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Ex-USS EVANS (Type B - CALDWELL Class) built by Bath Iron
Works and laid down on 28th December
1917. Launched on 30th October 1918. The ship commissioned on 11th November 1919 for US naval service and was held in
Reserve in 1939. Transfer to the RN was part of the the UK/US Land Lease
Agreement on 9th September 1940 and commissioned for RN service as HMS
MANSFIELD on 23rd October 1940 at Halifax. This name was common to a town in
Nottinghamshire and one in Ohio, USA.
Two ships had: previously borne this name, which was that of the Captain of HMS
MINOTAUR at Trafalgar in 1805. A destroyer built during WW1 and a trawler hired in 1917 were in service at the same time.
After transfer to the RN she was lent to the Royal Norwegian Navy and so was
not adopted by a UK
civil community following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign during 1941 and 1942.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
BELGIUM COAST
1916-18 - ZEEBRUGGE 1916 - NORWAY 1941 - ATLANTIC 1941-44
S h i p ' s B a d g e
(Courtesy - Scott Schaut, Mansfield Memorial Museum)
D e t a
i l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 0
.
October Prepared for transfer to
RN control and took passage to Halifax.
23rd Commissioned as HMS
MANSFIELD at Halifax.
November Passage to Plymouth with
call at St Johns Newfoundland.
25th Under refit by HM
Dockyard Devonport and modified to suit RN deployment for
convoy defence.
December Refit in continuation.
18th Transferred on loan
to Norway but retained RN name.
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
1 9 4 1
January Allocated for service in
6th Escort Group based at Londonderry.
9th Refit work completed
and prepared for operational service.
February Deployed in English
Channel before taking passage to join Group.
(Note : It is
likely that ship carried out work-up in this period.)
March Deployed with Group for
defence of Atlantic convoys in NW Approaches
23rd Disabled after
machinery failure.
Taken in tow by
sister destroyer HMS SALISBURY.
Under repair in
Liverpool commercial shipyard.
April On completion
detached for special operation.
11th Took part in Commando
landing at Oksfjord, Norway.
On release
resumed convoy defence with Group, based in Iceland.
May Deployed for Atlantic
Convoy defence based in Iceland
June Passage to
Londonderry with ships of Group for service in NW Approaches.
July Deployed in NW
Approaches based at Londonderry.
Taken in hand for
refit in Liverpool at commercial shipyard.
August Under refit.
to (Note : Extent of
defects made transfer to Royal Dockyard necessary
September
October
19th Transferred to HM
Dockyard Chatham for completion of refit work
November Under refit at Chatham.
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Under refit.
February Future deployment under
consideration.
11th Paid off from
Norwegian naval service and reverted to RN control.
S e r v i c e u n d e r R o y a l N a v
y Co m m a n d
March Under refit and repair.
to
April
May Re-commissioned under
RN Command
Carried out
harbour trials
Dockyard work
completed and carried out post refit trials
Passage to
Tobermory for work-up
31st Provided Local
Escort in Irish Sea for military convoy WS19P with HM Destroyers
BUXTON and
SALISBURY.
June Deployed at Tobermory
to work-up for operational service
Sustained damage
in collision with as BRITISH LADY.
Withdrawn from
work-up for repair.
6th Taken in hand for
refit at Liverpool in commercial shipyard.
July Under repair.
Nominated for
service with Liverpool Special escort Division on completion.
10th Passage to Tobermory
to resume work-up
Joined Liverpool
Special Escort Division for Atlantic convoy defence.
August Deployed with escorts for
convoy to and from Gibraltar and returned to
Liverpool..
Nominated for
service with RCN Western Local Escort Force based at Halifax.
S e r v i c e u n d e r R o y a l
C a n a d i a n N a v y Co m m a n d
September Joined WLEF after Atlantic
passage, and under overall RCN command.
October Deployed for local
escort of convoys and based at Halifax.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January Transferred to Western
Support Force based at Halifax for support of escorts under threat of
attack by U-Boat
Groups.
February Atlantic convoy support
in continuation including Convoy ON166.
March Atlantic convoy defence
in continuation including HX219 (?).
(Note : For
details of Atlantic convoy defence during the critical period early in
1943, see THE BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN
THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), SEEK AND
STRIKE by W Hackmann and HITLER’S U-
BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
Took part in
rescue of survivors from ships torpedoed during attacks on nX223).
(Note :
Survivors were landed in UK.)
April Passage to UK for
refit.
Taken in hand for
refit at London commercial shipyard.
May Under refit.
June On completion of post
refit trials took passage to resume service at Halifax.
July Deployed at Halifax
for Atlantic convoy defence in Unit W7 Group.
to
October
November Future deployment under
consideration due to increasing lack of availability.
Paid off at
Halifax.
(Note : Ships
company transferred to HM Frigate ROWLEY being prepared for RN
service in US shipyard.)
December Laid-up at Halifax pending
decision on final disposal
(Note : An offer
made to return ship to US Navy was declined.)
1 9 4 4
January Lay-up in continuation.
to
May
June Placed on the
Disposal and demolition to be arranged.
July Awaiting sale.
to
September
October
21st Sold to The Boston Iron and Steel Corporation,
Baltimore for demolition.
November Awaiting tow for demolition at Boston.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Awaiting tow
to
March
April Passage under tow to Boston.
Arrived at breaker’s yard. |
