Naval History Homepage and Site Search

 

 

SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMS VETERAN (D 72) -  V & W-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Veteran (Navy Photos/mark Teadham, click to enlarge)

return to Contents List 
 

Modified V-Class destroyer ordered from John Brown of Clydebank in January 1918 under the 1918-19 Programme and laid down on 30th August 1918. The ship was launched on 26th April 1919 as the 4th RN ship to bear this name, introduced in 1787 for a 3rd Rate broken-up in 1816. Build was completed on13th November 1919 and she served in the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet until 1930 when transferred to the Mediterranean. She was deployed on the China Station after 1926 and placed in Reserve on return to UK. In 1939 the ship was in dockyard hands and did not enter service till November that year. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK campaign for National Savings during December 1941 she was adopted by the civil community of Wrexham, then in Denbighshire and now part of Clwyd, Wales.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

MARTINIQUE 1794  - CAMPERDOWN 1797 - COPENHAGEN 1801* - ATLANTIC 1939-42 - NORWAY 1940 - NORTH SEA 1940

(* Ship not deployed in this action but used in a support role and awarded the honour.)

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge:  On a Field Green, an old warrior’s head, helmeted Proper.

 (Note:  The Borough of Wrexham had a copy of the Badge made after

the ship had been adopted..

 

M o t t o

Laudator temporis acti: ‘Proud of former deeds’

 

 

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

 

September             Under refit and repair

to October

 

November              Commissioned for service

                                Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr J E Broome, RN

                                (Note: This officer achieved renown as a successful commander of convoy

                                escort destroyer and later as commanding Officer of HM Destroyer

                                KEPPEL which was one of the escorts for the ill-fated Russian Convoy

                                PQ17. See his book CONVOY IS TO SCATTER.)

                                Following an association with the Company of Veteran Motorists he was

                                able to obtain an enlarged version of the Badge given to their Members

                                and have this emblem fitted to the Bridge of this destroyer.)

 

December              On completion of post refit trials joined Western Approaches Command in18th

                                Destroyer Flotilla based at Plymouth for Channel escort and antisubmarine

                                patrol.

                                (Note: 18th Destroyer Flotilla also included HM Destroyers WHITSHED and

                                WILDSWAN. Ocean Convoys were assembled in SW Approaches and

                                then escorted in to a Dispersal Point from whence mercantiles proceeded

                                independently. Similarly inward convoys were met in SW Approaches and

                                escorted to Liverpool or southern ports as appropriate.

                                Headquarters of Western Approaches Command was at Plymouth until

                                transferred to Liverpool in 1940. See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

                                CLOSELY by C Barnett. and Naval Staff History for details of RN activities

                                between September 1939 and March 1940.  For details of U-Boat

                                deployments see HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair and U-BOAT WAR

                                IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO))

 

1 9 4 0

 

January

                3rd          Deployed with HM Destroyer WANDERER and joined HM Destroyers

                                ACTIVE and WISHART as escort for inward Convoy HG13F during

                                final stage of passage into Irish Sea.

                                Detached with HMS VETERAN and HMS ACTIVE and took return passage to

                                Plymouth.

                                (Note: HMS WANDERER remained with HG13F as escort for passage to

                                destination and arrived at Liverpool on 5th January.)

 

February                Western Approaches deployment in continuation.4

                                (Note: For details of anti-submarine weapons available and weaknesses

                                revealed since September 1939 see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann

                7th          Involved in collision with HM Submarine H46 whilst part of escort for HM

                                Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL.

                                (Note: HMS ARK ROYAL was on passage to meet HM Cruiser EXETER on

                                passage to Plymouth from the South Atlantic after the River Plate victory.)

 

March

                4th          Carried out unsuccessful anti-submarine operation in SW Approaches with

                                HM Destroyers WILD SWAN, VENOMOUS and VOLUNTEER.

                10th        Escorted outward Convoy OA107.

                11th        Involved in collision with ss HORN SHELL during escort for OA107

                                (Note: OA107 dispersed on 13th.)

                                Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

 

April.

                9th          Transferred with Flotilla for detached Home Fleet service after German invasion

                                of Norway.

                11th        Escorted troopships CHOBRY and BATORY from Scapa Flow to join military

                                convoy NP1 for passage to Norway for landings (Operation RUPERT/R4)

                                Deployed for escort of North Sea convoys and support of operations off Norway.

                                (For details of deployment of naval units in Home waters in this period see

                                the Naval Staff History.)

 

May                        Home Fleet deployment in support of Norwegian operations in continuation.

                3rd          Escorted ss ULSTER PRINCE during return passage from Molde after the

                                evacuation.

                                Under repair to electrical generators.

                14th        Escorted HM Aircraft Carriers GLORIOUS and FURIOUS with HM Destroyers

                                DIANA and VISCOUNT during passage from Clyde to Norway to continue

                                flying operations for defence of naval units off Norway and military operations.

                                For full details of this period see Naval Staff History, NARVIK by D MacIntyre,

                                THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Adams and CARRIER GLORIOUS by John

                                Winton.

                24th        Decision to withdraw from Norway and to carry out major evacuation made.

                29th        Sustained damage in collision with damaged mercantile NGKOA (sic) during escort.

                                (Note: Pennant Numbers by RN escorts for visual signalling purposes were

                                changed and ship was allocated Flag I Numeric 72.).

 

June                        Deployed at Harstad for ferrying duties take troops from shore to returning ships.

                8th          On release from ferrying duties ordered to join HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE

                                which was taking passage to UK with HM King Haakon and his entourage

                                as well as diplomatic personnel to UK. See Naval Staff History,

                                Released from this requirement due to lack of fuel and took passage to replenish,

                16th        Embarked 34 survivors from HMS GLORIOUS, HM Destroyers ACASTA and

                                ARDENT at Thorshvn. Faeroes and took passage to Rosyth.

                                For details see CARRIER GLORIOUS.

                                (Note: Commanding Officer was Commander JE Broome who later was

                                involved in the disastrous dispersal of Russian Convoy PQ17 and

                                described his reactions on this occasion in his book THE CONVOY

                                IS TO SCATTER.)

                                On release from Home Fleet detached duties resumed convoy defence with Flotilla.

                                Transferred to Harwich for local duties in North Sea.

 

July                         Harwich deployment for anti-invasion patrol and convoy defence.

to August              Anti-invasion patrols in continuation (Operation RIVAL)

                                For details of deployments in North Sea see THE BATTLE FOR THE EAST

                                COAST by J P Foynes and HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith

                                (Note: During this period repair were carried out by HM Dockyard Chatham

                                and some armament changes, possible to fit 20mm weapons for close

                                range AA defence.)

 

September             Harwich deployment in continuation.

                14th        During patrol off Ostend with HM Destroyers WILD SWAN and MALCOLM

                                sank several invasion barges.

                26th        Sustained damage after detonating an acoustic mine

                                Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard, Chatham

                30th        Transferred to Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.

 

October                  Deployed for Atlantic convoy escort based at Londonderry

                27th        Joined outward Convoy OB293 as Senior Officer of Local Escort during passage

                                in NW Approaches

                31st         Detached from OB235 on dispersal and returned to Liverpool.

                                (Note: Convoys destined for ports in north America were escorted from

                                Liverpool to a Dispersal point about 15 W whence they took

                                independent passage. An inward convoy was usually met in the

                                the same area and escort back to Liverpool.

                                See U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO). THE BATTLE

                                OF THE ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre, SEEK AND STRIKE and

                                BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by J Terraine.)

 

November              Western Approaches convoy escort in continuation.

to December

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

                1st           Joined outward Convoy OB268 with HM Destroyer WOLVERINE as Local

                                Escort during passage to Dispersal point.

                4th          Detached from OB268 with HMS WOLVERINE and took passage to join

                                inward Convoy SC17 as Local Escort during passage into Liverpool.

                9th          Detached from SC17 on arrival.

                19th        Involved in collision with HM Destroyer VERITY

                                Nominated for repair at Barrow-in Furness

                24th        Passage to Barrow .

                                (Note: CinC Western Approaches embarked for this passage.)

                                Taken in hand by Vickers shipyard for refit and docking.

 

 February               Under repair

                                (Note: Medium Frequency Direction Finding Outfit FM7 was fitted during

                                this period as an aid to navigation. It had little value for detection of

                                wireless transmissions from submarines which used much higher

                                frequencies. Suitable equipment for this purposes was fitted later

                                in many escorts, See SEEK AND STRIKE.)

 

March                   

                13th        Carried out post refit trials and resumed escort duties at Liverpool.

                                with 6th Escort Group. (Note: Events 1st to 13th March confirmed by

                                Steve Halford, whose father A F "Prof" Halford was RDF operator,

                                1940-41. VETERAN stayed at Barrow until this date, departed at

                                1030, carried out trial shoot and arrived Liverpool 2000)

                16th        Deployed as Senior Ship of Local Escort of outward Convoy OB 98 to

                                Dispersal Point.

                20th        Detached from convoy to join Home Fleet search for German commerce

                                raiders SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU which had attacked Atlantic

                                convoys.

                                (Note: Convoy dispersed on this date but ship may have left earlier,

                                For details of German raider activities see THE BATTLE OF THE

                                ATLANTIC and Naval Staff History.)

                21st         On release from search rejoined HMS WOLVERINE for Local Escort of

                                inward Convoy SL67 during passage in NW Approaches.

                                (Note: Home Fleet search operation was unsuccessful.)

                23rd        Detached from SL67 and took passage to refuel.

                                See THE ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1939-45 by A Hague for details

                                of some of the more important Atlantic convoys and their control.)

 

April

                3rd          Deployed with HM Destroyer WOLVERINE to carry out search for ships

                                of inward Convoy SC26 that had been scattered after sustained attacks

                                by U73, U74 and U46.

                                (Note: This convoy comprised 23 ships on departure from Halifax on 20th

                                escorted by a single warship, HM Armed Merchant Cruiser

                                WORCESTERSHIRE. Six ships in convoy were sunk whilst in

                                convoy and two were damaged including the escorting AMC.

                                See THE ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1938-45 and HITLER'S U-

                                BOAT WAR by C Blair.

                                Other ships from SC26 were sunk whilst sailing independently

                                after convoy had scattered due to weather conditions.)

                4th          Assisted in reforming convoy and joined HM Destroyers HAVELOCK,

                                HESPERUS, WOLVERINE, HM Sloop SCARBOROUGH and HM

                                Corvette ARBUTUS as part of escort.

                                Detached for rescue survivors from ss ATHENIC which had been sunk

                                by U76 whilst still sailing alone after SC26 had scattered.

                                Rescued survivors from ss HARBLEDOWN.

                                (Note: U76 was later sunk by HMS WOLVERINE. See U-BOATS

                                DESTROYED by P Kemp.

                                Returned to Clyde with survivors.

 

May                        Atlantic convoy defence in continuation

                1st           Rescued survivors from British flagged ss NERISSA which was sailing

                                independently when sunk by U552.

 

June                        Atlantic deployment in continuation

                8th          Rescued from survivors from ss AINDERBY.

                                (Note: Survivors had been sighted by aircraft.

                                This ship is presumed to have been sailing independently as

                                it is not recorded in the Official List Losses in Convoy.

                23rd        Under repair at Londonderry.

 

July                         Atlantic convoy deployment in continuation.

                6th          Under repair at Plymouth.

 

August                  Joined HM Destroyers DOUGLAS, LEAMINGTON, SKATE, SALADIN,

                                HM Corvettes ABELIA, ANEMONE and VERONICA in 2nd Escort Group

                                Based at Londonderry for Atlantic convoy defence.

 

September             Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

                                Deployed in Iceland.

                10th        Despatched with HMS DOUGLAS, HMS LEAMINGTON, HM Corvettes

                                GLADIOLUS, WETASKIWIN (RCN), HM Trawlers BUTTERMERE and

                                WINDERMERE to support Canadian Escort Group24 escorting inward Convoy

                                SC42 under attacks by MARKGRAF Group.

                10th        (Note: This convoy comprised 65 ships including the CAM Ship EMPIRE

                                HUDSON which was sunk by U82.)

                11th        Joined SC42 escort and detached with HMS LEAMINGTON to investigate

                                aircraft sighting of U-Boat ahead of convoy

                                Carried out series of depth charge attacks with HMS LEAMINGTON on

                                U207 which had submerged on approach.

                                (Note: These attacks sank the submarine in Denmark Strait and were

                                credited to the these two destroyers in post war analysis

.                               See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)

                16th        U-Boats ceased shadowing convoy for which escort had been further

                                reinforced by three US Navy destroyers.

                                (Note: The loss in convoy of 15 mercantiles was the greatest since October

                                1940 when 21 ships on inward Convoy SC7 were sunk.)

 

October                  Atlantic convoy escort with Group in continuation.

                                (Note: EG2 ships escorted inward Convoy SC45 of 58 ships which

                                arrived at Liverpool on 4th, inward Convoy HX154 of 51 ships

                                arriving on 23rd, and to Dispersal Point outward Convoys ON18

                                of 25 ships on 2nd with ONS25 of 29 ships on 23rd.)

 

November              During this period the Group escorted outward Convoys ONS32 of

                                49 ships and ON39 of 35 ships to Dispersal Point.

 

December              During this period the Group escorted outward Convoys ON46 of 28

                                Ships to the Dispersal Point and inward Convoy HX161 of 42 ships into

                                Liverpool

                                Nominated for conversion to Short Range Escort.

                                See V&W DESTROYERS by A Preston for details of changes to be made.

                                Passage to Thames.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Under refit and conversion for use as a Short Range Escort in commercial

                                shipyard in London.

                                For details of new weapons developed for anti-submarine defence

                                See SEEK AND STRIKE.

 

February                On completion of dockyard worked carried out pots refit trials.

                26th        Passage to Tobermory to work-up for operational service.

 

March                    Worked-up.

                                Nominated for detached service off east coast of USA and Canada.

                                (Note: Assistance was provided to US Navy to provide experienced defence

                                against the determined efforts being made by German U-Boats to

                                sink shipping off the east coast of America. See ENGAGE THE

                                ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,  SEEK AND STRIKE and BUSINESS

                                IN GREAT WATERS.)

 

April                       Passage to Newfoundland for detached duty

 

May                        Deployed for defence of convoys between US and Canadian ports to

to August              Newfoundland.

                                For details of changes in tactics used in defence of convoys

                                and by U-Boats for Group attacks see THE BATTLE OF THE

                                ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre and CAPTAIN GILBERT ROBERTS

                                by M Williams.

                                (Note: Ship was fitted with HEDGEHOG anti-submarine mortar by this period.)

 

September             Nominated for escort of special convoy identified as RB1 during

                                passage to UK.

                                (Note: This identity as given in HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR, Vol 2

                                by C Blair is an acronym for Rivers to Britain and was

                                special convoy comprising Great Lakes River Steamers which

                                had been transferred under Lease Lend to Great Britain. They

                                were ss BOSTON, ss NEW YORK, ss SOUTHLAND, ss

                                NORTHLAND, ss YORKTOWN, ss PRESIDENT

                                WARFIELD, NAUSHON and ss NEW BEDFORD.

                                No passengers were carried in ships of convoy although German

                                reports later implied that RB1 was a troop convoy.)

                                (Added note from John Lawton of  Wrexham, North Wales, the town that adopted

                                VETERAN, and who published a private account of her: his understanding is that

                                RB stood for River Boat(s), and that a second RB was planned but never sailed)

                16th        Sailed from Halifax with HM Destroyer VANOC as escort for RB1

                                during Atlantic passage.

                21st         Sailed from New York with RB1.

                23rd        RB1 Sighted by U380 and reported to U-Boat headquarters which ordered the formation

                                of a new U-Boat Group BLITZ specifically for co-ordinated attacks on RB1.

                                (Note: U-Boats of VORWARTS and PFIEL Groups were also deployed.

                24th        U-Boat attacks commenced.

                25th        ss BOSTON sunk by U216 (PFIEL)

                                ss NEW YORK sunk by U96 (VORWARTS) and 28 survivors rescued.

                                Convoy scattered.

                26th        Convoy ordered to reform and ship deployed to collect ships.

                                Came under attack by U404 (VORWARTS).

                                Hit by two torpedoes and sank quickly in position 54.51N 23.04W

                                south of Iceland after an explosion.

                                No survivors were rescued from this ship but HM Frigate EXE and

                                HM Corvette GENTIAN rescued survivors from the mercantile.

                                (Note: ss YORKTOWN sunk later by U619 (VORWARTS).

                                The Casualty List was published on 14th November 1942.)

                                U404 was sunk in the Atlantic in July 1942 by two USAF

                                LIBERATOR AIRCRAFT and an RAF LIBERATOR of

                                224 Squadron. None of the submarine crew survived.

                                For details of attacks by U-Boats on RB1 see HITLER’S

                                U-BOAT WAR, Vol 2 and WARSHIPS SUPPLEMENT

                                No 82 Autumn 1985.)

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS VETERAN

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

 

 

 

 

 

03/12/39

04/12/39

OA 046

05/12/39

unknown

25/11/39

07/12/39

SL 010F

08/12/39

08/12/39

11/12/39

11/12/39

OA 051

13/12/39

14/12/39

29/12/39

03/01/40

HG 013F

03/01/40

05/01/40

07/01/40

07/01/40

OA 068GF

07/01/40

unknown

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

25/01/40

AXS 010

26/01/40

26/01/40

08/02/40

10/02/40

OA 088GF

11/02/40

11/02/40

21/02/40

22/02/40

OA 096

24/02/40

unknown

14/02/40

25/02/40

SL 020F

28/02/40

28/02/40

29/02/40

29/02/40

OA 101

01/03/40

03/03/40

22/02/40

06/03/40

HX 022

09/03/40

09/03/40

10/03/40

11/03/40

OA 107

12/03/40

13/03/40

27/10/40

27/10/40

OB 235

02/11/40

31/10/40

20/10/40

01/11/40

HX 082

04/11/40

06/11/40

09/11/40

09/11/40

OB 241

14/11/40

14/11/40

31/10/40

15/11/40

HG 046

17/11/40

19/11/40

30/11/40

30/11/40

OB 252

04/12/40

04/12/40

12/11/40

01/12/40

SL 055

02/12/40

02/12/40

06/12/40

08/12/40

OB 255

10/12/40

10/12/40

29/11/40

10/12/40

HX 092

12/12/40

12/12/40

10/12/40

24/12/40

HX 095

27/12/40

27/12/40

01/01/41

02/01/41

OB 268

04/01/41

04/01/41

23/12/40

07/01/41

SC 017

08/01/41

08/01/41

14/01/41

14/01/41

OB 274

16/01/41

19/01/41

01/01/41

18/01/41

SL 061

21/01/41

24/01/41

16/03/41

16/03/41

OB 298

20/03/41

20/03/41

01/03/41

21/03/41

SL 067

25/03/41

26/03/41

28/03/41

01/04/41

OB 303

03/04/41

03/04/41

20/03/41

03/04/41

SC 026

08/04/41

08/04/41

12/04/41

12/04/41

OB 309

18/04/41

19/04/41

03/04/41

16/04/41

HG 058

20/04/41

21/04/41

27/04/41

02/05/41

OB 316

04/05/41

05/05/41

19/04/41

04/05/41

SC 029

09/05/41

08/05/41

17/05/41

18/05/41

OB 323

22/05/41

25/05/41

18/05/41

24/05/41

OB 324

27/05/41

27/05/41

27/05/41

06/06/41

HX 129

11/06/41

12/06/41

20/06/41

20/06/41

OB 337

21/06/41

28/06/41

14/06/41

26/06/41

HG 065

29/06/41

29/06/41

16/08/41

18/08/41

ON 008

21/08/41

25/08/41

10/08/41

22/08/41

SC 040

29/08/41

29/08/41

05/09/41

06/09/41

ON 013

09/09/41

11/09/41

30/08/41

11/09/41

SC 042

18/09/41

20/09/41

18/09/41

30/09/41

SC 045

03/10/41

04/10/41

19/09/41

21/09/41

ON 018

24/09/41

02/10/41

10/10/41

11/10/41

ON 025

16/10/41

24/10/41

10/10/41

19/10/41

HX 154

23/10/41

23/10/41

21/11/41

22/11/41

ON 039

27/11/41

04/12/41

21/11/41

03/12/41

HX 161

05/12/41

06/12/41

13/12/41

17/12/41

ON 046

18/12/41

21/12/41

10/12/41

21/12/41

SC 059

25/12/41

27/12/41

24/03/42

24/03/42

SC 076

28/03/42

11/04/42

21/03/42

01/04/42

ON 078

09/04/42

09/04/42

20/04/42

20/04/42

HX 186

23/04/42

02/05/42

14/04/42

26/04/42

ON 086

unknown

29/04/42

14/05/42

14/05/42

SC 084

17/05/42

29/05/42

12/05/42

22/05/42

ON 094

26/05/42

25/05/42

29/05/42

29/05/42

BX 021

31/05/42

31/05/42

07/06/42

07/06/42

XB 024

09/06/42

09/06/42

10/06/42

10/06/42

BX 024

12/06/42

12/06/42

14/06/42

14/06/42

XB 025

16/06/42

16/06/42

17/06/42

17/06/42

BX 025

20/06/42

20/06/42

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

28/06/42

28/06/42

XB 027

30/06/42

30/06/42

02/07/42

02/07/42

BX 027

04/07/42

04/07/42

12/07/42

12/07/42

XB 029

14/07/42

14/07/42

15/07/42

15/07/42

BX 029

17/07/42

17/07/42

19/07/42

19/07/42

XB 030

21/07/42

21/07/42

22/07/42

22/07/42

BX 030

unknown

24/07/42

02/08/42

02/08/42

XB 032

04/08/42

04/08/42

05/08/42

05/08/42

BX 032

07/08/42

07/08/42

14/08/42

14/08/42

BX 033

16/08/42

16/08/42

16/08/42

16/08/42

XB 034

18/08/42

18/08/42

19/08/42

19/08/42

BX 034

21/08/42

21/08/42

30/08/42

30/08/42

XB 036

01/09/42

01/09/42

02/09/42

02/09/42

BX 036

04/09/42

04/09/42

06/09/42

06/09/42

XB 037

08/09/42

08/09/42

09/09/42

09/09/42

BX 037

11/09/42

11/09/42

16/09/42

16/09/42

RB 001

18/09/42

21/09/42

21/09/42

21/09/42

RB 001/1

26/09/42

28/09/42

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 10/7/11
further editing and formatting is required


 

if any ads offend, please contact Naval-History.Net