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H . M . S . S O U T H D O W N ( L 2 5 )
Type I HUNT Class Escort
Destroyer ordered from J S Write, Cowes IoW on 11th
April 1939 under the 1939 Build Programme. The ship was laid down as Job No
J6602 on 22nd August 1939 and launched
on 5th July 19% as the 2nd RN warship to carry the name, that of a fox-hunt in
Sussex. It had previously been used for
a WW1 minesweeper sold in 1926. Build was completed on 8th November 1940. She was later adopted by the civil community of Woking, Surrey after a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942. Unlike many of her sister
ships all her war service was spent in Home waters and was without particular
distinction.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
NORTH SEA 1941-45 -
NORMANDY 1944
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Field : Red, in front of
two bugle horns in saltire Gold
a
horseshoe inverted white.
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 0
November
Contractor's trials and commissioned for service in 16th Destroyer
Flotilla.
8th Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
Carried out first
sea trial on newly developed Fiore-control Radar Type 285
Passage to Scapa
Flow on completion of trials and storing.
17th Arrived at Scapa Flow to work-up for
operational service with ships of Home
Fleet.
December Joined
16th Destroyer Flotilla at Sheerness for convoy defence and patrol duties in
in English Channel and North Sea.
1 9 4 1
January
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and interception of E-Boats in
conjunction with
to.
Light Coastal Forces operations.
April
(For details of naval activities in North Sea see THREE CORVETTES by N Monsarrat and
THE BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes.)
May
4th Damaged in action against E-Boats
.
Steering motor disabled and some flooding aft.
6th Under repair.
Resumed Flotilla duties on completion of repair.
June Convoy escort and patrol in
continuation.
to
August
September
17th Damaged in collision with HM Corvette
SHEARWATER off Sheringham, Norfolk.
Under repair.
October
Resumed Flotilla duties on completion of repair.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy escort and interception patrol in
North Sea and Channel against to
E-Boat incursions.
December (See HOLD
THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by
P. Scott for further details of E-Boat attacks on East coast convoys).
1 9 4 3
January Flotilla
duties in continuation.
to
February
March
4th In action with HM
Destroyer WINDSOR and HM Corvette SHELDRAKE against E-Boats off
Lowestoft.
April
Convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4
4
January
Flotilla deployment in North Sea and English Channel in continuation.
February
22nd In action off Smith's Knoll with HM
Destroyer GARTH in defence of convoy against E-Boat
attacks.
(Note : Two E-Boats collided and were abandoned by crews. See
references.)
March
Convoy defence and patrol in continuation.
April
5th Slightly damaged by collision with
Jetty at Parkestone Quay.
13th In action with E-Boats and received
slight damage.
15th Under repair.
21st On completion of repair resumed
duties with Flotilla.
May Nominated
for support of allied landings in Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).
Allocated to 102nd Escort Group for convoy escort from Nore to beachhead area.
(For details of naval activities prior to and during the landings see
OPERATION
NEPTUNE by
K Edwards, LANDINGS IN NORMANDY June 1944 (HMSO) and D DAY SHIPS by J de
Winser for details of all ships involved.).
June
Joined HM Destroyer MACKAY, HM Corvettes POTENTILLA and VERVAIN to form
Escort
Group.
(Note : HM Corvettes POPPY and STATICE were also attached for first
trip.)
4th Operation delayed for 24 hours.
7th Sailed as escort for Follow-up
Convoy ETM2 with Group from Thames estuary.
(Note : Convoy comprised 25 MT ships and four other mercantiles taking
Pre-Loaded British
Build-up Division to assault
area.
Took passage to Solent.
8th Escorted convoy through swept
channel to Eastern Task Force Area,
9th Returned to Nore for further escort
duty
to Deployed with 102nd Escort Group
for escort of Daily Cycle of convoys.
24th Resumed convoy defence and patrol
duties with Flotilla on released from NEPTUNE.
(Note : HMS POPPY and HMS STATICE had left Group).
August
Flotilla deployment in North Sea and Channel for convoy defence and
patrol in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January
North Sea convoy defence and interception of enemy minelaying by
submarine and by E-Boats i
to
in Thames estuary and convoy routes to continent.
April
May
14th Deployed with HM Destroyer
BROCKLESBY in support of allied occupation of Cuxhaven
June
Deployed in Nore Command for support of military operations in NW
Europe.
to
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS SOUTHDOWN was converted
for use as an air target ship at Rosyth in September 1945 and carried out that
role after her armament had been removed. She was withdrawn from service in
April 1946. The ship Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status at Portsmouth
during May that year. The ship remained in the Reserve Fleet until 1955 and was
placed on the Disposal List . Sold to BISCO for demolition by T W Ward at Barrow
in 1956 she arrived at the breaker’s yard in tow on 1st December 1956.
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