Navy | The Royal Navy |
Type | Corvette |
Class | Flower |
Pennant | K 132 |
Built by | Smiths Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.) |
Ordered | 31 Aug 1939 |
Laid down | 15 Mar 1941 |
Launched | 27 May 1941 |
Commissioned | 11 Aug 1941 |
End service | |
History | Sold in August 1945. |
Commands listed for HMS Vetch (K 132)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
Commander | From | To | |
1 | T/A/Lt.Cdr. Herbert James Beverley, DSC, RNR | Jul 1941 | mid 1943 |
2 | Lt. Kenneth Michael Bertie Menzies, RNR | mid 1943 | Apr 1945 |
3 | T/Lt. David Malcolm Edwards, DSC, RNR | Apr 1945 | Jul 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 Vetch include:
31 Jan 1942
At 0815 hours, HMS Hermione (Capt. G.N. Oliver, RN), parted comapany with RFA Dingledale and her escorts, submarine HMS Clyde (Cdr. D.C. Ingram, DSC, RN) and corvette HMS Spiraea (T/Lt. R.W. Tretheway, RNR).
At 1330 hours, the escort destroyers HMS Exmoor (Lt.Cdr. L.StG. Rich, RN), HMS Croome (Lt.Cdr. J.D. Hayes, DSO, RN) and the corvettes HMS Geranium (T/Lt. A. Foxall, RNR) and HMS Vetch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.J. Beverley, DSC, RNR) joined.
The escort destroyers were to fuel from RFA Dingledale but the swell was too high and they parted company at 1500 hours as did HMS Spiraea which was to proceed to the U.K. for the fitting of radar equipment. (1)
1 Feb 1942
While south of Ponta Delgada, Azores, HMS Clyde (Cdr. D.C. Ingram, DSC, RN), parted company with RFA Dingledale and the corvettes HMS Geranium (T/Lt. A. Foxall, RNR) and HMS Vetch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.J. Beverley, DSC, RNR).
Clyde then kept a diving patrol in the area.
The escort destroyers were to fuel from RFA Dingledale but the swell was too high and they parted company at 1500 hours as did HMS Spiraea which was to proceed to the U.K. for the fitting of radar equipment. (1)
5 Feb 1942
HMS Clyde (Cdr. D.C. Ingram, DSC, RN) made a practice attack on RFA Dingledale with the purpose to give an A/S exercises to her escorting corvettes, HMS Geranium (T/Lt. A. Foxall, RNR) and HMS Vetch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.J. Beverley, DSC, RNR). (1)
8 Feb 1942
RFA Dingledale and her escorts, submarine HMS Clyde (Cdr. D.C. Ingram, DSC, RN) and the corvettes HMS Geranium (T/Lt. A. Foxall, RNR) and HMS Vetch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.J. Beverley, DSC, RNR) are ordered to return to Gibraltar. (1)
14 Apr 1942
German U-boat U-252 was sunk at 2230hrs on 14 April 1942 in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in approximate position 47°00'N, 18°14'W, by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Stork (Cdr. F.J. Walker, DSO, RN) and the British corvette HMS Vetch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.J. Beverley, DSC, RNR).
6 Oct 1942
HMS H 43 (Lt. B.J.B. Andrew, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Virginia (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J. Dobson, RNR), HMS Vetch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.J. Beverley, DSO, DSC, RNR), HMS Duncton (T/Lt. J.P. Kilbee, RNR), HMS Marigold (Lt. J.A.S. Halcrow, RD, RNR), HMS Sapphire (T/Lt. E.G.le G. Berry, RNVR), HMS Gardenia (T/Lt. M.M. Firth, RNVR) and HMS Convolvulus (A/Lt.Cdr. R.F.R. Yarde-Buller, RNVR). (2)
1 Apr 1943
HMS Ultor (Lt. G.E. Hunt, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Gibraltar together with HMS Pentstemon (T/Lt. D.C. Williams, RNVR) and HMS Vetch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.J. Beverley, DSO, DSC, RNR). (3)
25 May 1943
German U-boat U-414 was sunk in the western Mediterranean north-west of Ten?s, in position 36°31'N, 00°40'E, by depth charges from the British corvette HMS Vetch (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H.J. Beverley, DSO, DSC, RNR).
Sources
- ADM 199/1222
- ADM 173/17254
- ADM 173/18324
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.