RIVER-Class
Frigate ordered in the 1942 War Programme on
24th July 1942 from Charles
Hill at Bristol. The ship was laid down on 8th
January 1943 as Job Number 392 (Yard
No. 294) and launched by Miss G Barker daughter
of the Yard Manager The name
was especially appropriate to the occasion and
she was the 6th RN ship to be
given this name. It had been introduced in 1805
for a Brig Sloop built at
Falmouth and last used for a destroyer in 18%
sold in 1920. Build completion
date was 18th September 1944. Since the ship was
not in build during 1941-42 she
was not adopted by a civil community during the
WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaigns held in UK. Her war service
was however always of great
interest to the citizens of Bristol.
B
a t t l e
H o n o
u r s
ATLANTIC
1942 - OKINAWA
1945
(Note:
One source records Battle Honour CRIMEA
1854-55
but
this is not in
Official Records)
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
None
is recorded for this ship in Post War Records,
but it
was not
unusual for
ships to have adopted an ‘unofficial’
Badge.
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 3
September
Post refit Trials.
18th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
October
On completion of trials and storing took passage
to Tobermory
November
Passage from Tobermory to join Western
Approaches command on completion of work-up/
Deployed in Western Approaches Command for
Atlantic Convoy defence.
December
Nominated for service in Indian Ocean.
1 9 4 4
January
Prepared for foreign
service and took passage to join Eastern
Fleet,
February
Passage in Mediterranean and Red Sea.
March
Commenced Indian Ocean convoy defence
deployment.
(Note: One source records rescue of survivors
from Norwegian freighter TARIFA who
were
found in a lifeboat
and three rafts after their ship had been sunk
by submarine
attack. 96 survivors were taken on board.)
April
Deployed in Indian Ocean,
For details of enemy submarine activities in
Indian Ocean see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO)
and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
May
Under refit at Colombo prior to future transfer
for service in British Pacific Fleet.
June
Resumed deployment in Indian Ocean on
completion.
to
October
November
Joined Force 64 and took part in preparations
for support of landings in Burma.
22nd
Transferred to British Pacific Fleet on
formation..
December
Allocated Anti-submarine escort duty with
Replenishment Group of Task Force
112
(British Fleet Train)
Passage to Australia to
join Task Force 112.
1 9 4 5
January
On arrival prepared for service in SW Pacific to
support ships of British Pacific Fleet.
to
For details of composition and deployment of
Fleet Train see THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by
February
J Winton and above references.
March
Passage to British Pacific Fleet forward base at
Manus, Admiralty Islands with ships of
Fleet Train.
7th
Arrived at Manus
17th
Passage to Replenishment Area adjacent to
Sakishima Gunto Island Group with Fleet Train
(Note: BPF and Fleet Train deployment under US
Navy overall command had been delayed
pending approval of US Chiefs of Staff. See
references.)
April
Deployed with Replenishment Group
Under air attacks (Operation ICEBERG I)
(Note: BPF Task Force 57) was taking part in air
operations on Japanese airfields in the
Sakishima-Gunto Group.).
Withdrawn with Replenishment Group when Task
Force 57 returned to .Leyte.
See references.
May
Enlarged Replenishment Group resumed support of
Task Force 57 during continuation
of air operations
on Sakishima Gunto (Operation ICEBERG II).
Deployed with sister ship HMS FINDHORN as escort
for HM Escort Carriers RULER,
STRIKER and FENCER with HM Australian Destroyers
NAPIER, NEPAL, NIZAM
Under air attacks See references.
Returned to Australia with
Task Force 112 ships on completion of ICEBERG
II.
June
Nominated for relit in Brisbane and took passage from
Sydney.
Taken in hand for refit.
July
Under refit.
August
Resumed service in Task Force 112 and took
passage to Manus prior to escort duties with
Replenishment Group
15th
Part of British Pacific Fleet on VJ Day.
Po s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS AVON
returned to UK on release from Pacific and was
Paid-off and de-stored on
arrival. After
reducing to
Reserve
status she was laid-up as part of the Reserve
Fleet until 1948 when placed on the
Sales List The ship was sold to Portugal in May
1949 and entered service in the
Portuguese Navy as NRP NUNO TRIASTO. She
remained on the active List until
January 1970 when she was withdrawn. Sold for
demolition in 1972 she was
broken-up at Alhos
Verdo,
Lisbon.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
AVON
by
Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been cross-checked with
the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy
No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
25/11/43
|
27/11/43
|
OS
060KM
|
07/12/43
|
07/12/43
|
07/12/43
|
07/12/43
|
KMS
034G
|
09/12/43
|
09/12/43
|
13/12/43
|
13/12/43
|
MKS
033G
|
14/12/43
|
14/12/43
|
14/12/43
|
14/12/43
|
SL
142MK
|
15/12/43
|
28/12/43
|
03/01/44
|
09/01/44
|
OS
064KM
|
16/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
16/01/44
|
16/01/44
|
KMS
038G
|
17/01/44
|
17/01/44
|
17/01/44
|
17/01/44
|
KMS
038
|
18/01/44
|
27/01/44
|
05/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
UGS
029
|
26/01/44
|
31/01/44
|
24/02/44
|
24/02/44
|
AB
032
|
03/03/44
|
04/03/44
|
10/03/44
|
10/03/44
|
AP
064
|
unknown
|
18/03/44
|
02/04/44
|
02/04/44
|
AB
036
|
09/04/44
|
09/04/44
|
15/04/44
|
25/04/44
|
BA
066B
|
20/04/44
|
20/04/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)