waterline has been painted out.
HMS MONTROSE I01
Destroyer Leader 1943–4
This leader is an experimental Admiralty scheme intended to make the ship look shorter. It could also make it look like two separate ships. Colours forward are WA blue on white. From the break of the foredeck she has 1941 blue on mid-grey. There is a twin 6pdr automatic mount in ‘A’ position for fighting E-boats. There are single 20mm AA in each bridge wing, between the funnels and another aft of the second funnel. The 3in AA gun originally from that position has been relocated to the aft deck house. Radar Type 271 is atop the bridge, and Type 291 would be at the masthead.
HMAS STUART D00
Destroyer Leader 1939–40
The leader of the Australian ‘V&W’ class destroyers is shown here in the 507c colour scheme she carried on arrival in the Mediterranean with her flotilla. The armament is as built with the addition of quad MGs in each bridge wing. Her paint style is peacetime with no attempt at camouflage and pennant number is pre-war. The application of camouflage was not necessarily carried out as soon as WWII broke out. The Admiralty issued some guidelines and designs were left up to the officers of the ship, which in many cases became a matter of wardroom ideas settled on. Then it was a matter of what paint was available. Black, white, grey and red lead undercoat were in most ship paint lockers and therefore had to form the basis of designs.
HMAS STUART I00
Destroyer Leader 1940–1
The lessons of war learnt, Stuart now wears a three-tone scheme that uses two shades of grey combined with black. This was a very popular mix of colours in the Mediterranean. Many ships mixed their own paint shades in this period. Her pennant has changed to ‘I’. The increase in AA is remarkable. She has a single 20mm in place of ‘Y’ gun, a single 20mm on the aft blast shield and a captured 20mm Italian Breda on the forward end of the aft deck house. Quad MGs in the bridge wings, single 2pdrs between the funnels and a single 20mm Breda abreast the SL platform. There are twin Lewis guns on the bridge and she had a single Vickers 0.303in MG on the foredeck. ASW has also been increased. Fixed early Type 286 at masthead. Aft funnel cut down to save weight. According to a veteran of the ship, she had up to eight Breda 20mm on the deck on one occasion.
HMAS STUART I00
As Fast Escort 1942–3
Another year and Stuart is now a fast escort back in Australasian waters. She is now shown in overall B6. Her armament is now two 4.7in, one 3in AA, two single 2pdrs between the funnels, and single 20mm in each bridge wing and in the place of ‘Y’ gun. Her ASW equipment is heavily increased. But she was an old ship and would be converted as to the right with reduced speed.
HMAS STUART I00
As Fast Transport 1945
With new ships coming into service Stuart was altered to a fast transport. For that role, the vessel is wearing a British-style pale 507c grey with dark blue panel probably of PB10 or US Navy pattern dark blue. The panel was supposed to be from the aft end of the rear shelter deck to the fore end of the forward shelter deck and with a slight tilt forward as shown. However, as with all such things, there were many versions. The armament is now a single 4in AA, seven 20mm and three 2pdrs. She had a refrigerated store hold.
HMS CAMPBELL I60
Destroyer Leader 1941
An unofficial scheme using white to highlight and possibly suggest white waves from high speed. The design is almost certainly one derived aboard, but influenced by other ships. Edging in white was popular for some time in the early-war period. Note the 3in AA has been moved aft to ‘X’ position and a 20mm replaces it amidships. There are single 2pdr AA between the funnels and single 20mm in the bridge wings. The forward torpedo tubes have been removed to save weight for more DCs. Type 286 radar at the masthead and a Type 271 lantern has replaced the gun director.
HMS MONTROSE I01
Destroyer Leader 1944-5
Montrose is shown here at the end of the war. She has a dark blue PB10 panel on the hull and 507c grey elsewhere. ‘A’ gun position still has the twin automatic 6pdr for anti-E-boat work, derived from the Army anti-tank gun of the same calibre. The 3in gun is on the aft deckhouse and six single 20mm are carried. The forward tubes have now been landed to save weight.
EX-US FLUSH-DECK DESTROYERS
HMS STANLEY I73
Converted to LRE
Stanley was rebuilt as an LRE but was lost immediately afterwards while escorting Convoy HG76. When lost, she was wearing a camouflage scheme of WA pale green and WA pale blue on WS white. New bridge and two funnels removed. There is a 4in forward, a 12pdr AA aft, four 2pdrs and two 20mm. Alterations gave the ship a far greater radius of action and more stability.
