- Yes - In the Tech Tree.
- Yes - Event/BP.
- Yes - Premium.
- No - I would not like to see HMAS Waterhen in game.
Description:
HMAS Waterhen was one of four V&W-class destroyers operated by the Royal Australian Navy during the Second World War. She was the only vessel of the W-Class operated by the RAN, the other three vessels being the V-class. The V and W classes, although different, were treated as one by the RAN/RN.
Like her sisters, she was originally built for the Royal Navy, and as such served in the early 1920s and 30s before her transfer to the RAN.
The V&W Classes were loaned to Australia as to replace their S-class destroyers, as their capabilities no longer met fleet requirements, although the V&W class were slightly older than the Australian S-class vessels, they provided a much better capability for the fleet.
This suggestion is for HMAS Waterhen’s fit upon the outbreak of war in 1939.
History:
Royal Navy:
Laid down on the 3rd of July 1917 by Palmers Shipbuilding Co, at Hebburn-on-Tyne, England, she would launch on the 23rd of March 1918, and would commission as HMS Waterhen on the 17th of July 1918, where she would serve in the Mediterranean.
She would spend most of her Pre-war activity here, mostly in the First Destroyer Flotilla. While here she would mostly serve fleet duties, patrol, and the occasional convoy escort, only transferring out to the 5th Destroyer Flotilla in the Atlantic by 1929. She was in refit from the 8th of may 1929 until the 21st of November then transferred back into the First Destroyer Flotilla until she was put into reserve on the 30th of November 1932.
She and three of her V-class, Vampire, Vendetta, and Voyager, would be selected to be loaned to the Royal Australian Navy, recommissioning on the 11th of October 1933 in Portsmouth, leaving Chatham on the 17th. They would reach Sydney on the 21st of December 1933.
Royal Australian Navy:
Upon reaching Sydney, she would serve on the Australia Station, again serving fleet duties, patrol, and convoy escort roles. She would be laid up on the 9th of October 1934 in reserve, recommissioning on the 14th of April 1936, resuming service in the Australia Station, where she would visit New Zealand. On the 1st of June 1938 she would be put in reserve again until the declaration of war in 1939, when she would be reactivated for service.
She would initially be active out of Sydney with her sisters, doing anti-submarine patrols for the harbour. However on the 14th of October 1939, with HMAS Stuart and Vendetta, she would depart for Singapore, joining her sisters Vampire and Voyager, who had departed from Fremantle.
They would only be at Singapore for a short while before moving towards the Mediterranean, the ships sailed individually, with Waterhen reaching Malta on the 14th of December 1939. At Malta these vessels would form the 19th Destroyer Division within the Mediterranean Fleet.
In the early part of the Mediterranean war, with both British and French fleets in the area, work was light for these ships. With only routine escort and patrol duties, sprinkled with fleet exercises. On the 27th of May 1940, the 19th and 20th Destroyer Divisions would combine to form the 10th Destroyer Flotilla.
On the French collapse and the Italians joining the war, work would increase dramatically, with the ships constantly at sea. During this time, HMAS Waterhen would screen the ships bombarding Italian Positions in Libya, as well as escort convoys to Alexandria and to Malta. She would also partake in supporting the land operations in North Africa, sinking the Italian Merchantman Tireremo Diritto with gunfire.
She would retire for repairs at Port Tewfik after accidentally colliding and sinking the HMS Bandolero on the 30th of December 1940. After repairs she would take part in support of the army in Tobruk. On the 14th of April 1941, she would be under air attack in Tobruk Harbour, but would not be damaged.
On the 28th of June 1941, she would leave Alexandria for Tobruk on yet another supply run, however at 7:45pm she would be attacked by Italian dive bombers and hit once on the stern with a 500kg bomb, flooding her boiler and engine rooms. With her machinery down she was disabled and could not move.
She was taken under tow by the HMS Defender but damage was more severe than thought due to several near misses in addition to the direct hit, and she rolled over and sank while under tow at 1:50am on the 30th of June 1941.
She was the first RAN ship to sink due to enemy action during WW2
| General Characteristics: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: HMAS Waterhen | |||||
| Country: Australia | |||||
| Type: Destroyer | |||||
| Class name: W-class | |||||
| Year of commission: 1939 | |||||
| Refit: 1939 | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Dimensions: | |||||
| Length: 312 ft (95.1 m) | |||||
| Beam: 29 ft 6 in (9.0 m) | |||||
| Draught: 13 ft 11 in (4.2 m) | |||||
| Displacement: 1,100t | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Propulsion: | |||||
| Powerplant: 3x oil fired boilers, 2x turbines creating 27,000shp (20,000kW) across two shafts | |||||
| Speed: 34kt | |||||
| Endurance: 3,560nmi @ 15kt | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Armament & sensors: | |||||
| Compliment: 119 | |||||
| Primary armament: 4x1 QF 4-inch Mk.V (LA) | |||||
| Secondary armament: 1x1 QF-2pdr (pom-pom) | |||||
| Tertiary armament: 2x3 21" torpedo tubes, 5x1 .303 Vickers, 2x DCT, 50DC | |||||
| Sensors: -nil |
Sources
Gillett, R. (1983). Australian and New Zealand Warships 1914-1945 (pp.96-98)
G. H. Gill. (1957). Royal Australian Navy 1939-1942 (pp 32, 66-69, 288-292, 394-397)
Colledge, J.J (1980). British and Dominion Warships of World War II (pp.71-77).
HMAS Waterhen (D22) - Wikipedia
https://www.navy.gov.au/about-navy/history/history-milestones/scrap-iron-flotilla
https://seapower.navy.gov.au/history/units/hmas-waterhen-i
HMAS Waterhen (D 22) of the Royal Australian Navy - Australian Destroyer of the Admiralty V & W class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net
https://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/H.M.S._Waterhen_(1918)