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HMS Avon Vale – Bradford on Avon’s adopted warship

Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire

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HMS Avonvale, Bradford on Avon's adopted ship

HMS Avon Vale in 1944 (Royal Navy official photographer)

 

The crest of HMS Avon Vale was given to the Bradford on Avon Urban District Council when the town “adopted” the ship. It was given to the Museum by Bradford Town Council in March 1996.

HMS Avon Vale, L06, was a Hunt Class Type II destroyer/escort, built on Clydebank, Glasgow and commissioned on 23rd October 1940. It was named after the Avon Vale Hunt. 1,050 tons gross, 282.5 feet in length, 31.5 feet beam, 7.75 feet draught. Twin propellers driven by a steam turbine, capable of 25 knots. Crew complement: 168.

Armament: six 4-inch guns in twin mountings, one forward and two aft; one 2-pounder multiple pom-pom; two Oelikon 20mm cannon; depth charge launcher mounted aft; no torpedo tubes.

She was operating in the Mediterranean in 1941 and was still there in March 1942 when she was slightly damaged and four crew were killed, possibly while operating in the Malta area. She escorted convoys from Gibraltar and from Alexandria, again probably to Malta and may have remained in the Mediterranean until after the invasion of Sicily.

The Hunt Class destroyers HMS Wheatland and HMS Avonvale together sank three enemy destroyers within 1½ hours on 1 November 1944, in the Adriatic near the island of Pag, Croatia.

She was sold and scrapped on 15th May 1958, perhaps after being laid up as part of the Reserve.