A-Class Fleet Destroyer ordered from John Brown at Clydebank under the 1927
Programme and launched on 4th October a the 5th RN warship to carry the
name, introduced in 1573 and previously used by a destroyer sold in 1921. Build
completed on 11th February 1930 and she commissioned on 27th March that year.
Before WW2 this ship served
in the Mediterranean and Home Fleets but in 1938 was in the Devonport Local
Flotilla. Following a
successful WARSHIP WEEK in February 1942 she was adopted by the
civil community of Halesowen the in the County of Worcestershire.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
ARMADA 1558 - GUADALOUPE 1810 - JUTLAND 1916
- ATLANTIC 1940-42 - BISMARCK 1941 - NORTH AFRICA 1942 - ARCTIC 1942 - BARENTS SEA 1942
H e r a l d i c
D a t a
Badge: On a Field two hands
Proper grasping a spear proper.
M o t t o
Fidus Achates: 'Faithful Achates'
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 3 9
August Attached to
6th Submarine Flotilla at Portland
War Station allocated - 18th Destroyer Flotilla at Portsmouth.
September Joined Flotilla
for convoy escort and anti-submarine patrol duties in English Channel.
October Channel
deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 0
January Transferred
to Western Approaches for Atlantic convoy defence.
Escorted HM Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN to Halifax with HM Destroyers
ANTHONY and
ARROW.
February Deployed in
Western Approaches for convoy defence.
to
(Note: Did not take part in Norwegian or Dunkirk evacuations.
June
July
Transferred to 16th Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich.
Deployed in North Sea for convoy defence and patrol duty
August Detached for
service in Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.
10th Assisted in the rescue
of the survivors from H M Armed Merchant Cruiser TRANSYLVANIA
with HM Destroyers ANTELOPE and FORTUNE.
16th Attacked U-Boat reported
by HM Armed Merchant Cruiser CHESHIRE.
September Resumed North
Sea duties with Flotilla and deployed on anti-invasion patrols.
October Transferred
to Western Approaches for escort of military convoy.
10th Joined Convoy WS3B Fast
with HM Cruiser KENYA and HM Destroyers ARROW, SABRE
and VIMY for Local Escort in
NW Approaches.
16th Detached with destroyers
of Local Escort and returned to Clyde.
November Deployed with
4th Escort Group based at Greenock for Atlantic convoy defence.
2nd Escorted Convoy
OB237 with HM Destroyer ANTELOPE. Detached to search for U31 but
ASDIC failed during hunt.
(Note: U31 was sunk by HMS ANTELOPE - See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
Joined Convoy HX83 as escort With HM Destroyers ACTIVE, HESPERUS, WILD
SWAN,
BEAGLE, HURRICANE and HM Corvette PICOTEE.
4th Detached with
HMS HESPERUS to assist rescue of survivors from HM Armed Merchant
Cruisers
PATROCLUS and LAURENTIC after attack by U99.
Rescued survivors from both ships.
December Atlantic convoy
defence with Group in continuation.
(For details of naval operations and convoy defence in the Atlantic see
THE BATTLE OF
THE ATLANTIC by D. MacIntyre HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, U-BOAT WAR
WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.
20th During escort of Convoy
OB237with HMS ANTELOPE detected U31.
Carried out depth charge attacks with HMS ANTELOPE which sank U31 in
position 26.26N
10.18W.
43 survivors were rescued from U31.
(Note: This submarine had been salvaged after previous sinking by an
RAF BLENHEIM
aircraft on 19th March 1940.
1 9 4 1
January Atlantic
convoy defence with Group in continuation.
to
March
April
Detached for escort of minelayers.
11th Escorted ships of 1st
Minelaying Squadron during lay in Northern Barrage (Operation
SN71).
(Note: For details of all minelaying operations see The Naval Staff
History (Mining).
May
Detached for Home Fleet duties.
23rd Part of escort for HM
Battlecruiser HOOD and HM Battleship PRINCE OF WALES with HM
Destroyers ANTHONY, ANTELOPE, ELECTRA and ECHO during passage from Scapa Flow
to intercept German battleship BISMARCK.
26th Joined Home Fleet units
for screening duties during search and sinking of BISMARCK
(For details of this action see BISMARCK
by Mullenheim Rechberg and PURSUIT by L.
Kennedy.)
June
Resumed convoy defence duties in NW Approaches.
July
Deployed with Home Fleet.
23rd Escorted HM Aircraft
Carriers VICTORIOUS and FURIOUS with other Home Fleet ships
during passage to carry out air attacks on Kirkenes and Petsamo.
(See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett.)
24th Detached to take passage
to Iceland.
25th After engine failure due
to contamination of fuel struck British mine in Field SN69 of
Northern Barrage off Iceland, in.
position 64.25N 12.45W.
Major structural damage sustained including loss of entire bow portion
and significant
flooding.
Ship disabled and taken in tow by HMS ANTHONY.
63 of ships company lost their lives and 25 were injured..
26th Arrived at Seidisfjord
August Under repair,
to allow return ocean passage.
7th Taken under
tow by HM Tug ASSURANCE from Iceland
escorted by HMS ANTELOPE.
10th Hull structure showed
signs of failure during storm conditions.
11th Took shelter in
Skagekstjor, Faeroes for further temporary repair.
21st Sailed for Tyne
after shoring work completed.
24th Taken in hand for repair
at commercial shipyard.
September Paid-off for
repair and conversion for use as an Escort Destroyer.
October Under repair
and conversion.
to
(Note: Work done included fit of Type 271 Surface Warning Radar and
HEDGEHOG
December Anti-Submarine
Ahead Throwing Mortar.)
For details of development and use of radar and mortar type weapons see
RADAR AT
SEA by D Howse and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)
1 9 4 2
January Under repair
and conversion.
to
Nominated for service with Special Escort Force based at Greenock.
February
March
Post refit trials.
April
Re-commissioned and worked up for operational service.
May
Deployed at Greenock for Atlantic convoy defence in NW Approaches.
Detached for duty with Home Fleet.
23rd Joined Ocean Escort for
Russian Convoy PQ16 with HM Destroyers ASHANTI, MARTIN,
VOLUNTEER and
Polish ORP GARLAND.
(For details of all Russian Convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,,
THE
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B
Schoefield, CONVOY! by P Kemp and ARCTIC CONVOYS by
R Woodman.)
28th Provided medical aid to
ORP GARLAND after heavy air attacks.
June
Joined escort for returning Russian Convoy QP11 with same ships.
26th Detached from QP11 on
arrival in UK and resumed duties at Greenock.
July
to
August
September Transferred to
Home Fleet for Russian Convoy escort.
7th Joined HM
Destroyer MALCOLM, HM Anti-Aircraft Ships ALYNBANK and ULSTER
QUEEN
as Ocean Escort for Convoy PQ18 with four FLOWER Class
Corvettes.
21st Detached from PQ18
on arrival at Murmansk.
Independent passage from Kola Inlet
October Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence based at Greenock.
Nominated for escort of military convoys to Gibraltar and support of allied landings in North
Africa (Operation TORCH)
Deployed for convoy escort.
Transferred to Home Fleet for Russian Convoy escort.
November Transferred to
Central Task Force for support of landings.
For details see Naval Staff History and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY.
8th Passage to
Oran as escort of assault convoy.
Shared credit with HM Destroyer WESTCOTT for sinking French submarines
ARGONAUTE
and ACTEON off Oran.
December On release from
TORCH took passage to Scapa Flow for detached service with Home Fleet.
23rd During passage to
Iceland mast structure sprung in heavy weather.
25th Joined HM Destroyers
OBEDIENT, OBDURATE, ORIBI, ONSLOW and ORWELL as part of
the Ocean Escort for
Russian Convoy JW51B during passage to Kola Inlet.
31st In action with
German Armoured Ship LUTZOW and German cruiser HIPPER, escorted by
five destroyers which attacked JW5 IB during passage. (Operation REGENBOGEN).
During provision of smoke screen to protect convoy ship hit by 11-inch
shellfire which
caused major
damage with many casualties.
Main armament disabled.
Towing attempt by HM Trawler NORTHERN
GEM
failed when ship rolled over and sank in
position 73.03N 03.42E.
Only 91 of the ships company were rescued.
For details see 73 NORTH by Dudley Pope, ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY
and
the above
references.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS ACHATES
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
19/09/39
|
19/09/39
|
MB 005/1
|
21/09/39
|
21/09/39 |
23/09/39
|
23/09/39
|
MB 007/1
|
25/09/39
|
25/09/39 |
29/09/39
|
29/09/39
|
MB 009/1
|
30/09/39
|
30/09/39 |
01/10/39
|
01/10/39
|
MB 010/1
|
02/10/39
|
02/10/39 |
16/10/39
|
16/10/39
|
SA 013
|
17/10/39
|
17/10/39 |
27/07/40
|
09/08/40
|
HX 061
|
10/08/40
|
11/08/40 |
16/08/40
|
18/08/40
|
OB 199
|
20/08/40
|
20/08/40 |
18/08/40
|
20/08/40
|
OB 200
|
22/08/40
|
22/08/40 |
26/08/40
|
27/08/40
|
OB 204
|
28/08/40
|
29/08/40 |
01/09/40
|
13/09/40
|
HX 070
|
16/09/40
|
16/09/40 |
07/10/40
|
08/10/40
|
WS 003B
|
12/10/40
|
28/10/40 |
31/10/40
|
31/10/40
|
OB 237
|
02/11/40
|
02/11/40 |
13/11/40
|
13/11/40
|
OB 243
|
18/11/40
|
18/11/40 |
26/11/40
|
26/11/40
|
OB 250
|
29/11/40
|
29/11/40 |
12/11/40
|
30/11/40
|
SL 055
|
02/12/40
|
02/12/40 |
10/12/40
|
11/12/40
|
OB 257
|
13/12/40
|
13/12/40 |
03/12/40
|
13/12/40
|
HX 093
|
16/12/40
|
18/12/40 |
03/02/41
|
04/02/41
|
OB 282
|
07/02/41
|
08/02/41 |
20/01/41
|
07/02/41
|
SL 063
|
09/02/41
|
09/02/41 |
18/02/41
|
19/02/41
|
OB 288
|
unknown
|
22/02/41 |
08/02/41
|
24/02/41
|
SC 022
|
28/02/41
|
28/02/41 |
07/03/41
|
07/03/41
|
OG 055
|
12/03/41
|
20/03/41 |
20/03/41
|
20/03/41
|
OB 300
|
26/03/41
|
26/03/41 |
03/04/41
|
03/04/41
|
OB 306
|
09/04/41
|
09/04/41 |
27/03/41
|
10/04/41
|
HX 117
|
14/04/41
|
15/04/41 |
21/06/41
|
26/06/41
|
TC 011
|
30/06/41
|
30/06/41 |
08/05/42
|
08/05/42
|
UR 023
|
12/05/42
|
12/05/42 |
21/05/42
|
23/05/42
|
PQ 016
|
30/05/42
|
30/05/42 |
26/06/42
|
26/06/42
|
QP 013
|
07/07/42
|
07/07/42 |
02/09/42
|
07/09/42
|
PQ 018
|
21/09/42
|
21/09/42 |
19/10/42
|
19/10/42
|
KX 003
|
25/10/42
|
25/10/42 |
26/10/42
|
04/11/42
|
KMF 001
|
08/11/42
|
08/11/42 |
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
MKF 001X
|
19/11/42
|
19/11/42 |
22/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
JW 051B
|
31/12/42
|
04/01/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)