HMS Springbank facts for kids
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HMS Springbank was a special kind of ship used by the Royal Navy during World War II. It was called a fighter catapult ship. This meant it could launch a fighter plane from its deck to protect other ships.
Originally, Springbank was just a regular cargo ship. It was built in 1926 for a company called Bank Line. But when the war started, the British Navy needed more ships to help protect convoys. So, they took Springbank and changed it into a warship.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom |
|
| Name | Springbank |
| Owner | Bank Line |
| Builder | Harland and Wolff, Govan |
| Launched | 13 April 1926 |
| Fate | Requisitioned by Royal Navy 1939 |
 United Kingdom |
|
| Name | HMS Springbank |
| Acquired | 1939 |
| Fate | Sunk 1941 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 5,155 GRT |
| Length | 420.3 ft (128.1 m) |
| Beam | 53.9 ft (16.4 m) |
| Draught | 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m) |
| Propulsion | 717 nhp, 2 screws |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | Fairey Fulmar |
| Aviation facilities | Single catapult |
From Cargo Ship to Warship
When the Navy took over Springbank in 1939, they converted it into an "auxiliary anti-aircraft cruiser." This means it was an extra ship, not a main warship, that helped defend against enemy planes. They added powerful weapons to its deck.
New Weapons for Protection
The ship was fitted with four twin 4-inch (102 mm) gun turrets. These were big guns that could shoot down aircraft. It also got two quadruple 2 pdr (40 mm) "pom-pom"s. These "pom-pom" guns were smaller but fired very fast. They were great for close-range defense against planes.
A Plane on Deck
In March 1941, Springbank got an even more special feature. A catapult was added in the middle of the ship. This catapult could launch a single Fairey Fulmar naval fighter plane. This plane came from 804 Naval Air Squadron. The idea was to give convoys even more protection from enemy aircraft far out at sea.
Protecting Convoys
HMS Springbank played an important role in protecting groups of merchant ships, called convoys. These convoys carried vital supplies across the ocean.
Convoy HG 73
Springbank was part of the escort for Convoy HG 73. This convoy was sailing from Gibraltar to Liverpool. One day, a German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 reconnaissance aircraft was spotted. This plane was trying to find the convoy for German submarines to attack. Springbank launched its Fulmar plane to chase off the German aircraft. After its mission, the Fulmar plane safely landed back at Gibraltar.
The Final Battle
Over the next few days, the convoy faced attacks from Italian and German submarines. In the night of 27 September 1941, Springbank was hit by a torpedo. It was struck in the North Atlantic by the German submarine German submarine U-201.
The ship was badly damaged. After taking off the surviving crew members, another ship, the Flower-class corvette HMS Jasmine, had to sink Springbank. This was done to prevent the damaged ship from falling into enemy hands or becoming a danger to other ships.
