Type II HUNT-Class Escort
Destroyer ordered from Swan Hunter at Wallsend on
Tyne under 1939 War Emergency Programme on 3rd September 1939. The ship was
laid down as Job No J4142 on 10th April 1940 and launched on 14th December 1940
as the 1st RN warship to carry the name. Build was completed on 16th August
1941 and she was adopted by the civil community of Tavistock,
Devonshire following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in
March 1942.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-42 -
ARCTIC 1942 - NORTH AFRICA 1942–43 - SICILY
1943 - SALERNO 1943 - MEDITERRANEAN 1944 - AEGEAN 1943 -
ADRIATIC
1944
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field per fess wavy Red and Green three
arrows White,
flighted Gold, two in saltire and
one in fess interlaced with
a horseshoe inverted Blue.
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
August Contractor's
trial and commissioned for service.
16th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
Passage to Scapa Flow to work-up with ships of Home Fleet for operational
service on
completion of trials and
storing.
September Joined 12th
Escort Group in Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.
October Deployment
for defence of Atlantic convoys in continuation..
25th Part of
escort for Convoy HG74 to Gibraltar.
Sank
Italian Submarine GALILEO FERRARIS after gunfire duel.
(For
details of Atlantic convoy defence and U-Boat deployments see THE BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC by D Macintyre and U-BOAT WAR IN THE
ATLANTIC (HMSO).)
December Detached for
duty with Home Fleet.
22nd Joined HM
Cruiser ARETHUSA, HM Destroyers SOMALI, ESKIMO, ASHANTI and
BEDOUIN with HM Escort
Destroyers WHEATLAND, Polish Escort Destroyers ORP
KUJAWIAK and ORP
KRAKOWIAK to cover a raid by 12 Cdo on Lofoten Islands.
(Operation ARCHERY - For details see THE WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson).
Returned to Scapa Flow with defects.
27th HM
Landing Ships (Infantry) PRINS ALBERT, PRINSES JOSEPHINE CHARLOTTE landed
Commandos after RAF air attacks and naval bombardment.
1 9 4 2
January Home Fleet
Flotilla duties in continuation
to (Note:
Deployment for anti-shipping operations off Norway to be confirmed.)
February
March Attached to
6th Destroyer Flotilla.
10th Joined
escort of Russian Convoy PQ13 during initial stage of passage to Iceland
with HM
Destroyer SABRE, SALADIN and Polish ORP BLYSKAWICA.
16th Detached
from PQ13 to join Fleet Auxiliary Tanker OLIGARCH as Force Q for refuelling of
destroyers during passage to
Murmansk.
20th Sailed
with PQ13 as escort or RFA OLIGARCH.
23rd Detached for refuelling of destroyers in Home Fleet
covering force.
Rejoined PQ13 on completion.
(For
details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOY! by P. Kemp, THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B. Schofield and ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman).
25th Left
escort after the convoy was dispersed by gales.
April
27th Deployed as part of destroyer screen for the
Battleships HMS KING GEORGE V and US
Battleship USS WASHINGTON, HM Aircraft Carrier
VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers KENYA
US Navy cruisers USS WICHITA and USS TUSCALOOSA.
(Note: The destroyers screen comprised HM
Destroyers ESCAPADE, FAULKNOR, MARNE,
MARTIN, ORIBI, PUNJABI and INGLEFIELD, HM Escort
Destroyers BELVOIR,
MIDDLETON and HURSLEY with four US Navy
destroyers USS MADISON,
USS PLUNKETT, USS WAINWRIGHT and USS WILSON.
May Provided
cover for passage of Russian Convoy PQ15 and the returning Convoy QP11.
1st HMS
PUNJABI sunk in collision with HMS KING GEORGE V east of Iceland.
HMS
KING GEORGE V detached from convoy for damage repair and returned to Iceland.
(Note: Relieved in covering force by HM Battleship DUKE OF YORK.)
13th Deployed
with escort for Home Fleet units covering return passage of damaged cruiser
HMS
TRINIDAD following her temporary repair in Murmansk.
14th Took
passage to Scapa Flow with Home Fleet after HMS TRINIDAD sank.
(For
details see above references).
21st Deployed
with destroyer screen for HMS DUKE OF
YORK,
US battleship USS
WASHINGTON, HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS, HM Cruiser LONDON and US Navy
cruiser WICHITA to cover passage of Russian Convoy PQ16 and returning Convoy
QP12.
(Note: Screen comprised HM Destroyers ECLIPSE, FAULKNOR, FURY, ICARUS and
INTREPID, HM Escort Destroyers BLANKNEY, MIDDLETON and WHEATLAND
with
US Navy destroyers USS MAYRANT, USS RHIND, USS ROWAN and USS
WAINWRIGHT).
June Nominated
for service in Mediterranean and detached for refit.
Taken
in hand for refit.
July Under
refit and on completion of dockyard work carried out post refit harbour and sea
trials.
28th Passage
to Clyde to join escort of Convoy WS2IS for passage to Mediterranean
(Operation PEDESTAL)
August
1st Damaged
in collision with mercantile ss ALMENARA and sustained serious damage during
assembly of convoy in Clyde. See MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodhead.)
Detached and returned to Liverpool for repair in commercial shipyard.
September Under repair.
26th Carried
out post repair trials before rejoining Home Fleet
October Deployed in
Home waters
Nominated for service in support of planned allied landings in North Africa.
Passage to join military convoy for passage to Gibraltar to join 57th Destroyer
Division..
Part
of escort for convoy
November Deployed at
Gibraltar and prepared for TORCH duties with Eastern Task Force,
(For
details of TORCH see Naval Staff History. ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and
for
information about all ships involved see BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de
Winser).
5th Sailed from Gibraltar to supplement escort for
military convoy KMF1 during passage to Algiers
6th Joined KMF1
8th Arrived off Algiers BAKER Beach Head and deployed
for support duties.
9th Assisted HM Auxiliary AA Cruiser PALOMARES which
had been damaged in air attacks.
10th Provided gunfire support during landings at Bougie.
11th Embarked troops for passage to Bone for planned
landings.
12th Landed troops at Bone.
December Deployed for
convoy escort and support for military operations in Algeria.
1 9 4 3
January Provided
anti-submarine defence for inshore convoys and patrol duty in western
to
Mediterranean.
(For details of development and use of new anti-submarine weapons see SEEK
February
AND
STRIKE
by W Hackmann).
March Deployed off
Tunisian coast in support of operations and convoy defence.
20th Searched
for U443 with HM Destroyers WHEATLAND and B1CESTER in conjunction with
aircraft for 63 hours.
(Note: U443 had been detected by shore radar off Algiers.)
23rd Carried
extensive depth charge attacks and sank U443 in position 36.55N, 0.22.25E, NW of
Algiers with same ships
There
were no survivors. For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
April Escort
and patrol deployment in central
Mediterranean.
May Took part
in Blockade of Cap Bon area to prevent evacuation of enemy troops from
North
Africa
(Operation RETRIBUTION - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY and Naval Staff
History.)
Carried cut bombardment of Kelebia.
June Deployed
in central Mediterranean for anti-submarine patrol and escort duty
Nominated for support of planned allied landings in Sicily with
Support Force East’
(Operation HUSKY)
Prepared for HUSKY support.
July
6th Sailed
from Algiers as part of escort for assault Convoy KMS18
7th Detached
from KMS18 to refuel at Sousse
9th Part of
escort for assault Convoy SBF1
10th Detached
from SBF1 in arrival at BARK SOUTH Beach Head
Deployed for support of landings by British 1st Airborne Division SW of of
Syracuse
Provided naval gunfire support (Operation HUSKY).
(For
details see above references.)
August Deployed on
patrol and escort duty in central
Mediterranean.
Nominated for support of planned allied landings at Salerno (Operation
AVALANCHE)
September Deployed at Malta
9th Part of escort for
Follow-up Convoy NSS1
11th Deployed for naval
gunfire support at Salerno and defensive patrols to intercept interference
to landings by
E-Boats
October Transferred
to Alexandria for support of operations in Aegean after surrender of Italy.
(Note: British troops were landed to prevent German forces replacing the Italian
garrison.)
Carried out offensive sweeps to intercept invasion
craft.
Embarked troops and supplies for Leros.
(Note: No specific details of actions are given in Admiralty Battle Summary
No 36 - BR1736
(40)
or in WAR IN THE AEGEAN by Peter Smith and E. Walker but award of a Battle
Honour
was
made).
November Returned to
Central Mediterranean and deployed for convoy escort and support of allied
to
military
operations on West coast of
Italy
and in Adriatic.
December (See THE LAST
DESTROYER by FA Mason for details of Adriatic naval activities)
1 9 4 4
January Deployed in
Adriatic for convoy escort and support of military operations in the Adriatic
to
including
assistance and supply of guerrilla
forces.
August
September Supported
allied re-occupation of Aegean Islands. Landed troops and stores.
to Carried
out patrols to intercept craft taking enemy personnel to mainland.
November Transferred to
5th Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria.
December Deployed on
patrol and support in Greek coastal waters during the landings of
allied forces on
Greek
mainland. See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY.
1 9 4 5
January Provided
support to military operation in Greece and Albania.
to Convoy
escort and anti-submarine duty in
Eastern Mediterranean.
February Nominated for
return to UK.
March Passage to
UK to join 16th
Destroyer Flotilla based at Harwich.
(Note: This deployment was needed to increase A/S defence of UK coastal convoys
against
attacks by Schnorkel-fitted submarines which were concentrating at focal points
of
convoy assembly and dispersal.
See
SEEK AND STRIKE, and BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by J Terraine).
April Deployed
for convoy defence and patrol in
North Sea.
(See
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by
P Smith).
May Harwich
deployment in continuation.
June Nominated
for duty with 18th Destroyer Flotilla, East Indies Fleet based at Trincomalee
after
refit.
July Passage to
Simonstown.
August Taken in hand for refit
at Simonstown.
P o s t W a r N o t e
On completion of refit HMS
LAMERTON returned to UK in December 1945 to pay off and reduce to Reserve status at Harwich.. In 1953
she was transferred on loan to the Indian Navy and renamed INS GOMATI. Five years later the ship was purchased
outright and she continued to be used as a training ship for another 17 years.
This destroyer was taken out of
service and sold for breaking-up in 1975.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS LAMERTON
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
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|
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|
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Date convoy
sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy
arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
13/09/41
|
17/09/41
|
ON 016
|
18/09/41
|
27/09/41
|
27/09/41
|
04/10/41
|
OG 075
|
12/10/41
|
13/10/41
|
22/10/41
|
22/10/41
|
HG 075
|
27/10/41
|
03/11/41
|
19/02/42
|
26/02/42
|
AT 012
|
02/03/42
|
02/03/42
|
10/03/42
|
10/03/42
|
PQ 013
|
16/03/42
|
31/03/42
|
10/04/42
|
28/04/42
|
PQ 015
|
04/05/42
|
05/05/42
|
28/04/42
|
28/04/42
|
QP 011
|
04/05/42
|
07/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
PQ 016
|
29/05/42
|
30/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
QP 012
|
29/05/42
|
29/05/42
|
21/07/42
|
21/07/42
|
HG 086
|
27/07/42
|
01/08/42
|
26/10/42
|
06/11/42
|
KMF 001
|
08/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
27/11/42
|
06/12/42
|
KMF 004
|
07/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
MKF 004Y
|
12/12/42
|
24/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
21/12/42
|
KMF 005A
|
22/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
08/01/43
|
16/01/43
|
KMF 007
|
17/01/43
|
17/01/43
|
03/03/43
|
03/03/43
|
TE 017
|
05/03/43
|
05/03/43
|
06/03/43
|
06/03/43
|
ET 013
|
08/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
11/03/43
|
11/03/43
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ET 013X
|
13/03/43
|
13/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
KMF 011X
|
25/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
26/03/43
|
MKF 011
|
unknown
|
05/04/43
|
05/04/43
|
05/04/43
|
TE 020A
|
unknown
|
08/04/43
|
07/04/43
|
07/04/43
|
TE 020B
|
08/04/43
|
08/04/43
|
10/04/43
|
10/04/43
|
MKS 011
|
14/04/43
|
16/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
17/04/43
|
ET 018
|
20/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
KMS 013G
|
26/04/43
|
26/04/43
|
26/04/43
|
26/04/43
|
KMS 013
|
29/04/43
|
29/04/43
|
24/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
GTX 001
|
28/05/43
|
04/06/43
|
21/06/43
|
25/06/43
|
GTX 003
|
unknown
|
04/07/43
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
MKS 016A
|
06/07/43
|
09/07/43
|
17/10/43
|
17/10/43
|
MKF 025
|
21/10/43
|
04/11/43
|
25/11/43
|
25/11/43
|
VN 010
|
27/11/43
|
27/11/43
|
05/12/43
|
05/12/43
|
VN 011
|
07/12/43
|
07/12/43
|
24/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
VN 017
|
25/01/44
|
25/01/44
|
04/02/44
|
04/02/44
|
VN 019
|
06/02/44
|
06/02/44
|
18/03/44
|
18/03/44
|
VN 028
|
19/03/44
|
19/03/44
|
28/03/44
|
28/03/44
|
VN 030
|
29/03/44
|
29/03/44
|
07/04/44
|
07/04/44
|
VN 032
|
08/04/44
|
08/04/44
|
17/04/44
|
17/04/44
|
VN 034
|
18/04/44
|
18/04/44
|
17/05/44
|
17/05/44
|
VN 040
|
18/05/44
|
18/05/44
|
04/06/44
|
04/06/44
|
VN 044
|
05/06/44
|
05/06/44
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|
|
|
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(Note on Convoys)
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