RIVER-Class Frigate
ordered on 24th January 1942 the 1941
War Programme from Smiths Dock at Middlesbrough and laid down on 20th June 1942
as Job Number 4534 (Yard Number 1110). The ship was launched on 9th December
1942 as the first RN Warship to carry the name. Build was completed on 8th
April 1943 and this frigate had been adopted by the civil community of Oundle, Northamptonshire in March
1942 after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.
B a t
t l e H o n o
u r s
BISCAY 1943 - ARCTIC 1943-44 - ATLANTIC 1943-44 - NORTH SEA
1945
H e r
a l d i c D a
t a
Many
ships built during WW2 did not have an official Badge although
several
did have a suitable unofficial emblem for display on ship's boats
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
March
Contractor's
sea trials and commissioned for service in Western Approaches Command.
April
8th - Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
On completion
of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory.
May
Passage from
Tobermory to join 5th Support Group for Atlantic convoy defence after working-up
for operational service.
June
Took part
in combined RN/RAF Coastal Command offensive against U-Boats in Bay of Biscay to
intercept submarines in transit on the surface to and from Atlantic. (Operations
MUSKETRY and SEASLUG - See CONFLICT OVER THE BAY by N Franks).
12th to
30th - Carried
out anti-submarine operations with ships of 1st, 2nd, 40th Support Groups west
of Bay of Biscay with cover provided by HM Cruisers SCYLLA,
GLASGOW and BERMUDA against attacks from German destroyers.
July
Bay of Biscay
anti-submarine operations in continuation.
August
2nd - Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence duties with Group
21st - Deployed
in further ant-submarine operations west of Cape Finisterre to deny use of Spanish coastal
waters by U-Boats. (Operation PERCUSSION).
Joined ships of
40th Escort Group with HM Frigate TWEED, HM Canadian Corvettes EDMUNSTON,
CALGARY and SNOWBERRY in support of RAF Coastal Command operations and
with cover from HM Cruiser BERMUDA.
25th - Under
attack by German Hs293 Glider Bombs controlled by Do217 aircraft. (Note:
This was first occasion that this weapon had been used against Support Groups.)
September
Resumed
Atlantic convoy support role.
October
Provided
support for passage of outward Convoy ON204 with ships of Group.
November
Provided
support for inward Convoy HX261. Sent to assist escort for combined
inward Convoy MKS30/SL139 from Gibraltar which was under attacks
by SCHILL Group of U-Boats.
19th - Joined
MKS30/SL169 with HMS TWEED and Canadian Corvettes CALGARY, SNOWBERRY and
EDMUNDSTON.
20th - After
attacks on escorts from U-Boats using acoustic (T5) torpedoes forced U536 to
surface after two hours of depth charging. Engaged
and sank submarine by gunfire with ships of Group. (See U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P Kemp for details.)
December
Atlantic
support duty in continuation.
1 9 4 4
January
Deployed with
HMS TWEED, HMCS CALGARY, HMCS SNOWBERRY, HMCS EDMUNDSTON and
HMCS CAMROSE in search for reported blockade runner in SW Approaches.
5th - Under
attacks by BORKUM Group of U-Boats which are engaged in operation against outward
bound joint convoy OS62/KMS36 to Gibraltar.
6th - T5
attacks from BORKUM Group continued.
7th - HM
Frigate TWEED sunk by acoustic torpedo during further attack.
February
Atlantic convoy
defence and support in continuation. Detached for
duty with 6th Canadian Escort Group.
24th - Took
part in sinking of U257 with HM Canadian Frigate WASKESIU whilst part of escort
of inward Convoy SC153 with ships of 3rd Escort Group.
March
Atlantic convoy
escort in continuation.
Nominated for transfer to Royal
Canadian Navy after refit
April
Under refit
6th - Transferred
to RCN during refit. (Note: Commissioned as HMCS NENE.)
S e r v i c e a
s H M C S N E N E
May to August
On completion
of refit carried out post refit trials and took passage to Tobermory.
Joined 9th Canadian Escort Group on completion of work-up. Deployed
for Atlantic convoy defence.
September
Transferred to
5th Canadian Escort Group for detached service in Home Fleet. Deployed
with HM Frigate HELMSDALE, HM Corvette PORCHESTER CASTLE.
Part
of escort for outward Convoy ON252 with HM Canadian Frigate DUNVER, HM Canadian
Corvettes HESPELER and HUNTSVILLE.
9th - Took part
in anti-submarine operations against U-Boats attempting to carry out attacks on
convoy. (Note: The sinking of U484 is not confirmed in U-BOATS
DESTROYED.)
October
Passage to
Liverpool for escort of Russian Convoy.
31st - Escorted
ss EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA and ss SCYLLA from Liverpool for first part of passage
to Murmansk with HM Destroyers BEAGLE, WESTCOTT, and HM Sloop CYGNET. (Note:
Convoy JW61A - These ships were taking Russian nationals captured in Normandy back
to Russia.
For details
of all Russian convoys see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, CONVOY
! by P Kemp, THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield and ARCTIC CONVOYS
by R Woodman.)
November
2nd - Detached
from RA61A after arrival of main escort.
29th - Deployed
with HM Canadian Frigates MONNOW, PORT COLBOURNE, ST JOHN, STORMONT
and LOCH ALVIE of Group, HM Frigates TAVY, TORTOLA, BAHAMAS and
SOMALILAND to provide anti-submarine support during passage of Convoy JW61 to
Murmansk. Joined convoy on departure from Loch Ewe. (Note:
HM Escort Carriers CAMPANIA and NAIRANA provided air cover.)
December
7th - Detached
from JW62 on arrival at Kola Inlet.
10th - Carried
out anti-submarine operations with other Escorts against an assembly of U-Boats outside
Kola Inlet before convoy sailed.
On completion of anti-submarine
operations joined escort for returning Convoy RA61 with same ships.
17th - Detached
from RA62 before arrival at Loch Ewe and resumed Atlantic convoy duty.
1 9 4 5
January to April
Deployment for
Atlantic convoy defence with 9th Escort Group in continuation. (Note:
During this period Schnorkel-fitted U-Boats were concentrating attacks in UK
coastal waters - See U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, SEEK AND STRIKE by W
Hackmann and HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith).
May
30th - Deployed
with ships of Group for support of last Russian Convoy JW67 and return Convoy
RA67.
June
12th - Joined
HM Escort Carrier QUEEN. HM Destroyers OBDURATE and ONSLOW and 4th British
Escort Group Frigates. No attacks were made by U-Boats as required by surrender terms.
23rd - Sailed
with same ships as escort for returning convoy. Navigation
lights were burned during passage.
30th - Detached
on arrival in Clyde.
July
Nominated
for reduction to Reserve
11th - Returned
to RN control.
Paid-off and de-stored at Sheerness.
On completion
laid-up in Reserve at Sheerness.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS NENE was later
transferred to Harwich and when Harwich Division of Reserve Fleet
closed, went to Barrow-in-Furness. Placed on the Disposal List in 1955 the ship
was sold to BISCO for demolition by T W Ward at Briton Ferry. The ship arrived in tow at the
breaker’s yard on 21st July 1957.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
NENE
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
07/05/43
|
08/05/43
|
ONS 007
|
21/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
19/05/43
|
25/05/43
|
HX 240
|
30/05/43
|
04/06/43
|
05/06/43
|
10/06/43
|
SC 133
|
16/06/43
|
19/06/43
|
24/06/43
|
26/06/43
|
ON 190
|
01/07/43
|
09/07/43
|
23/06/43
|
01/07/43
|
HX 245
|
02/07/43
|
07/07/43
|
08/07/43
|
14/07/43
|
HX 247
|
19/07/43
|
22/07/43
|
16/07/43
|
19/07/43
|
ON 193
|
23/07/43
|
31/07/43
|
30/07/43
|
05/08/43
|
HX 250
|
06/08/43
|
12/08/43
|
15/09/43
|
24/09/43
|
SC 142
|
24/09/43
|
29/09/43
|
16/09/43
|
25/09/43
|
HX 257
|
28/09/43
|
30/09/43
|
27/09/43
|
02/10/43
|
ON 204
|
06/10/43
|
15/10/43
|
11/10/43
|
17/10/43
|
HX 261
|
21/10/43
|
26/10/43
|
22/10/43
|
27/10/43
|
ONS 021
|
31/10/43
|
05/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
11/11/43
|
HX 265
|
16/11/43
|
21/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
17/11/43
|
SC 146
|
17/11/43
|
22/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
19/11/43
|
SL 139MK
|
22/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
25/11/43
|
01/12/43
|
OS 060KM
|
03/12/43
|
07/12/43
|
17/11/43
|
05/12/43
|
MKF 026
|
06/12/43
|
09/12/43
|
02/12/43
|
06/12/43
|
ON 214
|
08/12/43
|
20/12/43
|
25/12/43
|
30/12/43
|
SL 143MK
|
03/01/44
|
06/01/44
|
29/12/43
|
02/01/44
|
ONS 026
|
03/01/44
|
18/01/44
|
31/12/43
|
04/01/44
|
ON 218
|
05/01/44
|
18/01/44
|
14/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
OS 065KM
|
19/01/44
|
26/01/44
|
12/01/44
|
19/01/44
|
SL 145MK
|
22/01/44
|
24/01/44
|
15/01/44
|
19/01/44
|
KMF 028
|
23/01/44
|
29/01/44
|
28/01/44
|
09/02/44
|
HX 277
|
10/02/44
|
13/02/44
|
12/02/44
|
15/02/44
|
ONS 029
|
19/02/44
|
29/02/44
|
14/02/44
|
19/02/44
|
ON 224
|
20/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
13/02/44
|
21/02/44
|
SC 153
|
25/02/44
|
02/03/44
|
08/03/44
|
09/03/44
|
ON 227
|
17/03/44
|
22/03/44
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and as HMCS NENE
|
|
|
|
|
|
25/08/44
|
30/08/44
|
HX 305
|
09/09/44
|
10/09/44
|
22/09/44
|
23/09/44
|
ON 255
|
04/10/44
|
09/10/44
|
05/10/44
|
10/10/44
|
HX 312
|
20/10/44
|
21/10/44
|
31/10/44
|
31/10/44
|
JW 061A
|
02/11/44
|
06/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
JW 062
|
07/12/44
|
07/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
RA 062
|
17/12/44
|
19/12/44
|
(Note on Convoys)