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Ex USS LAUB
(Type A - BELMONT-Class) built by Bethlehem
Steel at Squantun
was laid down on 20th April 1918
and launched on 25th August 1918. Commissioned
on 17th March 1919 for US naval
service she was held in Reserve in 1939. The
ship transferred to the RN under
the Lease Agreement en 3rd September 1940 and
commissioned as HMS BURWELL at
Halifax, Canada. This name, not previously used
for an RN ship was common to
towns in Nebraska, USA and Cambridgeshire. After
a WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings
campaign in March 1942 this
destroyer was adopted by the civil community of
Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1941-43
H e r a l d
i c D a
t a
Badge: On
a Field barry
wavy of
six White and Blue, a thistle slipped and
leaved
proper charged with a hurt thereon a mullet
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 0
October
9th
Commissioned as HMS BURWELL at Halifax.
Prepared for Atlantic passage via Newfoundland.
November
Passage to Plymouth
5th
On arrival taken In hand by HM Dockyard
Devonport for modifications to suit RN service
as a convoy escort
1
9 4 1
January
Under refit.
February
Nominated for service with 12th Escort Group.
13th
Involved in collision with sister destroyer HM
Destroyer RIPLEY at Devonport.
24th
Passage to Clyde on completion of post refit
trials.
March
Joined Group.
23rd
Part of escort with ships of Group for convoy
on passage in NW Approaches.
April
Convoy escort duty with Group in continuation.
Nominated for transfer with Group for escort
duty based in Iceland.
May
Passage to Iceland.
Deployed for mid Atlantic convoy defence.
June
Atlantic convoy escort with Group in
continuation based in Iceland.
Nominated for transfer to newly formed
Newfoundland Escort Group
July
Passage to St Johns for escort of convoys to
and from Mid Ocean Meeting Point.
August
Part of escort for Convoy HX145.
27th
Detached from HX145 to assist in capture of
U570 which had surrendered to an
RAF HUDSON aircraft near Iceland.
Submarine had been depth charged when it was
surfacing in position 61 15N 18,35W.
(For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
28th
On arrival joined HM Trawler WINDERMERE in an
attempt to tow U570 which was
unsuccessful.
Resumed convoy escort duty after HM Trawler
KINGSTON AGATE had established a
tow for passage to Thorlakshafn, Iceland.
(Note: Crew of U570 was taken off by HM
Destroyer NIAGARA.
U570 was later taken to UK and eventually
commissioned as HM Submarine GRAPH
September
Transferred to 15th Escort Group in
continuation of service at Newfoundland.
October
Deployed with 4th Canadian Escort Group.
November
Taken in hand for refit at Boston.
December
Under refit
1
9 4 2
January
Under refit.
February
Carried out post refit trials.
3rd
On completion took passage to St Johns to
resume duty with Group.
March
Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.
April
After providing defence for three convoys
since refit was withdrawn for repair and took
passage to Londonderry.
May
During repair at Londonderry transferred to
Liverpool to complete repairs.
to
December
1
9 4 3
January
Under repair at Liverpool.
February
On completion of post repair trials took
passage to Tobermory.
Worked-up for operational service at
Tobermory.
March
Resumed Atlantic convoy defence based at
Londonderry.
Part of escort for convoy to Gibraltar
April
Passage from Gibraltar to Azores and returned
to Clyde with one mercantile.
Withdraw from operational use for further
work-up at Tobermory.
(Note: This suggests change of ship's
company.)
May
Resumed North Atlantic convoy escort after
completion of work-up.
June
Atlantic Convoy escort duty in continuation.
to
Future deployment under consideration.
September
October
Reduced to Reserve status and paid-off in Clyde.
Nominated for service as an Air Target Ship.
November
Under conversion for new role.
(Note: Ship was disarmed and modified.)
December
On completion deployed at station in Clyde
area for training of aircrew for attacks
on shipping.
1
9 4 4
Air Target Ship duties in Clyde area in
continuation.
1
9 4 5
January
Withdrawn for Air Target Ship duty.
Passage to Milford Haven to de-store
February
Reduced to un-maintained Reserve status and
laid up at Milford Haven.
March
Laid-up at Milford Haven.
to
August
P o s
t W a r
N o t e s
HMS BURWELL was placed on the Disposal
List after VJ Day
and sold to BISCO on 4th March 1947 for
demolition by T W Ward.. The ship was towed
later to the
breaker’s yard locally.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS BURWELL
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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23/03/41
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23/03/41
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OB
301
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27/03/41
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27/03/41
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15/03/41
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27/03/41
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HG
056
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31/03/41
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02/04/41
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06/04/41
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06/04/41
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OG
058
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12/04/41
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21/04/41
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19/04/41
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30/04/41
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SC
029
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04/05/41
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08/05/41
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30/04/41
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12/05/41
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HX
124
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14/05/41
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20/05/41
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29/04/41
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18/05/41
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SC
030
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20/05/41
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20/05/41
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12/05/41
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18/05/41
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OB
322
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20/05/41
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20/05/41
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10/05/41
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21/05/41
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HX
126
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26/05/41
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28/05/41
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20/05/41
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30/05/41
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HX
128
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05/06/41
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06/06/41
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26/06/41
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04/07/41
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OB
339
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09/07/41
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12/07/41
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12/07/41
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15/07/41
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SC
037
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23/07/41
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28/07/41
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11/07/41
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16/07/41
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HX
138
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23/07/41
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27/07/41
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26/07/41
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31/07/41
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ON
001
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01/08/41
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09/08/41
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27/07/41
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02/08/41
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ON
002
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08/08/41
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08/08/41
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10/08/41
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13/08/41
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HX
144
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22/08/41
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30/08/41
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30/08/41
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04/09/41
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ON
011
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11/09/41
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11/09/41
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24/09/41
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27/09/41
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SC
046
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05/10/41
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10/10/41
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04/10/41
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10/10/41
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ON
023
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18/10/41
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19/10/41
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29/10/41
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02/11/41
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SC
052
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03/11/41
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05/11/41
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04/02/42
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07/02/42
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SC
068
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16/02/42
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20/02/42
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26/02/42
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04/03/42
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ON
071
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07/03/42
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08/03/42
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21/03/42
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25/03/42
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HX
181
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02/04/42
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02/04/42
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26/02/43
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28/02/43
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KMS
010G
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08/03/43
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11/03/43
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15/05/43
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16/05/43
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ON
184
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25/05/43
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31/05/43
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31/05/43
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06/06/43
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HX
242
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14/06/43
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15/06/43
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24/06/43
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25/06/43
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ON
190
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03/07/43
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09/07/43
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08/07/43
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14/07/43
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HX
247
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21/07/43
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22/07/43
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(Note
on Convoys)
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