Herbert Malcolm Spreckley, RN
| Born | 17 Aug 1887 |
| Ranks
Retired: 31 Dec 1930 Decorations |
Warship Commands listed for Herbert Malcolm Spreckley, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Montclare (F 85) | Capt. (retired) | Armed Merchant Cruiser | 2 Sep 1939 | 25 Aug 1941 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Montclare (F 85)
3 Jul 1940
Convoy HX 55.
This convoy departed Halifax on 3 July 1940.
It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Aelybryn (British, 4986 GRT, built 1938), Alnmoor (British, 6573 GRT, built 1922), Anglo Saxon (British, 5596 GRT, built 1929), Assyrian (British, 2962 GRT, built 1915), Baron Ramsay (British, 3650 GRT, built 1929), Beaverdale (British, 9957 GRT, built 1928), Beaverford (British, 10042 GRT, built 1928), Dalemoor (British, 5835 GRT, built 1922), Danby (British, 4281 GRT, built 1937), Edam (Dutch, 8871 GRT, built 1921), Errington Court (British, 4913 GRT, built 1925), Fowberry Tower (British, 4484 GRT, built 1929), Generton (British, 4797 GRT, built 1936), Hopestar (British, 5267 GRT, built 1936), Induna (British, 5086 GRT, built 1925), Kalliopi S. (Greek, 5230 GRT, built 1918), Manchester Progress (British, 5620 GRT, built 1938), Manipur (British, 9242 GRT, built 1920), Mount Kassion (Greek, 7914 GRT, built 1918), Nurtureton (British, 6272 GRT, built 1929), Quebec City (British, 4745 GRT, built 1927), San Casimiro (British (tanker), 8046 GRT, built 1936), Scottish Minstrel (British (tanker), 6998 GRT, built 1922), Stylianos Chandris (Greek, 6059 GRT, built 1919), Trehata (British, 4817 GRT, built 1928) and West Cobalt (British, 6055 GRT, built 1918).
On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Montclare (Capt.(Retd.) H.M. Spreckley, RN) and the destroyers HMCS Assiniboine (Capt. G.C. Jones, RCN) and HMCS Ottawa (Cdr. E.R. Mainguy, RCN).
Around 2130P/3, in position 44°00'N, 62°02'W, HMCS Assiniboine and HMCS Ottawa parted company to return to Halifax.
Around 0900P/7, in position 40°22'N, 47°15'W, convoy BHX 55 joined convoy HX 55. The following merchant vessels now joined the convoy; Dalhanna (British, 5571 GRT, built 1930), Dunkeld (British, 4944 GRT, built 1937), Erodona (British (tanker), 6207 GRT, built 1937), Fiscus (British, 4815 GRT, built 1927), Hoperidge (British, 5222 GRT, built 1939), Ioannis Frangos (Greek, 3442 GRT, built 1912), Loch Don (British, 5249 GRT, built 1937), Lycia (British, 2338 GRT, built 1924), Mount Helmos (Greek, 6481 GRT, built 1923), Pacific Enterprise (British, 6736 GRT, built 1927), Rangitata (British, 16737 GRT, built 1929), San Ubaldo (British (tanker), 5999 GRT, built 1921), Sofie Bakke (Norwegian, 5461 GRT, built 1938) and Somerset (British, 9773 GRT, built 1918).
The Lycia broke down shortly after joining. She dropped out of the convoy and only rejoined it in the North Channel late on 16 July 1940.
Late in the afternoon of the 10th the Dalhanna collided with the Baron Ramsay. Both had some damage but were able to continue.
Around 1830N/14, in position 56°20'N, 20°19'W, the sloop HMS Folkestone (Lt.Cdr. C.F.H. Churchill, RN) and destroyer HMS Winchelsea (Lt.Cdr. W.A.F. Hawkins, RN) joined.
Around 0315N/15, in position 56°25'N, 17°00'W, HMS Montclare parted company to return to Halifax.
Around 0345N/15, in position 56°25'N, 16°50'W, the destroyer HMCS Skeena (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Hibbard, RCN) joined.
Around 0800Z/15, in position 56°25'N, 16°05'W, the corvette HMS Gardenia (Lt.Cdr. T.A.O. Ellis, RD, RNR) joined.
In the evening of the 15th, the West Cobalt dropped astern of the convoy with defects. She did not rejoin and arrived at Liverpool on 17 July.
At 1135A/16, in position 56°13'N, 09°37'W, the convoy started splitting in two sections; HX 55A and HX 55B.
While the convoy was splitting, at 1137A/16, in position 56°13'N, 09°37'W [British source] the convoy was attacked and the Scottish Minstrel was hit by a torpedo fired by the German submarine U-61.
HMS Folkestone and HMS Winchelsea parted company with the convoy to hunt the enemy submarine. HMCS Skeena and HMS Gardenia stood by the stricken ship which was on fire but did not sink until the next day. Some of the crew were picked up by HMS Gardenia but they were later tranferred to HMS Folkestone. The merchant vessel Fiscus also picked up some survivos. At 1410A/16, the rescue tug HMS Englishman departed Greenock to attempt to salvage the ship but at 0034A/17, HMS Folkestone reported that the Scottish Minstrel had foundered.
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Convoy HX 55A was destined for Methil and was made up of the following merchant vessels; Baron Ramsay, Beaverdale, Beaverford, Dalemoor, Dalhanna, Danby, Gererton, Hoperidge, Induna, Ioannis Frangos, Loch Don, Manipur, Nurtureton, Rangitata, San Casimiro and Trehata. HMCS Skeena went with them as escort.
At 2122A/17, off Cape Wrath convoy HX 55A was attacked by the German submarine U-57 which torpedoed and sank the Manipur in position 58°41'N, 05°14'W. HMCS Skeena picked up 65 survivors and then rejoined the convoy. The escort destroyers HMS Hambledon (Cdr. S.H. Carlill, RN) and HMS Fernie (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN), which were in the area on passage from Scapa Flow to join convoy WN 1, weere ordered to search for the attacker.
Convoy HX 55A arrived at Methil on 19 July 1940. HMCS Skeena then proceeded to Rosyth where she arrived later the same day.
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Convoy HX 55B was destined for ports in the Irish Sea area and was made up of the following merchant vessels; Aelybryn (arrived at Liverpool on 18 July), Alnmoor (arrived in the Clyde on 17 July), Anglo Saxon (arrived at Newport on 19 July), Assyrian (arrived at Bristol on 19 July), Dunkeld (arrived at Liverpool on 18 July), Edam (arrived in the Clyde on 17 July), Erodona (arrived at Liverpool on 18 July), Errington Court (arrived at Swansea on 19 July), Fiscus (arrived at Swansea on 19 July), Fowberry Tower (arrived at Avonmouth on 19 July), Hopestar (arrived at Liverpool on 18 July), Lycia (arrived at Liverpool on 18 July), Manchester Progress (arrived at Manchester on 19 July), Mount Helmos (arrived at Liverpool on 18 July), Mount Kassion (arrived at Liverpool on 18 July), Pacific Enterprise (arrived at Liverpool on 18 July), Quebec City (arrived in the Clyde on 17 July), San Ubaldo (arrived in the Clyde on 17 July), Sofie Bakke (arrived in Belfast Lough on 17 July), Somerset (arrived in the Clyde on 17 July) and Stylianos Chandris (arrived at Swansea on 19 July).
Around 1815A/16, in position 56°04'N, 08°09'W, the Kalliopi S. parted company to proceed to Limerick, Ireland where she arrived on the 17th.
Around 0625A/17, in position 55°07'N, 05°46'W, HMS Winchelsea rejoined convoy HX 55B.
Around 1600A/17, in position 53°53'N, 05°10'W, HMS Folkestone rejoined convoy HX 55B.
HMS Winchelsea and HMS Folkestone both arrived at Liverpool on 18 July. HMS Gardenia, which originally had to escort convoy HX 55A, arrived in the Clyde on 17 July. (1)
30 Jul 1940
Convoy BHX 62.
This convoy departed Bermuda on 26 July 1940.
It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Arakaka (British, 2379 GRT, built 1933), Caprella (British (tanker), 8230 GRT, built 1931), Capulet (British (tanker), 8190 GRT, built 1932), Cliona (British (tanker), 8375 GRT, built 1931), Elisabeth van Belgie (Belgian, 4241 GRT, built 1909), Glenwood (British, 4897 GRT, built 1940), Kheti (British, 2734 GRT, built 1927), Laguna (British, 6466 GRT, built 1923), Orbita (British, 15495 GRT, built 1915), Peder Bogen (British (tanker), 9741 GRT, built 1925), Prince de Liege (Belgian, 2588 GRT, built 1938), San Cipriano (British, 7966 GRT, built 1937), Sylvafield (British (tanker), 5709 GRT, built 1925), Toorak (British (tanker), 8627 GRT, built 1927) and Wellington Court (British, 4979 GRT, built 1930).
On departure from Bermuda the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Montclare (Capt.(Retd.) H.M. Spreckley, RN) and the sloop HMS Penzance (Cdr. A.J. Wavish, RN).
Around 1930Q/30, in position 32°54'N, 63°10'W, HMS Penzance parted company to return to Bermuda.
Around 1315Q/2, in position 37°26'N, 53°48'W, the Sylvafield had to stop due to engine repairs. She did not rejoin the convoy and continued her passage to her destination, Glasgow, independently. She was torpedoed and sunk on 15 August 1940 by the German submarine U-51.
Around 1240P/4, in position 41°11'N, 46°40'W, HMS Montclare parted company to return to Bermuda. The convoy had not yet made rendezvous with convoy HX 62.
Around 1415P/5, convoy BHX 62 joined convoy HX 62. (2)
11 Aug 1940
Convoy BHX 65.
This convoy departed Bermuda on 11 August 1940.
It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alfred Olsen (Norwegian (tanker), 8807 GRT, built 1934), Athelcrest (British (tanker), 6825 GRT, built 1940), British Lord (British (tanker), 6098 GRT, built 1922), Cape York (British, 5027 GRT, built 1926), Chama (British (tanker), 8077 GRT, built 1938), Conus (British (tanker), 8132 GRT, built 1931), Cymbula (British (tanker), 8082 GRT, built 1938), Eclipse (British (tanker), 9767 GRT, built 1931), Empire Merlin (British, 5763 GRT, built 1919), F.J. Wolfe (British (tanker), 12190 GRT, built 1932), Inverlee (British (tanker), 9158 GRT, built 1938), La Brea (British, 6945 GRT, built 1916), Lodestone (British, 4877 GRT, built 1938), Pecten (British (tanker), 7468 GRT, built 1927), Rangitane (British, 16733 GRT, built 1929), Regent Panther (British (tanker), 9556 GRT, built 1937), Remuera (British, 11445 GRT, built 1911), Sitala (British (tanker), 6218 GRT, built 1937), Solarium (British, 6239 GRT, built 1936), Statesman (British, 7939 GRT, built 1923), Taria (Dutch (tanker), 10354 GRT, built 1939) and Winkleigh (British, 5468 GRT, built 1940).
On departure from Bermuda the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Montclare (Capt.(Retd.) H.M. Spreckley, RN).
The Empire Merlin departed late but caught up with the convoy in the evening.
During the passage some ships briefly straggled from the convoy but all were present when the convoy joined convoy HX 65.
Around 1245P/16, HMS Montclare parted company with the convoy, after convoy BHX 65 had joined up with convoy HX 65. (3)
23 Aug 1940
Convoy BHX 68.
This convoy departed Bermuda on 23 August 1940.
It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Abraham Lincoln (Norwegian, 5784 GRT, built 1929), Appalachee (British (tanker), 8826 GRT, built 1930), Athelbeach (British (tanker), 6568 GRT, built 1931), Athelqueen (British (tanker), 8780 GRT, built 1928), British Governor (British (tanker), 6840 GRT, built 1926), Californian (British, 7899 GRT, built 1922), Clavella (Dutch (tanker), 8097 GRT, built 1939), Diplomat (British, 8240 GRT, built 1921), Germanic (British, 5352 GRT, built 1936), Kavak (British, 2782 GRT, built 1929), Oakfield (British (tanker), 5218 GRT, built 1918), Politician (British, 7939 GRT, built 1923), Samuel Bakke (Norwegian, 4719 GRT, built 1929) and Silveray (British, 4535 GRT, built 1925).
On departure from Bermuda the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Montclare (Capt.(Retd.) H.M. Spreckley, RN).
Around 1330P/28, in position 43°12'N, 49°10'W, convoy BHX 68 joined convoy HX 68. HMS Montclare than parted company to proceed to Halifax. (4)
13 Jan 1941
Convoy BHX 103
This convoy departed Bermuda on 13 January 1941 and merged at sea with convoy HX 103 on 18 January 1941.
Convoy BHX 103 was made up of the following merchant vessels: Athelfoam (British (tanker), 6554 GRT, built 1931), Dolabella (British (tanker), 8142 GRT, built 1939), Empire Shearwater (British, 4970 GRT, built 1920), Mamura (Dutch (tanker), 8245 GRT, built 1932) and Mijdrecht (Dutch (tanker), 7493 GRT, built 1931).
The convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Montclare (Capt.(Retd.) H.M. Spreckley, RN) which was detached when the convoy merged with convoy HX 103.
18 May 1941
Convoy BHX 128
This convoy departed Bermuda on 18 May 1941 and merged at sea with convoy HX 128 on 27 May 1941 (this was four days later then intended).
Convoy BHX 128 was made up of the following merchant vessels; Amsterdam (Dutch (tanker), 7329 GRT, built 1922), British Chivalry (British (tanker), 7118 GRT, built 1929), British Diligence (British (tanker), 8408 GRT, built 1937), British Fusilier (British, 6943 GRT, built 1923), Cardita (British (tanker), 8237 GRT, built 1931), Charles Racine (Norwegian (tanker), 9957 GRT, built 1937), Clavella (Dutch (tanker), 8097 GRT, built 1939), Designer (British, 5495 GRT, built 1928), Drammensfjord (Norwegian, 5339 GRT, built 1920), Eulima (British (tanker), 6207 GRT, built 1937), San Cirilo (British (tanker), 8012 GRT, built 1937) and Thistlegorm (British, 4898 GRT, built 1940).
On departure from Bermuda this convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Montclare (Capt.(Retd.) H.M. Spreckley, RN).
The convoy was to make rendezvous with convoy HX 128 on 23 May 1941. Due to thick for and convoy HX 128 being re-routed twice due to the battleship Bismarck and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen breaking out into the North Atlantic.
Rendezvous was only effected on 27 May 1941. HMS Montclare then parted company with the convoy.
Sources
- ADM 53/112717 + ADM 199/49 + ADM 199/50 + ADM 199/371
- ADM 53/112717 + ADM 53/112718 + ADM 199/54
- ADM 53/112718 + ADM 199/54
- ADM 199/54
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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