Type II HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from
Yarrow's at Scotstoun. Glasgow on 4th September 1939 in the 1939 War
Emergency Programme and laid down as Job No J1850 on 7th June 1940. She was
launched on 17th October 1941 as the 1st RN warship to carry the name, that of
a fox-hunt in Wiltshire. Build was completed on 18th February 1942. This ship
was initially allocated for adoption by the civil community of the New Forest
Urban District in Hampshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign in March 1942, but later this was changed to East Retford in Nottinghamshire.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ARCTIC 1942 -
MALTA CONVOYS 1942
-
NORTH AFRICA 1942-43
-
SICILY 1943 - AEGEAN 1943
-
MEDITERRANEAN 1944 - ADRIATIC
1944
- NORTH SEA
1945
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge: On a Field
White, an eagle's head erased Green
gorged with a chain pendant therefrom a bugle horn 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
February Contractor's
sea trials and commissioned for service with 8th Destroyer flotilla, Home Fleet.
18th Build
completion date and commenced Acceptance Trials.
Took passage to
Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing.
March Worked-up
for operational service with ships of Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
On
completion of work-up joined Flotilla at Scapa Flow and deployed for escort
and patrol in
NW
Approaches.
April
4th Part of
Western Local Escort for Russian Convoy PQ14 with HM Trawlers NORTHERN WAVE
and
CHILTERN.
12th
Detached from PQ14 and returned to
Scapa Flow with ice damage.
For
details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg,
CONVOY! by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield and ARCTIC CONVOYS
by R
Woodman).
22nd Taken in
hand for repair in Thames commercial shipyard.
May Under
repair
19th Rejoined
Flotilla on completion of post refit trials.
21st Convoy
defence and patrol duties in continuation.
June
1st Detached for escort of HM Auxiliary Minelayers MENESTHEUS, AGAMEMNON,
SOUTHERN PRINCE and HM Minelaying Cruiser
ADVENTURE of 1st Minelaying
Squadron with HM Destroyers ST MARY'S, NEWARK
and INTREPID during minelay of a
section of the Northern Barrage in Denmark
Strait
(Operation SN72 - See Naval Staff History (MINING).
30th Part of
the Ocean escort for Russian Convoy PQ17 with HM Destroyers FURY, KEPPEL,
LEAMINGTON, LEDBURY, OFFA, HM Corvettes DIANELLA, LA MALOUINE, LOTUS
and
POPPY.
July
4th Detached
with Ocean Escort when convoy was scattered on Admiralty order and took
passage
to
join Home Fleet cruisers providing cover for PQ17 and returning QP13.
23rd Escorted
Fleet Auxiliary BLACK RANGER during operation to refuel Home Fleet destroyers
taking ammunition and stores to
North Russia.
29th Joined
military convoy WS21 in Clyde with HM Destroyer BRAMHAM as part of escort
during Atlantic passage
August
2nd Detached
from WS21 and joined escort for WS21S during passage to
Gibraltar.
(Operation PEDESTAL - For details see PEDESTAL by Peter Smith, THE BATTLE FOR
THE
MEDITERRANEAN by D
Macintyre,
MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman and Naval
Staff
History.)
10th Part of
Close Escort (Force X) for passage with convoy through Sicilian Narrows
to
Malta.
11th Under
attack by submarine during which HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE was sunk.
12th Detached
with HM Escort Destroyers BICESTER and DERWENT to escort damaged cruiser
HMS
NIGERIA to Gibraltar
after being torpedoed by the Italian submarine AXUM.
17th Passage
to rejoin Flotilla at Scapa Flow for Home Fleet duties.
September Deployed with
Flotilla in NW Approaches
9th Escorted
FM Escort Carrier AVENGER with H M Escort Destroyer WHEATLAND for air
operation during passage of Russian Convoy PQ 18 and return Convoy QP14.
Detached from PQ18 with HMS AVENGER, HM Cruiser SCYLLA and Fighting Escort'.
Joined escort for PQ 14 in continuation.
20th Detached
from QP14 as escort for HM Cruiser SCYLLA and HM Escort Aircraft
Carrier AVENGER with HM Escort Destroyers WHEATLAND and WILTON
because of increasing threat of submarine attack
(Note: Flag transferred to HM Destroyer MILNE.)
October Resumed Home
Fleet duties with Flotilla.
Nominated for detached service in support of allied landings in North Africa.
(Operation TORCH - For details see Naval Staff History and BRITISH INVASION
FLEETS
by J
de Winser fir information about all ships involved)
Took passage to
Gibraltar with FMS WHEATLAND.
November
2nd Joined
57th Destroyer Division at Gibraltar and prepared for escort and support
of landings at
Algiers.
8th Deployed
to provide inshore escort during assault operation.
9th Under
attack by torpedo and weapon passed beneath ship.
10th Provided
inshore escort for landings at Bougie.
12th Deployed
for escort of follow up convoys for North African military operations.
December Convoy escort
and patrol in continuation.
1 9 4 3
January
Mediterranean Convoy escort and patrol in continuation.
February Participated
in search for U443 off Algiers with HM Escort Destroyers BICESTER,
LAMERTON and WHEATLAND in defence of military Convoy KMF10A.
(Note: This submarine was later sunk in position 36.55N 02.57E without survivors).
March Convoy
defence and support in continuation.
to
April
May Deployed
for interception of escaping enemy craft evacuating troops from Cape
Bon area
(Operation RETRIBUTION -See above references).
Bombarded enemy positions at Kelebia.
June Convoy
defence and patrol in continuation.
Nominated for escort of assault landings in Sicily.
(Operation HUSKY - See above references).
July Joined
Escort Group X with HMS WHEATLAND as part of Support Force East.
Passage to Algiers
7th Part of
escort for assault convoy from Algiers to Beach Head in Sicily
10th After
arrival deployed for convoy defence in central Mediterranean.
August Mediterranean
convoy defence in continuation.
to (Note:
No Battle Honour ANZIO awarded but ship may have taken part in defence
November of convoys to
Salerno Beachhead between September and October).
December Under repair.
1 9 4 4
January Detached for
duty with Northern Attack Force Peter for Anzio landings.
(Operation SHINGLE - See above references and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY.)
21st Deployed
in support of landings with HM Escort Destroyers BEAUFORT and BRECON of
to
Northern Attack Force).
29th Subjected
to air and submarine attacks.
February On release
from SHINGLE resumed convoy defence role in Central Mediterranean.
March Central
Mediterranean deployment in continuation based in Naples.
29th Took part
in search for U223 with HM Destroyers LAFOREY and TUMULT.
Carried out series of depth charge attacks.
30th Detached
from search operation.
Carried out series of depth charge attacks.
April
Transferred to Adriatic and supported military operations off Albania
to
September
October Deployed in
support of capture of Corfu and
Sarande. Provided naval gunfire to support.
4th Provided
naval gunfire support during military operations
to
8th
November Adriatic
military support and patrol in continuation.
December
3rd Deployed
with three other destroyers and MTB's in support of attack on Uissinpicolo.
Base
for explosive motor boats used for attacks on shipping was destroyed.
17th Carried
out bombardment of Fort Asino.
1 9 4 5
January Deployment
in Adriatic and Aegean for military support, interception patrol and convoy
defence in continuation.
February Nominated for
return to UK for
defence of coastal convoys.
March Passage to
Sheerness to join 21st Destroyer Flotilla.
(Note: During this period there had been a significant increase in minelaying
in Nore
Command by E-Boats and submarines requiring additional destroyers in the
Thames estuary for patrol and defence of convoys to the continent).
April Deployed
with Flotilla in North Sea.
May After VE
Day remained in Nore Command for support of re-occupation operations.
June Nominated
for service in East Indies and transferred to Plymouth Command.
To be
refitted in Simonstown prior to foreign service.
July Passage
to South Africa.
August Taken in hand
for refit by HM Dockyard, Simonstown.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS WILTON completed refit in January 1946 and returned to
UK to Pay-off and reduce to
Reserve at Plymouth in
February 1946. The ship remained in the Reserve Fleet at
Plymouth until 1949 when she re-
commissioned for
service in the 4th Training Flotilla. Later this destroyer was
disarmed and used as an Air Target ship. She was again placed in Reserve and laid up at
Cardiff in 1953 for five years.
Placed on the Disposal List in 1959 the ship was sold to Shipbreaking
Industries for demolition at Faslane. She arrived at
the breaker’s yard in the Clyde on 4th December 1959 and her scrap value was £22,900.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS WILTON
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
26/03/42
|
08/04/42
|
PQ 014
|
12/04/42
|
19/04/42
|
27/06/42
|
30/06/42
|
PQ 017
|
04/07/42
|
04/07/42
|
02/09/42
|
09/09/42
|
PQ 018
|
17/09/42
|
21/09/42
|
13/09/42
|
17/09/42
|
QP 014
|
20/09/42
|
26/09/42
|
26/10/42
|
06/11/42
|
KMF 001
|
08/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
18/11/42
|
18/11/42
|
TE 003A
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
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
|
18/12/42
|
18/12/42
|
ET 006
|
19/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
MKS 004
|
23/12/42
|
06/01/43
|
11/01/43
|
14/01/43
|
TE 013
|
15/01/43
|
15/01/43
|
19/01/43
|
19/01/43
|
MKS 006
|
22/01/43
|
01/02/43
|
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
|
ET 013X
|
13/03/43
|
13/03/43
|
01/04/43
|
03/04/43
|
TE 020
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
ET 017
|
09/04/43
|
09/04/43
|
22/04/43
|
22/04/43
|
MKS 012
|
26/04/43
|
04/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
GTX 001
|
28/05/43
|
04/06/43
|
08/06/43
|
11/06/43
|
GTX 002
|
14/06/43
|
19/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
29/06/43
|
MKS 016A
|
06/07/43
|
09/07/43
|
28/06/43
|
07/07/43
|
KMF 018
|
unknown
|
11/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
KMS 019T
|
24/07/43
|
24/07/43
|
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
|
04/06/44
|
04/06/44
|
VN 044
|
05/06/44
|
05/06/44
|
13/06/44
|
13/06/44
|
VN 046
|
14/06/44
|
14/06/44
|
26/06/44
|
26/06/44
|
VN 049
|
27/06/44
|
27/06/44
|
06/07/44
|
06/07/44
|
VN 051
|
07/07/44
|
07/07/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)
|