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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2001

HMS AUCKLAND (L 61) - Egret-class Sloop
including Convoy Escort Movements 

HMS Auckland (Photo Ships, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

EGRET-Class Sloop ordered from Denny at Dumbarton under 1936 Estimates on 5th March 1937. This ship was laid down on 16th June 1937 and intended to be named HERON but when selected for use as an unarmed Survey Ship in New Zealand waters the name was changed to one more suitable for this duty. She was launched as HMS AUCKLAND by Mrs W Denny on 30th June 1938 as the second RN ship to carry the name, previously borne by a frigate built at Bombay in 1840. However because of the deterioration of the international situation it was necessary to change this requirement and she was completed as a fully armed EGRET Class Sloop on 16th November 1938 and sailed to relieve HM Sloop LONDONDERRY at Simonstown in January 1939.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

CHINA 1856-60 - ATLANTIC 1939 - NORWAY 1940 - GREECE 1941 - CRETE 1941 - LIBYA  1941

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge On a Field barry wavy  Blue and White a Kiwi proper.

 

 

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 3 9

 

September

                3rd          Deployed for interception of commerce raiders and blockade runners in the South Atlantic

                                based at Simonstown.

 

October                  Transferred to West Africa Command for convoy defence.

                                Deployed at Freetown, Sierra Leone.

 

November              Nominated for escort duty in Home waters after refit at Portsmouth.

                                Took passage to UK as part of escort for Convoy SLF9.

 

December              Under refit at Portsmouth.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  On completion of post refit trials joined Rosyth Escort Force and deployed for defence of North

to                            Sea convoys.

March

 

April                       Detached for duty with Home Fleet after German invasion of Norway.

                8th          Deployed with Fleet units off Norway to supplement AA defence during the allied landings in

                                Norway.

                14th        Embarked Royal Marines with supporting army artillery and searchlight units for passage to

                                Andalsnes with HM Sloops BLACK SWAN, FLAMINGO and BITTERN.

                                (Operation PRIMROSE).

                                Sailed for Norway on completion but delayed by weather.

                15th        Embarked Captain M M Denny RN at Invergordon for passage.

                17th        Landed PRIMROSE Party as Alesund

                21st         Under continuous air attacks during passage up fjord to Namsos to relieve HM Destroyer

                                NUBIAN as AA Guardship.

                                Arrived without damage.

                22nd       Embarked troops from French liner VILLE D'ANGERS at Namsos for transfer to shore.

                24th        Passage to UK to re-ammunition and escorted HM Cruiser CURACOA with HM Cruisers

                                GLASGOW and SHEFFIELD.

                26th        Return passage to Andalsnes for AA Guardship duties.

                27th        Under heavy and sustained air attacks and took passage to UK to replenish ammunition.

                29th        Passage to Andalsnes to relieve HM Sloop FLEETWOOD as AA Guardship.

                30th        Deployed as AA Guardship at Andalsnes.

 

May

                1st           Assisted in evacuation of troops from Andalsnes with HM Cruisers BIRMINGHAM,

                                CALCUTTA, HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD and MASHONA.

                                Under heavy and sustained air attacks.

                3rd          Last warship to leave port after embarking 240 men to UK.

                                (For full details of the disastrous naval operations off Norway see NARVIK by D

                                Macintyre, CARRIER GLORIOUS by J Winton and Naval Staff History (HMSO, 2001).)

                10th        Transferred to Mediterranean for convoy defence in Red Sea.

                                Took passage to Alexandria via Malta.

                                On arrival sent to Bombay for refit

 

June                        Under refit in HM Dockyard.

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling changed to U61.

 

July                         On completion of post refit trials took passage to Join Red Sea Escort Force at Aden.

 

August                  Nominated for support of military operations in East Africa.

                13th        Bombarded Italian troop positions W of Berbera with HM Destroyer KIMBERLEY.

                15th        Joined HM Cruisers HOBART, CALEDON, CERES, CARLISLE, HM Destroyers

                                KANDAHAR, KIMBERLEY, HM Sloop SHOREHAM, HM Australian Sloop

                                PARRAMATTA, three Armed Merchant Cruisers and a hospital ship for evacuation of

                                Berbera.

                                (Note:  Over 7,000 troops and civilians were taken by these ships to Aden.)

 

September             Deployed on convoy escort duty in Red Sea and approaches to Aden.

 

October                  Red Sea convoy defence in continuation.

                20th        In action with HMS KIMBERLEY against Italian destroyer attacking Convoy BN(?) in

                                Red Sea.

 

November              Convoy escort duty with Red Sea Force in continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Passage to Bombay for routine docking and refit

 

February                Under refit in Bombay.

 

March                    On completion of post refit trials resumed convoy defence with Red Sea Force at Aden.

                                Nominated for transfer to Mediterranean for convoy defence.

 

April                       Passage to Alexandria.

                8th          Joined Mediterranean Fleet for convoy escort in Eastern Mediterranean.

                23rd        At Port Rafti, Greece with HM Sloop GRIMSBY. 400 personnel evacuated.

                                Escorted Convoy AG13 (3 troopships). Under air attacks in Kaso Straits.

                26th        Assisted in evacuation of allied troops from Greece.

                                (Operation DEMON - For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by

                                C Barnett and Naval Staff History (2001).)

 

May                        Deployed for defence of reinforcement convoys to Crete.

                30th        Assisted in evacuation of troops from Crete and defence of convoys.

 

June                        On completion resumed convoys defence in Eastern Mediterranean.

                18th        Joined Inshore Squadron with HM Sloops PARRAMATTA (RAN) and FLAMINGO for

                                support of military operations and defence of supply convoys to Tobruk.

                24th        Deployed for transfer of reinforcement troops to Crete with HM Cruiser ABDIEL and HM

                                Sloop FLAMINGO.

                                (See BATTLE OF THE WINE DARK SEA by L Lind and Naval Staff History).

                                Sunk in dive bombing air attack by German aircraft in position 32.15N 24.30E, 20

                                miles ENE of Tobruk during convoy defence.

                                162 survivors rescued by HMAS PARRAMATTA.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS AUCKLAND

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

 

 

 

 

 

17/11/39

17/11/39

SL 009F

29/11/39

29/11/39

08/01/40

08/01/40

FS 0067

09/01/40

09/01/40

12/01/40

12/01/40

FS 0070

13/01/40

13/01/40

21/01/40

21/01/40

FS 0078

22/01/40

22/01/40

23/01/40

23/01/40

FN 0079

24/01/40

24/01/40

24/03/40

24/03/40

FS 0128

26/03/40

26/03/40

24/03/40

24/03/40

MT 037

24/03/40

24/03/40

29/03/40

29/03/40

TM 035

30/04/40

30/04/40

01/04/40

01/04/40

FS 0135

03/04/40

03/04/40

01/04/40

01/04/40

MT 042

01/04/40

01/04/40

08/04/40

08/04/40

MT 047

09/04/40

09/04/40

09/04/40

09/04/40

FS 0141

11/04/40

11/04/40

12/05/40

12/05/40

FS 0169

14/05/40

14/05/40

12/05/40

12/05/40

MT 067

12/05/40

12/05/40

17/07/40

30/07/40

BN 002

03/08/40

05/08/40

05/09/40

08/09/40

BS 004

12/09/40

13/09/40

30/08/40

12/09/40

WS 002A

14/09/40

14/09/40

10/09/40

19/09/40

BN 005

22/09/40

26/09/40

20/09/40

23/09/40

BS 005

28/09/40

28/09/40

23/09/40

04/10/40

BN 006

09/10/40

11/10/40

05/10/40

11/10/40

BS 006

13/10/40

13/10/40

10/10/40

16/10/40

BN 007

23/10/40

26/10/40

20/10/40

unknown

BS 007

28/10/40

28/10/40

29/10/40

12/11/40

WS 003

16/11/40

16/11/40

12/11/40

unknown

BS 008A

16/11/40

16/11/40

18/11/40

18/11/40

BN 009

22/11/40

25/11/40

19/11/40

23/11/40

BS 009

26/11/40

26/11/40

27/11/40

03/12/40

BN 010

07/12/40

10/12/40

04/12/40

unknown

BS 010

12/12/40

11/12/40

18/12/40

18/12/40

BN 011

22/12/40

25/12/40

19/12/40

22/12/40

BS 011

27/12/40

27/12/40

29/12/40

29/12/40

BN 011B

01/01/41

04/01/41

01/01/41

02/01/41

SW 004A

unknown

unknown

27/02/41

28/02/41

SW 005A

04/03/41

04/03/41

10/03/41

10/03/41

BN 019

unknown

17/03/41

17/03/41

17/03/41

BN 020

21/03/41

25/03/41

18/03/41

21/03/41

BS 020

25/03/41

26/03/41

20/03/41

31/03/41

BN 022

07/04/41

07/04/41

13/04/41

13/04/41

ASF 025

15/04/41

15/04/41

06/05/41

06/05/41

AN 030

09/05/41

09/05/41

09/05/41

09/05/41

AS 030/1

12/05/41

12/05/41

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 31/5/11