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Berwick
from the City Arms and motto. White; on a mount green a bear statant black collared and chained gold in front of a wych elm proper. Motto: Victoria Gloria merces: Victory and glory are the reward. Battles Honours BARFLEUR 1692 ATLANTIC 1939 VIGO 1702 SPARTIVENTO 1940 GIBRALTAR 1704 NORWAY 1940 VELEZ MALAGA 1704 ARCTIC 1941-44 DOGGER BANK 1781 |
The first Royal Navy ship I
joined in April '63 was HMS Berwick, a Type 12 Frigate of the Rothesay class.
In Berwick's case there were eleven ships of that name and there are links
below to each one.
First Second
Third Fourth
Fifth Sixth
Seventh Eighth
Ninth Tenth
Eleventh
The first Berwick 1669 - 1700
( The ship's name could also be spelled
Barwick)
Built in Chatham Dockyard, she was a third rate of 70 guns and served from 1669 till 1700. In home waters or in wartime she would carry 70 guns and in peacetime 62 guns.
This ship has one Battle honour won at Barfleur which took place from the 19th May until 22nd May 1692. (War of the English Succession 1689-97).
In 1699 she was rebuilt at Deptford.
BARFLEUR 19th
- 22nd May 1692
War of the English Succession 1689-97 Two years earlier the French
admiral the Comte de Tourville had wrested superiority in the Channel from
the English by his victory off Beachy Head. Now Barfleur and its dramatic
sequel at La Hogue a few days later regained not only the Channel superiority
for the English but settled decisively the Anglo-French naval struggle during
the War of English Succession.
Exiled James II was preparing to regain his throne from a base in Cherbourg by invading England. Tourville awaited reinforcements, but as these failed to materialize he weighed from Brest with forty-four of the line (a few authorities have thirty-eight), entering the Channel on 17th May, but without the Toulon fleet back-up.
Unknown to him, Admiral Sir Edward Russell (later Lord Orford) had mustered a huge Anglo-Dutch fleet of just under one hundred ships of the line at Portsmouth. The two battle fleets sighted each other off Cape Barfleur on the Cotentin Peninsula. Russell wore his flag in the Britannia (100) and Tourville in his flagship, the Soleil Royal (104). The two battle lines engaged, and fierce fighting ensued. Early in the afternoon a dense fog settled over the battle area. Tourville skilfully extricated his fleet and slowly drew away to the west. Both fleets anchored at nightfall, neither having lost a ship.
The following morning Tourville continued sailing westward to the Channel Islands and Russell began a general chase. After the fleets had anchored again for the night the chase continued the following day (21st). Tourville shifted his flag to the Ambitieux (96).
The Soleil Royal went aground near Cherbourg, where she was trapped by Vice Admiral Sir Ralph Delavall on the 22nd with the Red Squadron. Soleil Royal, Triomphant (76) and Admirable (90) were all destroyed by fire.
Some twentytwo ships were chased by Admiral Sir John Ashby (Blue Squadron) through the race of Alderney into St Malo while others escaped towards the Bay of La Hogue, where the battle was fought to a bitter end.
The combined assembled fleets for the battle of Barfleur aggregated nearly 140 ships, with possibly the world's greatest clash at sea in prospect: three fleets waiting on a wind for fame or fortune - or crushing defeat.
The second Berwick 1700-1715.
Third Rate of 70 guns built by Snellgrove of Deptford
| Length of gun deck | 150' 9" | |||
| Length of keel | 125' 3" | |||
| Breadth | 40' 5½" | |||
| Depth of hold | 16' 10" | |||
| Displacement | 1091 tons | |||
| Armament | at 1700 | at 1703 | at 1708 | |
| Gun Deck | 26 X 24 pounders | 24 X 24 | 26 X 24 | |
| Upper deck | 26 X 9 pounders | 26 X 12 | 26 X 12 | |
| Quarter deck | 12 X 6 pounders | 12 X 6 | 14 sakers | |
| Forecastle | 4 X 6 pounders | 4 X 6 | 4 X 3 | |
| Round-house | 14 X 6 pounders | 4 X 3 | ||
| Complement - war | 440 | |||
| Complement - peace | 320 | |||
| Fate | ||||
| Rebuilt | 1700 | |||
| Hulked at Portsmouth | 1715 | |||
| Broken up | 1742 |
This ship has three Battle Honours:
Vigo - 1702, Gibraltar 1704, Velez Malaga 1704
VIGO BAY
12th October 1702 - War of Spanish
Succession 1702-13
Admiral Sir George Rooke undertook an attack upon a Spanish treasure fleet
with its escorting French naval squadron of thirteen ships of the line commanded
by Admiral Châteaurenault. The treasure ships and escorting squadron lay
protectively behind a harbour boom with fortified batteries guarding the
port approaches.
Rooke's assault force of twenty-five Anglo-Dutch ships led by Vice-Admiral Hopsonn in Torbay (80) and Admiral Van der Gose in Zeven Provincine (90) landed troops to secure the batteries. Torbay broke through the boom and the squadron forced the harbour.
In a fierce and furious battle the French squadron was savaged. Châteaurenault ordered his ships to be burnt rather than seized, but even so, the French losses were enormous: ten of the line were captured or destroyed, and about eleven treasure ships taken as rich prizes. The allied losses were nil, and casualties described as light.
GIBRALTAR
24th July 1704 - War of Spanish
Succession 1702-13
An English force commanded by Admiral Sir George Rooke with his flag in
Royal Katherine was accompanied by the Prince Of esse-Darmstadt. Gibraltar
was bombarded and its defences severely impaired, but stout defence caused
numerous casualties among the storming English and Dutch marines. The Allied
losses were 60 killed and 217 wounded. The governor surrendered the town
on the 25th. The Royal Marine's observe the 24th
as a Memorable Date, and the name Gibraltar is the only one worn on their
badge. Gibraltar has stood many sieges and reliefs since 1704.
MALAGA (VELEZ MALAGA)
13th August 1704 - War of the
Spanish Succession 1702-13
A grand but undistinguished battle between an Anglo-Dutch fleet of fifty-three
ships of the line and a Franco-Spanish fleet of fifty of the line.
Admiral Sir George Rooke commanded the Anglo-Dutch fleet, with Admiral Sir Clowdisley Shovel leading the van and the Dutch Admiral Callenburgh the rear squadron. The Allies had captured Gibraltar only the previous month. The French Admiral Comte de Toulouse sailed from Toulon with the purpose of gaining a naval victory and recapturing Gibraltar.
Battle was joined off Malaga on 13th August and it developed into a long day's artillery duel with no ships being taken, burnt or sunk, though damage was severe and casualties enormous.
The following day Toulouse made no attempt to renew the battle and Rooke was content to return to Gibraltar for repairs.
Despite its being a drawn contest, the battle left Britain and the Netherlands with the ascendancy, for the Allied superiority at sea was not seriously challenged again for the rest of the war, which ran for another nine years. The retention of Gibraltar as a base helped dominate and command the western basin of the Mediterranean.
The Third Berwick 1723-1743
Third rate of 70 Guns built at Deptford Dockyard.
| Length of gun deck | 151' | |
| Length of Keel | 123' 2" | |
| Breadth | 41' 6" | |
| Depth of hold | 17' 4" | |
| Displacement | 1128 tons | |
| Armament | ||
| Gun deck | 26 X 24 pounders | |
| Upper deck | 26 X 12 pounders | |
| Quarterdeck | 14 X 6 pounders | |
| Forecastle | 4 X 6 pounders | |
| Complement | 480 | |
| Built by | Deptford Dockyard | |
| Ordered | 31st March 1721 | |
| Launched | 27th July 1723 |
The fourth Berwick 1743-1760
3rd Rate of 70 Guns - later reduced to a 64 - built at Deptford Dockyard
| Length of gun deck | 151" | ||
| Length of keel | 122' 2" | ||
| Breadth | 43' 5" | ||
| Depth of hold | 17' 9" | ||
| Displacement | 1224 tons | ||
| Armamant | As a 74 | As a 64 | |
| Gun deck | 26 X 24 pounders | 26 X 24 | |
| Upper deck | 26 X 12 pounders | 26 X 18 | |
| Quarterdeck | 14 X 6 pounders | 10 X 6 | |
| Forecastle | 4 X 6 pounders | 2 X 6 | |
| Complement | 480 | ||
| Built by | Deptford Dockyard | ||
| Ordered | 15th December 1740 | ||
| Keel laid | 1st January 1741 | ||
| Launched | 13th June 1743 | ||
| Fate | Broken up 1760 |
The fifth Berwick 1775-1795
3rd Rate of 74 guns - Elizabeth Class - built
at Portsmouth Dockyard
Taken by the French in 1795 but recaptured in 1805.
| Length of Gun Deck | 168' 6" | |
| Length of keel | 138' 1½" | |
| Breadth | 46' 10" | |
| Depth of hold | 19' 9" | |
| Displacement | 1612 tons | |
| Armament | ||
| Gun deck | 23 X 18 pounders | |
| Upper gun deck | 28 X 28 pounders | |
| Quarterdeck | 14 X 9 pounders | |
| Forecastle | 4 X 9 pounders | |
| Complement - war | 600 | |
| Complement - peace | 550 | |
| Built by | Portsmouth Dockyard | |
| Ordered | 12th October 1768 | |
| Keel laid | May 1769 | |
| Launched | 18th April 1775 | |
| Fate: |
On 7th May 1795 she was taken by the French in the Mediterranean but recaptured on 21stOctober 1805 during the Battle of Trafalgar, only to be lost off San Lucar in the stormy weather after the Battle.
The sixth Berwick 1781-1786
- Storeship / Troopship
She served under name of Berwick until 1786 when she was renamed, suffering her final fate four years later.
| Length of gun deck | 110' 52" | |
| Length of keel | 89' 8¾" | |
| Breadth | 32' 9" | |
| Depth of hold | 12' 11" | |
| Displacement | 511 tons | |
| Guns | 4 X 6 pounders plus 6 X 18 pounder carronades | |
| Built by | Watsons of Rotherhyde (Mercantile) Armed store ship | |
| Purchased | 1781 | |
| 1786 | Classed at 6th rate and renamed Sirius as the flagship of the First Fleet to Botany Bay. |
19th March 1790: As Sirius, swept onto a reef of rocks off Norfolk Island, New South Wales. The wreck has sice been located and dived on. There is a book written by G. Henderson and M. Stanbury entitled 'Sirius past and present' (Sydney NSW 1988) which also shows that the usual description of her as an East Indiaman resulted from a misunderstanding; she was built for the 'Eastern' (i.e. Baltic) trade. The story that she suffered a fire just before completion seems to be inaccurate.
The seventh Berwick 1805 -
1816
Ex San Juan Nepomuceno of the Spanish Navy
74 guns
Served in the Spanish Navy from 1766 until she was captured by the British
Fleet in 1805 and renamed Berwick.
Built by Guarnizo of Santander
Launched 1766
Sea trials were carried out by Commodore Mazarredo on the 3rd
September 1785.
At the battle of Trafalgar the ship was captured. She had a crew complement of 693, one hundred of whom had been killed and one hundred and fifty wounded. The commanding officer was Commodore Cosmé Damián Churruca.
Why have I mentioned Commodore Cosmé Damián Churruca in detail? Because his life ran in tandem to that of Admiral Lord Nelson and gives a little history of the Spanish Navy of the same period. His story can be found in the "People" section.
The eighth Berwick 1809 -1821
3rd Rate of 74 guns - Armada/Conquestadore/Vengeur
class
| Length of gun deck | 176' | |
| Length of keel | 145' 1" | |
| Breadth | 47' 6" | |
| Depth of hold | 21' | |
| Displacement | 1741 tons | |
| Armament | ||
| Gun deck | 28 X 32 pounders | |
| Upper gun deck | 28 X 18 pounders | |
| Quarterdeck | 4 X 12 pounders and 10 X 32 pounders | |
| Forecastle | 2 X 12 pounders and 2 X 32 pounders | |
| Complement | 590 | |
| Built by | Perry of Blackwall | |
| Ordered | 1st July 1807 | |
| Keel laid | October 1807 | |
| Launched | 11th September 1809 | |
| Fate | ||
| Broken up in 1821 |
Monmouth class Cruiser
| Displacement | 9800 tons | |
| Length | 460' | |
| Beam | 66' | |
| Machinery | Triple expansion (4 cylinder) | |
| 2 screws | ||
| 22000 horse power | ||
| Speed | 23 knots | |
| Armament | 14 X 6" guns | |
| 9 X 112 pounders | ||
| Torpedo tubes | 2 X 18" | |
| Complement - war | 720 | |
| Complement - peace | 675 | |
| Built by | Beardmore, Dalmuir | |
| Laid down | 19th April 1901 | |
| Launched | 20th September 1902 | |
| Completed | 1903 |
1st Cruiser Squadron 1903-4
2nd Cruiser Squadron Atlantic 1904-7
Portsmith Division, Home Fleet 1908
Rammed and sank the destroyer HMS Tiger during a night exercise off the Isle of Wight on the 2nd April 1908
Refit 1908-09
4th Cruiser Squadron North America and West Indies Station 1909 - 1919
Training Squadron in 1912
Captured the German merchantman Spreewald in the South Atlantic on the 10th September 1914
Atlantic convoys during the First World War
8th Light Cruiser Squadron on the North American and West Indies Squadron 1919
Devonport to pay off 1919
Sold in 1920
Broken up in Germany.
The tenth Berwick
C65 Kent class Cruiser
| Displacement | 9750 tons | |
| Length | 590' perpendicular length | |
| 630' overall length | ||
| Beam | 68' 3" (outside bulges) | |
| Draught | 16' 3" | |
| Machinery | 4 shafts geared turbines | |
| Shaft horse power 80000 | ||
| Speed | 31½ knots | |
| Armament | 8 X 8" (4 X 2) | |
| 8 X 4" (4 X 2) Anti-aircraft | ||
| 8 X 2 pounder (2 X 4) Anti-aircraft | ||
| 8 X 5mm (2 X 4) | ||
| Torpedo tubes | 8 X 21" | |
| Aircraft | 1 | |
| Complement | 679 | |
| 710 if used as a flagship | ||
| Built by | Fairfield, Govan | |
| Laid down | 15th September 1924 | |
| Launched | 30th March 1926 | |
| Completed | 15th February 1928 |
Service & fate
5th Cruiser Squadron on the China Station 1928-36.
Mediterranean 1936-37
Refit 1937-38
America and West Indies Station 1938-39
Home 1939-40 intercepted two German blockade runners, Wolfsburg and Uraguay, which scuttled themselves
Damaged by cruiser gunfire North West of the Azores 25th December 1940
Berwick and Bonaventure, while escorting Convoy WS.5A, drove off the German cruiser Admiral Hipper in the Atlantic (43-39N, 25-08W). She was repaired at Portsmouth and Rosyth until June 1941
Home 1941-45
Trooping to the far East 1945-46
Broken up by Hughes Bolckow, Blyth 1948
Atlantic 1939
Norway 1940
Spartivento 1940
Arctic 1941-44
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The eleventh Berwick 1958 - 1986
HMS Berwick in 1963 as Captain (D) 21st Escort Squadron
| Displacement | 2150 tons standard load | |
| 2560 tons full load | ||
| Length | 370' | |
| Beam | 41' | |
| Draught | 17' 3" | |
| Armament | ||
| Guns | 2 X 4;frac12;" (1 X 2) Mk VI mounting | |
| 1 X 40/60 mm Bofours | ||
| A/S Weapons | 2 X mortar Mk 10 Limbo | |
| Machinery | 2 X Babcock & Wilcox boilers operating 550lb/sq" at 850°. | |
| English Electric geared turbines, two shafts giving a total | ||
| of 30000 shaft horse power. | ||
| Speed | 30 knots | |
| Complement | 152 originally | |
| 225 later | ||
| Built by | Harland & Woolf | |
| Laid down | 16th June 1958 | |
| Launched | 15th December 1959 | |
| Completed | 1st June 1961 |
Service & Fate
Home and Far East 1961-63
Home and Far East 1963-65
I joined the ship on the 9th April 1963 and left 7th April 1965
The Captain was Captain R.K.M. Emden D.S.C. R.N.
Torpedo and anti submarine officer (TAS) Lieutenant Commander M. Taylor
TAS rates Divisional officer Sub-Lieutenant Walk (SD) (TAS)
Visit to Vigo in Spain July 1963
Visit Lisbon with HMS Tiger and Decoy
Working out of Londonderry
Portsmouth for Christmas 1963
April 1964 - sail for the Far East
Gibraltar 24th April 1964
Malta 27th April 1964
Egypt and the Suze Cannel 3rd to 5th May
Aden 8th May 1964
Maldives Islands to take on fuel at Gan
Arrived in Singapore in June 1964
Took part in exercise Fotex 64 in July
The rest of the time was in the Far East was taken up with the Indonsian Confrontation
Visits were able to take place to Hong Kong, Subic Bay and Minila in the Philippines
On returning to Singapore the ship's company had five weeks in HMS Terror
Sailed for home via Gan, Aqaba in Jordan, Suze, Malta and Gibraltar
Exercise off Dunkerque with HMS Rampart
Paid off 12th March 1965
I went on Draft to HMS Vernon 7th April 1965
Berwick was refitted and Commissioned for Home and Far East
Beira Patrol April 1966
Modernised at Chatham Dockyard where a flight deck was fitted (also received a new gunnery system) 1969-1971
Cod Wars 1972-73
Stand by Squadron 1982
Brought back into service due to the Falklands Confrontation in 1982 and was Gibraltar Guard Ship
Navy days in Portsmouth 28th to 30th August 1982
Took part in the Independence celebrations in St Kitts and Nevis in November 1983
Caribbean with HMS Torquay, Plymouth and Londonderry January 1984
Navy Day's at Portsmouth 25th to 27th August 1984
Falklands patrol October 1984
Dartmouth Training Squadron and Caribbean deployment 1984
Portsmouth Navy Days 24th to 26th August 1985
Paid off 18th October 1985
Laid up in Fareham Creek 1986
Used as a target and hit by a Tigerfish torpedo on 18th August 1986 - she took just four minutes to sink.
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