HMS Croome was a Type II Hunt-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She served in the Second World War, spending much of the time in the Mediterranean, operating from the ports at Gibraltar and Alexandria.

Service history

Sinking of Baracca

On 8 September 1941 Croome was escorting Convoy OG 75, en route from Liverpool to Gibraltar. While conducting a forward sweep Croome spotted the ITALIAN SUBMARINE Maggiore Baracca on the surface at 8,500 yards. Baracca dived as Croome turned towards her at full speed. After two depth-charge attacks, Baracca surfaced astern of Croome, which opened fire with all guns as she went about. The Italian submarine returned fire with her main gun but the shots went wide, the gun deck was then cleared by Croome's Lewis guns. As Croome approached, the Italians began to abandon ship. Croome rammed Baracca just abaft the conning tower. The submarine sank immediately by the stern and exploded underwater. After picking up survivors, Croome headed for Gibraltar while the crew shored-up the flooded forward compartments, damaged by the ramming. A DSO, a DSC and two DSMs were awarded for the action. 28 Italians were killed.

Sinking of U-127 and U-581

On 15 December 1941 Croome and the destroyers HMS Gurkha (G63), HMS Foxhound (H69) and HMAS Nestor (G02) were detached from Force H to run a sweep ahead of convoy HG 76. Nestor found and sank the GS U-127 (1941) with all hands. On 2 February 1942 Croome, the destroyers HMS Westcott (D47) and HMS Exmoor (L61) and a corvette were sent to escort the damaged troopship MV Llangibby Castle, which had taken refuge from attack by two U-boats in the neutral port of Horta, in the Azores. They made contact with GS U-581 by asdic in the channel outside Horta and attacked her with depth charges. The U-boat was eventually forced to surface, where she was fired on by Croome and Westcott. Westcott rammed U-581 and the whole crew were able to escape before she sank. However, Westcott ran back through the survivors in the water and dropped another depth charge, resulting in four deaths and a number of casualties.

Malta convoys

Between 5 and 9 March 1942 Croome, with the rest of Force H, escorted the old aircraft carriers HMS Eagle (1918) and HMS Argus (I49) which were ferrying 15 Spitfire fighters from Gibraltar to Malta. Between 12 and 16 June 1942 Croome was one of 27 destroyers and eight cruisers escorting 11 merchant ships to re-supply Malta from Alexandria. Codenamed Operation Vigorous, the convoy was forced to turn back because of a sortie by the Italian battle-fleet from Taranto and heavy air attacks. On 4 August 1942 Croome, HMS Sikh (F82), HMS Tetcott (L99) and HMS Zulu (F18) attacked GS U-372, which had been spotted by an RAF Wellington bomber near Haifa, Palestine. The U-boat was forced to the surface with depth charges and sank shortly afterwards. The whole crew was captured. Between 13 and 14 September 1942, Croome, HMS Hursley (L84), Zulu and Sikh took part in a night bombardment of Tobruk. Zulu was hit by shore batteries and then bombed by enemy aircraft. Croome went alongside to take off survivors and Zulu was taken in tow by Hursley, but capsized and sank 100 mi from Alexandria after further air attack.

Postwar and fate

Croome survived the war and in October 1945 returned to Devonport from the Mediterranean. She was then paid off into reserve. She was almost sold to the Royal Danish Navy in 1954, but other sister-ships were bought instead. Croome was finally sold for scrap to Thos. W. Ward and arrived at Briton Ferry, Wales for breaking up on 13 August 1957.

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