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Type II
HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered
from Swan Hunter under 1939 War Emergency Programme
with 16 others of this Type on 20th December
1939. She was laid down as
Admiralty No J4199 on 28th August 1940 and
launched on 29th May 1941 as the 1st
RN ship to carry the name of a fox-hunt in Nottinghamshire.
Build was completed on 5th
February 1942. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign in
March 1942 she was adopted by East Retford,
Nottinghamshire.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1942 - LIBYA 1942 - ARCTIC 1942
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field per fess wavy Red and Blue
within
a spur
rowel
upwards
White, an escallop 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
2
February
Contractors trails and commissioned for
service.
5th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials
Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials
and storing.
Worked-up for operational service at Soaps
Flow with ships of Home Fleet
March
Deployed with Covering Force of Home Fleet
ships for Russian Convoy PQ12 and the
returning
Convoy QP8.
For details of all Russian Convoy operations
see CONVOYS TO RUSSIAN by R A Ruegg,
CONVOY ! by P. Keep, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C. Barnett, THE
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield and ARCTIC
CONVOYS by R Woodman.
Nominated for service in Eastern Mediterranean
with 22nd Destroyer Flotilla.
22nd
Joined military convoy W317 in Clyde with HM
Cruiser SHROPSHIRE, HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser ALCANTARA, HM Destroyers ALDENHAM and
LOOKOUT as Ocean Escort during
passage to Aden.
(Note: HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM
Destroyers INCONSTANT, JAVELIN,
KEPPEL, PAKENHAM, BADSWORTH,
LEAMINGTON, VOLUNTEER and
ROCKINGHAM
were
also deployed with this convoy.)
26th
Convey under threat of U-Boat attack by
shadowing submarines.
Destroyers detached to begin anti-submarine
operations.
27th
Participated in sinking of U587 with HM
Destroyers LEAMINGTON, ALDENHAM and
VOLUNTEER in position 47.21N, 21.39W during
defence of convoy.
For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp
and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
April
6th
Detached from WS17 on arrival at Freetown.
Took independent passage to Alexandria.
May
Passage in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
18th
Joined Flotilla on arrival at Alexandria.
June
Deployed with Flotilla for escort of supply
convoys to Tobruk garrison.
(Note: Ships also carried troops and stores
during inward passage and personnel on
return trips.)
12th
Grounded briefly after leaving Tobruk.
Port propeller and shaft damaged
Return passage speed reduced to 8.5 knots.
Struck by two torpedoes fired by U77 in
position 32.35N 25.30E off Sollum.
Bow and stern structure blown off and ship
sank in 14 minutes,
79 of ships’ company were rescued by HM Escort
Destroyer TETCOTT
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS GROVE
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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01/03/42
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10/03/42
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PQ 012
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10/03/42
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12/03/42
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07/04/42
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07/04/42
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AS 002A
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19/04/42
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19/04/42
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09/06/42
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09/06/42
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AT 049/M
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11/06/42
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11/06/42
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(Note
on Convoys)
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