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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 ST MARY'S (I 12) - ex-US Destroyer
including Convoy Escort Movements

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

 HMS Stanley, sister-ship (CyberHeritage, click to enlarge)

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 Ex-USS DORAN (Type C - ANNAPOLIS-Class) built by Newport News SB Co. The ship was laid down on 11th May 1918 and launched on 19th October that year. Build was completed on 26th August 1919. She was held in Reserve and when another ship was selected to carry the name DORAN, the ship was renamed BAGLEY. After transfer to the RN under the US/UK Lend Lease Agreement IN 1940 she was renamed HMS ST MARY'S at Halifax on 23rd September 1940 when commissioned in the RN. This name is common to several towns in both USA and UK and had not previously been borne by a British warship. She was not adopted by a civil community in UK following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during 1941-42.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1942 - NORTH SEA 1943

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field  White, a fleur-de-Lys Blue 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

 

September             Prepared for transfer and took passage to Halifax.

                23rd        Commissioned as HMS ST MARY'S at Halifax.

                                Prepared for passage to UK.

                29th        Sailed to Newfoundland.

 

October                  Atlantic Passage to Plymouth.

                14th        Taken in hand by HM Dockyard Devonport for refit and modification to suit RN use as

                                convoy escort.

 

November              Nominated for service with 1st Minelaying Squadron.

                1st           Carried out poet refit trials on completion of dockyard work.

                                (Note : One source suggests this refit was limited and may because of service recommended.

                                Took passage to Kyle of Lochalsh to join Squadron.

                                (Note : Ship may have worked-up in SW Approaches before leaving.)

                12th        Part of escort for HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON and MENESTHEUS during lay

                                of minefield in North Channel, NW Approaches (Operation SN43).

                13th        Escort for HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS, PORT NAPIER and

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE in continuation of North Channel minelay

                                (Operations SN4 and SN5).

                                For details of all minelaying activities see Naval Staff History (Mining.).

                17th        Joined military convoy WS4B in Clyde as Local Escort during passage in NW Approaches with

                                HM Destroyer BATH, HM Canadian Destroyers OTTAWA, SAGUENAY, SKEENA, and

                                ST LAURENT.

                18th        Detached from WS4B with HMS BATH and returned to Clyde.

 

December              Taken in hand for refit and completion of modifications to suit RN use.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Under refit.

 

February                On completion of refit carried cut post refit trials and took return passage to to Kyle of

                                Lochalsh to resume Squadron duties.

 

March                    Deployed for escort of HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS, PORT

                                QUEBEC and SOUTHERN PRINCE during minelays for Northern Barrage in NW

                                Approaches.

                11th        Operation SN68B.

                19th        Operation SN69.

                28th        Operation SN4.

 

April                       Minelaying escort in continuation for Northern Barrage.

                6th          Operation SN8.

                15th        Operation SN71.

                                (Note : HMS AGAMEMNON did not take part.)

May

                6th          Operation SN9A.

                24th        Operation SN9B

                                (Note : HMS SOUTHERN PRINCE did not take part in either Operation.)

                31st         Joined military convoy WS8X in Clyde with HM Destroyers BRIGHTON, SHERWOOD,

                                WILD SWAN, LEGION (RCN), SAGUENAY (RCN), VANSITTART, WIVERN, and Polish

                                destroyer ORP PIORUN.

 

June

                3rd          Detached from WS8X during passage and returned to Clyde.

                10th        Operation SN64A3B

                16th        Operation SN66.

                                (Note : Only HMS AGAMEMNON and HMS MENESTHEUS took part in both

                                Operations.)

 

July                         Deployed at Kyle of Lochalsh and detached as required for Local convoy escort.

 

August                  Detached service for mercantile convoy defence in continuation.

                20th        Collided with as ROYAL ULSTERMAN and sustained structural damage during escort of

                                Convoy SD10 from Iceland.

 

September             Taken in hand for repair at Liverpool in commercial shipyard.

 

October                  Under repair

to

November

 

December

                15th        On completion of post refit trials took passage to resume Squadron duties.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Deployed at Kyle of Lochalsh.

                19th        Escorted HM Cruiser Minelayer ADVENTURE during minelay off Cape Wrath.

                                (Operational SN15B).

 

February

                9th          Escorted HMS PORT QUEBEC during Northern Barrage minelay in NW Approaches.

                                (Operation SN5B).

March

                15th        Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS,. PORT QUEBEC and

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE during Northern Barrage minelay in NW Approaches

                                (Operation SN81).

 

April

                15th        Joined military convoy WS18 in Clyde with HM Destroyers BADSWORTH, GEORGETOWN,

                                LANCASTER, LAUDERDALE, BOADICEA and SALISBURY as Local Escort for passage in

                                NW Approaches.

                19th        Detached from WS18 with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.

 

May

                10th        Joined military convoy WS19 in Clyde with HM Destroyers KEPPEL, LEAMINGTON,

                                VOLUNTEER and CASTLETON as Local Escort during passage in NW approaches.

                15th        Detached from WS19 and returned to Clyde.

 

June                        Resumed Squadron duties for escort of minelayers.

                1st           Part of escort for HMS AGAMEMNON, HMS MENESTHEUS and HMS PORT QUEBEC for

                                minelay in Denmark Strait (Operation SN72).

                20th        Detached for duty with Home Fleet.

                                Part of escort of HMS AGAMEMNON, HMS MENESTHEUS and HMS SOUTHERN

                                PRINCE to form diversionary convoy during passage of Russian Convoy PQ17.

                                (Operation ES).

 

July                         Resumed Squadron minelaying escort duties.

                11th        Part of escort for HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS, PORT

                                QUEBEC and SOUTHERN PRINCE during Northern Barrage Minelay

                                (Operation SN3C).

 

August                  Deployed at Kyle of Lochalsh and detached as required for Local Escort duties.

to

November              Sustained structural damage after grounding off Lerwick.

 

December              Re-floated after three days

                                Passage to Leith for repair

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Under repair at Leith

 

February                Nominated for work-up at Tobermory before rejoining Squadron.

                17th        Took passage to Tobermory on completion of Post Refit Trials.

 

March

                3rd          Rejoined Squadron at Kyle of Lochalsh after completion of work-up.

                17th        Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS, PORT QUEBEC and

                                SOUTHERN PRINCE with destroyers of Squadron during Northern Barrage minelay in NW

                                Approaches (Operation SN3C).

 

April                       Deployed at Kyle of Lochalsh.

 

May

                5th          Escorted HMS AGAMEMNON, HMS MENESTHEUS and HMS FORT QUEBEC during

                                minelay in NW Approaches to extend Northern Barrage (Operation SN111A).

                13th        Escorted HMS AGAMEMNON during Northern Barrage minelay off Faeroes.

                                (Operation SN123A)

                                Escorted HM Auxiliary Minelayers AGAMEMNON, MENESTHEUS and PORT QUEBEC for

                                continuation of the Faeroes minelay in Northern Barrage

                                Operation SN123B).

 

June

                11th        Escorted same ships as SN123B in continuation of Faeroes minelay.

                                (Operation SN123C.

                29th        Faeroes minelay escort in continuation with same ships as 3J123A.

                                (Operation SN222A).

 

July                         Deployed at Kyle of Lochalsh.

 

August                  Part of escort for same ships as SN123A during Northern Barrage minelay in Denmark

                                Strait (Operation SN74).

 

September             Transferred to Rosyth Escort Force when 1st Minelaying Squadron disbanded.

 

October                  Deployed at Rosyth for escort of East Coast envoys.

 

November              Passage to Newport for refit

                6th          Taken in hand at commercial shipyard.

 

December              Refit work delayed.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Withdrawn from service following survey.

                                To be reduced to Reserve statue.

 

February                Passage to Tyne to de-store.

                                Paid off and de-stored.

 

March                    Laid-up in Tyne.

to

July

 

August                  Placed on Disposal List.

 

September             Remained in Tyne to lay-up whilst awaiting dale for demolition.

to

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Laid-up in Tyne.

to

February

 

March

                20th        Sold to Metal Industries for demolition

 

April                       Awaiting tow in Tyne.

to August

 

 P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS ST MARY'S was towed from Tyne to the breaker’s yard at Rosyth in December 1945. This destroyer completed in 1919 and discarded by the US Navy in 1935 had a most creditable record compared with many others of this type loaned for RN service in 1940.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ST MARY'S

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

 

 

 

 

 

10/04/41

10/04/41

DS 001

11/04/41

11/04/41

14/04/41

14/04/41

SD 001

16/04/41

16/04/41

25/06/41

25/06/41

SD 006

27/06/41

27/06/41

21/07/41

21/07/41

DS 008

24/07/41

24/07/41

26/07/41

26/07/41

SD 008

28/07/41

28/07/41

19/08/41

19/08/41

SD 010

21/08/41

21/08/41

20/12/41

20/12/41

SD 018

23/12/41

23/12/41

28/12/41

28/12/41

DS 019

30/12/41

30/12/41

01/01/42

01/01/42

SD 019

04/01/42

04/01/42

11/02/42

11/02/42

DS 022

15/02/42

15/02/42

16/02/42

16/02/42

SD 022

19/02/42

19/02/42

25/02/42

25/02/42

DS 023

28/02/42

28/02/42

03/03/42

03/03/42

SD 023

07/03/42

07/03/42

03/05/42

03/05/42

SD 026

05/05/42

05/05/42

24/05/42

24/05/42

DS 027

26/05/42

26/05/42

27/05/42

27/05/42

SD 027

29/05/42

29/05/42

12/06/42

12/06/42

DS 028

14/06/42

14/06/42

15/06/42

15/06/42

SD 028

17/06/42

17/06/42

20/06/41

20/06/42

DS 006

22/06/41

22/06/41

23/07/42

23/07/42

DS 030A

25/07/42

25/07/42

26/07/42

26/07/42

SD 030A

28/07/42

28/07/42

28/11/42

28/11/42

DS 034

01/12/42

01/12/42

03/12/42

03/12/42

SD 034

05/12/42

05/12/42

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys) 

 

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revised 15/8/11
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