HMS Bridgewater (L01)

Bridgewater at anchor, January 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name:	Bridgewater
Namesake:	Town of Bridgwater
Ordered:	19 September 1927
Builder:	Hawthorne Leslie, Newcastle upon Tyne
Laid down:	6 February 1928
Launched:	14 September 1928
Commissioned:	14 March 1929
Out of service:	July 1945
Honours and awards:	North Sea 1942 Atlantic 1942–43
Fate:	Sold for scrap, 22 May 1947
Badge:	On a Field Gold, three castles on a bridge, all Silver, below a star and a fleur-de-lys Gold.
General characteristics (as built)
Displacement:	1,045 tonnes (1,028 long tons) (standard) 1,600 tonnes (1,600 long tons) (full load)
Length:	266 ft 4 in (81.2 m) (o/a)
Beam:	34 ft (10.4 m)
Draft:	11 ft 5 in (3.5 m) (deep load)
Installed power:	2,000 shp (1,500 kW) 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Propulsion:	2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbine sets
Speed:	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement:	96
Armament:	2 × single QF 4 in (102 mm) Mk V guns 4 × depth charges, 2 chutes

HMS Bridgewater (L01) was the lead ship of her class of sloops built for the Royal Navy in the 1920s. Completed in 1929, the ship was initially assigned to the China Station and was transferred to the Africa Station in 1935. During the Second World War, Bridgewater spent most of her time on convoy escort duties off the West African coast although she did play a minor role in the Battle of Dakar in 1940. She was replaced in that role before the end of the war by more modern ships and was relegated to training duties in the UK. The ship was reduced to reserve shortly after the end of the war and was sold for scrap in 1947.

HMS Bridgewater was ordered from Hawthorne Leslie on 19 September 1927, one of two Bridgwater-class sloops ordered from Hawthorn Leslie that day. The Bridgewaters were intended as replacements for the Flower-class sloops, and were to combine the role of peacetime patrol work at distant overseas stations (with the Bridgewaters being specifically intended for service in the Persian Gulf) with a wartime role as minesweepers.

Bridgewater was 266 feet 4 inches (81.18 m) long overall and 250 feet (76 m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 34 feet (10 m) and a draught of 11 feet 5 inches (3.48 m). Displacement was 1,045 long tons (1,062 t) standard and 1,600 long tons (1,600 t) full load. The ship was powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by two Admiralty three-drum boiler. The turbines developed a total of 2,000 shaft horsepower (1,500 kW) and were designed to give a maximum speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). The main armament consisted of a pair of QF four-inch (102 mm) Mk V guns on the ship's centreline, one forward and one aft, with the forward gun on a high-angle mount, capable of anti-aircraft fire and the second gun on a low-angle mount, for anti-surface use only. Two 3-pounder saluting guns were also carried, while the anti-submarine armament initially consisted of four depth charges. The ship's crew consisted of 96 officers and ratings.