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USS EDWARDS (DD-265)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NIGL

CLASS - CLEMSON As Built.
Displacement 1,215 Tons, Dimensions, 314' 5" (oa) x 31' 8" x 9' 10" (Max)
Armament 4 x 4"/50, 1 x 3"/23AA, 12 x 21" tt..
Machinery, 26,500 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 35 Knots, Crew 114
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Shipbuilding, Squantum Ma. on April 20 1918.
Launched October 10 1918 and commissioned April 24 1919.
Decommissioned June 8 1922, Recommissioned December 18 1939.
Decommissioned October 9 1940.
To Britain October 9 1940, renamed HMS Buxton (H96).
Stricken January 8 1941.
To Canada as HMCS Buxton in August 1942.
Fate Sold to Boston Metals March 21 1946. Broken up for Scrap in 1947.

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Edwards 107kWilliam W. Edwards, born in Petersburg, Va., was appointed a midshipman 1 September 1811. In 1813 he was assigned to Argus, and was killed in the action with HMS Pelican 14 August 1813. Digital ID: pga 01967, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Bill Gonyo
Edwards 123kU.S. Navy destroyers at San Diego, California, photographed circa 1919 or 1920 by the Bunnell Photo Shop and printed on "AZO" postal card stock. Ships present are (seen from astern, left to right): USS Laub (Destroyer # 263); unidentified; USS Edwards (Destroyer # 265); USS Ballard (Destroyer # 267); USS Shubrick (Destroyer # 268) and USS McLanahan (Destroyer # 264). The original card, which has neither stamp nor postmark, is inscribed : This is the way they anchor Destroyers, in the harbor. They have what they call a 'Mother ship' or supply ship and 6 or 8 destroyers all tied up close together". Courtesy of Jack Howland, 1982. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photo # NH 93975. Tony Cowart
Red Lead Row 195kRed Lead Row, San Diego Destroyer Base, California. Photographed at the end of 1922, with at least 65 destroyers tied up there. Ships present are identified as: (left to right, in the right diagonal row): Stansbury (DD-180); MacKenzie (DD-175); Renshaw (DD-176); Howard (DD-179); Gillis (DD-260); Tingey (DD-272); McLanahan (DD-264); Swasey (DD-273); Morris (DD-271); Bailey (DD-269); Tattnall (DD-125); Breese (DD-122); Radford (DD-120); Aaron Ward (DD-132) -- probably; Ramsey (DD-124); Montgomery (DD-121); and Lea (DD-118). (left to right, in the middle diagonal row): Wickes (DD-75); Thornton (DD-270); Meade (DD-274); Crane (DD-109); Evans (DD-78); McCawley (DD-276); Doyen (DD-280); Elliot (DD-146); Henshaw (DD-278); Moody (DD-277); Meyer (DD-279); Sinclair (DD-275); Turner (DD-259); Philip (DD-76); Hamilton (DD-141); Boggs (DD-136); Claxton (DD-140); Ward (DD-139); Hazelwood (DD-107) or Kilty (DD-137); Kennison (DD-138); Jacob Jones (DD-130); Aulick (DD-258); Babbitt (DD-128); Twiggs (DD-127); and Badger (DD-126). (left to right, in the left diagonal row): Shubrick (DD-268); Edwards (DD-265); Palmer (DD-161); Welles (DD-257); Mugford (DD-105); Upshur (DD-144); Greer (DD-145); Wasmuth (DD-338); Hogan (DD-178); O'Bannon (DD-177); and -- possibly -- Decatur (DD-341). (Nested alongside wharf in left center, left to right): Prairie (AD-5); Buffalo (AD-8); Trever (DD-339); and Perry (DD-340). Minesweepers just astern of this group are Partridge (AM-16) and Brant (AM-24). Nearest ship in the group of destroyers at far left is Dent (DD-116). The others with her are unidentified. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. : NH 42539 Robert Hurst
Edwards 63kNew York City August 3 1940. Naval Historical Center photo NH66796.Daniel Dunham
On British Service
HMS Buxton (ex-USS Edwards, DD-265), handed over to the RN at Halifax, NS, on 8 October 1940, Buxton arrived at St John's, NF, 18 October 1940 en-route to Devonport, but was then delayed by defects. She returned to Halifax for repair, and it was 3 March 1941 before the overworked dockyard completed her. She then made the return passage to Bermuda (delayed there eight days by further defects) and was subsequently employed as a local escort in Canadian waters. A two months refit at Boston in August and September 1941 was followed by brief duty at Halifax, NS prior to escorting troop convoy TC14 to the Clyde, there to join 26th Escort Group on arrival. However, this attachment was brief as she was taken in hand at Chatham for a major refit in mid-November 1941 which lasted until the end of February 1942. Trials, work up (during which she went aground) and subsquent repairs occupied the ship until the end of May 1942, when she joined B6 Escort Group based at Liverpool. While with B6, Buxton escorted convoys and individual, important ships in the Atlantic until in August 1942 she was ordered to Halifax, NS to join the RCN Western Local Escort Force based at that port. The WLEF was responsible for escort work between the ports of New York,and Halifax, NS, and the Western Ocean Meeting Point east of St John's, NF. Buxton remained with the WLEF for a year, interspersed with a Boston refit from December 1942 to March 1943, and increasing defect periods at Halifax. Finally in August 1943, the end of operational service came when Buxton was transferred to the RCN for use as a static training ship, first at Halifax and later at Digby. Buxton paid off from this mundane but important service on 16 January 1945 and was finally sold by the RCN for scrap on 21 March 1946 after a useful, if undistinguished career spent largely distant from British waters. (Foreign service history thanks to Robert Hurst.)
Edwards 69kThe 'Town' class destroyer HMS Buxton (ex-USS Edwards, DD-265) showing her well worn paintwork while serving with B6 Escort Group date and location unknown.Robert Hurst
Edwards 66kAs above.Robert Hurst
Edwards 66kHMS Buxton (H96) underway in May 1942, location unknown. Photo taken by unknown Royal Navy official photographer. Photo # FL 3202 from the collections od the Imperial War Museums.Robert Hurst
Edwards 61kHMS Buxton (H96) off Liverpool on May 22, 1942. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection by Tomlin, H.W. (Lt), Photo No. © IWM(A 8658).Mike Green
On Canadian Service
Edwards 11kHMCS Buxton (H96) tied up pierside at Digby, Nova Scotia, circa 1943-1944. Courtesy of http://www.readyayeready.com.Robert Hurst
Edwards 112kShip's badge.Tommy Trampp

USS EDWARDS DD-265 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

CDR Pierre Light Wilson    Apr 24 1919 - Dec 31 1919
LT Joseph Howard Chadwick    Dec 31 1919 - Dec 10 1920 
LT John Emerson Williams    Dec 10 1920 - Jul 5 1921
ENS Russell Keith    Jul 5 1921 - Jun 8 1922
(Decommissioned June 8 1922 - December 18 1939)
LCDR James Armstrong McNally    Dec 18 1939 - Oct 8 1940 

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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