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Ex-USS CLAXTON (Type B - CALDWELL-Class) built by Mare
Island Navy Yard. The ship was laid down on 25th April 1918 and launched on 15th January 1919- Commissioned on 13th September 1919 for US naval
service she was held in Reserve in 1939. The ship transferred to the RN under
the UK/US Lend Lease Agreement on 26th
November 1940 and commissioned into the RN as HMS SALISBURY on 5th December 1940 at Halifax
in Canada. This
name was common to three communities in the USA
and the city in Wiltshire. It was first introduced into the RN for a 4th Rate
in 1698 and last used for a 4th Rate in 1814. Following a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was most
appropriately adopted by the civil community of Salisbury,
Wiltshire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1941-43
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field per fess wavy
Blue and White, in base a
bar wavy
also Blue, three torches Gold enflamed proper charged with 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
November
Prepared for transfer to RN control. Passage to Halifax manned by USN.
December
5th - Commissioned as HMS SALISBURY at Halifax and prepared for Atlantic
passage.
Sailed for
Plymouth with call at St Johns Newfoundland.
1 9 4 1
January
9th - Arrived at Plymouth.
Taken in hand for refit and modifications by HM
Dockyard Devonport to suit RN duty as an escort. Nominated for service in 2nd Escort Group, Western Approaches Command.
February
Under refit.
March
On completion of post refit trials carried out work-up
for operational service in SW Approaches. Passage to join Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
April to July
Deployed for convoy defence in NW Approaches.
Transferred to 4th Escort Group in continuation.
August
Atlantic convoy escort with Group in continuation.
September
Part of escort for Convoy ON19 with ships of Group.
Nominated for refit to carry out
further modifications to suit RN deployment as an escort.
October
Refit arranged at Rosyth.
26th - Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth.
November to December
Under refit.
1 9 4 2
January to February
Under refit.
March
Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties on completion of post refit
trials.
Nominated for
Local Escort of military convoys to Gibraltar.
April
15th - Joined military convoy WS18 in Clyde with HM Destroyers
BADSWORTH, GEORGETOWN, LANCASTER, LAUDERDALE, BOADICEA, and VOLUNTEER for Local Escort for
initial part of passage in
NW Approaches to Freetown. (Note: Ocean escort was provided by HM Cruisers FROBISHER, GAMBIA with
HM Destroyer TETCOTT and
Dutch destroyer VAN GALEN.)
22nd - Detached from WS18 and took return passage to join Home Fleet
escort for US Aircraft Carrier USS WASP during passage to UK after Malta aircraft
delivery. (Operation
CALENDAR - See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C. Barnett, BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by
D. Macintyre and Naval Staff History.)
May
3rd - Deployed with HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM Destroyers ECHO,
INTREPID, GEORGETOWN, US
Destroyers USS LANG and USS STERETT as escort for USS WASP during passage to Gibraltar for
delivery of aircraft to Malta. (Operation BOWERY - See above references. Note: These ships were detached from Home Fleet for
this operation.)
8th - Escort joined by HM Aircraft Carrier EAGLE, HM Cruiser CHARYBDIS,
HM Destroyers VIDETTE,
PARTRIDGE, ITHURIEL, WESTCOTT, WISHART, WRESTLER and ANTELOPE for passage in western
Mediterranean during aircraft delivery. Deployed as part of Force W.
10th - Passage to UK with Home Fleet ships to resume convoy escort
duties.
15th - Resumed convoy defence deployment for WS Series military
convoys.
31st - Joined military convoy WS19P in Irish Sea with HM Destroyers
BUXTON and MANSFIELD as Local Escort during passage to Clyde from Liverpool.
June
1st - Detached from WS 19P on arrival in Clyde
17th - Deployed with HM Cruiser DELHI, HM Destroyers BOADICEA, KEPPEL,
LEAMINGTON and ST ALBANS as
escort for rms QUEEN ELIZABETH during passage in NW Approaches and detached when the mercantile proceeded
independently.
Returned to
Clyde with ships of escort.
21st - Joined military convoy WS20 in Clyde with HM Destroyers
GEORGETOWN, BOADICEA, RIPLEY, BEAGLE, ST ALBANS, VIDETTE and WOLVERINE as Local Escort for passage in
NW Approaches.
24th - Detached from Local Escort with HMS GEORGETOWN and returned to
Clyde
July
29th - Joined military convoy WS21 in Clyde as part of Local Escort
during passage in NW Approaches with HM Destroyers BRAMHAM, WILTON, BICESTER, KEPPEL and LAMERTON. (Note: HM Armed Merchant Cruiser
RANPURA, HM Destroyers CATTERICK, LEDBURY and PETARD provided Ocean Escort during Atlantic passage
to Freetown.)
31st - HMS LAMERTON detached and returned to Clyde after collision.
August
2nd - Remained with WS21 as Local Escort when HMS BRAMHAM and HMS WILTON
detached.
4th - Detached from WS21 with remaining ships of Local escort.
Nominated for loan to Royal
Canadian Navy for service in Western Atlantic Local Escort Force (WLEF) based at Halifax.
S e r v i c e a s H M C S S A L I S B U R Y
September
Passage to Halifax to join WLEF.
October
Deployed with RCN ships for convoy defence off Canadian seaboard.
November
Convoy defence in continuation with RCN.
27th - Taken in hand for repair to boilers at Charlestown, South
Carolina.
December
Under repair.
1 9 4 3
January
Carried out post refit trials on completion of dockyard work.
Resumed convoy escort duties
with RCN ships.
21st - Diverted to assist HM Destroyer CALDWELL (sister ship) which was
disabled in the western Atlantic after major weather damage.
Forced to return to Halifax due to storm conditions.
February
Deployed in Canadian Escort Unit W with HM Destroyer MONTGOMERY (sister
ship) for defence of
convoys between St. Johns and Halifax.
March
Convoy escort with Unit W in continuation.
April
4th - Taken in hand for repair at Boston Navy Yard.
May
Under repair.
June
Carried out post repair trials.
12th - Resumed convoy escort duties with WLEF at Halifax.
July to November
WLEF convoy escort in western Atlantic in continuation.
December
Nominated for withdrawal from operational use due to high incidence of
defects.
10th - Paid-off at Halifax. (Note: Ship's company transferred to new US
built
CAPTAIN-Class Frigate RUPERT.)
1 9 4 4
January to February
Laid up at Halifax. Offer of return to US Navy not accepted.
March
Laid up at Halifax
22nd - Placed on Disposal List and remained at Halifax.
April
Awaiting sale for breaking-up.
(Assumed)
May to September
Awaiting sale for breaking-up.
October
21st - Sold to Boston Steel Corporation for demolition.
November to December
Awaiting tow to shipbreaker.
1 9 4 5
January to March
Awaiting tow to shipbreaker.
April
21st - Arrived in tow at Baltimore.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
This name was carried forward in
1953 when given to a Type 61 Aircraft Direction Frigate launched by HM Dockyard
Devonport on 25th June. She was the prototype for this new class of ship and
served in the Fleet until May 1980 when placed in Reserve. The ship was used
for harbour training at Devonport until 1984 when put on the Disposal List in
1984.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
SALISBURY
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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17/03/41
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18/03/41
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OG 056
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21/03/41
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02/04/41
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01/03/41
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21/03/41
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SL 067
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26/03/41
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26/03/41
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02/04/41
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03/04/41
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OB 305
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06/04/41
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06/04/41
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24/03/41
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06/04/41
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HG 057
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09/04/41
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11/04/41
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23/03/41
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15/04/41
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SL 069
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16/04/41
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unknown
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07/05/41
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08/05/41
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OB 319
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12/05/41
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13/05/41
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30/04/41
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15/05/41
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HX 124
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20/05/41
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20/05/41
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22/05/41
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23/05/41
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OB 326
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26/05/41
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29/05/41
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16/05/41
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27/05/41
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HX 127
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unknown
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02/06/41
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04/06/41
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05/06/41
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OG 064
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08/06/41
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18/06/41
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17/05/41
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09/06/41
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SL 075
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12/06/41
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13/06/41
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06/06/41
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17/06/41
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HX 131
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19/06/41
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23/06/41
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20/06/41
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04/07/41
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HX 134
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09/07/41
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09/07/41
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20/06/41
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04/07/41
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SC 035
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09/07/41
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09/07/41
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16/07/41
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18/07/41
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OB 347
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22/07/41
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31/07/41
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21/07/41
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26/07/41
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TC 012
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29/07/41
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29/07/41
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06/08/41
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08/08/41
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ON 004
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12/08/41
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18/08/41
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01/08/41
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12/08/41
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HX 142
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14/08/41
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18/08/41
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20/08/41
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20/08/41
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ON 009
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25/08/41
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25/08/41
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16/08/41
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26/08/41
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HX 145
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30/08/41
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31/08/41
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07/09/41
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09/09/41
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ON 014
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11/09/41
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14/09/41
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30/08/41
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16/09/41
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SC 042
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20/09/41
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20/09/41
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21/09/41
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22/09/41
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ON 019
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27/09/41
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07/10/41
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22/09/41
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01/10/41
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HX 151
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04/10/41
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07/10/41
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14/10/41
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14/10/41
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ON 026
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20/10/41
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29/10/41
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11/10/41
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23/10/41
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SC 049
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24/10/41
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27/10/41
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05/07/42
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21/07/42
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SL 115
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25/07/42
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26/07/42
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and as HMCS SALISBURY
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08/10/42
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11/10/42
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HX 211
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13/10/42
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24/10/42
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03/10/42
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18/10/42
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ON 136
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23/10/42
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26/10/42
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11/01/43
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25/01/43
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ON 160
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28/01/43
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04/02/43
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30/01/43
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06/02/43
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HX 225
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09/02/43
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13/02/43
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13/02/43
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21/02/43
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SC 120
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23/02/43
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05/03/43
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11/02/43
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23/02/43
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ON 166
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unknown
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03/03/43
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14/02/43
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24/02/43
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ON 167
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25/02/43
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08/03/43
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22/02/43
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09/03/43
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ON 169
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12/03/43
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21/03/43
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14/03/43
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21/03/43
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SC 123
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24/03/43
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03/04/43
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04/04/43
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04/04/43
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XB 042
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07/04/43
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06/04/43
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08/07/43
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08/07/43
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SC 136
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13/07/43
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23/07/43
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03/07/43
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15/07/43
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ONS 012
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18/07/43
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18/07/43
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18/07/43
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18/07/43
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XB 064
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20/07/43
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20/07/43
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21/08/43
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21/08/43
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SC 140
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25/08/43
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05/09/43
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20/08/43
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29/08/43
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ONS 016
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01/09/43
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01/09/43
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28/09/43
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30/09/43
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HX 259
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02/10/43
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13/10/43
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18/10/43
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21/10/43
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HX 262
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24/10/43
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02/11/43
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18/10/43
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28/10/43
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ON 207
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31/10/43
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04/11/43
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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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10/11/43
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ON 209
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12/11/43
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17/11/43
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(Note on Convoys)
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