Type II HUNT
Class Escort Destroyer ordered on 20th December
1939 from J S White, Cowes
IoW under 1939 War
Emergency Programme. The ship was
laid down on 18th June 1940 as Job No J6274 and
was launched on 29th May 1941
as the 1st RN warship to carry this name, that
of a fox-hunt in Lincolnshire.
Build was completed on 9th October
1941. This destroyer was not adopted by a civil
community after a
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign
in 1941-42.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
SIRTE 1942 - MALTA
CONVOYS 1942 -
LIBYA
1942
H e r a l
d i
c D a t a
Badge: On
a Field Red, in front
of two hunting horns
in saltire
Gold, a castle White.
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
October
Contractor's trials and commissioned for
service.
9th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials
Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials
and storing.
Worked-up for operational service with Home
Fleet ships at Scapa Flow.
Nominated for service in Mediterranean.
November
Prepared for foreign service and took passage
to Clyde to join escort for military convoy
during passage to Alexandria via Indian Ocean.
16th
Joined military convoy WS12Z as Ocean Escort
with HM Destroyer DULVERTON during
Atlantic passage to Indian Ocean from Clyde.
24th
At Freetown with WS12Z
28th
Sailed from Freetown as Ocean Escort for
WS12Z.
December
14th
Detached from WS12Z during passage in Indian
Ocean from Cape of Good Hope and made
independent passage.
29th
Passage from Mombasa to Alexandria with call
at Aden.
1 9 4 2
January
5th
Joined 5th Destroyer Flotilla for convoy
escort and patrol duties.
Deployed supply of stores and embarked troops
to Tobruk.
February
12th
Part of escort of Malta Relief Convoy MW9B
which came under heavy air attack.
Convoy returned to Alexandria.
March
Flotilla duties for Convoy defence in eastern
Mediterranean in continuation.
20th
Carried out anti-submarine sweep along planned
path for
Malta relief convoy MW10 with HM
Escort Destroyers AVON VALE, BEAUFORT.
DULVERTON, BRIDGE. HEYTHROP and
HURWORTH prior to departure of mercantiles
from Alexandria
(Operation MG1)
(Note: HMS HEYTHROP was torpedoed by U652 NW
off Bardia during this sweep.)
21st
Took passage from Tobruk after refuelling to
join escort for MW10 which was under threat of
attack from superior Italian force.
22nd
Detached from Fleet units HUNT Class
destroyers for escort of MW10 mercantiles
after Italian
force approached.
Later deployed as screen for HM Cruisers
CLEOPATRA and PENELOPE when Fleet
destroyers
carried out torpedo attacks on enemy force.
Rejoined MW10 escort after Italian ships
withdrew.
(2nd Battle of Sirte – For details see Naval
Staff History, THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre and MALTA CONVOY
by R Woodman.).
Under air attacks during engagement by
Mediterranean Fleet units with Italian
warships.
23rd
Convoy under further air attacks
Detached for escort for HM Supply Ship
BRECONSHIRE with HMS BEAUFORT
(Note: This was intended to allow the supply
ship to enter Malta independently after MW10
mercantiles had been dispersed and damaged in
air attacks.
24th
Activated British Laid mine whilst attempting
to pass a line to HMS BRECONSHIRE in
heavy weather conditions.
(Note: HMS BRECONSHIRE had been disabled in
renewed air attacks off Zonkor Point,
Malta.)
Sustained major structural damage with
extensive flooding of engine room and failure
of
electrical supplies.
Taken in tow by tug ANCIENT but hull split and
ship slowly sank allowing time for survivors
to be rescued by HM Escort Destroyer DULVERTON
to rescue survivors.
See above references for details.
(Note: One officer and 5 ratings killed and
extensive flooding in Engine Room.
Casualty List was published on 28th May 1942.)
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
SOUTHWOLD
by
Don Kindell
These
convoy lists have not been cross-checked with
the text above
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Date convoy
sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
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Convoy
No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy
arrived
|
|
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06/01/42
|
06/01/42
|
AT 014/M
|
01/08/42
|
08/01/42
|
10/01/42
|
10/01/42
|
TA 010/M
|
13/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
31/01/42
|
31/01/42
|
AT 022/M
|
03/02/42
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01/02/42
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17/02/42
|
17/02/42
|
AT 028/M
|
18/02/42
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18/02/42
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|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
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