The Churchills: A Naval History published in Finest Hour No 110, Spring 2001 pp 26-7 details the service of HMS Churchill, ex USS Herndon, later USSR Dyeyatielnyi. The destroyers for bases agreement is dealt with in Fifty Ships that Saved the World: The Foundation of the Anglo-American Alliance by Philip Goodhart, 1965. The definitive work on the whole class of over 250 destroyers is Flush Decks and Four Pipes by John D Alden, 1965. In addition to Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, those outside the US may have easier access to Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II, foreword by Anthony Preston, 1989 which is a reprint of the 1946/7 edition of Jane's supplemented by information from pre-war editions to cover the losses during the war.
Most opinions of the usefulness of the destroyers is less than positive. However, they did provide practical assistance at a critical time when no other resources were available. I have recently acquired a copy of Lend-Lease, Weapon for Victory by Edward R Stettinius, Jr, 1944 which provides a more positive contemporary view. Stettinius was appointed by Roosevelt as Commissioner for Industrial Materials , the position responsible for the implementation and administration of Lend-Lease until his appointment as Under Secretary of State late in 1943. I have not come across any significant information about the role of the bases. The 99 year rights to bases in Newfoundland and Bermuda were "freely given" and strategically located for operations in the North Atlantic and thus make a direct contribution to the defence of the US. The rights to the Bahamas, Jamaica, St Lucia, Trinidad, Antigua and British Guiana were "traded." These locations are more suited to operations in the Caribbean and in Latin America. The greatest legacy of the agreement is the political climate this step provided between the "cash and carry" policy and the implementation of "Lend-Lease." Neil Coates From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Gregory B. Smith Sent: Wednesday, 12 June 2013 5:47 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [ChurchillChat] 50 Destroyer/Bases deal. Is anyone aware of a detailed study of the uses and fates of the 50 destroyers exchanged in 1940 for bases in the North Atlantic and Caribbean? Of what uses and for how long the bases were used by the U.S.? Andrew Roberts had some acerbic comments about the destroyers in Storm of War, but not much detail. -- Gregory B. Smith 154 W. Spain St., Villa T Sonoma, CA 95476 707 974-9324 Live dangerously, dread naught, all will be well. (W. S. Churchill) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ChurchillChat" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/churchillchat?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ChurchillChat" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/churchillchat. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
