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Notable events involving Valentine (i) include:

28 Mar 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) is commissioned at the Devonport Dockyard on completion of her conversion to AA escort. (1)

6 Apr 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) shifted from Plymouth to Portland to commence her work-up programme. (1)

8 Apr 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) conducted four runs over the D/G range at Portland. (2)

13 Apr 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) departed Portland for Sheerness. (1)

14 Apr 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) arrived at Sheerness. (1)

15 Apr 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) arrived at Rosyth from Sheerness. She joined the Rosyth Command for east coast convoy escort duty. (1)

18 Apr 1940
Convoy FN 47 arrived at Methil from Southend where it had departed on the 16th. At the time of arrival the convoy was being escorted by the (AA) destroyer HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) and the sloop HMS Weston (Lt.Cdr. S.C. Tuke, RN). (3)

20 Apr 1940

Convoy MT 56.

Convoy MT 56 departed Methil on 20 April 1940 for the Tyne where it arrived later the same day.

It was made up of the following merchant ships;
Asiatic (British, 3741 GRT, built 1923), Botne (Norwegian, 991 GRT, built 1922), British Scout (British, 1507 GRT, built 1922), Glen Tilt (British, 871 GRT, built 1920), Graslin (British, 2323 GRT, built 1924), Newlands (British, 1556 GRT, built 1921) and PLM 21 (French, 5417 GRT, built 1921).

Escort was provided by the (AA) destroyer HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) and the sloop HMS Weston (Lt.Cdr. S.C. Tuke, RN).

20 Apr 1940

Convoy FS 151.

Convoy FS 151 departed the Tyne on 20 April 1940 for Southend where it arrived on 22 April 1940.

It was made up of the following merchant ships;
Beal (British, 504 GRT, built 1936), Bravore (Norwegian, 1458 GRT, built 1916), Brockley (British, 1564 GRT, built 1920), Camerata (British, 4875 GRT, built 1931), Cochrane (British, 7203 GRT, built 1923), Cordene (British, 2345 GRT, built 1924), Dalewood (British, 2774 GRT, built 1931), Dashwood (British, 2154 GRT, built 1924), Ferranti (British, 1317 GRT, built 1932), Foreland (British, 1870 GRT, built 1939), Forth (British, 1058 GRT, built 1928), Friesland (Dutch, 2662 GRT, built 1930), Glen Gairn (British, 904 GRT, built 1922), Glenwood (British, 4897 GRT, built 1940), Glynn (British, 1134 GRT, built 1918), Haytor (British, 1189 GRT, built 1925), Horseferry (British, 951 GRT, built 1930), John Hopkinson (British, 1314 GRT, built 1932), Joseph Swan (British, 1571 GRT, built 1938), Kentwood (British, 2180 GRT, built 1924), Lady Olga (British, 1266 GRT, built 1927), Largo (British, 2209 GRT, built 1913), Malrix (British, 703 GRT, built 1922), Medee (British, 2163 GRT, built 1920), Monkwood (British, 1591 GRT, built 1938), Monselet (French, 3372 GRT, built 1929), Nailsea Manor (British, 4926 GRT, built 1937), Neti (Yugoslav, 2904 GRT, built 1900), Ottoland (Dutch, 2202 GRT, built 1916), PLM 22 (French, 5646 GRT, built 1921), Polgarth (British, 794 GRT, built 1920), Polgrange (British, 804 GRT, built 1920), Ramava (Latvian, 2141 GRT, built 1900), Royal Scot (British, 1444 GRT, built 1930), Rydal Force (British, 1101 GRT, built 1924), Senneville (French, 4578 GRT, built 1922), Shaftesbury (British, 4284 GRT, built 1923), Sir David (British, 1275 GRT, built 1927), Stakesby (British, 3900 GRT, built 1930), Stepney (British, 808 GRT, built 1916), Suerte (Panamanian, 3649 GRT, built 1910), Suntrap (British, 939 GRT, built 1929), Sylvia Beale (British, 1040 GRT, built 1938), Tamworth (British, 1332 GRT, built 1924), Wandle (British, 1482 GRT, built 1932), West Coaster (British, 361 GRT, built 1938), Westown (British, 710 GRT, built 1921) and Worth Town (British, 868 GRT, built 1939).

Escort was provided by the (AA) destroyer HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) and the sloop HMS Weston (Lt.Cdr. S.C. Tuke, RN).

25 Apr 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) returned to Rosyth from east coast convoy escort duty.

[After arriving with southbound convoy FS 151 off Southend on 22 April she escorted a northbound convoy but we have so far been unable to identify this convoy.] (4)

30 Apr 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) departed Rosyth to provide AA defence during salvage operations near the sinking site of the submarine HMS Unity which had been rammed and sunk off Blyth the previous day. (4)

1 May 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) is relieved from AA guard duty near the sinking position of the submarine HMS Unity by HMS Egret (Cdr. E.F.V. Dechaineux, RAN).

Valentine then proceeded to escort duty with southbound convoy FS 160. (3)

1 May 1940

Convoy FS 160.

Convoy FS 160 departed the Tyne on 1 May 1940 for Southend where it arrived on 3 May 1940.

It was made up of the following merchant ships;
Angelo (British, 2199 GRT, built 1940), Baron Lovat (British, 3395 GRT, built 1926), Bizon (British, 783 GRT, built 1907), Blacktoft (British, 1109 GRT, built 1910), Bovey Tracey (British, 1212 GRT, built 1930), Brockley (British, 1564 GRT, built 1920), Cairnvalona (British, 4929 GRT, built 1918), Corferry (British, 1788 GRT, built 1937), Corfirth (British, 1803 GRT, built 1934), Cormorant (British, 1220 GRT, built 1927), Dagenham (British, 2178 GRT, built 1919), Dorothy Rose (British, 1600 GRT, built 1929), Duncarron (British, 478 GRT, built 1914), Ester Thorden (Finnish, 1940 GRT, built 1921), Fircrest (British, 5394 GRT, built 1907), Friesland (Dutch, 2662 GRT, built 1930), Greyfriars (British, 1142 GRT, built 1923), Helmwood (British, 2156 GRT, built 1923), Hindpool (British, 4897 GRT, built 1928), Hjalmar Wessel (Norwegian, 1742 GRT, built 1935), Hoogland (Dutch, 1298 GRT, built 1916), Jersey Queen (British, 910 GRT, built 1936), John Charrington (British, 1576 GRT, built 1929), Joseph Swan (British, 1571 GRT, built 1938), Kylebank (British, 969 GRT, built 1925), Lady Olga (British, 1266 GRT, built 1927), Lanrick (British, 1276 GRT, built 1920), Nephrite (British, 927 GRT, built 1927), Newton Pine (British, 4212 GRT, built 1925), Nyanza (British, 4974 GRT, built 1928), Phaeacian (British, 480 GRT, built 1920), Polglen (British, 795 GRT, built 1915), Reias (Norwegian, 1128 GRT, built 1918), Robert (British, 1272 GRT, built 1924), Roy (Norwegian, 1768 GRT, built 1921), Schieland (Dutch, 2249 GRT, built 1916), St. Agnes (British, 5199 GRT, built 1918), Star (Norwegian, 1531 GRT, built 1922), Torkel (Swedish, 1236 GRT, built 1903), Wandle (British, 1482 GRT, built 1932), Westmoor (British, 4359 GRT, built 1924) and Westwood (British, 1040 GRT, built 1935).

Escort was provided by the (AA) destroyer HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) and the sloop HMS Weston (Lt.Cdr. S.C. Tuke, RN).

5 May 1940
Convoy FN 163 departed the Southend on 5 May 1940 for the Tyne where it arrived on 7 May 1940.

[For the moment no information is available on the composition of this convoy.]

The convoy was escorted by the (AA) destroyer HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) and the sloop HMS Weston (Lt.Cdr. S.C. Tuke, RN).

7 May 1940
After having arrived with convoy FN 163 off Methil, the (AA) destroyer HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) and the sloop HMS Weston (Lt.Cdr. S.C. Tuke, RN) proceeded to Rosyth. They obtained an A/S contact to the east-north-east of May Island and started a hunt. HMS Valentine dropped depth charges and reported oil rising to the surface. They were relieved the following day by the A/S trawlers HMS Brimness (Skr. A. Keable, RNR) and HMS Thornwick Bay (Lt.Cdr. E.D. Wallis, RNVR). (3)

8 May 1940

Convoy FS 166.

Convoy FS 166 departed the Tyne on 8 May 1940 for Southend where it arrived on 10 May 1940.

It was made up of the following merchant ships;
Bjornvik (Norwegian, 812 GRT, built 1918), Blue Galleon (British, 712 GRT, built 1924), Bonde (Norwegian, 1570 GRT, built 1936), Camberwell (British, 1577 GRT, built 1924), Cedarwood (British, 899 GRT, built 1933), Ceres (Finnish, 996 GRT, built 1899), Cetus (Norwegian, 2614 GRT, built 1920), Corduff (British, 2345 GRT, built 1923), Corfleet (British, 1803 GRT, built 1934), Cormead (British, 2848 GRT, built 1939), Dona Isabel (British, 784 GRT, built 1924), Eastwood (British, 1551 GRT, built 1924), Eva (Norwegian, 1599 GRT, built 1929), Flashlight (British, 934 GRT, built 1920), Grangepark (British, 5132 GRT, built 1919), Harbury (British, 5081 GRT, built 1933), Harlingen (British, 5415 GRT, built 1933), Hawkwood (British, 2033 GRT, built 1934), Holme Force (British, 1216 GRT, built 1930), Ilse (British, 2844 GRT, built 1929), Iron Baron (British, 3231 GRT, built 1911), Jacob Christensen (Norwegian, 3594 GRT, built 1920), Jacobus (British, 1262 GRT, built 1920), Joseph Swan (British, 1571 GRT, built 1938), Kathleen Hawksfield (British, 869 GRT, built 1933), Milos (Swedish, 3058 GRT, built 1898), New Lambton (British, 2709 GRT, built 1924), Norman Queen (British, 957 GRT, built 1938), Normand (French, 1764 GRT, built 1917), Polglen (British, 795 GRT, built 1915), Quickstep (British, 2722 GRT, built 1928), Redgate (British, 4323 GRT, built 1929), Ringulv (Norwegian, 5153 GRT, built 1903), Saint Enogat (British, 2360 GRT, built 1918), Siak (Norwegian, 1150 GRT, built 1930) and Southport (British, 572 GRT, built 1914).

Escort was provided by the (AA) destroyer HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) and the sloop HMS Weston (Lt.Cdr. S.C. Tuke, RN).

10 May 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) and HMS Winchester (Lt.Cdr. S.E. Crewe-Read, RN) departed Dover for Dunkirk where they arrived later the same day.

11 May 1940
The British (AA) destroyers HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN), HMS Winchester (Lt.Cdr. S.E. Crewe-Read, RN) and the French destroyers Sirocco (Lt.Cdr. G.R.C.M.J.M. de Toulouse-Lautrec) and Cyclone (Capt. Y.F.C.A.M. Urvoy de Portzamparc) departed Dunkirk for Flushing escorting the French transport Côte d'Argent (3047 GRT, built 1933).

After arrival early in the afternoon HMS Valentine and HMS Winchester gave AA protection to the Breskens - Flushing ferry until dusk.

Also the French transports Pavon (4128 GRT, built 1930) and Newhaven (1656 GRT, built 1911) were escorted in the Scheldt estuary.

12 May 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN), HMS Winchester (Lt.Cdr. S.E. Crewe-Read, RN) shifted from Flushing to Dunkirk.

13 May 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN), HMS Winchester (Lt.Cdr. S.E. Crewe-Read, RN) shifted from Dunkirk to Nieuport. HMS Winchester later returned to Dunkirk to replenish with ammunition on completion of which she proceeded to Flushing. Late on the day HMS Valentine also returned to Dunkirk to replenish with ammunition.

14 May 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN) arrived at Flushing early in the evening after replenishing with ammunition at Dunkirk.

15 May 1940
HMS Valentine (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan, RAN), HMS Whitley (Lt.Cdr. G.N. Rolfe, RN) and HMS Winchester (Lt.Cdr. S.E. Crewe-Read, RN) were operating off Flushing during the night of 14/15 May 1940.

Early in the afternoon of the 15th, HMS Valentine and HMS Whitley were ordered to give AA protection to the Terneuzen - Hoedekenskerke ferry but they came under air attack and HMS Valentine was badly damaged and had to be beached near Terneuzen after which her wreck was scuttled by HMS Whitley. HMS Whitley then returned to Flushing.

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