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HMS ''Wheatland'' was a Type 2 of the Royal Navy that served in the Second World War.
On completion in 1941 ''Wheatland'' was sent to Scapa Flow as part of the Naval Force to undertake the Commando raid on the Lofoten Islands. The following year she took part in escort duties in support of the Russian Convoys. In 1943 she served in the Mediterranean, including support for the Sicily landings in July of that year. This included shore bombardment of Taormina on Sicily.
In 1944 she continued operations in the Mediterranean on convoy duties, including in July 1944 being nominated for escort duties in the planned landings in the south of France.
While being deployed with , on 1 November 1944, ''Wheatland'' engaged German surface craft south of the island of Lussino, sinking the torpedo boat , and the corvettes ''UJ202'' and ''UJ208'', and rescuing some of the survivors in Action of 1 November 1944.
Construction
''Wheatland'' was ordered from Yarrow Shipbuilders,Scotstoun
Scotstoun ( gd, Baile an Sgotaich) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Garscadden and Yoker to the west, Victoria Park, Jordanhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde ...
on 4 September 1939, one of 17 Hunt-class destroyers ordered on that day as part of the 1939 Emergency War Programme. The ship was laid down on 30 May 1940 and was launched on 7 June 1941, commissioning (with the pennant number
In the Royal Navy and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth of Nations, ships are identified by pennant number (an internationalisation of ''pendant number'', which it was called before 1948). Historically, naval ships flew a flag that iden ...
L122English 1987, p. 106.) on 3 November 1941.English 1987, p. 17. She was named after "The Wheatland Hunt", an annual fox hunt held in Shropshire. During Warship Week in 1942 she was adopted by the town of Uttoxeter.
Wartime service
On completion in 1941 ''Wheatland'' was sent to Scapa Flow as part of the Naval Force to undertake the Commando raid on the Lofoten Islands. The following year she took part in escort duties in support of the Russian Convoys. In 1943 she served in the Mediterranean, including support for the Sicily landings in July of that year. This included shore bombardment of Taormina on Sicily.
In 1944 she continued operations in the Mediterranean on convoy duties, including in July 1944 being nominated for escort duties in the planned landings in the south of France.
While being deployed with , on 1 November 1944, ''Wheatland'' engaged German surface craft south of the island of Lussino, sinking the torpedo boat , and the corvettes ''UJ202'' and ''UJ208'', and rescuing some of the survivors in Action of 1 November 1944.
Post war
After the war ''Wheatland'' returned to Devonport and transferred to theReserve Fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed; they are partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; a ...
. She stayed there until 1953 when she was towed to Gibraltar where she remained in reserve. In 1955 she was brought back to Harwich before being placed on the disposal list. She remained there until September 1957 when she was sold to BISCO for scrapping by McLennan. She arrived at their breakers yard in Bo'ness on 20 September 1957.
References
Publications
* * Hunt-class destroyers of the Royal Navy 1941 ships {{UK-mil-ship-stub