World War II HMS Witch (D89)

1 world war ii

1.1 1939-1940
1.2 1941
1.3 1942-1945

world war ii
1939-1940

witch remained in commission after united kingdom entered world war ii in september 1939, , on 3 september 1939 assigned 15th destroyer flotilla @ rosyth defence of convoys in north sea steaming along east coast of great britain. in october 1939 transferred western approaches command convoy escort duty in western approaches , north atlantic ocean.

on 11 january 1940, witch , destroyers hms wanderer (d74) , hms warwick (d25) reinforced escort of gibraltar-to-liverpool-bound convoy hg 14f, had consisted of sloops hms aberdeen (l97), hms bideford (l43), , hms leith (l36), while transited southwestern approaches, staying convoy until arrived @ liverpool on 13 january 1940. on 7 march 1940 , destroyer hms whirlwind (d30) relieved escort of convoy hg 21f in southwestern approaches during final leg of voyage gibraltar liverpool, arrived on 10 march 1940. on 19 march 1940, witch , destroyers hms vortigern (d37) , hms watchman (d26) relieved destroyer hms vanquisher (d54) of escorting convoy hg 22f on final segment of gibraltar-to-liverpool voyage, returning base @ liverpool after detaching convoy on 21 march 1940.

on 8 april 1940, witch, destroyers hms vimy (d33) , hms viscount (d92), , sloop hms rochester (l50) joined convoy hg 25f escort on final leg of voyage gibraltar liverpool, following day witch , vimy detached convoy orders proceed scapa flow in orkney islands service home fleet in operation rupert, escorting convoys carrying allied troops norway oppose german invasion of country. on 22 april 1940, witch joined light cruisers hms galatea, hms glasgow (c21), , hms sheffield (c24), , destroyers hms campbell (d60), hms icarus (d03), hms impulsive (d11), hms ivanhoe (d16), , hms vansittart (d64) in operation sickle, in ships transported troops rosyth molde, norway, reinforce allied forces @ andalsnes, each destroyer carrying 60 troops; ships arrived @ molde on 23 april 1940. on 11 may 1940, witch joined light cruisers hms calcutta (d82) , hms coventry (d43) , destroyers campbell, hms isis (d87), , hms zulu (f18) in escorting damaged light cruiser hms penelope greenock, scotland. witch released operations related norwegian campaign , rejoined 15th destroyer flotilla @ rosyth, returning convoy escort operations in north sea along east coast of great britain , patrol duties in north sea.

1941

in august 1941, witch transferred 10th destroyer flotilla convoy escort duties in western approaches. on 5 august 1941, , light cruiser hms cairo (d87), destroyers hms whitehall (d94) , hms winchester (l55), royal netherlands navy destroyer hnms isaac sweers (g83), , polish navy destroyer orp piorun (g65) deployed local escort military convoy ws 10 during first leg of voyage united kingdom freetown in sierra leone; ships detached convoy on 7 august 1941 , returned river clyde. on 9 august 1941, witch joined escort of convoy ws 8c, military convoy steamed clyde scapa flow part of build-up planned occupation of azores later cancelled; returned clyde on 10 august 1941. 15 17 august 1941 witch, whitehall, , royal netherlands navy light cruiser hnlms jacob van heemskerck escorted convoy ws 10x liverpool clyde.

from 17 26 september 1941, witch, whitehall, issac sweers, piorun, destroyers hms blankney (l30), hms laforey (g99), hms lightning (g55), , hms oribi (g66), , polish navy destroyer orp garland (h37) escorted convoy ws 11x clyde gibraltar in 1 of preliminary moves of operation halberd, effort steam resupply convoy through mediterranean sea malta. after convoy arrived @ gibraltar on 26 september, witch steamed united kingdom.

witch repeated pattern 1941 wore on. 1 4 october 1941 formed part of local escort of convoy ws 12 during passage through western approaches along cairo, blankney, whitehall, destroyers hms badsworth (l03), hms bradford (h72), hms brighton (i08), hms lancaster (g05), hms newark (g08), hms stanley (i73), , hms verity (d63), , royal canadian navy destroyers hmcs assiniboine (i18) , hmcs saguenay (d79), returning clyde ships after detaching convoy. 13 16 november 1941, witch, badsworth, verity, whitehall, , destroyers hms exmoor (l08), hms maori (f24), , hms vanquisher (d54) local escort convoy ws 12z transited western approaches, ships returning clyde after detaching convoy. 13 15 december 1941, witch, badsworth, vanquisher , destroyers hms beaufort (l19) , hms volunteer (d71) provided local escort convoy ws 14 in western approaches, usual returning clyde upon completion of duty.

1942-1945

witch continued convoy escort duties in north atlantic 1942 , adopted civil community of northwich, cheshire, in march 1942 result of warship week national savings campaign. in 1942, underwent conversion short-range escort. upon completion of conversion , post-conversion trials , work-ups, returned convoy escort duty in september 1942 part of escort of convoy on 127. continued north atlantic convoy work until december 1942, when deployed part of 5th escort group caribbean convoy duty. in january 1943, escorted tanker convoy convoy tm 1 west indies gibraltar; convoy came under attack german submarines during voyage.

in february 1943, witch part of escort of convoy on 168 united kingdom halifax, nova scotia, canada. deployed 2nd escort group oppose german pfeil ( arrow ) submarine group, threatening convoy sc 118 on voyage north america clyde, , on 4 february 1943 witch, vimy, destroyers hms beverley (h64) , hms vanessa (d29), corvettes hms abelia (k184) , hms mignonette (k38), , free french naval forces corvette ffl lobelia (k05) conducted antisubmarine warfare operations targeting pfeil group. following day, witch joined escort of sc 118, remaining convoy until detaching refuel, after returned duties 2nd escort group.

later in february 1943, royal navy selected witch transfer freetown, sierra leone, service local escort forces there. accordingly, , destroyer leader hms malcolm (d19), , destroyers hms quadrant (g11) , hms wolverine (d78) escorted convoy ws 28 16 27 march 1943 during voyage united kingdom freetown, detaching on latter date when convoy arrived there , remaining there in new role. in april 1943, , wolverine rescued 53 survivors of british merchant ship empire whimbrel, german submarine u-181 had sunk on 11 april 1943 420 nautical miles (778 km) southwest of freetown @ position 02°31′00″n 015°55′00″w / 2.51667°n 15.91667°w / 2.51667; -15.91667 (empire whimbrel sunk). 26 28 april 1943, joined malcolm , wolverine in serving local escort convoy ws 29 during final leg of voyage freetown. witch, malcolm, wolverine, , destroyers hms boreas (h77) , hms rapid (h32) departed freetown on 6 may 1943 local escort convoy ws 29, detaching on 8 may 1943 return freetown, , on 3 june 1943 witch, rapid, wolverine, , destroyer hms boadicea (h65) departed freetown local escort convoy ws 30, remaining until 9 june 1943, when quadrant, destroyer hms redoubt (h41), , royal australian navy destroyer hmas norman (g49) relieved them , detached return freetown. 10 12 july 1943, witch , corvette hms armeria (k187) escorted convoy ws 31 during leg of voyage freetown cape of hope, detaching return freetown when relieved rapid.

witch continued duties @ freetown through december 1943, when selected transfer convoy escort duties in north sea. during months of 1944, steamed united kingdom, , may 1944 had begun operations in north sea, continued – taking no part in operations related allied invasion of normandy during summer of 1944 – until surrender of germany in may 1945. after that, served on local port duties , in support of reoccupation forces during summer of 1945.