Naval History Homepage - and Site Search

 

 

SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2
by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS CAMERON (I 05) - ex-US Destroyer

HMS Beverley, Type A sister-ship (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

return to Contents List 

 

Ex USS WELLES (Type A - BELMONT-Class) built by Bethlehem Steel, Quincy. The ship was laid down on 13th November 1918 and launched on 8th May 1919. Commissioned on 2nd September 1919 for US naval service she was held in Reserve in 1939. She was transferred to the RN under the UK/US Lend/Lease Agreement and commissioned as HMS CAMERON Halifax, Nova Scotia on 9th September 1940. This name was common to several towns in the USA and a village in Fife,  Scotland. It had not been used for an RN warship previously.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

None

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field White, within an annulet Blue charged in base

with a mullet White a sprig of oak proper.

 

 

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 0

 

September

                8th          Commissioned as HMS CAMERON at Halifax.

                                During preparation for service and Atlantic passage taken in hand for repair

 

October                  Under repair.

                                On completion took passage to Belfast with call at St Johns, Newfoundland.

 

November              Nominated for refit and modification at Portsmouth.

                7th          Arrived at Belfast.

                                Passage to Portsmouth.

                20th        Taken in hand by HM Dockyard for modifications to suit RN deployment as a convoy escort.

                                (Note: Some sources suggest ship may have been intended to be converted for use as a Long

                                Range Escort because of her known limited boiler capacity.)

 

December              Under refit in No. 8 Dock.

                15th        Hit by bomb during air raid on Portsmouth and set on fire.

                                Bodily moved off supporting blocks and flooded by fire-fighting.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Remained in dock and unattended

 

February

                23rd        Salved and taken in hand for survey.

                                Later declared Constructive Total Loss.

 

 

S p e c i a l   N o t e

 

Before being placed on the Disposal List on 5th October 1943 this ship was extensively examined to determine the effects on structure and machinery of a major explosion. She remained hulked at Portsmouth until November 1944 when towed to Falmouth, arriving on 26th of that month.. The ship was sold to TW Ward for demolition at Falmouth and handed over on 1st December.

 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 15/8/11
further editing and formatting is required