HMS Amazon

Vessel name on Arrival: HMS Amazon

Original Builder: John I. Thornycroft of Woolston

Original Yard No: 1040

Official Number:

Vessel Type: destroyer

GRT: 1352

Year Built: 1927

Arrival Date: 05/10/1948

Breakup Started: 14/10/1948

Date First Beached: 03/04/1949

Date Breakup Completed: 12/07/1949

Draught For’d: 10' 0"

Draught Aft: 12' 9"

Name Changes:

Other Information:

HMS AMAZON                Pennant No. D 39                Prototype Destroyer

 

HMS AMAZON was the first of a new build for the Royal Navy designed to meet an Admiralty request for a model incorporating lessons learned and technological advances made since the end of WWI.  It was described as the 'Interwar Design'. 

 

16-07-1924  :  Ordered

29-01-1925  :  Keel laid down

27-01-1926  :  Launched

05-05-1927  :  Commissioned

 

Displacement :  1,350 (long) / 1,370 tons

Length :  311' 9"  (95.02 metres)

Beam   :   31' 6"   (  9.60 metres)

Draught :   9' 6"   (  2.90 metres)

 

Propulsion :  2 x Brown Curtiss single-reducted geared steam turbines driving twin shafts/screws

Steam        :  3 x 3-Drum Yarrow-Type Boilers

Output       :   41,500 SHP

Speed        :  37 knots

Complement :  138 men

 

Armaments :

4  x  120mm (4.7") Mk. I dual-purpose deck-guns

2  x  QF 2-pounder Mk. II A.A. guns

6  x  Torpedo Tubes

 

Service Notes for HMS AMAZON

HMS Amazon spent most of the war years up until 1942 engaged in convoy escort duties, including the North Atlantic and Russian convoys before relocating to the Mediterranean areas, then returning to home waters in 1943. She remained in home waters for the remainder of the war. For the rest of 1943 and throughout 1944 she was reduced to serving as a naval air target, from January 1945 she was used for structural tests by the Naval Research Establishment at Rosyth and from May 1945 was on the naval disposals listing.  Although on the Disposal List, she was retained in service for underwater explosions trials until 1948.  HMS Amazon was sold off to B.I.S.C.O. in 1948 for demolition and arrived at the West of Scotland Shipbreaking Company's facilities at Troon, South Ayrshire on 6th October 1948 for that purpose.

 

HMS AMAZON TIMELINE

 3rd January 1927 – Acceptance Trials
5th May 1927 – Completed
1st October 1932 – Irish Waters, Home Fleet
29th August 1933 – Arrived Portsmouth
29th August 1933 – Sailed Plymouth for Portsmouth
16th July 1935 – Attended 1935 Spithead Fleet Review
27th January 1936 – Arrived Portsmouth
11th June 1936 – Sailed Portland for Portsmouth
19th October 1936 – Arrived Portland
22nd October 1936 – Arrived Portsmouth
14th July 1937 – Arrived Portland
16th July 1937 – Arrived Portsmouth
29th March 1938 – Arrived Portland
11th April 1938 – Sailed Portland for Portsmouth
1st January 1939 – 18th Destroyer Flotilla
26th April 1939 – Arrived Portland
26th April 1939 – Sailed Portsmouth for Portland
28th April 1939 – Arrived Portsmouth
5th August 1939 – Arrived Portland
8th August 1939 – Arrived Weymouth Bay
9th August 1939 – Attended Review of the British Reserve Fleet
3rd September 1939 – 16th Destroyer Flotilla, Division 36 Portsmouth Command
3rd September 1939 – At Portland
9th October 1939 – Sailed Milford Haven to escort convoy KJ.1B
12th October 1939 – Submarine hunting off Dover.
16th October 1939 – Joined Convoy OA.3
17th October 1939 – Sailed Plymouth on escort duty
17th October 1939 – Joined Convoy OA.20
18th October 1939 – Detached from Convoy OA.20
18th October 1939 – Damaged in a collision
18th October 1939 – Damaged in collision with steamer Aracataca at 1448 in convoy OG.3
19th October 1939 – Detached Convoy OA.3
20th October 1939 – Commenced repairs at Portsmouth
31st October 1939 – At Portsmouth for repairs
28th November 1939 – Repairs completed at Portsmouth
2nd December 1939 – Sailed Southend escorting Convoy OA.45G
5th December 1939 – Escorted Convoy OG.9.
6th December 1939 – Detached from Convoy OA.45G. Joined Convoy HG.9
6th December 1939 – Detached from Convoy OG.9
21st December 1939 – Joined Convoy OA.55G. Detached same day
26th December 1939 – Escorted Convoy OA.60G
28th December 1939 – Detached from Convoy OA.60G
5th January 1940 – Joined Convoy OA.65
6th January 1940 – Detached from Convoy OA.65
23rd January 1940 – Escorting Convoy OA.78
6th February 1940 – Escorted Convoy OG.17
11th March 1940 – Joined merged Convoys SL.22 and SLF.22
15th March 1940 – Arrived UK with Convoys SL.22 and SLF.22
16th March 1940 – Sailed Southend escorting Convoy OA.111
18th March 1940 – Detached from Convoy OA.111
22nd March 1940 – Joined Convoy OA.114
23rd March 1940 – Detached from Convoy OA.114
25th March 1940 – Joined Convoy HX.27
28th March 1940 – Arrived Liverpool with Convoy HX.27
29th April 1940 – Assisted in the sinking of U50 off of Norway
1st January 1941 – 12th Destroyer Flotilla, Rosyth
1st January 1945 – 12th Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean

 

ANECDOTAL

Ironically, John Wallace of Troon, who had first started work at the West of Scotland Shipbreaking Company, by then part of the large Arnott Young Company, in 1940 for the princely wage of 12/6d per week (£0.62) was by now a senior manager at the WSSCL when the old Destroyer HMS Amazon arrived on Wednesday 6th of October 1948.  Ironic because he had served on this same vessel during his Royal Navy days and sailed out of the Gareloch with her in July 1943 bound for Sicily to land forces at Cape Pachino. And here he was, five years later, breaking up his old ship.