RIVER-Class
Frigate
ordered on 11th February 1941 under the 1940 War
Programme from Smith's Dock SB at Middlesbrough
. The ship was laid down on 18th July
1941 and
launched on 18th December 1941as the 2nd RN
warship to carry the name,
introduced in 1814. This ship was adopted by the
civil Community of
Letchworth, Hertfordshire in March 1942
following a successful WARSHIP WEEK
National Savings campaign. Build was completed
on 19th May 1942.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1942-44
- NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 -
BURMA 1944-45
H e r
a l d i
c D a
t a
Badge: On a Field party per fess Blue and
Green divided by
wavelets
Blue and Gold, In chief,
six pearls Silver, beneath a
salmon Silver.
Motto
Mack
Sicker: 'Make sure'
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 2
May
Contractor's trials and commissioning.
19th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
On completion of trials and storing took
passage to Tobermory.
June
Joined Western Approaches Command for convoy
defence on completion of work-up for
operational service..
16th
Deployed with HM Destroyers BEAGLE, WILD SWAN
and Polish Destroyer ORP
KRAKOWIAK in
Bay
of Biscay to assist escort of Convoy HG84 under
attack from a
Group of
U-Boats.
During defence of HG84 under attack by German
Glider Bombs which-hit
and later sank
HMS WILD SWAN. (For details see WILD SWAN by P
Smith).
July
Joined escort for Convoy OS53.
11th
Under attack by HAI Group of U-Boats.
Shared credit for sinking U136 with HM Sloop
PELICAN and Free French Destroyer
LEOPARD in
position 36.45N 22.52W. There were no
survivors.
(For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.
August
Atlantic Convoy defence in continuation
to
September
October
Deployed for escort of military convoys to
Gibraltar for landings in North Africa
November
Deployed for escort of assault convoy to Algiers
with HM Destroyers WISHART and
VELOX.
7th
Stood by US troopship THOMAS STONE which had
been disabled after being hit by a
torpedo: See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair for
details.
(Note: Nationality of the assumed submarine has
not been established.)
800 troops were disembarked into landing craft
to complete passage.
8th
Escorted troopship with same two destroyers
during tow by tug to Algiers.
Detached to carry cut rescue work after landing
craft required assistance.
800 troops were embarked for passage to Algiers.
9th
Arrived at Algiers with HMS VELOX and HMS
WISHART as escort for damaged
troopship THOMAS
STONE during tow.
(Note: Troopship was found Beyond Economic
Repair).
December
Deployed in western Mediterranean for convoy
defence and support
Military convoy escort and support of landings
(Operation TORCH).
1 9
4 3
January
Deployed in Western Mediterranean for convoy
defence and support.
February
Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties.
to
March
April
Joined HM Sloop PELICAN, HM Cutter SENNEN, HM
Frigates JED and WEAR
when 1st Escort Group was reformed.
Deployed in Support role for North Atlantic
convoy defence.
May
On orders of CinC Western Approaches sent with
1st Escort Group from St Johns to
support the Escorts of
Convoy ONS5 under attacks by combined SPECHT
and AMSEL
Groups of U-Boats.
6th
Took part in search for U438 after radar
detection by PELICAN.
(Note: This submarine was later sunk by HMS
PELICAN and HMS JED).
13th
Deployed with Group in support of passage of
Convoys ONS7 and SC130.
19th
Drove off U92 which was maintaining contact with
Convoy ONS130 with HMS JED.
(For details of Atlantic convoy defence
operations see THE BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC
by D Macintyre, U-BOAT
WAR IN THE
ATLANTIC
(HMSO), U-BOAT
KILLER by D Macintyre and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by
C Blair.)
June
Deployment with 1st Escort Group in
continuation.
to
July
August
Took part in anti-submarine sweeps in SW
Approaches and Bay of Biscay for the
support of combined RN/RAF operations
(Operations MUSKETRY and SEASLUG)
(See CONFLICT OVER THE BAY by N Franks).
September
Deployment for A/S sweeps in continuation
Joined escort for military convoy KMF24 to
Gibraltar.
October
Resumed convoy defence and support duties in
Atlantic.
November
Deployed with Group for support and escort of
Atlantic convoys.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January
Group deployment in continuation.
February
Joined HM Frigates ROTHER, FINDHORN and LOSSIE
of 10th Support Group for duty in
Support role in Atlantic.
17th
Deployed with ships of 10th Escort Group in
support of passage of Convoy ONS29 against
attacks by HAI Groups of U- Boats in SW
Approaches.
Air support was provided by HM Escort Carrier
STRIKER.
18th
Sank U 406 during defence of convoy.
(Note: Some survivors including radar
specialists were rescued.
See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
19th
Sank U386 from which there were some survivors.
See above reference.
(For details see above references and U-BOATS
DESTROYED.)
March
Atlantic deployment in continuation..
to
(For details of tactical and weapon developments
during the Battle of the Atlantic see SEEK
April
AND STRIKE by W Hackmann and RADAR AT SEA by D
Hawse).
May
Nominated for duty with Eastern Fleet after
refit.
June
Under refit and preparation for foreign service
to
Passage to Ceylon.
November
December
Deployed for convoy defence and support of
military operations in Burma.
.
(For details of Indian Ocean operation see
OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray, THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton and WAR WITH JAPAN
(HMSO).)
1 9 4 5
January
Eastern Fleet deployment in continuation.
16th
Took part in escort of assault convoys for
landings on northern shore Ramree Is, off Akyab
(Operation MATADOR)
24th
Joined Task Force for landings on Cheduba Island
with HM Frigate WEAR.
Part of escort for passage (Operation SANKEY).
(For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
by Corelli Barnett).
February
24th
Deployed as escort for HM Escort Carriers
EMPRESS and AMEER, HM Cruiser KENYA with
HM Destroyers VIRAGO, VIGILANT, VOLAGE, HM
Frigates SWALE., PLYM and
TRENT during air reconnaissance of Malaya and
Sumatra and attacks on enemy shipping.
(Operation STAGEY).
March
Deployed on convoy defence and support in Bay of
Bengal.
to
June
July
Preparation for landings in Malaya (Operation
ZIPPER).
(Note: This operation was delayed at the
insistence of the US Government and did not take
place till after VJ Day. See above references.).
August
Part of escort for assault convoys during
passage to landings area
P
o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS
SPEY returned to UK after the surrender of
Japanese forces
in Singapore and Paid-off into Reserve. She was
laid up initially at Dartmouth and later moved
to
Devonport. The ship was sold to Egypt in
November 1948 and renamed RASHEED. After a refit
in a Plymouth commercial
shipyard she joined the Royal Egyptian Navy in
1950 and was still in service in
the early 1970's.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS SPEY
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
09/06/42
|
16/06/42
|
HG
084
|
17/06/42
|
20/06/42
|
04/06/42
|
18/06/42
|
SL
112
|
21/06/42
|
23/06/42
|
01/07/42
|
02/07/42
|
OS
033
|
20/07/42
|
20/07/42
|
25/07/42
|
25/07/42
|
SL
117
|
15/08/42
|
15/08/42
|
19/09/42
|
22/09/42
|
ON
132
|
24/09/42
|
08/10/42
|
26/10/42
|
26/10/42
|
KMF
001
|
07/11/42
|
08/11/42
|
14/11/42
|
14/11/42
|
MKS
001A
|
unknown
|
16/11/42
|
21/11/42
|
21/11/42
|
MKS
001Y
|
30/11/42
|
30/11/42
|
11/12/42
|
16/12/42
|
MKF
004Y
|
24/12/42
|
24/12/42
|
07/01/43
|
08/01/43
|
KMS
007G
|
18/01/43
|
21/01/43
|
19/01/43
|
23/01/43
|
MKS
006
|
01/02/43
|
01/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
15/02/43
|
OS
043
|
04/03/43
|
04/03/43
|
12/03/43
|
12/03/43
|
SL
126
|
02/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
16/04/43
|
24/04/43
|
SC
127
|
25/04/43
|
03/05/43
|
13/04/43
|
26/04/43
|
ONS
004
|
28/04/43
|
05/05/43
|
21/04/43
|
06/05/43
|
ONS
005
|
08/05/43
|
12/05/43
|
29/04/43
|
09/05/43
|
ONS
006
|
10/05/43
|
17/05/43
|
02/05/43
|
10/05/43
|
SC
129
|
18/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
11/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
SC
130
|
22/05/43
|
26/05/43
|
31/05/43
|
09/06/43
|
HX
242
|
12/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
08/06/43
|
12/06/43
|
ONS
010
|
18/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
27/06/43
|
01/07/43
|
SC
135
|
04/07/43
|
11/07/43
|
15/09/43
|
15/09/43
|
KMF
024
|
22/09/43
|
29/09/43
|
17/09/43
|
28/09/43
|
MKF
024
|
06/10/43
|
07/10/43
|
19/09/42
|
01/10/43
|
SC
102
|
03/10/42
|
06/10/42
|
16/10/43
|
16/10/43
|
KMF
025
|
25/10/43
|
30/10/43
|
17/10/43
|
27/10/43
|
MKF
025
|
04/11/43
|
04/11/43
|
15/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
KMF
026
|
26/11/43
|
30/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
30/11/43
|
MKF
026
|
09/12/43
|
09/12/43
|
22/01/44
|
03/02/44
|
HX
276
|
05/02/44
|
07/02/44
|
07/02/44
|
10/02/44
|
ON
223
|
11/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
05/02/44
|
16/02/44
|
HX
278
|
17/02/44
|
20/02/44
|
12/02/44
|
17/02/44
|
ONS
029
|
19/02/44
|
29/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
17/02/44
|
ON
224
|
18/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
03/03/44
|
03/03/44
|
KMF
029A
|
17/03/44
|
17/03/44
|
28/03/44
|
28/03/44
|
AJ
002/2
|
04/04/44
|
04/04/44
|
25/06/44
|
25/06/44
|
RK
002
|
12/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)