RIVER-Class Frigate
ordered by the US Navy on 6th October 1941 from Canadian Vickers at Montreal,
Canada and laid down on 4th May 1942
for completion as PG104 but transferred to the Royal
Navy under the UK/USA
Lend/Lease Agreement. The ship was
launched as HMS CUCKMERE on 24th October 1942 as the 1st RN warship to carry the name. Build
was completed on 14th May 1943 and had been adopted by the civil community of Chailey,
East Sussex in March 1942 after a
successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign.
B a t
t l e H o n o
u r s
ATLANTIC 1943 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943
H e r
a l d i c D a
t a
Badge : No details are given in the official
Record of Heraldic Crests
but
as the ship had no predecessor this is not unique and
applies
to other RIVER Class Frigates.
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 3
May
Contractors trials
14th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
On
completion prepared for ocean passage
June Passage
to UK with call at St Johns
Completed storing and took passage to Tobermory.
Nominated for service in Western Approaches
Command.
July Passage to join Escort Group from Tobermory to
commence operational service
to Deployed for convoy defence in NW Approaches.
September
October Nominated for escort of military convoy prior to allied
landings in North Africa
(Operation TORCH)
(Note: For details see Naval Staff History, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute and for information about all mercantiles and
warships involved BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser)
Part
of escort for military convoy prior to TORCH landings.
Retained at Gibraltar for convoy defence in Western Mediterranean and support of
shore
operations.
November Deployed for
convoy defence based at Gibraltar.
December
Deployed in western Mediterranean
for convoy defence.
11th
During escort of eastbound Convoy
KMS34 from Gibraltar torpedoed off Bougie by
U223.
Ship sustained major structural damage and was towed to Algiers.
After survey it was decided not to carry out repair and she was declared to be a
Constructive Total Loss.
P o s t W a r N o t e
HMS CUCKMERE
remained at Algiers until after the end of hostilities and was eventually
returned to the US Navy on 14th November 1946 under the
terms of the Lease Lend Agreement. She was then scrapped.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
CUCKMERE
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 |
|
|
|
|
|
08/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
SC 136
|
22/07/43
|
23/07/43 |
27/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
OS 054KM
|
08/09/43
|
08/09/43 |
27/08/43
|
15/09/43
|
UGS 016
|
20/09/43
|
23/09/43 |
10/11/43
|
10/11/43
|
KMS 031
|
18/11/43
|
21/11/43 |
22/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
MKS 032
|
03/12/43
|
03/12/43 |
09/12/43
|
09/12/43
|
KMS 034
|
11/12/43
|
20/12/43 |
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)