HMS Quadrant (DD-1942)

HMSAS Protea (DD-1943)

 

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As with all long term RN destroyer designs, various upgrades, shortages and other factors determined what each member of a class may look like. The Q-Z then C type variations provided the 'War Emergency Destroyers' from 1942-46. These were produced in three main batches. Batch 1 was fitted with the twin 4.5" DP turret that had been in use since 1934 and quad 2pounder. Batch 2 had 3 twin 4" which were fitted when the production of 4.5" twins could not keep up with construction. This affected some of the Q and R classes. The ships had a mixture of quad 2 pounder or 40mm Hazemeyer mounts. The 3rd batch featured the new twin 4.5" that first appeared in 1942, with a few teething problems, these problems were sorted and the new semi-automatic turrets were fitted to some of the S and T class the others having the earlier mountings as there were not enough of the new mountings to go around. From the U class on, the Mk V mounting was fitted as standard. A standard improvement to all the Q class and beyond destroyers was the fitting of the latice mast forward to take more radar equipment.

These ships were based on the J-N class destroyers, but with the J-N class being a bit 'wet' forward from having the two heavy 4.5" turrets in A & B positions, the War Emergency Destroyer classes removed 'B' turret and moved 'A' turrets a few feet further back. This allowed various armaments to be fitted into 'B' position depending on where the ships was to serve. The most common armament in 'B' position was the Hedgehog spigot mortar. Standard layout for the 1st four classes, the Quadrant and her sisters were big modern destroyers with just enough firepower. The Southern African Navy built this type at their yards in Durban until it was replaced in production by the Astrology Class.




The Q & R class featured ships with the 3 twin 4" main armament and less other armaments, but were the first ships not to mount the Hedgehog in B position, instead the Hedgehog mounting was on the side of the bridge. To fit the three twin 4" the ships used the same placement of mountings as the J-N class but with the lighter twin 4" mounting making the ships not as wet forward.



The Savage type proved to be enormously successful and when it came time to reduce the size of the navy postwar, these ships were in great demand with overseas buyers. The twin semi-auto mounts had been allowed for in the original plans and a larger magazine than the earlier ships was fitted to increase the number of rounds per gun that could be carried.

 

Displacement 1850 tons standard, 2600 tons full load.
Length 360 ft
Breadth 38 ft
Draught 14 ft
Machinery 2 shaft Steam turbines, 44,000shp
Speed 35 knots
Range 5000 miles at 18 knots
Armament 4 x 4.5" (2x2)
4 x 40mm (2x2)
8 x 20mm (4x2)
Torpedoes 8 x 21" (2x4)
Complement 190
Notes 112 Q-C War Emergency class destroyers were completed 1942 to 1946


The real life Q-Z destroyers plus the C's of late 1945-46 were the War Emergency Destroyer Flotillas based on the JKN class hull.

Information copy pasted from the various Wiki pages to make up the classes.


Original Q class ships with single 4.7" low angle guns. RN tried to fool itself that 55 degree elevation equaled AA or dual purpose guns.

Q class

* = flotilla leader

R class

* = flotilla leader

S class



T class

U class

V class

Venus, built by Fairfields, laid down 12 January 1942, launched 22 February 1943, and completed 28 August 1943.
Verulam, built by Fairfields, laid down 26 January 1942, launched 22 April 1943, and completed 10 December 1943.
Vigilant, built by Swan Hunter, laid down 31 January 1942, launched 22 December 1942, and completed 10 September 1943.
Virago, built by Swan Hunter, laid down 16 February 1942, launched 4 February 1943, and completed 5 November 1943.
Hardy, flotilla leader, built by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, laid down on 14 May 1942, launched 18 March 1943, and completed 14 August 1943. She was lost on 30 January 1944.
Valentine, built by John Brown, laid down 8 October 1942, launched 2 September 1943, and completed 28 February 1944. She was transferred to Canada as HMCS Algonquin.
Vixen, built by J. Samuel White, Cowes, laid down 31 October 1942, launched 14 September 1943, and completed 5 March 1944. She was transferred to Canada as HMCS Sioux.
Volage, built by J. Samuel White, laid down 31 December 1942, launched 15 December 1943, and completed 26 May 1944.

W class

Ship Shipyard Launched Fate/notes
Kempenfelt John Brown, Clydebank 8 May 1943 Flotilla leader. Sold to Yugoslavia 1956. After refit served as Kotor. Scrapped 1971
Wager 1 November 1943 Sold to Yugoslavia 1956, served as Pula after refit. Scrapped 1971.
Wakeful Fairfields 30 June 1943 converted to Type 15 anti submarine frigate, later a training ship, scrapped 1971
Wessex 2 September 1943 Transferred to South Africa, 1950 as Jan van Riebeeck Scrapped 1978.
Whelp Hawthorn Leslie 3 June 1943 Transferred to South Africa, 1953 as Simon van der Stel. Scrapped Durban 1976.
Whirlwind 30 August 1943 converted to Type 15 A/S frigate, lost while used as target 1974
Wizard Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow 29 September 1943 Broken up in March 1967 at Inverkeithing.
Wrangler 30 December 1943 Transferred to South Africa, 1957 as Vrystaat. Sunk as target 1976.

Z class

Ship Shipyard Launched Fate/notes
Myngs Vickers-Armstrong, Tyneside 31 May 1943 Flotilla leader completed June 1944. Transferred to Egypt, 1955 as El Qaher. Sunk in 1970 by Israel aircraft
Zephyr 15 July 1943 Broken up July 1958 at Dunston.
Zambesi Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 12 November 1943 Broken up December 1959 at Briton Ferry.
Zealous 28 February 1944 Transferred to Israel 1955 as Eilat, sunk 1967 by an Egyptian missile boat.
Zebra William Denny and Brothers, Dunbarton 8 March 1944 Broken up February 1959 at Newport.
Zenith 5 June 1944 Refitted 1950. Transferred to Egypt, 1955 as El Fateh Modernised in UK 1963-1964.
Zest John I. Thornycroft, Woolston 14 October 1943 Refitted 1945. Sold in 1969 and broken up 1970
Zodiac 11 March 1944 Transferred to Israel, 1955 as Yaffo. Taken out of service in 1972



"Ca" (or 11th Emergency) Flotilla

This flotilla was authorised under the 1941 Programme. The first pair was ordered from Yarrow on 16 February 1942; the other six were ordered on 24 March, a pair each from John Brown, Scotts and Cammell Laird. However, on 12 August 1942 the contract for the last pair was moved from Cammell Laird to White. Their originally-allocated names were altered to new names beginning with "Ca-" in November 1942. The John Brown pair - Caesar and Cavendish - were fitted as Leaders.

On completion they formed the 6th Destroyer Flotilla for service in the Home Fleet. At the end of the war in Europe the flotilla was transferred to the East Indies Fleet and the ships arrived on station between August and November 1945, too late to see service against Japan. They remained in the Indian Ocean until May 1946 when they returned home and paid off into operational reserve.

Name Pennant Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Fate
Caprice (ex-Swallow) R01
later D01		 Yarrow, Scotstoun 28 September 1942 16 September 1943 5 April 1944 Modernised by Yarrow 1959. Paid off March 1973.
Scrapped 1979 at Queenborough.
Cassandra (ex-Tourmaline) R62
later D10		 Yarrow, Scotstoun 3 January 1943 29 November 1943 28 July 1944 Modernised by Yarrow 1960. Paid off January 1966.
Scrapped at Inverkeithing in 1967.
Caesar* (ex-Ranger) R07
later D07		 John Brown, Clydebank 3 April 1943 14 February 1944 5 October 1944 Modernised 1957-60 at Rosyth. Paid off June 1965.
Scrapped 1967 at Blyth.
Cavendish* (ex-Sibyl) R15
later D15		 John Brown, Clydebank 19 May 1943 12 April 1944 13 December 1944 Modernised 1956. Laid up 1964.
Scrapped 1967 at Blyth.
Cambrian (ex-Spitfire) R85
later D85		 Scotts, Greenock 14 August 1942 10 December 1943 14 July 1944
by John Brown		 Modernised 1963. Paid off December 1968.
Scrapped 1971 at Briton Ferry.
Carron (ex-Strenuous) R30
later D30		 Scotts, Greenock 26 November 1942 28 March 1944 6 November 1944 Modernised August 1955 as Training Ship. Paid off March 1963.
Scrapped 1967 at Inverkeithing.
Cavalier (ex-Pellew) R73
later D73		 White, Cowes 28 February 1943 7 April 1944 22 November 1944 Modernised 1957. Paid off July 1972.
Sold October 1977 to be preserved as a museum ship,
since 1999 preserved at Chatham Historic Dockyard, Kent.
Carysfort (ex-Pique) R25
later D25		 White, Cowes 12 May 1943 25 July 1944 20 February 1945 Modernised 1956. Paid off February 1969.
Scrapped 1970 at Newport.

"Ch" (or 12th Emergency) Flotilla

Six destroyers, the first of 26 'Intermediate' destroyers to be authorised under the 1942 Programme, were ordered on 24 July 1942, a pair each from Thornycroft, Scotts and Alexander Stephen. The fourth pair was originally intended to be ordered from Vickers Armstrongs, Walker-on-Tyne, but instead were ordered from Denny on 30 July. The Chequers and Childers were fitted as Leaders.

Name Pennant Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Fate
Chaplet R52 Thornycroft, Woolston 29 April 1943 18 July 1944 24 August 1945 Laid up 1961. Sold for scrapping 1965.
Charity R29 Thornycroft, Woolston 9 July 1943 30 November 1944 19 November 1945 Transferred to Pakistan Navy as Shah Jehan 16 December 1958, irreparably damaged by Indian Navy warships off Karachi 4 December 1971 and scrapped as a result
Chequers * R61 Scotts, Greenock 4 May 1943 30 October 1944 28 September 1945 Laid up 1964, scrapped 1966.
Chieftain R36 Scotts, Greenock 27 June 1943 26 February 1945 7 March 1946 Scrapped 1961.
Chevron R51 Alex. Stephen, Linthouse 18 March 1943 23 February 1944 23 August 1945 Accommodation ship at Rosyth, scrapped 1969.
Cheviot R90 Alex. Stephen, Linthouse 27 April 1943 2 May 1944 11 December 1945 Harbour training ship at Rosyth 1960. Sold for scrapping 1962.
Childers * R91 Denny, Dumbarton 27 November 1943 27 February 1945 19 December 1945 Laid up 1958. Sold for scrapping 1963.
Chivalrous R21 Denny, Dumbarton 27 November 1943 22 June 1945 13 May 1946 Transferred to Pakistan Navy on 29 June 1954 as Taimur, scrapped 1961.


A lot of the war emergency destroyers were converted to type 15 and 16 frigates to get the most out of them until enough of the Leander class frigates entered service.

"Co" (or 13th Emergency) Flotilla

The first four of these destroyers were ordered in August 1942 - Comus and Concord on 7th, Contest on 12th and Consort on 14th. The remaining four destroyers were ordered on 12 September; Constance and Cossack were fitted as Leaders.

Name Pennant Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Fate
Comus R43 Thornycroft 21 August 1943 14 March 1945 8 July 1946 Sold for scrapping 1958.
Concord (ex-Corso) R63 Thornycroft 18 November 1943 14 May 1945 20 December 1946 Harbour Training Ship Rosyth. Sold for scrapping 1962
Contest R12 (later D48) White 1 November 1943 16 December 1944 9 November 1945 Sold for scrapping 1962
Consort R76 Stephen 26 May 1943 19 October 1944 19 March 1946 Sold for scrapping 1961
Cockade R34 Yarrow 11 March 1943 7 March 1944 29 September 1945 Paid off 1958. Sold for scrapping 1964.
Comet R26 Yarrow 14 June 1943 22 June 1944 6 June 1945 Paid off 1958. Sold for scrapping 1962.
Constance* R71 Vickers Armstrongs, Walker 18 March 1943 22 August 1944 31 December 1945 Sold for scrapping 1956.
Cossack* R57 Vickers Armstrongs, Walker 18 March 1943 10 May 1944 4 September 1945 Sold for scrapping 1961.




"Cr" (or 14th Emergency) Flotilla

All eight destroyers were ordered on 12 September 1942, two each from John Brown, Yarrow, White and Scotts; the John Brown pair - Crescent and Crusader - were fitted as Leaders.

Name Pennant Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Fate
Crescent R16 John Brown 16 August 1943 20 July 1944 21 August 1945 To Canada 1945, extensive modernisation to anti-submarine Destroyer Escort 1952–56. Scrapped 1971
Crusader R20 John Brown 15 November 1943 5 October 1944 26 November 1945 To Canada 1945, Scrapped 1964.
Croziers R20 Yarrow 26 October 1943 19 August 1944 30 November 1945 To Norway as Trondheim 1945, sold for scrapping 1961.
Crystal R38 Yarrow 13 January 1944 12 February 1945 6 February 1946 To Norway as Stavanger 1945, scrapped 1967.
Crispin (ex-Craccher) R68 White 1 February 1944 23 June 1945 10 July 1946 To Pakistan as Jahangir 18 March 1958, scrapped 1982.
Creole R82 White 3 August 1944 22 November 1945 14 October 1946 To Pakistan as Alamgir 20 June 1958, scrapped 1982.
Cromwell (ex-Cretan) R35 Scott's 24 November 1943 6 August 1945 16 September 1946 To Norway as Bergen 1946, scrapped 1967.
Crown R46 Scott's 16 January 1944 19 December 1945 17 April 1947 To Norway as Oslo 1945, scrapped 1968.


Original drawings on even older drawings, execution needed a bit of work.







 

Wartime Service of HMS Savage - real time line (from Wiki)

The Admiralty had designs for a new 4.5 inches (114 mm) gun to be installed in twin and single turrets, the former for the upcoming Battle-class destroyers and the latter for the Z-class and C-class destroyers. Savage was equipped with a twin mount forward and two single mounts aft, replacing the single QF Mark XII 4.7 in guns of her sisters.

After completion, Savage joined the aircraft carrier Furious and the battleships Alabama, Anson, Duke of York, Malaya and South Dakota in Operation Camera, a diversionary maneuver off the Norwegian coast to distract German forces from the Allied invasion of Sicily. The diversion was not successful as it was not detected by German aircraft.

On 25 July, Savage escorted the aircraft carriers Illustrious and Unicorn on Operation Governor, an offensive sweep off Norway. On 11 August, she joined the fleet escorting them to Gibraltar in support of the Allied invasion of Italy, and on 13 October escorted King George V from Gibraltar to Scapa Flow.

For the majority of her wartime career, Savage supported Arctic convoys. As Savage was a Flotilla leader, the ship was used as the Escort Commanders ship for the convoys escorts.

Convoy sailed Joined convoy Convoy No. Left convoy Convoy arrived
1 November 1943 3 November 1943 RA 54A 9 November 1943 14 November 1943
22 November 1943 25 November 1943 JW 54B 02 December 1943 03 December 1943
12 December 1943 18 December 1943 JW 55A 20 December 1943 22 December 1943
20 December 1943 23 December 1943 JW 55B 27 December 1943 30 December 1943
22 December 1943 23 December 1943 RA 55A 25 December 1943 1 January 1944
12 January 1944 16 January 1944 JW 56A 27 January 1944 28 January 1944
22 January 1944 29 January 1944 JW 56B 1 February 1944 1 February 1944
3 February 1944 3 February 1944 RA 56 7 February 1944 11 February 1944
20 February 1944 22 February 1944 JW 57 28 February 1944 28 February 1944
2 March 1944 2 March 1944 RA 57 8 March 1944 10 March 1944
11 November 1944 11 November 1944 RA 61A 17 November 1944 17 November 1944
30 December 1944 1 January 1945 JW 63 8 January 1945 8 January 1945
11 January 1945 11 January 1945 RA 63 18 January 1945 21 January 1945
17 February 1945 21 February 1945 RA 64 26 February 1945 28 February 1945
11 March 1945 15 March 1945 JW 65 21 March 1945 21 March 1945
23 March 1945 23 March 1945 RA 65 30 March 1945 01 March 1945

At the end of the war, on 12 May 1945, Savage escorted the 1st Cruiser Squadron led by Devonshire that returned Crown Prince Olav to Norway.


Battle of North Cape 1943

Convoy JW 55B left Loch Ewe on 20 December 1943 and was expected to reach Bear Island on Christmas Day about the same time as Convoy RA 55A which had departed Kola two days later. Savage formed part of the destroyer screen for Force 2, the covering force led by Duke of York.

Early on 26 December the Admiralty signalled that the German battleship Scharnhorst was at sea. Savage and the rest of heavy force intercepted the German vessel as she was heading away after unsuccessfully attacking the convoy. The combination of torpedo attacks from the destroyers and the cruisers HMS Belfast and Jamaica and radar directed gunfire from Duke of York and the cruisers crippled Scharnhorst, which sank at 19:45. The four destroyers in the screen, Saumarez, Savage, Scorpion, and the Norwegian Stord, scored at least three hits.

Post war service

HMS Savage was refitted and redeployed as a Gunnery Firing Ship at Portsmouth after September 1945 Reduced to Reserve status at Chatham in 1948, the ship was recommissioned for trials using new designs of shafts and propellers in 1950. Although refitted and modernised, Savage was never actively deployed. She was placed on the Disposal List in 1960 and arrived at Newport to be broken up on 11 April 1960.


 

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