Ex USS TWIGGS (Type B -
MONTGOMERY-Class) built by New York Shipbuilders Co and laid down on 23rd
January 1918. The ship was launched 28 September 1918and build was completed on 28th July 1919. Transferred under Lease Lend
Agreement she was commissioned in to the RN at Halifax on 23
October 1940. as the 2nd RN warship to carry the name, previously used for a
minesweeper sold in 1928. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign held in March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil
community of Leamington in Warwickshire.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-43 -
ARCTIC 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field White,: a
lion rampant double queued
Green, supporting in the forepaws a hurt charged with 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
October
23rd - Transferred to RN service and prepared for Atlantic passage.
November
Passage to Plymouth
15th - Taken in hand for refit and modification by HM Dockyard
Devonport.
29th - On completion prepared for convoy escort duty.
December
Deployed with escort for Convoy SL56 for part of passage to West Africa.
15th - Began work-up at Scapa Flow.
1 9 4 1
January
5th - On completion joined 2nd Escort Group for Atlantic convoy escort
duty
12th - Joined military convoy WS5B at Belfast with H M Destroyers
WITHERINGTON, BEAGLE, FEARLESS, HARVESTER, HIGHLANDER, JACKAL, LINCOLN, VANSITTART and WATCHMAN as the Local Escort
during passage in NW Approaches.
16th - Detached from WS5B and returned to Clyde.
February to April
Deployed with Group in Atlantic.
May
27th - In collision with ss THYRA which subsequently sank.
June
Under repair in Liverpool.
July
On completion rejoined HM Destroyers DOUGLAS, VETERAN, SKATE and SALADIN and
corvettes of 2nd Escort
Group based at Londonderry.
August
15th - Escorted military convoy WS8C from Scapa Flow with HM Destroyers
CHARLESTOWN, DOUGLAS,
ANTELOPE, CASTLETON, GEORGETOWN, INTREPID, SALADIN and the Anti-Aircraft Ship POZARICA
after cancellation of the planned operation to occupy the Azores.
17th - Detached on arrival in Clyde.
September
Escorted convoy ON13F.
Transferred to Iceland with Escort Group.
11th - Supported Canadian Escort Group escorting Convoy SC42 with ships
of 2nd Escort Group. Participated
in sinking of U207 with HMS VETERAN in position 63.59N 34.48W. There were no survivors.
(See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp. For details of operations in
Atlantic see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC. and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
October
Atlantic convoy escort duty in continuation.
November
Escorted Convoy ONS32.
December
Escorted Convoys ON39 and HX161.
1 9 4 2
January
Atlantic escort duty in continuation.
February
Deployed on Atlantic escort of US Troop convoys to UK and returning
ships. (AT and TA
Series).
Nominated with
HM Destroyer VOLUNTEER and HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM and GROVE for Local Escort of
military convoy WS17 during passage
23rd - Joined military convoy WS17 in Clyde with HM Destroyers NEWPORT,
BADSWORTH, BEVERLEY,
KEPPEL, VOLUNTEER, ANTELOPE, BOADICEA and ROCKINGHAM.
27th - Participated in sinking of U587 with HM Destroyers GROVE,
ALDENHAM and VOLUNTEER in
position 47.21N 21.39W. There were no survivors. (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp. Note: This was the first time
radio direction finding equipment had been used to determine the position of attacking
submarines. For details of
the tactical developments and new weapons used in the Battle of the Atlantic see SEEK AND STRIKE by
W Hackmann, RADAR AT SEA by D Howse and THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre).
Detached from WS17 with Local
Escort.
March to April
Convoy escort duties in continuation
May
10th - Joined military convoy WS19 in Clyde with HM Destroyers KEPPEL,
VOLUNTEER, ST MARY'S and
CASTLETON as Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches.
13th - Detached from WS19 with HMS KEPPEL and HMS VOLUNTEER.
June
1st - Joined military convoy WS19P at Liverpool with H M Destroyers
KEPPEL, DOUGLAS, WELLS and
BEAGLE as Local Escort during passage in Irish Sea and NW Approaches.
4th - Detached from WS19P with HMS KEPPEL and HMS WELLS and returned to
Clyde.
17th - Deployed with HM Cruiser DELHI, HM Destroyers BOADICEA. KEPPEL,
SALISBURY and ST ALBANS as
escort for rms QUEEN MARY during passage in NW Approaches.
Detached and took return
passage. (Note: This
convoy was later designed WS19Y.)
Detached for escort duty with Home Fleet ships.
30th - Joined escort for Russian convoy PQ17 with HM Destroyers FURY,
KEPPEL, OFFA, LEDBURY and
WILTON (For details
of all Russian Convoy operations, see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A Ruegg and CONVOY ! by P Kemp).
July
4th - Remained with escorts when Convoy PQ17 was ordered to scatter by
Admiralty. (For details
this disastrous and ill conceived decision see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett and THE
CONVOY IS TO SCATTER by J Broome)
15th - Under refit at Hartlepool shipyard.
August to November
Under refit
B e l i e v e d S t a r t o f S e r v i c e a s H M C S L E A M I N G T
O N
December
Transferred to Western Local Escort force. Took passage to Halifax.
1 9 4 3
January to February
Deployed on escort duty with RCN ships for defence of convoys to
mid-Atlantic.
March
Deployed to assist 5th British Escort Group (Note: Ships in Group comprised H M Destroyer
HAVELOCK, HM Frigate SKATE, HM Corvettes GODETIA, PIMPERNEL, BUTTERCUP, LAVENDER and SAXIFRAGE) in defence of Convoy SC122
against attacks from STURMER Group of U-Boats
17th - After Escort Group had established position of U-Boats from
detection of radio signals took part in driving off some submarine attacks although three ships were
sunk by U338 and one by U665. (See
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR.)
April
Sustained damage in collision with USS ALBATROS.
15th - Taken in hand or repair.
May
Under repair.
June
3rd - On completion of post repair trials rejoined Halifax Escort Force.
Later involved in collision with
ss MORTIMER
28th - Under repair at Norfolk. Va. US Navy Yard after delay.
July to October
Repair in continuation. Future deployment under consideration.
November
Withdrawn from operational service.
December
Passage to UK via Azores to pay off into Reserve.
1 9 4 4
January
Paid off and reduced to Reserve status.
February to March
Laid-up at Hartlepool
April
Nominated for transfer to Soviet Navy after refit.
May to June
Under refit. Soviet Navy crew arrived (Note: Russian naval personnel
had travelled to UK in ships of Convoy RA 59 that arrived in Clyde on 7 May.)
T r a n s f e r t o R u s s i a n N a v y
July
16th - Transferred to USSR under Lease Lend and renamed ZHGUCHI.
August
Passage to Kola as part of Convoy JW59 with other warships transferred
to Russia under Lease-Lend.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
ZHGUCHI served with Russian
Northern Fleet until 1950 and was formally handed back to RN control on 13th
November that year. After being placed on the Disposal List she was sold to
BISCO for demolition by Cashmore at Newport on 26th July 1951. Before arrival
at breakers yard on 3rd December 1951 she had been hired by a film company to
be used an extra during the making of THE GIFT HORSE. This film portrayed the
use of this type of destroyer during RN service and culminated in final destruction
during Operation CHARIOT for demolition of the dry dock gates at St Nazaire in
March 1942.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS LEAMINGTON
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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19/11/40
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05/12/40
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SL 056S
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09/12/40
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12/12/40
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15/02/41
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15/02/41
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OG 053
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22/02/41
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01/03/41
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06/02/41
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22/02/41
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HG 053
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24/02/41
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24/02/41
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23/04/41
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24/04/41
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OB 314
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28/04/41
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30/04/41
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16/04/41
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28/04/41
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HX 121
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30/04/41
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03/05/41
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09/04/41
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28/04/41
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SL 071
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04/05/41
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04/05/41
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08/05/41
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09/05/41
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OB 320
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13/05/41
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14/05/41
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30/04/41
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15/05/41
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HX 124
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18/05/41
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20/05/41
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29/04/41
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15/05/41
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SC 030
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18/05/41
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20/05/41
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21/05/41
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22/05/41
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OB 325
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25/05/41
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29/05/41
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14/05/41
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26/05/41
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HG 062
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27/05/41
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02/06/41
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17/07/41
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18/07/41
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OB 348
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21/07/41
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31/07/41
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12/07/41
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23/07/41
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SC 037
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27/07/41
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28/07/41
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31/07/41
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01/08/41
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ON 003
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05/08/41
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14/08/41
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27/07/41
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06/08/41
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HX 141
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09/08/41
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11/08/41
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16/08/41
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18/08/41
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ON 008
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21/08/41
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25/08/41
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10/08/41
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22/08/41
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SC 040
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29/08/41
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29/08/41
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05/09/41
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06/09/41
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ON 013
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08/09/41
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11/09/41
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30/08/41
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11/09/41
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SC 042
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18/09/41
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20/09/41
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19/09/41
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21/09/41
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ON 018
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24/09/41
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02/10/41
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18/09/41
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30/09/41
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SC 045
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04/10/41
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04/10/41
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01/11/41
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02/11/41
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ON 032
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06/11/41
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16/11/41
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21/11/41
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22/11/41
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ON 039
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27/11/41
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04/12/41
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21/11/41
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03/12/41
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HX 161
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05/12/41
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06/12/41
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13/12/41
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14/12/41
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ON 046
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18/12/41
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21/12/41
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10/12/41
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21/12/41
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SC 059
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25/12/41
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27/12/41
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21/12/41
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01/01/42
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HX 166
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03/01/42
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05/01/42
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08/01/42
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10/01/42
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ON 055
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15/01/42
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26/01/42
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08/01/42
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18/01/42
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HX 169
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22/01/42
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23/01/42
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27/01/42
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28/01/42
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ON 061
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01/02/42
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10/02/42
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19/02/42
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26/02/42
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AT 012
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02/03/42
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02/03/42
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14/03/42
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14/03/42
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TA 012
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unknown
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25/03/42
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27/06/42
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30/06/42
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PQ 017
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04/07/42
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04/07/42
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and as HMCS LEAMINGTON
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03/12/42
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06/12/42
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ON 151
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06/12/42
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23/12/42
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19/12/42
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24/12/42
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ON 155
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29/12/42
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06/01/43
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27/12/42
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04/01/43
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SC 115
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06/01/43
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15/01/43
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02/01/43
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18/01/43
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ON 158
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20/01/43
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23/01/43
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03/02/43
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06/02/43
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SC 119
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10/02/43
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22/02/43
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02/02/43
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20/02/43
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ON 165
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unknown
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01/03/43
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11/02/43
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26/02/43
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ON 166
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28/02/43
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03/03/43
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05/03/43
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08/03/43
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SC 122
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12/03/43
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24/03/43
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20/03/43
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23/03/43
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SC 124
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28/03/43
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09/04/43
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15/03/43
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30/03/43
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ONS 001
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04/04/43
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04/04/43
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05/06/43
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05/06/43
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SC 133
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11/06/43
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19/06/43
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10/06/43
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23/06/43
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ON 188
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26/06/43
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26/06/43
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31/10/43
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02/11/43
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HX 264
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05/11/43
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17/11/43
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31/10/43
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09/11/43
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ON 209
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09/11/43
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17/11/43
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26/11/43
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29/11/43
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HX 268
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01/12/43
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11/12/43
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26/11/43
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07/12/43
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ON 213
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11/12/43
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14/12/43
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(Note on Convoys)
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