1 9 4 4
July
Contractors
trials
24th - Commissioned
for service with Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS RIBBLE
August
4th - Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
Passage to
Tobermory on completion of trials and storing.
September
Passage to join
26th (Canadian) Escort Group for convoy defence in Atlantic on completion of work-up
for operational service. (See THE LOWEST BATTLE by Harbron)
October
Part of escort for Convoy ONS33 with ships of Group.
4th - Convoy
escort under attack by T5 acoustic torpedo fired by U1227 which hit and
seriously damaged HM Canadian Corvette CHEBOGUE. Detached
from escort with HM Canadian Corvettes ARNPRIOR and CHAMBLY to escort damaged
ship to Bristol Channel in company (Note: HMCS
CHEBOGUE was towed to Port Talbot, South Wales but repair found to be uneconomic. See
HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
November to December
Atlantic convoy
escort in continuation. (For details of Atlantic convoy
defence and support see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), THE
BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann,
CONVOY ESCORT COMMANDER by P Gretton, RELENTLESS PURSUIT by D Wemyss
and above reference.)
1 9 4 5
January to February
Atlantic convoy
defence with Group in continuation.
March
Transferred to
UK coastal waters for anti-submarine operations with HM Canadian Frigates NEW
GLASGOW, BEACON HILL, JONQUIERE and SUSSEXVALE. (Note: This
deployment was made to counter increasing attacks by SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats
at focal points for convoys assembly and division. See ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett.)
21st - Deployed
in Hebrides area.
April
Coastal
operations in continuation.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMCS RIBBLE went to Canada after the end of hostilities in Europe
and remained in Royal Canadian Navy service until 1946 when she was returned to
RN control. The ship was Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status and laid-up. The ship was placed on the Disposal List and sold to BISCO in 1957 for demolition by
Hughes Bolcow at Blyth where she arrived in tow on 9th July that year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMCS RIBBLE
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
13/11/44
|
14/11/44
|
ONS 036
|
15/11/44
|
03/12/44
|
07/02/45
|
unknown
|
HX 337
|
unknown
|
21/02/45
|
09/02/45
|
14/02/45
|
MKS 082G
|
16/02/45
|
17/02/45
|
14/02/45
|
21/02/45
|
MKS 083G
|
21/02/45
|
22/02/45
|
21/02/45
|
22/02/45
|
ON 286
|
23/02/45
|
09/03/45
|
19/03/45
|
unknown
|
HX 345
|
unknown
|
02/04/45
|
28/03/45
|
28/03/45
|
TBC 111
|
31/03/45
|
31/03/45
|
24/03/45
|
06/04/45
|
HX 346
|
07/04/45
|
07/04/45
|
23/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX 352
|
unknown
|
08/05/45
|
03/05/45
|
unknown
|
HX 354
|
unknown
|
18/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)