Revenge-class battleships
An item dated Washington, USA 30th September reported that the same day Secretary of State Cordell Hull would advice the American president Roosevelt to abolish the Neutrality Act 1939. The chairman of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs Reynolds (3) protested claiming that the act in the past was proposed to keep the USA out of involvement in a war. The commanding officer of the American navy yard vice admiral Watson reporting from Philadelphia that the British heavy cruiser HMS Manchester (4) was brought to a shipyard for a complete refit, just like the British battleship HMS Resolution (5) in the past week. The navy department reported that the British destroyer Firedrake (6) and auxiliary cruiser California (7) were brought to a shipyard at Boston, USA for repairs. In the meantime were now 31 British ships under repair at American shipyards.
Notes
1. Cordell Hull (2 October 1871 Olympus, Tennessee, USA-23 July 1955 Washington, D.C., USA), Secretary of state 4 March 1933-30 November 1944).
2. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (30 January 1882 Hyde Park, New York, USA-12 Aprl 1945 Warm Springs, Georgia, USA), president 4 March 1933-12 April 1945.
3. Robert Rice Reynolds (18 June 1884 Asheville, North Carolina, USA-13 February 1963 Ashevile, North Carolina, USA)).
4. Not a heavy cruiser but a Town-class light cruiser, laid down by Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn, England on 28 March 1936, launched on 12 April 1937, commissioned on 4 August 1938 and scuttled after being heavily damaged by Italian MAS boats off Cap Bon, Tunisia on 13 August 1942. The repaired at Philadelphia were needed after she was heavily damaged by an Italian aerial torpedo on 23 July 1941.
5. Part of the Revenge-class although often referred to as the Royal Sovereign-class or even ‘R‘-class. There were totally 8 ships planned of which two the Renown and Repulse were built using another design as battle cruisers and the third one the Resistance was cancelled. The 5 sister ships were the Royal Oak, Royal Sovereign, Revenge, Ramillies and Resolution. Preceded by the Queen Elisabeth-class and to be succeeded by the planned but never realized N3 class and the realized Nelson-class. Laid down at Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow, England on 29 November 1913, launched on 14 January 1915, commissioned on 30 December 1916, added to the stokers’ training establishment HMS Imperieuse since 1944 and sold to be broken up at Faslane on 5 May 1948. Pennant number 09.
6. F-class destroyer. Building ordered on 17 March 1933, laid down by Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company, Wallsend, England on 5 July 1933m launched on 28 June 1934, commissioned on 30 May 1935 and sunk by the German submarine U-211 on 16 December 1942 although her stern keep floating until 00.45 o’clock.
7. The California launched by Alexander Stephen&Sons, Glasgow, Scotland with yard number 494 for account of the Anchor Line on 17 April 1923. Heavily damaged during a German air attack 300 miles from Vigo, Spain on 11 July 1943 was she on the 12th sunk by the British Royal Navy. In 1939 converted into an armed merchant cruiser served she since 1943 as a troopship.
