Thornycroft
W-Class Destroyer included in the 10th Order of the 1916-17 Build Programme
and ordered on 9th
December 1916 from J I Thornycroft at Woolston. The ship was laid down on 28th
March 1917 and launched
on 16th March 1918 as the first RN ship to bear this name. Her Build was
completed on 14th May
1918. After service with the Fleet during WW1 she was part of the 4th Destroyer
Flotilla in the Atlantic
Fleet and transferred to the Mediterranean before being placed in Reserve at
Malta. In 1938 she was
selected for conversion to an AA Escort Destroyer by HM Dockyard, Malta and
entered service after completion. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign in December 1941 she was
adopted by the civil community of Spennymoor, County Durham.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
DUNKIRK 1940 - ATLANTIC 1940-42
- NORTH SEA 1939-45 - ENGLISH
CHANNEL 1943
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field White, a
leopard’s face, Blue.
M o t t o
“To the last penny, 'Tis the
Kings'
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
Under refit and conversion by HM Dockyard,
Malta for use as an AA Escort.
to
December (Note: These ships were known as WAIRS.
For details see V&W DESTROYERS 1917-45 by A
Preston and
BRITISH DESTROYERS by E March.)
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes
changed to L02
Nominated for service in Home waters
1 9 4 0
January On completion of Post-refit harbour and sea trials
accepted into service.
Took passage from Malta to Gibraltar.
29th Joined inward Convoy HG17F with HM Sloop LOWESTOFT as escort during
passage to Liverpool.
31st HM Sloop SANDWICH joined escort.
February
4th HM Destroyers BROKE and WINCHELSEA joined escort for final stage of
passage.
5th HMS SANDWICH and HMS BROKE detached from HG17F.
7th Detached from HG17F on arrival at Liverpool
Allocated for service in Western Approaches
Command.
March Deployed for convoy escort in Western Approaches.
to (For details of naval activities in 1939 see
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
April CLOSELY by C Barnett and The Naval Staff History.)
May
10th Transferred to Dover Command for support of military operations
after German advance
into France and the
Low Countries.
13th Escorted convoy to Dunkirk to reinforce French AA defences at
Channel
ports with HM Destroyers WIVERN, BOREAS and
KEITH. (Operation FA)
Embarked demolition parties for passage to Le
Havre for destruction of
port facilities.
15th Support deployment in continuation.
16th Bombarded Escault with HM Destroyer VIMIERA.
17th Carried out further bombardment of Escault.
22nd Assisted in evacuation and escorted convoys from
Calais.
25th Engaged 6in howitzers with HM Destroyer WOLFHOUND in support of
evacuation.
26th Nominated for service in support of evacuation of allied troops from
Dunkirk.
(Operation DYNAMO See Naval Staff History, NINE
DAYS OF DUNKIRK by
AD Divine and BEF SHIPS by J de Winser).
27th Embarked troops from small craft whilst off the beaches.
28th Landed 102 troops at Dover.
29th Landed 315 troops at Dover.
30th Made two trips to Dunkirk and landed 616 and 1065
troops at Dover.
31st Whilst at Dunkirk sustained damage from fire in Degaussing
equipment
and in collision with mercantile.
Deployed as W/T Link to assist in
communications with Dover.
Landed 425 troops on return to Dover.
June
1st Landed 535 troops at Dover.
Withdrawn from DYNAMO for repair
2nd Passage to Portsmouth.
3rd Under repair by HM Dockyard.
On completion of DYNAMO deployed for escort and
patrol duties in
Channel and North Sea.
July Deployed for convoy defence and anti-invasion
patrol in North Sea.
For details of naval activities in North Sea and
convoy defence see
THE BATTLE OF THE EAST
COAST by J P Foynes, THREE
CORVETTES
by N Monsarrat and THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW
SEAS by P Scott.)
August Resumed duty in Western Approaches Command for Atlantic
convoy
to escort.
December
For details of tactics and equipment used in defence and for attacks on
Atlantic convoys see HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair. THE BATTLE OF
THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE
ATLANTIC (HMSO)
and SEEK AND STRIKE by
W Hackmann.)
1 9 4 1
January Transferred to Rosyth Escort Force for convoy escort in
North Sea and
to September
NW Approaches for coastal convoys.
(Note: Traffic in transit to and from the Clyde
were routed via North Sea
and subject to attack by aircraft as well as by
E-Boats based in
Holland and Belgium.)
October
Deployed with Rosyth Escort Force for escort of North Sea convoys
and interception patrol to deter E-Boat attacks.
Part of escort for
northbound Convoy FN31 with HM Destroyers
WESTMINSTER of Rosyth
Escort Force, HM Destroyer COTSWOLD from Harwich
and Motor Gunboats
of Light Coastal Forces.
12th Convoy under attacks by nine E-Boats of 2nd German Flotilla, during
which
ss CHEVINGTON and ss ROY were sunk. The enemy
craft were engaged
and pursued unsuccessfully during their flight
after the sinking.. See THE
BATTLE OF THE EAST
COAST by JP Foynes and THE
BATTLE OF THE
NARROW
SEAS by P Scott.
November Rosyth Escort Force deployment in continuation.
19th Part of escort for southbound convoy FS50 to Thames estuary with HM
Destroyers VERDUN, VESPER, CAMPBELL, GARTH,
HAMBLEDON and
QUORN, HM Corvettes KITTIWAKE and WIDGEON.
20th Took part in defence of FS50 against heavy attacks by E-Boats of 2nd
German Flotilla.
Three ships were sunk in this convoy including
HM Tanker WAR MEHAR.
(Note: This ship of 11,681grt was the largest
to be sunk by an E-Boat
attack in the North Sea during WW2. The other two ships were the
colliers ARUBA and WALDINGE.)
December Rosyth Escort Force deployment in continuation.
1 9 4 2
Rosyth Escort Force service in continuation.
(Note: During this year Radar and radio
telephone communication equipment
was fitted to assist in detection of the
approach of aircraft and E-Boats.
The first radar set installed was a modified
variant of an RAF Air-Surface
outfit which was not suited for ship use as the
aerial unit was fixed to the
mast and could not detect any approach unless
ship turned. It was
later changed for a naval design but was still
not very satisfactory. For
details of development of radar by the RN see
RADAR AT SEA by D
Howse. Radio telephone sets were an invaluable
asset for communication
with aircraft and other escorting ships to give
warning of attacks and
for manoeuvring. During this period intensity of
E Boat operations
increased but improved air cover reduced success
of attacks.)
1 9 4 3
Rosyth Escort Force deployment in continuation.
(Note: E Boat attacks increased but the
additional availability of Light Coastal
Forces craft from bases in East Coast ports
improved convoy defence.
Losses of ships in convoy were still at
unacceptable levels but many
were not attacked by enemy air or sea units.
1 9 4 4
Deployed in North Sea and Channel for convoy defence and interception patrol.
(Note: This ship was not deployed for escort of
military convoys during the
landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE). See
Naval Staff History.)
1 9 4 5
January Deployed for convoy escort and patrol in North Sea.
to
April (Note: Enemy attacks were being concentrated on traffic
to ports in Belgium
for support of the allied advance into Germany.
Extensive mining was
being carried out by aircraft, E-Boats and
submarines, including
submersibles in addition to torpedo attacks by
surface ships and
SCHNORKEL fitted U-BOATS. As a result
significant additional ships
were deployed for interception patrol and escort
of military convoys.
See HOLD THE NARROW
SEA by P Smith, ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett, SEEK AND STRIKE by
W Hackmann and The
Naval Staff History.)
May Deployed for support of allied re-occupation of
Norway after VE Day.
14th Provided escort for minesweeping operations to clear entrance to
Stavanger
with HM Destroyer VIVACIOUS.
June On release from support duties in Norway, nominated
for reduction to Reserve status.
to Paid-off and de-stored.
August
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS WOLSEY remained laid-up in Reserve until placed on
the Disposal List in 1946. The ship was sold to BISCO on 4th March 1947 and later was
towed to Sunderland for demolition by T Young & Co.
S p e c
i a l N o t e
In common with many other escorts this ship received
little publicity during WW2, but like all warships deployed on coastal convoy defence in the
North Sea, faced dangers from enemy air and sea attacks, from the extensive mining campaigns
and the vagaries of weather conditions, particularly fog. It should always be remembers that
many hundreds of ships were escorted without loss.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
WOLSEY
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 |
|
|
|
|
|
29/01/40
|
29/01/40
|
HG 017F
|
07/02/40
|
07/02/40
|
27/02/40
|
27/02/40
|
FN 0104
|
29/02/40
|
29/02/40
|
30/03/40
|
30/03/40
|
MT 040
|
30/03/49
|
30/03/40
|
01/04/40
|
01/04/40
|
FS 0135
|
03/04/40
|
03/04/40
|
01/04/40
|
01/04/40
|
MT 042
|
01/04/40
|
01/04/40
|
08/04/40
|
08/04/40
|
MT 047
|
09/04/40
|
09/04/40
|
17/04/40
|
17/04/40
|
FS 0148
|
19/04/40
|
19/04/40
|
17/04/40
|
17/04/40
|
MT 053
|
17/04/40
|
17/04/40
|
24/04/40
|
24/04/40
|
FS 0154
|
26/04/40
|
26/04/40
|
05/05/40
|
05/05/40
|
FS 0163
|
07/05/40
|
07/05/40
|
05/05/40
|
05/05/40
|
MT 064
|
05/05/40
|
05/05/40
|
27/06/40
|
27/06/40
|
MT 097
|
28/06/40
|
28/06/40
|
28/06/40
|
28/06/40
|
FS 0207
|
29/06/40
|
30/06/40
|
01/07/40
|
01/07/40
|
FN 0210
|
03/07/40
|
03/07/40
|
05/07/40
|
05/07/40
|
FS 0214
|
06/07/40
|
06/07/40
|
17/07/40
|
17/07/40
|
FS 0224
|
18/07/40
|
18/07/40
|
20/07/40
|
20/07/40
|
FN 0227
|
22/07/40
|
22/07/40
|
23/07/40
|
23/07/40
|
FS 0230
|
25/07/40
|
25/07/40
|
10/08/40
|
10/08/40
|
FN 0248
|
12/08/40
|
12/08/40
|
10/08/40
|
10/08/40
|
FS 0248
|
12/08/40
|
12/08/40
|
18/08/40
|
18/08/40
|
FS 0256
|
20/08/40
|
20/08/40
|
26/08/40
|
26/08/40
|
FS 0263
|
28/08/40
|
28/08/40
|
29/08/40
|
29/08/40
|
FN 0266
|
31/08/40
|
31/08/40
|
05/09/40
|
05/09/40
|
FS 0273
|
07/09/40
|
07/09/40
|
09/09/40
|
09/09/40
|
FN 0277B
|
11/09/40
|
11/09/40
|
14/09/40
|
14/09/40
|
FS 0281
|
16/09/40
|
16/09/40
|
26/09/40
|
26/09/40
|
FN 0291
|
28/09/40
|
28/09/40
|
29/09/40
|
29/09/40
|
FS 0295
|
01/10/40
|
01/10/40
|
02/10/40
|
02/10/40
|
FN 0297
|
04/10/40
|
04/10/40
|
11/10/40
|
11/10/40
|
FS 0306
|
14/10/40
|
14/10/40
|
14/10/40
|
14/10/40
|
FN 0308
|
16/10/40
|
16/10/40
|
19/10/40
|
19/10/40
|
FS 0314
|
22/10/40
|
22/10/40
|
23/10/40
|
23/10/40
|
FN 0317
|
25/10/40
|
25/10/40
|
12/11/40
|
12/11/40
|
FS 0334
|
14/11/40
|
14/11/40
|
15/11/40
|
15/11/40
|
FN 0335
|
17/11/40
|
17/11/40
|
21/11/40
|
21/11/40
|
FS 0341
|
23/11/40
|
23/11/40
|
24/11/40
|
24/11/40
|
FN 0342
|
26/11/40
|
26/11/40
|
27/11/40
|
27/11/40
|
FS 0347
|
29/11/40
|
29/11/40
|
02/12/40
|
02/12/40
|
FN 0348
|
04/12/40
|
04/12/40
|
10/12/40
|
10/12/40
|
FS 0358
|
12/12/40
|
12/12/40
|
14/12/40
|
14/12/40
|
FN 0359
|
16/12/40
|
16/12/40
|
19/12/40
|
19/12/40
|
FS 0365
|
21/12/40
|
21/12/40
|
27/12/40
|
27/12/40
|
FS 0373
|
29/12/40
|
29/12/40
|
03/01/41
|
03/01/41
|
FS 0378
|
05/01/41
|
05/01/41
|
20/02/41
|
06/03/41
|
HG 054
|
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
|
26/03/41
|
26/03/41
|
27/03/41
|
27/03/41
|
OG 057
|
01/04/41
|
11/04/41
|
03/07/41
|
03/07/41
|
OG 067
|
04/07/41
|
20/07/41
|
06/03/43
|
06/03/43
|
CW 161
|
07/03/43
|
07/03/43
|
07/03/43
|
07/03/43
|
CE 159
|
08/03/43
|
08/03/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)