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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMS EFFINGHAM  -  Hawkins-class Cruiser
including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Hawkins, sister ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Improved BIRMINGHAM or Hawkins-Class Cruiser built by HM Dockyard Devonport and laid down on 2nd April 1917. She was launched on 8th June 1921 as the first RN warship to carry the name of the Lord High Admiral in command of the English fleet against the Armada. The ship completion date was 9th July 1925 at a cost of £2,138,99. After serving In the East Indies for two commissions she was reduced to Reserve at Portsmouth in 1935 and attended the Silver Jubilee Review of the Fleet by HM King George V that year. She was later taken in hand for refit and re-arming. On completion she rejoined the Reserve Fleet. The ship attended the Review of the Reserve Fleet in Weymouth Bay on 9th August manned by Reservists.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1939-40 - NORWAY  1940

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Gold a demi-lion rampant Red,

his mouth pierced by an Arrow, Black.

 

M o t t o

Foy pour devoir:   'Faith for Duty’

 

 

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

 

August

                9th          Attended Review of Fleet in Weymouth Bay.

                10th        Remained in commission and took passage to Scapa Flow to work up with ships of the

                                Home Fleet for operational service

                13th        Joined 12th Cruiser Squadron for patrol and interception duties in NW Approaches.

 

September

                3rd          Deployed with HM Cruisers EMERALD, ENTERPRISE, DELHI, DUNEDIN and CARDIFF.

                6th          Deployed as Flagship for ships of the 5th and 12th Cruiser Squadrons deployed for Northern

                                Patrol to intercept German mercantiles attempting to return to home ports and commerce

                                raiders on passage to attack Atlantic shipping.

 

October

                2nd         Transferred with HM Cruisers EMERALD and ENTERPRISE for interception of raiders and

                                for convoy defence in Atlantic.

                                Took passage to Plymouth before departure.

                9th          Relieved HM Cruiser BERWICK as escort for Convoy KJ3 from West Indies to UK.

                26th        Arrived at Devonport for boiler clean after detaching from KJ3

 

November

                7th          Embarked gold bullion at Devonport for transfer to Canada as payment for materials obtained

                                from USA.

                17th        On arrival at Halifax deployed as Senior Officer West Indies Patrol.

                24th        Took passage from Halifax to Bermuda with HM Cruiser PERTH (RAN) for interception duties

                                in West Indies.

 

December

                1st           Deployed on interception patrol with HMAS PERTH.

                3rd          Took passage from Kingston, Jamaica for Halifax.

                6th          Arrived at Halifax

                7th          Passage to Bermuda.

                9th          Under repair in Bermuda after condenseritis during patrol.

                24th        Passage to Halifax.

                29th        Sailed from Halifax as escort for convoy to UK.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January

                10th        Arrived at Portsmouth after arrival of convoy in Home waters.

                11th        Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard, Portsmouth.

 

February                Under repair.

to

March

 

April                       Carried out Post Repair trials.

                8th          German invasion of Norway.

                                Nominated for service with Home Fleet on completion of trials (Operation RUPERT/R4).

                12th        Took passage to Scapa Flow for support of military operations in Norway.

                16th        Joined HM Cruisers YORK and CALCUTTA screened by HM Destroyer ASHANTI off Alesund

                                to search tor German destroyers reported on passage to Trondheim.

                19th        Under attack by U38 off Harstad which failed due to torpedo defect.

                                Deployed on patrol off Harstad with HM Cruiser AURORA, HM Destroyers FAULKNOR,

                                ESCAPADE end JUPITER.

                20th        Deployed as AA Guardship at Harstad, wearing Flag of FO Norway.

                21st         Relieved by HMS ENTERPRISE

                24th        Bombarded enemy positions at Narvik with HM Battleship WARSPITE, HM Cruisers AURORA,

                                ENTERPRISE and HM Destroyer ZULU.

                                Screen provided by m Destroyers FAULKNOR, ENCOUNTER, ESCORT, HERO, HAVOCK,

                                HOSTILE, FOXHOUND. Polish destroyers BLYSKAWICA and GROM.

                                Landing of troops from VINDICTIVE not carried out because weather conditions made any

                                assessment of results impossible.

 

May

                1st           Bombarded enemy positions at Akenes with HM Battleship RESOLUTION and HM Cruiser

                                AURORA.

                                FO Norway embarked to witness the bombardment.

                                Carried out reconnaissance of Ofotfjord.

                3rd          Further bombardment with HM Cruiser AURORA in support of planned landings

                7th          Covered landings at Herjangsfjord north of Narvik by French troops with HMS AURORA

                                and five destroyers .

                12th        Embarked FO Norway at Harstad and sailed for Ballangen.

                                Collected French Foreign Legion troops at Ballangen for landing at Herjangs Fjord.

                                (Note: HMS AURORA also embarked French soldiers.)

                13th        Passage to Bjervik with  HM Battleship RESOLUTION, HM Cruiser VINDICTIVE and screened

                               by HM Destroyers HAVELOCK, SOMALI, FAME. BASILISK and WREN.

                14th        Provided naval gunfire support with HMS AURORA during landings at Bjerkvik, north

                                of Narvik.

                                Returned to Harstad on completion.

                16th        Embarked South Wales Borderers for passage to Bodo.,

                                Took passage with HM Cruisers COVENTRY and CAIRO screened by HM Destroyers

                                MATABELE and ECHO.

                18th        Ran aground at 23 knots on Faksen Shoal in Vestfjord, near Bliksvoer, when taking short cut.

                                Position 67.17N 13-58E.

                                Troops transferred to HMS COVENTRY by HMS ECHO but equipment including bren gun

                                carriers were lost.

                                Troops returned to Bodo with HMS COVENTRY.

                                (For details see THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Jack Adams and Naval Staff History – 2001)

                                Sunk by HMS MATABELE by gunfire and torpedo.

                                Crew used to provide guard for local craft manned by Norwegians.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS EFFINGHAM

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

 

 

 

 

 

04/10/39

15/10/39

KJ 003

26/10/39

28/10/39

29/12/39

29/12/39

HX 014

09/01/40

12/01/40

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

 

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revised 3/6/11
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