HMS Urania (R05)

HMS Urania was a U-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. After the war she was converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate and was scrapped in 1971.

For HMS Uranie, see French frigate Uranie (1788).

Urania in April 1944
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Urania
BuilderVickers-Armstrongs
Laid down18 June 1942
Launched19 May 1943
Commissioned18 January 1944
IdentificationPennant number R05/F08
FateScrapped 1971
General characteristics V-class destroyer
Class and typeV-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 1,777 long tons (1,806 t) standard
  • 2,058 long tons (2,091 t) full load
Length363 ft (111 m)
Beam35 ft 8 in (10.87 m)
Draught10 ft (3.0 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum water-tube boilers
  • Geared steam turbines, 40,000 shp (29,828 kW)
  • 2 shafts
Speed37 knots (43 mph; 69 km/h)
Range4,860 nmi (9,000 km) at 29 kn (54 km/h)
Complement180 (225 in flotilla leader)
Armament
General characteristics Type 15 frigate
Class and typeType 15 frigate
Displacement2,300 long tons (2,337 t) standard
Length358 ft (109 m) o/a
Beam37 ft 9 in (11.51 m)
Draught14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers,
  • steam turbines on 2 shafts,
  • 40,000 shp
Speed31 knots (36 mph; 57 km/h) (full load)
Complement174
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar
  • Type 293Q target indication (later Type 993)
  • Type 277Q surface search
  • Type 974 navigation
  • Type 262 fire control on director CRBF
  • Type 1010 Cossor Mark 10 IFF
  • Sonar:
  • Type 174 search
  • Type 162 target classification
  • Type 170 attack
Armament

Service history

Second World War service

Urania saw service during the Second World War as part of the British Pacific Fleet.

Post War service

From 1947 until 1950 Urania was held in reserve at Devonport Dockyard.[1] She was converted into a reserve fleet accommodation ship in 1949, and was based at Devonport.[2] On 11 November 1950 she arrived at Hawthorn Leslie on the Tyne for a refit and was again in reserve at Harwich in 1952.

On 23 April 1953 she arrived in Liverpool for conversion into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, by Harland and Wolff. Her pennant number was also changed from R05 to F08.[2]

On completion of her conversion she was commissioned on 2 January 1955 into the 6th Frigate Squadron, for service in the Mediterranean, with other Type 15 frigates Ursa, Undine and Ulysses. They collectively took part in the Suez Operation and Cyprus emergency before returning home.

In 1958 she was returned to the reserve at Devonport dockyard before another refit. On 7 January 1959 she re-commissioned for trials before returning to reserve.

Decommissioning and disposal

From 1962 until 1967 she was held in reserve at Devonport. In January 1967 she was transferred to the operational reserve. She was subsequently sold for scrap and arrived at Faslane for breaking up on 2 February 1971.[2]

Notes
  1. Critchley, Mike (1982). British Warships Since 1945: Part 3: Destroyers. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Books. p. 66. ISBN 0-9506323-9-2.
  2. Warlow, Ben (2000). Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy. Maritime Books. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-907771-74-6.

Publications


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