Allied Warships


Destroyers

C class

6 ships


The C class destroyer HMCS Ottawa (i). She was lost on 14 Sep 1942.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1360 BRT 
Length329 feet 
Complement138 men 
Armament

4 4.7" guns (4x1)
2 2pdr AA (2x1)
8 21" torpedo tubes (2x4)  

Max speed36 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 2 shafts 
Power36000 HP 
Notes on class

The specifications as listed above are for the 'normal' C-class destroyers. HMS Kempenfelt/HMCS Assiniboine was fitted as flotilla leader and had some different specifications; Displacement: 1390 BRT Complement: 175 men.

These ships were repeat B-class ships with only minor modifications.

The C-class destroyers were taken over by the R.C.N. from the R.N. before the Second World War with the exception of the Flotilla leader HMS Kempenfelt. She was taken over in October 1939.

The survivors were later modified for escort duties. 


All ships of the C class:

Royal Canadian Navy (more on Royal Canadian Navy)

HMCS Fraser (H 48) (lost 25 Jun 1940)
HMCS Ottawa (i) (H 60) (lost 14 Sep 1942)
HMCS Restigouche (H 00)
HMCS St. Laurent (H 83)

Flotilla leader

Royal Canadian Navy (more on Royal Canadian Navy)

HMCS Assiniboine (I 18)

Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Kempenfelt (i) (I 18) (Transferred to Canada as HMCS Assiniboine)

2 destroyers of the C class lost.


C class ships hit by U-boats (1)

14 Sep 1942HMCS Ottawa (i)SunkU-91


The last stand of the tin can sailors

Hornfischer, James D.

Books dealing with this subject include:

200,000 Miles Aboard the Destroyer Cotten, Robinson, C. Snelling, 1999
Blood on the Sea, Parkin, Robert Sinclair, 1996
A Blue Water Navy, WAB Douglas, R. Sarty, M. Whitby et al., 2007
Cadillac of Destroyers, Barrie, Ron and Macpherson, Ken, 1996
Cape Hatteras, Lloyd, Keith Warren, 2008
Capturing Enigma, Harper, Stephen, 2000 (transl.)
Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, Chesneau, Roger, 1988
The Court-Martial of Ensign Mason, Nash, Edgar M., 2001
DD 522 : Diary of a destroyer, Surels, Ron, 1996
Deadly Seas, Bercuson, David Jay and Herwig, Holger H., 1997 (transl.)
Destroyer, Brookes, Ewart, 1973
Destroyer Captain, Hill, Roger, 1986
Destroyer Escort Sailors, Destroyer Escort Sailors Assn., 1997
Destroyer Escorts in Action, Adcock, Al, 1997
Destroyer Escorts of World War Two, Walkowiak, Thomas F., 1996



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