Allied Warships

Destroyers

Town class

7 ships


The destroyer HMCS St. Croix (I 81) of the Royal Canadian Navy. She was lost on 20 Sep 1943.

Technical information

TypeDestroyer
Displacement1190 BRT 
Length314 
Complement190 men 
Armament

4 x 4in guns (4x1)
4 21in torpedo tubes
Depth charge throwers 

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 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)


7 Destroyers of the Town class. 1 of them was lost.

See all Royal Canadian Navy Destroyer classes.


Town class ships hit by U-boats (7)

19 Aug 1941HNoMS BathSunkU-204
31 Jan 1942HMS BelmontSunkU-82
11 Apr 1943HMS BeverleySunkU-188
18 Oct 1941HMS BroadwaterSunkU-101
16 Jan 1945USSR DejatelnyjSunkU-956
20 Sep 1943HMCS St. CroixSunkU-305
19 Dec 1941HMS StanleySunkU-574

Books dealing with this subject include:



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