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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS  BROADWATER (H 81) -  ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements 

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Beverley, Type A sister-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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Ex USS MASON (Type A - BELMONT-Class) built by Newport New Shipbuilders. This ship was laid down on 10th July 1918 and launched on 8th March 1919. Commissioned on 28th February 1920 for US naval service she was held in Reserve in 1939. The ship transferred to the RN under the UK/US Lend Lease Agreement on 3rd September 1940 and commissioned as HMS BROADWATER on 2nd October 1940 at Halifax. This name was common to towns in Virginia, USA and West Sussex and had not previously been used f or a RN ship.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC  1941

 

Heraldic Data

None is recorded in the Official Record of Heraldic Crests.

(Note: This may be because no previous RN use.)

 

 

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

                2nd         Commissioned as HMS BROADWATER at Halifax.

                                Prepared for Atlantic passage with call in Newfoundland.

 

November              Under refit by HM Dockyard Devonport for modifications to suit RN deployment as a convoy

to                            escort

December              Transferred to commercial shipyard in Cardiff for completion of modifications.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Under refit at Cardiff

                31st         Completed refit.

 

 February               Nominated for service with 11th Escort Group.

                                Passage to Clyde on completion of post refit trials.

                9th          Joined escort for military convoy WS6A in Clyde for Local Escort in NW Approaches with HM

                                Destroyers ATHERSTONE, COTTESMORE and KEPPEL

                12th        Detached from WS6A and returned to Clyde.

                                Boiler defect required attention and taken in hand for repair in Clyde.

                                On completion reamed duty with Group and joined escort for Convoy HG56.

 

March                    Part of escort for Convoy OB306 with ships of Group.

                24th        Joined escort for military convey WS7 in Clyde for Local Escort in NW Approaches with HM

                                Destroyers LEGION, BEDOUIN, MASHONA, MATABELE, SOMALI and Polish destroyer

                                ORP PIORUN.

                27th        Detached from WS7 and returned to Clyde.

 

April

                9th          Taken in hand for repair in Clyde shipyard.

                17th        Resumed convoy defence duties.

 

May                        Withdrawn from service for refit and took passage to Southampton.

 

June                        Nominated for service with Newfoundland Escort Force on completion.

                9th          Transferred to Portsmouth for completion.

                20th        Post refit trials

                                Passage to Clyde to join escort for Atlantic convoy.

                28th        Joined Convoy OB339 for passage to St John's for new duties.

 

July                         Deployed for escort of convoys from Newfoundland to Iceland and odd Atlantic.

to

August

 

September             Part of escort for Convoy HX150 with RCN and RN ships.

 

October                  Joined Convoy SC48 for escort during passage to Mid Atlantic Meeting Point.

                19th        Hit by torpedo fired by U101 in position 57.01N 19.08W and sank nearly 10 hours later.

                                (Note: Casualty List was published on 16th November 1942.)

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS BROADWATER

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

 

 

 

 

 

15/03/41

28/03/41

HG 056

30/03/41

02/04/41

03/04/41

04/04/41

OB 306

07/04/41

09/04/41

26/06/41

27/06/41

OB 339

10/07/41

12/07/41

11/07/41

15/07/41

HX 138

23/07/41

27/07/41

21/07/41

26/07/41

OB 349

01/08/41

01/08/41

16/08/41

16/08/41

HX 145

26/08/41

31/08/41

18/09/41

30/09/41

SC 045

03/10/41

04/10/41

09/10/41

14/10/41

TC 014

16/10/41

17/10/41

05/10/41

16/10/41

SC 048

18/10/41

22/10/41

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 15/8/11
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