Bittern-class sloop: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|1934 class of British sloops-of-war}}

{|{{Infobox Ship Begin}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}

{{Infobox Ship Image

{{Use British English|date=July 2025}}

|Ship image=[[Image:HMS Stork 1943 IWM FL 22540.jpg|300px]]

{|{{Infobox Shipship Beginbegin}}

|Ship caption=HMS ''Stork'' in July 1943

{{Infobox Shipship Imageimage

|Ship image=[[Image:HMS Stork 1943 IWM FL 22540.jpg|300px]]

|Ship caption=HMS ''Stork'' in July 1943

}}

{{Infobox Shipship Classclass Overviewoverview

|Name=''Bittern'' class

|Builders=[[William Denny & Brothers]], [[Dumbarton]], [[United Kingdom]]<br>[[John Brown and Company|John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited]], [[River Clyde|Clyde]], UK<br>[[J. Samuel White|J S White & Company]], [[Cowes]], UK

|Builders=*[[William Denny & Brothers]], [[Dumbarton]], [[United Kingdom]]

|Operators=[[Royal Navy]]

|Builders=[[William* Denny & Brothers]], [[Dumbarton]], [[United Kingdom]]<br>[[John Brown and Company|John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited]], [[River Clyde|Clyde]], UK<br>[[J. Samuel White|J S White & Company]], [[Cowes]], UK

|Class before=

* [[J. Samuel White|J S White & Company]], [[Cowes]], UK

|Class after=

|Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}}

|Class before={{sclass|Kingfisher|sloop|4}}

|Class after={{sclass|Egret|sloop|4}}

|Subclasses=

|Built range=3

|In commission range=

|Total ships lost=One, HMS ''Bittern''1

|Total ships retired=Two2

}}

{{Infobox Shipship Characteristicscharacteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=<ref name=Conway>Campbell, p. 57</ref>

|Ship type=[[Sloop-of-war]]

|Ship displacement= 1190 Tons

|Ship length={{convert|266|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship beam={{convert|37|ft|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught=

|Ship propulsion=*Geared [[steam turbines]] on two shafts<br>
* 3,300 hp

|Ship speed={{convert|18.75|kn|km/h|adj=on}}

|Ship range=

Line 29 ⟶ 36:

|Ship sensors=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=*'''''Stork''''', '''''Bittern'''''

|Ship armament=Six 4" AA guns (3x2)<br>Four .5" AA guns (1x4)<br>'''''Enchantress'' (as designed):'''<br>Four 4.7" guns (4x1)<br> Four .5" AA guns (1x4)<br>[[Depth charges]]

* Six [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=3}}]] AA guns (3 × 2)

|Ship armour=

* Four [[0.5 inch Vickers machine gun|{{convert|0.5|in|mm|adj=on}}]] AA guns (1 × 4)

|Ship aircraft=

* [[Depth charges]] 90

|Ship aircraft facilities=

* '''''Enchantress'' (as designed):'''

* Four [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX & XII|4.7 inch]] guns (4 × 1)

* Four 0.5-inch AA guns (1 × 4)

* [[Depth charge]]s 60

|Ship notes=

}}

|}

The '''''Bittern'' -class sloop''' was a three -[[ship class]] of long-range escort vessels used in the [[Second World War]] by the [[Royal Navy]].

==Design==

TheyThe ''Bittern'' class were built as light, long-range escort ships with limited anti-air capability. They were fitted with Denny-Brown fin stabilisers and a [[HACS]] fire control system.

Three ships were built: {{HMS|Enchantress|L56|6}} (originally called ''Bittern'', but renamed before launching in 1934), {{HMS|Stork|L81|6}} and {{HMS|Bittern|L07|6}}. ''Enchantress'' was the first in the class, and was built as an armed [[Admiral]]'s yacht. The as-completed armament was two single 4.7-inch guns forward and four 3-pounder saluting guns. Anti-aircraft armament and a third, aft, 4.7-inch gun was installed at the outbreak of war.

They were built as light, long-range escort ships with limited anti-air capability. They were fitted with Denny-Brown fin stabilisers and a [[HACS]] fire control system.

''Stork'' was unarmed on completion, but with provision for six 4-inch guns, plus [[anti-aircraft|AA]] and [[anti-submarine warfare|ASW]] weaponry; she served as a survey vessel in the Far East. Her main armament was added at the outbreak of war.

Three ships were built: [[HMS Enchantress (L56)|HMS ''Enchantress'']], [[HMS Bittern (L07)|HMS ''Bittern'']] and [[HMS Stork (L81)|HMS ''Stork'']]. HMS ''Enchantress'', originally built as HMS ''Bittern'' but renamed before being launched in 1934, was the first in the class, and was built as an armed [[Admiral]]'s yacht. Armament was 2 single 4.7 inch guns forward and 4 3 pounder saluting guns. Anti aircraft armament was installed at the outbreak of war, however the aft turret was originally replaced with accommodation and the armament was never replaced. The under-construction ''Enchantress'' was then renamed ''Bittern''.

''Bittern'' completed as designed, with the same armament as ''Stork''<ref name=Conway/>

The design served as the basis for the [[Egret class sloop]] and the [[Black Swan class sloop]]

The design served as the basis for the [[{{sclass|Egret class |sloop]]|5}} and the [[{{sclass|Black Swan class |sloop]]|1}}s.

==Ships Careers==

==Ships Careersin class==

{| class="wikitable" border="1"

Line 53 ⟶ 67:

! Ship

! Builder

! Laid Down

! Launched

! Fate

|-

| [[{{HMS |Enchantress (|L56)|HMS ''Enchantress'']]2}}

| [[HMS Bittern (L07)|HMS ''Bittern'']]

| [[J.John SamuelBrown Whiteand Company|JJohn SBrown WhiteShipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited]], [[CowesClydebank]]

| 149 JulyMarch 19371934

| Sunk by bombing off Namsos, Norway, 30 April 1940

|-

| [[HMS Enchantress (L56)|HMS ''Enchantress'']]

| [[John Brown and Company|John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited]], [[Clydebank]]

| 21 December 1934

| Sold 1946

|-

|[[ {{HMS |Stork (|L81)|HMS ''Stork'']]2}}

| [[William Denny & Brothers]], [[Dumbarton]],

| 19 June 1935

| 21 April 1936

| Broken up 1958

|-

| [[{{HMS |Bittern (|L07)|HMS ''Bittern'']] 2}}

| [[J. Samuel White|J S White & Company]], [[Cowes]]

| 27 August 1936

| 14 July 1937

| Sunk by bombing off Namsos, Norway, 30 April 1940

|}

==Service history==

HMS ''Stork'' was completed as an unarmed [[survey vessel]], and was only armed after the outbreak of war. The third ship in the class was launched as HMS ''Bittern'', and completed as designed, but was lost to air attacks in the [[Norwegian campaign]] in 1940. HMS ''Enchantress'' survived the war and was sold into civilian service in 1946, being renamed ''Lady Enchantress''. She was broken up in 1952. HMS ''Stork'' remained in service until being broken up in 1958.

''Enchantress'' served as convoy escort throughout the war, and was credited with the destruction of an Italian submarine. She survived the war and was sold into civilian service in 1946, being renamed ''Lady Enchantress''. She was broken up in 1952.

HMS ''Stork'' was completed as an unarmed [[survey vessel]], and was only armed after the outbreak of war. TheShe thirdalso shipserved inas thea classconvoy was launched as HMS ''Bittern''escort, and completedwas assenior designed,ship butin was[[36th lostEscort toGroup air(Royal attacksNavy)|36th in the [[NorwegianEscort campaignGroup]] inunder 1940Cdr. HMS[[Frederic ''Enchantress''John survivedWalker|FJ theWalker]]. war andShe was soldcredited intowith civilianthe servicedestruction inof 1946,four being renamed ''Lady Enchantress''U-boats. She was broken up in 1952. HMS ''Stork'' remained in service until being broken up in 1958.

The third ship in the class was launched as ''Bittern'', and completed as designed. She was involved in the [[Norwegian campaign]], but was lost to air attacks at [[Namsos (town)|Namsos]] in 1940.

==Notes==

Line 78 ⟶ 99:

==References==

* D.{{cite book|first=David K. |last=Brown, |title=''Nelson'' to ''Vanguard,'' |date=2000 |publisher=Chatham Publishing}}

* {{cite book|last=Hague|first=Arnold|title=Sloops: A History of the 71 Sloops Built in Britain and Australia for the British, Australian and Indian Navies 1926–1946|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|___location=Kendal, England|isbn=0-905617-67-3}}

* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau |editor1-first=Roger |publisher=Conway Maritime Press|___location=Greenwich, UK |year=1980 |isbn=0-85177-146-7 |chapter=Great Britain (including Empire Forces)|author-first=N. J. M. |author-last=Campbell |pages=2–85}}

* D.K. Brown, Nelson to Vanguard, 2000 Chatham Publishing

* {{cite book |last1=Colledge |first1=J. J. |title=Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present |date=2020 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |___location=Barnsley, UK |isbn=978-1-5267-9327-0 |edition=5th revised and updated|first2=Ben|last2=Warlow|first3=Steve|last3=Bush|name-list-style=amp}}

* Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946

* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After|year=2008|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|___location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-84832-015-4 |author-link=Norman Friedman}}

* {{cite book|last=Hague|first=Arnold|title=Sloops: A History of the 71 Sloops Built in Britain and Australia for the British, Australian and Indian Navies 1926–1946|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|___location=Kendal, EnglandUK|isbn=0-905617-67-3}}

* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War |publisher=Naval Institute Press|___location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998 |isbn=1-55750-048-7 |author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton}}

* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two |publisher=Naval Institute Press|___location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005 |edition=Third Revised |isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}

==External links==

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{{Bittern class sloop}}

{{WWII British ships}}

{{WWIIBritishShips}}

[[Category:Sloops of the Royal Navy]]

[[Category:Bittern-class sloops| ]]

[[Category:Ship classes of the Royal Navy]]

[[Category:Sloops of the Royal Navy]]

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