|
Ex
USS WELBOURN C WOOD (Type
A - BURNHAM-Class)
built by Newport
News SB Co and launched on 6th
March 1920. Transferred under Lease
Land Agreement and commissioned at Halifax
into the RN on 9 September 1940 as HMS WELBOURNE.. Renamed HMS
CHESTERFIELD on 3rd
October she was the fourth RN
warship to carry this name, first used in
1713. In common with other TOWN Class
ships the name is shared by the town in
Derbyshire and three in the USA
.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
MINORCA
1756 - HAVANA 1762
- ATLANTIC 1941-3
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Green.
three
ears of wheat enfiled
by a mural
crown
Gold.
The crown 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
September
8th
Commissioned into RN service as HMS WELBOURNE
C WOOD
10th
In collision with HM Destroyer CHURCHILL at
Halifax.
Arrived at St Johns, Newfoundland with defects
and returned to Halifax for
repair.
October
Under repair at Halifax.
2nd
Renamed HMS CHESTERFIELD.
Passage to St Johns.
22nd On
arrival at St. John's held in quarantine at
St. John's due to a case of
diphtheria.
November
When released took passage to UK.
Arrived at Davenport and transferred to HM
Dockyard Chatham for refit and
modification for RN
escort duty.
26th
Taken in hand at Chatham.
December
Under refit.
1 9 4
1
January
Nominated for service with 11th Escort Group.
25th
On completion of dockyard work took passage to
Devonport for post refit trials.
26th
Carried out trials.
February
Worked-up for service and took passage to join
Group.
27th
In collision with HM Submarine H32 but
remained operational.
March
Deployed in NW Approaches with Group.
April
Transferred to Iceland with
Group and then joined 3rd Escort Group.
Deployed on mid Atlantic convoy escort and for
Denmark Strait patrol duties.
Sustained structural damage due to weather
conditions and had to return to UK for repair.
May
Under repair in Clyde commercial shipyard.
June
On completion of repair transferred to 18th
Escort Group in Newfoundland Escort Force,
based at
St John's, Newfoundland.
July
Re-deployed with 23rd Escort Group at
St. John's.
August
Escorted convoy HX142 September Escorted
convoy SC13.
6th
Sustained alight damage in collision with HM
Destroyer BURNHAM.
Escorted HX150 with mixed group.
October
8th
Taken in hand for refit at Portsmouth.
November
Under refit
to
Nominated for duty with 26th Escort Group.
December
1 9 4
2
January
17th
On completion worked-up for service at
Tobermory.
February
Deployed with Group for Atlantic convoy
defence.
March
Atlantic escort duty in continuation.
29th
Taken in hand for repair in Clyde commercial
shipyard.
April
Under repair.
to
May
June
23rd
Resumed convoy defence duty on completion
July
Joined 7th British Escort Group in
continuation.
August
Deployed for Atlantic convoy defence in NW
Approaches.
28th
Joined military convoy WS22 in Clyde as Local
Escort during passage in NW Approaches with
Polish destroyer BLYSKAWICA, HM Destroyers
BICESTER, BULLDOG, KEPPEL, ZETLAND
and BEVERLEY.
September
1st
Remained with HMS BEVERLEY and Ocean Escort of
WS22 when other RN destroyers of Local
Escort detached.
2nd
Detached from WS22 and took passage to return
to Clyde.
(Note: HM Cruiser AURORA, HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser CARTHAGE, HM Destroyers
PARTRIDGE and QUIBERON were deployed as Ocean
Escort)
October
Taken in hand for
refit in
Hull
shipyard.
November
Under refit
to
(Note: Improved Sonar outfit (ASDIC) fitted.
December
For details of A/S equipment see SEEK and
STRIKE by P Hackmann..
Surface Warning Radar Type 271 fitted and
other Stage 2 modifications carried out
(See RADAR AT SEA by D Howe for details of development and use of radar by RN.)
1 9 4
3
January
On completion of post refit trials rejoined
Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
Joined escort for inward Convoy HX222 with HMS
VANSITTART, HMCS ST CROIX and five
RCN corvettes.
17th
Under attack by U268. See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR
by C Blair.
Sustained damaged from explosion of shallow
set depth charges.
22nd
Detached from HX222 on arrival at Liverpool
and took passage to Humber for repair.
February
to
Under repair in Hull commercial shipyard.
November
Future deployment under consideration.
Withdrawn from Atlantic convoy defence.
Nominated for deployment as an Air Target Ship
for aircrew training in attacks on shipping
Converted for new role and armament removed.
December
Deployed as Air Target Ship at station in
North Sea.
1 9 4
4
January
Air Target Ship duty in continuation.
to
Withdrawn from service for repair.
February Passage
to Dundee.
March
Under repair in commercial shipyard.
to
October
November
Repair work suspended as considered no longer
economic in view of the number of new Escorts
becoming available for service.
December
Future use under consideration.
1 9 4
5
January
Ship to be paid off and reduced to Reserve
status.
15th
Arrived at Rosyth to Pay-off and de-store
February
Reduced to Reserve status and Laid-up at
Rosyth.
March
Laid-up at Rosyth
to
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS CHESTERFIELD remained at Rosyth after VJ Day and
in was placed
on the Disposal List after the end of
hostilities. The ship was sold to BISCO
on 4th March 1947
for demolition by Clayton
and Davey at Dunston
on Tyne. She arrived at the
breaker’s yard in tow on 3rd December 1948.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
CHESTERFIELD
by
Don Kindell
These
convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19/03/41
|
20/03/41
|
OB
299
|
24/03/41
|
25/03/41
|
|
10/03/41
|
26/03/41
|
SC
025
|
29/03/41
|
29/03/41
|
|
13/04/41
|
14/04/41
|
OB
310
|
18/04/41
|
18/04/41
|
|
23/04/41
|
27/04/41
|
OB
314
|
30/04/41
|
30/04/41
|
|
20/04/41
|
04/05/41
|
HX
122
|
08/05/41
|
08/05/41
|
|
08/06/41
|
09/06/41
|
OB
332
|
10/06/41
|
23/06/41
|
|
11/06/41
|
19/06/41
|
OB
334
|
unknown
|
25/06/41
|
|
01/07/41
|
03/07/41
|
SC
036
|
13/07/41
|
19/07/41
|
|
30/06/41
|
04/07/41
|
HX
136
|
13/07/41
|
18/07/41
|
|
11/07/41
|
16/07/41
|
OB
345
|
24/07/41
|
26/07/41
|
|
01/08/41
|
04/08/41
|
HX
142
|
12/08/41
|
18/08/41
|
|
01/08/41
|
04/08/41
|
SC
039
|
12/08/94
|
19/08/41
|
|
11/08/41
|
17/08/41
|
ON
006
|
24/08/41
|
24/08/41
|
|
11/09/41
|
14/09/41
|
SC
044
|
22/09/41
|
30/09/41
|
|
03/03/42
|
05/03/42
|
ON
072
|
14/03/42
|
19/03/42
|
|
21/03/42
|
23/03/42
|
NA
006
|
28/03/43
|
28/03/42
|
|
26/06/42
|
27/06/42
|
ON
107
|
04/07/42
|
09/07/42
|
|
10/07/42
|
13/07/42
|
SC
091
|
24/07/42
|
24/07/42
|
|
02/08/42
|
03/08/42
|
ON
118
|
14/08/42
|
20/08/42
|
|
11/12/42
|
12/12/42
|
ON
153
|
19/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
|
06/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
HX
222
|
21/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|
