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Allied Warships

HMS Bideford (L 43 / U 43)

Sloop of the Shoreham class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeSloop
ClassShoreham 
PennantL 43 / U 43 
Built byDevonport Dockyard (Plymouth, U.K.): J.S. White & Co. (Cowes, U.K.) 
Ordered 
Laid down10 Jun, 1930 
Launched1 Apr, 1931 
Commissioned23 Feb, 1932 
End service 
Loss position
 
History

Sold 14 September 1947.

Commanding Officers:
Capt. Douglas Young-Jamieson, RN
14 November 1938 - 12 September 1939

Cdr. Robert Francis Elkins, RN
12 September 1939 – ca. March 1940

Lt.Cdr. John Hugh Lewes, RN
ca. March 1940 - ???

HMS Bideford in Dockyard Control during repairs

Lt.Cdr. William Josselyn Moore, RNR
15 November 1940 – 22 November 1942

Lt.Cdr. W.F. Hollins, RN
22 November 1942 – 4 October 1943

Cdr. J.R. Westmacott, RN
4 October 1943 – February 1944

Lt.Cdr. Herbert James Beverley, DSO, DSC, RNR
1 March 1944 – December 1944

A/Lt.Cdr. Alan Henry Pierce, OBE, RNR
December 1944 – still in command in April 1945 according to the Navy List

HMS Bideford is not listed as active unit in the July 1945 Navy List 


Noteable events involving Bideford include:

28 May, 1940
HMS Bideford (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Lewes, RN) took part in the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk.

23 Sep, 1941
HMS Bideford (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Moore, RNR) picks up 63 survivors from the British merchant Edward Blyden that was torpedoed and sunk the previous day by the German submarine U-103 southwest of the Canary Islands in position 27º36'N, 24º29'W.

2 Nov, 1942
HMS Bideford (Lt.Cdr. W.J. Moore, RNR) picks up 31 survivors from the British passenger ship Abosso that was torpedoed and sunk on 29 October 1942 by the German submarine U-575 about 700 nautical miles north-west of the Azores in position 48º30'N, 28º50'W.

23 Aug, 1943
On the 23th August 1943 the 40th Escort Group (Cdr. Dallison), consiting of the sloops HMS Landguard, HMS Bideford, HMS Hastings and the frigates HMS Exe, HMS Moyola and HMS Waveney were deployed on a u-boat hunt off Cape Ortegal. The whole operation was covered by the British light cruiser HMS Bermuda.

On the 25th August the Canadian 5th Support Group (Cdr. Tweed), consiting of the British frigates HMS Nene, HMS Tweed and the Canadian corvettes HMCS Calgary, HMCS Edmundston and HMCS Snowberry were deployed to relieve the 40th Escort Group. While this was in progress the ships were attacked at 1415 hrs by 14 Dornier Do-217's and 7 Ju-88's. with the new German weapon, the Henschel Glider Bombs, (the "Hs293 A-1"). Designed by the German Professor Herbert Wagner. HMS Landguard and HMS Bideford were the first of the Allied and R.N. ships to be attacked and damaged by them. This being the first time of their being brought into action against Allied ships. Several sailors were injured on HMS Bideford and one sailor was killed.

Another two days later on the 27th August 1943 the Canadian 5th Support group was relieved by the 1st Support group (Cdr. Brewer) consisting of the sloops HMS Pelican, HMS Egret and the frigates HMS Jed, HMS Rother, HMS Spey and HMS Evenlode. Also the covering cruiser HMS Bermuda was relieved by the Canadian destroyer HMCS Athabaskan and the British destroyer HMS Grenville. These ships were also attacked by the Germans. This time with 18 Dornier Do-217’s also carring Henschel Glider Bombs. HMCS Athabaskan was heavily damaged and HMS Egret was sunk with the loss of 194 of her crew. After this loss the u-boat hunt was blown off.


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