HMS Caistor Castle

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HMS Caistor Castle FL7393.jpg
Caistor Castle, 25 January 1945
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
NameCaister Castle
Namesake Caister Castle
Ordered19 December 1942
Builder John Lewis & Sons, Aberdeen
Laid down28 August 1943
Launched22 May 1944
Completed29 September 1944
Decommissioned1953
Identification Pennant number: K690
FateSold for scrap, 1956
General characteristics
Class and type Castle-class corvette
Displacement
Length252 ft (76.8 m)
Beam33 ft (10.1 m)
Draught14 ft (4.3 m)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 geared steam turbines
Speed16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range6,500  nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement99
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament

HMS Caister Castle was one of 44 Castle-class corvettes built for the Royal Navy during World War II.

Contents

Design and description

The Castle-class corvette was a stretched version of the preceding Flower class, enlarged to improve seakeeping and to accommodate modern weapons. The ships displaced 1,010 long tons (1,030  t ) at standard load and 1,510 long tons (1,530 t) at deep load. They had an overall length of 252 feet (76.8 m), a beam of 36 feet 9 inches (11.2 m) and a deep draught of 14 feet (4.3 m). They were powered by a pair of triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines developed a total of 2,880 indicated horsepower (2,150  kW ) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). The Castles carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ships' complement was 99 officers and ratings. [1]

The Castle-class ships were equipped with a single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk XVI gun forward, but their primary weapon was their single three-barrel Squid anti-submarine mortar. This was backed up by one depth charge rail and two throwers for 15 depth charges. The ships were fitted with two twin and a pair of single mounts for 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon light AA guns. [2] Provision was made for a further four single mounts if needed. They were equipped with Type 145Q and Type 147B ASDIC sets to detect submarines by reflections from sound waves beamed into the water. A Type 277 search radar and a HF/DF radio direction finder rounded out the Castles' sensor suite. [3]

Construction and career

Caistor Castle was laid down by John Lewis & Sons at their shipyard in Aberdeen on 26 August 1943 and launched on 22 May 1944. She was completed on 29 September and served as a convoy escort until the end of the war in May 1945. After the war, Caistor Castle was in reserve at Devonport from 1947 until 1948. [4] She represented the Reserve Fleet at the 1953 Coronation Review [5] and served in the Second Training Squadron at Portland from February 1953 until 1955. [6] Caistor Castle was then placed in reserve at Devonport before being sold for scrap to Arnott Young in 1956; the ship arrived at Dalmuir in March to be broken up. [7]

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References

  1. ↑ Lenton, p. 297
  2. ↑ Chesneau, p. 63; Lenton, p. 297
  3. ↑ Goodwin, p. 3
  4. ↑ Goodwin, pp. 120–122
  5. ↑ Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
  6. ↑ Goodwin, p. 122
  7. ↑ Lenton, p. 298

Bibliography

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