THE BATTLE CLASS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 09, Issue 21, 6 November 1945, Page 3

THE BATTLE CLASS

NAVY'S NEW DESTROYERS FAMOUS NAMES OF HISTORY Conceived from the lighting experience gained since 1939 and born to meet fleet requirements in modern sea-air warfare, the P.oyal Navy's "Battle Class" destroyers; details of which have now been, released represent the latest word in this übiquitous type of warship. From the point of view of actual j size they are miniature cruisers— larger than the "Tribals" Maori ? Sikh, Gurklia j etc.) and the M's (Milne, Marne, etc.) of 19:59.40. The "Battle. Class" destroyers have a standard displacement of 2325 tons on a length of 379 feet and a breadth of 40ft. 3in. They are propelled by twin screws driven by geared turbines of 50,000 horse power, giving them a speed of <?5% knots. Their armament comprises four 4.5 inch guns' in twin mountings forward one 4 inch high-angle/low. angle gun, eight 40 m.m. Bofors guns and six 20 m.m. Oerl.kon guns. The ships are also fitted with torpedo tubes in two sets of quadruple mountings. The names selected for these destroyers are milestones of Britain's Naval and Military history. The Admiralty naming committee have gone back over the centuries for such names as Sluys, Agincourt, Poiciters, Cadiz and Armada. The numerous wars of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, have i*iven Gabartl Gravelines, Lagos., Barnfleur Vigo Solebay Namur, ' ? 9 St. James Saintes, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Belle Isle, Finisterre, Camperdown Trincomalee and San Domingo. The great Marlborough's campaigns are commemorated by Oudenarde and Malplaquet as is Sir John Moore by Corunna. Trafalgar, of course epitomises the achievements of Nelson but WelI lington supplies no fewer thau four names his Peninsular campaign giving Albuera Barossa and Talavera; I ? land then comes Waterloo his c. own- ' 9 ing achievement. From Navarino of 1827, the list of names bridges a gap of 71 years to furnish Omdur■man Lord Kitchener's Victory in the Sudan in 1898. The war of 1914.18 furnishes Mons Aisno Somme and Jutland and the list becomes, up to date with River Plate, Dunkirk, Matapan and Alamein. This roll of famous names is truly an inspiration to those who serve in the Battle Class destroyers'.