Grey River Class Destroyers.
 

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With the increase in size of destroyers and the range of their torpedoes, it was felt that a more powerful gun should be carried to enable the escorts to sink enemy destroyers outside torpedo range. The Algarvian Navy already had the 4.5" gun which had been used aboard cruisers as late as 1914. This was considered a powerful weapon which would do very nicely aboard the latest large size of destroyer. So a marriage was arranged between the 4.5" gun and the Mont Blanc destroyers. The Mont Blanc destroyers had five 4" which were to be replaced with four 4.5" to keep topweight within acceptable boundaries. New uprated engines raised the power from 38,000 shp to 42,000 shp and raised the speed from 34 to 36 knots on a flat calm day. By the time the excess WW1 construction had finished completing and trials had finished, the first half flotilla of four ships were laid down in 1926 with completion slated for 1929. Four ships a year were supposed to be completed thereafter, but none were laid down in 1929-30 and only four sets were completed before the design was to change when a dual purpose 4.5" weapon system was to be introduced.


Displacement: 1,600 tons standard, 2,200 tons full load.
Dimensions: 332 x 35 x 12 feet
Machinery: 2 shaft, steam turbines, 42,000shp
Speed: 36 knots
Endurance: 4,800 miles @ 14 knots.
Armour: nil
Armament:
4 x 4.5" (4x1)
6 x 35mm (3x2)
6 x 21" torpedoes (2x3)
Crew: 120

In appearance the Grey River class looked like the many types of destroyer produced with two guns forward and two aft (US and British and those built for overseas customers). They all had the common problem of low angle main armament weapons. No problem in the 1920's to early 30's, but once faster and yet faster aircraft, flying higher and further, came along, the low angle guns were just not good enough anymore. Training angles were to slow and raising and lowering the guns to their 40-45 degree angle also took too long. The only solution was to fit a full dual purpose weapon to the ships. All sixteen could not be done at once but four at a time were taken in hand, one every three months to give a roll on where not too many of the class were in dock at one time. The design for the rearmament would take 9-10 months for each unit. The rearmament was to remove the current armament and replace it with three twin 4" mountings. The twin 35mm machineguns were also removed and replaced with the new 40mm Bofors guns. It had been thought that the 6x4" would not overload the ships but within six months all of the refitted ships needed to lose the aft set of torpedoes as further depth charge throwers were added, but it was the new electronic equipment that needed offsetting the most.

As refitted to 1940
Displacement: 1,700 tons standard, 2,350 tons full load.
Dimensions: 332 x 35 x 12 feet
Machinery: 2 shaft, steam turbines, 42,000shp
Speed: 35 knots
Endurance: 4,500 miles @ 14 knots.
Armour: nil
Armament:
6 x 4" (3x2)
6 x 40mm (3x2)
6 x 21" torpedoes (2x3)
Crew: 125
 

Grey River (1929) Service/Fate

 

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