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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 TALYBONT (L 18) - Type III, Hunt-class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Limbourne, Type III sister-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Type III HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from JS Write, Cowes IoW on 22nd August 1940 under 1940 War Emergency Programme and laid down as Job No J6160 on 28th November 1941. She was launched on 3rd February 1943 after delay due to bomb damage in the shipyard. This ship was the 1st RN warship to carry this name, that of a fox-hunt in Cardiganshire, Wales. Completion date was 19th May 1943 and the ship was adopted by the civil community of the Isle of Anglesey after a successful WARSHIP WEEK during 1942. She was the last HUNT Class Escort Destroyer to be built at Cowes.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NORTH SEA  1943-44 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1943-44 - NORMANDY 1944

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Gold, a Lozenge Red charged with an escarbuncle 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 3

 

May                        Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 15th Destroyer Flotilla..

                19th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Passage to Scapa Flow to work-up for operational service with ships of Home Fleet.

 

June                        Work-up at Scapa Flow in continuation.

 

July                         Passage to join Flotilla at Plymouth.

                12th        Joined Flotilla at Plymouth for convoy defence and patrol in English Channel and North Sea.

 

August                  Convoy defence and patrol duties with Flotilla in continuation.

to

September

 

October                  Deployed at Plymouth.

                20th        Nominated for duty with Force X for the interception of a German Blockade Runner

                                (MUNSTERLAND) reported on passage through Channel to Atlantic.

                                (One of Operation TUNNEL Series).

                22nd       Joined HM Cruiser CHARYBDIS with HM Destroyers STEVENSTONE, ROCKET,

                                WENSLEYDALE, LIMBOURNE and GRENVILLE.

                23rd        Force came under attack by German torpedo boats during which HMS CHARYBDIS and

                                HMS LIMBOURNE were sunk by torpedoes from T23 and T27.

                                (For details of this disastrous and poorly executed operation see HOLD THE NARROW SEA

                                by P Smith and the privately published TWO HONOURABLE YEARS by Craig Leith).

                24th        Returned to Plymouth.

 

December

                2nd         Sustained damage in collision with merchant ship.

                                Taken in hand for repair.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Rejoined Flotilla on completion of repair and resumed duties.

 

February

                5th          In action with HM Escort Destroyers TANATSIDE, BRISSENDEN and WENSLEYDALE

                                against Torpedo Boat T29, minesweepers M156 and M206 off north coast of Brittany.

                                (Note: M156 was damaged and later was sunk in air attack after ships returned to harbour.

 

March                    Deployed in English Channel for convoy defence and interception. operations.

to

April

 

May                        Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).

                                Allocated with HM Escort Destroyers TANATSIDE and MELBREAK of Flotilla for duty

                                in Force O under US Navy overall command..

                                Took part in preliminary exercises prior to invasion.

                                (Note: Not deployed during disastrous Exercise TIGER in April 1944.)

                                For details of naval activities prior to and during allied 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.).

 

June                        Passage to Portland to join Group 1 Convoy O1.

                4th          Operation delayed for 24 hours.

                5th          Sailed with Convoy O1 for OMAHA Beach area.

                6th          Joined US Battleships TEXAS and ARKANSAS, HM Cruiser GLASGOW, the Free French

                                cruisers MONTCALM and GEORGES LEYGUES in Bombarding Force C for support of assault

                                on OMAHA Beach.

                7th          Deployed for gunfire support, convoy defence and patrol in Western Task Force area as

                                required  by Naval Commander Western Task Force.

                11th        In action with two E-Boats which attacked PHOENIX unit on passage to Beach Head.

                17th        Sustained slight damage by shore battery fire off Cherbourg Peninsular.

                25th        When released from NEPTUNE deployed in English Channel for patrol and defence of

                                convoys.

 

July

                1st           Under shore battery fire.

                3rd          Under shore battery fire.

                23rd        In action with HM Frigate THORNBOROUGH and three Motor Torpedo Boats against craft

                                evacuating personnel from Le Havre.

                                (Note: Patrol ships V716 and R229 damaged.)

                                Under fire from shore batteries.

                26th        Sank German craft during offensive sweep.

 

August                  Channel deployment in continuation.

to

September

 

October                  Transferred to 16th Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich for convoy defence and patrol duties in

                                North Sea against incursions of minelayers in Thames Estuary area

 

November

                9th          Damaged in collision with merchant ship. Holed aft to waterline

                11th        Taken in hand for repair at Chatham.

 

December              Under repair.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Under repair.

 

February                Rejoined Flotilla on completion of repair

 

March                    Convoy defence and patrol in North Sea in continuation.

to

April

 

May                        Nominated for service in Far East after refit.

 

June                        Prepared for foreign service at Chatham.

                26th        Extra ballast fitted to improve stability.

 

July                         Passage to Malta for refit.

 

August                  Under refit in Malta.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS TALYBONT completed refit after VJ Day and then joined the Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta. During January 1947 she was badly damaged when she collided with a wreck at Haifa and repaired in Malta before returning to UK to Pay-off and reduce to Reserve status  at Portsmouth. The ship remained in Reserve until she was placed on the Disposal List in 1961 after use at Rosyth for Artificer training. Sold to BISCO later that year for demolition by Shipbreaking  Industries she arrived at the breaker’s yard in tow at Charlestown, near Rosyth on 14th February 1961 Fife and her scrap value was £19,950.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of  HMS TALYBONT

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

 

 

 

 

 

23/05/43

23/05/43

PW 343

25/05/43

25/05/43

16/08/43

16/08/43

WP 386

18/08/43

18/08/43

20/08/43

20/08/43

WP 388

22/08/43

22/08/43

22/08/43

22/08/43

WP 389

24/08/43

24/08/43

02/11/43

02/11/43

WP 425

03/11/43

04/11/43

22/11/43

22/11/43

WP 435

24/11/43

24/11/43

26/11/43

26/11/43

WP 437

28/11/43

28/11/43

11/01/44

11/01/44

WP 460

13/01/44

13/01/44

17/01/44

17/01/44

WP 463

19/01/44

19/01/44

21/01/44

22/01/44

WP 465

24/01/44

24/01/44

05/02/44

05/02/44

WP 472

07/02/44

07/02/44

14/02/44

14/02/44

WP 477

15/02/44

16/02/44

16/02/44

16/02/44

WP 478

17/02/44

18/02/44

26/02/44

26/02/44

WP 483

27/02/44

28/02/44

28/02/44

28/02/44

WP 484

01/03/44

01/03/44

05/03/44

05/03/44

WP 487

07/03/44

07/03/44

15/03/44

15/03/44

WP 492

17/03/44

17/03/44

19/03/44

20/03/44

WP 494

21/03/44

21/03/44

27/04/44

27/04/44

WP SP 30

29/04/44

29/04/44

04/05/44

04/05/44

WP 517

05/05/44

06/05/44

06/05/44

06/05/44

WP 518

07/05/44

08/05/44

 

 

 

 

 

 (Note on Convoys)

 

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