Ship “Index”

www.navyphotos.co.uk

Ship "Index"

17). WW11 Escort Corvettes, Sloops, & Frigates,

( # ) - against ships name shows either new or updated entry. - This whole section last updated Mid December 2006.

Additional ships photos added late December 2006 and marked thus ( # ) - Earlier updates now unmarked.

"Miscellaneous Section" altered Late June 2007.

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In this section I hope to show some of the various classes of "Convoy Escort" ships as they grew in size and ability throughout WW11. There are several examples of the "Flower Class Corvettes", which were gradually replaced from 1943 onwards, by the larger and more capable "Castle Class Corvette".

There are also some examples, in the "Miscellaneous section", of some of the various other classes of " WW11 Sloop and "Destroyer" that were used as Convoy Escorts as well

The "Black Swan Class", which was a pre WW11 design, are also shown here. They were quite complex and difficult ships to build and needed the resources of quite large Naval Shipyards to deal with their "Steam Turbine" power plants and associated machinery. The "River Class" was an attempt to build a simpler and cheaper ship with all the capabilities of the "Black Swan's" albeit around 8 to 10 knots slower. Not all of the smaller shipbuilding yards at that time could accommodate the "Rivers" 300ft. hull and so a smaller ship was designed at 250ft. which became the "Castle Class Corvette".

All of these developments were required as the task of escorting convoys grew in its demands due to the ever increasing abilities and performance of the German U-Boats. It was fortunate indeed that the wars end came before the introduction, into full active service, of the German "Type XX1" submarine, as it would have completely outclassed any then existing A.S.W. ship employed against it. As it was, this submarine influenced the future design of all Navies "Conventional Submarine fleets" and altered beyond recognition the design and performance required of any ship that were to be pitted against them.

"Black Swan class"

This class was designed and building commenced pre WW11. It was purely designed from the start as a "Convoy Escort Sloop" with a heavy emphasis on AA. defence. Its ASW cababilities were somewhat of a secondary nature although this is not all that clear when the exploits of Capt. F.J.Walker, possibly one of the greatest ASW team leaders of WW11 are taken into account. His use of this class of ship as part of the 36th Escort Group and the later 2nd Support Group are almost legendary.

They were complicated and difficult ships to build with steam turbine plant. This was one of the main reasons for the adoption of the "Flower, River and Castle classes" of ASW ships. They were later put to good effect due to their heavy AA fit out with the BPF later in the war and many also served throughout the Korean war and later with Foreign Navies.

1). Actaeon. - 3 photo's. #

2). Alacrity. - 1 photo.

3). Amethyst. – 7 photo’s.

4). Black Swan. – 1 photo.

5). Calvary. – 1 photo.

6). Chanticleer. – 1 photo.

7). Crane. - 1 photo. #

8). Cygnet. - 1 photo.

9). Egret. - 1 photo. #

10). Flamingo. – 1 photo.

11). Hart. - 1 photo. #

12). Hind. - 1 photo. #

13). Jhelum. (Indian Navy) - 1 photo.

14). Jumna. (Indian Navy) - 1 photo.

15). Kite. - 1 photo. #

16). Lapwing. - 1 photo. #

17). Lark. - 1 photo. #

18). Magpie. – 2 photo's. #

19). Mermaid. – 4 photo's WW11 Sloop. + 1 photo of 1960's oddball "Mermaid" #

20). Modeste. - 3 photo's. #

21). Nereide. - 3 photo's. #

22). Opossum. – 3 photo's. #

23). Peacock. - 1 photo.

24). Pelican. - 1 photo.

25). Pheasant. - 1 photo

26). Snipe. – 2 photo’s.

27). Sparrow. - 1 photo. #

28). Starling. – 8 photo’s.

29). Stork. – 2 photo's.

30). Wild Goose. - 3 photo's. #

31). Woodcock. - 2 photo's. #

32). Woodpecker. – 1 photo.

33). Wren. - 2 photo's.

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"River Class".

This class was developed to have the same capabilities as the pre WW11 "Black Swan" class. However, they were much simpler, cheaper and easier to build with "Reciprocating" rather than "Steam Turbine" power plants. They were designed to be 50ft. longer, at 300ft., than the contemporary "Castle Class", and so the task of building them could not be carried out in many smaller "Civilian" yards.

The design was also used as the basis of the USN "Tacoma class", known to the RN as the "Colony Class". The hull design was later elaborated into the "Loch and Bay Class" Frigates, several of which are displayed in section 16a. of this site.

1). Annan. – 1 photo.

2). Ballinderry. – 1 photo.

3). Ettrick. - 1 photo. #

4). Exe. - 1 photo. #

5). Helford. - 1 photo. #

6). Jed. – 2 photo's. #

7). Lagan. - 1 photo. #

8). Meon. – 1 photo.

9). Moyola. - 1 photo. #

10). Ness. - 1 photo. #

11). Nith. - 1 photo. #

12). Nunotris. ( ex HMS Avon ) - 1 photo.

13). Swale. - 1 photo.

14). Tavy. - 1 photo #

15). Teme. – 1 photo.

16). Test. - 1 photo. #

17). Teviot. - 1 photo. #

18). Towy. - 1 photo. #

19). Waveney. - 1 photo. #

20). Wear. - 1 photo #

21). Wye. - 1 photo. #

"Flower Class" Corvettes.

This class of ship was the result of the "Panicked Realisation" by both the Admiralty and Government that, once again, they had allowed the situation to arise whereby we had insufficient resources to "Escort" convoys and to defend them against the expected threat from U-boats in the coming War. A small, simple, seaworthy and easily built ship was required and the design selected for the "Flower Class" was based on the "Southern Pride Whaling" ships.

1). Alisma. - 2 photo's.

2). Azalea. - 1 photo.

3). Balsam. – 1 photo.

4). Betony. – 1 photo.

5). Borage. – 1 photo.

6). Clarkia. – 2 photo's.

7). Clematis. – 2 photo's. #

8). Clover. – 1 photo.

9). Fennel. – 1 photo.

10). Honeysuckle. - 1 photo.

11). Lotus. – 2 photo’s.

12). Mallow - 1 photo.

13). Orillia. – 1 photo.

14). Penstemon & Nasturtium. - 1 photo.

15). Potentilla. - 1 Photo.

16). Woodruff. – 1 photo.

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"Castle Class".

These ships started to replace the smaller "Flower Class Corvettes" from around 1943 onwards. They were quite larger than them and it was fortunate that most smaller yards were able to accommodate their 250ft length. Although slow, the "Castles" were more suited to Atlantic operations and their bows were strong enough to be able to carry the "New" forward firing SQUID ASW Mortar then just entering wartime service.

1). Allington Castle. - 1 photo. #

2). Alnwick Castle. - 1 photo. #

3). Amberleigh Castle. - 2 photo's. #

4). Bamborough Castle. – 2 photo's.

5). Barnard Castle. - 1 photo. #

6). Berkeley Castle. - 1 photo. #

7). Caistor Castle. - 2 photo's. #

8). Carisbrooke Castle. - 2 photo's. #

9). Dumbarton Castle. - 2 photo's. #

10). Farnham Castle. - 1 photo. #

11). Flint Castle. - 2 photo's. #

12). Hadleigh Castle. - 2 photo's. #