Naval History Forums

The Barbary coast inhabitants over the centuries have caused many ructions to Europeans. And the USA. Thanks Tommy303, your links still function, most enlightening. Apparently, the US Department of the Navy, founded 30 April 1798, was a direct result of political issues in that part of N Africa. The...

As with all destroyers built in the 1930's, larger calibre guns did not guarantee any positive results in action. Unlike their larger cruiser brethren, the effort in manpower involved simply getting the shell from shell room / magazine to the breach was strenuous, even with fit men in a well drilled...

With CV-66 now 3.2 miles down, intact, upright, 400 miles west of Bermuda, her namesake has entered service. Is Bermuda that far from the States. Just checked. So it is. Further in fact. USS America, LHA-6, is lead ship of a new amphibious assault ship class, a number of which are planned. Sister LH...

How much bearing might the loss of sister Blucher on 9 April 1940 have had on the decision to suspend further work on Seydlitz, bearing in mind the final incomplete unit Lutzow had been sold to the Soviets previously. The exploits of both Admiral Hipper and Prinz Eugen are well documented, the 8" cr...

Further evidence of DC's being carried is in the log of HMS Naiad. 22 May 1941, whilst evading extensive bombing which was to last all day, at 1147 Naiad jettisoned her depth charges. Derived from 'The man around the engine', by Vice-Admiral L Le Bailly, a Lt (E) in Naiad from build to loss. This to...

Most British Royal Navy cruisers up to the Improved Dido and Colony classes carried 1 single depth charge rack with 5 charges maximum on the starboard quarter and 15 depth charges. None ever carried any form of D C thrower(s). Consequently no pattern as such could be launched. Apparently at the Rive...

There would have been 4 LION class, LION & TEMERAIRE from the 1938 programme, CONQUEROR & THUNDERER from the 1939. Only the 2 1938 ships ordered on 21 Feb 1939 were laid down, dates below. LION, Vickers Tyne, yno 16, 4 July 1939. TEMERAIRE, Cammell Laird, yno 1045, 1 June 1939. Progress was slow for...

In a one-on-one fight, I wouldn't expect a County to stand up to PE for long. However, does anyone have a note of the comparative commissioning costs of the 2 classes? If I could get two Counties for the same outlay as one PE, I'd side with the RN. The RN had 11 assorted county class plus the 2 RAN...

5 Leander class were completed for the British RN, followed by the 3 Improved Leander or Amphion class, which were all duly transferred to Australia as the Perth class, despite Sydney ex Phaeton being transferred in build. All 8 ships had identical armament as completed, but deeper down there were s...

URANIE France 1788 built THAMES Britain 1793 captured by URANIE & CARMAGNOLE TAMISE France 1793 ex THAMES renamed TARTU France 1793 URANIE renamed by France TAMISE France 1796 captured by SANTA MARGARITA TAMISE Britain 1796 renamed THAMES SANTA MARGARITA Spain 1779 captured by TARTAR SANTA MARGARITA...

Acasta. Little appears known of the origins of this name to the general public. Acasta was one of the 3000 goddess nymphs, or Oceanides, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. Acasta is associated with water movements. The literal translation can be more sinister. Unstable or unpredictable. It was on the 8...

Maps are not used at sea. They are called charts. Chart because you chart both your previous course and your planned or expected course. Also the known or expected positions of other ships of interest. In the RN these were, and still are, fully produced by the hydrographic department. RN at sea, mai...

Marine Chronometer. Amongst other titles. Probably the most accurate time device outside of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Referred to also as Ships Chronometer, Master Chronometer & Master Clock. The accuracy of which should not exceed .1 of a second per day. A reminder, it is in fact an exempla...

TIMELINE. Paul, here and on other forums is very openly and willingly attempting to establish the exact timeline. Many individuals have contributed in response. In the British RN the Navigating Officer has full responsibility for ships time, assisted by his yeoman. All ships have a master chronomete...

The acquisition of this pair came at a cost to the British RN. Funding did not simply come from thin air and would reverberate for a few years, politics dictated reluctantly their incorporation and duly the 4th Minotaur class armoured cruiser Orion and the projected 3rd Lord Nelson class battleship ...