1
9 4 0
September
Prepared
for transfer to RN control.
9th
- Commissioned as HMS CALDWELL at Halifax.
Passage to Devonport via St. Johns, Newfoundland.
28th
- Taken in hand for refit to suit RN use as
convoy escort.
Nominated
for service in Western
Approaches.
October
On
completion of post refit trials took passage
to Liverpool. (Note: Compared with other TOWN
Class destroyers the refit period was short.)
15th
- Under repair at Liverpool to remedy defects
found on passage.
Joined
17th Destroyer Flotilla
at Liverpool on completion.
23rd
- Part of escort for Convoy OB233. (Note: This
ship was first of the TOWN Class to be
deployed operationally. For dates of convoys
see ALLIED CONVOYS SYSTEM IN WW2 by A Hague.)
27th
- Detached from OB233 on dispersal and
returned to Liverpool.
November
Western
Approach deployment in continuation.
December
Transferred
to 5th Escort Group for Atlantic convoy
defence. Sustained structural damage due
to weather conditions.
1
9 4 1
January
Under
repair. Prepared for
work-up and took passage to Tobermory.
February
Worked-up
at Tobermory. (Note: This may have
been required because of change of ship's
company or due to lack of performance during
previous
escort duties.)
Rejoined
Group on completion.
10th
- Part of escort for Convoy OB284 with ships
of Group
March
to May
Atlantic
escort duties with Group in continuation.
June
Nominated
for refit at Cardiff to complete modifications
required to
suit RN service and for essential repair and
maintenance.
6th
- Taken in hand for refit at commercial
shipyard in Cardiff.
July
Under
refit.
August
Carried
out post refit trials.
21st
- Resumed Atlantic convoy escort duties with
Group.
September
to October
Deployed
with Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
November
Part
of escort for outward Convoy ON34.
December
Part
of escort for outward Convoy ON41 and inward
HX162.
1
9 4 2
January
Part
of escort for outward Convoy ONS48 and
returned as escort for
inward Convoy SC60. Nominated for
transfer to St Johns Newfoundland to
supplement the Western Local Escort Force.
(Note:
This deployment was made in view of the
increase of U-Boat
activity off east coasts of Canada and USA.
See THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre,
U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and HITLER'S
U-BOAT WAR by C Blair for details.)
February
Part
of escort for outward Convoy ONS56 and inward
SC64. Passage to join WLEF.
21st
- Joined RCN Escort Force at St Johns.
Deployed for escort of convoys from Halifax to
St
Johns.
March
to May
Deployed
for escort of tanker traffic between Aruba and
Halifax, NS.
June
to July
Under
refit at Boston, Mass.
B
e l i e v e d S t a r
t o f S e r v
i c e a
s H M C S C A L D W
E L L
August
Resumed
duties at St Johns for escort of convoys to
and from Halifax.
14th
- Sustained minor structural damage in
collision with rms
AQUITANlA.
September
to November
Local
Escort deployment in continuation.
December
Deployed
for escort of Atlantic convoy from St Johns to
Iceland.
12th to 18th
- Sustained
major structural damage in hurricane force
winds and forced to heave to. Reverted to hand
steering when
system failed. Continual
repair periods required to control flooding.
Unable to make forward way to westward. Fuel
running short.
19th
- Able to proceed at 10 knots and tug
despatched from Newfoundland.
20th
- HM Destroyer WANDERER and HM Canadian
Destroyer SKEENA joined but
weather prevented tow
and ships oil fuel supply not sufficient to
allow use of propulsion machinery.
21st
- Fuel on board exhausted and furniture used
for boilers.
22nd
- Under tow by tug for 126 mile passage to St
Johns.
24th
- Arrived at St Johns.
1
9 4 3
January
Examination
showed turbine bearings defective and repair
not possible
locally.
18th
- Passage under tow of tug FOUNDATION FRANKLIN
to Boston. (Note: HM Canadian Minesweeper
WASSAGA provided escort.). Encountered heavy
weather and tow parted. Line passed to provide
stern tow. Second towing attempt failed and
violent movement of ship in storm conditions
caused injuries.
19th to 21st - Tug left ship for Louisberg. Ship
drifted into Atlantic. Conditions deteriorated
on board due to incessant
storm conditions.
22nd
- HM Canadian Destroyer COLUMBIA joined and
with assistance from
HMCS WASSAGA tow by the
destroyer was established.
23rd
- Passage to Halifax under tow.
24th
- Arrived at Halifax.
27th
- Passage to Boston under tow by tug BLACK
CHIEF.
28th
- Forced to shelter at Shelbourne due to
weather conditions.
31st
- Arrived at Boston for repair.
February
Taken
in hand for repair.
March
Under
repair.
April
Carried
out post repair harbour trials.
May
1st
- Carried out sea trials on completion of
dockyard work. Prepared for convoy escort duty
in Western Escort Force at St Johns.
June
to November
Deployed
at St Joins for convoy escort. Nominated for
return to UK. (Note: TOWN-Class destroyers
were being placed in
reserve as new construction escorts became
available from build.)
December
Passage
to UK via Azores.
29th
- Arrived in Tyne to reduce to reserve status.
1
9 4 4
January
Paid-off
and de-stored.
February
to December
Laid
up in reserve in Tyne. (Note: Further service
as an Air Target Ship not
needed.)
1
9 4 5
January
to February
Laid
up In Reserve in Tyne.
Placed on Disposal List.
March
20th
- Sold to Granton Shipbreaking for demolition.
April
to May
Held
in Tyne pending collection.
June
6th
- Arrived in tow at breaker's yard in Granton,
near Edinburgh.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS CALDWELL
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
23/10/40
|
23/10/40
|
OB
233
|
27/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
16/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
HX
081
|
01/11/40
|
02/11/40
|
18/11/40
|
19/11/40
|
OG
046
|
24/11/40
|
05/12/40
|
04/11/40
|
24/11/40
|
SL
054
|
25/11/40
|
26/11/40
|
16/12/40
|
16/12/40
|
OB
260
|
18/12/40
|
19/12/40
|
09/12/40
|
18/12/40
|
HG
048
|
23/12/40
|
23/12/40
|
09/02/41
|
10/02/41
|
OB
284
|
13/02/41
|
14/02/41
|
31/01/41
|
14/02/41
|
SC
021
|
16/02/41
|
18/02/41
|
26/02/41
|
26/02/41
|
OB
291
|
03/03/41
|
03/03/41
|
10/02/41
|
04/03/41
|
SL
065
|
08/03/41
|
08/03/41
|
27/03/41
|
27/03/41
|
OG
057
|
01/04/41
|
11/04/41
|
06/04/41
|
06/04/41
|
OB
308
|
11/04/41
|
13/04/41
|
31/03/41
|
13/04/41
|
HX
118
|
18/04/41
|
18/04/41
|
20/04/41
|
04/05/41
|
HX
122
|
08/05/41
|
08/05/41
|
12/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
OB
322
|
18/05/41
|
20/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
19/05/41
|
HX
125A
|
22/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
23/08/41
|
23/08/41
|
OS
004
|
28/08/41
|
11/09/41
|
18/08/41
|
30/08/41
|
HG
071
|
01/09/41
|
02/09/41
|
25/08/41
|
11/09/41
|
SL
085
|
17/09/41
|
17/09/41
|
02/09/41
|
12/09/41
|
HG
072
|
17/09/41
|
17/09/41
|
14/09/41
|
19/09/41
|
CF
002B
|
20/09/41
|
20/09/41
|
25/09/41
|
26/09/41
|
ON
020
|
30/09/41
|
09/10/41
|
24/09/41
|
04/10/41
|
SC
046
|
10/10/41
|
10/10/41
|
30/10/41
|
30/10/41
|
CT
005
|
02/11/41
|
08/11/41
|
25/10/41
|
02/11/41
|
CARGO
|
04/11/41
|
04/11/41
|
07/11/41
|
07/11/41
|
ON
034
|
12/11/41
|
21/11/41
|
04/11/41
|
20/11/41
|
SC
053
|
24/11/41
|
24/11/41
|
27/11/41
|
30/11/41
|
ON
041
|
04/12/41
|
11/12/41
|
27/11/41
|
07/12/41
|
HX
162
|
11/12/41
|
11/12/41
|
19/12/41
|
19/12/41
|
ON
048
|
24/12/41
|
31/12/41
|
16/12/41
|
27/12/41
|
SC
060
|
31/12/41
|
31/12/41
|
12/01/42
|
12/01/42
|
ON
056
|
16/01/42
|
16/01/42
|
17/01/42
|
29/01/42
|
SC
065
|
30/01/42
|
04/02/42
|
28/02/42
|
28/02/42
|
SC
072
|
07/03/42
|
17/03/42
|
25/02/42
|
11/03/42
|
ON
070
|
15/03/42
|
15/03/42
|
21/03/42
|
22/03/42
|
HX
181
|
25/03/42
|
02/04/42
|
23/03/42
|
01/04/42
|
ON
079
|
06/04/42
|
07/04/42
|
06/05/42
|
06/05/42
|
TH
NN1
|
17/05/42
|
17/05/42
|
01/06/42
|
01/06/42
|
XB
023
|
03/06/42
|
03/06/42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
as HMCS CALDWELL
|
|
|
|
|
|
02/08/42
|
02/08/42
|
HX
201
|
05/08/42
|
14/08/42
|
31/07/42
|
10/08/42
|
ON
117
|
13/08/42
|
15/08/42
|
06/09/42
|
06/09/42
|
HX
206
|
09/09/42
|
18/09/42
|
29/08/42
|
13/09/42
|
ON
126
|
16/09/42
|
18/09/42
|
19/09/42
|
22/09/42
|
SC
102
|
23/09/42
|
06/10/42
|
18/09/42
|
28/09/42
|
ON
131
|
02/10/42
|
04/10/42
|
25/09/42
|
08/10/42
|
ON
133
|
11/10/42
|
11/10/42
|
16/10/42
|
16/10/42
|
SC
106
|
20/10/42
|
05/11/42
|
11/10/42
|
26/10/42
|
ON
137
|
29/10/42
|
29/10/42
|
01/11/42
|
01/11/42
|
SC
108
|
04/11/42
|
19/11/42
|
03/11/42
|
07/11/42
|
HX
214
|
08/11/42
|
18/11/42
|
31/10/42
|
13/11/42
|
ON
142
|
18/11/42
|
21/11/42
|
09/11/42
|
22/11/42
|
ON
145
|
25/11/42
|
25/11/42
|
05/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
HX
218
|
11/12/42
|
21/12/42
|
04/12/42
|
13/12/42
|
SC
112
|
16/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
06/05/43
|
06/05/43
|
BX
049
|
08/05/43
|
08/05/43
|
07/06/43
|
09/06/43
|
HX
243
|
12/06/43
|
21/06/43
|
10/06/43
|
20/06/43
|
ON
188
|
24/06/43
|
26/06/43
|
23/06/43
|
25/06/43
|
HX
245
|
26/06/43
|
07/07/43
|
08/07/43
|
08/07/43
|
SC
136
|
13/07/43
|
23/07/43
|
03/07/43
|
15/07/43
|
ONS
012
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
18/07/43
|
XB
064
|
20/07/43
|
20/07/43
|
31/07/43
|
09/08/43
|
ON
195
|
11/08/43
|
13/08/43
|
06/08/43
|
20/08/43
|
ONS
015
|
21/08/43
|
21/08/43
|
01/09/43
|
12/09/43
|
EN
200
|
15/09/43
|
18/09/43
|
22/09/43
|
24/09/43
|
HX
258
|
28/09/43
|
06/10/43
|
22/09/43
|
03/10/43
|
ON
203
|
07/10/43
|
10/10/43
|
26/09/43
|
14/10/43
|
ONS
019
|
14/10/43
|
14/10/43
|
06/11/43
|
08/11/43
|
HX
265
|
10/11/43
|
21/11/43
|
31/10/43
|
13/11/43
|
ON
209
|
15/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
HX
268
|
29/11/43
|
11/12/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)