Type I HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Cammell Laird at Birkenhead and
the Lead ship of the Class. She was ordered on 21st March 1939 under the 1939
Build Programme and laid down on 8th June that year. Launched on 12th December
1939 she was the second RN warship to carry the Name, previously used by a
minesweeper In 1916. Build was completed on 23rd March 1940 and when inclined
her stability was found to be unsatisfactory. The major changes made included
landing one of the three 4in Twin mountings (X position aft),
addition of permanent ballast and reduction of top weight. Subsequent ships
were modified to correct this design weakness. (See General Information
details). In March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Long
Eaton, Derbyshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.
For details of the design problems and their effect see BRITISH DESTROYERS by
Edgar J March.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ENGLISH CHANNEL 1940-42
- ST NAZAIRE 1942 - SICILY 1943 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943 - NORTH SEA 1942-43
- SALERNO 1943 - SOUTH FRANCE 1944 - ADRIATIC 1944
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge On a Field Red, upon a White roundel,
a fox's mask Red within a mascle also Red.
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 0
March Contractor's trials and
commissioned for service.
(Note:
Instability found during the inclining experiment necessitated removal of the
intended
provision of
three twin 4in mountings. Only two of these were fitted..)
23rd Build completion and
commenced Acceptance and First of Class trials.
April On completion of
modifications and storing joined 1st Destroyer Flotilla at Portsmouth for convoy
to escort and patrol
duty in Channel and North Sea.
May (Note: It is assumed
that delay in final acceptance delayed entry into operational service was
delayed by the
removal of one of the after mountings and subsequent trials.)
June Detached Home Fleet
deployment..
8th Met Group 1 evacuation convoy from Norway off
Faeroes with HM Destroyers
WITHERINGTON, WOLVERINE, ANTELOPE and VISCOUNT.
Escorted to Clyde. See Naval Staff History
(HMSO, 2001) and CARRIER GLORIOUS by J
Winton).
July
10th Escorted ships of
Minelaying Squadron during lay of first section of Northern Mine Barrage with
HM Cruiser
COVENTRY, HM Destroyers INGLEFIELD, IMOGEN, HM Escort Destroyers
HAMBLEDON and
FERNIE (Operation SN1).
(For details of
all Minelaying operations see Naval Staff History MINING).
August On release from Home
Fleet service resumed Channel escort duties with Flotilla.
September Deployed for anti-invasion
patrol and convoy defence in Channel.
8th Carried out search
for invasion craft between Le Touquet to Cap d'Antifer.
11th Under air attack and
sustained serious damage by two bomb hits and a near miss whilst escorting
Channel convoy
CW11 to Thames Estuary.
15th Taken in hand for
repair by HM Dockyard, Chatham.
October Under repair
to
December
1 9 4 1
January On completion of post
refit trials rejoined Flotilla to continue convoy escort and patrol duties
February English Channel convoy
defence and patrol in continuation.
to
August
September Sustained weather damage
whilst escorting Channel convoy.
Docked ay
Devonport for investigation
Repair arranged
at Southampton commercial shipyard
October Under repair.
to (Note: 2pdr Bofors
mounting fitted to improve close range defence against E-Boat
November attacks.)
December On completion of post
repair trials transferred to 15th Destroyer Flotilla at Plymouth for convoy
defence and
patrol in SW Approaches.
1 9 4 2
January Deployed for convoy
defence and patrol based at Plymouth.
(For details of
naval operations in English Channel see HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith.).
February Flotilla duties based at
Plymouth in continuation.
Nominated for
support of planned Combined Operations attack.
March Detached for commando
landing to destroy dry dock gates at St Nazaire.
26th Joined HM Escort
Destroyers CLEVELAND, BROCKLESBY and TYNEDALE for St. Nazaire
Raid and embarked
Force Commanders (Operation CHARIOT).
27th Acted as Guide of
the Fleet during passage.
28th Towed HM Motor
Gunboat MGB 314.
29th HM MGB 314 slipped
for operation with Force Commanders on board.
Rescued crew of
HM ML 156 which had been damaged in action with German Boats.
(Note: HM ML I56
later sank.
For details see
THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by Peter Scott and THE
WATERY MAZE by B
Fergusson.)
April Deployed in Channel
and SW Approaches.
May Transferred to 16th
Destroyer Flotilla based at Sheerness for North Sea convoy defence.
June Deployed for East
Coast convoy defence and patrol.
to Provided cover for
Light Coastal Craft operations.
December (See THREE CORVETTES by N
Monsarrat and HOLD THE NARROW SEA).
1 9 4 3
January East Coast convoy
defence and patrol in continuation.
February Nominated for transfer to
18th Destroyer Flotilla in Mediterranean.
March Passage to join Flotilla
in Western Mediterranean.
April Deployed on convoy
defence and patrol in
Western and
Central Mediterranean.
May Took part in
operations to intercept craft taking German troops from Cape Bon area
(Operation
RETRIBUTION - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).
June Transferred with
Flotilla to Malta in continuation of escort and patrol role.
Nominated for
duty in support of allied landings in Sicily.
July Joined Support Force
East for escort of assault convoys.
(Operation
HUSKY).
(Note: Support
Force East included HM Cruisers NEWFOUNDLAND, UGANDA,
MAURITIUS, ORION,
CARLISLE, COLOMBO and DELHI, HM
Monitors EREBUS
and ROBERTS with
15 Fleet Destroyers, 36 RN HUNT Class Escort Destroyers, eight
Sloops, six RIVER
Class Frigates and 17 RN Corvettes.
7th Sailed from Bizerta
as part of escort for military convoy KMS18.
9th Detached from KMS18
and took passage to Tunis to join Escort Group Y.
10th Deployed with Group
for convoy escort and present at landings of XXX Corps SW of Syracuse.
and provided
gunfire support.
(For details see
Naval Staff History and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY)
August Deployed for escort and support of military operations
in Sicily.
Nominated for support of planned allied landings
at Salerno (Operation AVALANCHE.)
September Joined Support Carrier
Force (TF88) as part of screen for HM Cruisers SCYLLA, CHARYBDIS
and EURYALUS, HM
Aircraft Carriers UNICORN, ATTACKER, BATTLER, HUNTER and
STALKER with
Polish destroyers ORP SLAZAK, ORP KRAKOWIAK, HM Destroyers
CLEVELAND,
HOLCOMBE, LIDDESDALE, FARNDALE, CALPE and HAYDON for
provision of
cover during assault landings.
(For details see
Naval Staff History).
9th Deployed with TF86 off Salerno.
October On release from
AVALANCHE resumed Convoy defence and provided support for military
to operations off
Italian west coast.
December
1 9 4 4
January Deployed for support of
military convoys between North African ports and Naples prior to allied
landings at Anzio
(Operation SHINGLE - See above references).
February Convoy defence and
support role in continuation in central Mediterranean
to June
July Deployed for escort
of military convoys in Western Mediterranean on passage
in Mediterranean
prior to allied
landings in South France (Operation DRAGOON).
(For details see
Naval Staff History INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE (HMSO).
August Convoy escort in
continuation.
(Note: Not
listed in above reference as escort for assault convoys or gunfire support.).
September After release from DRAGOON
reverted to control of CinC Mediterranean.
Resumed Flotilla
duties and deployed for commercial convoy defence patrol and support duty
in central
Mediterranean.
October Deployed in Central
Mediterranean and in Adriatic
November Transferred to 5th
Destroyer Flotilla based at Alexandria.
Deployed in
Adriatic in support of military operations and convoy defence.
December Adriatic deployment with
Flotilla in continuation.
14th Rescued survivors
from HM Escort Destroyer ALDENHAM.
(For details of
Adriatic operations see THE LAST DESTROYER by F Mason).
1 9 4 5
January Adriatic deployment with
5th Flotilla in continuation.
to April
May Deployed in
Mediterranean with Flotilla after VE Day
to (Note: Destroyers
of Mediterranean Fleet carried out exercises to prepare ships destined for
August operational service in
East Indies and SW Pacific and for Guardship duties in
Adriatic as well as patrol to intercept ships carrying immigrants to
Palestine.)
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS ATHERSTONE remained in the Mediterranean until October
1945 when she returned to Pay-off and reduce to Reserve status. After eight
years laid-up in Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth she was transferred to the Reserve
Fleet Division at Cardiff.
The ship was placed on the Disposal List in 1957 and sold to BISCO in
November that year for demolition by Smith and Houston at Port Glasgow.. She
arrived in tow at the breakers yard in the Clyde on 25th November 1957.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS ATHERSTONE
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
23/04/40
|
01/05/40
|
FP 003
|
02/05/40
|
05/05/40
|
12/06/40
|
12/06/40
|
HEBREW
|
12/06/40
|
14/06/40
|
17/03/42
|
17/03/42
|
PW 127
|
19/03/42
|
19/03/42
|
20/03/42
|
20/03/42
|
WP 129
|
22/03/42
|
22/03/42
|
02/04/42
|
02/04/42
|
PW 135
|
04/04/42
|
04/04/42
|
07/04/42
|
07/04/42
|
WP 138
|
09/04/42
|
09/04/42
|
21/04/42
|
21/04/42
|
PW 144
|
23/04/42
|
23/04/42
|
28/04/42
|
28/04/42
|
WP 148
|
30/04/42
|
30/04/42
|
01/05/42
|
01/05/42
|
PW 149
|
03/05/42
|
03/05/42
|
17/05/42
|
17/05/42
|
PW 157
|
19/05/42
|
19/05/42
|
29/05/42
|
29/05/42
|
PW 163
|
31/05/42
|
31/05/42
|
08/06/42
|
08/06/42
|
PW 168
|
10/06/42
|
10/06/42
|
15/06/42
|
15/06/42
|
WP 172
|
17/06/42
|
17/06/42
|
22/06/42
|
22/06/42
|
PW 175
|
24/06/42
|
24/06/42
|
25/06/42
|
25/06/42
|
WP 177
|
27/06/42
|
27/06/42
|
28/06/42
|
28/06/42
|
PW 178
|
30/06/42
|
30/06/42
|
14/10/42
|
14/10/42
|
CE 124
|
15/10/42
|
15/10/42
|
08/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
CW 132
|
09/11/42
|
09/11/42
|
30/12/42
|
30/12/42
|
CW 145
|
31/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
06/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
KMS 009G
|
16/02/43
|
20/02/43
|
25/02/43
|
25/02/43
|
ET 012
|
27/02/43
|
02/03/43
|
26/02/43
|
28/02/43
|
TE 016
|
01/03/43
|
01/03/43
|
04/03/43
|
04/03/43
|
MKS 009
|
08/03/43
|
18/03/43
|
16/03/43
|
16/03/43
|
TE 019
|
20/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
MKS 010
|
27/03/43
|
05/04/43
|
31/03/43
|
12/04/43
|
KMS 012G
|
15/04/43
|
16/04/43
|
19/03/43
|
13/04/43
|
UGS 006A
|
13/04/43
|
13/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
ET 018
|
20/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
27/04/43
|
27/04/43
|
ET 019
|
02/05/43
|
02/05/43
|
14/04/43
|
03/05/43
|
UGS 007A
|
07/05/43
|
07/05/43
|
09/05/43
|
09/05/43
|
ET 020
|
14/05/43
|
14/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
MKS 013
|
22/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
GTX 001
|
30/05/43
|
04/06/43
|
04/06/43
|
04/06/43
|
MKS 014
|
09/06/43
|
09/06/43
|
04/06/43
|
12/06/43
|
OS 049KM
|
13/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
KMS 016G
|
15/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
28/05/43
|
15/06/43
|
UGS 009
|
17/06/43
|
25/06/43
|
16/06/43
|
16/06/43
|
KMS 016
|
22/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
18/06/43
|
22/06/43
|
XTG 002
|
unknown
|
29/06/43
|
30/06/43
|
30/06/43
|
KMS 017
|
02/07/43
|
06/07/43
|
01/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
KMF 019
|
13/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
MKF 019
|
18/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
GTX 004
|
29/07/43
|
03/08/43
|
09/08/43
|
11/08/43
|
KMS 022
|
20/08/43
|
20/08/43
|
25/08/43
|
25/08/43
|
MKS 023
|
04/09/43
|
03/09/43
|
16/10/43
|
25/10/43
|
KMF 025
|
27/10/43
|
30/10/43
|
02/11/43
|
03/11/43
|
XIF 003
|
06/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
31/10/43
|
12/11/43
|
MKF 025A
|
14/11/43
|
24/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
25/11/43
|
KMF 026
|
30/11/43
|
30/11/43
|
16/12/43
|
18/12/43
|
MKF 027
|
20/12/43
|
04/01/44
|
20/01/44
|
20/01/44
|
SNF 013
|
22/01/44
|
22/01/44
|
07/02/44
|
07/02/44
|
KMS 040
|
11/02/44
|
18/02/44
|
07/03/44
|
07/03/44
|
SNF 016A
|
10/03/44
|
10/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
09/04/44
|
KMF 030
|
12/04/44
|
12/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
XIF 013
|
unknown
|
20/04/44
|
29/04/44
|
29/04/44
|
XIF 014
|
04/05/44
|
04/05/44
|
05/05/44
|
unknown
|
IXF 014
|
unknown
|
09/05/44
|
15/05/44
|
15/05/44
|
MKF 031
|
22/05/44
|
29/05/44
|
24/05/44
|
24/05/44
|
NSF 023
|
27/05/44
|
27/05/44
|
10/06/44
|
10/06/44
|
SNF 024
|
13/06/44
|
13/06/44
|
11/06/44
|
19/06/44
|
KMF 032
|
24/06/44
|
24/06/44
|
04/07/44
|
unknown
|
IXF 017
|
unknown
|
08/07/44
|
07/08/44
|
07/08/44
|
XIF 019A
|
12/08/44
|
12/08/44
|
17/08/44
|
17/08/44
|
SM 003A
|
20/08/44
|
20/08/44
|
24/08/44
|
01/09/44
|
KMF 034
|
07/09/44
|
07/09/44
|
10/09/44
|
11/09/44
|
XIF 021
|
15/09/44
|
15/09/44
|
16/09/44
|
16/09/44
|
IXF 021
|
20/09/44
|
20/09/44
|
25/09/44
|
25/09/44
|
XIF 022
|
29/09/44
|
29/09/44
|
10/10/44
|
10/10/44
|
MKF 035
|
15/10/44
|
21/10/44
|
20/10/44
|
27/10/44
|
KMF 035A
|
31/10/44
|
31/10/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)