E Coast R.N. Named Ships

[E28]

Prior to 1917 the US navy had neglected serious construction of the ocean going destroyer, with their two distinct fleets the 68 built was inadequate and the new type would become an instantly recognisable production.

The flush deckers had arrived.

This revolutionary type were rapidly put into production with 267 built numbered DD75 - 347, less 200-205 cancelled, comprising 6 Caldwell, 111 Wickes, 156 Clemson -150 with 6 cancelled - with the 4 distinctive stacks / pipes / funnels in virtually all just as in previous US destroyers. All built in 4 years, were contemporaries of the RN's V /W classes which retained the raised forecastle, synonymous with the destroyer World wide including the previous US detroyers.

Between the wars 1918 - 1939 the fortunes of all the flush deckers took 2 principal paths. Half saw extensive between war service in the 20's with 50 being culled in 1930/31 most in the big Boston metals purchase at $5789 each including the entire Union IW build with dodgy Yarrow boilers, a further 35 went mid 30's due to Washington fallout.
Virtually all the rest had been mothballed in assorted reserves including Branch DD197, our HMS Beverley from 1940...

https://www.history.navy.mil/content/hi ... nch-i.html

this reliable link tells the full history of Branch later Beverley, with full and all credits to the author and link. Her story from mobilisation (yes) in september 1939 is intriguing, far from idle and 2 years before Pearl Harbour. At this time the US navy had approx 170 flush deckers remaining, 77 DD and DMS (high speed minesweepers) instantly commissioned, a further 32 would convert to APD high speed transports, 14 AVD seaplane tenders and 18 DMS plus numerous other lesser conversions.

The RN and Canada got a further 50, i understand all were amongst the Atlantic coast ships, this is Beverley post refit and modernisation august 1941 in Belfast, new bridge with type 271 radar in lantern, 1 x triple tubes, 20mm oerlikons and hedgehog ahead of bridge and the familiar 3 funnels cut down about 3 feet. Only original weapon is her forward 4" single.

This is her appearance when sunk in fog at 0340 11 april 1943 escorting convoy ON176, a single torpedo port side between the boiler rooms and she rapidly succumbed, the corvette Clover recovered 7, 2 dead, 1 duly died and 4 survivors.

151 officers and men were lost in Beverley that fateful night.

[E28]

Beverley and the other ex US Towns were unique in the design of their ships badges where all 40 incorporated a single mullet (all white 5 pointed) with a blue back, this element is in no other RN ships badge and readily identifies their origin.

Let's look at the warships which subsequently inherited this badge and a few anomalies, these 5 were identical, no cause to alter or amend..
Lincoln and Salisbury both type 61 frigates
Brighton type 12 frigate
Churchill nuclear fleet SSN submarine
Campbeltown type 22 frigate and future tpe 31 frigate

Number 6 is the minehunter Ramsey whose badge was modified from the original blue/white field to a red field or background

Numbers 7, 8 and 9 are all type 23 frigates, Lancaster, Richmond and St Albans where each is named for a Duke rather than Town and consequently a change may have been considered, none were changed unlike their sister Kent which has a new Duke badge unlike the 2 previous Kent's white horse.

Which leaves the 10th and final name Castleton...

in the 1950's chosen for a Ton class minesweeper which never saw RN service, whether she was to have the uniform Ton class badge or this Town badge may never be known, she would have been entitled to the original shown here. See the discussion, (q.v.)
viewtopic.php?f=115&t=30329&start=10

HMS Beverley was adopted during warship week 21st - 28th march 1942 by Merthyr Tydfil when £57,000 was raised by the Welshmen.
Beverley town adopted HMS Azalea, a flower class corvette

[E28]

H.M.S. Newcastle. The city and her ships.

The most significant and historical RN name from the east coast which together with Glasgow have become an inseperable pair.
Newcastle first of name 1653, Glasgow 1707, once we get to ship 4 each name will remain in the same class built within a year of one another. All 10, comprising 5 each, survived to be dismantled. Total over 210 years of navy history together and yet neither share a single battle honour.

4 - 4th rates 1813 & 1814
5 - Wood steam screw frigates 1860 & 1861
6 - Cruiser 2nd class protected 1909
7 - Cruiser 6" 1936
8 - Destroyer type 42 1975 & 1976
9 - Type 26 frigate

A well known photograph of indeterminate vintage showing Newcastle, possibly first image of either, there was a scarcity of cameras and wealthy photographers who understood their operations.

Newcastle no 5 was a wooden steam screw frigate from Deptford dockyard on the Thames, launch 16 october 1860. Although a very transitional period the steam warship was nothing new, whether screw or paddle, wood or increasingly iron with the good old fashioned masts and sails to supplement the machinery breakdowns. The Victorian era saw the British Empire expand worldwide, also a period of moderate naval fighting activity, more cruises and policing duties. Steam frigate Newcastle was commissioned at Sheerness in 1874, having lain idle since launch, for service in the detached squadron, comprising many other assorted steam warships for particular (flying) service, calling in India 1875 then Japan before returning home paying off out of commission. Loaned to the War Department in 1889 for service in Devonport as a powder hulk, transferred to Naval Ordnance department 1921 until sold for dismantling in 1929. Need the location.

Newcastle will be 6th of the type 26 frigates, Glasgow is lead name ship.
Once completed Newcastle may be the only E Coast R.N. named ship over 1000 tons with known current names.

[E28]

Bangor class sweepers, lead ship named for the Welsh town, in their various guises are well represented here, named for British coastal towns, amongst those ordered 20 september 1939 were a turbine pair, their sole class contributions, from Stephens on the Clyde, yard 581 Poole and 582 Sunderland, the former launched 9 months before Sunderland. Meanwhile down the river Lobnitz built numerous TE engined Bangors, yard 1040 Lyme Regis included but by launch 19 march 1941 she was transferred to India as Rajputana together with others.
In Stephens yard with the renaming of Lyme Regis a decision was effected to lose the name Sunderland which one month after launch was renamed Lyme Regis, maybe some wit enjoyed their vacations so much in the sunny south, namely Dorsetshire, it was deemed more appropriate to have the Stephens pair both named to honour that counties ancient towns.

Here is a familiar profile, Lyme Regis ex Sunderland....

which would serve in a number of theatres until wars end, then surplus to requirements as with all the RN's turbine Bangors which were all history by 1950, with Lyme Regis via BISCo from reserve sold 24 august 1948 to Dorkin where she arrived for scrap 3 weeks later on sept 17th, appropriately in Sunderland. What goes around...sister Poole was with Seaham at the capture of Italian sub Bronzo...

viewtopic.php?f=115&t=30329&start=60#p75955

No doubt the reason to sacrifice the name Sunderland was a considered one, it had been used for some wood 60 gun 4th rates 200 years previously although probably not named for the town. There may be another valid and valued reason which flies in the face of E Coast R.N. named ships.

[E28]

And fly it certainy did, Short and Harland design S.25 under contract 351564/34 was launched 14 october 1937 with the first flight of K4774 2 days later, the 16th, having been constructed in Shorts no 3 shop in Rochester, Kent.

This 1st all metal Sunderland flying boat was airborne for 45 minutes to become a dedicated coastal patrol flying boat, armed to the teeth with numerous guns and assorted bomb and depth charge options and once accepted into RAF service the largest aircraft then in the service manned by 10 - 12 airmen.

Shorts specialised in flying boats, contrary to popular beliefs, the Sunderland was not a copy of their Empire flying boat recently developed and built for Imperial Airways despite the apparent visual similarities, the Empire type fell well short of air ministry needs and specifications. The new RAF flying boat was never fitted with an under carriage, when moored it would invariably be to a buoy or anchored, yes, they did carry one which needed an evolution with the forward gun turret.

At the outbreak of war in september '39 the Sunderland Mk 1 served in 3 squadrons with about 70 operational, this is what this prickly assassin looked like...

illustrated by Sunderland Mk 1 L2163 of 210 squadron covering eastbound convoy TC.6 Canada to UK, this aircraft sank in a gale 15 january 1942, at RAF Wig Bay, Loch Ryan, Stranraer whilst serving with 228 squadron.

The RAF (Royal Air Force) was formed 1st april 1918 when the RFC (Royal Flying Corps) merged with the RNAS ( Royal Naval Air Service), all squadrons and flights of the RNAS were renumbered upon the merger, identified by the addition of number 2 superior such as 201, 210, 228, these particular squadrons, amongst others, and their histories will be highlighted in due course when we can examine some of their successes, and disasters, it was not all a one way fight, some u-boats really did put up a spirited defence when confronted by a Sunderland.

The town never did get its ship. Have the finest flying boat instead, a very reasonable exchange.

[E28]

The Minotaur was slain by Theseus in Greek legend, both popular names in the annals of the RN, here we will look at the slain for a reason which will become apparent in due course.

HMS Minotaur was of the 3 ship Defence class armoured cruisers which with Shannon were the last TE (Triple Expansion) of their type, all future armoured cruisers being turbine driven with Inflexible, Invincible and Indomitable following, significantly larger fast lightly armoured Dreadnoughts later titled battlecruisers. Additionally this Minotaur trio were the last class of front line British warships where all were built in the Royal dockyards with contracted machinery. The 7 Pembroke scouts built 1908 - 1912 could be included but at 3500 tons and 4" guns were nothing more than glorified leaders.

Here is Minotaur at Quebec in 1908 in fresh Devonport paint, 4 short funnels as built, later raised, lots of bunting and admirals stern walk for glorious rum lashed sunsets when used as flagship ...

Minotaur was of the 1905 programme, launched in Devonport 6 june 1906 and to the 5CS on commissioning at a cost of £1,250,000, she remained in British waters briefly, a Chatham refit then in january 1910 she would become flag of the China station relieving King Alfred with a significant improvement in firepower capable of 8520 lbs of hot metal, 3 times the older Victorians capability. 2 year commissions were standard practice in China, refit in H K or Colombo then exchange company for a further period of cruising China waters based in Hong Kong and Wei Hei Wei.

Another armoured cruiser on the China station was the older 1901 Bedford which was wrecked 21 august 1910, a replacement was needed very hastily and in this instance a brand new cruiser was despatched straight from build and trials. She was HMS Newcastle.