back to Sea Transportation

"Prior to the Second World War the destroyer-flotillas of the Royal Navy were organised into tactical units of eight each, with a ninth slightly enlarged type accommodating the senior officer of the flotilla, known as Captain (Destroyers), or Captain (D). ... By 1936 the big French, Japanese and Italian ships were so obviously superior to the standard British destroyer that there was increasing pressure both inside and outside the Royal Navy to build a larger and better armed destroyer. ... "

Info below is on the "A" class destroyers built in the late 1920s and early 1930s; the "B" and "C" classes were very similar.

The AA ability of these ships turned out to be very poor in WW2, except against targets flying level at a constant speed and course; the QF 2-pdr is very much outclassed by the 37mm and 40mm guns developed for WW2. Good for blowing up nearby monsters, however. Until WW2 these ships have no ASW capability. They have reliable machinery, however, and generally very competent crews.

"A" Class destroyers present in the Mediterranean are HMS Active, HMS Achates, HMS Antelope, HMS Acasta, HMS Arrow, HMS Ardent, and HMS Acheron, all part of the Third Destroyer Flotilla.

Length 323', beam 32', displacement 1360 tons.

Speed 35.25 kts from turbines on 2 shafts (only 31 kts when fully loaded); range 4800 nautical miles at 15 kts.

Armament: four single 4.7" guns Mk IX on CP Mk. XIII mounts (wrap-around shields, not turrets; 7 to 10 RPM), two QF 2-pdr AA (single-barrel, 200 RPM, water-cooled 40mm weapons on unpowered manual pedestal mounts); two 4x torpedo launchers. No sonar or depth charges due to cost issues.

Crew: 138