24 April 1931,ordered by the Royal
Navy as a Shoreham class patrol vessel, by the yard of Yarrow
at Devonport.14 Sept. 1931, laid down.11 June 1932, floated out
from the dry-dock, she was christened by Mrs. Reinold as HMS MILFORD.
20 Dec. 1932, commissioned. 22 Dec. 1932, completed.Stationed
on the Africa Station.Feb. 1934, the HMS MILFORD made a special
voyage with on board Vice-Admiral A.R.G.R. Evans C in C on the
Africa Station into the Antarctic, visiting Bouvet Island. Till
that time not any other British warship had ever penetrated so
far as she did.She returned to Portsmouth and after a refit commissioned
again in 11 May 1935. She returned to the Africa Station.Arrived
again at Portsmouth and was refitted and rearmed, her LA 4 inch
gun was replaced by a 4 inch HA gun, and 1- 0.5 inch MG, re-commissioned
in Oct. 1937.She spent an other two years in African waters.Further
re-arming took place in Simonstown, South Africa in Jan. and May
1939.After outbreak of World War II she was based at Freetown
until Jan 1940. She went then south for an refit at Simonstown,
before she returned to Freetown. She was present by the operations
against Dakar (Operation Menace) in July and Sept. 1940, to prevent
French ships falling in the hands of the Germans.Nov. 1940, took
part in the landings at Libreville, when off Port Gentil in French
Gabon, and assisted by an Walrus aircraft from the HMS DEVONSHIRE
in a bomb and depth charge attack, she sank the Vichy French submarine
PONCELET
on 8 Nov. 1940 ( a other source gives 07 Nov., and the PONCELET
surrendered to the HMS MILFORD).Till May 1941 based at Freetown,
then she returned to Simonstown for a refit, then based there
until Dec. 1941.She returned to the Freetown, based there until
July 1942. sailed then to a Brazilian naval yard at Rio de Janeiro
for a refit until Sept. 1942. She sailed again for the Freetown
Station and in Sept. 1943 she returned home on the Clyde for a
refit.She joined the 40 Escort Group but her old hull was worn
out, and she was laid up at Ardrossan with defects in Dec. 1943.June
1944 refitted as a submarine target and escort vessel. She was
attached to the 10th Submarine Flotilla at Rothesay, after a refit
on the Clyde in Dec. 1945 she was transferred to the 7th Submarine
Flotilla at Portsmouth before she was de-commissioned and put
in reserve.03 June 1949, transferred to BISCO and she was broken
up by T.W.Ward Ltd., at Hayle, U.K
