1 9 4 0
October
Prepared for transfer
November
26th - Delivered to Royal Canadian Navy at Halifax
pending arrival of RN personnel.
December
Prepared by RN personnel for commissioning and Atlantic passage.
5th - Commissioned into RN service at Halifax and
named HMS NEWPORT.
20th - Arrived at Belfast on passage to Plymouth.
1 9 4 1
January
Slightly damaged in air raid at Belfast. After machinery defect on passage in Irish Sea
diverted to Milford Haven for repair. Transferred to commercial shipyard at Cardiff for
completion of repair work.
16th - Taken in hand for refit at HM Dockyard
Devonport.
February
Under refit and modification to suit deployment for Atlantic escort duty.
March
Under refit.
Transferred to Royal Norwegian Navy during refit. Nominated for service in Western
Approaches Command based at Londonderry with 43rd Escort Group.
W a r S e r v i c e
a s H N o r M S N E W P O R T
April to August
On completion of refit took passage to join Group.
September
Deployment with 43rd Escort Group at Londonderry to be confirmed.
October
23rd - Commenced repair in commercial shipyard at Liverpool.
Transferred to 7th Escort Group
based in Liverpool. (Note: This
Group included other Norwegian manned ships).
November
Under repair. On completion of post repair trials joined Group.
December
Deployed with Group for convoy defence in North Atlantic.
1 9 4 2
January to February
Convoy defence in continuation. (Note: As Battle Honours ARCTIC 1942 and ENGLISH
CHANNEL 1942 were awarded, this period requires further research.)
March
Atlantic convoy escort duty with 7th Escort Group in continuation
25th - Sustained major damaged in collision with HM
Destroyer BEVERLEY whilst on escort duty. Withdrawn from service for repair at Liverpool.
April
Under repair at Liverpool.
13th - Repair work transferred to HM Dockyard
Devonport for completion.
May to June
Under repair in HM Dockyard Devonport. Paid-off and Royal Norwegian
Navy personnel left ship. Reverted to RN total administration
S e r v i c e
b a c k u n d e r R o y a l N a v
y C o m m a n d
July to August
Under repair
September
Repair completion transferred to commercial shipyard at Southampton.
October to December
Under repair at Southampton. (Note: Work included re-tubing
of boilers.)
Ship to be
fully surveyed ship to determine operational viability. Declared unsuitable for further
deployment as a convoy escort. Nominated for use as Air Target Ship.
1 9 4 3
January to April
Repair essential for deployment in new role continued with conversion
required for new role. Main armament and weapon equipment no longer needed removed. Re-commissioned and manned by RN
personnel.
May
On completion of sea trials joined Western Approaches Command for duty
in new role.
June to December
Deployed in Irish Sea Station as Air Target Ship duty for training of air crews in shipping attacks by torpedo.
1 9 4 4
January to February
Air Target Ship duties in continuation in Irish Sea.
March to December
Transferred to Rosyth and deployed as Air Target Ship at Station in
North Sea.
1 9 4 5
January to June
North Sea Air Target Ship duty in continuation. Nominated for withdrawal from
service. Passage to
Rosyth
July
4th - Paid-off and de-stored. Reduced to Reserve status and
Laid-up at Rosyth
August
Placed on Disposal List.
P o s t W a r N o t e
HMS NEWPORT was sold to BISCO for demolition by M. Brechin, Shipbreakers at Granton after VJ Day and arrived in tow at the Shipbreaker’s yard near Edinburgh on 18th
February 1947.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HNorMS
NEWPORT
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
03/12/41
|
05/12/41
|
ON 043
|
07/12/41
|
15/12/41
|
13/12/41
|
13/12/41
|
DS 018
|
16/12/41
|
16/12/41
|
20/12/41
|
20/12/41
|
SD 018
|
23/12/41
|
23/12/41
|
15/12/41
|
22/12/41
|
TC 016
|
unknown
|
25/12/41
|
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
|
19/02/42
|
26/02/42
|
AT 012
|
02/03/42
|
02/03/42
|
11/03/42
|
11/03/42
|
DS 024
|
15/03/42
|
15/03/42
|
16/03/42
|
16/03/42
|
SD 024
|
19/03/42
|
19/03/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)