HMS Rochester (L50)
HMS Rochester in 1945
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| History | |
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 United Kingdom
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| Name: | HMS Rochester |
| Builder: | Chatham Dockyard |
| Laid down: | 24 November 1930 |
| Launched: | 16 July 1931 |
| Completed: | 24 March 1932 |
| Identification: | Pennant number: L50 (later U50) |
| Fate: | Sold for scrapping January 1951 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Shoreham-class sloop |
| Displacement: | 1,150 tons |
| Length: | 281 ft (86 m) |
| Beam: | 35 ft (11 m) |
| Draught: | 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Complement: | 95 |
| Armament: |
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HMS Rochester (L50) was a Shoreham-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She served during the Second World War and was a successful anti-submarine warfare vessel, being credited with the destruction of five U-boats.
Rochester was ordered on 4 December 1929 under the 1929 Building Programme from HM Dockyard at Chatham, Kent. She was laid down on 24 November 1930, launched 16 July 1931, and completed 24 March 1932. Designed as a general-purpose vessel, Rochester served on the South Atlantic and East Indies stations on patrol and contraband control until the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939.
Rochester underwent several modifications while in service; in winter 1939 she refitted as a convoy escort. In June 1941 she received Type 271 radar. In May 1942 she was equipped with Type 291 air defence radar and HF/DF.
At the outbreak of the Second World War Rochester returned to the UK for refitting, and in March 1940 was deployed to convoy escort in the Western Approaches. In July 1940 she assisted in the destruction of U-26, which was attacking convoy OA 175.
After a further refit in summer 1940, after which her pennant number was changed to U50 Rochester returned to the North Atlantic.
In May 1941, while escorting convoy OB 318 with 7th Escort Group, Rochester and two others attacked and damaged U-94, forcing her to break off the attack and retire.
After a further refit Rochester was assigned to 37 EG, deployed as convoy escort on the Gibraltar and South Atlantic routes. In October 1941 while with convoy HG 75 Rochester, with corvette Mallow, took part in the destruction of U-204. In February 1942, with 43 EG escorting convoy OS 18, Rochester and corvette Tamarisk intercepted U-82 in transit from US East Coast and destroyed her.
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