HMS Eridge service history (from Naval history.net)
February Contractor's trials and commissioned for service.
28th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
March Took passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing..
Worked-up for operational service with ships of Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow.
Joined Irish Sea Escort Force for convoy defence duties.
April Convoy defence in Western Approaches and Irish Sea in continuation.
26th Joined HM Destroyers HARVESTER, HAVELOCK, HESPERUS, HURRICANE, LEGION,
OTTAWA (RCN), RESTIGOUCHE (RCN), SAGUENAY (RCN) and Polish ORP PIORUN with
HM Destroyer BEAGLE as escort for military convoy WS8A during passage in NW
approaches.
29th Detached from WS8A and took passage to meet Convoy SL71.from Freetown to Clyde as
Local Escort.
May After arrival of SL71 in Clyde continued escort duty in NW Approaches.
22nd Joined escort for military convoy WS8B in Clyde as Local Escort with HM Cruiser CAIRO,
Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI, OTTAWA, SIKH, RESTIGOUCHE, ZULU and Polish ORP
PIORUN.
26th Detached from WS8B with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.
June Nominated for service at Gibraltar with 13th Destroyer Flotilla
18th Passage to Gibraltar.
21st Joined Flotilla at Gibraltar for Atlantic convoy defence.
July Gibraltar deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
17th Deployed with HM Destroyers AVON VALE and FARNDALE to meet military convoy WS9C
on passage from Clyde in Atlantic west of Gibraltar.
On meeting detached from WS9C with HM Cruiser MANCHESTER, HM Destroyers NESTOR
(RAN) and LIGHTNING for escort of troopship PASTEUR to Gibraltar
(Note: One source suggests ship took passage with WS9C from Clyde but may not be correct
as other data suggests she joined 13th Flotilla in June 1941
18th Nominated for escort of Malta Relief convoy (Operation SUBSTANCE).
21st Joined HM Cruisers EDINBURGH, MANCHESTER, ARETHUSA and MANXMAN as
destroyer screen during escort of convoy WS9C with H M Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI,
FEARLESS, NESTOR, FOXHOUND, FIREDRAKE, HM Escort Destroyers AVON VALE
and FARNDALE in Force X.
23rd Detached from screen to escort HMS FIREDRAKE under tow to Gibraltar after being damaged
in air attacks.
(For details of Mediterranean operations during 1911 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY by C Barnett, THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre and
Naval Staff History ( HMSO-2002).
27th Joined HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FURY,
COSSACK, MAORI, NESTOR and ENCOUNTER as destroyer screen for HM Battleship
NELSON, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL and HM Battlecruiser RENOWN to cover
passage of convoy taking personnel to Malta (Operation STYLE - See above references).
31st Returned to Gibraltar with major warships of Force H on arrival at Sicilian Narrows.
August Resumed Flotilla duties at Gibraltar
4th Transferred with HMS AVON VALE to 2nd Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria.
Passage via Cape of Good Hope and Indian Ocean
September Passage in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
29th Arrived at Suez.
October Joined Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.
Deployed in eastern Mediterranean.
November Transferred to 5th Destroyer Flotilla based at Alexandria.
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.
December Flotilla deployment in eastern Mediterranean in continuation.
1 9 4 2
January Flotilla deployment in continuation.
February
16th Part of escort for ss CLAN CAMPBELL and ss CLAN CHATTAN as Convoy MW9A to Malta
from Alexandria with HM Cruiser CARLISLE, HM Destroyer LANCE, HM Escort Destroyers
AVON VALE and HEYTHROP (Operation MFM)
13th Under air attacks during which ss CLAN CAMPBELL was damaged and was escorted to
Tobruk.
(Note: ss CLAN CHATTAN was damaged later on 14th and had to be sunk by our own forces
This operation was a failure.
See above references.)
17th Resumed Flotilla duties at Alexandria.
March
20th Joined HM Escort Destroyers AVON VALE, BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, HEYTHROP
HURWORTH and SOUTHWOLD of Flotilla to carry out anti-submarine sweep off Alexandria
prior to departure of Convoy MW10 for Malta (Operation MG1 -see above references).
After HMS HEYTHROP was hit by a torpedo from U652 NE of Bardia took the stricken
ship in tow.
21st Tow abandoned when HMS HEYTHROP sank 5 hours later.
Refuelled at Tobruk prior to joining escort for Convoy MW10
22nd Joined escort of convoy with same ships, except HMS HEYTHROP.
After threat from superior Italian force including battleship LITORRIO cruisers GORIZIA,
TRENTO and BANDE MERE detached with HMS CARLISLE and sister destroyers to escort
convoy to south away from enemy force.
(2nd Battle of Sirte. - See above references.).
23rd Because of vulnerability of convoy to air attacks and difference of speed of the mercantiles,
nominated as escort for ss CLAN CAMPBELL with H M Cruiser PENELOPE, HM Destroyer
LEGION and HM Escort Destroyer HURWORTH
Under heavy air attacks during passage to Malta..
(Note: CLAN CAMPBELL was sunk about 8 miles from Malta.
Rescued some 100 of crew.)
Took passage to Grand Harbour to land survivors and rejoin escort.
25th Sailed to Alexandria with HMS CARLISLE, HM Escort Destroyers BEAUFORT,
DULVERTON and HURWORTH.
29th Arrived at Alexandria and resumed duties with Flotilla.
April Deployed with Flotilla for escort of support convoys to Tobruk.
May Flotilla duties in continuation.
28th During escort of Convoy AT4 to Tobruk with HM Escort Destroyers HERO and HURWORTH
took part in sinking of U568 in position 32.42N, 24.53E (off Tobruk) with HM Destroyer HERO
and HM Escort Destroyer HURWORTH.
Rescued 42 survivors from submarine.
(For details see U BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
June Nominated for support of Malta relief convoy MW11 with ships of Flotilla.
(Operation VIGOROUS - See above references for details).
11th Sailed from Port Said with H M Cruiser COVENTRY, H M Escort Destroyers AIREDALE,
ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, CROOME, DULVERTON , EXMOOR and HURWORTH as
escort for four supply ships in Convoy MW11C each of which was towing an MTB.
(Operation REMBRANDT - This was a diversionary Operation to distract attention of the enemy
from the passage of the relief convoy in VIGOROUS).
12th ss CITY OF CALCUTTA in Convoy MW11C damaged in air attacks and detached with HMS
CROOME and EXMOOR for passage with an escort to Tobruk
14th Joined escort for VIGOROUS convoy and under air attacks
to Convoy under threat of attack from major Italian force.
15th After conflicting instructions and heavy expenditure of ammunition and fuel VIGOROUS was
abandoned.
(For full details of this ill-directed attempt to pass a convoy to Malta see above references).
17th Resumed duties with Flotilla in eastern Mediterranean.
Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.
July
10th Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, DULVERTON and
HURWORTH in support of military operations.
11th Took part in bombardment of Mersa Matruh with same ships.
(Note: Ammunition ship STURLA was sunk in this bombardment.)
August Flotilla duties in continuation.
27th Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, CROOME and HURWORTH for support
of military operations.
28th Took part in bombardment of airfield at El Daba with HMS CROOME and HMS HURWORTH.
After completion of bombardment under attack by E-Boat and hit on port side aft
Explosion caused extensive flooding in Engine Room with loss of electric power.
Significant structural damage including 20 ft hole from keel upwards.
Disabled ship taken in tow to Alexandria by HMS ALDENHAM.
(Note: E-Boat was sunk by HMS ALDENHAM.
See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA Mason.)
Made return passage screened by HMS CROOME and HMS HURWORTH.
Under air attack by Ju87 dive bombers.
31st On arrival at Alexandria withdrawn from service for survey.
September Paid off after survey showed repair to be uneconomic.
Source:
HMS Eridge, escort destroyer
S p e c i a l N o t e
HMS ERIDGE remained hulked at Alexandria and was used an Accommodation Ship between 1944 and 1946. She was also used as a valuable source of spares for the other HUNT Class destroyers in service in the Mediterranean.. For example in April 1943 one of her shafts was used to replace the damaged item in HMS ALDENHAM after a grounding (See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA Mason). This Escort Destroyer remained in use for accommodation purposes after VJ Day until 1946 when placed on the Disposal List. She was sold at Alexandria to a Greek shipbreaker in October that year.