Repeat
SHOREHAM-Class Sloop ordered from HM
Dockyard Devonport under the 1930 Programme
in 1931
and laid down on 31st August 1931.
The ship was launched by Viscountess
Astor on 19th April 1932 as the 11th RN
ship to carry the name. It had been
introduced in
1652 when used for the Prize ROTTERDAM to
commemorate the fall of Pendennis
Castle
in 1646. Build was completed on 27th
October 1932 and she served as Despatch
Vessel for the CinC China
Station until the outbreak of WW2 having
been specially modified for this
service. She was adopted by the civil
community of Falmouth,
Cornwall after a successful
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in
December 1941.
B a
t t
l e H o n o u r s
PORTLAND
1653 - GABBARD 1653 -
CHAGRES
1740 - CARTAGENA
1741 -
SANTA
MARTA 1749 - MANILA 1761 - HELIGOLAND 1914 -
JUTLAND
1916
H e
r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field Red. a
two headed eagle Silver,
on his breast
a castle Gold.
(Derived
from the seal of
Falmouth).
M o
t t o
'Fail
not'
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 3 9
September
Deployed as Despatch Vessel on China
Station.
3rd
Carried out patrol duties for
interception of enemy shipping in Hong
Kong area.
October
Patrol deployment in continuation.
to
(Note: As this ship had no main armament
her contribution must have been very
December
limited. Arrangements made for ship to
be re-armed and for submarine
detection equipment
(ASDIC)
to be
installed.
1
9 4 0
January
Hong Kong deployment in continuation.
to
February
March
Under refit at Hong Kong including fit of armament and ASDIC outfit
for convoy defence duties.
April
On completion of post refit trials took
passage to Singapore for convoy escort
and patrol duty
in East Indies.
May
Transferred to East Indies Station and
took passage to Colombo.
Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes changed to U34.
June
Deployed in Persian Gulf for trade
defence.
24th
Sank Italian submarine GALVANI in
approaches to Straits of Hormuz.
(Note: This sinking was made possible by
capture of Italian submarine GALILEO
GALILEI
off Aden on 19th June.
The absence of any Battle Honour Award
for this action cannot be explained)
July
Persian Gulf duties in continuation.
to
November
December
Passage to Bombay for refit in HM
Dockyard.
Taken in hand on arrival.
1
9 4 1
January
On completion of post refit trials
resumed duties in Persian Gulf
to
Nominated for support of planned British
military operations in Persian Gulf.
March
April
Escorted military convoy EM7 for
operations in Persian Gulf.
28th
Supported military operations during
occupation of Basra.
May
Persian Gulf support and escort duties
in continuation.
to
July
August
Deployed for support of military
operations in Northern Persian Gulf.
25th
Provided support at Abadan during
landings to protect oil installations.
(Operation COUNTENANCE).
September
Released from Persian Gulf support
duties.
4th
Towed mercantile BRONTE from Abadan to
Karachi.
October
Transferred to Mediterranean and took
passage to Suez.
(Note: Mediterranean Fleet was
desperately short of escorts following
the disastrous
operations at in defence of Crete and
the transfer of many ships for the
occupation
of Madagascar.
November
Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean for
convoy defence and the support of Tobruk
garrison.
December
Detached service in Mediterranean
terminated after outbreak of war with
Japan.
Took passage to Ceylon from Suez to
rejoin East Indies Squadron.
1
9 4 2
January
On arrival in Ceylon deployed for convoy
escort in Indian coastal waters.
February
Convoy defence in continuation.
to
Nominated for refit
June
July
Under refit by HM Dockyard Bombay.
to
November
December
On completion of dockyard work carried
out trials and prepared to resume
operational
service.
Deployed for convoy escort between
Persian Gulf and Bombay.
1
9 4 3
January
Indian Ocean convoy escort in
continuation.
to
Nominated for refit at Durban in
commercial shipyard
May
(Note: This is assumed to be to enable
fit of radar equipment as period out of
service is
small and ship had been refitted at
Bombay in 1942)
June
Passage to Durban.
Under refit
(Note: Radar Type 271 fitted to provide
surface warning
See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse for details
of development and use of radar in RN.)
July
On completion of installation and
trials, deployed on convoy escort
between East Africa and
Aden or India.
August
Indian Ocean convoy defence in
continuation.
to
November
Nominated for routine docking and fit of
additional equipment at Simonstown.
December
Under refit at Simonstown.
(Note: Radar Type 291 fitted for surface
and air warning. See reference.)
1
9 4 4
January
Under refit.
February
Carried out post refit trials.
March
Resumed Indian Ocean convoy defence
duties.
April
Indian Ocean convoy defence in
continuation.
to December
1
9 4 5
January
Indian Ocean convoy defence in
continuation.
to February
March
Under refit by HM Dockyard, Simonstown
to
June
(Note: Age of the ship may have
contributed to high incidence of
defects.)
July
Nominated for support and escort duty
off Burma and Malaya.
Passage to Colombo on completion of
trials.
August
Passage to Singapore
(Note: Ship did not take part in support
of Operation ZIPPER landings in Malaya
but was
diverted to Singapore for deployment in
support of the recovery of the Dutch
East
Indies, repatriation of Allied prisoners
of war and civilians held by Japanese in
1942.
See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and ALLIED
INVASION FLEETS by J de S
Winser for details of ZIPPER landings
and Far East
naval activities in 1945.)
P o s t W a r N
o t e s
HMS
FALMOUTH remained in the East
Indies after VJ Day and after release
from Operation ZIPPER was deployed for
patrol duties in the Persian Gulf until
the end of 1946. The ship took passage
to pay of into Reserve, but instead of
being placed on
the Disposal List was selected for
use
as RNVR Drill Ship for the Tyne
Division. After refit for that duty she
took
passage to Newcastle on Tyne and served
as HMS CALLIOPE from January
1952 until 1968 when placed on the
Disposal
List. She was sold to BISCO for
demolition by Hughes Blocow
at Blyth in 1968 for breaking-up. The
ship arrived at the Breakers yard in tow
on 30th April 1968 after 36 years
service.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
FALMOUTH
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
12/04/41
|
16/04/41
|
BM
007
|
17/04/41
|
17/04/41
|
21/04/41
|
28/04/41
|
BP
001
|
29/04/41
|
29/04/41
|
30/04/41
|
03/05/41
|
BP
001A
|
06/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
21/12/41
|
25/12/41
|
BM
009A
|
27/12/41
|
03/01/42
|
23/01/42
|
26/01/42
|
BM
012
|
27/01/42
|
04/02/42
|
12/02/42
|
12/02/42
|
C
001
|
13/02/42
|
13/02/42
|
13/02/42
|
17/02/42
|
BM
013
|
25/02/42
|
25/02/42
|
12/02/42
|
20/02/42
|
SJ
001
|
21/02/42
|
05/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
ESCORT
|
20/03/42
|
20/03/42
|
21/04/42
|
21/04/42
|
MB
002
|
25/04/42
|
25/04/42
|
06/06/42
|
06/06/42
|
C
017
|
09/06/42
|
09/06/42
|
01/07/42
|
01/07/42
|
MB
010
|
05/07/42
|
05/07/42
|
09/07/42
|
09/07/42
|
BM
025
|
13/07/42
|
13/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
17/07/42
|
MB
013
|
23/07/42
|
23/07/42
|
16/11/42
|
16/11/42
|
BP
060
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
28/11/42
|
28/11/42
|
PB
014
|
03/12/42
|
03/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
07/12/42
|
BP
062
|
unknown
|
14/12/42
|
16/12/42
|
16/12/42
|
PA
015
|
22/12/42
|
22/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
26/12/42
|
AP
011
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
04/01/43
|
04/01/43
|
PB
020
|
10/01/43
|
10/01/43
|
12/01/43
|
12/01/43
|
BM
037
|
18/01/43
|
20/01/43
|
03/02/43
|
03/02/43
|
C
042
|
07/02/43
|
07/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
14/02/43
|
A
3
|
19/02/43
|
19/02/43
|
17/02/43
|
26/02/43
|
OW
004/1
|
05/03/43
|
05/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
09/03/43
|
PA
028
|
16/03/43
|
16/03/43
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
PB
034
|
10/04/43
|
10/04/43
|
14/04/43
|
14/04/43
|
BM
049
|
18/04/43
|
18/04/43
|
26/03/43
|
26/04/43
|
AP
026
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
23/05/43
|
23/05/43
|
MC
007
|
02/06/43
|
02/06/43
|
17/07/43
|
17/07/43
|
BC
001
|
20/07/43
|
20/07/43
|
26/07/43
|
26/07/43
|
CB
001
|
06/08/43
|
06/08/43
|
28/09/43
|
28/09/43
|
DKA
002
|
08/10/43
|
19/10/43
|
11/10/43
|
11/10/43
|
AKD
002A
|
15/10/43
|
19/10/43
|
08/10/43
|
20/10/43
|
DKA
003
|
27/10/43
|
27/10/43
|
31/10/43
|
31/10/43
|
AKD
005
|
10/11/43
|
19/11/43
|
06/11/43
|
18/11/43
|
DKA
006
|
26/11/43
|
28/11/43
|
01/12/43
|
02/12/43
|
AKD
007S
|
10/12/43
|
10/12/43
|
06/03/44
|
06/03/44
|
CM
049D
|
13/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
13/03/44
|
DKA
014
|
22/03/44
|
22/03/44
|
27/03/44
|
27/03/44
|
AKD
019
|
30/03/44
|
30/03/44
|
11/03/44
|
30/03/44
|
DKA
015
|
01/04/44
|
01/04/44
|
07/05/44
|
07/05/44
|
AK
008/2
|
16/05/44
|
16/05/44
|
26/05/44
|
26/05/44
|
KD
003
|
04/06/44
|
04/06/44
|
06/06/44
|
06/06/44
|
DKA
019
|
17/06/44
|
25/06/44
|
23/09/44
|
23/09/44
|
CM
058A
|
29/09/44
|
29/09/44
|
14/12/44
|
14/12/44
|
MC
014
|
22/12/44
|
22/12/44
|
24/12/44
|
24/12/44
|
MC
014/1
|
30/12/44
|
30/12/44
|
21/01/45
|
21/01/45
|
CM
060
|
28/01/45
|
28/01/45
|
29/01/45
|
29/01/45
|
CM
060/1
|
08/02/45
|
08/02/45
|
14/02/45
|
14/02/45
|
MC
014E
|
21/02/45
|
21/02/45
|
04/03/45
|
04/03/45
|
MC
015A
|
12/03/45
|
12/03/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)