Type II HUNT-Class Escort
Destroyer ordered from Cammell Laird at Birkenhead on 20th December 1939 under
the 1939 War Emergency Programme with 15 other ships of this Class. She was
laid down on 17th July 1940 as Job Number 3560 and launched on 9th June 1941 as
the second RN ship to bear this name. It had previously been used for a
surveying vessel built in 1919 and sold in 1938.The build completion date was
3rd November 1941. She was later adopted by the civil community of the Rural
District of Bathavon, Somerset after a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
SIRTE 1942
- LIBYA 1942 - MALTA CONVOYS 1942 - MEDITERRANEAN 1942
- SICILY 1943 - SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1942-43 - ANZIO 1944 - SOUTH FRANCE 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Blue, within
a horseshoe inverted White
a Portcullis chained 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
October Contractor’s trials and
commissioning.
November Commissioned for service
3rd Build completion and
commenced Acceptance Trials
On completion of
trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow.
Nominated for
foreign service with 5th Destroyer Flotilla based at Alexandria.
December On completion of work-up
prepared for foreign service.
13th Joined military
convoy WS14 during passage in NW Approaches with HM Battleship
RAMILLIES and HM
Destroyer BADSWORTH as Ocean Escort during Atlantic passage
to Freetown.
21st Detached from WS14
on arrival at Freetown.
25th Rejoined WS14 with
HMS RAMILLIES, HM Destroyer HURWORTH and HM Sloop
BRIDGEWATER as
Ocean Escort for passage to Cape of Good Hope.
1 9 4 2
January
4th Detached from WS14
on arrival at Capetown and made independent passage to join
Mediterranean
Fleet at Alexandria.
February Passage in Red Sea.
Joined
Mediterranean Fleet for escort duty in Eastern Mediterranean.
12th Deployed with HM
Cruiser CARLISLE and HM Destroyers AVON VALE,
SOUTHWOLD,
ERIDGE, DULVERTON,
HURWORTH and HEYTHROP as Close Escort for Malta Convoy
MW9 consisting of
three fast merchant ships.
13th Subjected to heavy
air attacks during which one ship was damaged and had to go to Tobruk.
All escorts had
expended much of their anti-aircraft ammunition.
14th Second merchant ship
sunk in further air attacks.
Escort returned
to Egypt with four empty ships returning from Malta to Egypt.
(Note: The
remaining ship of MW9 was sunk before arrival in Malta and so the operation
failed
(See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett) and Naval Staff
History (HMSO,
2002).
March
20th Deployed with HM
Cruiser CARLISLE and HM Destroyers SOUTHWOLD, DULVERTON,
ERIDGE, HURWORTH,
AVONVALE and HEYTHROP as Close Escort for Convoy MW10
to Malta
(Note: Convoy
passage was covered by HM Cruisers DIDO, EURYALUS and CLEOPATRA
escorted by Fleet
destroyers (Operation MG1).
22nd In action against
enemy air and surface attacks (Second Battle of Sirte0
(See BATTLE FOR
THE MEDITERRANEAN by D. Macintyre and above references.)
23rd Convoy and escort
came under further sustained air attacks during which one of the
mercantiles (ss
CLAN CAMPBELL) was sunk.
Returned to
Alexandria.
April Deployed on support
of garrison and defence of convoys to Tobruk.
to (For details see
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY)
May
June Prepared for major
Fleet operation.
(Note: Passage
of relief convoys to Malta from Gibraltar and Alexandria.
Operation JULIUS
which comprised Operation HARPOON from Gibraltar and
Operation
VIGOROUS from Alexandria).
11th Deployed for escort
of Convoy MW11C as part of Malta relief operation with HM Cruiser
COVENTRY, HM
Destroyers AIREDALE, ALDENHAM, CROOME, DULVERTON,
ERIDGE, EXMOOR
and HURWORTH (Operation VIGOROUS).
(Note: This
convoy of 3 (or 4) mercantiles was intended to act as decoy to attract Italian
intervention in advance of
departure of main convoy.
Each of the
merchant ships towed a Motor Torpedo Boat and this diversion was known
as Operation
REMBRANDT).
12th Under air attacks
during which ss CITY OF CALCUTTA was damaged and
detached and was
escorted to
Tobruk.
13th Convoy MW11C returned
to east after main convoy had taken passage to Malta.
(Note: The
Italians were not tempted by the bait and escorts later joined the escort of the
main
Convoy MW11 which
was made up of two parts MW11A and MW11B.
Escort was
provided by cruisers and destroyers of Mediterranean Fleet)
14th Under heavy and
sustained air attacks without shore air cover.
Convoy threatened
by Italian surface force and reversed course to the East.
Took part in
defence of convoy during night torpedo attacks by E-Boats.
(Note: HM
Cruiser Newcastle was hit but remained with convoy.
HM Destroyer
HASTY was also hit and was sunk by HM Destroyer HOTSPUR).
15th Air attacks in
continuation.
HM Battleship
CENTURION of WW1 vintage and disguised as a KING GEORGE V Class
damaged but
remained with convoy.
HM Cruisers
ARETHUSA and BIRMINGHAM were also damaged but remained.
HM Destroyers
AIREDALE and NESTOR sustained major damaged and had to be sunk.
(Note: A series
of conflicting orders from shore and the heavy expenditure of ammunition made
it necessary to
abandon VIGOROUS and ships returned to Alexandria).
June
16th Remained with
returning Convoy MW11 which came under attack by U205.
HMS HERMIONE was
torpedoed and sunk by U205.
(For details of
this disastrous operation and the serious effects of the losses and damage to
warships see
above references.)
July Flotilla deployment
in continuation based at Alexandria.
11th Carried out
bombardment of Mersa Matruh with HM Escort Destroyers DULVERTON,
ERIDGE and
HURWORTH.
August Fleet Escort, patrol duty
and support of military operations in continuation.
10th Deployed with HM
Cruisers ARETHUSA and EURYALUS, HM Destroyers JERVIS,
KELVIN, PAKENHAM,
PALADIN, ALDENHAM, DULVERTON, BRIDGE, HURSLEY,
HURWORTH, HM
Corvette HYACINTH and HM Auxiliary ANTWERP as escort for
Convoy MW12.
13th Returned to Port Said
with W12.
(Note: This
convoy of three mercantiles from Port Said and one from Haifa was part of a
diversionary
operation during Operation PEDESTAL to pass a relief convoy to
Malta from
Gibraltar.)
September
3rd Preparation for
support of military operation at Tobruk (Operation AGREEMENT).
12th Embarked Royal
Marines for assault landings at Tobruk.
13th Supported landings
with HM Destroyers ALDENHAM, EXMOOR, HURWORTH, SIKH and
ZULU.
14th Returned to
Alexandria with HMS DULVERTON, EXMOOR and HURWORTH after loss of
HM Cruiser
COVENTRY.
(For details of
this poorly planned and questionable operation see MASSACRE AT TOBRUK
by P. Smith and
above references.).
October Deployed in Eastern
Mediterranean with Flotilla for convoy defence, patrol and bombardment
support of
military operations.
Nominated for
escort duty in Indian Ocean and took passage to Aden with sister HUNT
Class destroyer
HMS TETCOTT.
14th Joined HM Armed
Merchant Cruiser RANCHI with HMS TETCOTT as Ocean Escort for
military convoy
WS22
16th Detached from WS22 on
arrival at Aden and returned to Alexandria to rejoin the Flotilla in
Mediterranean
Fleet
November Eastern Mediterranean Fleet
duties with Flotilla in continuation.
17th Joined Malta Relief
Convoy MW13 with HM Destroyers ALDENHAM, BELVOIR, CROOME,
DULVERTON,
EXMOOR, HURSLEY, HURWORTH, TETCOTT and Greek PINDOS as
Close Escort.
(Operation STONEAGE).
18th Under air attack
during which HM Cruiser ARETHUSA was torpedoed and returned to
Alexandria.
20th Detached from MW13 on
arrival in Malta and returned to Alexandria with ships of dose Escort
December Deployed at Alexandria
(Note: Not
included with escort for Convoy MW14 (Operation PORTCULLIS or MW12
(Operation
QUADRANGLE
1 9 4 3
January Deployment on convoy
defence, patrol and support of Eighth Array operations.
to
April
May Imposed a blockade on
Cape Bon area with destroyers of Mediterranean Fleet to prevent passage
of craft
evacuating enemy troops. (Operation RETRIBUTION).
June Transferred to Malta
for escort of military convoys in preparation for allied landings in Sicily.
(Operation HUSKY)
July Passage to
Alexandria for escort of assault convoy to Sicily
Joined Support
Force East for landings in Sicily by 1st British Airborne Divn SW of Syracuse.
Allocated for
service in Escort Group P.
5th Deployed at Port
Said for escort of military convoy MWF36.
8th Detached to refuel.
9th Rejoined KMF36
escort.
10th On arrival off
beachhead detached from MWF36 and deployed off Sicily during landings
Provided naval
gunfire support, carried out defensive patrol against E-Boat and air attacks on
shipping off
beach heads.
(For details see
Naval Staff History, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and BRITISH
INVASION fleets
by J de Winser.).
August On release from HUSKY
nominated for support of planned allied landings at Salerno, Italy with
Northern Attack
Force (TF85).
Deployed for
escort of military convoys.
September
6th Deployed at Tripoli
for escort of military convoy TSF1 during passage to Salerno.
9th On arrival at beach
head deployed with Flotilla for support of landings.
to Provided naval
gunfire support and carried out defensive patrols.
15th (For details see
above references)
October Transferred to
Alexandria with ships of Flotilla for support of operations in Aegean after
Italian
surrender.
(Note: British
troops were to be landed on Islands to prevent any attempt to
land German
troops)
10th Deployed on
interception patrols to prevent landings.
Under heavy air
attacks.
12th Deployed with HM
Cruiser PHOEBE and HM Destroyer BELVOIR to locate a convoy but
withdrew after
coming under air attacks.
15th Carried cut
unsuccessful search with HM Destroyer BELVOIR for two merchant ships and a
landing craft
taking enemy reinforcements to Cos.
17th Escorted HM Cruiser
SIRIUS with HM Destroyers PATHFINDER and ECLIPSE to Leros
taking
reinforcement to garrison.
After joining HM
Cruiser AURORA came under a further series of air attacks during which HMS
SIRIUS was hit.
19th Bombarded Cos with HM
Destroyers FURY and HURWORTH.
20th After laying in
Turkish waters in daylight to avoid air attacks carried out an interception
patrol.
21st Landed troops at
Alinda Bay with HMS FURY.
Bombarded Cos
harbour being used by German invasion craft.
Under air
attacks.
22nd Formed NETTLE Force
with HM Cruiser AURORA, HMS FURY and HMS HURWORTH to
carry out an
interception sweep with air cover.
26th Deployed with HM
Destroyers FAULKNOR and BELVOIR on patrol in Rhodes Channel.
Laid up during
daylight in Gulf of Cos.
29th Embarked 60 soldiers
and Jeep for passage to Casteloriso and sailed with HM Destroyers
PETARD and
BELVOIR.
Met HM Cruiser
AURORA in Turkish waters.
Under heavy air
attacks during which HMS AURORA was hit and set on fire.
30th Returned to
Alexandria as escort for the damaged HMS AURORA.
November Deployment in support of
Aegean operations in continuation..
10th Under air attacks on
passage to bombard Cos harbour with Greek destroyer PINDOS and
HMS FAULKNOR.
11th Bombarded Cos Harbour
before taking shelter in Turkish waters.
12th Remained in Turkish
waters because of domination of German aircraft.
13th Bombarded German
positions en Mount Clidi, Leros in support of army
units.
14th Returned to
Alexandria
(Note on Aegean
Islands operations in 1943.
The arrival of
German reinforcements ended the defence of Leros and all naval support
operations ended
when the island fell on 16th November.
For details of
these ill-fated and desperately conducted events see ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY and
WAR IN THE AEGEAN by P Smith and E Walker.)
December Transferred for duty in
central Mediterranean for convoy escort and support.
Based at Algiers
with HM Destroyers ALDENHAM, BELVOIR and the Greek KANARIS.
Deployed for
escort of convoys between North African ports and Naples.
1 9 4 4
January Nominated to join
Northern Attack Force P for escort and support during planned allied
landings at Anzio
(Operation SHINGLE).
21st Sailed from Naples
with Attack Force P.
22nd Present during assault
phase and carried cut defensive patrol and AA defence.
(See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff History.
February Deployed for escort,
patrol and support duty for military land operations.
to Nominated for
support of planned allied landings in South France under overall US Navy
July Navy command
(Operation DRAGOON – formerly ANVIL)
August Prepared for support
duties.
13th Escorted troop
convoys SM2 from Naples for landings in South France.
15th Deployed with allied
destroyers for escort of follow-up convoys to beachheads.
(For details see
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and LANDINGS IN SOUTH
FRANCE (HMSO).
Released from US
Navy command and reverted to CinC Mediterranean command.
September Deployed at Alexandria for
support of the reoccupation of Aegean Islands and for interception
to of evacuation craft
taking German forces back to mainland.
October Provided naval gunfire
support.
November Deployed in continuation
for support of military during reoccupation of Greek mainland.
to (Operation MANNA -
See Military History (HMSO)).
December
1 9 4 5
January Deployed in central
Mediterranean in support of military operations and for the defence of
to convoys.
April (Note: U-Boats were
still active in Mediterranean..
Future deployment
with Eastern Fleet under consideration.
May Passage to UK for
refit in commercial shipyard at Cardiff.
June Prepared for refit.
10th Taken in hand for
refit.
July Under refit.
to
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS BEAUFORT completed refit en
24th September 1945 and carried out post refit trials. The ship did not remain
operational for many weeks as she was Paid off and reduced to Reserve status at
Devonport. After being laid up there for five years,
in 1951 she was lent to the Royal Norwegian Navy and renamed HAUGESAND on
completion of refit on the Tyne. Later the ship, re-designated as a Frigate was
purchased outright. Modifications were made to fit a Lattice Mast and two SQUID
A/S Mortars were fitted in lieu of "X" Gun. Her new Pennant Number
was F312 for her Norwegian service and she remained .operational until 1965
when she was taken out of service.
Special Note
Details of escorts for WS series convoys were provided by
Donald Kindell, Ohio USA from an unpublished source.
This is gratefully acknowledged.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS BEAUFORT
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
20/02/42
|
20/02/42
|
AT 029/M
|
23/02/42
|
unknown
|
23/02/42
|
23/02/42
|
TA 022/M
|
25/02/42
|
25/02/42
|
16/03/42
|
16/03/42
|
AT 034/M
|
18/02/43
|
18/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
TA 029/M
|
20/03/42
|
unknown
|
30/03/42
|
30/03/42
|
AT 036/M
|
02/04/42
|
02/04/42
|
03/04/42
|
03/04/42
|
TA 031/M
|
04/04/42
|
04/04/42
|
14/04/42
|
14/04/42
|
AT 038/M
|
15/04/42
|
15/04/42
|
15/04/42
|
15/04/42
|
TA 034/M
|
17/04/42
|
unknown
|
19/04/42
|
19/04/42
|
AT 040/M
|
20/04/42
|
20/04/42
|
22/04/42
|
22/04/42
|
TA 036/M
|
24/04/42
|
24/04/42
|
02/05/42
|
03/05/42
|
AT 043/M
|
04/05/42
|
04/05/42
|
05/05/42
|
05/05/42
|
TA 040/M
|
07/05/42
|
07/05/42
|
13/05/42
|
13/05/42
|
AT 045/M
|
15/05/42
|
15/05/42
|
15/05/42
|
15/05/42
|
TA 041/M
|
17/05/42
|
unknown
|
11/06/42
|
11/06/42
|
MW 011
|
16/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
25/10/42
|
25/10/42
|
AP 004
|
28/10/42
|
unknown
|
07/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
ME 011
|
11/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
17/12/42
|
17/12/42
|
MW 017
|
20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
28/12/42
|
28/12/42
|
ME 014
|
01/01/43
|
01/01/43
|
07/01/43
|
07/01/43
|
MW 019
|
11/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
13/01/43
|
13/01/43
|
ME 015
|
18/01/43
|
18/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
MH 003/M
|
26/01/43
|
26/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
ME 016
|
01/02/43
|
01/02/43
|
02/04/43
|
02/04/43
|
TX 006/1
|
03/04/43
|
03/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
03/04/43
|
ME 022
|
06/04/43
|
06/04/43
|
31/05/43
|
08/06/43
|
KMS 015
|
14/06/43
|
14/06/43
|
18/06/43
|
18/06/43
|
XTG 002
|
24/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
05/07/43
|
05/07/43
|
MWF 036
|
10/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
MEF 037
|
17/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
20/07/43
|
20/07/43
|
MWF 038
|
24/07/43
|
24/07/43
|
24/07/43
|
24/07/43
|
MEF 038
|
28/07/43
|
28/07/43
|
19/08/43
|
19/08/43
|
MKF 022
|
25/08/43
|
09/09/43
|
06/09/43
|
06/09/43
|
TSF 001
|
09/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
20/09/43
|
20/09/43
|
XIF 001
|
24/09/43
|
24/09/43
|
05/09/43
|
22/09/43
|
UGS 017
|
03/10/43
|
03/10/43
|
17/09/43
|
25/09/43
|
MKF 024
|
29/09/43
|
07/10/43
|
17/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
MKF 026
|
30/11/43
|
09/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
XT 013
|
unknown
|
05/01/44
|
20/01/44
|
28/01/44
|
MKF 028
|
31/01/44
|
07/02/44
|
07/02/44
|
07/02/44
|
SNF 014
|
11/02/44
|
11/02/44
|
21/02/44
|
21/02/44
|
SNF 015
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
26/02/44
|
GUS 031
|
26/02/44
|
18/03/44
|
21/02/44
|
27/02/44
|
KMF 029
|
02/03/44
|
05/03/44
|
18/02/44
|
01/03/44
|
UGS 033A
|
03/03/44
|
29/02/44
|
11/03/44
|
11/03/44
|
XIF 011
|
16/03/44
|
16/03/44
|
16/03/44
|
17/03/44
|
IXF 011
|
20/03/44
|
21/03/44
|
23/03/44
|
unknown
|
XIF 012
|
unknown
|
28/03/44
|
08/04/44
|
08/04/44
|
MKF 030
|
15/04/44
|
21/04/44
|
17/04/44
|
17/04/44
|
NSF 020
|
20/04/44
|
20/04/44
|
21/04/44
|
21/04/44
|
SNF 020
|
24/04/44
|
24/04/44
|
25/04/44
|
25/04/44
|
KMS 048
|
04/05/44
|
05/05/44
|
30/04/44
|
30/04/44
|
NSF 021
|
03/05/44
|
03/05/44
|
04/05/44
|
04/05/44
|
SNF 021
|
07/05/44
|
07/05/44
|
04/07/44
|
04/07/44
|
SNF 026
|
06/07/44
|
06/07/44
|
07/07/44
|
07/07/44
|
NSF 026A
|
08/07/44
|
08/07/44
|
13/08/44
|
13/08/44
|
SM 002A
|
15/08/44
|
15/08/44
|
19/08/44
|
19/08/44
|
SRM 003
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)