T y p e I n f o r m a t i o n
Ships of this type were known in the RN as BANFF Class and were deployed on convoy defence in the Atlantic. They displaced 1,983 Tons and had dimensions of 256 feet, a beam of 42 feet and a draught of 16 feet. HMS WALNEY had a 5in gun for surface engagements and extra anti-aircraft armament was added after arrival in UK. Diesel-electric propulsion machinery with 3,200 shaft horsepower gave a speed of 16 knots and was different from that used in any RN warship at that time. The accommodation was better than that in other British escorts. There were 10 ships of this type of which one was lost in defence of Atlantic convoys. The other two, HMS HARTLAND and HMS WALNEY were both lost when used to force entry into harbour in November 1942 as part of the allied landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH)
H . M . S . W A L N E Y
US Coastguard Cutter SEBAGO built by General Engineering and Dry Dock in 1930 and passed to the Royal Navy in 1940 under Lease Lend Agreement. Renamed HMS WALNEY when commissioned on delivery.
Battle Honours
ATLANTIC 1941-42 - NORTH AFRICA 1942
D e t a i l s o f W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 4 1
May
12th Commissioned into Royal Navy as HMS WALNEY.
June Joined Londonderry Sloop Division for escort of Atlantic convoys.
Took passage to UK
July Deployed in Western Approaches.
24th Deployed as part of escort for routine HX convoy from St. Johns, NF to UK.
August
14th Modification work for RN escort service in Liverpool shipyard.
September
9th Rejoined Western Approaches and transferred to 41st Escort Group for defence
of convoys between UK and West Africa.
12th Deployed as escort for Convoy OS6 during passage to Bathurst.
(Note : Convoy comprised 29 mercantiles)
Detached during Atlantic passage to join HM Cutter HARTLAND as escort
merged convoy SL88 from Freetown and Convoy HG74 from Gibraltar to
Liverpool.
(Note : Joint Convoy comprised 37 ships.)
October
18th Detached from HG74/SL88 and took passage to Belfast.
20th Under refit in Belfast.
31st On completion rejoined 41st Group.
November
7th Deployed with HM Cutter HARTLAND as escort for Convoy
OS11 during passage to Bathurst.
(Note : Convoy comprised 41 mercantiles.)
Detached on arrival and took passage to Freetown.
30th Escorted Convoy SL94 from Freetown to Liverpool.
(Note : Convoy comprised 29 mercantiles.)
December
20th Detached from SL94 on arrival and took passage to Belfast
22nd At Belfast for refit and HF D/F equipment fitted.
1 9 4 2
January
4th On completion rejoined West Approaches Command.
5th Deployed as escort for Convoy OS16 to Bathurst.
(Note : Convoy comprised 56 mercantiles)
On arrival detached from OS16 and took passage to Freetown.
27th Deployed with HM Cutter HARTLAND as escort for SL99 during passage
to UK from Freetown.
(Note : Convoy comprised 26 mercantiles)
February
16th Detached from SL99 and took passage to Belfast.
17th Under repair in Belfast.
26th On completion resumed convoy defence with 41st Group.
March
3rd In minor collision with ss EMPIRE DOLPHIN and damaged above waterline
without becoming non-operational.
4th Deployed with HM Cutter HARTLAND as escort for Convoy OS21 during passage
to West Africa from Liverpool
(Note : Convoy comprised 54 mercantiles.)
23rd Detached from OS21 on arrival of Local Escort from Freetown.
Joined Convoy SL104 with HM Cutter HARTLAND as escort during passage to
Liverpool from Freetown.
(Note : Convoy comprised 30 mercantiles.)
April
12th Detached from SL104 and took passage to Chatham.
20th Under refit at Chatham.
May Under refit at Chatham
June
10th On completion of post refit trials took passage to Londonderry to
rejoin 41st Group.
21st Joined Escort for Convoy OS32 during passage to West Africa from
Liverpool.
(Note : Convoy comprised 40 mercantiles.)
July
8th Detached from OS32 at Freetown.
15th Joined Convoy SL116 with HM Cutter HARTLAND as escort for passage to
UK from Freetown.
(Note : Convoy comprised 33 mercantiles.)
August
4th Detached from SL116 and took passage to Londonderry
20th Deployed with HM Cutter HARTLAND as escort for Convoy OS38 to West Africa
from Liverpool.
(Note : Convoy comprised 33 mercantiles.)
September
1st Detached from OS38 on arrival at Freetown.
14th Joined Convoy SL122 to UK with HM Cutter HARTLAND as escort during
passage from Freetown to Liverpool..
(Note : Convoy comprised 34 mercantiles.
During deployment for Atlantic convoy defence no mercantiles
were lost during transit in Atlantic. For details of convoys
including losses see THE ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM 1939-45 by A Hague
and Official List of Losses (HMSO)
Battle Honour ATLANTIC 1941-42 was awarded for defence of
convoys on West African route which were subjected to sustained
U-Boat attacks. See HITLER’S U- BOAT WAR by C Blair and U-BOAT
WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO).)
October
6th Detached from SL122 and took passage to Londonderry.
Nominated for special duty during North African landings
(Operation TORCH).
13th Prepared for use in breaking into Oran harbour.
26th Sailed from Clyde with HM Cutter HARTLAND as part of escort for military
convoy MKF1 during passage to Gibraltar (Operation TORCH).
November Embarked troops at Gibraltar for to carry out landing inside harbour
at Oran (Operation RESERVIST).
8th Came under heavy fire from shore defences when leading HMS HARTLAND
into the harbour and sank.
(For further details see THE RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W. Tute and Naval
Staff History.)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS WALNEY
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above
Date convoy Joined convoy Convoy No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
20/05/41 20/05/41 HX 128 06/06/41 06/06/41
07/07/41 07/07/41 OB 344 16/07/41 16/07/41
22/07/41 24/07/41 HX 140 25/07/41 06/08/41
22/07/41 28/07/41 SC 038 08/08/41 08/08/41
02/09/41 06/09/41 OS 005 17/09/41 21/09/41
24/09/41 27/09/41 SL 088 08/10/41 08/10/41
07/11/41 08/11/41 OS 011 25/11/41 28/11/41
30/11/41 02/12/41 SL 094 20/12/41 30/12/41
05/01/42 06/01/42 OS 016 20/01/42 23/01/42
27/01/42 29/01/42 SL 099 16/02/42 16/02/42
04/03/42 04/03/42 OS 021 21/03/42 24/03/42
24/03/42 26/03/42 SL 104 12/04/42 12/04/42
21/06/42 21/06/42 OS 032 08/07/42 08/07/42
15/07/42 15/07/42 SL 116 03/08/42 04/08/42
20/08/42 26/08/42 OS 038 07/09/42 07/09/42
14/09/42 14/09/42 SL 122 06/10/42 06/10/42
26/10/42 26/10/42 KMF 001 08/11/42 08/11/42
(Note on Convoys)