HMS Spey (K246)

HMS Spey (K246) was a River-class frigate of the Royal Navy (RN) from 1942–1948, subsequently sold to the Egyptian Navy.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Spey.

HMS Spey passing ships in a convoy during the Second World War (IWM)
History
United Kingdom
Name: Spey
Namesake: River Spey
Builder: Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees
Laid down: 18 July 1941
Launched: 18 December 1941
Commissioned: 19 May 1942
Identification: K246
Honours and
awards:
  • Atlantic 194-44
  • Normandy 1944
  • Burma 1944-45
Fate: Sold to Egypt November 1948
Egypt
Name: Rasheed
Acquired: November 1948
Fate: Scrapped, 1994
General characteristics
Class and type: River-class frigate
Displacement:
  • 1,370 long tons (1,390 t)
  • 1,830 long tons (1,860 t) (deep load)
Length:
  • 283 ft (86.26 m) p/p
  • 301.25 ft (91.82 m)o/a
Beam: 36.5 ft (11.13 m)
Draught: 9 ft (2.74 m); 13 ft (3.96 m) (deep load)
Propulsion: 2 x Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, reciprocating vertical triple expansion, 5,500 ihp
Speed: 20 knots (37.0 km/h)
Range: 440 long tons (450 t; 490 short tons) oil fuel; 7,200 nautical miles (13,334 km) at 12 knots (22.2 km/h)
Complement: 107
Armament:
  • 2 × QF 4 in (102 mm) /40 Mk.XIX guns, single mounts CP Mk.XXIII
  • up to 10 x QF 20 mm Oerlikon A/A on twin mounts Mk.V and single mounts Mk.III
  • 1 × Hedgehog 24 spigot A/S projector
  • up to 150 depth charges

Construction

Spey was built to the RN's specifications as a Group I River-class frigate. She was laid down at Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees on 19 July 1941 and launched on 18 December 1941. The ship was commissioned the following year and was the second ship in the Royal Navy to carry the name, after the River Spey in Scotland. She was adopted by the civil community of Letchworth in Hertfordhsire as part of Warship Week in 1942.[1]

War service

Spey was initially assigned to Western approaches command for convoy defence duties. She saw extensive service on convoy escort missions. On 11 July 1942 she shared the credit for the sinking of U136.[1]In December 1942 she was deployed to the Mediterranean for convoy defence and support of the landings in Italy, code-named Operation 'Torch'. She returned to duties in the Atlantic and undertook operations until May 1944, when she was due for refit.

Following refit she sailed for Ceylon and by the end of 1944 was deployed for convoy defence and support of operations in Burma. In January 1945 this included support for landings on the northern shore of Ramree Island. In July 1945 she was prepared to support the proposed landing operations in Malaya. On return to the UK she was laid up in reserve.

Post-war service

Spey was sold to the Egyptian Navy in November 1948. She was refitted by Willougby (Plymouth) Ltd and sailed for Egypt in April 1950. [2] During her service with the Egyptian Navy she is reported as having been used as a submarine support ship before being scrapped.[3]

References
  1. "HMS Spey, frigate". naval-history.net. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  2. Blackman, Raymond V B, Jane's Fighting Ships 1963-4, Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd, London, p72
  3. Moore, John E (ed), Jane's Fighting Ships 1978-9, MacDonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd, London, p132

Bibliography
  • 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.
  • Lavery, Brian (2006). River-Class Frigates and the Battle of the Atlantic: A Technical and Social History. London: National Maritime Museum. ISBN 0-948065-73-7.
  • Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
  • Marriott, Leo (1983). Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983. Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1322-5.
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