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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 RIPLEY - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Clare, Type A sister-ship (John Bown, click to enlarge)

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Ex USS SHUBRICK (Type A - BELMONT-Class) built by Bethlehem Steel, Squantun. The ship was laid down on 3rd June 1918 and launched on 31st December 19l8. Commissioned on 3rd July 1919 for US Navy she was held in Reserve in 1939. The ship was transferred to the RN under UK/US Land Lease Agreement signed on 3rd September and commissioned at Halifax on 26th November that year for RN service. Like others of this Class she was given a name common to three towns in UK and six in the USA.  It had not been previously used for an RN ship. After a WARSHIP WEEK National Seville campaign February 1942 this destroyer was adopted by the civil community of Repton, in Derbyshire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r

 

ATLANTIC 1941-42

 

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

trident erect Red entwined by a serpent nosed proper, 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

 

November              Prepared for transfer and passage to Halifax.

                26th        Transferred to Royal Navy and commissioned as HMS RIPLEY

 

December              Passage to Plymouth with call at St Johns, Newfoundland.

                27th        Arrived at Plymouth and taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Devonport.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Under refit and modification to suit RN deployment as a convoy escort.

                                (Note: Work included:

                                Removal of mainmast and shortening of foremast.

                                Reducing size of after three funnels.

                                Removal of after 3in and 4in guns mountings and fit of British 12pdr HA gun

                                in X-position.

                                Removal of after set of torpedo tubes.

                                Fitting of British type Depth Charge Throwers.

                                Installation of some RN design ASDIC equipment.

 

February                Allocated for service with 5th Escort Group.

                13th        During post refit trials involved in collision with sister destroyer HMS BURWELL and

                                trawler NOIRE DAME DE FRANCE. Taken in hand for repair.

 

March

                3rd          On completion of repair deployed in search for a blockade runner in SW approaches.

                                When detached took passage to join Group for Atlantic convoy escort.

 

April                       Deployed as part of escort for Convoy OB308 during passage in NW Approaches.

                                (Note: OB series of convoys was renamed ON series later in 1941.)

 

May                        Deployment for Atlantic convey defence in continuation.

                25th        Detached to join Home Fleet ships in search for German battleship BISMARCK.

                                On release resumed convoy defence duties with Group.

 

June                        Atlantic convoy escort in NW Approaches continued.

to

July

 

August                  Passage to Canada,

                14th        Deployed at Argentia Bay, Newfoundland for guardship duties with RN and US Navy warships

                                during Atlantic Charter Meeting by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin

                                D Roosevelt on HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES

                                On release deployed as part of escort for military convoy TC12B during passage to Clyde..

 

September             Nominated for refit.

                4th          During passage in North Sea to Middlesbrough ran aground at Flamborough Head..

                                Sustained structural damage and towed to Grimsby for temporary repair.

                8th          Under repair in commercial shipyard.

                15th        Took passage from Grimsby to Middlesbrough.

 

October                  Under refit.

to                            (Note: Work carried out probably included installation of Naval Radar Type 286M, an Ex RAF

December              Air-Surface Vessel radar modified to suit RN use with fixed aerial.

                                See RADAR AT SEA by D Hawse for details of development and use of radar in RN.)

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Under refit.

to

February

 

March                    Carried out post-refit trials.

                15th        On completion took passage from Middlesbrough to Tobermory for work-up.

                23rd        Resumed Atlantic convoy escort in NW Approaches after shortened work-up.

 

April                       Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.

to                            (Note: Convoys escorted by Group included SC86 and ON107.)

May                        For details of dates of convoys see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM IN WW2 by A Hague.)

 

June

                21st         Part of Local Escort for military convoy WS20 from Clyde in NW Approaches.

                                (Note: Other ships in Local Escort ware HM Destroyers GEORGETOWN, SALISBURY,

                                BEAGLE, ST ALBANS, VIDETTE, WOLVERINE and VANSITTART.)

                25th        Detached from WS20 with HMS BOADICEA and returned to Clyde.

 

July                         Atlantic convoy escort with Group in continuation.

 

August                  Transferred to British 7th Escort Group

                                (Note: Other ships in Group were HM Destroyer FIREDRAKE, HM Corvettes SUNFLOWER,

                                LOOSESTRIFE and PINK

.                               Deployed as part of escort of Convoy ONS117 to Canada with Group.

 

September             Deployed for convoy defence In Caribbean.

                                (Note: RN warships were deployed to support US Navy anti-submarine operations against

                                German submarines concentrating attacks in this area. See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR

                                by C Blair and U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO).

                                On release from service in Caribbean deployment took passage to Halifax.

                                (Note: Service in Caribbean had proved unsatisfactory due to poor operational availability.

                                This was common to many TOWN Class destroyers.)

 

October                  After arrival in Newfoundland deployed with escort for Convoy SC103 during passage to

                                Liverpool.

                14th        On arrival taken in hand in Holyhead for temporary repair of defects.

 

November              Under permanent repair and refit at Liverpool. in commercial shipyard.

                                (Note: The work included:

                                Stage 2 of modifications to suit RN deployment for convoy defence

                                Fit of surface warning radar Type 271.

                                Replacement of Type 286M by improved variant type 266P.

                                Replacement of forward beam torpedo tube Buntings by Triple RN mounting.

                                Fit of Oerlikon 20mm AA guns in place of 4in beam mountings.

                                Installation of HF Direction Finding Outfit using mainmast for aerial

 

December              Under refit.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Under refit

to

April

 

 May                       Allocated to Orkney and Shetland Command on completion of refit.

                                Carried out post-refit trials and took passage to Tobermory for work-up.

 

June                        Worked-up for operational service.

                                Deployed for Local Escort in NW Approaches and North Sea.

 

July

                25th        Detached for service with Home Fleet.

                26th        Deployed with Home Fleet units during offensive sweep of coast of Norway.

                                (Operation GOVERNOR. This was a diversionary operation during allied landings

                                in Sicily (Operation HUSKY - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by

                                C Barnett and Naval Staff History

 

August                  Resumed coastal convoy escort including troop convoy to Faeroes.

 

September             Deployed for coastal convoy defence in NW Approaches.

to

November

 

December              Nominated for reduction to Reserve status and withdrawn from operational service.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Passage to Tyne.

                4th          Arrived in Tyne and Paid-off.

                                De-stored and commenced reduction to Reserve.

 

February                Accepted into Reserve.

 

March                    Laid-up in Tyne.

to

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Placed on Disposal List

to

February

 

March

                20th        Sold to T W Young for demolition at Sunderland.

 

April

                14th        Arrived in tow at breaker’s yard.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS RIPLEY

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

 

 

 

 

 

06/04/41

06/04/41

OB 308

11/04/41

13/04/41

31/03/41

13/04/41

HX 118

18/04/41

18/04/41

09/05/41

10/05/41

HP

12/05/41

24/05/41

06/05/41

18/05/41

HX 125A

unknown

22/05/41

28/05/41

28/05/41

OB 327

29/05/41

01/06/41

20/05/41

03/06/41

HX 128

06/06/41

06/06/41

16/06/41

16/06/41

OB 335

24/06/41

02/07/41

16/06/41

27/06/41

HX 133

29/06/41

03/07/41

02/07/41

08/07/41

OB 341A

15/07/41

18/07/41

21/07/41

23/07/41

TC 012

26/07/41

29/07/41

11/08/41

unknown

ON 006

24/08/41

24/08/41

26/08/41

27/08/41

TC 012B

01/09/41

01/09/41

23/06/42

24/06/42

ON 106

03/07/42

08/07/42

12/07/42

18/07/42

HX 198

22/07/42

23/07/42

31/07/42

02/08/42

ON 117

10/08/42

15/08/42

19/08/42

19/08/42

HA 004

28/08/42

28/08/42

02/09/42

02/09/42

AH 003

10/09/42

10/09/42

17/09/42

20/09/42

HX 208

23/09/42

02/10/42

18/09/42

27/09/42

ON 131

02/10/42

04/10/42

26/09/42

03/10/42

SC 103

13/10/42

14/10/42

31/10/42

02/11/42

ON 142

02/11/42

21/11/42

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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