Allied Warships

Destroyers

Town class

44 ships


The destroyer HMS Broadwater (H 81) of the Royal Navy. She was lost on 18 Oct 1941.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1190 BRT 
Length314 
Complement190 men 
Armament

4 x 4in guns (4x1)
4 21in torpedo tubes
Depth charge throwers 

Notes on class

The Town class of ships were exchanged with Great Britain under a "ships for bases" deal agreed between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill. The deal was for a 100 year lease for bases for the US Armed Forces in the Caribbean. They were not part of the famous "Lend-lease" deal later agreed on.

The ships were taken in hand prior to delivery for the replacement of American Navy equipment with RN equipment. However on arrival a much more detailed refit was undertaken. Ships retained by the RCN underwent refits in Canadian dockyards. As with all warships further modifications were put in hand as required.

HMS Campeltown took part in one of the most dramatic naval operations in WW2 when she was modified and had several tons of explosive fitted in her bow. She was then sailed to occupied St. Nazaire, France where she was rammed into the Atlantic Dock caisson, whereupon she eventually exploded killing a large number of German officers and other troops and destroying the dock caisson.

Approximately eighty identical but better preserved destroyers, including USS Reuben James, remained in active service with the United States Navy to become the U-boats' most numerous American adversaries while newer destroyers went to the Pacific.

 

Royal Navy Royal Navy ships of the Town class

To see all Town class ships click here.

HMS Bath (I 17) (to Norway as HNoMS Bath (I 17))
HMS Belmont (H 46) Lost on 31 Jan 1942
HMS Beverley (H 64) Lost on 11 Apr 1943
HMS Bradford (H 72)
HMS Brighton (I 08) (to Soviet Union as USSR Zarkij)
HMS Broadwater (H 81) Lost on 18 Oct 1941
HMS Broadway (H 90)
HMS Burnham (H 82)
HMS Burwell (H 94)
HMS Buxton (H 96) (ex. USS Edwards (DD 265))
HMS Caldwell (I 20)
HMS Cameron (I 05)
HMS Campbeltown (I 42) Lost on 28 Mar 1942
HMS Castleton (I 23)
HMS Charlestown (I 21)
HMS Chelsea (I 35) (to Soviet Union as USSR Derzkij)
HMS Chesterfield (I 28)
HMS Churchill (I 45) (to Soviet Union as Dejatelnyj)
HMS Clare (I 14)
HMS Georgetown (I 40) (to Soviet Union as USSR Zostkij)
HMS Hamilton (I 24) (to Canada as HMCS Hamilton (I 24))
HMS Lancaster (G 05)
HMS Leamington (G 19) (to Soviet Union as USSR Zguchij)
HMS Leeds (G 27)
HMS Lewes (G 68)
HMS Lincoln (G 42) (to Soviet Union as USSR Druznyj)
HMS Ludlow (G 57)
HMS Mansfield (G 76)
HMS Montgomery (G 95)
HMS Newark (G 08)
HMS Newmarket (G 47)
HMS Newport (G 54)
HMS Ramsey (G 60)
HMS Reading (G 71)
HMS Richmond (G 88) (to Soviet Union as USSR Zivuchij)
HMS Ripley (G 79)
HMS Rockingham (G 58) Lost on 27 Sep 1944
HMS Roxborough ( I 07) (to Soviet Union as USSR Doblestnyj)
HMS Salisbury (I 52)
HMS Sherwood (I 80)
HMS St Albans (I 15) (to Soviet Union as USSR Dostojnyj)
HMS St Marys (I 12)
HMS Stanley (I 73) Lost on 19 Dec 1941
HMS Wells (I 95)


44 Destroyers of the Town class. 6 of them were lost.

See all Royal Navy Destroyer classes.


Town class ships hit by U-boats (7)

19 Aug 1941HNoMS BathSunkU-204
31 Jan 1942HMS BelmontSunkU-82
11 Apr 1943HMS BeverleySunkU-188
18 Oct 1941HMS BroadwaterSunkU-101
16 Jan 1945USSR DejatelnyjSunkU-956
20 Sep 1943HMCS St. CroixSunkU-305
19 Dec 1941HMS StanleySunkU-574

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