In response to a query posted in the Escort Groups forum I did a fair bit of research on the movements of HMS Pimpernel during the war which is worth posting in here where more people will see the info.
HMS Pimpernel
Pennant: K 71
Built by: Harland & Wolff Ltd. (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
Launched: 16 Nov, 1940
April 3rd 1941 - 9th April 1941
Pimpernel along with the corvettes Campanula, Heartsease and Freesia escorts convoy HX116 (Halifax to Liverpool)
12th June 1941
The British merchant Chinese Prince is torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-552 south of Rockall in position 56.12N, 14.18W. 19 survivors are later picked up by the British corvettes HMS Arbutus (Lt. A.L.W. Warren) and HMS Pimpernel (Lt. F.H. Thornton).
Dec 41 - Jan 42
Pimpernel is part of EG6 escorting convoys ON 50 (Liverpool to Halifax via Iceland (MOMP or Mid Ocean Meeting Point) and SC61 (Sydney, Cape Breton, N.S. to Liverpool) along with the corvettes Columbine, Camellia and HMCS Barrie.
Dec1941 - Jan 42
Pimpernel is with EG6 escorting convoys ON57 and HX170 (Halifax, N.S. to Liverpool) along with the corvettes Columbine, Camellia, Eglantine, Mignonette, Snowdop and Arbutus.
Jan 42
Pimpernel is part of the Mid Ocean Escort Group B6 along with Camellia, Columbine, Eglantine, Mignonette, Snowdrop and Arbutus.
Feb 1942
Pimpernal escorts convoy HX175 (Halifax, N.S. to Liverpool) along with Camellia and Columbine.
Feb - April 1942
Escort Groups are reorganised. Pimpernel joins B5 along with Godetia and Saxifrage. Pimpernel is transferred to the Caribbean in late Feb early March 42.
17-20 August 1942
Convoys TAW13 and PG6 are met off Guantanamo by Pimpernel, Godetia and other escorts and escorted to the Yucatan Straight. HMS Pimpernel (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Thornton) picks up 29 survivors from the British merchant Fort la Reine that was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-658 in the Windward Passage west of Haiti in position 18.30N, 75.20W.
18 August 1942
HMS Pimpernel (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Thornton) picks up 43 survivors from the British merchant Empire Bede that was torpedoed and damaged by the German submarine U-553 north of Jamaica in position 19.35N, 76.25W. The wreck of the Empire Bede is finally sunk by gunfire from the corvette in position 19.41N, 76.50W.
28 Dec 42 - 14 Jan 43
Convoy TM1 is escorted from Trinidad to Gibraltar by escort group B5 (including the corvettes Pimpernel, Godetia, Saxifrage). On the way Pimpernal drives off an attack by U-571 and along with HMS Harvester she engages and drives off U-381.
Jan - Feb 1943
Pimpernel is back in the North Atlantic with B5 and the Mid Ocean Escort Group.
March 1943
She is part of the escort for convoy ON 168 (Liverpool to Cape Cod dispersal) along with Buttercup, Columbine, Godetia and Lavender.
On 7th March the US Liberty Ship Thomas Hooker of convoy ON 169 reports she is breaking up in bad weather and the crew is rescued by Pimpernel.
16th - 17th March 1943
Pimpernel along with the B5 corvettes Buttercup, Lavender and Saxifrage escorts convoy SC122 (New York to Liverpool)
14th April 1943
Pimpernel along with the other B5 corvettes escorts convoy SC126 (Halifax to Liverpool)
23rd August 1943
Pimpernel remains part of the B5 North Atlantic escort groups and is reported to be in a shipyard at this time, either for a refit, repair or boiler cleaning.
Dec 43 - Jan 44
Pimpernel joins the allied escort groups escorting ships from St. John's to Liverpool. She is transfererd to escort group B3 and joins the corvettes Borage, Geranium, Vervain. Pimpernel is said to be non-operational at this time, perhaps due to a refit, repair or boiler cleaning.
19 March - 24 April 1945
Pimpernel is still with B3 escorting ships from St. Johns along with the corvettes Geranium, Charlock and Borage. Pimpernel is under repair at some time during this month.
HMS Pimpernel sold to be broken up for scrap on 6 February 1948. Scrapped at Portaferry in October 1948
HMS Pimpernel
Pennant: K 71
Built by: Harland & Wolff Ltd. (Belfast, Northern Ireland)
Launched: 16 Nov, 1940
April 3rd 1941 - 9th April 1941
Pimpernel along with the corvettes Campanula, Heartsease and Freesia escorts convoy HX116 (Halifax to Liverpool)
12th June 1941
The British merchant Chinese Prince is torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-552 south of Rockall in position 56.12N, 14.18W. 19 survivors are later picked up by the British corvettes HMS Arbutus (Lt. A.L.W. Warren) and HMS Pimpernel (Lt. F.H. Thornton).
Dec 41 - Jan 42
Pimpernel is part of EG6 escorting convoys ON 50 (Liverpool to Halifax via Iceland (MOMP or Mid Ocean Meeting Point) and SC61 (Sydney, Cape Breton, N.S. to Liverpool) along with the corvettes Columbine, Camellia and HMCS Barrie.
Dec1941 - Jan 42
Pimpernel is with EG6 escorting convoys ON57 and HX170 (Halifax, N.S. to Liverpool) along with the corvettes Columbine, Camellia, Eglantine, Mignonette, Snowdop and Arbutus.
Jan 42
Pimpernel is part of the Mid Ocean Escort Group B6 along with Camellia, Columbine, Eglantine, Mignonette, Snowdrop and Arbutus.
Feb 1942
Pimpernal escorts convoy HX175 (Halifax, N.S. to Liverpool) along with Camellia and Columbine.
Feb - April 1942
Escort Groups are reorganised. Pimpernel joins B5 along with Godetia and Saxifrage. Pimpernel is transferred to the Caribbean in late Feb early March 42.
17-20 August 1942
Convoys TAW13 and PG6 are met off Guantanamo by Pimpernel, Godetia and other escorts and escorted to the Yucatan Straight. HMS Pimpernel (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Thornton) picks up 29 survivors from the British merchant Fort la Reine that was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-658 in the Windward Passage west of Haiti in position 18.30N, 75.20W.
18 August 1942
HMS Pimpernel (Lt.Cdr. F.H. Thornton) picks up 43 survivors from the British merchant Empire Bede that was torpedoed and damaged by the German submarine U-553 north of Jamaica in position 19.35N, 76.25W. The wreck of the Empire Bede is finally sunk by gunfire from the corvette in position 19.41N, 76.50W.
28 Dec 42 - 14 Jan 43
Convoy TM1 is escorted from Trinidad to Gibraltar by escort group B5 (including the corvettes Pimpernel, Godetia, Saxifrage). On the way Pimpernal drives off an attack by U-571 and along with HMS Harvester she engages and drives off U-381.
Jan - Feb 1943
Pimpernel is back in the North Atlantic with B5 and the Mid Ocean Escort Group.
March 1943
She is part of the escort for convoy ON 168 (Liverpool to Cape Cod dispersal) along with Buttercup, Columbine, Godetia and Lavender.
On 7th March the US Liberty Ship Thomas Hooker of convoy ON 169 reports she is breaking up in bad weather and the crew is rescued by Pimpernel.
16th - 17th March 1943
Pimpernel along with the B5 corvettes Buttercup, Lavender and Saxifrage escorts convoy SC122 (New York to Liverpool)
14th April 1943
Pimpernel along with the other B5 corvettes escorts convoy SC126 (Halifax to Liverpool)
23rd August 1943
Pimpernel remains part of the B5 North Atlantic escort groups and is reported to be in a shipyard at this time, either for a refit, repair or boiler cleaning.
Dec 43 - Jan 44
Pimpernel joins the allied escort groups escorting ships from St. John's to Liverpool. She is transfererd to escort group B3 and joins the corvettes Borage, Geranium, Vervain. Pimpernel is said to be non-operational at this time, perhaps due to a refit, repair or boiler cleaning.
19 March - 24 April 1945
Pimpernel is still with B3 escorting ships from St. Johns along with the corvettes Geranium, Charlock and Borage. Pimpernel is under repair at some time during this month.
HMS Pimpernel sold to be broken up for scrap on 6 February 1948. Scrapped at Portaferry in October 1948
