THE DESTROYER ESCORT ENGLAND

Designed with mass production in mind, the England was typical of the scores of long-hulled destroyer escorts built during the Second World War. Of all-welded construction, England's hull was a flush-deck design incorporating both longitudinal and transverse framing. Water-tight integrity was enhanced by 11 water-tight bulkheads, pierced by watertight hatches only on the first platform deck level.

Below the first platform deck, access to all water-tight compartments was limited to water-tight scuttles fitted to the decks above. Further protection was ensured by longitudinal bulkheads aft and forward of the engineering spaces - those spaces were extending from keel to main deck between frames 59 and 113. The engineering spaces were staggered to enhance powerplant survivability and were arranged: fire room (boiler room), engine room, fire room, engine room.

The forward pair normally serviced the starboard shaft; the after pair the port shaft. The engineering spaces could only be reached vertically from the main deck. Fuel oil was stored in compartments forward and aft of the engineering spaces below the 2nd platform deck and reserve feed water tanks were fitted outboard in both fire rooms...