HMS Stevenstone, Type III sister ship (Navy Photos/Mark Teadham, click to enlarge)

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Type III HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Yarrow's at Scotstoun, Glasgow under the 1940 War Emergency Programme on 23rd August 1940. The ship was laid down on 28th July 1941 as Job No 1870 and launched on 20th June 1942 as the first RN ship to carry the name, that of a Yorkshire fox-hunt. Build was completed on 30th October 1942. The ship had been adopted by the civil community of Swinton and Pendlebury, Lancashire after a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

ATLANTIC 1943-44 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1943-44 - NORTH SEA 1943 - NORMANDY 1944

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field barry wavy of six White and Blue

in front of a crescent Red charged with a pile

ermine, a hunting horn erect gold.

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

1 9 4 2

October                  Contractor's trials.

                20th        Commissioned for service in 15th Destroyer Flotilla.

                30th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

November              Passage to Tobermory to commence work-up on completion of trials and storing.

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

December              Deployed as part of escort for military convoy to Gibraltar

                                (Note: This was a Follow-up convoy in support of TORCH landings in North Africa.

January                  Joined escort for routine mercantile convoy during passage to Liverpool.

                                Detached during passage in SW Approaches to join Flotilla at Plymouth for convoy defence,

                                patrol and offensive operations in English Channel and SW Approaches.

1 9 4 3

January                  Convoy escort, patrol and offensive sweep duties in continuation with Flotilla.

to                            Temporarily detached as required for joint operations with RAF Coastal Command and ships of

March                    Western Approaches Command .

                                (Note: Joint operations were carried out to carry out attacks on submarines in transit to and

                                from Atlantic Ocean.)

                                One source records detention of Spanish trawlers believed to be reported movements British

                                warships,)

April                       Channel convoy defence in continuation.

                28th        In action with E-Boats in Channel in defence of convoy. Sustained damage by torpedo hit.

                                (Note: One source records participation in operation off French coast near Boulogne to assess

                                strength of aerial response to an approach from UK waters.)

May                        On completion of repair resumed duties with Flotilla.

                29th        Came under friendly fire from Light Coastal Forces Motor Gunboat which caused one

                                casualty.

June                        Flotilla duties in continuation.

                28th        New Commanding Officer appointed.

                                (Note: First Lieutenant, Lieutenant P W Goodfellow RN was appointed.)

July

                10th        In action with HM Escort Destroyers MELBREAK and GLAISDALE against E-Boats during

                                attack on enemy convoy off Oussant.

                                (Note: One escorting minesweeper was sunk.)

                                Sustained slight damage.

August                  On completion of repair rejoined Flotilla in continuation.

September             Deployed for convoy defence, patrol and offensive sweep operations in Channel..

October

                3rd           Detached for TUNNEL operation and joined HM Escort Destroyer LIMBOURNE ,

                                TANATSIDE  and HM Destroyers GRENVILLE and ULSTER for offensive sweep off Brittany.

                                Engaged five enemy destroyers which retired at speed and could not be overtaken.

                22nd       Took part in operation to intercept Blockade Runner MUNSTERLAND with HM Cruiser

                                CHARYBDIS, HM Destroyers GRENVILLE and ROCKET, HM Escort Destroyers

                                LIMBOURNE, TALYBONT and STEVENSTONE (Operation TUNNEL Series)

                23rd        In action against enemy torpedo boats.

                                (Note: During this action HMS CHARYBDIS and HMS LIMBOURNE were sunk.

                                For full details of this ill-directed and poorly conceived operation see HOLD THE

                                NARROW SEA by P Smith and TWO HONOURABLE YEARS by Craig Leith)

                                (Note: On January 21st 1944, MUNSTERLAND was forced ashore and destroyed west of Cape

                                Blanc Nez by fire from coastal batteries on the Kent shore.)

November              Flotilla duties in continuation

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December

1 9 4 4

January                  Flotilla duties in continuation including taking part in amphibious training exercises in

                                preparation for planned allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE)

February

                5th          Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers TALYBONT, BRISSENDEN and TANATSIDE

                                in an attack on enemy convoy and escort off Brittany.

                                (Note: Minesweeper M156 of the escort was damaged during the engagement was later sunk in

                                harbour during air attacks.)

March                    Channel escort and patrol in continuation with Flotilla.

April

                19th        Supported minelaying operations 10th Motor Launch Flotilla escorted by MTB's with HM Escort

                                Destroyers MELBREAK, TANATSIDE, HM Destroyers HAIDA (RCN) and ASHANTI.

                                (Operation MAPLE - HOSTILE 24 - For details see Naval Staff History (MINING).

                25th        Covered further minelay by 10th Motor Launch Flotilla with HM Escort Destroyer

                                TANATSIDE.

                                (Operation MAPLE - HOSTILE 25)

                                Fired on by shore batteries without damage.

May                        Flotilla duties in continuation.

                                Nominated for service in support of Planned allied landings in Normandy with HM Escort

                                Destroyer BRISSENDEN of Flotilla

                                Allocated for escort duty in Follow-up Force B to be based at Milford Haven as part of

                                Western Task Force under overall US Navy command and to cover the passage of convoys

                                through SW Approaches and the English Channel to the Swept Passage south of the Isle of

                                Wight.

                                (Operation NEPTUNE - For details of naval activities prior to and during this Operation see

                                LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944. OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and

                                D-DAY SHIPS by J de Winser for information about all ships involved.)

June                        Passage to Join Force B at Milford Haven.

                4th          Operation delayed 24 hours.

                5th          Deployed for escort of Follow-up convoy to OMAHA Beach Head

                                (Note: This is NOT recorded in the Naval Staff History.)

                8th          Deployed for patrol to prevent incursions by E-Boats against the cross Channel traffic.

                12th        In action against E-Boats with HM Escort Destroyers MELBREAK and BRISSENDEN.

                                Two enemy craft were damaged,

                22nd       Under attack by Ju88 aircraft during patrol with HM Escort Destroyers TANATSIDE,

                                BRISSENDEN, HM Destroyer BEAGLE, HM Frigate ROWLEY, HM Sloop LONDONDERRY,

                                HM Fighter Direction Tender 13, French Frigates L'AVENTURE and L'ESCARMOUCHE.

                27th        On completion of NEPTUNE retained in English Channel for interception of E-Boats and

                                submarines.

July                         Channel deployment in continuation.

                                (Note: One source records service as escort for Frigate deployed for control of Coastal Forces

                                operations off French coast.)

                3rd          Involved in collision with tug and sustained some structural damage forward.

                                Resumed patrol duty after repair.

August                  English Channel anti-submarine deployment in continuation.

                4th          Shared credit for sinking U671 (Position 50.23N 00.06E) with HM Frigate STAYNER.

                                Some survivors were rescued.

                                For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.

                20th        Shared credit for sinking U413 (Position 50.21N 00.01W) in defence of Channel convoy with

                               HM Destroyers FORESTER and VIDETTE.

                                For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.

                                Some survivors were rescued.

September             Transferred to 21st Destroyer Flotilla based at Sheerness for convoy defence and patrol duties

                                in North Sea and English Channel.

                                (Note: The significant increase in minelaying and attacks on convoys by E-Boats and

                                submarines had necessitated an increase in demand for destroyers in Nore Command.

October                  Deployment with Flotilla in Nore Command for convoy defence and patrol in continuation.

November

                21st         Sustained major structural damage in collision with HM LST 367.

                                Engine Room and Gearing Room flooded due to fracture in hull plating aft.

December              Under structural survey

                11th        Declared beyond economic repair and placed in Low Category of Reserve.

                                (Note: The increased manning requirements and availability of new construction ships was a

                                factor in deciding not to undertake repair)

1 9 4 5

January                  Laid-up in Reserve.

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August

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMS WENSLEYDALE remained in Reserve and after VJ Day the ship was placed on the Disposal List. She lay at West Hartlepool until sold to BISCO for demolition by Hughes Bolcow on 15th February 1946. The ship arrived at the breaker's yard at Blyth on 25th February 1947.