USS Branch (DD-197)
_underway,_circa_in_1920_(NH_56561).jpg) USS Branch underway, ca. 1920.
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| History | |
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 United States | |
| Namesake | John Branch |
| Builder | Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company |
| Cost | $1,143,689.68 (hull & machinery)[1] |
| Laid down | 25 October 1918 |
| Launched | 19 April 1919 |
| Commissioned | 26 July 1920 |
| Decommissioned | 11 August 1922 |
| Recommissioned | 4 December 1939 |
| Decommissioned | 8 October 1940 |
| Stricken | 8 January 1941 |
| Fate | Transferred to United Kingdom, 8 October 1940 |
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Beverley |
| Acquired | 8 October 1940 |
| Commissioned | 8 October 1940 |
| Identification | Pennant number: H64 |
| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk by U-188, 11 April 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Clemson-class destroyer |
| Displacement | 1,215 tons |
| Length | 314 ft 4 in (95.81 m) |
| Beam | 31 ft 9 in (9.68 m) |
| Draft | 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph) |
| Range | 4,900 nmi (9,100 km; 5,600 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement | 122 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
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USS Branch (DD-197) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy that entered service in 1920. After a short active life, Branch was placed in reserve in 1922. The ship was activated again for World War II before being transferred to the Royal Navy in 1940. Renamed HMS Beverley, the destroyer served in the Battle of the Atlantic as a convoy escort and was torpedoed and sunk on 11 April 1943.
Construction and commissioning
The second Navy ship was named for
Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company; sponsored by Miss Laurie O'Brien Branch, grandniece of Secretary Branch. The destroyer was commissioned
on 26 July 1920.
Service history
Branch was fitted out at
Philadelphia Navy Yard
in June, she was placed out of commission 11 August 1922.
Branch remained inactive at
Destroyers for Bases Agreement to the United Kingdom for service in the Royal Navy
and renamed HMS Beverley.
_underway,_circa_in_1942_(FL_2019).jpg)
HMS Beverley arrived at
4"/50 caliber guns and three of the triple torpedo tube mounts to reduce topside weight for additional depth charge stowage and installation of hedgehog.[2] In April 1942 she was an escort for Convoy PQ 14 en route to North Russia
. En route the convoy was attacked by a superior force of enemy destroyers, which had approached unobserved during a snow storm and fired several torpedoes at a range of 9,000 yards (8,200 m). One merchant ship was sunk. The enemy returned four times and took part in short gunnery duels, but did not close the range below 8,000 yards (7,300 m).
On 4 February 1943, while escorting Atlantic Convoy SC 118 with Escort Group B-2, Beverley sighted the German submarine U-187 (later sunk by HMS Vimy) southeast of Cape Farewell, Greenland. She also took part in attacks on other U-boats the next day.
Beverley was assigned to Escort Group B-4 of the
Siegfried Lüdden at 52°19′N 40°28′W / 52.317°N 40.467°W
, and sank with the loss of 139 members of her crew, including her commanding officer.
Notes
- ^ "Table 21 – Ships on Navy List June 30, 1919". Congressional Serial Set. U.S. Government Printing Office: 762. 1921.
- ^ Lenton&Colledge (1968) pp.92-94
- ^ Rohwer&Hummelchen (1992) pp.170,185,188,199,200&205
References
- Blewitt, Geoffrey (29 November 1998). HMS Beverley: A "Town" Afloat 1940–43 & The Town Ashore. Alan Twiddle Publishing. ISBN 1-902508-01-7.
- Lenton, H.T. & Colledge J.J. (1968). British and Dominion Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company.
- Rohwer, J. & Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
52°19′N 40°28′W / 52.317°N 40.467°W
 Royal Navy |
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in April 1943 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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