Summary
The Egret-class sloops were a three ship class of a long-range escort vessels used in the Second World War by the Royal Navy. They were an enlarged version of the Bittern class with an extra twin 4-inch gun mounting. They were fitted with Denny Brown stabilisers and the Fuze Keeping Clock anti-aircraft fire control system.
 HMS Auckland in January 1939
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Egret class |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| Preceded by | Bittern class |
| Succeeded by | Black Swan class |
| In commission | 1938–1958 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Lost | 2 |
| Scrapped | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Sloop-of-war |
| Displacement | 1,200 tons |
| Length | 276 ft (84 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 19.25 knots (35.65 km/h; 22.15 mph) |
| Complement | 188 |
| Armament |
|
Ships edit
| Ship | Builder | Laid Down | Launched | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland (ex-Heron) | William Denny and Brothers | 16 June 1937 | 30 June 1938 | Sunk 24 June 1941 by dive bombers near Tobruk |
| Pelican | John I. Thornycroft & Company | 7 September 1937 | 12 September 1938 | Broken up 1958 |
| Egret | J. Samuel White | 21 September 1937 | 31 May 1938 | Sunk by guided bomb in Bay of Biscay 27 August 1943 |
Service history edit
Three ships were built; HMS Auckland, HMS Pelican and HMS Egret. Auckland was lost on 24 June 1941, to 48 Junkers Ju 87 aircraft dive-bombing both her and HMAS Parramatta, off the coast of Tobruk. Pelican was an effective convoy escort, and was credited with the destruction of four U-boats. She survived until the end of the war, and was broken up in 1958. Egret was lost to a guided missile. While patrolling in the Bay of Biscay, she was attacked by 18 Do 217 aircraft, one of which carried the Henschel Hs 293 guided bomb.[1]
Notes edit
- ^ HMS Egret at Uboat.net
References edit
- Campbell, N. J. M. (1980). "Great Britain (including Empire Forces)". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 2–85. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
- Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben & Bush, Steve (2020). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (5th revised and updated ed.). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-9327-0.
- Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
- Hague, Arnold (1993). Sloops: A History of the 71 Sloops Built in Britain and Australia for the British, Australian and Indian Navies 1926–1946. Kendal, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-67-3.
- Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
- 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. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
External links edit
- Egret class sloops at britainsnavy.co.uk