Bittern-class sloop: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:06, 14 March 2025

Latest revision as of 15:01, 7 July 2025

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

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

{{Use British English|date=JanuaryJuly 20172025}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}

{{Infobox ship image

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|Name=''Bittern'' class

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

* [[John Brown and Company|John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited]], [[River Clyde|Clyde]], UK

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

|Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}}

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

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|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

* 3,300 hp

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

|Ship range=

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|Ship EW=

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

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

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

* [[Depth charges]] 90

* '''''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=

}}

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''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.

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

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| {{HMS|Enchantress|L56|2}}

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

| 9 March 1934

| 21 December 1934

| Sold 1946

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| Broken up 1958

|-

| {{HMS|Bittern|L07|2}}

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

| 27 August 1936

| 14 July 1937

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

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==Service history==

''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.

''Stork'' was completed as an unarmed [[survey vessel]], and was only armed after the outbreak of war. She also served as a convoy escort, and was senior ship in [[36th Escort Group (Royal Navy)|36th Escort Group]] under Cdr. [[Frederic John Walker|FJ Walker]]. She was credited with the destruction of four U-boats. ''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.

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

* {{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}}

* {{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}}

* {{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, UK|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}}