Naval History Homepage - and Site Search. SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2 by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN Rtd c HMS HOLCOMBE L 56 - Type III, Hunt-class Escort Destroyer including Convoy Escort Movements.
Type III HUNT Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Alex Steven at Govan on 23 August under the War Emergency Programme and laid down on 3rd April as Job No J The ship was launched on 14th April as the 1st RN warship to carry the name of this Lancashire fox-hunt.
Build was completed on 19th September and the ship was adopted by the civil community of Farnworth , Lancashire, following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March Badge: Barry wavy of six white and blue. Badge , a hunting horn. September Contractors trials and commissioned for service. Took passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing.
October Worked-up for operational service at Scapa Flow with ships of Home Fleet. Allocated for service in the Mediterranean. Note: This convoy was routed to Bahia instead of Freetown because of the transit. Retained at Freetown for convoy defence. December Retained at Freetown for escort of convoys off West Africa.
January Transferred to Gibraltar. February Joined 59th Destroyer Division at Gibraltar for convoy defence and patrol in the. March Part of escort for military convoy KMF10A to Algiers. April Part of escort for military convoy UGS 8 and KMF May Nominated for support of allied landings in Sicily operation HUSKY. July Deployed with Support Force East for convoy defence during passage of assault convoys. Passage to Bizerta. For details of HUSKY see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett,.
