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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS RAMSEY (G 60) - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Clare,Type A sister-ship, in 1941 (Navy {Photos, click to enlarge)

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Ex USS MEADE (Type A - BURNHAM-Class) built by Bethlehem Steel at Squantum and launched 24 May 1919. Build was completed on 8th September 1919 and the ship was held in Reserve in 1939.  Transferred under the Lease/Lend Agreement in 1940 and commissioned at Halifax into the RN on 24 September 1940. In common with other TOWN Class ships the name was shared by a town in the Isle of Man and and also a town in New Jersey, USA. This ship was the 1st RN warship to carry the name and was adopted by the civil community of the county of Huntingdonshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r

 

ATLANTIC 1941-42

 

H e r a l d i c  D a t a

Badge: On a Field  per fess wavy white and blue,: a demi ram

erased proper, armed Gold supporting between the legs

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

 

November              Prepared for transfer

                26th        Commissioned into RN service as HMS RAMSEY.

 

December

                5th          Took passage to Plymouth

                17th        On arrival taken in hand by HM Dockyard Devonport for refit and modifications to suit RN

                                deployment as a convoy escort.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Allocated for service with 5th Escort Group based at Liverpool.

                29th        Refit completed.

 

February

                2nd         Carried out post refit trials prepared for operational duty

 

                                Deployed with Group for convoy escort in NW Approaches.

 

March

                9th          Taken in hand for repair in Liverpool after machinery breakdown.

 

April                       Under repair.

                                (Note: Modified RAF radar (Naval Type 286M) fitted

                                See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse for details of development and use of radar in RN.).

                5th          On completion of post repair trials deployed for Local convoy escort duty.

 

May                        Local escort in continuation.

                                Nominated for duty with Newfoundland Escort Force on formation.

 

June

                               

                3rd          Joined military convoy WS9A in Clyde with HM Cruiser CAIRO, HM Destroyers COSSACK,

                                MAORI, OTTAWA (RCN), RESTIGOUCHE (RCN), RICHMOND, SIKH, VANQUISHER,

                                WINCHELSEA, ZULU and HM Armed Merchant Cruiser AUSONIA as Local Escort during

                                passage in NW Approaches.

                7th          Detached with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.

                                Took passage to Newfoundland.

 

July                         Deployed for convoy escort in western Atlantic between Canada and mid-Atlantic Meeting

                                Point.

 

August                  Transferred to 22nd Escort Group in continuation.

 

September             Convoy escort duty in continuation.

to                            (Note: For details o convoy defence tactics and U-Boat deployment in 1941-42 see U-BOAT

October                  WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by

                                Macintyre and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.).

 

November              Under refit in Boston, USA.

to                            (Note: Additional centimetric radar Type 271 fitted to prove surface warning.

December              see above reference)

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Under refit.

 

February                On completion rejoined Group and deployed for convoy defence with Western Local Escort

                                Force.

 

March                    Convoy escort in Canadian area with Group.

 

April

                5th          Taken in hand for further repair to turbines at Halifax

 

May                        Turbine repair transferred for completion at Charlestown, South Carolina USA.

 

June                        Under repair.

 

July                         Completion of turbine repair work to be continued in UK.

                27th        Sailed from Halifax with routine mercantile Convoy HX200.

 

August                  Passage to UK with convoy HX200.

                7th          Detached from HX200 on arrival at Liverpool and taken in hand for completion of turbine

                                repair in commercial shipyard

 

September             Transferred to Belfast for repair.

 

October                  Transferred to Clyde shipyard for completion of work.

                                Nominated for service with 6th British Escort Group.

                22nd       On completion of post repair trials joined Group.

 

November              Completed one Atlantic escort crossing and withdrawn from service for further refit.

                                Paid off and taken in hand for Long Refit at commercial shipyard in Grimsby.

                                (Note: Previous record seems difficult to reconcile with the decision to fit a new

                                Bridge structure to this ship.)

 

December              Under refit

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Under refit.

to

May

 

June                        Re-commissioned for service.

                                On completion of post refit trials took passage to Tobermory for work-up prior to

                                deployment

 

July                         Worked-up at Tobermory for convoy escort deployment.

 

August                  Withdrawn from service as a convoy escort

                                (Note: This may have been due to poor performance during work-up.)

                                New deployment as Air Target Ship decided

 

September             Converted for use as an Air Target ship.

                                (Note: Main armament removed and equipment not required for new role such as

                                depth charges.)

 

October                  Deployed at Station in Irish Sea for training of aircrew in torpedo attacks on shipping..

to

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

                                Air Training Ship deployment in continuation.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Air Training Ship deployment in continuation.

to                            Nominated for reduction to Reserve after VE Day.

June

 

July                         Paid off and de-stored at Rosyth.

                                Reduced to Reserve.

 

August                   Laid-up at Grangemouth

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS RAMSEY was laid up at Grangemouth until 1947. Placed on the Disposal List in 1947 she was sold to BISCO on 18th February 1947 for demolition by P & W MacLellan at Bo’ness. She arrived in tow at the Breaker's yard near Edinburgh in July that year.

 

S p e c i a l   N o t e

 

This service of this ship is typical of that of many others transferred under Lend Lease in 1940. Experience in Atlantic convoy escort revealed their many deficiencies in structural design and machinery. (See General Information).

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS RAMSEY

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

 

 

 

 

 

16/02/41

16/02/41

OB 287

19/02/41

21/02/41

07/03/41

07/03/41

OG 055

20/03/41

20/03/41

06/04/41

06/04/41

OB 308

11/04/41

13/04/41

31/03/41

13/04/41

HX 118

14/04/41

18/04/41

20/04/41

04/05/41

HX 122

08/05/41

08/05/41

12/05/41

12/05/41

OB 322

18/05/41

20/05/41

06/05/41

18/05/41

HX 125A

22/05/41

22/05/41

28/05/41

28/05/41

OB 327

01/06/41

01/06/41

10/06/41

16/06/41

HX 132

23/06/41

28/06/41

10/06/41

16/06/41

SC 034

22/06/41

29/06/41

26/06/41

02/07/41

OB 339

03/07/41

12/07/41

22/07/41

25/07/41

HX 140

unknown

06/08/41

06/08/41

11/08/41

ON 004

18/08/41

18/08/41

24/08/41

02/09/41

SC 041

06/09/41

11/09/41

01/09/41

10/09/41

ON 012

14/09/41

14/09/41

29/09/41

04/10/41

SC 047

12/10/41

20/10/41

22/02/42

22/02/42

SC 071

28/02/42

10/03/42

19/02/42

03/03/42

ON 068

09/03/42

09/03/42

18/03/42

18/03/42

SC 075

24/03/42

03/04/42

02/07/42

02/07/42

TAW 001

unknown

10/07/42

27/07/42

01/08/42

HX 200

06/08/42

07/08/42

16/10/42

30/10/42

SL 125

03/11/42

09/11/42

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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revised 15/8/11
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