William Rudolph Slayter DSO, DSC, RN
| Born | 13 Feb 1896 | ||
| Died | 30 Apr 1971 | (75) |
 | Ranks
Retired: 16 Dec 1954 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for William Rudolph Slayter, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Liverpool (11) | Capt. | Light cruiser | 30 Sep 1941 | 7 Oct 1942 |
| HMS Newfoundland (59) | Capt. | Light cruiser | 13 Oct 1942 | 28 Sep 1943 |
Career information
He survived the loss of HMS Queen Mary on 31/5/16, one of 'very few'.
He was XO of HMS Devonshire 2/34-10/36.
He became CoS CinC Home Fleet 8/11/43 as Cdre1 to Adm Sir Bruce Fraser & to Adm Sir Henry Moore 14/6/44-6/45.
Post war he was CO "Excellent" 9/45-1/47, RAC 2CS 5/49-9/50, CinC East Indies 8/52-8/54.
Events related to this officer
Light cruiser HMS Liverpool (11)
22 Oct 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
Having completed her repairs, HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN), departed the Mare Island naval shipyard for trials. (1)
23 Oct 1941
After one and a half day of trials, HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN), returned to the Mare Island naval shipyard. (1)
31 Oct 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) shifted from the Mare Island naval shipyard to San Francisco Bay. (1)
3 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) departed San Francisco Bay for Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. (2)
11 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) arrived at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. (2)
12 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) transited the Panama Canal after which she immediately set course for Chesapeake Bay. (2)
16 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) arrived at Chesapeake Bay. (2)
17 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) departed Chesapeake Bay for Bermuda. (2)
19 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) arrived at Bermuda. (2)
21 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
During 21/22 November 1941, HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN), conducted exercises off Bermuda. These included night exercises. (2)
24 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
During 24/25 November 1941, HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN), conducted exercises off Bermuda. These included night exercises. (2)
26 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
During 26/27 November 1941, HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN), conducted exercises off Bermuda. These included night exercises. (2)
29 Nov 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) departed Bermuda for the Clyde. (2)
5 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) arrived at Greenock. (3)
10 Dec 1941 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) shifted from Greenock to Glasgow for more repairs not undertaken in the U.S.A. and the fitting of radar. (3)
6 Feb 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) departed the Clyde for Scapa Flow. (4)
7 Feb 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow to work-up. (4)
4 Mar 1942
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) completed her work-up period at Scapa Flow. She now joined the 18th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet. (4)
7 Mar 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) and HMS Trinidad (Capt. L.S. Saunders, RN) departed Scapa Flow for position 69°00'N, 01°00'W. (4)
9 Mar 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) and HMS Trinidad (Capt. L.S. Saunders, RN) arrived near position 69°00'N, 01°00'W.
At 0030 hours they were joined by the destroyers HMS Punjabi (Lt.Cdr. J.M.G. Waldegrave, DSC, RN), HMS Echo (Lt.Cdr. N. Lanyon, RN) and HMS Fury (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Campbell, DSC and Bar, RN).
HMS Liverpool then fuelled HMS Punjabi and HMS Trinidad fuelled HMS Fury. Owning to the bad weather HMS Echo could not be fuelled.
On completion of the fuelling HMS Liverpool, HMS Trinidad, HMS Punjabi and HMS Fury set course for Scapa Flow. (4)
11 Mar 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN), HMS Trinidad (Capt. L.S. Saunders, RN), HMS Punjabi (Lt.Cdr. J.M.G. Waldegrave, DSC, RN) and HMS Fury (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Campbell, DSC and Bar, RN) arrived at Scapa Flow.
HMS Liverpool then fuelled HMS Punjabi and HMS Trinidad fuelled HMS Fury. Owning to the bad weather HMS Echo could not be fuelled.
On completion of the fuelling HMS Liverpool, HMS Trinidad, HMS Punjabi and HMS Fury set course for Scapa Flow. (4)
16 Mar 1942
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, RN) conducted D/G trials and exercises at Scapa Flow. (5)
20 Mar 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) and HMS Gambia (Capt. M.J. Mansergh, CBE, RN) both conducted exercises at/off Scapa Flow. These included night exercises. (6)
21 Mar 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, RN) conducted exercises off Scapa Flow. (7)
22 Mar 1942
The flag of the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, Vice-Admiral J.C. Tovey, KCB, KBE, DSO, RN, was temporarily hoisted on board HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, RN). (4)
3 Apr 1942
The flag of the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, Vice-Admiral J.C. Tovey, KCB, KBE, DSO, RN, was struck on board HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN).
HMS Liverpool and the destroyers HMS Punjabi (Lt.Cdr. J.M.G. Waldegrave, DSC, RN) and HMS Marne (Lt.Cdr. H.N.A. Richardson, DSC, RN) departed Scapa Flow late in the afternoon for Murmansk, northern Russia. (4)
7 Apr 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN), HMS Punjabi (Lt.Cdr. J.M.G. Waldegrave, DSC, RN) and HMS Marne (Lt.Cdr. H.N.A. Richardson, DSC, RN) arrive at Murmansk. They were to be part of the escort for convoy QP 10. (4)
10 Apr 1942
Convoy QP 10.
Convoy QP 10 from the Kola Inlet to Reykjavik.
Timespan: 10 April to 21 April 1942.
10 April 1942.
On this day a convoy of 16 merchant vessels departed the Kola Inlet in northern Russia for Reykjavik, Iceland. The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels. Artigas (Panamanian, 5613 GRT, built 1920), Beaconstreet (British, 7467 GRT, built 1927), Belomorcanal (Russian, 2900 GRT, built 1936), Capulin (Panamanian, 4977 GRT, built 1920), Dnepprostroi (Russian, 4756 GRT, built 1919), El Coston (Panamanian, 7286 GRT, built 1924), El Occidente (Panamanian, 6008 GRT, built 1910), Empire Cowper (British, 7164 GRT, built 1941), Harpalion (British, 5486 GRT, built 1932), Kiev (Russian, 5823 GRT, built 1917), Mana (Honduras, 3283 GRT, built 1920), Navarino (British, 4841 GRT, built 1937), River Afton (British 5479 GRT, built 1935), Sevzaples (Russian, 3974 GRT, built 1932), Stone Street (Panamanian, 6131 GRT, built 1922) and Temple Arch (British, 5138 GRT, built 1940).
Close escort was provided by the British destroyers HMS Oribi (Lt.Cdr. J.E.H. McBeath, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Punjabi (Lt.Cdr. J.M.G. Waldegrave, DSC, RN), HMS Marne (Lt.Cdr. H.N.A. Richardson, DSC, RN), HMS Fury (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Campbell, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. E. Mack, DSC, RN), minesweeper HMS Speedwell (Lt.Cdr. J.J. Youngs, OBE, RNR), A/S trawlers HMS Blackfly (T/Lt. A.P. Hughes, RNR) and HMS Paynter (Lt. R.H. Nossiter, RANVR). the escort was strengthened local escort was provided from departure until 12 April (to longtitude 30°'E) by the Russian destroyers Gremyashchiy, Sokrushitelny and the British minesweepers HMS Gossamer (Lt.Cdr. T.C. Crease, RN), HMS Harrier (Cdr. E.P. Hinton, DSO, RN) and HMS Hussar (Lt. R.C. Biggs, DSC, RN). Close cover for the convoy was provided by the light cruiser HMS Liverpool (Capt. W.R. Slayter, DSC, RN) which departed the Kola Inlet on the 11th.
Distant cover for this convoy (and also for eastbound convoy PQ 14 which sailed from Iceland on April 8th) was provided by ships from the Home Fleet; battleships HMS King George V (Capt. W.R. Patterson, CB, CVO, RN, flying the flag of flying the flag of Vice-Admiral J.C. Tovey, KCB, KBE, DSO, RN, C-in-C Home Fleet), HMS Duke of York (Capt. C.H.J. Harcourt, CBE, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral A.T.B. Curteis, CB, RN, second in command Home Fleet), aircraft carrier HMS Victorious (Capt. H.C. Bovell, CBE, RN), heavy cruiser HMS Kent (Capt. A.E.M.B. Cunninghame-Graham, RN), light cruiser HMS Nigeria (Capt. J.G.L. Dundas, CBE, RN) and the destroyers HMS Bedouin (Cdr. B.G. Scurfield, OBE, RN), HMS Eskimo (Cdr. E.G. Le Geyt, RN), HMS Somali (Capt. J.W.M. Eaton, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Matchless (Lt.Cdr. J. Mowlam, RN), HMS Onslow (Capt. H.T. Armstrong, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Offa (Lt.Cdr. R.A. Ewing, RN), HMS Faulknor (Capt. A.K. Scott-Moncrieff, RN), HMS Escapade (Lt.Cdr. E.N.V. Currey, DSC, RN) and the escort destroyers HMS Belvoir (Lt. J.F.D. Bush, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Ledbury (Lt.Cdr. R.P. Hill, RN), HMS Middleton (Lt.Cdr. D.C. Kinloch, RN) and HMS Wheatland (Lt. R.deL. Brooke, RN).
Also the heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (Capt. E.G.H. Bellars, RN) patrolled in an area about 130 nautical miles south-west of Bear Island from where she could support either convoy during this part of their passages. (8)
Sources
- ADM 53/114549
- ADM 53/114550
- ADM 53/114551
- ADM 199/427
- ADM 53/116158
- ADM 53/115972 + ADM 53/116159
- ADM 53/116159
- ADM 199/427 + ADM 234/369
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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