1.
United Kingdom
–
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government
United Kingdom
–
Stonehenge, in
Wiltshire, was erected around 2500 BC.
United Kingdom
–
Flag
United Kingdom
–
The
Bayeux Tapestry depicts the
Battle of Hastings, 1066, and the events leading to it.
United Kingdom
–
The
Treaty of Union led to a single united kingdom encompassing all Great Britain.
2.
Royal Navy
–
The Royal Navy is the United Kingdoms naval warfare force. Although warships were used by the English kings from the medieval period. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century, from the middle decades of the 17th century and through the 18th century, the Royal Navy vied with the Dutch Navy and later with the French Navy for maritime supremacy. From the mid 18th century it was the worlds most powerful navy until surpassed by the United States Navy during the Second World War. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing the British Empire as the world power during the 19th. Due to this historical prominence, it is common, even among non-Britons, following World War I, the Royal Navy was significantly reduced in size, although at the onset of the Second World War it was still the worlds largest. By the end of the war, however, the United States Navy had emerged as the worlds largest, during the Cold War, the Royal Navy transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines, mostly active in the GIUK gap. The Royal Navy is part of Her Majestys Naval Service, which includes the Royal Marines. The professional head of the Naval Service is the First Sea Lord, the Defence Council delegates management of the Naval Service to the Admiralty Board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Defence. The strength of the fleet of the Kingdom of England was an important element in the power in the 10th century. English naval power declined as a result of the Norman conquest. Medieval fleets, in England as elsewhere, were almost entirely composed of merchant ships enlisted into service in time of war. Englands naval organisation was haphazard and the mobilisation of fleets when war broke out was slow, early in the war French plans for an invasion of England failed when Edward III of England destroyed the French fleet in the Battle of Sluys in 1340. Major fighting was confined to French soil and Englands naval capabilities sufficed to transport armies and supplies safely to their continental destinations. Such raids halted finally only with the occupation of northern France by Henry V. Henry VII deserves a large share of credit in the establishment of a standing navy and he embarked on a program of building ships larger than heretofore. He also invested in dockyards, and commissioned the oldest surviving dry dock in 1495 at Portsmouth, a standing Navy Royal, with its own secretariat, dockyards and a permanent core of purpose-built warships, emerged during the reign of Henry VIII. Under Elizabeth I England became involved in a war with Spain, the new regimes introduction of Navigation Acts, providing that all merchant shipping to and from England or her colonies should be carried out by English ships, led to war with the Dutch Republic. In the early stages of this First Anglo-Dutch War, the superiority of the large, heavily armed English ships was offset by superior Dutch tactical organisation and the fighting was inconclusive
Royal Navy
–
Royal Navy
Royal Navy
–
The
Battle of Sluys as depicted in
Froissart's Chronicles; late 14th century
Royal Navy
–
A late 16th century painting of the
Spanish Armada in battle with English warships
Royal Navy
–
The Dutch
Raid on the Medway in 1667 during the Second Anglo–Dutch War
3.
Naval forces
–
A navy or maritime force is a fleet of waterborne military vessels and its associated naval aviation, both sea-based and land-based. It is the branch of an armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare, namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations. The strategic offensive role of a navy is projection of force into areas beyond a countrys shores, the strategic defensive purpose of a navy is to frustrate seaborne projection-of-force by enemies. The strategic task of the navy also may incorporate nuclear deterrence by use of submarine-launched ballistic missiles. In most nations, the naval, as opposed to navy, is interpreted as encompassing all maritime military forces, e. g. navy, marine / marine corps. First attested in English in the early 14th century, the navy came via Old French navie, fleet of ships, from the Latin navigium, a vessel. The word naval came from Latin navalis, pertaining to ship, cf. Greek ναῦς, ship, ναύτης, seaman, the earliest attested form of the word is in the Mycenaean Greek compound word
Naval forces
–
The
Spanish Armada fighting the
English navy at the
Battle of Gravelines in 1588
Naval forces
–
INS Vikramaditya (R33) with a
Sea Harrier aircraft in the
Arabian Sea. It is the
Indian Navy 's largest
aircraft carrier.
Naval forces
–
HMS Victory, the oldest warship still in commission in the world.
Naval forces
–
Dreadnoughts of the
High Seas Fleet of
World War I.
4.
Motor Torpedo Boat
–
Motor Torpedo Boat was the name given to fast torpedo boats by the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy. The motor in the designation, referring to the use of petrol engines, was to distinguish them from the majority of other naval craft that used steam turbines or reciprocating steam engines. The capitalised term is used for the Royal Navy boats. During the Second World War, the US Navy boats were called by their hull classification symbol of PT. German motor torpedo boats of the Second World War were called S-boote by the Kriegsmarine, Italian MTBs of this period were known as Motoscafo Armato Silurante. French MTBs were known as vedettes lance torpilles, soviet MTBs were known as торпедные катеры. After the end of the War in 1945, a number of the Royal Navys MTBs were stripped and the empty hulls sold for use as houseboats. MTBs were designed for speed, operating at night, low speed ambush and manoeuvrability on the water. With no significant armour, the boats relied upon surprise and their agility at high speed to avoid being hit by gunfire from bigger ships, the British and Italian navies started developing such vessels in the early 20th century, shortly before the beginning of the First World War. Italian MAS boats were small, at 20-30 tons displacement. MAS15 was the motor torpedo boat in history to sink a battleship. British torpedo boats of the First World War were small at only around 15 tons and were known as Coastal Motor Boats, in the Second World War, British MTBs were operated by Coastal Forces. A similar size boat with a different role in the Second World War was the BPB63 ft High Speed Launch used by the RAF, the last MTBs in the Royal Navy were the two Brave-class fast patrol boats of 1958 which were capable of 50 knots. Many boats were built with a MTB designation but varied substantially, a 55 footer capable of 40 knots was shown in 1930. The Vosper private boat was designed by Commander Peter Du Cane CBE and she was completed and launched in 1937. She was bought by the Admiralty and taken into service with the Royal Navy as MTB102. Length,68 ft Beam,19 ft 9 in Draft,3 ft 9 in, armament, Two 21 in torpedo tubes MTB102 was the fastest wartime British naval vessel in service. She was at Dunkirk for the evacuation and carried Winston Churchill and they were based on the British Power Boat rescue craft and were originally designed for the Royal Air Force but reduced to 60 ft in length
Motor Torpedo Boat
–
MTBs returning from an anti-E-boat patrol, June 1944
Motor Torpedo Boat
–
Israeli MTB formation, circa 1967
Motor Torpedo Boat
–
MTBs in the Mediterranean, February 1945
5.
World War I
–
World War I, also known as the First World War, the Great War, or the War to End All Wars, was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilised in one of the largest wars in history and it was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, and paved the way for major political changes, including revolutions in many of the nations involved. The war drew in all the worlds great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances, the Allies versus the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. These alliances were reorganised and expanded as more nations entered the war, Italy, Japan, the trigger for the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. This set off a crisis when Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia. Within weeks, the powers were at war and the conflict soon spread around the world. On 25 July Russia began mobilisation and on 28 July, the Austro-Hungarians declared war on Serbia, Germany presented an ultimatum to Russia to demobilise, and when this was refused, declared war on Russia on 1 August. Germany then invaded neutral Belgium and Luxembourg before moving towards France, after the German march on Paris was halted, what became known as the Western Front settled into a battle of attrition, with a trench line that changed little until 1917. On the Eastern Front, the Russian army was successful against the Austro-Hungarians, in November 1914, the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers, opening fronts in the Caucasus, Mesopotamia and the Sinai. In 1915, Italy joined the Allies and Bulgaria joined the Central Powers, Romania joined the Allies in 1916, after a stunning German offensive along the Western Front in the spring of 1918, the Allies rallied and drove back the Germans in a series of successful offensives. By the end of the war or soon after, the German Empire, Russian Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, national borders were redrawn, with several independent nations restored or created, and Germanys colonies were parceled out among the victors. During the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, the Big Four imposed their terms in a series of treaties, the League of Nations was formed with the aim of preventing any repetition of such a conflict. This effort failed, and economic depression, renewed nationalism, weakened successor states, and feelings of humiliation eventually contributed to World War II. From the time of its start until the approach of World War II, at the time, it was also sometimes called the war to end war or the war to end all wars due to its then-unparalleled scale and devastation. In Canada, Macleans magazine in October 1914 wrote, Some wars name themselves, during the interwar period, the war was most often called the World War and the Great War in English-speaking countries. Will become the first world war in the sense of the word. These began in 1815, with the Holy Alliance between Prussia, Russia, and Austria, when Germany was united in 1871, Prussia became part of the new German nation. Soon after, in October 1873, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck negotiated the League of the Three Emperors between the monarchs of Austria-Hungary, Russia and Germany
World War I
–
Clockwise from the top: The aftermath of shelling during the
Battle of the Somme,
Mark V tanks cross the
Hindenburg Line,
HMS Irresistible sinks after hitting a
mine in the
Dardanelles, a British
Vickers machine gun crew wears
gas masks during the Battle of the Somme,
Albatros D.III fighters of
Jagdstaffel 11
World War I
–
Sarajevo citizens reading a poster with the proclamation of the
Austrian annexation in 1908.
World War I
–
This picture is usually associated with the arrest of
Gavrilo Princip, although some believe it depicts Ferdinand Behr, a bystander.
World War I
–
Serbian Army
Blériot XI "Oluj", 1915.
6.
World War II
–
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the worlds countries—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing alliances, the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. Marked by mass deaths of civilians, including the Holocaust and the bombing of industrial and population centres. These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history, from late 1939 to early 1941, in a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany conquered or controlled much of continental Europe, and formed the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan. Under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union partitioned and annexed territories of their European neighbours, Poland, Finland, Romania and the Baltic states. In December 1941, Japan attacked the United States and European colonies in the Pacific Ocean, and quickly conquered much of the Western Pacific. The Axis advance halted in 1942 when Japan lost the critical Battle of Midway, near Hawaii, in 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France, while the Soviet Union regained all of its territorial losses and invaded Germany and its allies. During 1944 and 1945 the Japanese suffered major reverses in mainland Asia in South Central China and Burma, while the Allies crippled the Japanese Navy, thus ended the war in Asia, cementing the total victory of the Allies. World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world, the United Nations was established to foster international co-operation and prevent future conflicts. The victorious great powers—the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers waned, while the decolonisation of Asia, most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery. Political integration, especially in Europe, emerged as an effort to end pre-war enmities, the start of the war in Europe is generally held to be 1 September 1939, beginning with the German invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. The dates for the beginning of war in the Pacific include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor, who held that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously and this article uses the conventional dating. Other starting dates sometimes used for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939, the exact date of the wars end is also not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 14 August 1945, rather than the formal surrender of Japan
World War II
–
Clockwise from top left: Chinese forces in the
Battle of Wanjialing, Australian
25-pounder guns during the
First Battle of El Alamein, German
Stuka dive bombers on the
Eastern Front in December 1943, a U.S. naval force in the
Lingayen Gulf,
Wilhelm Keitel signing the
German Instrument of Surrender, Soviet troops in the
Battle of Stalingrad
World War II
–
The
League of Nations assembly, held in
Geneva,
Switzerland, 1930
World War II
–
Adolf Hitler at a German
National Socialist political rally in
Weimar, October 1930
World War II
–
Italian soldiers recruited in 1935, on their way to fight the
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
7.
Minesweeper (ship)
–
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to engage in minesweeping. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, although naval warfare has a long history, the earliest known usage of the naval mine dates to the Ming dynasty. Dedicated minesweepers, however, only appear in the record several centuries later, to the Crimean War. In the Crimean War, minesweepers consisted of British rowboats trailing grapnels to snag the mines, despite the use of mines in the American Civil War, there are no records of effective minesweeping being used. Officials in the Union Army attempted to create the first minesweeper but were plagued by flawed designs, minesweeping technology picked up in the Russo-Japanese War, using aging torpedo boats as minesweepers. In Britain, naval leaders recognized before the outbreak of World War I that the development of sea mines was a threat to the nations shipping, sir Arthur Wilson noted the real threat of the time was blockade aided by mines and not invasion. A Trawler Section of the Royal Navy Reserve became the predecessor of the mine sweeping forces with specially designed ships and these reserve Trawler Section fishermen and their trawlers were activated, supplied with mine gear, rifles, uniforms and pay as the first minesweepers. The dedicated, purpose-built minesweeper first appeared during World War I with the Flower-class minesweeping sloop, by the end of the War, naval mine technology had grown beyond the ability of minesweepers to detect and remove. Minesweeping made significant advancements during World War II, combatant nations quickly adapted ships to the task of minesweeping, including Australias 35 civilian ships that became Auxiliary Minesweepers. Both Allied and Axis countries made heavy use of minesweepers throughout the war, historian Gordon Williamson wrote that Germanys minesweepers alone formed a massive proportion of its total strength, and are very much the unsung heroes of the Kriegsmarine. Naval mines remained a threat even after the war ended, after the Second World War, allied countries worked on new classes of minesweepers ranging from 120-ton designs for clearing estuaries to 735-ton oceangoing vessels. The United States Navy even used specialized Mechanized Landing Craft to sweep shallow harbors in, as of June 2012, the U. S. Navy had four minesweepers deployed to the Persian Gulf to address regional instabilities. Minesweepers are equipped with mechanical or electrical devices, known as sweeps, mechanical sweeps are devices designed to cut the anchoring cables of moored mines, and preferably attach a tag to help the subsequent localization and neutralization. They are towed behind the minesweeper, and use a body to maintain the sweep at the desired depth. Influence sweeps are equipment, often towed, that emulate a particular ship signature, the most common such sweeps are magnetic and acoustic generators. There are two modes of operating an influence sweep, MSM and TSM, MSM sweeping is founded on intelligence on a given type of mine, and produces the output required for detonation of this mine. If such intelligence is unavailable, the TSM sweeping instead reproduces the influence of the ship that is about to transit through the area. TSM sweeping thus clears mines directed at this ship without knowledge of the mines, however, mines directed at other ships might remain
Minesweeper (ship)
–
US Navy
Admirable-class minesweeper
USS Pivot in the Gulf of Mexico for sea trials on 12 July 1944
Minesweeper (ship)
–
A minesweeper cutting loose moored mines.
Minesweeper (ship)
–
Siegburg, a modern
Ensdorf-class minesweeper of the
German Navy
8.
Steam Gun Boat
–
Steam gun boat was a Royal Navy term for a class of small naval vessels used during the Second World War. The class consisted of nine gun boats, powered by steam, while sixty were planned only an initial batch of nine were ordered on 8 November 1940, of which seven were completed. The Admiralty wanted Denny to produce a design that was suitable for construction to enable large numbers to be built. They were the largest of the Coastal Forces vessels, and were the ones to be built of steel. They resembled a miniature destroyer, and were perhaps the most graceful of all the craft produced during the Second World War, however their comparatively large silhouette was a drawback, making them too easy a target for the faster German craft. They were 145 ft 8 in long and had a displacement of 172 tons and they were powered by two 4,000 hp steam turbines using special flash boilers. These boilers proved to be vulnerable to attack and - once the vessel had broken down - required a major effort to repair. Steam had the advantage of quietness but demanded a large hull, large wooden hulls were not feasible for mass production so steel was used. The seven vessels actually completed were built by Yarrow, Hawthorn Leslie, J. Samuel White and William Denny and Brothers, entering service by the middle of 1942. Fuel consumption was heavy with the disadvantage that, while a petrol boat could start from cold and get away immediately. Veritable battleships of the forces, the steam gun boats were heavily armed. In action E-boat commanders respected the SGBs almost as much as destroyers, a lack of steel and turbines meant that the 52 boats initially planned was reduced to an order of nine boats which received the designations SGB1 to 9. Numbers 1 and 2 were cancelled when their hulls were badly damaged by an air raid on the Southampton area, SGB7 was sunk in this action, as a consequence the Admiralty noted their vulnerability and refitted them with the additional armour over their engine and boiler rooms. At the same time the six survivors were renamed after wildlife in the form SGB Grey, Grey Owl was damaged in a fight with German armed trawlers off Berneval while escorting landing craft in the Dieppe Raid August 1942. The nine vessels laid down, listed below, were all ordered on 8 November 1940 and these boats formed the 1st SGB Flotilla which was initially formed at Portsmouth, but later based at HMS Aggressive, Newhaven, Sussex on the south coast of England. SGB5 was damaged in the Dieppe raid after meeting a German convoy of R boats, in 1944 the six survivors were all converted to fast minesweepers and all were sold off in the years after the war. The highly advanced turbines featured intercooled compressors and recuperators to boost turbine power output, over the original steam machinery, the gas turbine powerplant provided 35% more power while weighing 50% less and using 25% less space. With the experimental engines removed SGB9 was sold off in 1958, sold in 1984, the hulk was converted to a houseboat and renamed Anserava
Steam Gun Boat
–
Grey Goose
9.
Fairmile D motor torpedo boat
–
The Fairmile D motor torpedo boat was a type of British Motor Torpedo Boat designed by Bill Holt and conceived by Fairmile Marine for the Royal Navy. Nicknamed Dog Boats, they were designed to combat the known advantages of the German E-boats over previous British coastal craft designs and they were bigger than earlier MTB or Motor Gun Boat designs but slower, at 30 knots compared to 40 knots. Unlike the Fairmile B designs, the Dog Boats were only produced in component form in Britain, some were built for the RAFs Marine Branch for use in the long range air-sea rescue for downed airmen. 229 boats were built between 1942 and 1945, many versions were produced or converted from existing boats, MGB, MTB, MA/SB, LRRC and post-war FPB. Since the Fairmile D could be fitted out with a mix of armament that gave it the capabilities of both a Motor Gun Boat and a Motor Torpedo boat, the MGB designation was dropped, today the D-type is a popular choice among boat modelers. There are no survivors, other than two abandoned wrecks, one in Chatham, England and the other in Ellingsøy, Norway. Fairmile A motor launch Fairmile B motor launch Fairmile C motor gun boat Fairmile H landing craft Steam Gun Boat Coastal Forces of the Royal Navy Lambert,1985 ISBN 978-1-84486-006-7 Lambert, John and Ross, Al. Allied Coastal Forces of World War Two, Volume I, Fairmile designs, ISBN 978-1-84176-500-6 Chesneau, Roger. Conways all the Worlds Fighting Ships 1922-1946. London, UK, Comway Maritime Press,1980, Dog Boats at War, Royal Navy D Class MTBs and MGBs, 1939-1945. Motor Gunboat 658, The Small Boat War in the Mediterranean 1955/2002. com
Fairmile D motor torpedo boat
–
The Fairmile D motor torpedo boat MGB 606
Fairmile D motor torpedo boat
–
Molins 57-mm gun mounted on a Fairmile D
10.
Captain-class frigate
–
They were drawn from two sub-classes of the American destroyer escort classification,32 from the Evarts subclass and 46 from the Buckley subclass. Upon reaching the UK the ships were modified by the Royal Navy. Captain-class frigates acted in the roles of convoy escorts, anti-submarine warfare vessels, coastal forces control frigates, of the 78 frigates,66 bore names that had not been allocated to earlier Royal Navy ships. Lawford, Louis, Manners, Moorsom, Mounsey, Narborough, Pasley, HMS Rupert was the fifth of that name since 1666. Torrington was the fourth of that name since 1654, holmes had been used once before in 1671 and Fitzroy had previously been used for a survey vessel in 1919. The requested particulars were a length of 300 feet, a speed of 20 knots, a dual purpose main armament, the United States Navy had been looking into the feasibility of such a vessel since 1939, and Captain E. L. The production of gears could not be easily increased, as the precision machinery required for their construction alone took over a year to produce. Therefore, a readily-available and proven layout of diesel-electric machinery, also used on submarines, was adopted, when the United Kingdom made its request, Admiral Stark of the US Navy decided to put these plans into motion and recommended that the British order be approved. The turbo-electric powered Buckley class were not part of the first order and were authorised later by Public Law 440 effective 6 February 1942. The Royal Navy placed orders in November 1941 with four shipyards, the Boston Navy Yard, the Mare Island Navy Yard, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, when the United States entered the war, they too adopted the BDE design. The BDE designation was retained by the first six destroyer escorts transferred to the United Kingdom. Of the initial 50 ordered, these were the ones the Royal Navy received. By the end of World War II the Royal Navy had received 32 Evarts and 46 Buckleys from the Boston Navy Yard, Mare Island Navy Yard, the Royal Navy classified these ships as frigates, as they lacked the torpedo tubes needed for a destroyer classification. Those who served on these ships came to view these features as being very handsome, amongst the differences with British-designed vessels were using bunks instead of hammocks and welds instead of rivets. The Evarts subclass had diesel-electric machinery, based on an arrangement used for submarines, in order to make the designed speed, the Buckley subclass had turbo-electric machinery. Two Foster-Wheeler Express D-type water-tube boilers supplied steam to GE13,500 shp steam turbines, electric motors for 12,000 shp drove the two shafts, each fitted with a three-bladed propeller of solid manganese-bronze that was 8.5 feet in diameter. This all-electric drivetrain was considered innovative at the time. The first port of call in the United Kingdom for most of the Captain-class vessels was Pollock Dock, in all there were 109 items in the alterations and additions list for the Evarts and 94 for the Buckleys
Captain-class frigate
–
HMS Cosby, an example of the Buckley -subclass.
Captain-class frigate
–
Two of the Buckley -subclass under construction.
Captain-class frigate
–
HMS Stayner (Buckley -subclass) acting as a coastal forces control frigate; note the
two-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" bowchaser
Captain-class frigate
–
HMS Dacres, an Evarts -subclass ship converted to act as a headquarters ship for the Normandy landings; note the additional smaller mainmast to support the extra
aerials.
11.
Frigate
–
A frigate /ˈfrɪɡᵻt/ is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries. In the 17th century, this term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability and these could be warships carrying their principal batteries of carriage-mounted guns on a single deck or on two decks. The term was used for ships too small to stand in the line of battle. In the late 19th century, the frigate was a type of ironclad warship that for a time was the most powerful type of vessel afloat. The term frigate was used because such ships still mounted their principal armaments on a continuous upper deck. Ship classes dubbed frigates have more closely resembled corvettes, destroyers, cruisers. The rank frigate captain derives from the name of type of ship. The term frigate originated in the Mediterranean in the late 15th century, referring to a lighter galleass type ship with oars, sails and a light armament, built for speed and maneuverability. The etymology of the word is unknown, although it may have originated as a corruption of aphractus, aphractus was, in turn, derived from the Ancient Greek phrase ἄφρακτος ναῦς, or undefended ship. In 1583, during the Eighty Years War, Habsburg Spain recovered the Southern Netherlands from the rebellious Dutch and this soon led to the occupied ports being used as bases for privateers, the Dunkirkers, to attack the shipping of the Dutch and their allies. To achieve this they developed small, maneuverable, sailing vessels that came to be referred to as frigates, in French, the term frigate became a verb, meaning to build long and low, and an adjective, adding further confusion. Even the huge English Sovereign of the Seas could be described as a frigate by a contemporary after her upper decks were reduced in 1651. The navy of the Dutch Republic was the first navy to build the larger ocean-going frigates, the first two tasks required speed, shallowness of draft for the shallow waters around the Netherlands, and the ability to carry sufficient supplies to maintain a blockade. The third task required heavy armament, sufficient to fight against the Spanish fleet, the first of these larger battle-capable frigates were built around 1600 at Hoorn in Holland. The effectiveness of the Dutch frigates became most visible in the Battle of the Downs in 1639, encouraging most other navies, especially the English, to adopt similar designs. The fleets built by the Commonwealth of England in the 1650s generally consisted of ships described as frigates, the largest of which were two-decker great frigates of the third rate. Carrying 60 guns, these vessels were as big and capable as great ships of the time, however, most other frigates at the time were used as cruisers, independent fast ships. The term frigate implied a long hull design, which relates directly to speed and also, in turn, in Danish, the word fregat is often applied to warships carrying as few as 16 guns, such as HMS Falcon which the British classified as a sloop
Frigate
–
The Portuguese sailing frigate
Dom Fernando II e Gloria in
1878
Frigate
–
The modern air-defence and command frigate
HNLMS Evertsen
Frigate
–
Light frigate, circa 1675–1680
Frigate
–
Boudeuse, of
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
12.
HMS Rutherford (K558)
–
HMS Rutherford was a British Captain-class frigate of the Royal Navy in commission during World War II. Originally constructed as a United States Navy Buckley-class destroyer escort, she served in the Royal Navy from 1943 to 1945. The ship was laid down as the unnamed U. S. Navy destroyer escort DE-93 by Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc. in Hingham, Massachusetts, on 4 August 1943 and she was transferred to the United Kingdom upon completion on 16 December 1943. Completing shakedown and training in March 1944, she departed Bermuda bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, suffering damage during the voyage when she struck submerged wreckage. She underwent repairs at Halifax and, upon completing them, proceeded to Belfast, Northern Ireland, in June 1944 she arrived in Harwich to assume her duties with her sister ships HMS Cosby and HMS Cubitt. The Allied invasion of Normandy began on 6 June 1944, in September 1944, Rutherford returned to her convoy defence and CFCF duties at Harwich, operating in the Thames Estuary and North Sea through November 1944. From January to March 1945 she operated on convoy defence and CFCF duties off the Scheldt Estuary, in April 1945 Rutherford deployed off the Belgian and Dutch coasts with HMS Cubitt to continue her convoy defence and CFCF duties. On 9 April 1945 she intercepted a group of S-boats sighted off Ostend, Belgium, by Allied aircraft, after the surrender of Germany in early May 1945, Rutherford was selected for conversion to a fighter direction ship for service with the British Pacific Fleet. She proceeded to a shipyard in the United Kingdom that month to undergo a refit for her new role. Her refit was not yet complete when the armistice with Japan of 15 August 1945 brought World War II to a close, the Royal Navy soon steamed Rutherford to the United States, where it returned her to the U. S. Navy on 25 October 1945. The U. S. Navy struck Rutherford from its Naval Vessel Register on 19 December 1945 and she was sold in May 1946 for scrapping
HMS Rutherford (K558)
–
HMS Rutherford underway during
World War II.
13.
Flotilla
–
A flotilla, or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats. Groups of larger warships are usually called squadrons, but similar units of non-capital ships may be called squadrons in some instances, a flotilla is usually commanded by a rear admiral, a commodore or a captain, depending on the importance of the command. A flotilla is often divided into two or more divisions, each of which might be commanded by the most senior commander, a flotilla is often, but not necessarily, a permanent formation. In modern navies, flotillas have tended to become administrative units containing several squadrons, as warships have grown larger, the term squadron has gradually replaced the term flotilla for formations of destroyers, frigates and submarines in many navies. A naval flotilla has no equivalent on land, but is, perhaps. In the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, a Flotilla is the organizational unit. A Flotilla is led by an elected Flotilla Commander assisted by an elected Vice Flotilla Commander, a Coast Guard Auxiliary Division consists of multiple Flotillas and a District consists of multiple Divisions. Auxiliary Districts are organized along Coast Guard District lines and are administered by a Coast Guard officer who is called the Director of the Auxiliary. In the Russian Navy, the flotilla has tended to be used for brown-water naval units - those operating not on the oceans and real seas. In the 18th century, the term applied to the comparatively small fleets operating on those seas where Russia did not have much naval presence yet. The word flotilla has also used at times to refer to a small fleet of vessels. There is also such thing as a holiday, in which is a group of chartered yachts that set sail together on the same route. United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Tactical formation Chesapeake Bay Flotilla of U. S. Navy Chief Director of Auxiliary, USCG G-PCX Web Site - Flotilla Organizational Structure. USCG Auxiliary Office of the Chief Director, Coast Guard Auxiliary Los Angeles Flotilla Coast Guard Auxiliary Lake Clarke Flotilla
Flotilla
–
José de Bustamante y Guerra 's flotilla is intercepted by four British
frigates
14.
Torpedo
–
Historically, it was called an automotive, automobile, locomotive or fish torpedo, colloquially called a fish. The term torpedo was originally employed for a variety of devices, from about 1900, torpedo has been used strictly to designate an underwater self-propelled weapon. Todays torpedoes can be divided into lightweight and heavyweight classes, and into straight-running, autonomous homers and they can be launched from a variety of platforms. The word torpedo comes from the name of a genus of rays in the order Torpediniformes. In naval usage, the American Robert Fulton introduced the name to refer to a gunpowder charge used by his French submarine Nautilus to demonstrate that it could sink warships. The concept of a torpedo existed many centuries before it was successfully developed. In 1275, Hasan al-Rammah described. an egg which moves itself, in modern language, a torpedo is an underwater self-propelled explosive, —but historically, the term also applied to primitive naval mines. These were used on an ad hoc basis during the modern period up to the late 19th century. An early submarine, the Turtle, attempted to lay a bomb with a fuse on the hull of HMS Eagle during the American Revolutionary War. In the early 1800s, the American inventor Robert Fulton, while in France and he coined the term torpedo in reference to the explosive charges he outfitted his submarine Nautilus. However, both the French and the Dutch governments were uninterested in the submarine, Fulton then concentrated on developing the torpedo independent of a submarine deployment. However, the British government refused to purchase the invention, stating they did not wish to introduce into naval warfare a system that would give advantage to weaker maritime nations. Fulton carried out a demonstration for the US government on 20 July 1807. Further development languished as Fulton focused on his steam-boat matters, during the War of 1812, torpedoes were employed in attempts to destroy British vessels and protect American harbors. In fact a submarine deployed torpedo was used in an attempt to destroy HMS Ramillies while in New Londons harbor. Hardy to warn the Americans to cease efforts with the use of any boat in this cruel and unheard-of warfare. Torpedoes were used by the Russian Empire during the Crimean War in 1855 against British warships in the Gulf of Finland and they used an early form of chemical detonator. During the American Civil War, the torpedo was used for what is today called a contact mine
Torpedo
–
Bliss–Leavitt Mark 8 torpedo
Torpedo
–
Fulton's torpedo
Torpedo
–
Confederates laying torpedoes in Charleston Harbor
Torpedo
–
Whitehead torpedo's general profile: A. war-head B. air-flask. B'. immersion chamber CC'. after-body C. engine room DDDD. drain holes E. shaft tube F. steering-engine G. bevel gear box H. depth index I. tail K. charging and stop-valves L. locking-gear M. engine bed-plate P. primer case R. rudder S. steering-rod tube T. guide stud UU. propellers V. valve-group W. war nose [
clarification needed] Z. strengthening band
15.
Depth charge
–
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon. It is intended to destroy a submarine by being dropped into the nearby and detonating, subjecting the target to a powerful. Most depth charges use high explosive charges and a set to detonate the charge. Depth charges can be dropped by ships, patrol aircraft, Depth charges were developed during World War I, and were one of the first effective methods of attacking a submarine underwater. They were widely used in World War I and World War II and they remained part of the anti-submarine arsenals of many navies during the Cold War. Depth charges have now largely replaced by anti-submarine homing torpedoes. A depth charge fitted with a warhead is known as a nuclear depth bomb. These were designed to be dropped from a plane or deployed by an anti-submarine missile from a surface ship, or another submarine. All nuclear anti-submarine weapons were withdrawn from service by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and they were replaced by conventional weapons whose accuracy and range had improved greatly as ASW technology improved. The first attempt to fire charges against submerged targets was with aircraft bombs attached to lanyards which triggered them, a similar idea was a 16 lb guncotton charge in a lanyarded can. Two of these together became known as the depth charge Type A. Problems with the lanyards tangling and failing to function led to the development of a chemical pellet trigger as the Type B and these were effective at a distance of around 20 ft. A1913 Royal Navy Torpedo School report described a device intended for countermining, at Admiral John Jellicoes request, the standard Mark II mine was fitted with a hydrostatic pistol preset for 45 ft firing, to be launched from a stern platform. Weighing 1,150 lb, and effective at 100 ft, the design work was carried out by Herbert Taylor at the RN Torpedo and Mine School, HMS Vernon. The first effective depth charge, the Type D, became available in January 1916 and it was a barrel-like casing containing a high explosive. There were initially two sizes—Type D, with a 300 lb charge for fast ships, and Type D* with a 120 lb charge for ships too slow to leave the area before the more powerful charge detonated. A hydrostatic pistol actuated by water pressure at a pre-selected depth detonated the charge, initial depth settings were 40 or 80 ft. Because production could not keep up with demand, anti-submarine vessels initially carried two depth charges, to be released from a chute at the stern of the ship
Depth charge
–
Mark IX depth charge used by the
U.S. Navy late in World War II. Unlike the cylindrical, barrel-shaped depth charge used earlier, the Mark IX is streamlined and equipped with canted fins to impart rotation, allowing it to fall in a straight
trajectory with less chance of drifting off target. This type of depth charge contained 200 pounds (90 kg) of
Torpex.
Depth charge
–
USS Cassin Young (DD-793)]]
Depth charge
–
Loading a drum-type Mark VII depth charge onto the K-gun of the
Flower-class corvette HMS Dianthus
Depth charge
–
A depth charge explodes after being dropped from
HMS Ceylon
16.
HMS Vernon (shore establishment)
–
HMS Vernon was a shore establishment or stone frigate of the Royal Navy. Vernon was established on 26 April 1876 as the Royal Navys Torpedo Branch also known as the Torpedo School, the second ship to be called HMS Vernon ended her career laid up in Chatham Dockyard as a floating coaling jetty. In 1872 she was moved to become a tender to HMS Excellent for torpedo, in 1874 she was joined by HMS Vesuvius, an iron screw torpedo vessel. Vesuvius was attached as an Experimental Tender for the conduct of torpedo trials, on 26 April 1876 Vernon was joined by the former steam frigate HMS Ariadne and the lighter Florence Nightingale. These were then commissioned as HMS Vernon, and became the home of the Royal Navys Torpedo Branch, Ariadne was used to provide accommodation. In January 1886 HMS Donegal replaced the original Vernon as a more spacious torpedo school ship, Donegal was renamed Vernon, the original Vernon was renamed Actaeon and took over as the practical workshop. On 23 April 1895 the hulks were moved to Portchester Creek, Ariadne was replaced as an accommodation hulk by the old HMS Marlborough, which was renamed Vernon II and was connected by bridges to Actaeon and Vernon, jointly named Vernon I. In 1904 HMS Warrior joined the establishment as a workshop, power plant and wireless telegraphy school. Meanwhile, Actaeon was renamed Vernon IV, also in 1904 Ariadne was detached and sent to Sheerness to be used to establish a new torpedo school. She was renamed Actaeon in 1905, on the outbreak of the First World War Vernon was used to carry out torpedo trials and to train new recruits for the Navy. Extensive research and development was carried to develop new anti-submarine devices, mines. On 1 October 1923 Vernon was moved ashore and new departments were set up to cover aspects of warfare, such as mining, torpedoes. The names of the original hulks that made up the floating Vernon were used for buildings in the base and their Chief Scientist from the beginning was Prof Edward Philip Harrison FRSE, who remained in charge until 1937. Doing much to progress the advancement of magnetic mines, in the Second World War, and following on from the increasing use of mines, Vernon took on responsibility for mine disposal and developing mine countermeasures. The staff were able to capture a number of enemy mines, a number of officers working with Vernon were awarded Distinguished Service Orders for their successes in capturing new types of mine. Some of these were the first Royal Naval decorations of the war, the Germans began placing booby traps in some mines to counter attempts by Vernons staff to capture them. One exploded in a shed at Vernon on 6 August 1940, killing an officer and four ratings. To avoid a repetition of this, a disused quarry
HMS Vernon (shore establishment)
–
Lieutenant Commander
Peter Scott, RNVR, Operational Officer at HMS Vernon, briefs motor torpedo boat officers before they set off on anti-
E-Boat patrols
HMS Vernon (shore establishment)
–
Old HMS Vernon figurehead, preserved at Gunwharf Quays
17.
Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)
–
Please see “rear admiral” for other nations which use this rank. Rear admiral is an officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It is immediately superior to commodore and is subordinate to vice admiral and it is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7. The rank originated in the days of naval sailing squadrons and each squadron would be assigned an admiral as its head. He would command from the vessel and direct the activities of the squadron. The admiral would in turn be assisted by a vice admiral and this has survived into the modern age, with the rank of rear admiral the most-junior of the admiralty ranks of many navies. The Royal Navy rank of admiral should be distinguished from the office of Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom
Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)
–
World War II Royal Navy rear admiral's steel helmet with
two-star insignia
Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)
–
Royal Navy rear admiral command flag
18.
Augustus Agar
–
Commodore Augustus Willington Shelton Agar VC, DSO, RN was a Royal Navy officer in both the First and the Second World Wars. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British, in his naval biography, Footprints in the Sea, published in 1961, Agar described himself as highly strung and imaginative. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography says that Agar epitomizes the sea dog of British naval tradition, honourable, extremely brave and totally dedicated to King, country, Augustus Agar was born in Kandy, Ceylon, on 4 January 1890. He was the child of John Shelton Agar or Eagar an Irishman from Milltown, County Kerry. Agar was brought up in circumstances in a fine house with servants. Agars mother, who was Austrian, died shortly after his birth, all his brothers were educated in English public schools, and all his sisters were educated in Austrian or German schools. His father died in 1902 of cholera which he had caught during a visit to China, Augustus Agar attended Framlingham College in Suffolk. He was now without parents or a home and his oldest brother, Shelton. Gus, who idolized his brother, willingly agreed. To prepare, he attended Eastmans Royal Naval Academy in Southsea, a friend of the family, Sir Henry Jackson, later an admiral and First Sea Lord, nominated Agar for a place in the annual intake of naval cadets. After time spent with a crammer, he passed the exams and in 1904 joined the naval cadet school, HMS Britannia. The Britannia was a man of war, obsolete when launched in 1860. As a part of his training, Agar went to sea in a 5,650 ton second class cruiser, HMS Highflyer and these ships were stationed at Bermuda and many classes were held ashore when the ships were in port. Agar had many pleasant memories of sports, swimming, boating, Agar served at sea in a number of ships in the prewar period, including the battleships HMS Prince of Wales attached to the Mediterranean Fleet, and HMS Queen, commanded by Captain David Beatty. He greatly admired Beattys dash and style, Agars early training gave him a thorough grounding in basic naval matters, especially in handling small boats. This was to prove an asset later in his career. In 1910 Agar passed his examination with flying colours and was made an acting sub-lieutenant. During 1911, he served aboard a destroyer, HMS Ruby and he spent the next period on course at Portsmouth and studying at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Augustus Agar
–
Captain Augustus Agar
19.
Victoria Cross
–
The Victoria Cross is the highest award of the United Kingdom honours system. It is awarded for gallantry in the face of the enemy to members of the British armed forces and it was previously awarded to Commonwealth countries, most of which have established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service. Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857 and these investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace. The VC was introduced on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War, since then, the medal has been awarded 1,358 times to 1,355 individual recipients. Only 15 medals,11 to members of the British Army, the traditional explanation of the source of the metal from which the medals are struck is that it derives from Russian cannon captured at the Siege of Sevastopol. Some research has suggested a variety of origins for the material, research has established that the metal for most of the medals made since December 1914 came from two Chinese cannons that were captured from the Russians in 1855. Owing to its rarity, the VC is highly prized and the medal has fetched over £400,000 at auction, a number of public and private collections are devoted to the Victoria Cross. The private collection of Lord Ashcroft, amassed since 1986, contains over one-tenth of all VCs awarded, following a 2008 donation to the Imperial War Museum, the Ashcroft collection went on public display alongside the museums Victoria and George Cross collection in November 2010. These are unique awards of honours system, recommended, assessed, gazetted and presented by each country. In 1854, after 39 years of peace, Britain found itself fighting a war against Russia. The Crimean War was one of the first wars with modern reporting, before the Crimean War, there was no official standardised system for recognition of gallantry within the British armed forces. This structure was limited, in practice awards of the Order of the Bath were confined to officers of field rank. Brevet promotions or Mentions in Despatches were largely confined to those who were under the notice of the commanders in the field. Other European countries had awards that did not discriminate against class or rank, France awarded the Légion dhonneur and The Netherlands gave the Order of William. There was a feeling among the public and in the Royal Court that a new award was needed to recognise incidents of gallantry that were unconnected with a mans lengthy or meritorious service. Queen Victoria issued a Warrant under the Royal sign-manual on 29 January 1856 that officially constituted the VC, the order was backdated to 1854 to recognise acts of valour during the Crimean War. Queen Victoria had instructed the War Office to strike a new medal that would not recognise birth or class, the medal was meant to be a simple decoration that would be highly prized and eagerly sought after by those in the military services
Victoria Cross
–
The front and back of
Edward Holland 's VC.
Victoria Cross
–
Obverse of the cross. Ribbon: 1½" (38 mm), crimson (blue ribbon for naval awards 1856–1918).
Victoria Cross
–
The obverse of
William Johnstone's VC showing the dark blue ribbon for pre-1918 awards to naval personnel.
Victoria Cross
–
Victoria Cross as it appears on
Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones.
20.
Baltic Sea
–
The Baltic Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, enclosed by Scandinavia, Finland, the Baltic countries, and the North European Plain. It includes the Gulf of Bothnia, the Bay of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Riga, the sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 10°E to 30°E longitude. The Baltic Sea is connected by waterways to the White Sea via the White Sea Canal. Traffic history Historically, the Kingdom of Denmark collected Sound Dues from ships at the border between the ocean and the land-locked Baltic Sea and they were collected in the Øresund at Kronborg castle near Helsingør, in the Great Belt at Nyborg. In the Little Belt, the site of intake was moved to Fredericia, the narrowest part of Little Belt is the Middelfart Sund near Middelfart. Oceanography Geographers widely agree that the physical border of the Baltic is a line drawn through the southern Danish islands, Drogden-Sill. The Drogden Sill is situated north of Køge Bugt and connects Dragør in the south of Copenhagen to Malmö, it is used by the Øresund Bridge, including the Drogden Tunnel. By this definition, the Danish Straits are part of the entrance, but the Bay of Mecklenburg, another usual border is the line between Falsterbo, Sweden and Stevns Klint, Denmark, as this is the southern border of Øresund. Its also the border between the shallow southern Øresund and notably deeper water, hydrography and biology Drogden Sill sets a limit to Øresund and Darss Sill, and a limit to the Belt Sea. The shallow sills are obstacles to the flow of salt water from the Kattegat into the basins around Bornholm. The Kattegat and the southwestern Baltic Sea are well oxygenated and have a rich biology, the remainder of the Sea is brackish, poor in oxygen and in species. While Tacitus called it Mare Suebicum after the Germanic people called the Suebi, the origin of the latter name is speculative. Adam of Bremen himself compared the sea with a belt, stating that it is so named because it stretches through the land as a belt and he might also have been influenced by the name of a legendary island mentioned in the Natural History of Pliny the Elder. Pliny mentions an island named Baltia with reference to accounts of Pytheas and it is possible that Pliny refers to an island named Basilia in On the Ocean by Pytheas. Baltia also might be derived from belt and mean near belt of sea, meanwhile, others have suggested that the name of the island originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *bhel meaning white, fair. This root and its meaning were retained in both Lithuanian and Latvian. On this basis, a related hypothesis holds that the name originated from this Indo-European root via a Baltic language such as Lithuanian, yet another explanation is that the name originally meant enclosed sea, bay as opposed to open sea. Some Swedish historians believe the name derives from the god Balder of Nordic mythology, in the Middle Ages the sea was known by variety of names
Baltic Sea
–
Cape Arkona on the island of
Rügen in Germany, was a sacred site of the
Slavs before Christianization.
Baltic Sea
–
Map of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
–
The naval
Battle of the Sound took place on 8 November 1658 during the
Dano-Swedish War.
Baltic Sea
–
The burning
Cap Arcona shortly after the attacks, 3 May 1945. Only 350 of the 4,500 prisoners who had been aboard the Cap Arcona survived.
21.
White movement
–
Remnants and continuations of the movement, some of which only had narrow support, endured within the wider White émigré community until after the fall of Communism. The Whites had the aim of bringing about law and order and the salvation of Russia, fighting against traitors, barbarians. They worked to remove Soviet organizations and functionaries in White-controlled territory, overall, the White Army was nationalistic, rejected ethnic particularism and separatism. The White Army generally believed in a united multinational Russia, amongst White Army members, anti-Semitism was widespread. Western sponsors expressed dismay at this, especially as the Bolsheviks had prohibited anti-Semitism, many of the White leaders were conservative, accepting autocracy while remaining suspicious of politics. Aside from being anti-Bolshevik and patriotic, the Whites had no set ideology or main leader, the White Armies did acknowledge a single provisional head of state, the so-called Supreme Governor of Russia, but this post was prominent only under the leadership of Admiral Alexander Kolchak. The movement had no set plan for foreign policy, Whites differed on policies toward Germany, the Whites wanted to keep from alienating any potential supporters and allies, and thus saw an exclusively monarchist position as a detriment to their cause and recruitment. White-movement leaders such as Anton Denikin advocated for Russians to create their own government, Admiral Alexander Kolchak succeeded in creating a temporary wartime government in Omsk, acknowledged by most other White leaders, only for it to fall with the loss of his armies. Some warlords who were aligned with the White movement, such as Grigory Semyonov and Roman Ungern von Sternberg, did not acknowledge any authority, consequently, the White movement had no set political leanings, members could be monarchists, republicans, rightists, Kadets, etc. Moreover, other parties supported the anti-Bolshevik White Army, among them the Socialist-Revolutionary Party. But depending on the time and place, those White Army supporters might also exchange right-wing allegiance for allegiance to the Red Army, the Volunteer Army in South Russia became the most prominent and the largest of the various and disparate White forces. Starting off as a small and well-organized military in January 1918, the Kuban Cossacks joined the White Army, and conscription of both peasants and Cossacks began. In late February 1918,4,000 soldiers under the command of General Aleksei Kaledin were forced to retreat from Rostov-on-Don due to the advance of the Red Army, in 1919 the Don Cossacks joined and the Army began drafting Ukrainian peasants. In that year, between May and October, the Volunteer Army grew from 64,000 to 150,000 soldiers and was better supplied than its Red counterpart. The White Armys rank-and-file comprised active anti-Bolsheviks, such as Cossacks, nobles, the White movement had access to various naval forces, both sea-going and river-based. Note especially the use of the Black Sea Fleet, aerial forces available to the Whites included the Slavo-British Aviation Corps. The Russian ace Alexander Kazakov operated within this unit, the White movements leaders and first members came mainly from the ranks of military officers. Many came from outside the nobility, such as generals Mikhail Alekseev, the White generals never mastered administration, they often utilized prerevolutionary functionaries or military officers with monarchististic inclinations for administering White-controlled regions
White movement
–
Coat of Arms of the Russian Government. 1919
White movement
–
"Why aren't you in the army?" Volunteer Army recruiting poster during the Russian Civil War.
White movement
–
The White Army: the flag of the Battalion of Death, later integral to the
Volunteer Army.
White movement
–
Blagoveshchensky Temple, a Russian Orthodox church in
Harbin, China
22.
Russian Civil War
–
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war in the former Russian Empire immediately after the Russian Revolutions of 1917, as many factions vied to determine Russias political future. In addition, rival militant socialists and nonideological Green armies fought against both the Bolsheviks and the Whites, eight foreign nations intervened against the Red Army, notably the Allied Forces and the pro-German armies. The Red Army defeated the White Armed Forces of South Russia in Ukraine, the remains of the White forces commanded by Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel were beaten in Crimea and evacuated in late 1920. Lesser battles of the war continued on the periphery for two years, and minor skirmishes with the remnants of the White forces in the Far East continued well into 1923. Armed national resistance in Central Asia was not completely crushed until 1934, there were an estimated 7,000, 000–12,000,000 casualties during the war, mostly civilians. The Russian Civil War has been described by some as the greatest national catastrophe that Europe had yet seen, many pro-independence movements emerged after the break-up of the Russian Empire and fought in the war. Several parts of the former Russian Empire—Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the rest of the former Russian Empire was consolidated into the Soviet Union shortly afterwards. After the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the Russian Provisional Government was established during the February Revolution of 1917, Political commissars were appointed to each unit of the army to maintain morale and ensure loyalty. In June 1918, when it became apparent that an army composed solely of workers would be far too small. Former Tsarist officers were utilized as military specialists, sometimes their families were taken hostage in order to ensure their loyalty, at the start of the war three-quarters of the Red Army officer corps was composed of former Tsarist officers. By its end, 83% of all Red Army divisional and corps commanders were ex-Tsarist soldiers, a Ukrainian nationalist movement was active in Ukraine during the war. More significant was the emergence of an anarchist political and military movement known as the Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army of Ukraine or the Anarchist Black Army led by Nestor Makhno, some of the military forces were set up on the basis of clandestine officers organizations in the cities. The Czechoslovak Legions had been part of the Russian army and numbered around 30,000 troops by October 1917 and they had an agreement with the new Bolshevik government to be evacuated from the Eastern Front via the port of Vladivostok to France. The transport from the Eastern Front to Vladivostok slowed down in the chaos, under pressure from the Central Powers, Trotsky ordered the disarming and arrest of the legionaries, which created tensions with the Bolsheviks. The Western Allies armed and supported opponents of the Bolsheviks, hence, many of these countries expressed their support for the Whites, including the provision of troops and supplies. Winston Churchill declared that Bolshevism must be strangled in its cradle, the British and French had supported Russia during World War I on a massive scale with war materials. After the treaty, it looked like much of material would fall into the hands of the Germans. Under this pretext began allied intervention in the Russian Civil War with the United Kingdom, there were violent clashes with troops loyal to the Bolsheviks
Russian Civil War
–
Clockwise from top: Soldiers of the
Don Army in 1919; a White
infantry division in March 1920; soldiers of the
1st Cavalry Army;
Leon Trotsky in 1918; hanging of workers in
Yekaterinoslav by the
Austro-Hungarian Army, April 1918.
Russian Civil War
–
Anti-Bolshevik
Volunteer Army in South Russia, January 1918
Russian Civil War
–
Russian soldiers of the anti-Bolshevik
Siberian Army in 1919
Russian Civil War
–
American troops in Vladivostok during the
Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War (August 1918)
23.
English Channel
–
The English Channel, also called simply the Channel, is the body of water that separates southern England from northern France, and links the southern part of the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. It is about 560 km long and varies in width from 240 km at its widest to 33.3 km in the Strait of Dover and it is the smallest of the shallow seas around the continental shelf of Europe, covering an area of some 75,000 km2. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the English Channel as follows, a line joining Isle Vierge to Lands End. The southwestern limit of the North Sea, the IHO defines the southwestern limit of the North Sea as a line joining the Walde Lighthouse and Leathercoat Point. The Walde Lighthouse is 6 km east of Calais, and Leathercoat Point is at the end of St Margarets Bay. The Strait of Dover, at the Channels eastern end, is its narrowest point and it is relatively shallow, with an average depth of about 120 m at its widest part, reducing to a depth of about 45 m between Dover and Calais. Eastwards from there the adjoining North Sea reduces to about 26 m in the Broad Fourteens where it lies over the watershed of the land bridge between East Anglia and the Low Countries. It reaches a depth of 180 m in the submerged valley of Hurds Deep,48 km west-northwest of Guernsey. The eastern region along the French coast between Cherbourg and the mouth of the Seine river at Le Havre is frequently referred to as the Bay of the Seine. There are several islands in the Channel, the most notable being the Isle of Wight off the English coast. The coastline, particularly on the French shore, is indented, several small islands close to the coastline, including Chausey. The Cotentin Peninsula in France juts out into the Channel, whilst on the English side there is a parallel channel known as the Solent between the Isle of Wight and the mainland. The Celtic Sea is to the west of the Channel, the Channel is of geologically recent origins, having been dry land for most of the Pleistocene period. The first flood would have lasted for months, releasing as much as one million cubic metres of water per second. The flood started with large but localized waterfalls over the ridge, the flow eroded the retaining ridge, causing the rock dam to fail and releasing lake water into the English Channel. The erosion of the Lobourg Channel was probably the final opening of the Strait, the time difference of about six hours between high water at the eastern and western limits of the Channel is indicative of the tidal range being amplified further by resonance. It was never defined as a border and the names were more or less descriptive. It was not considered as the property of a nation, strangely, before the development of the modern nations, British scholars very often referred to it as Gaulish and the French one as British or English
English Channel
–
English Channel
English Channel
–
Three French river mouths. Top to bottom: the
Somme, the
Authie and the
Canche
English Channel
–
The Hermitage of
St Helier lies in the bay off
Saint Helier and is accessible on foot at low tide.
English Channel
–
British radar facilities during the
Battle of Britain 1940
24.
North Sea
–
The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between Great Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the ocean through the English Channel in the south and it is more than 970 kilometres long and 580 kilometres wide, with an area of around 570,000 square kilometres. The North Sea has long been the site of important European shipping lanes as well as a major fishery, the North Sea was the centre of the Vikings rise. Subsequently, the Hanseatic League, the Netherlands, and the British each sought to dominate the North Sea and thus the access to the markets, as Germanys only outlet to the ocean, the North Sea continued to be strategically important through both World Wars. The coast of the North Sea presents a diversity of geological and geographical features, in the north, deep fjords and sheer cliffs mark the Norwegian and Scottish coastlines, whereas in the south it consists primarily of sandy beaches and wide mudflats. Due to the population, heavy industrialization, and intense use of the sea and area surrounding it. In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean, in the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively. In the north it is bordered by the Shetland Islands, and connects with the Norwegian Sea, the North Sea is more than 970 kilometres long and 580 kilometres wide, with an area of 570,000 square kilometres and a volume of 54,000 cubic kilometres. Around the edges of the North Sea are sizeable islands and archipelagos, including Shetland, Orkney, the North Sea receives freshwater from a number of European continental watersheds, as well as the British Isles. A large part of the European drainage basin empties into the North Sea including water from the Baltic Sea, the largest and most important rivers flowing into the North Sea are the Elbe and the Rhine – Meuse watershed. Around 185 million people live in the catchment area of the rivers discharging into the North Sea encompassing some highly industrialized areas, for the most part, the sea lies on the European continental shelf with a mean depth of 90 metres. The only exception is the Norwegian trench, which extends parallel to the Norwegian shoreline from Oslo to a north of Bergen. It is between 20 and 30 kilometres wide and has a depth of 725 metres. The Dogger Bank, a vast moraine, or accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris and this feature has produced the finest fishing location of the North Sea. The Long Forties and the Broad Fourteens are large areas with uniform depth in fathoms. These great banks and others make the North Sea particularly hazardous to navigate, the Devils Hole lies 200 miles east of Dundee, Scotland. The feature is a series of trenches between 20 and 30 kilometres long,1 and 2 kilometres wide and up to 230 metres deep. Other areas which are less deep are Cleaver Bank, Fisher Bank, the International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the North Sea as follows, On the Southwest
North Sea
–
North Sea
North Sea
–
The German North Sea coast
North Sea
–
The
Afsluitdijk (Closure-dike) is a major dam in the Netherlands
North Sea
–
Zuid-Beveland,
North Sea flood of 1953
25.
St. Nazaire Raid
–
The St Nazaire Raid or Operation Chariot was a successful British amphibious attack on the heavily defended Normandie dry dock at St Nazaire in German-occupied France during the Second World War. The operation was undertaken by the Royal Navy and British Commandos under the auspices of Combined Operations Headquarters on 28 March 1942. The obsolete destroyer HMS Campbeltown, accompanied by 18 smaller craft, a force of commandos landed to destroy machinery and other structures. Almost all were forced to surrender when their ammunition was expended, after the raid 228 men of the force of 611 returned to Britain,169 were killed and 215 became prisoners of war. German casualties were over 360 dead, some killed after the raid when Campbeltown exploded, to recognise their bravery,89 decorations were awarded to members of the raiding party, including five Victoria Crosses. After the war, St Nazaire was one of 38 battle honours awarded to the Commandos, St Nazaire is on the north bank of the Loire 400 km from the nearest British port. In 1942, it had a population of 50,000, the St Nazaire port has an outer harbour known as the Avant Port, formed by two piers jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean. This leads to two lock gates before the Bassin de St Nazaire and these gates control the water level in the basin so that it is not affected by the tide. Beyond the basin is the inner dock called the Bassin de Penhoët. There is also an old entrance to the Bassin de St Nazaire located southwest of the Normandie dry dock, built to house the ocean liner SS Normandie, this dock was the largest dry dock in the world when it was completed in 1932. The Old Mole jetty juts into the Loire halfway between the pier of the Avant Port and the old entrance into the basin. On 24 May 1941, the Battle of the Denmark Strait was fought between the German ships Bismarck and Prinz Eugen and the British ships HMS Prince of Wales, Hood was sunk and the damaged Prince of Wales was forced to retire. She was intercepted by the British and sunk en route, britains Naval Intelligence Division first proposed a commando raid on the dock in late 1941. When the German battleship Tirpitz was declared operational in January 1942, planners from Combined Operations Headquarters were looking at potential scenarios if Tirpitz escaped the naval blockade and reached the Atlantic. They decided the only port able to accommodate her was St Nazaire, especially if, like the Bismarck, she was damaged en route and they came to the conclusion that if the dock at St Nazaire were unavailable the Germans were unlikely to risk sending Tirpitz into the Atlantic. Combined Operations examined a number of options while planning the destruction of the dock, at this stage of the war the British government still tried to avoid civilian casualties. This ruled out an attack by the RAF, which at the time did not possess the accuracy needed to destroy the dock without serious loss of civilian life. The Special Operations Executive were approached to see if its agents could destroy the dock gates and they decided that the mission was beyond their capabilities because the weight of explosives required would have needed too many agents to carry them
St. Nazaire Raid
–
HMS Campbeltown being converted for the raid. There are twin lines of armour plate down each side of the ship and the
Oerlikon mountings. Two of her funnels have been removed, with the remaining two cut at an angle.
St. Nazaire Raid
–
St Nazaire on the Loire estuary
St. Nazaire Raid
–
British Commandos, 1942.
St. Nazaire Raid
–
German 20 mm anti-aircraft gun.
26.
St. Nazaire
–
Saint-Nazaire is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany. The town has a harbour, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, given its location, Saint-Nazaire has a long tradition of fishing and shipbuilding. What was a village until the industrial area became a large town in the second half of the 19th century, thanks to the construction of railways. Saint-Nazaire progressively replaced Nantes as the haven on the Loire estuary. The town was one of the most damaged ones in France during World War Two, being a major marine base for the Nazis, it was subject to a British raid in 1942 and it was heavily bombed by the Allies until 1945. Being part of one of the Atlantic pockets, Saint-Nazaire was one of the last territories in Europe to be liberated from the Nazis, on 11 May 1945. Archaeologists believe that Saint-Nazaire is built upon the remnants of Corbilo, an Armorican Gaulish city populated by the Namnetes tribe, which was the second-largest Gaulish city, after Massilia. According to the 15th-century chronicler Alain Bouchart, Brutus of Troy, historical accounts note that at the end of the Roman Empire, some Britons colonized the Loire estuary, and later, the peninsula containing Guérande. The furthest extent of the ancient Breton language in the Loire region is Donges, according to the late-6th-century writer Gregory of Tours, the Roman Church sheltered the remains of the martyr Nazarius in a local basilica. According to legend, the Breton chief Waroch II sent an emissary to seize the relics, the plot was foiled when the emissary fractured his skull upon the lintel of the church door. Waroch, interpreting this as a miracle, was deterred, after this point, the history of Saint-Nazaire, like much of Europe during the Dark Ages, is not well understood. Battles occurred, such as in 1380 when Jehan dUst defended the city in the name of John V, after this time, Saint-Nazaire became the seat of a parish extending from Penhoët to Pornichet, part of the Viscountcy of Saint-Nazaire. Like the whole of Brittany, Saint-Nazaire formed part of the Duchy of Brittany until 1532, in 1624, the city was threatened by the Calvinists. In 1756, a fort was built on the order of the governor of Brittany to protect the town, until the French revolution, Saint-Nazaire belonged to the province of Brittany. At the beginning of the 19th century, the port consisted of one simple harbor. In 1800, the parish of Saint-Nazaire had around 3216 inhabitants, the modern Saint-Nazaire was created by the administration of Napoleon III, and came about from the various national and regional truces which had prevented its development up to that point. The population of 3216 in 1800 shows that history, with a mainly local, of Low-Brittany
St. Nazaire
–
Avenue de la République
St. Nazaire
–
View of the "New Entrance" locks gates to Port Saint-Nazaire towards the Loire River
St. Nazaire
–
Modern day view of the
Kriegsmarine Saint-Nazaire submarine base 47°16′32″N 2°12′10″W / 47.27556°N 2.20278°W / 47.27556; -2.20278
St. Nazaire
–
The
Pont de Saint-Nazaire, which crosses the Loire
27.
Dieppe Raid
–
The raid took place on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5,00 a. m. and it involved 5,000 Canadians,1,000 British troops, and 50 United States Army Rangers. Objectives included seizing and holding a major port for a short period, upon retreat, the Allies also wanted to destroy coastal defences, port structures and all strategic buildings. The raid had the objectives of boosting morale and demonstrating the firm commitment of the United Kingdom to open a western front in Europe. Virtually none of these objectives were met, Allied fire support was grossly inadequate and the raiding force was largely trapped on the beach by obstacles and German fire. Less than 10 hours after the first landings, the last Allied troops had all either killed, evacuated. Instead of a demonstration of resolve, the bloody fiasco showed the world that the Allies could not hope to invade France for a long time, some intelligence successes were achieved, including electronic intelligence. Of the 6,086 men who made it ashore,3,367 were either killed, wounded or captured, the Royal Air Force failed to lure the Luftwaffe into open battle, and lost 106 aircraft, compared to 48 lost by the Luftwaffe. The Royal Navy lost 33 landing craft and one destroyer, the events at Dieppe influenced preparations for the North African and Normandy landings. This was accompanied by development of techniques and equipment for amphibious warfare, in late 1941 a scheme was put forward for the landing of 12 divisions around Le Havre based on a withdrawal of German troops to counter Soviet success in the east. From this came a proposed test of the scheme in the form of Operation Rutter, when these missions involved two or three fighters, they were known as rhubarbs, and rodeos if they involved more than three aircraft. In the second half of 1941, the offensive over France was greatly stepped up, leading to the losses of 411 British or Canadian aircraft in the rhubarb. In response, in the spring of 1942 the Luftwaffe deployed the new Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter to its airfields in France. The Fw 190 fighters were greatly superior to the Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes used by the British and Canadian pilots and it was largely because of pressure from the RAF to fight the greatest air battle over the French coast that Operation Rutter/Jubilee went ahead. Dieppe, a town in the Seine-Inférieure department of France, is built along a long cliff that overlooks the English Channel. The River Scie is on the end of the town. In 1942, the Germans had demolished some seafront buildings to aid in defence and had set up two large artillery batteries at Berneval-le-Grand and Varengeville-sur-Mer. One important consideration for the planners was that Dieppe was within range of the Royal Air Forces fighter aircraft, there was also intense pressure from the Soviet government to open up a second front in Western Europe
Dieppe Raid
–
Dieppe's
chert beach and cliff immediately following the raid on 19 August 1942. A
Dingo Scout Car has been abandoned.
Dieppe Raid
–
A German
MG34 medium machine gun emplacement
Dieppe Raid
–
No. 3 Commando men who unlike
No. 4 Commando wore steel helmets during the raid.
Dieppe Raid
–
Dieppe Raid 1942, plaque for N°4 Commando at
Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer
28.
Allies of World War II
–
The Allies of World War II, called the United Nations from the 1 January 1942 declaration, were the countries that together opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War. The Allies promoted the alliance as seeking to stop German, Japanese, at the start of the war on 1 September 1939, the Allies consisted of France, Poland and the United Kingdom, and dependent states, such as the British India. Within days they were joined by the independent Dominions of the British Commonwealth, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Poland was a minor factor after its defeat in 1939, France was a minor factor after its defeat in 1940. China had already been into a war with Japan since the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 1937. The alliance was formalised by the Declaration by United Nations, from 1 January 1942, however, the name United Nations was rarely used to describe the Allies during the war. The leaders of the Big Three – the UK, the Soviet Union, in 1945, the Allied nations became the basis of the United Nations. The origins of the Allied powers stem from the Allies of World War I, Germany resented signing Treaty of Versailles. The new Weimar republics legitimacy became shaken, by the early 1930s, the Nazi Party led by Adolf Hitler became the dominant revanchist movement in Germany and Hitler and the Nazis gained power in 1933. The Nazi regime demanded the cancellation of the Treaty of Versailles and made claims to German-populated Austria. The likelihood of war was high, and the question was whether it could be avoided through strategies such as appeasement, in Asia, when Japan seized Manchuria in 1931, the League of Nations condemned it for aggression against China. Japan responded by leaving the League of Nations in March 1933, after four quiet years, the Sino-Japanese War erupted in 1937 with Japanese forces invading China. The League of Nations condemned Japans actions and initiated sanctions on Japan, the United States, in particular, was angered at Japan and sought to support China. In March 1939, Germany took over Czechoslovakia, violating the Munich Agreement signed six months before, Britain and France decided that Hitler had no intention to uphold diplomatic agreements and responded by preparing for war. On 31 March 1939, Britain formed the Anglo-Polish military alliance in an effort to avert a German attack on the country, also, the French had a long-standing alliance with Poland since 1921. The Soviet Union sought an alliance with the powers. The agreement secretly divided the independent nations of eastern Europe between the two powers and assured adequate oil supplies for the German war machine, on 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland, two days later Britain and France declared war on Germany. Then, on 17 September 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east, a Polish government-in-exile was set up and it continued to be one of the Allies, a model followed by other occupied countries. After a quiet winter, Germany in April 1940 invaded and quickly defeated Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Britain and its Empire stood alone against Hitler and Mussolini
Allies of World War II
–
Poland first to fight — British wartime poster supporting
Poland after the German invasion, 1939
Allies of World War II
–
Allied Powers (and their colonies)
Allies of World War II
–
British
Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft (left) flying past a German
Heinkel He-111 bomber aircraft (right) during the
Battle of Britain
Allies of World War II
–
British tanks during the
North African Campaign
29.
E-Boat
–
E-boat was the Western Allies designation for the fast attack craft of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. The most popular, the S-100 class, were very seaworthy, heavily armed and these craft were 35 metres long and 5.1 metres in beam. Their diesel engine propulsion had substantially longer range than the gasoline-fueled American PT boat, as a result, the Royal Navy later developed better matched versions of MTBs using the Fairmile D hull design. This design was chosen because the theatre of operations of such boats was expected to be the North Sea, English Channel and the Western Approaches. The requirement for good performance in rough seas dictated the use of a displacement hull rather than the flat-bottomed planing hull that was more usual for small. The shipbuilding company Lürssen overcame many of the disadvantages of such a hull and, with the Oheka II, produced a craft that was fast, strong and this attracted the interest of the Reichsmarine, which in 1929 ordered a similar boat but fitted with two torpedo tubes. This became the S-1, and was the basis for all subsequent E-boats, after experimenting with the S-1, the Germans made several improvements to the design. Small rudders added on either side of the rudder could be angled outboard to 30 degrees. This drew in an air pocket slightly behind the three propellers, increasing their efficiency, reducing the wave and keeping the boat at a nearly horizontal attitude. This was an important innovation as the horizontal attitude lifted the stern somewhat, allowing greater speed. As such, they were up against Royal Navy and Commonwealth Motor Gun Boats, Motor Torpedo Boats, Motor Launches, frigates and they were also transferred in small numbers to the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea by river and land transport. Some small E-boats were built as boats for carrying by auxiliary cruisers, crew members could earn an award particular to their work—Das Schnellbootkriegsabzeichen—denoted by a badge depicting an E-boat passing through a wreath. The criteria were good conduct, distinction in action, and participating in at least twelve enemy actions and it was also awarded for particularly successful missions, displays of leadership or being killed in action. It could be awarded under special circumstances, such as when another decoration was not suitable, E-boats of the 9th flotilla were the first naval units to respond to the invasion fleet of Operation Overlord. They left Cherbourg harbour at 5 a. m. on 6 June 1944, on finding themselves confronted by the entire invasion fleet, they fired their torpedoes at maximum range and returned to Cherbourg. During World War II, E-boats sank 101 merchant ships totalling 214,728 tons, in addition, they sank 12 destroyers,11 minesweepers, eight landing ships, six MTBs, a torpedo boat, a minelayer, one submarine and a number of small merchant craft. They also damaged two cruisers, five destroyers, three landing ships, a ship, a naval tug and numerous merchant vessels. Sea mines laid by the E-boats were responsible for the loss of 37 merchant ships totalling 148,535 tons, in recognition of their service, the members of E-boat crews were awarded 23 Knights Cross of the Iron Cross and 112 German Cross in Gold
E-Boat
–
An E-boat flying the white flag, after surrender at the coastal forces base HMS Beehive, Felixstowe, May 1945
30.
Norway
–
The Antarctic Peter I Island and the sub-Antarctic Bouvet Island are dependent territories and thus not considered part of the Kingdom. Norway also lays claim to a section of Antarctica known as Queen Maud Land, until 1814, the kingdom included the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland. It also included Isle of Man until 1266, Shetland and Orkney until 1468, Norway has a total area of 385,252 square kilometres and a population of 5,258,317. The country shares a long border with Sweden. Norway is bordered by Finland and Russia to the north-east, Norway has an extensive coastline, facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea. King Harald V of the Dano-German House of Glücksburg is the current King of Norway, erna Solberg became Prime Minister in 2013, replacing Jens Stoltenberg. A constitutional monarchy, Norway divides state power between the Parliament, the Cabinet and the Supreme Court, as determined by the 1814 Constitution, the kingdom is established as a merger of several petty kingdoms. By the traditional count from the year 872, the kingdom has existed continuously for 1,144 years, Norway has both administrative and political subdivisions on two levels, counties and municipalities. The Sámi people have an amount of self-determination and influence over traditional territories through the Sámi Parliament. Norway maintains close ties with the European Union and the United States, the country maintains a combination of market economy and a Nordic welfare model with universal health care and a comprehensive social security system. Norway has extensive reserves of petroleum, natural gas, minerals, lumber, seafood, the petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of the countrys gross domestic product. On a per-capita basis, Norway is the worlds largest producer of oil, the country has the fourth-highest per capita income in the world on the World Bank and IMF lists. On the CIAs GDP per capita list which includes territories and some regions, from 2001 to 2006, and then again from 2009 to 2017, Norway had the highest Human Development Index ranking in the world. It also has the highest inequality-adjusted ranking, Norway ranks first on the World Happiness Report, the OECD Better Life Index, the Index of Public Integrity and the Democracy Index. Norway has two names, Noreg in Nynorsk and Norge in Bokmål. The name Norway comes from the Old English word Norðrveg mentioned in 880, meaning way or way leading to the north. In contrasting with suðrvegar southern way for Germany, and austrvegr eastern way for the Baltic, the Anglo-Saxon of Britain also referred to the kingdom of Norway in 880 as Norðmanna land. This was the area of Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway, and because of him
Norway
–
The
helmet found at Gjermundbu near
Haugsbygd,
Buskerud, is the only
Viking Age helmet that has been found.
Norway
–
Flag
Norway
–
The
Gokstad ship at the
Viking Ship Museum in
Oslo, Norway
Norway
–
The
Battle of the Sound between an allied Dano-Norwegian–
Dutch fleet and the Swedish navy, 8 November 1658 (29 October
O.S.)
31.
Brittany
–
Brittany is a cultural region in the north-west of France. Brittany has also referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain. It is bordered by the English Channel to the north, the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and its land area is 34,023 km². Since reorganisation in 1956, the administrative region of Brittany comprises only four of the five Breton departments. The remaining area of old Brittany, the Loire-Atlantique department around Nantes, at the 2010 census, the population of historic Brittany was estimated to be 4,475,295. Of these, 71% lived in the region of Brittany, while 29% lived in the Loire-Atlantique department, in 2012, the largest metropolitan areas were Nantes, Rennes, and Brest. Brittany is the homeland of the Breton people and is recognised by the Celtic League as one of the six Celtic nations. A nationalist movement seeks greater autonomy within the French Republic, the word Brittany, along with its French, Breton and Gallo equivalents Bretagne, Breizh and Bertaèyn, derive from the Latin Britannia, which means Britons land. This word had been used by the Romans since the 1st century to refer to Great Britain and this word derives from a Greek word, Πρεττανικη or Βρεττανίαι, used by Pytheas, an explorer from Massalia who visited the British Islands around 320 BC. This term probably comes from a Gallic word, aremorica, which close to the sea. Another name, Letauia, was used until the 12th century and it possibly means wide and flat or to expand and it gave the Welsh name for Brittany, Llydaw. Later, authors like Geoffrey of Monmouth used the terms Britannia minor, breton-speaking people may pronounce the word Breizh in two different ways, according to their region of origin. Breton can be divided into two dialects, the KLT and the dialect of Vannes. KLT speakers pronounce it and would write it Breiz, while the Vannetais speakers pronounce it, the official spelling is a compromise between both variants, with a z and an h together. In 1941, efforts to unify the dialects led to the creation of the so-called Breton zh, on its side, Gallo language has never had a widely accepted writing system and several ones coexist. For instance, the name of the region in that language can be written Bertaèyn in ELG script, or Bertègn in MOGA, Brittany has been inhabited by humans since the Lower Paleolithic. This population was scarce and very similar to the other Neanderthals found in the whole of Western Europe and their only original feature was a distinct culture, called Colombanian. One of the oldest hearths in the world has found in Plouhinec
Brittany
–
The
Carnac stones.
Brittany
Brittany
–
The five Gallic tribes of Brittany.
Brittany
–
The temple of Mars in
Corseul.
32.
Netherlands
–
The Netherlands is the main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a densely populated country located in Western Europe with three territories in the Caribbean. The European part of the Netherlands borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest, sharing borders with Belgium, the United Kingdom. The three largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague, Amsterdam is the countrys capital, while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of parliament and government. The port of Rotterdam is the worlds largest port outside East-Asia, the name Holland is used informally to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands. Netherlands literally means lower countries, influenced by its low land and flat geography, most of the areas below sea level are artificial. Since the late 16th century, large areas have been reclaimed from the sea and lakes, with a population density of 412 people per km2 –507 if water is excluded – the Netherlands is classified as a very densely populated country. Only Bangladesh, South Korea, and Taiwan have both a population and higher population density. Nevertheless, the Netherlands is the worlds second-largest exporter of food and agricultural products and this is partly due to the fertility of the soil and the mild climate. In 2001, it became the worlds first country to legalise same-sex marriage, the Netherlands is a founding member of the EU, Eurozone, G-10, NATO, OECD and WTO, as well as being a part of the Schengen Area and the trilateral Benelux Union. The first four are situated in The Hague, as is the EUs criminal intelligence agency Europol and this has led to the city being dubbed the worlds legal capital. The country also ranks second highest in the worlds 2016 Press Freedom Index, the Netherlands has a market-based mixed economy, ranking 17th of 177 countries according to the Index of Economic Freedom. It had the thirteenth-highest per capita income in the world in 2013 according to the International Monetary Fund, in 2013, the United Nations World Happiness Report ranked the Netherlands as the seventh-happiest country in the world, reflecting its high quality of life. The Netherlands also ranks joint second highest in the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, the region called Low Countries and the country of the Netherlands have the same toponymy. Place names with Neder, Nieder, Nether and Nedre and Bas or Inferior are in use in all over Europe. They are sometimes used in a relation to a higher ground that consecutively is indicated as Upper, Boven, Oben. In the case of the Low Countries / the Netherlands the geographical location of the region has been more or less downstream. The geographical location of the region, however, changed over time tremendously
Netherlands
–
The Netherlands in 5500 BC
Netherlands
–
Flag
Netherlands
–
The Netherlands in 500 BC
Netherlands
–
An oak figurine found in
Willemstad, North Brabant (4500 BC).
33.
Australia
–
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It is the worlds sixth-largest country by total area, the neighbouring countries are Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and East Timor to the north, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to the north-east, and New Zealand to the south-east. Australias capital is Canberra, and its largest urban area is Sydney, for about 50,000 years before the first British settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians, who spoke languages classifiable into roughly 250 groups. The population grew steadily in subsequent decades, and by the 1850s most of the continent had been explored, on 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia has since maintained a liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy comprising six states. The population of 24 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard, Australia has the worlds 13th-largest economy and ninth-highest per capita income. With the second-highest human development index globally, the country highly in quality of life, health, education, economic freedom. The name Australia is derived from the Latin Terra Australis a name used for putative lands in the southern hemisphere since ancient times, the Dutch adjectival form Australische was used in a Dutch book in Batavia in 1638, to refer to the newly discovered lands to the south. On 12 December 1817, Macquarie recommended to the Colonial Office that it be formally adopted, in 1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially as Australia. The first official published use of the term Australia came with the 1830 publication of The Australia Directory and these first inhabitants may have been ancestors of modern Indigenous Australians. The Torres Strait Islanders, ethnically Melanesian, were originally horticulturists, the northern coasts and waters of Australia were visited sporadically by fishermen from Maritime Southeast Asia. The first recorded European sighting of the Australian mainland, and the first recorded European landfall on the Australian continent, are attributed to the Dutch. The first ship and crew to chart the Australian coast and meet with Aboriginal people was the Duyfken captained by Dutch navigator, Willem Janszoon. He sighted the coast of Cape York Peninsula in early 1606, the Dutch charted the whole of the western and northern coastlines and named the island continent New Holland during the 17th century, but made no attempt at settlement. William Dampier, an English explorer and privateer, landed on the north-west coast of New Holland in 1688, in 1770, James Cook sailed along and mapped the east coast, which he named New South Wales and claimed for Great Britain. The first settlement led to the foundation of Sydney, and the exploration, a British settlement was established in Van Diemens Land, now known as Tasmania, in 1803, and it became a separate colony in 1825. The United Kingdom formally claimed the part of Western Australia in 1828. Separate colonies were carved from parts of New South Wales, South Australia in 1836, Victoria in 1851, the Northern Territory was founded in 1911 when it was excised from South Australia
Australia
–
Aboriginal rock art in the
Kimberley region of Western Australia
Australia
Australia
–
Portrait of Captain
James Cook, the first European to map the eastern coastline of Australia in 1770
Australia
–
Tasmania's
Port Arthur penal settlement is one of eleven UNESCO World Heritage-listed
Australian Convict Sites.
34.
New Zealand
–
New Zealand /njuːˈziːlənd/ is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu—and around 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal, the countrys varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealands capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland, sometime between 1250 and 1300 CE, Polynesians settled in the islands that later were named New Zealand and developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand, in 1840, representatives of Britain and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire, today, the majority of New Zealands population of 4.7 million is of European descent, the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealands culture is derived from Māori and early British settlers. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, New Zealand is a developed country and ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, education, economic freedom and quality of life. Since the 1980s, New Zealand has transformed from an agrarian, Queen Elizabeth II is the countrys head of state and is represented by a governor-general. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes, the Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau, the Cook Islands and Niue, and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealands territorial claim in Antarctica. New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted New Zealand in 1642 and called it Staten Landt, in 1645, Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand, Aotearoa is the current Māori name for New Zealand. It is unknown whether Māori had a name for the country before the arrival of Europeans. Māori had several names for the two main islands, including Te Ika-a-Māui for the North Island and Te Waipounamu or Te Waka o Aoraki for the South Island. Early European maps labelled the islands North, Middle and South, in 1830, maps began to use North and South to distinguish the two largest islands and by 1907, this was the accepted norm. The New Zealand Geographic Board discovered in 2009 that the names of the North Island and South Island had never been formalised and this set the names as North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui, and South Island or Te Waipounamu
New Zealand
–
The Waitangi sheet from the
Treaty of Waitangi
New Zealand
–
Flag
New Zealand
–
Painting of
Mount Earnslaw by John Turnbull Thomson, oil on canvas, 1888
New Zealand
–
John Key,
Prime Minister of New Zealand since 2008
35.
Captain class frigate
–
They were drawn from two sub-classes of the American destroyer escort classification,32 from the Evarts subclass and 46 from the Buckley subclass. Upon reaching the UK the ships were modified by the Royal Navy. Captain-class frigates acted in the roles of convoy escorts, anti-submarine warfare vessels, coastal forces control frigates, of the 78 frigates,66 bore names that had not been allocated to earlier Royal Navy ships. Lawford, Louis, Manners, Moorsom, Mounsey, Narborough, Pasley, HMS Rupert was the fifth of that name since 1666. Torrington was the fourth of that name since 1654, holmes had been used once before in 1671 and Fitzroy had previously been used for a survey vessel in 1919. The requested particulars were a length of 300 feet, a speed of 20 knots, a dual purpose main armament, the United States Navy had been looking into the feasibility of such a vessel since 1939, and Captain E. L. The production of gears could not be easily increased, as the precision machinery required for their construction alone took over a year to produce. Therefore, a readily-available and proven layout of diesel-electric machinery, also used on submarines, was adopted, when the United Kingdom made its request, Admiral Stark of the US Navy decided to put these plans into motion and recommended that the British order be approved. The turbo-electric powered Buckley class were not part of the first order and were authorised later by Public Law 440 effective 6 February 1942. The Royal Navy placed orders in November 1941 with four shipyards, the Boston Navy Yard, the Mare Island Navy Yard, the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, when the United States entered the war, they too adopted the BDE design. The BDE designation was retained by the first six destroyer escorts transferred to the United Kingdom. Of the initial 50 ordered, these were the ones the Royal Navy received. By the end of World War II the Royal Navy had received 32 Evarts and 46 Buckleys from the Boston Navy Yard, Mare Island Navy Yard, the Royal Navy classified these ships as frigates, as they lacked the torpedo tubes needed for a destroyer classification. Those who served on these ships came to view these features as being very handsome, amongst the differences with British-designed vessels were using bunks instead of hammocks and welds instead of rivets. The Evarts subclass had diesel-electric machinery, based on an arrangement used for submarines, in order to make the designed speed, the Buckley subclass had turbo-electric machinery. Two Foster-Wheeler Express D-type water-tube boilers supplied steam to GE13,500 shp steam turbines, electric motors for 12,000 shp drove the two shafts, each fitted with a three-bladed propeller of solid manganese-bronze that was 8.5 feet in diameter. This all-electric drivetrain was considered innovative at the time. The first port of call in the United Kingdom for most of the Captain-class vessels was Pollock Dock, in all there were 109 items in the alterations and additions list for the Evarts and 94 for the Buckleys
Captain class frigate
–
HMS Cosby, an example of the Buckley -subclass.
Captain class frigate
–
Two of the Buckley -subclass under construction.
Captain class frigate
–
HMS Stayner (Buckley -subclass) acting as a coastal forces control frigate; note the
two-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" bowchaser
Captain class frigate
–
HMS Dacres, an Evarts -subclass ship converted to act as a headquarters ship for the Normandy landings; note the additional smaller mainmast to support the extra
aerials.
36.
Radar
–
Radar is an object-detection system that uses radio waves to determine the range, angle, or velocity of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, Radio waves from the transmitter reflect off the object and return to the receiver, giving information about the objects location and speed. Radar was developed secretly for military use by several nations in the period before, the term RADAR was coined in 1940 by the United States Navy as an acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging or RAdio Direction And Ranging. The term radar has since entered English and other languages as a common noun, high tech radar systems are associated with digital signal processing, machine learning and are capable of extracting useful information from very high noise levels. Other systems similar to make use of other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. One example is lidar, which uses ultraviolet, visible, or near infrared light from lasers rather than radio waves, as early as 1886, German physicist Heinrich Hertz showed that radio waves could be reflected from solid objects. In 1895, Alexander Popov, an instructor at the Imperial Russian Navy school in Kronstadt. The next year, he added a spark-gap transmitter, in 1897, while testing this equipment for communicating between two ships in the Baltic Sea, he took note of an interference beat caused by the passage of a third vessel. In his report, Popov wrote that this phenomenon might be used for detecting objects, the German inventor Christian Hülsmeyer was the first to use radio waves to detect the presence of distant metallic objects. In 1904, he demonstrated the feasibility of detecting a ship in dense fog and he obtained a patent for his detection device in April 1904 and later a patent for a related amendment for estimating the distance to the ship. He also got a British patent on September 23,1904 for a radar system. It operated on a 50 cm wavelength and the radar signal was created via a spark-gap. In 1915, Robert Watson-Watt used radio technology to advance warning to airmen. Watson-Watt became an expert on the use of direction finding as part of his lightning experiments. As part of ongoing experiments, he asked the new boy, Arnold Frederic Wilkins, Wilkins made an extensive study of available units before selecting a receiver model from the General Post Office. Its instruction manual noted that there was fading when aircraft flew by, in 1922, A. Hoyt Taylor and Leo C. Taylor submitted a report, suggesting that this might be used to detect the presence of ships in low visibility, eight years later, Lawrence A. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa followed prewar Great Britain, and Hungary had similar developments during the war. Hugon, began developing a radio apparatus, a part of which was installed on the liner Normandie in 1935
Radar
–
Long-range radar
antenna, used to track space objects and ballistic missiles.
Radar
–
Radar of the type used for detection of aircraft. It rotates steadily, sweeping the airspace with a narrow beam.
Radar
–
Experimental radar antenna, US
Naval Research Laboratory, Anacostia, D. C., late 1930s
Radar
–
A
Chain Home tower in Great Baddow, United Kingdom
37.
Midget submarine
–
A midget submarine is any submarine under 150 tons. Both military and civilian midget submarines have been built, military types work with surface ships and other submarines as mother ships. Civilian and non-combatant military types are generally called submersibles, and normally work with surface ships, Most early submarines, such as the United States Navys Holland and the British Royal Navys Holland 1, would now be considered midget submarines. Midget submarines are best known for harbor penetration, although only two World War II boats, the British X-craft and the unsuccessful Welman submarine, were designed with this in mind. Japans Ko-hyoteki-class submarines were designed to take part in decisive fleet actions. However, as changed, they ended up given the task of harbor penetration. Midget submarines have also some use in support roles. X-craft were used for reconnaissance, and the Seehund was used to carry supplies, a number of modern midget submarines have also been built for submarine rescue. Midget submarines are armed with torpedoes and mines in the form of, for example, detachable side loads. Alternatively they may function as swimmer delivery vehicles to deliver frogmen to the vicinity of their targets, in civilian use, midget submarines are generally called submersibles, commercial submersibles are used in, for example, underwater maintenance, exploration, archaeology, and scientific research. Other commercially available submersibles are marketed as novelty tourist attractions and as specialised tenders for wealthy yacht owners, also, a growing number of amateur submariners homebuild submersibles as a hobby. Length,3.6 m, beam,1.8 m, height,1.2 m, maximum speed,20 km/hr, endurance,10 hr maximum, maximum depth,20 m. Equipped with an arm and search light to harvest sea cucumbers in mariculture. Several foreign countries including North Korea have shown interests and invited the developer to their countries to develop similar midget subs. As with its predecessor, this version also attracted attention of prospective foreign interests. Tao Xiangli class midget submarine, This homemade submarine is developed by Mr. Tao Xiangli, to reduce developmental cost, Mr. Tao uses 2nd hand material whenever it was possible, and as result, it only took ¥30,000 to complete his first boat. For example, the hull is constructed of five used fuel tanks, taos submarine weighs 800 kg and is 6.5 meters long, with a cramped interior that fits one person and features pressure gauges, monitoring cameras and, of course, an oxygen supply. The electrically powered midget sub shapes like a torpedo with a conning tower, Mr. Tao confirmed that he has received funds for further development, which would enable the next midget sub planned to build to dive to a depth of 50 meters
Midget submarine
–
Some 80 Japanese Type C ("Koryu") Midget Submarines in a dry dock at
Kure, October 19, 1945
Midget submarine
–
Crew of a British
X class midget submarine, part of the British Pacific Submarine Fleet.
Midget submarine
–
German midget submarine
Seehund, with a
torpedo
Midget submarine
–
An Italian CB class submarine
38.
Minelaying
–
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines. Before World War I, mine ships were termed mine planters generally, during and after that war the term mine planter became particularly associated with defensive coastal fortifications. The term minelayer was applied to vessels deploying both defensive- and offensive mine barrages and large scale sea mining, minelayer lasted well past the last common use of mine planter in the late 1940s. An armys special-purpose combat engineering vehicles used to lay landmines are sometimes called minelayers, the most common use of the term minelayer is a naval ship used for deploying sea mines. In the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I, mines laid by the Ottoman Empires Navys Nusret sank HMS Irresistible, HMS Ocean, Russian minelayers were also efficient, sinking the Japanese battleships Hatsuse and Yashima in 1904 in the Russo-Japanese War. In World War II, the British employed the Abdiel minelayers both as minelayers and as transports to isolated garrisons, such as Malta and Tobruk and their combination of high speed and carrying capacity was highly valued. The French used the concept for the cruiser Pluton. A naval minelayer can vary considerably in size, from boats of several hundred tonnes in displacement to destroyer-like ships of several thousand tonnes displacement. Apart from their loads of sea mines, most would also carry weapons for self-defense. The first submarine to be designed as such was the Russian submarine Krab, USS Argonaut was another such minelaying submarine. Although there are no modern submarine minelayers, mines sized to be deployed from a submarines torpedo tubes, such as the Stonefish, in modern times, few navies worldwide still possess minelaying vessels. The United States Navy, for example, uses aircraft to lay sea mines instead, mines themselves have evolved from purely passive to active, for example the US CAPTOR that sits as a mine until detecting a target upon which a torpedo is launched. A few navies still have dedicated minelayers in commission, including those of South Korea, Poland, Sweden and Finland, countries with long, shallow coastlines where sea mines are most effective. Other navies have plans to create extemporised minelayers in times of war, beginning in World War II, military aircraft were used to deliver naval mines by dropping them, attached to a parachute. Germany, Britain and the USA made significant use of aerial minelaying, the British Royal Air Force minelaying operations were codenamed Gardening. In the Pacific, the US dropped thousands of mines in Japanese home waters, aerial mining was also used in the Korean and Vietnam Wars
Minelaying
–
Canadian sailors with a mine aboard the minelayer HMCS
Sankaty off
Halifax, Nova Scotia in
World War II
Minelaying
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Swedish minelayer Älvsborg (1974)
Minelaying
–
Hämeenmaa-class minelayer FNS Uusimaa
Minelaying
–
Skorpion Minelayer
39.
Patrol boat
–
A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence duties. There have been designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a navy, coast guard, police force or customs. They are commonly engaged in various border protection roles, including anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, fisheries patrols. They are also called upon to participate in rescue operations. Vessels of this include the original yacht, a light, fast-sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around. They may be classified as inshore patrol vessels and offshore patrol vessels. They are warships typically smaller in size than a corvette and can include fast attack craft, torpedo boats and missile boats, the offshore patrol vessels are usually the smallest ship in a navys fleet that are large and seaworthy enough to patrol off-shore in the open ocean. In larger militaries, such as in the United States military, offshore patrol vessels usually serve in the coast guard, some modern patrol vessels are still based on fishing and leisure boats. Depending on role, vessels in this class may also have more sophisticated sensors and fire control systems that would enable them to carry torpedoes, anti-ship, most modern designs are powered by gas turbine arrangements such as CODAG, and speeds are generally in the 25–30 knots range. They are primarily used for patrol in a countrys Exclusive Economic Zone, common tasks are fisheries inspection, anti-smuggling duties, illegal immigration patrols, anti-piracy patrols and search and rescue. The largest OPVs might also have a deck and helicopter embarked. In times of crisis or war, these vessels are expected to support the vessels in the navy. Their small size and relatively low cost make them one of the most common type of warship in the world, almost all navies operate at least a few offshore patrol vessels, especially those with only green water capabilities. They are useful in smaller seas such as the North Sea as well as in open oceans, similar vessels for exclusively military duties include torpedo boats and missile boats. The United States Navy operated the Pegasus class of armed hydrofoils for years, the River Patrol Boat is a U. S. design of small patrol boat type designed to patrol waters of large rivers. 4 units built under license by ASMAR, OPV-81 Piloto Pardo OPV-82 Comandante Toro OPV-83 Marinero Fuentealba and this unit has reinforced hull for Antarctic operations. OPV-84 Cabo Odger with characteristics similar to the previous ship 06 MICALVI Class Patrol vessels built in ASMAR,18 Protector Class Patrol crafts built under license by ASMAR
Patrol boat
–
Saryu-class patrol vessel of the
Indian navy
Patrol boat
–
Iliria, an example of a modern Patrol boat of the
Albanian Naval Force
Patrol boat
–
PCE-872, a
World War II patrol craft escort of the
US Navy
Patrol boat
–
Argentine Naval Prefecture 's GC67 patrol vessel
40.
Brave class fast patrol boat
–
The Brave-class fast patrol boats were a class of two motor torpedo boats that were the last of their type for the Royal Navy Coastal Forces division. They formed the basis for a series of boats, which were widely built for export. The Brave class followed the Dark class of motor torpedo boats/gunboats. They were larger than the Dark class, and differed in being powered by gas turbine engines rather than the engines of the Dark class. Three Bristol Proteus engines propelled the Braves to a maximum of 52 knots, like the Dark class, the Braves had a mahogany skin over aluminium frame construction. They were built to be able to be used as motor torpedo boats or motor gun boats. For the former role they had a 40 mm Bofors gun, four torpedoes and it was planned to arm the ships with a new 3.3 inches gun based on the 20 pounder tank gun in a stabilised mounting, but this was abandoned. The Royal Navy abandoned the idea of large scale coastal forces in 1957, the two Braves, along with a single member of the Dark class, formed the Coastal Forces Trials and Special Service Squadron, based as Gosport. These were used to maintain proficiency in Coastal Forces operations, also being used as targets, the two Braves were retired from use in 1970. The Braves were expensive boats, so as a venture, Vospers produced a simpler derivative. This was smaller than the Braves, with a length of 90 feet 8 inches and was powered by two Proteus engines instead of three, which were supplemented by two diesel engines for cruising. Construction was all wooden to minimise costs, despite the reduced size and power, performance and armament were similar to the Braves. While Ferocity herself was not sold, it formed the basis for a number of boats for export. These included sales to West Germany, Denmark, Greece, Malaysia for the RMN in 1966, Brunei and Libya, Denmark purchased six Søløven-class fast patrol boats, with the larger hull form and the 3-Proteus powerplant of the Brave class and the wooden construction of Ferocity. Armament consisted of two 40 mm Bofors guns and four torpedoes, the first two boats, Søløven and Søridderen were built by Vospers, with the remaining four boats being built under license by the Royal Dockyard, Copenhagen. They were placed into reserve in 1988, and disposed of when the Flyvefisken-class patrol vessels entered service, one of the Søløven-class boats, looking to be in a derelict state, was being auctioned in Belgium from 12–24 February 2016, being moored alongside another in Antwerp harbour. Germany ordered two fast patrol boats from Vospers on 22 August 1960, the first, Strahl was based on the Brave class, with three Proteus gas turbines, while Pfeil was based on the smaller Ferocity with two Proteus. Armament was the same combination of Bofors 40 mm guns and torpedoes as the Brave class
Brave class fast patrol boat
–
HMS Brave Borderer on the Rhine, 1961
41.
Motor Launch
–
For other types of launch see Launch A motor launch is a small military vessel in British navy service. It was designed for defence and submarine chasing or for armed high speed air-sea rescue. Although small by standards, it was larger than the preceding Coastal Motor Boats of 40 and 55 ft length. The first motor launches entered service in the First World War and these were 580 80-foot-long vessels built by the US Elco company for the Admiralty, receiving the designations ML-1 to ML-580. They served between 1916 and the end of the war with the Royal Navy defending the British coast from German submarines, after the Armistice of 11 November 1918 a flotilla of 12 RN Motor Launches traveled down the Rhine performing duty as the Rhine Patrol Flotilla. Post-war, many motor launches were taken on as pleasure boats, a number of them are on the National Register of Historic Vessels. Gardiner, Robert, Conways all the fighting ships 1906–1921 Conway Maritime Press,1985. Gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, Conways all the fighting ships 1922-1946. UK National Register of Historic Vessels Naval Museum of Manitoba Juno Beach website A Short History of HMS St Christopher, Royal Navy Coastal Forces training base, mainly for MLs Stoker Harold Siddall Royal Navy, his service in ML.1030 and capture in Crete 1941
Motor Launch
–
Royal Norwegian Navy motor launches off Dover during the Second World War
42.
Harbour Defence Motor Launch
–
The harbour defence motor launch was a British small motor vessel of the Second World War. The HDML was designed by W J Holt at the Admiralty in early 1939, during the war,464 HDMLs were constructed, mainly by yacht builders, in the United Kingdom and a number of other allied countries. In view of their later expanded combat roles in some Commonwealth navies some HDMLs were re-designated as seaward defence motor launches or seaward defence boats, HDMLs had a round bilge heavy displacement hull 72 feet long with a beam of 16 feet and a loaded draught of 5 feet. The hull had a pronounced flare forward to throw the bow wave clear and provided considerable lift to prevent all, although seaworthy, the boat had a considerable tendency to roll, especially when taking seas at anything other than directly ahead or astern. The cause was the round bilge midship section and a reserve of stability. This, coupled with the round bilged hull and lack of bilge keels, would set up a rapid, one of the design criteria was that the boat had to be capable of turning inside the turning circle of a submerged submarine. To achieve this, HDMLs were fitted with two large rudders and, to reduce resistance to turning, the keel ended 13 ft before the stern. A side effect of this was that the boat lacked directional stability and was difficult to hold on a straight course. The hull was of round bilge wooden construction, planked with two diagonally opposed skins with a layer of oiled calico between them – known as a “double-diagonal” technique. The hull was completed with frames or “timbers” riveted perpendicularly from the keel to the gunwale on the inside of the planking, forming a strong hull. The hull was strengthened by the addition of longitudinal stringers riveted inside the timbers together with further timbers. They were fastened inside the stringers opposite every third main timber, HDMLs were fitted with a deeper section rubbing strake aft. Its purpose was to roll depth charges clear of the hull, most HDML hulls were planked in mahogany, but as the war progressed this became scarce and larch was used, although this tended to lead to leaky hulls. The decks were also of double-diagonal construction and generally made of softwood, boats operating in tropical waters were sheathed in copper below the waterline to prevent the attack of marine borers. In order to lessen the chances of the sinking in the event of damage to the hull. Provided that the bulkheads were not damaged, the boat could remain afloat with any one compartment flooded, some were constructed in the United States and nominally owned by the United States Navy, but delivered to the Royal Navy and other allies under Lend-Lease. Most were returned to the United States Navy at the end of the war before being sold to other countries, HDMLs were designed to accommodate a crew of ten. There were berths for six ratings in the cabin, which also contained a galley with a coal fired stove
Harbour Defence Motor Launch
–
ML 1322, an Australian HDML, at Brisbane in 1944
Harbour Defence Motor Launch
–
HDML 1301 in
Padstow with extra fuel tanks and stores for a voyage to
Malta
43.
Submarine chaser
–
A submarine chaser is a small and fast naval vessel that is specifically intended for anti-submarine warfare. Although similar vessels were designed and used by nations, this designation was most famously used by ships built by the US. Many of the US World War I sub-chasers found their way to friendly powers by way of Lend-Lease in World War II, U. S. Navy submarine chasers were designed specifically to destroy German submarines in World War I, and Japanese and German submarines in World War II. The small 110-foot SC-1-class submarine chasers of the used in World War I carried the hull designator SC. Their main weapon was the depth charge and they also carried machine guns and anti-aircraft guns. The similar-sized SC-497-class was built for World War II, also in World War II, larger 173-foot PC-461-class submarine chasers used the PC hull classification symbol. In early 1915, the British Admiralty selected the US Elco company for the production of 50 Motor Launches for anti-submarine work and this order was eventually increased by a further 530. The whole order was completed by November 1916, and the vessels entered Royal Navy service, the vessels were 80 feet in length and capable of 20 knots. They were armed with a 3-pounder gun, towed paravanes to attack submarines and, later, additional motor launches of the Fairmile A and B and other classes were built for World War II. The British sub chasers were operated around the coast in defence, however, they were uncomfortable, wet and not suited to British sea conditions. Although used during the First World War, they were sold when the war ended, by the end of World War II, submarine chasers had sunk around 67 German U-boats. In the Pacific Theatre, submarine chasers were used for landings, courier. Eight British Fairmile B Motor Launches were transferred from Canada to the US in World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy had around 250 submarine chasers in World War II, principally about 200 of the No. 1-class auxiliary submarine chasers. Some of these survived to serve in the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force after the war, during Project Hula, the United States secretly transferred 32 U. S. The transfer of 24 more was canceled when transfers halted on 5 September 1945, between 1954 and 1960 all 32 transferred submarine chasers were scrapped by the Soviet Union or destroyed off its coast by mutual agreement between the two countries. They were mostly withdrawn after World War II and replaced with corvettes, frigates, a few are still in service with Third World navies. The only remaining submarine chaser with intact World War II armament is the Royal Norwegian Navys HNoMS Hitra, in the Netherlands, there is still afloat PC1610 - a post World War II submarine chaser. The Le Fougueux was built in 1953 from US World War II drawings, gardiner, Robert and Chesneau, Roger, Conways all the worlds fighting ships 1922-1946, Conway Maritime Press,1980
Submarine chaser
–
USS PC-815, a US subchaser that served in World War II
44.
Motor Gun Boat
–
Motor Gun Boat was a Royal Navy term for a small military vessel of the Second World War. Such boats were similar to Motor Torpedo Boats, but equipped with a mix of guns instead of torpedoes. Their small size and high speed made them targets for E-boats or torpedo bombers. The large number of guns meant the crew was relatively large, mGBs were extremely heavily armed for vessels of their size.303 Vickers machine guns on the bridge wings. They were also equipped with smoke-making equipment, basic radar and depth charges, in the early years of the war, they saw action defending shipping against enemy torpedo boats such as the German E-boats on the southern and eastern coasts of the UK. MGBs were also involved in the protection of shipping after D-Day, in the Mediterranean, they were used offensively to sink Italian and German shipping. They were formed into flotillas which often operated alongside Motor Torpedo Boats, after this campaign, they moved northwards and assisted with the invasion of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and Elba. From island bases they patrolled along the western coast of Italy attacking small coastal ships, as Italy was progressively liberated, certain flotillas, such as the 56th, were sent around to the Adriatic to assist partisans in the islands off Yugoslavia. They did not take the prefix HMS as they were only boats, the crews generally referred to them by their numbers. In 1947, MGB2009 was fitted with a Metrovick gas turbine, later re-numbered MGB2009, this boat was subsequently fitted with a Metrovick gas turbine engine in 1947. Fairmile C motor gun boats were 110 ft long boats, the succeeding Fairmile D design could be fitted out either as MGB or MTB. The only fully restored and operational example of a Royal Navy Coastal Forces MGB which saw service in WW2 is MGB-81. She was built by British Power Boat Co Ltd, hythe, launched in 1942, and served at the Normandy landings
Motor Gun Boat
–
MGB 314 during
World War II
Motor Gun Boat
–
MGB 66 at speed with the crew at action stations, off the coast of Scotland
Motor Gun Boat
–
The
gas turbine from MGB 2009 (formerly MGB 509)
Motor Gun Boat
–
MGB-81 in
Beaulieu River
45.
E-boats
–
E-boat was the Western Allies designation for the fast attack craft of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. The most popular, the S-100 class, were very seaworthy, heavily armed and these craft were 35 metres long and 5.1 metres in beam. Their diesel engine propulsion had substantially longer range than the gasoline-fueled American PT boat, as a result, the Royal Navy later developed better matched versions of MTBs using the Fairmile D hull design. This design was chosen because the theatre of operations of such boats was expected to be the North Sea, English Channel and the Western Approaches. The requirement for good performance in rough seas dictated the use of a displacement hull rather than the flat-bottomed planing hull that was more usual for small. The shipbuilding company Lürssen overcame many of the disadvantages of such a hull and, with the Oheka II, produced a craft that was fast, strong and this attracted the interest of the Reichsmarine, which in 1929 ordered a similar boat but fitted with two torpedo tubes. This became the S-1, and was the basis for all subsequent E-boats, after experimenting with the S-1, the Germans made several improvements to the design. Small rudders added on either side of the rudder could be angled outboard to 30 degrees. This drew in an air pocket slightly behind the three propellers, increasing their efficiency, reducing the wave and keeping the boat at a nearly horizontal attitude. This was an important innovation as the horizontal attitude lifted the stern somewhat, allowing greater speed. As such, they were up against Royal Navy and Commonwealth Motor Gun Boats, Motor Torpedo Boats, Motor Launches, frigates and they were also transferred in small numbers to the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea by river and land transport. Some small E-boats were built as boats for carrying by auxiliary cruisers, crew members could earn an award particular to their work—Das Schnellbootkriegsabzeichen—denoted by a badge depicting an E-boat passing through a wreath. The criteria were good conduct, distinction in action, and participating in at least twelve enemy actions and it was also awarded for particularly successful missions, displays of leadership or being killed in action. It could be awarded under special circumstances, such as when another decoration was not suitable, E-boats of the 9th flotilla were the first naval units to respond to the invasion fleet of Operation Overlord. They left Cherbourg harbour at 5 a. m. on 6 June 1944, on finding themselves confronted by the entire invasion fleet, they fired their torpedoes at maximum range and returned to Cherbourg. During World War II, E-boats sank 101 merchant ships totalling 214,728 tons, in addition, they sank 12 destroyers,11 minesweepers, eight landing ships, six MTBs, a torpedo boat, a minelayer, one submarine and a number of small merchant craft. They also damaged two cruisers, five destroyers, three landing ships, a ship, a naval tug and numerous merchant vessels. Sea mines laid by the E-boats were responsible for the loss of 37 merchant ships totalling 148,535 tons, in recognition of their service, the members of E-boat crews were awarded 23 Knights Cross of the Iron Cross and 112 German Cross in Gold
E-boats
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An E-boat flying the white flag, after surrender at the coastal forces base HMS Beehive, Felixstowe, May 1945
46.
Knot (unit)
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The knot is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, approximately 1.151 mph. The ISO Standard symbol for the knot is kn, the same symbol is preferred by the IEEE, kt is also common. The knot is a unit that is accepted for use with the SI. Etymologically, the term derives from counting the number of knots in the line that unspooled from the reel of a log in a specific time. 1 international knot =1 nautical mile per hour,1.852 kilometres per hour,0.514 metres per second,1.151 miles per hour,20.254 inches per second,1852 m is the length of the internationally agreed nautical mile. The US adopted the definition in 1954, having previously used the US nautical mile. The UK adopted the international nautical mile definition in 1970, having used the UK Admiralty nautical mile. The speeds of vessels relative to the fluids in which they travel are measured in knots, for consistency, the speeds of navigational fluids are also measured in knots. Thus, speed over the ground and rate of progress towards a distant point are given in knots. Until the mid-19th century, vessel speed at sea was measured using a chip log, the chip log was cast over the stern of the moving vessel and the line allowed to pay out. Knots placed at a distance of 8 fathoms -47 feet 3 inches from each other, passed through a sailors fingers, the knot count would be reported and used in the sailing masters dead reckoning and navigation. This method gives a value for the knot of 20.25 in/s, the difference from the modern definition is less than 0. 02%. On a chart of the North Atlantic, the scale varies by a factor of two from Florida to Greenland, a single graphic scale, of the sort on many maps, would therefore be useless on such a chart. Recent British Admiralty charts have a latitude scale down the middle to make this even easier, speed is sometimes incorrectly expressed as knots per hour, which is in fact a measure of acceleration. Prior to 1969, airworthiness standards for aircraft in the United States Federal Aviation Regulations specified that distances were to be in statute miles. In 1969, these standards were amended to specify that distances were to be in nautical miles. At 11000 m, an airspeed of 300 kn may correspond to a true airspeed of 500 kn in standard conditions. Beaufort scale Hull speed, which deals with theoretical estimates of maximum speed of displacement hulls Knot count Knotted cord Metre per second Orders of magnitude Rope Kemp
Knot (unit)
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Graphic scale from a Mercator projection world map, showing the change with latitude
47.
Torpedo tube
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A torpedo tube is a cylinder shaped device for launching torpedoes. There are two types of torpedo tube, underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships. Thus a submarine torpedo tube operates on the principle of an airlock, the diagram on the right illustrates the operation of a submarine torpedo tube. The diagram is somewhat simplified but does show the working of a torpedo launch. A torpedo tube has a number of interlocks for safety reasons. For example, an interlock prevents the door and muzzle door from opening at the same time. The submarine torpedo launch sequence is, in simplified form, Open the breech door in the torpedo room, load the torpedo into the tube. Hook up the connection and the torpedo power cable. Shut and lock the breech door, turn on power to the torpedo. A minimum amount of time is required for torpedo warmup, fire control programs are uploaded to the torpedo. This may be manually or automatically, from sea or from tanks. The tube must be vented during this process to allow for complete filling, Open the equalizing valve to equalize pressure in the tube with ambient sea pressure. If the tube is set up for Impulse Mode the slide valve will open with the muzzle door, if Swim Out Mode is selected, the slide valve remains closed. The slide valve allows water from the pump to enter the tube. Modern torpedoes have a safety mechanism that prevents activation of the torpedo unless the torpedo senses the required amount of G-force, the power cable is severed at launch. However, if a wire is used, it remains connected through a drum of wire in the tube. Torpedo propulsion systems vary but electric torpedoes swim out of the tube on their own and are of a smaller diameter,21 weapons with fuel-burning engines usually start outside of the tube. Once outside the tube the torpedo begins its run toward the target as programmed by the control system
Torpedo tube
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The torpedo tube on
HMS Holland 1
Torpedo tube
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Submarine torpedo tube breech doors of
USS Nautilus in their close position
Torpedo tube
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MU90 Impact triple launcher onboard F221 Hessen, a modern
Sachsen-class frigate of the
German Navy
Torpedo tube
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Rear torpedo tube of a former German
Jaguar class Schnellboot (
MTB)
48.
British Power Boat Company
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The British Power Boat Company was a British manufacturer of motor boats, particularly racing boats and later military patrol boats. Together with his designer, Fred Cooper, the company produced many racing boats which won numerous awards around Europe, including Miss England II. From 1930 the British Power Boat Company supplied seaplane tenders to the Air Ministry, commencing with RAF200, a 37-footer. The trials of this and other boats was carried out by T E Shaw on behalf of the Royal Air Force and these tenders were powered by twin 100bhp Meadows petrol engines giving a maximum speed of 29knots. The company marketed its own modified Napier Sea Lion engines under the name Power Marine Engines, on 3 August 1931 the factory burnt to the ground, but was rapidly rebuilt as the most modern and efficient boatyard in Britain. Motor Torpedo Boats with a hard chine were designed, built, armoured target boats were also built for the RAF, proving very successful and cost-effective, together with tenders for Imperial Airways flying boats, and admirals barges. In 1939, due to the difficulties in obtaining British engines, all unfinished contracts were cancelled at the cessation of hostilities and the British Power Boat Company closed in 1946. Fairmile Marine Vospers Electric Launch Company British Coastal Forces of World War II Rance, Adrian Fast Boats and Flying Boats
British Power Boat Company
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Royal Navy MTB at speed.
British Power Boat Company
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PT-9 at Washington D.C., 1940.
49.
Vickers .50 machine gun
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The Vickers.50 machine gun, also known as the Vickers.50 was basically similar to the.303 inches Vickers machine gun but scaled up to use a larger-calibre 0. 5-inch round. It saw some use in tanks and other fighting vehicles, but was more commonly used as a close-in anti-aircraft weapon on Royal Navy and allied ships. The Vickers fired UK12. 7×81mm 50-calibre ammunition, not the better known US12. 7×99mm, Mark I was the development model. Mark II entered service in 1933 and was mounted in some British tanks, marks IV and V were improved versions and were also used mounted on trucks in the North Africa Campaign. It was superseded for use in armoured fighting vehicles during World War II by the 15 mm Besa, Mark III was a naval version used as an anti-aircraft weapon, mostly by the Royal Navy and allied navies in World War II, typically in mountings of 4 guns. It proved insufficiently powerful in the short-range anti-aircraft role against modern aircraft and was superseded during World War II by the Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. The naval quad mount featured a 200-round magazine per barrel, which wrapped the ammunition belt around the magazine drum, the four-barrel mounting had its guns adjusted to provide a spread of fire, amounting to 60 feet wide and 50 feet high at 1,000 yards. Vickers claimed that it could fire all 800 rounds in 20 seconds, during the Second World War it was also mounted on power-operated turrets in smaller craft such as Motor Gun Boats and Motor Torpedo Boats. Browning M2 Pom-pom The Vickers Machine Gun Tony DiGiulian, British 0. 50/62 Mark III Anthony G Williams, THE.5 VICKERS GUNS AND AMMUNITION
Vickers .50 machine gun
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A Vickers.50 machine gun,
Polish Army Museum, Warsaw (2006)
Vickers .50 machine gun
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A four-gun, naval anti-aircraft mounting, on board the destroyer
HMS Vanity (1940)
50.
QF 2 pounder naval gun
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The 2-pounder gun, officially designated the QF 2-pounder and universally known as the pom-pom, was a 40-millimetre British autocannon, used as an anti-aircraft gun by the Royal Navy. The name came from the sound that the original models make when firing. This QF 2-pounder was not the gun as the Ordnance QF2 pounder, used by the British Army as an anti-tank gun. The first gun to be called a pom-pom was the 37 mm Nordenfelt-Maxim or QF 1-pounder introduced during the Second Boer War and it fired a shell one pound in weight accurately over a distance of 3,000 yd. The barrel was water-cooled, and the shells were belt-fed from a 25-round fabric belt, the Boers used them against the British, who, seeing their utility, had the design copied by Vickers, who were already producing Maxim guns. During the First World War, it was used in the trenches of the Western Front against aircraft, the first naval pom-pom was the QF1. 5-pdr Mark I, a piece with a calibre of 37 mm and a barrel 43 calibres long. This was trialed in the Arethusa-class light cruisers HMS Arethusa and Undaunted, but did not enter service, being replaced instead by a larger weapon. The QF 2-pounder Mark II was essentially a version of the QF1 pounder Maxim gun produced by Vickers. It was a 40 mm calibre gun with a water-cooled barrel and it was ordered in 1915 by the Royal Navy as an anti-aircraft weapon for ships of cruiser size and below. The original models fired from hand-loaded fabric belts, although these were replaced by steel-link belts. This scaling-up process was not entirely successful, as it left the mechanism rather light, in 1918, one example of this weapon was experimentally mounted on the upper envelope of His Majestys Airship 23r. Surviving weapons were out of storage to see service in World War II, mainly on board ships such as naval trawlers, Motor Boats. It was used almost exclusively in the single-barrel, unpowered pedestal mountings P Mark II except for a number of weapons on the mounting Mark XV. These were too heavy to be of any use at sea, calibre,40 mm L/39 Total length,96 inches. Length of bore,62 inches Rifling, Polygroove, plain section,54.84 inches, Weight of gun & breech assembly,527 lb Shell Weight,2 lb. HE. Rate of Fire,200 rpm Effective Range,1,200 yd Muzzle Velocity,1920 ft/s Some 7,000 guns were made, the gun was also used by the Japanese as the 40 mm/62 HI Shiki. The Royal Navy had identified the need for a rapid-firing, multi-barrelled close-range anti-aircraft weapon at an early stage. Design work for such a weapon began in 1923 based on the earlier Mark II, lack of funding led to a convoluted and drawn-out design and trials history, and it was not until 1930 that these weapons began to enter service
QF 2 pounder naval gun
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The quadruple 2 pdr mounting (Mk.VII) of
HMS Kelvin
QF 2 pounder naval gun
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Posed photo of Mk II guarding a train against air attack,
Mesopotamia, 1918
QF 2 pounder naval gun
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Gunners on the
HMCS Assiniboine fire their 2 pdr while escorting a troop convoy from Halifax to Britain, 10 July 1940.
QF 2 pounder naval gun
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8-barrelled "Chicago piano" on
HMS Rodney, viewed from below
51.
E-boat
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E-boat was the Western Allies designation for the fast attack craft of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. The most popular, the S-100 class, were very seaworthy, heavily armed and these craft were 35 metres long and 5.1 metres in beam. Their diesel engine propulsion had substantially longer range than the gasoline-fueled American PT boat, as a result, the Royal Navy later developed better matched versions of MTBs using the Fairmile D hull design. This design was chosen because the theatre of operations of such boats was expected to be the North Sea, English Channel and the Western Approaches. The requirement for good performance in rough seas dictated the use of a displacement hull rather than the flat-bottomed planing hull that was more usual for small. The shipbuilding company Lürssen overcame many of the disadvantages of such a hull and, with the Oheka II, produced a craft that was fast, strong and this attracted the interest of the Reichsmarine, which in 1929 ordered a similar boat but fitted with two torpedo tubes. This became the S-1, and was the basis for all subsequent E-boats, after experimenting with the S-1, the Germans made several improvements to the design. Small rudders added on either side of the rudder could be angled outboard to 30 degrees. This drew in an air pocket slightly behind the three propellers, increasing their efficiency, reducing the wave and keeping the boat at a nearly horizontal attitude. This was an important innovation as the horizontal attitude lifted the stern somewhat, allowing greater speed. As such, they were up against Royal Navy and Commonwealth Motor Gun Boats, Motor Torpedo Boats, Motor Launches, frigates and they were also transferred in small numbers to the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea by river and land transport. Some small E-boats were built as boats for carrying by auxiliary cruisers, crew members could earn an award particular to their work—Das Schnellbootkriegsabzeichen—denoted by a badge depicting an E-boat passing through a wreath. The criteria were good conduct, distinction in action, and participating in at least twelve enemy actions and it was also awarded for particularly successful missions, displays of leadership or being killed in action. It could be awarded under special circumstances, such as when another decoration was not suitable, E-boats of the 9th flotilla were the first naval units to respond to the invasion fleet of Operation Overlord. They left Cherbourg harbour at 5 a. m. on 6 June 1944, on finding themselves confronted by the entire invasion fleet, they fired their torpedoes at maximum range and returned to Cherbourg. During World War II, E-boats sank 101 merchant ships totalling 214,728 tons, in addition, they sank 12 destroyers,11 minesweepers, eight landing ships, six MTBs, a torpedo boat, a minelayer, one submarine and a number of small merchant craft. They also damaged two cruisers, five destroyers, three landing ships, a ship, a naval tug and numerous merchant vessels. Sea mines laid by the E-boats were responsible for the loss of 37 merchant ships totalling 148,535 tons, in recognition of their service, the members of E-boat crews were awarded 23 Knights Cross of the Iron Cross and 112 German Cross in Gold
E-boat
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An E-boat flying the white flag, after surrender at the coastal forces base HMS Beehive, Felixstowe, May 1945
United Kingdom
Royal Navy
