HMSs Jutland, Mons, Poitiers

[Whickham]

I came across the attached photo on Britain from Above, showing the Hawthorn Leslie yard in 01/08/1946. Someone has identified the three unfinished warships as the Battle Class destroyers JUTLAND, MONS and POITIERS (also spelt POICTIERS). Their state of completion would suggest that none of them could be AGINCOURT which was completed in 1947, but the inside one which has gun turrets could be ALAMEIN as she was not completed until 1948. Maybe.

The WSS yard list has JUTLAND as launched 02/11/1945 and MONS and POITIERS as cancelled not launched. However my copy of Colledge has POICTIERS launched 04/01/1946 and MONS as laid down 09/06/1945 and cancelled 10/1945. Apparently not launched.

JUTLAND was renamed J4922 and was used for weapons trials before being broken up in 1957 at Rosyth. Colledge has POICTIERS as being broken up at Sunderland on 04/1946, before this photo apparently??
So 3 Battle Class destroyers, but which ones?

Any thoughts Gentlemen?

[magoonigal]

If its not the first three launched by Hawthorn's
ARMADA 12/43
SAINTES 7/44
SOLEBAY 2/44
Its more likely to be AGINCOURT 29th Jan 1945. ALAMEIN 28th May 1945 and CURUNNA 29th May 1945 (Moved over from Swans.)

JUTLAND was Alex Stephen 20th February 1946........would she have been moved to the Tyne????

[Whickham]

I must admit I did not consider that the cross river bonds of friendship would extend to ships coming over from the north bank. But . . Regarding JUTLAND you are correct in that the commissioned JUTLAND came from Stephens but Hawthorn's JUTLAND was renamed J4922 (her Admiralty contract number) to allow Stephen's MALPLAQUET to be renamed.

[magoonigal]

Well we know one of them is NOT MONS as she was cancelled and scrapped on the berth.

I suppose it really depends on how much of them was completed on the berth before they were launched........

JUTLAND (J4922) was Laid down on the 11th August 1944 and Launched on the 2nd November 1945. Then Laid-up in an unfinished state before being broken up in October 1957.
POICTIERS was Launched on the 9th February 1945 and Launched on the 4th January 1946. Then laid-up and scrapped later the same year.
AGINCOURT was completed 25th June 1947, ALEMEIN was completed 21st May 1948 and CURUNNA 6th June 1947.

Another possibility was AISNE from Vickers Armstrong, Keel Laid 26th August 1943, Launched 12th May 1945 and Completed 20th March 1947.

Unless Brian can step in with the real answer.................

[magoonigal]

On reflection I'm tempted to go with JUTLAND (J4922), AGINCOURT and ALAMEIN.

[Whickham]

In which case it must be AGINCOURT on the inside, then ALAMEIN and JUTLAND. However this means that ALAMEIN and JUTLAND look to be in the same state even though they were launched six months apart.

But the war in Europe was drawing to a close and the war against Japan wouldn't be too much later, so perhaps work was stopped on ALAMEIN for a time and then restarted for completion in 1948.

[magoonigal]

Without our Tardis, that's probably the best we can do..........
Our Ships at War has a picture "The shipyard as it is today" with no date but the book was published in 1945 showing AGINCOURT in the same state as your picture. A much more complete SAINTES is alongside her.

[teesships]

Interesting to relate this view to the previous one at: viewtopic.php?f=219&t=105

On the stocks it would seem to be the PORT LYTTLETON on the left, but work not progressed to the same extent as in that previous view.

Ron

[brianh]

Not sure about the date of the photo. I think the destroyers are Saintes, Agincourt and Alamein. I believe Jutland only had her funnel and the lower part of the bridge deckhouse fitted, she left the river about 30 August 1946 for Rosyth.