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HMS Aberdeen

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HMS Aberdeen, underway on the Tyne; Pennant No L97
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Aberdeen
Ordered1 March 1935
BuilderDevonport Dockyard
Laid down12 June 1935
Launched22 January 1936
Sponsored byMrs E Watt
Commissioned17 September 1936
IdentificationPennant number: L97 (later U97)
Motto
  • Bon accord
  • ("Good fellowship")
Honours and
awards
  • [1]
  • Atlantic 1939–45
  • North Africa 1942
FateSold for scrapping, 16 December 1948
BadgeOn a Field Red, a triple towered castle surrounded by a double treasure all Silver.
General characteristics
Class and typeTemplate:Sclass- sloop
Displacement
  • 990 long tons (1,006 t) standard
  • 1,300 long tons (1,321 t) full
Length
  • 250 ft (76.2 m) p/p
  • 266 ft (81.1 m) o/a
Beam36 ft (11.0 m)
Draught7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
Propulsion
Speed16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range5,700 nmi (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement100
Armament

HMS Aberdeen was a Template:Sclass- sloop[2] in the British Royal Navy. Built in Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, UK by Thornycroft (Southampton, UK), she was launched on 22 January 1936.[3]

Construction and design

HMS Aberdeen was one of two Template:Sclass-s constructed under the 1934 construction programme for the Royal Navy. She was ordered from Devonport Dockyard on 1 March 1935. Two Grimsby-class sloops had been ordered under each of the 1931, 1932 and 1933 programmes, giving a total of eight Grimsby-class ships built for the Royal Navy.[4][5] Four more were built for Australia and one for India.[5] The Grimsby class, while based on the previous Template:Sclass-, was intended to be a more capable escort vessel than previous sloops, and carried a more powerful armament.[6][7]

Aberdeen was 266 feet 3 inches (81.15 m) long overall, with a beam of 36 feet (10.97 m) and a draught of 9 feet 6 inches (2.90 m) at deep load. Displacement was 990 long tons (1,010 t) standard,[8] and 1,355 long tons (1,377 t) full load.[9] The ship was powered by two geared steam turbines driving two shafts, fed by two Admiralty 3-drum boilers. This machinery produced 2,000 shaft horsepower (1,500 kW) and could propel the ship to a speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph).[10] The ship had a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[9]

While previous ships of the class had been built with a gun armament of 4.7-inch (120 mm) low-angle guns, designed for use against surface targets, by 1934 it was realised that attack from the air posed a significant risk to shipping, and it was decided to fit the sloops of the 1934 programme with an improved anti-aircraft armament. It was planned to equip Aberdeen with three 4-inch (102 mm) dual purpose (anti-aircraft and anti-surface) guns, but she was completed as a despatch vessel, with the aft 4-inch gun and minesweeping gear replaced by extra accommodation.[11] Close-in anti-aircraft defence was provided by a single quadruple .50 in (12.7 mm) Vickers anti-aircraft machine gun mount.[8]

Aberdeen was laid down on 14 June 1935, launched on 22 January 1936 and completed on 17 September 1936.[8]

Modifications

Aberdeen was fitted with the originally planned third 4-inch gun in 1939,[12][10] with four Oerlikon 20 mm cannon added during the war.[8] The ship's depth charge loading increased from 15 to 60–90 during the war,[10][13] while a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar was fitted in 1942, replacing the forward 4-inch gun.[10][14]

Service history

Aberdeen was fitted for use as despatch vessel during construction, and was used by the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, replacing the First-World War vintage sloop Bryony in the role from November 1936.[12][15] She returned to British waters in May 1937 to allow her to take part in the Fleet Review celebrating the Coronation of King George VI,[12] before returning to the Mediterranean, where she served up until the outbreak of World War II.[16]

Notes

  1. ^ Manning & Walker 1959, p. 68
  2. ^ "Grimsby Class Sloops". battleships-cruisers.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Aberdeen (L97/U97) – Sloop of the Grimsby class – Allied Warships of WWII". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  4. ^ Hague 1993, p. 6
  5. ^ a b Friedman 2008, p. 332
  6. ^ Hague 1993, pp. 13–14
  7. ^ Friedman 2008, p. 62
  8. ^ a b c d Hague 1993, p. 42
  9. ^ a b Friedman 2008, pp. 320–321
  10. ^ a b c d Gardiner & Chesneau 1980, p. 56
  11. ^ Friedman 2008, pp. 62–63
  12. ^ a b c Hague 1993, p. 43
  13. ^ Hague 1993, p. 22
  14. ^ Hague 1993, pp. 42, 44
  15. ^ Friedman 2008, p. 63
  16. ^ "HMS Aberdeen". naval-history.net. Retrieved 14 July 2010.

References

  • Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers and Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Hague, Arnold (1993). Sloops: A History of the 71 Sloops Built in Britain and Australia for the British, Australian and Indian Navies 1926–1946. Kendal, England: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-67-3.
  • Manning, T. D.; Walker, C. F. (1959). British Warship Names. London: Putnam. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
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