Modified Admiralty W-Class destroyer ordered from John Brown, Clydebank with 13th Order of the
1918 Build Programme in January 1918. The ship was laid down on 17th May 1918
and launched on 19th March 1919 as the 1st RN warship to carry the name. Build
was completed on 17th September 1919. Between the wars she served in the
Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets. In 1938 the ship was part of the Local
Flotilla at Portsmouth. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign
in March 1942 she was adopted by the
civil community of Stratford North in
Warwickshire.
with wartime modifications (Mike Pocock)
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1939-45 - DUNKIRK 1940 - NORTH SEA 1940 - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Black,
a Roman Lamp Gold
M o t t
o
Prevalebit: ‘Truth shall prevail ‘
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 Nominated
for service with 19th Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich.
September Deployed
for convoy defence in SW Approaches.
5th Escorted Convoy GC1 from
Milford Haven with HM Destroyers
WITHERINGTON,
WOLVERINE
and VOLUNTEER
October Transferred
to Harwich for East coast convoy defence duty
to
December
1 9 4 0
January Transferred to
Plymouth for convoy defence in SW
Approaches and Channel.
to Based
at Plymouth.
March
April
10th Joined outward Convoy OG25 on formation in SW Approaches as
escort during
initial stage of passage to
Gibraltar with HM Destroyers BROKE and
WAKEFUL.
11th Detached from OG25 with HMS BROKE and took passage to join
inward Convoy
HG25 as escort
during passage in SW Approaches to
Liverpool
12th Joined HM Sloops BIDEFORD and FOWEY as
escort for HG25.
15th Detached from HG25 on arrival at
Liverpool and returned to
Plymouth.
May Transferred
to Dover Command with ships of Flotilla for support of operations in
Belgium
and
France.
5th Detached for
escort of minelay In Galloper area in Thames Estuary.
(Operation
CML9. For details of all minelaying operations see Naval Staff History
(MINING)).
12th Took detachment of
Royal Marines to
Hook of Holland with HM
Destroyer VENOMOUS.
(Operation
D(C)).
21st Assisted with
evacuation at Boulogne.
22nd Embarked Admiral Somerville for passage to
Calais.
On return
nominated for evacuation of troops at Boulogne and took passage.
Found port under
military attack
25th Passage to
Calais with HM Destroyer WOLFHOUND
with Royal Marines and ammunition..
Under fire from
6in howitzers which was returned.
26th Under heavy air
attacks at
Calais.
Passage to assist in evacuation of troops from beaches at Dunkirk. until
2nd June.
(Operation
DYNAMO - For details see THE NINE DAYS OF
DUNKIRK by AD Divine,
NAVAL
STAFF HISTORY (HMSO-2002) and BEF SHIPS by J de Winser,
27th Deployed as escort for mercantiles
BIARRITZ and
ARCHANGEL during passage to
Dunkirk
for evacuation (Operation DYNAMO)
Came under fire
from shore batteries near
Calais and sustained casualties.
Returned to
Dover
29th Landed 315 troops at
Dover from beaches.
30th Landed 52 troops from beaches
(Note: Total number of troops evacuated by this ship during
DYNAMO was 367.)
June On
release from DYNAMO resumed Flotilla duties.
19th Carried out first
sea trial with RAF
ASV Mark 1 Radar
at
Spithead.
(Note: This equipment was later introduced into naval
service as Radar 286/M.
For
details of development and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT
SEA by D Howse).
July Transferred
to 18th Destroyer Flotilla based at
Liverpool for convoy defence in
Atlantic
August Convoy defence in continuation.
September Transferred
to 6th Escort Group based at
Liverpool.
October Atlantic escort duty with Group in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 1
January Atlantic
convoy defence with Group in continuation.
to
February
March Deployed with HM Corvettes
CAMELLIA and ARBUTUS as escort for outward Convoy OB239.
6th Under threat of attack by U37, U47, U99 and ex Turkish
submarine design UA.
7th Came under sustained torpedo attacks from the four
submarines and carried out effective
anti-submarine operations during which U70 was sunk by the
two corvettes.
(Note: U47 commanded by the renowned Gunther
Prien was not sunk in this series of attacks as
presumed until after the end of WW2.
For details see
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp an HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR
by C Blair).
April Atlantic escort duty with Group in
continuation.
to
September
October
1st Joined military convoy US12 in
Clyde with HM Cruiser
CAIRO, HM Destroyers WITCH and
WHITEHALL as Local
Escort for passage in NW Approaches.
4th Detached from WS12 with Local Escort
and returned to Clyde.
Later part of escort for Convoy ONS29 with Group.
November Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.
February
17th Joined military convoy WS16 from
Clyde at Oversay
with H M Destroyers WALKER and
WITHERINGTON as Local Escort for passage in NW Approaches.
22nd Detached from WS16 with Local Escort and
returned to Clyde.
March Western
Approaches deployment in continuation.
to Nominated
for escort of military convoys to
Gibraltar for planned allied landings.
September in
North Africa (Operation
TORCH).
October Deployed
for Atlantic escort of military convoys to
North Africa.
November Deployed for defence of military
convoys on passage to Gibraltar prior to planned allied landings
in North Africa (Operation TORCH).
4th Sailed from
Gibraltar to supplement escort for military convoy KMF1 during
passage to
Algiers .
6th Detached from KMF1 and returned to
Gibraltar.
7th Nominated for support of landings on
YANKEE Beach Head at
Oran.
8th Deployed at
Oran
December Support of TORCH operations and
convoy defence in continuation at
Gibraltar.
1 9 4 3
January Convoy
defence based at Gibraltar in continuation
February Nominated
for conversion to Long Range Escort.
March Passage
to UK for refit and conversion.
April Taken
in hand for conversion by HM Dockyard,
Portsmouth
May Under conversion.
to
September
October Post
refit trials and work-up for operational service.
November Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence deployment.
to (For
details of development of new weapons and tactics for convoy defence and the
December introduction
of counter measures by German submarines see SEEK
AND STRIKE by
Hackmann)
1 9 4 4
January Atlantic
convoy defence duty in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to (Note:
During this period Atlantic convoys were re-routed through
English Channel and German
March ‘Schnorkel’ fitted U-Boats were concentrating attacks in
focal points of convoys that
altered the deployment patterns of Western Approaches
Escorts)
April After
VE Day nominated for reduced to Reserve status and paid off.
to
May
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS VERITY remained in Reserve until 1946 when she was
placed on the Disposal List. She was sold to BISCO in 1946 for demolition by J Cashmore and arrived
in tow at the breaker's in Newport on 14th September 1947
S p e c i a l N o
t e s
This ship in common with many
other Atlantic escorts was one of the 'unsung' veterans of the sea war in the Atlantic. It should be
remembered that 70% of all convoys had an unscathed passage but this was possible due to vastness of
the ocean and the constant vigilance of ships companies.
Details of escorts for WS Series
military convoys ware provided by Donald Kindell of Ohio, USA from an unpublished source. This
is gratefully acknowledged.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS VERITY
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/09/39
|
05/09/39
|
RED 1
|
08/09/39
|
27/09/39
|
|
04/10/39
|
24/10/39
|
KJ 003
|
28/10/39
|
28/10/39
|
|
02/11/39
|
02/11/39
|
OA 029
|
07/11/39
|
07/11/39
|
|
16/11/39
|
18/11/39
|
OA 036G
|
19/11/39
|
24/11/39
|
|
24/11/39
|
24/11/39
|
OA 040G
|
26/11/39
|
26/11/39
|
|
01/12/39
|
02/12/39
|
OA 044
|
03/12/39
|
03/12/39
|
|
25/11/39
|
04/12/39
|
HXF 010
|
09/12/39
|
09/12/39
|
|
28/12/39
|
30/12/39
|
OA 062
|
31/12/39
|
31/12/39
|
|
20/12/39
|
02/01/40
|
HX 013
|
04/01/40
|
04/01/40
|
|
05/01/40
|
05/01/40
|
OB 067
|
09/01/40
|
09/01/40
|
|
12/01/40
|
14/01/40
|
OA 071
|
16/01/40
|
16/01/40
|
|
01/01/40
|
16/01/40
|
SL 015
|
19/01/40
|
19/01/40
|
|
20/01/40
|
20/01/40
|
OA 076
|
23/01/40
|
23/01/40
|
|
25/01/40
|
26/01/40
|
OA 079
|
28/01/40
|
28/01/40
|
|
20/01/40
|
29/01/40
|
HXF 017
|
01/02/40
|
01/02/40
|
|
02/02/40
|
02/02/40
|
OA 084
|
04/02/40
|
05/02/40
|
|
13/02/40
|
13/02/40
|
OA 091
|
16/02/40
|
16/02/40
|
|
05/02/40
|
17/02/40
|
SL 019F
|
20/02/40
|
20/02/40
|
|
21/02/40
|
21/02/40
|
OA 096
|
23/02/40
|
unknown
|
|
08/04/40
|
08/04/40
|
OA 125G
|
10/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
|
08/04/40
|
08/04/40
|
OB 125
|
10/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
|
10/04/40
|
10/04/40
|
OG 025
|
11/04/40
|
16/04/40
|
|
05/04/40
|
12/04/40
|
HG 025
|
15/04/40
|
15/04/40
|
|
04/10/40
|
14/10/40
|
HX 078
|
19/10/40
|
20/10/40
|
|
20/10/40
|
20/10/40
|
HX 082
|
04/11/40
|
06/11/40
|
|
27/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
OB 235
|
31/10/40
|
31/10/40
|
|
09/11/40
|
11/11/40
|
OB 241
|
14/11/40
|
14/11/40
|
|
31/10/40
|
15/11/40
|
HG 046
|
17/11/40
|
19/11/40
|
|
23/11/40
|
23/11/40
|
OB 248
|
26/11/40
|
26/11/40
|
|
13/11/40
|
27/11/40
|
SC 012
|
29/11/40
|
29/11/40
|
|
06/12/40
|
08/12/40
|
OB 255
|
10/12/40
|
10/12/40
|
|
01/01/41
|
18/01/41
|
SL 061
|
24/01/41
|
24/01/41
|
|
02/03/41
|
02/03/41
|
OB 293
|
07/03/41
|
08/03/41
|
|
23/02/41
|
10/03/41
|
HX 111
|
12/03/41
|
12/03/41
|
|
16/03/41
|
16/03/41
|
OB 298
|
20/03/41
|
20/03/41
|
|
01/03/41
|
21/03/41
|
SL 067
|
24/03/41
|
26/03/41
|
|
31/03/41
|
01/04/41
|
OB 304
|
03/04/41
|
04/04/41
|
|
20/03/41
|
04/04/41
|
SC 026
|
05/04/41
|
08/04/41
|
|
12/04/41
|
12/04/41
|
OB 309
|
15/04/41
|
19/04/41
|
|
03/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
HG 058
|
20/04/41
|
21/04/41
|
|
26/04/41
|
27/04/41
|
OB 315
|
01/05/41
|
04/05/41
|
|
25/04/41
|
08/05/41
|
HX 123
|
09/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
|
08/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
OB 320
|
14/05/41
|
14/05/41
|
|
06/05/41
|
16/05/41
|
HX 125A
|
18/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
|
18/05/41
|
24/05/41
|
OB 324
|
27/05/41
|
27/05/41
|
|
27/05/41
|
06/06/41
|
HX 129
|
12/06/41
|
12/06/41
|
|
20/06/41
|
21/06/41
|
OB 337
|
24/06/41
|
28/06/41
|
|
14/06/41
|
25/06/41
|
HG 065
|
29/06/41
|
29/06/41
|
|
04/07/41
|
04/07/41
|
OG 067
|
09/07/41
|
20/07/41
|
|
18/06/41
|
09/07/41
|
SL 078
|
12/07/41
|
12/07/41
|
|
03/07/41
|
23/07/41
|
SL 080
|
26/07/41
|
29/07/41
|
|
17/10/41
|
17/10/41
|
CT 004
|
20/10/41
|
23/10/41
|
|
22/10/41
|
23/10/41
|
ON 029
|
26/10/41
|
05/11/41
|
|
22/10/41
|
31/10/41
|
HX 156
|
04/11/41
|
05/11/41
|
|
03/12/41
|
05/12/41
|
ON 043
|
07/12/41
|
15/12/41
|
|
13/12/41
|
13/12/41
|
DS 018
|
16/12/41
|
16/12/41
|
|
20/12/41
|
20/12/41
|
SD 018
|
23/12/41
|
23/12/41
|
|
02/02/42
|
02/02/42
|
ON 063
|
07/02/42
|
13/02/42
|
|
14/02/42
|
28/02/42
|
ON 067
|
01/03/42
|
01/03/42
|
|
09/03/42
|
09/03/42
|
HX 179
|
13/03/42
|
22/03/42
|
|
27/03/42
|
27/03/42
|
HX 182
|
30/03/42
|
09/04/42
|
|
11/04/42
|
11/04/42
|
SC 079
|
15/04/42
|
27/04/42
|
|
14/04/42
|
14/04/42
|
HX 185
|
18/04/42
|
27/04/42
|
|
08/04/42
|
22/04/42
|
ON 084
|
25/04/42
|
25/04/42
|
|
07/05/42
|
07/05/42
|
SC 083
|
12/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
|
06/05/42
|
14/05/42
|
ON 092
|
17/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
|
21/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
BX 019
|
23/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
|
22/05/42
|
02/06/42
|
ON 097
|
06/06/42
|
05/06/42
|
|
08/06/42
|
08/06/42
|
BX 023B
|
10/06/42
|
10/06/42
|
|
21/06/42
|
21/06/42
|
XB 026
|
23/06/42
|
23/06/42
|
|
24/06/42
|
24/06/42
|
BX 026
|
26/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
|
06/07/42
|
06/07/42
|
HX 197
|
09/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
|
30/06/42
|
12/07/42
|
ON 108
|
18/07/42
|
18/07/42
|
|
20/07/42
|
20/07/42
|
BX 029C
|
22/07/42
|
22/07/42
|
|
27/07/42
|
27/07/42
|
HX 200
|
30/07/42
|
07/08/42
|
|
24/07/42
|
03/08/42
|
ON 115
|
08/08/42
|
08/08/42
|
|
09/08/42
|
09/08/42
|
BX 032C
|
unknown
|
11/08/42
|
|
16/08/42
|
16/08/42
|
HX 203
|
19/08/42
|
28/08/42
|
|
09/08/42
|
21/08/42
|
ON 120
|
27/08/42
|
27/08/42
|
|
26/10/42
|
04/11/42
|
KMF 001
|
06/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
|
01/11/42
|
11/11/42
|
KMF 002
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
|
14/11/42
|
14/11/42
|
MKS 001O
|
15/11/42
|
15/11/42
|
|
08/11/42
|
22/11/42
|
KMS 003G
|
26/11/42
|
26/11/42
|
|
20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
KMF 005A
|
22/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
|
22/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
MKS 004
|
27/12/42
|
06/01/43
|
|
12/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
UGS 003
|
01/01/43
|
01/01/43
|
|
24/12/42
|
04/01/43
|
KMS 006G
|
09/01/43
|
09/01/43
|
|
05/01/43
|
08/01/43
|
MKS 005
|
11/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
|
07/01/43
|
18/01/43
|
KMS 007G
|
23/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
|
19/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
MKS 006
|
22/01/43
|
01/02/43
|
|
23/01/43
|
23/01/43
|
ET 009X
|
27/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
|
24/01/43
|
31/01/43
|
KMF 008
|
31/01/43
|
01/02/43
|
|
31/01/42
|
31/01/43
|
GUF 004
|
02/02/43
|
13/02/43
|
|
07/02/43
|
08/02/43
|
MKS 007
|
10/02/43
|
17/02/43
|
|
08/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
KMF 009
|
16/02/43
|
16/02/43
|
|
07/02/43
|
25/02/43
|
UGS 005
|
26/02/43
|
26/02/43
|
|
25/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
ET 012
|
02/03/43
|
02/03/43
|
|
18/02/43
|
06/03/43
|
UGS 005A
|
08/03/43
|
06/03/43
|
|
26/02/43
|
08/03/43
|
KMS 010G
|
11/03/43
|
11/03/43
|
|
23/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
GUS 005A
|
26/03/43
|
15/04/43
|
|
03/01/44
|
03/01/44
|
OS 064KM
|
05/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
|
14/01/44
|
14/01/44
|
OS 065KM
|
16/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
|
15/01/44
|
17/01/44
|
KMF 028
|
22/01/44
|
29/01/44
|
|
25/01/44
|
25/01/44
|
RS 014
|
01/02/44
|
01/02/44
|
|
19/02/44
|
19/02/44
|
SR 010
|
27/02/44
|
27/02/44
|
|
01/03/44
|
01/03/44
|
RS 015
|
08/03/44
|
14/03/44
|
|
26/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
SR 012
|
03/04/44
|
03/04/44
|
|
06/04/44
|
06/04/44
|
RS 016
|
14/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
|
15/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
STL 019
|
19/04/44
|
19/04/44
|
|
27/04/44
|
27/04/44
|
LTS 018
|
01/05/44
|
01/05/44
|
|
04/05/44
|
04/05/44
|
SR 013
|
11/05/44
|
11/05/44
|
|
14/05/44
|
14/05/44
|
RS 017
|
21/05/44
|
21/05/44
|
|
22/05/44
|
22/05/44
|
STL 023
|
26/05/44
|
27/05/44
|
|
21/06/44
|
25/06/44
|
RS 018
|
27/06/44
|
27/06/44
|
|
29/06/44
|
29/06/44
|
STL 026
|
03/07/44
|
03/07/44
|
|
10/07/44
|
10/07/44
|
LTS 027
|
14/07/44
|
14/07/44
|
|
17/07/44
|
17/07/44
|
SR 015
|
24/07/44
|
24/07/44
|
|
25/03/45
|
25/03/45
|
MKF 041
|
26/03/45
|
30/03/45
|
|
12/04/45
|
12/04/45
|
MKF 042
|
15/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
