M (MARNE) Class Fleet Destroyer ordered under the 1939 Programme
from Alex Stephens of Govan. The ship
was laid down on 14th September 1940 and launched on 4th September 1941 as the 2nd ship to carry the name,
formerly used by a
destroyer sold in 1921. Build was completed on 28th February 1942 and this ship was adopted
by Maidenhead in Berkshire
following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.
B a t t l e H o n o u r
DOVER
PATROL 1916-18 - ZEEBRUGGE 1918 - ARCTIC
1942-44 - MALTA CONVOYS 1942 - NORTH
CAPE 1943
H e r a l d i c D a t
a
Badge: On a Field Blue in
front of an estoile gold a plate charged with the astronomical
mark of
Saturn, black.
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 2
February Contractor's sea trials and
commissioning
Accepted into service
with17th Destroyer Flotilla.
March On
completion of trials, storing and calibration of weapon equipment took passage
to work-up
with ships of Home Fleet.
April
Deployed in NW Approaches for Home Fleet screening duties.
10th Part of screen for H M Battleships KING
GEORGE V and DUKE OF YORK, HM Aircraft
Carrier
VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers KENT and NIGERIA providing cover for the passage
of Russian
Convoys PQ14 and QP10 with HM Destroyers BEDOUIN, BELVOIR, ESCAPADE,
ESKIMO,
FAULKNOR, LEDBURY, MIDDLETON,
OFFA, ONSLOW, SOMALI and WHEATLAND.
(For details of all Russian Convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B Schoefield and CONVOY ! by P Kemp)
28th Joined escort for Russian Convoy PQ15
with HM Anti-Aircraft Ship ULSTER QUEEN,
HM Destroyers BADSWORTH, BOADICEA,
SOMALI, VENOMOUS and Norwegian destroyer
ST ALBANS for passage to Murmansk.
(Note: HMS SOMALI was sunk in collision by HMS KING GEORGE V in fog).
May
5th Detached from PQ15 on arrival.
Retained in North Russia
13th Escorted damaged cruiser HMS TRINIDAD
from Murmansk for return passage to UK with
HM Destroyers FORESIGHT, FORESTER and
SOMALI.
14th Under air attacks.
Sank HMS TRINIDAD by torpedo after ship had been abandoned.
(See THE SHIP WHICH TORPEDOED HERSELF by F Pearce).
15th Joined Home Fleet screen during cover of
passage of return convoy PQ12.
June
Nominated for detached duty as part of escort for Malta Relief Convoy
WS19Z.
(Operation HARPOON - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett, THE
BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN. MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman and the Naval
Staff History).
5th Joined Convoy WS19Z in Clyde with H M
Cruisers KENYA and LIVERPOOL, H M
Destroyers BADSWORTH, BEDOUIN, MARNE,
ITHURIEL, PARTRIDGE, BLANKNEY,
MIDDLETON and Polish destroyer KUJAWIAK.
11th Joined H M Cruiser CAIRO, with HM
Destroyers BEDOUIN, MARNE, ITHURIEL,
PARTRIDGE, BADSWORTH, BLANKNEY,
MIDDLETON and Polish destroyer KUJAWIAK as
Force X for Close Escort of convoy to Malta screened by ships of Force H
from Gibraltar.
14th Under air attacks. HMS LIVERPOOL damaged
and returned in tow to Gibraltar.
15th Carried out attack with HMS MARNE on
Italian destroyers VIVALDI and MAROCELLO.
Disabled VIVALDI. (See
above references).
16th Mined on entry to Grand Harbour whilst
escorting ORARI and TROILUS which were sole
surviving mercantiles from HARPOON
convoy.
(Note HM Escort Destroyer BADSWORTH was also damaged in same minefield
and Polish
Escort
Destroyer ORP KUJAWIAK was sunk).
18th Taken in hand for repair
July Under repair in HM Dockyard,
Malta.
August On completion prepared for return
passage to UK for permanent repair.
11th Escorted ss
ORARI and ss TROILUS with HMS BADSWORTH for passage to Gibraltar.
(Operation ASCENDANT -
This was coincident with Operation PEDESTAL to reduce the chance
of enemy interference
since PEDESTAL was likely to be the primary target for attention
Only some of the armament of the
two destroyers could be used due to the earlier mine damage.
Italian convoy
recognition markings were painted on the foc'sle of the tow destroyers ships
which
took passage near the African coast.
13th Two Italian surface warships sighted but
took no action.
(Note: They may have believed the British ships were Vichy French).
23rd Arrived at Newcastle for repair by
commercial shipyard.
September
Under repair by Palmers
to October
Nominated for service with 3rd Destroyer Flotilla on completion
November
Carried out harbour trials
8th Dockyard repair work completed and
carried out post repair sea trials.
11th Carried out post refit trials on
completion of dockyard work.
On completion took passage to Scapa Flow to join new Flotilla.
Worked-up for operational service at Scapa Flow.
December
14th Sailed from Scapa Flow with HM Cruiser
JAMAICA and HM Destroyer OPPORTUNE to join HM
Cruiser SHEFFIELD for passage to Iceland to join Convoy JW51A. Fuelling
delayed by fog off
Iceland
19th Joined escort for Russian Convoy JW51A
with HM Destroyers BEAGLE and OPPORTUNE as
screen for HM Cruisers JAMAICA and SHEFFIELD (Force R).
24th Arrived at Kola Inlet ahead of convoy after
providing cover to south of track.
27th Deployed with HM Destroyer OPPORTUNE
as screen for HMS SHEFFIELD and HMS JAMAICA
to provide cruiser cover for Russian Convoy JW51B on passage to Kola
Inlet.
(Note: This convoy was threatened by German destroyers who were engaged
by escort
destroyers. See above references).
29th Detached to refuel at Kola Inlet
before return passage to UK with HMS JAMAICA
and HMS SHEFFIELD providing Distant Cover for transit of Convoy RA51A.
1 9 4 3
January
Passage to Scapa Flow.
21st Part of Ocean Escort for Russian
Convoys JW52 with HM Destroyers BEAGLE, BULLDOG,
MUSKETEER, OFFA, ONSLAUGHT and Polish destroyer ORP PIORUN.
27th Detached from convoy on arrival at
Kola Inlet.
29th Joined Ocean Escort for return convoy
RA52 with HM Destroyers BEAGLE, BULLDOG, OFFA,
FORESTER, ICARUS, MUSKETEER, ONSLAUGHT, ONSLOW and Polish ORP PIORUN.
February
8th Detached from convoy after arrival in
Home waters.
9th Resumed Hone Fleet duties with
Flotilla.
March
Deployed with Flotilla on Home Fleet screening and patrol duties
April
Transferred to Western Approaches for convoy defence in support role.
Deployed with HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier ARCHER, HM Destroyers MILNE, ECLIPSE and
FURY as 4th Support Group.
May Atlantic convoy defence in continuation
with air support from HM Escort Carrier ARCHER.
For details of Atlantic convoy defence at this critical period in the
Atlantic Confrontation see U
BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D
MacIntyre)
and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
22nd Deployed with Group in support of escort
for inward Convoy SC130 and HX239 under
threat of
attacks by DONAU and MOSEL
U-Boat Groups
25th Deployed with Group in Western
Approaches for support of Atlantic
convoys.
June
Deployed with Flotilla in NW Approaches based at Scapa Flow for
screening and patrol..
Released from 4th Support Group and nominated for refit in Humber
10th Arrived in Humber for refit by Brigham
and Cowan at Hull
July
Under refit.
25th Carried out post refit trials and took
passage to Scapa Flow with 3rd Destroyer Flotilla
August
Deployed with Flotilla at Scapa Flow.
11th Present during visit by King George
VI to Home Fleet.
14th Took part in demonstration exercises
for Royal visit.
September
Carried out anti-submarine search in NW Approaches with HM Destroyer
ULSTER (Operation SF)
October
20th Passage to
North Russia with HM Destroyers MAHRATTA, MILNE MUSKETEER of Flotilla,
HM Destroyers SAUMAREZ, SAVAGE, SCOURGE and SCORPION of 23rd Destroyer
Flotilla,
HM Destroyer WESTCOTT, HM Corvette EGLANTINE, HM Minesweepers HARRIER
and
SEAGULL (Operation FR).
(Note: Five small minesweepers and six Motor Launches manned by
Russians accompanied these
ships
during passage).
28th At Kola Inlet awaiting first convoy of
winter season.
November
3rd Joined Ocean Escort for returning
Russian Convoy RA54A with same destroyers, HMS Corvette
EGLANTINE, HM
Minesweepers JASON and BRITOMART (returning from North Russia).
8th Detached from RA54A
with HMS MUSKETEER during passage and resumed Home Fleet duty.
28th Part of screen for HM Battleship ANSON
and HM Cruiser BELFAST with HM Destroyers
ASHANTI, MUSKETEER and OBDURATE to cover
passage of Russian Convoy JW54B
and return convoy
RA54B.
December
Under repair.
15th Joined Russian Convoy JW55A as Ocean
Escort with HM Destroyers ASHANTI ,MUSKETEER,
METEOR, MILNE, OPPORTUNE, VIRAGO and Canadian ATHABASKAN.
21st Detached from JW55A
with same ships to Join Ocean Escort for return Convoy RA55A.
23rd Joined return Convoy RA55A
as Ocean Escort
25th Detached with HM
Destroyers MUSKETEER, OPPORTUNE and VIRAGO to reinforce escort
of Convoy JW55B which was under threat of attack by the German
battleship SCHARNHORST
and a destroyer screen.
26th On orders from CinC detached from JW55B
with HMS MUSKETEER, HMS OPPORTUNE and
HMS VIRAGO to join
HM Cruisers BELFAST, NORFOLK and SHEFFIELD to increase strength
of covering force against
SCHARNHORST and German destroyers.
Deployed with HM Destroyers MUSKETEER, VIRAGO and OPPORTUNE to carry out
torpedo
attack on the sinking battleship, but owing to extensive weather damage
due to operations at high
speed in the appalling was unable to discharge her weapons.
Rescued six of the 36 survivors from the German warship.
For details see THE KOLA RUN by Campbell
and MacIntyre, DEATH OF THE SCHARNHORST
and the Naval Staff History.)
1 9 4 4
January
Passage to UK with screen for Home Fleet major units.
February Deployed with Flotilla for
screening duties based at Scapa Flow.
22nd Joined escort for
Russian Convoy JW57 with HM Cruiser BLACK PRINCE, HM Destroyers
MAHRATTA, METEOR, MILNE,
OBEDIENT, OFFA, ONSLAUGHT, ORIBI, SAVAGE,
SERAPIS, SWIFT,
VERULAM and VIGILANT.
25th HM Destroyer MAHRATTA
sunk by torpedo from U956.
28th Detached from JW57 on
arrival at Kola Inlet
March
2nd Joined escort for
returning Convoy RA57 with HMS BLACK PRINCE, HM Escort Carrier
CHASER, HM
Destroyer IMPULSIVE and destroyers from Convoy JW57, except HMS
MAHRATTA (See 25th
February).
8th Detached from RA57 With HMS MILNE, HMS
OFFA, HMS ONSLAUGHT, ORIBI,
HMS SAVAGE, HMS
SERAPIS and
HMS VIGILANT before arrival of convoy at Loch Ewe.
April Home Fleet screening
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
18th Independent passage with other escorts
to Kola Inlet for escort of return convoy of
empty ships
with USN and
Soviet Navy personnel taking passage
(See CONVOYS TO RUSSIA).
27th Embarked 16 returning personnel.
28th Joined escort of
return Convoy RA59 with HM Escort Carrier ACTIVITY, HM Destroyers
MARNE, METEOR, MUSKETEER and MILNE of
Flotilla.
May
4th Detached from RA59 with same ships
before arrival of convoy at Loch Ewe.
5th Resumed Flotilla duties with Home
Fleet.
June
Deployed as screen for major units of
Home Fleet to provide Distant Cover for the allied landings
in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).
(Note: Not deployed in direct support of landings. See LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, JUNE
1944
(HMSO) and OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards).
29th Independent passage with H M Destroyers
METEOR and MUSKETEER carrying stores and
mail to ships in
North Russia (Operation DC).
July
Arrived at Kola
Inlet.
Passage to rejoin
Fleet.
8th Deployed for Flotilla
duties at Scapa Flow.
Nominated for refit in commercial shipyard and took passage to Humber
for refit on release
from Flotilla duties.
23rd Taken in hand for
refit at Brigham and Cowan shipyard in Hull.
August
Under refit and repair.
to
October
November
28th On completion of Post
Refit Trials worked up for service at Scapa Flow.
December
27th On completion took
passage to Mediterranean to rejoin Flotilla.
Resumed screening duties with
Flotilla at Scapa Flow.
1 9
4 5
January
2nd Sailed from Gibraltar.
Deployed with Flotilla in western Mediterranean for support of military
operations, patrol
and screening
duties.
February
7th Carried out
bombardment of shore positions in Gulf of Genoa.
15th Deployed with HM Destroyer METEOR and
Free French destroyer SIMOON for patrol north
of Corsica.
16th After radar
detection gave chase to enemy ships minelaying and gave chase but failed to
make
direct contact.
March
Flotilla deployment for patrol and support duties in continuation.
16th Take in hand for
repair by HM Dockyard, Malta.
April
Under repair
to
May
June Carried out harbour
trials
7th Carried out post repair trials on
completion of dockyard work.
On completion
resumed Flotilla duties
(Note: During this period ships
of Mediterranean Fleet were providing support
to
British garrison at Trieste, carrying out interception patrols to prevent
illegal transport of immigrants to Palestine
and carrying out exercises
to
work-up ships on passage to join the East Indies and British Pacific Fleets.
July Mediterranean Fleet
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
to
August
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS MATCHLESS remained in the
Mediterranean after VJ Day and was deployed with the Flotilla for Mediterranean Fleet exercises and
visits to port in the area and support of military units in southern Europe. She was nominated for reduction to
reserve status in 1946 and sailed from Gibraltar to Pay-off at Portsmouth on 4th April. Reduced to Reserve
status after de-storing on 25th June 1946 this ship was refitted in 1951-2 and transferred to Penarth in 1953.
Placed on the Sales List in 1956 this destroyer was sold to Turkey in 1957 with three others the same Class. Before
formal transfer to Turkey she was refitted by Harland and Wolf at Govan and renamed KILIC ALI PASHA. In
1971 she was stricken from the Active List in 1971 and later sold for
demolition.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS
MATCHLESS
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
12/04/42
|
18/04/42
|
PQ 014
|
26/03/42
|
19/04/42
|
12/04/42
|
18/04/42
|
QP 010
|
10/04/42
|
21/04/42
|
28/04/42
|
05/05/42
|
PQ 015
|
10/04/42
|
05/05/42
|
12/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
HARPOON
|
12/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
10/08/42
|
14/08/42
|
ASCENDAN
|
10/08/42
|
14/08/42
|
19/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
JW 051A
|
15/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
27/12/42
|
29/12/42
|
JW 051B
|
22/12/42
|
04/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
JW 052
|
17/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
29/01/43
|
05/02/43
|
RA 052
|
29/01/43
|
09/03/43
|
03/11/43
|
08/11/43
|
RA 054A
|
01/11/43
|
14/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
29/11/43
|
JW 054B
|
22/11/43
|
03/12/43
|
28/11/43
|
29/11/43
|
RA 054B
|
26/11/43
|
09/12/43
|
15/12/43
|
21/12/43
|
JW 055A
|
12/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
23/12/43
|
25/12/43
|
RA 055A
|
22/12/43
|
01/01/44
|
25/12/43
|
26/12/43
|
JW 055B
|
20/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
22/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
JW 057
|
20/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
08/03/44
|
RA 057
|
02/03/44
|
10/03/44
|
28/04/44
|
04/05/44
|
RA 059
|
28/04/44
|
06/05/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)