Career HMS Badsworth (L03)

1 career

1.1 operations
1.2 service in arctic
1.3 escort , patrol duties in mediterranean
1.4 duties under norwegian command, , later career

career
early operations

on 18 august 1941 upon build completion, , final trials badsworth proceeded scapa flow. throughout september, ship readied operational service, joining londonderry escort force. badsworth deployed close convoy defence in north-west approaches. on 1 october badsworth joined convoy ws-12 in clyde destroyers bradford, brighton, lancaster , newark local escorts during convoy s passage in north-western approaches, detaching ws-12 , returning clyde on 3 october.

on 13 november badsworth joined military convoy ws-12z in clyde, exmoor, vanquisher, witch , whitehall again local escort in approaches, detaching convoy on 16 november. on 13 december badsworth joined military convoy ws14 in passage clyde north west approaches ocean escort duties battleship ramillies , destroyer beaufort. badsworth detached ws-14 on 21 december armed merchant cruiser cilicia, beaufort , local escort on arrival freetown.

service in arctic

the passage west africa resume convoy defence @ derry completed in january 1942, badsworth being deployed in continuation @ derry in february. on 23 march badsworth joined military convoy ws-17 @ clyde, destroyers beverley, keppel, newport, leamington , volunteer escorts during convoy’s passage in north western approaches. on 25 march newport retired clyde after colliding beverley. local escort, badsworth included, detached convoy on 27 march.

during april, badsworth nominated detached service in support of planned combined services operation, named operation myrmidon. destroyer escorted infantry landing ships queen emma , sister-ship princess beatrix 4 other hunt-class destroyers attack shipping in bayonne, number 1 , number 6 commando units. raid unsuccessful both because of weather conditions , due enemy’s state of alert. released myrmidon, badsworth returned derry, joining military convoy ws-18 on 18 april destroyers georgetown, lauderdale , lancaster. escorting ships detached vb-18 same ships , returned clyde.

badsworth nominated escort duties russian convoy routes. on 28 april destroyer took on ocean escort duties convoy pq-15, cruiser nigeria, anti-aircraft auxiliary ship ulster queen, , destroyers boadicea, matchless, somali, venomous , st albans. on 2 may badsworth found herself under sustained attacks aircraft , submarines. merchant vessel botavon hit, , settled down bow. merchantman sank slowly, , badsworth ordered sink gunfire. during 1 of these sorties, badsworth dropped depth charges, seeing periscope shortly afterwards counterattacked, dropping 2 patterns. destroyer reported submarine blew tanks, nothing appeared. badsworth unable further attack destroyer s asdic broke down.

the day after, badsworth assisted in rescue of survivors british merchantmen cape corso , jutland sunk air attacks. on 5 may destroyer detached pq-15 upon arrival @ murmansk. badsworth remained in north russia until 21 may, when joined ocean escort return convoy qp-12, ulster queen, destroyers venomous, boadicea, escapade, inglefield , st albans. convoy included minesweeper harrier , 3 trawlers. on 27 may, badsworth detached herself convoy, along venomous , ulster queen.

escort , patrol duties in mediterranean


badsworth after being hit mine near grand harbour.

on 29 may, badsworth chosen far escort duties of supply convoy malta, part of operation harpoon. after preparing mediterranean duties @ derry, on 6 june destroyer joined convoy ws-19s in north west approaches part of ocean escort passage gibraltar. on 12 june, badsworth joined cruiser cairo, covering destroyer flotilla made of destroyers bedouin, marne, matchless, partridge, ithuriel, blankney, middleton , orp kujawiak. part of force x charged leading convoy malta minesweepers hebe, speedy, hythe , rye. ships set out of gibraltar escorting convoy through sicilian narrows.

on 14 june, badsworth under heavy air attack, damaged liverpool forcing return gibraltar. day after found convoy in action italian warships in attempt intercept , sink convoy. on 16 june, badsworth suffered major structural damage after detonated mine whilst entering grand harbour, malta. destroyer entered harbour 2 merchantmen survived convoy. ships’ night time arrival, along errors in signals received mine-swept path caused convoy pass through minefield. orp kujawiak sunk after detonating mine, while matchless , minesweeper hebe , merchantman orari damaged.

badsworth had twelve fifteen foot gash torn in forward structure below waterline. among fourteen casualties survivors merchant ships sunk during passage malta. day after arrival, destroyer docked , taken repairs @ hm dockyard, malta. temporary repairs allow return great britain took until 11 august, when badsworth left malta, along matchless escorts 2 merchantmen gibraltar. ships tagged force y, part of operation ascendant. these ships remaining survivors of harpoon convoy. passage gibraltar deliberately planned coincide of next malta relief convoy, operation pedestal. during passage close north african coast, italian recognition marks painted on badsworth’s forecastle. ships arrived @ gibraltar on 15 august, badsworth leaving harbour 3 days later, heading united kingdom repairs. on 25 august, badsworth entered north shields commercial shipyard repairs.

badsworth on 14 april 1943 escorting liberty-ship en route north africa.

repairs continued until november, post refit trails , preparations operational service ending in december. badsworth rejoined londonderry escort force convoy defence in north atlantic. on 18 december, destroyer joined military convoy ws25 destroyers haydon , wolverine escort convoy’s route freetown. badsworth detached ws-25 along other destroyers , returned clyde on 24 december.

from january february 1943, badsworth continued provide defence atlantic convoys. however, transferred mediterranean escort , support duties 60th destroyer division. on 16 march, badsworth prepared foreign service, joined joint military convoy ws-28/kmf-11 in clyde polish destroyer krakowiak, , royal navy destroyers douglas, eggesford, goathland, whaddon , sloops woodpecker , wren escorts during convoy’s atlantic passage. badsworth detached joint convoy other ships bound gibraltar, part of kmf11.

badsworth thence deployed in western mediterranean convoy defence , patrol. on 22 april, mined @ bone, algeria, sustaining major structural damage in aft section. badsworth’s starboard engine immobilised, both shafts distorted. ship beached, , had refloated , towed harbour minesweeper clacton. temporary repairs made in malta during may, upon completion badsworth towed united kingdom tug frisky part of convoy mks-15. destroyer taken in hand extensive repairs @ commercial shipyard in liverpool in july. destroyer paid off royal navy service , transferred on loan royal norwegian navy on 8 august 1944. badsworth renamed hnoms arendal. ship decommissioned royal navy on 16 november 1944.

duties under norwegian command, , later career

arendal @ kungsholmen, stockholm.

in september, arendal nominated duty 16th destroyer flotilla, based @ harwich, after completing shipyard work, carrying out harbour trial, post refit trial, destroyer ready again operational service, joining flotilla @ harwich patrol , escort duties in north sea , channel.

the destroyer saw action on 25 march 1945 against minelaying e-boats in thames estuary polish destroyer orp krakowiak. continuation of ship’s loan royal norwegian navy approved after ve day, ship continuing deployed royal norwegian navy on loan royal navy. arendal destroyer escort in operation kingdom, embarkation of crown prince of norway aboard hms ariadne return oslo. after return norway arendal made return trip uk, when sailed in september 1945 leith , retrieved 400 urns containing ashes of norwegians had died in uk during war. urns placed 40 each in 10 crates on aft deck, each of crates decorated large flower bouquet. before ship left port cargo norwegian priest belonging norwegian church abroad held service on board. when destroyer arrived in oslo met king haakon vii, crown prince olav, prince harald , bishop eivind berggrav, military units , large crowd of people. arendal escorted landing vessels united kingdom norway, landing vessels having been bought norwegian government conversion coastal ferries , cargo vessels. on several occasions arendal sailed germany, escorting vessels carrying german soldiers being repatriated bremerhaven in north-western germany. arendal bought norway after end of hostilities, in 1946. ship remained in operational use escort destroyer until 1956, when classified frigate. arendal used training ship cadets, before being removed active list in 1961. scrapped in 1965.