HMS Hever Castle was a Castle-classcorvette constructed for the BritishRoyal Navy in the Second World War. Transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy before completion, the ship was renamed HMCS Copper Cliff and saw service as a convoy escort for the remainder of the war. Following the war, the vessel was sold for mercantile use and renamed Ta Lung, operating under a Chinese flag. In 1949, the ship was taken over by the Communist Chinese government, rearmed and renamed Wan Lee.
The Castle class were an improved corvette design over their predecessor Flower class. The Flower class was not considered acceptable for mid-Atlantic sailing and was only used on Atlantic convoy duty out of need. Though the Admiralty would have preferred Loch-classfrigates, the inability of many small shipyards to construct the larger ships required them to come up with a smaller vessel. The increased length of the Castle class over their predecessors[2] and their improved hull form gave the Castles better speed and performance on patrol in the North Atlantic and an acceptable replacement for the Flowers.[3] This, coupled with improved anti-submarine armament in the form of the Squid mortar led to a much more capable anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessel.[2] However, the design did have criticisms, mainly in the way it handled at low speeds and that the class's maximum speed was already slower than the speeds of the new U-boats they would be facing.[4]
A Castle-class corvette was 252 feet (77 m) long with a beam of 36 feet 8 inches (11.18 m) and a draught of 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 m) at deep load.[2][note 1] The ships displaced 1,060 long tons (1,077 t) standard[2] and 1,580 long tons (1,605 t) deep load.[4][note 2] The ships had a complement of 120.[2][note 3]
The corvettes were armed with one QF 4-inch Mk XIX gun mounted forward.[2][note 4] Anti-air armament varied from 4 to 10[2]Oerlikon 20 mm cannons.[5] For ASW purposes, the ships were equipped with one three-barreled Squid anti-submarine mortar with 81 projectiles. The ships also had two depth charge throwers and one depth charge rail on the stern that came with 15 depth charges.[4]
The ships were equipped with Type 145 and Type 147B ASDIC.[4] The Type 147B was tied to the Squid anti-submarine mortar and would automatically set the depth on the fuses of the projectiles until the moment of firing. A single Squid-launched attack had a success rate of 25%.[6] The class was also provided with HF/DF and Type 277 radar.[5]
Construction and career
The wire-mesh Outfit AUJ antenna of the Type 277 radar was fit to the top of the main mast for testing in September 1944. It is seen here facing away from the camera.
Hever Castle was ordered on 23 January 1943.[7] The ship, named for Hever Castle in Hever, Kent, was laid down on 29 June 1943 and launched on 24 February 1944.[8][9] At some point in 1943, the ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy.[9] The corvette, renamed Copper Cliff after a suburb of Sudbury, Ontario, was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 25 February 1944 with the pennant number K495.[8]
After working up at Tobermory, Copper Cliff was assigned to the Mid-Ocean Escort Force as part of the escort group C-6 as a convoy escort in August 1944. During a boiler cleaning in September, she was used to test the Type 277 radar. In October, Copper Cliff switched to group C-7 and remained on escort duty for the remainder of the war. In June 1945, Copper Cliff returned to Canada, stopping in Halifax, before continuing on to her final destination of Esquimalt, British Columbia. It was there on 21 November 1945 that Copper Cliff was paid off and placed in reserve.[8]
In 1946, Copper Cliff was sold for mercantile use under a Chinese flag and renamed Ta Lung. Converted to a cargo ship, the vessel had a gross register tonnage of 1,305 tons.[10] The ship was renamed Wan Lee in 1947 and was taken over by the Communist Chinese government in 1949.[8][note 5] The ship remained listed until 1968, however, following that the ship's existence remained doubtful even though it was reported on until 1977–78.[9] Miramar claims the ship was wrecked on 12 April 1948 at 37°25′N122°41′E / 37.417°N 122.683°E / 37.417; 122.683.[10]
References
Notes
^Brown states the beam at 36.5 feet (11.1 m) and the draught at 13.5 feet (4.1 m)
^Chesneau states the displacement at deep load as 1,590–1,630 long tons (1,616–1,656 t)
^Brown states the complement as 99 and Johnston states the complement of Canadian ships at 112 (7 officers and 105 ratings).
^Mk XIX = Mark 19. Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks (models) of ordnance until after World War II. This was the nineteenth model of British QF 4-inch gun
^Colledge has the ship renamed Kuang Chou when taken over by Communist China, however, they also have HMCS Bowmanville renamed Kuang Chou when that ship was taken over and most other sources agree with that.
Citations
^"Battle Honours". Britain's Navy. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
Goodwin, Norman (2007). Castle Class Corvettes: An Account of the Service of the Ships and of Their Ships' Companies. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. ISBN978-1-904459-27-9.
Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-048-7.
Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910–2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN1-55125-072-1.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-59114-119-2.
January 21, 2023
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HMS Hever Castle was a Castle class corvette constructed for the British Royal Navy in the Second World War Transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy before completion the ship was renamed HMCS Copper Cliff and saw service as a convoy escort for the remainder of the war Following the war the vessel was sold for mercantile use and renamed Ta Lung operating under a Chinese flag In 1949 the ship was taken over by the Communist Chinese government rearmed and renamed Wan Lee As HMCS Copper Cliff during the Second World WarHistoryUnited KingdomNameHever CastleNamesakeHever CastleOrdered23 January 1943BuilderBlyth Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company BlythLaid down29 June 1943Launched24 February 1944IdentificationPennant number K521FateTransferred to the Royal Canadian NavyCanadaNameCopper CliffNamesakeCopper Cliff OntarioAcquired1943Commissioned25 February 1944Decommissioned21 November 1945IdentificationPennant number K495Honours andawardsAtlantic 1944 45 1 FateSold for mercantile serviceChinaNameTa LungAcquired1946Commissioned1949Decommissioned1968RenamedWan Lee 1949 General characteristics as built TypeCastle class corvetteDisplacement1 060 long tons 1 077 t Length252 ft 77 m Beam36 ft 8 in 11 18 m Draught13 ft 6 in 4 11 m Installed power2 water tube boilers 2 750 ihp 2 050 kW Propulsion1 4 cylinder triple expansion steam engine Single screwSpeed16 5 knots 30 6 km h 19 0 mph Range6 200 nmi 11 500 km at 15 kn 28 km h 17 mph Complement120Sensors and processing systemsType 272 radar Type 145 sonar Type 147B sonarArmament1 QF 4 inch Mk XIX gun 1 Squid anti submarine mortar 1 Depth charge rail 15 depth charges 4 10 20 mm anti aircraft cannon Contents 1 Design and description 2 Construction and career 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 Citations 3 3 ReferencesDesign and description EditThe Castle class were an improved corvette design over their predecessor Flower class The Flower class was not considered acceptable for mid Atlantic sailing and was only used on Atlantic convoy duty out of need Though the Admiralty would have preferred Loch class frigates the inability of many small shipyards to construct the larger ships required them to come up with a smaller vessel The increased length of the Castle class over their predecessors 2 and their improved hull form gave the Castles better speed and performance on patrol in the North Atlantic and an acceptable replacement for the Flowers 3 This coupled with improved anti submarine armament in the form of the Squid mortar led to a much more capable anti submarine warfare ASW vessel 2 However the design did have criticisms mainly in the way it handled at low speeds and that the class s maximum speed was already slower than the speeds of the new U boats they would be facing 4 A Castle class corvette was 252 feet 77 m long with a beam of 36 feet 8 inches 11 18 m and a draught of 13 feet 6 inches 4 11 m at deep load 2 note 1 The ships displaced 1 060 long tons 1 077 t standard 2 and 1 580 long tons 1 605 t deep load 4 note 2 The ships had a complement of 120 2 note 3 The ships were powered by two Admiralty three drum boilers which created 2 750 indicated horsepower 2 050 kW This powered one vertical triple expansion engine that drove one shaft giving the ships a maximum speed of 16 5 knots 30 6 km h 19 0 mph 2 The ships carried 480 tons of oil giving them a range of 6 200 nautical miles 11 500 km 7 100 mi at 15 knots 28 km h 17 mph 4 The corvettes were armed with one QF 4 inch Mk XIX gun mounted forward 2 note 4 Anti air armament varied from 4 to 10 2 Oerlikon 20 mm cannons 5 For ASW purposes the ships were equipped with one three barreled Squid anti submarine mortar with 81 projectiles The ships also had two depth charge throwers and one depth charge rail on the stern that came with 15 depth charges 4 The ships were equipped with Type 145 and Type 147B ASDIC 4 The Type 147B was tied to the Squid anti submarine mortar and would automatically set the depth on the fuses of the projectiles until the moment of firing A single Squid launched attack had a success rate of 25 6 The class was also provided with HF DF and Type 277 radar 5 Construction and career Edit The wire mesh Outfit AUJ antenna of the Type 277 radar was fit to the top of the main mast for testing in September 1944 It is seen here facing away from the camera Hever Castle was ordered on 23 January 1943 7 The ship named for Hever Castle in Hever Kent was laid down on 29 June 1943 and launched on 24 February 1944 8 9 At some point in 1943 the ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy 9 The corvette renamed Copper Cliff after a suburb of Sudbury Ontario was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 25 February 1944 with the pennant number K495 8 After working up at Tobermory Copper Cliff was assigned to the Mid Ocean Escort Force as part of the escort group C 6 as a convoy escort in August 1944 During a boiler cleaning in September she was used to test the Type 277 radar In October Copper Cliff switched to group C 7 and remained on escort duty for the remainder of the war In June 1945 Copper Cliff returned to Canada stopping in Halifax before continuing on to her final destination of Esquimalt British Columbia It was there on 21 November 1945 that Copper Cliff was paid off and placed in reserve 8 In 1946 Copper Cliff was sold for mercantile use under a Chinese flag and renamed Ta Lung Converted to a cargo ship the vessel had a gross register tonnage of 1 305 tons 10 The ship was renamed Wan Lee in 1947 and was taken over by the Communist Chinese government in 1949 8 note 5 The ship remained listed until 1968 however following that the ship s existence remained doubtful even though it was reported on until 1977 78 9 Miramar claims the ship was wrecked on 12 April 1948 at 37 25 N 122 41 E 37 417 N 122 683 E 37 417 122 683 10 References EditNotes Edit Brown states the beam at 36 5 feet 11 1 m and the draught at 13 5 feet 4 1 m Chesneau states the displacement at deep load as 1 590 1 630 long tons 1 616 1 656 t Brown states the complement as 99 and Johnston states the complement of Canadian ships at 112 7 officers and 105 ratings Mk XIX Mark 19 Britain used Roman numerals to denote Marks models of ordnance until after World War II This was the nineteenth model of British QF 4 inch gun Colledge has the ship renamed Kuang Chou when taken over by Communist China however they also have HMCS Bowmanville renamed Kuang Chou when that ship was taken over and most other sources agree with that Citations Edit Battle Honours Britain s Navy Retrieved 21 November 2015 a b c d e f g h Chesneau p 63 Brown 2007 p 142 a b c d e Brown 2007 p 127 a b Brown 2007 p 126 Brown 2012 p 129 HMS Hever Castle K 495 uboat net Retrieved 21 November 2015 a b c d Macpherson and Barrie p 162 a b c Colledge p 154 a b Coppercliff 6117728 Miramar Ship Index Retrieved 13 May 2016 References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMCS Copper Cliff Brown David K 2007 Atlantic Escorts Ships Ships Weapons amp Tactics in World War II Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84415 702 0 Brown David K 2012 Nelson to Vanguard Warship Design and Development 1923 1945 Barnsley UK Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84832 149 6 Chesneau Roger ed 1980 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Greenwich UK Conway Maritime Press ISBN 0 85177 146 7 Colledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 Goodwin Norman 2007 Castle Class Corvettes An Account of the Service of the Ships and of Their Ships Companies Liskeard UK Maritime Books ISBN 978 1 904459 27 9 Lenton H T 1998 British amp Empire Warships of the Second World War Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 048 7 Macpherson Ken Barrie Ron 2002 The Ships of Canada s Naval Forces 1910 2002 Third ed St Catharines Ontario Vanwell Publishing ISBN 1 55125 072 1 Rohwer Jurgen 2005 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 The Naval History of World War Two Third Revised ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 119 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Hever Castle amp oldid 1060772002, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
