HMS Defender 1945

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by TrevorHH, Dec 3, 2016.

  1. TrevorHH

    TrevorHH Junior Member

    Can someone help me with some information please. I am helping a friend with research into his father's naval service during WW2. The following list is an extract from his service record:

    HMS Drake 06/03/1945 to 28/03/1945
    HMS Defender 29/03/1945 to 01/04/1945
    HMS Lavender 2/04/1945 to 06/04/945
    HMS Defender 07/04/1945 to 13/04/1945
    Sick Seaforth 14/04/1945 to 18/05/1945
    HMS Defender 19/05/1945 to 02/06/1945
    HMS Hart 03/06/1945 to 26/09/1945

    The problem is HMS Defender. In WW2, there was destroyer of that name, but it sank in 1941. A search of the net has revealed that there was a shore base near Liverpool using the name HMS Defender between 1942-45 but nothing further. Therefore if possible can someone give me some more info about it, its purpose and what AB Rideout was possibly doing there please. I know Sick Seaforth refers to the RN Hospital nearby. .

    Many thanks

    Trevor
     
  2. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    Hi Trevor,
    HMS DEFENDER was a shore base at Liverpool - ocean escort base. He could have been involved with convoy escorts or training there. He could have been attached to the base and served at sea on another ship. You should check Pay and Victualing records from the MOD.

    Regards
    Hugh
     
    CL1 likes this.
  3. TrevorHH

    TrevorHH Junior Member

    Hugh
    Thank you for the fact that HMS Defender was an ocean escort base in WW2. The listing of Lew Rideout's postings has come from his pay and victualing records provided by the MOD. This makes sense now as he also served earlier in the war with HMS Alcantara from 1941-1942 which as you may know was an armed merchant cruiser which accompanied various convoys during the war.
    Cheers
    Trevor
     
    Hugh MacLean likes this.
  4. RCG

    RCG Senior Member, Deceased

    My opinion on why AB Rideout was there, is that he was used as a spare man before given a permanent posting.
    As HMS Defender was at Liverpool and in charge of the
    Western Approaches convoy defence and anti-submarine patrols in continuation.
    They would need these sailors to covers accidents, sickness and battle casualty's.

    Clue, he was on HMS Lavender (A Corvette) for four days.
    Then 2 months later he was posted to HMS Hart.
    Took passage from Plymouth to Malta for work-up before joining British Pacific Fleet Forward Base at Manus, Admiralty Islands. Ended up at Colombo Aug 20th, then diverted to join Fleet at Hong long.
     
  5. TrevorHH

    TrevorHH Junior Member

    RCO
    Thank you for your most helpful comments which have given me more clues to work on.
    Trevor
     

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