RN Frigates: Type 15 Anti Submarine Conversions

[jbryce1437]

At the end of the second world war, many of the War Emergency destroyers were obsolete. Many had been constructed with armament that was available at the time and they were relatively small in size. Many of the destroyers were relatively new and many had not seen any active service, having been completed near the war end.
After the war, a modernisation programme was implemented which saw many of them converted into anti submarine frigates. Of the 47 War Emergency destroyes built, some 23 were ear marked for conversion to Type 15 fast anti submarine frigates, while a further 10 were converted, due to budget constraints to the limited design, Type 16 fast anti submarine frigate.
The 23 converted were Rapid, Relentless, Rocket and Roebuck of the R Class, Troubridge of the T Class, Grenville, Ulster, Ulysses, Undaunted, Undine, Urania, Urchin and Ursa of the U Class, Venus, Verulam, Vigilant, Volage and Virago of the V Class, Wakeful, Whirlwind, Wizard and Wrangler of the W Class and Zest of the Z Class.

Undaunted with her Wasp helicopter

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The earliest conversion started in 1949 and the final conversion was completed in 1956, the work being split between the Royal Dockyards and other shipbuilders and ship repairers around the country.
The Type 15 frigates became the backbone of the post war fleet and they saw service around the world. Many of them were fitted with innovative equipment, some had new style bridges fitted and accommodation was vastly upgraded from the war time arrangements. Most retained their four inch gun aft and bofor mountings forward. New mortar Mk 10 mountings were fitted. Some were fitted with torpedo tubes for a new desing of torpedoes but these were later removed as the concept was not a success.
Flight decks were fitted to two of them and Undaunted became the first frigate fitted to carry and operate a helicopter but a flight deck fitted to Grenville was later removed.
In the course of their lifetime, many of the Type 15's became floating test beds for new equipment, or were engaged in a training role with various training squadrons, such as the Dartmouth Training Squadron, Second Frigate Squadron based at Portland, Londonderry Squadron, etc.
The Type 15 anti submarine frigate gave sterling service to the Royal Navy over the years and the final one, Grenville was the last one to be scrapped in 1983.

Undaunted as a Destroyer sailing for trials from the River Mersey

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[timlewin]

and here are a few more with full stories to follow.
tim

[jbryce1437]

HMS Grenville was originally the Destroyer Leader of U and V Class. She took her name from Vice Admiral Sir Richard Grenville who was an Elizabethan sailor
After conversion to a Type 15 Frigate, between 1953/4, she re entered service as as leader of the 2nd Training Squadron, based at Portland in Dorset.
She was fitted with an experiment helicopter landing deck in 1957 and conducted trials with the Fairey ultra-light helicopter. The deck was later removed and she replaced HMS Torquay in the 5th Frigate Squadron in 1958. She was then held in reserve at Gibraltar between 1960 and 1964. In 1966 she was towed to Portsmouth Royal Dockyard where she was fitted with a third mast which was fitted with experimental air-search radar, which would later be fitted to the Invincible Class Aircraft Carriers.
In 1969 she replaced HMS Wakeful in the 2nd Frigate Squadron and became trials ship the for Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment (ASWE).
She paid off at Portsmouth in 1974 and was held in reserve until she was scrapped in 1983.

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[ivorthediver]

Ah ....a topic close to my heart , and dear old Chalky White who served on HMS Troubridge [F09] converted at the Wights yard on Isle of Weight in the early 1950's although I'm sure someone will correct me in time , now as for a picture that may take a tad to obtain , so stand by

[ivorthediver]

Sorry should have added that if you look in the model boat section you can find the you tube link to my 1:96 scale model of HMS Troubridge
type 15 Frigate that I built [a few years ago 2011] and still have but she hasn't been in the water for a little while

[ivorthediver]

I seem to recall being told that this depicts a commissioning service on HMS Troubridge , but sadly don't know which one :oops:or on which date .

[Karen]

Not sure if this is the right thread to post these,I’m sure Jim will correct them...

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[James b]

Ulster was my first ship ,I would like say , well only for a week ... for doing our sea training on .
Through training ,you never told much about the inside of ships , a bit more about the upper scupper , so I was very glad I knew what it was all about , having to sling your hammock ,and trail down the Burma Way to the galley , and back , getting down the ladder ,with a full breakfast on your tray ,with out losing it ,onto the mess deck below ..... who,s that OD coming down the ladder !!!!!!
My first ship was Chichester 1966 , with toys on board , unlike Ulster ...so glad I got the feel of things ...

[timlewin]

HMS Ulster was just about the last Type 15 to remain in service, and thereby hangs a tale.

Picture this, a sunny day in Plymouth, Ulster is setting off down the Hamoaze to sea, a manoeuvre that requires he to make a 3-point turn in the channel.
"slow astern" orders the captain.
The ship gathers way sterward.

"Stop engines" orders the captain.....silence, than up to voice pipe come a voice "Telegraph's jammed sir"
"call the chief and tell him to stop engines" orders the captain.
Down in the engine room the chief is standing on the plates watching his gauges, the phone rings and he picks it up, he is standing outside his acoustic hood to better see the clocks.
"Stop both"
"What"??
"Stop both"
"Say again"
meanwhile in the wheelhouse the wrestling match with the recalcitrant telegraph goes on, and the ship continues to progress gracefully backwards across the channel.
Suddenly the telegraph comes free, unfortunately from slow astern to half astern.
Down in the engine room the chief is still trying to hear the phone, with that the telegraph indicator goes "Ding ding" alf astern.
"OK" say chiefy and puts the phone down to administer more steam.
Ulster gathers way, still astern towards the unforgiving granite embankment.
"Tiller flat" shouts the skipper....
First Lt. runs from the bridge to the quarterdeck
as he reaches the tiller flat hatch milliseconds before the ship reaches the wall
"Out, Out, you men quick"
First man scramble out onto the deck, the second man is half way through the hatch as ship meets granite.
The tiller flat is flattened completely, the compressed air of this ejects the seaman like a champagne cork onto the footpath atop the granite wall under a tsunami of oggin and noise like the crack of doom.
This completely frees the telegraph which dings back to "Stop engines"
Ulster drifts off into mid stream and turn to face the wall.
A great crowd from the Admiralty offices hearing the noise run down to the wall where they find a completely incoherent seaman sitting in an ocean of water, and a peaceful ship quarter of a mile away in mid stream.
The seaman is wearing a cap ribbon swapped with his mate bearing the name "HMS Tiger" then serving somewhere in Australian waters.


Ulster's stern was compressed right to the screws but fortunately no further; Urchin had just been paid off for disposal so some bright spark hit on the idea of putting them stern to stern in dry dock where Ulster's ruined after-end was removed and Urchin's detatched and welded on.

if you don't believe this story, here is the evidence....

[ivorthediver]

Thanks for that Tim ....... I had heard the storey, but not seen the evidence now so kindly aired by your good self .

That must have caused quite a Stir along with a few ruffled feathers I'll bet .

I wonder what the enquiry made of it afterwards