uboat.net

  Front page - Fighting the U-boats - Allied Warships

Follow us on Twitter
@uboatnet

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)

23 Nov 1940
Around 1945A/23, the light cruiser HMS Dunedin (Capt. R.S. Lovatt, RN), destroyer HMS Witch (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Holmes, RN) and escort destroyer HMS Berkeley (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Walters, RN) departed Portsmouth to carry out a sweep westwards in the Channel to the limit of the Portmouth Command arriving in position 50°10'N, 03°00'W at 0030A/24 and then steer southwards for 20 nautical miles, then returning to Portsmouth to be off the Nab at 0745A/24.

During the sweep they sighted nothing and they returned to Portsmouth around 0915A/24. (2)

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. (3)