H . M . S . F O W E Y
( L 1 5 )
SHOREHAM-Class Sloop ordered under the 1929
Programme from HM Dockyard Devonport on 4th December 1929. The ship was laid down on 24th March 1930 and was launched by Mrs Treffery
on 4th
November 1930 and was the 8th RN
ship to carry the name, introduced in 1696 for a 5th Rate. Tne
last ship to be given this name was a WW1 minesweeper originally named FORRES
but renamed FOWEY in 1918 and in service until 1935. Build was completed on 11th September 1931 and she was manned by Devonport Port Port
Division. This Sloop served in the Persian
Gulf until August 1939 when she
went to Bombay for repair. In 1939 she was manned by the Portsmouth Port
Division. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign during
March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of Wincanton, Somerset.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
QUEBEC
1759 - MARTINIQUE 1762 -
HAVANA 1762 - YORKTOWN 1781 - ATLANTIC 1939-45
H e
r a l d i c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Blue, a ship Gold with White sails bearing a
cross Red over wavelets Silver and Green.
M o t t o
Tien te foy : 'Hold thy
loyalty'
De t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e
1 9 3 9
September Under repair at
Bombay.
9th On
completion of repair in Bombay transferred to Mediterranean.
October Deployed on
contraband control and patrol in
Mediterranean.
Transferred to Freetown for Atlantic convoy defence
November Passage to
Freetown for convoy escort in Atlantic.
December
2nd Deployed
with escort for Convoy SL11 to UK.
18th Detached
from SL 11 and took passage to Southampton
On
arrival taken in hand for refit at commercial shipyard.
1 9 4 0
January Nominated
for service in Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.
On
completion deployed for Atlantic convoy escort based at Plymouth,
30th Took part
in sinking of U55 in position 48.37N, 07.46W with HM Destroyer WHITSHED and
RAF
aircraft from 228 Squadron.
(See
U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
(Note
: This submarine was operating independently)
February. Western
Approaches deployment in continuation.
March
14th Deployed
with HM Sloop BIDEFORD and HM Destroyer WRESTLER for escort of
outward Convoy OG22F during initial passage to Gibraltar in SW Approaches
19th Detached
from OG22F.
April
5th Deployed
with HM Sloop BIDEFORD and HM Destroyer WATCHMAN as escort for
inward Convoy HG25 during passage from
Gibraltar to Liverpool in
SW Approaches.
15th Detached
from HG25 on arrival at Liverpool and took passage to Plymouth.
26th Deployed
with HM Sloops DEPTFORD, FOLKESTONE and HM Destroyer VIVACIOUS
as
escort for outward convoy OG27 during passage in SW Approaches.
27th Detached
from OG27 and took passage to Plymouth.
May Taken in
hand for refit by HM Dockyard Devonport for refit
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to U15.
June Post
refit trials on completion of dockyard work.
July Rejoined
Western Approaches Command at
Liverpool for Atlantic convoy defence.
Deployed in Atlantic for convoy defence.
August Western
Approaches convoy defence in continuation.
to
September
October
16th Deployed
with HM Corvette BLUEBELL to join HM Sloop SCARBOROUGH the sole
escort for
Convoy SC7 under sustained U-Boat attacks.
18th Escort
increased by arrival of HM Sloop LEITH and HM Corvette HEARTSEASE.
(Note
: 17 of the 35 ships in SC7 were lost.
The
escorts had no
common defence doctrine which contributed to the success of
the
attacks.
See
BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre and BUSINESS IN GREAT
WATERS by John Terraine).
November Transferred to
Rosyth Escort Force. Passage to Rosyth.
December Deployed for
convoy defence in North Sea and NW Approaches.
(Note
: Modified RAF radar outfit fitted (Type 286M) by this date.
For
details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D
Howse.)
1 9 4 1
January Deployment
for convoy defence in North Sea and NW Approaches in continuation.
to
Transferred to Atlantic convoy defence based in
Clyde.
May
June Western
Approaches for Atlantic convoy defence.
Nominated for refit and took passage to Belfast.
July Under
refit at Belfast.
(Note
Radar Type 286M replaced by Type 286P).
Two
20mm Oerlikon guns fitted for Close Range defence.)
August Resumed
Atlantic convoy defence duties.
September Atlantic convoy
defence in continuation.
October Joined HM
Sloop ROCHESTER AND HM Corvettes BLUEBELL, CAMPANULA,
CARNATION, MALLOW, ELIOTROPE.STONECROP and French LA MALOUINE
in
37th Escort Group in continuation of Atlantic convoy defence duties.
November Deployed with Group for Atlantic convoy
escort
to
December
1 9 4 2
January Group
deployment in continuation.
to (For
details of convoy defence tactics and weapons see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
February by D
MacIntyre and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).
March Under refit
at Liverpool.
to
April
May Post refit
trials.
June Rejoined
Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
July Resumed
deployment with Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
to (For details of U-Boat
operations see U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO),
September BUSINESS
IN GREAT WATERS by J TERRAINE and CONVOY ESCORT
COMMANDER
by W
Gretton).
October Under refit
at Liverpool.
(Note
: Radar Type 271 surface warning radar fitted. See RADAR AT SEA.)
November Resumed duty
with Group in North Atlantic.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January Taken in
hand for major refit at Milford Haven.
to (Note :
HEDGEHOG Anti-Submarine Mortar Outfit fitted (See SEEK AND STRIKE).
April Four
additional 20am guns fitted and 0.5 inch machine gums landed.
This
further refit reflects the age of this ship.)
May Post refit
trials including new Mortar outfit.
June Rejoined
Group in Atlantic for convoy defence.
July Atlantic
convoy escort duty with Group in continuation.
to
Nominated for service in Mediterranean.
December
1 9 4 4
January
Passage to Mediterranean for convoy defence duty.
Deployed in Mediterranean.
February
Under repair at Alexandria.
to Nominated for return to UK.
March
April Passage
to IK for further repair.
Taken
in hand for repair at Milford Haven.
May Under
repair at Milford Haven.
to Resumed
convoy defence in Atlantic.
August
September Joined B23
Escort Group for Atlantic convoy defence.
Deployed in NW
Approaches
October Convoy
defence in Home waters with Group.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Convoy
defence in Home waters.
to
April
May After VE
Day withdrawn from operational use and deployed at Stranraer for duty as
Guardship.
June Guardship
at Stranraer and Lame.
to (Note :
During this period surrendered German U-Boats were collected in Loch Ryan prior
to
August destruction
(Operation DEADLJGHT).
P o s
t W a r N o t e s
HMS FOWEY remained as Guardship until December 1946 when
she returned to Portsmouth. Early in 1946 this Sloop was selected for
transfer to Egypt and started refit in May that year. .However this was
cancelled and placed on the Disposal List. Sold to Wheelock Marsden
& Co Ltd for use as a mercantile in October 1946. Under her new name, ss ROWLOCK, she was used commercially until 1950 when sold
for breaking up at Mombasa.
