Type I
HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer (but see
Addendum)
ordered from Cammell
Laird,
Birkenhead on
4th September 1939 under the1939 War
Emergency Build
Programme. The ship was laid down as Job No.
V1048 on 11th November 1939 and launched on
6th August 1940 as
the 1st RN ship to carry the name of the Fox-Hunt
in
Cumberland. Build was completed on 14th
December
1940 and after acceptance she served with
the 1st Destroyer Flotilla based at
Portsmouth. Following a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942
she was adopted by the civil community
of Keswick,
then in Cumberland. .
B a t t
l e
H o n o u r s
NORTH SEA 1941-45 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1942-44 -
SICILY
1943 - SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1943 -
NORMANDY 1944 - MEDITERRANEAN 1944
H e r a l d i
c
D a t a
Badge:
On a field Red a hunting horn and a crozier
in
saltire, both
Gold.
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 4 0
December
Contractors trials and commissioned for
service with 1st Destroyer Flotilla
14th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
trials
On completion of trials and storing carried
out work-up for operational service.
1 9 4 1
January
Joined Flotilla at Portsmouth for convoy
defence and patrol in English Channel
February
Deployment based at Portsmouth in
continuation.
to
April
(Note: Flotilla then included HM Destroyers
CLEVELAND, TYNEDALE, FERNIE,
BERKELEY and ATHERSTONE all of this Class of
Escort.)
May
12th
Escorted HM Cruiser BERWICK with sister
destroyer HMS BERKELEY during
passage from Portsmouth to Rosyth for
completion of repair.
June
Flotilla duties for convoy defence and patrol
based at Portsmouth in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January
Deployment at Portsmouth with Flotilla in
continuation
to
February
(Note: Other ships in Flotilla were:
HM Destroyers BERKELEY, FERNIE, PUCKERIDGE and
WHEATLAND
all of this Class.)
March
Flotilla deployment based at Portsmouth.
14th
Took part in operation to intercept Auxiliary
Cruiser MICHEL (SCHIFF 28))
in English Channel. Sustained damage by return
fire
(Note: This ship escaped and completed transit
to Atlantic via Channel for
passage to Far East. After several sinkings
she was sunk east of
Yokohama on 17 October 1942 by the US
submarine USS TARPON.)
April
Channel escort and patrol duties in
continuation
to May
June
18th
Under air attack during escort of Channel
convoy and sustained damage by near
misses and cannon fire.
July
Deployed in English Channel until transferred
to 21st Destroyer Flotilla for escort
to
December
of North Sea convoys between Thames and Forth
Estuary, based at Sheerness
Joined sister destroyers HMS CATTISTOCK,
COTTESMORE, FERNIE, GARTH,
HOLDERNESS, MENDIP, MEYNELL and PYTCHLEY.
1 9 4 3
January
Sheerness deployment with 21st Flotilla in
continuation.
to
February
March
Deployed for escort of Convoy FS1074 in North
Sea
28th
During escort of FS1074 under attack by
E-Boats of 2nd German Flotilla which was
successfully driven off with HM Destroyer
WARWICK in area of Smiths Knoll.
April
Flotilla duties in North Sea in continuation.
May
Nominated for transfer for escort and support
of planned allied landings in Sicily
(Operation HUSKY)
Prepared for foreign service.
June
Nominated for escort of military convoy to
Gibraltar during passage from Clyde.
Passage to join joint military convoy WS31 to
Middle East and KMF17 to Gibraltar.
21st
Joined HM Cruiser UGANDA and HM Destroyers
ARROW, BLANKNEY*, BRECON*,
BRISSENDEN*, HAMBLEDON*, LEDBURY*, MENDIP*,
VICEROY, WALLACE,
WITHERINGTON and WOOLSTON as Ocean Escort for
joint convoy during passage
in Atlantic.
(Note: Ships marked * were all HUNT Class.)
26th
Detached from join convoy when Middle East and
Gibraltar section divided and took
passage to Gibraltar with KMF17.
(Note: Escort for WS31 during onward passage
to Freetown was provided by destroyers
from Gibraltar.)
July
Joined 58th Destroyer Division, Mediterranean
Fleet for escort of military convoys to
landing beaches in Sicily.
Carried out preparatory exercises for HUSKY.
Joined Support Force East for escort of
assault convoy.
9th
Took part in defence of assault convoys with
other HUNT Class destroyers.
10th
Deployed for escort of build-up convoys and
patrol to intercept attack by E-Boats.
August
On release from HUSKY deployed for convoy
escort and patrol in central Mediterranean.
Nominated for escort and support of planned
allied landings on Italian mainland at
Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE).
(Note: Extensive operations were carried out
in Messina Strait including bombardment of
positions on mainland during the last week of
this month.)
September
9th
Took part in escort of assault convoys during
passage and for patrol off beach head
during landings.
AVALANCHE deployment for escort and patrol
during subsequent build-up.
October
On release from AVALANCHE nominated for
service in Eastern Mediterranean.
Passage to join naval units providing defence
against enemy landings in Aegean islands
previously garrisoned by Italian forces.
8th
Carried out search for invasion craft on
passage with German troops for invasion.
27th
Deployed as escort for HM Cruiser AURORA with
HM Destroyers PATHFINDER
and sister ship HMS EXMOOR.
(Note: HMS AURORA was to relive HM Cruiser
PHOEBE for interception patrols.)
November
Military support and interception patrol in
continuation.
(Note: During night periods ship laid in
Turkish coastal waters to avoid air attacks.)
9th
Carried out interception patrol off Amorgas
with HM Destroyers FURY and EXMOOR.
13th
Sailed from Alexandria to Aegean to reinforce
naval support to military.
14th
Carried out bombardment of enemy positions in
Alinda Bay, Leros with HM Destroyers
PENN and ALDENHAM.
19th
Towed damaged destroyer HMS ROCKWOOD from
Turkish waters to Alexandria.
(Note: HMS ROCKWOOD had been damaged after
being hit by a Glider bomb during
support of military defence.
For details of the defence and later
evacuation of the Aegean islands see WAR
IN THE AEGEAN by E Gray.)
December
Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean with 58th
Division for convoy defence and anti-
submarine patrol based at Alexandria.
(Note: Ships in Division were HM Destroyers
HAMBLEDON, BLANKNEY and
BRECON.)
1 9 4 4
January
Transferred with ships of Division for
deployment based in Malta.
(Note: Allied landings had been made at Anzio
(Operation SHINGLE which had
involved a large proportion of warships based
in Malta, with a consequent
reduction in availability of escort for convoy
defence and patrol..)
February
Deployed for convoy defence and patrol in
central Mediterranean including service
in support of SHINGLE convoys.
March
SHINGLE support in continuation, based at
Naples.
9th
Deployed for anti-submarine operations.
10th
Took part in sinking of U450 with HM
Destroyers BLANKNEY, BRECON, EXMOOR
URCHIN and US destroyer USS MADISON in
position 41.11N. 12.27E off Anzio.
51 of the crew were rescued by HMS URCHIN when
the submarine was scuttled.
For details see HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair
and U-BOATS DESTROYED
by P Kemp.
29th
Despatched with HM Destroyers HAMBLEDON and
WILTON to assist HM Destroyers
LAFOREY, TUMULT and ULSTER in hunt for
submarine which had been detected by
ASDIC equipment, north of Sicily.
Joined search operation on arrival.
30th
Submarine identified as U223 forced to surface
by series of sustained depth charge
attacks and attempted to escape under cover of
darkness. Took part in gunfire
engagement with other ships during which U223
fired acoustic torpedo which hit and sank
HMS LAFOREY.
U223 sunk in position 38.54N. 14.18E after 27
hours under depth charge and HEDGEHOG
mortar attacks.
(Note: Only 69 of the complement of 258
survived the sinking of HMS LAFOREY and
23 of the 50 crew of U223 survived this
engagement.
For details see above references.)
April
Nominated for support of planned allied
landings in Normandy.
Passage to UK to prepare for Operation
NEPTUNE.
May
Joined 21st Destroyer Flotilla based at
Sheerness.
Took part in preparatory exercises for
NEPTUNE.
For details of naval activities prior to and
during NEPTUNE see LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO) and OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards.
(Note: Participation in Exercise FABIUS to be
confirmed as this ship was to
be deployed in Escort Group 113 for escort of
Build-Up Phase US military
convoy in SW Approaches.
June
Deployed with HM Sloops HART and WHIMBREL, HM
Frigates WHITTAKER
and WALDEGRAVE as EG113 and took passage to
Milford Haven for escort of
Convoy EBP2 for passage to Western Task Force
area with Pre-loaded US Division.
4th
Operation delayed 24 hours.
5th
Passage to position south of Isle of Wight as
escort of EPB2.
(Note: HM Frigates SPRAGGE and STOCKHAM
belonging to Escort Group 112
were also part of escort for EPB2)
6th
Passage through swept channel to Beach Head,
Detached from EPB2 on arrival in Unloading
anchorage and returned to Plymouth
for escort of military convoys.
Deployed for escort of Follow-up military
convoys to landing areas.
(Note: Based at Plymouth with HMS HAMBLEDON
and HMS MENDIP.)
30th
Retained for service in English Channel on
termination of NEPTUNE
July
Channel deployment for patrol, convoy defence
and support of military operations
in continuation.
August
3rd
Carried out salvage operation on captured
human torpedo but sustained damage when
its scuttling charge exploded during recovery.
(Note: Series of attacks was carried out on
ships off French coast using this type of
weapon and recovery of any which were captured
or found was of great
importance.
September
On release from service in support of military
operations resumed convoy defence
to
December
and patrol with 21st Flotilla at Sheerness
(Note: During this period extensive attacks
were carried out by E-Boats, SCHNORKEL
and conventional submarines on traffic in Nore
Command. As a result additional
escorts were transferred to Nore Command to
supplement existing strength so
that North Sea convoys could be adequately
escorted.
(For details see Naval Staff History, HOLD THE
NARROW SEA by P Smith
and THE CAPTAIN CLASS FRIGATES by D
Collingwood.)
1 9 4 5
January
Flotilla deployment in Nore Command in
continuation.
to May
June
Remained in commission after VE Day and
deployment with Flotilla for support
to
July
of re-occupation and visits to UK and European
ports.
August
15th
Sustained damage in collision with ss
WILLOWDALE
(see addenda) and taken in hand for
repair.
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS
BLENCATHRA remained in service after repair
and was
deployed for use as an Air Target Ship when
her armament had been
removed and the necessary modifications to
suit this type of work had been made
by HM Dockyard at Rosyth.
The ship was then used for
training of air crew in identification and
attacks on ships at a station in the North Sea
between October 1945 and June 1948.
She Paid-off in July that year and was reduced
to Reserve status. She was laid-up at Harwich
until 1953 and
the transferred to the Reserve Fleet Division
at Barrow-in-Furness.
A proposed sale to
Norway never materialised in April 1950 and
the ship was placed on the Disposal List in
October 1956 with nine other HUNT Class
destroyers.
Sold to BISCO in 1956 she was towed to the
breaker’s yard at Barrow on 2nd January 1957
for demolition
by T W Ward & Co.
Addenda
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS BLENCATHRA
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
16/11/42
|
16/11/42
|
CW
134
|
17/11/42
|
17/11/42
|
26/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
CW
144
|
27/12/42
|
29/12/42
|
27/12/42
|
27/12/42
|
CE
142
|
28/12/42
|
28/12/42
|
15/03/43
|
15/03/43
|
CW
163
|
16/03/43
|
16/03/43
|
16/03/43
|
16/03/43
|
CE
161
|
17/03/43
|
17/03/43
|
02/05/43
|
02/05/43
|
CW
175
|
03/05/43
|
03/05/43
|
03/05/43
|
03/05/43
|
CE
173
|
04/05/43
|
04/05/43
|
03/05/43
|
04/05/43
|
PW
333
|
05/05/43
|
05/05/43
|
18/06/43
|
26/06/43
|
KMF
017
|
27/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
02/07/43
|
UGS
010
|
06/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
28/06/43
|
07/07/43
|
KMF
018
|
10/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
05/07/43
|
unknown
|
MKF
017A
|
unknown
|
17/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
GUS
010X
|
25/07/43
|
13/08/43
|
12/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
UGS
012
|
07/08/43
|
10/08/43
|
29/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
KMS
021
|
07/08/43
|
10/08/43
|
03/12/43
|
unknown
|
XIF
005
|
unknown
|
09/12/43
|
05/12/43
|
21/12/43
|
UGS
026
|
25/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
20/01/44
|
20/01/44
|
SNF
013
|
22/01/44
|
22/01/44
|
28/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
VN
024
|
29/02/44
|
29/02/44
|
09/12/44
|
09/12/44
|
TAM
012
|
10/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
14/12/44
|
14/12/44
|
TAM
018
|
16/12/44
|
16/12/44
|
15/12/44
|
15/12/44
|
ATM
014
|
16/12/44
|
16/12/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
HMS
BLENCATHRA, BROCKLESBY and LIDDESDALE
- "ONE-OFF" TYPE II HUNTs?
by
Jon Summers
(Editor's
Notes:
1. HMS
BLENCATHRA is listed above as a Type 1 Hunt
by Lt Cdr Mason. HMS BROCKLESBY and
LIDDESDALE are usually found grouped with
BLENCATHRA, and were listed as Type II, but
have been changed to Type I.
2.
"Conways All the World's Fighting Ships
1922-46" lists the three as Type I; Lenton's
"British and Empire Warships of the Second
World War" includes them in the Type I
section but prefaces their names with Type
II, and then lists their details under Type
II!)
Blencathra
(Cammel Laird), Brocklesby (Cammel Laird) and
Liddesdale (VA, Tyne) were all Type II Hunts,
and were among the earlier builds, so the "two
mount" layout in these ships is possibly
either a "left over" from the Type I layout or
the result of supply problems - one of the
three mounts intended to be fitted on the Type
I in the original Admiralty design was removed
by the time the Type I's entered service, due
to stability problems. The "beamier" hull of
the Type II was no doubt part of the response
to this problem. After the bulk of the Type
II's had been completed with three 4in mounts,
the Type III Hunts then returned to a "two
mount" layout, but this is rather later, so is
presumably a separate development (to enable
them to carry a pair of torpedo tubes, not
fitted in the earlier Types).
As for
BLENCATHRA:
Hull
dimensions were those of the slightly
beamier Type II:
(Type I,
264.25 (pp), 280 (oa) x 29 x 7.75')
(Type
II, 264.25 (pp), 282.5 (oa) x 31.5 x 7.75')
However,
she is listed as having the Type I main
armament:
(Type I,
2 x twin 4"; Type II, 3 x twin 4").
The lack
of a third turret reduced her standard
displacement to 1,000 tons
(Type I,
907 tons; Type II, 1,050 tons)
and also
reduced standard complement to 146
(Type I,
146; Type II, 168)
(above
data from Lenton & Colledge, "Warships
of World War II")
The
evolution of the Hunt class:
1939
Estimates (ordered circa Mar/Apr 1939) - All
Type I Hunts
1939 War
Programme (ordered circa Sep 1939) - All
Type II Hunts
1940 War
Programme - All Type III Hunts
The two
Type IV Hunts (to the Thornycroft design)
The date
ordered in your records fits in with the above
scheme, and your records also state she was
built under the "1939 War Emergency
Programme", all this again making her a Type
II.
COLLISION
of 15 AUGUST 1945
by
Nigel
Scott Collett
I
have been unable to trace s.s. Willowdale in
the 1945/6 Lloyds Register, although there
are two vessels with similar names:
Willodale,
1,777 gross tons, built 1909 and owned by
Brommage Shipping Co Ltd of Cardiff
Willowdale
Park, WW2 Canadian Standard, 7,243 gross
tons, built 1944 and owned by the Canadian
Government (Managers: Park S.S. Co Ltd)