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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS SABRE (H 18)  - Old S-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Scimitar, sister-ship  (Navy Photos/Paul Simpson, click to enlarge)

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Admiralty S-Class destroyer ordered in April 1917 from Alex Stephens at Govan, Glasgow with the 11th Order of the 1917-18 Programme. The ship was laid down on 10th September 1917 and launched on 23rd September 1918 as the first RN ship to carry this name. After end of WW1 she was transferred for after launch for completion by Fairfield shipyard in Govan.. Build was completed on during 1919 and the ship commissioned for Fleet service. BY 1938 she had been de-militarised for use as a target ship but brought forward for service in 1939 despite her age and unsuitability. During March 1942 after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign she was adopted by the civil community of Bebington, Cheshire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

DUNKIRK 1940 - ATLANTIC 1940-43

 

H e r al d i c   D a t a 

Badge: On a Field Argent per fess wavy Azure thereon a a cavalry helmet

Argent with badge or plume gules, two cavalry sabres in Saltire all

Poper with hilts and sword knots gules.

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

 

1 9 3 9

 

August                  Took up war Station on mobilisation of the Fleet

 

September             Deployed in Western Approaches for convoy defence

to

December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

 

February                Sustained major structural damage off west coast of Scotland and disabled.

                                Taken in tow for repair.

 

March                    Under repair.

 

April                       On completion of post repair trials resume Atlantic convoy defence deployment.

 

May                        Transferred to support evacuation of allied troops from coast of France and took passage

                                to Dover for service in Dover Command.

                28th        Deployed for evacuation (Operation DYNAMO).

                30th        Embarked 1500 men during two trips to Dunkirk.

                                Under heavy and sustained air attacks.

                31st         Sustained damage during air attacks whilst deployed for evacuation.

 

June                        On completion of repair resumed evacuation duties.

                                (Note: Made further eight trips to beaches and in all carried over 5,000 soldiers.)

                12th        Transferred for further evacuation from French ports in Bay of Biscay (Operation AERIAL)

                                Deployed with HM Destroyer VEGA for evacuation of personnel from Alderney.

                                On release from AERIAL redeployed in Forth.

 

July                         Transferred for duty with HM Destroyer WITCH for Experimental Minesweeping trials

                                based in Forth area,

 

August                  Resumed Atlantic convoy defence in Western Approaches.

 

September             Atlantic convoy defence deployment in continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

to                            Nominated for refit

August                  Under refit during which Sonar equipment was modified to improve operational efficiency.

                                Transferred to 1st Escort Group based at Liverpool on completion of post refit trials.

 

September             Convoy defence deployment in Atlantic with Group.

to

October

 

November

                22nd       Sustained damage in collision with HM Trawler ST APOLLO off the Hebrides.

                                (Note: This requisitioned trawler was sunk.)

 

December              Resumed Atlantic convoy defence on completion.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation

to                            (Note: See CONVOY ESCORT COMMANDER by P Gretton for further details.)

February

 

March

                10th        Detached for escort of Russian Convoy PQ13 during initial stage of passage to Iceland in

                                NW Approaches with HM Destroyers SALADIN, LAMERTON and Polish ORP

                                BLYSKAWICA. See CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg and ARCTIC CONVOYS by

                                R Woodman.

                16th        Detached from PQ13 on arrival in Iceland and resumed service with Group for Atlantic

                                convoy defence.

 

April                       Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

to

September

 

October                  Transferred to 21st Escort Group in continuation of convoy defence in NW Approaches.

 

November              Atlantic convoy defence in continuation

to

December

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Deployment with Group for Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

to

June

 

 

July                         Detached for duty with Torpedo School Experimental unit at South Queensferry.

 

August                  Carried out extensive series of trial on FOXER Noise making equipment prior to

to                            its introduction into operational use for defence against attacks by acoustic torpedoes

September             (Note: These had been developed specifically for use against escorts of convoys and were

                                known as ZAUNKONIG or T5 weapons.).

 

October                  Resumed service in Western Approaches with 21st Escort Group based in Iceland

to                            Deployed for convoy defence in central Atlantic for support of anti-submarine

December              operations including RAF Coastal Command aircraft.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence and support based in Iceland

to

September

 

October                  Transferred for coastal convoy defence when ships of Group replaced by new US built

                                CAPTAIN Class Frigates,

                                (Note: This type of WW1 built destroyer was quite unsuitable for deployment in

                                the Atlantic and several instances of men being lost overboard in rough weather

                                are recorded for this vintage of destroyer.)

 

November              Deployed for coastal convoy defence in Home waters,

to

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Coastal convoy duties in continuation

to

April

 

May                        Removed from operational use after VE day and laid-up in Reserve.

to

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS SABRE was placed on the Disposal List after the end of hostilities in the Far East. The ship was sold to BISCO for demolition and arrived at the breaker’s yard at Grangemouth on the Forth in 1946. 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS SABRE

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

25/06/40

07/07/40

HX 053

10/07/40

10/07/40

03/09/40

05/09/40

OG 042

07/09/40

16/09/40

24/09/40

24/09/40

OB 218

27/09/40

29/09/40

24/09/40

24/09/40

OL 004

27/09/40

27/09/40

10/09/40

28/09/40

SL 047

unknown

28/09/40

01/10/40

01/10/40

OB 222

04/10/40

05/10/40

19/09/40

05/10/40

SL 048

07/10/40

09/10/40

07/10/40

08/10/40

WS 003B

12/10/40

28/10/40

21/10/40

21/10/40

OB 232

21/10/40

26/10/40

18/11/40

18/11/40

OB 245

22/11/40

22/11/40

11/11/40

22/11/40

HX 085/1

25/11/40

25/11/40

30/11/40

01/12/40

OB 252

04/12/40

04/12/40

22/11/40

05/12/40

SC 013

07/12/40

07/12/40

21/01/41

05/02/41

BHX 104

09/02/41

09/02/41

15/02/41

15/02/41

OG 053

20/02/41

01/03/41

03/02/41

18/02/41

HX 107

20/02/41

20/02/41

06/02/41

22/02/41

HG 053

24/02/41

24/02/41

12/03/41

12/03/41

OB 297

17/03/41

17/03/41

05/03/41

17/03/41

HX 113

20/03/41

21/03/41

24/03/41

24/03/41

OB 302

unknown

30/03/41

17/03/41

29/03/41

HX 115

03/04/41

03/04/41

22/04/41

23/04/41

OB 313

27/04/41

28/04/41

15/04/41

27/04/41

HG 059

01/05/41

01/05/41

05/05/41

07/05/41

OG 061

10/05/41

19/05/41

17/04/41

10/05/41

SL 072

12/05/41

13/05/41

17/05/41

19/05/41

OB 323

23/05/41

25/05/41

10/05/41

23/05/41

HX 126

27/05/41

28/05/41

02/06/41

03/06/41

OB 330

07/06/41

07/06/41

27/05/41

08/06/41

HX 129

12/06/41

12/06/41

15/06/41

17/06/41

OB 336

22/06/41

23/06/41

10/06/41

24/06/41

SC 034

28/06/41

29/06/41

06/07/41

06/07/41

OB 343

12/07/41

21/07/41

30/06/41

13/07/41

HX 136

18/07/41

18/07/41

01/07/41

13/07/41

SC 036

18/07/41

19/07/41

01/08/41

12/08/41

HX 142

15/08/41

18/08/41

01/08/41

18/08/41

SC 039

19/08/41

19/08/41

27/08/41

29/08/41

ON 010

01/09/41

11/09/41

21/08/41

02/09/41

HX 146

05/09/41

06/09/41

11/09/41

11/09/41

ON 015

14/09/41

16/09/41

04/09/41

15/09/41

HX 148

16/09/41

17/09/41

05/09/41

16/09/41

SC 043

20/09/41

20/09/41

28/09/41

30/09/41

ON 021

02/10/41

14/10/41

28/09/41

09/10/41

HX 152

13/10/41

14/10/41

20/10/41

20/10/41

ON 028

25/10/41

03/11/41

17/10/41

31/10/41

SC 050

04/11/41

04/11/41

08/11/41

18/11/41

HX 159

23/11/41

23/11/41

01/12/41

02/12/41

ON 042

06/12/41

14/12/41

28/11/41

10/12/41

SC 057

13/12/41

15/12/41

21/12/41

22/12/41

ON 049

27/12/41

05/01/42

21/12/41

01/01/42

HX 166

03/01/42

05/01/42

09/01/42

20/01/42

SC 064

23/01/42

23/01/42

26/01/42

27/01/42

ON 060

02/02/42

15/02/42

10/03/42

10/03/42

PQ 013

16/03/42

31/03/42

14/03/42

29/03/42

SL 103

31/03/42

02/04/42

01/04/42

01/04/42

DS 025

04/04/42

04/04/42

08/04/42

08/04/42

SD 025

11/04/42

11/04/42

17/04/42

17/04/42

UR 020

22/04/42

22/04/42

24/04/42

24/04/42

RU 020

28/04/42

28/04/42

01/05/42

01/05/42

UR 022

05/05/42

05/05/42

08/05/42

08/05/42

RU 022

12/05/42

12/05/42

21/05/42

21/05/42

UR 025

27/05/42

25/05/42

27/05/42

27/05/42

RU 025

30/05/42

01/06/42

25/06/42

25/06/42

DS 029

26/06/42

26/06/42

28/06/42

28/06/42

SD 029

29/06/42

29/06/42

12/07/42

20/07/42

HX 198

21/07/42

23/07/42

27/07/42

27/07/42

UR 034

01/08/42

01/08/42

03/08/42

03/08/42

RU 034

07/08/42

07/08/42

04/08/42

22/08/42

SL 118

23/08/42

26/08/42

08/09/42

08/09/42

TA 021

09/09/42

14/09/42

05/09/42

10/09/42

AT 022

11/09/42

11/09/42

28/02/43

13/03/43

HX 228

15/03/43

15/03/43

19/03/43

19/03/43

DS 038

21/03/43

21/03/43

22/03/43

22/03/43

SD 038

25/03/43

25/03/43

14/04/43

14/04/43

DS 039

16/04/43

16/04/43

19/04/43

19/04/43

SD 039

21/04/43

21/04/43

01/08/43

01/08/43

DS 043

03/08/43

03/08/43

06/08/43

06/08/43

SD 043

08/08/43

08/08/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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