- W and Z class destroyer
The W and Z class was a class of sixteen
destroyer s of theRoyal Navy launched in1943 –1944 . They were constructed as two flotillas, with names beginning with "W-" and "Z-", respectively, although, like the preceding U and V class, two of theflotilla leader s were named after historical naval figures (as had been Royal Navy practice during the inter-war years). They were known as the 9th and 10th Emergency Flotilla, respectively. They served asfleet andconvoy escorts inWorld War II .W class
*"Kempenfelt" - flotilla leader, built by
John Brown, Clydebank , laid down24 June 1942 , launched8 May 1943 , and completed25 October 1943 . Transferred toYugoslavia in1958 as "Kotor".
*"Wager", built by John Brown, laid down20 November 1942 , launched1 November 1943 , and completed14 April 1944 . Transferred toYugoslavia in1958 as "Pula".
*"Wakeful", built byFairfields , laid down3 June 1942 , launched30 June 1943 , and completed17 February 1944 .
*"Wessex", built by Fairfields, laid down20 October 1942 , launched2 September 1943 , and completed11 May 1944 . Transferred toSouth Africa in1950 as "Jan van Riebeeck".
*"Whelp", built byHawthorn Leslie , laid down1 May 1942 , launched3 June 1943 , and completed26 April 1944 . Transferred toSouth Africa in1953 as "Simon van der Stel".
*"Whirlwind", built by Hawthorn Leslie, laid down31 July 1942 , launched30 August 1943 , and completed20 July 1944 .
*"Wizard", built byVickers-Armstrong ,Barrow , laid down14 September 1942 , launched29 September 1943 , and completed30 March 1944 . Broken up in March1967 atInverkeithing .
*"Wrangler", built by Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow, laid down23 September 1942 , launched30 December 1943 , and completed14 July 1944 . Transferred toSouth Africa in1957 as "Vrystaat".Z class
*"Myngs", built by
Vickers-Armstrong ,Tyneside , laid down27 May 1942 , launched31 May 1942 , and completed23 June 1944 . Transferred toEgypt 1955 as "El Qaher".
*"Zephyr", built by Vickers-Armstrong, Tyneside, laid down13 July 1942 , launched15 July 1943 , and completed6 September 1944 . Broken up July1958 atDunston .
*"Zambesi", built byCammell Laird ,Birkenhead , laid down21 December 1942 , launched12 November 1943 , and completed18 July 1944 . Broken up December1959 atBriton Ferry .
*"Zealous", built by Cammell Laird, laid down5 May 1943 , launched28 February 1944 , and completed9 October 1944 . Transferred toIsrael 1955 as "Eilat".
*"Zebra", built byDenny ,Dunbarton , laid down14 May 1942 , launched8 March 1944 , and completed13 October 1944 . Broken up February1959 atNewport .
*"Zenith", built by Denny, laid down19 May 1942 , launched5 June 1944 , and completed22 December 1944 . Transferred toEgypt 1955 as "El Fateh".
*"Zest", built by John I. Thornycroft,Woolston , laid down21 July 1942 , launched14 October 1943 , and completed20 July 1944 .
*"Zodiac", built by John I. Thornycroft, laid down7 November 1942 , launched11 March 1944 , and completed23 October 1944 . Transferred toIsrael 1955 as "Yaffa".ee also
* The
V and W class destroyer s.
*Type 15 frigate : postwar full conversion of Wartime Emergency Programme destroyers into first-rate fast anti-submarinefrigate sBibliography
* "Destroyers of the Royal Navy, 1893-1981", Maurice Cocker, Ian Allan, ISBN 0-7110-1075-7
* "Royal Navy Destroyers since 1945", Leo Marriot, Ian Allan, ISBN 0-7110-1817-0
* "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946", Ed. Robert Gardiner, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 0-87021-913-8
* "Destroyers of World War II, An International Encyclopedia", M. J. Whiteley, Arms and Armour Press, 1988, ISBN 1-85409-521-8
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