-mounts of HMS Vanguard and projected cruisers, and they had their own stabilization system triaxially stabilized, like the Hazemeyer, but using a different and more complicated system, as it was stabilized on two axes, but with the third from lateral deflection.

Also important, mounted to the rear and left was the Type 262 radar, with separate tracking radar and rangefinder, providing onboard computers with target data that could be proceeded to predict the target’s movements. Thus, it was considered very accurate, more than the Hazemeyer. The barrels were water-cooled, with their own pumps to circulate water through the water jackets and the mount itself was hydraulically powered, both in elevtation and training at a rate of 35°/s with an onboard backup generator in case power was cut.

20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk IV

They were located amidship, one either side of the projector aft of the funnel, and two on sponsons wings at the bridge forward. This was a compact, unshielded, hydraulically operated twin-gun mount that differed from the US twin mounts. The gun itself was called the 20 mm/70 (0.79″) Mark II in twin mount. It was ready in 1941, with a Mark IX mount and later XIA and XIIA, all manual. The Twin Mark V weighted 1.228 tons (1.248 mt).

Specs

87 in (2.210 m) barrel Bore 55.1 in (1.400 m), Rifling 49.1 in (1.246 m)
Rounds: HE 0.272 lbs. (0.123 kg), HE-I, SAP. Full round 7.18 in (18.2 cm) long
Propellant 0.063 lbs. (0.029 kg) NC flake or tube
Elevation -5 / +85 degrees
Working pressure 20 tons/in2 (3,150 kg/cm2)
Muzzle velocity: 2,770 fps (844 mps) new, down to 2,725 fps (835 mps) used barrel (life 9000 rds)
Cyclic 450 rpm x2, practical 250-320 x2 or 2,560 rpm for all four twin mounts combined.
Range at 35.32 degrees 4,734 yards (4,329 m).

Torpedo Tubes

The ships had two quadruple torpedo tubes for Mark X** (likely) torpedoes aft admiships.

Two quadruple torpedo tubes banks aft amidships, placed on a deck top plaform, reloadable thanks to cranes. These destroyers like their predecessors used the Mark IX. The Mark IX design started in 1928. It was first deployed in 1930, and the design being considerably improved until 1939. The Mark IX was a larger and longer-range Mark VIII essentially. It kept for propulsion a very similar four-cylinder radial kerosene-air burner-cycle propulsion system and replaced the Mark VII in most RN ships in WW2.

The main version used from 1940 was the Mark IX**, first issued to J- and K-class destroyers in 1939. In 1943 it was decided to further improve the Mark IX** by lengthening it by 12 inches (30.5 cm), and the weapon mass limit to 4,000 lb (1,800 kg), up to the capacity of torpedo tubes and ships under construction.

Nitromethane-augmented propulsion was considered, but its implementation required too many alterations to be practical. The Mark IX*** took up the extra space by enlarging the warhead to 930 lb (420 kg) of Torpex. Sources diverged on their deployment but they only arrived by the end of the war in 1945, by which time the enlarged warhead became unnecessary. But the Mark IX** remained in service throughout the 1960-70s. Note that HMS Tumult had two experimental fixed torpedo tubes instead of the first bank, soon after completion until removed and replaced by regular TT bank after trials.

Specs

Specs 21 inches Mark IX** (1939)
Weight: 3,732 lb (1,693 kg)
Length: 286.5 in (7.28 m)
Explosive Charge: 810 lb (370 kg) Torpex
Range and Speed settings: 11,000 yd (10,000 m) at 41 kn (76 km/h), 15,000 yd (14,000 m) at 35 kn (65 km/h)
Power: Wet-heater.
It’s possible they tested the Mark XI at some point, a reverse engineered G7e with an electric engine. Given their shorter service life, the use of the Mark 20 Bidder is unlikely.

Depth Charges

The usual set comprised four Mark II Depth Charges Throwers (DCT) abaft the quarterdeck house, facing either side, and two Depth Charge Racks (DCR) at the stern. Each carried five charges but they were railing to the aft superstructure for a total storage of 40 more DCs. Reload was made by hand, using winches, always a dangerous task with a rolling deck washed by waves. These depht charges were of the standard British type, meaning it was the Mark VII: In entered service in 1939, weighted 420 lbs. (191 kg) and carried a 290 lbs. (132 kg) TNT with a sink Rate or Terminal Velocity of 9.9 fps (3.0 mps) with a max setting at 300 feet (91 m) later 500 feet (182 m).

But they were rather upgraded to the the Mark X (1944) and Mark X* at completion. The X** was not introduced in service in 1945 despite its great depth (down to 1,500 feet (457 m)). Squid and Hedgehog made them obsolete. There are doubts also if the Mark VII Heavy studied from 1940 and proper to depth charge launchers were used aboard, outside experimentally. Weighting 420 lbs. (191 kg) with a 290 lbs. (130 kg) TNT charge, they had a sink rate/terminal velocity of 16.8 fps (5.1 mps) and a 300 feet (91 m) max setting, helped with a 150 lbs. (68 kg) cast-iron weight attached.

The idea was to reach the U-Boat faster, and it was claimed it could split open a 0.875 inch (22 mm) hull at 20 feet (6.1 m), or force to surface at 12 m or more. The game changer was a minol charge (1942) for better results, with a 30% increase.

Armament Modifications

If Armada, Barfleur, and Camperdown were completed as described above, Finisterre had no Oerlikons but kept the pompoms, whereas Solebay and Trafalgar supplemented their twin Bofors Mk XI, by a single 40/56 Bofors Mk III instead of the 4-in/45 QF aft of the funnel and two 40mm/39 2pdr pompom QF Mk VIII on either bridge’s wings. Hogue and Lagos replaced the pompoms with two twin 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk IV, two single 20mm/70 Oerlikon Mk IV.

Postwar ships when completed were even more radical: Cadiz, Gabbard, St. James and Vigo had the new 4.5-in/45 RP.50 Mk IV main guns, and the aft two twin Bofors were replaced by STAAG Mk II mounts, both stabilized 3D and radar assisted, plus two twin Mk IV Hazemeyer aft, a single 40mm/60 Mk VII, and two twin 20mm/70 Mk V, and well as two single 20mm/70 Mk III. The TTs and ASW suite was unchanged. Gravelines and St. Kitts dropped the STAAG mounts, as Saintes, but Sluys retained its STAAG Mk II, in addition to the Mk IV Hazemeyer, but added even more weight by adding no less than six 40mm/60 Bofors Mk VII and no Oerlikons at all, making her the most heavily armed British destroyer of world war two. Postwar modifications started in 1946 and are described below.

Mark VI HA/LA Fire Director

Extract from “Battle class Destroyer” by Paul Hodge, Almark Pub. 1971

Sensors

The suite was the same for the whole group, with the type 275, two type 282 for the main guns, a type 291, and a type 293 radars, plus the type 144Q sonar. On Cadiz, Gabbard, St. James, Vigo, and Sluys the only change was th addition of two type 262 radars for the new STAAG mounts, and Hazemeyer mounts.

Type 275 radar

Largest non-cruiser FCS radar, majing these Battle class quite unique. However there were serious issues of deliveries. Placed on top of the fire control tower, separate Transmitter and receiver antennas in two nacelles of the tower, air conditioned. Conical Scan on Receive Only for accurate range, bearing and elevation. The transmitting antenna radiates a diagram with 6° width, 8.2° height and the receiving antenna is symmetrical, 6.8° width, eccentric to the transmitting diagram.

Frequency: 3450 to 3614 MHz F band. PRF 500 Hz, pulsewidth 0.5 µs, peak power 400 kW, Range 16 NM (30 km), beamwidth 7°.

Type 282 radar

Decimetric (50 cm) ranging set for Bofors 40 mm Mark IV “Hazemeyer”, using twin Yagi antennas, mechanical ranging panel with 0-5000yd display. Likely they were fitted with the later Type 282M with increased transmission power to 150 kW with Beam Switching of the Type 282P with Precision Ranging Panel. PP 25 KW, Frq. 600 MHZ Wavelenght 50, 1941.

Type 291 radar

Designed as a search radar for destroyer-sized and submarines, in service by 1942. Combined transmitting and receiving antenna. Either a Type 291M, P, or Q with power training and plan position indicator were installed but on the W variant it had different antennas.

Type 293 radar

Target Indication radar, installed from 1945 onwards. Short-range aerial-search model for surface ships, same transmitter as the Type 277 surface-search radar, but new antenna design for better coverage above the ship and for air warning. “cheese” antenna, 6 feet (1.8 m) diameter later upgraded to 8 feet (2.4 m) on the Type 293P and 12 feet (3.7 m) on the cold war 293Q.

Type 144Q sonar

From 1943, range 2500 yards (2300 meters) to 3000 yards (2700 meters), integrated into the fire control and coupled with Hedgehog. 1st with bearing recorder, automatic scanning, turning 5 degrees after each ping, often coupled with the Type 147 “Sword” depth finding sonar with a beam steerable vertically. Also coupled with the Q attachment reducing the under hull blind spot. 60° deep vertical beam, trained with the main Type 144 transducer. When purchased by Canada, the four C-class destroyers were refitted on Canadian specifications and saw the Type 124 ASDIC installed, and steam heating probably fitted.

⚙ specifications 1st Group
Displacement	2,315 tons standard/3,290 tons full load
Dimensions	379 ft x 40 ft 3 in x 12.75-15.3 ft (116 x 12.27 x 3.89-4.7 m)
Propulsion	2 shafts Parsons GST, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers: 50,000 shp (37 MW)
Speed	34 knots (63 km/h)
Range	4,400 nmi (8,100 km) at 20 knots (37 km/h)
Armament	2×2 4.5 in, 1× 4 in gun, 4×2+4-6 40 mm Bofors, 2×4 21 in TTs, 2 DCT, 4 DCR
Sensors	HA Mark IV DCT, Type 275, 282, 291, 293 radars, type 144Q sonar
Crew	From 186 to 222 as FL

The 1943 “Late Battle” Group

(For the next update)

Evaluation & Modifications

Delays in completion had one main cause, the late delivery of the Mk VI director control tower (DCT, not to counfound with depth charge thrower) and the new fire control systems. HMS Barfleur was launched in November 1943, albeit she was initially to be completed by Swan Hunter in early, then mid-1944, and then by August, so she eventually ran trials incomplete by September, was commissioned, but returned to the Tyne to be fitted out with the missing systelm, new director and fire control system that prevented any realistic combat service before it was done. Other ships were similarly affected like Trafalgar, laid up for many months as well in the Tyne by 1944. This prove once and for all that in wartime, the management of the supply chain was absolutely paramount.

So as a result, the first eight ships had been initially assigned to the 19th Destroyer Flotilla, British Pacific Fleet (or Far East Fleet) as the situation changed in between, but only Barfleur reached the Pacific in time for any significant operations against Japan. Barfleur only arrived in time for the surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay on 3 September 1945. She was later joined by Armada, Trafalgar, Hogue, Lagos and Camperdown for the last reoccupation operations in the pacific and by 1947 all six ships went back home and straight into reserve, their fate uncertain. The last two of the 19th Flotilla, Solebay and Finisterre, never left home waters, with Finisterre being turned into a gunnery training ship at the Portsmouth Command for the next ships of the second group to come, and Solebay was made instead the leader of the newly constituted 5th Destroyer Flotilla, six ships of the second group: Cadiz, Gabbard, St. James, St. Kitts, Saintes, and Sluys. The remaining two ships of the second group would be Gravelines and Vigo, but they went straight into reserve after completion.

Cold War modifications

STAAG and SQUID

The second group (early battle) had their light AA armament modified, with the ithe initially planned tri-axially stabilised “Hazemeyer” mounts and Radar Type 282 seen as unreliable and replaced by an Admiralty-designed Stabilised Tachymetric Anti Aircraft Gun (STAAG) mount. The Radar Type 282 used metric measurements due to its Dutch origin, using Yagi antennae, and they were pnly able to supply target range. It was replaced by the Asmiralty Radar Type 262, a centimetric model with a small spinning dish aerial for procuring range and bearing as well as introducing the capability of “locking on” to a target, managing automated training and elevation. This was obviously a far more avdanced systems, but unfortunately far more complicated an much heavier at 17 long tons each, then tons more than the Hazemeyer.

The, the second group could onl have two mountings installed, or face unacceptable top weight. These new STAAG mounts ended on top of the after deckhouse. The middle gundeck between torpedo tubes, was removed to save weight. However if the admyralty had great hopes in the STAAG and its radar, these mountings proved even less reliable. So HMS Saintes, Camperdown and Trafalgar had them swapped back for earlier Mk V mountings controlled by a Simple Tachymetric Director (STD) on top of the gun crew shelter. The depth charges were removed, as the single quarterdeck 40mm/60 mm Bofors for a Squid depth-charge mortar. The after deckhouse was extended as a result, integrating the associated mortar handling room and this soon became a standard conversion for all of 1942 or “Early Battles” group.

Cold War Service

Saintes however tested an experimental configuration with a new 4.5 inch RP 41 Mark VI turret in “B” gun position. She started service by September 1946 into the 5th Destroyer Flotilla on tests and trials until paid off and refitted as standard Battle, and laid up. She was recommissioned in 1949 to be a flagship with Armada, Vigo and Gravelines, replacing HMS Troubridge (V-class) as the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla in the Mediterranean Fleet. With the Darings beong commissioned, the 5th Destroyer Flotilla had its days counted. Solebay and St. Kitts were the only ones reactivated, with Saintes having another major refit at Rosyth in 1956. Vigo replaced Finisterre as gunnery training ship. In 1956 only Armada, Barfleur and St. Kitts were sitll around as part of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron, Vigo in Portsmouth in her same role. The other “Early Battle” were in reserve or refit with their fire control system updated, new sonar suite, and Squid mortar for the last ones not yet equipped. Note that given their large size and role, instead of converted emergency DDs made into Type 15 or 16 frigates, with their powerful AA armament made them retaining their destroyer status.

In 1957, the Ch-class destroyers, 1st Destroyer Squadron were replaced by HMS Solebay, Hogue and Lagos after modernizaiton, and after the Mediterranean Fleet from 1959 it was trabnsferred “East of Suez”, to the Far East. There, Hogue in a 25 August night-time exercise off Ceylon collided with the Indian light cruiser INS Mysore (rammed, bow severed) and so after she was towed to Singapore to be laid up she as inspected and never repaired, then scrapped in 1962, and replaced by Finisterre. In 1957, the modernized Camperdown relieved St. Kitts in DesRon 3 and in 1958, the modernized Saintes relieved Barfleur in the Mediterranean, also DesRon 3. St. Kitts was eventually stricken in 1964, Barfleur laid up for years then BU in 1966. Trafalgar after refitting and recommission by 1958 became leader of DesRon 7 until paid off in 1963 bu not stricken and BU before 1970. Gravelines and St. James had their refit at Devonport cancelled and stopped by 1958 and they remained in reserve until sold for BU in 1961.

Career of the Battle, Group 1 (1942)

HMS Armada postwar. Note her original camouflage had been partly blanketed by pale marine grey. The FCT has darker colors.

HMS Armada was built at Hawthorn Leslie and Co, laid down on 29 December 1942, launched on 9 December 1943 and commissioned on 2 July 1945. She joined the British Pacific Fleet but was underway when the Second World War ended, one month and a half while training. 1946 saw her part of the 19th Destroyer Flotilla (DF), to the Far East as intended, in various duties. In 1947 Armada, like the whole DF 19 was recalled home. She visited many ports “east of suez” on the way, to show the flag but upon arrival she was placed in Reserve. In 1949, she was reassigned to DF 3, Mediterranean. In 1950, she was involved in a collision.

She was recalled home in 1956, after being part of the Suez Crisis in 1956, escorting the British Fleet there. She became Captain (D) of DF 3 (leader), Home Fleet. In June 1958 she escorted the Royal Yacht as the Queen visited the North East. She transited to the west via Scotland and through the Irish Sea down to the Mediterranean via the Bay of Biscaye and Gibraltar, then east to Cyprus with ordered to prevent arms smuggling. In 1960, back home, she was decommissioned, in reserve, until 1965, stricken and sold to Thos. W. Ward for BU.

Built at Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear, Barfleur was laid down on 28 October 1942, launched on 1 November 1943 and commissioned on 14 September 1944 (Pennant D80) and after trials and workup she had still fixes at Portsmouth by April 1945 when assigned to the Far East, since the war in the West was practically out. She was assigned DF 19, British Pacific Fleet (BPF). Barfleur transited to the Pacific in time to see “action”, but only arrived by July, in escort of the aircraft carrier Indefatigable from the Manus Island base, after training there for a long time and joining Task Force 37 off Japan, on 20 July. On 12 August 1945, two days before the Japanese surrender, she was selected as to remain off Japan while the BPF withdrew to prepare for Operation Olympic on Kyushu. So she was present in Tokyo Bay for the official surrender on USS Missouri, on 2 September 1945. Barfleur then proceeded to Hokkaido to pick up POWs and internees and send them to Tokyo Bay for treatment before repatriation.

She remained afterwards in the Far East with DF 19, reinforced by five more Battle-class destroyers completed back home in between. With her unit she visited Sydney in October 1945, and proceeded to NZ for long awaited repairs and maintenance, performed at Auckland, from December 1945 to January 1946. She followed DF 19 back home in 1947, placed in reserve at Portsmouth upon arrival, on 15 January. On 11 March 1953, she was recommissioned, assigned to DesRon 3, Mediterranean Fleet. On 1 June 1953, her gun mountings ceased to work, and possible sabotage was suspected. On 15 June she was part of the Fleet Review at Spithead for Elizabeth II’s Coronation, in a line between St. Kitts and Crossbow.

On 22 June 1953, Barfleur was off Malta to rescue survivors from an RAF Handley Page Hastings which crashed in the Gulf of Sidra while underway to RAF Habbaniya in Iraq, sixteen passengers and crew, uninjured, as the sea landing was perfect and it floated until rescue arrived. She landed them in Malta. By December 1954, she was recalled home, her crew enhoying R&R at Christmas. She was back in the Med in 1955 and was present for the Suez Crisis in 1956, taking part in the Allied landings (Operation Musketeer) in early November. She was back with the Home Fleet after the US-Soviet pressure forced an end to the otherwise successful joint operation. In 1957 she remained in home waters, training. In 1958, Barfleur was placed in Reserve until stricken, placed on disposal list until sold and BU at Dalmuir in 1966.

Cadiz had been ordered from Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. and laid down on 10 May 1943, launched on 16 September 1944 and commissioned on 12 April 1946. She joined the 5th DF, Home Fleet. In 1947, with HMS Sluys, she escorted the aircraft carrier Vengeance to Norway, visiting orts in the Scandinavia. In 1950, she escorted a Task Force of three aircraft carriers and the battleship Vanguard, in a show-the-flag Spring Cruise, visiting the Mediterranean, interleaved with naval exercises with ports visits. In 1953, she was present for the Coronation Review for Elizabeth II at Spithead, in line between HMS St. James and Solebay. However she was placed in Reserve with all DesRon 5 Destroyers.

On 29 February 1956 however, considered surplus, she had been proposed to Pakistan and that day the Admiralty announced she had been sold and would be refit and modernized before transfer, with US Mutual Defence Assistance Programme (MDAP) funds. Before departing, her crew arrived and trained and she had an official commission as PNS Khaibar. The refit performed at Alex Stephens and Sons Ltd, Govan, Glasgow is detailed in the Pakistan Navy page. She was officially handed over on 1 February 1957. Spoiler alert she was sunk during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

HMS Camperdown just completed on the River Clyde in June 1945.

Built at Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Camperdown was laid down on 30 October 1942, launched on 8 February 1944 and commissioned on 18 June 1945 under the Pennant D32. Since the was still oingoing in the Pacific she was sent to join the BPF in the Far East, training along the way, with DF 19. However by the time she arrived in was after VJ Day and the Second World War was over. She remained in local waters, performing a serie of escort missions, reoccupation, POW repatriations, and in November 1946, she was recalled home with her unit. She was placed in reserve at Devonport from April 1947, only exhumed to be refitted from January to May 1950, but mothballed again. On 26 May 1953, she was recommissioned for trials and so took part in the Fleet Review on the Solent for the Coronation of Elizabeth II on 15 June (reserve fleet).

Iater that year at Plymouth, she collided with (accidentally rammed by) HMS Coreopsis, former Flower-class corvette part of the movie “The Cruel Sea”. Damage to her hull plating was extensive and she returned for repairs. Later she was taken over for modernization at Liverpool, from 18 May 1956 to 29 October 1957. After trials on 10 December 1957, she was assigned DesRon 3 which alternated between the Home Fleet and Mediterranean Fleet. She replaced St. Kitts, withdrawn due to her general poor condition. On 21 September 1958, a fire broke out in her boiler room while taking part in a NATO exercise. It seems to start from worn electrical cables. No casualties. In 1960, she was assigned to DesRon 1, also alternated between Home and Mediterranean Fleets. In 1962, she was decommissioned, strucken, then placed on the disposal list, sold for BU in 1970, at Faslane.

Built at Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. she was laid down on 8 December 1942, launched on 22 June 1944 and completed on 11 September 1945, so after the war ended. Finisterre joined the Home Fleet upon commissioning but she trained and was eventually sent to the Far East for a variety of duties as part of DF 19 until returninh home via the Mediterranean in 1947. In January 1950, she wa spart of a rescue attempt for the submarine HMS Truculent, which sunk after colliding with the Swedish merchant ship Divina in the Thames Estuary. All 64 on board died. The next year she became a Gunnery Training Ship based at Whale Island in Portsmouth, establishement HMS Excellent.

Finisterre took part in the 1953 Coronation Fleet Review, adjacent to St. James. She was placed in Reserve by 1965. Hogue collided with an Indian cruiser in August 1959, so Finisterre replaced her in DesRon 1, Far East, taking over her duties and completed a tour of Australia between December 1959 and January 1960. She then alternated between Home and Mediterranean Fleets. On 16th February 1960 Cdr, C.J Balfour assumed Command and on 5 June 1961 she Passed through Suez, entered the eastern Med on 4 July 1961, preparing for the Persian Gulf. She was one of the ships stationed off Kuwait as the country gained its independence, under the preying eyes of Iraq. She was decommissioned, stricke, disposal, and sold for BU at W.H.Arnott Young Co. Ltd, in Dalmuir on 12 June 1967.

Gabbard was ordered from Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear, and laid down on 2 February 1944, launched on 16 March 1945 and commissioned on 10 December 1946 as D47. Upon commissioning, she joined DF 5, Home Fleet. In 1947 she visited Malmö, Sweden, and narrowly avoided collision with the ferry Malmohus off Aarhus, Denmark. Malmö was shaped then as a giant ‘E’ with its central segment being a stone jetty. Solebay entered the harbour first, tied up with the stone jetty on her port bow, followed by Gabbard, which swung round on her bow cable and started to steam ahead while a ferry just entered the harbour. To avoid collision, Gabbard went astern and hit a ship on the stocks with her protruding depth charge racks forced up over the deck. She struck the end of the stone jetty on starboard and needed local repairs, later completed at home.

In 1948, she took part in the “Autumn Cruise” escorting the aircraft carriers Theseus and Vengeance, and three other smaller vessels. She was deployed to South Africa and the West Indies, for many fly-the-flag visits and exercises. In 1949, she escorted Vengeance for an Arctic training. In 1950, she escorted other carriers of the Home Fleet, notably HMS Victorious, as well as the battleship Vanguard in a Spring cruise through the Mediterranean, for many show-the-flag visits and exercises. In 1953, back home, she was decommissioned, placed in Reserve until announced sold to Pakistan on 29 February 1956 by the Admiralty. She was refitted and modernized under MDAP as PNS Badr (D-161) at Palmers Hebburn, Yarrow. Handed over on 24 January 1957 she arrived at Karachi on 17 February 1957 and took part in the 1965 war’s Operation Dwarka.

Laid down at Cammell Laird of Birkenhead, Gravelines was laid down on 10 August 1943, launched on 30 November 1944 and completed on 14 June 1946 as D24. However at that late stage she was considered surplus and after a short time was placed in reserve with many Battle sister-ships. In 1949, she was reactivated, retraoned, and joined DesRon (or DF) 3, at that time deployed in the Mediterranean Fleet. She exchanged crews with the destroyer St. Kitts on 10 March 1953 and returned home to be paid off into reserve. In 1955, she was reactivated and returned to the Mediterranean. So she took part in Operation Musketeer, in the Suez Crisis, after President Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, putting both British and French interests at odds. Later that year she also transited to the Arctic for cold war climate practice, and joined the Home Fleet in the UK. In 1957, she was refitted, until cancelled the following year. Decommissioned, stricke, she was placed on disposal and sold for BU at Rosyth, 4 April 1961.

Hogue was ordered from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead in 1942, laid down on 6 January 1943 and launched on 21 April 1944, commissioned on 24 July 1945, less than a month before the war’s end. She was just started training after being assigned to DF 19 designated to join the British Pacific Fleet, but arrived in November, remaining on station for various missions until early 1947. She was refitted at Hong Kong by September–October 1946, then placed in reserve at Devonport from 22 May 1947.

She was then refitted and modernised at Devonport, from March to December 1955, but only recommissioned by 1957, with DesRon 1, alternating between Home and Mediterranean Fleets. With Lagos and Solebay, she patrolled off Cyprus, looking for arms smuggling fishing boats, inspecting many. In 1958 she was deployed for cold climate drills around Iceland but she took part in the first “cod war” against the Icelandic Coast Guard, a long-standing fishery dispute in which the RN took part until the 1970s. In September, Iceland clailed she rammed the trawler Northern Foam while trying to prevent her boarding by Maria Julia.

In 1959, Hogue almost collided the aircraft carrier Centaur in the Bay of Biscay, while refuelling from her. She impersonated the DD “HMS Cavalier” in the night attacks scene of “Sink the Bismarck!” movie. While in a real night-time exercise with other navies off Ceylon, on 25 August 1959, she was rammed by the Indian light cruiser INS Mysore. She almost severed her bow, practically folded level to the side (1 kill, 3 injured). The damage forced her in Singapore, never really repaired. After an inspection she had been mothballed and placed there until broken up in 1962, written off in 1959 as “Constructive total loss”.

Lagos was laid down on 8 April 1943, launched on 4 August 1944 and commissioned on 2 November 1945. By early 1946, after local training, Lagos joined the Far East and DF 19, British Pacific Fleet, stopping at Port Said in March, Colombo, Singapore, and Hong Kong May, Shanghai in June and Japan by July 1946. She was then recalled home in late 1946 to early 1947 with many show the flag ports vists aling the way, starting with Malaya. She was then was placed in Reserve, modenrized and in 1957, she joined DesRon 1 alternating between the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. In 1958 she was deployed to the Far East Fleet and the next year after the collision of Hogue with Mysore, she towed her with Solebay to Singapore. Back home in 1960, Lagos was decommissioned, in reserve until stricken, sold and scrapped at Bo’ness in 1967.

St James like the others “early Battle” was ordered on 12 August 1942, from Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. She was laid down on 20 May 1943, launched on 7 June 1945 and commissioned on 12 July 1946 as D65. In 1946 she was assigned to the 5th DF, Home Fleet. On 25 August 1946, while undergoing calibration trials off Portland Is. she accidentally hit and sank the tug Buccaneer, with a 4.5-inch shell, while aiming at the target she was towing. Commander J. Lee Barber went alongside, took Buccaneer’s crew (no loss) as the tug was already heeling. Her propeller was damaged as she capsized. An inquiry held aboard on 28 August, looked at the way the calibration was done and resulted in no further action.

In 1950, St. James was part of the Home Fleet Spring Cruise with three carriers and Vanguards for a big show-the-flag PR mission through the Mediterranean, notably including Italy and the usual naval exercises alternating with many ports visits. In 1953, St. James ended in reserve with many of her sister ships, albeit she took part in the Fleet Review for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. In 1957 itw as decided however to refit and modernized her. St. James was still fitting out when the refit was cancelled, so she was placed on the disposal list. In 1961, she was sold for BU at Newport.

St Kitts was ordered from Swan Hunter, laid down on 8 September 1943, launched on 4 October 1944 and commissioned on 21 January 1946. She joined DF 5, Home Fleet upon commission and by 1948, deployed to the Arctic with HMS Vengeance, along with other Battle-class destroyers. These were cold climate combat experiments in vcase of such enounter with the Soviet Northern Fleet. In 1953, St. Kitts was part of the Coronation large Fleet Review at Spithead between Camperdown and Barfleur. She was then placed in Reserve.

In 1954, St. Kitts was assigned to the 3rd DF Home Fleet and in 1955, deployed to the Mediterranean. The next year she thus took part in the Suez Crisis. In Operation Musketeer, the invasion of Egypt proper, she escorted the carrier HMS Eagle, and was part of the naval bombardment of Port Said. Later that year she left the Mediterranean to join the Home Fleet. In 1957, she was decommissioned, in reserve. In 1961 she was stricken, on the disposal until sold for BU in 1962 at Sunderland.

Ordered like ehr sisters in 1942, Saintes was laid down at Hawthorn Leslie and Company on 8 June 1943, launched on 19 July 1944 but only commissioned on 27 September 1946, missing the war like most her sisters, albeit she was assigned to the 5th DF but tested the new 4.5-inch Mk 6 twin turret, future standard on destroyers and frigates into the 1970s. For that, she was paid off on completion of her trials to be refitted, and back again in her original state once gunnery trials were complete. In 1949, she was recommissioned into the 3rd DF, deployed to the Mediterranean as Captain (D)3 (leader) of the flotilla.

In March 1954 she assisted the British troopship Empire Windrush after an engine room explosion and fire (4 engine room staff killed) back from Japan in the Med. Saintes reached Windrush after the passengers and crew had been already rescued but helped to master the fire, sending towing parties aboard. Howeber while under tow to Gibraltar, the liner foundered. She remained leader of the 3rd DF until her major refit in 1956 at Rosyth, crew transferred to HMS Armada. On completion in 1958, she returned as leader of the Squadron, but in General Service commission, between the Home Fleet and Mediterraneant.

In 1960, she was recommissioned with the 1st DS also alternated Home and Mediterranean Fleets. She was paid off in May 1962 at Devonport, towed to Rosyth by volunteers from her last commission but became there a training ship for Artificer Apprentices under the shore establishment HMS Caledonia. Her armament was mothballed, engines maintained in full working order by trainees in case she needed to be moved. Saintes was eventually stricken and BU at Cairn Ryan, 1972, the last Battle class still around. No preservation could be made.

Sluys was ordered from Cammell Laird & Co, Birkenhead in 1942, laid down on 24 November 1943, launched on 28 February 1945 and completed on 30 September 1946 under the Pennant D60. She joined the 5th DF, Home Fleet, and in 1947, with sister Cadiz, she escorted the aircraft carrier Vengeance, carrying the First Sea Lord to Norway, for show-the-flag port calls and exercises. In 1953, she was decommissioned and placed in Reserve.

After a politival agreement was found, with insurances of MDAP funding, she was sold to Rezha Pahlavi’s Gvt. in Iran in 1967. After all this time in reserve she needed a major rebuild by Vosper Thornycroft of Southampton over three years, with specifications created with the Irainian naval staff, so she was an entirely different beast altogether, with a new outline. Formore see the Iralian Fleet. She was renamed Artemiz, pennant 51. On 30 November 1971 she took part in the Iranian occupation of the Tunb islands, Strait of Hormuz and by 1975-76, had another refit at Cape Town, South Africa. In 1979 she fell under the new Islamic Republic control and in 1985 she had another refit with help of the Russians. She wa slater renamed Damavand and received further upgrades, making her, when stricken around 1996, the very last Battle class still active.

HMS Solebay was ordered from R and W Hawthorn, laid down on 3 February 1943, launched on 22 February 1944 and commissioned on 25 September 1945, Pennant D70. Intended to join the 19th Df in th Pacific, as the war ended, she was still working up in the Mediterranean and returned Home. She became Captain (D), leader, of the 5th DF, Home Fleet but took part in Operation Deadlight, the mass scuttling by gunfire and old torpedoes of the German U-boat fleet (100+ sunk in a variety of ways to test the latest ASW ideas). In June 1953, Solebay was part of the Spithead Fleet Review between Cadiz and Corunna. In July she was placed in Reserve.

In 1957, Solebay was reactivated and again Captain (D), leader, 1st DS, Home and Mediterranean Fleets. In 1959, she was deployed to the Far East but tragedy struck when Hogue, was rammed by Mysore. Solebay towed herr to Singapore, but there she was declared a total constructive loss. Back home in 1960, she returned to the Mediterranean with the 1st DS relieving the 5th DS; but she soon accidentally rammed her sister-ship Trafalgar, leader, 7th DS while at Malta. This delayed a departure from the Mediterranean. Solebay escorted the royal yacht Britannia, carrying Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh visiting Italy (state visit). Solebay later joined back the Home Fleet but she returned as escort to the yacht Britannia in November–December 1961 for the Queen’s visit to West Africa. In 1962 she was decommissioned, placed on the disposal list but remained a Harbour Training Ship based at Portsmouth, until sold for BU at Troon for BU on 11 August 1967.

Trafalgar was ordered from Swan Hunter, laid down on 1943, launched on 12 January 1944 and commissioned on 23 July 1945. She was, by August 1945, under command of Captain Anthony F Pugsley when deployed to the Far East via the Mediterranean, 19th DS, and the war ended when underway. But ipon arrival she took on a variety of duties, making a brief stay as in late 1946 she followed the 19th DF back home via the Mediterranean. Placed in reserve, she was exhumed for the 1953 Fleet Review at Spithead and returned until 1957.

That year, and until 1958 Trafalgar was reactivated for a refit, recommissioned as leader of the 7th DS, Home and Mediterranean Fleets. She was in the latter in 1961 and ready to depart home when accidentally rammed by her sister-ship Solebay the 1st DS leaer, delaying her return for repairs. In 1962, Trafalgar sailed back to the Mediterranean for a farewell tour, fly-the-flag visits and exercises with various local fleets. Back in 1963 she was decommissioned, placed in Reserve at HMNB Portsmouth Dockyard until sold for BU at Dalmuir, 8 June 1970.

Vifgo was the last of the early Battle class, 1942 order, at Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., laid down on 11 September 1943, launched on 27 September 1945 and only commissioned on 9 December 1946. Since she was decommissioned on 1 October 1959, she had one of the shortest carrer in the RN at 10 years. Initial pennant was D31. Upon commissioning, she was placed in Reserve and by 1949, joined at last the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean. She saw many operations and was deployed to follow the coup and turmoil in Egypt between 1951–1954. In 1953 she suffered a fire onboard and another in 1954, possibly both resulting from arson. She was back home, a Gunnery Training Ship at Portsmouth, HMS Excellent, Whale Island and Captain (D) Portsmouth Squadron.

In 1958–59, Vigo took par tin the first cod war, taking two Icelandic patrols as well as NATO exercises. She was greeted by a crowd when visting Vigo in Spain and also stopped at Cuxhaven, Caen and Den Helder, as afarewell tour before being paid off in September 1959. She had been relieved as Captain (D) by HMS Wakeful on 17 August 1959. Inspection revealed her hull was “beyond economic repair”, with her two past fires did not helping. Her last CO was Captain Michael Pollock, later Admiral of the Fleet. She was decommissioned in 1959, and only scrapped in 1964 at Faslane.

Next update: The Late (1943) Battle Groups.

HMS Matapan

HMS Jutland

HMS Corunna (D97)

HMS Barrosa (D68) after modernization as picket ship

HMS El Alamein (D17)

HMS Aisne c1955 IWM

HMS Agincourt (D86)

The Australian Battles: Anzac class

The Tobruk class were two ships ordered for the RAN to a slightly enlarged (Batch 3) version of the Royal Navy’s 1943 “Battle” design (eight more for the RN were cancelled in 1945). They were able to accommodate an extra 40mm STAAG mounting amidships, but had the Mk 6 fire control system of the original 1942 ‘Battle’ design. Tobruk’s 4.5-in guns were imported, but Anzac’s were built under licence in Australia; unlike their RN sisters, they had twin Mk.6 mountings as fitted to the Darings.

In 1966 Anzac was converted to a training ship, with B gun replaced by a classroom. Both ships had capped funnels, unlike the RN “Battles”. Tobruk remained in service until 1960 when placed in reserve after being damaged in a friendly-fire accident whereas Anzac had her STAAG mountings removed and continued as a training ship, later modified for this in 1966 (‘B’ turret removed for a deckhouse, Another deckhouse built aft) until laid up in 1974 and both were broken up in 1975.

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The Tobruk class had been covered here

Read More/Src

Books

Mackie, Colin. “II: Royal Navy- Captains Commanding Warships”. British Armed Forces (1900–).

Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships. Chatham Publishing.
Hodges, Peter (1971). Battle Class Destroyers. London: Almark Publishing.
Whitley, M.J. (2000). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia. London: Cassell & Co.
Brown, Paul (February 2017), “Britain’s Battling destroyers”, Ships Monthly: 28–31
D.K. Brown, Nelson to Vanguard, Chatham Publishing (2000)
Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1922-47 and 1947–1995
G. Moore, The ‘Battle’ Class destroyers in Warship 2002–2003, Conway’s Maritime Press
M. Critchley, British Warships Since 1945, Part 3, Destroyers
L. Marriott, Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945

Links

Navypedia Battle Gpe 1
Navypedia Battle Gpe 2
Navypedia Battle Gpe 3
naval-history.net
/rnwarships.informe.com
uboat.net
SRIBD, battle class, Peter Hodges, Almark pub. 1971.
rmg.co.uk tech drawings of the class, not scanned yet.
wings-aviation.ch/ Matapan after refit
Quora discussion
Creative Commons photos of the Battle class
Wiki Battle Class
worldnavalships.com

Model Kits

Vigo,1:64 Greenwhich Museum Model
Scale: 1:64. Working full hull model of the destroyer HMS ‘Vigo’ (1945). The model is decked, equipped and rigged. The name ‘Vigo’ is painted on the port and starboard midship superstructure and ‘D231’ is painted on the port and starboard bows and the stern. Five sections of the deck are removable with facilities for fitting a motor to the propellers although no motor was fitted when it was purchased from the maker. The model was made from drawings produced by Norman Ough and is depicted between 1954–58 as a gunnery training ship at the Royal Navy gunnery school HMS ‘Excellent’ (Whale Island), Portsmouth.

Built at Govan by Fairfield Shipbuilding Company, ‘Vigo’ measured 379 feet in length by 40 feet in the beam. An early ‘Battle’-class destroyer, ‘Vigo’ was placed in reserve after completion in December 1946, before joining the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla (Mediterranean) from 1949–54. Placed on the disposal list in 1958 she went to the breakers’ yard at Faslane in 1964.

1:240 scale model of hms alamein at auction
On scalemates: APS Models 1:72,
britmodeller.com/