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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

Greek HHelMS PINDOS (L 65), ex-HMS BOLEBROKE -  Type III, Hunt-class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Limbourne, Type III sister ship  (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Type III HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Swan Hunter at Newcastle  on  28th July 1940 and laid down on 3rd April 1941 as Job Number J4284. The ship was launched on 5th November 1941 as the first RN ship to carry the name, that of a Kent fox-hunt. Before completion she was transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy on 18th May 1942 on loan and renamed HHelMS PINDOS. Commissioned on 4th June 1942, build was completed on 27th June 1942 and after her Acceptance Trials she was prepared for service with the Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

No British Battle Honours were awarded as

the ship served in an allied Navy

 

Ship Badge

None is included in the Official List of Heraldic

Crests for RN warships as she was never

in commission with the Royal Navy.

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e   a s   H  H e l  M  S   P I N D O S

 

(for more ship information,  go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

  

1 9 4 2

 

June

 

4th - Commissioned under Greek Navy command as HHelMS PINDOS.

 

July

 

Contractors Trials.

 

27th - Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

 

On completion of trials and storing took passage to Scapa Flow.

 

August

 

Work-up for operational service with ships of the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow..

 

12th - Deployed as escort for 28th Motor Launch Flotilla during passage from Milford Haven to Gibraltar

 

20th - Detached from escorted craft on arrival at Gibraltar.

 

September

 

Passage from Gibraltar with HM Escort Destroyer DERWENT to join Ocean Escort for military Convoy WS22 on passage from Clyde to Freetown.

 

7th - Joined WS22 escort.

 

9th - Detached from WS22 with Ocean Escort on arrival at Freetown.

 

13th - Rejoined Ocean Escort for WS22 on departure from Freetown. (Note: HMS DERWENT rejoined WS22)

 

18th - Detached from WS22 escort with HMS DERWENT and took independent passage to join Fleet in Mediterranean.

 

October

 

Passage in Indian Ocean and calls at Durban and Kilindini

 

November

 

Passage in Red Sea

 

15th - Arrived at Alexandria for Fleet duties.

 

17th - Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, BELVOIR, CROOME, DULVERTON, EXMOOR, HURSLEY, HURWORTH and TETCOTT and relieved Fleet destroyers as escort for four mercantiles comprising Malta Relief Convoy MW 13. (Operation STONEAGE – This was the first Malta Convoy from Alexandria since the disastrous attempt to pass the VIGOROUS convoy in June 1942 - see MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman for details.)

 

18th - Under air attack off Derna during which HM Cruiser ARETHUSA was damaged by a torpedo and had to be towed back to Alexandria.

 

20th - Arrived in Malta with MW13 and escort.

 

21st - Took passage to Alexandria with same ships of MW13 Close Escort.

 

22nd - Arrived at Alexandria.

 

December

 

1st - Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BELVOIR, CROOME, EXMOOR, HURSLEY and TETCOTT as escort for Convoy MW14 during passage to Malta (Operation MH1 – See above reference.)

 

4th - Joined by Force K ships from Malta to provide cover during remainder of passage. (Note: Force K comprised HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA, DIDO, EURYALUS with HM Destroyers JAVELIN, JERVIS, KELVIN and NUBIAN as screen.)

 

5th - Arrived in Malta with MW14, escort and covering ships of Force K.

 

7th - Sailed from Malta as escort for Convoy ME11 during passage to Alexandria with HM Cruiser ORION, HM Destroyers PAKENHAM, PETARD, Greek VASILISSA OLGA, HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BELVOIR, CROOME, DULVERTON, EXMOOR, HURSLEY and TETCOTT (Operation MH2) (Note: MW 14 comprised nine mercantiles returning empty and was the last convoy routed direct to Alexandria from the island. Later convoys were routed via BENGHAZI.)

 

19th - Passage to Malta as part of escort for Convoy MW17.

 

21st - Arrived in Malta with MW17 (Operation QUADRANGLE B).

 

28th - Sailed from Malta as part of escort for Convoy ME14 (Note: There was no Convoy ME13)

 

31st - Deployed at Alexandria.

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

January

 

16th - Sailed from Alexandria as part of Convoy ME16 during passage to Malta (Note: ME17 comprised a mercantile tanker.)

 

26th - Deployed in Malta.

 

February

 

Coastal convoy Escort in continuation

 

27th - Transferred to 5th Destroyer Flotilla and joined HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, BELVOIR, HHelMS KANARIS (Ex HM Escort Destroyer HATHERLEIGH) and HHelMS MIAOULIS (Ex HMS MODBURY)

 

March to April

 

Coastal convoy defence in continuation

 

May

 

Transferred with Flotilla to Algiers for convoy defence and support in western Mediterranean.

 

June

 

Algiers deployment in continuation. Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY – For details see Naval Staff History and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser for information on all ships involved.)

 

July

 

Preparations for HUSKY. Deployed as part of escort for assault convoy during passage to British Beach Head in Sicily

 

10th - Deployed in Assault area to provide AA defence, gunfire support and for escort of Build-up convoys. (Note: Destroyers also carried out patrols to intercept any attempt by surface craft to interfere with landings.)

 

August

 

On release from AVALANCHE resumed Flotilla duties for convoy defence in central Mediterranean based in Malta

 

21st - Deployed as escort for Convoy KMF22 with HM Escort Destroyer EASTON during passage in central Mediterranean to Gibraltar.

 

22nd - Assisted HMS EASTON in depth charge attacks on U458 which had come under attacks by U458. (Note: When submarine driven to the surface it was rammed and sunk by HMS EASTON which sustained major structural damage forward and was disabled. 43 of submarine crew were rescued.)

 

Took HMS EASTON in tow to Malta for repair.

 

26th - Resumed Flotilla duties

 

September

 

Nominated for support of planned allied landings at Salerno with ships of Flotilla as part of Northern Attack Force (Operation AVALANCHE) – See above references for details).

 

Prepared for AVALANCHE.

 

8th - Deployed as part of escort for assault convoy during passage to beachhead.

 

9th - Present at landings and provided inshore gunfire support and AA defence to anchorage. (Note: Later deployed for interception patrols and convoy defence.)

 

Transferred to Alexandria with ships of Flotilla for support of operations in Aegean Islands. (Operation ACCOLADE) (Note: German forces were being deployed to land troops to replace Italian garrisons in islands).

 

Passage to Alexandria

 

October

 

Deployed in support of military operations in Aegean for transport of troops and stores as well as interception patrol as part of 8th Destroyer Flotilla..

 

1st - Sailed from Alexandria with HMS ALDENHAM and HHelMS THEMISTOCLES.

 

3rd - Unable to carry out interception of invasion craft carrying German troops reported by air reconnaissance due to lack of fuel.

 

November

 

Aegean deployment in continuation.

 

2nd - Landed stores at Leros.

 

4th - Landed stores at Leros

 

11th - Under air attacks near Kos without damage

 

12th - Laid-up in Turkish waters during daylight.

 

13th - Deployed in unsuccessful search for invasion convoy with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, BEAUFORT, HM MTB' 's 315 and 263.

 

14th - Returned to Alexandria.

 

17th - Withdrawn from Aegean operations after British forces surrendered.

 

December

 

Deployed at Alexandria

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January to May

 

Alexandria deployment in continuation (Note: During this period other HUNT Class escort destroyers were deployed at Algiers and in Malta. Area of deployment of this ship is to be confirmed.)

 

In April some Greek manned destroyers were involved in unrest amongst their ship 's companies. One source records that on 5th April some of this ship's ratings were disarmed after mutinous conduct whilst at Alexandria after refusal to proceed to Taranto. Ship did not take part in landings at Anzio in January 1944 (Operation SHINGLE).

 

June

 

Nominated for support of planned allied landings in the south of France (Operation DRAGOON – For details see LANDINGS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE (HMSO) and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser).

 

July

 

Passage to Naples to prepare for DRAGOON.

 

August

 

Deployed at Naples. Nominated for escort of Convoy SM2 during passage from Naples to Assault Area.

 

13th - Joined Stores Convoy SM2 at Naples with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, WHADDON, BLACKMORE, EGGESFORD, LAUDERDALE and BELVOIR.

 

15th - Arrived in Assault Area.

 

23rd - Released from DRAGOON duty and returned to control of CinC Mediterranean.

 

September

 

Nominated for service with British Aegean Force at Alexandria. Passage to Alexandria. Joined British Aegean Force with Greek manned HUNT Class Escort Destroyers THEMISTOCLES, KRITI, KANARIS and MIAOULIS for support of re-occupation of Aegean Islands and Greek mainland (Operation MANNA) (Note: This operation included naval gunfire support of islands prior to landings, landing operations and interception of craft carrying out evacuation.).

 

October to November

 

Deployed for MANNA support in eastern Mediterranean

 

December

 

Deployed off Greek mainland in support of planned re-occupation and present when British troops landed at Piraeus

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January to May

 

Deployed for escort of military and mercantile convoys and as required provided support for re-occupation operations.

 

June to August

 

Deployed as required by Greek naval authority in Greek waters.

 

 

P o s t   W a r  N o t e s

 

HHMS PINDOS remained on loan to Royal Hellenic Navy after VJ Day. The ship served on the Active List until September 1959 when returned to RN and placed on the Disposal List. She was sold for demolition in Greece and towed a breaker’s yard during 1960.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HM Hellenic Ship PINDOS

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

 

 

 

 

 

01/12/42

01/12/42

MW 014

05/12/42

05/12/42

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

21/01/43

24/01/43

MH 003/M

26/01/43

26/01/43

27/01/43

27/01/43

ME 016

01/02/43

01/02/43

13/02/43

13/02/43

ME 017

15/02/43

18/02/43

01/03/43

01/03/43

MW 022

06/03/43

06/03/43

01/04/43

01/04/43

ME 022

06/04/43

06/04/43

24/05/43

30/05/43

GTX 001

unknown

04/06/43

03/08/43

03/08/43

MWF 039

07/08/43

10/08/43

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

21/09/43

XIF 001

24/09/43

24/09/43

17/09/43

26/09/43

MKF 024

29/09/43

07/10/43

06/10/43

06/10/43

XIF 002

09/10/43

09/10/43

16/11/43

unknown

XIF 004

unknown

20/11/43

17/11/43

17/11/43

MKF 026

21/11/43

09/12/43

22/11/43

unknown

MKS 032

unknown

03/12/43

23/03/44

unknown

XIF 012

unknown

28/03/44

29/03/44

unknown

IXF 012

01/04/44

02/04/44

26/12/43

29/12/43

GUS 026

30/12/44

24/01/44

30/12/43

30/12/43

XT 013

unknown

05/01/44

03/01/44

03/01/44

XIF 007

08/01/44

08/01/44

20/01/44

20/01/44

MKF 028

31/01/44

07/02/44

20/01/44

20/01/44

XIF 008

25/01/44

25/01/44

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

21/03/44

21/03/44

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

26/04/44

KMS 048

04/05/44

05/05/44

30/04/44

30/04/44

NSF 021

03/05/44

03/05/44

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)

 

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revised 12/8/11
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