M or MATCHLESS-Class Fleet
Destroyer ordered from Vickers Armstrong at Newcastle on 3rd September 1939
under the 1939 Build Programme. The ship
was laid down on 23rd October 1039 and was launched on 12th December 1940 as the twelfth ship to carry
this name first used in 1651. Build was completed on 4th April 1942 at a cost
of £457,512. In March 1942 this
destroyer had been adopted in March 1942 by the civil community of Bury,
Lancashire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.
1 9 4 2
March Contractors trials
April Commissioned for service.
4th Build completion
and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion of trials and storing took .passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with Home
Fleet before joining the 17th
Destroyer Flotilla.
28th Deployed with destroyer screen for Home
Fleet ships providing Distant Cover for Russian
Convoy PQ15 and the returning Convoy from Murmansk.
(For details of all Russian Convoy operations see
CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield
and CONVOY ! by P Kemp).
May
7th Detached
from QP11 after arrival at Reykjavik and deployed with
Home Fleet in NW Approaches.
23rd Joined Russian Convoy PQ16 with HM
Destroyers ACHATES, ASHANTI, VOLUNTEER and
Polish ORP GARLAND as Ocean
Escort during passage Murmansk.
26th Convoy under air
and submarine attacks. Sustained damage from near
misses.
30th Detached from PQ16 on arrival at Kola
Inlet
June Independent
passage to UK for
repair.
6th Under repair.
On completion rejoined Home Fleet and deployed as
part of destroyer screen for the
major Fleet units including US battleship WASHINGTON providing 'Distant Cover'
for
passage of Russian Convoy
PQ17.
July
4th Remained in area with Fleet units
after PQ17 scattered in order to provide cover for passage
of the
return Convoy QP13.
(For details of this disastrous
decision see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).
7th Resumed Home
Fleet duties in NW Approaches after arrival of QP13 at Reykjavik.
20th Detached with HM Destroyers MARNE,
MIDDLETON and BLANKNEY to take aranunition and
essential stores to
replenish stocks in Escorts from Convoy PQ17 which were needed before return
passage. Sailed
from Scapa Flow via Seidisfjord, Iceland. Refuelled on passage from
Royal Fleet
Auxiliary tanker BLACK RANGER.
24th Arrived at Kola Inlet and returned
independently.
August Deployment in
NW Approaches in continuation.
13th Detached with HM Destroyer MARNE to meet
US cruiser USS TUSCALOOSA and two US Navy
destroyers USS RODMAN and
USS EMMONS which were taking RAF personnel and medical
stores to Archangel (Operation EASY UNIT)
15th Escorted US Navy ships to Archangel for remaining 800 miles of
journey.
17th On arrival ships were not allowed to
disembark personnel and stores.
Returned to
resume Home Fleet duties.
September
9th Joined Fighting Escort for
Russian Convoy PQ18 as destroyer screen for HM Cruiser
SCYLLA with
other Home Fleet destroyers.
12th Detached from PQ18 with HM Destroyers MARNE, METEOR and MILNE
to refuel
at Lowe Sound, Spitzbergen .
(Note: HMS SCYLLA also detached with destroyers.)
13th Rejoined PQ18 with same ships.
17th Joined returning
Convoy QP14 to provide Fighting Escort for passage to Loch Ewe.
25th Detached from OP14
and resumed Home Fleet deployment in NW Approaches.
October Nominated for duty in support of
allied landings in North Africa (0peration TORCH).
Took passage
to Gibraltar to reinforce Force
H.
November
1st On arrival deployed with HM
Battleships DUKE OF YORK, NELSON and RODNEY,
HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, H M Aircraft Carriers
VICTORIOUS, AVENGER, BITER and
DASHER, HM
Cruisers SHEFFIELD and
ARGONAUT.
6th Part of screen for major units in
Eastern Task Force to provide cover against any attack by
Vichy French
warships and to give naval gunfire support during landings.
7th Present during
assault phase of landings at Algiers.
(For details of allied landings
at Algiers see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
C. Barnett and the Naval Staff
History)
8th Deployment with
screen for protection of major units in continuation.
10th Deployed as escort
for military convoy during Build-up Phase of TORCH.
Hit by three torpedoes and sunk by U431, 85 miles
north east of Algiers in position 37.53N
03.57E. Only 63 of the ship’s company were rescued.
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
MARTIN
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
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Date convoy sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
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Convoy No.
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Left convoy
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Date convoy arrived
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29/04/42
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05/05/42
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PQ 015
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10/04/42
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05/05/42
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29/04/42
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05/05/42
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QP 011
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28/04/42
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07/05/42
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23/05/42
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30/05/42
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PQ 016
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21/05/42
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30/05/42
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29/06/42
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04/07/42
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PQ 017
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27/06/42
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04/07/42
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29/06/42
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08/07/42
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QP 013
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26/06/42
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07/07/42
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09/09/42
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17/09/42
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PQ 018
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02/09/42
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21/09/42
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(Note on Convoys)
HMS
MARTIN, G44 - click for INTERNET SITE
by Tom Meaden
nephew of Thomas Cusack, lost in her sinking