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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2004

HMS DULVERTON (L 63) -  Type II, Hunt-class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements

HMS Oakley, Type II sister ship (Navy Photos/George Knight, click to enlarge)

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Type II HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Alex Stephen at Govan under 1939 War Emergency Programme on 4th September 1939. She was laid down as Job No 1478 on 16th July 1940 and launched on 1st April 1941 as the lst RN ship to carry this name, that of two fox-hunts in Somerset. Build completion date was 27th September 1941. In March 1942 after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign she was 'adopted' by the civil community of Dulverton, Somerset.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

LIBYA 1942 - SIRTE 1942 - MEDITERRANEAN 1942 - MALTA CONVOYS 1942 - SICILY 1943 - SALERNO 1943 - AEGEAN 1943

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field barry wavy of six White and Blue within an annulet

per fess Red and Green, a Griffin's claw erased Red grasping

a riding whip and an axe in saltire Gold.

 

 

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 1

 

September             Contractors trials and commissioned for service.

                27th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

 

October,                 Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing.

                                Worked-up for service with Home Fleet ships at Scapa Flow.

 

November              Nominated for service in Mediterranean Fleet and prepared for foreign service.

                19th        Joined military convoy WS12Z with HM Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN and HM Destroyer

                                SOUTHWOLD as Ocean Escort for passage in Atlantic.

                22nd       Detached from WS12Z with HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN and HMS SOUTHWOLD and took

                                passage to Freetown.

                28th        Rejoined WS12Z with HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN and HMS SOUTHWOLD as Ocean Escort

                                during passage to Durban.

 

December              Passage to Durban.

                18th        Detached from WS12 with Ocean Escort on arrival at Durban.

                                Took independent passage to Alexandria from Durban.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Passage in Red Sea.

                4th          Joined 5th Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria for Fleet escort, convoy defence, anti submarine

                                patrol and support of Tobruk garrison.

 

February                Deployed for escort of Malta relief convoy.

                12th        Joined HM Escort Destroyers BEAUFORT, HURWORTH and SOUTHWOLD to escort

                                Convoy MW 9A (Operation MF5)

                                (Note: Cover was provided by HM Cruisers DIDO, NAIAD and EURYALUS screened by

                                HM Destroyers ARROW, GRIFFIN, HASTY, HAVOCK, JAGUAR, JERVIS,

                13th        Convoys MW9A and B merged and continued passage under air attacks.

                14th        Detached with escort from Alexandria and returned as escort for Convoy ME10.

                                (Note: ROWALLAN CASTLE was later hit during air attacks and had to be sunk.

                                For details see THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D Macintyre,

                                MALTA CONVOYS by R Woodman and Naval Staff History.)

                15th        Returned to Alexandria with covering ships of Force B.

 

March

                20th        Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers AVON VALE, BEAUFORT, ERIDGE, HEYTHROP,

                                HURWORTH and SOUTHWOLD to carry out anti-submarine sweep along the path of

                                planned Malta relief convoy (Operation MG1).

                                (Note: HMS HEYTHROP was torpedoed and sunk off Sollum during this operation.. See

                                above references.)

                21st         Joined escort for Convoy MW10 after refuelling at Tobruk.

                22nd       Convoy under threat of attack by Italian battle Squadron, including battleship LITTORIO,

                                cruisers GORIZIA, TRENTO and BANDE NERE screened by ten destroyers.

                                Cruiser PENELOPE and HM Destroyer LEGION joined Convoy from Malta before Italian

                                ships were sighted.

                                MW10 detached escorted by HM Cruiser CARLISLE and destroyers from Tobruk.

                                Under air attack and fire from Italian ships.

                                HM Cruisers CLEOPATRA, DIDO, EURYALUS and PENELOPE and destroyer screen

                                positioned between convoy and engaged enemy squadron in heavy weather.

                                Italian ships lacking radar were at a disadvantage and retired when attacked by torpedoes

                                from destroyers of Fleet screen.

                                (2nd Battle of Sirte - See above reference and Naval Staff History for details of this tactical

                                and moral victory.)

                23rd        Detached with HMS AVON VALE to escort mercantiles ss PAMPAS and ss TALABOT when

                                ships of convoy scattered.

                                (Note: Despite sustained air attacks ships reached Grand Harbour.)

                25th        Sailed from Malta with HMS CARLISLE, HM Destroyers BEAUFORT, ERIDGE and

                                HURWORTH,

                28th        Arrived at Alexandria.

 

April                       Deployed in support of Tobruk garrison with ships of 5th Destroyer Flotilla.

to

May

 

 June                       Nominated for Malta relief operation.

                                (Note: This was a joint operation (JULIUS) with Force H at Gibraltar (Operation HARPOON)

                11th        Sailed from Port Said with HM Cruiser COVENTRY with HM Escort Destroyers

                                AIREDALE, ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, CROOME, ERIDGE, EXMOOR and

                                HURWORTH as escort for Convoy MW11C (Operation REMBRANDT)

.                               (Note: MW11C comprised four mercantiles each of which was towing an MTB.)

                                This convoy was intended as a diversion to distract enemy attention from passage of

                                the HARPOON Convoy to Malta from Gibraltar

                                Mediterranean element of JULIUS was Operation VIGOROUS).

                12th        Under air attacks during which ss CITY OF COVENTRY was damaged and unable to

                                maintain convoy speed

                                (Note: CITY OF COVENTRY was detached for passage to Tobruk escorted by HMS

                                CROOME and HMS EXMOOR.)

                13th        MW11C and escort reversed course and took passage to Alexandria.

                                Detached from MW11C with escort to refuel and rejoin MW11B from Alexandria.

                                (Note: Mediterranean Fleet units deployed as escort included HM Battleship CENTURION

                                which had been disguised to resemble an battleship of the KING GEORGE V Class.

                                For full details of warships and mercantiles in VIGOROUS see above references.)

                                Joined escort for Convoy MW11C from Haifa and Convoy MW11B from Alexandria which

                                had merged for passage to Malta.

                14th        Merged convoy and escorts under heavy and sustained air attacks with additional threat of

                                surface attack from an Italian battle squadron.

                                (Note: Italian warships included battleships LITTORIO, VITTORIA VENETO, Heavy cruisers

                                GORIZIA, TRENTO, light cruisers GUISEPPE GARIBALDI., DUCA D'AOSTA with

                                destroyer screen.)

                                Reversed course with ships and escort as ordered by CinC ashore in Alexandria..

                                (Note: This involved difficult manoeuvring under German E-Boat attacks during which HM

                                Cruiser NEWCASTLE and HM Destroyer HASTY were torpedoed.

                                HMS HASTY which had been disabled in air attacks had to be sunk by own ships.

                15th        Convoy ordered to resume course to Malta and under further extensive air attacks and an

                                interception by Italian warships still judged to be viable .

                                Further instruction from shore required convoy to turn eastward.

                                (Note: This order was ignored by Admiral Vian in command of British ships since even though

                                Italian Fleet had returned to the west he considered a further attempt to make passage

                                to Malta was impracticable because of heavy expenditure of ammunition and the

                                operation was abandoned.

                                The order was later rescinded.

                                HMS AIREDALE of Flotilla had been sunk in the current air attacks.)

                16th        During return passage HM Australian Destroyer NESTOR, damaged in earlier air attacks

                                also had to be sunk and HM Cruiser HERMIONE was sunk by U205.

                                Arrived at Alexandria with Fleet units.

                                (Note: This disastrous operation during which the conflicting instructions from shore

                                authorities were at variance with the more realistic assessments being made by the

                                Admiral at sea charged with ensuring the safe passage of the vital convoy.

                                See above references.

 

July                         Eastern Mediterranean Flotilla duties in continuation.

                12th        Carried out bombardment of Mersa Matruh with other Fleet units.

                19th        Provided defensive screen for cruisers during bombardment of Mersa Matruh.

 

August                  Deployed with Fleet units in patrol and support of military operations.

                12th        Joined HM Destroyers JERVIS, KELVIN, PAKENHAM, PALADIN, ALDENHAM,

                                BEAUFORT, ERIDGE, HURSLEY, HURWORTH, HM Corvette HYACINTH and HM

                                Auxiliary ANTWERP to escort three ships as Convoy MW12 covered by HM Cruisers

                                ARETHUSA and EURYALUS. (Operation MG3)

                                (Note: This was a Dummy Convoy to act as a diversion during the passage of Malta relief

                                convoy from Gibraltar (Operation PEDESTAL).

                                For details see PEDESTAL by Peter C Smith and above references).

                13th        Returned to Port Said with Dummy Convoy.

 

September             Nominated for support of planned assault landings at Tobruk (Operation AGREEMENT).

                12th        Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers BELVOIR, CROOME and HURSLEY as screen for HM

                                Cruiser COVENTRY and took passage to Tobruk for landings by Royal Marines.

                13th        Deployed off Tobruk and provided gunfire support during assault.

                                Under fire from shore batteries.

                14th        Under heavy and sustained attack by Ju87 aircraft.

                                After HMS COVENTRY was set on fire during air attacks and had to be abandoned by ship's

                                company, rescued the survivors swimming in the water.

                                (Note: HMS BEAUFORT went alongside the cruiser to take off the men still on board.

                                HMS COVENTRY then torpedoed by HM Destroyer ZULU and sank.

                                Took return passage to Alexandria with HMS BEAUFORT and HMS HURWORTH.

                                (Note: HMS ZULU was herself sunk following further attacks by Italian aircraft.

                                AGREEMENT proved a very costly failure due to poor planning and execution during

                                which many lives were lost.

                                See MASSACRE AT TOBRUK by G. C. Cornell and Naval Staff History).

 

October                  Deployed with Flotilla for convoy escort and patrol in eastern Mediterranean.

                30th        After U559 had been reported by aircraft 70 miles north of Nile Delta. despatched from

                                Alexandria with HM Destroyers PETARD, PAKENHAM and HURWORTH to relieve HMS

                                ECHO who was carrying out search for submarine.

                                Deployed to carry out an anti-submarine operations with these ships for ten hours.

                                The prolonged depth charge attacks by the three destroyers forced submarine to surface after

                                nightfall and it was then engaged by gunfire from all ships.

                                HM Destroyer PETARD sent a boarding party to recover the ENIGMA coding machine and its

                                associated documentation.

                                During search the submarine was sinking and two of the Party were trapped and drowned when

                                U559 sank.

                                (Note: Their gallant conduct was recognised by award of a George Cross to each and a George

                                Medal to a young NAAFI Canteen assistant who escaped whilst assisting in recovery

                                of invaluable material.

                                The ENIGMA machine was not recovered. but the documentation played an important

                                part in decryption by GCHQ of German signal traffic in Atlantic.

                                Many ships and lives were saved as a direct result.

                                For further details see GCHQ by Nigel West, BREAKING THE ENIGMA by D Kahn

                                and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)

                31st         Escorted HMS PETARD to Haifa to land the items obtained from U559.

 

November              Eastern Mediterranean deployment with Flotilla in continuation..

                17th        Joined HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, BELVOIR, CROOME, EXMOOR,

                                HURSLEY, HURWORTH, TETCOTT and Greek PINDOS as escort for Convoy MW13 to

                                Malta. (Operation MG9/STONEAGE.)

                                (Note: This was the first relief convoy from Alexandria since June and effectively lifted the

                                siege. It was covered by HM Cruisers ARETHUSA, ORION, CLEOPATRA and

                                DIDO.)

                18th        Under air attacks during which HM Cruiser ARETHUSA was torpedoed and badly damaged.

                20th        Arrived in Malta with Convoy MW13 and took passage back to Alexandria with other escorts.

 

December              Passage to Malta for escort of empty supply ships to Alexandria.

                7th          Part of escort for Convoy ME 11 of nine ships with HM Cruiser ORION, HM destroyers

                                PAKENHAM, PETARD, ALDENHAM, BELVOIR, CROOME, EXMOOR, HURSLEY,

                                TETCOTT and Greek VASILISSA OLGA and PINDOS (Operation MH2).

                9th          Detached from ME11 with HM Cruiser ORION, HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM,

                                CROOME, EXMOOR and HURSLEY for passage to Malta to meet Convoy MW15 during

                                transit from Egypt.

                                (Operation QUADRANGLE A - This was the last Malta relief convoy from Port Said).

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Continued deployment with Flotilla in eastern Mediterranean for patrol and support of

to                            military operations as well as convoy escort.

April                       Transferred to Malta for service with 21st Flotilla.

 

May                        Deployed with other destroyers to establish a blockade between Cape Bon and Sicily.

                                (Operation RETRIBUTION - to prevent enemy personnel attempting to leave North Africa

                                after collapse of German army resistance.

                                (Note: The blockade prevented the escape of Axis troops from North Africa and proved very

                                effective. Only a few hundred men were able to make a successful crossing.)

                                Carried out bombardment of enemy positions at Kelebia.

 

June                        Based in Malta with Flotilla for anti-submarine patrol and convoy defence.

                                Nominated for service in support of planned allied landings in Sicily (Operation HUSKY)

                                (Note: To be deployed as Escort Group Q with HM Escort Destroyer BELVOIR.)

 

July                         Passage to Alexandria for convoy escort.

                3rd          Sailed from Alexandria as part of escort for military Convoy MWS36 during passage to in

                                eastern Mediterranean.

                7th          Detached from MWS36 and took passage to Benghazi.

                                Joined escort for military Convoy MWF36 during passage to Beach Head.

                10th        On arrival at BARK WEST area and detached for support during landings.

                                For details of HUSKY see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY, Naval Staff

                                History and BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.

                                Provided AA defence and A/S protection off beach head. with naval gunfire support.

 

August                  HUSKY convoy escort and support in continuation

                                Nominated with ships of Flotilla for convoy defence and support of planned allied

                                landings in Italy (Operation AVALANCHE).

 

September             Passage to Tripoli to join military convoy.

                6th          Sailed from Tripoli as part of escort for military convoy TSF1

                9th          Detached from TSF1 and joined Task Force 85 with ships of the 21st Destroyer Flotilla

                                for naval gunfire support and defence of landing area.

                                On release from AVALANCHE too passage to Alexandria for operations in defence of

                                Aegean Islands.

                                (Note: After Italian surrender German forces were attempting replace Italian garrisons,)

                                Rejoined 5th Destroyer Flotilla and deployed as Senior Officers’ ship.

 

October                  Deployed at Alexandria.

                10th        Carried out unsuccessful search with HM Destroyers ECHO and BELVOIR for craft taking

                                German troops to Leros..

                22nd       Bombarded shore targets at Levitha.

                27th        Deployed for transport of stores and troops to Leros.

                                Subjected to sustained air attacks and by threat of E-Boat attacks.

 

November              Deployment in defence of Leros in continuation.

                13th        In action with Do217 aircraft off Leros and hit by Hs293 Glider Bomb.

                                Forward structure demolished.

                                109 of ships’ company rescued by HMS BELVOIR.

                                When recovery of ship was clearly impracticable ship was scuttled

                                (Note: 77 of the ship's company were lost including her captain.

                                The calamitous operations in defence of Aegean islands are described in WAR IN THE

                                AEGEAN by P. Smith and E. Walker, and Military and Naval Staff Histories).

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS DULVERTON

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

 

 

 

 

 

31/01/42

31/01/42

AT 022/M

03/02/42

unknown

23/02/42

23/02/42

AT 030/M

25/02/42

25/02/42

25/02/42

25/02/42

TA 023/M

27/02/42

27/02/42

02/03/42

02/03/42

AT 032/M

04/03/42

04/03/42

04/03/42

04/03/42

TA 025/M

06/03/42

06/03/42

10/03/42

10/03/42

AT 033/M

12/03/42

12/03/42

12/03/42

12/03/42

TA 027/M

14/03/42

24/03/42

27/03/42

27/03/42

TA 030/M

29/03/42

29/03/42

16/04/42

16/04/42

AT 039/M

18/04/42

18/04/42

18/04/42

18/04/42

TA 035/M

19/04/42

19/04/42

27/04/42

27/04/42

AT 042/M

28/04/42

28/04/42

28/04/42

29/04/42

TA 038/M

30/04/42

30/04/42

30/04/42

30/04/42

TA 039/M

02/05/42

02/05/42

05/05/42

07/05/42

TA 040/M

07/05/42

07/05/42

13/05/42

13/05/42

AT 045/M

15/05/42

15/05/42

15/05/42

15/05/42

TA 041/M

17/05/42

unknown

18/05/42

18/05/42

AT 046/M

21/05/42

21/05/42

03/06/42

03/06/42

AT 048/M

05/06/42

05/06/42

11/06/42

11/06/42

MW 011

16/06/42

16/06/42

07/12/42

07/12/42

ME 011

09/12/42

11/12/42

06/12/42

09/12/42

MW 015

10/12/42

09/12/42

17/12/42

17/12/42

MW 017

20/12/42

20/12/42

28/12/42

28/12/42

ME 014

01/01/43

01/01/43

07/01/43

07/01/43

MW 019

11/01/43

11/01/43

13/01/43

13/01/43

ME 015

18/01/43

18/01/43

21/01/43

21/01/43

MH 003/M

26/01/43

26/01/43

27/01/43

27/01/43

ME 016

01/02/43

01/02/43

01/03/43

01/03/43

MW 022

06/03/43

06/03/43

01/04/43

01/04/43

ME 022

06/04/43

06/04/43

24/05/43

30/05/43

GTX 001

unknown

04/06/43

16/06/43

23/06/43

KMS 016

28/06/43

27/06/43

20/07/43

20/07/43

MES 037

26/07/43

26/07/43

03/08/43

03/08/43

MWF 039

03/08/43

unknown

06/09/43

06/09/43

TSF 001

09/09/43

09/09/43

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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