Allied Warships


Destroyers

A class

11 ships


The A class destroyer HMS Codrington. She was lost on 27 Jul 1940.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1350 BRT 
Length323 feet (oa) 
Complement138 men 
Armament

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

Max speed35 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 2 shafts 
Power34000 HP 
Notes on class

The specifications as listed above are for the 'normal' A-class destroyers. HMS Codrington was fitted as flotilla leader and had some different specifications;
Displacement: 1540 BRT
Complement: 185 men
Lenght: 343 feet (oa)
Armament:
5 4.7" guns (5x1)
2 2pdr AA (2x1)
8 21" torpedo tubes (2x4)
Power: 39000 HP
Unfortunately Codrington had a large turing circle, much greater than the rest of the class. The result was that there were some difficulties when manuvering her flotilla.

During the conflict the surviving ships underwent changes such as a 3" AA gun in lieu of the after bank of torpedo tubes and 20mm Oerlikon AA guns in the bridge wings.

The Canadian ships HMCS Saguenay and HMCS Skeena were a slightly modified design with heavier plating around the bow so they could operate in waters where there was a risk of Ice, they were not fitted or intended to be icebreakers. 


All ships of the A class:

Royal Canadian Navy (more on Royal Canadian Navy)

HMCS Saguenay (D 79)
HMCS Skeena (D 59) (lost 25 Oct 1944)

Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Acasta (H 09) (lost 8 Jun 1940)
HMS Achates (i) (H 12) (lost 31 Dec 1942)
HMS Acheron (i) (H 45) (lost 17 Dec 1940)
HMS Active (H 14)
HMS Antelope (H 36)
HMS Anthony (H 40)
HMS Ardent (H 41) (lost 8 Jun 1940)
HMS Arrow (H 42)

Flotilla leader

Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Codrington (D 65) (lost 27 Jul 1940)

6 destroyers of the A class lost.



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
Afridi to Nizam – British Fleet Destroyers 1937 – 43, English, John, 2003
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
Capturing Enigma, Harper, Stephen, 2000 (transl.)
Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, Chesneau, Roger, 1988
The Court-Martial of Ensign Mason, Nash, Edgar M., 2001
DD 522 : Diary of a destroyer, Surels, Ron, 1996
Deadly Seas, Bercuson, David Jay and Herwig, Holger H., 1997 (transl.)
Destroyer, Brookes, Ewart, 1973



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