RIVER-Class Frigate ordered on 11th
February 1941 under the 1940 War
Programme from Fleming & Ferguson at Paisley. The ship was laid down on 16th May 1941 as Job No 1418 (Yard No 579) and launched
on 19th March 1942. Build was completed on 6th August 1942 and
the ship was adopted by the
civil community of Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, Wales after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign in March 1942.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1942-44 - NORTH AFRICA 1942
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 2
August
Contractors Trials and commissioned for service.
6th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion of trials and storing took passage
to Tobermory.
September Passage to
join Western Approaches Command for deployment in escort of Atlantic convoys
on
completion of work-up for operational service.
Part of escort for military convoy MKF1 taking troops for the landings in North
Africa.
October Nominated
for escort of military convoy to Gibraltar in preparation for planned allied
landings
in
North Africa (Operation TORCH).
26th Sailed from Clyde with HM Cutter HARTLAND as part of escort for
military convoy MKF1
during passage to Gibraltar (Operation TORCH).
November Detached
from MKF1 on arrival and deployed at Gibraltar for escort and support during
TORCH.
(Note: See Naval Staff History, RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute, and ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and for information about all mercantiles and
warships BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.
December Gibraltar
deployment in continuation
1 9 4 3
January Nominated
for return to UK
Passage to resume Atlantic convoy defence.
February Joined
44th Escort Group for North Atlantic convoy escort.
Part of escort for Tanker Convoy UC1 from Caribbean to UK.
March Atlantic
convoy defence with Group in continuation
to
Nominated for operations in Bay of Biscay with 40th Escort Group.
June
July
Joined 40th Escort Group.
August
23rd
Deployed with Group in joint anti-submarine operations off Spanish coast.
(Note: The objective was to deny use of these waters by U-Boats on passage to
and from Atlantic
Ships of 5th Escort Group were also involved and HM
Cruiser
BERMUDA
provided cover against surface attack from German ships.)
(Operation PERCUSSION).
25th Under
attack by radio controlled Hs 293 Glider Bombs.
28th
Relieved by ships of 1st Support Group
September Part of escort with
ships of 40th Escort Group for outward joint convoy SL136/MKS24
during passage to Gibraltar.
October Atlantic convoy defence in continuation on UK-Gibraltar
route.
November
14th Deployed with Group for escort of outward joint
convoy SL 139/MKS30 to Gibraltar.
15th
Assembly of SCHILL Group U-Boats of SCHILL sighted by air
reconnaissance.
18th
Attacked and rammed U333 which managed to escape and return to harbour.
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
December Continued
convoy escort deployment after repair.
1 9 4 4
January Deployed
on escort of UK-Gibraltar route convoys as Senior Officers ship of 40th Escort
to
Group.
November
December
Transferred in continuation to 3rd Escort Group.
1 9 4 5
January Continued
deployment as Senior Officer of 3rd Escort Group and was deployed in Home
to
waters.
August
P o s t W a
r N o t e s
HMS EXE was Paid-off after VJ-Day and after
de-storing was reduced to Reserve status. She was laid-up in Reserve until 1956 when
placed on the Disposal List. Sold to BISCO for demolition by T W Ward and
arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard in Preston, Lancashire on 20th September
1956.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
EXE
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 |
|
|
|
|
|
19/09/42
|
22/09/42
|
ON 132
|
24/09/42
|
08/10/42 |
26/10/42
|
26/10/42
|
KMF 001
|
07/11/42
|
08/11/42 |
14/11/42
|
14/11/42
|
MKF 001Y
|
20/11/42
|
20/11/42 |
27/11/42
|
27/11/42
|
KMF 004
|
06/12/42
|
06/12/42 |
10/12/42
|
12/12/42
|
MKF 004
|
18/12/42
|
18/12/42 |
26/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
KMF 006
|
03/01/43
|
03/01/43 |
08/02/43
|
08/02/43
|
KMF 009
|
09/02/43
|
16/02/43 |
15/02/43
|
15/02/43
|
UC 001
|
06/03/43
|
06/03/43 |
20/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
CU 001
|
01/04/43
|
01/04/43 |
16/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
KMF 013
|
23/04/43
|
23/04/43 |
24/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
MKF 013
|
02/05/43
|
02/05/43 |
19/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
KMF 015
|
28/05/43
|
27/05/43 |
28/05/43
|
28/05/43
|
MKF 015
|
05/06/43
|
05/06/43 |
20/06/43
|
20/06/43
|
KMS 018A
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43 |
02/07/43
|
02/07/43
|
RS 005
|
08/07/43
|
08/07/43 |
13/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
OS 051
|
23/07/43
|
23/07/43 |
07/08/43
|
07/08/43
|
OSS 052
|
14/08/43
|
12/08/43 |
13/08/43
|
18/08/43
|
CF 013A
|
22/08/43
|
24/08/43 |
03/09/43
|
03/09/43
|
SL 136
|
14/09/43
|
14/09/43 |
14/09/43
|
14/09/43
|
SL 136MK
|
25/09/43
|
25/09/43 |
27/10/43
|
28/10/43
|
OS 057KM
|
09/11/43
|
09/11/43 |
09/11/43
|
09/11/43
|
KMS 031G
|
10/11/43
|
10/11/43 |
13/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
MKS 030G
|
16/11/43
|
16/11/43 |
16/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
SL 139MK
|
26/11/43
|
26/11/43 |
15/12/43
|
16/12/43
|
OS 062KM
|
02/01/44
|
02/01/44 |
02/01/44
|
02/01/44
|
KMS 036G
|
03/01/44
|
03/01/44 |
06/01/44
|
06/01/44
|
SL 144MK
|
18/01/44
|
18/01/44 |
24/01/44
|
25/01/44
|
OS 066KM
|
05/02/44
|
05/02/44 |
06/02/44
|
06/02/44
|
KMS 040G
|
07/02/44
|
07/02/44 |
11/02/44
|
11/02/44
|
MKS 039G
|
12/02/44
|
12/02/44 |
12/02/44
|
12/02/44
|
SL 148MK
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44 |
03/03/44
|
03/03/44
|
OS 070KM
|
15/03/44
|
15/03/44 |
15/03/44
|
15/03/44
|
KMS 044G
|
17/03/44
|
17/03/44 |
22/03/44
|
22/03/44
|
MKS 043G
|
23/03/44
|
23/03/44 |
23/03/44
|
23/03/44
|
SL 152MK
|
03/04/44
|
04/04/44 |
12/04/44
|
12/04/44
|
OS 074KM
|
23/04/44
|
23/04/44 |
23/04/44
|
23/04/44
|
KMS 048G
|
25/04/44
|
25/04/44 |
01/05/44
|
01/05/44
|
MKS 047G
|
03/05/44
|
03/05/44 |
03/05/44
|
03/05/44
|
SL 156MK
|
13/05/44
|
13/05/44 |
22/05/44
|
22/05/44
|
OS 078KM
|
04/06/44
|
04/06/44 |
05/06/44
|
05/06/44
|
KMS 052G
|
06/06/44
|
06/06/44 |
09/06/44
|
09/06/44
|
MKS 051G
|
10/06/44
|
10/06/44 |
10/06/44
|
10/06/44
|
LTS 023
|
17/06/44
|
17/06/44 |
10/06/44
|
10/06/44
|
SL 160MK
|
21/06/44
|
21/06/44 |
01/07/44
|
02/07/44
|
OS 082KM
|
11/07/44
|
11/07/44 |
12/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
KMS 056G
|
13/07/44
|
13/07/44 |
20/07/44
|
20/07/44
|
MKS 055G
|
21/07/44
|
21/07/44 |
21/07/44
|
21/07/44
|
SL 164MK
|
31/07/44
|
02/08/44 |
28/09/44
|
29/09/44
|
ON 256
|
07/10/44
|
12/10/44 |
10/10/44
|
15/10/44
|
HX 313
|
24/10/44
|
24/10/44 |
03/11/44
|
05/11/44
|
ON 264
|
15/11/44
|
21/11/44 |
19/11/44
|
26/11/44
|
HX 321
|
05/12/44
|
05/12/44 |
14/12/44
|
16/12/44
|
ON 272
|
26/12/44
|
01/01/45 |
29/12/44
|
03/01/45
|
HX 329
|
12/01/45
|
12/01/45 |
22/01/45
|
23/01/45
|
ON 280
|
04/02/45
|
09/02/45 |
07/02/45
|
13/02/45
|
HX 337
|
21/02/45
|
21/02/45 |
02/03/45
|
03/03/45
|
ON 288
|
14/03/45
|
19/03/45 |
19/03/45
|
24/03/45
|
HX 345
|
02/04/45
|
02/04/45 |
11/04/45
|
12/04/45
|
ONS 047
|
27/04/45
|
30/04/45 |
29/04/45
|
04/05/45
|
HX 353
|
15/05/45
|
15/05/45 |
21/05/45
|
21/05/45
|
ONS 051
|
01/06/45
|
04/06/45 |
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)