Battle Class Destroyer - "1944" or "Australian Battle" Class

"1944" or "Australian Battle" Class

The original building programme for the 1943 ships included provision for the later ships, the third flotilla, to be armed with the new 4.5-inch Mark VI turret. Although these ships were cancelled by the Admiralty two ships of this type had been ordered by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in Australia in 1945. Neither of these ships were cancelled and both ships were laid down in 1946, although, like the building programme in Britain, progress was slow. The first of the two ships, HMAS Anzac, was not completed by HMA Dockyard at Williamstown until 1950, and sister ship HMAS Tobruk, built at Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney, was not completed until the following year. The only difference between these ships and those planned for the Royal Navy was a distinctive funnel cowl fitted to both ships.

Tobruk remained in service until 1960 when she was placed in reserve after being damaged in a friendly-fire accident. Anzac had her STAAG mountings removed at about this time and continued in service as a training ship. She was further modified for this role in 1966 when 'B' turret was removed and replaced by a deckhouse. Another deckhouse was built aft. She was laid up in 1974. Both ships were broken up in 1975.

Armament summary

• 2 × twin QF 4.5 inch /45 (113 mm) Mark V guns in 2 twin mountings UD Mark VI
• 3 × twin 40 mm Bofors mounts "STAAG" Mk. II
• 6-7 × single 40 mm Bofors mount Mk. VII
• 2 × pentuple tubes for 21 in torpedoes Mk. IX
• 1 × Squid A/S mortar