uboat.net

  Front page - Fighting the U-boats - Allied Warships

Follow us on Twitter
@uboatnet

Notable events involving Bermuda include:

22 Aug 1942
HMS Otway (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) conducted exercises in the Clyde area for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) with the brand new light cruiser HMS Bermuda (Capt. T.H. Back, RN). (1)

18 Sep 1942
HMS H 34 (Lt. J.P.H. Oakley, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises at / off Scapa Flow with HMS Tanatside (Lt.Cdr. F.D. Brown, RN) and HMS Quality (Lt.Cdr. G.L. Farnfield, DSO, RN). Also a practice attack was carried out on HMS Bermuda (Capt. T.H. Back, RN). (2)

14 Dec 1942
HrMs O 15 (Lt. A.J. Schouwenaar, RNN) conducted A/S exercises with HMS Matchless (Lt.Cdr. J. Mowlam, RN) and HMS Bermuda (Capt. T.H. Back, RN). (3)

23 Aug 1943
On the 23th August 1943 the 40th Escort Group (Cdr. Dallison), consisting 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), consisting 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 carrying 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.

8 Mar 1944
HMS Trusty (Lt. M.F.R. Ainslie, DSO, DSC, RN) conducts attack exercises with HMS Bermuda (Capt. J.S. Bethell, CBE, RN). (4)

29 Jun 1944
HMS Trusty (Lt. L.E. Herrick, DSO, RN) conducts attack exercises for the Commanding Officer Qualifying Course with HMS Bermuda (Capt. J.S. Bethell, CBE, RN). (5)

30 Jun 1944
HMS Trusty (Lt. L.E. Herrick, DSO, RN) conducts attack exercises for the Commanding Officer Qualifying Course with HMS Devonshire (Capt. D.K. Bain, DSO, RN). (5)

25 Jul 1944
HMS Trusty (Lt. L.E. Herrick, DSO, RN) conducts attack exercises for the Commanding Officer Qualifying Course with HMS Devonshire (Capt. D.K. Bain, DSO, RN) and HMS Achilles (Capt. F.J. Butler, CBE, RN). (6)

18 Apr 1945
HMS Scorcher (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Scapa Flow with HMS Bermuda (Capt. J.S. Bethell, CBE, RN) and ORP Garland (Lt. K. Hess). (7)

25 Apr 1945
HrMs Dolfijn (Lt.Cdr. J.B.M.J. Maas, RNN) conducted A/S exercises off Scapa Flow together with HMS Bermuda. (Capt. J.S. Bethell, CBE, RN), HMS Scourge (Lt.Cdr. C.G.H. Brown, DSC, RN) and HMS Carysfort (Lt.Cdr. L. St.G. Rich, DSO and Bar, RN). (8)