HMS Derwent, Type III sister-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Type III HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Vickers Armstrong at Barrow on 23rd August 1940 under 1940 War Emergency Programme with 14 others of this design. The ship was laid down on 4th June 1941 as Job No J3585 and was launched on 17th March 1942 as the first RN ship to carry this name that of a fox-hunt in Wales. Build was completed on 31st August 1942 and the ship had been adopted by the civil community of the Borough and Rural District of Carmarthen after a successful WARSHIP WEEK campaign in March 1942. These areas now form part of the County of Dyfed. This HUNT  had the shortest life of the Class as she was lost after less than 30 days of operational service.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r

ENGLISH  CHANNEL 1942

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field per pale Red and Green. within a horseshoe

inverted Gold and a spear head White

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

1 9 4 1

August                  Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 1st Destroyer Flotilla.

                31st         Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

September             Passage to Scapa Flow on completion on trials and storing.

                                Worked-up with ships of Home Fleet at Scapa Flow for operational service.

October                 On completion of work-up took passage to Portsmouth to commenced Flotilla service.

                22nd       Delayed by repair of defects in commercial shipyard in London.

November              Under repair

                9th          Resumed passage to Portsmouth on completion of repair.

                                Joined Flotilla for convoy escort and patrol duty in English Channel.

December              Deployed for convoy escort in English Channel.

                1st           Part of escort for Convoy PW257

                3rd          Torpedoed by E-Boat S115 attacking this convoy.

                                Sank five miles south of Start Point in position 50.08N, 03.39W.

                                Five officers and 112 ratings were rescued.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS PENYLAN

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)