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H . M . S . M E Y N E L L ( L 8 2 )
Type I HUNT Class Escort
Destroyer ordered from Swan Hunter at Wallsend on
11th April 1939 under the 1939 War Programme. She was laid down as Job No 4117
on 10th August 1939. The ship was launched on 7th June 1940 as the 2nd RN
warship to bear the name, that of a fox-hunt in Derbyshire and previously
carried by a minesweeper in 1917. Build was completed on 30th December 1940 and
she was later adopted by the civil community of Ashbourne,
Derbyshire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in
February 1942.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ENGLISH
CHANNEL 1941-43 - NORTH SEA
1941-45 - ARCTIC
1943 -
NORMANDY
1944
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge : On a Field Red, an escallop
Gold charged with a fox's mask Red.
D e t a i
l s o f W a r
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 0
December (Note : Build
completion may have been delayed by priority of repair work on ships damaged
during evacuation in Norway
and at Dunkirk.)
Contractors trials and commissioned for service in 21st Destroyer Flotilla.
30th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
1 9 4 1
January Passage to
Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing.
Worked-up for operational service with ships of Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
February Passage to Sheerness to
join Flotilla.
3rd Escorted
HM Auxiliary Minelayer TEVIOT BANK during lay of part of East Coast
Barrier (Operation BS50 - See Naval Staff History MINING).
7th
Commenced convoy escort and interception patrol duties with Flotilla in North
Sea.
March Convoy
escort and patrol duties in continuation.
to (Note :
During this period a 20mm Bofors Mounting was fitted in bow structure for
defence
December against E-Boat
attacks on convoys. This was a common feature in ships deployed for
North
Sea convoy defence.)
1 9 4 2
January North Sea
Convoy escort and patrol in support of Light Coastal Forces craft.
to
December
1 9 4 3
January Deployed for
North Sea convoy defence and interception patrols.
Nominated for duty with Home Fleet.
February Detached for
Home Fleet service.
15th Joined
Western Local escort for Russian Convoy JW33 with HM Escort Destroyers
MIDDLETON and PYTCHLEY.
(For
details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by R A
Ruegg,
CONVOY ! by P Kemp and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield).
21st Detached
from JW53 on arrival of Ocean Escort.
March Home Fleet
service in continuation.
9th Joined
return Convoy RA53 with HMS PYTCHLEY as Local Western escort.
13th Detached
from RA53 on arrival at Loch Ewe.
14th
Resumed
North Sea convoy escort and patrol
with Flotilla.
May Deployed
in North Sea and Channel for convoy defence and patrol.
to (For
details of East Coast operations see THE BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by P.
December Scott and THE
BATTLE OF THE EAST COAST by J P Foynes.).
1 9 4 4
January Convoy
defence and patrol in continuation.
February
25th In action
against E-Boats off Great Yarmouth In defence of convoy.
March Convoy
defence in continuation
April Nominated
for escort of convoys for planned allied landings in Normandy as part
to of
Force L (Operation NEPTUNE)
May Continued
East Coast mercantile convoy escort and interception patrol
For
details of naval activities prior to and during NEPTUNE see OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards, LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, June 1944 (HMSO)
and
for full listing of all ships taking part D DAY SHIPS by J de Winser.).
June Joined HM
Escort Destroyer GARTH, HM Corvettes CAMELLIA and CHARLOCK
in
Nore Assembly area to form Escort Group 101.
6th Deployed
as escort for Follow-up Convoy ETM1 with Escort Group.
(Note
: Convoy comprised 9 Landing Craft Infantry (Large) and 12 MT Ships.)
7th Returned
to Nore after arrival of convoy at Lowering position.
8th Escort
duty to Beach Head from Nore in continuation during Build-up Phase.
July
5th Rejoined
Flotilla when released from NEPTUNE.
10th Resumed
North Sea convoy defence and patrol duties with Flotilla
August Convoy
defence and patrol in continuation.
to
September
October
31st Grounded
and sustained major damage to starboard shaft, propeller and 'A’ Bracket.
November Taken in hand
for repair at commercial shipyard in London.
December Under repair.
1 9 4 5
January Under
repair.
to
February
March On
completion of post refit trials rejoined Flotilla at Sheerness.
Deployed for convoy defence and interception patrol
(Note
: In this period extensive minelaying was being carried out by surface craft and
and
submarines. In addition Schnorkel-fitted U- Boats were concentrating attacks
on
coastal convoys. See HOLD THE NARROW SEA. Atlantic convoys had been re-
routed through Channel.).
April Flotilla
duties in continuation.
to
Nominated for duty as an Air Target Ship.
May (Note :
Ship may have Paid off after VE Day in view of the manning shortages
affecting provision of crews for new construction preparing for foreign
service.)
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS MEYNELL was another of
the ‘unsung’ heroines of the North Sea and her service received scant public
recognition, Many convoys arrived without loss and at all times the dangers of
weather and navigation in shallow coastal waters were faced, apart from surface
attacks by E-Boats. The ship was
disarmed and converted for use as an Air Target Ship at Rosyth
in September 1945. After conversion she served in the Mediterranean until 1947
when Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status at Sheerness.
Later she was transferred to Harwich and later laid-up at Barrow. Placed on the
Sales List the ship was sold to Ecuador in 1954. Re-named PRESIDENTS VELASCO
IBARRA in 1955 following a refit by J S White at Cowes she served for 20 years
in the Ecuadorian Navy until scrapped in 1978.
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