Naval History Homepage - and Site Search

 

 

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

HMS/Norwegian HNorMS, later HMCS MANSFIELD (G 76) - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

 HMS Lincoln, Type B sister-ship (CyberHeritage, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

Ex-USS EVANS (Type B - CALDWELL Class) built by Bath Iron Works and laid down on 28th December 1917. Launched on 30th October 1918. The ship commissioned on 11th November 1919 for US naval service and was held in Reserve in 1939. Transfer to the RN was part of the the UK/US Land Lease Agreement on 9th September 1940 and commissioned for RN service as HMS MANSFIELD on 23rd October 1940 at Halifax. This name was common to a town in Nottinghamshire and one in Ohio, USA. Two ships had: previously borne this name, which was that of the Captain of HMS MINOTAUR at Trafalgar in 1805. A destroyer built during WW1 and a trawler hired in 1917 were in service at the same time. After transfer to the RN she was lent to the Royal Norwegian Navy and so was not adopted by a UK civil community following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during 1941 and 1942.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

BELGIUM COAST 1916-18 -  ZEEBRUGGE 1916 - NORWAY 1941 - ATLANTIC 1941-44

 

S h i p ' s    B a d g e

 


(Courtesy - Scott Schaut, Mansfield Memorial Museum)
 

 

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

 

Prepared for transfer to RN control and took passage to Halifax.

 

23rd - Commissioned as HMS MANSFIELD at Halifax.

 

November

 

Passage to Plymouth with call at St Johns Newfoundland.

 

25th - Under refit by HM Dockyard Devonport and modified to suit RN deployment for convoy defence.

 

December

 

Refit in continuation.

 

18th - Transferred on loan to Norway but retained RN name.

 

 

W a r   S e r v i c e   a s   H  N o r  M S   M A N S F I E L D

 

1 9 4 1

 

January

 

Allocated for service in 6th Escort Group based at Londonderry.

 

9th - Refit work completed and prepared for operational service.

 

February

 

Deployed in English Channel before taking passage to join Group. (Note: It is likely that ship carried out work-up in this period.)

 

March

 

Deployed with Group for defence of Atlantic convoys in NW Approaches.

 

23rd - Disabled after machinery failure. Taken in tow by sister destroyer HMS SALISBURY.

 

Under repair in Liverpool commercial shipyard.

 

April

 

On completion detached for special operation.

 

11th - Took part in Commando landing at Oksfjord, Norway.

 

On release resumed convoy defence with Group, based in Iceland.

 

May

 

Deployed for Atlantic Convoy defence based in Iceland

 

June

 

Passage to Londonderry with ships of Group for service in NW Approaches.

 

July

 

Deployed in NW Approaches based at Londonderry.

 

Taken in hand for refit in Liverpool at commercial shipyard.

 

August to September

 

Under refit. (Note: Extent of defects made transfer to Royal Dockyard necessary.)

 

October

 

19th - Transferred to HM Dockyard Chatham for completion of refit work.

 

November to December

 

Under refit at Chatham.

 

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

 

Under refit.

 

February

 

Future deployment under consideration.

 

11th - Paid off from Norwegian naval service and reverted to RN control.

 

 

 S e r v i c e    b a c k    u n d e r    R o y a l    N a v y    C o m m a n d

 

March to April

 

Under refit and repair.

 

May

 

Re-commissioned under RN Command. Carried out harbour trials Dockyard work completed and carried out post refit trials.

 

Passage to Tobermory for work-up

 

31st - Provided Local Escort in Irish Sea for military convoy WS19P with HM Destroyers BUXTON and SALISBURY.

 

June

 

Deployed at Tobermory to work-up for operational service. Sustained damage in collision with as BRITISH LADY. Withdrawn from work-up for repair.

 

6th - Taken in hand for refit at Liverpool in commercial shipyard.

 

July

 

Under repair. Nominated for service with Liverpool Special escort Division on completion.

 

10th - Passage to Tobermory to resume work-up.

 

Joined Liverpool Special Escort Division for Atlantic convoy defence.

 

August

 

Deployed with escorts for convoy to and from Gibraltar and returned to Liverpool. Nominated for service with RCN Western Local Escort Force based at Halifax.

 

 

S e r v i c e    a s   H M C S   M A N S F I E L D

 

September

 

Joined WLEF after Atlantic passage, and under overall RCN command.

 

October to December

 

Deployed for local escort of convoys and based at Halifax.

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

January

 

Transferred to Western Support Force based at Halifax for support of escorts under threat of attack by U-Boat Groups.

 

February

 

Atlantic convoy support in continuation including Convoy ON166.

 

March

 

Atlantic convoy defence in continuation including HX219 (?). (Note: For details of Atlantic convoy defence during the critical period early in 1943, see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann and HITLER'S U- BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

 

Took part in rescue of survivors from ships torpedoed during attacks on HX223. (Note: Survivors were landed in UK.)

 

April

 

Passage to UK for refit. Taken in hand for refit at London commercial shipyard.

 

May

 

Under refit.

 

June

 

On completion of post refit trials took passage to resume service at Halifax.

 

July to October

 

Deployed at Halifax for Atlantic convoy defence in Unit W7 Group.

 

November

 

Future deployment under consideration due to increasing lack of availability. Paid off at Halifax. (Note: Ships company transferred to HM Frigate ROWLEY being prepared for RN service in US shipyard.)

 

December

 

Laid-up at Halifax pending decision on final disposal (Note: An offer made to return ship to US Navy was declined.)

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January to May

 

Lay-up in continuation.

 

June

 

Placed on the Disposal List and demolition to be arranged.

 

July to September

 

Awaiting sale.

 

October

 

 

 

21st - Sold to The Boston Iron and Steel Corporation, Baltimore for demolition.

 

November to December

 

Awaiting tow for demolition at Boston.

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January to March

 

Awaiting tow

 

April

 

Passage under tow to Boston. Arrived at breaker's yard.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS MANSFIELD

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

         

as HNorMS MANSFIELD

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

10/02/41

05/03/41

SL 065

07/03/41

08/03/41

16/03/41

16/03/41

OB 298

20/03/41

20/03/41

01/03/41

21/03/41

SL 067

26/03/41

26/03/41

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

07/05/41

12/05/41

OB 319

13/05/41

13/05/41

06/05/41

16/05/41

HX 125A

18/05/41

22/05/41

17/05/41

22/05/41

OB 323

25/05/41

25/05/41

27/05/41

08/06/41

HX 129

11/06/41

12/06/41

20/06/41

21/06/41

OB 337

24/06/41

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

02/09/41

02/09/41

OS 005

08/09/41

21/09/41

04/09/41

22/09/41

SL 086

26/09/41

26/09/41

02/10/41

02/10/41

ON 022

07/10/41

15/10/41

29/09/41

11/10/41

SC 047

15/10/41

20/10/41

       
         

and as HMCS MANSFIELD

         

06/09/42

06/09/42

HX 206

09/09/42

18/09/42

29/08/42

13/09/42

ON 126

16/09/42

18/09/42

17/09/42

20/09/42

HX 208

23/09/42

02/10/42

18/09/42

28/09/42

ON 131

02/10/42

04/10/42

03/10/42

06/10/42

SC 104

10/10/42

21/10/42

02/10/42

14/10/42

ON 135

18/10/42

21/10/42

01/11/42

01/11/42

SC 108

04/11/42

19/11/42

03/11/42

05/11/42

HX 214

08/11/42

18/11/42

31/10/42

13/11/42

ON 142

18/11/42

21/11/42

18/12/42

02/01/43

ON 154

unknown

12/01/43

08/02/43

14/02/43

HX 226

16/02/43

24/02/43

23/02/43

03/03/43

SC 121

04/03/43

14/03/43

08/03/43

15/03/43

HX 229

18/03/43

23/03/43

16/06/43

17/06/43

ON 189

01/07/43

01/07/43

30/07/43

30/07/43

SC 138

03/08/43

12/08/43

26/07/43

05/08/43

ONS 014

09/08/43

09/08/43

09/08/43

09/08/43

XB 068

11/08/43

11/08/43

03/09/43

03/09/43

SC 141

07/09/43

17/09/43

31/08/43

12/09/43

ONS 017

16/09/43

16/09/43

16/09/43

16/09/43

XB 074

18/09/43

18/09/43

28/09/43

28/09/43

SC 143

02/10/43

12/10/43

26/09/43

09/10/43

ONS 019

14/10/43

14/10/43

11/10/43

24/10/43

ON 206

27/10/43

27/10/43

31/10/43

31/10/43

HX 264

05/11/43

17/11/43

31/10/43

10/11/43

ON 209

13/11/43

17/11/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 5/7/11
further editing is required