Ex
USS MEADE (Type A - BURNHAM-Class) built by
Bethlehem Steel at Squantum
and launched 24 May 1919. Build was
completed on 8th September 1919 and the ship
was held in Reserve in 1939.
Transferred under the Lease/Lend Agreement
in 1940 and commissioned at Halifax into the
RN on 24 September 1940. In common with
other TOWN Class ships the name was shared
by a town in the Isle of Man and and
also a town in New Jersey, USA.
This
ship was the 1st RN warship to carry the
name and was adopted by the civil
community of the county of
Huntingdonshire
after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National
Savings campaign in March 1942.
B a t
t l
e H o n
o u r
ATLANTIC
1941-42
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field per fess wavy white and
blue,: a demi
ram
erased proper, armed Gold supporting
between the legs
a hurt charged with a mullet
White.
D
e t a
i
l s o f W a
r
S e r v i c e
(for more
ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search)
1
9 4 0
November
Prepared for transfer
26th
Commissioned into RN service as HMS RAMSEY.
December
5th
Took passage to Plymouth
17th
On arrival taken
in hand by HM Dockyard Devonport for refit
and modifications to suit RN
deployment as a convoy escort.
1
9 4 1
January
Allocated for service with 5th Escort Group
based at Liverpool.
29th
Refit completed.
February
2nd
Carried out post refit trials prepared for
operational duty
Deployed with Group for convoy escort in NW
Approaches.
March
9th
Taken in hand for repair in Liverpool after
machinery breakdown.
April
Under repair.
(Note: Modified RAF radar (Naval Type 286M)
fitted
See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse for details of
development and use of radar in RN.).
5th
On completion of post repair trials deployed
for Local convoy escort duty.
May
Local escort in continuation.
Nominated for duty with Newfoundland Escort
Force on formation.
June
3rd
Joined military
convoy WS9A in
Clyde with HM
Cruiser CAIRO, HM Destroyers COSSACK,
MAORI,
OTTAWA
(RCN), RESTIGOUCHE (RCN), RICHMOND, SIKH,
VANQUISHER,
WINCHELSEA, ZULU and
HM
Armed Merchant Cruiser AUSONIA as Local
Escort during
passage in NW Approaches.
7th
Detached with Local Escort and returned to
Clyde.
Took passage to Newfoundland.
July
Deployed for convoy escort in western
Atlantic between
Canada and
mid-Atlantic Meeting
Point.
August
Transferred to 22nd Escort Group in
continuation.
September
Convoy escort duty in continuation.
to
(Note: For details o convoy defence tactics
and U-Boat deployment in 1941-42 see U-BOAT
October
WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO), THE BATTLE OF
THE ATLANTIC by
Macintyre and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C
Blair.).
November
Under refit in Boston, USA.
to
(Note: Additional centimetric radar Type 271
fitted to prove surface warning.
December
see above reference)
1
9 4 2
January
Under refit.
February
On completion rejoined Group and deployed
for convoy defence with Western Local Escort
Force.
March
Convoy escort in Canadian area with Group.
April
5th
Taken in hand for further repair to turbines
at Halifax
May
Turbine repair transferred for completion at
Charlestown, South Carolina USA.
June
Under repair.
July
Completion of turbine repair work to be
continued in UK.
27th
Sailed from Halifax with routine mercantile
Convoy HX200.
August
Passage to
UK with convoy
HX200.
7th
Detached from HX200 on arrival at Liverpool
and taken in hand for completion of turbine
repair in commercial shipyard
September
Transferred to Belfast for repair.
October
Transferred to Clyde shipyard for completion
of work.
Nominated for service with 6th British
Escort Group.
22nd On
completion of post repair trials joined
Group.
November
Completed one Atlantic escort crossing and
withdrawn from service for further refit.
Paid off and taken in hand for Long Refit at
commercial shipyard in Grimsby.
(Note: Previous record seems difficult to
reconcile with the decision to fit a new
Bridge structure to this ship.)
December
Under refit
1
9 4 3
January
Under refit.
to
May
June
Re-commissioned for service.
On
completion of post refit trials took
passage to Tobermory for work-up prior to
deployment
July
Worked-up at Tobermory for convoy escort
deployment.
August
Withdrawn from service as a convoy escort
(Note: This may have been due to poor
performance during work-up.)
New deployment as Air Target Ship decided
September
Converted for use as an Air Target ship.
(Note: Main armament removed and equipment
not required for new role such as
depth charges.)
October
Deployed at
Station in
Irish
Sea for training of aircrew in torpedo
attacks on shipping..
to
December
1
9 4 4
Air Training Ship deployment in
continuation.
1
9 4 5
January
Air Training Ship deployment in
continuation.
to
Nominated for reduction to Reserve after VE
Day.
June
July
Paid off and de-stored at Rosyth.
Reduced to Reserve.
August
Laid-up at Grangemouth
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS RAMSEY was laid up at
Grangemouth
until 1947. Placed on the Disposal List in
1947 she was sold to BISCO on 18th February
1947 for demolition by P & W MacLellan
at Bo’ness. She
arrived in tow at the Breaker's yard near
Edinburgh in July that year.
S p e c i a l N o t e
This service of this ship is typical of that of many
others transferred under Lend Lease in 1940.
Experience in Atlantic convoy escort
revealed their many deficiencies in
structural design and machinery. (See
General Information).
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of
HMS RAMSEY
by
Don Kindell
These
convoy lists have not been cross-checked
with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
16/02/41
|
16/02/41
|
OB
287
|
19/02/41
|
21/02/41
|
07/03/41
|
07/03/41
|
OG
055
|
20/03/41
|
20/03/41
|
06/04/41
|
06/04/41
|
OB
308
|
11/04/41
|
13/04/41
|
31/03/41
|
13/04/41
|
HX
118
|
14/04/41
|
18/04/41
|
20/04/41
|
04/05/41
|
HX
122
|
08/05/41
|
08/05/41
|
12/05/41
|
12/05/41
|
OB
322
|
18/05/41
|
20/05/41
|
06/05/41
|
18/05/41
|
HX
125A
|
22/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
28/05/41
|
28/05/41
|
OB
327
|
01/06/41
|
01/06/41
|
10/06/41
|
16/06/41
|
HX
132
|
23/06/41
|
28/06/41
|
10/06/41
|
16/06/41
|
SC
034
|
22/06/41
|
29/06/41
|
26/06/41
|
02/07/41
|
OB
339
|
03/07/41
|
12/07/41
|
22/07/41
|
25/07/41
|
HX
140
|
unknown
|
06/08/41
|
06/08/41
|
11/08/41
|
ON
004
|
18/08/41
|
18/08/41
|
24/08/41
|
02/09/41
|
SC
041
|
06/09/41
|
11/09/41
|
01/09/41
|
10/09/41
|
ON
012
|
14/09/41
|
14/09/41
|
29/09/41
|
04/10/41
|
SC
047
|
12/10/41
|
20/10/41
|
22/02/42
|
22/02/42
|
SC
071
|
28/02/42
|
10/03/42
|
19/02/42
|
03/03/42
|
ON
068
|
09/03/42
|
09/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
18/03/42
|
SC
075
|
24/03/42
|
03/04/42
|
02/07/42
|
02/07/42
|
TAW
001
|
unknown
|
10/07/42
|
27/07/42
|
01/08/42
|
HX
200
|
06/08/42
|
07/08/42
|
16/10/42
|
30/10/42
|
SL
125
|
03/11/42
|
09/11/42
|
|
|
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|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|