HMS Scarborough (L25) facts for kids
Scarborough in coastal waters on 24 August 1943
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Scarborough |
| Ordered | 26 February 1929 |
| Builder | Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Tyne and Wear |
| Laid down | 28 May 1929 |
| Launched | 14 March 1930 |
| Commissioned | 31 July 1930 |
| Identification | Pennant number L25 (later U25) |
| Motto | Tutus est fortis: 'In strength lies our safety' |
| Fate |
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| Badge | On a Field Red, an ancient ship with tower Gold on wavelets Silver and Blue |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Hastings-class sloop |
| Displacement | 1,045 tons |
| Length | 250 ft (76 m) |
| Beam | 34 ft (10 m) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Complement | 100 |
| Armament |
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HMS Scarborough was a special type of warship called a sloop. She was built for the Royal Navy in 1930. This ship played a very important role during World War II, especially by protecting groups of merchant ships, known as convoys, in the vast North Atlantic Ocean.
Contents
Building a Brave Warship
The Royal Navy ordered HMS Scarborough on February 26, 1929. Her construction began on May 28, 1929, at the Swan Hunter shipyard in Wallsend-on-Tyne. A special ceremony, called a launching, took place on March 14, 1930, when the ship first touched the water. She officially joined the Navy, or was commissioned, on July 31, 1930.
Life Before the War
From 1931, HMS Scarborough was part of the America and West Indies Squadron. Her home base was in Bermuda. During these peaceful years, her job was to represent the British Navy. She visited many smaller ports in the British Empire, places where bigger warships usually did not go.
In 1931, and again in 1933, she sailed to Newfoundland, which was then a British territory. She sometimes helped the Governor travel to different small towns. In 1934, the ship even carried the British Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, and his daughter on a trip to visit a special mission in St. Anthony.
While in Canada in 1933, her captain and officers were welcomed by a Canadian Senator. During these peacetime journeys, the ship looked different. She was painted white with a light brown funnel, which were the special colors for ships serving in foreign stations.
Getting Ready for Battle
Before World War II began, HMS Scarborough was used as a survey ship, mapping the seas. When the war started in September 1939, she went to Colombo for a major upgrade, called a refit. During this time, she received new weapons.
She was fitted with a powerful 4-inch gun that could fire quickly. This gun was useful against both ships on the surface and airplanes in the sky. Later, more anti-aircraft guns were added to protect her from air attacks. To fight against enemy submarines, the ship was equipped with depth charges. These were special bombs that exploded underwater. She started with 15 depth charges, and this number was later increased to 80.
Protecting Convoys in World War II
After her upgrades, HMS Scarborough was sent to serve in British waters. She arrived in Plymouth in January 1940 and had another quick refit. Soon after, she joined the Western Approaches Command, based in Liverpool. Her main job was to protect convoys. Convoys were groups of merchant ships traveling together, guarded by warships, to keep them safe from enemy attacks.
In February 1940, she began her first patrol, escorting a convoy to Gibraltar. She worked alongside other warships, including destroyers and another sloop. Her role was crucial in making sure vital supplies reached Britain safely.
Important Missions and Later Years
The SC 7 Convoy Battle
HMS Scarborough continued her important work, escorting convoys through the Irish Sea and across the Atlantic. In October 1940, she joined convoy SC 7, a large group of 35 merchant ships sailing from Canada to Britain. At first, she was the only warship protecting them.
This convoy faced a serious threat from German submarines, known as U-boats. These U-boats often hunted in groups, called wolfpacks. The wolfpack launched a fierce attack on Convoy SC 7. Even with more warships arriving to help, the U-boats managed to sink many merchant ships. HMS Scarborough herself was attacked multiple times during this intense battle.
Hunting German Ships and Submarines
In 1941, HMS Scarborough continued her vital convoy protection duties. She successfully stopped and sank two German-controlled whaling ships in the South Atlantic. These ships had been captured by a German warship and were carrying valuable whale oil.
Later, in April 1941, while escorting another convoy, HMS Scarborough and other warships found a German U-boat, U-76. They attacked it with depth charges, forcing the submarine to come to the surface. The U-boat's crew then sank their own vessel to prevent it from being captured. In July of that year, HMS Scarborough also performed a brave rescue, saving 57 people from a damaged ship.
HMS Scarborough received another upgrade in August 1941. She then joined a new escort group, protecting convoys traveling between the UK and Freetown in Africa. She continued these important missions throughout 1942. In July 1942, she had another refit, where she was fitted with a new radar system. This radar, called Type 271, helped her detect other ships and submarines on the surface, especially at night or in bad weather.
Supporting North Africa Landings
In October 1942, after her latest refit, HMS Scarborough was chosen to help with a big operation. This was Operation Torch, the Allied landings in North Africa. She sailed from Gibraltar, escorting convoys that supported these landings.
In February 1943, while escorting Convoy MJS-7, some merchant ships hit hidden mines near Gibraltar. These mines had been placed by a German submarine. One ship, the Empire Mordred, was badly damaged. HMS Scarborough quickly came to the rescue, saving many crew members and gunners from the sinking ship. She brought them safely to Liverpool. For the rest of 1943, she continued to protect convoys crossing the Atlantic. In January 1944, she moved to a new escort group based in Belfast.
D-Day and Beyond
In May 1944, HMS Scarborough was given a very important mission: to support the huge Allied landings in Normandy, France. This historic event was known as D-Day, and it happened in June 1944. Her job was to follow closely behind special ships called minesweepers. These minesweepers cleared safe paths through dangerous German minefields near the coast.
HMS Scarborough then dropped buoys to mark these clear paths for the thousands of ships that would follow. On June 7, she took on a new role, helping to control smaller naval craft. After her crucial work at D-Day, she returned to Portsmouth in July. She was then taken out of active service and placed in the reserve, where she remained for the rest of the war.
End of Service
After World War II ended, HMS Scarborough was no longer needed for active duty. She was sold on June 3, 1949, to a company that breaks up old ships. She was towed to Thornaby-on-Tees and arrived there on July 3, 1949. There, this brave warship was taken apart for scrap metal, ending her long and important service.
