HMS Rushen Castle (K372)

HMS Rushen Castle (K372) was a Castle-class corvette of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. She was named after Castle Rushen in Castletown, Isle of Man.

HMS Rushen Castle on the River Tyne, February 1944
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Rushen Castle
NamesakeCastle Rushen
BuilderSwan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd
Launched16 July 1943
Commissioned23 February 1944
IdentificationPennant number: K372
FateTransferred to British Air Ministry 26 September 1960
UK government service ensignUnited Kingdom
NameWeather Surveyor
Acquired26 September 1960
Commissioned21 December 1961
IdentificationIMO number5387180
FateSold on 15 July 1977 and converted to a salvage vessel. Scrapped 1983
General characteristics
Class and typeCastle-class corvette
Displacement
Length252 ft (76.8 m)
Beam33 ft (10.1 m)
Draught14 ft (4.3 m)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts, 2 geared steam turbines
Speed16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement99
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament

Built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, she was launched on 16 July 1943 and finished on 23 February 1944 - she served as a convoy escort during the Second World War.

She was transferred to the British Air Ministry on 26 September 1960 for use as a weather ship, and was commissioned as Weather Surveyor on 21 December 1961. She was sold on 15 July 1977 and converted to a salvage vessel. She was scrapped at Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht in the Netherlands in 1983.

The wartime commanding officer, R. C. Warwick, RNR, published a book, Really Not Required, detailing his wartime experience on this ship and his previous command, the anti-submarine trawler HMS Saint Loman.

References

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Publications

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  • Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
  • Warwick, Colin, 1997. Really Not Required, Pentland Press, ISBN 1858214777
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