1 9 4 0
September
Prepared for transfer to RN control.
8th - Commissioned as HMS CROWNINSHIELD at Halifax.
Passage to Devonport with call
at St. Johns, Newfoundland
10th - RN Names of TOWN Class announced.
28th - Arrived at Devonport and taken in hand for modifications to suit
RN requirements for Atlantic convoy escort deployments. Allocated for service in Western Approaches Command.
October
On completion of post refit trials took passage to Liverpool.
12th - Deployed for convoy defence in Atlantic.
November
4th - Under repair at Liverpool. Allocated for service in 6th Escort Group.
December
6th - Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties in 6th Escort Group. (Note: Other ships in Group
included HM Destroyer BROKE and HM Corvettes COLUMBINE, CAMELLIA, PIMPERNEL* and BARRIE (RCN)*. * Joined
later.)
1 9 4 1
January to August
Deployed with Group for escort of convoys between UK and Gibraltar. (For details of U-Boat tactics
see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.).
September
During convoy escort sustained damage in collision with US Destroyer
CANNING. After repair
resumed duty with Group.
October
Atlantic deployment in continuation.
November
1st - Sustained slight damage in further collision with USS CANNING.
16th - Sustained serious structural damage in second collision. Taken in hand for repair.
December
On completion resumed North Atlantic convoy defence duties with Group. Part of escort for Convoy ONS50
and SC61. (For details
of convoy dates see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM IN WW2 by A Hague.)
1 9 4 2
January
North Atlantic convoy escort in continuation with Group. Part of escort for Convoys ON57
and HX170. (For details
of Atlantic convoy defence see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by Donald Macintyre and CONVOY ESCORT
COMMANDER by P Gretton).
February
Atlantic escort duty in continuation.
5th - Rescued survivors from HM Corvette ARBUTUS sunk after being hit by
a torpedo from U136 south of
Iceland.
Under refit
and repair in London commercial shipyard.
March to June
Under refit. Nominated for
transfer on loan to Royal Canadian Navy.
S e r v i c e a
s H M C S C H E L S E A
July
On completion of post refit trials worked-up for operational service.
August
Took passage to St Johns to join the Western Atlantic Local
Escort Force.
September to December
Joined WLEF and deployed for convoy defence off Canadian seaboard with
RCN ships. (Note: WLEF or
Western Local Escort Force - RCN designation for convoy escort in eastern Atlantic to Mid Ocean Meeting
Point where RN escorted for passage to Liverpool.)
1 9 4 3
January to October
WLEF deployment in continuation. (Note: During this period had two separate periods of
refit in Brooklyn US Navy Yard, New York).
November
Nominated for return to UK to pay off and reduce to reserve status.
December
15th - Took passage to UK via Azores.
1 9 4 4
January
Paid off.
February
Nominated for transfer to Soviet Navy after refit.
14th - Taken in hand for refit at Palmers shipyard, Newcastle on Tyne.
March
Under refit
6th - Refit work completed.
April
Under care and maintenance prior to arrival of Russian crew.
May
3rd - Docking at Newcastle prior to transfer.
T r a n s f e r t
o R u s s i a n N a v y
June
Russian crew joined.
July
16th - Formal transfer to Soviet Navy and renamed DERZKI.
August
Passage to Loch Ewe to join other warships being transferred to Russia
on Lease-Lend. (Note: Other
ships transferred were battleship ARCHANGELSK (EX HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN) and 12 Ex US Navy PT
Boats).
17th - Sailed from Loch Ewe to Kola Inlet with Convoy JW59.
24th - On arrival at Kola Inlet detached to join Soviet Northern Fleet.
September to December
Deployed in White Sea with Soviet Northern Fleet.
1 9 4 5
January to August
Russian Northern Fleet deployment in continuation, mainly in White Sea.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
This ship continued in Soviet naval service as DERZKI
until 24th June 1949 when returned to the RN at Rosyth and resumed her name as HMS CHELSEA. She was immediately
placed on the Disposal List. The ship was sold to BISCO for breaking-up on 12th July that year and arrived in tow at P&W MacLellan's yard at Bo'ness on 29th July for
demolition.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
CHELSEA
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/10/40
|
15/10/40
|
OB 229
|
16/10/40
|
18/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
OB 235
|
31/10/40
|
31/10/40
|
20/10/40
|
01/11/40
|
HX 082
|
04/11/40
|
06/11/40
|
06/12/40
|
08/12/40
|
OB 255
|
10/12/40
|
10/12/40
|
29/11/40
|
11/12/40
|
HX 092
|
12/12/40
|
12/12/40
|
02/03/41
|
02/03/41
|
OB 293
|
07/03/41
|
08/03/41
|
23/02/41
|
10/03/41
|
HX 111
|
12/03/41
|
12/03/41
|
01/03/41
|
22/03/41
|
SL 067
|
24/03/41
|
26/03/41
|
31/03/41
|
31/03/41
|
OB 304
|
04/04/41
|
04/04/41
|
20/03/41
|
04/04/41
|
SC 026
|
05/04/41
|
08/04/41
|
12/04/41
|
12/04/41
|
OB 309
|
15/04/41
|
19/04/41
|
03/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
HG 058
|
18/04/41
|
21/04/41
|
26/04/41
|
27/04/41
|
OB 315
|
03/05/41
|
04/05/41
|
25/04/41
|
09/05/41
|
HX 123
|
09/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
08/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
OB 320
|
14/05/41
|
14/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
16/05/41
|
HX 125A
|
18/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
18/05/41
|
24/05/41
|
OB 324
|
27/05/41
|
27/05/41
|
27/05/41
|
08/06/41
|
HX 129
|
11/06/41
|
12/06/41
|
20/06/41
|
20/06/41
|
OB 337
|
28/06/41
|
28/06/41
|
14/06/41
|
25/06/41
|
HG 065
|
29/06/41
|
29/06/41
|
04/07/41
|
04/07/41
|
OG 067
|
09/07/41
|
20/07/41
|
18/06/41
|
09/07/41
|
SL 078
|
12/07/41
|
12/07/41
|
24/07/41
|
28/07/41
|
OS 001
|
30/07/41
|
10/08/41
|
03/08/41
|
04/08/41
|
OS 002
|
08/08/41
|
22/08/41
|
28/07/41
|
08/08/41
|
HG 069
|
11/08/41
|
11/08/41
|
19/08/41
|
20/08/41
|
OG 072
|
23/08/41
|
01/09/41
|
05/08/41
|
24/08/41
|
SL 083
|
28/08/41
|
28/08/41
|
04/09/41
|
22/09/41
|
SL 086
|
26/09/41
|
26/09/41
|
13/11/41
|
13/11/41
|
ON 036
|
16/11/41
|
25/11/41
|
24/12/41
|
25/12/41
|
ON 050
|
28/12/41
|
03/01/42
|
21/12/41
|
02/01/42
|
SC 061
|
07/01/42
|
07/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
18/01/42
|
ON 057
|
22/01/42
|
07/02/42
|
13/01/42
|
24/01/42
|
HX 170
|
28/01/42
|
28/01/42
|
02/02/42
|
02/02/42
|
ON 063
|
05/02/42
|
13/02/42
|
16/03/41
|
16/03/42
|
OB 298
|
20/03/41
|
20/03/41
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and as HMCS CHELSEA
|
|
|
|
|
|
25/09/42
|
05/10/42
|
ON 133
|
09/10/42
|
11/10/42
|
09/11/42
|
09/11/42
|
SC 109
|
12/11/42
|
30/11/42
|
17/11/42
|
20/11/42
|
SC 110
|
24/11/42
|
06/12/42
|
17/11/42
|
28/11/42
|
ON 147
|
03/12/42
|
04/12/42
|
04/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
SC 112
|
12/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
09/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
ON 152
|
28/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
06/01/43
|
09/01/43
|
HX 222
|
11/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
08/03/43
|
08/03/43
|
HX 229
|
12/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
03/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
ON 170
|
15/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
21/03/43
|
SC 123
|
24/03/43
|
03/04/43
|
31/03/43
|
05/04/43
|
SC 125
|
06/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
18/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
HX 235
|
24/04/43
|
05/05/43
|
18/04/43
|
29/04/43
|
ON 179
|
03/05/43
|
06/05/43
|
07/05/43
|
09/05/43
|
HX 238
|
13/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
10/05/43
|
20/05/43
|
ON 183
|
25/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
05/06/43
|
ON 186
|
07/06/43
|
07/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
HX 244
|
18/06/43
|
30/06/43
|
10/06/43
|
23/06/43
|
ON 188
|
26/06/43
|
26/06/43
|
08/08/43
|
08/08/43
|
HX 251
|
10/08/43
|
23/08/43
|
14/08/43
|
22/08/43
|
ON 197
|
25/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
21/08/43
|
01/09/43
|
ON 198
|
04/09/43
|
04/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
HX 256
|
15/09/43
|
21/09/43
|
08/09/43
|
18/09/43
|
ON 201
|
22/09/43
|
24/09/43
|
05/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
ON 205
|
23/10/43
|
23/10/43
|
24/10/43
|
24/10/43
|
HX 263
|
26/10/43
|
08/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
HX 266
|
18/11/43
|
27/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
24/11/43
|
ON 211
|
26/11/43
|
29/11/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)