HMS Clare, Type A close sister-ship, in 1941 (CyberHeritage, click to enlarge)

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Ex USS TWIGGS (Type B - MONTGOMERY-Class) built by New York Shipbuilders Co and laid down on 23rd January 1918. The ship was launched 28 September 1918and build was completed on 28th July 1919. Transferred under Lease Lend Agreement she was commissioned in to the RN at Halifax on 23 October 1940. as the 2nd RN warship to carry the name, previously used for a minesweeper sold in 1928. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign held in March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Leamington in Warwickshire.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

ATLANTIC 1941-43 - ARCTIC  1944

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field White,: a lion rampant double queued

Green, supporting in the forepaws a hurt charged with a mullet 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

October

23rd - Transferred to RN service and prepared for Atlantic passage.

November

Passage to Plymouth

15th - Taken in hand for refit and modification by HM Dockyard Devonport.

29th - On completion prepared for convoy escort duty.

December

Deployed with escort for Convoy SL56 for part of passage to West Africa.

15th - Began work-up at Scapa Flow.

1 9 4 1

January

5th - On completion joined 2nd Escort Group for Atlantic convoy escort duty

12th - Joined military convoy WS5B at Belfast with H M Destroyers WITHERINGTON, BEAGLE, FEARLESS, HARVESTER, HIGHLANDER, JACKAL, LINCOLN, VANSITTART and WATCHMAN as the Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches.

16th - Detached from WS5B and returned to Clyde.

February to April

Deployed with Group in Atlantic.

May

27th - In collision with ss THYRA which subsequently sank.

June

Under repair in Liverpool.

July

On completion rejoined HM Destroyers DOUGLAS, VETERAN, SKATE and SALADIN and corvettes of 2nd Escort Group based at Londonderry.

August

15th - Escorted military convoy WS8C from Scapa Flow with HM Destroyers CHARLESTOWN, DOUGLAS, ANTELOPE, CASTLETON, GEORGETOWN, INTREPID, SALADIN and the Anti-Aircraft Ship POZARICA after cancellation of the planned operation to occupy the Azores.

17th - Detached on arrival in Clyde.

September

Escorted convoy ON13F.

Transferred to Iceland with Escort Group.

11th - Supported Canadian Escort Group escorting Convoy SC42 with ships of 2nd Escort Group. Participated in sinking of U207 with HMS VETERAN in position 63.59N 34.48W. There were no survivors. (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp. For details of operations in Atlantic see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC. and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

October

Atlantic convoy escort duty in continuation.

November

Escorted Convoy ONS32.

December

Escorted Convoys ON39 and HX161.

1 9 4 2

January

Atlantic escort duty in continuation.

February

Deployed on Atlantic escort of US Troop convoys to UK and returning ships. (AT and TA Series).

Nominated with HM Destroyer VOLUNTEER and HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM and GROVE for Local Escort of military convoy WS17 during passage

23rd - Joined military convoy WS17 in Clyde with HM Destroyers NEWPORT, BADSWORTH, BEVERLEY, KEPPEL, VOLUNTEER, ANTELOPE, BOADICEA and ROCKINGHAM.

27th - Participated in sinking of U587 with HM Destroyers GROVE, ALDENHAM and VOLUNTEER in position 47.21N 21.39W. There were no survivors. (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp. Note: This was the first time radio direction finding equipment had been used to determine the position of attacking submarines. For details of the tactical developments and new weapons used in the Battle of the Atlantic see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann, RADAR AT SEA by D Howse and THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre).

Detached from WS17 with Local Escort.

March to April

Convoy escort duties in continuation

May

10th - Joined military convoy WS19 in Clyde with HM Destroyers KEPPEL, VOLUNTEER,  ST MARY'S and CASTLETON as Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches.

13th - Detached from WS19 with HMS KEPPEL and HMS VOLUNTEER.

June

1st - Joined military convoy WS19P at Liverpool with H M Destroyers KEPPEL, DOUGLAS, WELLS and BEAGLE as Local Escort during passage in Irish Sea and NW Approaches.

4th - Detached from WS19P with HMS KEPPEL and HMS WELLS and returned to Clyde.

17th - Deployed with HM Cruiser DELHI, HM Destroyers BOADICEA. KEPPEL, SALISBURY and ST ALBANS as escort for rms QUEEN MARY during passage in NW Approaches.

Detached and took return passage. (Note: This convoy was later designed WS19Y.)

Detached for escort duty with Home Fleet ships.

30th - Joined escort for Russian convoy PQ17 with HM Destroyers FURY, KEPPEL, OFFA, LEDBURY and WILTON (For details of all Russian Convoy operations, see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg and CONVOY ! by P Kemp).

July

4th - Remained with escorts when Convoy PQ17 was ordered to scatter by Admiralty. (For details this disastrous and ill conceived decision see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and THE CONVOY IS TO SCATTER by J Broome)

15th - Under refit at Hartlepool shipyard.

August to November

Under refit

B e l i e v e d   S t a r t   o f   S e r v i c e   a s   H M C S   L E A M I N G T O N

December

Transferred to Western Local Escort force. Took passage to Halifax.

1 9 4 3

January to February

Deployed on escort duty with RCN ships for defence of convoys to mid-Atlantic.

March

Deployed to assist 5th British Escort Group (Note: Ships in Group comprised H M Destroyer HAVELOCK, HM Frigate SKATE, HM Corvettes GODETIA, PIMPERNEL, BUTTERCUP, LAVENDER and SAXIFRAGE) in defence of Convoy SC122 against attacks from STURMER Group of U-Boats

17th - After Escort Group had established position of U-Boats from detection of radio signals took part in driving off some submarine attacks although three ships were sunk by U338 and one by U665. (See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR.)

April

Sustained damage in collision with USS ALBATROS.

15th - Taken in hand or repair.

May

Under repair.

June

3rd - On completion of post repair trials rejoined Halifax Escort Force.

Later involved in collision with ss MORTIMER

28th - Under repair at Norfolk. Va. US Navy Yard after delay.

July to October

Repair in continuation. Future deployment under consideration.

November

Withdrawn from operational service.

December

Passage to UK via Azores to pay off into Reserve.

1 9 4 4

January

Paid off and reduced to Reserve status.

February to March

Laid-up at Hartlepool

April

Nominated for transfer to Soviet Navy after refit.

May to June

Under refit. Soviet Navy crew arrived (Note: Russian naval personnel had travelled to UK in ships of Convoy RA 59 that arrived in Clyde on 7 May.)

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

July

16th - Transferred to USSR under Lease Lend and renamed ZHGUCHI.

August

Passage to Kola as part of Convoy JW59 with other warships transferred to Russia under Lease-Lend.

 P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

ZHGUCHI served with Russian Northern Fleet until 1950 and was formally handed back to RN control on 13th November that year. After being placed on the Disposal List she was sold to BISCO for demolition by Cashmore at Newport on 26th July 1951. Before arrival at breakers yard on 3rd December 1951 she had been hired by a film company to be used an extra during the making of THE GIFT HORSE. This film portrayed the use of this type of destroyer during RN service and culminated in final destruction during Operation CHARIOT for demolition of the dry dock gates at St Nazaire in March 1942.