RN Destroyers: Battle Class

[timlewin]

thanks Ivor, it is a standard AP (Admiralty Pattern) wheel of the period so absolutely correct for its place, the inboard one cam from E-bay and rather looks it (being a bit sniffy). I think this is the wheel from the emergency/aft conning position of Corunna, she was a heavy ship to steer and the QM was always grumbling so dad had the chippy remove the top spoke and refit one a foot longer so when it was lunch time had he needed to go hard over there was the right degree of added purchase, see illustration, this manoeuvre was always reserved for the time lunch was on the table as I am sure others will testify.

Here is a rather fuzzy photo taken from a self-publication by a national serviceman who made a small book from his letters home from Corunna during dad's commission, this wheel has normal spokes, as per the wheel in Belfast. Taken in the days when you had to pose and get a mate to snap you, pre-selfie.

Dave, I am sure you are correct, I have the same picture and its dated 1956, I believe it was taken by a helo from Eagle.

[DaveH]

Thank you Tim . Most of the memory cells are still intact . They were great looking ships along with the Weapon Class , but then again all Destroyers had that dash about them . I think the charm if you can call it that began to deminish with the emergence of the Darings , they never seemed to draw the same whatever . Although they were probably more comfortable to live on .

[Little h]

As I have mentioned previously I served in two ships of the Battle Class; the first was in Capt D3's ship - Saintes D84, the second was in the 'canteen boat' (junior skipper of the squadron) - Camperdown D32 in 1st DS .... quite the dichotomy!

I noted that another derivative of the Battle Class Destroyer was built in the form of three ships for the Venezuelan Navy (see recent posts in World Navies Other Navies Venezuelan Navy- they appear to have been well gunned.

[timlewin]

to me the Battles were the epitomy of good looking ships, maybe a carried over childhood impression but the balance of the design just had it all. I never liked the funnels arrangement of the Weapons/Darings, just didn't look "right".
I wonder from time to time why Canada never took them on like Australia?

[oldsalt]

From a Stokers point of view the burners on the boilers were a bit fiddly. The furnaces were open fronted ie the air for combustion went into the furnace through the front. The air supply shut off was controlled by two flaps which took both hands to operate with hands placed one above the other an awkward arrangement. Otherwise they were well designed good looking ships.

[timlewin]

and here is a photo of the boiler front of St. James, and the wheels that make the screws go round....Both from "Away Seaboat"...

[oldsalt]

Thanks Tim, the shots of the ER & boiler front, exactly as remembered.

[timlewin]

there are the working parts of St. James from the Malins commission. Glad to restore old memories...

[Brian James]

Battle Class Destroyer HMS Hogue pictured in 1946.

[Brian James]

Battle Class Destroyer HMS St Kitts pictured with Southampton Class Light Cruiser HMS Glasgow and Black Swan Class Sloop HMS Magpie in 1954.