Type
I HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Scotts
of Greenock on 11 April
1939 under the 1939 Build Programme and laid
down as Job No J1111 on 26th July
1939. The ship was launched on 13th February
1940 as the the
2nd RN warship to carry the name, that of a
fox-hunt in Northamptonshire. It
had previously been used for minesweeper built
in 1917 and sold in 1932. Build
was completed on 23rd October 1940. In March
1942 she was appropriately adopted
by the civil community of the Municipal
Borough of Kettering following a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign.
B
a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ENGLISH
CHANNEL
1942-44 - NORTH SEA 1942-45 -
ARCTIC 1943 - NORMANDY 1944
H e
r a l d i
c D
a t a
Badge:
On a
Field
Red two hunting horns in
saltire
and
a mascle in fret,
all Gold.
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
Contractors trials and commissioned for
service in 21st Destroyer Flotilla.
23rd
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials
November
Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials
and storing.
Worked-up for operational service with ships
of Home Fleet at Scapa Flow,
Escorted ss ADDA to Faeroes.
December
Joined Flotilla at Sheerness and deployed for
convoy defence in North Sea.
1
9 4 1
January
North sea convoy escort and patrol duty in
continuation.
to
(For details of
North
Sea convoy defence see THREE CORVETTES by N
Monsarrat and
May
THE BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes.)
June
Deployed with HM Destroyer VORTIGERN as escort
for convoy northbound FN83.
21st
Activated ground mine off Flamborough Head and
sustained major structural damage below
Stabiliser Compartment.
Lost all power and totally disabled.
(Note: There were no casualties)
Taken in tow by HMS VORTIGERN
Repair arranged at Tyne commercial shipyard.
July
Under repair.
to
November
December
Carried out post refit trials on completion of
shipyard work.
Passage to resume Flotilla duties.
1
9 4 2
January
Deployed in North Sea and English Channel for
patrol and convoy escort.
to
For details of activities in coastal areas see
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by Peter C.
December
Smith and THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by
Peter Scott).
1
9 4 3
January
Channel and North Sea deployment in
continuation
February
Detached for Russian convoy escort with Home
Fleet ships.
Passage to Scapa Flow.
15th
Joined Western Local Escort for initial stage
of passage of Russian Convoy JW53 with sister
escort destroyers HMS MIDDLETON and HMS
MENDIP.
21st
Detached from JW53 after arrival of Ocean
Escort for passage to North Russia.
March
Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
9th
Joined return convoy RA53 from Murmansk with
HM Destroyer VIVACIOUS, HM Escort
Destroyers LEDBURY
and MEYNELL as Western Local Escort.
13th
Detached from RA 53 and returned to Scapa
Flow.
(For details of all Russian Convoy operations
see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
CONVOY! by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield and ARCTIC CONVOYS
by R Woodman.)
April
Resumed duty with Flotilla at Sheerness for
coastal convoy escort
May
North Sea and Channel escort and patrol in
continuation.
to
September
October
Deployed as escort for northbound Convoy FN160
with HM Destroyers WORCESTER,
CAMPBELL, MACKAY and HM Escort
Destroyer EGLINTON.
24th
In action against E-Boats from Ijmuiden with
other escorts supported by MTBs and
MGBs of
to
Light
Coastal Forces.
25th
Two E-Boats were sunk.
(Note: This was a major German attempt to
intercept East Coast shipping
For details
see BATTLE OF THE
NARROW SEAS by P Scott).
November
North Sea and Channel Flotilla duties in
continuation.
to
December
1
9 4 4
January
Deployed for convoy defence and patrol in
North Sea.
to
April
May
Nominated for duty with Force G in Eastern
Task Force during planned allied landings in
Normandy.
(Operation NEPTUNE – For details of naval
activities before and during operation see
LANDINGS
IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards and
for
information relating to all ships involved D
DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.)
3rd
Final rehearsal by all assault Forces
including assault landings at Hayling Island.
by Force G.
to
(Exercise FABIUS).
6th
18th
Took part in Defence exercise by Forces S, G
and J off Brighton.
20th
Deployed in Solent to prepare
for
NEPTUNE.
June
Joined HM Destroyers JERVIS, GRENVILLE, URSA,
ULSTER, UNDAUNTED, URCHIN,
UNDINE,
URANIA and ULYSSES,
HM Escort Destroyers CATTISTOCK, COTTESMORE
and
Polish Escort
Destroyer ORP
KRAKOWIAK for support during assault on
GOLD
Beach.
5th
Sailed from Solent through swept channel as
escort for Convoy G2 with HM Escort
Destroyer
COTTESMORE and Three Motor Launches.
6th
Arrived at Lowering Position.
7th
Deployed in Eastern Task Force area for patrol
and escort duties.
27th
On release from NEPTUNE resumed coastal convoy
escort and patrol duty in North
Sea
with
Flotilla.
July
Flotilla escort and patrol deployments in
continuation..
to
December
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed with Flotilla for escort duties and
interception of minelaying craft in Thames
Estuary
to
(Note: Extensive enemy minelaying was carried
out against convoy traffic and attacks by
April
Schnorkel-fitted submarines on coastal convoys
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, SEEK AND
STRIKE by W Hackmann
and HOLD THE
NARROW SEA.)
May
After VE Day deployed in Home Waters for
support of reoccupation by the allied
forces in
NW
Europe.
June
Home Waters duties in continuation.
to
August
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS
PYTCHLEY remained in commission until August
1946 when
she was Paid-off and reduced to Reserve
status. Initially laid-up at Devonport
she was later transferred to Cardiff where she
was de-equipped after being
placed on the Disposal List in 1956. Sold to
BISCO for demolition by
E Rees at
Llanelli she arrived
at the breaker’s yard on 1st December 1956.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS PYTCHLEY
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
22/12/40
|
22/12/40
|
FS
0368
|
25/12/40
|
25/12/40
|
29/01/41
|
30/01/41
|
FS
0399
|
31/01/41
|
31/01/41
|
02/02/41
|
02/02/41
|
FN
0398
|
04/02/41
|
04/02/41
|
17/10/42
|
17/10/42
|
CW
127
|
18/10/42
|
18/10/42
|
10/12/42
|
10/12/42
|
CW
140
|
11/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
15/02/43
|
15/02/43
|
JW
053
|
21/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
01/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
RA
053
|
13/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
CW
167
|
01/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
02/04/43
|
02/04/43
|
CE
165
|
03/04/43
|
03/04/43
|
26/05/43
|
26/05/43
|
CW
181
|
27/05/43
|
27/05/43
|
28/05/43
|
28/05/43
|
CE
179
|
29/05/43
|
29/05/43
|
12/06/43
|
12/06/43
|
CW
185
|
13/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
20/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
KMS
018A
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
WP
361
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
01/07/43
|
01/07/43
|
WP
363
|
03/07/43
|
03/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
WP
368
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
WP
371
|
19/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
29/07/43
|
29/07/43
|
WP
377
|
31/07/43
|
31/07/43
|
10/08/43
|
11/08/43
|
WP
383
|
11/08/43
|
12/08/43
|
18/08/43
|
18/08/43
|
CW
202
|
19/08/43
|
19/08/43
|
19/08/43
|
19/08/43
|
CE
200
|
20/08/43
|
20/08/43
|
15/10/43
|
15/10/43
|
CE
214
|
16/10/43
|
16/10/43
|
14/10/43
|
15/10/43
|
CW
216
|
15/10/43
|
15/10/43
|
14/11/43
|
14/11/43
|
CW
224
|
15/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
CE
222
|
16/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
12/12/42
|
12/12/43
|
CE
138
|
12/12/42
|
14/12/42
|
26/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
CW
242
|
27/01/44
|
27/01/44
|
19/02/44
|
19/02/44
|
CW
248
|
20/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
CE
246
|
21/02/44
|
21/02/44
|
31/03/44
|
31/03/44
|
CW
258
|
01/04/44
|
01/04/44
|
01/04/44
|
01/04/44
|
CE
256
|
02/04/44
|
02/04/44
|
21/07/44
|
21/07/44
|
FTM
044
|
21/07/44
|
22/07/44
|
16/12/44
|
16/12/44
|
TAM
020
|
17/12/44
|
17/12/44
|
17/12/44
|
17/12/44
|
ATM
016
|
18/12/44
|
18/12/44
|
21/12/44
|
21/12/44
|
ATM
018
|
22/12/44
|
22/12/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|