H .  M .  S .   R I B B L E   ( K 2 5 1 )

 

RIVER-Class Frigate ordered on 14th June 1942 under the 1941 War Programme from Blyth Shipbuilders, Blyth and laid down 31st December 1942 as Job Number J4642 (Yard Number 291) to be named DUDDON. The name was changed to RIBBLE in June 1943 before launch on 10th November 1943. She was the second ship to carry the name of the Lancashire river which was previously used for a destroyer built in 1901 and sold in 1920.  In July 1944 she was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy before build completion on 4th August 1944..

 

B a t t l e    H o n o u r s

 

TSINGTAO 1914  - DARDANELLES  1915-16

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 4

 

July                         Contractors trials

                24th        Commissioned for service with Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS RIBBLE

 

August

                4th          Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Passage to Tobermory on completion of trials and storing.

 

September             Passage to join 26th (Canadian) Escort Group for convoy defence in Atlantic on completion of

                                work-up for operational service.

                                (See THE LOWEST BATTLE by Harbron)

 

October                  Part of escorted for Convoy ONS33 with ships of Group.

                4th          Convoy escort under attack by T5 Acoustic torpedo fired by U1227 which hit and seriously

                                damaged HM Canadian Corvette CHEBOGUE.

                                Detached from escort with HM Canadian Corvettes ARNPRIOR and CHAMBLY to escort

                                damaged ship to Bristol Channel in company

                                (Note : HMCS CHEBOGUE was towed to Port Talbot, South Wales but repair found to be

                                 uneconomic.

                                See HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

 

November              Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.

to                            (For details of Atlantic convoy defence and support see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC

December               (HMSO),THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, SEEK AND STRIKE by W

                                Hackmann, CONVOY ESCORT COMMANDER by P Gretton, RELENTLESS PURSUIT by D

                                Wemyss and above reference.)

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

to

February

 

March                    Transferred to UK coastal waters for anti-submarine operations with HM Canadian Frigates

                                NEW GLASGOW, BEACON HILL, JONQUIERE and SUSSEXDALE.

                                (Note :This deployment was made to counter increasing attacks by SCHNORKEL fitted U-

                                Boats at focal points for convoys assembly and division.

                                See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett).

                21st         Deployed in Hebrides area.

 

April                       Coastal operations in continuation.

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMCS RIBBLE went to Canada after the end of hostilities in Europe and remained in Royal Canadian Navy service until 1946 when she was returned to RN control. The ship was Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status and laid-up . The ship was placed on the Disposal List  and sold to BISCO in 1957 for demolition by Hughes Bolcow at Blyth where she arrived in tow on 9th July that year.