Bittern-class sloop

HMS Stork in July 1943
Class overview
Name	Bittern class
Builders	William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, United Kingdom John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited, Clyde, UK J S White & Company, Cowes, UK
Operators	Royal Navy
Preceded by	Template:Sclass-
Succeeded by	Template:Sclass-
Lost	1
Retired	2
General characteristics
Type	Sloop-of-war
Displacement	1190 Tons
Length	266 ft (81 m)
Beam	37 ft (11 m)
Propulsion	Geared steam turbines on two shafts 3,300 hp
Speed	18.75-knot (34.73 km/h)
Complement	125
Armament	Six 4" AA guns (3 × 2) Four .5" AA guns (1 × 4) Enchantress (as designed): Four 4.7" guns (4 × 1) Four .5" AA guns (1 × 4) Depth charges

The Bittern-class sloop was a three ship class of long-range escort vessels used in the Second World War by the Royal Navy.

Design

The Bittern class were built as light, long-range escort ships with limited anti-air capability. They were fitted with Denny-Brown fin stabilisers and a HACS fire control system.

Three ships were built: HMS Enchantress (originally called Bittern, but re-named before launching in 1934), HMS Stork and HMS Bittern. Enchantress was the first in the class, and was built as an armed Admiral's yacht. The armament was two single 4.7-inch guns forward and four 3-pounder saluting guns. Anti-aircraft armament was installed at the outbreak of war, however the aft turret was originally replaced with accommodation and the armament was never replaced.

Stork was unarmed on completion, but with provision for 6x4in guns, plus AA and ASW weaponry; she served as a survey vessel in the Far East. Her main armament was added at the outbreak of war.

Bittern completed as designed, with the same armament as Stork

The design served as the basis for the Template:Sclass- and Template:Sclass-s.

Ships in class

Ship	Builder	Launched	Fate
Enchantress	John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited, Clydebank	21 December 1934	Sold 1946
Stork	William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton	21 April 1936	Broken up 1958
Bittern	J S White & Company, Cowes	14 July 1937	Sunk by bombing off Namsos, Norway, 30 April 1940

Service history

Stork was completed as an unarmed survey vessel, and was only armed after the outbreak of war. The third ship in the class was launched as Bittern, and completed as designed, but was lost to air attacks in the Norwegian campaign in 1940. Enchantress survived the war and was sold into civilian service in 1946, being renamed Lady Enchantress. She was broken up in 1952. Stork remained in service until being broken up in 1958.

References

• Hague, Arnold (1993). Sloops: A History of the 71 Sloops Built in Britain and Australia for the British, Australian and Indian Navies 1926–1946. Kendal, England: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-67-3.
• D.K. Brown, Nelson to Vanguard, 2000 Chatham Publishing
• Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946