H . M .  S .   D E P T F O R D   ( L 5 3 )

 

GRIMSBY-Class Sloop ordered from HM Dockyard Chatham under the 1933 Build Programme on 1st May 1933 and laid down on 30th April 1934. The ship was launched by Mrs Pearson, Mayor of Chatham on 5th February 1935 as the 9th RN ship to carry the name, introduced in 1652. It had last been used for a Transport Brig that was broken up at  Chatham in 1862 and commemorated  the long association of the Borough with the Royal Navy. The adoption of the ship by the civil community of Deptford following a successful WARSHIP WEEK for National Savings in March 1939 was therefore especially appropriate. After completion the ship was deployed in the Persian Gulf and returned  to UK after the outbreak of WW2.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

BEACHY HEAD 1690 - BARFLEUR 1692 - CARTAGENA 1741 - MAURITIUS  1748 - MINORCA 1756 - HAVANA 1762 - ATLANTIC 1939-43 - NORTH AFRICA  1942 - MEDITERRANEAN 1944 - ENGLISH CHANNEL  1945

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field White. a Martlet Black under a mural crown Gold.

 

M o t t o

 Sicut clim :   'Carry on as formerly'

 

D e t a i l s   o f   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 3 9

 

August                  On passage to Singapore from Persian Gulf.

 

September             Redeployed for convoy defence and took passage to UK.

 

October                  On passage to Portsmouth.

 

November

                16th        Arrived at Portsmouth and prepared for Atlantic convoy defence duties

 

December              Allocated to 2nd Escort Division based at Liverpool

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Deployed for defence of Atlantic convoys in Western Approaches

                14th        Part of escort for outward Convoy from assembly in SW Approaches

                                Detached when convoy dispersed,

 

February

                3rd          Involved in collision with ss ANTIGUA during escort of Convoy OB28 without major damage.

                19th        Deployed with HM Sloop ABERDEE and HM Destroyer WISHART as escort for

                                outward Convoy OG19F during passage to Gibraltar from assembly in SW Approaches

                25th        Detached from OG19F and joined escort for inward Convoy HG20 during passage from

                                Gibraltar to Liverpool.

 

March

                6th          Detached from HG20 and took passage to Plymouth.

                                (Note: For details of dates of convoys see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM IN WW2 by A Hague.)

 

April

                5th          Deployed for escort of inward Convoy HG23 during passage to Liverpool.

                15th        Detached from HG23.

                18th        Joined escort for inward Convoy HG26F during passage to Liverpool in SW Approaches.

                19th        Detached from HG23.

                26th        Deployed with escort for outward Convoy OG27 on assembly in SW Approaches.

                27th        Detached from OG27 with Local Escort.

                                (Note : This ship was not deployed during Norwegian operations.)

 

May                        Deployed for convoy defence in SW Approaches.

                                Pennant Umber for visual signalling changed to U53-

 

June                        Convoy defence in continuation.

to

July

 

August                  Transferred to Rosyth for escort of convoys in North Sea and NW Approaches

 

September             Coastal convoy defence in continuation.

to                            Nominated for service at Liverpool.

October

 

November              Joined Sloop Division in Western Approaches Command baaed at Liverpool.

                                Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties.

 

December              Ocean convoy escort in continuation.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Atlantic convoy escort in NW Approaches.

 

February                Under refit at commercial shipyard in Liverpool.

to                            (Note : RAF aircraft warning radar modified for ship use (Naval Type 286M) fitted.

March                    For details of development and use of radar by RN see RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).

 

April                       On completion of post refit trials resumed Atlantic convoy defence.

                                Deployed for escort of OG and HG convoys between UK and Gibraltar.

 

May                        Part of escort for Convoy HG69,

                                (Note : An unsuccessful attack was made on this convoy by the Italian submarine MARCONI.

                                For details of enemy submarine activities see HITLER’S U- BOAT WAR by C Blair

                                U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC and THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by

                                D Macintyre.)

 

June                        Gibraltar convoy escort in continuation.

to

July

 

August                  Part of escort for Convoy HG71 with ships of 36th Escort Group.

                11th        Carried out anti-submarine operations after U-Boat detection by radar at 1.5 miles.

 

September

                13th        Part of escort for Convoy HG72 with HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, ENCOUNTER, AVONVALE

                                and NESTOR (RAN) and drove off attacks by Italian submarines.

                15th        Joined FLOWER Class Corvettes of 36th Escort Group escorting Convoy OG74.

                                (Note : Air cover from an Escort Carrier was provided for the first time by HMS AUDACITY

                                which was also deployed with OG74)

                20th        Under attacks by U-Boats and Focke-Wolfe KONDOR aircraft.

                                Carried out unsuccessful anti-submarine operations with HM Corvettes PENTSTEMON and

                                MARIGOLD.

                                (For details of the unsatisfactory defence of this convoy of which nine merchant ships were

                                sunk see BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D. Macintyre and U-BOAT WAR IN THE

                                ATLANTIC (HMSO).)

                                (Note: Serious weaknesses in the defence were revealed and tactical measures improved as a

                                result of experiences during 1941.See CAPTAIN GILBERT ROBERTS, RN by M Williams).

 

October                  Atlantic convoy deployment in continuation.

 

November              Took part in diversionary convoy deployment in Mediterranean during the 8th Army advance

                                from El Alamein (Operation CHIEFTAIN – Naval Cover for military Operation CRUSADER).

 

December

                14th        Joined escort for Convoy HG76 with HMS AUDACITY, ships of 36th Escort Group, seven

                                FLOWER Class Corvettes and three destroyers from Gibraltar.

                                (Note : The Senior Officer of the escort in HM Sloop STORK was Cdr. F. J. Walker who was

                                particularly renowned for his successes in Anti-Submarine warfare – See RELENTLESS

                                PURSUIT by D E G Weymss. This convoy had been selected for sustained U-Boat attacks

                                by German Naval Staff. See above references and BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by

                                J Terraine)..

                18th        Convoy shadowed by U434 which was sunk by HM Destroyers BLANKNEY and STANLEY.

                21st         HM Escort Carrier AUDACITY sunk by U741.

                                Sank U567 with HM Corvette SAMPHIRE in position 44.02N 25.32W off Finisterre.

                                (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.).

                22nd       Sustained serious damaged in collision with HMS STORK.

                                (Note : Two German prisoners rescued from U574 by HMS STORK were killed.)

                28th        On arrival in Liverpool taken in hand for repair.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Under repair.

to

February

 

March                    On completion of post refit trials joined 36th Escort Group.

                                Deployed for escort of Freetown route convoys.

 

April                       Atlantic convoy escort with Group in continuation.

to                            Nominated for convoy defence in support of planned Allied landings in Normandy

September             (Operation TORCH).

 

October

                26th        Sailed from Clyde as part of escort for military convoy KMF1 during passage to Gibraltar

 

November              Deployed at Gibraltar and prepared for TORCH.

                8th          Passage to Arzue, Oran as escort for assault convoy. and led assault ships to selected area

                                for disembarkation.

                                On release deployed for North African coastal convoy defence in support of military

                                operations.

 

December

                7th          Redeployed for escort of coastal convoys off Algeria.

                9th          Ran aground at Algiers and sustained major structural damage

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Passage to UK in Convoy MKS8.

 

February                Taken in hand for repair and refit at Liverpool.

 

March                    Under refit

to

August

 

September             Carried out post refit trials and prepared for work-up.

 

October                  Worked-up at Tobermory for operational service.

                                Nominated for convoy defence in Mediterranean with 37th Escort Group.

 

November              Joined escort for Gibraltar convoy during passage to Mediterranean.

                11th        Arrived at Gibraltar and took passage to Alexandria.

 

December              Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean for convoy defence.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Eastern Mediterranean deployment in continuation.

to

February

 

March

                30th        Joined escort for Convoy UGS 36 including 37 merchantmen and 18 LST's on passage

                                from USA to Eastern Mediterranean.

                                Deployed to reinforce ships of US Task Force 64 with HM Cruiser COLOMBO, HM Sloops

                                BLACK SWAN, AMETHYST and HM Corvette CAMPION.

                31st         Under attack by U-Boats.

 

April                       Mediterranean convoy defence in continuation based at Alexandria.

to

July

 

August                  Transferred to Taranto in continuation of convoy escort duty.

 

September             Central Mediterranean convoy defence in continuation.

to                            Nominated far transfer to UK for deployment in defence of coastal convoys.

November

 

December              Passage to UK.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Under refit.

 

February                Deployed at Portsmouth for convoy escort in SW Approaches and English Channel.

 

March                    Channel convoy defence in continuation.

                16th        Escorted HM Coastal Minelayer PLOVER during minelay of A/S defensive field D1 in

                                English Channel (Operation BUTTERMILK).

                                (For details of all minelaying operations see the Naval Staff History (MINING).)

 

April                       Channel coastal convoy escort In continuation.

 

May                        Nominated for reduction to Reserve after VE-Day.

 

June                        Paid off and reduced to Reserve status at Cardiff.

 

July                         Laid up at Milford Haven.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS DEPTFORD remained laid-up in Reserve at Milford Haven until being placed on the Disposal List in 1948. Sold to BISCO on 8th March 1948 for breaking-up by T W Ward the ship arrived at the Breaker’s yard locally on 11th  May that year.