Modified
Admiralty W-Class destroyer ordered
from John Brown, Clydebank with 13th
Order of the
1918 Build Programme in January 1918.
The ship was laid down on 17th May
1918
and launched on 19th March 1919 as the
1st RN warship to carry the name.
Build
was completed on 17th September 1919.
Between the wars she served in the
Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets. In
1938 the ship was part of the Local
Flotilla at Portsmouth. Following a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign
in March 1942 she was adopted by
the
civil community of Stratford
North in
Warwickshire.
with wartime modifications (Mike
Pocock)
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-45 - DUNKIRK 1940 - NORTH SEA 1940 - NORTH
AFRICA 1942-43
H e r a
l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Black,
a Roman Lamp Gold
M o t t
o
Prevalebit: ‘Truth shall prevail ‘
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
Nominated
for service with 19th Destroyer
Flotilla at Harwich.
September
Deployed
for convoy defence in SW Approaches.
5th
Escorted Convoy GC1 from
Milford
Haven with HM Destroyers
WITHERINGTON,
WOLVERINE
and VOLUNTEER
October
Transferred
to Harwich for East coast convoy
defence duty
to
December
1 9 4
0
January
Transferred to
Plymouth
for convoy defence in SW
Approaches and Channel.
to
Based
at Plymouth.
March
April
10th
Joined outward Convoy OG25 on
formation in SW Approaches as
escort during
initial
stage of passage to
Gibraltar
with HM Destroyers BROKE and
WAKEFUL.
11th
Detached from OG25 with HMS BROKE and
took passage to join
inward Convoy
HG25 as escort
during passage in SW Approaches to
Liverpool
12th
Joined HM Sloops BIDEFORD and FOWEY
as
escort for HG25.
15th
Detached from HG25 on arrival at
Liverpool
and returned to
Plymouth.
May
Transferred
to Dover Command with ships of
Flotilla for support of operations in
Belgium
and
France.
5th
Detached for
escort of minelay In Galloper area
in Thames Estuary.
(Operation
CML9. For details of all minelaying
operations see Naval Staff History
(MINING)).
12th
Took detachment of
Royal Marines to
Hook
of Holland
with HM
Destroyer VENOMOUS.
(Operation
D(C)).
21st
Assisted with
evacuation at Boulogne.
22nd
Embarked Admiral Somerville for
passage to
Calais.
On return
nominated for evacuation of troops at
Boulogne
and took passage.
Found port under
military attack
25th
Passage to
Calais
with HM Destroyer WOLFHOUND
with Royal Marines and ammunition..
Under fire from
6in howitzers which was returned.
26th
Under heavy air
attacks at
Calais.
Passage to assist
in evacuation of troops from beaches
at Dunkirk.
until
2nd June.
(Operation
DYNAMO - For details see
THE NINE DAYS OF
DUNKIRK
by AD Divine,
NAVAL
STAFF HISTORY (HMSO-2002) and BEF
SHIPS by J de Winser,
27th
Deployed as escort for mercantiles
BIARRITZ
and
ARCHANGEL
during passage to
Dunkirk
for
evacuation (Operation DYNAMO)
Came under fire
from shore batteries near
Calais
and sustained casualties.
Returned to
Dover
29th
Landed 315 troops at
Dover
from beaches.
30th
Landed 52 troops from beaches
(Note:
Total number of troops evacuated by
this ship during
DYNAMO was 367.)
June
On
release from DYNAMO resumed Flotilla
duties.
19th
Carried out first
sea trial with RAF
ASV
Mark 1 Radar
at
Spithead.
(Note:
This equipment was later introduced
into naval
service as Radar 286/M.
For
details of development and use of
radar by RN see RADAR AT
SEA
by D Howse).
July
Transferred
to 18th Destroyer Flotilla based at
Liverpool for convoy defence in
Atlantic
August
Convoy defence in continuation.
September
Transferred
to 6th Escort Group based at
Liverpool.
October
Atlantic escort duty with Group in
continuation.
to
December
1 9 4
1
January
Atlantic
convoy defence with Group in
continuation.
to
February
March
Deployed with HM Corvettes
CAMELLIA and ARBUTUS as escort for
outward Convoy OB239.
6th
Under threat of attack by U37, U47,
U99 and ex Turkish
submarine design UA.
7th
Came under sustained torpedo attacks
from the four
submarines and carried out effective
anti-submarine
operations during which U70 was sunk
by the
two corvettes.
(Note:
U47 commanded by the renowned Gunther
Prien was
not sunk in this series of attacks as
presumed
until after the end of WW2.
For details see
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp an
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR
by C
Blair).
April
Atlantic escort duty with Group in
continuation.
to
September
October
1st
Joined military convoy US12 in
Clyde
with HM Cruiser
CAIRO,
HM Destroyers WITCH and
WHITEHALL
as Local
Escort for passage in NW Approaches.
4th
Detached from WS12 with Local Escort
and returned to Clyde.
Later part of
escort for Convoy ONS29 with Group.
November
Atlantic convoy escort in
continuation.
to
December
1 9 4
2
January
Atlantic convoy escort in
continuation.
February
17th
Joined military convoy WS16 from
Clyde
at Oversay
with H M Destroyers WALKER and
WITHERINGTON as
Local Escort for passage in NW
Approaches.
22nd
Detached from WS16 with Local Escort
and
returned to Clyde.
March
Western
Approaches deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated
for escort of military convoys to
Gibraltar for planned allied landings.
September
in
North
Africa
(Operation
TORCH).
October
Deployed
for Atlantic escort of military
convoys to
North
Africa.
November
Deployed for defence of military
convoys on passage to Gibraltar prior to planned allied landings
in North Africa (Operation TORCH).
4th
Sailed from
Gibraltar to supplement escort for military convoy KMF1 during
passage to
Algiers
.
6th
Detached from KMF1 and returned to
Gibraltar.
7th
Nominated for support of landings on
YANKEE Beach Head at
Oran.
8th
Deployed at
Oran
December
Support of TORCH operations and
convoy defence in continuation at
Gibraltar.
1 9 4
3
January
Convoy
defence based at Gibraltar
in continuation
February
Nominated
for conversion to Long Range Escort.
March
Passage
to UK
for refit and conversion.
April
Taken
in hand for conversion by HM Dockyard,
Portsmouth
May
Under conversion.
to
September
October
Post
refit
trials and work-up for operational
service.
November
Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence deployment.
to
(For
details of development of new weapons
and tactics for convoy defence and the
December
introduction
of counter measures by German
submarines see SEEK
AND
STRIKE by
Hackmann)
1 9 4
4
January
Atlantic
convoy defence duty in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4
5
January
Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation.
to
(Note:
During this period Atlantic convoys
were re-routed through
English
Channel
and German
March
‘Schnorkel’
fitted U-Boats were concentrating
attacks in
focal points of convoys that
altered the
deployment patterns of Western
Approaches
Escorts)
April
After
VE Day nominated for reduced to
Reserve status and paid off.
to
May
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS VERITY remained in Reserve until 1946 when she was
placed on the Disposal List. She was
sold to BISCO in 1946 for demolition
by J Cashmore and arrived
in tow at the breaker's in Newport on
14th September 1947
S p e c i a l N o
t e s
This
ship in common with many
other Atlantic escorts was one of the
'unsung' veterans of the sea war in
the Atlantic. It should be
remembered that 70% of all convoys had
an unscathed passage but this was
possible due to vastness of
the ocean and the constant vigilance
of ships companies.
Details
of escorts for WS Series
military convoys ware provided by
Donald Kindell of Ohio, USA from an
unpublished source. This
is gratefully acknowledged.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
VERITY
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/09/39
|
05/09/39
|
RED
1
|
08/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
|
04/10/39
|
24/10/39
|
KJ
003
|
28/10/39
|
28/10/39
|
|
02/11/39
|
02/11/39
|
OA
029
|
07/11/39
|
07/11/39
|
|
16/11/39
|
18/11/39
|
OA
036G
|
19/11/39
|
24/11/39
|
|
24/11/39
|
24/11/39
|
OA
040G
|
26/11/39
|
26/11/39
|
|
01/12/39
|
02/12/39
|
OA
044
|
03/12/39
|
03/12/39
|
|
25/11/39
|
04/12/39
|
HXF
010
|
09/12/39
|
09/12/39
|
|
28/12/39
|
30/12/39
|
OA
062
|
31/12/39
|
31/12/39
|
|
20/12/39
|
02/01/40
|
HX
013
|
04/01/40
|
04/01/40
|
|
05/01/40
|
05/01/40
|
OB
067
|
09/01/40
|
09/01/40
|
|
12/01/40
|
14/01/40
|
OA
071
|
16/01/40
|
16/01/40
|
|
01/01/40
|
16/01/40
|
SL
015
|
19/01/40
|
19/01/40
|
|
20/01/40
|
20/01/40
|
OA
076
|
23/01/40
|
23/01/40
|
|
25/01/40
|
26/01/40
|
OA
079
|
28/01/40
|
28/01/40
|
|
20/01/40
|
29/01/40
|
HXF
017
|
01/02/40
|
01/02/40
|
|
02/02/40
|
02/02/40
|
OA
084
|
04/02/40
|
05/02/40
|
|
13/02/40
|
13/02/40
|
OA
091
|
16/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
|
05/02/40
|
17/02/40
|
SL
019F
|
20/02/40
|
20/02/40
|
|
21/02/40
|
21/02/40
|
OA
096
|
23/02/40
|
unknown
|
|
08/04/40
|
08/04/40
|
OA
125G
|
10/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
|
08/04/40
|
08/04/40
|
OB
125
|
10/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
|
10/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
OG
025
|
11/04/40
|
16/04/40
|
|
05/04/40
|
12/04/40
|
HG
025
|
15/04/40
|
15/04/40
|
|
04/10/40
|
14/10/40
|
HX
078
|
19/10/40
|
20/10/40
|
|
20/10/40
|
20/10/40
|
HX
082
|
04/11/40
|
06/11/40
|
|
27/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
OB
235
|
31/10/40
|
31/10/40
|
|
09/11/40
|
11/11/40
|
OB
241
|
14/11/40
|
14/11/40
|
|
31/10/40
|
15/11/40
|
HG
046
|
17/11/40
|
19/11/40
|
|
23/11/40
|
23/11/40
|
OB
248
|
26/11/40
|
26/11/40
|
|
13/11/40
|
27/11/40
|
SC
012
|
29/11/40
|
29/11/40
|
|
06/12/40
|
08/12/40
|
OB
255
|
10/12/40
|
10/12/40
|
|
01/01/41
|
18/01/41
|
SL
061
|
24/01/41
|
24/01/41
|
|
02/03/41
|
02/03/41
|
OB
293
|
07/03/41
|
08/03/41
|
|
23/02/41
|
10/03/41
|
HX
111
|
12/03/41
|
12/03/41
|
|
16/03/41
|
16/03/41
|
OB
298
|
20/03/41
|
20/03/41
|
|
01/03/41
|
21/03/41
|
SL
067
|
24/03/41
|
26/03/41
|
|
31/03/41
|
01/04/41
|
OB
304
|
03/04/41
|
04/04/41
|
|
20/03/41
|
04/04/41
|
SC
026
|
05/04/41
|
08/04/41
|
|
12/04/41
|
12/04/41
|
OB
309
|
15/04/41
|
19/04/41
|
|
03/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
HG
058
|
20/04/41
|
21/04/41
|
|
26/04/41
|
27/04/41
|
OB
315
|
01/05/41
|
04/05/41
|
|
25/04/41
|
08/05/41
|
HX
123
|
09/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
|
08/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
OB
320
|
14/05/41
|
14/05/41
|
|
06/05/41
|
16/05/41
|
HX
125A
|
18/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
|
18/05/41
|
24/05/41
|
OB
324
|
27/05/41
|
27/05/41
|
|
27/05/41
|
06/06/41
|
HX
129
|
12/06/41
|
12/06/41
|
|
20/06/41
|
21/06/41
|
OB
337
|
24/06/41
|
28/06/41
|
|
14/06/41
|
25/06/41
|
HG
065
|
29/06/41
|
29/06/41
|
|
04/07/41
|
04/07/41
|
OG
067
|
09/07/41
|
20/07/41
|
|
18/06/41
|
09/07/41
|
SL
078
|
12/07/41
|
12/07/41
|
|
03/07/41
|
23/07/41
|
SL
080
|
26/07/41
|
29/07/41
|
|
17/10/41
|
17/10/41
|
CT
004
|
20/10/41
|
23/10/41
|
|
22/10/41
|
23/10/41
|
ON
029
|
26/10/41
|
05/11/41
|
|
22/10/41
|
31/10/41
|
HX
156
|
04/11/41
|
05/11/41
|
|
03/12/41
|
05/12/41
|
ON
043
|
07/12/41
|
15/12/41
|
|
13/12/41
|
13/12/41
|
DS
018
|
16/12/41
|
16/12/41
|
|
20/12/41
|
20/12/41
|
SD
018
|
23/12/41
|
23/12/41
|
|
02/02/42
|
02/02/42
|
ON
063
|
07/02/42
|
13/02/42
|
|
14/02/42
|
28/02/42
|
ON
067
|
01/03/42
|
01/03/42
|
|
09/03/42
|
09/03/42
|
HX
179
|
13/03/42
|
22/03/42
|
|
27/03/42
|
27/03/42
|
HX
182
|
30/03/42
|
09/04/42
|
|
11/04/42
|
11/04/42
|
SC
079
|
15/04/42
|
27/04/42
|
|
14/04/42
|
14/04/42
|
HX
185
|
18/04/42
|
27/04/42
|
|
08/04/42
|
22/04/42
|
ON
084
|
25/04/42
|
25/04/42
|
|
07/05/42
|
07/05/42
|
SC
083
|
12/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
|
06/05/42
|
14/05/42
|
ON
092
|
17/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
|
21/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
BX
019
|
23/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
|
22/05/42
|
02/06/42
|
ON
097
|
06/06/42
|
05/06/42
|
|
08/06/42
|
08/06/42
|
BX
023B
|
10/06/42
|
10/06/42
|
|
21/06/42
|
21/06/42
|
XB
026
|
23/06/42
|
23/06/42
|
|
24/06/42
|
24/06/42
|
BX
026
|
26/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
|
06/07/42
|
06/07/42
|
HX
197
|
09/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
|
30/06/42
|
12/07/42
|
ON
108
|
18/07/42
|
18/07/42
|
|
20/07/42
|
20/07/42
|
BX
029C
|
22/07/42
|
22/07/42
|
|
27/07/42
|
27/07/42
|
HX
200
|
30/07/42
|
07/08/42
|
|
24/07/42
|
03/08/42
|
ON
115
|
08/08/42
|
08/08/42
|
|
09/08/42
|
09/08/42
|
BX
032C
|
unknown
|
11/08/42
|
|
16/08/42
|
16/08/42
|
HX
203
|
19/08/42
|
28/08/42
|
|
09/08/42
|
21/08/42
|
ON
120
|
27/08/42
|
27/08/42
|
|
26/10/42
|
04/11/42
|
KMF
001
|
06/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
|
01/11/42
|
11/11/42
|
KMF
002
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
|
14/11/42
|
14/11/42
|
MKS
001O
|
15/11/42
|
15/11/42
|
|
08/11/42
|
22/11/42
|
KMS
003G
|
26/11/42
|
26/11/42
|
|
20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
KMF
005A
|
22/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
|
22/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
MKS
004
|
27/12/42
|
06/01/43
|
|
12/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
UGS
003
|
01/01/43
|
01/01/43
|
|
24/12/42
|
04/01/43
|
KMS
006G
|
09/01/43
|
09/01/43
|
|
05/01/43
|
08/01/43
|
MKS
005
|
11/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
|
07/01/43
|
18/01/43
|
KMS
007G
|
23/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
|
19/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
MKS
006
|
22/01/43
|
01/02/43
|
|
23/01/43
|
23/01/43
|
ET
009X
|
27/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
|
24/01/43
|
31/01/43
|
KMF
008
|
31/01/43
|
01/02/43
|
|
31/01/42
|
31/01/43
|
GUF
004
|
02/02/43
|
13/02/43
|
|
07/02/43
|
08/02/43
|
MKS
007
|
10/02/43
|
17/02/43
|
|
08/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
KMF
009
|
16/02/43
|
16/02/43
|
|
07/02/43
|
25/02/43
|
UGS
005
|
26/02/43
|
26/02/43
|
|
25/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
ET
012
|
02/03/43
|
02/03/43
|
|
18/02/43
|
06/03/43
|
UGS
005A
|
08/03/43
|
06/03/43
|
|
26/02/43
|
08/03/43
|
KMS
010G
|
11/03/43
|
11/03/43
|
|
23/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
GUS
005A
|
26/03/43
|
15/04/43
|
|
03/01/44
|
03/01/44
|
OS
064KM
|
05/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
|
14/01/44
|
14/01/44
|
OS
065KM
|
16/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
|
15/01/44
|
17/01/44
|
KMF
028
|
22/01/44
|
29/01/44
|
|
25/01/44
|
25/01/44
|
RS
014
|
01/02/44
|
01/02/44
|
|
19/02/44
|
19/02/44
|
SR
010
|
27/02/44
|
27/02/44
|
|
01/03/44
|
01/03/44
|
RS
015
|
08/03/44
|
14/03/44
|
|
26/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
SR
012
|
03/04/44
|
03/04/44
|
|
06/04/44
|
06/04/44
|
RS
016
|
14/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
|
15/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
STL
019
|
19/04/44
|
19/04/44
|
|
27/04/44
|
27/04/44
|
LTS
018
|
01/05/44
|
01/05/44
|
|
04/05/44
|
04/05/44
|
SR
013
|
11/05/44
|
11/05/44
|
|
14/05/44
|
14/05/44
|
RS
017
|
21/05/44
|
21/05/44
|
|
22/05/44
|
22/05/44
|
STL
023
|
26/05/44
|
27/05/44
|
|
21/06/44
|
25/06/44
|
RS
018
|
27/06/44
|
27/06/44
|
|
29/06/44
|
29/06/44
|
STL
026
|
03/07/44
|
03/07/44
|
|
10/07/44
|
10/07/44
|
LTS
027
|
14/07/44
|
14/07/44
|
|
17/07/44
|
17/07/44
|
SR
015
|
24/07/44
|
24/07/44
|
|
25/03/45
|
25/03/45
|
MKF
041
|
26/03/45
|
30/03/45
|
|
12/04/45
|
12/04/45
|
MKF
042
|
15/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
