British Escort Ships by H T Lenton Soft Cover 1974 WW2 Fact Files

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British Escort Ships by H T Lenton Soft Cover 1974 64 Pages Back cover has sound minor damage- a little rough around the top edges.

The escort vessel was introduced during the First World War to counter the twin threats presented by mine and submarine warfare against Trade. Up to that time no vessels had been specifically employed for minesweeping and anti-submarine purposes. Although trawlers had been requisitioned in considerable numbers to serve as makeshift minesweepers and patrol vessels-and performed sterling service in those roles-there was an urgent requirement for a more specialised vessel with greater speed and shallower draught. It was to meet these threats that the "flower" class sloops were introduced, initially to serve as minesweepers, but they proved equally effective for escort and patrol work as well. Stemming from the "Flower" class further series of sloops were put into production for either escort, patrol or minesweeping duties, and by the close of the war they fell into three distinct groups:

(a) the convoy sloop with a large radius of action for ocean escort work ("Flower" class);

(b) the patrol sloop (see Note) which could make some reduction in radius-and so size-for coastal escort work (P- and PC-boats); and

These vessels were available in some quantity by the end of the First World War, but numbers were rapidly depleted as a result of the post-war economies that followed.

The sloop, however, had so firmly established itself that its retention was beyond question, and modest replacement programmes were put in hand during the interwar years. Despite the lessons of the First World War trade protection received scant attention during this period, and the bulk of the funds made available for new naval construction was expended on fleet vessels. The crux of the problem was the limit on naval expenditure, and with every category of vessel clamouring for priority, the difficulty experienced by the Admiralty in apportioning its funds is easily appreciated.

From about the time the submarine was first introduced the most effective A/S vessel was considered to be the destroyer, but as destroyers increased in size-and cost-their numbers diminished accordingly, and even during the First World War relatively few destroyers (and usually the oldest) were available for trade protection. For an island country like the U.K., absolutely dependent on its sea-borne commerce for survival, the protection of its large mercantile marine could only be effectively carried out by equally large numbers of trade protection vessels; and the numbers required were sufficiently great to rule out the destroyer on cost alone, if no account was taken of the fact that the sloop had proved a superior A/S vessel.

Asdic could not be operated at speeds much in excess of 20 knots so the high speed of a destroyer was of no practical use during the hunt and attack phases, nor was its armament of LA guns and torpedo tubes. In comparison the escort sloop was a far more seaworthy vessel, had an HA gun armament for air defence, a full speed which was adequate for the task and permitted continuous Asdic operation, was smaller and consequently less costly, and absorbed less complement. What is now evident (with the benefit of hindsight) is that the building policy "between the wars" should have provided fewer destroyers and more escorts. On the other hand, in view of the harsh criticisms levelled against the sloop at this time, it would have been difficult to implement such a policy even if it had been advocated. Rather belatedly the Admiralty recognised the deficiency in escorts and stepped up their rate of construction, but little could be done before the start of the Second World War.

In 1937 the term sloop was officially dropped (it nevertheless continued in use) and escort and patrol sloops were re-rated as escort and patrol vessels respectively; minesweeping sloops simply as minesweepers. By the outbreak Of war sloop strength stood at forty escort vessels (plus six building), forty-four minesweepers (plus twenty building), and eleven patrol vessels (plus fifty-six building): a total of ninety-five vessels in service for the British and Dominion navies, of which about one-third dated from the First World War. As shown in the accompanying table of war construction about seven hundred escorts of all types were authorised, and yet the prewar provision was only about 10 % of actual war requirements. It is not difficult to appreciate why it was a long and drawn-out struggle.

Particular acknowledgement is due to the Ministry of Defence (Navy), the Imperial War Museum and Warship Technical Services for their generous assistance and helpful suggestions with research and illustrations.

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