CAPTAIN Class Turbo-Electric BUCKLEY Type Frigate ordered under the UK/US Lease-Lend Agreement on 1st November 1941 and laid down on 4th August 1943 by  the  Bethlehem Steel Shipyard at Hingham, Mass. USA. The ship was launched on 23rd October 1943 as the first RN ship to carry the name of William George Rutherford who was one of Nelson’s captains at Trafalgar and in command of HMS SWIFTSURE. Build  was completed date was 16th December 1943. This ship was not adopted by a civil community in UK in 1941-42  after a National Savings WARSHIP WEEK campaign. Details  of  arrangements made for manning this Class of warship in the USA are given in THE CAPTAIN  CLASS FRIGATES IN WW2 by D Collingwood.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1944 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1944 - NORTH SEA 1944-45

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

No Badge is recorded in the Official List of Heraldic Crests.

(Note: Many ships built during WW2 had an unofficial crest but

these were never given formal approval.)

 

 

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 3

 

December              Contractor's trials.

                16th        Commissioned for service and commenced Acceptance Trials in Casco Bay.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  On completion of local trials and Shakedown took passage to Bermuda to work-up

                                for operational service

 

February                Carried out sea work-up and shore training at Bermuda.

 

March                    On completion of working-up took passage to Halifax

                                Sustained damage in collision with submerged wreckage during passage from

                                Bermuda.

                                Taken in hand for repair at Halifax.

                                Took passage to Belfast on completion

                                (Note: Award of Battle Honour ATLANTIC 1944 suggests that ship may have

                                been involved in convoy defence whilst on passage to UK but no record of

                                any specific incident has been found in HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR,

                                Volume 2 by C Blair and further investigation is needed.

                26th        Taken in hand for modification on arrival at Belfast.

 

April                       Under modification to suit RN requirements for deployment.

                                (Note: In addition to changes made to equipment fit some other alterations were made

                                the domestic arrangements. These including use of RN Canteen Messing

                                instead of the US Navy Cafeteria System and replacement of steel furniture by

                                wooden items which is quite astounding !)

                                Equipment changes included improvement of Depth

                                Charge allowances and stowage, improvement of the

                                Sonar (ASDIC) equipment and communications.)

                                Ship’s Company were given leave during the refit.

 

May                        On completion of modifications allocated for service with 1st Destroyer Flotilla,

                                Nore Command and took passage to Harwich for service as a Coastal Forces Control

                                Frigate (CFCF) and for convoy escort duties.

                                (Note: This category of warship was used to control groups of Motor Torpedo Boats

                                for interception of enemy craft on passage to attack North Sea and Channel

                                coastal convoys or for minelaying.

                                As the radar equipment fitted on MTB’s was not able to detect enemy craft at

                                long range the use of CAPTAIN-Class Frigates with a far superior radar

                                fit was able to overcome this deficiency. In order to ensure efficient tactical

                                control Special Officers from RN Coastal Forces were embarked to provide

                                the necessary experience for control of movements of the attached MTB’s.)

 

June                        Deployed at Harwich with sister ships HMS COSBY and HMS CUBITT.

                                (Note: Ship was not deployed for escort of convoys during the Assault Phase of

                                the Normandy landings (Operation NEPTUNE. See LANDINGS IN

                                NORMANDY (HMSO).)

                                Nominated for escort of Follow-up convoys from Thames Estuary to Normandy

                                Beach Heads and return convoys.

                                Commenced escort duties

 

July                         Military convoy escort duties in continuation.

to

August

 

September             Resumed duties at Harwich for North Sea convoy defence and as

                                CFCF for control of MTB’s.

                                (Note: Sister ships, HM Frigates CUBITT, CURZON, DAKINS and EKINS were

                                also deployed in Nore Command as CFCFs.)

 

October                  North Sea and Thames estuary duties in continuation.

to November

 

December              CFCF patrol duties off Dutch and Belgian coasts in defence of military convoys

                                in continuation.

                                During this period engaged enemy E-Boats reported by aircraft and carried out attacks

                                during which several enemy craft were hit.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Deployed for patrol and CFCF duties off Scheldt estuary.

to                            (Note: Aircraft were also used to report movement of enemy warships and to report

March                    these direct to CFCFs.)

 

April                       Deployed with HMS CUBITT for interception patrol off the Low Countries for

                                defence of convoys.

                7th          Took part in action against E-Boats during which two were seriously damaged and in

                                subsequent engagement by MTB’s at close range assisted in rescue of crew of HM

                                MTB 494 and HM MTB 5001 which had been damaged and later sank.

                9th          Engaged group of E-Boats sighted by aircraft off Ostend and

                                during brief action two enemy craft were sunk.

                                (Note: For details of Coastal Forces actions in Home Waters

                                during WW2 see THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott and

                                HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith)

 

May                        Nominated for service in Pacific as a Fighter Direction Ship after conversion

                                Took passage to commercial shipyard for conversion after VE Day.

                                (Note: One source records that this work was done in the Isle of Man but needs

                                confirmation as no suitable shipyard for such work is known there.

                                The visit may well have been arranged for recreational purposes before start of

                                refit work at Liverpool or Glasgow for example.)

 

June                        Under conversion

to July

 

August                  Refit work suspended after VJ Day

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

The contribution made to the safety of convoys especially in the North Sea and Channel is recognised by the award of these two Battle Honours.  HMS RUTHERFORD was Paid-off and destored before taking passage to USA with a steaming party. RN Equipment was removed before sailing and the ship was returned to the US Navy on 25th October 1945. She was never re-commissioned and was sold for scrap in May 1946. 

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS RUTHERFORD

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)