Allied Warships
HMS Clare (I 14)
Destroyer of the Town class
HMS Clare as seen in Plymouth Sound in October 1941 upon completion of her reconstruction to long range escort. World Ship Photo Library photograph with thanks to Jan Visser.
| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Destroyer |
| Class | Town |
| Pennant | I 14 |
| Built by | Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. (Newport News, Virginia, U.S.A.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 20 Aug 1918 |
| Launched | 14 Feb 1920 |
| Commissioned | 9 Sep 1940 |
| End service | Mar 1947 |
| History | USS Abel P. Upshur decommissioned and transferred in the destroyer-land bases exchange to Great Britain, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, 9 September 1940. From 1940 to 1944, as HMS Clare, she escorted convoys in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. In the early hours of 21 February 1941 she collided with the motor vessel Petertown and was out of action, undergoing repairs, until October 1941. During 1942 and 1943 Clare took part in the Invasions of North Africa and Sicily. In May 1944 she became an aircraft target ship in the Western Approaches Command. In August 1945 she was reduced to reserve at Greenock, Scotland, and later berthed at Barrow, England, awaiting disposal. She was scrapped in 1945. |
| Former name | USS Abel P. Upshur (DD 193) |
Commands listed for HMS Clare (I 14)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | ||
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. (retired) Clive Gwinner, RN | 9 Sep 1940 | early 1941 | |
| 2 | Lt.Cdr. Leopold Hewetson Landman, RN | 21 Aug 1941 | 22 Dec 1942 | |
| 3 | Lt.Cdr. John Parker Stewart, DSC, RNR | 22 Dec 1942 | Jun 1943 | |
| 4 | Lt.Cdr. Gilbert Shaw Grant, RNR | Jun 1943 | late 1943 | |
| 5 | T/Lt. Duncan MacDonald, RNR | 9 May 1944 | late 1944 | |
| 6 | T/Lt. David Sugden Thorp, DSC, RNVR | late 1944 | 10 Apr 1945 | |
| 7 | T/Lt. James Allen Anderson, RNVR | 10 Apr 1945 | 1 May 1945 | |
| 8 | T/A/Lt.Cdr. Patrick Arthur Tritton, RNVR | May 1945 | mid 1945 | |
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Notable events involving Clare include:
16 Nov 1940
The British merchant Planter is torpedoed and sunk about 30 miles north-northwest of Bloody Foreland in position 55°38'N, 08°28'W by German U-boat U-137. HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. C. Gwinner, RN) later picks up 60 survivors.
6 Nov 1941
HrMs O 9 (Lt. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Landman, RN), HMS Hartland (Lt.Cdr. G.P. Billot, RNR), HMS Ibis (Lt.Cdr. H.M. Darell-Brown, RN) and HMS Sunflower (Lt.Cdr. J.T. Jones, RD, RNR). (1)
13 Aug 1942
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.R. Drummond, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Landman, RN) and HMS Cowdray (Lt.Cdr. C.W. North, RN). (2)
20 Aug 1942
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.R. Drummond, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Walney (Lt.Cdr. P.C. Meyrick, RN), HMS Aberdeen (Lt. S.G. Rivers-Smith, RN), HMS Enchantress (Lt.Cdr. A.E.T. Christie, OBE, RN), HMS Hartland (Lt.Cdr. G.P. Billot, RNR) and HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. L.H. Landman, RN). (2)
21 Nov 1942
HMS Clare picks up 56 survivors from the Panamanian merchant Buchanan that was torpedoed and sunk on 12 November 1942 in the North Atlantic in position 52°06'N, 25°54'W by German U-boat U-224.
21 Jan 1943
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Test (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) F.B. Collinson, RD, RN), HMS Fishguard (Lt.Cdr. H.L. Pryse, RNR), HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR) and HMS Banff (Lt. P. Brett, RNR). (3)
22 Jan 1943
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Dahlia (T/Lt. M.S. Work, RNR), HMS Wallflower (Lt. G.R. Greaves, RNR), HMS Rockingham (Lt.Cdr. N.W. Duck, DSC, RD, RNR), HMS Watchman (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Rodgers, RN), HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR) and HMS Viscount (Lt.Cdr. J.V. Waterhouse, DSO, RN). (3)
27 Mar 1943
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.S. Beale, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Keppel (Lt.Cdr. R.B.S. Tennant, RN), HMS Bergamot (Lt. R.T. Horan, RNR), HMS Erne (Lt.Cdr. E.D.J. Abbot, DSC, RN) and HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR). (4)
28 Mar 1943
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.S. Beale, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Erne (Lt.Cdr. E.D.J. Abbot, DSC, RN), HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR), HMCS Shediac (Lt. J.O. Every-Clayton, RCNR), HMCS St. Laurent (Lt.Cdr. G.H. Stephen, OBE, DSC, RCNR), HMCS Kenogami (T/Lt. J.L. Percy, RCNVR) and HMCS Battleford (T/Lt. F.A. Beck, RCNVR). (4)
10 May 1943
HMS Upstart (Lt. P.C. Chapman, DSC and Bar, RN) conducted A/S exercises in Lough Foyle with HMS Trent (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.G. Rankin, DSC, RNR), HMS Test (Lt.Cdr.(retired) F.B. Collinson, RD, RNR), HMS Teviot (Cdr. T. Taylor, DSC, RN), HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR), HMS Bergamot (Lt. R.T. Horan, RNR) and HMS Bryony (T/Lt. T. Hand, RNR). (5)
18 May 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR). (6)
19 Jun 1943
HMS P 511 (Lt. C.W. Taylor, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Fishguard (Lt.Cdr. H.L. Pryse, RNR), HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR or Lt.Cdr. G.S. Grant, RNR), HMS Pennyworth (Lt. O.G. Stuart, RCNVR), HMS Winchelsea (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Gregorie, RD, RNR), HMS Highlander (Cdr. E.C.L. Day, RN), HMS Asphodel (Lt. H.P. Carse, DSC, RNVR) and HMS Clover (Lt. P.H. Grieves, RNR). (7)
20 Jun 1943
HMS P 511 (Lt. C.W. Taylor, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Berry (Lt.Cdr. G.V. Legassick, RD, RNR), HMS Highlander (Cdr. E.C.L. Day, RN), HMS Winchelsea (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Gregorie, RD, RNR), HMS Fishguard (Lt.Cdr. H.L. Pryse, RNR) and HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR or Lt.Cdr. G.S. Grant, RNR). (7)
21 Jun 1943
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.A.R. Troup, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Fishguard (Lt.Cdr. H.L. Pryse, RNR), HMS Clare (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, DSC, RD, RNR or Lt.Cdr. G.S. Grant, RNR), HMS Poppy (T/Lt. D.R.C. Onslow, RNR) and HMS Test (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) F.B. Collinson, RD, RNR). (8)
13 Aug 1944
HMS Safari (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) conducted attack exercises for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) in the Clyde area during which HMS Clare (T/Lt. D. MacDonald, RNR) served as target. (9)
14 Aug 1944
HMS Safari (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) conducted attack exercises for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) in the Clyde area during which HMS Clare (T/Lt. D. MacDonald, RNR) served as target. (9)
15 Aug 1944
HMS Safari (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) J.R.G. Harvey, RN) conducted attack exercises for the C.O.Q.C. (Commanding Officers Qualifying Course) in the Clyde area during which HMS Clare (T/Lt. D. MacDonald, RNR) served as target. (9)
Media links
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Sources
- File 2.12.03.6368 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 173/17216
- ADM 173/17790
- ADM 173/17814
- ADM 173/18373
- ADM 173/17782
- ADM 173/17925
- ADM 173/17771
- ADM 173/18624
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.