1
9 4 3
June
Contractors
trials
and commissioned for service.
July
11th
- Build
completion and commenced acceptance trials.
On
completion
of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory
to work-up for operational service.
August
Work-up
and
weapon calibrations completed. (Note: For
details of the
development and use of radar, direction finding
outfit and HEDGEHOG
Anti-Submarine Mortar, see RADAR AT SEA by Howse
and SEEK AND STRIKE
by W Hackmann.)
September
Joined
Western
Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.
October
to December
Deployed
in
Western Approaches for convoy escort.
Nominated
for
transfer on loan to the Royal Canadian Navy.
S e
r v i c e a
s H M C S E T T
R I C K
1
9 4 4
January
Transferred
to
RCN and took passage to Halifax for escort
duties.
February
to December
Deployed
for escort of convoys between US and Canadian
ports to Newfoundland and Mid Atlantic Meeting
Point where convoys
were transferred to Escorts based in UK (Note:
The
majority of ships sailing in convoy after June
arrived without
any major attacks and for that reason the work
of the
escorts received little public attention. The
contribution of the RCN
has also had scant record in the many
publications about the Battle of the
Atlantic. Canadian publications giving more
details include: 50
DEGREES NORTH by A H Easton, U-BOATS AGAINST
CANADA by M L Hadley, THE U-BOAT HUNTERS by M
Milner. UK publications giving
further details are: HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair, CONVOY ESCORT
COMMANDER by P Gretton, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett.)
This
ship was not deployed with the RCN Escort Groups
deployed in support of the Allied landings in
Normandy in June 1944 (Operation
NEPTUNE).
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed
for
escort of convoys between Boston and Halifax in
Halifax.
14th
- During
defence of Convoy BX141 carried out attacks on
U1232 and rammed submarine which sustained
damage to conning tower but was able to escape.
(Note: This
convoy comprised 19 ships including two British
oil tankers both of which were sunk.
For details see HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
February
to April
Convoy
defence
off North American coast in continuation.
May
30th
- Loan
service with RCN terminated.
June
Passage
to UK
and reverted to RN control.
July
Nominated
for
reduction to Reserve status at Harwich.
August
Paid
off and
laid-up in Reserve Fleet at Harwich.
P o s
t W a r
N o t e s
HMS
ETTRICK remained in the Reserve Fleet at
Harwich until placed on the Disposal
List in 1953. Sold to BISCO for
demolition
by TW Ward, the
ship arrived in tow at the breaker’s yard in
Grays, Essex for
demolition during June 1953.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS ETTRICK
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19/08/43
|
01/09/43
|
MKF
022
|
09/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
|
22/09/43
|
30/09/43
|
HX
258
|
05/10/43
|
06/10/43
|
|
18/10/43
|
19/10/43
|
ON
207
|
28/10/43
|
04/11/43
|
|
31/10/43
|
05/11/43
|
HX
264
|
16/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
|
26/11/43
|
27/11/43
|
ON
213
|
07/12/43
|
14/12/43
|
|
10/12/43
|
15/12/43
|
HX
270
|
25/12/43
|
26/12/43
|
|
08/01/44
|
09/01/44
|
ON
219
|
20/01/44
|
27/01/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
as
HMCS ETTRICK
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11/07/44
|
16/07/44
|
HX
299
|
23/07/44
|
24/07/44
|
|
02/08/44
|
03/08/44
|
ON
247
|
10/08/44
|
15/08/44
|
|
17/08/44
|
23/08/44
|
HX
304
|
01/09/44
|
01/09/44
|
|
13/09/44
|
14/09/44
|
ON
253
|
25/09/44
|
28/09/44
|
|
12/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
ON
266
|
30/11/44
|
03/12/44
|
|
02/12/44
|
02/12/44
|
SC
162
|
06/12/44
|
17/12/44
|
|
17/12/44
|
17/12/44
|
SC
163
|
20/12/44
|
31/12/44
|
|
08/12/44
|
21/12/44
|
ON
271
|
24/12/44
|
28/12/44
|
|
29/01/45
|
15/02/45
|
ONS
041
|
unknown
|
20/02/45
|
|
20/02/45
|
20/02/45
|
XB
146
|
22/02/45
|
22/02/45
|
|
10/02/45
|
25/02/45
|
ON
284
|
26/02/45
|
01/03/45
|
|
16/02/45
|
02/03/45
|
ON
285
|
02/03/45
|
05/03/45
|
|
29/03/45
|
unknown
|
HX
347
|
unknown
|
14/04/45
|
|
08/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX
349
|
unknown
|
23/04/45
|
|
18/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX
351
|
unknown
|
03/05/45
|
|
23/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX
352
|
unknown
|
08/05/45
|
|
29/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX
353
|
unknown
|
15/05/45
|
(Note
on Convoys)
