CASTLE-Class Frigate ordered on 9th December 1942 from
Smiths Dock SB, Middlesbrough and laid down
on 4th April 1943 as Job Number
4702 (Yard Number 1124). The ship was
launched on 21st June 1943 as the 1st
RN ship to carry the name. Build was
completed on 18th September 1943.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC
1943
S
u m m a r
y 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
September
Contractors trails and
commissioned for service.
18th
Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials
On completion of
trials and storing took passage to Tobermory
to
work-up for operational
service
October
Worked-up
at Tobermory
On completion
took passage to join Western Approaches
Command.
November
Deployed for Atlantic convoy
defence
to
December
1
9 4 4
January
Deployed with 5th (British)
Escort Group for
convoy escort in NW Approaches.
to
(Note: Ships in Group
included
December HM
Corvettes CARISBROOKE
CASTLE, DUMBARTON CASTLE,
BERKELEY
CASTLE and BAMBOROUGH CASTLE.
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed
for convoy defence in Home waters following
the increasing
threat posed by
to
new design and
SCHNORKEL- fitted types of U-Boat which were
being used to carry
May
attacks
on
shipping in UK coastal waters..
June
Remained
in Home waters until reduced to Reserve
status after VE-Day
to
August
Po
s t W a r N o t e s
HMS HADLEIGH CASTLE remained
laid-up in Reserve until 1958 when placed on
the Disposal List as part
of the reduction of the number of
ships in Reserve under a Defence Review.
Sold to BISCO for demolition by C W Dorkin
the ship arrived in tow at the breaker’s
yard at Gateshead in January 1959.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS
HADLEIGH CASTLE
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
09/12/43
|
09/12/43
|
ON
215
|
26/12/43
|
28/12/43
|
28/01/44
|
02/02/44
|
HX
277
|
12/02/44
|
13/02/44
|
22/02/44
|
22/02/44
|
ON
225
|
02/03/44
|
08/03/44
|
06/03/44
|
11/03/44
|
HX
282
|
21/03/44
|
22/03/44
|
12/04/44
|
12/04/44
|
OS
074KM
|
23/04/44
|
23/04/44
|
23/04/44
|
23/04/44
|
KMS
048G
|
25/04/44
|
25/04/44
|
01/05/44
|
01/05/44
|
MKS
047G
|
03/05/44
|
03/05/44
|
03/05/44
|
03/05/44
|
SL
156MK
|
13/05/44
|
13/05/44
|
22/05/44
|
22/05/44
|
OS
078KM
|
04/06/44
|
04/06/44
|
21/05/44
|
28/05/44
|
SL
158MK
|
29/05/44
|
04/06/44
|
05/06/44
|
05/06/44
|
KMS
052G
|
06/06/44
|
06/06/44
|
09/06/44
|
09/06/44
|
MKS
051G
|
10/06/44
|
10/06/44
|
10/06/44
|
10/06/44
|
SL
160MK
|
21/06/44
|
21/06/44
|
01/07/44
|
02/07/44
|
OS
082KM
|
11/07/44
|
11/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
12/07/44
|
KMS
056G
|
13/07/44
|
13/07/44
|
20/07/44
|
20/07/44
|
MKS
055G
|
21/07/44
|
21/07/44
|
21/07/44
|
21/07/44
|
SL
164MK
|
31/07/44
|
02/08/44
|
10/08/44
|
11/08/44
|
OS
086KM
|
21/08/44
|
21/08/44
|
22/08/44
|
22/08/44
|
KMS
060G
|
23/08/44
|
23/08/44
|
29/08/44
|
29/08/44
|
MKS
059G
|
30/08/44
|
30/08/44
|
30/08/44
|
30/08/44
|
SL
168MK
|
07/09/44
|
07/09/44
|
29/09/44
|
30/09/44
|
ONS
033
|
02/10/44
|
14/10/44
|
30/10/44
|
unknown
|
HX
317
|
unknown
|
13/11/44
|
28/11/44
|
30/11/44
|
ONS
037
|
01/12/44
|
21/12/44
|
25/02/45
|
11/03/45
|
SC
168
|
11/03/45
|
13/03/45
|
06/04/45
|
20/04/45
|
SC
172
|
20/04/45
|
22/04/45
|
18/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX
351
|
unknown
|
03/05/45
|
23/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX
352
|
unknown
|
08/05/45
|
26/04/45
|
27/04/45
|
ON
299
|
28/04/45
|
13/05/45
|
02/05/45
|
02/05/45
|
OS
126KM
|
05/05/45
|
08/05/45
|
05/05/45
|
10/05/45
|
MKS
099G
|
12/05/45
|
12/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)