Type II HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered on 20th December 1939 from J S White, Cowes
IoW under 1939 War Emergency Programme. The ship was
laid down on 18th June 1940 as Job No J6274 and was launched on 29th May 1941
as the 1st RN warship to carry this name, that of a fox-hunt in Lincolnshire.
Build was completed on 9th October
1941. This destroyer was not adopted by a civil community after a
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in 1941-42.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
SIRTE 1942 - MALTA CONVOYS 1942
-
LIBYA 1942
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Red, in front
of two hunting horns
in saltire Gold, a castle 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
October Contractor's trials and
commissioned for service.
9th Build completion and
commenced Acceptance Trials
Passage to Scapa
Flow on completion of trials and storing.
Worked-up for
operational service with Home Fleet ships at Scapa Flow.
Nominated for
service in Mediterranean.
November Prepared for foreign
service and took passage to Clyde to join escort for military convoy
during passage to
Alexandria via Indian Ocean.
16th Joined military
convoy WS12Z as Ocean Escort with HM Destroyer DULVERTON during
Atlantic passage
to Indian Ocean from Clyde.
24th At Freetown with
WS12Z
28th Sailed from Freetown
as Ocean Escort for WS12Z.
December
14th Detached from WS12Z
during passage in Indian Ocean from Cape of Good Hope and made
independent
passage.
29th Passage from Mombasa
to Alexandria with call at Aden.
1 9 4 2
January
5th Joined 5th Destroyer
Flotilla for convoy escort and patrol duties.
Deployed supply
of stores and embarked troops to Tobruk.
February
12th Part of escort of
Malta Relief Convoy MW9B which came under heavy air attack.
Convoy returned
to Alexandria.
March Flotilla duties for
Convoy defence in eastern Mediterranean in continuation.
20th Carried out
anti-submarine sweep along planned path for
Malta relief convoy MW10 with HM
Escort Destroyers
AVON VALE, BEAUFORT. DULVERTON, BRIDGE. HEYTHROP and
HURWORTH prior to
departure of mercantiles from Alexandria
(Operation MG1)
(Note: HMS HEYTHROP was torpedoed by U652 NW off Bardia during this sweep.)
21st Took passage from
Tobruk after refuelling to join escort for MW10 which was under threat of
attack from
superior Italian force.
22nd Detached from Fleet
units HUNT Class destroyers for escort of MW10 mercantiles after Italian
force approached.
Later deployed as
screen for HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA and PENELOPE when Fleet
destroyers carried out torpedo
attacks on enemy force.
Rejoined MW10
escort after Italian ships withdrew.
(2nd Battle of
Sirte – For details see Naval Staff History, THE BATTLE FOR THE
MEDITERRANEAN by
D Macintyre and MALTA CONVOY by R Woodman.).
Under air attacks
during engagement by Mediterranean Fleet units with Italian warships.
23rd Convoy under further
air attacks
Detached for
escort for HM Supply Ship BRECONSHIRE with HMS BEAUFORT
(Note: This was
intended to allow the supply ship to enter Malta independently after MW10
mercantiles had
been dispersed and damaged in air attacks.
24th Activated British
Laid mine whilst attempting to pass a line to HMS BRECONSHIRE in
heavy weather
conditions.
(Note: HMS
BRECONSHIRE had been disabled in renewed air attacks off Zonkor Point,
Malta.)
Sustained major
structural damage with extensive flooding of engine room and failure of
electrical
supplies.
Taken in tow by
tug ANCIENT but hull split and ship slowly sank allowing time for survivors
to be rescued by
HM Escort Destroyer DULVERTON to rescue survivors.
See above
references for details.
(Note: One
officer and 5 ratings killed and extensive flooding in Engine Room.
Casualty List was
published on 28th May 1942.)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
SOUTHWOLD
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
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Convoy No.
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Left convoy
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Date convoy
arrived
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06/01/42
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06/01/42
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AT 014/M
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01/08/42
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08/01/42
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10/01/42
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10/01/42
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TA 010/M
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13/01/42
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13/01/42
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31/01/42
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31/01/42
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AT 022/M
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03/02/42
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01/02/42
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17/02/42
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17/02/42
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AT 028/M
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18/02/42
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18/02/42
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(Note on Convoys)
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