Allied Warships


Destroyers

Shakespeare class

3 ships


The Shakespeare class destroyer HMS Wallace.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1554 BRT 
Length329 feet (oa) 
Complement164 men 
Armament

Broke and Keppel;
5 4.7" guns (5x1)
1 3" AA gun
1 MG AA
6 x 21" torpedo tubes (2x3)

Wallace (as fast escort);
4 4" AA guns (2x2)
4 2pdr AA (1x4)
2 20mm AA (2x1)
8 .5" AA (2x4) 

Max speed33 knots
EnginesGeared steam turbines 
Power40000 hp 
Notes on class

Designed and built by Thornycroft as flottilla leaders for the V & W-class destroyers.

HMS Shakespeare and HMS Spencer were decommissioned in the 30's and sold for scrap in 1936.

4 additional destroyers (Spragge, Barrington, Hughes and Saunders) of this class were cancelled after the end of WWI in Dec 1918.

HMS Wallace was reconstructed to a fast escort more or less on the same lines as the Admiralty V & W-class fast escort conversions. She had however, being larger, more small AA machine guns.

HMS Broke and HMS Keppel were modified for escort duties during the war. 


All ships of the Shakespeare class:

Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Broke (D 83) (lost 8 Nov 1942)
HMS Keppel (D 84)

Fast escort

Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Wallace (L 64)

1 destroyer of the Shakespeare class lost.


Return to the Allied Warships section