1 9 3 9
September
Under refit and repair
to
October
November
Commissioned for service
Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr J E
Broome, RN
(Note: This officer achieved renown
as a successful commander of convoy
escort
destroyer and later as commanding
Officer of HM Destroyer
KEPPEL which was one of the escorts
for the ill-fated Russian Convoy
PQ17. See his book CONVOY IS TO
SCATTER.)
Following an association with the
Company of Veteran Motorists he was
able to
obtain an enlarged version of the
Badge given to their Members
and have
this emblem fitted to the Bridge of
this destroyer.)
December
On completion of post refit trials
joined Western Approaches Command
in18th
Destroyer Flotilla based at Plymouth
for Channel escort and antisubmarine
patrol.
(Note: 18th Destroyer Flotilla also
included HM Destroyers WHITSHED and
WILDSWAN.
Ocean Convoys were assembled in SW
Approaches and
then
escorted in to a Dispersal Point
from whence mercantiles
proceeded
independently.
Similarly inward convoys were met in
SW Approaches and
escorted
to Liverpool or southern ports as appropriate.
Headquarters of Western Approaches
Command was at Plymouth until
transferred
to Liverpool in 1940. See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C
Barnett. and
Naval Staff History for details of
RN activities
between
September 1939 and March 1940.
For
details of U-Boat
deployments
see HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair
and U-BOAT WAR
IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO))
1
9 4 0
January
3rd
Deployed
with HM Destroyer WANDERER and
joined HM Destroyers
ACTIVE and WISHART as escort for
inward Convoy HG13F during
final
stage
of passage into Irish Sea.
Detached with HMS VETERAN and HMS
ACTIVE and took return passage to
Plymouth.
(Note: HMS WANDERER remained with
HG13F
as escort for passage to
destination
and arrived at Liverpool on 5th
January.)
February
Western Approaches deployment in
continuation.4
(Note: For details of anti-submarine
weapons available and weaknesses
revealed
since September 1939 see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann
7th
Involved
in collision with HM Submarine H46
whilst part of escort for HM
Aircraft
Carrier ARK ROYAL.
(Note: HMS ARK ROYAL was on passage
to meet HM Cruiser EXETER on
passage
to Plymouth from the South Atlantic after
the River Plate victory.)
March
4th
Carried
out unsuccessful anti-submarine
operation in SW Approaches with
HM Destroyers WILD SWAN, VENOMOUS
and
VOLUNTEER.
10th
Escorted
outward Convoy OA107.
11th
Involved
in collision with ss
HORN SHELL during escort for
OA107
(Note: OA107 dispersed on 13th.)
Taken in hand
for
repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport.
April.
9th
Transferred
with Flotilla for detached Home
Fleet service after German invasion
of
Norway.
11th
Escorted
troopships CHOBRY and BATORY from Scapa Flow to join
military
convoy
NP1
for passage to Norway for landings (Operation RUPERT/R4)
Deployed for
escort
of North
Sea
convoys
and support of operations off
Norway.
(For details of deployment of naval
units in Home waters in this period
see
the Naval
Staff History.)
May
Home Fleet deployment in support of
Norwegian
operations in continuation.
3rd
Escorted
ss
ULSTER PRINCE during return passage
from Molde after the
evacuation.
Under repair to
electrical generators.
14th
Escorted
HM Aircraft Carriers GLORIOUS and
FURIOUS with HM Destroyers
DIANA and VISCOUNT during passage
from Clyde to Norway to continue
flying
operations for defence of naval
units off Norway and military
operations.
For full details of this period see
Naval Staff History, NARVIK by D
MacIntyre,
THE DOOMED EXPEDITION by Adams and
CARRIER GLORIOUS by John
Winton.
24th
Decision
to withdraw from Norway and to carry out major evacuation made.
29th
Sustained
damage in collision with damaged
mercantile NGKOA (sic) during
escort.
(Note: Pennant Numbers by RN escorts
for visual signalling purposes were
changed
and
ship was allocated Flag I Numeric
72.).
June
Deployed at Harstad for ferrying
duties take
troops from shore to returning
ships.
8th
On
release from ferrying duties ordered
to join HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE
which was
taking passage to UK with HM King Haakon and his entourage
as well
as
diplomatic personnel to UK. See
Naval Staff History,
Released from this requirement due
to
lack of fuel and took passage to
replenish,
16th
Embarked
34 survivors from HMS GLORIOUS, HM
Destroyers ACASTA and
ARDENT at Thorshvn.
Faeroes and took passage to Rosyth.
For details see CARRIER GLORIOUS.
(Note:
Commanding Officer was Commander JE
Broome who later was
involved
in
the disastrous dispersal of Russian
Convoy PQ17 and
described
his reactions on this occasion in
his book THE CONVOY
IS TO SCATTER.)
On release from Home Fleet detached
duties resumed convoy defence with
Flotilla.
Transferred to
Harwich for local duties in North
Sea.
July
Harwich deployment for anti-invasion
patrol
and convoy defence.
to
August
Anti-invasion
patrols in continuation (Operation
RIVAL)
For details of deployments in North
Sea see THE BATTLE FOR THE EAST
COAST by J P Foynes
and HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith
(Note:
During this period repair were
carried out by HM Dockyard Chatham
and some
armament changes, possible to fit
20mm weapons for close
range AA
defence.)
September
Harwich deployment in
continuation.
14th
During
patrol off Ostend with HM Destroyers
WILD SWAN and MALCOLM
sank
several
invasion barges.
26th
Sustained
damage after detonating an acoustic
mine
Taken in hand for repair by HM
Dockyard, Chatham
30th
Transferred to Western Approaches
Command for Atlantic convoy
defence.
October
Deployed for Atlantic convoy
escort based at Londonderry
27th
Joined
outward Convoy OB293 as Senior
Officer of Local Escort during
passage
in NW
Approaches
31st
Detached
from OB235 on dispersal and returned
to Liverpool.
(Note:
Convoys destined for ports in north
America were escorted from
Liverpool to a Dispersal point about 15 W whence they took
independent
passage. An inward convoy was
usually met in the
the same
area and escort back to Liverpool.
See U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO). THE BATTLE
OF THE ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre, SEEK AND STRIKE and
BUSINESS IN
GREAT
WATERS by J Terraine.)
November
Western Approaches convoy escort
in continuation.
to
December
1
9 4 1
January
1st
Joined
outward Convoy OB268 with HM
Destroyer WOLVERINE as Local
Escort during passage to Dispersal
point.
4th
Detached
from OB268 with HMS WOLVERINE and
took passage to join
inward
Convoy SC17 as Local Escort during
passage into Liverpool.
9th
Detached
from SC17 on arrival.
19th
Involved
in collision with HM Destroyer
VERITY
Nominated for repair at Barrow-in
Furness
24th
Passage
to Barrow .
(Note:
CinC
Western Approaches embarked for this
passage.)
Taken in hand by
Vickers shipyard for refit and
docking.
February
Under
repair
(Note: Medium Frequency Direction
Finding Outfit FM7 was fitted during
this
period
as an aid to navigation. It had
little value for detection of
wireless
transmissions from submarines which
used much higher
frequencies.
Suitable equipment for this
purposes was fitted later
in many
escorts, See SEEK AND STRIKE.)
March
13th
Carried
out post refit trials and resumed
escort duties at Liverpool.
with 6th
Escort Group. (Note: Events 1st
to 13th March confirmed by
Steve Halford, whose father A F
"Prof" Halford was RDF operator,
1940-41. VETERAN stayed at Barrow
until this date,
departed at
1030, carried out trial shoot and
arrived Liverpool 2000)
16th
Deployed
as Senior Ship of Local Escort of
outward Convoy OB 98 to
Dispersal Point.
20th
Detached
from convoy to join Home Fleet
search for German commerce
raiders
SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU which had
attacked Atlantic
convoys.
(Note:
Convoy dispersed on this date but
ship may have left earlier,
For details of German raider
activities see THE BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC and
Naval
Staff History.)
21st
On
release from search rejoined HMS
WOLVERINE for Local Escort of
inward
Convoy SL67 during passage in NW
Approaches.
(Note:
Home
Fleet search operation was
unsuccessful.)
23rd
Detached
from SL67 and took passage to
refuel.
See THE ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1939-45
by A Hague for details
of some
of
the more important Atlantic convoys
and their control.)
April
3rd
Deployed
with HM Destroyer WOLVERINE to carry
out search for ships
of inward
Convoy SC26 that had been scattered
after sustained attacks
by U73,
U74
and U46.
(Note: This convoy comprised 23
ships
on departure from Halifax on 20th
escorted
by
a single warship, HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser
WORCESTERSHIRE.
Six ships in convoy were sunk whilst
in
convoy
and
two were damaged including the
escorting AMC.
See THE ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1938-45
and HITLER'S U-
BOAT WAR by C
Blair.
Other ships from SC26 were sunk
whilst sailing independently
after
convoy
had scattered due to weather
conditions.)
4th
Assisted
in reforming convoy and joined HM
Destroyers HAVELOCK,
HESPERUS, WOLVERINE, HM Sloop
SCARBOROUGH and HM
Corvette ARBUTUS
as
part of escort.
Detached for rescue survivors from ss
ATHENIC which had been sunk
by U76
whilst still sailing alone after
SC26 had scattered.
Rescued
survivors
from ss
HARBLEDOWN.
(Note:
U76
was later sunk by HMS WOLVERINE. See
U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P
Kemp.
Returned to Clyde
with survivors.
May
Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation
1st
Rescued
survivors from British flagged ss
NERISSA which was
sailing
independently
when sunk by U552.
June
Atlantic deployment in continuation
8th
Rescued
from survivors from ss
AINDERBY.
(Note:
Survivors had been sighted by
aircraft.
This ship is presumed to have been
sailing independently as
it is not
recorded in the Official List Losses
in Convoy.
23rd
Under repair at Londonderry.
July
Atlantic convoy
deployment in continuation.
6th
Under
repair at Plymouth.
August
Joined HM Destroyers DOUGLAS,
LEAMINGTON, SKATE, SALADIN,
HM Corvettes ABELIA, ANEMONE and
VERONICA in 2nd Escort Group
Based at Londonderry
for Atlantic convoy defence.
September
Atlantic convoy defence with Group
in continuation.
Deployed in Iceland.
10th
Despatched
with HMS DOUGLAS, HMS LEAMINGTON, HM
Corvettes
GLADIOLUS,
WETASKIWIN (RCN), HM Trawlers
BUTTERMERE and
WINDERMERE to support Canadian
Escort
Group24 escorting inward Convoy
SC42 under
attacks
by MARKGRAF Group.
10th
(Note:
This convoy comprised 65 ships
including the CAM Ship EMPIRE
HUDSON
which was sunk by U82.)
11th
Joined
SC42 escort and detached with HMS
LEAMINGTON to investigate
aircraft
sighting of U-Boat ahead of convoy
Carried out series of depth charge
attacks with HMS LEAMINGTON on
U207 which had
submerged on approach.
(Note:
These attacks sank
the
submarine in Denmark Strait and were
credited
to
the these two destroyers in post war
analysis
.
See U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
16th
U-Boats
ceased shadowing convoy for which
escort had been further
reinforced
by three US Navy destroyers.
(Note:
The
loss in convoy of 15 mercantiles
was the greatest since
October
1940 when 21
ships
on inward Convoy SC7 were sunk.)
October
Atlantic convoy escort with
Group in continuation.
(Note:
EG2
ships escorted inward Convoy SC45 of
58 ships which
arrived
at Liverpool on 4th, inward Convoy HX154 of 51 ships
arriving
on
23rd, and to Dispersal Point outward
Convoys ON18
of 25 ships on
2nd with ONS25 of 29 ships on
23rd.)
November
During this period the Group
escorted outward Convoys ONS32 of
49 ships and
ON39
of 35 ships to Dispersal Point.
December
During this period the Group
escorted outward Convoys ON46 of 28
Ships to the Dispersal Point and
inward Convoy HX161 of 42 ships into
Liverpool
Nominated for
conversion to Short Range Escort.
See V&W DESTROYERS by A Preston
for details of changes to be made.
Passage to Thames.
1
9 4 2
January
Under refit and conversion
for use as a Short Range Escort in
commercial
shipyard
in London.
For details of new weapons developed
for anti-submarine defence
See SEEK AND STRIKE.
February
On completion of dockyard worked
carried out pots refit trials.
26th
Passage to Tobermory to work-up
for operational service.
March
Worked-up.
Nominated for
detached service off east coast of
USA
and Canada.
(Note:
Assistance was provided to US Navy
to provide experienced defence
against
the
determined efforts being made by
German U-Boats to
sink
shipping off the east coast of
America. See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
SEEK AND STRIKE and BUSINESS
IN GREAT
WATERS.)
April
Passage to Newfoundland for detached
duty
May
Deployed for defence of convoys
between US
and Canadian ports to
to
August
Newfoundland.
For details of changes in tactics
used in defence of convoys
and by
U-Boats for Group attacks see THE
BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre and CAPTAIN GILBERT ROBERTS
by M
Williams.
(Note:
Ship
was fitted with HEDGEHOG
anti-submarine mortar by this
period.)
September
Nominated for escort of special
convoy identified as RB1 during
passage
to UK.
(Note:
This
identity as given in HITLER’S U-BOAT
WAR, Vol
2
by C
Blair
is an acronym for Rivers to Britain
and was
special
convoy comprising Great Lakes River
Steamers which
had been
transferred under Lease Lend to
Great Britain. They
were ss
BOSTON, ss
NEW YORK, ss
SOUTHLAND, ss
NORTHLAND, ss
YORKTOWN, ss
PRESIDENT
WARFIELD,
NAUSHON
and ss
NEW
BEDFORD.
No passengers were carried in ships
of convoy although German
reports
later implied that RB1 was a troop
convoy.)
(Added note from John Lawton
of Wrexham, North Wales, the
town that adopted
VETERAN, and who published a
private account of her: his
understanding is that
RB stood for River Boat(s), and
that a second RB was planned but
never sailed)
16th
Sailed
from Halifax with HM Destroyer VANOC
as escort for RB1
during
Atlantic passage.
21st
Sailed
from New York with RB1.
23rd
RB1
Sighted by U380 and reported to
U-Boat headquarters which ordered
the formation
of a new
U-Boat Group BLITZ specifically for
co-ordinated attacks on RB1.
(Note:
U-Boats
of VORWARTS and PFIEL Groups were
also deployed.
24th
U-Boat
attacks commenced.
25th
ss
BOSTON sunk by U216 (PFIEL)
ss
NEW
YORK sunk by U96 (VORWARTS) and
28 survivors rescued.
Convoy scattered.
26th
Convoy
ordered to reform and ship deployed
to collect ships.
Came under
attack
by U404 (VORWARTS).
Hit by two torpedoes and sank
quickly
in position 54.51N 23.04W
south of
Iceland after an explosion.
No survivors were rescued from this
ship but HM Frigate EXE and
HM Corvette GENTIAN rescued
survivors
from the mercantile.
(Note: ss
YORKTOWN sunk later by U619 (VORWARTS).
The Casualty List was published on
14th November
1942.)
U404 was sunk in the Atlantic in July 1942 by two USAF
LIBERATOR AIRCRAFT and an RAF
LIBERATOR of
224 Squadron.
None of the submarine crew survived.
For details of attacks by U-Boats on
RB1 see HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR, Vol
2 and WARSHIPS SUPPLEMENT
No 82 Autumn
1985.)