Type I HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from John
Brown, Clydebank under 1939. Programme on 21st March 1939. The ship was laid down on 8th June that year and
launched on 14th February 1940 as the 2nd RN warship to carry the name, that of a fox-hunt in Wales. She was
completed on the 1st July 1940. In February 1942 after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign this
Escort Destroyer was adopted by the
civil
community of Wokingham in
Berkshire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
NORTH SEA 1941-45
- ENGLISH CHANNEL 1942-44 - DIEPPE 1942 - NORMANDY
1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field
Red. a
Pendant
from a cross-crosslet fitchy
White a bugle horn stringed 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 0
June
Contractor's sea trials and commissioned for service in 21st Destroyer Flotilla.
July
1st Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
On
completion of trials and storing took passage to work-up at Scapa Flow.
August
5th Deployed
with HM Cruiser CALCUTTA, HM Escort Destroyer BERKELEY and two Home
Fleet
destroyers as escort for ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron during lay of
minefield in SW
Approaches to Irish Sea (Operation SN32).
8th Joined
21st Destroyer Flotilla at Sheerness for convoy defence in
North Sea and
English Channel.
Nominated to join Force A for an attack by fireships on Channel ports.
(Operation LUCID)
(Note: This was later aborted).
During later escort of convoy in Straits of Dover laid smoke screen for its
protection against
bombardment by shore batteries in France.
Carried out anti-invasion patrols in Channel area.
31st Deployed with
ships of 5th Destroyer Flotilla after loss of HM Destroyer E3C during a
disastrous
attempt to lay minefield off Dutch (Operation CBX5).
Sighted HM Destroyer IVANHOE which was damaged and adrift.
Provided anti-submarine protection for HM Destroyer KELVIN which was towing HM
Destroyer
EXPRESS, also damaged by mine.
Remained in company with HMS KELLY until tug ST CYRUS
arrived.
For
details of the losses and damage see Naval Staff History (Mining).
September Resumed
Flotilla duties for East Coast convoy defence.
30th Detached
for escort of HM Monitor EREBUS during bombardment of
Calais.
October Convoy
defence and patrol duties with Flotilla in continuation.
15th Detached
for escort of HMS EREBUS during bombardment of
Dunkirk.
November Resumed convoy
defence and patrol on completion.
During defence of East Coast convoy with HM Destroyer CAMPBELL sank E-Boat S38
off
Southwold.
(Note: This was the first E-Boat sunk during an attack on a UK coastal convoy.)
December
1st
Damaged after detonating ground mine in Thames Estuary
Taken
in hand for repair.
1 9 4 1
January On
completion of repair rejoined Flotilla for convoy defence duty.
February East coast
convoy defence in continuation.
March Sustained considerable structural underwater damage by
running aground
Taken in hand for repair in London commercial
shipyard.
April Under
repair.
May On
completion transferred to Rosyth Escort Force for escort of East Coast convoys.
June Rosyth
escort duties in continuation.
to
July
August Returned to
Sheerness and deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence.
September Convoy defence
in North Sea in continuation.
to (For
details of North Sea convoy defence see NORTH
SEA CORVETTE by N Monsarrat
October THE BATTLE
FOR THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott and THE BATTLE OF THE EAST
COAST
by J P Foynes.).
November Damaged in
Boiler Boom by 40mm shell fired from a British destroyer.
(Note: This may have been in defence of a convoy during an engagement with E-Boats.)
Taken
in hand for repair.
December On completion
of repair rejoined Flotilla and resumed convoy defence duties.
1 9 4 2
January Convoy
escort and patrol in North Sea in continuation.
to
March
April Detached
for duty at Harwich with 21st Destroyer Flotilla for convoy defence in
North Sea.
May East coast
convoy escort in continuation.
June Nominated
for support of allied raid at Dieppe (Operation JUBILEE).
to
Remained at Harwich for convoy escort duty.
July
August Rejoined 21st
Destroyer Flotilla a Sheerness for convoy escort until detached
to
take part in Dieppe raid
Passage to Portsmouth to take part in preparatory exercises for JUBILEE.
18th Part of
escort for landing craft during passage to
Dieppe.
19th Provided
naval gunfire support during landings on BLUE Beach.
20th Deployed
to cover passage of surviving craft from
Dieppe.
(Note: This operation proved disastrous with many lives lost and much equipment.
It
had been expected by the German garrison. The only gain was the exposure
of
the many weaknesses. It therefore enabled improvements to be made in the
planning of the later NEPTUNE operation in June 1944.
For
details see Naval Staff History and THE WATERY MAZE by B Ferguson).
September Resumed convey
defence duties with Flotilla at Harwich.
October Deployed for
escort of North Sea convoys.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January Convoy
defence duty In continuation.
February During escort
of North Sea convoy with HM Destroyer MONTROSE
17th In action
against E-Boats
attacking a convoy off
Yarmouth.
Sank
E-Boat S71 by ramming after gun engagement.
March North Sea
convoy defence in continuation.
to
April
May Detached
to provide cover for minelaying operation off Sark by Motor Launches of Light
Coastal Forces
(Note: This was part of the HOSTILE series of operations prior to Normandy landings.)
June Channel
and North See convoy escort and patrol duties (See HOLD THE NARROW SEA
to by P
Smith).
December (Note:
Manning's Listing of Battle Hours gives ARCTIC 1943 but this is not included
in
later records stated to be from official sources.)
1 9 4 4
January Convoy
escort and patrol with Flotilla in continuation.
February
5th Towed
damaged Escort Carrier HMS SLINGER back to Sheerness after she was mined on
passage from Sheerness to Clyde.
22nd During
defence of East Coast convoy, in action against E-Boats with HM Escort Destroyer
SOUTHDOWN and two Motor Torpedo Boats off Smith's Knoll
(Note: In this engagement E-Boats S94 and S128 collided and sank.)
March East Coast
convoy escort in continuation.
April Nominated
for support of planned allied landings in Normandy
(Operation NEPTUNE – For details of naval activities before and during assault
see LANDINGS
IN
NORMANDY June 1944 (HMSO), OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and D DAY
SHIPS
by J de Winser for details of all ships involved.)
Allocated for duty in Escort Group 101 based at the Nore after initial assault
phase.
May East Coast
convoy defence in continuation.
June Passage
to Thames.
6th Detached
for escort of Convoy ETM1 and Joined HM Destroyer MEYNELL, HM Corvettes
CAMELLIA and CHARLOCK in Thames Estuary.
Sailed with 12 Motor Transport Slips and five Landing Ship (Tank) as Convoy ETM1
to
Solent.
Two
MULBERRY Control Ships joined off Selsea Bill and 12 Landing Craft,
Infantry (Large)
on
arrival off Isle of Wight.
7th Arrived
in Eastern Task Force Area and detached to return to Nore.
9th Deployed
with Escort Group for Follow-up convoys.
Resumed East Coast Convoy escort duty after release from NEPTUNE.
July Convoy
defence and patrol duty in continuation.
August Flotilla
deployment in continuation.
to
Nominated for support of allied landing operation on Walcheren.
September
October
1st
Provided Naval Gunfire Support for
Walcheren landings with HM Escort Destroyer
COTTESMORE
(Operation INFATUATE).
16th Embarked
HM King George VI for passage from Ostend to Dover.
November Flotilla
deployment on convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
December Under repair.
1 9 4 5
January On
completion resumed convoy escort and patrol duty in North Sea with Flotilla.
February
21st
In action against E-Boats which successfully attacked
East Coast convoy
(Note: Two mercantiles in convoy were sunk.).
March North Sea
deployment in continuation.
14th
Sank midget submarine off Orfordness and captured of
crew.
April Flotilla
deployment in Nore Command for convoy defence and interception patrol.
May Deployed
in Nore Command in support of re-occupation operations.
25th Embarked
British Ambassador to Netherlands for passage to Rotterdam.
June Nore
Local Flotilla deployment in continuation.
to
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS GARTH
remained in Nore Command until Paid off and reduced to
Reserve status at Sheerness in December 1945 for use as an Accommodation Ship.
When Sheerness Division, Reserve Fleet closed the ship was transferred to
Harwich and later to Barrow. Placed on the Disposal List in 1958 she was sold
to BISCO for demolition by T W Ward at Barrow and arrived in tow at the
breakers’ yard on 15th August that year. Her scrap value was £19,000 after
deduction of break-up costs, compared with build cost of about £150,000.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS GARTH
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
25/08/40
|
25/08/40
|
FN 0262
|
27/08/40
|
27/08/40
|
13/11/40
|
13/11/40
|
FN 0333
|
15/11/40
|
15/11/40
|
28/12/40
|
28/12/40
|
FN 0370
|
30/12/40
|
30/12/40
|
07/01/41
|
07/01/41
|
FS 0381
|
09/01/41
|
09/01/41
|
15/01/41
|
15/01/41
|
FS 0388
|
17/01/41
|
17/01/41
|
11/10/42
|
11/10/42
|
CW 126
|
12/10/42
|
12/10/42
|
24/11/42
|
24/11/42
|
CW 136
|
25/11/42
|
25/11/42
|
25/11/42
|
25/11/42
|
CE 134
|
26/11/42
|
26/11/42
|
18/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
CW 142
|
19/12/42
|
19/12/42
|
19/12/42
|
19/12/42
|
CE 140
|
20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
02/02/43
|
02/02/43
|
CW 153
|
03/02/43
|
03/02/43
|
03/02/43
|
03/02/43
|
CE 151
|
04/02/43
|
04/02/43
|
08/04/43
|
08/04/43
|
CW 169
|
09/04/43
|
09/04/43
|
09/04/43
|
09/04/43
|
CE 167
|
10/04/43
|
10/04/43
|
18/05/43
|
18/05/43
|
CW 179
|
19/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
CE 177
|
20/05/43
|
20/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
CW 180
|
23/05/43
|
23/06/43
|
25/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
PW 344
|
27/05/43
|
27/05/43
|
30/05/43
|
30/05/43
|
WP 347
|
01/06/43
|
01/06/43
|
02/06/43
|
02/06/43
|
PW 348
|
04/06/43
|
04/06/43
|
05/06/43
|
05/06/43
|
WP 350
|
07/06/43
|
07/06/43
|
08/06/43
|
08/06/43
|
CE 182
|
09/06/43
|
09/06/43
|
23/06/43
|
23/06/43
|
CW 188
|
24/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
CE 186
|
25/06/43
|
25/06/43
|
09/07/43
|
09/07/43
|
CW 192
|
10/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
10/07/43
|
CE 190
|
11/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
06/08/43
|
06/08/43
|
CW 199
|
07/08/43
|
07/08/43
|
07/08/43
|
07/08/43
|
CE 197
|
08/08/43
|
08/08/43
|
26/08/43
|
26/08/43
|
CW 204
|
27/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
27/08/43
|
CE 202
|
28/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
03/09/43
|
03/09/43
|
CW 206
|
05/09/43
|
05/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
CE 205
|
10/09/43
|
10/09/43
|
10/01/44
|
10/01/44
|
CW 238
|
11/01/44
|
11/01/44
|
11/01/44
|
11/01/44
|
CE 236
|
12/01/44
|
12/01/44
|
06/06/44
|
06/06/44
|
ETM 001
|
07/06/44
|
07/06/44
|
11/06/44
|
11/06/44
|
ETM 006
|
12/06/44
|
12/06/44
|
12/06/44
|
12/06/44
|
FTM 005
|
13/06/44
|
13/06/44
|
15/06/44
|
15/06/44
|
ETM 010
|
16/06/44
|
16/06/44
|
17/06/44
|
17/06/44
|
FTM 010
|
18/06/44
|
18/06/44
|
23/06/44
|
23/06/44
|
ETM 015
|
24/06/44
|
24/06/44
|
28/06/44
|
28/06/44
|
ETM 020
|
29/06/44
|
29/06/44
|
30/06/44
|
30/06/44
|
FTM 023
|
01/07/44
|
01/07/44
|
05/07/44
|
05/07/44
|
FTM 028
|
06/07/44
|
06/07/44
|
08/07/44
|
08/07/44
|
ETM 030
|
09/07/44
|
09/07/44
|
13/07/44
|
13/07/44
|
ETM 035
|
14/07/44
|
14/07/44
|
15/07/44
|
15/07/44
|
FTM 038
|
16/07/44
|
16/07/44
|
04/12/44
|
04/12/44
|
TAM 008
|
05/12/44
|
05/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
TAM 014
|
13/12/44
|
13/12/44
|
11/12/44
|
11/12/44
|
ATM 010
|
12/12/44
|
12/12/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)
|