H .  M .  S .   W E L L I N G T O N   ( L 6 5 )

 

GRIMSBY-Class Sloop ordered from HM Dockyard Devonport on 1st May 1933 under the 1932 Programme and laid down on 25th September 1933. The ship was launched by Lady Fullerton on 29th toy 1934 as the 6th RN ship to carry the name which was first used for a Prize (ORESTE) taken in 1810. Build was completed on 24 January 1935 and she sailed for New Zealand Station the next month. She remained in the Pacific area until the outbreak of war in 1939. This sloop was named after the capital city of New Zealand, unlike her sister ships which carried the names of UK seaside towns. In March 1942 following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign this ship was adopted by the civil community of Wellington, Somerset.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC  1939-45

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field White.a Dolphin Blue and Gold over a Mural Crown Gold.

 

M o t t o

Suprema ut olim  :   'Supreme as ever'

 

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

 

1 9 3 9

 

September

                3rd          Transferred from New Zealand Division for deployment at Singapore.

                19th        On arrival deployed for interception of German shipping in Malacca Straits.

 

October                  Patrol duties based at Penang in continuation.

                                Nominated for return to UK.

 

November              Took passage via Red Sea.

 

December

                9th          On arrival at Gibraltar to collect convoy at Freetown.

                                Passage to Freetown.

                                Deployed as escort for inward Convoy SL13 during passage to Liverpool

                                (Note : For details of dates of all convoy passages see ALLIED CONVOY SYSTEM IN

                                WW2 by A Hague.)

 

1 9 4 0

 

January                  Nominated for refit on arrival in UK.

                9th          Taken in hand for refit at Cardiff to prepare for service in Western Approaches

 

February                On completion of post refit trials deployed with1st Escort Division based at Plymouth

                                for escort of UK - Gibraltar route convoys in Channel and SW Approaches.

 

 

March                    Local Escort of Atlantic convoys in continuation

to

April

 

May                        Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to U65

                                Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

 

June

                10th        Detached to assist with evacuation from Le Havre (Operation CYCLE).

                                Transferred to Liverpool after use of English Channel for Atlantic convoys

                                was discontinued.

 

July                         Resumed convoy defence duties on completion of CYCLE.

to                            (For details of convoy defence and enemy tactics see THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC

September             by D Macintyre and U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO).)

 

October                  Escorted outward Convoy CG44 with HM Armed Merchant Cruiser PRETORIA CASTLE.

                                Threat of attack by German destroyers covered by deployment of destroyers of 5th

                                Flotilla in SW Approaches.

                                (See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith)

 

November              Damaged in collision with ss SARASTONE during escort of Convoy HX43.

                                Under repair in commercial shipyard at Liverpool.

 

December              On completion resumed Atlantic convoy defence.

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

to

September

 

October                  Transferred to 42nd Escort Group based at Londonderry.

                                Deployed for escort of outward OS Series to West Africa and inward return convoys to

                                Liverpool.

                                Part of escort for return Convoy SL39 with ships of Group.

 

November              Deployed as part of escort for outward Convoy OS12 with ships of Group.

 

December              Freetown route convoy defence in continuation.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Freetown route convoy defence in continuation,

to                            Nominated for refit

February

 

March                    Taken in hand for refit at commercial shipyard in Belfast.

 

April                       Under refit.

to                            (Note :Surface warning radar Type 271 radar and HF D/F direction finding outfit fitted for

June                        of wireless signals from U-Boats.

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

                                D Howse and for convoy defence details see SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.)

 

July                         On completion of post refit trials resumed Free route duties.

 

August                  Convoy defence in continuation.

to                            Nominated for defence of military convoys to Gibraltar prior to allied landings

October                  in North Africa.

                                (Operation TORCH - For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MDRE CLOSELY

                                by Corelli Barnett, Naval Staff History and for information about all mercantiles and warships

                                involved BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.).

 

November              Detached for escort of troop convoys.

 

December              Deployed for escort of KMF/MKF series convoys in support of North African operations.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Gibraltar route convoy defence in continuation

to                            (For details of improved weapons and tactics see SEEK AND STRIKE).

March

 

April                       Deployed for Atlantic convoy escort with 44th Escort Group.

                16th        Joined joint military convoy KMF13 to Gibraltar and WS29 to Freetown with HM Destroyer

                                RAPID, VENOMOUS, LAUDERDALE, HM Sloop WESTON, HM Cutters GORLESTON ,

                                TOTLAND,, HM Frigates EXE and NESS as escort during passage in NW Approaches.

                20th        Detached from joint convoy when it divided into two sections for. onward passages and

                                continued convoy defence duties in NW Approaches.

                                (Note : HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE was deployed as Ocean Escort.)

                                Return passage to Clyde

 

May                        Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.

                19th        Joined HM Destroyers ACTIVE, CLEVELAND, BOADICEA, Polish destroyer ORP SLAZAK,

                                HM Sloops LOWESTOFT, WESTON, HM Frigates EXE , NESS, HM Cutters GORLESTON and

                                TOTLAND as escort for joint military convoy KMF15 to Gibraltar and Convoy WS30 to

                                Freetown.

                                (Note : HM Cruiser SUFFOLK, HM Aircraft Carrier UNICORN and HM Armed Merchant

                                Cruiser ASTURIAS were deployed as Ocean Escort for this joint convoy.)

                25th        Detached from joint convoy when it divided into two sections for onward passage and

                                returned to Clyde.

 

June                        Atlantic convoy defence in continuation

 

July                         Transferred to Freetown for escort of local convoys

 

August                  Freetown local convoy defence in continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Freetown local convoy defence in continuation.

to March

 

April                       Nominated for refit at Bermuda

 

May                        Passage to Bermuda for refit.

 

June                        Under refit in HM Dockyard, Bermuda.

to July

 

August                  Took passage to UK for completion of refit work.

                                Refit work at Commercial shipyard in Clyde

 

September             On completion of refit carried out post refit trials.

                                Resumed operational service and took passage to Freetown.

 

October                  Joined 55th Escort Group at Freetown.

 

November              Deployed on escort of West African coastal convoys.

to December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Transferred with Group to Gibraltar for escort of Gibraltar-UK route convoys.

 

February                Atlantic convoy defence based at Gibraltar in continuation.

to                            (Note : Atlantic convoys were re-routed via English Channel.).

April

 

May                        After VE Day nominated for reduction to Reserve.

12th        Accepted surrender of U541 at Gibraltar.

                                Nominated for return to UK to Pay-off.

 

June                        Passage to UK to pay off.

 

July                         Paid off, de-stored and reduced to Reserve status

 

August                  Laid up at Milford Haven.

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS WELLINGTON was placed on the Disposal List after VJ Day and sold to The Honourable Company of Master Mariners for use as a floating Livery Hall. After conversion involving removal of machinery the ship was moored in London on the Thames Embankment .