ROYAL NAVY SOUTH ATLANTIC COMMAND - ROYAL NAVY V W 16 SHIPS
15)WOLVERINE (DESTROYER)
Photo. www.naval-history.net
Completed: 1920
Displacement: 1,450 long tons (1,473 t) full load
Length: 312 ft
Beam: 29 ft 6 in
Draught: 10 ft 9 in
Propulsion: 3 geared steam turbines; 2 shafts
Armament: As built: 4 × BL 4.7 in (120mm) Mk.I L/45 guns, 2 × QF 2 pdr Mk.II "pom-pom" (40 mm L/39), 6 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes (triple mounts), War modifications:, 3 × BL 4.7 in (120mm) Mk.I L/45 guns, 1 × 3 in (76 mm) AA gun, 2 × QF 2 pdr Mk.II "pom-pom" (40 mm L/39), 3 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes (triple mount), 2 × depth charge racks, Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar (late war)
Speed: 34 kts
Complement: 134
In August 1940 Wolverine returned to convoy escort duty, joined 6th Escort Group for escort duty in the North Atlantic and on the Gibraltar and South Atlantic routes. In this role Wolverine was engaged in all the duties performed by escort ships; protecting convoys, searching for and attacking U-boats which attacked ships in convoy, and rescuing survivors. She operated in this role the next 21 months. She escorted 27 North Atlantic convoys, 10 of which were attacked, and was involved in two major battles there.
In June 1943 Wolverine returned to local escort duty, transferring to Gibraltar, then Freetown thenCape Town for operations in the South Atlantic. During this period she escorted 17 convoys, 2 of which were attacked.
In the south Atlantic station, HMS Wolverine rescued one boat with survivors from British merchant Empire Kohinoor sunk 3/Jul/43 by U-68 in pos. 06º 20”N 16º 30”W. Survivors were landed at Takoradi. In all 81 men were rescued by HMS Wolverine and British merchant Gascony. A third boat washed ashore at Lumley Beach Sierra Leone on 7/Jul. Empire Kohinoor was loaded with 6000 tons of general cargo.
HMS Wolverine along with HMS Witch D 89, rescued the master, 45 crew members and seven gunners from merchant Empire Whimbrel sunk 11/Apr/43 by U-181 on pos. 02º 31’ N 15º 55’ W and landed at
