Ex-USS THOMAS (Type C) built by Newport News
SB Company and laid down for the US Navy on
23rd March 1918. The ship was
launched on 4th July 1918 and she
commissioned for service on 24th April 1918.
This destroyer was held in
Reserve in 1939 and transferred to the RN
under the UK/US Lend-Lease Agreement on 3rd
September 1940. She
commissioned for RN service as HMS ST ALBANS
at Halifax on 23rd September 1940 and was
the 6th
RN ship to bear this name, introduced in
1687 for a 4th Rate,
The name was last used in 1764 for a 3rd
Rate which was broken up in 1814. This
name is associated with the Charles
Beauclerk, First Duke of St Albans who was
son of Charles II and Nell Gwyn. In common
with other ships loaned by the USA
the name was common to towns in both
countries, in this case the city in
Herefordshire and two towns in the
USA.
B
a t t l e H o n o u r s
BARFLEUR
1892 - LAGOS 1759 -
ST
LUCIA 1778 - ST KITTS 1782 - THE SAINTES
1782 - ATLANTIC 1941-43 -
ENGLISH CHANNEL 1942 - ARCTIC 1942 - NORTH SEA 1943
H
e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Blue a
saltire couped
White, charged with
a
hurt,
thereon a
mullet also White.
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 from US Navy and passage to Halifax
under US Navy command.
23rd
- Commissioned for RN service as HMS ST
ALBANS.
On
completion
of trials took passage to Plymouth via St
Johns, Newfoundland.
October
Arrived
at
Plymouth.
11th
- Taken in hand for refit and modification
for RN service by HM Dockyard
Devonport.
Nominated for service with 1st Minelaying
Squadron
based at Kyle of Lochalsh. (Note: This ship
was to be detached
for convoy defence as required by C in C
Western Approaches.)
November
On
completion
of post refit trials took passage to join
Squadron.
18th
- Detached for escort of military convoy in
NW Approaches.
Joined convoy WS4B with sister
destroyers HMS BATH and HMS ST MARY'S as part
of Local escort
from Clyde. (Note: HM Destroyers HIGHLANDER,
OTTAWA (RCN),
SAGUENAY (RCN), SKEENA (RCN), ST LAURENT
(RCN), HM Cruiser CAIRO were
also deployed.)
19th
- Detached
from WS4B and resumed Squadron duties.
26th
- Deployed
with HM Destroyers CHARLESTOWN, BATH and ST
MARY'S as escort for ships of 1st Minelaying
Squadron during minelay in Northern Barrage
(Operation SN11
- See Naval Staff History (Mining).)
December
8th
- Deployed
with HM Destroyers BATH, KEPPEL and DOUGLAS as
escort for minelay by ships of
1st Minelaying Squadron in Northern Barrage
covered by HM
Cruiser ARETHUSA and HM Battlecruiser HOOD
(Operation
SN10A).
18th
- Deployed
for escort of military convoy WS5A with HMS
BATH as Local Escort during passage
in NW Approaches
20th
- Detached from WS5A after HM Destroyer
HARVESTER, HIGHLANDER and VESPER took
over Local Escort duties.
1
9 4 1
January
Deployed
with
Squadron for escort of minelayers.
February
Passage
to Sheerness for repair.
11th
- Taken in
hand for repair by HM Dockyard, Chatham
March
Under
repair.
Nominated for transfer to Royal Norwegian
Navy.
W
a r S e r v i c e a
s H N o r M
S S T A L B A N S
April
Norwegian
ship's
company joined for turnover.
14th
- Refit work completed.
22nd
- Transferred to Royal Norwegian Navy for
loan service.
(Note:
Name was unchanged.)
Passage
to Scapa Flow for work-up
with ships of Home Fleet.
May
Nominated
for
Atlantic convoy defence with 7th Escort Group
3rd
- Collided
off Scapa Flow with HM Trawler ALBERNI
which sank. Work-up
suspended and ship under repair.
June
4th
- Joined Group at Liverpool for Atlantic
service.
(Note:
Ships in Group included HM Destroyers
WANDERER, NEWPORT, BEAGLE, CAMPBELTOWN,
WESTCOTT and six Flower Class Corvettes.)
18th
- Rescued
survivors from ss EMPIRE DEW which had been
sunk by a U-Boat on 12th June.
July
Atlantic
convoy
escort with Group in continuation.
August
Deployed
as
escort for Convoy SL81 with ships of Group.
3rd
- Took part
in sinking of U401 with HMS WANDERER and HM
Corvette HYDRANGEA during
attack on SL81. (For details see HITLER'S
U-BOAT WAR by C Blair and
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
September
Atlantic
convoy defence with Group in continuation.
October
Deployed
with
Group for escort of Convoy ONS22.
7th
- Sustained
damage during escort of ONS22 and took passage
to Iceland for temporary repair.
November
Passage
from Iceland to Thames for permanent repair.
Taken in hand
for repair in London.
December
On
completion
returned to Liverpool top rejoin Group for
Atlantic convoy defence.
1
9 4 2
January
to March
Atlantic
convoy
defence with Group in continuation (Note:
During
this period Group provided escort for Convoys
HX171 and SC68 which
arrived with loss of merchant ships.)
April
Under
refit in
Liverpool during which Radar Type 271 for
surface warning was fitted. (See
RADAR AT SEA by D Howse for details of
development and use of radar in RN.)
On
completion resumed convoy defence in Western
Approaches.
28th
- Deployed with HM Destroyers BADSWORTH,
BOADICEA, MATCHLESS.
SOMALI, VENOMOUS, HM
Auxiliary AA Ship ULSTER QUEEN, HM
Minesweepers BRAMBLE, LEDA
and SEAGULL as Ocean Escort for Convoy PQ15
during passage from Iceland to Kola
Inlet. (Note: For details of all Russian
Convoys see CONVOYS
TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, CONVOY
!
by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schofield and ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
May
2nd
- Carried out attacks on submarine with HM
Minesweeper SEAGULL in defence of
PQ12.
Submarine
which was then found to be
Polish JASTRZAB
was badly damaged and forced to surface.
Crew
were
taken off and
submarine sunk by gunfire. (Note: ORP JASTRZAB
had been out of
station. See CONVOY! by
P Kemp.)
21st
- Deployed
with HM Destroyers BOADICEA, ESCAPADE,
INGLEFIELD, BADSWORTH, VENOMOUS,
HM Auxiliary AA Ship ULSTER QUEEN, as escort
of return convoy QP12 from
Kola Inlet to Iceland. (Note: Local
Escort
was provided from Kola Inlet by HM
Minesweeper BRAMBLE, GOSSAMER.
LEDA and SEAGULL.)
June
Resumed
duties
with 1st Minelaying Squadron on release from
QP12. Nominated for
return to RN manning after refit.
July
Passage
to Falmouth for refit.
2nd
- Taken in hand for refit in commercial
shipyard at Falmouth.
August
to September
Under
refit. Norwegian personnel replaced by RN.
Nominated
for service in Western Approaches Command
for convoy escort.
S e r v
i c e a s H M
S S T A L B A N S
October
Commissioned
for
RN service.
29th
- Refit completion and passage to Tobermory
for work-up after post refit
trials.
November
8th
- Took
passage to join Western Approaches Command for
operational use.
Deployed
as
part of escort for Convoy ON 144. Detached
from
ON 144 and took passage to Plymouth for repair.
16th
- Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard,
Devonport.
December
Transferred
to
Portsmouth for completion of repairs.
Nominated for
use as an Air Target Ship at Rosyth on
completion.
1
9 4 3
January
to March
Deployed
in
Rosyth Command as a Target Ship for training
of aircrew. Nominated
for service with Western Local Escort Force
based at Halifax, Nova
Scotia.
April
Under
repair at Portsmouth prior to passage to
Halifax.
Part
of escort for Convoy ON 177 during Atlantic
passage.
May
to November
Deployed
with
Western Local Escort Force for defence of
coastal traffic between ports in USA and
Canada as well as during passage to Mid Ocean
Meeting Point where escort
transferred to ships of Western Approaches.
December
Nominated
for
reduction to Reserve status and took passage
to UK.
1
9 4 4
January
Paid-off
and laid up in Reserve.
February
to May
Laid-up. Nominated
for transfer on loan to Soviet Navy after
refit.
T r a n
s f e r t o R u s s
i a n N a v y
June
Passage
to Tyne
2nd
- Taken in hand for refit at Palmers
shipyard, Hebburn.
July
Russian
ship's
company joined ship.
16th
- Formally
transferred to Soviet Northern Fleet and
renamed DOSTOINY.
August
Passage
to
North Russia
P o s
t T r a ns f e r N o t
e s
This
destroyer served with the
Northern Fleet until 1948 and was returned to
Britain at Rosyth on 28th
February 1949. Renamed HMS ST ALBANS the ship
was de-stored and placed on the
Disposal List. Sold to BISCO on 4th April that
year for demolition by
Metal Industries she arrived in tow at the
breaker’s yard in Charlestown near Rosyth on
18th May 1949.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HNorMS ST
ALBANS
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
30/06/41
|
01/07/41
|
OB
341
|
05/07/41
|
06/07/41
|
24/06/41
|
05/07/41
|
HG
066
|
09/07/41
|
09/07/41
|
14/07/41
|
15/07/41
|
OB
346
|
18/07/41
|
01/08/41
|
08/07/41
|
19/07/41
|
HG
067
|
24/07/41
|
24/07/41
|
30/07/41
|
01/08/41
|
OG
070
|
01/08/41
|
12/08/41
|
13/07/41
|
03/08/41
|
SL
081
|
08/08/41
|
08/08/41
|
13/08/41
|
13/08/41
|
OS
003
|
18/08/41
|
01/09/41
|
29/08/41
|
29/08/41
|
OG
073
|
02/09/41
|
13/09/41
|
15/08/41
|
02/09/41
|
SL
084
|
08/09/41
|
08/09/41
|
12/09/41
|
13/09/41
|
OS
006
|
17/09/41
|
03/10/41
|
05/09/41
|
18/09/41
|
SC
043
|
20/09/41
|
20/09/41
|
02/10/41
|
02/10/41
|
ON
022
|
07/10/41
|
15/10/41
|
23/12/41
|
23/12/41
|
CT
008
|
24/12/41
|
01/01/42
|
31/12/41
|
01/01/42
|
ON
052
|
05/01/42
|
11/01/42
|
27/12/41
|
09/01/42
|
SC
062
|
12/01/42
|
12/01/42
|
20/01/42
|
21/01/42
|
ON
058
|
21/01/42
|
21/01/42
|
20/01/42
|
30/01/42
|
HX
171
|
31/01/42
|
01/02/42
|
07/02/42
|
07/02/42
|
ON
064
|
11/02/42
|
24/02/42
|
07/02/42
|
17/02/42
|
HX
174
|
21/02/42
|
21/02/42
|
11/04/42
|
11/04/42
|
UR
019
|
15/04/42
|
15/04/42
|
18/04/42
|
18/04/42
|
RU
019
|
22/04/42
|
22/04/42
|
10/04/42
|
28/04/42
|
PQ
015
|
05/05/42
|
05/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
21/05/42
|
QP
012
|
29/05/42
|
29/05/42
|
15/06/42
|
28/06/42
|
SL
113
|
03/07/42
|
05/07/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
as
HMS ST
ALBANS
|
|
|
|
|
|
07/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
ON
144
|
13/11/42
|
27/11/42
|
04/12/42
|
05/12/42
|
PW
258
|
06/12/42
|
06/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
WP
260
|
09/12/42
|
09/12/42
|
15/12/42
|
15/12/42
|
WP
264
|
19/12/42
|
19/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
PW
269
|
27/12/42
|
28/12/42
|
30/01/42
|
11/02/43
|
SC
067
|
13/02/42
|
15/02/42
|
06/04/43
|
10/04/43
|
ON
177
|
17/04/43
|
23/04/43
|
12/04/43
|
25/04/43
|
ON
178
|
29/04/43
|
02/05/43
|
01/05/43
|
04/05/43
|
HX
237
|
07/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
30/04/43
|
12/05/43
|
ON
181
|
18/05/43
|
18/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
HX
241
|
28/05/43
|
10/06/43
|
31/05/43
|
03/06/43
|
HX
242
|
06/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
01/06/43
|
10/06/43
|
ON
187
|
13/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
16/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
ON
189
|
01/07/43
|
01/07/43
|
08/07/43
|
08/07/43
|
HX
247
|
14/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
09/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
ON
192
|
21/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
25/07/43
|
HX
249
|
26/07/43
|
06/08/43
|
24/07/43
|
04/08/43
|
ON
194
|
07/08/43
|
07/08/43
|
20/08/43
|
20/08/43
|
HX
253
|
25/08/43
|
04/09/43
|
21/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
ON
198
|
01/09/43
|
04/09/43
|
01/09/43
|
12/09/43
|
EN
200
|
15/09/43
|
18/09/43
|
16/09/43
|
18/09/43
|
HX
257
|
19/09/43
|
30/09/43
|
22/09/43
|
24/09/43
|
HX
258
|
28/09/43
|
06/10/43
|
22/09/43
|
03/10/43
|
ON
203
|
07/10/43
|
10/10/43
|
05/10/43
|
07/10/43
|
HX
260
|
08/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
08/10/43
|
09/10/43
|
UT
003
|
10/10/43
|
17/10/43
|
18/10/43
|
21/10/43
|
HX
262
|
22/10/43
|
02/11/43
|
09/10/43
|
26/10/43
|
ONS
020
|
26/10/43
|
26/10/43
|
26/10/43
|
26/10/43
|
XB
080
|
28/10/43
|
29/10/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|