MARNE-class Fleet Destroyer ordered under the 1939 Programme from Alex Stephens of Govan and laid down on 14th September 1940. She was Launched on 3rd November 1941 as the 8th RN Ship to have this name, introduced in 1797 and previously used for a pre-WW1 destroyer sold in 1921 The build was completed on 12th August 1942 and the ship had been adopted by Lewisham, Greater London after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942. Build coat was £462,337.

 

B a t t l e  H o n o u r

 

DARDANELLES 1807 - CRIMEA 1855  - DOGGER BANK 1915 - ARCTIC 1942-44  - ATLANTIC 1942-43 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - AEGEAN 1944 - MEDITERRANEAN 1945

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge:  On a field Blue, a meteor white.

 

 

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)

 

 

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August          Contractor's sea trials and commissioning.

          12th      Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

                        On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow to work-up for

                       operational service.

 

September     Joined 3rd Destroyer Flotilla.

            9th     Deployed with H M Cruiser SCYLLA, HM Destroyers ASHANTI, ESKIMO, FAULKNOR,

                       FURY, IMPULSIVE, INTREPID, MARNE, MARTIN, MILNE, ONSLAUGHT, ONSLOW,

                       OPPORTUNE, SOMALI and TARTAR. as 'Fighting Escort' for Russian Convoy PQ18

                       (For details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,.

                       ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodhead,  CONVOY! by P Kemp and THE RUSSIAN

                       CONVOYS   by   B. Schoefield).

           12th     Detached from PQ18 with HM Destroyers MARNE, MARTIN and MILNE to refuel at

                       Spitzbergen accompanied by HMS SCYLLA.

           13th     Rejoined PQ18 with same ships.

           17th     Detached from PQ18 with above ships except for HMS FURY and HMS IMPULSIVE.

                       Joined return Convoy OP14 with above ships from QP18.

                       Detached from QP14 with HM Destroyers MARNE, MILNE, OFFA, ONSLAUGHT and

                       OPPORTUNE.

 

October          Deployed with Flotilla for Fleet screening and Atlantic

           30th      Joined HM Cruiser HERMIONE, HM Battleships DUKE OF YORK and NELSON with HM

                       Destroyers MARTIN and MILNE as part of screen during passage to Gibraltar.

 

November       On arrival at Gibraltar deployed for support of allied landings in North Africa.

            8th       Part of screen for major units of Home Fleet providing support and cover for allied landings

                        (Operation TORCH).

                        On release from TORCH support deployed for defence of military convoys in Atlantic.

 

December       Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

                        Part of escort for KM Series military convoy during passage to Gibraltar with HM Destroyer MILNE.

           28th      Detached from escort of KM convoy with HMS MILNE to assist defence of mercantile Convoy

                        ONS154 which was under attacks by SPITZ and UNGESTUM U-Boat Groups.

           29th      Joined escort for ONS154.

                        Drove off night attacks with HMS MILNE

           30th      Detached from ONS154 with HMS METEOR and HM Canadian Corvettes BATTLEFORD and

                        SHEDIAC to refuel in the Azores.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January            Flotilla duties for convoy defence in continuation.

 

February

           24th     Part of screen for m Cruiser BERWICK, HM Battleships DUKE OF YORK and HOWE  with HM

                       Destroyers ICARUS, MUSKETEER, OFFA, ONSLAUGHT and Polish destroyer ORP  PIORUN to

                       provide cover for passage of Russian Convoy JW53.

 

March             Home Fleet duties with Flotilla in continuation.

 

April               Deployed for Atlantic convoy defence in 21st Escort Group.

                       (Note: Several Home Fleet destroyers were deployed at this critical stage of the Battle of the

May                Detached for service in 21 st Escort Group for Atlantic convoy defence.

                       (Note: Several destroyers from Home Fleet were transferred to Western Approaches Command to

                                   provide additional defence for Atlantic convoys after an increase in U-Boat attacks. Some

                                   destroyers were formed as Support Groups. (See U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO),

                                   THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by Donald Macintyre, BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS

                                   by J Terraine and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)

June                Deployed with Group for defence of Atlantic convoys.

July                 Carried out anti-submarine operations with Group in the Faeroes Iceland Gap to intercept submarines

                       on passage to and from bases in Norway.

 

August           Under refit in Tyne commercial shipyard.

to                    Nominated for duty with 3rd Destroyer Flotilla

October

 

November       Post refit trials and rejoined Home Fleet.

 

December

           15th      Joined Ocean Escort for Russian Convoy JW55A with HM Destroyers MATCHLESS, MILNE

                        MUSKETEER, OPPORTUNE, VIRAGO, ASHANTI and ATHABASKAN (RCN).

           21st       Detached from JW55A with Ocean Escort after arrival of eastern Local Escort.

           23rd       Joined return Convoy RA55A with same destroyers for escort to UK.

           25th       Remained with HM Destroyers ASHANTI, MILNE, BEAGLE,WESTCOTT and

                         ATHABASKAN (RCN), HM Corvettes DIANELLA, POPPY and Norwegian ACANTHUS as

                         escort for RA55A when the other Fleet destroyers were detached to reinforce escort of Russian

                         Convoy JW55B which was under threat of surface attack by German battleship SCHARNHORST.

                         (For details see above references and Naval Staff History).

           31st       Detached from RA55A with other ships of Ocean Escort after relief by the western Local Escort.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January.           Home Fleet deployment in continuation.

            28th      Joined escort of Russian Convoy JW56B to supplement defence against U-Boat attacks using acoustic

                         torpedoes against escorts.

                        (Note: HM Destroyer OBDURATE had been damaged during earlier attack).

            30th     Under sustained attacks by WEREWOLF U-Boat Group during which HM Destroyer HARDY

                        was hit and had to be sunk.

                        Attacked and sank U314 with HM Destroyer WHITEHALL in position 73.46N 26.15E.

                        There were no survivors from the submarine.

 

February

              1st      Detached from JW56B on arrival at Kola Inlet.

              3rd     Joined return Convoy RA56 for Ocean Escort with HM Destroyers OPPORTUNE, SAVAGE,

                        OFFA, VENUS, VIGILANT, INCONSTANT, MAHRATTA, MILNE, MUSKETEER,

                        SCOURGE, HURON (RCN) and Norwegian STORD,

              9th     Detached from RA56.

            22nd    Joined Russian Convoy JW57 with HM Cruiser BLACK PRINCE. HM Destroyers MAHRATTA,

                        MATCHLESS. MILNE, OBEDIENT, OFFA, ONSLAUGHT, ORIBI, .SAVAGE, SERAPIS,

                        VIGILANT, SWIFT and VERULAM

            25th     HM Destroyer MAHRATTA sunk by U990 with only two survivors.

            28th     Detached from JW57 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

 

March

              2nd    Joined escort for return Convoy RA57 with HM Escort Carrier CHASER, HM Cruiser BLACK

                        PRINCE, HM Destroyer IMPULSIVE and escorts for JW57.

              7th     Detached from RA57 with MS BLACK PRINCE, HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE, OBEDIENT,

                        SWIFT and VERULAM in NW Approaches.

 

April

            18th    Passage to Kola Inlet with destroyers of Home Fleet for escort of ships lying in Russian  ports and

                        to collect personnel for transit to UK. (See above references for details).

             23rd   Arrived in Kola Inlet,

             27th   Embarked 17 US Navy personnel

                       (Note: Ex USS MILWAUKEE transferred to Russia).

             28th   Joined HM Cruiser DIADEM, H M Escort Carriers FENCER and ACTIVITY, HM Destroyers

                       ULYSSES, BOADICEA, VERULAM, VIRAGO, WALKER, WHITEHALL, MARNE,

                       MATCHLESS, MILNE, MUSKETEER, BEAGLE, INCONSTANT, KEPPEL, WESTCOTT

                       and WRESTLER, H M Corvette LOTUS and 4 Canadian Frigates as escort for return Convoy RA59-

 

May

               4th   Detached from RA59 with HM3 ACTIVITY, HM Destroyers MARNE, MATCHLESS,

                        MUSKETEER and MILNE before arrival of convoy in Loch Ewe.

 

June                Deployed as screen for major Home Fleet units providing Distant Cover during assault landings

                        in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).

                        (For details of activities prior to and during landings see OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edward

                        and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, JUNE W4 (HMSO). The Home Fleet deployment was to

                        prevent any interference to the Operation by major German warships based in the Baltic or in

                        Norwegian ports).

              25th   On release from NEPTUNE requirement resumed Home Fleet Russian convoy defence.

              29th   Deployed with HM Destroyers MATCHLESS and MUSKETEER to take stores and mail to British

                        ships in Russian waters.

                        Took passage to Kola Inlet (Operation DC).

July

                3rd   Arrived Kola Inlet.

                4th   Took passage to Scapa Flow to rejoin Flotilla in Home Fleet.

                8th   Resumed Fleet duties.

 

August

               17th  Escorted Russian Convoy JW59 from Loch Ewe with HM Cruiser JAMAICA, HM Escort

                        Carriers STRIKER and VINDEX, HM Destroyers CAPRICE, MARNE, MILNE and

                        MUSKETEER. Detached from JW59 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

               24th  Escorted return Convoy RA59A from Kola Inlet with same ships.

 

September

               17th  Escorted Russian Convoy JW60 with HM Battleship RODNEY, HM Cruiser DIADEM,

                        HM Escort Carriers CAMPANIA and STRIKER, HM Destroyers MARNE, MILNE,

                        MUSKETEER, VENUS, SAUMAREZ, SCORPION, VERULAM, VIRAGO, VOLAGE,

                        ALGONQUIN (RCN) and SIOUX (RCN)

               23rd  Detached from JW60 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

                28th   Joined escort for return Convoy RA60 with same ships.

 

October            Nominated for service in Mediterranean.

                 3rd   Detached from RA60 with same ships and rejoined Home Fleet at Scapa Flow before

                         arrival of convoy in Loch Ewe.

                 8th   Under repair and prepared for foreign service at Devonport.

                27th  Passage to Milford Haven

 

                 30th  Sailed from Milford Haven for Mediterranean service

 

November        Passage to Gibraltar for support of military operations, patrol and convoy defence in

                         Mediterranean.

 

December         Deployed in support of military operations in Aegean.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January              Flotilla duties for support, patrol and convoy defence in continuation.

 

February            Deployed for interception patrol and convoy defence.

                 15th  Carried out patrol north of Corsica with HM Destroyer MATCHLESS and Free French

                           SIMOON.

                 16th   After radar contact gave chase to minelayer but failed to engage.

                           (Note: Free French destroyers BASQUE and TEMPETE also took part in these patrols.)

 

March

                18th   During patrol in Ligurian Sea with HM Destroyer LOOKOUT intercepted three German

                           torpedo boats returning from minelaying off Cape Corso, Corsica.

                           Engaged and sank by gunfire TA24 (Ex ARTURO)

.                          (Note: TA29 (Ex ERIDANO) was sunk by HMS LOOKOUT).

 

April

                  7th    Deployed with m Destroyer MUSKETEER and US destroyer USS MACKENZIE and

                 to        bombardment of traffic routes used by German troops evacuating Italy. Bombarded Rhodes

                12th     with HMS MARNE and HMS MUSKETEER.

 

May                     Nominated for reduction to Reserve status.

                  3rd     Bombarded Spezia and Genoa with HM Destroyer MARNE.

 

June                     Flotilla duties in continuation

to                         Deployed for support of military re-occupation and took part in Fleet exercises for work-up

August                 of ships prior to their service in operations against Japan..

 

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS METEOR remained with the Flotilla in the Mediterranean and visited Turkey during August with HMS AJAX. She paid a further visit with HMS MARNE in September. After selection for reduction to Reserve the ship returned to in November and Paid-off at Devonport. Laid-up in the Reserve Fleet at Devonport she was refitted by Yarrows at Scotstoun in Glasgow during 1951. Transferred to the Reserve Fleet at Penarth, Wales in 1953 she was placed on the Sales List and sold to Turkey in September that-year. After refit by Palmers at Hebburn, Newcastle the ship was formally handed  over to the Turkish Navy at Portsmouth on 26th September 1959 and was renamed PIYALE PASHA. This destroyer remained on the Active List until 1972 when she was sold for breaking-up. In 1954 it was proposed that the ship be converted into a Type 62 conversion but the planned programme was cancelled.

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS METEOR

by Don Kindell

 

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

(Note on Convoys)