View source for River-class frigate

{{Short description|1941 class of frigates of the Royal Navy}}
{{For|other naval ship classes of the same name|River class (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
| sclass = 2
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = File:Wakesiuriverfrigate.jpg
| Ship caption = {{HMCS|Waskesiu}}
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Builders =
| Operators = *[[World War II]]:
** {{naval|United Kingdom}}
** {{navy|Australia}}<!-- last ships decommissioned after current RAN ensign adopted -->
** {{naval|Canada|1911}}
** {{naval|Free France}}
** {{naval|Netherlands}}
** {{naval|South Africa|1922}}
** {{naval|United States|1912}}
* Post–World War II
** {{naval|Argentina}}
** {{naval|Ceylon}}; (later, the {{nowrap|{{navy|Sri Lanka}}}})
** {{navy|Chile}}
** {{naval|Denmark}}
** {{naval|Dominican Republic}}
** {{naval|Egypt}}
** {{navy|India}}
** {{navy|Israel}}
** {{naval|Malaysia}}
** {{naval|Morocco}}
** {{navy|Myanmar}}
** {{navy|New Zealand}}<!-- ship decommissioned after current RNZN ensign adopted -->
** {{naval|Norway}}
** {{navy|Pakistan}}<!-- which ships? -->
** {{navy|Peru}}
** {{naval|Portugal}}
| Class before =
| Class after = {{sclass2|Loch|frigate|4}}
| Subclasses = RN group I, RN group II, RAN group I, RAN group II, RCN group
| Built range =
| In commission range = 1942
| Total ships building =
| Total ships planned = 30
| Total ships completed = 151
| Total ships cancelled = 2
| Total ships active = *1 as training ship
* 1 converted to yacht
| Total ships laid up =
| Total ships lost = *5 [[World War II]]
* 2 [[Suez Crisis]]
* 10 expended
| Total ships retired =
| Total ships preserved = 4
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption = RN group I
| Ship type =
| Ship displacement = *{{convert|1370|LT|t|0|lk=on}}
* {{convert|1830|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (deep load)
| Ship length = *{{convert|283|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} [[Length between perpendiculars|p/p]]
* {{convert|301.25|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
| Ship beam = {{convert|36|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
| Ship draught = {{convert|9|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}; {{convert|13|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} (deep load)
| Ship draft =
| Ship propulsion = *2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, [[steam engine|reciprocating vertical triple expansion]], {{convert|5500|ihp|lk=on|abbr=on}}
* (except ''Cam'', ''Chelmer'', ''Ettrick'', ''Halladale'', ''Helmsdale'', and ''Tweed''; [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbines|Parsons]] single reduction [[steam turbine]]s, {{convert|6500|shp|lk=in|abbr=on}}
| Ship speed = *{{convert|20|kn}}
* {{convert|20.5|kn}} (turbine ships)
| Ship range = {{convert|7200|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|12|kn}} with; {{convert|440|LT|t|0|lk=in}} oil fuel
| Ship complement = 107
| Ship sensors =
| Ship EW =
| Ship armament = * 2 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XIX naval gun|QF {{cvt|4|in|mm|0}}/40 Mk.XIX guns]], single mounts [[British ordnance terms#CP|CP]] Mk.XXIII
* Up to 10 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|QF {{cvt|20|mm|in}} Oerlikon]] A/A on twin mounts Mk.V and single mounts Mk.III
* 1 × [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] 24 spigot A/S projector
* 8 × [[depth charge thrower]]s, 2 × [[depth charge rail|rails]], Up to 150 [[depth charge]]s
| Ship notes =
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption = (RN group II)
| Ship range = {{convert|646|LT|t|0|lk=in}} oil fuel; {{convert|7500|nmi|abbr=on|0}} at {{convert|15|kn|1}}
| Ship notes = Other data per RN group I
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption = (RCN group)
| Ship displacement = *{{convert|1445|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
* {{convert|2110|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (deep load)
| Ship range = {{convert|646|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} oil fuel; {{convert|7500|nmi|abbr=on|0}} at {{convert|15|kn|1}}
| Ship complement = 157
| Ship armament = * 2 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=4}} XVI guns]] on twin mount [[British ordnance terms#HA/LA|HA/LA]] Mk.XIX
* 1 × [[QF 12-pounder 12 cwt naval gun|QF 12-pdr 12 cwt ({{convert|3|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=4}}) Mk. V gun]] on mounting HA/LA Mk.IX (not all ships)
* 8 × 20 mm QF Oerlikon A/A on twin mounts Mk.V
* 1 × Hedgehog 24 spigot A/S projector
* Up to 150 [[depth charge]]s
| Ship notes = Other data per RN group I
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption = (RAN group I)
| Ship displacement = *{{convert|1420|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
* {{convert|2020|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} (deep load)
| Ship range = {{convert|500|LT|t|0|lk=in}} oil fuel; {{convert|5180|nmi|abbr=on|0}} at {{convert|12|kn|1}}
| Ship complement = 140
| Ship armament = * 2 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=4}} Mk.XVI guns]], single mounts HA/LA&nbsp;Mk.XX
* 8 × QF 20 mm Oerlikon, single mounts Mk.III, ''later'';
** 3 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|QF 40 mm Bofors]], single mounts Mk.VII
** 4 × QF 20 mm Oerlikon, twin mounts Mk.V
* 1 × Hedgehog 24 spigot A/S projector
* Up to 50 [[depth charge]]s
| Ship notes = Other data per RN group I
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption = (RAN group II)
| Ship displacement = *{{convert|1545|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
* {{convert|2185|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
| Ship armament = * 4 × [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF {{convert|4|in|mm|adj=on|sigfig=4}} Mk.XVI guns]], twin mounts HA/LA&nbsp;Mk.XIX
* 3 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|QF 40 mm Bofors]], single mounts Mk.VII
* 4 × QF 20 mm Oerlikon, twin mounts Mk.V
* 1 × Hedgehog 24 spigot A/S projector
* Up to 50 [[depth charge]]s
| Ship complement = 177
| Ship sensors = [[SC radar]]
| Ship notes = Other data per RAN group I
}}
|}
The '''River class''' was a [[ship class|class]] of 151 [[frigate]]s launched between 1941 and 1944 for use as [[anti-submarine]] [[convoy]] escorts in the [[North Atlantic]]. The majority served with the [[Royal Navy]] and [[Royal Canadian Navy]] (RCN), with some serving in the other [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] navies: the [[Royal Australian Navy]] (RAN), the [[Free French Navy|Free French Naval Forces]], the [[Royal Netherlands Navy]] and, post-war, the [[South African Navy]].

The first orders were placed by the Royal Navy in 1940, and the vessels were named for rivers in the [[United Kingdom]], giving name to the class. In Canada, they were named for towns and cities, though they kept the same designation.<ref name=WarMuseum>{{cite web |url=https://friends-amis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/FS21_Frigate_e.pdf |title=Fact Sheet No.21 - Canadian River Class Frigate |website=Canadian War Museum|date=3 November 2013 |access-date=17 March 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240317192529/https://friends-amis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/FS21_Frigate_e.pdf |archive-date=17 March 2024}}</ref> Originally called a "twin-screw corvette", the name "frigate" was suggested by Vice-Admiral [[Percy Nelles|Percy W. Nelles]] of the Royal Canadian Navy.<ref name=Macpherson2>{{cite book|title=Frigates of the Royal Canadian Navy 1943–1974 |last=Macpherson |first=Ken |publisher=Vanwell Publishing |year=1989 |place=Lewiston, New York |pages=6–7, 15 |isbn=0-920277-22-5}}</ref> Canada originally ordered the construction of 33 frigates in October 1941.<ref name=WarMuseum/><ref name=Macpherson2/> The design was too big for the locks on the [[Lachine Canal]] so it was not built by the shipyards on the [[Great Lakes]] and therefore all the frigates built in Canada were built in dockyards along the West Coast or along the [[St. Lawrence River]] below Montreal.<ref name=Macpherson2/> In all, Canada ordered the construction of 70 frigates, including ten for the Royal Navy, which transferred two ({{USS|Asheville|PF-1|6}} and {{USS|Natchez|PF-2|6}}) to the [[United States Navy]].<ref name=WarMuseum/> Twelve were built in Australia for the RAN (four to a modified design).

After [[World War II]], they found employment in many other navies the world over; several RCN ships were sunk as [[breakwater (structure)|breakwaters]]. One, {{HMCS|Stormont|K327|6}}, was purchased by [[Aristotle Onassis]] and converted into the [[luxury yacht]] {{ship||Christina O}}.

==Design==
[[File:USS Natchez (PF 2).jpg|left|thumb|Overhead view of {{USS|Natchez|PF-2|6}}]]
The River-class ships were designed by naval engineer [[William Reed (engineer)|William Reed]], of [[Smith's Dock Company]] of South Bank-on-Tees, to have the endurance and anti-submarine capabilities of the {{sclass|Black Swan|sloop|0}} [[sloop-of-war|sloops]], while being quick and cheap to build in civil dockyards using the machinery (e.g. [[Reciprocating engine|reciprocating steam engines]] instead of turbines) and construction techniques pioneered in the building of the {{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}s. Its purpose was to improve on the convoy escort classes in service with the [[Royal Navy]], including the Flower class.

Improvements over the corvette design included markedly better accommodation. The twin engines gave only {{convert|3|kn|mph+km/h|0}} more speed but extended the range of the ship to nearly double that of a corvette to {{cvt|7200|nmi}} at {{cvt|12|kn}}.<ref name=Macpherson2/> Among other lessons applied to the design was armament better designed to combat [[U-boat]]s, including a twin {{cvt|4|in}} mount forward and 12-pounder [{{convert|76|mm|in}}] [[aft]].<ref name=WarMuseum/> Fifteen Canadian frigates were initially fitted with one {{cvt|4|in|mm}} gun forward but with the exception of {{HMCS|Valleyfield|K329|6}}, they were all eventually upgraded to the twin mount.<ref name=Macpherson2/> For underwater targets, it was equipped with a [[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]] anti-submarine mortar, [[Depth charge|depth charge rails]] and four side-mounted throwers aft for a 10-charge pattern (some had 8 throwers for a 14-charge pattern for a brief period until this was abandoned).<ref name=WarMuseum/>

River-class frigates were the first Royal Canadian Navy warships to carry the 147B Sword horizontal fan-beam active sonar transmitter, in addition to the regular [[Sonar#ASDIC|ASDIC]]. This allowed the ship to maintain contact with targets even while firing, unless a target was struck. Better radar and radio direction-finding equipment improved the RCN's ability to find and track enemy submarines over previous classes.<ref name=WarMuseum/> The River-class design was used as the basis for the [[United States Navy]] {{sclass|Tacoma|frigate|4}} (which served in the Royal Navy as the {{sclass2|Colony|frigate|4}}); the hull design was later elaborated into the {{sclass2|Loch|frigate|4}} and subsequently the {{sclass2|Bay|frigate|4}}.

==Ships in class==
{{Main|List of River-class frigates}}
Two hundred and forty-three frigates were built in Britain, Canada and Australia for seven navies during World War II.

==Vessels lost in action==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ River class ships lost to enemy action
|-
! scope="col" | Ship
! scope="col" | Date
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Cam|K264|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 18 July 1944
| Presumed mined. Towed to port and declared a total loss.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMCS|Chebogue|K317|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 4 October 1944
| Torpedoed and badly damaged by [[German submarine U-1227|''U-1227'']] while escorting convoy ONS-33. Towed to port and declared a total loss.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Cuckmere|K299|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 11 December 1943
| Torpedoed and badly damaged by {{GS|U-223||2}} off [[Algeria]]. Towed to port and declared a total loss.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Itchen|K227|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 23 September 1943
| Torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-666||2}} at {{coord|53|25|N|39|42|W|type:event_region:XA|name=HMS Itchen K27 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-666, 23 September 1943}}.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Lagan|K259|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 20 September 1943
| Torpedoed and badly damaged by {{GS|U-270||2}}. Towed to port and declared a total loss.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMCS|Magog|K673|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 14 October 1944
| Torpedoed and badly damaged by {{GS|U-1223||2}} while escorting convoy ONS-33G. Towed to port and declared a total loss.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Mourne|K261|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 15 June 1944
| Torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-767||2}} at {{coord|49|35|N|05|30|W|type:event_region:XA|name=HMS Mourne K261 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-767, 15 June 1944}}.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Teme|K458|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 29 March 1945
| Torpedoed and badly damaged by {{GS|U-315||2}}. Towed to port and declared a total loss.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMS|Tweed|K250|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 7 January 1944
| Torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-305||2}} at {{coord|48|18|N|21|19|W|type:event_region:XA|name=HMS Tweed K250 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-305, 7 January 1944}}.
|-
! scope="row" | {{HMCS|Valleyfield|K329|6}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 7 May 1944
| Torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-548||2}} at {{coord|46|03|N|52|24|W|type:event_region:XA|name=HMCS Valleyfied K329 torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-548, 7 May 1944}}.
|}

==Survivors==
On display in [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]] is {{HMAS|Diamantina|K377|6}}, the last complete River-class frigate, preserved at the [[Queensland Maritime Museum]].

{{HMCS|Stormont|K327|6}} served as a convoy escort during the [[Battle of the Atlantic]] and was present at the [[D-Day]] landings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1394|title=Canadian Participation on D-Day and In The Battle of Normandy|date=7 June 2010|work=National Defence and the Canadian Forces|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040703030914/http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Newsroom/view_news_e.asp?id=1394|archive-date=3 July 2004|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 1947, Greek shipowner [[Aristotle Onassis]] purchased her for scrap value and converted her into a luxurious [[superyacht]] named ''[[Christina O]]'', after his [[Christina Onassis|daughter]]. The vessel is now owned by John Paul Nicolaou, who lets the yacht for elite charters and cruises.

{{ship|SLNS|Gajabahu}}, formerly {{HMCS|Hallowell|K666|6}} served as a convoy escort during World War II and later transferred to the Israeli Navy and then the Royal Ceylon Navy, which later became the Sri Lankan Navy. She was withdrawn from active duty in 1980 and is now used as a training ship by Sri Lanka.

{{ship|UBS|Mayu}}, formerly {{HMS|Fal}}, is preserved in [[Seikkyi]], [[Myanmar]].

==In fiction==
"HMS ''Saltash''" was a fictional River-class frigate in [[Nicholas Monsarrat]]'s 1951 book [[The Cruel Sea (book)|''The Cruel Sea'']]. (In the 1953 [[Jack Hawkins]] [[The Cruel Sea (1953 film)|film version]] she is called "HMS ''Saltash Castle''", and was played by the [[corvette]] {{HMS|Portchester Castle|K362|6}}.)

{{HMCS|New Glasgow|K320|6}} played the fictional frigate "HMS ''Rockhampton''" in the 1955 [[John Wayne]] film ''[[The Sea Chase]]''. (She had just been recommissioned as a [[Prestonian-class frigate|''Prestonian'' class]] upgrade of the Canadian River-class frigate, after ten years in reserve.)

"HMS ''Nairn''" was a fictional River-class frigate in [[Alistair MacLean]]'s 1955 book [[HMS Ulysses (novel)|''HMS Ulysses'']].

==See also==
* [[List of Escorteurs of the French Navy]]
* [[List of patrol vessels of the United States Navy]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=Lavery|first=Brian|title=River-Class Frigates and the Battle of the Atlantic: A Technical and Social History|publisher=National Maritime Museum|location=London|year=2006|isbn=0-948065-73-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Marriott|first=Leo|title=Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983|publisher=Ian Allan|year=1983|isbn=0-7110-1322-5}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|River class frigates}}
* [http://www.naval-history.net/xDKEscorts15Fr-River1.htm Convoy escort movements for River-class frigates]

{{River class frigate|others}}
{{WWII British ships}}
{{WWII US ships}}
{{Frigates of the Indian Navy}}
{{Ship classes of the Indian Navy}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:River Class Frigate}}
[[Category:Frigate classes]]
[[Category:North Atlantic convoys of World War II]]
[[Category:River-class frigates| ]]
[[Category:Ship classes of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Battle of the Atlantic]]
[[Category:World War II frigates of the United Kingdom| ]]
[[Category:Ship classes of the French Navy]]