HMS Alnwick Castle (K405)

HMS Alnwick Castle was one of 44 Castle-class corvettes built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She was named after Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. Completed in late 1944, the ship served as a convoy escort until the end of the war, helping to sink one German submarine. The corvette was placed in reserve after the war and was sold for scrap in 1958.

Alnwick Castle in November 1944
History
United Kingdom
Name: Alnwick Castle
Namesake: Alnwick Castle
Ordered: 19 January 1943
Builder: George Brown & Co., Greenock
Laid down: 12 June 1943
Launched: 23 May 1944
Completed: 11 November 1944
Decommissioned: 24 May 1945
Identification: Pennant number: K405
Fate: Sold for scrap, 1958
General characteristics
Class and type: Castle-class corvette
Displacement:
  • 1,010 long tons (1,030 t) (standard)
  • 1,510 long tons (1,530 t) (deep load)
Length: 252 ft (76.8 m)
Beam: 33 ft (10.1 m)
Draught: 14 ft (4.3 m)
Installed power:
  • 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • 2,880 ihp (2,150 kW)
Propulsion: 2 shafts, 2 geared steam turbines
Speed: 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range: 6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement: 99
Sensors and
processing systems:
Armament:

Design and description

The Castle-class corvette was a stretched version of the preceding Flower class, enlarged to improve seakeeping and to accommodate modern weapons. The ships displaced 1,010 long tons (1,030 t) at standard load and 1,510 long tons (1,530 t) at deep load. They had an overall length of 252 feet (76.8 m), a beam of 36 feet 9 inches (11.2 m) and a deep draught of 14 feet (4.3 m). They were powered by a pair of triple-expansion steam engines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The engines developed a total of 2,880 indicated horsepower (2,150 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). The Castles carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ships' complement was 99 officers and ratings.[1]

The Castle-class ships were equipped with a single QF 4-inch (102 mm) Mk XVI gun forward, but their primary weapon was their single three-barrel Squid anti-submarine mortar. This was backed up by one depth charge rail and two throwers for 15 depth charges. The ships were fitted with two twin and a pair of single mounts for 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon light AA guns.[2] Provision was made for a further four single mounts if needed. They were equipped with Type 145Q and Type 147B ASDIC sets to detect submarines by reflections from sound waves beamed into the water. A Type 277 search radar and a HF/DF radio direction finder rounded out the Castles' sensor suite.[3]

Construction and career

Alnwick Castle was laid down by George Brown & Co. at their shipyard at Greenock on 12 June 1943 and launched on 23 May 1944. She was completed on 11 November and served as a convoy escort until the end of the Second World War in May 1945. The ship was placed in reserve on 25 May and was sold for scrap in 1958.[4] Alnwick Castle arrived at Gateshead in December 1958 to be broken up.[5]

Citations
  1. Lenton, p. 297
  2. Chesneau, p. 63; Lenton, p. 297
  3. Goodwin, p. 3
  4. Goodwin, pp. 81–82
  5. Lenton, p. 298

Bibliography
  • Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Goodwin, Norman (2007). Castle Class Corvettes: An Account of the Service of the Ships and of Their Ships' Companies. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN 978-1-904459-27-9.
  • Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
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