TOWN Class (original) (raw)

Characteristics:

| | Original(WICKES (Little) class) | Original(WICKES (Lamberton) class) | Original(CLEMSON class) | Early WWII | Final | | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Displacement | 1,154 tons | 1,213 tons | 1,215 tons | 1,069 tons (1,190 for BUXTON, ST CROIX, and ST FRANCIS) | | Dimensions | 95.7 x 9.3 x 2.7 meters (314 x 30.5 x 9 feet) | | | | | Propulsion | Twin shafts;4 - Yarrow water tube boilers;2 - Curtis geared turbines, 24,200 shp;35 knots | Twin shafts;4 - Thornycroft boilers;2 - Parsons geared cruise turbines;2 - direct drive turbines, 24,900 shp;35 knots | Twin shafts;4 - Yarrow water tube boilers;2 - Curtis geared turbines, 26,500 shp;35 knots | Same as original, except:Some ships had 4th boiler removed. Speed generally reduced to 28 knots due to age. | | Range | The fuel bunkers carried, and thus the range, of these ships varied between sub-classes. The CLEMSON class, on average, carried 35% more fuel than the WICKES class, and the range of the WICKES class ships varied between the sub-classes. In general, these ships were not capable of crossing the Atlantic without refuelling, and some ships may have had additional fuel tanks added in place of a boiler. | | | | | Crew | 103 | 101 | 114 | 153 | | Radar | None | SW1C / SW2CorType 286 (ST. FRANCIS & ST. CLAIR) | SW1C or SW2CType 271 | | | Sonar | Probably none. | Unknown, but presumably an early-war set such as Type 123 or 124. | | | | Fire Control | None. | | | | | EW | None. | | | | | Armament | 3 or 4 - 4"/50 Mk.9 singles; 2 - 3"/23 AA;12 - 21" torpedo tubes | 1 or 3 - 4"/50 Mk.9 singles;1 - 3"/40 Mk.V AA single;2 or 4 20mm Oerlikon AA;3 - 21" torpedo tubes;4 MK.I DCT;2 depth charge rails. | 1 or 3 - 4"/50 Mk.9 singles;1 - 3"/40 Mk.V AA single;2 or 4 20mm Oerlikon AA;3 - 21" torpedo tubes;1 Hedgehog ASW mortar;4 MK.I DCT;2 depth charge rails. | | | | Original(WICKES (Little) class) | Original(WICKES (Lamberton) class) | Original(CLEMSON class) | Early WWII | Final |

Ships:

Notes:

This class of overage WWI US destroyers were among the 50 such ships given to the RN under the Lend-Lease program, six of which almost immediately reverted to the RCN, with two transferred later. The RN ships were named after British towns, but the RCN examples were named after border rivers with the exception of ANNAPOLIS, BUXTON, and HAMILTON. At a desperate time in the Battle of the Atlantic, these ships helped to fill a great void in both the Royal and Royal Canadian Navies.

These ships, alternatively called "flush-deckers" and "four-stackers", were not a homogenous class and consisted of the two main WICKES and CLEMSON classes with various sub-classes built in different shipyards to differing designs, and there was a variety of equipment and machinery fitted. The WICKES class in particular was made up of Bath, Little, and Lamberton sub-classes. Although good for their day, these ships were very wet in heavy seas, were top heavy necessitating the removal of some equipment before assuming their new ASW role, and had very poor turning circles. They were also quite worn out by the time they entered service with the RCN.

As originally laid down by the USN, they carried up to four 4"/50 guns, the forward gun ahead of the bridge with a gun shield, two port and starboard aft of the bridge (midships), and one right aft at the stern. The latter gun was replaced with depth charge rails when they entered Canadian service, and some ships lost the midships pair as well, to have them replaced with AA armament. The twelve torpedo tubes were arranged in triple mountings, in two port and starboard sets aft of amidships. Most of the torpedo tubes were removed, leaving only one triple mounting relocated to the centreline in order to save weight and make room for a 3" AA mounting. Some ships, such as ANNAPOLIS and COLUMBIA, lost boilers either to increase fuel storage, or when a boiler burned out.

On September 20, 1943, ST CROIX was sunk by a torpedo, and only 81 men were saved. When HMS ITCHEN was sunk two days later, only one of these survived. Many of the class suffered from mechanical problems, and were relegated to the torpedo training role. All were paid off soon after the war's end.

For more photos and information on this class of ships, please refer to the HMCS COLUMBIA and HMS LEAMINGTON photo features in the Battle of the Atlantic section of the Haze Gray site.

ANNAPOLIS Notes: 1. ANNAPOLIS at anchor. Her fourth funnel was cut down after the fourth boiler burned out and was removed. The ship sports both a SW1C radar at the mast head as well as the Type 271 in the lantern before the mast. Photo courtesy of James Doiron. 1 2 3 4
BUXTON Notes: 1 2 3 4
COLUMBIA Notes: 1. COLUMBIA fairly early on in the war, with the SW1C radar antenna installed at the mast head but before the Type 271 had been installed. Photo courtesy of John Sadler.2. Taken about the same time as the first photo. Photo courtesy of John Sadler.3. Taken very early on, with the full fit of twelve torpedo tubes, prior to the removal of 9 of them. Photo courtesy of RCL White Ensign. 1 2 3 4
HAMILTON Notes: 1. HMCS HAMILTON, shown here, suffered several collisions and a grounding, and never actually crossed the Atlantic during the Second World War. She was allocated to HMCS Cornwallis as a training ship in 1943. DND photo, Courtesy of Bill Croshaw. 1 2 3 4
NIAGARA Notes: 1. A TOWN class destroyer, almost certainly HMCS NIAGARA based on the resemblance between the first two photos, either just before or after being handed over from the USN. The degaussing wire is visible on the hull. Photo courtesy of Bjoern Rehnfeldt.2. HMCS NIAGARA, again very early on in her RCN career, with a full complement of torpedo tubes fitted. The wire running the perimeter of the ship is for degaussing it. DND photo, Courtesy of Dave Shirlaw.3. Taken fairly early on in the war, the torpedo tube complement has been reduced and a 3"/40 gun added aft, but before the fitting of the Type 271 radar. DND photo, Courtesy of Dave Shirlaw. 1 2 3 4
ST. CLAIR Notes: 1. Taken in Halifax Harbour, ST. CLAIR appears to have a Type 286 radar antenna installed at the mast head. Photo courtesy of Gord Condie and Bill Croshaw.2. 1 2 3 4
ST. CROIX Notes: 1. ST. CROIX (possibly as USS MCCOOK) is closest to the wharf, and is painted in USN colours with a USN hull number visible. Before being sunk, she was probably the most successful TOWN class ship in the RCN. DND photo, Courtesy of Dave Shirlaw.2. A view of her deck. Photo courtesy of John Cosgrove. 1 2 3 4
ST. FRANCIS Notes: 1 2 3 4

Sources:

Barrie, Ron and Macpherson, Ken. (2002). This Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910-2002. Vanwell Publishing Ltd. St. Catherines, Ont.

Jane's Fighting Ships, Various Editions

NavSource Destroyer Photo Archives web site.

Destroyer History Foundation web site.