HMS Urchin (R99)

HMS Urchin was a U-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Urchin.

Urchin off Greenock, September 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Urchin
Builder: Vickers-Armstrongs
Laid down: 28 March 1942
Launched: 8 March 1943
Commissioned: 24 September 1943
Decommissioned: 1964
Identification: pennant number R99/F196
Fate: Scrapped 1967
General characteristics V-class destroyer
Class and type: V-class destroyer
Displacement:
  • 1,777 long tons (1,806 t) standard
  • 2,058 long tons (2,091 t) full load
Length: 363 ft (111 m)
Beam: 35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Draught: 10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers
  • Geared steam turbines, 40,000 shp (29,828 kW)
  • 2 shafts
Speed: 37 knots (43 mph; 69 km/h)
Range: 4,860 nmi (9,000 km) at 29 kn (54 km/h)
Complement: 180 (225 in flotilla leader)
Armament:
General characteristics Type 15 frigate
Class and type: Type 15 frigate
Displacement: 2,300 long tons (2,337 t) standard
Length: 358 ft (109 m) o/a
Beam: 37 ft 9 in (11.51 m)
Draught: 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Propulsion:
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers,
  • steam turbines on 2 shafts,
  • 40,000 shp
Speed: 31 knots (36 mph; 57 km/h) (full load)
Complement: 174
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Radar
  • Type 293Q target indication (later Type 993)
  • Type 277Q surface search
  • Type 974 navigation
  • Type 262 fire control on director CRBF
  • Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF
  • Sonar:
  • Type 174 search
  • Type 162 target classification
  • Type 170 attack
Armament:

Service history

Second World War service

Urchin formed part of the British Pacific Fleet during the latter part of the War.

Urchin wearing the BPF pennant "D28", as seen from the aircraft carrier USS Randolph off Japan in August 1945.

Post War service

Following service in the Second World War Urchin was held in reserve at Harwich, then Chatham Dockyard until 1952.[1] Between 1952 and 1954 she was converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, by Barclay Curle, Glasgow. Following this she was allocated the new pennant number F196. She re-commissioned on the 3 June 1954 into the 3rd Training Squadron, based at Londonderry.

In 1956 she went back into reserve at Portsmouth Dockyard. In 1957 she was refitted as a training frigate and re-commissioned for service with the Dartmouth Training Squadron. She subsequently served off Iceland during the 'Cod wars' in 1959.

Decommissioning and disposal

Urchin was decommissioned in 1964 and placed on the Disposal List. Before sale for breaking-up her stern structure was removed and fitted to sister ship Ulster during 1966. The hulk was later towed to Troon, where she arrived in August 1967 for demolition.[2]

Commanding officers
FromToCaptain
19431944Lt Cdr John Travis Beaufoy Birch DSO DSC RN
19441945Lt Cdr Archibald Ferguson Harkness OBE DSO RD RNR
19451946Lt Cdr Dennis Roy Newton Murdoch RN[3]
19471952In reserve
19521954Under conversion to Type 15 Frigate
19611963Captain T Lewin LVO DSC RN
19631964

Lt. Cdr G.R.T. Duffay

References
  1. Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 66. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.
  2. Mason, Geoffrey B. (2004). Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Urchin (R 99) - U-class Destroyer". naval-history.net. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  3. "HMS Urchin (R 99)". uboat.net. Retrieved 2 May 2015.

Publications


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