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  SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS PENZANCE (L 28) - Hastings-class Sloop including Convoy Escort Movements 

HMS Folkestone, sister-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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HASTINGS-Class Sloop ordered under the 1928 Programme HM Dockyard, Devonport on 4th April 1929 and laid down on 29th July of that year. Launched by Mrs. Backhouse on 10th April 1930 she was the 3rd RN warship to carry the name, introduced in 1695 for a 6th Rate and then for a 5th Rate in 1747. She was completed on 15th January 1931 for service in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea and deployed there until 1938 when she returned to Chatham. Whilst in the Red Sea she carried out a significant amount of salvage work in 1934 when HM Sloop HASTINGS which had grounded and was not re-floated for nearly three months. Although intended to remain in Home waters when she returned from South Africa in May 1938 the ship was sent to the West Indies Station.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

MARTINIQUE 1762 - HAVANA 1762 - ATLANTIC  1940

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field Black, the head of St John the Baptist Gold on a charger Silver.

 

M o t t o

Diligenter Pensa :   'Think carefully '

 

 

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 3 9

 

September             Deployed in West Indies for contraband control and patrol based at Trinidad.

 

October                  West Indies deployment in continuation.

to                            (Note : Several German mercantiles were in ports in southern USA and islands

December              in the Caribbean. These were subject to surveillance.

                                See THE BLOCKADERS BY K Poolman. )

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Contraband control and surveillance in Caribbean area in continuation.

to                            Nominated for convoy defence duties.

February

 

March                    Passage to Bermuda for local escort of convoys to and from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

 

April                       Bermuda based deployment in continuation

 

May                        Pennant No for visual signalling purposes changed to U28.

                                Deployed at Bermuda in continuation.

June                        Deployed at Bermuda for patrol and convoy defence.

to                            Nominated for return to Home waters

July

 

August                  Passage to Sydney, Cape Breton to join escort for 1st convoy of SC series.

                15th        Sailed from Sydney with esc ort for Convoy SC1.

                24th        Torpedoed by U37 in position 56.16N, 27.19W south of Greenland during defence of

                                this Convoy.

                                There was heavy loss of life.

 


 

Addendum

 

Convoy Escort Movements of HMS PENZANCE

by Don Kindell

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

07/05/40

07/05/40

BHX 041

07/05/40

13/05/40

11/05/40

11/05/40

BHX 042

11/05/40

17/05/40

15/05/40

15/05/40

BHX 043

15/05/40

21/05/40

19/05/40

19/05/40

BHX 044

19/05/40

25/05/40

23/05/40

23/05/40

BHX 045

23/05/40

29/05/40

31/05/40

31/05/40

BHX 047

31/05/40

08/06/40

04/06/40

04/06/40

BHX 048

04/06/40

10/06/40

08/06/40

08/06/40

BHX 049

08/06/40

13/06/40

16/06/40

16/06/40

BHX 051

16/06/40

21/06/40

20/06/40

20/06/40

BHX 052

25/06/40

25/06/40

02/07/40

02/07/40

BHX 055

07/07/40

07/07/40

10/07/40

10/07/40

BHX 057

15/07/40

15/07/40

14/07/40

14/07/40

BHX 058

19/07/40

19/07/40

22/07/40

22/07/40

BHX 060

22/07/40

27/07/40

26/07/40

26/07/40

BHX 061

31/07/40

31/07/40

30/07/40

30/07/40

BHX 062

30/07/40

04/08/40

15/08/40

15/08/40

SC 001

24/08/40

29/08/40

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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