HMS Martin (G44)
Encyclopedia
HMS Martin was an M-class destroyer
of the Royal Navy, launched at the Tyneside yard of Vickers-Armstrongs on 12 December 1940. She had a busy but brief wartime career, being sunk by U-431 on 10 November 1942 off Algiers.
during the ill-fated Convoy PQ 17, sailing from Scapa
on 30 June and cruising off Bear Island, arriving back at Scapa on 11 July. Martin left Scapa on 15 July for Seidisfjord and left there on 20 July in company with Marne
, Middleton
and Blankney for Archangel loaded with replenishments for the escorts and merchant ships
. They arrived at Kola Inlet on 24 July and Archangel some days later. Martin sailed from Archangel on 14 August and joined the USS Tuscaloosa
. After calling at Kola Inlet, whence she sailed on 24 August in company with Marne and Onslaught, Martin sank the German Minelayer Ulm and took 54 prisoners-of-war
. She arrived at Scapa on 30 August, having survived a minor collision with HMS Vidette
on that day.
, and the Escort Aircraft Carrier
HMS Avenger
southwest of Jan Meyen Island on 9 September. PQ 18 was heavily attacked by aircraft and lost ten ships, which were sunk, by torpedo bomber
attacks and two others by U-boat
, out of an original convoy of 40 ships. On 16 September, Martin with Scylla and the rest of the destroyers transferred to the westbound convoy, PQ 14. This convoy escaped air attack, but lost three ships out of fifteen to U-boats, which in addition sank two of the escort and a fleet oiler. Martin arrived back at Scapa on 27 September with survivors from four merchant ships.
, the landings in North Africa
. She sailed from Scapa on 30 October as part of the escort for Force “H”, and after fuelling at Gibraltar on 5 November re-joined Force “H”- the covering force to the landings at Algiers and Oran, on 8 November. The task of Force “H” was to guard against action by the Italian Fleet, during the landings. Martin was torpedoed by on the morning of 10 November as a result of which she blew up and sank in position 37°53′N 003°57′E. The only survivors were four officers and 59 ratings picked up by HMS Quentin
.
L and M class destroyer
The L and M class was a class of sixteen destroyers which served in the British Royal Navy during World War II. The ships of the class were launched between 1939 and 1942.-Design details:...
of the Royal Navy, launched at the Tyneside yard of Vickers-Armstrongs on 12 December 1940. She had a busy but brief wartime career, being sunk by U-431 on 10 November 1942 off Algiers.
Convoy PQ17
Martin was an escort for the Home FleetBritish Home Fleet
The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which operated in the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967.-Pre–First World War:...
during the ill-fated Convoy PQ 17, sailing from Scapa
Scapa
Scapa is a small settlement and a Scotch whisky distillery situated on The Mainland of Orkney, Scotland on the shore of Scapa Flow near the town of Kirkwall. Scapa is the second most northern whisky distillery in Scotland, being a half-mile farther south than Highland Park Distillery.The...
on 30 June and cruising off Bear Island, arriving back at Scapa on 11 July. Martin left Scapa on 15 July for Seidisfjord and left there on 20 July in company with Marne
HMS Marne (G35)
HMS Marne was an M-class destroyer of the Royal Navy commissioned on 2 December 1941. She was built by Vickers-Armstrongs at High Walker Yard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, and saw service in the Atlantic theatre of World War II....
, Middleton
HMS Middleton (L74)
HMS Middleton was a Type 2 Hunt class destroyer of the Royal Navy and served in the Second World War. Her rôle was providing support for minelaying operations in the Atlantic and anti-aircraft protection for the North Russian convoys...
and Blankney for Archangel loaded with replenishments for the escorts and merchant ships
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
. They arrived at Kola Inlet on 24 July and Archangel some days later. Martin sailed from Archangel on 14 August and joined the USS Tuscaloosa
USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37)
USS Tuscaloosa was a United States Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser.She was laid down on 3 September 1931 at Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Co., launched on 15 November 1933, sponsored by Mrs. Thomas Lee McCann, the wife of Lieutenant Thomas L...
. After calling at Kola Inlet, whence she sailed on 24 August in company with Marne and Onslaught, Martin sank the German Minelayer Ulm and took 54 prisoners-of-war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. She arrived at Scapa on 30 August, having survived a minor collision with HMS Vidette
HMS Vidette (D48)
HMS Vidette was an Admiralty V class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Alexander Stephens & Sons Limited in Linthouse, Govan on 1 February 1917, was launched on 28 February 1918, and completed on 27 April 1918....
on that day.
Convoy PQ18
Martin sailed from Scapa on 4 September to join the escorts of PQ 18. In the convoy she was part of Force “B”, and joined the convoy with the cruiser HMS ScyllaHMS Scylla (98)
HMS Scylla was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company , with the keel being laid down on 19 April 1939...
, and the Escort Aircraft Carrier
Escort aircraft carrier
The escort aircraft carrier or escort carrier, also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the USN or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slow type of aircraft carrier used by the British Royal Navy , the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, and the...
HMS Avenger
HMS Avenger (D14)
HMS Avenger was a Royal Navy escort aircraft carrier during the Second World War. In 1939 she was laid down as the merchant ship Rio-Hudson at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard in Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 27 November 1940, she was converted to an escort carrier and transferred...
southwest of Jan Meyen Island on 9 September. PQ 18 was heavily attacked by aircraft and lost ten ships, which were sunk, by torpedo bomber
Torpedo bomber
A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes which could also carry out conventional bombings. Torpedo bombers existed almost exclusively prior to and during World War II when they were an important element in many famous battles, notably the...
attacks and two others by U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
, out of an original convoy of 40 ships. On 16 September, Martin with Scylla and the rest of the destroyers transferred to the westbound convoy, PQ 14. This convoy escaped air attack, but lost three ships out of fifteen to U-boats, which in addition sank two of the escort and a fleet oiler. Martin arrived back at Scapa on 27 September with survivors from four merchant ships.
Loss
Martin was the allocated to the escort group for Force “H” in Operation “Torch”Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
, the landings in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. She sailed from Scapa on 30 October as part of the escort for Force “H”, and after fuelling at Gibraltar on 5 November re-joined Force “H”- the covering force to the landings at Algiers and Oran, on 8 November. The task of Force “H” was to guard against action by the Italian Fleet, during the landings. Martin was torpedoed by on the morning of 10 November as a result of which she blew up and sank in position 37°53′N 003°57′E. The only survivors were four officers and 59 ratings picked up by HMS Quentin
HMS Quentin (G78)
HMS Quentin was a Q class destroyer laid down by J. Samuel White and Company, Limited, at Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 25 September 1940, launched on 5 November 1941 and commissioned on 15 April 1942...
.