7. SPECS SHEET
H.M.C.S PRINCE ROBERT
One of Three Prince Class Armed Merchant Cruisers (AMC)
Prince Robert ~ Prince Henry ~ Prince DavidThese ships were former CPR small coastal liners. Originally very fast liners for Canadian National Steamships, these formerly 3-funnelled ships were acquired by the RCN at the beginning of the war for conversion to AMCs. In their initial role they were the most powerfully armed ships in the navy until the arrival of the light cruisers.
All three spent some time intercepting merchant traffic, and PRINCE DAVID and PRINCE ROBERT were put under US command for operations in the Aleutians. DAVID and HENRY were converted to Troop Landing Ships and served on D-Day and the invasion of Southern France, as well as additional service in the Mediterranean. Before her 1943 conversion, ROBERT spent her time looking for enemy merchant shipping. She was then converted to an AA ship, and escorted convoys in the Mediterranean as well as serving on the New Zealand station for part of the war. In July, 1945, she went to join the British Pacific Fleet, and in August arrived in Hong Kong to facilitate the release of the Canadian POWs and in order for her Captain to represent Canada at the surrender ceremonies. DAVID hit a mine off Greece ending her wartime service, HENRY (as a British ship) and ROBERT repatriated soldiers, and DAVID and ROBERT were sold back into mercantile service. ROBERT was then converted into a luxury Italian ocean liner and sailed under the name, S.S. LUCANIA.
H.M.C.S. Prince Robert Lineage F.56 Prince Robert
H.M.C.S. Prince Robert
BUILDER: Cammel-Laird & Co. Birkenhead,U.K.
LD: 03.04.30
LCH: 31.07.40
COM: 02.01.43
Construction hull number: 966.
Named after a Canadian National Vice-President.
Conversion to AMC by Burrard Dry Dock Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.
Served on New Zealand station for three months.
Conversion to AACL by Burrard Dry Dock Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.
Recommissioned as AACL June 7, 1943
Final Pay Off: January 18, 1946
Reverted to passenger ship renamed Charlton Sovereign in 1948
Became Italian Lucania in 1953
Scrapped later
Specifications of All Three Sister Ships DIMENSIONS (OF ALL THREE)
Length(O/A): 385'
Length(P.P): 366.25'
Beam: 57'
Draft: 16.5' trials
DISPLACEMENT
Full Load: 6,893 tons
Standard: 5,579 tons
Net: 3,072 tons
PROPULSION
Boilers: 6 Yarrow water tube, 5 drum super-heat main, plus 2 Scotch Marine, 3 burner auxiliary
Turbines: Parsons reaction 3-stage reduction geared
Range: 3,500 NM @ 20 knts ~ 6,000 NM @ economical speed
Horsepower: 19,300 ihp @ 267 rpm ~ 14,500 shp
Shafts: 2
Max Speed: 22.25 knts
ARMAMENT
Main Gun:
4 x 6"/45 cal in 2 single mounts forward and 2 aft 1895 pattern (AMC)
10 x 4" HA/LA in 5 twin mounts (Robert as AACL)
4 x 4" HA/LA in two twin mounts (Henry & David as LCI M)
Secondary Gun
2 x 3" HA in two single mounts (AMC) 1916 cruiser vintage
8 x 2pdr pom pom (Robert as AACL)
2 x 40mm Bofors (Henry & David as LCI M)
Light A/A
several Vickers .303 twin MGs
10 x 20mm Oerlikon Mk 5 in single mounts after Apr.20/42 refit
ASW
2 stern mounted depth charge chutes for Mk.VIII 300 lb.canister depth charges (AMC)
4 depth charge throwers (D.C.T.) (Robert as AACL)
RADARS
Air Search
Type 291 Air Warning (added ./44)
Surface Search
Type 123 Asdic (added Apr.20/42)
A.W.R.D.F ( (Robert as AACL ./42)
Type 271P (./43)
Type 271Q (./43)
Type 86TBS aerials (./43)
No radars initially fit
COMPLEMENT
AMC: 241
AACL: 405 (31 officers)
Cargo: Henry/David as LCI M ~ crew 322 (32 officers)
Hospital Facilities: 60
Wardroom Accommodation: 90
Landing Craft: 8 - 20 ton LCA (4 per side)
Landing Troops: 550 army personnel
Equipped as built with an internal elevator with a loading capacity of two (2) cars
F.70 Prince Henry SPECS OF SISTER SHIPS: Prince Henry and Prince David
H.M.C.S. Prince Henry
BUILDER: Cammel-Laird & Co. Birkenhead,U.K.
LD: 17.01.30
LCH: 04.12.40
COM: 30.04.43
Construction hull number 964.
Named for the President of Canadian National.
Conversion to AMC by Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal, Que.
Conversion to LSI(M) by Burrards Dry Dock Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.
Recommissioned as LSI(M) 06.01.44.
Final Pay Off: 06.04.45.F.89 Prince David
H.M.C.S. Prince David
BUILDER: Cammel-Laird & Co. Birkenhead,U.K
LD: 12.02.30
LCH: 28.12.40
COM: 01.05.43
Construction hull number: 965
Named after a Canadian National Vice-President.
Conversion to AMC by Halifax Shipyards Ltd., Halifax, N.S.
Conversion to LSI(M) by Burrards Dry Dock Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.
Recommissioned as LSI(M) 20.12.43
Final Pay Off: 07.01.46.
Thanks to the Warships Website for most of this data Steam ahead to Pt. 8: Caught In The Net I
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