Type I HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Scotts of Greenock on 11 April
1939 under the 1939 Build Programme and laid down as Job No J1111 on 26th July
1939. The ship was launched on 13th February 1940 as the the
2nd RN warship to carry the name, that of a fox-hunt in Northamptonshire. It
had previously been used for minesweeper built in 1917 and sold in 1932. Build
was completed on 23rd October 1940. In March 1942 she was appropriately adopted
by the civil community of the Municipal Borough of Kettering following a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ENGLISH CHANNEL
1942-44 - NORTH SEA 1942-45 - ARCTIC 1943 - NORMANDY 1944
H e
r a l d i c D
a t a
Badge: On a
Field Red two hunting horns in
saltire
and a mascle in fret, all 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 0
October
Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 21st
Destroyer Flotilla.
23rd Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
November Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing.
Worked-up for operational service with ships of
Home Fleet at Scapa Flow,
Escorted ss ADDA to Faeroes.
December Joined Flotilla at Sheerness and deployed for convoy
defence in North Sea.
1 9 4 1
January North sea convoy escort and patrol duty in
continuation.
to
(For details of
North Sea convoy defence see THREE
CORVETTES by N Monsarrat and
May THE BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes.)
June Deployed with HM Destroyer VORTIGERN as escort for
convoy northbound FN83.
21st Activated ground mine off Flamborough Head and
sustained major structural damage below
Stabiliser Compartment.
Lost all power and totally disabled.
(Note: There were no casualties)
Taken in tow by HMS VORTIGERN
Repair arranged at Tyne commercial shipyard.
July Under repair.
to
November
December Carried out post refit trials on completion of shipyard
work.
Passage to resume Flotilla duties.
1 9 4 2
January Deployed in North Sea and English Channel for patrol
and convoy escort.
to For details of activities in coastal areas see
HOLD THE NARROW SEA by Peter C.
December Smith and THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by Peter Scott).
1 9 4 3
January Channel and North Sea deployment in continuation
February Detached for Russian convoy escort with Home Fleet
ships.
Passage to Scapa Flow.
15th Joined Western Local Escort for initial stage of
passage of Russian Convoy JW53 with sister
escort destroyers HMS MIDDLETON and HMS MENDIP.
21st Detached from JW53 after arrival of Ocean Escort
for passage to North Russia.
March Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
9th Joined return convoy RA53 from Murmansk with HM
Destroyer VIVACIOUS, HM Escort
Destroyers LEDBURY and
MEYNELL as Western Local Escort.
13th Detached from RA 53 and returned to Scapa Flow.
(For details of all Russian Convoy operations
see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
CONVOY! by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield and ARCTIC CONVOYS
by R Woodman.)
April Resumed duty with Flotilla at Sheerness for coastal
convoy escort
May North Sea and Channel escort and patrol in
continuation.
to
September
October
Deployed as escort for northbound Convoy FN160 with HM
Destroyers WORCESTER,
CAMPBELL, MACKAY and HM Escort
Destroyer EGLINTON.
24th In action against E-Boats from Ijmuiden with other
escorts supported by MTBs and
MGBs of
to
Light
Coastal Forces.
25th Two E-Boats were sunk.
(Note: This was a major German attempt to
intercept East Coast shipping
For details
see BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by P Scott).
November North Sea and Channel Flotilla duties in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Deployed for convoy defence and patrol in
North Sea.
to
April
May Nominated for duty with Force G in Eastern Task Force
during planned allied landings in
Normandy.
(Operation NEPTUNE – For details of naval
activities before and during operation see
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944
(HMSO), OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and
for information relating
to all ships involved D DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.)
3rd Final rehearsal by all assault Forces including
assault landings at Hayling Island. by Force G.
to (Exercise FABIUS).
6th
18th Took part in Defence exercise by Forces S, G and J
off Brighton.
20th Deployed in Solent to prepare for
NEPTUNE.
June Joined HM Destroyers JERVIS, GRENVILLE, URSA,
ULSTER, UNDAUNTED, URCHIN,
UNDINE,
URANIA and ULYSSES, HM Escort Destroyers CATTISTOCK,
COTTESMORE and
Polish Escort
Destroyer ORP KRAKOWIAK for support during assault on
GOLD Beach.
5th Sailed from Solent through swept channel as escort
for Convoy G2 with HM Escort
Destroyer
COTTESMORE and Three Motor Launches.
6th Arrived at Lowering Position.
7th Deployed in Eastern Task Force area for patrol and
escort duties.
27th On release from NEPTUNE resumed coastal convoy
escort and patrol duty in North
Sea
with
Flotilla.
July Flotilla escort and patrol deployments in
continuation..
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Deployed with Flotilla for escort duties and
interception of minelaying craft in Thames Estuary
to (Note: Extensive enemy minelaying was carried out
against convoy traffic and attacks by
April Schnorkel-fitted submarines on coastal convoys
See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, SEEK AND
STRIKE by W Hackmann
and HOLD THE
NARROW SEA.)
May After VE Day deployed in Home Waters for support
of reoccupation by the allied
forces in
NW
Europe.
June Home Waters duties in continuation.
to
August
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS PYTCHLEY remained in commission until August 1946 when
she was Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status. Initially laid-up at Devonport
she was later transferred to Cardiff where she was de-equipped after being
placed on the Disposal List in 1956. Sold to BISCO for demolition by
E Rees at Llanelli she arrived
at the breaker’s yard on 1st December 1956.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS PYTCHLEY
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
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Date convoy sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left convoy
|
Date convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
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22/12/40
|
22/12/40
|
FS 0368
|
25/12/40
|
25/12/40
|
29/01/41
|
30/01/41
|
FS 0399
|
31/01/41
|
31/01/41
|
02/02/41
|
02/02/41
|
FN 0398
|
04/02/41
|
04/02/41
|
17/10/42
|
17/10/42
|
CW 127
|
18/10/42
|
18/10/42
|
10/12/42
|
10/12/42
|
CW 140
|
11/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
15/02/43
|
15/02/43
|
JW 053
|
21/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
01/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
RA 053
|
13/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
CW 167
|
01/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
02/04/43
|
02/04/43
|
CE 165
|
03/04/43
|
03/04/43
|
26/05/43
|
26/05/43
|
CW 181
|
27/05/43
|
27/05/43
|
28/05/43
|
28/05/43
|
CE 179
|
29/05/43
|
29/05/43
|
12/06/43
|
12/06/43
|
CW 185
|
13/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
20/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
KMS 018A
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
WP 361
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
01/07/43
|
01/07/43
|
WP 363
|
03/07/43
|
03/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
WP 368
|
13/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
WP 371
|
19/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
29/07/43
|
29/07/43
|
WP 377
|
31/07/43
|
31/07/43
|
10/08/43
|
11/08/43
|
WP 383
|
11/08/43
|
12/08/43
|
18/08/43
|
18/08/43
|
CW 202
|
19/08/43
|
19/08/43
|
19/08/43
|
19/08/43
|
CE 200
|
20/08/43
|
20/08/43
|
15/10/43
|
15/10/43
|
CE 214
|
16/10/43
|
16/10/43
|
14/10/43
|
15/10/43
|
CW 216
|
15/10/43
|
15/10/43
|
14/11/43
|
14/11/43
|
CW 224
|
15/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
CE 222
|
16/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
12/12/42
|
12/12/43
|
CE 138
|
12/12/42
|
14/12/42
|
26/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
CW 242
|
27/01/44
|
27/01/44
|
19/02/44
|
19/02/44
|
CW 248
|
20/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
CE 246
|
21/02/44
|
21/02/44
|
31/03/44
|
31/03/44
|
CW 258
|
01/04/44
|
01/04/44
|
01/04/44
|
01/04/44
|
CE 256
|
02/04/44
|
02/04/44
|
21/07/44
|
21/07/44
|
FTM 044
|
21/07/44
|
22/07/44
|
16/12/44
|
16/12/44
|
TAM 020
|
17/12/44
|
17/12/44
|
17/12/44
|
17/12/44
|
ATM 016
|
18/12/44
|
18/12/44
|
21/12/44
|
21/12/44
|
ATM 018
|
22/12/44
|
22/12/44
|
|
|
|
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(Note on Convoys)
|