| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Escort destroyer |
| Class | Hunt (Type I) |
| Pennant | L 17 |
| Built by | Cammell Laird Shipyard (Birkenhead, U.K.) |
| Ordered | 21 Mar 1939 |
| Laid down | 8 Jun 1939 |
| Launched | 29 Jan 1940 |
| Commissioned | 6 Jun 1940 |
| Lost | 19 Aug 1942 |
| Loss position | 49° 57'N, 1° 04'E |
| History | HMS Berkeley (Lt. James John Simon Yorke, RN) was badly damaged by German aircraft bombs while taking part in operation 'Jubilee', the raid on Dieppe, France. Her keel was broken and she had to be sunk in position 49º57'N, 01º04'E by HMS Albrighton. Was named after a 'Hunt' in Gloucestershire, England. Battle Honours; |
Commands listed for HMS Berkeley (L 17)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Lt.Cdr. Hugh Greaves Walters, RN | 26 Feb 1940 | Dec 1941 |
| 2 | Lt. Henry Alexander Stuart-Menteth, RN | Dec 1941 | 27 Mar 1942 |
| 3 | Lt. James John Simon Yorke, RN | 27 Mar 1942 | 19 Aug 1942 |
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Notable events involving Berkeley include:
18 Jul 1940
The destroyer HMS Diana (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Le Geyt, RN) and the escort destroyers HMS Berkeley (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Walters, RN) and HMS Garth (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Dyke, RN) departed Scapa Flow at 0645/18 to assist in an A/S hunt off Cape Wrath. HMS Berkeley and HMS Garth returned to Scapa Flow at 0045/19 while HMS Diana remained on patrol in the area.
8 Sep 1940
Around 2130A/8, the light cruisers HMS Galatea (Capt. B.B. Schofield, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral A.T.B. Curteis, CB, RN) and HMS Aurora (Capt. L.H.K. Hamilton, DSO, RN), destroyers HMS Campbell (Capt. C.R.L. Parry, RN), HMS Venetia (Lt.Cdr. D.L.C. Craig, RN), HMS Vesper (Lt.Cdr. W.E.F. Hussey, DSC, RN) and the escort destroyers HMS Garth (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Dyke, RN), HMS Hambledon (Cdr. S.H. Carlill, RN) and HMS Holderness (Lt.Cdr. D.E. Holland-Martin, DSC, RN) departed Sheerness to bombard enemy shipping concentrations at Calais and Boulogne.
HMS Galatea with HMS Campbell, HMS Vesper and HMS Garth were to bombard Calais while HMS Aurora, HMS Venetia, HMS Hambledon and HMS Holderness bombarded Boulogne.
Between 0225A/9 and 0245A/9, British aircraft dropped flares over both ports. No shipping was however found to be present in Calais Roads so HMS Galatea and her escorts did not conduct a bombardment. HMS Aurora and her escorts however did bombarded the Boulogne harbour area.
They returned to Sheerness around 0700A/9. HMS Galatea had detonated a mine around 0525A/9 and was again damaged [see 1 September] damage was again minor. As Galatea was due for refit it was decided not to undertake repairs. HMS Galatea was to commence refit and repairs at the Chatham Dockyard upon completion of the refit of HMS Arethusa. For the moment HMS Galatea remained at Sheerness.
During the same night the destroyers HMS Beagle (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Wright, RN), HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. F.J.G. Hewitt, RN) and the escort destroyers HMS Atherstone (Cdr. H.W.S. Browning, RN), HMS Berkeley (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Walters, RN) and HMS Fernie (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, RN) departed Portsmouth to conducted a sweep along the French coast just south of Boulogne up to Cape Antifer (near Le Havre). On completion of the sweep they returned to Portsmouth. (1)
22 Jan 1941
HMS Unbeaten (Lt. E.A. Woodward, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Portsmouth with HMS Berkeley (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Walters, RN) and HMS Cleveland (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Clouston, RN). These A/S exercises were followed by independent exercises. (2)
Sources
- ADM 53/112284 + ADM 199/375 + ADM 199/379
- ADM 173/17106
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.