HMS Troubridge (R00)

HMS Troubridge as built
Career (United Kingdom)
Name: HMS Troubridge
Ordered: 13 March 1941
Builder: John Brown
Laid down: 10 November 1941
Launched: 23 September 1942
Commissioned: 8 March 1943
Identification: pennant number R00
Converted Type 15 frigate 1955 - 1957
Decommissioned: 27 March 1969
Identification: pennant number F09
Fate: Broken up May 1970
Status: Scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type:T-class destroyer
Displacement:1,710 long tons (1,737 t) - 1,730 long tons (1,758 t) (standard nominal)
1,780 long tons (1,809 t) - 1,810 long tons (1,839 t) (actual)
2,505 long tons (2,545 t) - 2,545 long tons (2,586 t) (deep load)
Length:339 ft 6 in (103.48 m) pp
362 ft 9 in (110.57 m) oa
Beam:35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Draught:14 ft 2 in (4.32 m)
Propulsion:2 shaft Parsons geared turbines
2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
40,000 shp (30,000 kW)
Speed:36.75 knots (42.29 mph; 68.06 km/h)
Complement:180-225
Armament:
General characteristics
Class and type:Type 15 frigate
Displacement:2,300 long tons (2,337 t) standard
2,700 long tons (2,743 t) full load[1]
Length:358 ft (109 m) o/a
Beam:37 ft 9 in (11.51 m)
Draught:14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Propulsion:2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Steam turbines on 2 shafts
40,000 shp (30 MW)
Speed:31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) (full load)
Complement:174
Sensors and
processing systems:		Radar:
  • Type 293Q target indication (later Type 993)
  • Type 277Q surface search
  • Type 974 navigation
  • Type 262 fire control on director CRBF
  • Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF

Sonar:

  • Type 174 search
  • Type 162 target classification
  • Type 170 attack
Armament:

HMS Troubridge was an T-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War.

Service history

Second World War

In 1943, Troubridge was sent to the Mediterranean, where she performed screening duties for major naval units. Troubridge was one of the units that performed as a screen for the cruisers Aurora, Newfoundland, Orion, Penelope and Euryalus, in conjunction with Mediterranean Fleet destroyers and motor torpedo boats for the surrender of Pantellaria on 10 May 1943. She provided support to offensives on Italian warships, provided anti-aircraft support, and was involved in the Allied effort to land in Sicily, Calabria, and Salerno. Other notable events involving Troubridge was the sinking of the German submarine U-407. U-407 was sunk in the Mediterranean south of Milos, in position 36º27'N, 24º33'E, destroyed by depth charges dropped from the destroyers Troubridge, Terpsichore, and the Polish ORP Garland.[2] U-407‍ '​s sinking also marked the disbandment of the 29th U-boat Flotilla. In 1944 Troubridge transferred to the Far East and operated under US control. Amongst other engagements, she took part in the battle for Truk. She returned to Portsmouth in 1946.

Postwar service

Troubridge after conversion to Type 15 Frigate

After the Second World War Troubridge replaced Saumarez as leader of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla (later Squadron) in the Mediterranean, returning to Chatham on 16 August 1949, where she was placed in reserve at Chatham Dockyard.

Between 1955 and 1957 she was converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, by J S White at Cowes on the Isle of Wight. She also received a new pennant number F09.[3] On re-commissioning in 1957 she became part of the 8th Frigate squadron for service on the America and West Indies Station.[4] In 1959 Troubridge took part in 'Navy Days' in Portsmouth during that year.[5] Following this she was again deployed to the West Indies.

On 15 May 1963 she was towed from Portsmouth to Malta for refit. She recommissioned on 7 September 1964 and was part of the 27th Escort squadron[6] along with the vessels Galatea, Agincourt and Carysfort.

Decommissioning and disposal

Troubridge was decommissioned for the last time on 29 March 1969 at Chatham. She was subsequently sold for scrap and arrived at the yard of John Cashmore Ltd at Newport, Wales on 5 May 1970.

Commanding Officers

FromToCaptain
19431944Captain Charles Leslie Firth RN[2]
19441946Captain G F Burghard RN
19551957Under conversion to Type 15 Frigate
19571959Commander R L W Lancaster RN
19591959Commander A H Young RN
19641965Commander N J S Hunt MVO RN
19661968Commander Richard Thomas RN

In popular culture

Troubridge was the punning inspiration for the fictional "HMS TrouTbridge" in the long-running Radio Comedy The Navy Lark. (The September 1967 episode is entitled Troutbridge's Silver Jubilee, which exactly accords with Troubridge's own September 1942 launch date). Troubridge also supplied the landing crew which rescued the marooned children at the end of the 1963 film version of William Golding's Lord of the Flies.

In a very different role, Troubridge was used to depict the interior of the fictional "USS Bedford" in the 1965 cold-war film drama The Bedford Incident. British military equipment is visible in several shots, including a rack of Lee-Enfield rifles. Troubridge‍ '​s novel forward-sloping bridge windows are also to be seen in the Bridge shots. (The Type 15 frigate used for the opening scenes is F159: HMS Wakeful).

References

  1. ↑ All information is for ships converted from R-class destroyers
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "HMS Troubridge (R00)". uboat.net. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Mason, Geoffrey B. (2003). Gordon Smith, ed. "HMS Troubridge (R00)- T-class Flotilla Leader". naval-history.net. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  4. ↑ Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 60. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.
  5. ↑ Programme, Navy Days Portsmouth 28-30th March 1959, HMSO
  6. ↑ Commissioning Booklet, HMS Troubridge, (C H Bernard and Sons Ltd, 1964)

Publications

External links