Melbreak 1943
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Airedale | L07 | 578 | John Brown, Clydebank | 11.1940 | 12.8.1941 | 12.1941 | sunk 15.6.1942 |
| Albrighton | L12, 1948- F112 | 579 | John Brown, Clydebank | 12/1940 | 11.10.1941 | 2/1942 | to West Germany 5.1959 (Raule) |
| Aldenham | L22 | 1077 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | 8.1940 | 27.8.1941 | 1.1942 | sunk 14.12.1944 |
| Belvoir | L32, 1948- F132 | 1078 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | 10.1940 | 18.11.1941 | 3.1942 | BU 10.1957 |
| Blean | L47 | 643 | Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn | 2.1941 | 15.1.1942 | 8.1942 | sunk 11.12.1942 |
| Bleasdale | L50, 1948- F150 | 30 | Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne | 10.1940 | 23.7.1941 | 4.1942 | BU 9.1956 |
| Bolebroke | L65 | 1643 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 4.1941 | 5.11.1941 | 6.1942 // --- | to Greece before completion 5.1942 (Πίνδος [Pindos]) |
| Border | L67 | 1645 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 5.1941 | 3.2.1942 | 8/1942 // --- | to Greece before completion 5.1942 (Αδρίας [Adrias]) |
| Catterick | L81 | 794 | Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow | 3.1941 | 22.11.1941 | 6.1942 | to Greece 5.1946 (Άστιγξ [Astings]) |
| Derwent | L83 | 793 | Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow | 12.1940 | 22.8.1941 | 4.1942 | damaged 19.3.1943, never repaired, BU 1947 |
| Easton | L09, 1948- F109 | 1916 | White, Cowes | 3.1941 | 11.7.1942 | 12.1942 | BU 1.1953 |
| Eggesford | L15, 1948- F15 | 1917 | White, Cowes | 6/1941 | 12.9.1942 | 1/1943 | to West Germany 5.1959 (Brommy) |
| Eskdale | L36 | 1082 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | 1.1941 | 16.3.1942 | 7.1942 // --- | to Norway before completion 6.1942 (Eskdale) |
| Glaisdale | L44 | 1081 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | 2.1941 | 5.1.1942 | 6.1942 // --- | to Norway at completion 6.1942 (Glaisdale) |
| Goathland | L27 | 694 | Fairfield, Govan | 1.1941 | 3.2.1942 | 11.1942 | CTL 24.7.1944, BU 1946 |
| Haldon | L19 | 695 | Fairfield, Govan | 1.1941 | 27.4.1942 | 12.1942 // --- | to France at completion 12.1942 (La Combattante) |
| Hatherleigh | L53 | 33 | Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne | 12.1940 | 18.12.1941 | 8/1942 // --- | to Greece before completion 7.1942 (Κανάρης [Kanaris]) |
| Haydon | L75, 1948- F75 | 34 | Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne | 5.1941 | 2.4.1942 | 10.1942 | BU 5.1958 |
| Holcombe | L56 | 589 | A. Stephens, Linthouse | 3.1941 | 14.4.1942 | 9.1942 | sunk 12.12.1943 |
| Limbourne | L57 | 590 | A. Stephens, Linthouse | 4.1941 | 12.5.1942 | 10.1942 | sunk 23.10.1943 |
| Melbreak | L73, 1948- F173 | 1647 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 6.1941 | 5.3.1942 | 10.1942 | BU 11.1956 |
| Modbury | L91 | 1649 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 8.1941 | 13.4.1942 | 11.1942 // --- | to Greece at completion 11.1942 (Μιαούλης [Miaoulis]) |
| Penylan | L89 | 809 | Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow | 6.1941 | 17.3.1942 | 8.1942 | sunk 3.12.1942 |
| Rockwood | L39 | 810 | Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow | 8.1941 | 13.6.1942 | 11.1942 | damaged 11.11.1943, never repaired, BU 1946 |
| Stevenstone | L16, 1948- F16 | 1918 | White, Cowes | 9.1941 | 23.11.1942 | 3.1943 | BU 9.1959 |
| Talybont | L18, 1948- F118 | 1919 | White, Cowes | 11.1941 | 3.2.1943 | 5.1943 | BU 3.1961 |
| Tanatside | L69 | 1769 | Yarrow, Scotstoun | 6.1941 | 30.4.1942 | 9.1942 | to Greece 5.1946 (Αδρίας [Adrias]) |
| Wensleydale | L86 | 1770 | Yarrow, Scotstoun | 7.1941 | 20.6.1942 | 10.1942 | damaged by collision 11.1944, never repaired, BU 1946 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
1050 |
|
Displacement full, t |
1490, later 1545 - 1590 |
|
Length, m |
80.5 pp 85.3 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
9.60 |
|
Draught, m |
3.73 deep load |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
19000 |
|
Max speed, kn |
27 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 277 most later ships: 328 |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
2100(20) |
|
Armament |
2 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 1 x 2 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (30 - 70) |
| Sensors | type 271 (some), type 285, type 286 radars, type 128 sonar |
|
Complement |
168 |
Project history: Ships of the 1940 Programme should become repetition of "Hunt II" class. Successful using of torpedoes in early war period has jogged Admiralty on introduction of TT to armament of new ships, even by removing of one 102mm twin mount. Visually these ships differed from early series by straight lines of a mast and funnel. Partly stabilizers were not fitted and exempted volume of the hull was used for placing of an additional stock of fuel.
Modernizations: 1942-1943, many: - type 286 radar; + type 291 radar
1943, Albrighton, Bleasdale, Eskdale, Glaisdale, Haldon, Stevenstone: + 1 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII
1943-1944, some: - type 271 radar; + type 272 radar
1944, Aldenham, Wensleydale: - 1 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV
1945, Belvoir, Easton, Haldon, Melbreak, Talybont: - 3 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk III
1945, Stevenstone: - 1 x 1 - 40/39, 3 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk III
1/1946, Catterick, Eggesford, Haydon, Tanatside: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 1 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 3 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 1 x 2 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70), type 271 or type 272, type 285, type 291 radars, type 128 sonar
1/1946, Belvoir, Easton, Melbreak, Talybont, Stevenstone: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 1 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 1 x 2 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70), type 271 or type 272, type 285, type 291 radars, type 128 sonar
1/1946, Albrighton, Bleasdale: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 1 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 1 x 1 - 40/39 Mk VIII, 3 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 1 x 2 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (70), type 271 or type 272, type 285, type 291 radars, type 128 sonar
Naval service:
Airedale was sunk 15.6.1942 by
German Ju 87 bombers at Malta, Penylan was sunk 3.12.1942 by
German MTB S115 in La Manche. Blean was torpedoed 11.12.1942 at Gibraltar by German
submarine U443. Eskdale was sunk by German MTBs 14.4.1943 at SW coast of
England. Limbourne was sunk 23.10.1943 by torpedoes from German torpedo boats
Ò22
and T24 in La Manche. Holcombe 12.12.1943 was torpedoed by
German submarine U593 at Algeria. Aldenham was lost 14.12.1944 on German
mine at Pola.
Derwent was badly damaged 19.3.1943 by an air torpedo and never repaired.
Rockwood was badly damaged 11.11.1943 by German Hs 293 gliding bomb
launched from Do 217 bomber
(constructive total loss). Goathland 24.6.1944 was stricken at coast of Normandy
by German mine and never repaired. Wensleydale in November, 1944 was
stricken as constructive total loss as a result of collision.
Belvoir was badly damaged by a mine late 1943 but subsequently repaired.
Ships of class were reclassified to frigates in 1947.
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
Talybont 1943
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-15