HMS Melbreak was a Hunt-classdestroyer of the Royal Navy. She was a member of the third subgroup of the class, and saw service in the Second World War. All the ships of this class were named after British fox hunts. She was the first Royal Navy warship with this name, after the Melbreak hunt in Cumbria.[1] In 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Cockermouth in Cumberland, as part of Warship Week.
On commissioning Melbreak served in the English Channel, but in 1943 she was deployed to the Mediterranean. In 1944 she served mostly in the English Channel and was part of the escort force for the assault and landings in Normandy, as part of the D-Day operations.
On 28 August 1944 she was attacked in the English Channel by an unknown aircraft, causing 20 casualties including five killed. She was subsequently repaired in Barry, South Wales.
On 7 May 1945 Melbreak suffered considerable damage on grounding and was repaired at Sheerness. She was subsequently placed in reserve at Chatham. She was in attendance at the Coronation Fleet Review in Portsmouth in 1953.[2]
She was subsequently sold for scrap to Thos. W. Ward and arrived at their ship breaking yard in Grays on 22 November 1956.[3]
Referencesedit
^Smith, Gordon (2011). "HMS Melbreak, escort destroyer". naval-history.net. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
^Souvenir Programme, Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953, HMSO, Gale and Polden
^Critchley, Mike, "British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers", Maritime Books: Liskeard, UK, 1982. ISBN0-9506323-9-2, page 42
Sourcesedit
Colledge, J. J. & Warlow, Ben, Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present, Newbury, 2010
English, John, The Hunts – A history of the design, development and careers of the 86 destroyers of this class built for the Royal and Allied Navies during World War II, Cumbria, 1987 (World Ship Society)
Whitley, M. J., Destroyers of World War Two – an international encyclopedia, London, 1988
Gardiner, Robert (ed.), Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946, London, 1987
Further readingedit
Whitby, Michael (2022). "The Challenges of Operation 'Tunnel', September 1943 — April 1944". In Jordan, John (ed.). Warship 2022. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. pp. 29–46. ISBN978-1-4728-4781-2.
December 01, 2023
melbreak, melbreak, hunt, class, destroyer, royal, navy, member, third, subgroup, class, service, second, world, ships, this, class, were, named, after, british, hunts, first, royal, navy, warship, with, this, name, after, melbreak, hunt, cumbria, 1942, adopte. HMS Melbreak was a Hunt class destroyer of the Royal Navy She was a member of the third subgroup of the class and saw service in the Second World War All the ships of this class were named after British fox hunts She was the first Royal Navy warship with this name after the Melbreak hunt in Cumbria 1 In 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Cockermouth in Cumberland as part of Warship Week Melbreak underway in Plymouth Sound 1943 IWM HistoryUnited KingdomNameHMS MelbreakOrdered28 July 1940BuilderJ Samuel White East Cowes Isle of WightLaid down23 June 1941Launched5 March 1942Commissioned10 October 1942Honours andawardsNormandy 1944 Atlantic 1944 45 English Channel 1943 44 North Sea 1945FateScrapped in 1956BadgeOn a Field Red a sun in splendour Gold pierced by a broken spear erect Block General characteristicsClass and typeHunt class destroyerDisplacement1 050 long tons 1 070 t standard 1 435 long tons 1 458 t full loadLength85 3 m 279 ft 10 in o aBeam10 16 m 33 ft 4 in Draught3 51 m 11 ft 6 in Propulsion2 Admiralty 3 drum boilers 2 shaft Parsons geared turbines 19 000 shp 14 000 kW Speed27 knots 31 mph 50 km h 25 5 kn 29 3 mph 47 2 km h fullRange2 350 nmi 4 350 km at 20 kn 37 km h Complement168Armament4 QF 4 inch 102 mm Mark XVI guns on twin mounts Mk XIX 4 QF 2 pounder 40 mm Mk VIII AA guns on quad mount MK VII 2 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns on single mounts P Mk III 2 21 inch 533 mm torpedo tubes 110 depth charges 4 throwers 3 racks Contents 1 Service history 2 References 3 Sources 4 Further readingService history editOn commissioning Melbreak served in the English Channel but in 1943 she was deployed to the Mediterranean In 1944 she served mostly in the English Channel and was part of the escort force for the assault and landings in Normandy as part of the D Day operations On 28 August 1944 she was attacked in the English Channel by an unknown aircraft causing 20 casualties including five killed She was subsequently repaired in Barry South Wales On 7 May 1945 Melbreak suffered considerable damage on grounding and was repaired at Sheerness She was subsequently placed in reserve at Chatham She was in attendance at the Coronation Fleet Review in Portsmouth in 1953 2 She was subsequently sold for scrap to Thos W Ward and arrived at their ship breaking yard in Grays on 22 November 1956 3 References edit Smith Gordon 2011 HMS Melbreak escort destroyer naval history net Retrieved 21 December 2015 Souvenir Programme Coronation Review of the Fleet Spithead 15th June 1953 HMSO Gale and Polden Critchley Mike British Warships Since 1945 Part 3 Destroyers Maritime Books Liskeard UK 1982 ISBN 0 9506323 9 2 page 42Sources editColledge J J amp Warlow Ben Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present Newbury 2010 English John The Hunts A history of the design development and careers of the 86 destroyers of this class built for the Royal and Allied Navies during World War II Cumbria 1987 World Ship Society Whitley M J Destroyers of World War Two an international encyclopedia London 1988 Gardiner Robert ed Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 London 1987Further reading editWhitby Michael 2022 The Challenges of Operation Tunnel September 1943 April 1944 In Jordan John ed Warship 2022 Oxford Osprey Publishing pp 29 46 ISBN 978 1 4728 4781 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Melbreak L73 amp oldid 1091893925, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
