| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | ASW Trawler |
| Class | [No specific class] |
| Pennant | FY 162 |
| Built by | Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd. (Selby, U.K.) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | |
| Launched | 30 Dec 1936 |
| Commissioned | Nov 1939 |
| End service | |
| History | Completed in March 1937. Sold in 1945. |
Commands listed for HMS Arctic Explorer (FY 162)
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.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | Skr. Charles Lamb Buchan, RNR | 10 Nov 1939 | Mar 1941 |
| 2 | T/S.Lt. Frederick Lorraine Mackenzie, RNVR | Mar 1941 | Mar 1942 |
| 3 | T/Lt. Christopher Pawley, RNVR | Mar 1942 | Feb 1944 |
| 4 | T/Lt. Denis Hugh Crampton, RNR | Feb 1944 | 4 Aug 1944 |
| 5 | T/Lt. Arthur Robert James Tilston, DSC, SANF(V) | 4 Aug 1944 | Jun 1945 |
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Notable events involving Arctic Explorer include:
29 Dec 1939
Convoy ON 6.
This convoy departed Methil on 29 December 1939 and arrived in Norwegian waters near Bergen on 1 January 1940.
The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Highlander (British, 1216 GRT, built 1916), Rigel (Finnish, 1477 GRT, built 1937), Salerno (British, 870 GRT, built 1924), Vienti (Finnish, 1715 GRT, built 1911) and Wanda (Finnish, 1902 GRT, built 1897).
The small minelayer HMS Ringdove (Lt. C.R. Pilgrim, RN) was also part of this convoy.
A close escort was provided for the convoy made up of the destroyers HMS Exmouth (Cdr. R.S. Benson, DSO, RN), HMS Eclipse (Lt.Cdr. I.T. Clark, RN), HMS Encounter (Lt.Cdr. E.V.St.J. Morgan, RN), HMS Escapade (Cdr. H.R. Graham, RN) and the submarine ORP Orzel (Kpt.mar. (Lt.Cdr.) J. Grudzinski, DSO).
A close cover force, made up of the light cruisers HMS Glasgow (Capt. F.H. Pegram, RN) and HMS Edinburgh (Capt. C.M. Blackman, DSO, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral G.F.B. Edward-Collins, CB, KCVO, RN) departed Rosyth on 30 December.
At 0050Z/30, the Highlander parted company to proceed to Aberdeen escorted by HMS Eclipse. HMS Eclipse rejoined the convoy screen around 1000Z/30.
During the night of 29/30 December, the Vienti had straggled from the convoy and was not seen again before the convoy arrived in Norwegian waters.
At 1100Z/30, HMS Eclipse was again detached but now to escort HMS Ringdove towards Scapa Flow. At 1555Z/30, the escort was taken over by the auxiliary A/S trawler HMS Arctic Explorer (Skr. C.L. Buchan, RNR). HMS Eclipse rejoined the convoy screen around 15 minutes later. By that time the Rigel and Wanda had also straggled from the convoy being unable to keep up even at 6.5 knots. They rejoined the convoy the next day after the remainder of the convoy had doubled back for a while as Capt. Benson had been ordered to do so due the important cargoes the ships had on board.
The convoy arrived in Norwegian waters on 1 January where it was dispersed.
22 Jan 1942
HMS H 28 (Lt. A.W. Langridge, RN) departed Plymouth for Portsmouth. She was escorted by HMS Arctic Explorer (T/Lt. F.L. Mackenzie, RNVR). (1)
2 Apr 1942
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Monkshood (Lt.Cdr. J.E.R. Wilford, RNR), HMS Dahlia (T/Lt. M.S. Work, RNR), HMS Egret (Cdr. C.R.S. Farquhar, RN), HMS Fishguard (Lt.Cdr. H.L. Pryse, RNR) and HMS Arctic Explorer (T/Lt. C. Pawley, RNVR). (2)
3 Apr 1942
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Arctic Explorer (T/Lt. C. Pawley, RNVR), HMS Beagle (Lt.Cdr. R.T. White, DSO and Bar, RN), USS Temptress (Lt.Cdr. W.H. Kirvan, USN) and USS Fury (Lt. N. Adair, Jr., USN). (2)
21 Oct 1943
Convoy AKD 4.
This convoy departed Aden on 21 October 1943.
On departure from Aden the convoy was made up of the following ships; Atlantian (British, 6549 GRT, built 1928), Baron Renfrew (British, 3635 GRT, built 1935), Bosworth (British, 6672 GRT, built 1919), Clan MacDonald (British, 9653 GRT, built 1939), Clan MacIver (British, 4500 GRT, built 1925), Imperial Valley (British, 4573 GRT, built 1924), Ioannis Fafalios (Greek, 6071 GRT, built 1918), Mount Helikon (Greek, 5525 GRT, built 1918), Nirvana (British, 6044 GRT, built 1914), Panaghiotis (Greek, 3575 GRT, built 1901), Romney (British, 5840 GRT, built 1929), Salween (British, 7063 GRT, built 1937), Streefkerk (Dutch, 6185 GRT, built 1921) and Sutherland (British, 5170 GRT, built 1940).
The submarine HMS Trespasser (Lt.Cdr. R.M. Favell, RN) also took passage in the convoy.
On departure from Aden the convoy was escorted by the sloop HMS Lulworth (Lt.Cdr. R.C.S. Woolley, RNR) and the corvettes HMS Freesia (T/Lt.Cdr. G.M. Berlyn, SANF(V)) and HMS Jasmine (T/A/Lt.Cdr. C.A. Hoodless, RNR).
Around 2100D/24, south-south-west of Socotra, HMS Trespasser parted company to proceed independently to Colombo.
The Mount Helikon straggled from the convoy and did not rejoin. She proceeded to Kilindini / Mombasa independently.
On 31 October 1943, off Kilindini / Mombasa the three corvettes parted company with the convoy after a new escort had joined. This was made up of the A/S trawlers HMS Arctic Explorer (T/Lt. C. Pawley, RNVR), HMS Cape Warwick (T/Lt. K.J. Stern, RNVR), HMS Lady Elsa (T/Lt. A.M. Brown, RNVR) and HMS Northern Isles (T/Lt. J.M. Baldry, RNVR).
Also proceeding to Kilindini / Mombasa were the following merchant vessels Clan MacIver and Salween.
Joined from Kilindini / Mombasa was the following ship; Shirala (British, 7841 GRT, built 1925).
On 1 November 1943, the following ship joined the convoy coming from Dar-es-Salaam; Wyvern (Norwegian, 4007 GRT, built 1929).
On 6 November 1943, the following ships were detached to Beira; Atlantian, Bosworth and Streefkerk while the following ships joined coming from Beira; Alpherat (Dutch, 5759 GRT, built 1928), Fort Maisonneuve (British, 7128 GRT, built 1942) and Geronimo (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943).
On 8 November 1943, the following ships were detached to Lourenço Marques; Baron Renfrew, Imperial Valley, Panaghiotis, Romney and Wyvern.
The convoy arrived at Durban on 9 November 1943. (3)
Sources
- ADM 173/17197
- File 2.12.03.6379 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 199/643
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.