Tobruk class Destroyer

RAN Destroyers: DD37-38 HMAS Tobruk, Anzac (1946-53)

Australia Day ! We continue a new chapter here, the Australian Cold war Navy, by seeing after its aircraft carriers, Sydney and Melbourne, their escorts starting with destroyers: The Tobruk (1947), Voyager (1952) class, and the 1963 Perth class (first and only Australian Guided missile destroyers) and the 1962 “GP Escorts” and 1966 Light Destroyer Project. First, the Tobruk and the Voyager classes were related, as being important conventional destroyers inspired by late war British designs, notably the Battle and Daring classes.

Development

In Brief

The Tobruk class were two ships ordered for the RAN to a slightly enlarged (Batch 3) version of the Royal Navy’s 1943 “Battle” design (eight more for the RN were cancelled in 1945). They were able to accommodate an extra 40mm STAAG mounting amidships, but had the Mk 6 fire control system of the original 1942 ‘Battle’ design. Tobruk’s 4.5-in guns were imported, but Anzac’s were built under licence in Australia; unlike their RN sisters, they had twin Mk.6 mountings as fitted to the Darings. In 1966 Anzac was converted to a training ship, with B gun replaced by a classroom. Both ships had capped funnels, unlike the RN “Battles”.
Tobruk remained in service until 1960 when placed in reserve after being damaged in a friendly-fire accident whereas Anzac had her STAAG mountings removed and continued as a training ship, later modified for this in 1966 (‘B’ turret removed for a deckhouse, Another deckhouse built aft) until laid up in 1974 and both were broken up in 1975.

A modified “Australian Battle” design

The 1942 Battle class

The Battle class were a 1942 destroyer class of the British Royal Navy (RN) named after naval or land battles fought by British forces over the ages. They were a development of wartime RN destroyers with a new radar-assisted dual-purpose armament, larger and longer range, designed for operations in the Pacific. Built in three groups, the first one being ordered under the 1942 naval estimates and a second and third of an extended design under the 1943 and 1944 estimates. The latter were essentially cancelled as the war was being won, all, albeit two ships ordered for the RAN and completed in Australia: The Tobruk class.
Technically, they were little difference between them.

By their size (3300-3400t FL versus 2500t) they were a clear departure of traditional designs and looked more like upgraded “Tribals” with DP guns and extra AA in general. They would be seen in detail in 2026. In all, only Seven Battles class of the 1st group were commissioned before the end of World War II and were all still training apart HMS Barfleur, the only one which saw action with the British Pacific Fleet as intended, sharing the fate of the Colossus class light fleet carriers they were designed to escort.

“1944” or “Australian Battle” class

The original 1943 shipbuilding programme for the Royal Navy provided a second group of Battle class destroyers, and in 1944, a third group for a third flotilla, to be armed with the new 4.5-inch Mark VI turrets, specifically radar-guided and with fused ammunitions for more effective AA fire. However, soon, these ships were cancelled by the Admiralty before even being laid down. However, still two were ordered by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 1945, in part to benefit for the latest RN tech, and to keep the yards busy for a few years as the war was going to end. Even on V-Day, they escaped cancellation, being eventually laid down in 1946, but as finances were lacking still, progress was slow.

The first, HMAS Anzac, was not completed by HMA Dockyard at Williamstown until 1950. HMAS Tobruk was built at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney and was completed even later despite being launched sooner. The only difference between the “Australian Battle” and the ones build for the Royal Navy was their distinctive funnel cowl. But apart to this, they were close copies. The armament was imported from Britain, and production there also slowed down, contributing to extra delays to completion. They had a pretty exhaustive armament between two twin QF 4.5 inch /45 (113 mm) Mark V guns in the new UD mountings Mark VI, three twin 40 mm Bofors mounts completed with the “STAAG” Mk. II radar-guided mounts, six of seven single 40 mm Bofors mount Mk. VII on standard mounts, which was the best conventional light AA still in 1946. They also kept torpedo tubes, two banks amidships-aft, quintuple, for 21 in torpedoes Mk. IX and a aft rear Squid A/S mortar.

Design of the Tobruk class

Hull and general design

Cutaway of the class src

Tobruk was essentially a Battle-class destroyer but not close to Group II ships, which were beamier than Group I to accomodate quintuple TTs, and single extra 4.5 in gun. Instead their beam was much wider at 12.5 meters (41 ft) whereas even Group I ships were 40ft 3in in beam (12.27m) and Group II was 12.34 m or 40ft 6in.
They had a standard load displacement of 2,436 tons full load displacement of 3,400 tons. They were also longer at 379 feet (116 m) overall, 355 feet (108 m) long between perpendiculars (115.52 or 379ft oa) with a draught of 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 m) less, than the UK Battle class (4.67m or 15ft 4in).
Their complement was 19 officers and 301 sailors.

Powerplant of the Tobruk class

The Propulsion machinery of the Tobruk class consisted of two Admiralty 3-drum boilers feeding Parsons geared turbines, for a grand total of 50,000 shaft horsepower (37,000 kW) to two propeller shafts. This was the same as the Battle class and the turbines and boilers were delivered from UK. This output made for a top speed of 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph) and she cranked up 32.36 knots (59.93 km/h; 37.24 mph) in full-power trials. Her range was of 1,140 nautical miles (2,110 km; 1,310 mi) at 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph), so top speed but quick sustained runs. Thet carried 727t of oiland 70t of diesel oil for a APU, for 4,420 nautical miles (8,190 km; 5,090 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) cruise speed, again close figures to the Battle class (31 kts, 4,400 nm)

Armament of the Tobruk class

Tobruk had for main armament four 4.5-inch (114 mm) Mark III (Mark V in other sources) guns in two twin turrets and for anti-aircraft defence she had twelve 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in three twin mountings aft, then six single mountings wherever possible. Two quintuple Pentad torpedo tube sets were located on the aft quarter. The last important piece of equipments, for ASW was a Squid anti-submarine mortar located on the poop.

QF 4.5-inch (113 mm)/45 Mark V guns

These four QF 4.5-inch (113 mm)/45 Mark V guns were in two twin mountings UD Mark VI forward.
Muzzle velocity: 2,449 ft/s (746 m/s)
Specs: Shell 113 640–645 mm R 55 Ibs. (24.9 kg)× 4.45-inch (113 mm)
Breech Mk.III Horizontal sliding block, +80° elevation.
Rate of fire: 16 RPM Mk III UD mount.
Maximum range: 20,750 yd (18,970 m) at 2,449 ft/s (746 m/s), ceiling 41,000 ft (12,500 m)

Bofors 40 mm STAAG Mark 2 AA guns

12 × 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns (3 twin, 6 single). See a photo
The three triple STAAG Mk 2 were located aft, with a single axial mount between the torpedo tubes banks, and two aft mounts on the quarterdeck house, in echelon.
The STAAG Mk.2 were the final British Bofors mounting. The acronym stands for “Stabilized Tachymetric Anti-Aircraft Gun” (STAAG). It was fully stabilized and carried its own Tathymetric or predictive fire control system using the centimetric Radar Type 262 that could lock on to a target and drive the elevation and traverse as a consequence. The penalty weight 17.5 tons caused some top-weight issues, whereas its high-vibration forced their installation as far from the radars as possible. On the STAAG Mark II, the radar set was shifted to the roof of the control cabin, but this was not a long run success. It proved too difficult to maintain. It seems it was never replaced by the better remotely operated Mark V mount.
The single mounts were located

Pentad torpedo tube sets

The Tobruk class had two 21 inches (533 mm) 5-tube Pentad torpedo tube sets. 3D reference. The PR MKIII Pentad Torpedo Tubes were proper to the Royal Navy Battle Class (1943 Group) Destroyers and plans were reconstituted by famous Naval Historian John Lambert.

Squid ASWRL

The SQUID MORTAR/BOMB – Mk IV was a British Late World War II ship-mounted anti-submarine mortar composed of three tubes with limited elevation, launching automatically preset depth charges, replacing the Hedgehog. The Tobruk class had it installed on the starboard aft quarter. It was still present on HMAS Anzac in 1968 and at the end of her service, despite the fact it had been long replaced by the Limbo back in UK.
In brief, the Squid launched 390 pounds (177 kg) DCs topped with a 207-pound (94 kg) minol charge which had a sink rate of 43.5 ft/s (13.3 m/s), clockwork time fuse with last moment updates and max depth of 900 feet (270 m), creating a triangle pattern c40 yards (37 m) wide, 275 yards (251 m) ahead of the ship.

Sensors

Type 275 Radar: Nav/warning Radar: FRQ 3 450(3 614 MHz F-band, PRF 500 Hz, pwdt 0.5 µs, bmt 7°, PP 400 kW, Range 16 nm (30 km).
Type 262 Radar: FC Radar. FRQ 9.67 GHz X-band, PRF 1.5 kHz, PP 30 kw, pwdt 0.5 µs, bmt 5.2°, Range 29 nm (54 km)
Type 293 Radar: Short Range Aerial search radar. FRQ 2,997 MHz, bmt 3.2°, PP 500 kW, Range 20 nmi (37 km), alt. 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Type 170B & 174 Sonar: Hull mounted, linked to the LIMBO mortar.

Career of the Tobruk class

Tobruk was laid down by Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Co. shipyard, Cockatoo Island in New South Wales, on 5 August 1946. She was launched rapidly on 20 December 1947 by the wife of Bill Riordan, Minister for the Navy at the time, but commissioned after many delays n 8 May 1950, and only completed a few days later on the 17th. Being a “Battle” she commemorated the Siege of Tobruk in which the Australians showcased a spartan defence.

After trials and workups, HMAS Tobruk first combat action was quick, she was deployed to take part in the Korean War in August 1951. Between October 1951 and January 1952, she carried out six patrols mostly as aircraft carrier escort for HMAS Sydney alternating with shore bombardments. She was back to Australia in February 1952 and from October, she took part in a security patrol around the Montebello Islands for Operation Hurricane: This was the first British nuclear weapons test. In June 1953 she was back to Korea for a second tour of duty and after the ceasefire signed in July 1953, she remained in the area until January 1954 and then back Australia for a refit. She received the battle honour “Korea 1951–53” for her combat time.

After a refit, Tobruk she remained in the waters of Australia and New Guinea, until mid-1955. She then escorted a RAN task force deployed to South East Asia. In 1956, she joined the Far East Strategic Reserve but made another deployment in 1957 for the Malayan Emergency earning the battle honour “Malaya 1957”. On 26 April 1957 in a night exercise one star shell from HMS Cockade landed on her gun bays, killing a sailor, severely wounding another and starting a fire, quickly extinguished. Tobruk’s final assignment was to the Strategic Reserve in 1959. She had a refit in the early 1960s, and made port visits to Nouméa (New Caledonia) and New Guinea.

In September 1960, while in gunnery exercises with HMAS Anzac off Jervis Bay she had a malfunction in her direction triggering a 6° mis-aiming and a shell hitting her structure. Damage was considerable but there was no victim. She was stuck in lengthy repairs after temporary repairs in Jervis Bay. In Sydney, she was eventually placed in reserve on 29 October 1960 and two of her crew had been charged of negligence after a court-martial.
Repairs were examined and it was evaluated that given the design date of the ship and new RAN plans, it was considered uneconomical. She remained moored until placed in disposal on 14 May 1971 and sold for scrap to Fujita Salvage in Osaka on 15 February 1972, towed there on 10 April 1972 for BU.

HMAS Anzac was laid down at the Williamstown Naval Dockyard at Melbourne in Victoria, on 23 September 1946, renamed from the original “Matapan” to commemorate the effort of both Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. She was launched on 20 August 1948 by the wife of John Augustine Collins, Chief of the Naval Staff and former CO of HMAS Anzac (I) -A WWI Kempenfelt class DD. Anzac was commissioned last, on 14 March 1951, and still not completed as acceptance trials were performed on the 22th after which she started initial training and abbreviated shakedown in local waters.

Indeed, a few months later on 30 July 1951 like her sister, she was deployment to the Korean War, arriving in Japan on 14 August and assigned as an escort to the escort of the USN escort carrier USS Sicily, west coast of Korea. When Sicily was replaced by HMS Glory on 2 September she remained but departed on the 6th, detached for a bombardment mission on a suspected communist position near Haeju, opening fire at 18:15. On 12–26 September she also covered and took part in another shelling mission with USS Thompson and Naifeh for the blockade of Wonsan, and sailed for maintenance and R&R in Japanese waters on the 30th.

She escorted HMS Glory to Sydney and arrived on 20 October and sailed to Melbourne for a refit until the fall of 1951. In 1952 she remained in Australian waters and was deployed with the cruiser HMAS Australia from April 1952 in a training cruise across Southeast Asia. After another refit, she made another tour of duty in Korea, patrolling all September on the West Coast and escorting HMS Ocean in October. She had a maintenance and R&R in Kure, before returning to patrols and shore bombardments, west coast, until 19 December, then relieving HMCS Haida and taking turn in the defence of Yongdo Island until relieved on 3 January 1953. She was back to the west coast of Korea for the same missions, escort, patrols and shore bombardments. She ventured on the east coast to also bombard supply lines and was later present in Tokyo for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, before returning to the west coast until 13 June. She was back to Sydney on 3 July, being later awarded during a ceremony the battle honour “Korea 1951–53”.

Being identified as a RN Battle class in this theatre, the XO acquired the largest sheet of brass to cut from it a kangaroo mounted to the top of the mainmast as ‘weathervane’. It was later adopted across the RAN, but instead turned into a standardized kangaroo symbol on each side of the exhaust funnels or superstructure, and secured its place in the national iconography across the world.
In late 1953 and early 1954, she joined Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation tour and at one occasion, hosted the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and Royal Party for a visit to Queensland and Papua-New Guinea.
Like her sister she was later deployed for the Malayan Emergency and after an overhaul of the RAN battle honours she was awarded the “Malaya 1956”.
Between 1956 and 1959, she made several deployments as part of the Far East Strategic Reserve. By that time, the more modern Voyager class had entered service, and the new Perth class guided missile destroyers were about to do so as well.
In September 1960, Anzac in gunnery exercises had an issue of the gun direction equipment and the mis-aiming cause a shell to land on her sister Tobruk nearby, doing such damage that it was deemed uneconomical to have her repaired. Two of her gun personnel were charged by the Naval Board after a commission of enquiry and court-martial. Tobruk because of this was decommissioned in October 1960 and lingered for another decade in the mothballs.

Having now lost a matching pair of destroyers, it was decided soon after these events, in March 1961, to convert Anzac as a training ship, notably for the new generation of destroyers entering service or planned. This conversion consisted in the removal of her second 4.5-inch turret, for classrooms and training spaces to be built above and below. Thus was used for the cadet midshipmen and anchored at the training facility of HMAS Creswell. She also trained supplementary list midshipmen. She later departed for Papua-New Guinea with trainees from this Division and from the Singapore Armed Forces over three-month. Furthermore, she made yearly South Pacific training cruises with many port visits.

In February-March 1963, Anzac became an escort for Queen Elizabeth II voyage on the Royal Yacht Britannia, for this year’s royal tour of Australia. In October, she escorted the troop transport Sydney on a training cruise in northern Queensland waters and in May-June 1964, she embarked the Governor-General (Viscount De L’Isle) to Papua-New Guinea. By September 1965, Anzac and Melbourne escorted Sydney for a second trip of troop-transport to Vietnam.
On 21 May 1968, Anzac and Sydney left Brisbane for another, the 11th of such trips to Vietnam, arriving at Vũng Tàu on 1 June. She was back to Brisbane on 13 June. In 1969, she visited Tahiti (French Polynesia, watching over nuclear tests at Mururoa, starting 1966) and Western Samoa. She ended in New Zealand for the bicentenary of James Cook’s landing, at Poverty Bay.

HMAS Anzac as TS in 1963, partial plan (see src below)

In 1970 HMAS Anzac too part in the bicentenary celebration of Cook’s first voyage at Possession Island. For her final years, she visited Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and New Zealand. In 1974 she escorted HMS Britannia for the “Commonwealth Games”, held in Christchurch in NZ, from Lyttelton Harbour.
She was berthed at Garden Island on 11 August, to be paid off, decommissioned on 4 October 1974. By that time she cranked up 639,582 nautical miles (1,184,506 km). She was sold to Hifirm Co. Ltd. of Hong Kong on 26 November 1975, and was towed there from Sydney on 30 December 1975.

Read More/Src

Books

Cassells, The Destroyers, pgs. 137, 240
Frame, Where Fate Calls, pp. 36–7
Cassells, Vic (2000). The Destroyers: Their Battles and Their Badges. East Roseville, NSW: Simon & Schuster.
Frame, Tom (1992). Where Fate Calls: The HMAS Voyager Tragedy. Rydalmere, NSW: Hodder & Stoughton. pp. 36–37.
Hodges, Peter (1971). Battle Class Destroyers. London: Almark Publishing.

Links

navy.gov.au/ Navy Marks 109th Birthday With Historic Changes To Battle Honours
“HMAS Tobruk (I)”. Sea Power Centre – Australia.
“HMAS Anzac (II)”. Sea Power Centre – Australia.
on navypedia.org tobruk.htm
Tobruk en.wikipedia.org
Anzac en.wikipedia.org/
en.wikipedia.org Battle-class_destroyer

Videos

Model Kits

plans on navyhistory.au/
Battle class on scalemates.com/
Diecast model, Grenwhich coll.