RIVER-Class Frigate
ordered by the US Navy on 6th October 1941 from
Canadian Vickers at Montreal,
Canada and laid down on 4th May 1942
for completion as PG104 but transferred
to the Royal
Navy under the UK/USA
Lend/Lease Agreement. The ship was
launched as HMS CUCKMERE on 24th October 1942 as
the 1st RN warship to carry the name. Build
was completed on 14th May 1943 and had been
adopted by the civil community of Chailey,
East Sussex in March 1942 after a
successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign.
B a t
t l e H
o n o
u r s
ATLANTIC
1943 - MEDITERRANEAN 1943
H e r
a l d i
c D a
t a
Badge
: No details are given in the official
Record of Heraldic Crests
but
as
the ship had no predecessor
this is not unique and
applies
to
other RIVER Class Frigates.
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 3
May
Contractors trials
14th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
On completion prepared for ocean passage
June
Passage to UK with call at St Johns
Completed storing and took passage to Tobermory.
Nominated for service in Western Approaches
Command.
July
Passage to join Escort Group from Tobermory to
commence operational service
to
Deployed for convoy defence in NW Approaches.
September
October
Nominated for escort of military convoy prior to
allied landings in North Africa
(Operation TORCH)
(Note: For details see Naval Staff History,
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY,
RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute and for information
about all mercantiles and
warships involved BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J
de Winser)
Part of escort for military convoy prior to
TORCH landings.
Retained at Gibraltar for convoy defence in
Western Mediterranean and support of shore
operations.
November
Deployed for convoy defence based at Gibraltar.
December
Deployed
in western Mediterranean for convoy defence.
11th
During
escort of eastbound Convoy KMS34 from Gibraltar
torpedoed off Bougie by
U223.
Ship sustained major structural damage and was
towed to Algiers.
After survey it was decided not to carry out
repair and she was declared to be a
Constructive Total Loss.
P o s t W a r N o t e
HMS CUCKMERE
remained at Algiers until after the end of
hostilities and was eventually
returned to the US Navy on 14th November 1946
under the
terms of the Lease Lend Agreement. She was then
scrapped.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
CUCKMERE
by
Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been cross-checked with
the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy
No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
08/07/43
|
13/07/43
|
SC
136
|
22/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
27/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
OS
054KM
|
08/09/43
|
08/09/43
|
27/08/43
|
15/09/43
|
UGS
016
|
20/09/43
|
23/09/43
|
10/11/43
|
10/11/43
|
KMS
031
|
18/11/43
|
21/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
MKS
032
|
03/12/43
|
03/12/43
|
09/12/43
|
09/12/43
|
KMS
034
|
11/12/43
|
20/12/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)