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)
|