 HMSArbutus | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSArbutus |
| Namesake | Arbutus |
| Builder | Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd |
| Laid down | 30 November 1939 |
| Launched | 5 June 1940 |
| Commissioned | 12 October 1940 |
| Identification | Pennant number: K86 |
| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk, 5 February 1942 |
| General characteristics[1][2] | |
| Class and type | Flower-classcorvette |
| Displacement | 925 long tons (940 t) |
| Length | 205 ft (62 m) |
| Beam | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Draught | 13.5 ft (4.1 m) |
| Installed power | 2,750 ihp (2,050 kW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) |
| Range | 3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement | 85 |
| Armament |
|
HMSArbutus was aFlower-classcorvette of theRoyal Navy, which was active during theSecond World War. She was a successful escort vessel, and took part in the destruction of twoU-boats during theBattle of the Atlantic.Arbutus was torpedoed by a U-boat and sunk in the North Atlantic in February 1942 while aiding a convoy that was under attack.
Arbutus was placed on order in July 1939, one of the first 26 "Flowers" of the pre-war building programme. She waslaid down at theBlyth Shipbuilding Company, atBlyth, Northumberland, on 30 November 1939. She waslaunched on 5 June 1940 and completed 12 October 1940.[3] Shecommissioned on the same day under the command ofLt. Cdr. H. Lloyd Williams, RNVR, one of the earliestRoyal Naval Volunteer Reserve command appointments.[4]
Aftertrials and working up,Arbutus joinedWestern Approaches Command and was assigned to the 6th Escort Group, led by J. M. Rowland inHMS Wolverine for trade protection. In this role she was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attackingU-boats, and rescuing survivors. Over the next 14 monthsArbutus escorted 26 convoys on the Atlantic routes, helping to bring over 750 ships to safety, though a number were lost in various incidents.[5][6] She was involved in two convoy battles, and helped destroy two U-boats.
In March 1941,Arbutus, with the 6th EG, escortedConvoy 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 andCamellia found and attackedU-70; she was depth-charged and brought to the surface, where she was abandoned and sank.[7]
In April 1941 the 6th EG went to the aid ofConvoy SC 26 which was under attack. On 5 AprilArbutus, withWolverine andScarborough, found and attackedU-76, which was brought to the surface and abandoned. As she surfacedArbutus was closing to ram her; when he saw she was being abandonedArbutus' commander,Lt. A. L. W. Warren, changed plans and attempted to capture the submarine before it sank.U-76 was boarded by several members of the crew, and efforts were made to secure and search the boat whileArbutus made fast to the U-boat with hawsers.U-76 was sinking too fast, and the attempt failed. This was the first such instance of a U-boat boarding in World War II; the exploit was repeated the following month whenU-110 was captured by ships of the 3rd Escort Group.[8]
On 5 February 1942Arbutus was escortingConvoy ON 63 when it was detected byU-136. The U-boat sent a sighting report and commenced shadowing, but the transmission wasDFed and escortsChelsea andArbutus ran down the bearing to attack. The U-boat commander,K/L H. Zimmerman torpedoedArbutus as she approached. The corvette broke in half and sank, with the loss of half her crew, 43 men, including her commander.[9][10]U-136 was depth-charged byChelsea, damaged and forced to abandon her pursuit, saving ON 63 from further harm.[9]
During her serviceArbutus was credited with sharing in the destruction of two U-boats:
| Date | U-boat | Type | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 March 1941 | U-70 | VIIC | N Atlantic, N ofRockall 60°15′N14°00′W / 60.250°N 14.000°W /60.250; -14.000 | Rammed byMijdrecht,D/C byArbutus,Camellia; forced to surface, abandoned, sunk[11][12] |
| 5 April 1941 | U-76 | VIIB | N Atlantic, S ofIceland 58°35′N20°20′W / 58.583°N 20.333°W /58.583; -20.333 | D/C byWolverine,Scarborough, boarded byArbutus; sank due to damage received[13][14] |
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1942 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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