HMS Loyal (G15)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Loyal.

HMS Loyal was a L-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the late 1930s, although she was not completed until after World War II had begun.

Side view of her sister HMS Lookout
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Loyal
Ordered	31 March 1938
Builder	Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock, Scotland
Laid down	23 November 1938
Launched	8 October 1940
Completed	31 October 1942
Identification	Pennant number G15
Fate	Struck a mine 12 October 1944, constructive total loss Sold for scrap, 1948
General characteristics as completed
Class and type	L-class destroyer
Displacement	1,920 long tons (1,951 t) (standard) 2,660 long tons (2,703 t) (deep)
Length	362 ft 3 in (110.4 m) o/a
Beam	37 ft (11.3 m)
Draught	13 ft 9 in (4.2 m)
Installed power	48,000 shp (36,000 kW) 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Propulsion	2 × shafts 2 × Parsons geared steam turbines
Speed	36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range	5,500 nmi (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	190
Sensors and processing systems	ASDIC Type 285 anti-aircraft (AA) radar Type 286M air warning radar
Armament	3 × twin 4.7 in (120 mm) Mark XI dual-purpose guns 1 × quadruple QF 2 pdr (40 mm) Mk VIII AA guns 6 × single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon 2 × quadruple 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 45 × depth charges

Description

The L-class destroyers were designed as enlarged and improved versions of the preceding J class equipped with dual-purpose guns. They displaced 1,920 long tons (1,951 t) at standard load and 2,675 long tons (2,718 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 362 feet 3 inches (110.4 m), a beam of 37 feet (11.3 m) and a deep draught of 13 feet 9 inches (4.2 m). They were powered by Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam for was provided by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 48,000 shaft horsepower (36,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph). The ships carried a maximum of 567 long tons (576 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The L class' complement was 190 officers and ratings.

The ships mounted six 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark XI guns in twin-gun mounts, two superfiring in front of the bridge and one aft of the superstructure. Their light anti-aircraft suite was composed of one quadruple mount for 2-pounder "pom-pom" guns and six single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. Later in the war, twin Oerlikon mounts replaced the singles. The L-class ships were fitted with two above-water quadruple mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes. The ships were equipped with 45 depth charges.

Construction and career

Loyal was laid down on 23 November 1938 by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at their Greenock shipyard, launched on 8 October 1941 and completed on 31 October 1942. She struck a mine on 12 October 1944 and was declared a constructive total loss.

References

• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• English, John (2001). Afridi to Nizam: British Fleet Destroyers 1937–43. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-64-9.
• Friedman, Norman (2006). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-86176-137-6.
• Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
• March, Edgar J. (1966). British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service. OCLC 164893555.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Smith, Peter C. (2010). Fighting Flotilla: RN Laforey Class Destroyers in WW2 (2nd ed.). Barnsley, UK: Pen & Sword Maritime. ISBN 978-1-84884-273-1.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.
• Dann, John (2019). Struck by Lightning The story of HMS Lightning 1941-1943. Upfront Publishing Northampton. ISBN 978-178456-649-4.