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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

 

HMS ERIDGE (L 68) - Type II, Hunt-class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Eridge, damaged (Navy Photos/Mike Pocock, click to enlarge)

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Type II HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered under 1939 Emergency War Programme from Swan Hunter of Newcastle on 4th September 1939. The ship was laid down as Jon No J4129 on 21st November 1939 and was launched on 20th August 1940 as the 2nd RN warship to carry the name, previously used by a 1916 minesweeper. Her completion date was 28th February 1941. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK for National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Crowborough, East Sussex

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

LIBYA 1941-42 - MALTA CONVOYS 1941-42 -  SIRTE 1942 - MEDITERRANEAN 1942

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, in front of two hunting horns in saltire Gold

a rose Red barbed and seeded 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 4 1

 

February                Contractor's trials and commissioned for service.

                28th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

 

March                    Took passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing..

                                Worked-up for operational service with ships of Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow.

                                Joined Irish Sea Escort Force for convoy defence duties.

 

 April                      Convoy defence in Western Approaches and Irish Sea in continuation.

                26th        Joined HM Destroyers HARVESTER, HAVELOCK, HESPERUS, HURRICANE, LEGION,

                                OTTAWA (RCN), RESTIGOUCHE (RCN), SAGUENAY (RCN) and Polish ORP PIORUN with

                                HM Destroyer BEAGLE as escort for military convoy WS8A during passage in NW

                                approaches.

                29th        Detached from WS8A and took passage to meet Convoy SL71.from Freetown to Clyde as

                                Local Escort.

 

May                        After arrival of SL71 in Clyde continued escort duty in NW Approaches.

                22nd       Joined escort for military convoy WS8B in Clyde as Local Escort with HM Cruiser CAIRO,

                                Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI, OTTAWA, SIKH, RESTIGOUCHE, ZULU and Polish ORP

                                PIORUN.

                26th        Detached from WS8B with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.

 

June                        Nominated for service at Gibraltar with 13th Destroyer Flotilla

                18th        Passage to Gibraltar.

                21st         Joined Flotilla at Gibraltar for Atlantic convoy defence.

 

July                         Gibraltar deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

                17th        Deployed with HM Destroyers AVON VALE and FARNDALE to meet military convoy WS9C

                                on passage from Clyde in Atlantic west of Gibraltar.

                                On meeting detached from WS9C with HM Cruiser MANCHESTER, HM Destroyers NESTOR

                                (RAN) and LIGHTNING for escort of troopship PASTEUR to Gibraltar

                                (Note: One source suggests ship took passage with WS9C from Clyde but may not be correct

                                as other data suggests she joined 13th Flotilla in June 1941

                18th        Nominated for escort of Malta Relief convoy (Operation SUBSTANCE).

                21st         Joined HM Cruisers EDINBURGH, MANCHESTER, ARETHUSA and MANXMAN as

                                destroyer screen during escort of convoy WS9C with H M Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI,

                                FEARLESS, NESTOR, FOXHOUND, FIREDRAKE, HM Escort Destroyers AVON VALE

                                and FARNDALE in Force X.

                23rd        Detached from screen to escort HMS FIREDRAKE under tow to Gibraltar after being damaged

                                in air attacks.

                                (For details of Mediterranean operations during 1911 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

                                CLOSELY by C Barnett, THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre and

                                Naval Staff History ( HMSO-2002).

                27th        Joined HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FURY,

                                COSSACK, MAORI, NESTOR and ENCOUNTER as destroyer screen for HM Battleship

                                NELSON, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL and HM Battlecruiser RENOWN to cover

                                passage of convoy taking personnel to Malta (Operation STYLE - See above references).

                31st         Returned to Gibraltar with major warships of Force H on arrival at Sicilian Narrows.

 

August                  Resumed Flotilla duties at Gibraltar

                4th          Transferred with HMS AVON VALE to 2nd Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria.

                                Passage via Cape of Good Hope and Indian Ocean

 

September             Passage in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

                29th        Arrived at Suez.

 

October                  Joined Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.

                                Deployed in eastern Mediterranean.

 

November              Transferred to 5th Destroyer Flotilla based at Alexandria.

                                Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.

 

December              Flotilla deployment in eastern Mediterranean in continuation.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Flotilla deployment in continuation.

 

February

                16th        Part of escort for ss CLAN CAMPBELL and ss CLAN CHATTAN as Convoy MW9A to Malta

                                from Alexandria with HM Cruiser CARLISLE, HM Destroyer LANCE, HM Escort Destroyers

                                AVON VALE and HEYTHROP (Operation MFM)

                13th        Under air attacks during which ss CLAN CAMPBELL was damaged and was escorted to

                                Tobruk.

                                (Note: ss CLAN CHATTAN was damaged later on 14th and had to be sunk by our own forces

                                This operation was a failure.

                                See above references.)

                17th        Resumed Flotilla duties at Alexandria.

 

March

                20th        Joined HM Escort Destroyers AVON VALE, BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, HEYTHROP

                                HURWORTH and SOUTHWOLD of Flotilla to carry out anti-submarine sweep off Alexandria

                                prior to departure of Convoy MW10 for Malta (Operation MG1 -see above references).

                                After HMS HEYTHROP was hit by a torpedo from U652 NE of Bardia took the stricken

                                ship in tow.

                21st         Tow abandoned when HMS HEYTHROP sank 5 hours later.

                                Refuelled at Tobruk prior to joining escort for Convoy MW10

                22nd       Joined escort of convoy with same ships, except HMS HEYTHROP.

                                After threat from superior Italian force including battleship LITORRIO cruisers GORIZIA,

                                TRENTO and BANDE MERE detached with HMS CARLISLE and sister destroyers to escort

                                convoy to south away from enemy force.

                                (2nd Battle of Sirte. - See above references.).

                23rd        Because of vulnerability of convoy to air attacks and difference of speed of the mercantiles,

                                nominated as escort for ss CLAN CAMPBELL with H M Cruiser PENELOPE, HM Destroyer

                                LEGION and HM Escort Destroyer HURWORTH

                                Under heavy air attacks during passage to Malta..

                                (Note: CLAN CAMPBELL was sunk about 8 miles from Malta.

                                Rescued some 100 of crew.)

                                Took passage to Grand Harbour to land survivors and rejoin escort.

                25th        Sailed to Alexandria with HMS CARLISLE, HM Escort Destroyers BEAUFORT,

                                DULVERTON and HURWORTH.

                29th        Arrived at Alexandria and resumed duties with Flotilla.

 

April                       Deployed with Flotilla for escort of support convoys to Tobruk.

 

May                        Flotilla duties in continuation.

                28th        During escort of Convoy AT4 to Tobruk with HM Escort Destroyers HERO and HURWORTH

                                took part in sinking of U568 in position 32.42N, 24.53E (off Tobruk) with HM Destroyer HERO

                                and HM Escort Destroyer HURWORTH.

                                Rescued 42 survivors from submarine.

                                (For details see U BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)

 

June                        Nominated for support of Malta relief convoy MW11 with ships of Flotilla.

                                (Operation VIGOROUS - See above references for details).

                11th        Sailed from Port Said with H M Cruiser COVENTRY, H M Escort Destroyers AIREDALE,

                                ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, CROOME, DULVERTON , EXMOOR and HURWORTH as

                                escort for four supply ships in Convoy MW11C each of which was towing an MTB.

                                (Operation REMBRANDT - This was a diversionary Operation to distract attention of the enemy

                                from the passage of the relief convoy in VIGOROUS).

                12th        ss CITY OF CALCUTTA in Convoy MW11C damaged in air attacks and detached with HMS

                                CROOME and EXMOOR for passage with an escort to Tobruk

                14th        Joined escort for VIGOROUS convoy and under air attacks

                to            Convoy under threat of attack from major Italian force.

                15th        After conflicting instructions and heavy expenditure of ammunition and fuel VIGOROUS was

                                abandoned.

                                (For full details of this ill-directed attempt to pass a convoy to Malta see above references).

                17th        Resumed duties with Flotilla in eastern Mediterranean.

                                Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.

 

July

                10th        Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, DULVERTON and

                                HURWORTH in support of military operations.

                11th        Took part in bombardment of Mersa Matruh with same ships.

                                (Note: Ammunition ship STURLA was sunk in this bombardment.)

 

August                  Flotilla duties in continuation.

                27th        Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, CROOME and HURWORTH for support

                                of military operations.

                28th        Took part in bombardment of airfield at El Daba with HMS CROOME and HMS HURWORTH.

                                After completion of bombardment under attack by E-Boat and hit on port side aft

                                Explosion caused extensive flooding in Engine Room with loss of electric power.

                                Significant structural damage including 20 ft hole from keel upwards.

                                Disabled ship taken in tow to Alexandria by HMS ALDENHAM.

                                (Note: E-Boat was sunk by HMS ALDENHAM.

                                See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA Mason.)

                                Made return passage screened by HMS CROOME and HMS HURWORTH.

                                Under air attack by Ju87 dive bombers.

                31st         On arrival at Alexandria withdrawn from service for survey.

 

September             Paid off after survey showed repair to be uneconomic.

 

S p e c i a l     N o t e

 

HMS ERIDGE remained hulked at Alexandria and was used an Accommodation Ship between 1944 and 1946. She was also used as a valuable source of spares for the other HUNT Class destroyers in service in the Mediterranean.. For example in April 1943 one of her shafts was used to replace the damaged item in HMS ALDENHAM after a grounding (See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA Mason). This Escort Destroyer remained in use for accommodation purposes after VJ Day until 1946 when placed on the Disposal List.  She was sold at Alexandria to a Greek shipbreaker in October that year.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ERIDGE

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

 

 

 

 

 

07/05/41

08/05/41

OB 319

12/05/41

13/05/41

30/04/41

15/05/41

HX 124

unknown

20/05/41

29/04/41

15/05/41

SC 030

18/05/41

20/05/41

22/05/41

22/05/41

WS 008B

26/05/41

04/06/41

10/06/41

11/06/41

OB 333

13/06/41

21/06/41

04/06/41

17/06/41

OG 064

18/06/41

18/06/41

24/06/41

06/07/41

OG 066

08/07/41

08/07/41

09/08/41

09/08/41

HG 070

14/08/41

23/08/41

05/12/41

05/12/41

TA 001/M

07/12/41

07/12/41

10/12/41

10/12/41

TA 002/M

12/12/41

12/12/41

29/12/41

29/12/41

TA 007/M

31/12/41

31/12/41

05/01/42

05/01/42

AT 012/M

07/01/42

07/01/42

11/01/42

11/01/42

AT 016/M

11/01/42

14/01/42

28/01/42

28/01/42

AT 021/M

30/01/42

30/01/42

20/02/42

20/02/42

AT 029/M

23/02/42

unknown

23/02/42

23/02/42

TA 022/M

25/02/42

25/02/42

27/03/42

27/03/42

TA 030/M

29/03/42

29/03/42

30/03/42

30/03/42

AT 036/M

02/04/42

02/04/42

03/04/42

03/04/42

TA 031/M

04/04/42

04/04/42

14/04/42

14/04/42

AT 038/M

15/04/42

15/04/42

15/04/42

15/04/42

TA 034/M

17/04/42

unknown

19/04/42

19/04/42

AT 040/M

20/04/42

20/04/42

22/04/42

22/04/42

TA 036/M

24/04/42

24/04/42

18/05/42

18/05/42

AT 046/M

21/05/42

21/05/42

25/05/42

25/05/42

AT 047/M

27/05/42

unknown

28/05/42

28/05/42

TA 045/M

30/05/42

30/05/42

11/06/42

11/06/42

MW 011

16/06/42

16/06/42

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 12/8/11
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