page_title: USS Abel P. Upshur
section_title: United Kingdom
hierarchical_section_title: USS Abel P. Upshur / United Kingdom
caption_attribution_description: English: The Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1945 British Forces: HMS CLARE, a destroyer built in 1918, loaned to Britain in September 1940 and converted for long range escort work.
context_page_description: USS Abel P. Upshur was a Clemson-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard until transferred to the United Kingdom in 1940. During World War II, she served in the Royal Navy as HMS Clare.
context_section_description: As HMS Clare, she was assigned to the 1st Town Flotilla and arrived at Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 26 September 1940. Clare joined Escort Group 7 and escorted transatlantic convoys. On 20 February 1941, she rescued the crew of the sinking British steamship Rigmor. In the early hours of 21 February, the destroyer collided with the motor vessel Petertoum and suffered some damage.
  After undergoing repairs at Plymouth, England, between March and October, Clare resumed convoy duty with Escort Group 41, Western Approaches Command. Clare was modified for long range trade convoy escort service by removal of the two forward boilers and substitution of additional fuel tanks.  This modification improved endurance but reduced top speed to 25 knots.  Three of the original 4 in (100 mm)/50 caliber guns and one of the triple torpedo tube mounts were removed to reduce topside weight for additional depth charge stowage and installation of Hedgehog anti-submarine mortars.
  In the fall of 1942, the destroyer took part in the landings of the invasion of North Africa Operation "Torch." As a member of the Eastern Naval Task Force, she covered landings near Algiers. On 12 November 1942, the destroyer attacked a German U-boat in waters north of Oran, Algeria, and claimed to have sunk the enemy vessel. Clare left Gibraltar on 17 November 1942, returned to Britain, and resumed transatlantic convoy duty.
  In July 1943, the ship participated in the invasion of Sicily. She entered drydock at Cardiff, Wales in September of that year, returned to action in May 1944, and served as a target ship for aircraft in the Western Approaches Command. In August 1945, Clare was reduced to reserve at Greenock, Scotland. Declared obsolete, she was allocated for scrap in 1947, arriving at Troon on 18 February 1947 to be broken up by West of Scotland Shipbreaking Co Ltd.
caption: HMS Clare
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