HMS Dasher (D37) facts for kids
HMS Dasher (note that this image appears to be reversed: the bridge was on the starboard side.)
|
|
Quick facts for kids History |
|
|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
|
| Name | HMS Dasher |
| Ordered | C3-P&C |
| Builder | Sun Shipbuilding |
| Laid down | 14 March 1940 |
| Launched | 12 April 1941 |
| Commissioned | 2 July 1942 |
| Renamed | built as Rio de Janeiro, renamed Dasher 2 July 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk by internal explosion 27 March 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Avenger-class escort carrier |
| Displacement | 8,200 tons |
| Length | 492 ft 3 in (150.04 m) |
| Beam | 66 ft 3 in (20.19 m) |
| Draught | 23 ft 3 in (7.09 m) |
| Installed power | 8,500 bhp (6,300 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 16.5 knots (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h) |
| Complement | 555 |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 15 |
| Aviation facilities |
|
HMS Dasher (D37) was a British Royal Navy aircraft carrier that served during World War II. She was part of the Avenger-class of escort carriers. These ships were originally merchant vessels that were changed into small aircraft carriers. HMS Dasher had one of the shortest service lives of all escort carriers.
Contents
Building and Features of HMS Dasher
The Avenger-class escort carriers, like HMS Dasher, started as regular merchant ships built in the United States. They were called "Type C3" ships. These ships were then converted into aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy.
HMS Dasher was first named Rio de Janeiro. She was built by the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in the USA. Her construction began on March 11, 1940, and she was launched on April 12, 1941. After being converted into an escort carrier, she joined the Royal Navy on July 2, 1942.
Ship's Size and Power
Dasher was 492 ft 3 in (150.04 m) long, which is about the length of one and a half football fields! She was 66 ft 3 in (20.19 m) wide and had a draught (how deep the ship sits in the water) of 23 ft 3 in (7.09 m). The ship weighed about 8,200 tons.
She had four powerful diesel engines that turned one propeller. These engines gave her enough power to travel at a speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph), which is about 19 miles per hour. A total of 555 crew members worked on board.
Aircraft and Weapons
HMS Dasher was designed to carry up to 15 aircraft. These could be fighter aircraft like the Grumman Martlet or Hawker Sea Hurricane, and torpedo bombers like the Fairey Swordfish.
To help with aircraft operations, she had a wooden flight deck that was 410 ft (120 m) long. There was also one aircraft lift to move planes between the hangar and the flight deck. The ship had one aircraft catapult to help planes take off and nine arrestor wires to help them land safely. Below the flight deck, there was a hangar 190 ft (58 m) long and 47 ft (14 m) wide to store the aircraft.
For defense, Dasher was equipped with three 4-inch guns that could shoot at both ships and aircraft. She also had fifteen 20 mm cannons to protect against enemy planes.
Service During World War II
HMS Dasher began her service as a merchant ship called Rio de Janeiro. After being converted, she was officially commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Dasher (D37) on July 2, 1942.
She took part in Operation Torch, which was a big Allied invasion of North Africa. Dasher carried Sea Hurricane fighter planes for 804 Naval Air Squadron. After helping to transport aircraft in the Mediterranean Sea, Dasher sailed back to the River Clyde in Scotland in March 1943. Her flight deck was made longer by 42 ft (13 m) to help with aircraft operations.
She successfully escorted one group of ships (a convoy). However, shortly after leaving with a second convoy, Dasher had engine problems and had to turn back.
The Loss of HMS Dasher
On March 27, 1943, shortly after returning to the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, HMS Dasher suffered a very large internal explosion. The ship sank quickly.
What Caused the Explosion?
The exact cause of the explosion is still not fully known. Some people thought it might have been an aircraft crashing on the deck, which could have ignited fuel vapors. There were also concerns about how the ship stored and handled its aviation fuel.
Many people tried to help after the explosion, including ships and rescue boats from nearby towns like Brodick and Ardrossan. Despite their quick response, 379 out of 528 crew members lost their lives. Many who escaped the ship died from hypothermia (getting too cold) in the water or from burns if fuel on the water caught fire. Most of the sailors who died were buried in Ardrossan or Greenock.
Aftermath and Memorials
At the time, the government wanted to avoid upsetting people or making it seem like there was a problem with the ship's design. So, they tried to keep the sinking quiet. Local news was told not to report on it, and authorities initially ordered the dead to be buried in unmarked graves. However, families protested, and some bodies were returned to their loved ones. Survivors were also told not to talk about what happened.
This policy later received a lot of criticism. Today, there are memorials in both Ardrossan and Brodick to remember those who were lost. The wreck of HMS Dasher lies in the Firth of Clyde and is a protected site under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
In 1999, pieces of the ship's wooden flight deck washed ashore at Ardrossan. These pieces had holes made by tiny sea worms. A section of this wood was shown in an exhibition, and another piece is kept at the North Ayrshire Heritage Centre.
There has also been some discussion that a body from the Dasher sinking might have been used in a famous British deception operation called Operation Mincemeat during the war. This idea was explored in a book called The Secrets of HMS "Dasher". In 2012, an archaeological dig was done to check for a mass grave in Ardrossan Cemetery, but no disturbance was found in the area searched.
Images for kids
-
The memorial at Ardrossan seafront, remembering those lost.
-
Inside the galley, sailors being served at the cafeteria counter.
See also
In Spanish: HMS Dasher (D37) para niños
