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Type II HUNT
Class Escort Destroyer ordered under the 1939
Emergency War Programme from
Stephens of Govan on 4th September 1939. The
ship was laid down as J1477 on 7th
June 1940 and was launched on 30th January
1941 as the 2nd RN warship to carry
the name, previously used by a minesweeper in
1917. Her completion date was
29th June 1941 and after a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign in
March 1942 she was adopted by the civil
community of Bromsgrove,
Worcestershire.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-42 - LIBYA 1942 - MEDITERRANEAN 1942 -
AEGEAN
1943
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field White,
on
a horse's shoe
inverted red
a cock also Red wattled
and legged 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
1
June
Contractors trials and commissioned for
service.
29th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials
July
Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials
and storing.
Worked-up at Scapa Flow with ships of Home
Fleet for operational service.
August
Joined 12th Escort Group based at Londonderry for Atlantic convoy escort.
September
Part of escort for Convoy HG72.
8th
Sank Italian submarine BARACCA by gunfire and
ramming in position 40.15N 20.55W
NE of Azores.
Sustained structural damage.
12th
Taken in hand for repair.
October
4th
On completion of repair resumed convoy escort
duty.
11th
Escorted HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE to
Gibraltar for final stage of passage from
Freetown
with French Corvette COMMANDANTE DUBOC
November
Part of Atlantic escort for military convoy
WS14 on passage to Middle East.
December
Deployed at Gibraltar for Atlantic convoy
defence.
Part of escort for Convoy WS14 with HM
Destroyer EXMOOR until relieved off West
African
coast by HM Destroyer WILD SWAN.
14th
Took part in hunt and sinking of U 127 in
position 36.38 N 09.12W off
Cape St.
Vincent
with HM Destroyers FOXHOUND, GURKHA and NESTOR
(RAN).
There were no survivors.
For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
1 9 4
2
January
Atlantic convoy defence duty in continuation.
(For details of convoy defence and changes in
tactics see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann
and U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO)).
February
27th
Part of escort for HM Aircraft Carriers ARGUS
and EAGLE during aircraft delivery
to
Malta
with
HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LIGHTING, ACTIVE,
ANTHONY, WHITEHALL, WISHART,
BLANKNEY and EXMOOR (Operation SPOTTER I)
(Note: Cover was provided by HM Battleship
MALAYA and HM cruiser HERMIONE.
For details of naval activities in the
Mediterranean during 1942 see THE BATTLE FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN by D. MacIntyre, ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C.
Barnett and Naval Staff History (HMSO-2001).
28th
Operation abandoned after defects discovered
in aircraft fuel tanks.
March
6th
Repeated SPOTTER I successfully with same
escorts and cover.
(Operation SPOTTER II)
20th
Escorted HMS ARGUS and HMS EAGLE for Malta
aircraft delivery with HM Destroyers
LAFOREY, DUNCAN, ACTIVE, ANTHONY, WHITEHALL,
WISHART, BLANKNEY and
EXMOOR.
(Note: Cover was provided by Force H major
ships as SPOTTER II (Operation PICKET I).
27th
Repeated PICKET I escort duty with same
escorts and cover.
April
Deployed on escort of convoys on UK-Gibraltar
route.
11th
Part of the escort for military convoy WS17B
with HM Cruiser
SHROPSHIRE and HM
Destroyers WILD SWAN, EXMOOR and FLOWER Class
Corvettes.
Nominated for service in Mediterranean.
Sailed from Gibraltar
May
On passage to Alexandria via Cape of Good Hope
.
Transferred to 5th Destroyer Flotilla on
arrival.
June
Joined HM Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT,
BELVOIR, DERWENT, DULVERTON,
.
EXMOOR, HAYDON, HOLCOMBE, HURSLEY, HURWORTH, ROCKWOOD and
TETCOTT in 5th Flotilla for convoy escort
and patrol in
Eastern
Mediterranean.
11th
Part of escort of Convoy MW 11 to Malta
(Operation VIGOROUS).
15th
Returned to Alexandria after major air and
E-Boat attacks as well as surface threat.
(Note: For full details of this ill conceived
and disastrous operation see THE BATTLE FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, Naval Staff
History and MALTA CONVOYS by R
Woodman.).
July
Eastern Mediterranean deployment with Flotilla
for anti-submarine patrol and support of
Tobruk garrison.
August
Sank U372 in position SW of Haifa (32.28N
34.37E) with SUCH, ZULU, TETCOTT and
Wellington aircraft from 221 Squadron RAF.
Some of the submarine's crew survived.
For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
27th
Took part in Bombardment of Data in support of
military operation.
September
Participated with Fleet units, including ships
of Flotilla in the failed assault of Tobruk
during
which HM Cruiser COVENTRY and HM Destroyers
SIKH and ZULU were sunk as well as
many casualties (Operation AGREEMENT)
(For full details see MASSACRE AT TOBRUK by P
Smith and Naval Staff History.)
October.
Eastern Mediterranean deployment with Flotilla
in continuation.
November
17th
Part of escort for first westbound Malta
relief convoys since lifting of siege.
(Operation STONEAGE - See above references).
December
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy escort and
patrol in Eastern Mediterranean.
1 9 4
3
January
Convoy defence and patrol duty in Eastern Mediterranean.
to
February
March
Transferred to 22nd Destroyer Flotilla based
at Algiers for convoy escort, patrol
and support
to
of military operations in Tunisia.
April
(Note: HM Destroyers EXMOOR, HURSLEY and Greek
THEMISTOCLES were part of this
Flotilla
and were sister
ships.
May
Deployed on blockade of Cape Bon area to
intercept craft evacuating enemy troops
from
Cape
Bon area (Operation RETRIBUTION).
June
Convoy defence and patrol in central
Mediterranean in continuation.
to
Escorted military convoys on passage for
landings at Salerno.
August
(Operation AVALANCHE - See Naval Staff History
and above references).
September
Military convoy escort in continuation.
14th
Whilst escorting convoy MKS24 in Eastern
Mediterranean detached and diverted to
Haifa to support military operations in Aegean
following the Italian surrender.
16th
Joined HM Destroyer HURWORTH at Haifa to
embark troops of Royal Irish Fusiliers
for passage to Leros.
17th
Landed troops at Leros.
Deployed for patrol to intercept craft bring
German troops to replace the Italian
garrisons in
Aegean Islands.
October
Deployed in support of Aegean defence by
patrol, supply of stores and personnel
and supplementing AA defences.
November
Deployed with Flotilla in eastern Mediterranean. for support of
Aegean Islands defence.
December
12th
Resumed Flotilla duties after the defence
operations ended.
(For details of this disastrous fiasco see WAR
IN THE AEGEAN by Peter Smith and
Edwin Walker, NAVAL OPERATIONS, AEGEAN (London
Gazette) and ENGAGE
THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY).
Nominated for support of planned allied
landings at Anzio.
1 9 4
4
January
Passage to Naples.
21st
Sailed from Naples with Southern Attack Force
(US) as part of Task Force 81 with
Greek Destroyers THEMISTOCLES and KRITI.
deployed as Task Unit 81.6.
(Operation SHINGLE - See Naval Staff History,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS.).
22nd
Provided gunfire support and AA defence during
landings at
Anzio.
Deployed for interception patrol off beach
head,
February
After release from SHINGLE deployed for convoy
escort.
March
Central and western Mediterranean convoy
defence and patrol duties with Flotilla
to
in continuation.
July
August
Nominated for return to UK and
transferred to 21st Destroyer Flotilla.
September
Passage to Sheerness.
October
Joined Flotilla and deployed on Coastal patrol
and convoy defence in North Sea
and English Channel.
November
Coastal convoy defence and patrol duties in
continuation.
to
(For details of naval activities in 1944 see
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Staith).
December
1 9 4
5
January
Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet based
in Ceylon after refit
to
Under refit and prepared for foreign service.
February
March
Part of escort for HM Light Fleet Aircraft
Carriers VENERABLE, VENGEANCE and
COLOSSUS during passage to Mediterranean.
April
Retained in Mediterranean as Reserve for
Eastern Fleet.
Deployed for convoy escort and patrol duties.
May
After VE Day retained in Mediterranean for
Eastern Fleet service if required.
to
Deployed in Malta for
Mediterranean Fleet duties including support
of garrisons and
August
for exercises.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS
CROOME returned to UK in
October 1945 and paid off into Reserve at
Plymouth. The ship reduced to Category C
Reserve and
transferred to Cardiff in 1954. She was placed
on the Disposal List as part of
the Defence Review and sold in 1957 to BISCO
for demolition by T W Ward.. The
ship arrived at the breaker’s yard at Briton
Ferry under tow on 13th August
1957.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
CROOME
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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21/07/41
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27/07/41
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TC 012
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27/07/41
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29/07/41
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19/08/41
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20/08/41
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OG 072
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27/08/41
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01/09/41
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05/10/41
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22/10/41
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SL 089
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unknown
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26/10/41
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30/10/41
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30/10/41
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CT 005
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02/11/41
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08/11/41
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25/10/41
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02/11/41
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CARGO
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04/11/41
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04/11/41
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06/11/41
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24/11/41
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SL 092
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29/11/41
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01/12/41
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11/01/42
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12/01/42
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SL 097G
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17/01/42
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24/01/42
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23/05/42
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23/05/42
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TA 044/M
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25/05/42
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25/05/42
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11/06/42
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11/06/42
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MW 011
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12/06/42
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16/06/42
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01/12/42
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01/12/42
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MW 014
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05/12/42
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05/12/42
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07/12/42
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07/12/42
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ME 011
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09/12/42
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11/12/42
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06/12/42
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09/12/42
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MW 015
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10/12/42
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09/12/42
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09/12/42
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11/12/42
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MW 016
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12/12/42
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12/12/42
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17/12/42
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17/12/42
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ME 012
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20/12/42
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20/12/42
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10/01/42
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23/01/43
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OG 078
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24/01/42
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24/01/42
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21/01/43
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24/01/43
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MH 003/M
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26/01/43
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26/01/43
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27/01/43
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27/01/43
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ME 016
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28/01/43
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01/02/43
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08/06/43
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14/06/43
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GTX 002
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unknown
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19/06/43
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24/06/43
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24/06/43
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MKS 016
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29/06/43
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29/06/43
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28/07/43
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30/07/43
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GUS 011
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08/08/43
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26/08/43
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03/08/43
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07/08/43
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MWF 039
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10/08/43
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10/08/43
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06/08/43
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30/08/43
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UGS 014
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01/09/43
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02/09/43
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30/08/43
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30/08/43
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GUS 014
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01/09/43
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26/09/43
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20/09/43
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21/09/43
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XIF 001
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24/09/43
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24/09/43
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17/09/43
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25/09/43
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MKF 024
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29/09/43
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07/10/43
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17/10/43
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23/10/43
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MKF 025
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26/10/43
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04/11/43
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24/10/43
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31/10/43
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MKS 029
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03/11/43
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03/11/43
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27/10/43
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06/11/43
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KMF 025A
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06/11/43
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11/11/43
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03/12/43
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unknown
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XIF 005
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unknown
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09/12/43
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06/12/43
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09/12/43
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GUS 024
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10/12/43
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03/01/44
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16/12/43
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16/12/43
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MKF 027
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unknown
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04/01/44
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16/12/43
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26/12/43
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KMF 027
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30/12/43
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30/12/43
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14/01/44
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07/02/44
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UGS 030
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09/02/44
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10/02/44
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07/02/44
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12/02/44
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KMS 040
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18/02/44
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18/02/44
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23/02/44
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unknown
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IXF 010
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unknown
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26/02/44
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23/03/44
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unknown
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XIF 012
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unknown
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28/03/44
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28/03/44
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28/03/44
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SNF 018
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31/03/44
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31/03/44
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13/04/44
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30/04/44
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UGS 039
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01/05/44
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09/05/44
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05/05/44
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13/05/44
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KMF 031
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19/05/44
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19/05/44
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22/05/44
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23/05/44
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XIF 015
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28/05/44
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28/05/44
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28/05/44
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unknown
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IXF 015
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unknown
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01/06/44
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05/06/44
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05/06/44
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XIF 016
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10/06/44
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10/06/44
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11/06/44
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unknown
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IXF 016
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unknown
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15/06/44
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21/06/44
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21/06/44
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MKF 032
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27/06/44
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04/07/44
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01/07/44
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01/07/44
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NSF 026
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03/07/44
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03/07/44
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04/07/44
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04/07/44
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SNF 026
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06/07/44
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06/07/44
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12/07/44
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12/07/44
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NSF 027
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16/07/44
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16/07/44
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17/07/44
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17/07/44
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SNF 027
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21/07/44
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21/07/44
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18/07/44
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28/07/44
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KMF 033
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30/07/44
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31/07/44
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19/08/44
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19/08/44
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XIF 020
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23/08/44
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23/08/44
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24/08/44
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unknown
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IXF 020
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unknown
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28/08/44
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03/09/44
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03/09/44
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MKF 034
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10/09/44
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14/09/44
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24/10/44
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unknown
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IXF 023
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unknown
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27/10/44
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16/11/44
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16/11/44
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MKF 036
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23/11/44
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30/11/44
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(Note
on Convoys)
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