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Type
II HUNT Class
Escort Destroyer ordered under 1939 Emergency
War Programme
from Swan Hunter of Newcastle on 4th September
1939. The ship was laid down as
Jon No J4129 on 21st November 1939 and was
launched on 20th August 1940 as the
2nd RN warship to carry the name, previously
used by a 1916 minesweeper. Her
completion date was 28th February 1941.
Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK for
National Savings campaign in March 1942 she
was adopted by the
civil community of Crowborough,
East Sussex
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
LIBYA 1941-42 - MALTA
CONVOYS 1941-42 - SIRTE 1942
- MEDITERRANEAN
1942
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue, in
front of two hunting horns in saltire
Gold
a rose Red barbed and seeded Proper.
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
February
Contractor's trials and commissioned for
service.
28th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
March
Took passage to Scapa Flow on completion of
trials and storing..
Worked-up for
operational service with ships of Home Fleet
based at Scapa
Flow.
Joined Irish Sea Escort Force for convoy
defence duties.
April
Convoy defence in Western Approaches and
Irish Sea in continuation.
26th
Joined HM Destroyers HARVESTER, HAVELOCK,
HESPERUS, HURRICANE, LEGION,
OTTAWA (RCN), RESTIGOUCHE (RCN), SAGUENAY (RCN) and Polish ORP
PIORUN with
HM Destroyer BEAGLE as escort for military
convoy WS8A during passage in NW
approaches.
29th
Detached from WS8A and took passage to meet
Convoy SL71.from Freetown to
Clyde as
Local
Escort.
May
After arrival of SL71 in Clyde continued
escort duty in NW Approaches.
22nd
Joined escort for military convoy WS8B in
Clyde as Local Escort with HM Cruiser CAIRO,
Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI,
OTTAWA, SIKH, RESTIGOUCHE, ZULU and Polish ORP
PIORUN.
26th
Detached from WS8B with Local Escort and
returned to Clyde.
June
Nominated for service at Gibraltar with 13th
Destroyer Flotilla
18th
Passage to Gibraltar.
21st
Joined Flotilla at Gibraltar for Atlantic
convoy defence.
July
Gibraltar deployment with Flotilla in
continuation.
17th
Deployed with HM Destroyers AVON VALE and
FARNDALE to meet military convoy WS9C
on passage from Clyde in Atlantic west of
Gibraltar.
On meeting detached from WS9C with HM Cruiser
MANCHESTER, HM Destroyers NESTOR
(RAN) and LIGHTNING for escort of troopship
PASTEUR to
Gibraltar
(Note: One source suggests ship took passage
with WS9C from Clyde but may not be correct
as
other data suggests she joined 13th Flotilla
in June 1941
18th
Nominated for escort of Malta Relief convoy
(Operation SUBSTANCE).
21st
Joined HM Cruisers EDINBURGH, MANCHESTER,
ARETHUSA and MANXMAN as
destroyer screen during escort of convoy WS9C
with H M Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI,
FEARLESS, NESTOR, FOXHOUND, FIREDRAKE, HM
Escort Destroyers AVON VALE
and FARNDALE in Force X.
23rd
Detached from screen to escort HMS FIREDRAKE
under tow to
Gibraltar after being damaged
in air attacks.
(For details of Mediterranean operations
during 1911 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett, THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre and
Naval Staff History ( HMSO-2002).
27th
Joined HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT,
FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FURY,
COSSACK, MAORI, NESTOR and ENCOUNTER as
destroyer screen for HM Battleship
NELSON, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL and HM
Battlecruiser RENOWN to cover
passage of convoy taking personnel to Malta
(Operation STYLE - See above references).
31st
Returned to Gibraltar with major warships of
Force H on arrival at Sicilian Narrows.
August
Resumed Flotilla duties at Gibraltar
4th
Transferred with HMS AVON VALE to 2nd
Destroyer Flotilla at
Alexandria.
Passage via Cape of Good Hope and Indian Ocean
September
Passage in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
29th
Arrived at Suez.
October
Joined Flotilla for convoy defence and support
of military operations.
Deployed in eastern Mediterranean.
November
Transferred to 5th Destroyer Flotilla based at
Alexandria.
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and
support of military operations.
December
Flotilla deployment in eastern Mediterranean in continuation.
1 9 4
2
January
Flotilla deployment in continuation.
February
16th
Part of escort for ss CLAN CAMPBELL and ss
CLAN CHATTAN as Convoy MW9A to Malta
from Alexandria with HM Cruiser CARLISLE, HM
Destroyer LANCE, HM Escort Destroyers
AVON VALE and HEYTHROP (Operation MFM)
13th
Under air attacks during which ss CLAN
CAMPBELL was damaged and was escorted to
Tobruk.
(Note: ss CLAN CHATTAN was damaged later on
14th and had to be sunk by our own forces
This operation was a failure.
See above references.)
17th
Resumed Flotilla duties at Alexandria.
March
20th
Joined HM Escort Destroyers AVON VALE,
BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, HEYTHROP
HURWORTH and
SOUTHWOLD of Flotilla to carry out
anti-submarine sweep off
Alexandria
prior to
departure of Convoy
MW10 for Malta
(Operation MG1 -see above references).
After HMS HEYTHROP was hit by a torpedo from
U652 NE of Bardia took the stricken
ship in tow.
21st
Tow abandoned when HMS HEYTHROP sank 5 hours
later.
Refuelled at Tobruk prior to joining escort
for Convoy MW10
22nd
Joined escort of convoy with same ships,
except HMS HEYTHROP.
After threat from superior Italian force
including battleship LITORRIO cruisers
GORIZIA,
TRENTO and BANDE MERE detached with HMS
CARLISLE and sister destroyers to escort
convoy to south away from enemy force.
(2nd Battle of Sirte. - See above
references.).
23rd
Because of vulnerability of convoy to air
attacks and difference of speed of the
mercantiles,
nominated as escort for ss CLAN CAMPBELL with
H M Cruiser PENELOPE,
HM Destroyer
LEGION and HM Escort Destroyer HURWORTH
Under heavy air attacks during passage to
Malta..
(Note: CLAN CAMPBELL was sunk about
8 miles from
Malta.
Rescued some 100 of crew.)
Took passage to Grand Harbour to land
survivors and rejoin escort.
25th
Sailed to Alexandria with HMS CARLISLE, HM
Escort Destroyers BEAUFORT,
DULVERTON and HURWORTH.
29th
Arrived at Alexandria and resumed duties with
Flotilla.
April
Deployed with Flotilla for escort of support
convoys to Tobruk.
May
Flotilla duties in continuation.
28th
During escort of Convoy AT4 to Tobruk with HM
Escort Destroyers HERO and HURWORTH
took
part in sinking of
U568 in position 32.42N, 24.53E (off Tobruk)
with HM Destroyer HERO
and HM Escort Destroyer HURWORTH.
Rescued 42 survivors from submarine.
(For details see U BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
June
Nominated for support of Malta
relief convoy MW11 with ships of Flotilla.
(Operation VIGOROUS - See above references for
details).
11th
Sailed from Port Said with H M Cruiser
COVENTRY, H M Escort Destroyers AIREDALE,
ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, CROOME, DULVERTON ,
EXMOOR and HURWORTH as
escort for four
supply ships in Convoy MW11C each of which
was towing an
MTB.
(Operation REMBRANDT - This was a diversionary
Operation to distract attention
of the enemy
from the passage of the relief convoy in
VIGOROUS).
12th
ss CITY OF CALCUTTA in Convoy MW11C damaged in
air attacks and detached with HMS
CROOME and EXMOOR for passage with an escort
to Tobruk
14th
Joined escort for VIGOROUS convoy and under
air attacks
to
Convoy under threat of attack from major
Italian force.
15th
After conflicting instructions and heavy
expenditure of ammunition and fuel VIGOROUS
was
abandoned.
(For full details of this ill-directed attempt
to pass a convoy to Malta see above
references).
17th
Resumed duties with Flotilla in eastern
Mediterranean.
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and
support of military operations.
July
10th
Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM,
BEAUFORT, DULVERTON and
HURWORTH in
support of military operations.
11th
Took part in bombardment of Mersa Matruh with
same ships.
(Note: Ammunition ship STURLA was sunk in this
bombardment.)
August
Flotilla duties in continuation.
27th
Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM,
CROOME and HURWORTH for support
of
military operations.
28th
Took part in bombardment of airfield at El
Daba with HMS CROOME and HMS HURWORTH.
After completion of bombardment under attack
by E-Boat and hit on port side aft
Explosion caused extensive flooding in Engine
Room with loss of electric power.
Significant structural
damage including 20 ft hole from keel
upwards.
Disabled ship taken in tow to
Alexandria by HMS ALDENHAM.
(Note: E-Boat was sunk by HMS ALDENHAM.
See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA Mason.)
Made return passage screened by HMS CROOME and
HMS HURWORTH.
Under air attack
by Ju87 dive
bombers.
31st
On arrival at
Alexandria withdrawn from service for survey.
September
Paid off after survey showed repair to be
uneconomic.
S p e c i a l N o t e
HMS ERIDGE
remained hulked at Alexandria and was used an
Accommodation Ship between 1944
and 1946. She was also used as a valuable
source of spares for the other HUNT
Class destroyers in service in the
Mediterranean.. For example in April 1943
one of her shafts was used to replace the
damaged item in HMS ALDENHAM after a
grounding (See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA
Mason). This Escort Destroyer remained
in use for accommodation purposes after VJ Day
until 1946 when placed on the
Disposal List. She was sold at
Alexandria to a Greek shipbreaker
in October that
year.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
ERIDGE
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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07/05/41
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08/05/41
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OB 319
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12/05/41
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13/05/41
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30/04/41
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15/05/41
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HX 124
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unknown
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20/05/41
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29/04/41
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15/05/41
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SC 030
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18/05/41
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20/05/41
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22/05/41
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22/05/41
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WS 008B
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26/05/41
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04/06/41
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10/06/41
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11/06/41
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OB 333
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13/06/41
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21/06/41
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04/06/41
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17/06/41
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OG 064
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18/06/41
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18/06/41
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24/06/41
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06/07/41
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OG 066
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08/07/41
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08/07/41
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09/08/41
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09/08/41
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HG 070
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14/08/41
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23/08/41
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05/12/41
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05/12/41
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TA 001/M
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07/12/41
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07/12/41
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10/12/41
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10/12/41
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TA 002/M
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12/12/41
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12/12/41
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29/12/41
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29/12/41
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TA 007/M
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31/12/41
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31/12/41
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05/01/42
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05/01/42
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AT 012/M
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07/01/42
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07/01/42
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11/01/42
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11/01/42
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AT 016/M
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11/01/42
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14/01/42
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28/01/42
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28/01/42
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AT 021/M
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30/01/42
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30/01/42
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20/02/42
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20/02/42
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AT 029/M
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23/02/42
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unknown
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23/02/42
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23/02/42
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TA 022/M
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25/02/42
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25/02/42
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27/03/42
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27/03/42
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TA 030/M
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29/03/42
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29/03/42
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30/03/42
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30/03/42
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AT 036/M
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02/04/42
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02/04/42
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03/04/42
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03/04/42
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TA 031/M
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04/04/42
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04/04/42
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14/04/42
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14/04/42
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AT 038/M
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15/04/42
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15/04/42
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15/04/42
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15/04/42
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TA 034/M
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17/04/42
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unknown
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19/04/42
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19/04/42
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AT 040/M
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20/04/42
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20/04/42
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22/04/42
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22/04/42
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TA 036/M
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24/04/42
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24/04/42
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18/05/42
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18/05/42
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AT 046/M
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21/05/42
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21/05/42
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25/05/42
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25/05/42
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AT 047/M
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27/05/42
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unknown
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28/05/42
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28/05/42
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TA 045/M
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30/05/42
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30/05/42
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11/06/42
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11/06/42
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MW 011
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16/06/42
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16/06/42
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(Note
on Convoys)
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