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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS CAPRICE (R 01) -  Ca-class Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Caprice (Navy Photos/Michael Pocock, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

Ca-Class Fleet Destroyer of the 11th Emergency Flotilla ordered in February 1942 from Yarrow at Scotstoun. The ship was originally to be named SWALLOW but this was changed in November 1942 to CAPRICE as part of the rationalisation of names for the Class. She was laid down on 28th September 1942 and launched on 16th September 1943 as the first RN ship to have this name. Build was completed on 5th April 1944 and she replaced HM Destroyer LANCE as the ship adopted by the civil community of Bexley and Welling, Kent. (Note: HM Destroyer LANCE was withdrawn from service after being declared a constructive total loss in 1942 and had been allocated to the area after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in December 1941).

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

None.

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Green, a kid salient Proper.

 

 

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 4

 

March                   Contractors trials

                              Commissioned for service

 

April

              5th           Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                              Carried out Gunnery trials.

                              Accepted into service with 6th Destroyer Flotilla, Home Fleet.

                              On completion of trials and storing too passage to Scapa Flow for work-up with ships of

                              Home Fleet.

 

May                       Worked up for service at Scapa Flow with Home Fleet.

 

June                       Deployed with Flotilla for screening duties in Home Fleet.

            17th            Joined Russian Convoy JW59 with HM Cruiser JAMAICA, HM Escort Carriers VINDEX

                               and STRIKER, HM Destroyers MARNE, METEOR. MILNE and MUSKETEER as escort.

            20th            Under U-Boat attacks.

            24th            Detached from JW59 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

            28th            Sailed as escort for return Convoy RA59A with same ships.

 

September

             5th             Detached from RA59A after unscathed passage.

                               Resumed Flotilla duties in Home Fleet.

 

October                   Home Fleet duties with Flotilla in continuation.

            23rd             Deployed with screen for HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE and HM Cruiser BELLONA

                                with HM Destroyers VENUS, SCOURGE, SAVAGE, VERULAM, CASSANDRA,

                                ZAMBESI and CAMBRIAN during air attacks on Sorreisa and Bardufoss as well as photo-

                                reconnaissance in the Tromso area for the German battleship TIRPITZ.

                                (For details of naval activities in Norway see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by

                                Corelli Barnett and CONVOY! by P Kemp.)

            31st             Detached for escort of ss EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and ss SCYTHIA carrying Russian

                                nationals who had been captured by the allies in Normandy.

 

November

             2nd            Joined EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and ss SCYTHIA with H M Cruiser BERWICK, H M

                                Escort Carrier CAMPANIA, HM Destroyers CAMBRIAN, CASSANDRA, SAUMAREZ,

                                SCOURGE and SERAPIS for passage to Kola Inlet as Russian Convoy JW61A.

           11th             Return passage to Clyde with same ships and HM Destroyer SCORPION and SAVAGE as escort

                               for mercantiles as return Convoy RA61A.

 

December

             1st             Joined escort of Russian Convoy JW62 with HM Cruiser BELLONA, HM Escort Carriers

                               CAMPANIA and NAIRANA. H M Cruiser BELLONA, H M Destroyers CAESAR,

                               CASSANDRA and CAMBRIAN of Flotilla and HM Destroyers ONSLOW, OBEDIENT,

                               OFFA, ONSLAUGHT, ORIBI and ORWELL of 17th Flotilla.

 

 

(not completed)

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS CAPRICE

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

 

 

 

 

 

15/08/44

17/08/44

JW 059

25/08/44

25/08/44

28/08/44

28/08/44

RA 059A

05/09/44

05/09/44

31/10/44

02/11/44

JW 061A

06/11/44

06/11/44

11/11/44

11/11/44

RA 061A

17/11/44

17/11/44

29/11/44

01/12/44

JW 062

07/12/44

07/12/44

10/12/44

10/12/44

RA 062

18/12/44

19/12/44

24/12/44

29/12/44

AT 177

30/12/44

30/12/44

31/12/44

31/12/44

TA 175

01/01/45

07/01/45

05/01/45

05/01/45

TA 177

06/01/45

13/01/45

01/01/45

06/01/45

AT 179

07/01/45

07/01/45

08/01/45

13/01/45

AT 181

14/01/45

14/01/45

13/01/45

13/01/45

TA 179

14/01/45

17/01/45

11/01/45

16/01/45

AT 182

17/01/45

17/01/45

20/01/45

20/01/45

TA 180

21/01/45

26/01/45

24/01/45

29/01/45

AT 185

30/01/45

30/01/45

05/02/45

05/02/45

TA 185

06/02/45

11/02/45

01/02/45

06/02/45

AT 186

07/02/45

07/02/45

12/02/45

12/02/45

TA 187A

13/02/45

19/02/45

01/03/45

01/03/45

TA 189C

02/03/45

10/03/45

26/02/45

03/03/45

AT 194

04/03/45

04/03/45

05/03/45

05/03/45

TA 191

06/03/45

11/03/45

08/03/45

08/03/45

TA 194

09/03/45

17/03/45

09/03/45

14/03/45

AT 196A

15/03/45

15/03/45

17/03/45

17/03/45

TA 195A

18/03/45

24/03/45

22/03/45

22/03/45

TA 197

23/03/45

28/03/45

25/03/45

30/03/45

AT 200

31/03/45

31/03/45

01/04/45

01/04/45

TA 199

02/04/45

08/04/45

07/04/45

07/04/45

TA 200

08/04/45

13/04/45

03/04/45

09/04/45

AT 201B

10/04/45

10/04/45

07/04/45

14/04/45

AT 201

15/04/45

15/04/45

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 12/8/11
further editing and formatting is required