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Type 1 HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Yarrow Shipbuilders at Glasgow as Job No 1836 under the 1939 Programme on 11th April 1939. She was laid down on 11th October 1939 and launched on 18th July 1940 as the 2nd ship to carry this name, introduced in 1917 for a minesweeper sold in 1922. Build was completed on 16th November 1940. Later in March 1942 she was adopted by North Cotswold Urban District of Gloucestershire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK campaign for National Savings.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

NORTH SEA 1941-45 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1943 - NORMANDY 1944

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field per fess wavy Green and Red, in front of two hunting

horns in saltire Gold, a mitre White embellished Red.

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

1 9 4 0

November              Contractor's sea trials and commissioned for service in 16th Destroyer Flotilla,

                16th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                On completion of trials and storing took passage to work-up for operational service.

December              Passage to Harwich to join Flotilla on completion of work-up

                                Deployed with Flotilla for North Sea convoy escort and patrol duty.

1 9 4 1

January                  Convoy escort and patrol duty in North Sea with Flotilla in continuation.

to

February

March

                1st           In collision off the Humber with HM Trawler ST DONATS which sank.

                2nd         Taken in hand for repair.

April                       On completion of repair rejoined Flotilla in continuation of escort and patrol duty.

May

                27th        Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK with Minesweepers during lay of a

                                section of East Coast Barrier (Operation BS62)

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

June

                19th        Escorted HM Coastal Minelayer PLOVER for lay of section of East Coast Barrier.

                                (Operation BS59).

July                         Deployed on convoy escort and patrol duty in North Sea.

to

December

1 9 4 2

January                  Convoy escort and patrol duty in North Sea in continuation.

to

March

April

                20th        Mined off Orfordness in position 42.06N, 01.51E. Detonation under the Stabiliser

                                Compartment causing extensive flooding and loss of power.

                                Four of Ship's Company were missing.

                                Coastal Forces craft embarked casualties.

                                Initially towed by HM Destroyer LEEDS and later assisted by tug KENYA and Salvage

                                Vessel DAPPER.

                                Tug SUPERMAN replaced HMS LEEDS and ship then was towed to Shotley Spit.,

                                off Parkestone where she was temporarily beached.

May

                3rd          Refloated and taken to Parkeston Quay, Harwich

                4th          Under tow by tugs DAPPER and KENYA to Chatham.

                12th        Taken in hand for repair at m Dockyard Chatham.

June                        Under repair.

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December

1 9 4 3

January                  Under repair

to

April

May                        Carried out Post Refit trials and prepared for operational service.

                8th          On completion of repair rejoined Flotilla.

                10th        Resumed convoy escort and patrol duties in North Sea and English Channel.

June                        Convoy escort and patrol duty in continuation.

to

September

October

                24th        Sustained major damaged in collision with HM Destroyer MONTROSE.

                                (Note: Boiler Rooms, Engine Room and Gearing Compartment flooded with serious structural

                                damage aft.)

November              Under repair.

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December

1 9 4 4

January                  Under repair

to

April

May                        Carried out Post Refit trials.

                9th          On completion rejoined Flotilla.

                                Nominated for duty in Follow-up Force L for escort of convoys during planned allied

                                landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).

                                (For details of naval activities before and during this Operation see LANDINGS IN

                                NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and D DAY

                                SHIPS by J de Winser.

June                        Joined Force L in More.

                5th          Deployed as escort for Convoy L1 with HM Corvettes NARCISSUS and OXLIP from

                                Thames Estuary to Solent.

                                Passage through Swept Channel with L1

                                (Note: Convoy comprised 18 Landings Ships (Tank)).

                6th          On arrival off beach head detached and returned to Nore.

                7th          Joined 134th Escort Group with HMS NARCISSUS and two Motor Launches to continue

                                cycle of planned convoy escort to beach head.

                27th        After release from NEPTUNE continued escort duties in North Sea with Flotilla at Harwich.

July                         Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and patrol in North Sea and English Channel.

to

August

September

                8th          In collision with ss CHIGNECTO PARK and withdrawn for operational service.

                9th          Passage to Humber for repair for repair in commercial shipyard at Immingham.

                10th        Taken in hand for repair.

October                  On completion of post repair trials rejoined Flotilla

                                Deployed for convoy escort and intercept enemy minelaying craft in North Sea.

                                (Note: This period was marked by an increase in U-Boat activities by new types of German

                                SCHNORKEL fitted submarines, submersibles and E-Boats).

                                (See E-BOAT ALERT by Trent and SEEK AND STRIKE by J Terraine).

November              North Sea Convoy defence and patrol duty in continuation

to

December

1 9 4 5

January

                15th        In action with HM Frigate CURZON against E-Boat attack on convoy off Dutch

                                coast.

February                North Sea convoy defence and patrol In continuation.

to

April

May

                6th          After VE Day deployed in support of re-occupation operations.

June                        Deployed in Home Waters on patrol and support duty.

to

August

Post  War  Notes

HMS COTSWOLD Paid-off after VJ Day and was refitted at Portsmouth before being reduced to Reserve status. Laid-up at  Harwich on 29th June 1946 the ship remained there until transferred to Barrow in 1953. Placed on the Disposal List in January 1956 she was towed to Harwich and hulked there prior to sale to BISCO in August 1957 for demolition by T W Ward at Grays, Essex. The ship arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard on 11th September that year.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS COTSWOLD

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)