Identifying troopship escorts

[Tim Hill]

Hi All

 

I am hoping that someone with some naval knowledge may be able to help with a question that I have about troopship escorts. I've been researching my Grandad's WW1 service - he was in the Machine Gun Corps, and he was sent to France with 113 MCG on the 16th May 1916, arriving on the 17th. I know that he sailed from Southampton to Le Havre, and via the Havre Base Commandant and Landing Officer diaries I have narrowed his vessel down to either the City of Benares (most likely) or the Nirvana. 

 

I guess that the troopships would have had a Royal Navy escort of a destroyer or destroyers - I can't see anywhere though where their names are listed. I assume that they simply stopped outside the port and then picked up the next vessel returning to the UK? I have to confess that I know next to nothing about naval operations or where to find records outside of what I already have. Is there an record anywhere that would allow me to identify troopship escorts?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

Kind regards

 

Tim