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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2005

HMS FOLKESTONE (L 22) - Hastings-class Sloop including Convoy Escort Movements 

HMS Folkestone (Navy Photos, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

HASTINGS-Class Sloop ordered under the 1928 Programme from Swan Hunter on 26th February 1929 and laid down on 21st May of that year. The ship was launched on 12th February 1930 as the 6th RN ship to carry the name which was introduced in 1704 for a 5th Rate and last used for a ship hired as a minesweeper during WW1. She was completed on 25th June 1931 and deployed in the Persian Gulf until August 1931 when she went to the China Station. After almost 8 years serving in the Far East she was selected for use as an unarmed Survey Ship in New Zealand but the conversion in HM Dockyard at Hong Kong had not been completed in September 1939. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Folkestone, Kent..

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1940-44

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Blue, an antique ship Gold on wavelets Silver and Green.

 

M o t t o

In portu quies:   'Rest in harbour'

 

 

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             At Hong Kong being converted for use as an unarmed Survey Ship..

                3rd          Ship’s company transferred to man local minesweeper.

                                Taken in hand by HM Dockyard Hong Kong for conversion for anti-submarine escort use.

 

October                  Under conversion.

to

December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Nominated for convoy defence duty in Home waters.

                                On completion of post conversion trials took passage to UK,

 

February                On passage.

                14th        Arrived at Portsmouth and prepared for convoy defence duties.

 

March                    Passage to Liverpool top join Western Approaches Command.

                                Deployed in Western Approaches for convoy escort.

 

April                       Irish Sea and W. Approaches convoy defence duties in continuation

to                            Pennant Number for visual signalling use changed to U22.

May

 

June

                4th          Damaged in collision with mercantile ss RIVER HUMBER which sank.

                8th          Under repair at Cardiff.

 

July                         Resumed convoy defence duties after completion of repair.

 

August                  Convoy escort duty in W. Approaches.

to

November

 

December              Part of escort for Convoy HX90 in NW Approaches.

                                Under refit at Liverpool.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  On completion rejoined Western Approaches Command for convoy escort duty.

 

February                Convoy defence duty in continuation.

to

March

 

April                       Under refit in Liverpool.

                                (Note: Modified RAF ASV Mk II radar (RN Type 286M) fitted for detection of surface ships

                                and aircraft. For details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by

                                D Howse).

 

May                        On completion resumed convoy escort in Western Approaches.

 

June                        Convoy escort duty in continuation.

 

July                         During escort of convoy in fog reported U-Boat radar contact at 2.25 miles using the very

                                basic Type 286M equipment.

 

August                  Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.

to

September

 

October                  Part of 42nd Escort Group with HM Sloops WESTON, LONDONDERRY, WELLINGTON,

                                HM Cutters SENNEN and TOTLAND and deployed on defence of Freetown route convoys

 

November              Sustained damage in collision.

 

December              Under repair.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Rejoined 42nd Escort Group and resumed Freetown route.

 

February                Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.

to

March

 

April                       Under refit at Cardiff.

to                            (Note: HEDGEHOG A/S mortar and British design centimetric surface warning radar

June                        (Type 271) fitted.

                                For more details of development of anti-submarine weapons and tactics see SEEK

                                AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).

 

July                         Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties.

 

August                  Deployment for convoy defence on Freetown route in continuation.

to                            (For details of development of convoy defence tactics and U-Boat deployments in

September             the Atlantic during 1942 see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre and U-BOAT

                                WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO).)

 

October                  Under refit at Londonderry.

to                            (Note: Radar Type 291 for air warning fitted.)

November              On completion resumed Atlantic convoy escort duties.

to

November

 

December              Resumed Atlantic convoy defence with 44th Escort Group.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

 

February                Part of escort for tanker convoy (UC1) from Caribbean with HM Frigate NESS and HM

                                Cutter TOTLAND.

                                See above references and ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett).

                23rd        Under attack by U-Boats of ROBBE group which have several successes.

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

 

March                    Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

 

April                       Under repair in commercial shipyard at Grimsby.

to

May

 

June                        On completion transferred to West African Command for convoy defence based at Freetown.

 

July                         Deployed on convoy escort of Atlantic and coastal convoys.

to

August

 

 September            Passage to UK for refit.

 

October                  Under refit at Liverpool.

 

November

                13th        Boiler explosion during refit but no consequential delay.

 

December              On completion of post refit trials took passage to resume Freetown duties

                21st         During passage assisted in rescue of troops from ss STRATHALLAN which had been

                                torpedoed by U654 off the Algerian coast and was on fire.

 

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  On arrival at Freetown deployed for Atlantic coastal convoy escort.

to

February

 

March                    Transferred to 56th Escort Group at Freetown in continuation.

 

April                       West Africa Command escort duties in continuation.

to                            Nominated for return to UK.

August                  (Note: Reduced operational availability of this ship due to defects may have made

                                this necessary and U-Boat activities in Atlantic were reducing

                                See above references and HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith.)

 

September             Passage to UK and withdrawn from operational service for survey

 

October                  Found beyond economic maintenance and repair

                                Paid-off and de-stored

 

November              Reduced to Reserve status and Laid-up at Milford Haven.

to

December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Laid-up at Milford Haven.

to

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS FOLKESTONE was placed on the Disposal List after VJ Day but before being taken to the breakers yard was used for bombing trials. In May 1947 the ship was sold to BISCO for demolition by Howells at Milford Haven, She arrived in tow at the Breaker’s yard  later that year.

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS FOLKESTONE

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

 

 

 

 

 

06/02/40

06/02/40

HG 018F

14/02/40

15/02/40

15/03/40

15/03/40

OB 110

18/03/40

18/03/40

06/04/40

06/04/40

OB 124

09/04/40

10/04/40

29/03/40

09/04/40

HX 031

12/04/40

13/04/40

17/04/40

18/04/40

OB 131

20/04/40

21/04/40

07/04/40

21/04/40

SL 027

24/04/40

24/04/40

26/04/40

26/04/40

OG 027

unknown

01/05/40

01/05/40

01/05/40

OG 028F

06/05/40

06/05/40

27/05/40

27/05/40

OB 156

30/05/40

30/05/40

17/05/40

31/05/40

SL 032

03/06/40

03/06/40

05/06/40

05/06/40

OG 032

06/06/40

10/06/40

31/05/40

07/06/40

HG 032

10/06/40

unknown

11/07/40

11/07/40

OB 182

14/07/40

14/07/40

03/07/40

14/07/40

HX 055

18/07/40

18/07/40

26/07/40

26/07/40

OG 039

06/08/40

06/08/40

11/08/40

11/08/40

HG 041

24/08/40

26/08/40

03/09/40

03/09/40

OB 208

07/09/40

07/09/40

19/09/40

19/09/40

SC 005

04/10/40

04/10/40

13/10/40

13/10/40

OB 228

17/10/40

17/10/40

29/10/40

29/10/40

SC 010

13/11/40

13/11/40

23/11/40

23/11/40

OB 248

26/11/40

26/11/40

13/11/40

27/11/40

SC 012

29/11/40

29/11/40

21/11/40

02/12/40

HX 090

05/12/40

05/12/40

28/12/40

30/12/40

OG 048

09/01/41

09/01/41

17/01/41

17/01/41

HG 051

03/02/41

03/02/41

08/01/41

25/01/41

SL 062S

04/02/41

unknown

15/02/41

15/02/41

OG 053

01/03/41

01/03/41

15/03/41

15/03/41

HG 056

02/04/41

02/04/41

04/06/41

05/06/41

OG 064

18/06/41

18/06/41

24/06/41

24/06/41

HG 066

08/07/41

09/07/41

24/07/41

24/07/41

OS 001

09/08/41

10/08/41

15/08/41

18/08/41

SL 084

08/09/41

08/09/41

23/09/41

24/09/41

OS 007

12/10/41

14/10/41

15/10/41

18/10/41

SL 090

06/11/41

06/11/41

18/11/41

19/11/41

OS 012

08/12/41

11/12/41

12/12/41

15/12/41

SL 095

31/12/41

31/12/41

18/01/42

20/01/42

OS 017

05/02/42

07/02/42

09/02/42

11/02/42

SL 100

04/03/42

04/03/42

13/03/42

14/03/42

OS 022

30/03/42

01/04/42

03/04/42

03/04/42

SL 105

21/04/42

22/04/42

11/07/42

12/07/42

OS 034

30/07/42

30/07/42

04/08/42

04/08/42

SL 118

25/08/42

26/08/42

29/08/42

31/08/42

OS 039

16/09/42

18/09/42

23/09/42

23/09/42

SL 123

14/10/42

14/10/42

02/10/42

02/10/42

XK 001

13/10/42

14/10/42

14/11/42

14/11/42

KMF 003

22/11/42

23/11/42

23/11/42

26/11/42

MKF 003

03/12/42

03/12/42

12/12/42

12/12/42

KMF 005

20/12/42

20/12/42

20/12/42

20/12/42

KMF 005A

21/12/42

22/12/42

24/12/42

25/12/42

MKF 005

31/12/42

31/12/42

08/01/43

08/01/43

KMF 007

17/01/43

17/01/43

18/01/43

18/01/43

MKF 007

25/01/43

25/01/43

15/02/43

15/02/43

UC 001

06/03/43

06/03/43

20/03/43

29/03/43

CU 001

01/04/43

01/04/43

16/06/43

19/06/43

OS 050KM

27/06/43

27/06/43

07/08/43

07/08/43

OSS 052

14/08/43

12/08/43

27/08/43

27/08/43

TS 051

01/09/43

01/09/43

03/09/43

03/09/43

SL 136

14/09/43

14/09/43

14/09/43

14/09/43

SL 136MK

25/09/43

25/09/43

16/11/43

16/11/43

OS 059KM

28/11/43

28/11/43

28/11/43

28/11/43

OS 059

08/12/43

08/12/43

10/12/43

10/12/43

ST 077

15/12/43

15/12/43

25/12/43

25/12/43

TS 055

30/12/43

30/12/43

02/01/44

02/01/44

STL 009

07/01/44

07/01/44

30/01/44

30/01/44

LTS 009

05/02/44

05/02/44

09/02/44

09/02/44

STL 011

14/02/44

14/02/44

18/02/44

18/02/44

LTS 011

25/02/44

26/02/44

09/03/44

09/03/44

STL 014

15/03/44

13/03/44

20/03/44

20/03/44

LTS 014

27/03/44

27/03/44

07/04/44

07/04/44

STL 017

14/04/44

11/04/44

23/04/44

23/04/44

LTS 017

29/04/44

29/04/44

09/05/44

09/05/44

STL 022

16/05/44

16/05/44

20/05/44

20/05/44

LTS 021

28/05/44

28/05/44

05/06/44

05/06/44

STL 024

12/06/44

10/06/44

20/06/44

20/06/44

LTS 024

28/06/44

28/06/44

05/07/44

05/07/44

STL 027

10/07/44

10/07/44

21/08/44

21/08/44

TS 062

26/08/44

26/08/44

19/07/44

19/07/84

LTS 028

27/07/44

27/07/44

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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