The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

HMS Matchless-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

M-Class destroyer commissioned 12 February 1942, decommissioned 1946.  Sold to Turkish Navy in 1959 and renamed the Uluc Ali Reis.  Length of 362 feetand crew of 221.  Armament: several 4.7-inch guns, anti-aircraft guns, depth charges and torpedoes.

Evidently, ships of the Royal Navy were sometimes adopted by towns after they riased money.  The Matchless was adopted by the Maidenhead Bourough Council in Berkshire after they raised over 550,000 pounds.  In 1943, the ship was also adopted by the Associated Motor Cycle Company in London, which made Matchless cycles.

The ship went on Arctic convoy duty right after training.  On May 15, 1942, the Matchless rescued 200 survivors from the light cruiser HMS Trinidad and then sank the ship with torpedoes.

More to Come.  --GreGen

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