Ceres Class (Light ) Disp.: 4290 (S) Length: 137 Speed: 29 Armament: 5 x 6” 2 x 3” 2 x 3.7cm 8 x

The Ceres class were ordered in March and April 1916 and commissioned in 1917 and 1918. These were very "wet" for'rard, which was remedied in the subsequent Carlisle sub-class with the addition of a "trawler bow". Their main armament consisted of five 6-inch (152 mm) guns, while their secondary armament consisted of two 3-inch (76 mm) weapons, of which a further one was later added to Ceres herself. Four 3 pounders were also fitted. Three ships underwent extensive rebuilds during the 1930s, becoming AA , resulting in all previous armament being removed. The ships were Coventry, Curacoa and Curlew, with Curacoa being the last of the three to be rebuilt in 1939; the other two ships having been converted in 1935. Coventry and Curlew were given ten 4-inch (102 mm) guns (two later being removed from Coventry) and sixteen 3 inchers for their AA role. Curacoa had a slightly different armament, being equipped with eight 4 inchers and four 3-inch (76 mm) guns, and later-on in WWII, four 20 mm Oerlikons. Cardiff and Ceres were to have undergone the same conversion, but this was prevented by the outbreak of war.

Grille (Fleet Tender) – One Available Disp.: 2600 (S) Length: 135 Speed: 26 Armament: 3 x 4” 4 x 3.7cm 4 x 2cm

This was build in the mid 1930s and was used as a government yacht before the war. When not needed in this role, its main duty was a fleet tender for the fleet stuff, a navigational and its use as a target ship. In this last role, the ship served was used for the development of aerial torpedoes. After the outbreak of the war, the Grille was first used as a auxiliary mine layer due to the lack of real mine layers in the Kriegsmarine. After the Invasion of Norway it was sent there and used as a floating staff headquarters for the U-Boat commander in Norway (FdU-Nord) based in .

Wilhelm Bauer (U-Boat Tender) – One Available Disp.: 5600 Length: 133 Speed: 20.5 Armament: 4 x 4” 1 x 4cm 2 x 3.7cm 4 x 2cm With their size of over 5000 ts, the three fleet tenders of the Wilhelm Bauer class were the largest ships of their kind in the German Kriegsmarine. In 1936 a class of eight new large escorts ships was planned to support the growing U-Boat fleet. Four of those ships were started to build at the Kriegsmarine Shipyard in Kiel, but only three of them were completed.

Class 1936 () – One Available + One A Possibly Disp.: 2762 (S) Length: 123 Speed: 40.5 Armament: 5 x 5” 4 x 3.7cm 4 x 2cm 8 x Torpedo The Zerstörer 1936 class were slightly bigger and improved to their predecessors, the Zerstörer 1934 and Zerstörer 1934A. While these ships were under construction, none of the earlier ships was commissioned and therefore none of their design flaws got obvious. It's interesting that most of the problems - especially those of the engines - were solved in this class of ships. The engines were much more reliable, the structural integrity was improved and they were much better seagoing ships. This was caused by the reduction of the top weight, the funnels were shortened and the height of the superstructure was reduced and the improved bow shape of the three last build ships. Although 26 of this ships were ordered, only 6 were completed, while the other orders were modified to other designs. All but one ships were sunk at Narvik and formed the destroyer graveyard in the Norwegian fjord.

Class 1934 (Destroyer) – Nine Available inc. eight A’s Disp.: 2260 (S) Length: 119 Speed: 36 Armament: 5 x 5” 4 x 3.7cm 4 x 2cm 8 x Torpedo The of the "Zerstörer 1934" class were the first four destroyers build in Germany after . Based on the same design principals as the torpedo boats, those ships showed some serious problems after completion, which was partly caused by the fast naval construction programs after 1933. They were very bad seagoing ships, like most other German vessels they took over a high amount of water during heavy seas, making their forward artillery unusable. Further they showed a structural weakness since the hull started to bend in heavy seas and were burdened with heavy vibrations produced by the engines. Their high pressure turbine engines caused many problems during operations, which were limited by the short range of those ships. The idea was to equip the ships with the newly designed high pressure turbines because this system seemed to have several advantages about normal turbine systems - at least on the paper. Test installations on land were very promising, but when installed on board on the destroyers, the engines rooms got very crowded making maintenance very difficult. Like all other German destroyers, they were all equipped for mine laying which was intensively used during the first months of the war. Most ships of this class did not survive the second year of the war, two of them were even sunk by own bombers, but in their few operational months, they did some successful mining operations near the British coast.

Carl Peters (S-Boat Tender) – One Available Disp.: 3600 Length: 114 Speed: 23 Armament: 4 x 4” 2 x 8.8cm 1 x 4cm 6 x 3.7cm In 1936 and 1938, a total of 4 new fleet tenders for the fast attack boat flotillas were ordered by the Kriegsmarine. Only the first 8 x 2cm two were laid down and completed, the other two orders were cancelled with the outbreak of World War II. The Carl Peters class was built to support and equip the fast attack boats with torpedoes, depth charges, ammunition, fuel and fresh water, in addition they were used as floating barracks and hospitals for the small S-boats.

Tribal Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1883 (S) Length: 114 Speed: 36 Armament: 8 x 4.7” 4 x 3.7cm 8 x MG 4 x Torpedo The Tribal class destroyers trace their roots to 1934 when the British Admiralty evaluated the threat posed by much larger destroyers being built in Japan, Italy and even Germany than the had. These ships were all around 2000 tons while the British destroyers were closer to 1300 tons. Estimated cost per ship was 340,000 pounds excluding Admiralty supplied armaments putting the average cost around 520,000. The Tribal was finally accepted after no less than 8 design proposals. The design chosen was a powerful yet beautiful looking ship. The first 7 Tribals were ordered on 10 March, 1936 with the latter group of 9 Tribals being ordered on 9 June. The ships were formed into the 1st and 2nd Tribal destroyer flotillas. By 1939 the Royal Navy had learned that while the Tribals were larger they were just normal destroyers. Thus the flotillas were renamed 4th and 6th destroyer flotillas. 8 ships were built for the Canadian Navy and the first of those came into service in 1943. (4 more Tribals were being built for the RCN but they would not see service until after the war). Australia built 3 Tribal class destroyers, which were commissioned into the RAN. The Tribals were not really U-boat hunters but rather fleet destroyers. During the second half of 1940 the Royal Navy ships (except the war losses HMS Gurkha and HMS Afridi) had one twin 4.7" replaced by a twin 4" AA gun turret. The Canadian and Australian ships carried this arrangement upon completion.

Ashanti (F 51) – Rosyth, Bedouin (F 67) – Rosyth, Cossack (F 03) – Rosyth, Eskimo (F 75) – Rosyth, Maori (F 24) – Rosyth, Mashona (F 59) – Under repair at Liverpool, Matabele (F 26) – Rosyth, Punjabi (F 21) – Under repair at Scapa, Sikh (F 82) – Rosyth, Somali (F 33) – Rosyth, Tartar (F 43) – Rosyth, Zulu (F 18) - Rosyth

Grom Class/Wicher Class (Polish Destroyers)

Grom Class

Disp.: 2010 Length: 114 Speed: 39 Armament 7 x 5” 4 x 4cm

6 x Torpedo

1 Grom Class: Burza (H 73) – Plymouth (Operation GL, Brittany Coast) Wicher Class

1 Wicher Class: Blyskawica (H 34) – Plymouth (Operation GL, Brittany Coast) Disp.: 1545 Length: 107 Speed: 33 Armament 4 x 5” 2 x 4cm 6 x Torpedo

Sperrbrecher (Mine Clearance): Example Only Disp.: 7500 Length: 114 Speed: 14 Armament: 2 x 4” 2 x 3.7cm 15 x 2cm

While the primary objective of was to detect Mines and disable them, there was another concept of protecting ships against mines: To create a safe passage through a minefield by using a special ship that sails in front and detonates the mines before they can harm a much more valuable ship. The ships used for this task - the Pathmakers (or German: Sperrbrecher) had to be very robust to withstand mine explosions. By 1940 the magnetic mines were the biggest threat for ships entering or leaving their bases; laid by aircraft during the night they could cause severe damage when staying undetected. Therefore the Pathfinders were equipped with a VES-System, basically a huge magnetic field generator that could explode magnetic mines in a save distance. From this time, Pathmakers were used to escort surface ships and Uboats from and to their bases to remove mines and - with their quite heavy AA armamment - give some additional protection against air attacks. Because of this, the ships were often equipped with barrage balloons. Over 100 Pathfinders - mainly former merchant ships with a size of about 5000 ts

Brummer () – One Available Disp.: 1860 Length: 97 Speed: 22 Armament: 4 x 5” 2 x 3.7cm 4 x 2cm

The Norwegian mine layer Olav Tryggvason was taken over by German troops on 09.04.1940 in Horten, Norway. Two days later, it was commissioned as mine layer Albatros , on 16.05 it was renamed to Brummer (II). The ship first operated off the Dutch/Beligan coast and was planned to be used during Operation Seelöwe, the invasion of .

Modified Admiralty Class (W & V) (Destroyer) Disp.: 1500 Length: 95 Speed: 34 Armament: 4 x 4.7” 2 x 3.7cm 3 x Torpedo

These ships were very similar to the earlier Admiralty V & W-class. They were armed with more powerful 4.7" guns instead of 4" guns.

Original Armament HMS Worcester (D 96) – /Sheerness Short Range Escort – 3 x 4.7”, 1 x 3", 2 x 3.7cm, 3 x torpedo tubes Veteran (D 72) – Harwich/Sheerness (Escort for Minelaying Operation), Whitshed (D 77) – Repairs Chatham, Wild Swan (D 62) – Harwich/Sheerness, Witch (D 89) – Liverpool, Witherington (D 76) – Harwich/Sheerness (On Patrol), Wivern (D 66) – Harwich/Sheerness, Wolverine (D 78) – (On Patrol) Long range escort – 2 x 4.7", 1 x 3, 2 x 3.7cm Vansittart (D 64) – Plymouth (Operation GL, Brittany Coast), Venomous (D 75) – Harwich/Sheerness, Verity (D 63) – Harwich/Sheerness, Volunteer (D 71) – Plymouth, Wanderer (D 74) – Liverpool, Whitehall (D 94) – Harwich/Sheerness (Operation GL, Brittany Coast)

W & V Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1188 Length: 95 Speed: 34 Armament: 4 x 4” 2 x 3.7cm 6 x Torpedo

Most of these vessels were reduced to reserve before the Second World War. During the early part of the war these ships served on fleet duties as well as escort. As the war progressed their fleet duties were taken over by new, more modern destroyers and they were only used as convoy escorts. In 1937 the Admiralty recognized the need for ships with a good long-range anti-aircraft armament and it was decided that a number of the old V&W-class destroyers were to be converted to fast escorts. In the early stages of the war some of the V&W class destroyers were slightly modified to suit them more to their role as convoy escorts. The aftermost gun was landed to allow more depth charges to be fitted and an 3" AA gun replaced the after bank of torpedo tubes to increase the anti-aircraft armament. These ships were known as the short range escorts. By 1941 the Admiralty was forced to employ every available , suitable or not, to the task of convoy protection. Destroyers were not ideal for this task. They were too fast and therefore they had a lack of endurance and were over gunned. With more and more purpose designed escorts arriving on the Atlantic battlegrounds some of the V&W class destroyers could be spared to being refitted to make them more suitable as convoy escort in the future. These ships became the long range escorts. The modifications included the removal of no. 1 boiler and its funnel. This modification reduced the speed of these ships to 25 knots. The space that became free was used for increased bunkerage and extra accommodation. 'A' gun was landed and replaced by a ASW . All remaining torpedo tubes were removed and increased armament was fitted. Also the anti-aircraft armament was increased but this varied per ship.

Original Armament Venetia (D 53) – Harwich/Sheerness Fast escort – 4 x 4”, 8 x MG Valorous (L 00) – Escort for FS.288/FN.290 (Probable location Southend), Vanity (L 38) – The Tyne, Vega (L 41) – Methil, Verdun (L 93) – The Tyne, Viceroy (L 21) – Undertaking Refit at Clyde, Vimiera (L 29) – The Tyne, Vivien (L 33) – Methil, Westminster (L 40) – Escort for FS.288/FN.290 (Probable location Southend), Winchester (L 55) – Escort for FN.289, Wolfhound (I 56) – Under repair at Chatham, Wolsey (L 02) – Southend, Woolston (L 49) – Escort for FN.288 Long range escort –2 x 4”, 1 x 3”, 2 x 3.7cm Vanessa (D 29) – Under repair at Chatham, Vanoc (H 33) – Plymouth, Vanquisher (D 54) – Escort for OB.216/S.4, Versatile (D 32) – Scapa, Vesper (D 55) – Harwich/Sheerness, Vimy (D 33) – Scapa, Viscount (D 92) – Plymouth (On Patrol), Walker (D 27) – Escort for OB.217/HX.73, Warwick (D 25) – Under repair at Liverpool, Watchman (D 26) – Under repair at Hull, Westcott (D 47 / I 47) – Undertaking refit at Plymouth, Winchelsea (D 46) – Liverpool Short range escort – 3 x 4”, 1 x 3”, 2 x 3.7cm, 3 x Torpedo Vivacious (D 36) – Under repair at Humber, Vortigern (D 37) – Methil, Walpole (D 41) – Under repair at Chatham, Windsor (D 42) – Under repair at

1924 Raubtier Class () – Five 1923 Class and Three 1924 Class Disp.: 1320 Length: 93 Speed: 35 Armament: 3 x 5” 2 x 2cm 6 x Torpedo

While the first new torpedo boats such as the 1923 and 1924 Classes built after World War I were basically small destroyers with an adequate mix of artillery and torpedo armament, those designs build in the mid 1930s were totally focused on torpedo attacks. When it got obvious that those kind of attacks were not possible anymore during World War II, those ships proved to be almost useless for other operations. Therefore the last Fleet torpedo boat designs returned to a ship equal to a small destroyer. The Torpedo boats were used in several different ways, for escort duty, mine laying, surface patrols or U-boat training, of the 51 ships build, only 12 survived the war. Some of them were handed over to allied navies and used until the mid 1950s.

Hunt Type 1 Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1000 Length: 85 Speed: 29 Armament: 4 x 4” 4 x 3.7cm 2 x 2cm

Conventional modern destroyers like the Tribal class were too expensive to be built in the numbers required for escort of merchant shipping. The Hunt class was a comparatively inexpensive updated turn of the century "torpedo boat destroyer" with modern quick firing guns also suitable for anti-aircraft protection. Endurance was inadequate for trans-Atlantic escort work. The Hunt Class destroyer were conceived as a destroyer for use in the confines of coastal operation such as the and Mediterranean, they were required to have a good all round armament of 6 4" HA guns plus lighter weapons. They were not required to be fitted with torpedo tubes. Due to a substantial error in the design it is reported that HMS Atherstone 'lent against the dock' when fitting her "X" twin 4 inch mount. This gun was removed and several changes made, All the first group had 50 tons of steel ingots in their bottom to correct their stability problem. Some of the Hunt Class ships never left home waters, these were mostly the Type I ships, many being fitted with a 2 pdr bow chaser pom pom.

Atherstone (L 05) – Under repair at Chatham, Berkeley (L 17) – Harwich/Sheerness, Cattistock (L 35) – Harwich/Sheerness, Cleveland (L 46) – Scapa, Eglinton (L 87) – Scapa, Fernie (L 11) – Harwich/Sheerness, Garth (L 20) – Harwich/Sheerness, Hambledon (L 37) – Harwich/Sheerness, Holderness (L 48) – Harwich/Sheerness, Quorn (L 66) – Scapa

Admiralty S Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 905 Length: 84 Speed: 36 Armament: 3 x 4” 1 x 3.7cm 4 x Torpedo

These ships were completely outclassed by modern ships at the start of WW2. Stronghold, Sturdy and Thracian were fitted as . Thanet, Tenedos, Scout, Stronghold, Thracian and Sturdy sailed for the Far East in 1939 to form local defence flotillas at Hong Kong and Singapore. When the Second World War broke out Sturdy was on passage in the Mediterranean and was detained there. She returned home after the fall of .

Sabre (H 18) – Liverpool, Saladin (H 54) – Undertaking refit at the Clyde, Sardonyx (H 26) – Undertaking refit at the Clyde, Scimitar (H 21) – Methil, Shikari (D 85) – Liverpool, Sturdy (i) (H 28) – Clyde (2 x 4”)

Egret Class (Sloop) Disp.: 1200 Length: 84 Speed: 19.2 Armament: 8 x 4” 4 x MG

Egret (L 75 / U 75) – Escort for FN.289, Pelican (L 86 / U 86) – Under repair at Chatham

1935 Class (Torpedo Boat) – 10 Operational, only 2 outside Germany Disp.: 1088 Length: 84 Speed: 35 Armament: 1 x 4” 6 x 2cm 6 x Torpedo

The Torpedo boats of the "Torpedoboot 1935" class were the first ships of this kind after 10 years. First designs for this ships were made at the end of 1933. Although officially called 600t ships, the ships were over 50% bigger. Unlike their predecessors, those ships were a unsuccessful design. Because of a required high top speed, high pressure turbines had to be installed and proved to be as troublesome as those of the destroyers and heavy cruisers. Even worse, the small dimensions of those ships made it even harder to maintain or repair the troublesome engine system. Their primary weapon system was the torpedo, therefore the concentration of a high number of torpedo tubes, only one 10,5 cm gun and the light Flak protection made the ships very vulnerable and not very useful in other tasks than torpedo attacks. Caused by the need to keep the boats size blow the allowed 600 ts, first trials show that the light construction first made them very bad seagoing vessels, and it took up to the end of 1940 to solve this problem but even then their second offensive potential - the mines - could only be used during light seas. Some ships replaced one torpedo launcher with additional Flak guns later in the war, Funkmeßortungsgeräte () was only added in 1945 although passive radar detectors were refitted earlier.

Flottenbegleiter Class (Escort) – Two Available another Seven Converted to Tender Duties Disp.: 1065 Length: 79 Speed: 28 Armament: 2 x 4” 4 x 3.7cm 2 x 2cm

Unlike other navies, the German Kriegsmarine did not have many special designed escort vessels. The only class that got operational were the ill-fated Flottenbegleiter, which proved not to be very useful ships. Although some new designs were planed none of those were completed. Therefore, several other ships were used as escort vessels, mine hunters, torpedo boats or various captured ships, the so called "Schnelle Geleitboote". They were a mixture of different ships, escort vessels, torpedo boats, even transports or passenger ships that could fulfill the requited task only very limited.

Grimsby Class (Sloop) Disp.: 990 Length: 76 Speed: 16.5 Armament: 2 x 4.7” 1 x 3” 4 x MG

Aberdeen (L 97 / U 97) – Methil (Escort for OA.219 from 24th), Deptford (L 53 / U 53) – Liverpool, Fleetwood (L 47 / U 47) – Tyne, Londonderry (L 76 / U 76) – Methil, Lowestoft (L 59 / U 59) – Escort for SC.4, Wellington (L 65 / U 65) – Liverpool

Halcyon Class (Mine Hunter) NO IMAGE AVAILABLE Disp.: 850

There were three variants of the class; Displacement, dimensions, engines and armament was not exactly the same for each Length: 76 variant. Speed: 17 The first group had reciprocating engines, the second and third group had geared turbines. Armament: 2 x 4” 4 x MG Halcyon (J 42) – Under repairs at Southbank, Harrier (J 71) – The Tyne, Hussar (J 82) – The Tyne, Niger (i) (J 73) – Portsmouth, Salamander (J 86) – Sheerness, Speedwell (J 87) – Tyne, Franklin (J 84) – Scapa (Converted to survey ship), Gleaner (J 83) – Escort for OB.216, Gossamer (J 63) – Grimsby, Hazard (J 02) – Scapa, Hebe (J 24) – Dover, Jason (J 99) – Under repair at Rosyth, Leda (J 93) – Grimsby, Seagull (J 85) – Scapa, Sharpshooter (J 68) – Rosyth, Bramble (i) (J 11) – Invergordon, Britomart (J 22) – Leith, Scott (J 79) – Belfast (Converted to survey ship), Speedy (J 17) – Scapa

M-1935 Class (Mine Hunter) – Twenty + Available Disp.: 870 Length: 68 Speed: 18 Armament: 2 x 4” 1 x 3.7cm 2 x 2cm

In the mid 1930s, the minesweeping flotillas of the Kriegsmarine consisted of old ships build in World War I. To replace this old ships, a class of modern minesweepers, the “Mboot35” was designed. The result was a very maneuverable and seaworthy ship exceeding the expectations. Heavily armed those ships were often called “Channel Destroyers” by the British during World War II. Despite the successful design, several factors prevented that a large number of ships were build during the war. The boats were very expensive and complicated to build, therefore a more simple design had to be developed (which later got the Minensuchboot 1940). The engines were difficult to maintain and needed specially skilled personal which was not available in the required numbers. Since the Mboot35 had oil fired boilers, they also suffered from the oil shortage in the later years of the war. A total of 69 ships were build in eight different shipyards, 34 were lost during the war. After the war, 17 were taken over by the US Navy, 5 by the Royal Navy and 13 by the Soviet Navy which all were used in the Black Sea until the 1960s. Five of the ships taken over by the USA were returned to Germany in 1956/57 and were used by the Bundesmarine.

ADDITIONAL Royal Navy SHIPS J and K Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1690 The J, K and N Class ships were developed as a result of the Admiralty under pressure to cut costs but requiring more new and Length: 108 powerful destroyers. The cost of further Tribal Class ships was attractive but could not be justified on cost grounds. The Staff Speed: 36 requirement also required a return to a heavy torpedo outfit. While some see these ships as cut down versions of the Tribal Class they were the first to see the introduction on Longitudinal Frames and other weight saving methods of construction. Several ships Armament 6 x 4.7” owed this method of construction to their survival, HMS Javelin was mined and reduced to less than half her original length, but 4 x 3.7cm she was towed in and repaired. 8 x MG Many of the J and K Classes served and were lost in the Mediterranean they participated in many successful engagements, 10 x Torpedo accounting for Italian cruisers, destroyers and many merchant ships.

Jackal (F 22) – Rosyth, Jaguar (F 34) – Scapa, Javelin (F 61) – Scapa, Jersey (F 72) – Under repair at Hull (First trial on 24th), Jupiter (F 85) – Immingham Kashmir (F 12) – Rosyth, Kelvin (F 37) – Immingham, Kipling (F 91) – Rosyth, Kelly (F 01) – Under repair at the Tyne

Shakespeare Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1554 Designed and built by Thornycroft as flotilla leaders for the V & W-class destroyers. Length: 100 HMS Shakespeare and HMS Spencer were decommissioned in the 30’s and sold for scrap in 1936. Speed: 33 4 additional destroyers (Spragge, Barrington, Hughes and Saunders) of this class were cancelled after the end of WWI in Dec 1918. Armament: 5 x 4.7” HMS Wallace was reconstructed to a fast escort more or less on the same lines as the Admiralty V & W-class fast escort 1 x 3” conversions. She had however, being larger, more small AA machine guns. 1 x MG HMS Broke and HMS Keppel were modified for escort duties during the war. 6 x Torpedo

Broke (D 83) – Plymouth (Operation GL, Brittany Coast), Keppel (D 84 / I 84) – Escort for SC.4, Wallace (L 64) – Escort to FN.288 (4 x 4”, 4 x 3.7cm, 2 x 2cm, 8 x MG)

D Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1375 The specifications as listed above are for the ‘normal’ D-class destroyers. HMS Duncan was fitted as flotilla leader and had some Length: 100 different specifications; Speed: 36 Displacement: 1400 BRT Armament: 4 x 4.7” Complement: 175 men. 2 x 3.7cm Despite the fact that the Admiralty recognised that the ‘standard’ British destroyer design looks very week, compared to the larger 8 x Torpedo U.S., French and even Japanese destroyers, they decided to retain the 4.7” gun as main armament. The D-class destroyers were repeat C-class destroyers with only minor modifications.

Diana (H 49) – Under repair at Chatham, Duncan (D 99) – Scapa (Escorting ships to Norway from 24th)

E Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1405 The specifications as listed above are for the ‘normal’ E-class destroyers. Length: 100 The E-class were fitted with .5” AA machine guns for Anti-Aircraft defence. These machine guns were not very useful. This was Speed: 36 realised as early as 1932 by the Admiralty. Nevertheless the E-class and later destroyer classes were fitted with these machine Armament: 4 x 4.7” guns. Also the lack of a good AA director had been realised but when the Second World War broke out little had been undertaken to solve this problem. The 4.7” guns were on new mountings allowing 40° elevation compared to 30° in the earlier classes. 8 x MG HMS Esk and HMS Express were designed to be modified in 24 hours to the mine laying role. This involved removing of ‘A’ and ‘Y’ 8 x Torpedo 4.7” guns and all the torpedo tubes and the installation of mine rails along the upper deck. They could carry 60 mines.

Electra (H 27) – Scapa, Express (H 61) – Under repair at Chatham

F Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1405 The specifications as listed above are for the ‘normal’ F-class destroyers. HMS Faulknor was fitted as flotilla leader and had some Length: 100 different specifications; Speed: 36 Displacement: 1495 BRT Armament: 4 x 4.7” Length: 104m 2 x 3.7cm Armament: 5 4.7” guns (5x1), 8 .5” AA (2x4), 8 21” torpedo tubes (2x4), 8 x Torpedo These vessels were a repeat of the E-class design.

Fame (H 78) – Under repair at Rosyth, Fearless (H 67) – Under repair at the Clyde, Foxhound (H 69) – Undertaking refit at Sheerness

Prototype Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1192 Details as given are for Ambuscade. Length: 98 Details for Amazon are as follows; Speed: 37 Same as Ambuscade except Displacement: 1597 tons Armament: 4 x 4.7” In the mid-1920’s two destroyer prototypes were built. New technological advances in machinery and construction techniques 2 x 3.7cm needed to be exploited. The armament was the same as the World War One vintage Admiralty Modified W-class but there was a 6 x Torpedo new fire control director system installed. Early in the war these two ships had the after bank of torpedo tubes replaced by a 3” AA gun. Later these ships were modified for escort duties, they landed ‘A’ and ‘Y’ 4.7” guns. A hedgehog was fitted, as well as radar and increased anti-aircraft armament. In July 1943 Ambuscade was fitted with the prototype of the Squid in lieu of the Hedgehog. The remaining bank of torpedo tubes was landed as well as the 3” gun. 65 tons off ballast was fitted instead. Also in 1943 Amazon landed the remaining bank of torpedo tubes and her 3” gun to make room for a ten pattern depth-charge outfit.

Amazon (D 39) – Belfast, Ambuscade (D 38) – Under repair at the Tyne

A Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1350 The specifications as listed above are for the ‘normal’ A-class destroyers. Length: 98 During the conflict the surviving ships underwent changes such as a 3” AA gun in lieu of the after bank of torpedo tubes and 20mm Speed: 35 Oerlikon AA guns in the bridge wings. Armament: 4 x 4.7” The Canadian ships HMCS Saguenay and HMCS Skeena were a slightly modified design with heavier plating around the bow so they 2 x 3.7cm could operate in waters where there was a risk of Ice, they were not fitted or intended to be icebreakers. 8 x Torpedo

Achates (i) (H 12) – Clyde, Acheron (i) (H 45) – Under repair at Portsmouth, Active (H 14) – Escort for SC.4, Antelope (H 36) – Escort for HX.73, Anthony (H 40) – Escort for HX.73, Arrow (H 42) – Liverpool

B Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1360 The specifications as listed above are for the ‘normal’ B-class destroyers. HMS Keith was fitted as flotilla leader and had some Length: 98 different specifications; Speed: 35 Displacement: 1400 BRT Armament: 4 x 4.7” Complement: 175 men. 2 x 3.7cm HMS Keith was a smaller leader, she did not have an extra 4.7” gun as did HMS Codrington the leader of the A-class destroyers. 8 x Torpedo The regular B-class destroyers were repeat A-class destroyers with only minor modifications.

Beagle (H 30) – Portsmouth, Boadicea (H 65) – Under repair at Portsmouth, Boreas (H 77) – Under repair at Millwall, Brilliant (H 84) – Portsmouth (On Patrol), Bulldog (H 91) – Portsmouth

G Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1350 The specifications as listed above are for the ‘normal’ G-class destroyers. Length: 98 The G-class destroyer was slightly smaller than the preceding E/F-class destroyers due to some internal reorganisation and the Speed: 35 omission of cruising turbines. Armament: 4 x 4.7” 2 x MG Garland (H 37) (Became the Polish destroyer Garland) – Plymouth (Operation GL, Brittany Coast) 8 x Torpedo

Havant Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1340 Sometimes included with the H class, these six ships were actually built for Brazil. Size and armament was similar but Brazilian Length: 98 specifications for equipment and interior arrangements did not meet Royal Navy standards. These six Brazilian ships were Speed: 35 requisitioned by the British government on 4 September 1939 and taken in hand by the Royal Navy. All ships were given British names beginning with H, although HMS Handy was renamed HMS Harvester on 27 February 1940 for fear of the signal clash with Armament: 3 x 4.7” HMS Hardy. HMS Hearty was renamed HMS Hesperus on the same date. 8 x MG 8 x Torpedo Harvester (H 19) – Escort for OG.43, Havelock (H 88) – Escort for OL.04, Hesperus (H 57) – Liverpool, Highlander (H 44) – Escort for OG.43, Hurricane (H 06) – Escort for OG.43

I Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 1360 The specifications as listed above are for the ‘normal’ I-class destroyers. Length: 98 The I-class destroyers were repeat of the H-class with some minor alterations. The new type of bridge tried in HMS Hero and HMS Speed: 35 Hereward was adopted for the whole class as well as pentad torpedo tubes. HMS Impulsive, HMS Ivanhoe, HMS Intrepid and HMS Armament: 4 x 4.7” Icarus were fitted for rapid conversion to minesweepers. Two of the 4.7” guns (A and Y gun) had to be landed as well as both banks of torpedo tubes. 2 x MG 10 x Torpedo

Icarus (D 03) – Immingham, Impulsive (D 11) – Immingham, Intrepid (D 10) – Immingham, Isis (D 87) – Scapa (Escorting ships to Norway from 24th),

Black Swan Class (Sloop) Disp.: 1250 Length: 86 HMS Black Swan (L 57 / U 57) – Rosyth Speed: 19 Armament 6 x 4” 4 x 3.7cm 4 x MG

Admiralty R Class (Destroyer) Disp.: 900 The R-class destroyers of the Royal Navy were built during World War One, The Admiralty gave permission for this class to be built Length: 84 in July 1915. By the time of the Second World War there was only one survivor, HMS Skate. Speed: 36 Armament: 2 x 4” Skate – Liverpool 1 x 3.7cm

Bridgewater Class (Sloop) Disp.: 1045 Length: 81 Sandwich – Liverpool Speed: 17 Armament: 2 x 4”

Bittern Class (Sloop) Disp.: 1190 Enchantress (L 56 / U 56) – Plymouth (2 x 4.7”, 1 x 3.7cm, 2 x 2cm, 12 x MG), Stork (L 81 / U 81) – Under repair at Grangemouth Length: 81 Speed: 19 Armament 6 x 4” 4 x MG

Folkestone Class (Sloop) Disp.: 1045 Length: 76 Folkestone (L 22 / U 22) – Liverpool, Hastings (L 27 / U 27) – Rosyth, Scarborough (L 25 / U 25) – Escort for OB.216 Speed: 16 Armament 2 x 4” 4 x MG

Shoreham Class (Sloop) Disp.: 1105 Length: 76 Bideford (L 43 / U 43) – Under repairs at Portsmouth, Fowey (L 15 / U 15) – Plymouth, Rochester (L 50 / U 50) – Liverpool Speed: 16 Armament 2 x 4” 4 x MG

Falmouth Class (Sloop) Disp.: 1060 Length: 76 Weston (L 72 / U 72) – Escort for OA.218 Speed: 16 Armament 2 x 4” 4 x MG

Hunt Class () Disp.: 710 World War One vintage minesweepers. AA armament was increased during the war. Length: 70 Speed: 16 Albury (J 41) – Grimsby, Alresford (J 06) – Portsmouth (Converted to training vessel), Dundalk (J 60) – Humber, Elgin (J 39) – Armament 1 x 4” Portsmouth, Fitzroy (i) (J 03) – Humber, Lydd (J 44) – Grimsby, Pangbourne (J 37) – Grimsby, Ross (J 45) – Grimsby, Saltash (J 62) – 1 x 3” Grimsby, Saltburn (J 58) – Portsmouth (Converted to training vessel), Selkirk (J 18) – Sheerness, Sutton (J 78) – Sheerness, Tedworth (J 32) – Under repairs at Portsmouth (Converted to salvage vessel) This diagram has been included to show the relative dimensions of a typical German landing barge. Bottom row is a converted barge, an Allied LCT (5) and an LCA. The LCT and LCA have been duplicated in the next row for better appreciation of the relative lengths and at the top is a V Type destroyer (RN). PLEASE NOTE: this is not an attempt to prove any kind of seaworthiness and has been included to give an indication of relative dimensions only.