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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 1998

HMS LEWES (G 68) - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Roxburgh, sister-ship  (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Ex USS CONWAY. This ship had been built by US Navy Yard at Norfolk Virginia and was launched as USS CRAVEN on 29th June 1918 with completion on 19th October 1918. After US Navy service she was placed on the Disposal List and the name allocated to a new warship. Pending sale for scrap she was renamed USS CONWAY. She was transferred to the RN under the US/UK Lend Lease Agreement en 23rd October 1940. On commissioning she was renamed LEWES which is common to towns in Delaware, USA and in East Sussex. This name had been used by a Paddle Minesweeper in 1918 on completion of build and sold in 1922. In March 1942 following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in May 1942 this ex USN destroyer was adopted by the civil community of Lewes, East Sussex. Unlike other four funnelled Ex USN destroyers transferred to the RN she had 3in guns as main armament instead of 4in weapons.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r

 

NORTH SEA 1942

 

H e r a l d i c  D a t a

Badge: On a Field White, a lion's gamb erased Blue charged with a mullet White

grasping a cross crosslet  in  fitchy Black.

 

 

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                  Pre-acceptance trials.

                23rd        Transferred to RN and renamed HMS LEWES at Halifax.

                                Commissioned for service and prepared for passage to UK.

 

November              On passage via St. Johns, Newfoundland.

                11th        Arrived at Devonport.

                                Taken in hand for modifications by HM Dockyard to suit RN use as a convoy escort.

 

December              Under refit

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Under refit.

 

February                Carried out post refit trials.

 

March                    Prepared for convoy defence service.

 

April                       Deployed at Devonport.

                22nd       Sustained damage during air raid at Devonport

 

May                        Under repair

to

December.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Carried out post repair trials and prepared for East coast convoy defence in Rosyth Command

                                Passage to Rosyth.

 

February                Joined Rosyth Escort Force.

                                (Note: This Ex US Navy destroyer was the last to begin RN operational RN service).

 

March                    Deployed at Rosyth for escort of East coast convoys.

to                            (Note: During this period fitted with Radar Type 286 and VHF Radio telephone outfit

November              in general use by East coast escorts.

                                See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).

                                Future deployment under discussion.

 

December              Selected for use as an Air Target ship after refit and modification.

                                Withdrawn from operational service.

                                (Note: This Class of destroyer had not been notably successful as convoy escorts.

                                Several other TOWN Class were withdrawn from escort duty and converted for this duty,

                                essential for training of aircrew in anti ship operations)

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Under refit and conversion for new duties at Humber shipyard.

 

February                On completion nominated for service in South Atlantic.

 

March                    After preparation for foreign service took passage to Simonstown with Convoy WS29.

to                            Deployed on South Atlantic Station for air target duties.

December

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Detached for passage to Casablanca.

                                (Note: This reasons for this requirement are not known)

 

February                Return passage to Simonstown to resume target duties.

 

March                    South Atlantic service in continuation

to                            Nominated for transfer to Ceylon for duty in Eastern Fleet as Target Ship.

July                         (Note: Eastern Fleet had been reinforced with Fleet aircraft carriers and training for future

                                deployments involving shipping attacks was essential)

 

August.                 Passage to Ceylon to join Eastern Fleet.

 

September             Deployed at Ceylon and carried out escort duty with convoy to Addu Atoll.

 

October                  Deployed with Eastern Fleet for Air Target duties.

to

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Eastern Fleet duties in continuation

                                Nominated for transfer to British Pacific Fleet for Air Target Ship duties.

 

February                Passage from Trincomalee to Fremantle with escort for HM Destroyer Depot Ship TYNE

to                            Detached from HMS TYNE on arrival and took passage to Sydney to join BPF.

March

 

April                       Deployed at Sydney as Air Target Ship.

to

August

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS LEWES remained in commission after VJ Day and continued in the training role until she paid-off at Sydney in November 1945. Placed on the Disposal List whilst at Sydney she was de-quipped and then sold to BISCO for disposal, All valuable items were removed and on 25th May 1946 the ship was scuttled off Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS LEWES

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

         

27/03/42

28/03/42

WN 263

30/03/42

30/03/42

13/04/42

13/04/42

WN 269

14/04/42

14/04/42

13/05/42

14/05/42

WN 282

15/05/42

15/05/42

19/05/42

20/05/42

WN 285

21/05/42

21/05/42

24/05/42

25/05/42

WN 287

26/05/42

26/05/42

28/05/42

29/05/42

WN 289

30/05/42

30/05/42

03/06/42

04/06/42

WN 291

05/06/42

05/06/42

07/06/42

08/06/42

WN 293

09/06/42

09/06/42

10/09/44

10/09/44

XC 029

13/09/44

13/09/44

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 15/8/11
further editing and formatting is required