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Ex-USS
RODGERS (Type A –
BELMONT-Class) built by Bethlehem Steel,
Quincy. The ship was laid down on 25th
September 1918 and launched on 26th April
1919. Commissioned on 22nd July 1919 for US
naval service she was held in Reserve in
1939.-The ship transferred to the RN
under the UK/US Lend Lease Agreement in 1940
and commissioned as HMS SHERWOOD
on 23rd October 1940 at Halifax
in Canada. This
name is common to a town in California,
USA and a
suburb of the city of Nottingham.
It had not previously been used for an RN
warship. After a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in
March 1942 she was
adopted by the civil community of Bloefield
and Flegg, Norfolk.
B
a t t l e H o n o
u r s
ATLANTIC
1941-43
- NORTH
SEA
1943
H
e r a l d i c D a
t a
Badge:
On a Field barry wavy of six White and Blue.
Badge, a stag
lodged Red
with Gold antlers
within a wreath of oak Gold, the wreath
charged in base
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
Prepared for transfer and passage to Halifax
manned by US Navy.
3rd
Commissioned as HMS SHERWOOD at Halifax.
November
Sailed from Halifax for St Johns.
During Atlantic crossing from Newfoundland
diverted to search for survivors from
HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser JERVIS BAY sunk by German
warship ADMIRAL SCHEER.
(See ARMED MERCHANT CRUISERS by K Poolman,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett)
Developed machinery defects and returned to
St Johns.
7th
Arrived at St Johns.
12th On
completion of repairs took passage to
Portsmouth.
(Note: Refit had been changed to
Portsmouth instead of Devonport which was used the refit and
modifications carried out on arrival of most
of the destroyers ships transferred from US
Navy.)
26th
Arrived at Portsmouth
and taken in hand for refit and
modifications to suit RN service as a
convoy escort..
December
Under refit and modification by HM Dockyard,
Portsmouth
1 9
4 1
January
Under refit
to
Nominated for service with 12th Escort Group
based in Iceland.
February
March
11th
Damaged during air raid at Portsmouth.
Transferred to Devonport for completion of
dockyard work.
April
4th
Refit work completed.
On completion of post refit trials took
passage to join Group in Iceland
May
Deployed for mid-Atlantic convoy defence
based in Iceland.
25th
Diverted to join Home Fleet ships during
search for German battleship
BISMARCK.
28th
Deployed with HM Destroyer TARTAR to assist
in the rescue of survivors from HM Destroyer
MASHONA which had been sunk by German air
attack after loss of BISMARCK.
(See PURSUIT by L Kennedy, ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and
Naval
Staff History.)
31st
Joined military convoy WS8X in Clyde with HM
Destroyers BRIGHTON, LEGION, ST MARY'S,
VANSITTART, WILD SWAN, WIVERN, SAGUENAY (RCN) and Polish destroyer PIORUN as
Local Escort
during passage in
NW Approaches.
June
Detached from WS8X with Local Escort and
returned to Clyde.
Deployed in NW Approaches for convoy
defence.
July
Intended service with Newfoundland Escort
Force delayed by defects
.
Taken in hand for refit in Clyde commercial
shipyard.
August
Under refit.
October
On completion of post repair trials joined
Escort Group at Londonderry and deployed in
NW
Approaches.
November
Transferred to 22nd Escort Group in
continuation.
December
9th
Joined military convoy WS14 in Clyde with HM
Destroyers BEVERLEY, CROOME,. NEWARK,
LANCASTER, WESTCOTT, WITHERINGTON and HM AA
Ship ULSTER QUEEN as Local
Escort for passage in NW Approaches.
(Note: HM Destroyers FOXHOUND, GURKHA and
NESTOR (RAN) also joined as Ocean Escort
during passage to
Freetown.
12th
Detached
from WS14 with Local Escort, and returned to
Clyde.
1 9
4 2
January
Deployed in NW approaches for convoy
defence.
27th
Sustained structural damage in heavy
weather.
February
On completion of repair resumed convoy
defence duties at Londonderry.
Escorted HM Aircraft Carried FORMIDABLE
during trials in NW Approaches.
March
During Londonderry service escorted HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS during trials
in NW
Approaches.
Taken in hand for Boiler re-tubing.
April
Under repair at Liverpool in commercial
shipyard.
to
July
August
25th On
completion of post refit trials took passage
to Tobermory to work-up for operational
service.
September
Worked-up for operational service.
Nominated for temporary service as an Air
Target Ship in Cromarty Firth for training
of aircrew in
torpedo attacks on shipping.
(Note: It is unlikely that any major
conversions for this duty were undertaken.)
October
Deployed as an Air Target Vessel in Cromarty
area.
(Note: This deployment may suggest a
deterioration in ships condition.)
Allocated for
convoy defence with Newfoundland Escort
Force and took passage to
St.
Johns.
November
Deployed at St Johns for Atlantic convoy
defence.
December
Atlantic convoy defence with Newfoundland
Escort Force in continuation.
1 9 4 3
January
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation
including service with C2 Canadian Group.
to
February
March
Returned to
UK and deployed
for convoy escort between UK and Gibraltar.
Availability restricted due to defects and
ship laid up at Londonderry pending survey.
April
On survey declared beyond economic repair.
Withdrawn from operational service.
Passage to Chatham for removal of useful
items for repair of sister ships.
May
Paid off at Chatham.
to
To be placed on Disposal List and used as a
static target for aircraft rocket attacks
August
September
Joined convoy FN160 in tow of tug SEA GIANT for passage to
Humber.
October
Beached in approaches to Humber for use as
target
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
The
hulk
of HMS SHERWOOD was disposed of by the RN in
1946 as part of the Wreck Disposal
Programme.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS SHERWOOD
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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14/04/41
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SL
069
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16/04/41
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unknown
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22/04/41
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23/04/41
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OB
313
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28/04/41
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28/04/41
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09/04/41
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28/04/41
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SL
071
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04/05/41
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04/05/41
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16/06/41
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16/06/41
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OB
335
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24/06/41
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02/07/41
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21/06/41
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26/06/41
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TC
011
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28/06/41
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30/06/41
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20/06/41
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04/07/41
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HX
134
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09/07/41
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09/07/41
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09/10/41
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14/10/41
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TC
014
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17/10/41
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17/10/41
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11/10/41
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23/10/41
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SC
049
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27/10/41
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27/10/41
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22/11/41
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22/11/41
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CT
007
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02/12/41
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02/12/41
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21/11/41
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22/11/41
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ON
039
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27/11/41
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04/12/41
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15/12/41
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22/12/41
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TC
016
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unknown
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25/12/41
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31/12/41
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03/01/42
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ON
052
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05/01/42
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11/01/42
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27/12/41
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09/01/42
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SC
062
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12/01/42
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12/01/42
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16/10/42
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18/10/42
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ON
139
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22/10/42
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01/11/42
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01/11/42
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08/11/42
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SC
108
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19/11/42
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19/11/42
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26/11/42
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27/11/42
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ON
149
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01/12/42
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12/12/42
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12/12/42
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19/12/42
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SC
113
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28/12/42
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02/01/43
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11/01/43
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12/01/43
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ON
160
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01/02/43
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04/02/43
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30/01/43
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05/02/43
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HX
225
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13/02/43
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13/02/43
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14/03/43
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14/03/43
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KMS
011G
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24/03/43
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28/03/43
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23/03/43
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27/03/43
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MKS
010
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05/04/43
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05/04/43
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(Note
on Convoys)
HMS SHERWOOD in US NAVY SERVICE
by
Len
McCartney
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