View source for HMS Bentley

{{short description|Frigate of the Royal Navy}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
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|Ship country=United Kingdom
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|Ship builder=[[Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard]]
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|Ship laid down=26 April 1943
|Ship launched=17 July 1943
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|Ship commissioned=13 October 1943
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|Ship fate=Sold on 17 June 1947 for scrapping
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|Ship class={{sclass2|Captain|frigate}}
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|Ship displacement={{Convert|1800|LT|t|0}} fully loaded
|Ship length={{convert|306|ft|abbr=on}} overall
|Ship beam={{convert|36.5|ft|abbr=on}}
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|Ship endurance={{convert|5500|nmi|km}} at {{convert|15|kn|km/h}}
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|Ship complement=Typically between 170 &amp; 180
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'''HMS ''Bentley'''''  was a {{sclass2|Captain|frigate}} which served during [[World War II]]. The ship was named after Sir John Bentley who entered the Royal Navy in 1720. Between 1744 and 1761 he commanded a series of ships and took part in the decisive victory at the [[Battle of Quiberon Bay]] in 1759 while commanding a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line {{HMS|Warspite|1758|6}}.

Originally destined for the US Navy as a [[Turbo-electric transmission|turbo-electric]] (TE) type {{sclass|Buckley|destroyer escort|1}}, HMS ''Bentley'' was provisionally given the name USS ''Ebert'' (later this name was reassigned to [[USS Ebert (DE-768)|DE 768]]) however the delivery was diverted to the [[Royal Navy]] before the launch.

==Construction and design==
The {{sclass|Buckley|destroyer escort|4}} was one of six classes of [[destroyer escort]]s built for the US Navy to meet the massive demand for escort vessels following America's entry into World War Two. While basically similar, the different classes were fitted with different propulsion gear and armament. The ''Buckley''s had a [[Turbo-electric transmission|turbo-electric drive]], and a main gun armament of 3-inch guns.<ref name="Whitp309-0">{{Harvnb|Whitley|2000|pp=309–310}}</ref><ref name="friedp143-9">{{Harvnb|Friedman|1982|pp=143–144, 146, 148–149}}</ref>

The ''Buckley''- (or TE) class ships were {{convert|306|ft|m|2}} [[length overall|long overall]] and {{convert|300|ft|m|2}} [[length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]], with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|37|ft|m|2}} and a [[Arithmetic mean|mean]] [[draft (ship)|draft]] of {{convert|11|ft|3|in|m}}. [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] was {{convert|1430|LT|t}} standard and {{convert|1823|LT|t}} full load. Two boilers fed steam to [[steam turbine]]s which drove electrical generators, with in turn powered electric motors that propelled the ship. The machinery was rated at {{convert|12000|shp|kW}}, giving a speed of {{convert|23|kn|mph km/h}}. {{convert|359|LT|t}} of oil was carried, giving a range of {{convert|6000|nmi|mi km}} at {{convert|12|kn|mph km/h}}.<ref name="Whitp151">{{Harvnb|Whitley|2000|p=151}}</ref>

The ship's main gun armament consisted of three [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|3-inch (76 mm) 50 caliber]] dual-purpose (i.e. anti-surface and anti-aircraft) guns, two forward and one aft, in open mounts. Close in armament consisted of two [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm Bofors gun]]s, backed up by eight single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]. A triple mount of 21-inch (533&nbsp;mm) torpedo tubes provided a capability against larger ships, while anti-submarine armament consisted of a [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] forward-firing anti-submarine mortar and four depth charge throwers and two depth charge rails.<ref name="Whitp151"/><ref name="Ellotp259">{{Harvnb|Elliott|1977|p=259}}</ref> Crew was 200 officers and other ranks.<ref name="Whitp151"/>

''DE 74'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at [[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation]]'s [[Hingham Shipyard]], in [[Hingham, Massachusetts]] on 26 April 1943.<ref name="Whitp150">{{Harvnb|Whitley|2000|p=150}}</ref> She was originally planned to serve with the US Navy with the name ''Ebert'', but was allocated to Great Britain under the [[Lend Lease]] programme on 10 July 1943.<ref name="danfs">{{cite DANFS |title=Bentley |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bentley-i.html |access-date=3 February 2019}}</ref> The ship was launched as HMS ''Bentley''{{#tag:ref|''Bentley'' was named after Sir [[John Bentley (Royal Navy officer)|John Bentley]] who was Admiral [[George Anson, 1st Baron Anson|Anson]]'s [[Flag captain]] at the [[First Battle of Cape Finisterre (1747)|First Battle of Cape Finisterre]] in 1747 and commanded {{HMS|Warspite|1758|6}} at the [[Battle of Lagos]] and the [[Battle of Quiberon Bay]] in 1759.<ref name="mannp104">{{Harvnb|Manning|Walker|1959|p=104}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}}{{#tag:ref|The name ''Ebert'' was re-allocated to [[USS Ebert (DE-768)|''DE-768'']].<ref>{{cite DANFS |last=Cressman |first=Robert J. |title=Ebert (DE-768) |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/e/ebert.html |date= 8 February 2006 |access-date=3 February 2019}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} on 17 July 1943 and commissioned in the [[Royal Navy]], with the [[pennant number]] K465, on 13 October 1943.<ref name="Whitp150"/>

==Service==

HMS ''Bentley'' served exclusively with the 1st Escort Group taking part in operations in the [[Atlantic Ocean|North Atlantic]].

On 18 February 1944, the German submarine {{GS|U-859||2}} torpedoed and sunk the Panamanian merchant ship ''Colin'' in the North Atlantic. The next day, ''Bentley'' and sister ship {{HMS|Affleck|K462|2}} rescued the 54 survivors from ''Colin''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |title= HMS Bentley (K 465) |publisher=U-boat.net |url= https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5645.html |access-date=3 February 2019}}</ref> In June 1944, the [[Invasion of Normandy|Allies invaded Normandy]], and the 1st Escort Group, including ''Bentley'', was one of six Escort Groups deployed to form a barrier about 130 miles west of [[Lands End]] to prevent German [[U-boat]]s based in the French Atlantic ports from interfering with the landings.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=283}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Blair|2000|p=576}}</ref> In December 1944, ''Bentley'' remained part of the 1st Escort Group, based at [[Belfast]] and operating at the western end of the Channel.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=321}}</ref> By March–April 1945, the 1st Escort Group, still including ''Bentley'' was operating out of [[HMNB Portsmouth|Portsmouth]] against German submarines in the Channel.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|p=339}}</ref>

==Disposal==
Following the end of the war, ships supplied to the Royal Navy under Lend Lease were soon returned to the United States, with ''Bentley'' being returned to United States Navy control on 5 November 1945.<ref name="Whitp150,2">{{Harvnb |Whitley|2000|pp=150, 152}}</ref> The ship was stricken from the US [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 15 December 1945 and sold for scrap to John J. Witte of Staten Island on 17 July 1947.<ref name="danfs"/>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last= Blair |first=Clay |title=Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942–1945 |year=2000 |publisher=Modern Library |location= New York |isbn=0-679-64033-9 }}
* {{cite book |last=Collingwood |first=Donald |title=The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War |year=1998 |publisher= Leo Cooper |location=Barnsley, UK |isbn= 0-85052-615-9}} 
* {{cite book |last=Elliott |first=Peter |title=Allied Escort Ships of World War II: A complete survey |year=1977 |publisher=Macdonald and Jane's |location=London |isbn=0-356-08401-9 }}
* {{cite book |last=Franklin |first= Bruce Hampton |title=The Buckley-Class Destroyer Escorts |year=1999 |publisher=Chatham Publishing |location=London |isbn=1-86176-118-X }}
* {{cite book |last=Friedman |first=Norman |title=U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History |year=1982 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland, USA |isbn=0-87021-733-X }}
* {{cite book |last1=Manning |first1=T. D. |last2=Walker |first2= C. F. |title=British Warship Names |year=1959 |publisher=Putnam |location=London }}
* {{cite book |last1=Rohwer |first1=Jürgen |last2=Hümmelchen |first2=Gerhard |title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945 |year=1992 |publisher=Greenhill Books |location = London |isbn=1-85367-117-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Whitley |first=M. J. |title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia |year=2000 |publisher=Cassell & Co. |location=London |isbn=1-85409-521-8 }}
* {{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/e/ebert.html|https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bentley-i.html}}

==External links==
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5645.html Uboat.net page for HMS Bentley]
* [http://uboat.net/boats/u859.htm Uboat.net page for U-859]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070301070801/http://www.captainclassfrigates.co.uk/ captainclassfrigates.co.uk]

{{Captains class frigate}}
{{Buckley class destroyer escort}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bentley (K465)}}
[[Category:Captain-class frigates]]
[[Category:Buckley-class destroyer escorts]]
[[Category:World War II frigates of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Ships built in Hingham, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:1943 ships]]