Volume Six - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Select Aspects - The Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve Fleet at Penarth Dock

H.M.S. Leith - (L 36) - A Grimsby Class Sloop built at Devonport and launched in September 1933. She arrived at the Penarth Pontoon, Slipway & Shiprepairing Co. Ltd. for a refit in January 1940 where the refit was completed within one month and she was back in service for vital convoy escort duties in the Atlantic during mid-February.

In April 1941, whilst escorting a merchant ship from Belfast to Barry Docks, they came under attack by enemy Heinkel 111s. Luckily the German bombardiers missed their targets but the Leith gunners shot down one plane and took the five man crew prisoner. The Daily Sketch reported "Captain Mueller Missed - H.M.S. Leith Didn't!". After the war she was laid up in reserve at Rosyth, then sold to various Danish owners remaining in service until 1955. Read her full history at the Naval History website whom I thank for their assistance. [263]

H.M.S. Eggesford - (L 15) - A type III, Hunt-class escort destroyer launched in September 1942 at the Cowes yard of J. S. White under the 1940 War Emergency Programme.

Post war in November 1946 the ship was paid off and reduced to Reserve status at Portsmouth. She was lid-up there until 1952 when she was transferred to Penarth. Following discussions with the Federal German Government this destroyer was sold for service in the German navy in January 1957 where she served as the frigate 'Brommy' - (F 218), she was refitted at Pembroke Dock before being commissioned for service as a weapons training ship in May 1959, being removed from the Active List in 1979 she was scrapped in Germany. Once again, I am enlightened by Mr. Gordon Smith and I thank him for his knowledge and research on the subject. Read her full history at the Naval History website. [263]