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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS NEWARK (G 08) - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Newark (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Ex USS RINGOLD (Type C - ANNAPOLIS Class) built by Union Iron Works at San Francisco and laid down on 20th October 1917. She was launched on 14th April 1918 and commissioned for service in the USN on 14th November that year. The ship was transferred to the Royal Navy under the US/UK Lend/Lease Agreement of 3rd September 1940 and handed over at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 26th November 1940. Her name, which is common to two towns in USA and one in Nottinghamshire had twice been used for an RN ship having been introduced in 1695 for a 3rd Rate. It was last used by a HUNT-Class minesweeper built in 1918 and sold in 1928. This destroyer was appropriately adopted by the civil community of Newark after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942,.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

VELEZ MALAGA 1704 - LAGOS 1759 - ATLANTIC 1941-42 - NORTH SEA 1943-44

 

H e r a l d i c   D a ta

Badge: On a Field Blue, a Cormorant Gold, in his beak an eel Silver.

 

M o t t o

Deo Fretus Erumpe: 'Trust in God and sally forth'

 

 

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

 

November              Pre-acceptance trials and passage to Halifax

                26th        Formally transferred to RN.

                                Renamed HMS NEWARK when commissioned for service.

 

December              Took passage to St Johns Newfoundland with sister destroyer HMS NEWMARKET

                                Sustained damage in collision with HMS NEWMARKET during transit.

                                (Note: Both ships required repair before making Atlantic passage.)

                5th          Taken in hand for repair at St Johns.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

                29th        On completion of repair sailed from St Johns for UK.

 

February                Disabled in heavy weather had to be towed back to St Johns.

                                On completion of repair work took passage to Devonport.

 

March

                9th          Taken in hand for refit and modification to suit RN deployment by HM Dockyard Devonport.

                                (Note: Changes made included removal of mainmast and shortening of foremast, the

                                removal of after 3in and 4in guns and replacement by 12pdr RN HA gun.

                                After torpedo tubes were removed and British Depth Charge Throwers were

                                fitted.

                                RN ASDIC equipment was also fitted.)

 

April

                10th        Damaged in collision with HM Destroyer VOLUNTEER at Devonport before completion of

                                dockyard work.

                                Repair arranged at Belfast and took passage.

                18th        Arrived at Belfast for hull structure repair.

 

May

                5th          Sustained damage during air raid at Belfast.

 

June                        Completion of repair delayed by disruption of work in shipyard caused by air raid damage.

 

July                         Under repair.

                                Nominated for service with 1st Minelaying Squadron at Kyle of Lochalsh.

 

August                  Carried out post repair trials on completion of shipyard work..

                15th        Commenced operational service with 17th Destroyer Division at Kyle of Lochalsh.

                22nd       Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayer AGAMEMNON during minelay in Northern Barrage.

                                (Operation SN22B).

                25th        Escorted HM Minelayer ADVENTURE, HM Auxiliary Minelayers PORT QUEBEC,

                                MENESTHEUS and SOUTHERN PRINCE with HM Destroyers CHARLESTOWN and

                                CASTLETON for minelay in Northern Barrage between the Faroes and Iceland.

                                (Operation SN70A)

 

September

                4th          Escort HM Auxiliary Minelayer PORT QUEBEC during minelay in Northern Barrage.

                                (Operation SN23A.)

                16th        Escorted HM PORT QUEBEC for further minelay in Northern Barrage.

                                (Operation SN23B).

                                Detached for escort of military convoy and took passage to Clyde.

 

October

                1st           Joined military convoy WS12 in Clyde with HM Destroyers BADSWORTH, LANCASTER,

                                BRADFORD and BRIGHTON as Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches.

                3rd          Detached with same destroyers and took passage to Clyde.

                                Resumed duties with Squadron.

                22nd       Escorted HMS PORT QUEBEC for further minelay in Northern Barrage. (Operation SN24C).

 

November

                9th          Escorted HIS PORT QUEBEC and HMS MENESTHEUS with HMS CHARLESTOWN and

                                HMS BRIGHTON during minelay in Northern Barrage between Faroes and Iceland.

                                (Operation SN83B).

                19th        Escorted HMS MENESTHEUS during minelay in Northern Barrage (Operation SN25A).

                                Nominated for detached service for escort of military convoy.

 

December

                9th          Joined military Convoy WS14 in Clyde for Local Escort in the NW Approaches with HM

                                Destroyers BEVERLEY, CROOME, LANCASTER, SHERWOOD, WESTCOTT,

                                WITHERINGTON and HM AA Ship ULSTER QUEEN.

                12th        Detached with Local Escort and resumed Squadron duties.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

                3rd          Escorted HMS AGAMEMNON during Northern Barrage minelay in Butt of Lewis.

                                (Operation SN26A).

 

February

                2nd         Escorted HM Minelayer ADVENTURE, HM Auxiliary Minelayers PORT QUEBEC,

                                MENESTHEUS, SOUTHERN PRINCE and AGAMEMNON with HM Destroyers

                                LANCASTER and WELLS for minelay to extend and reinforce section of East Coast Barrier

                                north of Aberdeen. (Operation SN17) .

                                (Note: Destroyers forced to return to harbour due to weather conditions.)

                9th          Escorted HMS AGAMEMNON and HMS MENESTHEUS with sister TOWN-Class

                                destroyers HMS LANCASTER and HMS ST MARY'S during minelay in Denmark Strait

                                (Operation SN5B) .

                15th        Under refit.

 

March                    Under refit.

to

April

 

May                        Carried out post refit trials and prepared for work-up at Tobermory.

                                Resumed Squadron duties at Kyle of Lochalsh on completion.

 

June

                1st           Escorted HM Minelaying Cruiser ADVENTURE, HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON

                                and MENESTHEUS with HM Destroyer ST MARY'S during minelay in Denmark Strait

                                (Operation SN72).

                11th        Escorted HMS ADVENTURE, HMS MENESTHEUS, HMS AGAMEMNON, HMS

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE with HM Destroyers BRIGHTON, CASTLETON, WEL1S and HM

                                Minesweeper SCOTT for lay of a deep anti-submarine minefield in Faroes Bank area

                                (Operation SN3B).

                                (Note: HMS SCOTT was deployed as a specialist Survey Ship to ensure the precise location

                                of this field to deny use of area by U-Boats entering Atlantic.

 

July

                31st         Escorted HMS ADVENTURE, HMS AGAMEMNON, HMS MENESTHEUS. HMS

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE and HMS PORT QUEBEC for minelay in Northern Barrage between

                                Faroes and Iceland with HMS BRIGHTON, HMS CASTLETON, HMS LANCASTER and

                                HMS SCOTT (Operation SN82).

                                (Note: See above for use of HMS SCOTT.)

 

August

                19th        Escorted same ships as for SN82 for minelay in Denmark Strait with H M Destroyers

                                BRIGHTON, CASTLETON and CHARLESTOWN (Operation SN73).

                20th        During escort for minelay rescued 52 survivors from U464 which had been scuttled by crew

                                after damage by air attack. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.

                                (Note: U464 was one of a series of ten Type XIV U-Boat Tankers.)

 

September

                2nd         Escorted same ships as for SN73 for minelay in Denmark Strait with HM Destroyers

                                BRIGHTON, CHARLESTOWN, LANCASTER and HM Minesweeper SCOTT

                                (Operation SN89 - See above Note re HMS SCOTT).

                16th        Escorted HMS ADVENTURE, HMS AGAMEMNON and HMS MENESTHEUS with HMS

                                CHARLESTOWN for minelay in Faroes area of Northern Barrage

                                (Operation SN65A).

                                On completion took passage to Tyne for refit and further modifications to suit RN service as

                                convoy escort.

 

October                  Under refit

to                            (Note: This was Stage 2 of conversion included:

December              Replacement of Bridge structure by improved design.

                                Installation of surface warning Radar Type 271 and combined warning radar Type

                                291 (See RADAR AT SEA by D House.)

                                Removal of forward torpedo tubes and replacement by RN triple mounting.

                                Replacement of beam gun mountings by 20mm Oerlikon guns.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Post refit trials.

                                On completion of work-up detached for escort of Gibraltar route convoys.

 

February                Atlantic convoy defence on UK-Gibraltar route in continuation.

 

March                    Resumed Squadron duties at Kyle of Lochalsh.

                21st         Escorted HMS AGAMEMNON, HMS MENESTHEUS and HMS PORT QUEBEC

                                during lay of a Deep minefield in Northern Barrage off Iceland with HMS CHARLESTOWN

                                (Operation SN90A)

 

April                       Deployed at Kyle of Lochalsh.

 

May

                5th          Escorted HMS AGAMEMNON and HMS PORT QUEBEC during lay of minefield to the east

                                of Iceland in Northern Barrage with HMS CASTLETON, HMS ST MARY'S and HMS SCOTT.

                                Encountered exceptional weather conditions.

                                (Operations SN111A - See above Note re HMS SCOTT.)

                26th        Escorted HMS AGAMEMNON, HMS MENESTHEUS and HMS PORT QUEBEC during lay

                                of modified Mk1 Mines in an experimental field off Isle of Lewis with HMS CASTLETON and

                                HMS SCOTT for navigational accuracy (Operation SN123B).

 

June

                11th        Escorted same ships as SN123B in further lay of modified mines off Lewis.

                                (Operation SN123C).

 

July                         Under refit at Cardiff

to

August

 

September             On completion of post refit trials resumed Squadron duties at Kyle of Lochalsh.

                4th          Escorted HMS AGAMEMNON, HMS MENESTHEUS and HMS PORT QUEBEC during

                                minelay SE of Iceland in position west of Northern Barrage with HMS SCOTT for navigational

                                purposes. (Operation SN222B).

 

October                  On disbandment of 1st Minelaying Squadron transferred to Rosyth Escort Force.

                                (Note: For full details of all minelaying operations see The Naval Staff History (Mining) which

                                also gives details of materiel used.)

 

November              Deployed for convoy escort of East Coast convoys. Based at Rosyth.

to

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

                                East Coast convoy defence in continuation.

                                (Note: Not deployed for escort or support of allied landings in Normandy.

                                (Operation NEPTUNE. - See LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO).)

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Withdrawn from operational service for use as an Air Target Ship.

to                            (Note: Conversion included removal of armament and ship was used for training of aircrew

June                        in attacks on shipping.)

                                Deployed for service as an Air Target Ship.

July                         Withdrawn from training use and Paid-off.

                                De-stored and reduced to Reserve status.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS NEWARK was placed on the Disposal List after VJ Day and sold to P & W MacLellan Ltd on 18th July 1947. She was towed to the breakers yard at Bo'ness near Edinburgh later that year for demolition.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS NEWARK

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

         

06/09/41

06/09/41

DS 011

09/09/41

09/09/41

09/09/41

09/09/41

SD 011

13/09/41

13/09/41

30/10/41

30/10/41

CT 005

02/11/41

08/11/41

25/10/41

02/11/41

CARGO

04/11/41

04/11/41

27/11/41

27/11/41

DS 017

30/11/41

29/11/41

04/12/41

04/12/41

SD 017

07/12/41

06/12/41

17/01/42

17/01/42

DS 020

20/01/42

20/01/42

21/01/42

21/01/42

SD 020

23/01/42

23/01/42

12/06/42

12/06/42

DS 028

14/06/42

14/06/42

15/06/42

15/06/42

SD 028

17/06/42

17/06/42

02/08/42

06/08/42

AT 019

07/08/42

07/08/42

10/08/42

10/08/42

TA 019

11/08/42

16/08/42

19/10/42

03/01/43

KX 003

11/01/43

25/10/42

03/01/43

03/01/43

KX 008

13/01/43

21/01/43

14/01/43

15/01/43

MKS 005X

17/01/43

25/01/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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