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)