Cambrian, 1944 | |
History | |
---|---|
United Kingdom | |
Name | Cambrian |
Ordered | 16 February 1942 |
Builder | Scotts, Greenock |
Laid down | 14 August 1942 as Spitfire |
Launched | 10 December 1943 |
Completed | 17 July 1944 |
Commissioned | 17 July 1944 |
Decommissioned | 1968 |
Renamed | Cambrian before launch |
Identification | Pennant number: R85 initially, but changed to D85 in 1945 |
Motto | Parves pars magna: 'Of a small people I am a great part'. |
Honours and awards | Navarino 1827 - China 1860 - Arctic 1944 |
Fate | Sold for scrap, August 1971 |
Badge | On a Field White, On a mount Green the Dragon of Wales. |
General characteristics (as built) | |
Class and type | C-class destroyer |
Displacement | 1,710 long tons (1,740 t) (standard) |
Length | 362 ft 9 in (110.6 m) o/a |
Beam | 35 ft 8 in (10.9 m) |
Draught | 14 ft 6 in (4.4 m) (full load) |
Installed power |
|
Propulsion | 2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines |
Speed | 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) |
Range | 4,675 nautical miles (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
Complement | 186 |
Armament |
|
HMS Cambrian was one of eight C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. commissioned in mid-1944, she was assigned to the Home Fleet and escorted two Arctic convoys as well as larger elements of the fleet during operations off the German-occupied Norwegian coast.
The Ca-class destroyer was a repeat of the preceding Z class. The ships displaced 1,710 long tons (1,740 t ) at standard load and 2,575 long tons (2,616 t) at deep load. They had an overall length of 362 feet 9 inches (110.6 m), a beam of 35 feet 8 inches (10.9 m) and a deep draught of 14 feet 6 inches (4.4 m). [1]
The ships were powered by a pair of geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 40,000 indicated horsepower (30,000 kW ) and gave a speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) at normal load. [2] During her sea trials, Cambrian reached a speed of 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph) at a load of 2,290 long tons (2,330 t). [3] The Ca-class ships carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 4,675 nautical miles (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Their complement consisted of 186 officers and ratings. [4]
The main armament of the destroyers consisted of four QF 4.5-inch (114 mm) Mk IV dual-purpose guns, one superfiring pair each fore and aft of the superstructure protected by partial gun shields. Their anti-aircraft suite consisted of one twin-gun stabilised Mk IV "Hazemeyer" mount for 40-millimetre (1.6 in) Bofors guns amidships and two twin and a pair of single mounts for six 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns. The ships were also fitted with two quadruple mounts amidships for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes. [4] [5] For anti-submarine work, they were equipped with a pair of depth charge rails and four throwers for 108 depth charges. [6]
Cambrian was laid down by Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering at their shipyard in Greenock on 14 August 1942 with the name of Spitfire and was launched on 10 December 1943 by which time she had been renamed. She was commissioned on 17 July [7] and was allocated to the 6th Destroyer Flotilla for service with the Home Fleet. After a refit in mid-1945 to augment her anti-aircraft armament, she was transferred for service in the Far East in June, but joined the East Indies Fleet at Trincomalee, British Ceylon, in August. [8]
Following the war Cambrian paid off into reserve. Along with other Ca group destroyers, she was selected for modernisation in 1963. Work included a new enclosed bridge and Mark 6M gunnery fire control system, as well as the addition of two triple Squid anti-submarine mortars. [9]
In January 1964 Cambrian saw operational service off the coast of East Africa, as part of the operation to quell the mutiny by the Tanganyika Rifles. The destroyer operated as part of a force, along with the aircraft carrier Centaur, which landed Royal Marines from 45 Commando. Cambrian used her three 4.5-inch guns to provide naval gunfire support. [10]
During January 1968, Cambrian, who had been on duties near Mauritius in preparation for the islands upcoming independence was diverted to the outlying island of Rodrigues to quell a reported uprising by some of the populace. The so-called uprising consisted of a number of individuals who had been arrested by the local authorities for looting a government food storage warehouse and appropriating a supply of sweet potatoes following a devastating hurricane on Christmas Eve 1967 that had left them homeless and penniless. At this point it is believed that the authorities requested assistance which was provided by the destroyer. On her early morning arrival the ships 4.5" guns were fired (With blanks it is believed) and an armed landing party was provided. The landing party patrolled with the local police for several weeks to help restore order again.
Cambrian was paid off in December 1968. She was sold for scrap to Thos. W. Ward in August 1971 and arrived at their breaker's yard at Briton Ferry on 3 September. [11]
HMS Kandahar (F28) was a K-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the 1930s, named after the Afghan city of Kandahar.
The C class was a class of 32 destroyers of the Royal Navy that were launched from 1943 to 1945. The class was built in four flotillas of 8 vessels, the "Ca", "Ch", "Co" and "Cr" groups or sub-classes, ordered as the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Emergency Flotillas respectively. The sub-class names are derived from the initial 2 letters of the member ships' names, although the "Ca" class were originally ordered with a heterogeneous mix of traditional destroyer names. A fifth flotilla, the "Ce" or 15th Emergency Flotilla, was planned but were cancelled in favour of the Weapon-class destroyers after only the first two ships had been ordered. The pennant numbers were all altered from "R" superior to "D" superior at the close of World War II; this involved some renumbering to avoid duplications.
ORP Piorun was an N-class destroyer operated by the Polish Navy in World War II. The word piorun is Polish for "Thunderbolt". Ordered by the Royal Navy in 1939, the ship was laid down as HMS Nerissa before being loaned to the Poles in October 1940 while still under construction.
HMS Raider was a R-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
HMS Penn was a P-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
HMS Bedouin was a Tribal-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War II.
HMS Redoubt was an R-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.
HMS Pathfinder was a P-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She was damaged while serving in the Far East, and was scrapped after the end of the war.
HMS Wolfhound was one of 21 W-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Completed in 1918 the ship only played a minor role in the war before its end. The ship was converted into an anti-aircraft escort destroyer during the Second World War and was badly damaged during the Dunkirk evacuation. Wolfhound survived the war and was sold for scrap in 1948.
HMS Milne was a M-class destroyer of the Royal Navy which served during World War II. She was equipped as a flotilla leader.
HMS Consort was one of thirty-two C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War, a member of the eight-ship Co sub-class.
HMS Loyal was a L-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the late 1930s, although she was not completed until after World War II had begun.
The second HMS Vanity was a V-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during World War I that saw service in World War II.
HMS Carron was one of thirty-two C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War, a member of the eight-ship Ca sub-class. Commissioned in late 1944, she was assigned to the Home Fleet and escorted the fleet's larger ships during operations off German-occupied Norway. Carron was sold for scrap in 1967.
HMS Cavendish was one of eight C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Commissioned in late 1944, she was built as a flotilla leader with additional accommodation for staff officers. The ship was assigned to the Home Fleet in 1945 after working up where she escorted capital ships of the fleet. Cavendish was sold for scrap in 1967.
HMS Caesar was one of thirty-two C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War, a member of the eight-ship Ca sub-class. Commissioned in 1944, she was built as a flotilla leader with additional accommodation for staff officers. The ship was assigned to Home Fleet during 1944–1945 and escorted one Arctic convoy as well as the capital ships of the fleet.
HMS Cheviot was one of thirty-two C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War, a member of the eight-ship Ch sub-class. Completed after the war, she was sold for scrap in 1962.
HMS Childers was one of thirty-two C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War, a member of the eight-ship Ch sub-class. Commissioned in 1945, she was built as a flotilla leader with additional accommodation for staff officers.
HMS Chivalrous was one of thirty-two C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War, a member of the eight-ship Ch sub-class. Commissioned in 1946, she was built as a flotilla leader with additional accommodation for staff officers. The ship was loaned to the Pakistani Navy during the late 1950s and was sold for scrap in 1961 after being returned.
HMS Comet was one of thirty-two C-class destroyers built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War, a member of the eight-ship Co sub-class.