HMS Wolverine (D78) - Second World War

Second World War

In September she was allocated to the 15th Destroyer Flotilla at Rosyth for East Coast convoy defence. On 5 September she deployed with HMS Witherington, HMS Volunteer and HMS Vimy as escort for convoy GC1 from Milford Haven. She was based at Milford Haven and engaged in convoy escort duty in the English Channel and South-West Approaches. During this period she escorted 19 convoys one of which was attacked.

In April 1940 HMS Wolverine was transferred to the Home Fleet for the Norwegian campaign for convoy defence and support. On 14 May she deployed with HMS Stork to escort the troopship SS Chobry as she delivered reinforcements and AA guns to Bodø. Under heavy and sustained air attack, SS Chorby received three hits. HMS Wolverine embarked nearly 700 soldiers, including the Irish Guards, from the burning troopship while HMS Stork provided air defence. These troops were delivered to Harstad. At this time her pennant number was changed to I72 for visual signalling purposes.

In June she was involved in the evacuation of France, assisting in the evacuation of the Biscay ports, Operation Aerial.

In August 1940 HMS Wolverine returned to convoy escort duty, joining the 6th Escort Group for escort duty in the North-West Approaches. In this role she was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats, and rescuing survivors. She operated in this role the next 21 months. She escorted 27 North Atlantic convoys, 10 of which were attacked, and was involved in two major battles there.

In March 1941 HMS Wolverine was leader of the escort group for Convoy OB 293 which was attacked by a U-boat pack. The escorts were able to drive this attack off, destroying U-70 in the process. She made an attack on a contact, which was believed to have destroyed U-47; this assessment was revised later, and is believed to have hit U-A, which escaped with damage.

In April 1941 Wolverine deployed with HMS Scarborough and HMS Arbutus, the escort force for Convoy SC 26. Under sustained attacks by U-46, U-74 and U-73 six ships were sunk and several others were damaged. On 5 April, after sonar contact was made, Wolverine and HMS Scarborough depth charged U-76 to the surface. U-76 sank by the stern after her crew was rescued.

In February 1942 HMS Wolverine was converted to a short-range escort (SRE). To augment the earlier changes, the replacement of the after bank of torpedo tubes with a single QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun and the landing of 'Y' gun for additional space for depth charge gear and stowage, the 2 pdr “pompoms” were replaced with two Oerlikon 20 mm cannons amidships and the 'A' gun was replaced by a Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar. A Type 271 target indication Radar was added on the bridge to augment the Type 286M air warning radar. In April she worked up under her new captain, Commander PW Gretton (Promoted to Rear Admiral and Knighted after the war).

In July she moved to Gibraltar for operations in the Mediterranean. In August HMS Wolverine took part in Operation Pedestal. While escorting HMS Furious she detected a submarine on the surface. She carried out a ramming attack and sank the Italian submarine Dagabur. She suffered major bow damage and her port turbine was disabled. She returned to Gibraltar under her own power for temporary repair, followed by several months in dock at Devonport. During her stay at Gibraltar, she escorted 6 Gibraltar and 6 South Atlantic convoys, 3 of which were attacked.

After repairs completed in December she was employed in Western Approaches convoy defence duties. She was mainly employed in local escort assignments until her transfer to Freetown, South Africa in February 1943. She remained on station performing convoy escort duties until January when she returned to the UK for a refit. During this period she escorted 17 convoys, 2 of which were attacked.

In January 1944 HMS Wolverine returned to Britain for a refit, before returning to escort duty with Western Approaches. In January 1945 she was engaged in anti-submarine patrols in the Channel and Southwest Approaches, where she continued to the end of the war. In May she was withdrawn from operational service, paid off into reserve pending a decision on disposal.