HMS Tumult was a T-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

HMS Tumult during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, 1944
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Tumult
Ordered14 March 1941
BuilderJohn Brown & Company
Laid down16 November 1941
Launched9 November 1942
Commissioned2 April 1943
ReclassifiedConverted to Type 16 frigate 1949-50
IdentificationPennant number R11/F121
Honours and
awards
  • Atlantic 1943
  • Sicily 1943
  • Salerno 1943
  • Mediterranean 1943-44
  • Aegean 1943-44
  • Adriatic 1944
  • South France 1944
  • Atlantic 1944
FateScrapped 25 October 1965
General characteristics as T–class
Class and typeT-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 1,710 long tons (1,737 t) - 1,730 long tons (1,758 t) (standard nominal)
  • 1,780 long tons (1,809 t) - 1,810 long tons (1,839 t) (actual)
  • 2,505 long tons (2,545 t) - 2,545 long tons (2,586 t) (deep load)
Length
  • 339 ft 6 in (103.48 m) pp
  • 362 ft 9 in (110.57 m) oa
Beam35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Draught14 ft 2 in (4.32 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 shaft Parsons geared turbines
  • 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • 40,000 shp (30,000 kW)
Speed36.75 knots (42.29 mph; 68.06 km/h)
Complement180-225
Armament
General characteristics as Type 16
Class and typeType 16 frigate
Displacement
  • 1,800 long tons (1,800 t) standard
  • 2,300 long tons (2,300 t) full load
Length362 ft 9 in (110.57 m) o/a
Beam37 ft 9 in (11.51 m)
Draught14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
  • Steam turbines, 40,000 shp
  • 2 shafts
Speed32 knots (37 mph; 59 km/h) full load
Complement175
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Type 293Q target indication Radar
  • Type 974 navigation Radar
  • Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF
  • Type 146B search Sonar
  • Type 147 depth finder Sonar
  • Type 162 target classification Sonar
  • Type 174 attack Sonar
Armament
  • 1 × twin 4 in gun Mark 19
  • 1 × twin 40 mm Bofors gun Mk.5
  • 5 × single 40 mm Bofors gun Mk.9
  • 2 × Squid A/S mortar
  • 1 × quad 21 in (533 mm) tubes for Mk.9 torpedoes

Description

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Tumult displaced 1,710 long tons (1,740 t) at standard load and 2,530 long tons (2,570 t) at deep load. She had an overall length of 362 feet 9 inches (110.6 m), a beam of 35 feet 8 inches (10.9 m) and a deep draught of 14 feet 6 inches (4.4 m). She was powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). Tumult carried a maximum of 615 long tons (625 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 4,675 nautical miles (8,658 km; 5,380 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Her complement was 170 officers and ratings.[1]

The ship was armed with four 45-calibre 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XII guns in dual-purpose mounts. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, Tumult had one twin mount for Bofors 40 mm guns and four twin 20-millimetre (0.8 in) Oerlikon autocannon. She was fitted with two above-water quadruple mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes. Two depth charge rails and four throwers were fitted for which 70 depth charges were provided.[2]

Second World War

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On 29 November 1943 German U-boat U-86 was sunk east of the Azores, in position 40°52'N, 18°54'W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Tumult and HMS Rocket (H92).[3]

Construction and career

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In 1946, Tumult was placed into reserve at Portsmouth. She remained in reserve until 1953 when was converted by Grayson Rollo at Birkenhead, into a Type 16 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F121.[4] She emerged from the conversion in 1954. In November 1956 she was part of the 2nd Training Squadron at Portsmouth. Between December 1957 and December 1960 she was part of the Chatham reserve. From December 1960 until October 1965 she was part of the Rosyth reserve.

Following sale for scrap she was taken to Arnott Young at Dalmuir for breaking up, where she arrived on 25 October 1965.

References

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  1. ^ Lenton, p. 174
  2. ^ English, pp. 62–63
  3. ^ "Allied Warships - HMS Tumult (R 11)". uboat.net.
  4. ^ Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 60. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.

Bibliography

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