HMS Melbreak, Type III class-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

Type III HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Vickers Armstrong, Wallsend, Newcastle on Tyne under the 1940 War Emergency Programme on 23rd August 1940. She was laid down as Job No. J 4299 on the 1st May 1941 and launched on 2nd April 1942 as the first RN ship to carry the name which is that of a foxhunt in Northumberland. Build was completed on 24th October 1942. Following a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 this destroyer had been adopted by the civil community of Wallsend, Northumberland.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

SICILY 1943 - SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1943 - SOUTH FRANCE 1944 - NORTH SEA 1945

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field paly of eight, Gold and Red, a fox's mask White,

holding in the mouth a bugle horn stringed also white.

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r    S e r v i c e

1 9 4 2

October                  Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 5th Destroyer Flotilla

                24th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing.

November              Worked-up with ships of Home Fleet for operational service.

                                Prepared for foreign service.

                                Nominated for escort of military Convoy WS25 during passage in Atlantic.

December

                18th        Joined military convoy WS25 in Clyde for Ocean Escort with HM Destroyers BADSWORTH,

                                WOLVERINE, QUILLIAM, ROCKWOOD, HM Armed merchant Cruiser CARNARVON

                                CASTLE and CHESHIRE.

                24th        Deployed with WS25 escort to position west of Gibraltar.

                                Detached from convoy with HMS BADSWORTH and WOLVERINE for passage to join

                                Flotilla at Gibraltar.

1 9 4 3

January                  Deployed at Gibraltar for convoy defence and patrol in Atlantic and the Western

                                Mediterranean

February

                9th          Joined US military Convoy UGS5 with US Submarine Chasers PC 471 and PC 474 to

                                supplement anti-submarine defence after threat of attacks by ROCHEN and DELPHIN U-Boat

                                Groups

March                    Transferred to 22nd Destroyer Flotilla at Algiers for coastal convoy escort, patrol and support

                                of military operations

                                Passage to Algiers to join Flotilla.

April                       Flotilla duties at Algiers in continuation.

May                        Deployed as escort for joint military Convoy KMS15/UGS8

                13th        Under attack by U616 during passage from Gibraltar to Oran.

                                Joined by USN destroyers and aircraft and took part in anti-submarine operations.

                                Torpedo attack failed.

June                        Transferred to 59th Destroyer Division based at Oran

                                Deployed for escort of military convoys in Mediterranean on passage to take part in

                                planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY)

                                Nominated for service with Escort Group S for escort, gunfire support and patrol during

                                HUSKY

                                For details see Naval Staff History, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C

                                Barnett and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS for details of all ships involved.

July                         Passage to Algiers for escort of military Convoy KMS18 during passage to beachhead,

                5th          Sailed from Algiers with escort for KMS18.

                8th          Detached from KMS18 to refuel and rejoined on completion.

                10th        Arrived at BARK WEST Beachhead and deployed for support during landings.

August                  HUSKY support and convoy defence in continuation.

September             Transferred to Escort Group 50 at Algiers.

                                Nominated for support of planned landings on Italian mainland.

                                (Operation AVALANCHE).

                                (See above references).

                                Deployed with escort for aircraft carriers during air operations in support of landings.

October                  Transferred to Eastern Mediterranean for support of military operations to occupy Aegean

                                islands after the Italian surrender.

                                (Note: No specific actions are recorded in Admiralty Battle Summary No 36 - BR1736(40)

                                See WAR IN THE AEGEAN by P Smith and E Walker).

November              Support and convoy defence in continuation.

December              Transferred to Malta in continuation of convoy defence duties.

1 9 4 4

January                  Joined 18th Destroyer Flotilla in Malta for central Mediterranean. convoy defence and anti-

                                submarine patrol duties in continuation.

February                Flotilla duties in continuation for convoy defence patrol and support of military operations.

to

June

July                         Nominated for support of allied landings in south of France under US command.

                                (Operation DRAGOON. For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY) and

                                BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser for details of all ships involved,)

                                Passage to Naples.

                                Prepared for service under US command landing operations.

August                  Deployed for convoy escort of follow-up convoys.

                                (Note: Not recorded for escort of assault convoys, or as part of gunfire support groups in

                                Naval Staff History INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE (HMSO)

                                Reverted to RN control after release from DRAGOON

September             Deployment with Flotilla for Convoy defence and anti-submarine patrol in central

                                Mediterranean in continuation.

                                Nominated for return to UK.

                                (Note: This deployment was trade to supplement existing anti-submarine defences in

                                Home waters after increased attacks by SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats).

                                See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and SEEK AND STRIKE by

                                W Hackmann).

October                  Passage to UK to join 21st Destroyer Flotilla at Sheerness.

                                Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence in North Sea and Channel.

November              Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence in North and Channel.

to

December

1 9 4 5

January                  Flotilla duties in continuation.

to                            (Note: During this period Atlantic convoys were re-routed through English Channel when

April                       threat of air attack from French bases was removed. In addition the increase in

                                minelaying surface craft and submarines with U-Boat attacks on convoys in Nore

                                and made necessary extensive additional interception patrols by escorts.

                                See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and above references).

May                        Nominated for service in Eastern Fleet after refit in Malta.

                                Took passage to Malta.

June                        Under refit

to

July

August                  Prepared for service with Eastern Fleet in Mediterranean.

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

HMS HAYDON was retained in the Mediterranean as part of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla after VJ Day. This destroyer continued service in Malta until July 19477 when she was badly damaged by fire and after repair was withdrawn from service. Paid-off and placed in Reserve at Chatham in late 1947 the ship entered the Reserve Fleet after further refit. She was the laid-up at Sheerness for a year and transferred to Hartlepool in 1948 and later her equipment was preserved. The ship was laid-up in the Reserve Fleet Division at Hartlepool until approval was given for her to be placed on the Disposal List in March 1958. Sold to BISCO on the 17th May that year for demolition Clayton & Davie the ship arrived at arrived at Dunston-on-Tyne in tow on 18th May 1958.

Addendum

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS HAYDON

by Don Kindell

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)