Allied Warships

Destroyers

H class

10 ships


The destroyer HMS Hotspur (H 01) of the Royal Navy.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1340 BRT 
Length323 feet (oa) 
Complement145 men 
Armament

4 4.7" guns (4x1)
2 .5" AA (2x4)
8 21" torpedo tubes (2x4) 

Max speed36 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 2 shafts 
Power34000 HP 
Notes on class

The specifications as listed above are for the 'normal' H-class destroyers. HMS Hardy was fitted as flotilla leader and had some different specifications;
Displacement: 1455 BRT
Complement: 175 men
Lenght: 337 feet (oa)
Armament:
5 4.7" guns (5x1)
8 .5" AA (2x4)
8 21" torpedo tubes (2x4)
Speed: 36 knots
Power: 38000 HP
HMS Hardy was a basically a repeat Grenville with a tripod foremast. The H-class destroyers were repeat of the G-class. HMS Hero and HMS Hereward were fitted with a new style of bridge. Upon completion Hereward was fitted with an experimental twin 4.7" gun mounting in 'B'-position. This gun mounting was replaced by two single 4.7" guns, like in her sister ships, before the war. 


All ships of the H class


Royal Canadian Navy Royal Canadian Navy (more on Royal Canadian Navy)

HMCS Chaudiere (H 99)


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Hasty (H 24) Lost on 15 Jun 1942
HMS Havock (H 43) Lost on 6 Apr 1942
HMS Hereward (H 93) Lost on 29 May 1941
HMS Hero (H 99) (Became the Canadian destroyer Chaudiere)
HMS Hostile (H 55) Lost on 23 Aug 1940
HMS Hotspur (H 01)
HMS Hunter (i) (H 35) Lost on 10 Apr 1940
HMS Hyperion (H 97) Lost on 22 Dec 1940

Flotilla leader


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Hardy (i) (H 87) Lost on 10 Apr 1940


10 Destroyers of the H class. 7 of them were lost.

See all Destroyer classes.



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
A Home on the Rolling Main, A G F Ditcham, 2013
Afridi to Nizam – British Fleet Destroyers 1937 – 43, English, John, 2003
All the Gallant Men, Donald Stratton, 2016
Arctic Convoy PQ8, Michael Wadsworth, 2010
The Battle of Tassafaronga, Russell Syndnor Crenshaw, 2010
Battlestations, Veronico, Nicholas A., 2001
Blood on the Sea, Parkin, Robert Sinclair, 1996
A Blue Water Navy, WAB Douglas, R. Sarty, M. Whitby et al., 2007
British destroyers & frigates, Norman Friedman, 2006
British Destroyers 1892 to 1953, March, Edgar J, 2003
British Destroyers in World War Two, Burt, R.A., 1986
Cadillac of Destroyers, Barrie, Ron and Macpherson, Ken, 1996
Cape Hatteras, Lloyd, Keith Warren, 2008
The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War, Collingwood, Donald, 1999



Return to the Allied Warships section