M-Class destroyer ordered from Parsons Marine Steam
Turbine Company with the 1939 Programme on 7th July 1939 with HMS MARTIN of the same Class. Build of
the hull was sub-contracted to Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle and this ship was laid down on
23rd October 1939. She was launched on 30th October 1949 as the 2nd RN ship to bear this name, introduced
for a destroyer built in 1915 to commemorate the Battle of the Marne and sold in 1920. Completion of build was
2nd December 1941 at a cost of £457,512, excluding items such as armament and communications outfits
supplied by the Admiralty. After a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this
destroyer was adopted by the civil community of Keighley, then in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
JUTLAND 1916 -
ARCTIC 1942-44 - MALTA
CONVOYS 1942 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - AEGEAN 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a
Field Blue, a dolphin naiant within a Chaplet of Gold.
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 4 1
November Contractors trials and
commissioning
2nd Build completion date and commenced
acceptance trials
On completion of storing,
weapon trials and shakedown took passage to Scapa Flow
to work-up for
operational service with ships of the Home Fleet.
Nominated for
service with 17th Destroyer Flotilla.
December
12th Commenced work-up at Scapa Flow
31st On completion of work-up joined
Flotilla in Home Fleet and deployed for escort of
convoys to and
from Iceland.
1 9 4 2
January North Atlantic convoy escort in
continuation.
February During deployment in North
Atlantic defects experienced with boiler equipment and
leaks in forward
structure. Repair arranged at Vickers shipyard at Barrow-in Furness.
Took passage to
Barrow for repair.
25th Taken in hand for repair.
March
21st On completion of repair took passage
to Reykjavik to resume operational duties with
Flotilla.
27th Joined HM Destroyers ASHANTI,
BEDOUIN, ECHO, ESCAPADE, ESKIMO,
FAULKNOR,
FORESIGHT, ICARUS, INGLEFIELD, ONSLOW, PUNJABI and
TARTAR, HM Escort Destroyers
LEDBURY, MIDDLETON and WHEATLAND as
screen for HM
Battleships KING GEORGE V and DUKE OF YORK, HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM
Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS. HM Cruisers EDINBURGH and KENT.
(Note: This
large RN presence was being retained in northern waters as a show of
strength in view of the increased threat of attack by German warships on
allied
supply
convoys between Iceland and North Russia. The German warships
included the battleship TIRPITZ, armoured ship ADMIRAL SCHEER and
cruiser HIPPER.)
28th Deployed with screen for Home
Fleet units providing distant cover for the passage of
Russian
Convoy PQ13 and return Convoy QP9
(For details
of all Russian Convoy operations and ships involved see THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B Schoefield, CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by
RA Ruegg, CONVOY ! by
P Kemp and
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
April Arctic deployment in
continuation.
10th Joined Ocean Escort for return
Convoy QP10 from Kola Inlet with HM Destroyers
FURY, PUNJABI
and ORIBI.
11th Under air and submarine attacks
(Note: Two mercantles sunk by air attack.
12th Air and submarine attacks in
continuation.
to
(Note: Two mercantiles
were sunk by U435. See above references and HITLER’S
13th U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
Seven submarines and over 50 aircraft were involved.
21st QP10 arrived at Reykjavik and resumed Flotilla screening duties for Home
Fleet units.
28th Part of screen for HMS KING GEORGE
V, US Battleship USS WASHINGTON,
HM Aircraft
Carrier VICTORIOUS, HMS KENYA, US Cruisers USS TUSCALOOSA
and USS WICHITA with HM Destroyers ESCAPADE, FAULKNOR, MARTIN,
ORIBI,
HM Escort Destroyers
BELVOIR, HURSLEY, LAMERTON and MIDDLETON to
provide
Distant Cover for transit of Russian Convoy PQ15 and return Convoy QP11.
(See above
references.)
May
1st Extensive fog encountered
(Note: During
this period a collision between USS WASHINGTON and this ship
was narrowly averted but HMS PUNJABI sank after collision with HMS
KING
GEORGE V.)
13th Deployed with HM Destroyers
ECLIPSE, ESCAPADE, FAULKNOR, FURY, ICARUS
INGLEFIELD
and ONSLOW, HM Escort Destroyers BLANKNEY, LAMERTON,
MIDDLETON and
WHEATLAND as screen for HMS DUKE OF YORK, HMS
VICTORIOUS,
HM Cruisers LONDON, KENT, LIVERPOOL, NIGERIA and
NORFOLK to
provide cover for return passage of HM Cruiser TRINIDAD which
was returning
to UK from North Russia for repair.
15th Resumed Flotilla duties on return
to Scapa Flow.
23rd Deployed with HM Destroyers ONSLOW
and ORIBI as screen for HM Cruisers
KENT,
LIVERPOOL, NIGERIA and NORFOLK providing Cruiser Cover for
passage of
Russian Convoy PQ16 to Murmansk and returning Convoy QP12
in Arctic.
June Nominated for
detached service as escort for military convoy WS19Z and took
passage from
Scapa Flow to Clyde (Operation HARPOON.)
5th Sailed from Clyde as escort for
WS19Z with HM Cruisers LIVERPOOL and
KENYA, HM
Destroyers BEDOUIN, ESCAPADE, ICARUS, ONSLOW and
MATCHLESS, HM
Escort Destroyers BADSWORTH, BLANKNEY, MIDDLETON
and Polish
Escort Destroyer ORP KUJAWIAK.
12th After refuelling at Gibraltar
joined HM Destroyers BEDOUIN, MATCHLESS,
ITHURIEL and
PARTRIDGE, HM Escort Destroyers BADSWORTH, BLANKNEY,
MIDDLETON and
ORP KUJAWIAK, HM Fleet Minesweepers HEBE, SPEEDY,
HYTHE and RYE
for Close Escort of WS19Z through Sicilian Narrows to Malta
as Force X.
(Note: Cover
for HARPOON convoy during passage to Narrows was provided by
Force W comprising HM Battleship MALAYA, HM Aircraft Carriers
EAGLE
and ARGUS, HM Cruisers KENYA, LIVERPOOL and CHARYBDIS
screened by HM Destroyers ONSLOW, ICARUS,
ESCAPADE, WISHART,
WESTCOTT. WRESTLER, VIDETTE and ANTELOPE.
HM
Cruiser WELSHMAN was also with WS19Z during early part of transit in
western
Mediterranean but detached and took passage independently to Malta with
relief
supplies.
For
details see THE BATTLE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre,
MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett.)
14th Attacks by Italian submarines
UARSIEK and ALAGI failed.
During heavy
and sustained air attacks mercantile ss TANIMBAR was sunk
and HMS
LIVERPOOL damaged.
One aircraft destroyed
by Oerlikon fire from ship.
(Note: HMS
LIVERPOOL withdrawn from covering force and returned to Gibraltar
escorted by HMS ANTELOPE.)
15th Under attack by Italian cruisers
MONTECUCCOLI and EUGENIO.
Detached from
escort and engaged enemy ships with the other Fleet Destroyers during
which period
convoy was subject to heavy air attacks and sustained loss of one mercantile
and serious
damage to two others which had to be sunk by the escort.
For details
see Naval Staff History.
Returned to
convoy when enemy ships withdrew.
(Note:
Whilst engaging enemy force HMS BEDOUIN and HMS PARTRIDGE
were both damaged when making torpedo attacks. HMS BEDOUIN was
taken in
tow by HMS PARTRIDGE but was later sunk when hit by a
torpedo during air attacks. HMS PARTRIDGE was able to escape and
returned to Gibraltar.)
16th Under further air attacks on final
passage into Malta.
(Note:
During entry into Grand Harbour with the two remaining mercantiles
ORP KUJAWIAK was sunk by a mine with
HMS BADSWORTH and
HMS MATCHLESS both damaged in the same field. These two destroyers
had to remain in Malta for repair and did not return with Force X.
The arrival of the two mercantiles enabled Malta to survive until the
PEDESTAL relief convoy arrived in August.
17th Passage from Malta with Force X to
rejoin Force W west of the Narrows,
(Note: Under
air attacks during return passage sustained slight
damage from near misses.)
19th Arrived at Gibraltar with Forces W
and X.
(Note Only
18% of Fuel remained due to periods of steaming at
high speed.).
22nd Took passage from Gibraltar with
detached Home Fleet ships to resume Flotilla
duties at Scapa Flow.
28th Nominated for screening of Home Fleet
ships providing Distant Cover for
transit of
Russian Convoy PQ17 and return convoy QP13.
29th Deployed with HM Destroyers ASHANTI,
ESCAPADE, MARTIN, FAULKNOR
ONSLOW and
ONSLAUGHT, HM Escort Destroyers BLANKNEY,
MIDDLETON and
WHEATLAND, US Destroyers MAYRANT and
RHIND as screen for HMS
DUKE OF YORK, USS WASHINGTON,
HMS
VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers NIGERIA and CUMBERLAND
during
provision of Distant Cover.
July
4th Remained in Arctic Sea with Home Fleet
covering force when PQ17
ordered to
scatter by Admiralty because of a perceive threat of attack
by major
German warships including the battleship TIRPITZ.
(Note: For
details of this disastrous decision see THE CONVOY IS TO
SCATTER by J Broome and above references.)
7th Returned to Iceland with Home Fleet
units.
13th Passage to Scapa
Flow.
20th Deployed with HM Destroyer MARTIN, HM Escort Destroyers MIDDLETON
and BLANKNEY
to take ammunition and other stores to Murmansk for RN
ships
waiting to escort return convoy from Kola Inlet.
24th Arrived at Kola Inlet after call at
Seidisfjord, Iceland.
August Deployed in North Russian
waters.
15th Joined HMS ONSLAUGHT, US Cruiser USS
TUSCALOOSA, US Destroyers
RODMAN and
EMMONS with HMS MARTIN in position 800 miles from
Archangel to
supplement escort during final stage of inward passage to Kola Inlet.
(Note:
These ships were carrying RAF ground crews and equipment to Russia
for support of HAMPDEN aircraft based in North Russia and also
medical personnel and equipment for use in North Russia.)
16th Arrived at Archangel with US ships.
(Note: Medical personnel were not allowed to land and returned in ships of QP14.)
21st Rescued crew of CATALINA aircraft which
had crashed.
24th Took passage with US Navy ships from
Archangel.
(Some
survivors from Russian Convoy PQ17 were embarked.)
25th Detached with HMS ONSLAUGHT and HMS
MARTIN from USN ships
to carry out
search for German minelayer ULM which was known to be
in the area,
based on decrypted signal traffic..
Intercepted
and engaged enemy ship with main armament which sank in
position 100
miles east of Bear Island.
28th On return to Scapa Flow taken in hand
for repair by Fleet Repair personnel.
September. Transferred to 3rd Destroyer Flotilla with
HM Destroyers METEOR,
MILNE and
MUSKETEER.
9th On completion of repair joined HM
Destroyers ASHANTI, ESKIMO, FURY,
FAULKNOR, IMPULSIVE,
INTREPID, MARTIN, METEOR, MILNE, ONSLOW,
OFFA ONSLAUGHT, OPPORTUNE, SOMALI, TARTAR, HM Cruiser
SCYLLA.
and HM
Escort Aircraft Carrier AVENGER in Fighting Escort for Russian Convoy PQ18.
13th HMS OFFA joined Fighting Escort.
(HMS SCYLLA
also detached with these destroyers.)
17th Passage from Lowe Sound to join return
Convoy QP14 as part of Fighting Escort.
21st Rescued aircrew
from CATALINA aircraft shot down by U377
25th Resumed Flotilla duties at Scapa Flow
after detaching from QP14
(Note:
During passage of QP14 HM Minesweeper LEDA, part of Ocean Escort,
was sunk by U43 and HMS SOMALI of Fighting Escort damaged in
attack by U503. Although taken in tow by HMS ASHANTI the destroyer
foundered in extreme weather conditions.)
October Under short refit at
commercial shipyard in Humber.
Nominated for detached
service in defence of military convoys on passage to
Gibraltar
for planned landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH).
25th Arrived at Gibraltar as part of escort
for TORCH convoy.
Deployed
for Atlantic convoy defence based at Gibraltar.
28th At Ponta
Delgarda, Azores.
29th Sailed to join military convoy KMS1
during passage to Gibraltar.
November
3rd Joined escort for KMS1 after
protracted search.
9th Despatched from Gibraltar after
arrival of KMS1 and deployed with HM Destroyer
VENOMOUS to
reinforce escort for HM Destroyer Depot Ship HECLA
and HM
Cruiser VINDICTIVE during passage into Gibraltar.
11th Joined escort of HMS HECLA and HMS VINDICTIVE.
12th Under attack by U515 in position 180
miles west of Gibraltar.
After HMS HECLA was
hit by two torpedoes carried out anti-submarine
hunt with HMS
VENOMOUS but later detached to assist the damaged ship.
Whilst
alongside came under further attack by U515 which fired 2 weapons.
Hit aft
by one of the torpedoes which caused extensive damage.
13 of
ship’s company were killed and X-mounting totally disabled.
(Note: The second torpedo hit HMS HECLA which
then sank with heavy
loss of life. 279 personnel were killed out of total of over 1,100 on
board.)
Taken in
tow by HMS VENOMOUS but this had to be abandoned when
U515
closed to make further attack.
13th Taken in tow by HM Tug SALVONIA and
escorted into Gibraltar by HM
Corvette JONQUIL
16th Major damage including loss of
entire stern structure assessed.
17th Taken in hand for temporary repair
by HM Dockyard to enable ship to
return to UK.
December Under repair at
Gibraltar.
1 9 4 3
January Temporary repair in
continuation at Gibraltar.
February
2nd Took passage from Gibraltar under
tow by HM Tug EMINENT.
Repair
arranged in Tyne at Swan Hunter shipyard.
25th Arrived in Tyne for repair.
March
4th Taken in hand for permanent
repair.
April Under repair
to (Note: New stern structure fitted and
turbine machinery removed
December for overhaul.
Surface warning radar Type 272 was fitted on a
new Lattice
foremast and the Close Range defence
improved.)
1 9 4 4
January Post refit trials and recommissioned.
31st Repair work completed.
February Prepared for service and carried out sea
trials.
10th Passage to Scapa
Flow on completion of storing.
March Rejoined Flotilla for work-up at Scapa Flow
and deployed for escort duties.
23rd Joined 3rd Destroyer Flotilla for operational
service.
April Deployed with Flotilla for Home
Fleet screening duties.
3rd Deployed as escort for HM
Aircraft Carriers VICTORIOUS, FURIOUS and
five
Escort Aircraft Carriers during attacks on German TIRPITZ
in Altenfjord,
Norway
(Operation TUNGSTEN – See CONVOY ! by P
Kemp.)
On return from TUNGSTEN nominated for
special duty.
(Note: A large number of mercantiles had been detained in North
Russian awaiting an escort for return
passage and a number
of Russian naval personnel were
to be collected for transport
to UK for manning ships being
loaned to the Soviet Navy.
Normal Russian convoys had been suspended
because of the
planned landings in Normandy. See above
references.)
20th Deployed with HM Cruiser DIADEM, HM Escort
Carriers ACTIVITY
and FENCER as escort for ss NEA HELLAS during
passage to Kola Inlet.
(HM Destroyers BEAGLE, BOADICEA, INCONSTANT,
KEPPEL,
MATCHLESS, METEOR, MILNE, MUSKETEER, ULYSSES,
VERULAM, VIRAGO,
WALKER, WESTCOTT, WHITEHALL and
WRESTLER, HM Canadian Frigates CAPE BRETON,
GROU,
20th HM Canadian Frigates OUTREMONT and WASKESUI
were also in this escort.)
NEA HELLAS
developed defects on passage and had to return but the
escort ships continued their passage.
23rd Arrived at Kola Inlet with escorts.
(Note: Transfer on Russian personnel was
arranged on the returning
mercantiles
and on the RN warships.
Embarked 17 passengers.
28th Sailed as part of escort for returning
mercantiles as Convoy RA59.
Deployed as screen for HMS ACTIVITY with HM
Destroyers METEOR,
MATCHLESS, MUSKETEER and MILNE.
May
4th Detached from RA59 with HMS
ACTIVITY and screening destroyers.
Resumed Home Fleet duties with Flotilla.
Part
of escort for aircraft carriers during operations against Norwegian coastal
Convoys.
June Deployed
at Scapa Flow for Home Fleet screening duties.
(Note Home Fleet ships provided cover as required
to prevent any
interference to allied landings in
Normandy by German surface
warships attempting passage in NW
Approaches.
This ship was not deployed in
support of Normandy landings
(Operation NEPTUNE).)
Air Attacks were carried out on Norwegian
coat shipping by Home Fleet
aircraft carriers screened by destroyers.
July Home Fleet screening duties with Flotilla in
continuation.
17th Deployed as screen for HM Aircraft Carriers
FORMIDABLE and FURIOUS,
HM Escort Carrier NABOB, HM Cruisers BERWICK
and DEVONSHIRE
with other Fleet destroyers during air
attacks on German battleship
TIRPITZ in Altenfjord (Operation MASCOT).
August Home Fleet Flotilla duties in continuation.
Part
of screen for aircraft carriers during air operations against Norwegian
coastal
convoys.
(Note: This operation was unsuccessful due to adverse weather
conditions.)
7th Deployed with HM Destroyers CAPRICE, METEOR,
MILNE and
MUSKETEER as screen for HM Cruiser JAMAICA,
HM Escort Carriers
STRIKER and VINDEX
providing air cover for passage of Russian
Convoy JW59 during passage to Kola Inlet.
(Note: This convoy included warships being
transferred to Soviet
Navy under Lease-Lend. See above.)
25th Retained in North Russia with Home Fleet
units to provide cover for
return convoy.
28th Joined Convoy RA59A with same ships to
provide air cover.
September
5th Detached from RA59A and returned to Scapa
Flow.
12th Deployed with HM Destroyers
MYNGS, MUSKETEER, ALGONQUIN
(RCN),
VIGILANT and VERULAM as screen for HMS FURIOUS, HM
Escort Carrier
TRUMPETER and HMS BERWICK during joint aircraft
minelay
and shipping strike south of Voksa Island, Norway.
(Operation BEGONIA – See Naval Staff History (Mining).)
17th Joined Russian Convoy JW60 with
HM Battleship RODNEY, HM Escort
Carriers CAMPANIA and STRIKER, HM Cruiser DIADEM as screen
with HM Destroyers MILNE,
MUSKETEER, SAUMAREZ, SCORPION,
VENUS,
VERULAM, VIRAGO, VOLAGE, ALGONQUIN and SIOUX (RCN)
23rd Detached from JW60 on arrival at
Kola Inlet.
28th Joined return Convoy RA60 for
screening duty.
October
4th Detached from RA60.
Took
passage from Scapa Flow for repair.
(Note: One source records this was
done at Newcastle.)
6th Taken in hand for repair.
Nominated for service in Mediterranean on completion.
31st Repair completed
Took
passage to Mediterranean after post repair trials.
November
11th Rejoined Flotilla at Alexandria
and resumed operational service in
Eastern
Mediterranean.
December Deployed for support of
operations to re-occupy islands in eastern
Mediterranean and intercept craft
evacuating enemy personnel.
5th Carried out bombardment of
Rhodes with HM Cruiser ARETHUSA,
HMS
MUSKETEER and HMS METEOR of Flotilla.
16th During interception patrol
captured craft off Symi and took enemy
occupants prisoner.
1 9 4 5
January Transferred to
western Mediterranean for support of military
operations, patrol and anti-submarine operations with Flotilla.
Carried
out patrol between Leghorn and Toulon.
February Flotilla deployment
in western Mediterranean.
26th During patrol with HM Escort
Destroyer EASTON attacked small
convoy
off Portofino.
March Western
Mediterranean patrol and support duties in continuation.
6th Deployed with HM Destroyer
TETCOTT for interception patrol,
15th Deployed as part of screen for
major units during bombardment of
targets at Spezia
and Genoa.
April Support of military
operations and interception patrol in
continuation.
May After VE Day deployed with Flotilla for Fleet duties including the
support of
reoccupation operations and for exercises with ships
July Carrying
out work-up prior to service in the
Eastern and Pacific Fleets.
August Visited
Istanbul with HM Cruiser AJAX and HMS
METEOR.
(Note:
The subsequent transfer to Turkey of some ships of this
Class may have been initiated during this visit.)
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS MARNE remained in the
Mediterranean with the 3rd Flotilla until March 1946 when she returned to Portsmouth, arriving on 8th
April. It had been decided in December 1945 that ships of this Class in the Mediterranean were to be
replaced by V-Class Destroyers. In November 1952 the ship was towed to lay-up at Penarth. Although
selected for conversion to an Air Direction Frigate, this was later cancelled
and she was placed on the
Disposal List in 1955 .On 16th August 1957 she was sold to Turkey with her
sister ships HMS METEOR, HMS MATCHLESS and
HMS MILNE. (See General Information.) During a refit in a Tyne shipyard modern radar was
fitted and a SQUID Anti-submarine mortar replaced the after torpedo tubes, She
was handed over to the Turkish
Navy at Portsmouth on 9th September 1959 with the other three destroyers and renamed MARESAL
FEVSI CAKMAK, a Turkish General. This destroyer remained
on the Active List until 1971 when she sold for breaking-up.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
MARNE
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
24/03/42
|
28/03/42
|
PQ 013
|
10/03/42
|
31/03/42
|
24/03/42
|
28/03/42
|
QP 009
|
21/03/42
|
03/04/42
|
10/04/42
|
21/04/42
|
QP 010
|
10/04/42
|
21/04/42
|
29/04/42
|
05/05/42
|
PQ 015
|
10/04/42
|
05/05/42
|
29/04/42
|
05/05/42
|
QP 011
|
28/04/42
|
07/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
26/05/42
|
PQ 016
|
21/05/42
|
30/05/42
|
26/05/42
|
28/05/42
|
QP 012
|
21/05/42
|
29/05/42
|
12/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
HARPOON
|
12/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
29/06/42
|
04/07/42
|
PQ 017
|
27/06/42
|
04/07/42
|
29/06/42
|
08/07/42
|
QP 013
|
26/06/42
|
07/07/42
|
09/09/42
|
17/09/42
|
PQ 018
|
02/09/42
|
21/09/42
|
17/09/42
|
25/09/42
|
QP 014
|
13/09/42
|
26/09/42
|
28/04/44
|
04/05/44
|
RA 059
|
28/04/44
|
06/05/44
|
17/08/44
|
25/08/44
|
JW 059
|
15/08/44
|
25/08/44
|
28/08/44
|
05/09/44
|
RA 059A
|
28/08/44
|
05/09/44
|
17/09/44
|
23/09/44
|
JW 060
|
15/09/44
|
23/09/44
|
28/09/44
|
03/10/44
|
RA 060
|
28/09/44
|
05/10/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)