HMS Chiddingfold (L31)

HMS Chiddingfold (L31) was a Type II Hunt-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was leased to the Indian Navy in 1952 where she served as INS Ganga (D94).

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Chiddingfold.
HMS Chiddingfold on completion
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Chiddingfold
Ordered: 4 September 1939
Builder: Scotts at Greenock
Laid down: 1 March 1940
Launched: 10 March 1941
Commissioned: October 1941
Identification: pennant number:L31
Fate: Sold to Indian Navy
India
Name: INS Ganga
Namesake: Ganga River (the Ganges)
Acquired: April 1952
Commissioned: 18 June 1953
Decommissioned: 1975
Identification: D94
Fate: Scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type: Type II Hunt-class destroyer
Displacement:
  • 1,050 long tons (1,070 t) standard
  • 1,430 long tons (1,450 t) full load
Length: 85.3 m (279 ft 10 in) o/a
Beam: 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 2.51 m (8 ft 3 in)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 27 knots (31 mph; 50 km/h)
  • 25.5 kn (29.3 mph; 47.2 km/h) full
Range: 3,600 nmi (6,700 km) at 14 kn (26 km/h)
Complement: 164
Armament:
  • 6 × QF 4 in Mark XVI guns on twin mounts Mk. XIX
  • 4 × QF 2 pdr Mk. VIII on quad mount MK.VII
  • 2 × 20 mm Oerlikons on single mounts P Mk. III
  • 110 depth charges, 2 throwers, 3 racks


History in the Royal Navy

Chiddingfold was ordered on 4 September 1939 under the 1939 War Emergency Build Programme. She was laid down as Job No. J1115.[1] She was commissioned around October 1941.

She earned battle honours in World War II for Norway, 1941 and English Channel, 1945.

Following the war, she was reduced to Reserve status early in 1946 and laid-up on 25 March 1946. In 1950 she was transferred to the Reserve Fleet at Harwich and remained there until 1952 when she was towed to Liverpool for a refit.[2]

History in the Indian Navy
For other ships with the same name, see INS Ganga.

The lease of Chiddingfold to India was announced on 17 June 1952. She underwent a refit by Messrs Crichton at Liverpool which was completed in June 1953.

She was commissioned as INS Ganga on 18 June 1953. The lease was extended in August 1956, and she was sold to India in April 1958. Along with two other Hunt-class destroyers in Indian service (Godavari and Gomati), she constituted the 22nd Destroyer Squadron.[3]

She was deployed as a training ship until 1975, when she was struck from the active list, before being sold for scrapping.

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References
  1. Naval History
  2. Critchley, Mike, "British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers", Maritime Books: Liskeard, UK, 1982. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2, page 34
  3. Blackman, Raymond V B, Jane's Fighting Ships 1963-4, Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd, London, p123

Publications
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