Allied Warships

HMS Wolfe (F 37)

Submarine Depot Ship

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeSubmarine Depot Ship
Class[No specific class] 
PennantF 37 
Built byJohn Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd. (Clydebank, Scotland) 
Ordered 
Laid down 
Launched3 Jul 1920 
Commissioned22 May 1942 
End service 
History

On 25 August 1939 the passenger ship Montcalm of the Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd, Montreal was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted to an armed merchant cruiser HMS Wolfe (F 37) being commissioned as such on 17 october 1940.

In November 1941 returned and used as troopship by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

In January 1942 sold to the Admiralty and converted to a submarine depot ship being recommissioned as such on 22 May 1942.

Served in home waters until August 1944 when she was transferred to the Eastern Fleet.

Scrapped at Faslane, Scotland on 7 November 1952.

As Submarine Depot Ship;
Displacement: 21.550 tons.
Armament: 4 4" AA guns, 42 2pdr AA, 19 20mm AA.
Speed: 16 knots.

 

Commands listed for HMS Wolfe (F 37)

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.

CommanderFromTo
1A/Cdr. Henry Carlton Cumberbatch, RN17 Mar 194210 Feb 1943
2A/Capt. (retired) Charles Cecil Flemming, RN10 Feb 194327 Apr 1944
3A/Capt. Jack Etheridge Slaughter, DSO, RN27 Apr 1944Mar 1946

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Notable events involving Wolfe include:


2 Jun 1943
During the night of 2/3 June 1943, HMS Usurper (Lt. D.R.O. Mott, DSC, RN), conducted pratice attacks off Campbeltown on HMS Wolfe (A/Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Flemming, RN) with four destroyers as escort. (1)

1 Apr 1944
HMS Visigoth (Lt. J.R.H. Haddow, DSC, RN) conducted attack exercises in the Clyde area during which HMS Wolfe (A/Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Flemming, RN) served as the target. (2)

1 Apr 1944
HMS Truant (Lt. E.C. Croswell, DSC, RN) conducted gunnery exercises in the Clyde area. Also a practice attack was made on HMS Wolfe (A/Capt.(Retd.) C.C. Flemming, RN). (3)

9 Aug 1944

Combined convoys AB 43 / ABK 43.

They departed Aden on 9 August 1944.

Convoy AB 43.

This convoy was made up of the following (troop) transports;
City of Capetown (British, 8046 GRT, built 1937), Clan Cameron (British, 7243 GRT, built 1937), Clan Campbell (British, 9545 GRT, built 1943), Dunnottar Castle (British, 15007 GRT, built 1936), Glaucus (British, 7596 GRT, built 1921), Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (Dutch, 19429 GRT, built 1930), Mooltan (British, 20952 GRT, built 1923), Strathaird (British, 22281 GRT, built 1932), Strathnaver (British, 22283 GRT, built 1931) and Tegelberg (Dutch, 14150 GRT, built 1937).

The submarine depot ship HMS Wolfe (A/Capt. J.E. Slaughter, DSO, RN) was also part of the convoy.

On departure from Aden the convoy was escorted by the destroyers i>HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan DSO, RAN), HMS Penn (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Swain, DSO, DSC, RN) and the frigates HMS Halladale (Lt.Cdr. J.E. Woolfenden, RD, RNR), HMS Helford (Cdr. C.G. Cuthbertson, DSC, RNR) and HMS Trent (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.G. Rankin, DSC, RNR).

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Convoy ABK 43.

This convoy was made up of the following troop transports;
Highland Chieftain (British, 14135 GRT, built 1929), Indrapoera (Dutch, 10825 GRT, built 1925) and Moreton Bay (British, 14193 GRT, built 1921).

On departure from Aden the convoy was escorted by the frigates HMS Tay (Lt.Cdr. R.E. Sherwood, RNR) and HMS Kale (Lt.Cdr. G.W. Houchen, OBE, RD, RNR).

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The convoys proceeded in company until 12 August when convoy ABK 43 was detached (in approximate position 16°40'N, 61°53'E) to Karachi where it arrived on 14 August.

Convoy AB 43 arrived at Bombay also on 14 August.

15 Aug 1944
Around 1800FG/15, the submarine tender HMS Wolfe (A/Capt. J.E. Slaughter, DSO, RN) departed Bombay for Trincomalee. She was escorted by the destroyers HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan DSO, RAN) and HMS Penn (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Swain, DSO, DSC, RN). (4)

18 Aug 1944
The battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth (Capt. H.G. Norman, CBE, RN) departed Colombo for Trincomalee. She was escorted by the destroyers HMS Queenborough (Cdr. E.P. Hinton, DSO and Bar, MVO, RN), HMAS Quiberon (Cdr. W.H. Harrington, DSO, RAN) and HrMs Van Galen (Cdr. F.T. Burghard, RNethN). At sea they joined submarine tender HMS Wolfe (A/Capt. J.E. Slaughter, DSO, RN) and the destroyers HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan DSO, RAN) and HMS Penn (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Swain, DSO, DSC, RN) which were en-route from Bombay to Trincomalee. (5)

19 Aug 1944
HMS Strongbow (Lt. J.A.R. Troup, DSC, RN) departed Trincomalee for her 2nd war patrol (1st in the Far East). She was ordered to patrol in the Phuket area. Before proceeding on patrol practice attacks were made on HMS Wolfe (A/Capt. J.E. Slaughter, DSO, RN). (6)

19 Aug 1944
Around 1800FG/19, HMS Queen Elizabeth (Capt. H.G. Norman, CBE, RN), HMS Wolfe (A/Capt. J.E. Slaughter, DSO, RN), HMS Queenborough (Cdr. E.P. Hinton, DSO and Bar, MVO, RN), HMAS Quiberon (Cdr. W.H. Harrington, DSO, RAN), HMS Penn (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Swain, DSO, DSC, RN), HMAS Norman (Cdr. H.J. Buchanan DSO, RAN) and HrMs Van Galen (Cdr. F.T. Burghard, RNethN) arrived at Trincomalee from Colombo. (7)

Sources

  1. ADM 173/18392
  2. ADM 173/19414
  3. ADM 173/19094
  4. ADM 53/120758 + Report of proceedings of HMAS Norman for August 1944
  5. ADM 53/120310 + ADM 199/1388
  6. ADM 199/1874
  7. ADM 53/120310 + ADM 53/120758 + ADM 199/1388

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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