US
Coastguard Cutter MENDOTA built by Bethlehem
Shipbuilders, Quincy, Mass, and
launched on 27th November 1928.
Transferred to Royal Navy 30th April 1941 under
the UK/USA Lease-Lend Agreement and renamed
HMS CULVER.
B
a t t l e
H o n o u r s
NORTH
SEA 1941 - ATLANTIC 1941-42
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
In
common with other ships of the Class provided
under Lease-Lend
no
Badge is listed in the Official List.
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
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and
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1
9 4 1
April
30th
Transferred to RN and commissioned for service
in New York as HMS CULVER. Manned by
personnel from HMS MALAYA.
May
Took passage from New York to Halifax with
sister ships HM Sloops FISHGUARD, BANFF
and
HARTLAND
6th
Arrived at Halifax to be deployed with routine
convoy to UK.
7th
Joined Convoy HX125 for transit to UK.
(Note: HM Battleship REVENGE was also part of
this convoy to provide Ocean Escort.
In view of the fact that this ship had not been
prepared of convoy defence and fitted with
essential RN equipment to be installed in UK, it
is unlikely that she would be used as part
of the escort during transit.
22nd
Detached from HX125 and joined Western
Approaches Command.
Prepared for operational service.
June
Passage to Londonderry for convoy defence
deployment.
18th
Deployed with escort of inward Convoy HX130
during passage in NW Approaches.
20th
Detached from HX130 and returned to Londonderry.
July
Deployed with escort for inward Convoy HX136.
18th
Detached from HX136 and returned to Londonderry
(Note: Deployment with these two convoys may be
have a period of introduction to Atlantic
convoy defence prior to transfer to convoy
defence between UK and West Africa in 40th
Escort Group.)
Nominated for convoy defence for convoys between
UK and West Africa.
Deployed with HM Sloops WELLINGTON and sister
ship HMS LANDGUARD as escort for
outward Convoy OB386 during passage to Freetown.
August
1st
Detached from OB386 on relief by Local Escort
from Freetown and took passage to Bathurst,
Gambia to refuel.
On completion took passage to Freetown.
September
Deployed with escort for return Convoy SL84 from
Freetown
(Note: This convoys is recorded as sailing on
18th August and arriving at Liverpool on 8th
September. On that basis details from other
sources about period in London under refit
are incorrect and the following entries are
subject to revision if proved incorrect.)
Passage from Londonderry to Sheerness,
6th
Under refit at Woolwich by Harland and Wolf,
(Note: Radar Type 271 for surface warning and
particularly effective for detection of
surfaced submarines was installed.
A High Frequency Radio Receiver (H/F D/F) was
also fitted to assist in the
detection of radio signals transmissions from
submarines to determine their position
See SEEK and STRIKE by W Hackmann)
October
On completion of post refit trials took passage
from Sheerness as part of escort for East Coast
routine convoy.
(Note: Identity in one source is EC83 but usual
identity for northbound convoys was FN.
To be confirmed.)
Detached from coastal convoy and took passage to
Tobermory for workup.
25th
Joined escort of convoy OS10 of 34 ships during
passage to Freetown.
(Note: Sister ships HM Cutters LULWORTH.
LANDGUARD and GORLESTON were also
in this escort.)
31st
Under attack by U96 which sank the Dutch
mercantile BENNEKOM.
(See HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.)
November
2nd
Under attack by U-Boats of STOERTEBECKER Group
which were unsuccessful and
driven off by escort which then included HM
Destroyer STANLEY and HM Corvette
VERBENA. See above reference,
(Note: These ships may have been sent to assist
as not part of original escort from
Londonderry.)
7th
Rescued survivors from BENNEKOM
(Note: This date seems unlikely as mercantile
was sunk on 31st October.
Rescue may have been on 1st November.)
14th
Detached from OS10 and took passage to Bathurst
to refuel.
21st
Deployed with HM Sloops BANFF, GORLESTON,
LANDGUARD and FISHGUARD as escort
for inward Convoy SL93 during passage to Liverpool.
(Note: Other Ships in 40th Escort Group to which
ship belonged were:
HM Cutters LANDGUARD, GORLESTON, LULWORTH, HM
Destroyer STANLEY
and HM Corvette VERBENA.
December
10th
Detached from SL93 with escort and returned to
Londonderry.
22nd At
Greenock.
23rd
Joined outward convoy OS15 as escort during
passage to West Africa with HM Sloops
LANDGUARD and LULWORTH.
1
9 4 2
January
12th
Detached from OS15 and took passage to refuel in
Bathurst.
17th
Sailed from BATHURST with HMS LULWORTH as escort
for mercantiles during passage
to join inward convoy SL98.
18th
Deployed with HM Sloop LONDONDERRY and other warships as escort for SL98 during
passage to Liverpool.
25th
Detached from SL98 to escort mercantile ss
NURTURETON to Funchal, Madeira for repair to
boiler that had developed defect since joining
SL98.
26th
Rejoined SL98 escort from Madeira.
31st
Under attack by U105 and sunk in position 48.43N
20 14W, SW of Ireland.
Magazine exploded after ship hit by two
torpedoes and sank in about one minute.
Only 12 of the ship’s company were rescued, four
being on loan for limited period.
See above reference and WARSHIPS LOSSES OF WW2
by D Brown.
Radar Type 271 was unserviceable at the time.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS of
HMS CULVER
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
06/05/41
|
07/05/41
|
HX 125A
|
22/05/41
|
22/05/41
|
01/06/41
|
15/06/41
|
HX 130
|
19/06/41
|
20/06/41
|
26/06/41
|
01/07/41
|
HX 135
|
11/07/41
|
12/07/41
|
14/07/41
|
14/07/41
|
OB 346
|
01/08/41
|
01/08/41
|
05/08/41
|
08/08/41
|
SL 083
|
28/08/41
|
28/08/41
|
25/10/41
|
26/10/41
|
OS 010
|
15/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
18/11/41
|
SL 093
|
10/12/41
|
10/12/41
|
23/12/41
|
24/12/41
|
OS 015
|
11/01/42
|
13/01/42
|
15/01/42
|
18/01/42
|
SL 098
|
31/01/42
|
05/02/42
|
(Note
on Convoys)