Allied Warships

HMS Dornoch (J 173)

Minesweeper of the Bangor class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeMinesweeper
ClassBangor 
PennantJ 173 
ModTurbine engined 
Built byAilsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. (Troon, Scotland) 
Ordered20 Dec 1939 
Laid down13 Jan 1941 
Launched4 Feb 1942 
Commissioned22 Jul 1942 
End service 
History

HMS Dornoch is not listed as active unit in the October 1945 Navy List

Sold on 1 January 1948.

 

Commands listed for HMS Dornoch (J 173)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Lt. Henry Elphinstone Jackson, RN30 Jun 194223 Nov 1943
2Lt. Percival Harry Rawle, RN23 Nov 194319 Mar 1945
3T/Lt. Ernest George Braithwaite, RNVR19 Mar 1945mid 1945

You can help improve our commands section
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this vessel.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve this ships page.

Notable events involving Dornoch include:


28 Nov 1942
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Dornoch (Lt. H.E. Jackson, RN), HMS Ilfracombe (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.L.D. Hoare, RNR) and two other vessels [unable to read the names of these two vessels in the log of HMS H 34]. (1)

14 Jan 1943
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Dornoch (Lt. H.E. Jackson, RN), HMS Wedgeport (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.L. Fetherstonhaugh, RNR) and HMS Sardonyx (Lt.Cdr. A.F.C. Gray, RD, RNR). (2)

15 Jan 1943
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Dornoch (Lt. H.E. Jackson, RN), HMS Starwort (Lt. A.H. Kent, RNR), HMS Wedgeport (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.L. Fetherstonhaugh, RNR) and HMS Sardonyx (Lt.Cdr. A.F.C. Gray, RD, RNR). (2)

30 Apr 1943
HMS Ultimatum (Lt. W.H. Kett, RNR) departed Holy Loch for Scapa Flow. Passage north through the Minches was made together with HMS Truculent (Lt.Cdr. R.L. Alexander, RN), HNoMS Ula (Lt. R.M. Sars) and HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. Baron D.T. Mackay, RNN). They were escorted by HMS Dornoch (Lt. H.E. Jackson, RN).

31 Jul 1943

Convoy MKS 20.

This convoy departed Gibraltar on 31 July 1943.

This convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Baron Ruthven (British, 3178 GRT, built 1925), Empire Beatrice (British, 7046 GRT, built 1943), Empire Fal (British, 4880 GRT, built 1914), Empire Nightingale (British, 5698 GRT, built 1918), Fort Norman (British, 7133 GRT, built 1942), Franconia (British, 20175 GRT, built 1923), Helencrest (British, 5233 GRT, built 1941), Stirlingville (British, 1995 GRT, built 1937) and Ville de Strasbourg (British, (former French), 7007 GRT, built 1920).

Three of these vessels were damaged, the Franconia had her port engine out of action and the Fort Norman and Ville de Strasbourg had underwater damage and were both open to the sea in one hold.

On departure from Gibraltar the convoy was escorted by the minesweepers Shippigan (Cdr. M.H. Brown, DSC, RN), Tadoussac (T/Lt. J.P. Davies, RNR), HMS Ilfracombe (Lt.Cdr. J.E. Clark, DSC, RN), HMS Wedgeport (T/A/Lt.Cdr. G.L. Fetherstonhaugh, RNR), HMS Parrsboro (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.G. Raven, DSC, RNVR), HMS Dornoch (Lt. H.E. Jackson, RN) and HMS Qualicum (T/Lt. H. Stevens, RNVR).

Later the escort destroyers HMS Viceroy (Lt. T.F. Hallifax, RN), HMS Woolston (Lt. F.W. Hawkins, RN) and HMS Wallace (Lt. D. Carson, RN) departed Gibraltar to overtake and join the convoy which they did around dawn on 1 August 1943.

Around 1700B/2, in position 36°34'N, 12°20'W, the light (AA) cruiser HMS Scylla (Capt. I.A.P. Macintyre, CBE, DSO, RN) joined the convoy.

Around 2200B/4, in position 42°31'N, 15°58'W, HMS Scylla parted company with the convoy to join convoy MKF 20.

Around 2300B/4, in position 42°38'N, 15°58'W, HMS Viceroy, HMS Woolston and HMS Wallace were detached to proceed to Plymouth.

Around 2230B/6, in position 48°29'N, 15°51'W, the Franconia was detached to proceed ahead of the convoy as it had to reduce speed after the Fort Norman had sustained weather damage. Franconia took HMS Ilfracombe and HMS Qualicum with her as escorts.

Around 0930B/9, the Ville de Strasbourg parted company with the convoy to proceed ahead to Greenock.

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters late on the 9th and the ships then proceeded to their respective destinations. The escorts proceeded to Moville (Londonderry). (3)

Sources

  1. ADM 173/17243
  2. ADM 173/17790
  3. ADM 199/978

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


Return to the Allied Warships section