Russian Convoy Club of New Zealand
New Zealand

Veterans of the Arctic Convoys 1941-1945

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For your personal copy of
"The Worst Journey in the World"
a moving commemorative visit by sea
of Arctic Convoy veterans
to Murmansk during 2010
click here to order by mail







 
Members' Ship Details

 Ships from the following countries participated in the convoys:

Navies:
 
  The White Ensign of the Royal Navy. Image:British-Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary-Ensign.svg          
Great Britain
(Royal Navy)		 Great Britain
(Royal Fleet Auxiliary)		 Canada France Norway Poland Russia USA

Merchant Navies:
 
           
Great Britain
(Merchant Navy)		 Belgium Canada France Honduras Netherlands Norway Panama
           
          Poland Russia USA

Members of the Russian Convoy Club of New Zealand served on the following ships:

HMS Activity; HMS Anson; HMS Apollo; SS Atlantic; HMS Bahamas; HMS Belfast; HMS Bermuda; HMS Berwick; HMS Black Prince; HMS Bluebell; HMS Byron; HMS Caesar; SS Cape Race; HMS Caprice; HMS Chiltern; HMS Dasher; HMS Diadem; SS Dolabella; HMS Drury; HMS Duke of York; HMS Echo; SS El Almirante; SS Eldena; SS Elona; SS Empire Beaumont; SS Empire Galliard; SS Empire Garrick; HMS Forester; HMS Furious; HMS Glasgow; HMS Goodall; SS Harmatris; HMS Howe; HMS Implacable; SS Induna; HMS Jamaica; HMS Javelin; HMS Kent; HMS Kenya; HMS Keppel; HMS King George V; RFA Laurelwood; HMS Loch Insh; HMS Loch Killin; HMS London; HMS Lookout; HMS Magpie; HMS Malcolm; HMS Musketeer; HMS Nabob; HMS Nelson; HMS Nigeria; HMS Norfolk; HMS Obedient; SS Ocean Freedom; HMS Offa; HMS Onslaught; HMS Onslow; HMS Palomares; HMS Queen; HMS Renown; HMS Rodney; SS Samgara; SS San Ambrosio; HMS Sheffield; HMS Speedwell; HMS Speedy; HMS Striker; HMS Suffolk; HMS Tartar; HMS Tracker; HMS Trinidad; HMS Victorious; HMS Vindex; HMS Volage; HMS Wakeful; and HMS Zealous

The ships' badges and mottos detailed below have been kindly provided by Ed Buscall  FCWEA (ADC)  RN Ret'd and are used on this site with permission.

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Activity (D94)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Len Burton, Palmerston North (deceased)

  

HMS Activity was an escort aircraft carrier that served with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom during World War II. She was built at Caledon shipyards in Dundee. When construction started in 1940 she was intended to become the merchant ship Telemachus for the Alfred Holt Line. However, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and converted to an escort carrier, entering service at the end of 1942. Activity operated initially as a flight training carrier during 1943, then taking part in convoy escort duties in the North Atlantic and Arctic theatres in 1944. She was used in Arctic convoys as British construction was deemed more durable in the extreme cold than American welded vessels. In April 1944 her aircraft, together with those from HMS Tracker were responsible for the sinking of U-boat U-288, during convoy JW-58.

Later in 1944 she was used as a ferry carrier, transporting aircraft, personnel and supplies to and from the Far East, until and immediately after the end of the war. After returning to the UK for the final time as a military ship in October 1945 she was decommissioned and placed in the reserve fleet. Activity was sold in April 1946 and converted to the merchant ship Breconshire of the Glen Lines. She was finally scrapped in Japan in 1967.

HMS Activity sailed in convoys: JW58 + RA58 + RA59

Badge date: 1943
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Anson (79)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Kenneth Johnson, Tauranga (deceased)

   anson.jpg

Details of HMS Anson are available at the ship's website: www.hmsanson.co.uk

HMS Anson sailed in convoys: PQ18 + QP14 + JW51B + JW52 + JW54A + JW54B + RA52 + RA54A + RA54B

Motto: "Nil Desperandum" "Never Despair". Badge date: 1937.
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Apollo (M01)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Stan Welch, Paraparaumu

  

HMS Apollo (M01/N01) was an Abdiel-class mine layer of the British Royal Navy, the eighth Royal Navy ship to carry the name. She served with the Home Fleet during World War II, taking part in the Normandy Landings before being transferred to the British Pacific Fleet. Put into reserve in 1946, she was recommissioned in 1951, serving until 1961, and was sold for scrapping in 1962.

Name: HMS Apollo. Namesake: Apollo. Ordered: 1940. Builder: Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn. Laid down: 10 October 1941. Launched: 5 April 1943. Completed: 12 February 1944. Commissioned: 1944. Decommissioned: 1946. Recommissioned: 1951. Decommissioned: 1961. Fate: Sold for scrapping 1962. Class and type: Abdiel-class minelayer. Displacement: 2,650 long tons (2,693 t) standard. 4,000 long tons (4,064 t) full load. Length: 418 ft (127 m). Beam: 40 ft (12 m). Draught: 16 ft (4.9 m). Propulsion: 4 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers. Geared turbines 2 shafts 72,000 shp (53,690 kW). Speed: 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph). Range: 1,000 nmi (1,900 km) at 38 kn (70 km/h; 44 mph). Complement: 242. Armament: 4 × 4 in (100 mm) AA guns (2×2), 4 × Bofors 40 mm guns (2×2), 12 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannons (6×2), 160 × Naval mines.

In 1944, HMS Apollo was commissioned after sea trials in February 1944. Apollo joined the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow before setting out for Plymouth for mine laying operations in support of the planned invasion of France. Loading mines at Milford Haven she commenced a series of operations off the French coast of Brittany between Ushant and Île Vierge.

She was detached for duty in "Operation Neptune" and on 7 June 1944 (D-Day+1) she embarked Allied Supreme Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Naval Commander in Chief Admiral Bertram Ramsay, and staff officers from SHAEF, to visit the assault areas. Unfortunately the minelayer grounded while underway, damaging her propellers, and her passengers were transferred to the destroyer Undaunted.

Apollo took passage to Sheerness and then to the Tyne for repairs, which were completed in September. The ship was then transferred to Western Approaches Command, and deployed in the South-Western Approaches laying deep trap minefields as a countermeasure to U-boat activities in inshore waters. With minelayer HMS Plover she laid more than 1,200 Mk XVII moored mines across the coastal convoy route along the north coast of Cornwall. She started on 29 November 1944 with minefield "HW A1" (this minefield was later fatal to the submarine U-325). On 3 December 1944 she laid minefield "HW A3" east of "HW A1". (This minefield was later fatal to the submarine U-1021).

On 24 December she was transferred to the Home Fleet for mine laying duty off Norway, operating off Utsira during January, accompanied by the destroyers Zealous and Carron. On 15 January 1945 she returned to the Western Approaches for mine laying in the Irish Sea. On 13 April Apollo rejoined the Home Fleet for a mine laying operations in the Russian Kola Inlet ("Operation Trammel") as part of "Force 5" with destroyers Opportune, Orwell and Obedient, rejoining the Home Fleet in May.

After the end of the war in Europe, Apollo sailed to Oslo in company with sister ship Ariadne and heavy cruiser Devonshire, returning the Norwegian Government-in-Exile and Crown Prince Olav. On her return Apollo prepared for service with the British Pacific Fleet, departing from Portsmouth at the end of June. After exercises with the Mediterranean Fleet at Malta in July, she finally arrived at Melbourne on 1 August, by which time her services were no longer required, as the Japanese surrendered on the 15 August. Post-war Apollo was then employed in repatriation work carrying former British prisoners of war to Shanghai for passage back to the United Kingdom. She also carried mail and stores to ships and establishments in the Pacific, including the British Fleet Base at Manus, Shanghai, various Japanese ports and Hong Kong. In mid-1946 Apollo returned to Chatham and was paid off into Reserve. In 1948 her pennant number was changed from M01 to N01.

Apollo was recommissioned in 1951 after the outbreak of the Korean War. Following a refit she joined the Home Fleet and remained in commission for the next ten years. She was paid off and returned to the Reserve in 1961, was put on the Disposal List the next year, and sold for breaking-up by Hughes Bolckow at Blyth Northumberland where she arrived in November 1962.

HMS Apollo sailed in convoys: As a mine layer, HMS Apollo preceded Convoy JW66 to lay mines off Kola Inlet.

Motto: "Fortis et Benignus" "Strong and Merciful".
 

SS Atlantic
RCCNZ Member who served on this ship: Sydney Simpson, Bulls (deceased)




Built in 1939, and owned by W. H. Cockerline & Co. of Hull, the SS Atlantic weighed 5414 tons.

SS Atlantic sailed in convoys: PQ1 + PQ9 + PQ16 + QP2 + QP8 + QP13 + JW52 + JW53 + RA54b
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Bahamas (K503)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Richard Ray (deceased)
 


Built as Hotham (PF-75), originally PG--183, under Maritime Commission contract by Walsh-Kaiser Co. Inc., Providence, Rhode Island. Intended for use by the United Kingdom, she was reclassified PF-75 15 April 1943, renamed HMS Bahamas, and launched 17 August 1943 with Mrs James A. Gallagher as sponsor. HMS Bahamas was then completed and transferred to the United Kingdom under lend-lease on 6 December 1943 as part of the 21-ship "Colony" class. She served as a patrol and escort craft until being returned to the United States 11 June 1946. The frigate was sold to John J. Duane Co., Quincy, Mass., 16 December 1947 and scrapped.

HMS Bahamas sailed in convoys: JW62 + RA62

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Belfast (C35)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Frank Jones, Lower Hutt

  

HMS Belfast, is one of the two ships forming the final sub-class of the Royal Navy's Town-class cruisers, the other being HMS Edinburgh. Belfast is now a museum ship in London. The Town class cruisers were constrained to less than 10,000 tons by the Washington Naval Treaty. The original design included quadruple 6-inch gun mountings, but, due to problems with construction, improved versions of the triple mountings fitted to the earlier ships of the class were fitted instead. These were lighter than those planned, and the weight saved was used to improve the ship's armour and anti-aircraft defences.

Belfast was launched on St Patrick's Day in 1938 at Harland and Wolff Shipyard in Belfast by Anne de Vere Cole, the wife of the then prime minister, Neville Chamberlain. At that time, the budgeted overall cost of the ship was £2,141,514, of which £75,000 was for the guns and £66,500 for aircraft. She was commissioned in August 1939 under the command of Captain G A Scott DSO and assigned to the 18th Cruiser Squadron.

At the start of the Second World War the 18th Cruiser Squadron was part of the British effort to impose a naval blockade on Germany. As part of this squadron, Belfast intercepted the German liner Cap Norte on 9 October 1939 as the liner was trying to return to Germany disguised as a neutral ship. At around 1:00 a.m. on 21 November 1939 she was seriously damaged as she left the Firth of Forth, with twenty-one men injured, by a magnetic mine laid on 4 November by the German submarine U-21 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Fritz Frauenheim[1]. The mine broke the keel and wrecked the hull and machinery to such an extent that repairs at Devonport took nearly three years. She returned to service in the Home Fleet in November 1942 under the command of Captain Frederick Parham. Improvements had been made to the ship during repairs, notably bulged amidships to improve her stability and fitting the latest radar and fire control; her displacement had risen from 11,175 to 11,553 tons, making her Britain's heaviest cruiser.

She was made flagship of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, under Rear-Admiral Robert Burnett, in which capacity she provided cover for Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union. On 26 December 1943, in what became the Battle of North Cape, the cruiser squadron, consisting of Norfolk, Belfast and Sheffield, encountered the German Gneisenau class battle cruiser Scharnhorst, and with the battleship HMS Duke of York subsequently sank her. Belfast was part of the escort force in Operation Tungsten in March 1944, a large carrier-launched air-strike against the Tirpitz, at that stage the last surviving German heavy warship, moored at Altenfjord in northern Norway. Tirpitz was hit by fifteen bombs and severely damaged, but not destroyed. In June 1944 she took part in the bombardment of enemy positions at the beginning of Operation Neptune, the landing phase of the D-Day landings, as flagship of bombardment Force E. Part of the Eastern Naval Task Force, with responsibility for supporting the British and Canadian assaults on Gold and Juno beaches, Belfast was one of the first ships to fire on German positions at 5:30 a.m. on 6 June 1944,

Belfast was almost continuously in action for the next five weeks, firing thousands of rounds from her 6– and 4–inch batteries in support of troops until the battlefront moved out of range inland. Her final salvo in the European war was fired on 8 July during Operation Charnwood, the battle to capture Caen, when she engaged German positions together with the battleship HMS Rodney and the monitor HMS Roberts. Two days later she returned to Devonport for a short refit for service in the Far East, and joined Operation Zipper, which was intended to expel the Japanese from Malaya but turned into a relief operation following the Japanese surrender.

During the last days of the war in Europe she was spotted in the North Sea by a German submarine without noticing the enemy vessel. The German commander decided not to fire, as the war was almost over. Belfast served in the Korean War, supporting United Nations land forces by naval bombardment. In July 1952 she was hit by a Communist battery, killing one man and wounding four. Between 1959-62 the ship operated in the Far East on exercises and "showed the flag". In December 1961 she provided the British guard of honour at Dar-es-Salaam during the Tanganyika independence ceremony.

The ship left Singapore on 26 March 1962 for the UK where she made a final visit to Belfast and after an exercise in Mediterranean was paid off on 24 August 1963. Following a campaign led by Rear-Admiral Sir Morgan Morgan-Giles DSO OBE CM, a former captain of the ship, she was brought to London to become a museum ship and was first opened to the public on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1971. A documentary of this ship was featured on The History Channel's Heavy Metal in 2003.

HMS Belfast sailed in convoys: JW53 + JW54b + JW55a + JW55b + RA53 + RA54a + RA54b + RA55a

Motto: "Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamus" "We Give As Good As We Get". Badge date: 1937.

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Bermuda (C52)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Alan McLauchlan (deceased); Arch Jelley, Auckland; Dugald McKenzie, Blenheim; Maurice Newman OBE DSC (deceased); and Louis McCleary (deceased)

  

HMS Bermuda (C52) was a Crown Colony class cruiser of the British Royal Navy during the mid-20th century. She was named for the British territory of Bermuda, and was the eighth vessel to be so. The first was a Bermuda sloop, purchased in 1795. The 555 foot long Bermuda was built by the John Brown Shipbuilders on the River Clyde and launched on September 11, 1941. In the same year, the class ship, 'Fiji', was sunk while participating in the evacuation of Crete, and the Bermuda would be the final ship of the class.

Through 1942, the Bermuda would participate in the North Africa campaign, including Operation Torch. The following year she would serve in both the Atlantic and Arctic. In 1945, the Bermuda was deployed to the Pacific. Following the war, the Bermuda continued her service. In 1953, she assisted the Greek island of Zakynthos when it was struck by a severe earthquake. Greek officials would later comment, "we Greeks have a long-standing tradition with the Royal Navy and it lived up to every expectation in its infallible tradition of always being the first to help". The Bermuda was decommissioned in 1962, after only 21 years in service.

The Bermuda made several visits to her namesake, where she was presented with a number of silver objects, including a large bell - which was occasionally used as a font for Holy Water in the baptism of children of the crew - and four bugles. Two of the bugles later found their way into The Bermuda Regiment. Apart from the bell and the bugles, which were collected together by the Bermuda Maritime Museum at the former Bermuda Dockyard, the other items went missing following the ship's decommissioning.

HMS Bermuda sailed in convoys: JW52 + JW54a + JW54b + JW56a + JW56b + RA51 + RA52 + RA54b + RA56

Motto: "Coeur de Lion" " Lionheart".  Badge date: 1942
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Berwick (65)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Derek Whitwam, Lower Hutt

   HMS Berwick

HMS Berwick, a Royal Navy Kent class - one of the subclasses of the County class heavy cruiser - was built by Fairfield & Company, Govan, Glasgow with the keel laid down on 15 September 1924. She was launched on 30 March 1926 and completed on 15 February 1928.

At the outbreak of the Second World War HMS Berwick was flagship 8th Cruiser Squadron, America and West Indies Station. She departed Bermuda on 7 November 1939 and arrived at Portsmouth on 14 November to join the 1st Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet, during January 1940. On 2 March, the German merchant ship Wolfsburg was intercepted off Iceland by HMS Berwick. The Wolfsburg scuttled herself and Berwick had to sink the wreck. On 6 March 1940, Berwick intercepted the Uruguay off Iceland which also scuttled and was sunk by Berwick's gunfire. Then, during April 1940, Berwick took part in the operations connected with the Norway Campaign. When it was decided to send British forces to Iceland, a Royal Marine battalion was embarked on 7 May 1940 at Greenock  in Berwick and Glasgow, and was landed at Reykjavik on the morning of 10 May 1940 (Operation "Fork").

After other minor operations with the Home Fleet, HMS Berwick left the Clyde on 1 November 1940 for the Mediterranean arriving at Malta on 10 November where she disembarked troops from England. On the way she took part in Operation "Crack", a Fleet Air Arm attack on Cagliari. On 11 November 1940, Berwick escorted the carrier Illustrious in the successful raid against the Italian battle fleet in Taranto Harbour. Later, she also escorted convoys between Egypt and Greece. On 27 November she took part in the action between the Mediterranean and Italian fleets off Spartivento, Sardinia during which she received two direct hits from 8-inch guns (the first with seven dead and nine wounded, and the second which exploded in the Officer's quarters) and was out of action for about three weeks while undergoing temporary repairs in Gibraltar.

On 21 December 1940, Berwick departed Gibraltar to meet and escort Convoy WS5A towards the Cape. This was the convoy that was attacked on the morning of Christmas Day by the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper. The convoy scattered and only one transport, the Empire Trooper, was damaged and took refuge in the Azores. During action with the Admiral Hipper, HMS Berwick received four hits, one putting an 8-inch turret gun and one 4-inch anti-aircraft gun out of action. The Berwick was detached from the convoy and returned to Gibraltar on 31 December 1940. repairs were carried out at Portsmouth and Rosyth until the end of July 1941, at which point she rejoined the Home Fleet. Further repairs were necessary in the autumn.

On 31 February 1942 the Admiral Scheer (pocket battleship) and Prinz Eugen (8-inch cruiser) were reported by aircraft off Jutland steering north. The Commander in Chief, Home Feet, had left Hvalfiord two days earlier with the King George V, Berwick and aircraft carrier Victorious intending to make an air attack on shipping at Tromso. He sent the Victorious, with the Berwick and four destroyers, to a point 100 miles off Stadlandlet to launch a striking force but the enemy were not brought into action due to bad weather and snow squalls prevailing. After various patrols in the Denmark Strait, Berwick assisted in providing carrier cover for the Russian Convoy JW51A which left Loch Ewe on 15 December 1942 and arrived complete in the Kola Inlet on 25 December and later for convoys RA51 and JW53 in December 1942 and February 1943 respectively. Further Denmark Strait patrols followed.

On 7 July 1943, the Home Fleet left Scapa Flow for a demonstration off the coast of Norway (Operation "Camera") so as to distract the enemy and pin its forces during the invasion of Sicily (Operation "Husky") which was about to begin. The cruisers Norfolk and Berwick left Iceland on 6 July to cooperate in this demonstration, returning there on 10 July 1943. On 24 February 1944 Berwick left Scapa Flow to provide covering force for the North Russian convoy JW57 and in March for the returning convoy RA57. On the evening of 3 May, the Berwick left Scapa for another Home Fleet operation "Croquet", an air strike off Norway by aircraft from HMS Furious and Searcher. This operation was delayed twenty four hours owing to unsuitable weather. Two merchant vessels were destroyed, one tanker hit, one ship and one escort vessel damaged. Another successful Home Fleet operation "Lombard" and air strike in the Aalesund area took place on 1 June 1944.

Between 22 and 29 August 1944 the Berwick again assisted as covering force for Operation "Goodwood", an air carrier operation against the Tirpitz which coincided with the passage of the Russian convoy JW59.  For the voyage of the Prime Minister and his staff from the Clyde to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the Allied Conference at Quebec, the cruiser Kent left Scapa on 4 September 1944 to provide fast cover for the passage of RMS Queen Mary (Operation "Octagon"). The Kent escorted her as far as the Azores, when the Berwick, having refuelled there, continued the escort to Halifax.

From 1 November 1944, HMS Berwick participated in Convoy JW61A. Two liners Scythia and Empress of Australia sailed from Liverpool on 31 October 1944 carrying 10,213 Soviet nationals - 10,139 men, 30 women and 44 boys. Meantime, Berwick was in Rosyth welcoming on board a contingent of Norwegian soldiers who were to assist in the liberation of Norway. They were farewelled by HRH Crown Prince Olaf. The escort which consisted of HMS Berwick, the aircraft carrier HMS Campania and Fleet destroyers HMS Cambrian, HMS Caprice, HMS Cassandra, HMS Saumarez, HMS Savage, HMS Scorpion, HMS Scourge, HMS Serapis, HMS Beagle, HMS Cygnet, HMS Westcott and HMS Nene made rendezvous with the liners on 2 November 1944 and reached Kola Inlet on 6 November 1944 (the latter four being local escorts around coastal Britain, but not proceeding to the fast convoy). The Norwegian troops disembarked with the good wishes of HMS Berwick's crew. After all, due to some indisposition they had sacrificed their rum rations on several occasions - it wasn't wasted!!!  The convoy returned as Convoy RA61A leaving Kola Inlet on 11 November 1944, arriving in the Clyde on 17 November 1944. Convoy RA61A consisted of HMS Berwick, the aircraft carrier HMS Campania and Fleet destroyers HMS Cambrian, HMS Caprice, HMS Cassandra, HMS Saumarez, HMS Savage, HMS Scorpion, HMS Scourge and HMS Serapis.

On the night of 28-29 January 1945 another operation against enemy shipping off the Norwegian coast was conducted with success. Immediately after the armistice in Europe, Berwick was among the ships departed Scapa Flow (on 16 May 1945) and went to Trondheim to encourage the local population. In order to avoid unnecessary depletion of stocks, she left Trondheim on 24 May for Rosyth. The immediate post-armistice period brought heavy demands for trooping, and on 29 May 1945 Berwick, with Norfolk, took troops to Bergen and Trondheim. On 12 June 1945, Berwick left Greenock with the destroyer Zebra with stores and relief for the garrison in Iceland, arriving at Advent Fiord on 16 May. She then proceeded to Reyjavik to embark special stores, leaving on 22 June and arriving at Portsmouth on 27 June 1945. She continued these trooping duties for several months after hostilities ended. After the war she was allocated to BISCO for scrapping on 15 June 1948 and arrived at Hughes Bolkow, Blyth, on 12 July 1948 for breaking up.

Battle honours: Atlantic (1939); Norway (1940); Spartivento (1940); Arctic (1941-1944).

HMS Berwick sailed in convoys: PQ4 + PQ12 + JW51a + JW53 + JW56a + JW56b + JW57 + JW61a + RA56 + RA61a

Motto: "Victoria Gloria Merces" " Victory and Glory are the Reward". Badge date: 1924

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Black Prince (81)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: George Gosling (deceased)

  

An "Improved Dido" class cruiser built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast. Launched 27 August 1942 and completed 20 November 1943. Took part in naval bombardment in support of assault landings on "Utah" beachhead June, 1944. Proceeded to Mediterranean to join "Task Force 84" covering US landings in South France. Transferred to Eastern Fleet in October, 1944 after operations in the Aegean. Returned to the UK and paid off into reserve in 1947. Loaned to Royal New Zealand Navy in 1948 where she remained until 1962. Sold for breaking up in Japan in March, 1962.
 
Sailed in convoys JW57 + RA57

Motto: "With High Courage". Badge date: 1943
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Bluebell (K80)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Chris King, Wellington

   

HMS Bluebell was a Flower-class corvette of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, launched 24 April 1940, in service by October 1940. Commander: (Lt G.H. Walker, RNVR, DSC) She served in World War II and was lost to a torpedo from U-711 in the Kola Inlet on 17 February 1945 on position 69.36N, 35.29E while on escort duty with convoy RA-64. There was only one survivor.

HMS Bluebell sailed in convoys: PQ18 + QP15 + JW53 + JW57 + JW58 + JW59 + JW64 + RA57 + RA58 + RA59a + RA64

Motto: "Ring true". Badge date: 1921
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Byron (K508)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Thomas Grainger, Tauranga



HMS Byron was a Captain class (Type 2) frigate with pennant number K508. The vessel was commissioned on 30 October 1943 and was returned to the US Navy on 24 November 1945 and later scrapped.

HMS Byron sailed in convoys: JW57 + JW61 + RA61

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Caesar (R07)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: David Christison, Lower Hutt

  

HMS Caesar was launched on 14 February 1944 and was one of 32 C class destroyers of the Royal Navy that were launched from 1943 to 1945. The class was built in four flotillas of 8 vessels, the Ca, Ch, Co and Cr classes, ordered as the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Emergency Flotillas respectively. They were built as part of the War Emergency Programme, based on the hull and machinery of the pre-war J class, incorporating whatever advances in armament and naval radar were available at the time. Some of the class were completed in time for wartime service. The Ca flotilla were generally repeats of the preceding W and Z class, while the Ch, Co and Cr flotillas had quadruple instead of pentuple torpedo tubes to compensate for the added weight of remote power control (RPC) gun-laying equipment. They also introduced the all-welded hull into Royal Navy destroyer construction, beginning in Contest. A fifth flotilla, the Ce class, was planned but were cancelled in favour of the Weapon class. The Ca flotilla were reconstructed in the 1960s to serve as fast fleet escorts.

HMS Caesar sailed in convoys: JW62 + RA62

Motto: "Veni vidi vici" "I came, I saw, I conquered". Badge date: 1944
 

SS Cape Race
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: James W Lester, Christchurch



British freighter of 3,807 tons. Built as "Knight of St . John" by Lithgows, Port Glasgow, for Newport Liners Ltd. Launched 30 December 1929. Name changed to "Cape Race" in 1934. Torpedoed by U 60 on 10 August 1942 in position 56.45N/22.50W whilst carrying 3,979 tons of timber and 1,040 tons of steel . All 63 crew were saved .

SS Cape Race sailed on convoys PQ3 + PQ15 + QP4 + QP12
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Caprice (R01)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Joe Bartlett (deceased)

  

HMS Caprice was launched on 16 September 1943 and was one of 32 C class destroyers of the Royal Navy that were launched from 1943 to 1945. The class was built in four flotillas of 8 vessels, the Ca, Ch, Co and Cr classes, ordered as the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Emergency Flotillas respectively. They were built as part of the War Emergency Programme, based on the hull and machinery of the pre-war J class, incorporating whatever advances in armament and naval radar were available at the time. Some of the class were completed in time for wartime service. The Ca flotilla were generally repeats of the preceding W and Z class, while the Ch, Co and Cr flotillas had quadruple instead of pentuple torpedo tubes to compensate for the added weight of remote power control (RPC) gun-laying equipment. They also introduced the all-welded hull into Royal Navy destroyer construction, beginning in Contest. A fifth flotilla, the Ce class, was planned but were cancelled in favour of the Weapon class. The Ca flotilla were reconstructed in the 1960s to serve as fast fleet escorts.

HMS Caprice sailed in convoys: JW69 + JW61a + JW62 + RA59a + RA61a + RA62

Badge date: 1945
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Chiltern
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Bill Brokenshaw, Whangarei (deceased)



HMS Chiltern was an ASW trawler that sailed in convoys PQ-12, PQ-14 and PQ-15. Chiltern was built by Cochrane & Son Ltd, Selby in 1917 and requisitioned for war service as an armed escort vessel on 18 June 1940. The 45.7 metre vessel weighed 324 tons. Chiltern later acted as a relay RT ship for the British naval mission in Polyarnoe, and was used to run supplies and confidential messages between Murmansk, Polyarnoe and the fleet anchored off Vyenga.

HMS Chiltern sailed in convoys: PQ12 + PQ14 + PQ15
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Dasher (D37)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Robert Powell, Christchurch

 

HMS Dasher (D37) was an 'Avenger' class escort carrier of 12,150 tons. Built by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. Laid down as passenger/cargo vessel "Rio de Janeiro". Bought by US Navy 20 May 1941 for conversion to escort carrier. Transferred to Royal Navy 2 July 1942. Damaged by fire and repaired in USA. Modified in the Clyde to suit Royal Navy use as a convoy escort. Took part in Operation Torch (North Africa).

After severe storm damage whilst escorting Convoy JW57 was detached to Iceland. Proceeded to Dundee for repair. During working up, after repairs, she mysteriously blew up in the Clyde with the loss of 379 men out of her crew of 528.

Her history can be found at http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/DASHER.htm

HMS Dasher sailed in convoys: JW57

Badge date: 1985
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Diadem (84)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Bill Thompson, Christchurch (deceased)

  

An "Improved Dido" class cruiser built by R & W Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. Ltd. and completed in January, 1944 . In May 1944 was detached from Home Fleet for support duty in Normandy landings with "Bombarding Force E". Rejoined Home Fleet September 1944. Attended Victory Parade in Oslo, Norway during June 1945. Placed in reserve 1950. Sold to Pakistan in 1956 and renamed "Babur" in July 1957.

HMS Diadem sailed in convoys: JW58 + JW60 + JW63 + JW65 + RA58 + RA59 + RA60 + RA63 + RA65

Badge date: 1943
 

SS Dolabella
RCCNZ Members that served on this ship: Michael Biegle, Lower Hutt and Patrick Meadlarkin, Papamoa



Built 1939 and weighed 8,142 tons. Built by Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn. Owned by Anglo Saxon Pet. Co. of London. Broken up Hong Kong June 1958.

SS Dolabella sailed in convoys: JW58 + JW61 + JW65 + RA59 + RA62 + RA66.
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Drury (K316)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Bernard Tucker (Deceased)


HMS Drury (K316), a Captain class frigate (Type 1), was launched on 24 July 1942 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pa., USA, leased to the Royal Navy on 12 April 1943 and served in the Royal Navy throughout World War II. On 20 August 1945, HMS Drury was transferred to the U.S. Navy at Chatham, England. She was commissioned the same day with Lieutenant W. R. Herrick, Jr. USNR in command. She departed Chatham 28 August, joined TG 21.3 off Dover, and the following day sailed for the United States. Drury arrived at Philadelphia on 8 September and remained there at the Navy Yard where she was decommissioned on 22 October 1945. She was scrapped in June 1946.

HMS Drury sailed in convoys: JW67 + RA67

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Duke of York (17)
RCCNZ Members that served on this ship: Paul McGee (deceased) and Bill Leitch (deceased)

  

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HMS Duke of York was a King George V class battleship of the Royal Navy, and the second of the name, the predecessor having been a 4-gun cutter purchased in 1763 and sold in 1766. The ship was originally to be named Anson but adopted its final name in December 1938. Built at the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, 5th May 1937 and launched on 16th Sept., 1939. She was commissioned too late to see action against the Bismarck, or any other German naval surface raider in the early Atlantic battles of World War II. However, Duke of York did play a pivotal role in reducing German naval power. On her shakedown cruise in December, 1941, she embarked Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill for a trip to confer with United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, arriving in Annapolis on 22 December 1941. In March, 1942, she escorted the Russia-bound convoy PQ-12 with the intention of intercepting the German battleship Tirpitz. On 6 March, Tirpitz did put to sea, but no contact was made.

In late December 1943, Duke of York was part of the Home Fleet, covering convoys between the UK and the Soviet Union. German surface vessels based in Norway were a constant threat to these convoys, and the German fleet-in-being forced the retention of powerful naval forces in British home waters. One of those vessels was the battle-cruiser Scharnhorst. During the passage of convoy JW55B, Scharnhorst left her base and steamed to engage. In the unfolding battle, Duke of York scored a vital hit in Scharnhorst's boiler room which prevented her escape and led to her destruction in the Battle of North Cape. After the sinking of Scharnhorst and the retreat of most of the other German heavy units from Norway, the need to maintain powerful forces in British home waters was diminished. After a modernization in Liverpool during 1944 which included the enhancement of her anti-aircraft armament, Duke of York headed east to join the British Pacific Fleet, then assembling to take part in the invasion of Okinawa. The ship performed a vital anti-aircraft protection role for the aircraft carriers of the fleet and also bombarded Japanese positions on several occasions. She was flagship of the British Pacific Fleet when Japan surrendered.

Following the end of the war, Duke of York remained in service until April 1949. Battleships were now, whilst not completely obsolete, certainly rapidly approaching obsolescence. They were also money- and crew-intensive units, two things that Britain of the postwar era could not afford. The ship was scrapped in 1957 at Faslane. A distinguishing feature of the Duke of York was the extended fire control platform located on the after funnel. On this ship it extended out over the boat deck (after the refit during which the aircraft equipment was deleted from the ship's configuration).

HMS Duke of York sailed in convoys: PQ12 + PQ13 + PQ14 + PQ15 + PQ16 + PQ17 + PQ18 + QP9 + QP10 + QP11 + QP12 + QP13 + QP14 + JW55a + JW55b + RA55a

Badge date: 1940

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Echo (H23)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Douglas (Jock) Forbes (deceased)

  

HMS Echo was an "E" class destroyer launched on 16 February 1934 and was built by Wm. Denny & Bros., Dumbarton, Scotland. Sank the Italian submarine "Nereide" of the coast of Sicily 13 July 1943 in collaboration with HMS Ilex. Transferred to Royal Hellenic Navy 5 April 1944 . Returned to Royal Navy in 1956 and scrapped at Dunston on 26 April 1956.

Served on convoys PQ6 + PQ12 + PQ13 + PQ18 + QP4 + QP9 + QP14 + QP15 + JW51a + JW52 + RA51

Motto: "Marte et Arte" "By Mars and Art". Badge date: 1932
 

SS El Almirante
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Charlie Gray (deceased)

Photo pending.
You may e-mail a photo of "El Almirante" to: enquiry@russianconvoyclub.org.nz

Built 1917 and 5216 tons. Built by Newport News S.B. for Southern Pacific Co.Inc. Launched 23.6.1917. Lost in collision in position 41.08N/64.27W

SS El Almirante sailed in convoys: PQ8 + QP7 + JW51a + RA52.
 

SS Eldena
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: John L. Haynes, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

 

Built 1919, Eldena was a freighter weighing 6,900 tons. Before the war she was owned and operated by the Robin Lines out of Seattle, Washington. She was a flush deck freighter and was fitted with four above deck turrets with twin 50 calibre machine guns for anti-aircraft, a World War One 4" 50 cannon on the stern for surface firing, and a small turret on top of bridge with WWI twin 30 calibre Lewis machine guns. After service in Convoy PQ13, Eldena was sunk in August 1943 at position 5.50N 50.20W by German U-boat U-510 (Kptlt. Alfred Eick) while en route from Trinidad to Cape Town, South Africa. Emblem above is that of the US Navy Armed Guard, members of which were stationed aboard SS Eldena during her convoy duties.

SS Eldena sailed in convoy: PQ13 + QP11
 

SS Elona
RCCNZ Member who served on this ship: Frank Roe, Christchurch



British tanker of 6,192 tons built by Swan Hunter ofWallsend for Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd. Launched 27 November 1935. Broken-up in Osaka 9 September 1953.

SS Elona sailed in convoys PQ6 + QP8
 

SS Empire Beaumont
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: John Calkin (deceased)

Photo pending.
You may e-mail a photo of "Empire Beaumont" to: enquiry@russianconvoyclub.org.nz

Empire Beaumont weighed 7044 tons and was built in 1942 for the Ministry of War Transport. She was torpedoed and sunk by aircraft on 13 September 1942 at position 76.10N 10.05E. Built by Furness, Haverton Hill. Launched 31 March 1942.

SS Empire Beaumont sailed in convoy:  PQ18 (sunk by enemy aircraft)
 

SS Empire Galliard
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Hugh Gibson (deceased)



SS Empire Galliard weighed 7170 tons and was built in 1943 for the Ministry of War Transport. She later served in: 1943 Aert van der Neer Netherlands Govt; 1946 Maasland; 1959 M.Bingul (Turkey); and was scrapped in 1966 (Istanbul).

SS Empire Galliard sailed in convoys: JW53 + "Independent"+ RA51 + RA54a
 

SS Empire Garrick
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Tony Tobin, Wellington



Built 1942 and 8,128 tons. Built by Swan Hunter, Wallsend. Launched 14 May 1942. Empire Garrick was sold to the British Tanker Co. in 1945 and was renamed "British Guardsman". In 1951 she was further sold to the British Oil Shipping Company and renamed 'Alan Evelyn". Duff Herbert & Mitchell Ltd took ownership in 1955 and she was again renamed 'Westbrook". The vessel was scrapped on 16 March 1960 after fire damage.
 Information contributed by John Player, United Kingdom.
SS Empire Garrick sailed in convoys: JW62 + JW66 + RA63 + RA67
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Forester (H74)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Chris Fletcher, Paraparaumu (deceased)

  

HMS Forester was a F class fleet destroyer built by J.S.White at Cowes (IoW). Launched on 28 June 1934 as the 10th Royal Navy ship to carry the name. Deployed with other ships of the 4th destroyer flotilla for Home Fleet duties. At the start of WW2 these duties continued with convoy screening and protection. Took part in the Norwegian operations in April through to June 1940. HMS Forester was transferred to the Mediterranean as part of Force H. Took part in several Malta convoys and, after transfer to Freetown  was involved in screening of Atlantic convoys. After refit in 1942 Forester rejoined the Home Fleet for Russian convoy duties. At the end of 1942 it was claimed Forester was the first destroyer to complete 200,000 miles steaming since September 1939. Was nominated in April 1944 for escort of convoys for the Normandy landings. Later reduced to reserve in August 1945 and arrived at Rosyth for breaking up on 26 February 1946.

Sailed on convoys PQ14 + QP11 + QP15 + JW51b + RA52 + RA53

Motto: "Audux Potentes Caedo" "Boldly I Cut Down the Mighty".
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Furious (47)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Matt Clapham, Nelson

    

HMS Furious was a modified Courageous class "large light cruiser" (an extreme form of battle-cruiser) converted into an early aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. She was designed as a "large light cruiser" to participate in an amphibious landing on the Baltic coast of Germany during the First World War. As initially designed, she would have been a lightly-armoured cruiser mounting two 18-inch (457 mm) guns in two single mount gun turrets, one forward and one aft. The intention was for a heavily armed ship able to navigate the Baltic narrows alongside smaller warships. However, while under construction, it was realized that she would be of more use in a totally different role. Only one of the two big guns was installed, her forward turret was removed before she was launched, and was replaced with a 160-foot (49 m) open deck for the flying-off of aircraft, with a hangar underneath. The aft 18-inch gun was left in place and trialled during July 1917. The results showed that the hull could not handle the recoil of the very large gun, and it was decided to remove it.

On 2 August 1917, while performing trials, Squadron Commander Edwin Dunning landed a Sopwith Pup successfully on board Furious, becoming the first person to land an aircraft on a moving ship. He made one more successful landing in the same manner, however on his third attempt, a tire burst as he attempted to land, causing the aircraft to go over the side, killing him. The deck arrangement was unsatisfactory; in order to land, aircraft had to manoeuvre around the superstructure. She returned to the dockyard in 1917 to have the aft turret removed and replaced by another, 300 foot (91 m) deck for landing and a second hangar, giving her both a launching and a recovery deck. Two lifts serving the hangars were also installed.

After being recommissioned on 15 March 1918, Furious and her embarked aircraft served in a number of important battles in World War I, notably the Tondern raid of July 1918 when her Sopwith Camels attacked the Zeppelin sheds at Tondern. After the end of the war Furious was sent to reserve, where she remained while the Navy decided what to do with her. In 1922 the Washington Naval Treaty was signed, and the British had to do something with her or scrap her. As a result of the experience with other aircraft carrying ships, Furious returned to the dockyard once again in 1922 to have her superstructure removed and a full length flight deck fitted, with a smaller launching deck beneath it at the bow. This got rid of the continuing problem of turbulence across the aft landing deck and established a pattern for aircraft carriers in the 1920s. Since there was no superstructure now, as on later aircraft carriers, Furious was conned by a navigating bridge on the starboard side of the forward end of the upper flight deck, and had a flying control position on the port side next to it. The ship was used extensively throughout the 1920s and 1930s as a platform to develop various techniques and tactics for the employment of carriers and carrier-based aircraft in the Royal Navy. In the 1930s, she was reconstructed again, with her launch deck converted to a gun platform with several anti-aircraft guns, and a small island superstructure added. It was in this configuration that the ship served in World War II.

When World War II started, Furious was attached to the Home Fleet, mostly hunting U-boats in the Atlantic, and carrying bullion to Canada. She took part in Operation Pedestal, carrying aircraft to Malta. After refitting in the United States, Furious took part in Operation Torch, the landings in North Africa, in November 1942. In 1943, she took part in strikes against German shipping, and attacked the German Battleship Tirpitz in Altafjord Norway. However, as the war progressed, the ship's age and limitations became increasingly apparent, and she was replaced by more modern vessels. Furious was placed in reserve in September 1944, and sold in 1948. She was scrapped starting on 15 March 1948, and the hull was scrapped at Troon in July.

Motto: "Ministrat Arms Furor" "Fury supplies arms". Badge date: 1919
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Glasgow (21)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Ken Newton, Wanganui

  

HMS Glasgow (21) was built on the Clyde, and was a Southampton-class light cruiser, a sub-class of the Town-class, commissioned in September 1937. She displaced 11,930 tons with a top speed of 32 knots. She was part of the Home Fleet, and escorted the King and Queen to Canada in 1939. It is believed she also took a large quantity of gold to Fort Knox as an emergency reserve. On April 14, 1940, during the Allied campaign in Norway in World War II Glasgow, along with HMS Sheffield and ten destroyers landed an advance force of Royal Marines at Namsos to seize and secure the wharves and approaches to the town, preparatory to the landing of a larger Allied force.

Later in the campaign, she transferred King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav of Norway and Norwegian gold reserves when they fled from Molde to Tromsø, escaping the advancing German forces in their country. Glasgow was then employed as a convoy escort in the Mediterranean Sea and she took part in the Fleet Air Arm raid that crippled the Italian Fleet at Taranto. In December 1940 she was damaged by torpedoes that put two of her four shafts out of action. This limited her ability to be assigned to missions and it was not until 1942 that she was properly repaired. During Operation Stonewall in late December 1943, Glasgow and the cruiser Enterprise fought a three-hour battle with eleven enemy destroyers of which three were sunk and four damaged with gunfire.

On D-Day, Glasgow led a US Force toward the beaches, providing naval gunfire support to the landing parties. After the end of the war, she took on Flagship duties of Commander in Chief Fleet East Indies; in 1948 the Flagship of the American and West Indies Station and in 1951 she became the Flagship of the Commander in Chief Mediterranean, Admiral the Earl Mountbatten of Burma. She was broken up in 1958.

HMS Glasgow sailed in convoys: JW52 + RA52 + RA53

Motto: "Memor es Tuorum" "Be mindful of your ancestors". Badge date: 1935

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Goodall (K479)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Henry P Carter, Christchurch

      

HMS Goodall was a Captain (Evarts) class frigate of the Royal Navy, constructed in the United States and delivered to the United Kingdom under the provisions of Lend-Lease. Captain class frigates served in World War II as convoy escorts, anti-submarine warfare vessels and coastal forces control frigates. They were drawn from two classes of destroyer escort; 32 from the Evarts class and 46 from the Buckley class. Post-war nearly all the surviving Captain class were returned to the US Navy as quickly as possible to reduce the amount payable under the provisions of the Lend-Lease agreement.

HMS Goodall (K479) was laid down as destroyer escort USS Reybold (DE 275) of the Evarts-class for the US Navy, completed in October 1943. At 21.00 hours on 29 April 1945, U-968 (Westphalen) fired Gnats at the escort vessels from the convoy RA66 in grid AC8856 and reported two destroyers sunk. However, the detonations were observed by HMS Alnwick Castle (K405) (A/Lt Cdr H. A. Stonehouse, DSC, RNR) and a Gnat missed HMS Goodall (K479). About 22.00 hours the same day, U-286 hit HMS Goodall (K479) (Lt Cdr James Vandalle Fulton, RNVR) with a Gnat in the entrance to the Kola Inlet, seven miles from Murmansk. The magazine exploded, blowing away the forepart of the vessel and killing the Commander (112 dead and 44 survivors). The abandoned ship had to be scuttled by gunfire by HMS Anguilla (K500) (T/A/Lt Cdr C. Morrison-Payne, RNVR) the next day. The U-boat was sunk by other ships of the 19th Escort Group during the following night. This was the last confirmed U-boat success in the Northern Theatre.

The badge (supplied by an alternative source to the others on this page) was designed by A. Cochrane the official herald at the end of WWII. It can be seen in one of the windows in St George's Chapel just inside the Old Pembroke Main Gate. There is also a badge for Mastadon among other designs some of which are official. Goodall's badge was not made official, she was sunk towards the end of the war, by which time the window design was probably well under way. Likewise Mastadon had closed down by this time.

HMS Goodall sailed in convoys: JW66 + RA66

SS Harmatris
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Henry Erlandsen (deceased)



A freighter of 5,395 GRT built in 1932 and owned by J & C Harrison of London. Damaged by U-454.

SS Harmatris sailed in convoys: PQ8 + QP14
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Howe (32)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: G C "Mac" McKinley (deceased)

 

HMS Howe was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after Admiral Richard Howe. Built at the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. shipyard in Govan and launched in 1940, the ship was originally to be named Beatty after the commander of the British battle cruisers at Jutland, but she was renamed Howe in February 1940. Howe was part of the Home Fleet in 1942 and early 1943, then joined Force H in the Mediterranean. She was refitted between October 1943 and June 1944 then joined the British Pacific Fleet. After the war she was used as a training ship. Howe was broken up along with the other three ships of her class which survived the Second World War in 1957.

HMS Howe sailed in convoys: JW53 + RA51 + RA53

Motto: "Utcunque Placuerit Deo" "God’s will be done". Badge date: 1940

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Implacable (86)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Bruce Veale (deceased)

  

HMS Implacable (R86) was an Implacable-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. She was laid down at Fairfields Shipyard on Clydeside three months after her sister-ship Indefatigable and was clearly destined for the British Pacific Fleet once worked up. Her first commanding officer was Captain Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh, but he was replaced on promotion by Captain Charles Hughes-Hallett before sailing for the Far East. After several attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz early in 1944 the ship prepared for the main task.

In 27 November 1944, Fairey Barracuda planes from the carrier bombed two Norwegian ships carrying Allied prisoners of war, killing 2,571 onboard the Rigel, one of the largest maritime disasters ever. The vessels were apparently mistaken for being German troop transports. Implacable arrived at Sydney on 8 May 1945 (V-E Day). She joined the carrier squadron as replacement for Illustrious, which was due to return to the United Kingdom for a major refit.

Among other types of plane, Implacable operated the Fairey Firefly, the Supermarine Seafire and the Grumman Avenger. Her first operation as part of the BPF was against Japanese airfields at Truk in the Caroline Islands. The ship remained in Pacific waters after the end of the conflict, becoming the flagship of Sir Philip Vian when he took over as Vice-Admiral BPF for a period. She returned to the United Kingdom in time for the Victory Parade.

Motto: "Saeva Parens Saeviorum" "Fierce parent of a fiercer offspring". Badge date: 1941
 

SS Induna
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: James Campbell, Tauranga



 SS Induna was a British Cargo Steamer of 5,086 tons built in 1925. Launched 26 March 1925. Built by Stephen, Linthouse. Owned by McLay & McIntyre. On the 30th March 1942 when on route from New York and Reykjavik for North Russia carrying a cargo of 2,700 tons of war material she was torpedoed by German submarine U-376 and sunk. Thirty one crew were lost from a total crew of 50.

Excerpts from a survivor's story: "In the end only 11 of the 36 ships made it to port. For those on board the vessels, the lucky ones who survived a sinking made it to lifeboats. They included (now) 84-year-old Bill Short, who found himself floating some 170 miles north of the Russian coast in 30ft seas and blizzards after his vessel, SS Induna, sank in March 1942. The air temperature was -10C and after four days at sea the 35 survivors on board had dwindled to 17. They were so cold that ice crystals had formed in their stomachs. Those who had drunk whisky in the belief it would keep them warm instead fell asleep and froze where they sat in 12 inches of water".

On 9 - 13 July 2008, a conference "The Arctic Convoys - A Lifeline Across the Atlantic" was held in Reykjavik, Iceland. Under the Patronage of Ólafur Ragnur Grimsson, President of Iceland, the conference was organised by the Institute of History at the University of Iceland and Global Center and was attended by veterans, historians, academics students journalists and others interested in the Arctic Convoys of WW2. Attending was Mr Alexey Kozin, a student at Form 11th "b", Gymnasia #9, Murmansk, Russia. Mr Kozin was invited to attend the conference to present his winning essay "The Unknown Pages of the Second World War: The Tragedy of SS Induna". A copy of the essay is available here (with permission).

SS Induna sailed in convoy: PQ 13
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Jamaica (C44)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Wilf Goodier, Napier

  

HMS Jamaica (C44), a Crown Colony class cruiser of the Royal Navy, was named after the island of Jamaica, which was a British possession when she was built in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. She served in World War II, taking part in a number of operations during that war, notably the Battle of the Barents Sea and the battle of North Cape on 26 December 1943 in which the German battle-cruiser Scharnhorst was sunk. In April 1944, HMS Jamaica was one of the escorts for the carrier force for Operation Tungsten, a Fleet Air Arm attack on the German battleship Tirpitz. In the Korean War, Jamaica was known as "The Galloping Ghost of the Korean Coast" due to the North Koreans claiming that she had been sunk three times. She was scrapped in 1960.

HMS Jamaica sailed in convoys: PQ18 + QP14 + JW51a + JW51b + JW54a + JW55a + JW55b + JW57 + JW59 + RA51 + RA54a + RA54b + RA55a + RA59a

Motto: "Non sibi sed patriae" "Not for oneself but for ones country". Badge date: 1938
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Javelin (F/G61)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Stan Douglas, Napier

 

HMS Javelin (F61) was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by John Brown and Company, Limited, at Clydebank in Scotland on 11 October 1937, launched on 21 December 1938 and commissioned on 10 June 1939. At the end of November 1941, the 5th Destroyer Flotilla comprising HMS Jupiter, Javelin, Jackal, Jersey and Kashmir, under Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten, were operating out of Plymouth. The flotilla engaged the German destroyers Hans Lody, Richard Beitzen and Karl Gaster. The Javelin was badly damaged by torpedo and artillery hits from the German destroyers and lost both her bow and stern. Only 155 feet of Javelin's original 353 foot length remained afloat and she was towed back to harbour. Javelin was out of action for almost a year.

HMS Javelin participated in the Operation Ironclad assault on Madagascar in May 1942. She participated in the failed Operation Vigorous attempt to deliver a supply convoy to Malta, in June 1942. HMS Javelin was sold for scrap on 11 June 1949 and broken up at Troon in Scotland.

(Note: Javelin was laid down as Kashmir 4 April 1938 completed 10 June 1939. Kashmir was laid down as Javelin 4 April 1939 completed 26 October 1939)

HMS Javelin sailed in convoy: PQ12

Motto: "Vi et armis" "By force of arms". Badge date: 1937

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Kent (54)
RCCNZ Members that served on this ship: Bill Chipp, Lower Hutt (deceased) and William Abbey (deceased)

  

HMS Kent (54) was a Kent class cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Chatham Dockyard (Chatham, UK), laid down on 15 November 1924. She was launched on 16 March 1926, and commissioned 25 June 1928. In 1928, she was commissioned as flagship of the 5th Cruiser Squadron on the China Station. In 1937, she returned to Chatham and underwent a major refit, which included increasing her armour. After the refit, in 1938, she returned to the Far East. In December 1939 she was transferred to the 4th Cruiser Squadron, to perform anti-raider patrols in the East Indies and then reassigned to troop convoy escort in the Indian Ocean early in 1940.

Following the declaration of war by Italy, she was reallocated to the Mediterranean Fleet, arriving at Alexandria in August 1940 with the 3rd Cruiser Squadronn. On 17 August 1940 Kent and twelve destroyers carried out a bombardment of Italian positions around the fortress of Bardia. On 15 September 1940 Kent, Valiant, the aircraft carrier Illustrious and seven destroyers left Alexandria. The next day, while south off Crete they were joined by the anti-aircraft cruisers Calcutta and Coventry. The force then sailed toward Benghazi. During the night of 16 September and 17 September 1940, aircraft from the Illustrious, mined the harbour of Benghazi. They also attacked shipping in the harbour with torpedoes. The Italians lost two destroyers and two merchant ships.

While returning to base from this attack Kent and two destroyers were detached to bombard Bardia. During the night of 17 September and 18 September 1940 Kent was hit in the stern by a torpedo from Italian torpedo bombers led by Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia. She was towed back to base by the destroyers, with great difficulty. She underwent temporary repairs at Alexandria on 19 September to allow her to return to the United Kingdom. Extensive repairs at Devonport Dockyard followed. These were made worse by a bomb hitting her while in dock. Repairs were completed in time for her to recommission in September 1941 when she joined the 1st Cruiser Squadron, part of the Home Fleet to escort convoys to North Russia.

On 12 November 1944, as flagship of Rear-Admiral Rhoderick McGrigor, with light cruiser Bellona, destroyers HMS Myngs, Zambesi, Verulam and HMCS Algonquin, raided shipping south east of Egersund, Norway. At position 58.20° N 6.00° E, the force intercepted a German convoy, four freighters escorted by M.416, M.427, Uj.1221, Uj.1223, Uj.1713 and one more, unidentified, Uj. Opening fire at 2300 hrs, the cruisers and destroyers sank two of the freighters and all the escorts above except the unidentified one. At the end of 1944 Kent was collided with a tanker. After repairs on Clydeside, she was retained at Gareloch as Reserve Fleet flagship. In October 1946 she was moved to Chatham to act as reserve fleet flagship there. During the summer, 1947, her armament was removed and she was used for target trials. Finally, she was allocated to BISCO on 22 January 1948, and arrived at Troon on 31 January to be broken up by West of Scotland Shipbreakers.

HMS Kent sailed in convoys: PQ13 + PQ14 + PQ16 + QP9 + QP10 + QP12 + JW52 + JW54a + JW54b + JW56a

Motto:  "Invicta" "Unconquered". Badge date: 1924
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Kenya (14)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: George Purdon, Tairua

  

HMS Kenya (14) was a "Fiji" class light cruiser built by A. Stephens and Sons Ltd (Glasgow). Laid down 28/6/1938, launched 18/8/1939 and commissioned 27/9/1940. In May 1941 was part of the 2nd.Cruiser Squadron, Home Fleet. Took part in operations off the Norwegian polar coast against German merchant shipping and in the shelling of Vardo. In December 1941, was part of "Operation Anklet", the British raid on the Lofoten Islands during which she received several hits from the Ragsunday coastal batteries. During March - May was on covering duties on Arctic convoys. She remained with the Home Fleet throughout 1943 and was then transferred to the 4th Cruiser Squadron of the British Eastern Fleet. After serving in various parts of the world she returned to Portsmouth in September 1958 where she was in reserve for some years before being sold for scrap on 29 October 1962 and was broken up at the Faslane yards of Ship-breaking Industries.

HMS Kenya sailed in convoys: PQ3 + PQ12 + PQ15 + QP3 + QP11

Motto: "Consilio fide vigilantia" "Wisdom, Faith and Vigilance". Badge date: 1939
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Keppel (D84)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: G B W Johnson, Christchurch

 

A "Shakespeare" class Flotilla Leader ordered from John I Thornycroft in April 1918. Launched delayed until 23 April 1920 when the hull was towed to HM Dockyard, Portsmouth for completion. In February 1923 was taken to HM Dockyard at Pembroke, Wales. Work was completed 15 April 1925. First deployment was in the Mediterranean following which she was transferred to China station September 1926. Returned to the UK in 1931 and refitted for further service in the Far East. Transferred to Mediterranean and then Home Waters. Paid off into reserve in 1937 and brought forward in 1939. Remained in service until June 1945 when she was placed on the sales list and sold to Bisco for breaking up on 25 July 1945. Between 1939 and 1945 she escorted approx. 94 convoys in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, South Atlantic and the Arctic.

HMS Keppel sailed in convoys: PQ17 + PQ18 + QP14 + JW57 + JW58 + JW59 + JW60 + JW62 + JW63 + RA57

Motto: "Ne cede malis" "Yield not to evil". Badge date: 1919
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS King George V (41)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: William Chapman, Tauranga

  

The second HMS King George V was the lead ship of the King George V class of battleships of 1939. Following the tradition of naming the first battleship constructed in the reign of a new monarch after the current monarch, she was originally to be named King George VI (after George VI). However the King instructed the Admiralty to name the ship in honour of his father, George V. King George V was built by Vickers-Armstrong at Walker's Naval Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne and laid down on 1 January 1937, launched on 21 February 1939, and commissioned on 11 December 1940.

She was the flagship of the Home Fleet under the command of Admiral Sir John Tovey, and was involved in the chase for the German battleship Bismarck. On 27 May 1941, she and Rodney fired a large number of shells into to the hull of the ill-fated ship. While escorting convoy PQ-15 to Murmansk on 1 May 1942, King George V collided with the destroyer HMS Punjabi, resulting in the sinking of the latter ship with 49 crew, and bow damage to the battleship.

In the Mediterranean, King George V covered the Operation Husky landings at Sicily, as well as transporting the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, back to Britain from the Tehran Conference. From 1944 until the surrender of Japan, King George V served with the British Pacific Fleet, and was present off Japan during the official surrender ceremony. She was recommissioned as flagship of the Home Fleet in 1946. Just three years later, King George V was decommissioned into the Reserve Fleet and subsequently scrapped at Dalmuir in 1957.

HMS King George V sailed in convoys: PQ12 + PQ13 + PQ14 + PQ15 + QP9 + QP10 + QP11 + JW51a + JW53 + RA51 + RA53

Badge date: 1940

Image:British-Royal-Fleet-Auxiliary-Ensign.svgRFA Laurelwood
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Ron Sanderson, Lower Hutt



Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Built 1929 and 7,347 tons. Built by Armstrong Whitworth, Low Walker. Owner J. I. Jacobs & Co. Broken up Hamburg 31 May 1959

RFA Laurelwood sailed in convoys: JW61 + JW62 + JW66, + RA61 + RA62 + RA67
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Loch Insh (K433)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Fred Williams (deceased)

  

HMS Loch Insh (K433) was a Loch-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built by Henry Robb of Leith and launched on 10 May 1943. She was named after Loch Insh in Scotland. She served in World War II. On 29 April 1945, in the Barents Sea she assisted Anguilla and Cotton in sinking the German submarine U-286 with depth charges. On the same day she sank U-307. On 2 October 1964, she was transferred to the Royal Malaysian Navy and renamed KD Hang Tuah. She was scrapped in 1977.

HMS Loch Insh sailed in convoys: JW66 + RA66

Badge date: 1953
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Loch Killin (K391)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Alfred Hargreaves, Tauranga

 

HMS Loch Killin was a Loch class frigate of the Royal Navy and is named after Loch Killin in Scotland. She was laid down at Burntisland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. and launched on 29 November 1943. Notably she was armed with a brand new Squid anti-submarine depth charge mortar. She was scrapped on 24 August 1960. She was captained during the war by Lieutenant-Commander S. Darling, DSC and Bar, RANVR. On 31 July 1944 together with HMS Starling (U66) she sank the German submarine U-333 in the North Atlantic west of the Isles of Scilly in position 49°39′N, 7°28′W, with the Squid depth charge system. This was the first successful use of the Squid system. On 6 August 1944 Sank the German submarine U-736 in the Bay of Biscay west of St. Nazaire, in position 47°19′N, 4°16′W, with depth charges. On 15 April 1945 she sank the German submarine U-1063 in the English Channel west of Land's End in position 50°8′54″N, 3°53′24″W with depth charges. HMS Loch Killin was scrapped at Cashmore, Newport on 24 August 1960.

Badge date: 1953

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS London (C69)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Bob Powell, Christchurch and Alfred Scaddan (Deceased)

  

HMS London (C-69) was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. London was laid down by HM Dockyard at Portsmouth on 23 February 1926, launched on 14 September 1927 and completed on 31 January 1929. London served with the 1st Cruiser Squadron until March 1939, and was the flagship of Admiral Max Horton during his time in command of 1st Cruisers. HMS London and its sister ship HMS Shropshire facilitated the evacuation of thousands of civilians from Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. London was involved in the pursuit of the enemy German battleship Bismarck in May 1941, served on Russian convoy escort duties until November 1942, and with the Eastern Fleet postwar. In June 1949, she was involved in the Amethyst incident, in which she suffered 15 men killed during duels with Chinese shore batteries in the unsuccessful rescue efforts. HMS London was laid up in the River Fal, handed over to the British Iron and Steel Corporation on 3 January 1950, and arrived at Barrow-in-Furness on 25 January 1950 where she was broken up by Thomas W. Ward.

HMS London sailed in convoys: PQ15 + PQ16 + PQ17 + PQ18 + QP1 + QP12 + QP14 + QP15

Motto: "Dirige nos" "Direct us". Badge date: 1926
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Lookout
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: David Collingwood (deceased)

 

Built by Scotts at Greenock. Launched 4 November 1940 and completed 30 January 1942. Battle Honours: Diego Suarez 1942; Malta convoys 1942; Arctic 1942; North Africa 1942 and 1943; Sicily 1943; Salerno 1943; South France 1944; Mediterranean 1943-45. .Placed on Reserve at Devonport October 1947. Broken up by John Cashmore, Newport, Monmouthshire 29 February 1948.

HMS Lookout sailed in convoys: PQ12

Badge date: 1938

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Magpie (U82)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Syd Wells, Wellington

  

HMS Magpie, the seventh Royal Navy ship to bear the name, was a sloop launched in 1943 and broken up in 1959. The ship was the only vessel commanded by The Duke of Edinburgh, who took command on 2 September 1950. Commissioned on 30 Aug, 1943, during October – November 1943, HMS Magpie was part of the 2nd search group in the North Atlantic.

On 31 January 1944 on North Atlantic convoy escort duties, the Magpie along with the sloops HMS Starling and HMS Wild Goose intercepted and sank, by depth charges, German submarine U-592 which was on its way to France for repairs. The following month saw Magpie involved in destroying U-238 and U-734. After serving as an escort during the D-Day amphibious Allied landings in Normandy Magpie served in British coastal waters, operating from Greenock as an escort to the Gibraltar convoys. Along with others in the Black Swan class she was officially reclassified as a frigate in 1947. Magpie did duty in Trieste following riots there over the city’s future, this being a bone of contention between Italy and Yugoslavia.

On 3 March 1955 Magpie left Portsmouth to steam to the 7th Frigate Squadron at Simonstown, South Africa. Due to be relieved at the Cape Station by her sister ship HMS Sparrow, boiler problems meant the crew were changed. Magpie’s crew returned to the UK on the Sparrow. In 1958 Magpie had her tour of duty at the Cape Station finally completed; she sailed back for the UK for paying off, and was broken up by Hughes Bolkow, Blyth, Northumberland on 12 July 1959.

HMS Magpie sailed in convoys: JW58 + RA58

Motto: "What we want we take". Badge date: 1943
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Malcolm (D19)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: 'Pen' Moore, Wellington

 

HMS Malcolm (D19) was a Royal Navy destroyer during World War II. She was a "Campbell" class destroyer designed to lead the "V & W" class. Malcolm was built by Cammel Laird, launched on 29 May 1919 and commissioned on 14 December 1919. She was originally armed with five 4.7 inch guns, a single 3 inch gun and two triple 21 inch torpedo tubes.  In August 1940 she sank two German ships off the island of Texel, was used in the Battle of the Atlantic, and took part in the sinking of a U-boat, U-651 south of Iceland on 29 June 1941.

She took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk where she was damaged. By 1942 her gunnery and torpedo armament had been reduced to allow her to be fitted with radar on the bridge and enhanced anti-submarine weapons. She was then classified as a short range escort vessel. She also escorted the aircraft carrier HMS Furious taking aircraft to Malta in August 1942 and during the next month was part of the strong escort given to the Russian convoy PQ18. On 8 November 1942 Malcolm was used in the invasion of North Africa, Operation Torch. Specifically she was used in Operation Terminal to attempt to land troops and was the only ship to survive this unsuccessful attempt to enter Algiers harbour, having suffered engine damage from artillery fire and was unable to land. Malcolm was sold for scrap and broken up at Barrow in Furness in July 1945.

HMS Malcolm sailed in convoys: PQ18 + QP14

Motto: "In ardua tendit" "He has attempted difficult things". Badge date: 1919
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Musketeer (G86)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Jack Moon (deceased)

 

HMS Musketeer was an M class destroyer, built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co., Govan and launched 2 December  1941. It was commissioned on 18 October 1942. Scrapped 6 December 1955.

HMS Musketeer sailed in convoys: QP15 + JW51a + JW52 + JW53 + JW54b + JW55a + JW55b + JW56b + JW59 + JW60 + RA51 + RA52 + RA53 + RA54a + RA54b + RA55a + RA56 + RA59 + RA59a + RA60

Badge date: 1943
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Nabob (D77)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: George Billing, Wellington

 

HMS Nabob (D77) was a Bogue-class escort aircraft carrier which served in the Royal Navy during 1943 and 1944. The ship was built in the United States as USS Edisto (CVE-41) (originally AVG-41 then later ACV-41) but did not serve with the United States Navy. She was laid down on 20 October 1942, launched 22 March 1943, and transferred under Lend-Lease to the United Kingdom on 7 September 1943 prior to her commissioning as HMS Nabob (D77) into the Royal Navy. She served as an anti-submarine warfare carrier and was manned by personnel of the Royal Canadian Navy.

On 22 August 1944 she was torpedoed by U-354 in the Barents Sea, while returning from a strike against the German battleship Tirpitz (Operation Goodwood) and sustained heavy damage. Five days later she steamed into Scapa Flow under her own power but had lost 21 men. She was eventually judged not worth repairing, was beached and abandoned then cannibalized for other ships and decommissioned on 30 September 1944. She was returned to United States custody and sold into merchant service 26 October 1946 as the merchant Nabob (later renamed Glory). She was sold for scrap in Taiwan in 1977. Nabob is one of three Royal Navy escort carriers built in the United States which is listed as lost in action during World War II.

The badge above is thought to be unofficial and is from an alternative source than others on this page.
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Nelson (28)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Alfred J Nelson, Hamilton

 

HMS Nelson (28) was one of two Nelson-class battleships built for the Royal Navy between the two World Wars. She was named in honour of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson the victor at the Battle of Trafalgar. The Nelsons were unique in British battleship construction, being the only ships to carry a main armament of 16 in (410 mm) guns, and the only ones to carry all the main armament forward of the superstructure. These were a result of the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty. Commissioned in 1930, Nelson served extensively in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indian oceans during World War II. She was decommissioned soon after the end of the war and scrapped in 1949.

She was nicknamed "Nels-ol" from her outline which resembled RN oilers.

Built under the constraints of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, the British were allowed two new battleships with 16 inch guns. The design intent was to carry a main armament of 16 in (410 mm) guns to match the firepower of the American Colorado class and Japanese Nagato class on a ship displacing no more than 35,000 tons. Inheriting some of the design of the G3 battlecruisers, all of the 16 in (410 mm) main guns in three turrets were placed forward, the vessel's speed was reduced and maximum armour was limited to vital areas.

The three turrets from forward to aft were "A", "B" and "X". The guns received individual nicknames being known as Happy, Grumpy, Sneezy, Dopey, Sleepy, Bashful, Doc, Mickey and Minnie, sometime after the release of the film Snow White in 1937. The secondary armament was in turrets P1 to P3 on the port, S1 to S3 on the starboard. The six 4.7 in (119 mm) anti-aircraft mounts were designated HA1 to HA6, the even numbers on the port. The six pom-pom mounts were numbered from M1 (on top of B turret) to M7 at the extreme aft—there was no M2 position—the odd numbers 3 and 5 to the starboard.

Nelson was laid down in December 1922 and built at Newcastle by Armstrong-Whitworth. Launched in September 1925, she was commissioned in August 1927 and joined by her sister ship Rodney (built by Cammell Laird) in November. She cost GBP7.504m to build and made partial use of the material prepared for the cancelled HMS Anson and Howe, planned sister ships of HMS Hood.

She was the flagship of the Home Fleet from launch. In 1931 the crews of both Nelson and Rodney took part in the Invergordon Mutiny. On 12 January 1934 she ran aground on Hamilton's Shoal, just outside Portsmouth, as she was about to embark with the Home Fleet to the West Indies.

Nelson was modified little during the 1930s and was with the Home Fleet when war broke out in September 1939. On 25 and 26 September she performed escort duty during the salvage and rescue operations of the submarine HMS Spearfish. Nelson was first deployed in the North Sea in October against a German formation of cruisers and destroyers, all of which easily evaded her. On 30 October she was unsuccessfully attacked by U-56 near the Orkney Islands being hit by 3 torpedoes, none of which exploded. Later she was again shown up for pace in the futile pursuit of German battle cruisers. In December 1939 she struck a mine (laid by U-31) off the Scottish coast and was laid up for repairs until August 1940.

Upon return to service she went to Rosyth in case of invasion[1] and was then deployed in the English Channel. From April to June 1941 she was on convoy escort in the Atlantic. In late May she was in Freetown and was ordered to Gibraltar to stand by to take part in the chase of the German battleship Bismarck.

In June 1941 Nelson, now in Gibraltar, was assigned to Force H operating in the Mediterranean as an escort. On 27 September 1941 she was extensively damaged by a Regia Aeronautica torpedo strike and was under repair in Britain until May 1942. She returned to Force H as the flagship in August 1942, performing escort duties for supply convoys running to Malta. She supported Operation Torch around Algeria in November 1942, the invasion of Sicily in July 1943 and the Salerno operation (by coastal bombardment) in September 1943. The Italian armistice was signed between Eisenhower and Marshal Pietro Badoglio aboard Nelson on 29 September.

Nelson returned to England in November 1943 for a refit, including extensive additions to her anti-aircraft defences. Returning to action she supported the Normandy landings but hit two mines on 18 June 1944 and was sent to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for repairs. She returned to Britain in January 1945 and was then deployed to the Indian Ocean, arriving in Colombo in July. She was used around the Malayan Peninsula for 3 months. The Japanese forces there formally surrendered aboard her at George Town, Penang on 2 September 1945.

Nelson returned home in November 1945 as the flagship of the Home Fleet until reduced to a training vessel in July 1946 and decommissioned in February 1948. She was used as a target vessel for bombing exercises for a few months before being scrapped on 15 March 1949 at Inverkeithing.

Motto: "Palmam qui meruit ferat" "Let him bear the palm who has deserved it".  Badge date: 1923
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Nigeria (60)
RCCNZ Members that served on this ship: John McLaughlin (deceased) and John Renowden, Christchurch (deceased)

  

Dedicated website detailing the history of HMS Nigeria is available at: http://www.hmsnigeria.com/

HMS Nigeria sailed in convoys: PQ9 + PQ11 + PQ14 + PQ15 + PQ16 + PQ17 + QP7 + QP8 + QP10 + QP12 + QP13

Badge date: 1940
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Norfolk (78)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: T. W. (Bill) Megennis, Wellington and David Stevenson (deceased), Tauranga

   Image:HMS Norfolk (County class cruiser).jpg

A long absence of a Norfolk in the Royal Navy was finally ended in the commissioning of County-class heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (78), which displaced 10,035 tons. She was laid down in July 1927 at Govan by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd and launched on 12 December 1928. She was commissioned on 30 April 1930. In September 1931, Norfolk was part of a mutiny that later became known as the Invergordon Mutiny. She later served with the Home Fleet until she re-commissioned for service in the East Indies Station in 1937.

At the outbreak of war in 1939, Norfolk deployed with the Home Fleet, and was involved in the chase for the German battle cruisers (or light battleships) Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, along with the Admiral Scheer. She was soon receiving numerous repairs for damage that she had received, not to mention vital modifications to the ship. Her first repairs were carried out in Belfast, after a near-miss by a torpedo from the German submarine U-47, the submarine responsible for sinking the Royal Navy battleship Royal Oak. Shortly afterwards, bomb damage that she had received from a heavy air raid, forced her into yet another repair, this time on the Clyde. After these repairs had been completed, Norfolk proceeded to the Tyne Shipyard for a new addition to her equipment - a radar set. In May 1941, Norfolk was the second ship to sight the Bismarck. She continued to dog the German battleship and was part of the force with Rodney and King George V that sank her. From September onwards, she was employed as an escort for the arduous Arctic Convoys. Norfolk was part of the cruiser covering force of convoy JW55B, when it engaged Scharnhorst, on 26 December 1943. She scored three hits on the German vessel which withdrew and was later caught and sunk by the Duke of York and her escorts.

She sustained damage in that confrontation, which was subsequently repaired on the Tyne, which prevented her from being involved in the historic D-day landings. When the war came to a close, Norfolk left Plymouth for a much needed refit at Malta, after transporting the Norwegian Royal family back to Oslo after their 5-year exile in London. This was followed by service in the East Indies as the flagship of the Commander-In-Chief East Indies Station. In 1949, Norfolk returned to the UK and was placed in Reserve. On 14 February 1950, she proceeded to Newport to be broken up after a long and proud service of 22 years, in which she gained the Norfolk lineage the majority of its battle honours, including its last.

HMS Norfolk sailed in convoys: PQ2 + PQ14 + PQ16 + PQ17 + PQ18 + QP2 + QP12 + QP14 + JW53 + JW55a + JW55b + RA53 + RA54a + RA55a

Motto: "Serviens servo" "Serving, I preserve". Badge date: 1927
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Obedient (G48)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Ken Gerrell, Upper Hutt (deceased)

 

An "O" class destroyer of the Royal Navy, Built by William Denny Bros. (Dunbarton, Scotland). Ordered on 3 September 1939; Laid Down on 22 May 1940; Launched on 30 April 1942; Commissioned on 30 October 1942. She was commanded by Lt Cmndr D. C. Kinloch DSC (promoted Cmndr 1 January 1943). In the Battle of the Barents Sea she engaged the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper 31 December 1942.

HMS Obedient sailed in convoys: JW51B + JW53 + JW54A + JW57 + JW58 + JW61 + JW62 + RA52 + RA53 + RA56 + RA57 + RA58 + RA61 + RA62 + RA66

Badge date: 1942
 

SS Ocean Freedom
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: John Middleton (deceased), Paeroa



Note: The photo shows an Ocean Class Liberty ship similar to Ocean Freedom. If you have an actual photo of Ocean Freedom, you may e-mail it to: enquiry@russianconvoyclub.org.nz

Ocean Freedom was the second of the thirty Ocean Class Liberty ships built and was delivered in 1942 by Todd & Bath Iron S. B. Corporation, Portland, Maine, USA and weighed 7,173 tons. Ocean Freedom was sunk in port during JW53.

SS Ocean Freedom sailed in convoys: PQ17 + QP14 + JW53
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Offa (G14)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Gordon Forrester (deceased)

 

An " Oribi " class destroyer built by Fairfield, Govan, Glasgow and launched 11 March 1941. In May 1944 was attacked by aircraft south of St. Catherine's Point and hit by a bomb on the upper deck . Three of the ship's company were killed and four injured. Transferred to Pakistan 3 November1949 and renamed "Tariq". Returned to the Royal Navy 10 July 1959 . Towed to Sunderland in October 1959 and broken up .

HMS Offa sailed in convoys: PQ4 + PQ12 + PQ14 + PQ17 + PQ18 + QP9 + QP10 + QP14 + JW52 + JW53 + JW56A + JW56B + JW57 + JW58 + JW61 + JW62 + JW66 + RA52 + RA53 + RA56 + RA57 + RA58 + RA61 + RA62 + RA66

Motto: "Defendere Fossam" "To defend the ditch". Badge date: 1942
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Onslaught (G04)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Trevor Husband (deceased)
  

HMS Onslaught was a Class O destroyer built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., Govan, Scotland. She was ordered on 3 September 1939, laid down on 14 January 1941, launched: on 9 October 1941 and commissioned on 19 January 1942. Notable events involving Onslaught include on 4 March 1944 the sinking of German submarine U-472 in the Barents Sea south-east of Bear Island, Norway by gunfire and rockets aided by Swordfish aircraft (Sqn 816) of the British escort carrier HMS Chaser (Capt. H.V.P. McClintock, DSO, RN).

Then, on 12 January 1945 she was involved with the British heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (Capt. J.G.Y. Loveband, RN with Rear-Admiral R.R. McGrigor, CB, DSO, RN aboard) and the light cruiser HMS Bellona (Capt. C.F.W. Norris, DSO, RN) escorted by the destroyers HMS Onslow (Capt. H.W.S. Browning, OBE, RN), HMS Orwell (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Gower, DSC, RN) on an attack of a German convoy near Egersund, Norway. Two German merchants, the Bahia Camarones and the Charlotte and the minelayer M 273 were sunk. HMS Onslaught was transferred to Pakistan on 6 March 1951 being renamed Tughril.

HMS Onslaught sailed in convoys: PQ17 + PQ18 + QP13 + QP14 + QP15 + JW52 + JW53 + JW54A + JW55B + JW57 + JW62 + JW64 + JW65 + RA52 + RA53 + RA54B + RA55B + RA57 + RA62 + RA64

Motto: "Fierce in action". Badge date: 1942

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Onslow (G17)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: David O'Rourke, Christchurch (deceased)

  

An Oribi class Fleet destroyer ordered ordered from John Brown, Clydebank, Glasgow. Launched 1 March 1941 and completed as a Flotilla Leader 8 October 1941. Joined the Home Fleet in Scapa Flow after trials on 8 October 1941. Supported commando raid on the Lofoten Islands and captured an "Enigma "coding machine from a German trawler in December 1941. Transferred to the Mediterranean for escort duties before rejoining Home Fleet in July 1942. Took part in D-Day landings prior to further Russian convoy duties. Sold to Pakistan 30 September1949 and renamed "Tippu Sultan". Returned to the UK during 1960. Taken off the active list and scrapped in 1980.

HMS Onslow sailed in convoys: PQ4 + PQ12 + PQ13 + PQ14 + PQ16 + PQ17 + PQ18 + QP9 + QP10 + QP12 + QP13 + QP14 + JW51B + JW54A + JW55B + JW58 + JW61 + JW62 + JW64 + JW67 + RA52 + RA54A + RA54B + RA55B + RA58 + RA61 + RA62 + RA64 + RA67

Badge date: 1942
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Palomares (F98) (1940)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Christopher Turnbull, Christchurch (deceased)



A mercantile of 1,896 tons built for MacAndrews & Co. by Doxford Shipyard (Sunderland). Launched on 20 October 1937. Requisitioned by the Royal Navy in August 1940 and converted to an anti-aircraft ship. Later converted to a Fighter Direction ship. Returned to owners in 1946. Name changed to "Mary Sven" in 1959 and to "Sarabande" in 1964. Caught fire on 5 October 1961 and drifted aground 20 nautical miles northwest of Sur (Oman). Was present at the "Anzio" landings.

HMS Palomares sailed in convoys: PQ17 + QP14     
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Queen (D19)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Allan Gore, Geraldine (deceased)

 

An "Ameer" class escort carrier of 10,200 tons. Built by Seattle-Tacoma S.C. (Seattle, Washington, USA). Commissioned 7 December 1943.Original name USS St. Andrews. Her aircraft helped sink U711 by depth charges in position 68.43,717N 16.34,600E on 4 May 1945. Returned to US Navy 31 October 1946. Sold into mercantile service and renamed "Roebiah". In 1967 renamed "President Marcos". Scrapped in Taiwan in 1972.

HMS Queen sailed in convoys: JW67 + RA67

Badge date: 1944
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Renown (72)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Bill Gallie, Napier

 

Type: Battlecruiser. Class: Renown. Built by: Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland). Ordered: 29 December 1914. Laid down: 25 January 1915. Launched: 4 March 1916. Commissioned: 20 September 1916. HMS Renown served with the Grand Fleet in the North Sea during the remaining two years of World War I. In 1920-21, following a refit, she carried the Prince of Wales on a voyage to Australia and America. During 1923-26, she was extensively refitted to increase her protection against gunfire and torpedoes.

After a decade of further service, Renown was again reconstructed, greatly changing her appearance and giving her a modern anti-aircraft gun battery, much enhanced aircraft-handling facilities and up-to-date gunfire controls. This work was completed in September 1939, just after the outbreak of the Second World War. Renown's high speed made her a valuable asset during World War II. In late 1939, she was sent to the South Atlantic to search for the German armoured ship Admiral Graf Spee. She covered mine laying operations along the Norwegian coast in early April 1940 and, on the 9th of that month, engaged the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, damaging the latter. Later in 1940 and into 1941, she operated with Force H, based at Gibraltar to provide strategic presence in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean. While with Force H, she participated in a bombardment of Genoa, Italy, in February 1941.

After Home Fleet service in 1942-43, Renown was sent to join the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean. Operating from Ceylon in 1944-45, she helped contain the Japanese in the East Indies. HMS Renown had brief post-war service in British waters and was sold for scrapping in March 1948. Sold to Metal Industries 19 March 1948 and scrapped at Faslane later in 1948

HMS Renown sailed in convoys: PQ12 + PQ13 + QP9

Motto: "Antiquae Famae Custos" "Guardian of ancient renown". Badge date: 1919
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Rodney (29)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: David McNab, Christchurch

  

A British battleship displacing 33,900 tons built by Cammell Laird and launched 17 December 1925. Main armaments were nine 16 inch guns in three triple turrets forward, 12 six inch guns in twin mountings and six single 4.7 inch AA guns. Served in Home Fleet 1939-42, Force "H" in 1943 and again, in Home Fleet 1943-1945. Placed in reserve 1945 and broken up at Inverkeithing on 26 March 1948.

HMS Rodney sailed in convoys: JW60 + RA60

Motto: "Non generant aquilae columbas" "Eagles don’t breed doves". Badge date: 1923
 

SS Samgara
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: John C. Foster, Dunedin



The SS Samgara, originally the Flintshire was built in 1943 by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards Inc at Baltimore in Maryland, USA with a tonnage of 7297grt, a length of 441ft 7in, a beam of 57ft and a service speed of 11 knots. A Liberty ship, she was launched as the James Carroll for the US War Shipping Administration but was completed as the SS Samgara on a Lease-Lend bare-boat charter to the M.O.W.T with Alfred Holt Co. as managers. She was purchased by Blue Funnel in 1947 as the Titan and transferred to Glen Line and renamed Flintshire in 1950. Reverting back to Blue Funnel and Titan in 1958 she was sold to Tidewater Commercial Co. Inc. of Monrovia in 1962 with the name Titanus until December 1969 when she was broken up at Minhara, Japan.

SS Samgara sailed in convoys: JW59 + RA60
 

SS San Ambrosio
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Rholda Draffin (deceased)



British built tanker in 1935 weighing 7,410 tons.

SS San Ambrosio sailed in convoys: PQ3 + QP4 + QP5 + JW55A + JW57 + RA55B + RA57
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Sheffield (C24)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Arthur Basset-Burr (deceased); Ron Colman, Eastbourne

  

HMS Sheffield (C24) was one of the Southampton sub class of the Town class cruisers of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She took part in actions against several major German warships. At the outbreak of war, Sheffield served with the 18th Cruiser Squadron, patrolling the Denmark Straits and then, in April 1940, she was engaged in the Norway campaign. After a short spell carrying out anti-invasion duties in the English Channel, she joined Force H, based in Gibraltar. During that time, she operated in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic until the year's end.

In 1941, she participated in the shelling of Genoa (9 February), operations against Vichy convoys and supporting air reinforcements to Malta. In May, Sheffield took part in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck, narrowly escaping a friendly fire torpedo attack by HMS Ark Royal's Fairey Swordfish aircraft. On 12 June, she located and sank one of Bismarck's tankers, the Friedrich Breme. After the destruction of another German supply ship, the Kota Penang in early October (with HMS Kenya), Sheffield returned to Britain. She was occupied on Arctic convoys until hitting a mine off Iceland on 3 March 1942 and was under repair until July. After more Arctic convoys, Sheffield joined the forces supporting the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) in November. In December, Sheffield and Jamaica formed "Force R", under the command of Rear-Admiral Robert L. Burnett (in Sheffield), which provided cover for convoy JW51B. The convoy was attacked by a strong German surface force, but, in the ensuing action (Battle of the Barents Sea), the Germans withdrew and Sheffield sank the German destroyer Friedrich Ekholdt.

In February 1943, Sheffield moved to operate in the Bay of Biscay and, in July and August, she supported the landings at Salerno (Operation Avalanche). Returning yet again to the Arctic, she took part in the sinking of the battleship Scharnhorst off the north coast of Norway, in late December. In 1944, Sheffield was an escort for the Royal Navy carrier force that executed a series of air attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz, between April and August. These had limited success and reponsibility was passed to the Royal Air Force. A lengthy refit in Boston and in Britain kept Sheffield out of action until after the end of the war.

The refit was completed in May 1946 and Sheffield alternated between duties in the West Indies (where in 1954 she served as flagship of the 8th Cruiser Squadron) and in home waters and the Mediterranean. There were further refits in 1949/50 and 1954. She went into reserve in January 1959 and became flagship of the Home Fleet until September 1964, when she was placed on the disposal list. Her equipment was removed at Rosyth in 1967 and the was then broken up at Faslane in the same year. The stainless steel ship's bell, which was made by Hadfield's of Sheffield, was preserved and today hangs in Sheffield Cathedral along with her battle ensign.

HMS Sheffield sailed in convoys: PQ5 + PQ18 + QP14 + JW51a + JW51b + JW52 + JW55a + JW55b + RA51 + RA52 + RA55a

Motto: "Deo adjuvante proficio" "With God’s help I advance". Badge date: 1935
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Speedwell (J87)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Les Edwards, Te Puke

  HMS Speedwell J87 Halcyon Class minesweeper

HMS Speedwell was completed on 30 September 1935 and joined the 1st Minesweeping Flotilla, attached to the Mediterranean Fleet, and was based at Alexandria. She returned to Devonport for a refit which was completed at the end of June 1936. She stayed in home waters undergoing a further refit at Devonport in early 1937 until July of 1937, when she left for the Mediterranean. Returning to the UK at the end of 1937, Speedwell was undergoing repairs, refit and re‑arming at Devonport, until the end of April 1938. In July of the same year, she was at Sheerness, and placed in reserve, where she remained until, with the outbreak of the Second World War, being re‑commissioned on 30 September 1939. She joined the 5th Minesweeping Flotilla working off the East Coast. While sailing with this flotilla off Cromer, on 21 October 1939, an enemy aircraft attacked one of the ships in company; there were no casualties.

In February 1940, HMS Speedwell, together with HMS Sphinx and HMS Skipjack, was sweeping north of Kinnaird Head. Sphinx was attacked by an enemy aircraft and heavily damaged; Speedwell took her in tow, and after the tow parted made repeated efforts to go alongside before the Sphinx finally sank. Speedwell took an active part in Operation 'Dynamo' ‑ the evacuation from Dunkirk between 27 May and 4 June 1940, Speedwell brought 1,668 officers and men back to England, sustaining extensive damage by enemy action in the process.  During June 1941, a ship in an Atlantic convoy Speedwell was escorting was torpedoed; Speedwell searched for the submarine responsible, gained a contact, and released five depth charges. The contact was lost twice, re‑obtained and further depth charges dropped, but without any visible result. As the escorts were about to conduct a second sweep, an enemy submarine was sighted surfacing. Owing to Speedwell's limited speed, she did not arrive on the scene until after the enemy had been sunk by the remainder of the searching party. The submarine concerned was U‑651, and the entire crew, including the Commanding Office were rescued and taken prisoner.

In 1942 Speedwell took part in 'Operation Anklet', the raid on the Lofoten Islands; then escorted Russian convoys. Speedwell's Commanding Officer, Lt Cmdr J J Youngs, OBE, RNR, one officer and a rating were mentioned in despatches for devotion to duty while salvaging Harmatris. On 11 April the convoy in which Speedwell was operating was attacked five times by enemy aircraft, two of which were shot down and several others damaged.  During June, Speedwell picked up 37 survivors from the Russian SS KIEV, which had been torpedoed. Enemy aircraft again attacked the convoy and four were shot down. A U-boat was spotted running on the surface attempting to attack the destroyer HMS Marne. HMS Speedwell opened fire on the enemy, forcing him to break off the attack and dive. Speedwell first attempted to ram the submarine without success; she then turned and attacked with depth charges. Four charges were dropped by Speedwell before the Marne followed with a larger attack. The two ships circled the position, observing a large patch of oil on the surface. Speedwell parted company from the convoy and proceeded to Hvalfjord, Iceland.

Later in 1942 Speedwell escorted a convoy to Gibraltar, then operated off the North African coast where she went to the assistance of the fast minelayer Manxman which had been torpedoed. In May 1943, she was involved in Operation Antidote, a minesweeping operation in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Tunisia, which had just been cleared of enemy forces. For the work performed by his ship in this operation, Speedwell's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander T E Williams, RD, RNR, was awarded the DSC. Later in May 1943, Speedwell returned to the UK and was based at Leith during the summer.

In September 1943 she relieved HMS Britomart working in North Russian waters until February 1944. While escorting the US tanker Culpepper on 25 October 1943, Speedwell ran aground off Akureyri. No damage was caused and both ships later arrived at Hvalfjord.  On return, Speedwell joined 1st MSF working off the east coast. During the assault phase of the invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, Speedwell was one of the vessels which swept a channel for Force 5, the naval force which covered the landing at Ouistreham. She afterwards assisted in keeping mines out of the swept channels for the passage of troops, munitions and supplies to the Allied Armies. For the remainder of the war, HMS Speedwell continued to carry out minesweeping duties between Harwich and the Continent, latterly clearing the route to Hamburg and in the Heligoland Bight. At the end of 1945 she was reduced to the reserve at Chatham and laid up at Harwich. On 5 December 1946 she was sold and became the merchant vessel Topaz, registered at Antwerp. Whilst en route to the Dutch ship breakers on 11 May 1954, she was wrecked and later scrapped at Dordrecht.

HMS Speedwell sailed in convoys: PQ8 + PQ12 + PQ13 + QP6 + QP7 + QP9 + QP10 + JW54B + JW55A + RA55B + RA56

Motto: "Celeriter festina" "Hasten swiftly" and "Bene festina" "Speed well". Badge date: 1934

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Speedy (J17)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Tom Moss, Christchurch

  

A "Halcyon" class Fleet Minesweeper of 875 tons built by W . Hamilton & Co., Glen Yard, Port Glasgow, Scotland. Commissioned 7 April 1939 at Portsmouth for service with 1st MSF. During 1941/42 based at Polyarno (Russia) sweeping approaches to Murmansk and Archangel. In June 1942 joined convoy to Malta and joined 17th MSF sweeping approaches to Malta where she was based until 8 August 1943. Re-allocated to 1st MSF in February 1944. Paid off into reserve at Cairnryan on 15 July 1946 . Sold on 5 November 1946 and name changed to "Speedon" (mercantile). Broken up at Slave Island, Aden during February 1956.

HMS Speedy sailed on convoys: PQ2 + PQ3 + PQ4 + PQ14 + QP4

Motto: "Virtute et Labore" "By virtue and labour". Badge date: 1920

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Striker (D12)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: David Owen, Christchurch

  

An "Attacker" class escort carrier obtained under Lend-Lease. Laid down as a mercantile ship at Western Pipe and Steel Corp., San Francisco. Requisitioned by the US Navy for conversion to an escort carrier. Launched 7 July 1942 as USS "Prince William". Transferred to the Royal Navy on 29 April 1943. After escort duties in the Atlantic and Arctic took passage to join the Pacific Fleet. Returned to the UK on 24 November 1945 and handed back to the US Navy 12 February 1946. Sold for breaking up in Baltimore in June 1946.

HMS Striker sailed in convoys: JW59 + RA59 + JW60 + RA60

Badge date: 1943
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Suffolk (55)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: William Abbey (deceased)

 

HMS Suffolk (55) was a Kent class cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Portsmouth Dockyard, Portsmouth, UK), with the keel being laid down on the 15 November 1924. She was launched on the 16 March 1926, and commissioned 25 June 1928. Suffolk, like her sisters, served on the China Station, save for reconstruction, until the outbreak of World War II. She came home in 1939 and then patrolled the Denmark Straits in October 1939. In April 1940 she participated in the Norwegian Campaign. On 13 April 1940 she arrived at Tórshavn to commence the British pre-emptive occupation of the Faroe Islands. On 14 April 1940 Suffolk sank the German tanker Skagerak (6044 tons) northwest of Bodø, Norway in position 64.05N, 08.00E.

On 17 April 1940 Suffolk bombarded the air field and station for sea planes at Sola Air Station, Stavanger, destroying four aircraft and damaging the installations, but was in return badly damaged by bombs from German Ju88 aircraft of II./KG 30. X-turret's magazine had been destroyed. The ship was very lucky to survive this ordeal and she barely reached Scapa Flow with her stern awash the next morning. She was beached at Scapa Flow to prevent her sinking. Suffolk was out of action from April 1940 until February 1941 where she was repaired at Clyde.

During May 1941 Suffolk was involved in the Battle of the Denmark Strait and the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. Suffolk had engaged the battleship twice during the battle making several salvoes on her. Bismarck finally sank on 27 May 1941. After her repairs Suffolk served with the Home Fleet in Arctic waters until the end of 1942, then underwent a refit between December 1942 and April 1943. On completion of this the ship was ordered to the Eastern Fleet, operating in the Indian Ocean until the end of the war. Suffolk was allocated to Bisco on 25 March 1948 and was scrapped at J Cashmore's (Newport, Wales) where she arrived on 24 June 1948.

HMS Suffolk sailed in convoys: PQ1 + PQ18 + QP14 + QP15

Motto: "Nous Maintiendrons" "We shall maintain". Badge date: 1926

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Tartar (L43)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Wilf Goodier, Napier

  

HMS Tartar (L43, later F43) was a Tribal-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War II.

HMS Tartar sailed in convoys: PQ7b + PQ12 + PQ13 + PQ18 + QP5 + QP9 + QP14

Ship's Motto: "Without Fear".  Badge date: 1939

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Tracker (D24)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Derek McDonald, Levin (deceased)

  

HMS Tracker (D24) was a Bogue-class escort carrier that was built in the United States and served in the Royal Navy during World War II. She was constructed in the U.S. by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding in Tacoma, originally intended to be the merchant ship Mormacmail. However, before completion she was purchased by the U.S. Navy, and in 1942 was given the designation BAVG-6 and converted to an escort carrier at Wilamette Iron & Steel, Portland, Oregon. Upon completion in early 1943 she was transferred to the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Tracker.

Tracker served as a convoy escort during 1943-44 in the North Atlantic and Arctic theatres. She originally carried Swordfish and Seafire aircraft of 813 Squadron; in January 1944 switching to the Avengers and Wildcats of 846 Squadron. In April 1944 her aircraft, together with those from HMS Activity were responsible for the sinking of U-boat U-288, during convoy JW-58. In June 1944 while part of the naval screen for the D-Day landings, she collided with the Canadian frigate HMCS Teme, causing damage to both ships. In November 1944 the ship sailed to the U.S. to be used as an aircraft transport, and spent the remainder of the war ferrying aircraft and personnel in the Pacific.

In August 1945 she made a final trip to the UK, being returned to the U.S. Navy in November 1945. She was sold in November 1946 and entered service as the merchant ship Corrientes, based in Argentina. She was scrapped in 1964.

HMS Tracker sailed in convoys: JW58 + JW61 + RA58 + RA61

Motto: "Re Rawira" "I am on the warpath". Badge date: 1943
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Trinidad (C46)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: F N (Noel) Smith, Christchurch; William (Bill) Carson (deceased)

 

HMS Trinidad (C46) was a "Fiji" class light cruiser of 8,000 tons ordered from HM Dockyard Devonport on 1 December 1937 and laid down on 21 April 1938.  It was launched 21 March 1940 as the 3rd Royal Navy ship to carry the name. After damage by a bomb hit on the quarterdeck during an air raid on Plymouth in April 1941 she was taken to HM Dockyard, Rosyth where work was completed on 14 October, the ship being fitted with newly developed fire-control radar outfits for main and secondary armament and also air warning radar.

While escorting PQ13 in March,1942 she and other escorts were in combat with German Narvik class destroyers. She hit and sank "Z26" and then launched a torpedo attack. One of her torpedoes had a faulty gyro mechanism which resulted in it performing a circular arc striking herself, killing 32 men. She was towed clear of the action and proceeded under her own steam toward Murmansk. The German U-boat U-585, attempted to sink the damaged cruiser but was spotted and sunk by HMS Fury.

Undergoing partial repairs in Murmansk she set out to return home on 13 May 1942. En route she was attacked by more than 20 Ju88 bombers on 15 May 1942. All attacks missed except for one bomb which struck near the previous damage starting a serious fire. Lost were 63 men including twenty survivors from HMS Edinburgh which had been sunk two weeks earlier. The decision was taken to scuttle her and she was torpedoed by HMS Matchless and sank in the Arctic Ocean, north of North Cape.

HMS Trinidad sailed in convoys PQ8 + PQ13 + QP6

Motto: "Have faith". Badge date: 1920

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Victorious (R38)
RCCNZ Members that served on this ship: James Day, Wellington (deceased); Douglas Gooday (deceased); and Jim Gallie, Christchurch

  

HMS Victorious (R38) was the second Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme. She was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1937, and launched just two weeks into World War II in 1939. Yet she was not commissioned into the Royal Navy until 1941 due to an urgent and more pressing need for escort vessels for service in the Battle of the Atlantic. In 1941, just 2 weeks after commissioning, her first active mission began when she took part in the infamous hunt for the German battleship Bismarck in the North Atlantic. Originally intended to be part of the escort for convoy WS-8B to the Middle East, Victorious was hardly ready to be involved in a hunt for the Bismarck with just one-quarter of her aircraft embarked aboard her. Sailing with the battleship HMS King George V, the battlecruiser Repulse, and 4 light cruisers, Victorious was hastily deployed to assist in the pursuit of the German ship. On 24 May 1941, Victorious launched nine of her biplane Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber aircraft and two Fulmar fighters. The Swordfish, under the command of Eugene Esmonde who would make his name with the "Stringbag" as the Swordfish was known, flew through foul weather and attacked in the face of tremendous fire from Bismarck's anti-aircraft guns. The result was only a single hit to the armoured belt. No aircraft were shot down during the attack, but the Fulmars ran out of fuel on the return journey and had to ditch in the ocean. Victorious would have no further part in the historic chase and sinking; aircraft from another carrier the Ark Royal would play a role that led to the sinking of the Bismarck three days later. Esmonde received a DSO for his part in the action.

After ferrying aircraft to the besieged British Mediterranean base of Malta, Victorious returned to the naval base at Scapa Flow. She took part in various attacks against ports in Norway, which was under German occupation, as well as taking part in the arduous Arctic convoys, a vital supply line for the Soviet Union. On 9 March 1941, Victorious launched an attack on Bismarck's equally fearsome sister-ship Tirpitz. She scored no hits on the battleship, but it was enough to play a part in Hitler's decision to order all Kriegsmarine capital ships to not risk themselves against enemy aircraft. The Arctic convoys were suspended temporarily after the horrendous losses that Convoy PQ17 suffered. Twenty-three ships out of thirty-six were sunk after the convoy had been scattered in fear that an attack was imminent by the German warships Admiral Hipper, Lützow, Admiral Scheer, and Tirpitz.

The suspension of the Northern convoy route released Victorious to take part in one last courageous effort to get supplies into Malta - Operation Pedestal. Pedestal, which began on 10 August 1942, involved a great array of ships in several groups working together; the battleships HMS Rodney and Nelson, the aircraft carriers HMS Eagle, Indomitable, and Furious, the cruisers HMS Cairo, Charybdis, Kenya, Manchester, Nigeria, Phoebe, and Sirius, thirty-two destroyers. Some of the carriers were transporting aircraft for Maltas use and the supplies were on fourteen merchant ships. On the 11 August 1942 Victorious was slightly damaged by attacks from Italian bombers. The Eagle was less fortunate; torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat. Ultimately Pedestal was a success. Supplies, including oil, and reinforcing Spitfires allowed Malta to hold out but at a cost of the loss of nine merchant ships, one aircraft carrier, two cruisers, and a destroyer.

In November 1942, she took part in the North African landings. Operation Torch involved 196 ships of the Royal Navy and 105 of the United States Navy. The total number of Allied soldiers that landed was about 107,000. Ultimately successful, Operation Torch was the precursor to the later invasions of Sicily and France. After a refit in the United States at the Norfolk Navy Yard during the winter of 1942-43, Victorious sailed through the Panama Canal to operate with the United States forces in the Pacific. During this time, the code name for the carrier was USS Robin, from the character "Robin Hood," as the US Navy was temporarily "poor" in carriers. In April 1943, Victorious sailed for Pearl Harbor to join Saratoga's Battle Group, at that time the only operational American carrier in the Pacific. Her operations in the South Pacific area were conducted in the Solomon Islands. During this time Victorious was home to US Navy fighter squadron VF-6, flying F4F Wildcats, as well as its own Wildcats of No. 832 Squadron (832 Squadron's Avengers were at this time detached to Saratoga). Between May and July, 1943, Victorious and Saratoga provided air support for Allied forces, including the invasion of New Georgia. In late 1943, Victorious returned to the UK, to the naval base at Scapa Flow. The refit had included the addition of such typically American appliances such as soda machines and ice cream freezers which were ridiculed by the sailors of the Royal Navy upon its return to them.

On 2 April 1944, Victorious joined Anson, Duke of York, Emperor, Fencer, Furious, Pursuer, and Searcher, along with numerous cruisers and destroyers, in launching a devastating attack (Operation Tungsten) on the Tirpitz, involving twenty Barracudas in two waves, hitting the battleship fourteen times. The attack put Tirpitz out of action for three months. During the operation, Victorious became the first Royal Navy aircraft carrier to operationally use the F4U Corsair fighter. The Task Force returned to Scapa Flow after this relative success three days later.

In June 1944, Victorious was attached to the British Eastern Fleet at Trincomalee, where she arrived on the 5th July. Victorious along with Illustrious, launched a strike against Palembang (Operation Crimson) and another strike in conjunction with Indomitable occurred against the Andaman Islands. Over the next eight months, awaiting the formation and departure of the British Pacific Fleet (BPF), the carriers Formidable, Illustrious, Implacable, Indomitable, and Indefatigable along with the battleships Howe and King George V, escorted by six cruisers and twelve destroyers, launched numerous air strikes against Japanese forces and installations in Indonesia. The BPF finally departed Ceylon on 13 January 1945, en route to Sydney, Australia. Aircraft from the fleet attacked installations on Sumatra and Java on the 24th and 29th January (Operation Meridian).

In April 1945, Victorious along with Illustrious, Indefatigable, and Indomitable, launched strikes against Okinawa, along with the US 5th Fleet. While there, Victorious was hit by two kamikazes, though she suffered only minor damage due to her armoured flight deck, which was more resilent to such attacks than the wooden decks of American carriers. In July, aircraft from No. 849 Squadron, embarked aboard Victorious, located and attacked the Japanese escort carrier Kaiyo, seriously damaging her while at Beppu Bay, Kyūshū. She was stricken from the Japanese naval register a few months later. Immediately after the war, Victorious assisted in the repatriation of prisoners of war. Following this, in 1946, Victorious was pressed into service to carry war brides of British servicemen from Australia to the UK.

HMS Victorious sailed in convoys: PQ12 + PQ13 + PQ14 + PQ15 + PQ16 + PQ17 + QP9 + QP10 + QP11 + QP12 + QP13

Motto: "Per Coelum et Aequorum" "A victor in the sky and at sea". Badge date: 1938
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Vindex (D15)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Bob Crotcher, Christchurch

  

A mercantile requisitioned by the Admiralty whilst under construction by Swan Hunter for the Port Line in October 1942. Converted to an Escort Aircraft Carrier of the "Nairana" class.  Launched 4 May1943 and completed 3 December 1943. Her aircraft aided in the sinking of U653, U765, U344 and U394. After service on Russian convoys, the ship was prepared for service with the British Pacific Fleet and sailed from the Clyde in July 1945. Due to the war's end, was deployed for the transport of stores and repatriated POW's until nominated for return to UK to pay off. Purchased by the Port Line in October 1947, converted back to a mercantile and named Port Vindex. Sold in 1971 and towed to Formosa on 23 August 1971 for breaking up.

HMS Vindex sailed on convoys JW59 + JW61 + JW63 + JW66 + RA59a + RA61 + RA63 + RA66

Motto: "Diu Noctuque Mari Coeloque" "By day and by night, by sea and by sky". Badge date: 1943

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Volage (R41)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Douglas Dawson  (deceased)

 

HMS Volage (R41) was a V-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was later converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F41.

HMS Volage sailed in convoys: JW60 + RA60

Badge date: 1944
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Wakeful (R59)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: James Mitchell, Putaruru

       

HMS Wakeful (1944) DD (2nd) was the second ship to carry the name and was a W Class (1943). As destroyer leader she had slightly reduced armament to allow the increased complement and working space needed to control a flotilla. Built by Fairfield, she was laid down on 3 June 1942, launched on 30 June 1943 and commissioned 17 February 1944. On commissioning she formed part of the 27th Destroyer Flotilla. In May 1944 she supported operations for carrier raids off Norway, then repositioned to the Channel during June 1944 for the Normandy landings. This was followed in August 1944 with Arctic convoy duty. In November 1944 she was assigned to the Indian Ocean as part of the 27th Destroyer Flotilla. She moved to the British Pacific Fleet in January 1945 for the remainder of the war. HMS Wakeful was converted to a frigate 1953, was sold 10 June 1971 and broken up at Inverkeithing.

HMS Wakeful sailed in convoys: JW63 + JW64 + RA63 + RA64

Motto: "Si Dormium Capiar" "Catch a weasel asleep". Badge date: 1919
 

The White Ensign of the Royal Navy.HMS Zealous (R39)
RCCNZ Member that served on this ship: Colin Christensen, Foxton (deceased)

 

Destroyer with displacement of 1,170 tons. Built at Cammell Laird Shipyard and launched on 28 February 1944. Was transferred to the Israeli Navy 15 July 1955 and re-named "Elath". Sunk 21 October 1967 by Egyptian missile.

HMS Zealous sailed in convoys: JW64 + JW66 + RA64 + RA66

Badge date: 1944
 

Further details will be added as they become available.
 
 

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