HMS Abercrombie (F109)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Abercrombie.
History
Name: HMS Abercrombie
Ordered: 4 April 1941
Builder: Vickers-Armstrongs, Newcastle upon Tyne
Laid down: 26 April 1941
Launched: 31 March 1942
Commissioned: 5 May 1943
Fate: Scrapped at Barrow 24 December 1954
General characteristics
Class and type: Roberts class monitor
Displacement: 7,850 tons
Length: 373.25 ft (113.77 m) oa
Beam: 89.75 ft (27.36 m)
Draught: 11 ft (3.4 m)
Propulsion: 2 shaft, Parsons steam turbines, 2 boilers, 4,800 hp (3,600 kW)
Speed: 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph)
Complement: 350
Armament:
Armour:
  • Turret: 13 inch
  • Barbette: 8 inch
  • Belt: 4-5 inches

HMS Abercrombie was a Royal Navy Roberts class monitor of the Second World War. She was the second monitor to be named after General Sir Ralph Abercrombie.

HMS Abercrombie was built by Vickers Armstrong, Tyne. She was laid down 26 April 1941, launched 31 March 1942 and completed 5 May 1943. She used a 15-inch gun turret originally built as a spare for HMS Furious. (Although Furious was designed to be fitted with two single 18-inch gun turrets, twin 15-inch turrets were constructed as a stand-by in case the 18-inch turret proved unsuccessful.)

On completion, HMS Abercrombie deployed to the Mediterranean and in July 1943, she provided support at the Amphibious Battle of Gela during the Allied invasion of Sicily. On 9 September 1943, HMS Abercrombie was supporting the Allied landings near Salerno (Operation Avalanche), when she was damaged by a contact mine. She was repaired at the dockyard at Taranto in October and on completion, HMS Abercombie arrived at Malta on 15 August 1944. On 21 August 1944, whilst on an exercise south-east of Malta, she struck two mines and was again damaged.

On completion of repairs, HMS Abercrombie was despatched to the Pacific, but the war ended before she could arrive there. The ship returned to Chatham in November 1945 where she was used for Gunnery training and also as an Accommodation Ship until 1954. She was scrapped at Barrow beginning 24 December 1954.

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