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Type
II HUNT Class Escort
Destroyer ordered from Scotts
of Greenock on 4th September 1939 under the
1939 War Emergency Programme. The ship was
laid down as Job No J1116 on 30th April 1940. She was launched on 22nd July 1941 as
the 1st RN ship to
carry this name. Build was completed on 29
July 1942. Following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during
in March 1942 she was adopted by
the civil community of Chichester, West
Sussex. As shown below in the record
the ship was only operational for 3 months
during WW2..
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ARCTIC 1942 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 -
ATLANTIC
1943 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1944 - NORTH SEA
1944-45
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field, Gold, in front of
a horseshoe
inverted, a spear erect black
within the
horseshoe and in front of the spear, a sun in
splendour Red.
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 2
July
Contractors trials and commissioned for
service,
22nd Build
completion and commenced Accepted Trials.
Passage to work-up on completion on trials and
storing
August
Worked-up for operational service.
September
Joined Londonderry Escort Force for convoy
escort duty in Western Approaches.
Detached for escort for oilers being sent to
establish a fuelling base at Spitzbergen.
(Note: This was to be used for replenishment
escorts of Russian convoys
PQ18 and QP14 and ships involved were deployed
as Force P.)
Passage to Iceland
10th
Deployed with HM Destroyers OAKLEY, WINDSOR
and WORCESTER as
escort for Royal Fleet Auxiliaries BLUE
RANGER and OLIGARCH to provide fuel
for escorts of Convoys PQ18 and return Convoy
QP14..
(For details see ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman
21st
On completion of refuelling took passage to
Iceland with RFA BLUE RANGER escorted by
HM Destroyer ONSLAUGHT and ships of Force P
26th
On return to Iceland took passage to resumed
escort duties based at Londonderry.
October
2nd
Part of escort in NW Approaches for rms QUEEN
MARY with HM Cruiser CURACOA, HM
Destroyers BRAMHAM and SKATE and three other
destroyers.
HMS CURACOA was rammed and sunk by QUEEN MARY in position 55.50N 08.38W.
Assisted in rescue work.
(For details see THE QUEEN MARY AND THE
CRUISER by D Thomas and P Holmes).
25th
Deployed with escort for troop convoys to
Mediterranean for planned allied landings in
North Africa (Operation TORCH).
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by Corelli Barnett, Naval
Staff History, BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de
Winser and RELUCTANT ENEMIES
by W Tute.).
November
Detached for duty with Eastern Task Force
during landings.
Deployed for Inshore Escort of C Fast Convoys
and for anti-submarine patrols.
8th
During patrol off C Beach, east of Cape
Natifou,
Algeria
came under heavy air attack by
torpedo and bombing.
Torpedoes missed but a bomb struck the forward
structure on starboard side and exploded
under the hull.
Sustained extensive damage under No 1 Boiler
Room and ship disabled.
Seventeen casualties including five fatal.
9th
Towed by HM Minesweeper ALGERINE and beached 7
miles from Algiers.
Ship prepared for scuttling.
16th
Towed into Algiers for temporary repair.
December
Under temporary repair to allow passage.
1
9 4 3
January
Under temporary repair to allow passage.
to
Structural work carried cut to renew plating
and ensure use of fuel tanks.
March
April
Post refit trials showed ship had distinct hog
amidships with low freeboard.
24th
Took passage from Algiers to UK.
May
22nd
Arrived at Chatham and Paid-off into Dockyard
Control.
June
2nd
Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard
Chatham.
July
Under repair
to
(Note: During this period proposal to transfer
to Royal Hellenic Navy was under
December
consideration).
1
9 4 4
January
Repair work in continuation.
Transfer to Greece discontinued.
February
Under repair.
to
July
August
Carried out Post Refit trials and
re-commissioning
23rd
Dockyard Repair work completed.
September
Prepared for service with 21st Destroyer
Flotilla based at Sheerness.
October
Worked-up for convoy defence duties.
November
Rejoined Flotilla and deployed on coastal
patrols for interception of E-Boats and
to
defence of convoys in North Sea and English
Channel.
December
1
9 4 5
January
Deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
10th
Struck submerged wreck whilst attacking midget
submarine.
(Note: Asdic Dome and shafts damaged)
Taken in hand for repair at HM Dockyard
Chatham.
(Note: During this period German E-Boats and
midget submarine were engaged in a
series of minelaying operations to interfere
with supply routes to ports on the
continent used for military convoys).
February
Under repair.
to
March
April
Carried out Post Refit trials.
12th
On completion of dockyard work rejoined
Flotilla in continuation.
May
Nominated for service with 18th Destroyer
Flotilla, Eastern Fleet.
to
Under Refit and modification for foreign
service.
July
August
On passage to Trincomalee to join Flotilla
P o s t W a r N
o t e s
HMS
COWDRAY served only a few
weeks in the East Indies and returned to UK in
November 1945. Then the ship and
served in the Nore
Local Destroyer Flotilla. In January
1950 whilst with this Flotilla she assisted in
the rescue of survivors from HM
Submarine TRUCULENT which sank after a
collision in the Thames Estuary, The
ship Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status at
Chatham in 1951. She was moved
to lay-up Portsmouth in 1953 and finally at Hartlepool.
Placed on the Disposal List in 1959 this
destroyer was sold to BISCO for
demolition by J J King at Sunderland where she
arrived in tow at the breaker’s
yard on 3rd September 1959.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS COWDRAY
by
Don Kindell
These
convoy lists have not been cross-checked with
the text above
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Date convoy
sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
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Convoy
No.
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Left convoy
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Date convoy
arrived
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02/09/42
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10/09/42
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PQ 018
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10/09/42
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21/09/42
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13/09/42
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unknown
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QP 014
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20/09/42
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26/09/42
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27/09/42
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01/10/42
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AT 024
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02/10/42
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02/10/42
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26/10/42
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06/11/42
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KMF 001
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08/11/42
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08/11/42
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22/04/43
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24/04/43
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MKS 012
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26/04/43
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04/05/43
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15/12/44
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15/12/44
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ATM 014
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16/12/44
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16/12/44
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15/12/44
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15/12/44
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TAM 019
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17/12/44
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17/12/44
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18/12/44
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18/12/44
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TAM 022
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19/12/44
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19/12/44
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(Note
on Convoys)
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