Naval History Homepage and Site Search

 

 

SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS STRONGHOLD (H 50) - Old S-class Destroyer

HMS Stronghold (NavyPhotos/Mark Teadham, click to enlarge)

 return to Contents List 
 

S-Class destroyer ordered from Scotts of Greenock with Emergency 1917-16 Programme (12th Order). The ship was launched on 6th May 1919 and was the first RN warship to carry the name. Soon after entering service she was fitted with a catapult for experimental trials of Folland aircraft. She was deployed with the Hong Kong Local Flotilla in 1939.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s 

None are recorded.

 

 Badge : On a field Red, a padlock and chain proper.

 

M o t t o

'Strong holds strong'

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

 

1 9 3 9

 

September

                3rd          Deployed at Hong Kong for Local patrol duties.

                15th        Nominated for minelaying at Singapore

                22nd       Arrived at Singapore from Hong Kong for minelaying duty

 

October                  Singapore minelaying duty in continuation.

 

November              Laid minefield off south coast of Johore.

 

December              Singapore minelaying duty in continuation.

 

1 9 4 0

January

                2nd         Laid defensive minefield No 2 off Singapore until 8/3/40.

 

February                Singapore minelaying duty in continuation.

 

March                    Deployed on patrol duties in Malaysian area in Singapore Local Flotilla.

 

April                       Malaysian patrol and interception in continuation.

to

December

 

1 9 4 1

 

January                  Patrol and Interception at Singapore in continuation.

 

February                Laid defensive minefield off east coast of Johore with H M Auxiliary Minelayer

                                TEVIOT BANK.

 

March                    Laid defensive minefield No 3 off Singapore until 8/3/41

 

April                       Singapore patrol and interception in continuation.

to

June

 

July                         Laid minefield off east coast Johore.

 

August                  Singapore patrol and interception in continuation.

to

October

 

November              Laid defensive minefield No 5 in Lomu Channel.

 

 

December              Under repair at Singapore

                8th          Hostilities declared with Japan

 

1 9 4 2

 

January                  Deployed on local escort of convoys to Singapore from Australia.

 

 February

                2nd         Towed HM Destroyer VENDETTA to Java from Singapore.

                11th        Escorted evacuation convey from Singapore to Java with HM Cruiser DURBAN and

                                HM Destroyer JUPITER.

                                Joined by other evacuation ships and tankers from Palambang.

                13th        Under attack by Japanese submarines which sank several ships.

 

March                    Escorted Dutch ss ZAANDAM with refugees from TJilatap bound for Fremantle.

                2nd         Became detached from faster merchant ship and sighted by Japanese aircraft south

                                of Sunda Strait.

                                In action against IJN cruisers MAYA, ARASHI and NOWAKI with 2 destroyers.

                                Sank after gallant fight. Survivors (reportedly 50) rescued by captured Dutch SS Sigli and

                                later transferred to IJN cruiser MAYA. Exceptionally, they were well treated on board.

 
 

back to Contents List
or Naval-History.Net

revised 1/7/11
further editing and formatting is required