Type II HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Swan
Hunter at Wallsend on 20th December
1939 under the 1939 War Emergency Programme with 16 others of this Class. She
was laid down as Job No J4190 on 7th June 1940.
The ship was launched on 12th March 1941
as HMS BURTON after a Derbyshire , fox-hunt and was
the first RN ship to carry this name. However in June 1941 her name was changed
to HMS EXMOOR following the tragic loss of the 2nd ship of this name in
February 1941. Her build was on 18th October 1941 and following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in
March 1942 the ship was adopted by the civil community of Minehead, in Somerset. This was a particularly appropriate selection since this
is the name of a Somerset foxhunt.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
NORTH
SEA 1941* -
ATLANTIC
1941-42 - LIBYA
1912 -
SICILY
1943 -
SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1943 - MEDITERRANEAN 1944
(* awarded to HMS EXMOOR (i))
H e r a l d i c D a t
a
Badge: On a Field Red., two
foxes brushes in Saltire
between two mullets 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 Contractors
trials and commissioned for service.
18th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
Passage to Scapa
Flow on completion of trials and storing.
November Nominated for
service at Gibraltar for convoy defence on completion of work-up with ships
of
Home Fleet.
Passage to Londonderry.
13th Joined
military convoy WS12Z with HM Destroyers BADSWORTH, VANQUISHER and
WITCH
as Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches
17th Detached from WS12Z and returned to Clyde area.
December Passage to
Gibraltar for service with 13th Destroyer Flotilla.
Joined Flotilla with HM Escort Destroyers BLANKNEY and CROOME.
(Note: This deployment part, of changes made necessary by the transfer
of the 4th Destroyer
Flotilla from Gibraltar to UK.
14th Deployed
to reinforce escort of Convoy HG76 by the 36th Escort Group.
(Note: This convoy been selected by U-Boat Command for heavy attacks by
submarines
from
bases in French ports.
The
defence of HG76 was of particular significance..
HM
Escort Aircraft Carrier AUDACITY which had started service in September
was
part of the escort.
Escort was commanded by the renowned Commander F J Walker who had developed
many of the tactics used for defence of Atlantic
convoys.
See THE BATTLE THE ATLANTIC by Donald Macintyre.
THE FIGHTING CAPTAIN
by A. Burn and SEEK AND STRIKE by
W Hackmann.).
17th Took part
in the sinking of U131 with HM Corvette PENTSTEMON, HM Destroyer STANLEY
and
HM Escort Destroyer BLANKNEY.
The
Submarine was scuttled by her crew who ware all rescued.
See
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
18th Detached
from escort and returned to Gibraltar.
1 9 4 2
January Joined 37th
Destroyer Division for convoy escort in Atlantic Ocean and western
Mediterranean.
Deployed for convoy defence and anti-submarine patrol duties.
February Gibraltar
deployment in continuation.
27th Detached
for duty with Force H.
Deployed as screen for HM Battleship MALAYA, HM
Aircraft Carriers ARGUS, EAGLE, HM
Cruiser HERMIONE with HM Destroyers LAFOREY,
LIGHTING, ACTIVE, ANTHONY
WHITEHALL, WISHART, BLANKNEY and CROOME to
provide cover for delivery of
SPITFIRE and BLENHEIM aircraft to Malta
(Operation SPOTTER I).
28th Operation
cancelled due to discovery of defects in aircraft fuel tanks.
March Flotilla,
duties in continuation.
6th Detached
for duty with Force H.
Joined escort for ships covering repeat SPOTTER I Malta aircraft delivery.
(Operation SPOTTER II)
. 8th Resumed
Flotilla duties
. 20th Detached
for duty with Force H.
Joined destroyer screen for HMS
MALAYA, HMS ARGUS, HMS EAGLE and HMS
HERMIONE with HM Destroyers LAFOREY,
DUNCAN,
ACTIVE, ANTHONY, WHITEHALL,
WISHART, BLANKNEY and CROOME during delivery of SPITFIRE, BLENHEIM and
BEAUFORT aircraft to Malta.
(Operation PICKET 1).
23rd Resumed
Flotilla duties
28th Detached
for duty with Force H.
Joined escort for repeat delivery of aircraft to Malta with same ships
(Operation PICKET II).
30th Resumed
Flotilla duties.
April
1st
Transferred with HMS CROOME to 9th Destroyer Flotilla based at
Alexandria.
Took
passage from Gibraltar to join the Mediterranean Fleet.
8th Retained
temporarily at Freetown for Local Escort duty.
11th Deployed
with HM Destroyer CROOME, WILD SWAN, HM Corvettes HYDRANGEA,
Free
French Corvettes COMMANDANTE DROGU, COMMANDANTE DETROYAT as Local
Escort of military Convoy WS17B off
West Africa during passage to Caps of Good Hope.
15th Detached
from WSI7B with COMMANDANTE DETROYAT and returned to
Freetown.
25th Passage
to Red Sea via Cape of Good Hope to join Flotilla at Alexandria
May On arrival
joined 5th Destroyer Flotilla and deployed for convoy defence in eastern
Mediterranean for convoy defence and support of the garrison at Tobruk.
June Tobruk
garrison support in continuation with ships of Flotilla.
Nominated for escort of Malta Relief convoy MW11 (Operation VIGOROUS).
(Editor's Note: check
The Supply of Malta by Arnold
Hague for details.)
13th Joined HM
Destroyers JERVIS, KELVIN, JAVELIN, PAKENHAM, PALADIN,
INCONSTANT HASTY,
SIKH, ZULU, HERO, FORTUNE,
GRIFFIN
and HOTSPUR,
HM
Australian Destroyers NAPIER, NESTOR and NORMAN with HM Escort Destroyers
DULVERTON, CROOME, BEAUFORT,
ERIDGE, AIREDALE, HURWORTH, TETCOTT and
ALDENHAM of Flotilla as escort for MW11.
(Note: HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE, BIRMINGHAM, CLEOPATRA, DIDO, HERMIONE,
EURYALUS,
ARETHUSA. COVENTRY and
HM Battleship CENTURION disguised
as a
KING GEORGE V
Class ship were also deployed to provide cover against surface
attack.
Four
FLOWER Class
Corvettes and two BANGOR Class Minesweepers also formed
part
of the operation
to provide vital support of the
Malta defenders).
14th Under
sustained air attacks before nightfall after which aircraft dropped flares to illuminate the
convoy for E-Boat attacks.
15th Under
E-Boat attacks and renewed air attacks after daylight and threat of surface
attack by
Italian heavy units.
Operation abandoned after further E-Boat and air attacks.
(Note: This was a disastrous operation.
. The
extent of air cover was completely inadequate and a series of conflicting
instructions
from
ashore made its successful conclusion unlikely despite the calibre of Rear
Admiral
P
Vian who was in command at sea)
For
full details of the action and its severe losses see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, THE
BATTLE
FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN,
MALTA
CONVOYS by R Woodman and Naval Staff History).
22nd Resumed
Flotilla duties at Alexandria.
July Deployed
for escort of convoys and support of Tobruk.
to
Bombarded shore targets in support of military operations.
August
September Nominated for
support of planned attack on German garrison at Tobruk
(Operation AGREEMENT).
12th Embarked
Royal Marines for passage to Tobruk.
Sailed with m Destroyers SIKH and ZULU,
13th Bombarded
shore targets and came under fire from shore batteries.
14th After
loss of HM Cruiser COVENTRY, returned to Alexandria to refuel and re-arm.
Took
passage with HM Escort Destroyers DULVERTON, BEAUFORT and HURWORTH.
(Note: Operation AGREEMENT was yet another disaster .
Its
complete failure was due to a combination of lack of adequate planning and poor
execution after it became evident that the German garrison was wall prepared for
this
assault by Commando units.
Full
details of this operation are available in MASSACRE AT TOBRUK by GC
Connell and Naval Staff History)
October Flotilla
duties in support of military operations (Operation LIGHTFOOT)
20th Deployed
for escort duty during diversionary landing at Ras-el-Kanais.
November Deployed with
ships of Flotilla, for convoy escort and interception patrol duty In
eastern
Mediterranean.
17th Joined
Convoy MW13 as Close Escort during passage to
Malta in
place of Destroyers from
Mediterranean Fleet with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, BELVOIR,
and
Greek PINDOS.
(Operation STONEAGE - First westbound convoy since VIGOROUS - See above
18th HM
Cruisers ARETHUSA, CLEOPATRA, DIDO, ORION and Fleet Destroyers rejoined
MW13.
Under
air attack during which HMS ARETHUSA was torpedoed and had to return under
tow
to
Alexandria.
19th Fleet
units detached and returned to Alexandria.
20th Convoy
arrived in Malta
21st Took
passage to Alexandria with ships of Close Escort
December
1st
Escorted Convoy MW14 with HM Escort Destroyers BELVOIR, CROOME, HURSLEY,
TETCOTT and Greek PINDOS (Operation PORTCULLIS)
2nd Fleet
covering force joined MW14.
4th Force K
from Malta Joined MW14
5th Detached
on arrival of MW14 in Malta.
7th Deployed
as Escort for return Convoy ME11 to
Egypt with HM
Cruiser ORION, HM
Destroyers PAKENHAM, PETARD and Greek VASILISSA
OLGA, HM Escort Destroyers
BELVOIR, ALDENHAM, CROOME,, DULVERTON, HURSLEY, TETCOTT and Greek
PINDOS.
9th Detached
with HMS ORION, HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, CROOME,
DULVERTON and HURSLEY to Escort
Convoy MW15 then on passage to
Malta.
(Operation QUADRANGLE A - This was the last
Malta relief convoy to make
direct passage
to
the island, those following joined coastal convoys to Tripoli and then onwards
to Malta.)
1 9 4 3
January Flotilla
deployment in Eastern Mediterranean.
to Supported military operations by 8th Army in Libya
and Tunisia.
March
April
Transferred to Malta for
support of military operations and convoy defence.
May Flotilla
duties based in Malta in
continuation.
7th Deployed
with ships of Flotilla, HM Destroyers NUBIAN, PALADIN, PETARD, JERV1S of
to Force
K based in
Malta, HM Destroyers
LAFOREY, LOYAL, TARTAR and Polish ORP
13th
BLYSKAWICA of Force
Q based at Bone, and ships of Flotilla, to establish
blockade of
Cape
Bon area.
(Operation RETRIBUTION – See above references,)
(Note: Other Escort Destroyers engaged in this Operation to intercept craft
carrying out
evacuation of enemy troops from Tunisia included: HM Escort Destroyers
ZETLAND, LAMERTON, ALDENHAM, HURSLEY, DULVERTON,
LAUDERDALE, WILTON and Greek KANARIS (Ex HATHERLEIGH).
June Nominated
for escort and support of planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY)
(Note:
Improved air cover was available to minimise threat of
air attack on convoys during
passage of military convoys from Egypt.
For
details see above references and THE LAST DESTROYER by F. A. Mason).
July
Nominated for duty in Support Force East as part of Escort Group P during allied
landings in
Sicily.
(Operation HUSKY - ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, Naval Staff History
and
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)
Passage to Port Said
5th Sailed
from Port Said as part of escort for assault convoy MWF36
8th Detached
from MWF36 to refuel.
9th Rejoined
MWF36
10th Detached
from MWF36 on arrival at BARK WEST Beach Head.
Provided AA defence and carried out patrols to intercept any attempt to
interfere with landings
11th In action
against shore defences at Augusta, Sicily during attempt, to enter harbour
with HM
Destroyer ESKIMO and Greek Escort Destroyer KANARIS.
(See above references,)
August
Deployed for convoy escort and patrol in
Central Mediterranean.
Nominated for escort and support during planned assault landings on Italian
mainland as part
of
Northern Attack
Force (Operation AVALANCHE).
Joined Task Force 65 with HM Destroyers LAFOREY, LOOKOUT, LOYAL, NUBIAN and
TARTAR of 19th
Destroyer Flotilla, HM Escort Destroyers MENDIP, DULVERTON,
TETCOTT, BELVOIR, BROCKLESBY, QUANTOCK, BLACKMORE, BRECON,
BEAUFORT, LEDBURY and Greek PINDOS (Ex HATHERLEIGH)
September Passage to Tripoli
6th Sailed from Tripoli
as part of escort for military Convoy TSF1 during passage to beach head.
10th Detached from TSF1 on
arrival and provided AA defence for ships in anchorage
with naval
to gunfire
support,.
16th Carried
out defensive patrols to prevent attacks by E-Boats on ships laying off the
beach heads
October Transferred
to Eastern Mediterranean with ships of 5th Destroyer Flotilla for
support of
military operations in defence of Aegean Islands after British troops
landed following the
Italian surrender.
24th Sailed
from Alexandria with HM Cruiser AURORA, HM Destroyers PATHFINDER and
BLENCATHRA to relieve HM Cruiser PHOEBE , HMS ALDENHAM and HMS
HURSLEY in support
of defence of
Aegean Islands.
Deployed for interception patrols and supply to garrison.
November Continued
patrol and support role in Aegean.
(Note: Laid-up during daytime in bays around
Turkish coast to avoid air attacks.
8th Carried
out patrols in Aegean to intercept craft taking German troops to land on
Aegean
islands.
9th Searched
unsuccessfully for invasion craft on passage to Levitha with HM Destroyers FURY
and
BLENCATHRA.
Laid-up in Gulf of Doris on completion.
13th Embarked
10 tons of ammunition in Alexandria for Leros.
14th Took
passage with HM Destroyer FURY and Polish Escort Destroyer KRAKOWIAK
(Ex
HMS SILVERTON) to Limassol.
Recalled during passage to Leros from Limassol when surrender of Garrison became
inevitable.
24th Took part in support
of diversionary operation (RUMBLE BUMBLE)
December
4th Deployed
with HM Destroyer ALDENHAM to relieve HM Destroyers
PENN and PETARD
as
escort for damaged Greek destroyer ADR1AS during passage to Alexandria from
Limassol
6th Arrived
at Alexandria.
(For
details of this operation see WAR IN THE AEGEAN by Peter Smith and
Edwyn
Walker).
Nominated for service with 22nd Destroyer Flotilla based in Algiers,
Took
passage to Algiers.
31st
Deployed in central
Mediterranean with Flotilla for anti-submarine patrol and support of
military
1 9 4 4
January Flotilla
duties in continuation.
February Nominated for
convoy escort and support of planned allied landings at Anzio.
(Operation SHINGLE – For details see above references)
Escorted convoys to Anzio and provided AA defence off beachheads during build-up Phase
of
SHINGLE.
March Deployment
for anti-submarine patrol and convoy defence in continuation.
10th Took part
in sinking of U450 with HM Escort Destroyers BLANKNEY, BLENCATHRA and
BRECON in position 41.11N, 12.27E off Anzio.
Some
survivors were rescued by ships
of the attacking group.
For
details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
April
Deployment for Mediterranean convoy defence in continuation.
to
September
October Deployed for
escort of military convoys to Greek mainland.
Transferred to 3rd Destroyer Flotilla as Leader with HMS LIDDESDALE and other
HUNT
Class
Escort Destroyers
(Operation MANNA – See Military History of War (HMSO)
and Naval Staff History).
November Deployed in
eastern Mediterranean fore convoy defence and support of military operations.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Flotilla
deployment in continuation.
to Carried
out interception patrol and support duty in Aegean during re-occupation of
islands and
February Greek
mainland.
Deployed with HMS LEDBURY and HMS TETCOTT of Flotilla
to support Greek military unit
sent
to Nisero, Dodecanese to destroy German raiding force..
March Flotilla
support deployment duties in continuation.
to Carried
out patrols for interception of craft evacuating German forces from Aegean
islands,
April Passage
to Taranto for refit.
May Under
refit
Nominated as Reserve for service in Eastern Fleet.
(Note: Other
ships of the Flotilla were retained in the Mediterranean
June Resumed
Flotilla duties on completion of refit.
1st Took passage to UK
to prepare for foreign service.
On
arrival taken in hand for further refit in commercial shipyard at Royal Albert
Docks, London.
August Requirement
for foreign service and refit cancelled
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS EXMOOR (ii)
Paid off and
reduced to Reserve status at Portsmouth in November 1945. This ship remained
laid-up there and placed on the Sales List in 1953. Sold to Denmark she was
renamed VELDEMAR SEJR during Danish naval service .In 1962 she was placed on
the Disposal List and sold for demolition locally in 1966.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS EXMOOR (ii)
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
14/12/41
|
14/12/41
|
HG 076
|
18/12/41
|
30/12/41
|
10/01/42
|
23/01/42
|
OG 078
|
24/01/42
|
24/01/42
|
23/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
TA 044/M
|
25/05/42
|
25/05/42
|
11/06/42
|
13/06/42
|
MW 011
|
12/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
01/12/42
|
01/12/42
|
MW 014
|
05/12/42
|
05/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
ME 011
|
09/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
06/12/42
|
09/12/42
|
MW 015
|
10/12/42
|
09/12/42
|
09/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
MW 016
|
12/12/42
|
12/12/42
|
17/12/42
|
17/12/42
|
ME 012
|
20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
28/12/42
|
28/12/42
|
MW 018
|
02/01/43
|
02/01/43
|
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
|
01/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
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
|
12/07/43
|
07/08/43
|
UGS 012
|
09/08/43
|
10/08/43
|
29/07/43
|
07/08/43
|
KMS 021
|
09/08/43
|
10/08/43
|
06/09/43
|
06/09/43
|
TSF 001
|
09/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
16/12/43
|
16/12/43
|
MKF 027
|
unknown
|
04/01/44
|
16/12/43
|
26/12/43
|
KMF 027
|
30/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
20/01/44
|
20/01/44
|
XIF 008
|
25/01/44
|
25/01/44
|
20/01/44
|
21/01/44
|
MKF 028
|
31/01/44
|
07/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
VN 024
|
29/02/44
|
29/02/44
|
29/04/44
|
09/05/44
|
MKS 048
|
10/05/44
|
10/05/44
|
05/05/44
|
13/05/44
|
KMF 031
|
19/05/44
|
19/05/44
|
22/05/44
|
23/05/44
|
XIF 015
|
28/05/44
|
28/05/44
|
28/05/44
|
unknown
|
IXF 015
|
unknown
|
01/06/44
|
21/06/44
|
21/06/44
|
MKF 032
|
27/06/44
|
04/07/44
|
07/07/44
|
07/07/44
|
NSF 026A
|
08/07/44
|
08/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
NSF 027
|
16/07/44
|
16/07/44
|
17/07/44
|
17/07/44
|
SNF 027
|
21/07/44
|
21/07/44
|
18/07/44
|
28/07/44
|
KMF 033
|
30/07/44
|
31/07/44
|
28/07/44
|
unknown
|
XIF 019
|
unknown
|
03/08/44
|
07/08/44
|
07/08/44
|
XIF 019A
|
12/08/44
|
12/08/44
|
11/08/44
|
11/08/44
|
IXF 019
|
15/08/44
|
15/08/44
|
19/08/44
|
19/08/44
|
XIF 020
|
23/08/44
|
23/08/44
|
24/08/44
|
unknown
|
IXF 020
|
unknown
|
28/08/44
|
03/09/44
|
03/09/44
|
MKF 034
|
07/09/44
|
14/09/44
|
30/09/44
|
unknown
|
IXF 022
|
unknown
|
04/10/44
|
01/10/44
|
08/10/44
|
KMF 035
|
11/10/44
|
11/10/44
|
18/10/44
|
unknown
|
XIF 023
|
unknown
|
23/10/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)