September Prepared
for transfer to RN control.
9th Commissioned as HMS CALDWELL at Halifax.
Passage to Devonport via St. Johns, Newfoundland.
28th Taken in hand for
refit to suit RN use as convoy escort.
Nominated for service in Western Approaches.
October On
completion of post refit trials took passage to Liverpool
(Note : Compared with other TOWN Class destroyers the refit
period was short.)
15th Under repair at Liverpool to remedy defects found
on passage.
Joined 17th Destroyer Flotilla at Liverpool on completion.
23rd Part of escort for Convoy OB233
(Note : This ship was first of the TOWN Class to be deployed
operationally.)
For
dates of convoys see ALLIED CONVOYS SYSTEM IN WW2 by A Hague.)
27th Detached from OB233 on dispersal and returned
to Liverpool.
November Western
Approach deployment in continuation.
December Transferred
to 5th Escort Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
Sustained structural damage due to weather conditions.
1 9 4 1
January Under
repair.
Prepared
for work-up and took passage to Tobermory.
February Worked-up
at Tobermory.
(Note : This may have been required because of change of
ship's company or due to lack
of performance during previous escort duties.)
Rejoined Group on completion.
10th Part of escort for Convoy OB284 with
ships of Group
March Atlantic
escort duties with Group in continuation.
to
May
June Nominated
for refit at Cardiff to complete modifications required to suit RN service and for
essential repair and maintenance.)
6th Taken in hand for
refit at commercial shipyard in Cardiff.
July Under
refit.
August Carried
out post refit trials.
21st Resumed Atlantic convoy escort duties
with Group.
September Deployed
with Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
to
December
November Part
of escort for outward Convoy ON34.
December Part
of escort for outward Convoy ON41 and inward HX162.
1 9 4 2
January Part
of escort for outward Convoy ONS48 and returned as escort for inward Convoy
SC60.
Nominated
for transfer to St Johns Newfoundland to supplement the Western Local Escort
Force
. (Note
: This deployment was made in view of the increase of U-Boat activity off east coasts of
Canada and USA.
See
THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE
ATLANTIC (HMSO) and HITLERS U-BOAT WAR by C Blair for details.)
February Part
of escort for outward Convoy ONS56 and inward SC64.
Passage to join WLEF.
21st Joined RCN Escort Force at St Johns.
Deployed for escort of convoys from Halifax to St Johns.
March Deployed for escort of tanker
traffic between Aruba and Halifax, NS.
June Under
refit at Boston, Mass.
to
July
August Resumed
duties at St
Johns
for escort of convoys to and from Halifax.
14th Sustained minor structural damage in
collision with rms AQUITANlA.
September Local
Escort deployment in continuation.
to
November
December Deployed
for escort of Atlantic convoy from St Johns to Iceland.
12th Sustained major structural damage in
Hurricane force winds and forced to hove to.
to Reverted
to hand steering when system failed.
18th Continual repair periods required to control flooding.
Unable to make forward way to westward.
Fuel running short.
19th Able to proceed at 10 knots and tug
despatched from Newfoundland.
20th HM Destroyer WANDERER and HM Canadian
Destroyer SKEENA joined but weather
prevented tow and ships oil fuel supply not sufficient to
allow use of propulsion machinery.
21st Fuel on board exhausted and furniture
used for boilers.
22nd Under tow by tug
for 126 mile passage to St Johns.
24th Arrived at St Johns.
1 9 4 3
January Examination
showed turbine bearings defective and repair not possible locally.
18th Passage under tow
of tug FOUNDATION FRANKLIN to Boston.
(Note : HM Canadian Minesweeper WASSAGA provided escort.)
Encountered
heavy weather and tow parted.
Line
passed to provide stem tow.
Second
towing attempt failed and violent movement of ship in storm conditions caused
injuries.
19th Tug left ship for Louisberg.
to Ship
drifted into Atlantic.
21st Conditions deteriorated on board due to
incessant storm conditions.
22nd HM Canadian Destroyer COLUMBIA Joined and
with assistance from HMCS WASSAGA tow
by the destroyer was established.
23rd Passage to Halifax under tow.
24th Arrived at Halifax.
27th Passage to Boston under tow by tug BLACK
CHIEF.
28th Forced to shelter
at Shelbourne due to weather conditions.
31st Arrived at Boston for repair.
February Taken
in hand for repair.
March Under
repair
April Carried
out post repair harbour trials.
May
1st Carried out sea
trials on completion of dockyard work.
Prepared for convoy escort duty in Western Escort force at St Johns.
June Deployed
at St Joins for convoy escort.
to Nominated
for return to UK.
November (Note : "TOWN” Class destroyers were being placed In
Reserve as new construction escorts
became available from build.
December Passage
to UK via Azores.
29th Arrived in Tyne to reduce to Reserve
status.
1 9 4 4
January Paid-off
and de-stored.
February Laid up in Reserve in Tyne.
to (Note
:Further service as an Air Target Ship not needed.)
December
1 9 4 5
January Laid
up In Reserve in Tyne
to Placed
on Disposal List.
February
March
20th Sold to Granton
Shipbreaking for demolition
April Held in Tyne pending collection.
to
May
June
6th Arrived in tow at
breaker’s yard in Granton, near Edinburgh.
