H .  M .   S .   L O N D O N D E R R Y    ( L7 6 )

 

GRIMSBY-Class Sloop ordered from HM Dockyard Devonport on 1st March 1934 under the 1932 Programme and laid down on 11th June 1934. The ship was launched by Mrs Noble on 16th January 1935 as the 1st RN ship to carry the name. Build was completed on 20 September 1935 and she sailed for service in the Red Sea on 30th of that month. The ship remained in the Red Sea until 1938 when she transferred to the South African Station. In February 1939 she refitted at Simonstown and was re-armed with new design twin 4in mountings. On completion she remained in the South Atlantic until being transferred to Freetown after the outbreak of war. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in February 1942 this Sloop was adopted by the civil community of Londonderry, Ulster.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

ATLANTIC 1939-45 - NORTH SEA 1940 - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 - NORMANDY   1944 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1944-45

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field  White,.on a cross red,  a castle gold

 

M o t t o

Non recedam: 'No retreat'

 

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

 

1 9 3 9

 

September             On completion of post refit trials deployed in South

                                (Note : Particular attention was paid to enemy merchant attempting shipping back to

                                Germany and commerce raider became active

 

October

                11th        Transferred to Freetown and took passage from Simonstown.

                                On arrival deployed for local convoy escort and minesweeping.

                                (Note : The minesweeping task was later taken over by trawlers sent from UK) .

 

November              Nominated for transfer to Home waters for convoy defence.

                24th        Joined escort for Convoy SL10 on passage to Liverpool from Freetown.

 

December              Detached from convoy on arrival and took passage to Devonport for refit.

                                (Note : This was the first visit to UK since going to Red Sea in 1935.)

                12th        Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Devonport and prepared for convoy defence

                                with Rosyth Escort Force.

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Carried out Post refit trials.

to                            On completion took passage to Rosyth.

February                Joined Rosyth Escort Force1

                                (Note : The twin 4in HA armament made this type of sloop invaluable on this convoy

                                route which had been subject to air attacks since September 1939).

 

March                    Deployed for East Coast convoy defence..

to                            Not detached for support of evacuation operations in Channel area. Pennant Number for April

 

May                        Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to U76 .

                                (Note : This ship did not take part in the evacuation of allied troops and civilians

                                from Dunkirk and French Channel ports (Operation DYNAMO).)

                                East Coast convoy defence in continuation.

 

June                        Rosyth deployment in continuation.

to

November

 

December              Nominated for transfer to Western Approaches Command for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                Passage to Liverpool

                                Joined 1st AA Division based at Liverpool.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Deployed in NW Approaches for Atlantic convoy defence

to                            Newfoundland Command for service in western Atlantic.

April

 

May                        Passage to St Johns and deployed for convoy defence.

 

June                        Convoy defend based at St Johns in continuation.

                                Nominated for return to Home waters

 

July                         Passage to Londonderry to join Sloop Division.

                                Deployed for escort of convoys to and from Freetown in Western Approaches.

 

August                  Freetown route convoy defence in continuation.

to                            Deployed with 42nd Escort Group

October                  (Note : Other ships in Group were HM Sloops WESTON, FOLKESTONE, WELLINGTON

                                and HM Cutters (Ex US Navy) SENNEN and TOTLAND.)

 

November              Part of escort for Convoy OS12 with ships of Group.

 

December              Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

                                (Note : A modified RAF Air-Surface Vessel (ASV) radar was fitted by this period.

                                This early design save warning of aircraft and surface ships but was far from reliable.

                                See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse).

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Atlantic deployment in continuation as Senior Officer of Group

                                Joined Convoy SL93 as escort.

                31st         Under attack by U-Boats in defence of convoy during which HMS CULVER was sunk by

                                U105 west of Ireland.

 

February                Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

to                            (For details of Atlantic convoy defence and tactical enemy deployments see THE BATTLE

March                    OF THE ATLANTIC by D. Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO),

                                HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair, and SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)

                                Nominated for refit

 

April                       Under refit in commercial shipyard at Avonmouth.

to

June

 

July                         On completion of post refit trials rejoined Group for Atlantic convoy defence.

                                Deployed with Group for escort of Convoy SL115 to Freetown.

 

August                  Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

to                            Nominated for detached service in support of military convoys for allied landings

September             in North Africa (Operation TORCH - For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

                                CLOSELY by Corelli Barnett, Naval Staff History, RELUCTANT ENEMIES by W Tute

                                and for information about involvement of all mercantiles and warships BRITISH

                                INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)

                                (Note : Surface warning radar Type 271 had been fitted by this period and a new RN design

                                radar Type 291 replaced the earlier Type 286M)

                                For details of development and use of radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA.

                                A direction finding equipment for detection of wireless transmissions from

                                submarines was also fitted . See BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by J Terraine and

                                SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann).

 

October                  Detached for escort of convoys to Gibraltar

to

December

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Detached service based at Gibraltar in continuation.

                25th        Searched in Atlantic for missing HM Minelayer CORNCRAKE.

                                (Note : HMS CORNCRAKE (Ex HMS MACKEREL was a converted trawler and foundered

                                in rough weather conditions.)

                29th        Rejoined Escort Group to resume Atlantic convoy defence.

                30th        Sailed to join escort of Convoy HX224.

 

February                Deployed with escort for Convoy HX224.

                4th          Sustained major structural damage to stem due to the premature detonation of depth charges

                                during anti-submarine operations.

                                Towed to Londonderry for temporary repair depth

 

March

                12th        On completion of temporary repair towed to Devonport by tug HUDSON

                14th        Taken in hand for repair by HM Dockyard Devonport.

 

April                       Under repair

to                            An ahead throwing anti-submarine mortar (HEDGEHOG) was fitted.

October                  (See SEEK AND STRIKE).

                                Close range defence against air attack was increased to six 20mm Oerlikon guns.

                                Nominated for service in 39th Escort Croup.

                17th        Prepared for work-up.

                                Passage to Tobermory.

 

December              On completion of work-up joined Group at Londonderry.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Deployed with Group for defence of UK-Gibraltar route convoys.

 

February                Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

                5th          In collision with HM Trawler CAPE ARGONA without major damage.

 

March                    Atlantic convoy defence in continuation with Group.

to                            Nominated for transfer to 41st Escort Group at Plymouth

April

 

May                        Joined Group based at Plymouth for convoy defence in

                                Nominated for detached service in support of planned allied landings in Normandy.

                                (For details of activities prior to and during landings see OPERATION NEPTUNE

                                by K Edwards and LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO).)

 

June                        Passage to Portsmouth for escort of Trinity House Vessels with HM Sloops ROCHESTER

                                and SCARBOROUGH

                4th          Operation delayed 24 hours.

                5th          Deployed as escort for Trinity House Vessels.

                8th          On completion of Assault Phase deployed as Coastal Forces Control Ship off the beach

                                heads

                                (Note : These ships were responsible for direction of MTB’s off the beachheads to

                                intercept enemy craft attempting to carry out attacks on ships in the Task Force

                                areas. In addition also deployed for patrol and interception

                22nd       Under air attack by Ju88 without damage.

                                (Note : Enemy air activities had been reduced between 19th and 21st but had increased.

                                See LANDINGS IN NORMANDY.)

                27th        After termination of NEPTUNE rejoined Escort Group for deployment in Channel and

                                SW Approaches.

 

July                         Channel and SW Approaches deployment in continuation.

 

August                  Channel and SW Approaches convoy defence in continuation

to                            (Note : Enemy SCHNORKEL submarine attacks increased.

December              See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by Peter Smith and BUSINESS IN GREAT

                                WATERS by J Terraine.)

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Deployed in Channel with Group.

to                            (Note : Atlantic convoys were re-routed through Channel after air threat from the French

April                       coast had been removed.

                                Mining threat by E- Boats and U-Boats was more heavily carried out

                                Additional escorts were deployed in Channel to counter these.

                                Heavy U-Boat presence still existed in coastal waters. See above references).

 

May                        Withdrawn from operational service after VE Day.

                25th        Arrived At Milford Haven to Pay-off into Reserve.

 

June                        After reduction to Reserve status and de-storing laid up in Milford

 

July                         Laid-up in Reserve at Milford Haven.

to

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS LONDONDERRY was placed on the Disposal List after VJ-Day and sold in to BISCO in March 1948 for demolition by E Rees at Llanelly where she arrived in tow on 8th June 1948. In 1958 this name was carried forward for the second time when given to a ROTHESAY Class Frigate,.