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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c)
1998

HMS ROXBURGH (I 07), later Russian DOBLESTINI - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

 HMS Roxburgh (Navy Photos, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

Ex-USS FOOTE (Type C - ANNAPOLIS-Class) built by Bethlehem Steel, Fore River and laid down on 7 August 1918 and launched on 14th December that year. Build completed on 21st March 1919. She was transferred to the RN under the US/UK Lend Lease Agreement on 3rd September 1940. When the ship commissioned at Halifax on 23rd September 1940 she still carried her original name. The formal date for renaming was 2nd October when she became HMS ROXBOROUGH. The town in North Carolina, USA is ROXBORO and that in Scotland is named ROXBURGH with a compromise name ROXBOROUGH being given to the RN destroyer.  However the name used previously for an RN ship was ROXBURGH, a cruiser built in 1904 and sold in 1921. This Ex US Navy destroyer was not adopted by a civil community in after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during 1941-42.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC  1941-43

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

There is no Crest recorded in the official Record of Heraldic Crests for RN ships,

either for HM Cruiser ROXBURGH or HM Destroyer ROXBOROUGH.

 

 

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 and took passage to Halifax.

                23rd        Commissioned at Halifax with the second batch of eight transferred destroyers.

                                (Note: Commissioned as HMS FOOTE)
                                Prepared for passage to
UK.

                29th        Took passage from Halifax for UK.

 

October

                4th          Formally renamed HMS ROXBOROUGH.

                                Returned to Halifax for repair of defects.

                10th        Taken in hand for repair on arrival at Halifax.

 

November              Under repair.

 

December              Post repair trials and prepared for passage to UK via Newfoundland.

                7th          Took passage to Devonport.

                27th        Taken in hand for repair and modification to suit RN use as convoy escort

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Under repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

to                            (Note: Stage 1 Refit included:

February                Removal of mainmast and reduction of the height of foremast.

                                Removal of after gun mountings and replacement with since 12pdr HA gun.

                                Removal of the after two beam mounted torpedo tubes.

                                Installation of British design Depth Charge Throwers.

                                Fit of RN ASDIC Outfit if US Navy Sonar not fitted.

                                Addition of RN design ASDIC Recorders to existing US Navy outfit.

                                Allocated for service with 2nd Escort Group after completion.

 

March                    Under repair and refit. Harbour trials

                18th        Passage to join Group after post refit trials.

                27th        Deployed with Group for escort of Convoy OB305 from Liverpool during passage in NW

                                Approaches.

                                Based at Londonderry.

                                (Note: OB Series convoys from Liverpool were instituted in September 1939.

                                They were replaced by ON Series in October 1941.

 

April

                1st           Under threat of attack by U76 which failed.

                                (See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, Volume 1)

 

May                        Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

 

June                        Transferred to 4th Escort Group in continuation of NW Approaches convoy defence.

                                Group was based at Greenock.

                                (Note: Other ships in Group were:

                                HM Destroyers HIGHLANDER, WINCHELSEA and BEVERLEY.

                                HM Corvettes BORAGE, ABELIA, ANEMONE, PENNYWORT, ASPHODEL and

                                CLOVER.

 

July                         Atlantic service with Group in continuation.

                27th        Taken in hand for refit in Clyde shipyard.

 

August                  Under refit.

 

September             Carried out post refit trials.

                22nd       Resumed convoy defence with Group.

 

October                  Atlantic convoy defence in continuation

                                (Note: Group escorted Convoys ON26 and SC49 without loss during this period.

                                For details of weapons and tactics used in the Battle of the Atlantic See THE BATTLE OF

                                THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR, SEEK AND STRIKE by W

                                Hackmann and U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HM30) .

                                For information of dates of sailing for convoys and losses see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM

                                IN WW2.)

 

November              Nominated for transfer to Western Local Escort Force based at Halifax.

                                (Note: Group escorted Convoys HX158 and ONS33 without loss during this period.

                                Canadian Groups included both RCN and RN ships.)

 

December              Prepared for service in Canada.

                16th        Took passage to Halifax as part of escort by 6th Escort Group for Convoy ON47.

                                Remained with convoy which was escorted by US 3rd Escort Group from the Western Meeting

                                Point.

                                On arrival joined Western Escort Force but unable to begin duties due to extent of defects requiring

                                immediate attention.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Passage to Charlestown, South Carolina for repairs and refit.

                12th        Taken in hand for repair.

 

February                Under repair.

 

March

                26th        Passage to Halifax on completion of post repair trials.

 

April                       Deployed for coastal convoy defence based at Halifax.

to

May

 

June                        Coastal convoy escort in continuation.

                24th        Sustained structural damage after running aground off Chebogue.

                                Repair arranged at Norfolk, Virginia USA.

 

July                         Under repair in Norfolk Navy Yard

to

August

 

September

                9th          On completion of post refit trials took passage to Halifax.

                                Resumed convoy escort duties based at Halifax.

 

October                  Deployed for escort of Atlantic convoys.

to                            (Note: Available evidence suggests deployment was primarily coastal waters.

November

 

December              Part of local escort for Convoy HX222.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  During escort of Convoy HX222 sustained major structural damage in heavy weather.

                                Bridge structure was badly damaged causing death of eleven of ship's company.

                                These included Captain and First Lieutenant.

                                Passage to St Johns Newfoundland using emergency hand steering under command of sole

                                surviving officer a Canadian Sub-Lieutenant.

 

February                Under repair at St Johns to allow passage to Charlestown to complete work.

 

March                    Under repair at Charlestown.

 

April                       On completion of post refit trials took passage to resume convoy escort duties at Halifax with

                                Western Escort Force.

 

May                        Deployed off Eastern coast of USA and Canada for convoy escort.

to                            Future service under consideration.

November

 

December              Nominated for return to UK.

                                Passage from Halifax to St Johns.

                31st         Sailed from St Johns for return to Tyne.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

                10th        Arrived in Tyne estuary,

                                Paid off and de-stored prior to retention in Reserve.

 

February                Laid-up in Tyne

to                            Transferred on loan to Soviet Northern Fleet.

June

 

July                         Prepared for operational service. Russian crew arrived

 

August

                10th        Transferred to Soviet Navy and renamed DOBLESTINI.

                                On completion of Sea trials took passage to Scapa Flow.

                17th        Sailed from Scapa Flow with other ships being transferred.

                                Joined Convoy JW59 for passage to Kola Inlet.

                                (Note: Other ships transferred included battleship ARKHANGELSKI,

                                Ex HMS RESOLUTION and seven other TOWN Class destroyers.)

                25th        Arrived at Kola Inlet

 

September             Deployed with Northern Fleet for convoy defence duties in Arctic waters.

to

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Arctic convoy defence in continuation.

to

May

 

June                        Deployed with Russian Northern Fleet.

to

August

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS ROXBOROUGH remained on loan to Soviet Navy as DOBLESTINI until 1949. The ship returned to Rosyth on 7th February that year and reverted to RN control. She was placed on the Disposal List after being de-stored was sold to BISCO for demolition by Clayton and Davie on 5th April 1949 arriving later under tow at the breaker’s yard.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ROXBOROUGH

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

 

 

 

 

 

02/04/41

03/04/41

OB 305

06/04/41

06/04/41

24/03/41

06/04/41

HG 057

09/04/41

11/04/41

23/03/41

14/04/41

SL 069

16/04/41

unknown

23/04/41

24/04/41

OB 314

28/04/41

30/04/41

16/04/41

28/04/41

HX 121

30/04/41

03/05/41

08/05/41

09/05/41

OB 320

13/05/41

14/05/41

29/04/41

15/05/41

SC 030

18/05/41

20/05/41

30/04/41

18/05/41

HX 124

20/05/41

20/05/41

04/06/41

05/06/41

OG 064

08/06/41

18/06/41

17/05/41

09/06/41

SL 075

12/06/41

13/06/41

30/05/41

16/06/41

SL 076

21/06/41

21/06/41

20/06/41

04/07/41

HX 134

09/07/41

09/07/41

16/07/41

18/07/41

OB 347

22/07/41

31/07/41

11/07/41

23/07/41

HX 138

26/07/41

27/07/41

06/08/41

08/08/41

ON 004

12/08/41

18/08/41

21/09/41

22/09/41

ON 019

27/09/41

07/10/41

22/09/41

01/10/41

HX 151

05/10/41

07/10/41

11/10/41

23/10/41

SC 049

27/10/41

27/10/41

03/11/41

04/11/41

ON 033

08/11/41

23/11/41

03/11/41

13/11/41

HX 158

17/11/41

18/11/41

15/12/41

16/12/41

ON 047

23/12/41

23/12/41

05/04/42

05/04/42

SC 078

09/04/42

22/04/42

04/04/42

15/04/42

ON 083

17/04/42

17/04/42

26/04/42

26/04/42

HX 187

29/04/42

08/05/42

21/04/42

03/05/42

ON 088

06/05/42

08/05/42

24/05/42

24/05/42

HX 191

28/05/42

06/06/42

19/05/42

01/06/42

ON 096

07/06/42

07/06/42

08/06/42

08/06/42

BX 023A

10/06/42

10/06/42

14/06/42

14/06/42

HX 194

17/06/42

26/06/42

09/06/42

20/06/42

ON 102

24/06/42

25/06/42

19/07/42

19/07/42

XB 030

21/07/42

21/07/42

04/09/42

18/09/42

ON 127

20/09/42

20/09/42

24/09/42

24/09/42

HX 209

27/09/42

09/10/42

12/09/42

28/09/42

ON 130

30/09/42

30/09/42

03/10/42

03/10/42

SC 104

07/10/42

21/10/42

11/10/42

15/10/42

SC 105

18/10/42

31/10/42

11/10/42

22/10/42

ON 137

26/10/42

29/10/42

11/10/42

31/10/42

ON 138

03/11/42

03/11/42

09/11/42

09/11/42

SC 109

12/11/42

30/11/42

11/11/42

13/11/42

HX 215

17/11/42

25/11/42

07/11/42

20/11/42

ON 144

25/11/42

27/11/42

25/11/42

04/12/42

SC 111

08/12/42

17/12/42

19/12/42

27/12/42

SC 114

28/12/42

07/01/43

06/01/43

11/01/43

HX 222

14/01/43

22/01/43

02/05/43

02/05/43

SC 129

06/05/43

21/05/43

29/04/43

14/05/43

ONS 006

17/05/43

17/05/43

17/05/43

17/05/43

XB 053

18/05/43

19/05/43

26/05/43

26/05/43

SC 132

29/05/43

11/06/43

28/05/43

07/06/43

ONS 009

11/06/43

09/06/43

10/06/43

23/06/43

ON 188

26/06/43

26/06/43

30/06/43

30/06/43

HX 246

06/07/43

14/07/43

01/07/43

07/07/43

ON 191

14/07/43

15/07/43

09/07/43

20/07/43

ON 192

22/07/43

22/07/43

30/07/43

30/07/43

HX 250

01/08/43

12/08/43

08/08/43

19/08/43

ON 196

21/08/43

21/08/43

27/08/43

27/08/43

HX 254

02/09/43

12/09/43

26/08/43

04/09/43

ON 199

09/09/43

09/09/43

18/10/43

28/10/43

ON 207

31/10/43

04/11/43

31/10/43

02/11/43

HX 264

05/11/43

17/11/43

31/10/43

09/11/43

ON 209

09/11/43

17/11/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys) 

 

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