Ex USS PHILIP (Type B -
MONTGOMERY-Class) built by Bath Iron Works and launched 25th July 1919. Build
was completed on 25th August 1918 for US naval service. In 1939 the ship
was held in Reserve and the ship was
was transferred on loan to the
Royal Navy under the 1940 USAK Lease/Lend Agreement. She commissioned at Halifax into RN-service on 23 October 1940 as HMS LANCASTER. Names for the Ex US Navy destroyer had
been decided and this ship was the sixth RN warship to bear this name which was
introduced in 1694 for a 2nd Rate. The
last ship to carry the name was an armoured cruiser launched in 1902 and sold
in 1920. All Ex USN destroyers transferred in 1940 were given names of towns
common to towns in the USA and in the UK or British Commonwealth. In this case the name of
several towns in the USA and the city of Lancaster. Following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the
civil community of Lancaster, Lancashire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
MINORCA 1756 - LOUISBURG
1758 -
CAMPERDOWN 1797 -
BUENOS AIRES 1807 - ATLANTIC 1941 - ARCTIC 1942 -
NORTH SEA 1942-43
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Red, a rose red barbed proper thereon a lion's face
ducally crowned gold, the crown charged with a hurt thereon a mullet 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 to RN
10th Ex US Navy destroyers
on loan to be named after towns common to USA and UK or British
Commonwealth
communities
October Passage to Halifax Nova
Scotia,
23rd Commissioned into RN
service as HMS LANCASTER.
November Passage to UK with call at
St Johns Newfoundland.
(Note: Ship was
to refit at Portsmouth.)
26th Arrived at Portsmouth
and taken in hand for refit and modification at Portsmouth.
(Note: Changes
made to suit RN deployment as a convoy escort.)
December Under refit by HM Dockyard.
(Note: only a
limited number of changes required were completed.)
Nominated for
duty with 1st Minelaying Squadron at Kyle of Lochalsh on completion.
(Note: To be
deployed as escort for minelaying operations and detached when required for
for escort of
mercantile convoys in NW Approaches to and from Iceland.
1 9 4 1
January
11th Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of post refit trials.
Worked -up at
Scapa Flow with ships of Home Fleet before Joining Squadron as part of 17th
Destroyer
Division.
19th Escorted HM Cruiser
Minelayer ADVENTURE and Auxiliary minelayers for minelay in
Northern Barrage
off Cape Wrath covered by Home Fleet ships (Operation SN15B).
February
5th Escorted ships of
ML1 for minelaying Operations in Northern Barrage.
(Operation SN7A).
6th Detached after
weather damage and returned to harbour.
17th Escorted Auxiliary
Minelayers for Northern Barrage lays in Faeroes Gap covered by Home Fleet
ships.
(Operations SN7B and 68A).
March
19th Escorted Auxiliary
minelayers for further minelay in Northern Barrage. (Operation SN69).
26th Escorted Auxiliary
Minelayers for continuation of Northern Barrage minelay covered ships of
Home Fleet
(Operation SN4).
April
6th Escorted Auxiliary
Minelayers for continuation minelay as SN4. (Operation SN8).
May Detached for Iceland
convoy escort.
June Taken in hand for
completion of changes needed to meet RN requirements
(Note: Stage 2
of refit including fit of radar and close range AA guns.
For details of
development and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
July Under refit in
commercial shipyards in Humber shipyard.
August
28th On completion of post
refit trials worked-up at Scapa Flow.
September Detached from Squadron
after work-up and deployed for Iceland route convoy escort.
27th Nominated for escort
of military convoy and took passage to Clyde.:
October
1st Joined HM
Destroyers BADSWORTH, BRADFORD, BRIGHTON and NEWARK in Clyde as
Local Escort for
military convoy WS12 during passage in NW Approaches.
(Note: HM
Destroyers ASSINIBOINE (RCN), SIKH, SAGUENAY (RCN), VERITY,
WHITEHALL,
BLANKNEY and STANLEY, HM Cruiser CAIRO, HM Armed Merchant
Cruiser CATHAY,
HM Auxiliary Minelayer AGAMEMNON also sailed as escorts
from Clyde.
3rd Detached from WS12
and resumed convoy defence in NW Approaches.
Resumed Squadron
escort duty during Northern Barrage minelays.
13th Escorted HM Auxiliary
Minelayer PORT QUEBEC for minelay in Butt of Lewis.
(Operation
SN24B),
November
28th Escorted HM Auxiliary
Minelayer MENESTHEU5 during minelay in NW Approaches.
(Operation
SN25B).
December Deployed with Squadron at
Kyle of Lochalsh
Detached for
escort of military convoy in NW Approaches.
: 9th Joined military
convoy WS14 in Clyde with H M Destroyers BEVERLEY, CROOME, NEWARK,
SHERWOOD,
WESTCOTT, WITHERINGTON and HM Auxiliary AA Ship ULSTER QUEEN
as Local Escort
during passage in NW Approaches.
(Note: HM
Destroyers FOXHOUND, GURKHA and NESTOR also sailed as part of escort)
12th Detached from WS14
and resumed Squadron duties.
1 9 4 2
January Detached for Iceland convoy escort. Resumed Squadron
duties.
February
9th Escorted HM
Auxiliary Minelayers MENESTHEUS and AGAMEMNON during Northern
Barrage minelay
in Faeroes area (Operation SN56).
16th Escorted HM Auxiliary
Minelayers MENESTHEUS, HMS AGAMEMNON and PORT
QUEBEC for
minelay in Faeroes-Iceland Gap with HM Destroyer SOMALI from Home Fleet
(Operation SN85).
28th Escorted same ships
as SN84 in continuation with HM Destroyers MIDDLETON, WELLS and
SKATE (Operation
SN85).
March
15th Escorted same ships
as SN84 in continuation with HM Destroyers WELLS, ST MARY'S and
LEDBURY covered
by Home Fleet ships (Operation SN 81).
30th Deployed in
continuation of SN81 with HM Destroyers WELLS and CHARLESTOWN covered
by Home Fleet
ships.
Detached on
passage to land injured officer but rejoined escort (Operation SN87).
April Nominated for escort
of military convoy and took passage to Clyde.
15th Joined Convoy WS18
with HM Destroyers BADWORTH, GEORGETOWN, LAUDERDALE
and ST MARYS as
Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches.
19th Detached from WS18
and took passage to Newport, Man. for refit.
May Under refit.
June On completion of post
refit trials deployed for convoy escort.
July
29th Rejoined Squadron for
Northern Barrage minelay escort.
31st Escorted auxiliary
minelayers for continuation of minelay in Faeroes - Iceland Gap with HM
Destroyers
BRIGHTON, CASTLETON and NEWARK covered by Home Fleet ships.
. (Operation SN82).
August
3rd Detached for convoy
defence in NW Approaches.
September Resumed Squadron escort
duty.
2nd Escorted auxiliary
minelayers for minelay in Denmark Straits with HM Destroyers
BRIGHTON,
NEWARK and
CHARLESTOWN covered by Home Fleet ships (Operation SN89).
15th Escorted auxiliary
minelayers for minelay south of Faeroes with HM Destroyers CHARLESTOWN
NEWARK and
PUCKERIDGE (Operation SN65A).
(Note: Operation
had been delay due to submarine threat.)
18th On completion
detached for escort of UK-Gibraltar convoys prior to planned allied invasion of
North Africa
(Operation TORCH).
October Deployment for Gibraltar
convoy escort in continuation.
30th Rejoined Squadron for
minelaying escort.
November Escorted all auxiliary
minelayers and HMS ADVENTURE for minelay off Faeroes Bank with HM
Destroyers
BRIGHTON, WELLS and CASTLETON (Operation SN3F).
On completion
detached for Atlantic convoy escort duty
December Convoy defence in
continuation.
1 9 4 3
January Taken in hand for refit
in Belfast.
February Under refit
to
April
May Post refit trials and
work-up at Tobermory.
23rd On completion of
work-up rejoined Squadron for minelaying duties.
26th Escorted HM Auxiliary
Minelayers PORT QUEBEC, MENESTHEUS and AGAMEMNON with
HM Destroyers
CASTLETON, ST MARY'S and NEWARK for minelaying operations in Faeroes
Iceland Gap.
(Note: Home Fleet
additional escort provided by HMS BELFAST (Operation SN111B).
June
5th Deployed in
continuation of Faeroes-Iceland minelay as escort for same ships as SN111B.
(Operation
SN111C).
29th Deployed for escort of Squadron minelayers during
further minelay in NW Approaches with
Squadron destroyers during minelayers in NW
Approaches
(Note: Additional cruiser escort provided by HMS
GLASGOW (Operation SN222A).)
July Deployed with
Squadron at Kyle of Lochalsh.
to
August
September Transferred to Rosyth
Command in anticipation of disbandment of Squadron.
4th Provided escort for
HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS and PORT QUEBEC
during final
Northern Barrage minelay in Faeroes-Iceland Gap with HM Destroyers SARDONYX,
METEOR and
SCIMITAR (Operation SN222B).
8th Transferred to East
Coast convoy defence.
October Deployment for East
Coast convoy defence in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January East coast convoy
defence in continuation.
25th Involved in collision
with Swedish merchant ship HEDERA.
February East Coast convoy defence
in continuation
to
August
September
27th Rescued survivors
from sister destroyer HMS ROCKINGHAM which sank after being mined
off Aberdeen.
October East coast convoy
defence in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January East coast convoy
defence in continuation.
February Deployed for East Coast
convoy defence
Nominated for
duty as Air Target Ship after refit.
March Remained deployed for
convoy defence in North Sea pending conversion for new role.
to
April
May Requirement for
conversion cancelled.
Paid-off and
de-stored
June Reduced to Reserve
status and laid-up
(Note: Laying-up
in Forth to be confirmed.)
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS LANCASTER was placed on the Disposal List after VJ Day
and later placed on the Disposal List
Sold to BISCO for demolition by Hughes Bolcow at Blyth the ship
arrived at the breaker’s yard in tow on 20th May 1947.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
LANCASTER
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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10/04/41
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10/04/41
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DS 001
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11/04/41
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11/04/41
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14/04/41
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14/04/41
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SD 001
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16/04/41
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16/04/41
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23/04/41
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23/04/41
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DS 002
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27/04/41
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27/04/41
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28/04/41
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28/04/41
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SD 002
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01/05/41
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01/05/41
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10/05/41
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10/05/41
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DS 003
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13/05/41
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13/05/41
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15/05/41
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15/05/41
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SD 003
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17/05/41
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17/05/41
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21/05/41
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21/05/41
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DS 004
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24/05/41
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24/05/41
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27/05/41
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27/05/41
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SD 004
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29/05/41
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29/05/41
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05/06/41
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05/06/41
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DS 005
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09/06/41
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09/06/41
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16/10/41
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16/10/41
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DS 014
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18/10/41
|
18/10/41
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19/10/41
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20/10/41
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SD 014
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21/10/41
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21/10/41
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30/10/41
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30/10/41
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DS 015
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02/11/41
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02/11/41
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03/11/41
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03/11/41
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SD 015
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05/11/41
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05/11/41
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12/11/41
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12/11/41
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DS 016
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15/11/41
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14/11/41
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17/11/41
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17/11/41
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SD 016
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20/11/41
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20/11/41
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28/12/41
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28/12/41
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DS 019
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30/12/41
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30/12/41
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01/01/42
|
01/01/42
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SD 019
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04/01/42
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04/01/42
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01/03/42
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unknown
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PQ 012
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unknown
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12/03/42
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02/08/42
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06/08/42
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AT 019
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07/08/42
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07/08/42
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16/08/42
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16/08/42
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DS 031
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18/08/42
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18/08/42
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22/08/42
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22/08/42
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SD 031
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24/08/42
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24/08/42
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16/10/42
|
16/10/42
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DS 033
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21/10/42
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21/10/42
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25/10/42
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25/10/42
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SD 033
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27/10/42
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27/10/42
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08/11/42
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08/11/42
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KX 006
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17/11/42
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17/11/42
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18/11/42
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19/11/42
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TE 005
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21/11/42
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20/11/42
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21/11/42
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21/11/42
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MKS 002
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22/11/42
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03/12/42
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23/11/42
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27/11/42
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MKF 003
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01/12/42
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03/12/42
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12/12/42
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12/12/42
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DS 035
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16/12/42
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16/12/42
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16/12/42
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16/12/42
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SD 035
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22/12/42
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22/12/42
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03/01/43
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03/01/43
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KX 008
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13/01/43
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21/01/43
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14/01/43
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15/01/43
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MKS 005X
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17/01/43
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25/01/43
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(Note on Convoys)
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