Town-class destroyer explained

The Town-class destroyers were a group of 50 destroyers of the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy that were in service during the Second World War. They were transferred from the United States Navy in exchange for military bases in the British West Indies and Newfoundland, as outlined in the Destroyers for Bases Agreement between the United Kingdom and United States, signed on 2 September 1940. They were known as "four-pipers" or "four-stackers" because they had four smokestacks (funnels). Later classes of destroyers typically had one or two.

Some went to the Royal Canadian Navy at the outset. Others went on to the Royal Norwegian Navy, the Royal Netherlands Navy, and the Soviet Navy after serving with the Royal Navy. Although given a set of names by the Commonwealth navies that suggested they were one class they actually came from three classes of destroyer:,, and . "Town class" refers to the Admiralty's practice of renaming these ships after towns common to the United States and the British Commonwealth. Ships initially commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy, however, followed the Canadian practice of giving destroyers the names of Canadian rivers. The rivers selected for the Town class were on the border between Canada and the United States, with the exception of Annapolis — the name of both a river in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, and the location of the United States Naval Academy.^[1]

One of the Town-class ships achieved lasting fame: (ex-). In the Commando raid Operation Chariot, Campbeltown, fitted with a large demolition charge, rammed the gates of the Normandie dock at Saint-Nazaire, France. The charge detonated on 29 March 1942, breaching the drydock and destroying Campbeltown, thus destroying the only drydock on the Atlantic coast capable of accepting the . This exploit was depicted in the 1950 Trevor Howard film The Gift Horse, which starred (ex-) after her return from service in the Soviet Union.

Characteristics

Built for service during the First World War, but in the main completed after the end of that conflict, the flush-deckers were, by 1940, the oldest destroyers in the US Navy, and many had been mothballed for the inter-war period. While contemporaneous to the British s they were not much liked by their crews. While the V and W classes set a new standard for destroyer design, the flush-deckers were already obsolescent by comparison.^[2] They were uncomfortable and wet, working badly in a seaway. Their hull lines were rather narrow and 'herring-gutted' which gave them a vicious roll. The officers didn't like the way they handled either, since they had been built with propellers that turned the same way (2-screw ships normally have the shafts turning in opposite directions as the direction of rotation has effects on the rudder and the whole ship when manoeuvring, especially when coming alongside), so these were as awkward to handle as single-screw ships. Their turning circle was enormous, as big as most Royal Navy battleships, making them difficult to use in a submarine hunt which demanded tight manoeuvres, compounded by unreliable "chain and cog" steering gear laid across the main deck. They also had fully enclosed bridges which caused problems with reflections in the glass at night. One Royal Canadian Navy corvette captain described them as "the most dubious gift since the Trojan Horse".^[3] However, despite their disadvantages they were a welcome addition to forces escorting convoys in the Atlantic at a time when the U-boats, operating from newly acquired bases on the Atlantic coast of France were becoming an increasingly serious threat to British shipping. They were also seen as an earnest of the United States’ commitment to support Britain against Nazism.^[4]

The original armament was four 4-inch (102 mm) guns,^[5] one 3-inch (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun, and twelve torpedo tubes.^[6] On the Wickes-class, the 4-inch gun placement was one gun in a shield on the forecastle, one on the quarterdeck and one each side on a platform between the number 2 and number 3 funnels. The Admiralty promptly removed one of the 4-inch guns and six torpedo tubes to improve stability.^[7] Twenty-three of the class had further armament reductions for anti-submarine escort of trade convoys.^[8] Two of the remaining 4-inch guns and three of the remaining torpedo tubes were removed to allow increased depth charge stowage and installation of Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar system.^[8]

Ships in class by origin

The ships were divided by the Royal Navy into four groups based on their characteristics.^[9]

Type A corresponded to the 20 ships of the, having a standard displacement of 1,190 tons powered by geared turbines that produced a maximum speed of 28.5 knots. They were armed with four single 4-inch guns and one 3-inch anti-aircraft gun, with triple 21-inch torpedo tubes. Overall length was 314 ft 4 in, beam 31 ft 8 in and draught 12 ft 10 in.
Type B were the 12 ships of the built to plans prepared by the Bath Iron Works. These were lighter than the type A ships, with a displacement of 1090 tons but they had the same armament and machinery with a slightly better speed of 28.75 kt.
Type C were the 15 ships of the Wickes class built to plans prepared by Bethlehem Steel, with a displacement of 1,060 tons and an improved speed of 29.75 kt.
Type D were the 3 ships of the, smaller again at 1020 tons, with a gun armament of four single 3-inch guns and built with direct drive turbines, but having a speed of 30 kt. The type D vessels were recognizable also in having only three funnels.

Characteristic! scope="col"
Type A	Type B	Type C	Type D
Standard, long tons (t)	1,190	1,090	1,060	1,020
Full load, long tons (t)	1,725	1,530	1,530	1,445
Length	314inchesft4inchesin (ftin)	314inchesft4inchesin (ftin)	314inchesft4inchesin (ftin)	315inchesft6inchesin (ftin)
Beam	31' 8"	31' 0"	31' 8"	31' 2"
Draught	12inchesft10inchesin (ftin)	11inchesft11inchesin (ftin)	11inchesft11inchesin (ftin)	11inchesft0inchesin (ftin)
Machinery	geared turbines	geared turbines	geared turbines	direct drive turbines
Boilers	4	4	4	4
Shafts	2	2	2	3
Speed, knots (kt)	28.5	28.75	29.75	30
Main armament	4× 4-inch guns in single mounts			4×1 3/50 gun
Anti-aircraft guns	1× 3-inch gun.			1×1 3/23
Torpedo tubes	4×3 21-in.	4×3 21-in.	4×3 21-in.	4×3 21-in.

Town-class destroyers assigned to the Royal Canadian Navy
Type	Class	Builder	Completed	Transferred
C			25 July 1919	29 September 1940
C	Wickes	Seattle Dry Dock Co.	6 June 1919	24 September 1940
C	Wickes		14 January 1919	26 September 1940
C	Wickes	Union Iron Works	1 March 1919	29 September 1940
A			30 April 1919	24 September 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Quincy	30 June 1919	24 September 1940

Town-class destroyers assigned to the Royal Navy
Type	Class	Builder	Completed	Transferred
C			21 March 1919	23 September 1940
A		Newport News SB Co.	22 December 1919	8 October 1940
A	Clemson	Newport News SB Co.	3 April 1920	8 October 1940
A	Clemson		5 September 1919	8 October 1940
C	Wickes		17 March 1919	23 September 1940
A	Clemson	Newport News SB Co.	28 February 1920	2 October 1940
A	Clemson	Newport News SB Co.	8 June 1920	8 October 1940
A	Clemson		26 July 1919	8 October 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Squantum	17 March 1919	8 October 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Squantum	24 April 1919	8 October 1940
B	Wickes		12 June 1919	9 September 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Quincy	2 September 1919	9 September 1940
B	Wickes	Bath Iron Works	20 January 1919	9 September 1940
B	Wickes	Bath Iron Works	21 April 1919	9 September 1940
C	Wickes	Newport News SB Co.	18 July 1919	23 September 1940
B	Wickes	Bath Iron Works	6 August 1919	9 September 1940
A	Clemson	Newport News SB Co.	25 June 1920	9 September 1940
A	Clemson	Newport News SB Co.	17 April 1920	9 September 1940
A	Clemson	Newport News SB Co.	21 May 1920	9 September 1940
C	Wickes	Bethlehem Steel Fore River	10 March 1919	23 September 1940
C	Wickes	Bethlehem Steel Fore River	29 March 1919	23 September 1940
B	Wickes	Bath Iron Works	25 August 1919	23 October 1940
B	Wickes		28 July 1919	23 October 1940
D			12 January 1918	23 October 1940
D	Caldwell		19 October 1918	23 October 1940
B	Wickes	Cramp	29 November 1918	23 October 1940
D	Caldwell	Cramp	26 November 1917	23 October 1940
B	Wickes	Bath Iron Works	11 November 1918	23 October 1940
B	Wickes	Bath Iron Works	31 July 1918	25 October 1940
C	Wickes		14 November 1918	5 December 1940
C	Wickes	Union Iron Works	19 October 1918	5 December 1940
C	Wickes	Bethlehem Steel Fore River	14 May 1918	5 December 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Squantum	8 September 1919	26 November 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Squantum	27 June 1919	26 November 1940
B	Wickes		6 April 1918	26 November 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Squantum	2 July 1919	26 November 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Squantum	31 July 1919	26 November 1940
C	Wickes	Bethlehem Steel Fore River	21 March 1919	23 September 1940
B	Wickes	Mare Island Navy Yard	13 September 1919	5 December 1940
C	Wickes	Newport News SB Co.	25 April 1919	23 September 1940
C	Wickes	Newport News SB Co.	26 August 1919	23 September 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Quincy	22 July 1919	23 October 1940
A	Clemson	Bethlehem Steel Quincy	19 May 1919	23 October 1940
B	Wickes		30 April 1921	5 December 1940

Ships in class by operator

Royal Canadian Navy

See main article: Royal Canadian Navy.

*Town*-class destroyers of the Royal Canadian Navy
Date acquired	Service	Fate
1940	convoy escort with WLEF; relegated to training ship April 1944	towed to Boston for scrapping on 22 June 1945.
August 1942	convoy escort with WLEF; relegated to training ship August 1943	She was scrapped on 21 March 1946.
24 September 1940	convoy escort with WLEF; relegated to replenishment hulk Feb 1944	She was scrapped on 7 August 1945.
June 1941	convoy escort with WLEF; relegated to tender August 1943	lost while being towed to Boston for scrapping in 1945.
26 September 1940	on 28 August 1941 Niagara was involved in the capture of U-570, which had surrendered to an RAF Hudson the previous day	She was scrapped by the end of 1947.
29 September 1940	convoy escort with NEF, then WLEF. relegated to submarine depot ship 1943	She was scrapped on 5 March 1946.
24 September 1940	escorting convoy ON 113 she attacked and sank U-90 on 27 July 1942; escorting convoy KMS-10, St Croix and sank U-87	while escorting the combined convoys ONS 18/ON 202, St Croix was twice torpedoed by U-305 and sunk on 20 September 1943; survivors were taken aboard the frigate, which was sunk on 22 September with very heavy loss of life; only one of St Croix's crew of 147 survived.
24 September 1940	convoy escort with MOEF; relegated to training early 1944	She was wrecked while being towed for scrapping on 14 July 1945.

RCN (loaned from the Royal Navy)

*Town*-class destroyers of the Royal Canadian Navy (loaned from the Royal Navy)
Date acquired	Service	Fate
November 1942	transferred to the Soviet Union as Derzky on 16 July 1944; returned to the Royal Navy on 24 June 1949	She was scrapped on 27 July 1949.
September 1942	transferred to the Soviet Union as Zhyostky in August 1944; returned to the Royal Navy on 9 September 1952^[10]	She was scrapped on 16 September 1952.
November 1942	during the fighting around convoy SC 42 in the North Atlantic she shared in the sinking of U-207 on 11 September 1941; while covering convoy WS-17 in the UK approaches, sank U-587 on 27 March 1942; transferred to the Soviet Union as Zhguchy on 17 July 1944; returned on 15 November 1950; hired for the film The Gift Horse, the last Town-class destroyer at sea under her own power	She was scrapped on 3 December 1951.
July 1942	transferred to the Soviet Union as Druzhny on 26 August 1944; returned to the Royal Navy on 24 August 1952	She was scrapped on 3 September 1952.
September 1942	heavily involved in the critical convoy actions of March 1943 with convoy HX-229, landing survivors in the United Kingdom	sold on 24 October 1944 for scrapping.
December 1941	on convoy escort Montgomery rescued the survivors of Scottish Standard on 21 February 1941 and sank the Italian submarine Marcello the next day	She was scrapped on 10 April 1945.
June 1943	transferred to the Soviet Union as Zhivuchy on 16 June 1944; returned to the Royal Navy on 26 June 1949	She was scrapped on 29 June 1949.
September 1942	she was employed as a special escort for specific convoys, including escorting during the supply of Spitfires to Malta	She was scrapped in the US in April 1945.

Royal Navy

See main article: Royal Navy.

*Town*-class destroyers of the Royal Navy
Ex-	Date acquired	Service	Fate
	1940	to Norway as in April 1941	lost on 19 August 1941
	8 October 1940		while escorting troop convoy NA-2 from St. John's, Newfoundland, Belmont was torpedoed by U-82 on 31 January 1942 and sank with the loss of her entire ship's company.
	8 October 1940	she attacked and sank U-187 on 4 February 1942.	Beverley was torpedoed by U-188 on 11 April 1943 and was sunk with the loss of all but four of the ship's company of 152.
	8 October 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	consigned for scrapping in August 1946.
	23 September 1940	to the Soviet Union as Zharky on 16 July 1944; returned to the Royal Navy on 4 March 1949	She was scrapped on 18 May 1949.
	2 October 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	escorting convoy SC 48 between St. John's, Newfoundland and Iceland, Broadwater was torpedoed by U-101 and sunk on 18 October 1941.
	8 October 1940	while escorting convoy OB 318, Broadway took part in the attack on U-110 on 9 May 1941; abandoned by its crew, U-110 was boarded and taken in tow. Escorting convoy HX 237, Broadway located and sank U-89 in the North Atlantic on 14 May 1943	allocated for scrapping in March 1948.
	8 October 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 2 December 1948.
	8 October 1940	one of the ships involved in the recovery of U-570 after its surrender to an RAF aircraft	consigned for scrapping in March 1947.
	8 October 1940	to Canada as in August 1942	Scrapped 21 March 1946
	9 September 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 7 June 1945.
	9 September 1940	Cameron never reached operational service; hit and set on fire by an air raid in Portsmouth on 5 December 1940, she was considered by the U.S. Navy as the worst damaged but surviving destroyer available and was extensively studied for explosive effects and damage control	consigned for scrapping on 1 December 1944.
	9 September 1940	to Netherlands as in March 1941; Returned September 1941	she was destroyed in Operation Chariot, 28 March 1942
	9 September 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 2 January 1948.
	23 September 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 3 December 1948.
	9 September 1940	to Canada as in November 1942; to the Soviet Union as Derzky in July 1944	returned and scrapped 1949
	9 September 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 3 December 1948.
	9 September 1940	to the Soviet Union as Deyatelny in July 1944	lost on 16 January 1945
	9 September 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 18 February 1947.
	23 September 1940	to Canada as in September 1942; to the Soviet Union as Zhyostky in August 1944.	returned and scrapped September 1952
	23 September 1940	to Canada as in June 1941	sold for scrap July 1945, sank under tow to breakers
	23 October 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 30 May 1947.
	23 October 1940	to Canada as in November 1942; to the Soviet Union as Zhguchy in July 1944 (starred in 1950 film The Gift Horse, which depicted the St. Nazaire Raid)	Scrapped December 1951
	23 October 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 19 January 1949.
	23 October 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She outlived all of her sisters in British service and was stripped of valuable scrap and scuttled off Sydney, Australia on 25 May 1946.
	23 October 1940	to Norway as in February 1942; to Canada as in November 1942; to the Soviet Union as Druzny in August 1944	returned and scrapped August 1952
	23 October 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	stripped and beached as a target for rocket firing aircraft off Fidra Island, United Kingdom.
	23 October 1940	to Norway as in December 1940; to Canada as in September 1942	Scrapped 1945
	25 October 1940	to Canada as in December 1941	Scrapped April 1945
	5 December 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	consigned for scrapping on 18 February 1947.
	5 December 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 21 September 1945.
	5 December 1940	to Norway as in March 1941	She was scrapped on 18 February 1947.
	26 November 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped July 1947.
	26 November 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped on 24 July 1945.
	26 November 1940	to Canada as in June 1943; to the Soviet Union as Zhivuchy in June 1944	Returned and scrapped June 1949
	26 November 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	consigned for scrapping on 10 March 1945.
	26 November 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	while returning to Aberdeen on 27 September 1944, poor navigation brought her into the defensive minefields off the east coast of the United Kingdom, and after striking a mine Rockingham was abandoned and sank with the loss of one life.
	23 September 1940	while with convoy HX-222 Roxborough met with such heavy weather that the entire bridge structure was crushed, with eleven dead, including the Commanding Officer and 1st Lieutenant; the sole surviving executive officer managed to regain control of the ship, and under hand steering from aft, she made St. John's, Newfoundland; to the Soviet Union as Doblestny on 10 August 1944; returned to the Royal Navy on 7 February 1949^[11]	She was scrapped on 14 May 1949.
	5 December 1940	to Canada as in September 1942	Scrapped April 1945
)	23 October 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	stripped of usable parts, Sherwood was beached on 3 October 1943 as a target for RAF rocket-equipped Beaufighters.
	23 September 1940	to Norway as in April 1941; to the Soviet Union as Dostoyny in July 1944; returned to the Royal Navy on 28 February 1949	towed for scrapping on 18 May 1949.
	23 September 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped in December 1945.
	23 October 1940	escorting convoy HG 76 from Gibraltar, Stanley and accompanying vessels sank U-131 on 17 December 1941 and U-434 on the following day	Stanley was sunk by U-574 on 19 December 1941 with the loss of all but 25 of her crew.
	5 December 1940	convoy escort with Western Approaches Command	She was scrapped February 1946.

Royal Netherlands Navy

See main article: Royal Netherlands Navy.

Royal Norwegian Navy

See main article: Royal Norwegian Navy.

*Town*-class destroyers of the Royal Norwegian Navy
Date acquired	Service	Fate
9 April 1941		while escorting convoy OG 71 between Liverpool and Gibraltar, Bath was torpedoed by U-204 on 19 August 1941 and sank rapidly.
February 1942	to RCN as in July 1942; to Soviet Union as Druzhny on 26 August 1944; returned to Royal Navy on 24 August 1952	Scrapped on 3 September 1952.
December 1940	to RCN as in September 1942	sold on 24 October 1944 for scrapping.
March 1941	returned to RN in June 1942	scrapped 1947.
14 April 1941	while with convoy SL 81, St Albans took part in the sinking of U-401 on 3 August 1941; encountered the Polish submarine Jastrzab, and in company with the minesweeper Seagull, attacked and sank it in early 1942; transferred to the Soviet Union as Dostoyny on 16 July 1944; returned to the Royal Navy on 28 February 1949	towed for scrapping on 18 May 1949.

Soviet Navy

See main article: Soviet Navy.

*Town*-class destroyers of the Soviet Navy
Date acquired	Service	Fate
16 July 1944	convoy escort in the Arctic Ocean	torpedoed and sunk by U-956 on 16 January 1945 while escorting a White Sea convoy; the last war loss of the class and the only one of the destroyers transferred to the Soviet Union to be lost.
16 July 1944	returned to the Royal Navy on 24 June 1949	Scrapped on 27 July 1949.
10 August 1944	returned to the Royal Navy on 7 February 1949	Scrapped on 14 May 1949.
16 July 1944	returned to the Royal Navy on 28 February 1949	towed for scrapping on 18 May 1949.
26 August 1944	returned to the Royal Navy on 24 August 1952	Scrapped on 3 September 1952.
16 July 1944	returned to the Royal Navy on 4 March 1949	Scrapped on 18 May 1949.
17 July 1944	returned on 15 November 1950	Scrapped on 3 December 1951.
16 June 1944	returned to the Royal Navy on 26 June 1949	Scrapped on 29 June 1949.
August 1944	returned to the Royal Navy on 9 September 1952	Scrapped on 16 September 1952.

References

Book: Naval Weapons of World War Two . Campbell, John . Naval Institute Press . 1985 . 0-87021-459-4.
R Gardiner, R Gray (1985) Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921
Book: British and Dominion Warships of World War II . Lenton, H.T. . Colledge, J.J. . amp . Doubleday and Company . 1968.
Hague, Arnold (1988) Destroyers for Great Britain: A History of the 50 Town Class Ships Transferred From the United States to Great Britain in 1940. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis (Limited view at archive.org)
Book: North Atlantic Run . Milner, Marc . Naval Institute Press . 1985 . 0-87021-450-0.
Roskill, SW (1954) The War at Sea: 1939-1945 Vol I. HMSO (ISBN: none)
Book: U.S. Warships of World War II . Silverstone, Paul H. . Doubleday and Company . 1968.

Notes and References

Milner 1985 p.23
Conway p.124
Bernard Edwards: Convoy Will Scatter; Pen & Sword 2013
Roskill p.348
Campbell 1985 p.143
Silverstone 1968 p.103
Lenton&Colledge 1968 pp.80
Lenton&Colledge 1968 pp.80&90–92
Hague p.14-15
sources differ on whether Zhyostky was HMS Georgetown (Conway p.332) or HMS Roxborough (DANFS)
sources differ on whether Doblestny was HMS Georgetown (DANFS) or HMS Roxborough (Conway p332)