Bittern-class sloop

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

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	Kingfisher class
Succeeded by	Egret class
Built	3
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	Stork, Bittern Six 4-inch (102 mm) AA guns (3 × 2) Four 0.5-inch (13 mm) AA guns (1 × 4) Depth charges 90 Enchantress (as designed): Four 4.7 inch guns (4 × 1) Four 0.5-inch AA guns (1 × 4) Depth charges 60

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 renamed 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 as-completed armament was two single 4.7-inch guns forward and four 3-pounder saluting guns. Anti-aircraft armament and a third, aft, 4.7-inch gun was installed at the outbreak of war.

Stork was unarmed on completion, but with provision for six 4-inch 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 Egret and Black Swan-class sloops.

Ships in class

Ship	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Fate
Enchantress	John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Limited, Clydebank	9 March 1934	21 December 1934	Sold 1946
Stork	William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton	19 June 1935	21 April 1936	Broken up 1958
Bittern	J S White & Company, Cowes	27 August 1936	14 July 1937	Sunk by bombing off Namsos, Norway, 30 April 1940

Service history

Enchantress served as convoy escort throughout the war, and was credited with the destruction of an Italian submarine. She survived the war and was sold into civilian service in 1946, being renamed Lady Enchantress. She was broken up in 1952. Stork was completed as an unarmed survey vessel, and was only armed after the outbreak of war. She also served as a convoy escort, and was senior ship in 36th Escort Group under Cdr. FJ Walker. She was credited with the destruction of four U-boats. Stork remained in service until being broken up in 1958. The third ship in the class was launched as Bittern, and completed as designed. She was involved in the Norwegian campaign, but was lost to air attacks at Namsos in 1940.

References

• Brown, David K. (2000). Nelson to Vanguard. Chatham Publishing.
• Campbell, N. J. M. (1980). "Great Britain (including Empire Forces)". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 2–85. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben & Bush, Steve (2020). Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (5th revised and updated ed.). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5267-9327-0.
• Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
• 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, UK: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-67-3.
• Lenton, H. T. (1998). British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-048-7.
• 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.