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Type I HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Scotts at Greenock under 1939 War Programme on 11th April 1939. The ship was laid down as Job No J112 on 26th July 1939 and was launched on 22nd April 1940 as the 1st RN warship to carry the name, that of a fox-hunt in Somerset. Build was completed on 6th February 1941 and in February 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Ashton-under-Lyme, Lancashire, now in the Tameside Metropolitan Borough, Greater Manchester after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

NORTH SEA 1941-45 - ATLANTIC 1943 - SICILY  1943 - SALERNO 1943 - ADRIATIC 1944

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Green ,in front of two antlers in saltire

a bugle horn palewise Gold.

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

1 9 4 1

January                  Contractors trials and commissioned for service.

February

                6th          Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                On completion of trials and storing joined Rosyth Escort Force for East Coast convoy escort.

                                (Note: Work-up with Home Fleet prior to operational service is to be confirmed.)

March                    Deployed for convoy escort and patrol in North Sea in continuation.

to                            (Note: Action in defence of attacks by aircraft and E-Boats to be confirmed.)

May

June

                10th        During escort of convoy off Humber estuary reported sinking of HM Corvette PINTAIL after

                                detonating acoustic mine.

                                HMS PINTAIL had been escorting another convoy in same area.

                                Rescued some of the 22 men who survived this loss out of an overall complement of over 60.

July                         North Sea convoy defence in continuation.

to

August

October

                10th        During escort of North Sea convoy rescued two of crew of Greek grain ship KYMA which had

                                been mined of the Humber.

                                For further Information about East Coast convoys see THREE CORVETTES by Nicolas

                                Monsarrat, BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by Peter Scott and THE BATTLE FOR THE

                                EAST COAST by J P Foynes.)

November              North Sea convoy defence and patrol in continuation.

to

December

1 9 4 2

January                  North Sea convoy escort in continuation.

to                            (Note: Enemy air and surface attacks by E-Boat were maintained continually on coastal

December              convoys against which defensive actions were a common feature. See above references.)

1 9 4 3

January                  Nominated for service in Mediterranean.

                                (See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).

February                Passage to Gibraltar to join 58th Destroyer Division for convoy defence in Atlantic and

                                western Mediterranean.

                15th        Called at Plymouth on passage

                                Joined escort of outward Convoy OS43 during passage in SW Approaches.

March

                4th          Detached from OS43 and joined Division at Gibraltar.

March                    Deployed on convoy defence and A/S patrol.

to                            (For details of development of anti-submarine weapons and convoy defence tactics.

May                        see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann and BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by J

                                Terraine).

June

                2nd         Joined escort for combined convoy from USA (UGS8A) and UK (KMS15) made up of

                                129 ships for passage from Gibraltar to Oran and Algiers.

July                         Detached for duty with Support Force East for Sicily landings as part of Escort Group U

                                (Operation HUSKY - For details see Naval Staff History , BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by

                                J de Winser for information about all ships involved and above references)

                                Passage to Algiers.

                7th          Sailed from Algiers as part of escort for assault Convoy KMS18

                8th          Detached from KMS18 to refuel in Malta and joined escort for Convoy SBF2.

                10th        Detached from SBF2 on arrival at BARK SOUTH Beach Head and deployed for support during

                                initial landings.

                                Carried out interception patrols in defence of anchorages.

                27th        In action with three E-Boats off Augusta.

                31st        Provided naval gunfire support at Taormina with HM Destroyer WHEATLAND.

August                  Deployed on convoy defence and support of military operations.

September             Nominated for escort of assault convoys to planned landing area at Salerno and attached to

                                Northern Attack Force (Task Force 85).

                                Passage to Tripoli.

                6th          Sailed from Tripoli as part of escort for Convoy TSS2.

                9th          Detached from TSS2 on arrival at beachhead.

                to            Provided naval gunfire support and supplemented Anti-aircraft defence during landings

                12th        Carried out Anti-submarine patrol and AA defence in anchorages off Salerno

                                (Operation AVALANCHE - For details see Naval Staff History, ENGAGE THE ENEMY

                                MORE CLOSELY and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS).

                                Under continual air attacks.

October                  Deployed for convoy defence and patrol in Central Mediterranean.

to

December

1 9 4 4

January                  Central Mediterranean and Adriatic patrol and escort duties in continuation.

to                            Deployed for support of shore operations in Adriatic.

September             (See THE LAST DESTROYER by F Mason).

October

                15th        Embarked Flag Officer Taranto and Adriatic for re-occupation of Corfu.

November              Convoy defence and support to land operations in Adriatic..

December              Bombardment of Porto Lussinpiccolo in northern Adriatic with Landing Craft (Gun),

                                HM Destroyer WILTON and two other destroyers.

                                Under attack by a group of explosive motor boats and destroyed three.

                                After return to Malta Joined Destroyer Division 57 as Senior Officer's Ship.

1 9 4 5

January                  Deployed in support of military operations in Adriatic and later off coast of Greece.

February                Nominated for return to UK for escort of coastal convoys against SCHNORKEL fitted

                                submarines.

                                (See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and ENCAGE THE ENEMY MORE

                                CLOSELY).

March

                3rd          Passage to join 16th Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich

                10th        Deployed on coastal convoy defence.

                                (Note: In this period enemy minelaying by E-Boat and submarine was extensive.).

April                       Flotilla convoy defence and patrol duties in continuation.

                                Nominated for conversion to Air Target Ship

May                        Taken in hand for conversion after VE Day.

June                        Took up Station as Target Ship.

July                         Deployed for duty as Target Ship for training of aircrew.

to

August

P o s t   W a r   No t e s

HMS QUANTOCK Paid-off and was reduced to Reserve status in December 1945. The ship remained at Portsmouth until taken to Barrow in 1953. Placed on the Disposal List and then the Sales List,  she was purchased by the Government of Ecuador  with sister destroyer HMS MEYNELL during October 1954. After refitting at her build yard she was renamed PRESIDENTO ALFARO and served in the Ecuadorian Navy until 1978 when she was stricken from the Active List.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS QUANTOCK

by Don Kindell

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

(Note on Convoys)