H .  M .  S .   H A S T I N G S   ( L 2 7 )

 

HASTINGS-Class Sloop ordered from HM Dockyard Devonport under the 1929 Programme on 4th April 1929 with HM Sloop PENZANCE. She was laid down on 29th July 1929 and launched by the Hon. Alice Brand on 10th April 1930 as the 6th RN snip to carry the name, introduced in 1695 for a 5th Rate. It was previously used for a 3rd Rate built in 1819 and sold in 1886. Her build was completed on 26th November 1930 and she served in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea areas until 1937 when she returned to Home waters. The ship then deployed with the Fishery Protection Squadron until WW2. Unusually this sloop was fitted for minelaying in August 1937 .During a later refit in 1939, which included the fitting of anti-submarine detection equipment (ASDIC), the minelaying equipment was removed. She was adopted by the civil community of the Municipal Borough of Hastings in East Sussex after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

SYRIA 1840 - BURMA 1852 - BALTIC 1855 - ATLANTIC  1940-43 - BISCAY 1943

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge; On a Field party per pale Red and Blue, a Lion passant Gold

 

M o t t o

Qui vincit regnant :   'Who conquers rules'

 

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

 

1 9 3 9

 

September             Under refit at Devonport

                3rd          Nominated for service with Rosyth Escort Force on completion of refit.

 

October                  Deployed at Rosyth for convoy defence in North Sea.

to

December

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  North Sea deployment in continuation.

                11th        Sustained damage in collision with HM Trawler BRADMAN.

 

February                Resumed North Sea convoy escort duty on completion.

 

March                    East coast convoy defence in continuation.

to                            (Note : This ship was not deployed in operations off Norway.

November              Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to U27 (May).

 

December

                1st           Sustained damage in collision with ss LIMESLADE.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Resumed North Sea duties after repair.

 

February                North Sea convoy defence in continuation.

to

June

 

July                         Transferred to Western Approaches Command for escort of UK/Freetown convoys.

                                (Note :Two 20mm Oerlikon guns fitted to improve close range defence.)

 

 

August                  Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.

to                            (Note : Type 286M Modified Ex RAF radar fitted.. See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).

September

 

October                  Deployed with 43rd Escort Group at Londonderry for Atlantic convoy defence

                                (Note : Other ships in Group were HM Sloops HASTINGS, LEITH, SANDWICH and

                                HM Destroyer NEWPORT.)

 

November              Deployment with Group in continuation.

 

December              Transferred to 44th Escort Group in continuation of Freetown route duties.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Atlantic convoy escort in continuation.

                                Nominated for transfer to 40th Escort Group.

 

February                Passage to join Group in West African Command for local escort of Atlantic and

                                coastal convoys based at Freetown.

                                (Note : Other ships in Group included m Sloops LONDONDERRY, BIDEFORD and

                                ship HM Cutter LULWORTH

                                Surface warning Radar Type 271 fitted for detection of surfaced U-Boats and

                                for convoy station keeping. See RADAR AT SEA).

 

March                    Freetown area convoy defence in continuation.

to

June

 

July                         Part of escort of Convoy SL115 to UK with 42nd Escort Group.

 

August                  Freetown area convoy defence in continuation.

                                (Note : HEDGEHOG Anti-submarine Mortar fitted during this period.

                                See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Freetown area convoy defence in continuation.

 

February                Transferred to 40th Escort Group for convoy defence in North Atlantic.

 

 March                   Deployed with HM Sloop ABERDEEN. HM Cutters LULWORTH,LANDGUARD,

                                HM Frigates WAVENEY and MOYOLA in North Atlantic.

                14th        Part of escort for Convoy HX229A during passage from St Johns, Newfoundland to UK.

                                Under heavy and sustained attacks by DRANGER and RAUBGRAF Groups of U-Boats

                                (See THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE

                                ATLANTIC HMSO and HITLERS U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)

                                (Note : .This was a most crucial series of attacks and the extent of losses of mercantiles in

                                convoy placed the whole system of convoy escort under intense examination.

                                See SEEK and STRIKE by W Hackmann and BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS

                                by J Terraine.)

 

April                       Deployed in support role with ships of Group to supplement the escort of Convoy ONS3

                                which was under threat of U-Boat attacks.

                18th        Because of earlier attacks made on other convoys and the support available from other

                                ships already deployed for this purpose no serious attack was made by the assembled U-Boat

                                Groups.

                28th        Deployed with Group in support of escort for Convoy SC128 which was under attack by

                                SPECH and AMSEL U-Boat Groups.

                                (For details of the defence of this convoy see above references.)

 

May                        Atlantic deployment with Group in continuation.

to                            (Note : By this time HF D/F radio direction finding outfits and improved centimetric radar

July                         equipment had been fitted in many North Atlantic escorts for detection of aircraft and

                                surfaced submarines See SEEK AND STRIKE and RADAR AT SEA).

 

August                  Took part in operations in Bay of Biscay and off Cape Finisterre with aircraft of RAF Coastal

                                Command to deny use of coastal waters by U- Boats during their passage to and from bases in

                                France

                                (Operations DERANGE and PERCUSSION – See THE BATTLE OVER THE BAY by N

                                Franks)

                                (Note : Under threat of Glider Bomb attacks which sank HM Sloop EGRET and badly damaged

                                HM Canadian Destroyer ATHABASCAN.).

 

September             Deployed with 37th Escort Group as escort for Convoy KMS27 in SW Approaches.

 

October                  Joined 39th Escort Group for Atlantic convoy defence.#

                                (Note : Other ships in Group included HM Sloops Frigate TAVY, HM Corvettes AZALEA,

                                BALSAM and MIGNONETTE.)

                                Deployed as part of escort for military Convoy MKS28 with ships of Group.

 

November              Future deployment under consideration due to age and poor record of operational availability.

                19th        Withdrawn from operational service and Paid off in Belfast.

 

December              Prepared for reduction to Reserve status.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  At Belfast awaiting transfer.

 

February                Passage to Hartlepool to lay-up in Reserve.

 

March                    Laid-up at Hartlepool.

 

April                       Nominated for service with 3rd .Submarine Flotilla after refit

 

May                        Taken in hand for refit to suit deployment as submarine target ship.

 

June                        Under refit.

to                            Re-commissioned for service.

August

 

September             Joined 3rd Submarine Squadron in Holy Loch.

 

October                  Deployed as target and escort in Clyde area during training exercises

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Deployment for submarine training in Clyde area in continuation.

to

August

 

P o s t    W a r    N o t e s

  

HMS HASTINGS remained in commission after VJ Day and continued duties in Clyde area with the 3rd Submarine Flotilla until February 1946. The ship again Paid off on 16th February and was placed on the Disposal List.  Sold to BISCO for demolition by West of Scotland Shipbreakers in April that year the ship arrived at the breaker’s yard at Troon on 10th April 1946.