HMS Fame (H78)
Encyclopedia
HMS Fame was an F class
destroyer
of the Royal Navy
. She was active during the Second World War, taking part in the Battle of the Atlantic.
, Wallsend
, although her hull was sub-contracted to Vickers Armstrongs, Walker
. She was launched on 28 June 1934, the same day as her sister-ship, Firedrake
.
In 1940 she served in the Norwegian Campaign
, and was involved in the Bodø
evacuation.
In October 1940 Fame collided with Ashanti
, causing major damage. She was moved to Chatham
and paid off into the hands of the dockyard where she remained for nearly 2 years.
In September 1942 Fame returned to active service and was assigned to B-6 Escort Group
under Cdr R Heathcote as group leader (SOE).
In this role she was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats which attacked ships in convoy, and rescuing survivors.
Her first Atlantic convoy action was with SC 104, a major convoy battle that saw the loss of 8 ships, with 2 warships damaged, and 2 U-boats destroyed, with 2 more damaged and forced to retire. Fame was responsible for the destruction of U-353 on 16 October 1942, but was damaged in the process.
Fame was back in action in December, and while escorting ON 155 was dispatched to the aid of ON 154, which was under heavy attack. Heathcote was ordered to take command of the escort after the SOE (G Windeyer, in St Laurent), had collapsed from exhaustion. In a five day battle, ON 154 had lost 14 ships for 1 U-boat destroyed.
In February 1943 Fame was escort to ON 165, which lost 2 ships for 2 U-boats destroyed. Fame destroyed U-69 in this battle, and Viscount, another escort, destroyed U-201. (Viscount was originally credited with U-69, and Fame with U-201, but post war analysis reversed this.
In August Fame, now under the command of RA Currie, was leader of the escort for ON 206 which was attacked during the U-boat Arm’s autumn offensive. This battle, which also involved the ships and escorts of ONS 20, saw 6 U-boats destroyed for the loss of one ship.
In May 1944 Fame was reassigned to patrol duty in the South-Western Approaches as part of Operation Neptune
as senior ship of 14 Escort Group. During this time Fame participated in the sinking of U-767 by the 14th Escort Group on 18 June 1944.
In July Fame returned to escort duty in the Atlantic, continuing there until the end of the war.
as Generalisimo. In 1962 she was renamed Sanchez, and in 1968 scrapped.
E and F class destroyer
The E and F class was a class of 18 destroyers of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War. Three ships were later transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, one to the Royal Hellenic Navy and one to the Dominican Navy. Launched in 1934, they served in the Second World War. Nine were lost...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was active during the Second World War, taking part in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Construction
She was built by Parsons Marine Steam Turbine CompanyParsons Marine Steam Turbine Company
Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company was a British engineering company based in Wallsend, North England, on the River Tyne.-History:The company was founded by Charles Algernon Parsons in 1897 with £500,000 of capital, and specialised in building the steam turbine engines that he had invented for...
, Wallsend
Wallsend
Wallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
, although her hull was sub-contracted to Vickers Armstrongs, Walker
Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne
Walker is a residential suburb and electoral ward just east of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Walker's name is a hybrid of Old English and Viking Norse, "Wall-kjerr", where "kjerr" is Norse for "marshy woodland"...
. She was launched on 28 June 1934, the same day as her sister-ship, Firedrake
HMS Firedrake (H79)
HMS Firedrake was an F-class destroyer of the Royal Navy built in 1934. She took part in the Battle of the Atlantic and was torpedoed in 1942.-Construction:...
.
Second World War
In 1939 Fame was assigned to 8 Destroyer flotilla attached to Home Fleet, acting as anti-submarine escort for the fleet.In 1940 she served in the Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
, and was involved in the Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
evacuation.
In October 1940 Fame collided with Ashanti
HMS Ashanti (F51)
HMS Ashanti was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Following the style of her sister ships she was named for an ethnic group, in this case the Ashanti people of the Gold Coast in West Africa. She served in the Second World War and was broken up in 1949...
, causing major damage. She was moved to Chatham
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
and paid off into the hands of the dockyard where she remained for nearly 2 years.
In September 1942 Fame returned to active service and was assigned to B-6 Escort Group
B-6 Escort Group (Royal Navy)
B-6 Escort Group was a British formation of the Royal Navy which saw action during the Second World War, principally in the Battle of the Atlantic.-Formation:...
under Cdr R Heathcote as group leader (SOE).
In this role she was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats which attacked ships in convoy, and rescuing survivors.
Her first Atlantic convoy action was with SC 104, a major convoy battle that saw the loss of 8 ships, with 2 warships damaged, and 2 U-boats destroyed, with 2 more damaged and forced to retire. Fame was responsible for the destruction of U-353 on 16 October 1942, but was damaged in the process.
Fame was back in action in December, and while escorting ON 155 was dispatched to the aid of ON 154, which was under heavy attack. Heathcote was ordered to take command of the escort after the SOE (G Windeyer, in St Laurent), had collapsed from exhaustion. In a five day battle, ON 154 had lost 14 ships for 1 U-boat destroyed.
In February 1943 Fame was escort to ON 165, which lost 2 ships for 2 U-boats destroyed. Fame destroyed U-69 in this battle, and Viscount, another escort, destroyed U-201. (Viscount was originally credited with U-69, and Fame with U-201, but post war analysis reversed this.
In August Fame, now under the command of RA Currie, was leader of the escort for ON 206 which was attacked during the U-boat Arm’s autumn offensive. This battle, which also involved the ships and escorts of ONS 20, saw 6 U-boats destroyed for the loss of one ship.
In May 1944 Fame was reassigned to patrol duty in the South-Western Approaches as part of Operation Neptune
Operation Neptune
The Normandy landings, codenamed Operation Neptune, were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy, in Operation Overlord, during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 , beginning at 6:30 AM British Double Summer Time...
as senior ship of 14 Escort Group. During this time Fame participated in the sinking of U-767 by the 14th Escort Group on 18 June 1944.
In July Fame returned to escort duty in the Atlantic, continuing there until the end of the war.
Post war
In 1947 Fame went into the RN Reserve,and in 1949 was transferred to the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
as Generalisimo. In 1962 she was renamed Sanchez, and in 1968 scrapped.
U-Boats destroyed
- U-353 rammed by Fame on 16 October 1942
- U-69 rammed by Fame on 17 February 1943
- U-767 destroyed by Fame, and other ships of 14 EG on 18 June 1944
Convoys escorted
| Homebound | Outbound |
|---|---|
| . | ON 132 |
| SC 104 | |
| HX 217 | ON 155, ON 154 |
| SC 116 | ON 165 |
| HX 227 | ONS 1 |
| SC 125 | . |
| . | ON 194 |
| HX 251 | ONS 17 |
| HX 257 | ON 206 |
| SC 145 | ON 212 |
| SC 148 | ON 218 |
| SC 151 | ONS 29 |
| HX 281 | ON 229 |
| HX 286 | |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| pre-war | July 1940 | Cdr PN Walter |
| July 1940 | . ? | Cdr. CA Chatwin |
| August 1942 | July 1943 | Cdr. R Heathcote |
| July 1943 | April 1945 | Cdr. RA Currie |
| April 1945 | post-war | Cdr JA Luther |