US Coastguard Cutter MENDOTA built by Bethlehem Shipbuilders, Quincy, Mass, and  launched on 27th November 1928. Transferred to Royal Navy 30th April 1941 under the UK/USA Lease-Lend Agreement and renamed HMS CULVER.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

NORTH SEA 1941 - ATLANTIC 1941-42

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

In common with other ships of the Class provided under Lease-Lend

no Badge is listed in the Official List.

 

 

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

 

 

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April

                30th        Transferred to RN and commissioned for service in New York as HMS CULVER. Manned by

                                personnel from HMS MALAYA.

 

May                        Took passage from New York to Halifax with sister ships HM Sloops FISHGUARD, BANFF

                                and HARTLAND

                6th          Arrived at Halifax to be deployed with routine convoy to UK.

                7th          Joined Convoy HX125 for transit to UK.

                                (Note: HM Battleship REVENGE was also part of this convoy to provide Ocean Escort.

                                In view of the fact that this ship had not been prepared of convoy defence and fitted with

                                essential RN equipment to be installed in UK, it is unlikely that she would be used as part

                                of the escort during transit.

                22nd       Detached from HX125 and joined Western Approaches Command.

                                Prepared for operational service.

 

June                        Passage to Londonderry for convoy defence deployment.

                18th        Deployed with escort of inward Convoy HX130 during passage in NW Approaches.

                20th        Detached from HX130 and returned to Londonderry.

 

July                         Deployed with escort for inward Convoy HX136.

                18th        Detached from HX136 and returned to Londonderry

                                (Note: Deployment with these two convoys may be have a period of introduction to Atlantic

                                convoy defence prior to transfer to convoy defence between UK and West Africa in 40th

                                Escort Group.)

                                Nominated for convoy defence for convoys between UK and West Africa.

                                Deployed with HM Sloops WELLINGTON and sister ship HMS LANDGUARD as escort for

                                outward Convoy OB386 during passage to Freetown.

 

August

                1st           Detached from OB386 on relief by Local Escort from Freetown and took passage to Bathurst,

                                Gambia to refuel.

                                On completion took passage to Freetown.

 

September             Deployed with escort for return Convoy SL84 from Freetown

                                (Note: This convoys is recorded as sailing on 18th August and arriving at Liverpool on 8th

                                September. On that basis details from other sources about period in London under refit

                                are incorrect and the following entries are subject to revision if proved incorrect.)

                                Passage from Londonderry to Sheerness,

                6th          Under refit at Woolwich by Harland and Wolf,

                                (Note: Radar Type 271 for surface warning and particularly effective for detection of

                                surfaced submarines was installed.

                                A High Frequency Radio Receiver (H/F D/F) was also fitted to assist in the

                                detection of radio signals transmissions from submarines to determine their position

                                See SEEK and STRIKE by W Hackmann)

 

October                  On completion of post refit trials took passage from Sheerness as part of escort for East Coast

                                routine convoy.

                                (Note: Identity in one source is EC83 but usual identity for northbound convoys was FN.

                                To be confirmed.)

                                Detached from coastal convoy and took passage to Tobermory for workup.

                25th        Joined escort of convoy OS10 of 34 ships during passage to Freetown.

                                (Note: Sister ships HM Cutters LULWORTH. LANDGUARD and GORLESTON were also

                                in this escort.)

                31st         Under attack by U96 which sank the Dutch mercantile BENNEKOM.

                                (See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

 

November

                2nd         Under attack by U-Boats of STOERTEBECKER Group which were unsuccessful and

                                driven off by escort which then included HM Destroyer STANLEY and HM Corvette

                                VERBENA. See above reference,

                                (Note: These ships may have been sent to assist as not part of original escort from

                                Londonderry.)

                7th          Rescued survivors from BENNEKOM

                                (Note: This date seems unlikely as mercantile was sunk on 31st October.

                                Rescue may have been on 1st November.)

                14th        Detached from OS10 and took passage to Bathurst to refuel.

                21st         Deployed with HM Sloops BANFF, GORLESTON, LANDGUARD and FISHGUARD as escort

                                for inward Convoy SL93 during passage to Liverpool.

                                (Note: Other Ships in 40th Escort Group to which ship belonged were:

                                HM Cutters LANDGUARD, GORLESTON, LULWORTH, HM Destroyer STANLEY

                                and HM Corvette VERBENA.

December

                10th        Detached from SL93 with escort and returned to Londonderry.

                22nd       At Greenock.

                23rd        Joined outward convoy OS15 as escort during passage to West Africa with HM Sloops

                                LANDGUARD and LULWORTH.

 

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January

                12th        Detached from OS15 and took passage to refuel in Bathurst.

                17th        Sailed from BATHURST with HMS LULWORTH as escort for mercantiles during passage

                                to join inward convoy SL98.

                18th        Deployed with HM Sloop LONDONDERRY and other warships as escort for SL98 during

                                passage to Liverpool.

                25th        Detached from SL98 to escort mercantile ss NURTURETON to Funchal, Madeira for repair to

                                boiler that had developed defect since joining SL98.

                26th        Rejoined SL98 escort from Madeira.

                31st         Under attack by U105 and sunk in position 48.43N 20 14W, SW of Ireland.

                                Magazine exploded after ship hit by two torpedoes and sank in about one minute.

                                Only 12 of the ship’s company were rescued, four being on loan for limited period.

                                See above reference and WARSHIPS LOSSES OF WW2 by D Brown.

                                Radar Type 271 was unserviceable at the time.

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS CULVER

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

 

(Note on Convoys)