RN Destroyers: S Class 1943

[jbryce1437]

Eight destroyers made up the S Class of War Emergency Programme Destroyers; Saumarez, Savage, Scorpion, Scourge, Serapis, Shark, Success and Swift. Shark was transferred to the Norwegian Navy on completion as Svenner and was a war loss, Swift was also a war loss.
Scorpion, Scourge and Serapis were transferred to the Dutch Navy as Kortenaar, Evertsen and Piet Hein respectively.
Saumarez was mined in the Corfu Channel Incident in 1946 and was deemed a constructive total loss.
Savage ended her days as a trial ship and was scrapped in 1960.

Jim


Saumarez

hms saumarez , during ww2,dated 71943.jpg

hms saumarez off kola fjord.jpg

hms-saumarez-alongside-ranpura.jpg

Savage

hms savage, off portsmouth, feb 1946.jpg

hms savage,during ww2,dated 51943.jpg

savage-1955.jpg

Scorpion

hms scorpion escorting a convoy to russia during ww2 no date.jpg

Scorpion 1943 pt.qtr[1].jpg

hms-scorpion-s-class-1942.jpg

Scourge

hms scourge seen here off portsmouth from hms arethusa with king george v aboard during the invasion of france dated 1661944.jpg

hms-scourge.jpg

scourge-1942.jpg

Serapis

hms serapis during ww2.jpg

serapis destroyer.jpg

serapis-1943.jpg

Shark

hms shark.jpg

Svenner.jpg

Svenner sinking.jpg

Photo10ddSvenner2ColinHenderson.JPG

Success

success.jpg

success as hnoms stord.jpg

Swift

HMS Swift G46.jpg

[ivorthediver]

Is the last shot and the no 18 the same vessel Jim ? as the picture looks the same to this untrained Eye

[jbryce1437]

Is the last shot and the no 18 the same vessel Jim ? as the picture looks the same to this untrained Eye

Sorry Ivor, mix up with names (have removed the last image). Both of sinkings are of Shark as Svenner different angles Ivor

Jim

[ivorthediver]

Thank you Jim , beginning to think I had opened a duff scotch for a minute there , thanks for the explanation .

[timlewin]

Here is the account of the loss (constructive) of poor Saumarez, and almost loss of Volage who survived to under go a type 15 conversion.

At North Cape Saumarez was hit by an 11" shell from Scharnhorst which did not detonate but completely removed her DCT with all men inside except one who found himself sitting on the bridge 10 feet below, unharmed. The DCT was taken clean off at the rotator ring.

Tim

There is a memorial on the Normandy beaches to Svenner & Swift placed by the men of the resto f the S-flotilla

[ivorthediver]

What a tragic bungling travesty of justice Tim.

The rights and wrongs of the whole matter typifies the total distrust of ALL concerned and underlines the distrust in which they are held

Bad enough to have been at war and survived the confrontation is one thing but to be removed from life by such a wilful act like that is despicable and worse still makes a laughing stock of any reproach through any judiciary system available .........leaves a nasty taste and little desire to offer assistance when peace was declared

[timlewin]

I would highly recommend AFG "Tony" Ditchman's memoir "A Home On The Rolling Main" in which he served as gunnery officer in Scorpion and was there at North Cape when the S flotilla was responsible for stopping Scharnhorst allowing Duke of York to catch up and finish her with guns.

[ivorthediver]

What a tragic bungling travesty of justice Tim.

The rights and wrongs of the whole matter typifies the total distrust of ALL concerned and underlines the distrust in which they are held

Bad enough to have been at war and survived the confrontation is one thing but to be removed from life by such a wilful act like that is despicable and worse still makes a laughing stock of any reproach through any judiciary system available .........leaves a nasty taste and little desire to offer assistance when peace was declared

Please forgive my bad manners Tim , I didn't thank you for posting that very informative report

[Brian James]

S Class Destroyer HMS Savage pictured at HM Underwater Establishment, Portland in 1953..She was ordered on 9th January 1941 from Hawthorn Leslie of Newcastle. She was laid down on 7th December 1941 and launched on 24th September 1942. Her main armament differed from the other ships of this Class and comprised a twin 4.5in and 2 single 4.5in mountings that were prototypes for fitting in future Fleet Destroyers...She was used as a Gunnery Firing Ship at Portsmouth after September 1945 and reduced to Reserve status at Chatham in 1948. She re-commissioned for trials using new design types of shafts and propellers in 1950. Although later refitted and modernised she was never deployed in the active Fleet. She was placed on the Disposal List in 1960 and arrived at Newport to be broken up on 11th April 1960.

[designeraccd]

WW2 views of the SAVAGE with her proto twin 4.5" mount......... DFO