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

 

HMS HEYTHROP (L 85) - Type II, Hunt-class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Cowdray, Type II sister-ship (Navy Photos/Mike Pocock, click to enlarge)

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Type II HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered on 4th September 1939 from Swan Hunter at Newcastle under the 1939 War Emergency Programme with three other Type I and 14 Type. She was laid down as Admiralty Job Number J4139 on 18th December 1939 and launched on 20th August 1940 as the second RN ship to bear the name, that of a fox-hunt in Oxfordshire. It was first used for a minesweeper in WW1. Build was completed on 21st June 1941 and she was not adopted by a civil community after a National Savings WARSHIP WEEK campaign during 1941-42.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1941 - LIBYA  1941-42 - MALTA CONVOYS  1942

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Green, three rushes, two in saltire and one in pale,

slipped and leaved Gold, interlaced with a stirrup 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 1

 

June                        Contractors trials and commissioned for service.

                21st         Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Passage to work-up or operational service on completion of trials and storing.

 

July                         On completion of work-up joined Irish Escort Force based in Clyde.

                                Nominated for service at Gibraltar.

 

August                  Passage to Gibraltar,

                30th        Arrived at Gibraltar for convoy defence and patrol.

 

September             Taken in hand for repair.

                                On completion of repair-deployed at Gibraltar.

                17th        Escorted HM Cruiser MANCHESTER and HM Destroyer FIREDRAKE during passage from

                                Gibraltar to USA for repair.

                                Detached in position 25 Degrees West and returned to Gibraltar.

                25th        Joined HM Destroyers COSSACK, FURY, GURKHA, LANCE, LAFOREY, LIGHTNING,

                                ORIBI and FARNDALE as screen for HM Battleships PRINCE OF WALES, RODNEY, HM

                                Cruisers EDINBURGH, EURYALUS, KENYA and SHEFFIELD as escort for Malta Relief

                                Convoy during passage from Gibraltar to Sicilian Narrows as Force A (Operation HALBERD.

                                For details see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre, Naval Staff

                                History and MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman)

                                (Note: Mercantiles from Clyde were identified as WS11X but changed to GM1 for passage in

                                Mediterranean.)

                27th        Under air attacks during which HMS RODNEY was torpedoed.

                                Transferred to Force X and joined HM Destroyers COSSACK, FORESIGHT, FORESTER,

                                FURY, LAFOREY, ORIBI, ZULU, and FARNDALE as screen for HM Cruisers EDINBURGH,

                                EURYALUS, HERMIONE, KENYA and SHEFFIELD as escort for Malt convoy through Sicilian

                                Narrows after Force A retreated to west.

                                Detached from Force X to join Convoy MG3 from Malta as escort to Gibraltar.

                                Diverted on passage to MG3 to assist in rescue of passengers on ss IMPERIAL STAR that had

                                been torpedoed in earlier air attacks.

                28th        Embarked 300 military personnel from IMPERIAL STAR and took passage to Malta.

                                (Note: HM Destroyer ORIBI had been standing by the mercantile and after disembarkation made

                                an unsuccessful attempt to row IMPERIAL STAR but this had to be abandoned and the

                                mercantile was sunk. See references.)

                                Landed soldiers In Malta and returned to Gibraltar.

 

October                  Transferred to 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria.

                                (Note: Original intention was for this ship and sister HMS FARNDALE to take passage

                                from Malta after arrival of GM1. This was changed.)

                                Took passage to Alexandria via Cape of Good Hope and Red Sea.

 

November              Passage in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

                15th        Joined Flotilla on arrival at Alexandria and deployed for maintenance of supplies and personnel

                                to Tobruk garrison (Operation AGGRESSION).

                                (Note: Reinforcement troops and stores were taken to Tobruk in this Operation that lasted

                                several weeks and passages were subjected to sustained air attacks.

                30th        Deployed with HM Escort Destroyer AVON VALE and an A/S Trawler for escort of Fast

                                Section of Convoy A to Tobruk.

                                (Note: Convoy comprised HM Auxiliary CHAKDINA taking stores and Stores Ship

                                KIRKLAND with cased petrol.

 

December

                2nd         Arrived at Tobruk with convoy AT1 ships.

                                Return passage to Alexandria.

                                Support duties in continuation.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

                30th        Escorted ss ANTWERP from Alexandra to Tobruk.

 

February

                6th          Returned to Alexandria with ss ANTWERP.

                12th        Joined HM Cruiser CARLISLE, HM Destroyers LANCE, AVON VALE and ERIDGE as escort

                                for Convoy NW9A from Alexandria to Malta comprising ss CLAN CHATTAN and ss CLAN

                                CAMPBELL (Operation MFM).,

                13th        Convoy MM9A merged with Convoy NW9B and later under air attacks during which ss

                                CLAN CAMPBELL was damaged and later sunk whilst on passage to Tobruk in another

                                air attack.

                                (Note: None of the four ships in MM9A and MM9B reached Malta. See THE BATTLE FOR

                                THE MEDITERRANEAN.)

 

March                    Mediterranean Fleet deployment in continuation.

                20th        Deployed with HM Destroyers AVON VALE, BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, ERIDGE,

                                HURWORTH and SOUTHWOLD to carry cut anti-submarine operation on planned route

                                for Convoy ME10 during departure from Alexandria.

                                Under attack by U652 in position 10 miles NE Bardia.

                                Hit by torpedo that caused major damage including loss of after gun mounting.

                                Extensive flooding and structural damage aft disabled ship.

                                Tow by HMS ERIDGE failed due to increase of flooding.

                                Port propeller gland plate fractured and loss of steam from No 2 Boiler made it impossible to

                                operate pumps for removal of water.

                                Fifteen of ship's company lost their lives, but the remainder were transferred by boat to HMS

                                ERIDGE before ship sank.

                                (Note: Casualty List was published on 2nd May 1942.)

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS HEYTHROP

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

 

 

 

 

 

21/07/41

27/07/41

TC 012

27/07/41

29/07/41

19/08/41

20/08/41

OG 072

27/08/41

01/09/41

24/09/41

25/09/41

HALBERD

27/09/41

27/09/41

23/12/41

23/12/41

TA 005/M

24/12/41

25/12/41

10/01/42

10/01/42

AT 015/M

12/01/42

12/01/42

18/01/42

18/01/42

AT 018/M

20/01/42

20/01/42

03/02/42

03/02/42

AT 025/M

05/02/42

05/02/42

08/02/42

08/02/42

AT 026/M

unknown

unknown

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 13/8/11
further editing and formatting is required