1
9 4 0
September
Prepared
for transfer to RN control.
8th
- Commissioned as HMS CROWNINSHIELD at
Halifax.
Passage
to Devonport with call
at St. Johns, Newfoundland
10th
- RN Names of TOWN Class announced.
28th
- Arrived at Devonport and taken in hand for
modifications to suit
RN requirements for Atlantic convoy escort
deployments. Allocated for service in
Western Approaches Command.
October
On
completion of post refit trials took passage
to Liverpool.
12th
- Deployed for convoy defence in Atlantic.
November
4th
- Under repair at Liverpool. Allocated for
service in 6th Escort Group.
December
6th
- Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties in
6th Escort Group. (Note: Other ships in
Group
included HM Destroyer BROKE and HM Corvettes
COLUMBINE, CAMELLIA, PIMPERNEL* and BARRIE
(RCN)*. * Joined
later.)
1
9 4 1
January
to August
Deployed
with Group for escort of convoys between UK
and Gibraltar. (For details of U-Boat
tactics
see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.).
September
During
convoy escort sustained damage in collision
with US Destroyer
CANNING. After repair
resumed duty with Group.
October
Atlantic
deployment in continuation.
November
1st
- Sustained slight damage in further
collision with USS CANNING.
16th
- Sustained serious structural damage in
second collision. Taken in hand for repair.
December
On
completion resumed North Atlantic convoy
defence duties with Group. Part of escort
for Convoy ONS50
and SC61. (For details
of convoy dates see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM IN
WW2 by A Hague.)
1
9 4 2
January
North
Atlantic convoy escort in continuation with
Group. Part of escort for Convoys ON57
and HX170. (For details
of Atlantic convoy defence see THE BATTLE OF
THE ATLANTIC by Donald Macintyre and CONVOY
ESCORT
COMMANDER by P Gretton).
February
Atlantic
escort duty in continuation.
5th
- Rescued survivors from HM Corvette ARBUTUS
sunk after being hit by
a torpedo from U136 south of
Iceland.
Under
refit
and repair in London commercial shipyard.
March
to June
Under
refit. Nominated for
transfer on loan to Royal Canadian Navy.
S
e r v i c e a
s H M C S C H E L
S E A
July
On
completion of post refit trials worked-up
for operational service.
August
Took
passage to St Johns to join the Western
Atlantic Local
Escort Force.
September
to December
Joined
WLEF and deployed for convoy defence off
Canadian seaboard with
RCN ships. (Note: WLEF or
Western Local Escort Force - RCN designation
for convoy escort in eastern Atlantic to Mid
Ocean Meeting
Point where RN escorted for passage to
Liverpool.)
1
9 4 3
January
to October
WLEF
deployment in continuation. (Note: During
this period had two separate periods of
refit in Brooklyn US Navy Yard, New York).
November
Nominated
for return to UK to pay off and reduce to
reserve status.
December
15th
- Took passage to UK via Azores.
1
9 4 4
January
Paid
off.
February
Nominated
for transfer to Soviet Navy after refit.
14th
- Taken in hand for refit at Palmers
shipyard, Newcastle on Tyne.
March
Under
refit
6th
- Refit work completed.
April
Under
care and maintenance prior to arrival of
Russian crew.
May
3rd
- Docking at Newcastle prior to transfer.
T
r a n s f e r t
o R u s s i a n N
a v y
June
Russian
crew joined.
July
16th
- Formal transfer to Soviet Navy and renamed
DERZKI.
August
Passage
to Loch Ewe to join other warships being
transferred to Russia
on Lease-Lend. (Note: Other
ships transferred were battleship
ARCHANGELSK (EX HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN) and 12
Ex US Navy PT
Boats).
17th
- Sailed from Loch Ewe to Kola Inlet with
Convoy JW59.
24th
- On arrival at Kola Inlet detached to join
Soviet Northern Fleet.
September
to December
Deployed
in White Sea with Soviet Northern Fleet.
1
9 4 5
January
to August
Russian
Northern Fleet deployment in continuation,
mainly in White Sea.
P o s t W a r N
o t e s
This ship continued in Soviet naval
service as DERZKI
until 24th June 1949 when returned to the
RN at Rosyth and resumed her name as HMS
CHELSEA. She was immediately
placed on the Disposal List. The ship was
sold to BISCO for breaking-up on 12th July
that year and arrived in tow at P&W
MacLellan's yard at Bo'ness on 29th July
for
demolition.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS CHELSEA
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
15/10/40
|
15/10/40
|
OB
229
|
16/10/40
|
18/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
27/10/40
|
OB
235
|
31/10/40
|
31/10/40
|
20/10/40
|
01/11/40
|
HX
082
|
04/11/40
|
06/11/40
|
06/12/40
|
08/12/40
|
OB
255
|
10/12/40
|
10/12/40
|
29/11/40
|
11/12/40
|
HX
092
|
12/12/40
|
12/12/40
|
02/03/41
|
02/03/41
|
OB
293
|
07/03/41
|
08/03/41
|
23/02/41
|
10/03/41
|
HX
111
|
12/03/41
|
12/03/41
|
01/03/41
|
22/03/41
|
SL
067
|
24/03/41
|
26/03/41
|
31/03/41
|
31/03/41
|
OB
304
|
04/04/41
|
04/04/41
|
20/03/41
|
04/04/41
|
SC
026
|
05/04/41
|
08/04/41
|
12/04/41
|
12/04/41
|
OB
309
|
15/04/41
|
19/04/41
|
03/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
HG
058
|
18/04/41
|
21/04/41
|
26/04/41
|
27/04/41
|
OB
315
|
03/05/41
|
04/05/41
|
25/04/41
|
09/05/41
|
HX
123
|
09/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
08/05/41
|
13/05/41
|
OB
320
|
14/05/41
|
14/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
16/05/41
|
HX
125A
|
18/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
18/05/41
|
24/05/41
|
OB
324
|
27/05/41
|
27/05/41
|
27/05/41
|
08/06/41
|
HX
129
|
11/06/41
|
12/06/41
|
20/06/41
|
20/06/41
|
OB
337
|
28/06/41
|
28/06/41
|
14/06/41
|
25/06/41
|
HG
065
|
29/06/41
|
29/06/41
|
04/07/41
|
04/07/41
|
OG
067
|
09/07/41
|
20/07/41
|
18/06/41
|
09/07/41
|
SL
078
|
12/07/41
|
12/07/41
|
24/07/41
|
28/07/41
|
OS
001
|
30/07/41
|
10/08/41
|
03/08/41
|
04/08/41
|
OS
002
|
08/08/41
|
22/08/41
|
28/07/41
|
08/08/41
|
HG
069
|
11/08/41
|
11/08/41
|
19/08/41
|
20/08/41
|
OG
072
|
23/08/41
|
01/09/41
|
05/08/41
|
24/08/41
|
SL
083
|
28/08/41
|
28/08/41
|
04/09/41
|
22/09/41
|
SL
086
|
26/09/41
|
26/09/41
|
13/11/41
|
13/11/41
|
ON
036
|
16/11/41
|
25/11/41
|
24/12/41
|
25/12/41
|
ON
050
|
28/12/41
|
03/01/42
|
21/12/41
|
02/01/42
|
SC
061
|
07/01/42
|
07/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
18/01/42
|
ON
057
|
22/01/42
|
07/02/42
|
13/01/42
|
24/01/42
|
HX
170
|
28/01/42
|
28/01/42
|
02/02/42
|
02/02/42
|
ON
063
|
05/02/42
|
13/02/42
|
16/03/41
|
16/03/42
|
OB
298
|
20/03/41
|
20/03/41
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
as HMCS CHELSEA
|
|
|
|
|
|
25/09/42
|
05/10/42
|
ON
133
|
09/10/42
|
11/10/42
|
09/11/42
|
09/11/42
|
SC
109
|
12/11/42
|
30/11/42
|
17/11/42
|
20/11/42
|
SC
110
|
24/11/42
|
06/12/42
|
17/11/42
|
28/11/42
|
ON
147
|
03/12/42
|
04/12/42
|
04/12/42
|
11/12/42
|
SC
112
|
12/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
09/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
ON
152
|
28/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
06/01/43
|
09/01/43
|
HX
222
|
11/01/43
|
22/01/43
|
08/03/43
|
08/03/43
|
HX
229
|
12/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
03/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
ON
170
|
15/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
14/03/43
|
21/03/43
|
SC
123
|
24/03/43
|
03/04/43
|
31/03/43
|
05/04/43
|
SC
125
|
06/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
18/04/43
|
20/04/43
|
HX
235
|
24/04/43
|
05/05/43
|
18/04/43
|
29/04/43
|
ON
179
|
03/05/43
|
06/05/43
|
07/05/43
|
09/05/43
|
HX
238
|
13/05/43
|
22/05/43
|
10/05/43
|
20/05/43
|
ON
183
|
25/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
24/05/43
|
05/06/43
|
ON
186
|
07/06/43
|
07/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
15/06/43
|
HX
244
|
18/06/43
|
30/06/43
|
10/06/43
|
23/06/43
|
ON
188
|
26/06/43
|
26/06/43
|
08/08/43
|
08/08/43
|
HX
251
|
10/08/43
|
23/08/43
|
14/08/43
|
22/08/43
|
ON
197
|
25/08/43
|
28/08/43
|
21/08/43
|
01/09/43
|
ON
198
|
04/09/43
|
04/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
09/09/43
|
HX
256
|
15/09/43
|
21/09/43
|
08/09/43
|
18/09/43
|
ON
201
|
22/09/43
|
24/09/43
|
05/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
ON
205
|
23/10/43
|
23/10/43
|
24/10/43
|
24/10/43
|
HX
263
|
26/10/43
|
08/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
HX
266
|
18/11/43
|
27/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
24/11/43
|
ON
211
|
26/11/43
|
29/11/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)