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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS, later HMCS CHELSEA (I 35), also Russian DERZKI - ex-US Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Chelsea, while in USN service (click to enlarge)

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Ex USS CROWNINSHIELD (Type B - CALDWELL-Class) built by Bath Iron Works. The ship was laid down on 5th November 1918 and launched on 24th July 1919. Commissioned on 6th August 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 on 9th September 1940 and commissioned as HMS CHELSEA on that date at Halifax in Canada. This name was common to a London Borough and a town in Vermont, USA. This name had not previously been used for an RN ship. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Devizes, Wiltshire.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1940-43

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, a crozier Gold and trident White in saltire,

in the centre point a mullet also 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

 

September

 

Prepared for transfer to RN control.

 

8th - Commissioned as HMS CROWNINSHIELD at Halifax.

 

Passage to Devonport with call at St. Johns, Newfoundland

 

10th - RN Names of TOWN Class announced.

 

28th - Arrived at Devonport and taken in hand for modifications to suit RN requirements for Atlantic convoy escort deployments. Allocated for service in Western Approaches Command.

 

October

 

On completion of post refit trials took passage to Liverpool.

 

12th - Deployed for convoy defence in Atlantic.

 

November

 

4th - Under repair at Liverpool. Allocated for service in 6th Escort Group.

 

December

 

6th - Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties in 6th Escort Group. (Note: Other ships in Group included HM Destroyer BROKE and HM Corvettes COLUMBINE, CAMELLIA, PIMPERNEL* and BARRIE (RCN)*. * Joined later.)

 

 

1 9 4 1

 

January to August

 

Deployed with Group for escort of convoys between UK and Gibraltar. (For details of U-Boat tactics see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.).

 

September

 

During convoy escort sustained damage in collision with US Destroyer CANNING. After repair resumed duty with Group.

 

October

 

Atlantic deployment in continuation.

 

November

 

1st - Sustained slight damage in further collision with USS CANNING.

 

16th - Sustained serious structural damage in second collision. Taken in hand for repair.

 

December

 

On completion resumed North Atlantic convoy defence duties with Group. Part of escort for Convoy ONS50 and SC61. (For details of convoy dates see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM IN WW2 by A Hague.)

 

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

 

North Atlantic convoy escort in continuation with Group. Part of escort for Convoys ON57 and HX170. (For details of Atlantic convoy defence see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by Donald Macintyre and CONVOY ESCORT COMMANDER by P Gretton).

 

February

 

Atlantic escort duty in continuation.

 

5th - Rescued survivors from HM Corvette ARBUTUS sunk after being hit by a torpedo from U136 south of Iceland.

 

Under refit and repair in London commercial shipyard.

 

March to June

 

Under refit. Nominated for transfer on loan to Royal Canadian Navy.

 

 

S e r v i c e   a s   H M C S   C H E L S E A

 

July

 

On completion of post refit trials worked-up for operational service.

 

August

 

Took passage to St Johns to join the Western Atlantic Local Escort Force.

 

September to December

 

Joined WLEF and deployed for convoy defence off Canadian seaboard with RCN ships. (Note: WLEF or Western Local Escort Force - RCN designation for convoy escort in eastern Atlantic to Mid Ocean Meeting Point where RN escorted for passage to Liverpool.)

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

January to October

 

WLEF deployment in continuation. (Note: During this period had two separate periods of refit in Brooklyn US Navy Yard, New York).

 

November

 

Nominated for return to UK to pay off and reduce to reserve status.

 

December

 

15th - Took passage to UK via Azores.

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

 

Paid off.

 

February

 

Nominated for transfer to Soviet Navy after refit.

 

14th - Taken in hand for refit at Palmers shipyard, Newcastle on Tyne.

 

March

 

Under refit

 

6th - Refit work completed.

 

April

 

Under care and maintenance prior to arrival of Russian crew.

 

May

 

3rd - Docking at Newcastle prior to transfer.

 

 

T r a n s f e r   t o   R u s s i a n   N a v y

 

June

 

Russian crew joined.

 

July

 

16th - Formal transfer to Soviet Navy and renamed DERZKI.

 

August

 

Passage to Loch Ewe to join other warships being transferred to Russia on Lease-Lend. (Note: Other ships transferred were battleship ARCHANGELSK (EX HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN) and 12 Ex US Navy PT Boats).

 

17th - Sailed from Loch Ewe to Kola Inlet with Convoy JW59.

 

24th - On arrival at Kola Inlet detached to join Soviet Northern Fleet.

 

September to December

 

Deployed in White Sea with Soviet Northern Fleet.

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January to August

 

Russian Northern Fleet deployment in continuation, mainly in White Sea.

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

This ship continued in Soviet naval service as DERZKI until 24th June 1949 when returned to the RN at Rosyth and resumed her name as HMS CHELSEA. She was immediately placed on the Disposal List. The ship was sold to BISCO for breaking-up on 12th July that year and arrived in tow at P&W MacLellan's yard at Bo'ness on 29th July for demolition. 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS CHELSEA

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

 

 

 

 

 

15/10/40

15/10/40

OB 229

16/10/40

18/10/40

27/10/40

27/10/40

OB 235

31/10/40

31/10/40

20/10/40

01/11/40

HX 082

04/11/40

06/11/40

06/12/40

08/12/40

OB 255

10/12/40

10/12/40

29/11/40

11/12/40

HX 092

12/12/40

12/12/40

02/03/41

02/03/41

OB 293

07/03/41

08/03/41

23/02/41

10/03/41

HX 111

12/03/41

12/03/41

01/03/41

22/03/41

SL 067

24/03/41

26/03/41

31/03/41

31/03/41

OB 304

04/04/41

04/04/41

20/03/41

04/04/41

SC 026

05/04/41

08/04/41

12/04/41

12/04/41

OB 309

15/04/41

19/04/41

03/04/41

16/04/41

HG 058

18/04/41

21/04/41

26/04/41

27/04/41

OB 315

03/05/41

04/05/41

25/04/41

09/05/41

HX 123

09/05/41

13/05/41

08/05/41

13/05/41

OB 320

14/05/41

14/05/41

06/05/41

16/05/41

HX 125A

18/05/41

22/05/41

18/05/41

24/05/41

OB 324

27/05/41

27/05/41

27/05/41

08/06/41

HX 129

11/06/41

12/06/41

20/06/41

20/06/41

OB 337

28/06/41

28/06/41

14/06/41

25/06/41

HG 065

29/06/41

29/06/41

04/07/41

04/07/41

OG 067

09/07/41

20/07/41

18/06/41

09/07/41

SL 078

12/07/41

12/07/41

24/07/41

28/07/41

OS 001

30/07/41

10/08/41

03/08/41

04/08/41

OS 002

08/08/41

22/08/41

28/07/41

08/08/41

HG 069

11/08/41

11/08/41

19/08/41

20/08/41

OG 072

23/08/41

01/09/41

05/08/41

24/08/41

SL 083

28/08/41

28/08/41

04/09/41

22/09/41

SL 086

26/09/41

26/09/41

13/11/41

13/11/41

ON 036

16/11/41

25/11/41

24/12/41

25/12/41

ON 050

28/12/41

03/01/42

21/12/41

02/01/42

SC 061

07/01/42

07/01/42

13/01/42

18/01/42

ON 057

22/01/42

07/02/42

13/01/42

24/01/42

HX 170

28/01/42

28/01/42

02/02/42

02/02/42

ON 063

05/02/42

13/02/42

16/03/41

16/03/42

OB 298

20/03/41

20/03/41

       

 

 

 

 

 

and as HMCS CHELSEA

 

 

 

 

 

25/09/42

05/10/42

ON 133

09/10/42

11/10/42

09/11/42

09/11/42

SC 109

12/11/42

30/11/42

17/11/42

20/11/42

SC 110

24/11/42

06/12/42

17/11/42

28/11/42

ON 147

03/12/42

04/12/42

04/12/42

11/12/42

SC 112

12/12/42

25/12/42

09/12/42

25/12/42

ON 152

28/12/42

31/12/42

06/01/43

09/01/43

HX 222

11/01/43

22/01/43

08/03/43

08/03/43

HX 229

12/03/43

23/03/43

03/03/43

14/03/43

ON 170

15/03/43

20/03/43

14/03/43

21/03/43

SC 123

24/03/43

03/04/43

31/03/43

05/04/43

SC 125

06/04/43

15/04/43

18/04/43

20/04/43

HX 235

24/04/43

05/05/43

18/04/43

29/04/43

ON 179

03/05/43

06/05/43

07/05/43

09/05/43

HX 238

13/05/43

22/05/43

10/05/43

20/05/43

ON 183

25/05/43

25/05/43

24/05/43

05/06/43

ON 186

07/06/43

07/06/43

15/06/43

15/06/43

HX 244

18/06/43

30/06/43

10/06/43

23/06/43

ON 188

26/06/43

26/06/43

08/08/43

08/08/43

HX 251

10/08/43

23/08/43

14/08/43

22/08/43

ON 197

25/08/43

28/08/43

21/08/43

01/09/43

ON 198

04/09/43

04/09/43

09/09/43

09/09/43

HX 256

15/09/43

21/09/43

08/09/43

18/09/43

ON 201

22/09/43

24/09/43

05/10/43

20/10/43

ON 205

23/10/43

23/10/43

24/10/43

24/10/43

HX 263

26/10/43

08/11/43

13/11/43

13/11/43

HX 266

18/11/43

27/11/43

13/11/43

24/11/43

ON 211

26/11/43

29/11/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 5/7/11
further editing is required