HMS Bicester postwar, Type II sister-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Type II HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Scotts at Greenock on 4th September 1939 under the1939 War Emergency Build Programme. The ship was laid down as Job No. J1115 on 1st March 1940 and launched on 10th March 1941 as the 1st RN ship to carry the name of the Fox-Hunt at Petworth, West Sussex. Build was completed on 16th October 1941 and after acceptance she served with the Home Fleet. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Farnham, Surrey .

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

NORWAY 1941 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1945

H e r a l d i c  D a t a

Badge: On a field Blue a stirrup white and a spur Gold

 interlaced and in Saltire.

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

1 9 4 1

October                  Contractor’s trials and commissioning.

                16th        Build completion and commenced acceptance trials.

November              On completion of storing took passage to Scapa Flow for work-up

                                with ships of Home Fleet

December              Work-up for operational service at Scapa Flow.

                                Nominated for support of planned Commando raid on Lofotens

                                (Operation ARCHERY).

                22nd       Deployed with HM Cruiser KENYA, HM Destroyers ONSLOW,

                                OFFA and ORIBI in preparatory exercises before ARCHERY.

                24th        Passage to Sullom Voe, Shetlands in atrocious weather with same ships

                                as escort for HM Landings Ships (Infantry) PRINCE CHARLES and

                                PRINCE LEOPOLD.

                25th        Delayed at Sullom Voe by weather conditions and assisted in pumping

                                150 tons of sea-water from HMS PRINCE CHARLES

                26th        Sailed with ARCHERY Force ships from Sullom Voe after weather

                                conditions improved and deployed as screen.

                27th        Entered Vaagsfjord as leader for the two Landing Ships whilst HMS

                                KENYA and Fleet destroyers prepared to provide gunfire support.

                                (Note: HM Submarine TUNA had been deployed to assist as Marker

                                during entry at western end of Fjord and RAF HAMPDEN

                                aircraft carried out diversionary bombing.)

                                Laid smoke screen to cover HMS KENYA and destroyers during the

                                bombardment of shore positions during the landings,

                                (For details see THE WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson and IN HARMS

                                WAY by B Crabb, Record of service for HMS KENYA)

                                Withdrew from Fjord with ARCHERY ships and took passage to Scapa

                                Flow during which period two unsuccessful attacks were made by

                                HEINKEL aircraft

                28th        Arrived at Scapa Flow to resume work-up.

1 9 4 2

January                  Allocated for service in Orkney and Shetland Command for convoy

                                defence on completion of work-up.

                9th          Deployed with HM Escort Destroyer CALPE to reinforce screen for

                                ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron during lay of northern section of the

                                East Coast Barrier (Operation SN15A – See Naval Staff History (Mining).

                10th        Commenced service in Orkney and Shetland Command.

February                Deployed for convoy defence in NW Approaches.

to                            (Note: Orkney and Shetland Command provided escorts for convoys

November              to Iceland from Clyde and for coastal convoys between East

                                coast of UK to assembly points for Atlantic convoys. Ships were

                                detached as required by CinC Home Fleet for other duties.)

December              Nominated for detached service with Home Fleet.

                15th        Deployed with HM Destroyers BLANKNEY and LEDBURY as Western

                                Escort for Russian Convoy JW51A during initial part of passage to Kola

                                Inlet in NW Approaches.

                18th        Detached from JW51A with Western Escort on relief by Home Fleet

                                destroyers for Ocean Escort during transit to North Russia.

                22nd       Deployed with HMS BLANKNEY and HMS LEDBURY as Western

                                Escort for Russian Convoy JW51B during initial part of passage to Kola

                                Inlet in NW Approaches.

                25th        Detached from JW52 with Western Escort on relief by Home Fleet

                                destroyers for Ocean Escort during transit to North Russia.

1 9 4 3

January                  Resumed duties in Orkney and Shetland Command for convoy defence.

to                            Nominated for foreign service on completion of refit.

May                        (Note: As no Battle Honour NORTH SEA or ATLANTIC can be

                                traced this ship was not involved in any actions of significance

                                during deployment for escort of Iceland or coastal traffic.)

June                        Passage to Middlesbrough for refit in commercial shipyard.

                16th        Taken in hand for refit.

                                (Note: This ship was fitted with Fire control radar Type 285 during

                                build and it is assumed that the fit of Radar Type 291 was

                                carried out during this refit. For details of development and

                                use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)

July                         Under refit.

August                  Allocated for service in Mediterranean with 59th Destroyer Division.

                21st         Refit completion and commenced Post Refit Trials.

September             Passage to Malta on completion of storing and preparation for

                                foreign service.

                                Joined HM Escort Destroyers BICESTER, OAKLEY and ZETLAND

                                for convoy defence and patrol based in Malta.

October                  Deployed for defence of convoys in central Mediterranean.

to                            (Note: Convoys were escorted between North African ports and

December              east coast of Italy with patrols off Dalmatian coast for

                                interception of E-Boats and coastal traffic.)

1 9 4 4

January                  Deployment with 59th Division in continuation.

to

May

June                        Transferred to 22nd Destroyer Flotilla based in Malta.

to                            Joined sister Escort Destroyers EXMOOR, CATTERICK, LEDBURY,

December              LIDDESDALE, TETCOTT and WHEATLAND for continuation

                                of convoy defence and patrol duties with support

                                of military operations in Italy as required.

1 9 4 5

January                  Flotilla duties with interception patrols and gunfire support

to                            in continuation.

February                Nominated for return to UK for service in the 16th Destroyer Flotilla

                                based at Harwich.

March

                1st           Deployed with other ships for bombardment of shore targets at

                                Genoa in support of military operations.

                3rd          Released from Mediterranean service and took passage to join Flotilla

                                at Harwich.

                                Deployed with Flotilla for escort of convoys to Scheldt estuary and

                                for patrols to intercept minelaying by submarines and E-Boats in

                                Nore Command and anti-submarine operations against SCHNORKEL

                                fitted U-Boats.

                                (For details see SEEK and STRIKE by W Hackmann, HOLD THE

                                NARROW SEA by P Smith, HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair

                                and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).

April                       Nore Command deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

                                (Note: During early 1945 Atlantic convoys had been re-routed via

                                English Channel and significant traffic was needed for support

                                of military operations in the Low countries due to advance

                                of allied forces and the improved access to ports in Belgium and

                                the Netherlands.)

May                        Nominated for service in East Indies after VE Day and took passage to

                                commercial Thames shipyard for refit.

                29th        Taken in hand for refit

June                        Under refit

July                         Post refit trials

                2nd         Refit completion and sea trials.

                                Took passage to Mediterranean for work-up after completion

                                of preparation for foreign service with 18th Destroyer Flotilla.

                                (Note: It is probable that many of the ship’s company will have

                                changed before foreign deployment.)

                                Deployed in Mediterranean for exercises prior to passage via Red

                                sea to join East Indies Fleet.

                                Commanding Officer during East Indies Service: Lieutenant

                                Commander F G Woods, DSC. RN

August                  Passage to Ceylon to join Flotilla in East Indies Fleet.

                                (Note: Official records show this ship was part of the East Indies

                                Fleet on VJ Day but not that she took part in Operation

                                ZIPPER, the landings in Malaya after VJ Day.)

                                Deployed with Flotilla at Singapore for support of re-occupation.

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMS CHIDDINGFOLD returned to Trincomalee on release from duties at Singapore and was nominated for reduction to Reserve status. She took passage from Trincomalee in October 1945 and arrived at Portsmouth to Pay-off on 16th November that year. The ship was reduced to Reserve early in 1946 and laid-up on 25th March in Category “B”. In 1950 she was transferred to the Reserve Fleet at Harwich and remained there until 1952 when negotiations were in hand for loan service in the Indian Navy. This transfer was announced on 17th June and took place after refit by Messrs Crichton at Liverpool which completed in June 1953. This destroyer had been renamed INS GANGA (D94) on 27th November 1952 but did not formally join the Indian Navy until 18th June 1953. After trials and work-up in Home waters she took passage to India for Fleet service with sister ships INS GOMATI (Ex HMS LAMERTON) and INS GODAVERI (ii) (Ex HMS BEDALE which had been loaned to Poland as ORP SLAZAK during WW2). The loan service was extended in August 1956  and the ship bought outright in April 1958. Before being stricken from the Active List in 1975 she was deployed for training duties until being sold for demolition. This name was carried forward for the second time in the RN when given to a HUNT-Class Minehunter on 6th October 1983. This new warship was still in service in 2000.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS CHIDDINGFOLD

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)