COLONY-Class frigate transferred under the UK/US Lease-Lend Agreement on
10th June 1943 and laid down on 16th October
1943 by the Kaiser-Walsh Shipyard at
Providence, Rhode Island USA. The
ship which had been intended for US Navy
service as USS PEYTON (PF91) of the TACOMA
Class. She was laid down on
16th October 1943 and launched on 16th
November that year as the first RN ship
to bear this name. Build was completed on 15th May 1944. This ship was not adopted
by a civil community in
UK
in 1941-42 after a National Savings WARSHIP
WEEK campaign
B
a t t l
e H o
n o u r s
ARCTIC
1944
-
ATLANTIC
1944-45
H
e r a l d i
c
D a t a
None
is recorded in the Official List of Heraldic
Crests.
(Note:
Many ships built during WW2
had an unofficial crest but
these
were never given formal approval.)
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
4
May
Contractor's Trials
15th
Build completion.
16th
Commissioned for RN service and commenced
Acceptance Trials
June
On completion of Acceptance Trials took
passage to Bermuda for work-up.
to
July
August
Passage to St Johns, Newfoundland on
completion of work-up.
(Note:
To be confirmed.)
September
11th
Sailed from St
Johns as part of inward Convoy HX307
comprising 73 ships.
(Note: Sister ship
HMS SOMALILAND was also with HX307.)
20th
Detached from HX307.
25th
Taken in hand for alterations to suit RN
deployment as an escort.
October
Allocated for service in 20th Escort Group
3rd
On completion of dockyard work joined Group
for operational service.
(Note: Other ships in 20th EG included HM
Frigates BAHAMAS, PAPUA, PITCAIRN,
SOMALILAND of
this Class and HM Frigate TAVY.)
20th
Deployed as part of escort for outward Convoy
KMF35 during passage from Clyde to
western
Mediterranean.
(Note: This was a 6 ship routine mercantile
convoy from Clyde
to Port Said.
25th
Detached from KMF35A Escort and took passage
to Marseilles
28th
Escorted inward Convoy MKF35A during passage
from Marseilles to Liverpool.
(Note: This was a single
ship special convoy reportedly carrying
bullion.)
November
2nd
Detached from MKF35A on arrival in Clyde and
resumed Group duties
Nominated for detached service with Group as
part of escort for outward Russian Convoy JW62
(Note: For details of all Russian Convoys,
including names of escorts,
cover force and
mercantiles,
see CONVOYS TO
RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
CONVOY! by P Kemp,
THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B
Schoefield
and RUSSIAN CONVOYS by R Woodman.
29th
Sailed from Loch Ewe as escort for JW62 of 31
ships with HM Sloops CYGNET,
LAPWING, LARK,
HM
Frigates BAHAMAS, LOCH ALVIE, SOMALILAND,
TAVY, MONNOW, NENE, PORT COLBOURNE (RCN), ST JOHN (RCN),
STORMONT (RCN), HM Corvette ALLINGTON CASTLE,
BAMBOROUGH CASTLE
and
TUNSBERG
CASTLE (Norwegian).
(Note:
Although threat of attack by TIRPITZ
had been eliminated a strong escort was
provided because of
the known increase in strength of enemy
aircraft based in
Norway and the continuing presence of U-Boats
specifically deployed for
attacks on Russian
convoys. These escorts were deployed to ensure
the
maximum
anti-submarine defence possible for a large
convoy.)
December
1st
HM Cruiser BELLONA, HM Escort Aircraft
Carriers CAMPANIA and NAIRANA
joined JW62 with HM
Destroyers BEAGLE, BULLDOG, CAESAR, CAMBRIAN,
CAPRICE, CASSANDRA, KEPPEL, OBEDIENT, OFFA,
ONSLAUGHT, ONSLOW,
ORIBI, ORWELL and WESTCOTT as the Fighting
Escort
7th
Detached from JW62 on arrival at Kola Inlet
after unscathed passage.
10th
Sailed from Kola Inlet in advance of return
Convoy RA62 with same anti-submarine
escort to carry out
attacks on known
assembly of
U-Boats laying in wait for departure
of mercantiles.
(Note: During the anti-submarine operations
U387 was sunk by HMS
BAMBOROUGH
CASTLE.
RA62 also included HM Frigate MOUNSEY which
had
been damaged and was
returning to UK f or repair.)
Joined escort for RA62 on completion of
operations.
(Note: HMS BELLONA and the two escort carriers
formed part of convoy.)
11th
Convoy under attack by U365 which fired an
acoustic T5 torpedo at HMS
CASSANDRA
causing major damage to forward structure.
(Note: HMS CASSANDRA was later towed to
Murmansk for repair.)
12th
Convoy under torpedo air attacks which were
repelled by aircraft from the two
escort carriers.
13th
U365 sighted by SWORDFISH aircraft from HMS
CAMPANIA and carried out rocket
projectile attacks
sinking the submarine.
17th
Canadian escorts and HMS LOCH ALVIE detached
from RA62.
19th
Detached from RA62 with ships of Group and
resumed convoy escort in Western
Approaches
(Note: See above references and HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR Vol 2
by C Blair for
details of attacks
on RA62.)
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed for escort of convoys between UK and
Gibraltar.
5th
Joined escort for outward Convoy KMF38 to
Gibraltar.
10th
Detached from KMF38 on arrival at Gibraltar
21st
Joined escort for inward convoy MKF38 for
passage from Gibraltar.
27th
Detached from MKF38 on arrival in
Clyde.
28th
Joined outward Convoy KMF39 as part of escort
during passage from Clyde.
to Gibraltar.
February
5th
Detached from KMF39 on arrival at Gibraltar and taken in hand for repair by HM
Dockyard.
(Note: It is presumed this was due to weather
damage or serious machinery defect.
No record of any damage due to enemy action
has been traced.)
20th
Dockyard work completed and deployed with
escort for inward Convoy MKF39.
21st
Sustained major damage by grounding near
Gibraltar.
Starboard Bilge Keel was removed and fuel tank
damaged causing entry of sea water.
22nd
Detached from MKF39 and made independent
passage to
Plymouth for repair.
26th
Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard,
Devonport
(Note: Ship may have been able to proceed but
this requires further research.)
March
Under repair
to
May
June
30th
Repair completed.
July
6th
Taken in hand for further repair at Devonport
(Note: This may have been for attention to
defects found during post refit trials.
Further research is required.)
12th
Repair work completed.
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status
Londonderry.
De-stored and complement reduced prior to
lay-up at Londonderry.
August
Passage to Londonderry.
(Note: It is presumed ship was not towed.)
On arrival Paid-off and completed reduction to
Reserve.
September
Laid-up at Londonderry.
to
December
1
9 4 6
January
Nominated for return to US Navy
(Note: It is presumed that a steaming party
was provided for passage.
This party may have joined at Londonderry.)
February
Ship prepared for Ocean passage.
to
March
(Note: Ship may have returned to Devonport
before taking passage)
April
Passage to USA
(Note: Other ships of COLONY Class took
passage via the Azores.)
May
9th
Arrived at Boston Navy Yard.
22nd
Formal return to US Navy.
F i n a l P h a se
Ship remained at
Boston
until placed on the Disposal List. She was
sold to Washburn Wire on 17th
January 1947 and arrived in the shipbreaker’s
on 10th September that year, presumably
under tow.
S p e c i a l N o t e
Records for completion do not distinguish between
completion of dockyard work and completion
of
Acceptance Trials.
The earlier date has been shown in the
general particulars. Other factors about
which
further data is missing are the dates of
work-up in
Bermuda.
As none of the Class are known to
have
worked-up at Tobermory
and because known dates of
departure for
UK
are much later than the
Completion date, this period is
subject to
confirmation after further research.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS TORTOLA
by Don Kindell
This
convoy list has not been cross-checked with
the text above
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
06/09/44
|
11/09/44
|
HX
307
|
20/09/44
|
20/09/44
|
20/10/44
|
20/10/44
|
KMF
035A
|
25/10/44
|
31/10/44
|
20/10/44
|
28/10/44
|
MKF
035A
|
02/11/44
|
02/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
JW
062
|
07/12/44
|
07/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
RA
062
|
19/12/44
|
19/12/44
|
05/01/45
|
05/01/45
|
KMF
038
|
10/01/45
|
10/01/45
|
21/01/45
|
21/01/45
|
MKF
038
|
27/01/45
|
27/01/45
|
28/01/45
|
28/01/45
|
KMF
039
|
31/01/45
|
04/02/45
|
14/02/45
|
16/02/45
|
MKF
039
|
18/02/45
|
20/02/45
|
18/02/45
|
19/02/45
|
KMF
040
|
21/02/45
|
24/02/45
|
(Note
on Convoys)