Technical information
Type | Destroyer |
Displacement | 1190 BRT |
Length | 314 |
Complement | 190 men |
Armament | 4 x 4in guns (4x1) |
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 Canadian Navy ships of the Town class
To see all Town class ships click here.
HMCS Annapolis (I 04) | ||
HMCS Columbia (I 49) | ||
HMCS Hamilton (I 24) | ||
HMCS Niagara (I 57) | ||
HMCS St. Clair (I 65) | ||
HMCS St. Croix (I 81) | Lost on 20 Sep 1943 | |
HMCS St. Francis (I 93) | ||
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Town class ships hit by U-boats (7) | |||
19 Aug 1941 | HNoMS Bath | Sunk | U-204 |
31 Jan 1942 | HMS Belmont | Sunk | U-82 |
11 Apr 1943 | HMS Beverley | Sunk | U-188 |
18 Oct 1941 | HMS Broadwater | Sunk | U-101 |
16 Jan 1945 | USSR Dejatelnyj | Sunk | U-956 |
20 Sep 1943 | HMCS St. Croix | Sunk | U-305 |
19 Dec 1941 | HMS Stanley | Sunk | U-574 |
Books dealing with this subject include:
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