Type III HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from
Yarrow's at Scotstoun, Glasgow under the 1940 War
Emergency Programme on 23rd August
1940. The ship was laid down on 28th July 1941 as Job No 1870 and launched
on 20th June 1942 as the first RN ship to carry the name, that of a Yorkshire
fox-hunt. Build was completed on 30th
October 1942. The ship had been adopted by the civil community of
Swinton and Pendlebury, Lancashire
after a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.
B a t t l
e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1943-44 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1943-44
-
NORTH SEA 1943
- NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c D a
t a
Badge: On a Field barry wavy of six White and Blue
in front of a crescent Red charged with a pile
ermine,
a hunting horn erect 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 2
October Contractor's trials.
20th Commissioned for
service in 15th Destroyer Flotilla.
30th Build completion and
commenced Acceptance Trials.
November Passage to Tobermory to
commence work-up on completion of trials and storing.
Completed work-up
for operational service with ships of Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
December Deployed as part of escort
for military convoy to Gibraltar
(Note: This was
a Follow-up convoy in support of TORCH landings in North Africa.
January Joined escort for
routine mercantile convoy during passage to Liverpool.
Detached during
passage in SW Approaches to join Flotilla at Plymouth for convoy defence,
patrol and
offensive operations in English Channel and SW Approaches.
1 9 4 3
January Convoy escort, patrol
and offensive sweep duties in continuation with Flotilla.
to Temporarily
detached as required for joint operations with RAF Coastal Command and ships of
March Western Approaches
Command .
(Note: Joint
operations were carried out to carry out attacks on submarines in transit to and
from Atlantic Ocean.)
One source
records detention of Spanish trawlers believed to be reported movements British
warships,)
April Channel convoy
defence in continuation.
28th In action with
E-Boats in Channel in defence of convoy. Sustained damage by torpedo hit.
(Note: One
source records participation in operation off French coast near Boulogne to
assess
strength of
aerial response to an approach from UK waters.)
May On completion of
repair resumed duties with Flotilla.
29th Came under friendly
fire from Light Coastal Forces Motor Gunboat which caused one
casualty.
June Flotilla duties in
continuation.
28th New Commanding
Officer appointed.
(Note: First
Lieutenant, Lieutenant P W Goodfellow RN was appointed.)
July
10th In action with HM
Escort Destroyers MELBREAK and GLAISDALE against E-Boats during
attack on enemy
convoy off Oussant.
(Note: One
escorting minesweeper was sunk.)
Sustained slight
damage.
August On completion of repair
rejoined Flotilla in continuation.
September Deployed for convoy
defence, patrol and offensive sweep operations in Channel..
October
3rd Detached for TUNNEL
operation and joined HM Escort Destroyer LIMBOURNE ,
TANATSIDE and HM Destroyers
GRENVILLE and ULSTER for offensive sweep off Brittany.
Engaged five
enemy destroyers which retired at speed and could not be overtaken.
22nd Took part in operation
to intercept Blockade Runner MUNSTERLAND with HM Cruiser
CHARYBDIS, HM
Destroyers GRENVILLE and ROCKET, HM Escort Destroyers
LIMBOURNE,
TALYBONT and STEVENSTONE (Operation TUNNEL Series)
23rd In action against
enemy torpedo boats.
(Note: During
this action HMS CHARYBDIS and HMS LIMBOURNE were sunk.
For full details
of this ill-directed and poorly conceived operation see HOLD THE
NARROW SEA by P Smith and TWO
HONOURABLE YEARS by Craig Leith)
(Note: On
January 21st 1944, MUNSTERLAND was
forced ashore and destroyed west of Cape
Blanc Nez by fire
from coastal batteries on the Kent shore.)
November Flotilla duties in
continuation
to
December
1 9 4 4
January Flotilla duties in
continuation including taking part in amphibious training exercises in
preparation for planned allied
landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE)
February
5th Deployed with HM
Escort Destroyers TALYBONT, BRISSENDEN and TANATSIDE
in an attack on
enemy convoy and escort off Brittany.
(Note: Minesweeper M156 of the escort was damaged during the engagement was later sunk
in
harbour during
air attacks.)
March Channel escort and
patrol in continuation with Flotilla.
April
19th Supported minelaying
operations 10th Motor Launch Flotilla escorted by
MTB's with HM Escort
Destroyers
MELBREAK, TANATSIDE, HM Destroyers HAIDA (RCN) and ASHANTI.
(Operation MAPLE
- HOSTILE 24 - For details see Naval Staff History (MINING).
25th Covered further
minelay by 10th Motor Launch Flotilla with HM Escort Destroyer
TANATSIDE.
(Operation MAPLE
- HOSTILE 25)
Fired on by shore
batteries without damage.
May Flotilla duties in
continuation.
Nominated for
service in support of Planned allied landings in Normandy with HM Escort
Destroyer
BRISSENDEN of Flotilla
Allocated for
escort duty in Follow-up Force B to be based at Milford Haven as part of
Western Task
Force under overall US Navy command and to cover the passage of convoys
through SW
Approaches and the English Channel to the Swept Passage south of the Isle of
Wight.
(Operation
NEPTUNE - For details of naval activities prior to and during this Operation see
LANDINGS IN
NORMANDY, June 1944. OPERATION NEPTUNE by K Edwards and
D-DAY SHIPS by J de Winser for information about all ships involved.)
June Passage to Join Force
B at Milford Haven.
4th Operation delayed 24
hours.
5th Deployed for escort
of Follow-up convoy to OMAHA Beach Head
(Note: This is
NOT recorded in the Naval Staff History.)
8th Deployed for patrol
to prevent incursions by E-Boats against the cross Channel traffic.
12th In action against
E-Boats with HM Escort Destroyers MELBREAK and BRISSENDEN.
Two enemy craft
were damaged,
22nd Under attack by Ju88
aircraft during patrol with HM Escort Destroyers TANATSIDE,
BRISSENDEN, HM
Destroyer BEAGLE, HM Frigate ROWLEY, HM Sloop LONDONDERRY,
HM Fighter
Direction Tender 13, French Frigates L'AVENTURE and L'ESCARMOUCHE.
27th On completion of
NEPTUNE retained in English Channel for
interception of E-Boats and
submarines.
July Channel deployment
in continuation.
(Note: One
source records service as escort for Frigate deployed for control of Coastal
Forces
operations off
French coast.)
3rd Involved in
collision with tug and sustained some structural damage forward.
Resumed patrol
duty after repair.
August English Channel
anti-submarine deployment in continuation.
4th Shared credit for
sinking U671 (Position 50.23N 00.06E) with HM Frigate STAYNER.
Some survivors
were rescued.
For details see
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
20th Shared credit for
sinking U413 (Position 50.21N 00.01W) in defence of Channel convoy with
HM Destroyers FORESTER and VIDETTE.
For details see
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
Some survivors
were rescued.
September Transferred to 21st
Destroyer Flotilla based at Sheerness for convoy defence and patrol duties
in North Sea and
English Channel.
(Note: The
significant increase in minelaying and attacks on convoys by E-Boats and
submarines had necessitated an
increase in demand for destroyers in Nore Command.
October Deployment with Flotilla
in Nore Command for convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
November
21st Sustained major
structural damage in collision with HM LST 367.
Engine Room and
Gearing Room flooded due to fracture in hull plating aft.
December Under structural survey
11th Declared beyond
economic repair and placed in Low Category of Reserve.
(Note: The
increased manning requirements and availability of new construction ships was a
factor in
deciding not to undertake repair)
1 9 4 5
January Laid-up in Reserve.
to
August
P
o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS WENSLEYDALE remained in Reserve and
after VJ Day the ship was placed on the Disposal List. She lay at West Hartlepool until sold to
BISCO for demolition by Hughes Bolcow on 15th
February 1946. The ship arrived at the breaker's yard at
Blyth on 25th February 1947.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
WENSLEYDALE
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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20/12/42
|
20/12/42
|
KX 007A
|
29/12/42
|
29/12/42
|
01/01/43
|
01/01/43
|
MKS 004Y
|
09/01/43
|
09/01/43
|
17/01/43
|
18/01/43
|
PW 280
|
19/01/43
|
19/01/43
|
20/01/43
|
20/01/43
|
WP 282
|
21/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
24/01/43
|
24/01/43
|
WP 284
|
25/01/43
|
26/01/43
|
26/01/43
|
27/01/43
|
PW 284
|
28/01/43
|
28/01/43
|
28/01/43
|
28/01/43
|
WP 286
|
29/01/43
|
30/01/43
|
04/02/43
|
05/02/43
|
PW 289
|
06/02/43
|
06/02/43
|
08/02/43
|
08/02/43
|
PW 291
|
11/02/43
|
11/02/43
|
11/02/43
|
11/02/43
|
WP 293
|
13/02/43
|
13/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
19/02/43
|
OS 043
|
22/02/43
|
04/03/43
|
08/03/43
|
08/03/43
|
PW 305
|
10/03/43
|
10/03/43
|
12/03/43
|
12/03/43
|
PW 307
|
14/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
15/03/43
|
15/03/43
|
WP 309
|
17/03/43
|
17/03/43
|
18/03/43
|
18/03/43
|
PW 310
|
20/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
19/03/43
|
19/03/43
|
WP 311
|
21/03/43
|
21/03/43
|
22/03/43
|
22/03/43
|
PW 312
|
24/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
26/03/43
|
26/03/43
|
PW 314
|
28/03/43
|
28/03/43
|
27/03/43
|
27/03/43
|
WP 315
|
29/03/43
|
29/03/43
|
30/03/43
|
30/03/43
|
PW 316
|
01/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
WP 319
|
06/04/43
|
06/04/43
|
12/04/43
|
12/04/43
|
WP 323
|
14/04/43
|
14/04/43
|
11/05/43
|
11/05/43
|
WP 337
|
12/05/43
|
13/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
PW 342
|
22/05/43
|
23/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
WP 343
|
24/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
PW 344
|
27/05/43
|
27/05/43
|
31/05/43
|
31/05/43
|
PW 347
|
02/06/43
|
02/06/43
|
12/06/43
|
12/06/43
|
PW 353
|
14/06/43
|
14/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
13/06/43
|
WP 354
|
15/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
16/06/43
|
16/06/43
|
PW 355
|
18/06/43
|
18/06/43
|
03/07/43
|
03/07/43
|
WP 364
|
05/07/43
|
05/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
WP 372
|
21/07/43
|
21/07/43
|
11/09/43
|
11/09/43
|
WP 399
|
13/09/43
|
13/09/43
|
27/10/43
|
27/10/43
|
WP 422
|
28/10/43
|
29/10/43
|
29/10/43
|
29/10/43
|
WP 423
|
31/10/43
|
31/10/43
|
31/10/43
|
31/10/43
|
CE 218
|
01/11/43
|
01/11/43
|
22/12/43
|
22/12/43
|
CW 233
|
23/12/43
|
24/12/43
|
05/01/44
|
05/01/44
|
WP 457
|
07/01/44
|
07/01/44
|
19/01/44
|
19/01/44
|
WP 464
|
21/01/44
|
21/01/44
|
21/01/44
|
21/01/44
|
WP 465
|
22/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
30/01/44
|
30/01/44
|
WP SP 19
|
01/02/44
|
01/02/44
|
18/02/44
|
18/02/44
|
WP 479
|
19/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
WP 482
|
26/02/44
|
26/02/44
|
01/03/44
|
01/03/44
|
WP 485
|
02/03/44
|
03/03/44
|
03/03/44
|
03/03/44
|
WP 486
|
05/03/44
|
05/03/44
|
09/03/44
|
09/03/44
|
WP 489
|
10/03/44
|
12/03/44
|
15/03/44
|
15/03/44
|
WP 492
|
16/03/44
|
17/03/44
|
17/03/44
|
17/03/44
|
WP 493
|
18/03/44
|
19/03/44
|
19/03/44
|
19/03/44
|
WP 494
|
20/03/44
|
21/03/44
|
23/03/44
|
23/03/44
|
WP 496
|
24/03/44
|
25/03/44
|
25/03/44
|
25/03/44
|
WP 497
|
26/03/44
|
27/03/44
|
31/03/44
|
31/03/44
|
WP 500
|
02/04/44
|
02/04/44
|
12/04/44
|
12/04/44
|
WP 506
|
13/04/44
|
14/04/44
|
20/04/44
|
20/04/44
|
WP 510
|
21/04/44
|
22/04/44
|
22/04/44
|
22/04/44
|
WP 511
|
23/04/44
|
24/04/44
|
06/10/44
|
06/10/44
|
ON 258
|
10/10/44
|
24/10/44
|
28/09/44
|
10/10/44
|
HX 311
|
14/10/44
|
14/10/44
|
08/11/44
|
08/11/44
|
ON 265
|
11/11/44
|
23/11/44
|
30/10/44
|
11/11/44
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HX 317
|
13/11/44
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13/11/44
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(Note on Convoys)
|