Repeat SHOREHAM-Class Sloop
ordered under the 1930 Programme from HM
Dockyard Devonport
on 24th April 1931 and laid
down on 14th September
that year.
She was launched on 11th June 1932 as
the 7th Royal Navy ship to
carry the name, introduced in 1660 for a
5th Rate (Ex ST FAGANS)
and last used in 1809 for a 3rd Rate
broken-up in 1848. Build was competed on
22nd December 1932 and her pre-war service
was spent
entirely on the South Atlantic Station
apart from refit at Portsmouth at the
end of 1937. The 4in main armament was
replaced by modern HA weapons at Simonstown
in early 1939 and the ship was deployed
in the
South Atlantic when war was declared in
September 1939. No record of an
adoption by a UK civil community after a
WARSHIP WEEK National Savings
campaign can be traced.
B
a t t l
e H o n o
u r s
LOWESTOFT 1665 -
USHANT 1778
- ADRIATIC 1813 - ATLANTIC
1940-44
H e r
a l d i
c D a
t a
Badge: On a Field Green,
two
fishes
in Saltire
Silver in chief Blue, a net gold.
M
o t t o
Retibus Famam
Retinens:
'Holding
fame in our nets'
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 3 9
September
Passage to take up war station.
3rd
Deployed for patrol and interception off
west coast of Africa.
Transferred to Freetown for contraband
control , trade defence and interception
of
commerce raiders.
October
Based at Freetown for defence of convoys
between Gibraltar and South Africa.
November
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
to
December
1
9 4 0
January
Passage to Simonstown for refit.
February
Under refit in HM Dockyard Simonstown.
to
March
April
Passage to Freetown to resume convoy
defence after post refit trials.
May
Deployed for convoy defence in south
Atlantic.
to
Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes changed to U51.
June
July
8th
Joined HM Aircraft Carrier HERMES and HM
Cruiser DORSETSHIRE for an operation
at Dakar to attack Vichy French
battleship RICHELIEU.
(Note: Embarked envoy for discussion
with French authorities.
These were rebuffed. See RELUCTANT
ENEMIES by W Tute.)
August
Deployed at Freetown and prepared for
further operations against Dakar.
September
2nd
Joined Force M ships at Freetown for
attack on Vichy French ships at Dakar.
(Operation MENACE - See above
reference and Naval Staff History).
October
On release from MENACE deployed at
Freetown for convoy defence.
November
Prepared for support of Free French
landings at Libreville.
7th
Deployed with HM Cruisers DELHI and
DEVONSHIRE is support of Free French
during
landings at Libreville.
8th
Sank Vichy French submarine PONCELOT off
Libreville after sighting by aircraft
from HMS DEVONSHIRE. See above
references.
December
On release from
Libreville operation resumed convoy defence duties at
Freetown.
1
9 4 1
January
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
8th
Deployed with HM Sloop BRIDGEWATER, HM
Destroyers VELOX, VTDETTE.
HM Corvettes ASPHODEL and CALENDULA to
provide Local Escort for military convoy
W35A during initial stage of passage
from Freetown to Cape of Good Hope.
11th
On release from WS5A detached with Local
Escort and returned to Freetown.
29th
Deployed with
HM Destroyers FAULKNOR , FORESTER, HM
Corvettes CLEMATIS and
CYCLAMEN as
Local Escort fro military convoy WS5B
for initial stage of passage to
Cape of Good Hope from Freetown.
February
1st
Detached from WS5B with Local Escort and
returned to Freetown.
Resumed Local Escort duties at Freetown.
March
Convoy defence in continuation based at
Freetown.
to
Nominated for refit
April
May
Passage to Simonstown.
to
Under refit at Simonstown.
June
July
On completion deployed for convoy
defence in South Atlantic and Indian
Ocean
based at
Simonstown.
August
South Atlantic and Indian Ocean convoy
defence in continuation.
to
October
November
Passage to Freetown to resume Local
Escort duties.
28th
Deployed by HM Corvettes HOLLYHOCK and
VERBENA as escort for military convoy
WS12Z during passage from Freetown to
Cape of Good Hope.
(Note: HM Destroyers DULVERTON and
SOUTHWOLD also formed part of escort.
December
15th
Detached from WS12Z after relief by HM
Corvettes ASTER and MARGUERITE
Returned to Freetown to resume local
1
9 4 2
January
Deployed for convoy defence based at
Freetown.
27th
Carried out anti-submarine sweep before
departure of military convoy WS15 from
Freetown.
29th
Joined escort of WS15 for passage to
Durban,
February
13th
Detached from escort of WS15 on arrival
at Durban.
March
Deployed for convoy defence in Indian
Ocean and South Atlantic based at
Capetown.
17th
Joined military convoy WS16 off Capetown
with HM Armed Merchant Cruisers CHESHIRE
and DUNOTTAR CASTLE.
Relieved on same day by H M Armed
Merchant
Cruiser WORCESTERSHIRE and resumed
Local convoy defence at Capetown.
22nd
Deployed with HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE as
escort for ships of military convoy WS16
during
passage to Durban.
25th
Detached from
WS16 on arrival at Durban.
Passage to Capetown.
April
Deployed for convoy defence based at
Capetown.
18th
Joined military convoy WS17B during
passage from Freetown to Cape of Good
Hope.
(Note: This convoy included HM Depot
Ship ADAMANT on passage to East Africa.
Ocean Escort from Freetown was provided
by HM Cruiser SHROPSHIRE.)
23rd
Detached from WS17B on arrival at
Capetown,
May
Passage from Capetown to Freetown.
26th
Deployed with HM Cruiser MAURITIUS and
HM Destroyer HURSLEY as Ocean Escort for
military convoy WS19 during passage from
Freetown to Capetown.
June
6th
Detached from WS19 with Ocean Escort on
arrival at Capetown.
Took return passage to Freetown to
prepare for refit
(Note: Refit arranged at Rio de Janeiro
in Brazilian Navy Dockyard,)
July
Passage to Rio de Janeiro and taken in
hand for refit.
August
Under refit
September
On completion of post refit trials took
passage to Freetown.
(Note: By this period 20mm Oerlikon
weapons had been fitted to increase
close
range defence.
Extent of radar fit is uncertain - See
1944)
October
Resumed convoy defence duties at
Freetown.
23rd
Joined military convoy WS23 on passage
from Freetown to Cape of Good Hope with
HM
Cruiser
DESPATCH to supplement defence.
31st
Detached from WS23 with HMS DESPATCH.
November
Passage to Freetown to resume duties.
to
Deployed at Freetown for convoy defence.
December
1
9 4 3
January
Atlantic and coastal convoy defence in
continuation at Freetwon.
to
Nominated for return to UK for refit.
July
August
Passage to UK for refit in Clyde
shipyard.
Nominated for transfer to 40th Escort
Group on completion.
Taken in hand for refit.
September
On completion of post refit trials
joined Group for defence of convoys on
Gibraltar.
West African and UK route.
Part of escort for joint Convoys
SL136/MKS24 from Gibraltar with
October
Atlantic convoy defence in continuation.
November
Part of escort for Convoys SL139/MCS30
from Gibraltar with
18th
.Threat from SCHILL Group of U-Boats
never materialised.
21st
Under glider bomb attack from He177
aircraft
(Note: HM Sloop CHANTICLEER was hit and
badly damaged by a glider bomb during
these attacks but was later towed to the
Azores)
December
On return from UK withdrawn from
operational service due to poor
condition of hull.
Paid off and laid up at Ardrossan
pending decision on future deployment.
(For details of convoy defence weapons
and German submarine deployments see THE
BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC by D Macintyre,
U-BOAT WAR, SEEK AND STRIKE by
W Hackmann). and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by
C Blair.
1
9 4 4
January
Laid up at Ardrossan.
to
Selected for use as escort and target
for 10th Submarine Flotilla after refit.
April
To be modified for new role and
anti-submarine armament removed.
May
Passage to Tees shipyard for refit and
conversion.
June
Under refit.
to
(Note: Davit for torpedo recovery
fitted..
September
Radar Type 271 fitted for surface
warning.
For details of development and use of
radar in RN see RADAR AT SEA by D
Howse.)
October
On completion of shipyard work carried
out post refit trials.
Passage to join Flotilla at Rothesay.
November
Deployed at Rothesay for submarine
training target
to
December
1
9 4 5
January
Submarine training duties with Squadron
in continuation at Rothesay
to
August
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
HMS MILFORD continued her
training duties at Rothesay
until December 1945 when
she was transferred to the 7th Submarine
Flotilla at Portsmouth after refitting
in a Clyde shipyard. The ship was
reduced to Reserve status in 1946 and
placed
en the Disposal List in 1949. She was
sold to BISCO
on 3rd June that year for breaking-up by
TW Ward at Hayle,
Cornwall.. The ship arrived at the
breaker’s yard on
22nd July.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HMS
MILFORD
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
03/12/39
|
03/12/39
|
SL
011F
|
03/12/39
|
15/12/39
|
11/07/40
|
11/07/40
|
SL
039F
|
12/07/40
|
19/07/40
|
11/08/40
|
11/08/40
|
SL
043
|
13/08/40
|
31/08/40
|
20/01/41
|
20/01/41
|
SL
063
|
24/01/41
|
09/02/41
|
10/02/41
|
10/02/41
|
SL
065
|
14/02/41
|
08/03/41
|
05/08/41
|
05/08/41
|
SL
083
|
09/08/41
|
28/08/41
|
25/08/41
|
25/08/41
|
SL
085
|
28/08/41
|
17/09/41
|
06/10/41
|
06/10/41
|
ST
005
|
11/10/41
|
11/10/41
|
06/12/42
|
06/12/42
|
FTT
004
|
19/12/42
|
19/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
25/12/42
|
OT
003S
|
29/12/42
|
29/12/42
|
31/12/42
|
09/01/43
|
FTT
006
|
18/01/43
|
15/01/43
|
10/05/43
|
10/05/43
|
ST
065
|
14/05/43
|
14/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
21/05/43
|
TS
041
|
27/05/43
|
27/05/43
|
04/06/43
|
04/06/43
|
ST
068
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
11/06/43
|
11/06/43
|
TS
044
|
17/06/43
|
17/06/43
|
18/08/43
|
18/08/43
|
ST
074
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
03/09/43
|
03/09/43
|
SL
136
|
14/09/43
|
14/09/43
|
14/09/43
|
14/09/43
|
SL
136MK
|
25/09/43
|
25/09/43
|
27/10/43
|
28/10/43
|
OS
057KM
|
09/11/43
|
09/11/43
|
09/11/43
|
09/11/43
|
KMS
031G
|
10/11/43
|
10/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
13/11/43
|
MKS
030G
|
16/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
16/11/43
|
SL
139MK
|
26/11/43
|
26/11/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)