_1945.jpg) HMSQuadrant in 1945 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Namesake | Thenavigational instrument |
| Builder | R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company Limited |
| Laid down | 24 September 1940 |
| Launched | 28 February 1942 |
| Commissioned | 26 November 1942 |
| Decommissioned | Late 1945 |
| Honours & awards | |
| Fate | Transferred to RAN |
| Australia | |
| Acquired | October 1945 |
| Commissioned | 18 October 1945 |
| Decommissioned | 20 June 1947 |
| Recommissioned | 16 July 1953 |
| Decommissioned | 16 August 1957 |
| Reclassified | Anti-submarine frigate (1953) |
| Motto | "Seek and Smite" |
| Fate | Sold for scrap |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics (as launched) | |
| Class & type | Q-classdestroyer |
| Displacement |
|
| Length |
|
| Beam | 35 ft 8 in (10.87 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 ×Admiralty 3-drum boilers, Parsons geared turbines, 40,000 SHP, two propellers |
| Speed | 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph) |
| Complement | 220 |
| Armament |
|
| General characteristics (post conversion) | |
| Type | ModifiedType 15 frigate |
| Draught | 15.5 ft (4.7 m) |
| Range | 4,040 nautical miles (7,480 km; 4,650 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
| Armament |
|
HMASQuadrant (G11/D11/F01), named for thenavigational instrument,[2] was aQ-class destroyer operated by theRoyal Navy asHMSQuadrant (G67/D17) during World War II, and theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1945 to 1957. The ship was built during the early 1940s as one of theWar Emergency Programme destroyers, and entered service in 1942.
DuringWorld War II,Quadrant served as a convoy escort in the Arctic, South Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, and operated with theBritish Eastern andBritish Pacific Fleets. At the war's end, the ship was decommissioned and transferred to the RAN, which operated her for two years before placing her in reserve. In 1950, the ship was docked for conversion into an anti-submarine frigate.Quadrant was recommissioned in 1953, and operated with the RAN until 1957, when she waspaid off. The ship was sold forbreaking in 1963.
Quadrant was built to the wartimeQ-class design; the third flotilla ofWar Emergency Programme destroyers. These ships had a displacement of 1,750 tons at standard load, and 2,388 tons at full load.[2] The destroyer was 358 feet 3 inches (109.2 m) inlength overall, 339 feet 6 inches (103.5 m) longbetween perpendiculars, and had abeam of 35 feet 8 inches (10.9 m).[2] Propulsion was provided by twoAdmiralty 3-drum boilers connected to Parsons geared turbines; these provided 40,000shaft horsepower (30,000 kW) to the destroyer's twopropellers.[3]Quadrant could reach speeds of 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph).[2] Theship's company consisted of 220 officers and sailors.[3]
Quadrant's armament (at the end of World War II) consisted of four single4.7-inch QF Mark XI** guns, a quadruple2-pounder "pom-pom", six single20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns, and two quadruple torpedo tube sets for21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[2] The ship was also fitted with fourdepth charge throwers, with up to 70 depth charges carried.[2]
The destroyer waslaid down byR. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company Limited atHebburn-on-Tyne, England on 24 September 1940.[2] She waslaunched on 28 February 1942 by the wife of one of the shipyard's directors.[2]Quadrant wascommissioned into theRoyal Navy on 26 November 1942.[2]
During World War II,Quadrant served with theBritish Eastern andBritish Pacific Fleets.[4]
Quadrant was engaged in convoy escort duties in the Arctic, South Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. She took part in the North African landings, aircraft carrier strikes againstSurabaya and bombardment of theNicobar Islands. She served with the British Pacific Fleet in 1945 where she took part in operations againstFormosa (Taiwan),Okinawa, and the Japanese home islands.[4]
Quadrant was loaned to theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN) in exchange for the return of one of theN-class destroyers.Quadrant commissioned into the RAN on 18 October 1945, and was used to transport soldiers fromNew Guinea home to Australia.[3] On 16 August 1947, the destroyer waspaid off intoreserve.[5]
On 15 February 1950, the heavy cruiserHMAS Australia departedSydney forMelbourne withQuadrant in tow.[4] The vessels arrived at Melbourne on 18 February.[4] Conversion ofQuadrant to a fast anti-submarine frigate began at theWilliamstown Naval Dockyard in Melbourne during April 1950.[3]
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During the conversion; all ofQuadrant's previous armament was stripped off, and replaced with two 4-inch guns, two 40 mm Bofors cannon, and twoSquids (ahead throwing anti-submarine weapons).[4] The conversion was completed in mid 1953, and the ship recommissioned into the RAN on 16 July.[5]
After recommissioning,Quadrant's service was mainly in Australian waters.Quadrant escorted theRoyal YachtGothic during the visit to Australia ofQueen Elizabeth II and theDuke of Edinburgh in February 1954.[4]Quadrant visited New Guinea,Manus, andNew Britain in October 1954, New Zealand in March 1955, and spent a period on exercises in Far East waters in June 1955. In March 1956, she took part in exercises in Malayan waters.[4] During June 1956 she served for a period as a surveillance vessel with the Japanese pearling fleet in theArafura Sea. In October 1956,Quadrant again proceeded to the Far East for further exercises, visitingHong Kong,Singapore, andManila.[4] By 1957 the frigate was already worn out and the decision to decommission the vessel was made beforesister shipHMAS Quiberon's frigate conversion was complete and after the premature decommissioningHMAS Quality due to hull failure.
Quadrant paid off at Sydney on 16 August 1957 and wassold for scrap to the Japanese firm of Kinoshita and Company Limited on 15 February 1963.[4]
| Q class |
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| R class |
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 Royal Navy | |
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 Royal Australian Navy | |
| Royal Canadian Navy | |
 South African Navy |
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