- Yes - In the Tech Tree.
- Yes - Event/BP.
- Yes - Premium.
- Yes - Squadron
- No - I would not like to see HMS Penzance in game.
HMS Penzance at anchor, the aft 4-inch LA mount can be clearly seen. (1931)
Background:
With the success of the Royal Navy’s previous sloop class, the Bridgewater-class, the Royal Navy decided to create a new class based upon the older one, as both vessels of the Bridgewater-class acted as prototypes for the replacement of the WW1-era 24-class & Flower-class sloops.
The new class, labeled the Hastings (although the first ship constructed was the HMS Folkestone) was larger in length, displacement, and draught compared to the Bridgewater-class, and had different crewing arrangement to improve habitability for the crew in warm climates such as the tropics. Armament was kept the same however. As in company with previous sloop classes of the Royal Navy, this class was to be a multirole vessel, designed with escort, patrol, and minesweeping duties in mind.
HMS Penzance was one of five of her class, and is the third of her name, the first two being age of sail frigates, being launched in 1665 & 1747, and the fourth being a Sandown-class minehunter launched in 1997.
HMS Penzance at anchor, the aft 4-inch LA mount has been swapped for a HA one and she has a new bridge. (1939)
History:
Laid down by HM Dockyard, Devonport, on the 29th of July 1929, she would launch on the 10th of April 1930, and commission on the 15th of January 1931. At the time of her commissioning she was armed with 2x QF 4-inch Mk.V guns, the fore mount being a High Angle (HA) mount, and the aft mount being a Low Angle (LA) one, this allowed the fore 4-inch gun to fire in an AA role, but the after mount was restricted to surface warfare only. She also had 2x 3pdr saluting guns. During this time she did not carry her full DC loadout, only carrying four total DCs across her two DC chutes, she also did not carry any DC throwers at this time, although she was designed for their use.
HMS Penzance’s first deployment would be to the Persian Gulf, however she would swap crews with the HMS Shoreham in October 1931, and would transfer to the Red Sea. She would have minor refits at Malta to repair defects in May 1932, and again in June 1933 during her service on the Red Sea Station. In May 1934, she would evacuate 300 British and Indian citizens from Al Hudaydah (Hodeda) to Kamaran Island due to fighting between Saudi & Yemini forces around that city.
When HMS Hastings, Penzance’s sister, ran aground in 1934, Penzance would assist in refloating her, with operations lasting from the 11th of June to the 6th of September. In these operations she would shuttle personnel and stores to and from the nearest port. From August 1936 to January 1937, HMS Penzance would be undergoing refit at Simonstown, South Africa, in preparation to join the Africa Station, which she did in mid January 1937. This would not last long however, as she would return to Chatham dockyard in May 1938 for a further extensive refit.
This refit swapped the aft LA mount for a HA one, allowing for both 4-inch guns to do AA, but she also gained a completely new bridge as well as a Type 127 ASDIC set. Upon commissioning from this refit, she would sail to replace the HMS Lupin in the Fishery Protection Squadron, however this was changed last minute, as the Admiralty wanted a more modern ship in home waters, and so the Penzance would exchange crews with the HMS Pelican, and would sail for the West Indies Squadron. She would arrive in Bermuda in June 1939.
HMS Penzance visiting New Bedford, MA, during a visit to the US. (1939)
Upon the declaration of war in September 1939, HMS Penzance would be based out of Trinidad for contraband patrol work, and had a minor refit as to prepare her for ASW patrols, she had her DC stores increased ten fold to 40 total DCs, and had two DC throwers fitted. She would move to Bermuda for convoy escort work from March 1940. Here she was to be the coastal escort for the BHX convoys, which were taking ships north to join the main HX routes to Britain.
This work would last until the 15th of August 1940, when she was ordered home. Instead of independent sailing to Britain, she would act as the sole escort for convoy SC 1 out of Sydney Nova Scotia. On the 24th of August 1940, while 700 miles south west of Iceland, HMS Penzance was struck by a torpedo from the U-37 on her starboard side. This explosion not only split her in two, breaking her keel, but also detonated her DC magazine. This massive pair of explosions led her to sink very quickly, with 89 of her crew dying before being rescued, and one further dying of wounds received.
| General Characteristics: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: HMS Penzance | |||||
| Country: Britain | |||||
| Type: Sloop | |||||
| Class name: Hastings | |||||
| Year of commission: 1931 | |||||
| Refit: 1940 | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Dimensions: | |||||
| Length: 266ft 4in (81.18m) | |||||
| Beam: 34ft 1in(10.39m) | |||||
| Draught: 11ft 3in (3.43m) | |||||
| Displacement: 1,025t standard | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Propulsion: | |||||
| Powerplant: 2x oil fired boilers, driving 2x geared steam turbines @ 2,000shp (1,500kW) across two screws | |||||
| Speed:16.5kt | |||||
| Endurance: 280t of oil, using 0.6t/h @ 10kt | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Armament & sensors: | |||||
| Compliment: 104 | |||||
| Primary armament: 2x QF 4-inch Mk.V on HA mounts | |||||
| Secondary armament: 2x DC chutes & 2x DC throwers for 40DCs | |||||
| Tertiary armament: Minesweeping gear | |||||
| Radar: -nil | |||||
| Sonar: Type 127 |
HMS Penzance pre war, she still has the aft 4-inch LA mount and old bridge design
Sources:
A. Hague (1993). Sloops, 1926-1946 (pp.26-29)
J.Colledge & B.Warlow (2006) Ships of the Royal Navy. (p.264)
HMS Penzance (L28) - Wikipedia
HMS Penzance, sloop
https://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/H.M.S._Penzance_(1930)
HMS Penzance
HMS Penzance (L 28) of the Royal Navy - British Sloop of the Folkestone class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net
https://www.worldnavalships.com/directory/shipinfo.php?ShipID=3435