Name: HMS WESTCOTT
Ordered: December 1916; Builder: Denny, Dumbarton, Scotland.; Laid down: 30 March 1917; Launched: 14 February 1918; Commissioned: 12 April 1918; Decommissioned: 26 June 1945; Refit: Converted to long-range escort, 1943; Fate: Sold to BISCO and demolished
General characteristics:
Displacement: 1,100 tons, Length: 312 ft (95.1 m) length overall, 300 ft (91.4 m) between perpendiculars, Beam: 29 ft 6 in (9.0 m), Draught: 9 ft (2.7 m) standard, 13 ft 11 in (4.2 m) maximum, Propulsion: 3 Yarrow type Water-tube boilers, Brown-Curtis steam turbines, 2 shafts, 27,000 shp (20,000 kW), Speed: 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph), Range: 320-370 tons oil, 3,500 nmi (6,500 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph), 900 nmi (1,700 km) at 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph), Complement: 110, Armament: 4 x QF 4 in Mk.V (102mm L/45), mount P Mk.I, 2 x QF 2 pdr Mk.II "pom-pom" (40 mm L/39) or 1 x QF 3 inch 20 cwt (76 mm), mount HA Mk.II, 6 (2x3) tubes for 21 in torpedoes
W-Class destroyer ordered from Denny of Dumbarton under the 1916-17 Programme In the 10th Order for W-Class destroyers In December 1916. The ship was laid down on 30th March 1917 and launched on 14th February 1918 as the first RN warships to carry the name. Build was completed on 12th April 1918 and she served in the 13th Destroyer Flotilla based at Scapa Flow. After the Armistice she was one of the escorts for the German Fleet during their passage to surrender at Scapa Flow. During the period August to November 1919 this ship was deployed in Baltic operations against the Bolsheviks. She was sent to the Mediterranean in February 1920 and used for bombardment of Turkish Nationalist positions. On return to UK In August 1920 she Joined the Home Fleet in which she served until 1935. Before Joining the China Station In 1936 for duty with the 4th Submarine Flotilla she was refitted at Devonport. The after (Y) gun and one set of torpedo tubes were removed with a winch fitted for recovery of torpedoes fired by submarines during trials.. ASDIC equipment was Installed for detection of submerged submarines. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign In December 1941 the ship was adopted by the civil community of Morecambe and Heysham, Lancashire.
During the Second World War, WESTCOTT was employed in the anti-submarine role and supported numerous Atlantic and Malta convoys. As a test platform, WESTCOTT became the first vessel to be equipped with the Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar.
16 Jan 1941
HMS WESTCOTT, HMRT SUPERMAN and HMRT TENACITY together pick up 143 survivors from the British passenger ship OROPESA that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-96 southeast of Rockall in position 56.28'N, 12.00'W.
May 1941
The destroyer was chosen for the first test installation of the new anti-submarine weapon called Hedgehog then in development. The trials took place in Liverpool Bay against a known wreck. 9 months later the weapon entered production.
2 Feb 1942
German U-boat U-581 was sunk in the mid-Atlantic south-west of the Azores, in approximate position 39.00'N, 30.00'W, by the British destroyer HMS WESTCOTT.
August 1942 - Flotilla duties in continuation. 10th - Detached with HMS WRESTLER and HMS VIDETTE for escort of Malta relief convoy. 13th - Detached to escort damaged HMS VICTORIOUS and HMS RODNEY to Gibraltar and joined by ships of Flotilla which had been despatched from Gibraltar. 18th -Resumed Atlantic convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol duties with Flotilla when released from PEDESTAL.
8 Nov 1942
During the Allied invasion off North Africa the Vichy-French submarine ACTEON was sunk off Oran by the British destroyer HMS WESTCOTT.
The navy had the destroyer converted into a long range escort in 1943.
HMS WESTCOTT was sold to BISCO en 8th January 1946 for demolition by West of Scotland Shipbreakers, Troon, Scotland. The ship arrived in tow at the breakers later that year.
Sources: Wikipedia. http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono ... stcott.htm. http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4269.html. Dictionary of French Naval ships, part 2 1870-2006, by Jean-Michel Roche.
Information Mr P Crichton.