HMS Kenilworth Castle (K420)

Kenilworth Castle (K420) in November 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name	Kenilworth Castle
Namesake	Kenilworth Castle
Builder	Smiths Dock Company
Launched	17 August 1943
Commissioned	14 November 1943
Identification	Pennant number: K420
Fate	Scrapped June 1956
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Castle-class corvette
Displacement	1,010 long tons (1,030 t) (standard)
Length	252 ft (76.8 m)
Beam	33 ft (10.1 m)
Draught	13 ft 9 in (4.2 m) (deep load)
Installed power	2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers 2,880  ihp (2,150 kW)
Propulsion	1 shaft, 1 triple-expansion engine
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range	6,500  nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	99
Sensors and processing systems	Type 145 and Type 147 ASDIC Type 272 search radar HF/DF radio direction finder
Armament	1 × QF 4 in (102 mm) DP gun 2 × twin, 2 × single 20 mm (0.8 in) AA guns 1 × 3-barrel Squid anti-submarine mortar 1 × depth charge rail and 2 throwers; 15 depth charges

HMS Kenilworth Castle was a Castle-class corvette built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

History

She was built by Smiths Dock Company at South Bank, North Yorkshire, launched on 17 August 1943, and commissioned on 14 November 1943.

In World War II, she served as a convoy escort and took part in the sinking of two U-boats:

• U-744 was sunk by HMS Icarus, HMCS St. Catharines, HMCS Fennel, HMCS Chilliwack, HMCS Chaudiere, HMCS Gatineau and Kenilworth Castle on 6 March 1944
• U-1200 was sunk south of Ireland by HMS Pevensey Castle, HMS Launceston Castle, HMS Portchester Castle and Kenilworth Castle on 11 November 1944 – all in the 30th Escort Group under Commander Denys Rayner.

Kenilworth Castle was scrapped at Llanelli in June 1956. ^[1] Her bell was given to The Bugle Inn, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.^{[ citation needed ]}

In media

Lt. Cmdr. James Joseph Allon (1 May 1910 – 31 May 2004) commanded Kenilworth Castle in the Second World War. Shortly before he died, he wrote some reminiscences of his Merchant Navy and Royal Navy career which are included in the BBC's online archive WW2 People's War here:

• Allon, Bill (29 June 2004). "Corvette commander on North Atlantic anti submarine duty (Part One)". WW2 People's War. BBC.
• Allon, Bill (29 June 2004). "Corvette commander on North Atlantic anti submarine duty (Part Two)". WW2 People's War. BBC.
• Allon, Bill (29 June 2004). "Corvette commander on North Atlantic anti submarine duty (Part Three)". WW2 People's War. BBC.
• Allon, Bill (29 June 2004). "Corvette commander on North Atlantic anti submarine duty (Part Four)". WW2 People's War. BBC.

References

1. "Kenilworth Castle". Tees Built Ships. Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 19 August 2022.

Bibliography

• Campbell, N. J. M. (1980). "Great Britain (including Empire Forces)". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 2–85. ISBN   0-85177-146-7.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-281-8.
• Goodwin, Norman; compiled by (2007). Castle Class Corvettes: An Account of the Service of the Ships and of Their Ships' Companies. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN   978-1-904459-27-9.
• Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN   1-55750-048-7.