HMS Pennywort K111

Naval Escorts That Escorted Convoys With Pennywort

2006-09-21T22:52:00.000+01:00

Abeila ONS130 HX229 HX234 KMS22 MKS29 ON176 ONS169
Aberdeen MKS45
Anchusa MKS75
Anemone HX204 HX229 HX234 HX241 ON176 ON183 ONS130 ONS169 SC82
Asphodel HX204 HX234 HX241 KMS22 MKS29 ON99 ON176 ON183 ONS11 SC82 SC136
Babbit HX229
Ballingderry MKS75
Bayntun KMS46 MKS45 ONS11
Beverley HX209 HX229 ON176 ONS130 ONS169
Blairmore ONS11
Borage KMS46 MKS45 ON99
Camrose HX209
Cape Hariato KMS74
Cape Portland KMS80
Chicoutimi HX241
Clover KMS22 ON176 ONS130 HX204 HX234 KMS46 MKS29 MKS45 ON99 ON183 ONS11 SC136 HX241
Cobalt HX209 ON99
Cuckmere SC136
Eclipse HX234
Faulknor HX234
Foley KMS46 MKS45
Fowey KMS80 MKS45
Gardiner KMS74
Geogertown HX209
Hamilton ONS11
Hastings SC136
Haverlock MKS29
Helmsdale KMS46 MKS45
Herschell SC136
Highlander HX204 HX209 HX229 HX234 HX241 MKS29 ON99 ON176 ON183 ONS11 ONS130 ONS169 SC82 SC136 KMS22
HMT St Elstan KMS46 MKS45
Ingham HX229
Inglefield HX234
Kamloops HX234
Kamsack ONS11
Kenogami ON183
Kilbride KMS46 MKS75
Kirkella KMS46 ONS11
Kite HX241
Landguard SC136
Laurel HX241
Lavender MKS29 MKS75
Lincoln ON99
Lunenburg ON99
Mansfield HX229
Midland HX209
Molde ON176 ONS130 ONS169
Montgomery HX209
Nairana KMS46 MKS45
Narvik KMS22
Niagara HX204 HX241
Northern Spray ONS11 SC136
Northern Gem ONS11 SC136
Oakham Castle KMS80
Onslaught HX234
Oribi HX234
Oxlip ON99
Quesnel HX241
Regina HX234
Rosthern HX234
Roxborough HX209
Rushen Castle KMS74
Shawingan HX234
Shediac HX209
Sherbroke HX229
Spray ON99
St Albans HX241
St Clair HX241 ON99
Starling HX241
Sudbury HX234
Thepas ONS11
Timmins HX241
Trail HX241
Transcona HX234
Truro ONS11
Vanquisher HX204
Vervain MKS75
Ville de Quebec HX209
Vimy HX229 HX241 ON176 ON183 ONS169 HX234
Volunteer HX229 MKS29
Walker KMS22 MKS29
Waveney SC136
Wild Goose HX241
Winchelsea HX204 KMS22 ON99 ONS11 SC82 SC136
Witherington HX229
Woodcock MKS75
Woodpecker HX241

Running Aground

2006-08-03T18:23:00.000+01:00

It was while arriving at PLACENTIA BAY that Pennywort had an almost disastrous incident. Sub Lt Jones takes up the story. “having handed over the outward bound convoy to the Canadian escorts we were proceeding in our group in line ahead to enter the new Agentia base in PLACENTIA BAY, Newfoundland. The Newfoundland banks are notorious for fog, and this day was no exception. I had just stood the forenoon watch until 1230 and had been below about half an hour when there was this crash followed by bumping as the ship lifted up and down.” What had happened was while sailing, Pennywort had seen HMS Clover ahead, turn hard to port, then receive a warning signal, but before she could react, she hit the banks damaging the hull of the ship. For a short while, she was firmly aground, but with the ebb tide was refloated. Having made her was to the safety of the depot ship, divers were sent over the side to investigate the damage. The report was the she would need dry docking with damage to the hull and her screw. After basic repairs to ensure that she was seaworthy, she was towed by the tug Frisky, to Halifax, where she collected the new screw, which was secured to her upper deck. From Halifax, the tow began to the US Naval repair yard at Long Island NY, but while at sea, a signal was received to alter course, and head for the Boston Naval yard.Once repairs were completed, Pennywort set sail on the 29th July heading for Halifax arriving on the 31st. It was hoped that the repairs would have been completed on the 22nd, but owing to unforeseen problems, this date had to be revised several times.
After the ship was declared ready for sea, and return to escort duties, she sailed to Agentia to pick up the homeward bound convoy HX-204

Research And Thanks

2006-07-23T19:57:00.000+01:00

Here are some useful websites for researching Corvette histories.

National Maritime Museum- http://www.nmm.ac.uk
Public Records Office Kew - http://www.pro.gov.uk/
Warsailors.com - http://www.warsailors.com
http://p214.ezboard.com/btheflowerclasscorvetteforums
http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/Flower/index.htm
http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/oskms/index.html
http://www.rushencastle.co.uk/

I'd also like to thank the following people for providing information

Lt David Titterington
Sub Lt ES Jones
AB Oxenbury
AB Askham
AB Lovegrove
Ian Jopson
Peter Helm
Rose Meldrum
Eddie Horley
Valerie Bladon
Paul Daughtrey
Brian Newton
Simon Mason

There is so many thank I would like to thank so far, I'll keep adding to my list of people who I have never met, but owe a lot too.

The Loss Of HMS Beverly

2006-06-20T19:36:00.000+01:00

While changing position within the convoy during thick fog HMS Beverly (LtCdr R.A. Price) was involved in a collision with the merchant ship Cairnvalone, causing HMS Beverly to report her A/S & D/G gear is out of action. Because of this the senior officer of the escorts instructed her to take up a position up moon from the convoy for better protection. It was in this position that at 0355 on the 11th April and without warring, HMS Beverly who was in rear of the convoy was torpedoed by U 188. Due to the size of the explosion, it was believed that the torpedo hit a magazine "I was on watch when this happened, standing the middle (graveyard) watch. As I recall the convoy was on our port side and Beverly to our starboard acting as outer screen. At around 0300, I think it was, my radar op reported that Beverly had gone off his screen. I called the captain (Stuart) to the bridge, and he spoke to the senior officer escort on the short range T.B.S (talk between ships). We maintained our position, while someone else was detailed to search. Only 3 or 4 survivors I believe" (Sub Lt Jones)

MKS 29

2006-06-19T19:14:00.000+01:00

3 Nov.... 1700 Escort Group B4 join convoy
4 Nov.... 1400 Cassablanca portion of 7 merchant ships join convoy. 5 merchant ships leave convoy. 0700 Air cover provided by Catalina till 1900
5 Nov.... 1900 Kingsborough ordered to return to Cassablanca due to being unable to maintain 7 knts in very good weather
6 Nov....
7 Nov.... 0525 Ville De Majunga and Fort George collide
8 Nov.... 0630 Air cover provided by Fortress till 1830. 2200 HM Ships Havelock, Volunteer and Lavender join convoy. SS Bachville falls astern of convoy with boiler troubles. S/O orders her back to Azores, but agrees to her request to rejoin convoy via stragglers rendezvous the in 2 days time (She is finally ordered back to Gibraltar by the Admiralty)
9 Nov.... 0800 Air cover provided by Liberator till 1800
10 Nov.... 0630 Air cover provided by Liberator till 1800
11 Nov... 0630 HMS Volunteer leaves convoy. 0630 Air cover provided by Liberator till 1500
12 Nov.... 0400 HMS Havelock leaves convoy. Weather fresh northerly gale
13 Nov.... 1530 SS Pandorian leaves convoy to sail independently to Mersey. 1600 HMS Pennywort leaves convoy. Convoy virtually hove to due to weather conditions
14 Nov.... Convoy virtually hove to due to weather conditions
15 Nov.... 1000 HMS Asphodel leaves convoy.
16 Nov.... HMS Highlander leaves convoy 1200 SS Baltyk leaves convoy to sail to Belfast to land sick crew man
17 Nov.... 1000 HM Ships Walker, Abelia and Clover leave convoy

HX241

2006-06-19T18:51:00.000+01:00

31 May.... 1400 In thick fog, convoy of 41 ships met by Escort Group B4. 1430 Papers transferred, and S/O advised some unidentified stragglers due to 24hrs of fog
1 June.... Daybreak H/F D/F locates signal inside ground wave. HMS Vimy ordered to investigate, and sights SC 132. Fog clears for short period during morning and commodore advises 4 stragglers, of which 2 later join SC 132 and 1 sails to St Johns, leaving one unaccounted for.
2 June.... 2100 The 2nd Support Group H.M. Ships Starling, Woodpecker, Wildgoose, and Kite join convoy
3 June....
4 June.... The 2nd Support Group refuel from SS Saintouge
5 June.... H.M. Ships Vimy, Clover and Anemone refuel. 1530 Last straggler acounted for, when Roger Sherman rejoins convoy
6 June.... 0600 HMS Winchelsea joins convoy
7 June.... 0700 4 merchant ships with 2nd Support Group as escort leave convoy, but in the afternoon, SS Contessa rejoins as she is unable to maintain speed of the fast portion.
8 June.... 0600 HMS Clover leaves convoy escorting 1 merchant ship while HMS Pennywort and HMS Asphodel leave to head for Londonderry. All remaining escorts ordered to fire headhog, if not done so within last 2 months
9 June.... 0800 HMS Vimy plus Loch Ewe portion leave convoy. 1400 HMS Anemone plus 1 merchant ship leave convoy for Londonderry. 2020 HMS Highlander hands over to Kirkella and leaves convoy.
10 June....
11 June ....

HX234 April 1943

2006-06-19T11:33:00.000+01:00

18 April.... 0830 Escort group B4 joins convoy
19 April.... Robert Grey (Master Alfred Rasmussen Lyngby), torpedoed by U108 at 0313 while on the surface. U-boat driven down by deck gun fire (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) . 0443 U-boat fired another torpedo but missed, then another at 0559 which hit the stern. The vessel caught fire after ammunition exploded and sank rapidly. All eight officers, 31 crewmen and 23 armed guards were lost
20 April
21 April.... 0400 HMS Pennywort attacks a U-boat while on the starboard quarter of the convoy. 1130 HMS Vimy joins convoy. During the night, a gale with strong northerly wind appeared, thus in turn bringing heavy snow blizzards. Convoy speed reduced to 3 knts
22 April.... 0154 While straggling Amerika (Master Christian Nielsen) in position 75 was torpedoed and sunk by U306 hitting her aft and mid ship on the starboard side. 42 crew members, 7 gunners and 37 passengers (RCAF personnel) were lost. The master, 29 crew members, eight gunners and 16 passengers were picked up by the HMS Asphodel and landed at Greenock. The attack went unnoticed except for Washington Express who saw 3 flashes and heard a siren. The last ship to see her was Corner Brook who said she was a long way astern of her position. Air cover provided during daylight hours
23 April.... Very heavy snow showers encountered during the night. 0800 HMS Vimy reports 2 U-boats on the surface and attacks. HMS Highlander goes to assist. 1400 Silvermaple in position 101 reports being damaged by U306 who had fired a speed of 4 torpedoes, although only 2 detonations were heard. The master reports that the torpedo that hit must have been at the end of its run as it struck a glancing blow. After 30 mins checking damage, the master informs the commodore she can make 9 ½ knts. 1600 Air cover provided by 2 liberators. Shortly after there arrival. they report sighting several U-boats. 1930 A Liberator reports that after attacking a U-boat (U189 KrvKpt. Hellmut Kurrer) 13-16 survivors are in the water. 1830 Anemone reports carrying out an attack on a firm contact. Air cover departs at dusk
24 April.... 0120 HMS Pennywort sights a U-boat on the surface and fires a star shell. U-boat dives. 0600 Air cover provided by Catalinas. 1300 A Catalina radios a U-boat sighting some 30 miles away. An Easterly gale sprang up during the day, and getting worse, and becoming more violent during the night. Air cover departs at dusk. S/O notes that it is estimated that 12 U-boats are concentrated on the convoy
25 April.... 0930 Striking force of H.M. Ships Faulknor, Inglefield, Eclips Onslaught and Oribi join convoy
26 April.... HMS Vimy and HMS Asphodel leave convoy with fast portion

Boston Naval Yard

2006-03-19T16:01:00.000Z

These pictures are of Pennywort in Boston Naval Yard under going repairs after running aground while entreing Pacentia Bay Newfoundland in 1942

2006-03-13T17:50:00.000Z

Her design was based on the whalecatcher Southern Pride. She was ordered on 12 Dec 1939, with 16 other Corvettes.Built by A & J Inglis of Pointhouse, Scotland. Given a job number 1165, she was launched on 18 Oct 1941, and completed on 5 March 1941 (a total construction time of 11 months 22 days) at a cost of approximately £90,000.She was fitted with standard machinery - single screw 4 cylinder triple expansion steam reciprocation, with 2 single-ended cylindrical boilers. This equipment was fitted because of the ease of operation for the reservists and hostilities only crews. Her maximum speed was 16 knots. The range at full speed was around 2630 miles, or 3450 miles at 12 knots.Her displacement was 950 tons or 1160 tons when fully loaded.The main difference between her and most of the other Corvettes was that she was fitted with an acoustic hammer on her bow, and mine sweeping gear.The hammer was used to explode mines that were located. The idea being that a bucket built on an A frame was lowered into the sea, and a large weight was then dropped into it. The resulting sound was hopefully enough to set off any acoustic mines within the area The mine sweeping gear enabled her to carry out many forms of sweeping including the LL (mark IV) sweep.Once she had been fitted out, her commissioning Captain ( Lieut. G.C.W Meldrum RNR) took charge of her, a crew were assigned to her (20/02/42). She took on her stores, and then proceeded to carry out her working up period. This included going to Tobermory ( HMS Western Isles) which was the Royal Navy Escort training base under the command of Commodore (Vice-Admiral retd.) G O Stephenson, or as he was commonly known “monkey brand”. This two weeks would either make or brake a ship and company.Once the working up was completed, she was assigned to the escort group B4 based at Londonderry. This meant the she would sail the North Atlantic route escorting merchant ships in some of the most hostile, dangerous waters.

Even More Photos

2006-03-13T17:26:00.000Z

Here are another two photos of the crew

2006-03-13T17:01:00.000Z

Over the weekend, I recieved some photos from a crew man of Pennywort.
Here are some of them showing the officers and crew

I sent the above bridge picture to a former officer of Pennywort to see if he could provide any information about it. Here is his reply: 'The photo of the officers was most interesting. The bridge itself I recognise, but not the officers themselves. The occaision seems to be very official - perhaps during the work-up at Tobermory in the Isle of Mull where the ships would be put to their training paces with gunnery and anti submarine practice.The dress of the day seems to be too formal for either going out on patrol or returning fromservice at sea. The hills in the background could be either the Clyde or one of the Scottish Islands.The magnetic binnacle can be seen on the right of the picture. This would be a back up for navigational purposes -a gyro compass would normally be used."

My Research Into HMS Pennywort

2006-03-13T16:57:00.000Z

I have been researching HMS Pennywort for several years now, and I honestly think that I will be retired before I finish getting everything I need about her!She was a Flower Class Corvette (similar to the ship in the film Cruel Sea).She spent her years sailing the seas escorting merchant ships in convoys to protect them from the Uboat menace.During her time, she didn't make a big impact in terms of sinking battleships or sinking loads of Uboats. Her contribution was helping save merchant sailors from the sea, and ensuring that the ships arrived safely to deliver their desperately needed cargos.I'm searching for any information either about the ship herself, or any of the crew who sailed on her.I have been in contact with several of the crew, who have been very helpful, but due to the length of time, are now a little less certain about exact details.I have also managed to speak to families of some of the crew who have "crossed the bar" who have very kindly supplied me with some pictures and details, for which I thank them. BUT I need much more. Can you help?If you have any information about HMS Pennywort, her crew, or life in general on a wartime Corvette, please share it with me.When and if I get enough information, I plan to either write a booklet about her or make a web site about her story.Please help me.Many thanks.