The naturalist Peter Scott, among the ship's crew in 1940, conducted experiments in ship camouflage, having the two sides of Broke painted in different patterns.
Design and construction
The Thornycroft type[3] or Shakespeare-class[4][5] leaders, were like the similar and contemporary Admiralty type (also known as the Scott-class)[6][7] were designed to meet a requirement from Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, commander of the Grand Fleet, for a large, fast and heavily armed flotilla leader to match and outclass rumoured large German destroyers.[8]
The ships had a length of 329ft 1in (100.30m)overall, 325feet 3inches (99.14m)at the waterline and 318ft 3in (97.00m)between perpendiculars,[9] with a beam of 31ft 6in (9.60m) and a draught of 12ft 6in (3.81m).[4] Design displacement was 1,530 long tons (1,555t) normal and 1,900 long tons (1,900t) full load.[9][nb 1] The ship's machinery consisted of four Yarrow boilers that fed steam at 250 pounds per square inch (1,700kPa) to two sets of Brown-Curtis single-reduction geared-steam turbines, rated at 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000kW). This gave a design speed of 36.5 knots (67.6km/h; 42.0mph) light, which corresponded to about 32.5 knots (60.2km/h; 37.4mph) at full load.[10][11]Broke reached a maximum speed of 38 knots (70km/h; 44mph) during sea trials.[12] Up to 500 tons of oil fuel could be carried, giving a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300km; 5,800mi) at 15 knots (28km/h; 17mph).[10][11]
The class had a main gun armament consisted of five 4.7 in (120 mm)/45 calibre BL Mark I guns,[nb 2] on CP VI mountings capable of elevating to 30 degrees,[11] arranged in two superfiring pairs fore and aft of the superstructure with the remaining gun positioned on a platform between the funnels.[7] Anti-aircraft armament consisted of a single 3in (76mm) gun on a platform abaft the rear funnel together with a pair of single two-pounder (40mm) pom-pom autocannon for close-in protection on single mounts. Torpedo armament consisted of two triple mounts for 21-inch (533mm)torpedo tubes between the 3-inch AA gun and the rear pair of 4.7-inch guns.[13]
Four Shakespeare-class leaders (Keppel, Rooke, Saunders and Spragge) were ordered from Thornycroft in April 1918, as a follow-on to a pair of ships ordered in April 1916 and a third ordered in April 1917.[7][nb 3]Rooke, named after Admiral Sir George Rooke,[15] was laid down at Thornycroft's Woolston, Hampshire shipyard in October 1918 and was launched on 16 September 1920.[1] Her name was changed to Broke in April 1921,[2] after Rear-Admiral Sir Philip Broke (/ˈbrʊk/[16]).[17]Broke was moved to the Royal Dockyard at Pembroke Dock for completion, but was not completed until 1925. She was commissioned on 15 April 1925.[1] The ship's cost was £409,394.[12]
Operational history
1925–1939
After trials and workup, Broke was ordered to the Mediterranean, arriving at Malta on 9 February 1925 and replacing Montrose as leader of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla. She was refitted at Malta dockyard from May to August 1929 and again from November 1930 to March 1931. Broke left the 4th Flotilla and returned to British waters in April 1931, going into reserve at Devonport. While in reserve, she acted as tender to the Royal Naval Engineering College at Keyham, Plymouth until April 1932, and then served as Emergency destroyer at Devonport.[14] In June 1935 Broke received a full crew, and was allocated as an independent command (i.e. not part of any Flotilla) as part of the Reserve Fleet. She served as the flagship for the Rear Admiral (D) of the Reserve Fleet during the Royal Fleet Review in July 1935, before returning to local duties around Portsmouth.[18] In October 1935, HMS Broke starred as the fictional "Second-class cruiser HMS Rutland" in the film Forever England based upon C. S. Forester's novel Brown on Resolution, with John Mills playing Able Seaman Brown in his first leading role.[19][20][21]
Broke was refitted at Devonport from September 1936 to March 1937, having her boilers re-tubed.[18] After completing the refit, Broke returned to reserve duties at Devonport, again acting as Emergency destroyer and as a tender for the Royal Naval Engineering College.[18] On 2 September 1937 Broke was sent to investigate an SOS signal from the South African merchant ship Sherard Osborn in the Bay of Biscay. The Captain of Sherard Osborn had sent the signal fearing an imminent mutiny owing to an overtime dispute and poor conditions aboard the ship, but intervention by Broke was not needed.[22] On 20 November that year, Broke was damaged in a collision with the destroyer Witch and was under repair at Devonport from 31 December 1937 to 28 January 1938. She was temporarily brought forwards into full commission later into 1938, replacing Codrington as leader while Codrington was being refitted. Broke returned to reserve in October 1938 and again underwent refit at Devonport from January to June 1939.[18]
World War II
At the outbreak of war, Broke was part of the 29th Division, 15th Destroyer Flotilla,[23] based at Rosyth.[18] She was assigned to convoy protection duty, transferring to the Western Approaches Command at Plymouth in October.[24][18] During this period, she escorted merchant ships on the north- and south-bound Gibraltar and South Atlantic routes.[24]Broke's commanding officer, Lieutenant commander Richard Iwan Alexander Sarell, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 23 December 1939 for "successful actions against enemy submarines".[25]
On 11 March 1940, Broke, together with the destroyers Wild Swan and Winchelsea, were ordered to investigate a submarine sighting south-west of Lands End, with Broke and Wild Swan being diverted to go to the aid of the Dutch tanker Eulota, which had been torpedoed by the German submarine U28. BrokescuttledEulota's wreck after Wild Swan had rescued the tanker's crew.[26][27][28] On 28 April 1940, Broke, which had transferred back to the North Sea earlier that month, ran aground on the Goodwin Sands, but was soon refloated. During May 1940, she underwent boiler repairs at Devonport.[18] Although she missed the Dunkirk Evacuation owing to the boiler repairs, Broke took part in Operation Cycle, the evacuation of British and Allied troops from Le Havre and Saint-Valery-en-Caux in Normandy between 10 and 13 June.[29] One of Broke's boats, commanded by the naturalist, artist and camoufleurPeter Scott, reconnoitered Saint-Valery-en-Caux's harbour on the night of 10/11 June and found that the troops from the 51st (Highland) Division which were planned to be evacuated that night had not yet reached the port, but were expected the next night.[30][31] German attacks over-ran the British defences of Saint-Valery during the day, and while 1350 British and 930 French troops were evacuated from Saint-Valery and nearby beaches, including 55 brought back to Britain aboard Broke, about 8000 men of the 51st Highland Division were captured by the Germans.[32][33] There were still large British forces in France, and from 15 June, Operation Aerial, began, evacuating British and allied troops and civilians from western France. Broke picked up 180 Polish troops and 20 British civilians from Brest, France on 18 June, landing them at Plymouth.[18][34][24]
In July 1940, she joined 6th Escort Group, and returned to escort duty, on both the Gibraltar and South Atlantic, and the east- and west-bound North Atlantic route. In this role, Broke was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats which attacked ships in convoy, and rescuing survivors. She operated in this role the next two and a half years.[24] During this time, she escorted 30 north-south convoys, two of which were attacked.[citation needed] Peter Scott was still a member of the ship's crew in July 1940 and he had the ship experimentally camouflaged, differently on the two sides. To starboard, the ship was painted blue-grey all over, but countershaded with white in naturally shadowed areas. To port, the ship was painted in "bright pale colours" to combine some disruption of shape with the ability to fade out during the night, again with shadowed areas painted white.[35]
She also escorted 27 east-west convoys, seven of which were attacked.[citation needed] From January to March 1941, Broke was refitted by Harland & Wolff at their London yard, with additional stiffening being fitted.[18] On 6 April 1941,[nb 4] the Armed Merchant CruiserComorin, on passage to Freetown with the steamer Glenartney, and the destroyer Lincoln, caught fire in the North Atlantic. The fire could not be contained and Comorin had to be abandoned. Broke, in the vicinity, was called to assist, and together with Lincoln and Glenartney, rescued the survivors of the Armed Merchant Cruiser, with Broke remaining on the leeward quarter of Comorin for three hours in a gale to pick up survivors, picking up 180 men before scuttling Comorin with a torpedo. In total 405 men were rescued by the three ships, with 20 killed.[18][36][37] On 26 July 1941, while escorting the convoy SL 80, Broke collided with the destroyer Verity near Derry. Both ships were damaged, with Broke having a badly damaged bow which required repair by Palmers at their Hebburn yard from 8 August to 12 September, while Verity was under repair by Harland & Wolff at Belfast until 22 September that year.[38][39]
After repair, Broke returned to the 6th Escort Group, by now based at Londonderry Port.[40] In October 1941, Broke formed part of the escort for Convoy ONS 29.[41] On 15 January 1942, Broke suffered engine problems, with her starboard engine out of action and her port engine also suffering defects, and she was under refit at Portsmouth between 1 February 1942 and 25 July that year. Broke was converted to a short-range escort while under refit.[40] When Broke emerged in July 1942, three 4.7 inch guns were removed, to be replaced by a hedgehog anti-submarine projector and six 20mm Oerlikon cannon, with Type 272 radar and HF/DF also fitted.[23][40]Broke was involved in one major battle on the North Atlantic route in August 1942; when SC 94 was attacked. SC 94 saw 11 ships sunk and two U-boats destroyed in a six-day running battle; Broke joined the escort on 9 August, her commander, Arthur Layard, assuming command for the last three days of the battle. Although attacked by the U-boat U-595, the U-boat's torpedoes missed and Broke was undamaged.[42][43]
On 8 November 1942 Broke, together with the destroyer Malcolm took part Operation Terminal, part of Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of French North Africa. In "Terminal", the two destroyers, which were under the overall command of Captain Henry Fancourt[nb 5] were to attempt to land infantry directly onto the portside in Algiers in the hope of capturing the port facilities and preventing their destruction by the Vichy French forces. It was hoped that either complete surprise would be achieved or that the defenders would support the invasion to the extent at least of refusing to fire on the attackers. However, the Vichy forces opened fire on the ships, damaging them heavily. Malcolm was forced to withdraw, but Broke had better luck. On her third attempt, she sliced through the boom and succeeded in landing her troops under fire on the Quai de Fécamp, four hours after the operation started. Broke continued to receive heavy fire and was forced to withdraw at 10:30. Broke was again hit by shore batteries when withdrawing which compounded earlier damage. She was taken in tow by the destroyer Zetland, but sank two days later on 10 November[44][45][46][47] at position 36.50N 00.40E.[24]
Battle honours
During her service Broke was awarded four battle honours:[48]
↑ Conway's gives a legend displacement of 1,554 long tons (1,579t) and a full load displacement of 2,009 long tons (2,041t),[4] while Lenton gives a normal displacement of 1,480 long tons (1,504t) and a full load displacement of 2,080 long tons (2,113t).[10]
↑ In British practice, BL (Breech Loading) indicated that a separate, bagged, charge was used.
↑ Saunders and Spragge, along with two ships ordered from Cammell Laird, Barrington and Hughes, were cancelled after the end of the First World War before construction of these ships could begin.[14]
The first HMS Montrose was one of eight Admiralty-type destroyer leaders, sometimes known as the Scott class. They were named after figures from Scottish history; Montrose was named for the Graham Dukes of Montrose. She was built during the First World War, but was completed too late for service then. However, she had a long career in the inter-war years and saw extensive service during the Second World War.
HMS Jaguar was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Commissioned in September 1939, she was present at the Dunkirk evacuation the following year, during which Jaguar was damaged by dive bombers. She later served in the Mediterranean and was involved in several actions there. She was torpedoed off the coast of Egypt on 26 March 1942 and sunk.
HMS Achates was an A-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the late 1920s. Completed in 1930, she initially served with the Mediterranean Fleet. She was sunk on 31 December 1942 during the Battle of the Barents Sea.
HMS Wolverine was an Admiralty modified W-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy. She was one of four destroyers ordered in April 1918 from James Samuel White & Co Ltd under the 14th Order for Destroyers of the Emergency War Programme of 1917–18. She was the seventh Royal Navy Ship to carry the name. It had been introduced in 1798 for a gun brig and last borne by a destroyer sunk after a collision in 1917.
HMS Grafton (H89) was a G-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the mid-1930s. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 the ship spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the non-intervention measures agreed by Britain and France. After the beginning of World War II she was transferred from the Mediterranean Fleet to Great Britain for escort and contraband inspection duties. Grafton was refitting when the Norwegian Campaign began in April 1940, but the ship escorted convoys to Norway once her refit was completed. She evacuated British troops from the Dunkirk bridgehead in May, but was sunk by a German submarine after she stopped to rescue survivors from another British destroyer.
HMS Ambuscade was a British Royal Navy destroyer which served in the Second World War. She and her Thornycroft competitor, HMS Amazon, were prototypes designed to exploit advances in construction and machinery since World War I and formed the basis of Royal Navy destroyer evolution up to the Tribal of 1936.
HMS Wild Swan was an Admiralty modified W-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy. She was one of four destroyers ordered in 1918 from Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Wallsend-on-Tyne under the 14th Order for Destroyers of the Emergency War Program of 1917–18. She was the second Royal Navy ship to carry the name, after the sloop HMS Wild Swan in 1876. Like her sisters, she was completed too late to see action in the First World War.
HMS Ursa was a U-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War. She was later converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F200.
HMS Keith was a B-class destroyer flotilla leader built for the Royal Navy around 1930. Initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet, she was placed in reserve in 1937, after repairs from a collision were completed. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939, the ship was reactivated and spent some time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict. Keith escorted convoys and conducted anti-submarine patrols early in World War II before being sunk at Dunkirk by German aircraft.
HMS Beagle was a B-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy (RN) around 1930. Initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet, she was transferred to the Home Fleet in 1936. She spent most of World War II on escort duty, taking part in the Norwegian Campaign, the Battle of the Atlantic, Operation Torch, the Russian Convoys, and in the Normandy landings before accepting the surrender of the German garrison of the Channel Islands the day after the formal German surrender on 9 May together with another ship.
HMS Decoy was a D-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Ordered in 1931, the ship was constructed by John I. Thornycroft & Company, and entered naval service in 1933. Decoy was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet before she was transferred to the China Station in early 1935. She was temporarily deployed in the Red Sea during late 1935 during the Abyssinia Crisis, before returning to her duty station where she remained until mid-1939. Decoy was transferred back to the Mediterranean Fleet just before the Second World War began in September 1939. She briefly was assigned to West Africa for convoy escort duties in 1940 before returning to the Mediterranean. The ship participated in the Battles of Calabria without significant damage and escorted ships of the Mediterranean Fleet for most of the rest of the year.
HMS Warwick (D25) was an Admiralty W-class destroyer built in 1917. She saw service in both the First and Second World Wars, before being torpedoed and sunk in February 1944.
HMS Beaufort was a Hunt-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was laid down on 17 July 1940 at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead. She was launched on 9 June 1941 and commissioned on 3 November 1941. During the Second World War the ship served in the Mediterranean Sea, escorting convoys and covering landings. She was transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1952 and scrapped in 1965.
HMS Highlander was an H-class destroyer that had originally been ordered by the Brazilian Navy with the name Jaguaribe in the late 1930s, but was bought by the Royal Navy after the beginning of World War II in September 1939 and later renamed. When completed in March 1940, she was assigned to the 9th Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet. The ship was assigned to convoy escort duties in June with the Western Approaches Command, sinking one German submarine in October. Highlander was transferred to Freetown, Sierra Leone, in mid-1941 to escort convoys off West Africa, but returned to the United Kingdom in August. She became flotilla leader of Escort Group B-4 of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force in early 1942 and continued to escort convoys in the North Atlantic for the rest of the war. The ship became a target ship after the war ended and was sold for scrap in mid-1946.
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HMS Mackay was an Admiralty type, sometimes known as the Scott class, flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy. Mackay was built by Cammell Laird during the First World War, but was completed too late for service then, commissioning in 1919.
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