View source for HMS Consort (R76)

{{Short description|C-class destroyer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Consort R76 1945.jpg
|Ship caption=''Consort'' on the [[River Clyde]] in 1946
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Consort''
|Ship ordered=14 August 1942
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Alexander Stephen & Sons]], [[Linthouse]]
|Ship laid down=26 May 1943
|Ship launched=19 October 1944
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=19 March 1946
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship captured=
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|Ship reinstated=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: R76
|Ship fate=Arrived for scrapping at [[Swansea]] on 15 March 1961
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Ship class={{sclass2|C|destroyer (1943)|0}} [[destroyer]]
|Ship displacement={{convert|1865|LT|t|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
|Ship length={{convert|362|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on|1}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|35|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draught={{convert|15|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on|1}} ([[full load]])
|Ship power=*2 [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{cvt|40,000|shp|lk=on}}
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts; 2 geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|36|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|4675|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|20|kn}}
|Ship complement=186
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[QF 4.5 inch Mk I - V naval gun|{{cvt|4.5|in|mm|0}}]] [[DP gun]]s
*1 × twin [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{cvt|40|mm|1}}]] [[AA gun]]
*2 × single [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|2-pdr (40 mm)]] AA guns
*2 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{cvt|20|mm|1}}]] AA guns
*2 × quadruple [[British 21 inch torpedo|21 in (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s
*2 throwers and 2 racks for 35 [[depth charge]]s
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Consort''''' was one of thirty-two {{sclass2|C|destroyer (1943)|0}} [[destroyer]]s built for the [[Royal Navy during the Second World War]], a member of the eight-ship Co sub-class.

==Design and description==
The Co sub-class was a repeat of the preceding Ch sub-class. ''Consort'' [[Displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{convert|1865|LT|t|lk=on}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|2515|LT|t}} at [[deep load]]. They had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|362|ft|9|in|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|35|ft|8|in|m|1}} and a deep [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|15|ft|3|in|m|1}}.<ref name=l8>Lenton, p. 183</ref>

The ships were powered by a pair of geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]] using steam provided by two [[Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|40000|ihp|lk=on}} and gave a speed of {{convert|36|kn|lk=in}} at normal load.<ref>Whitley, p. 136</ref> During her [[sea trial]]s, ''Consort'' reached a speed of {{convert|31.6|kn}} at a load of {{convert|2356|LT|t}}.<ref>March, p. 429</ref> The Co sub-class carried enough [[fuel oil]] to give them a range of {{convert|4675|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|20|kn}}. The ships' complement was 186 officers and [[Naval rating|ratings]].<ref name=l8/>

The main armament of the destroyers consisted of four [[QF 4.5 inch Mk I - V naval gun|QF {{convert|4.5|in|mm|adj=on|0}} Mk IV]] [[dual-purpose gun]]s, one [[superfiring]] pair each fore and aft of the [[superstructure]] protected by partial [[gun shield]]s. Their [[anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft suite]] consisted of one twin-gun stabilised Mk IV "Hazemeyer" mount for [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{convert|40|mm|1|adj=on}} Bofors guns]] and two single [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|2-pounder (40&nbsp;mm)]] AA guns [[amidships]], and single mounts for a [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{convert|20|mm|1|adj=on}} Oerlikon]] AA gun on the [[bridge wing]]s.<ref name=l8/> The ships were fitted with one quadruple mount for [[British 21-inch torpedo|21-inch (533 mm)]] [[torpedo tube]]s.<ref>Chesneau, p. 43</ref> The ships were equipped with a pair of [[depth charge]] rails and two throwers for 35 depth charges.<ref>March, p. 424</ref>

==Construction and career==
''Consort'' was ordered from [[Alexander Stephens & Sons]] and the ship was [[laid down]] on 26 May 1943 at its [[shipyard]] in [[Linthouse]], [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 19 October 1944 and was commissioned on 19 March 1946.<ref name=l8/>

''Consort'' was damaged by artillery fire during the [[Yangtze Incident]] in an attempt to tow the [[sloop-of-war|sloop]] {{HMS|Amethyst|F116|2}} from a mudbank, taking 56 direct hits, and causing casualties of 23 wounded and a further ten dead.<ref name="Cotterell, Arthur">{{cite book|last=Cotterell |first= Arthur |title=Western power in Asia: its slow rise and swift fall, 1415-1999 |url=https://archive.org/details/westernpowerasia1999cott |url-access=limited |publisher= [[John Wiley & Sons]] |date= 26 January 2010 | isbn=978-0-470-82489-4 |page=[https://archive.org/details/westernpowerasia1999cott/page/n328 307]}}</ref>

Following decommissioning she was sold to the Prince of Wales Drydock Co., of [[Swansea]], Wales, for scrap and arrived there on 15 March 1961.<ref>English, p. 139</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Obdurate to Daring: British Fleet Destroyers 1941–45|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Windsor, UK|year=2001|isbn=978-0-9560769-0-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers and Frigates, the Second World War and After|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2006|isbn=1-86176-137-6 |author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7|author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton}}
* {{cite book|last=March|first=Edgar J.|title=British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans|year=1966|publisher=Seeley Service|location=London |oclc=164893555}}
* {{cite book |last=Marriott |first=Leo |title=Royal Navy Destroyers Since 1945 |publisher=Ian Allan |date=1989 |isbn=0-7110-1817-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/royalnavydestroy0000marr }}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}

{{C class destroyer (1943)}}
{{1949 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Consort}}
[[Category:Korean War destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:C-class destroyers (1943) of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:1944 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Clyde]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1949]]