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H . M
. S . E S K D A L E ( L 3 6 )
Type III HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered on 23rd August 1940
from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead under 1940 War Emergency Programme. The ship was
laid down on 18th January 1941 as Job No J 3269 (Yard No 1080). She was
launched on 16th March 1942 as the first RN ship to carry this name which is
that of a Cumberland fox-hunt. Build was completed on 31st July 1942 and she
served under the command of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The ship was
operationally deployed in an RN Flotilla. After a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 this destroyer was
'adopted’ by the civil community of
Kendal, then in Westmorland, now in the county of Cumbria.
B a t
t l e H o n o
u r s
ARCTIC
1942 - ENGLISH CHANNEL
1942-44
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge : On a Field
Red, a caltrop White in front
of 2 hunting horns in saltire gold.
S e r v i
c e u n d e r N o r w e g i a
n C o m m a n
d
K. N.
M. S .
E S K
D A L
E (L 3 6)
1 9 4 2
June
Transferred to Royal Norwegian Navy as replacement for the Ex US Navy
destroyer HMS
NEWPORT which was no longer suitable for operational use.
Contractors trials.
Nominated for service in 1st Destroyer Flotilla based at Portsmouth.
July
20th
Commissioned for service with Norwegian ship's company.
25th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
Passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing.
August Worked-up for
operational service at Scapa Flow with Home Fleet.
Nominated for escort of Russian convoy and detached for Home Fleet duty.
September
2nd Joined HM
Destroyers CAMPBELL, MALCOLM and sister destroyer FARNDALE as Local
Escort for Russian convoy PQ18 between Loch Ewe and Iceland.
(For
details of all Russian convoy operations see THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B. Schofield
CONVOY! by P. Kemp, CONVOYS
TO
RUSSIA by RA Ruegg and ARCTIC CONVOYS
by
R
Woodman. )
6th Detached
from PQ18 and took passage to Portsmouth..
8th Joined
1st Destroyer Flotilla for coastal escort and patrol in
English Channel
and
North Sea.
October
13th Deployed
with sister Destroyers HMS COTTESMORE, HMS QUORN HMS ALBRIGHTON
and
KNM3 GLAISDALE as Group "A" to intercept and destroy German commerce raider
KOMET
. (Note
: This modem ship was known to be on passage to the Atlantic for attacks on shipping.
Motor
Torpedo Boats of Light Coastal Forces were also deployed as Groups
"B" and
"C”
but owing to the fast speed of the enemy ship, only Group "A"
was able to make
contact.
KOMET
was sunk by the combined fire of these ships.
For
further details in BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by Peter Scott.)
On
release from KOMET operation resumed convoy defence duties with Flotilla.
November Flotilla convoy
defence duties in continuation.
12th Sustained
serious damage to wheelhouse and gunnery director in action off Dieppe.
Returned to harbour using emergency steering..
15th Taken in
hand for repair at Portsmouth. under repair
December Under repair
1 9 4 3
January Under
repair.
16th On
completion of repair rejoined Flotilla for Channel convoy defence..
February Flotilla
deployment in continuation.
to
March
April
14th Joined
KNMS GLAISDALE and five trawlers for escort of Channel Convoy PW232.
Under
attack 12 miles ENE of the Lizard by E-Boats of 3rd German Flotilla.
Hit
by two torpedoes fired by German S90 and disabled.
Sank
in position 50.03N, 05.46 W after hit by further torpedo from S112. |
