HMS Arbutus (K86)

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HMS Arbutus.jpg
HMS Arbutus
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Arbutus
Namesake Arbutus
Builder Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd
Laid down30 November 1939
Launched5 June 1940
Commissioned12 October 1940
Identification Pennant number: K86
FateTorpedoed and sunk, 5 February 1942
General characteristics [1] [2]
Class and type Flower-class corvette
Displacement925 long tons (940 t)
Length205 ft (62 m)
Beam33 ft (10 m)
Draught13.5 ft (4.1 m)
Installed power2,750  ihp (2,050 kW)
Propulsion
  • Two fire tube boilers
  • One 4-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine,
Speed16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Range3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement85
Armament

HMS Arbutus was a Flower-class corvette of the Royal Navy, which was active during the Second World War. She was a successful escort vessel, and took part in the destruction of two U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic. Arbutus was torpedoed by a U-boat and sunk in the North Atlantic in February 1942 while aiding an under-attack convoy.

Contents

Construction

Arbutus was placed on order in July 1939, one of the first 26 "Flowers" of the pre-war building programme. She was laid down at the Blyth Shipbuilding Company, at Blyth, Northumberland, on 30 November 1939. She was launched on 5 June 1940 and completed 12 October 1940. [3] She commissioned on the same day under the command of Lt. Cdr. H Lloyd Williams, RNVR, [4] one of the earliest Volunteer Reserve command appointments.

World War II service

After trials and working up Arbutus joined Western Approaches Command and was assigned to 6 Escort Group, led by JM Rowland in HMS Wolverine for convoy escort duties. In this role she was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats, and rescuing survivors. Over the next 14 months Arbutus escorted 26 convoys on the Atlantic routes, [5] [6] helping to bring over 750 ships to safety, though a number were lost in various incidents. She was involved in two convoy battles, and helped destroy two U-boats.

In March 1941, Arbutus, with 6 EG, escorted convoy OB 293 when it came under attack by a force of U-boats. The escort group mounted a vigorous and aggressive defence, resulting in the destruction of two U-boats and damage to a third, for the loss of two ships sunk and three damaged. During the two-night action, on 7 March 1941, Arbutus and Camellia found and attacked U-70; she was depth-charged and brought to the surface, where she was abandoned and sank. [7]

In April 1941 6EG went to the aid of convoy SC 26 which was under attack. On 5 April Arbutus, with Wolverine and Scarborough, found and attacked U-76, which was brought to the surface and abandoned. As she surfaced Arbutus was closing in order to ram her; when he saw she was being abandoned Arbutus' then commander, Lt. ALW Warren, changed plans and attempted to capture the submarine before it sank. U-76 was boarded by several members of the corvette's crew, and efforts were made to secure and search the boat while Arbutus made fast to the U-boat with hawsers. However, U-76 was sinking too fast, and the capture failed. This was the first such instance of a U-boat boarding and acquisition in World War II, though it was unsuccessful; [8] the exploit was repeated the following month when U-110 was captured by ships of 3 Escort Group.

Fate

On 5 February 1942 Arbutus was escorting convoy ON 63 when it was detected by U-136. The U-boat sent a sighting report and commenced shadowing, but the transmission was DFed and escorts Chelsea and Arbutus ran down the bearing to attack. The U-boat commander, K/L H Zimmerman, responded aggressively, counter-attacking and torpedoing Arbutus as she approached. The corvette broke in half and sank, with the loss of half her crew. [9] 43 men, including her commander, were lost. [10] U-136 was subsequently depth-charged by Chelsea, damaged and forced to abandon her pursuit, saving ON 63 from further harm. [9]

Successes

During her service Arbutus was credited with sharing in the destruction of two U-boats:

DateU-boatTypeLocationNotes
7 March 1941 U-70 VIIC N Atlantic, N of Rockall
60°15′N14°00′W / 60.250°N 14.000°W / 60.250; -14.000 		Rammed by Mijdrecht, D/C by Arbutus, Camellia; forced to surface, abandoned, sunk [11] [12]
5 April 1941 U-76 VIIB N Atlantic, S of Iceland
58°35′N20°20′W / 58.583°N 20.333°W / 58.583; -20.333 		D/C by Wolverine, Scarborough, boarded by Arbutus; sank due to damage received [13] [14]

Notes

  1. ↑ Conway p62
  2. ↑ Elliot p84
  3. ↑ Elliot, p. 85
  4. ↑ Arbutus at uboat.net
  5. ↑ A Hague: convoyweb.org.uk
  6. ↑ G Mason: navalhistory.net
  7. ↑ Blair pp. 249–251
  8. ↑ Blair pp. 265–266
  9. 1 2 Blair p. 550
  10. ↑ loss of Arbutus at uboat.net
  11. ↑ Kemp, p. 68
  12. ↑ Neistle, p. 43
  13. ↑ Kemp, p. 69
  14. ↑ Neistle, p. 40

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References

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