HMSFitzroy(K553)
 HMSFitzroyon 25 April 1944
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | unnamed (DE-88) |
| Ordered | 10 January 1942[1] |
| Builder | Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard,Hingham,Massachusetts |
| Laid down | 24 August 1943[2] |
| Launched | 1 September 1943[2] |
| Completed | 16 October 1943[2] |
| Commissioned | never |
| Fate | Transferred to United Kingdom 16 October 1943[1] |
| Acquired | Returned by United Kingdom 5 January 1946[2] |
| Stricken | 7 February 1946[2] |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping 23 May 1946[2] |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSFitzroy(K553) |
| Namesake | Vice AdmiralSirRobert FitzRoy(1805–1865), British naval officer who wascommanding officerofHMSBeagleduringCharles Darwin'svoyageof 1831–1836[3] |
| Acquired | 16 October 1943[1] |
| Commissioned | 16 October 1943[1] |
| Decommissioned | 1945[4] |
| Fate | Returned to United States 5 January 1946[2] |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 1,400 long tons (1,422 t) |
| Length | 306 ft (93 m) |
| Beam | 36.75 ft (11.2 m) |
| Draught | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 24 knots (44 km/h) |
| Range | 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Complement | 186 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
| Notes | Pennant numberK553 |
The secondHMSFitzroy(K553)was a BritishCaptain-classfrigateof theRoyal Navyin commission duringWorld War II.Originally constructed as aUnited States NavyBuckley-classdestroyer escort,she served in the Royal Navy from 1943 to 1945.
Construction and transfer
[edit]The ship waslaid downas the unnamed U.S. Navy destroyer escortDE-88byBethlehem-Hingham Shipyard,Inc., inHingham,Massachusetts,on 24 August 1943 andlaunchedon 1 September 1943.[2]She was transferred to the United Kingdom upon completion on 16 October 1943.[2]
Service history
[edit]Commissionedinto service in the Royal Navy as the frigate HMSFitzroy(K553) on 16 October 1943 simultaneously with her transfer, the ship served on patrol and escort duty. On 27 March 1945 she joined the British frigatesHMSByron(K508)andHMSRedmill(K554)in sinking withdepth chargestheGermansubmarineU-722in theNorth Atlantic Oceannear theHebridesat57°09′00″N006°55′00″W/ 57.15000°N 6.91667°W.On 8 April 1945 she joinedByronin adepth-chargeattack which sank the German submarineU-1001in the North Atlantic south-west ofLand's End,England,at49°19′00″N010°23′00″W/ 49.31667°N 10.38333°W.[1]
The Royal NavydecommissionedFitzroylater in 1945 and returned her to the U.S. Navy on 5 January 1946.[2]
Disposal
[edit]The U.S. Navy struckFitzroyfrom itsNaval Vessel Registeron 7 February 1946. She was sold on 23 May 1946 for scrapping.[2]
References
[edit]- ^abcdeuboat.net HMS Fitzroy (ii) (K 553)
- ^Captain Class Frigate Association: HMS Fitzroy K553 (DE 88)
- ^PerHMS Fitzroy (ii) (K553),Fitzroywas not carried on the Royal Navy's October 1945 Navy List, strongly implying her decommissioning sometime earlier that year.
