HMS Aberdeen

HMS Aberdeen was a Grimsby-class sloop[2] in the British Royal Navy. Built in Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, UK by Thornycroft (Southampton, UK), she was launched on 22 January 1936.[3]

HMS Aberdeen, underway on the Tyne; Pennant No L97
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Aberdeen
Ordered: 1 March 1935
Builder: Devonport Dockyard
Laid down: 12 June 1935
Launched: 22 January 1936
Sponsored by: Mrs E Watt
Commissioned: 17 September 1936
Identification: Pennant number: L97 (later U97)
Motto:
  • Bon accord
  • ("Good fellowship")
Honours and
awards:
  • [1]
  • Atlantic 1939–45
  • North Africa 1942
Fate: Sold for scrapping, 16 December 1948
Badge: On a Field Red, a triple towered castle surrounded by a double treasure all Silver.
General characteristics
Class and type: Grimsby-class sloop
Displacement:
  • 990 long tons (1,006 t) standard
  • 1,300 long tons (1,321 t) full
Length:
  • 250 ft (76.2 m) p/p
  • 266 ft (81.1 m) o/a
Beam: 36 ft (11.0 m)
Draught: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range: 5,700 nmi (10,600 km; 6,600 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement: 100
Armament:

Construction and design

HMS Aberdeen was one of two Grimsby-class sloops constructed under the 1934 construction programme for the Royal Navy. She was ordered from Devonport Dockyard on 1 March 1935. Two Grimsby-class sloops had been ordered under each of the 1931, 1932 and 1933 programmes, giving a total of eight Grimsby-class ships built for the Royal Navy.[4][5] Four more were built for Australia and one for India.[5] The Grimsby class, while based on the previous Shoreham class, was intended to be a more capable escort vessel than previous sloops, and carried a more powerful armament.[6][7]

Aberdeen was 266 feet 3 inches (81.15 m) long overall, with a beam of 36 feet (10.97 m) and a draught of 9 feet 6 inches (2.90 m) at deep load. Displacement was 990 long tons (1,010 t) standard,[8] and 1,355 long tons (1,377 t) full load.[9] The ship was powered by two geared steam turbines driving two shafts, fed by two Admiralty 3-drum boilers. This machinery produced 2,000 shaft horsepower (1,500 kW) and could propel the ship to a speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph).[10] The ship had a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[9]

While previous ships of the class had been built with a gun armament of 4.7-inch (120 mm) low-angle guns, designed for use against surface targets, by 1934 it was realised that attack from the air posed a significant risk to shipping, and it was decided to fit the sloops of the 1934 programme with an improved anti-aircraft armament. It was planned to equip Aberdeen with three 4-inch (102 mm) dual purpose (anti-aircraft and anti-surface) guns, but she was completed as a despatch vessel, with the aft 4-inch gun and minesweeping gear replaced by extra accommodation.[11] Close-in anti-aircraft defence was provided by a single quadruple .50 in (12.7 mm) Vickers anti-aircraft machine gun mount.[8]

Aberdeen was laid down on 14 June 1935, launched on 22 January 1936 and completed on 17 September 1936.[8]

Modifications

Aberdeen was fitted with the originally planned third 4-inch gun in 1939,[12][10] with four Oerlikon 20 mm cannon added during the war.[8] The ship's depth charge loading increased from 15 to 60–90 during the war,[10][13] while a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar was fitted in 1942, replacing the forward 4-inch gun.[10][14]

Service history

Aberdeen was fitted for use as despatch vessel during construction, and was used by the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet, replacing the First-World War vintage sloop Bryony in the role.[12][15] She served in the Mediterranean up until the outbreak of World War II.[16]

World War II

On 3 September 1939 Aberdeen was recalled to the UK and deployed with the 1st Escort Division of Western Approaches Command for convoy escort duty in the English Channel and the Southwest Approaches, based at Plymouth.[16]

On the 7th January 1940 she arrived at Gibraltar in company of HMS Wanderer, as escorts to convoy (OG-13F) 23 ships.

In May 1940 her pennant number was changed from L97 to U97.[16]

In June, after the Fall of France, Atlantic convoy traffic was routed further north, and Aberdeen was transferred to Rosyth to escort of convoys in the North Sea and Northwest Approaches. In November she was transferred to the Liverpool Sloop Division for Atlantic convoy escort duty.[16]

In June 1941 she was transferred to the 41st Escort Group based at Derry for the defence of convoys between the UK and Freetown.[16]

In early 1942 Type 271 radar and HF/DF direction finding equipment was fitted.[16]

In October Aberdeen escorted military convoys to Gibraltar in preparation for the landings in North Africa ("Operation Torch"), and on 8 November was deployed off Oran in support of the landings.[16]

At the end of the year Aberdeen was refitted at a Tyne shipyard, and the "Hedgehog" anti-submarine mortar was fitted.[16]

Aberdeen returned to duty in March 1943, joining the 40th Escort Group and sailing to St. John's, Newfoundland, where she formed part of the escort for Convoy HX229A to the UK. On the return voyage she saw four days of action in the largest convoy battle of the war, as the convoy was continually attacked by U-boats of three "wolfpacks". Aberdeen sustained some damage to her hull by running into ice.[16]

After repairs at Liverpool, and the fitting of Type 291 radar and VHF radio communications, Aberdeen was sent to Freetown in June to join West African Command for coastal convoy and local escort duties, not returning to the UK until April 1944.[16]

In May another refit was begun, and she sailed to HM Dockyard Bermuda for further work. Repairs were finally completed, and she returned to Freetown in September.[16]

Post-war

After VE Day on 8 April 1945 Aberdeen remained at Freetown for local patrol and air sea rescue duties until August, before sailing to Gibraltar to be put into the Reserve. Aberdeen was placed on the Disposal List at the end of 1946. She was towed to Devonport, and sold to the British Iron & Steel Corporation (BISCO) on 16 December 1948 for breaking-up by Thos W Ward at Hayle, Cornwall, arriving there on 19 January 1949.[16]

Notes
  1. Manning & Walker 1959, p. 68
  2. "Grimsby Class Sloops". battleships-cruisers.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "HMS Aberdeen (L97/U97) – Sloop of the Grimsby class – Allied Warships of WWII". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  4. Hague 1993, p. 6
  5. Friedman 2008, p. 332
  6. Hague 1993, pp. 13–14
  7. Friedman 2008, p. 62
  8. Hague 1993, p. 42
  9. Friedman 2008, pp. 320–321
  10. Gardiner & Chesneau 1980, p. 56
  11. Friedman 2008, pp. 62–63
  12. Hague 1993, p. 43
  13. Hague 1993, p. 22
  14. Hague 1993, pp. 42, 44
  15. Friedman 2008, p. 63
  16. "HMS Aberdeen". naval-history.net. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
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References
  • Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers and Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Hague, Arnold (1993). Sloops: A History of the 71 Sloops Built in Britain and Australia for the British, Australian and Indian Navies 1926–1946. Kendal, England: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-67-3.
  • Manning, T. D.; Walker, C. F. (1959). British Warship Names. London: Putnam.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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