A-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from John Brown at Clydebank under the 1927 Programme and launched on 4th October a the 5th RN warship to carry the name, introduced in 1573 and previously used by a destroyer sold in 1921. Build completed on 11th February 1930 and she commissioned on 27th March that year. Before WW2 this ship served in the Mediterranean and Home Fleets but in 1938 was in the Devonport Local Flotilla. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK in February 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Halesowen the in the County of Worcestershire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ARMADA 1558 - GUADALOUPE 1810 - JUTLAND 1916 - ATLANTIC 1940-42 - BISMARCK 1941 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - ARCTIC 1942 - BARENTS SEA 1942

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field two hands Proper grasping a spear proper.

 

M o t t o

Fidus Achates: 'Faithful Achates'

 

 

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                  Attached to 6th Submarine Flotilla at Portland

                                War Station allocated - 18th Destroyer Flotilla at Portsmouth.

 

September             Joined Flotilla for convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol duties in English Channel.

 

October                  Channel deployment in continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Transferred to Western Approaches for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                Escorted HM Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN to Halifax with HM Destroyers ANTHONY and

                                ARROW.

 

February                Deployed in Western Approaches for convoy defence.

to                            (Note: Did not take part in Norwegian or Dunkirk evacuations.

June

 

July                         Transferred to 16th Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich.

                                Deployed in North Sea for convoy defence and patrol duty

 

August                   Detached for service in Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.

                10th        Assisted in the rescue of the survivors from H M Armed Merchant Cruiser TRANSYLVANIA

                                with HM Destroyers ANTELOPE and FORTUNE.

                16th        Attacked U-Boat reported by HM Armed Merchant Cruiser CHESHIRE.

 

September             Resumed North Sea duties with Flotilla and deployed on anti-invasion patrols.

 

October                  Transferred to Western Approaches for escort of military convoy.

                10th         Joined Convoy WS3B Fast with HM Cruiser KENYA and HM Destroyers ARROW, SABRE

                                and VIMY for Local Escort in NW Approaches.

                16th        Detached with destroyers of Local Escort and returned to Clyde.

 

November              Deployed with 4th Escort Group based at Greenock for Atlantic convoy defence.

                2nd          Escorted Convoy OB237 with HM Destroyer ANTELOPE. Detached to search for U31 but

                                ASDIC failed during hunt.

                                (Note: U31 was sunk by HMS ANTELOPE - See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)

                                Joined Convoy HX83 as escort With HM Destroyers ACTIVE, HESPERUS, WILD SWAN,

                                BEAGLE, HURRICANE and HM Corvette PICOTEE.

                4th          Detached with HMS HESPERUS to assist rescue of survivors from HM Armed Merchant

                                Cruisers PATROCLUS and LAURENTIC after attack by U99.

                                Rescued survivors from both ships.

 

December              Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

                                (For details of naval operations and convoy defence in the Atlantic see THE BATTLE OF

                                THE ATLANTIC by D. MacIntyre HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, U-BOAT WAR

                                WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.

                20th        During escort of Convoy OB237with HMS ANTELOPE detected U31.

                                Carried out depth charge attacks with HMS ANTELOPE which sank U31 in position 26.26N

                                10.18W.

                                43 survivors were rescued from U31.

                                (Note: This submarine had been salvaged after previous sinking by an RAF BLENHEIM

                                aircraft on 19th March 1940.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

to

March

 

April                       Detached for escort of minelayers.

                11th        Escorted ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron during lay in Northern Barrage (Operation

                                SN71).

                                (Note: For details of all minelaying operations see The Naval Staff History (Mining).

 

May                        Detached for Home Fleet duties.

                23rd        Part of escort for HM Battlecruiser HOOD and HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES with HM

                                Destroyers ANTHONY, ANTELOPE, ELECTRA and ECHO during passage from Scapa Flow

                                to intercept German battleship BISMARCK.

                26th        Joined Home Fleet units for screening duties during search and sinking of BISMARCK

                                (For details of this action see BISMARCK by Mullenheim Rechberg and PURSUIT by L.

                                Kennedy.)

 

June                        Resumed convoy defence duties in NW Approaches.

 

July                         Deployed with Home Fleet.

                23rd        Escorted HM Aircraft Carriers VICTORIOUS and FURIOUS with other Home Fleet ships 

                                during passage to carry out air attacks on Kirkenes and Petsamo.

                                (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett.)

                24th        Detached to take passage to Iceland.

                25th        After engine failure due to contamination of fuel struck British mine in Field SN69 of 

                                Northern Barrage off Iceland, in. position 64.25N 12.45W.

                                Major structural damage sustained including loss of entire bow portion and significant

                                flooding.

                                Ship disabled and taken in tow by HMS ANTHONY.

                                63 of ships company lost their lives and 25 were injured..

                26th        Arrived at Seidisfjord

 

August                  Under repair, to allow return ocean passage.

                7th          Taken under tow by HM Tug ASSURANCE from Iceland escorted by HMS ANTELOPE.

                10th        Hull structure showed signs of failure during storm conditions.

                11th        Took shelter in Skagekstjor, Faeroes for further temporary repair.

                21st         Sailed for Tyne after shoring work completed.

                24th        Taken in hand for repair at commercial shipyard.

 

September             Paid-off for repair and conversion for use as an Escort Destroyer.

 

October                  Under repair and conversion.

to                            (Note: Work done included fit of Type 271 Surface Warning Radar and HEDGEHOG

December              Anti-Submarine Ahead Throwing Mortar.)

                                For details of development and use of radar and mortar type weapons see RADAR AT

                                SEA by D Howse and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Under repair and conversion.

to                            Nominated for service with Special Escort Force based at Greenock.

February

 

March                    Post refit trials.

 

April                       Re-commissioned and worked up for operational service.

 

May                        Deployed at Greenock for Atlantic convoy defence in NW Approaches.

                                Detached for duty with Home Fleet.

                23rd        Joined Ocean Escort for Russian Convoy PQ16 with HM Destroyers ASHANTI, MARTIN,

                                VOLUNTEER and Polish ORP GARLAND.

                                (For details of all Russian Convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,, THE 

                                RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield, CONVOY! by P Kemp and ARCTIC CONVOYS by

                                R Woodman.)

                28th        Provided medical aid to ORP GARLAND after heavy air attacks.

 

June                        Joined escort for returning Russian Convoy QP11 with same ships.

                26th        Detached from QP11 on arrival in UK and resumed duties at Greenock.

 

July

to

August

 

September             Transferred to Home Fleet for Russian Convoy escort.

                7th          Joined HM Destroyer MALCOLM, HM Anti-Aircraft Ships ALYNBANK and ULSTER

                                QUEEN as Ocean Escort for Convoy PQ18 with four FLOWER Class Corvettes.

                21st         Detached from PQ18 on arrival at Murmansk.

                                Independent passage from Kola Inlet

 

October                  Resumed Atlantic convoy defence based at Greenock.

                                Nominated for escort of military convoys to Gibraltar and support of allied landings in North

                                Africa (Operation TORCH)

                                Deployed for convoy escort.

                                Transferred to Home Fleet for Russian Convoy escort.

 

November              Transferred to Central Task Force for support of landings.

                                For details see Naval Staff History and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY.

                8th          Passage to Oran as escort of assault convoy.

                                Shared credit with HM Destroyer WESTCOTT for sinking French submarines ARGONAUTE

                                and ACTEON off Oran.

 

December              On release from TORCH took passage to Scapa Flow for detached service with Home Fleet.

                23rd        During passage to Iceland mast structure sprung in heavy weather.

                25th        Joined HM Destroyers OBEDIENT, OBDURATE, ORIBI, ONSLOW and ORWELL as part of

                                the Ocean Escort for Russian Convoy JW51B during passage to Kola Inlet.

                31st         In action with German Armoured Ship LUTZOW and German cruiser HIPPER, escorted by 

                                five destroyers which attacked JW5 IB during passage. (Operation REGENBOGEN).

                                During provision of smoke screen to protect convoy ship hit by 11-inch shellfire which 

                                caused major damage with many casualties.

                                Main armament disabled.

                                Towing attempt by HM Trawler NORTHERN GEM failed when ship rolled over and sank in

                                position 73.03N 03.42E.

                                Only 91 of the ships company were rescued.

                                For details see 73 NORTH by Dudley Pope, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and

                                the above references.

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ACHATES

by Don Kindell

 

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

(Note on Convoys)