RN Destroyers: W Class 1943

[jbryce1437]

The W Class of the Emergency War Programme destroyers was a Class of eight destroyers, with Kempenfelt as Flotilla Leader, the rest were: Wager, Wakeful, Wessex, Whelp, Whirlwind, Wizard and Wrangler. Kempenfelt and Wager were later transferred to Yugoslavia as Kotor and Pula. Wessex, Whelp and Wrangler were transferred to the South African Navy as Jan van Riebeeck, Simon van der Stel and Vrystaat respectively.
Wakeful, Whirlwind and Wizard were converted to Type 15 Anti Submarine Frigates post-war - see this thread.
Some Class photos:


Kempenfelt

Kempenfelt-01[1].jpg

hms kempenfelt bpf.jpg

Kempenfelt-03[1].jpg

kempenfeldt-hmt-warden-1954.jpg

Wager

wager.jpg

hms wager refuels from hms victorious.jpg

4%20Apr45%20Illustrious%20and%20%20Wager%20refuelling[2].jpg

Wakeful

Wakeful%20R59-01[1].jpg

hms wakeful,while acting as portsmouth based c.w. training ship 1946-1948 dated 81946.jpg

hms wakeful dated 61950.jpg

HMS_Wakeful thurso bay 1950s.jpg

Wessex

hms wessex during ww2 no date.jpg

wessex-sa.jpg

Whelp

hms whelp.jpg

hms whelp 1947.jpg

whelp.jpg

Whirlwind

whirlwind-(1943)-stb.side ply.jpg

hms whirlwind 1947.jpg

Wizard

HMS Wizard 2.jpg

hms wizard 1944.jpg

hms wizard destroyer.jpg

wizard at dartmouth.jpg

wizard copy.jpg

Wrangler

hms wrangler dest.jpg

wrangler-&-uss-north-caroli.jpg

wrangler-1951.jpg

[ivorthediver]

Again many thanks Jim , so many names heard but not seen until now , and to think I didn't even know we had all these is to my shame ......credit to you for saving them for posterity ......and your eager forum members

[timlewin]

here is a plaque with Wizards crest presented to TTL when he left the Squadron; there is a short section of Wizard's boatrope attached which refers to TTL's enthusiasm for boatropes to be at the "correct" catenary, not too long so it trails in the oggin, not too tight so there is not enough to haul the seaboat away from the ship's side.

For them as doesn't know in detail; in the old days ships always had a boat ready for lowering, this was invariably the montague whaler pulled by oars, The purpose of the boatrope was that as soon as the whaler hit the water and the falls could be released as the tension came off a party of sturdy matelots on the focsle would run aft pulling the boat rope attached to the bow of the whaler, this allowed the cox of the whaler to sheer away from the ships side and the oars men to get their blades into the water, as soon as the sheer-away was sufficient the release mechanism of the boatrope would be knocked out and the whaler would be on its way, this could be done in less than a minute with properly trained seamen. By the sixties most ships had lost their montague whaler to the replacement 3 in 1 whaler, a heavier carvel boat which had an inboard engine but could still be pulled by oars or sailed, I never saw a 3-1 under any power than its engine though!

the pictures are of TTL's departure from the 17th FS being pulled through the Devonport DY in his beloved Gemini on a gun carriage by all of the Sqn officers, the plaque he is holding is in front of my computer screen right now. The Gemini replaced the Skimmer, the "FMD" or fast motor dinghy, 16', so beloved by older destroyer men. HMYB also had a skimmer, and HMS Belfast has a restored one onboard although a rub down and fresh varnish would not go amiss. The Gemini was power by a Johnson 40HP outboard and went very quickly. TTL used his to go from ship to ship, seated in a small lowered steel chair bolted to the boards and with a matelot on the engine and another lying prone in the rubbery bow holding aloft his captains pennant! who said it wasn't fun?

[ivorthediver]

Thanks Tim , like most of the yesteryear antics there is probably a law agen it now , but its things like that which bonded a crew , and was worthy of a lapse in etiquette on special occasions dont you think .

[timlewin]

thanks Ivor, better still, they were sufficiently autonomous to create their own etiquette, they had a bracket of responsibility far wider than the narrow fenced in world we live in with micro-management and instant communication (mostly valueless). In those days they made the Navy, officers and men, they had responsibility because they deserved it, not imposed on them at the end of an ether connection. I have no idea about today's management, maybe it brings its own autonomy of decision, my connection with the Navy pretty much fizzled out by mid 1960s when TTLs Navy became Whitehall, not bridge watch!

[ivorthediver]

And what a sad day that must have been Tim , It would seem that we are the last breed of humanity who recognise and proliferate good manners , sincerity and respect for others and recognition of these values of worth .

As you say Tim the fruits of your labours are demanded as rights ....not earn't in the time honoured way .......right off my high horse now

[oldsalt]

I was in Wrangler in 1950, she was Boy's training ship at the time (not me). We had a Lieut. Commander as Captain. In Rosyth on occasions the Captain came to work on a horse which he tied up to the gangway. Visited Cuxhaven & Hamburg, both flattened by bombing. We also had the joy of Canteen Messing.

[ivorthediver]

Huh ....spoilt written by the sound of it

[Brian James]

W Class Destroyer HMS Wager pictured during a mail transfer when part of Task Force 113 off Leyte in 1944.

[Brian James]

W Class Destroyer HMS Whirlwind pictured during her Type 15 Fast ASW Frigate conversion at Palmers Shipbuilding & Ironworks Ltd Shipyard at Jarrow on July 13th 1953.