Allied Warships

HMS Whitaker (K 580)

Frigate of the Captain class


Photo courtesy of P. Phelps

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeFrigate
ClassCaptain 
PennantK 580 
Built byBethlehem-Hingham Shipyard Inc. (Hingham, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) 
Ordered 
Laid down20 Oct 1943 
Launched12 Dec 1943 
Commissioned28 Jan 1944 
End serviceMar 1945 
History

Assigned USN penant DE 571 but not named.

HMS Whitaker (Lt. Glynn Percy Watkin Edwards, RN) was torpedoed off Malin Head in position 55º30'N, 07º39'W by the German submarine U-483, a total loss, towed to port and returned to the USN in March 1945. Scrapped  

Hit by U-boat
A total loss on 1 Nov 1944 by U-483 (Morstein).

U-boat AttackSee our U-boat attack entry for the HMS Whitaker
Former nameDE 571

Commands listed for HMS Whitaker (K 580)

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. Glynn Percy Watkin Edwards, RN28 Jan 19441 Nov 1944 (+)

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 Whitaker include:


My father acting PO Alan Carruthers, was the sole surviving senior person left after the loss of the bow, he was responsible for saving the ship and was awarded the BEM (Military) for this action. (1)

3 Apr 1944
HMS United (Lt. N.R. Wood, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Tobermory together with HMS Whiteaker (Lt. G.P.W. Edwards, RN) and HMS Rupert (Lt. P.C.S. Black, RN). (2)

Media links


The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War

Collingwood, Donald

Sources

  1. Personal communication
  2. ADM 173/19218

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


Return to the Allied Warships section



As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.