HMS Woolwich (F80) facts for kids
Woolwich in May 1937
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Woolwich |
| Ordered | 4 April 1933 |
| Builder | Fairfield, Govan |
| Laid down | 24 May 1933 |
| Launched | 20 September 1934 |
| Completed | 28 June 1935 |
| Identification | Pennant number: F80 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 1962 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Destroyer tender |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 610 ft 3 in (186.0 m) o/a |
| Beam | 64 ft (19.5 m) |
| Draught | 16 ft 6 in (5.0 m) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 15.25 kn (28.24 km/h; 17.55 mph) |
| Range | 12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) |
| Complement | 666 |
| Armament | 4 × single QF 4-inch Mk V guns |
| Armour | Deck: 1–2 inches (25–51 mm) |
HMS Woolwich was a special kind of ship called a depot ship and destroyer tender. She was built for the Royal Navy in the 1930s. Her main job was to support and help destroyer ships.
At first, she worked with the Mediterranean Fleet. During World War II, she served with different fleets, including the Home, Mediterranean, and Eastern Fleets. After the war, she returned to the UK. Woolwich became a ship that helped with maintenance and provided living space. She was eventually sold for scrap in 1962.
Contents
What Was HMS Woolwich Like?
Woolwich was a large ship, about 610 feet (185.9 m) long. That's longer than two football fields! She was also 64 feet (19.5 m) wide.
How She Moved
The ship had two steam turbine engines. These engines powered two propellers. Four large boilers created the steam needed for the engines. Woolwich could reach a speed of about 15.25 knots (28.24 km/h; 17.55 mph) (knots). This is about 17.5 miles per hour (28.2 km/h). She could travel for a very long distance, about 12,000 nautical miles (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) (nautical miles), without needing more fuel. This is like going halfway around the world! Her crew had 666 sailors.
Her Defenses and Supplies
Woolwich was armed with four quick-firing (QF) four-inch guns. These guns could fire quickly and were used against aircraft. They could shoot a 31 lb (14 kg) shell very high into the sky. A special system helped aim these guns.
Because she supported destroyers, Woolwich carried extra supplies for them. This included 72 torpedoes and 200 depth charges. These were used by the destroyers to attack enemy ships and submarines.
Upgrades During World War II
During World War II, Woolwich got more weapons to protect herself from air attacks. Two two-pounder anti-aircraft guns were added. These guns fired 40-millimetre (1.6 in) shells. Four smaller Template:Oerlikon 20 mm cannon were also installed. She also received two quadruple Vickers .50 machine gun mounts.
New radar systems were also added. A Type 285 radar helped aim the guns. A Type 271/73 radar helped find ships on the surface of the water.
Ship Armor
The main deck of Woolwich had armor that was about one-inch (25 mm) thick over the engine areas. The deck over the ammunition storage (magazines) was two inches (51 mm) thick.
Building and Service History
Woolwich was ordered in 1933. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in Govan, Scotland. Her construction began on May 24, 1933. The ship was launched into the water on September 20, 1934. She was finished and ready for service on June 28, 1935.
Early Service and World War II
After being completed, Woolwich was sent to the Mediterranean Sea. She was in Alexandria, Egypt, when World War II began in September 1939. By mid-1940, she had returned to the UK. She was based at Scapa Flow and supported the destroyers of the Home Fleet.
In September 1940, Woolwich sailed back to the Mediterranean. On her way, she had to stop in Mombasa, Kenya, for repairs to her boilers. She arrived in Alexandria in November.
In June 1942, a British admiral ordered all ships that weren't needed for fighting to leave Alexandria. This was because enemy forces were getting close. Woolwich moved south of the Suez Canal. She stayed there until the British won a big battle in October. Then, she could return to Alexandria. She remained there until late 1943. After that, she joined the Eastern Fleet and was based in Trincomalee for the rest of the war.
Post-War Role and Retirement
Woolwich returned to England in 1946. However, she went back to the Mediterranean Fleet the next year. There, she served as the main ship for the officer in charge of destroyers.
On February 7, 1948, she sailed from Valletta, Malta, to Harwich in England. In Harwich, she became a maintenance and accommodation ship. This meant she helped repair other ships and provided living quarters for sailors. She was refitted (repaired and updated) in Rosyth in 1952. Then, she moved to Gare Loch to do similar duties.
Woolwich was refitted again in Rosyth five years later. From 1958 to 1962, she served as an accommodation ship in Devonport. In 1962, Woolwich was sold to a company called Arnott Young. She arrived in Dalmuir, Scotland, on October 18, to be broken up for scrap.
