Ex
USS BUCHANAN (Type B -
CALDWELL-Class) built by Bath Iron Works.
The ship was laid down on 29th June 1918
and launched on 2nd January
1919-
Commissioned on 20th January 1919 for U S
naval service she was
held in Reserve in 1939. The ship was
transferred to the RN under the UK/US
Lend Lease Agreement on 3rd September 1940
and commissioned as HMS
CAMPBELTOWN at Halifax, Canada on 9th
September 1940. The name is common to a
town in Florida, USA and one in Argyll,
Scotland.
It
had not been used previously for an RN
ship.
B a t
t
l e H
o n o u r
s
ATLANTIC 1941-42
- ST NAZAIRE 1942
H e r
a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field White, within an
annulet Blue charged in base with a
mullet White
a sprig of myrtle proper.
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
September
Prepared for transfer to RN control.
9th
Commissioned as HMS CAMPBELTOWN at Halifax.
Passage to Plymouth via St. Johns,
Newfoundland.
29th
Arrived at Devonport and taken in hand for
modifications to suit RN use.
October
Under refit and modification.
November
Nominated for service in Western Approaches
with 17th Flotilla.
1st
Completed refit and harbour trials.
2nd
Carried out post refit sea trials
Sustained damage in collision with ss RISOY
but continued passage to Liverpool
7th
Under repair at Liverpool.
24th
On completion of repair took passage to join
Flotilla.
December
Deployed for convoy defence with Flotilla.
3rd
Sustained major damage in collision with ss
COMUS.
Taken in hand for repair.
1
9 4 1
January
Under repair.
to
(Note: During this refit the 4th Funnel was
shortened.)
February
March
During repair some Polish personnel on
board.
(Note: It is not known whether loan to
Polish Navy was contemplated.)
28th
On completion transferred to Royal
Netherlands Navy on loan.
Joined 7th Escort Group.
April
Deployed with Group for convoy defence.
to
(Note: A proposal to rename the ship
MIDDLEBERG was not agreed as this would
May
have been contrary to the naming agreed with
the US Navy on transfer.)
June
Under repair.
July
On completion resumed service with Group for
convoy defence.
August
Convoy defence with Group in continuation.
September
Nominated for return to RN service in 7th
Escort Group.
Worked-up for operational service with RN
ships’ company.
October
On completion of work-up joined Group.
Deployed for convoy defence with Group for
mercantile convoys between UK and West
Africa..
November
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to
Passage to Devonport for repair
December
1 9 4 2
January
Taken in hand by HM Dockyard, Devonport for
repair.
Selected for special operation and withdrawn
from service for modifications.
(Note: This ship was to be used for an
assault operation at St Nazaire and was
considered
as being expendable (Operation CHARIOT).
For details see Naval Staff History and THE
WATERY MAZE by B Fergusson).
February
Under modification.
(Note: The third and fourth funnels were
removed and the other two funnels raked.
This was to simulate structure of German
MOWE class destroyer
A 12pdr HA gun was fitted forward.
Demolition charges made up of 24 Depth
Charges were fitted with suitable
firing mechanism.
All unnecessary stores and equipment were
landed to lighten ship.
Armour protection was provided for bridge
structure and new 20mm Oerlikon gun
positions
fitted on upper deck.
March
On completion of trials embarked Commandos
and reduced ships company needed to
take ship to French coast and to man
armament needed for CHARIOT.
25th
Took passage from Devonport to Falmouth to
join Motor Launches and Motor Torpedo
Boats taking part in this operation.
(Note: Details of recognition signals used
by German warships approaching the French
coast had been given to all ships taking
part. )
26th
Sailed from Falmouth towing MTB74 with HM Destroyers ATHERSTONE and TYNEDALE.
(Note: MTB74 had been modified to carry
special delayed action torpedoes to be used
if
explosives carried on board did not
detonate.)
27th
Passage into port made from Atlantic
direction to ensure approach to St Nazaire
was correct.
(Note: U593 sighted CHARIOT Force and was
attacked without success.
See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair and THE
BATTLE OF THE NARROW
SEAS by P Scott for details.)
Arrived off St Nazaire and entered Loire
estuary.
28th
Ship wedged against outer lock gate but
charges failed to detonate.
Some survivors rescued by MTB74 and ML177
were later lost when these two craft were
sunk.
Depth Charges detonated ten hours later and
caused many casualties to enemy personnel
who
were on board inspecting the ship and others
on the dockside.
Wreck of ship was driven into the drydock
when the caisson was damaged and she
remained there for many months.
The dock was sealed with a sand wall but
could not be used for the rest of WW2.
For full details see above references and
Naval Staff History.
( Note: The British film THE GIFT HORSE was loosely based on
CHARIOT)
Addenda
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS CAMPBELTOWN
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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02/05/41
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02/05/41
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OB
318
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07/05/41
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10/05/41
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25/04/41
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09/05/41
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HX
123
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12/05/41
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13/05/41
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18/05/41
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19/05/41
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OB
324
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24/05/41
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27/05/41
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09/05/41
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24/05/41
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SC
031
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30/05/41
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30/05/41
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31/05/41
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31/05/41
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OB
329
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05/06/41
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05/06/41
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25/05/41
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02/06/41
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HG
063
|
09/06/41
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09/06/41
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08/07/41
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19/07/41
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HG
067
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24/07/41
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24/07/41
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30/07/41
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01/08/41
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OG
070
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01/08/41
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12/08/41
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13/07/41
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03/08/41
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SL
081
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08/08/41
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08/08/41
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13/08/41
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14/08/41
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OS
003
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17/08/41
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01/09/41
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09/08/41
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19/08/41
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HG
070
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unknown
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23/08/41
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29/08/41
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29/08/41
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OG
073
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02/09/41
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13/09/41
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15/08/41
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03/09/41
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SL
084
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08/09/41
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08/09/41
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12/09/41
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12/09/41
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OS
006
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15/09/41
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03/10/41
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05/09/41
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18/09/41
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SC
043
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20/09/41
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20/09/41
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04/01/42
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13/01/42
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SL
097
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24/01/42
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24/01/42
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(Note
on Convoys)
HMS
CAMPBELTOWN
PREPARING for ST NAZAIRE
from
Dave Martin
My thanks
to Dave Martin for sending me this photograph
of HMS Campbeltown being converted to resemble
a German destroyer before the famous and
heroic raid on St Nazaire. Note the two
cut-down funnels and the lines of protective
plating being added along both sides behind
which the Commandos took cover. He informs me
that apart from a few poor photos of her
rammed into the Normandie dock gates, he has
not seen any more of her during this period,
probably "all hush hush", although he
has heard that the dock gates at Cardiff
were used at night for training.
VICTORIA
CROSS SHIP
The
London Gazette, Thursday 21 May, 1942
(From the ADMIRALTY, Whitehall, S.W.1)
"The
KING has been graciously pleased to approve
the award of the VICTORIA CROSS for daring and
valour in the attack on the German Naval Base
at St. Nazaire,
to:
Lieutenant‑Commander
Stephen Halden
Beattie, Royal Navy, H.M.S. Campbeltown.
For
great gallantry and determination in the
attack on St.
Nazaire
in command of H.M.S.
Campbeltown.
Under intense fire directed at the bridge from
point blank range of about 100 yards, and in
the face of the blinding glare of many
searchlights, he steamed her into the
lock‑gates and beached and scuttled her in the
correct position. This Victoria Cross is
awarded to Lieutenant-Commander Beattie in
recognition not only of his own valour but
also of that of the unnamed officers and men
of a very gallant ship's company, many of whom
have not returned."
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