H. M. S.  A U B R E T I A   ( K 9 6 )

 

FLOWER Class corvette ordered from G Brown of Greenock on 25th July 1939. She was laid down on 27th October that year and was launched on 5 September 1940 as the second RN warship to bear this name. It had been introduced in 1916 for a Sloop which served as a Q-Ship during WW1 (Q23) and was sold in 1922. Build of this ship was completed on 23rd December 1940. In November 1941 she was adopted by the civil community of Horsforth, Yorkshire after a very successful  WARSHIP WEEK National Savings Campaign which raised £241,000, over twice the target figure of £120,000 The population of this community in 1931 was 11,000.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1941-45 - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43 - SOUTH FRANCE 1944 - MEDITERRANEAN 1944

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

In common with other ships of this Class no details are recorded in

the Official List of Crests. As this ship name had previously been

been used, this is unusual, but the earlier Sloop had not seen

lengthy peace-time service.

 

S u m m a r y   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 0

 

December              Contractors trials and commissioning.

                23rd        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory to work-up for operational

                                service.

 

February                Joined 3rd Escort Group, Western Approaches Command based at Greenock for escort of

                                Atlantic convoys.

                                (Note: Other Ships deployed with this Group during 1941 included HM Destroyers

                                AMAZON, AMBUSCADE, BELMONT, BULLDOG, GEORGETOWN, HM

                                Corvette HEARTSEASE, Free French Corvettes ACONIT, ROSELYS and

                                RENONCULE. For details of Atlantic convoy defence see THE BATTLE OF THE

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

 

March                    Deployed with Group for Atlantic convoy defence.

to April

 

May                        Part of escort for Convoy OB318 with ships of Group.

                15th        Under attack by U110 which sank two ships in convoy from position outside the screen.

                                Carried out depth charge attacks with HMS BULLDOG and HMS BROADWAY after

                                sighting periscope which forced submarine to surface.

                                Submarine crew abandoned ship because of the extent of damage inflicted.

                                Ramming attack by HMS BULLDOG was called off when it was perceived that a boarding

                                attempt could be made.

                                The Boarding party retrieved the ENIGMA machine and documentation from U110.

                                HMS BULLDOG established tow but the submarine foundered during passage to Iceland,

                                (Note: Information recently made public suggests that this eventuality was foreseen and

                                standing orders to Senior Officers of Escort Groups required an attempt to be

                                made to board any submarine to obtain equipment and documentation relating to

                                German coding methods using the ENIGMA machine, if conditions allowed

                                For details of this most successful operation see BREAKING THE ENIGMA by

                                D Kahn and U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)

 

June                      

                8th          Deployed with HM Destroyers ASSINIBOINE (RCN), BULLDOG, HM Corvettes

                                ARROWHEAD (RCN), CARNATION, HOLLYHOCK, PRIMROSE and three anti-

                                submarine trawlers as escort for outward Convoy OB 331 during passage from Liverpool

                                to Halifax

                9th          HM Fleet Minesweepers BRITOMART, SALAMANDER and CAM ship ARIGUANI

                12th        Detached on relief by HM Sloops ABERDEEN, LONDONDERRY and HM Corvette

                                CAMELLIA and took passage to join inward Convoy SC33 as escort during passage to

                                Liverpool.

                15th        Joined SC33 as escort with HM Destroyer BULLDOG, HM Corvettes AUBRETIA,

                                CARNATION, HM Cutter BANFF, HM Fleet Minesweepers BRITOMART, SALAMANDER,

                                CAM ship ARIGUANI, and two anti submarine trawlers

                20th        Detached from SC33.

                                (Note : Fleet Minesweepers remained for Local Escort into Liverpool.)

 

July

                5th          Joined inward Convoy HX134 for Local Escort into Liverpool with HM Destroyer

                                BULLDOG.

                8th          Detached from HX134 before arrival at Liverpool.

                11th        Joined outward Convoy OB345 with HM Destroyers ARROW, BULLDOG, and

                                GEORGETOWN,destroyers ARROW, BULLDOG, and GEORGETOWN, HM Corvette

                                NIGELLA, and an anti submarine trawler ST APOLLO.

                16th        Detached from OB345 and took passage to join inward Convoy HX137 as escort during

                                passage into Liverpool..

                22nd       Detached from HX137 on arrival at Liverpool.

                28th        Joined outward Convoy ON2 with Polish destroyer ORP BURZA, HM Corvettes NIGELLA,

                                SNOWDROP, HM Fleet Minesweeper BIRTOMART, and three anti submarine trawlers as

                                escort during passage to dispersal point.

 

August

                2nd         Detached from ON2 on relief by Canadian escorts..

                15th        Joined outward Convoy ON7 with HM Destroyers AMAZON, BULLDOG, Polish ORP

                                BURZA, GEORGETOWN, HM Corvettes HEARTSEASE, NIGELLA, HM Fleet Minesweeper

                                BRITOMART, and four anti submarine trawlers

                                as escort during initial stage of passage from Liverpool to dispersal point in western Atlantic.

                22nd       Joined inward Convoy HX144 with HM Destroyers AMAZON, BELMONT, BULLDOG,

                                GEORGETOWN, SKATE, WESTCOTT, WHITEHALL,WITCH, HM Corvettes 

                                HEARTSEASE, minesweeper BRITOMART, and four anti submarine trawlers.

                28th        Detached from HX144 escort before arrival at Liverpool.

 

September

                4th          Joined outward Convoy ON12 as escort for initial stage of passage from Liverpool with

                                HM Destroyers AMAZON, AMBUSCADE, BELMONT, BULLDOG, Free French

                                Corvette ACONIT and HM Corvette NIGELLA,

                14th        Detached with escort on dispersal.

 

October                  Atlantic convoy defence with Group in continuation.

to                            (Note : Refit during this period to be confirmed.)

November.

 

December

                9th          Joined outward Convoy ON45 with HM Destroy WANDERER, HM Corvette HEARTSEASE

                                Free French Corvette ROSELYS, and three anti submarine trawlers as escort during passage

                                from Liverpool to dispersal point.

                16th        Detached on dispersal and took passage to join inward Convoy HC164 as escort during

                                passage into Liverpool.

                18th        Joined HX164 with Free French Corvette ROSELYS.

                22nd       Detached from HX164 before arrival in Liverpool.

 

1 9 4 2

 

January

                5th          Joined outward Convoy ON53 with HM Destroyer WANDERER, Free French corvettes

                                DAUPHIN, RENONCULE, ROSELYS. and HM Corvette VERVAIN to reinforce Local Escort

                                during passage from Liverpool.

                9th          Detached from ON53 with escort on relief by US Navy destroyers,

                11th        Joined escort for inward Convoy HX168

                13th        Detached from HX168.

 

February

                23rd        Joined outward Convoy OS20 with HM sloops HASTINGS, LONDONDERRY, HM Cutters

                                LANDGUARD, LULWORTH, HM Corvette SNOWDROP, Free French Corvette

                                COMMANDANTE DETROYAT as escort during passage to

                                Freetown.

 

March

                10th        Freetown Local Escort joined OS20.

                12th        Detached from OS20 with Local Escort and HMS SNOWDROP on arrival at Freetown.

                14th        Deployed with HM Destroyers BRILLIANT, WIVERN, HM Corvettes BURDOCK,

                                TAMARISK,and WALLFLOWER as Local Escort for outward Convoy SL103 during initial

                                stage of passage from Freetown to Liverpool.

                19th        Detached from SL103 with HMS TAMARISK

                                Joined inward Convoy OS21 with HM Destroyer WIVERN and HM Corvette TAMARISK

                                as Local Escort during passage into Freetown.

                24th        Detached from OS21 with escort on arrival at Freetown

 

April                       Atlantic Convoy defence based at Freetown in continuation

to                            Nominated for support of planned allied landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH)

September            

 

October                  Passage to Gibraltar for escort of assault convoys.

                                (Note : Ship may have been part of escort for military convoy during Atlantic passage.)

 

November              Deployed at Gibraltar.

                                Preparation and briefing for TORCH duties

                8th          Part of escort for assault convoy.

                                On completion deployed for escort of follow-up convoys.

 

December              Deployed for escort at Gibraltar for coastal traffic and patrol off Gibraltar.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Mediterranean convoy escort and patrol in continuation.

to June                   Nominated for transfer to 41st Escort Group.

 

July                         Deployed with HM Sloops BIDEFORD, FLEETWOOD, HM Cutter BANFF,

to December          HM Frigates ODZANI, BARLE, HM Corvettes CYCLAMEN and STONECROP

                                for defence of convoys during Atlantic passage to and from Freetown.

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Atlantic convoy defence in continuation

to April

 

May                        Deployed at Gibraltar for patrol and convoy defence.

                15th        Carried out search with HM Patrol Vessel KILMARNOCK and HM Trawler

                                BLACKFLY for submarine detected by US Navy CATALINA aircraft using

                                MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detection) equipment.

                                Took part in depth charge and HEDGEHOG mortar attacks on U731 in position

                                35.54N 05.45W, north of Cape Spartel in Straits of Gibraltar.

                                Submarine was sunk with no survivors.

 

June                        Mediterranean area deployment in continuation.

                                Nominated for convoy escort during planned landings in South France.

                                (Operation DRAGOON – formerly ANVIL)

 

July                         Passage to Taranto and preparation for landings

                                Briefing for DRAGOON at Taranto and allocated for escort of Convoy TM1

                                (Note: RN Ships were under overall US Navy Command, For details see

                                INVASION OF THE SOUTH FRANCE (HMSO) and Naval Staff History.

                                Only one other Corvette HMS COLUMBINE took part.)

 

August                  Deployed at Taranto

                10th        Sailed as escort for Convoy TM1 with HM Escort Destroyer FARNDALE,

                                HM Corvette COLUMBINE, Free French destroyers TEMPETE, L’ALCYON,

                                Escorteurs SOMALI, TUNISIEN, Escort Sloops LA MOQUEUSE, LA GRACIEUSE.

                                LA BOUDEUESE, COMMANDANT DELAGE, COMMANDANT BORY and

                                COMMANDANT DOMINE during passage to Assembly Area for landings.

                                (Note: Convoy Route 2 was used and speed required was 7 ½ knots.

                                Convoy comprised 40 mercantiles carrying stores and equipment.)

                16th        Arrived in Assembly area with TM1.

 

September             Deployed for convoy defence in western Mediterranean.

to October             On release from DRAGOON reverted to RN control.

 

November              Convoy escort deployment in continuation.

to December

 

1 9 4 5

 

 January                 Convoy escort and patrol in continuation.

to April                  (Note: In view of the award of Battle Honour ATLANTIC 1941-45 it may

                                be assumed that the ship remained in Western Approaches Command

                                and was deployed in defence of attacks by SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats

                                which were concentrating on convoys in coastal waters of UK.

                                See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith, HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR

                                by C Blair. U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO) and ENGAGE

                                THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY BY C Barnett.

                                This period is insufficiently researched.)

 

May                        Nominated for reduction to Reserve status after VE Day.

to August              Paid-off and de-stored prior to lay-up.

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS AUBRETIA was placed on the Disposal List by 1947 and sold in 1948 to a Norwegian shipping company for use as a mercantile. Renamed ARNFINN BERGAN she remained in service until December 1966 when sold for breaking-up in Norway.