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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY - UNITED KINGDOM

CONVERTED MERCHANT VESSELS

WWII special service vessels

Name Decoy name Launched // Comm. Builder Tonnage, BRT Dimensions, m Speed, kts Machinery, Fuel, t Armament Fate
Beauly Looe 2.5.1924 // 10.1939 Ailsa, Troon 1061 73.8(pp)x10.4x 11 1VTE, coal 4 - 102/40 Mk IV, 2 - 533 TT to MWT 6.1941
Botlea Lambridge 1917 // 9.1939 Ayrshire, Irvine 5119 122.1(pp)x16.3x 14 1VTE, coal 1482 7 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT AMC 2.1941, returned 12.1941
Cape Howe (ex-Knight Almoner) Prunella 31.3.1930 // 9.1939 Lithgows, Glasgow 4443 114.3(pp)x16.2x 13.5 1VTE, coal 7 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT sunk 21.6.1940
Cape Sable Cyprus 12.3.1936 // 9.1939 Lithgows, Glasgow 4398 114.3(pp)x16.2x 13.5 1VTE, coal 853 7 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT AMC 2.1941, returned 3.1942
City of Durban Brutus 30.9.1920 // 9.1939 Earle, Hull 5945 115.7(pp)x15.9x 15 1turbine, coal 1476 9 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT AMC 3.1941, returned 4.1942
Holland (ex-Dansted)   16.8.1919 // 6.1940 P. P. Stuhr, Aalborg, Denmark 1251 72.7(pp)x11.0x 9 1VTE   returned 1.1941, minelayer 1942
King Gruffydd (ex-Ambatielos) Maunder 11.10.1919 // 3.1941 Whampoa, Kowloon 5063 122.0(pp)x15.9x 15 1VTE, coal 1325 7 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT AMC 3.1941, returned 12.1941
Le Rhin Fidelity 23.2.1920 // 9.1940 Grayson, Birkenhead 2456 80.7(pp)x12.6x 9.5 1VTE 4 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 2 - 75/50, 4 - 40/39 pompom, 1 - 37/50, 2 - 25/50, 4 - 533 TT, 2 saplanes, MTB105 sunk 30.12.1942
Minnie de Larrinaga   30.6.1914 // 1940 Russell, Aberdeen 5046 128.0(pp)x16.5x 10.5 1VTE   wrecked 8.9.1940 when fitting out
Orchy Antoine 1.5.1930 // 10.1939 Ailsa, Troon 1090 75.1(pp)x11.0x 11 1VTE, coal 4 - 102/40 Mk IV, 2 - 533 TT to MWT 6.1941
PC74 Chatsgrove 4.10.1918 // 1939 White, Cowes 610 t (Dp) 75.3x8.2x2.4 20 2turbines, oil 164 1 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 450 TT returned 1945
Willamette Valley (ex-West Lynn) Edgehill 14.8.1928 // 9.1939 Napier & Miller, Govan 4702 122.3(pp)x16.5x 15 1diesel, oil 898 9 - 102/40 Mk IV, 4 - 533 TT sunk 29.6.1940

Project history: Decoy vessels intended to catch German submarines and commerce raiders. All these ships had DCs.

Modernizations: None.

Naval service:  Format of date including day/month/year means loss of the vessel. Format of date containing month/year means return to owner or conversion to miscellaneous vessel. Cape Howe, Le Rhin and Willamette Valley were sunk by submarines. Le Rhin was used as AA decoy vessel.

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10