Type III
HUNT
Class Escort Destroyer ordered from John Brown
at Clydebank on 4th July 1940
under the 1940 War Emergency
Programme and laid down as Job Number 1579 on
30th December 1940.
The ship was
launched
11th
October 1941
as the first RN warship to carry the name. Her
build was completed
on 22nd
February 1942
and
after a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign in March 1942 she was adopted
by the civil community of Wednesbury,
Shropshire.
B a t t
l
e H
o n o u r s
ENGLISH
CHANNEL 1942-44 - DIEPPE 1942 -
BISCAY 1944 - NORMANDY 1944
- NORTH
SEA 1945
H e r a l d
i c D a
t a
Badge: On a
Field
per fess wavy
White and Red
A stirrup with leather
leather
Red, counterchanged
White.
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
2
February
Contractors trials and commissioned for
service in 1st Destroyer Flotilla.
22nd Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to Greenock.
Nominated for service with Flotilla based at
Portsmouth.
March
Worked up for operational service in Clyde area.
28th
Deployed in Channel during passage to
Portsmouth in search for HM ML443 missing
after
St Nazaire raid (Operation CHARIOT).
April
Joined Flotilla at Portsmouth and deployed for convoy defence and interception patrol in
Channel.
24th
In action with E-Boats off Fecamp, damaging
one.
May
6th
In action with E-Boats in English Channel off
Cap d'Ailly.
(For details of Channel operations see HOLD
THE NARROW SEA by P. S and THE BATTLE OF
THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott.)
June
Deployed to intercept German coastal convoy
off the Cotentin Peninsular with HM Steam
Gunboats 7 and 8.
See above
references.
July
Channel deployment in continuation.
August
Nominated for support of planned Canadian
assault on port of Dieppe .(Operation JUBILEE)
19th
Escorted Landing Ships, Infantry during
passage to
Dieppe.
Sustained slight damage from shore return
fire.
Rescued survivors from HM Escort Destroyer
BERKELEY after she had been disabled by air
attacks.
Sank disabled ship by torpedo.
(For details of JUBILEE see Naval Staff
History and THE WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson)
September
Channel deployment with Flotilla in
continuation.
October
7th
Engaged shore battery at Le Havre.
13th
Deployed as part of Force A with HM Escort
Destroyers COTTESMORE, ESKDALE,
GLAISDALE and QUORN to intercept German
commerce raider KOMET during passage
through English Channel to the Atlantic. (See
above references).
November
Detached for escort of military convoys on
passage to Gibraltar for planned allied
landings in
North Africa
(Operation TORCH – See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY and Naval Staff History)
7th
Part of escort for Convoy KMS2 to Gibraltar
for North African landings.
9th
Arrived at Gibraltar.
10th
Escorted Dutch liner NIEUW ZEELAND into
Gibraltar after torpedo attack west of
Gibraltar.
12th
Stood by HM Destroyer MARNE after disabled by
torpedo and seriously damaged.
(Note: HMS MARNE had been part of escort for
HM Destroyer Depot Ship HECLA sunk by
U515 and hit by another torpedo in same
attack.
See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair for
details.
18th
Returned to UK as part of escort for Convoy
MKF1.
December
Resumed Channel duties with Flotilla.
11th
Attacked enemy convoy off Dieppe with HM
Destroyer WHITSHED.
German mine clearance ship (SPEERBRECHER) was
sunk.
1 9 4
3
January
Flotilla deployment for Channel convoy
defence, interception f coastal convoys and
patrol
to
continuation.
March
April
27th
Deployed with HM Escort Destroyer GOATHLAND to
intercept coastal convoy 60 miles
NNE of Ouissant.
Italian blockade runner BUTTERFLY and an A/S
trawler, UJ1402 were sunk.
There were 33 casualties including 8 killed.
May
Channel deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4
4
January
Channel deployment in continuation.
February
Nominated for special duty as Headquarters
ship during the planned allied invasion of
Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).
(For details of naval activities prior to and
during NEPTUNE see LANDINGS IN NORMANDY
June 1944 (HMSO) and OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards).
1st
In action with E-Boats during attack on convoy
CW243 off Beachy Head.
Sustained serious structural damage.
Taken in hand for repair and conversion for
use as an HQ ship.
March
Under repair and conversion.
to
April
May
On completion joined Force G for duty as
Senior Officer's Ship Assault Group
G3 and took part
in preparatory exercises.
(For details see above references).
June
Deployed in Solent prior to landings.
Nominated for passage in Convoy G16 comprising
nine Landings Craft, Infantry and
two Rescue
craft, escorted by HM Escort Destroyer
HAMBLEDON.
4th
Operation delayed 24hrs.
5th
Passage to beach head through swept channel.
Naval Officer in Charge GOLD
Beach embarked.
6th
Deployed off GOLD Beach as HQ ship.
(See above references and D DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.).
7th
Remained in area as HQ Ship.
July
Deployed for HQ Ship duties after end of
Build-Up Phase of NEPTUNE.
Carried out patrol interception duties as
required.
August
Deployed in Channel for patrol and
interception.
12th
Attacked three trawlers south of Lorient and
rescued 22 survivors.
September
Channel duties in continuation
to
Nominated for return to Flotilla duties after
conversion.
December
1 9 4
5
January
3rd
Taken in hand for refit and conversion back to
Escort Destroyer role.
February
Under refit.
Nominated for duty with 21st Destroyer
Flotilla based at Sheerness.
14th
On completion of post refit trials took
passage for work-up.
March
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and
patrol in North Sea and Thames
area.
(Note: During this period German surface and
submarine activities ware being
used for
minelaying and attacks on coastal convoys.
See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).
April
Flotilla deployment in continuation.
May
8th
After VE Day
deployed in Nore Command for convoy escort.
23rd
In collision with LST 238 and sustained
structural damage.
June
Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet after
refit
On completion of repair took passage to
Immingham for refit prior to foreign
service.
July
Under refit.
to
August
P
o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS
ALBRIGHTON was not required for
foreign service after VJ Day but completed
refit before she entered Reserve at Plymouth
in December
1945. The ship was transferred to Penarth
in 1953
before going to Gibraltar to be laid up. She
was placed on the
Disposal List in 1955 and returned to UK where
she was laid-up at Barrow to await her fate.
After discussions
with the Federal German navy this ship was
selected with seven other RN ship
for
transfer to West Germany. She
was refitted in Liverpool before commissioning
in 1959 when she was renamed RAULE.
During subsequent service RAULE was deployed
in the Baltic for anti-submarine
training for nine years. Finally in 1968 she
was Paid-off and sold in 1969 for
breaking-up by Eisen
and Metall
at Bremen.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS ALBRIGHTON
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
23/07/42
|
24/07/42
|
WP
191
|
25/07/42
|
25/07/42
|
28/07/42
|
28/07/42
|
PW
193
|
29/07/42
|
30/07/42
|
03/10/42
|
03/10/42
|
PW
227
|
04/10/42
|
07/10/42
|
05/10/42
|
05/10/42
|
PW
228
|
06/10/42
|
09/10/42
|
25/10/42
|
02/11/42
|
KMS
002G
|
10/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
MKF
001X
|
18/11/42
|
19/11/42
|
29/11/42
|
30/11/42
|
WP
256
|
01/12/42
|
01/12/42
|
04/12/42
|
04/12/42
|
PW
258
|
05/12/42
|
06/12/42
|
05/12/42
|
05/12/42
|
WP
259
|
07/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
22/02/43
|
22/02/43
|
PW
298
|
23/02/43
|
24/02/43
|
23/02/43
|
23/02/43
|
WP
299
|
25/02/43
|
25/02/43
|
26/02/43
|
26/02/43
|
PW
300
|
28/02/43
|
28/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
WP
301
|
01/03/43
|
01/03/43
|
01/03/43
|
02/03/43
|
WP
302
|
03/03/43
|
03/03/43
|
05/03/43
|
05/03/43
|
WP
304
|
06/03/43
|
07/03/43
|
04/03/43
|
05/03/43
|
PW
303
|
06/03/43
|
06/03/43
|
08/03/43
|
08/03/43
|
PW
305
|
10/03/43
|
10/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
WP
306
|
11/03/43
|
11/03/43
|
17/03/43
|
17/03/43
|
WP
310
|
19/03/43
|
19/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
PW
311
|
22/03/43
|
22/03/43
|
21/03/43
|
21/03/43
|
WP
312
|
23/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
PW
313
|
26/03/43
|
26/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
WP
314
|
27/03/43
|
27/03/43
|
29/03/43
|
29/03/43
|
WP
316
|
31/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
05/04/43
|
05/04/43
|
PW
319
|
07/04/43
|
07/04/43
|
06/04/43
|
06/04/43
|
WP
320
|
08/04/43
|
08/04/43
|
09/04/43
|
09/04/43
|
PW
321
|
10/04/43
|
11/04/43
|
17/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
PW
340
|
18/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
01/11/42
|
18/06/43
|
WN
356
|
20/06/43
|
04/11/42
|
19/06/43
|
19/06/43
|
WP
357
|
21/06/43
|
21/06/43
|
04/08/43
|
04/08/43
|
WP
380
|
06/08/43
|
06/08/43
|
08/08/43
|
09/08/43
|
WP
382
|
10/08/43
|
10/08/43
|
31/08/43
|
31/08/43
|
WP
393
|
02/09/43
|
02/09/43
|
11/09/43
|
11/09/43
|
CE
206
|
12/09/43
|
12/09/43
|
01/10/43
|
01/10/43
|
WP
409
|
03/10/43
|
03/10/43
|
27/10/43
|
28/10/43
|
WP
422
|
29/10/43
|
29/10/43
|
02/11/43
|
03/11/43
|
WP
425
|
04/11/43
|
04/11/43
|
04/11/43
|
04/11/43
|
CE
219
|
05/11/43
|
05/11/43
|
11/11/43
|
11/11/43
|
CE
221
|
13/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
14/11/43
|
14/11/43
|
CW
224
|
15/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
20/11/43
|
21/11/43
|
WP
434
|
22/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
WP
438
|
30/11/43
|
30/11/43
|
02/12/43
|
02/12/43
|
WP
440
|
04/12/43
|
04/12/43
|
15/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
CE
237
|
16/01/44
|
16/01/44
|
31/01/44
|
31/01/44
|
WP
470
|
02/02/44
|
02/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
21/02/44
|
WP
480
|
23/02/44
|
23/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
CE
247
|
25/02/44
|
25/02/44
|
27/02/44
|
27/02/44
|
CW
250
|
28/02/44
|
28/02/44
|
01/03/44
|
02/03/44
|
WP
485
|
03/03/44
|
03/03/44
|
09/03/44
|
10/03/44
|
WP
489
|
12/03/44
|
12/03/44
|
29/10/44
|
29/10/44
|
ON
263
|
01/11/44
|
15/11/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|